Steve had blacked out. All of his senses had dwindled to nothing but blind rage. He was lost in a sea of darkness, and all he could do was breathe. And with each breath he took, he began to return to himself, began filling in the missing puzzle pieces of what had just happened.
Steve breathed in and smelled the crisp cold air, shortly before snow or a cold rain, and Steve breathed out.
Steve breathed in and tasted the quickly souring aftertaste of the strawberry milkshake he’d shared with Robin, and Steve breathed out.
Steve breathed in and heard the high pitched ringing in his ears, the echoes of a spat “freak” reverberating in his head, and Steve breathed out.
Steve breathed in and felt the stinging of his knuckles, the weakness after a heavy exertion traveling up his arm, and Steve breathed out.
Steve breathed in and saw the beautiful angry red trickle down Jason Carver’s face, soaking the front of his white shirt, and Steve breathed out.
Ah. Steve was caught up now.
Jason’s eyes flashed with what Steve first mistook as anger. Steve breathed in and braced himself for another big drawn-out fight that would end with him unconscious.
And Steve breathed out and only then recognized that flash in Jason’s eyes as fear.
Steve smiled, a big toothy grin, and let himself chuckle at the broken little sound Jason made as he backed away.
“Don’t you ever. fucking let me see your face again, Jason. I will break it in two.”
And just like that, Steve saw Jason walk away.
Steve turned around to see Eddie, Robin, and Dustin standing in a semicircle, not a single closed mouth among them.
It was a long moment before anyone said anything, but it was Dustin who piped up first, with nothing but a simple “dude.”
Steve let Eddie drive the Beemer, Robin excitedly rambling instant replays as Dustin wrapped Steve’s hand in the backseat.
Dustin was dropped off first, with a “See you in the morning, badass.”
Robin was dropped off second, with a “Remind me not to piss you off.”
And then Steve moved to the front seat and stared at his hand, clenching and unclenching it, feeling the pain shoot up his wrist, the pressure of the bandage feeling good, like it was holding him together.
Eddie drove them to Steve’s empty house, neither boy breaking the silence that was so loud, the trilling guitar and shouted lyrics couldn’t even drown it out.
Eddie put the car in park in Steve’s driveway, staring ahead for a long moment before pivoting in his seat to look at Steve’s hand.
“Steve?”
“yeah?”
“You good?”
Steve breathed in.
Steve breathed out.
And Steve told the truth.
“No. Honestly, no. I can’t fucking stand it anymore, Eddie, I don’t know how you do it.”
Eddie knew what he was referring to. “You uh, get used to it?”
“No. I refuse.”
“Well damn Steve you can’t go punching the entire town. What will you do when the next person is an 80 year old woman? You gonna hit an old lady, Steve?”
“If she deserves it.”
Eddie shook his head and barked out a laugh that was definitely not a laugh. “So you’re really looking forward to that prison time, huh?”
“If I deserve it.”
Eddie threw his hands up into the air like the exasperated mother of an impossible child. “Steve!! you’re not getting it. It’s never going to stop. People are going to talk and say things and think whatever the fuck they want to think! And you can’t ever change their minds because they’re right. I don’t belong. I’m the freak.”
It lingered in the air again and for a moment Steve thought he was going to black out again.
Steve breathed in.
Steve breathed out.
“No.”
Eddie gaped at him. “Steve-
“No. Goddamn fucking no, Eddie. There is nothing wrong with you. No. Not a thing. You care about people, and you’re kind, and you’re smart and funny and they’re… they’re-“ Steve sputtered, unable to come up with a word deserving of association with them, finally settling for a disgusted face and a sigh.
“People don’t like you because you don’t check their boxes. You don’t, and you don’t care to, and they don’t like that. It makes them think. Every time they see you they’re forced to think; to wonder why they work so hard to fit in when you seem so defiantly happy refusing. People don’t understand, and it scares them. People don’t like what they can’t understand. And you’re so boldly you, you’re-“
Steve breathed in.
Steve breathed out.
“You’re terrifying.”
Part Two
2K notes
·
View notes
Help a 27 year old Palestinian avoid selling his kidney so he and his family can safety evacuate to Egypt
LINK TO THEIR CAMPAIGN: HERE
please continue to share this and or help if you’re able so he and his family can escape gaza and safety get to egypt. i donated a few days ago and just received an email update. he was literally offering to sell his own kidney because they were not receiving donations before someone posted about it on twitter and i’d like for them to reach their goal asap.
today’s update + a new video of diab thanking us:
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for your incredible efforts and generosity. Thanks to your collective support, we have not only reached but surpassed our second benchmark goal of £20,000. The total amount raised now stands at £28,967, leaving us with £41,033 to reach our ultimate target.
While this remaining sum may seem significant, I'm heartened by the fact that the majority of donations received over the past two days have ranged from £5 to £50. It's a testament to the power of community and the willingness of individuals to come together for a common cause.
For those who are unable to donate at this time or have already contributed and are unable to do so again, please know that there are still valuable ways to support our campaign.
One of the most impactful ways you can help is by sharing our campaign with your network. Whether it's through email, text messages, or on your social media platforms, your efforts in spreading the word can make a meaningful difference.
Together, we can continue to raise awareness and funds to support my family in reaching our goal. Your continued support and generosity are truly appreciated. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us.
- his video (already includes captions btw):
he starts by greeting us with “hello, my new family.”
i am diab and my family is in danger. we have recently divided the family into two halves, each in a different place so that we don’t all die and one of us survives. i would like to point out that there has been a threat to enter rafah and central camps. i say to my dear supporters, thank you for your support. you are doing an ethical work that embodies humanity. please, i invite you to continue supporting me and sharing my campaign because the dream is close and our salvation is very near.
diab ends with “don’t forget me and grant my family life. thank you. thank you always and forever.” ❤️
51 notes
·
View notes
While binge watching a beloved show of mine, I’ve decided Offender as a father/parental figure to the proxies will act like Micheal when it comes to disciplining.
He’ll throw jokes around, while still being stern with his answer.
He knows all the tricks, so even if the perpetrator thinks they’re pulling the wool over him, he’ll find a way around it in the most ridiculous way.
But at the end of the day, if there’s a lesson to be learned he’s the one to dish some super good advice from his own life experience.
26 notes
·
View notes