#johnnys hideaway

[double-mint-bitch]

Spent Christmas Eve at the bar 🥂

#me #Johnnys hideaway #Atlanta

[crazynewsnmemes]

Young men say they were drugged, kidnapped, robbed of thousands at Atlanta bars

via NBC News

#random azz news #nbc news #atlanta #buckhead #robbery #the ivy buckhead #five paces inn #johnnys hideaway #Atlanta police

[mayday396]

Ah a Mortal Kombat Headcanon

Reptile and Mileena finds Human Technology really fun to play with.

Smoke got a Nintendo Switch and was playing Pokemon then Reptile saw Treecko and immediately fell in love with it's cuteness.

Reptile/Syzoth shouts "CHARMANDER I CHOOSE YOU" at Scorpion and he doesn't know whether that's a compliment or an insult but knowing it's Reptile, Scorpion decided that it's a Compliment.

It was Mileena's Birthday, Johnny Cage got her a VR set, she now plays Beat Saber to de-stress in the weekends and Phasmophobia is her FAVOURITE GAME.

Syzoth is considered a Brother to Smoke and Scorpion, he has been alone almost all of his life so having Sibling like figures that didn't treat him like a Freak made him cry, also he's little bro material.

Eventually Liu Kang introduced his Kitana to this timeline's Kitana and The latter is still processing on how she even did manage to pull a God as a Consort.

Syzoth accidentally called Madam Bo Mom and trying so hard to hideaway somewhere

#mortal kombat reptile #mortal kombat #mortal kombat syzoth #syzoth #reptile #mileena #mortal kombat mileena #johnny cage #babygirl syzoth #mortal kombat headcanons #mk1 2023 #mk1 #mk1 spoilers #scorpion #kuai liang #smoke #mortal kombat smoke #liu kang #kitana #madam bo

[b4b3tte]

SURPRISE!

Summary ˙✧˖˚꩜ — You and Kano almost shared something very intimate during a mission, but looks like your enemies had intentions on accidentally interrupting

Request ˙✧˖˚꩜ — “ “ you and Kano had some tension between you two before recently you guys almost shared a kiss 2 weeks ago on a mission on a military base but obviously went to shit as it was ruined when Sonya and Johnny made a surprise ambush with Cassie& the others BUT THAT IS BESIDES THE POINT (Imk if u want a singular fic on that) “ YES DO000000 “

Pairing ˙✧˖˚꩜ — Kano!Mk11 X Gender!Neutral!Reader

Authors Note ˙✧˖˚꩜ — Sorry this took so long!! This is a little backstory of one of my other Fanfic Series of “ May The Best Man Win “ so if you’d like you can read them to get a little background on which this was based on!! I hope you enjoy this, if you have anything else you want to request put it in my inbox or if you want to be in my taglist !!

Tag list ˙✧˖˚꩜ — @smokethefatass69

As both of you were called to seek any material assistance from special forces, you out of all people had to be paired with Kano to look privately further into the military base making you think why couldn’t you get paired with Erron or skarlet

but of course Kano didn’t mind, and you wouldn’t either If he wasn’t such a horn dog, you are lucky enough if you could even get him to shut up for 5 minutes, but that is always ruined by another flirt comment towards you, flattering but annoying.

Slight time goes by, the occasional ducking and hiding and whispering, the occasional compliments from Kano, the occasional telling him to shut up and he rarely does, what you didn’t expect was to actually share a moment he earlier suggested during the mission like a hundred times

The air was thick with tension as you and Kano embarked on a clandestine mission, venturing into the dark corners of a military base in the midst of the Kronika Chaos. The night was your ally as you moved silently, shadows concealing your every step.

Kano, always one to seize an opportunity to flirt with you, guided you to a secluded area, away from the prying eyes of your allies who were on the mission with you. His grin was a mixture of mischief and anticipation. "Well, luv, looks like we've found ourselves a little hideaway. Time to make the most of it."

You chuckle at one of his attempts to do something risky at a place of work and say while keeping a look out for anyone coming “ yeahhh, over my dead body Kano. “

As the two of you found cover in the shadows, the tension between you heightened. The gravity of the mission was momentarily eclipsed by the magnetic pull drawing you closer to Kano.

His voice was a low murmur, his breath brushing against your ear. " aww don’t be a sore luv, What do you say we make this mission a bit uhh more memorable?"

The moment hung in the air, the world fading away as Kano's lips accidentally brushed against yours as you turn your head to face him, Time seemed to stand still, and the pressure of making sure you complete this mission without issues ceased to exist in that stolen moment.

As the time both of you realized how serious and intense the air became so quickly, you completely forgot about your surroundings that you guys are in a vulnerable stop to be attacked, so as you guys decide to fulfill in what seemed right

Looks like the universe had other plans. The sudden arrival of Sonya, Johnny, and their allies like Cassie and Jacqui, shattered the clandestine scene. The promise of the kiss remained suspended, a promise interrupted by the abrupt intrusion.

Johnny Cage, ever the obnoxious showman, raised an eyebrow. "Well, well, what's going on here? Our lovebirds trying to spice up the mission?"

That snarky comment earned a embarrassed eye roll from you but a proud smirk from Kano

Sonya's stern gaze cut through the tension since she wasn’t wanting to deal with any bullshit right now. "Save it, Cage. We're on a mission, not a romantic escapade."

Kano, undeterred, grinned at the interruption. "Oi, it's not my fault the universe is conspiring against a bit of fun."

Let’s just say that embarrassing moment that Johnny will never stop bringing up Everytime you see him, certainly made that mission memorable like Kano wanted

As the mission continued, the tension lingered, adding a layer of complexity to your interactions. The promise of the almost-kiss remained unfulfilled, and Kano's sly remarks fueled the unresolved desires.

Occasionally Kano would try to recreate that moment but instead actually get a kiss from you, but after the surprise ambush you realized you couldn’t let your guard down during work again

( better next time Kano💀☝️ )

THANKS FOR READING!! Likes, comments, reblogs, or feedback is appreciated and loved, thank you for reading hope you enjoyed, if you have any requests just type away in my inbox, if you wanna to know what I will or not write just look at my master list it is my first pinned post, thank you so much, Besitos!! 💋💋

#x reader #fanfic #female reader #headcanons #nameisbb3tte #b4b3ttee #fypage #requests #kano x reader mortal kombat #mk kano #kano #kano mortal kombat #erron x reader #mk x reader #mortal kombat 11 #mortal kombat #mortality #kano x reader

[brewed-pangolin]

Random Soap Headcanons

Happy Super Soap Sunday! Have a healthy serving of random and domestic Soap headcanons. 🧼

Warnings: None, unless you get offended by ridiculous fluff

Johnny is definitely the kind of man who wants to make you breakfast in bed. He's a decent cook, but breakfast is his absolute forte.

And you'll get all the fixins: eggs cooked just the way you like, bacon so perfect it literally melts in your mouth.  And if you're feeling fancy, he'll gladly spice it up: hollandaise sauce, got it. Canadian bacon, you betcha.  Home fries or hashbrowns, the choice is all yours.

You ask for white pudding, this man's Scottish heart will melt in your hands. Want Lorne sausage, there will be a devilish little twinkle in his eyes (you'll get his sausage later on)

Johnny always has the fridge and pantry full of everything and anything when he's home. The culinary world is at your disposal, all you have to do is ask. And he always keeps your favorite foods stocked when he's on missions. Can't have his girl getting a craving with no way to curb it.

Domestic Soap is an absolute thing of beauty. This man almost always has at least four different projects that he bounces back and forth with. His hands have to be busy doing something, or they'll be all over you. Then you won't get anything done, and you'll procrastinate and on and on and on....

You can sit in one room all day doing your chores and Johnny will be criss crossing the entire square footage of your shared house like he's mapping it for Google. You may find him standing in one room periodically from time to time. He's not lost, he's thinking. Rebooting as some might say. Sometimes there's so much going on in that crested brain of his he needs a moment of stillness to get back on track. Then it's back to next the project.

If there's ever a moment where you can't find him, or he's been quiet for too long just be patient. That's a telltale sign that he's getting frustrated and a slew of Scottish curse words are going to barrel out of his mouth. Take a moment and enjoy it, you may not understand a word he's saying but the sound they carry will never not make you giggle. And if you know what's good for you, don't be too loud.

"Ya think s'funny lass? Wannae fix th'shite yerself, yeah?”

It’s a warning or a challenge, you decide the outcome.

Soap is the absolute King of naps. Not only does he love them, he can take a power nap literally anywhere. Couch, yup. La-Z-Boy, absolutely. Underneath the sink that he’s been working on for an hour, why not. It’ll be so tempting to rouse him, but just let him be. He doesn’t get enough sleep while on missions so he makes up for it during his time on leave.

But if he’s craving a long relaxing nap, he’s not going it alone. Soap doesn’t care what you’re doing, you're joining him in a midday slumber.

“Johnny, I’ve got to finish this…” “Nuh-uh. Ya need a break, bonnie. Y’lookin o’erworked already. Besides, how can'ya say no to sleepin wit this?”

Arms outstretched with a cocky grin. Overconfident bastard knows you can’t deny him like that. And honestly, it’s true. Bodies wrapped together in blissful tranquility, even if you don’t sleep you embrace the stillness of him. 

Okay, hear me out here. Johnny definitely owns a bike. Something sleek and classic, a Harley Davidson Fat Boy. He loves nothing more than being lost out on the open road with no destination in sight. And you never have to ask, you are always a welcome accompaniment. Johnny revels in the way your arms wrap around his waist. He’ll take those turns just a little too fast to feel you tighten your grip around him. 

And if you really want to drive him wild, buck your hips into this back. Now he’s desperately on the lookout for a secluded roadside hideaway. He may not fuck you out here, but he’s jonesin for a helluva make-out session. (Top Gun, anyone)

Johnny is incredibly sensitive to touch, and reacts to yours almost instantly. When he looks troubled or is just not being his usual energetic self, have him come join you on the couch. Lay him down with his head in your lap and begin with slowly caressing his mohawk in a front to backward motion, you’ll see his features soften within the first few seconds. Johnny’s scalp, neck and shoulders are where he holds his tension, and are the most sensitive to your softest of touch. (Besides the other head, but that's for another time). 

You don’t have to be forceful with your hands, just the slightest touch of your fingers running across his skin is enough to make him like putty in your hands. And you know he can’t help but give you praise when you treat him with such tenderness.

“Feels good, bonnie. Y’always s’good t’me.”

His words will be a muffled whisper, but they’re like ringing church bells to your ears. Your satisfaction is met when his soft breaths turn into deep inhalations, a telltale sign that he’s letting sleep take him over. Whether it be 20 minutes or 2 hours, you won’t dare wake him. He needs it, his body craves it. And you’re more than happy to oblige in whatever your loving Scot desires. 

When it comes to actual sleep, Johnny is like a hibernating grizzly bear. Good luck trying to rouse him from his REM sleep, you could try to push him off the bed and he’d just keep on snoring. And like a heavy weighted blanket he’s going to want an arm, a leg, or all of him over you. Best to get into a comfortable position, because you’re gonna be stuck there all night. 

