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softlytowardthesun · 2 years

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Wich are your favorite fairy tale couples/romances and why?

*cracks knuckles* I'm excited for this one!

It's important to note that not all of these are necessarily "canon" to the story, whatever that nebulous word means in the context of oral traditions. Still, the fun of fairy tales as a genre is the audience participation aspect, allowing you to fill in our own imaginative gaps.

Gold-Tree, her husband, and her wife from "Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree": in this Celtic variant of "Snow White", the handsome prince fills the role that the dwarfs occupy in Grimm. She marries him and temporarily escapes her mother, but the wicked Silver-Tree finds Gold-Tree and poisons her. Thinking her dead, the prince takes another wife, and in a total reversal of "Bluebeard", the second princess walks into the forbidden room where Gold-tree slumbers, finds the thorn, and breaks the spell. The second princess then kills Silver-Tree when she makes her third attempt on Gold-Tree's life, and " prince and his two wives were long alive after this, pleased and peaceful."

The Peasant and the Soldier from "The Grave Mound": A comical story about two poor men who win their fortune through conning the Devil, which ends with them co-habitating and "living in rest and peace...as long as God is pleased to permit". I fell in love with this story after reading the dedicated chapter for it in the terrific academic anthology "Transgressive Tales: Queering the Grimms".

Betushka and the Wood Maiden: Every day at noon, a mysterious and beautiful maiden appears to the farm girl Betushka. They dance together until the sun goes down, and I'm just so moved by how it's described: "Betushka's cheeks burned, her eyes shone. She forgot her spinning, she forgot her goats. All she could do was gaze at her partner who was moving with such grace and lightness that the grass didn't seem to bend under her slender feet." Ultimately, Betushka succumbs to an Orpheus-style moment of weakness that separates them forever. Tragic, but undeniably beautiful.

The Clever Farmgirl and the King: I love a battle of wits where the two parties challenge each other but clearly respect and love one another. You listed this as one of your favorite tale types, and in hindsight, I'm inclined to agree.

Tam Lin and Janet: these two need no introduction. A haunting ballad of love and the transformations that it always entails. (Just please, never the non-consensual variants.) I have to shout out Overly Sarcastic Productions on YouTube for introducing me to this story, and the "Which Fairytale Lady Are You?" quiz, which assigned me Janet. I hope to be as bold and confident as this heroine, in love and in life.

Prince Yousif and Louliyya, Daughter of Morgan: An Egyptian relative of Rapunzel, I love their fierce and undying commitment to each other, and their resilience in the face of the many challenges between them and their happy ending.

The Lady and the Lion from "The Singing, Springing Lark": A "Beauty and the Beast" variant where the heroine knows about the curse from the word go, and they actually live happily in spite of his back-and-forth between his human and lion forms for a while, even having a child together. Of course, circumstances force them apart, and she travels to the Sun, the Moon, the Four Winds, and the Red Sea to get him back. It's a relationship built on honesty, communication, and willingness to sacrifice for one another. When people talk about wanting a fairy tale Prince Charming, this is the guy I picture.

The One-Handed Girl and her Prince: A lovely (if at times gruesome) Swahili story of a woman deprived of everything by her wicked brother, she finds love in a charming prince and they start a family together. When her love is out warring, her wicked brother rears his head and persuades her in-laws to banish her to the wilderness, and tell the prince that she and her baby died. I'm always moved by the makeshift funeral her husband arranges when he hears the wicked brother-turned-royal-advisor's lie, and their reunion at the end.

The couple from "The Nixie of the Pond": When her husband succumbs to a mysterious nixie, the heroine conducts a series of moonlight rituals, offering a comb, a flute, and a spinning wheel to the water spirit in exchange for his safe return. Of course, the nixie doesn't play fair, but they eventually get their hard-earned happy ending, finding each other under the moonlight listening to the same song she used to bargain for his rescue.

Broadening the definition of "fairy tales", I have to include Dorothy and Ozma, Clara / Marie and her Nutcracker, and Ahmed and Pari Banu. There are also stories with pairings that, while I can't honestly say I support, I still find compelling: Shahrazad leading Shahryar through the most intense talk therapy session in world literature, whatever the heck is going on with Velina and Tayzanne, the quasi-erotic dynamic of this proto-Little Red Riding Hood. Plus there's some terrific villain couples I love to hate, like the witch and her lover in "The Tale of the Ensorcelled Prince" (sorry, Burton's translation is all I could find online; if you have the chance, read Yasmine Seale's version of the text).

As you can tell, I've thought about this stuff a lot and I'm eager to talk about it. What are some of the romances and relationships you love / find compelling in fairy tales?

