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moonchildreads · 10 months

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Chapter 18 - I Know There's Something Going On

IN THIS CHAPTER: Pride and Prejudice, viking braids, and Dottie is forced to come clean [5.9k]

WARNINGS: vague foreshadowing but honestly this one is pretty cute

A/N: i'm back, friends!!!! i noticed that the extras i thought i had scheduled to pop up while i was gone ended up nowhere? i don't know what happened lol i'm a grandma when it comes to these things but i'll post them eventually! you'll get one more recipe and a playlist for the inconvenience. thank you for waiting for me so patiently, this chapter picks up right where we left the previous one. enjoy!

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I know what you think and what's in your mind So darling, look, why pretend

Saturday, May 24th - 1986

As soon as one Eddie Munson rang the doorbell on that overcast Saturday afternoon, Auntie Rachel and Aunt Mary Elizabeth immediately perked up. The Hellfire teens had hung out for far longer than they’d originally planned to the previous night, leaving the women to retreat to their shared guest room before they could talk to their niece about the very evident candle she was carrying for the eldest boy in their friend group. Still, they’d discussed it between themselves plenty to make sure they were both on the same page before any conversation took place, reaching a fairly reasonable conclusion: Eddie seemed to be a really nice guy, but he needed to be observed more to figure out his intentions before encouragement to proceed was given to their niece. Nobody needed a repeat of Junior Prom ‘85 and the events that followed, least of all Dottie.

The women took it upon themselves to keep an eye out for the kids throughout the day, which proved to be quite hard when they relegated themselves to the quiet solitude of Dottie’s bedroom, books spread out on every available surface and barely exchanged words for the Aunts to eavesdrop on. The teens worked in organized patterns: Eddie would review his Sociology notes while Dottie put the finishing touches on her final AP Research paper, she’d go through her Calc worksheets again as Eddie read up on his Latin vocab lists. They would put one subject down and move to the next one every half an hour or so, rarely interrupting each other’s concentration unless it was to ask for a pen or a glass of water that was just too far out of their own reach. Auntie Rachel was the first one to waddle her way up the stairs after too many minutes of apparent silence, only to find Eddie sitting on the windowsill with half of his body outside, a Biology textbook propped open on a cushion to keep it within his view while he smoked. Dottie was lying on her front on the circular rug, matching Psychology questions to their answers written on flashcards spread out around her. Rachel offered them snacks, they declined politely, and she went back down with exhausted defeat settling in her bones.

At around four, the women were starting to get antsy. James was strangely nonchalant, bustling around the house doing random chores that had been neglected all week without paying any attention to the teens upstairs, and Rachel had had enough of the mystery.

“What if you bring them cookies or something like that? Prompt them to talk to you,” she suggested to Mary Elizabeth who was lying on an armchair while rubbing circles on her belly.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. They really are studying very hard, I mean, the door is wide open and you can’t even hear them whisper.”

“Do you think they’re hiding something?”

“Like what? Do you think they are dating in secret?” Mary Elizabeth snorted. “James would know.”

“Would he?”

“Rach. James always knows. He reads her like she’s an open book, that girl can’t lie to her Dad to save her own life.”

“I just… she’s different, you know? It’s only been a few months but she’s not the Dorothy we sent away in January.”

“She’s growing up, Rach. We’re just gonna have to accept that our baby isn’t really a baby anymore. And if she likes this boy, well, there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“I don’t want her to get hurt again,” Rachel gave up trying to hear anything from the doorway and sat on the couch near where her friend was sitting.

“What are you two gossiping about now?” James asked, coming in from the backyard through the kitchen.

“Do you trust that kid?” Rachel said, straight to the point.

“Eddie? Yeah.”

“Why?”

“He hasn’t given me any reason not to.”

“Jamie.”

“Rach.”

“What Rachel wants to know is if Dottie is safe with him,” Mary Elizabeth translated. “Has he said anything? Is he interested in her?”

“He says she’s important to him.”

Before they could inquire further about what that meant, the teens in question came bounding down the stairs, Eddie carrying a small book in his hands. Dottie waved a paddle hair brush around as she talked about an intricate hairstyle she’d seen in a magazine, the boy looked at her with interest as he followed her to the kitchen. They moved around the island together like a well-oiled machine: he got two old enamel mugs from a cupboard and set them on a big wooden tray while she filled a snack platter with various pieces of fruit, nuts, and assorted cookies and crackers. Eddie opened the fridge to get a large jug of apple Kool-Aid and a jar of creamy peanut butter, setting them in front of her before retrieving a big spoon and offering it to Dottie. She scooped a big spoonful out of the jar and put it in a little bowl next to sliced green apples, swatting his hand in warning when he tried to sneak a few grapes from her creation before it was ready to be consumed. He recoiled like he’d been mortally wounded, and she wheezed, offering him the used spoon instead.

“We’re gonna go outside for a bit!” Dottie announced, her voice carrying through the overpass window into the living room.

“Okay! You need anything?” James asked, already knowing her answer.

“No, we’re good!” she turned to Eddie, who was carrying the heavy tray with ease. “D’you need help with that?”

“I’ve got it. Just open the door for us, princess.”

“For fuck’s sake, he calls her princess?” Rachel muttered, making Mary Elizabeth laugh.

In the backyard, Eddie settled the snack tray on a wrought iron patio table and sat on the very edge of a lounger. Dottie filled their mugs with artificially-flavored apple juice and stood next to him sipping quietly, enjoying the warm breeze rippling through the blades of grass that were getting longer and longer every day. He let his head fall to the side, resting it on her right hip, her right hand falling to his shoulder where it stayed gently applying pressure. He let his eyes close and enjoyed the calm of the moment; there was no rush, no expectations to do anything other than simply keep breathing. It was only when she moved to retrieve the hair brush from the table that he moved from his position, opening the book he had been carrying since they came downstairs. Quickly, he found Chapter 19 of Pride and Prejudice’s first volume and began reading out loud.

The next day opened a new scene at Longbourn. Mr. Collins made his declaration in form. Having resolved to do it without loss of time, as his leave of absence extended only to the following Saturday, and having no feelings of diffidence to make it distressing to himself even at the moment, he set about it in a very orderly manner, with all the observances, which he supposed a regular part of the business. On finding Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth, and one of the younger girls together, soon after breakfast, he addressed the mother in these words: “May I hope, madam, for your interest with your fair daughter Elizabeth, when I solicit for the honour of a private audience with her in the course of this morning?”

Eddie used the full extent of his Dungeon Master’s skills when reading the classic romance book he desperately needed to finish before his English Literature final on Monday. The voices and characterizations that poured out of his mouth allowed him to concentrate on creating a full world, internalize the words he was speaking into existence, and, most importantly, to not get distracted when Dottie’s deft hands began brushing against the nape of his neck while she untangled the knots in his unruly curls. When she’d shown him the fancy braids she’d seen in her magazine, he’d immediately offered his long locks for the experiment, more than happy to lend her his head to try a new skill on. She perched herself on the lounge chair behind him, sitting on her own bent legs but keeping her knees bracketing his hips from behind. He stopped between sentences to gather a couple of snacks into his hand, occasionally raising a pretzel or a grape at her to nibble out of his grasp while her hands were buried in strands of his hair. If he hadn’t been trying so hard to ignore how close her lips came to his fingertips each time she accepted a treat from him, he would have repaired on how bold the gesture looked like to the two women that were spying on them through the kitchen window.

“What are they doing?” James asked, putting the kettle on the stove.

“She’s brushing his hair while he’s reading out loud,” Rachel said.

“They look so cute together,” Mary Elizabeth said, ever the romantic.

“Get this,” Rachel turned to James with a raised eyebrow. “He’s feeding her.”

“Her hands are busy!” Mary Elizabeth defended her niece. “You need both hands for a braid.”

-You can hardly doubt the purport of my discourse, however your natural delicacy may lead you to dissemble; my attentions have been too marked to be mistaken. Almost as soon as I entered the house, I singled you out as the companion of my future life. But before I am run away with my feelings on this subject, perhaps it would be advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying - and, moreover, for coming into Hertfordshire with the design of selecting a wife, as I certainly did.”

The idea of Mr. Collins, with all his solemn composure, being run away with by his feelings, made Elizabeth so near laughing, that she could not use the short pause he allowed in any attempt to stop him farther, and he continued:

“He’s a fucking idiot,” Eddie said, pausing his reading to take a sip of his juice before he lifted the cup for Dottie to drink as well. “He cannot be this goddamn blind, she’s never gonna marry a fuckin’ priest.”

“Look at how long his speech is though,” Dottie laughed, twisting strands of his hair into complicated patterns. He put the mug down and flipped to the next page.

“No fuckin’ way!” he said, and immediately kept reading, interjecting each sentence with hilarious commentary about Mr. Collins’ stupidity.

“God, they are adorable,” Mary Elizabeth giggled, cracking the window open a bit more so they could listen to Eddie’s narration.

“And this happens every weekend?” Rachel asked.

“Every day,” James corrected. “They’ve been hanging out after school every single day since the beginning of May. Sometimes they have other friends around but it’s mostly just the two of them, either here or at his house.”

“Oh, that boy is smitten,” she said.

“You are too hasty, sir,” she cried. “You forget that I have made no answer. Let me do it without further loss of time. Accept my thanks for the compliment you are paying me. I am very sensible of the honour of your proposals, but it is impossible for me to do otherwise than decline them.”

“I am not now to learn,” replied Mr. Collins, with a formal wave of the hand, “that it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man whom they secretly mean to accept, when he first applies for their favour; and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second or even a third time. I am, therefore, by no means discouraged by what you have just said, and shall hope to lead you to the altar ere long.”

“This can’t be real,” Eddie said, lowering the book again much to Dottie’s amusement. “He can’t be this fuckin’ dense! Do girls really do that?”

“Do what?”

“Say no when they really wanna say yes so they don’t look easy.”

“Of course not!” Dottie swatted his head lightly. “Maybe insane ones do, but no one would say no to the guy they like literally proposing to them.”

“Well, maybe not if they proposed but… imagine you liked me and I asked you out. Would you say yes or would you play hard to get?”

“I am physically incapable of playing hard to get, Ed. You know this,” she said, willing her hands to stay still at the implications of his inquiry.

“I actually don’t know, that’s why I’m asking. Answer the question, Ms. Bennet.”

