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#note watches c3
12pt-times-new-roman · 4 months
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no okay but. yes there is a Laudna-shaped loophole in the "everyone comes back alive" stipulation, yes this is good setup for an act 3 "break the pact" storyline, but CONSIDER.
Orym just rolled a natural 20 on an insight check against a newly shellshocked Imogen who's being supernaturally coerced into embracing powers that in all likelihood will turn her against the Bells Hells. An Imogen who just put a map dot to the homesickness she's felt her whole life, who found a source of power in which to place her heaven-longing, who saw that which contains all her greatest past, present, and future desires. Orym just witnessed first-hand the very real and very possible idea that Imogen may turn on the party for Predathos and its promises.
So Orym "I've thought of ways to neutralize all of you" of the Air Ashari just made a deal dependent on everyone making it back from the moon alive, on the back of a realization that one of them already has one foot in the grave.
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pebblezone · 1 year
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Idk how welcome home has overrun literally all of my social media but I guess I welcome it
#talkingcore#I love puppets it’s all on me I’m engaging this actually isn’t a complaint more like a I Didn’t Know This Existed 24 hours ago#and now it’s literally all I’m seeing like 80% of the videos I’ve seen today have been welcome home which like honestly is super impressive#hell yeah to those creators they’ve got some insane drive#album adventure update: finally rolled good ol honorary Beach boy Glen Campbell maybe I’ll give you guys ram ranch#pip would’ve loved ram ranch 💔 rip king fly high 🕊️🧍‍♂️ 18 naked cowboys 😭 at the ram ranch 😰#I’ve been fucking around with lip syncing shit and it’s tedious as hell but heeehee it’s fun woooah the mouth moves wooooahaaahhhhhh#also this dude keeps leaving his Apple Watch in the practice room in my dorm and like thankfully I’m such an amazing and perfect person#that I didn’t take it the first time but the second time (like 2 weeks later) I said fuck it and just used it while it was still in there#(I’d checked at 2. saw it was there. didn’t use it. came back at 5 it was still there so like a reasonable amount of time to get it)#so I fucked around as normal but like I started getting freaked by the possibility of it listening (it probs wasn’t)#so I left but like bro how do you forget it twice why are you taking it off#I gave it to the help desk people which I think was the right thing to do but also Dude think how easily I could’ve stolen it please keep it#no longer dying of the plague but I need to hang onto my t boy swag pleasepleaseplease let me keep at least some lower notes#I will accept not hitting a G2 again but like. a C3? even just a D3 like regularly? please? please? please? hello? you’re nothing#anyway I’m avoiding my work you guys should look up The Beach Boys and Charles Manson have a gander at that for fun#thanks to my lovely institution having a strike going on by mid Thursday I’m done for the week which means I get to indulge and boy shall I#love you 🫶 go slay 🫶 have great vagina 🫶 byeeee
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laudna already gave me big ol' eda vibes but now ashton has titan's blood?
how much did matt watch the owl house before developing this campaign, lol
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mell0bee · 2 years
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ok but like as someone who did a Lot of research on the shadowfell and specifically 5e shadowfell lore for cos the shadowfell/gray assassins/ruidius theory is Inch Resting bc of how the feywild is linked w the shadowfell 👀👀
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diabeticgirl4 · 6 months
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Hhhh I'm listening to the final lucien fight and I'm just losing my mind over everything. I'm so close to the end!!! Just 2 episodes (and some bonus content) left!!! Aaaaa!!!!
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my-smial · 2 days
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Hi. I know this is because I started watching Critical Role C3 at, like, episode 70, but why did nobody tell me that Orym is the most Midwestern character ever written. Liam puts on a slightly Rural Inland North accent and immediately starts *checks notes* apologizing to Imogen for being too vocally mad about his family's murder. Most relatable thing he could have done.
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absolutebl · 18 days
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This Week in BL - Taiwan has one show, but that's all they need
Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.
April 2024 Wk 1
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Ongoing Series - Thai
Two Worlds (Thurs IQIYI) ep 4 of 10 - I don’t say this often but I LOVE this love triangle. The longing gazes = chef's kiss. I like that we are finally getting flashbacks to Tai’s side of the love affaire. This show remains highly engaging. So pleased for MaxNat.  
Deep Night (Thurs iQiyi) ep 5 of 8 - More lesbians! Yay! Meanwhile, when our leads make up they make out! (Yes I’m proud of myself.) I think this might be BLs first rooftop sex scene. We’ve reached new heights, BLabies. (Yes I’m proud of that too.) Anygay, basically a soap opera at this point, I'm not thrilled but I don’t mind.
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"Do you apologize for being straight?"
City of Stars (Fri iQIYI) ep 10 of 12 - It was lovely. Very well done celebrity leaving the closet ep. Nice ensemble work too. Next week is doom! As expected. 
Only Boo! (Sun YouTube) ep 1 of 12 - New main couple for GMMTV in an idol romance about a boy who dances good and a food stand vendor. It’s fine but overly very pulp feeling for something from GMMTV. I'm a little concerned.
1000 Years Old (Thurs iQIYI) ep 8 of 12 - meh.
To Be Continued (Sat C3 Thailand grey) ep 7 of 8 - Never turned up on my usual sites. So will have to wait until next week. 
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Ongoing Series - Not Thai
Unknown (Taiwan Tues YouTube & Viki) ep 7 of 11 - Qian was, indeed, the one who couldn’t let go. This show is fucking fantastic. It's the best thing I'm watching right now by a mile.
Jazz for Two (Korea Gaga/grey) eps 3-8fin - The bully and the blue-haired drummer side pairing were great. I hated the father. Hated him so much. Our main tsundere seme was a bit too tsundere for me. I was v annoyed by the time he finally softened. I'm amused by all the ways they finagled boys kissin-but-not-kissing in the first half of this show. 2024's "pan around the back of the head" has now become a "dipping of the brolly." We did, however, eventually get an okay kiss.
Honestly?
This was basically what I wanted from Given and didn’t get. So I’m pleased. The music still wasn't great, but you can skip those bits. A solid enemies to lovers BL, where the sins of brothers' past haunts the present. Great optics, decent chemistry, and a tidy script even if tsundere characterization went a bit extreme in some cases. 8/10 RECOMMENDED trigger for suicide
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Love is Better the Second Time Around AKA Koi wo Suru nara Nidome ga Joto (Japan Weds Gaga) ep 5 of 6 - We got the past betrayal in detail and it was decently bad. Bitterness understood. Too soon to live together! The BL U-Haul strikes again. I do like their weird curry passive aggressive argument. This is an interesting show. Do I LOVE it? No. But I think I like it.
On a not-really-related note: adoption, including adult adoption, is actually pretty common in Japan (comparatively). It's often tied to business scionism.
My Strawberry Film (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 8fin - It all turned out to be a tragic GL in the end. Not BL = not my problem. No rating. I will forget its existence right about… now. 
Love is like a Cat (Korea Mon Viki) eps 1-2 of 12 - Okay, weirdly kinky with the head scratching. Not much has happened and I’m not wild about what has. 
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It's done, ready to binge, but I suck
What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps
It's airing but...
We Are (Weds GMMTV iQIYI) ep 1 of 16 - University ensemble BL featuring PondPhuwin, WinnySatang, AouBoom, MarcPawinPoon - basically the good kind of messy gay friendship group (so more My Engineer and less Only Friends). Looks a bit like the Kiss series but everyone is queer. I'm IN but I need my other computer and I'm traveling as usual. So I'll get caught up next week and probably won't regularly be able to watch this one.
Graduation Countdown (Taiwan YouTube) - It's too much for me to keep up with 2 minute verticals, I don't have that kind of TikTok endurance training.
A Secretly Love (Thai Sat WeTV grey) 10 eps - Completed. Worth watching?
Lady Boy Friends (Thai WeTV grey) 16 eps - reminds me a bit too much of Diary of Tootsies only high school. Not my thing. DNF unless it turns a corner and is truly amazing.
Kiseki Chapter 2 (Sun iQIYI) 6 eps - It’s so boring DNFed at 2.
Close Friend Season 3: Soju Bomb! (Weds iQIYI) 6 - The problem with situational comedy BL is it must be situational, comedic and a BL. This show gets 1 of 3 claims correct. 33% is not a passing grade. Dropped at 3.
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In the news
Takumi-kun Series 6: Nagai Nagai Monogatari is getting the undeserved honor of Furritsubs. Follow them for details. Tip 'em if you like 'em. (Will I watch it? Oh, probably. Damn it.)
Then Next Prince turned out to be a trailer only. Word on the webs is we will be lucky if we get it this year. It’s BL Princess Diaries. Jimmy has a new pairing (that boy from Night Dream) which is... interesting. All in all, this show does not look good. Pretty but not good.
Next Week Looks Like This:
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4/11 Gray Shelter AKA Gray Currents (Korea ????) 4 eps - SooHyuk is only just surviving and reunites with YoonDae, an old friend. They end up living together. One of the leads is played by Choco of Choco Milk Shake.
4/12 Living With Him AKA Kare no Iru Seikatsu (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - Kindly Ryota goes off to uni only to find his new roommate is his childhood bestie, Kazuhito. Kazuhito doesn’t have a girlfriend and Ryota tries to help him figure out why, they fall in love along the way. Same director as Old Fashion Cupcake.
Still to Come in April
4/18 At 25:00, in Alaska AKA 25 Ji, Akasaka de (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - Yuki lands his first starring role in a BL drama alongside superstar Asami (previously his senior at uni). Said superstar suggests they form a sham relationship until filming concludes. As they actually begin to fall in love, the spotlight begins to burn. I think I've seen this before (joke) and also the trailer doesn't inspire confidence.
4/26 My Stand-In (Thai iQIYI) 12 eps - adaptation of Chinese novel "Professional Body Double" by Shui Qiang Cheng. Stars Up (Lovely Writer) and Poom (Bake Me Please) directed by the same team as KP (not a recommendation IMHO - my biggest criticism of that show was the clashing directing styles). This one looks well complicated, lemme try: Joe is a stuntman for famous actor Tong. Joe falls in love with Ming but Ming sees Joe as nothing more than a Tong-replacement. After learning this horrible truth, Joe dies. Joe then wakes up in the body of another man also named Joe. He manages to rebuild the same life as before—with the same people eventually re-meeting Ming. Ming wants Joe back but Joe doesn't understand why. But Ming seems to know what's going on and wants to give him some kind of explanation.
I'm exhausted just trying to describe the plot.
Knock-Knock Boys (Thai WeTV) - 4 college friends conspire to help their friend lose his virginity. Familiar faces like Seng (yes, Billy's previous partner) and Best, news here.
Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.
NOTE: It looks like one of my personal favorites of last year Unintentional Love Story is getting a spin off!
THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS
See City of Stars & Unknown.
(Last week)
Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are too much work.
The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire
If ya wanna be tagged each week leave a comment and I will add you to the template. Easy peesy.
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starlazergazer · 1 year
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I Will Come Back for You
Pairing: Anakin x Reader
Request: Anakin and the reader were friends since they were little, both slaves, when Anakin gives her a necklace to remember him by when he leaves for the jedi with the promise that he will free her one day. Years later Ani realizes he is in love with the reader and decided to rescue her. Only to find out that a prince has freed you and taken you with him so Anakin mounts a rescue plan to free you from the prince’s grasp.
Warnings: Some swearing, some jealousy
Word count: 7K
A/N: As always I may have played with the original request a bit so if @sweetcheesecakesblog​ has any issue with the story let me know! But I had a lot of fun writing this so I really hope you enjoy it!
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“Alright helmet”
“Check” 8 year old Anakin called back out in a bored tone, more than used to your prefight checklist you made him go through every time.
“Seatbelt?”
“Check”
“Flux density compressor”
“You made that one up” he laughed with a shake of his head, flipping switches on the dash to bring the speeder alive.
“Did I or do I just know more about mechanics than you?” You taunted with a smile on your face, bringing one, as it always did, to Anakin’s as well.
“That’s funny. You’re funny”
“So do I get to come along for this one?” You asked him sweetly, wide puppy dog eyes staring up at him from the ground beside the speeder. He made a point to avoid connecting with them.
“Absolutely not”
“Ani come on” you whined with a roll of your eyes, “you never let me come”
“I’m going for a record Y/N” He shrugged dismissively, busying himself with the controls that honestly no longer needed his attention.
“So?”
“So it’s dangerous”
“How come you’re going then?” you demanded with a frown
“Because-because-“ And he didn’t even know what words he was reaching for, knowing he didn’t want you coming along on a dangerous run but not fully understanding why. Instead he said the first thing that came to mind “because I’m a boy”
“What and girls can’t do anything dangerous” you laughed back at him with a raised brow.
“Yup” he answered simply, resting his arms on the edge of the speeder as he looked down at you “I think it’s a law”
“Now who’s making things up” you grumbled
“Alright you’re right that’s not a law” he ceded with a smirk “it actually says girls named Y/N can’t do anything dangerous”
You pouted back up at him, crossing your arms defensively over your chest prompting him to sigh. “Come on Y/N I need someone to time me”
“C3-PO could time you” you protested
“C3-PO’s not done” he countered
“Exactly my point!” You exclaimed in exasperation “you’re giving me a job so simple an unfinished protocol droid could do it”
And now it was Anakin’s turn to pull out the puppy dog eyes “Y/N please”
And just like he knew you would you caved, sighing as you sank into yourself on the spot, taking a second to note that his helmet wasn’t even on before holding up the stopwatch so he could see, pointedly hitting the button to start the timer.
“Wait wait I’m not ready” Anakin called out in a panic, throwing on his helmet and buckling himself in.
“4…5…6” you counted with a smirk on your face, watching as Anakin rushed through the last of his preparations before tearing off.
Hugging each corner more than he realistically should have Anakin made the loop in what felt like record time, slamming on the breaks to bring the speeder to a stop before yelling out to you excitedly “what was my time?”
He couldn’t hear your response over the drum of the engine so he shut it down, pulling off his helmet before repeating himself “Y/N what-“ and the sight before him made the words die in his throat.
The spot you had just been standing in was empty, nothing but a stopwatch buried in the sand in your spot.
“Y/N?” he called out in confusion, hopping down from the speeder and desperately looking around. You had been in a wide, empty area no where to go or hide in the amount of time he had been gone, it didn’t make sense.
He knelt down to pick up the stopwatch before a glint in the sand caught his eye, a familiar gold chain just to the left of the stopwatch.
But that was impossible, he hadn’t given you that necklace yet, wouldn’t for another year at least when he leaves with Qui-Gon, a way for you to remember him until he comes back for you.
“Ani?”
The voice caught him off guard, it was your voice but different, older? He spun around on the spot to see you standing there, but it wasn’t the you he knew at 8 years old, it was a you that was the same age as him now. He barely even registered that he wasn’t that 8 year old kid anymore either.
