#not to mention how much it doesn’t make sense depending on how your love interest looks

[solarpunkani]

I think one thing that would be nice to see explored a bit more in Solarpunk art/aesthetic posts is how Solarpunk will likely look different depending on where you are, what’s feasible in that area, weather patterns, etc.

Like its almost 5am so I’m gonna be rambly but like. A lot of the most common features of Solarpunk art so far are a bit of an art-noveau type look, with lots of stained glass. Heavy emphasis on solar power and windpower and trees. In no way, shape, or form am I going to pretend this is BAD! I love this look, I think its great and inspiring and I love the color green I just.

Maybe Solarpunk doesn’t mean ‘green’ for everyone everywhere. Solarpunk might be more… yellows, and reds, and oranges. If you live in a desert, where there aren’t a lot of trees. I’m thinking places like Arizona, New Mexico, Niger, Chad, Libya. What would solarpunk fashion look like in these places—I feel like embroidered jean overalls won’t be common here. Traditional wear from these places is GORGEOUS, and I’d love to see more of a highlight on it and these biomes in Solarpunk. What would the housing look like—how would you keep cool indoors and out? I’ve seen a few ideas put into practice, but what would you dream up? How would you make them fun?

Similarly, how about coastal communities? Sure there’d be lots of green—but green may stand for seaweed just as much as it would trees. Not to mention the vibrant blues of the sky and seas, and the rainbow of colors from coral and seashells and glittering scales. What would a solarpunk community look like along the coasts of places like Florida, Hawaii, Jamaica, etc.? How are some of these places already Solarpunk? Wind and solar power could be an option, but we can also use hydropower as well—what would a solarpunk hydropower system look like in your wildest dreams? Fish-shaped spinning turbines underwater, swimming like sharks? Would houses float and bob along the water? How would gardening be handled with mostly salt water around—rain water capture would be critical, I feel—or desalination of small amounts of salt water. What would the fashion look like HERE? What does it look like already?

What does solarpunk look like in snowy places—like Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Russia? When green comes around in spring and summer, but fall and winter brings expanses of snow and ice? Solarpunk fashion here would be a LOT cozier than the solarpunk fashion on a Florida beach. I’m imagining lots of furs and layers. How would traditional practices be used to stay safe and warm, how would energy be captured and stored during long and dark winters? Would communities here be more nomadic, traveling further south during the coldest months, or would they stay where they are and construct homes that easily stay warm with little output?

Its actively 5am now so if I don’t make sense by all means. I guess I don’t make sense. But this has been on my mind for a few days now and I guess as we get closer to Solarpunk Aesthetic Week, this can be a fun and interesting thing to keep in mind! Let this inspire your art, your music, your fashion, your stories, your musing, and how you reach out to others about the ideals of Solarpunk.

#out of queue #solarpunk #solarpunk aesthetic week #solarpunk fashion #solarpunk world #solarpunk aesthetic #ani rambles #mmmm idk if I’ll DELETE this later but I might edit for clarity when its not 5 the fuck am

[another-lost-mc]

Blasphemy

When you pray to him, it's not forgiveness you're asking for.

MICHAEL x gn!Reader 1.8k words | NSFW | Obsession | Sexual Themes Content Warnings: Obsessive thoughts, invasion of privacy, suggestive themes and some sexual content. A/N: Read the sequel here.

It starts when Simeon gives you the lost Ring of Light.

You think it’s a dream at first, the blinding golden-white light that overwhelms your senses. Suddenly a man’s voice, clear as if he was at your side, speaks to you and offers his blessing and good luck. The demon brothers panic later about seeing light from the Celestial Realm spill from your room, and you freeze when you realize the person you spoke to must’ve been Michael himself.

You tell yourself it’s simple curiosity that motivates you to learn more about him. The very mention of Michael’s name brings up so many varied, intense reactions depending on who you talk to. You speak to the angels first. Luke admires him wholeheartedly, but Simeon’s forced smile and carefully guarded answers to the questions you ask make you feel guilty.

It’s more complicated talking to the demons about him. Sometimes, they say his name with cloudy expressions and pursed lips like they just bit into something sour. Other times, they look far-away and try not to smile when they reminisce about events that happened long ago.

Mammon complains to you about Michael’s no-nonsense approach to work and discipline, and Asmodeus tells you some abstract memory about Michael while he paints your nails. He sounds nostalgic when he mentions all the ways Lucifer and Michael are similar, and the ways they’re also completely different.

Lucifer doesn’t talk about Michael very much, but he’ll usually answer your questions so long as they’re vague and not too prying. When he speaks about Michael, he wears the frown of someone that remembers hurting and being hurt by someone he loved, but it was so long ago the pain is a dull throb he can ignore.

No matter what the angels or demons tell you, you can't shake your interest in the archangel that is admired and feared in equal measure. Curiosity turns to fascination, and you feel some ravenous need to learn more. The things you’ve learned about him so far - the awe-inspiring feats, the high expectations he puts on those serving him, the cruel punishments for those who fail him - scare you and captivate you.

You spend more time with Luke who shares his memories of Michael so easily. It’s no wonder Luke enjoys baking so much - he tells you about Michael’s sweet tooth, the things Michael particularly likes to eat and drink the most, and Luke even offers to make some Celestial Realm desserts for you to try. When you eat them, you pretend it brings you closer to him, like you share something in common.

One day when you visit Luke at Purgatory Hall, he casually mentions getting a message from Michael and you nearly choke on your tea. He keeps talking about whatever task he’s been assigned, but your mind is racing. How did you not think of this sooner?