“Are you Mr. Collins in this scenario?”

“I’m whoever you want me to be, princess,” he said, flirting with the peace of someone who already knows his affections are reciprocated even though they hadn’t discussed that part of their relationship. Soon, he thought.

“I wouldn’t play hard to get anyways,” she admitted, lowering her butt to rest against her heels. “That’s just dumb to me. What if you say no and the other person moves on and you miss your chance because you were too prideful to say yes in the first place?”

“Pride and prejudice. That checks out,” he said, and thankfully dropped the subject in favor of reading the next line in the book.

“He’s smart,” Rachel admitted.

“What do you mean?” asked James.

“He’s trying to see how she’d react if he asks her out. Getting a baseline before he does it.”

“Ooooh, that is smart,” Mary Elizabeth said, munching on a cracker. “I like this kid, he’s setting himself up for success already.”

“I do assure you, sir, that I have no pretensions whatever to that kind of elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man. I would rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere. I thank you again and again for the honour you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect forbid it. Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female intending to plague you, but as a rational creature speaking the truth from her heart.”

“You are uniformly charming!” cried he with an air of awkward gallantry; “and I am persuaded that, when sanctioned by the express authority of both your excellent parents, my proposals will not fail of being acceptable.”

“I hate this fucking guy,” Eddie said, grabbing a piece of green apple from the bowl and dipping it in peanut butter.

“You haven’t read the worst bit yet.”

“It gets worse?” he asked, mouth full of apple.

“The man really wants a wife,” Dottie shrugged, tying the braid and standing up to look at her work from the front. “I don’t hate it, but it looks less viking and more Rapunzel than I intended it to look like.”

“What if you do two small ones instead of a big one?”

“You’re gonna look like those boxer girls.”

“That’s kinda badass.”

“Yeah, but I wanted viking for our last session,” she pouted, taking a sip of her mug. “I think I’m gonna do half a braid only, but start here,” she tapped his head just above his bangs.

“I trust you,” he smiled at her, patting her hand before returning to his snacks. “But what you did the other day looked really good too if you wanna redo that one for Friday.”

“I’m gonna try one more time and if it sucks, I’ll go back to the regular braids.”

“You do that. I’ll be here,” he joked, lifting the book again to his eyes.

To such perseverance in wilful self-deception Elizabeth would make no reply, and immediately and in silence withdrew; determined, that if he persisted in considering her repeated refusals as flattering encouragement, to apply to her father, whose negative might be uttered in such a manner as must be decisive, and-

“Okay, can we stop spying on my daughter now please? Coffee and tea is done,” James said, carrying the mugs to the living room. “Besides, he’s gonna be here all weekend, you’ll have plenty of time to observe the poor kid before you leave.”

“Can’t believe you’re so… unbothered by it all?” Rachel said, still standing near the window while Mary Elizabeth closed the glass pane once again. “You’re really not concerned?”

“Just look at them, Rach. What is there to be worried about?” he said, sitting down at the table and stirring a spoonful of sugar into his coffee.

Both aunts turned to look at the teens one more time, just in time to catch Eddie lifting a piece of green apple covered in peanut butter to Dottie’s face. She bit half of it gently, savoring the treat, and he shoved the rest of it in his own mouth, licking his sticky thumb without a second thought, like indirectly swapping spit was something they did regularly. The women looked at each other with raised eyebrows and even more questions brewing in their minds. Maybe there wasn’t anything to worry about in regards to Eddie himself, but it was clear that whatever was simmering between them was about to reach boiling point and there was no telling what would happen to their perfectly balanced friendship once the water started spilling over the edges.

In exchange for not spending Friday together as they usually did, Eddie ended up staying for dinner with Dottie and her very curious Aunts. James ordered Chinese food and when they all sat at the table, passing styrofoam containers and filling their plates up, Eddie realized he had never really done the whole family dinner thing in a very long time. Wayne often worked during holidays, the extra hours bringing much needed money into their empty pockets, so he wasn’t used to spending many meals in company of adults. The table talk revolved around college, namely, what kind of things James, Rachel, and Mary Elizabeth would get up to when their friendships were barely blossoming between early morning classes and freshman ragers. When the food on the table began dwindling, the conversation turned to the teens and their all too near future. Eddie was reluctant to admit that he had never considered higher education; he didn’t want to seem immature or undependable in front of Dottie’s extended family, but Mary Elizabeth quickly put his worries at ease. Her own brother was a carpenter, deciding to go into it after picking up basic skills in high school, and now lived a comfortable life in Georgia with his wife and two kids. There was no sure path to follow after high school, everyone was winging it and however said they weren’t, should be considered a liar in her humble opinion.

“Besides,” Dottie began, grinning at him. “Eddie’s gonna be a rockstar anyways. He doesn’t need to go to college.”

“Maybe we’ll get our big break in Indy. You think there’s gonna be a lot of agents around?” he chuckled.

“I’ll call them myself if they don’t show up on their own.”

“You know, I’m starting to think you just want to get commissions as our manager,” he joked.

“Well, I wouldn’t say no to being a famous band’s manager. It’d be like being your babysitter, and I kinda already do that for free. Might as well get paid for all my hard work.”

“You wound me, princess,” he clutched his chest. “I don’t need a babysitter, I can take care of myself just fine. Gareth on the other hand…”

“What Gareth needs isn’t a babysitter. He needs an exorcism. I honestly thought Jeff was gonna strangle him yesterday, like, he cannot possibly think you’re all gonna agree to put two Anthrax songs on the setlist.”

“We close with Metal Thrashing Mad sometimes but it really fucks up Jeff’s throat so I don’t think we’re gonna do that one. Also, I kinda already decided our closer and I get dibs as the frontman, so.”

“What are you closing with?”

“Ah, ah, ah,” he shook his head. “It’s a surprise.”

“You can’t keep secrets from your manager, that’s illegal.”

“Gotta read the fine print before you sign any contract, bug,” Rachel joked. “So what are you two gonna do all summer, then? Just band practice?”

“Donny said I could cover for his sister in their family restaurant,” Dottie said, pushing a piece of chicken around her dish. “She’s pregnant and can’t carry the trays anymore, so they need a new waitress for a bit. It could be fun, he’s gonna work there for the summer too so we’d always have the same shifts.”

“That sounds very fun!” Mary Elizabeth beamed. “I was a barista for all four years of college and I really enjoyed it.”

“You worked at the tiniest café on campus and the owner let you take all the leftover muffins home, of course you enjoyed it,” Rachel scoffed.

“Didn’t hear you complaining when you ate my muffins. What about you Eddie? Any plans for summer?”

“Uh, maybe? I’ve been thinking about asking Thatcher for a job after graduation, the owner’s cool.”

“What’s Thatcher?” Dottie asked, mouth full of rice.

“Thatcher Tires? Near 8th?”

“Uhhh…”

“We take that road to go to my place literally every day.”

“I don’t pay attention to the streets when you’re driving. I trust you to know where we’re going and I focus on the music and the snacks.”

“So you want to be a mechanic?” asked Rachel, wanting to get back on her Figure Edward Munson Out mission.

“Dunno actually,” he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I take Auto Repair and it’s the only class I’ve gotten an A in this year so… maybe I’d be good at it.”

“You fixed Donny’s car that one time, I think you’re already pretty good,” Dottie recalled.

“He just needed a new battery, it wasn’t that hard,” he shrugged like it was nothing.

Dinner progressed without any fanfare but the fact that James was pretty much unbothered and already used to the teens’ interactions enough to not pay special attention to them was unexpected by both Rachel and Mary Elizabeth. He and Eddie talked like they’d known each other for years, seemingly having inside jokes already, much to Dottie’s annoyance. It was noticeable to anyone that paid a little bit of attention that Eddie wasn’t used to the level of acceptance he so frequently received from the eldest Burke, and it was bittersweet to see how often he seeked for his approval: the boy clearly held a lot of respect for James, and beamed whenever his efforts were recognized, like when the man mentioned how Eddie had helped fix Dottie’s bathroom lights the week prior. Of course, the praise had been intermingled with him lightly mocking his own daughter and her irrational fear of changing light bulbs, but still, the kind words towards the fidgety boy were there.

It was also very noticeable, however, that as much as James’ acceptance meant a lot to him, it also made him nervous and jittery, which is why the ease in his back and forth with Dottie made his true feelings towards her much more evident to the women at the table. The way he was always offering the last bite of everything to her only for Dottie to cut said thing in half and share it with him, how their head movements were in sync with the other’s, and how in tune they were with what the other was thinking before words had been uttered was astonishing to witness. Whenever her cup was empty, he was refiling it before she could even ask. If his leg started bouncing anxiously, she’d merely rest her fingers on his knee, the cold tips coming into contact with the skin under the rips of his jeans before he was subdued again. They had their own spoons, but they still shared bites from each other’s ice cream tub with the excuse of trying different flavors, they leaned into one another when they laughed, they moved around the kitchen while doing the dishes with merely taps on the waist to signal oncoming traffic.

Mary Elizabeth had been the one to get Dottie to eat her first meal after the disaster that was Junior Prom ‘85. She’d picked her as her flower girl when she’d married Johnny, Dottie had been the one to pick Rosie’s name, and her Aunt had never missed a single school function in the entirety of her academic career. Rachel had picked a heartbroken Dottie up from school before the bell had rung the first day of senior year. She’d taken her to buy her first bra when she was 13, she’d taken her out along with her sons for burgers and milkshakes the day her divorce came through, and Dottie had accompanied her to many work events since she could tie her own shoes. Both women had seen that kid go through the unimaginable, and as her late mother’s best friends, they took her well being seriously and guarded her with the utmost care and love. They owed it to Maggie to make sure her Dorothy was okay, that she was healthy, and happy, and thriving. So when it was time for Eddie to go home, they watched from the living room as the teens said their goodbyes, promising to meet up again the next day for their final day of cramming. Eddie vowed to finish Pride and Prejudice that night before bed, and Dottie told him she’d pay for food on Friday to celebrate their month-long efforts. They hugged, and it lasted longer than any friendly hug had the right to last. He kissed her crown, and she watched him leave from her front lawn until he disappeared down the street.

