#like the sci-fi nerd in me is all over that

[welcometothejianghu]

Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 重啟之極海聽雷/Reunion: The Sound of the Providence/The Lost Tomb Reboot/this thing has too many names

Reunion (I'm just going to call it that) is a 2020 action drama about the most specialest little babygirl in the tomb-raiding world, his two husbands, and the cadre of assorted weirdos they pick up as they try to follow a set of directions left by a dead (?) man in the thunder.

Imagine if someone showed you the Mandalorian, and you were like, gee, that was a neat little sci-fi one-shot! because you'd never heard of Star Wars. That was basically my experience watching this show, having no idea that the Lost Tomb franchise (DMBJ) was even a thing. Turns out that not only is there a whole big continuity out there with these characters, but that Reunion takes place a few years after the main story's resolution. Don't worry, though -- Reunion doesn't spoil you for that resolution. It doesn't spoil you for much, period. Look, DMBJ has a weird relationship to endings, okay?

I have written a more thorough where-to-start guide for DMBJ as a whole, so if you want to consider other entry points, well, that information is there for your consideration. Yet it is my opinion that this is the best entry into the overall franchise, and a fun thing to watch just in general, and I'm here to make my case for both of those.

The rest of this rec will assume that you have no familiarity with the DMBJ series. That's okay; you don't need any. All you need is to trust my five reasons you should watch this.

1. Old Man Yaoi

As you begin this show, you are introduced to the Iron Triangle. That's them in the picture up there. Left to right, you have: Xiao Ge, magically tattooed immortal hottie who just got back from ten years in [scene missing]; Wu Xie, our protagonist, who's just a little guy and it's his birthday; and Wang Pangzi, the literal best.

(And yes, Wu Xie is in his 30s and Pangzi is in his 40s, which is not technically old man anything, but ... look, if you watch, you'll see why I think I'm justified in calling it that.)

They are extremely married. They are a disaster trio of disasters so disastrous that no one else should ever be subjected to their chaos. They're going to make sure lots of people are, though, don't you worry about it. Sometimes those people even deserve it.

However, because the show (tragically!!) decides that Xiao Ge has somewhere else to be like 95% of the runtime, most of the relationship you get to see is between Wu Xie and Pangzi.

I'm saying this now as an old gay nerd who just this year celebrated her 15th wedding anniversary: I have never, never felt so represented in media as I have watching Wu Xie and Pangzi interact. There's a little wake-up song they sing together near the end of the show, and it just ... it packs so much character development into thirty seconds. These boys have been living adjacent lives for so long that they've made up their own little shared songs about the mundanities of daily living. That is just what happens when you marry your best friend and then decide to get old and weird together. Ask me how I know.

Look, if you want to know whether this show is for you or not, watch to the end of the first episode, to the part where Pangzi flips over the table. If your heart is filled with joy (as it should be), keep going.

Love makes a tomb-raiding syndicate family.

2. A fun-filled action-packed romp of nonsense!

If you're familiar with Hellblazer canon, this will make sense to you: Reunion is Dangerous Habits. If you're not familiar with Hellblazer canon, try it like this: Reunion is a terrible place to start because it plays on your extant affection for a character who gains a terrible status effect almost immediately. It's a also great place to start because it throws you right in the action with measurably high stakes and gives you a reason to build that affection very quickly.

I'm also going to warn you right off the bat: The plot of this show got cut to ribbons by censors.

See, the DMBJ books, being books, are allowed to get away with supernatural shit! So you've got zombies and ghosts and curses and monsters and immortality and all your other standard ooky spooky semi-urban fantasy trappings. But the DMBJ adaptations, being live-action, are heavily regulated in their content. This is why, in the early Reunion episodes, our heroes are menaced by human-looking creatures that are actually ancient mannequins made of leather that are piloted, mecha-style, by evil clams. Because evil clams are more scientific than zombies. I guess.

So yeah, the plot of this book already had to get mangled into a more "science"-compliant shape even before it made it to filming. The real problem is that a whole lot more of it got cut after it was all filmed and put together. I have read an explanation of what the actual storyline was supposed to be, and yeah, if you know what you’re looking at, you can see (and hear) the scars where major elements got hacked out with a weed whacker.

Therefore: You cannot expect this plot to make sense.

But that's okay! You're not here for the plot to make sense! You're here to watch some characters you love run around through ridiculous and sometimes beautiful labyrinths, trying to solve puzzles you're never given enough information to understand, all in search of the resolution to a mystery that had half its guts torn out before you got to see it -- and you are here to love it. If you have ever laughed and cheered your way through a Mission: Impossible film without pausing to care too much about the plot holes it’s dodging left and right, you are in the correct frame of mind to appreciate this. Just believe that whatever engaging nonsense the show tells you is correct for the time being and go with it.

You cannot watch DMBJ and care about the laws of physics. You simply cannot.

Do not, however, let me give you the impression that the shoddy plotting is accompanied by equally shoddy performances. A major part of this show’s incredible watchability comes from how the cast is shockingly good. There are some serious heavy hitters among the actors. A major part of why this Wu Xie and Pangzi are my favorite together is the incredible chops both Zhu Yilong and Chen Minghao have, to say nothing of their real-life affection for one another. (See that scar on Wu Xie's neck? That scar is there because Zhu Yilong commits to the bit.) Effortlessly charming Mao Xiaotong turns potentially irritating wunderkind Bai Haotian into a perfect precious weirdo baby. Wu Erbai's entire second-season character arc could have been unintentionally comedic, but veteran of queer cinema Hu Jun sells even the undignified moments as relentlessly tragic. And of course Baron Chen absolutely kills it with...

3. This giant fucking loser

This is Hei Xiazi. That's not his name, but it's close enough. Allow me to do a dramatic reenactment of my watching his first scene:

[camera pans over to him]

me: Ugh, I recognize this kind of wannabe badass character design. I hate his type. He's self-important, hyper-masculine, and just a big jerk, and the show thinks he's soooo cool. Barf.

[thirty seconds later]

me: Oh no. I was so wrong. I love him forever now.

This is because he is (as indicated above) a giant fucking loser. Yes, he's a good fighter who knows lots of things. He's also a wet potato chip of a man. Sure, he can get you into a headlock, but he can also annoy you into submission, and that's honestly more fun for him. My wife has used the phrase “Vash the Stampede-coded” to describe him. My wife is not wrong.

And the kind of ridiculous thing is, being such a loser is what wraps back around to making him cool again. He's a loser because he just doesn't fucking care. His masculinity is the opposite of fragile. You tell him to wear a dress and makeup, he'll do it -- and sure, he'll complain, but only because he enjoys complaining. He has no dignity. He’s tits-out. He's gender. He's the worst and also the best.

Hei Xiazi is a major character in the other installations, to the point where he and his boyfriend (more on him later) even have their own movie. But of course, I did not know this on my first watch, so I kept expecting the show to explain his whole deal. It does not, but you don't really need it to. He sees better in the dark. He doesn't age. He's a thug for hire. There, that's all the bio you need.

One of the things that makes him great is that he is the least sexually threatening person ever. Across all the properties he's in, he spends a fair amount of time with women -- sometimes in very close quarters -- and they are perfectly safe around him. I actually wrote a whole post about it once upon a time (warning for tiny spoilers for a series that isn't this one) wherein I claim that not only Xiazi but Reunion in general is the television equivalent of the shirt that says I RESPECT WOMEN SO MUCH I DON'T HAVE SEX WITH THEM.

That said, this loser does get a sort-of romance plot here -- and honestly, I find it very cute! It's not even the only instance in this series of a bisexual guy in a long-term same-sex relationship getting a girlfriend, and I like that other one too! Look, the handle of my DMBJ sideblog is @katamaricule because I joked that Wu Xie treats polyamory like a katamari, and if you don't move fast enough, you're going to be rolled right up into his gay little cuddle puddle.

This is not a show for exclusive ships; this is a show for inclusive ships. The Jiumen Association is a polycule. You don't even have to know what the Jiumen Association is to know it's true.

4. The power of friendship

This show has a lot of characters.

I'd say the supporting cast is divided into three categories: characters who have been in previous installments, characters who have not been in previous installments, and characters who probably should have been in previous installments (or at least mentioned) but who were only created for Reunion so we have to pretend like we've known about them all along.

There is no way to tell which is which -- which is part of my argument that this series makes a good entry point to the franchise.

Take Huo Daofu. Huo Daofu is a brilliant doctor masquerading as a donut stand operator who treats Wu Xie with all the cold disdain of a man confronting the person who left him at the altar years ago. On the one hand, yes! We do know Huo Daofu from a previous series, and we've known he's both a doctor and a bitch. On the other hand, oh, we have no idea why he's like this about Wu Xie, and we probably never will. The show just treats it like it's for an excellent reason, and you know what, from what you know about Wu Xie, it probably is.

Consider also Jiang Zisuan. One of the show's principal antagonists, Jiang Zisuan turns out to be the brother of ... well, let's just say it's someone whose having a brother really should have come up before this. It has not come up. (And that's even before we get into the issue of his surname.) His stated identity as that person's brother is so bizarre that my favorite interpretation is that he isn't actually that person's brother -- all the flashbacks we see are just his delusions about a relationship he's completely invented. But there's no way you'd know how fucking weird this is on your first run.

Then there's our friendly little support himbo, Kanjian, who shows up to all occasions with two tickets to the gun show and not a thought in that beautiful head. (His name just means "vest," which is par for the course when it comes to the author's naming conventions.) He was a lot more menacing in the last series (where they kept putting sleeves on him, geez), where most of what we learned about him is that you can loan him out to other tomb-raiding families. Now he's a golden retriever with great aim and a slingshot. It's an upgrade.

The trick is, you cannot be surprised when someone shows up and the show treats them like you should know who they are, even when there's no possible way you could know who they are. I mean, for heaven's sake, Liu Sang arrives in the middle of an obvious beef with Pangzi, the origins of which are never satisfactorily explained, while also having a giant do-I-want-to-fuck-him-or-do-I-want-to-be-him crush on Xiao Ge, which is also never satisfactorily explained. Whatever, you just roll with it. He's got good hearing, a bad attitude, and questionable taste in idols. Now you're good to go.

(I should throw in a special note here that Liu Sang is many, many people's little meow meow, and not undeservedly. For a fuller explanation of why that is, please consult this other post I made.)

Part of the fun of this big cast is the adorable interactions you get. All the characters have appropriately big personalities, and the show loves letting people you wouldn’t expect bounce off one another. It’s not your typical action-hero show where nothing happens without the protagonist in the room. There are lots of exciting combinations and tons of charming dynamics! Unlikely friendships form all over the place! Enemies become allies! Allies become friends! Friends become friends with other friends! Some friends become enemies again! You'll need a scoreboard to keep up!

This is not to say the show treats all its characters perfectly or equally -- one of the precious few main female characters doesn't even get a real name, for heaven's sake, and the less said about the brownface racism, the better. It is, at its heart, a dude show for dudes made in China, with all the troubling decision-making that implies. Where it does deserve credit, though, is in understanding that its supporting characters are actual people with personalities apart from their function in Wu Xie's narrative. Sometimes the show just asks "what if [random character A] and [random character B] had to interact?" and has fun considering the answer! Which is almost always a delight to watch, and sometimes even breaks your heart.

5. Amazing rewatch value!

And by this I mean the experience of watching this show is remarkably different once you have any understanding of the rest of the DMBJ universe.

For instance, there's a point where two characters are scuba-diving past some submerged coffins, and one character tells the other whose coffins they are. Working only on information Reunion has given you, you're like, oh, that's where they buried the guy who built this creepy place, that's a little weird. Once you recognize that name from other series, though, your reaction is far more, excuse me, they did WHAT to WHOSE corpses?

Or another point where a character you've already met is on a train, and there's a handsome gentleman who just happens to be riding with her. He hands her his business card! Aw, that's sweet, he seems like a nice guy! Well, no, Xie Yuchen is not nice, but he is one of our allies, and he's Hei Xiazi's boyfriend, and a lot of what he's doing hits real different when you have a fuller grasp on why he's doing it and for whom. (Honestly, a major reason to watch Reunion first is so you're not fully and appropriately upset by how your black/pink gays merely have one teeny tiny scene together.)

From the way the series treats the persistent absence of Wu Sanxing, Wu Xie's third uncle, I absolutely, 100% assumed that he was a completely new character to this installment of the series, an extremely long-lost relative that we've somehow conveniently managed to never talk about before now. So imagine my gobsmacked surprise when I went to watch a different series, set much earlier in the timeline, where the opening scene prominently features Wu Sanxing as an actual character in the present-day narrative! ...Well, sorta. Look, there's a lot of fuckery with his identity in earlier parts of the story, and fortunately you need to know none of it to understand Reunion. But when you do, it suddenly makes a lot more sense why Wu Xie talks about someone who was a major part of Wu Xie's adult life like he died when Wu Xie was nine.

AND THE FLASHBACK SCENE WHERE A-NING GETS KILLED BY THE SNAKE, AND YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, AND THEN YOU WATCH ULTIMATE NOTE AND IT WASN'T LIKE THAT AT ALL look, I know there are kinda reasons for this, different production companies and all, but seriously, what the fuck

All of which to say is that the experience of watching Reunion the first time is, hey, this self-contained romp is a lot of fun! The experience of rewatching it after watching any of the other DMBJ installments is a transcendently wonderful head-clutching avalanche of one moment of recognition right after another.

And here's the thing: You will watch more. Reunion is a gateway drug. If you are interested enough to make it through all 62 episodes, you're going to be interested in watching more. Which is great. The English-speaking fandom needs more people. Come down into the tombs. It's great down here. We've got snakes and arguably unintentional homoeroticism. Join us. Join usssssssss

Are you ready for an aventure?

There are a couple different ways to watch the first half, but there's (weirdly) only one way to watch the second, so for both of them, I'm going to send you straight to iQiyi: Season 1 (32 episodes) and Season 2 (30 episodes).

And just so you’re ready when Reunion is done, here’s how you find the rest of the DMBJ series, in the absolutely non-chronological order in which I, personally, think you should watch them:

The Lost Tomb 2 (AsianCrush, YouTube)

Ultimate Note (iQiyi)

The Mystic Nine (iQiyi, Viki)

Sand Sea/Tomb of the Sea (Viki, WeTV, YouTube, also YouTube)

Also, there's a lot of movies and side series and other pieces that are worth seeing, and even a couple of full series I've left off the list, and you can just slot them in wherever. And maybe we'll get Tibetan Sea Flower someday? Look, hope springs eternal.