“Y/N?” he asked hesitantly, gripping the necklace pendant in his fist as he surveyed you “what’s going on?”
And at this you laughed bitterly only furthering his confusion “I was going to ask you the same question”
“What?”
“It’s been years Anakin” you words came quickly and sharply, anger dripping from each one “you said you were going to come back. Going to come get me out of here”
“I am…I-I I will I just can’t-“ his words tumbled out of him as he struggled to speak, his mind struggling to keep up with what was happening.
“Oh I’m sorry have you been busy?” you sneered at him, pushing him back “too busy learning to be a jedi, making friends, saving the galaxy, that must have been so hard for you”
“Y/N I’m sorry-”
“Oh good” you laughed, taking a step back from him “I’ve been a slave stuck on Tatooine with no friends, no family, working under Watto for years but it’s nice to know that you’re sorry, that sure helps”
“Y/N I meant what I said” he pleaded with you “I’m going to come free you”
A humorless laugh escaped you, all anger dropping from you almost instantly as your whole posture sagged “yeah well, you’re too late”
His eyebrows scrunched together, taking a hesitant step towards you “what do you mean-“ the rest of the sentence hung in the air as a man came into his field of vision.
He was someone Anakin had never seen before but a very well-dressed man, a man that was very pointedly only looking at you, looking at you with an expression that immediately had Anakin on guard.
“She’s beautiful isn’t she” the man spoke softly, reaching out to drag a single finger up your arm, the touch causing your entire body to tense up, Anakin’s fist clenching down on the necklace pendant in response before he even fully understood what was happening.
“Who are-“
The man cut him off, reaching up to put a single finger under your chin, pulling your gaze up to his “she was wasted on a person like Watto, a planet like Tatooine” You’re entire body seemed to shake on the spot.
“Look I don’t know what is going on here but if you don’t-“ Anakin’s threat was cut short as he tried to take a step forward only to find his feet buried in the sand below completely unable to move.
The man laughed softly, “With a face like this” he suddenly grabbed your chin, fingers squishing harshly into your cheeks as he turned your head to face him, a mischievous glint in the stranger’s eyes as he looked back at Anakin “think of the possibilities”
“You lay one hand on her and I will end you” his voice had dropped dangerously low, fist clenched so tightly around the pendant it dug harshly into his skin.
“Oh” the man laughed again, dropping your face to pull you by your arm, crashing your body into him, his arms snaking their way around your waist as your eyes pleaded with Anakin to do something “I wouldn’t dream of it”
His hand went instinctively for his lightsaber only to find the spot where it was usually clipped to his belt empty, his hand fumbling uselessly around in his robes for a bit as the stranger watched in amusement.
“If you’re quite done with these empty threats Y/N and I have some place to be” he smirked, pulling you along by your elbow.
“Y/N no please” he called out desperately, weight shifting forward on his feet though they still refused to move.
You didn’t say anything as you were pulled away, didn’t fight back, didn’t do anything but look back at Anakin sadly, begging him wordlessly to do something, to save you.
“No…stop…Y/N” he called out but his voice was starting to die within him, knowing he couldn’t do anything while his feet refused to move, forced to just stand there as he watched you get pulled away from him.
He reached out with his hand towards you as far as he could, putting all his weight into his toes trying desperately to do anything to move. When suddenly it was as if they became unstuck from the ground, his whole body immediately pitching forwards, his face flying directly to the ground.
His hands came up instinctively to protect himself as he hit the ground but he didn’t ever connect with it really, instead he fell through it, reality shifting instantly so he was falling through the ceiling of his room, body slamming back down on the bed violently prompting him to bolt up inn an instant, breaths heavy and erratic as he took in his surroundings.
It was his room at the temple, his empty room, it was just a dream, at least that was what he told himself. But this felt different somehow than the dreams he had of you before. You had been his age in this one, that was what struck him, before you had always been at most the nine years old he had last seen you at on Tatooine but not in this one, why not in this one.
Something felt wrong, he could feel it. Not in the force per say but in his gut, you were in trouble he just knew it.
As he felt his heart rate start to go down, his breathing finally slowing back down to a normal rate, he brought his hand up to his face, looking down into his palm, an indent of a familiar necklace pendant etched into the skin staring back up at him.
-
You had never been one for court. The threats and promises Prince Willard doled out without a second thought as if he were a god, capable of controlling everything and everyone beneath him. As if he somehow deserved the loyalty of these people due to a position he was born into, as if he deserved to posses the fist that he too often used to crush innocent people.
It was why you barely paid attention to the next person that strolled into the throne room that day.
He had fluffy hair that fell nearly to his shoulders, piercing blue eyes that looked almost familiar if you stared into them for long enough but of course you didn’t. You never liked to note the hope in people’s eyes as they asked for favors before the prince snuffed it out.
It was the man’s voice that caught your attention. A voice that haunted your dreams, a voice that had  promised you he would come back for you, the voice of a kid you had long since given up hope of ever seeing again.
“Your majesty” the man said, dipping low into a bow as you sat up straighter, inching ever so slightly closer to the edge of your seat, eager to see the man’s face as he came back up only to see his gaze already on you, the edges of his lips turned up into a small smile “My name is Anakin Skywalker”
And you felt your whole world freeze, because it was him, that boy, the one you had grown so close to as a child, the one you had waited years for on an empty promise made when he was nine, the one now much older than when you had last seen him, bowing before you on the floor.
You felt a relief wash over you instantly, you’d spent all this time worrying for the worst: if he was dead, if he had forgotten about you, if he had never cared in the first place.
But now standing before you, eyes never breaking from your own as he smiled you could see that none of that was true, that he had kept his promise after all, that not so little anymore Ani had finally come back for you.
If only he hadn’t come too late.
“What can I do for you Mr.Skywalker” Prince Willard’s voice filled the silence you hadn’t realized you had let fall, not missing the way the Prince’s eyes flicked back and forth between you and Anakin suspiciously, a tightness in his jaw you never liked to see make an appearance.
“I come for the princess” Anakin’s gaze never left yours, but you tried to force yourself to ignore it, to slump back down into your chair, to force your expression into one of indifference.
A humorless laugh filled the throne room, echoing off the expansive stone walls as the prince looked between you and Anakin again “you come for my princess?”
“The republic does not condone keeping slaves Prince Willard” Anakin continued to threaten no matter how much you begged him behind your eyes to shut up “so I suggest you release Y/N to me and we can set this whole matter behind us”
“You must be mistaken” you hated how calm his voice was as he spoke, remaining the same even tone even as Anakin’s started to spike in anger “Y/N is not a slave here, she is as you said a princess”
“I happen to know for a fact that you purchased her servitude from Watto just two years ago” Anakin continued, stalking dangerously close to the throne as his voice dropped down an octave “thereby making her your slave”
“I freed princess Y/L/N from Watto two years ago” you could hear the smugness in the prince’s voice as he spoke, more than happy to put Anakin in his place “she is here of her on accord. Isn’t that right sweetheart”
You felt your heart seize in your chest at the nickname, watching as Anakin’s eyes broke back to yours wide with hope, begging you to say otherwise, to let him take you from here.
You practically choked on your next words “that’s correct”
You forced your gaze back to the prince’s before you could watch Anakin’s chest fall, watch the hope flicker from his eyes. It would make the first time in this room you had caused that instead of the prince.
“Nevertheless-“ Anakin tried to continue though his voice had lost most of its bravado in the process.
You watched as the prince’s hand started to snake further down the armrest of his chair, fingers coming dangerously close to the button you knew was at the end of it that would call in the guards and did the only thing you could think to do to stop it.
You leaned over and grabbed the prince’s hand, calmly lacing your fingers through his and giving it a soft squeeze.
You watched both the men freeze at the touch, Anakin’s eyes snapping immediately to your interlaced fingers on the prince’s thrown.
The prince’s eyes, however, immediately snapped to you and you could see the confusion in them. Afterall when was the last time you had shown him such affection, surely not since your first few weeks in the castle, not since you learned exactly what type of man he was.
But you forced a smile to your face, watching in some small satisfaction as a similar one grew on his, his other hand coming over to rest atop your own.
“I suggest you leave Mr.Skywalker” and there was some annoyance in his voice as the Prince said it. But annoyance was good, annoyance you could deal with, as long as it meant the anger had been washed away.
Anakin shook his head in response, taring his gaze away from your clasped hands and notably not stopping to rest on yours for even a second “not without the princess”
You had never wanted to throttle the Skywalker boy more in your life.
You could practically see the anger rising within the prince as Anakin continued to demand your freedom, his fist coming off of your hands to bang on his armrest as his voice for the first time rose enough that you were sure the guards were going to be alerted “now you listen here-“
You cut off the prince quickly with a simple “darling”, reaching out to his chin to softly pull his gaze to yours. The anger was wiped from his face in an instant, as if it had never been there in the first place and you could see him practically hanging off your every word. Afterall it was a nickname you only pulled out in the most dire of circumstances.
And though you knew it was a dirty trick to play, and that Anakin was standing right before the two of you, more than able to see everything you were about to do, you leaned forward a bit giving the prince a good view down your neckline, watching the way his brain lagged as his gaze was instinctively drawn to it.
“Do you think we could wrap this up I’m feeling rather tired” you asked sweetly, the prince’s gaze finally snapping up to your eyes.
“Of course sweetheart” he all but whispered, bringing your hand up to his lips to press a small kiss to the back of it, you doing your best not to flinch before he turned back to Anakin.
You could see Anakin’s clenched jaw even from your chair above him, not missing the daggers he glared in the prince’s direction as he waited for him to speak, his hands clutched tightly into fists at his side.
“I will not ask again Mr.Skywalker” the prince acted as if he couldn’t see the anger dripping off of Anakin, his eyes only straying from you for brief moments to address him “leave now or I will have you thrown out”
At this Anakin’s eyes broke to yours, this time not begging you to say something but rather daring you to, giving the stare but a moment’s pause before he bowed again, never taking his eyes off you as he spoke “as you wish” and you knew those words weren’t directed at the prince.
Nevertheless Anakin strolled out of the throne room slowly and you tried your best not to watch him go, not to wish he would come back and take you with him despite everything, not to want him to stay.
“come let’s get you to bed” the prince’s words broke you from your trance as he helped you from your chair, a soft hand placed on the small of your back as he led you down the hallway.
“What’s brought all this on my sweet” he asked innocently though you could detect the undercurrent of suspicion in his words, forcing your feet to stop carrying you forward, turning more fully to the prince as you spoke.
“Just…hearing someone lie like that…about knowing me in order to get close to me…it scared me honestly” you forced your voice to be as small and helpless as possible, exactly the way he seemed to prefer his princesses.
And you watched his face light up in response, a small chuckle escaping his lips before he pulled you softly into a hug, your head crashing lightly into his chest as he rubbed a hand up and down your back “there is no need to worry. I will always protect you”
And though you gagged on the inside, and had to fight the urge to push him away from you, you forced yourself to sink further into the hug, mumbling softly against the linen of his shirt “I know you will”
-
You woke in the middle of the night to a soft tapping on your window, familiar blue eyes connecting with yours from the balcony outside.
Swearing softly under your breath you slipped out from beneath the convers, careful not the wake the prince sleeping right next to you as you did so.
Only once the crisp night air hit you did it dawn on you that you hadn’t bothered to throw anything on over the simple slip you slept in with the prince, something that clearly didn’t escape Anakin’s notice either.
“Did you-“ he let the question hang in the air, his eyes flitting back to the prince still asleep in your bed inside.
“I’m fine” you answered simply, not caring that that was not the question he had asked in the first place “Ani what are you doing here”
You hadn’t meant for the nickname to slip out, the familiarity of being in his presence just taking over but you could see the way his mouth quirked up at the sound of it, his attention drawing completely back to you as you said it “I could ask you the same question”
“Yeah well” you crossed your arms protectively over your chest, gaze breaking to anything other than Anakin’s eyes as you spoke “only one of us is here willingly”
You watched the smile on Anakin’s face grow into a grin as you admitted it “I knew it”
“I’m so glad my enslavement amuses you” you grumbled back in response.
“Hey it means I can do something about it” Anakin responded just making you shake your head more, had he learned nothing from this morning.
“You cannot-“ and you cut yourself off, eyes darting back briefly to your bedroom to check on the prince’s sleeping form before you changed tactics, only focused on ending this conversation as soon as possible “Anakin you need to leave”
“What?” he asked in disbelief, blue eyes bouncing back and forth between your own “I can’t leave. Not without you”
“Ani I-“ you sighed, eyes breaking to the sides of the castle “look at least meet me in the guest bedroom okay, its just that balcony over there” you pointed to the balcony a few rooms down from your own “we can’t have this conversation here”
He looked down at you skeptically, eyes breaking back into your bedroom before reluctantly nodding.
You sighed back in relief, carefully slipping back into your bedroom and out into the hallway though not without grabbing a robe to wrap yourself in on the way.
And you had meant to go into the room telling Anakin off, demanding he leave before he causes even more trouble. But then you saw him standing there in the room, the perfect reflection of the little kid you had known on Tatooine, and you couldn’t help yourself.
You bound up to Anakin quickly, wrapping your arms around his neck as his snaked around your waist pulling you into a deep hug. You felt him sigh into it, pulling you tightly against him and you knew he needed this as badly as you did.
“You grew up” you whispered into his ear, feeling your whole body shake as he laughed in response, reluctantly letting you go.
“So did you”
And you relished the smile on his face as he said it, the familiar air that had encapsulated you in that moment, as if the years that had passed without him didn’t exist, as if he had been there with you the whole time.
His eyebrows suddenly quirked and you watched his hand come up to your neck, fingers grazing the skin around it as he pulled on the simple golden chain he had given you ages ago.
“You still wear it” the words came out in disbelief, a soft chuckle along with them.
“A good friend gave it to me” you responded with a smile “told me it was so that I wouldn’t forget him, or his promise”
“And did you?” he asked you, eyes breaking from the necklace back to you hopefully.
“Not for a second” you answered honestly.
His next words came quick and with the same veracity as that promise he had made you long ago “neither did I”
Another brief silence passed between the two of you before Anakin finally broke it, dropping the necklace, allowing its charm to thud softly against your chest “why did you agree to go with him Y/N? I promised I would come get you”
“How long was I supposed to wait Ani?” you asked him softly “I’d already waited so many years, I had no way of knowing if you were even alive, so when the chance to finally get out from under Watto came along. I took it”
“And the prince?” he asked in response “he treats you well? You’re happy here?”
“He treats me well” you assured him, taking one of his hands in yours and giving it a soft squeeze, pointedly ignoring his latter question.
“come back with me” he pleaded, taking your other hand in his.
“I can’t” you shook your head in response.
“Why not?”