“I forgot my D.D.D. at the House of Lamentation, can I borrow yours?” The lie rolls off your tongue easily and Luke eagerly hands you his device without a second thought. When he runs off to the kitchen to check on lunch, you immediately pull up his chat history with Michael. You don’t have time to read everything properly, so you take as many screenshots of their conversations as you can, and you send them to yourself. When you’re finished, you close the chat app and head to the kitchen to help Luke.

Later that evening, you read and re-read the message history between Luke and Michael. You smile when you read about Luke’s versions of events in the Devildom, often skewed to make the demons look worse than they (usually) are. You’re touched by the way Michael seems to genuinely care for the young angel too. He responds to Luke’s messages with enthusiastic encouragement or gentle reminders to show his demon hosts grace and patience. 

Your eyes widen comically when you come across your name during one of their older conversations, and you feel your cheeks grow warm when you realize they were talking about you.

Luke: They’re so nice! They told me about some human world desserts that sound amazing. I’m going to ask them to teach me one day, if I can get the ingredients.

Michael: They sound like a wonderful friend to you.

Luke: I wish you could meet them!

Michael: Perhaps one day I will.

Those seemingly innocent words shouldn’t have this sort of impact on you. The logical part of your mind knows Michael is probably humoring Luke, grateful that he’s found a friend in the Devildom and happy to see that you’re a positive influence on him. The desperate part of your mind, the one that fixates on those words, reads them almost like a promise. One day you'll be able to see him in person, or perhaps even touch him if you’re brave enough. 

Their conversation lingers in your mind for the next several days, and you can't stop fantasizing about what meeting Michael might be like. The first meetings that you dream about skirt the line of innocent curiosity and unashamed blasphemy. One morning you wake up with your hand between your legs and the name of a faceless angel on your lips when you come. The memory of his voice rings in your ears and you still want more. You’re not sure what it says about you that you don’t feel ashamed at all.

You grow bored of re-reading the same juvenile conversations between Luke and Michael, and you turn your sights to accessing Simeon’s D.D.D. next. Simeon is older than Luke and you know his relationship with Michael is more complicated. You’re not sure if it’ll be as easy to get access to his phone, but fate is on your side.

The next time you visit Purgatory Hall, Simeon comes to see you and Luke in the kitchen. He looks a bit embarrassed and he’s scratching the back of his head while he holds his phone out to you.

“If you’re not busy, do you mind helping me with this?” he asks you a bit sheepishly.

You have to remind yourself not to be too eager when he hands over his device. “Of course! It’s not a problem at all. If you want to finish helping Luke, I can see what the problem is.”

You leave the two angels in the kitchen and retreat to the living room. The problem is obvious - the screen lighting is so dim it’s hard to read, and somehow Simeon changed the default language to some sort of demonic script neither of you understand. They’re both easy things to fix, and that leaves you with a few spare minutes to check his message history.

As you suspected, his conversations with Michael are more mature. They’re less focused on the daily sights that Luke is amazed by, focusing instead on Devildom life and politics. Michael is curious about Diavolo and his fallen brothers most of all. He asks pointed questions and makes subtle comments that seem purposeful if you read between the lines.

One of the more recent conversations he and Simeon had seems serious. You had no idea that Simeon stole the ring he gave you. It’s always difficult to read tone through words alone, but even you can decipher the undercurrent of disappointment and anger in Michael’s messages.

You understand now, with more clarity than ever, that Michael is intelligent, cunning, and should not be crossed. This realization should frighten you and put a quick end to your silly little crush. However, the temptation of forbidden fruit is too much for you to resist, and this knowledge fuels your fascination instead.

When you’re alone in bed at night, you give up all pretenses and surrender to lustful urges. Your thoughts of the mysterious archangel are steeped in lust. You remember the rumbling sound of his voice in your mind, and you can still feel the warmth of the Celestial Realm’s light. If he were to put his hands on you, would he feel that warm too?

It’s so easy to give into the fantasy that it’s his hands moving between your thighs while you touch yourself. You imagine returning to the Celestial Realm and finally meeting him in-person. You picture him towering over you, the embodiment of grace and power and absolute authority. You wonder what you might have to say or do to tempt him.

Thoughts of him - dark, depraved, delightfully sinful thoughts - are enough to push you over the edge while you stroke yourself beneath your sheets. You come once, then again not long after, riding the high of sin and corruption. You try to stop the whimpers and moans that threaten to spill from your lips. Breathy whispers that sound suspiciously like his name break the silence of your room, hushed secrets for your ears alone.

You’re still panting lightly, mind foggy from the pleasurable daze of your last orgasm, when your D.D.D. vibrates on the nightstand next to your bed. It’s an automatic response when you reach for it - with your clean hand, the one that isn’t saturated by the scent of your arousal - and mumble a quiet greeting when you answer. It wouldn’t be the first time one of the demon brothers got himself locked out of the house after partying all night.

“Did you think I would ignore your filthy prayers forever?” the smooth voice on the other line asks you.

Michael. You recognize who it is instantly and sit up in bed.

“Wait, how did you—?” you ask nervously, because how the hell did he get your number?

“You’re not the only one Luke trusts with his belongings,” Michael says knowingly, with a hint of amusement.

Oh no. Has he been watching you this whole time, waiting for your most vulnerable moment to surprise you like this? What does he know? What has he seen, or heard?

You’re completely unprepared for this conversation because he's rendered you speechless. Your mouth opens and closes uselessly while you try to think of something to say. What can you say? You’re excited and embarrassed, and your body warms up suddenly, like it’s on fire. 

He chuckles quietly, like he predicted this reaction from you. Your silence speaks volumes, and you realize you don’t need to say a word for him to understand you perfectly.

