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afewproblems · 7 months

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Season Two Halloween AU Part Eight

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six Part Seven

Synopsis: What if Eddie had been at Tina's Halloween Party in Season Two? Featuring Steve!Whump, Stancy Breakup, and Eddie just trying to keep up with all these new revelations about who King-Steve actually is...

As always, thank you thank you to the lovely Jess @strangersteddierthings for letting me brainstorm and send spoilers!

***

Eddie pulls gently on the strap of Dustin's safety goggles, trying as much as he can not to snag his curls in the process.

Almost everyone is decked out in their make-shift protective gear, with bandanas over their mouths, swim goggles --hell, even an old diving mask that Lucas found in the Byers basement. Mike won the painters mask, even though it's slightly too big on his little face.

When Eddie asks if all of this is really necessary, Dustin, Lucas, and Mike all glare ferociously at him before shouting over top of one another about how the Upside Down is toxic and that Will had been lucky last year, and to stop being an idiot.

Eddie looks to Max who shrugs and pulls down her own swimming goggles over her eyes.

"Don't look at me, I'm new here remember?" She mutters, walking towards the pile of various items the kids brought with them. She grabs a pair of rubber gloves and tosses them at Eddie who manages to catch one while the other falls limply into the dirt.

"They went in full body suits last year, on oxygen, to save Will," Dustin adds, his voice slightly muffled by the floral scarf wrapped around his face, "as little exposed skin as you can, it isn't safe".

Eddie can't help but picture the last Sci-Fi pulp story he read in a zine with government conspiracies and men in yellow suits investigating supposed 'crash sites' in the desert.

He shivers and pulls his own black bandana from his back pocket to put on.

Steve hasn't moved since they parked and hauled everything out of the van for their descent.

He sits in the sliding side door of the van with his head between his knees and the bat between his hands. Steve had insisted on coming with them, despite the fact that he'd only just managed to stop vomiting about five minutes ago and the nausea is still kicking his ass.

Stubborn idiot.

Eddie shakes his head as he turns back to Dustin to find the kid has wandered closer, standing right beside him now.

"He's dating Nancy," Dustin says quietly, tipping his head towards Steve as surreptitiously as he can.

Eddie freezes at the words and tries to keep his face blank in the way he's seen Steve do, he's not sure he's managed it but the way Dustin rolls his eyes.

Eddie opens his mouth to respond, with what he isn't sure of given the chorus of shitshitshitshitshit playing on a loop in his head.

Dustin beats him to it.

"But Mike told me they've been fighting lately, if it helps?"

Eddie just stares, his mind running a mile a minute, his eyes search Dustin's face for any hint of malice or disgust. But there's nothing.

"You don't…care?" Eddie says slowly, softly, he looks around to the other kids to see if anyone else is listening.

They all continue to argue and bicker over the equipment except for Max who has walked over to Steve to hand him a pair of rubber gloves. She leans down and tilts her head to look at Steve who still hasn't moved from his position in the van door.

Dustin shrugs, "why should I? I know what people say about it, but you protected us, you stayed," he looks at Eddie with fierce blue eyes, "bullies talk a lot of shit about other people for what they like".

"And you're not bad Eddie, you're good, just like everyone here".

Eddie blinks trying to ignore the tightness in his chest at the words and the sting behind his eyes.

'You're a good kid Ed, that's all that matters,' Wayne had told him the day he came out. 'And I'll love you no matter what'.

So that was at least two people who didn't think he was the town 'freak' -- but a stubborn image of Steve's expression that night by the pool comes to mind as he vehemently argued against being scared of Eddie during the now infamous Halloween party.

Three people then.

"If it helps, he wouldn't shut up about Dallas after he and Nance watched the Outsiders last year so," Dustin shrugs again, this time with the slightest teasing grin.

Eddie is overcome with such a strong feeling of fondness for the kid that he reaches out and pulls Dustin into a one armed hug that's really more of a headlock than anything else. Eddie takes off Dustin's hat to ruffle his hair before putting it back on and tugging it down over the kids eyes, he snorts at the squawk that Dustin makes in response.

"Dallas huh?" he says with a grin before clearing his throat, "I've always been more partial to a pretty boy myself".

He laughs as Dustin pushes him off muttering under his breath, "everyone's obsessed with relationships," which only makes Eddie laugh harder.

Maybe it's the hysteria of the situation, maybe it's the exhaustion loosely wrapping itself around his hands, but in this moment Eddie lets himself push away why they are standing in the middle of this field in the pitch dark, and lets himself reach out for what was previously impossible.

He claps Dustin on the back and tips his head towards the rest of the party getting ready.

"How distracting can you be?" Eddie asks in a low conspiratorial voice.

Dustin frowns, his eyes dart from where Max is struggling to pull on a second blue rubber glove after getting the first one on to where Steve is finally managing to sit up in the van, pulling on the gloves Max left him with, and rolls his eyes again.

"Yeah, yeah, you get five minutes," Dustin drops his voice slightly, and if it's an imitation of Eddie barking orders at the kids earlier, it's pretty good actually.

Eddie huffs and sends Dustin a wink before turning on his heel and making his way to the van.

Steve has managed to finally sit up properly and in the moonlight it appears that the green caste to his face is also gone. He looks up as Eddie approaches, and sends him a wane smile.

"How you feeling?" Eddie says softly. He crouches down on the balls of his feet so he and Steve are at eye level and reaches out for his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. It's as though a dam has burst ever since he was able to gather Steve in his arms in the van, he can't stop reaching out for him.

"Like my head has a pulse," Steve answers after a moment, "kinda how it felt after Jon cleaned my clock last year, but worse".

He shrugs and gives Eddie a small smile that stretches his split lip until a small bead of red appears, Steve winces and swipes his hand over the cut, "I'm kinda hoping it doesn't become a yearly thing, you only get so many concussions ya know?"

No Eddie doesn’t know, but he was also never a jock, dodging elbows, or balls, or apparently monsters in the woods on the regular.

He looks back at the kids, only to see Dustin pointing at the watch on his wrist; even in the dark Eddie can read Dustin's expression.

Hurry up.

Eddie swallows roughly and turns back to Steve, who doesn't move his gaze quickly enough to hide his own stare.

The wistful pinch of Steve's brow is still there, plain as day, and it cements Eddie's decision.

He leans closer, close enough that his nose is nearly touching Steve's own.