#ask response #ariel seagull wings #fairy tales #1001 nights #nixie of the pond #gold tree and silver tree #the grave mound #the wood maiden #the one handed girl #jack the master and jack the servant #the singing springing lark #tam lin #louliyya daughter of morgan #the farmer's clever daughter

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toaverse · 7 months

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Hey Disney, instead of wasting your money on making soulless live-action remakes, milking Toy Story for all it's worth and race-swapping iconic characters for "representation", here are some fairytales and scrapped movies you can adapt and un-cancel.

The One-Handed Girl; A Swahili fairytale about the trials a girl goes through as she deals with the unfettered greed of her older brother.

The Cat and the Cradle; A Dutch legend about a baby and a cat floating in a cradle after a city named Kinderdijk floods.

Tawhaki; A Maori fairytale about the demigod Tawhaki going above and beyond to be reunited with his Sky-fairy wife. (Edith Howes’ version here)

The Sisters Envious of Their Cadette; An Arabic fairytale about two sisters plotting their younger sister's demise.

The Four Skillful Brothers; A German fairytale about four brothers each learning a different trade of skills, and learn to work together once their father puts them to the test.

Gigantic; A planned animated musical film by Disney that ended up being cancelled. It was suppose to be about Jack discovering a world of giants hidden within clouds and befriending an 11 year old giant named Inma who treats him like a living doll.

Newt; A planned animated movie by Pixar that also ended up being cancelled for multiple reasons. It was suppose to be about two blue-footed newts who can’t stand each other being forced by science to save their species from extinction.

Don’t be afraid to correct me if I got anything wrong. And feel free to add to the list if you want!

#disney critical #fairy tales #Disney gigantic #pixar newt #the four skillfull brothers #the cat and the cradle #the one handed girl #tawhaki #the sisters envious of their cadette

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ariel-seagull-wings · 27 days

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BLESSING OR PROPERTY?

@softlytowardthesun @themousefromfantasyland @professorlehnsherr-almashy @amalthea9 @thealmightyemprex @grimoireoffolkloreandfairytales @natache @tamisdava2 @hamlet-macbeth-othello @princesssarisa @the-blue-fairie @faintingheroine

(A Swahili folktale from Kenya and Tanzania)

There was a man and his wife, and they prayed to God to get a child ; and they got first a son and next a daughter.

And their father's employment was to cut up firewood. And they remained till the children were grown up. And their father was seized by disease.

And he called his children, and asked them, "Will you have a blessing or property ?" And the son said, "I will have property."

And the daughter said, " I will have a blessing."

And her father gave her much blessing. And her father died. And they kept mourning, and when they arose their mother fell sick ; and she called her children and said to them, "Will you have a blessing or property" and the son said, "I will have property."

And the daughter said, "I will have a blessing." And her mother gave her a blessing.

And their mother died. And they kept their mourning, and when they arose the seventh day came.

And the son went and told the woman, his sister, "Put out all my father's and mother 's things."

And the woman put them out, without his leaving her anything. And he took them all away.

And people said to him, "Will you not leave even any little thing for this your sister?"

And he said, "I shall not. I asked for the property, and she asked for a blessing."

And he left her a cooking pot, and a mortar for cleaning corn ; he did not leave her even a little food. Her neighbors used to come and borrow the mortar, and clean their corn, and then they gave her a little grain, and she cooked and ate it. And others used to come and borrow her cooking pots, and cook with them, and then they gave her too a little food. And this was every day her employment.

And she searched about in her father and mother's house, without finding anything except a pumpkin seed.

And she took it and went and ventured under the well. And a plant sprung up, and bore many pumpkins.

Her brother had no news of her, and he asked people,

"Where does my sister get food?"

And they told him,

"People borrow her mortar, and they clean their corn, and give her too a little food ; and people borrow her cooking pots, and cook with them, and give her too a little food."

And her brother arose and went and robbed her of the mortar and cooking pots. And then she awoke in the morning and sought for food, and could not get it.

And she stayed till nine o'clock, and said, "I will go and look at my pumpkin, whether it has grown."

And she went, and saw that many pumpkins had come. And she was comforted. And she gathered the pumpkins, and went and sold them, and got food. And this was her employment every day, to gather and go and sell.

And when the third day came, everyone who ate those pumpkins found them

exceedingly sweet. And everybody used to take grain and go to her place and buy. And many days passed, and she got property.

Her brother's wife heard that news, and sent her slave with grain to go and buy a pumpkin. And the slave said, "They are finished." And when she knew it was her

brother's wife's slave, she told him, "Take this one, and take back your grain." And she went and cooked it, and found it very sweet. The next day she sent someone again. And she said, "There are none at all to-day."

