#I guess there's always part 2 to get through holy shit but they got so much of that made in such a short time??

[findmeinforks]

Stay Pt. 2 - Paul Lahote X Fem!Reader

This is the final part to Stay 💕 I liked writing this version of Paul, just a big ole softie. I'm currently working on another one shot & a Sam fic as well. As always, let me know what you think! 2.4K words ❤️

You giggled as you took a sip of coffee, the tea you had made went cold long ago.

"I definitely don't think a slap across the face was necessary..."

He chuckled, "That's what I said! Jacob is still hopelessly in love with her. They aren't even imprints. I don't get it." He shook his head.

"What's imprints?"

Paul nearly choked on his drink.

"Um, well it's-"

"Good morning you two!" Paul sighed of relief as Emily walked into the kitchen.

"Oh my gosh, what time is it?" You went wide eyed.

She laughed, "7:00am. I was going to make breakfast if you're hungry."

You nodded getting up, "Sure, I'll help you."

Paul watched you both cook as the rest of the pack slowly filtered in. He. Was. Fucked.

He was trying to come up with something, anything he didn't like about you. Not only was he incredibly stubborn on the fact he didn't need anybody, but what he wouldn't admit was he was downright terrified. Afraid he'd say the wrong thing, or do something stupid and screw up any chance of a relationship. He didn't want a relationship. But that was before you....

-

New vampires were popping up everywhere, and the boys had been on patrol non stop.

This meant little to no conversations with you, other than the occasional small talk at dinner. Paul craved to be closer to you, but every time he had an opportunity, he let his nerves get the best of him.

He watched you leave to run errands one day, Emily then turning to him.

"Are you ever going to ask her out or are you always going to stare at her like a lost puppy?" She boldly asked.

Paul couldn't help but smirk.

"What's it to you?"

"Ummm EVERYTHING. You imprinted on my best friend. And besides, I've watched you get with many women. I can tell she's different to you." She smiled.

Paul sucked in a breath. He took a quick look around to make sure there were no other open ears before mumbling, "She just makes me nervous, I don't know. I guess I never cared if someone would reject me before. Not sure how I would handle it if she did."

"You're kidding right? Ugh, you're both so lost in the clouds. She's head over heels for you, Paul."

"Yeah right." He scoffed.

"I'm serious!! Do whatever you want to do but I think if you took a shot, you'd like her answer."

-

You had been sort of bummed out at the fact you really hadn't gotten anywhere with Paul since that one late night weeks ago. You had chalked it up to him simply not being interested. Normally you'd just brush it off, knowing not every guy you encountered would want you in that way. But, it was ten times harder when you lived with said person. Even though the boys had been extra busy with patrols, you still saw him at least once a day. You got butterflies each time, fantasizing he would just walk up and ask you out. When he never did, you knew you had to just get over it.

Your phone buzzed in your pocket, and you sighed, looking at the unanswered question. Fuck it.

-

It was a Friday night, and the first one in months that Paul didn't have patrol. He was finally going to do it. He was going to ask you on a date. He'd thought this through, countless times. He was simply going to offer if you'd like to grab some pizza and go see a movie. Nothing crazy, just casual and comfortable.

His leg was bouncing under the kitchen table, waiting anxiously for most of the boys to leave. He had been mindlessly talking to Quil who had suddenly averted his gaze to the stairs, eyes growing wide. "Holy shit." He whispered. Paul turned to where he was looking, and his breath caught in his throat.

There you stood, radiating in a tight dress that hugged your body in all the right ways. Your hair had been curled just slightly and your makeup made your face glow. You looked like you had taken a step right out of heaven.

"And just where do you think you're going gorgeous?!?" Emily gushed, hand on her hip when she, too had noticed.

"I got invited on a date." You beamed.

Paul felt like he had just taken a knife to his chest. His heart felt like it was nearly ripped out, his inner wolf scratching at the surface in pain. This was nobody's fault but his own. He didn't do anything for weeks and it wasn't even surprising someone else had beaten him to it.

The air was tense, all the boys and Emily trying and failing not to gauge Paul's reaction to your words. He slowly got up from the table, restraining himself not to shake, not to even show a slight temper until he was outside and far away from the house. He couldn't ruin this for you.

You frowned at Paul's exit, wondering in the back of your mind if he at all cared. Nonsense. Focus on this date, and do not think about him.

-

"I thought I'd find you here." Sam chuckled as he approached Paul, both in wolf form on the edge of the forest. Paul hadn't wanted anyone to see, but when your date picked you up he had followed you both to the restaurant, happy it was in ample sight through the crowded trees.

Paul huffed. "I'm just making sure she's safe. That is my job as an imprint, is it not?" He sneered.

"Of course. But then again, if you admitted to yourself that you liked her, she might not be on this date in the first place."

"For fucks sake. I do like her, okay? I've been busy on patrol and I was planning on asking her out tonight. I didn't know it would be too late.."

"It's never too late."

"Have you and Emily been watching too many rom-com's lately? Seems you both have all the answers to my love life."

Sam snorted. "We don't have all the answers, no, asshole, but we do know first hand what it's like to navigate imprinting."

Paul sighed. Maybe the universe would give him a second chance.

-

You had regretted everything the second you got in the car. This guy was the most boring, dullest man you could have ever met. You caught yourself looking at the clock more than you did him.

Once you had suffered through about two hours of misery, you politely (and awkwardly) told him you didn't think this would work out, and that you would find a ride home. He seemed absolutely fine with this, and you knew it was because you had put in so little effort from the start. Perhaps dating was not for you right now anyways. At least, dating anyone that wasn't him. Once you'd stop letting him get in the way of your thoughts, you'd try again.

After the man left you called Emily from the lobby, to which she apologized it didn't work out and said she'd of course be on her way.

What you hadn't expected however, was to see a certain wolf you had been obsessing over, pull up to park instead.

What a sneaky little bitch.

You walked up to the passenger door, eyebrows up in confusion.

"You ordered a get away car?"

You blushed, rolling your eyes playfully as you hopped in.

"Listen, not every guy is going to be my knight in shining armor and I've accepted that." You chuckled.

"That bad huh?"

"Miserable. Had the personality of watching paint dry. And that place was awful. They didn't even have good food. Just salad and wine. I'm starving." You threw your hands up in defeat.

Paul cleared his throat, the nerves starting to creep back up to him.

"Would you want to stop somewhere for some pizza?"

"Please, that would be great."

Paul smiled as he started up the truck.

-

You two walked through the door, throwing each other a confused look. It was silent. If there was one thing you learned about living here for the past month, it was that it was never, ever quiet.

Paul set the boxes on the counter, noticing a small note.

"I'll be back, I'm just going to change." You announced before heading to your room, in which he took the opportunity to quickly read it.

Probably the only time I can promise a house to yourselves until at least midnight. Make a move already! -Emily & Sam

Paul blushed before discretely throwing it in the trash.

You came back in an oversized hoodie and sweats, just about knocking the wind out of Paul. How did you look so flawless, so effortlessly? He'd never know.

"We could watch a movie while we eat on the couch. If you want..." He tried to sound as nonchalant as possible.

You smiled and nodded, grabbing a slice and following him.

When both of you had finished eating, still watching the movie, Paul's mind was anywhere else. He had to stop letting his nerves get the best of him. Before he'd know it, you'd just be out again with some other guy. He couldn't let that happen without at least knowing if he had a chance. You were his imprint for crying out loud, so you had to feel some sort of bond, right?

He eyed you from the side as he caught you hugging your knees to your chest, shivering ever so slightly.

"Are you cold?" He asked as if it wasn't obvious. When you nodded meekly he held out his arm. "Come here."

Your heart was racing as you more than gladly accepted the invitation in his arms. Jeez, was he hot.

"You have this tempature all the time?"

You could feel his chest vibrate as he chuckled. "I guess there are some perks to being a wolf."

Paul was being as normal as possible, but his mind was screaming. You molded perfectly into his chest, your hair smelling of fresh shampoo. Your small hands hesitantly wrapped around his torso as you snuggled deeper into him. He placed his arm on yours, the other wrapped around your side. He could spend forever just like this.

It wasn't but an hour that he could feel you softly start to snore. He smiled to himself as he gently kissed the top of your head. He leaned his cheek down, and soon enough, he followed.

-

Paul squinted his eyes open, nearly jumping when he saw your head still lay on his chest. He had almost thought the entire thing was a dream. As the sun shone through the curtains he realized you both had slept through the entire night, shocked none of the pack members tried to mess with him. He absentmindedly ran his fingers through your hair and out of your face. You looked so peaceful. He pulled his hand away when you started to blink, yawning and stretching before also realizing where you were.

You looked up at him before fully sitting up.

"Oh my gosh, I didn't realize I fell asleep."

"It's okay, I just woke up myself."

You both now sat upright on the couch, but still so close. You looked up at him with tired eyes. He couldn't help staring back,

"You're really beautiful you know." He said so softly that it was almost a whisper.

You blushed, hard. You looked in his eyes, the ones you caught yourself in so many weeks ago, and down to his lips. You parted your mouth slightly as if you should say something, but Paul was already ahead of you.

With one hand he cupped your cheek, he leaned down and melted his lips into yours. You snaked your arms around his neck, getting lost in the kiss, in his overall warmth. He could feel you smile through the kiss, and it was as if it washed away any doubts that he had before.

"Ohhhhhh SNAP!!!!" Embrys voice had you two pull away, Paul turning to glare at him as his hand still gripped your waist. He almost had a mind to get off the couch and fight him, if you hadn't placed your head into his neck, giggling.

"Embry I told you to leave them alone damnit." Emily's stern voice came from behind them, smacking him upside the back of his head. She drug him back into the kitchen, ordering he help her with breakfast.

"Hate to say it but nights like last night won't happen often. Theres a lot of interruptions in this house." He said as he softly kissed your forehead. You lifted your head back up, kissing him softly once more.

"As long as we can always pick up where we left off."

Paul smiled wide as he swiftly pulled you under him, your laugh rung in his ears as he returned his mouth to yours.

Perhaps fate wasn't so bad after all.

#paul lahote #sam uley #twilight #bella swan #edward cullen #embry call #imagine #jacob black #new moon #quil ateara #paul lahote x you #paul lahote x reader #paul x reader #wolfpack #twilight eclipse #breaking dawn #emily young #sam uley x reader #fanfic #fanfiction

[giac222]

We got spoiled (again) with the recent progress report! We now have an episode 3 preview video. Thank you Nemlei and Kit9! 🙏🏻

Teenage Andrew and Julia!! They’re so cute. I assumed we’d see them in their teen years, plus I was wondering how Julia and Andrew started dating in the first place.

This could mean something or nothing at all, but Julia’s wearing a choker… guess who else wears one? 👀

Uh oh. Well, we already knew Ashley didn’t like her… at all 💀.

Something to keep in mind: When Ashley was little she hung around Nina and Julia (bottom left picture), but my guess is the only reason they hung out with her is because they wanted to get closer to Andrew. In a previous progress report there’s a screenshot of Andrew asking them if they could invite Ashley to sit with them at lunch sometime.

When you look at the bottom left picture, they’re happy and smiling while Ashley doesn’t look too thrilled. There’s flowers around them, but when it comes to Ashley one bounces off of her head. They hung around her, but clearly left her out. Thinking about the flashback scene of Ashley’s birthday, she brings up how her friends are always busy when she asks them for anything, even when she hasn’t said a date. So yeah, Ashley wasn’t treated very good by them.

Looking at the top left picture of Ashley and Julia labeled as “friends”, we can see there that Ashley doesn’t like her lmao. In the episode 3 preview video, it was pretty obvious Julia was crushing on Andrew, hard. So, even after Nina died, Julia probably still attempted to be “friends” with Ashley to get to Andrew. I could be wrong, but Ashley probably saw through her bullshit and knew what was up. Ooo I just know she was NOT happy. Especially because she already went through something like this with Nina crushing on Andrew.

Yeah, I’m not surprised that she tweaked out when Julia and Andrew started dating.

Oh man. I think it’s safe to assume that the rumors in question are about them having an incesteous relationship. After Julia asks this, Andrew thinks to himself “(why in the ever loving fuck would she ask me this?)”. I asked myself the same thing lmao.

He says he heard about it, then Julia gets all flustered and nervous. I don’t think she asked it out of malicious intent. She also reassures him by saying that she thinks everyone knows that the rumors aren’t true, and that she wanted to let him know that in case he needed to hear it. (Technically they aren’t rumors, but that’s not the point 😂).

Now, let’s get into the most sinister part of the preview 🫣.

Holy shit 🧍🏻‍♀️. It’s time for the people who say Ashley is solely the problem to face the truth 🫣. I mean the look he’s giving her…. omg. He asked Julia out because he knew she liked him and could use that to his benefit. It’s a way to stop the rumors, so why not? Poor Julia :/.

I mean the flashback of them in his dream from ch. 2 was enough to prove to me that he never really cared about her, but now it’s right in front of our faces.

Andrew you manipulative mf 💀. I’ve always held the opinion that he’s just as bad, if not worse than Ashley is. We’re absolutely going to see this proven in ch. 3. His mask is going to fully come off.

#progress report 4 #the coffin of andy and leyley #tcoaal #andrew graves #julia tcoaal #nemlei #kit9 #ashley graves #andy graves #leyley graves

[jo-harrington]

Freaky Friday - A Stranger Things Story (Part 5)

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

Word Count: 14.1k

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader, Steve Harrington x Fem!Reader, Eddie and Steve (Enemies to Friends)

Summary: Eddie thinks that Steve has everything in life handed to him on a silver platter (including his new girlfriend who Eddie has a crush on). And Steve just can't believe that the kids look up to Eddie the Freak, or that he lives his life without giving a single fuck.

Must be nice. But you know what they say, the grass is always greener.

Warnings/Themes: AU with no Upside Down. Angst, body swapping, dark magic/alchemy, fluff, love, smut, mutual pining, Character development, manipulation/deception, Things That Require Communication (Hey Guess What) , Reader gets a nickname (Honey), no Y/N if I can help it, self hatred, loss of identity, oral sex (f receiving), vaginal fingering, dry humping

Note: Ok guys, here we are. Only 4 hours late and with no PiV because I'm a lying bitch but I will write a oneshot if we want it. Holy shit, but can I say that this is the first "series" that I have finished writing. I talk a big fucking game about writing fics for so long, but man those were LONG FICS that I abandoned hundreds of thousands of words in, or they were all oneshots that now only live on my old computer. The ending, I hope, is not disappointing, but I literally didn't want it to be left up to interpretation. Thank you @ghost-proofbaby for tamping my insecurities down with this one. If I am the brains of this series, you for sure are the heart. And let's not forget @shiftingtherain once again for inspiring this whole thing to begin with.

This chapter is unedited...but I am tired and sweaty and happy. So have fun.

You can find my masterlist here.

Please do not interact if you are not 18+.

Enjoy!

"You're lucky I don't have to--shit!" Robin's eyes went as Steve opened the door to the trailer and she got a view of his--Eddie's--face. She reached out, as if to touch the swollen bruising, but second guessed herself and her hands immediately found the straps of her backpack. "What happened to you?"

"Eddie happened," Steve grumbled miserably.

"Eddie?!" Robin shrieked and Steve immediately shushed her and swatted her into the trailer. He pointed to Wayne, who was--thankfully--dead asleep and snoring on the fold-out bed, then ushered her back towards Eddie's room.

He'd felt...somewhat guilty early on when he realized that Wayne slept out there on the uncomfortable fold-out while "Eddie" had a room and a bed, and had tried to offer to swap, but Wayne grumbled something along the lines of "if I told you once, I told you a thousand times."

"Eddie did this?" Robin asked once the bedroom door was shut behind her. "Did he lose his mind?! Why would he punch you? You two are supposed to be...seeing through one another's eyes and all that shit. Working together to get back into your own bodies."

Steve felt his stomach drop.

He had stewed on it all night Friday and all day Saturday as he hid in Eddie's room and wallowed in shame. The sick sort of triumph he felt when he got that response from Eddie--as impulsive and fueled by anger as his own words had been--had faded and as the mottled colors began stitching together and spreading across his skin, the realization of just what he had said had settled in. And with every moment that the ache in his face became more pronounced, his guilt grew.

"I...I might have...fucked up," he admitted. Robin's expression went from one of shock to one of annoyance, and Steve immediately launched into a recap of Friday night. Hell...of everything that he'd been keeping from her.

Because, truth be told, he had been.

Steve knew that Robin was more in touch with her emotions, or rather...acknowledged them at the very least instead of simply ignoring them. She was smart as a whip and when she made you face the truth, it stung just as badly. He had told her that he'd been getting tutoring sessions...just not from who. Every time he brought up Nancy...well...Robin wasn't her biggest fan. Really not because of anything that she had done...except break Steve's heart...but because he couldn't get over her no matter how hard he tried.

And if he was being honest with himself, he hadn't...really tried too hard.

Steve hoped Robin would see things from his perspective, though. Her expression remained stony as he explained everything, but her emotions shone through her eyes as he poured his heart out. As he admitted to all the mistakes he made.

"I don't...I don't really believe those things," Steve explained truthfully. "But when I get hurt? When I'm desperate and overwhelmed? I just...lash out. You know this. And there's so much I've had to keep inside and this whole experience.

"Rob...you've gotta believe me, it's been shit. Eddie's right, his life is hard...I really don't know how he does it but...damn my life sucks too alright? So I figured, if I could have one thing, just one thing, to make it all worth it...this might be it.

"But I don't know why...why he wouldn't just let me have this," he concluded and ran a hand over his face, wincing as he pressed into his black eye.

"Alright, you're not just a dingus, you're a real bonehead," Robin rolled her eyes. "You and Eddie both! This whole situation isn't some treat for either of you, it's supposed to be a lesson."

"I know that!" Steve threw his hands out to gesture at himself. "But I'm still Eddie and Eddie's still me. So what lesson? What is selfless love?"

"Because you haven't...you haven't..." Robin sighed and ran her hands through her bangs. "Maybe we're working backwards? We're trying to find...selfless love. But...but the spell said there was a prize reflected in each other's eyes. What about self love? Gotta love yourself before you love someone else right? Or whatever bullshit those self help people say on the Oprah show."

"That's bullshit Rob, I don't love myself," Steve grumbled. "In fact, I hate myself...a lot."

"Ok ok," she pointed at him. "See and you thought Eddie had it all, that he loved his life. You told me so yourself. You were jealous because he had it all."

"But he doesn't."

"And he thought you had it all? But now he's realizing you don't," she reasoned.

The more Robin talked and rambled, the more she made sense. She snapped her fingers and waved her hands around, as though willing the solution into her head.

"Ok," Steve sighed. "We've figured out that no...we don't actually like being one another...so what gives? Why haven't we switched back?"

Robin gasped and grabbed Steve by the shoulders to shake him.

"It's Nancy! You idiot!" she hissed.

"Nancy?" Steve frowned. "Nancy's not stuck in someone else's body, I am."

"No!" Robin groaned. "You were on the right track but you started thinking with your dick when you thought that you could get back with Nancy!"

Steve began to fidget.

Was it...could that have been the answer all along?

He refused to believe it.

"We loved each other!"

"But you loved her more than she loved you," Robin explained, mirroring words he had once confided in her right back to him. "And you refused to let her go. And now you would quite literally be someone else entirely to get her back."

"She doesn't love Steve," he signed. "But she might love Eddie."

"Are you hearing yourself right now?" Robin stared at him, dumbfounded. "You are not Eddie Munson. You have to let her go. You have to accept yourself, and if that means letting Nancy go, then it's the right thing to do. You need to apologize to Eddie...and you need to fix this."

Steve's mind raced; he knew, deep down, it was all true but...he just couldn't accept that it was just that easy.

"Ok, ok, b-but there has to be another way," Steve attempted to deflect and Robin groaned and rolled her eyes. "No, wait, hear me out here. I...I could...help him get a job at the dealership--"

"Not gonna help when you are still Eddie and you don't know shit about cars," Robin reasoned.

Steve pushed past her and dug through the pile of notebooks and textbooks on Eddie's dresser.

"I could get him to graduate," Steve bargained.

"I think you need to give it up," Robin rolled her eyes. "You know what you need to do."

"No, I can do other selfless things, I can, I can..."

Steve and Robin went back and forth, verbally jousting with excuses and explanations, as he flipped through Eddie's school notebooks. He glanced over half-finished essay drafts and barely legible chemistry equations. As though there would be some great solution to this problem amongst the countless algebra equations and--

"Hang on," Steve held his hand out to silence Robin. He turned and showed her the notebook. "Look at this."

"What is it?" She took the notebook from him and they flipped through the notebook together.

Your name. Over and over. Your initials and Eddie's. Little heart drawings and daggers and--what Steve assumed to be--princesses and knights. And then towards the end...a bunch of pen scribbles obscuring the little fantasies with the oh-so-familiar sigil drawn beneath.

It had been a notebook that Steve had scooped into his arms along with piles of Eddie's laundry and other knick knacks in an attempt to tidy up the trailer a little bit for his own sanity Wayne. To clear away some of the clutter. Especially after he and Eddie had torn the trailer apart looking for the occult book that one night, something that felt like ages ago now.

Steve felt a kind of triumph at this. Justification.

What a fucking hypocrite.

So it wasn't just him that was holding up their inevitable switch back, it was Eddie too. Eddie had a crush on you, and now he had gotten exactly what he wanted by dating you for Steve.

Except...

Except Eddie sort of always seemed to be worried about you. Worried about you finding out the truth, wondered how upset you might be if you did.

"Shit..." Steve sighed.