"I need to tell you something, and I need you to let me get through it because we don't have a lot of time, okay?"

Steve blinks once, his wide hazel eyes search Eddie's face as he slowly nods, his mouth opens but Eddie reaches up and presses his palm to gently cover it.

"You caught me off guard before," he whispers quickly, before Steve can move the hand on his mouth, "when you told me about your Nonna".

He sees Steve's eyes go even wider and feels him freeze under his hand, but he has to keep going.

"And I thought, you couldn't possibly be saying what I thought you'd were saying, I couldn't--"

Eddie forces himself to meet Steve's gaze this time, as though he could simply transfer his thoughts directly, save himself the embarrassment of trying to make the words come.

He takes a deep breath in, releasing it slowly through his nose.

"I couldn't let myself hope, not then".

"But when I thought you were dead on the floor, that Billy had broken you into a million pieces and we would never be able to put you back together again and I realized," Eddie moves his hand now, letting it travel along Steve's jaw, to the back of his head. He swipes his thumb along the crest of Steve's cheekbone and tries not to let the way the other man holds his breath deter him.

"That I might not get another chance to be that person your Nonna told you about, if I didn't tell you how I felt".

Steve blinks again and Eddie halts, letting go of Steve completely as he watches the wide hazel eyes grow shiny in the moonlight.

Oh fuck.

Steve's nose flares slightly with how rapidly he's breathing and his mouth opens and closes in quick succession as he seems to struggle to find the words to respond.

"I--"

"Steve! Eddie!" Mike calls out from behind them, "we are running out of time! Let's go!"

Eddie curses under his breath and whirls around; Mike stands at the edge of the cavern, his hands on his hips in a similar position to one Steve held earlier, the painter's mask pulled up to reveal the irritated frown on his face.

Dustin has his own face in his hand but looks up soon enough to offer Eddie a resigned shrug.

He catches Max watching the exchange with curious eyes, her face tilting between Eddie, Dustin, Mike, and Steve, but he can't think about that now.

Not with Steve pushing himself up from the van on unsteady legs, he brushes past Eddie, reaching up with a shaking hand to pinch his nose.

Eddie darts a hand out to catch Steve's elbow, halting his path.

Steve lets him.

Eddie takes a step closer, wracking his brain, trying to figure out what he could have said to make Steve so upset, had he read him wrong after all, had he overstepped somehow?

"Steve," he says softly, his grip on Steve's elbow is loose but steady as he pulls him closer.

Steve doesn't turn to look at Eddie but he doesn't move away either.

"What the hell is the hold up assholes!" Mike barks out again and Eddie lets himself throw a dirty glare at the kid, which Mike merely rolls his eyes at.

The attitude on these kids.

Mike does eventually turn, pulled by Dustin, back to the rope that Lucas is securing to the nearby fencepost, hopefully distracted for long enough to let Eddie figure this out.

But before he can say anything, Steve is pulling himself away from the grip on his elbow, “Eddie--”

"Please,” the word falls out of his mouth, desperate, louder than he wants, “please Steve, just, promise me we'll talk”.

Steve turns his face slightly, just enough that Eddie knows he sees him.

His eyes are no longer wet, but still red rimmed, his nose slightly pink, the same way he looked that night at the halloween party sitting on that rock in the dark.

“Okay,” Steve whispers into the night air, quickly and quietly before he presses forward.

Eddie lets him go, his empty hand drops limply at his side as he watches Steve make his way back to the kids. He snatches an unused pair of goggles from the nearly empty pile on the ground and checks the post where Lucas had secured the rope.

Eddie watches from the sidelines as Steve seamlessly moves back into Babysitter mode, and while some part of Eddie is relieved at this, he can’t help but miss the way it felt to hold Steve, to put him back together again.

Even if it was just for a moment.

Part Nine Now Up!

Tag List:

@eriquin @luvinthefreaks @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @goodolefashionedloverboi @ellietheasexylibrarian @bambibiest @sadboislovebeans @howincrediblysapphicofyou @coleys-a-nerd @whycantiuseunderscore @airconditioning123 @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @corrodedbisexual @starman-jpg @ilovecupcakesandtea @yoriposts @clumsiluni @pelinelin @phantomcat94 @lololol-1234 @anaibis @steveshairspray @hellfireone @eddielives1986 @sunswathe @tentativeghost @robin-not-batman @estrellami-1 @manda-panda-monium @tinyplanet95 @perseus-notjackson @queenie-ofthe-void @rainbowsaw @sp0o0kylights @littlebluejane @hi-im-eff @phantypurple @just-ladyme @thoroughlycollected @justrandomfandomstm @swimmingbirdrunningrock @finntheehumaneater @dynamic-powerm@nightmareglitter @genderless-spoon @zaddipax @thebiblesays @pyrohonk @emly03 @geekymagicalpotato @sidebarre @lemon-astra @cipounette @discreetapple @starlitlakes @saphhicwitchbitch @marvel-ous-m @lingeringmirth @honorarybrit81 @bookbinderbitch @finntheehumaneater @lololol-1234 @eddie-munsons-missing-nipple @monsterloverforhire @gaydrieeen @starlight-archer @homosexual-having-tea @devondespresso @rennnnon @my-hyperfixations-hell-blog

And a few people I think may be intersted!

@steddierthings @steddie-there @stevesbipanic @henderdads

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fellisllupus · 3 months

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beauty and the beast dca au where WE are the beast because we are human and therefore imperfect. there are not many humans left because of environmental problems and robots' population dominates humans, most people escaping to what's left of forests and nature in general, fearing the peace between two will be broken. we live in a mansion left from our granfather, who worked to build animatronics so we know the stuff. all our efforts to forget what's going on the world outside of our forest is in vain when a night themed animatronic shows up on our door, looking worn out and holding a barely functioning sun themed animatronic.

#humans feel like prey among robotics #they will attack robots out of fear if they find them in forests and can outnumber them #these are rare cases however because most robots/animatronics don't have any reason to wsnder into forests #why were sun and moon in the forest then? wrong answers only #i woke up 5 mins ago and this was my first thought ever for today. might turn this into an au #dca #dca fandom #fnaf moon #fnaf sun #moon fnaf #sun fnaf #moondrop #sundrop #daycare attendant #sun #moon #moon x reader #sun x reader

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lavenderstobins · 19 days

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Eddie, trying to teach Josie body positivity from a young age: You know, women can be any shape they want to be

Josie, face lighting up: REALLY?