You sighed softly at the question “Because I am single handedly keeping at bay three different wars by staying his hand” your answer slipped out before you could stop it “because the people here deserve better than to live on a war torn planet which is what this place will be reduced to if the prince is left to rule alone”
“the jedi order can-“
“The order can do what?” you cut him off quickly “there is a treaty in place and the prince has so far done nothing wrong. The order can’t step in until it is too late and you know it”
And again there was a moment of silence as Anakin digested your words, tried to think of a way to counter. “Please don’t make me leave without you.” He took a deep breath, eyes bouncing desperately back and forth between your own “I already did that once and I can’t bear to do it again”
And you couldn’t help but smile sadly at that, a hand coming instinctively up to cup his cheek, rubbing soft circles into the skin “Ani I can’t”
Anakin opened his mouth to respond but instead the prince’s voice came out startling the two of you “You know I knew you were lying when you said you didn’t know him” You and Anakin jumped back from each other hastily. The prince continuing on softly as if he hadn’t noticed “I never thought I asked you for too much. I gave you everything you could ever want: a castle to explore, a planet to rule over, subjects to wait on you hand and foot and all I ever wanted in return was for you to love me. Instead I find out you’re undermining my rule behind my back.”
Anakin grabbed your arm protectively, pulling you closer to him as he spoke “you don’t get to buy someone’s love like that. You earn it and if Y/N doesn’t want to go back with you than she won’t”
The prince in turn completely ignored Anakin’s words, his eyes only focusing on you “Now Y/N you know I don’t like to play this card but I do own you” he held a hand out to you, waiting for you to take it, already expecting that you would “now be a good girl and come back to me”
And he was right, it was as if your hand was being pulled by strings, your arm already lifting before Anakin was pulling you back behind him, defensively standing between you and the prince “As I already said slavery is illegal under the republic”
“As the leading supplier of weapons to the republic I’m willing to bet they will look the other way just this one time” he said it all with a smile, already knowing he had won, that you were bound to come back to him just as you always did.
“They may be but I am not” Anakin dropped into a defensive stand before you, hands making for his lightsaber strapped to his hip and illuminating it before him, casting an eerie blue glow in the room.
“I warn you this is not a battle you can win Skywalker” the prince threatened, giving Anakin a moment to stand down before calling out “guards”
In a second the room was swarming with guards, every available space filled with a new one, each with their blasters pointed squarely at Anakin.
And you could see from his stance that there was still no backing down, that he planned to go down fighting if that was what the situation called for.
The prince, however, kept his eyes on you, a smirk on his face as he held a hand out to you still, patiently waiting for you to take it.
“Ani stop” you all but whispered, setting a soft hand on his back as you made your way around him.
“Y/N, no” he tried weakly to stop you though you could tell his heart wasn’t in it. He knew this was a fight he couldn’t win.
You ignored him as you stepped around him, reaching out to take the princes hand, not missing the way his grip was much stronger than necessary once you had grabbed it. “that’s a good princess” he cooed happily, smiling back at the daggers Anakin was glaring into him “now you and I are going to have a very important discussion but first” he turned his attention back to the guards, hand never breaking from your wrist “show the jedi out and make sure he doesn’t come back this time, I don’t need the entire order on my ass claiming I kidnapped one of their knights”
For a moment there was just silence, Anakin glaring back at the prince, no doubt imagining the thousand of ways he could kill him right now before he finally deactivated his lightsaber, turning his attention back to you just over the princes shoulders “I’m coming back for you” he promised, putting as much force into the words as possible before his gaze snapped back to the prince “and I’m not taking no for an answer”
-
It had been a while since you had been thrown in the dungeon, something that happened fairly rarely though still often enough that you had your own room.
Some furniture had been added, a more comfortable bed and all but there was still no mistaking it for what it was, a prison cell.
Anakin had said he would come back for you, the exact promise he made you as a nine year old on Tatooine, and sure he had fulfilled the promise the first time but that how many years? Could you really afford to wait that long again?
But Anakin didn’t owe you anything, you weren’t his responsibility, and further it made no sense for the jedi to sanction a rescue mission like that. Overthrowing the monarchy of the planet that supplied most of the republics weapons over one girl? That didn’t make sense.
But his eyes when he had promised you again, the tone in his voice, the conviction with which he said it, you believed him, you really did.
But logic won out, it always did, you just needed to sit here and wait, wait for the prince to forgive you, wait for him to decide he would rather have his arm candy at the next ball than be mad at you. Put your head down and play your part that was how you had gotten this far in this life and it was how you were prepared to continue.
So you waited, waited for an all too familiar apology, the same excuse of how he didn’t like treating you like this, or even worse that this hurt him to see you like this more than it hurt you.
Instead on the fourth day you were awakened by an explosion loud enough to shake the castle walls.
You were on your feet in an instant, pressing your ear desperately to the door trying to pick up any noise at all that would clue you into what was happening but the door was too thick, you couldn’t make out anything.
Swearing under your breath you gave up on that tactic, moving instead to pacing the room before deciding better of it, grabbing the only thing you could think to make a weapon (a pillow) and pressing your back to the wall right next to the door.
Forcing deep, even breaths you waited, only having to stand there for a few minutes before the door finally slid open, you waiting a single moment before swinging the pillow towards the person walking into the room.
Only a few steps in the person effortlessly turned to you and held a hand up to block, you only realizing with relief that it was Anakin after you had nailed him in the forearm.
“A pillow? Really?”
“I don’t exactly have options for weapons in here” you sighed, throwing the pillow back onto your bed.
“Literally anything would have been better” he chuckled “you could’ve just punched me”
“Then you could’ve grabbed my wrist and I’d have been restrained”
“Oh glad to know there was at least some thought put into this plan” he shook his head in amusement “now come on you’re ruining my knight in shining armor moment”
With a grin you took his hand, letting him lead you down the hallway to the stairs that would take you to the main floor, the sound of gunfire growing with each step.
“The order sanctioned a hostile takeover of the castle?” you asked him in disbelief.
“Its just the 501st battalion up there” he whispered back to you as he drew his lightsaber, pointedly not answering your question.
“And the jedi council and the senate gave you permission to use them to come here right?” you responded with a raised brow.
“When we get up there stay low and stay behind me we’re going to be moving quickly” Again Anakin ignored your question as he started to move up the stairs.
You reached out to grab his arm, forcing him to stop and look at you, you raising your eyebrows waiting for your answer.
He sighed as he looked down at you before shaking his head softly “I made a promise. And I already wasted too much time before fulfilling the first one”
“Ani but all this” you sighed back at him, gesturing to the sounds of battle above “people could get hurt, you’re going to be in so much trouble-“
“I told you” he cut you off with a small smile “I’m not leaving this planet without you”
And to your own surprise you had no response to that, a moment of silence hanging in the air before Anakin turned back to the stairs and whispered “now stay low and behind me we’re making a break for the ship okay?”
“Okay”
-
You can’t remember the last time you were able to just sit in the grass and watch the clouds. Honestly you weren’t sure you had ever been able to do so. There was always work to do, customers to overcharge, kingdoms to run. It was nice to just sit and do nothing for a change.
You heard footsteps approaching from behind you but didn’t bother to turn around and look, you knew who it was.
Anakin sat down wordlessly next to you, his shoulder brushing yours lightly as he leaned back on his hands, his gaze following yours up to the sky.
“How much trouble did you get into for an unsanctioned rescue mission like that” you asked him with a raised brow, laughing softly as you watched his gaze pointedly avoid yours.
“Why don’t we just say that doesn’t matter now” he proposed with a soft smile “you’re here, you’re free, that’s what matters”
“So a lot. I tried to warn you” you chuckled with a soft shake of your head.
“I free you from being a slave, from a literal dungeon and you’re still going to do an ‘I told you so’ moment” He laughed finally looking down at you.
“I mean I did” you shrugged with a grin, moving to sit up straighter, your smile slowly dropping from your face as you picked at the grass beneath your legs, letting you gaze stay down as you prepared for your next words “you know, waiting all those years on Tatooine, I was starting to think you had forgotten me”
“There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think about you” Anakin’s answer came immediately, his tone soft but serious.
“Yeah?” You chuckled lightheartedly, eyes coming up to see that he was already looking down at you “nice to know I had such an impact on your childhood”
At this Anakin chuckled softly, wringing a hand through his hair as he spoke “I mean how could you not? We spent nearly every minute together, you were the one I always wanted to talk to, the one who made me laugh no matter whatever else was going on. Of course I thought about you. I meant it when I said I was going to come back for you”
“I know you did” you answered honestly “even back then, I knew you did”
A moment of comfortable silence fell over the two of you before Anakin broke it “you know I had this plan in my head on how I was going to rescue you” he chuckled  softly, eyes casting up to the clouds above as he spoke “I was going to storm in and demand you back, fight my way to you if I had to, and you would see me and be so grateful that I had finally come for you that you ran to me, threw your arms around my neck and…” he seemed to choke on his next words, a brief moments pause before a humorless chuckle escaped his lips “and that’s not how it ended up going at all”
“It did not” you agreed with your own chuckle
“then I saw you on that throne, looking more beautiful than you ever had before in that gown that I almost forgot what I had planned to say. I panicked and bowed instead”
And you couldn’t help but laugh at that, at the idea of the Anakin Skywalker getting so flustered by anything that badly was absolutely ridiculous.
“Then you acted as if you had no idea who I was” his voice seemed to hollow out at these words, “and this pit grew in my stomach, and I just needed you to look at me and tell me that you remembered me”
You took his hand without a second thought, giving it a soft squeeze as he continued.
“Then I saw you reach over and grab his hand, and you called him darling and smiled at him with that same smile you used to give me and I told myself that I could be okay with that. That I would be okay with that if you were in love with him, if you were happy. If being a princess gave you all you wanted then I would just walk away”
“Then why did you come back” you asked him softly “later that night”
He chuckled softly to himself again, giving your hand a squeeze “I told myself that I just wanted to make sure that you were happy. That if you looked me in the eyes and told me that you liked it there that I would leave. But honestly” he paused for a deep breath, looking down at you for the first time “honestly I just needed to know that you remembered me, that I wasn’t crazy for hanging onto those years we knew each other as kids for as long as I did”
And you couldn’t help but laugh at his words, resting your head against his shoulder as you did so “Oh Ani I could’ve never forgotten you”
“Yeah?” he asked you and though he tried to play it off as a joke you could hear the desperation beneath his voice, how badly he needed to hear you say it.
“Of course I didn’t forget about you” you sighed out, your other hand coming up to squeeze his bicep softly “I’ve been in love with you since we were five”
You felt him go rigid beneath you, a brief moment of panic coursing through you as you sat back up to look at him, his wide eyes planted squarely on you as you straightened up to meet his gaze “you what?”
“I thought it was obvious” you chuckled at his reaction “always practically hanging off your side, doing anything and everything to get you to laugh, to notice me”
You could practically see his brain working to catch up, to process your words “why…why didn’t you tell me?”
“And when would I have done that?” you chuckled again “when you were my only friend in the world that I couldn’t risk losing or after you left to go become a jedi?”
His eyes flitted back and forth for a moment, his head whirling at what had apparently been new information to him only making you smile and shake your head softly.
“And what about now?” he asked quietly
You smirked back up at him, a mischievous glint in your eye “what about now?”
He forced out a chuckle at your words, his grip on your hand tightening unconsciously “what do you think of no longer nine years old Anakin”
You couldn’t fight the grin off your face as you leaned back slightly, allowing your eyes to graze over him, pretending to scrutinize before answering “hmmm not bad. Could use a haircut though”
And you watched a grin grow on his own face at your words, the grip on your hand used to pull you closer to him. “I’ll have you know I like my hair”
“Oh no the long hair suits no longer nine year old Anakin” you assured him, reaching up to run a hand through it “just a little trim”
He caught your hand as you tried to withdraw it from his hair, pressing a soft kiss to the delicate skin on the inside of your wrist before he spoke softly “okay, for you, anything”
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utilitycaster · 4 months
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🔥 each member of vox machina
Vax: really the sadboy narrative for Liam has always been stupid but it's egregiously bad that it started with Vax, who is like, sad for maybe a fifth of the episodes and largely because Liam O'Brien's actual mother was dying, like, with all due respect what the actual fuck, fandom.
Vex: I am the founding and probably only member of the "Vex is my favorite character and also I am 100% cool with Colville's depiction of her." The generosity she shows even very early on in C1 is still a generosity borne of some degree of security - they have a keep by then - and I also just don't think you have to like a character to write them fairly. Granted it's been a minute since I read early VMO but nothing stood out to me as out of line with my understanding of Vex.
Pike: repeating myself once again but I like Pike a lot and wish we could have seen more, but because we didn't, people who say she's their favorite in C1 do tend to turn me off in that I feel they're looking for a relatively flat and widely praised character to project onto rather than a character who goes through more messy development.
Grog: I think he's often underestimated and I was guilty of doing so myself, to be honest, until I saw Travis play more and until I personally got better at D&D. Also I still maintain that playing INT 6 sensitively and well is infinitely harder than playing INT 16, all things considered, and this is yet another reason why people should play high INT more often.
Scanlan: Also underestimated; I do understand being turned off by the whole extremely horny playboy thing but as I've said before Bard's Lament is a major litmus test for me: if you think Scanlan is completely at fault here, you are wrong, and if you think he's not partially at fault, you are also wrong.
Tary: I genuinely love him and think he's a great character and one of Sam's best, but while his character arc is strong the Taryon Darrington Arc of the VM Campaign, through no fault of his own (and partly bc I personally think D&D Hell, especially pre-Descent Into Avernus publication, is kind of boring), is one of the weakest parts of the campaign because it's kind of a grab bag of loose ends. With that said I would happily watch more Darrington Brigade-one shots.
Percy: Percy is also generally a litmus test in that it's like. Is he a good person? Eventually I believe he becomes one, and even before that I think he's very sympathetic and deeply traumatized and like, 24, so I get it, but also, who the fuck cares. This ties into the Essek and the Ashton opinions and all kinds of other stuff but why are people so invested in fucking absolving their blorbo of all sins? I want someone who's lived enough of a life to have done some heinous shit because that's fun and interesting and it's pretend and also because then they can have a rewarding character arc by either working towards redemption or coming to terms with who they are or spiraling into tragedy.
Keyleth: I like Keyleth a lot but I am, as this post indicates, far more sympathetic to Vex, and so while I do think Keyleth is a fairly good person she is also extremely sheltered and naive and terrified of doing the wrong thing and I would have, like Vex, wanted to scream at her half the time were I just a random NPC wandering about the campaign. On the other hand C3-era Keyleth? fantastic no notes she has grown up in such an interesting way.
Tiberius: I think we, and by we I mean people capable of separating the art from the artist, can recognize that his concept actually fucking slapped and unfortunately he was played by someone who absolutely sucked in a myriad of ways. I would love to see the alternate universe in which the same general concept (prodigy sorcerer from Draconia who is full of themself) had to face not just the destruction of their civilization but the realization that they were taking advantage of the Ravenites and while they did not deserve to be killed by Vorugal, had done nothing to justify aid from those they had subjugated either. Like, the alternate world in which one of the current cast members or like, a close friend of the main cast (Ashly, Erika, Mary Elizabeth) played this is one I'd love to see.
