#and their very stressed parents

[i-dont-talk-for-days-on-end]

Petition to take Holmes to the countryside so he can relax and complain about being bored for the memes and rest and look at bees

#hey it's me I'm sherlock holmes #every time i go to see my parents i forget that this is very stressful indeed #i need a holiday #sherlock holmes #personal thoughts

[puppyeared]

gregnant

anton belongs to @poicyss

#someone help them LMAO #im all kinds of panic induced stress rn so. woe pregant auggie be upon ye #shes very excited but also extremely fucking nervous and couldnt think of any other way to break the news #also because how do you deal with the spawn of a literal shadow creature. what the fuck do u do #im sure theyve probably discussed the possibility of being parents once in a while but not like actually intended to conceive #idk much else though ive never been pregnant. shrugs #i think her bump is probably smaller bc vincent forms as a dog before he takes on human form a couple months after being born #so the fetus is smaller.. although its more obvious when shes in her animal form so she doesnt transform while pregnant just in case #can you tell ive thought abt this a normal amount #my art #myart #doodles #my oc #friend oc #augusta #anton #suggestive #? #i mean kinda..? its implied this is after they boink but not much else #oc lore

[discordiansamba]

actually I think the absolute funniest possible bodyswap fic would be a pre-Kerberos swap between Shiro and Krolia. Keith just casually wishing he knew who is his mother was the universe responding by revving up the body swap cannon.

Thankfully for Krolia, Adam believes her story, as outlandish as it sounds and agrees to try and help cover up for her while they both try and figure out how this happened and how to fix it. Of course, that was before the wrench is thrown in where she recognizes the kid Shiro basically adopted and reveals that he's her SON. Shiro didn't just swap bodies with some random alien. He swapped bodies with Keith's mom, who is apparently an ALIEN.

VERY thankfully for Shiro, Kolivan believes his story- and most importantly, believes that he has no idea what's going on, and that he didn't intentionally cause this swap. But also now he's in the body of an elite alien super spy in the middle of a ten thousand year old war, while knowing that said alien super spy must be in his body back home.

Also why does she look so much like Keith?

#krolia is treating this like a vacation while shiro is extremely stressed #keith is just. confused. shiro's definitely acting differently lately? #but adam's acting like nothing is going on? is he missing something? #krolia's very bad impression of shiro based off of what Adam tells her he's like #adam: wait. you're a woman? #krolia: yes. #adam: oh. that suddenly explains why I feel abruptly less attracted to shiro's body #krolia finding out how much shiro has stood up for keith like. i like this man. i'm much less worried about him being in my body now #parental figure bodyswap au

[chucktaylorupset]

its been a million years.  percy has gone from young millenial to squarely gen z.  i think that while he’s up on that mountain demanding the gods pay their fucking child support, he should tell hera at the top of his sixteen year old pipsqueak lungs that polyamory is a thing now and she doesn’t have to define her marriage the traditional way if she doesn’t want to.  she’s the goddess of all marriages!  that includes these modern ones too!!

hera is like zeus would you agree to an open relationship zeus is like SOLD i have been trying to do this for years, completely neglects to read the fine print that this goes two ways before signing on the dotted line for this deal with the prada wearing devil because fundamentally, zeus is an asshole

hera starts hooking up with committed married couples and having SUPREMELY powerful demigod children.  they are all her favorites and she lavishes them with powers and gifts and attention.  she has, unlike the other gods, no millenia of experience with mortal children to temper her reaction, and so this whole move honestly causes more problems than not.

meanwhile hades and persephone; poeseidon and amphirite; dionysus and ariadne; all of them have been trying to talk to hera about this thing for DECADES and then perseus fucking protagonist powers jackson comes in and turns a quarter of a century into wasted work.

#my post #pjo #it's very key that zeus is big butthurt about this #and that most of the olympians are ethically nonmonogamous thanks to some great work done by either aphrodite or eros #back at the end of the 1900s #being a child of hera is extremely weird because you're not prepared for it like most single parents of demigods are #also most of heras partners come out okay but ALL of them are 'blessed' to never be divorced which uh #can have some variability in terms of results #gods are complicated kids #a lot of hera demigods come up with parents who have very healthy relationships and pass on those emotional intelligence skills! #and then they start coming into their powers and suddenly they inherit a girlboss pta mom who will speak to the manager #and WILL support them taking over the world cause it's what they deserve. if that's what they want <3 #most of them are emotionally healthy enough that they don't even Want to take over the world but uh. they sure are offered that as option #if they want to #hera kids have the Oposite problem of a lot of demigods who have gods practiced in loving mortal kids #they're like i cannot stress how much we Do Not Have To Prove Ourselves to her #we have to be very careful about wanting things she will just handle them to us also #once we get married we can't divorce she would either kill us or it would Be A Thing for the rest of our lives #it's... very stressful to be a child of hera #they mostly try to befriend the chill party kids because they need to catch some Chill

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Feeling a certain way about that latest bsd interview concerning Akutagawa and the treatment he suffered

(that way is bad.)