"Ok so maybe Eddie is as much to blame here as you are," Robin rationalized. "I told him...he needed to tell her the truth, that she would be heartbroken. I didn't realize that he..."

"No...it's..." Steve struggled. "Shit...shit."

Because it all made sense. Steve hadn't thought about the details, really, but he knew how it felt to have feelings for someone who you couldn't have...who didn't like you back. And while he happily planned to try Nancy back...Eddie...and you...

"Shit!"

He had to talk to Eddie.

"Hey Steve. Uhh..." You twirled the phone cord around your finger as you stammered into the receiver; the speech that you had practiced in your head was completely forgotten as you got the Harrington's answering machine.

"Listen, you left pretty quickly last night and I was just wondering if everything was alright? Or...or maybe I did something to upset you? B-because...we are having a good day, I just...if I did something...I'm sorry. Anyway...uhm...I'll try calling back later...or I'll...yeah...bye."

You slammed the phone as you hung up and covered your face with a groan.

You were up all night--heartbroken and embarrassed.

Steve left...he ran out of your house. One minute...he was...well he was...

You'd had a wonderful date and you had been...so focused, so in the moment as he...gave you the most intense pleasure you'd ever felt...and he just left.

You had been shocked. Barely clothed, legs made of jelly--whole body made of jelly--stunned into silence as he pushed himself away from you and pulled his clothes back on. When you called his name, he looked sick to his stomach.

His eyes clamped shut, shook his head, and then ran.

You'd pushed yourself out of bed, stumbled after him while calling his name, but he was gone. You could practically hear the tires screeching as he tore down the street.

Something happened. You must have done something. It was the only explanation that made sense. Everything had been going great and then it wasn't, and he looked so...disgusted.

So it must have been you. You wracked your brain for some idea...

Did you...did you make a weird noise? Did you...moan too loud or something?

...until a sense of dread overcame you.

Had you said Eddie's name? And not Steve's?

No...no...you couldn't have. Because as much as Eddie kept popping up in your thoughts...you knew that you were with Steve. Your entire head and heart were filled with Steve Harrington.

So why did something still feel wrong when you thought about it now?

Your mom got home late and had trudged off to bed; she barely glanced into your room to make sure you were asleep, and you had half the urge to stop her before she scuttled off. But you knew she would grill you if she saw the tear tracks reflecting the streetlight outside of your room.

You couldn't tell her about this.

And of course, you didn't tell your mom everything but...you really could have used a little bit of comfort. Her occasional words of wisdom that seemed to make everything better.

It was as you lay in your bed that you thought about the other times you'd gone to her, the times you'd cry after a mishap that your child brain couldn't quite comprehend. All the hurt in the world because of a doll that wasn't shared, or some painful words that were thrown around haphazardly.

"I'm sure it's all a misunderstanding," she always said. "You can talk in the morning, and it'll all be ok."

Except it wasn't ok. And Steve hadn't picked up. And you felt...sick.

You would have gone over to the Harrington's house or Family Video if you didn't have to get to work...to apologize in person and...

And what? What if he never wants to see you again? What if this just pushes him right back into the arms of Nancy Wheeler?

You knew that the insidious little voice in your head was just...just praying on your insecurities. It was irrational, but a fear was a fear. And you didn't want to lose someone you loved as wonderful as Steve.

You took a calming breath and made a plan...you had work today and class all day tomorrow, which meant if Steve didn't call back by the time you got out of work...you might not even going to see him until Tuesday night at the earliest if he was going to hang out with Eddie and the--

Eddie.

Your stomach lurched with nerves.

He and Eddie were friends, it was a fact that you were trying to move past. And as much as it anguished you to see Eddie...you couldn't lose Steve. So maybe...just maybe if Eddie didn't already know what happened and refused to look at you, he would know how to fix this.

You couldn't wait for Tuesday night.

You needed to fix this today.

"There you go sweetie," Mary cooed as she placed a mug of chicken soup on the bedside table and then brushed the hair out of "Steve's" face. "And I ran out and got crackers and ginger ale if you're not feeling up to soup."

"Uh-huh. Great. Thanks mom," Eddie muttered and stared numbly at the plaid-papered walls. If he didn't look at her, if he focused on the tense whooshing sound in his ears instead of her voice, he could pretend that it was his mom taking care of him.

Truthfully, he didn't want to be here, pretending to be sick. After he'd made his escape from your house, he realized he had nowhere to go where he could ground himself in...well...in himself. The one place he wanted--his stupid, ramshackle trailer in Forest Hills...home--was still inaccessible to him. So was his other home, you, as he had just...left you. Ran. Like a coward.

While he didn't want to be stuck in the Harrington's house with Mary up his ass for hours, he knew it was the only place he could really let himself become numb without interference from the outside world. So Eddie resigned himself to another day of being Steve Harrington and allowed Steve's mother to coddle him. The cold reception he had been receiving from Mary was immediately replaced with gentle care that made Eddie feel like a kid again, in those carefree days between his father's incarceration and his mother's death.

Knowing how deceitful she was, though...how willing she was to manipulate her son...well, needless to say that Eddie wasn't really buying the sincerity of Mary's behavior. He wished that it was genuine--for Steve's sake, even though he was still pissed at Steve--but in the case that it wasn't, he was not letting up on his demands.

Chicken soup from the deli, snacks from the grocery store, and some time in the house alone so he could smoke a joint in peace and let the high calm his troubles for a little while.

"You know," Mary sat down on the edge of the bed and Eddie groaned, which immediately got her to change her mind and remain standing. "I called the video store to let them know you were having a sick day, and that manager. Kevin? Keith? He was incredibly rude."

"Yeah," Eddie responded as Mary continued, disinterested in making a conversation now that he had started to come down from his high.

"And speaking of rude," she scoffed. "There's this...rude girl who's called twice this morning already while I was out; she left messages. Is this the girl who you've been going out with Stevie?"

Eddie's interest piqued and his spirits lifted just the slightest, then fell again, when he realized it must have been you.

Now, after the panic had subsided, he knew that he had messed up. That he shouldn't have run. Fuck...he couldn't finish what he started but at the very least he could have...stayed and told you the truth. Told you everything. But hindsight was 20-20, or so they said, and in the heat of the moment...running from the reality that he wasn't himself and that you would never love him seemed like the only thing he could do.

Eddie didn't quite know how to feel about the fact that you were calling him now. It wasn't that he didn't want to see you. No, he...he only wanted to fix what he had messed up. But...he just couldn't stand to see you look at Steve with that look in your eyes. Hear you say his name, when all Eddie wanted was for you to want him.

"...sounded so unsure of herself. That's not the kind of girl you want to attach yourself to; you need someone who knows what they want and will go after it. Not to mention that she apologized. Said she hurt your feelings. Is this why you're sick? What did she do? I'll have a talk with her mother and make sure she never calls you aga--"

Mary's heated speech was interrupted by the rapid ringing of the doorbell. She tried to ignore it but it kept ringing.

"My God, if we're not answering it means we're busy," she groused under her breath and turned on her heel. "Will some people never learn patience."

Eddie said a quick thank you to whatever deities he could think of for getting Mary away from him, and he closed his eyes.

Back to the rest, back to his wallowing. Back to the...sound of rocks hitting the window, what the hell?

Eddie's eyes shot open and he rolled over to stare at the window, and sure enough, tiny rocks kept hitting the glass. Over and over.

Eddie pushed himself out of bed and crossed the distance. He briefly wondered if you might be out there, if you had tried calling with no answer. But he had negotiated with Benny to give you a day off yesterday, so he knew there was no way you weren't at work today.

He opened the window and leaned out, only to find the surprise of his life when he "Eddie" himself...or rather...the real Steve was standing in the backyard, staring up at him.

Eddie felt a strange sense of satisfaction seeing the swollen black eye on his own face. Much more than the memory of him giving it to himself conjured. That he gave to Steve?

Fuck this wasn't getting any easier to sort out in his head. And there was no way that it was gonna be fixed any time soon.

"What do you want?" Eddie called down to Steve. "Come to rub it in my face that you have a real date with Nancy tomorrow night and that I was wrong?"

"I came to apologize," Steve called back. Eddie scoffed and rolled his eyes. "No, I'm serious. I fucked up. I said some nasty things and I regret it. I shouldn't have said them. I was angry."

"A lot of true things are said in anger," Eddie sneered at him. "And that wasn't the first time you said some shit like that."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Steve sighed. "You don't have to forgive me, but...fuck I have to make this right because--"

"Save your breath," Eddie rolled his eyes. "I don't wanna hear it."

He could only imagine what happened that would get Steve to change his tune so quickly.

He tried to make a move on Nancy and she told him to get lost because she had a boyfriend already, regardless of what Harrington Charm Steve thought he possessed.

Or she just laughed in his face because who in the world would ever want to date Eddie Munson.

He winced, knowing it was a little too harsh, but his insecurities would win for another day or two. As eager as he was to get back into his own body, to go home, Steve could stand to deal with the fallout of whatever mess he made. Eddie would just stay in bed until Steve was as tired of this shit as he was. Then maybe they can try to work together and fix this again.

He was about to tell Steve to fuck off, when the patio door opened and Mary's voice echoed across the yard.

"Excuse me, this is trespassing!"

Steve was frozen, like a deer in the headlights, at the appearance of his mother.

Steve loved his mom, don't get him wrong, but sometimes...

Sometimes he just didn't understand how she could be sweet and loving one moment, and then an absolute misery the next.

It had been a recent discovery, this sharpness to her. In fact, for the longest time, he never considered that she was anything other than a happy and loving PTA mom, well-respected by friends and neighbors.

Growing up, she did everything Steve thought moms were happy to do. Go to PTA meetings, plan summer barbecues, come to all of the games for the sports he played, and cook elaborate dinners for the whole family to enjoy. But as his dad stayed later and later at the dealership, he was less present at family dinners or available for family outings on the weekends, creating Mommy and Stevie time. And as Steve got older, he preferred to hang out with his friends and run around Hawkins then stay at home alone with his mom.

He saw the light start to disappear in her eyes and he just...thought nothing about it. Didn't realize that he was also one to contribute to it.

Tommy H. had made a joke once about his dad having an affair, and Steve just...figured that must be the case for his dad too. He must have been, which is why...why he and mom didn't smile at each other much any more, why birthday gifts had become more elaborate and expensive, why both of his parents traveled together when his dad had conventions and auto shows.

And Steve defended her, always. She was an active member of the community, she went out with friends, and volunteered at the church. She did her best to take care of anything and everything the family needed. Protected them.

Until she didn't.

Until the one afternoon that the strip mall had lost power and Family Video closed early, and Steve came home to find his mom and Mayor Kline together.

All of the care and the sweetness and the motherly love vanished. Steve had suggested she talk to dad, if she was so unhappy...so lonely...but she had spat and swore and cursed his father, claimed that he was the one who ruined things. Ruined her happiness. Ruined their family. But once she saw the hurt expression on Steve's face, she begged him to let it go, to forget about what he saw. Promised that she would do better, she would talk to dad and fix it. For him.

But it happened again, and again. Steve hadn't seen the mayor in their house but he saw the evidence of him. The tie pin left in the bowl that they dropped their car keys in, an extra wine glass next to his mother's on the coffee table. Everything she did felt...forced. Every time he would notice something off, the evidence of all the things she did around the house, for him, for the family, became more noticable. As though she tried to buy his forgiveness rather than actually fix the problems with their family.

He tried to confront her about it again, ask if she had talked to dad. She had yelled and complained and blamed him for wanting to hurt the family. And that was when she offered to give him his allowance back.

Blood Money. Judas. The words echoed in his head, some remnant of some Sunday school lesson that had faded over the years, as he tucked the stack of bills into his wallet.

He didn't know who it was that he betrayed by making this deal...his father, himself, maybe even his mother...but he knew it wasn't right.

So he kept it all inside. Ignored it and let it fester. Kept his mouth shut.

Until now.

Steve looked around the yard, at the big house and the pool, at "Steve" leant out of the window with his good looks and expensive pajamas. He thought about his dad at the dealership, working hard to give this all to them. And finally looked at his mother, who made sure everything looked pristine, only for it all to be festering and rotten just below the surface.

He might have towered over her but couldn't feel any smaller as she glared at him. Glared at "Eddie."

"I, uh," Steve cleared his throat and held his hands out to show that he wasn't doing any harm. "I just came by to talk to Ed--Steve! To talk to Steve."

"So you ding dong ditch and then you trespass into my yard?" Her brow raised in disbelief.

"It's cuz I knew you weren't gonna let me in," he explained.

"If I won't let you in, that means you shouldn't be on my property. Period." his mom sneered at him. "I know you, Eddie Munson; you spray painted my car a few months ago."

Steve glanced up at Eddie, and Eddie simply shrugged as though he hadn't been the one to do it. Which was funny, because in actuality...it had been Steve who maybe had gotten a bit too creative after one too many beers at Heather Holloway's Back to School kegger.

"So what if I did!" Steve shrugged, technically owning up to it.

"That's enough for me to call Chief Hopper right now!" she shrieked, and Steve could see her practically vibrating.

Steve knew that calling the police was sort of his mom's MO. But he wasn't phased.

Probably because he was in Eddie's body and not his own. But maybe it was because he was in Eddie's body that he also felt a bit of courage building.

"You're really going to call the cops on your son's friend?" Steve laughed at her.

"My son wouldn't hang around someone like you."

"Oh yeah? Tell her about Hellfire Club, Stevie! Or how you've been coming to Corroded Coffin shows!" Steve called up to Eddie, whose eyes went wide as he was put on the spot.

"Steven!" his mother turned and glared at Eddie now. "Is this true?"

Eddie stammered and glared at Steve, who didn't give him the chance to respond.

"What? You're surprised that your precious son would want to spend time with a drug dealing, no good, piece of trailer trash?" He practically quoted his mother word for word, having recalled the few times she had encountered Eddie out in Hawkins.

His mom spun around to face him, but he continued.

"Come on, Mare, you don't think that I could be a worse influence on him than you are. With your lying and canoodling with Larry." His voice went falsetto. "Oh Larry, you know how to make a girl feel like she's 20 again. Barf."

"How do you know about that?"

"You're bribing and manipulating your son, you're ruining your family, and on top of that, you're a huge bitch."

Steve felt the weight on his shoulders get lighter with each word that escaped his mouth. He also saw his mother's anger start manifesting physically. She was turning red, shaking, breathing heavily. He knew that he needed to make his escape before she really did call the cops. Or hit him with a shovel or something.

"Wayne's sick," Steve called up to Eddie and Eddie's eyes went wide.

"Who's Wayne? Is that another one of your little drug dealer friends? Get out of my yard. Get off my property!"

As Steve ran from his parents' backyard and away from his screaming mother, his mind raced. He knew he shouldn't lie to Eddie but...desperate times called for desperate measures. He needed to get Eddie alone so they could talk, reconcile what happened. So he could convince him that this...that this was exactly what they needed.

He knew that he needed to rally the troops if he was going to fix what he broke.

It took hours for Eddie to get out of the house.

As soon as Wayne's name had left Steve's mouth, he felt like he was doused in ice water. Every nerve was on fire, his body itched to leave and it was unfair that he had to be subjected to Mary's tirade as soon as Steve had run and Mary returned to the house.

All he wanted was to get into the car and race to Forest Hills to see his uncle, but instead, he had to listen to her speech about dangerous criminals and vandals and making better life choices. She even tried to lecture him about taking classes at the community college to get away from the deadbeats who hung around Family Video.

Jesus Christ, lady, way to kick a man while he's down.

Once she was done with her lecture, she marched him straight back to bed so he could get the rest he needed.

Eddie knew he'd have to make a miraculous escape and he waited and waited for Mary to settle in the living room or get on the phone or something. His mind raced in the meantime as he thought of all the ways that Wayne might be sick.

Was he sick sick? He'd been sick a grand total of once in Eddie's life, in 79, when a nasty flu bug swept through the whole town. He remembered wishing that he knew how to make soup other than from the can, but when he'd brought Wayne the bowl of microwaved Campbell's, the look of pride on his uncle's face was enough to relieve him of his guilt.

Maybe he'd gotten hurt at the plant? He always made fun of his uncle's age, calling him old timer and geezer and whatnot, but he was getting older and he needed better glasses than the readers he got off the little revolving rack in Melvalds. Maybe he cut himself...or needed stitches. Or threw his back out?

Eddie thought back to his initial idea of getting him a job at the Harrington's dealership, something he never acted on and suddenly felt dread that whatever fate had befallen Wayne had only happened because he hadn't acted fast enough.

Hours passed by and he waited. Mary had brought him a grilled cheese with the crusts cut off, she'd done several loads of laundry, and even ushered him into the bathroom to take a shower. But before he knew it, she had ducked her head into his room.

"Stevie, are you feeling ok?" she asked gently. "I need to run out for a little while. Run a few errands."

Eddie glanced out the window, at the way the sky darkened, and then back at Mary who was dressed a little too nicely for errands.

Nice to know she's going to knock boots with Mayor Douchebag while her son is sick.

"Ok mom," Eddie forced a smile. "Be...safe."

"There's more soup in the fridge, if you want any more while I'm gone."

"Sure."

She turned and left without so much as an I love you, and as soon as Eddie heard her car peel out of the driveway, he was on his feet. He threw on a pair of jeans and one of the t-shirts he had gotten with you the day before, and then ran down the stairs.

"Fuck, she took my keys?" he groaned as he noticed the little bowl on the table in the hallway was conspicuously empty. "Well, bad news that her son is actually a criminal drug dealer deadbeat vandal who knows how to Hotwire a car."

Eddie found tools in the dusty toolbox in the garage, and then strolled out to Steve's BMW. It was a shame that he would cause damage to the vehicle--it had been a nice change from his van, even though he missed the van immensely--but desperate times. He struggled for a moment, the imported car a little trickier than the clunkier Chevys and Fords his dad had taught him on, but he got it in the end.

For the first time in his life, he was a little thankful to his father for giving him some kind of skill, as unsavory as it might have been. Because if he didn't have it, there would be no way for him to see Wayne right now.

Maybe being Eddie Munson wasn't such a bad thing after all.

He pulled into the trailer park and the car skidded to a stop beside the van. Even Wayne's car wasn't here, which meant that Steve probably had to pick Wayne up from the plant.

Or the hospital.

He jogged up the steps and threw open the door...

"What the fuck?" Eddie exclaimed.

...only to find Steve, Robin, Lucas, Dustin, and Will sitting around the living room with notebooks and homework and DnD mini figs. The TV was on, the volume down low, with a stack of videos piled in front of it, and there were cans of soda on every available surface.

"Took you long enough," Dustin announced and rolled his eyes. The other kids started chiming in.

"We started working on homework when you didn't show up right away."

"And Mike's birthday campaign."

"It's been hours!" Robin exclaimed. "Keith is gonna have my ass too, I called off, and you called off too. Which means he's working open to close. And you know how he hates that. Er...um...well one of you knows." Robin glanced back and forth between Eddie and Steve.

Eddie looked around again. The trailer was cleaned, he could hear a load of laundry clunking around in the washing machine, there was a stack of frozen pizzas laid out on the counter in the kitchen, one in the oven making the trailer smell enticing.

But no Wayne.

They tricked him.

"Alright, what the fuck is going on here?" Eddie asked, then zeroed in on Steve. "You lied to me. You used my uncle as bait and you lied to me."

"I'm sorry, I had to," Steve got to his feet and sighed. "You weren't listening to me...and then my mom..."

"You lied to me to get me to come over for some kind of pizza party? I didn't know you were that desperate for friends, Harrington," Eddie asked incredulously.

"No!" Robin interjected. "He lied because the two of you need to settle this once and for all. You haven't been entirely truthful about this whole situation either, Eddie."

"What do you mean? I've told you everything."

"Not everything." Steve pulled a spiral notebook off the coffee table and threw it at him. Eddie's stomach dropped as he realized what he caught. "Open it."

"I don't have to do shit," Eddie feigned anger and threw the notebook over his shoulder.

"No, because you already know what's in it," Steve jeered. "You have a crush on my girlfriend and you've been using this to your advantage this whole time. Don't look at the kids, they already know. I told them." Eddie had glanced at Dustin, Lucas, and Will, half expecting to see betrayal or deception in their eyes, but they looked sympathetic.

"Listen," Steve went on. "I know how it feels to have a crush on someone and think that you don't stand a chance with them. We all do." He gestured at the others, and they all nodded.

Eddie felt uncomfortable under their heavy stares, and it sent his skin crawling.

He knew that he wasn't alone in having a crush on someone; unrequited love had a definition for a reason. He didn't understand why they wanted him here? Why were they confronting him like this? Did they blame him for the spell? He already knew it was his fault.

"So what? Why am I here, Harrington?" Eddie finally asked.

"To work it out once and for all!" Will explained. "There's only two options here."

"There was more to the riddle," Lucas elaborated. "More than just the translation."

"You both want to be with someone that...otherwise wouldn't want to be with you," Robin continued. "The real you."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better about myself, Buckley?" Eddie sneered at her.

"Leave Robin alone," Steve sighed. "She's the one who figured this all out. The prize...reflected in another's eyes...when I saw that notebook I thought that it was...something tangible. Popularity, or...or...friends...or a girl. But the real thing is love."

"Yeah, Selfless Love," Eddie shrugged. "Selfless love will change you back. What about it?"

"But in order to love selflessly, you have to love yourself first. And even if you find it hard to believe, both you and Steve...struggled with that. You thought...you couldn't be loved by the person you wanted the most. You didn't have the kind of life the other had. The love you thought the other had," Robin offered.