“Humans are such fascinating creatures,” Michael’s voice drawls, low and intimate in your ear.

You whimper and try to clamp a hand over your mouth to muffle the noise, but it's too late. He chuckles again and he sounds far too pleased with himself. "You were intriguing before, but not many are able to surprise me the way that you have. Perhaps you deserve a reward for your efforts.”

You can’t help but shudder from the lust simmering deep within your belly. Is he trying to sound seductive on purpose? You don’t know and it’s impossible to tell.

It seems like he can read your thoughts because he hums approvingly. “Yes, I think a proper meeting is in order, don’t you agree?”

He doesn’t wait for your answer, and before you can attempt to speak again, the line goes dead.

#series: divine revelations #obey me michael #obey me michael x reader #michael x reader #obey me x reader #omswd x reader #obey me michael smut #obey me smut #omswd smut #obey me michael x mc #michael x mc #obey me michael x you #michael x you #obey me fanfic #x reader #gn!reader

[nightlilly0110]

There’s probably a million and one posts about Joker and Akechi being each other’s opposites or being the same once you get down to it (neglected kid, wanting to find recognition and purpose, etc.) but I’d like to talk about their views on food.

Akechi runs a food blog, as mentioned in Mementos Mission. He reviews places. Stuff like that, although while they do have a lot of fluff in them, are generally analytical in that it’s dissecting the food in regard to why it’s good and why you should try it. Considering the nature of it, it’s probably also meant to be an extension of his Detective Prince shtick, so whether or not he actually enjoys doing this is up in the air.

Then on the flip side, we have Joker who lives above a cafe. His guardian teaches him how to make coffee and curry, which he then can make as he pleases and serve to his friends. Like Akechi, you do get the prompts of what types of coffee are good or what ingredients go into curry to get specific flavours (much like a food blog would note), but unlike Akechi there’s a more personal connection to it as Sojiro teaches him.

Food in Persona 5 is a love language. Joker makes food for his friends. Sojiro makes Wakaba’s curry recipe for the shop and makes her favourite coffee on the anniversary of her death. The Thieves go out to celebrate a change of heart by having an outing. You both unlock Ryuji’s confidant and turn it into a blood oath while you’re out for food. Food literally heals you and regenerates your stamina in this game. Food is important.

Joker embraces the idea of food being important. The game takes time to educate you the player on little tidbits about the food he makes. It takes care into the segments you spend making Joker make food, again hitting you over the head with the fact that it’s important. So it’s kinda neat that you have Joker taking a very enthusiastic approach to food vs Akechi having a very sterile, clinical view of it - something meant for appearance and popularity only. Not bashing on food blogs, but in the context of the game, Akechi does not approach food in the same way Joker does. He’s distant from it, detached from it. We don’t have the sort of insight of Akechi that we do for Joker, but we can infer that he doesn’t have the same sense of emotional intelligence around it. And it fits his character, too. He’s had no one to take care of him in a long time and no one that depends on him. He doesn’t have a Sojiro to help teach him how to cook, and no one to share the benefits of it with.

I just find it interesting how even little details that aren’t even in the game add to how different these two are.

#crow grumbles #character analysis #persona 5 #goro akechi #persona 5 protagonist #akira kurusu #ren amamiya #shuake #akeshu

[lemongrass-and-peppermint]

Semi-Realistic Simon “Ghost” Riley Romance Headcanons!

Only semi-realistic because I'm delusional about this man

TW: mentions of angst, drugs, violence

Doesn’t go out looking for romance or dates—you’re most likely to meet him at a pub (the other TF141 boys will introduce you) or at a gym ( probably will only talk to you if you need help with some equipment).

I headcanon the man to be on the aroace spectrum in the sense that he just has no interest in either romance or sex whatsoever until he actually Meets someone. Like he can feel attraction but doesn’t pursue that at all.

And then even if he does fall in love he will not take initiative bc he’s genuinely fine just being friends.

If you wanna date this man then you need to take all the initiative, both romantically and sexually.

He won’t be completely cold though! Will initiate physical touch and affection all on his own. Depending on your size, he will either sling an arm around your shoulders or your lower back, likes to hold your hand.

Won’t be as touchy in public as at home but he will tolerate pretty much any touch from you! Doesn’t get embarrassed easily so if you start dancing in the streets he’ll mostly just keep watch to make sure nobody walks into you or you don’t trip. Will let you use him as a dancing partner even if he’s as still as a pole.

I think he gravitates to people that are both strong physically to some degree and also traumatized or a little fucked up. He might not know abt any of that for sure when u meet but he has a sixth sense for these things.

Regardless, he will make sure you know how to take care of yourself. Marksmanship training and workouts incoming, plus self-defense classes. It is a must, especially if you’re a woman or otherwise fem-presenting/visibly queer/vulnerable.

If you use mobility aids, he might get a *bit* overprotective of them and you. Will be grabby with wheelchairs until it is sternly explained to him to Not Do That. It makes him feel better when he can help you, but he understands and respects your independence!

If anything happens that will cause you to need mobility aids (such as a car accident or physical illness) this man’s taking a long ass leave and staying with you to help you out. He probably knows of some retired military men with mobility aids and assistance needs and will contact them to get a better idea of how to help you.

I see him as someone who likes to work with his hands so I can imagine him straight up building you mobility aids or wheelchairs and walkers and stuff like that. It might take him a couple of attempts until he makes something serviceable but he’d get there.

