Tumgik
#when she (me) can afford em
jasonsthunderthighs · 11 months
Text
This happened a few days ago, but I'm still pissed off bout it.
I've told this to a few people and they didn't think I was over exaggeratin even though I feel like an absolute fuckin asshole cause of it.
My roommate, for the third time, has barged into my room WITHOUT knockin to see if I'm in there.
One time, I understand that it can be a mistake.
Second time, ok, dude, what the fuck? (I was also asleep durin this time as well as the first time cause of depression)
Third time, NOW it's just gettin really, really annoyin.
I could've been naked, changin or whatever and she'd could've seen me in a vulnerable position of distress cause of my bipolar. (Which, at THAT point, DON'T fuckin try to talk to me cause of it.)
I told her this after the third time to fuckin KNOCK BEFORE ENTERIN ANYONE'S ROOM.
She HATED it when her siblings did that to her, WHY do that to me?
Her reasonin?
“I wanted to know if you were home.”
THAT'S NO FUCKIN REASON TO GO INTO MY DAMN ROOM WITHOUT KNOCKIN
I lock my door now when I'm home and I shouldn't be doin that.
We're fuckin adults (she's 24 bout to be 25 in October and I'm goin to be 26 next month) and it should be fuckin courtesy to knock before enterin or even text me (which yes, I said in the upper paragraph that I don't want to be talk to if I'm goin through a mental breakdown or I just don't want to talk at all, but my point STILL fuckin stands.) OR AT LEAST SOMETHIN TO NOT TREAT ME LIKE THIS WHEN I SHOULDN'T BE FUCKIN LOCKIN MY DOOR AT NIGHT CAUSE SHE MIGHT BARGE IN AGAIN.
I don't know anymore. I'm just goin on and on again with my rant. I'm just fuckin tired.
Tumblr media
12 notes · View notes
tart-miano · 10 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
my versions of Hyde and Utterson in tasteful fashion (based off of this post)
8 notes · View notes
saetoru · 11 months
Note
Tee 🥹 so RB Gojo always shows up to YNs house unexpectedly or wants her to come over. What if one day out of the blue, like 2 am she shows up at his house in tears due to stress. And for once he can be the caretaker and dependable one. And then she falls asleep in his arms arms and he gets to be the big spoon for once. I could see her whispering “you’re it for me too” while thinking he’s asleep.- dabitee anon
✩ ‧₊˚ ✩。BEFORE & AFTER — GOJO SATORU. (rich boy! au)
contents. college au, rich boy! gojo, stressed reader :(, comfort, cheesy banter lol i tried ok, slightly based off of this drabble
notes. dabitee anon. babie u are my biggest rb! gojo inspo u always think of the sweetest lil moments between them sobsss i adore you sm
Tumblr media Tumblr media
sometimes, gojo forgets you're not always put together. sometimes, you struggle to get assignments finished, and sometimes you don't wake up for work on the first alarm, and sometimes studying is too much to handle no matter how determined you are for an A.
"thinking about me this late, sweetheart?" he grins as soon as he picks up your call, laying back on one arm as he stares at the ceiling. he doesn't expect to see you call at two am, but you do—and when he hears the short, wet sniffle through the phone, he doesn't waste a moment to sit up. "sweetheart? you good?"
"toru can you let me in?" you ask quietly. gojo feels every crack in your voice pierce into his chest—it's rare for you to need him like this. he thinks he's always needed you more than you've needed him, truthfully. you've always opened doors after he's stormed out on his father, you've always laced your fingers after arguments with suguru, and you've always rubbed his back when he's hunched over toilets after one too many drinks.
when was the last time you've let yourself need gojo? he doesn't have the time to even try and remember, his feet carrying him over to open his front door quietly. and it's you—you with teary eyes and puffy cheeks, you with tired dark circles and wobbly lips. it's you, but it's not the you he knows, the one he's used to.
the one good thing about gojo satoru is he always knows how to talk—he speaks enough for two, knows how to fill the silence when you can't bring yourself to speak. his arms tug you into his chest before you can open your mouth to explain.
"did you drive all the way here with those watery eyes?" he hums, "wanted to see me that bad? it's dangerous driving like that, baby."
"didn't wanna be alone," you mumble, sniffling into his chest. his hands are big—they're good for rubbing slow circles into your back, the warmth of his palm seeping in through your shirt and pressing against your skin.
"i'd have come if you texted me," he hums, "'m always up, anyway. you know i was beating suguru's ass in mortal combat? he owes me a burger."
"you can afford one yourself, idiot," you huff, making him chuckle. something about the low rumble of his chest against your cheek makes the tears flow a little faster—not because you feel worse, but because it's safe enough that you can.
sometimes, you forget gojo isn't that spoiled and whiny handful you love to call him. sometimes, you're reminded that he's used to being alone, that carrying emotions enough for two is his forte. your cheek presses harder against his chest, like you could bury yourself inside of him like that, like hiding away in his ribcage is where you're safest from the rest of the world. maybe it is—maybe all you need is him to make it safe.
"who's got my baby crying the night before an 8 am class?" he asks softly, “i’ll punch ‘em.”
“what if i say you, will you punch yourself?”
“for you, always,” he nods seriously.
he knows how to ask these things like that: like it's not heavy, like you can make a light-hearted joke or two so that you're not drowning in your own vulnerability. sometimes, you forget that gojo is no stranger to hiding his own vulnerability, that he knows how to hide it under a playful grin and a cheeky laugh.
"that group assignment's due soon and no one's done anything yet but me, and i had to pick up an extra shift to cover for someone, and that quiz coming up is apparently super hard, and my electricity bill was high this month and i don't know why, and....and—"
"okay," he hums, "the electricity might've been me," he says with a quiet chuckle, "i always forget to turn the lights off. I'll handle it, yeah?"
"but—"
"it's not paying for you," he cuts you off, "it's paying you back. there's a difference. now c'mon. i make good hot chocolate."
"it's out of a packet," you sniffle, lips curled into a pout as his thumb swipes away at your tears. he traces the swell of your cheek before pinching it lightly, making you huff.
"hey," he gasps, "it's special because i put extra chocolate in it! it's my secret ingredient."
"it's not a secret if it's the main ingredient, toru," you mumble, letting his fingers thread with yours as he tugs you along to follow him.
"do you just live to correct me?" he whines, "can't i have one thing?"
and when he hears that soft, breathy little giggle from you, he smiles to himself, the ache of his chest calming just a little. you think gojo could always do that if he tried—pull a small laugh or two out of you even if the world was crumbling around you, keep your lips curved up even as everything goes wrong.
he's enough to forget about that damn project, and that extra shift, and that absurd quiz, and that distressing bill. maybe it's in the way he makes the whipped cream look like a crooked heart in your mug, or the way he burns his tongue as he takes a sip too fast, or the way he swings your arm as he drags you to his room, or the way he wriggles his brows at you as he takes his shirt off before bed, or the way he presses that delicate, sweet, careful little kiss to your forehead as you lay on his chest.
because he has to be enough, he thinks as he holds you, he has to be good enough for you that he outweighs every bad thing you'll ever deal with. he wonders if you know you're it for him, if you know that no one else could fill the spot you've wormed your way into unknowingly. he realizes it that night you hold him, the same night you didn't scold him for ruining your sleep, the same night he finds his way to you when it feels like every road is blocked.
and when the roads are blocked you find your way to him too. so he lays quietly under your cheek, feeling your fingers trace those slow hearts into his skin as he hears you murmur, "i think you're it for me too, toru."
his brows furrow—and then he realizes you must have heard him that night, just like he's hearing you now. a small part of him wants to laugh at the odds, at the way you both can't bring yourselves to say it when you're sure you'll hear each other. the other part of him thinks maybe you were always supposed to find each other, that you were always meant to stay awake and hear hushed words that are supposed to be secrets.
but then you tilt your head up, meeting his eyes, like you know he's awake. oh, he realizes, you've always known, haven't you?
"oh yeah?" he asks, "what if someone cuter and funnier comes along?"
you giggle—not one trace of stress or fear or defeat on your features, not with him there. "i met suguru and still chose you," you tease, making his gasp in disbelief.
"that's so mean," he whines, "i made you hot chocolate with extra chocolate! you can't say my best friend is cuter. and for the record, i'm way funnier than him."
"i'm kidding," you grin, pinching his cheek. "i love you. thank you," you add quietly.
"love you too," he kisses your temple. sometimes, gojo forgets what it was like before you—and he doesn't really want to remember.
Tumblr media
atp rich boy! gojo is just his own character to me sjfjsjfj i’ve just created a whole new dude in my head with the same irritating blue eyes
6K notes · View notes
bellflower-goat · 2 years
Text
>:l
0 notes
avocado-writing · 3 months
Note
Companions reacting to Tav telling them they love them right in the middle(or after) a fight?? Like Tav is just so in awe of seeing em in action<3
oh! So sweet! Absolutely, here you go anon - writing as if you’ve seen them do something magnificent in battle & are so overcome with love that you have no choice but to blurt it out! (some stuff under a cut for being a bit NSFW LMAO) plus mentions of blood & violence
Tumblr media
Astarion
stabs someone attacking you from out of the darkness with such efficiency they’re dead before they hit the ground
you’re blown away by the bloodlust and fury in his eyes - how DARE someone try to hurt you?
”I love you,” you choke out, wide-eyed and trembling from fear and emotion.
he’s shocked, but reaches over to give you a quick and bloody kiss before stabbing someone approaching behind you and urging you to get back to the fight
tells you later it was very silly to be distracting yourselves like that… but he does appreciate it nonetheless 😌
Wyll
we’ve seen the way he’s introduced in game, we know he’s a fan of some showmanship
you see him deal with three opponents at once, Eldritch Blasts in one hand and rapier in the other, and shout that you love him almost instinctively
when he finishes seeing them off he leaps across the battlefield, spins you, and gives you a fiery kiss before darting back up to block another sword
you feel like you’ve had the air stolen from your lungs but quickly manage to recalibrate yourself - you have a fight to win!
you can’t help stealing glances at his fine form for the rest of the battle though 😏
Gale
we know canonically he gets turned on from watching you fight.
you yell out that you love him after seeing him sling the coolest Fireball? he’s putty in your hands afterwards.
so desperate, kissing you, begging for your hands to be all over him
“you are so wonderful, my heart… to see you in battle… it set every inch of me aflame…”
gets you into a routine of quickies after battle bc the two of you are fired up. neither of you mind delaying your adventure to fuck rough and fast. the rest of the party… could do without that.
Karlach
is busy raging and does NOT hear you lol
roars in response but that could just be a normal battle roar when it comes to her tbf
she finds you afterwards though, a little sheepish, and is like “oh erm did you say you loved me mid-battle?”
”yes! you looked so cool cleaving that dude in half karlach, I was a bit swept up…”
her face goes bright(er) red and she actually giggles before pulling you into a kiss
“things like that make this all worthwhile, solider. I love you too.”
Shadowheart
you’re dying. she floods you with a cure wounds so powerful it starts your heart again and also cures, like, an unrelated ache in your hip too, lol
you look up at her, bathed in the blood of battle, and she is like an angel sent from the heavens
“I love you” you manage to croak out from cracked lips
“I know,” she says, utterly unfazed, and then pushes you to your feet to keep on fighting
does give you a sweet smooch after battle though, to let you know she appreciated it 😌
Lae’zel
“tsk’va! there is a time and a place for this!”
she swings her sword and cuts a man’s head clean off, showering you both in a rain of warm blood, and you’re enchanted with her.
has to fight people off from wounding you because you’re so distracted oops
afterwards tells you that you cannot afford to be so absent-minded in battle… but does hold you close and rest her forehead to yours, allowing a moment of connected closeness between you ❤️
Halsin
you confess it when you see him bear out and start ripping people into pieces.
he is just… incredible. all raw power and brilliance.
you shout your love over to him and the bear roars before taking the head off of a zombie in one bite
always fights nearby you anyway, but will make an effort to get closer so he can hear your words of affection better!
plods over to you in wildshape afterwards and nuzzles into you, huffing happily when you bury your hands in his fur and give him a scratch 💕
Minthara
her blade is full of the might of her god, and she is going to use it to sunder her opponents.
you’re dazzled, in utter awe when she kills a fiend with a single blow from her sword
you can’t help the words falling from your lips.
she lifts her shield to block a blow from falling on you, and in its shade she gives you a kiss and says one word:
”good.”
1K notes · View notes
cyber333angel · 19 days
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
DEALER!BARRY X SPOILED!READER X DEALER!RAFE <3
you get a little too “spoiled” when with your boyfriends — barry and rafe!
˚୨୧⋆。˚ ⋆ ˚୨୧⋆。˚ ⋆ ˚୨୧⋆。˚ ⋆ ˚୨୧⋆。˚ ⋆ ˚୨୧⋆。˚ ⋆ ˚୨୧⋆。˚ ⋆ ˚୨୧⋆。˚
it was the weekend, meaning it was time for shopping spree at the mall! strolling around the coach store of your favorite big building, you struggle to choose which bag your boyfriends would pay for. behind you they walked, talking while watching you happily trudge in front of them. “blueberry or cherry?” you ask holding them both up next to you, posing with them in your pink tracksuit . “you can get both of em mama.” barry tells you and rafe looks at him, “she doesn’t need both, you spoil her too much.” barry rolls his eyes, “s’not like we can’t afford it big bruh, if she wants it she can have it.” you squeal at his retort, and hug him. “thank you bear!” giving him an attack of kisses on his cheek. rafe sighs “that’s not the point. you know how bratty she gets when she thinks she can have anything she wants. don’t act surprised when she throws a tantrum cause she can’t have something.”
“mhm.” barry says walking to the other shelf of jewelry with you, looking back at rafe and stick your tongue at him and say “bleh!” he furrows his eyebrows and power-walks toward you, shrieking at his scariness, you run and hide behind barry.
after shopping, you arrive home at tannyhill. “thank you rafe!” giving him a kiss for funding half the shopping spree “thank you bear!” you give your other boyfriend a kiss for the other half of funding and take your bags up to your room, placing them in your walk in closet.
later on a friday, your sitting on the couch with rafe, watching tv while he scrolls through his phone. bored you say, “rafey can we go to the mall? I smelt this miss dior perfume last week and I really liked it but we never bought it.” he doesn’t look up from his phone. “no. we already went this week, no need to go for a while.” you pout at him, “no but I really need it! im going somewhere with-“ he cuts you off. “what i just say huh? no. getting so fuckin bratty this early in the morning..” you look at him with a vexed face and you mumble. “I bet barry would take me..so infuriating”
rafe looks up at you from his phone. “what’d you say?” trying to escape the scene, you get up and walk to the the kitchen telling him, “s’nothing!”
“what i fucking thought.” he says quietly but harsh enough for you to hear. barry comes home later at night finding rafe in the kitchen opening a can of beer. “yo country club.” he looks for you and doesn’t see you with rafe as you usually are at this time, he asks ” where’s our girl?” rafe chuckles “sleeping off the badass little attitude she had today.”
barry, confused on what attitude you could possibly have, “what’d she do?” sighing, rafe shoots him a look “she started acting like a fucking brat cause I told her she can’t go to the mall again as if we didn’t go this week already. it’s because of you she thinks she can always have her way.”
barry had always been the one to be the most lenient with you, he loved you and would do anything to protect his girl. and of course rafe loves you as well and would do more than anything for you, but someone had to keep you in check and it was always rafe. “well come talk to her with me then. we’ll set her straight.” you wake up to barry picking you up by the armpits, blinking awake and rubbing your eyes with your manicured nails , “mm hi bear..”