"So...there's really only two ways about this." She continued. "We all work together to help you two to learn to love yourselves. It's gonna take some time, because you clearly still hate yourself Eddie, and Steve...yeah he's not gonna admit to it because he's shallow--sorry Steve--but...he struggles to love himself because everyone else leaves him. Shut up Steve, you know I'm right.

"Or... you suck it up and deal with it. Steve stays Eddie, and he shoots his shot with Nancy. And you stay Steve, and you get to keep your honey. And honestly, this needs to be the outcome if we can't get you to change back with the self love thing.

"But it means that the two of you need to work together," Robin concluded. "Because it isn't gonna be easy."

"I'm willing to try if you are." Steve held out his hand to shake. "I mean...it's a win win no matter how you slice it."

Eddie stared at Steve's offered hand and then at all the others' open faces.

He was...touched that they were all here and willing to help. He truly was. And he knew that it was a gesture of good faith from Steve, trying to work together. They'd almost become friends the past few weeks, trying to solve this situation...what he had told Mary earlier had been true. Hell...Eddie was almost proud of Steve for standing up to her the way he did.

But to accept that offer meant that there was nothing to lose. And Eddie had already lost himself.

"Fuck you," he swatted Steve's hand away with his own. "I'm not shaking to that."

There was a collective commotion of "what's" and "why's" from everyone and Steve looked lost.

"What's your deal?" Steve asked.

"What's my deal? What's your deal?" Eddie laughed. "You think I'm gonna believe that you want to help me love myself, when just the other night you listed off every reason under the sun that I'm not worthy of love or friends, and that I would live and die alone. Yeah, real great act there, Harrington."

Steve crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Eddie.

"So you don't want to be me and you don't want to be you, then who do you want to be?"

"I didn't say I didn't want to be me, I just said you're fooling yourself if you think I'm gonna let you help me want to be me. Besides, don't you think it's still a little too convenient that it's only a win-win for you?"

"How is it not also a win for you?" Steve questioned. "You either get your life back or you get the girl of your dreams. Same for me."

"What if I want both."

"Then I say you're the one being selfish here."

"Come on guys," Dustin sighed. "Fighting isn't going to solve anything. You need to come to an agreement and--"

"No, th-th-there's...there's nothing to agree on!" Eddie stammered. "Except the only thing there is to agree on. You can't always get what you want, right? Isn't that the way the song goes? Rolling Stones? We're trying to make a deal to find a way to make the best of either situation, but neither of us is gonna be fully happy in any scenario. I learn to love myself and what? The girl I love doesn't love me either, so what's the point? You get the girl you want, but you need to live with the fact that she doesn't love you.

"But could you live with yourself day in and day out if she looked at you with love in her eyes and didn't see you for who you truly were? If she believed you were someone else. Could you live with that Steve? Could you live with Nancy Wheeler screaming out my name as you make love to her?"

Robin and the kids all started groaning and making gagging noises at the last sentence, but Eddie knew he hit a nerve in Steve as he had the decency to look a little sad.

"Don't you see I love her, but she doesn't love me. And she never will. So if I had to choose, no...I don't want to be Steve Harrington anymore, I want to be Eddie Munson again, because even if she never loved me, I wouldn't have to be face to face with the fact that she loved someone else, every day, for the rest of my life."

Eddie finished his shouting and his shoulders heaved with his labored breath, and as he realized what he just said, he turned on his heel to get to the door.

He didn't want to run away from this, but he felt like he had no choice but to run. This had been a mistake. He should have left as soon as he realized that Wayne wasn't sick. Back to the Harrington's where he could suffer in silence until he was ready to face the reality of being stuck in Steve's body.

"Eddie, wait!" Steve shouted and jumped across the living room to stop him, as Eddie's hand turned the knob. "You can't just lea--"

Eddie was about to turn and start yelling at Steve--he couldn't tell him what he could and couldn't do--but as the door to the trailer swung open, both he and Steve realized that someone was there.

You were standing on the other side and they didn't know how much you had heard.

It really was the longest Sunday at work that you had ever faced. Each minute was an eternity, and each break that you had went by too fast. You sat by the kitchen door to call home, and Benny would watch you with a critical eye as you asked your mother if there were any messages for you--there weren't.

Your mom knew there was something wrong by the tone of your voice...but she knew your breaks were precious and not to take them up with her questions.

"I'll be home a little late tonight," you warned her.

"You ok?" she asked.

"Yeah...just...going over by Steve's for a little, I think."

"Ok Honey. Have fun. Tell him I said hi."

But you wouldn't...at least...you thought you wouldn't as you drove your car towards Forest Hills Trailer park after work so you could talk to Eddie.

Imagine your surprise as you pulled up to the trailer with the obvious green and white van out front...only to also find Steve's burgundy BMW parked next to it.

Fear gripped you, and you debated...well, you debated just leaving. Cut your losses and run, because they had to be in there...obviously talking about you.

But looking further past the two vehicles you saw a handful of bicycles leant against the side of the trailer.

So maybe it would be safe...if they were having a Hellfire meeting or something.

You parked your car and slapped your face, gave yourself the pep talk of the century.

He's in there and Eddie's also in there and their friends. And you're gonna walk up there and act completely normal, say that you came by to see Eddie but...oh, Steve what a surprise, you were trying to call him but he must have been here all day.

Yeah that was it. Perfect. You just had to get out of the car and say it.

The air was thick with the sludge of your nervousness, and its viscosity grabbed and pulled at you with each step toward the door you took.

You could hear the voices even before you got to the door, the variations in the timber of Steve and Eddie's voices vibrated through the wooden walls and vinyl siding. And it wasn't until you pulled open the storm door to knock that you really heard what they said.

"The girl I love doesn't love me either, so what's the point? You get the girl you want, but you need to live with the fact that she doesn't love you." The sound of Steve's voice made your heart plummet.

Nancy. They had to be talking about Nancy. He still loved her.

No wonder he was so quick to run when you said his name. He pretended you were Nancy all the way up until then.

"But could you live with yourself day in and day out," Steve continued. "If she looked at you with love in her eyes and didn't see you for who you truly were? If she believed you were someone else. Could you live with that Steve?"

Wait...Steve? But...but that was Steve who was talking. What...what was happening.

You kept listening and as Steve kept talking, as you heard other voices chime in to try and stop him, and as he got louder and closer, you got more and more confused,

"So if I had to choose, no...I don't want to be Steve Harrington anymore, I want to be Eddie Munson again." Again. "Because even if she never loved me, I wouldn't have to be face to face with the fact that she loved someone else, every day, for the rest of my life."

"Eddie, wait!" And that was Eddie's voice.

Eddie called Steve...Eddie, just like he did that day way back when...the day he showed up at Family Video. The day that you had that date with Steve, when he changed your mind about breaking up with him.

And Steve was claiming...that he didn't want to be Steve anymore...that he wanted to be Eddie again. But if he wanted to be Eddie again...that meant he had to be Eddie at some point in the past...right?

Time slowed down and you got dizzy as you tried to make heads or tails of it all.

The dates and the kisses and the cologne and the chewing gum.

All of the times that you wished you knew what it was like to be with Eddie, when you were held so tenderly in Steve's arms.

The music and the declarations and the...the Nancy of it all.

You had thought vaguely last night that it almost seemed like they had traded places...but that was impossible.

"You're not...what I expected Steve Harrington to be like," you muttered. "You're so much better."

"Of course I'm better, it's because I'm..." He faltered for a moment.

It's because Steve was Ed--

The door to the trailer swung open and you stood in wide-eyed shock as you came face to face with Steve and Eddie.

Or...Eddie and Steve.

"Honey," they muttered simultaneously and you couldn't help the step you took back, the way your foot faltered on the steps of the small porch. You tumbled down the few steps and caught yourself on your hands, only for them and your knees to get ripped up by the gravel of the drive.

"Shit!"

"Is she ok?"

Two sets of footsteps came thundering down the porch steps and hands grasped at your arms to get you back to your feet.

"Honey, look at me, are you ok?" Steve--Eddie--cupped your face in his hands and turned you to him. He looked down at your hands and winced at the scratches. "Shit, we need to clean you up."

Meanwhile Eddie--Steve--talked over him.

"What did you hear? How much? You can't say anything, you can't tell anybody. They wouldn't believe you. They'd think you're nuts."

"Good job Harrington, can't you see she's hurt."

"She heard everything, Munson. God. We need to be proactive about this."

"Guys!" A voice came from the trailer door and you looked over to see Robin and a bunch of Steve's...Eddie's...someone's freshman friends standing behind her. Both of the boys continued bickering back and forth until Robin yelled again. "Shut the fuck up!"

Everything went silent except for the ringing in your ears.

You did the only thing you could do...

Your thoughts went a mile a minute as you revisited the epiphany you just had. And you couldn't believe how much sense it made. That it was Steve who touched you and kissed you and loved you. But underneath it all was Eddie.

...you turned on your heel and ran.

Eddie's heart clenched as you pushed his hands away from you, and you ran.

Well...ran was a generous term. You hobbled and skipped, the deep scratches and cuts on your skinned knees prevented you from gaining the speed you probably wanted. And it was all he could do not to go after you.

You heard. How much of it? Everything? How long had you been out there? You had to know now. You'd never look at him again.

It hurt, cut him so deep that it practically stopped his heart in his chest.

He knew that this was inevitable, had come to this conclusion that he would lose you...shit before he even had you. Everything in between then and now would just be a beautiful memory that he could take with him for the rest of his days.

"Well aren't you gonna go after her?" Robin called from her place at the door.

Eddie looked over at Steve, who looked right back at him.

"She means you," they said in tandem.

"Me?" Steve exclaimed. "Why me?"

"That's your girlfriend," Eddie said, as though it was the most obvious thing on earth.

"No," Steve laughed. "That's your girlfriend. And on top of that, you love her, so you need to fix this."

Eddie was speechless as Steve went and sat on one of the steps. He fished a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of his vest and lit one up. Eddie rolled his eyes and looked back up at Robin and the kids.

"Go!" They all yelled at him. Eddie scrambled and started in the direction you ran, shaking his head softly as he heard them all turn on Steve with an "are you an idiot?"

He knew the way you ran. This was his home turf, even if he hadn't been here for a few weeks. He would always know this worn, dirt footpath that led to the gazebo out beyond the last trailer in the park. There used to be a jungle gym and swings out there...he had sat on those swings for hours after he heard news of his mom's death.

It was a good place to cry.

And Eddie half-expected you to be there crying, especially as he saw you, perched up on the bench with your face in your hands.

"Honey?" Your shoulders went rigid as he spoke, and he stopped in his tracks. "Hey it's me. Are you...ok? Can we talk?"

"Me who?" you asked softly, the fragility in your tone enough to make him pause. "Please...I need an answer, who am I talking to? Steve? Or Eddie?"

"Eddie," he said, clearly and confidently, knowing that this was it.

Your shoulders started shaking and he could hear vague whimpers coming from you. He couldn't hold himself back, he shuffled over to you, stood directly in front of you with his hands on your shoulders as you cried.

"I'm sorry," he began. The words flooded his mind: apologies, excuses, declarations of his emotions. He could barely contain one leak before another sprung. "I'm sorry I lied to you, I'm sorry I kept it a secret. It's just that it was so...unbelievable, so impossible, that I knew there was no way I could tell you without you thinking I was crazy.

"And before I knew it, it was too late, and we were dating. I was dating you for Steve but I was also...I was dating you for me because I've...I've had this stupid crush on you for years. Can you believe it? Years! And I never...I never thought I was good enough for you. But I was so...so angry because Steve wasn't good enough for you either. He's an idiot. Imagine my surprise, my luck the day I woke up and I was Steve...and I got to take you out on some date and finally...finally get to show you how much I cared. How I felt...

"But it wasn't right to have lied to you. To...to touch you and kiss you when you didn't know it was me. We all kept it a secret. Me, Steve, the kids, Robin. We all could have come clean at any time, but we figured we could fix it before then and now...now we might be stuck this way forever so please, please, I need...

"I don't need anything actually. There's nothing I can do to make this right. I can't ask anything of you, except to listen to me and believe that I never meant to hurt you throughout any of this. There were no tricks, no...well I guess there were lies. But I never pretended to care for you. Everything I said and did...it was real. And I don't blame you if you hate me, or if you never want to see me again, I just need to know...I need to know that you're alright.

"So please Honey," he ran his thumbs soothingly back and forth over your shoulders. "Please look at me and tell me...tell me you're at least ok and if you want me to leave you alone, I'll leave you alone forever. Just please. I need to know you're ok."

Your shoulders kept shaking and although Eddie's heart practically disintegrated in his chest, he felt...lighter. Something had shifted. Everything was out there, the truth. He didn't have to hide from you anymore, pretend that he was something he wasn't. All that was left was for you to tell him to fuck off...

When you peeled your hands away from your face and looked at him, though, you had tears of laughter in your eyes and a manic smile on your face.

"You..." you hiccuped through a giggle. "You're...you're Eddie Munson and you love me?"

"What?" he asked in disbelief, not entirely sure that he heard you right.

"You...you're Eddie Munson," you poked a finger into his chest. "In Steve Harrington's body."

"Yes."

"And you, Eddie Munson, love me?" you questioned. Eddie froze and you continued. "Don't act like I didn't hear....everything you said. You said...you said...you loved me but I would never love you back. But..."

You grabbed onto the front of his shirt and shook him, wincing as the rough fabric scraped against your torn up palms.

"I told Eddie...I told Steve...that I had a crush on you, Eddie Munson," you shook him and looked up into his eyes with a smile. You had...a crush on him and you told...Steve? "And he just said--"

"When?" Eddie interrupted you.

"In High school."

"No, when did you tell Steve?"

"Uh...last week? I don't...the...the night you came in with Corroded Coffin," you closed your eyes and shook your head. "And Steve...you...I'm sorry, it's really confusing."

"I know, imagine how I feel," Eddie chuckled.

"I told 'Eddie' that I had a crush on him in high school," you explained. "I told him and he acted like it wasn't anything to blink at. Like he didn't even remember I existed. And I felt so crazy, so hurt, that I went home and I tore up my diary because I never even thought you...that he...that..."

You rambled about thinking about him and smelling his cologne, noticing his chewing gum, and thinking about him when you kissed Steve--when you kissed him--and Eddie felt all the pain that he had, all the insecurity he had for the past 24 hours, melt away.

All the light in the universe--the burning of an infinity of stars--couldn't compare to the way his heart was shining right at that moment.

You didn't want Steve. You wanted Eddie.

"...and you ran away and I thought...but you..."

Eddie didn't let you finish your thoughts, he smashed his lips to yours and kissed you with bruising intensity.

The way he felt outdid any high he'd ever had.

He kissed you until you both needed air, then dropped little pecks around your face until you directed him back to your lips.

"You love me," you muttered against his lips.

"I love you," he nodded.

And then you said the one thing that he had wished to hear come from your lips for weeks, months, years.

"I love you too."

As soon as Eddie was out of sight, Robin and the kids were on top of Steve, yelling at him and swatting at him.

"Are you kidding me?" Robin shrieked.

"What?" Steve howled.

"You need to go after them too," Dustin tried to reason with him. "She's hurt and she's crying. This entire thing is a disaster."

"She's not my girlfriend! OW!" Robin had slugged him hard in the shoulder. First a black eye now a bruised shoulder. Great. "Ok, why do I need to go?"

"Because whether or not she's your girlfriend, you and Eddie both dragged her into this mess. So you both need to explain it to her," Will explained.

Steve sighed.

"Fine," he grumbled and threw the cigarette to the ground.

As he followed after you and Eddie, he sighed and wondered how this was all gonna play out. Why you hadn't just gotten into your car and driven away if you knew the truth. If you thought they were insane.

You could have made a fortune, told the newspaper.

If you told the newspaper though...that meant Nancy would find out eventually.

Nancy...

Steve reflected on everything that Eddie had said. He knew, now, that it was all in the context of you. That Eddie loved you...

So then why didn't he say anything? Steve...would have understood...or tried to at the very least. Right? And what Eddie had said made some sense to Steve.

"Could you live with yourself day in and day out if she looked at you with love in her eyes and didn't see you for who you truly were?"

But who was he? He was just...Steve. He could talk about his parents and his time at Hawkins High...all the sports he played and friends he made. Nancy hadn't wanted Steve anymore, hadn't wanted that life.

But was that even his life anymore? He had less now than he had before. His parents were broken, their family in shambles. His friends had left him and laughed at him. Hell, even the admissions essay Nancy had helped him write once upon a time hadn't gotten him into a college; he just...worked at family video.

What could he offer her as Steve? Shit, did he even have anything to offer himself?

"If she believed you were someone else. Could you live with that Steve?"

What did Eddie have though? He had a band and friends and carefree fun.

But Steve learned over the last few weeks that it wasn't as carefree as he thought.

Shit, even Eddie living his life wasn't as carefree as one would assume. What could Eddie give to Nancy? What could Steve as Eddie give to Nancy? Yeah he enjoyed nights out with Corroded Coffin but...he didn't even play his own guitar. Eddie did. And he was enjoying Hellfire Club but...well, the kids and Eddie really helped him with the DM role. Maybe he would like it better if he was one of the players instead of the leader of the whole show.

What the hell was Steve? But no one? Would anyone even care if he was gone?

But he loved Robin, she was his best friend. And he loved the kids as though they were his own siblings. They all had done so much for Eddie...and for him the last few weeks. They put themselves at risk of being accused of...witchcraft and hysteria...they subjected themselves to his and Eddie's anger when they were at each other's throats.

They had plenty of opportunity to leave them both behind--to leave Steve behind--but they didn't.

"Could you live with Nancy Wheeler screaming out my name as you make love to her?"

Make Love. Love. That was really all Steve had to give Nancy anymore. And all he really wanted in return. Could he be happy knowing that she loved someone else and not him? Not Steve Harrington?

Fuck, she was doing that now with Jonathan Byers.

Steve saw you and Eddie huddled together at the gazebo, and as he got closer he heard what Eddie said to you. He felt those desperate words floating in the air.

"...But I never pretended to care for you. Everything I said and did...it was real. And I don't blame you if you hate me, or if you never want to see me again, I just need to know...I need to know that you're alright. So please Honey. Please look at me and tell me...tell me you're at least ok and if you want me to leave you alone, I'll leave you alone forever. Just please. I need to know."

Steve...froze in his tracks, and it was like a lightbulb switched on.

For as much as Eddie had just declared his love for you back at the trailer. He was willing to let it all go, let you go, as long as you were alright.

Eddie had done all of this, had caused this entire fiasco...because...because he thought that nobody loved him--because you didn't love him--just like Steve struggled to find people in his life who loved him. And Eddie was willing to walk away without love, so long as you were ok.

Steve thought about Nancy and Jonathan. About how happy they were...how they were alright, and making plans for the future together. More than Steve had ever really done with Nancy. He had his plans and she hers. He had his father's expectation to live up to and she had...ambition.

As much as it hurt...Steve knew...weedled and pushed deep down inside of his being that Nancy would never have been happy with him as she was with Jonathan. And sure...it hurt to see them together but...her smile. Her happiness. It still warmed his heart.

Because he loved her. He always would.

Steve watched as the two of you rambled and laughed and verbally tousled back and forth and he felt...lighter somehow. More awake and aware than he had been for weeks.

He didn't feel so stuck.

Selfless love.

Huh...so that's what it was.

Steve would have gotten closer, would have helped explain the situation to Eddie, but he knew Eddie had it under control.

Because despite their troubles and differences, despite all the shit that they had been through...something new was forming between Eddie and Steve. Friendship was a kind of love, and Steve wouldn't go and stick his foot in it to save his own face.

Steve turned on his heel and walked back to the trailer. Maybe not with...a new head on his shoulders, but definitely a new perspective.

Selfless love.

Steve woke up feeling...like he was sleeping on a cloud...although there was a heavy weight on his chest and his arm felt numb.

Was this Heaven? Was he dead? Had the stress of the past few weeks finally killed him?

He had returned to the trailer, to Robin and the kids, the night before, and shortly after, you and Eddie had trailed in after them looking...happier than you had been when you'd run off. Steve had been glad, if a little confused.

He'd put two and two together when he caught a glimpse of a soft kiss Eddie had pecked on your lips when you left...and he felt...embarassed for a second. To think that Eddie would have kept you warm for him for as long as you were in each other's bodies.

Man, maybe I am a douchebag.

The group of you had gone over plans to help Steve and Eddie achieve some self love, to help them get back in their bodies.

But now...well, if Steve was dead there was really no way that he was going to be able to enact those plans were there?

He briefly wondered, as he opened his eyes to a brilliant bright light, if Eddie would be able to get back into his body if he had died. Or if he would be stuck as Steve Harrington forever.

Steve blinked the cobwebs out of his eyes and frowned at the sight before him.

Plaid-papered walls and matching curtains that were thrown open and letting in all the early morning sunlight. A too soft bed that he had missed and you tucked into his side with the weight of you numbing his shoulder and his arm.

Huh? This didn't make any sense.

You groaned beside him and nuzzled your face into his shoulder. You muttered a quiet "guh morning Eddie" and scrunched up your face as you opened one bleary eye.

"Eddie?" he asked. And then it hit him. "Eddie!"

Steve jumped and pushed you off of him. He got to his feet and started running his hands over his body. Fluffy hair, toned chest, stubbly arms--ok so Eddie hadn't been shaving like he promised.

"What's wrong?" you asked, confused. "Is everything ok?"

"It's...it's me, I'm back!" Steve exclaimed. "I'm back!"

"Back?"

"It's me, it's Steve," he cheered and knelt on the bed. He grabbed your hand and pressed it into his hair, as though touching it would convince you somehow.