They're so perfect. Perfect triangle. Perfect boys.

#dmbj #重启 #重启之极海听雷 #盗墓笔记 #Reunion: The Sound of the Providence #the lost tomb reboot #rec post #i made this

[perksofbeingpoet]

new headcanons!

☆ THE POETS AT THE CINEMA ☆

(this got really long bc i love them so much aahhhh i hope you enjoy these headcanons as much as i do-)

CHARLIE: his favourite genre is comedy, plus movies about outlaws and teen rebels, says "so me" all through the film. oh yeah he doesn't shut up ever, talks the whole time until someone tells him to please stop talking because the movie's more interesting than how he'd dress as a pirate. every time there's a kissing scene, he turns to the poet sitting next to him and wiggles his eyebrows with a smirk. a nightmare to clean up after, his popcorn ends up all over the floor and himself. BUT all this doesn't apply to emotional movies. if a movie is sad, charlie is silent the entire time, doesn't crack a joke once and comes out of it with half his popcorn left.

KNOX: cries when watching romance, tells the poets he's not crying!! just the dry air of the cinema getting to him. insists on taking pictures of them in front of the movie poster. has accidentally thrown his ticket away instead of the receipt on several occasions. if there are cardboard cut-outs of characters at the cinema, he needs to take pics with all of them. eats a strange mixture of snacks, popcorn, pretzels and ice cream. asks "whAT?" at least five times through the movie bc he can't follow the plot. really fun to watch a movie with because he'll audibly gasp at every plot twist. idk him at the cinema is really cute guys i swear.

PITTS: needs a toilet break three times throughout the movie (tall guy small bladder king). his legs get cramps from the rows being too narrow but he doesn't care, pittsie LOVES going to the cinema. will most often go with knox and meeks, they're the best film trio. knows loads of lore about all sci-fi movies they watch, and acts annoyed at people asking questions because OF COURSE ni-bo64 has to destroy Leobor. eats salty snacks and always chooses the biggest cup of soda (meeks points this out every time pittsie has to squeeze around him to go to the toilet). loudly shouts "YES" when something he approves of happens. is the best sport about charlie's smirks in kissing scenes, he just like puts his hand on charlie's thigh really slowly and mouths 'hi'.

MEEKS: really likes movies with a hidden message, is the only one charlie will watch emotional movies with. but also just a huge nerd, him and pittsie watch sci-fi stuff together and then talk about every plot point for an hour. ORANGE SODA. really big fan of good film music. can't sit still and always steals the arm rest. doesn't talk but says "WHAT??" way too loud when a plothole occurs or a thing he was hoping for doesn't happen. is the one to buy the tickets.

NEIL: loves the comfy velvet seats. always has half a breakdown about "omg maybe i should go into film instead of stage acting??" after seeing a movie he really likes. is a little movie nerd, especially for superhero movies! loves the moment of stepping out of the cinema into the fresh night air. his snack is sweet popcorn or gummy bears. gets so excited when something cool is about to happen, he's waving his arms and being like "oh- ooohhhh- oooohhhhhh" until the cool thing actually happens. makes sure everyone has their tickets (goes into airport dad mode). laughs a lot and looks around at all the poets like "did you see that??" as if they're not all watching the same movie.

TODD: too anxious to complain about sitting behind a tall person, he'll often try to sit on top of his balled-up jacket to be a bit taller and see enough of the screen. pitts notices after a while and is like "hey todd, could we swap seats? i'd love to sit next to knox". todd only realises what that was about a few hours later and is silently soo grateful for pitts not embarrassing him. likes artsy movies where not a lot happens, and LOVES reruns bc then he already knows the plot and can relax. doesn't ever talk throughout the movie but laughs SO MUCH. mouths the lines when he already knows a movie. when there's a kissing scene he'll get embarrassed. doesn't buy snacks cos they're "too loud" and then eats all the other poets' snacks. every time. likes watching the ads before the movie.

CAMERON: asks "does anyone need to go to the bathroom before the movie starts" like fifty times before they watch the movie. hates sitting next to strangers during the movie because then he's always hyper aware of his behaviour and can't really focus on the film. likes historical movies and will watch them with todd (no one can tell me todd/cameron friendship isn't real, it makes so much sense). salty popcorn kinda guy. knows the names of all the actors and actresses.

#dead poets society #dps fandom #dead poets headcanons #i woke up from my nap and needed to talk about my boys #oh also thanks greenie for your kind words about my exam and sleep #to the people who have asked about the podcast #(yes i am aware that it was only two BUT STILL) #i won't be able to do anything until after i've finished my exams #but i have a really fun concept for that podcast i think! #so it will happen! just after my finals #didn't already wanna make a post about it bc i don't wanna get people's hopes up #dps #dps headcanons

[barbie-nightmare-house]

watching the new dune took up too much storage now I’m getting pop ups telling me to delete that shit from my hard drive

#I can’t update with tim Cham all allat in my head #excuse me being a hater but I would like to ignore his existence #but my stepfather is a sci fi nerd and I have young siblings #and that primeval two toothed plague-carrier is in every god damn thing #should’ve taken beautiful boy and went back to his French hovel to hold the candle over the pages a sage monk is scribing #it was a fine film and I just got overstimulated #but ewwwwww fuckkkkking grossssssssssss #I hate sand #outfits were fucking cool tho I liked the part where the worms had one billion threadlike teeth #and also the part where religious allegory #really liked all those sexy bald bitches that ate other peoples organs #dune spoilers #maybe it was okay and I just needed to talk it out #now I can sleep. #trash bin tag #Chevy watches

[moonstruckme]

hi!! first of all, i am a frequent reader(???) of your blog because your writing is immaculate and you seem so sweet and fun to talk to you, thank you so much for all the work that you do

second of all, i really hope your request are indeed open so that i am not spamming you🫶 in case they are closed, i am so very sorry and freely ignore this

I was wondering if i could request a little reader x either james or if the spark comes to do poly! i will NEVER say no to that lmao, where the reader seemingly out of nowhere starts feeling down, voicing that she doesn't think she's a good person? because she thought of all the friendships and extremely close people that left her and she just feels hurts and confused?

need some hurt/comfort rn, i know i am a little mean, and probably not the nicest person out there, but thinking of all the failed friendships/folks that i loved so dearly makes me feel like perhaps i am not a good person and that thought plagues me a bit ng

either way, thank you so much in advance, i hope you are well, getting to take care of yourself and have a lovely rest of day, evening of whenever you are reading this!

Thanks for requesting honey, love you <3

James Potter x fem!reader ♡ 1.2k words

James is talking to you about the movie he wants to go see, and if you were a better girlfriend—if you were better, period—you’d be listening, chipping in occasionally but mostly just letting him talk with the same adoring attentiveness he always gives you. But instead, you’re still stuck in the pub you’d left a few minutes ago, watching the surprise play over Sirius’ features. The flash of something you suspect might have been hurt in his cool gray eyes before he covered it up with skillful quickness. 

“And whatever I say, I can’t seem to lure the boys to another sci fi film,” James goes on, “so I’m afraid you might be conscripted for that one.” 

“Okay.” 

“Really?” The disbelief in James’ voice brings you back to attention. “I thought you’d have more qualms after that last one.”

You did swear to James that he’d never be dragging you to another of his nerd movies again. But maybe this is your opportunity to turn over a new leaf. “You want to see it, right?” 

“Well, yeah.” 

“Then we’ll go.” 

The two of you walk under a streetlight, giving you a clear view of your boyfriend’s skeptical expression. “You’re really alright with it? We can go see that new rom com instead, if you want.” 

See, this is the problem with being around James. He’s so, so good. It makes you seem even worse in contrast. And he makes it impossible to be selfless, because he always has to be the most giving person in any situation. It makes you want to cry from both love and frustration. 

“Let’s just go to the one you want to see,” you say, and despite your best intentions the words come out with a slight edge. 

“Alright,” he says slowly. Now you can feel his eyes on you, your own gaze vaguely ahead as you keep pace alongside him on the sidewalk. You live in a more shadowy part of town, but the clouds obscuring the moon make the darkness complete. James’ voice is tentative. “Hey, are you okay?” 

You chew your bottom lip. “Do you think I upset Sirius earlier?”

“You mean that joke you made?” It doesn’t help your anxiety that he knows exactly what you mean. No chance it flew completely under everyone else’s radar, then. “No, he was fine.” 

“You don’t think he looked…I don’t know, shocked? Like his feelings were hurt?” 

James’ gaze burns into the side of your head, but you won’t look at him. “No, angel. I think your sense of humor can be a little…” he fumbles for the right word, and a worm of unease writhes in your gut “...brash, sometimes, but Sirius is made for that stuff. The last person you’re going to offend with that is him. He gets it.” 

You sigh and nod, doing your best to convince yourself he’s telling the truth. 

“Hey.” He bumps your shoulder lightly with his. “What’s going on in that head of yours? I can hear you thinking.” 

“I just don’t really know if I’m a good person.” 

Your voice is quiet, but you know James hears you perfectly. His steps actually fumble for a second, like he might stop in his tracks. 

“Of course you are,” he says. “I mean—listen, of course I would lie to you even if you weren’t, though I guess we probably wouldn’t be together if I thought you were a bad person, but—anyway, you are. You are a good person.” 

You force a laugh, ignoring how your throat contracts around it. “Sorry. I know you’d lie to make me feel better, Jamie. You’re too nice.” 

“I would,” James acknowledges, following as you go up the front steps to your apartment and dig around in your bag for your key. “But I’m not right now.” He ducks his head as you twist your key in the lock, jockeying for a view of your face. “Sweetheart, why would you think that?” 

“I don’t know,” you mumble as you step inside. You set your keys down on the table by the door and knead at your chest, but it does nothing to relieve the hollow ache forming there. 

“Yeah you do,” James says softly, hot on your tail. “I know you, you don’t just say these things. Come on.” He takes your shoulders in his hands, trapping you, and you drop your gaze to avoid meeting his eyes. (You know how that goes. They make you feel all soft and melty and get you to talk and talk and talk.) “I can’t be fully honest with you if you’re not honest with me,” he says. 

“I just know—I know I can be really mean sometimes.” Your voice cracks on mean, and James tightens his grip on you, holding you together while you crumble. The pressure in your throat is hot and thick, but it feels so good to cry. Like your outsides finally match your insides. “I want to be better but I don’t know how.” 

“Sweetheart.” James’ voice sounds like heartbreak. His hands slide from your shoulders, wrapping around your upper back and squeezing painfully. “Darling, you don’t need to be better. Or, not more than anyone else. You’re already a good person.”

You make a miserable choked sound, frustrated with him for only telling you what you want to hear and frustrated with yourself for not knowing better.

“You are,” he says, half desperate. “Know how I know?”

You take your face from his shoulder, eyeing guiltily the glossy wetness of your tears and snot on his jumper. James takes your face in a big hand, finally succeeding in angling it towards him. 

He’s giving you a little smile despite his own watery eyes and the deep crinkle between his brows. He takes your look as enough prompting to go on. 

“Because bad people don’t worry about if they’re good people, angel.” The words are emphatic, beseeching. Begging you to understand. “They don’t try to do the right thing. You being worried about Sirius is just proof that you care. Do you think a bad person would get themselves so worked up” —he thumbs at the wet skin underneath your eye, smiling thinly— “over whether they’re being too mean? That just doesn’t happen, love.” 

You swallow thickly, letting James press a solid kiss to your temple. He holds your face between his hands like you’re something special. Something worth having. 

“I wouldn’t be with someone who was always being actually mean to my friends,” he tells you, voice dropping into a lower register. You know he’s being sincere. James would never let anything happen to Sirius or Remus, certainly not by someone he’d brought into their orbit. “But we all know you don’t mean anything cruel by the things you say. It can be a little…” 

“Brash?” you supply, and James smiles. 

“Yeah,” he admits, “sometimes. Anyone who knows you doesn’t take it personally, though. You’re kind in your own way, it’s just not always what people are used to.” James tilts his head, assessing your expression and giving you full view of the earnestness in his in turn. “You’re a good person, sweetheart. And please don’t worry about being that kind of mean to Sirius, alright? He can take it.”

#james potter #james potter x reader #james potter x fem!reader #james potter x you #james potter x y/n #james potter x self insert #james potter fanfiction #james potter fanfic #james potter fic #james potter hurt/comfort #james potter fluff #james potter imagine #james potter drabble #james potter scenario #james potter blurb #james potter oneshot #james potter one shot #marauders #the marauders #marauders era #marauders fanfiction #marauders fandom #hp marauders

[iactuallykissedsharawheeler]

⭑⌗ 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐄 𝐇𝐂𝐒 + 𝐟𝐞𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

✶ let's go ahead and clear that idea that ellie wouldn't be like. immediately obsessed with you and giving you secret discounts on the weed.

✶ she met you five seconds ago and she was like. why would she ever pay for anything?? she's literally my reason for breathing?? (ok babe 😭) so you're getting that stuff for lowest price she can possibly make it. and if you flirt a little?? she's wondering why she's not just handing you the bag for free.

✶ when you guys get closer, she notices you're kinda into pink so when she sees pink papers???? she's SLAMMING that card, best believe. when you're freaking and like HOWD YOU GET THIS she's trying to pretend to be all cool like oh idk just found 'em and thought it'd be funny but if you like 'em you can have them ... i guess 😒

✶ if you're a little inexperienced with it she's a little protective and is like oh i don't think you should try that this one's way better and gives it to you on the house like?? you're trying to pay for it and she's like noooo it's for you just take it even though that was some of her good weed and she never gives that out. but you're nice and sweet and her bestest customer so who is she to charge you??

✶ when y'all are closer she literally just starts buying shit for you. you're like oh my gosh this bracelet is literally so pretty and next time you come over she's like so.. guess what and there's the bracelet in a box under two pretty pre-rolls (that she's also not letting you pay for btw)

✶ n you're so worried about breaking her bank when she does it but she's literally living lavish because she's everyone's dealer and no one with weed isn't getting it from her. (charismatic queen tbh)

✶ plus if you think this is gonna kill her wallet just wait until you guys start actually dating. she's not even waiting for you to ask for shit, she's telling you to put your cart on public so she can surprise you all the time.