“hey princess, we gotta talk so let’s go downstairs and get something t’a eat alright?” he readjusts the satin bonnet sliding off your head, you nod at him still sleepy. gaining energy you sit on the island of your kitchen while barry fixes you some milk and and a grilled cheese. rafe stands in front of you, you roll your eyes following from the earlier argument. he jerks his head back from the sudden sass, “don’t roll your eyes at me, you know your manners.“ he looks back at barry, “ you-you see what im talking about right? she’s getting too fucking rude. what is it, you need some dick? what’s with the attitude?” you look at him with all seriousness in your face “I wanted to go to the mall rafe!” he breathes hard through his nose. “im fed up with you. barry go talk some sense into that girl before i bend her over the table i swear.” barry turns the stove off, finishing your grilled cheese and cuts it diagonally placing it next to you with a glass milk. “what’s going on going on sweet girl? I hear you throwing tantrums round’ this house, what’s that about?” you pout at him “rafes being mean t’me saying I can’t go shopping!”
“well you know if we tell you something your supposed to listen even if it’s something you don’t wanna hear.” he tilts his head at you “hm? now why don’t you gone head and apologize to polo boy over there f’me.” you look up at him and huff, turning your back to rafe sitting on the couch you shout “rafe could you come over here please!” he rises from his seat and walks over to you, “don’t yell in the fucking house. what is it? you gonna apologize for the way you been acting?” you nod, “mhm i just wanted to say m’sorry daddy. I didn’t mean to be a brat, you just get me nice things all the time, and i guess I got carried away! it won’t happen again, promise!” holding up your pinky finger to pinky promise your boyfriend, rafe chuckles, interlocking his pinky with yours. “thanks for the apology baby, your gonna be a good girl for the rest of the week right?” he says nodding his head waiting for you to agree, “mhm.”
barry interjects, “well I think our pretty girl deserves a reward for being a big girl today right?” and rafe bows his head in a agreeing motion diving in to kiss you deeply from the right side of your body. your other boyfriend on your left, slides his rough hands on your thighs. “open your legs f’me mama.” you split your legs apart revealing the wet spot on your pink laced panties and through your thin shorts. barry takes off your short sleeping pants as well as your panties, letting the shorts drop to the floor, he puts your pink lace into his pocket. bending down he kisses you up from your calfs, up to your knees and to your inner thighs. “you gone let me make you feel good angel?” you nod frantically through rafes kisses. barry hooks his biceps under your thighs to bring you now soaked cunt closer to his face. “you smell so fuckin sweet for daddy, love this pussy.” he spits on your bud, sucking it harshly, making you squirm around the table. you whimper into rafes mouth from the intensity of barry’s lapping. rafe lifts up your shirt exposing your breasts and starts to pinch your nipples, with a different hand he unbuckles his pants. he grabs your hand and pulls out his cock letting you stroke his length. whispering “fuck..” under his breath, you paw at him faster. you shiver when barry thrust his tongue into your wet cunt, he takes his tongue out and shoves two fingers in and the other hand rubbing furiously at your clit. you take the one hand you have left and grip at rafes shirt from the extreme stimulation of your cunt. “be a good girl and come for daddy.” your boyfriend below you says, finishing you off. you arch your back, “mmph!” stuttering into rafes mouth, he lets go of your moistened lips, his dick standing tall from your jerking at it. hiccuping you say “that felt so g-good daddy.. I want you in me now please!”
“course mama.” barry gets up and lifts you off the counter, guiding you to the couch in the living room, you take rafes hand and he follows behind you. barry unbuttons his pants and his cock springs out, average height but so unbelievably thick. he sits on the couch and pulls you close to him, you hover over him letting him position his dick into your slick cunt. sinking down he praises you, “goood girl. shit, you taking me so well angel.” you mewl at him “mm it’s so big daddy!” rafe watches the scene and stands in front of you, gripping your jaw to force you to look up at him. “you wanna make daddy feel good too right?” you nod frantically and he lets go of your face, holding up his cock with one hand he slaps it on your cheek and positions it into your mouth. he thrusts his cock into your mouth making you choke, gripping your neck to make your gullet feel tighter. behind you, barry’s fucking up into your cunt with wet sounds heard all around the living room. it makes your head spin and clench harder around his cock “you doing so well for us princess, see how being a good girl gets you a reward?” you can’t answer with your throat being used but you do agree. “this fucking mouth..god you feel so good.” choking, as rafe speeds up the pace, he releases his warm load deep into your throat, thrusting as deep as he can to make it stick. “you better swallow all of it sweetheart..shittt..” he takes his cock out your mouth looking at your face. he grabs you face again “stick out your tongue.” you do as your told, showing him your empty mouth, cum nowhere to be seen but in your stomach. “good girl.” your eyes are half lidded and you smile up at him, still getting pounded from behind. “f-fuck daddy your going too hard..” barry smacks your ass, a firm slap that makes you flinch “don’t say that shit.” you sob at the harsh tone. “m’sorryyy daddy, your just hitting it so deep!”
“yeah I know mama..im bout to finish.” he puts in his last brutal thrust. plap-plap-plap and you cry at the rapid pace, taking your hands and placing them on barry’s thighs, a weak attempt to slow him down. looking up at rafe he tells you to “move your fucking hands.” you flinch, removing them and instead you reach your hands out to rafe, interlocking your hands together. barry at his climax, nuzzles his dick deep into your pussy, burrowing his warm cum into your pussy. “mm felt so good..both make me feel so g-good, oh goddd!” twitching when barry pulls out your cunt, he gets up from under you. they both admire you as the cum leaks out from your abused pussy. “what a fucking view..” after they finish using you, rafe lifts you up “let’s get you cleaned up sweetheart, did so good.” barry cleans up the pillows knocked off from this whole affair and goes to the kitchen, putting your grilled cheese in the microwave for you to eat tomorrow. your boyfriends both clean you up in the tub, they wash you off and clean out the load still buried in your cunt. they change you into one of their shirts, placing you in the shared bed you lay between them. you mumble as you drift to sleep “bear and rafey..can I go shopping now?” they both chuckle at you still acting like spoiled brat. “sure sweet girl.” as you fall asleep in their arms.
<3
Tumblr media
558 notes · View notes
nvuy · 19 days
Note
I saw the Boothill text messages leaks and he physically can not cry. How does this info make u feel 🎤
GIVE ME THAT 🎤
“Theoretical question…” Boothill gratefully takes the glass of wine you hand to him before you sidle up next to him in the grass. “…But say the sun was g’nna blow up tomorrow, and you were the only one that knew about it. What would you do?”
He pulls off his hat and rests it by his feet. He feels you staring at him. Your gaze is warm, yet something about it bothers him. Like you’re trying to read him.
He presses his lips together in a thin line.
“That’s definitely a question,” you murmur beneath your breath. “Why?”
He says nothing for a moment.
The warm breeze is gentle.
He’s still staring at the sunset when he replies, “dunno. ‘M curious.” His words are accompanied by a casual shrug.
He hears you shift, maybe slightly uncomfortable. The wine in your glass sloshes.
He takes a sip from his own glass. It’s not his favourite, but you can’t really afford anything to his tastes. But, for what it’s worth, the wine is nice, and good enough to take his mind off how his metal fingers still seem to tremble when he mentions the end of the world.
Sweet and benign on his tongue, just like you. He hums and studies the drink through the glass. Maybe cheap booze ain’t too shabby.
“I guess I’d spend it with my family,” you say. You, too, shrug.
“Would you tell ‘em?” He turns his head to look at you. “That the world’s endin’?”
He watches as you inhale.
Then, you say, “no.” There’s a light shake of your head to accompany your words. “I don’t want to scare them.”
That’s what he did, too. Many, many years ago.
He remembers seeing red smeared all over her little face. How it slowly turned a deep purple as she held her breath. How it then faded completely with its colour, and he lost sight of her gorgeous pinkish cheeks when she took her final breaths.
“What would ya say to them in the last minute?”
He can’t remember her voice anymore.
That lump in his throat swells, and it feels like a cold marble. He’s so tired of trying to swallow it.
“I think I’d be too busy crying like a baby, but…” It was a lighthearted joke as you nudge him in the side. He only lets out a humourless puff of air through his nose. “I’d tell them I love them. That they’re the best people I’ve ever known.”
Something heavy weighs in his chest like hot iron, burning and bubbling at the base of his throat. “Yeah. I get it.”
You touch his cheek gently. “You okay?”
He’s not. “‘M fine.”
“Would you stay with me?” you ask him. “Theoretically. If the world ended tomorrow?”
That cracks a smile on his face, though it’s light. “Sure I would. Theoretically.” The sun always felt nice on his face.
Your skin was even nicer against his. You rest against his shoulder, and he leans his head to press his ear to the side of your face.
“If my metal body’s good for anythin’, I’d try to shield you from the blast.”
You snort. “I appreciate it, though I don’t think even a cyborg can withstand the sun exploding.” You reach up and pet his hair. The white strands pool along your fingertips like running water.
He leans into your touch. “Still. I gots ta try.”
You sigh and flick his forehead lightly. “All theoretical, Boothill.”
The cowboy hums, and you feel it ripple across your skin like waves. “Course.”
“Hopefully the world doesn't end tomorrow,” you add. “You still haven’t taught me how to play the guitar.”
Boothill turns his head so his nose presses to the side of your face. Although his skin is cold, you feel warm and fuzzy. “Even if the world ends, I’d be happy right here.” He reaches down and pats your lap firmly.
He feels your face heat up and you groan. “You’re terrible.”
His cold lips press to your temple and he snickers. “You like it.”
534 notes · View notes
Text
How to screw up a whistleblower law
Tumblr media
I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me THIS WEDNESDAY (Apr 17) in CHICAGO, then Torino (Apr 21) Marin County (Apr 27), Winnipeg (May 2), Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), and beyond!
Tumblr media
Corporate crime is notoriously underpoliced and underprosecuted. Mostly, that's because we just choose not to do anything about it. American corporations commit crimes at 20X the rate of real humans, and their crimes are far worse than any crime committed by a human, but they are almost never prosecuted:
https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/12/no-criminals-no-crimes/#get-out-of-jail-free-card
We can't even bear to utter the words "corporate crime": instead, we deploy a whole raft of euphemisms like "risk and compliance," and that ole fave, the trusty "white-collar crime":
https://pluralistic.net/2021/12/07/solar-panel-for-a-sex-machine/#a-single-proposition
The Biden DOJ promised it would be different, and they weren't kidding. The DOJ's antitrust division is kicking ass, doing more than the division has done in generations, really swinging for the fences:
https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/22/reality-distortion-field/#three-trillion-here-three-trillion-there-pretty-soon-youre-talking-real-money
Main Justice – the rest of the DOJ – promised that it would do the same. Deputy AG Lisa Monaco promised an end to those bullshit "deferred prosecution agreements" that let corporate America literally get away with murder. She promised to prosecute companies and individual executives. She promised a lot:
https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/22/reality-distortion-field/#three-trillion-here-three-trillion-there-pretty-soon-youre-talking-real-money
Was she serious? Well, it's not looking good. Monaco's number two gnuy, Benjamin Mizer, has a storied career – working for giant corporations, getting them off the hook when they commit eye-watering crimes:
https://prospect.org/justice/2024-04-09-reform-groups-lack-of-corporate-prosecutions-doj/
Biden's DOJ is arguably more tolerant of corporate crime than even Trump's Main Justice. In 2021, the DOJ brought just 90 cases – the worst year in a quarter-century. 2022's number was 99, and 2023 saw 119. Trump's DOJ did better than any of those numbers in two out of four years. And back in 2000, Justice was bringing more than 300 corporate criminal prosecutions.
Deputy AG Monaco just announced a new whistleblower bounty program: cash money for ratting out your crooked asshole co-worker or boss. Whistleblower bounties are among the most effective and cheapest way to bring criminal prosecutions against corporations. If you're a terrified underling who can't afford to lose your job after narcing out your boss, the bounty can outweigh the risk of industry-wide blacklisting. And if you're a crooked co-conspirator thinking about turning rat on your fellow criminal, the bounty can tempt you into solving the Prisoner's Dilemma in a way that sees the crime prosecuted.
So a new whistleblower bounty program is good. We like 'em. What's not to like?
Sorry, folks, I've got some bad news:
https://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/stephen-kohn-on-the-justice-department-plan-to-offer-whistleblower-awards/
As the whistleblower lawyer Stephen Kohn points out to Russell Mokhiber of Corporate Crime Reporter, Monaco's whistleblower bounty program has a glaring defect: it excludes "individuals who were involved with the crime." That means that the long-suffering secretary who printed the boss's crime memo and put it in the mail is shit out of luck – as is the CFO who's finally had enough of the CEO's dirty poker.
This is not how other whistleblower reward programs work: the SEC and CFTC whistleblower programs do not exclude people involved with the crime, and for good reason. They want to catch kingpins, not footsoldiers – and the best way to do that is to reward the whistleblower who turns on the boss.
This isn't a new idea! It's in the venerable False Claims Act, an act that signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. As Kohn says, making "accomplices" eligible to participate in whistleblower rewards is how you get people like his client, who relayed a bribe on behalf of his boss, to come forward. As Lincoln said in 1863, the purpose of a whistleblower law is to entice conspirators to turn on one another. Like Honest Abe said, "it takes a rogue to catch a rogue."
And – as Kohn says – we've designed these programs so that masterminds can't throw their minor lickspittles under the buss and collect a reward: "I know of no case where the person who planned or initiated the fraud under any of the reward laws ever got a dime."
Kohn points out that under Monaco, the DOJ just ignores the rule that afford anonymity to whistleblowers. That's a big omission – the SEC got 18,000 confidential claims in 2023. Those are claims that the DOJ can't afford to miss, given their abysmal, sub-Trump track record on corporate crime prosecutions.
Tumblr media
If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/15/whistleblown/#lisa-monaco
154 notes · View notes
19burstraat · 3 months
Text
Ok we all know guild me, build me exists due to my artistic abilities being very lacking in the visual arts, so rather than drawing the crows in the komedie brute, I had to write kaz in. however I had ideas for the others that I couldn't get into a fic, so I've put em down here
Kaz: (description ripped from guild me, build me):
a heavy black cape, sewn with stolen chains and jewels so that it jingled upon every movement (...) It was marked up and slit here and there, on the edges and at the collar, to give the impression of crow’s feathers, and it was made of some kind of shiny, velvety fabric that had the oily shine of crow’s plumage. The gloves were the same material, thinner and more embroidered than Kaz would have ever entertained, and the cane was a plain, inaccurate copy– (...) the mask; a silver crow’s head (...) crooked over the eyes and nose, almost like a Kaelish plague mask. But it left the mouth unblocked; of course it did. Dirtyhands needed to talk.
Inej:
Light and flimsy dark (doesn't have to be black; could be blue or grey) fabric for the veil and cloak. Has an element of spiderwebby fraying to it which is a nod to her being... Well, a spider lmao. But also meant to look ghostly and insubstantial, can sometimes see a metal shiny suggestion of knives underneath it. The veil can be parted just down the side of her face, so you can occasionally see a bit of her face, but never the whole thing. Would not be a practical costume to climb or spy in; too long and bothersome, the same way Kaz's Dirtyhands cloak would not be practical to pickpocket in. Sometimes productions get her a few cheap sheath knives.