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cboffshore · 3 months
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with very little respect to that one feral Chima-purity-defender: here's that thing I was talking about the other day I now formally present THE SLOG THEORY.
obviously, this is STUPID rough. In order to make this way more accurate, I'd have to know how many normal days each season of Chima and Ninjago takes, which... not happening. I ain't doing that. This is very heavily rounded and largely for illustrative purposes.
(@ghostwalloper said I was cooking. It's dinnertime, pal.)
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The original joke was that, since Chima is such a pain in the ass to watch and feels like it takes forever, obviously time in that realm must be WAY slower than in Ninjago, and only equalizes when The Merge happens and throws everything into a blender. Hence the name Slog Theory. I'm building on the time slowness thing here, because it's FUNNY. I could be entirely wrong - maybe everything in Chima happens in the span of five Ninjago minutes during the first season and they're just sitting around for the rest of the time.
Reading the chart: Blue side is Chima, with season chunks numbered. Red is Ninjago. Please note that the Ninjago season numbers are off to the side, ABOVE their related chunk, due to space. The purple V shape is when the Merge happens well after the end of N15. I drew this on my phone over breakfast, okay? Don't come at me for that. With that being said, I kept all of the time chunks on each side approximately the same just for ease of drawing, because - once again, for the people in the back - there is no way I am going back and doing the math to figure out exactly how many regular days each season takes. That's impossible. There are clues, sure, but WAY too many cuts. Just roll with it, please.
See those green zones on the blue Chima side? Those are our KEY POINTS. There are three, each correlating to some spot on the Ninjago side. They are:
The infamous Possession cameo. My brief research shows that this is an edited scene from EP 15 of C1, which leaves us two possibilities: either the cameo scene with Lloyd and Morro present is canon to BOTH sides, or history repeated itself on the Chima side after the original Eris/other bird iteration, and they all went to hang out on that hill again, hoping to see another fight. And boy did they deliver! Besides that scene EXPLICITLY being an edited version of one from C1, we also know that character lineup is consistent with C1.
The Beaver Portal thing from the second have of N11. It's trickier to place this in the Chima timeline because it doesn't have any of the main characters involved to indicate what season it happens in via armor or lineup, so I just let it fall where it may, which loosely suggests it happens somewhere off to the side between C2 and C3.
The final cliffhanger shot. Following with the time line I've already established with the other cameos, approximately 4-5 seasons have passed since the last one, which puts this after the end of N15 - right around where the Merge would kick off DR. Which would explain why we never see the Chima characters go have adventures down there - reality gets shredded first! Like, right after that shot!
Anyway! It's ultimately all pretty pointless - we're over here fighting over a toy commercial, after all - but I thought that drawing and writing it out a little more thoroughly helped me out, so I hope it helps you all, too.
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spirit-mail · 10 months
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Fresh Meat
rai_viz on ao3
König × M!Reader - 1.2k -
C1 - C2 - C3
___×× follow n send asks so I can write more
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"Double foam caramel macchiato for Savannah?"
You grumbled maybe your thirtieth order of the morning out, sliding the warm cardboard cup across the counter to the nearest customer. Stomping back to your station just to find another overload of orders, with only two people working including yourself. Your coworker, Farah, taking orders and desperately trying to make a dent in the sudden influx of people, rushing in and out of the medium-capacity store. 
"Is Derek dead or did he just decide not to call in today?" Farah breathed out as the rush finally calmed down. The two of you leaned against the counters, taking maybe the most useful makeshift break you could.
"If anything, I should be the one missing work.."
She instantly quirked an eyebrow towards your tired figure, wiping down the counter and looking at you intently. 
"Do you remember when I told you that my friend set me up on some stupid date?" 
The bell, notifying the both of you that someone entered the store rung as soon as you finished your sentence, and you both were quick to pretend you were hard at work making orders. Farah standing right in front of the register once again to take the customers order, and in that second you thought you really were just being punished by god simply for existing.
“Just a bagel, please..” Your stomach churned and you froze in front of the coffee maker, and you desperately wanted to run out from behind that counter and onto the street into oncoming traffic. Hoping maybe there was just someone with the exact same voice and speaking mannerisms as the guy you hooked up with just last night. Deciding to just “be the bigger person”, you reluctantly turned around to face König. Your lips pressed firmly together in the awkwardest expression you could possibly come up with. You waved, watching as his eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something, ultimately staying silent. Farah could clearly see the weird tension between you two and instantly put two and two together, covering her mouth with her hand as she tried not to laugh (fucking sadist).
And then it got worse. Maybe your saving grace- maybe the reason you’re stuck here in the first place, but the man, the myth, and the legend himself, Derek, opens the door, the sound of his footsteps amplified due to your previous silence. “Sorry I’m late, guys!”
_
“Soo judging from your face it's safe to say you didn’t go out of your way to track me down?”
You chuckled awkwardly, sitting across from the much larger man with a bright red drink in front of him with the bagel he asked for. “I’m really sorry, I honestly never expected this to happen..” He began, eyes darting around nervously as you sighed, resting your elbow on the table and staring at him intently. “You didn’t need to get me this..”
“It’s fine, I figured you’d like it. It’s cherry.” He honestly might have just died right then and there. A million thoughts flooded through his head and suddenly it was hard for him to even move, but the one thing that was clear to him was that you remembered. It sounds stupid, maybe- but you didn’t just go off and toss him out your brain like any other person would do, and that meant enough to him as he took a sip of the lemonade, smiling softly. “I didn’t think I’d see you again so I did a bunch of shit I’d never usually do and now its all coming back for me..” You groan, realizing now that you weren’t scared of seeing him, you were scared of having to talk about it. Yeah, you could just pretend it never happened and you two are just strangers who have a hard time looking eachother in the eye, but thats a billion times worse than what you’re doing now.
“The note you left me..”
“Do not bring that up- please. It was impulsive!”
He laughs, tilting his head back as the red on his cheeks becomes more visible. “Alright. My work isn’t far from here, but I should probably be leaving about now.” He stands up, still towering over you even after you stand as well. You’re quick to open your arms out wide, clearly asking for a hug before awkwardly switching to a handshake and then back into a hug, his cheeks still a bright red as he carefully wraps his arms around your form, enveloping you into what might have been the longest hug ever.
“See you around.. Maybe probably?” You pat his back and finally let the hug go, feeling both of your coworkers nosy eyes on you. 
“I’ll call you later.” He does the little telephone motion to the side of his face as he walks out the store, leaving you there practically foaming at the mouth. You would have collapsed on that tile floor right then and there if you didn’t have to work, Farah and Derek passing jokes and bombarding you with questions about him and your relationship. You reluctantly answered most of them, pleading the 5th for all the rest. 
The day finally ends and you end up walking out of that coffee shop alive at 6 PM sharp, your head filled with scenarios of bumping into König on the street, or- unrealistically enough, right in front of your apartment. You made it home successfully, no awkward surprise meet-ups. Lying in your bed desperately trying to distract yourself from the anxiety that he unknowingly caused you with just one four-word sentence. From constantly checking your phone to groaning and rolling around your bed in anticipation. 
You nearly screeched when you heard your phone ringing beneath your pillow, unknown caller ID. Assuming it was spam, you answered, managing a lazy and drawn out "Hellooo?"
“Hi, [Name]!” You could hear him grinning ear to ear with excitement, his voice booming through the phone and practically rupturing your eardrums. He seemed way more outgoing over the phone. 
“Have you been well today?” He asked, you leaned your head back onto your bedframe and sighed. “I’m fine, you?”
“I’m great.”
The silence between you was dreadful. The occasional sound of you breathing or him moving around a bit made you want to slam your head into the wall, and when you both tried to say something but ended up interrupting eachother you really just wanted to hang up and go to sleep forever. Finally, after a little less than 5 minutes of crippling silence, he finally spoke and you were too distracted with your own thoughts to interrupt him.
“I hope I didn’t disturb you or anything like that today, I truly did not intend for that to happen..” He chuckled awkwardly into your silence.
“I uh- really liked the drink you gave me, by the way. Thank you.” 
“If you’d like.. Accidentally walked in tomorrow I could give you another one.” You responded, finally feeling more comfortable.
“I’ll make sure to accidentally show up, then?” He was all giddy now, like a highschool girl talking to her crush. “See you tomorrow, then? On accident?” you grinned, reassuring the joke that it would just be another mistake.
“On accident.”
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c3e91
We open on the two teams booking it back toward the Volition hideout.
As the extraction team enters the industrial and residential circle of the city, the populace of Kreviris is in a rising panic, and soldiers are beginning to flood toward the Prime Pillar. Mystics begin to emerge as well, like bees swarming out of a hive. They form a matrix around it and the pillar lights up as a gossamer wave emanates out from it — a wave of dispelling energy breaks the extraction team's invisibility and the detonation team's illusion. They are all visible in the streets of Kreviris.
Their telepathic bond is gone too — that means that the dispel wave is at least 5th level.
Fearne spots that Zathuda appears to have survived the explosion and is riding Gloamglut in surveying circles around the pillar. As their illusion breaks, the dragon lands on the rooftops above them and looks down.
Ashton build update: While transformed by the shard of earth, Ashton's weapons have siege, which lets them deal double damage to structures (like walls). This lets him break down walls like a Looney Toons character so that they can escape the dragon (with a whole-ass building as a casualty, because siege doubles the already-doubled damage of a crit).
Meanwhile, Imogen recasts invisibility and Everoa starts to guide them out.
They tuck into a passage, but Zathuda calls out: "Fearne! It would be my own who fights against me. You really are your mother's daughter. It's a mix of pride and hate I hold for you, Fearne Zathuda! A true chaos being of cold shadow and fiery flame." Gloamglut can't quite find them.
Fearne polymorphs FCG into a slither then turns into one with wildshape, and with Ashton able to glide through the rock with the shard, they are safely burrowed underground and start heading back to where they came from.
As the extraction team gets closer to the edge of the city, walls of stone rise from the ground and encircle them in a 40-foot cage — the wisdom save that Laudna failed was most likely a scry, and they glance up to see a wind-swept, bloodied Liliana descending. Imogen is the only one visible.
When Liliana speaks, it has multiple tones, like an offset harmony as she speaks. "Did you know?" [Did I know what?] (persuasion: 31) "Then why are you here?" It's almost hard to focus on her from the pressure her presence is exerting.
Imogen takes out the locket that Relvin gave her. [You're so powerful. A better whole, mama.] "I don't want Ludinus to see how powerful you are. He'll make you the vessel instead." [Run away. Run away with me.] "I can't. As long as I'm here, I can control what happens around him. If I'm not here, there are so many others, children—" [You're hurt. Please, come with me. Please.] (persuasion: 31) "The Mind is lookin'. I have to think. I'll find you. I'll find you. Go. Go."
She drops the walls and shoots up through the ceiling of the city like a bullet. They start running. In front of them, five reiloran mystics clad in golds, platinums, gems, intricate robes — their crests with bones, runes, and chains. They are so adorned with jewelry that it's difficult to discern their age through the masks. Their outline is impressive, but their legs dangle down like straggly roots without ground. They speak: "There you are. Who are you?"
They turn to Chetney. "We've connected to your essence before..." There was a moment when the red moon seemed to look in to Chetney's soul, and he began to lose control — and it's happening again now, that same feeling. "Sweet feral child, instrument of our desire... who else joins us?"
To Laudna, or Delilah beneath: "Two spirits reside in one vessel. We can give you all that you desire."
As they look at each of them in turn, the Bells Hells' wills turn to paper. They turn to Orym, but before they can speak, he says under his breath: "Nana Morri, I need you, right now. We need to get out of here. All of us. Now."
They turn from Orym to Imogen: "You... you've come home. We're happy to have you. The rest may stay — no. They resist. They must go. Welcome home." And their illusions disappear. They keep running, and make it into a tunnel that climbs toward the top of the city.
Team detonation can see Liliana's walls going up and race toward it — they reach team extraction in time to see the Weave-Mind leave, and the Bells Hells reunite.
Imogen casts sending on Rashina: "We have Everoa. The city is unsafe. How's the safehouse? If it's not safe, we'll take her with us elsewhere." The safehouse is, unfortunately, abandoned. Too hot for us to regather. Rest. Find the allies you promised. Take her with you. Anything of import, let us know.
The Bells Hells resolve to leave the city and return to the secret passage to Exandria. They approach the top of the tunnel, and as they realize Otohan is following them, they start collapsing the tunnel behind them and preparing for battle. (I think this is the point where Matt regrets, just a little bit, giving Ashton this stone-surfing ability.)
Bormodo update: Their speed is 25.
Otohan goes around the tunnel collapse and gets ahead of them. Orym takes point to listen for her — he doesn't hear anything, but sees an echo — "then, it suddenly has color, has form. Otohan is here."
To break!
Begin combat:
Orym goes first, and opens with a hex and then two critical hits on Otohan's backpack.
Otohan takes Chetney down and kills him in one round, but expends a lot of her juice to do so — action surge is down, and so are three of her psionic dice. Matt is absolutely playing her how he should be — with a lone fighter like her, she needs to get someone down in almost every round because the action economy is so desperately stacked against her.
Chetney's last words are, "for four hundred years, I looked up at the moon. Not a bad place to go."
She looks at Imogen. "We have more than enough Ruidisborn to complete our plan. The loss of one candidate will not be impactful."
Fearne activates the spark of Rau'shan, and becomes a creature made completely of fire. While it's active, difficult terrain does not impede her movement.
God, the fact that Matt allows FCG to trade his 7th-level spell slot for preparing revivify definitely says something about how this fight is going thus far — but FCG attempts a revivify on Chetney: "Chetney, you haven't become a legend yet." Resurrection spells work, or at the very least they work on the moon! Chetney's DC goes up to 11, he's back up with 1 hit point, and FCG has no more diamonds.
Imogen's telekinesis tears the backpack off of Otohan, and she pushes it toward Ashton so he can smash it. "Oh, you bitch!" That's anger there. As it's torn off, the shadows around her vanish — she can't use any of her echo knight abilities anymore, so they were all sourced from the backpack.
Orym update: He did get the fey-touched feat, and took misty step for his 2nd level spell. He teleports, does a bait and switch with Imogen, and starts going off on this bitch — advantage for flanking and two back-to-back crits.
Laudna hits a massive blight roll and burns one of her legendary resistances, on top of three eldritch blast hits.
Fearne update: When she hits with an attack or spell, she can choose to deal additional fire damage.
Orym has rolled so many natural 20s this fight, and I can't help but feel that it's excellent poetic justice.