✶ you're like babe how am i gonna pay you back and she's like just .. be pretty for me, yeah? 's not hard for you at all. (just flustered myself give me a minute)

✶ and some random things i just think she'd do:

✶ texting you high out of her mind about dinosaur facts because she just knows too much and needs to get it out immediately (she's such a nerd I love it 😭)

✶ trying to shotgun with you but she sees your face lookin' all pretty n dazed, chokes on the smoke, and just simply never does it after that. (give her a week, she'll be back)

✶ reading a shit ton of sci-fi. she compulsively reads savage starlight all the time but she's actually obsessed with the whole genre n can't exist without it atp (she DEFINITELY owns a few space cowboy books and before meeting you she would always imagine she was the lead guy with the hot love interest who was definitely some kind of alien. don't question it.)

✶ if you're a plushie girlie (me fr) she's ALWAYS buying you plushies. but she always buys one that matches yours for herself so you guys are "always together" or something. idk she's a little bit of a loser.

✶ she's so bad at keeping up with skincare but now she just weaponises that and makes you do it for her. literally rolling her eyes and pouting if you do yours without her, mumbling shit like "oh yeah, just forget about ellie, huh? that's what they all do" until you're like babe what??? 😭

✶ also i know that everyone says this but she really does own some weird ass shirts 😭😭 she'll get high and buy weird shit like that shirt that just says tomatoes it's so wild going through her closet lmaoo

✶ and because of her high shopping she also has some weird ass bongs like. seriously. there's a an astronaut one with octopus legs for sure, i can feel it.

✶ high ellie tweets>> she's actually so out of pocket sometimes 😭 some of her greatest hits would probs be

✶ also she was so nervous around you and wouldn't look you in the eye for too long because she didn't wanna scare you but then she got a little bold when she found out you liked girls and then was just straight up cocky when she realised you liked her, too (that blunt flick when dina said she wanted her to kiss her .. yeah that ellie)

✶ she's just the bestest, silliest, nerdiest girl ever and the best girlfriend literally anyone could ask for 💞💞

hey guys back with another banger hope you guys enjoyed make sure to like follow and subscribe‼️ no but seriously give me opinions because i love hearing you guys have little convos and the reposts are always so wild 😭😭 thank you new jersey, and goodnight (also don't look at the tags im shy) as alwaysss creds to @ cafekitsune bc these dividers are so mf cute

#˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ — reine writes ! #ellie williams #tlou2 #the last of us #ellie williams x reader #ellie williams headcanons #ellie williams x you #ellie williams x female reader #poc reader #dealer!ellie #dealer!ellie williams #dealer!ellie williams x reader #ellie tlou2 #ellie tlou #ellie the last of us #ellie williams the last of us #ellie williams tlou #ellie williams tlou2 #and thats how sue sees it #sorry for the impromptu glee reference

[spdrslayr]

003. atsv headcanons ! ★ pre collider jonathon ohnn x reader…

! pt. 2 - post collider hcs. ⁀➷ srcs... masterlist .rules. intro .

| synopsis, ୨♡୧ a little glimpse into your relationship with dr. johnathon ohnn.

★ tags -> gender neutral reader; johnathon ohnn; the spot; fluff; etc...

★ warnings -> cursing; johnathon being a meanie; mentions of trauma & abandonment

★ w.c -> 1,028

| xox, mei! ୨♡୧ -> earlier a centipede got into my room while i was bopping out to hyperpop. it scared me so much that i was able to leverage the fear into energy for writing.

he loves to make you laugh. johnathon’s such a  goof compared to other renowned scientists of his age and caliber. really, it’s a breath of fresh air. he knows how to have fun, especially with you.  he’ll crack the funniest joke at work only for his coworkers to look at him like: 😐😐😐; so it makes him really happy to know you think he’s funny. you both have so many inside jokes n stories that you’ll cherish forever.

he’s totally the type of person to make jokes whenever he’s nervous or unsure of what to say. he won you over by being silly!

he’ll say the meanest jokes about people you both don’t like, and it’s insanely funny. you think of your johnny as the sweetest boyfriend- but you have to admit, it’s kinda hot when he’s mean.

“if mr.fisk keeps crying about the mets- i’m gonna make sure this collider kills us all,” he grumbled under his breath.

“that annoying photographer visited alchemax again. what was his name…” he feigned innocence. “piper pickle?”

johnathon is such a nerd. it’s adorable how excited he gets about his favorite video games and movies. please indulge in his geeky interests!! he’d love love LOVE to watch some of his favorite sci-fi movies with you. he’ll talk over the entire movie, but it’s still nice to cuddle.

 if you don’t know how to play a certain video game of his, he’ll teach you. his voice is so soft n understanding, his breath tickling you while you cuddle. johnathon’s squished to your side, his large hands covering n guiding yours over the controller. and gets so giddy when you win something. all in all, he’s just happy to share something so dear to him with you.

imagine if it turned out one of his favorite characters (crushes cough cough) bore a striking resemblance to you. johnathon is mortified and you’re weirdly flattered (and planning an elaborate cosplay for a surprise.)

his intelligence drives you nuts. it’s INSANELY attractive to you how smart johnathon is. whenever he goes on a tangent about physics or some complicated mathematical concept, you get kind of dizzy listening to him. you don’t mean to, but after a while, you get too distracted by all of him to listen. he’s so passionate, his large hands and long fingers waving about to help emphasize his point. his eyes are sparkling too. his voice got a lot deeper when he (perfectly, by the way) pronounced the word “viscoelasticity” and you’re on cloud 9. this happens whether or not you can understand a word he’s saying. and if you’re not well versed in science, he never talks down to you when rambling. sure, he’s very proud to be a super-genius, but he’d never dream of looking down on other people because of it. 

you’re always asking him questions and he fucking loves it. DON’T ASK GOOGLE ABOUT SCIENCE SHIT. if you do he’ll be all pouty n sad.

“hey siri, what is the shape of an electron-”

he looks furious, letting out a scoff. “i’m right here. your smart-ass boyfriend is only a few feet away and you’re asking ol’ googly eyes!”

despite being a busy workaholic, he insists that he’s never too busy for you. if necessary, he’ll make time.

johnathon’s made it his mission to outsmart anyone who impresses you. “i’m not jealous i’m BETTER.”

johnathon adores cuddling you, especially after a stressful day. he just loves you so much that sometimes the only way he can express that to you is by holding you as close as humanly possible. johnathon adores every inch of your being and intends to appreciate every part of it, scars and all. one may expect him to be the big spoon because, well, long man- but it goes either way. sometimes he clutches you like his life depends on it and other times he just needs to bask in your embrace. it makes him feel safe, loved, and on his worst days, invincible.

when in bed, he’ll be running his big hands up and down your sides, rubbing circles into every dent n curve. his hands are hairy, so it’ll tickle a bit, but the way he massages you is nothing short of masterful. he’s so happy that you’re his, so he makes sure to savor you.

johnny loves it when you trace his tattoos. he thinks it’s so cute how much you love them, letting you ‘oooh’ and ‘awww’ as much as your pretty little heart desires. 

in the past he absolutely loathed going to alchemax events. being choked by a black tie for a whole ass evening while being forced to mingle with rich assholes is a nightmare for the poor man. but having you come along as his date makes the experience a more positive one. johnathon gets so smug, always delighted to show you off. like yeah, that’s MY s/o. yes they’re gorgeous and taken. by ME. he loves seeing you all dressed up, especially when you’re on his arm.

he’s an introvert, so he gets tired of all the socializing quickly. when that happens, he’ll wander around the venue with you (including places you aren’t allowed to be at-) to get some privacy (and make out.)

speaking of work, he has a picture of you on his desk. he has it placed at an angle so he can see it clearly, but so can anyone who walks in. 

johnnys practically screaming: “hey!! look at how beautiful my partner is!!!!”

he calls you baby. he’ll also call you dear, honey, and sweetheart, but baby the most. also counting babe. johnathon has a shit ton more cute nicknames for you and he is NOT afraid to use them.

“g’morning, baby,” he’ll murmur into the crook of your neck, in between sloppy wet kisses on your shoulder.

he passes by you in a rush, but not without pressing a big wet kiss to your check, “hi babe! :)”

“baaaaaabe where did you put the chips?” he can be whiny, especially with you.

“i love you, baby,” he’d tell you softly, cradling your face with his hand. his thumb is rubbing your bottom lip and you’re ready to faint.

#atsv #across the spider verse #across the spiderverse #atsv x reader #johnathon ohnn #johnathon ohnn x reader #the spot #the spot x reader #jonathan ohnn #jonathan ohnn x reader #johnathan ohnn #johnathan ohnn x reader

[dearharriet]

ooh and for steve, maybe something where it's reader's first day at the job where steve works and he's helping them out or maybe just a meet cute before they land the job

ty babe! fem!r (wc: 553)

No one is up front when you step into Family Video, so you pretend to look at the tape display to feel less awkward. It’s right beside the counter, so whenever someone emerges from the back (if they do at all), they’ll see you right away.

You’re not entirely certain what the theme of the display is supposed to be. It has The Sound of Music and Xanadu, so you guess musicals, but then Ghostbusters throws that all the way out.

You’re so concentrated on the puzzle that you don’t notice that an employee comes out until he clears his throat.

When you look up, a flock of nerves lights up in your stomach. The man at the counter is the kind of handsome that you’re never prepared to see for the first time, effortless and confident.

“Hi,” he says, and it’s more flirt than greeting. He leans on the counter, fluffing up his hair and smiling, and you’re hooked.

“Hi.”

You drift hesitantly toward the counter, shifting your bag over your shoulder. Eyes flicking down, you catch sight of his name tag, Steve-o stickered onto the plain black rectangle.

“How can I help you?”

Returning your attention to his face, you purse your lips shyly.

“I, um—I was wondering if there was someone I could talk to about working here?”

The boy’s eyes widen a little bit, and he seems to put himself back together, in a way. He’s not professional, by any means, but he’s all business.

“Oh, yeah.” His brows pull together in faux seriousness. “Are you kidding? You’ll fit right in.”

You laugh. “I can’t tell if you really mean that or not.”

Steve’s smile warms. “I do. Sorry.”

Suddenly, you really hope you get the job here.

“Okay,” you nod. “So, um…”

You look around, to the door leading to the back room. Steve perks up.

“Oh, uh, yeah.” Forearms on the counter, he leans toward you, a good gossip-length away. “He’s not here, actually. But I can put in a good word for you, and tell him you’ll be back tomorrow?”

“Oh, sure,” you agree, a little breathless from his big eyes and sweet voice. “I’ll, um—I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

You step back, and Steve almost looks like he’d crawl over the counter to follow you.

“Well hey—uh. Keith is gonna ask about your favorite movies, probably. He’s—” Steve glances around like he’s checking for eavesdroppers. “He’s kinda pretentious, yknow. Picky.”

You nod slowly.

“Is this his display? Cause I mean, these ones aren’t half bad.”

Grinning, Steve shakes his head.

“Nah, that’s mine, actually. Killer Soundtracks.”

“Ohh.”

With another pass through his hair, Steve pops over to the cart behind the counter, a picking through the tapes there for something. He returns to you with a stack of three.

“Keith’s a nerd, so, uh. Sci-fi is the way to go. These three don’t have to be your favorite, but he’s gonna bring ‘em up.” He slides them over to you. “On me. Just give ‘em back tomorrow, kay?”

Blinking, you take the stack between nimble fingers.

“Oh, are you sure?”

A girl appears from the back then, making a slow and obviously nosey gander back to the counter. Steve ignores her, still folded over the bench.

“‘Course, babe.” He winks a long-lashed eye. “Pretty privilege.”

+

thank u for reading! xx

masterlist

#steve harrington #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things drabble #stranger things fic #stranger things imagine #stranger things blurb #steve harrington x you #steve harrington blurb #steve harrington fic #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington x reader fanfic #steve harrington stranger things #request

[sullyfortress]

Hey, what’s your take on the whole: Avatar is kinda insulting to Indigenous people?

Ok this is actually a topic I have been curious about covering for a long time.

Let me start off by saying I am white.

I only the last year or two realised the problematic elements in the Avatar James Cameron franchise. I think whats important to remember is that elements of this movie were inspired by native culture - and really the act of colonizing.

The movie is also I think a take on human nature. Humans have shown that we cannot and do not learn from the mistakes of the past. If we - when we discover another planet with life - I don't doubt we will again act superior and fuck up another world. To me the biggest part of this franchise that I've always loved is the battle between technology and nature.

I have loved the world since I was 10. This was a franchise that I bonded over with my grandpa who is a sci-fi nerd like me.

It's only as I've matured that I've actually connected the dots. That their are people who feel that this franchise has stolen features of their culture. And it has - you cannot deny that the Na'vi are heavily influenced by Native cultures of America. I feel really humbled to learn about my own ignorance and priviledge related to the history of America in particular and how indigenoius people have been effected and are still effected.

I know James Cameron has made some unsavory comments. I don't know all the details, but I know he has said things to upset alot of people.

I have debated several times ending this tumblr and my commissions because of the recent harm and emotions related to the franchise.

I'm not gonna pretend that I know shit, if there is a follower of mine who is indigenious and has more insight into this subject, I welcome the insight. I want to be more educated. At heart I am an artist and I like to make art and I love science fiction and space.

#avatar way of water #avatar the way of water

[ghosttotheparty]

Can you do Nr. 51.  “If this was a romantic comedy, we would’ve kissed by now.” for Steddie?

almost squealed out loud when i read this prompt it’s so cute cw: mention of drug use

51. If this was a romantic comedy, we would’ve kissed by now. (also changed this slightly to fit) dialogue prompts!!

“When’d my life turn into a fuckin’ horror movie?”

Steve looks up at Eddie’s voice, finding him pulling the laces of his shoes tighter, his hair hiding his face. When his laces are done he falls back in his seat, leaning against the wall, looking outside at where the others are still… Preparing, Steve guesses, is the best word for it.

The kids are figuring out the spears and shields, Nancy is showing Robin how to shoot the sawed-off shotgun. Just in case.

“That’s a good question,” Steve mutters, following his gaze to watch.

“Looks like… some kinda indie movie,” Eddie says, watching as Max makes fun of Lucas and Erica laughs, pointing at him.

“One with a happy ending?” Steve asks softly.

“…Yeah.”

“We’ll go with that, then.”

Steve reaches down to tighten his shoelaces again. Just because.

