#Organizational Chaos | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

traceyelizabethwebbassociates · 2 years

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Finding the Music in the Chaos

Organizational life can feel like an exercise in managing chaos, with competing priorities, opinions, differing approaches, and the constant cacophony of expert advice. So how do we sort through this and thrive as we work with others? We find the music in the chaos.

I am a huge fan of opera and symphonic music. I love both art forms because of their complexity--the successful melding of many elements. I was recently in the San Francisco Opera house waiting for the performance to begin. I looked up at the incredibly beautiful ceiling, the beautiful draping of the stage curtains, the Tragedy and Comedy reliefs on either side of the stage, and the comings and goings of the audience, as it was not yet time for the performance to begin. I was overwhelmed by the pull on all of my senses.

I began to think about how we can experience a sense of constant overload and over stimulation in organizational life. There is always something that needs to be done right now. There are colleagues to persuade. There are direct reports to manage. And of course, we all have to manage up---even if we are the CEO. How do we effectly navigate the chaos? We find the music in swirling priorities and demands.

The first step is to embrace the chaos; it is a fact of organizational life. The second step is to remember who we are and what we stand for, as the chaotic energy swirls around us. I always advise clients that their job is to move the organization forward and through chaos, as long as they are not being asked to do anything unethical, immoral, or illegal. Additionally, we must be in constant contact with our North Star--who we are at our most authentic core. Once we reconnect with who we are and how we need to show up in the world, we can better navigate through organizational chaos because our North Star, our authentic self, provides guidance.

The following steps provide a summary of the process of finding the music in the chaos:

1. Embrace the chaos--it is a fact of organizational life.

2. Journal, work with a coach, and remind yourself of your Authentic Self--who you truly are. Know what motivates and drives you. Know your guideposts and values.

3. Engage in authentic dialogue with your colleagues in order to understand their point of view, their priorities, and their challenges. Listen first, and then share your considered and authentic point of view.

4. Look for common patterns in the dialogue--this is how you find the music in the chaos. What are your common goals/objectives? What is the need behind the need--that your colleague(s) might not be sharing directly? How do your needs behind the need correspond with your colleagues’ wants? Whether we are talking about bio pharma, teaching students, or writing financial deals--we all have deeply held values and objectives that guide our work--whether or not we are conscious of these factors.

5. Finding the Music in the Chaos is really about having authentic and sometimes difficult dialogue that helps colleagues align around critical paths forward. The process helps identify how we can best marshall our collective drive, motivation, and perspectives to find the best answers in the chaotic cacophony of organizational life.

There is music in the chaos; we have to look for it by bringing authentic dialogue to the fore. The musical notes are swirling about in the chaos--our goal should be to hear them and work together to create a score that delivers against the organization’s goals.

#Authentic Dialogue #FindingTheMusicInTheChaos #Organizational Chaos #Organization Development

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hyper-cryptic · 2 months

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Some silly goofying with my DBD AU and other RE AU's :3

Template made by @/deadbeatscape . Blank template below!

I changed fashion to gender pft

#i will do heart of chaos next :P #resident evil au #dbd au #<- for organizational purposes #anyways silly funny name changes #Vex Lyro Kennedy. Lee Nicholas Kennedy and Cyrus Gaios Adoniou #yay!#vex removed his middle name bc it was deadnamy he later on picked up Vex as his actual middle name. i just Uhhh I forgor Vex was his middle #and not his actual name. Lyro is his actual name. he changed it from deadname -> leon -> lyro.

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actuallylorelaigilmore · 11 months

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i’ve begun trying to sort through my fic prompts and WIPs (again) to get ready for july’s writing session, and the main thing i have accomplished thus far is realizing what a mess i am dealing with.

i have WIPs on AO3, i have them in my google docs, i have nearly 200 unfilled fic prompts, i have many partly-written stories I never even started posting that just live in my tumblr drafts...but also i have 144 Tumblr drafts!

june is about to be over and i never caught up on last year’s movie reviews so i have never posted 2023′s watchlist or reviews of the ones i’ve seen, and at some point i realized that if I started to reply to an ask it would move to my drafts so i did that with a bunch of them to tidy my inbox a little, and now they’ve lost all context.

not to mention i’ve got ask games i randomly invented but never posted, and things that i do not even recognize at this point or understand. one of my drafts just says “Rock paper scissors but I want to be a flower“......what is that? was i just feeling philosophical that day? because i most certainly don’t have a clue at this point.

#like...i'm working on it--i have a concept of an organizational system--but also i am the queen of chaos long may i reign #adhd #writer problems

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ryanhelps · 2 years

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Hi Ryan! Could we get a shoutout? Scandalous Elite is an original character, plotless Discord roleplay centered around the lives of the rich in New York City, inspired by Gossip Girl. It has just opened for applications, and is awaiting its first writers to open!

oooo this looks like fun! no idea how discord rps work, honestly, but this seems like the perfect type of rp for discord. GO CHECK THEM OUT!!

