#for a long time if we weren't forced by circumstances and i don't like her that much but im happy i got to say it

[kalims]

‎˃ ᵕ ˂ . . "if we were in a story. what trope do you think we'd be?"

trophies,

trophies, trophies.

parts. one , two

characters. jade, azul, lilia, riddle, ruggie, ace, and rook.

includes. gn reader.

cw. riddle's mom

note. I do love the late night motivation and I'm pretty sure I had one of the darkest mindset I ever had today lol

—ㅤjade leech & azul ashengrotto・ a love triangle (not necessarily a triangle but.. two people like you that's for sure.

oh boy. it's absolute chaos wherever these two are arguing, just add the fact that they like the same person and multiply the chaos and tension tenfold. it's like there's animated lightning clashing through their smiling eyes when the topic is all about you.

for some reason jade immensely enjoys rubbing it in azul's face whenever he wasn't informed that you and the eel would be 'hanging' out today, and azul isn't very happy when jade pops up from some random forsaken corner and practically wooshes you away. in that sense he isn't very similar to riddle but his theory is getting tested when he's going red from keeping his smile and not dropping it into a scowl.

they both might not come to the same terms at times but there was a mutual agreement to set aside their 'rivalry' with each other to deal with this little.. scoundrel who has no qualms against stopping himself from bothering you. with azul's wit and jade's concerning experience with dealing with bodies.. let's say that there's a chance everyone won't even notice the person is gone.

—ㅤlilia vanrouge・soulmates

they say there's people whose love knew no bounds. a love so deep that even the gods couldn't separate them from eventually meeting each other within lives once more, star crossed lovers who will meet in the middle even if they're on the opposite side of the world.

it's strange. you don't know this peculiar man at all, not once do you recall any of his presence in your memories so yet why is there an aching nostalgia present on your mind? you're absolutely sure that this guy is a stranger, heck.. you've been trying to skim your memory for god knows how long and it's even starting to hurt.

but your heart yearns, and your teacher had made sure to drill the fact that you should always choose logic over feelings. he looks really familiar. you think, unable to tear your eyes away from his streaks. unique but it feels like you've once seen those cheeky eyes full of underlying fondness. so when he turns to set his eyes on you, you're sure he feels the same when there's a flicker of suprise in them.

—ㅤriddle rosehearts・academic rivals

competing with a boy who's main motto is bursting into a fiery red was quite annoying. or, perhaps it's irritating because it's the same boy who practically had it out for you the moment he realized that you were a 'threat' to his number one positioning in academics, he hated you for that and you hated him for being like that. so both of you weren't exactly over the moon when the teacher just had to assign you to each other on a research project.

(you're both to lost to stare at each other viciously to hear the rest of the class moaning about how unfair it was to have the smartest students paired in one go)

you realize why riddle was so reluctant and defensive over carrying out the project in his home. alas, your circumstances won't exactly allow anywhere else so he surrenders but not without a nervous, haunted look on his face. his mother terrified you, the moment you set foot on his home her eyes were immediately all over you. judging, scrutinizing, sharp. you can't even force a word out and you weren't even that scared of riddle.

so for once you suck up that grudge and manage to look him in the eye and spare a.. kind look. riddle looks suprised. with the close up without the creases in between his eyebrows and the gritted teeth.. he kind of looks, cute. lost, innocent even. like it's the first time someone spared him that look. (and for once, instead of the passionate anger he bursts into, the red on his face instead resembles a flush as he furiously looks away.)

—ㅤace trapolla・exes to lovers

your past relationship with ace certainly wasn't all rainbows and sparkles. if you were being honest there were times where there was just pure toxicity around you, two people who refuse to look past their wrongs in favors of their 'rights', instead of dropping the relationship you both just clung on frozen love who has no plans to break out of its shell any time soon. you were young, and admittedly dumb teenagers.

at the very least you did break up a few months later. it was surprisingly sentimental, ace himself even shed a few tears as he picked up his pride and apologized for all of the unpleasant times he was the reason of, so in face of his honesty even you can't keep in your tears. you still talked to each other sometimes but there was an obvious barrier none of you dared to cross.

that is until, you meet again years later in a class reunion and the feelings you've long buried—or atleast you thought you buried 6ft under the ground crawls out of its damn grave and practically dragged your asses back to each other with an awkward. "uh.. how you doing?" you both go silent when you realize you spoke it at the same time.

—ㅤruggie bucchi・commoner to royalty

for as long as you remember you've been housed under a home that could be could be gold if it were to be sold, fed by a silver spoon at birth you know how it feels to have everything just at the palm of your hand. just ask your kind parents and they won't have any arguments to whatever you ask, you are their previous little child after all and their love hasn't wavered at all. (or they're just sucking up so you won't have any qualms against taking the throne)

so it was quick for you to see the world through gray and white colors, dull as it should be. one day you just.. lost all interest, there's nothing to do, nothing to want. you're grateful for living such a lax life but sometimes you want to live out one that doesn't require endless pressure. when the topic of marriage appears you can't hold in your displeased look and your parents unfortunately notice. thankfully only sparing you a frown.

you were at the market when it happened. a ring from your mother was stolen right under your nose and you don't know why you started running for the very boy who stole it from you. he was fast, but you were intent on getting the ring back. eventually it was about noon when you stumbled around out of breath—then you see him, holding up the ring to a gather of children. all looking grubby, dirty but they still have smiles on their faces.

you are consumed by guilt when the boy perks up and flashes you a cheeky grin. "looking for this?" he inquires. holding up the ring and twisting it around. you stare at it conflicted, then flicker your gaze to the curious kids. finally you shake your head. "no i.. you can have it.." you trail off. there's probably a mountain of golden rings back at your home anyways.

he looks suprised. you look embarrassed when the children suddenly flock over to you, but for the first time you find yourself staring at a sea of light blue eyes—not gray.

—ㅤrook hunt・a performer and a devoted fan

you always see a strange man in the crowd. at first you paid no mind to him, only yet another face for your eyes to flit over and forget but you increasingly remember him once you're granted the ability to look after the audience after each performance. you were never a big star in your plays, so you were used to eyes going to anyone but you. so imagine your suprise and fluster when a blonde man looks ecstatic with you, going as far as to put on a bright grin.

after the third time you spot him in a crowd he flashes you the very same pleased look he fixated you the first time you met and not to be presumptuous of you or anything but you started looking forward to seeing the grin he gives you. it's bizarre for you to think that he's going to every single one of your shoes but.. at the 9th time he's still going strong so you're pretty confident.

as time passes by you've reached the big leagues. no longer was the time where you were that side character who was to die for the main character, this time all eyes are on you. but all you can think of are the green, shining eyes who've watched you along your path to success. so you square your shoulders and confidently introduce yourself to your seeming supporter. a contrast to the old, timid personality you had back then.

#ㅤ◜◡◝ . . signed ! #twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland #twst #twst x reader #twisted wonderland headcanons #twisted wonderland imagines #twisted wonderland scenarios #azul ashengrotto x reader #azul ashengrotto #jade leech x reader #jade leech #lilia vanrouge x reader #lilia vanrouge #ace trapolla #ace trapolla x reader #riddle rosehearts x reader #riddle rosehearts #ruggie bucchi x reader #ruggie bucchi #rook hunt x reader #rook hunt #x reader #x gn reader

[em-harlsnow]

I wanna talk for a second about Fiona and JimmySteve, and I want to compare them to Gallavich

They have a lot of similarities:

Fiona loved him more than she'll ever love anyone, and I think Jimmy's the same. Just like Ian and Mickey.

Obviously, the whole on and off thing, since both couples had one of them leave and come back again and again.

I think with both Ian and Fiona, their partners outside of jimmy or Mickey are always characters which relate to Jimmy or Mickey. That's weirdly phrased, but I think it's more like both Ian and Fiona would be like 'oh, Mickey used to say stuff like that' or 'Jimmy kissed better'. Like their other relationships are almost a consequence or comparison of their main love.

Both couples also have a hell of a lot of chemistry.

However, they're also so very, very different.

Ian and Mickey are an example of loving someone an insane amount and, against all odds, it works.

Fiona and JimmySteve are an example of loving someone an insane amount and it not working.

Fiona and JimmySteve are a tragic trope; they'll never work. I don't think Fiona goes back to him after she leaves. I hope she finds someone else who she loves, perhaps not as much, because loving someone that much is hard and a little destructive.

Ian and Mickey are not tragic. Their storyline is, but they can't be tragic because they will always work out. They can't stay away from each other. Magnets.

There is certain completed element of Fiona and JimmySteve's goodbye, which every single Gallavich goodbye lacked. Even Mexico, when logically they both knew there was no chance of getting back together (because Mick would eventually come out of prison, ruling the season 1,2 and 6 goodbyes out), lacks a completedness. There's no goodbye, just an 'I love you - fuck you' which almost says 'I'll see you soon.'

Fiona and JimmySteve say goodbye. He tells her he loves her, much like Ian did, but she still needs something else. They could have been together, nothing was keeping them apart that time. (Aside from his compulsive lying - but this is about the couple and not about Jimmy).

They were an example of people falling in love with the wrong person. Love doesn't mean it works. They weren't right for each other, and I think that's one of the saddest things. Just because they loved each other, does not mean they can be together. Sometimes love does not conquer all.

Ian and Mickey are different. They fell in love with the right person, they almost moulded themselves to fit each other better. The reason they stayed apart so long was mostly due to circumstance - which you can argue for Fiona and JS too, but most of their problems could be solved with communication. Half the time I watched Fiona and JS, I felt like they were speaking two different languages. They couldn't understand each other, couldn't hear each other. It's really hard, I think, when you love someone so much, but you just don't fit right. They didn't love each other right.

("Why don't you go cry to your gay dad about it?" "Living in a goddamn slum" "I trust you - that means more to me" "I love you - I think I need something else now" "You need to let me go, you need to let me let you go")

I've always felt like Gallavich were on the same wavelength, they understood each other.

("You love me, and you're gay." "You're sick." "You're so much better than that." "I understand better than anyone: you're afraid of your father, you're afraid of your wife, you're afraid to be who you are." "I love you - What the hell does that even mean? - It means we take care of each other" "I love you, Mickey Milkovich, and if you'll let me, I'd like to spend the rest of my life - Jesus Christ save the fucking speech you pussy.") See, they get each other.

There's a lot to be said about their miscommunication as well, but they clearly get each other, in a way that Fiona and JimmySteve don't. It's like puzzle pieces. Ian and Mickey's pieces fit together, even if there were external forces keeping them apart. Sure, it may not be a perfect fit, but what is in humanity? There's so much beauty in imperfection. Fiona's and Jimmy Steve's pieces didn't fit. There were giant gaps where there shouldn't have been - such as JS's lying problem and Fiona's inability to feel empathy for anything he went through. Have you ever got so frustrated with a puzzle you just try and shove two pieces together so hard because you just want them together so bad? Maybe they'd look better in the puzzle if they went together. No matter how hard you try, they won't fit.

It just doesn't work, and that's so hard to accept. That sometimes, it just does not work.

I thought about this because of the sound trending on TikTok from Ocean's 11.

"Does he make you laugh?"

"He doesn't make me cry."

Anyway, rant over. Again, I'm not talking about the actions of JS or Fiona individually in this, those are whole different essays and I don't like JS enough to rewatch all his scenes and put one together for him. I think I've done one on Fiona though, but my feelings towards her are complicated. I'm talking about them as a couple.

Also, I'm not saying JimmySteve is anything like Mickey, or Fiona is like Ian.

Sorry for the deep stuff, I didn't think this would get so heavy.

#ian gallagher #shameless #gallavich #ian x mickey #mickey milkovich #shameless opinions #fiona gallagher #jimmy steve #Fiona x jimmysteve #love #sometimes it doesn't work and it's hard but it's OKAY #don't force something where it doesn't fit it will only hurt more.

[unreadpoppy]

Halsin, Minthara and Datamines

I've talked about this before but I decided to make a more "formal" post about it, so that I don't have to keep repeting myself. Also, this is a situation that lowkey makes me a bit stressed and it has been plaguing my mind for quite long now, so I'll use this as an excuse to talk about it.

Context: There's datamined stuff that people found of a potential ultimatum scene. In it, Halsin confronts the player for saving Minthara in the party, because of what she almost did to the grove, and basically says it's either her or me (hence the use of the word ultimatum) and then the player would have to choose to either keep Minthara or Halsin.

Now, Larian, as far as I know, has made no move to actually implement this in game but apparently, lines have been voiced.

So... my opinion on this (and let me make this VERY clear: this whole post is solely my opinion ok, feel free to disagree with me, I'm not the owner of the truth): I would hate if this got added in game.

First, because I love both Minthara and Halsin, and I was so happy when Minthara was finally recruitable in a good run, because I personally, don't find evil runs as appealing, so it was nice to have her while still enjoying what I was doing. And Minthara is such a fun character and I loved every second I got to spend with her.

Second, I don't think it's a choice/scene that makes sense. Why implent the option to recruit Minthara on a good run and then make the player choose between her or Halsin? Because, if you can't have both, why go through all the pains of doing a good run, and just stick to an evil one if you want Minty? Like, it goes back to what it was previously, making the option to have her in a good run pointless.

Third, this scene, TO ME, feels incredible out of character for Halsin. Look, I'm not saying that the two of them need to be best friends, but it feels weird that the one guy who believes that time heals, that people and circumstances can change, a guy who believes in freedom and all that, would give an ultimatum because Minthara, under mind control of the Absolute, wanted to end the Grove. If Halsin knew that Minthara didn't do those things willingly, that she didn't have a choice and is not proud of the hold that the Absolute had on her, I doubt he wouldn't offer her the same grace of possible change and healing as he does others.

I'm ok if this scene was something like the confrontation between Lae'zel and Shadowheart. The two have a fight, due to different beliefs, and Tav 'picks' a side to end the conflict, but ultimatly, both stay and eventually, get over their animosity towards the other.

But, in my opinion, forcing the player to have to let go of a companion that they fought hard to get, it's just so absolutely shitty and feels like a betrayal to what their characters are. And sincerely, it would make me feel very negative towards Halsin, if he wasn't willing to listen to what Minthara had to say and was forcing the player to choose.

With all of that out of the way, I want to address data mines over all. To make a long story short, I'm not a fan of datamined content. I think it's stuff we (players) were not even supposed to know, and when datamined stuff gets discovered, it's spread around the fandom like canon when it's not. Sure, there is a possibility that this stuff might get implemented but it is not a guarantee, and it should not be treated as canon. What is canon is what is IN the game, what we can see, hear, find, interact, not datamined material.

Also, please people, if you're talking about datamined material, MAKE IT KNOWN SOMEWHERE IN YOUR POST. More than once was I left very confused by people talking about character interactions that weren't in game, only for later to discover it was datamine.

Finally, to end on the Minthara-Halsin situation. I think these two have a lot of potential together. I've been told by a friend that a reason this would be implemented would be because of the 'issue' of these two characters sharing a tent, which I hope it's not the 'reason', bc that's such a non issue, and the two of them having to share a place is exactly the type of potential for like, interactions and dialogues;

Just stop trying to pit two bad bitches against each other and let Minthara and Halsin be together.