He is generally extremely calm, naturally just quiet. Still very much a family man (have you seen how he’s with his family in the comics????). He’s very soft, likes to be helpful and take charge of the household like a housewife more than ‘head of the family’ (you're most likely to be the 'top' here).

Will request control of finances if you’re a spender. Might forcibly take control over finances if you're really shit at them.

As calm as he is though, he is still a military man, and they are statistically likely to be… less than stellar partners. Ghost is never violent and if he gets mad he prefers to leave the house, put some distance between the two of you to calm down.

He will be especially prone to disappearing while mad/upset if you’re a woman/fem-leaning, because due to his upbringing he struggles with intrusive thoughts of violence towards women.

If you are the type to throw things, hit things, or degrade/insult him during arguments, he is permanently leaving and not coming back. No amount of apologizing is going to change that decision. He has self-respect and will not stand being abused or mistreated like that. His feelings for you disappear into thin air if you’re that type of angry person.

His toxicity would mostly come from him being emotionally unavailable and thus neglectful. He just has a hard time understanding how some actions come off. Will need long, mature conversations about it that will be difficult for both sides to get things settled here. Willing to hear and understand and change though! But you’d have to give him very clear instructions and behaviors to model.

Ghost’s brother, Tommy (rip), was addicted to drugs and almost died because of them, was quite the piece of shit—which Ghost rectified by forcing him into sobriety and getting him a wife. As such, Ghost hates drugs because he knows what they can do, and doesn’t partake in any. Even medical drugs, especially ones for depression (which he should be taking) are pushing it for him.

However, if he ever starts spiralling—which is rare but can happen—he goes for them real quick. Like, he jumps off the deep end. The spirals very often lead towards suicidal ideation and within a day he can go from “doesn’t even look at drugs” to overdosing on heroin.

Will be in a horribly fragile state for at least a week afterwards. Will need a lot of care and comfort to stay in a relationship (especially after the first time he spirals with you present), cause he’s still eye-deep in self-hatred and needs help to see past it. Grows extra clingy in that period if he has been Convinced. Like, hands on you all the time, following you to every room. He almost lost this??? Let him appreciate it now that he can do it again.

He’s gonna need some time to return to himself. Especially if he was in a hospital. He hates that place.

Will go to therapy but is not happy about it. If you’ve been together long, he might request that you come with him but listen to music so you can’t actually hear anything—he just wants to hold you like a stress ball.

Will melt if you go out of your way to do romantic gestures. He doesn’t do these often himself—at least not the stereotypical ones like flowers—but if you do it for him??? He might not show it with much enthusiasm, but he grows very quiet and soft and smiley, obsesses over the gift for as long as it lasts and needs to stay close to you for a while after. It’s a very small joy but it is marrow-deep and warm, soothing and comforting.

Overall I hc him as being very reserved emotionally but a pretty good boyfriend! If you have rejection sensitive dysphoria I can imagine you going thru the trenches with this man tho—curse his lack of facial expressions ToT

#simon ghost riley #call of duty #cod x reader #cod headcanons #simon riley x reader

[deadlynavigation]

Hello again! how are you? I hope your well, I wanted to give you another request about Male Wednesday, if it's not too much to ask, can you make an NSFW alphabet and an scenario (nsfw too) for Male Wednesday? I hope my order doesn't bother you or be strange... I'll wait for you!

NSFW Alphabet: W.A.

Warnings: mentions of: smut, obviously. knives to the throat, choking, necks snapping, temp play, blindfolds, graves, limping, edging, basically Wednesday Addams.

Author’s Note: thank you for the request babe! and your patience 😭 this is my halloween treat for you guys, hope yall enjoy. i was also thinking of adding a taglist- would anyone be interested in that? lmk

Wednesday is once again aged up, same as previous fics if not a little older.

Navigation

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Wednesday would be pretty standoffish after sex. He’s new to the whole emotional intimacy thing, and it’s going to take a couple tries before he perfects it. After a few minutes of brooding, though, he’ll shower you in affection. Baths, massages, kisses, whatever you want from him. Princess treatment.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

His neck is by far his favorite part of himself. He’s not a vain person - he has better things to focus on. But he is in shape and dammit if his neck doesn’t clearly display that. Wednesday loves how his neck could end his life at any moment, especially when you choke him.

On you, your legs are by far his favorite. They’re absolutely beautiful. He can drag his hands up your leg and feel the goosebumps form, your breath hitching.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Inside or on your stomach. There’s no in-between. He likes the feeling of marking his territory, even though he belongs to you more than you could ever belong to him. The feeling of total connection is nice too. And if he finishes on your stomach, he loves to look down at the reminder of what you do to him.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Hold a knife to his neck. Do it. This man will get so turned on. The fact that he’s with such a deadly woman? Who’s not afraid to handle a weapon? In the bedroom? Wednesday could cum with that knowledge alone.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Wednesday is kind of experienced. He was socially awkward as a teen and into young adulthood, so he missed out on a lot of opportunities. But as an adult, he built up his portfolio enough to know how to make you see stars.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

There are only a couple positions Wednesday isn’t okay with - if you bring a new one up, he’s mostly down to do it. He does have preferences, though. You riding him will never get old. He has the perfect view from below, taking in every expression and sigh. It also takes any expectations off of him, leaving the bulk of the work for someone else. Don’t worry, he’ll make it up to you later 😏

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Wednesday isn’t a fan of humor in daily life, and you can bet that translates into the bedroom. He doesn’t lack all sense of emotion, though. He transforms into a simp in every sense of the word once his back hits the bedsheets, making comments every so often simply to bring a smile to your face. Overall very serious.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