#I was concerned about this kind of thing tbh trying to think of how this whole dynamic could narratively go forward #I’m not encouraged that he’ll ever be called out now. #listen. the orphanage director thing I was fine with. It’s fine to cry over someone who hurt you #it’s fine to have learned things from abusers. guy was the only ‘parental’ figure atsushi ever had even if he sucked #and that it was dazai saying all this introduces a layer of uncertainty also #was uncomfortable with aya having ‘learned’ from her abusive father (but you know fair I guess we still pick up on #and recall things in stressful moments. you can still learn from people who treat you horribly and it doesn’t mean you owe them shit) #but this makes me very uneasy and I’m uh. not happy. if this shit keeps up I just. :/ #won’t main tag this rn #storyrambles

[scoopstomyahoy]

thinking about a no upside down au steddie fic where steve and eddie run into each other years after moving away from hawkins, and eddie remembers steve and his fall from grace as king, and is kind of intrigued to see what kind of person he is now

and steve doesn’t remember him at all at first, because, look, eddie changed his hair again, and steve’s had a few head injuries (no upside down but i imagine he still went thru some shit with the party and with robin), and he didn’t really think about eddie in high school anyway, and he’s trying to forget about hawkins as much as possible (besides the kiddos, but they’re all moved out for college now, anyway) (obviously he lives with robin)

but steve is different now, happier, more open, flirts with guys, flirts with EDDIE, and eddie….. well, he wants to know more! and he tells steve he knows him from hawkins, and steve’s sunny little smile flickers a little, but he just apologizes for not remembering him and mentions he has some memory problems

and they get to know each other, and eventually as eddie tells him more (and maybe with the help of some yearbooks) steve remembers eddie. and. well. they like getting to know each other. and they like each other. and then they get together

eventually they’ve been together for a while, and eddie thinks he wants to maybe introduce steve to wayne, and he mentions he’s going to go back to hawkins for a long weekend (as he’s done a couple times) and this time he’d like steve to join him

and again steve’s sunny smile flickers a bit, but he says he’d love to meet eddie’s uncle, and… they go to hawkins. and it goes well— meeting wayne, at least, but steve seems a little on edge the whole time they’re there, tense when they drive in, fidgety when they go to the grocery store, et cetera. eddie thinks maybe steve is nervous about staying with the man who raised eddie, which is ridiculous, because wayne LOVES steve.

it’s not til they leave the town altogether that steve relaxes, and eddie realizes it wasn’t “meeting the parents” but rather going back to hawkins. and speaking of meeting the parents, steve didn’t ever bring his own up, even though eddie knew they still lived in hawkins. and the way steve glanced around whenever they went in public, like he was scared of getting recognized

and he asks about it, and steve doesn’t really want to talk about it, but he gives eddie snippets of it. people he wanted to leave behind in hawkins, memories that resurfaced, things he wants to forget

eddie goes back to see wayne sometimes, and the first time he doesn’t know whether to ask steve to come, so he just mentions he’s thinking about going to hawkins for some weekend and steve immediately starts making plans with him as if the invite is implicit. they go back to hawkins several more times, steve still tense and pent up the whole time they’re there

over time steve reveals more and more to eddie. everything that made hawkins hell for him, from the things he himself did in high school to the things people did to him. stuff tommy and carol and billy said to him. some of it is just typical high school bullshit (and oh, the nancy thing.) some of it is the tragedies steve went through, the horrors he had to protect his kids from. the injuries he sustained. more generally the homophobia that permeated the whole town, keeping steve from being himself. the lack of support in the indiana public school system for a high school senior who’s had two concussions and gone through incredible trauma.

his parents. the reason why steve’s mail is addressed to ‘steve buckley’ now, not ‘steve harrington’.