Dottie climbed up the stairs to her bathroom to take a shower, James retreated to his room, and both Aunts waited until the sound of the water hitting the tub had stopped and the upstairs hallway lights had been turned off to waddle up towards the soft yellow and sage green sanctuary that was their beloved niece’s bedroom in search of the definitive answer to all their most pressing questions.

“Okay, bug, time to spill.”

“Jesus Christ! Can’t you knock first?” Dottie screeched, holding her pajama shirt to her chest, heart racing.

“I changed your poopy diapers more times than I can count, seeing you in your bra isn’t gonna kill either one of us,” Rachel said, sitting on her desk chair.

“Come on, she’s a woman now! We should give her some privacy,” Mary Elizabeth reasoned, but undermined her own comment by sitting at the foot of Dottie’s bed.

“What’s going on?” Dottie asked warily, pajama shirt now safely on her body.

“You tell us.”

“Huh?”

“Sit down with us, baby,” Mary Elizabeth patted the bed; Dottie climbed next to her. “You really like Eddie, don’t you?”

“W-what?” she sputtered, the tips of her ears starting to burn. “Why would you say that? We’re just friends!”

“We weren’t born yesterday, Dot,” Rachel smiled kindly. “We saw you two today. It’s really obvious you like him, and believe us, it’s even more obvious he likes you too.”

“No, no, that’s not- We’re not- We’re friends. We’re not dating.”

“Oh, we know. That boy gets surprised every time you even look at him, he’d combust if you ever kissed him.”

“Oh my god, we’re friends!”

“Baby, there’s nothing wrong with having a crush on a friend,” Mary Elizabeth said, hand coming up to rub reassuring circles on Dottie’s back. “You’re both young, you have fun together. It’s okay if you like him.”

“I don’t like him,” Dottie insisted, staring at her rug. “I just… fuck, I really, really, really do not like Eddie. And that’s terrifying.”

“I’m sorry, bug, we’re not following.”

“I don’t like Eddie,” she said again, putting extra emphasis on the word “like”.

Rachel and Mary Elizabeth looked at each other in confusion. What did she mean by that? She clearly did like him, she looked at him like the sun shone out of his ass. There was not a single cell in Dottie’s body that didn’t scream “Eddie!” every time he so much as breathed near her, why was she trying to deny it? She liked him, she liked him so much that… maybe…

“Oh, baby,” Mary Elizabeth immediately wrapped her arms around her niece. “Are you in love with him? Is that what you mean?”

“I’m gonna ruin everything!” Dottie babbled, hiding her face in her hands, tears bubbling up to the surface. “He can’t know! He’s gonna fucking hate me if he finds out!”

“Dottie, honey, what are you talking about?” Rachel came up to sit at her other side, joining the hug and grounding her. “Why would he hate you?”

“He asked me about it. He asked me if I liked anyone at school and I lied, I said I didn’t. And then he said he didn’t like anyone either, but that can’t be right because Chrissy Cunningham got him a really pretty tie for his birthday and I just- how am I supposed to compete with a cheerleader?”

“Okay, okay, back up. Who is this Chrissy girl?”

“She goes to school with us. She’s really nice and she has a boyfriend, but she’s like, fucking perfect. Half the school is in love with her. Shit, I think I am in love with her.”

“But Eddie told you he doesn’t like her?” Mary Elizabeth asked.

“Yes.”

“Yes, as in he doesn’t like her?”

“I told him she was really pretty, and he said he doesn’t see her like that. And told me he thinks I’d be good friends with her, which he’s right about because when I talked to her she was so kind and we like the same music and everything.”

“And he’s friends with her?”

“Yeah, kinda. They hang out at school sometimes but that’s it. Her boyfriend is an asshole so no one knows they are friends, he’d freak out if he knew.”

“Okay,” Rachel breathed out and looked at Mary Elizabeth over Dottie’s head. She nodded in encouragement once. “Bug, I don’t know anything about this other girl but the Eddie we saw today worships the ground you walk on. We’re not saying this because we love you and want you to be happy, but because we have eyes and see how he acts around you, and we’re sure he likes you back.”

“And besides,” Mary Elizabeth continued. “-what does this girl have that you don’t, huh? He spends all this time with you already, do you really think you have to compete with anyone for his attention? He’s giving it to you freely, baby. He likes you.”

“I’m gonna fuck it up. I know I am. It’s gonna be like Tyler all over again and-”

“Dorothy, look at me.”

Mary Elizabeth’s stern tone wasn’t one she used very often, but it was imposing enough to leave no room for anything else to be discussed. Dottie looked with wet cheeks at her sweetest Aunt, all dressed up in her baby blue cardigan and flowery dress, and saw fiery eyes and a deep set frown. She held her gaze even though she desperately wanted to look away. Rachel watched them in silence.

“Eddie is not Tyler,” Mary Elizabeth began. “This Chrissy girl is not Jeannie. Your Hawkins friends are not your New York friends. If you keep waiting to tell him how you feel, he’s gonna slip through your fingers because you assumed that the boy you’ve been saying is one of the best friends you’ve ever had for months now, was an undercover asshole all along. If you think he’s capable of being like Tyler, why are you still friends with him?”

“He’s gonna get tired of me. They’re all gonna get tired of me and I can’t- Eddie’s the best thing that has happened to me. He’s so, so special. I love him, and I can’t lose him. I’d rather just pine after him until I die before that happens.”

“Listen to us,” Rachel said. “You’re not gonna lose him. You don’t have to do anything right now, okay? Just think about it and maybe come back to it when things are clearer. After finals are done and graduation is out of the way. Anyone would be lucky if you loved them, bug, and just because you loved Tyler and he didn’t know what to do with that, that doesn’t mean Eddie will be the same.”

“And if he is? What do I do if he breaks my heart? And all our friends have to pick sides and they choose him and I’m all alone again?” Dottie asked, tears staining the neckline of her pajamas.

“If all that happens, they never deserved you and we’ll be here to support you no matter what. But we’re telling you that’s not gonna happen. Trust us, okay? We’ve been around the block a few times.”

Dottie looked around her bedroom while she wiped her face and tried to calm down her frantic breathing. There were signs of her boys everywhere: in the pictures pinned to her corkboard above her desk, in the colorful earrings hanging from their holder next to the mirror, in the mixtapes on her bedside table. In the gray blanket at the windowsill seat, and the photocopied notes in her backpack, and inside her wardrobe where her Hellfire t-shirt was carefully folded. She had to trust that their friendships were genuine. That if she’d confessed her love for their leader and it wasn’t reciprocated, they’d still choose to stand beside her. She had to trust that Eddie wouldn’t hurt her, even if he didn’t feel the same about her. But what if he does?

Her eyes landed on Eddie’s birthday mixtape that he’d left behind on her dresser. He had the idea that since she’d picked the first song already, he’d pick the second one, and she’d pick the third one, and so on and so forth. He’d shown up that day with his song already recorded onto it and asked her to play it instead of telling her what he’d done to the tape. Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul was first, but she barely paid any attention to it, anticipating his choice with sweaty hands. As soon as the first notes came through, she knew which song it was before Paul could even begin singing. Oh! Darling played from her tinny speakers and while she hadn’t made the connection at the moment, she was just now coming to terms with the fact that maybe her Aunts were right and Eddie had been waiting for her at the finish line all along. Oh darling, please believe me, I’ll never do you no harm, Paul McCartney crooned, and Eddie’s heart had been singing backup vocals to him for what felt like forever without her noticing.

Rachel and Mary Elizabeth hugged her, dried her tears and encouraged her to think about it in the near future once more before leaving for bed, but there was no need for them to do so anymore. Dottie could see everything clearly now, and for once, she found that through the sheer terror of leaping out from the cliff she had been standing on for so long, there was firm hope that Eddie would be at the bottom, ready to catch her before she could crash and burn. She just needed a bit more time to gather the courage before jumping, but if the strong winds hitting her face were of any indication, her run towards the edge had already started.

taglist (comment below or shoot me a dm if you want to be added!): @munsonology @kurdtbean

#bunny writes #small town fic #eddie munson x female character #eddie munson x oc #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fic #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson #eddie munson x ofc #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson angst #stranger things 4 #stranger things #joseph quinn #baby's first fic

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suitesamba · 1 year

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Secret Snarry Swap 2022 Recs

The fial Secrety Snarry Swap posted in December anonymously and author reveals went up a couple weeks ago. I had some clear favorites in this one, and had a fest entry of my own which I’ve incldued.

Foolish Wand Waving by NecromanticNoir 19,092 words Explicit

The fest opened with this one, which hit nearly all the tropes. Mind the warnings as you proceed and if you dont know anything about OnlyFans (I was in that category and watched a Documentary about it after reading this!) hang on to your seats. It’s funny, surprising, and despitre being a non-magical AU, full of magic. Excellent writing and story-crafting, and I especially enjoyed the dialogue.

Summary: Harry Potter has an OnlyFans. Severus, only knowing it's a platform where you can post videos and people pay you, makes an educational one for 'Potions'. He is quite shocked when, in a bout of curiosity, he subscribes to Harry - and hears his own voice in the background of... rather different content.

Friends of Dorothy by Writcraft 22,000 words Explicit

Another excellent fic by this always satisfying author. It’s very Harry-Severus centrc, though it features a couple of really good original characters. My comment: “Perfect. Excellent writing and has all the elements I love in a good snarry - great OCs, good dialogue, believable character growth and that simmering connection between Harry and Severus. Couldn't put this one down.”

Summary: When Harry Potter sees Severus Snape on a date with another wizard it sets him on a journey of self-discovery that leads to the Friends of Dorothy Detective Agency and a Niffler called Toto.

Pipe Dreams by Nesting Hedwig 12,874 words, Teen and up

This one brought back visions of my dad on his back under the bathroom sink trying vaiently to fix the leacky pipes. And if THAT’s not a reason to read a fic, what is?

Another well-writen, original fic which is very Harry/Severus centric and is really their re-introduction to each other. Leaves us with a lot of promise and hope.

Summary: Just before closing time on Christmas Eve, Harry Potter stopped to pick up an order from the village plumbing supply shop. The last person he ever expected to meet in one of the aisles was Severus Snape.

The Private Collection of S. Snape by PinaNaponi 6336 words Explicit

A 5X fic in which Severus spends a lot of time watching Harry have sex and then finally gets to have sex with Harry. The story is well-constructed, the sex is hot and the pacing good. As always, mind the warnings.

