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#but still it's such a shame he couldn't be included because he was a great character
steakout-05 · 4 months
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//ableism mention tw
ok just gonna say something really quick: i absolutely hate Abe's characterisation in the reboot of Clone High because it is nothing like how he acted in season 1 and it just. isn't funny. they've turned this good-intentioned but flawed loser kid who just wants to be like the original Abraham Lincoln but doesn't know how to, into a self-centered and arrogant asshole who literally almost said a horrible ableist slur twice in the first episode. like. i'm being serious, he almost says the R-slur twice in the same minute and i dunno about you but i really don't find it very funny when a) the only "joke" behind it is "oh look at how bad Abe is compared to the more progressive sensitivities of the new generation of clones, isn't he just terrible", and b) they felt the need to completely rewrite a pre-existing character that fans are already attached to to do something against his own morals for the sake of a shitty joke, and c) TOPHER WAS RIGHT THERE!!! isn't he supposed to be the asshole or am i missing something?? like...
i'm not saying you can't have "edgy" or "dark" comedy or whatever, but personally, i don't find it very funny when a character that actually means quite a lot to me and is one of my favourites is twisted and rewritten into an arrogant asshole in an apparent attempt to appeal to the people who hate Abe for his flaws in the original show. especially when he's rewritten to be someone who would say a slur that's literally been used against my fellow disabled peers, myself included. it just feels... wrong. it actually hurts a lot to see a character i once loved and found to be one of the funniest and most important characters in the show be turned into an arrogant dick, with barely any thought or meaning put into him. i don't like what they did with the rest of the OG cast as well (such as Joan making a complete 180 in her entire character, JFK's character assassination, the removal of Gandhi, Cleo barely being in it etc.), but to me, they did Abe the dirtiest in this season and i'm really disappointed that one of my favourite shows had to continue like this :(
#clone high#abe lincoln#rant#sorry this post is a little heavier than what i usually post on here but i just felt like i really needed to say this#abe from clone high is actually quite an important character to me and i'm still upset that he's been written so poorly in season 2#like he's a silly parody of a teen drama protag but honestly i think his struggles in the original series are actually really meaningful#like he's a little shy and doesn't exactly know how to express his ideas in the best way but wants to help and i just think that's so real#especially as someone who struggles with that myself#he has so much pressure to live up to the OG abraham lincoln and he really wants to be like him and tries but doesn't get it#i mean he even says something like that in episode 2 when joan and gandhi come to see him in his room and that's really relatable#so to see him so horribly misinterpreted as a selfish asshole really hurts me.#they've essentially done the thing where a fandom will tear apart the neurodivergent coded character#and write them off as selfish and arrogant and completely misinterpret everything about them#not saying that Abe is written to be neurodivergent but you get my point#it's kinda like that#he's relatable to me as an autistic person and a lot of his struggles are similar to what the autistic community experiences#also i'm sad that gandhi had to get removed because he's important to me too#he's actually one of my favourite ADHD reps on tv i've seen and he's just really funny#i know he was removed because people in India got offended and they probably don't wanna cause another incident like that again#but still it's such a shame he couldn't be included because he was a great character#also slightly unrelated but i think turning characters into a moral debate it stupid and often results in stuff like this happening#ableism mention#tw ableism mention
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inbarfink · 7 months
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So when I talk about how the Winter King is, on some level, far more removed from original-flavor Simon than Ice King ever was - Betty is the most obvious example. Ice King’s whole obsession with princesses and the kidnapping therefore and general romantic neediness has always been a Mad, Sad and Magical reflection of just how much Simon misses Betty.
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Even when he was too far too gone to recognize Betty when she was standing right in front of his face
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Ice King always carried the hole she left in his heart. Meanwhile, the Winter King has full access to his old memories, he just forgotten her because he doesn’t care anymore. 
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Even while he was forcing Princess Bubblegum to dance along in a recreation of that same romantic grief.
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But still, I feel like what happened Winterworld version of Marceline is an ever more poetic example, even if figuring out what exactly happened includes a lot of inferences and headcanons.
In “I Remember You”, during yet another emotional breakdown, Ice King accidentally shoved Marceline - and he was immediately absolutely overcome with regret and shame
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Because although he didn’t consciously remember what Marceline meant to him, he still retained these feelings of fatherly care and affection. Some sort of core element of Simon’s being that persisted despite the effects of the Magic Crown. Because of that, he couldn't even stand the thought of hurting her, even slightly.
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Ice King was capable of doing some fucked-up things in his desperation and madness - but hurting Marceline was the one line he never ever wanted to cross.
But the Winter King?
We only have hints of what went down between Winterworld Simon and Winterworld Marceline. All we know is: 
The Winter King and Winterworld Marceline had the same Simon and Marcy backstory as in the Mainworld, and the Winter King fully remembers it - since he conjures a vision of them during his song. 
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Since Marceline’s Ax Bass still exists in its familiar form, it’s safe to say this version of Marceline did reach adulthood and probably had a pretty similar life to Mainworld Marceline.
The Winter King did something absolutely morally repugnant to the Candy Kingdom in general and Princess Bubblegum specifically. Although at the time the Winter King came to being, Marcy and Peebs were still reeling from that centuries-old breakup (assuming there are no other major divergences in the timeline) - I have no doubt that Marceline still had enough lingering feelings (and also maybe general human decency) that she would not stand for Simon’s actions.
And yet the real Marceline is 100% unaccounted for, only her Ax-Bass remains, in the Winter King’s possession. 
Or rather, in the possession of Ice Marcy, an icy duplicate of Marceline as a child living in a gilded cage in the Winter King’s palace - presumably just as lacking in Free Will as the Ice Scouts and any other creation of the Winter King.
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The Winter King’s little conversation with Simon about Betty is the best hint we have to Winter King’s motivation for making Ice Marcy. Namely, he suggested making an ‘Ice Betty’ as a way for Simon to get over losing the love of his life. And he’s fully aware that this is unethical - he just doesn’t care.
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I think it’s pretty reasonable to assume that Marceline and the Winter King would have some sort of confrontation about what he did to Bubblegum and since the Winter King implicitly compares it to the situation with ‘the dead one’ (Betty)… I honestly think it is not a stretch at all to assume the Winter King killed Marceline. 
And even if he didn’t straight-up kill her, I think most scenarios that fall under Occam’s Razor still involve the Winter King knowingly inflicting a great amount of emotional and potentially physical damage to Marceline. And it definitely involves the Winter King claiming Marceline’s most beloved posession as his own and giving it to a false icy duplicate of her child self he made to replace her. 
I mean, the fact that he even bothered implies that he at least misses her more than Betty. But his discussion with Simon still means he considers replacing her with a nonsapient magic ice construct that copies not the person she was when she was speaking out against him but the child who adored him to be more than a suitable solution. Which is a demonstration that whatever sort of love remained in the Winter King’s heart for Marceline was a very twisted and selfish kind of love. 
Even if you want to argue that the Winter King has nothing to do with Marceline’s disappearance - the fact that this is how he dealt with her being gone shows how much of the love Simon genuinely had for Marcy is now become a hollow and self-centered sort of thing. This is also a form of hurting her.  And again, with the way the Winter King is in general - I think it’s very likely he has a lot to do with what happened to Marceline.
Meanwhile in the Mainverse, the Ice King couldn’t even lightly shove her away in a fit of emotions without being overcome with pain and regret.
So which Ice Wizard really retains more of what made Simon Petrikov who has is? The one who kept his identity and memories but has lost all of the love and care that has once motivated him more than anything? Or the one who can’t remember his name or his old face most days but still retains this ever-persistent echo of his romantic love for Betty and his fatherly love for Marceline even if he doesn’t fully understand where it comes from? 
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eddiemunsons80sbaby · 5 months
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Everybody Hurts
Chapter 17
Pairing: EddieMunsonxReader
Summary: You needed to escape, escape from your life, your messy divorce, and all the pitying looks. Looks you couldn't ignore when everyone in town had known you and Cam, had known your shame and failure. So, you took the first job you could get, teaching third grade in a town called Hawkins. Little did you know, you were walking right into another messy situation, a messy situation with big brown eyes and long dark waves. But he's resistant, at times unbearable and you start getting curious about the town's past, his past, especially when things don't start adding up.
18+ Only for eventual smut
Next chapter: 12/20
Word Count: 7K
Masterlist
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
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Nerves fluttered in your stomach as Eddie opened up the passenger door, offering you his hand. You took it, hopping down off the seat, your feet hitting the asphalt of the road with a thud. Your eyes peered up at Steve’s house with trepidation, the very idea of facing all of them after your epic and entirely embarrassing outburst at The Hideout making you want to lose the grilled cheese that Eddie had cooked for you as a late lunch.
It was a nice house. It looked like a basic American Craftsman with some touches of Spanish colonial. The colors were all earth tones, rusty orange siding with forest green details in the shutters, railings, and columns. You spotted a small balcony on the side that would be perfect for late night stargazing or watching the sun rise high into the sky with your morning coffee warming your hands. There was no garden but the front walk was lined with small trees, inviting and warm.  
“Hey,” Eddie said, squeezing your hand in an attempt to assure you as if he knew the panic that was raging through your body. “It’s gonna be fine. Seriously. These guys aren’t going to care about any of that. And if anybody should be ashamed, it should be me. You just yelled. I’m the one who acted like an asshole. If they’re still happy to see me, they’re going to be overjoyed to see you. Nancy and Robin have been pestering me daily because you won’t answer their calls. Trust me. They’re going to be over the damn moon to see you.”
You hoped he was right. Not only had you acted like a lunatic in front of them, then you'd completely ghosted all of them. You had only done it as an act of self-preservation, trying to keep yourself from looking the part of the fool that you felt so deeply. It had nothing to do with any of them. But how would they not feel offended that you'd disappeared on them? You would have definitely taken it personally if the roles were reversed. They’d been so kind to you, welcomed you in, and then you'd just ghosted all of them. 
“I guess we’ll see,” you muttered softly. 
“Seriously, you should have heard the tongue lashing Nancy gave me. She backed me up against the wall at the bar, her finger jabbing my chest so hard she left bruises. Man, that woman might be tiny but she is scary as hell. Then Robin started in on me, then Gareth ripped me a new one, and then I had to listen to Mama Harrington lecture me about being a good man. It was fucking painful, man.”
Your face cracked into a smile, a quiet giggle escaping despite your fear. Leave it to him to make you laugh, to put you at ease, when you were feeling anything but. When Eddie had mentioned heading over to Steve’s, you had tried everything you could think of to talk him out of it, including pulling off your shirt but he would not be deterred. Apparently, everyone was heading over for a cook-out and some drinks. They were all expecting Eddie but no one knew that you were accompanying him. He had a great plan to surprise them all, to remedy his screw-up, and to make everything better for you. He was assuming it would be a good surprise but that remained to be seen. 
What if they were all done with you? They barely knew you and you'd managed to dig into secrets that made them uncomfortable, create drama between them all, and then ignored them when they tried to reach out. What reason did you give them to want to keep you around? You'd given them no reason to. It wouldn’t be hard to drop someone you’d only met a few weeks ago. None of them would be feeling any great loss if you were no longer there.
“Is it bad if it brings me pleasure that it was painful for you?” you teased, leaning into his side, your cheek resting against the soft fabric of his shirt, a stark contrast to the muscle of his bicep beneath it. 
A chuckle shook Eddie’s chest, his lips ghosting over your forehead, “Nah. I guess I did kind of deserve it.”
“Damn right you did,” you stated, poking him in the ribs, grinning when he arched his body away from you with a shriek. Oh, he was ticklish. That was good information to have and use to your advantage at a later time. 
You stepped up onto the porch and Eddie looked down at you, “Ready?”
You nodded even though you felt anything but. You wanted to bolt, race down the sidewalk and away but before you could even process that, Eddie was knocking on the door and it swung wide open, Steve revealed behind it. With one hand on the door and the other on his hip, you watched as his face lit up upon seeing you and then his eyes trailed down to where your and Eddie’s hands were clasped together.
“Holy shit! It’s about damn time!” he exclaimed with a wide grin, his head shaking back and forth slightly. “I thought you two idiots would never figure it out.” Steve turned his head to look over his shoulder. “Munson and Sam finally got their shit together!”
A chorus of cheers, about times, and finallies could be heard from just beyond the door. You flushed as Eddie smiled down at you, an ‘I told you so’ look of arrogance on his face that should annoy you but he just looked so damn cute doing it. You shoved him gently with the hand he didn’t have a hold of, snorting and shaking your head. Of course he wouldn't be able to pass up rubbing this in. 
Then Nancy and Robin were there, pulling on your arms, yanking you into the house. They wrapped you in a hug from either side and all of the anxiety you'd been feeling seeped out of your body like water being wrung from a sponge. You squealed, gasping for a breath as both girls squeezed you as tightly as they could.
“I’m happy to see you guys too but I can’t breathe,” you choked out.
They pulled back, laughing, Nancy saying, “Sorry. We were just so worried.”
“Yeah, when you didn’t answer the phone this afternoon, Nancy declared we were showing up on your doorstep tomorrow and we weren’t leaving until you answered,” Robin told you. With a raise of her eyebrows, she hooked her thumb toward the brown curly headed girl. “And trust me, this one can be scary when she doesn’t get her way. She would have broken in if she had to.”