(that doesn’t come out until much, much later, and eddie is kicking himself for ever suggesting steve come back to hawkins.)

eddie, who hardly had an easy time of it in hawkins, is absolutely blown away by what steve had gone through in the same town, right under his nose. the entire persona that steve was trying to leave behind — the cool as a cucumber, unaffected, douchey mask he wore to hide all that he had endured. the head injuries. the emotional tragedies he had gone through. the way he had to be the rock for the kids even as he went through the same things as them.

he tries to tell steve they never have to go back to hawkins again, and steve is having none of it. he tells steve wayne can come visit them in their new city, and steve thinks that’s completely unfair to the man who had raised eddie, seriously, you’re going to make him come all the way up here?

and well i don’t know exactly what the ending is but steve is so stubborn about trying to love hawkins because it was eddie’s home and he wants to be able to go see wayne because wayne deserves to see his kid and eddie deserves to see his uncle and steve doesn’t want to be the problem :(

#steddie #stranger things #this isn’t very fleshed out but just. hawkins as an incredibly scarring place for steve #something built up in his mind as a very dangerous place for him not just because of what happened there but who he had to be there #i think ultimately it would culminate in them going back to hawkins and running into steve’s parents when they least expect it #and steve gets to yell at them in public and tell them they suck and ruin their image and eddie is being his little guard dog next to him #baring his teeth #for the no upside down part of the au i think it would have to be like. nebulous tragedy of season 1 struck them #barb still died (sorry barb) so that his relationship with nancy falls apart. will and el are twins and they disappear the same night #steve knows the kids earlier in the timeline in this one and has already basically adopted them when will and el go missing #eddie was never the victim of a massive witch hunt but jason still harasses him during his third senior year and gets ppl to gang up on him #so he was never like Wanted by all of hawkins and can never return but he sure doesn’t feel welcome there besides w wayne #oh i also think it would be important that one of the trips steve snaps at eddie bc he’s so strung out and immediately regrets it #and takes it as proof that when in hawkins Steve Is A Bad Person and tries to explain this to eddie #eddie meanwhile is trying to convince steve that he’s not a bad person and that he was being mean because he’s completely stressed out #and he wouldn’t be so stressed out if he didn’t make himself come back to hawkins #anyway ultimately. steve realized hawkins is just a place where bad things happened. it is not a place that makes people (including himself) #bad. it’s just. a place. and steve did not grow and change for the better bc he got out of hawkins. he got better bc he put the effort in #god i just. love steve so much and the version of him in my mind is so much better developed than what the duffers are doing

[moveslikekeithrichards]

its so hard to talk about how traumatic it is to watch somebody be claimed by dementia without going "well i cant complain because at least i wasnt the one losing my mind (for now)" but that shit fucks you up so much. that ghost is going to haunt me for the rest of my life and all i can do is hope it Stays a ghost

#tiddytaco #b #thinking about it rn bc today while i was driving my mom home from pt #she saw someone she knew from years ago driving & was like FOLLOW THAT CAR & we met them in a parking lot #& the conversation turned to 'hey what the hell happened to your parents' pretty quickly bc our families hadnt been in touch #& it was a long conversation in the hobby lobby parking lot #& idk if itll ever Stop being fresh in my mind but now its Extra fresh in my mind #that whole time period was just so insane & awful #bc it was like Ok we're caring for both grandparents #& then my grandpa died #& all our pets at the time were very old #& when he died it occurred to me that we could easily lose both grandparents and all 3 pets within the year #it turned out to be like a long drawn-out year & a half from the first to the last #& looking back it seems impossible that is was that short a time period bc it felt like an eternity #we got off easy with grandpa bc he died before it got too bad but with grandma it just kept getting Worse #& the climax of the caring experience was traveling to take her to my uncle bc he wanted to take his shift caring for her #& that was so . So bad. SO bad #like it literally could not have gone more smoothly and it was SO bad #just thinking about it i feel like im there again i get so stressed out

[goldkirk]

I'm so proud of myself about finances in the past couple months. I still struggle with money but I did enough meditation and journaling and practicing about it to make myself able to actually face my loans and credit cards and savings and bills and start really truly organizing and addressing them for the first time in years instead of just flying by the seat of my pants.

Like. This is a huge deal for me. I've felt like I'm in deadly danger every time I've tried to think about money for years and years. I'm finally able to look it in the face and stare it down and start to organize and plan on purpose instead of just keeping up with the minimum to stay afloat. I'm so proud of myself.

It's still a refrain of "GUILT (funny link)" every time I think about money but I'm able to actually make spreadsheets and face the numbers and monthly tracking again, and even make a new full budget which I haven't been able to do in ages.

still feel guilt, overwhelm, and helplessness, but no longer feel as much deep elemental shame and terror. that's progress baby