"What do you mean? I..." Recognition sparked in your eyes and you pushed him away from you. "If you're...does that mean he..." You scrambled to your feet, shoved your shoes on, and ran out of his bedroom.

Steve could hear a commotion outside the room between you and his mom, then the front door of the house squeaked open and slammed shut. Before long, his mom poked her head inside his room and tutted disapprovingly.

"Did that girl stay here all night Steven?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "That's not the girl from the answering machine is it? I can't believe you--"

"Mom!" Steve stopped her and crossed the space between them. He looked down at her, truly for the first time in his life, and spoke clearly for the first time too. "You're so full of shit."

Eddie stirred awake and felt at peace.

Truly everything was working out in his favor.

He had a plan to get back in his own body, he had you, he had...something sharp digging into his shoulder, what the fuck?

He groaned and rubbed his hands over his face, his fingers dug into his eyes and as he pulled them back...strands of hair came away with them. Long, tangled strands...unfamiliar...but familiar all the same.

But Steve didn't have...

Eddie really looked at his hands then, at the ring-clad fingers and the tattooed skin. His familiar bats and his puppet master that he had gotten last summer. He turned his head and saw the glowing red lights of his shitty K-mart alarm clock.

6:45

The screech of tires and a spray of gravel outside really made him aware of the world around him. The room was still somewhat dark... but bright sunlight shone in from the makeshift curtain. He stared at band posters and the Corroded Coffin banner he made back in 9th grade, and slowly the recognition set in.

He was home.

He was home, he was home, he was home. He pushed the hair out of his face and looked at his arms, his body, his bed. He pulled the half-worn copy of Lord of the Rings out from under his pillow where it was sort of jutting into his shoulder and he kissed it.

"I'm Eddie Munson," he spoke out loud in his voice. He tried to lower the register, achieve his DM voice. "Eddie Munson."

There was a knock on a frantic door somewhere.

Wayne. No wait, it was still too early to be Wayne. He wouldn't be home until 8 when Eddie was already at school.

More recognition hit him.

"Fuck I have to go to scho--"

"Eddie I swear to god, if you don't open this door right now," your voice was faint, shouted from somewhere outside.

You. Your voice. He had fallen asleep beside you in Steve's bed...and now he was in his bed, in his body, and you were outside his door.

He kicked the blankets off of him, wincing as he saw that he was only in his boxers--thank fuck he was getting sick of tighty whiteys--and ran out to the door.

He stared at the living room, at the remnants of everyone being here the night before. Tidier than he would have left it, but Steve had promised to clean up. He vaguely wondered what else Steve had cleaned during his stay at Casa Munson.

"Eddie!"

"Shit," Eddie cursed and threw the door open, fully intent on being suave with his greeting, since he was back in his body. This would be his first chance to charm you as himself, after all. But as soon as you had your eyes on him, you threw your arms around his neck and planted a kiss right on his lips.

It was an entirely different sensation, kissing you as himself and not as Steve. You tasted...pretty much the same...maybe a little different. Tangier. Maybe a little...earthy but it wasn't even 7am yet and he doubted you brushed your teeth at Steve's.

Shit he hadn't brushed his teeth yet either.

But his nerves were immediately alight in a way that they never really got when he was Steve. And his blood rushed to mutually desired places much faster than it had in Steve's body too.

That was going to be weird, going through life comparing things to Steve again...in a different way. But...

"You're too busy thinking," you pulled away and smiled. "And not busy kissing me."

"Sorry Sweetheart," he chuckled. "Mystical body swapping does a whole lot on the mind. I got distracted."

"I'll forgive you," you pecked down his cheek to his neck and bit playfully. "Just this once."

"Your teeth feel sharper like this," Eddie noted aloud.

"It's because I'm biting you harder," you grinned against his skin. "Because I know you like me now so I'm not afraid to mess up."

"Not distracted thinking of someone else now either," he offered and felt you tense in his arms. The confidence in him faltered. "I'm sorry, Honey, I didn't mean--"

"No it's..." you pulled back from him and looked into his eyes. There was a glee there, one he hadn't expected to see. "I don't know. I guess it's all been wild and unexpected and 24 hours ago...I thought I was gonna lose...you forever...and now I have you."

"You have me," Eddie promised. "For as long as you want me."

"Never gonna stop."

"No?" he asked in a tease. "Not even if I...swapped bodies with old Ted Wheeler or something."

"Uh..." you wrinkled your nose and glared at him. "Eddie I don't know if you're intentionally killing the mood here but...I mean if you're trying to ask me if I would fuck Mr. Wheeler even if he was actually you, the answer is a hard no."

"But you'd fuck me?" he asked smugly.

"I'm sincerely trying to," you laughed. "I don't think you were this chatty as Steve."

"I am pretty talkative. Don't worry, I have other uses for my mouth, but first things first, I need your clothes off Honey."

He ushered you back to his room and his fingers pinched and plucked at your work uniform as you went. You still had it on from your shift the day before, and it was now wrinkled from sleep, and Eddie vaguely wondered how comfortable it was, but you eagerly pulled it off you as you set foot into his room and he slammed the door shut behind him.

"Not sure how clean the sheets are," he stepped close to you and cupped your face in his hands.

"It's ok."

"But I'm gonna take care of you Honey."

"As long as you don't run away again."

"I won't. I promise." He took your hand in his and pressed it against the bulge in his boxers, groaning at the spark of tension and pleasure. This was what he had been missing, the pleasure he felt in his own body, so familar and long-since-felt. "Feel how hard I am for you? Feel how much I love you?"

"You love me?" You asked.

"Are you always gonna ask if I love you?"

"I just gotta check. Make sure you didn't change your mind...or that...I don't know...that Steve didn't jump back into your body or something."

"Oh," he pushed you down onto his mattress and slid between your legs. He ground himself against you, the friction of your underwear making you both hiss in want. "I'll make you forget all about Steve Harrington by the time I'm done with you. You'll only remember my name."

He didn't play games, didn't waste time luxuriating in the details of you, when all he wanted was to take you to paradise again and again, and follow you, as quickly as possible.

Also because even if he did skip class with you today, his uncle would be home soon and he did not want this to be the way the two of you met.

He kissed down the length of your body and rid you of your underwear. He inhaled the heady scent of you, put his tongue on you the way he had on Saturday, and noted again that the taste of you was different. Better.

He could feel you holding back and he looked up at you smugly, resting his chin on the crest of your sex.

"What did I tell you? I want to hear you," he teased, and inched his fingers along the inside of your thighs. "You're beautiful you know...your pussy's so pretty. I didn't get to tell you that the other day. All of you, you're so...gorgeous and I can't believe you're all mine."

"Yeah?"

"You're all mine right?" He asked, kissing back down as his fingers spread your lips and he teased your clit with his middle finger. You whined. "Louder honey, you're all mine right."

"Yes." He sunk his fingers into you and he laved at you, lapping up whatever you gave him. The complex, sweet taste exploded on his tongue, and he pressed in further, further, crooked his fingers till you were panting. "Eddie."

He smirked and backed away slightly, looked up at you with hooded eyes. "Say it again. Give me what I want and I'll give you what you want."

"E-Eddie," you keened.

"Again," he sped up and started shifting against the bed, as he chased his own pleasure. "One more. I'll get you there sweetheart. I'll get you there you just have to ask."

"Eddie please!" He stroked with skilled fingers and used his thumb to rub your clit firmly. He watched as you came. Awed in the beauty of you as you twitched and leaked, luxuriated in the flutter of your cunt around his fingers, and basked in the crescendo of your moans.

All while he rutted quickly and wildly against the bed. He wasn't gonna last--he'd barely touched himself in Steve's body, and he knew Steve wasn't doing any routine upkeep in his--and before long his release spilled as he grunted and groaned. He couldn't help himself, he bit into the plush of your thigh, enough to earn another high pitched whine from you.

You both panted and came down from your highs. He'd kissed back up your body to your mouth, letting you take the affection that you needed with your arms wrapped around his neck and your fingers threaded through his hair. He felt a tingle in his spine as your nails scratched against his scalp, and he knew it was a promise of more to come later, but he knew he needed to clean you up now.

He whispered sweet apologies as he left your side to get a washcloth from the bathroom, and then he cleaned you up first--paying close attention to the scrapes on your hands and knees, then the mix of his spit and your release between your legs. Then he took care of himself, slightly embarrassed as he rid himself of his stained boxers and revealed his rapidly softening cock to your curious gaze.

"Shit," he laughed and looked down himself and then back up into your eyes, so filled with affection. "You know something?"

"What?" you grinned at him, clearly feeding off his joy.

"Steve definitely has a weirder dick than me." You covered your face in your hands and cackled.

"I hate you!" you shouted, voice muffled.

"Noooo," he quickly flopped on the bed and pulled you to him. He peeled your hands back from your face and pressed a kiss to your lips. "You love me.

June 1986

This was it.

Eddie had never been so nervous in his life. Not the first time he performed with Corroded Coffin, or the first time he was the DM for Hellfire, not even the first time he kissed you.

This was the minute that his future would finally begin.

"Edward Munson," Principal Higgins' voice echoed across the football field. Eddie climbed the makeshift stage accompanied by a mix of cheers and applause (and boos from the douchebag jocks who had made his life miserable for the past 6 years).

He shook Higgins' hand and took his diploma, smiling nicely for the photographer that had set up right at the edge of the stage, and when he got a mischievous look on his face, Higgins sighed.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you Eddie," he warned.

"Come on, it's not like you can fail me now!" Eddie snarked and tucked the diploma under his arm, before flashing double birds at the older man. The sounds of the crowd grew louder--parents outraged, students amused--and as Eddie turned to extend the gesture to the crowd, he saw his little audience get to their feet and cheer harder.

Wayne who shook his head, forever amused at his boy's antics. Rick who, quite frankly, looked high as a kite. Gareth and Dave and Jeff's parents, who were there for him and Jeff. Steve and Dustin and Lucas--who had cheered for Robin, Jonathan, now for Eddie, and soon enough for Nancy. Will and Mike were with their families, but Eddie could still see them clapping enthusiastically.

And front and center, next to Wayne with the brightest smile and the loudest cheers, was you.

It was still weird, even after months of getting to be with you as Eddie instead of as Steve. Not bad weird. Better weird.

This was a moment he never imagined he would get to experience. Graduating high school, getting to know you and love you the way you did.

It still felt surreal, but as he ran off the stage amidst hooting and hollering of his classmates and the audience, he knew it was where he was meant to be.

Hours later, Eddie was surrounded by friends, family, and classmates in the Wheeler's backyard, celebrating the momentous occasion of high school graduation.

Wayne chatted with Ted Wheeler and Thomas Harrington, who had in fact offered Wayne a job at the dealership. Their kids newfound and unexpected friendship was a chance to actually talk with one another and Tom quickly realized that his new acquaintance was actually a skilled mechanic. While it took a little convincing on Eddie's part for Wayne to actually take the job, Wayne was actually grateful that it paid a little more and offered better hours than the plant.

Eddie's eyes narrowed as he watched Tom rub his ring finger nervously, the missing wedding ring obvious and awkward, especially amongst a big crowd like this. But no one dared say anything about the divorce or the fact that Mary had been seen around town with Mayor Kline. They didn't even ask Steve how his mother was doing. Everyone welcomed the Harringtons, glad they could make it to the celebration.

Guests milled about, the kids all chased each other around with water balloons, and too many overcooked hamburgers and hot dogs were consumed.

Eddie had his arm around you as you chatted with Nancy and Jonathan about plans for the future. You and Nancy had become fast friends, especially after Eddie returned back to his body and actually took advantage of Nancy's tutoring sessions.

There had been a moment, early on after the swap back into their own bodies, that Nancy had commented on the fact that you were dating Eddie...when she thought you had just been seeing Steve for weeks.

"I'm just worried about him," she confided in Eddie. "We didn't break up on the best terms. He'll always be my friend."

"I think he'll be ok," Eddie assured her. "The two of them are just friends. He doesn't have that many of those in Hawkins. You know, she convinced him to sign up for classes at the Tri County College in the fall?"

"No way," Nancy exclaimed. "I thought he was just gonna be stuck at Family Video for the rest of his life."

Eddie chuckled in recollection, remembering Nancy's disgusted face.

No, Steve wouldn't be stuck in Family Video forever, because Eddie had recently take a job there as an assistant manager to kill the extra time he had now that school was over and supplement that money from the additional gigs Corroded Coffin had earned over the summer.

It wasn't a record deal or a tour...just some local carnivals and fests...but it was a start.

And of course, there was you. With your unending affection and support and bright, shining personality. The you he got to know between high school and his...foray into Steve Harrington-ness only bloomed further under the gentle attentions of him and his love.

You told him things that you had never told him as Steve. You confided in him about your worries for the future, about your struggle balancing school and work, about your ideas and insecurities. And he did the same with you. It was a mutually fulfilling relationship, and one that was full of trust.

And the sex was one of the highpoint of his entire life so far. Not even his Warlock ranked quite as high on the list.

"Hey Eddie!" Dustin called to him and Eddie turned only to get hit in the face and doused with water from a rogue water balloon. He ran a hand over his eyes and did a dog-like shake to get the water from his hair. He glared at Dustin and Steve, who had thrown the precision shot and laughed heartily at his expense.

Douchebag.

Eddie sighed and looked around the party, at friends and family, at the kids, and you, and finally at Steve, who nodded in amicable understanding.

If he never saw Steve Harrington again...what would Eddie do? They'd experienced one of the...weirdest of things they'd ever experience in their lives. And it was something that inexplicably tied them together.

They were friends now.

Who'd have thought.

But, Stranger Things could've happened.

Thank you for reading. <3

#freaky friday au #Eddie Munson x reader #Eddie Munson angst #Eddie Munson smut #Steve Harrington x reader #Steve Harrington angst #Eddie Munson fluff #stranger things fic #Eddie Munson stranger things #Steve Harrington stranger things

[terramythos]

Anyway here's my breakdown of the ffxiv jobs, my opinions on playing each, and the tier rank of how good their story was

TANKS

WARRIOR - warrior is so fucking funny why did they make it able to solo heal itself and the entire party in 90% of the content in the game. Raw Intuition/Bloodwhetting is so broken in dungeons its hilarious. And then they have like 3 additional healing skills on top of that. And they kept buffing it throughout Endwalker. So it is currently the easiest to play, does the most damage (i think...?), and has the best healing of any of the Tank jobs. 2nd fave probably.

Story Tier: C, it's ok, Curious Gorge is a good name. i have like nothing to say about it it's a generic AF story

PALADIN - I used to hate PLD but I think the partial rework they got halfway through Endwalker helped it a lot. It's much less clunky now. Probably still my least favorite Tank though Hallowed Ground is fun and it's pretty close to Gunbreaker for me.

Story Tier: F, this is the worst class storyline in the entire game. It's so stupid. The writing is so bad the writers acknowledge it makes no sense at all and I'm like. Yeah, thanks, I am experiencing this shit. Perhaps write a story that makes sense next time instead of pointing that out.

DARK KNIGHT - Unfortunately this is my favorite Tank 🫡 which is rough since it has the worst survivability out of any of them. But I love how you use MP and the silly number of OGCDs. The Blackest Night is such a fun ability and it's a crime that it's not a baseline skill you get from the start. Why do they have so many DRs that only cover magic damage. I must ask.

Story Tier: S, there's a reason it's the most popular and well regarded class storyline. It's really good, also the only questline I know of that uses the quest log text as part of the narrative. Outside maybe a few of the very late Endwalker quests. And, well... same writer lmao

GUNBREAKER: I think GNB looks cool as fuck and I like that it has 2 DPS rotations. The Gnashing Fang combo is so fun. Superbolide memes are always fun. My main issue with it is a skill issue because I am just constantly misaligning its burst windows.

Story Tier: C. It has some interesting lore but I found it pretty forgettable as a story.

HEALERS

WHITE MAGE: I hated White Mage for a while but something clicked and now I totally get it. I find it fun in dungeons cause you get to Holy spam and stun lock everything. As uh. The healer. That's fun. Once you get Afflatus heals (and then Afflatus Misery) it clicks. It's fun maximizing damage and playing chicken with the tank's HP.

Story Tier: B, you get a lot of lore around the Padjal, and I think the Stormblood story where you find a padjal living in hiding with her mother is pretty good! Also it's not technically the job storyline but there's a WHM side quest to get a unicorn mount? i guess it's technically a CNJ quest but same diff. no one else gets that shit. so that's cool

SCHOLAR: probably my least favorite of the healers... it just feels super clunky. You can tell a bunch of different design philosophies went into it over the years and none of them mesh very well. They've made it so the Fairy Gauge controls literally one spell. Why have the gauge at all? It's also a huge missed opportunity that there's no tie in or interaction with the fae in Shadowbringers. I love the idea of a battle tactician healer but I think it needs a rework.

Story Tier: B+, I liked the characters and its the main way to get backstory and lore on what happened with Nym.

ASTROLOGIAN: While I think AST has a similar issue to SCH (lots of different design philosophies over the years) I find it way more fun to play. I like the card mechanic and how it interacts with the rest of the party. AST is basically the only job that has its own like. Minigame? As part of its rotation. And I know a lot of people don't like the RNG for it but personally I find it fun. I know AST is getting a redesign in Dawntrail so hope it's good.

Story Tier: C? I think? I'll be honest I don't remember it super well but I didn't find anything objectionable about it. And I like the tarot aesthetic and lore and how it's healing based on manipulating luck.

SAGE: I think SGE is tons of fun, I'm not sure if I like it or WHM more. I love all the skills SGE has for preventing damage and the gimmick where your DPS heals someone in the party. Visually the hi-tech laser shooting healer is a lot of fun. IT HAS A GAP CLOSER. The only thing i wish was it wasn't so MP negative and that it did more damage. It's a little sad its DPS output is so low compared to the other healers (even AST when you factor in how it buffs the party). Since SGE is supposed to be a healer that heals through damage it's silly its damage kinda sucks.

Story Tier: A, I loved this storyline. Both the Endwalker job stories are very self contained and interesting. While the twist is pretty obvious it's still an interesting exploration of uh. Scientific ethics. Yeah

PHYSICAL MELEE DPS

MONK: I've probably played MNK the least of the phys melee but I like the whole adaptable combo thing. Not much else to say since I have played it so little. Might bring it back out and try again. It DID have the funniest guide in the Balance discord for a while.

Story Tier: D. I think? I remember thinking it was dumb, lmao. Sorry.

DRAGOON: MAN I wished I liked DRG more. It looks so fucking cool and I like how it interacts with the dragon lore. But I find it very punishing to play. To do good damage you have to align so many different cooldowns... and snapshot your DOT correctly... and screwing one thing up just fucks your DPS output forever. Like AST I believe this is being reworked in Dawntrail so I hope it feels better to play.

Story Tier: C+. I think it starts strong since you get to meet Estinien pre-Heavensward and it melds nicely with that story. But I found it pretty directionless post-HW which is a shame.

NINJA: I remember finding this one fun. I like that there are different combos you do that have varied finishers depending on the situation. I am just... bad at remembering which combo to use to get which finisher, lol. So I haven't played it as much. NIN gets a lot of flavor other jobs don't get with their unique run and jump animations. And you get a Bunny of Shame on your head if you fuck up a combo, which is incredible.

Story Tier: A. The Rogue story is probably the most memorable of the basic class quests. Ninja just has great characters and a fun story. What is with that one guy. Karasu? If you know you know. I also like how the Rogue characters show up later in the Ninja story. That's fun.

SAMURAI: I had a similar experience to WHM here because I initially hated it then really came around once it clicked. SAM seems very complex, it has a ton of buttons and different combos. But it is actually quite intuitive once you figure out the general pattern. And it does INSANE damage. I think it's the highest DPS output in the game? I love building the combos and then doing a huge finisher for a bajillion damage. The guaranteed crits and constant OGCD weaves make me feel unstoppable. I think this is tied with RPR for me.

Story Tier: B+. I found the exiled samurai character and his journey toward redemption very compelling. I won't spoil beyond that. However it does fall apart a little in the second half. Still fun but not as good.

REAPER: I love RPR, the teleportation is a lot of fun, and I love finally unleashing the demon form and going ham on the enemy. The weapons are the coolest looking in the game. Every scythe design hits. I probably played this the most in Endwalker. My main critique is the Death's Design mechanic. I hate having to keep a stupid debuff on the target to do damage. It's like a dot but without the optimized snapshotting. If they want to keep this idea i think it would feel better to change it into something like SGE's Kardia where you apply it to one enemy to do increased damage to it without having to worry about reapplying it. not sure how they would balance this for aoe but that's not my job. But even with that caveat I still really enjoy the job.

Story Tier: A+. While it doesn't reach the highs of DRK's story it comes close. I love the badass old lady main character. Her hunting a voidsent that possessed her grandfather would be cool enough but making her a Garlean exile in hiding who grudgingly agrees to train you just adds an extra cool factor. I really enjoyed this story. As a bonus theres a lot of incidental dialogue in the post-6.0 Endwalker story if you completed the RPR story because it ties in a lot.

PHYSICAL RANGED DPS

BARD: It's a bit clunky, its got some outdated design elements, it has one of the lowest damage outputs in the game... and i LOVE IT. this was technically the first job I ever played? totally different character like 8 years ago. and i was so so bad. I think i am actually pretty good at current BRD. the animations look cool. i like that it's a class you really need to work for and optimize to eke out that last bit of damage. and boosting everyone else's damage by existing is kinda neat.

Story Tier: B. I'll be real I barely remember this but I do remember it was gay as fuck so immediately gets an extra tier for that.