“Then I guess it’s lucky I showed up when I did,” you laughed.
“Damn right,” Nancy huffed, her hand coming to your shoulder and shoving firmly enough to send you stumbling back. Damn, she was freakishly strong for being so small. “You don’t get to disappear on us like that. I don’t care what happened with you and Eddie. That doesn’t change that we’re friends. I’ve lost enough people in my life and I won’t lose anymore.”
You swallowed hard, remembering Nancy telling you about her best friend who vanished only to be found dead later. She had to have known people in the mall fire in a town this small. She definitely knew the boy who was murdered ten years ago as they were together at the trailer park. This girl had suffered immense loss at far too young of an age. Of course she’d panicked when you suddenly vanished and that only made you feel like an even bigger shit.
“I’m sorry,” you told your friend, meaning it with every fiber of your being, your hand coming to Nancy’s bicep, squeezing lightly. “That wasn’t fair to any of you. I was just so damn embarrassed that you all knew that I’d…well, I thought I’d let some guy pull the wool over my eyes again. I assumed Eddie was a womanizer and you all knew and you would think I was an idiot for believing him.”
“Eddie?” snorted Max as she walked up, slinging an arm around your waist in a side hug. “Eddie Munson, the biggest nerd to ever walk the Earth? Dungeon master and geek club leader Eddie? You thought he was a womanizer?” She threw her head back, laughing. 
“Well, I mean he is in a band,” you stated in an attempt to defend yourself, narrowing your eyes down at Max who was turning red, her laughter taking over her whole body. “Women love a guy who plays guitar.”
“They also love a guy who plays DnD, is socially awkward as hell, completely lacks any self-awareness, and will talk obnoxiously for hours about things like heavy metal, government control, and Lord of the Rings?” challenged Max, her hand slipping from your side to rest on her hip, eyebrows raising.
“Maybe. I mean, girls are into a lot of different things. Look, he totally has the bad boy thing going for him. He’s got the long hair, the chunky rings, the leather jacket,” you argued, gesturing to where Eddie stood with Dustin, Lucas, Mike, and Will. 
Nancy’s lips pressed together in amusement, watching as Eddie wrapped an arm around Mike’s head, placing the lanky guy in a headlock while the boy struggled. He brought his other hand up, rubbing it vigorously over the top of Mike’s black hair until Mike yelled out for mercy. Then he released the kid, his head thrown back with laughter just as Lucas jumped onto Eddie’s back and he roared, reaching behind him. 
“Yeah, totally a bad boy,” Nancy mused with a roll of her eyes. “Sorry hon. You didn’t snag yourself a bad boy. You snagged yourself a man-child.”
“Oh, man-child. Are we talking about Eddie or Dustin or, honestly, it could be Mike,” El interjected, red solo cup in her hand, as she and Suzie approached their group. 
“Or Lucas,” Max groaned, watching as Eddie spun, her boyfriend on his back, arms locked around his neck, legs locked around his middle until Eddie backed into the wall, crushing the guy between him and the plaster until Lucas cried uncle. 
“Dusty-Bun may be immature sometimes but it’s just because he’s so young at heart. And he more than makes up for any immaturity with his incredible intellect and his very romantic nature,” Suzie stated and you noticed how the group just smiled endearingly at her. 
“It’s not like mine’s any better. Him and Argyle are out back and you know what that means,” Nancy added with a laugh. “I’m surprised Eddie didn’t make a beeline for them straight away. Those three can usually be found in the sacred circle around the firepit.”
“You think that one’s any better? And for some reason, I have to claim him,” Robin sighed, hooking her thumb in the direction of Steve, standing in the kitchen, pulling out lettuce, tomato, onion, all the fixings for burgers on the grill. 
You looked at her, confused, “He’s just getting ready to grill. I mean, looks very adult to me.”
Robin’s chin tilted down, snorting, “Yeah. Okay. Steve is very responsible, maybe too responsible. I got over here earlier and he was stressing out over how Lucas told him he was just going to charge a vacation for him and Max on a credit card and then he’d have time to pay it off. Apparently, they don’t have the money right now but he still wants to go. Lucas’s version is if you always wait to have the money, you’ll never do anything. You should have heard Steve. ‘He just thinks credit cards are free money or something. He doesn’t understand the interest he’ll be paying. He could be paying that trip off for years and wind up paying more than double what it actually coasts. This is why you budget and save for things like that.’ Seriously, the guy needs to join the sacred circle more often because he needs to chill.”
“Wait.” Max’s hand came up, her face suddenly tight. “I’m sorry. Lucas wants to do what? Excuse me.”
The girls watched as Max stormed over to the guys in the living room, grabbing onto Lucas’s ear. The poor guy yelped, wincing, as she dragged him out the front door, clearly in for a mouthful. They all looked at each other and then burst into laughter. 
“Oops,” Robin smirked with a shrug. “Guess she didn’t know about the vacation plan.”
“What the hell was that about with Sinclair and Red?” asked Eddie, walking up and tossing his arm casually over your shoulder as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if it belonged there, and you couldn’t deny how much you enjoyed it. You couldn’t deny how much you wanted this, all of this, to become natural, a part of your everyday life.
“Apparently, Lucas was planning a trip for the two of them but they don’t actually have the money to go right now. So, he was just going to charge it all to a credit card,” Nancy explained. “I guess Max didn’t know and Robin spilled the beans.”
“Damn, Buckley, that’s cold,” Eddie chuckled, thumb running along your arm absently. “How are you going to just rat out my man like that?”
Robin held her hands out beside her, “I didn’t know that she didn’t know. I was just mocking Steve for freaking out about it. Mr. Mom in there couldn’t handle one of his little chicks being so irresponsible with money.”
“To be fair, that is really irresponsible. Credit cards are for emergencies only or using them and paying them off right away to build credit. They’re not just for flying fancies that you can’t afford. It’s a slippery slope into a mountain of debt that you’ll be able to get out from under,” Nancy defended. 
“Of course it is,” Robin mocked with a slow nod of her head. “Should have known you’d agree with Steve. It’s a wonder why you two didn’t make it, honestly. You’d think the responsible, follow the rules, parents of the group would have been the perfect match but then our Nancy throws everyone for a loop and goes for the stoner.”
“Speaking of, I’m going to go find Jonathan and Argyle,” Eddie grinned, tongue darting out between his teeth. He pressed a kiss to the top of your head. “I’ll be back.”
“Told you Eddie can’t resist the call of Mary Jane,” Nancy told you with a roll of her eyes.
You laughed, “Hey. I’m going to go see if Steve needs any help with the food.”
“Aww, such a good little dinner guest. You go right ahead. Good luck. I’ve learned not to get in that man’s way when he’s cooking,” Robin stated, eyes wide, taking a drink from her cup. “Come on girls. Let’s go upstairs and check out our game options before the guys choose Dragon Strike or something else similarly nerdy and nauseating.” 
You watched Suzie and El trail behind Nancy and Robin up the stairs of Steve’s house before making your way into the kitchen. Steve stood at the counter, chopping up the tomatoes into perfectly thin slices for the burgers. His head lifted, a smile appearing as he caught sight of you. 
“Hmm…it would appear that someone finally saw what everyone else did, huh?”
You rolled your eyes, “Oh shut it, Steve.”
“I’m just saying, I was right. You two annoyed each other too much. You were at each other’s throats too much, denying it too much, for it not to be an attraction thing, trying to act like you couldn’t stand each other like we all couldn’t see what was really going on.” He snorted, moving on to the lettuce, running it under the tap in the sink before tearing off large pieces. “We all saw it and when I confronted Eddie about it, he was way too defensive. I saw right through him.”
“You confronted him about me? Why?”
“Because he got all grouchy with me about you. He kept making these snide little comments, asking if we’d hooked up yet, asking what I was waiting for.” He rolled his sleeves up, his eyes moving along with them. “Look, Eddie’s not exactly hard to read. Man wears his emotions on his sleeve. You’d have to be blind not to know when something’s bugging him. It didn’t take a genius like Henderson to figure out he was jealous, thinking I was taking the girl he was interested in. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I thought about asking you out but once I saw how he felt, I backed off. Glad I did too. You two just seem right. I think you’ll be good for him. Man could use some good in his life.”
You knew what Steve was talking about because Eddie had made multiple comments about Steve to you too. It hadn’t made sense at the time but now you knew he was digging for information, trying to see if the two of you were a thing. He’d just assumed that you would be attracted to the pretty boy. And why wouldn’t he? That was the guy you'd married but after Cam, you wanted nothing more than everything that was the complete opposite of him. And Eddie, well, him and Cam could not be more different, in all the best ways possible. 
You hopped up on a stool, resting your forearms on top of the speckled brown counter. Steve had a kitchen that had jealousy burning within you. Oak cabinets, stainless steel appliances, a light wood floor. It put your own kitchen to shame. You would need to find a second job if you wanted to update your kitchen. More likely you would have to do it piece by piece as you could afford it. A kitchen like this would cost a pretty penny, far more than you made in six months as a teacher.
“This kitchen is fantastic,” you told him, Steve glancing up from the cutting board where he’d moved on to slicing onions. “Was it like this when you bought it?”
“No,” he laughed, “definitely not. It looked like I’d walked through a time portal and straight into the seventies when I bought it. I remodeled it.”
“Damn, that must have cost quite a bit.”
He shrugged, “I mean, yeah, but I saved quite a bit too because I did most of the work. Eddie and Jonathan helped quite a bit. Labor is always where they really get you. I probably paid a third of what I would have by putting in the work myself. It took a few months between everyone’s work schedules but we got it done.”
“I know what you mean. My kitchen is horribly outdated. It’s barely even workable. I would love to remodel my kitchen but there’s no way I could afford to have someone else do it. And, while I am more than willing to put in the work, I wouldn’t have the foggiest idea what I’m doing with some of it.” You sighed wistfully. “Who knows? Maybe someday, far into the future, I’ll be able to pay for something like that. Until then, I’ll just have to make do with my birch cabinets and avocado green counters. At least the appliances are newer.”
Steve paused, lips pouting in thought, “You wouldn’t have to wait that long. I bet we could do it if we all help. I mean, it could take a while. But between all of us, we could definitely knock out a kitchen renovation.”
“Oh no. That’s way too much, Steve. I appreciate the offer but I can’t possibly ask all of you to donate your time like that,” you insisted, shaking your head. 
This group of people were so kind, had been so wonderful to you, and you could never thank them enough for readily accepting you into their group. They’d given you hope for your future. They’d made you feel alive again, made you feel as if you could move on, could have a life beyond Cam and your failed choices. They'd given you a place to belong. They helped you find your strength to take that step forward. And knowing them had brought the possibility of…no, you couldn’t bring herself to say that word, not yet. 
You couldn’t bring yourself to hope for something that big, not yet. This thing with Eddie was new. You were excited to see where it led and you hoped it could be the beginning of something, that maybe, just maybe, he could be the one. Maybe you'd chosen wrong but maybe it was because your life was always meant to lead you here, to him. That was such a wonderful thought. There was a spark of excitement and possibility but you had to tread carefully, baby steps, not scare Eddie off.
But it was hard because you had never felt with Cam the way you did with Eddie. It was a mixture of excitement, nervousness, and anticipation all at once. You couldn’t stop thinking about him, longing for the next time his lips found yours, the next time his hands touched you. He was like a drug and you were hopelessly addicted. It both thrilled and terrified you because you'd never experienced anything like this before. You knew you were already in too deep and with that came the possibility of your heart shattering once again. But something about him made you feel he was worth that risk. You were ready to close your eyes and leap off the cliff. You just hoped Eddie was there to catch you at the bottom. 
“What are you talking about?” Steve asked, bursting through your thoughts. “That’s ridiculous. Of course we would help you. That’s what friends do and you’re one of us now.”
“Not really. I mean, you’ve only known me for about a month and I know I’m…” What were you doing with Eddie? Were you just hanging out? Were you a couple? The only time you'd brought it up he’d said you didn’t need to label it and maybe you didn’t. He’d told you he wasn’t going anywhere so that had to mean you were together, right? “I’m…hanging out with Eddie.”
“Hanging out?” Steve’s shoulders shook with the laugh that rumbled out of him. “Is that what it’s called now? Huh, I must be getting too old to keep up with the young kid’s lingo these days.”
You grabbed a dish towel from the counter and threw it at him, hitting him in his handsome face. “Shut up. I don’t know what to call us, okay? We haven’t exactly defined anything so for now, hanging out seems the most appropriate definition. Anyway, I definitely don’t know you all well enough to expect you to donate hours of your time to help me with some huge project at my house. I know Nancy and Robin helped with my garden but that was a few hours. This would be months. It’s way too much.”
“Well, it’s too bad you don’t get to make that decision. Trust me, the minute I mention it, they will all be in. That’s what we do. Just provide food and drinks and everyone who can will show up. And with me as your foreman, I’ll make sure that boyfriend…” He leaned over the counter, pointing at you with the dish towel tightly in his fist. “Yes, I said boyfriend because that’s what it is. Let’s stop kidding ourselves. Hanging out is for friends and you two are far past friends. I’ll make sure your boyfriend doesn’t nail his own hand to the wall or something. And I’ll make sure it’s all done right.”
“I don’t know,” you countered, really not wanting these people to think you were just using them or something. 
“I do know. So, just let me handle it, okay?”