Summary: Severus likes to watch. Potter doesn't seem to mind. Or: Five times Severus witnesses Potter get railed, and the one time he finally gets to do the railing.

Stasis by Avioleta 12,206 words Explicit

Avioleta is one of my favorite authors, and she once again produced a story that pulled me in. The story takes place at Grimmauld Place just after the war, with Harry coming and going on Auror business and Severus whiling away the hours until he can return to Hogwarts and definitely not thinking about Harry. Excellent writing, as always.

My comment: Achingly, amazingly perfect. I loved reading every word of this fic -it felt so intimate, so personal. Sparse and full at the same time. Gorgeous.

Summary: After the war, Severus Snape recuperates at Grimmauld Place.

And finally - my entry:

Spy Glass by Suitesamba 18,135 words Explicit

I wrote this one because I couldn’t get the prompt out of my head: Severus's new job in insurance results in him having to trail Quidditch player!Harry around to assess the international Seeker for Harry's insurance renewal.

This one is all about the humor, with Severus masquerading as a female reporter, some “boy and his broom” innuendo, unlicensed sex therapy, Quidditch god Harry and a bit of fun with George and Angelina.

Summary: England wants to insure star Seeker Harry Potter and his fabulous broom. Enter Severus Snape, wizarding investigator extraordinaire, ready to calculate risk and assess value. Tailing Harry Potter turns out to be the job of his dreams, though he wishes it could be done without the disguise. A tale of a man’s obsession, another man’s obsession, and a heartwarming ending where everyone ultimately gets what they want – or what they need.

#snarry #harry potter #severus snape #secret snarry swap #snape/potter #harry/severus

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electronickingdomfox · 1 year

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TOS season 3: subtext becomes text (part 1)

For part 2, go here: https://www.tumblr.com/electronickingdomfox/706187425022672896/tos-season-3-subtext-becomes-text-part-2

I’ve been wanting to write about the K/S elements in season 3 for a while, since this season is usually paid less attention than the other two, and I haven’t found as many analysis on it. First of all, I must say, I’m not precisely the most observant person when it comes to these things. A LOT of this stuff simply flies over my head, unless being pointed out by others. Or it’s simply that I don’t see it at all. So I don’t intend this to be a complete list of all instances of possible K/S in season 3. If you feel I left something important out, by all means, feel free to comment.

Having said that, one thing I noticed was that this season became a little more... obvious. And sometimes, the K/S elements started entering the script itself. It’s not that the previous two seasons didn’t have blatant moments (the back massage in Shore Leave is definitely in the script). But most of the homoerotic stuff come from the actors’ interpretation (above all Shatner), rather than the story or script per se. Even Amok Time is, on the surface, a story about Spock fighting Kirk for possession of a woman. And his happiness at the end, when he finds Kirk is alive, can always be interpreted as a sign of friendship and nothing more (I mean, I’m sure he’d be happy as well if he thought he had killed McCoy instead; maybe not THAT happy, but still...).

Now, some writers of the Star Trek team were explicitly against the idea of homoeroticism existing in the series. Namely, David Gerrold and Dorothy Fontana. And in the case of Gerrold, he’s not just “against it”; he’s been downright hateful towards slash and slashers throughout the decades. So it would be pointless to try to find K/S in the scripts written by these two. There can be no slash in the script for, let’s say, Tomorrow is Yesterday (though in that case, someone forgot to tell Shatner that he shouldn’t be undressing Captain Cristopher with his eyes).

But with this out of the way, here are the examples I found in season 3:

Spock’s Brain

There’s the usual “Kirk looking at Spock with lovey eyes”, but that’s nothing new. For some inscrutable reason, he also looks that way at McCoy while he’s talking about brain surgery or something, as if that was the most erotic thing in the world.

The dude is so horny right now

But that’s not what I wanted to point out. This is the first of a series of episodes in this season, where Kirk and Spock are not just protective of each other (which they always were), but irrationally protective. If in Return to Tomorrow, Kirk would sacrifice Spock’s life for the greater good, here he won’t listen to any of McCoy’s very reasonable remarks: that they can’t search blindly for a brain through the galaxy, and even if they found it, he couldn’t restore it. Kirk won’t listen to any of this crap. He wants his brain, and he wants it NOW (for more Kirk going batshit crazy to save Spock, see The Search for Spock).

The Paradise Syndrome

Not so much in this episode. But towards the end, they find Kirk and Miramanee lying half-unconscious, and Kirk starts calling his wife. McCoy asks: “Wife?” And Spock’s most logical conclusion is that Kirk is... hallucinating (despite such wife being right there, you know).

Then Spock proceeds to do a very forceful mind-meld on Kirk to restore his memories. After asserting his dominance presence: “I am Spock”, he makes their minds to go closer, closer... All the while, Kirk fights back, calling Miramanee, as if he was losing her by going towards Spock. It’s also noteworthy that the reason Kirk married Miramanee in the first place, is explicitly because there’s no one else in his mind, or his heart. Enter Spock in that mind; then no more Miramanee. (Compare also his reaction to the news of Miramanee dying, with his reaction to Spock missing his brain). Really, poor Miramanee...

I would like to know if it’s possible to put pictures side by side in text posts...

Seeing this as K/S may be reaching, though, and it’s definitely less obvious than other examples. Just something I noticed, but feel free to disagree.

And the Children Shall Lead

This is another episode where the K/S stuff (in the turbolift scene) comes from the interpretation and the close-up camera, rather than the script itself. Though nonetheless, the scene is written in such a way, that requires Kirk to fall into Spock’s arms, and then being reassured by a whispered “Jim”. Possibly one of the boldest, most distinctly homoerotic scenes in the whole series.

Is There in Truth no Beauty?

This episode is very interesting. Dr. Miranda is clearly in love with cosmic horror Ambassador Kollos, whose mere sight drive men to madness. There’s even a man in love with Miranda, who gets rejected by her, making it very clear that is Kollos whom she loves. To this love triangle, add another one: Miranda gets really jealous of Spock when he achieves a connection with the (male-gendered) Kollos, that would be impossible for her. At one point, McCoy complains: “But they weren’t rivals in love.” Which is true, since Spock has no romantic interest in Kollos. Yet from Miranda’s point of view, it seems to be so.

Enter Kirk, and the love triangle becomes a... love square? Kirk has been very chivalrous and appreciative of Miranda up to this point. Until he starts seeing her jealousy as a threat to Spock’s life. Before entering the room where Miranda is, supposedly, healing Spock, he issues an ominous warning: “Whatever happens, Bones, don’t interfere”. Then this happens:

And here’s a bit of the dialogue, to give a feel of just how intense this whole scene is:

MIRANDA: No doubt you think I can wake him with a kiss. KIRK: It's worth a try, isn't it? After all, he's not a machine. MIRANDA: But he is a Vulcan. KIRK: Only half. The other half is human. Far more human than you, apparently. MIRANDA: Face reality, Captain. His mind has gone down almost too far even for me to reach! KIRK: If you don't reach him soon, he'll die. But that's what you want, isn't it? MIRANDA: That's a lie! KIRK: Oh yes? You want him to die. What did you do to him on the Bridge? Did you make him forget to put the visor over his eyes? MIRANDA: You're insane! KIRK: Yes, you know your rival, don't you? You couldn't keep him from making a mind-link with Kollos, something you couldn't do yourself! With my words, I'll make you hear such ugliness as Spock saw when he looked at Kollos with his naked eyes! The ugliness is within you! MIRANDA: That's a lie! Liar! KIRK: Your desire to see Kollos is madness! You can never see him. Never. But Spock saw Kollos, and for that he must die. MIRANDA: Sadistic, filthy liar! KIRK: The smell of hatred, the stench of jealousy permeates you. Why don't you strangle him while he lies there?

I don’t remember him being so harsh with anyone before, not even with actual villains. This is another example of Kirk going absolutely nuts when Spock’s life is in danger. It’s not even clear to me that all his accusations against Miranda are true, or he’s being simply blinded by jealousy.

Day of the Dove

Some people have pointed out that the camera focuses on Kirk and Spock where the Klingon introduces “his wife and science officer”. Personally, I think that’s accidental, so I’m not counting it. But your mileage may vary.

The Tholian Web

Time for Spock being the irrational one when Kirk’s in danger. It’s not the first episode where the logical Spock is not so logical when it’s about the Captain, though. In The Devil in the Dark, he forgot his concern for the horta as soon as Kirk was left alone with the creature. However, in that case there wasn’t so much at stake, just the survival of the horta itself.

This time, Spock’s insistence in saving Kirk compromises the whole crew (so much for the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the one, Spock). Not only is the ship being encased by the web of the Tholians while he waits for Kirk to reappear. But the dimensional rift is turning the crew mad, and prompting them to attack each other.

Again, McCoy is the voice of reason. Not because he cares any less for Kirk (I really don’t think that’s the case), but because the logical conclusion is that Kirk would be dead by now. A logical conclusion that Spock refuses to admit, apparently.

Of course, at the end there’s a happy ending, and Spock was proved right: Kirk was alive after all. But would have Spock risked the whole Enterprise’s crew if it was another person’s life in risk?

To be continued in Part Two, because this is getting far too long...

https://www.tumblr.com/electronickingdomfox/706187425022672896/tos-season-3-subtext-becomes-text-part-2

#star trek #star trek tos #tos season 3 #k/s #kirk/spock #meta #analysis #spirk

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searchingforatrail · 1 year

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Title: Ares and the Scars that Make Him Summary: Dorothy tends to Megatron's wound following his torment under Mandroid. It gives him an opportunity reflect on the fact that some humans are worth fighting for, and that he is still worthy of love. No matter how undeserving he beliefs himself to be.

[original ao3]~~[twitter]

“On the ground, Megs. Where I can reach you.” Dot instructed as she shuffled with her power tools, surveying the wound as best she could from where she stood, “We need to get that fixed before it leaks more energon.”

The old war lord complied, his frame groaning beneath the pressure as he articulated himself onto the ground. Living metal croaked through the movement, and protested at the unnatural vulnerability of the position. It had only been hours ago that he’d been strapped to a cold metal table, defenseless and flat on his back.

Dorothy leaned a wooden ladder against his uninjured side and proceed to crawl onto his chassis.

