#voice solution

[tanlakarix]

How a Voice API Improves Customer Experience with Karix

What Exactly Is a Voice API? What Are Its Strengths?

Voice APIs are adaptable technologies that can help your firm provide a more engaging and conversational client experience. Rather than having to build out a best-in-class global telecommunications network to support sophisticated voice calling features from scratch, your developers can use the built-in, enterprise-grade features of a voice API to quickly create voice applications or embed voice functionality into your company’s existing digital channels, such as your website or app. An API is also cost-effective because it allows you to pay just for the phone calls you use.

While speech APIs allow voice calling in the same way as traditional corporate and consumer phone systems did, their possibilities are not nearly as limited. This communication technology is adaptable and extensible, allowing you to tailor it to your specific needs. For example, you can leverage speech APIs to build an AI virtual assistant that provides helpful voice-enabled customer care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even while human employees are busy serving other customers or fast asleep. Customers who prefer to speak with a human can do so considerably faster because a virtual voice assistant reduces the total amount of incoming customer care calls.

You can also utilise a voice API to integrate voice right into your website and app, offering users a handy way to communicate with you at the exact moment your brand is on their mind. This in-app speech capability may also be integrated into your contact centre, providing critical call context to your agents so they already understand what the consumer is calling about without having to ask them to repeat vital information, which customers despise. Voice APIs can also perform real-time sentiment analysis, identifying whether a customer is becoming frustrated and allowing your firm to address their concerns before escalating their conversation. Your contact centre team can also evaluate these metrics on a regular basis to find areas for development and to constantly improve the customer experience.

What Are the CX Benefits of a Voice API?

Voice APIs can assist you in better identifying and serving your customers, ensuring that their problems are recognised and addressed. By recording contextual information, your human customer experience specialists can determine who is calling and why they are calling, regardless of whether the call came in through your website, app, or another channel. This contextual communication enables your team to customise each encounter with each customer, saving orientation time and speeding up resolution time. It also allows for real dialogues that put your customers at ease and increase their pleasure.

The automatic speech recognition characteristics of voice APIs provide your consumers with simple self-service alternatives, allowing them to perform tasks such as placing orders or validating their identities using their own voices rather than waiting on hold for a human. Furthermore, this feature supports over 120 languages, allowing for rapid service and an intuitive, comfortable experience for customers all around the world.

Many customers value privacy, and it should be a given as part of the customer experience you provide them. The in-app voice function allows users to connect from app to app and by phone without giving their phone numbers, improving privacy, and avoiding off-platform transactions. Finally, voice quality is critical to make all these experiences dependable. As a result, voice APIs feature high-quality voice quality to provide the highest calling quality for your applications. This is crucial because, as we’ll see, even the most innovative and forward-thinking customer experience approach will fail if voice quality isn’t outstanding and consistent.

How Voice Quality Affects the Customer Experience

Voice quality plays a crucial role in shaping the customer experience when interacting with companies like Karix. Here’s how voice quality can impact the customer experience:

Clarity and intelligibility: A high-quality voice ensures that the customer can clearly understand the information being conveyed. Crystal-clear audio eliminates misunderstandings, reduces frustration, and enhances overall communication effectiveness.

Professionalism and credibility: A clear and professional voice conveys a sense of credibility and expertise. When customers perceive the voice quality as high, they are more likely to trust the information being provided and have a positive impression of the company.

Emotional connection: Voice quality can evoke emotions in customers. A warm, friendly, and engaging voice tone can create a positive emotional connection and foster a sense of trust, empathy, and personalization. On the other hand, poor voice quality may create a negative emotional experience and lead to customer dissatisfaction.

Effective communication: Effective communication requires not only the right words but also the right tone and cadence. Voice quality influences the ability to deliver messages effectively, ensuring that the intended meaning and sentiment are conveyed accurately. It helps in conveying empathy, addressing concerns, and resolving issues promptly, leading to better customer satisfaction.

Brand perception: Voice quality contributes to the overall brand perception. A consistent and high-quality voice across various touchpoints, such as IVR systems, customer support calls, and recorded messages, reflects positively on the company. It enhances the brand image and contributes to a positive customer perception of the company’s professionalism and attention to detail.

Customer retention and loyalty: A positive customer experience, including good voice quality, can significantly impact customer retention and loyalty. Customers are more likely to return to a company that provides an excellent experience, and a pleasant voice quality can be a distinguishing factor that sets a company apart from its competitors.

Overall, ensuring high voice quality in customer interactions is essential for creating positive experiences, building trust, and fostering long-term customer relationships. Karix and other companies should prioritise voice quality to enhance customer satisfaction and maximise the value of their customer interactions.

What an Improving Call Quality Benefits the Business

Have you ever called a company, heard the connection go through, and then heard a crackling sound on the line that made understanding what was being said difficult? Or have you ever called a customer service number and begun telling a polite employee what you needed, only to be abruptly disconnected? Then you already know how bad call quality might seem. When you can’t hear your counterpart on the phone, you’re instantly at a disadvantage in acquiring the assistance you require. And if your call is suddenly disconnected, you’ll have to decide whether you want to restart from scratch.

Customers are often frustrated by these common voice quality difficulties. If people can’t have a meaningful discussion with you using one of the approaches, they find most human and natural, they won’t believe your customer service is helpful or responsive. They may even question whether your company loves the client experience enough to invest in its success. If your customers have these perceptions after a call, you may forfeit the opportunity to gain not only their business but also their referrals to other potential customers.