MACHINIST: MCH is really funny right now because like. It's phys ranged, right. The design behind phys ranged is you have 100% uptime cause you can freely move around and not have to worry about cast timers or melee range or anything. So the trade off is that they do less damage than other classes. Endwalker MCH did not get the memo and does insane damage anyway. My controversial opinion is that it has similar burst DPS to RPR. No i will not elaborate. I'm also bad at doing good damage on MCH which is impressive since it is easy.

Story Tier: B+. Some Ishgard noble's gay son wants to build machines instead of killing dragons the good old fashioned way and has to prove himself to get taken seriously. A tale as old as time. See I haven't done this quest in like years but I still remember it. He is a memorable character. It's just not like. knockout wowza compared to the A tier stories.

DANCER: Dancer is the second easiest DPS job in the game behind SMN. So if i am sleepy it's the one I like playing. You play simon says. you do a lot of damage when you play simon says then do almost no fucking damage otherwise. I think it's the lowest direct damage in the game? for a dps i mean. You have high stakes sexual tension with a DPS of your choice via Dance Partner. I wish other DNC players knew how Dance Partner works. YOU CAN DANCE PARTNER ANOTHER DANCER. THE BUFF STACKS. BUT YOU CANNOT DANCE PARTNER THE SAME PLAYER AS ANOTHER DANCER. THOSE BUFFS DO NOT STACK. ok i'm good. anyway

Story Tier: C. there's some shit about negative emotions and purging them? in theory i think this has some interesting implications with Endwalker lore considering Dynamis and its role in the story. Very similar mechanically to what's going on with the DNC story. but i really don't think the writers made the connection so it's like pure speculation and not the actual story. It's meh. fine i guess. i did like all the flashy dancing sequences.

MAGICAL RANGED DPS

BLACK MAGE: I am so so so so so so so bad at BLM. i pull up the guide. i read the guide. it all makes perfect sense. i go into a dungeon or trial or something. somehow i always get like Zeromus or some shit. and i drop Enochian or something and everything goes to shit and i'm yelling and i'm not even like slide casting or teleporting or anything i just run around crying. then i remember i have like 10 more buttons i haven't been pressing and oh god the dot fell off. people play this? for fun? i admire it. apparently they do a ton of damage if you can play it. could not be me.

Story Tier: B? There's some voidsent and Thirteenth lore. all the black mage characters are Lalafell because it's funny i guess. OH YEAH it has like the one named male Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te NPC in the entire game and he's fun. look at this twink:

sorry i don't have anything to say about BLM i am bad at it

SUMMONER: easiest DPS job in the entire game. they redesigned it for Endwalker so it is practically a new job. i have no idea how it played before. but it is super streamlined. maybe too streamlined? it's another one to play if you want to turn your brain off. i like that at 90 you summon The Actual Primals instead of little representations of them. and i like the way your burst phase switches between Bahamut and Phoenix. it all looks very cool. they should add Leviathan as a summon in Dawntrail.

Story Tier: C.. i don't remember a single thing about this questline except you interact with Y'shtola's half sister. i think you go to Cartenau at some point. idk

RED MAGE: RDM is one of those jobs that looks really complicated when you start then you actually play it and it is just super super easy. that being said i think it's really fun. I like balancing the white and black magic gauges. Dualcast is a great gimmick and it feels cool to lob two big spells in a row at something. Dualcast Verraising a chain of dead players is so fucking funny. it's a shame that the existence of Verraise means RDM does shit damage to compensate for its utility. It and DNC just sit at the bottom with BRD barely scratching ahead of them. i think? i don't remember LOL

Story Tier: A, I really like the story and characters. I like that you have a middle-age world weary catboy (catman) as your mentor. and i like that he canonically trained Alisaie too and you chat a little about that. it's a fun story!

BLUE MAGE: what the fuck is a blue mage

Story Tier: ???

#my posts

[callsigns-haze]

Getaway Car

Pairing: Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Y/n 'Haze' Mitchell

Summary: He doesn't love you so you leave.

Based of the song: Lavender Haze by Taylor Swift

Warnings: cursing, mentions of abortion, break-ups, angst

Part 1 / Part 2/ Part 3/ Part 4/ Part 5/ Part 6/ Part 7

The air is cold as it hits your face. The wind was violent, hard to get through as you walked in its direction. You keep walking but have no clue where you're even going. You have no proper destination in mind but you're not going back to that apartment.

You want the cold air to clean your mind, as a sort of refreshment. A shaky breath leaves your lips as you try and turn your mind to something different.

It's proved unsuccessful as your phone starts ringing frantically in your pocket. You never know why this happens, the anxiety that hits. It always stops you in your tracks, leaving you in a sort of paralyzation. It hits you like a wave that brings you under, there's no escape and no exit, just pausing.

You know that Jake is calling you, it could only be him, but you did not want to answer. You take out your phone to see a picture of a smiling Jake on the screen in his plane. You don't want to decline it, that's not your plan at all because he'd know you've seen it. You just let it ring off.

It sends him right to voice mail, where he leaves you a heart crushing message. All about how he's the problem and that he doesn't want you wondering so late asking where you were or at least if you're safe, proposing to pick you up. His voice started to break towards the end and even if you felt so much hatred towards him right now, he couldn't be alone, not in that state.

"Come on, Haze, answer me please!" Jake exclaims at this point, desperately. He didn't want it to end like this, he didn't want you to walk away again. He wanted you to be there with him and give him another chance; a chance where he could talk it out with you. He called nine more times, each lead to being unanswered.

Tears started to well up in his eyes, feelings that he could never be able to explain. Even though you did have an abortion of his child and not tell him, he had no right to act in such a way, not in a way that would scare you off to leave again. He couldn't do this alone, he needed to talk with someone and clearly it wouldn't be you. He had to call somebody else, somebody who would listen.

As Jake reached into his back pocket, his phone rang frantically and Jake hoped it was you, he dreamed of it at this point, but to his disappointment it wasn't. Javy. Perfect timing Man. Right as Jake was gonna call him.

Coyote: 'Hey Man, how ya hold-'

Jake simply cut him off, in milliseconds. He didn't want to interrupt him but he also didn't want to hear Coyote finish his sentence. He had to spit out the information on him.

Jake: 'She had an abortion. My child and she didn't tell me. That's why she left back then. For fucks sakes. I let her fucking go again.'

You see, Javy calling wasn't such a coincidence. Haze asked him to check up on Jake, simply mentioning that the two got into a small, heated argument but this was big time news and it hit Javy like a truck.

Coyote: 'Holy shit man, that's difficult shit, god I don't even know how to put this into words… I'm guessing you didn't take it well.'

Jake: 'I overreacted but she got scared. She was scared of me Javy.'

At that he broke. Shattered like a vase into millions of pieces. Each leaving their own, piercing, sound as it hits. The sons left his mouth as Javy was already in his car to go to him.

Jake cared that you had an abortion, he believed the two of you could work it out. It was possible that you two would manage but now what he cared more for is that you were out in the middle of the night, scared of him, scared of his reactions.

Coyote: 'Jake, I'm nearly there.'

Jake: 'Javy, she was fucking scared of me. She looked like she was in fear of me hurting her. She thought I would hurt her… I didn't want to scare her off.'

-------

The wind was getting more string, more violent with each blow. You wrapped your light jacket around your body tightly. Hugging it into your chest as you stepped on the familiar front porch.

You shook a tiny bit before looking at the light coming through the small window on the side of the door. One knock. You gave one knock agaytge wooden frame and you heard someone rush to the door and once it opened, the man seeing your state was ready to kill anyone who hurt you.

"Princess?" Maverick was confused to see his own daughter so late at his porch, especially with mascara stained cheeks from crying and puffy eyes.

With one word you break his heart. One word which leaves your lips in a shake that could destroy a whole city with it's innocence. Maverick didn't know why you were here, but when you said the word, he easily started adding up the facts.

"Daddy."

Once you say it his arms wrap around you and you start breaking into sobs, hit sticky tears stream from upon your eyes, explain their own stories against your father's chest as he knows somebody hurt you so he had to hurt someone.

------

It's been a week since everything happened and Javy and the rest knew that they had to get Jake up and out of the house. He was miserable, he had a right to be. You haven't answered any of his calls or texts and he even tried emails to get in contact with you.

And you weren't at work either. He looked for you in your office, plan and operations tower, yet you were nowhere to be found. He knew if you saw him you'd still be mad at him but for now your father showed that emotion. He put Jake through hell. Every little mistake Jake made had a big consequences upon him now. One wrong move and your father gave him hell on earth.

Every push-up he has done in the past few days represents how big off a jerk. And at this point even Cyclone and Warlock knew which didn't make life merrier for him.

"Jake, what the hell man, put your game together!" Fitz calls out after their group just lost due to Jake's inability to keep focus and wandered directly onto Mavericks radar.

The two of them walk back into the room with the rest of the daggers where he couldn't even look at them. Everyone knew what was going on and what happened between you and him and gave him those stupid sympathetic looks that he never wished for. He looked down on the floor until Fitz commented, "If this is about that chick of yours mate then deal with it. Her ass was too fine to stay with a guy like you. She'd much rather have some of thi-"

Fitz didn't get to finish that sentence as Jake aggressively lunged himself at him. Thank the lord he was quickly grabbed by Rooster and Coyote or this would really turn into a shit show. Though Jake didn't put this down easily, pulling against the hold of Bradley and Javy, grunting with each move until he calmed down and they let go of him.

"Speak of her like that ever fucking again and nobody will be quick enough to catch me from wiping that pathetic smile of your face."

------

You've been staying with your dad for the last week, the room was yours since the start but none of your things were there. In your car you always had a spare flight suit which prevented the need of you having to go back to the apartment urgently. After all it has been a week and there are several other things you needed and from the work schedules you held you knew Jake wouldn't be there so perfect time to move back out.

You drive you car through the twisted estate as you turn left into a underground garage parking. The button on the left of the steering wheel is to open the mechanic doors for you to drive in and does so. You park in your usual spot and reach for the bin bags in the passenger seat. You weren't packing for a sort of vacation, you were packing essentials and getting out; the rest Bradley and Bob should bring you in around two weeks but you could wait it was no rush.

You sigh, hitting your head of the steering wheel. If you had just bloody told him it would have never lead to this. But now it's to late, most hope is gone and you just had to get in and out.

You step out the car and slam the white door shut. You run to the elevator, which thankfully opens immediately and you hit the button to the third floor.

You swiftly dug through the shared wardrobe, picking out the essentials and stuffing them into the bag.

When you enter the apartment it was a mess, clothes everywhere, blinds closed, groceries unpacked, laundry undone, wrappers all around the TV chair. It looked like a depressive hole. And it was all because of you.

You never wanted to abort it but it had to be done you were in fear of being left alone and now you could see the fear in your own eyes. You crushed the man, no other way of putting it. You hurt him so bad, the apartment looks like a caveman lived here.

You stopped stuffing the black bag and carried it up to the front door. You could've left at that, maybe even should've but you wanted to look around. You knew when Jake was in a bad mood, you'd find him in his TV chair. He always was the person to be found in the chair when things got hard or miserable. You walk into the room to see papers upon the chair, your abortion papers along with the only scan you had of the baby.

It looks as if Jake has read through the papers many times, back and front to somehow believe it was all just a dream, something to change faith in a way. On the other side was a pile of Polaroids of you and Jake together. Happy. Free. In love. It was just a week ago that one of them was taken. So close but yet so far of how it felt.

You didn't know when the tears started but now they slipped violently from your eyes. You hurt the only person you properly loved and left him without a word. You were a monster. You were the reason the man you love, suffers. You had to leave now, you couldn't contain it in you anymore, this was all too much.

"Haze." This couldn't be happening, not right now, you just wanted to leave and get here we go again, in the same position as seven years ago when you were leaving for proper. Javy. He had to always come at the worst times, his way of perfect timing in a way. "Coyote, I hav-"

"Oh shut it Haze, you don't have to do shit, you just fucking leave and now here you are about to leave again, again after breaking his heart."

Strong, hit you right to the core. You were already crying but this was someone finally being realistic with you. Every time something bad happened, you cave and ran. Something your mother passed onto you. She never wanted you, after your birth she just simply left and that's a habit you've only managed to pick up from her. Leaving.

"Y/N, I shouldn't have said that… Please don't leave him again." The desperation in Javy's voice was iconic. It wasn't him we were talking about anymore, yet here we are him trying to get you to stay for a friend. "Haze, don't leave again, please. He lov-"

"No Javy, not anymore. He doesn't love me anymore, not now. He doesn't want me anymore. And it's for the best this time. He just doesn't want me anymore and I don't want to cause more pain."

"He still cares Y/N."

"No Javy, just no.."

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[lillylvjy]

Walking out the door with your bags (part 2)

A/n/// hey!! So here’s part 2 of my lovely highschool au fic here. And I’m sorry if it’s super crappy, I was rushing to get this done and out! But I hope it suffices as I write some new fics (👀) and make up for the angst! Enjoy!

Warnings// kissing, swearing, Wilbur and reader look terrible, food mentions, yelling (??), use of Wilbur’s real name please tell me if there’s anything else please.

edited: barely.

“It’s been a week Aria and he hasn’t talked to me. I think he’s done with me.”

“But that’s the thing Y/n, he’s not! Hell, look at him! He looks terrible.” Aria looked at Wilbur as you followed her gaze.

His eyes were red and swollen from what only you could guess was crying. He had bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep and he could barely keep his eyes open. His mood wasn’t matching his giddy personality. His clothes were all wrinkled and looked they were just thrown on without any attempt of looking halfway decent. He looked like a mess.

He looked like you.

“Aria, that could be from anything! Maybe he got rejected and he isn’t handling it well.” You told Aria as you looked back down at your notes for Biology.

“Y/n-“

“Y/n! You gotta talk to him! He’s become so… bleh. It’s sad.” You heard James say as he sat next to Aria across from you.

“James. I can’t. I made it awkward when I confessed to him and I ruined everything-“

“Holy fuck, you’re that oblivious too?!” You heard Ash say as he plopped down next to you.

“W-What do you mean?!” You stuttered out as you looked up at him with furrowed eyes.

“Ok. I’ll give you the run down. William Gold over there, cannot stop talking about you! And it’s gotten worse since then. And it’s making my brain hurt- no offense!” James quickly added as you looked over at the taller boy. His head was down on the table, his headphones on as he scrolled mindlessly through his phone. He looked up slowly, making eye contact with you, quickly looking back down and hiding his face. You frowned at the sight and sighed.

“But- But he was talking about someone else. He doesn’t like me, so whatever you guys are thinking is wro-“

“Omg- do you hear yourself?! Y/n. Wilbur has been your best friend for, god knows how long. He tells you everything, right?” Aria asked as she looked at you and saw a flicker of realization cross your face.

“He didn’t tell me the na-“

“Hey Y/n. Can we talk?” You heard a hoarse and gravelly voice ask you. You looked up to see Wilbur standing in front of the table. You held your breath as you looked at Aria and saw her motion for you to move. James have you a reassuring nod as Ash handed you your bag. You sent a small smile to all of them and quickly got up, following Will.

He led you to the a small music room with a piano and some other percussion instruments. The same room that you said those three words to him that you’d soon regret saying.

Wilbur sat down on the bench in front of the piano, placing his hands gently down on the keys, and started to play.

You recognized the melody immediately. You always wanted him to learn it, you practically begged him to but he shut it down, saying his “piano skills from 3rd grade have weakened and he can’t play for shit anymore.”

Can’t play for shit my ass.

As he continued to play the sentimental melody that you fell in love with, you began to wonder why he was playing. When he learnt it.

As the piano started to quiet down, signaling the end of the song, you walked up behind him and slowly put the lid to the piano down while gently grabbing his hands, not to crush them.

“What do you want Wilbur.” You quickly winced at how harsh you sounded. You saw his face fall from his relaxed face, forming a frown at the mouth as he furrowed his eyebrows. Tears coated his eyes, making them glossy and shine against the light.

“Um-“ his voice cracked as he held back tears and cleared his throat. “I just wanted to say I miss you and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you in any way. I was in denial of everything. Your feelings. My feelings. And I’m so stupid. I should’ve just told you-“

“Wait-“ you quickly blink at the words he just said. “Your feelings? So you do like me? And you didn’t think to- I don’t know- tell me! Wil. I- oh my god.” You started to pace around the room as you took in everything that’s happened. He didn’t tell you. Even after you told him you loved him.

“Y/n, hey, you’re spiraling. Sit down-“ Wilbur began to reach out to you as your breathing got heavier and your mind fogged up.

“No! No. I need to leave. I- you made me think I lost you! I thought I lost my best friend when in reality you were just too much of a scaredy cat to tell me you liked me back.” You quickly open the door and storm out, Wilbur right on your heels.

“Y/n please. Listen to me, it wasn’t that simple- Can you please just stop and listen!” As you walked out of the building into the cold, rainy outdoors, Wilbur quickly ran in front of you, grabbing your shoulders to keep your stationary as you looked up at him with desperation and hopelessness.

“What do you need to tell me Wil? You’re ashamed that you like me? You’re upset that you actually might like your best friend and ruin everything? Hell, imagine how I feel! Yet, I still did it. I still told you and I’m not a mad at my choice. But the fact you thought you couldn’t tell me you liked me back, is so much more embarrassing for me than anything Wil.” You forced out as your throat quickly closed up and you covered your mouth as tears formed, face cold and wet from the pouring rain.

“No, love. Just listen to me, I can explain. When you told me you liked me, I didn’t know if you were joking or not. And I know, ‘Why would I be joking about that type of stuff’. But once you I saw your face and how heartbroken you were, I couldn’t do anything to help. You were already gone by the time I was going to say something. And when you weren’t at school at all for like, 3 days, I was so fucking worried you were hurt or something. And the time I came over to your house, you weren’t home. So I just decided to leave you alone and knowing that I hurt you didn’t make it any better. And I’m an idiot for not believing you and not telling you how I felt and I’m so sorry and if you can I would love to try this whole thing out again unless you do-“

Before he could continue his hopeless ramble, you cut him off with a cold kiss. Both of your lips freezing from the rain and weather, but not paying any mind to it, being to engrossed in each other. Cupping your face, Wilbur pushed your faces closer together, wanting to feel you as close as he can. Never letting you go. As you held his hands that were on your face, you were quickly reminded of the states your bodies were in. You pulled away, Wilbur whining as you did so, and looked up at him with a big smile.

“As much as I want to continue, we are soaking wet and cold and I also don’t feel like getting sick so-“

“Wanna skip? We can go to my house and order food. We can watch Disney movies or those shitty 90s rom coms you like and drink tea or whatever you want. You can wear my clothes! I know you like them, just as much as I like them on you.” Wilbur swiped the hair that fell in your face. His hand cupped your face as he looked down at you with so much love and warmth.

You shivered a little at the cold skin against skin contact. You laughed and nodded up at him. “Yes please, as long as you don’t start commenting on how badly the actors act or how they got a certain subject wrong. It gets quite annoying.” You poked his chest as he laughed.

“I can’t promise anything. But I can promise cuddles and kisses.” He whispered to you as he leans down closer to you, smiling ear to ear as you leaned up and pecks his lips once more before walking over to his car.

“That’s all you had to say pretty boy. Now let’s go! My clothes are sticking to me and I’m cold and hungry. Three things that make me very upset.” You waited for him to unlock his car that definitely way too small for him.

Once you both made your way into the car, knowing damn well his leather seats would be ruined by the time the water dried, Wilbur started his car and looked over at you. You were shivering as the heat started to kick on, barely doing anything in the old, run down car of his. He smiled and leant over the center console and turned your face to look at him as he leaned in and kissed your lips, slowly and gently.

Neither of you wanted the moment to end, but your stomach had other plans of its own as it started to angrily rumble at the state of its emptiness. Pulling away, Wilbur and you both bursted out laughing. Wilbur finally sat back in his seat, pulling out of the parking lot.

“Ok, what are ya’ hungry for?”

Bonus (oh- oh wow look at this-):

“Holy shit! James get over here!” Ash yelled out as he switched his gaze from his phone to the couple standing outside.

“What is goi- HOLY FUCK!” James yelled as he jumped up and down in excitement.

“You owe me 20 bucks, you know?” Ash’s comment made James stop jumping and instead stare at the long haired boy in anger.

“Why the FUCK did you have to remind me now?” James asked Ash as they both started to walk away from the door.

“Because I want my money I earned for being right, like always.” Ash smirked at James as he saved the video to his camera roll and sent it to the group chat.

“You little sh- wait did you take a video of it all?!”

“Yup.” Ash nodded as he waited for the notifications to start coming in.

“You know, you may die and I won’t help you a-“ james got cut off as he heard a ringtone go off, looking across he table to ash’s phone lighting up with the name:

‘Utter baphoon 🕺’

Ash smirked as he pressed the answer button, putting the phone on speaker.

“Yes?”

“ASH YOU FUCKING BITCH-“

Taglist: @deadphantomsociety @jadeissues @sixofshadowandbone @ezzylikesdabee @bird-shack @z0vamp @gaytoadwithapopsicle @art3m1s-adelia @mcr-pr-fob @romancingdaffodils @swevenne @maarriiii @ella-fella-bo-bella @opheliq (if you wanna be added, all ya have to do is ask lovelies!)

#lilly writes #wilbur soot #wilbur soot imagine #wilbur soot x reader #wilbur dream smp #wilbur x reader #dsmp wilbur #wilbur mcyt #mcyt x reader #dsmp x reader #x reader

[b-ritney]

My Favorites Fics

This is going to be an ever expanding list that I will edit from time to time, I have almost 400 liked stories though so it will take me a while to get through everything!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't be offended if a story you wrote doesn't come up on the list I promise I don't mean to leave anyone out I LOVE all the stories I've liked and the writers, and I tell my IRL friends about your writing ALL the time!