#minthara bg3 #halsin bg3 #my thoughts #longpost #that's a recent screenshot i took since this is the second tiem i have minthara in a good run #halsin #minthara #bg3 #baldur's gate 3

[2n2n]

Tsukasa is such an interesting contrast to Amane... he is casual, talking about his living memories. It's amazing how easily he can turn and say this--! It's no secret. It's not something hard or painful to recall. He's not seeking to maintain mystery about himself, what he is, who he was. He seems so alive, saying something anyone could say. A boy who went to school...!

Amane desires so much distance from his living self, even the ancillary, meaningless preferences. So much effort to get him to say he likes a homemade, plain doughnut...

with Tsukasa, he's happy to reminisce on anything, at any moment!

memories...

memories....

Amane.... wants to keep his lives so detached. This tiny amount is most of what we get from him....

... but it's at a time when Nene-chan knows nothing of his life, and isn't aware this is a reference to memories so, so long passed.

We're lucky Tsukasa is willing to say things so easily, give us bits and pieces... and lead Nene-chan into bits and pieces.

Amane's decisions in Picture Perfect are... pathological. He's finally willing to reveal things like his living self's name and hobbies ... but under the greater guise of a massive lie, and tucked amidst a bunch of falsehoods. Just like Amane, right? If it weren't for the bookstacks + Nowhere, Nene-chan wouldn't know what was real in him.

Why did he want to be 'Yugi Amane' in Picture Perfect? Bare in mind that he didn't even know Nene-chan had acquired that full name from the bookstacks ... and Tsukasa had only uttered 'Amane' in front of her in volume 4 (and mind, she's unconscious for the Yugi's interactions in 7). As far as Amane knew, she didn't know his full name, until then.

I wonder if Amane wanted the littlest bit of reassurance, that Nene-chan would find his interests cool and attractive ... getting to finally have a context he can talk about space, show off his telescope know-how, be athletic... without having it 'really' be himself, without having it be 'Hanako' talking. Preserving the distance between 'Hanako' and 'Amane'..... and tucking 'Amane' within a fantasy world where he's everything he couldn't possibly be (sociable, friendly, normal), even when alive. He's an insecure, and needy person... I'm sure he would have liked the tiny victory of swooning Nene-chan with his real, actual hobbies ... which betrays his own belief systems. You're Amane, dummy... you wish she'd love Amane, don't you?

building your own circumstances to feel a strange kind of rejection...

(It's so interesting how neither fragments... neither Hanako nor Amane... are the 'full picture'. Both obfuscate and perform ... both hide in certain kinds of illusions. Sigh... Amane.... it's so hard to be your whole self, isn't it? It's too scary.)

The continuity of Tsukasa is so comical, by comparison. Not ashamed of himself, not forcing his existence into a dichotomy, not unrelating to himself, not needing a convoluted ruse to be Yugi Tsukasa. It's a little ironic when readers can quibble on if this is truly 'Tsukasa'.

#avvy's JSHK

[eddiemunsons80sbaby]

Nobody's Fool: Chapter 7

Pairing: EddieXReader

Summary: You have bartended for years after you were forced to drop out of college due to family circumstances. You have dated your fair share of musicians, had your heart broken by one particular one, and have learned they are not be trusted. You have sworn off of them for the rest of your life. Then, one night, a new band plays at the bar, and against your better judgement, you can't help noticing the lead singer and guitar player. Could he possibly be different from the ones who came before him?

Warnings: 18+ Only due to eventual smut and language. There is also a toxic family relationship with a narcissistic mother if that is triggering for you.

MasterList

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28

“He’s taking you to the carnival?” Jen asked. “Oh my god, that is so cute.”

You laughed, changing your shirt for the fifth time. You were struggling with what to wear tonight. You didn’t want to look like you were trying too hard because it was just a casual date, outside hanging at a carnival. And that's all your wanted it to be, casual, fun, nothing serious. But you also didn’t want to look like you weren't trying at all. You finally settled on a red tank top and jean shorts. It was a hot night and you didn’t want to be sweaty within the first hour.

“Is that the one or do we need to try something else?” Jen teased. 

“What?”

“You’ve tried on, like, twelve different outfits. I don’t know if I have ever seen you so nervous before a date,” she commented, resting her chin on her fist, smirking at you. “This guy must be something special. He really has you all wound up.”

“He doesn’t have me wound up. I am the opposite of wound up. I am completely loose,” you argued, wiggling your arms around. You looked in the mirror, fluffing up you hair and adding a sheer lipgloss. “It’s not anything serious or special. We’re just having fun together, you know? It’s casual.”

“Mmm…so casual that you’re red as a tomato right now, looking all flustered, and hyper obsessed with how you look.”

“Shut up,” you groaned. “I like him, okay? He’s, well, he seems nice and he’s sexy as hell. But I am not looking for anything serious with someone like him. I’m keeping it relaxed and just enjoying his company. Guys like him aren’t built for the long-term so I’m just enjoying it while it lasts without having any expectations.”

“You keep saying shit like that, but you don’t know,” Jen said. “You can’t judge him based on Sebas…”

“Can we just not say that name anymore, please?” you groaned, holding your hand up like it could shield you from the very idea of him. Six months later and talking about him still made your insides tense. He had made a complete fool out of you and you would never forgive yourself for being so stupid, so naïve, so fucking trusting.

“I know he hurt you,” your friend said gently. “I sat with you through it. I bought the pints of ice cream. I handed you the endless tissues. I dragged you out of bed and back into the world when it was getting out of hand. But you can’t hold every guy responsible for his choices.”

“I don’t,” you scoffed, shaking your head. “Just the ones who are just like him and Eddie is just like him. And, lest you forget, he we don't name wasn’t the only one.”

“Okay, but those were rebound guys,” Jen scoffed. “You were angry and hurt and you jumped in bed with the first pretty rocker guy you saw. Maybe a few different times." She cringed, shrugging her shoulder. "Those guys were clearly only looking for one thing. I mean, did you really not expect that to end badly?”

“Guys like him, they know they have sex appeal. They use it to their advantage. They don’t want to settle down or have a long-term girlfriend because they know there’s always another show and that means the next pretty face heading their way,” you explained shrugging it off. “It’s fine. I’m going into this with my eyes wide open. I don’t want anything serious right now anyway. I don’t think I’m ready for serious, so…fun. I'm not totally breaking my rule, just bending it a bit.”

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door and you felt your chest tighten as if it was calling you a liar, seeing right through the words that had just come out of your mouth. He was here. You glanced over at Jen, who rolled her eyes with a smile, catching how anxious you looked. She walked over and opened the door.

Eddie stood there, his usual jeans on, but this time he was wearing a cut-off Iron Maiden tee and your eyes couldn’t help focusing on the lean muscles and tattoos that ran along his exposed arms. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail in the middle of his head, loose waves escaping to frame his face, and shit if he didn’t look even more sexy. That familiar throbbing that the mere sight of him caused cropped up between your legs again and you wondered if you were making a giant mistake.

“Well, this explains a lot,” Jen commented, her eyes roaming up and down him as she smiled.

“Excuse me?�� Eddie asked, confused.

“Nothing,” you muttered quickly. “Just ignore her. It's better that way.”

“No, don’t ignore me. You need to know me because I’m Jen, her best friend and roommate,” your friend said, walking forward and extending her hand. “It’s so nice to finally put a face to the man that has monopolized all of our conversations for the past few days.”

You shot your friend a look. Jesus, could she make this anymore uncomfortable? You were trying to keep this thing easy breezy. The last thing you needed was for Eddie to know that you had been talking about him constantly. You loved Jen but sometimes you wanted to shove a sock in her mouth. She had no idea when to stop talking.

“Oh really?” he asked, one side of his mouth lifting up into an adorable smile. 

“She’s delusional,” you snorted, shaking your head. “I, maybe, mentioned you once when I told her about our night out. Maybe twice because I told her about tonight. I mean, just in casual conversation, definitely not all the time.”

Eddie continued smiling, his arm resting on the frame of the door as he leaned into you. Jesus Christ, he smelled so damn good. Your senses were overloaded on Eddie right now, every nerve ending tingling, your body knowing exactly what it wanted, your brain working overtime to keep it in line.

“If you say so sweetheart. Are you ready to go?”

“Yes. Please,” you answered, waving to Jen. “Bye.”

“I won’t wait up,” her friend teased, waving. 

You couldn’t get out of there fast enough. You could not let Eddie around Jen for too long or you risked her saying something even more mortifying. 

______________________________________________________________

“The elephant ear is definitely superior to the funnel cake,” you argued. 

“Nope, powdered sugar! The powdered sugar is where it’s at,” countered Eddie.

You laughed. “You're wrong. Completely wrong. Cinnamon sugar trumps powdered sugar.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Well, then I guess we have to agree to disagree,” you stated, pulling off another piece of your elephant ear. 

You were sitting at a picnic table at the carnival. Eddie had offered to buy you a funnel cake and you had quickly informed him if he was buying you anything it was going to be an elephant ear. He had looked scandalized that you would choose anything over a funnel cake and that had led to a pretty heated debate about the merits of each. 

“So, you don’t like funnel cake?” he asked in disbelief, sounding genuinely offended.

“I didn’t say that. If an elephant ear was not an option, then funnel cake would be perfectly fine. However, an elephant ear is an option, so,” you shrugged, tearing off a piece and offering it to him. He took it, popping it in his mouth and you smiled. “You know it’s better.”

“You will never get me to say that,” Eddie said, shaking his head. "It's good but it's no funnel cake."

“Okay, fine, but you’re crazy.”

“Oh sweetheart, I am definitely crazy,” he laughed. “Ask almost anyone around this town. I was the resident freak in high school. The girls all steered well clear of me. No one wants to be attached to the scary, weird guy."

“Really?”

You were surprised to hear that. The way he looked, you would have thought he would have been pretty damn popular with the ladies in high school. Not to mention the confidence he carried himself with. What was wrong with the girls in that high school?

“Oh yeah. I was a metalhead and a D&D master so everyone thought I summoned the devil or something,” Eddie explained, glancing at you as if wondering how you would react to this information. “My dad took off when I was a kid and my mom went to jail so I had to stay with my uncle in his trailer. So, on top of being the Satan worshipping nerd, I was also trailer trash. Not a great combination for scoring popularity points. Most kept their distance from me.”

You were taken aback, surprised he had shared all of that with you so freely. This was only your second, no third according to him, date. You couldn’t help but be touched by the fact that he already trusted you enough to share what was clearly a sensitive subject for him. You reached out instinctively, taking his hands in your own, hating all of that for him. 

“That’s bullshit, just so you know,” you assured him. “People were judging you based on what they saw and heard, not what they knew. People love to judge. It’s a favorite human pastime, makes them feel better about their fucked up lives. I don’t know you that well, but from what I see, if they had taken a second to actually get to know you, they would have seen that you are a pretty good guy.”

“Really?” he asked with a grin. “Wait a minute. So the girl who judged me because I wear leather and denim, have long hair, and play a guitar thinks it’s bullshit to judge someone on looks alone? Does that mean I've finally won the challenge? If you think I’m a good guy, then you definitely can’t think I’m like all those other guys who were clearly douchebags and made you hate anyone who looks like me.”

You couldn’t help but laugh. Damn, he'd definitely gotten you. “Okay, fine. I admit, you do seem different. It might be a little early to tell, but I can admit when I’m wrong. Maybe you’re not quite like all the other musicians I’ve seen.”

“When you say other musicians, how many are we talking about?” he asked, one eyebrow raising.

“I don’t really think that’s any of your business,” you teased, rising from the table. “This is only date number, what did you say, three now. You don’t get to know everything about me just yet. Definitely not how many guys I've dated because, trust me, I bet my number doesn't come close to touching yours.”

“Oh! We're making assumptions again, are we? I thought we'd moved past that. I'm hurt," Eddie lamented, sticking his lower lip out. How could a grown man pouting be anything but ridiculous? But it wasn't. His pouting was adorable.

You rolled your eyes, taking another bite of elephant ear, "Okay, fine. Sorry. I won't assume. But I also don't need to know. I'm not telling you about my number and I don't need to know yours."

"Okay but how about you tell me something, anything about you?” he asked. “I’m over here laying out embarrassing details about myself. I'm revealing my past as the nerdy satan worshiping trailer park trash freak over here. That's good stuff. I mean, this is the part where we get to know each other but you’re like damn Fort Knox over there. Tell me about yourself, tell me something real.”

“I love reading,” you offered, feeling like it was a safe thing to share. “I read a lot. I average a couple novels a week in a good week. I always have. Reading is an escape. It’s a way to feel like you’re far away from the world, from all of your problems. When I read I can pretend that I am walking along the Seine in Paris or on the savannah in Africa or on a grand adventure through Middle Earth. There’s no…”

“Whoa, wait a minute,” Eddie cried out, grabbing onto your arm. “You’re a Tolkien fan?”

You laughed, “Yeah, why?”

“And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend…” he began.

You cut him off, finishing, “Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the ring passed out of all knowledge.”

“Damn, you know your shit! I’m impressed. Man, Lord of the Rings is my obsession!” he exclaimed, grinning like a little boy. “Like, the most amazing story ever. See, that just proves that we’re made for each other.”

“I don’t think liking the same book means we’re meant to be,” you argued, shaking your head, feeling like you needed to put a pause on this, slow the boy down. It was date three. You definitely were not ready to be talking about fate. "We don't like the same delicious fried fair treat." 

“That's just food. It doesn't matter. Tolkien, that's deal breaking shit. I don’t know that I could commit to someone who doesn’t appreciate the riveting adventures of Frodo Baggins. Ohh!” he suddenly yelled, grabbing your hand. “Come on! Let’s do the Ferris Wheel!”

“Oh, Eddie,” you groaned as he pulled you toward the round monstrosity. “I don’t like ferris wheels.”

“What? Why?”

“Look, I like roller coasters. You go fast and you're moving the whole time and it's over before you know it. But ferris wheels are...I don’t like when they stop, way up high, and I have too much time to look down and consider my death when I inevitably fall and hit the pavement.”

“I would never let you fall,” he said gently, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, that slight touch sending shivers straight down your spine. “Do you trust me?”

Did you trust him? That felt like a loaded question. You knew you shouldn’t. You definitely didn’t want to. The very idea terrified you, shook you to your core. Your brain was flashing warnings like a neon sign. Danger! Proceed with caution! But shit, there was something about those eyes, those sweet soulful eyes that told you that you could. You knew this was only the third time you had seen him, but if you had to be honest with yourself, yes, you already trusted him against your better judgement.

“Okay, but if I die, I am coming back to haunt your ass,” you threatened. “I mean it. I will follow you around, constantly reminding you that you caused me to plummet to my death before I’d ever really lived. I will be the most annoying ghost ever. I will randomly break your guitar strings so you have to replace them all the time.”