And when Johnny sleeps he’s like a furnace. It’s fantastic during the winter months, you barely have to turn the heat on when you’re sleeping with an actual industrial heater. But the summer months can be unbearable. Cue you having a fan on, constantly. However you still cherish those hot summer nights with him, because you know they can be few and far between. 

You treasure every day, hour, minute and second with him. You know soon the world will come and take him away from you, and all you’ll have is the memories of him keeping you satisfied until he comes through your door once more. That and the Lorne sausage, best to always keep that in stock.

#random soap headcanons #domestic soap #super soap sunday #soap squad #soap squad 🧼 #john soap mactavish #johnny soap mactavish #john mactavish #johnny mactavish #soap mactavish #call of duty #cod mw2 #cod #call of duty modern warfare

[moonchildreads]

small town

Chapter 20 - Self Control

IN THIS CHAPTER: The last high school party, apple flavored Kool-Aid, and Andy gets what he deserves [10.3k]

WARNINGS: underaged drinking, mentions of drug use (weed), slut shaming, a little misunderstanding (gets resolved really quickly), suggestive themes? (very mild, eddie's just a little bit wired, okay?)

A/N: i know i'm a day late, i'm sorry T.T someone got fired at my job and i'm supposed to handle their shit now because my boss is kinda cheap. it is what it is. BUT. hopefully this chapter makes up for my tardiness because as you can probably tell from the banner, the slow burn is officially boiling, you guys! enjoy <3

masterlist - prev - next | playlist

In the night, no control Through the wall something's breaking

Saturday, May 31st - 1986

Dottie was pacing like a nervous dog in a cage, feet hitting the soft rug in front of her closet with each step she took. It was the first Saturday in a long time that she hadn't spent in a blissful domestic bubble with Eddie and she was feeling downright antsy. The night before, once Hellfire had officially said goodbye to its Class of '86, the two teens had sat themselves in a booth at the back of The Hideaway with burgers, fries, and milkshakes, and something had finally clicked into place for her. There was no longer a specific need for them to spend so much time together anymore - no more exams to study for, no more books to read or worksheets to fill, and yet there they were still, on a Friday night, getting food together like usual. Sitting opposite of Eddie in that booth, watching him try to lick ketchup from the corner of his mouth and not reaching the smudge with the tip of his tongue, it dawned on Dottie that she had never loved anyone the way she loved him.

It wasn't that Dottie hadn't loved throughout her life, because truthfully she had. She had loved her Dad first, tiny fingers wrapping around a big thumb when she was just a few hours old. She'd loved her Grandparents, all four of them equally, but maybe no one should tell them that Grandma Jo leaving after a visit would always cause the biggest sobs to escape her tiny toddler body. She'd loved her Uncle Johnny, always cuddling up to him while they lived together, not really understanding that he wasn't actually her Uncle until it was too late to start calling him anything else. She'd loved her friends back in New York, even though she knew now that they hadn't loved her back in return. Hell, she'd loved Tyler, or else it wouldn't have hurt as much as it did when he broke her heart. Dottie wasn't someone that didn't know what loving meant or felt like, but the way she loved Eddie was unlike any other kind of love she had ever experienced before, and she knew she had to tell him sometime soon or she'd regret it for the rest of her life.

But first, there was prom, and graduation, and most pressingly, a party for which she had absolutely no idea of what she was going to wear, hence the continuous pacing. James, tired of hearing the back and forth on the wooden floors for the last fifteen minutes, came into his daughter's bedroom resigned to play stylist for the night like he'd done so many times before. Keeping up with the latest trends for the sake of his little girl was a full time job he had long ago learned to love.

"Do you know what Nancy is gonna wear?" he asked, sitting down at the end of Dottie’s bed.

"No, I didn't think to ask. But she always looks so pretty, Dad, I can't look like a bum."

"How about you tell me what you don't want to wear and we can start from there, okay?"

Thirty minutes later, Dottie had an outfit laid out where James had been sitting and she was doing her makeup in a hurry before Nancy picked her up. The plan was simple: go to the party, say hi to Chrissy and thank her for the invite, hang out with Nancy for a bit, meet up with the boys, and if the party sucked, head over to Jeff's for a movie night. He'd rented Ghoulies and Weird Science for the weekend and he still hadn't seen either, so it seemed as good a backup plan as any. Besides, movie nights had always meant sharing a blanket with Eddie and cozying up to him when she got sleepy. No matter what ended up happening, she knew her night wouldn't be completely terrible.

"Honey? Are you done yet? Nancy is here!" James yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

"I'll be down in a second!" she hurried to put on her clothes and ran down the stairs to meet her friend, crossbody bag bouncing behind her and hitting her backside.

She found Nancy politely making small talk with her Dad on the foyer; James had gone to school with her mom Karen and had fond memories of sharing a desk with her throughout their many years at Hawkins’ various academic buildings. They hadn't exactly been friends, but they always were on good terms and had even worked on a few projects together, namely one about growing sprouts from beans in mason jars when they were in middle school.

"Hey! Sorry for making you wait," Dottie said, stopping to hug Nancy who was better prepared to receive it than she had been in the school’s bathroom a day before.

"You're fine, don't worry about the time," Nancy reassured her. "There aren't any schedules to keep at these parties, everyone just comes and goes when they want to."

"Oh, good to know that we can just leave whenever if it sucks."

"Speaking of that," James said, getting his daughter's attention. "Call me if you're staying at Jeff's, okay? I'll come pick you up tomorrow."

"Donny can drop me off, you don’t gotta come," she waved her hand nonchalantly.

"Okay, but call me anyway so I know where you are. Take care you two, don't get too wild."

"Dad, seriously," Dottie rolled her eyes, exasperated but not without fondness. She knew he worried too much, but after all they’d been through, she couldn't blame him.

"Have a good night, Mr. Burke, it was nice to meet you," Nancy said, heading out with Dottie at her heels.

"You too, Nancy. Say hi to your parents for me, will you?"

The girls got into Nancy's car and drove away towards Loch Nora, the radio playing The Rolling Stones’ Harlem Shuffle softly in the background. They talked about random things, filling the empty space with the kind of anxious but lighthearted conversations one would have with someone they don’t know very well yet. So far their budding friendship had proved satisfactory for both girls, and they were willing to put in the effort to get to know one another better, even when that meant having to venture outside the comfort zone The Weekly Streak’s newsroom provided. During the ride Nancy complimented Dottie's outfit, and in turn, she had loudly admired hers, prompting the blue-eyed girl to admit she'd borrowed the shiny jacket with padded shoulders from her Mom’s wardrobe. After a good-natured laugh, Dottie admitted she had stolen her dress from her Mom’s closet too and Nancy told her her Mom had good taste. When they parked across the street from Jason Carver's house however, the friendly chatter ceased and both girls stared at the two-storey rising in front of them with apprehension.

"I'm so nervous," Dottie admitted, watching the colors spilling from the fairy lights inside the living room paint the veranda red, then green, then blue, and finally back to red.

"Me too," Nancy said, taking a shaky breath. "But we got this. How bad can it be?"

"Yeah. You’re right. It’ll be fun," Dottie nodded, and arm in arm they ventured inside the packed house in search of good old teenage normalcy.

Neither Nancy nor Dottie were having the slightest bit of fun. After a few shouted-over-loud-music hellos to some familiar faces, they had found themselves in Jason’s kitchen, nursing cups of a strange brown concoction that didn’t smell good and tasted even worse. Dottie wasn’t much of a drinker, and apparently Nancy wasn’t either, citing that the last time she’d gotten drunk, she’d embarrassed herself so badly she’d rather not have a repeat. The jocks and popular kids disagreed heavily with that assessment, and were having a lot of fun with two kegs in the backyard next to the pool. Dottie had suggested they venture out, sit by the water where it wasn’t as stuffy, but Nancy had quickly directed her into the kitchen where they ran into Marcie Hurley, an acquaintance from the newspaper club. Marcie was a lovely tall girl with a bold pixie cut; she was currently slightly intoxicated but full of ideas for stories to run in the last edition of The Weekly Streak before summer holidays started. Nancy pretended to listen to her with her utmost attention, but Dottie could tell by the way her eyes were glazed over that she was definitely calculating how much more she’d have to hear before she could get away without coming across as rude. Two girls Dottie didn’t know walked into the kitchen searching for something fruity to drink when they said something that caught her attention.

“What do you mean Munson said no?” one of the girls was saying.

“He said he wasn’t selling tonight! Which is honestly such bullshit, he was smoking with some other guys, he definitely had something on him,” the second girl said, pouring vodka into a cup.

“Show him your tits, maybe he’ll share with you.”

“Ew, I’m not that desperate!” the first one laughed loudly.

Dottie scowled immediately. She’d once gotten curious about him dealing and asked him a couple of questions, like how did he get into selling and if he was allowed to smoke his own product. Eddie hadn’t been particularly proud of his answers, but she told him she didn’t mind: the money helped pay for some bills around the trailer and put food onto their table. It wasn’t like he was dealing hard stuff or was some kind of mafia lord moving tons of product, for fuck’s sake. People talked about him like he had his thumb on the illegal underground in Hawkins when in reality, he was just a teen selling weed and a couple of pills here and there to a few fellow students at parties. Dottie hoped he’d never done something as gross as asking a girl to show him her body in exchange for a couple of hits of a shitty joint. She liked to believe she knew Eddie, and in her opinion he’d never do something like that, but teenagers had never been particularly known for making good choices. Nancy was already looking at her when she turned around, a knowing smile on her face. She nodded towards the door once, and after a whispered “thank you” off Dottie went in search of her friends.

The boys were enjoying the fresh air and sharing a smoke on the veranda at the front of the house, not really ready to go inside and face the music just yet. Donny had picked up Gareth and Jeff on his way to the party, but Eddie had arrived solo just a few minutes after them. They were talking about music, as they often did, when Dottie opened the front door and jumped on Jeff’s back, who flinched in surprise.

“Fucking hell, Dot, you’re gonna kill me someday if you keep doing that,” he said, rubbing his chest.

“I was worried you guys weren’t gonna show up,” she admitted, hanging onto his shoulders. He leaned his weight into her, hands wrapping around her loose wrists like they were backpack straps to keep her in place as they swayed side to side.

“Party sucks that much?” Donny asked, passing along the joint to Gareth.

“I mean, it’s not like I know a lot of people here. I’ve been hearing Nancy talk to other girls all night, and I think she’s as fed up as me.”

“Wanna ditch?” Jeff asked.

“We’re not leaving until I drink my fuckin’ weight in rich people’s beer,” Gareth declared, giving the cig to Eddie who took a long drag and put the roach out on the underside of the railing he was leaning against.

“If you want beer, there are a bunch of cans in the kitchen but you gotta fish them out of the cooler and someone spilled something green in there. It’s kinda gross,” Dottie grimaced.

“What? No keg?”

“Actually, there’s two in the backyard but the basketball team took ownership of one and I think the football team was doing handstands on top of the other one.”

“That’s so fucking lame,” Donny scoffed.

“Well then, who’s down for fishing?” Jeff looked at the guys, and Gareth shrugged, putting his hands in his jean pockets and following him inside.

“You coming?” Donny asked Eddie who didn’t move from his spot.