Companies cannot afford to allow poor quality derail the consumer experience. According to Karix’s research, the consumer loyalty tipping point is approaching faster than ever. If people continually encounter frustrating interactions when speaking (or, in this example, attempting to contact) with a business or service provider, 52 percent of poll respondents indicate they are very likely to cease buying from or utilising its services. When faced with communication dead ends, 46 percent of clients will do the same.

How a Voice API Improves Call Quality

Communications APIs can assist businesses in addressing these issues with mobile, landline, and VoIP call quality. An API voice call can provide the quality of service that clients demand if it has access to a carrier-grade network and worldwide connection to tier 1 carriers. Voice APIs from a reputable partner with direct peering connections to all major carriers in the United States eliminate intermediaries and further improve voice quality.

Furthermore, even during busy periods or as the organisation grows, speech APIs can reliably deliver these quality-of-service benefits at scale. These performance enhancements enable your company to increase contact centre quality, ensuring that your clients never have a shaky or unreliable connection when they call you. As a result, when they Connect with your customer service team, and everyone involved will be able to focus on what matters most: the needs of the customer.

Because speech APIs frequently need little code, your company may quickly integrate these capabilities into your app, website, and other digital presences rather than having to create them from the ground up or wait for expensive circuits to be constructed. This adaptable technology can coexist with telephony systems as needed, and because you only pay for what you use, it’s a low-cost approach to start incorporating more sophisticated and dependable calling capabilities into your client experience.

A voice API allows for innovation in ways that traditional voice calling cannot, such as exchanging contextual information that personalises the user experience and makes it more conversational. According to Zendesk’s recent survey, more than 90% of corporate executives and managers recognise that their organisations will have to do so.

Improve Your Customer Experience with a Voice API.

Customers want to talk to you, especially if you use speech technologies. At the same time, they have never had higher expectations for an exceptional customer experience. When speaking with you, customers prefer a genuine and comfortable discourse over a transactional relationship. It may seem obvious, but good communication makes the difference between whether they are satisfied and willing to do business with you again. A breakdown in call quality or a disorganised, impersonal dialogue can have an immediate impact on client sentiment. Voice APIs provide the meaningful conversations your customers anticipate, even in ways they never imagined. Voice APIs are far more than just a way to deliver a phone conversation; they are a strategic asset for improving your customer experience.

For More Info: https://www.karix.com/products/voice-solutions/

#Voice Solution #voice call solutions #call masking solution #call masking #what is call masking #call masking india #missed call voice

[icabbiuk]

IVR Phone System specifically design for the taxi industry. Capable of answering 50% of calls into your business. Request a free demonstration now to discover why iCabbi is the go-to choice for taxi businesses across the UK.

#voice solution #IVR phone system #phone solution #automated call taking #phone system #Interactive voice response #iCabbi #iCabbi UK

[jewreallythinkthat]

Something I really don't understand is this obsession the anti-Israel crowd (in the West) have with death and martyrdom. All they care about is dying, and often killing for their cause; I see nothing about building a better future that isn't based on the murder of 9 million Israelis.

It's easy to die for a cause. The challenge is living to make a better tomorrow.

#jumblr #antisemitism #i/p #killing yourself and others does nothing to promote peace. frankly killing others is just terrorism in this scenario #if you want peace then you should be workng with jews and israelis #deal with antisemitism islamophobia and the rot in the knesset to move towards a two state solution #anything other than a two state solution is discrimination and death #dying for your cause is not cute or progressive. its lazy because you didnt want to put in the effort to do real work moving forwards #jews are 0.2 of the worlds population. if you refuse to engage with them you are the problem #majority voice doesnt mean correct. it just means loud #if your voice is leading to people killing themselves then you need to take a long hard look in a mirror

[humanerrers]

12.16.23 in Tel Aviv

(via @AmiDar on X)

#i am sick of the antisemitism-inflected ceasefire posts #that you see on this site #(obligatory Not All Posts) #I have been posting less about particulars #bc I could feel my posts descending into Good Jew territory #yes these are my beliefs but I am tired of being called fascist #for voicing hope for a political solution #rather than a bloody revolution #which wouldn’t fucking work anyway #just create more suffering and death #so anyway let’s amplify Israelis #who are fighting for their shared future #end rant

[godfrey-the-chaos-duck]

@emeraldcity1900

ya mean this clip

(praying this doesn't get yeeted off the post for violating The Mouse, this was done with my shitty screen recorder lmfao)

#the chaos duck has spoken #ducktales #ducktales 2017 #dt17 #scrooge mcduck #the 87 cent solution #I will never ever ever shut up about Tennant's voice performance in this episode because like HELLO!! #he sounded legitimately unwell #and yet still kept that glorious vocal range #Now THAT is talent

[gauntletqueen]

Smash Bros announcer: WAYNERADIOTV GNOME!

garbled wiimote speaker: you have failed the challenge

In celebration of the final chapter :>

#voice acting #wayneradiotv #Radio TV Solutions #half-life gnome #Smash Bros announcer #i'm just skipping the finding a post to voice step now #i will continue watching the VOD now #hlage

[no-eyes-yet-but-vibing]

I could not work in a laboratory, you expect me to be in a room full of chemicals and expect me not to drink them? What if they have a nice texture and taste?