Jesper:
Rabbit head mask, short cloak in some batshit colour like green or pink, lined w rabbit's fur and threaded with gambling chips, 'lucky' rabbits feet, coins, and stray bullets. Adornments tied on loosely so they swing everywhere when he moves. This way there's also a real risk of the Kaz and Jesper actors getting tangled together if they interact, which is not symbolic, just funny. This is our get-along Komedie Brute costume :) (we are stuck)
Wylan:
A once-fine red cloak with a high ruffly collar-- now tattered and singed and gone to seed. Little bits of wiring or string or pouches of powders etc sewn into it; sneakily embroidered with the Van Eck laurel around the edges. Mask, while elaborate and matching with the cloak, only covers the top half of his face, as if he's not quite as all-in as the others. For similar reasons, the cloak is half-length.
Matthias:
Wolf's head mask ofc, white fur cape a lot longer and more substantial than Jesper's, with heavy furring around the neck (made to bulk out the actor if they're not the right stature, which most will not be). Likely they also weight his boots to make his tread sound more imposing. Possibly a wig if they can afford one, since Druskelle are known for the long hair.
Nina:
Porcelain-doll Venetian style mask (you know the ones!) with a single black tear-- referential both to that bit in CK when they identified themselves that way in the crowd of Mister Crimsons, and the Queen of Mourning thing. Mask is covered with a very light veil, and she wears a long heavy silk cloak with a bit of a hint of a kefta, but not enough to get the Komedie Brute in shit from Ravkan Grisha lmao. Entrance usually heralded with a blue corpselight.
I imagine dependent on the production and the costumier they could look great and beautifully elaborate, or they could look cheap and shit lmao.
Bonus: I got bored and made a mock-up of a page of a Komedie play. I edited over the first folio for this, yes. Sorry to the Big W.S.
Tumblr media
171 notes · View notes
st4rb3rries · 10 months
Text
the main 4 meeting you for the first time
pairings; stan, kyle, kenny, cartman x fem!reader (all aged up 17-18)
summary; reactions and meeting you
warnings; cussing and suggestive language
a/n; hopefully you guys understand the kyle and stan one😭
Tumblr media
how kyle and stan met you:
you met them senior year. they saw your fine ass in class and were like "gawd dayum 😍😍🔥❤️" NAH JK kyle and stan secretly talked shit about you because you were the smartest in class. (they haven't even talked to you once) it was mostly kyle because he was jealous of your academic intelligence.
kyle: "who does she think she is acting like a goody two shoes and she shouldn't even be talking with that big ass forehead her calculations aren't even correct dude i'm totally way smarter than y/n🙄"
stan: "ong bruh like her forehead is bigger than my relationship with my dad😭 and no one can outsmart my super best friend dude🤨"
y/n: ....
like y'all sit close by each other in class and they still have the audacity to talk shit😭. they weren't even slick either you could clearly hear them but they thought you couldn't.
but one day things changed. they were struggling in algebra so you decided to help them. out of the kindness of your heart? no. the teacher told you to help them. this was the moment that would change everything.
y/n: "hi do you need some help it looks like you guys are struggling"
kyle: "no were fine we don't need your help"
stan: "yeah dude you can go away, kyle is way smarter than you we don't need you"
kyle: "yeah that's right i'm smarter than you punk so you can go away now🤓"
y/n: "ok kyle why did you pick 'd' instead of 'c' for number 1🥱"
kyle: "WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS D HOW COU-"
stan: "DUDE WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE US FAIL"
y/n: "ah look at that so you need my help after all"
stan and kyle: "smart ass"
y/n: "what was that hm?"
kyle: "smart class"
stan: "y-yeah we have a smart class😇"
y/n: "i know you guys talk shit about me don't think your so slick"
stan and kyle: 😮😮
they stopped talking bad about you. since you found out you started "helping" them more and they both started getting to know you better. even though they still had their attitude. and with all that helping there formed a friendship<3.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
how cartman and kenny met you:
you also met them senior year. you however only met them because you decided to ditch class and do your business under the bleachers. both of them have seen you in class and they know your smart. they just didn't really care about you though.
*you walk over to the bleachers*
cartman: "oh shit teachers, RUN KENNY'
y/n: "im not a teacher wtf😭 "
they got scared there for a minute. but they weren't anymore until they recognized your annoying voice. cartman and kenny also thought you would never ditch class because your so smart🤨. (they were generally surprised)
cartman: "sorry there's no nerdy bitches allowed😘"
kenny: "you can be my nerdy bitch😏"
y/n: "and that's why your moms should've swallowed both of you when she had the chance."
cartman: 😮
kenny: "HAHAHAH" *bros tryna get into them baggy jeans💀*
cartman: "what the hell are you even doing here"
y/n: "no what are you doing here🤨"
cartman: "ditching class duh you dumb slut🙄"
y/n: "ok tubby well i need both of you to leave"
kenny: "why🥹"
y/n: "don't worry about it"
kenny: "YES MA'AM😍"
unfortunately they stayed because they're nosy as hell. anyways after they both saw you make money by doing peoples homework. they had mad respect for you. cartman was even a bit jealous that you came up with so much money. kenny on the other hand was wondering if you provide other types of services🤔.
cartman: " here y/n take this why don't we talk for a bit"
y/n: "are these crushed up smarties🤨"
kenny: "ya you can smoke em' or snort em' "
y/n: "y'all can't afford the real stuff💀?"
cartman: "so about your services, i'd like to be your manager i can make you stronger and smarter"
y/n: "do you have a gpa of 4.0"
kenny: "does 2.8 count"
cartman: "kenny stfu im tryna make us some money here"
cartman: "anyways so-"
after talking with them you agreed. but little did know that agreement was gonna be a long one. both of them truly admired your hard work and at some point it wasn't about the money. they really just liked hanging out with you😭.
270 notes · View notes
tightjeansjavi · 1 year
Text
𝕓𝕝𝕦𝕖 𝕛𝕖𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝕟’𝕋𝕖𝕩𝕒𝕤 𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞𝕤
𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕠𝕟𝕖
♡ 𓃗 ♡
Tumblr media
Pre! Outbreak Joel x horseback riding instructor f!reader
A/N: as a horse girl/equestrian, this story is very special to me. I hope you all enjoy Joel+Clove/Clover (bc you’re his lucky charm) and their cute lil horsey love story ♡
~word count : 2.3k~
Summary: Joel Miller, single father; total soft dad has an astronomically enormous crush on you, his daughters horseback riding instructor.
Warnings: soft! Joel, shy! Joel, fluff, flirting, slow burn, eventual established relationship, single! Father Joel, protective! Joel, he’s so sweet your teeth will hurt! Joel, eventual smut, some angst, no y/n, +18 minors dni !
blue jeans playlist:
Tumblr media
Austin, Texas
Joel Miller, 34; single father and a total softy, only for his kid of course. Sarah was his absolute sunshine. His baby girl. After her mom was no longer in the picture, Joel took on the full responsibility of being a single father, with the help of his brother Tommy too. Sarah was an adventurous kid. She always wanted to be outside. Whether it was hiking with her dad, playing soccer, or any other sport she could fathom. Joel would do anything and everything for his daughter. He’d lasso her the fucking moon if he could. When she wanted to try out for soccer, he became her coach. He researched all the drills, got her the best cleats he could afford, and attended every single one of her practices, and games. Yeah, you could say he was easily the most unashamedly supportive dad out there.
It came as no surprise to Joel when Sarah came to him one day after school going on and on about horses. Her class had watched the movie ‘Spirit’ that day, and she was absolutely hooked. It was the only thing she wanted to talk about when he picked her up. Joel loved to see his kid talking about the things she loved, so passionately.
“Dad, the movie had me in tears! It was such a beautiful story, I can’t stop thinking about it!”
He chuckled, bringing his arm around the back of her seat as he backed out of the parking spot he was currently in. “Yeah? Think i’ve heard of that movie before kiddo. It’s a good one.”
“Would you watch it again?”
“With you? Absolutely!”
She had rolled the window down, letting her arm rest on the side. She had purple nail polish on, her favorite color. “So Dad, what if I said I maybe wanted to look into taking some horseback riding lessons? I already grabbed like 6 different horse books from the school library! Did you know that horses can sleep standing up? They only lie down to sleep when they feel safe, and there’s usually another horse watching over them just in case!”
“I had no idea about that kiddo. You got any more horse facts for me?” He tapped his hand lightly against the steering wheel, Linda Ronstadt’s ‘Long Long Time’ crackled through the old radio in his truck. “You wanna look into getting some horseback riding lessons? Sure, sweet pea. I’ll look into it for ya.
Sarah was already pulling out one of the horse books from her bag, flipping through the pages. “Oh! Here’s one, did you know that horses have a nearly 360-degree field of vision? They have two blind spots, one directly behind them, and other directly in front of their head.” She looked over at her dad in the passenger seat, she was beaming when he said he would look into riding lessons for her. “Really? Thank you dad, you’re the best!”
“Is that why you’re not supposed to stand behind ‘em cause they’ll spook? No problem kiddo. Might have to take an extra shift with Tommy but it’ll be alright.” He spoke while pulling into their driveway and as soon as he was parked, Sarah was unbuckling her seat belt and giving him a big hug and kiss on the cheek. “I think so? Bet the book I'm reading will have all the answers! I’ll do the dishes extra this week and anything else you need help with, okay?”
He hugged her back, giving her a soft kiss on the side of her head. He loved his daughter more than anything in the world.
“I appreciate it kiddo. Whad’ya want for dinner? If you say pizza again I swear–”
She giggled as she pulled away from his hug shortly after and hopped out of the passenger seat. “I was gonna say that we should switch it up a bit, so how about some chicken fingers and fries?”
“Kiddo, you gotta get some vegetables in there! How about broccoli?”
She made a weird face at him. “Broccoli? Really dad? That stuff is nasty!”
“What if I smother it in butter and cheese?”
“Now we’re talking!”
He chuckled to himself, cutting the ignition and hopped out of the driver's seat. “Damn kid never wantin’ to eat her greens.” He muttered to himself.
Sarah had cooped herself up in her room with her horse books spread out on her bed. She barely even heard her dad hollering that dinner was ready because she was that immersed in it. The second time he yelled, she closed up the book and headed downstairs.
After dinner and a couple episodes of ‘The Saddle Club’ were watched, Joel had carried a sleeping Sarah up to her room. He gently tucked her in under the covers, kissing the top of her head before he gathered up all her books and quietly placed them on her desk. He took one last look at his baby girl, who was peacefully sleeping before he softly closed her bedroom door.
Joel found himself sitting in his makeshift office, looking up horseback riding facilities in their area. He got distracted by this neat little website called, ‘breyerhorses.com’ There he found that the website was for toy figurine horses called model horses. As soon as he recognized the two horses from the movie ‘Spirit,’ he didn’t hesitate ordering them for Sarah. He ordered one for himself as well, a Quarter Horse in a sliding stop position. He admittedly had no idea what the horse was doing, but he recognized it from a rodeo he attended way back when.
After the model horses were ordered, he was back on the hunt. Most of the horseback riding facilities in their area were way out of his budget. They also came off as being elite, a little snobby, and definitely not for beginners. He was just about to give up when he stumbled upon your website. Thank the heavens, he thought to himself as he clicked the link. Right away he was liking what he was seeing just based on the words, ‘family owned’ and ‘non-profit’ The title of your facility was ‘Dream Riders.’ He read in the bio that every horse on the property was rescued, and that you were big on horsemanship skills. He also liked to see that lessons were offered for all ages, skill level, experience, and riding style. What really sold him was how affordable the prices were, and thank fuck for that because all the other hunter jumper barns he looked at, had a starting rate of $60-$100 per lesson. Who in their right mind was spending that much on a horseback riding lesson? Not Joel Miller. Each of the horses had a little bio as well including their breed, age, and personality. He admittedly skipped over that section and went right to your bio.
He could tell just from your smile alone that you were a decent person. You had kind, soft looking eyes. The photograph you had posted was you with your horse, your arm draped around his neck, giving him a hug. Joel couldn’t deny that you were pretty easy on the eyes as well. Not that it really mattered. He was only looking to make sure that his daughter would be in good hands. It just happened to be a bonus that you were attractive. Nothing more, and nothing less. He scribbled down your name and phone number onto a torn piece of paper.
He called you the following morning after dropping Sarah off at school, holding the phone against his ear as it rang. He tapped his fingers along the steering wheel as he waited.
You had just finished bringing the horses in from being out in the pasture all night when your phone rang. You had reached into your back pocket pulling it out to answer it and of course, Javi P chose to be a dickhead to his brother, Javi G, yet again. The tall, chestnut OTTB, (off the track Thoroughbred) let out a mean squeal over the side of his stall door. His ears were flattened against his head as he pawed at the wood aggressively. “Would you cut that shit out man? You’re gonna get your grain in a minute, pal. Eat your hay and stop making faces at your brother, dickhead.” You walked over to Javi G’s stall and reached your hand up and gently gave his velvety nose a gentle pet. “He’s always so grumpy in the morning huh? Who took a shit in his oats?” You gave him a quick kiss on the nose before finally answering your phone.
You said your name first before Joel even had the chance to get a word out. “Dream Riders, how can I help you?” You didn’t have a Texas accent like Joel had expected, and he could tell that you weren’t a local by any means.
“Hey, this is Joel. Hope i’m not botherin’ you or anythin’ just was looking to get my daughter some riding lessons–”
Javi P had kicked the side of his stall door, making a loud thump with his heavy hoof.
“Joel? Just gimme a minute, yeah?”
“Uh sure–”
You pulled your phone away from your ear as you gave the tall Thoroughbred a warning look.
“What did I just say? I’m on the phone, can’t you see that? You want me to turn you into glue? Don’t think that I won’t. Kick the door one more time bud, go on. See what happens.”
You brought the phone back to your ear with a small huff. You had no idea that Joel had heard the entire thing.
“Sorry about that Joel. You were saying that you were looking to get your daughter some riding lessons?”
“Yeah, I-uh–I was. Listen, you aren’t actually gonna turn that horse into glue, are you?”
You were visibly mortified, and felt flustered that Joel, a potential new client, heard you threaten to turn a horse into glue. You lifted your middle finger at Javi P then before rubbing your hand over your face.
“Oh god, did you hear that entire thing? I’m so sorry about that. Just was scolding one of our lovely horses. I swear, I will not be turning him into glue.” You nervously laughed.
Joel let out a chuckle as he leaned back against the worn leather seat in his truck.
“Oh, well that’s a relief. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop or anythin’ like that. Just couldn’t help but hear that part, y’know?”
“No worries at all, Joel. I should have been more aware of my surroundings. Anyway, what skill level is your daughter at?”
“She’s a beginner. Never been on a horse in her life. She just came to me yesterday actually after watching the movie Spirit, and said she really wants to take some horseback riding lessons. I spent all night lookin’ for the right place and then stumbled upon your page. Thought there was no harm in given’ ya a call.”
“Ah, I see. So she got hooked by the horse girl bug right away, huh? Well I'm sure you’ve already seen on our page that we’re entirely inclusive. All ages, skill level, experience, and riding style. I happen to teach all the beginners myself so your daughter would be taught under me. If you are interested, come on by anytime tomorrow and I'll give you both a tour?
“Yeah, that was honestly one of the main things that had your place stickin’ out from the rest. That and the price range.”
“Hunter jumper barns can cost a bitch-in-a-half. I used to take lessons at one years ago. Thought I was gonna have to take out a loan just to pay for lessons alone.”
Joel chuckled against the receiver. You had a mouth on you, that was for sure.
“Well, I think I’ll definitely take up your offer to get a tour of the place. You said anytime tomorrow? We’ll swing by sometime in the late afternoon. Does that work for you?”