I will write next to each thing what it is :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Take The Edge Off by @ohcaptainstains : SMUT

This is soooo good it's one of the first fics I read when I got really into this community and I was immediately hooked.

Aftercare by @dazed-nymphsss : FLUFF but mentions smut

Another really sweet one I read at the beginning of my obsession, I read it while I was overnight dog-sitting for my grandma's neighbor and I just remember the dog giving me the weirdest looks when I was giggling and kicking my feet.

Gentle With Me by @swingsuckerswing: SMUT

Reminds me of a movie I just can't figure out which one though.... I just love how Eddie is so sweet about the whole first-time thing.

he's gentle when he wants to be by @munsonussy: SMUT

LITERALLY, I DIED "Is it okay if I touch you baby, or not yet?" SUCH A GENTLEMAN AHHHHH

something extra by @luveline: SMUT

It's the way he so sexily explains what he's gonna do to the reader and asks if it's ok and everything, we love a respectful man UGH actually though it is so so so so good.

Eddie loves on anxious reader drabble by @bambimunson: FLUFF

As someone who struggles with an anxiety disorder this type of love and affection would make me want to hold onto that person and never let them go sooooo sweet!

Shy! reader joins hellfire by @luveline: FLUFF

THE ENDING BRUH I kid you not I cried, having a friend like Eddie would be so special. Who gave him the right to be this charming and adorable!

Aftercare w/ Eddie by @silkscream: FLUFF with mentions of smut

I'm a fool for the giggly, loving afterglow when nothing else matters but the 2 of you. This is *chefs kiss*

Right Here by @upsidedownwithsteve: Fluff but with *sMuTtY sPicE*

Shit you not I probably come back and read this at least once a week... I think I'm jealous of the reader lmao, The shotgunning is... *bites knuckle* so so so so sexy.

Eddie holds your hand while he eats you out by @manicpixiedreamcurl: SMUT

If one day someone ever loves me for real, they better hold my hand like this.

Systematic Oppression by @fierce-writer Guns n Roses Meme

They would absolutely do that, also LOVE your profile pic Myles and Slash kick ASS!

Period Sex w/ Eddie by @ddejavvu: SMUT

Some people are just lucky I guess UGH we love a bf how doesn't mind getting a little messy haha seriously though Im in love with this lmao

Size kink with Billy Hargrove by @tommydarlings: SMUT

I love the whole thing but the NSFW part *bites knuckles again* my intimidation kink is really making itself known rn lmao

Bi-Billy I'm Nervous by @smolkiwi98 : SMUT

I resonated with this one so much, my virgin ass still goes crazy re-reading this all the damn time. The reader just sounded so much like me lmao but LIKE when he's still a little mean when she tenses up HEHEHEHE I'm a SLUT for that shit.

FACESITTING W/ EDDIE by @forourmoons: SMUT

I'm what society considers plus size sooo I've always been hesitant to even indulge myself in this topic, but HOLY SHIT, this fic is so cute and encouraging, while also being nasty af. Like me LMAO JK JK

Baby, Kiss Me Quick by @upsidedownwithsteve: SMUT

Call me sweetheart again I dare you! ..... no seriously like call me sweetheart again hehehehehehe (Have you ever heard sponge bob say "I loOOVVEE ITTTT" bc that's what I sound like rn.)

Ice Cube request by @sunflowersteves: SMUT

Listen.... don't knock it till you try it, that's all I'm gonna say. LMAO seriously though this is again *chefs kiss* (PLZ DON'T TRY THIS UNLESS YOU'VE TALKED TO LIKE A DOCTOR OR SOMETHING, just keep the ice on the outside unless you know what your doing...)

Stick & Poke by @idkmanijustwannawrite SMUT

I'm just jealous of the reader honestly, I'm a whore for that shit, also is it weird that I like the feeling of being tattooed... the whole experience is like a challenge to see if you can take it or not... OMG I just learned something about myself LMAO

camera shy by @bowerquinn SMUT

excuse me while I *swallow my whole fist* it stayed up until 2am reading this one a while back.

Babysitter x Steve by @mypoisonedvine: SMUT

This was like a gateway drug for me into the universe of STEDDIE X BABYSITTER fics which is currently my all-time favorite trope. It's so good omfg.

Angst writer Meme by @thedialup

Lol the cheeky little smile on the stick figures face is accurate as hell too, they know they are channeling all that internal rage and turmoil into a masterpiece lmao.

The "Yes" Policy by @pinkrelish Mix of Fluff/SMUT/angst kind of

This series has 7 PARTS as of right now, when I tell you it's good it's fucking GOOD, the way the tension slowly builds between the reader and Eddie is so... for lack of a better term *tAntAliZinG* I LOVE IT.

Boys On Film by @corrodedcorpses SMUT

This writer... y'all this writer, she is F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C this is also a series that is so FUCKING good.

June Baby by @luveline Mix fluff/angst/ idk about smut I haven't finished the series yet.

Ok, so this series consistently made me cry in the best way. Something about Eddie just being so good to this young single mom made me emotional, so so amazing.

Soft Sex with Eddie by @wroteclassicaly SMUT

This makes me involuntarily shake.. like a constant state of anticipation the intimacy is OFF THE CHARTS. I loVe iT

Rumour by @msgexymunson SMUT

This..... I don't even know where to start.. not only has this series been giving me actual life the last few weeks but I JUST KEEP COMING BACK TO IT... listen, the dick piercing? masterstroke my friend, well done. take a bow honestly. *clap* *clap* *clap*

Love Me Deep by @tastefulstars SMUT

These men have a choke hold on me right now... why is it that the idea of being helpless between them turns me on so much lmao. Maybe it's like the unintentionally filthy, dirty talk they do, idk lol.

The Sheep by @newlips SMUT

It's the tattoo's for me *drooling*

Shy reader x Rockstar Eddie! by @lucasnclair FLUFF

The cutest... this is basically what I want from my future rockstar husband. I will come back and thank this writer when I print this story and hand it to my husband as a BLUEPRINT lmao (don't worry I'll make sure I credit you haha)

Paparazzi by @tiannasfanfic FLUFF/ SMUT/ ANGST

I apologize for the language but good FUCKING god this fic made me feel all the emotions. This writer's talent is unbelievable! I will say I love how you made Eddie's publicity wife the actual baddest bitch ever, we love a powerful woman who helps those in need.

How They Comfort You by @dazed-nymphsss FLUFF with some innuendo

Love the whole thing but when Billy says, "You wanna go for a ride?" THE FACT THAT HE LITERALLY HAS NO POSITIVE EXAMPLES IN HIS LIFE AND HE IS STILL DOING THE BEST HE CAN FOR HIS PARTNER MAKES ME FERAL

Taking Steve and Eddie At The Same Time... by @indulgentlyinclined SMUT

The way this kept me up at night for 3 days straight. I- am drooling

Steddie X babysitter by @imjuststeddietrashatthispoint SMUT

I could go on for FUCKING WEEKS about this currently 2 PART series.... It is my current obsession and the topic of every conversation I have with my irl friend I read fics with... I almost stayed awake through the night when I stumbled on this one... like I was giggling so much I had to keep stopping and starting lol... literally so good.

Pretty Sounds by @eddiethefreakkmunson SMUT

Can you imagine if this was reality though... Axl Rose is on his fucking knees, Eddie would be his god.

Sitting on Eddie's Amp by @corrodedcherry SMUT

Thank you for giving yet another reason to love dirty ass rockstars... I've been perched on top of a live amp before lmao.... listen... like I said before, DONT KNOCK IT TILL YOU TRY IT

Eddie's rings while he eats you out by @niceboyeds and @munsonology SMUT

But can you imagine though UGH

Inked Eddie x reader x steve by @muertawrites SMUT

Again with the tattoo thing, I LOVE the feeling of being tattooed so I don't relate to the reader's physical pain BUT BUT BUT I can relate to wanting to be in her exact position every time I read this fic, AHHH the jealousy is TOO REAL lol

Approved by @writingdumpster SMUT

I can't wait to make my parents this angry lmao, this is soooo *spIcY*

As You Wish by @corroded-hellfire SMUT

I'm biting my knuckles again seriously like this is sooo damn hot. Thank you for giving me life with another Babysitter fic UGH

weekend storm by @wroteclassicaly SMUT

You're a wizard Harry, seriously this is *MaGic*

Enjolras eats mad revolutionary pussy by @ceriseheaven SMUT

When I tell you I showed this to everyone... *bites knuckles* the part with the corset... you're a GENIUS! also..... THE FRENCH

I'm In Control by @justmeinadaze SMUT SMUT SMUT

Every time you update I giggle with excitement. This series blows my mind in the best way ugh

Helping Hands by @daddyreid SMUT

The way this has invaded my thoughts every day since the first time I read it... round of applause for this author.

Easy Like A Sunday Afternoon by @newlips SMUT

My friend and I read this together during the intermissions of a hockey game and we both screamed at the part where he protects her head WE LOVE A THOUGHTFUL CARING MAN!

Baby, as if by @carolmunson SMUT SMUT SMUT

OK be warned if you are not into dark toxic mean Eddie then you might want to be very cautious, but FOR ME.... my panties evaporated LMAO are we okay?! hahaha

Perv Eddie Eats Your Puss while you sleep by @corrodedcherry SMUT

... imagine having like a sexy dream and then waking up and it's for real happening ummmm.... hehehehe (consensual of course)

Eddie spits on your pussy by @ceriseheaven

Take a bow queen bc this is a masterpiece, when he, "need another taste baby, you'll give it to me?" LMAO my mom goes "Why the fuck are you screaming." This is absolutely one I'll come back too, I'm sending this to the girly group chat as we speak.

[bubbleteacat]

Welp, took a while eh? ^^ I swear I lost motivation at some point but after people commented/messaged me, asking for part 2, I somehow got the motivation back to write this. ALSO I just noticed that no one said a word in the last drabble... let's say the last one was just... character introduction... yeah. NOW HAVE FUN WITH PART 2

Trigger warnings: Stalkerish behavior, violence mention, yandere behavior

[ See here Part 1 ]

You slept in the next day, mostly because you could use the sleep, and didn't intended to stream that early. If the power was back on that is. You still had to get grocceries before though. So, after rolling around in bed for a few more minutes, you finally got up and immediately went to check if the energy was back. And as you had hoped, everything worked perfectly again! Seems like you will have no problems to get live later! While you poured yourself a bowl of cereals, and shoved some inside your mouth, you looked through the news to see if there was any information about the blackout from last night. To your surprise there wasn't really any information. Just some news that the cause of the blackout was not clear, so they just said it probably was a simple technical error. How annoying. A simple technical error was the reason you couldn't stream. Wonderful.

After finishing breakfast, you got dressed, and went outside to the groccery store. It wasn't to far away, so you saw no reason to take the bus. You also had no car, but why should you get one anyway? You could walk to your job, and to the groccery store, and if you needed to go further there were always busses or the subway you could take. Besides that, driving sure was exhausting in the city. You silently walked in the direction of the store, not really paying much attention to anything as you were thinking about what you could talk about with the stream later. But you were suddenly ripped from your thoughts as a somewhat... eerie feeling creeped up your back, and made you suddenly stop in your tracks. It's the same feeling from last night when you went home. Like someone was watching you. It honestly wasn't the first time you had noticed such a thing. People had watched you before, but mostly because they had recognized you from your streams. You guessed it was just the same now. Even if this feeling was more... intense than the times before. You looked around, trying to find the source of said feeling but... there was no one staring at you. None of the people you saw on the street were looking at you. And as soon as you had looked around, the eerie feeling had disappeared again. Perhaps you had just imagined it. So you shook your head a bit, and continued on your way to the store. Perhaps you were still tired... You should make some coffee before the stream.

Your trip to the store didn't took to long, and soon you were back on your way home. You have around an hour left until you decided to start the stream, so you had to hurry a bit if you still wanted to eat something before you start. On your walk back to your apartment something caught your eye though. A small group of people, around your age or slightly younger, stood around someone on the other side of the street. You could hear how energetic they spoke. Was there someone famous around or what? It certainly seemed like it by how excited those people were. You craned your neck, as you passed by them on the other side of the street, to see who they were talking to... and you immediately stopped in your tracks. Oh. My. God. That was a Hank cosplayer! From Madness Combat!

"Holy shit! They look amazing! Uh, I wish I could take a pic."

You mumbled to yourself as you eyed the man in the middle of the group, who looked a bit confused from one person to the other. Maybe they hadn't expected that so many people would recognize the character? But the cosplay was amazing! The googles, the coat, the sword on their back, and just everything was just like how they had made Hank look like in the trailer! That's one really determined cosplayer, in your opinion. But you sadly didn't had time to cross the street, and try to take a picture with them. It would take to long, especially with all the other people around who probably had the same idea like you. A shame, really. But perhaps you see them again at the next game convention! So you hurried along, but not without looking one last time at them... just to notice the 'cosplayer' was staring at you. It was kind of strange, but you didn't thought to much about it. Perhaps they knew you from your streams. So you simply smiled at them, before continuing on your way home.

--------------------------------------------------------------

You smiled at him. Hank immediately recognized you. The Player. His Player. Of course he would recognize you. He had stared for hours at the pictures of you that they had taken from the Auditor's office. And you simply smiling at him had the grunt rendered speechless. He could not move, not shout out to you. Everything around him disappeared, and the voices of the other people around him seemed suddenly so far away. You must have recognized him as well, otherwise you would have never granted him a smile like this, right? Maybe- Wait. Where did you go? The mercenary suddenly snapped from his dreamy state, and frantically looked around just to find no trace of you. Where had you gone? Why haven't you come to him? Roughly, he pushed some people, of the circle that had formed around him, out of the way, not caring for their complains, before making his way to the other side of the street where you had been standing a moment earlier. You couldn't have gone far. If he hurried up, he surely can reach you! And while he did choose the right direction in which you had walked off, you had already had disappeared into your apartment building... by which Hank rushed by, and down the street in a frantic attempt to find you again. But he couldn't find a trace of his player anymore... So he just decided to go back to Doc and the others to tell them about his encounter. Perhaps Doc has an idea how to find you again. So the mercenary returned to their new hideout in this world. The moment they had entered the world all of them had noticed that it was so different from Nevada. The colors, the residents. There were also beings in the sky, and also basically everywhere that they had never seen again. So, given that they were also very different from everyone, and everything here, they had decided to set up a base that is a bit more hidden. And they had immediately found something that should do the job. An old run down building. It had been boarded up, and it seemed like that no one had entered it since years. While it hadn't been perfect, it was fine for the time they stayed here. While they looked for you. The Auditor, and the other Employers, had entered this world as well. So they had to hurry finding you before they did.

Hank entered the building through the cellar door, that they had entered the place the first time, and went immediately to Doc's new office. Well, 'office' was perhaps a bit exaggerated. It was just a room with a few computers, some medical equipment (all that they had totally not stolen), and a few very old beds. Earlier when Hank had been here, everything had been still full of dust. Seems like they had tidied the place up pretty quickly. Surely with most of the help from Sanford. And the moment the mercenary had entered the room, Doc immediately started to lecture him. Ugh.

" Hank! Where the hell were you? I told you not to go out until we gathered more information! You- "

" I saw the player... "

That immediately made the other shut up, and just stare at Hank for a moment, before he found his voice again.

" WHAT??? Where?!? And why aren't they with you? "

He asks, fearing for the worst already. What if the Auditor had found you before they did? What if they-

" They saw me, smiled, and left... "

Wait, what? 2BDamned just stares at Hank for a long moment through the googles his mask. Confused but also relieved that nothing that he had imagined had happened. Apparently. Still, how could Hank have lost them so quickly? He was fast! Had he been sleeping or what? The 'doctor' let out a tired sigh, not even in the mood what kind of excuses Hank would make if he questioned him. At least they know now that the player was near. He was about to ask where the mercenary had seen you as Deimos and Sanford rushed into the room, with Deimos holding a laptop that he had snatched for himself.

" DOC!!! You need to see this! "

Deimos spoke, and shoved the laptop onto 2BD's desk, knocking over some things, but didn't seemed to care about that all to much. And as Doc came over to scold him, and be more careful... he stops in his tracks as he sees what was on the devices screen. A website was open. A streaming website. And there you were. Idly chatting with your chat, smiling, and apparently you were alright. Doc was taken aback given that it was the first time for him to see you move around, and not just in a picture. The others were also entranced, and did not say a word as they just stared at the screen, and listened to your voice. But Doc was the first one to rip his attention from the screen.

" Hank saw them earlier as well. "

" WHAT " " WHAT "

Deimos, and Sanford called out simultaneous, and looked at Hank who just huffed, and kept looking at you on the screen.

" Yes. He lost them, but at least we know now where they could be. The Player can't be to far from that place where he saw them. Deimos. Can you somehow hack into that system, and track where they are? "

The Hacker gave a sharp toothed smirk at that, and immediately sat down on the laptop to start to track your IP, and your exact location. Wouldn't be the first time he had done such a thing. But usually they killed the person he tracked.

" Sure, Doc. On it already! "

While Deimos worked on the laptop, they let the stream run on one of 2BD's screens. Though instead of doing anything productive, the others kept watching the stream, and you. Until the Hacker announced that he had successfully tracked your location. But instead planning about how to approach you, they kept watching your stream... until you went offline, and to bed. Just then they actually started to plan how to approach you... on the next day already. They really wanted to hurry up, and get to you first. If it was because they feared that the Employers got their hands on you first, or if it was just their own desire to finally meet you is debatable though.

--------------------------------------------------------------

You surely had a blast at the stream yesterday. Sure, you did apologize to your chat that you hadn't been online the previous day, but they were quick to reassure you that it hadn't been your fault. You had also a few very generous new followers. Funny though that one of them had a name that is obviously from Madness Combat. They did donate a very high amount which had made you almost cry. You surely are getting that cool new headset, that you got your eyes on for some time, with that money! You got a bit earlier up that usual this morning. You had to work this night again, and wanted to stream again later before you had to head out. As you walked into your kitchen, to make you once more a bowl of cereals... you noticed that you finshed the box yesterday, and forgot to buy new ones when you went to the supermarket. Great. You really wanted some cereals right now... Maybe a short trip to the store again won't hurt? So with an empty stomach, you got ready for your short trip, before leaving your apartment. Not knowing that your vessels had also already went out to finally meet you. They were approaching your place from the direction in which you walked to actually. From where you had seen Hank for the first time. You didn't noticed the group that slowly approached you, and suddenly halted in the tracks when they laid their eyes on you, because you were more paying attention to your phone. Until you were standing almost in front of them. Just then you also stopped, as you felt eyes on you, and looked up from your device... just to stare at them as well. None of you said anything. Them because they clearly had no idea what to say, and you because you were amazed to see such accurate cosplayers of your favorite madness combat characters. After a few seconds passed, you opened your mouth to say something... but suddenly flinch heavily when a black car stopped right next to you and the group with screeching tires.

Confused you looked at the car as the doors opened... and two men in suits got out... But something immediately seemed off about them... They had sunglass but.

Where are their nose? Or ears? Their skin was also weirdly gray? They really did remind you of these agents in-

And then they pull out some guns. You gasp in shock. And suddenly they open fire on the group, and you.

#yandere madness combat x reader #yandere madness combat #my writing #tw yandere #madness combat x reader #again I did not prove read so have fun :) #also as always reblogs and critism are very appreciated <3 #except me taking years for this

[riality-check]

part one part 2

Eddie doesn’t like the look on Steve’s face.

The thing is, Steve doesn’t get angry, not really. He gets annoyed and he gets frustrated and he gets petulant, but he doesn’t get angry.

But now? Steve looks like he’s barely holding himself back from screaming. Eddie hates it, and he hates himself for being the one to make Steve look like that.

Eddie doesn’t like the look on Steve’s face, but he might hate the look on Nancy’s even more.

She’s staring at Steve like she sees the secrets of the universe in his face, and they’re too awesome and terrible for her to comprehend.

He moves to put an arm around her, but she, as expected, brushes him off. She always has to be in the right mood for something like that, and Eddie guesses that sitting on her ex-boyfriend’s bedroom floor at ass o’clock in the morning because Eddie asked her to - well, he doesn’t want to think about it, not when it still has to happen - doesn’t create the right mood for Nancy to be hugged.

He can’t really hold that against her.

“I shouldn’t have sat down,” she murmurs at the same time Steve says,

“Eddie, I heard the clock, too.”

“What?” he says to both of them.

Steve answers first. “The clock in the hall? It just got fixed, and it’s, like, super loud when the house is quiet. I heard it go off right before you got out of bed.”

Oh.

Oh no.

Eddie doesn’t know what to say, not to Steve, who’s messing with his hair in the way he does only when he’s about to lose his shit, and not to Nancy, who’s taken to frowning at the floor.

He weighs out his options and comes to a pretty obvious conclusion.

He nudges Nancy gently and says, “False alarm, Drew.”

She doesn’t crack a smile. She doesn’t even look at him.

“I shouldn’t have sat down,” she repeats, a little louder and more certain.

“What difference would that have made?” Steve asks, sounding a little hysterical. 

Yup, Steve is definitely on the cusp of losing his shit.

Nancy turns to Eddie. “I should’ve gotten you up and moving and talked to you on the way to the woods. Then, we could have figured out it was a false alarm without anyone else around.”

“Nancy,” he says. “It’s okay. We’ve got nothing to worry about. I’m sorry I made you sneak out.”

“No,” she says, finally making eye contact. Her eyes have always been a little unnerving to Eddie. They’re objectively pretty and fit her face well, but they seem old. They see too much.