#science #chemistry #slurping solutions in the lab with the boys (the voices in my head)

[autismserenity]

pretty please, my fellow progressives

Could we please all keep in mind that the concept of "The Jews In General, or A Specific Type Of Jew, Controls Education, Government, Media, and/or Banking", is a longstanding antisemitic trope?

And most of all, that it is false??

No, a marginalized group does not also control education, the government, the media, and/or banking?

No, Jews do not secretly control these things and just pretend to be marginalized? No, Jews have not secretly been accumulating power since the Holocaust, granted by too-generous gentiles, out of pity?

No, it isn't better if you just mean a specific subgroup or kind of Jews. It's still specifically Jews.

It's like when people who hate trans/queer people are fine with rich white cis gay men. So they think it's not bigoted to blame "people with blue hair and pronouns" for the downfall of society.

We all know this means, "I only see some of you as human like me. You have to speak and act a certain way to count. Everyone in your group has to pass a test to get into the Good group."

Doesn't work.

Sure, it gives them plausible deniability to the people who matter to them. But everyone else can see exactly how they feel.

We've all known for years that it's bad to think of a marginalized group as having some "good ones." Rein it the heck in, please.

Because YES, all of those examples are ones I've seen implied, or stated outright, over and over, within the progressive community. This month alone.

#antisemitism #anti-semitic #yes this is about how gentiles use zionism #yes this is about how fast it went from 'this isn't NECESSARILY antisemitic' to 'this ISN'T antisemitic' #yes this is about claiming that we claim antisemitism to deflect valid criticism #yes this is part of a larger pattern of violating every progressive standard but only for jews #none of us would ever say 'people are just claiming misogyny to deflect valid criticism' #we would never claim that trans people secretly control or “influence” the government #we would never treat Ukrainians like “'noble savages” who need us to speak for them #but we treat Palestinians like “noble savages” who need us to speak for them #we know to center the people affected and uplift their voices in every other situation #but in this situation we ignore the fact that we're supporting palestinians by talking ABOUT them #we swallow far-right Palestinian propaganda channeled through diaspora organizations #while Palestinians in Gaza demand completely different solutions and support #zionists echo Palestinian solutions and experiences because we know people in Israel and Palestine #and we get told we love genocide or just blocked #this is how Hamas propaganda is designed to work. Hamas has systematically silenced Palestinians for 18 years and now it's all you know #it is genuinely terrifying to see the entire progressive community sound exactly like the alt-right while it absolutely insists it's not #we also know to center marginalized people's voices about what harms them -- except the Jews? #honestly I think that progressives listened before Oct 7 and that the “no we just mean ZIONISTS are evil” has done wonders to reverse that #let's be real the zionists-not-jews trope comes from Hamas too #all it had to do was claim it definitely meant Zionists not Jews and that it was the Palestinian resistance and progressives flocked to it #its fighters were calling home from the massacre to boast about how many Jews they had killed. it has not changed. #i suppose that the zionists-not-jews thing gave freedom to unexamined antisemitism that people felt guilty about #but oh my god it caught on like absolute wildfire #wall of words

[commsroom]

beating my fists against the wall thinking about how eiffel hallucinating hera in mayday is the only time (that isn’t from her perspective) that her voice doesn’t have the usual filters on it. what that suggests about how eiffel sees her and how it aligns with her own self perception. what it implies, when hera’s glitching is such a literal manifestation of her self doubt and eiffel’s belief in hera and her ability is so unshakable and absolute, while her voice in mayday speaks for the part of him still strong enough to hold onto hope.

#wolf 359 #w359 #doug eiffel #hera wolf 359 #eiffera #they are soo . they're so... #the fact hera's voice in mayday is the last one he hears the one he doesn't want to hear until he's too tired not to #simultaneously making me crazy that he resigned himself to dying alone and only then. couldn't stop himself from thinking of her #that his last thoughts would be of her #but also that her voice is so impractical compared to the others #not offering him plans or solutions but. a comfort and a hope that he's scared to believe #what that says about how he sees her and what he values about her #that hera is the voice in eiffel's head telling him things are going to be alright and not to give up #while eiffel is the voice in hera's head telling her she can do anything #directly speaking in opposition to her trauma before either of them are consciously aware of what it means #they are so .

[batarangsoundsdumb]

#tom taylor is like a chef serving you ketchup when you ordered fries WITH ketchuo #like thank you for the sauce bestie but where's my fucking meal #i would apologise to jon kent for this shit happening to him but he doesnt have enough personality to even give a fuck #he is BORING #and everybody's solution is just to make him a mini kon #which NO #so i've decided to elect myself as president of the jon kent fan club and give him some pezzazz #like for example; he wants to make nature documentaries and has been told his voice would be very soothing #see! that wasnt so hard. personalty traits #jon kent #tom taylor #superman #superman: son of kal el

[miusato]

Ahh yes, the autism brothers 🤝🤝🤝

#if you see me post this yesterday uh no you dont #anyway tbh the only autistic one here is Aki and Shinji is there acting as his voice of reason and his other brain cell #since Aki drown all of his remaining brain cell in a solution of protein shake #doesnt matter if he's smart he is just as socially inept as I am and doesnt get social cues sometimes Aki is actually me irl #anyway ajxuwkaiahqjq im dreaming of the day that Ill be free from the shackles of art school #and draw the rest of the P3 cast in this style and fulfilling my dream of making a totally normal but angst driven hugh school teen drama au #like yes they should be normal hs students but also i want them to go through the pain that is unnecessary teen drama #aki be like: you havent known the triumphs and defeats the epic highs and lows of HigHscHooL foOtbALL #anyway wish me luck rn its critique week and im witnessing my classmate getting their ass grilled as i type and i am next //gulp #persona 3 #persona 3 reload #persona 3 portable #akihiko sanada #shinjiro aragaki #asukart

[tanlakarix]

Improve customer interactions using voice solutions.