“I really shouldn’t swear in front of potential customers, huh? Yeah! Anytime tomorrow works. Just give me a call when you’re on your way and I'll make sure I'm presentable. Looking forward to meeting you, and your daughter, Joel.”
“Perfect, I’ll let Sarah know. She’s gonna be stoked. Thank you again for your time darlin’ and see you late tomorrow afternoon. Take care now. I don’t mind the swearin’ by the way. Got a sailor’s mouth myself.”
Calling you darlin must have just been a Texas gentleman thing, right? So why did Joel Miller have you feeling red hot like a mushy tomato, on a hot summer's day already? You hadn’t even met this man yet, and just by his voice alone, you knew he was attractive.
“You got a sailor's mouth too? Well shit, never would have guessed that. Take care now, Joel. See you tomorrow.”
You ended the call and slipped your phone back into your jeans pocket as you walked down the row of stalls. You stopped in front of your own horse’s stall. Ezra was a 16 hand high Hanoverian. You rescued him from slaughter 5 years ago and you have been inseparable since.
“Hey fella,” You gave him a good pat on his soft neck, reached into your pocket and pulled out a carrot, holding it out for him and he gently grabbed it from your fingers. Chewing the treat happily. “Do all Texas men end first time phone calls with ‘darlin'?”
Your horse nickered in response, rubbing his face against your shoulder affectionately.
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I was gonna say bud.”
You gave him a good scratch behind his ears and one more carrot.
You were definitely a little too excited to meet this Joel Miller tomorrow. You couldn’t wait to put a face to his name.
Joel was feeling the same way about you as well. Except, he luckily had your website photo to go off of. Man, were you a pretty little thing.
Part 2:
Tumblr media
652 notes · View notes
jester089 · 7 months
Note
This might be a strange idea but i was thinking that you could mabye wright the amazing digital circus with a reader who is trying to find a cure for abstracting, but also doing it in private so less people will bother them
It'll be worth it
This doesn't sound at all strange. Thanks for the request.
You had been in the circus a while. Having initially arrived slightly after Ragatha, unlike her you always kept to yourself never really being seen. Everyone just assumed that you loved being alone or hated people so they left you to your devices. A few had guesses on why Caine seemed to spend so much time with you but most just assuming that was just trying to give you some company. It had been a few months since anything of note has happened. No new arrivals, no abstractions. Everyone was starting to get a little on edge which lead to Ragatha checking in on everyone much more then usual. The main reason being that Jax had started being more aggressive with his boredom. It was actually Ragatha who first found out why you never went out, why you always seemed to be in a bad mood. She was stopping by to check on you when she overhead you and Caine celebrating something. Despite her best judgement she eavesdropped and heard you yell something along the lines of "Finally! Progress! It might... It might actually be possible! Caine! My work is paying off!" She didn't know what that meant so she took a moment to get back to normal then knocked on your door asking to come in. You surprisingly let her in so she, with a little hesitance walked into your room and saw an abstract in a glass cage type thing. That's when it clicked in her mind what you had meant. She walked up to you and did her best to keep a steady and calm voice. "Are you finding a way to fix abstraction?" "Yeah. But don't tell anyone. And before you ask, no, I don't want your help. I'm better at working alone." "But... You're letting Caine help you." "Yeah, but only cause he gets me the resources I need when I need em. wouldn't have that abstract contained without him. He has something of value to me, you don't. Now why are you here." She looked a bit hurt at your words but didn't want to intrude. So she saw herself out and let you get back to your work. Once she was out of the room Caine turned to you. "That was awfully rude, you should apologize. You don't usually act like that even when someone is annoying you. What happened?" You sigh and face your desk again getting back to work. Your thankful that you don't have to eat, drink, or sleep. It's sped up your work a lot and is the only real reason you're still healthy. "Caine, don't start this now. I'm the only one here with the skills and will to actually help those who have been lost. I can't afford to feel bad for hurting someone's feelings right now." "Well, you should still apologize when you can." "I will" ~~~~~ It's been. You don't even know. A month, two? It's hard to tell when you never leave your room. Another person has arrived in that time. From what you've heard from Caine her name's Pomni but you can't bring yourself to care not with what has just happened. You... You did it... You're currently sitting in your desk chair staring at the once contained abstract. It's not an abstract anymore though. It's who it was before, a yellowish orange and green wiggle worm. You slowly turn to Caine who is just as surprised as you. "Did I... Did we... A-are they ok? Are they themselves again? They look normal physically, but is their mind in one piece?" After a few more seconds of staring Caine snaps out of it and joins them in the containment cell. You can't hear what their saying but it seems that it's going well? He pokes his head through the wall with a giant smile on his face. "She's ok! Speaking in full sentences and not at all hostile!" You fall back onto your chair again completely taken back. You did it. YOU DID IT! "Ok, ok... This is big. But we need to be careful. It feels wrong but we should keep them contained for a bit longer. We don't know if their going to change back. Until were sure lets just take it slow." ~~~~~
It's a few days later now, you've been checking on them every 10 minutes or so. You also had Caine make it so you two can hear each other through the glass so she has someone to talk to and doesn't lose her mind again. You do one last check, nothing abnormal. You with a happy but tired sigh open it up and let her out. "Well, miss. How are you feeling? Sorry I kept you contained like that I just had to be sure as you are the first person I've been able to help." "Oh it's no trouble, I understand completely. And I'm feeling, great! Wonderful even." You let out a breath more happy to hear that then you had expected. Years of work. And it wasn't for nothing. "Well... Do you wanna meet the others? Sadly the people you knew since have long since abstracted, but I'm going to change that. But for now. We should introduce you to everyone." She doesn't have a mouth but you can tell she's smiling. You motion for her to follow then walk out of your room. For the first time since you've arrived you feel happy. Years and you finally have something to show for all your hard work.
(I enjoyed writing this. Enough to probably want another part. Hope you enjoyed it!)
xoxo, Jester
151 notes · View notes
Note
TW: sensitive topics
Adam slowly becomes more tolerate and less misogynistic over time via osmosis but won't admit it and instead hides it.
Adam thinks women bitch too much about the pink tax until he's sent out to get period products for Reader and Lute, only to realise that his cost of his shopping just doubled in price from just one pack.
Adam thinks women bitch too much about not being welcomed to normally male occupied spaces until he's playing late night online and hears a woman join only to leave after five minutes because everyone kept harassing them.
Adam hounds a girl for her number, thinking that he's so smooth for getting it in the end, but then decided to lose it after watching a film with Reader and Lute where it showed a girl terrified of what would happen if she didn't give a guy her number and hears Reader and Lute, two very capable women, talk about how they've been in similar positions.
Adam has done a lot of thinking lately.
Personally, I'd like to think that Heaven, while flawed, is above some of the nonsense like the pink tax. I do still think catcalling and being harassed happens, probably mainly in result to a lot of men modeling Adam's behavior.
But once he gets with you and you start calling him on his shit, and therefore Lute gets more comfortable calling him out, and especially after the period simulator, he's more aware of certain things.
I feel like eventually he'd ask you if this is how bad it is now, what did you do when you were alive? When you had to work constantly, sometimes 2 jobs at a time, just to afford basics. That's when you tell him you didn't really have a choice but to suck it up. That you weren't allowed to get a hysterectomy, you couldn't take sick days just for a period, and that most doctors wouldn't believe you anyway.
Especially if you're a trans person this is a big foot in the door to explaining how poorly women and queer people are treated. Hit em with the fact that religious nuts use Adam and God as examples for their behavior and he's going to feel physically sick. I think he'd have to take a few days to just be by himself and really think about how he acts and how people interpret that.
From there it's a slow build up to correcting his behavior. And it's not always gonna be easy. He's going to be defensive, he'll tell you that you're overreacting and that him persistently following a girl around to ask her for her number repeatedly isn't bad, it shows he's interested. He's a nice guy.
Tell him that's what other men thought too until "insert any woman you can think of who was assualted".
Lute's more direct, she sits his ass down and has him watch as many true crime stories of women getting kidnapped, SA, tortured, and murdered as she can find. Usually she picks ones based off the names you drop. He really only has to hear 4 or 5 before it sinks in. (Tiktok reminded me of the girl who was tortured to death for 45 days and assualted with lit fireworks so, have that fresh horror in your minds).
Tell him about any personal experiences you had and how terrifying it is to be a woman or queer. Show him the responses to the man or the bear question. Let him fully realize how many people, people he knows as strong and capable, would rather face the bear because "the worst the bear can do is kill me". Or "Nobody accuses me of liking being attacked by a bear"
"No one asked me what I was wearing when the bear attacked"
"People would actually believe me if I said I was attacked by a bear."
"The bear sees me as a person."
"The bear lives in the woods, the man probably followed me."
Each answer is gonna send a new shiver down his spine.
Reforming Adam isn't an easy or fast process but it's fully possible because I don't think he's bad or a fullblown narcissist. I think he's been told his entire existence that he's a good guy, a pinnacle of creation, someone to be admired and obeyed without question.
You could argue he may be a bit controlling and narcissistic because of how he treated Lillith and requested a submissive wife with Eve. And I don't think he's ever not going to be full of himself and expect his ideal partner to be a bit more traditional in the sense that they're a housewife/domestic type. But he also likes people who go out and have fun, can get wild, and he definitely thinks it's hot if you can defend yourself even if it strokes his ego if you let him do it.
But overall, I think with enough time, patience, and exposure Adam could become a better person. Probably the type who would throw hands with himself if he could. Definitely becomes the type to start borderline hating other men.
98 notes · View notes
Text
Writing Prompt for this list, requested by @suddenlyinlove. #42. "His ego is so visible; I can almost watch it grow." and #30. “Can I sit here? The other tables are full.”
Details - This is an AU with a twist I don't wanna spoil so like... suspend your disbelief please. Period-typical homophobia and thus, the use of slurs derogatorily. Stir clear if that is triggering.
Posted on Ao3 because it is long (9.7k) and it might be easier to read there for some.
-
August 25, 1984 - Two Days Before the Start of School
There's a good view of the whole party from their dark corner of the yard, where Jeff, Gareth, and Brian are huddled around him. Eddie'd told Carol Perkins he'd show but only if his friends could come, too. If she wanted weed, then his friends could have beer.
Plus, if he was going to suffer, they were going to suffer. That's what friendship was about.
"His ego is so visible; I can almost watch it grow," Eddie mutters, glaring in the general direction of Steve 'The Hair' Harrington as he laughs at something (he's clutching his beer awfully tight for someone having fun- Nope, Eddie doesn't care).
"Right? Can see it ballooning right before our eyes," Jeff says. This is why Jeff is his best friend. They hate on the same things. People. Whatever.
"Sorry for you guys," Eddie fakes sympathy, "once I graduate, I won't have to deal with it. Let me know if anyone shoves you into a locker though. I'll slash some tires or refuse to sale 'em weed. Whichever hurts them more."
"You said that last year," Gareth says. "And yet."
Eddie pretends to stab himself in the heart, falling to the ground dramatically, gasping like he was dying before finally stilling, staring as unblinking as he could at the sky.
Jeff nudges him with his foot, "good riddance, Munson. People will remember you weirdly."
Eddie breaks character to grin up, lifting a hand that Jeff takes and helps pull him up. "Remembered weirdly is what it's all about."
"Speaking of weird, Harrington's being... weird," Gareth says, tilting his head slightly, still looking in the direction they'd all been looking at just moments before. "When you just dropped he like... I dunno. Weird."
"What, weird how. What did he do?" Eddie whips to look at Harrington, who is looking back, looking worried, and is slightly closer than he was before. Eddie watches as Harrington's eyes track his entire self, looking for what, Eddie can't even begin to understand. He can visibly see the tension leave Harrington's body, pretty sure even his friends clocked that (even though they have less experience in the Harrington-watching department than himself).
"When you dropped, he like... rushed forward. I think he caught how fucking weird that would be for him to do 'cause he stopped just as quickly. That's weird, right?"
"Really fucking weird."
Harrington steps back into his friend group, more on the outside than he was before. (Did seem like people loved Hargrove a bit more than Harrington these days).
Eddie and his friends go back to trash talking everyone they can set their eyes on. It's easy to do, what with being ignored in the corner again. Occasionally Eddie is flagged down by someone, or they try and make eye contact (which is worse), so he huffs as though put upon and marches off to a different corner of the Perkins' backyard to sale his contraband.
(If he's marking it up, well, these rich kids can afford it.)
Anyway, their trash talk always seems to come back to Harrington. None of them acknowledge it out loud but Harrington's the easiest to shit talk in public because he's the safest. He's egotistical, kinda airheaded, and an asshole, but in a different way than Hagan or Jackson or most of the other jocks.
Harrington is the kind of asshole that you introduce yourself to 15 times and unless you're 'popular' he doesn't bother to remember he's already met you. Hagan and Jackson are assholes that give you a swirlee if you sneeze wrong near them, or will call you a fag before gut punching you behind the bleachers because they think they caught you staring at them (which Eddie was not ((It was Harrington he was staring at)).
He's safe to shit talk because he doesn't get physical (couldn't win a fight if the rumors were true (Also they all saw how he looked after Jonathan got him)) and rarely gets confrontational (less so with each passing year). Eddie thinks that's his ego - he's so full of himself that anything you say about him can't possibly affect him. (What are the words of a peasant in the face of a king, after all?)
That's not to say they haven't fucked up and said something at just the right time to provoke Harrington in the past, because they all have, but it's typically his lackeys that jump in defense, that say something first to defend Harrington. And The King will let them bark and growl just enough to put the peasants back in their place, calming his dogs with words of 'they're not worth it' and 'if what he said meant anything it would have hurt, wouldn't it?' which is just rude. Like Eddie and his friends aren't even people capable of drawing Harrington's attention, much less his wrath.
If Eddie's honest with himself (he's not), he would stop to question why he even wants to provoke a reaction from Harrington (it's because of his stupid crush), but Eddie's not honest so...
The point is, they feel pretty comfortable trash talking Harrington in hushed whispers to themselves in a corner of Carol Perkins' yard.
"Do you think he, like, genuinely thinks he looks cool when he does that?" Gareth whispers as they watch Harrington shotgun a beer, again.
"Dunno, probab-" Jeff cuts himself off, a quizzical expression on his face as he turns his head to look towards the Perkins' house. He's got ears that pick up everything, so Eddie just watches as he moves away from the group to the fence. Watches as Jeff jumps to look over. When he lands, he flips quickly back to them, looking between them and the group of party goers. He takes a moment, assessing his options it seems, before cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting, "Cops in bound! Just turned onto the street!"
The party starts scattering instantly, teens running in all directions.
Brian and Gareth eye the back fence and Eddie knows immediately they're not going to jump it. Eddie throws Gareth the keys to his van, "get Jeff and go."
They don't argue, they've done this song and dance before. Eddie knows they might get a stern talking to for smelling like beer but if Eddie's in the van with them, they're all ending up in jail because of what's in his lunchbox. (Hell, they'd still get a night in jail instead of just a warning for the beer if Eddie's in the van without the lunchbox).