“If this were a chick flick you’d be back with Wheeler already,” Eddie says snarkily, and Steve suppresses an eye-roll.

“Good thing it’s not a chick flick, then,” he mutters.

“I thought you liked her,” Eddie says, leaning back comfortably, like they’re best buds, just hanging out, instead of preparing to fight to prevent the end of the world.

“Yeah, I did,” Steve says. “Past tense.”

“Uh-huh,” Eddie says doubtfully.

“She’s cool,” Steve says, re-tying his shoes after tangling the laces. “But we’re… we wouldn’t work out. We’re friends.”

“Uh-huh.” He sounds less doubtful.

“And don’t even start telling me to ask Robin out,” Steve says, exasperated. “Dustin will not leave me alone about that.”

He expected a Why not? but Eddie just laughs in a way that makes his nose scrunch up adorably.

“Nah, I wouldn’t do that,” Eddie says. “I gotta feeling you’re not really her type.”

Steve snorts.

“Definitely not.”

He finishes with his laces, sighing and leaning back. They’re quiet for a moment, like neither of them wants to leave.

“If you could pick a movie genre for your life,” Eddie says, “what would you pick?”

“Uhm.” Steve sighs. “Maybe comedy.”

“Eh.” Eddie makes a face. Steve laughs softly.

“What’s wrong with comedy?”

“Nothing,” Eddie says. “But so much of it is based on, like, embarrassing moments. I think if my life was a comedy, I’d wanna kill myself.”

Steve laughs again, shifting in his seat.

“What would you choose, then?”

Eddie looks up at him, staring blankly, quietly, his eyes flicking across Steve’s face for a moment, and curiosity builds in Steve’s chest.

“Maybe one of those weird art films,” Eddie says finally, but Steve feel like he’s lying. “That doesn’t really make any sense. No plot.”

“That’s what you’d want your life to be?”

Eddie shrugs.

“Kinda feels like that’s what my life already is.”

Steve laughs softly, turning back to look out the window. Dustin and Lucas are sword fighting with the spears as Max and Erica watch, shaking their heads, probably calling them nerds. Robin and Nancy are chucking pine cones at a tree, aiming for something Steve can’t see from here.

“Yeah,” he says quietly. “Me too.”

Eddie moves to sit next to him, looking out the window, watching the kids with a soft smile on his face.

“We can make it something else,” he says softly. “Some kinda fantasy, sci-fi… something.”

“One where the good guys win,” Steve adds quietly, tracing Eddie’s profile with his eyes. The bridge of his nose, the curve of his eyelashes, his lips.

Eddie’s smile widens as he watches the kids before he looks at Steve, meeting his eyes.

“Yeah,” he says. “One where the good guys win.”

Steve sighs. He wants to fall against him, to bury his face in his neck and hold him close until everything passes them by. Until it’s all over.

But he can’t do that.

“Well,” he says quietly, clapping Eddie on the back and standing. “Into battle, then.”

—————————

The bandage on Eddie’s cheek itches.

It’s driving him a little crazy, but he doesn’t touch it. He’s sitting on his own hands.

The hallway he’s in is almost silent, except for the ticking of the clock on the wall and the quiet, muffled, distant noises of the hospital. And Steve’s and Robin’s breathing.

Steve’s back and arms are covered in bandages too. He’s wearing a sweatshirt now, one that they got from Eddie’s trailer before they were taken to the hospital by some government people. Eddie doesn’t know what’s happening, but he doesn’t bother asking. He’ll find out if he has to.

Eddie ignores the way he feels about Steve wearing his sweatshirt.

Eddie’s sides are sore from the stitches, and he’s eaten three blueberry muffins so the painkillers he took don’t make him loopy, but he still feels unsteady, shaky. He blinks slowly when the floor starts to swim.

“We won,” he says quietly. His voice still echoes around the hallway. “Right?”

“Yeah, Eddie,” Robin says. “We won.”

Eddie exhales, leaning back in his seat, moving his hands, and he starts to reach for his cheek before he stops himself. Robin notices it too and grabs his hand gently, holding it. It’s quiet for another few moments.

And then a laugh bursts out of Steve.

Eddie snorts, looking around Robin at him.

“The fuck is so funny?”

“I don’t know,” he says, laughing again, shaking his head. “We fucking won. Holy shit.”

“Yeah,” Robin says, staring wide-eyed at the ground, nodding. “Holy shit.”

Steve takes her other hand. Eddie lays his head on her shoulder, sighing.

“Mr Harrington?” a woman’s voice says after a long while, and an old nurse comes through the door to the empty hall, finding the three of them. She gives Steve a friendly smile. “I’ve been asked to give you a hearing and vision test.”

“Oh,” Steve says. “You don’t… need to do that.”

“I’m afraid we don’t have a choice,” she says, making a sympathetic face. “Orders from Dr Owens. Concussions can cause issues with hearing and vision, and we know you’ve had your fair share.”

Steve stares at her, and she stares back. Eddie wonders if she has grandchildren to practice dealing with stubborn patients. Robin pushes at Steve.

“Go, get it over with.”

Steve huffs, getting up to follow her out. Eddie hears him tell her, “I don’t need glasses,” before the door shuts behind them. Robin puts her head on Eddie’s.

After a while, the door opens again and Max appears, her left arm in a cast.

“Hey, Red,” Eddie says softly. “What’s up?”

“Uh.” She takes a breath, looking away anxiously. “My mom’s on her way.”

“Everything okay?” Robin asks.

“Yeah, I just…” She looks away again. “I don’t really wanna be alone.”

“You want me to wait with you?” Robin asks. Eddie sits up straight as Max nods. “Will you wait for Steve?” she asks Eddie.

“Yeah, ‘course.”

Eddie watches them go, watches Robin wrap an arm around Max’s shoulders before the door shuts behind them. The hallway falls silent again. He sticks his hands under his thighs.

And he waits. Listens to the ticking of the clock, to his own breathing, closing his eyes and letting his head rest against the wall. He only opens them when the door opens again, and Steve comes over to sit heavily in the seat Robin sat in before she left.

“I need glasses.”

A laugh bursts out of Eddie.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

Eddie laughs again and looks at the floor as Steve lets his head rest against the wall.

“Where’s Robin?”

“She went with Max— Wait a fucking second.”

“Hm?”

“This whole time, you haven’t been able to see?” Eddie says loudly.

“I can see,” Steve says defensively, lifting his head but still slouching. “Just not well.”

“Oh my god.”

“Or hear very well. My left ear isn’t good, apparently.”

“Holy shit.”

“‘S fine.”

Steve sighs, looking up at the ceiling. Eddie lets it go even though he desperately wants to know why Steve hasn’t done anything about either of these things. There’s no way he just… hasn’t noticed.

“Where’d Max and Robin go?” Steve asks.

“Uh, Max’s mom is on her way here. Might be here already, I don’t know. Max didn’t wanna be alone.”

Steve nods quietly.

“Where are your parents, Harrington?” Eddie asks, copying him, leaning against the wall, still looking at him.

He shrugs.

“God knows,” he says quietly. “They didn’t tell me this time.”

“Jesus,” Eddie breathes. “You know where they’re coming back?”

Steve shakes his head slowly, his eyes trained unblinkingly on the ground.

“Gonna be a bitch when they do, though,” he says softly. “Last time they were here, I…” He takes a breath. “I heard them talking about selling the house.”

“Like… the house?”

Steve nods.

“Which means,” he says, “I’ll need to find a place to live. Hopefully they leave me some money for an apartment or something, because…” He shakes his head.

“Jesus.”

“Yeah.” He pauses. “Sometimes it’s like… like they’ve forgotten I even exist.”

Eddie listens, shifting in his seat to face him.

“They don’t say hi when they come home, they don’t tell me when they’re going when they leave, or where they’re going, or how long they’ll be gone, and sometimes I wonder if they come home and like… wonder whose car is in the driveway. Wonder who’s been using the kitchen or… or doing laundry.”

“Steve,” Eddie starts quietly, but Steve keeps talking.

“Wonder if they’ve just… like, suppressed their memories of me on purpose. If they know I’m just a fuck up so they pretend I don’t exist.”

“Steve,” Eddie snaps. Steve blinks, looking up at home, his cheeks flushing like he’s just realised he’s talking out loud. Eddie softens. “Thought you were done with all that King Steve shit.”

Steve blinks again, this time in confusion.

“Huh?”

Eddie sighs.

“If you’re… turning over a new leaf. Being a better person. You gotta be nicer to yourself too.” He looks into Steve’s eyes. “You’re not a fuck up.”

Steve looks away.

“Habits are hard to beat.”

“You’re telling the Hawkins local druggie habits are hard to beat?” Eddie says, smiling.

“Thought you were the dealer.”

“Yeah, now.” Eddie shifts in his seat. “Everything I’ve sold, I’ve used. Some are hard to kick.” He pauses, his voice quieting. “Why do you think I’m twenty-one, in high school, and living with my uncle in a trailer park?”

Steve is quiet for a moment before,

“This is a depressing movie.”

Eddie laughs, almost giggling, squeezing his eyes shut. His cheek hurts.

“Yeah,” he says. “It is.”

“Why are we still here?” Steve asks, looking around the hallway. “Should we go somewhere?”

“Yeah, I think this hallway is sucking our souls out.”

“C’mon,” Steve says, standing up, and Eddie starts to follow, but he probably should have had more water, or more blueberry muffins, or something, because his vision goes dark after a second as he’s stepping forward, and he hears Steve’s voice say something before he’s falling over and Steve is catching him, stumbling and falling to ground with Eddie in his arms.

“Fuck!” Steve says sharply, and Eddie groans loudly, pain zipping through his whole body as they hit the floor.

“I’m sorry,” he says weakly, trying to sit up as he feels Steve’s chest rise and fall, because fuck, Steve is crying and it’s Eddie’s fault, and shit, Eddie can’t get up, and Steve is…

Laughing.

“Steve?”

“God, that fucking hurt,” Steve says, still laughing, his arms around Eddie as Eddie rests on top of him.

“Why are you laughing?” Eddie questions, but he can’t help but start to giggle too.

“I don’t know,” Steve laughs. “I have no idea.”

Eddie snorts and lets his head fall to Steve’s chest, both of them shaking as they laugh.

“There’s something wrong with us,” Eddie says, wincing as his sides hurt again.

“Definitely,” Steve says, a hand running over Eddie’s back gently.

Gently. So gently that it makes Eddie want to cry even as he giggles.

They hold each other as they laugh, Eddie’s arms finding their way around Steve’s neck after a few moments, their legs twining, and it all suddenly comes crashing down around Eddie.

That they made it. They’re okay. They fucking won.

When they finally stop laughing Eddie lifts his head from where it’s resting on Steve’s chest, and he looks down at him. Steve’s eyes are shining with tears, and his cheeks are rosy, and his hair is fanned out on the white floor under them. And Eddie feels himself fall in love.

“Oh,” Steve breathes, his smile faltering, his eyes widening.

“What?” Eddie whispers.

“Uhm.” Steve’s throat bobs as he swallows. “Remember how I… can’t see super well?”

“Yeah?”

Eddie realises how close they are.

“You’re really pretty,” Steve says softly, a hand finding Eddie’s cheek carefully over the bandage.

Eddie’s cheeks flush with heat and he just… looks at him. At his wet eyelashes and red cheeks and the moles that are scattered across his skin. Eddie wants to count them. He wants to kiss them.

He doesn’t realise how long he’s been staring until Steve speaks.

“If this was a romantic comedy, we’d kiss right now.”

His voice is soft. Eddie melts.

“Only if one of us was a girl.”

Steve gives him an eye roll so powerful Eddie is surprised it doesn’t cause an earthquake.

“Can you shut your cynical heart up?” Steve says quietly. One of his hands moves to push Eddie’s hair back. “Pretend they make movies about people like us.”

Eddie leans his head down, his eyes trained on Steve’s lips. They’re pink. How are they so pink?

“Do we have to be in a movie?” he asks quietly, his eyes fluttering shut when Steve’s hand pushes into his hair. “Wouldn’t real life be better?”

Steve pulls him down a little more by the back of his head.

“Yeah,” he breathes. “It would.”

Eddie kisses him.

Softly. Carefully.

Gently.

Steve’s hand tightens in his hair when Eddie pulls away to take a breath, pulling him back down, and Eddie grins against his lips. Steve lets out a soft noise when Eddie slips his tongue over his lip tentatively, and he shifts then, holding Eddie in his arms as he rolls them over on the floor so Eddie is under him.

Eddie whimpers, his arms wrapping around Steve’s neck, and Steve tilts his head, kissing Eddie like he’s trying to soothe him, like kissing his mouth will heal the wounds on his sides and chest. One of his hands finds Eddie’s neck, lightly dancing over the cut that was too shallow to be bandaged. Eddie’s legs wrap around his hips, a strangled noise escaping him.

“Okay?” Steve gasps breathlessly, looking down at him.

“Mhmm.”

Eddie pulls him back down, kissing him hard, furrowing his brows and squeezing his eyes shut, letting his mouth fall open for Steve’s tongue, but they rip their mouths away from each other when the door opens.

It hurts too much to scramble away, but Steve sits up a little bit, and Eddie tilts his head back to see the door upside down. Robin is standing in the doorway, blocking it from the outside hallway, staring at them.

“Why on the floor?” she asks, clearly judging them, and Steve looks down at Eddie. Their eyes meet, and then they’re laughing again, so hard Eddie’s stomach aches and even Robin starts to laugh.

“Rom-com,” Steve says when their laughing quiets, and it just sends them into another spiral. Robin just shuts the door.

#im having way too much fun with these s #thank you for the request!!! <333 #steddie #steddie ficlet #steve harrington #steve harrinton ficlet #eddie munson #eddie munson ficlet #stranger things #stranger things ficlet

[beautification-tales]

The Deal

Marsha's heart thundered as she took in the sight of her former best friend, Tom, sitting across from her in the crowded campus coffee shop. It had been weeks since they'd last spoken, and the air between them was thick with tension. Marsha took a deep breath, summoning the courage to confront him about why he'd stopped talking to her. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it than just the usual drama that seemed to plague every friendship at that age. There had to be a reason why Tom had suddenly gone cold, why he'd stopped returning her calls and texts. As she watched him sip his coffee, she wondered if he would ever tell her the truth.