He willed his battle protocols to go offline, and fought the instinctual warming of his canon. His processor knew the human currently crawling over him was a friend, but his body told him otherwise. Usually he had control over himself, but this ..this was different.

Whether or not she noticed it, Dorothy did not say.

She simply hauled the remainder of her power tools onto his chassis, sorting through them and smiling when she found what she needed. It was a propane torch. How ironic. She steadied the propane torch just above the deep gash. Megatron made it a point not to look. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Dorothy with patching him up, but his latest ordeal with humans and medical equipment had made him squeamish. He clenched his servos, fully expecting to feel the searing pain he’d been subjected to earlier. Yet he was met with a numbness where agony should have been.

Oh, yes, Alex had turned off his pain receptors for him, hadn’t he? When they’d dragged him to the Malto farm after he’d refused G.H.O.S.T medical attention. How did he forget that?

“Ready, Megs?” Dorothy asked, flipping the welding mask over her eyes, igniting the flame. Megatron responded with a slow nod, “Tell me when you want me to stop, okay?” He fought the urge to scoff. He wasn’t going to break under pressure, he hadn’t before and he wouldn’t now. And yet she had been concerned. Of course she would be. She was there too. He suddenly felt stupid. Dorothy did not think he was weak. She was just concerned.

“I will.” He responded dryly,

She bore the flame upon his frame. He dampened the audial nearest to her, instead listening to the array of sound happening around him.

The cows in the pasture. The sound of shouting humans, jovial cries of cheer and excitement. By Megatron's count, there were three more sparkl–Terrans added to the original two, in addition to Dot’s existing fleshing children.

" I heard what you said to Optimus after the fight," Dot managed through her deep concentration, "about bearing the scars."

He was surprised he’d even heard Dortohy’s words given his dampened audial.

Megatron raised his helm, catching Dorothy in the eyes. Or at least attempted to. While the welding mask was lifted, she didn’t exactly look at him. He felt his spark ache. She was hurt.

"I didn't know human hearing was so sensitive." It went unspoken, but the I ever intended for you to hear that was as clear as if he'd said it aloud.

"There's surprisingly a lot you still don't know about us," Dorothy mused, pulling back and admiring the metal seal over Megatron's injury, "like how much we care about our family. That includes you, Megs."

Megatron brought two servos to the scar, vents catching as he brushed against the metal. The old mech squeezed his optics closed, and exvented. It would leave a mark, a deep one. But the worst of it had been welded and fixed.

He extended a servos, allowing her to climb onto his palm and gently placing she and her tools on the ground.

"I…I am trying to understand Dorothy. Your kindness has been invaluable to me." He adjusted himself, and let his back rest against the barn wall. This place was beautiful, clearly remodeled to be a permanent home for the Terrans Dorothy loved so much.

He looked at the bizarre string lights that hung like earth ivy, draping over the small table full of toys, wooden carvings, and items belonging to all of her children.

Each Terran had their own designated corner in the barn, each adorned with accents unique to them. Nothing like the barren quarters G.H.O.S.T had provided him, nothing like the cold, merciless room he had on the Nemesis.

This was warm. This was full of love. Dorothy and Alex's love. Love that threatened to ensnare him. Just like Optimus's.

And Megatron was undeserving and scared.

He felt himself shifting uneasily underneath Dorothy’s gaze, as if his silence was admission to the thoughts locked deep in his processor. Dorothy has a way of unraveling his emotions like a piece of wire in a tangled set. When she pulled at him, it was near impossible to gather himself together. That’s why he was here in the first place. He wondered if humans were secretly telepathic.

"You don't act like it, Megs. I know things aren't easy for you, but you're not alone." She said, sadly, “We worry about you, you know. The kids love you, and I do too. If anything ever happened to you..”

Dorothy looked away, extending them both a small reprieve.

"Do you…talk to Optimus?"

And she took it away immediately, twisting a knife in his spark. Optimus and his inability to empathize with any of Megatron's grievances was not a subject he wanted to breach.

And yet.

"I would have more luck speaking to a wall," he mused dryly, "his blinding optimism continues to be the wedge in our relationship. And he was not always like this. It is…concerning.”

Dorothy drew her lips together tightly, arms crossed as she considered his words. If there was anyone who knew of his complicated relationship with the Leader of the Autobots, it was Dorothy. And perhaps Alex, but just by proxy *.

To his relief Dorothy did not pry.

“Come over for dinner then? At least once a month?” She tried, gently kicking his pede, “stop going at this alone.”

In the past she would have suggested he speak to his old comrades, visit them in prison at least. But they’d both learned the hard way that he was not welcome there.

“I will take you up on that offer.” Megatron muttered, standing to full height. He online his pain receptors, astounded by how little the injury hurt, “And thank you, for everything.”

“Of course, and Megatron. Please remember, people love you. Okay. People who would be very upset if anything happened to you,” she reminded as she headed towards the large doors, “feel free to stay in the barn if you want. The kids will love to see you when they’re back from their game.”

Megatron’s gaze followed her as she left. He was glad she granted him the small mercy of not forcing him to stay for dinner, but knew it would come eventually. His frame ached to transform and take flight into the air, to leave this place and its love behind. But he stopped, sliding back down against the barn wall. His Decepticons might hate him, and Optimus may be an enigma, but he still had this.

And no matter how undeserving he believed he was, it was undeniably his.

#transformers earthspark #megatron earthspark #dot malto #megatron

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oh-hush-its-perfect · 8 months

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okay guys so there's this tv show i started watching recently and it kind of feels like it's queerbaiting but i'm not sure because it's a reality show, so, like, these are real people I'm talking about. the show is called "Make It Big," and it's about aspiring artists. let me describe the parts i think are queerbait-y and y'all can give me your thoughts.

so one of the guys on MIB is named taylor, right? taylor is an author and poet, and sometimes his work is featured on the show. the thing is that he writes a lot of love poems but the gender of the person it's addressed to is usually ambiguous. and taylor has had plenty of female love interests and written stuff about those relationships, but there are other works that almost seem to be about his (ex) friends???

for example, he's got this one former friend— and they had a falling-out, but it happened off-screen so no one's really sure what happened— who is obsessed with Wuthering Heights. Like, he has a tattoo of Catherine and Heathcliff, and his social media accounts have some reference to Wuthering Heights in the url. After the two had their falling out, taylor wrote a poem using Wuthering Heights as a metaphor for a failing relationship?? and like. he even mentions "green eyes" in the poem, and this friend has green eyes? like i know it's nothing solid, but it's just a little suspicious.

but even more, taylor used to have this friend named charlie, and the two of them were SUPER close. like they were roommates at one point. and they too had a falling out (again, off-screen). then taylor wrote a poem that specifically mentioned something that the two did together: "I drew a heart on your wrist in Sharpie." and i'm sitting here like, taylor literally drew a heart on charlie's wrist, like, three episodes ago. there are other things, too, like how the two of them were photographed kissing at a concert?? but the show never brought this up, and never clarified one way or another if they were in a relationship??? there are a bunch of other things in taylor's love poetry and short stories that seem to allude to charlie, too, but nothing is ever direct.

then, like a long time later, taylor performed a slam poem about gay rights while dressed in the bisexual colors (blue jacket, purple shirt, pink pants), but when asked why he chose to do that, he said that he just "respect[ed] the community a lot" without saying whether he was part of it or not. btw, a bunch of the proceeds from that episode went to the Trevor Project.

not long after that episode aired, it was time for a pride episode, and this one famous designer posted a picture of a rainbow suit and captioned the picture something like "you'll never guess who on Make It Big is going to be wearing this in the new episode!" then, when the episode aired, this other character Lainey, who we HAVE KNOWN WAS A LESBIAN SINCE THE EPISODE IN WHICH SHE FIRST APPEARED, was wearing the suit. The problem was that part of the suit was body-colored mesh that would only work with someone who had fair skin. Lainey is black, and the suit didn't fit her properly. Somebody posted a tiktok about the situation a while ago theorizing the outfit had been made for taylor instead, and the guy who designed the suit dueted the tiktok drinking a cup of tea.

there has also been some gender stuff in taylor's poetry? like, for example, he wrote a poem called "The Two of Us are Maidens," in which the speaker was presumably himself. He's also written "from the perspective of women," like in the poem "Tommy," where he waxes poetic about kissing a man.

the nail in the coffin for me was him writing in a poem that he "used to love a friend of Dorothy." for anyone who doesn't know, "friend of Dorothy" is a queer dog whistle meaning "queer person."

but there's been even more questionable stuff. these are just some examples. so, like, I assume he's bi.

Meanwhile, other people in the (small) fandom get really upset at people who think taylor might like guys, saying that it's an invasion of his privacy and assuming anyone's sexuality is weird— even though they all assume he's straight.

what do y'all think? is this queerbaiting?

#so for those of you who didn't catch on #the whole 'reality television' thing?#it's a metaphor #but just as in reality tv #the public narrative around celebrities is one that is carefully constructed #this post was made in part to explain why some people think TS is bisexual #because when i put it in these terms #it doesn't sound so outlandish does it?#gaylor swift #lgbetty

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gwlemonyshenanigans · 1 year

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As we celebrated international Woman's Day this week, we would like to spotlight one strong woman here on our Tumblr page. With a sad and heavy heart, Revy679, a fellow Lemony Shenanigans member and Gundam Wing enthusiast, unexpectedly passed away on January 10, 2023.

Whether or not you had ever crossed paths with her in our tiny fandom, it is important to acknowledge her passing because of her passion and many contributions to this community. Her love and support built JenJenGundamFan’s confidence to create Lemony Shenanigans in the first place. She was a talented writer for mostly 1xR but dabbled in other pairings. She had many passions and hobbies, such as anime (Sailor moon was her number one baby), movies, tv shows, football, animals, fashion, cosplay, and much more. She was a sweet, caring soul and will forever be missed by her family and friends. As sad as it is to lose anyone, we think moments like these remind us to appreciate life in all its complexity, whether your passing moments be sad, random, joyous, humbling, hilarious, or chaotic. We encourage everyone to take the time to reflect on the people you have met in and outside of this fandom, whether they are still in your life or not, and to be thankful that your moments with them happened in the first place. Lemony Shenanigans 2023 will proceed as scheduled. The last thing Revy would’ve wanted was for us to stall anything on her behalf—especially anything lemony-related. Revy’s Role in LS isn’t over. She has now been memorialized as a Lemony Shenanigans participant in spirit, adding one more to the total number of people participating each year. This is our biggest year yet, with 40 people participating! We are so grateful and humbled that so many people enjoy this silly little event, and we’ll keep doing so, bringing the Gundam Wing community together each year. Please continue to care for yourselves and each other, and don’t forget to laugh often. As Revy would say, “Go in Gundam.”