“Damn, vengeful ghost, but sounds fair,” he laughed, shrugging. 

He took your hand and led you up to the ferris wheel. The ride worker helped you into a car, closing you in. Your stomach instantly turned over when it began to move, rising ever higher. Jesus, you hated this. Why had you let him talk you into this? You would do just about any other ride he wanted you to, but you hated the thought of just hanging in mid-air or moving at an agonizingly slow pace. On a roller coaster, you didn’t have time to think about what could happen. On a ferris wheel, you had eons of time to contemplate all the worst case scenarios.

As the car rose higher, it paused and you let out a squeak of fear, covering your hands with your eyes. You heard Eddie’s deep laughter next to you and you wanted to hit him for getting you into this mess, but you were too scared to move. 

“Hey, princess,” Eddie said softly, and his hands covered your own. Had he just called you princess? “I’ve got you. You’re safe.” He gently pried your hands away from your eyes but you kept them clenched tight. “Trust me. Just open your eyes.”

“No,” you stubbornly refused, shaking your head. “I may have gotten on here with you but you can’t make me watch.”

“Okay,” he said, and then his hands were on your face, cradling it gently. “I have better ideas of how to spend our time up here anyway.” His lips molded against your own and all of your fears about falling to your death vanished, replaced with only the sensation of his lips and hands on your skin. 

Taglist

@tlclick73 @bebe07011 @emma77645 @corrodedcoffincumslut @babeyglo @kimmi-kat @bblunuh @vintagehellfire @hellfire--cult

#eddie munson #eddie the banished #stranger things eddie #eddie munson smut #eddie munson fic #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x femreader #eddie the freak munson #eddie x you #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson angst #eddie munson series #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson au #eddie munson x reader angst #eddie munson fanfic

[yanderepuck]

When will I stop torturing this boy

Welcome to Vincent angst time. I swear this is probably the most tame of them all

BUT ITS STILL ME WE ARE TALKING ABOUT so tw for suicide mention and some depression. BUT THAT'S IT! Tame right?