“Nah, gonna smoke a cig first. You go ahead,” he said, getting his Camels out of his front pocket.

Donny headed back inside and then it was just Dottie and Eddie under the moonlight, the tiny lamp above the front door doing nothing to shield them from the darkness. Eddie smiled, putting the cigarettes back in his pocket and opening his arms so Dottie could sheepishly tuck herself into him. She felt like she could finally breathe easy when feeling his chest rising up and down under her cheek, his warmth seeping into her bones.

“Too many people?” he asked knowingly, cupping the back of her head with one of his hands. Her fingers drew patterns on the soft cotton of his shirt.

“Mhm,” she nodded. “This is nice.”

“Yeah? You like my shirt?”

“Smells good,” she laughed. He smelled like Old Spice aftershave and laundry detergent.

“Why, thank you for noticing I showered, princess,” he said, grinning. “You look pretty. This your Mom’s dress?”

“Yeah,” she beamed, looking down at her shift baby blue dress. “I didn’t know what to wear so I just played it safe. The socks are new though,” she lifted her leg to show her white ankle socks with frills under her black kitten heels.

“So cute,” Eddie pouted theatrically, making her slap his chest in return. “No, really. You look nice.”

“Thanks,” she settled back against him, cheeks burning.

They enjoyed each other’s presence for a few seconds when the front door opened with a bang, an overexcited and red-eyed Chrissy Cunningham spilling out from the inside, her giggles following her as she skipped towards them in tune with the music coming from the speakers in the living room.

“Am I interrupting something?” she asked, a mischievous grin gracing her fairy-like features.

“Hey, Chris,” Eddie smiled, still holding onto Dottie as she turned in his arms to take a look at the newcomer. “How was your latest purchase?

“It was so good. Valerie, Julie and I just smoked a joint each in the bathroom,” she whispered conspiratorially, making Dottie laugh.

“Oh my. What would Jason say if he knew you were hotboxing his shower?” Eddie matched her tone.

“What Jason doesn’t know won’t hurt him. D’you want to smoke with us later, Dot? Only girls allowed.”

“Sorry, I’m not really a smoker,” Dottie said, feeling a little bit dumb. “But I’ll take you up on that Queen song you promised me yesterday if you wanna dance.”

“Oh my God, yes!” Chrissy grabbed her arm and pulled her out of Eddie’s grasp. “She’s mine now, Ed!”

“I can see that. I’m gonna go get a beer,” Eddie said, following them inside. “Have fun, ladies!”

“We will!”

Weed affects different people in different ways. That was a fact Dottie knew after spending so much time with the members of Corroded Coffin, better known as her best friends. Donny was always virtually the same after a good session, just got very thirsty. Eddie would get deep and thoughtful, and once the effects were gone, he’d get so hungry he’d eat drywall if it was the only thing around. Gareth, like Chrissy, would get giggly once he hit that sweet spot. It was like drinking, Donny had told her once. Everyone had a different tolerance, and most of the time taking a few hits of a shared joint wouldn’t be enough to change anyone’s personality significantly. There were other people like Jeff, for example, who had a very low tolerance and had decided to stop smoking altogether after realizing he’d get panicky and his clothes would always start itching each time he indulged in the vice with his friends. None of them had ever questioned him or pressured him to smoke after that, the same way that they didn’t pressure Dottie to smoke or drink when they were doing it around her. They’d always smoke outside, and Dottie and Jeff were free to lounge around on the couch and talk about anything and everything until they all regrouped inside again. Watching Chrissy be so carefree and joyful made Dottie think that maybe she’d enjoy being invited to one of their movie nights some day.

Chrissy, on the other hand, was a girl on a mission. There were no movie nights being planned in her head; she was instead focused on getting information out of Dottie to relay to Eddie at his earliest convenience. Chrissy liked Dottie, she really did. She liked how kind and attentive she was despite always walking around with an anxiety cloud above her head. She liked how she dressed, with her vintage clothing and big earrings Chrissy couldn’t wear because it’d be dangerous for a cheerleader to be tossed around with hoops or fun acrylic shapes dangling from her ears. She liked how she made Eddie feel, and Chrissy liked Eddie very much, so that just cemented Dottie in her mind as a good person to have around. And so, the blonde lulled her into a sense of comradery with heartfelt compliments and wild dances, trying to get to the bottom of the question she’d had swirling around in her brain for two months now: do you like my friend or is he wasting his time to end with his heart broken? To her credit, what came out of her mouth was much more subtle than that.

“Eddie’s awesome, isn’t he?” Chrissy asked, casting her line into the sea and waiting for Dottie to bite.

“Yeah, he’s great!”

“He was so right about us being friends! I’m so happy you came!”

“Well, thank you for inviting me!” Dottie smiled at her, and Chrissy squeezed her hand in response.

The party was in full swing now. Nancy had found a couple of classmates she got along with and finally managed to escape Marcie’s insistent newspaper talk; she looked much more happy talking to them near the door to the backyard than she’d looked like back in the kitchen. Donny, Gareth and Jeff were fishing out beer cans from the cooler and passing them along to people that normally ignored them in the hallways, their bravery for sticking their hands into the horrid green liquid making them the heroes of underaged teens trying to get unbearably drunk before inevitably throwing up all over Mrs. Carver’s bushes. Eddie stood to a side, near the archway that led to the stairs where bubblegum pink eyeshadow Marianne from his Sociology class had just disappeared up to with his lovesick boyfriend trailing behind her, much to his friends’ jeers and claps. The metalhead had a barely sipped on beer in his hand and hearts in his eyes as he watched Dottie and Chrissy spin around in the middle of the living room, singing along to Top 40 hits and dodging couples making out.

Eddie had never felt happy at a house party before. He’d usually drop by, deal a little bit from the back of his van, and speed away either to Jeff’s house to hang out with his friends or back towards his trailer where he’d smoke and fuck around with his guitar until he’d fall asleep on his tummy with his jeans still on. But standing there, seeing his friends being treated like normal people instead of the dirt beneath a shoe, he felt happy at a party for once in his life. He felt like a normal teenager, like everyone else in the Hawkins High Class of ‘86 saying goodbye to a long school year and hello to the unforgettable summer ahead. Chrissy made a suggestive face at him while dancing around with Dottie and Eddie laughed.

“Hey, Munson!” a familiar voice said, coming to clap his shoulder and snapping him out of his trance.

“Hey, Foster. How are you doing?”

“Weird seeing you here,” Kyle Foster of the Yearbook Club said, looking friendly but fidgety. “You never sell inside at these things.”

“Not selling tonight, man. Just enjoying the beer,” he lifted his can above waist level to demonstrate.

“Ah, dude, that sucks. I had a twenty with your name on it,” he clicked his tongue. “But if our deal still stands, I guess in a couple of weeks you’ll have a bag with my name on it.”

“I’m a man of my word, Foster,” Eddie smirked, shoving his hand into his pocket. “But here, for your troubles.”

He produced a tightly rolled joint from inside his packet of Camels and extended it to Kyle, who looked at him like he’d grown two heads. Never in his entire time being Eddie’s customer had he sold him a pre-roll, much less one that he had intended to smoke himself at some point. He eyed him curiously, not making any moves to pluck it out of the dealer’s hand.

“You sure about that, Munson?” he asked, giving him the chance to recant his offer.

“Yeah, you can have it. I’m not gonna smoke it and I’m feeling generous tonight. Just don’t send anyone else my way, okay? It’s the only one I had.”

“Y-yeah, man, sure! Thanks,” Kyle smiled, grabbing his prize for holding a polite conversation with the town’s freak who felt like less and less of a monster as the school year came to a close. “Here, take the twenty anyways,” he pulled a single bill from his back pocket. “Sorry about, y’know, that whole thing. See you when the yearbooks come out!”

And with that, he shoved the note into Eddie’s hand and left towards the backyard, probably in search of a borrowed lighter to spark up in a corner of Jason Carver’s lush garden. Eddie looked down at his hand, snorted, and put the twenty bucks away to spend another day. Maybe he’d get Dottie a strawberry milkshake like he’d done the day before, only to watch her eyes light up at the first taste and indulge in her pleas because it’s so good, Ed, you gotta try this! They make them with real strawberries! Chrissy found his eyes again over Dottie’s shoulder and stuck her tongue out at him. He clutched his chest like he had been hurt by her, overdramatic as always, and Dottie twirled Chrissy around breaking their eye contact. The songs changed but the girls stayed dancing and he kept on watching them with a satisfied smile on his face. It was a shame, really, that Eddie often became blind whenever he saw the girl he was in love with being truly, completely happy, because if he didn’t, he would have noticed one Andy fucking Humphrey staring at him like he could make the dumb metalhead drop dead in a heartbeat just by looking at him.

Jason Carver wasn’t the typical high school bully you’d see in films. Truthfully, he wasn’t even a bully; he just kept quiet while his friends did all the fucked up things the basketball team was infamous for. He was known as someone who would fly off the handle quickly, but not without reason. He took freshmen and sophomores under his wing, taught them what being a good teammate looked like, gave them a family within the walls of Hawkins High as part of his team. Jason was, if anything else failed, extremely protective and fiercely loyal to his own, and expected the same considerations to be returned to him. So when Andy, one of his best friends since elementary, came running to tell him that The Freak of Hawkins High was trying to flirt with his girlfriend in front of everyone, Jason had no reason to doubt him. Why would he, when Andy had been nothing but reliable all this time?

“What do you think you’re doing, creep?” Jason told Eddie, his tone low, trying not to call too much attention to themselves. Chrissy didn’t need to see this, she didn’t have to know she was being ogled by a pervert under his own roof.

“Drinking your beer, Carver, what does it look like I’m doing?” Eddie said with a sour tone, and instantly knew that had been the wrong answer.

“Yeah? What makes you think you’re welcome in my house?”

“Chill, man, I got invited, same as everyone else.”

“Who would want you here?” Chance Peterson said, appearing at Jason’s shoulder. This was bad.

“Uh, his girlfriend? Just like everyone else?” Eddie deadpanned, putting his can of beer on a ledge and lifting his palms. “Look, I’m really not looking to cause any trouble tonight-”

“Why would Chrissy invite you? You aren’t friends,” Patrick asked, and Eddie held back a scoff. He was willing to bet he knew Chrissy, the real Chrissy, more than any of these meatheads did.

“She invited all the seniors, that’s all there is to it. I’m a senior too-”

“Yeah, a senior citizen, you freak,” Chance said. “Why don’t you go home early and leave us actual seniors alone, huh? What is this, your tenth time trying to graduate?”

“See Peterson, I always knew you didn’t know how to count, but didn’t think you would be so bad at it. Should have known though, it’s not like anyone expects you to do anything that isn’t playing around with your balls. Now why don’t you back off and let your captain here and I have a civil conversation, alright?” Eddie looked down at Chance who narrowed his eyes at him, but Jason threw his arm out to stop him from moving forward.

“We’re not having a conversation, Munson. Back off my girlfriend or leave.”

“I’m not interested in your fuckin’ girlfriend, Carver,” Eddie said, bewildered.

“You say that, but you sure were looking at her before we walked in,” Andy said, stepping around his friends to stand next to Jason. “Wanna explain that?”