The COVID-19 outbreak has certainly put enterprise customer service to the test. The dramatic increase in the demand for customer-service teams to operate around the clock has caused some businesses to question their dependability, efficiency, and quality of service. During the epidemic, customer service was one of the hardest hit departments. Consumer needs and behaviors have shifted, and time is of the essence.

Because of the high volume of calls, the consumer faces numerous uncertainties. Long wait times, inaccurate agent transfers, and call prioritization are becoming commonplace. Customers leave calls and are dissatisfied because of an agent’s query-handling efficiency.

Contact centers and enterprise voice are both becoming more important in providing an omnichannel experience. Contact centers can handle a wide range of communications. It offers technical support through in-app chat or video, but the infrastructure costs far more than enterprise voice solutions. Enterprise voice solutions, on the other hand, can integrate with APIs that help streamline development. One of the most common issues consumers have is having to wait a long time for answers to their questions, but with a corporate voice solution IVR, all simple questions can be answered by a pre-recorded informative voice bot that can answer client questions with a few key presses. If a customer decides to continue the chat, he or she can hit a key to speak with a live agent. This will result in cost savings and increased productivity because only high-end inquiries will be handled by a live agent and a platform that can be coupled with CRM will be required.

Customers who try to communicate with businesses are likely to wish to do it in more than one language. Multilingual communication fosters cultural understanding and is regarded as an efficient method of conducting business. Multilingualism becomes critical when businesses desire to develop globally or reach domestic or rural consumers. To target each region, voice campaigns must be in the local language. As the familiarity and comfort factor rise, the consumer is more inclined to purchase things from a salesman who speaks the regional language.

Here are some examples of how voice services might supplement your current services and communication channels.

Enterprise voice products such as IVR, missed calls, outbound dialers, and click2call are critical in the early stages of customer engagement. These goods provide numerous tremendous benefits to both customers and businesses. These advantages include fast voice connectivity with comprehensive call control, which reduces operational expenses while improving cross-channel communications for your apps and services.

Personalized IVR and outbound dialer to promote interesting offers, as well as for feedback and surveys:

Karix Mobile worked with a leading e-commerce company to improve consumer contacts through the use of tailored Interactive Virtual Response (IVR) and outbound dialers. The client desired a combination of both communication methods that were coupled with analytics for sales reviews. When new promotional offers are announced, OBD calls are placed to their target clients to engage them in discussions about their purchasing needs. The corporation sees an increase in sales and collects data that demonstrates sales statistics. To supplement the OBD service, a multilingual IVR was also deployed based on customer preferences to handle any queries or provide feedback.

To improve operational efficiency, use voice OTP as a failover option.

Another classic case of Karix Mobile collaborating with a real estate consultancy: The purpose was to improve its two-factor authentication by using voice OTP if an SMS OTP was not delivered. It was vital for the client to ensure that critical communications reached the end user on time. The OTP is requested through a phone call as recorded voice, which prohibits copying. It is simple to set up because it can be customized with an AI-powered voice.

Confirmation of cash-on-delivery via missed call:

Logistics organizations and their delivery teams frequently want order certainty. This includes whether the customer confirms the order, whether it is canceled, whether they are available at the designated time and whether the order is dispatched on time. The logistics company worked with Karix Mobile to receive timely confirmations via missed calls. When parcels are shipped using cash-on-delivery, they must now make missed calls to the given number after the parcel is successfully delivered.

Payment reminders that increase the likelihood of recovery:

Recovery of late payments can be a time-consuming operation. The world’s leading financial services company partnered with Karix Mobile to send payment reminders via inbound calls. Financial organizations profit from decreased costs and higher payment rates. Payment reminder links can be embedded in WhatsApp Business Solutions by agents.

At quiet airports, voice calls reminders and updates are used to notify passengers of their boarding gate and time:

One of the world’s top five airlines cooperated with Karix Mobile to improve customer happiness through voice call reminders and updates. When the airports are silent, they use voice calls to transmit notifications if there is an emergency announcement or if there is a need to update passengers about changes in boarding gates or time.

IVR and call patching are simple solutions for dealing with high call volumes.

During the epidemic, only a few banks had extremely high call volumes. In such cases, an IVR solution can assist in resolving the issue and allow banks to manage them more efficiently. An IVR can answer the most frequently asked inquiries and resolve typical consumer issues. Account information, investment portfolio updates, and status, loan-related questions such as application, disbursement status, new passbook request, product information, and so on can be quickly resolved. To ensure customer satisfaction, the IVR can connect the call to an agent using the call patching capability if the customer needs additional assistance.

Businesses can use Click2Call to provide their customers with a consistent experience.