“Fine. Do you need any help?” you asked, remembering what you'd come into the kitchen for in the first place before you got distracted with his kitchen.
Steve glanced around the kitchen, “You want to mix up the pasta salad?”
“Sure.”
You hopped down from the stool, coming around the counter just as Steve opened a high cabinet. He stretched up onto his tip toes, his hand reaching, causing his shirt to rise up, exposing a strip of the skin along his abdomen. You audibly gasped when your eyes caught sight of the pale scars that covered it, perfectly matching the scars that Eddie had on various parts of his body. 
Steve’s eyes shot over at your gasp, following your line of sight down to his stomach. When he realized what you were looking at, he dropped down onto flat feet, pulling his sweatshirt down quickly but the damage had been done. There was no unseeing what you'd just seen, no putting that Pandora back into the damn box. How could he and Eddie have the same exact scars?
“Steve…how did you get those scars?” you asked, stepping into him as he stepped back into the counter, eyes widening with panic when he realized there was nowhere to run or hide from your question.
“What? I…oh…uh…” 
His eyes darted around the kitchen like a wild animal desperate to find an escape. You took a step closer, your own eyes narrowing in suspicion, refusing to let him out of this. You were so sick and tired of all the secrets and lies. If you were going to be a part of this group, the way he claimed you were, the way they all claimed you were, shouldn’t you know what the hell had happened? If they really wanted to be your friend, why didn’t they trust you enough to be honest? Every time you thought you could be okay with not knowing, had put it all in the back of your mind, something else reared its head, reminding you, pestering you. You couldn't stand it.
“The scars,” you repeated. “Where did they come from?”
“Eddie told you about the raccoons, right?”
Your eyes slipped closed, a long, aggravated breath escaping from your lips, because you knew it was bullshit. All of it was bullshit. You'd known it was bullshit from the moment Eddie had told you about the raccoons but tried to accept it, but only an idiot would keep accepting these flimsy claims. There was no way raccoons did that to two grown men. How many of them could there possibly have been? Steve and Eddie maybe would have gotten bitten once, twice, but they would have kicked or thrown those little bastards. There was no way Eddie would have the amount of scars he did from some little woodland creatures. 
“Can you please stop with all the bullshit?” you pleaded. “I know you’re all lying to me. I just don’t know why. The disappearances, the toxic chemicals, the lab, the mall fire, the murders…none of it makes any sense. Don’t try to tell me raccoons did this to you too because there is no way.”
“Sam…” Steve warned, shaking his head. “Trust me, you don’t want to go there. Just let it go.”
 “Why? Why don’t I want to go there? Eddie said he wouldn’t tell me because he wouldn’t put anyone else at risk. What does that even mean? Why would telling me put me at risk? Is the murderer still out there? It’s been a decade. How is that possible and if it is, shouldn’t I know if some psycho is running around Hawkins? Did he come after you two? Is that where your scars are really from?”
Steve’s head dropped, large hands covering his face, the muscles of his arms tense. You knew you were pushing him and maybe you should feel bad about it but you couldn’t manage it. What could possibly be so bad that they couldn’t even talk about it? It happened ten years ago. Some of it happened even longer ago than that. Why were they all still so scared to speak about it? Why did Eddie think it would put you in danger? Why did they feel the need to lie?
“It’s not that simple,” Steve said, his head lifting, eyes finding yours, willing you to just forget you saw anything, to just walk away. “You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you. Trust me, you don’t want to know. I promise you. You can’t unknow it once it’s said. You’d run straight out of this town as fast as you could if you knew. Either you’d be terrified or you’d think we all needed to be committed.”
“Why do any of you want me around if you don’t trust me enough to tell me, to believe you? You keep telling me I am one of you, that I am part of this group, but you keep secrets and you lie.”
“It’s not that we don’t trust you. I swear. Shit. I wish I could tell you. I wish we could just be honest. None of us likes lying but there’s no way to explain this so that it makes sense to you.”
“Then just explain it. Where did those scars come from?”
“Bats.”
“Bats?” you asked, even more confused than before. Bats were just a different animal. Same story, different mammal. “So instead of rabid raccoons you expect to believe that rabid bats attacked you two?”
“It’s true. The bats were…not like your normal bats.”
“Why? Because they were affected by the toxic chemicals?”
Steve’s eyes widened and he nodded emphatically, as if you'd just given him the out he was looking for, “Yeah. Yeah. Those chemicals were really bad, you know? They killed Barb.”
“They killed a fully grown human but not the bats?” you interrogated suspiciously, folding your arms over your chest, fully aware that you were just being bullshitted all over again. “What was so special about the bats that they survived exposure?”
Steve shrugged, mouth pursed, hands out in front of him, the strangest sound coming from him, a cross between a whine and a grunt. Jesus Christ. None of them were ever going to tell you what was actually going on. You were always going to be on the outside, the one who didn’t get to know, the one they kept in the dark. 
“Steve!” you yelled, slapping your hands down on the counter so loudly that he jumped. “Come on! Do you all really think I’m an idiot?”
“Whoa, what’s going on down here?” asked Nancy as the girls made their way back down the stairs. “We heard yelling. Is…” She paused, looking between you and Steve. “Is everything okay?”
The front door opened, Max and Lucas stepping inside. Lucas looked properly chastised but both of them were also looking between the two people in the kitchen, clearly having heard your outburst. Then the back door opened and closed as Eddie, Jonathan, and Argyle came down the hallway and into the kitchen. Shit. You'd just managed to get past one very public, crazy meltdown and now you were in the middle of another. 
“Is someone fighting?” asked Argyle. “We got more stuff if someone needs to chill out, man. No need for tension. Tension is not allowed in the sacred circle. Just let Puff the Magic Dragon take you on a wave of relaxation.”
“Everything’s fine,” you muttered, glaring over at Steve who flinched. You snatched the bowl from his hands, slamming it down on the counter. “I’m just helping get the pasta salad together.”
“Oookkkaaayyy…” came Eddie’s voice from behind you. 
“Steve?” asked Robin with concern.
“It’s fine Robs,” he said, grabbing a container of pasta, a cucumber, olives, cherry tomatoes, and Italian dressing from the fridge and placing them on the counter next to the bowl. “Just a conversation that got a little lively. That’s all. Seriously, it’s fine.”
“Doesn’t seem fine,” Dustin argued, eyes narrowing. “She was definitely yelling at you. What did you do?”
“Henderson, why do you always assume I’m to blame?”
“Shit, it’s just nice it’s not me for once,” chuckled Eddie. 
You seethed, dumping the pasta in, trying to focus on your task. Not a single one of them was going to tell you anything so what was the point? They wanted you here, at least they acted like they did, but then they all lied to you all the time. You grabbed the knife, chopping the cucumber with force, each slice feeling satisfying, a release of the tension and anger that stirred within you. 
“Hey, princess,” Eddie said softly as he slipped up behind you, his hand coming around to cover your wrist, stopping your motions. “You okay there? I don’t know what that cucumber did to you but the way you’re chopping it feels kind of personal.”
You closed your eyes, inhaling slowly through your nose, feeling the rise of your chest, the way your belly filled. You focused on the warmth of Eddie, this man you would never truly know, this man you were already falling for. Shit. Your eyes shot open. No. You couldn’t be. It didn’t happen that quickly, right? 
Devastation coursed through you because you knew it was true. No matter how much you'd tried to fight it, tried to deny it, to tell yourself he was a jerk, you'd fallen for him. When had it happened? Had it been that first night, those deep brown eyes burning into you from through the fire? Was that even possible? Love at first sight? That was nuts, right?
Did it even matter? How could anything between you ever be real when there would always be this part of him that he kept locked up from you? How could you ever have something true when you would never get to know all the parts of him? The person you were with should be your best friend, the person who knew you better than anyone else, but you could never be that person for him. And you'd stupidly told him that you could accept that so how could you demand it of him now?
Swallowing down the sour taste that was creeping up your throat, you rolled your shoulders, forcing your body to relax. Pulling your wrist from his hand, you dropped the knife, spinning in his arms to offer him a smile that you hoped appeared genuine even if it was anything but. 
“Yeah, everything’s fine. Sorry.”
Eddie’s head tilted to the side, his mouth curving up on one side in that little smile you loved so damn much, the backs of his fingers running down your cheek, metal cooling your flushed skin, “You sure?”
“Yep. Totally fine. Just going to finish this salad, okay? You guys pick out a game?” you loudly asked the girls, trying to change the subject to anything but how insane you were acting. Because that’s what it was. You were insane. You had completely lost your mind trying to figure out what they were all hiding and if you didn’t get it under control, you were going to lose all of this, everything that had made you so happy this past month.
“Yeah, uh…pictionary,” Nancy said, looking as if she didn’t believe you in the slightest. 
Well, that was fine. Let her see how it felt to be lied to. Maybe that was mean. Maybe you were being an awful person right now but you couldn’t help feeling a little vindicated. If they weren’t going to tell you what was going on with them, then you weren't going to bother telling them what was going on with you. You couldn’t anyway because if you did, then it would just create more tension, tension you couldn’t handle right now.
“Okay, but then we are playing trivial pursuit because I am going to wipe the floor with all of you,” Dustin announced. 
“You are the king of Trivial Pursuit. No one can beat him. My Dusty Bun’s big brain is what made me fall in love with him,” Suzie cooed, her hand coming to his chest, cheek against his arm. 
“Uh…yeah, okay,” Eddie snorted. “Because knowing a bunch of useless facts is a real life changer.”
“You’re just mad because you never win,” Steve teased.
“Never win?” asked Mike. “Last time, he didn’t even get one piece of pie.”
“Shut it, Wheeler. You only had two,” Eddie countered. “Don’t act like you’re so much better.”
You listened to all of them arguing as you sliced the tomatoes in half, adding them in, along with the olives before opening the dressing and pouring it over the top. Grabbing Steve’s salad tongs, you tossed the mixture around, focusing on the task, the repetitive nature, telling yourself to let it go, to not rock the boat. You were happy. You were in a new relationship. You had friends. You were starting a new life. Getting angry wasn’t going to change anything or help in any way. 
“Salad’s done,” you said simply, handing the bowl to Steve. 
“Thanks,” he replied, giving you a smile you didn’t return. He cleared his throat. “Hey, while you guys argue about who is the king of some dumb board game, I’m gonna go get the burgers going.”
“I’ll help you, man,” Eddie offered, trailing behind him, the other guys quickly following. 
You stood in the kitchen awkwardly, nibbling at your lower lip, the rest of the girls looking at you anxiously as if you were a rabid dog about to attack at any moment. Clearly, you weren't doing the best job of pretending everything was fine but it was getting harder to do with each lie, each denial, each refusal to tell you the truth. 
“You sure you’re okay?” asked Nancy.
You lifted your head, smiling wide, “Yep. I’m fine. Everything’s fine. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“You just seem…angry?” Max offered. “I mean, Lucas and I could hear you yelling from the front porch. You drowned me out and that’s saying something.”
“Did you tell him off?” you asked in an attempt to change the subject.
“I mean, yeah, I absolutely ripped him a new one. I don’t know why the hell he would even consider starting our life off drowning in debt. But that’s besides the point. Why were you yelling at Steve?” 
“I know he can be a dingus,” Robin laughed, “but why were you asking him if he thought you were an idiot?”
“It doesn’t matter, okay? None of it matters because no one is ever going to tell me the truth. There’s no point in rehashing it. I asked him a question and he lied to me just like everyone else. I asked Nancy and Jonathan about the murders and they lied. Eddie flails in his sleep, whimpering and crying out, and he lies to me. Steve has scars just like Eddie’s and when I ask, he lies. It’s all lies. Clearly none of you trust me and none of you want to tell me so it’s fine, okay? I’m done bringing any of it up. You can keep your secrets.”
“Oh, I…” Nancy said sadly, pressing her lips together. 
“It’s fine, Nance. Really. Clearly, whatever happened is between all of you. I wasn’t here and it’s none of my business. I’m the one in the wrong. I shouldn’t be pushing to know things that have nothing to do with me. Can we please just drop it because I can’t take any more lies or half-truths right now?”
“Okay. Yeah,” your friend agreed with a nod. Of course she did. Nancy was more than happy to drop it. She probably wished you hadn’t ever picked it up. “So, are you and Eddie like…together now?”
“I don’t know,” you shrugged. “I think so. I mean, he told me he’s not going anywhere so I assume so.”
El smiled, “Well, that’s a good thing, right?”
You couldn’t help but return the girl’s smile, “Yeah. It is. I really like him. Lord knows why but I do. I mean, it’s all new. We’ll see where it goes but for now, it’s really good.”
“Good,” Robin stated, her arm coming around your shoulder, cheek resting against the side of your head. “You both deserve some happiness. I’m happy for you and we’re all really happy you’re here. Really, we are. Regardless of everything else, please know that. Now, how about we go check on those burgers, huh? I don’t know about all of you, but I’m freaking starving.”
A murmur of assent rose from the girls so you all made your way out into the backyard. Damn, Steve was quite the handyman. You stepped out onto a beautiful wooden deck, the guys just down to the right, standing around the grill that sat on a stone patio. Eddie smiled at you, cigarette in his hand. Out in the middle of the yard was an above ground pool. 
“Steve even has a pool?”
“Yeah,” Max grinned. “That’s why his house becomes the designated hangout in the summer. He bitches about how much we’re all over here but he actually loves it. He had shitty parents and no siblings, so he really likes all the chaos. He just has to act grumpy to save face or something but he really loves the family we’ve created.”