And he went and told his mistress, and she was exceedingly vexed. When her husband came and asked her, "What is the matter with you, my wife?”

She told him, "I sent some one to your sister with my grain, to go and ask for pumpkins. She did not send them, and told me, ' There are none ;' and other people all buy of her."

And he said to his wife, “Let us sleep till tomorrow. I will go and pull up her pumpkin plant.”

When the morning dawned, he went to his sister and said to her, "When my wife sent grain, you refused to sell her a pumpkin."

And she said, " They are finished ; the day before yesterday she sent someone, and I gave to him for nothing."

And he said, "Why are you selling to other people ?"

And she said, "They are finished, there are no more, they have not yet come."

And her brother said to her, "I shall go and cut up your pumpkin."

And she said, "You dare not, unless indeed you cut my hand off first ; then you may cut up the pumpkin."

And her brother took hold of her right hand and cut it off, and went and cut up her pumpkin plant, every bit of it. The woman set on hot water, and put in her arm, and put medicine also, and bound on a cloth. And he took away everything from her, and put her out of the house. And his sister wandered about in the forest, and this her brother sold the house, and gathered much property, and remained spending it.

And she wandered in the forest, till on the seventh day she came out to another town.

And she climbed up into a great tree, and ate the fruit of the tree, and in the morning she slei:it there in the tree. On the next day the son of the king came out shooting birds, he and his people.

About twelve o'clock he was tired, and said, "I will go there by the tree, so that I may rest, and you shoot birds."

And he sat under the tree, he and his slave. And the young woman cried till her tears fell upon the king's son below.

And he said to his slave, "Look outside ; is it not raining ?"

And he said, "It is not, master."

And he said, "Then climb up into the tree, and look what bird is casting its droppings upon me."

And his slave climbed up, and he saw an exceedingly beautiful woman crying, and without saying a word, he got down. And he told his master, "There is a most beautiful young woman. I did not venture to say a word to her."

And his master asked him, "Why ?"

And he said, '' I found her crying ; perhaps you should go yourself."

And his master climbed up, and went and saw her, and said to her, "What is the matter with you, my mistress '? Are you a person or a spirit?"

And she said, "I am a person,"

And he said, " What are you crying about ?"

And she said, "I am thinking of things ; I am a person as you are."

And he said, "Come down to me and let us go to our home."

And she said to him, "Where is your home ?"

And he said, "With my father and mother : I am a king's son."

And she said, "What did you come to do here ?"

And he said, "I come to shoot birds, month by month ; this is our employment. I came with my companions."

And she said, "I do not like to be seen by anybody."

And he said, "We shall not be seen by any one."

And she came down. And he sent his slave, "Go into the town quickly, and bring me a masheela.” And his slave went at once and returned with a masheela and four people, and they carried him. And he put the woman into it, and told his slave, "Fire a gun, that all the company may know."

And he fired a gun, and his companions came, and they said to him, “What is the matter with you, son of the king ?"

And he said, "I am cold, and I want to go my way into the town."

And they carried the game they had got, and went away. And the king's son had got into the masheela, he and that young woman. And his companions knew nothing of it. And they went to their city, and reached his house.

And he said to a man, "Go and tell my mother and father, I have fever today, I want gruel quickly ; let them send it to me."

And his mother and father were troubled, and gruel was cooked for him, and sent to him. And his father went with his viziers and went to see him. And at night his mother went with her people to see him.

The next day he went out, and went and told his mother and father, "I have picked up a young woman, I want you to marry me to her, but she has lost one hand ?"

And they said, "Why ?"

And he said, " I wish it just as it is."

And the Sultan loved his only son much, and he made a wedding and married him to the young woman.

And the people in the town heard, "The Sultan's son has married a young woman, she has lost one hand."

And they remained until his wife became pregnant, and bore a son, and his parents rejoiced exceedingly.

And the Sultan's son went on a journey, and went to travel about in the towns of his father.

There behind her brother came out ; he had nothing to spend, and was going begging. Till one day he heard people conversing, "The Sultan's son has married a woman who lost one hand."

And her brother asked, "Where did he get the girl, this child of the Sultan ?"

And they told him, "He picked her up in the forest."

And he knew she was his sister.

And he went to the king. And he went and said, "Your child has married a woman who has lost a hand. She was put out of their town because she was a witch; every husband who marries her, she kills."

And the king went and told his wife, and they said, "What plan can we act on ?" And they loved much their only child, and they said, "Let us put her out of the town."

And her brother said to them, "Kill her, for there at home she had her hand cut off, and here kill her."