The popularity of click-to-call has grown in lockstep with the proliferation of mobile phones. Click-to-call buttons can be beneficial in chatbot applications, websites, and applications. An online pharmacy employed Karix Mobile’s contact management tool to improve client satisfaction. They can reach a bigger audience and save time by not having to dial a new number each time. Customers may obtain medications, schedule lab tests, get doctor consultations, and much more via phone.

End Thoughts

Because employees are increasingly working remotely, enterprise voice solutions help ensure business continuity and seamless communications. In addition to massage services, brands are increasingly thinking about IVR calls, outbound calls, missed calls, and click-to-call services to supplement their existing communication channels. The effective usage of enterprise voice and company organization will prevent customer loss during these trying times.

For More Info: Voice Solutions - Karix

#Voice Solution #voice call solutions #call masking solution #call masking #what is call masking #call solution #call masking india #missed call voice #number masking solution india #call masking service #voice call solution #masking number solution #phone masking service

[itsmissing]

the way Riderman's scarf covers up his face in one chapter of Spirits is so cute...

#kamen rider #riderman #joji yuki #kamen rider spirits #i don't hate his exposed face as much as i did when i first started watching the franchise #but i do think this would be a pretty elegant solution to that weird 'suit-actor-lip-syncing-a-voice-actor' thing they do for him now #and also makes it less weird that so many showa guys have canonically appeared as having visibly aged while riderman's mouth stays young

[skepsiss]

Modern problems, Modern solutions pt 5

Ooph, it took me a while to get this out. It's a bit of a "transitional chapter" that involves quite a few 3rd parties. I think it's important to see how Eddie feels about all of this and what he thinks has happened. I also think it's pretty realistic for there to be this sort of "divergence" of who is on whose side. Not that I think that's smart or practical, just that is how everything seems to go in High School. Everyone has to take a side, even when the people involved don't want anyone to take a side.

Time for Robin to get maud.

TW: The D-slur (for lesbian), general verbal tussling, lots of insults, lots of swearing.

Pt1 Pt2 Pt3 Pt4 Pt5 Pt6

- - -

Eddie was miserable for the rest of the weekend and had been in a sour mood when he got to school on Monday. He was so short-tempered he had even snapped at Wayne even though he had quietly apologized for it later. Still, more than anything Eddie hated that he was going to have to see Steve at school the next day. They didn’t have classes together, and he had no reason to interact with him if he didn’t want to, but even the idea of seeing his face in the hallway made his expression twist. What an absolute total shit. Steve knew how to be pleasant, how to be nice, and vaguely allude to being your friend, but everything was surface level. He didn’t actually care how you felt–that was a given–but he just didn’t want to make enemies either. It was this snide, fake way of existing, and that bothered Eddie more than anything. Here he was trying to be genuine, and all he had gotten for it was insulted and mistaken for being someone else. Framed as if he was the asshole, or the weirdo in the situation–every situation. Steve had been trying to apologize as if the insult of an apology over something like that would make everything okay. Eddie felt like an idiot. Like a loser. For whatever stupid reason he had thought that Steve didn’t see him that way. 

There was no one at that party that was even remotely in the same social circle as him and now that he thought about it that sort of felt like that was done on purpose. It had been a mistake to show up to the party at all. They were probably all laughing about it behind his back now.

Eddie slouched around the school for most of the day and kept his head down in fear of having to deal with the jock crowd. He had been short with more than a few people, but he couldn’t find it in himself to feel bad about that. He didn’t want to give anyone even the smallest chance of an in to make fun of him. He didn’t want to hear even the tiniest jab and he sure as hell wasn’t going to tolerate having to talk to Steve Harrington if it came to that. Eddie’s attitude changed a bit at lunch when he opened his locker and an envelope fell out. There wasn’t much to the letter really, just a simple note that read ’for the weed’ with 30 bucks inside. It had made Eddie frown, but at the very least he felt a bit relieved that he hadn’t been swindled. It didn’t cure his bad mood, but it made him feel a little less on edge for the remainder of the day. It was still no secret that some people seemed to be giving him side-eye as he walked down the hallway, even if no one was doing anything overtly hostile. 

Nothing happened day one, and Eddie felt grateful for that, but he still felt like a tool for thinking for even a split second that Steve and him were compatible. He hadn’t really liked Steve, it was just a fantasy really, even if the fantasy had involved a lot of assumed mutual attraction. It was stupid and he could see it as that now; thinking about it just made him mad. Tuesday was worse; Tuesday was worse because even though most of the day had been benign Eddie hadn’t gotten away home free at the end of the day. It had caught up to him in the parking lot of the school as he had tried to shuffle away from Hawkins’ High. It had caught up to him in the shape of Robin Buckley. Eddie had made it to the far side of the parking lot–far enough away that no one in their car could run him down if they had a mind to do it–but to his surprise, he could see Robin hoofing it towards him. It was club day so seeing Robin out here made it especially odd but he barely had time to register that as he noted the stormy expression on Robin’s face. “Eddie,” he said sternly, not raising her voice any louder than normal. She wasn’t talking as if she was just trying to get his attention, no, there was an edge of anger there as if she was his mother or something. The tone made Eddie sneer slightly and he turned away from Robin to continue walking. “Eddie! I’m talking to you,” Robin said firmly, not quite putting her hands on him, but cutting in front of him to make him stop walking. “I don’t want to hear it, Buck–” Eddie tried, only to get caught off as he watched Robin cross her arms and step into his path once again. “No, you’re listening to me, you’re listening to everything I have to say,” Robin interrupted and Eddie did take pause because of her expression. She looked pissed as hell–face red, the bags under her eyes especially dark–and the rhythmic chanting of the old saying ‘hell knows no fury like a woman’s scorn,’ rang through his mind. “I thought I’d give you a chance to apologize on your own–be a decent person about it, but you didn’t do squat on Monday,” Robin continued, which made Eddie’s expression twist with frustration. “Apologize–” he tried to interrupt, not beyond starting an argument. “Listening for once in your goddamn life,” Robin cursed, keeping steady eye contact, “people make mistakes, Eddie, I get it and you’re a prickly person, whatever–” “Hey–” “What. Ever! Listen! I’m trying to give you some grace here, and you’re lucky that Steve would be pissed at me if I flayed you, so you’re going to settle for listening to what I have to say because sure as hell he isn’t going to say it,” Robin huffed, her teeth bearing a bit. Great. So, this was about Steve. Eddie wanted to hear what she had to say even less now and he sidestepped Robin again only to have her walk after him, not deterred in the least. “You know for years I’ve been thinking oh, Eddie isn’t actually a bad guy, he just projects that image to get people to leave him alone, but then you turn around and do this bullshit? How dare you, how fucking dare you pull something like that and then walk around school on Monday with a chip on your shoulder–” “How dare I?” Eddie asked, whipping around to jam a finger in Robin’s face. “How dare I? You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, Buckley.”