Stay safe out there~

~~~~~

"Do you think Sien is still alive?"

It was quiet before and it was quiet after. Vincent is staring up at the ceiling. It's a different ceiling. Theos ceiling.

Laying on his back, looking up, his hands folded and resting on his stomach. The room must have been too quiet. His thoughts started wondering.

Theo is at his desk and pauses what he's doing immediately. He knows exactly who he means. He sets his pen down and turns in his chair to face his brother.

Before he can say anything Vincent starts again.

"She told me she was going to kill herself. By drowning."

He brings this up so casually. As if killing yourself is such a normal conversation. Well to Vincent it sort of is. It's still taboo of course but he's with Theo. They can talk about anything.

Theo sits back in his chair, having a feeling this is going to be a painful talk. They haven't been dead for a decade. Under normal circumstances he would say: of course she is!

But if she wanted to kill herself just like his brother, then who knows.

Vincent hasn't taken his eyes off the ceiling. He hasn't moved an inch.

"Why are you thinking about her."

It wasn't a question. It's been way too long since he had heard her name and he was hoping he wouldn't have to again.

Vincent is quiet for a bit as if he is thinking. He didn't have an answer. He's just simply overthinking, and remembering.

"Her kids are at least alive. Willem should be an adult soon. Maria could have her own family."

He was talking like he was speaking about family. Theo couldn't be anymore confused.

"Broer.." all he could do was sigh. He didn't know what to say. He stands up, forcing himself to walk to the bed.

Even when he sits down Vincent doesn't move.

"What are you talking about?"

"Sien. Remember?" He finally moves his head, looking at his very concerned brother. "She lived with me for almost two years."

"Yes, the prostitute," he groaned.

Their whole family had been against the relationship. Even if it was the only woman who seemed to actually want to be with Vincent. One of the few women who didn't immediately reject him.

"She stopped that," his eyebrows furrowed, clearly getting upset about using that term.

"Former prostitute. Broer you need to stop thinking about her. She wasn't the one she wasn't meant to be."

Vincent looks back at the ceiling, not making a comment immediately. "I wanted to be like you and Johanna."

Theo blinks. "Huh?"

"I wanted..." His words fade away. What did he want? He must have been making a puzzled face because Theo takes his hands and holds one as if he's trying to get him to relax.

"I get what you wanted, but you weren't going to get that with her."

Quiet again. Theo doesn't know what to say. He can't even tell what Vincent is thinking.

"Vincent, I-"

"I love her," he looks upset again. "Love? Loved?" He's wondering if the emotions are in the past or if he still has them. He pouts, unable to tell. If he's thinking about her he must still love her.

"You dated and it didn't work out. It's normal. It happens to everyone," Theo didn't want him to think he was alone with these feelings. "I was with other women before Johanna, remember? Don't you remember Elisabeth's first break up?"

Theo chuckles remembering his older sister.

Vincent's face scrunches up trying to remember. Actually no. He's not hearing Theo at all. His mind is still on Sien. He wants to see her. Wants to know how she's doing.

"Do you think she was upset to find out I died?"

Theo sighs, realizing he isn't getting through to him. "Come here," he grips his hand better and pulls him up. Vincent's body moves like a ragdoll.

"I'm sure she was upset to hear the news," he pulls Vincent closer so that he's leaning against him. "But that doesn't mean you were-"

"I wanted to marry her."

Theo freezes. He knows this. It was talked about in their letters. But it wasn't a statement that he kept in the front of his mind.

"Maybe things would have been different. Maybe I would have been happier. Maybe I won't have-"

"That's enough 'maybe's," he runs his hand up and down Vincent's arm to keep reminding him that he's right there. "What's done is done and we can't change it now."

He looks at Theo again. His eyes look so dull. Not the bright blue he is so used to seeing. Now that he's closer he can tell. He's already fallen in a pit and nothing he could say would pull him out of it.

"Why didn't you like her?"

Theo had to be careful with this answer. The answer should be clear. She was a prostitute. Pregnant with her fourth kid when the two met. Each kid had a different father. Two of the kids passed. She had nowhere to go. He wouldn't be surprised if she was with him just to have a roof over her head.

Vincent is so kind he would have never turned her away. But the man next to him on his bed deserved so much better than that. Theo would never understand how he got rejected time and time again. Yes he wasn't the most mentally or financially stable, but he's kind, he's attractive, he would do anything to make sure his partner was happy.

Vincent just looked at Theo with his cold blue eyes waiting for a response.

"I-I didn't think she was right for you, broer. You were struggling at the time, how were you going to take care of the three of them?"

Vincent looks away, resting his head on Theo's shoulder without saying another word.

Now Theo is arguing with himself. Was that the right thing to say?

"She named Willem after me. Just like how you named your son after me. She must have really cared."

Theo decides to say nothing more and keeps rubbing his arm, trying to keep him in reality.

"I hope she didn't drown."

~~

Tag lis~

@kissmetwicekissmedeadly @fang-and-feather @xalxtusxiao @namine-somebodies-nobody @ana-thedaydreamer @evil-quartett @ameyoruakiikemenseries @yrenesposts @p1nkpandomium @tele86 @damekathearasi @lokis-laugh @candied-boys @breadmercury @aquagirl1978 @xenokiryu @nightghoul381 @vampiricpancake @lulu-the-smol-floof @azulashengrottospiano

Ik I really only use the tag list for smut but you'll be fine

#ikevamp #ikemen vampire #ikevamp vincent #tw suicide mention

[sublimecatgalaxy]

Can you do something with Daryl when they get to Alexandria and they all stay in the same house that first night?

Much to do with this request... much to do. Hehe. So much potential.

"Who are we missin'?" Rick asks me in a hushed voice, watching as the rest of the group settles into the living-room, content and relieved smiles on everyone's faces as sleep makes their eyelids heavy. It's almost wholesome to see my friends yawn and rub their eyes, like children. Like they weren't people who were forced into terrible circumstances, murderers, widows, people who've lost everything and anything. It was refreshing to see all of them so domestic for once, mundane almost.

We had been through hell in the last month, hell since we were forced out of the prison and gained new friends along the way. We were all ready to just relax and take a break finally, needing to be able to breathe and take a good look at one another, to appreciate that we got as far as we have.

"Daryl's out front. I think he's a bit skeptical." Carol whispers from across the room, cradling Judith in her arms as I let out a small sigh, my eyes looking for Daryl through the big windows that look out over the street.

"I'll check on him. He doesn't adjust well." I pat Rick's shoulder, sending the tired man a smile as I grab two blankets from the floor, making my way towards the front door.

Front door...hmm. Haven't had one of those in a while.

I know that Daryl didn't believe in any of this, in a lifestyle that was set up behind walls, 'safe and sound' as they call it. I was having trouble buying it too if I was being honest but I was going to enjoy it while it lasts.

"Hey." His head turns at my voice, his face barely seen in the darkness, the sky above us twinkling with stars as I shut the door behind me. He sends me a soft, timid smile as I shuffle my feet beneath me, tilting my head at him as he huffs.

"You worried about me? Is that what this is about?" He asks, sharpening the knife in his hand as I laugh under my breath, making my way over to sit beside him on the porch. I mirror him, unwrapping one of the blankets to set over his lap, watching as he scoffs, looking down at it incredulously. "Seriously?"

"Shut up." I kick him lightly as I pull my own blanket up to my chin, turning my head to look out at the other houses, the dim lights coming from them just seeming too normal, too much like life used to be. "I don't trust it completely either. You're not alone." He nods, his shoulders relaxing a bit at my confession and he clears his throat, sighing.

"'preciate you coming out here and shit but you're not gonna change my mind." He mutters, eyes low as I sigh, my foot knocking into his as I sway.

"Who said anything about changing your mind? Maybe I just wanted to distract you a bit." I shrug, catching his attention with the tone of my voice, a subtle change he's used to after knowing me for so long. I watch as he fights to bite back the smirk that wants to rise to his lips, my stomach fluttering in nervous butterflies. This is the first time we've been alone in months, never having the opportunity or safety to actually talk, to laugh, to do more.

"How you plannin' to do that?" He asks timidly, carefully as he adjusts the blanket over his lap, a quiet giggle bubbling in my chest. "I see the gears turnin' in that head'a yours. Stop it." He warns, watching me intently as I move, reaching out to grab his hands in mine as I stand.

"If you're staying out here, so am I. So come lay down with me and act normal for five fucking minutes." I ask, watching as he contemplates for a moment before nodding, squeezing my hand as I lead him over to the wall. He sits down, his hands tugging me down between hie legs as I smile. I lay myself between his legs, back pressed against his chest as he lets out a deep sigh, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"This is what you call normal?" He asks quietly, his chest rumbling in laughter as I tilt my head to look back at him.

"I had other plans but there are children inside and I'm not exactly quiet-"

"Jesus, woman." He laughs, a huge smile breaking out across my face as I turn to face him, hands resting on his chest. His head tilts simply at me, his hair falling in his face as I run my fingers through the tangled strands.

"Just wanted to make you laugh. Missed it." His eyes are soft, flickering over every inch of my face as if he was trying to remember each and every detail. "Just relax for a little bit. Nothing's going to happen tonight, I promise." I cup his cheeks, my thumbs brushing over his cheekbones as he nods, hands moving to rest on my hips. "Just you and me." The words are a simple reassessment to him, his whole body relaxing as he pulls me flush against him, my head tucking safely under his chin.

"Jus' you and me."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Taglist: @bubblebuttwade @rafelover2405 @leslienjazzy @sorceresss @grxnde-dwt @alex–awesome–22 @bunnietoof @niyamar1e @serialghost @plantlungs @geniusohn @akaliltimmytim @lilaalouuxx @xshariex @elliotsbeigeguitar @elle4404 @lelieja @srhxpc i@joselyn001 @taysirene @spinkspanther @thedivineuphoria @peter-maximoffs @tsukishimawhore @poohkie90@szlaco @distantsighs @nstyles4299 @wolflover384 @givemefoodandlovesstuff @vane28282 @yeswhatever33 @amirrahfranson @vvaalleennttiinna@f-mu @yaspillz @jeyramarie @skylievin @abbybarnes17 @jointherebellion215 @visiondaddy @steezysimfinds @its-ya-gay-boi-luigi @crunchytoenailsyum @glizzymcguirex @beth123lg @melovesmut @rafecameronswhore @ariianelle @write-from-the-heart @vampviolets @haylee-e@popehaywardssecretgf @honee-chai-tea @lokiandbuckywife @smoke-and-fire @officiallyunofficialperson @heyaitsklaudia @rosepetalsparks @bluetreecloud20 @scenesofobx @double-shot-of-tequila @1dluver13xx @colbysbrocks @iamasimpingh0e @smoke-and-fire386 @chiyongberry @id-3-kbro @diorsitgirl @errorfound101-allideasburnedout @neverwillknowme18 @ellyskey @taylors-folk @loversjoy

#daryl #daryl x reader #daryl dixon #daryl dixon x reader #the walking dead #the walking dead fic

[elenwen-and-ondolemar]

(in follow up to The Shards of Whitestrake) Oh Lady Elenwen, it seems that Razelan is upsetting the guests again. You should probably stop him before he causes a political incident and another ban on alcohol for the next few parties!

(After Elenwen leaves) Okay yes actually Ondolemar, please do address the historical claims by the shards of, Whitestrake? With this bottle of honningbrew mead too perhaps. I want to hear all about it!

Ondolemar: You brought your own bottle to one of Elenwen's parties? You certainly like to dance close to the fire, as the Nords say. I'm not partial to mead but He examines the bottle. Oh, this was bottled before that Black-Briar takeover. I'll make an exception for this rarity. He signals a servant for a pair of tumblers.

So what was it you wanted to know about? That lunatic group's historical claims? Let me see. It's a curious text but its central fallacy is common to many Nords, that all Elves are the Same. Note:

We know what you are! Time and time and time again you Elves have tried to return Mankind to your tyranny. First it was the Ayleids with their flesh forges and undead liches that to this day leak out from beneath Cyrodiil's hills like Reman himself.

Leak? How uncouth. The author believes in the myth of 'Reman Birthed from the Land' which has been thoroughly debunked by even Imperial scholars. Disgusting . . . but you weren't here to ask about the Cyrodiils' vulgar legends, were you?

Right, the Ayleids as examples of our alleged guilt. The Ayleids were Aldmeri by descent, but they strayed from the worship of our Ancestors to follow after Daedra. They formally rejected the sovereignty of Alinor in the founding year of the first Era. For their betrayal, they lost the gods' protection.

Then it was your Queen Ayrenn! She who sought to return Tamriel to Elven Dominion like that of the damned treacherous foul Elves of the City-States!

In retrospect, we can see that Queen Ayrenn's greatest fault was her forbearance. She entered the continental melee while the Empire was doing its best to deliver Tamriel into Molag Bal's maw. They surpassed his Ayleid worshipers a thousand times over.

Later still when her forced fell and Tiber Septim righteously crushed you with the Dwemer's Brass God, that wasn't enough!

This author is keen to blame Alinor for all the sins and alleged sins of the mer, but then is himself in love with "the walking horror" of the Dwemer. I will take this as a compliment.

You sent Jagar Tharn upon us to destroy the Septim Empire!

What? Did Alinor force Uriel VII to promote this mongrel to the rank of Imperial Battle-mage? Are the Tharns now a famous Altmer family?

After him the Camoran Usurper who attempted rule of arms. Then *again* with the Mankar Camoran's Mythic Dawn. We READ his Commentaries, we know what he was. A Bosmer turned Altmer! And we ALL know that the Bosmer are just the Ayleids in shorter form! He sought to fool us all even as he tried to enslave and kill the world.

None of that is in the Commentaries! Look, I don't recommend reading the Commentaries, that's cultist trash and if I saw you with a copy, I'd take it and burn it. Just for your own good. As a friend. But a Justiciar . . . well a Justiciar has to learn about this stuff, no matter how unpleasant. And I can tell you, none of this is in the Commentaries.

Though the Bosmer do have a great deal of Ayleid ancestry, so there's that. Not much going on for Master Shard, otherwise.

Then you killed Good Chancellor Ocato,

So there's at least one mer he likes.

and you would have gotten away with it were it not for a traitor of your own kind spreading the truth!

Who?

And no, of course we didn't kill Ocato. Honestly it's a surprise the poor mer lasted as long as he did. Ever notice how many of Uriel's family members and subordinates died or went missing in weird circumstances? Unless . . .

Have you ever heard of the theory that Ocato was a member of the Mythic Dawn?

Blessed be the Emperor that halted your plans with the White Gold Tower to wipe all of man out of existence like the Great Maruhk tried with you damned Elves.

It's spelt Marukh, you illiterate halfwit. Sorry, not you, of course, the author of this screed. Doesnt even know to spell his hero's name. And he thinks it was Marukh dancing on the tower, of course he does. Did Fervidius Tharn wheel in his mummy to do a spin?

Wait, our plans to . . . Dance on the tower? Because that worked so well when the humans did it. Stands to reason we'd want to do the same thing.

I'm being sarcastic, you get that right?

Blessed by the Lady Alessia, Blessed be Tiber Septim who became Talos,

No, he didn't.

Blessed be Martin Septim who became Akatosh

Even the Nords don't believe this heresy. Go ask the High Priest down at Castle Dour. He'll tell you. Akatosh appeared in answer to Martin Septim's prayer and took him to his side to live on in blessed Aetherius with all the other Cyrodiiil emperors. That doesn't make Martin Septim the Dragon King of Time. in a confidential tone It sounds unlikely, but it's not exactly heretical, just self-centred of the humans to believe the Lord of all Time needed Martin Septim's plea to banish Mehrunes Dagon from Mundus.

Blessed be Maruhk the Prophet! We know who you are, and you will be stopped!

signed, The Shards of Whitestrake Is this a reference to the laughable Shards of AKA theory? Odd . . . the author doesn't strike me as educated enough to have heard of such esoteric material. Perhaps he was servant to a mage, or worked as a bookbinder for a magical organization.

This screed exemplifies the need for oversight of all education. How can the Emperor and his Council expect to maintain their Empire if they don't ensure that their citizens are accurately taught by carefully trained instructors using vetted textbooks?

Well, they can't expect that. Just in confidence, they're obviously doomed. The Dominion does better by its subjects, and you would all benefit from our expertise.

notices Elenwen approaching I shouldn't take more of your time. Thank you for the drinks.

#thalmor #tesblr #ok Will and Entity #here you go #intoxicated Ondolemar talks history/ theology and hints at taking over Tamriel by the end of it

[jazzycurls]

I want to know what love is -

pt.4

Summary: After years of being stuck in an abusive marriage you are hoping to start a new life with your son. Meeting an old acquaintance awakens feelings in you that you thought were long gone. Will your broken heart allow you to love again?

Pairing: Eddie Munson x fem!Reader

Warnings/Tags: No use of y/n, angst, PTSD, domestic violence, injuries, jealousy, brief arguing/raised voices, curse words, hurt/comfort, fluff, smut, (let me know if I missed something)

An: Hi you guys! This is my first attempt at writing of any kind. All feedback is welcome, be gentle please haha. Please do not steal or copy my work. Don’t repost without credit. This is my written work, everything besides the characters and plot points by the original writers, belongs to me.

Word Count: 7,330

~

You were officially avoiding Eddie. The first few times you had blown him off it was coincidental. Things with the divorce proceedings had finally kicked off and time was sparse these days. The judge had approved having the court date moved up to two weeks due to the special circumstances with your husband. Which really meant it was because he was a pos woman abuser.

The bad thing about that, however, was it left you with time to fester on your thoughts and insecurities. Like, how could you have allowed yourself to get involved with someone?

You were still married technically. Even though that meant nothing to your husband, it still meant something to you. No matter if your marriage was dead and buried.

So whenever Eddie called, you feigned that you were too busy to talk or if he stopped by you were suddenly just leaving. The hurt look in his eyes killed you inside but you knew it was for his own good.

He shouldn't have to settle for someone with so much baggage. No matter how much you wanted and cared for him, you weren't good enough for him. If you love someone you only want the best for them and you loved Eddie, you were sure of that now.

You sighed as you sat in the doctor's office, today was the day that your cast would come off. Picking up a Rolling Stone magazine, you flipped through the pages trying to pass the time.

You were halfway through the magazine when someone sat next to you and leaned close to your ear, whispering your name. A small gasp escaped you, startled by the unexpected noise.

Looking up you saw Robin's smiling face. "Hey Robin, how's it going," you asked with an easy smile. You sat the magazine down on the end table and turned your body slightly towards her.

"It's going good, just getting ready for Eddie's graduation and all that jazz," she replied slyly.

"Right— that is coming up huh," you said thoughtfully. With everything you had going on you had completely forgotten about that. You had wondered if Eddie would graduate this year. At that moment you wished that you weren't avoiding him so he could have told you personally.