Otohan uses her second action surge, confirming that she's at least a 17th level fighter, but is most likely 20th.
Chetney, on 1 hit point, uses his healing potion on a downed Imogen instead.
Laudna update: The ability is actually called hunger of the shadow shard, meaning it's actually sourced from the piece of the gnarlrock that Delilah absorbed and not Delilah intrinsically. Also, she can keep using it until it works, but once it works it can't be used again. Also also, the energy that emanates from Laudna's hand as she does that is unfamiliar to Otohan, and she looks afraid.
Ashton update: Ashton's gravity rage build does not require a saving throw — it stands to reason that their other rage builds don't either, only the extra abilities do. That makes a lot of sense, actually. Also, when Ashton has the shard activated, they can choose to deal an additional 1d6 fire damage on a hit; and at some point, their chaos burst damage went up to 1d8.
Otohan update: She actually did go super-Sayan, and has an exalted rage form that has an increased AC and, presumably, an increased damage output, bonus to hit, and saves. She also regains both action surges when it happens.
Ashton rage build update: As a reaction, Ashton can use erratic defense and roll 1d4. On one of the results, Ashton takes half damage from the attack and the attacker is pushed 30 feet away.
Oddly enough, she downs Imogen again and doesn't go for a kill shot — instead, she downs Chetney again and doesn't kill anyone, which is going to allow FCG to heal everyone back up.
Otohan having resistance to all damage in this form on top of 25 AC is....... that feels like a little bit too much to me. just barely. But we'll see. (edit from future Note: this is the point where the party begins to lose hope.)
On one of Otohan's blades, when it hits a creature that's concentrating on a spell, the concentration check DC is doubled, which drops Fearne's aura of life. FCG, on their last leg, triggers their stress response. See above.
Genuinely, this is 100% the kind of situation that I would warn new or even half-seasoned GMs about — the kind of situation that you look at and say, "do not ever do this unless you are 100% certain that your group would be okay with it." And I hope, but I know many won't, that the fandom will respond to this in the way that they should, recognizing that this is a group of players who know each other so intimately that the GM can do this and have the table be not only alright but content with it.
As a hail-mary, Imogen casts sending on Liliana. "Otohan has us in the tunnels. It's about to be over. Help." The response: "I don't — I'll try to find you. I don't know how fast I can get there, I'll try to find you." Imogen takes off the circlet to help her find them.
"We might have misjudged this a tidy-bit—" Travis. Laura. what do you mean. She sought you out. There was no way to avoid this.
Matt rolling behind the screen and not having Otohan attack to kill is hopeful! But still, the sheer hopelessness here among the players is something you really should not do if you don't know your table. (At the same time, there's also a building hopelessness in Matt, which I think is what allows the following events to transpire.)
That there's no music behind this half of the fight, or at least very low-volume music, is also...... not helping, I don't think.
Man, this is a BG3-ass fight. Literally fighting until the last hit point, spending every scroll and potion you can, especially because getting someone up means they get a full round of actions.
End of combat
With 5 hit points left, FCG casts a 4th-level guiding bolt at their core. You know what this means, right? "Yes. The rage that I feel, the stress being so high, the fuel pumping through my core — it has reached a level it's never reached before, and it is so intense, that for the first time I realize that I am made of metal and wires, but I am alive. I am alive not because I was made, I'm alive because they made me alive, and it's the connections that I made with all of them. It's a feeling of joy, and I am happy to do this, because they saved my life. And I'll save theirs."
FCG pushes Otohan back so that only they are in the blast radius. They roll 20d8, for 79 damage. "FCG... how do you want to do this?"
"The last things I see are Bertrand, and Dorian, and Frida. I just feel connected to everybody. Some connections are made with wires, and some are made with blood, some are made with bone, some are made with wood, but they all matter. And they, even in this dark, dark cave, they make every day a smiley day. So I just sign off, and go."
The red in FCG's eyes turns to white, and there is a smile turned toward the rest of the Bells Hells. Otohan goes to awkwardly pull a blade, and before she gets a chance to dart away, a ball of crackling energy fills the space, rocks around her — she is incinerated, utterly. Then it stops, leaving a crater in the ground. "The sound of hundreds of small pieces of metal sprinkle across the room. The charred, lifeless body of Otohan Thull is left there."
"The thing about heroic sacrifice is it doesn't just give meaning to the person in the moment — it's an inspiration that we have to carry with us. As this moment of tragedy washes over you, in ways that maybe some of you already knew, or are realizing right now... the stakes are realer now than ever. And this loss cannot be in vain. As the silence and numbness begins to subside, you start to hear the distant sounds of shouting soldiers. People coming. You know you have to keep going."
Ashton goes to find FCG's coin — it's like a beacon guiding them to the exit. He takes it. There is still part of FCG's head and smile left — lenses cracked, jaw unhinged, but it's something. They also recover the teleportation staff.
Of Otohan, nothing is left but her backpack, which was away from the explosion, and her blades, thrown away in the blast.
"Numb and distracted, pushing ever-onward because that's what this is all about," the remainder of the Bells Hells emerges onto the wind-swept quiet of Ruidus. Liliana descends, and takes Imogen's hand. As the dust rolls by and the clouds clear, with the vision of Exandria above... the stakes are clear. Sam Riegel, you motherfucker.
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Weekly Jungkook Fanfic Recs
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Some fine JK fics for your reading pleasure. Please show your appreciation to all the wonderful authors :)
A Date With Destiny: You are a boss lady in the tech industry travelling to world for work. He is a chart-topping artist touring the globe to perform in front of millions of fans. In the cosmos of life, you are not likely to cross paths. Luckily, fate has a different plan for you two. https://missgeniality.tumblr.com/post/641160701485907969/a-date-with-destiny-m
Strip Lawyer: Years ago, as Jungkook’s tutor, you played a game – but not to completion. Today, he does the teaching. And he’s intent on reaching the finale. https://missgeniality.tumblr.com/post/707124480570490880/strip-lawyer-m
Adore: What's the worst that can happen when you go to your favorite local drive-thru coffee shack? I'm glad you asked. A lot. A lot can happen. https://www.tumblr.com/mochilatae/697973958002327552/adore?source=shareBoohttps://www.tumblr.com/mochilatae/699599856704061440/boo?source=share What Now?: For as long as you and Jungkook have been friends, your feelings for him have been unrequited. Or have they? https://theharrowing.tumblr.com/post/711375653144084480/what-now
Sea: A chance encounter, or a twist of fate? https://www.wattpad.com/1264268562-sea-~-part-1 Dark Tide: It is one year on from her chance meeting with Jungkook on the Goseong coast, and the last thing she expected was that they would meet again in Seoul. https://www.wattpad.com/1364231203-dark-tide-author%27s-notes Bittersweet: Ellie is at a party with her friends when they give her her crushes phone number. Saying she'll never talk to him, she refuses it. Though, the alcohol she's been drinking gives her a boost of confidence. But when she dials the wrong number and ends up calling Jeon Jungkook, things spiral out of control. https://www.wattpad.com/739872382-bittersweet-%C2%BB-j-jk-%E2%9C%93-1-hello Esta Danada: Life through the eyes of someone who watches you fall apart and helps gather the shards of your heart, only for you to make the same mistake time and time again, but he refuses to accept the truth because to him, you’re infallible. https://aquagustd.tumblr.com/post/666143278078558208/est%C3%A1-da%C3%B1ada-jjk Last Call: Jeon Jungkook is the hottest bartender in the city. Everyone has their sights set on him, but it seems he has his sights set on you. https://xjoonchildx.tumblr.com/post/621953156746706944/last-call-jjk-x-reader Netflix & Chill:  If you planned things right, you could rain down your raging displeasure on Jeon Jungkook right after the meal but before this proposed ‘Netflix and chilling,’ maybe dramatically throw your glass of wine at him, before storming out of his place and reporting him to the authorities (Namjoon) for his douchebag personality. https://1kook.tumblr.com/post/620748965092212736/netflix-chill
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pxrxcxa · 2 years
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Opposite Ends 
Chapter Eight - A Brief Moment Of Happiness
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C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | C5 | C6 | C7 | C9 | C10 | C11 | C12 | C13 pt 1 | C13 pt 2 |
Chapter Nine is out now, enjoy Sunflowers x 🌻
Pairing | Eddie x Female reader 18+. Steve x Robin x Female reader platonic friendship
Series summary | Dustins older sister got brought into the group during the events of Starcourt mall, 3 months on she's in her senior year and the kids are starting high school. After everything that went down she feels that she has to keep them safe at all costs, that includes keeping them way from the charismatic 'freak' Eddie Munson that runs a club based on their favourite game. They've both hated each other since freshman year -with good reason-, but when keeping distance between the kids and Eddie means putting herself in the firing line, boundaries get blurred, intentions get lost & the heart speaks louder than the brain.
The story is told from both Y/N & Eddies point of view.
What to expect | Slow burn enemies to lovers, Angst - with a happy ending (fix-it-fic if you will), fluff & smut (in the later chapters). 18+ to read this story.
Series Warnings | Mentions of abuse, drug use, 18+ smut content
Chapter word count | 10 K Word Count
Chapter warnings | Just a whole lot of fluff and a little bit of smut
As always, any & all comments/reblogs are most appreciated - Love, P. x 🌿
Authors Note | As always, if you've read the entire chapter then thank you for reading! I had to cut it off here otherwise we were going to end up with a 20 k word count chapter, that's why Eddie's POV is short - but I figured you deserve one nice chapter of happiness before I break mine & your hearts - I hope you enjoyed this sweet chapter cause 9 is where it all kicks off :( Love always P. x 🌻
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Y/N | December 1985 
I had very nearly decided to skip out on the last day of school before Christmas break, my bedroom was a disaster site as it reflected my frustrations of the morning. The bare hangers in my closet rattled lightly as I tore shirts off of them, my mom had nearly caught the scalloped edge of a winter coat as I sent it flying across the room when she had come to ask what I wanted for breakfast. I had even nearly landed myself in the emergency room as I tripped on a pile of jeans, catching myself on the corner of my desk with my hand before my head bashed into the sharp corner of it. That still hadn’t stopped me from trying on everything I owned. Twice. 
The golden light from the quickly rising sun spilled through my window as I stared at myself in my bedroom mirror, enlightening the swirling dust particles around me. My current outfit was hanging too loosely on my frame, doing absolutely nothing to accentuate my slight curves. I sighed, my blood shot eyes reflecting my hangover. I originally thought it was humorous that I could out smoke almost everyone I knew, but it only took me three shots to get me drunk enough to lose all my inhibitions. It was less funny when I was curled around our toilet at two am this morning. 
A light pink flushed my cheeks as the memories that had seared themselves into my brain permanently, flashed behind my eyelids. The blurry image of Eddie gently unwrapping my arms from around his neck as I begged him not to stop, his deep voice layered with lust as he refused me. Telling me that if we were going to sleep together, he would rather me be one hundred percent sober for it. 
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His words had paralysed me, echoing in my mind and keeping me silent through the entire ride as Eddie drove me home in his van, the scent of what had transpired between us moments before still lingering in the air. I couldn’t tell if he meant that he regretted that I was slightly intoxicated during it or the fact that what happened between us had occurred at all. Each soundless second of the drive becoming heavier with tension until I felt like my nerves would snap at the slightest pressure. I distracted myself by watching the frost-bitten bare trees flit past my window, their swaying branches sending dancing shadows through the windshield. 
It didn’t last very long before I turned back to Eddie. His knuckles whitened as his hands tightened around the steering wheel when he felt my eyes on his face, suddenly becoming too focused on the road. I took advantage over his refusal to meet my gaze, studying the outline of his perfect side portfolio. His slightly parted lips were fuller than mine and he had that type of perfect straight nose with a cute upwards curl at the tip that had all the high school girls begging their parents to pay for a nose job. His voice cut through the stillness sharply, making me jump. 
“Staring is considered rude y’know y/n.” I clasped my hands together in my lap, chewing on my bottom lip. 
“Yeah.” I muttered unashamedly, staring at his lashes caressing his brows as he narrowed them. 
“What’s wrong.” The van drifted into the opposite lane slightly as he turned to look at me quickly. I avoided his eyes, staring into the illuminated darkness from his headlights. 
I recognised the street sign as we pulled off a main road, making my words flow easier since I figured we were close to my house, and I could escape soon if necessary. “Are you mad at me?” I asked after a slight pause. 
He jolted in his seat slightly as dark eyes turned to stare at me incredulously. “What? Why would I be angry with you.” Guilt curled around my heart as I prepared myself for his answer. 
“Because of what happened tonight… And everything else.” I dug my sharp nails into my palms at my side, forcing myself to breathe as Eddie considered my words. He slowed down as we turned onto my street, the dark outlines of my house in the distance growing closer. 
“I mean, yeah there’s probably some stuff we should talk about. But tonight?” He creased his eyebrows together and flicked his tongue over his lips, letting the van come to a crawl as a nearby streetlight washed over us. “Y/n I thought you were angry with me. I didn’t want you to feel like I took advantage over you, I should have waited until a night where you hadn’t been engaging in underage drinking.” His eyes flashed back to me, wordlessly reprimanding me but I was hanging onto his every word. 
“Is that why you said no when I-?” My heart throbbed as he cut me off.
“You deserve better than a quick fuck in some dirty carpark of a dive bar y/n.” His free hand clenched in his lap as he drove with one hand, tilting his head against the headrest, causing his curls to fall back to expose his neck. 
“But I couldn’t resist you completely, I had been fantasising about doing that to you for weeks, months really. I’ve been trying to figure out what to say to you, how to apologise –“ I cut his words off as I placed my cold hand on his cheek, our skin burned together as the blush on his face grew hotter beneath my touch. 
I waited until his van rolled to a stop at the bottom of my driveway, he quickly switched his lights off, so nosey parents weren’t alerted to our arrival. Darkness poured into our seats from all sides, shrouding us in a secure blanket of safety that nothing could penetrate. Eddie turned in his seat, so he was facing me completely, leaning into my hand as my fingers traced the soft skin over his cheekbone. 
I moved my hand to tap his chin up lightly, forcing him to meet my gaze. “If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t have let you. Believe me Eddie, sober or not, I wanted to.” The ferocity of my words sounded too loud in the small cabin of his van, but I needed him to hear the truth of my speech. He had relieved me from the growing angst when I assumed he was lamenting over running into me tonight, it was my turn to sooth his concerns. 
I leaned forward across the space between us, moving my hand from his face to curl around the back of his neck, bringing him closer so I didn’t have to bend so far. His eager mouth met mine passionately, moulding against my lips. He reached up to cup my face firmly, his free hand resting on my bare thigh just below my skirt line as I sighed against him. He stilled instantly as the lingering scent of whiskey filled the air around us. He reached up to pull my hand away from him, intwining his fingers around mine as he placed it on the seat beside me. 