Eddie's not the most athletic but he's gotta run. He tosses his lunchbox over the back fence before hauling himself up, one leg over and trying to get the other when he gets high-centered for a moment before gravity starts to pull him down (thankfully on the correct side of the fence) only to find the chain on his jeans catches along something at the top, leaving him to cling quickly to the fence, praying he can muster enough upper body strength to haul himself back up enough to unstick the chain before the cops get here. He tries to readjust and his hand slips, he can't get any leverage. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"
He's so screwed. Officer Callihan said if he was caught again, he'd be tried as an adult. Wayne's going to kill him. Why won't these stupid jeans just rip, how has the chain not given way yet? He's going to get caught with his lunchbox right at his feet. He's-
Being shoved back up, someone's shoulder digging painfully into his ribcage to get the leverage needed for Eddie's body to be high enough for the stranger's hand to sneak up and unstick the chain. Eddie expects to be dumped suddenly and unceremoniously on the ground but this does not happen. Instead, his mysterious hero manages to keep him pinned up on the fence long enough to turn themselves so both of the stranger's arms are under Eddie and then they kind of just... sink together, using the fence as a counterweight by leaning into but not actually dragging Eddie down against it.
The culmination of which ends with Eddie being held like some blushing bride in Steve Harrington's lap. Eddie opens his mouth to say... something. What, he doesn't know, but Harrington lifts a finger to his lips to signal him to be quiet. So, he stays quiet, heart pounding.
It takes about five full seconds before the sounds of the cops busting the party actually start, the sirens on the cars flipping on to let the scattering teens know they've been caught. In that same instance, Harrington sweeps up Eddie's lunch box and shoves it onto his chest, where one of Eddie's hands comes up to wrap around and hold it close on instinct, the sound the metal handle clanging on the metal lid meaningless in all the other sounds happening.
Using his other hand, Harrington basically folds Eddie forward and out of his lap, back on his own feet in a crouch. Harrington shoves his chin forward, a silent instruction to move but Eddie's still wrapping his head around the fact he's no longer dangling from a wooden fence like an idiot, so Harrington steps forward, a hand wrapping around the wrist of Eddie's free hand, forcing him to follow along as they stealth along the wooden fence of the Perkins' residence, then the fence of the neighbors, and finally a third neighbor before the fences run off and all that's left is the woods that boarder the town one way, and a way back to the road on the other.
Eddie should pull his wrist free and book it, run as fast and as far from Harrington and this party as he can get but he's kind of star struck right now (he can be a little honest with himself, as a treat). He just follows, lets Harrington jerk him around (don't even think it Munson, do not think about it-) and follows quietly.
Harrington peeks around the end of the fence, looking for any incoming trouble, Eddie assumes, and quickly jerks back, looking to Eddie, "you trust me, man?"
And Eddie, the idiot, says, "Yeah, man."
Harrington grabs his lunchbox, ripping it away from him with ease (Eddie's still star struck, okay?) and shoves it up against the fence, twisting his body as he does, so he ends up sitting with his back to this fence, body blocking sight of the lunchbox before pulling Eddie into his lap.
This is what brings Eddie back into his body. "What the fuck are you doing?"
"Just don't punch me until I get the cop that's gonna round the fence any time now to go away."
Eddie could bolt but he's not particularly fast, so he'd be caught, and he knows the odds. Between himself and Harrington, they'll book him and let Harrington go with a warning. So, Harrington thinks he can get the cop to go away? Okay. He lets Harrington manhandle him (don't think it don'tthinkit don't-) He's absolutely thinking it because Harrington grabs his ass and pulls him flush against him before a hand cups the back of his head and shoves his face into Harrington's neck, and then Harrington whispers in his ear, "just pretend we've been making out back here for the last half hour."
Fuck! Harrington's trying to get him shot by the goddamn police. He is an idiot and should have known better than to trust him. Well. If Harrington thinks he can get away from this unscathed, he's sorely mistaken. Eddie lifts his hands to ruffle Harrington's perfect hair before gripping it roughly with one hand, the other moving to brace himself on the fence, then he latches onto Harrington's neck, intent on giving Harrington the biggest, ugliest hickie of his life. Try and explain that away you asshole.
Except Harrington's reaction isn't what Eddie had thought it would be. Instead of being shoved, the hands on his ass and in his hair squeeze, seemingly trying to get Eddie closer and that is definitely a moan his hears, breathed directly into his ear. It eggs Eddie on a bit, truthfully, so he pulls back a little, less set on just marking Harrington and a little more set on seeing if he can make Harrington actually enjoy it.
Eddie presses kisses over the bit of skin he'd just bit like a wild animal and runs his tongue up to gently pull at Harrington's earlobe, before kissing his way back down to suck at the same spot some more. Harrington keeps switching from squeezing at him to petting him and Eddie's not really going to complain. The police can come shoot him. He'll die- well, not happy but at least alright.
"Jesus Christ, kid!"
Eddie tries to jerk away, a reflex because that's Chief Hopper's voice and he's so fucking screwed, but Harrington keeps him moored there, face hidden, hand cradling his head more gently than it has been thus far, the hand on his ass moving up to his lower back, holding him closer... dare he say, protectively.
"Hopper," Harrington sounds more calm than Eddie thought he would, "hi."
Eddie wishes he could see what is happening because there is an awful lot of silence going on in which he can only assume Hopper and Harrington are staring at each other. (Having a silent conversation, perhaps?)
Then the heaviest sigh he's ever heard from Chief Hopper (and he's heard some heavy ones in his days) greets the air, "I don't want to know who that is. Just this once, I am going to pretend I didn't see you here. You'd think that you would learn- Next time you and your boyfriend sneak away from a party to- just go to his house. Jesus, if it had been anyone but me walking around this corner... Give it about twenty minutes before you leave." The sound of retreating footsteps and Hopper's voice reporting in his walkie an 'all clear' follow those words.
They don't part immediately. Eddie waits until the footsteps cannot be heard before pulling back. Harrington makes no move to remove his hands from Eddie's person, so as a result the hand that was in Eddie's hair falls to his shoulder, then his chest, where it rests now that he's back far enough to look at Harrington. The moon is bright, and Eddie's eyes have adjusted to the dark of the evening, so he can see Harrington's face. "How the fuck did that just work?"
Harrington gives an almost hysterical sounding giggle before he tries to drop his head back to rest on the fence. He can't successfully do that, because Eddie realizes he's still cradling Harrington's head with one hand.
He makes no motion to move his hand, just holds Harrington's head up as he seems to be going through... something right now.
It takes several minutes, but finally he speaks. "It's kinda personal. Let's just say, Hopper and I got history, a- well, a good history isn't how I'd put it, but like, we're on the same page with it."
"Did you fuck Hopper?"
Harrington laughs out loud and Eddie slaps his other hand (the one not currently petting his soft, soft hair) over his mouth to muffle the noise. That sobers Harrington a little, remembering the 'wait twenty minutes' thing and once it seems like he's got it together again, Eddie removes his hand.
"No. Nothing like that with Hopper."
Eddie's a bit hung up on that fact Harrington is not immediately shouting that he's not a fag and would never have slept with the chief of police, a man. "You're really not gonna tell me."
"No."
They just kind of look at each other after that. Eddie's not sure what to do now. He should get out of Harrington's lap, right? That's a thing he should definitely be doing right now.
But.
But Harrington isn't shoving him off. In fact, his eyes are half closed as he stares at Eddie, eyes occasionally flicking up to meet his own, so Eddie feels like he can confidently say King Steve is looking at his lips. Eddie licks his lips, a test of sorts.
Harrington passes, because his tongue flicks out to lick his own lips.
"Hey, Eddie," (what the fuck. Harrington has never, not once, said his name, and Eddie has re-introduced himself several times.) "I want to kiss you. Can I?"
Oh.
Eddie's never been asked that before.
Gross. Eddie's got fucking butterflies in his stomach from Steve fucking Harrington.
Eddie wants to say yes so fucking bad but- well, his whole world view of Steve Harrington has just been rocked and now a ball of guilt is forming inside him for how he's marked up Harrington's neck like a wanton slut and Harrington asks for a kiss. But Harrington is also, at minimum, five beers in plus the weed, so he's clearly not thinking straight (ha fucking ha) because he wouldn't be asking him for a kiss if he was.
"No," Eddie says softly, "you're drunk. If you still wanna kiss me in the daylight, ask then."
Harrington scrunches his face and Eddie doesn't know him well enough to decipher what that look means, but he nods, sitting up so he can lean forward and nuzzle his face into Eddie's chest, bumping the top of his head against Eddie's chin like a cat.
Eddie leans his head atop Harrington's and lets himself be cuddled.
What a weird fucking night.
-
"Jeff!" Eddie flings himself on his friend's couch the next day, face down in the cushions, his voice mumbled as he continues, "I don't know what to do."
Jeff, ever patient with Eddie, just folds his legs at the knee and sits on the couch, dropping his legs back down and into his lap. "The way I see it, you do nothing."
"Nothing?"
"You sound extra pathetic mumbling into the couch. Nothing. If Harrington wants to kiss you, he'll ask again. If he doesn't, or tries to turn this on you, remind him he's the one that let another boy mark him up. You don't know if you can trust him."
Eddie musters all his strength to turn his head to the side so he can breath again. "You're right. As usual."
"Try not to sound so annoyed and disappointed."
"I should trust the Munson doctrine. If it's too good to be true, then it's not true," Eddie says as he wiggles forward, out of Jeff's lap and onto his knees, shuffling around until he's sitting cross-legged on the center cushion.
"Maybe, maybe not. Like, we know Harrington's an asshole but he's not mean," Jeff says. "besides, maybe being dumped by Nancy Wheeler for Jonathan Byers might have shaken some decency into him. Humility, even."
Suppose they'll learn if that's true tomorrow. "You can't tell anyone what I told you."
"Duh. Blackmail only works if the leverage you have is still a secret."
-
“Can I sit here? The other tables are full.”
Eddie, Gareth, Jeff, and Brian all look up at the same time. Harrington isn't even holding a lunch tray, hands in the pockets of his letterman jacket, striped polo tucked into light wash jeans under his opened jacket, Eddie's hickie only half hidden by the polo's collar.
Eddie's eyes scan the cafeteria quickly. Hawkins is a small town, so it stands to reason the schools are too. There are literal, completely empty tables. So, Eddie's eyes go to the table Harrington usually sits at.
Ah.
Everyone there is looking over. Watching. Waiting, probably. This is the trick. The joke. If Eddie lets him sit, they've pegged him for the desperate fag they all tell him he is.
"'Fraid this table is full, too," Eddie says, careful to sound bored as he says it, looking directly at Harrington.
Harrington's eyes widen slightly, like he hadn't expected Eddie to deny him. Well, joke backfired, buddy.
"I.... see," Harrington says slowly. "My mistake."
And they all watch him leave with such little fanfare that Eddie's wondering if he misread the situation. Was Harrington actually wanting to sit with them- but no. He watches as Harrington returns to his table, to the royalty of Hawkins High. Hagan says something to him and Harrington just shrugs with one shoulder before plopping onto the bench.
They wait for Harrington to start up conversation, for the leering and mocking to start up but it doesn't. Harrington just sits there in silence.
"What... was that?" Gareth asks, looking away from the Royalty to look at Eddie.
"Got no idea," Eddie lies, even as Jeff is leveling him with a look he refuses to acknowledge.
-
November 7th, 1984
Harrington was absent yesterday (not that Eddie keeps track) and now here Harrington is, slinking into the American History class they share for first period, face busted to shit. Eddie does a double take because he thinks his eyes are playing tricks on him but no. Harrington looks worse than when Jonathan got him.
Eddie spends the first twenty minutes of class just watching Harrington. Harrington slides into his chair and keeps his head down, eyes closed most of the time. Every now and then he winces and drops his head into his hands, palms digging into eyes. He looks bad.
Then Harrington goes a little green around the gills and looks like he's forcing himself to swallow down vomit and Eddie's done watching the sad display. "Hey, Miss Click, I think Harrington's gonna lose his breakfast all over the back of Thompson if he doesn't get outta here soon."
Miss Click looks like she's gonna give him detention again but then she looks at Harrington and must agree with his assessment. "Help him to the nurses office, Eddie."
Normally Eddie would argue but Harrington is also looking at him now and he really wants to know what happened so instead of arguing, he stands. Harrington does, too, grabbing his bag from the floor and shuffling towards the door.
The halls are empty and Steve makes it maybe ten feet down the hall before he falls against the lockers, shutting his eyes tightly.
"Come on, Harrington," Eddie grabs his backpack from him and shoulders it, then pulls one of Harrington's arms around him. "Just keep your eyes closed. I won't walk you into any walls."
"Thanks."
It's so quiet, Eddie's not sure he was even meant to hear it. They walk in silence a bit more before Eddie asks, "so, what happened?"
"Nothing."
"Oh, sure. Nothing causes this all the time."
"What'd'ya care."
Fair. That's fair. He shut Harrington down quickly at the beginning of the year. And Eddie's had plenty of time to concede it might have been the wrong thing to do. Harrington really wasn't setting him up to be a joke, or a punching bag, because if he had been, Eddie would have been jumped by now. Especially since it's fairly common knowledge that Harrington has fallen from grace, replaced by Billy Hargrove. A whole asshole and a half, that one.
They're silent all the way to nurse and even after Harrington vanishes behind the door, Eddie loiters in the hall. He doesn't care about getting back to class. Whatever is happening with Harrington is so much more important.
Another period later and Harrington is shoving himself through the door, even as the nurse protests behind him.
"I'll be fine, really. I'm sure my mom's not answering because she's not near the phone. There's no need to worry," Harrington catches sight of Eddie then. He looks surprised, but says to the nurse, "Eddie here will drive me home. I promise I won't be driving with a concussion."
She looks past Harrington to Eddie and he finds himself nodding frantically. The nurse, not paid enough to argue with teenagers, nods back and Harrington escapes back into the hall without argument.
"You need a ride?"
"I can drive myself."
"Absolutely not. You just said you were concussed."
Harrington looks like he wants to argue more but before he can, he folds a bit into himself, hands pressing into eyes again.
"Look, I owe you anyway, alright. Let me repay."
There's a long silence, then, "okay."
Eddie walks into Gareth's third period class and deposits the keys to his van to him with instructions to pick him up from Harrington's after school (Jeff is his best friend, but Gareth is the safer driver) before helping Harrington limp his way to his own car, where he hands over his keys very forlornly and climbs into his car. Eddie takes the driver's seat and they're off.
"You gonna give me directions, Harrington?"
"You've been to my house before."
This is true. He just didn't know Harrington remembered that. Hagan had invited Eddie to deal there, once; Harrington himself, twice. He didn't know Harrington had even remembered he was there. "Didn't know you remembered that."
"You've been to my house four times."
"Three."
Harrington lull his head to the side to squint (is he trying to glare?) at Eddie. "Four."
Four? Eddie didn't remember- oh. Harrington's ninth birthday party. Eddie was invited, one of the few who hadn't been in Harrington's class to get an invitation. He was in fifth grade, Harrington in fourth. It was shortly after Wayne had brought him to Hawkins.
"Your birthday party. Why'd you even invite me to that?"
Harrington doesn't answer.
-
"I thought you said your mom was home," Eddie says as he follows Harrington into his house.
"I lied."
"Clearly," Eddie says, looking around as he continues to follow Harrington upstairs.
Harrington just allows it, which Eddie wants to question but won't because he's working out how to apologize for the first day of school without apologizing.
"If you're here alone, who's waking you up to make sure you aren't dead?"
"No one. And clearly, I am not dead."
"Someone's supposed to wake you every few hours, right?"
Harrington shrugs. "Don't need anyone to. Why, were you gonna offer?"
Was he? No. Maybe. He follows him all the way to his plaid hellscape of a room, watches as Harrington flicks on his light, then tries to block the sunlight with his sad curtains and gives up quickly, opting to toe himself out of his shoes and crawl under his covers instead.
It's fucking pathetic.