“I sure as hell do,” Robin retorted, seemingly not intimidated enough by Eddie to back down despite the glassy look in her eyes. She was standing her ground and it probably helped that she and Eddie were the same height. She was a tall girl and was potentially stronger than Eddie if he thought about it–not that he was ever going to hit Robin, but jeez her expression made him wonder if she was going to be the one to throw a punch. “Your tough guy appearance and devil-may-care attitude isn’t going to do shit for you, Eddie. Steve is too nice of a guy to say any of this to your face, so I’m going to do it instead. How dare you. How dare you look someone in the eye and laugh at them when they’re trying to tell you something. You think it’s funny? You think it’s funny that Steve has been nothing but nice to you and because he’s an underclassman–or whatever fucking reason–you think it's funny to totally spit in his face? Be a total dick because he made a mistake and thought you were a decent fucking person? I regret sticking my neck out for you. I regret defending you and encouraging Steve to talk to you–you’re such an asshole! I thought you were better than those posturing cliques that toy with people’s emotions for the drama of it all, but you’re not. You’re the exact same as them,” Robin yelled, her voice not loud enough to carry across the parking lot, but loud enough to sound livid and have passersby look in their direction. 

Eddie didn’t understand what she was getting at, but it was making his face red with anger and embarrassment. He was being reamed out. Why the hell was he being reamed out? So, now he was being gossiped about behind his back and having Robin Buckley of all people curse him out? He was being framed as the asshole? “What the hell are you talking about?” Eddie snarled, feeling his chin bunch up with the effort of not crying. He hated that he cried over every goddamn thing, and his attempt to control his tears was the only thing stopping him from yelling back properly at Robin.

“An apology isn’t nearly enough, but at least it’s something,” Robin continued, ignoring Eddie’s protests, “don’t even think about showing your face at Pride Club cause we sure as hell are not going to support anyone being a goddamn bully.” “What the hell are you talking about!” Eddie yelled again, finally raising his voice loud enough for anyone nearby to hear. “You’ve got absolutely no idea what you’re talking about! I don’t want to go to your dumb fucking club ever again anyways. You’re all a bunch of hypocrites. Fucking ‘love and acceptance’ my ass–” “Good! Then don’t come!” Robin shouted back stubbornly. “Sounds great to me!” Eddie declared, throwing his hands up in the air. “Have a great time patting yourselves on the back for being the world’s most gullible dyke.” “You’re a fucking asshole,” Robin chewed, “bye, prick!” “Good riddance, fucknut!” Eddie shouted loudly as he backed up and away from Robin, posturing. He saluted high into the sky only to turn around and flip Robin off as he walked away. She didn’t prolong the interaction and Eddie stole a quick look over his shoulder to see her storming back towards the school. What a piece of work. He was pissed that Robin had been turned against him–not that they were friends or anything like that, but it felt especially sinister to hear from her what tale Steve was spinning about that night. So, he was the bad guy, huh? He was the asshole in this situation? Figures. Steve was a tool. A complete and utter cunt lying to people about what went down and painting himself as the victim in the situation. Why not though, huh? Why not throw your weight around and make everyone else pick your battles? It was easier that way anyway. Eddie was going to be obliterated from the inside out and Steve wasn’t even going to need to lift a finger. 

–

Eddie skipped Hellfire club later in the week, choosing to mope at home instead which got an angry slew of texts from the guys. He had ignored those too and had only emerged when Wayne knocked on his door declaring that Jeff had come to see him. The visit was under some guise that he needed help playing a part of a song he was trying to perfect. Eddie had seen through the rouse almost instantly but he hadn’t said anything. The conversation had naturally moved towards why he was so upset 20 minutes into Jeff’s visit, but Eddie had been grateful to do something with his hands in the interim. He had sneered and scowled, not wanting to talk about it and not wanting to be made fun of, but Jeff had seemed earnest in his attempts to pull the truth from him and eventually Eddie told him everything. 