“I think you should go inside y/n.” I rolled my eyes and slouched back against the rough fabric of the passenger chair, pulling my grasp from his and staring into the side mirror. I reached up to pat my hair down as I realised what a mess I was, my mascara had smudged under my eyes and my rose-tinted lip gloss was spread around the corners of my mouth. 
“Always so dramatic.” He laughed quietly to himself. I turned to snap at him, but his closeness caught me off guard, his seatbelt strained against his chest as he leaned towards me, his lips lightly brushing against mine as he reached past me to unlock my door. Cool night air rushed into the van as it swirled my stray hairs around my face. I shivered as Eddie pulled back, unclicking my belt for me. 
“Goodnight y/n.” He smiled cockily at me as I struggled to even my breathing, I slowly pulled my feet from the van, being careful to not dislodge any of the trash that littered the floor of my seat. I pulled my thin sweater around me tightly as I let the door close quietly, jogging around his van towards my front door. The frozen grass crunched and snapped beneath my shoes as I spun to turn back to Eddie, the sound of his creaking window reverberating into the silent night as he rolled it down. 
He loudly whispered my name as he tossed something shiny in my direction, Steve’s keys jingled as they landed in my cupped hands. I internally groaned as I pictured his face when he woke up and realised both his car and I were missing. When I had initially tried to leave the bar, Eddie had reached out to grab the end of my sweater, trapping my wrist in his grasp as I flailed despondently against his strong grip. He had laughed and snatched Steve’s keys from my fingers, twirling them around in his own as I glowered at him.
“Friends don’t let friends drive drunk y/n.” Accepting defeat I had shoved past him, storming around to the passenger side of his van and slamming the door harder than needed, trying not to let it show on my face that I was more upset at Eddie calling me his friend rather than him stopping me from driving myself home. 
I tucked them into my pocket as I looked back at his eyes, glinting brightly in the darkness. “I’ll see you at school?” My voice drifted into a higher pitch as my statement trailed off into a question. I didn’t get a response except for a wide, eye crinkling cheeky grin as Eddie’s van roared to life, the sound resonating off the rock wall at the bottom of our property. He raised his brows and jerked his chin towards my front door, a silent command passing between us. Warmth filled me as I realised he was waiting for me to make it inside safely, throwing him a sweet smile that I was sure he couldn’t see in the dim light, I turned and jogged up our angled driveway. I twisted back to watch the cloud of smoke puff from his exhaust as he chugged down my street, the sound of his favourite band drifting into the empty air. I couldn’t help the giddy smile that adorned my face as I pulled my own set of keys from my sweater, the soft sound of jangling metal echoed off the brick as I struggled to get the door unlocked. Even as I tip toed as lightly as I could through the entry way, my footsteps were still far too loud as my eyes adjusted to the outlines of familiar furniture in the pitch black. 
My hand shot up to protect my eyes as the living room light flashed on, momentarily blinding me.
“Well well well.” I lowered my arm to glare at Dustin as he spun around in one of the recliners, the family cat purring on his lap as he stroked it, looking like a scene of some evil villain from a corny movie. 
“Care to explain yourself y/n?” My own enchanted smile slid from my face as a knowing one spread across my brothers.
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My bedroom door creaked as someone nudged it open, snapping me out of my thoughts. My eyes flashed up in the mirror to meet Dustin’s, he had his school bag slung up his shoulder and his walkie grasped in his hand. His annoyed expression was replaced with an amused one as he glanced around my room, taking in the view in front of him. 
“Shut up.” I warned him as he opened his mouth, causing a taunting laugh to explode from him. I sighed and ripped one of my better jackets off, shrugging out of it and tossing it onto my bed, reaching for my regular thread-bare jean one. Dustin doubled over as his laughter wracked him, grabbing onto the door frame for support. 
“I’m sorry I’m sorry.” He gulped between breaths, waving his hand to try to calm himself. As he eyes met mine, he lost it completely and bent over, his hands on his knees as his bag slid down his arm. 
My entire effort was undoubtedly wasted, I had no idea where Eddie and I stood after last night, he probably wouldn’t even turn up for the last day before break. And just because we – he – after what happened between us didn’t mean things had completely changed, we didn’t talk about everything what we needed to, actually we hadn’t done a lot of talking at all. I wasn’t sure what I planned on doing if he wasn’t at school this morning. We did need to speak, I figured that I could go to his trailer after school, but the memory of what happened the last time I tired that, churned uncomfortably in my abdomen. 
“What’s all this?” My mother’s sweet voice tinkled from the doorway as she stood next to Dustin, watching him wipe away his tears of amusement. 
“Nothing.” I snapped, slamming my own bag down and shoving heavy textbooks into it. “Can I just get one damn moment of privacy? Is that too much to ask for in this house.” Tension filled the air at my cruel words, regret filling me the moment they left my mouth. 
“Y/n.” She yelled, Dustin straightened up next to her as shock spread across his features, our mom never really got cranky with us, especially since dad left, but when she did, we knew we’d messed up. “Don’t you take that tone with me; I don’t know what’s been up with you the past few weeks, but you’ve been stroppy and moody and rude. It stops now.” She gestured her hand wildly around my bedroom, clicking her fingers at the piles of clothes on my floor. 
“And it’s an absolute mess in here, you’re grounded until it’s clean.” The cat appeared in the doorway, slinking in between her legs and wrapping its tail around her, she bent down to pick it up, holding my gaze disappointingly. 
Dustin quietly slunk away down the hall, undoubtedly to quickly shove his own mess out of sight to avoid a similar punishment. I relaxed my posture and turned to my mom, my face softening.
“Okay, I’m sorry. I’ll clean it when I get home from school. Thank you for making us breakfast by the way.” I apologised, smiling at her face lighting up at my agreement to eat the food she had cooked. I heard Dustin groan from his room as she exclaimed happily, saying that she would serve up a plate for both of us before we left for school. He glowered at me as he passed my door, heading to the kitchen when our mom called out to us, I grimaced at him sarcastically, a sense of glee floating through me that I was able to get back at him slightly for laughing at me earlier. 
It was my turn to laugh as he met me at my car to drive to school, pulling handfuls of what were supposed to homemade hashbrowns, from his pockets and chucking it into the rose bushes along our driveway. 
“Shut up.” He grumbled, brushing off the crumbs from his hands as I pulled my door open. “You didn’t eat them either.” I chuckled and tossed my bag into the backseat, sliding into my car. I had just started to let it roll down the hill when I slammed on my breaks with a loud screech, sending Dustin to slam against the dashboard. 
My wide, panic-stricken eyes met Steve Harringtons raging ones in the rear-view mirror as he stood behind my car, his arms crossed as he blocked our path, my overnight bag gently swaying over his shoulder. The bike he had evidently ridden to my house was casted aside carelessly, the back wheel still spinning manically. His expression darkened as his lips pressed into a thin, disappointed line, morphing into the specific ‘outraged mother’ look that only Steve could pull off. 
“Shit.” I muttered, sliding the gearstick back into park. 
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I didn’t think I had ever felt so nervous in my entire life as I headed towards my first class, like there was a flock of butterflies trying to fly up my throat. I hadn’t even felt this nervous when I had to dance in front of my entire middle school at the talent show, I sent a silent prayer to the powers above that today wouldn’t finish in a similar embarrassing end.  
Steve’s twenty minuet long lecture about ‘stealing his baby’ this morning hadn’t exactly helped to calm my nerves either, he only relented when I’d promised to cover his shifts at family video whenever he had a date for the next six months. A pretty easy offer on my part since I had little faith in Steve’s ability to pull chicks. He, on the other hand, had a different opinion regarding his prowess. 
I let the heard of students push me towards the Calculus classroom door as they all rushed to get to their desks before the bell rung, none of us wanting to be subjected to another classic ‘Mr Mundy complaint special’. I faltered at the door to check my reflection in the window, making sure my makeup was still as perfect as it was when I applied it with careful hands hours ago. Rough shoulders shoved past me as we all squeezed in through the small doorframe. 
A mixture of relief and disappointment flooded through me as my eyes flashed to the empty chair next to mine, a breath I didn’t realise I had been holding rushed past my lips as I swerved around tables to take a seat at my desk. It appeared that Eddie wasn’t the only one who had decided to ditch, I was the only one in the third row of the practically half empty class. 
The low hum of tedious chatter died down as Mr Mundy strutted into the room, slamming his briefcase down on his desk and taking a deep drink from his travel mug. He cringed and shook his head slightly, breathing through his mouth as whatever he had added to his coffee hit him a little too hard. 
He set it down carefully and replaced it with a stick of chalk, waving his hands as he turned towards the blackboard. “Don’t sit there like a bunch of morons, get your books out.” 
With stiff movements I bent down under my chair to grab my notebook from my bag, my hair fell across my vision as someone shoved the door open loudly, sending a wave of fresh air across me. I froze as I recognised the scuffed, once white, reebok sneakers smacking against the dirty floor as he made his way past my desk. 
“Ah, thank you for gracing us with your presence today, Mr Munson.” My cheeks flamed at the teachers’ words, still hunched over and hiding away in my hair. 
“Pleasures all mine Mr Mundy, I’m sure.” I could hear the grin in his voice, I pressed my lips together to hide my own smile as I leant back up before I could draw attention to myself, slowly flipping my book to an empty page. 
I could feel Eddie’s eyes on my face, but I refused to meet his stare. I felt like my stomach was in my throat, my heartbeat thundering in my ears as the memories and feelings of last night came flooding back, I wasn’t sure what was going to be reflecting on his face when I met his gaze, but I knew I wasn’t ready to find out. In the bleak coldness of the winter morning, free of alcohol and desire and heady smoke, Eddie very well may have changed his mind completely about me, deciding that he didn’t want damaged good after all. 
Last night had only confirmed what I had been lying to myself about for weeks, I couldn’t deny that Eddie had a hold on me, and I had been a fool to think I could reject my feelings by ignoring him. He wasn’t the type of person anyone could forget, he shone far too brightly, demanding the attention of every room he walked into by just being himself. I was astounded how I had never noticed it before, how I only ever saw the label that lesser men had branded him with. Freak. 
His dark eyes that crinkled with his wide grins made my heart sing, his infectious smiles never failing to place one of my own on my face. He made the world a better place by just existing, how anyone – myself included- had ever seen him as dangerous, or evil or weird, was beyond me. Not one damn person in the cesspit that was Hawkins, was perfect, but if anyone came close it was him. Down to his core, Eddie was good, pure. And that was a hell of a lot more than could be said for anyone else in this hypercritical town. 
I wanted every part of him, everything he had to offer this miserable world. I wanted to know everything about him, all the secrets he kept safely hidden away from the judgement of Hawkins. In that moment I had wanted to reveal myself to him, overcome with the need to tear my façade away and bear the scars beneath the surface to him. Since Starcourt, no one had come close to making me feel as safe as Eddie had last night, and it wasn’t the touches shared between us or the sweet words he whispered into my ear. It was him; it was Eddie himself that kept the chilling voices and disturbing memories at bay. His warm embrace had cloaked me in a protective peace I couldn’t even really remember ever experiencing. He was the most intoxicating drug that I had come across, one hit of him was more potent than anything else I had smoked or drank. I was never going to be able to give him up. 
Not by my choice at least. 
My heart twisted painfully at the thought of his reaction to the real me, when he realises how corrupt and dark my festering soul remained, and how unworthy of him I was. The battle of wanting to be honest with him about who I was, and the selfish desire to keep him in the dark so he wouldn’t run screaming from me, waged viciously in the forefront of my mind. 
A strong, veiny hand shot across my vision, the sunlight glinting off his rings prettily as he tore a piece of paper from the bottom of my blank page. I looked up curiously to meet his gaze, his eyes twinkled suspiciously as he stared back at me up through his long lashes, the scratching of his pencil competing with Mr Mundy’s as he scribbled something hastily on the paper.
A heated blush crept up my neck as he hooked his foot around the leg of my chair, pulling me towards him. I held my breath as he crossed the space between us, the band of my jeans snapping back into place as he slipped the note into the top of my waist. Eddie winked at me as I dropped my gaze in awkwardness, a light laugh bubbling in my chest. He cocked an eyebrow as I read his question, my smile widening as I hurriedly wrote my answer on the back of it, checking that no one was watching as I slid the paper across his desk, his fingers tickled mine as he swept it out from under my grasp, the slight touch sending a shock of heat up my arm to blossom throughout the rest of my frame. 
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The last time I met Eddie in the woods, the trees were covered in burnt oranges leaves that crinkled underfoot when they finally fell to the ground. But as I walked through them now down the beaten track towards the picnic table, the branches were bare. Eerily daunting as they rocked in the wind, the trees sharp arms turned into claws out of the corner of my sight, reaching out towards me to tear at my jumper as I rushed to escape their depths. My hyperventilating breath slowed as I neared the break in the tree line, spotting Eddie’s hulking shadow leaning across the table through the cluster of trees at the end of the path.
The tightness in my chest eased as I watched him, he was leaning back on both elbows with his face turned up to the dark sky, watching vividly as his clouds of cigarette smoke swirled in the air in lazy patterns. A sweet smile spread across his face as he turned towards my noisy entrance. 
“Y/n.” He chucked away his smoke and squished it into the dirt with his shoe as he stood from the table, opening his arms as I jogged across the remaining space between us, throwing myself against his chest as he wrapped me in his jacket.
“Thought you’d never make it.” He grunted and stumbled a little under my weight, his face flickering with shock at my excitement to see him. We both paused for a moment as the memories of our last meeting in the same spot washed over us. I shook my head at how different our situation was compared to last time, grateful that last night had ripped away the façade that both of us were holding up.
“Mmmm.” I mumbled against his chest; my face smothered against the fabric as his earthy scent filled me. I didn’t bother to waste our precious time by telling him that Jason had cornered me after class, slamming his arm against my locker to block my path, demanding that I meet up with him again. After I got over my brief shock from his audacity – and the fear his psychotic gaze shot through me, I had told him that if he even as much as breathed in my direction, we would have a repeat of what happened at the 7/11, except this time I would hit him with my car. The safety of witnesses parading through the corridor made me braver than I would have been if he caught me alone, I tightened my arms around Eddie as the thought made my stomach flip anxiously.
Eddie laughed and pressed his face into my hair, inhaling deeply. 
“I love your smell.” I scoffed and pulled back to look at him disbelievingly, he looked abashed like he hadn’t meant to say it out loud. I raised an eyebrow as his face reddened. 
“Uh what?” I laughed, pulling back from his arms slightly to get a better look at him. A nervous chuckled slipped past his lips as he avoided my gaze. 
“Your new perfume, I noticed it the first time you came over to my place.” He removed a hand from my side to rub the back of his neck. My mouth popped open lightly in surprise, astonished the Eddie had noticed my fragrance, and the fact that it was a different one. 