“Is looking at someone a goddamn crime now? Can’t exactly leave my eyes at home, you dumbass,” Eddie said, getting loud.

“So you were looking at Chrissy!” Jason yelled.

“No, I wasn’t! Believe it or not, not everyone is fuckin’ in love with your girlfriend, man!”

“Hey, what’s going on here?” Donny flanked Eddie, his voice booming over the sound of the music.

“Back off, dude, what’s your deal?” Gareth threatened Chance when he shoulder-checked him.

People were starting to catch on now, curious eyes looking around for the latest gossip. Jason and Eddie yelling at each other wasn’t exactly new, but both groups of friends having a screaming match at a house party? Now, that was juicy. As everyone started insulting and trying to intimidate each other, Eddie looked around trying to find Dottie in the crowd. She was still dancing with Chrissy, oblivious to the conflict, and now another cheerleader had joined them; he was pretty sure she was a junior and her name was Valerie.

“Hey! Stop looking at her, asshole!” Andy said, grabbing Eddie’s hair and turning his head back towards the imminent fight.

Andy’s voice was loud enough to startle the girls and make them look their way. Chrissy and Valerie paled instantly, hurrying forward to try to contain the scene before it turned truly ugly, leaving a path open behind them for Dottie to follow. Chrissy grabbed Jason’s arm and tried pulling him away when Eddie turned to Dottie and shook his head, his curls still in Andy’s grasp.

“It’s okay, Dot, stay over there!” he told her, not wanting to get her involved and hurt.

But it was too late, because Andy, as stupid as he was, caught on pretty quickly. He hadn’t recognized her before, all dolled up and giggly while she danced with Chrissy and Valerie. He’d simply assumed she was one of their friends, maybe even a junior he hadn’t really paid too much attention to while in school. Insistent on Eddie perving on Chrissy, he’d missed a crucial detail: that the unknown girl she was dancing with was the same girl that had threatened him in the AP Spanish classroom just a week ago. The same one that had told him to stay away from the Hellfire Club. That girl wasn’t Chrissy’s friend, she was a freak, merely blending in with the rest of the school population because she didn’t wear dark colors and leather. Andy turned on her so quickly she didn’t have time to heed Eddie’s warning before he was spewing venom towards her.

“I see now, freak,” Andy said, letting go of Eddie’s hair with a shove and stepping towards Dottie. “You weren’t looking at Chrissy, you were looking at your bitch.”

“What the fuck did you just call me?” Dottie said, angrily.

“That’s what you are, isn’t it? The freak’s little bitch. That’s why you came after me last week, huh?” Andy was seething. “Did he tell you to do that?”

“You brought that on your own by being a smug idiot,” she told him, not backing down from the fight even though she was terrified of him.

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Patrick asked.

“This slut tried to tell Mr. Lorenzo that I cheated on a test if I didn’t leave her friends alone,” Andy explained, once again looking smug. Everyone was watching them now. “Said I was gonna lose my ride to college, acted all flirty and shit. What is it, honey? The freak not giving it to you good enough? Do they all share you, like the big whore you a-”

“Fuck!”

Dottie hadn’t hesitated. Instead, she’d just simply punched him right in the face with her right fist, thumb on the outside like her Grandpa Ken had taught her when they were boxing in his backyard one summer, hitting pillows and humming along to the Rocky theme song while Grandma Caroline made fresh lemonade. The crack that followed the punch was deafening. All chatter ceased and the music was turned off - if a needle were to hit the floor, it would have been so easily heard in the silence that followed her expletive. It had hurt for him, yes, something was definitely broken, but the impact on her knuckles had split the delicate skin covering them, not used to being treated so roughly by colliding against a jock’s bones. Andy pinched his nose with pain, blood starting to pour down his cupid’s bow.

“Wait, no!” Chrissy gasped, as Andy reached over to take someone’s beer can out of their hand and emptied it on Dottie’s head, throwing it away once it was empty. The metal clang on the floor until it hit someone’s shoe.

“What the fuck?” Gareth managed to say, before Eddie launched himself and pushed Andy away from Dottie who just stood there clutching at her hand and looking at the floor in shock.

Her Mom’s dress was ruined, sticky liquid dripping from her hair onto the soft fabric, staining everything as it went down, down, down onto her thighs and legs until it reached her socks. She smelled like an alcoholic and her fingers hurt. She felt empty, adrenaline leaving her body as she shivered while everything around her dissolved into utter chaos. The Hellfire Club and the basketball team were yelling and pushing each other once again, people rushing to get out of their way so they wouldn’t get hit. With the reflexes of someone used to being on alert, Nancy grabbed Dottie’s arm and yanked her aside just in time for Andy to push Eddie off himself and into a side table. Eddie hit the floor with a sickening crunch, but what made everyone stop the brawl was the sound of the lamp on top cracking into a million little pieces right next to the couch.

“Jason, stop this!” Chrissy pleaded, hanging onto his arm.

Andy, not one to be deterred, snapped his head towards Dottie, not caring that Nancy threw an arm out to cover her with her own body. He raised his hand, fully on board with hurting either of them to make a point, when Jason finally snapped into action and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him into Patrick’s arms who instantly held him in place, Chance coming over to help.

“Are you crazy?” Jason yelled at his friend. “We don’t hit women!”

He turned just in time to see Chrissy helping Eddie up, the two of them muttering to each other softly, looking a lot more friendly than he liked. His eye twitched once and he looked at Hellfire as they huddled closer to each other and started inching towards the exit, Nancy and Chrissy herding them out.

“Get out of my fucking house!” Jason told them, like they weren’t already trying to leave.

“Gladly,” Donny said, closing the door behind them and shielding them from further aggressions.

“You guys, I am so sorry,” Chrissy was saying, not knowing who to direct it to first.

“It’s okay, Chris. Not your fault your boyfriend has shithead friends,” Eddie said, patting her shoulder in comfort.

“Still, I should have-,” she cut herself off because there was nothing she could have done; the basketball team and the Hellfire Club were destined to hate each other until the end of time. She turned to Dottie instead. “Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah, I think so. My hand hurts,” she sniffed. “I’m sorry we ruined your party.”

“Oh, please, that party sucked,” Chrissy snorted. “The most fun I had all night was when we were dancing with Val.”

“Come on, let’s get you home,” Donny said, guiding Dottie towards his car.

“I can drive her, I brought her here,” Nancy offered, giving him half a smile. She wasn’t friends with the guys, but she knew enough about them through Mike to have at the very least positive feelings towards them. Besides, it wasn’t like Jonathan hadn’t also been an outcast back when he was still in Hawkins. She knew what that was like.

“No, no,” Dottie hurried to say. “You should both go back to the party. Eddie can drive me, Don, I don’t want to ruin your car.”

“Are you sure?” Chrissy said, not wanting to leave her in such a vulnerable state.

“Yes, I’m sure. Go back inside, it’s your party,” she squeezed the blonde’s hand. “I had fun dancing with you, thank you for inviting me.”

“Maybe we can do it again some day? Just us girls?” Chrissy said, eyes full of hope.

“I’d love that,” Dottie said, and she really meant it.

“Okay, then… let’s go back inside, Nancy. Bye guys, drive safe,” Chrissy waved at them, pulling her cardigan closed and both girls disappeared back into the house.

“Is this a bad time to say that I stole a case of beers?” Gareth said, lifting a 12-pack and bringing some much needed humor to the situation.

“Let’s go back to mine then, we can sneak in through the basement door,” Jeff proposed, and Donny nodded.

“I’m… I’m gonna pass, guys,” Eddie said. “I’ll take her home and head back to the trailer. My ass kinda hurts.”

“Have fun without us, okay? I’m sorry I ruined it,” Dottie said, tears swimming in her eyes. Whether it was because of the shame or the pain in her hand, no one knew but no one asked her either.

“Hey now, you didn’t ruin anything. We’ve got an awesome story to tell the kids someday,” Donny laughed.

“Yeah! We’ll be like: Auntie Dot broke a jock’s nose back in high school because he called her names,” Jeff said, putting on an old man voice and Dottie chuckled wetly.

“Come on, let’s go,” Eddie said, guiding her towards his van with a hand on her lower back.

“I should sit in the back, I’m gonna get your seats dirty,” Dottie said.

“Don’t even think about it, there’s no seatbelts in the back,” he said, climbing in and rummaging around for the tarp they covered Gareth’s drumset with when they moved it for gigs.

The music from inside the house was booming again when Donny’s car pulled into the street and the boys left, saying goodbye by honking twice. Eddie covered the front seat with the tarp and helped her get in, clicking the seatbelt for her in place and jogging to get to the driver’s side. Dottie stared out the window as Eddie turned the van on and backed up into the street, waving at a defeated Chrissy who was looking out from the living room’s window. When Eddie stopped at the first intersection, Dottie turned to look at him.

“Ed?” she asked in a shaky voice. “Can you take me to yours instead?”

The trailer was empty with all the lights turned off when they arrived, which was unusual for a Saturday night. Wayne had always had weekends off, after all, he had a kid at home to take care of and nobody was an asshole enough to ask an old man to come in during his time away with his family. Still, as Eddie kneeled down next to the entrance to help Dottie undo her heel buckles, she looked around while holding onto his shoulders and found herself missing her Mr. Wayne. Eddie had asked her in the van why she didn’t want to go home, and she had simply replied she didn’t want to tell her Dad she’d gotten into a fight just yet. She’d failed to mention that she was expecting Wayne to give her the parental comfort she needed, but without the grounding she was sure she was gonna get from her own father.

“He’s at the plant,” Eddie said, guessing her silent inquiry. “He’s doing extra time this weekend so he can take a couple of days off for graduation.”

“That’s really sweet,” she smiled, stepping out of her shoes now that he’d gotten them unbuckled. The beer that had dripped down her legs had stained the tops of her socks.

“Wait here, okay? I’ll get the shower running for you, the knobs are… well, they’re stupid,” he shrugged with resignation. “You can call your Dad if you want, tell him where you are.”

He started the shower for her while she dialed home, James picking up after a few long rings. He listened to her talk quietly while getting her a towel and clean clothes; she hadn’t exactly asked, but Eddie got confirmation that she wanted to spend the night when he heard her lie to her Dad about being at Jeff’s and having a movie night. Eddie wasn’t about to complain about her not mentioning she was with him if it meant he could sleep next to her for a full night. He went back into the bathroom, lowered the toilet’s lid and put the things he’d gathered for her on top before opening the mirror cabinet and pulling out a new toothbrush along with a packet of makeup wipes. She hung up and walked into the small bathroom after him, looking at the items in his hands with a quirked eyebrow.

“I wear eyeliner for our gigs sometimes,” he admitted. “It always looks like shit, but if it’s good enough for Ozzy, it’s good enough for me.”

“Maybe I can teach you how to do it right sometime,” she said, the corner of her mouth lifting into half a smile.

“Maybe you should just do my makeup so I don’t poke my eye out.”

“Okay,” she agreed. “I’ll do your makeup next time.”

“Kick your clothes out the door when you take them off, I’ll throw them in the washing machine for you,” he said, and left her to her devices.