Recorded from the LS spotlight in 2021...

Revy679

Where can we find you? (Ao3, FFN, Tumblr, etc?) FF, AO3, Tumbler, YouTube How long have you been in the fandom? Couple decades Who is your favorite character? Heero, Relena, Duo, Hilde, Zechs, Noin and Dorothy Favorite Gundam? Wing, Deathscythe, Epyon Which character do you relate to the most and why? Dorothy, because I get her. Haha! Bet you didn't expect that answer, JenJen. Hehe! What is your favorite scene (or quote) in Gundam Wing? Soooo many! However, I'd have to say the last scene when Relena finds the teddy bear and knows it was from Heero. #FEELS What fanwork, that you've created, are you most proud of and why? (Ex: story, artwork, craft, etc...) A little story I wrote by the name of Resurrection. What would you tell your younger self about Gundam Wing and why? Be prepared to be hooked for life. Haha!

#gundam wing #lemonyshenanigans #death #loss #memory #in our hearts forever #gone but not forgotten #sailor moon #1xr #heero yuy #relena peacecraft #otp #hooked for life

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karume-selfshipper · 3 months

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Blood Blockade Battlefront (Kekkai Sensen) OC: Two of a Kind

Elizabeth Louise Belmont

This OC barely jiggles the plot of Blood Blockade Battlefront but is made for the romantic catharsis, feels, and hurt/comfort overindulgence. Makes attempts to stay as close to canon (both anime and manga) but with serious emphasis on the anime and a good bit of plot shifting for maximum impact. But like most of my OCs, Elizabeth is just me but better.

Various Picrews/Avatars for Pre Journey

Various Picrews/Avatars for Post Journey/Main Story

Standard Profile

Age: 3 years younger than Klaus, give or take a few months

Birthday: May 27th

Height: 5'6" or 167.6 cm

Weight: 175 lbs or 79 kg

Likes: sewing, cross stitching, adventure novels, and Klaus

Dislikes: being bored, disingenuous people, and fighting

Backstory and Personality

Born third in her family with three brothers, the first generation of Belmonts born in the United States. Elizabeth was mostly shy and polite, uncertain of herself in every manner. She was raised as a lady and pressured (slightly) by her parents to become a fang hunter, though she would much rather remain a lady and one day become a housewife.

She met Klaus on her 16th birthday and began a very distant courtship with him (she had two other suitors at the time that she was also interested in). Though over the course of a year, Elizabeth and Klaus became nearly inseparable at various events. Leading their parents to proceed with a betrothal, only begrudgingly accepting the two's pleas to go at their own pace.

Due to her noble status, she was somewhat forced into a courtship with Klaus. The two genuinely developed feelings for one another as neither felt as if they were dating a robot. The two had been dating for a couple of years prior and both sets of parents were eager to see the two wed. Klaus proposed on his 21st birthday (when Elizabeth was 18).

Until recent events in Elizabeth's life, she and her second oldest brother got along just fine, despite her refusal to become a fang-hunter. However, due to disagreements over her personal motives clashing with his grand vision of the family name, the two have stopped talking on friendly terms. Their relationship has delved strictly into a formal one. Yet the rest of her family don't hold the same morals and don't fault Elizabeth for her change of heart.

With that mantle of a fang hunter, she became rather ruthless toward her targets and earned quite the reputation among other fang hunters.

Clothing and Accessories

Pre Journey: Mostly light blues and purples, bordering pastel in hue and very cutesy-like. Mostly sweeping gowns and fine jewels with silver bands/chains. High heels, commonly stiletto.

Post Journey: Dark blue and deep purple to help blend into shadows. Much more form-fitting so she can fight, only two pieces of jewelry (her engagement ring on a simple silver chain and the nick ring she uses to activate her blood blade). Combat boots (feminine styles but still combat boots), pants, and a partially loose shirt... sometimes a cape for when it's cold. A pouch hangs off her hip with woven arcana to allow her to carry most everything she needs.

Family

Mother- Dorothy Michelle Belmont- A reasonably talented fang hunter. She married young (19) and had her children at 21 (Timothy), 24 (Elrick), 26 (Elizabeth), and 32 (Richard). A sweet yet stern woman who definitely prefers the duties of a housewife over those of a fang hunter but still wishes her children to follow her path (*cough* Elizabeth *cough*) so they too can learn how strong they truly are. She taught her children everything she could with a heavy emphasis on self-sufficiency and respect for their partner (whether they be in combat or at home).

Father- Oscar Edwin Belmont the Third- A stern and stubborn man who is exceptionally supportive of his children. Has a bad habit of babying Elizabeth over everything as she's his baby girl. The only thing that he's ever been harsh toward her over was how headstrong and stubborn she was. He never truly wanted her to become a fang hunter the way she eventually did.

Oldest Brother- Timothy Arthur Belmont- The oldest sibling and the most well-adjusted. While he is very supportive of Elizabeth in her wishes early on, he comes to understand Elizabeth's headspace when Klaus goes missing and does what he can to help her train. Since he's already married and expecting a child soon, he fully understands why Elizabeth would feel so strongly.

Second Oldest Brother- Elrick Fredrick Belmont- The second oldest sibling and the most hot-headed of them all. Prone to making snap decisions and the least like his sister in any regard despite feeling closer to her than any of their other siblings. He is unsupportive when Elizabeth suddenly decides to become a fang hunter. Becomes far too overprotective and has a weird amount of pride thinking his sister shouldn't risk her life over any man regardless of their relationship status. He often expresses his love through his pride in being a Belmont, but that has left him lacking a long-term romantic partner (which adds to his confusion as to why Elizabeth would let her emotions drive her so strongly).

Youngest Brother- Richard Alois Belmont- The baby of the family, though he rarely feels like the others are babying him. Very calm, but also extremely inexperienced and still very much in training himself. He is on the fence about the whole debacle. As he doesn't really know how he feels about the situation as a whole, given that he isn't even old enough to begin truly courting someone when Elizabeth makes her "snap" decision. Though he does what he can to help her train as he can see just how much Klaus's absence is affecting her.

Power and Abilities

Elizabeth uses a rare blood blade, even among her immediate family as her siblings and parents only know how to harden their blood not turn it into pure crystal. Though it is one that has been used by the Belmont bloodline for centuries. It is one of the only known styles capable of sealing a blood breed.

Brain Grid Crystal Style:

Form 998, Crystal Sarcophagus (sealing technique).

Form 716, Crystal Daggers (long-range/surprise attack).

Form 313, Crystal Scythe (mid-range/main attack).

Form 112, Crystallization (trapping technique).

Form 701, Crystal Saber (melee/close-quarters attack).

Random Things (Head canons and such)

This Google Doc has a long list of questions I answered about Elizabeth and will be updated every so often.

After the Story

There may be a few chapters after the main story to go into detail about Elizabeth and Klaus getting married and having children. Though they eventually have four children together, a few different family pets, and some adventures as a battle couple.

#self shipping #self ship community #klaus von reinherz #blood blockade battlefront #kekkai sensen #kkss #bbb #klaus von reinherz x oc #two of a kind

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isekaid-bitches-tournament · 1 year

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actually i'm taking this to the askbox. i asked for tiesweep because i think dorothy and tulip both deserve to proceed but the fact of the matter is that the winner will be going up against Howl Movingcastle in the next round (inevitably. sorry noriko fans) and they need their combined powers to have a chance of making it through. if you care for either one of their fates you ought to tie it

that is a great point

#propaganda

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konako · 2 years

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Ruby's GF: 🤨 Ruby: Is something wrong, babe? Snow, in Ruby's lap: Would you like me to...? Ruby: No, you're good. Ruby's GF: 😑

It's funny because, at least in RRCAU, that's The Running Gag: Red Snow look like a couple and are completely oblivious to it.

Dorothy has referred to Regina and Snow as Ruby's Wife and Girlfriend, respectively. Dorothy at first believed Snow was Ruby's long time girlfriend, and when she saw Ruby kiss Regina, she pushed Ruby aside to confront her on why she was cheating on Snow.

A stalker that had a crush on David tried to dig up dirt on Snow, and saw her walking around campus with Ruby and was convinced Snow was cheating on David with the football player.

Granny (RIP), thought there was something else going on with the childhood friends Red and Snow, but decided not to push her.

Just about everyone takes a first look at Snow, sitting on Ruby's lap so casually and thinks, "Yep, a couple of girlfriends. Nothing weird about that" and then they proceed to learn they are just friends, and then it's... "Huh. Something a tiny bit weird about that."

#RRCAU

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one-winged-dreams · 7 months

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Outside

ship: kiss of a beast (sol the ultraviolet x azul the cerulean) source: Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus word count: 1718

Sol can't seem to comprehend what the world will be like as he prepares to enter or perhaps re-enter it for the first time. But Azul is more than happy to paint a proverbial picture for him.

ty bee for the prompt askjdg

tag list: @dearly-beeloved @camellias-and-coriander @rebel-wolf13 @sunstar-of-the-north @mahitoslittlebird @goldenworldsabound @edencantstopfallininlove @sosoftandsweet @dorothys-wife

It was a sobering thought, or at least it SHOULD have been. This would be the first time leaving Deepground since…

Sol puzzled a moment. If he had ever been outside, he didn't remember it. For his age, a very large chunk of his memory was missing. A blank slate until he had come to this place, lost in the sundering of his psyche amongst the countless ever-shifting shards.

But that was all going to change… Soon. Not quite yet, he wouldn't be leaving until after Shelke reported back with her analysis. Then it would be his turn if the results were favorable. But along with Shelke, the other person leaving would be…

"You look eager. So ready to carry out your orders from Weiss, are you? Or perhaps you want to see what it's like out there."

Sol was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't heard Azul approaching until he was standing right next to him. He recoiled for a moment, his foggy mind having to process his presence in a singular instant. It was almost painful, like an icepick to the brain, but the shards shifted into something more favorable. Adoration.