#rp #rph #rpc #rp shoutout #roleplay shoutout #discord rp #gossip girl rp #oc rp #original character rp #i'm such an old #i'm reminded of the chaos of old chatroom events #but discord does have a lot of organizational tools #one of these days i'll figure out how to be in a discord rp XD #ryan answers

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jae-bummer · 1 year

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Best Sleepover Ever

Request: heyaaa!!! welcome backkkk!! ^^ i saw your prompt list and no 4 "you look good in my clothes" really caught my attention... like you can NOT tell me cheol wouldnt say that to you... like imagine having a sleepover w/ him or smth and you wear his hoodie/shirt and when he sees you he'd be like that....

Prompt:

4) "You look good in my clothes."

Pairing: Seventeen S.Coups x Reader

Genre: Fluff

"I feel like a kid again," you grinned, looking up at your partner. "I haven't had an actual sleepover in years."

"Lucky you," Seungcheol smiled in return as he fiddled around with the wires connecting his gaming console to the television in his room. "I get to have one almost every night."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're trying to make me jealous," you laughed.

"Oh yeah," Seungcheol responded, giving a small roll of his eyes. "I'm really living the dream having multiple men in my bed almost every night."

"Hey, you are living someone's dream," you pointed out.

"Fulfilling them too," he chuckled, finally giving up on the chords and scratching his head. "Maybe I should cut my losses and just put this back into the living area."

"Probably for the best," you nodded. "There's no telling who would launch an attack when they realize it's missing."

"Probably Wonwoo," Coups sighed. "And it's the absolute worst being on his bad side."

"Didn't realize he had one," you hmphed.

"I'm not sure if you're commenting on his cool nature, or complimenting his appearance," he said with a side-eye. "Either way, I'm choosing not to know."

You huffed out a laugh. Like you could ever be complimenting someone else's appearance when you had a whole Seungcheol standing in front of you.

"Anyway," he continued. "I'll move this back. You can change into your pajamas."

You winced as you looked down at your jeans. "I may or may not have forgotten to bring any."

"While sleeping in the nude does sound incredibly appealing, hanging out in it is probably not recommended," your boyfriend sighed. "People don't know how to knock around here."

"I can run home and grab something?"

"And walk alone when it's already dark? Absolutely not. Just grab something out of my closet."

"You're the boss," you smiled as he began to leave the room.

"About time somebody noticed."

Closing the door behind him, you were left alone. You spun toward the curtain that was currently Seungcheol's closet door and yanked it aside. It wasn't as messy as you had originally thought it would be, but it definitely had a controlled chaos vibe. It wasn't quite time to call in Mingyu and his organizational cubes, but it was getting close.

Tossing aside some clothes that you weren't entirely sure were clean, you found a stack of t-shirts. It took a few more minutes to dig out a pair of shorts with an elastic waistband. You weren't sure how Seungcheol's clothing would fit on you, but drawstrings were always promising.

Tugging off your clothing, you slid into the ridiculously oversized shirt you had selected. You quickly pulled on the shorts as well and noticed how short they were in comparison to the shirt. Turning toward the wall mirror, you covered your mouth before laughing. If someone didn't know any better, it looked like you were Winnie the Pooh-ing it.

"You look good in my clothes," Coups' choked voice sounded from the doorway. You looked up into the mirror's reflection and caught sight of him eying you.

"What?" you asked, startled by his silent appearance.

Clearing his throat, he entered the room, and closed the door promptly behind him. Leaning back onto the frame, he tilted his head upward. "You look good in my clothes."

"Looks like there is in fact a knocking problem in this dorm," you smirked, turning and taking a few steps toward him. "What if I wasn't dressed yet?"

"It doesn't really look like you're completely dressed now," he chimed.

Yanking up your shirt, you tried to swallow your laugh as Seungcheol's face went from shocked to amused.

"There are pants under there after all!" he grinned.

"Against your wishes I'm sure," you said quietly.

"Am I disappointed? Maybe," he chuckled, closing the distance between the two of you. "Am I a problem solver? Absolutely."

"And what problem is there to solve?"

"How to eliminate your clothing in the fewest number of tugs," he grinned, pulling you by the waist to the edge of his bed.

Plopping on the mattress, he situated himself before pulling you to sit down on his lap. Wrapping his arms even tighter from behind, you giggled as he leaned back.

"You're so goofy," you wailed as he wiggled you around.

"Not the wording I was hoping for," he laughed, finally allowing you to lay on your back. Scooting in close, he lay on his side beside you, his arms wrapped protectively around your middle.

"And what were you hoping for?" you asked, quirking a brow. "You're so amazing? You're-"

"Wildly sexy and incredibly appealing," he finished. His smile was huge in your periphery, causing you to take a mental picture of this moment. He was such a beautiful human.

"Do I really have to say those things aloud for them to be true?"

"I mean, a little positive affirmation never hurt anybody," he whispered, nuzzling his face into your neck. "For instance, you are gorgeous, and I'd love to -"

"Cuddle me into oblivion?"

"Oh yeah," he huffed. "Definitely what I was going to say."

"Thought so," you grinned.

Kissing lightly along the side of your neck, Coups lifted his hand to tilt your chin away from his face. Getting better vantage of your skin, these new kisses began to send shivers across your body. Letting out a giggle as he reached the dreaded ticklish spot, you attempted to scoot away from him, but he held on tight.