He went back into his bedroom to give her privacy and get changed into his own PJs, which consisted of an old ratty t-shirt with a couple of holes around the neck and plaid pants he was sure had belonged to Wayne at some point in their lives. While he busied himself changing his sheets into fresh ones, putting her clothes in the washer and making his bedroom look somewhat presentable, Dottie tried to hurry up in the shower, not wanting to use up all the water. Still, she couldn’t help but take her time appreciating the fact that Eddie actually owned conditioner and that the green apple smell that surrounded him in the mornings belonged to the big bottle of shampoo in the corner of the tub. She washed all the beer off her skin and hair and, feeling a lot more like herself, wrapped her body into the soft off-white towel he’d gotten for her, standing at the mirror to rid herself of her make up as best as she could. She brushed her hair quickly, scrunching her curls into the towel to remove the excessive moisture, and brushed her teeth making a note to buy him a new toothbrush to replace the one she’d used. Timidly, she also reached for his deodorant, reasoning that it was better to use it than to stink up his clothes and bed with her sweat.

She was studying herself in the small mirror, not entirely believing that she was wearing Eddie’s clothes, when she realized the light scabbing on her knuckles had probably loosened up with the water and they were all bloody again like she’d never cleaned them up in the first place. Poking her head out of the bathroom, she directed her voice towards his bedroom where she could hear him pottering about.

“Eddie?” she called.

“Yeah?”

“D’you have any bandages? My hand’s bleeding again.”

“Uh, lemme see,” he pushed the door open and rummaged around in the sink cabinet, grabbing a little bag that contained their first aid supplies. “Come, sit on the bed,” he instructed, and she did as he asked without a word.

He kneeled in front of her and inspected her right hand, closing each finger carefully and pressing on parts of her palm to see if anything hurt. Nothing seemed to be permanently broken, so reached over to his bedside table where a cup of water sat and gave her an ibuprofen to help with the swelling before moving on with his next task. She watched him as he worked diligently to clean the scrapes, long thick fingers fluttering softly on her skin.

“What’s the diagnosis, doc?” Dottie asked.

“I’m getting a weird déjà vu here, princess,” he chuckled. “You need to stop getting into trouble before I get into pre-med.”

“Can’t help it. Trouble’s my middle name.”

“I thought it was Ann?” Eddie said, laughing.

Truthfully, he was joking around to hide the fact that he had been losing his mind since she’d opened the bathroom door and came out all rosy-cheeked, smelling like him and wearing his clothes. He’d given her one of his old shirts, a white one he hardly ever used anymore with a Garfield print at the front and his blue checkered boxers, not expecting them to look as big on her as they did. The hem of the shirt almost covered the shorts, and the short sleeves went past her elbows. The less was said about his gray socks that bunched up at her heel, the better, and he tried not to think about the fact that he knew she wasn’t wearing a bra because he’d had the most mortifying pleasure of throwing the cute cotton garment into his washing machine fifteen minutes earlier. Eddie was wrapping up her knuckles with a long piece of gauze when he noticed she’d gone strangely quiet. He looked up at her face to find her teary-eyed and chewing on a wobbly lip.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, holding onto her hand. “Is it too tight?”

“Is that… what everyone thinks about me?” she whispered, like she was afraid of asking out loud.

“I- I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about, darling.”

“Wh-what Andy said. About me being… does everyone think I’m a slut?”

“What? No! Of course not!” he stuck the gauze in place with a piece of medical tape and lifted himself onto his knees between her legs to hug her. “Dot, he didn’t even know who you were until tonight, he was just talking out of his ass.”

“I’m not a whore,” she muttered into his shoulder. “I promise I’m not.”

“Darling, what are you on about, huh?” he grabbed her face with two hands and brought her eyes to his. “I know you’re not. You could sleep with half this town and I still wouldn’t think you’re a whore. You- you can do whatever you want with whoever you want! I know you, you’re… Dot, you’re so fucking nice to me, to all of us, and the only reason Andy said that bullshit about you is because you’re friends with the freaks.”

“I’m not,” she said, and he looked at her in question. “I’m not friends with the freaks. I am a freak.”

“Hell yeah you are,” Eddie smiled. “You are a freak, and you shouldn’t let what that piece of shit said get to you, okay? You broke his fucking nose because he talked shit about you, Dot. You’re so fucking amazing.”

It was probably the way Eddie was looking at her like she’d hung the moon and all the stars, or maybe it was the way he was holding onto her face with a gentleness no one associated with the rugged metalhead, fingers extending under her ears and into her damp hair, thumbs on her cheeks. It was most definitely the way he always took care of her, how he cleaned her wounds like she was the most fragile thing on Earth and how he never hesitated to pull her into his arms whenever she needed a hug without questioning her reasons. But honestly, it was most likely the fact that he was so close to her, his warm breath mingling with her minty one, that had her leaning forward and pecking his lips with hers in the most chaste kiss she’d ever given to anyone in her entire life.

She tried pulling away as fast as she had leaned in, she really tried to, but Eddie felt like he had been struck by a live wire and instinctively chased her mouth with his own, still cupping her face but moving one of his hands to tangle into her hair, finally taking a hold of the proverbial carrot dangling in front of him. He was kissing her - Eddie Munson was kissing Dottie Burke and he couldn’t get enough of it - he needed more, he needed to consume her and she to him until there was nothing left for anyone to see. He grabbed onto her bare thigh to pull himself up and she whimpered, the walls of the illusion suddenly crashing around him. She’d just tearfully asked him if the town thought she was a whore, and his way of reassuring her, had been to deny it and then make a move on her. Eddie jumped back so quickly he fell onto his bruised ass and hissed in pain.

“Fuck, Dot, I’m- I’m so sorry!” he pleaded, leaving her dumbfounded and glazy-eyed.

He’d fucked up. He’d ruined everything. With his eagerness, he’d jumped the gun and now his plan was ruined, and she probably, maybe, definitely thought he was a fucking pervert trying to get into her pants, and yes, he very much would like to do that but not like this. Not before she knew he would quite literally die for her, not before he’d confessed to her the profound love he felt and had finally become the kind of man she deserved to have. Dottie looked at him not understanding what had just happened, but when she moved to get off the bed and closer to him, he jumped off the floor and put even more distance between them.

“I’m so sorry, we shouldn’t- fuck, I didn’t-”

“Eddie, it’s fine-

“No, it’s not fine!” his hands tangled in his own hair while he tried to find the words to explain himself. “This is all wrong, goddamnit-”

“Eddie, calm down-”

“Fuck, Chrissy is gonna kill me, I’m such a fucking idiot-”

“Ch-Chrissy?” Dottie whispered, but he didn’t hear her in the middle of his freakout.

Oh. Oh. She was so stupid. She couldn’t even blame him, she’d been influenced by her aunts and by Gareth - and of course, who wouldn’t be in love with Chrissy Cunningham, Head Cheerleader and Queen of Hawkins High? She was so kind, and friendly, with her gorgeous eyes and warm smiles. And by his own admission, if she was going to kill him, well, that certainly meant she returned Eddie’s affections, did it not? She’d be an idiot not to love Eddie back because Eddie was so loveable. Sweet, silly, wonderful Eddie who had just kissed his best friend and regretted it deeply. She had to get out of there if there was any hope of saving their friendship.

“I’m so sorry,” Dottie said, rushing out of the bedroom and into the kitchen.

“Dot, wait!” Eddie followed her. He had to fix this, he had to tell her, he was gonna tell her- “What are you doing?”

“I’m really so sorry, Eddie, I didn’t know,” she got her damp clothes out of the washing machine; the cycle had probably ended in the middle of his upset rant and neither of them had heard it.

“Where are you going? It’s midnight!” he watched her shove her feet into her heels, not bothering with fastening the buckles before she opened his front door. He had to act fast or he was going to lose her forever.

“Eddie, please,” she asked, tears pooling in her eyes again, voice broken. “I just want to go home. Everything’s fine, I’ll see you on Monday-”

“No!” he threw himself onto the door, closing it again effectively locking her in. “Y-you can’t leave like this! What are you gonna do, walk home in your heels? Are you insane?”

“Please, I’m sorry,” she sobbed, breaking his heart into a million tiny pieces. “We can forget this all happened, please, just let me go!”

“No!”

“Eddie!”

“No! We need to talk about this!”

“There’s nothing to talk about! I didn’t know you were dating her, just let me-”

“Wait, what?” It was Eddie’s turn to be confused. “I’m not dating anyone, what are you talking about?”

“I’m not fucking deaf, Ed! You just said Chrissy was gonna kill you!”

“Yes, but that’s not- Fuck! That’s not what I meant! She’s dating Jason Carver, for fuck’s sake!”

“It’s okay if you like her, she’s fucking perfect-” she babbled, fat tears leaving tracks on her cheeks.

“You’re fucking perfect! God, fuck, this is not what I-” Eddie took the clothes out of her arms and threw them into the living room, pulling her into his arms again.

“Eddie, what the fuck?!” she shrieked, trying to get away from him but he held on tight, throwing her onto his shoulder and sitting her down onto the kitchen counter.

“I made Kool-Aid!”

“What? I don’t want fucking Kool-Aid-”

“Just stop arguing!” he yelled, effectively shutting her up. “I made apple Kool-Aid.”

“...I love apple Kool-Aid,” she said, for lack of a better response.

“I know,” he said, leaning back and looking at her sitting between his arms, palms on the cold surface of his kitchen countertop. “That’s why I keep buying it. For you.”

An ugly sob bubbled up out of her throat and she hid her face in her hands. She wasn’t strong enough to keep fighting with him, and when he hugged her again, fingers tangling back under her ears, she simply bowed her head and cried harder. Eddie kissed her hair and held her, letting her release all the pent up emotions that were swirling in her mind. When she breathed a little bit easier, he looked at her, drying her tears with his thumbs.

“Can I trust you to stay here while I get the Kool-Aid?” he asked, softly.

Dottie nodded, so he moved away from her to get the pitcher out of the fridge. He filled a mug first, watching her legs swinging lightly back and forth while she sniffled and picked at her nails, and stopped before filling the next one. She saw him frown and look around the kitchen before finding what he was looking for: a yellow ceramic mug with a gnome playing the accordion on the front. A couple of weeks ago, the teens had been studying in the trailer on the small table in the kitchen, and Dottie had mentioned to Wayne she was gonna get him a hat with her college logo when she was in Michigan so he could add it to his collection. He’d glowed at that, joking that he was gonna tell everyone his niece was a genius and that he’d leave her her favorite mug in his will in return. The two of them had spent around 30 minutes going through every mug until she decided on one, all while Eddie worked on his homework with a dumb smile on his face. She’d picked a yellow mug with gnome playing the accordion on the front, the very same mug Eddie was now gently putting into her hands filled with apple Kool-Aid he allegedly kept buying because he knew it was her fave flavor.

They sipped their juice in silence until Dottie calmed down, holding onto the mug with both hands for comfort. Eddie stood there, waiting for her to say anything and when it became clear she was not gonna be the first one to talk, he put his mug down and turned to her, pulling on the hem of her borrowed boxers.

“Hey,” he said, ducking his head down to look her into the eyes. She made a small sound of acknowledgment but kept staring at the liquid between her hands. “I’m not dating anyone.”