“He does. Why else do you think he installed the pool? The guys helped him with it a couple summers ago, along with the deck,” Nancy added. “He’s done a lot to this house.”
“Speaking of which,” Steve called from where he was manning the grill, adding cheese to half of the burgers, “our girl here has a really old kitchen and I told her we could probably help with that.”
“Oh yeah!” Dustin exclaimed. “We all helped Steve. We’re like kitchen restoration experts now.”
“I am a pro with a nail gun,” Lucas stated proudly. 
“Don’t let him fool you,” Max whispered conspiratorially, “there was an incident with about thirty nails in one spot because he couldn’t get it right so he just kept adding more.”
You giggled, “Oh boy.” 
You made your way down to stand next to Eddie and he instantly pulled you into his side. You snuggled in, inhaling the scent of him, letting it ease all the tension from your body. This should be enough. Good friends who were willing to help you, a beautiful man who made you feel things you didn’t even know you could, and a fresh start. Anyone else would be satisfied with this, would stop digging and causing problems. Why were you your own worst enemy?
“All good, sweetheart?” he inquired, lips brushing over your forehead.
“All perfect,” you assured, arms coming around his waist because it was. It really was. You just hoped it stayed that way. 
Chapter 18
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Unexpected 37
Sequel to Unsolicited
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Warnings: non/dubcon, pregnancy, pegging, Lloyd being the worst, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.
My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.
As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.
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You lazily eat the penne, noodle by noodle, from the plate balanced on your stomach. The evening air cools as Suzanne sits close by, her pasta mostly untouched as she sips non-alcoholic wine from a glass.
Lloyd has been elusive since his return, though you've heard some telltale banging. He continues to haunt you like some Poe horror.
"I couldn't do it," Suzanne trills, "I can barely stand more than an hour with the jackass and I get paid to."
"Mmm, yeah, wasn't exactly my first choice, but accidents happen. Actually, you know him, no such thing as an accident, more a lack of accountability."
"Oh, ew," she scrunches her nose, "he didn't strike me as the baby type." 
"Me either which is why… well, nevermind."
You spear another noodle and carefully angle it past your lips, trying not to dribble any sauce. It's been a while since you had someone you could just talk to. Dottie is a great support but she's still Lloyd's mother.
"What?" She prompts as she leans her chin in her hand.
"Oh, you know, I'm the mother. Means I'm gonna be doing all the work. And why? Because he thought it would be fun… he gets to have the shiny bright moments and I'll be changing diapers and cleaning up puke."
"Typical," she snarls. "Never likes to get his hands dirty."
She takes another sip of wine and she slowly puts the glass down. Her lips slant as a thought sparks in her eyes. She points at you and clicks her tongue.
"What happened with the mustache?"
"What do you mean?"
"He shaved. Months ago. Was that you?"
You cackle as you recall that. It was rather amusing to witness the shame and panic of his drunken mistake. You rest your fork against the rim of the plate.
"Did it himself. Got blitzed off his face and just, shoop, gone," you make a motion above your lip, "idiot."
“Ha, wow. Damn. I was hoping you had a bit of vengeance on the prick. I mean… you still could. Wait til he falls asleep…” she smirks, “you know once, were were on a flight and I probably could’ve done it.”
“I’m already expecting one baby, I don’t need another,” you scoff. “Here, can you get this?”
You lift the plate and hold it out to her. She’s quick to take it and puts it beside her own. You plant your hands on the sides of the chair and grunt, pushing yourself up with excruciating effort. You manage to sit forward, breathless.
“Jeez, you need help?” She hovers near you.
“Probably,” you struggle to turn your legs over the edge.
“Is it really that miserable?” She asks.
“What? Being with him?”
“I mean, that too, but being pregnant,” she offers her arm.
“Eh, it’s just the cherry on top of an already stacked shit sandwich.”
“I see why he’s with you,” she snorts, “you are both very creative. Disgustingly so.”
You roll your eyes and grab onto her arm. Before you can stand, you hear your name. Not ‘peaches’, not ‘baby face’, not ‘sweet cheeks’, your name. Lloyd stomps out, waggling his finger.
“Suzanne, step away from my wife.”
“Huh?’
 Suzanne twists to face Lloyd, “Christ, I’m helping her.”
“No, you’re not,” he storms down, shoulder back, nostrils flaring, “she’s not supposed to be walking around.” He comes up to you and puts his palm up to stop you, “I’ll take care of her.”
“Lloyd, I can make it inside.”
“The doctor said–”
“God, I know what the doctor said,” you hiss.
“So listen. Neither of us wanna end up back in the hospital, now do we?”
You sigh. You and Suzanne share a look. You recognise the dull twinkle in her eye. You’re kindred spirits. Cursed with the nuisance of this man, only she gets to walk away.
“So, Suzanne,” Lloyd plants a hand on your shoulder as he faces his colleague, “you on your way out?”
“Um, I guess, but–”
“That’s great, I don’t need to show you out, do I?”
She smiles dryly and tilts her head, “not at all. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Lloyd sputters.
“Oh yeah, we’re doing lunch, right, babe?” She looks at you expectantly.
Your brows lift and you take a second to register what she’s doing. You nod. “Uh, yep, yeah, that’ll be great.”
“Peaches, you should be relaxing. You’re all tense,” Lloyd squeezes your shoulder, “I can feel it–”
“So that probably means she needs a nice back rub, huh,” Suzanne suggests with a devilish glint in her eye.
Lloyd clucks, “yeah, I guess it does so… leave.”
Suzanne chuckles. She raises her palms and backs away. “Fine, I’ll fuck off. For now.”
Lloyd sneers at her as she slowly turns and she struts off proudly, fishing in her pocket until her car chirps and unlocks. You watch her get in and deflate, just a little. It’s just you and him. Again.
You shrug Lloyd’s hand away and rub your stomach, keeping one hand on the lounger. As Suzanne backs down the driveway, you issue a glum sigh. Without her to distract you, you feel ever pang and pinch in your muscles.
“Alright, where to?” Lloyd faces you.
“Huh?”
“Sofa, bath… bed?” He winks, “I think I could help ease the tension.” 
“Just… inside,” you mutter, “please.”
He pauses. You avoid his gaze as you look out across the yard. It’s only then the heavy epiphany settles over you. This place is a prison. It’s the last place you’ll live for the rest of your life. With him and soon his child. You’ll never be without a warden to keep you in line.
“Alright,” he bends and scoops you up, slowly, with effort. You feel horrible as he turns cautiously, steps stunted and stiff. 
“Lloyd, you’re going to hurt yourself doing this,” you hook your arm around his shoulders and try to ease the weight.
“I’m fine,” he grunts as he gets to the door.
You reach for the door to open it. He turns and sidles in awkwardly. It’s a tight shuffle but he makes it inside. He carries you back to the living room and sits you on the couch. He stands, cheeks tinged and forehead sweaty.
“Tea?” He offers.
“No,” you recline with a groan, “why are you being nice?”
“I’m your husband.”
“You were yelling at me an hour ago.”
“Because I’m worried.”
“About me or the baby?”
He sniffs and grips his hips, “both.”
“Eh, sure,” you dismiss him flatly, “I just wanna lay her. Alone.”
“Well that’s not going to happen,” Lloyd states.
“Of course,” you grumble.
“I am going to rub your back and you’re going to relax. You need to, peaches, for yourself as much as the kid.”
“Yeah, yeah,” you mutter. “Really, don’t bother–”
He pushes you up, grasping your shoulders as he angles onto the couch behind you. He sits between you and the arm, hooking his leg around you as he settles in. He rolls his thumbs into you, forcing a moan from your lips as you muscles contract in response.
“Feels good?” He asks.
“Erm,” you refuse to indulge him.
“Come on, baby face.”
You’re quiet as you hang your head forward. You’ll enjoy it but you don’t have to admit it. You hug your stomach as he slides his hands down your back, pressing his knuckles into each knot.
“Do you always have to ruin everything?” You ask at last.
“What?”
“Chase away everyone. What am I not allowed to have friends?”
“What–”
“If you don’t want me… like this,” you gesture helplessly, “you have to give me something, anything, that doesn’t make me absolutely miserable.”
He exhales and his hands keep moving. You let your head drift to the side as you laze into his touch.
“You don’t know Suzanne. She’s… well, she’s a lot like me.”
“Funny, cause she said the same about me.”
“Oh, really,” he scoffs.
“Yeah, think you’ve rubbed off on me.”
“Hell yeah I have,” he snickers, “rub off to you and over you, on you…”
“Would you– do you ever just stop?”
He hums and puffs out through his nose, “alright, peaches, you’re right. You can’t be all alone all the time. Just…keep those walls up. You got good instincts.”
“Mmm, yeah, just bad luck.”
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On another post a few comments, mine included, had a little chat about what Mashita's thought proccess could have been, during the Confession in the second game.
So I decided to write a little One Shot about it!
This includes Spoilers for Case 7 in Death Mark 2, as well as the DLC of Death Mark 1.
THIS? 
"I'm not gonna be surprised by anything that comes out of his damn mouth." 
Well. 
Fuck. 
He was really eating those words now, huh. 
He could only stare with eyes ripped open as Yashiki explained, his words as trembling as his hands, his eyes avoiding everyone else. 
In fear of judgement? 
Probably. 
Shame? 
Definitely. 
This was wrong. 
This was wrong on every level. 
He was never one to stick to rules but this? 
MURDER??? 
Mashita couldn't even speak at first as Yashiki just continued explaining. No, there had to be something else, every second now he would mention that they did find that girl again alive, there had to be more, there had to be. 
This was wrong. 
But there wasn't. 
There wasn't and he looked as guilty as ever. Having just confessed. 
To murder. 
"You must be kidding me." 
Words uttered in pure disbelief. 
This wasn’t happening. 
There is no way. 
"To think you'd kill someone..." 
Actually, he didn't want to think about that. Not a single bit.  
Yes, everyone had the potential to murder, he knew that better than most, but this was Yashiki. Compassionate to a stupid, suicidal degree Yashiki. 
"Don't blame him for that! He was controlled by the Departed!" 
Oh great, the brat was talking. Mashita glared at her out of reflex alone. 
Why the fuck was she so defensive anyways? Nobody would react like that after their best friend just got killed, what kind of weirdo was this girl??
"Insanity or not, murder is still murder", he snapped back, before his eyes stared back at Yashiki. 
He felt more like he was the one going insane, his mind completely elsewhere as old training just kicked in. 
It was the only thing that made sense right now. 
"Article 199, a person who kills another person is punished by the death penalty or life imprisonment or for a definite term of no less than five years." 
He felt sick of even thinking of this as an option. He rattled down those words out of pure habit, as he had many times before, in the Academy back in the day and his job later. 
"I'd slap the cuffs on you myself if I had them with me." 
He should, but he wouldn't. Why was he saying that, he wouldn't, because Yashiki would never kill anyone. 
God fucking damnit. 
His heart was racing as fast as his mind, his entire body tense, ready to spring at the threat and yet violently rejecting the very notion that there was a threat to begin with. 
Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong, wrong, fuck! 
But Yashiki? 
Everyone else, maybe. 
He'd believe Shou, not planned but in affect, too impulsive. Ai too, stronger than she looked, against a stalking fan maybe. Daimon? Doctor, there was always a chance of malpractice. Yasuoka? That old hag definitely had a skeleton in her closet somewhere, if only because she dug it up once because the bones had some weird powers. 
The man who watched the only friends he had get attacked? 
The man who watched his friends get controlled to attack him? 
The man who watched half his friends get cursed into a coma and nearly die. 
The man who was nearly killed himself by the same goddamn spirit.  
The same man who after ALL THAT, still trembling in shock and trauma, barely aware of his own body, STILL refused to think about himself, just for fucking ONCE. 
The same man who looked at a dead spider, the remains of that goddamn spirit and still decided to show compassion to it before ANYTHING else-! 
...
Oh. 
Of course. 
And his body instantly relaxed, as did his mind.  
It didn't make any sense, possession or not. He would never do it. So he didn't. 
"...Let me just say one thing." 
It wasn't like him to get distracted. He had nearly forgotten what case they were even working on. 
"The law only applies if the victim is human." 
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I suppose I shall talk about Malevolent. Because I just got up to date and the ideas are still fresh. Oh yeah spoilers for up to episode 40 including season 5 intermezzo Arthur my beloved. My little cockroach of a character. You who refuse to die and refuse to back down. The crabs still have pincers and all of it. (Also we wanna talk about Dark Arthur? I want to see Darthur. Kayne please do elaborate. I suppose the fans may have to write it.) Where was I? Yes, trauma. Arthur encounters more and more and just has to endure it. Experience the gods. Lose pieces and people. I can't help but always think of an outsiders POV. Someone untouched by the horrors. What they would make of Arthur, they'd probably think him insane if they knew. I wish he got to interact more with regular people. Imagine him having to maneuverer himself around the police, no currently pressing eldritch horrors. (He got some really inconvenient roadblock. He can't kill them, they're just doing their job. But he really has things to do, very important things that he couldn't hope to start explaining. They'd call him mad.) Or just people who comment on his oddities. The butcher was great. And I love that he noticed, the little oddities. Never before have a villain that's been such a threat to a character I love so fast become a favourite. Shame that Kayne killed him, reminding a bit to much of yourself, huh Kayne? I wish a regular would be able to figure him out, in the parts that doesn't need knowledge of the gods. A detective perhaps that wants to continue to prod at the questions. But isn't direct about it. Ah I can't wait to see Arthur's adventures in the past. He's become a traveller and a collector. Now he's in a place without connections. He may become whoever. I can't wait for the blind cryptid to terrorise the people of the past. That's all for now folks. Oh and I wonder if John will be able to do that projecting thing again.