Marsha couldn't help but remember the days when she and Tom were inseparable. They'd been outcast nerds in high school, bonding over their shared love of sci-fi novels and video games. Tom had always been the energetic one, while she'd been content to sit in the background, watching him shine. Even when they'd both started attending college, they'd managed to see each other at least weekly. But then, out of nowhere, it all seemed to change. One day, he simply stopped responding to her messages, and she was left feeling hurt and confused.

As she stared at him across the table now, she couldn't help but notice that he looked a bit different. He still was wearing glasses but his style had changed and so did his body. Marsha almost gasped as she saw that his arms were as thick and full of muscle. Tom’s face had familiar features but his jawline was more pronounced. Marsha felt her heart beat faster as she noticed his perfect smile as he noticed her approach.

"Hey, Marsha," he said softly, his voice deeper now. "What's up? Haven't seen you around in a while." Marsha’s face became red with anger. “Tom… I literally texted you every day!” she exclaimed. Tom looked away, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed nervously. "Look, I'm sorry," he finally said. "Things have been... complicated."

Marsha raised an eyebrow, not buying his excuse. "Complicated? Tom, you haven't even told me what happened! We were best friends, remember? Why did you just stop talking to me?" Tom sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "I guess... I met someone."

“No…I deserve better than that… plus it’s been like two months. How did you meet someone and change so much?”

Tom looked away again, his face flushing slightly. "It's complicated," he repeated. "I joined a gym, and it’s like I went through a second puberty. It’s like my body always wanted to be like this.” He flexed his arm and smiled. “Let’s just say it wasn’t hard to find a girlfriend after that.”

Marsha felt a pang of hurt deep in her chest as she looked at him. He did look good, she had to admit. But it wasn't fair for him to just drop her like a bad habit. "So, what?" she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "You're just going to lie to me like I’m stupid? Why aren’t you telling me the truth?”

Marsha knew Tom too well and knew there was something he was keeping from her.

“Tom who is this?” A woman asked as she sat next to Tom.

"Oh, hey babe," Tom said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "This is Marsha, my math tutor ." She glared at him. "We were just talking about an upcoming math test," he explained, trying to sound casual. "Marsha was just wondering why I haven't been returning her calls and stuff."

"Oh, hi," the woman said, smiling awkwardly at Marsha. "I'm Amy.I can take the blame for that. I have been keeping him very busy lately." She placed her arm under Tom’s and leaned against him. Amy was gorgeous. She had long, wavy blonde hair that fell over her shoulders and deep blue eyes. She was curvy in all the right places, and she had a confident air about her that made Marsha feel self-conscious.

Marsha’s lip quivered as she wanted to expose Tom’s lie but he looked at her with an expression that she knew well. He was begging her to keep quiet. Amy seemed to be oblivious to it as she continued to talk. “You know how big dumb jocks are. Neglecting their studies so they can please their girlfriends…all night long.” Tom spit out some coffee as he blushed. Amy smiled and put her hand in his lap.

“Babe c’mon we’re in public." Tom’s eyes fluttered as Amy massaged his thigh. Amy cupped her other hand and whispered something into Tom’s ear. Tom squirmed in his chair as Amy spoke again. “Well I gotta go but it was nice meeting you Martha.”

“Marsha” Tom and Marsha said in unison. “ Right, Mar-sha, Byeee.” Amy got up sauntered away and looked back at Tom hoping he was watching her leave. She smiled and blew him a kiss when she saw that he was. Tom turned back to Marsha. “Look I have to go that booty calls.” Marsha scowled in disgust.

“Tom! I deserve better than this! You just lied to me and now to your so called “girlfriend”… actually you’ve been lying to her for a while right? Big dumb jock? You were top of our class!” Marsha exclaimed, anger filling her voice. Tom looked around as people were now looking at their table. He leaned in and whispered, "Look, I'm sorry. It's complicated. Can we just not make a scene?" Marsha took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Fine. But I want answers. You owe me that much."

“Fine meet me at my dorm room tonight. I’ll explain everything… I promise. Now… I…have to take care of this.” Tom got up from his seat as Marsha gasped. Tom’s bulge in his pants was extremely noticeable as Marsha realized more than just his muscles had grown. Marsha’s face turned red as she couldn’t keep her eyes off it as he slowly walked outside. Marsha watched him embrace Amy outside as they walked with purpose.

That evening, Marsha made her way to Tom's dorm room, her heart pounding with a mixture of anger, confusion, and fear. The door was ajar, and she could hear muffled laughter coming from within. She took a deep breath and pushed it open, steeling herself for whatever might be waiting on the other side.

The room was lit by soft lamplight, casting an intimate glow over the two figures on the bed. Tom and Amy were curled up together, their bodies entwined as they kissed passionately. Marsha finally grunted to get their attention. Amy quickly covered herself under the covers. “Ick, get out! Don’t people know how to knock in this building? Tom why do you keep forgetting to lock the door?” Marsha walked out as Amy covered herself with Tom’s bedsheet. Marsha stood in the hall and listened to Amy yell at Tom.

“She’s a weirdo Tom. What tutor just walks into a room without knocking first? I don’t care if you’re overdue for a session. She clearly has a crush on you. Jealous? Of that mousy geek? You know what Tom? Have fun doing equations and shit.” Amy opened the door fully dressed. “He’s all yours Mar-SHA” Amy gave an annoyed look and rushed past Marsha in a huff. Tom was wearing shorts sitting on his bed. The smell of sex and sweat were present even with the window open.

“You couldn’t knock?” Tom looked up at Marsha. She took a seat and faced him, “You couldn’t close the door and lock it while you fucked her?” She quipped back. Tom shrugged, he leaned back placing both hands on his head. He let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.

“C..Can you put a shirt on?” Marsha almost blushed as she found herself unable to stop looking at his bare chest. “You like what you see? So much better than that skinny chest you remember.” Marsha stayed quiet for a moment not wanting to admit her lust for her friend’s new developments.

“Don’t try to distract me from what I want to know Tom. Why did you ghost me? How did you change in just 2 months? Why did you lie to Amy?” Tom took a deep breath, looking her straight in the eye, and finally answered, "I didn't mean to ghost you, but I was offered a deal... a chance to change everything. To become the best of the best. And it came with a price."

"What price?" Marsha demanded, her curiosity piqued despite herself. Tom hesitated, glancing around to make sure they were alone. When he spoke, his voice was low and urgent. "I made a deal with a succubus . She offered me this body, this strength... everything I ever wanted in exchange for something I can’t tell you."

He paused, letting the weight of his words hang in the air. "Look, I know it sounds crazy, but I had to do something. I was nothing, just a nobody. And now look at me. I'm popular, I'm dating Amy... I'm happy."

Marsha could almost feel tears welling up in her eyes. "But what about me, Tom? What about our friendship? Did you just forget about me?"

Tom reached out and took her hand, squeezing it gently. "No, I didn't forget. I just... I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want you to think I was some freak. I was scared." He hesitated again before continuing. "Look, I want you to know that I'm still the same person inside. I still care about you, and I want to be your friend. But... there are things I can't change now. This is who I am, and I have to live with it."

Her heart ached at his words, but she couldn't deny the truth in them. She squeezed his hand back, trying to reassure him that everything would be okay. "I understand, Tom. I'm just... I'm just surprised, that's all. It's a lot to take in."

They sat there in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Then, suddenly, Tom stood up and pulled her to her feet. He leaned down, his face inches from hers, and kissed her gently on the lips. It was chaste, and sweet, and filled with the same friendship and affection they'd always shared. When he pulled back, they were both blushing.

“Ungh no! Not now.” Tom exclaimed as Marsha felt a poke in her pelvis. She stepped back in shock.

“I’m so sorry … it’s a side effect of this new body. It has a mind of its own.”

Marsha felt a surge of confidence. “Or maybe it knows what you want.” She shot him a playful smirk. She instantly put her hand in his shorts as Tom groaned. “Whoa… Marsh..” Tom tried to pull away but Marsha quickly gripped his member. “Shhhh , it all makes sense now. The ghosting, the bimbo girlfriend, the open door.” She increased her speed after lowering his shorts.

“Ungh, fuck ! Yes it was fun making you jealous.” Tom gasped as Marsha continued to stroke him, her hand moving up and down his length. Her touch was hot and wet, and it felt so good. He arched his back, pressing his hips forward, wanting more of her. He reached down and cupped her breast through her shirt, feeling the softness of her skin and the hardness of her nipple.

“If Amy could see you now… she would be the jealous one… what did she call me? A mousy geek?” She sneered as she continued to stroke him, her other hand reaching down to play with his balls. Tom couldn't help but moan, the pleasure building inside him.

“Marsha… where did you unnnh… so good.” Tom groaned, his hips bucking against her hand. His body felt like it was on fire, and he was so close to cumming. He wanted to give her what she wanted, to make her feel the same pleasure she was giving him. Tom also couldn’t explain why Marsha’s touch felt even better than anything he had ever felt.

“You did this for me didn’t you? Made a deal with a succubus for a sexy body, for this amazing cock? Mmm look at that precum…. Makes my mouth water.” She leaned down and licked his tip, tasting the salty fluid. Tom cried out, his hips jerking involuntarily as his eyes rolled back in ecstasy. Marsha giggled knowing she had complete control over him. “Ungh the power! Is that how it feels like when you’re with Amy? Knowing their addicted to you? Well let me tell you Tom, it feels so much better when there are true feelings involved. When they're desperate for it. Trust me Tom I want all of you, mind and body. I want you to cum all over me Tom. I want to feel you inside me.” Marsha quickly got on her knees and began sucking. “W..wait Marsha! You don’t know what you’re doing. The succubus said women won’t be able to resist me… so I stayed away.” Marsha’s head continued to Bob up and down on his cock.

She popped off and looked up at him while using both hands to pump his member. “Is it because you love me?” Tom looked down with a face of concern “I didn’t want to take advantage unnn fuck”

“I want you to say it then I want you to cum” she pumped harder as Tom began to twitch.

“I…I love you. I’ve always loved you!” Tom shuddered as he felt his balls begin to empty as cum purged from his cock. Marsha smiled as it covered her face then immediately evaporated.

Tom jerked back in surprise. “A normal woman wouldn’t be able to resist you. A succubus however…. Well they can love you for you. Oh mmmm fuck that felt good to say out loud.” Marsha tilted her head back and began to moan.

A purple flame enveloped Marsha as her mousy brown hair turned a bright orange. The pale skin became tan and her puny stature grew immediately. The clothes morphed into black lingerie as her hips widened and breasts blossomed. Tom gulped as before him now was the buxom, gorgeous succubus who he made a deal with. Marsha panted as if she had just been running a race, her breasts heaving up and down.

“Well I guess I have some explaining to do”

-Marsha will return-

#beautification #transformation #breast expansion #bimboification #f2f transformation #ass expansion #slutification #male transformation

[welcometogrouchland]

I also think it's nice that they made Camilla a sci-fi nerd and Luz a fantasy nerd. They're genres that are often seen as completely opposing one another by many people, which is what we're led to believe about Luz and Camilla in season 1. Luz is silly, nerdy, frequently in over her head and irresponsible and loves the boiling isles. We're led to believe that Camilla is the normal, conventional TV mother who'd be disgusted and terrified by the demon realm if she saw it.

Then yesterday's lie gives us a lot of nuance to this, and we realize that while they're still very different and now on opposite sides of a conflict, both mother and daughter are incredibly kind people (seen in their treatment of Vee) who love each other but struggle to make the right choices without hurting one another.

Then thanks to them drops all this Camilla characterization and we realize! She was a nerd too this whole time! The wedge between Camilla and Luz is motivated by past traumas and grief! and for the future has them switching sides on the central conflict of where Luz should stay (Camilla now wanting Luz in the demon realm because it's what's best for her, and Luz believing that staying in the human realm is what's best for the people she loves). They finally talk and realize that, like Willow pointed out earlier in the ep, the two are so alike. Camilla reveals that she's a secret nerd too! That she had a hard time growing up and accidentally hurt Luz trying to save her from the same fait! It's so important to me that Camilla keeps calling Luz a good witch. It's affirming her interests and goals, reminding her that she's just as good as the hero of her favorite story. And Luz finally only realizes that she wants to be understood...when she's finally able to understand her mom. When she realizes that the woman she loves and admires is just as much of a nerdy screw-up as her and that there's hope for her. Her palismen ends being multiple animals at once, showing both how Luz making unconventional choices (like carving an egg) keeps paying off for her and how her potential is limitless now that she finally knows and accepts her own goals, but to me it also reminds of the fact that Camilla is a vet and passed a love of all the weird and unliked animals (like wolves, possums, snakes, etc) to her.

It's just so so sweet and it really shows how much love and thought the crew put into this mother daughter storyline (FTF haters are not welcome on this page, respectfully). I can't wait to see how both of these misunderstood but healing women (who radiate "little/big sister" and "mom" energy respectively) are gonna interact with a) the lonely, easily manipulated and well intentioned but ignorant collector (a mix of both their interests as a magic being with a space motif! I just realized that lol) and b) the nasty puritan white man who's really obsessed with conforming to society's norms even when it literally doesn't benefit him at all.

Anyway, I believe in noceda( AND clawthorne 👀) family supremacy 💙

#the owl house #toh #toh spoilers #luz noceda #camilla noceda #this isn't proofread so if there's words missing or misspellings or somethings unclear feel free to mention #but this is just a messy thought dump #I have a ROUGH WEEK. I wish there was a more positive vibe in the fandom rn (although i kinda get it but also :( sad) #but there isn't one i will create it #tentatively I don't have a responsibility to do that I just wanna talk about things i noticed and like #i am going to post reqs just u wait. bitch! #also uhhhh other things i thought while making this post but couldn't include: #hunter and gus being fantasy trekkies is really funny and cute but also fits really well with both of their characters #gus has always been in love with the human realm and this is the ultimate neat little bow on that. #he's dressed as a character he relates to (captain avery trying to get back home to the family he loves) and his interest is uniquely human #bc sci-fi is kinda uniquely rooted in/associated w/ the human realm in toh. even in something like Belos' steampunk tech #SPEAKING OF. hunter oh my GODDD #he gets so attached to the human realm in TTT bc he's finally somewhere safe (he's always been entrenched in the most- #-toxic parts of the demon realm and it's culture which is ironically propelled forward by one humans influence) #and it's like a part of him is reclaiming his weird split heritage. he loves magic and he loves sci-fi and he's silly abt both #he's not a witch or a human and he's happy. or at least he will be #anyway. i love this shows relationship to fiction it is sweet and comforting and funny

[chiriwritesstuff]

Random Headcanons from Random Characters in 'The Girl in IT' Pt. 2 - Sugar

Who is our Joel without his Sugar? Meet the girl behind 'The Girl in IT'! Read Joel's Headcanons here!