"So— when is the date?" you asked nonchalantly. Pretending to feign interest, you looked down and began to pick at your nails.

Robin nudged your shoulder with hers gently, forcing you to look into her eyes.  "I think you should ask him yourself," she said softly with a knowing smile.

Guilt ate at your conscience, making you lower your gaze again. "It's not that simple Robin," you replied with a heavy sigh.

She took your hand into hers. "I know that we don't know each other that well," she pauses before continuing. "But what I do know is how Eddie feels about you," she states firmly. "I think that you both deserve to have a conversation and be honest about what you want."

Tears spring forward threatening to fall. You looked at Robin and nodded your head, giving her hands a light squeeze. Before you could respond the nurse came into the waiting room, calling your name. You gave Robin a quick hug, promising to meet up soon before heading toward the nurse.

~

You sigh as you skirt around the question asked by your son. He had just asked if Eddie would be able to come by soon. Giving him a vague answer, you simply stated that you wanted to give him space so he could focus since it was the end of his school year.

He seemed to accept the answer and went back to preparing for bed. Once you had tucked him, you went to take the trash out. The trash had rapidly filled up and you had waited until the last minute to take it out.

You lugged the bag into the trash can on the side of your house before tossing it in. The night air was humid with no clouds in sight, with stars glittering in the sky. You dusted your hands off as you turned and walked back toward your trailer.

As you neared your porch steps, you noticed Eddie standing on his porch smoking a cigarette. Your eyes met at once, you held his gaze unable to look away. A puff of smoke exhaled from his lips, drifting off into the air.

You slowly walked along the short path to his home, stopping at his steps. Your stomach was twisted in knots as he regarded you with an impassive look.

You lowered your gaze unable to bring your eyes back to his face. You settle for staring at his Metallica shirt. Your nerves were shot and it felt as if you could hurl at any second.

Seconds ticked by without either of you speaking. "He's not going to make this easy on me," you thought silently. With another exhale a cloud of smoke floated through the air.

"Nice weather tonight huh," you joked lamely.

"I guess it is, huh?" he replied in a monotone voice. He turned slightly and flicked the ash into the yard. His eyes looked emotionless, you never realized how much you adored his expressive eyes until now.

"Eddie— I," you began and stopped, unable to form your words. You ran a hand over your face in exasperation. Taking a deep breath you gazed into his eyes imploringly, trying to convey all of the emotions you were feeling.

Something within his eyes stirred at that moment, warmth flooding his irises. A small smile worked its way onto your lips at that, which he quickly returned. Suddenly, a nice-looking car pulled into the driveway beside you.

You could tell they weren't from this park. No one had a car as nice as that one around here. The driver sat in the seat for a moment before getting out of the car. She was a petite blonde with a Hawkins High cheerleader outfit on. Her blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail.

She gave you a small wave of acknowledgment before sauntering up to Eddie. She smiled prettily as she greeted him, her eyes crinkling in merriment. "Hey Eddie," she said sweetly. "I needed to see you, are you busy?" She cast a glance in your direction with a small smile before turning back to him.

You looked towards Eddie whose gaze was on hers with a fond expression. He looked back towards you, his face conflicted. "Wait for me in my room Chrissi, kay,?" he replied.

Your heart twisted painfully, feeling the bitter emotions of jealousy brewing again. Who was she? Was she just a friend? What was it about Eddie that caused you to be so jealous? You were never like this with your husband.

She nodded in agreeance and strolled into the trailer, shutting the door.

You cleared your throat awkwardly, everything that you had wanted to say earlier had dried up on your tongue. "I um— I just wanted to say that I," you faltered. You took a deep breath before continuing "I know your graduation is coming up and I wanted to know when is the ceremony," you asked, averting your eyes.

"Is that all that you wanted to say to me?" he retorted. He flicked the cigarette butt onto the gravel of the driveway, without taking his eyes off of you.

You sighed "I also just wanted to say that I was sorry for blowing you off," "I've been so busy with my divorce case, that I haven't had the time for anything else," you replied, telling half of the truth. You weren't that busy.

He tilted his head back in silent contemplation before looking back at you. "I know that wasn't all that you wanted to say," he replied bluntly.

"I'm not sure what's going on with you but whenever you're ready to talk to me, I'll be here," he says slowly, shoving his hands into his pajama pockets.

You just stand there, staring at him in shock. How could he expect you to spill your guts to him when at this very moment he had another woman waiting for him in his room?

You nod your head slowly "goodbye Eddie," you softly reply, turning and heading back to your home. Tears fall silently down your face. "Geez, get a hold of yourself," you admonish softly.

Stepping through your doorway, you close and lock it behind you. Light sobs finally escape you, once you're in the privacy of your home. Unable to stop yourself, you go to your window and peek out looking at Eddie's trailer.

He's still standing there on his porch leaning against the railing. His head hangs low, letting his curly mane fall into his face. Abruptly, he turns his head and looks directly at your window. Even though you know he can't, it still feels like he's looking directly at you.

Just as quickly, he turns and goes into his trailer shutting the door. You close your blinds and flop onto your couch. You lay there for a long time, staring up at your ceiling, as tears stream down the sides of your face into your hair.

~

Today is the day of your court date and you're nervous as hell. Your son is with your neighbor Mrs. Brenda, which allowed your parents to be present with you.

You, your lawyer, and your parents are all crowded in a small office for a quick meeting. Your lawyer goes over some small details before the proceeding commences.

Once he's finished, you excuse yourself to the restroom. You walk the short distance down the hall into the small bathroom, closing the door behind you. "You got this," you repeat to your reflection in the mirror.

Your words sound brave but your nerves are shot. Dark shadows sit under your eyes from lack of sleep. You were up all night, mind racing a mile per minute.

The person you needed the most right now wasn't here and that was entirely your fault. At this point, you couldn't find a valid reason as to why you had pushed him away. Maybe this was an effect of the abuse you had suffered for so long. Maybe you were too afraid to love again for fear of the unknown.

You weren't sure of anything anymore. The only certain thing was that everything seemed easier when Eddie was around. Now that he wasn't, the weight of everything pressed down heavily on your shoulders.

You had already come to terms that you had fallen in love with Eddie. Plain and simple, you weren't sure when it happened but you knew that it was a fact that could not be changed. You just hoped that there was still a chance for you two.

You could do this, your son needed you to be strong no matter what. With one final look in the mirror, you steeled your shoulders back and slung your purse over your shoulder. You exited the restroom and headed toward the entrance of the courtroom. Proceedings would start in approximately five minutes.

You stood by the side door to the courtroom with your lawyer patiently, when the bailiff opened the door ushering you inside. Your case was public, so anyone could attend if they wanted.

You glanced around the room noticing that your ex-husband and his lawyer were already seated. He sat there with a scowl etched into his features. You looked at the benches behind him and noticed that his parents were a no-show, which was no surprise. They were absent as parents and as grandparents so that was expected.

There were a few people here in show of support for you. There were your parents, of course, some of your co-workers and unexpectedly Nancy and Robin were here.

You gave them a small smile. Even though you hadn't known them very long, they were proving to be great friends. Towards the back you noticed a curly mop of hair sitting tall against the pew.

Eddie was here! Your eyes watered briefly as your eyes met his. You mouthed a brief thank you to which he returned with a smile and a thumbs up. Your spirits were instantly lifted, you could definitely do this.

You quickly sat down and waited for the judge to enter. After a few minutes, she arrived in the room.

"All rise," the bailiff commanded. After everyone besides the judge stood up, he continued "the court is now in session."

~

A triumphant grin was plastered across your face as you exited the courthouse. You were officially divorced from your husband. The judge also awarded you full custody of your son as well. Tears of joy slipped down your face.

You stood on the court steps and turned to your lawyer as you shook his hand. "Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into my case," you stated sincerely.

"It was my pleasure, hopefully, this will be the last time you need my services," he joked lightly with a smile before walking away.

You turned to your parents who both gave you a big hug at once. "We're so happy for you dear," your mother whispered to you.

"I love you, honey," your father said kissing you on your forehead.

They let you go giving you a quick goodbye, so you could greet your friends. Nancy and Robin stood to the side, with big smiles on their faces. "What you did today, that took a lot of guts," "I'm so happy and proud of you," Nancy gushed giving you a tight hug.

"You're a strong woman and you deserve nothing but happiness," Robin stated cheerfully.

"Thank you guys, I appreciate you being here for me, it means a lot." You brushed a few stray tears from your cheek. "I'm so happy, I met you two."

"Ditto," Robin replied hugging you.

Nancy smiled in response "Steve wanted me to tell you he's sorry he couldn't make it and he sends his love."

"Tell him I said thank you." you smiled back.

You turned to your right, seeing Eddie standing off to the side. "I'll see you guys later," you stated, giving them another hug before heading over to Eddie.

"Hi, Eddie," you said as your eyes crinkled in happiness.

"Hey sweetheart," he stated in response.

"I just want to say how grateful I am to have you in my life," you replied earnestly. "I know that things aren't great between us right now but you still were there for me nonetheless." You pause and wait for his reply on bated breath.

"I would do anything for you, nothing's going to change that." He looks down at you gazing into your eyes. His eyes were guarded but still held some of the warmth you were accustomed to.

"You step closer to him, putting your hand upon his cheek. "Eddie, I lo—."

"I can't believe this shit!"

You and Eddie both turned around in surprise. Your now ex-husband stood a few feet away with a grimace on his face.

Your breath left you in one full swoosh. Even though you had won the case, you were still terrified of him. Eddie quickly grabbed your hand in his, pulling you closer to him. He gave your hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I guess you couldn't wait to divorce me huh?" "You're like a bitch in heat, jumping from one dick to the next!" he snapped.

Before you could react, Eddie flew from your side towards your ex. His ringed fingers smashed into his face with a sickening thud. He hoisted him up by his collar, putting his face near his "watch your fucking mouth, you son of a bitch!" he snarled.

Your ex yanked his head back, smashing his forehead into Eddie's mouth.

Eddie stumbled back, dazed for a moment, before righting himself and charging in again. They began to exchange blow for blow before tousling each other to the ground.

Tears ran down your cheeks as you screamed for them to stop. You grabbed onto Eddie's arm, who was now sitting on top of your ex pummeling him into the pavement. "Eddie, please!" you begged.

He turned around, his face falling at seeing your tear-stricken face. He stood up abruptly and swiveled towards you, taking you into his arms.

You both became aware of the onlookers and the fact that you were still standing near the courthouse. "C'mon Eds, let's get out of here please, he's not worth it." you pleaded.

Eddie turned his head in your ex's direction, who was still sitting on the ground holding his bloody nose "don't speak to her, don't look at her, don't even think about her," he exclaimed. Heavy breaths caused his chest to rise and fall.

He turned back to you and ushered you down the steps into the parking lot. You were in a stupor when you both came to a stop by Eddie's van. "Hey— princess?" "Look at me please!" Eddie gripped your arms tightly, peering into your eyes.

Finally, you turned to him with a pained look in your eyes. "I'm sorry," your voice was small and broken. You laid your head on his chest, sobs wracking your frame.

"Hey, hey— sorry for what?" "I hope you're not apologizing for what that fuck face did back there," he said.

"This is exactly what I didn't want to happen, Eddie," "you shouldn't have to deal with this!" You let out an exasperated sigh, stamping your foot to the ground.

"You shouldn't have to either, sweetheart!" "Nobody deserves to have to deal with that, especially you!" he affirmed.

You knew deep down that he was right but a part of you still believed that it was your mess to deal with alone.

"Let's get out of here, I'll drive you home if that's okay?" Eddie asked gently.

You nodded your head, yes, letting him help you up into his van. He ran around and hopped into the driver's side, cranking the car quickly. The drive back to the park was silent, you closed your eyes, instantly feeling drained.

It was crazy how your ex could manage to destroy the joy you felt from the divorce settlement in a split second. You opened your eyes and peeked over at Eddie. His eyes were focused on the road, a frown was settled on his face from deep contemplation.

You closed your eyes again letting yourself drift off to sleep.

~

You were awakened by someone gently shaking you awake. You opened your eyes to find Eddie standing beside the opening of the van door. "Hey sleepy head," he said giving you a lopsided grin.

"Hey," you mumbled as you rubbed your eyes. You let out a small yawn, before taking his outstretched hand and hopping down from the van.

The sun was low in the sky creating a pinkish-orange hue directly behind Eddie's silhouette. You thought that he looked like an angel at that moment.

"So, where's the little man?" Eddie wondered aloud breaking you out of your reverie.

"He's with Mrs. Brenda right now," you replied distractedly. Your gaze was now focused on your fingers intertwined with his, you had yet to let go of his hand and you didn't want to either.

"Eddie, I'm really sorry," you implored. "I shouldn't have let my insecurities push you away." You ran your thumb across his as you continued "I realize now that my fears were unbased and I'm sorry if I hurt you in any way."

You sniffled a little as you poured every ounce of courage into your next words "I love you, Eddie," "I love everything about you, from your personality, your laugh, your hair, and the way you uplift me." "I know that you may or may not have a girlfriend but I can't let another day go by without telling you how I feel."

Eddie looked at you, his brown eyes glistening with unshed tears. He coughed, swiping at his eyes as he squeezed your hand. "I love you too, I think I've loved you ever since the moment I caught you spying on me," he laughed.

"Hey! I was not spying, I was just making sure that there wasn't some crazed maniac loose in the neighborhood," you quipped, giving a light laugh. Your nerves started to settle with the banter.

"Seriously though," he began, unsure of how to put his feelings into words adequately. "I love you and there's no one else," he replied seriously. "You deserve all of the happiness in the world and I want to be the one to give it to you."

You laughed breathlessly as you rested your head on his shoulder. Lingering tears dusted your lashes.

With his finger he tilted your chin back up, directing your gaze onto his. You held your breath as he leaned in closer to you, his lips hovering over yours. "I missed you, sweetheart," he whispered.

"I missed you too, Eds," you confided, whimpering as he pressed his lips to yours. You ran your tongue against the cut on his lower lip soothingly, trying to kiss the bruise away.

He pressed his body onto yours with a groan, pushing you against the van. Your hands fisted his shirt as he stole your breath away, his lips nipping at yours in soft bites. His tongue caressed yours sensually making heat pool in between your thighs.

You pulled away with a gasp, lips swollen from his kisses. "I have to go, I need to pick up my son," you mumbled, a pout on your smiling lips.

"Yeah I need to go too, I have rehearsals tonight for my graduation next week," he replied.

"I'm so proud of you Eddie," you stated giving him a tight hug.

"Me too," he said as he squeezed you back just as tight. "It'll be next Thursday at 8 p.m., I hope you can make it."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," you promised. You gave him another quick kiss before pushing lightly on his chest so you could move away from the van.

"Tell your son that I'll be by to see him soon, we need to practice for the DND campaign coming up!" he exclaimed as he hopped into his van.

"Will do," you laughed before turning and walking away. You felt a little lightheaded from the emotional roller coaster you went on today. With a smile on your face, you headed to your neighbor's trailer to pick up your son.

~

It was the night before Eddie's graduation and you were preparing for the surprise you had planned for him. You had just come from the store to get the ingredients and party decorations you needed. You were going to cook his favorite food (you had gotten that information from his Uncle Wayne) and bake a cake.

After introducing yourself, Wayne had let it slip that Eddie had never had anyone throw him a party. His parents were too self-absorbed to be bothered and once Wayne had taken him in, his job took up a lot of his spare time.

The thought of him never being celebrated saddened you beyond belief. He was such a great person inside and out and he should be celebrated as such. You shook your head clearing all thoughts and focused on the task at hand.

Your son was with Eddie at the moment, they were both at Hawkins High playing DND. Apparently, this was the start of a new campaign, allowing your son to be able to join in.

You hung up black, red, and gold streamers all around the room. There was also a black tablecloth laid out across your dining table.

You had chosen these colors since they were some of the main ones he usually wore. As you were finishing up some of the final touches, you looked at the clock noting that it was seven o clock.

You had about another hour before they came back and you wanted to make the most of it. Eddie had practice with his band after DND, so you didn't have to worry about him coming over and spoiling the surprise.

As you were finishing up the final touches you heard a jingling of keys in the lock at the front door. Your eyebrows furrowed in worry. Whoever was on the other side eventually gave up with the keys and proceeded to start banging on the door.

"Come out here, I need to talk to you!" It was your ex-husband and from the sound of it, he sounded three sheets to the wind. You peered nervously out the window and saw him, one hand leaning up against the door to keep from stumbling.

Your first reaction was fear, which had seized you by the throat. Eventually, that gave way to anger. Anger over the abuse you suffered for years, anger over the pain your son suffered, and last but not least, you were just plain old tired of his shit.

Banging still rang in the air, as you walked to your room calmly and went into your closet. You pulled out the steel bat you kept for protection and headed toward your back door. You made a quick detour to your phone and called them informing them of the situation.

Taking a deep breath, you opened your back door and made your way to the front of your home.

"You looking for me," you stated as you stood on the gravel in front of your home.

He turned around, stumbling, before righting himself and coming down the steps. "Yeah, I need to talk to you— you slut," he spat.

"No— you don't, I've always listened to you!" you stated firmly. Your courage began to build as you continued. "That ends right now, it's your turn to listen to me and listen clearly because I won't repeat myself."