Eddie: Yeah! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

[later]

Robin: You’ve got some explaining to do, Munson

Eddie: What?

Robin: This whole… shape thing

Eddie: What, you don’t want her being body positive? I’m surprised, Robin, I thought you’d—

Robin: Huh? No, I mean explaining why my daughter’s insisting on being an octagon

Eddie, realising his words may have been misconstrued: … Ah

#inspired by that scene from outnumbered #josie would truly be inspired #eddie munson #robin buckley #stranger things #robeddie #josie buckley #josieverse #lavenderstobins josieverse #st single parent au #steddie #stobin #steve isn’t mentioned in this one but it’s present in the narrative

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stardust948 · 2 months

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If the Gaang are going to steal Urzai, then azula and zuko should steal Hakoda

It's only fair

Katara and Sokka, watching the Fire Siblings interact with Hakoda during the end of war celebration: So that's what it feels like.

#hakoda coparents the gaang with urzai #they're still woefully outnumbered though #anon #atla #atla au #urzai adopts the gaang au #rivers in the desert #gaang #Hakoda #urzai

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befuddled-calico-whump · 13 days

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For t$$: What would be everyone's role in a zombie apocalypse?

I picture them all being a part of a community of survivors that have made a kind of peaceful life

Kaius would be aiding in the research to find a cure

Joy is in the armory (ofc), and manufactures bullets once supply starts running low

Jericho is with the medics most of the time, helping take care of patients and supporting Marla (who has more med knowledge)

Benji is a scavenger since he's good at sneaking around and can pick locks to find better supplies

Hunter is Benjis's partner for scav missions because he's more combat adept and keeps our boi safe

Vic and Sahota would be part of a raider group who come along to stir things up and ruin lives

#sahota was part of a nomadic group of survivors that got picked off by Vic and co #vic convinced the others to let him keep him #sahota is kinda disgusted with the group's lifestyle but he's outnumbered and wants to live so #anon #t$$ zombie au #t$$ ask #finley is a travelling trader who's also looking for a cure #she's like buck wild feom ice age 3 #going out to manually harvest research aids #a more hands on scientist

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kelpiemomma · 5 months

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god(ling) Khan au

Running a god au in my head (thinking about a god falling in love with someone mortal? Fragile? Someone they can't afford to touch, but they want to so bad)

And thinking of Khan being the god of family and vengeance, which is fine when he's a young god and people worship both sides of him, but rumors spread about how wicked it is for him to be the god of family (a good thing) and vengeance (bloody and terrible) and it starts to crack his followers until they decide to follow a different god of family (only loosely family, not devoted like Khan)(maybe his 'family' was 'found family' and it got lost in translation along the way) but being known only as the god of vengeance warps him, and his original traits are lost to time until all he is is wicked and bloody and seeking to harm others.

Up until someone is researching, finds his origins, and begins worshiping him as he was. The god of family and vengeance, the god of devotion to those they love, the god of protecting them at all costs, of love that isn't always sweet but somehow remains pure

And he's spent so long as the god of all things bloody and painful that being worshiped as he should be, as he was, as he should always have been, starts to fix him... Technically. He's no longer a loose cannon flying off the handle, answering any prayer for vengeance and revenge, but he's not the "innocent" godling he was either. He's scarred and hurt and angry and scared to be able to love again. He's afraid he doesn't remember it, doesn't know anymore how to be the god his new worshiper deserves.

It's awkward now, because his sign of love, of affection, of acknowledgement to this worshiper is i will get rid of this person for you and dont worry, I'll make them hurt and it's the human who has to remind him how love is. How it should be. How it can be. Without the violence, without the demands or expectations.

And the more his worshiper shows him, reminds him, guides him… the more khan finds himself falling for them. Is it romantic? Is it familial? He's heard stories about a god's favored worshiper, but what about when they're your only worshiper, and the love you knew in the beginning has changed so much? He has no one to ask, no gods to reach out to- the decline in worship of family in his name and the twisting of worship for vengeance led to bridges being burnt more than once between them.

#Khan a.#Godling au #Khan struggles with his emotions at the best of times after his mistreatment by worshipers #Those who seek vengeance vastly outnumber the one who seeks to worship him fully #But they don't worship him PROPERLY like his newest one does and so their call (their prayers and desires)#Are stronger. More grounding. Easier to listen to. But they're still not alone.

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lbibliophile-sw · 7 months

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Supernova

Also on AO3 (Catching AU) @whumptober - day 8: outnumbered, "it's all for nothing"

Ima-Gun Di looks around the dusty ravine that is to become their final battlefield.

He does not blame Syndulla for his parting words. The Republic had promised to provide the Twi-leks with support, yet it seems all they have achieved is to strand him and his men here with them. He wants to believe that the Council will heed his request, that aid is on the way, but they are out of time.

The first wave of droids approaches, and he ignites his saber. If they are all the aid the Republic will offer, then they will make it count. They must buy time for the Twi-leks to escape.

The rhythm of combat is familiar, now, and he allows himself to sink into the movements. Parry, strike, deflect, dodge. A constant running tally in the back of his mind of the positions of those he is trying to shield and those lost beyond his aid. He sees the thermal detonator almost too late, but draws on the Force to move, knocking it off-course away from the cluster of troopers and Captain.

They are dying out here, dying too fast. It would be a challenging enough battle on a good day, but his men are exhausted and hungry, low on ammunition. He is no better, for all he can lean on the Force for support. They are failing. The droids are advancing and if they cannot stem the tide then their deaths will be for nothing.

But… perhaps there is a way after all.

Ima-Gun remembers the story Gretz Droom whispered to him the last time they met, of creche-warnings ignored and consequences averted. He remembers conversations with Captain Keeli, and promises of support that take on a new meaning.

Two years earlier, all he has done as a General was unimaginable. In these desperate times – for the sake of the Twi-leks he promised to protect, for the sake of the troopers who still stand beside him - perhaps the unthinkable can be considered. As a Jedi, his duty is to protect. What is his soul compared to all their lives?

He meets Captain Keeli’s eyes across the battlefield, even as he reaches for the Force, for the Dark.

“Captain. If we survive this, I need you to Catch me.”