Sugar had a very privileged, yet lonely childhood. Her father was a workaholic and her mother was a too-busy socialite, so Sugar only had her grandmother who immigrated to the States at the insistence of her daughter. Sugar's grandmother was her entire world, and when she passed when she was in high school, the last thing her grandmother asked her was if she had a boyfriend yet, which gave her a weird complex. This happened to me with my own grandmother and her passing, and it very much gave me a complex.

That being said, Sugar really did not have an intended set of features when I thought her up. She is you, she is me, she is all of us! (if you want).

If Sugar wasn't in IT, she would definitely be in film. Sugar loves films, and is determined to watch the movies she loves with Joel.

Sugar is very socially awkward and challenged! She has a close group of friends but normally keeps to herself. She hates going to bars, or clubs and only went on dating apps at the insistence of her friends. She hated it.

Sugar once shared with Joel how she has never felt like she had a home, always feeling like a stranger in someone else's house when she was growing up. She wasn't allowed to run through the house or invite anyone over, and it affected her greatly. This prompted Joel to ask her what her dream home would be, and well...

Besides Joel, Ellie is her favorite person. Ellie was the first person to visit her office when she started at Miller Construction group, asking her about her taste in music. If there is something that Sugar loves more than film, it's music. Ellie normally hangs around Sugar's office if she's not out on the field with Tommy.

Sir Bubbles is her grandmother's cat.

She dances when she feels strong positive emotions - when she is happy, excited, or in love. Joel loves this about her and will take any chance to grab her and slow dance.

She is also a sci-fi nerd and loves that one actor who plays The Mandalorian... wink wink. "Don't you think you look a lot like him, Joel?" she teases.

#The Girl in IT #Sugar's Headcanon #pedro pascal #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller x reader #joel miller #joel miller x you #pedro pascal fanfiction #joel miller x female reader #joel tlou #joel the last of us

[tossawary]

The strangest "Fusion AU" (alternate universe based on another book/movie/etc.) I have in my notes for SVSSS and Moshang is probably a Transformers AU. I just cannot resist space opera sci-fi worldbuilding and finding parallel themes in constructed worlds. (I swear it would be cool! Trust me, bro! It would be SO COOL, bro!)

It's on my to-do list for next year as a self-indulgent one shot. I am aware that the intersection of SVSSS fans and Transformers fans is... possibly not a large group of people, though I KNOW that some of you fellow nerds are out there, so I intend to write it in such a way that knowledge of either SVSSS or Transformers is not necessarily required to understand the story even if knowledge of both would enhance it.

Anyway, I keep cracking up at the mental image of authors using AUs as the cheese of getting a dog to eat a medical pill. The pill in this case is one or more the author's other interests, including things like Egyptian archaeology or facts about fish or the Silmarillion (I have seen all of these things), though there are definitely people who would happily gobble down the pill by itself (I have known actual dogs like this).

Don't mind me over here, slathering an introduction to Transformers lore in peanut butter! (Lying:) This will be totally unrelated to the peanut butter I may offer you later!

#tossawary svsss #tossawary transformers #svsss transformers au #tossawary fandom

[s1ater]

promise me nothing.

pairings. steve harrington x fem!reader

about. steve and you cross paths, only for him to find out some bad news about you.

warnings. foul language, s4 spoilers sorta

ricky rocks. anotha one 😼🙌 also part two or nah?

“long time, no see, harrington,” you nod as you pass him before looking up and unintentionally connecting eyes with five other people at once. “and children…”

you nod again in acknowledgement, getting a good look at them all before making a move to walk away from the car they were all huddled around, but steve grabs your arm, “hey, what’s going on?”

“i don’t know what you mean.”

he rolls his eyes, still holding your bicep firmly. he tips his head toward the swarm of law enforcement in the front of a house before raising a brow, “you’re telling me this is nothing?”

“just about.”

“y/n.”

“what?”

“i think we need to talk.”

you and steve go back; way back since pre-school days, and although neither of you were ever truly close, there was a mutual understanding that you both had each other’s backs.

you both came from similar backgrounds; life set up since day one, given nice cars, lived in nice houses, and grew up in the hawkins country club aspect for loser adults trying to relive high school popularity by flaunting money.

and you were only tied more together by the strange and abnormal encounters and fights for life against the sci-fi creatures that had no faces and were covered from head to toe in slime—that eventually turned into something way bigger than the mind could fathom.

ever since the mall fire during the summer after senior year, you hadn’t seen steve or any of his nerd posse—till now.

you almost thought you were seeing things, but then again, you should have guessed that when anything remotely strange or out of the normal happened in hawkins, they’d always turn up, immediately on the case.

just never this fast.

“i think i’m dying.”

“what?”

you stood in front of steve, nancy, robin, and three of his freshman friends. their presence made you suddenly anxious and you couldn’t help but begin to talk out of your ass as you slightly paced back and forth in your parents living room.

how steve coaxed you into talking to them—you weren’t sure—but it didn’t take long and it seemed you were almost more than willing to allow them into your home by the way you so easily opened your front door and offered snacks and refreshments.

yep, you were definitely dying.

they watched you with sudden concerned and confused looks, not knowing what to say and not expecting you to throw them this type of curve ball.

“brandon,” you mumbled, your hands shaking out in front of you. “jesus, i can’t even think straight…” you place your hand on your forehead, thinking over whether or not you should ever be speaking right then. “he’s dead.”

“who’s brandon?” dustin glances around to everyone but you, afraid to make eye contact almost.

“her boyfriend,” steve whispers, speaking as if you can’t hear them. and you almost couldn’t.

“i can’t even-i don’t even know-“

“hey, hey,” steve stops you in your tracks of speaking, sitting up from the chair he previously sat in. “you don’t have to say anything right now, just breathe. sit down.”

steve liked you, a lot. like, since day one, even as kids, he couldn’t get you out of his mind.

there was just something about you. you had a good head on your shoulders, you knew what you wanted, you didn’t let anything or anyone knock you off your feet, and you didn’t need anyone to save you. he hated that fact—the fact that you didn’t need him and he hated that sometimes it seemed you weren’t anything more than acquaintance.

“sit down,” he pulled you by the arm till you were close enough for him to place a hand on your waist, carefully guiding you to the chair he was previously in, giving you a soft look. “just breathe for a moment, alright?”

everyone glanced to each other at the gesture, almost not believing it. they looked to steve now where he stood in your place, his hand stroking his chin in thought, “i think it’s time we call in your pal eddie.”

**

it seemed you were in and out of sensibility as you thought over the past 24 hours, not believing it was real. you felt crazy, not being able to keep a stable thought in your head for more than a minute before turning into an emotional mess.

steve knew you weren’t in your right mind, especially after you let eddie into your home without a second thought. he didn’t think you even processed that moment or even realized what you were doing until—

“who are you?”

something you asked twenty minutes after he had been in your home.

“i’m eddie.”

“i think i know you.”

“well i hope so since we’ve been in school together since middle school before you graduated.”

“right,” you narrowed your brows, but didn’t say anything else, not knowing what to even make of him.

you knew eddie, but he was never someone you had ever talked to or had any interactions with. you didn’t care for him; you found him obnoxious and practically repulsing when you were still in school together—but right now, by the way he was looking at you—you didn’t mind him at all.

his expression was soft and full of sympathy, like he understood what was going through your mind and why you seemed so…bipolar in emotions.

“y/n, eddie’s here to talk.”

“why?”

“because what happened to you, is exactly what happened to him.”

you still had narrowed brows as you stared at him, not knowing what to say. there was a small proportion of recognition that struck you when you stared at eddie, not nearly enough for you to trust him, nor enough for you to spill your guts out to him about how your boyfriend was practically castrated right in front of your eyes.

“you’re afraid?”

you slowly nodded your head, eyes wide, not understanding the willingness that has suddenly taken over you, “yes.”

he nods and you feel the need to continue to explain yourself.

“i can’t get that image out of my head. god, i don’t even know if it was…”

“real?”

“yeah.”

he nods again.

“you said you think you’re dying, why?” he sat right across from you on your carpeted floor, now eyeing you carefully with the same cautiousness you had in your own pupils.

“because… the things that were happening to brandon before he was fucking possessed… are happening to me.”

“what do you mean,” he starred at you strangely now, his head slightly tipping, watching you carefully just as the rest of them did.

“the bloodied noses, the nightmares, the headaches, that noise…” you cringed as you spoke, almost shying away from saying more.

“what noise?” robin was leaned forward on her knees, her eyes wide with curiosity.

“a clock.”

it seemed right as you said it, the sound echoed through the room and the lights begun to flicker till there was no light at all and the only breathing body was you.

“you’re fucking kidding me,” your head lifted toward the hallway that opened up to your living room; exactly where the noise was coming from.

this had only happened once before; the first day you had come back from college while you were throwing up in your childhood bathroom. you couldn’t figure it out, you had never been sick before—not like that, but then suddenly your world turned dark and the sound of that damned clock was one of the only things you could hear.

you got to your feet slowly, continuing to stare into the dark as the sound echoed throughout your now empty home. the sound was jarring and something about it made you want to follow it like the last time. you were losing your mind, you had to get out of there.

you turned, only for your body to match right up against an unintelligible one. one much larger than your own.

your eyes went wide immediately, feeling a scream rip through your throat as fear set in fast and your head tipped to see such a haunting face you had never seen before.

“hello, y/n,” it looked like it smiled, examining your frightened state, taking pleasure in it, as you stared back in a paralyzed state. “your time is running thin,” it took a step forward, closer and closer. “you will soon be mine.”

you back peddle, fast, not thinking, not processing, but soon landing on your ass and back into the light where you sat in the same place before but with a pair of hands on your face, with voices yelling and screaming you back to conscious.

you were in shock, your limbs were numb and you could barely keep yourself up in a sitting position. you were breathing hard like you had been holding your breath for the past minute, practically dry heaving, feeling your stomach fold up into itself in terror.

“what happened?” steve’s face was the only thing your could see as his hands clasped your face hard, his nose practically touching yours as he stared at you wide-eyed, dipped in fear.

you stared back, feeling every nerve slowly come back to life within your body—drawing out into a painful process. your body begun to shake, tears flooding into the corners of your eyes as you couldn’t even begin to process the switch between realities.

“steve, get out of her face, she’s going to throw up!” robin was yanking at his shoulder despite his constant persistence, clinging to your body.

“are you okay?”

everyone stood around you, wide eyes, wide with fear, wide with concern.

“are you okay?”

“what happened?”

**

“i was here, and then i wasn’t, but it’s like nothing changed other than you all being gone,” you stood now, guiding them all through the process of your episode, now that you could finally process what had just happened. “it was that sound, that fucking clock sound, and i turned and it was something, like something you’d see out of a fucking movie, like the weird alien-monster things we’ve seen before. i don’t know—”

“vecna.”

“what?”

“she saw vecna,” dustin looks between everyone who all have seemed to agree with this consolation.

“will someone please translate what he just said?”

“vecna,” steve repeated, glancing up to you from the sudden heavy gloom laid upon him. “he’s the reason everyone’s been dying lately, you see him, you’re in an automatic death sentence… but you already knew that…”

you starred at him in disbelief, your eyes switching between each teen that sat on your couch, as if asking whether that was true or not, but they all avoided eye contact--which spoke louder than words.

“you’re fucking with me,” you scoffed, turning on your heal and beginning to pace. “of fucking course.”

“you don’t seemed so… terrified about this anymore,” max is quick to elbow lucas in the ribs who winces.

you ignore it, suddenly annoyed at the swift depressive mood change, “how do we kill this motherfucker?”

**

“you’re not giving up on me, are you steve?”

“of course not.”

the two of you stood on your back porch after steve had lightly pulled you by the elbow, recommending catching some fresh air.

you don’t believe his words. he seemed tired with almost the look of sadness in his eyes. this observation causes you to frown as you tip your head, slightly coming closer to steve to look at him better, “then why does it look like you’re the one dying and not me?”

he scoffs, “y/n.” he gets taller, straightening his posture from where he was previously leaned on your railing. he turns even more serious and it makes you frown. “why didn’t you tell me?”

“what difference would it have made?”

“we could have caught it earlier.”

“and be in the same position as we are in now?”

he doesn’t say anything, but still stares at you with a look that makes your chest tighten and your skin begin to flare up in heat.

and then, “i’m sorry about brandon.”

he wasn’t. he never liked him.

“i’m sorry you had to go through that,” he takes a step closer to you, his hand now clasping your arm. “we’re going to figure this out, i promise.”

“don’t promise me anything, stevie,” your hand softly caressed his cheek, giving him a thinned lip smile before walking inside, leaving him to himself outside.

navigation.

#steve harrington imagine #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington #steve harrington x eddie munson #dustin henderson #sadie sink #max mayfield #steve harrington x billy hargrove #dear billy #mike wheeler #lucas sinclair #stranger things imagine #stranger things season 4 #stranger things season four #stranger things #finn wolfhard #nancy wheeler #jonathan byers #will byers #fanfic #fanfiction #fluff #millie bobby brown #joe keery #joe keery x reader #joe keery imagines #steve harrington angst #robin buckley #robin x nancy

[aclowntiny]

May the Flirts Be With You- Seonghwa x Female!Cosplayer!Reader

It adds years to my life as a massive Star Wars nerd that a member of one of my ult groups is one too 🫶🏻 him making a May the 4th post = instant serotonin. It's 3 weeks late, but here's a corny little fun post for SW Day 😁

Word Count: 2394 | Conventions, Nerds to Lovers lmao, that trope I've accidentally created where Yeosang plays cupid | Warnings: the con is really generic because I didn't want to rip anything real off too much & have it be something they couldn't go to lmao, plus that way I could make other popular sci-fi references >:3

“Isn’t the cloak a bit much?”

"Come on," Seonghwa half-jokingly whined, "you said you were going to appreciate everything."

Yeosang had joined him at a sci-fi convention, something Seonghwa had always dreamed of attending. Artists sat at tables showing their amazing creations, groups of friends and family took pictures with signs and props, and of course the place was flooded with cosplayers and merch. They'd even passed by the 501st Legion.