"Nope, there's no escaping me," he said, clearly amused. "I am inevitable."

"Coups in his supervillain arc," you laughed. "I'm into it."

Smirking, he detached himself from you, only to climb on top of your legs and straddle your waist. Blinking up at him in surprise, you watched him carefully as he assessed you from this new view.

He looked at you reverently, but also with a tinge of hunger. Like something he knew he should protect, while simultaneously considering if he should devour.

"Forget what I said earlier," you breathed. "This is not the type of sleepover I remember."

"I mean, we can have a pillow fight?" Coups croaked, his voice suddenly like gravel. "Feel free at any time to braid my hair."

You were rendered silent by his tone alone, feeling it deep in your core and all the way to your toes. Moving carefully, Coups leaned forward, sliding across the blankets on either side of your body until he encased you. His forearms rested on either side of your head, your faces now only inches apart from each other.

Licking his lips, his eyes roamed your face as if he was trying to permanently keep the image of you printed across his irises. "Thank you for staying over tonight."

"You don't have to thank me," you said quietly. "I want to be here just as much as you want me to be here."

"Impossible," he said, shaking his head slightly.

"Well, maybe not," you smirked. "I'm not the one using my body as a human prison to keep my partner in bed with me."

"Should i move?" he asked, furrowing his brows. "Are you comfortable?"

"Coups," you whispered, reaching up to run your hands through the strands of hair falling across his forehead. "You are the comfiest."

"Good," he smiled slowly. Leaning forward, he pressed a soft kiss to your lips. Pulling only a few centimeters away, he studied you again. Seeming to find whatever he was looking for, he leaned forward again, slowly licking your bottom lip. Your mouth popped open while your brain entered a daze. His tongue swept across yours, something sweet dominating the taste.

It was in that moment that you decided you could kiss Seungcheol forever. Your lips seemed to melt together as you moved in tandem, enjoying him every bit as he was enjoying you.

After only seconds, he pulled away slightly. He furrowed his brow at the same time he bit his lip.

It should be you biting that lip.

"What is it?" you asked breathlessly.

"I should probably lock the door."

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copperbadge · 6 months

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What do you mean by digital cleaning?

It's something I've been working on more this year because I had a bit more travel than usual so couldn't do actual home cleaning, but I always take a couple of days in the Month Of Cleaning where I'm focused on my digital life. It's good to make your physical home a comfortable place for yourself, but it's also good to recognize that we have "digital" homes that need attention. And often this is at least less physically demanding, so it's good to keep it in your back pocket for days when you're mentally okay but physically too tired or sore to do more of that kind of work.

In the shortest possible terms, digital cleaning is just making sure that your phone, computer, socials, and other digital "presences" are organized in a way that you find helpful, and that you take a moment to either answer those messages you've been putting off or give yourself amnesty on doing so.

This tends to make a lot of people extremely anxious in a way ordinary physical space cleaning doesn't, so I'm going to put the rest of it behind a cut...

So when I say digital cleaning, I refer to stuff like going through my likes on Tumblr and clearing them out, going through my drafts and turning them into queued posts, answering my asks. I spend time in my email inboxes, either responding to messages or removing them. I am not an "inbox zero" kind of guy, but I like to keep the read-but-not-answered messages to a minimum, and towards the end of the year that usually means a clear-out and amnesty. I clean my Google Drive -- delete old files I uploaded for others, move documents I'm no longer using into an archive, move documents I want to work on into a central work folder. I go through my catch-all folder on my hard drive and organize it; I sort through the year's photos and organize those, partly to archive them and partly because I make a scrapbook from them each year. I don't usually have a ton of tabs open but often have more than I'd like, so I go through them all and either read, bookmark, or get rid of them.

I look in my phone's file tree to make sure I delete files I don't need (mostly menu downloads, Restaurants Stop Making Your Menus PDFs Challenge 2K24) and I sometimes go through each app on my phone, make sure I still use it, and make sure it's set how I want it. If this sounds like a nightmare, bear in mind that I very rarely put apps on my phone to start with -- I think my mother has more apps open at any given time than I have apps on my phone ever.

Everywhere I clean, I look for files named things like "notes" or "deal with" or "random" and move them all into one place so that whatever is in them, I can sort through it and make sure it goes somewhere permanent. Logins go in the login/password spreadsheet I keep, addresses go into my contacts, story notes go into a "fiction scraps" file, random thoughts either get moved into a journal file or put into drafts to become Tumblr posts, etc.

If this sounds like I might have some kind of compulsion disorder, I get that; when I explain my digital hygiene systems a lot of people look at me like I'm spouting a mad but harmless conspiracy theory. But it's something I used to have to do periodically even before I created National Clean Your Home Month, because otherwise I could never find anything, and everything was just...harder. As I once told a boss who admired my organizational skills, "It was this or endless chaos."