He didn’t go so far as to say he had liked Steve or anything like that, but he was the same as any guy and he thought Steve had maybe had a thing for him. That seemed far-fetched now, and he had just been holding out to maybe get lucky or something like that–he didn’t go into detail and it didn’t seem like Jeff wanted it anyway. The conversation was clipped and lacked real emotion until Eddie got to the bit about why he was pissed. He didn’t hold back either: telling Jeff how Steve had gotten drunk and then obviously started to flirt with him because he thought Eddie was someone else. How that had been a blow to his ego, but whatever; the real injury had happened when Steve had tried to make light of it all and Eddie had tried to offer a sympathetic ear, but that had blown up in his face. Steve had called him cruel for even asking and had acted like Eddie was pathetic for even trying to talk to him about it in the first place. How cruel it had been for Steve to be pretending this whole time to like him, even just as a friend. That had pissed him off, made him not like Steve, but the worst of it was the fact that he was spreading rumours about him now. He was already a social pariah, what was gossiping about how pathetic Eddie Munson was going to do to him for the rest of the school year? Jeff, in his defense, had tried to keep up as Eddie had explained everything lightning-fast with wayward details. By the end of it all Jeff seemed properly bothered by it as well and had commented on how stupid and lame it was that high school was so clique-y. Steve was an asshole. Steve should have realized that Eddie was just being nice. It was weirdly suspicious that he invited Eddie to his party when there was no one there that he knew. 

Pretending this whole time to be interested in friendship for God knows what reason. And he had come onto him? Only to act like it was a joke in the end? What a tool. What an asshole. What a jock.

Complaining had made Eddie feel a bit better and Jeff getting mad on his behalf felt good. He was being defended properly and he liked that. It wouldn’t matter that much when they had to go back to school the next day, but it at least made Eddie feel like he wasn’t storming into battle without an army at his back. Maybe they were weak and lacked numbers, they were never going to win against the leagues of popular kids, but at the very least Eddie didn’t feel alone in this fight.

Days passed and the news had spread fast through Hellfire. Eddie wasn’t upset about that at all, in fact, it saved him from having to explain everything and he genuinely wasn’t sure he would have been able to talk to Dustin and Will about this. He wanted them on his side and if they remained neutral he’d be fine with that too, but the last thing he wanted was to hear them defending Steve. 

Blissfully, nothing had been said to him and Eddie’s spine had stopped tingling once the week ended. He didn’t feel like everything was staring at him, even if Robin had glared at him every time they crossed paths in the hallway. That was the best things were going to get though and Eddie had no interest in entertaining the rumour-mill.

In fact, he had made it all the way to next Thursday without incident. Or at least ‘incident light’. He had seen Steve in the hallway once or twice, but they had pointedly ignored each other or simply walked down another hallway once they made eye contact. 

Hellfire was on Thursdays and though Eddie’s mood was still low, it felt as if it could be helped along by seeing his friends and maybe throwing a few difficult encounters their way. “That isn’t true!” Someone yelled, and Eddie perked up as he walked down the hallway. 

The school was mostly empty since the last bell, 20 minutes ago at least, and it was odd to hear someone yell this far away from the main classrooms. They hosted Hellfire in the classroom beside the theatre and for ‘special events’ they even got to use the theatre itself. Regardless of all of that, no one really came this way in the school unless there was a performance on or they were here for Hellfire. 

“That’s not what I was told!” The yelling continued and Eddie frowned as he slouched forward. Were the guys having a fight over something? Great. He didn’t want to have to deal with that. He didn’t want to entertain someone else’s emotions when he had simply been looking forward to an easy hang and some D&D. 

Eddie rounded the corner towards the theatre and his expression soured as he saw Robin and 2 other girls talking to Dustin, Will, and Jeff. Talking was a generous word even, they were straight up yelling at each other. 

Eddie stopped where he was in the hallway, not eager to enter the fray, but unfortunately, he was spotted before he could turn tail. “Eddie!” Dustin exclaimed, jabbing his arm toward Robin and getting everyone else to look at him. “Tell them what you told Jeff!” Eddie bunched his shoulders up and frowned deeply, feeling his skin crawl when Robin turned to look at him. He did not want to deal with this. “It doesn’t matter! I don’t care about that–it’s real low though to tell Will he can’t come to Pride Club,” Robin exclaimed, glaring daggers down the hallway at Eddie. “What?” Eddie asked sharply, bunching his shoulders up more. “I never–” “He didn’t bane me,” Will interjected, his voice sounding shrill with anxiety as he spoke. “It’s my choice.” “Your choice because it was heavily implied, or your choice because that’s actually what you want?” One of the other girls with Robin asked, crossing her arms. “Whatever, let them do what they want,” Hannah scoffed, which made Robin shake her head.

“No, that’s so shitty. I’m not going to make you do anything, Will, but know that you’re still welcome, you don’t have to quit just because–”

“Oh, so Will is welcome but Eddie isn’t?” Jeff interrupted. Robin shot him a harsh look and he seemed to back down a bit. “This is why it matters!” Dustin yelled again, “I think you have it all wrong–Steve won’t even talk to me about it!”

“That’s his choice,” Robin replied, pursing her lips, “I’m not here to share his business with everyone.” Eddie clenched and unclenched his hands as he stood in the hallway, feeling frozen to the spot as everyone slung angry words back and forth at one another. It was hard to keep up with and it was making his anxiety spike as he listened to Dustin and Jeff trying to defend him, while Robin and the other girls tore him apart. 