“Okay.”

“I don’t like Chrissy,” he kept going.

“You don’t have to explain anything to me.”

“Yes, I do. I really fucking do,” he took her mug out of her hands and ducked a bit more. “Dot, look at me. Please.”

“Eddie, it’s fine-”

“I’m kind of insanely in love with you.”

“What?” Dottie breathed out, eyes widening.

“Darling, I haven’t been able to even look at anyone else since the day I met you. I’m so fucking obsessed with you it’s actually embarrassing,” he smiled at her, finally hitting her with the full force of his confession.

“You… you like me?”

“Mhm,” he nodded, lifting her hand and kissing her gauze covered knuckles. “Chrissy has been helping me plan how to ask you out. We’re not secretly dating, she knows I’m crazy about you.”

“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t know,” Dottie murmured, ashamed that she’d jumped the gun with her conclusions.

“You couldn’t know, that was the whole point,” he chuckled. “I was gonna ask you out after graduation, I wanted to have our diplomas and everything but then you kissed me and… you’re awfully impatient, has anyone ever told you that?”

“God, I’m an idiot,” she laughed, hitting her forehead with her palm. “How long had you been planning that?”

“Since around your birthday,” he admitted, and she groaned. “I would have asked you earlier but I wanted to set things straight before, y’know? I wanted to graduate first, maybe get a job, I dunno… Give you what you deserve. Instead you get… this,” he waved his hand around. “Sorry.”

“Eddie, I’m so in love with you, it’s not even funny. What are you talking about?”

“What?”

“Oh my god, we’re both idiots!” Dottie groaned again, and he laughed in disbelief.

“You’re in love with me?”

“Yes! Why did you think I kissed you?!”

“I mean, I kinda figured out you liked me, but love, darling, that’s… That’s a lot.”

“You just said you are “kinda insanely in love” with me, what do you mean it’s a lot?” she looked at him like he had just told her the sky was green.

“Well, yeah, but- that’s different! I’m me!”

“Okay, what the hell does that mean?”

“I don’t know, I just- fuck, I love you and I really, really want to kiss you right now. Would that be okay, darling? Can I kiss you?”

She shook her head at him like he had just said the stupidest thing on Earth and wrapped her arms around him, bringing him forward and pressing their lips together again. Eddie laughed against her mouth, hands coming up to cup the sides of her jaw, thumbs rubbing circles into her skin. They kissed with no hurry and no other motives than to just kiss, savoring the moment like a cold sip of water after a long race. There were no more places to hide, no more shadows lurking in the background. It was just them under the mismatched light bulbs in the Munson kitchen, two mugs and a pitcher filled with Kool-Aid, and limbs tangling with one another, scratching an itch that had once seemed impossible to relieve.

Eddie moved his lips from hers to her cheek, up her nose and eyelids until he reached her forehead and stayed there, just breathing in and basking in the knowledge that they’d jumped off a cliff together and had landed on the other side unscathed. There were so many conversations to be had, so many things to be said, but this was more than okay for him now. This was enough, and for the first time in his whole life, he was enough. Dottie’s hands moved under his shirt, lightly running her short nails over his skin, the motion calming and grounding him. He was hers, and she was his, and there was nothing else that mattered anymore. The waters were calm. The locked padlocks remained in place, but the keys weren’t forgotten or hidden anymore. She felt at peace in a way she had never once felt before, knowing that no matter what came next, they would face it together. She yawned once, burrowing further into his skin, and he chuckled.

“Wanna go to bed now?” he asked, softly.

“Yes, please,” she replied.

Eddie helped her off the counter and let her get comfy in his room while he finished getting ready for bed, turning all the lights off and brushing his teeth with a dazed expression on his face. He found her tucked in on the left side of his bed, the one closest to the wall and realized that he could get used to this so easily. He was sure that once she went home the next day, he’d have trouble falling asleep until she was back next to him, nuzzling into his chest and wearing his clothes. They cuddled in silence, soft touches in the darkness, just exploring skin and calming rapid heartbeats with innocent caresses that revealed just how much they’d longed for this. There would be time for bolder actions, but tonight they just wanted to hold each other tight and never let go. Eddie, however, had one more question to ask before sleep could whisk them away to Dreamland.

“Darling?”

“Mhm?”

“I don’t want to, like, ruin the moment, but… what happens now?”

“Dunno. What do you want to happen?” she asked, moving her leg on top of his so he could shuffle closer to her.

“Can we maybe not tell people this happened so I can ask you out like I planned?” he said, shyly. “I just… I want to do things right with you. I don’t want to fuck this up.”

“You’re not fucking anything up, Ed. But sure, we can pretend this didn’t happen and I’ll act surprised when you ask me out,” she rolled her eyes playfully.

“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” he squeezed her closer. “I meant it more like… not telling the guys? You can tell your Dad if you want, though.”

“How about this?” she said, reaching up and kissing his jaw sweetly. “We don’t tell anyone anything, and my Dad doesn’t get an aneurysm every time he sees you. Sound good?”

“You want to lie to your Dad?”

“Not forever. We can tell him before I leave for college. You’re gonna come see me, right?” Dottie asked, hopeful.

“Baby, Michigan is only three hours away. They’re gonna think I’m your roommate with how often I’m gonna be there,” he pecked her hairline.

“Baby?”

“Just trying it on. D’you like it?”

“I love it. And I love you.”

“Fuck, I’ll never get tired of that. I love you,” he chuckled, leaning in to kiss her. “Okay, we won’t tell anyone so your Dad doesn’t murder me.”

“I have one condition though.”

“Okay?”

“I still get to kiss you when we’re alone.”

“You just want me to be your dirty little secret, don’t you?” Eddie joked, poking her side.

“I’ll be yours too if that helps,” she said, cheekily.

“Oh, don’t tempt me with a good time, princess,” he said with a mischievous tone. “Who knows? Might be fun to sneak around all summer.”

Half an hour later, when they were finally falling asleep between soft kisses and whispered sweet nothings, they both agreed that a little bit of teenage disobedience might just be the missing piece they didn’t know they were looking for to complete their perfect summer before officially being adults. After all, it always looked so much fun in movies, right?

taglist (comment below or send me an ask if you want to be added!): @munsonology @kurdtbean @every1lovesanunderdog @eg-dr3amer3

#bunny writes #small town fic #eddie munson x female character #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x oc #eddie munson x ofc #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fic #eddie munson #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson angst #stranger things 4 #stranger things #nancy wheeler #gareth stranger things #jeff stranger things #chrissy cunningham #jason carver #patrick mckinney #andy stranger things #chance stranger things #joseph quinn #baby's first fic

[instruth]

I Know A Place

I know a place

on rainbowed tapestries

of joy and by grace

memories of wonders

curtained with lace

a safe hideaway

for an easy access

a breath away

in deep sacred recess

today and everyday

within my being

a blessed home

all of me, I freely bring

love, peace will come

with a song to sing

©Johnny J P Lee

18 September 2023

A Gogyoshiren Poem (15)

Photos, J. P. Lee

#poetryportal #writerscreeds #smittenbypoetry #spilledwords #writingthestorm #poeticstories #inkstainsandheartbeats

[gooseishere]

Splits. (Johnny Cage x Erron Black)

One evening, after a grueling training session in their secluded hideaway, Johnny Cage decided to show off a not-so-hidden talent he's somehow kept from his boyfriend Erron Black. As they sat on the floor, stretching and cooling down, Johnny casually stretched his legs out in opposite directions and effortlessly dropped into the splits, his expression calm as if he'd done it a million times.

Erron's eyes widened in astonishment. He had no idea Johnny was so flexible, and seeing him ease into the splits with such grace left him both impressed and a little flustered. "Well, I had no idea you could do that." The gunslinger mumbled, his voice filled with a slight embarrassment at his own awe.

Johnny, still in the splits, grinned at his boyfriend's reaction. "Oh, you haven't seen the half of it, cowboy," he teased, his tone playful.

Erron cleared his throat, his cheeks tinged with a hint of red as he tried to regain his composure. "Well, I'm definitely impressed," he managed to say, his eyes glancing at the floor. Trying not to stare at Johnny's incredible display of flexibility.

Johnny slowly rose from the splits, his lithe movements almost mesmerizing. He moved closer to Erron, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You know, being flexible has its advantages," he whispered, his breath warm against Erron's ear.

Erron's heart raced as Johnny's words sent a shiver down his spine. He couldn't help but pull Johnny into a passionate kiss, his admiration for Johnny's talent turning into a deep desire.

And who was Johnny to deny his boyfriend?

#mortal kombat #johnny cage #kenshi takahashi #erron black #my boys #I'm not great at writing #short story

[moral-terpitude]

All We Have Is Now

I wrote this for @runnning-outof-time for their 2.5K celebration! What an awesome milestone to have achieved, and very well deserved!

I was trying for a double bingo! Fluff/ Tradition/ Modern AU/ Proposal crossed with secret/ domestic/ modern au/ Christmas Eve

The title is in reference to the song “All We Have is Now” by Royal Blood. I highly recommend giving it a listen, because I’ve skipped it so many times in the last week, and finally listened to it today, and it had me absolutely shocked and also sprinting to finish writing this after listening. I think this part will end up being part of my main storyline with these two for Misadventures now that I’ve started posting the rest of their story.

A/N: For some context, this was inspired by one of my own family traditions: Bronners’s is the largest Christmas store in the world, located in Frankenmuth, Michigan. They sell everything Christmas. They also offer customization of certain ornaments on site, with one of the items being plain colored bulbs. You can make them say anything, but everyone in my family has one with their name on it. I also have it in my head that Tommy’s birthday is Dec 25th so, that’s relevant. Yeah.

Pairing: modern!Tommy Shelby x oc Quinn Meyer

Two years.

Well, not quite two years, not even really two Christmases spent together, with Tommy having Charlie and Ruby the previous year, Quinn noted, as she turned the rental car from the paved road on to the gravel that would lead to her family’s cabin.

Technically, it was her cabin. Each of her sisters had received some sort of property for camping or building houses on after getting married and settling down, and they had all been in an uproar when Quinn’s parents had given her the cabin.

It had been her hideaway, the only escape she had after things had went south with Gerard, her ex-whatever-you-wanted to-call-him, (fiancé if you were specific, boyfriend if you weren’t, and asshole for all she cared).

“John, I already told you me service isn’t going to be good here, eh?” Tommy sounded exasperated, his promise of not working already not being held up as John and Johnny both had been blowing up his phone since they had both feet on solid ground. “I’ll call you back once the holiday is over.”

Quinn smiled. He hadn’t specified to John which holiday, and with the small amount of luck they had, both of their schedules were able to be cleared through the first week of January.

Two solid weeks of no contact with the outside world.

Snow was falling all across the Grand Traverse Bay as she killed the engine, headlights disappearing as their shoes crunched in the untouched snow.

“It’s fucking freezing.” Tommy hissed, retrieving their bags from the cargo hatch of the Jeep as Quinn punched in the numbers on the keypad, the old batteries barely powering the groaning lock before they both tracked the snow inside.

Despite his faux frustration, Tommy wasn’t, couldn’t, be mad about being here, he realized. This would be the most time he would be away from work in an uncountable amount of years, and it seemed as if everything would go according to plan.