And they said, "We cannot kill her, we will put her out of the town."

And they went and put her out of the town, her and her son. And she was comforted.

And she went out, and carried a little earthen pot, and went her way into the forest ; she knew not where she was going or whence she came.

And she sat down, and showed her child, and casting her eyes, she saw a snake come fast towards her, and she said, "Today I am dead."

And the snake said to her, "Child of Adam, open your earthen pot that I may go in. Save me from the sun, and I will save you from rain."

And she opened the pot, and it went in, and she covered it. And she looked and saw another snake coming fast, and it said to her, “Has not my companion passed ?"

And she said, "It is going."

And it passed quickly.

The snake which was in the pot said to her, "Uncover me."

And she uncovered it, and it was comforted, and said to that child of Adam, "Where are you going ?"

And she said, "I know not where I am going, I am wandering in the woods."

And the snake said to her, "Follow me, and let us go home."

And they went together till on the road they saw a great lake. And the snake said to her, "Child of Adam, let us sit and rest, the sun is fierce ; go and bathe in the lake with your child."

And she carried her boy, and went to wash him, and he fell in and she lost him in the lake. And it asked her, "What is the matter with you there, child of Adam?"

And she said, "My child is lost in the water."

And it said, " Look for him well."

And she sought for him for a whole hour without finding him.

And it said, "Put in the other hand."

And she said, "You snake are making a game of me."

And it asked "How?"

And she said, "I have put in this sound one, and I have not found him ; what is the use of this spoilt one?"

And the snake said to her, "Only you put in both."

And the child of Adam put them in, and went and found her son and laid hold of him, and drew out her hand sound again.

And it said, "Have you found him ?"

And she said, "I have found him, and have got my hand sound again."

And she

rejoiced much.

And the snake said, "Now let us go away to my elders, and let me repay your kindness."

And she said, "This is enough, getting my hand."

And it said, "Not yet ; let us go to my elders."

And they waited till they arrived, and they rejoiced much, and loved that young woman. And she remained, eating and drinking many days.

And her husband returned from his journey. And his elders had caused two tombs to be made, one of his wife and one of his child. And her brother had become a great man with the king.

And her husband, the king's son, came. And he asked, "Where is my wife?"

And they said to him, "She is dead."

"And where is my child ?"

And they answered him, "He is dead."

And he asked, "Where are their graves ?"

And they took him to go and see them. And when he saw them he wept much. And he made a mourning. And he was comforted.

Many days had passed. And the young woman in the forest said to her friend the snake, "I want to go away home."

And it said, "Take leave of my mother and father. When they give you leave to go, if they give you a present, accept only the father's ring and the mother's casket."

And she went and took leave of them, and they gave her much wealth, and she refused and said, "I, one person, how shall I carry this wealth ?"

And they said, "What will you have ?"

And she said, "You, father, I want your ring ; and you, mother, I want your casket."

And they were very sorry, and asked her, "Who told you about this ?"

And she said, "I know it myself."

And they said, "Not so ; it is this your brother who told you."

And he took the ring and gave it to her, and said to her, "I give you this ring. If you want food, if you want clothes, if you want a house for sleeping, tell the ring ; it will produce it for you by the blessing of God and of me your father."

And her mother gave her the casket, and told her such and such things. And they gave her their blessing.

And she went out and went away, till there by the town of her husband, without reaching her husband's house. When she reached the outskirts, she told the ring, "I want you to produce for me a great house."

And it produced a house, and the furniture of the house and slaves. And she stayed, she and her son. And her son had become a great lad.

And the king got news of there being a large house in the outskirts, and he sent people to go and look, and they answered him, "It is true."

And the sultan arose with his viziers and his son. And they went and drew near, and the woman looked through a telescope and saw her husband, and her husband's father, and many people, and her brother among them.

And she told the people, "Prepare food quickly."

And they prepared, and laid the table. And they arrived and were invited in, and went inside, and they asked her the news.

And she said, "Good."

And she said to them, “Eat of the food. I come from a distance ; when you have done with the food let me give you my news."

And they ate the food, till when they had finished she told them, from the beginning when she was born, she and her brother, till all were finished, as they had been.

And the king's son went to embrace his wife, and they wept much, and all who were there wept, and they said her brother was not good. And the king asked her, "What shall we do to your brother ?"

And she said, "Only put him out of the town."

And she dwelt with her husband till the end in joy.