Putting addresses into my contacts list means I always know that the addresses I have for my friends are up to date. Putting logins into a spreadsheet means that five minutes spent now will not result in five weeks of procrastination later because I can't find the login and can't do anything else until I do that. Going through my email and archiving old conversations means not only can I find them easily when needed, I don't have to look at them the rest of the time. Sometimes I even go through my various wish lists and remove old/purchased items, or clear out all my "save for later" carts.

There's no doubt this is stressful, but like every part of NaClYoHo, it's broken down into smaller tasks; I don't have to look at my computer and organize everything on it all in one day. I can answer a few asks, then sort photos (something I find very soothing up until the moment I Don't), then read and delete some emails, then I'm done for the day. I can spread "answer or file all your work emails" out over a couple of days. I can maybe empty out my Likes but just turn the ones I actually want to reblog into drafts for now and deal with them later in the "drafts" phase of cleaning. And if I don't manage to empty out my inboxes, at least they're emptier than they were.

I'm struggling this morning with having put a bunch of physical cleaning on the to-do list but not feeling physically up for it, so I did what I felt capable of doing (measuring cabinets for new shelf liners mainly) and later today I might sit down and start building this year's photobook. Or not -- I have to code Radio Free Monday, sort out a prescription and possibly go pick it up, plus a very full day of work and a couple of afternoon appointments I can't shirk, so today may simply be a "get through the day" kind of day. That's okay too; some days the spirit is willing but the schedule is full.

#naclyoho #national clean your home month #digital cleaning

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inkskinned · 2 years

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i sat next to him, dipping chips into the bowl of salsa, thinking about how i couldn't have enjoyed this 5 years ago. something strange: recently it's been about chaos theory for me.

a butterfly makes a tornado. the infinitely small becomes the chaotic whole. the universe bends towards entropy, and yet, chaos theory seems to argue - small motions make big changes.

chip goes into salsa. i eat a little bit. later, the chip is energy. later, the energy is movement. later, the movement is a memory. later, the memory shapes who i am.

i used to pretend i had already eaten. i used to be 30 minutes late so i could say eat without me. i used to say i didn't like chips or salsa. i'd chug my water and pray nobody noticed i was still nibbling the same chip i'd first picked up. i missed a lot of hangouts because i didn't want to grab lunch. i would eat by myself, curled up in the parking lot of a supermarket. hurried, anxious, embarrassed to be overcome.

5 years ago, i started saying yes to one more chip. 4 years ago, i could munch my way casually through a couple dozen. these days i am the one saying - can we have more chips when you get a second?

it didn't start with big changes. i thought it would have to - something was massively wrong with me, so i assumed recovery would take a natural disaster. the only way to fight fire was with an explosion. i would buy organizational journals, angrily clean my house for 10 hours straight, promise myself never again and know - i'd always slip backwards. i'm always going to be this way.

it wasn't big, though. 5 years ago i made a promise to stop it with the i'm going to kill myself jokes. for the sake of additional challenge, i also stopped saying i'm stupid. just two things.

i'm genuinely funnier these days. people laugh more with me. i find more things funny. when i mess up, it doesn't crush me. suicide no longer sits at the front of my brain. it is no longer the first option i picture. i forgive myself so easily. i no longer believe every mistake is emblematic of my personality. i have actually started to believe i am clever and smart - although i still want to add the prefix barely.

i still apologize too much. i still beat myself up. i still agonize over certain choices. i know i am not perfect. recovery is not linear.

but the joy in me is bigger. every time i choose to believe in it, every time i choose to make a little change towards hope - that joy in me grows.

when entropy rises up in my heart and i backslide and everything goes dark: the joy doesn't fully evaporate anymore. i slide just a little less. i bounce back just a little more. i go further this time. learn about myself. crawl up that slope with new skills in tow. i know what i'm doing these days; am getting good at finding handholds. i have started to learn how to catch myself while falling - instead of letting myself go.

a little change. ten years ago i googled depression self-help tips. little butterfly keystrokes. in the moment, nothing really happened.

ten years in the future: my life is full of love and healthy coping mechanisms. i have minimized a great deal of my symptoms. i spend a lot of my time laughing and creating and going out with friends. every time i hit a wall, i convince myself to get up, keep going, if it's hard just be harder, choose hope, choose just a little bit further -

i want to tell that version of myself, stranded in the desert: if you keep walking, all that sand will one day be water.

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ghostgothgeek · 9 months

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Danny Phantom Shiptember 2023

It's that time of year again!

Shiptember will be taking place from September 24th - September 30th.

Topics/prompts listed above. You can choose one prompt or all 3 prompts for the day listed. Your submission can be writing/art/whatever you'd like!

Saturday September 30th is also a FREE DAY - you can choose from the topics listed for the day, do any of the previous prompts, or make up your own! Go wild!

You can choose any ship you want!

For any poly ships, you can use these dynamics: Grumpy x Sunshine x Chaos, Flirty x Flustered x Indifferent, Protective x Reckless x Mom Friend, Idiot in Denial x Idiot in Denial x Waiting for Idiots to Realize, Oblivious x Obvious Flirt x Pining, Dumbass x The Only Brain Cell x Encouraging the Dumbass, Cocky Bastard Bad x Cinnamon Roll Good x True Chaotic Neutral.