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andmaybegayer · 1 month
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Saw Dune 2, it's amazing that you can cut a solid 60% of Dune and still get pretty much all of Dune in there.
I do get the feeling that in part one someone was like "we can cut Feyd right we don't need Feyd" and then they came around on part two like "Goddamit we're going to need Feyd."
Extremely evil Jessica is great! I love how much scheming she does, it really sells the whole "I would do anything to protect Paul" vibe including giving him the Terrible Purpose. It's a shame that we don't get Alia yet. They delay Paul understanding Terrible Purpose until pretty late and also don't explain the Terrible Purpose at all which is a bold choice. To be fair the books also don't explain Terrible Purpose in detail until Messiah, and only really gets into it with Children.
I don't see a better way you could have tweaked Chani's relationship with Paul here without just doing what the book does. Which like. Okay I am something of a defender of the whole concubine thing on the principle of bizarre space politics. But I do get why they did this.
Pretty much all the changes fall into the "yeah I get why they did this" camp. I'm glad they got Lady Fenring in here but absolutely devastated that they couldn't get her weird little husband in. Count Fenring my beloved you're so unimportant to everything. They did get rid of Paul winning a coffee service, two children, and a concubine from killing Jamis. Once again, yeah I get why they did this. Didn't need to further complicate the deadly space feudalism political marriage triangle into a perplexing desert tetrahedron with stepchildren. Cutting Leto II's existence was a little odd, I feel like they could have done this but I guess if they had they would have had to put Alia in.
They don't do the Sietch Orgy! In general the Water of Life is very rushed. It's a huge slow build up in the books, like, you hear about it from really early on and it looms over Paul a lot more.
They didn't do enough spectacularly weird outfits but they did go hard with the outfits. Big fan of everything Irulan wears in the back half, especially the weird wraparound head pieces. Some good background characters orbiting around Jessica and the other Reverend Mother.
Christopher Walken is such a good choice for the emperor. He looks so tired. Just an absolutely done old man. Jumpscared by Future!Alia being Anya Taylor-Joy. We need more slightly unsettling Hollywood actresses, her schedule must be so busy.
It was interesting seeing this with Czech subtitles because I had to rapidly switch from ignoring the subtitles for English speech to trying to understand Czech with my very limited vocabulary whenever it went into one of the like seven other languages at play in this story.
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in3rci4 · 2 months
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Hi, can i get a tbp x male (or gn) reader that is new in town and they're the same age as the tbp boys but only looks older since they're taller and a bit more muscular than them. They don't speak English but understand it.
Thanks, have a great day/night
Thank you for sending a request <3 , I'm thankful you gave me the GN ! Reader because I feel it's the most comfortable one to write , I hope you also have great day / night too buddy !
〰️THE BLACK PHONE BOYS X NEW IN TOWN READER 〰️
Characters included : Finney Blake ( Minus mention of Gwendolyn Blake ), Robin Arellano , Bruce Yamada , Billy Showalter , Griffin Stagg , Vance Hopper
Warning of following headcanons ¿? : The Black phone x reader characters content , since it was requested the reader will have a certain type of looks and doesn't speak English , slight angst ¿? , bullying , GN ! Reader , the reader does exercise , some characters may take longer to read than others , reader is good at mathematics ¿? , desk mates thrope sometimes ¿? racism , mute shaming , agression ¿?
FINNEY BLAKE
You were a new student in school and everybody talked about how old you look and that you're probably a repeater He believed it at first too
Except for the slightly notorious musculature in your body , you were pretty average at first sight , so yeah , you were someone new in town , but that's it
Until you get inside the classroom ( the same as Finney ) and tried to talk with the teacher about your situation since you wouldn't be able to be as participating as you wish since you can't speak English yet
Everybody started to laugh and mock your poor attempts , the teacher sushed the giggles down and explain that you're a foreigner but you're still understand everyone's words
You appreciated the gesture , but the damage was already done , now everyone's side eye and mean starting was even worse than before , and it's not like you can talk back either ...
If there's something worse than a hairy eyeball , is a entire class giving you that type of glare or giggling shamelessly in your presence
He felt bad for you , and since his table was the only left to sit on , you were his new desk mate now
" don't listen to them , at least you tried "
You smiled and he smiled back
He thinks you look really pretty when you smile .
The next minutes were free since the teacher got outside to talk with a parent , he told you that even if he's not that fan of participating , he could read the answers of your work if you wanted to , maybe teach you to speak English better
You wrote a note " Can you stop at my house after school tomorrow so you can teach me ? I'll pay you , don't worry "
You passed the note , Finney was going to grab his pen and write too , but instead he said :
" Yeah sure , if that's cool with you I'll go , and you don't have to pay me , I'm just helping , that's all "
Yeah .... That's was all ....
You smiled and moved your lips to say "Thank you " in silence
You got yourself a pretty handsome tutor , huh ?
Oh if Gwen didn't tease the hell of out him , but he couldn't stop smiling like a idiot , can you blame him though ?
Tomorrow it would just the two of you , and he'll hear your voice much clearly and appreciate it like he wants to
GRIFFIN STAGG
He was on the library reading " Pleasant Dreams : Nightmares " by Robert Bloch when he saw a shadow towering him , and when he lift his head up to see , he told you almost automatically by instinct that he doesn't have any lunch money
You frowned in confusion and shook your head , and pointed at the book
Now Griffin was the confused now , you're interested in what he's reading ? Or you're confusing the book with another one that school tells you to read as assignment ?
You weren't speaking , and neither him , wich was very awkward , so you decided to sit next him , take notebook out of your backpack and write in a teared page :
{ Sorry , I don't speak English but i understand it , you also had read it too ? It's really spooky and has a lot of cool stories }
So that was the reason you weren't speaking.... Interesting . Well , besides your looks you don't seem like a bad person , maybe he could try and write something too ?
{ I didn't finished it yet , I was just about to start the " Catnip " story , you read it before ? Do you like horror books ? }
You tossed that piece of paper around until it was full and you tore apart another page to keep the " conversation " , you both had a lot in common , and he didn't expected you to be the same age as him !
The time was over and you both needed to head to class , but surprise , surprise , you two shared classes !
When you two got your homework done of the day during class , you continued your paper writing until the class was over
Now how could he keep talking to you if he didn't have any papers to write anymore ?
Wait .... He can , but he needs to be one talking
Darn , he's not that much of a talker , or well , he never had the opportunity before
Guess he has to do an exception for you , huh ?
For the following time , he became your friend and extrovert one of the two so you don't lose interest in him
For the sake of your friendship , maybe if you want to , in the future something more
VANCE HOPPER
" New kid in town " , that was your nickname , "Pin Ball Vance Hopper " was his
But one day , your nickname changed , and that day was the day you met Vance at the Grab n Go
You were taking your time looking at the snacks on the shelves since you never tried them before and wanted to spend your money fairly , and then you felt someone pushed you out of the way
Disoriented , you tripped , and bumped into the Pin Ball machine , his Pin Ball machine
The kids on the mall gasped when they heard the sound of the score lowering down , like a rabid dog , he grabbed your arm and started to shake and yell you :
" You fucking piece of dumbass , you made me lose my game ! You know how many times I tried to beat that fucking score , huh !?"
You were so shocked that you couldn't even move or plead for some mercy over you , just stay there and look at him like a deer in lights
" So !? Speak ! Are you mute or what !?"
It was almost like your staring and silence was way worse than any insult that Vance has received , are you challenging him ? Are you waiting for him to throw a punch or an insult at you ? Why are you looking at him like that with those eyes ?
Then with a stuttered voice , you tried to say that you were sorry and that you were pushed against the machine by other people that no longer are on the mall in the best way you could mixing your language with english words
With a irritated sigh , he let go of your arm , but not before saying :
" You own me , remember that dip shit "
You went out of the mall almost running away , kinda relieved it didn't end in something worse
Then the next day , your first day in school , you found yourself in the same room as him , again , and the cherry of the cake , you were gonna be his desk mate
You avoided the slightest eye contact or accident that could happen so you didn't made him mad again , he was a short fuse even with the teachers that pissed him off
The mathematics exam day came and you were about to finish the whole thing in the first 10 minutes ( good thing that the mathematics are almost the same around the world ) , but in the corner of your eye you saw a puzzled Vance trying to figure out the content inside of that paper
And yeah ... He was an asshole , and you didn't need to risk your grades for him , but you owned him , right ?
When the teacher turned around , you touched his arm and silently pushed a little bit your exam to his side . He was confused at first , but the same eyes that stared at him in terror at the Grab n Go before , were telling him now to take the opportunity
Smirking , he noted your answers with the smart of a student that has cheated multiple times before , and then pretended to be frustrated by the exam a few minutes more for " extra credibility "
The very next day , when you both received A+ in your exams , he looked at your direction with hesitation
" Thanks for the A I guess , but why you did it ? "
You wrote in your notebook with his pen that was near by and showed it to him
" I owned you :) "
Since then , you started learning to throw hands with him and Vance to insult in your language , that was if he wasn't playing his adored Jungle Queen Pin Ball Machine with you by his side
Let's just say that your nickname changed to " the new in town kid " to " Vance's protected one" real quick
BRUCE YAMADA
He was the one assigned to guide you through school and he was excited to do so , he tried his best to make you feel at home because even if he's a very popular boy , he still understands the struggles of changing schools and being a foreigner
So he invited you to sit on his table , be on his team on P.E classes ( where your teacher jokingly told Bruce to watch out for the competition , although he understood this as a " This kid can be better than you " because of your body than " you have watch out for any other trying to steal them from you " way ) , go to his games , community reunions , etc
You liked his social and outgoing nature and appreciated his invitations and including in his group of friends , but you felt like a fish out of the water , you couldn't talk that much and you only listened and responded one or two questions that they had about you
Not only that , you felt like his friends weren't that fond of you , almost like they only tolerate you because of Bruce
Your theory was confirmed when Bruce invited you to a party and in the moment you were alone , they started to ask you passive aggressive questions like , " You also came here for easy jobs ?" " Your parents are immigrants too or one of them married an American to get free pass ?" " In your country people are quiet like you ?" " If you are able to understand us , then why you can't talk to us too , huh ?" " Do you talk at all or what ?"
Uncomfortable with their tone you tried to leave and tell Bruce however you could that you wanted to leave , but they didn't let you , and started to push you around in a circle while laughing that you couldn't tell them anything back while insulting you with all the names they had for your people
It wasn't until Bruce asked what's going on and put an arm around you in a comfort and assertive way that they stopped , Bruce told them that it wasn't cool to make someone feel that way for where they come from or their personalities , but they started to clap back racist insults and mute shaming you and you couldn't handle it anymore
He tried to find you inside and outside of the party , but you were already gone .
The next week on the hallway he grabbed your wrist gently asking you to go somewhere private , that it wasn't anything funny , just to talk about what happened that night on a empty art classroom that nobody uses
" Hey I'm really , really , sorry for what happened that night , I didn't know they were going to do that or say those things , I wouldn't let you alone or go to the party in the first place if I did . I just wanted to let you know that I don't share at all their opinions about you , nobody chooses where they come from or learns to speak a entire language in one day , if they can't understand that , then it's better for them to mind their business "
You nodded , but you were just not going to sit near him or his friends anymore , he seemed sincere on his apology , but a voice in the back of your mind was telling you to keep your distance , because maybe , just maybe , it was his idea all along
On the old local gym where the entrance money is cheaper than the modern one in town that everyone goes , you were exercising on your own trying to clear your mind and letting the stress in your body
Until you hear a familiar voice from behind you
" Hey , mind if take those dumbbells ?"
Is he following you ? You only nodded and continue to work out
" Hey , uh , do have a minute to talk ? Or well , listen ?"
You frowned but listened anyways
" I know that things have been awkward lately but... It's ok for you if we hang out somewhere else ? Just the two of us , no one else "
You thought about it for a second.... But damn if he wasn't cute and made you fell for his charm every single time
Bruce with time got closer and more comfortable to be open with you and vice versa , he recommended you an English tutor to help you speed up your pronunciation , started to invite you and only you to his house , plan " dates that weren't dates " until the rumours of you two going around became true
What can he say ? Athletic , smart , attractive and non judging , he felt free to be himself with you , and that , is something that the girls that were crazy over him could never do
That's why they and his old friends give you the hairy eyeball , but you couldn't care less about it
ROBIN ARELLANO
Robin was minding his business while looking inside his locker for that stupid mathematics book , but he noticed that the next locker on his right wasn't the same big dude with sweat smell anymore , but you , a new pretty face that seemed to like being in shape
Contrary of what students think , he's an awkward boy maybe that's why he gets along with Finney so well , and yes he had some street and fighting knowledge , but he wasn't a Casanova at all
So lost in his thoughts about what he could possibly do or say to look cool and start a chit chat with you , that he didn't notice that you were already gone
Carajo , you really don't like being late to class , huh ?