#we don't need to talk about how many months and months of therapy visits and doctor appointments I put on credit cards #among other things #but I had to put my foot down about it a couple months ago and shout at myself a little saying HEY #I AM SHAKING YOU BY THE SHOULDERS I AM SHOUTING FOR YOU TO HEAR #OF COURSE IT WAS A TERRIBLE FINANCIAL DECISION BUT YOU WEREN'T EVEN EXPECTING TO BE ALIVE #THE CREDIT CARD DEBT WAS NECESSARY TO KEEP YOU ALIVE AND IT DID AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS WAY LESS IMPORTANT THAN THAT #why the FUCK are you feeling SO ASHAMED for making the best decision you knew how to make at the time??? #just because you know NOW that you could have tried some other options doesn't mean you did THEN #you may have known enough to feel shame and guilt yes but you would never in a million years have gotten the help you needed fast enough #by attempting to go another route #you didn't trust anyone besides a very few handfuls of people and even them it wasn't fully #and the stress of running it through parental insurance was so terrifying to you bc you didn't know what that would do #and you never had cosigners for anything your whole adult life. it's OKAY #you fucking DID YOUR BEST #YOU HAVE LEARNED. YOU HAVE MADE CHANGES. YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE BETTER #YOU WILL CONTINUE TO LEARN AND IMPROVE OVER TIME #it is not the end of the world. even the utilities sending you to debt collections etc etc #YOU ARE FIGURING IT OUT ONE PIECE AT A TIME #MORE PEOPLE ARE ASHAMED AND AFRAID OF THEIR OWN FINANCES THAN YOU THINK #if the people who fought and argued with and shamed you for considering student loans much less taking them out #had wanted you to actually be financially safer and healthier #they could have just fucking helped out or cosigned your loans or actively helped you find other solutions #instead of spending months and months telling you it was the worst decision ever and would ruin you financially for decades and such #you made the best decisions you could with the level of terror and knowledge that you had. it was enough to keep you alive. #isn't that enough? #isn't it a victory to survive?? isn't that enough?????? #god i'm cringing at sharing this but if it's been this hard for me surely at LEAST one of you has also made financial mistakes or regrets #and seeing me be honest that I fucked it all up too and it's a mess and I'm just climbing back through it as best as I can as I go #will hopefully make at least one of you feel a tiny bit less alone

[rocker-socks]

Being into DC and not ML is really funny when looking at AO3, but it does force me to ask why Marinette always ends up adopted by the bat family (black hair and blue eyes, i get it) but Adrien never ends up adopted by Catwoman. His name is literally Chat Noir (Black Cat). Its Right There. He has mommy issues and everything.

#selina kyle picking up adrien by his scruff: hold on i need to send a photo to bruce this will be hilarious #also. every ml x dc fic i see somehow has marinette seem to be very weepy and sad and. i havent watched ml in Literal Years but i feel like #she would not be like this. let her go apeshit. she has two loving parents let her refuse batmans adoption. why does tim or damian #always have to swoop in and save her #she is SO stressed you guys. she is so kind and loving but also So Over It. #ml #miraculous ladybug #ml x dc #batman #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

trying to convince myself that it's not my responsibility to police my sister's choices

#like if I have concerns about stuff she's doing in her own time or apps on her phone I tell our mom #and then it's no longer my responsibility #it still stresses me out though bc I hid all kinds of stuff at her age and it was not great overall #bc I ended up coming across some rather inappropriate stuff #and I caught her using a very questionable app or something and did tell her it was questionable and deleted it #and I'm gonna tell our mom once I get a chance that not everybody is around lol #but still. I know once I tell mom it's not my problem anymore I'm not her parent she is not my responsibility in that way #but it's like. BOOM. ANXIETY ATTACK ×300

[yardsards]

living in america is literally just like. yeah i could probably benefit from inpatient mental health services but honestly the resulting medical bills would just make me want to kill myself even more

#eliot posts #i'm not in active danger of hurting myself don't worry #just experiencing some Ideations #but i have a long mental list of reasons not to act on those ideations so i'm safe don't worry #ironically one of those reasons is ''i couldn't afford the medical bills for a failed attempt'' #suicide mention #suicide tw #tw suicide #american healthcare my beloathed #dogshit private insurance my beloathed #also ironically one of the (multiple) contributing factors towards this fresh wave of ideations is a medical bill i got yesterday #it's nothing too ruinous but it is A LOT like would utterly wipe out my savings level #my parents said they can help me with it (as much as i hate accepting things from them) #and as soon as i mentioned it my very sweet cousin just. sent me the money it would take to cover it #with a ''yeah i trust you'll pay me back once you get a good job like looking at your major you'll be making a lot eventually'' #and i've already requested an itemized bill as well as the paperwork for the hospital's financial assistance program #(tho idk how much assistance i'll actually be eligible for bc i'm still legally a dependent) #so hopefully i'll be able to get that bill cut way down #it's just eugh it's so stressful and i had a full on panic attack on the phone with my insurance company yesterday #and my brain's fav response to crushing stress is just ''well we wouldn't have to handle any of this if we Just Fucking Died! :)''

[oldtvandcomics]

Happy Queer Media Monday!