Please keep things appropriate i.e. no minor/adult ships or incest, please tag any NSFW content, use trigger warnings for triggering topics, etc. Be respectful of other people!

Here is a list of phandom ship names if you need ideas or a guide through the wild and nonsensical ship names we have.

Here is the AO3 collection!

Please use the tag #DP Shiptember 2023 for organizational purposes!

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Calendar listing prompts for each day of the week for Danny Phantom Shiptember 2023 as follows:

9/24: Grumpy x Sunshine; Catching Feelings...Again; "Quick, kiss me!" 9/25: Flirty x Flustered; Accidental; "You're staring again." 9/26: Protective x Reckless; Cliche; "Wait...Is this a date?" 9/27: Idiot in Denial x Idiot in Denial; Intimate; "Are you flirting with me right now?" 9/28: Oblivious x Obvious/Pining; Fight; "Just play along." 9/29: Dumbass x The Only Brain Cell; Oh shit I'm in love with them; "Because I love you, okay?" 9/30: Cocky Bastard Bad x Cinnamon Roll Good; Sharing; "It's always been you."; ALSO FREE DAY]

#danny phantom #phandom #shiptember #DP Shiptember 2023 #phandom event #aw shit here we go again #I know this is not a popular event but I like it so fuck you #DP Shiptember #Danny Phantom Shiptember

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beatrice-otter · 7 months

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Notes on today's OTW board meeting

beatrice_otter (It was on the OTW Board Discord)

First, they learned from last time and had a much improved procedure and moderation so that there wasn't chaos, questions got answered, and things went so much better than last time. It's good to see improvement.

On to matters of substantive business:

1) They have hired a consulting firm for a DEI organizational culture audit. The audit has already begun, they've already done surveys of volunteers and are now doing more in-depth interviews. A preliminary report is expected by the end of January 2024. I'm really glad to see actual ACTION happening. We'll see if this is able to bring about substantive changes; not all such consultations are able to change entrenched power structures. But it's a step in the right direction, at least.

2) They are looking for an HR firm that can help them on two levels, both INCREDIBLY necessary. They're working on BOTH volunteer support/policies/procedures (to make a healthier environment for volunteers), AND getting them ready to hire employees. It's hard to find a firm that can help with both volunteer and paid staff issues, AND handle the fact that AO3 is an international organization and so any such policies need to be able to handle people from many different cultures and countries. I'm not surprised that they've had trouble finding one firm that can help them with all of it, but I'm so excited because this is something that could really make a huge difference, at least as much difference as the DEI organizational culture audit, again with the same caveat ... if they're able to actually get it done and listen to the experts they've hired and make the necessary changes.

3) They are working on an internal whistleblowing policy. Again, good news.

Everything seemed good and positive. I hope they will be able to put all the things they're working on into practice, it could make a huge difference!

Here's their strategic plan: https://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/26569

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m3r1m4r5u333 · 30 days

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Okay but has anyone considered that one day when buddie gets married... Considering the way they share a brain, are each other's best friends, and both love theme parties...?

...They'll probably just end up being each other's Best Men 🤣! I can totally imagine them being unable to step back, getting all hyped up like "Yes so what if I'm his fiancé, he is still my best friend and I'm making damn sure he gets to have the best bachelor party EVER!!"

Because what do you do when your best friend in this world is getting married, and you're super co-dependent, and you know he obviously deserves to have the best bachelor party EVER and you already TOTALLY know what theme they would really, really love?

Yeah. Like the himbos they are, they'll just end up forcefully hogging the organizational duties for each other's bachelor parties, and basically end up simultaneously multi-tasking both of these important roles in a wedding, the Best Man AND the groom...

While everyone originally responsible for arranging the bachelor parties just one by one sighs, gives up, sits back, and watches the chaos unfold. Shaking their heads in fond resignation, sipping their drinks, muttering "Seriously, these two. They really do belong together. Can't believe it took them this long to get here."

#weewoo brainrot #buddie #eddie diaz #evan buck buckley

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blu3mila · 6 months

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III. WOE TO ALL WHO INHABIT THE EARTH

there were twins. growing up together and against each other; two sheltered 'special' children. they aged and fought for power, bláth lost. his brother wasn't stronger, just a little more stable.

still, bláth stayed and was used in attacks both from and on the family, only managing to break free by his late-twenties. he ran with the money while the white dome went up in flames, arranging it just so everyone surviving was under him. in the organizational chaos, his twin was dead.

for years it remained so: bláth holed up in a new and colorful city with no plans of ever dragging his past out. then he met cris, and it was a sweet story, really, built around tentative gentleness and care entirely foreign to both of them. cris lived with his own criminal ties, nowhere near bláth's nightmare, yet close enough to not see himself having a future. so bláth did what he was best at: put together an operation to bring another ring down, for cris.

the plan needed a foolproof intimidation tactic. he shaved his head and ate what was left of his brother.

#bláth oc #ocs #engine heart #THE LINGUA IGNOTA FACE #cris oc #too i guess

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panicatthediaz · 6 months

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Can you feel it?