#whumptober 2023 #no.8 #outnumbered #“it's all for nothing”#star wars #sw:tcw #ficlet #fanfic #canonical character death #falling to the dark side #war #ima-gun di #catching au #bingo fill

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razzle-zazzle · 7 months

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Whumptober Day 08: i've got soul, but i'm not a soldier

Outnumbered

2083 Words; Dion Sees Ghosts AU

TW for gore, dead bodies, discussions of death, implied death of a child

AO3 ver

Maybe Dion shouldn’t have wandered out this far.

He never intended to get very far out—he just needed some space for a couple hours. A quick walk out into the woods—that was all.

An hour ago, Dion had had the thought that maybe if he wandered far enough, he could find the Green Needle Gulch. It was just a small thought, a silly little notion of visiting his Nona that would probably never bear fruit—he’d heard Raz talking about how the forest had weird fo—psychic stuff in it to keep the Gulch hidden. Dion wasn’t going to wander deep enough to get lost, let alone find the Gulch.

Well, he had certainly planned on not getting lost. He’d barely gone into the trees at all! How was he unable to retrace his steps?

And yet, despite all of his plans to keep the treeline in view, he was utterly, completely, lost. The treeline was nowhere in sight—just more trees everywhere he looked.

“Ugh, screw this.” Dion muttered, grabbing onto the nearest tree. He hauled himself up, the bark rough under his palms, until he could see the sky again. A quick look and—there! Dion could see the rock face with the waterrise. It wasn’t as far as he’d feared.

He climbed back down, and headed off in the rough direction of home. “I’ll be back by sundown.”

+=+=+=+=+

Dion was not back by sundown.

He wasn’t back home at all, actually. He’d walked for what felt like forever, realized he’d been passing the same rock over and over again, and climbed another tree. The waterrise was even further away, now, the sky already starting to pinken a bit towards the horizon.

Dion leaned against the tree once he was back on ground level, breathing in deep. How had he gotten turned around? He’d had to walk around some trees, yes, but he hadn’t veered that far off-course, had he?

It made no sense. He had a perfectly fine sense of direction every other time he’d gotten lost, been perfectly able to make it home once he got up high and figured out where he was—

“Oh.” Dion blinked. “Oh, of course.” He put his face in his hands with a groan. “Of fucking course. Psychic bullshit strikes again!” Apparently Raz was right about the forest being set up to get people lost.

Well, shit. How was Dion supposed to find his way home, now? He never should have wandered out this way at all.

“Whatever.” He grumbled. “I’ll just keep climbing trees.” Yeah, that’d work. He’d just climb every tree he ran into, because that totally wouldn’t exhaust him at all—

Still. Dion picked a direction that he felt was roughly where he needed to go, and started walking. After enough time, he went to the nearest tree to check where he was.

The waterrise wasn’t any further away—but it wasn’t any closer, either. Dion muttered choice words under his breath as he climbed back down. The sky was starting to get very very orange on one end, and very very dark on the other. He needed to get home.

Grumbling, Dion turned away from the tree. Maybe he should head away from where he remembered the waterrise being? That might work. Dion turned around—

And found himself face to face with a ghost.

“Um.” Dion took a step back. The more coherent a ghost was, the more control they had over their appearance. There was no way this ghost was very coherent, if the bloody, smashed-in face was any indication. Her dress hung loosely around her torso, ill-fitting.

Another ghost floated over next to the first one. Dion took another step back.

“I’m lost.” The first ghost said, her voice a hoarse whisper. “I’ve been running for days and I can’t find my way out, I’m lost I’m lost I’m lost I’m lost—”

The second ghost moaned. “I can’t get out.”

More ghosts started showing up. Dion backed up until his back hit a tree. They all spoke, several voices intermingling. Fear and despair leached off of them all in waves.

“Dead bodies—”

“Lost—”

“Hungry—”

“Can’t get out—”

“Going in circles—”

What was it Frazie had told him, when he set out after lunch? Something about not coming to save him if he got abducted by ghosts.

“I hate it when she’s right.” Dion muttered. Oh, he just knew Frazie would laugh if she could see him now, pushing against the tree as if to phase through it, seven different ghosts all hovering around and hemming him in without really acknowledging him at all.

Carefully, Dion stepped forward. The ghosts appeared to all be milling about a general area, so maybe he could just scoot on by—

The second ghost grabbed his wrist with a plaintive wail. “I can’t get out. I can’t I can’t I can’t get out—” Their grip was crushing. Dion tried to pry their hand off, wincing in pain as they only squeezed harder—

A sharp yank. The world tilted. Dion tumbled forwards, instinctively curling his arms around his head to try and roll with the impact. Undergrowth scratched at his arms and face—

He hit the bottom of the ditch injured-wrist-first, agitating it further. He could hear all the ghosts wailing still.

Dion groaned. The mud was cold against his face, cold through his clothes.

Okay, so he definitely shouldn’t have wandered out this far.

He pushed himself up, only to stop short—his hand was in something soft, something that gave under it with a wet sort of crunch.

Something that looked an awful lot like a dead body. Ewwww.

Dion pulled his hand back like he’d burned it and flailed. “Ew ew ew ew ew—” He did not want dead body bits on his hand, ew, disgusting, he could still feel wet gross on them ew ew ew—

He stumbled back, only for a stick to snap under his heel. No, not a stick—a bone.

Now that Dion was looking, he could see multiple bodies in the ditch. The one he’d ended up sticking his hand into was probably the most recent—it wasn’t like Dion was an expert on dead bodies. Dead people, sure, but most of the dead people he saw didn’t have their bodies attached.

“This is bad.” Dion’s voice came out as a whisper, “This is really, really bad.” And gross. He didn’t want to think about the kind of filth found on rotting bodies—filth that was now on his left hand.

If he’d gotten lost because of the weird psychic signals, and if those weird psychic signals had lead him here—

This was bad. Some of the ghosts looked withered, like they’d dehydrated to death. The first ghost looked like she’d cracked her head falling into the ditch. One ghost even looked starved, ghostly clothes hanging loosely off their ghostly frame.

“Dead bodies—”

“Lost—”

“Hungry—”

“Can’t get out—”

"Lost—"

“Going in circles—”

There were seven ghosts, all lingering and lost. Dion could only make out six bodies.

Was this supposed to happen? Were people who wandered too close to the Gulch supposed to end up here and die?

Dion shook his head. “There’d be way more ghosts if this was happening for more than a decade.” He reasoned. He didn’t know exactly when Nona’s Old People Club had first gotten together, but he knew it was at least a while before the Deluge. Surely, surely it hadn’t been set up to kill whoever got too close—Dion hoped it wasn’t.