He’s not just rich, he’s hygenic. Wednesday definitely has a studio booked at least twice a month for simple care down there, just to keep everything in check. He knows you love his cleanliness too, so he keeps it up.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

It depends on the day. If Wednesday had gotten off from a long day of work and is in a bad mood, it’s fast and aggressive and not intimate in the least. But if he’s content with the day and in a somewhat calm mood, you’d best believe his eyes will make you melt in the middle of getting eaten out.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Wednesday prefers not to. Why would he when there are so many other things to do? But if he’s feeling really desperate, or if you’ve been on a trip for the past couple days, he’ll bang out a quickie just to relieve the tension. It doesn’t mean anything if you aren’t there, in his opinion.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

We’ve already talked about the knives, but that’s just scraping the surface. He’d be into temperature play, especially with half-melted candles, enjoying the way you recoil ever so slightly before arching into the warmth. The blindfold would be a big hit too, a mockup of a silent grave.

L = Location (favorite places to do the dirty)

The bedroom is the preferred area for him, but he’s more than willing to change it up. Has done and will do it in the graveyard for some adventure, but a dark bathtub is an instant spark of intimacy for him.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

If you pick up any weapon whatsoever and show that you know your way around it, he’s bricked. Your body draped in lingerie is a turn on too - he appreciates fine craftsmanship.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Any sort of sharing is a no. You are his, and he is yours, and to him, that is sacred.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Wednesday is a giver in every sense of the word. He loves looking up at you from between your thighs, letting out a slow moan and watching you squirm. He doesn’t really go for receiving, but if you’re offering, he won’t refuse.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Again, depends on your moods. A bad mood generally means a quick release of rage, and a good mood means slow, peaceful lovemaking. He’s down to switch it up depending on what you’re both looking for that day though.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

He loves them - they serve their purpose well enough. Wednesday likes to take his time with you, but he’ll never say no to having you.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Sometimes he’s open to taking risks, but not often. He tends to stick to the classics, what he knows works. He wants to please and be pleased, and anything that comes in the way of that (like a failed risk) is merely a disposable burden.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Wednesday is the type of man to have so much control over his stamina that it makes you question his mental state. Seriously, if he has his way with you, you won’t be able to walk for days because of the sheer amount of rounds he carries you through. He likes having that control over himself, and isn’t afraid to use it to the fullest.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Nope. Toys are something he avoids; they just aren’t appealing to him. You’re more than enough for him, and he makes that known every time you bring it up.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Teasing is popular with you guys. Especially if either one has provoked the other. You flirted with someone else, and checked to make sure he was watching? You playfully avoided him, only sparing light touches to his chest? He can and will drag one singular orgasm out for hours.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Wednesday isn’t afraid to express himself, and this shows in bed. Soft moans will fall from his lips, as well as slurred words of encouragement. He doesn’t see a reason to hide the enjoyment that you caused.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

“Proud of yourself?” You call over your shoulder as you limp towards the closet.

“Very,” Wednesday replies as he watches early morning light paint your body. He’s relaxed against the bed frame, a smirk slightly tilting his swollen lips.

“Wednesday.” You reply sternly. There’s no way you’re getting dressed for the day with what your lover did to you last night; at least, not without help.

“I’m coming, cara mia.” Wednesday chuckles as he lifts himself from the bed and towards where you have parked yourself. He leans down to you, his mouth positioned just over your ears. “Where do you need me?”

Your heart stutters, his voice echoing in your mind. God, how you want this man. “Too early for seduction. I need a shirt.” You mumble before you end up even more sore than you already are.

Wednesday laughs softly before grabbing your waist and guiding you back to the bed. “I beg to differ, dove.”

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Wednesday is packing. Full-on, grazing your cervix, causing a little bump in your belly, rendering your legs useless. You almost fainted the first time you saw his cock, to be completely honest. He knows exactly how big he is and how that affects you, too, and that’s the infuriating part: he knows exactly what to say about it to get you worked up.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Normally, his drive is pretty average. But whenever you are around him, his drive peaks, and he is desperate for you whenever you want to have him. He can hold his ground though and pretend he has no interest in having sex if he wants to tease, though.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards

Wednesday wouldn’t even think about sleeping before you’re taken care of and drifting off. But after that, he’s out like a light. The physical exertion and emotional intimacy exhausts him, but once he’s gotten a good amount of sleep and a wake-up call with your kisses, he’s ready to do it all over again.

#male wednesday addams x reader #wednesday addams #male!wednesday addams x reader #wednesday x reader #the addams family x reader #wednesday x you #male!wednesday addams #wednesday addams x reader #male wednesday x y/n

[thewertsearch]

Second part of the giga-ask compilation!

@publicuniversalworstie asked: Why assume the Horrorterrors would know that changing events would create a doomed timeline? That assumes both A) that the horrorterrors know the future and B) that they don't think it can really be changed. Maybe they genuinely thought they could change things, such as by perhaps fulfilling all the requisite loops a different way? Imagine a scenario where a time traveler learns of their death, therefore being destined to die, and instead fake their death to create the conditions under which they learned of the death originally.

It's possible. But if the Horrorterrors do have a way to trick the Alpha Timeline like that, then they've really been holding out on us by not mentioning it to the Players. Such a revelation would completely change the game - we might even be able to fake the Earth's death.

Anonymous asked: i want to learn more about coding to analyze homestuck better - do you have a place i could start? resources? idk love the liveblog hope you're doin well :]

Absolutely! I've got two separate answers for you, depending on what your goal is here.

If your main goal is just to analyse Homestuck, then you’re probably best off picking a language whose syntax is easy to understand, such as Python. You'll pick up on the basic logic pretty quickly, and the ~ATH snippets will start to make a lot more sense.