"A-Azul!" he spoke a beat too late to have been a properly appropriate response, not noticing the smirk it earned him.

The Cerulean huffed in amusement, looking towards the only exit from Deepground to the surface. Sol had been standing on a building top far enough as to not be in the way, but close enough that it was clear how eager he was.

"Do you remember what it's like out there? Or have you never known? Hm. I'm sure it doesn't matter," Azul echoed Sol's earlier notions, the latter going silent. Giving the Ultraviolet a sidelong glance, Azul's smirk returned. "It's quite the mess up there. Very different than when I last saw it."

Sol visibly reacted, his head turning over and up to blink incredulously at him, though it went unnoticed under his helmet. "You… You've been outside? Before the Restrictors?"

Turning to meet the Ultraviolet's gaze, Azul regarded him for a moment before laughing boisterously, loudly enough for Sol to jump in bewildered surprise.

"Sol," Azul accented his name in a tone of near mockery, "How many years have you been down here? I doubt you remember, but I was hardly born here."

The only response was a silent stare from Sol before the Ultraviolet turned his gaze to the side, seemingly embarrassed. Azul's cruel mercy materialized in the form of his large hand on top of Sol's head, patting the much smaller Tsviet a few times. He didn't need to see Sol's face when his gaze returned upward to know that he was flustered and star-struck. Only adding to the moment of affectionate torment, Azul hummed, still directing that smirk downward.

"If you're so inclined, I may be persuaded to tell you about it. What it is, what it used to be, whatever you desire."

Sol simpered, though, again, it remained unseen. His excitement was palpable, however, and Azul already knew that HE knew how this went.

"D-Do you want me to…?"

Azul's response was a mere nod of confirmation, and that was all the Ultraviolet needed to proceed. Lifting his hands to his head, he pulled his helmet off without care, the fear of the Restrictors a near-forgotten memory now. Azul took a moment to, in a sense, admire those features he was so fond of. The large, sad, black and violet eyes adorned by long lashes, the pretty pink lips usually turned downward now slightly parted in wonder, and the long dark locks of hair that were always surprisingly beautiful despite always being sequestered by that helmet. He painted quite the picture of someone with such delicate beauty that it was a wonder even to Azul sometimes that he was an aberrant killing machine.

The Cerulean realized that his expression may have been something akin to fond with little bite, and so he quickly adjusted back to a smirk. Not without reaching forward to stroke that pretty hair, however. The blush and widening of the eyes it rewarded him with was far too enticing.

"Very good, Sol. I suppose I'll humor you after all," Azul's smirk widened, and he could practically see the results of Sol's heart fluttering. His attention turned thoughtfully towards the exit again. "I'm sure you can conjure the image of an average cityscape in your mind. Can't you?"

As Azul turned to him, the Ultraviolet paused, and Azul was grateful to be able to see the look of contemplation on that pretty face. Sol usually looked confused, like he was in a constant post-head-trauma daze. It was one of his particularly charming features, one that did indeed remind Azul of his fondness for him. And truthfully, the Cerulean was also eager to see which facet he would have the pleasure of witnessing this time.

Ultimately, he was rewarded with one of those foggy smiles, the ones that made it plain that deeper thoughts were something of a struggle, but feelings? Absolutely the essence of his state of mind.

"I can, yes. I'm not sure why, but… I know," Sol confirmed with a nod.

It was almost too precious for Azul to stand, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do, but the feelings of fondness were almost violent. So he bared his teeth in a grin, choosing to use them for an expression rather than actively sinking them into something. Or someone.

"At least we're on the same page in that regard. Your memories are undoubtedly based on the concept of Midgar. Or what it USED to look like, rather."

As Sol tilted his head and batted those pretty lashes, Azul flexed his fists. Oh, he was pushing it now. He took a moment to consider if he particularly liked it when the Ultraviolet depended on him for information, but only until he responded.

"A city built on Shinra's whim, and what a great city it was. From the most bustling business district, down to the lowly slums, and it was all powered by the Lifestream. Naturally, as a beacon of utter irony, they erected their obscenely tall headquarters right in the center." He let out a 'Hah!' before continuing. "After all, arrogance is always a repeatitive theme portrayed in what humanity builds with their own hands."

Sol was clearly paying very close attention, practically, quite literally, leaning into the conversation. Azul offered an antagonizing fond smirk before his expression turned thoughtful.

"Hm. All of that, and now it's in ruins. They've brought it upon themselves, the ones who created us. The ones who depended on them. All that hubris came crashing down, and now the city is a ruined ghost of its former self," he huffed before smirking again. "Perfectly fitting, if you ask me."

Sol's eyes had widened further the longer the Cerulean spoke. "Ruins? That's…" A hand raised itself to his head, and he closed his eyes for a moment. "Because… Of that." He paused and then looked back up. "Right?"

Again, Azul laughed loud enough to startle the other Tsviet. "Yes, Sol. Becuase of THAT. Your memory is serving you quite well this time. I may even have to commend you, later."

Azul reveled in the way Sol's entire body seemed to bristle and crackle with mako, doe-eyes going wide in time to the reddening of his face.

But ultimately, he proceeded with no acknowledgment.

"Even destroyed, the rubble stirs with life. There are still those that cling to the places they once lived, needlessly mourning," he paused to express his amusement to Sol, "No one readily embraces change. Endings are hard to stomach."

It was plain to see the cogs in Sol's head turning as he tried to think of what to say to that. "But… Weiss is going to end even that, right? The end all?" His head turned to look at the massive door once more. "I… Hope I get to see it before it all goes away."

Once more, a hearty laugh was pulled from Azul, who then found himself unable to restrain himself from lifting Sol's chin with the side of his finger.

"Yes, Sol. You've been very good, haven't you? Certainly functioning at a useful capacity, at least." Azul took a moment to hum as his eyes scanned the flustered features of the Ultraviolet, taking great pleasure in doing so. "When your turn comes, I trust that you won't disappoint us. I personally look forward to seeing how you adapt."

The Cerulean now pulled away, but not without giving Sol's chin an affectionate bump with his knuckle. The Ultraviolet nearly tripped over himself in response, clutching the helmet that had almost fallen from his grasp. He stammered wordlessly, clearly at a loss for a comprehensible response. Azul's returning smirk was an acceptable enough expression of farewell, at least in his opinion. But just as quickly as he turned his back on the smaller Tsviet…

"I'll- I'll do it, Azul! I want… I want to be useful. For Weiss. And…"

Looking over his shoulder, Azul did not meet Sol's gaze, as it was currently cast downward, seemingly on the helmet in his hands. His expression was that of genuine contemplation, and for once there was no smug expression or response. This only lasted so long before a singular 'HAH!' rang through the distance between them, forcing Sol to lift his head with wide-eyed bewilderment.

"We'll see about that, Sol. It would truly be a shame if you didn't come back to entertain me more, wouldn't it?" Azul had already turned again, missing the perplexed and not unflustered blinking on that pretty face.

Sol didn't know how long he stood there holding onto his helmet as he stood frozen until the Cerulean had departed out of sight. It was only until he felt his mind begin to ready itself to shift into something he wasn't sure he could predict that he decided to re-adorn himself with his helmet. In time with a deep breath rang out the alarms that signified the door would open soon, allowing more troops, and Azul and Shelke, presumably, to pass through into the outside world. His gaze lingered, unsure if it were out of longing, apprehension, or anything in between.

#self ship #self shipping #virus fics #kiss of a beast

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twocubes · 2 years

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tarot question: i like my job a lot (good work, good people, good pay, good health plan) but it's a startup and i'm not confident it'll be around in four months. to complicate this, i only just got my life back in order and i'm not sure if i should push to develop myself more, enjoy my newfound health and only recently nearby friends, or secure my professional career by interviewing before software labor demand/vc supply crashes

thank you for volunteering your fate to be decided by our new experimental divinatory process, here at dorothy twocubes' 24-hour bad advice hour™! let's get started

since you already have some idea of what you want and merely require guidance about how to proceed from now on, i thought Sun Tzu's Five Factors would be appropriate as a way to contextualize your current situation and suggest a next move. this is augmented by the process here under review: the Assumption Of Continuous Motion. basically, i'm supposing that everything being diagnosed here is in the process of changing from one thing to another, and thus drew two cards for each. on with the show.

Purpose: this is what you're trying to do; why people follow you (if you're leading an organization). the cards here suggest that what you wish to get out of your life is transitioning form the SQUARE ROOT OF TWO of HEARTS to the KNIGHT of SPADES, reversed; a change of red to black suggests a motion from something internal to something external, and a change from up to down suggests winds blowing against (in this case) you HEARTS is to do with perpetuance; stuff to do with survival, reproduction, whatever keeps a project going, etc SPADES is to do with material contradiction; multiple things being put in conflict by their requirements conflicting with each-other the SQUARE ROOT OF TWO is to do with taking a shortcut, cutting corners, cutting through a field instead of following the roads, etc the KNIGHT is to do with one-time exceptional help; think the cavalry coming over the mountain to save you

Landscape: this is the environment you find yourself in, and where everyone finds themselves in it. the cards suggest a transition from the UP ARROW of SPADES to the BLANK CARD I ACCIDENTALLY LEFT IN THE DECK the UP ARROW is a fragile advantage; you are winning but the slightest thing could mess you up. the BLANK CARD I ACCIDENTALLY LEFT IN THE DECK is to do with The Void. staring at it and being bored, meditating, ending up in it, etc

Climate: What affects that environment, the conditions that change which approaches are possible, which succeed and which fail, all that. the cards suggest a transition from the CONTINUUM of DIAMONDS, reversed, to the ONE HALF of CLUBS; a change from red to black, thus again one from something internal to something external, and a change from down to up, thus suggesting the winds blowing in your favor DIAMONDS is to do with what is precious to you, the stuff whose pursuit you might consider your Purpose. CLUBS is to do with labor, with the CONTINUUM is to do with that which is utterly beyond the ability of man. the sublime, the eternal, etc. the ONE HALF is to do with incompletion; stuff being not yet complete or not yet gone

Doctrine: this is what you do naturally; what your standard operating procedures are, what you are trained to do, etc the cards suggest a transition from the KING of SPADES to the THIRTEEN of CLUBS; both cards are upright, suggesting a natural progression from one positive to another the KING is that which is most precious; the piece that when lost ends the game the THIRTEEN is to do with clicking; stuff finally coming together somewhat mysteriously, becoming instinctive and automatic

Leadership: What you chose to do given all the rest. the cards suggest a transition from the CONTINUUM of SPADES to the PI of SPADES, reversed. the PI is to do with cycles, with recurrences, with routines, that sort of stuff.