That awful revelation aside, he still needed to get out of here. The sides of the ditch weren’t too steep—it was the depth that made it dangerous, probably. He grabbed at the dirt, digging his fingers in for purchase—

“Ow ow ow—” Dion hissed, cradling his right wrist against his chest. Oh, fuck, that hurt. Was it sprained? It was definitely bruising, where it had been grabbed.

Right. Carefully, leading with his other hand, Dion started his climb. The dirt was soft, his boots sliding every few steps, but there were plenty of rooted plants in the soil, perfect for grabbing onto.

He hoped none of them were poison ivy. This whole adventure already sucked enough.

He made it halfway up when cold hands wrapped around his shoulders, his arms, his legs. Cold nails dug in and pulled.

“Wh—hey!” Dion slid back down to the bottom. “What was that for?!”

The ghosts didn’t answer him. They just grabbed him and pulled him back down when he tried to climb out again.

And again.

Dion could only half see, now, the sunlight entirely gone down here under the trees. In this lighting, his wrist looked normal, the bruises and the unblemished skin the same. In this lighting, the ghosts all glowed softly, like the world’s most fucked up fireflies.

The world’s most fucked up fireflies who kept dragging him back down.

Dion groaned. “I get it!” He yelled out, not caring if the ghosts could hear him or not. “You all got lost and died here!” He clambered up the side of the ditch again, digging his fingers into soft earth. “That doesn’t mean I want to be STUCK HERE with ALL OF YOU!” The cold receded.

He made it up to the edge of the ditch unimpeded, hauling himself up onto the dirt. His wrist twinged in pain.

The first ghost appeared in front of him again. “I’m lost,” She whispered, “I’m lost I’m lost I’m lost and there’s nobody to help me—”

Dion grabbed her by the shoulder. “Hey. Hey.” He didn’t even know if she’d understand him, lost in her fear and grief. “I get it. You’re lost and you’re scared. But you gotta calm down, dammit.” She didn’t look older than him. Maybe a little older than Pooter.

…Dion felt bad for shouting.

She sniffled, her wail cutting off. For a moment, her face shifted, and Dion could see what she must have looked like in life. “I’m scared,” She whispered. “I ran away and I don’t know where I am.”

Dion’s chest tightened. “I’m sorry.” He muttered, for lack of anything better to say. “I’m lost, too.” He admitted.

Cold hands wrapped around his own, almost soothing against his right wrist. “It’s scary.” A ghost’s eyes never changed, always washed out and empty—but Dion could feel the fear leaching out of her hands, the despair-hurt-fear-hurt that made up her being.

He couldn’t save her. (He had never known her.)

“Yeah,” Dion agreed, leaning forward. “It’s scary.” He didn’t want to die here, alone with the bodies and the ghosts.

He couldn’t save her. (She wasn’t his responsibility.)

But he could still do something.

“If—” He started, “If I find my way out of here… I’ll tell someone.” Dion promised. “I’ll tell someone that you’re here.”

“You’ll get help?” There was a tinge of hope to her voice. Dion found his gaze stuck on the ground.

“Yeah,” He said. “I’ll get help.”

+=+=+=+=+

A chorus of mews was the first sound to greet Dion when he re-entered the campgrounds, the morning sun peeking over the tops of the trees. Persephone’s tail was straight up in the air as she bounded over to him, meowing loud enough to wake the dead.

“She was crying for you all night.” Frazie walked up behind Persephone. “We had to lock her in the caravan, and she wouldn’t. Shut. Up.”

Dion snorted, still cradling his wrist. He turned to Persephone, who was busy rubbing up against his legs and meowing her displeasure at his extended absence. “Aww, you missed me? You missed me so much you kept everyone up?” He cooed, “It’s okay, sweetie, I’m back now, don’t worry, I’m back, I’m back.” He reached out to pet her with his non-injured hand, only for her to sniff it once before pulling back and batting at it.

Right. That was the hand that’d been in a dead body. No wonder Persephone didn’t want it on her.

“So what happened to you?” Frazie asked, standing a distance away. Dion really needed to clean himself off.

“Guess.” He muttered, walking around her. He’d go find Raz and get the answers he needed when he was clean—his wrist throbbed—and when he’d taken care of his undoubtedly sprained wrist. Persephone remained wrapped around and between his legs as he walked, tail straight up in the air.

Dion glanced back at the woods. The girl stood there at the treeline, staring with blank eyes.

When he blinked, she was gone.

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carnivalcarriondiscarded · 6 months

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Dude what if you drew more Barnaby in suspenders art, that would be kinda bonkers. (You don't have to)

it would be absolutely insane you're so right. you know what would be crazier

if it was Laughingstock

#that didnt make sense but at this point everything is laughingstock to me #suspenders? laughingstock. that dead fly in the corner? laughingstock #the inescapable march of time? laughingstock #HAHA ANYWAY BARDABY IN SUSPENDERS AM I RITE #in my mind they just barely managed to pull off winning a Very outnumbered fight #you know its gettin crazy when barnaby shucks the vest #unfortunately it has the side affect of lowering howdy's concentration (on the fight)#(he is still very much concentrating just. on something other than surviving)#rambles from the bog #scribble salad #wh fantasy au #the most insane thing here tho #is that this is probably the best howdy ive ever scribbled #and the Worst barnaby #but ive given up on trying to fix his face so this is what yall get lmao

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leuchtstabrebell · 7 months

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Whumptober Day 8 /Prompt: Outnumbered

It was a gamble, walking around with her halo like this. It was not pleasant like the one Mary wore, golden and lovely. Judas' halo was cruel, and twisted, and disturbing.

When Mary let her halo show, people felt warm and welcome, and they wanted to make her feel that way too. When Judas let her halo show, people felt confused and lonely and afraid, and they wanted to make her feel that way too.

It wasn’t even dark when it happened, which is strange. In movies it’s always dark, and the streetlights are dim, and the sky is clouded and no one else is out. But Judas was waiting in front of the bookstore her friends had just entered, in broad daylight, and around her people were talking and laughing and arguing. There was a group of young men. They didn’t look mean.

There was a group of soldiers once that looked exactly like them. Their eyes were the same. Their whips were the same, stinging harshly on his her back. Her friends say that it never happened, or that it happened to one of them instead, or that it must be all of Jesus’ multitudes encroaching on foreign territory. Judas isn’t so sure though.