#swahili #fairy tales #folktales #folklore #fantasy #literature #kenya #tanzania #the one handed girl

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anna-scribbles · 7 months

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last one i promise(<—lie)

#let’s as a society think more about why adrien wanted to go to school #and what. perhaps. he thought school was #i think the way chloe describes it she really is just a beautiful rich girl with too much time on her hands #and no one at school is treating her accordingly.#abby got so mad at me today because she thinks it’s too cringe that i keep taking about adrien liking ohshc #which is like. how are you gonna know me my whole life and then be disappointed when i’m cringe.#i’ve never hidden who i am. it’s cringe all the way down #anyway #ml #my art #miraculous ladybug #adrien agreste #chloe bourgeois #ohshc #wait i am gonna tag this thirteen actually. just go with me #thirteen

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lotus-pear · 3 months

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lore accurate teen soukoku. the worsties ever

#rewatched fifteen w my bestie bc she finally reached season 3 and i forgot just how insufferable these two idiots are💀#literally calling each other slurs in one scene and then holding hands in the next #what the fuck is wrong with them /gen #anyway this accurately sums up their dynamic to me. toxic besties. gossip gals. teenage girls. whatever that dynamic is called #bungou stray dogs #bungo stray dogs #bsd #dazai osamu #osamu dazai #nakahara chuuya #chuuya nakahara #soukoku #skk #lotus draws #also my friend is literally insane bc she was like “chuuya n dazai are satosugu coded but if like stsg actually had BEEF w each other”#LIKE WHAT😭😭#THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE IN COMMON IS DOOMED BY THE NARRATIVE YAOI #sobbing you guys shouldve seen the face i fucking made at her. i was so disappointed

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skepsiss · 6 days

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Eddie can't flirt, but Steve's brain has been rewired to find the most insane shit in the world interesting, and Eddie hasn't said anything normal since he met him.

Eddie, trying to flirt: .... I know how to juggle Steve: Go on..... -later- Steve: And then he messed up like 12 times in a row Robin: And? Steve: And I think I'm in love with him.

#eddie munson #steddie #steve harrington #stranger things #brought to you buy....... I know how to juggle one handed #I have done this to impress girls #it has worked

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magicaldreamfox1 · 8 months

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ONE PIECE (2023) — 1×03 (totally unedited) (insp.)

#head in hands it's so serious for me #this is soooo unedited u guys zoro naturally has these hearts floating around his head whenever luffy does anything #also girls im so sorry i tried my best here with colouring and sharpening this is just what we have to deal with now #enjoy #one piece #one piece live action #zolu #monkey d. luffy #roronoa zoro #tv shows #my gifs #luffy #zoro

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tooquirkytolose · 1 year

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Love Spell~

#my art #comic #a lil doodley one before i do the witch one teehee #in my head this is a spiritual successor to crossroads of destiny lmao #i did the opposite btw if anyone cares! the guide smiles until they think they'll be left alone #here the girl doesnt smile until the end :)#anyways raise ur hand if u wanna be turned into a frog

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twinstxrs · 1 month

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so much happened in this whole episode but i’m still on fig infiltrating ruben’s dream, making it look like the place where his friend was murdered, and then disguising herself as kipperlilly & repeatedly saying different variants of “somebody needs to take the fall for this, and it’s not going to be me. it’s going to be you.” while adaine as the elven oracle shows up next to her. can you imagine waking up from that, the idea of a horrible truth being pinned on you by your friend to save her own skin while the personification of fate and destiny stands there, almost as a promise that this is GOING to happen to you. we don’t even know if this kid is guilty. my god.

#fantasy high #dimension 20 #fhjy #fhjy spoilers #fantasy high junior year #fig faeth #ruben hopclap #lucy frostblade #the rat grinders #adaine abernant #kipperlilly copperkettle #watching fig terrorize him like girl!!! we don’t even know if he’s guilty!!!!#this might just be for me but i do not think 5 teenagers willingly brutally killed their friend idk #like there just has to be some other element to it and i am very scared to find out what that was #what if they were put in a position where they felt there was/there was no other choice… like oh my god #my comedy brain is having fun but my ‘this is a teenager’ brain is in such deep distress all the time this season #the rat grinders i trust brennan to not make u cartoonishly evil so i am holding u as gently as i can in my confused shaky hands #also with the devil’s nectar i’ve been wondering why they all seem so well-adjusted & now i’m curious if they’ve been intentionally-#changing their memories in a way so that either the trauma is lesser or they think they aren’t guilty. idk #but it seems like from how gertie was talking she was making it more recently so the well adjustedness from early jy doesn’t quite add up #they could have another source maybe??? idk i’m just low stakes 4 a.m. spitballing here #there’s also the strong possibility that they’re aware of what happened but they weren’t the ones who killed lucy. idk who knows #the way you could probably devil’s nectar yourself into believing it wasn’t your fault someone died… CRAZY IMPLICATIONS!!! CRAZY IDEA!!!#anyways the bad kids & the rat grinders don’t ever have to like each other but i do wonder if at least some of those kids deserve a chance

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stevebabey · 1 year

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Steve hates to ask this of Eddie.