“It’s not okay,” she continues. “Because if it wasn’t a false alarm, then we could have had a problem. He could have taken you again. You would have gone through it again. You could have hurt someone. And I decided to sit with you and say nothing instead of figuring out if it was real and then doing what you asked me to.”

“What does sitting down have to do with it?” Steve snaps.

“Because I hesitated,” Nancy snaps back.

Silence falls, and this might be the first time in Eddie’s life that he doesn’t feel the need to break it.

Doesn’t matter. Nancy does it for him.

“I hesitated,” she repeats, and oh. Oh shit.

She sounds close to tears.

Nancy Wheeler, close to tears.

What the fuck is this night?

“I’m not supposed to hesitate,” she says, quietly but with conviction. “I don’t hesitate. I figure it out, and I do what needs to be done. That’s what I do.”

“Nancy,” Eddie says softly, pointedly ignoring Steve’s expression of abject horror.

“That’s why you asked me, isn’t it?” she challenges.

Eddie thinks back to getting out of the hospital. Of not going to Steve, or Dustin, or even Wayne first. 

Of going straight to Nancy goddamn Wheeler. They weren’t even on a first name basis then. But Eddie knew he needed ruthless, bold, good Nancy Wheeler for two different favors: be a second set of senses, and - well, he still doesn’t want to think about that.

But Eddie asked her because Nancy wouldn’t lie or sugarcoat anything. She’d figure it out and get it done. Without hesitation.

Eddie can’t look at her, so he tells the floor, “Yeah. It is.”

“Holy shit,” Steve breathes.

Neither of them pays him any mind. Eddie feels bad about it, but Nancy needs him more, and he needs her to understand.

“I shouldn’t ha-”

“You need to ask someone else to do it,” Nancy says. “Because I can’t.”

Steve rests a hand on her arm. This time, she lets it stay.

Eddie wants to tease her about playing favorites, but now is not the time.

“I can’t do what you asked me to, Eddie. It’s why I sat with you. I was trying to prolong the inevitable, and if it wasn’t a false alarm, it could have gotten all of us killed. You need to ask someone else because I can’t do it.”

She ducks her head down and whispers something so low that Eddie almost doesn’t catch it.

But he does.

“I love you too much,” she whispers.

Oh, shit. He’s the biggest asshole to walk the planet.

Eddie knows she means it in a purely platonic way, but that’s what makes it hurt more. Nancy’s already lost one friend to the Upside Down, and she told him that, for the longest time, she blamed herself.

And he asked her to lose another, at her own hands.

What the fuck is wrong with him?

part 4 part 5 final part

ao3 link

tag list: @ashwagandalf @novelnovella @ladyapplejackdnd @silentiumdelirium @resident-gay-bitch @brassreign @starrystevie @henderdads @greyhoundsgirl @thegingerrapunzel @seths-rogens @questionablequeeries @miss-hit @edmunsn @readbythestarlight @scooby-dum86 @deehellcat

#ria writes #smin au #part three of six #eddie munson #nancy wheeler #steve harrington #steddie #platonic stancy #platonic eddie munson and nancy wheeler #stranger things #stranger things ficlet #st #st ficlet #steddie ficlet #angst #i hope y'all are still with me

[catherinekal]

Hello! :3

Names Catherine but Kalazar or Kala also work as well.

Pronouns: She/Her.

Age: 31

Sexuality: Pan, but with a preference towards anything and anyone feminine.

Current Profile Pic by: @Joseph_LFrog on Twitter

10 months HRT

Minors not allowed. Will be blocked. Sorry just how it is since I'll be posting lewd eventually

Feel free to DM me if you wish. Always happy to meet and talk to new people.

I'm a transwomen who was finally convinced to make a Tumblr. My main focus here is 1 part be a thirsty horny little gremlin, 1 part talking about mental health stuff, and 1 part talk about cool art.

I do take mental health stuff seriously and will be talking a lot about it as someone who's life has been fucked over by it more then once. I'll be talking a lot about life with depression, borderline personality disorder, and dysphoria. As well as topics I'll have to spoiler (is that even possible on Tumblr?) due to their sensitive nature. Steps one can take on how to deal with having them as well as how best to help friends you know who suffer from them. Add some good to the world and hopefully help people not make the same dumb mistakes I've made. Seriously BPD is awful to have.

When I'm not talking about more serious important things I will probably be thirsting over cute people and being a lewd horny KeyjklfjdklsSmashiing little sub :3

Kinks: Haha uuhhhh a lot. Honestly when I enter hyper horny mode I can be very open to many degenerate things. Growing up on Hentai really opened my mind to things and I have no shame. I tend to be more submissive, but ironically have dommed more transwomen despite that (seriously some of you are so fucking submissive like holy shit)

I like bondage, BDSM, edging, being pinned down, pain, petplay, watersports, handholding, and well honestly be easier to list things I'm not into. Also fun fact having my face sat on temporally cures all mental illnesses, bet you're therapist won't tell you that secret tip. Seriously that's like number 1 kink right there. So if you have a cute butt then get comfortable right here :3

Things I'm not into: I guess blood, scat, and things like drugs or fireplay. Anything illegal or non consensual. Beyond those though just ask, I'm probably into it or willing to try.

Other interest: I enjoy video games, typically more single player stuff as I'm shit at games. Big into manga and anime though I rarely watch/read new ones lately. Got back into reading a bit when I can. Dabbled in all kinds of art, but nothing stuck yet. Maybe I'll share past work? I think a lot about game design and mayyyy be working on something that may or may never exist. My musical interest range from things like Atarashii Gakko, Alt-J, Susumu Hirasawa, Clipping, and yes of course, Death Grips. That and whatever music I find through AMV's. In general I love media and like to seek out odd lesser known things when I can.

Favorites:

Films: Memories of Matsuko (haha like anyone knows what this is), Confessions, City of God, The Dirties

Anime Films: End of Eva, A Silent Voice, Made in Abyss Dawn of the Deep Soul, Redline

TV Shows: Sopranos, The Leftovers, Lost, Great Teacher Onizuka (1998 version)

Anime Shows: Hunter X Hunter, Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo (God the Count can fuck me any day)

Video Games: Outer Wilds, Wind Waker, Shadow of the Colossus, Omori

Albums: Amarok by Mike Oldfield (Probably the most odd thing I have on here), Hawaii: Part 2, Splendor and Misery by Clipping, Pale Machine by Boen.

Books: House of Leaves, The First Law books (only read first 4 so far)

Manga: Oyasumi Punpun (favorite piece of media of all time btw. Banner pic is from there), Berserk, Ouran High School Host Club, Boys Run the Riot

I will be talking about cool media and recommending shit often.

Art, mental health, and a lotta lewd will be what's posted here so if that interest then stick around. :3

Oh and feel free to ask me questions. No topic is off the table with me.

#bio #favorites #pronouns #I spent more then a hour on this

[bomberqueen17]

car shopping part 1

ok i had capslock on when i started typing this and i startled myself, lol. i am. a bit tired and punchy. BUT. All hail my lovely middle-little sister, who volunteered to come take me to car dealerships last night.

Here are my extremely scientific notes on how that went, so that I can narrow down my car choices for definitely for sure:

1) Honda: we went to a Honda dealership, and my mom has a CR-V which I've driven and it's... fine, so I tried the HR-V, which is smaller. The sales guy immediately without asking was like "here you want this one" and had me test-drive a used 2020 model-- low mileage, nice car, but used. "Won't be here in a couple days tho, act fast," he said, and gave me his card. I'd told him this was the very first car of my search and I wasn't in a hurry. He didn't show me anything new, or tell me about anything new, but did say there were often quite long waits for new cars. Gotcha. Like, I'm not mad, but I'm also not going to pay $23,9 for a three-year old car when the current year's model is $24k. You know? I don't care how long the warranty is.

2) Subaru: we went because it was right there. Wandered around the parking lot. Crosstreks look... lower now?? somehow?? than mine? Much lower, don't know why. Specs said same ground clearance but. I'd have to look up what the specs were in 2014. Sales guy came out, asked if we wanted to see anything. M-L said I should try the Forester, so I was like sure, why not; one of the farm workers has a 2020 Outback I figured I'd ask his opinion on, and actually the part time veg helper guy has a recent Outback too, so there's no shortage of those around. So I test-drove a Forester. And like. I hadn't even got out of the parking lot and the guy was like, all casual, "so how's the visibility," and I really looked around and was like holy shit okay i can see through time so I really liked it. It was a higher-end package (had a huge sunroof, i actually really liked that, i'm a shallow bitch i guess) and kept trying to nanny me about leaving the lane on the winding back road but the guy reached over and pressed the button that disables that and it stopped yelling at me, which was great. Anyway. I did not expect that. M-L and I theorized about what kind of guy I'd be to be a Forester guy. "A middle-aged wealthy lesbian with a lot of large dogs," M-L said, and I was immediately depressed to realize that only one of those things is actually applicable. I have no wife and no large dogs. These are major failings of my life. But. I mean. We don't always end up the person we thought we'd be when we were nineteen.

3) Then we got to the Ford dealership, and a guy named Joey was like "ay what's up," and i listed the cars I was interested in and he was like "i can't get those or those but I got Broncos, let's go see one" and walked incredibly fast out into the parking lot without looking like he was hurrying, seriously it was eerie how fast he walked while looking like he was just ambling, and he led us to a "cactus gray" Bronco Sport, said "you wanna try this one? aight hang on" and went back into the building. I was like uh sure, we poked around the parking lot, and then he came back, handed me the key, was like "yah you two go for it, you know the roads around here? yah go see if you like it, I'll be here til eight." and off we went, slightly bemused. But yes, we were quite near M-L's house so she led us around a winding path. The Bronco's hood takes up rather a lot of the view out of the windshield. I raised my seat, which helped slightly. I could not find the right edge of the car and kept straying over into the shoulder. It was so boxy. The visibility out of the windows wasn't fantastic. But it had a lot of zoom and handled all right. Not terrible. I'm not a Ford Bronco guy I don't think, but I liked the Ford dealership folks, they were funny.

The sales manager came out and talked to me briefly and was like "well i mean how many cars are you looking for" and i was like "i have a spreadsheet" and he was like "a what now" and i got my phone out and showed him the spreadsheet Dude made and he was like "your guy is something else" and i was like "i mean, he sure is", and I did feel better about not being a wealthy middle-aged lesbian with large dogs if this is what I have instead but like. I mean. The road not taken etc.

"take notes," M-L said as we got home (after i bought her a sushi dinner bc there was a place right by the dealership and also i wanted sushi), and i was like "yah ok" but this is my notes. i'm sure i'll be able to make sense of them later.

#car shopping #about the author #real life

[apomaro-mellow]

Steve’s Disappearance Part 2

Eddie is pacing about the living room, debating whether it’s better to get takeout from Lucy’s favorite place or attempt to make her favorite meal. He’d never managed to do it right since Steve’s disappearance but maybe tonight was the night.

The phone rings and it’s Lucy. She’s not at Noah’s anymore but at Ashley’s, having an impromptu sleepover. He should’ve asked to speak to Ashley’s parents, make sure his daughter wasn’t imposing but he knew she never would. He should’ve made her come home anyway because they had things to discuss. But Eddie was clinging to any sense of normalcy and if his kid wanted a spontaneous sleepover then by all means. It wasn’t like the funeral was happening tomorrow.

Lucy was indeed over Ashley’s house and they were using her mom’s computer to look up any news from Hawkins that involved gang activity.

“There’s nothing!”

“So it’s like Noah said? Maybe they were at a weird costume party?”

Not satisfied, Lucy broadened her search for anything of note happening in Hawkins. The way her dads had talked about it, it was like a one-horse town. If something big went down, it’d make the news.

There was something about a mall burning down, that seemed unrelated. A laboratory admitting involvement with the accidental death of a teenager, and a slew of gruesome murders. That was her father on the front cover.

“Holy shit”, Lucy gasped.

Ashley shushed her.

He had joked about being accused of murder for years. It was always a joke! A joke! But there it was in black and white. He was eventually found innocent but Lucy understood now why he never wanted to go back.

“This is it. Someone had beef with my dad because of the murders he was suspected of. So they went took out my other dad as revenge.”

“I guess”, Ashley said. “But what are we supposed to do?”

“I tell my dad I know everything. And that I can help with the investigation now.”

“You think he’s gonna let you solve a murder? Not even your dad is that cool.”

Lucy knew she was right. And lately, she could feel her freedom slowly shrinking. Like he was afraid of something. “What do you got for bus money?”

“Barely anything and I’m not getting on a grubby bus this late. It’s like you never watched those stranger danger PSAs.”

Lucy did. She just found it ridiculous that EVERY adult you didn’t know was out to get you and yet somehow most of them looked like Uncle Wayne.

“Then we gotta call in a favor.”

Honestly, this person wasn’t even her first pick. The first was Uncle Dusty who indulged her so much he helped her make an actual rocket for the science fair. The fire had been worth it. But he lived out in Utah.

“Hey, Brittney.”

“Luce? It’s like 9 pm. Oh god was I supposed to babysit you tonight? Shit!”

“No, no, I just, I just wanted to talk, maybe ask you something.”

“Oh god. Here it comes. I’ve been waiting for this day. Lucy, you’re so strong but you shouldn’t bottle up your emotions like you’ve been doing and I want you to know that I’m here to help you through your fath-”

Lucy stops Brittney’s rambling. She didn’t call to talk about that. She called to ask her favorite babysitter to drive her and her friend an hour out to Hawkins. Now that she thought about it, it was odd her parents didn’t move farther away, if they had such a dark past there.

Brittney is hesitant, it doesn’t seem like a good idea to drive two preteens past dark to a town she’s never been in and the deal doesn’t sweeten anymore when Lucy says they’ve gotta get Noah too.

“Look, I’ll convince my dad to pay you extra each time.”

“.....I don’t know....”

Ashley takes the phone and says she’ll convince her 9 months pregnant mother to take her on as a babysitter when the infant arrives. Considering how loaded the family is, Brittney snaps at the chance. And so Lucy and Ashley pretend to turn in and sneak out, right to Brittney’s car. After picking up Noah they’re on their way to solve the mystery.

Eddie is watching a late night movie, feeling the typical bout of loneliness creep in and considering getting a pet when the phone rings for the third time that night.

“I must be Mr. Popularity today”, he says when he answers.

“Haha, I’ll ask what that means later but uh, this might be kinda serious, Eddie”, Robin’s voice is trembling as she speaks.

“What’s up?”

She asks if Eddie has seen one of the photos they looked at a couple days ago. The one with the four of them posed up.

“I’ve been looking and looking and it’s so iconic and I don’t have another copy so I was hoping it might’ve fallen under your couch or something cause we were absolutely blitzed that night like it was on the edge of irresponsible and-”

Eddie lets her go on as he searches all through the living room, the only place they would’ve had the picture. But it’s nowhere to be found. He tells Robin as such.

“Ooookay, so there’s an incriminating photo of us floating around. Don’t know what it implies but it can’t be good.”

“Maybe Nancy or Jon took it by accident?”

“Do you think maybe Lucy has it? It’s a pretty cool pic of her dads.”

The thought made his blood run cold. If his daughter ever found out anything about their past without someone to explain the whole thing. What would she think? What would she do?

“What are the odds that she tries figuring out what happened to Steve on her own like it’s a mystery?”

Robin reminded him that his little girl got nearly daily lessons on anti-heteronormativity, how capitalism was killing America, and how pitting marginalize people against each other only served their oppressors.

“Shit.”

“You might have a junior detective, Eddie.”

“Well, she’s not doing any investigating tonight. She’s at a sleep over.”

Robin didn’t say anything and then asked if Eddie knew about it beforehand. He answered no. She asked if he had spoken to the parents. Also no.

“Shitshitshit!”

“That’s what you get for raising a mini-rebel.”

#apo writes #fanfiction #stranger things #steddie #these are fun

[healerelowen]

Okay, so I just finished watching a play-through of Poppy Playtime chapter 3 and um

I have a lot of thoughts/pos

Btw, I don't support MobGames or anything in that nature. I just like the game for the story and cool characters.

Rant under the cut + Spoiler warning

My first thought is I love this chapter. I do enjoy the story telling while still being able to add more horrifying visuals that still are realistic in the world of the game. Especially with the whole 'dream hallucination' thing, which allows them to get creative.

Second, CatNap is so cool. I think he only says one line of dialogue and it's pretty hit or miss depending on whether or not you're listening. But that's why I liked Huggy Wuggy so much as an antagonist in Chapter 1. Huggy doesn't say a single word yet still manages to be perceived as threatening. CatNap is similar, in which he doesn't say much because he doesn't need to. Also purple cat, cool heckin design.

Another thing I like about CatNap is that people knew he was going to be the antagonist, he was always seen as a threat prior to the release of Chapter 3, but in the moment of seeing him in action, it pulls the rug from right under you. And I think that's really neat and it does a lot to establish how terrifying CatNap actually is.

Who the heck is Ollie. I mean, I don't hate him, and the name does ring a bell. But I'm not sure if I can recall an Ollie anywhere in the Poppy Playtime story pre-Chapter 3. Maybe it was in Project playtime somewhere and I missed it. But yeah, mysterious character I guess.

Umm, didn't really like Miss Delight that much. I mean, she works in the narrative of having a school at the PlayCare and the whole Bigger Bodies Initiative and what not. But I feel like she could've been more provoked or maybe get a little more of her character. Though there is more than one according to the tape showing The Hour of Joy, so that's probably the reason. It's fine I guess, I just want to see less filler characters going forward, if any at all. Some fleshing out of formerly introduced characters would be interesting.

Dogday, man. It honestly makes me feel so bad for him. Like, from what we can gather from what he says, the Smiling Critters all collectively agreed that the Prototype wasn't really okay with them. And CatNap, seeing that as protest, either did what he did to Dogday or potentially worse to them, or even maybe just straight up killed them. And that's so sad to think about. Also his whole bit actually unnerved me quite a bit. Usually I'm not disturbed with stuff from Poppy playtime (i.e what happened to Mommy Long Legs in Chapter 2), but that was the first time I got an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach.

One hell of a final fight holy shit. CatNap just going full out truly shows that he knows what he's doing, he knows who you are, and we don't have any other mention that CatNap has done that with any other Playtime Co. employee. It's very deliberate, and I like it. Also his death is brutal. All of them are, and Dogday definitely got the worst of it, but holy shit man. Looks like Huggy, if he is dead, got a more merciful death.

I mean, yeah he fell after hitting a bunch of pipes, but also we don't know if he's dead or not. Mommy Long Legs had a pretty gruesome death, being grinded up alive by a machine while knowing that if you die you'll become a part of presumably the Prototype is quite the troublesome death. I already talked about Dogday and how disturbed I was with his technical death. CatNap's was surprising, because it wasn't an 'if he was going to die', it was a 'how he was going to die'. And um, yeah being electrocuted, set ablaze, burnt to a crisp then stabbed in through the mouth by the Prototype will do it. Though I would like to see more of CatNap and Mommy Long Legs in future chapters, they're definitely my favorites.

Kissy Missy, oh my lord. The sounds of her screams from above the lift was so upsetting. I love Kissy Missy, please don't let her be doomed by the narrative please I'm begging I can't take the emotional turmoil.

Those are most of my main thoughts, though I will say more if people want to hear me talk about Poppy Playtime some more.

#rant #i love talking about lore #so fun #love ranting #yippee

[irrelevantnostalgia]

5. Cake Mania: Lights, Camera, Action (2011)

*Previously on Cake Mania: Main St*

It’s been a while! Throughout this entire cake mania saga I’ve applied, got accepted into, and started medical school. If I’m gonna be honest, this was not even the biggest contributor as to why the Lights, Camera, Action review took forever (I’ll get into another reason later). But I finally finished, and I’m ready to review! 

🄿🄻🄾🅃: Pregnancy is the milestone in Jill’s life that is the center of this next Cake Mania game. A game that represents the entirety of her pregnancy would be pretty boring (I would still play it) and at this point they can honestly tack on literally any kind of plot to go along with Jill’s pregnancy. I mean, she’s been to the moon and in Antarctica in Cake Mania 2. She’s time traveled. There are no rules to contain Jill and her journeys. This time, we are going to be dealing with..

A movie being shot in Bakersfield. Directed by...Michele Be. It is going to be a Pride and Prejudice remake with martial arts starring Tiny as Mr Darcy. It will additionally feature: explosions, aliens, a yeti monster, angry dwarves, and ninjas. It’s very lol-so-random-xD, very in-tune with the time that the game was developed and released. Bakersfield is being overrun by all kinds of interesting characters associated with the shooting of the movie. Eventually, it turns out that Michele Be is an evil fraud of a director that treats has cast and crew like dogshit. Risha is the one who saves the day and directs the movie in her own way.

This game is also repeating the set-up that Cake Mania: Main St has, which is welcome by me. Risha has ditched her stepping stone plant nursery and is now running a business that is more in line with her passions--a boutique. Since Tiny is one of the leads of the movie, we aren’t following his sushi restaurant. Now, we get to go through Giorno’s Pizzeria.

🅆🄷🄰🅃'🅂 🄽🄴🅆

No drink station: The drink station did not make a return this time around. I’m not sure why, I didn’t mind the addition of it and thought it was a nice break when things got crazy. This is just a guess on my part, but there is a new addition to the cake-making process that made its debut, and maybe they got rid of this to make room for that. 