“Anyway.” He continued when I didn’t respond, leaning back against the table and spreading his legs as he tugged me between them, pulling me closer until I lost my balance and fell against him. He pushed a stray hair away from my face and tucked it behind my ear as my hands settled on his upper thighs to regain my poise. His smile spread impossibly wider as my cheeks blushed from our closeness, becoming increasingly aware of how near my hands were to him. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since last night.”
His words pierced through me like an arrow, burrowing into my heart. Pure joy flowed through me for a split second as his words made me feel like I was floating, but it was short lived as the way Eddie was looking at me made me come crashing back down to earth, a cold wave of realisation washing over me. I cared about him far too much to not allow him the option of walking away from this right now, from me. 
The thought sent a lump in my throat making it hard for me to breathe. My hands shook slightly as I tried to form the words that Eddie needed to hear, I shoved them into my pockets to hide my panic. The thought of losing him was unbearable, but the knowledge of how much he would hate me if I let him fall into the perfectly shaped hole in my life (like it was ripped apart specifically for him to put back together), finding out who I actually was and what I was truly capable of only too late, was excruciating. Tears welled in my eyes as I prepared for the endearing look in his eyes to turn to one of disgust. 
“Eddie-“ I was cut off as he stood up abruptly, switching our place as he shoved me back against the table, he trampled my toes lightly as he moved closer, but my groan of protest was stolen from me as his eyes blazed with fury. 
“Don’t y/n.” His hair whipped around his face wildly as a cold breeze danced across the clearing, goosebumps raised on my arms beneath his large warm hands, his fingers digging into my skin as his dark eyes widened. 
“Don’t what?” I breathed, a grey squirrel scattered up the trunk of a tree nearby, sending flakes of bark to flutter to the ground. We both jumped as the intrusive sound broke our eye contact. 
“Don’t ruin this.” My eyes that had drifted to a small beauty mark near the corner of his mouth, snapped back to meet his as his words sent a shiver through me. 
“Wha-“ 
“That’s your ‘I am about to deliver really bad news’ face.” My expression contorted at his crude impression of me.
“I do not sound like that.” I pressed my mouth into a thin line to show him I was not impressed. 
Eddie laughed boomingly, throwing his head back as the sound reverberated off the trees. His voice twinkled like sweet music, and I couldn’t help but smile at his carefree attitude, marvelling at the glimpse of the real him slipping through the cracks, each second he was away from the arbitration of our school classmates, his carefully construed mask of defence crumbled away.
“Y/n, you always sound like that. But this is the happiest I can remember being, I just want to live in it a little longer, being around you… It’s like there was this screaming white noise swirling around in my head that I didn’t notice before, and every time I’m around you… It’s dead quiet, peaceful. Pretending to ignore you for the last few weeks has been torture, the noise has been deafening louder than ever before. But watching you act like I didn’t exist… ” His voice caught in his throat as he tilted his forehead against mine, his breath fanning my face as his chest heaved with his words. I squirmed as his crotch pushed against me, the fabric of our jeans rubbing together as he pressed deeper into me, I gasped in pain as the jagged edge of the picnic table stabbed into the backs of my thighs. 
“I know we have a lot to figure out after the past couple of weeks, but just let me enjoy the quiet for a little bit, please y/n.” His eyes burned passionately as he brought his lips down to mine, effectively drowning any of sort of protest from me, even though I hadn’t had one. He was making this impossible, how could I deny giving Eddie what he was begging for when it was everything I wanted aswell?
I tried to form an argument that made sense to both of us, or even something sweet to whisper back to his admission, but his kiss sent my mind blank. The taste of his tongue as it slipped across my bottom lip made my knees shake. The precarious willpower I was holding onto collapsed in an instant, like it was made from dust.
“Okay.” I moaned against his face, reaching up to twist my fingers in his hair to hold him to me as he began to pull away. He grinned as my face fell into a pout, bumping his nose against mine to place one quick peck against my lips. His face was flushed with excitement as he watched a flock of birds fly overhead, their shadows spurring over us.
“Okay.” He mocked me, laughing as he stepped back from me completely. He held my hand and swung it between us as he thought about something hard, sticking his tongue out the corner of his mouth as I narrowed my eyes questioningly.
 “Come to my place tonight.” He said suddenly, standing up straight as his tone turned serious, watching my expression carefully for my reaction. Nerves chocked me at the implication behind his words. Without the courage of alcohol urging me on, as it had last night, I was terrified. It wasn’t that I had changed my mind about it, or Eddie, I just wasn’t experienced and he clearly was. The fleeting moment of daring that overpowered me last night, was nowhere to be found now as I shivered uncontrollably in the cold, secluded clearing.
It didn’t matter anyway; I couldn’t risk getting caught sneaking to his place and being grounded until I was well into my fifties. I sighed as his face shone with earnest, his expression dropping into a mortified one as his misread my reaction.
“Oh -uh – we don’t have to, I just thought after last night that –“ His face reddened as he stuttered over his words, spinning away from me to kick a rock as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. I reached out to grab the tail of his vest, refusing to let him walk further away.
“No, it’s not that – I mean I did. I still do… Eddie… there’s a reason we had to ditch last class and not meet up after school.” I pointed out to him, amused that he hadn’t questioned it earlier. I figured he was so used to breaking school rules on a daily basis that he hadn’t even bothered to argue or ask why. 
“I’m grounded.” I resigned, feeling stupid to even be saying those words at the ripe age of eighteen. I ducked my head as chagrin filled my face, listening to his teasing laugh echo off the surrounding trees.
“Bit of a bad girl are we y/n?” He smirked at me, reaching out to stroke my cheekbone with the back of his hand. The metal of his bulky rings was even colder than usual in the winter air, stinging against my skin as he dragged them back and forth.
“Something like that.” I muttered, refusing to meet his gaze.
“Wait.” His hand stilled against my face. “Did you get in trouble over last night? Because of me?”
I laughed at the panic stretching across his features, his brows narrowing as his mouth turned down in worry. “No Eddie, my mom loves you, she keeps asking Dustin when he’s going to bring you around again. ‘Such a nice boy, I’m glad he’s been looking after Dustykins at school. Too skinny though, he needs to let me feed him.’”
A wide grin slowly spread across his face at my poor imitation of my mom. Dustin had been dodging her requests awkwardly whenever I was in earshot, shooting me a concerned glance as he waited for me to blow up at the mention of Eddie’s name, after I stopped driving them to Hellfire, he was smart enough to have figured out something was wrong, but scared enough to keep his mouth shut and not ask me for details.
Our mom was obliviously in the dark about everything of course, so she didn’t notice the painful grimaces on my face and my quick escapes every time she discussed him. She had realised my black miserable moods over the past month, but just not the reason for them.
“Are you going invite me to dinner with your mother y/n? How very normal of you.” He laughed as I pinched him playfully, the image of him playing house with my family sending strange stirring through my frame, I couldn’t picture a more obscure scenario of Eddie, but the thought of him charming my mom and laughing with Dustin over a lovingly burnt meal, set a smile on my face.
“Maybe – if I wasn’t grounded.” I reminded him gently, his laughter died down as he examined me, I could practically hear his brain ticking away behind his stare as a mischievous expression filled his face.
“What?” I groaned, not trusting the look in his eyes.
“Nothing.” He pressed his lips together like he was hiding a secret, he pushed away from the table next to me, grabbing my hand to tug me along behind him. “C’mon, schools about to finish and you need to get home since you’re grounded.” He raised his eyebrows and smirked at me over his shoulder as he dragged me into the darkness of the forest, the trees whipping even wilder than before. My stomach did a little flip as his smile made me wary of what he was planning, not trusting him at all.
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I knocked a small potted plant of the top of my dresser onto my soft carpet as I jumped in fright, dropping my folded pair of jeans into the open draw. I spun around as fear gripped me, peering into the darkness outside my window. 
Ping
I watched the rock clatter against my windowsill before tumbling out of sight, my breath whooshed from me as my panic faded. The top of a familiar curly head of hair popped up briefly in the bottom corner of the window. Sighing in disbelief I slid the draw shut and crossed my empty floor, my now extremely clean room was completely devoid of any mess. As soon as I got home from school I set to tidying up, now it looked better than the day we first moved in. 
I checked over my shoulder to make sure my door was properly closed before I wrenched the window up, the glass creaking slightly as it resisted against me. Cold air swarmed into the room as I leant over the edge. 
“Eddie.” I whispered into the nothingness, golden light from my desk lamp poured out onto the grass below but I couldn’t see anyone. I had just begun to think I’d imagined it when something large moved in the shadows. 
“Jesus.” I gasped as Eddies wide grin slid into view, his leather jacket banged against the wood panelling as he leant next to the window, rolling a smoke between his fingers. 
“No, just me. Sorry.” He laughed, not sounding apologetic in the slightest. 
“You scared me asshole.” I swallowed as my breathing slowed, my heart hammering away loudly in my chest. 
“What are you doing here?” I leant forward on my elbows through the window as he stood up from where he was leaning to light his cigarette. The flame illuminated his face in an orange glow before we were purged back in darkness, the cherry of his smoke running hot as he took a drag. 
“Well, you said you were grounded. I figured that meant you couldn’t leave your house. And this way, you’re not.” He shrugged his shoulders as he placed his hands above my window, leaning in towards me as his smoke billowed around my face. As he moved, his shirt rode up, exposing a pale strip of skin just above his belt. My breathing quickened as he waited for my response. 
“You’re an idiot Eddie Munson.” I laughed, letting my eyes travel up his chest until I met his penetrating gaze, the ash at the tip of his cigarette dropped dangerously as he watched me. He inhaled deeply before pulling it from his mouth and extinguishing it in the dead grass beneath his feet, lifting his shoulders up and down as he shivered comically. 
“You gonna move Henderson or am I going to freeze out here?” I stepped backed in shock as he gripped the sides of windowsill, his rings straining against the thin skin of his knuckles as he agilely pulled himself through it. I bit back a retort of surprise as he unfolded himself in front of me, impressed that he had managed to climb through the window so smoothly even being as he tall as he was. 
His strong aura quickly filled my small room, no matter how far I stepped back I felt like I was too close to him. The intimacy of the situation hit me like a tonne of bricks, becoming acutely aware of how thin the material of my grey pyjama shorts and singlet were. I swore at myself for not wearing a cuter matching set, my old gym shorts were in better condition than the rags I chose to put on tonight. He barely spared me a quick glance as I crossed my arms over my chest, turning to examine my clean room, he looked at my half-made bed for a split second before turning back to me with a knowing grin. 
“Expecting company, are you?” He raised an eyebrow cockily, running his hand across the chain bracelet around his wrist as he smirked at me. 
“Yeah, my boyfriend’s going to be here in a minuet, so you better go.” I wasn’t sure what made me say it, but a feeling of shock zapped through us both as he met my gaze questioningly at my words. 
“Who is he?” He joked threateningly, not quite concealing a tinge of hardness layering his tone. 
Dustin strolled past my closed door at that moment, banging on it as he passed. “Thanks for using all the hot water dingus.” We held our breaths as his footsteps faded, his own door slamming shut a few seconds later. The tension dissipated as we both let out nervous gulps of laughter. I tip toed to my bedroom door to lock it, rattling it just to make sure. 
“We better be quiet, don’t want little Henderson knowing I’m in here. Kid might have a heart attack, aren’t you supposed to hate me or something?” I could hear his barely concealed laugh as I rolled up a towel and shoved it against the gap under the door, hoping it might work as a sound barrier. 
“Actually…” I drawled, slowly rising to face him, embarrassment showing on my face. “We’re already kinda busted.” Eddie crossed his arms across his Hellfire shirt, raising his eyebrows curiously as he scoffed, waiting for me to continue. 
“He saw you drop me home last night, so I had to tell him.” His eyes flashed up to mine shocked, opening his mouth in protest before I cut him off, knowing what he was about to ask. 
“Ew no, you think I’d tell my brother about my sex life?” I whispered harshly, watching his exclamation bubble to his lips. 
“What did you tell him then?” He whispered back fiercely, as the sound of my mom putting away dishes in the kitchen drifted through the walls. 
“I just said that we’d had a misunderstanding, but that we’d figured it out.” 
“What did he say to that?” His brows lowered as he relaxed slightly. 
“Nothing important, he’s just happy that he can bore me with DnD stories again.” I rolled my eyes, but Eddie didn’t see, he had started pacing back and forth across my room. I busied myself by tossing the rest of my pillows onto my bed, pulling the covers back and switching on my heated blanket. 
“Feels weird being in here without you yelling at me.” He muttered after a moment; his voice was a gentle whisper as I heard him slide my window shut. When I spun around to face him, he had turned away from me, drumming his fingers against my wooden side table as he traced the outlines of the water stains forming odd patterns on the top. 
“Yeah well, I don’t mind you being in here this time.” I beamed as I watched the corner of his cheek lift, like he was hiding his own smile. 
“You don’t mind?” He walked over to my desk and leant against it, placing his hands on either side of him against the tabletop. I groaned as I tried to usher him back off of it, as the edge of his jacket knocked my carefully stacked notebooks. Eddie laughed and stayed rooted to the spot, so I had to lean across him to fix them back into place, reaching out to trap my wrist in his hand as I pulled away from him. 
“Is it okay that I’m here y/n?” I stopped breathing as his touch sent flames up my arm, his eyes blackened as I moved closer to him unconsciously, the rich smell of cigarettes and cologne invading my senses. Goosebumps prickled on my skin as his eyes darted across my bare chest, the lacy fringe of my shirt siting just below my cleavage line. I watched Eddie’s Adams apple roll up and down as he gulped nervously, his breathing coming quicker as I lifted my hand to caress his lips, his hot gasp tickling my skin. 
I nodded slightly, pressing my lips together as cold droplets of water rolled off the ends of my freshly washed hair and down my back, the sensation sending a shive up my spine. 
“It’s okay.” I sighed, he stood up straight and shrugged out of his jacket, draping it lightly over my desk chair. He pushed my wet hair away from my face as he studied me, I caught his hand as it brushed across my cheek, lacing my fingers through his as I turned and towed him towards my bed. Eddie waited as I crawled across the covers, my tiny shorts riding up dangerously as I shuffled on my hands and knees until I was pressed against the wall, making room for him to lay down with me. My confidence faltered as I turned back to see him resisting a smile, his crossed arms covering his mouth slightly as his eyes met mine. The laughter left his eyes as he watched my face fall, reaching down to pull the covers over me and tuck them around my body. 
“Beautiful y/n, do you want to go to sleep?” He asked me, as he wiped his palms against his jeans, his shadow on the wall behind us moved with him as my bedroom lamp glowed softly. I bit down on my warm lip as I shook my head, unable to tell him what I really wanted. I patted the empty space beside me and shuffled back, Eddie didn’t hesitate to kick off his sneakers as he laid down next to me gently, trapping me under the covers as he lounged on top of them. 