His eyes went wide with shock and for once he was silent.

"You made me feel worthless, ashamed, lonely, and unlovable," you let out. "I used to wonder what it would feel like to have a man touch me gently, to want me and caress me." your hands gripped the bat you held as anger and sadness began to bubble up within you.

"You abandoned your rights as a husband and a father a long time ago." "You don't get to question me about my personal life any longer." you glared at him as you continued. "I no longer give you power over me or my life." you declared finally.

You eyed him as he stood there and took in everything you just said. He looked towards you with a defeated look in his eye before nodding his head. With a staggering step, he turned to his car to leave.

You let out a silent breath as you watched him near his car. You turned around to head into your home when the crunch of heavy footfalls came from behind you.

You turned around quickly, swinging your bat along with you, connecting the heavy steel with his midsection. He doubled over with a grunt as you stepped back holding your bat up in defense.

"You're gonna regret that," he huffed before charging in your direction.

You hastily dodged his step bringing the bat down again with a crack against his back making him fall to his knees. Your heart thumped wildly in your chest from the adrenaline.

"Just stop it already," you yelled, out of breath.

Suddenly, he side-swiped your feet from under you, resulting in you crashing to the ground.  The wind was knocked out of you as you hit the ground with a thud.

He crawled over to you as you lay on the ground, momentarily stunned. A sinister grin slid across his face as he hovered over you bringing his hands to your neck. Before he could reach you a single gunshot rang in the air, catching both of your attention.

You turned your hand in the direction of the noise finding Mrs. Brenda standing on her porch. "Get your ass up you yellow-bellied coward," she snapped keeping her gun trained on him.

He scrambled to his feet as fast as he could in his alcohol-induced state.

You sat up slowly, standing up, and dusting off your clothes. Turning to your neighbor, you nodded your head giving her a small smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Brenda, I got it from here," you stated lowly.

You walked over to your ex and stood in front of him toe-to-toe feeling nothing but contempt and disgust. You stood there glaring at him directly in his eyes, mustering all of the rage you felt for him before hauling off and punching him square in the temple.

His head snapped sharply to the right as he dropped heavily to the ground, knocked out cold. You kicked his side, detecting no movement whatsoever.

The faint sound of sirens could be heard in the background getting closer and closer. You turned around and walked over to your neighbor who now sat on her steps. You sat down beside her with a heavy sigh and lay your head down on her shoulder.

She grabbed your hand giving it a tight squeeze. "I'm so proud of you dearie."

You nodded your head with a faint smile gracing your lips and waited for the police to arrive.

~

You help up your camera as you watched the Principle call Eddie's name to receive his diploma. As he walked across the stage you, your son, Uncle Wayne, Nancy, and Steve along with his friends from the DND club clapped loudly cheering him on.

Eddie stopped to take his picture one handing holding his diploma and the other shaking the principal's hand. He took the diploma and walked to the end of the stage before quickly turning around and flipping off the principal and the rest of the staff.

Some of the audience gasped loudly while others whooped and hollered in amusement. Eddie quickly made haste, running comically, down the steps before the security guard could catch him.

You laughed along at his theatrics feeling your heart swell with joy. The situation that had happened last night was nonexistent in your mind. You had yet to tell Eddie, not wanting to spoil or take away from his moment.

So when Eddie and your son arrived home, the police had already escorted your ex off of the property and on the way to jail. With the no-contact order violated and the assault he committed, it didn't seem he would be getting out anytime soon.

You promised yourself that you would tell Eddie when the time was right but for now, you just wanted to enjoy him in his moment.

After the ceremony, you all planned to meet back up at your place for Eddie's graduation surprise. With the help of your son, you invited the rest of his friends from DND to the party as well.

It would be a tight fit but you had cooked plenty of food for the special occasion. One of the younger kids named Dustin (who was a total sweetheart by the way) would keep Eddie preoccupied as you and your son went home to set everything up.

Dustin had just sent a message through his walkie-talkie, letting everyone know that he and Eddie were on the way. You absent-mindedly thought about how convenient those things were. You had read somewhere about a portable telephone but it cost thousands of dollars. Way out of your price range, you would have to stick to the corded phones.

"Okay focus," you told yourself. Everyone began to take their places when the crunch of gravel could be heard from Eddie's van. Everyone had parked a ways down, so Eddie would be none the wiser as he walked up your steps. Quickly lighting the candles on the cake you stepped forward holding it up with a big smile.

You held your breath as the door nob jiggled before opening. "Surprise!" everyone yelled. Confetti shot up in the air and began to fall like rain.

In true Eddie fashion, he stumbled back a bit, falling into Dustin who was standing directly behind him. A big O shape was formed on his pouty lips as he held a hand to his chest. His gaze was on yours when he asked "Wow, is all of this for me?"

You shook your head yes, beaming with joy "congratulations Eddie, I love you." You held the candlelit cake towards him, prompting him to blow it out.

Tears glistened in his big expressive eyes before he closed them and blew out his candles. He bashfully swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand "thanks sweetheart— I've never had anyone do this for me— ever."

You sat the cake down and turned to him, giving him a deep hug, your arms circling his neck bringing him down to you. "It's just what you deserve Eddie, you mean a lot to me, to all of us," you finished, whispering for his ears only."

You pulled back with a grin "Alright who's ready to eat, Eddie gets the first plate though." Several groans could be heard from the younger kids.

"Hey, you guys better be nice or I'll make the next campaign your worst nightmare," Eddie threatened with a saccharine smile.

"STOP threatening those kids Eds," you admonished as you handed him a plate.

"Yes princess," he replied with a sweet smile.

~

The party was a hit, everyone loved the food. Especially Eddie who had gone back for seconds and thirds. There were a few folks still lingering around talking as you cleaned up. Your parents had picked up your son and were taking him out of town to six flags for the summer vacation. They would be gone for about a week.

It was pretty easy to clean up since you had used paper plates and cups. The only thing you had to wash was the cake pan and a few dishes that held the food. You were done with the dishes in fifteen minutes and had moved on to the cups and plates.

Most people had been respectful of your home and had put everything into the trash. Before you go to take out the trash, a hand rested on your shoulder, stopping you. "Allow me, please," he whispered near your ear, taking the bag from your hand.

After getting an earful from Eddie about overexerting yourself, you sat down, letting him finish the rest. You dozed off into a light slumber as you waited for him to finish.

A kiss to your temple roused you awake, which was followed by another. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" Eddie asked as you opened your eyes.

You blinked slowly, trying to clear the sleepy haze you were stuck in. "I don't think so," you replied finally.

"That's a shame," he said thoughtfully before pressing another kiss along your jawline. "Because you are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I always thought so, even back when we were in school together," he confessed pressing his lips against the hollow of your throat.

Your mind spun at the revelation, had he always liked you? Why had he never said anything? Before you could ask, he answered for you.

"I had a big crush on you back then but by the time I built up the courage to approach you, it was too late." He leaned over you from his seat on the couch, pressing your body into the cushions.

Your hands instinctively went around his neck, pulling him closer to you. "You shouldn't have been nervous, I always thought you were cute," "But now I think you're hot," you admitted.

You slid your tongue against the shell of his ear, pulling it between your teeth. He groaned in response, pressing wet kisses onto your collarbone.

His hands began to move up and down your sides before grasping your legs and settling them around his hips. The skirt you have on rises and pools around your waist in the process.

You whine as you feel him press against your center. Warmth begins to flood the space between your legs, making you grind wantonly against him.

"Fuck baby, I've been thinking about this ever since that night at the club." He slides a hand between the two of you and against the front of your panties. "About this tight little pussy of yours, squeezing my fingers so tight."

You moan out and run your hands through the curls at the nape of his neck. "Me too," you whimper needily.

He leans back, looking into your eyes as he slips his fingers under the band of your underwear and slides the two digits right into you until his palm is flat against your clit.

A gasp leaves your mouth which he quickly swallows with a messy kiss. His lips slide over yours as he begins to move his fingers inside of you. The palm of his hand provides the right amount of friction to make you pulse around him.

He groans in response pulling away from you to lean up a bit as he increases his speed. He takes his other hand and begins to rub against your clit with fast strokes. "I want to see you cum first before I fuck you," his voice is dark and raspy with desire.

"First on my fingers," he says as he slides his fingers out and shoves them back in.

You roll your hips in response, small whimpers of pleasure falling from your lips.

"Then I want you to cum on my tongue." he groans, rubbing your nub even faster.

A high-pitched whine leaves you as your walls began to flutter harshly. Your eyes feel heavy as your orgasm began to bloom. You cum with a jolt, soaking his hand and the cushions beneath you.

As you try to catch your breath he removes his hand from you, slipping it into his mouth. He hums to himself as he removes them with a pop. Leaning over you, he gives you an open mouth kiss, both of your tongues are sliding across each others frantically.

"Too many clothes on," he says, tugging on your skirt.

Lifting your hips you allow him to pull it off the rest of the way. You hurriedly pull off your shirt, throwing it across the room, leaving you in your red bra and panties.

He notices the bow at the top and his eyes darken. "You know this is my favorite color right?" he declares giving you another heated kiss.

He quickly tugs off his shirt as you unbutton his pants and belt, sliding them down his legs.

Your lips part in desire as you notice him straining against his boxers, a stain from precum coats the front. You can tell that he's big just from the outline of it. Suddenly, it jumps making you gasp out like some sort of virgin.

"Like what you see," he says cheekily. His eyes flashed in amusement.

"I do," you reply honestly, licking your lips slowly.

"Jesus Christ, sweetheart," he replies as he palms himself through his boxers. "Okay baby, turn over," he demands as he grabs your hips and flips you over, pulling your ass up into the air.

"Fuck me," he says as he admires your body, his breath fans across your cheeks. He unclasps your bra and you let it slip down your arms before pushing it onto the floor. Next, he takes off your panties, slowly dragging them down your hips, caressing your skin along the way.

They too end up tossed carelessly around the room.

You're on your hands and knees. His arm is tucked under your waist, keeping your lower half in the air as he presses a hand against your back, pushing down until your chest is on the couch.

He pulls away briefly and both hands grip your ass before pulling them apart. "Eddie, what are you—.”

Your question dies on your tongue as he licks a fat stripe from your clit all the way to your puckered hole and back. You keen into him, arching like a cat. "Fuck Eddie," you yell loudly, all of your inhibitions are gone as he takes you apart piece by piece.

You cry against the fabric of the couch as his lips close over your sensitive clit, flicking it repeatedly with his tongue before dipping into your hole. He repeats this action a couple of times before you lose track. Your orgasm comes faster than before, building you up into a frenzy.

Eddie pulls from you gaining a disappointed groan "Eddie, I'm so close," you whine bucking your hips. You feel the couch shift and suddenly his head is underneath you, his hands pulling your hips down to sit on his face.

His tongue is sticking out as you lower yourself down, slipping it inside of you. His nose bumps into your clit as you grind on his face.

He's relentless, his hands are massaging and then smacking you on your ass repeatedly. He suctions his lips around you and sucks at your clit harshly. Your body begins to vibrate in pleasure, incoherent sobs echo off of the walls as your heat blooms through you making your toes curl.

Your face is smushed into the couch as you rut against him, crying out his name in a chant over and over.

Tears stream down your cheeks as he lifts you by your arms and turns you over onto your back.

"Fuck— you're so pretty princess," he says running his thumb over your tears. He's sitting up on his knees as he slides his boxers down and off of his legs.

"He's big," you think absentmindedly. Lengthwise, it hangs heavy, curving slightly to the right. You take your hand and guide him to your entrance.

He chuckles "So desperate, huh baby?" He groans as you began to pump your hand against him. "Okay you win," he mumbles, slotting himself in between your legs.

His gaze is steady as he eases into you, his mouth falling open. His cock slides in easily from the wetness of your orgasms, as you accept the burn from the stretch around him.

Your head falls back against the couch as you moan in ecstasy, your hands gripping his hair. "Fuck, you feel so good, so wet," he exclaims, breathing shakily against your lips.

After a moment he begins to move, pulling out before plunging back in. His fingers dig into your hips as he quickly finds his rhythm.

Your breasts began to bounce as thrusts in and out of you. The movement catches his attention and he latches on, swirling his tongue around your nipple.

"Eddie," you sigh as you stroke the back of his head lovingly. You push your foot onto the cushion of the couch and began to move against him.

"Oh my God," he moans, biting his lip harshly. "Sweetheart, you're gonna make me cum if you keep that up," he grunts, driving into you deeper.

"I want to feel you cum," you breathe out, feeling your orgasm starting to build again.

Still pumping into you, he glides his hand from your hip, brushing over your clit.

Your hips jerk away from his as he rubs your bundle of nerves. The feeling is too much, bordering the thin line between pleasure and pain.

He holds you still, making you accept the pleasure that he's giving you. His hips begin to falter as his release draws near. "You close baby?" he asks shakily.

You nod your head yes, unable to form any words. He presses down onto your clit again, drawing your orgasm out of you.

This one is bigger than the rest, your whole body is strung tight as he pistons in and out of you at a deafening speed. You cry out, your walls clamping down tight onto him as you gush around his cock.

A low moan leaves his lips as he follows soon after. You could feel him pulsing inside of you, filling you up as he paints your walls.

Heavy breaths fell from you both as you tried to catch your breath. Eddie is the first to move, lifting his weight off of you, and leaning onto his forearms. "Hey," he says with a smile.

"Hi," you giggle, nuzzling your nose into his neck.

"I think I'd like to cash in on that kiss you owe me," he wonders aloud, grinning deviously.

You scoff in disbelief, this man is literally still inside of you and is asking for a kiss. With a shake of your head, you pull his head closer, slotting your lips between his. You pour yourself into the kiss, giving yourself to him completely. Your tongue strokes his passionately as you feel your heart open up to him, ready to love and to be loved.

You pull away gasping for breath as you rest your forehead on his.

"Damn, I'm so glad I won that water gun fight," he says before going in for another kiss.

"Shut up," you laugh as you move to sit up.

He moves with you causing him to fall out of you, a trail of fluids following. Your eyes widen as his cock jumps at the sight.

"Eddie, I—," you trail off unable to finish your sentence.

"Don't worry sweetheart, I'll take it easy on you tonight and give you a break before we start again," he states cockily giving you a wink. He stands up and walks down the hall to the bathroom naked to get a towel.

Your eyes are glued to his ass as leaves. He returns quickly with a warm towel and cleans you up before cleaning himself. You take the towel and put it in the hamper.

After putting your clothes on, you both sit silently on the couch, leaning against the other in comfortable silence. A thought comes to you making you jump up in excitement.

Eddie raises an amused brow in response.

"We should have the movie night," you reply, giddy with happiness. "Y'know since we had to cancel it like a million times."

"I think that's a great idea," he says smiling at you lovingly.

You walk over to the tapes scanning them before selecting one and popping it in.

"Nightmare on Elm Street, my favorite," he nods. "Y'know, if u get scared, you can just hold onto me sweetness, I'll protect you," he states holding up his arm and kissing his muscle.

You roll your eyes at him with a grin before cutting off the lights in your living room and heading back over to him.

You sit next to him on the couch and he pulls you closer, tucking you into his side. He tilts your head back to look into his eyes "I love you," he says seriously, his eyes are big and filled with warmth. 

"I love you too Eddie," you reply giving him an intense kiss. A smile spreads across your face, you feel overwhelmed with happiness. With a happy sigh, you nestle your head against his chest as you settle in for the movie.

The End

#eddie munson #eddie x reader #stranger things #stranger things smut #eddie angst #eddie munson angst #eddie munson smut #eddie my beloved #eddie smut #eddie stranger things

[lazaruspitreborn]

Headcanon time!

Most people don't get that what lead Jason to his grave wasn't his role as Robin, but his intense need for unconditional love. Robin was the reason Joker had to kill him, but it wasn't Jason's reason for dying.

Jason died for love.

We get the Death In The Family and Under The Red Hood narratives all from Bruce's analitical perspective with little glimpses here and there of his emotions and the turmoil it all caused him. So, we know that his decisions and actions came from a place of loving and wanting to protect Jason, he genuinely was trying to think and act in Jason's best interest and for the betterment of his future. Bruce genuinely loved Jason as his son.

However, if we flip the gaze upon this story and get Jason's I think we'd see that things weren't the same in his eyes.

Jason came from a life with many problems. His father a petty criminal behind bars, absent, and/or abusive in almost all retellings of his home life; the woman he knew as his mother was a down on her luck woman trying to keep a family and home, submiting to the abuses of her partner and taking legal and illegal drugs to cope with it all, until she went down a spiral of addiction that culminated in her death. Jason had glimpses of love, he knew love and loved abundantly in his own way, he gave love in exchange for pennies of attention, did his best to be a good son under the circumstances he was in, but his luck in life wasn't the best and his place wasn't good, so he threaded a line that was as tenuous as it could be between genuine love and survival.

Then, when he was going down himself, having to take on a life of petty crimes to get by, but still caring for those around him in the ways he could, he crossed paths with Bruce/Batman and that was the first time in a long while he felt genuine love and care.