If you’re actually interested in programming for its own sake, then I recommend you start with my own first language, C. It’s a lot harder for a newbie to get to grips with, but doing so will give you a much more solid theoretical foundation then ostensibly ‘easier’ languages.

W3schools is a decent starting resource for both languages - but if you need more specific guidance, let me know, and I'd be happy to help!

@skelekingfeddy asked: actually grubmom having the same color wires as in that pic of sahlee wasnt intentional! i based it on how sollux’s game grubs have red and blue wires attached to them

Serendipity!

Anonymous asked: Did you run any mysterious ~ath programs on that computer of yours?

Honestly, running ATH on that thing would probably have improved it.

Anonymous asked: One voice headcanon I have for Terezi is the English dub of Power from Chainsaw man

Honestly, she sounds pretty much exactly how I imagine Terezi does. She even has the horns!

@martinkhall asked: I'm surprised none of the suggested instruments for a time player were an ocarina.

Some fruit is just too low-hanging.

@delicate-ruins asked: what's an animal you like that you think doesn't show up very much in media, be it fiction or news or just generally? example: i like secretary birds. but except for videos about them, i have never heard them references.

They're not obscure, per se, but there will never be enough sloths in media. The only fictional sloth of note is Sid from Ice Age – and he does not do them justice.

Capybaras are also underrated as hell – so much so that LibreOffice, which I'm using to edit this compilation, doesn’t even recognize the word as real!

Anonymous asked: “I’m trying to figure out if it’s fully a Breath outfit, or if there’s some Heir stuff too.” the general rule for god tier outfits is that the colors and symbol represent the aspect, the clothes represent the class. so, for example, if two princes of different aspects ascended, their clothing style would be the same but they would a have different color scheme. @skaiandestiny asked: If you haven't already figured it out, class informs the godtier outfit and aspect informs the colors and icon!

In that case, there is something about John’s outfit that says ‘heir’ – but nothing really stands out to me.

@driventopoison asked: Hey, I don't know if it's just me but it seems like you've skipped ahead. I have been following your liveblog daily, but I haven't seen you come across the windy thing yet. Is this because you were using the app or something? Also just want to let you know that I love your liveblog. Keep up the good work!

Thank you! Anyway, John’s Windy Thing is indeed documented on the liveblog, and it’s visible to me. I was using the app for some of that segment, though – are app-made posts particularly buggy?

@classpecting-guide-official asked: story about a modded game of sburb where the characters notice that something isn't right and slowly realize that their world is a lie

Back in Act 1, this is pretty much what I thought was happening. It was a simpler time.

@ignis-cain asked: Note the colors the capslock flashes for WV.

When WV locks his capsule, the button’s light flashes red and green – but I’m not sure what the significance of these colors is, in this situation.

Anonymous asked: i know i'm SUPER late to answer this, but i think the instantiation thing is the same as any video game, newly made with a prebaked history. when you name your character, that has been their name for their whole life, even though you thought it up a few seconds ago. when you enter the medium, the planet has a history and the denizens have memories, even though they just showed up when you entered.

Yeah, I’m pretty sure this is indeed what’s going on. The implications are just a lot more wild when the game is physically real, rather than virtual!

@kintatsu asked: So, I know I'm a little late to the party, but I have to point out: Alternian sunlight doesn't need to be THAT much stronger than Earth's to blind Terezi as quickly as it did. Trolls are nocturnal, which means they almost definitely have a tapetum lucidum (eyeshine membrane), which means that however much light entered Terezi's eyeballs? Her retinas were blasted by every photon twice.

Damn, Vriska. For a second, I thought this ask was explaining why Terezi wasn't in as much pain as I'd thought - but this alternate explanation might actually be worse than what I was picturing!

@delicate-ruins asked: It's delightful to see somebody read Homestuck and be as charmed by it as I and a lot of my friends were way back when we first read it, and the calm, digesting pace at which you're enjoying it is honestly so nice. I rushed way too much to catch up since my friends recommended it in about 2016, which means I went from knowing nothing about the comic to being caught up on it in like a week. I never sat down with the ideas and thought "hey, does this mean XYZ?" because quite often I got the answer five seconds later as I rushed to catch up. But seeing you asking those questions is so so fun. Yeah, DOES it mean that?? Guess we'll find out! In the meantime, we get to guess, which means we basically get to have fun twice. It's reigniting my enjoyment of homestuck quite significantly, I think!

Thank you! It’s really nice to be able to engage in a dialogue about the comic through these asks, which is something that wouldn't be possible if I was speeding through it. As I always say, I'm here for a good time and a long time.

@manorinthewoods asked: Alright, here's another transtimeline fun fact. Each of the kids was supposed to have a Quest related to their associated material - John had a land covered in oil, Rose's ocean was polluted with chalk, the gears of LOHAC were gummed by amber, and LOFAF was in a nuclear winter. Ultimately, while the ocean of LOLAR is still chalky, nothing but John's oil made the cut. ~LOSS (16/5/23)

I think it was a good change, then. Not everything has to be a pattern, and Dave's two weird maybe-quests are a lot more unique and interesting than a generic 'materials quest'.

@captorations asked: oh hey, this walkaround! so funny story, i used to run a blog where i posted one of terezi’s canon appearances each day, in order. yes, i completed my task, and more besides. however! when i was wandering through this as terezi, a glitch rendered me trapped. i decided that this counted as a noteworthy appearance, and took a screenshot. then, by sheer coincidence, it ended up being posted on… halloween. it was pretty great (also don’t forget to check out ctrl + t)

You accessed the double-secret version of Past Karkat: Wake Up, which plays the Earthbound Halloween Hack version of Megalovania rather than the Homestuck one.