Equipment breaking: Holy SHIT this is so annoying. The first time this happened was when I finally had enough money to upgrade my snail green oven to the slightly faster purple one. Literally the worst feeling on the planet……which is a welcome addition by me. This introduces conflict that breaks the monotony of the game once you become ultra mega gold standard equipment, where the angry and/or Blue Bubble customers become a minor nuisance instead of ruining the whole level. This also does not occur randomly, as it always occurs once you finish a certain level and the opening screen for the next level is Jack admitting to causing it. Speaking of Jack...

Fruit Station: Jill cannot run around like she usually does and now has let Jack take control of operations, which was a risky move, but what business runs without risks? So while Jack is wreaking havoc around the bakery, Jill is sitting in a corner running the fruit decoration station. This game is not going to let you get away with clicking one button to add fruit to the cake, no. Instead, to add fruit to the cake you have click on the cake in a set pattern. 

The equipment: There really isn’t much to say about them, just that I don’t know how I feel about the designs. They feel friendlier and more approachable, but they have less swag than the ones from Cake Mania 3 and Main St. 

Here is the final set up for everything ^_^

Risha’s Boutique has a similar “fruit station” where customers can request their clothes to be put in a box with a pretty bow

Risha’s Boutique and Giorno’s Pizzeria have the same general format of the Burger Barn and Sushi Restaurant from the previous game. But let me tell y’all...I could do just about anything and beat a Cake Mania level with the superstar goal. I could move as slow as that damn green equipment and make a surplus of like $400. These two games? If I do not sit in the right position, move my arm 0.00005 m/s slower than what is ideal, and pause for 0.0007 seconds to look at the screen to figure out where to click next I am not even going to make the bare minimum goal to get to the next level. Every move has to be perfectly choreographed in order to beat the level. At least with Giorno’s Pizzeria the ingredients are splayed out so you can easily click on what you need. In Risha’s Boutique, the clothes the customers want will be the tiniest little “shirt” hidden between the jackets that are puffier than the average New Yorker’s and you will just have to angle your cursor just right to click on it. So you would think that Giorno’s Pizzeria was a breeze, huh? 

Right?

Well, wrong. 

Now...I pride myself on being a good Cake Mania player. I pride myself on being a tenacious one too. I am willing to play a level 60 times in a row to ensure that I do not leave the game without a 100% rate of achieving superstar goals. This time though.....I had to raise my white flag :( 

Here is Level 18 of Giorno’s Pizzeria. Broke my streak and everything. This shit literally killed a large part of my soul. Had me tweaking and shaking and crying all at once. Once I hit $473 mark I just couldn’t do it anymore. I’m not sure how I pulled this off besides rapidly clicking on the TVs to keep all customers with a maximum number of hearts (thus, maximum number of tips) AND IT STILL WASN’T ENOUGH.

Level 18 is the reason why it took me so long to upload this review. This time last year, I was well on the way to finishing this game until I got to this level. I just couldn’t beat it, I would be like $20-30 off from the superstar goal most times, which is fairly significant in these two businesses, and when I was still $7 off after giving it my all I was seething.  I will not bullshit y’all, the sheer butthurt I felt at not being able to achieve the superstar goal made me take a long, loooooong hiatus from finishing it. And of course, life stuff. However, towards the end of this past semester I picked the game up again, and decided to clear all my progress and restart the entire game. I still didn’t get the superstar goal on day 18 of Giorno’s Pizzeria, but I was able to get it for the rest of the levels. I’m fine with this, I guess (no I’m not). 

But in all honesty, even with me being a dramatic sore loser (just guess my zodiac sign from this) one of the biggest factors I look for in these games is ways to keep it engaging and create some challenges. So I really cannot be that mad that Giorno’s Pizzeria made me work for that Superstar goal. With the cake-baking portion of the game, the monotony is inevitable even if it gets delayed with some new approaches to the recipe of the game. The kooky customers are annoying and do create troubles, but what will a Yeti that pisses everyone off really do when you have gold-standard equipment, high-speed TV, and unlimited distraction cookies? With Risha and Giorno’s games....YOU are the oven and the cake froster.  Each new upgrade you get is just keeping track of more and more possibilities that customers can throw at you. Especially Giorno’s! With Risha, only the most recent clothes collections get featured while old ones are thrown out. By the end of Giorno’s Pizzeria, you will have an entire produce aisle to keep track of, the customers will want every leafy green on their pizza, AND you will have to put that shit on them in order. Your cursor will be forced to move all around the screen. 

Another factor that had me seeing red during Giorno’s is that some of the dishes (like the pizza) would STILL have to bake after you compile all the ingredients 

I know, strange thing to complain about, but hear me out. In all of these games, you want the customers to get their orders and gtfo as soon as possible so you can fit in the maximum # of customers and thus get the maximum number of funds.  It’s why strategically upgrading equipment is so important in the cake-baking parts of these games. When it comes to Giorno’s Pizzeria, it already feels like an eternity gathering all the ingredients for an order. Longer than clicking a few buttons to make a cake. But then, on top of that for a pizza or lasagna you have to wait additional time for it to bake, and then have to wait on the damn customer to do their stupid emote before leaving!! After all of this, what do you get for an order? $40, maximum

Anyways, here are the low paying cheapskates themselves.

🄲🅄🅂🅃🄾🄼🄴🅁🅂

♥Ballerina♥

Favorite TV Show: ANTM

Omg this is so Lana Black Swan Coquette ^_^  

♥Lola Fierezza♥

Favorite TV Show: World Cup

She is That Girl. Because she is That Girl, the moment she steps in and reveals her order, every other customer changes their order to match hers. The Regina George effect. There would be whole levels dedicated to her recurring appearance, and it was fun figuring out how long I should delay handing the menu to her. There is an art to it!

Farmer

Favorite TV Show: ANTM 

Average Customer over the age of 50

Favorite TV Show: The Orange channel. I couldn’t think of a witty name for it so I’m just referring it by the button color on the TV 

He comes in with a stank attitude, so we’re already off to a great start. It takes maybe a few seconds and then he starts swinging his axe around, which causes customers to leave. Ruining your business in the process. They should have AXED him from this game!

♥Cameraman♥

Favorite TV Show: ANTM

Before you hand him a menu, he’ll film the customers in line which will increase their hearts. I feel like something like that may produce the opposite effect, but I suppose I am living in a post-TikTok world where the sight of someone filming me without my permission would turn me into the above customer

Little Kid

Favorite TV Show: Food Network

That’s so Raven 

Favorite TV Show: Food network

In a world filled with Blue Bubble Demons....the game devs decided to give us a character who is actually going to see the pearly gates. Psychic Sheila will use her crystal ball to automatically reveal the order of subsequent customers. It’s like Medieval-level power-up in Cake Mania 3, except we get an entire character who performs this task. I thank her for her service 

Me in the Future if I Become a Superhero

Favorite TV Show: World Cup

Meet Super Cat Lady. She turns people into mimes. Kinda lame, would be better if she turned them into cats. Maybe that’s not actually me in the future...

Mime

Favorite TV Show: Food network

Mimes pair up together in a line.

Biblically Accurate Naruto

Favorite TV Show: ANTM

Another Blue Bubble repeat customer. Ninja does exactly what he did last time make your job harder attack people with smokebombs and make them freeze in line.

Firefighter and Stuntman

Favorite TV Shows: ANTM and Food Network

I putting these two together because it is pretty funny. This doesn’t have much consequence for the gameplay or anything, but a stuntman and firefighter being in line together causes the firefighter to hose him lmao. 

Sad Sack: Chicken Edition 

Favorite TV Show: Orange Channel

Only the most Noble Knight

Favorite TV Show: ANTM

He’s such a good and noble knight. Such a gentleman. He demands to be served before everyone else so that the other customers can have more time looking at the menu ♥ such admirable behavior

Yeti

Favorite TV Show: Orange Channel

He is a double whammy. Not only does he piss people off, but his ass has the nerve to freeze people so they are stuck in place. Pick *one*, jackass! 

Klepto Kelly

Favorite TV Show: ANTM 

You Know, she looks really nice and snazzy. Her outfit must cost a lot *and* she’s ordering expensive cake. I wonder how she makes a living? Oh yeah, she steals from you, that’s how. 

Tiny: Our Leading Man!

Favorite TV Channel: Orange Channel

Another customer who helps you out instead of making you wanna tear your hair out. He orders multiple times, just like he has been doing in the past games!

Risha: Our Debut Director!

Favorite TV Channel: World Cup 

Jack: The dumbfuck

He is typically an endearing Himbo, but in these games......🙄........so you already know that in Risha and Giorno’s games you need to be ON IT! Well, when he walks in, the momentum that I would build up throughout the level would be thrown off because now I would need to use my peripheral vision and WAIT on the proper item to show up in his bubble before I could hand it to him and clear out another space for a proper customer. What’s more infuriating is that in Giorno’s level he would only “order” a single ingredient so I had to expend energy looking out for him only to receive $17 in return. And YES, he appeared in Level 18. Ugh!!!

♥Jill: La Reina del pastel♥

I hope the Duolingo lessons are paying off. 

Also I never figured out their favorite tv shows. Probably because I didn’t need to haha.

🄼🅈 🄾🄿🄸🄽🄸🄾🄽: I mean hey, what can I say? I can’t get too mad about them repeating a good recipe a second time in a row. I really enjoyed the Main St formatting, and think repeating it one more time to experiment with different kinds of secondary games is alongside adding more “Jill lore” is not a bad idea. Cake baking game is a classic and they basically maintained the formula that everyone knows and loves. The equipment breaking was a nice touch to create more “conflict.” Even if the secondary games (especially the damn pizzeria) made me cope and seethe, I didn’t hate them. In Main St, the Burger Barn and Sushi Restaurant were easy as shit and I beat them with very little struggle. These games, on the other hand, made me work a little bit more for the superstar goals. I don’t mind the more relaxed environment in some of  Main St’s secondary games, but as I expressed many times before, I appreciate a good challenge that keeps my on my toes (disregard the long stretch of temper tantrum I had about level 18 of the pizzeria). 

I give this game a ⓕⓡⓔⓢⓗ rating on the tomatometer! 

Now onto the choice screenshots!

When I saw this shit, I actually keeled over. Jack predicted family vlogging in 2011. 

*sighs* 

I love Risha talking about “high couture” and then the collection of clothes we are introduced to look like they are from JC Penny. 

Look at all of them slayinggggggg. The artstyle here is so pretty I love it. 

I will not lie, there were way more screenshots I could have gotten. I couldn’t though, because for some reason this game only works in full-screen. I tried changing my desktop resolution and everything, and the game still wouldn’t budge and I had to play this game full-screen. Which meant. One screenshot per every time I had the chance to play. Let me tell you, each and every screenshot featured in this review I got was very, very strategic. I never put so much brain power in determining when I want to get a screenshot of the customers in my life. 

After everything, here is my trophy room. 

Well, at least it doesn’t look like I’m missing a trophy from not being able to achieve superstar goals for all the levels in Giorno’s Pizzeria! 

#cake mania #cake mania lights camera action #2000s nostalgia #early 2010s #old web #pc game #time management #childhood nostalgia #childhood game #nostalgia

[spacehostilityy]

Okie well I can't shut up ever so I'm going to compile my thoughts here on Tumblr as I rewatch nnt fom the beginning !! Also pls feel free to scream and/or rewatch with me👉👈👀

Kinda long so more thots below the cut

Season 1, episodes 1-6

I forgot how good the writing and animation are in the first season, like they truly thrived under aniplex😔 the brief white blood period in I think season 3 shows us just how good we had it

I love seeing Hawk and Meliodas's relationship, and his star Boar earring😭 plus having the Boar hat as the main location is just so comforting !!

Also I JUST realized his name is hawk because of a ham hok😭😭 this is like when I realized toe mater's name was tomato at the ripe age of 18

I miss the holy knights being powerful. Like I get that the Sins are always more powerful than them, had a long way to go in terms of power ups, and meliodas straight up had most of his power sealed but like DAMN. They were so cool in season 1 !! Gil was such a badass😭 I guess I just wish that the holy knights powered up along with the Sins

Seeing the very first episode got me thinking about the original pilot Manga (chapter 0) and how cool it might have been !! Like I love the story we got, but I do think those versions of Mel and Elizabeth maybe would have been better than the ones we got😳 like I just really like Meli's original design, I feel like he looks a bit older, and chapter 0 Elizabeth is simply superior ngl. She's funny, brave, and assertive - a lot more like Liz and goddess Elizabeth, except funnier

The first half of season 1 has one of my fave intro and outros like damn I forgot how fucking cool they were. Some of my fave songs to !! (my all time fave is def howling from season 3 part 2 (i think lol) tho)

Like look how cool this is !!! It reminds me of this pic from the manga

Speaking of intros, I miss the title cards !! Like look how cute this is !!

Everytime the fiddle (?) Music plays I get SO FUCKING HYPED BRO like damn Ik it's through all the seasonal and I'm so glad it is because it's rlly the perfect hype song - here it is on Spotify

Also Gil is such a badass in early episodes, I love his strength !! This moment is the fucking coolest and you can't convince me otherwise

Overall, I think the attention to detail is just better, the sounds the armor makes, the animation and drawings (esp background characters), Meliodas just sounds a bit older too (and I have theories on his voice here if u want them 👀)

The whole perv thing is really exhausting really quickly. Almost surprised 14 year old me made it through this as the 2nd anime I ever watched and the 1st I watched alone

I feel like Diane got shorter through the seasons. Like she doesn't compare to Hawk Mama like she did in season 1, and I think that's a damn shame. Let my giant girl be giant !!

She's also a decent bit more violent and I enjoy that thoroughly. She's just a silly goofy kween😌

Also her original costume is superior, her boots are just👌

Just realized that Meliodas was like an older brother/mentor to Gil and now they're brothers in law 😭😭

Also young Elizabeth and Gil are so cute😭 I always forget that they grew up together too

I love Hawk, but I feel like kicking him would just be so satisfying 😔

HOLY SHIT I forgot how badass Ban is when weren't first introduced to him !!

The humming while impaled and bleeding out he really is that girl tm

He's such a masochist. A damn if it isn't kinda hot.

Wow they really introduced Diane's body issues and then almost never bring them up again

Also my plus size Diane headcanon is so real like damn. Body issues girlies are being represented by her fr😔

Ban's slutty waist. That's it. That's the thot.

Also his pre series hair. First season reminding me why I love Ban sm

Lowkey miss the dragon handle sword. The broken blade was so cool:( Lostvayne still cool tho

I think it's so funny how they always wore their armor as holy knights, and yet anytime they wear armor in the present time line, it just immediately cracks off😭

Really anything except pants is going to be blasted off🤪

Okay SO in episode 5, when Ban is about to get his scar from the dragon handle sword, he tells Meliodas "you and me have been hanging together for a lot of years now." This scene takes place 12 years before present (bp). Does this mean Ban and Meliodas were friends before the formation of the Sins? Or was Ban the first after him and Merlin? Ban has been immortal 20 years BP, leaving 8 years in between present and the flashback. 8 years before this scene, Meliodas was still in Danafal/Danfor and would be for another 4 years. What does any of this mean? Idk, just thot it was intriguing lol.

Also how did I not notice this is the first time we see demon!Meliodas !! Baby's first sighting as an unnatural creature with otherworldly rage🥰🥰

Also the fact we never see the scar Gil gave him again lol. Plus him presumably needing to do demon mode so hellfire can heal him is actually rlly cool

Just thought about how Elizabeth laying her hand on his chest to check the scar was the first time in years his love touches him with gentleness or concern🥲🥲

The fact that it took me 6 years to realize that when Meliodas says he'll keep the promise he made to Elizabeth, even if she should die is referencing the promise he made to her originally to break their curses🥲😬😤😭😭😭😭

6'11 Ban thinking that he even had a chance in fitting in Jericho's armor is just so... him

Diane calling Elizabeth kiddo is so fucking cute🥺

Also they definitely get away with a lot more innuendos and swears. The words badass and foreplay in the same episode? Impressive

#tess rambles #rewatch nnt with me #I'll be making this a series and organizing soon #seven deadly sins #7ds #bandit ban #nanatsu no taizai #nnt #ban nnt #meliodas #melizabeth #melban #diane nnt #gilthunder #season 1 #manga #anime #hawk nnt #7ds fanart

[theyaresogay]

Willow memes I found on Pinterest that I cackle at (I’m just to going keep adding to this)

one

Kit: Man it sure is dark in here…

Jade:

Kit: I'm not scared or anything.

Jade:

Kit: I mean, who is afraid of the dark these days, anyways?

Kit: Not me. No sir.

Jade: …Do you want me to hold your hand?

Kit: Yes please.

two

Elora: Start with some light flirting, okay? Subtlety is key.

Kit, nodding: Sure, I can do that.

—Later—

Kit: Hey, Jade! High Five!

*they high five*

Jade: Okay?

Kit: *interlacing their fingers* I'm in love with you.

Jade: *smiling confusedly* What?

Elora: *face palms*

three

Kit: *does something ridiculous*

Jade: Great, like I needed to get anymore attracted to you.

Kit: ... What?

Jade: ANNOYED. ANNOYED BY YOU. That’s what I said.

four

King Hastur: So, Queen Sorsha, what is your daughter like?

Sorsha: Well, she's-

Kit: Full of sass with a really cute-

Sorsha: Kit!

Kit: ...Lass. *winks at Jade*

Jade: *smitten eye rolling*

five

Graydon: Why are Kit and Jade sitting with their backs to each other?

Elora: They had a fight.

Graydon: Then why are they still holding hands?

Elora: *shrugs* Kit gets sad when they fight.

six

Kit: Mom, I understand now why you arranged a marriage for me. As a princess, and heir to the throne, it is my duty to form alliances to protect our kingdom.

Sorsha: I am so happy to hear you say that. I know it's a great sacrifice, and I am so proud that you are willing to go through with it.

Kit: ...And since Jade turned out to be essentially a Bone Reaver princess, I decided to marry her.

Sorsha: .....

seven

Elora: Do you ever want to talk about your emotions, Kit?

Kit: ...No.

Graydon: I do!

Elora: I know, Graydon.

Graydon: I'm sad!

Elora: I know, Graydon.

eight

Kit, joking around: When are you going to go out with me?

Jade: I don't know, when are you going to ask me?

—Later—

Elora: AND YOU JUST RAN AWAY?!

Kit: I DIDN'T EXPECT HER TO FLIRT BACK!

nine

Elora: Every family has a gay cousin

Kit: I don't have a gay cousin

Elora: Maybe you're the gay cousin

Kit: Holy shit, I'm the gay cousin

ten

Madmartigan: Kids, I'm sorry I had to leave, and wasn't there for you both growing up. I an so proud of the people you have become. Kit, you are one of the finest, bravest knights this world has ever known. Kit: Thanks, dad.

Madmartigan: And Airk... you've got great hair, son.

Airk: (overcome with emotions) Thanks, dad.

Willow: Really?

Jade: He's always had really low expectations.

Elora: Tell me about it. Before we started dating I once gave him a cupcake I stole from the kitchens. He thought I'd made him a birthday cake. He cried.

eleven

Elora: I give up. I am so tired.

Kit: Get the emergency supply!

Jade: *carries Graydon and places him in front of Elora*

Graydon: *smiles*

Elora: AND I’M BACK BABY, LET'S GOOO

twelve

Airk: Hey, Kit? Can I get some dating advice?

Kit: Just because I'm with Jade doesn't mean I know how I did it.

Kit: *turns to Jade looking curious* How did I do it?

Jade: I think it’s definitely the hair.

Kit: *smuggly smirking*

thirteen

Kit, messaging Jade at 2 am: lmfao

Kit: guess what?

Jade: Bitch, with the way you live, I have no fucking idea.

fourteen

Kit: Look at that! The statues smirking at me.

Elora: You’re right, that’s weird.

Boorman: It’s art, it isn’t weird.

Graydon *turns to Jade*: Why isn't the statue smirking at me?

Jade: It isn't smirking at anyone, they're all just imagining it.

Graydon: Three of us saw it, Jade. How do you explain that?

Jade: *points at Elora* Sleep deprivation, *points at Kit* Severe paranoia, *points at Boorman* Delusional personality disorder.

fifteen

Kit: Let's watch Sharkboy and Lavagirl.

Jade: Okay.

kit: And make out during the scary parts.

Jade: Th-

Jade: The scary parts.

Jade: Of Sharkboy and Lavagirl.

sixteen

Jade: You know what I learned from years of being friends with Kit?

Graydon: There's no such thing as too idiotic?

Elora: Never let your friends know for sure if you like them?

Boorman: Always hold a grudge?

Kit: I don’t know what you learned, but I learned to never steal your socks.

seventeen

Airk: Oh you travelled across most of the known world and nearly died multiple times to reach me? What a wonderful treat! Oh, those guys who've been trying to kill you the last few months? They're fine, don't worry about them, they're my mates. They still want to kill you though. Let me give you the most awkward hugs in existence and be really creepy and spacey then start spouting the most cultish speech ever.

Kit: What are you on?

Airk: Wyrm's milk.

Kit: Forget I asked.

eighteen

Elora: Sonetimes I drink milk straight out of the container.

Kit: The cow?!?!?!

Elora: What?

Jade: Elora, W H Y?

Nineteen

Kit: *Kicks the door down looking panicked*

Jade: What did you do?

Kit: Nobody died.

Jade: WHAT KIND OF ANSWER IS THAT?!?

twenty

Kit: Jade, you deserve an award for putting up with me.

Jade: You are my reward, Kit.

[meanwhile]

Boorman: Scorpia, you deserve an award for putting up with me.

Scorpia: Hell yeah I do; you're a real bitch sometimes. Scratch that, all the time.

#jade claymore #kit tanthalos #elora danan #graydon hastur #thraxus boorman #sorsha tanthalos #willow 2022 #memes