Really, it’s a last resort sort of thing. Robin’s gone for the week, some trip upstate with her family. And it’s fine, they’re close but Steve’s a big boy. He can handle a week without his best friend.

But, well, it’s just unfortunate for it to creep up on Steve when Robin’s gone. It being… shit, how did Robin explain it? She was so much better at keeping track of all those things than he was, all the terms filed away nicely in her head to be recalled as needed. Steve’s much messier— in his head, in his life.

Touch aversion, that’s what she called it. A by-product of the severe lack of touch in his childhood she had said; not enough hugs, hand holding, the works and now Steve’s grown to find it too strange. Something prickles under his skin, pulls in his gut all the wrong way, when someone’s too touchy-feely with him. Robin’s said it’s normal, and he believes her.

It just makes it harder when this comes by. That completely strange backward want that carves into his chest, creating a chasm that just aches. Suddenly, Steve wants to be touched, needs to be touched — like something behind his ribs is just begging for comfort in the form of touch, any way he can have it. Like some young part of him can still remember the hunger he had for it and it comes back in full force, a tender wound between his lungs.

It doesn’t happen that often — though, it’s more frequent than ever recently — but usually, Robin’s here. She can almost always tell before Steve works up the courage to ask. Twitchy fingers give him away. He hovers closer than normal, shoulders brushing more often.

She always gives him a smile, softer than her usual snark and says, “C’mere, dingus.” and stands on her tip-toes to envelope him in a hug. Steve can’t help but sink into it, gripping her close around the waist for as long as he needs until the hole in his chest feels a step closer to patching up.

Robin also tells him he can have as many hugs as he’d like but Steve is firm with himself; he only needs one, then he’ll be back to fine.

It what’s he needs now. One really fucking good hug. Still, he hates to ask, least of all from Eddie, because, well— okay, Steve has no reason to assume Eddie wouldn’t give him a hug.

He’s seen Eddie’s hugs before. Like everything he does, Eddie puts his everything into it- he hugs Robin til she wheezes, loves to lift Nancy off the ground, and the hug he gives Dustin is sweetest of all, a hand on the back of the littler’s head while he does some strange little sway. Dustin always laughs, playfully shoving him away by the end but Steve knows he loves them, that it helps in more than one way.

Steve is glad that Dustin has someone, besides his Mom of course, who can hug him, because Steve can’t give that to him. Maybe one day, but for now, hugs from Steve are a rarity — few and far in between. Maybe, he thinks, he doesn’t want to ask Eddie specifically because of that niggling feeling that comes up around Eddie, all gooey and soft. A feeling the swings too close to a crush that Steve has no fucking clue what to do about.

So, he hates to ask. Really. On the drive over to Eddie’s, a hangout organised before Steve started to feel the lack of touch creep in, he runs through any other options. Wait til Robin gets back? Steve’s not sure he’ll make it another 4 days. When left alone, it seems to consume him and make everything harder, everything heavier to deal with.

He’s still tossing it when he climbs the steps to Eddie’s trailer. Steve decides that he’ll see how it goes, see if there’s an opening to ask…semi-naturally or something. He’s not gonna spring it on the guy.

Eddie is wonderful company as always, devilish grins and god-awful comments about the film he picked. Steve feeds off it, drinking in the infectious energy. He tries to let it be enough; their shoulders pressed together, Eddie’s knee knocking his when he laughs, the way Eddie leans into his space to whisper even though it’s just them here tonight. Steve wants it to be enough. But even then, he can see the way his hands twitch in his lap, desperate for more.

Steve closes his eyes. Curls his hands up so tightly his nails bite into the skin. He tries to use it to wane off the feeling, the ache that sings out for Eddie beside him and it nearly works. Until—

“Steve? Y’okay?” Eddie’s voice pipes up, making Steve open his eyes in an instant.

“Hm?” Steve hums, hoping that his casualness will be enough for Eddie to skip over his peculiar behaviour. He blinks, tilting his head just a bit to show he was confused why Eddie was asking.

Eddie chuckles lightly, gesturing towards Steve’s lap, where his hands sit still clenched, white knuckled with his self-restraint. “You seem a bit stiff, that’s all.” Eddie rechecks. “You good?”

Steve opens his mouth and then closes it, forcing his hands to unclench in his lap. “I-“ he begins, then stops, unsure of what he was going to say. He did say he would look for an opening tonight. The way Eddie’s regarding him, open faced with his concern, is as good as he might get.