He damned himself for being too slow and headed to Mr Johnson's class
But , but , but , his locker " neighbor" was already inside , sitting right in front of his seat . Mr Johnson , being the energetic and hurried man that he is didn't waste no time in telling Robin to sit down to start the explanation
He didn't care to listen before , it was useless on his opinion because either way he wouldn't understand a thing , but since his grades are being under the line of average he needed to pay attention , but with you " blocking " the view , it was more difficult if only you weren't so cute to look on
Explanation over , class assignment was on , and you were the first one to finish it , and for everyone's surprise , Mr Johnson didn't find any mistake , so you were free until everyone finished their ones
But there's something that Robin noticed , and it's that you never speak in class or with anyone at all , maybe you're shy ? Perhaps mute ?
Well , he needed to find out . He touched your shoulder and tried to ask you how did you resolved everything in no time , you were hesitating in talking , so he thought that you being a shy was a thing , but then you started to slowly try to put English words together in a sentence , and then he understood everything
You are not only new in school , but also a foreigner . He then sighed and , without realizing , smiling at you while saying :
" Hey it's cool , chill , no need to try if you don't want to . You understand me , right ?"
You nodded and smiled shyly
" Ok , how about I speak , and you answer with yes or no until you learn a little bit to talk English , sounds good ? "
You nodded once again , and turned back with your cheeks burning from the blush . He's not that much of a talker , but he more than anyone knows how hard it is to go to school and not having English as your first language that's why he fails with fast talker teachers so why not befriend you and letting you know that he has your back ?
He skipped P.E before your arrive , but now , he's showing the hell off , every chance that he gets to prove how strong he is will be taken
He needs to climb a rope faster than any other kid in P.E ? Right on jumping to action . Need help with a heavy book or backpack ? Does the teacher want strong boys to move chairs and tables ? He's the first one to offer help
It's already obvious , or at least for the majority , that you being one of Robin's best friend crush makes you , even without you noticing it , untouchable , and whoever dares to touch you , would be in less than a week with a serious injury on their faces for testing your kindness and Robin's patience . Trust me , he will make sure they will stay visible for a long time for others that had the same thought back off
Finney catched the attentive attitude of his friend and started to help you learn English or other subjects that you both are having difficulties ( He has a love - hate type of relationship with being the third wheel , but he knows Robin would do the same for him , so he accepts it )
You shared your exercise routine and he loved it , well , he loved everything about you , the food you make , the music of your origin country , your language slangs , everything
Be patient , one day he'll loose the fear of ruining the friendship between you two and you'll be going around like lovers do
BILLY SHOWALTER
Thanks to his job he knows almost everyone in the neighborhood or at least recognizes their faces ( this last thing is the most common one )
Coming back home after finishing his route he saw you carrying a bag of groceries , he didn't recognize you , but didn't give it that much of attention until you fell down to the ground for tripping over a tiny little rock
He stopped his bike and ran in your direction to help , he tried to put back all the groceries but Harper started to lick them off while barking when she got scolded for it
He grabbed your arms and helped you to get up , unintentionally feeling your biceps and getting a little flustered but didn't showed it ( damn you must strong if you had those in your arms he thought )
Just a little clumsy , but he can't speak that much either , counting how many times he fell down his bike for one sec distractions
You put back what was left of groceries and thanked him in your language , he was surprised , he never heard anyone speak another language before outside English except on the TV , so he asked you to repeat yourself , not in a threatening way , he just wanted to hear again the words that you spoke
You repeated yourself , and he laughed in surprise , its so cool !
Even if you did what he asked you to , he didn't know that if you understood English completely
" Wait , you understand English , right ? like , everything in English ? Did you already tried one of our best America's stuff ? Do you listen american or british singers or ..? "
He never speaks that much , he's somehow someone reserved with his words but this time he was too excited to hold back , although he came back to himself when he realized he was being a little too much
He walked you home asking a you a lot of questions that you only answered shaking or nodding your head , giving advices that he thought would be useful to you , telling how nice the the neighborhood is , America's best traditions , food that you needed to try , movies , in general being excited to show off his love for the United States
Once you got inside waving your hand , he couldn't help to hop on his bike again and ride as fast as he could to his home and tell his family about you , he met a strong and cute foreigner for the first time today !
The times that he encounter you , now in a much calmer way , he would try to get to know you and your culture , so slowly you two got a cultural exchange , he inviting to his house and 4th of July festivals , carnavals , thanksgiving , you get it
And since he was nice to you and didn't mind you or your inability to speak English , with time he started to go to your house as well , your family jokingly making you embarrassed by saying you didn't waste time on finding a boyfriend
So in general , don't be afraid to be yourself around him , he would love to show you how great America is , and it's ok if you don't want to try everything that he says , as long as you still being friends with him , he's satisfied
Who knows , maybe one day you both could live the American Dream together
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eshtaresht · 1 year
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holy. fuckin'. DAMN. I was pretty good at predicting the plot so far, but this episode proved that stampede is going in a whole new direction for real. spoilers for ep 9!!! (and manga a bit)
first of all, we still haven't got a full story of the great fall, but I think it's something they'll reveal in this season, probably during confrontation with knives. and still no scar reveal!! I'm angy but it's something that could be relevant to the standoff with knives, hope we'll get it
the piano scene... oh we're eating GOOD, it's just so wholesome but goes to confirm my theory that twins weren't completely fine on the ship. vash feeling useless because he can't do cool plant shit, knives envying vash for being good at human shit.... oh it's great
so glad knives is getting proper characterization and not just "he evil because he evil"! the fear, the hurt, the genuine care for vash, but then frustration with him – it's right there and I'm eating it up so yummy
the way they recontextualized vash's arm loss is GORGEOUS! I've seen ppl reading this scene differently, but to me it was an act of care from naï. he looks really scared for a reason: we see that the gate consumed all matter, including the hand. vash couldn't control it, so it would only grow bigger and destroy him. NAÏ REALIZED THIS AND SAVED VASH THE ONLY WAY HE COULD
he didn't want to fight him, this was not an act of anger, like in previous versions. all he cared about in that moment was saving his twin..... and what did he get in return? a gun pointed to his face. a gun he gave vash to kill human scum. oh, the DRAMA
ahem, now to the less intense stuff
homeboy has so much trauma, like, damn... how is he gonna fit any more from his impending epic brother fight...... I'm quite curious on how they're gonna characterize him in the next season. concidering that we're taking off earlier than previous versions, he might end up with the same unhinged vibe 98' vash had, as a coping mechanism (if depression didn't work, try dissociation and silliness). but then it would be even more interesting to see meryl's and wolfwood's reactions: they knew him before the accident and saw the big sad
vash has sense in the prosthetic arm, so it must've hurt when he damaged it... probably it hurts less than the real one, and it's clearly painless to take off. but the hand seems to be rather sensitive and fic writers are gonna go crazy for this
age reveal! also brad and luida being in cryosleep makes sense, I was racking my brain on how they're still alive. seems like they're using much more plant power tho... both for cryo and the vegetation, while in manga they tried to keep it as low as possible and send signals to earth
saw someone say that they're probably not doing that here because the earth is destroyed... could be that they decided to go the hard way. but in the manga the earth was still fucked, and it wasn't clear if they communicated with the ppl left on the planet or the fleet that was in some new place. what I'm saying is, there is a possibility that they are looking for help in stampede, we just don't know it yet
meryl was so cute! go off, comedy relief goofy girl, while you can, there is more trauma coming your way :3 yeah, enjoy roberto calling you by your first name... oh it would be such a shame if he gave you his derringer before his untimely death..........
pretty weird that nobody knows why they fell on no man's land, but ppl probably were too ashamed of their past and 150 years later the new generation is oblivious. also so funny that luida has to explain what vegies are..... they have so many plants but haven't see any plants
tbh I wasn't expecting the zazie twist at all, but I'm excited! they are SO gender in stampede, might be the best redesign in the series, love me a genderless bug creature with bold fashion choices. really cool to see that storyline adapted, it was barely touched upon in the last volumes of trimax
btw the multiple bullets story about a plant, worm and human who went around figuring out if their species could coexist and just.... creating this foud family and then building a town there all were equal...... that's my favorite mb story for sure
wolfwood saying "I'm not your friend"... I know what you are. and we got a "you'll have to decide one day"... oh oh the misery, but the context was lacking. it just doesn't hit the same when he isn't daring vash to shoot him in the most homoerotic way possible. on and he looks so goofy trying to ride with his cross
in the last ep's rant I assumed that luida lied about rem saving everybody for some reason?? but no, she actually saved them, I just got a bit confused
so, as I predicted, the gang separated (tho not because of vash) and by the end of the next episode vash'll be in july and meet naï. the poster, man.... that gorgeous futuristic city is getting obliterated for sure
btw vash's gate being opposite to knives and sort of a black hole is nothing new. but there are new layers to this, like vash willingly giving away energy, but destroying things against his will, and knives with the opposite of this. ying yan twins go brrrr
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smartycvnt · 5 months
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Banished
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Title: Banished
Pairing: Nyssa al Ghul x Reader
Prompt: "Shamed if I do, shamed if I don't."
Word Count: 819
The sight before her shouldn't have come as a surprise to Nyssa. Y/n had been raised in the league practically since birth, and just because the woman had been thrown out years ago, didn't mean that the habits had left her. Nyssa had done everything in her power to live her life like anybody else, but there had been a rather difficult adjusting period, even with help. She couldn't imagine having to go about it all on her own like Y/n.
"Are you here to collect your debts, Ra's?" Y/n asked without turning around to face Nyssa. The title had been everything that Nyssa wanted at one point, but to hear Y/n address her formally made Nyssa feel sick. She had been hard to find, so Nyssa assumed that Y/n was out of the loop. There was no news coming in and out of the mountains, so Y/n probably thought that Nyssa had taken her rightful place as the heir.
"I am not Ra's. There is no demon to head, the league is dead," Nyssa said. Y/n didn't move a muscle, at least not to where Nyssa could see. The woman's face contorted for a moment, sure that Nyssa was ensaring her in a trap. There was no reason for that, however. Y/n was sure that Nyssa knew she still had Y/n's heart.
"Still, you have a debt to collect," Y/n said. She stood in one swift movement, but kept her head low. Nyssa felt conflicted, knowing that Y/n had a point. Y/n had been freed in a rare moment of mercy from Ra's, one that Y/n didn't feel like she had earned because he needed to preserve Nyssa's heart and obedience. Y/n had exiled herself because she knew that her blood should have momentarily stained Ra's blade.
"There are no more debts to be collected. Ra's owes nothing to anybody, nor do they to him. You do not have to stay here anymore, you're free," Nyssa said. It should have been like a weight being lifted off of her shoulders, but Y/n fell to her knees instead. "Go live your life. You have a second chance."
"How can I go out in the world knowing what I have done? I am not free, I never can be. I'm shackled by the shame that I nearly ended the league's bloodline. That will stay with me forever," Y/n said as she looked up at Nyssa. It was the first time in a decade that Nyssa had seen her face. Y/n hadn't even looked this distraught whenever Ra's banished her.
"I didn't want to do this, but as the last Ra's, I order you to go live your life among the people. Act as if you are one of them, and do not cause harm to anyone who does not truly deserve it," Nyssa ordered.
"Does that include myself?" Y/n asked.
"It does. You would bring great shame to me if you were to harm yourself," Nyssa told her.
"So I'm shamed if I do, shamed if I don't." Y/n seemed at a complete loss. Nyssa just wanted to help her, but Y/n didn't believe that she deserved the help. Nyssa was at a loss for what to do, but she refused to give up on Y/n.
"There is no shame in living the life of a normal person. I have been doing it myself for years, and while it won't be easy, I can help you. Y/n, this is a chance for you to be who you were meant to be without my father's judgements. You find your happiness."
"I found my happiness a long time ago, and it is how I ended up here. My happiness got my parents killed and myself exiled, forced to live a life away from the girl who made me happy. My happiness got us here, so how can I trust myself to ever be happy again?"
"Because we can be happy together. There is nobody to come between us anymore," Nyssa promised. Y/n looked up at her hopefully. "I don't just want you to leave this stupid place, but I want you to leave it with me. We can face the world together."
"It isn't so bad up here," Y/n said as she stood up once again. "A bit cold, but it's beautiful in the summer. There's a village down the way a bit, they are kind and leave offerings for me. Eventually, those banished here join them. We could do the same."
"I have a home away from here, and a family. They will care for you like they have cared for me," Nyssa said. Y/n was nervous about leaving, but she would have followed Nyssa to the bottom of the ocean if she was asked to.
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meltthefrozenheart · 1 year
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FROZEN 3: A quick list of reasons why Hans return this time might be very likely
It's the third chapter of the franchise, it would be a shame not to include him
He has an actual personal connection with the main characters, both directly and inderectly, which is a great element that enstablish a lot of tension within the story
F2 enstablished a very important point about how things can change and evolve in unexpected ways, something we have seen with the protagonists themselves, so why not even Hans after his terrible "fall from grace"?
Anna is now engaged, and what couldn't be more perfect than bringing back the character that started her arc with a marriage proposal?