High school was so fucking stupid. This was all so fucking stupid. 

Yeah, fuck this. 

Eddie turned and started walking in the opposite direction. He could walk to the parking lot without passing anyone in front of the theatre; the last thing he wanted to do was walk past any of them. He’d just go home. He’d just crawl back into bed and wait for the blissful ignorance of sleep. “Eddie!” Dustin was yelling at him but he wasn’t turning around and he sure a hell wasn’t going to Hellfire today if he was going to have to sit there with this atmosphere hanging over him. 

He made it as far as the doors before Dustin caught up with him, huffing hard as Eddie pushed his way out into the parking lot. “Eddie–wait up,” Dustin puffed, grabbing his arm as the door swung shut behind them. Eddie jerked away, his anger flaring as he wrestled with the fact that he wasn’t going to ever get a moment of peace ever again. Not as long as he was in school and he had 8 more months of this bullshit to deal with. “Fuckin’ don’t, okay?” Eddie sputtered, not actually mad at Dustin but not having anywhere else to direct his anger. “I’m done okay, I’m done with this bullshit. I’m done. She wants to harass all the guys outside of Hellfire every day, be my guest. I’m going home, I’m not dealing with this bullshit.” “She’s leaving, you can come back,” Dustin explained, which only made Eddie huff a laugh. His limbs felt like rubber as he swayed, not wanting to leave but not wanting to stay either. It was all such bullshit. 

“I’m going home, Henderson,” Eddie lamented, rubbing his hand over his face as he lingered. He didn’t want to walk all the way home but he’d have to hang out here longer if he called Wayne for a ride. “What happened?” Dustin asked, which made Eddie groan as he forced one foot in front of the other and started walking. Dustin didn’t let up and started following him across the parking lot towards the forest behind the school. 

“You know–Jeff told you I’m sure,” Eddie grumped, stuffing his hands in his pockets and rolling his shoulders. “Yeah, but–” Dustin tried, not stopping Eddie but keeping pace with him, “--that doesn’t sound like Steve.” Eddie laughed incredulously, rounding on Dustin and sneering at him.

“What? You think I’m lying?” He asked, trying to keep his eyes from prickling with emotion. 

“No!” Dustin declared, almost too vehemently, “It’s just–maybe you both have it wrong. I don’t know! Steve can be a real idiot sometimes, but–but, when he messes up he owns up to it! He doesn’t–he isn’t vindictive like this.” “Yeah well, tomato-tamato, 'cause I’m living proof that isn’t true,” Eddie huffed, frowning deeply. He didn’t like hearing Dustin defending Steve, but at least he wasn’t making Eddie the one at fault for it all. “No, it’s just–Robin won’t talk to me about it, and Jeff says you told him that Steve was like… tricking you, man? Setting you up for some kind of joke and making fun of you or something like that?”

“Something like that,” Eddie confirmed nonchalantly, not wanting to talk about this, “seemed like it at least. Pretty much called me a villain for telling him he could talk to me honestly cause he was like… upset about something. Said I was cruel.”

Eddie stared down his nose at Dustin, not wanting to budge on this. Dustin didn’t seem convinced, but he was frowning as well as he listened to what Eddie had to say. Dustin was a smart kid, and Eddie could see the gears in his head turning. 

“It just doesn’t make sense…” Dustin lamented quietly. They stood like that for another minute before Eddie turned and continued walking. “Are you…” Dustin started, not following Eddie this time.

“Yeah, go on without me. I’m going to go fall off a bridge to my demise, Belrog style,” Eddie grouched, throwing his hand up into the air in some kind of wayward goodbye. He could practically hear Dustin frowning, but he didn’t turn around and Dustin didn’t follow him. That was both a relief and a disappointment, but Eddie didn’t let himself dwell on that as he marched home on the edge of another breakdown. 

Pt6

#Eddie is going to have some apologizing to do to Robin later #I want everyone to imagine Steve saying “He said that?” in the most broken-hearted voice in the world #modern problems modern solutions #eddie munson #my_writing #steve harrington #steddie #steddie au #steddie fic

[mickedy]

okay actually I'm fucking around in TS Underswap because its similar to under tale in regards to how the game reacts to different choices you make and yada yada completionist "I have to see what happens" mindset.

And there's this part in the game where Muffet traps you and Papyrus and Crossbones in her webs and shes all like i'm gonna rip your soul out of your body and then bake your human corpse into a pie fuhuhu~ and so im like Lets kill her in front of the brothers and see what they say. And before I could land the final blow Crossbones jumps in like "woah woah hey dont pull that shit here i understand acting in self defense but there's no need to fight back" like WHAT!!! what do you think self defense means Sans

WHAT DO YOU MEAN!!! MUFFET WAS GOING TO COOK AND EAT ALL OF US

SHE EATS PEOPLE!!!

YOU EAT PEOPLE!!!

#(imagine the human saying all of this in a flabbergasted voice) #im not mad about this actually the game knows that you know theres a nonviolent solution but also. come on now

[rapidreptile]

I've got the autism that makes me Never Shut Up online, but very quiet in person/in call.

#it'd be nice to sorta split the difference #but I don't mind being quiet with my voice if others aren't put off by it #I mainly just want to stop being so active on social media #like this #the solution is company I think #or at least it helps! #I need to find good ways to occupy myself on my own though