What is this? A brand new fic for @eddiemonth? And so soon after?? (shut up this feels soon)

This is day 06, crush, and is in the same continuity as day 5. Named after Mansionair's Astronaut (Something About Your Love), that like. Please listen to them. They are a whole vibe, I love their music.

Warnings: None, this is just even more fluff. Extremely sappy get together. Steddie. I should start calling this section, like. tags or smth.

Wordcount: 2968

If he were to be honest with himself, Eddie hadn't expected to keep this monster hunting party in his life, not for long. He expected everyone to go on their way, while he was fumbling just to get out of the town.

Well, some people did go their own way. Older Byers was off to college in California with Argyle, after some extensive talk with his family and with Nancy, and Nancy herself was off in Boston.

But everyone else? Well, the kids had to finish high school before going anywhere, and Robin had decided to take a gap year that was about to end. And Steve…

Between joint recoveries and sharing almost the same group of people (and eventually truly having all the same friends), they had spent a lot of time together. They had become friends, good friends, not necessarily by choice, but the truth was that Eddie wouldn't change it for the world.

But sometimes, it was nice to just… exist. To be able to not think about the feelings he’d realized that were growing not too long ago. About how, even though he’d only noticed them recently, the feelings hadn’t been really new. About how it looked reciprocated, sometimes.

Eddie expected to hear about Steve’s plans to get out of town any day now, maybe tag along with Robin, so why do anything about the something that was brewing, right?

Deep down, Eddie knew Steve wouldn’t leave before the kids’ senior year started. At the earliest. Eddie felt pretty much the same already, after knowing them for only a little over a year. According to Robin, they did have that effect somehow.

(Something about how young they all were to have been at the whole supernatural thing for years.)

After dropping El and Will back home, he’d driven himself to a secluded little clearing, having to go the long way around so he’d actually be able to drive his van into it. But it was worth it, it’d always been worth it.

Eddie grabbed a few of the blankets stashed at the back of his van and threw them on top of it before climbing up himself. Setting up his little makeshift bed up there was a quick process; a couple of blankets to make the roof a little more comfortable, and the rest bunched together into a pillow.

It wasn’t particularly good, but it was part of his summer routine at this point, so he settled down, lying on the roof of his van. He watched the clear, evening summer sky fade into night, watching the stars come out slowly and then all at once as the animal sounds faded and changed to accompany the sky.

Some birds — owls, if he had to guess — and bats were flying overheard, occasionally cutting his vision of the stars and changing the tracks of his thoughts; the song he’d been working on, the campaign Will wanted to run for Hellfire next, Robin’s entirely too chaotic packing process, and how that girl might have surpassed him in terms of organizational chaos. At least Eddie could find his shit in half the time it had taken her to find the shoes she was taking with her.

The crunch of steps on fallen branches drew him out of his thoughts, making him turn in its direction.

“Jesus, how far is this place,” Eddie heard in a very familiar grumble. Steve was closer than he probably expected to be, and it didn’t take long before Eddie could see him on the treeline. “Uh… Hi.”

“Hi,” Eddie returned, waving at him from where he lay with a grin. “Funny seeing you here.”

Steve rolled his eyes and walked closer. He was wearing some ridiculous yellow shorts and what looked like an old NASCAR shirt, color and design faded with time. It was a little different from what Eddie was used to; more relaxed, like he didn’t have anyone to impress. Which was good, Eddie didn’t need to be impressed by style.

(Eddie knew, objectively, that Steve genuinely enjoyed the polos and all that, but it was still nice to see him in something else. Something softer.)

“What are you doing out here?” Steve asked once he was close to the van, just enough to still be able to see Eddie.

“Looking for Scorpius,” he stated simply, gesturing for Steve to come up. While Steve climbed to the roof of the van, Eddie adjusted the pillow of blankets so they could lie side by side. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I was expecting to find you in the trailer,” Steve started, leaning back on top of the blankets on his elbows with a frown on his face. “Wayne directed me over here.” Steve looked around, frowning even harder when he glanced at the ground. “You said you’re looking for scorpions?”

“Scorpius, not scorpions,” Eddie corrected softly, turning back to the stars. “The constellation.”

Steve let out a soft “Oh,” turning to glance at the sky before lying down and making himself comfortable.

Eddie had the vague knowledge that Scorpius was closer to the horizon line, but he’d have to drive up to Hop’s old cabin and the nearby hill to actually look for it, and he just… didn’t want to go that far.

(Didn't really want to be looking over all of Hawkins.)

“What’s the story?” Steve asked after a couple of minutes spent in silence. When Eddie turned to look, Steve was already watching him, his little smile illuminated by the moon. After a beat, he added, “Constellations have those, don’t they?”

Eddie nodded, struggling a little to find his words with the way Steve was looking at him. “It’s uh…” He cleared his throat and turned back to the sky. “It’s the scorpion that killed Orion.”

He could still feel Steve’s eyes on him, waiting for more.

“Orion was a hunter, the best one humanity had to offer,” Eddie started, gesturing to their surroundings as if it could encompass every person in the world. “But he was just a human, you know? And if even the gods of ancient Greece were flawed, imagine how bad a human could be.”