“This might sound a bit weird,” Steve starts, defensiveness already tingeing the words, his shoulders curling in just a bit. Eddie could say no. He’s allowed to say no. Steve really doesn’t want him to. “Like, if you think it’s weird, that’s totally fine and we can just, like, forget I said anything and—”

“Steve.” Eddie cuts him off, a linger of an amused smile on his lips. “I don’t think I’m going to find anything you say weird, sweetheart. Shoot. What’s on your mind? What troubles the great mind of Steve Harrington?”

God, it’s like a whole bunch of words designed to set Steve’s head spinning. ‘The great mind of Steve Harrington’ makes him want to scoff. ‘Sweetheart’ makes him want to swoon. He can’t decide which one he wants to do more.

“Can I-” Steve stammers, the words halting automatically. It’s too much of a habit to swallow them down. Coercing them out takes more work. He stares up at the ceiling as he grits his teeth, releases a harsh sigh, pulling himself together. “Can I… have a hug?”

There a moment of silence and Steve holds his breath.

“Oh,” Eddie breathes, and Steve takes his eyes off the ceiling to see just what that Oh means. Eddie’s smiling, a soft one gracing his pretty mouth, and Steve thinks, maybe, one day he’ll have the courage to ask for a kiss as well. Relief moves sluggishly through his veins— Eddie’s smiling, this is good.

“Well, of course,” Eddie grins widely and opens his arms, inviting Steve in. Steve hesitates for only a moment before he leans in gratefully, his arms tucking around Eddie’s midriff tightly. Eddie’s arms curl around Steve’s neck, pulling him in close. It’s the easiest thing in the world, sinking into it, so much that Steve tries his best not to immediately slump against Eddie. It feels a bit too pathetic, so Steve reels himself in. He can’t make his arms relax, trying too hard to take only what he needs and not a moment more.

“C’mon, Stevie.” Eddie’s voice teases beside his ear, his breath warm. “You call that a hug?”

He squeezes Steve a little tighter, pulling him even closer and Steve can’t help the way he melts into it— he slumps, leaning against Eddie properly and burying his quiet whine of relief into the juncture between Eddie's neck and shoulder.

“There we go,” Eddie murmurs comfortingly.

Eddie takes him wholly, gives a damn good Munson hug, all warmth and comfort. He smells like, well, Eddie — a lingering scent of weed, something musky, something Eddie. His arms around Steve’s neck shuffle and Steve worries he’s trying to pull away so soon, only for one of his hands to tangle in the hair at the nape of Steve’s neck. He combs through, light fingernails scratching at Steve’s scalp and shit, Steve really can’t control the noise of contentment that slips out his throat.

“Can’t believe you got so worked up just to ask for a hug,” Eddie tsks, tone coloured in disbelief. Steve makes a noise of protest, trying for a moment to wind it all back in but, like Eddie can sense it, he’s squeezing him tighter again. He begins to rock them, a soft sway side to side that lets Steve lean on him even more. He hums a tune Steve doesn’t know, low and soft.

“M’sorry,” Steve mumbles in reply, though he’s not entirely sure what he’s apologising for. For having to ask, for taking so much, for enjoying Eddie’s arms around him just a little too much.

“What the fuck for?” Eddie laughs lightly, one of his hands beginning to drum against the divots of Steve’s spin. It feels like he’s tapping pure delirium with each fingertip, shivers that make Steve’s chest glow terribly warm. It feels good, so good to be held and honestly, Steve could stay here all night if Eddie let him. Knowing Eddie, he would, because he’s that fucking nice.

That knowledge alone forces Steve to sit himself up, extracting him limbs even though so much of him mourns the warmth, the touch, that goes with it. He wants the touch but he’s had enough. Some scorned part of him burns bitterly to think Eddie would give him more just to be nice. Steve doesn’t want that— Steve wants Eddie to touch him because he wants to.

“Sorry, man, I just, uh, get like that sometimes.” Steve feels the need to explain, bringing a hand up to rub at one of his eyes. He does it half so can hide his embarrassed expression from Eddie— who’s looking at him so gently and still so so close.

“Just, aha—“ Christ, it wasn’t this awkward telling Robin. Steve’s hand moves to rub the back of his neck. “Sometimes I realise it’s been awhile since,” He gnaws on his bottom lip, something alike to humiliation curling in his gut. “Since I’ve had some touch. Usually, Robin’s around but y’know.”

He waves a hand, huffing another awkward laugh. Eddie hasn’t moved much, just listening intently, his brows ever so slightly inching closer together. He looks outright concerned at Steve’s next words.