Eddie leaves Harrington's room to start opening and closing doors around the upstairs. Rich people always have a- yes! A linen closet. Eddie pulls out the darkest towels and heads back to Harrington's room.
"You got tacks or nails or safety pins?"
Harrington pokes his head out from beneath his covers, squinting at Eddie. "Tacks in the cup on the dresser." then he disappears again. Quite an awfully lot of freedom Harrington seems to be giving him. He could be snooping through things.
He doesn't, though (yet). He uses almost all of the tacks to get the towels to stay up, but no sunlight breaches them when he's done. Then he turns off the light and closes the door, leaving it open just a crack, before sitting himself on the edge of Harrington's bed.
"I owe you an apology, Harrington," Eddie finds himself saying. Fuck. He was trying to do this without having to actually do it. Too late now.
"Oh," he hears in the near darkness Harrington's surprise, feels shuffling as Harrington must be moving to look at him. "Erm, why do you think you owe me an apology."
"For the first day of school. I thought- I thought it was a prank. Or a joke. A cruel one."
Eddie turns to see Harrington peering at him, just his nose and up visible, hair a static ruffled mess, the comforter held in place by one hand. "It wasn't."
"I know that now," Eddie whispers, picking at a loose thread on the comforter. "I just- I'm sorry. I did want you to sit."
Silence. Then, "I get it, Eddie. I wouldn't trust me either."
"I said I trusted you, that night," Eddie says, "and I did. I do? I think... I didn't trust myself, I think, enough to believe that you were truly being genuine with me. I was shitty to you. So, I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted," Harrington says, "I'm gonna go to sleep now, my head is killing me. If you're hungry help yourself to whatever you can find in the kitchen. You're missing lunch period."
"You gonna sleep in your jeans?"
"Too much work to remove 'em," Harrington mumbles.
"Undo your belt and jeans."
"How forward," Harrington has an eyebrow raised.
"Just do it, ya tool," Eddie says with more bravado than he feels. He slides off the bed and watches the comforter shift as Harrington does as he's told. Eddie rounds to the end of the bed, pulling up the comforter and reaching under blind, finding Harrington's legs and trailing up to his knees to grasp of the jeans. "For your modesty. Lift your hips." Harrington does, and Eddie pulls. Harrington drops his hips back down once the jeans are near his knees, lifting his legs slightly instead, allowing Eddie to pull them off and drop them on the floor at the end of the bed. "Alright, sleep it off, Harrington."
Eddie leaves him to wander to the kitchen because he is hungry and missing lunch, and this free food is going to be infinitely better than whatever the cafeteria was offering simply because it's free.
The fridge has some leftovers in it, so Eddie helps himself to leftover chicken and mashed potatoes. He eats it standing in the kitchen.
Once done, he explores Castle Harrington. A big kitchen leads to a dining room, which rounds to a large living room with a wall of windows that lookout to the pool. Eddie's familiar with the backyard, where he'd station up and wait for people to buy. There's a little hall that leads from the living room to the stairs and front door, with another hall alone the middle of the wall there. It leads to a bathroom and a rec room, complete with pool table (fucking rich people) and another door farther still. It's locked but Eddie's a snoop, so he flips the latch and opens. It's an empty garage.
Eddie ends up removing his shoes, denim vest, and leather jacket, flopping down on Harrington's couch to channel surf, though his eyes keep flicking down to his watch. At the one-hour mark he sneaks back up to Harrington's room and looks for signs of life. Easy enough, Harrington snores.
He checks each hour. Eventually Gareth shows up, signaling his arrival with three sharp jabs to the horn of Eddie's van. Eddie heads out without putting anything back on.
"I'm staying. Harrington is not- it's not good, dude," Eddie says. "Looks like he got beat worse than I did when took a chance behind The Hideout."
Gareth's eyes go wide. Eddie'd gotten beaten for being gay (a busted lip and bruised ribs; would have been worse if the owner of The Hideout hadn't been stepping out back to smoke and ended up chasing away Eddie's assailant). "What happened?"
Eddie shrugs. "Don't know. But I gotta find out. I think he was being genuine with us, on the first day of school. I feel like I have to make sure he's okay."
Jeff leans forward to peer around Gareth from the passenger seat. "You feeling guilty, Munson?"
This is a conversation they've had several times. One Eddie never wins. "Well, yeah. If I'd let him be our friend, he might not have been wherever he was when he got the shit beat out of him. Might have been watching us at band practice or something instead."
Gareth makes a gagging noise. "Ew. You've got it so bad for Harrington. Polos? That's what gets you hot and bothered?"
Eddie feels his face go red. "Fuck off."
"Don't fuck up this time, Eddie," Jeff says before sitting back out of view.
"Call if you need a ride to school tomorrow," Gareth says before reversing out of Harrington's driveway.
Eddie waits until Harrington's gotten a full eight hours (most of which he spends snooping about the place) before going to wake him up. "Hey, you gotta get some food in you, I think. Up, up."
Harrington groans, but it sounds more annoyed than pained.
"Up, up, up, up," Eddie repeats, swatting lightly at Harrington's legs, occasionally grabbing to jiggle a leg.
"'m up. I'm up," Harrington says, sounding more like himself than he has all day. "Have you always been this annoying?"
"Call it the Munson Charm."
"Charm," Harrington repeats flatly.
"I already ate your mashed potatoes, so I'm hoping you're not wanting those for dinner. Lunch? Whatever."
Harrington throws the covers off, standing before Eddie in a polo shirt and plaid boxers. "Hey, Eddie. It's still daytime out there, yeah?"
"Yeah, didn't miss it."
"Cool, cool. Can I kiss you?"
Eddie freezes, remembering that's what he'd told Harrington to do. Ask him in the daylight. He does still want to kiss Harrington, but also, he's afraid. "First you ask drunk. Now you ask concussed. Still a no, buddy. It's gotta be daylight and without anything that could be messing with your mind."
Harrington takes the rejection well, just nods an okay and motions towards his door for Eddie to lead the way to the kitchen.
Harrington opts for a TV dinner, offering one to Eddie. He accepts, because, again, free food. Then they eat them at the dinner table like it's a real meal, instead of off of TV trays in the living room like normal people.
And the odd thing about it all is how not odd all of it is, actually. The last time they were alone together, Eddie ravished his neck like a goddamn vampire. And now they're just hanging out, chatting ideally like it's a thing they do all the time.
Eddie can see why Harrington became popular so quickly. He's easy to like when he's like this, soft spoken and kind. Eddie finds he wants to know if the guy sitting across from him is the real Harrington, or an act. Or was King Harrington the act? Eddie really hasn't known him enough to say that but he's seen this house. Conformity seems important to the Harringtons.
"You looked like you could use something to cheer you up," Harrington says, out of left field.
"What?"
"It's why I invited you to my ninth birthday. You'd just transferred to our school. Looked so sad all the time. Eight-year-old me hadn't experienced a sad birthday party, so I thought it would cheer you up."
Oh. "That's-" what is that? Sweet? Considerate in a way Eddie didn't think young Harrington possible of? "It worked. Your party was fun."
Harrington smiles at him, a soft and shy thing that makes the butterflies erupt in his stomach again. "Well, thanks for watching over me today. Made it easier to sleep, having someone else in the house."
"Anytime."
"You mean that?"
Does he? Eddie can't promise even himself that it will always be true, that he does really mean anytime, but it's true right now so he says, "yeah, man."
-
Being friends with Steve Harrington is so much easier than Eddie thought it could be.
Steve -because he's Steve now, not Harrington- doesn't come back to school the rest of the week, but he makes Eddie go, asking if he can gather his homework from his classes so he won't fall behind. And school has never been a real priority for Eddie (it is his second senior year) but hanging out with Steve has become important.
Jeff, Gareth, and Brian even come over on Saturday evening, at Steve's insistence. He wants to be their friend, too, it seems. And what an odd thing to see, his friends and Steve lounging around his rec room, Brian beating all of them at pool so easily it should be humiliating. Steve chats with them all like it's easy, normal, a thing he enjoys doing.
He can see his friends keeping the topics safe, music, high school gossip, they even start to discuss their grades. Eddie is mostly listening because he's been chatting with Steve all week, so he can see his friends are steering clear of anything other. They don't bring up anything Steve wouldn't talk to other jocks about.
Leave it to Steve to throw them for a loop. "Hey, you guys are all in Hellfire, right?"
The room screeches to a stop, all eyes going to Steve. He's not sure what's showing on his own face, but he can see all his friend's faces. They look surprised.
"Yeah," Jeff finds his voice first. "We're the only members."
Steve nods, "right. You play Dungeons and Dragons?"
"You know what Dungeons and Dragons is?" Brian asks.
"Yeah," Steve shrugs, fiddling with the beer can in his hands, "I know that, it's like -Hellfire, that is-, a high school club but- oh, this is gonna sound bad. I can tell already."
Eddie raises an eyebrow, curious, "just say it, Harrington. If we don't like it, there's four of us and one of you. We'll give you a swirlee in your own damn toilet."
Steve laughs and that seems to be all the push he needed because he relaxes, setting the beer down on a coaster, "I know some super cool kids who'll be freshman next year. I think they'd really want to be in your club. But, uh, since Eddie and I will be graduating this year, I was wondering if you'd want to move your game from the school to here? So they can join in."
Eddie's brain shuts off. Steve knows some cool middle schoolers, who play Dungeons and Dragons, and thinks the should all come to Steve's house to do that. Play DnD together. (Steve also believes he's going to graduate this year, ha!)
"I'm sorry," Jeff says, laughter in his voice, "there's no such things as cool middle schoolers."
Steve frowns slightly, "well, these will be the first, then. They've got their own DM, his name's Will, but I think he could learn a lot from Eddie. And Dustin loves this game so much. But if they wait until next year to officially join the club, Eddie won't be there."
Steve knows that Eddie is the DM. Steve knows what a DM is. (Steve really believes he's going to graduate this year?). "How- what? How do you even know about Hellfire? Or that I'm the DM?"
"I go to school with you guys," Steve says, "I know I'm an asshole but I'm not oblivious. Just because I didn't acknowledge the existence of your club before now doesn't mean I was unaware of it."
Fair point.
"Alright. Let's have our next club meeting here instead of the school. You can bring these cool middle schoolers and we'll see. If they're just lame middle schoolers, we're going to be very disappointed."
"Great! You meet Thursdays, right? They'll be here."
-
Monday is the real test. Eddie's feeling some kind of way about Monday. It's lunch, and everyone is already at their usual tables except Steve, who hasn't arrived yet.
Jeff catches his eye and Eddie can see he's thinking the same thing. It was easy to be friends with Eddie 'The Freak' Munson behind closed doors and in front of people already his friend. But if Steve actually comes through those doors and sits at their table, he'll be a target. Fully and officially.
Of course, Eddie catches sight of Steve as soon as he does come in, sack lunch in hand. He watches as Steve doesn't even hesitate. He weaves his way around other teens and plops down at their table, into the space left available for him between Eddie and Gareth. Watches as Steve beams at him before pulling a fucking pb&j out of his stupid brown sack.
Eddie can hear the murmuring around them, catches Steve's name and his own, knows that they've all been noticed today. The outcome of what will happen because of this, unknown.
Eddie doesn't like the unknown.
He might be willing to face it, though, if Steve keeps smiling at him.
-
The week passes. No one says anything to him. Steve sits at their table every day.
Thursday comes and he gets to meet some pretty cool middle schoolers, though unexpected ones. Will, the DM, turns out to be Will Byers, who was dead and then not dead and also the little brother of the guy who beat Steve up and stole his girlfriend (what the hell sparked this kids friendship with Steve?). Mike Wheeler, little brother of said ex-girlfriend. Lucas Sinclair and Dustin Henderson are the last two. Eddie has never heard of these two, and therefore doesn't have any opinions just yet.
The kids know their stuff but they don't end up playing. Character creation takes some time, and Eddie's gotta think about how to incorporate four new characters (he was expecting one lame middle schooler, even though Steve had used the plural of kid every time he talked about them).
Before they all head out, Steve asks to talk to Eddie.
"Hey, I just- if the kids get into other after school activities, would you be okay with moving the date of the club meeting? My house is available every day, not just school days."
What an odd request. "I guess? Why?"
Steve shrugs (but it's a shrug Eddie has come to know doesn't mean 'I don't know' and means something closer to 'I have a perfectly valid explanation for this but don't know how to put it into words so it's easier to say I don't know') and says, "some school activities can't be rescheduled. It's be kinda shitty to make them miss this by forcing them to chose."
"There's a story there. I want to know it."
Steve looks at him, open in a way that Eddie hasn't experienced. "I want to tell you. But I'm not ready for that. Not yet. Now, go home and do your damn homework. I gotta drop these kids off."
-
December 21st, 1984 - Christmas Break
"I can't believe you did Dustin's hair for their Snowball dance," Eddie says as they watch Jeff, Gareth, Brian, Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin pile into Eddie's van after a rare, afternoon meeting of Hellfire. Gareth offered to take everyone home (maybe Eddie had to beg him to do it so he could stay and bother Steve, but that's between him and Gareth).
"He deserves a good older role model. I try to be that person," Steve says, and before Eddie can mock him for being egotistical, he continues, "that's why I wanted them to meet you, I guess, back in November. Dustin deserves a role model who understands the things he likes. Dustin needs you."
Eddie doesn't know what to say to that, so he just walks to the living room, grabbing the remote and settling in on the couch. Steve joins him shortly, sitting next to him rather than at the other end of the couch.
"You finish your homework?"
"Oh my god, mom," Eddie rolls his whole head dramatically, "no. I'll get it done eventually."
"Eddie," Steve says, sounding serious. Eddie turns to him, and Steve reaches out, grabbing one of Eddies hands, slotting their fingers together and Eddie feels those damn butterflies he's so used to these days. "I want to graduate with you. We can have a joint graduation party here. But that can't happen if you don't do your homework."
Eddie looks at Steve, feeling more seen than he's ever been in his life. His hand clutches back at Steve's. "Yeah. Okay. I'll graduate with you. Class of '85."
"Joint party?"
This is Eddie's chance to ask the question he's been itching to ask. "Your parent's won't mind you sharing with the resident freak?"
"My parents won't be here. They send me a card with a letter to take to their local accountant, who will arrange for a graduation cake to be delivered on a date of my choosing and give me money to host whatever kinda party I want. And what I want, is a joint party."
"You sound so sure of that."
"I am," Steve says, looking away to stare towards the TV, "I know the exact date they'll be in town between now and April 1986."
The fact Steve says 'date' and not 'dates' is not lost on Eddie. "When's that?"
"May 28th, 1985."
Eddie studies the side of his face, looking for any hint of a joke. "How do you know that?"
"Would you believe me if I said it's because I'm actually twenty-one, and have already lived through these events, and by some miracle was sent back into the body of my 17-year-old self to try and stop something terrible from happening?"
Eddie hits him with a throw pillow. He'll get the truth out of him one day.
-
May 3rd, 1985
Eddie graduates with Steve. It was fucking hell making it happen, but Steve recruited Nancy Wheeler to help tutor them both. (Eddie thought he'd be jealous, but Steve really isn't into Nancy anymore. They'd chat, he'd ask about Jonathan even, but most importantly, he'd always sat closer to Eddie than Nancy).
All of Hellfire is invited to their graduation party, his Uncle Wayne, too, along with the entire Byer's family, Chief Hopper and his daughter, Max Mayfield, and Robin Buckley. Most of these people aren't a surprise to Eddie by the time the party comes around but meeting them and learning that Steve considers this odd group of people his family was a surreal thing when it was happening.