I huffed and pouted as he repositioned himself until he got comfortable, brushing his curls away that fell into my face. I didn’t know how to – as Steve would say – make a move, he tilted his head down towards me as he heard me sigh in frustration, wrapping his arm around me and pulling my head onto his chest. 
Okay, this wasn’t a bad start. After a moment of silence filled the air between us, our synchronised breathing the only noise, his body vibrated as he started to hum a tune I wasn’t familiar with. Nerves suffocated me as I pictured myself reaching up to pull his mouth down to mine, I didn’t understand why I was so nervous, I’d kissed Eddie enough times by now to know how his lips would feel.
In the cold night air swirling around us, it just felt a little too real as we laid in my bed, scary.
Electricity zinged in the space between us as I pushed away all my thoughts and fears and prepared myself, telling myself not to be a coward. But as I looked up at Eddies face, I found his eyes already trained on me, and my hand that was resting on his chest, feeling his beating heart, bunched up the fabric of his shirt as his stare sent an overwhelming feeling of want through me.
“Eddie…” I whispered between us; his heart hammering away faster beneath my palm. “Please-“ My pleas were cut off as Eddie crushed his lips to mine. 
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Eddie | December 1985
This had to be about her. But it was torturous as she squirmed beneath me, I pressed myself further into her as she gasped against my mouth, the thin fabric of our clothes and flimsy sheets barely separating our searing bodies. She’d told me she was a virgin last night after I’d pulled my mouth from her, I didn’t think she’d remembered telling me but as soon as she let it slip, I’d knew I wasn’t going to be able to let her first time be in some dingy carpark in front of a bar. 
Y/n deserved better. 
I wasn’t, however, strong enough to stay away from her for more than twenty-four hours. The pounding white noise in the back of my head sent me running straight back into her clutches. Even after she’d told me about being grounded, my mind had worked overtime to figure out how to get her alone. Running the risk of her mom or worse – Dustin – catching us, was worth it in my eyes. The box of condoms I had picked up on the way to her house, burned in my back pocket. 
She moaned against my mouth as she allowed my further access into her, running my tongue along her sweet lips, the taste of her sending me into an almost frenzy. Y/n reached up to wrap her hands in my hair, sparks of pleasure shooting through me as she tugged on it lightly. I brought my knees up slightly to bare my weight so I wasn’t crushing her beneath me, leaning down on my elbow beside her head so I could use my free had to explore her body. 
My fingers traced the soft lines of her chest, dancing across the light fabric that covered her breasts, she shuddered beneath my touch making my dick twitch beneath my jeans. She moaned quietly as she felt me move above her, rolling her hips up to meet mine. I reached up to grab her headboard to steady myself, reminding myself to be gentle and slow with her. Y/n breathed my name as my mouth moved against her neck, leaving soft kisses as I trailed across her jaw. Pulling her hand from my hair to grasp my shoulder, she wrapped her legs around my waist, digging her heel into my lower back to pull me in deeper to her, I groaned in frustration as she melted against me. 
God she was making it impossible to hold back. 
Before I became undone completely, I sat back on my heels to devour the perfect view in front of me. Her mouth fell into an attractive pout as she groped the empty air between us, murmuring for me to come back to her. My ravenous eyes consumed the milky soft white skin of her lower abdomen to where her shirt had been pushed up. Soaking up every second of it, I brought my hands to her sides to pull it up over her chest, she leant forward from the pillows a little to help as I slid it over her head. She collapsed back against the bed as she reached up to cross her arms over her bare chest, chewing on her lips nervously. I wrapped my hands around her wrists to pull them to her side, leaning forward to press a kiss to her soft lips. 
“You’re so beautiful y/n.” An incredible blush filled her cheeks as she relaxed beneath me, spreading her legs so I fit against her comfortably. My hard-on was screaming in pressure as it struggled against my jeans, but I needed to make y/n ready first. 
A pretty smile played on her lips as I left wet kisses along her neck, my nose brushing against her skin as I trailed down her chest, taking her nipple into my mouth and sucking slightly until I felt it harden beneath my tongue, swiftly moving my head to her other one. I still had her hands pinned beneath my grasp; she moaned a little too loudly as she struggled against me. I let go of her to slip my hand against her mouth, laughing into her stomach as I realised she was definitely a screamer. 
A devilish smile spread across my face as I thought about where I could take her to explore that particular trait.
She nodded against my hand as someone’s snores down the hall faltered, showing me that she understood. 
I removed my hand to caress the soft inner skin of her thighs, squeezing them as I got closer to her sensitive spot. She gasped as my fingers brushed past her clothed slit, my eyes burned as they flashed up to meet her flushed face, intrigued by the noises my touches were eliciting from her delicious mouth. I spurred forward to kiss away the moan from her lips. 
She bent her knees, widening her legs as I settled in closer to her, pressing my hardened cock against her. Another quiet gasp slipped past her lips as her eyes broadened. The pressure beneath my jeans causing her eyes to go wide. 
“It’s okay y/n, I’ll go slow. I’ll be gentle. I promise.” I waited for her to nod before bringing my mouth back to hers. 
My purposeful fingers trailed down her abdomen, tracing her bare skin above the band of her shorts. My hand hesitated as it skimmed across tender skin, I tugged down on her pyjamas to expose a long, red jagged scar that wrapped along her side, she froze beneath my touch as our gazes met.
“Who did this?” I demanded, my rough voice breaking through the quiet. Tears welled in her eyes and I wrenched forward to kiss them away, not knowing the cause behind her pain but wishing I could take it on myself. A silent sob wracked her chest as she shook her head, wrapping her arms around my neck to crush our lips together. I groaned as I surrendered to her touch.
It was different this time, the distant childhood friend that I had lost my own virginity to, the blonde bartender from The Hideout that had been the extent of my sexual experience- neither of them could compare. Y/n meant something to me, even though the feeling of her beneath my body sent dangerous thoughts into my mind of all kinds of dirty things I wanted to do to her, above all I just wanted to rip her up into my arms and shield her from the the pain of the world, protecting her from anything that would dare lay it’s hand on something so precious.
I tightened my arms around her until it felt like she would snap under the pressure, but y/n didn’t complain, she sighed in content as our lips moved flawlessly together
As I gripped her hips to slow down her grinding up against me, she groaned with frustration, her impatience breaking through. I lent forward, bumping against her to rip my shirt over my head, I moaned as she knotted her fingers through my curls, pulling my chest down against her naked one, our hot skin molding together perfectly. My hips bucked down into her with each pleasure shock her mouth sent through me. 
I removed my lips from hers to trace kisses down her sternum, pausing as I reached the top of her shorts. 
Her heavy breathing stopped as she looked down to meet my eyes staring back at her, she splayed her hands across her stomach self-consciously. I pried her hands away and pinned them at her sides. I intertwined our fingers together, my thick rings pressed against her hands. My free hand slowly rubbed up and down her slit beneath her clothes, finding her sensitive spot and rubbing soft circles on it, feeling her heat burn under my touch. She moaned and rolled her head back, squeezing her eyes shut as my pace increased.
I stopped abruptly as my own abdomen clenched, just the mere sight of her writhing beneath my hands was enough to send me over the edge. I tapped the side of her ass to get her to lift up slightly, shimming down her shorts until they reached her ankles. I pulled them from her and tossed them aside, running my hands along her soft skin as I noticed the damp patch in her panties. She reached up to run her fingers over my chest, tracing the line of hair that ran down my stomach. Her hands fell to my belt buckle as our eyes met. 
I flattened myself against her, cupping her cheek as her mouth moved with mine, my free hand skilfully freeing a condom from the packet and bringing it between us, I broke apart from her for a second to tear it open with my teeth, crushing my mouth back to hers in an instant. I fidgeted a bit as I hastened to undo my belt, pulling my jeans down slightly. She gasped as my cock fell out against her stomach, my pre cum dripping against her skin. Her eyes flashed down between us before looking back up at me, a mixture of nervousness and excitement on her face. 
She bit her bottom lip between her teeth as I rolled the condom over my cock, nervously waiting for what came next. I hovered above her for a still moment, our beaths mingling. Leaning down on one arm, my hand still cupping her cheek, I pulled her panties to the side as I pressed my dick against her entrance, running it up and down her opening, collecting the wetness my fingers had created. 
I gasped and she writhed madly as the new sensation took over us, y/n's arms tightened around me as she hid her face in my chest. I clutched her sheets next to her head, twisting and pulling them until they came off the mattress as her warmth and wetness surrounded me, trying not to explode. I had never felt something more heavenly; the feeling of y/n was other worldly. Sinful. Illegal. 
She gasped loudly as I pushed my first few inches in, stopping for a moment as her walls expanded, making room for me. I moaned against her neck as I felt her wetness dripping around me. 
“Fuck y/n, all for me?” Her breath shuddered and her nails dug into my skin. 
“Eddie…” She moaned; I nearly fell to pieces at the sound of my name on her lips.  
I continued to push into her slowly like that for a few minutes until I bottomed out in her, both of us groaning in pleasure as I filled her up. I hesitated for a moment to press a shaky kiss to her lips, letting myself come back from the edge a little before I started pumping in and out of her. She grabbed onto my shoulders to steady herself, her nails leaving deep marks on my sensitive skin. 
“Are you okay?” I groaned, biting down on my fist as she gasped, trying to not to finish as the sensations overwhelmed me.
She looked so fucking sexy as she creased her eyebrows and caught her bottom lip between her teeth, looking down at our bodies connecting as each movement made us both moan in pleasure. Her eyes flicked back up to mine as she nodded.
As my pleasure threatened to spill over, I slipped my hand back to her clit and started rubbing soft circles there, hurtling her towards the edge as well, building faster with each thrust I pushed into her. I couldn’t hold back the ecstatic feelings pulsing through me, she was too irresistible, but I was nothing if not a gentleman and she was going to finish first. She wrapped her legs around my waist as her body convulsed, my hand keeping up a constant pace as she faltered against me, gasping as I pushed deeper into her. 
She buried her face in the crook of my neck, moaning as the peak of her pleasure rolled through her body in waves. I held her tightly as I continued to thrust into her more for a few more moments, bright light blinding me as the most incredible feeling flooded through me. Low groans fell from my mouth as I shuddered and collapsed against her chest. We stayed locked in each other’s embrace for a private moment, our breathing and heartbeats slowing down together. Silence settled around us comfortably before I rolled off of her to the side, I quickly stuffed the condom into the bin next to her side table – reminding myself to get up and empty it for her in the morning – before pulling her head down onto my chest and wrapping my arms around her. 
As I sensed her breathing even and felt her soft snores against my cheek, I lifted her sleepy form against my chest, her soft naked torso pressing into me gloriously as I slid my Hellfire t-shirt over her head. Her now dry locks of silky hair framed her sweet face, swaying slightly as her soft breath fanned across her pillow. Just in case Little Henderson busted into her room while we were sleeping, I stood to pull my jeans on to save him the scarring images of seeing me naked, her hand snaked out across the sheets as she felt me leave the mattress. 
“Eddie?” She mumbled, squinting into the darkness. 
“Right here baby.” She smiled at my pet name, finding my hand and wrapping her fingers around it. 
“Stay?” She begged. My heart swelled to twice its normal size and then broke, unable to handle the weight of affection that rushed through me. 
“Always.” I whispered back, pressing my lips to her cheek. 
Chapter Nine
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➢ Eddie Tag list }
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I hope you enjoyed the eighth chapter! If you would like to be added to my Eddie tag list, let me know! :)
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mahi-does-some-art · 5 months
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So instead of Germaine having to take the form of a "stranger" like I thought before, he really takes a physical form based on the person that sees him. How they feel about him.
I wonder exactly how he looks to Tsubaki's eyes when he shows up. I wonder what "mentor" or "savior" or whatever Tsubaki thinks of him gets shown as.
...And I'm sure that Mahiru has seen through him a little bit thanks to Kuro's memories. The way he cried digging up Adam from his early grave. I wonder what he'll look like to him? Something completely different and perhaps more accurate to Germaine himself. "A grieving man", may be how Mahiru sees him, how he understands him as.
Also, on another note that I'd been meaning to write before... Will anybody really be able to remember the ritual when all is said and done?
There have been two points that make me believe that the only proper documentation of the rituals that have been done by him are written by the Count himself, stored in C3's archives under heavy protection. The only reason others know more than eight rituals have been done. As we've seen in an earlier chapter, Lawless witnessed Ildio's ritual. He was there and watched it all go down but a bit earlier than that there was a panel in which the question of "How did he do it" was brought up to Lawless, in which his response was more or less "I don't know and I don't care, leave me alone."
I believe that the ritual can only be remembered by the caster and the victim.
And yes, I know the victim is usually dead for this but I have a reason for saying that:
Simply, Touma and Tsurugi.
Touma has tried to recreate Germaine's rituals to turn Tsurugi into a Servamp he could control. He failed. Tsurugi woke up surrounded by the bodies of those he killed, people who were also helping in the experiment and Touma has said that "Even those who were watching from a distence, their memories were unnaturally erased." Only Tsurugi and Touma remember the ritual being done at all, everyone who knows about it after having to learn through the reports.
It makes me wonder just how many rituals Germaine has done. How many people have seen him in different, personalized forms, how many bodies he's failed to resurect and how many in-canon historical disasters covered up by his memory-altering spell were really him.
I'm extremely excited to see him again. (And somewhat more excited to see Lily cut him away from the vessel he ends up choosing. I do not think it will be Tsurugi though.)
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jellyfshing · 5 months
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C3彡 cryptid cat id pack !!
☆~{ for anon }~☆
C3彡 names :
kat , kitty (ie) , catty , cryptesse , crypette , cryptid , clawz , nessie , wendy , calli , noir , snare , ozark , howler , axex , billi , beast , caly , ccoa , dard , kek
C3彡 pronouns :
cat cats , eye eyes , tri tris , claw claws , paw paws , cryp cryptid , black blacks , noir noirs , dark darks , night nights , mid night , scare scares , scratch scratches , slice slices , stare stares , creep creepy , shred shreds , dead death , tooth teeth , fang fangs , abandon abandoned , 🐈‍⬛ 🐈‍⬛s , 🌑 🌑s , 🛤 🛤s , 🏚 🏚s , 🩸 🩸s , ⚰️ ⚰️s , 🪦 🪦s
C3彡 titles :
the cryptid cat , the cryptic cat , [prn] who lurks ( in the dark / down alleyways / in the trees ) , the one who watches , the tri-headed beast , the mutant ( cat ) , [prn] who leaves mysterious scratches , [prn] who is know for its " kung " sounds , the ghost cat , killer of 45 pigeons and a goat , the cat – like spirit , the lizard cat , [prn] with the body of a snake and head of a cat ,
C3彡 genders :
none ( will make one if you wish :3 )
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note : alot of these come from cryptids for different countries / cultures , i found them here
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