Someone, presumably Madelyn and Patti, had came and decorated, everything from a tree down to Christmas lights outside, all of which now were twinkling and leaving a warm glow along the wooden walls of the large A-Frame cabin.

The result of their hard work had Quinn beaming through the layer of snowflakes melting in her lavender hair and down her face as she toed off her shoes and hung her jacket on the back of the door.

Tommy had already shed his layers, digging through pockets for a lighter and retrieving an outdated bundle of newspaper from the magazine rack once he noticed the dried bundle of wood already in the fireplace.

Please tell me you remembered to leave it here???

“No phone,” he teased, the tapping of her acrylic nails on the glass screen a dead giveaway that she was messaging someone.

“I’m just letting mom know we made it.” Sliding her phone in her back pocket, she ruffled her hair and Quinn made her way through the small kitchen to the pantry, retrieving the hot chocolate before filling the kettle and placing it on the stove to boil.

She smiled, closing her eyes and leaning against the counter, as she heard the unmistakable crackle of a fire coming to life in the living room.

“You’re making hot chocolate with water?”

He hadn’t gave Quinn much room to move, and the unfortunate consequence was cold hands pressed against her lower back that elicited a yelp loud enough that people across the water probably heard.

“Thomas Shelby, get your cold hands off of me!” There was no escape other than up, the result leaving her sitting on the kitchen counter as his hands roamed her thighs.

“Oh, come on, babe,” the teasing kisses pressed to her throat threatened her resolve, “you sleep with your cold feet on me legs every night.”

Quinn smiled, her forehead coming to rest against his as the kettle whistled, staring with some difficulty into his bright blue eyes at the closeness.

“Well if you weren’t a furnace when you sleep, I wouldn’t have to tuck my cold toes in the back of your knees to cool you down.”

Tommy’s response was a mixture between a hum and a chuckle, pecking her quickly on the lips before killing the heat to the burner and pouring the water into the cups.

“I was thinking,” Quinn sat the steaming mug aside as he returned to stand between her legs, his back against her chest as she ran her nails through the shaved short sides of his hair before resting her chin on his shoulder, hands clasped together across his chest, “if we went to bed around 10,” she checked her watch to see it was 8pm, the digital screen coming to life as she shook her wrist, “we could set an alarm for three and be up to FaceTime the kids while they open their presents.”

He did the quick math, 3 would make it 8 in the morning there. “I don’t think they’ll be up that soon, darling.”

“I talked to Lizzie the other day, that’s when she said they’d be up because they have to be to Polly’s by 11.” Quinn’s phone vibrated in her pocket. “I also thought, maybe, we could exchange gifts tonight so that way I can give you your other gifts tomorrow. Keep everything separate.”

He sighed, leaning his head back against her shoulder. “Tomorrow is Christmas.”

“And…”

“And?” He shook his head.

“Tommy.”

“What?”

“I know when your birthday is.”

He closed his eyes, resigned to the fact that she wasn’t going to let it go. No one had ever gone to such an effort to make him feel like it was an important day for only him. Tommy had learned at a young age to not whine about it being overshadowed by a holiday, and once the kids were in the picture, the focus shifted to making sure each holiday was magic for them.

“Let me get down,” two pats on his shoulders had him moving out of her way so she could slide off the counter, bare feet patting across the wooden floor to the bedroom.

Yes, in the hall closet with the towels. Maddy grabbed you some of the flavored popcorn you like and put it in the pantry. There’s dinner in the fridge, didn’t figure you would feel like cooking.

Quinn smiled as she read her mothers words on the screen, opened her bag to retrieve the wrapped box, before doubling back to the closet in the hall to lift the white box from the shelf.

“Okay,” she declared, opening the pantry for the popcorn from the taffy shop, not sure how she didn’t see it before, as Tommy looked at her wide eyed, phone in hand, before setting it down on the counter. “No phone, Tommy!”

The pile of items in her arms carefully found a home on the counter as she opened the cookie canister, a porcelain cat that had been her Oma’s, to see it empty.

“In.” The headless cat was held out, her nails drumming along the body.

Tommy blinked, rubbing his hand across his forehead before relinquishing his phone to the cookie jar. “What about you, eh?”

Quinn beamed with a fake smile, he knew she hated being told what to do, and of course if it was her idea she would do the same.

With both their phones hidden away, Quinn settled herself on the floor in front of the fireplace, bubbling with excitement, although trying to hide the fact that, in trying to figure out what to get Tommy, she had discovered her own gift.

A rose gold filigree ring, diamonds hidden in the leaves, had been nestled in the top drawer of the dresser when she had been trying to figure out what Rolex watch he didn’t have. It wasn’t just laying there. She peeked. Of course she peeked, because there was a ring box in Tommy’s dresser that she wasn’t aware of.

She knew it wasn’t for anyone else, but trying it on her fingers confirmed herself as the recipient. It didn’t fit any ring but her ring finger, and she knew if that was the question being asked that she wasn’t fucking ready for that.

She had also discovered, on the same day, that all the watches had never been worn, probably because they weren’t fucking cheap, and ended up getting him the matte black Fossil one with all the gold gears in the middle that had made her think about getting him a watch in the first place.

“Do we have to sit on the floor?” Tommy asked, as Quinn got up, retrieving a blanket and turned on the Bose sound system on the fireplace.

“Yes. You can be old tomorrow. Lean against the couch.”

He rolled his eyes, as she sat back down, patting the floor next to her, “C’mon, I’ll be an old person to and sit against the couch with you.”

“You make it sound like I’m turning fourty,” Tommy crossed his legs in front of him as she covered the both of them with the fleece blanket adorned with snowflakes.

“Sometimes you act like it.” She smiled, placing one hand on his chest before leaning to capture his lips with hers.

Pulling away, she opened the cellophane bag, offering him a shockingly blue piece of popcorn.

“Why is it blue?”

“It’s blueberry. Or blue raspberry. I don’t remember.” She tossed the piece in her mouth, chewing speculatively, before declaring, “Blue raspberry.”

“Green?” He questioned, brows furrowed, as he analyzed the piece in the same way as the previous, waiting for a response.

“Green Apple. I’m not going to tell you what every flavor is. Just eat it.”

Quinn picked up the white box, holding it gently between her hands before peeking at Tommy who was watching her intently. The sticker on the top proclaimed, “Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, Since 1945”.

“So, this is and isn’t part of your present, because I think that giving someone a Christmas bulb for Christmas is fucking stupid, but,” she took a deep breath before handing him the white box, “I didn’t want to have it shipped and have it get crushed in the mail.” she could feel her heart pounding in her chest, feeling so stupid, “Everyone in my family has one, it’s just a thing we do.”

He opened the box gently, sifting through the white tissue paper before retrieving the light blue bulb, holding it by the silver cap, so he could examine it fully.

White script was carefully placed in the center of the bulb, and for a second, he almost didn’t recognize his own name.

“I…if you want…” Tommy hadn’t said anything, and Quinn couldn’t gauge from his reaction, reflected in the ornament, whether that was good or bad, “Mines on the tree, mom brought it up, otherwise I figured it wouldn’t make sense.”

Everyone in my family has one. Her words echoed in his head as he tried to find the words to express himself, the gratitude, after a rough start, of being included.

“Does that mean I’m part of your family then?”

Quinn breathed a sigh of relief, nodding as he stood, and crossed the room to place the bulb on the tree next to hers. Of course it was purple.

Silhouetted by the lights, she watched as he relaxed slightly, observing the two ornaments hanging next to each other on their own branches.

“Thank you, Quinn.”

She noted he still looked a tad confused as he sat back down next to her, but the look evaporated as he pulled her close, a gentle kiss pressed to her temple as she handed him the wrapped box.

“You first.” he said, setting the box aside and pulling two boxes, wrapped in the same purple striped paper from his pocket. “This one,” he held out the narrower and taller of the two boxes, “you can say no to.”

Her brow furrowed, trying to imagine what could be in the box, as she took it, gently peeling the paper off to reveal a black box.

She was surprised to see Tommy watching her intently, his blue eyes just as bright as they sat in only the light of the fireplace and tree, wild shadows being cast upon the wall.

He nodded, and Quinn pulled the lid off the box to see a key on a purple keychain tucked in the box.

She blinked, picking it up and turning it over, before looking to Tommy for some clarification as her mind went blank.

“You can say no.” He reminded her, heart hammering in his chest, taking a breath to prepare for the chance that she would decline. He wouldn’t be mad. Maybe it was too soon?

“What is it for, Tommy?” She smiled, and he could see the truth of the question in her expression.

“I want you to move in with me.”

“Serious?” Her eyes sparkled as she asked, pupils dilated as all the feel good chemicals rushed through her veins, a fuzzy feeling rippling through her as she clamored astride his lap.

“Yeah, serious.”

“Fuck,” she was now very aware of how his hands felt on her hips, thumbs rubbing soothing circles as she grasped the key tight in her palm, before tucking it in her back pocket, “yeah, okay. I want to. Let’s do it.”

Her lips felt sore by the time they broke apart, fingers entwined in the longest part of Tommy’s hair, which she noted was due for a cut compared to his regular standards, but she didn’t mind it.

“This doesn’t come with any questions,” Tommy clarified as he offered her the other, much squarer box, and Quinn felt the anxieties in her stomach settle at the thought that thankfully the ring wasn’t tied to a proposal.

She smiled, unwrapping the other gift, and hesitating before opening the velvet box, eyes flicking to meet his, the look of guilt mistook by Tommy for distaste.

“What? You always wear jewelry, I wanted a beautiful gift for a beautiful girl.”

Her eyes watered as she shook her head, trying to hide from the complement as she opened the box to see the same ring that had stared back at her weeks before.

“I love it, Tommy,” she slipped the ring on the appropriate finger before taking his face between her hands, the warmth radiating off of her a welcome comfort that he leaned in to, “thank you. Now open yours, I want to put on the matching pajamas and have another cup of hot chocolate before bed.”

“This is the first in hearing anything about matching pajamas.”

“I know, it’s because I packed them. Don’t worry, they’re just plaid.” She yawned, stretching as she let her hips roll, receiving the wonderful friction she hadn’t realized she was seeking out at the point where their bodies met.

Tommy realized that opening the gift was the last thing he wanted to do now, but he focused on it diligently, surprised and relieved that it was a gift he would actually use.

She fiddled with the ring in her nose absentmindedly as he sat the box aside.

“Thank you, darling, I’ll put it on first thing in the morning.” A quick peck on the lips had a contented hum coming from somewhere in his chest as his mouth traveled to her throat, “Now, up with you, love. I’ve got plans for you before you put those pajamas on.”

#misadventures #tommy shelby #peaky blinders #peaky fucking blinders #peaky fookin blinders #tommy shelby x oc #quinn meyer #modern tommy shelby #modern!tommy #modern!tommy shelby #k’s 2.5k holiday bingo challenge

[pinkcupboardwitch]

Rome… And Me.

A playlist for when you love your husband, but also your husband’s boyfriend whose love language is murder, and he loves you.