She remembers how the tiles of the pavement felt under her knees, how the bruises stayed for weeks. They stayed the longest. They always do, bruises of the self.

She hadn’t paid attention to her surroundings, had thought about what birthday present to buy Judith and other trivial shit like that. She’d fiddled with the handle of the bag.

She’d looked up, and they were there, suddenly, all around her, closing in.

“What the fuck are you looking at?”

“Nothing,”

“What nothing, huh? You’ve been watching us, haven’t you?”

There was a lot of disgust. There was a lot of hate. There was a lot of fear.

“You fucking degenerate,” one of them had said. His da probably beats him, with a face like that, Judas had thought.

“Yeah, filthy fucking parasite, you think you’re so smart, don’t you?”

“I’m sorry, my friends are just waiting for me inside, I think I’ll–“

“Oh no, I think you’ll stay right here with us.”

I’ll tear them apart limb by limb, she had thought, for a moment. I’ll do it.

Or deeper. I’ll shred their memories and rip away everything they know, she had thought, as they had pulled her down.

Or even deeper. I’ll destroy their deepest core. They’ll never feel human again.

And so they had, as good Christians, listened to the sermon and acted as God wanted it. For a glorious moment she had honestly thought they’d go for real destruction.

But they had merely kicked her in the stomach, and in the rips, and kicked her head to the side, and when she had looked up through a fog, it had been an army surrounding her, and she’d smiled through bloody teeth. That had fucked them up the most, probably. Goliaths who’d thought themselves Davids.

The pain she felt was deeper and older than anything they could ever inflict.

Simon and Judith came running somewhere in the whole mess. Judas had sobbed on the ground, or maybe it had been laughter. Judith had knelt down and clutched her head. Simon had put a hand on Judas’ shoulder and screamed.

#whumptober2023 #No.8 #Outnumbered #Jesus Christ Superstar #christian lore #fic #domestic violence #hate crime #antisemitism #homophobia #blasphemy #these are all more implied but i wanted to be careful #Judas Iscariot #also this is a modern reincarnation au #everything about this is problematic #yes Judas is a woman

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afewproblems · 7 months

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Season Two Halloween AU Part Seven

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six

As always, thank you thank you to the lovely Jess @strangersteddierthings for being my cheerleader!

[CW: Discussions of injuries, vomiting]

***

Eddie grips the steering wheel tightly in his hands, while his eyes flick from the rearview mirror and back to the road over and over again, watching for movement, for some sign of wakefulness in Steve.

Dustin had managed to find bandages and peroxide earlier in the Byers washroom to help clean up Steve's face before they left, while Eddie delicately picked the shards of ceramic out of Steve's hair.

The impact had broken the skin and would definitely require stitches, but there were no pieces left in the wound.

The biggest worry for Eddie, with Steve now cleaned and bandaged, was that Steve had already been smacked around the day before by Hargrove. He can't even imagine what two blows to the head in two days has actually done, and there wouldn't be any way of knowing until Steve wakes.

And that is where the argument had started.

***

"We can't just leave, we have to do something we have to give them time!" Mike insists while Eddie gathers the soiled towels covered in blood and peroxide.

Eddie scoffs and whirls around on Mike.

"Are you joking? Your babysitter just got obliterated by an ashtray, we're going to the hospital".

Dustin reaches out for Eddies shoulder, shaking it with urgency, "Steve would have--"

"No, he told you guys that we were not getting involved, we're on the bench".

"You can't keep all of us here," Max tries this time, she crosses her arms in front of her and scowls at Eddie, "if we all go, we'll all be safe".

Eddie barks out a nearly hysterical laugh at the suggestion, these fucking kids.

He looks down at Steve and tries to imagine what he would do in this scenario. Hopper, Joyce, Nancy, and Jonathan are gone; Steve is the only other expert left in this situation, the only other voice of reason in the house.

With his eyes closed and the blood now gone, Steve looks as though he could be sleeping.

"Shit. Shit," Eddie brings his hands up into his hair and tries to slow down the panic coursing through him. It's too much, too many people to worry about even without the literal destruction of their town hanging over their heads.

He looks at Steve again.

"Okay, but if we do this, you listen to me, no arguments, none of that shit you give Steve," Eddie begins counting off his fingers as he speaks, "and most importantly, we go to the hospital, you get forty-five minutes".

***

"Mike, are you still keeping time for how long he's been out?" Eddie asks as he looks at the kids through the rearview.

Though he hadn't thought about it when he bought the van off of Reefer Rick --a deal he's still not sure who got the better end of, based on the lightness of Eddie's wallet for weeks afterwards, Eddie is pretty grateful now for the number of seats and the long bench in the back.

Steve's Beemer wouldn't have been able to fit all of them and as much as Max tried to justify stealing her brothers car, neither would the Camero.

Mike mutters something under his breath and Dustin elbows him in the ribs, hard by the sound Mike makes and the glare he shoots Dustin in response.

"I got it," Max says tiredly, she holds up her watch before letting her hand drop into her lap.

She perks up slightly and leans forward to grip the back of the drivers seat, "you know, if you want to sit back here, I can--"

"Nope, nope," Eddie punctuates the words by slapping the steering wheel, "your job is to watch him, and navigate".

"I'm navigating," Lucas insists from the passenger seat beside Eddie. He has the map from earlier spread out over his legs and a finger tracing the red marker lines they had made earlier that night, "you're going to keep going straight and then it's a left on Mount Sinai by the way".

Eddie nods and opens his mouth to ask about how long until the turn when a groan floats up from the back.

Eddie nearly slams on the brakes in surprise, instead jerking the wheel, sending the van into a harsh swerve over the empty road. The kids all yell over one another but Dustin's voice carries the loudest.

"You're jostling him, Jesus Eddie!"

Eddie winces as he manages to straighten the vehicle's course once more, "shit, shit sorry, just, is he awake?"

"Not really," Dustin says, the sound of rustling fabric and another groan punctuating the silent car.

Eddie's resolve finally snaps.

He turns to Lucas, "you said it's just straight and then one more turn right?" Eddie asks as he lets the car drift to the side of the road before throwing it into park.

"Yeah, why?" Lucas says slowly, his face scrunched into a confused frown, Max perks up once again from the middle row in Eddie's periphery.