“It’s okay, I’ve— I’ll be good now.” Steve nods along, like the motion will help him convince himself as well as Eddie. He’ll be okay now. Usually, one hug is all it takes. He ignores the surging tidal-wave want that is still going, still aching to be held by Eddie again. It would be selfish to ask for more. Eddie didn’t invite him around to hug— it’s weird, and Steve shouldn’t- can’t ask for more.

“Sooooo,” Eddie draws out the word, an impish smile beginning to play at the corners of his lips. He opens his arms wide again. “You don’t want another hug?”

In his lap, Steve’s fingers twitch. Eddie’s eyes dart to them for a second, before fixing back on Steve. He does, he really fucking does want another hug. He can’t. He’s had enough, really, it would greedy to have more.

Steve shakes his head, forces himself to huff another laugh that accidentally comes out as a strained sigh. He smiles weakly, “No, no, I’m good, dude. It’s… I’m okay, swear.”

For a moment, Steve thinks he’s convinced him. Eddie studies his face, his mischief slipping away as he deliberates Steve’s words. His eyes narrow, arms dropping just an inch before he smiles brightly and says, “Okay, can I have a hug then?”

Which, okay, right, Steve didn’t think of that. People don’t ask him for hugs. He blinks, a bit dumbly. Eddie is waiting, face eager and for a second there’s an expression of almost smugness on his face — like he’s about to get exactly what he wants. Because he knows Steve would never be rude and say no.

“I mean,” Steve breathes, voice a bit tighter than he’s expecting. He clears his throat. “Yeah, yeah, you can have a hug.”

“Great!” Eddie replies and he wastes no time. He’s all up in Steve’s space, arms around Steve’s waist this time. The motion takes Steve by surprise, enough that because he’s not expecting it Eddie’s weight pushes him back so he’s lying on the couch.

If Eddie cares, he pays no mind, his head curling up into the crook of Steve’s neck as he hugs him closer. His hair gets in Steve’s mouth, making him splutter for a second, but Eddie just grins, wriggling closer until they’re pressed firmly against each other. Steve would go as far as to say this is closer to cuddling than a hug, with Eddie squishing him from above, his arms around Steve’s middle.

“Just so you know,” Eddie’s voice rumbles from where their chests are touching, his breath sweeping across Steve’s neck. Steve shivers without meaning to, feels Eddie’s responding grin even as he continues. “All hugs requested by me are automatically 10 minutes long. Hope you’re okay with that, sweetheart.”

Steve isn’t stupid — he knows Eddie is doing it for him, doing it because he could see right through Steve’s stupid facade, had peered his yawning hunger for touch right in the face and hadn’t blanched. Instead of feeling tricked or fooled, Steve just feels…warm. Comfortable. He works his arms around Eddie’s neck til their more comfortable and find the courage in him scrape his fingers through Eddie’s hair— like he had done to Steve. Eddie’s sighs sweetly and Steve thinks he could listen to that noise forever.

“I’m… I’m okay with that.” Steve murmurs lowly, yet he knows Eddie can hear him. Eddie noses closer, a borderline nuzzle against his neck, and further down, one his hands starts to stroke softly up and down Steve’s ribs.

Steve can’t help the way it makes him freeze, the breath in his lungs holding tight as he tries to relax, tries to ignore the prickly feeling under his skin. It’s a lot. A lot of touch that Steve just isn’t used to just yet, even if he desperately craves it.

“Relax,” Eddie whispers into his skin, a soft instruction paired with the motion, one soothing stroke up and down his ribs. Steve pushes the breath in his lungs out, forces the tension out of his body, trusts that Eddie wouldn’t be offering— wouldn’t tell him to relax if he wasn’t allowed to.

“That’s it.” Eddie praises, feeling the body beneath him settle and sink a little lower into the couch. “Now, watch the movie.” Eddie instructs, jutting at the still playing screen with his chin. Steve laughs a bit, but obeys, turning his head to see what part they’d gotten up to. They’d missed a big chunk in their hug. Steve nearly apologises for it, the words on the tip of his tongue, before he decides Eddie might smack him for it.

So, he doesn’t. He watches the film, let’s the gentle touch of Eddie on his skin relax him til sleepiness starts to fill each of his limbs, heavy like lead. Eddie’s hand stops moving eventually, when his breath gets heavier, lulled by Steve’s scratch in his hair. A snore starts up, loud and quite frankly, annoying, and yet, Steve finds that with Eddie’s arms around him, he has no trouble finding sleep.

It’s the first time in years Steve’s fallen asleep in someone else’s arms. And even if he doesn't know it yet, it’s certainly not the last.

now with a part two!

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