(The real surprise person is Robin Buckley, who Steve had tried to befriend briefly during January but quickly backed out of doing that when he saw how weirded out it made Buckley. Buckley does not show to their joint graduation party but everyone else does.)
Steve and his uncle get along well and it makes some deep part of Eddie warm and fuzzy. Wayne was initially distrustful of Steve (rightfully so, given Eddie's history with jocks, and that he might have complained, loudly and often, about Steve to his uncle before. Hard to backtrack that.)
But Steve had shown up one day, asking to speak to Wayne instead of Eddie. Wayne had said yes, and then they both climbed into Wayne's pickup and went God knows where because Wayne and Eddie both know if they'd stayed on the property, Eddie would have done his best to eavesdrop.
Upon return, Steve had given Wayne a hug, hopped in his own car, and left.
Neither will tell him what they talked about, the jerks.
But all that to say, they're here, the sliding-glass door that leads to Steve's backyard wide open as people freely move from the inside to the outside and back. His friends, Steve's friends, their friends mingling easily. Hopper and Wayne chat, Jonathan and Gareth are hucking kids into the pool (at their request), Nancy is talking with Jeff and Brian, and Steve is standing at Eddie's side, holding a plate and eating cake (chocolate with raspberry filling, Eddie's favorite).
Steve spends a lot his time at Eddie's side.
Eddie expected Steve to be tired of him by now. To give up. But he hasn't. Every now and then, he still asks if he can kiss Eddie. And Eddie keeps saying no. Always an excuse, always a reason. It's been fucking with Eddie's head because he doesn't understand how Steve can be so willing, and wanting, to kiss another guy. Especially since the guy he wants to his is Eddie Munson!
Steve doesn't always ask when they're alone. He's asked when other people at this party are around, but always too quiet to be heard, like he's protecting Eddie's secret but doesn't care if people know his own. A little part of Eddie was mad at him about it; Steve's never been beaten up for being queer which probably makes it easier to be open about it.
In fact, Steve had asked him just this morning as they put their graduation gowns on over their regular clothes in the school parking lot.
"Eddie, can I kiss you?"
"No. Why are you so eager to get beat up?"
"I'm not scared of these people, Eds," Steve says with that damn shrug.
"You should be! This town'll try and kill you for being a fag," Eddie spits out, memories of Hagan, Jackson, Hargrove, the man from The Hideout, all come back to him.
"I've seen Hell, and I'm not afraid of a single person in this town," Steve says, voice cold and Eddie used to doubt that, but they've been friends for months now and Eddie's seen the nail bat he keeps in the trunk of his car, and been there when Steve's woken up screaming. Steve doesn't talk about it and Eddie hasn't pushed but this is- hearing this is the most direct Steve's ever been about it. Whatever the fuck it was.
"Tell me about it," Eddie finds himself say. "You've seen Hell?"
This brings Steve back to himself it seems, because he looks shocked by Eddie's words even though Steve said them first. "Not today. Today, we graduate!"
So, they've graduated, they've partied, and now, Eddie has questions.
"Hey, Steve, follow me," Eddie says and heads back into the house. He doesn't look back, doesn't need to to know Steve is following. He goes up the stairs and into Steve's room, waiting for Steve to enter before closing the door behind him.
"Want to get me alone, Munson?" Steve asks, wiggling his eyebrows.
"Yeah. I want to know about Hell."
Steve drops onto the edge of his bed like a stone. He can see the war going on in Steve's head. He can wait this out. He leans back against the door, a confirmation for Steve that he's not going to give up on this easy.
"Eds, you didn't believe me before. I don't- I don't want to lose you if you don't believe me again."
Again? Eddie would have remembered if Steve had told him anything about Hell. "Trust me, then. Trust that I'm not going to leave just because I don't believe what you say."
"Okay," Steve says. "You asked, back in December, how I knew when I'd be seeing my parents again. Remember?"
Eddie thinks before wrinkling his nose and saying, "Yeah. Time travel."
"Yeah. Like Back to the Future but- shit. That's not out yet. But yeah, time travel. Sorta? I don't know. Maybe I didn't travel through time and instead just had a vision of the future. Or a prophetic dream. Or whatever."
Eddie is less leaning against the door, and more using it for support now. "The fuck, Harrington? You weren't joking about that? You really believe that?"
"Yeah. And I got a majority of the people in my backyard to believe me, so I'm hoping I can convince you, too. And if-if I lose you. If you think I'm crazy, or a liar, or whatever, it's better that I lose you this way than-" Steve cuts himself off, a choked sob following those words. Never, not once, has Eddie seen Steve cry, but he's seeing it now. Crying, over the mere thought of losing Eddie. Because Eddie isn't gone, he's here in this room with Steve, and still Steve cries.
"Hey, hey, shh," Eddie shoves off the door to drop to his knees before him, hands going up to cup his face. "I'm here. You're not losing me because I'm here."
Steve nods, cheeks rubbing against Eddie's palms before Steve's hands come up to grip loosely at Eddie's wrists, Steve leaning in to rest his forehead against Eddie's. He takes a shaky breath in before he speaks. "I've already changed the future. In that other timeline, the bad one, you didn't graduate this year. You don't meet Dustin or Mike or Lucas until next year. I'm so fucking jealous of you because I think Dustin like you better than me because you understand the things he likes and I don't. You never got to meet Will, the Byers' had already moved to California by the time the kids are Freshman."
Eddie stays quiet, waits, closes his own eyes to just hear Steve.
"There's another world, Dustin says it's another dimension. I don't know enough about how it all works but we call it the Upside Down. There are monster there, the Demogorgon and Demodogs, and later, Demobats and Vecna."
"Vecna and Demogorgon at from Dungeons and Dragons."
"I know. These things had no name until we had to fight them. The kids named the Demogorgon. You and Dustin name Vecna. Now shush."
Eddie nods against Steve's forehead and listens to the impossible. Will being stuck in the Upside Down, a girl with superpowers, how Steve got involved, that Steve returned to a body that had fought the Demogorgon but the Demodogs hadn't happened yet. That he and Nancy break up because Steve knows both their hearts belong to others (Eddie's insides twist because he's sure that Steve is hinting that his heart belongs to Eddie but that's for later in the story).
Steve talks about going to Carol Perkins' party because he'd heard Eddie was going to be there. He doesn't know how the events go before this timeline because Steve hadn't gone to that party last timeline. He'd been with Nancy still, then.
He talks about how Hopper was the first person he told about the timeline change, because if anyone could prove he was telling the truth, it was El. Hopper hadn't believed him but it had built enough of a trust that Hopper was willing to let them go at the party.
He talks about the events that led to the concussion he'd got, that sparked their friendship fully. How he'd gotten it protecting those kids from Billy Hargrove. Burning down a pumpkin patch.
"You said you were twenty-one," Eddie says, when Steve stops talking. "That would make the year 1986? '87?. What happens next?"
Steve shakes his head. "I can't- there are things I can't say. Can't talk about yet because if I change the timeline too much, Vecna could win. And I can't-he cannot-I-"
"Shh, shhh," Eddie soothes, "no, you don't have to tell me. Thank you, for sharing this with me. I do... I have a question."
"Mmm?"
"How do I play into this. Why did you decide to be my friend now?"
"To change the future. In March of '86, you get- the Upside Down shit effects your life, too. We trauma bond and- I realized that I wish I had known you better. Sooner. We had one week together and honestly, I spent most of it pining after my ex. It took a while, but I realized I will always love Nance, but I wasn't in love with her. But that realization came after it was too late for us-" Steve cuts off, sobbing.
Eddie doesn't know what happened. Isn't sure he wants to. That's a timeline that's already lost forever. For it to come true, it requires him to be in high school and he's not. "Hey, it's okay. We're okay. We're going to stay okay."
They stay there, close, until Steve is calm again and ready to rejoin the party.
"Hey. Any chance I can see El move something with her mind?"
"Yeah. Gonna have to wait until your side of the family leaves, though. It's still fragile, who knows and who doesn't."
His side of the family. Like- Eddie cannot think on that too long or he's going to combust. "Can't wait to see."
Eddie does get to see. Steve pulls El aside as the party winds down and whispers in her ear. A little while later, while Eddie is the only one outside for his smoke break, his cigarette gets pulled from his mouth and flung into the pool. He jumps, because Jesus Christ, but a quick look towards the house shows him Steve, arms crossed and smiling, with El, arm extended towards Eddie still.
He can't find himself to be mad about the cigarette when El smiles at him.
-
Steve is already cooking breakfast when Eddie emerges from the guest room the morning after graduation. He'd been invited to share Steve's bed (just to sleep, Steve had sworn) but Eddie had to decline because he wasn't sure he could trust himself.
"Morning," Eddie says, draping himself boldly against Steve's back to look over his shoulder as he fries up hashbrowns. Steve doesn't even hesitate to lean back against Eddie.
"Morning."
"Put that down and turn around for a moment," Eddie steps back and Steve obeys, setting the wooden spoon he'd been pushing hashbrowns around with down, turning to lean himself against the counter rather than stay in front of the stove.
"What's up?"
"Just wanted to report that I am suffering no hang over effects. You?"
"None," Steve says, raising a questioning eyebrow.
"Good, good. Didn't fall out of bed and concuss myself either. Same for you I assume?"
"Same."
Eddie thinks Steve is starting to understand, if the little surprised face he does is anything to go by. "And I can't help but notice the daylight out that window. You see the daylight?"
Steve gives him a lopsided grin. "I do see it. Eddie, can I kiss you?"
"Yes."
They meet in the middle. For a kiss that's been a long time coming, it's so gentle. Steve cups his face like he's made of glass and Eddie should be annoyed by that but he's not. It just makes him feel safe.
Feel loved.
They break for air but don't go far from each other.
"I don't know what the future holds, unlike you," Eddie says, because he's a cheeky boy, "but I do know that no matter what it brings I'm here. You can't get rid of me now."
Steve looks conflicted, "not even if I asked you to go? For your safety? Even if it's to save you?"
Eddie shakes his head. "Babe, you've already saved me. You've already changed the course of my life." He clocks the way Steve's eyes darken when he calls him babe. "I'm gonna make sure I've changed yours for the better, too."
Steve hauls him back in by his shoulders. They kiss and kiss and kiss until the smell of burning hashbrowns ruins the mood.
Eddie doesn't know what horrors await (no one but Steve does) but they'll face those together.
572 notes · View notes
Text
Tumblr media
ɴᴇɪɢʜʙᴏʀ!ʟᴇᴠɪ ᴀᴄᴋᴇʀᴍᴀɴ x ꜰᴇᴍ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ
ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 1.1k
ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: Levi's huge crush, suggestive content, explicit language, heavy flirting, love bites, grinding, he steals your shorts and panties, biting, infidelity, nipple pinching, headcanon format! (Read part two here!)
Tumblr media
Neighbor!Levi who moves in a year after you. Spotting him with cardboard boxes while tending to the community garden, you gave a small wave and tried not to stare too hard at his biceps. He acknowledged you with a small nod.
Neighbor!Levi who stares at your butt while you’re bending down to inspect your tulips. The curve of your ass in those shorts had him running upstairs and back down so he wouldn’t miss you leaving. 
Neighbor!Levi who introduces himself like a gentleman as you’re closing the garden gate and locking it. His hand is warm and he shakes it for longer than expected, but you’re too caught up in his conversation to notice.
“Do you take care of all this yourself?”
“No, Mrs. Chisholm helps when she can. She’s taking it easy these days, though.”
He frowned and released your hand, leaving it colder than before.
“If I can plant something here, I’ll help you care for them.”
Neighbor!Levi who knew he was gonna help you anyway. There was nothing that could stand between him and his fixation with his endearing neighbor. The smile you gave him confirmed his place in the garden and he gaped at your hips swaying as you walked back to your corner apartment. You went upstairs, passed several doors, and opened the one next to his. 
Neighbor!Levi, whose heart drops to his stomach at the sight of you peeking back at him as your door shuts. He watches a pink light flicker on before stuffing his hands in his pockets and striding upstairs.
After talking for the next few days, Neighbor!Levi catches on to your tricks. He’s getting familiar with your collection of shorts and already has a favorite- the mini ones that you sleep in, first catching them in the morning when you’re stepping out onto your balcony. 
Neighbor!Levi watches your breasts peek out from the tank top you have on as you lean over the railing to chat with him. The gray sweatpants he has on does little to hide the growing bulge between his legs and he didn’t bother to wear a shirt to greet the warm morning, but you weren’t complaining. The thin gold chain that he wore to bed drew your eyes to his collarbone and had you licking your lips at the thoughts it brought. 
Neighbor!Levi finds himself inviting you over brunch, calling it a “favor for finding a place for me.” He doesn’t have to tidy much but a few dishes in the sink, but he finds himself adjusting the pillows on his bed anyway. He tried telling himself it was redundant, but it did little to settle the hopes he had.
Neighbor!Levi opens his door and finds you looking stunning, though you argued there was nothing special about the leggings and t-shirt combo you were sporting. He only rolled his eyes and allowed you in.
“You decorate well, Levi. A woman’s touch?”
If only you knew. The only woman Levi had the mind to touch felt far no matter how close she may be. 
“Not a lot of women coming in and out of here,” he remarked. “I don’t have time for ‘em.”
“Oh? What do you do for work that makes you so busy?”
“I…” he pulled a flat pan out from a cabinet, setting it on the stove. “I have a small business with my friends.”
Neighbor!Levi’s little white lie was enough to convince you. The blooming orchids in a vase and glassware in his china cabinet showcased the successes of his career- the men you dated before couldn’t afford the Rolexes you spotted him in, let alone this apartment’s rent.
Neighbor!Levi let you take the reins, assisting wherever you needed him. Forgot an egg for your crepes? He was already there with another one. Needed to put on your apron? He dug one out of his pantry and looped it around your neck, walking around you to tie it.
Neighbor!Levi feels you lean back on his hard body, your ass pressing into his dick print. You’re impossible to resist anymore- he needs a taste. His mouth connects with your neck, tongue skillfully finding a sensitive spot. Your moans echoed off his walls, head tilting to give him more space to work.
Neighbor!Levi’s big hands trail into your shirt to cup your tits, giving them a few languorous squeezes that had your nipples hardening under the fabric. “Juuust like that,” he encouraged between kisses, the praise leading directly into your panties. “Push that ass back on me, you know what to do.”
Neighbor!Levi pulled down the cup of your bra to pinch your nipple and pull it slightly. The purple love bites blooming on your skin made his heart melt, and in his needy haze, Levi bit at your neck. 
Neighbor!Levi feels you jump in surprise, spilling the crepe batter onto his apron and your house shoes.
“Shit…” he grumbled, pulling away to help you clean up. “I’m sorry- I got carried away… your shoes-“
“It’s fine, they were pretty old,” you chimed in, slipping the ruined apron from your body. “Could you go into my apartment and get my other ones? They should be in my room by the closet.”
Neighbor!Levi nods and leaves, shutting the door behind him quietly. What was he thinking? He was usually much more clear in his thoughts and actions, but you managed to wrap around his head like a cloud. He spends his short walk from his apartment and into yours brooding over what just happened. It felt amazing for him- the bulge in his pants could tell you that without words. He was positive you knew, a sentiment that lightened the weight in his heart.
Neighbor!Levi navigates your home easily as the layouts were nearly identical.
Neighbor!Levi finds your room and enters, his eyes landing directly on the pink velvet sleep shorts hanging out of your hamper. He reached for them and held them up, imagining your ass hanging out of them while you lay in bed. A matching pair of hot pink panties were inside of the shorts, and Levi felt his cock twitch.