Eddie turns to face Max's wide grin and rolls his eyes, "yeah, yeah, get up here," he grumbles, popping open the driver's side door.

"Seatbelt or no deal, keep it under sixty, and slow down on the turn".

Max nods rapidly and bites her lip, nearly vibrating with excitement as she scrambles over the middle console to take Eddie's place, "you got it!"

"Why does she get to drive?" Mike growls under his breath but it still carries through the open drivers side door. Steve makes another noise and Eddie has to tamp down a scream of frustration at the sound.

He makes his way to the back passenger door, sliding it open to meet Mike's glare, "my van, my rules Wheeler, move up, Dustin you're keeping the time now".

Dustin nods and leans towards the front, lifting his watch as he asks Max quietly about how long Steve has been out.

Eddie settles in the far back next to Steve, ignoring the guilt that settles heavily in his stomach. If only he had locked the door, if he had been able to hold his own with Billy, this never would have happened. Eddie swallows the lump that begins to form in his throat and pours his focus into Steve, that's who needs him now.

Eddie's never seen someone with a head injury before, hell, he's never seen anyone get their ass beaten like Steve just did and Wayne's lessons in first aid never went past burns or cuts, maybe splinting a break.

Eddie was out of his depth with this.

Steve's unfocused gaze lands on him as he tilts his head slightly. He makes a small noise of recognition and lifts his left hand up to brush softly against Eddie's face.

"Nance?" Steve slurs out, blinking a few times, and fuck, if that doesn't sting.

Eddie can't quite hide his wince and breathes out sharply through his nose, "Nope, sorry, you're stuck with me".

Steve blinks again, this time his eyes narrow slightly as he reaches out again, but Eddie manages to catch his hand this time and gently lowers it back down. He allows himself one indulgence though, and entwines his fingers through Steve's own.

Just this once.

"Ed?" Steve says this time and Eddie can't help the grin that slowly pulls at his lips, thank God.

"Yeah man," Eddie whispers, he clears his throat in an attempt to move the lump that appears once more. Steve's pupils are different sizes but that doesn't seem to stop him from realizing they are no longer in the Byers home.

"Why--we're moving?"

"I was out numbered," Eddie says darkly, sending a glare to Dustin who flips him the bird over his shoulder. He's looking at Lucas's map from the seat behind him.

Steve groans again and Eddie watches as all the colour drains from his cheeks and lips. By the time Eddie realizes what is happening, Steve is already leaning his head over the floor and vomiting all over Eddie's shoes.

"Oh shit Steve, okay, okay, let it out," Eddie helps him sit up slightly and manages to move his feet for the next round, nose wrinkling at the smell of bile. He lets go of Steve's hand and instead settles for letting one hand brace his shoulder while the other sweeps into his hair, pulling the slightly longer sections away from his face.

Eddie tries to focus on keeping Steve steady rather than how soft his hair is.

Mike sucks his teeth in disgust as Dustin swears from the middle seat and covers his mouth, "did he just puke?"

Eddie wants to throttle them both.

Steve pulls him from his violent thoughts though as he coughs and gags again, breathing out a heavy whine as he catches his breath.

He mumbles something so quiet that Eddie almost wonders for a moment if he spoke at all, but then Steve taps his hand weakly against Eddie's hand on his shoulder.

"Pull over," he whispers in a much clearer voice this time and Eddie looks up towards the front of the car, Max is in the middle of turning, the last one if Lucas was to be believed.

"Steve, we can't," Eddie tries, hating the way that Steve deflates, it's almost like when Eddie found him after Tina's party.

"I sorry sweetheart, I promise, hospital after this," Eddie says quietly.

He freezes at the realization of what he just said.

Shit.

It's as though his heart has stopped in his chest and his ribs are crushing inwards, as though he's about to collapse like some dying star.

Eddie looks around the interior of the van, hoping no one else heard him only to catch Dustin staring him down with an intense but curious look in his eyes, his brow furrowed as though Eddie is a puzzle and the last piece has gone missing.

Dustin says nothing though, and turns back to the front where Mike, Lucas, and Max are talking animatedly.

Steve's head flops backwards onto Eddie's chest, pulling his focus from the kids. Steve is looking up at him and from his close Eddie can count the number of eyelashes, the number of freckles dusting his nose, the flecks of green in his blown eyes.

Even with his bruised face and the faint traces of bile on his breath, Steve is beautiful.

Eddie thinks of how Steve protected them all again and again, how he offered advice to Dustin -even if it wasn't the best, how he had insisted that Eddie wasn't the reason Steve had been scared that night, not wanting him to feel like yet another person was afraid of Eddie.

He thinks of all the ways that Steve has shown himself over the last few days and feels the last few strands holding up the image of King-Steve Harrington, finally fall away.

He's never let himself to stare like this, unashamedly at another man, it had always been too dangerous --especially in Hawkins.

Perhaps he can allow himself this other indulgence then, just for now.

Unbidden, the words Steve said earlier echo faintly for Eddie as they sit in the back of his beat up old van while the kids start arguing over the one painters mask they found in the shed earlier.

'People will come in and out of your life all the time, and the ones that are meant to be there will stay, and if they go, then it wasn't meant to be.

I think I need more people in my life like that'.

He swallows heavily as Steve's eyes close and he sinks even further into Eddie, his soft hair tickles against Eddie's neck as he burrows closer.

Eddie lifts his gaze to the roof of the van. He doesn't believe in God, no, hearing his uncle's stories of 'Nam, his mother dying, and Al kicking him to the curb were enough to dissuade Eddie of any real notion of a higher power existing.

But it doesn't stop him from sending a thought out into the universe.

If we make it out of this, Eddie thinks, I promise to listen this time.