He glanced at Steve, finding all of his attention still focused on him.

“His flaws are not really the point, though.” He shook his head, continuing the story. “At some point in his life, Orion was hunting with Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and wild animals, and… Well,” he grimaced, “He claimed to be able to hunt every animal on Earth.”

“To the goddess of the hunt?” Steve questioned with that particular tone he had when he thought something was stupid. “Rather arrogant of him.”

“Yeah, but Artemis was fond of him.” Steve raised an eyebrow at that, but it took Eddie a moment to realize how his words could be taken. “Not like that,” he added, chuckling. “Artemis was a virgin goddess, none of that.”

Steve hummed, his expression betraying his surprise. “Good for her.”

Eddie blinked at Steve, at this tone of awe that he had.

“Where does the scorpion come in?” Steve asked, a little furrow appearing between his brow that Eddie wanted smooth out, though he had a story to finish.

“Right,” Eddie sighed out, turning once again to the stars. “Gaia, the personification of the Earth itself, didn’t like Orion’s claim.” He paused, then added, “She’s the mother of all life, so.” He gestured nonsensically upwards, finishing his story with as much a deadpan tone as he could muster. “She sent a giant scorpion to kill him.”

“A giant—” Steve burst out laughing, shaking his head in some kind of attempt to regain his composure. “Sorry, I’m sorry, just—”

“It’s kind of a silly conclusion?” Eddie asked with a smile on his face as well as in his voice. Steve nodded, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. “Greek mythology is kind of… Dramatic, like that,” he explained with a shrug. “Orion’s hubris got him killed by a giant scorpion—” Steve snorted, but reined himself in quickly— “And they were both raised to the sky as constellations as a warning against humanity’s arrogance.”

Steve hummed, gaze unfocused when Eddie looked at him. “Where are they, then?”

“Uh…” Eddie blinked and turned to the sky to blink some more. “Orion is not visible this time of the year, and Scorpius is closer to the horizon,” he said, raising his arm to point in the general direction he remembered the constellation being.

Steve hummed, but didn’t say anything, letting the silence and the warm evening air envelop them. Eddie expected it to grow awkward, for Steve to say something, for himself to end up fidgeting. Instead, it was easy to just exist together like this, lying side by side and watching the night sky.

“Are you okay?” Steve asked, some indeterminate time later. Eddie could feel Steve move about, slowly as to not risk falling off the side, and settle on his side, holding himself up on his elbow. “El was all…” He gestured toward his face. “All frowny, and she only does that when she’s worried. Dustin also said you seemed down.”

Eddie sighed, wishing those kids paid just a little less attention. “I’m good,” he said, keeping his tone light. “Just thinking, you know?”

“About?”

“What happens now, I guess?” He hadn’t meant for it to come out as a question. “We got a couple more practice sessions before Jeff and Arnie are going back to college.”

“Gareth’s not going anywhere out of state, though, right?” Steve asked with a thoughtful little frown that Eddie couldn’t resist smoothing out with a finger this time. It earned him a soft laugh and a smack to his hand. “You guys can keep Corroded Coffin going?”

Eddie shrugged as much as he could while lying down. He tried that once, making it on his own, but it didn’t seem as worth it now.

“Think I’d rather not split the band,” he said, grimacing and knowing that Steve would pick up the story he wasn’t telling.

“So,” Steve drawled, eyes narrowed at Eddie like he’d be able to figure out whatever was going on in his head. “The plan is just to wait?”

Honestly, Eddie hated that idea, but what else could Corroded Coffin do? “Sure.” Steve eyes narrowed further, going unfocused again. “What?”

“The kids will be starting their junior year,” he stated.

Eddie hummed to let Steve know he was listening, but he had no idea where the guy was going with this.

“You should come to Indianapolis with me,” he announced.

Eddie blinked at Steve, processing his words for a moment. The offer seemed to come out of nowhere. He expected Steve to leave Hawkins at some point, he’d been preparing for that news, and now it came with an offer to tag along?

“I don’t really have any plans yet,” Steve continued, probably taking Eddie’s silence as hesitation. “We’d have to look into places, and Indianapolis is just an hour away, but it should be enough for a fresh start, right?”

Eddie nodded, a little numbly. “You, uh…” He shook his head to dislodge his surprise. “I think Gareth’s going to community college in the city, actually.”

“Is he, now?” Steve raised an eyebrow, looking unimpressed and not surprised.

“Right, you two talk a lot now.” It was still rather amusing that the two of them hung out so much, even without Eddie. “Will?”

“Of course it’s about Will,” Steve scoffed, waving a hand in a flourish. “It’s why he picked Indianapolis. But don’t change the subject,” he added with a smack to Eddie’s arm.

“Alright, alright!” Eddie laughed, rubbing his arm. He’d have rolled away from Steve if it didn’t mean rolling off the roof of the van. “I guess Indianapolis is pretty good…”

Steve beamed at him, a smile he’d been seeing more often as the time passed. Usually, Steve was being a little shit when he smiled like that, but sometimes, he just seemed… happy.

“You could, I don’t know, teach kids how to play the guitar.”