Neighbor!Levi stuffs the fabric into the band of his sweats. Snatching the house shoes from the floor and nearly running out of the bedroom, he stopped abruptly in his tracks.
Neighbor!Levi could only stare at the framed pictures sitting on your dresser- pictures of you with a tall brunette from last Valentine’s day.
Tumblr media
Like + Reblog! Tysm for reading! ₊‧°𐐪♡𐑂°‧₊
Part two is out on Valentine’s Day!
852 notes · View notes
jimhopperlova · 7 months
Text
- Late Night Drive (18+)
Tumblr media
18+ MDNI!
Pairing(s): angry!hopper, trouble maker!fem reader
Summary: based on s1 hop, reader decides to mess with jim like she’s done before: speeding to get an excuse to talk to the town’s chief of police. jim hopper has finally had enough.
Warnings: explicit language, large age gap (hop is 41, reader is 19), handcuff play, public sex, unprotected p in v, oral (m receiving)
hope you enjoy! ive had this plot in my mind for a while now!
“you’re gonna do it again? surprised you haven’t been arrested yet,” your best friend spoke at the diner the two of you always meet at. she giggled at the fact she thought you were so rebellious. staying out way past your curfew, using your fake ID for a couple drinks at the local bar (surprised no one has recognized you yet), sneaking out your dad’s house to hang out with your friends.. let’s just say, you really are surprised you haven’t been caught yet. “i mean.. why do you do it?”
“it’s fun! duh,” you replied before taking a sip of the coke. you smirked at your friend, grabbing your wallet so you can pay for you and your friend’s food. thankfully the job you had at the newspaper paid pretty well. you could afford you and your friend’s meal. “besides, the chief is.. let’s just say not bad to look at.”
“ew!” your best friend grimaced, watching as you pulled out some money. “have you heard the rumors? he’s a whore! you want sloppy seconds?” your best friend asked, and all you could do was cough on the coke you had just drank. your best friend was your best friend for a reason. she was funny when she wanted to be.
“sloppy seconds? where did you hear that?” you laughed before slapping the money and then some for a tip onto the table. you pulled the jacket on before standing, your best friend following. “i’m just saying. it’s fun seeing that man mad. i’ve been doing this for.. let’s see.. this’ll be the third time, and he hasn’t gave me a ticket. maybe i just have a pretty face.” you shrugged and smirked, your best friend following you out of the diner. the cold air hit you, and you knew that it was a good night for doing such. november was always a fun month, and with the leaves rolling down the trees, it was.. gorgeous. your favorite month by far.
“your death wish.” your best friend spoke before bidding you goodbye. you waved back and headed into your car. spiking up the ignition, you heard it purr with excitement. you smirked and patted the steering wheel, turning the music up loud.
“let’s get ‘em, girl.” you mumbled before pulling out of the diner, finding where the chief could be. ‘Detroit Rock City’ by KISS played through the speakers, your smirk emitting even bigger. this was a perfect song to get the deed done. before you knew it, after lapping the police station twice, there was the chief in tow. practically on your ass. you looked in the rearview mirror, and noticed the cold and angry stare from anywhere. ‘now let’s piss him off’ you told yourself.
you pushed down the pedal, watching as the spedometer rose. 40.. 50.. 60.. 70.. you kept your hands gripping the steering wheel, the chief’s lights now just turning on. you giggled at this.. he probably knew it was you. again. he continued to follow you through the town of hawkins, pedestrations all halting to you. they knew that car anywhere, and knew you weren’t going to stop.
adrenaline coursed through your veins, your heart raced with every passing second. you laughed loudly, continuing to watch the rearview. he was speaking something in his radio, your actions not stopping. you just wanted to give him a little show before giving up. when you were on the outskirts of town, surrounded by trees, you then decided to start slowing down. you watched as the spedometer went from 70 to 35 in a matter of seconds. you slowly pulled over on the side, finally parking the car. you fiddled your fingers on the steering wheel, awaiting your fate. if you weren’t nice, you would definitely lose him by going offroad. you knew your car could, but you wanted to see how red in the face the chief could get. for some reason, that just set something in you. it was fun and thrilling.. you didn’t know why a lot of things were fun, but you did them anyway.
you watched as the chief let out a long and drastic sigh from your mirror, slamming his car. you giggled softly at this, watching as he approached you. you ‘innocently’ rolled down the window so he could look at you better. when he approached, he leaned against the cold metal frame, looking down at you with probably the most angry he’s been.
“officer, honest, i didn’t know how fast i was goin’,” you said in the most southern accent and the most innocent voice you could. of course, he wasn’t buying it. you peered up at him with doe eyes, hoping you would get out of a ticket again. “please find it in your heart to forgive me. promise i’ll be a good lil girl.” you smirked up at the man, who only shook his head and peered down at you again.
“third. fuckin’. time,” the chief spoke, looking down at you with a hard line. so he was playing hard to get, huh? “what makes you think i’ll let you walk again?” the chief asked you, and you meerily smiled. a soft smirk building up.
“because you’re a good man. i’m only 19, i’ll learn my lesson.” you told the chief. you could tell he wasn’t letting you go this time. you nervously fiddled with your fingers in your lap again, hoping the punishment wouldn’t be too severe.
“your father’s a god damn cop. how does he keep letting you drive this thing?” the chief questioned you, and you could only giggle. you were a daddy’s girl, and no matter how many times you fucked up, he would still let you drive. besides, you help put groceries on the table. why would he stop you from going to work? “this ain’t gonna work for me again. shut off your vehicle,” the chief instructed you. you looked up at him with wide eyes. jail? he was going to put you in jail? you swallowed past the nerves in your throat and slowly turned the engine off. “cat’s got your tongue, i see. step out.” he instructed again, and you hesitantly obliged. when you stepped out, you were met with your body slamming against the cold metal frame of your car. your grunted softly in pain, the chief’s hands roaming you. he sure took his time, too.
“oh, come on, officer. to molest me, you gotta be a little more careful than that,” you piped back with a smirk, your head turning so you could watch him from your peripheral. the chief seemed to be enjoying this for some reason. oddly enough, you didn’t know any better, but the chief has been riled up all day. he had a long day already, and here he was at 10 in the night, dealing with the same girl that had been driving him insane. he should just shut you up with his cock. those thoughts infiltrated his mind, but did his damnest to shut up and do what he needed to. but the way you were powerless against this car, he couldn’t help himself. his hands continued to roam your body, pausing a few seconds to grasp at your breasts. with your jacket on, he really couldn’t fantasize that much. “gettin’ a little handsy, there. how’s it looking if i complain to your higher up?” you smirked again before the chief grabbed your face with one of his free ones.
“shut. the. fuck up. and i don’t have a higher up. it’s just me.. sweetheart,” the chief said lowly ss he continued to practically molest you. “you ain’t carrying anything, are ya?” he asked you again, and you could only giggle.
“if you count pepper spray to get rid of creeps like you, then yes. yes, i do. chief,” you said against the car, and finally that’s when the chief snapped. he flipped you around so now he was facing you. his hat hung low on his face, but you could still see the way he looked at you. he was angry, as if he was sick of you. if he was so sick of you, why not just let you go again? “oh, chief. did i pop a nerve or somethin’?” you smirked and that’s when he truly snapped. the chief had been battling his own thoughts. late at night when he was alone, he thought of you causing trouble. he got off to the thought of fucking you from behind against his own police car. and now.. he could probably make that happen.
“get on your fuckin’ knees.. now,” the chief ordered. you looked at him with a smirk and a brow raised. was he really..? “i said get on your fucking knees,” the chief demanded and this time, forced you down so you were on your knees. you looked up at him, lost in thought. okay, you knew you were going to get into some serious shit, but.. this? you didn’t expect this. “don’t worry princess, i ain’t gonna hurt ya. even thought you fuckin’ deserve it.” he then leaned over you, his tented crotch staring at your face. you then felt the metal cuffs against your wrists, him locking them to make sure you really weren’t getting away this time. he looked around to make sure no one was around and unbuckled his belt, you watching with desire. you didn’t think this would actually happen, but here you were. about to suck the chief’s cock.
“if i didn’t know any better, you’re askin’ me to suck your cock.” you giggled out, looking up at him. he looked down at your with those lust filled blue eyes, still too angry to function. he then grabbed your face, pinching your cheeks together.
“damn right i am. and i’m not fucking asking you. you’re going to,” the chief demanded as he continued to pull down his boxers and pants, his cock springing free. he really was hard for you? i mean, he was a man, so they get hard at fucking anything. you didn’t know that he really was hard for you, and it wasn’t just you causing trouble. it was that damn mouth and the way you sauntered around town like you owned it. chief jim hopper owned it, not you. you didn’t even have a moment to take in his thick veiny cock, he just slammed it inside your pathetic mouth. you didn’t really prepare yourself, so you were already gagging on it. “come on, baby. you were so fuckin’ mouthy.. what happened?” he smirked as he watched you gag on his cock, him staying still in your mouth. he grabbed at your hair, slightly pulling on it as he watched you pathetically whine against it.
the chief finally let his cock out of your mouth so you could prepare for it. he wanted to feel you suck it, not just him fuck your face. he wanted to feel the way your mouth accepted his cock, and the way you would truly suck it. he looked down at you, still pulling on your hair.
“i’m sure you know how to work your way around a cock. don’t fuckin’ play with me,” the chief spoke as you looked up at him, helpless. you leaned in, letting your mouth take him in now. you swirled your tongue against the head, pinching in your cheeks so you could actually feel him. he was so veiny. “that’s it.. fuck, that’s it.” the chief groaned softly at the way you took him in. he watched as he slowly thrusted into your mouth, your moans softly englufing around his thick member. your eyebrows knitted together in focusing on sucking his cock, but also you loved the way you were making him sound. before you know it, he was now thrusting at a fast pace, hitting the back of your throat. you gagged on it slightly, before the chief stayed still. he kept it inside your throat before you couldn’t breathe anymore. he thrusted out of you and watched as his cock had your saliva rolling off of his head, and your lips. he chuckled darkly before smirking softly.
“this is what happens when you cause trouble,” the chief spoke before he slapped your face lightly, leaning down at you. you flinched lightly before he pulled you up, and had you bent over against your car. it wasn’t his patrol car, but this will do. he had your head pinned against the back of your car, the cold metal against your face. the chief had then pulled down your pants just past your thighs, as well as your panties. you felt the cold air hit your soaked cunt, a small gasp escaping your throat. “look at that. someone been gettin’ off to thoughts of the chief, huh?” the chief snickered before smacking your ass. you let out a soft yelp, and realized you were in for it now.
“c-chief.. stop.. playing around. please.. i-i need you..” your shaky breaths were heard. you didn’t realize how pathetic you could really be. it just kinda rolled off your tongue, and now the chief had something against you. he snickered again, able to accept why exactly you’ve been causing trouble.
“is this why you get inta trouble? to see what the chief will do to you? huh?” the chief asked you. you swallowed past the thickness in your throat as you felt his fingertips dance around your entrance. he then slapped your soaking cunt, it hurting but feeling good. you needed more of that friction. “fuckin’ answer me.” the chief demanded and you immediately nodded.
“y-yes. fuck- yes,” you replied, and to that the chief could only chuckle. he started to rub at your folds before he found your clit. he started to roll his finger against it, creating that fiction you ever so reached for. “j-jim.. oh, yes..” you moaned out before he slapped your pussy again. you let out another yelp, and before you knew it, he was leaning against your ear.
“we aren’t friends. you don’t get to call me jim,” the chief spoke lowly before pulling back again. he danced around your entrance and added two fingers, watching as your pussy stretched around his fingers. if you had sex, it had been a while since you had any action. the way your pussy quelched around his fingers had his cock throbbing. he really felt like a teenager all over again. “shit. you fuck before?” he groaned into the cold air, you moaning softly. you gripped the trunk of your car, his fingers devouring your pussy.
“yes, i- i have. don’t worry, chief. you aren’t- popping my cherry.” you moaned out, the chief’s smirking widening. so he really could destroy your pussy if he wanted to. he watched you take his fingers and after a couple minutes, he slowly pulled them out of you, watching your juices collect on his fingers. he lapped them up with his mouth, the taste of you sweet. if he wasn’t on duty, he truly would take his time with you. but that wasn’t happening tonight.
the chief slid off his hat and placed it on top of your head, watching as it fit your head perfectly. well, maybe it was a little big, but it fit his fantasy alright.
“you’re gonna take this cock and be quiet. bite the hat if you need to,” the chief instructed and before you could react, his cock was slowly filling you up. the way your pussy tightened around his cock was something that had him really wanting to fuck you. he wasn’t going to last long, and that was good but bad. your pussy had captivated him now, his thrusts slowly going in and out of your wet cunt. “shit.. look at you. taking my cock like the trouble maker you fuckin’ are.” he groaned out, watching the way his cock slid in and out of you.
“oh, f-fuck, chief. fuck.. yes!” you blurted out, and his one hand immediately went back to your head and pinned you down. you let out a gasp and shut your eyes tight.
“i said be fucking quiet,” the chief groaned, before he finally slammed into you. you flinched from the sudden reaction. you grabbed the hat that was on top of your head and bit down onto the velvet fabric. you needed to keep yourself quiet or else this possibly couldn’t happen again. the chief continued to slowly thrust into you, taking his time. despite what he had thought of earlier, he couldn’t help but be addicted to your pussy. it was basically egging him on to cum deep inside you. and before you knew it, he was slamming deep inside you at a rapid pace. you moaned into the hat, it smelling like him. the way you were completely powerless now, and the way he was stroking your cunt.. you were getting close. moans could be heard between the both of you, as well as skin slapping skin was echoing throughout the trees. “shit, baby. i feel you gettin’ tighter. you gonna cum for me? you gonna cum for your chief?” he groaned out, and you could only nod.
“yes, y-yes.. i’m getting so close, chief.” you mumbled out. the familiar knot in your stomach was coming so close to be relieved, and the chief could tell. he chuckled deeply before his lips found your ear, breathing heavy.
“fuckin.. fuck, cum for me. cum for your chief.” the chief had managed to cough out, and with those words of endearment, you felt yourself spasm. your whole body tensed as your hand gripped the back of the car, the relief of pressure bidding off your pussy. you moaned at the feeling, and before you knew it, the chief was pounding into you. deep, hard, fast.. fuck, your pussy was over stimulated now, your body shaking with desire, but you could feel him getting closer to his own release.
“that’s it.. fuckin’ shake for me, baby. i’m gonna cum inside this pussy and make it mine. fucking.. all mine,” he groaned in your ear, and before you knew it, you felt his seed shot up into you. you moaned softly at his reaction, his seed coating your walls. “fuck.. that’s it, baby. take it all.” he managed to whisper out in your ear.
the two of you managed to stay put in this situation for a moment, and finally the chief pulled of you. you felt embrassed, disgusted, but mainly.. you felt at ease. relaxed. the way he acted, you had a feeling chief had wanted this too.
after a moment of silence, you felt a pair of hands on your wrists. you felt the cuffs fall of you, and the chief was smirking softly. he grabbed the hat from your mouth and placed it on his head, as if nothing had happened. he managed to pull up his pants and boxers, before buckling his belt back up. you pulled your own pants up, the two of you staying silent. thinking that he wasn’t going to say anything to you, the chief then turned to you with the same smirk.
“stay outta trouble, ya hear?” the chief then walked away and got into his blazer. you watched him leave you, humiliated. you looked down and thought to yourself. ‘stay outta trouble? well if that was going to happen, why the hell would i stay outta trouble?’
110 notes · View notes