Today: I Dream In Another Language (2017)

I watched this movie a few weeks ago, and it STUCK.

(Don Evaristo and Don Isauro just before their first interview to record Zikril together.)

I Dream in Another Language is a Mexican magic realism movie about the death of a culture. It documents the efforts of a linguist trying to save the (fictional) language Zikril, spoken only by three old indigenous people. When one of them dies, the studies come to a halt, as the other two, Don Evaristo and Don Isauro, have not spoken to each other in over fifty years and categorically refuse to have anything to do with each other. As he looks further into this, the linguist discovers that the real reason for this feud is their past relationship and an awful lot of internalized homophobia.

Zkril is an artificial language, created specially for this movie out of respect for the people who still speak the endangered and disappearing languages today. The fact that it has seemingly magic powers, and that its speakers appear to be living on after their death, clearly puts the story into the magic realism genre.

This is NOT a happy movie. The internalized homophobia part is no joke, and the main theme of course is the loss of a language, and the culture that comes with it. 

But it damn sure is leaving an emotional impact.

I strongly suggest that everyone who is even vaguely interested in this subject read up about languages and language conservation. The Wikipedia page of this movie is as a good place to start as any, since there are related articles linked in the references list. I also would like to thank @celluloidrainbow for bringing this film to my attention.

Queer Media Monday is an action I started to talk about some important and/or interesting parts of our queer heritage, that people, especially young people who are only just beginning to discover the wealth of stories out there, should be aware of. Please feel free to join in on the fun and make your own posts about things you personally find important!

#I cannot stress how good this movie is #and how much THE INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA IS NOT A JOKE #but yeah the theme does personally resonate with me #I love languages I love culture and I live in a very multilingual place #also I'm a child of immigrants who is lucky enough to have parents who made sure that we actually stick with our mother language #but I do still feel this certain disconnect to my country of origin #nothing ANYWHERE near as bad as people in colonial countries experience mind you #nut the themes are there somewhere #anyway people take your languages seriously and cherish them and pass them on to future generations #languages are SO IMPORTANT!! #i love languages #I Dream in Another Language #post-colonial cinema #queer movies #queer cinema #movie recommendation #Mexican cinema #international queer cinema #Queer Media Monday

[greypetrel]

"Listen, ma'am, I know the leash may seem... Extreme. But I'm also sure you never had to deal with two mage children. I just want them not to destroy something for five min- Don't tell me the popsicles are flammable too. *sighs* I'm so proud of them, really I am."

Science bros, but from Solas' POV (in a modern day AU because it was funnier).

Aisling may get the horse ("Not a pony! A horse! Ponies are for children, Dorian and me won't fit on a pony. A unicorn is fine too.") she keeps asking for First Day, just because on the other hand Dorian asked for a real nuclear reactor so you see, the equine is not that bad in perspective.

(there's cocoa in the cup but he told the children it's coffee, they really don't need any extra sugar rush. The leash is there because they'll destroy the playground otherwise. Terrorise the other kids. Make a trashcan explode. Kidnap a dog. Aisling fell from a three thrice and he's out of band-aids.)

I tried to draw shoes on Solas but it just felt.... WRONG.

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #solas #dorian pavus #inquisitor lavellan #da fanart #da art #dragon age meme #aisling lavellan #greypetrel #I'll admit I'm ok with this kind of solavellan aka solas is a very stressed but proud parental figure who just wants a nap #he and Varric share the custody of course #dadwolf au

[artiststarme]

What If Steve Were To Leave Hawkins? Part 13

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12

This was a really long chapter lol! We’re almost at the end for this fic, probably a few more parts and then I’ll start posting what I have for the next story. I hope you enjoy this and if you have any ideas for the upcoming parts, let me know!

~*~*~*~

Later that day, Steve sent Eddie to pick up carry-out from his favorite Chinese restaurant a few blocks over. He was bursting at the seams to check in on Robin and update her on his happiness. She was working the night shift at Family Video and he knew from his own past experience that it would be a slow day so there wouldn’t be too many interruptions. 

With a peck to the lips, he shoved Eddie out the door and grabbed the phone in a single movement. 

“Family Video, this is Robin speaking. How can I help you?”

“Hey Robin, it’s Steve,” he said, running a hand through his hair. He had so much to say and so little time before Eddie got back with their food.

“Steve! How are you? How’s Eddie? You haven’t called since I last saw you so I wouldn’t know. What if you were dead in a ditch and Eddie was wanted for murder again, huh? Who would tell me? That’s why you need to call.” She rambled in obvious distress. 