"I do," Yeosang assured him, nodding towards an artist table stocked with hyperrealistic head sketches of the classic Star Trek cast, "like look at those. I don't even watch the show and I kind of want one."

"That's why they say these cons are so expensive, like look over there!" Seonghwa pointed eyes widening. "There's a guy selling discontinued Star Wars lego sets!"

"Oh, boy," Yeosang muttered, but with a smile as his hyung dragged him over to the man's table, where he started eagerly digging in, that childlike wonder Yeosang knew so well starring his eyes.

"This is a fun little ship," Yeosang commented, picking up a small packet, "I like the yellow."

Seonghwa turned, then gave a nod. "The Naboo Starfighter! That is cute, you should get it for your shelf."

"You know what, maybe I will."

"That's the spirit! As for me, I'm between the AT-TE and the TIE Advanced set."

"Go with the cheaper one."

Seonghwa stuck his tongue out at Yeosang, who mirrored the gesture, then giggled in spite of himself. He wasn't the only one who made the sound, though; Seonghwa swiveled around, ready to greet another lego enthusiast, but what he saw had his fingers involuntarily loosening, almost sending the (slightly overpriced, in his opinion) AT-TE set tumbling back onto the red-and-black tablecloth.

It was a girl, a young woman about his age, dressed head-to-toe in a perfect Princess Leia cosplay. And not the classic white outfit, but the Bespin gown and cape.

You made the red outfit look classically beautiful, and whether it was all your hair or some sort of wig or extensions, you'd braided it just right, the loops falling back and at each side of your face, which was focused on Seonghwa with a smile.

"Oh, sorry, you two were just funny. You look like a Jedi and his padawan having a spat."

Seonghwa tore his eyes off of you long enough to regard Yeosang. "I told you I looked like a Jedi!"

"You sure do," you added, tilting your head toward the boxes in his hands, "what are you looking at getting there?"

Seonghwa shakily lowered the AT-TE back to the table. "Oh, well, I think I'm going with the TIE Advanced set."

"Good choice," you loudly whispered, leaning a bit closer, "355 to that one's 794. A little under half the pieces, but a quarter of the price."

"That's what I thought, like the TIE is way more iconic too, sorry Battle of Utapau."

"Yeah, I'm more into the OG movies myself."

He nodded toward your cosplay. "I see that. Did you make that yourself, or buy the pieces?"

"Oh, no, I made this."

Seonghwa feels his jaw drop, warmth pooling in his chest at the way you giggle again, this time at his expression, which rises from shock to a wide, awed grin. "You- you really? How do you do it? How long does it take? One of my roommates just customizes regular clothes and it seems like he can spend hours."

"Oh, yeah, hours is about right," you chuckle, "but it feels like the hardest part is finding the right fabrics sometimes, like these thicker ones aren't at every fabric store."

"Yeah, you really sound like my friend," Seonghwa jokes, "but you look way better."

He flushes the moment the words leave his mouth, immediately stuttering backtracks. "Well, um, that is, I mean, he doesn't do cosplay, more just like paint and cutting stuff up and-"

"Don't worry, you wouldn't believe how many creeps have told me I should have gone with the slave look," your voice cuts into his ramble, "I'm not offended. I actually appreciate it, um...what was your name again?"

"Oh," he lit up, "Seonghwa. This is my first convention."

Introducing yourself, you smiled and waved a hand at the legos he paused the conversation to purchase. "And it looks like you're getting something out of it already."

"More clutter for his room," Yeosang supplied.

You laughed. "You don't want to see mine, then. Besides, I can't help but notice you bought a ship too."

"A tiny one!" Yeosang sheepishly defended himself, quickly laughing at the m-hm sound you made.

"That's how it starts. Get him addicted, Seonghwa."

He nodded. "I'm trying."

"That's the spirit," you said with a mischievous grin.

Seonghwa nodded, then felt his eyes start to lose focus from looking at your own. "Er, well, we'll see you around, (y/n)!" He waved, starting to turn and walk away with Yeosang, who immediately shoved him.

"Whoa, what's that for?"

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting back to the convention?"

"Don't you think you should talk to her?"

"What, and follow her around like a weirdo?"

"No," Yeosang fought, "invite her to go check out the voice acting stall or build your legos together or at least just take a picture with her to remember her by if you're too scared to do anything else."

Seonghwa frowned slightly. "I'm not scared."

"Ok," his long-haired friend shrugged, "then prove it."

"I will," he said with a satisfied smile as he turned on his heels, heading back for you.

"Oh, hey, (y/n)?"

You turned around too, white cape billowing around you like angel wings. He swallowed, trying not to stare too hard.

"Can we take a picture? I- I haven't really gotten many pictures with cosplayers, and-"

"Sure!" Smiling brightly, you accepted his proffered phone, taking a couple selfies that left Seonghwa feeling like a boiled lobster, he must be so red. He wasn't expecting you to put your arm around him, but he sure wouldn't complain, either. You also had Yeosang take a few head-to-toe ones so you could see your full outfits and the poses you guys did.

By the time you were done, you both were laughing, especially at one selfie you caught of all three of you where both you and Seonghwa posed and Yeosang just had the most confused expression. In another, you reached behind you to the book stall, each picking one up to pretend to read. Seonghwa made a shocked face at James Luceno's Tarkin, Yeosang mimed intense focus on Timothy Zahn's The Icarus Hunt, and you pretended to laugh at the bowl of petunias in Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

"Well, thanks!" Seonghwa exclaimed after your photoshoot, trailing off before Yeosang elbowed him from behind. "Er, well, I was wondering if you are on any social media for your cosplays?"

"Yup," you nodded, closing out your Photos app with a smile at all the new shots of you guys that had been added to your phone and sliding over to instagram, "Here's where I post a lot of my photos, but if you want to see anything more in-depth or show your fashion designing friend, I can give you my youtube."

Wow... "You have a cosplay youtube? That's so cool! I bet it's a lot of fun!"

"Sure, it's where I track progress, share my processes, and do hauls and stuff too. Oh, and these guys," you shook the box of lego you'd bought at the stall that introduced you, "will get built on there, too. Hey, would you wanna be in a video?"

This time, no elbowing was required. "On your channel? Yes, of course! We could build our legos," Seonghwa replied, feeling excitement rush to his face as he strolled past a life-size Dalek, fingers reaching out to gently brush the smooth dome atop the metal structure.

"For one, yes," you said, a hand reaching up to straighten your Leia braids, "but how would you feel about modeling a legit cosplay?"

His eyes flew open. "You'd make me a whole outfit?"

"Well, I need practice doing men's fits too," you giggled, swerving around a couple dressed as Zoë and Wash from Firefly, "and you have, like, perfect proportions."

Seonghwa's mouth opened and closed a few times, but he didn't know what to say to that. You didn't say any more, either, your interest suddenly captured by a stall selling Padme-inspired jewelry, including one thick silver choker that honestly captured Seonghwa's eyes too...

"So, uh, would you be interested?" You glanced back and forth between the stall and Seonghwa, the way your eyes peered up at him involuntarily raising the corners of his lips.

"As long as my outfit is as pretty as yours."

~

"Everyone's commenting asking if you're a professional model," you giggle at Seonghwa, glancing up at your phone as you hand him the bright orange brick separator.

He pries apart two misplaced lego pieces before meeting your eyes. "Me?"

"Yes, you," you fire back, closing your phone and leaning a bit closer, scanning first Seonghwa's progress, then his face, "have you seen yourself?"

Heat creeps back into his cheeks. "Yes, but I've seen you, too, so I know they should be asking that about you, not me."

"Wow, that was really smooth. No wonder I dressed you up as Lando," you grin, resting your chin on your hand.

Seonghwa just gazed into your eyes with a fond smile. That had been a long, but amazing, process as you got measurements, pinned him still until he was stiff all over, but put hours of work into detailing a masterpiece, complete with a cape of his very own. All the standing around was so worth it to feel the way your hands gently grazed his sides, to hear you laugh at his little comments and even feel it against his neck when you were working on his shoulders, to always make sure you were stopping to take care of yourself, too, and hear how grateful you were when he reminded you you were doing amazing, no need to push yourself. Watching the transformation, your busy hands at work, getting to embody a piece of the universe he loved so much, all of it made for some of the best weeks Seonghwa had had in a long time.

"That was fun," he commented, attaching two more pieces to the wing of the ship he was building.

"Yeah," you agreed, "especially when you almost kissed me."

Seonghwa reddened, stiffening and lowering the wing in his hand slightly.

It had happened one of the last times you'd met up when you were attaching his cape, hands on his shoulders. He'd relaxed too much, falling into watching you work with dazed eyes, dreaming of leaning in, and then you pulled a little too hard, sending him surging forward, his face almost crashing into yours. He'd managed to catch himself just in time and you'd edited that part out of the fitting video of course, but that moment, your awkward but thrilling almost-kiss, had been living rent-free in Seonghwa's mind ever since then. A part of him wished he'd just managed to fall all the way, but that also wasn't how he wanted your first kiss to go. If you liked him back, which Yeosang and Hongjoong insisted you did. Hongjoong had even taken to texting him 'May the flirts be with you' before he went to your studio, which strangely had encouraged him on a couple occasions to just say the compliment or to brush your hands a little when he handed you supplies or made sure you had water.

"I'm so sorry about that, I really was just clumsy and-"

"It's all right," you smirked faintly, putting the constructed cockpit in your hands down, "I was ready for it."

Seonghwa's brows furrowed as he fully set the wing down. "You... you..."

"Wait, I'm sorry, did I read things wrong? I thought we were flirting. But if not, I'm so sorry! I'm not good at this," you confessed, "you know what they say about nerds and all."

Any and all dissatisfaction about Hongjoong being right dissipated into the great sparkly abyss of joy rising and thudding out of Seonghwa's chest because holy cow, the super cool girl who makes Star Wars outfits and builds lego with him and doesn't laugh at his ASMR is interested in them? Sure, let him and Yeosang rub it in Seonghwa's face. He'd endure anything if it meant getting closer to you.

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable, either," he chuckled, grin widening by the second, "but yes, I was. My roommate even started texting me to hype me up before I visited you, look!"

He showed you the text, which was followed by a gif of Han Solo and a whole bunch of teasing ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.

"I was worried you were going to see all the youtube comments teasing me about my obvious crush on you or how cute we were together!"

His eyes widened again. "So you have an obvious crush on me?"

"Seonghwa," you folded your arms, "you don't exactly want someone to kiss you because they're like a brother to you."

"Right, right, sorry, it's just so hard to believe a real-life space princess like you is interested in a lowly smuggler like myself."

"Ok," you snorted, "that was corny."

"I was trying to be corny."

"Good," you tease, leaning in closer until your nose is almost brushing his, "I like corny."

"That's why you like Attack of the Clones. It's the dialogue."

"It's the childhood appeal and you know it! I always say they got a little confident in their millions with some of the writing, but something in it really captured a youth vibe. It's like what they did in Twilight, but better because of the rest of the worlds happening around it-" You rambled, distracted by Seonghwa's claim.

Seonghwa, meanwhile, could only stare at your animated gesticulating and think how you're most definitely the girl of his dreams. "Ok, seriously, please kiss me."

“Alright, but we’re definitely doing the cape yank next time,” you comment as you lean in, letting Seonghwa take one of your hands, the other pulling you in softly by your cheek until your lips met.

#ateez #ateez imagines #ateez reactions #ateez x reader #ateez scenarios #seonghwa #seonghwa x reader #seonghwa x female reader #female reader #cosplayer reader

[tinyboxxtink]

"Spring Break '86" {Eddie Munson/Reader}

Part 2 is here!

Yeah, I did it. I started a series about Eddie Munson.

This one should go really well because I actually have an outline/timeline to go by. [Stranger Things Season 4, Part 1. Maybe going into Part 2?]

Basically, you are Dustin Henderson's older sister, with a secret "history" with Eddie Munson. And that history is slowly being uncovered when you come home from college for spring break, and find that Eddie is best buds with your little brother.

You get caught into the events of S4, and the truth becomes more and more clear.

I have a full, thought-out plot and story with this, regardless of how S4 ends. Meaning if Eddie dies. But Eddie will NOT DIE. NO. HE WON'T. I LOVE HIM AND WON'T LET IT HAPPEN.

I have a tag list, but it's for Rafael Barba fans so I will not include them here. If you would like to be added to a tag list for this story, please let me know!

I hope you guys like it!

===================

“Ughh where are you, you little worm…” 

You grumbled under your breath as you stomped out of the still cheering gymnasium of Hawkins Highschool. You had just driven back home to Hawkins Indiana from Chicago, and you weren’t in the best mood. 

It was the Spring Break of your freshman year at college, and rather than head to the coast with your new college gal pals, you had stupidly opted to come back home for the week instead. Truth be told you weren’t exactly the “beach babe” type, and you would never admit it but you missed your mom, Mews, and your little brother Dustin. 

However, at this exact moment you were in fact not missing him in the least. Here you had driven all night to surprise him at his best friend’s basketball game, and he wasn’t there. How could he not be there? This was the very first time in any history you knew that Hawkins had made it to a tournament, and you knew for a fact that one of Dustin’s best friends Lucas Sinclair was on the team. How could Dustin and his little “party” not be there cheering him on?

Before you reached your car in the parking lot, you heard cheering come from inside the school. Which was odd, because you were pretty sure anybody who was supposed to be there was in the gymnasium. Then a thought occurred to you:

Your brother wasn’t exactly the “normal” high schooler, like his friend Lucas. No star athlete, not really Mr. Popular. He liked really weird things like sci-fi and nerd stuff, Star Wars, shit like that. But the one thing he loved above it all was his stupid Dungeons and Dragons group he had, which included his only friends. Obviously.

If you were being absolutely honest with yourself, the whole “Satanic Panic” about D&D had started running rampant through your school newspapers, and you’d never admit it but it actually started to freak you out. As far as you knew, those games were harmless. Stupid, but harmless. 

But whether or not it was true, you knew your small town was easily poisoned. Some whiff of any kind of controversy, a threat, a rumor, could roll into that town and the people would be burning people at the stake by the end of the day. You couldn’t let them try to “save” your brother from the “devil’s game’.

All of these thoughts ran through your head long enough to stall you from walking into the school before a group of teens came bursting out in cheers and joyous chants. Among them was your little brother, who stopped dead when he saw you standing there in the parking lot. 