Regarding Elsa, in her eyes, he's litteraly the closest thing to a threat she would expect to vanquish, considering how resentful she is towards him. For someone so magically powerful, facing a much more personal challenge is a defyining trait
He has never canonicaly interacted with Kristoff, which is a shame, same thing with his lack of interaction with Olaf
Still talking about Kristoff, F2 showed very clearly how "out of place" and narratively disadvantaged by being on his own, without Hans presence, allowing certain confrontations, something that we could do only with Anna and Elsa
The directors don't like to introduce new main characters they have to spend time enstablishing and develop, wanting to maintain the focus on Frohana, so Hans is perfect in that regard, also because it would be an interesting dynamic
Considering "He's the villain" because of his past actions, I believe that would be a great narrative advantage
He is still "a stranger" in many ways, we have not visual clue about his life pre-coronation day, never seeing his family and their influence, also because 12 older brothers would be a funny creative challenge
Also, after what F2 showed us in order to deepen Anna & Elsa family and give a deeper understanding of also the 1st movie, why not allowing us to understand Hans better also in relation to his actions in F1?
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gravedigg · 5 months
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19, 20, and 22 for the dark urge asks !! i need to know more about virgil he intrigues me :))
I’m so flattered that you’re interested!
19. Has your Dark Urge become particularly close to anyone romantically and/or platonically in their journey? If so, who, and what is the relationship like? If no, why not?
Well, Virgil is accidentally dating Gale so I’ll start with that lol. I think Gale addressed Virgil with a sincere gentleness that really caught him off guard. I also think his wit, intelligence, and ambition reminded Virgil of a certain forgotten love. Virgil was really resistant to bond with anyone at camp but Gale got under his skin with time, and I think Virgil appreciates his consistency. Also, Gale is a little freak, and it's really hard not to want to please him.
Wyll and Virgil get along really well, but I think there’s an unspoken distance that Virgil keeps between them because Wyll is so good, and so stalwart in his beliefs, and Virgil feels like if Wyll really knew him, that he would hate him (whether that’s actually true or not)
Astarion and Virgil get along great, murder buddies and all. Star has my whole heart so it couldn't be any other way. Virgil feels like his protector, though Astarion would hate that if he knew.
I think that Shadowheart and Virgil have ended up in a sort of sibling-like relationship, on the first day Shadowheart helped him tie up his hair because his hands were too shaky, and they've been doing little acts of affection ever since, though they wouldn't admit to it.
Halsin's the fucking best, I don't see how anyone couldn't love him, Virgil included. He's kinda the first person to really look at Virgil, see him at his relative worst, and care about him anyway. He so genuinely seems to want to help and that really touched Virgil, though he doesn't have the emotional intelligence to understand it.
The rest of the guys are great, but Virge hasn't spent as much time with them. Once I get to Act 3 Jaheira will become his mom 100%
20. Is your Dark Urge open about their Urge or do they try to hide it? Why?
Virgil definitely hid it for as long as he could and still hasn't talked to everyone about it. I think at the point I'm at with his playthrough, he has told Gale, Astarion, and Halsin. He waited until he had developed a relationship with them to broach the subject, and I think he feels a lot of shame and fear about admitting to his urges.
22. What first impression does your Dark Urge give off to strangers?
Virgil's vibes are pretty rancid. He's just generally offputting. He's taller than you'd expect him to be, just a bit bigger than his frame would suggest in a way that feels uncanny. Obviously, he's covered in really gnarly scars that he has no explanation for. He's got a dead-eyed stare most of the time and isn't particularly expressive when you talk to him. He also refuses to conform to social niceties, which makes him pretty abrasive to talk to before you get to know him. He's smart and really funny in a dry-wit kind of way, but there's a lot you have to get past with him before you can see his charm.
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feyhunter78 · 1 year
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Can you do a one shot where reader is taking Modern hotd bowlling for the first time as cause their rich they never did that sort of stuff. Could you include Aegon, Aemond, Helaena, Jacerys and any other character you would like
Ok, but I loved this request!!!! My eyes skipped over the "oneshot" part of the request, so this is in headcanon form, so sorry about that, but I hope you still enjoy it!!!!
Bowling with the Modern!Targaryens HC
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Aegon: Aegon believes he’s going to be the bowling champ, he’s never bowled before, but he’s so sure he’s going to win. He does not. He throws gutter ball after gutter ball and refuses to have the bumper put up because he finds it embarrassing. You have to pacify him with beer and nachos. Then after a while he just up and rage-quits, spending the rest of the time sitting on the couch with his food while heckling Aemond and Jacaerys as they take their turns.
Aemond: This man was watching pro bowlers on YouTube, studying their technique, and preparing himself for this day. He does not want to look stupid, and it pays off. You cheer for him every time he gets a strike, which make Aegon grumble. Aemond throws so gracefully you’d think he’d been bowling all his life. He doesn’t want the beer, but he finds a surprising pleasure in the nachos. He also does a great job of ignoring Aegon’s heckling.
Helaena: Sweet Helaena watches her brothers and requests the bumpers be put up, she has no shame, she knows she’s new to the game. She does surprisingly well and smiles widely when she gets her first strike. Helaena only uses the pink bowling balls, and gives them all names, which you think is adorable. She likes the candy and Icees you can buy from the snack bar, sitting next to Aegon and stealing a few of his nachos when it isn’t her turn.
Jacaerys: This boy throws bowling balls down the alley like he’s punishing them. He can’t control his strength and the balls go flying off into other people’s lanes. Once the bumpers go up, he does decently well, but he gets caught up in fighting with Aegon. He’s more a fan of the food than the game, but he has a good time and ends up in third place behind you and Aemond.
Tag list: @nyctophilic0vitnir @svtansdaddyx, @fan-goddess, @dc-marvel-girl96, @shintax-error, @bellameshipper, @the141bandicoot, @the-phantom-of-arda, @haydee5010, @partypoison00, @serrhaewin, @issshhhaa, @pax-2735, @malfoytargaryen, @sahanna, @dellalyra, @mxrgodsstuff, @jkhomes, @unusual-raccoon, @boofy1998, @kravitzwhore, @caribbeangel, @krispold, @issshhhaa, @afro-hispwriter, @ryswritingrecord, @prettykinkysoul, @depressedperson88
Strikethrough means I couldn't tag you!
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Goodbye to Ash and Pikachu and all their friends and rivals and everyone we loved so much for so many years! It was a great ride and it was fun to see different takes and concepts and adventures. It was also wonderful to have a series that's realistic in that the main character tries and struggles and fails, teaching kids it's okay to lose, as long as you get back up and continue trying another day.
A show where most of the heroines can have their own journeys, rivals, goals--they're not cardboard cut-out love interests without lives of their own... where women can hold roles similar to the men (Pokemon Champions, regional Professors, etc.), not just relegated to one or two stereotypical roles, things SO many shounen anime aimed at an older audience fail to do.
Thank you for not shaming kids for crying, thank you for comforting and meaningful lyrics (Soko ni Sora ga Aru Kara, Te wo Tsunagou, Smile, etc.).
Thank you for beautiful stories of characters overcoming trauma and abuse, being saved from or escaping bad situations, and shown genuine love and friendship (Chimchar's storyline and especially the Tears for Fears episode, Larvitar's storyline too, even Tepig's story ending with Evolution by Fire), thank you for stories of kids with phobias and repressed memories and all the recovery stories (Lillie, Sophocles...), the episodes dealing with loss (Mallow's mother), and the characters who were traumatized and couldn't fully overcome those fears but still found their place in the world (the Nurse Joy who feared she would drown as a child in The Joy of Water Pokemon and James with his fear of marriage, where even the word "fiance" triggers flashbacks, not to mention the sound of a whip... but he still found a place of belonging with his friends from Team Rocket), kids who were bullied and ostracized in school (Iris, Regina) but found friendship later on...
What a great show!
I got into this show a bit late (after Pokemania ended, because I was too young when it came out to appreciate it, but I still loved and cried watching the first Pokemon movie and the one cassette I had with four episodes, including Todd Snap's first episode--I think that first Pokemon photographer is why I love taking pictures so much!), but I got into it just as I went through big changes (the divorce of my parents) and trauma of my own, so I got very, very attached to the Team Rocket trio (especially Jessie), as they all had such tragic backstories, but they weren't one-note tragic characters who could never find happiness.
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Especially with how Jessie lost her mother very young, being put into foster care by her very poor mother, and spent years being shifted from home to home, every career she pursued ended in failure, until she joined the same gang her mother was in (I don't know if she ever knew that)... but she found true friendship even in a dark place like that.
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I also loved Iris and how she had trouble opening up to others because of what she'd been through; she was also a tomboyish girl who loved nature and didn't mind getting dirty and fighting, but also loved pastels, bows, and dressing up!
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I also loved Trip and how much he changed from the sweet and happy child he used to be, to someone jaded and cynical and convinced he's an adult (but he's still a child... I also didn't think I was a child anymore at 12), how disappointed he was by meeting his childhood hero again, but also how he began to question what he previously believed and became a better person, even if he'd always be a little distant and awkward and won't be that child again.
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I loved and related to Lillie feeling sad when her friends spoke about their mothers, when she rarely saw hers, when she lagged behind the others because her mother wasn't around enough to teach her things like how to cut vegetables, but also took credit for her learning things (in her absence!), the way her feelings were devalued if they weren't logical, so she'd insist any emotion she felt was rational or logical... she even named her Vulpix, in the dub, the same name I gave my cat around her age, a cat I had gotten after I'd just recovered from fearing touching cats (despite loving them since I was small, I was scared, after my mother's cat scratched me out of nowhere and scarred my ankle)! Her recovering the last of her lost memories and overcoming her fears was pure catharsis... beautiful to watch. To say nothing of finally finding her father and even being able to embrace a Nihilego as her sister.
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I love them all so, so, so much.
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snowshowerwriting · 2 years
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YOU ASKED FOR ASKS AND MY GOOD FRIEND, THAT WAS YOUR FIRST MISTAKE. You cannot hide from me. Okay so, hero x villain. Where hero finally goes to one of the Superhero parties despite avoiding them for years. Only going because of some great “entertainment” promised and they’re bored. Only to find out that the bound and humiliated Villain is the “entertainment”. Cue protective Hero. Thank you! And no worries if you don’t wanna :D
I asked for asks, and that was never a mistake, my good friend!! I never intend to hide from thee! ALSO, you gave me a corrupt superhero??? Oh my, it's not Christmas yet, hold off!! (just kidding, keep em comin').
----
CW For implied kidnapping
Dear Hero,
It is with my honour that I invite you to the annual Heroes Celebratory Ceremony. Along with our traditional awarding ceremony and dinner party, we are expecting a guest that, I personally feel, you will be excited to see.
Best of Wishes,
Superhero.
Hero scrunched up his nose in distaste at the letter. Between the fancy handwriting, the extravagant but elegant decors that surrounded the words, and the ticket on the other side of the card felt; it all felt rather... in your face sort of fancy. Although Hero did occasionally dabble in the lavish lifestyle, it was nothing like Superhero. Someone who had the mass media on her side and the hearts of her adoring fans in the city. This also meant that Superhero probably had everything right at her fingertips, which included a luxurious manor with probably anything a typical rich woman would have.
The young man sighed, leaning forwards onto his office desk, and running a hand through his hair. Was it really a good idea? To go out to some ceremony when Villain was still missing? Hero couldn't help but stress out about this case. His nemesis had been gone for three months, for hell's sake. That never meant anything good as far as Hero could tell, not until he knew that Villain was safely behind bars and under proper monitoring. Maybe he should've roped Superhero into this. There was a reason she was so well known, it was the sharp work she did and the attention to detail in her cases.
Hero sighed, groaning as he got up from his desk. Perhaps it wasn't good that he was slumped over his desk, four hours a day every week over this. Losing sleep wasn't ever helpful, was it? He eyed the invitation card from between his fingers, tapping his fingers against the paper as he debated whether it was a good idea to go or not.
❆ ❅ ❆ ❅
Hero had decided to go. It didn't really mean that he wanted to. As he had contemplated coming, an idea stormed into his head. He hoped that perhaps he could get in touch with Superhero or a teammate to find out about Villain. That was his main reasoning for going, though if that didn't work, well... it would've been a nice break from the work he supposed.
Hero sighed, tugging at his suit sleeve as he looked around the large ballroom. It was massive, and Hero couldn't help but gape at the architecture that arched over everyone's head, decked out with gilded beams and crystal chandeliers. Most everyone was in their best dress and, in that brief moment, Hero almost felt a little shameful for coming in a plain suit and some very basic jewelry.
"Hero?"
He turned around to the familiar voice calling him out. He froze a little, seeing Superhero. Despite the chillingly warm smile his superior gave him, Hero couldn't help but feel unsettled. It was as if he had been placed dangling above a cage of hungry lions. Hero shifted, facing his colleague and smiling.
"Superhero, it's nice seeing you. How have you been?"
"I've been doing absolutely wonderful, thank you. Though I suppose I can't say the same for you," the older woman replied, chuckling deeply enough that Hero felt uneasy.
Hero gave a faux smile at the backhanded compliments. "Yeah, well. I've been working on a missing case with Villain, so," Hero took in a breath, looking around at the twinkling lights everywhere. "It's been taking a lot of time. Wherever they went, they covered up their tracks really well," Hero sighed, looking back at Superhero. Whatever expression Superhero had- it was fucking unnerving. There was a gleam of knowing in her eyes, something in the way her grin curled up her features that had made Hero uncomfortably hot. He could feel his button-down shirt sticking to his skin. He shifted his weight from one leg to the other, trying to ignore the negative feeling brewing somewhere in his chest.