Steve’s brow furrowed in confusion, “How would I call you if I was dead in a ditch? I’d be dead. And I haven’t been murdered yet so I think I’m good, I obviously have a good track record.”

“What? Why did you say ‘yet’? Do not jinx yourself, Steve. If you end up murdered because of that statement, I will find a way to bring you back just to kill you myself. You’re not allowed to die, Dingus,” Robin asserted. 

“Okay!” Steve breathed through a laugh. “I won’t get murdered. At least not before I ask Eddie to move in with me.”

“What?!” Robin shrieked. “Why didn’t you lead with that, you dingus? You just started talking again and now you want him to move in? I think that might be moving a little fast. Like, no offense, but are you even gay?”

Steve hummed and scratched his chin, “I’m bisexual, everybody knows that. And I’m dating Eddie now, he’s my boyfriend. I really like having him around and I know he doesn’t like it much in Hawkins. Do you think he would say yes?”

“Okay, we’ll come back to that later. I can guarantee that not everybody knows that, Steve.  But I know he’ll say yes. He’s liked you for months even though the idiot refused to use his words to talk to you about it. I’m worried that he’ll steal my best friend roommate privileges when you ask him though,” Robin said, more serious and comforting than Steve has heard from her since their last encounter with the Upside Down. 

He thought about her words for a moment before speaking. Best friend roommate privileges? “Wait, what? Why would Eddie steal your roommate privileges? Are you planning on moving?”

Robin giggled dorkily into the phone, “My acceptance letter from University of Illinois came yesterday. I’ve been accepted into UIC! And I know a certain dingus lives really close to the campus and might hopefully be on the market for a roommate.”

“Robin, that’s amazing! Congratulations! Yeah, I’d love to get a place with you. We could get a two bedroom and ask Eddie to move in too!” Steve started thinking about the idea in excitement before his insecurities caught up to him once more. “Wait, but what if Eddie doesn’t want to move in with me? I mean, I know I’m great in small doses but I know I irritate people if I’m around too much.”

“What?” Steve heard outside of the phone’s receiver. When he looked up, Eddie was toeing his combat boots off by the door. “Steve, I want to be around you all the time. I think you’re amazing. I was worried to ask if I could stay because I know I’m annoying and I didn’t want you to get sick of me.”

Steve was in shock. How could anyone be annoyed with any of Eddie’s antics? Anytime he thrummed his fingers against the counter, stuck his tongue out of his mouth, or rambled on about DnD, Steve fell more in love with him. “No Eds, I could never get sick of you! I find all of your habits hot as hell. I’d love for you to move in with Robin and I at our new two bedroom apartment. You’ll have to bunk with Robin though.”

Eddie let out a loud guffaw at his words. He had tears in his eyes as he grabbed Steve’s face and ran his thumb along the light stubble on his jaw. “Jesus Christ Stevie, I love you so much.” 

And with that, he planted a bruising kiss on Steve’s eager mouth. He would’ve taken it further had Robin not been a cockblock that decided to cough (i.e. hack) into the phone. “Excuse me! Be mindful of the lesbian ears, please. My god, you guys are ridiculous and living with you is going to be unbearable. I can't wait! It’ll be so much better than the dorms!”

Steve laughed in her ear, “We can’t wait to live with you either! We’ll start looking for some vacancies around here in the paper to see if we can get a good deal. When do you want to move out?”

“As soon as possible,” Robin groaned. “Both of my parents are talking about trying to set me up with local guys and I need to leave before I accidentally out myself or something. Find something quickly and I’ll start packing tonight.”

“If you’re really worried about your parents, you can stay in my living room here for a while until we find a new place. Eddie and I have to head back to Hawkins to pick up his van and pack up his room. Sometime next week probably, on my next day off. Will that be enough time for you?” Steve asked. She was his best friend and he had more than enough experience with shitty parents to sympathize with her. If she wanted to get out early, he’d make that happen for her.  

“I’ll be ready. School starts next month anyways so I should probably move to the area and find another job. Thanks Steve, and Eddie too I guess. Is he still there?”

Steve looked over to Eddie sitting at the small dining room table. He had noodles dripping down his chin and his wide eyes trained directly on Steve’s ass. He snorted, “no, he’s eating our dinner. I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll work out the details, okay?”

She agreed and they both quickly said their goodbyes. Steve had Chinese lo mein and more importantly, a very sexy boyfriend to attend to. 

~*~*~*~

Roughly thirty minutes after she and Steve had ended their call, Robin noticed Dustin walking up to the door of Family Video. She rarely saw just one kid, usually they traveled in hordes. But today, Dustin was all by his lonesome and was stomping alongside his bike with a dejected expression marring his face. She almost felt worry for the kid but that quickly melted into annoyance when he lugged his bike through the doors with him. 