Bruce loved him as his son. He downright adopted Jason and took him in. He gave all he could to Jason, taught him, educated him, showed him a chance in life that Jason held on to with all he had, not only for himself, but for Bruce too.

Jason loved Bruce. And his love for him was as deep as it could be, it was the love of a son for a father. The same way Bruce took him as a son, Jason returned the feeling and took him as his father in every way he could.

And the shared love between these two was where the tragedy of Jason's character began, because Jason's unconditional love for Bruce clashed with the exchangable love he knew for all his life, and this created a distortion on his perception when it latched to his role as Robin.

Robin became Jason's role and an open display of Bruce's love and trust for him once he was ready to take it. But Robin was revokable. Bruce could give and take it from Jason whenever he felt like, which meant to Jason that while he loved Bruce unconditionally, the same wasn't returned.

Bruce's love, in Jason's head, even though he didn't realize it at the time, became similar to all of those that came before the man. It was conditional. Perform well, do as you're said, hear Batman's every order and you can remain Robin, you can keep his love. Be his soldier to be worth of his love. And that chipped away on some of his love and belief in Bruce, until it became too much and Jason needed to find something — neigh anything — to get himself through the eroding forces that ate his heart.

So, of course, upon finding out that the woman who raised him wasn't his biological mother, he jumped on the chance to find the woman who gave birth to him.

"A mother's love is everflowing and ever unconditional" or so goes the popular saying, right?

And so, in his last attempt of finding genuine love, to make a bond that didn't rely on his performance or on what he could give away, he sought his biological mother... only to find one single moment of happiness and the ultimate betrayal once he revealed himself as Robin to Sheila.

He didn't find love, but had himself be sold out to Joker, which lead to his beating and, ultimately, the death of himself and hers. Though, even through the betrayal, hurt and nearly dead, he still loved her, still wanted to do good by her and by Bruce's teachings and what he represented to him. Jason still tried to save her, because he genuinely loved the image of her he nurtured in his mind in a certain way.

Jason loved unconditionally every single person who came into his life. He loved them as family and friends and had always been ready to throw himself to the wolves for each and every single one of them.

Jason loved intensely and with all of himself.

Thus, once he came back from the dead, after his dip in the Lazarus Pit, and discovered that not only Bruce didn't do much about Joker's antics, but also took another child to be Robin, that whole feeling of love turned to anger.

Anger not for Bruce, but for himself. For not having seen the obvious reality in front of himself. Jason finally understood that there would be no change on Bruce, the man was set in stone with his ways of thinking and methods of acting; and such realization hurt him.

Not only all the love he poured out for Bruce felt like exchangable currency to him, it felt like he was never important enough for his father figure to take actual measures to prevent the tragedy that happened to him from repeating itself. To Jason, it felt like he was nothing.

When he confronted Bruce about why Joker was still alive, it wasn't about Joker alone. It was about their story, about how true Bruce was when he claimed to love and see Jason as a son.

The lack of a direct answer or action on Bruce's part only confirmed and scratched the thin line of trust Jason, somehow, still kept hidden deep in himself. Because deep down in his hurt and screaming heart Jason still hoped Bruce would see through the pain he felt... but Bruce didn't.

Bruce chose to continue not taking action and stick to his code.

The consequences were Jason being hurt again, his trust shattered for good, his perception of his own love finally sedimented in his life as something negotiable and worthless, no real solution to the Joker issue, and anger.

Lots and lots of cold and seething anger he keeps deep inside himself for how blind he was to it all. And this anger, this feeling of being unlovable and unwanted became the mountain that separates him from the rest of the Bats. A way to don't fall in that hole again, a reminder to be careful when threading close to them or helping any of them.

The Batfam says Jason is part of the family and he truly is in their eyes, but in Jason's perception there'll always be that shadow of resistance to giving himself entirely to the concept again. He's at best the blacksheep and scapegoat, he made peace with it, his presence is conditional and relegated to when it's convenient, not a necessity. He's family, but also not really, because he can't love them the same way a family member does. Jason can't love or accept love as he once did, and this, in his eyes, makes him more of an accessory to the Batfam than a real member.

Jason died for love. Jason lived for love. Jason came back for love. All he ever wanted was love.

#》headcanons

[blackjackkent]

OK, for better or for worse, time for Hector to deal with these githyanki on The Skull(tm).

Hector's new build with improved WIS for AC and Hill Giant Strength for Tavern Brawler damage is doing a LOT more work than he was previously. :D

58 points of damage on the turn is tasty. :D (I could min-max him to much more with gear but I'm not stressing that much over it.)

The githyanki are also terrifying however so this fight is still mega scary.

MVP of this fight turned out to be Slow from Gale, which I'd forgotten he even had access to until I reset the fight and looked through everyone's spell slots. It made a HUGE difference against these characters who can attack 2335265234 times in a turn and zip all over the place.

VERY INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT HOWEVER - during the middle of this combat, the Guardian/Emperor called out as a combat line:

"I must regain control over the githyanki prince!"

And oh.

Oh shit.

That's Orpheus in the light cage, isn't it?

Holy shit... Lae'zel is going to have a stroke over everything that happened here without her. O.O;

As the fight ends, the Emperor puts the githyanki back into whatever trance he was in when we arrived.

"Thank you," it intones gravely, turning back towards Hector and his companions. "That was too close."

"Don't look at me like that. I am a mind flayer, yes. Without me you would be a slave to the Absolute."

To be honest, I'm not sure Hector even knows what way he was looking at it. He's frightened, yes, but he's been frightened so long that it hardly feels like a change of pace. He's more confused than anything else; what is the "guardian's" true agenda? What is it doing to the githyanki in the trap? And why does it speak with emotion and ferocity, like a creature with a soul?

"Of all the creatures to be indebted to," Shadowheart mutters bitterly. "A bloody mind flayer."

"I ask again," Hector demands. "Who are you? And I'm going to need a name this time." He is so tired of the secrets, of the confusion.

"You may call me the Emperor," the creature says, and raises a fist glowing with pale energy.

A flash of white through his brain, the tadpole connection he is so familiar with from contact with his own companions. The mind flayer's memories surge over him in a rolling wave.

"An adventurer. I came from Baldur's Gate, though I was never one to be constrained by circumstance. I longed for more."

"That longing brought me to Moonrise Towers on a search for treasure. To a colony of mind flayers who caught me, changed me into what I am now. For years I served the elder brain - the one you know as the Absolute. I was a thrall like any other. But I was fortunate - I broke free, and started a new life in my old city."

"I sustained myself on criminals. Unglamorous, but there were plenty of them, rarely missed, and they fueled me while I did my work.

"I had the good fortune to meet Duke Stelmane. We formed a partnership, and through her I became the governing force behind the Knights of the Shield, the largest mercantile operation in Baldur's Gate. People referred to me as the Emperor - such was my influence. Though of course they had no idea what I really was."

"My needs were sated. I was... happy, for a while. Until my true nature was discovered by the tyrant himself - Lord Gortash."

"He tore me from my home and brought me back to the brain where I became a slave once again. A slave he continued to call the Emperor. The name was intended as a slight - to remind me of the heights from which I fell. But I have grown fond of it. It encapsulates well who I've become."

Hector listens to this tale in bewilderment. It seems almost too fantastic to be true - a mind flayer able to live in secrecy within the largest city on the coast? To command the Knights of the Shield, an organization so big even Hector has heard of it? He would think it impossible - if it weren't for Omeluum. He has seen a mind flayer broken free before.

The whole situation makes him feel tremendously uncomfortable. Trapped. But if the story is true, he and the Emperor have a common enemy. The Emperor and Karlach even have a shared experience - that of being pulled from their homes and enslaved by Gortash.

But there are still so many questions...

"That githyanki in the sphere," he says hoarsely, almost afraid to hear the answer. "Who is it?"

"Prince Orpheus," the Emperor says bluntly, confirming Hector's suspicions instantly. "Son of the first leader of the githyanki. His power has been the source of your continued protection against the Absolute - the power to disrupt hivemind communication. It is the same power that enabled Orpheus's mother to bring about the fall of the Illithid Empire eons ago, a power she passed on to him, and that I leveraged for you."

It turns to look steadily at the githyanki prisoner suspended with the shield at the center of the skull.

"When Orpheus's mother left, a usurper took her place. Vlaaktih declared herself 'queen' of the githyanki," it goes on, its voice a low growl. "Vlaakith wanted his power, but Orpheus rose against her. And so she sealed him and his honor guard within this Prism. Bound by infernal chains, Orpheus could never leave. Bound by duty, his guard never would. They were close to breaking my hold on their prince - and if they had succeeded, we would be lost."

It looks back towards Hector and inclines its head approvingly. "I am releived you have embraced your potential enough that you could help me eliminate them. Alone, Orpheus will be much easier to control."

Hector swallows. Not since the creche - and possibly not ever - has he been so confused about the right thing to do. He trusted the guardian (to a degree), and he needs the Emperor. But the imprisoned githyanki makes him uncomfortable. The Emperor's interest in his potential makes him very uncomfortable. The swirl of unspoken and unexplained intentions makes him tremendously uncomfortable.

"Were you imprisoned here too?" he asks.

"No," the mind flayer answers. "Gortash sent me on a mission to retrieve the Astral Prism. I was one of many, but the first to find it. How Gortash and the other Chosen learned of its existence, I do not know. The moment I found it, I felt a change. My free will returning. I followed the feeling inside - and found Orpheus. I realized what the Prism was for: containment. While my body was within the Prism's bounds, my mind was free. I could resist the elder brain, the Chosen. Better yet, I could plan to overthrow them. All I needed to do was subdue Orpheus and find allies in the outer world. You."

Hector remembers the visions of battle the guardian showed him before. He had assumed it was some extension of the battle against the Absolute, but in truth it was this creature battling against the incursions of githyanki trying to rescue their prince. The rebels against Vlaakith - the people like Voss.

"Was it you or Orpheus that Vlaakith wanted us to kill when she ordered us inside the Prism?" he asks, quirking one eyebrow up thoughtfully.

"Most certainly Orpheus," the Emperor says placidly. "He is a threat to her reign. Some githyanki still revere him, in defiance of their teachings. Vlaakith was safe as long as they believed him to be dead. But as you can see, he is very much alive. She kept him this way because she was reluctant to eradicate such power, power that she might one day wish to take from him. If the githyanki ever find out what she has done, there will be civil war. Vlaakith will be finished."

"What happens if we free Orpheus?" Hector asks.

"That would be a terrible idea," the Emperor snaps at once. "The moment he is free, he will attack you. Your only defense would be to kill him. And in so doing, you would doom us both."

Narrator: Even though he is subdued, you feel Orpheus's revulsion - a pulsing hatred that cannot be contained. The Emperor is telling the truth. To him, you are just another wretched illithid.

"You carry a tadpole," the Emperor growls. "As far as Orpheus is concerned, you are already illithid - a sworn enemy, just like me."

Thoughts are swirling in Hector's head, a variety of panicked possibilities. Could they bring Lae'zel here? Have her talk to Orpheus, calm him, explain the situation, work with him, free him from this prison? And yet the Emperor is right, the risk in doing so is terribly high and the cost of failure so astronomical...

He needs to get away from this place, needs time and space to think, to talk with those he trusts - among whom the Emperor no longer falls.

The creature's words strike him painfully as he struggles to settle his mind - the implication that in working alongside the Emperor, he has become a monster himself. "I'm no illithid," he says defensively. "And never will be."

"You are already more illithid than you realize - it has improved you," the Emperor says, and there's a strange sort of smirk in its tone that Hector does not like at all. "You seek to reverse an inevitable process, a process of evolution. When I first escaped from the elder brain, I too railed against the change. But the longer I have inhabited this form, the more it has grown on me."

It leans forward, staring intently into Hector's eyes. "Even if my original body remained intact after I transformed, I would not return to it. Doing so would only impose limitations. As an illithid, I have far surpassed who I ever was before. You, too, should embrace this change."

Hector's stomach churns with sudden revulsion. Any sense of safety he felt here suddenly evaporates. The Emperor may be his ally against the elder brain, but it is not his friend - it wishes him to become a mind flayer as well, simply of a different sort, free-minded but transformed.

"I'm trying to avoid becoming a mind flayer," he says sharply. "I thought you agreed to protect me."

"I believe we'll have a better chance of defeating the elder brain if you embrace your latent illithid potential," the Emperor says calmly. "I've been studying you for a while now. I believe I can trigger the next stage of your tadpole's lifecycle while continuing to preserve your independence." It takes another step towards him. "You have seen what I can do. Imagine yourself with the same strength. The same intelligence. The same devastating beauty. If you let me, I can evolve you."

Hector's skin prickles all over. He doesn't dare look away from the mind flayer but he is sure his companions are showing the same dismay and revulsion that he himself feels. "No," he says, shaking his head fiercely. "No way."

Narrator: Even as you say the words, you feel a lurch of disappointment. Your mind bristles with illithid potential. How could you be so cruel to deny yourself what you want most in the world?

The sensation of the tadpole itself seizing his emotions makes him feel even more ill. There is no safety even inside his own mind anymore.

The Emperor cocks its head to one side, as if amused. "I felt that. It's your nature. You cannot fight it, so embrace it."

It extends a hand, sending a pale green, glowing tadpole drifting towards Hector in the plane's lighter gravity.

"It wants to evolve," the Emperor growls. "But it cannot do so alone. It must commune with another."

"What is it?" Hector whispers hollowly.

"A tadpole, nurtured by the psionic energy of the Astral Plane," the mind flayer answers. "Cocooned here for millenia, it has become extraordinary."

Hector swallows, closes his eyes, fights against the force within his mind trying to urge him forward. [WISDOM] "No," he forces out. "I won't do it."

(A/N: NATURAL FUCKING 20! THAT'S MY BOY!!!!!!!!)

Narrator: A wave of disappointment, stronger than any you've ever felt. And then - stillness. You have resisted your illithid instincts - for now.

He realizes his free hand is clenched at his side, his jaw tight, his eyes squeezed shut. Every iota of his focus has been channeled into finding the stillness at the center of him. The calm. All things with her strength. I walk in the Moonmaiden's light... no grief nor pain nor fury shall wrest me from her path...

And the strain begins to ease, the tadpole receding into dormancy again. He can breathe. He can open his eyes.

The Emperor watches him thoughtfully, unblinking. "You are not ready yet," it murmurs. "Keep hold of it, then. Until you are. Perhaps you will be more inclined to try it when you see more of what our enemy can do."

It shakes its head sharply. "But we mustn't lose focus. We need to resume our journey. You heard the Chosen. The brain has gone to the city, and the army marches to follow. We must not let them reach it. We must find the brain and bring it under our control."

Hector isn't sure he much likes the way it says that, either.

-----

"Let's go," he mutters to the others. His voice has started to shake as the adrenaline required to look the creature in the eye begins to fade. "Let's go. Now. Let's get out of here. We need to go."

"Are you all right?" Gale asks with some concern as they begin striding out of the skull as fast as their legs can carry them. "I very nearly thought your tadpole was going to make you--"

"It nearly did," Hector says curtly. "We need to go."

"Are we trusting this thing, then?" Karlach asks; her longer stride keeps up with him easily.

"No."

"But we're working with it."

"What choice do we have?"

They've never heard him so blunt, so clipped-off. "Soldier--"

"I don't know!" he snaps, not looking at any of them. "I-- we need to get out of here and I need to think. And I need to talk to Lae'zel. And I don't think any of us are going to enjoy it, including her."

#bjk plays baldur's gate 3 #hector carlisle #bjk writes her own party banter #long post! so much exposition! so much freaking out! #but holy shit what a nat 20 lmao

[fandom4soup]

Why Ichirukis Feel Trolled , A Fan's Advice To Young Authors

Long sad looks, passion and dynamism.

Inapropriat physical contact. He grips her pajama top, and in the wrong area no less, she touches his leg on the knee or above.

Do you have that kind of touching with your friends, especially in a friendship where both of you have compatible sexual orientations?

Would you be happy if your significant other did it to their best friend, who saved their life and oh with whom they live together? No, no matter the circumstances you would be at least jelous and a bit bothered about it.

Because Orihime is so kind, we sometimes consider her stupid. She is not. She saw it.

Tip for young authors. Don't bait your loyal fans, IF you don't want to face their resentment and criticism.

Forshadow the pairings you plan to make canon, and when you want a brother-sister dynamic between unrelated people, signal it.

Love triangles are not all spawned in hell, but if you have one în your work, just admit it, don't use it to sale merchendise and then act as people are stupid and you are above it all.

I am not mad that my ship ISN'T canon, as I am mad about being told that I am mad, bad and dangerous to know, because I am seeing what can have a valid interpretation as attraction between those two.

It would have been so simple to signal strictly platonic feelings between those two. They both have brother-sister connections in their life, just establish strong paralles between how they are treating their syblings and how they are treating eachother. People will ship anyway, but not because you led them on.

If your readers are that supid they can always say: "We are like brother and sister." Kishimoto for all his faults went on and said it about Naruto and Sasuke, another suspiciosly strong bond that had some ambiguity to it. People still ship it, but they weren't led on and then dropped into a parallel universe ten years later where you can't but feel that you must have missed something.

Even when your work is not about shipping, if you have couples in it, you should make at least a little effort when writting said couples.

When it comes to love triangles, some authors go that extra mile and actually make two of the people related, Lucas made Luke and Leia actual brother and sister. The fear of a repeat made the Kylo Ren/ Rey ship way smaller than it would have been before the second movie, when people found out that they weren't related.