"Oh, right. I've not told you, have I?" Superhero hummed in thought, beckoning a waiter with a tray of sparkling water over. She took two glasses handing one to Hero. The glass felt cold against Hero's fingers, easing the sticky warmth. "I came across Villain a while back."
Hero pulled the glass back from his lips, choking on the little bit of liquid he had downed. Embarrassed about his reaction, Hero covered his face, wiping off the little bit of sparkling water from his chin with a nearby napkin. "Sorry- um I just- I wasn't expecting that. You seriously found him?" Hero asked, looking at the other woman with wide eyes.
"Trust me, Hero. You don't have to worry about Villain much longer." Without another word, Superhero's gaze left Hero's to the stage that sat on her side of the ballroom. Heavy curtains guarded whatever was behind the center stage. For a split second, Hero almost swore on his mother's grave he heard chains clinking. Immediately, dread had settled into the pits of his stomach. He looked back at Superhero, only to find her already looking his way. "I taught Villain their lessons well. I thought Villain might've needed a lot more time, but," she paused, smiling wickedly. "They proved themselves in three months. Can you believe that?"
"What did you do with Villain?" Hero spoke quietly, much to both of their surprise.
"Oh? I suppose it makes sense that you'd want to be the first to view them. They were your nemesis after all," Superhero replied, finishing her cup of drink.
"Superhero, what did you do to them?" Hero's voice rose in urgency, following his superior with urgent steps as she made her way past the crowds smoothly. Hero's heart sped up, weaving around the mass of people which slowly died down as the two approached the far back of the ballroom.
Superhero took a moment to unlock an employee only door. Hero stared at the sign, before hesitantly entering. The room was dark at first, as he closed the door behind him until it clicked. Then, he swore he heard a whimper, and froze. "Superhero, what the fuck did you do?" He growled. He received no reply aside from the sounds of something clinking against each other. Hero quickly lit up flames against his finger tips, and warm light surrounded the storage room behind the stage.
The first thing he saw was Villain, and he stopped breathing for a split moment. The second thing he spotted was the suit his nemesis had on. Hero had always known his nemesis to be confident, to wear their suit with pride, and never be the one to shy away from their charismatic self. They looked terrible now, as much as Hero hated to say this. The sleeves and the neck of the suit hung much too loosely off of Villain and Hero hoped it was because the clothes were too big.
He turned to his superior, about to inquire- yell at her for what she had done, only to be greeted by a cruel grin decorating her lips. "Don't worry, Hero, darling. Villain is behaving much better than before. I'm sure you'll love to see them in action."
Hero only swallowed at her crooked words.
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This turned out much longer than I thought. I hadda go back and edit bc i noticed some errors w the pronouns sfgsd
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prettygirl-gabi · 1 year
Text
It's Always Been You
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"I may not deserve you but after that I’m not going down without a fight, because it's always been you"
♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧
Summary: You had liked Seonghwa since the day you met but you never entertained the idea of being with him because you figured a popular guy like him would never date a girl your size. Coming to terms with this didn’t mean you’d stop defending him in a world full of ungrateful girls. So you reach your breaking point when you’re sick and tired of watching girls miss out on something that would be so good for them. Thing was, Seonghwa heard everything you had to say. He planed to prove you wrong.
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
Paring: !non idol Seonghwa and Femreader (plus-size!)
Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Category:
F/M
Fandom:
ATEEZ (Band)
Relationships:
Park Seonghwa & ReaderAhn Hyejin | Hwasa/Park Seonghwa
Characters:
Ahn Hyejin | HwasaReaderPark Seonghwa
TW:
Fat Shaming, Body Image, Swearing, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff (if you squint)
Language: English
◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇
I wrote this while being sick and thinking about a previous relationship I was in. We are all beautiful in our own ways. It might take a while to notice but it is true.
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
“Looking good today HwaSa” you could practically see the smirk on Seonghwa’s face from the sound of his voice. Looking up you saw his eyes trained on the black haired girl beside you, who had yet to put returns you had finished rewinding back on the shelf, her nail file much to important.
Ahn Hye Jin or HwaSa as we called her, was everything you were not. Slim but thick, tall but not to tall, she was perfect. Seonghwa loved her for all of those things including her tiny waist. It had givenher that perfect hourglass look. You on the other hand hated her for all of those things. She wore dresses with lace flower patterns and you still wore the same tattered converse, ripped and worn in all the best ways. Your jeans and Motley Crue T-shirt didn’t and couldn't compare. You were just not the same.
“Thanks Seongie” you hated the nickname, especially how it brought a smile to the fluffy haired boy's face.
“I was wondering if you were free Friday night, I’m having a movie night with the kids and was wondering if you wanted to join?” you had lost count of all the attempts Seonghwa had made to ask the girl out. There had to of been a billion by now.
“Sorry Seongie that sounds pathetic spending Friday night with underage kids” she sneered, meanness dripping from her tone. Seonghwa's smile faltered only slightly and despite how much you hated him for still trying he was still your friend.
“Then what’s your ideal date HwaSa?” your tone was sharp, accusatory, and just plain angry that she couldn’t see how great a guy he was. Not that she deserved him anyway.
“A fancy dinner, wine, making out in a movie theater, third base in the back of a BMW. Nothing to do with babysitting” she responded promptly. Seonghwa hummed with satisfaction, a dopey grin on his face. The sentence immediately making him forget how rude she was in the first place. His mind now only in the backseat of a BMW.
“Classy” you quipped, and she offered a forced smile but knew you were judging her. Yet a girl like you didn’t really get under her skin. How could you when you guys weren’t even in the same league of girls.
“We could do something else, maybe a movie?” you didn’t hide the roll of your eyes as Seonghwa tried again.
“Maybe another time Seongie, I’m busy this weekend” a lie and you knew it, and maybe he did too. Finally picking up the stack of tapes you rewinded she moved off to place them on shelves.
“Get real Hwa ” you snipped, the moment she was out of ear shot.
“What’s your deal?” he asked and you shook your head, amused he couldn’t see how shitty she was.
“My deal is that Ahn Hye Jin sucks, you’ve got so much more going for you” you said pushing a new tape into the machine and hitting rewind. Hwa moved behind the counter, taking Ahn Hye Jin ’s previous spot.
“She doesn’t suck, she’s cool and hot. Hard to get but I don’t give up” he smirked as he crossed his arms and you groaned, annoyed that he was so blinded by her fake appearance. She was nothing more than a girl who peaked in high school and Seonghwa qwas so much more.
“She’s not cool nor is she hot. Don’t you ever think? If she actually had anything going for her she wouldn’t still be stuck here working in a video store” your anger caused the words to rattle out and Seonghwa's face dropped.
“Wonder what you think of me then?” you instantly realized your mistake and began shaking your head. You wished Yeosang or the rest of the boys wasn’t at school and was here to defend you.
“That’s not what I meant Seong-” but he was already shaking his head in offense and pushing himself off the counter.
“It’s exactly what you meant Y/N” he spoke harshly, hurt by his friend and the words you had spoke as he walked into the back room. Sighing you dropped your head on the counter, upset you pissed him off.
“What’s wrong? Did he deny you?” HwaSa chuckled as she returned to the counter now free of VHS tapes. HwaSa viewed life as a social ladder. She was on the top, Seonghwa was below her, which is why she never dated him, and you were all the way on the bottom. She was out of Seonghwa ’s reach but you were miles away.
“No HwaSa, thanks for having faith in me” sarcasm laced your tone as you lifted your head.
“How could I have faith in you, you’ve never had a date in your life” she chuckled, annoyed you gave her so much crap when she saw you as absolutely nothing. She didn’t even think Seonghwa should be talking to you.
“Shut up HwaSa ” you spoke, not wanting anymore shit, already angry enough.
“You want to know why you haven’t had a date Y/N?” HwaSa expression turned menacing as she moved towards you, mean girl genes firing through her bones. “Because you’re fat, short, and weird, and no guy is attracted to that”
“You know what?” normally HwaSa would get to you, break your heart and allow tears to pool in your eyes. But today was your breaking point. She could treat you as badly as she wanted but you were done with her treating Steve like that.
“What?” her amused expression didn’t falter as she waited for some lame comeback bound to fall from your mouth.
“You’re a bitch Ahn Hye Jin. Nothing more than a washed up high schoaol mean girl. You’re gonna spend the rest of your life in this God forsaken town, running though men like their a God damn marathon, until you end up stuck with some creepy old man who knocked you up, and you’ll never be anything more than that girl from high school absolutely everyone hated” HwaSa was shocked as you continued to raise your voice at her, and the use of her real name alerting Seonghwa from the back room.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about” HwaSa began to shake her head but you were beyond angry now, laughing as you approached her. Seonghwa moved to the door, listening to everything you both said.
“Yes I do, because everyday you treat Seonghwa like shit when he thinks you’re the best thing on earth. Do you know how crazy that is? Hwa is the greatest guy I know. He cares for so many people when he doesn’t even have to, including me and the guys, he even drives Woo's younger brother to school everyday even if he doesn’t have to be up for work, because he’s such a great guy. He’s the kind of guy who would treat you right and every day for no fucking reason you tell him no” HwaSa opened her mouth to speak but you quickly held up a hand, not done with your spiel.
“Not to say you deserve a guy like that because you don’t, and twenty years from now, while your holding your child on the porch of your trailer home, you’re gonna be wishing you said yes to him. Every day I hope he’s gonna walk through those doors and ask me out instead because I know what he’s worth. He may be way out of both our leagues but at least I appreciate him. The only reason he still asks you is because you are the skinny, pretty girl, and that fucking stings. Yet I guess that’s how this cruel world works. So leave us both the fuck alone from now on” heavy breaths left your mouth as you finished, Hwa having heard the whole thing, shocked to hear such passion come from you.
“Okay, I’m sorry” HwaSa muttered, before rushing from behind the counter. “I’m gonna take off, my shift is up anyway”
“Bye” you snipped, and she wore a guilty expression as she quickly collected her things and fled the building. You dropped your head back on the counter, now worked up from the drama. Seonghwa finally walked out the back room, knowing that se was gone.
“You think I ask her out because she’s prettier than you?” your shoulders tensed at his voice, not realizing he heard the whole thing. “Because you’re way prettier than her”
“Don’t lie to me right now Hwa, guys don’t date big girls like me” you looked up as you shook your head at him. Seonghwa didn’t care the enthuse the idea.
“I never asked you out because I thought you were too good for me” you furrowed your eyebrows as he continued to talk anyway. Seonghwa had always thought you were pretty and on top of that you were also the best person he knew.
“I’m nothing special and you’re kinda the coolest person I know. I ask HwaSa out because she’s the kinda girl I’m gonna end up with, not because of her looks compared to yours. I’m just not good enough for you” you scoffed, not believing a word because you truly had never heard kind words like this before. It was also hard to believe he could feel like same way you had all this time, used to people avoiding you because of your size.
“I’m not looking for the you’re not fat, you’re beautiful speech. You weren’t supposed to hear what I said. So can we just drop it” you said turning away from him, uninterested in this lame attempt at making you feel better. You had accepted your fate a long time ago.
“You are beautiful Y/N. Fuck, why can’t you see that? I never asked you out because you were the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen and I didn’t want to ruin that” tears pooled in your eyes because if you let yourself believe him and it wasn’t true you weren’t sure you’d ever recover.
“You’re a great guy Hwa, you wouldn’t ruin anything. I would” Seonghwa’s heart warmed because he heard how you had defended him like that. Not even he thought he was so great and apparently you noticed him more than he thought you did.
“Thank you for defending me, and it made me realize that I do deserve someone who would defend me like that. So go out with me Y/N, and not just because of this whole thing, because I’ve wanted to date you since the day we met” you shook your head, the tears now falling down your face.
“Seonghwa if you hurt me, I just can’t. I wouldn’t be able to handle it” Seonghwa felt his heart break as he looked at you. Really looked at you and he felt terrible he had never made you realize how amazing you were in the first place. He was selfish staying away because you deserved to be shown you were just as beautiful as any girl he had dated.
“Let me prove you wrong” he said gripping your arms and you looked up at him, tear filled eyes, and he felt the wind get knocked out of him from the look in your eyes. The fact he never realized you loved him back before was shocking because he could see it written all over your face.
“Okay” you muttered and before you could even react he tugged your lips against his. Arms gripping you for dear life and your eyes were wide as you realized what he had done. He had kissed you and you had never even expected it. Then you realized how soft his lips were, how he tasted like chocolate and cherries, and his warm mouth soothed every ache in your heart. Your hands gripped his shirt as you settled into the kiss, relaxation taking over you, eyes fluttering shut as he moved to wrap his arms around you. If you had known yelling at Ahn Hye Jin or HwaSa as you've call her would make Park Seonghwa kiss you like this you would’ve done it a lot sooner. You weren’t even fully sure you were supporting yourself anymore, knees weak from the fire he has ignited in your stomach.
“Holy shit” Seonghwa panted as he pulled away, a dopey smile on his face, because he had never felt like that from kissing a girl before.
“I know” you panted right along side him and he let out a giddy chuckle, moving to pull you back into his arms.
“I may not deserve you but after that I’m not going down without a fight, because it's always been you”
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