“Hey! Leave that outside, I have to clean these floors. I don’t want you trekking a bunch of dirt in,” She said with a tone full of judgment. 

Dustin turned back around and set his old bike to rest against the outside wall before heading straight to the counter and resting his arms on the surface. “Have you heard from Steve or Eddie lately?

She sighed, “yeah, I just got off the phone with him. Why?”

He pinched his nose in a manner he adopted from Steve and mumbled, “I haven’t talked to him since he left. I just want to know if he’s okay.”

Robin was shocked. She had no idea why Steve wouldn’t have called to speak to or even just to check in on Dustin, the kid he viewed as a surrogate little brother. It hasn’t come up in their conversations but she had assumed that everything was back to normal between Steve and the others. 

“Yeah, he’s fine. I don’t know why he hasn’t called you but he’s coming back to town next week to help Eddie and I pack so you’ll be able to see him then.” She assured him. 

Unfortunately, her words did not have the soothing effect she was going for and caused Dustin’s neck to snap back so quickly in surprise, he may have gotten whiplash. “You’re leaving now? Why? What did I do to you?!” Dustin exclaimed in shock. 

Robin looked absolutely perplexed, “what do you mean? You didn’t do anything to me. I just got my acceptance letter from the University of Illinois and Steve said we could get a place together in Chicago.”

Dustin’s eyes welled with tears, “He’s in Chicago?”

“Yeah, him and Eddie. After he comes back to help us pack all of our stuff up, we’re all going to get a place. It’ll be so much better than the dorms. And we can still come back and visit! Steve says it’s only a four hour drive! Eddie says he’s going to come back every so often to visit Wayne. We’ll still be around,” She reassured. 

Dustin looked absolutely heartbroken, “What do you mean pack all of your stuff? Wayne said Eddie was just taking some time to himself, now he’s not coming back? Does Wayne even know? I feel like that’s something he should discuss with him!”

“Hey! Dustin, listen, Chicago is not that far away. I’ll be busy with classes and work and Steve will have work too, maybe Eddie, but we’ll make time to visit you and the other kids. You don’t have to worry about us. I mean, I know the Upside Down is like completely gone but just in case, we’re not going super far. We’ll still be here if you need us,” Robin rambled. She saw the tears dripping down his face and tried to reel them back in but nothing was helping. Oh god, she was not the one that should be comforting him. Every word she said caused his lip to quiver more. Oh god. Shit, should she call Nancy or something?

Dustin’s emotions reached their limit and he burst into sobs. First Steve, then Eddie, and now Robin. Did he have to tempt fate and push all of his older friends to want to leave the state? Chicago?! Might as well be a different planet for all the good it did him. He had a bike, how the hell was he supposed to visit them when they were four hours away and across state lines? His shoulders shook as the sobs ripped their way through his chest. His breath left his chest in short pants and no air was entering his lungs. 

“Oh no, oh no, Dustin. Oh no, oh god, shit. Um, Dustin, I think you’re having a panic attack and I don’t know what to do with that. Um, take a deep breath and think happy thoughts. You’ll be fine! Oh god, please don’t die. Steve would never forgive me. Wait, I shouldn’t talk about dying, that’ll freak you out now! Oh no, breathe!” Robin’s pleas became more frantic as Dustin’s breath got less and less steady. “I’m going to call Steve. He’ll know what to do, right? Let’s hope!”

She ran from her spot next to Dustin on the floor to the phone situated behind the counter and dialed his new number. “Come on Steve, pick up, pick up…”

“Harrington and Munson residence.”

“Oh thank god. Dingus! Dustin is having a panic attack and I need you to calm him down. He’s freaking out and it’s freaking me out and-”

“Dustin? Okay, give him the phone. Calm down, Robs,” Steve softened his voice and started speaking to Dustin once he heard the labored breathing through the line. 

“Hey Dustin, it’s Steve. I need you to focus on your breathing, okay? Take deep breaths and focus on your chest moving up and down. Okay? You’re doing great. You just have to calm down a little bit more,” Steve could hear his breathing becoming more regular and kept up his reassurances. “Dustin, everything is fine. You’re alright. What happened, buddy? What caused that?”

Dustin sniffled, “Everyone is leaving. You left and I couldn’t talk to you. Then Eddie left after we had a fight and I couldn’t apologize. And now Robin is leaving! Is it because of me?”