That made Eddie laugh, surprised at the suggestion. Not that he necessarily disliked it.

“Who’d even let me?” He asked. “Maybe I’ll find work at a record store, that seems more likely.”

“If you want to, I’m sure you could find something.” Steve shrugged, that grin not fading from his expression. “Who says you can’t do both, anyway?”

And… Well, Steve had a point. Maybe he could find a store that offered lessons?

“Why are you asking me to go to Indianapolis with you?” The question was asked before Eddie even processed that it was something he wanted to know. He grimaced as soon as it was out. “Not that I don’t want to, god knows I wanted to be out of this town three years ago now, but just— I thought you might tag along with Robin?”

Steve’s expression softened, a serene smile replacing the wide grin. “I thought about it. Robin’s going to Indianapolis University anyway, though, and…” He gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I think I’d like you there too.”

“You think?” Eddie questioned with a raised brow. It was easier to tease and joke than really look into that sparkle of mirth in Steve’s eyes and hope it meant what he wanted it to mean.

Steve shook his head, sending his hair all over the place. “I know. Got used to your noise, Munson.”

“Well, I’m making your life interesting, so you’re welcome.”

They were both smiling when Eddie finally let himself look Steve in the eye, finally relaxed enough even though he hadn’t escaped thinking about Steve, or his actual presence. It was fine. There some tentative plans to get out of Hawkins, together, and maybe Corroded Coffin would forever be a high school band that didn’t really go anywhere — Eddie was only starting to be okay with that idea, though — but that didn’t mean he couldn’t do something else with music.

Steve laid back down on the van after a moment of silence, turning his gaze to the sky. Like this, they were touching pretty much from shoulder to knee, and Eddie was trying not to move too much, conscious of the warmth radiating from Steve.

Steve, on the other hand, didn’t seem to have the same hang-ups, nudging Eddie’s hand until he could take it in his own.

“This okay?” He asked softly, not turning his head and not seeing Eddie already looking at him. Eddie squeezed his hand and intertwined their fingers as response. “I wasn’t planning on talking to you about Indianapolis tonight, you know?” His admission was soft, barely above the ambiance of the woods at night. “I was just gonna keep you company.”

“I’m glad you did.” Eddie let himself take in Steve’s face and what freckles he could see in the dark before turning away. “Easier to think I can actually get out of here when I have a tentative plan.”

“You can, Eddie,” Steve said, firmly squeezing his hand. “I meant it, I’d really like if you came to Indianapolis with me.”

He could feel Steve’s eyes boring a hole into the side of his head, and he refused to loosen the hold on his hand. Eddie sighed, turning to face Steve’s small, determined frown.

“Sometimes,” he started, hesitating before pulling their joined hands closer. “I kinda wish you were still some degree of asshole.” Steve frowned, ready to interject, but Eddie continued before he could. “‘Cause it would make getting over this ridiculous crush so much easier.”

Steve pulled their hands closer to himself this time, and Eddie could see him pursing his lips. He’d been paying too much attention, enough to know this was Steve trying to rein in one of those rare, goofy grins that had been one of the things that made Eddie fall in the first place.

“What if,” Steve started, slowly letting the grin take hold, as he started absently playing with the one ring Eddie forgot to take off before climbing up the van. “I don’t want you getting over this ridiculous crush?”

Eddie blinked at him — he felt like he’d done that a lot tonight, almost constantly surprised by Steve despite how close they’d gotten. Maybe that’s why he hadn’t seen this coming, too close to see what, eventually, might become obvious in hindsight.

“You mean that?”

Steve’s grin came out, full force, in the face of Eddie’s soft tone. He slowly brought Eddie’s hand closer and pressed an oh so soft kiss to his knuckles.

“I mean it.”

Eddie didn’t really know what to say to all that, the smooth jerk knew it and could probably see the blush undoubtedly rising on his cheeks. But there was one thing that he needed to double check.

“You know I’m—”

“Asexual?” He filled in after Eddie cut himself short. “Yeah, I do.” Steve was back to messing with the ring on his hand, looking at it with an expression Eddie still hadn’t figured out. “And I think…” He paused, frowning a little. Eddie kind of wanted to bite him. “It might apply to me too?”

Eddie rolled closer to Steve and pressed a kiss to cheek, feeling the heat rising the longer he stayed there.

“Thanks for telling me,” he mumbled against Steve’s cheek. He pressed another quick kiss before settling back down. “Feels good to know, doesn’t it?”

Steve’s laughter was light, giddy. He rolled onto Eddie this time, hugging him as close as possible.

“It really does.”

Eddie knew they would talk come morning, and they would define just what they wanted and were to each other. But for now, cuddling and laughing under the night sky with ridiculous Greek stories was all Eddie wanted to be doing.

#Stranger Things #Eddie Munson #Steve Harrington #Steddie #Asexual Eddie Munson #Asexual Steve Harrington #eddiemonth #day 6 #WeresWriting #This got so sappy #and not at all what I was originally going for #I wanted a RWRB reference. Ended up sort of there anyway #(Orion is really only visible during winter I didn't know that)

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