Part Eight Now Up

Tag List:

@eriquin @luvinthefreaks @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @goodolefashionedloverboi @ellietheasexylibrarian @bambibiest @sadboislovebeans @howincrediblysapphicofyou @coleys-a-nerd @whycantiuseunderscore @airconditioning123 @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @corrodedbisexual @starman-jpg @ilovecupcakesandtea @yoriposts @clumsiluni @pelinelin @phantomcat94 @lololol-1234 @anaibis @airconditioning123 @steveshairspray @hellfireone @sunswathe @tentativeghost @robin-not-batman @estrellami-1 @manda-panda-monium @tinyplanet95 @perseus-notjackson @queenie-ofthe-void @rainbowsaw @sp0o0kylights @littlebluejane @hi-im-eff @phantypurple @just-ladyme @thoroughlycollected @justrandomfandomstm @swimmingbirdrunningrock @finntheehumaneater @dynamic-powerm@nightmareglitter @genderless-spoon @zaddipax @thebiblesays @amerikanskaya-krassavitsa @pyrohonk @emly03 @geekymagicalpotato @sidebarre @eddielives1986 @lemon-astra @cipounette @discreetapple @starlitlakes @saphhicwitchbitch @marvel-ous-m @honorarybrit81 @lingeringmirth

and for some peeps that I think may be interested! @steddierthings @steddie-there @steves-strapcollection @henderdads @stevesbipanic @spooky-brakers @flowercrowngods (welcome back Dio!)

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senditothemoonn · 2 years

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I know you love scotfra a lot, but your fruk/ukfr looks so good😭 I hope we get to see more of it in the future mby?👀 also imagine both of them having a crush on francis at the same time...Imagine the drama that comes with it😩

I think there will probably be more fruk (it might be a bit sparse because, like you say, I do love scotfra ajhsjshjs) like I love myself a big, burly Scotsman but also sometimes you’re in the mood for some little, twinkish Colin Firth ass men, you know?

Oh the drama…but more importantly the angst 😩 I do think fruk is a good ship for making Alasdair sad, like he’s too shy/stubborn to ever ask Francis out so he just sits on the sidelines and watches pathetically as Francis and Arthur date (maybe they’re in love or maybe Francis is evil and he’s just using Arthur to make Alasdair jealous - very sexy set of circumstances in my opinion as it leads to more angst ajhsjshjs)

My favourite fruk dynamic however is like “we used to date but now we’re frenemies (read: would die for each other)”

I did read a fic once where Francis was dating Alasdair, and Arthur was just the little brother with a puppy dog crush on Francis and Francis was kinda like aww ur cute 🥰 Alasdair and Francis fought a lot though and I think Arthur ended up sneakily breaking them up somehow by causing a really bad argument and them sneaking in to comfort Francis. I can’t remember how it ended 🤔 but I think Francis might have gone back to Alasdair and Arthur was sad lol i think that’s a cool au to play with tho. I suppose it depends on how old you see them, personally I like to think of Arthur and Francis around the same age and Alasdair is a few years older (maybe like 4 or 5)

But both of them having a crush on Francis at the same time…clearly I’d make Francis choose Alasdair XD but I mean if Alasdair didn’t exist…or like omg if Alasdair died…and Francis started dating Arthur and they both kinda knew he was just a replacement but like Arthur’s been in love with Francis since forever…lol idk where that angst came from ajhsjshjs

Anyway I do like fruk and will probably draw more but scotfra is my favourite simply because Alasdair is sexy and I love bears…altho can u even count my Alasdair as a bear…is he meaty enough? Maybe I need to make him cuddlier, more Jack black esque u kno…okay I’m getting off topic and this was probably very incoherent so I should go to sleep ajhsjshjs

#wow sorry for rambling #i just apparently have a lot of thoughts about this sjbsjsbjs #also I’ve been watching outnumbered recently and like low-key (high key) projecting fruk #face fam kinda cute…#AND I’ve been rereading that one fruk incredibles au fic…#I’ve read that fic so many fucking times I need a life #kinda wanna draw fanart for it #it’s a good fic #i love that author #their stuff is good #fruk is kinda good #i like it when Arthur is a pathetic loser but in a sexy way #amd francis is a beautiful Angel of a man absolutely out of his league #and Arthur is just like *hugh grant stammering in Notting hill compilation*#HES BEFUDDLED #good shit…#ask

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journey-to-the-attic · 2 years

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AAAAAA PIRATE AU!! Going with the idea of mermaids being a hunted species the original anon had, that gives us a reason to bring the side characters in too right? IIRC in the original event they infiltrated the Lamentation crew because there was like a bounty on their heads (as illegal pirates), because Diavolo's a lord whose land needed money... but-

Maybe in our Pirate AU Diavolo's like a naive prince, doesn't know much about the world, and Barbatos + the Purgatrio are members of the royal household. (Barb is his butler, Sol is like the court's sorcerer, Simeon is part of the royal guard, Luke's a trainee servant). Diavolo wants to win more of his father's affection, and he figures that he'll do that by capturing those famous Lamentation pirates. Except it's hella difficult to infiltrate that crew bc 1. you can't track em down, 2. they're very distrustful, 3. they're not exactly looking for new members.

Idk what the connective tissue here should be but somehow they do get acquainted with the crew, and Diavolo switches the plan to abducting IK since a prized (live) mermaid would be very valuable to the king and is easier to get than an entire pirate crew. Except it's nigh impossible to do and also now he's getting attached to his new friends and oh no IK's such a cute lil kid what's he supposed to do now--

oo cool concept!! maybe diavolo and his gang stage a shipwreck or something, where they study the lamentation crew’s movements for long enough to predict where they’ll be heading, and then pretend to have had their own boat capsize along the route they’re taking

and then the pirates aren’t heartless, so they do rescue them (and dia’s gang’s disguises are in like totally normal clothes, and the pirates don’t recognise any of them as associated with the royal family). they do keep their guard up of course, but sol was smart enough to stage their shipwreck in a place that he knows is far from land, so they’ve got plenty of time on board the boat to win the crew’s trust

and then in the process of doing this, the gang just ends up befriending them for real

#answering asks #anon asks #jtta aus #alternatively maybe diavolo's in a zuko type situation #where his dad exiled him for treason and he's trying to win back his favour by capturing the lamentation pirates #although in this case he probably wouldn't switch to the obtain mermaid plan since that doesn't seem like enough for his dad to forgive him #maybe the obtain mermaid plan just becomes part of the capture pirates plan??#like he plans to use ik as bait since ordinarily there's like no way he and his gang could overpower the pirates #since 1. they're outnumbered and 2. only three people on dia's side can even equal any of the pirates individually in battle #in either diavolo situation the 'climax' of the story so to speak would probably involve a big battle #which could be between the pirates and the royals or could be one that forces them to ally against something else #that or the climax involves something happening that makes diavolo impulsively go through with the abduction #but then he decides against it last minute and decides he wants to leave the royalty for good #and then his gang joins up with the lamentation crew #wonder how they'll all fit onto the ship

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