I am not saying make Rukia a long lost Shiba. I am not an author. I am just a random moron on the internet. You are the one blessed with both the creativity and the power to fix it.

You are not forced to fix it. Just know that your fans will be dissapointed by it and some of them will just quit în dissapointment. For every annoying complainer you will have at least 10 readers that just give up and pick up something by another author.

If we are so vocal is because we love your work so much, and we are thinking about it long after putting the book down.

Some fans will be toxic and entitled. Some fans will just like to say what worked and what didn't for them în your creation,creation that they like enough to use their precious time to comment upon.

People are evil and you will always have some haters. The question is, do you intentionally troll people? If the answer is yes, why are you surprised when passionate segments of your fandom come after you with pitchforks? That's what people do to trolls.

I am against both physical and verbal violence, but when something displeases me in your work, I will politely make my displeasure known.

#bleach #ichiruki #pro ichiruki #ichigo kurosaki #my edit #rukia kuchiki #rukia #advice for new writers from a reader #from reader to writer #bleach rant #bleach meta #why are the ichirukis frustrated #why some bleach readers feel trolled

[prsk-krow]

hi!! your masterlist is so cute, can i request a platonic kanade x reader where they’re both very unathletic and have to do a difficult pe class? (ex. game of dodgeball?) take as much time as you need ^^

{Kanade and unathletic reader in PE!} [P] (Ft Ena)

This ask was honestly pretty challenging. It was sort of out of character for Kanade to do this kind of thing unless specific circumstances were met, and finding them was quite tricky. Still, I hope you enjoy it! And also, please don't mind the Ena on the side...

Kanade having a normal class of any subject is... Really, really hard to picture. She goes to online school for a reason, and it's unnatural to think that she would move to a normal one anytime soon...

However, that school had a period of PE classes that weren't obligatory to attend to! Most did, since it was an easy way to get attendance points, but the shut in was always the exception!

It wasn't up until the trip to Spojoy park that she understood the importance of exercise, and the need to do it once in a while, even though one may not like it!

However, for her, it's still too embarrassing to turn on her camera and (Try to) exercise in front of everyone... She's aware that people usually don't look, but still! So she settles for the next best thing, to use the recording of the class!

For that, she asks you, her classmate, and close friend to share the recording with her, forgetting that you're as bad with exercise as her... However, as she explains to you her reasons, she accidentally inspires you to do it alongside her!

You ask one of your friends to pass the recording as she makes enough space in her room! That means organizing the note sheets thrown on the floor as well, which is something quite rare for her to do...

However, as she tells Ena that she's going to try exercising again, the artist decides to watch over the two, since she doesn't trust the two of you to do it alone! It's a safety measure, in case any of you feel like giving up halfway and the other doesn't find the energy to refuse...

K: "Ah, I guess... I'm sorry, I should probably not even need this help, but I really appreciate it..."

E: "Hey hey! I know you're making an effort to change, and there's no way I won't help you out ok??"

K: "... You're really kind. I really appreciate your efforts to help me out like this."

E: "E-eh? Ah, um, it's nothing, really..."

So now that you two have a supervisor, it's time to exercise! The teach in the recording explains the routine for today, called HIIT (Stands for High Intensity Interval Training), and then starts out with a small, easy presentation!

And as soon as you two see it, the urge to give up immediately sets in. The 'easy presentation' is a solid 45 seconds of jumping jacks, a 10S break, then 45 seconds of jacks again, 5 times in a row! Yeah... HIIT is one of the harder training routines out there.

Ena needs to shout at you two to start already, and then again to force you two to continue, as the short pauses are not nearly enough to make up for the exercises! And 45-10 was just the start! 50-10, then 60-10, then 75-15! It's rough, and it's messy...

The composer's hair is thankfully kept by a ponytail, but her lack of physique means that she's struggling to do the exercises with the correct posture, constantly going for the easier versions the teach proposes...

However, even still, her newfound determination to get a better physique and health keeps you two going, and going! Her speeches and words of motivation are surprisingly effective for someone who's wheezing as hard as you are...

Thankfully, the recording isn't that long, and in 40 mins the final session of stretching ends! You two lay on the floor, as the artist makes sure that neither of you actually get sick from this... It's a little hard, but, in the end, you both made it!

"Ugh... My head is s-spinning... Haaaaaahh... Haaaaaahh... Ok, ok, I'm... Getting... U-up!... Why, why was that so hard...? We made it though... That's, a, relieeeef..."

She can't even afford to speak much as she lays on the bed and recovers her breath. You do the same, and the artist decides that it's best to just leave you two for now... You can barely hear the 'person leaving the call' noise over your breathing...

After a solid moment of regaining your lost souls, the both of you change your clothes and start chatting for a while... Apparently, your friend sent you a recording of the wrong day, one that was harder than the one they meant to send you. Welp.

At least you two got through it... And hey, maybe next time you could try the real one?

#project sekai #project sekai x reader #project sekai imagines #project sekai headcanons #prsk #prsk x reader #pjsekai #pjsekai x reader #pjsk #pjsk x reader #kanade yoisaki #yoisaki kanade #kanade yoisaki x reader #yoisaki kanade x reader #/cawcanons

[livingfictionsystem]

Queen of Air and Darkness Review (SPOILERS)

It was good timing that I read this when I did because I was beginning to get self-conscious over the fact that a novel I was about to publish was nearly 600 pages. I am, by no means, a slow reader but this 900-page monster took A While.

So, the bad first. Cassandra Clare, please, I beg of you, stop with the 'We're so in love but we have something stopping us being together for three novels in a row.' With Cordelia and James, that was fraught and interesting---loads of twists and turns with the false marriage and Grace and all. It was also time-period relevant. With Tessa and Will and Jem, you came up with one of the more brilliant conclusions to a love triangle I've ever seen. The circumstances to Will's curse was darkly laughable and tongue-in-cheek creative. Clary and Jace---hated it. Categorically hated the incest bait and I knew they weren't actually related a long while before you probably wanted your audience to. Emma and Julian's star-crossed thing was almost as bad as Jace and Clary's deal.

The 'parabatai curse' felt forced and contrived. I don't recall any mention of this all-important plot device in previous novels and the explanation seemed vague and weak. The way it was resolved was an afterthought.

Also wasn't that big of a fan of Julian. He was neurotic and moody to the point where he made Jace Herondale look stable. Emma was wonderful, though.

There really is more to build a relationship other than to make it impossibly star-crossed, I promise. You seemed to realise that with Alec and Magnus and many of the other 'non-main' couples.

Speaking of which, I love, love, love that you Cristina, Kieran, and Mark to be your polyamory triad. It was a brilliant representation, but it took a frustratingly long time to get there. Even in the end, you teased us with, 'Oh but they were torn apart, never to be together aga-- JUST KIDDING.' CASSANDRA, PLEASE, I HAVE ANXIETY. But I loved their dynamics and Cristina is a *great* character. Perhaps it was my fault, being as I had such a big time gap in between reading Lord of Shadows and Queen of Air and Darkness, but I'd completely forgotten her plot with her family heirloom/Diego/Jaime. It wouldn't have hurt restating it to remind the audience, but that's also probably on me.

I wasn't quite sure how I felt about the journey to Thule at first. It was risky. On top of 'Make Idris Great Again', Star-Crossed Part 4, and Necromancy Gone Awry, I was sceptical as to whether you'd pull off a multiverse plot in the middle of the last book, but it actually worked surprisingly well.

One of the better aspects about this book is that it takes place a few years after Mortal Instruments and the Cold Peace. It shows how everyone, particularly the Blackthorns, were affected by post-war bigotry. The fact that this was written in 2018 was no surprise, as Horace Dearborn, Zara Dearborn, and Manuel Villalobos were absolute MAGA stand-ins, but I love how it translated into the magical world. And of course, seeing where Clary/Jace/Alec/Simon/Isabelle/everyone ended up was satisfying for any fan of the original series.

Wonderful with the queer representation. I believe this is the first series where you've done a transgender individual and I liked how Shadowhunter culture played into it. There were at least three queer couples on centre-stage in the entire book without it feeling exploitative, so bravo there.

I will say, the autistic representation with Ty seemed sort of heavy-handed. Just about every mention of him mentioned stimming or aversions to change and such. But as an autistic individual, I have no actual *problem* with it, as there are people like that and I've known many.

The introduction of Ash was mind-blowing and welcomed, I'd say. I can't wait to see how that character plays out. It feels sacrilegious but I almost sort of missed Sebastian.

I will say, throughout the series, Annabel Blackthorn starts out as an extremely intriguing story but it ends up nearly... written out? Like geez, have one bad breakdown and murder a couple people and suddenly, your character depth goes away. It started out strong with Malcolm's grief twisting his ambition and Annabel having understandable PTSD, but something was lost, there.

So, quite long and not without its issues, but absolutely worth the read. Especially if you're wanting some warm fuzzies about your favourite Shadowhunterverse couples.

-Xanthe

#xanthe #book reviews #queen of air and darkness #shadowhunters #queer representation #polyamory representation #polyamory positivity #spoilers #shadowhunterverse #shadowhunterverse spoilers #book review #star-crossed #autistic representation #transgender representation #cassandra clare #dark artifices #fiction

[jonahh]

i loveeee jonah and i can’t rly think of a good question for u?? maybe like how did u feel abt the amy jonah breakup proposal scene in s6? i know it was sorta unpopular in the fandom as forced but i thought it was very sympathetic and understandable on both sides tbh

narratively speaking superstore actually hit the jackpot by getting canceled when it did, because if that had been the last we see of amy i don't think they could have salvaged it—or it would have been very difficult to, at least. i definitely had my doubts on a larger scale about superstore without america, and i still don't know that amy moving to california was the smartest plot move, but they weren't expecting to lose a lead and you work with what you have i guess

that being said! given that this was the in-universe route they chose, i do think that they pulled it off in a way that felt true to the characters. it's definitely brutal to watch, but it makes sense. of course amy is hesitant to make such a big, official step. even though it's jonah, and he's been around for a long time, and their relationship is great, she's been through this before and it completely derailed her from what she originally wanted in life. and so in her mind, there's always room for things to go wrong—whether that's in an immediate and catastrophic way or a slower, boiling-frog stagnation way. because of her circumstances, it's important to her that she have an easy escape route if that were to happen.

there's also the issue of the timing. i think that, if the circumstances were different and this didn't come up at the time of the move, it would feel less claustrophobic for her. but it's sort of an insane and tumultuous period, and adding yet another life-altering decision to the mix was definitely. not great.

jonah's view is completely different here. he pretty much sees them as already-married at this point, so it doesn't feel as daunting for him. this is where i do start to feel a little conflicted, so bear with me. on the one hand i do think he should have known better than to think this wouldn't be an added stressor for amy. like, obviously he's aware of her past, and the baggage/trauma she has regarding marriage. he's not adam, of course he's not adam, but who's to say he wouldn't fall into the same rut? he has a string of abandoned jobs behind him, and frankly not a whole lot of prospects. adam has a string of abandoned hobbies. amy's always been the one to take on the role of "adult" and frankly, as much as she (and i) love jonah, the relationship doesn't...look all that different. yes, true love, etc but she has kids and so she has to look at it from a practical as well as a romantic perspective.

the thing is, while he went about it in a way that was a little thoughtless and insane, jonah's also not in the wrong for wanting something more. i mean, the dude is moving across the country for her. they HAVE been together for several years, and they've known each other for several years before that. they are, functionally, a family, so it makes sense that he would want to make that official. and as solid as the relationship is, he just needs to know that she won't pull the rug out from under him suddenly—marriage seems like the most natural way to prove the stability of the relationship and soothe his neuroses. plus, in his mind, there's absolutely no chance he's going to be the one to leave. she's the reason he's stuck around for so many years, after all. but she has no way of fully understanding that without literally being in his head.

seeing him stand up for himself and set that boundary is cathartic. watching amy have to deal with the ultimatum is heartbreaking. marriage means two different things to these characters, and that's what makes the breakup so potent.

#fictionandmusic #also they both acted their ASSES off in this scene ben especially #however again. if they hadn't ended it after s6 it wouldn't have been a satisfying ending for them. the context is essential #.txt #nbc superstore #superstore #jonah x amy #jonah simms #amy sosa

[acourtofthought]

You always have good insight on ACOTAR and I wanted to get your thoughts on something. Sorry if it’s already been answered and I just missed it. Those who hate on Rhys ... The argument is he is always about choice until it comes to Feyre’s pregnancy and him not telling her the dangers of it immediately makes him the worst of men. He also assaulted her UTM.

My thoughts:

On the pregnancy: Was it right to keep it from her? No. However, I didn’t find it malicious nor do I think judging by his character that he would have kept it from her long. He was looking for cure to save her and didn’t want her to panic while he was doing it. We all know Rhys loves Feyre (obviously enough to make that pact) and he made a choice based on his fear of losing her. He lost his family and I think he made a bad decision by not telling her immediately based on that fear. I don’t really count this part of the story as him being morally grey. I just thought it was a poor decision.

On UTM: He drugged and assaulted her? I haven’t read the first book in a while. But from what I remember, he told her she wouldn’t want to remember what happened UTM. He didn’t force it on her and if she pushed back and refused, would he have let it go? I’d like to think so, but maybe I’m being biased in that regard? Now, he did force her to dance while being dressed provocatively. This is where I consider him being morally grey. He didn’t do it out of his own enjoyment, but because he had to keep up the facade of serving Amarantha and being this “scary” high lord that people believed him to be. He did a lot of things to keep up that facade and keep Velaris and his people safe. I think he also said he needed to make Tamlin mad so that when the time came, he could unleash his fury on Amarantha. Everyone was literally captured and kept UTM and no one had hope of ever leaving. So, he did some questionable things in order to take advantage of the opportunity he saw in Feyre. Again, morally grey but I don’t consider it evil. He grabbed and twisted her arm to force her to accept his deal. Yes, he did in order to save her bc she was dying in the cell and wouldn’t accept his help. It wasn’t right, but this in my opinion was the worst of his “evil” ways. Well, that and giving up Clare’s name even though he knew Feyre was lying from the beginning. He did some messed up stuff to keep Amarantha sated and give all of them a chance. I don’t want to excuse those actions necessarily, but I guess my point it, I see why those actions were taken considering the terrible circumstances they were all in. This is also my interpretation of what is written, so I understand that everyone has different interpretations of things… but like I said, you always have good insight.

Thank you for thinking of me! Could he have handled the pregnancy better? Of course. But I think people tend to leave out an important detail. In a normal pregnancy, it is 100% about the woman. But in this case, Rhys's life was in jeopardy too. Do I think that was his focus? On his own life? No but, that's not to say it didn't play a part in his decision making process. If I knew that stressing my partner out could lead to stress and an early delivery which could lead to their death, our child's death, and my own death, I might want to see if I could find a solution before approaching them (which was his plan, he wasn't going to keep her in the dark until the end). This is a strange and complicated situation that no one in the real world would ever face considering males don't usually have anything to do with the pregnancy and delivery (aside from offering emotional support). Did Rhys do terrible things UTM? Yes. Would Rhys have done those things to Feyre if he weren't being held captive by Amarantha? If all their lives weren't at stake? I don't think so. Which is why I don't hate on Tamlin for lying about the treaty and kidnapping Feyre from her home. They were all under attack because of what Amarantha had done and they responded with some shitty actions as a result, because they were all just trying to save their worlds. While UTM, Feyre was their only hope for their freedom. And Rhys did need Feyre not to succumb to depression, illness, fear, etc. So he found a way to avoid those things while also playing the role of the Dark High Lord so as not to draw suspicion. Had he shown Feyre kindness and mercy (even to her when no one was watching) his cover would have been blown. Was Feyre a pawn to both Tamlin and Rhys at times? Yes. Was that fair? No. But again, when your at war there really are no good decisions and just as Tamlin kidnapping Feyre made him feel sick, Rhys doing what he had to do made him also feel sick. What matters most is how they treated Feyre once the threat of Amarantha was no longer driving their decisions. And the fandom can go back and forth until they're blue in the face over how good or terrible Rhys was and while debate is fine, it really doesn't matter what our take on it is. Because this is not our story and we are not the ones dictating what is acceptable behavior. SJM is the one telling us, "what this character did was wrong and what this character did is supposed to be forgiven because of "reasons". Someone can dislike it, they can say why her take on it bothers them. But it doesn't change that she wrote the rules and we don't get to decide that Rhys should be as hated as Tamlin in this fantasy world. Like it or not, this is Feyre's story and in her story, Tamlin was her abuser and the things Rhys did were understandable and a lot of readers are simply accepting that SJM decided this is how the story would go. Again, someone can say, "well I wouldn't look at it like that!" and that's fine because we'd all handle things differently in our own lives. But what makes no sense is saying, "how dare Feyre be fine with Rhys but claim Tamlin is the bad guy!" Like it or not, that is the story we got and that is how SJM wanted these characters to be written. It's only one perspective, sure. But in Feyre's story, her perspective about her love interest and what she's willing to forgive is the only one who matters.

#feysand #pro feysand #rhysand acotar #pro rhysand #ask and answer