Anonymous asked: Personally, I think John gaining so many levels so quickly is tied to his role as the heir - he gains so many levels without really trying, not because he's better than the trolls or his friends, but because he just kind of falls into it. The game rewards him for taking the path of least resistance.

That certainly makes sense if we just look at John - but I have trouble reconciling this interpretation with our other Heir. Equius certainly has some advantages, but they aren't exactly unique to him, as you'd expect them to be if his Heir class was responsible for them.

Yes, he's a highblood, but he's outranked by three non-Heirs - and his strength doesn't seem to be unique either, as Feferi seems capable of similar feats. Perhaps Equius will trip and fall into more unique privilege, but it hasn't happened yet.

Anonymous asked: my personal headcanons for midnight crew claspects: Slick - Prince of Blood, Droog - Mage of Space, Boxcars - Knight of Heart, Deuce - Bard of Doom. knowing you youre probably gonna attempt to analyse these LOL

Slick has had ties to Blood since he first met Karkat, so that tracks - and Boxcars is a shipper, so Nepeta's aspect is probably the best fit for now. I'm not sure about the other two, but I'll revisit them later!

#asks #full liveblog #act 5.2

[lowkeyclowning]

Slashers reacting to the reader high/having a stoner partner

warnings: smoking, drugs, brief mentions of nsfw and torturing

I hope this is satisfactory, I haven’t written anything or gotten caught up with most of these characters in a while 😭😭

Chromeskull (Jesse Cromeans)

- he’s driven by your state, how expressive you are, and overall just how impressionable you become. He loves the control he has on you.

- He’d be a junky for it, if you were the kind of person to enjoy that he craves it; he’d take full advantage of that. Going out of his way to fulfill your desires and keep you relying on him.

- He’d buy more for you. Anything you like: edibles, pens, blunts, bongs, etc. As long as you pay him back in a way of his liking he doesn’t mind.

- He would get high with you depending on where you stand to him, if you were seen as his victim/obsession/infatuation he likely wouldn’t. He finds it so much more intoxicating to watch you come undone. If you were seen as a friend or coworker he might consider if you catch him in a good mood, about 75% he agrees

The Collector (Asa Emory)

- He is entertained to say the least, though his amusement comes with a sick twist of curiosity. He wants to see how your mind and body react to intense things under this state. He wants to see how quick you twist and squirm; You’d give in so fast, you’d be so easy to take.. that has his attention.

- He is going to toy with you if you’re his un-collected victim, such as standing in the corner of your room and watching to see how long you take to notice him and how you respond, only then would he decide what to do with you.

- Other than that he doesn’t all the much care for it specifically, it’s just a tool, a weak one at that. He would much rather observe harder drugs work their effect and build off that.

- He wouldn’t get high with anyone regardless of closeness. He’d never willingly be caught with his guard down like that.

Bo Sinclair

- Oh honey, he’s all over this. He is ecstatic to watch you during your highs, he loves to play around with you and make you laugh. Hearing the impact of his charisma through your high drives him crazy.

- He is very playful with you already, when you’re high he can’t stop himself from “accidentally” scaring you or telling dumb jokes that send you laughing so hard you have to hold onto him to prevent yourself from toppling over.

- Play fighting and bickering with you is another way he gets his entertainment, the way you struggle to make sense is pure gold in his opinion.

- He’d absolutely get high with you, he might even be the one to suggest it in the first place. Watching him unfold is euphoric. He gets clingy when he hits that peak. With that, intimacy is usually always the result. Keeping your hands off each other would be an obstacle among itself

Vincent Sinclair

- He doesn’t mind too much, though he is entranced by your behavior. Often caught staring and watching you, but he does that regardless of your high. He loves looking at you. You are his muse, his gaze can’t help but drift towards you.

- He is reliable to be around, he’s quiet and usually doing his own thing. If he gets this rush of infatuation towards you he may drift closer for a look, but other than that he tends to keep to himself.

- He’d prefer not to get high, it isn’t in his greatest interest. He���d much rather spectate and keep out of the way.

Ghostface (Stu Macher)

- He likely is a supplier or knows the best, as well as someone that is always ready to drop everything to smoke a bit.

- He might jokingly pout that you were smoking without him if he found you alone.

- Sometimes you’ll lay there with him listening to music, talking and laughing about funny things he said or some weird dream you had two or three nights ago.

- There’d never be a dull moment smoking with him, one moment you could be laying on a couch and the next you’re on your way to a gas station getting a ridiculous amount of food because he got the munchies and refused to go alone.

- 10/10 would love to smoke with him

Bubba Sawyer

- He wouldn’t really catch on to what was happening with you at first. He doesn’t have tons of experience with being taught to feel any sort’ve way towards the substance but he may express curiosity or worry for your odd behavior. You’d definitely need explaining to avoid possible worries.

- He is good support to be around when you are high, minding his own business for the most part. He’d curiously come over to you every now and again for attention plus the reassurance that you’re alright.

- I can’t see him taking his own high good, much less smoking, but he’ll blindly follow you into hell if you let him so you’ll have to know his boundaries for him sometimes. He’s still getting used to having choices so you’ll have to be patient with him.

Billy Lenz

- He likes watching you get high, it makes his head fuzzy to watch you get so vulnerable around him. It sends him into a craze whether you know he is there or not.

- He gets a kick from way you laugh at the littlest things,, but also how paranoid you get at times. Oh he loooves scaring you. His crooked grin smearing from cheek to cheek as you scream or jolt from something he did.