“Of course not! I left because my parents didn’t want me around anymore and I didn’t think anyone else did either. So, I left and I found a place that I really like. Eddie hasn’t been happy for a long time in Hawkins and that’s not on you either. And Robin is going to school. You can’t blame yourself man. You didn’t do anything to force us to leave, you do owe Eddie an apology though for what you told him. That was a real dick thing to say, Henderson. But, we’re not leaving because of you. We're just growing up and leaving home,” Steve explained calmly in a tone he only reserved for the kids.

“And you’re coming next week to help them pack, right? Can I see you then? I’ve really missed having my big brother around.” Dustin whispered vulnerably into the phone. 

“Of course! I’ll take you out to ice cream or something while Eddie whispers sweet nothings to his guitar or whatever else musicians do. Just stay calm and I’ll see you then, okay?” Steve promised him.

“Okay! I’ll see you then!” With that, Dustin handed the phone back to Robin and practically skipped out to his bike. He felt like a weight was lifted off of his shoulders. Steve was coming to see him next week and he didn’t hold any resentment for him. Phew, what a relief. He was still leaving town but at least now Dustin knew that they would stay in touch. That was all he could ask for and all he really needed.

Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20: Epilogue

Updated Taglist: @nickavalens @conversesweetheart @themostunoriginalpersonever @swimmingbirdrunningrock @eddiethegreatteddybear @harrumphingtons @call-me-big-eyes @moonshadows-13 @glittergluekintsugi @cpidcupk @doubleb11 @mentalcyborg @amoris-no-smut-allowed @purple-lemonade @labels-are-for-the-weak @thebrazilianatheist @rajumat @livelaughlexa @5ammi90 @colorful565 @marvelousforlife @chaoticcoffeequeen @gregre369 @suddenlyinlove @thegreatmistake @stillfullofshit @nburkhardt @batxsignalsx @newunknowns @thosemessyvibes @tailsfromthecrypt @luciana-rowan @bird-with-pencils @adaed5 @lolawon @flustratedcas @iwillfindmyneverland @messrs-weasley @skoomy-doompy @yearningagain @forest-fogg @bitchysunflower @stardust-era @newtstabber @bobatrash-queen @notjasontxdd @ohlook-afrog @00biscuit @grtwdsmwhr @oxidantdreamboat @the-witch-forever-lives @estrellami-1

@whatthemeepever @a-simple-gaywitch @imzadidragonfly @freddykicksasses @krimsonsimp @whatthefuccck @delta-piscium @anaibis @tinynebula @darkwitchoferie @evix-syne666 @tawghasa @pyrohonk @lillys-weird-world @superduckmilkshake @paintsplatteredandimperfect @tiny-enthusiast @whalesharksart @krazyperson

#I always say “I haven't been murdered YET” and it drives my friends crazy #Steve would absolutely be the type to say it #Robin almost accidentally outing herself to her parents #I can relate and it's not great-very stressful #Dustin finally got to talk to Steve! #I imagine the other kids are just vibing #they're not that bothered #stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #robin buckley #dustin henderson #steddie #fanfic #mike wheeler #max mayfield #lucas sinclair

[feluka]

okay no more venting about my mother being mean to me on tumblr because i don't want her to die

#for all my whining and all that they do to me i actually love my parents to death and i'm very stressed out that she's not doing too well rn

[itsalwaysforyou]

just remembered a wip i had which was jay at uni meeting normal people and desperately trying to act cool and normal whilst internally screaming about being in a whole new place with all new people and not having his gang with him

#i only wrote one scene where jay meets one of his flatmates #and he’s trying to make casual normal conversation & asks her who her parents are #bc that has always mattered! on the isle or at auradon prep your parentage was also a Conversation Starter #and the girl is just like ……what. why do you want to know that #but she tells him and jay makes it into a joke like hehe oh yes i met them at a soirée once. amazing company #and the girl is like ok who are YOUR parents. knowing full well who he is #and jay says that his dad fosters puppies. and the girl says that sounds like a good life and he’s like ohhh just the BEST #i really. love exploring jay at uni i’ve written a couple of things i’ve never finished #like!!! for the first time for years he’s well and truly all alone!!!! #and at least the isle & ap had similarities. uni is just full of very normal people who don’t particularly give a shit #and jay who is like THE guy who cares about everything so much all the time and how people are reacting to him and he’s desperately trying+ #to be so cool and unbothered whilst trying not to revert to his isle tactics regarding people who may be threats #just. being somewhere so so new. with no one he knows. everyone else is so far away. and jay is missing his gang like he’d miss+ #his body parts. and it’s like. jays always buried his own emotions & hurt so he can better protect his gang #and now he has no gang to protect #and he is just laid absolutely bare. and also constantly stressing about not being there for the others #i just think he’d have an absolutely awful start to uni <3 #descendants #jay son of jafar