I read these cards thus:

You have so far been taking shortcuts pursuing your shorter term survival to the point of taking longer term risks (like being in a startup), and your situation is in the process of moving to one where you might need major help to overcome upcoming conflicts.

Around you people who were in a fragile but positive position in their struggles have turned/are turning idle, their thoughts blank, but meanwhile above you, that which seemed eternal as far as giving everyone what gives life meaning is more and more turning into something that is now clearly an artifice in the process of being actively constructed/destroyed.

Your abilities meanwhile have been developing, moving from one where you struggled with the most fundamental things, without which you could not start, to one where the labor is coming to feel effortless, built into you, clear and bright. Given all this, the cards advise the following: You are aware of some of the fundamental conflicts underlying your situation, and you should move to going through an unpleasant cycle of conflicts. I think this means you should go through some cycles of interviews.

(i mean you can always reject their job offers, but it's a good way to Be Ready END OF READING)

hopefully this is helpful! please leave a tip and some feedback, or just one of the two, or neither; it's your choice, and we respect that

#nouveau tarot nouveau

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theotherbackgrounder · 2 years

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Had another EAH dream today.

So a girl and her dog (from this point on I will refer to as Dorothy because… dog) went into the mirror prison to talk to the Evil Queen about the “Unmaking Lava.” So arriving in The Queen’s prison they go to her bathroom (because… that makes sense) and Evil Queen has shown that she has been experimenting with Unmaking Lava - she just needed some “helpers”

So Queen pours some unmaking lava into a sink and it starts to bubble up like real lava. Next thing Queen does is grabs Dorothy’s dog and before she does anything they have this exchange.

“Has Raven ever told you what happened to her dog?”

“No.”

“Good. I want this next part to be a surprise.”

And then Queen proceeds to throw the dog into the unmaking lava. Now since this is a dream, the dog doesn’t break into “concepts” like the actual unmaking lava but just melts away into the pool as it cries out as the sink pools into blood.

Then Queen pours a yellow liquid into the unmaking lava and the lava turns yellow. She puts her hands into the liquid and pulls out the dog.

#ever after high #raven queen #kitty cheshire #apple white #cerise hood

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dope-shark · 10 months

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Decades Challenge (Franz Family)

1890 - newlyweds Margaret and Phillip Franz move into a new home in Henford-upon-Bagley. Phillip works as a fisherman while Margaret looks after the house

1896 - Jonathan Franz is born

1899 - Pearl Franz is born

1900 - Peter Franz is born

1902 - Herbert Franz is born

1904 - Esther Franz is born

1906 - Evelyn Franz is born

1907 - Peter and Herbert die in a house fire as children; Phillip joins a business career and loses himself in work

1908 - Margaret dies in a vehicle accident

1909 - Phillip marries Leila Franz (Illes) because 'children need a mother'

1910 - Leila gives birth to daughter Leona Franz

1913 - Jonathan marries early, but short marriage brings no children, and his wife leaves

1914 - Jonathan and Phillip both perish in WWI

1916 - teenage Pearl starts dating Floyd Morales and suffers a miscarriage after an unexpected pregnancy

1917 - Evelyn dies in another house fire. Leia kills the man responsible for the fire, takes Leona, and flees. Floyd Morales comes around and marries Pearl

1919 - Dorothy Morales, daughter of Floyd and Pearl, is born

1920 - Pearl and Floyd Morales both succumb to a deadly disease. Esther raises her niece Dorothy alone

1925 - Esther Franz marries Angelo Foy, a criminal twenty years her senior, who seems to be genuinely in love with her. Angelo moves the family into a country mansion and takes over all household duties. The Foy family is filthy rich with blood money

1927 - Angelo Jr Foy is born

1933 - Dorothy Morales marries Eugene Dickinson, but the relationship has little love. Same year Ezio Foy is born to Esther and Angelo

1934 - Esther Foy dies in childbirth and Angelo Foy dies in a gang altercation shortly after. Dorothy and Eugene Dickinson lose the house, move, and now are responsible for taking care of Angelo Jr and Ezio. They rely on vegetable garden and their cow and chickens to make it through the Great Depression with no money

1937 - Dorothy and Eugene Dickinson have a son, John Dickinson

1943 - Eugene dies in WWII. Dorothy remarries, and moves with John to her new husband Timothy Bower's house

1944 - Angelo Jr follows in his father's footsteps and joins the life of crime, terrorising the small sleepy town. He confesses to his aunt Dorothy that he's gay; she takes it surprisingly well, and continues to check on both Angelo and Ezio

1948 - Angelo Jr kills an innocent person and starts bossing his brother Ezio around, making him run errands for the gang. A house fire leaves them out of money

1949 - Ezio makes advances on a childhood friend Adelyn but gets rejected. The relationship between the brothers worsens because of Angelo Jr's behaviour

1950 - Ezio's classmate witnesses Angelo Jr murderering a person in Foy home, and becomes next on Angelo Jr's list of victims. Fed up and out of options, Ezio calls for law enforcement, and Angelo Jr is jailed

1951 - Angelo Jr breaks out of prison and attacks Ezio, who survives by chance. He then proceeds to go on a murder spree while on drugs. He murders his aunt Dorothy who attempts to stand up to him, and is eventually stabbed to death by a rival gang member

1952 - teenage John Dickinson commits suicide after his mother's death

1953 - after another romantic rejection, Ezio sells the house and moves to a small apartment in San Myushuno

1955 - Ezio is unsuccessful in wooing his Korean landlady in the post Korean War environment, but starts dating an Italian immigrant and single mother of two girls, Ella and Christine, Irene Trivedi, whose first husband died in Korean War

1956 - Ezio starts his career as a violinist when Irene gets pregnant. He marries her and moves back to Henford-upon-Bagley, taking up a job at a law firm and abandoning his dreams of becoming a professional musician. Irene's eldest daughter Ella marries Philip Ajjanagadbe in Willow Creek

1958 - Rosa Foy is born to Ezio and Irene Foy. Irene miraculously recovers from a deadly illness. The family is doing very well financially

1968 - Irene, pregnant, is kidnapped. Ezio can only assume it's retaliation for his brother's deeds. He pays the kidnappers off, and Irene is returned

1969 - Lorenzo Foy is born to Ezio and Irene

1970 - teenage Christine Trivedi, a talented violinist like her stepdad, commits suicide. The family is in shock. Same year Ella and Philip have their second child

1974 - Irene becomes a teacher now that teenage Rosa is capable of looking after the house and her brother. Ezio climbs the ladder of law and still plays violin as a hobby

1976 - Rosa confesses her feelings for her classmate Audrey; the two start dating in secret

1979 - Ezio, now a successful lawyer, is kidnapped after he put away one of the members of Angelo Jr's gang. Irene attempts to save him but is shot dead when she brings the police on scene. Rosa pays most of the family's money to the kidnapper to have Ezio returned

1980 - to recover from financial loses and get away from this town, Ezio sells the house, and the Foy family moves to Willow Creek to be closer to Ella and Philip

1981 - armed burglary at the Foy home indicates that the troubles are not over

1983 - Rosa moves away to Brindleton Bay to live with her girlfriend's, Audrey Godwin, family. She finishes university with Fine Arts degree and starts working as a musician

1985 - another attack on Ezio lands him in hospital with complications. He passes away shortly after. Rosa and Audrey move back home to look after teenage Lorenzo

1986 - Ella Ajjanagadbe is killed, leaving behind a husband and four children

1987 - Lorenzo dies in a car crash in the middle of the night

1988 - Rosa and Audrey adopt a child, Julia Foy. Rosa and Audrey's relationship status is still 'roommates' to the public. Audrey starts her business career

1991 - teenage Julia narrowly avoids death when a club she snuck into is set on fire

1992 - Audrey gets sick over Christmas. Her surgery is unsuccessful

1993 - Audrey passes away at home. Julia starts dating Terrence Presley

1995 - Ella's daughter Amiyah is dead by electrocution. Julia starts dating Griffith Dickinson and Blaze Matsumoto behind Terrence's back. Hayes Corrigan, who has had an eye on Julia since she was a child, finally gets his hands on her too. Julia finds out she's pregnant, but who is the father?

1996 - Julia gives birth to David Foy, Blaze Matsumoto's child - the one man she wasn't in an official relationship with, keeping it as fwb. Rosa kicks Julia out of the house, and she moves in with another lover of hers, Hideki Kimura, who is happy to look after her and the child

1997 - Julia has another child with Blaze, Jamari Foy

1998 - Julia has a child with Hideki, Korey Kimura, just before her 20th birthday. She turns to sex work to support herself

1999 - twins Jayson and Felix Kimura are born to Julia and Hideki

2002 - Julia gets pregnant by one of her clients and gives birth to Trevor Foy

2004 - another accidental client pregnancy results in Julia's 7th child and only girl, Kayleigh Foy

2007 - Rosa Foy passes away from old age

2008 - Hideki gets gravely sick. His surgery is unsuccessful. Pregnant Julia dies in a car accident

2009 - Hideki passes away from his illness. David the eldest, is left to look after his siblings

2010 - with his mother's money, David moves the family out of the trailer in Oasis Springs into a small two-bedroom in Willow Creek

2012 - David finds Julia and Hideki's somehow forgotten child, a toddler named Alllyson

2013 - David organises his blood siblings to go into their birth fathers' families, Trevor goes to Kahanui family in San Myushuno, Kayleigh goes to Shan family, also in San Myushuno, and David and Jamari attempt to reconnect with their father Blaze in Brindleton Bay. Korey and Hideki children stay in the house in Willow Creek

2014 - Blaze isn't too happy to have the siblings, so David and Jamari move into a rental in Willow Creek. David starts pursuing a career in sport

2016 - David marries a painter Staci

2017 - Jamari moves to San Myushuno. David starts building his own house

2019 - Poppy Foy is born to David and Staci Foy

2020 - Jamari marries Jamie

2023 - Chester Foy is born to Jamari and Jamie Foy

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