(link)

I. Opening:

Earth - Hans Zimmer (instrumental)

9 Crimes - Damien Rice

It’s a small crime

And I’ve got no excuse

And is that all right?

Yeah.

II. Livia:

My Skin - Natalie Merchant

Oh, I need the darkness, the sweetness

The sadness, the weakness

Don’t You Give Up On Me - Lissie

You are the moon, I feel your weight

You tug at the ocean, you help it change

And you keep on reminding me of a darkness only I can see

Never Love an Anchor - The Crane Wives

Do you ever think of me and my two hands

And wonder why they never soothed your fevers

And wonder why they never tied your shoes

And wonder why they never held you gently

And wonder why they never had the chance to lose you?

Please Don’t Say You Love Me - Gabrielle Aplin

Just please don't say you love me,

Cause I might not say it back,

Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping

When you look at me like that

Devil’s Spoke - Laura Marling

But I am your keeper

And I hold your face away from light

Hotel Song - Regina Spektor

I have dreams of orca whales and owls

But I wake up in fear

You will never be my….

You will never be my fool

Darkness Descends - Laura Marling

Convinced that I am going mad

Oh, I bury my head into his hands

So sure that I'm losing faith

Fuel to Fire - Agnes Obel

All that I say to you

Is like fuel to fire

Into the town we go, into your hideaway

Love Be Brave - Laura Marling

Something strange takes over me

I am brave and love is sweet

And silence speaks for him and me

III. Marcus:

NFWMB - Hozier

Nothing fucks with my baby

Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing

Call Me Lover - Sam Fender

You know I'll be down here waiting

I'll take you to see your man

When you are done, we'll go driving

Catch the coast in the evening light

I’ll Keep You Safe - Sleeping At Last

You'll be an architect,

So pull up your sleeves

And build a new silhouette

In the skylines up ahead.

I Found - Amber Run

I'll use you as a focal point

So I don't lose sight of what I want

And I've moved further than I thought I could

But I missed you more than I thought I would

Glory - Dermott Kennedy

A set of eyes had pinned him

Became his version of a kingdom

She’s everything the devil can’t be

When she’s singing to me, “Glory”

If There’s A Rocket Tie Me To It - Snow Patrol

A pulse, your pulse

It's the only thing I can remember

I break, you don't

I was always set to self-destruct though

Mausoleum - Rafferty

They took my guns and horse and swords for history

But they kindly left a photograph of you and me

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police

I resolved to call her up

A thousand times a day

And ask her if she'll marry me

Some old-fashioned way

Queen Bee - Johnny Flynn

But my breast is lit with flames to shun

The dying of the light

Oh blow the wind and come the rain and take my heart again

IV. Closing:

Poison and Wine - The Civil Wars

I don’t have a choice, but I still choose you

I don’t love you, but I always will

I always will.

For The Love Of A Princess - James Horner (Instrumental)

-

“Agrippa loves Rome...and me.” // “Always. Always.”

#domina sky #Livia Drusilla #marcus vipsanius agrippa #Livia/agrippa #one true triumvirate #pink creates

[ursaspecter]

Random DP headcanons in no particular order

I'm tired and got pains hitting me so I couldn't be bothered to organize this. I'll get a better sorted collection up on my neocities website eventually. These are my headcanons and they may contradict canon oops. Also I don't really keep up with a lot of fanon sorry.

-Ok just gonna get all The Gender ones out of the way first. Danny and Vlad are trans men, Sam is bigender, Dani is a demigirl, and Johnny 13 is a he/him lesbian.

-Danny and Valerie are bi, Tucker is ace, and Sam is pan. Vlad and Jack are both bi, and they and Maddie are polyamorous (but not all together. Yet). Jazz is aroace. Star is a lesbian. Johnny 13 and Kitty are lesbians.

-Paulina is a bit of a film buff and I think she would go to film school after high school and judges film bros for not watching a single Barbie movie.

-Star and Dash are cousins

-Tucker has a website where he reviews tech products he's never bought and video games he's never played/completed.

-The ghost zone is kind of like purgatory but also kind of not. It's where ghosts spend the afterlife, but they can fully leave once they've resolved any unfinished business they have. Places in the ghost zone where ghosts reside (like Pariah's castle or Sidney's mirror dimension) are created upon death, so everyone has their own little spot. -Danny and Vlad don't have fully formed places in the zone. They're more like empty lots reserved for them when they fully die. -Dani doesn't have a spot of their own, so instead they took Danny's space and built a little Lost Boys style hideaway.

-The "ecto acne" was really just blisters from severe burns Vlad sustained after his portal accident.

-Danny and Vlad only survived their respective accidents because of their exposure to ectoplasm radiation. Although Vlad had much less exposure at the time of his incident, but that's ok since the 80's portal was much smaller. Danny on the other hand has been exposed to it pretty much all his life, so he was able to survive the full sized portal.

Ok, under the cut I'm gonna go into my thoughts about how most of Danny's enemies died. I won't be including Bertrand, Skulker, Clockwork, Boxlunch, Vortex, Amorpho, Undergrowth, Pandora, or Nocturn because I either think of them as a different kind of ghost, spirits In Charge of something, or in Boxlunch's case: never alive to begin with. I'm also not including Freakshow because he's still alive, nor am I including his ghosts because outside of their designs, they have no personality. Content Warning: Since I am talking about death, this section will probably get pretty dark for some readers. If you are sensitive to discussion of suicide, murder, death from illness, or death by some kind of disaster, then I would advise you to not open it.

I don't really have a lot in terms of explanation for a lot of these, so I'm just gonna list them as Ghost: Cause of Death.

Lunch Lady: Heart Attack at school

Princess Dorathea: The Black Plague

Prince Aragorn: Arsenic poisoning

Box Ghost: Anti-Strike Attack (I'm not going to name any real-world strikes that turned into massacres because I feel like that might be a tad disrespectful)

Technus: Electrocution

Sidney Poindexter: Suicide (He's a teenage ghost who was bullied relentlessly by every one of his peers.)

Desiree: Executed by Sultan's wife's request

Walker: Prison Riot

Spectra: Old Age

Klemper: Hypothermia

Ember: House fire

Fright Knight: Killed in battle

Pariah: Executed in a Coup D'etat

Johnny 13 and Kitty: Killed by a drunk driver

Youngblood: Leukemia

Ghost Writer: Alcohol Poisoning or Tuberculosis

Hotep RA: Natural Causes (Honestly I always forget this guy exists)

#danny phantom #danny phantom headcanon

[cyberpawn-arc]

questions for vale: what is vale’s favorite place in the city?? and why??

Send me questions you have about my character

"Silver Pixel Cloud! The drive-in theater! Sure, the place is more memorable because Rogue and Johnny, uh, had their date there, but I love the place! The machines work so I can watch all kinds of old movies there and nobody's gonna try and interrupt because it's ol' and run down! People are obsessed with things that are new and shiny and I like the ol' stuff! I wanna repaint it and renovate it. Like a secret hideaway!"

#resistancesought

[smokeys-house]

TOP!! 5 favorites sonsg rn…

It's so so impossible for me to pick favorite anything tbh but the ones that I've put on repeat most often are as follows in no particular order

Cafuné - Tek it

Leave her Johnny (the shanty but specifically the AC black flag version)

In the shadow of the valley - lost weekend western swing band

Passion pit - hideaway

The mountain goats - up the wolves

#smokey answers

[torque-witch]

178! 182! 226! 97! 252!

178 - first concert : I’m honestly not sure what the first true one was, but I’d personally like to think of it as King Diamond. That’s the first one I remember really having a good time and being introduced to something other than drunken songs about America 💀 OR when I saw Mac Miller at college before he was super big. I think that was a lot more special than I realized looking back.

182 - 10 songs on shuffle

1. Stonecold, Lucid

2. So Wrong, Illenium

3. Words, Feint

4. Come Back Down, Mediks

5. Tumbling Down, soupandreas

6. Ghost Spores, Varien

7. Nomophobia, James Egbert

8. Dreamers, Hopium

9. Hideaway, Loosid

10. Castaway, Grant

226 - something that made me smile

You know, the most recent thing I really can’t tell the internet 😈 but it’s simply because I have an inflated ego and brain worms right now. But generally it’s because having a tangible effect on people that you can see with your eyes is infatuating to me lmfaooo

97 - what would your dream house be like?

We’ve been looking here and there. Dream house I try not to think about since it won’t happen, but some key things I really would like to incorporate would be a green house with electricity and a bathtub and a hammock or something so I can read books under the stars. A functional garden with a designed walkway, or little nooks for hanging out in. Getting licensed for bee keeping, maybe have some quail. I really like third floor finished attics as an art space/office with a sky light. We’ve seen a couple places with like semi hidden little goblin corners for naps/reading. I deeply desire a clawfoot tub I can finally fit in, and Johnny also wants a waterfall shower. We also want an outside shower. A separate garage would be nice for wood working, welding, spray painting, cars, etc. My parents’ house had a nook also that’s cute. A big triple sided window with built in book shelves or at least a comfy bench. Radiators. No more carpets. A wrap around porch or deck. Wooden privacy fences. Something simple, but comforting.

252 - Five items you lust after (there was a typo in the original so I hope this is what it meant)

1. A sword that was made for me

2. A big switch console

3. A lime green Challenger

4. The money for the supplies I need to run my business properly and grow as an artist

5. A clothing haul to help me feel more masculine

#torquetalks #asks

[quasar1967]

Cinefantastique #106

April 1995

Outer Limits, Tall Tale, Dr. Jekyll & Ms. Hyde, Hideaway, Lord of Illusions, Hellraiser IV, Candyman 2, Johnny Mnemonic, Stargate effects, Jan Svankmajer

#cinefantastique #horror magazines #sci-fi magazines #fantasy magazines

[thorsenmark]

Methuselah Trees by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: Methuselah Trees Like a Johnny Cash Song I thought I’d been almost everywhere Then I had the pleasure Meeting an acquaintance with 4000 year old trees They called me youngster, a kid I listened and learned of their journeys Across the millennia of time High up in their mountain hideaway 10,000 feet and higher They had some amazing views Some across valleys and meadow A distant view of Sierra Nevada They'd been before indigenous people walked Before the Europeans came seeking a new life The stories they can tell to a youngster like me. Another work of short poetry or prose to complement the image captured one afternoon while walking the Discovery Trail in the Schulman Grove of Inyo National Forest. The view is looking up a mountainside to the east with this one ancient bristlecone pine tree. My thinking in composing this image was to pull back on the focal length enough to capture not just this one lone tree, but also some of the surrounding landscape to add to the feeling present of grandeur and solitude. This mountainside setting is a little over 10,000 feet elevation.

#Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest #Azimuth 74.50 #Blue Skies #California and Oregon Road Trip #Day 2 #Discovery Trail #DxO PhotoLab 5 Edited #Forest #Forest Landscape #Forest Mountain #Free Verse Poetry #Great Basin Bristlecone Pine #Great Basin Ranges #Hillside of Trees #Intermountain West #Inyo National Forest #Landscape #Landscape - Scenery #Looking East #Methuselah #Methuselah Grove #Mountains #Mountains in Distance #Mountains off in Distance #Mountainside #Nature #Nikon D850 #No People #Outside #Pinus longaeva