“....Y/N? What are you doing here?” Dustin asked warily, totally confused on why you would be in his High School parking lot at 10 o'clock at night. 

“Jesus Dusty,” You let out a soft laugh of disbelief. “I drove all the way down here to surprise you and all–” 

You were just starting to chastise your brother when the last person you ever expected to see came strolling out of the dark school halls. 

Eddie Munson.

Your nose scrunched as you watched him saunter over to your brother giving him and the others high fives. He quickly stopped and changed his demeanor once he saw you standing behind the group. 

“Henderson, you didn’t tell me your mom was such a babe,” Eddie eyed you up and down devilishly. 

“Shut up,” You narrowed your eyes on the long-haired man.

“Dude that’s my sister, not my–” Dustin started to explain to Eddie who you were.

“He knows who I am, Dust,” you cut him off, still glaring at Eddie. 

“What?” Dustin blinked in confusion. “Why? How is that–”

“Didn’t expect to see you hare, princess,” Eddie smirked back at your daggered eyes, while Dustin and his friends looked between the two of you in shock. 

“Come to cheer on your good ol’ alma mater, cheer captain?” he teased.

“You sure are cocky for a grown man hanging out with children at night, Munson,” You didn’t bat an eye at his insult as you retorted with your own. 

“Damn,” you heard some girl you’d never seen before laugh under her breath at your line. 

“Hey, Eddie’s my friend Y/N,” Dustin defended him. “We’re in school together,”

“Excuse me?” You laughed harder as you stared at Eddie with amusement. “Eddie, you still haven’t graduated?”

“Shut up,” Eddie said in a low, guttural voice. 

 “What are you, collecting a punch card?” you went on taunting him. 

“Shut, your mouth,” you could see Eddie clenching his fists as you continued to laugh.

“One more senior year and they give you a plaque for ‘biggest moron ever’?” you lost yourself in giggles at the last statement, imagining it. 

“SHUT UP!!!!!!” Eddie bellowed in the parking lot, making everyone jump back a foot and a half. None of the kids had ever seen Eddie mad before. Annoyed, sure. Aggravated by the “sheeples” at school, all the time. But this was different. This was rage. 

“What the fuck, Y/N?!” Dustin yelled at you angrily, as you looked back at him with an innocent confusion.

“Henderson I have never hit a girl in my life, and I really would like to keep it that way,” Eddie grunted through gritted teeth. 

“Yeah don’t worry, I’ll hit her for you,” Dustin said without thinking. 

“Dustin!” you gasped.

“No, you won’t either!” Eddie suddenly raised his voice at the boy, making both of you look back at him in stunned confusion.

“What?” Dustin looked between the two of you suspiciously.  “...What is happening here?” 

“Dustin, get your friends in the car. I’ll take them home,” you quickly changed the subject.

“But Eddie was–” Dustin protested.

“Nah man, forget it,” Eddie waved him off. “I’ve got a date anyway,” 

“Sure you do,” you laughed under your breath as you helped the girl you’d never seen before into the backseat of your Mustang.

Once the kids were squished into your car, you closed the door enough so they couldn’t hear you and Eddie’s conversation. 

“Seriously Eddie,” You said in a low but concerned tone. 

“Seriously Y/N, you need to leave. Before I do something I regret,” 

“You’d never hit me,” You looked at him with the smallest of a sad smile. He looked down at the ground, confirming the statement.

“Okay but seriously, what is this?” you shook off the sentiment crawling out of you.

“What is what?” Eddie asked you in annoyance.

“This,” you gestured between the kids in the car and him. “Why are you hanging out with my little brother? Why are you even still here?!”

“You said it yourself, I’m waiting for my official ‘dumbass’ plaque,” He half laughed sadly, playing with the rings on his fingers while still staring at the pavement. 

“Eddie,” your voice softened. “You know I didn’t–” 

“No, I actually think you did, Y/N,” Eddie started walking away backwards from your car. 

“Eddie come on, I–” you tried to walk after him. 

“Just, fuck off and leave me alone, okay?” Eddie yelled back angrily, throwing both of his middle fingers up at you while he faded away into the distance of the parking lot. 

You waited several seconds before giving up on him coming back and got into the driver’s seat, starting the car and driving out of the parking lot. 

“What the fuck was that, Y/N?” Dustin immediately started berating you again. “Why did you have to be such a bitch to him? How do you even know him?!”

“Not now, Dustin,” You warned him as you drove towards Mike Wheeler’s house. 

His friends looked up to the sky, praying to be thrown from the car rather than sit in the car for this awkward sibling fight.

-----------

After dropping off his friends, Dustin started his interrogation on you. 

“Alright now you wanna explain to me why you were such a bitch to my friend, Y/N?” he snapped.

“Dusty!” You gasped. “Jesus, language. And you do NOT call women bitches, especially your loving sister,”

“Sorry,” he huffed reluctantly. “It’s just, Eddie–”

“Dustin, Eddie’s a big boy. I’m sure his hurt feelings will–” 

“No, don't do that,” Dustin interjected. “Don’t start acting all high and mighty just because you came home from a fancy college, and Eddie–”

“I know Eddie Munson a hell of a lot more than you Dustin, I think I know what he can and cannot handle,” 

“How is that possible?!” Dusty threw his hands up at the conspiracy. 

“Just— just leave it alone, Dusty, okay? I’m sorry I bitched out your friend,” You sighed, unwilling to get into the ‘history’ of you and Eddie Munson in that exact moment. 

“For NO reason,” he added.

“...For no reason,” You rolled your eyes. 

“Now tell him that,” He crossed his arms with a smile as you pulled onto your street.

“What, now?” you gave him a look.

“Yes, NOW,” he nodded forcefully. 

“He’s on a date,” you protested innocently.

“You and I both know he’s full of shit,” Dustin rolled his eyes. “He’s just gonna go home, and–”

“And get stoned, and feel sorry for himself all night,” you finished his thought.

“Wha—?” Dustin’s eyes widened at the accuracy of your statement. “I mean, I wouldn’t put it that way but, yeah…” 

“Alright fine, fine,” you pulled into your driveway as you spoke. “You go inside, and I’ll go talk to Eddie,”

“You’ll APOLOGIZE to Eddie,” he clarified. 

“Fine I will apologize to Eddie,” you begrudgingly replied. 

“Okay, he lives–” Dustin started.

“I know where he lives, Dustin,” you shook your head. 

“Wha– seriously?!” Dustin continued to be thrown by your words. 

“WHEN did you have time to get all this intel on Eddie? When have you EVER hung out with him?” 

“In case you haven’t noticed Dustin, you’ve been pretty preoccupied by your own friends these last few years,” you reminded him. “I can’t remember the last time we actually had one of our “Dustbusters,” 

You saw him sadly smile at the mention of your “sibling dates” you two would have when you were younger. You weren’t terribly older than him so when you were kids you were kind of inseparable. But then puberty hit, and you both gravitated towards other things and people. The truth was you really had no idea what had gone on with him in the last few years.

You knew he had a friend that got abducted, or went missing, or something of the matter. It had really shaken him to his core. And after that, he grew more and more isolated from you and your mom, and closer to his “party”. A “party” that apparently included Eddie Munson of all people. 

“Yeah, I guess so,” Dustin rubbed the back of his neck as he thought about what had really gone on in his life in the past three years. Things you would never even dream of. Things he would never dream of telling you. You and your mom worried enough about him.

“Just…go easy on him, please?” he asked you earnestly. “I know you think he’s a moron, but–”

“I know he’s not a moron, Dustin,” you assured him. 

“Then what was the–” 

“Too long of a story, Dusty. Just go inside, I promise I’ll be nice to Eddie,” 

“Alright fine,” he grumbled as he shut the door. The window was still down, so he stuck his head in once more. 

“Hey, sis?”

“Yeah, Dusty?” you asked in growing annoyance. 

“...Thanks for coming home this week,” He smiled at you. “I missed you,” 

“Oh you little—” your annoyance melted away as you jumped out of the driver’s seat and ran over to where he was standing beside the car, throwing your arms around him. This was all you had wanted to do since you left Chicago.

“I missed you too, you doof,” You ruffled his hair and placed an over exaggerated sloppy kiss to his forehead. 

“Gross,” Dustin pulled away from you, making a huge display of disgust as he ran back inside and you got back into your car with an amused laugh.

—---------

It took a little longer than you expected to make it to the trailer park. You hadn’t been out there in such a long time, you didn’t remember how to get there as well as you thought. After a few U-Turns and cursing, you finally found the field of glowing trailers. 

You drove down a row or two, looking for Eddie’s car. It wasn’t long before you saw it parked in front of a trailer almost off by itself in the park. You turned off your lights and edged slowly towards the trailer, parking on the other side of it where no windows could see you. If you were going to do this, you’d need a minute to prepare.

Okay, apologize. Apologize to Eddie Munson. For what? A hell of a lot more than you promised Dustin, that’s for sure. You were actually kind of surprised he didn’t even have the slightest memory of you two ever hanging out.

Well, Eddie looked really different when the two of you were in junior high. That was for damn sure. The cute little cow-licked boy with the coke bottle glasses was a far cry from the hairy, volatile beast he was now.

You got out of your car, still unsure of what to say. You were going over so many things in your head, lost in your own thoughts and worries, you didn’t even notice the lights flickering through the windows. 

“Eddie, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that stuff in front of my brother,” you spoke out loud in your best sincere voice as you were still pacing in front of the front door. 

“But you haven’t exactly been the nicest to me since–” 

Before you could say another word of your personal monologue, a bright light came shooting out from every window and door of the trailer as it shook violently. It surprised you so much that you fell back in awe, your eyes darting every which way. The light continued to beam through the trailer for several seconds before completely evaporating, leaving a loud THUMP in its wake coming from inside. 

Then you heard the screaming. 

Before you could register what was going on, a panicked Eddie who was still screaming came bolting out the front door, heading for his car. He practically tripped over your still stunned self-sitting in front of his home. 

“Oof!” He tumbled to the ground, momentarily stopping his screams. He turned to see you sitting there, his eyes were wide with fear. His face was paler than your night time face cream. He didn’t know whether to jump up and run or collapse into your arms. He did the latter. 

“Y/N, I didn’t do it,” He immediately began to sob as he pulled himself tightly into your arms. “I swear to God, I didn’t do it,” 

“W-Wha—did what?” You were still reeling from the light show when Eddie had death gripped himself to your waist. You tried stringing together thoughts as he sobbed harder into your chest. 

“I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it to her I swear to God I didn’t,” he whimpered over and over into your chest.

“Wha…Eddie, what are you on?” You furrowed your eyebrows as he quickly dropped his arms.

“What? Nothing!” Eddie suddenly became very defensive. “I am completely sober, that’s why I KNOW I didn’t do anything–” 

“Bullshit,” you rolled your eyes as you peeled him off you, standing up and dusting yourself off. “You’re clearly having hallucinations,” 

“Babe, I swear I’m not–” He started to protest. 

“No,” you stopped him dead in his words. “NOT babe. Not your babe, not anybody’s babe,” 

“....Y/N,” He momentarily rolled his eyes. “Look I swear to God, it’s real. But I don’t want you to—”

“Look?” you finished for him in a snarky tone. “Right, because there won’t be anything there, and then I’ll know you’re full of shit, and are just having a really bad K trip,” 

“I am NOT tripping on anything, Y/N,” Eddie grabbed your shoulders with both of his hands. “But I— you— I can’t– if you see that girl, you’re gonna think I’m–” 

“Eddie, I really can’t see thinking any less of you than I already do, so I think I’m good,” You laughed sarcastically. 

“No, but–” 

Before he could stop you, you were opening the front door and walking inside the trailer. And you were not prepared in the least for what greeted you. 

A girl, not much younger than you, laid on the floor in front of you. Not really laying, sprawled. Her legs and arms were broken, her neck was crooked. Her eyes had been inverted inside her head.

You didn’t scream, surprisingly. You didn’t freak out, or burst into tears. You simply just stared at the girl for what seemed like forever, studying her disfigured corpse. 

“...Y-Y-Y/N?” You heard Eddie’s feeble cries from outside the trailer. He sounded so much different than he had just a few hours ago. 

You stepped out of the trailer slowly, almost as if in a trance. You looked at Eddie who was now shivering in fear next to his car. He looked so broken, so small. Not the Eddie Munson you were so used to, with his brazen tone and that 100-watt smile that you’d never admit in a million years you missed while looking out a rainy University window in Chicago. 

“I didn’t do that to her Y/N, you have to believe me. She–” His blubbering was stifled by your hand over his mouth. 

“I believe you, Eddie,” You said in a soft, calming voice. 

“Y-You do?” He whimpered from under your hand, causing you to remove it. 

“Yes, but we can’t stay here. There’s no way nobody didn’t hear any of that,” you warned him, looking around in every direction.

“But where are we gonna go? What are we gonna do? What am I gonna do? Chrissy, she was just here trying to–” Eddie began to unravel once more, his words falling back into heavy breaths and choked sobs. 

“Eddie, get in my car,” you said very strictly. 

“Your car? What about my car? I can’t–” He whined.

“Eddie,” you shook him furiously, trying to snap him out of it. “You live here. There’s a logical reason for your car to be here. Besides, if they, and they will, think you did this, they’ll be looking for your car. They won’t be looking for mine. So again, GO GET IN MY CAR, okay?”

“......O-Okay,” Eddie nodded feebishly, wiping sniffling tears into his jacket as he scurried towards your car and got in the passenger's side. 

You took one last long moment thinking about Chrissy the pretzel just lying in there, bleeding all over Eddie’s carpet. There was something absolutely insane, and yet weirdly familiar about all of this. 

You finally shook the feeling off of your shoulders and followed Eddie’s trail back to your car, getting in the driver’s seat and slamming the door shut. You looked over at Eddie who was continuing to shake and sob, clearly traumatized from the events of the last few minutes. 

You’d never seen him like this, ever. Not at any point in however long you had known him. And you hated every second of it. 

“Eddie,” you placed a hand on the back of his quivering mane, stroking it gently. You just wanted him to stop crying, for even a minute. 

“Just drive,” Eddie pleaded, jerking away from your hand. He didn’t feel worthy of being comforted right now, especially not by you. 

“Okay,” you shrugged unnervingly, starting the car and peeling out of the trailer park into the night. 

This was certainly not how you wanted your Spring Break to start.

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