- I don’t remember much about Billy, but he looks like someone who has done harder drugs, so I’m going to say he’d be delighted to get high with or without you. If you are with him, prepare for the clingiest mess you’ve ever seen. If you weren’t with him, prepare for some disturbing phone calls.

#asa emory #jesse cromeans #chromeskull #slashers x reader #chromeskull x reader #asa emory x reader #billy lenz #bubba sawyer #vincent sinclair #stu macher #billy lenz x reader #the collector

[princelylove]

Oh I happened to choose all characters from part 3? I'm sure have something for muscular dominant men 🫢

May I ask for Polnareff and Avdol with their darling's first time too?

I love your headcanon for Jotaro, I find it quite cute for him to not know much about sex and awkward with it. And he has virgin kink, very interesting. Do you think he has other kink too?

Feel free to share about other characters you want to write too, I just love reading your work, your highness ❤️

~ 🏵️ anon ~

For future reference, I spell Avdol as “Abdul,” since it makes more sense in Arabic. There’s no v sound, but there is a b and f sound. 

These two are both romantics when it comes to sex. Except one is out of genuine respect, and the other is out of delusion. 

Mohammed isn’t bothered by your past. It was before you met him, how could he hold that against you? Your experience, or lack of experience, isn’t any of his business. Sex is something intimate to Mohammed- he was younger once, he’s not without a past, but he doesn’t really want something casual with his darling. He’s rather vanilla when it comes to sex, but he’s willing to humor his darling’s requests, as long as they don’t expect to dominate him, or top him. He just doesn’t prefer it, don’t take it personally. Mohammed asks his darling what their sexual expectations of him are now that you’re together. He wants a proper answer, do you want it often, do you not want it at all, do you want it weekly on the dot, do you have anything specific you’d like to incorporate, etc. He’s already forcing you to live with him, he’s not going to ruin his chances of his darling developing stockholm syndrome by forcing them to do something they don’t want, or aren’t going to enjoy. Slow and steady wins the race. 

Jean-Pierre will never, under any circumstances, force his darling to have sex with him. Is he fine with it being dubious…? A little. Depends on his mood. Does he realize that holding you down and repeating how much he loves you and how much he wants to touch you is forcing you? Nope! To him, it’s all sweet talk. And if you cry, or scream, or kick, he’s just going to assume it’s your way of introducing him to some sort of kink you have. Ohh, he’s the big bad man, coming to eaaat youuu, hm-hm-hm. You’re a pretty good actor, you were making him nervous there! Jean-Pierre has opened up to you about his past- it was traumatizing to not be there for his sister when she was murdered. It makes him think of the torture Sherry went through before she died, and to be honest, he’d rather not have to stop pounding you because of a panic attack. It doesn’t look good for his suave, charismatic presentation. It stresses him out to think that he isn’t your protector, so let’s not do this kind of play often, alright? Only as a little treat when you’ve been good. He isn’t too thrilled about his darling trying to top him, but honestly, he’s down to switch if you really want to. He’s often loud when he bottoms- be prepared to hear him practically screaming your name and every lovey pet name he can think of in french, alongside begging you to keep going. He won’t mention it the next morning. 

As far as Jotaro’s fetishes and kinks… I put him in the same category as a recluse mama’s boy who learned what relationships should be like from his mother + old romance movies. Creep. His primary focal point is how “delicate” and “helpless” you are- it makes him feel needed, and therefore loved. Regardless of your actual strength and durability, Jotaro is forever convinced that you’re constantly on the verge of breaking. As for some specifics, besides from his virginity kink:

Praise. This man goes crazy for some genuine praise. Even if you say it more like an observation, if it can be taken as a compliment, he’s fighting his body’s reaction. “You’re very tall.” is more of a statement than anything else, but being tall is attractive to most people, yeah? So you like his height… He never slouches in your presence after that. Jotaro’s delusions aside, if you were to praise him during sex, he’d lose himself entirely. 

Breeding. Even if his darling cannot get pregnant, a man can dream. It isn’t about having an actual child, he just thinks it’s hot to finish inside of you and how fantastic you’d look pregnant. You’d have trouble doing things for yourself, won’t you? Jotaro isn’t about to complain about finding a way to force you to let him do everything for you. Maybe he can tell you to just pretend to be pregnant…

Somnophilia. You just look so sweet and innocent while you’re sleeping, he can’t really help it. Jotaro touches himself quietly- as to not disturb you, he’s worked hard to get you to actually relax enough to sleep- next to your ‘shared’ bed. He likes to think of it as belonging to both of you, but it really doesn't.

#cw noncon #cw dubcon #🏵️ anon #request granted #yandere mohammed abdul #yandere mohammed abdul x reader #yandere jean-pierre polnareff #yandere jean-pierre polnareff x reader #yandere jotaro kujo #yandere jotaro kujo x reader #i love assigning fetishes #its so character building #not sfw

[remotepixel]

Hey could I please request headcannons for how Marc and Steven would act as yandads?

Hi!! Thank you for requesting, and sorry this took longer than normal. I have mocks rn and some important exams in May and overall struggling to correctly manage my time lol.

Tw: Yanderes themes + off-hand mentions of kidnapping.

Steven:

-Panic is his main mood when dealing with you; he honestly has no clue what he’s doing.

-He’ll be the one you’re around most, and normally the one to deal out any consequences for your actions (the worst you’re getting is a ‘stern warning’ and a ten-minute timeout because he feels bad).

-He’s never risen a child before, and there’s not really any textbooks about how to parent a kid your alter kidnapped. I definitely get that vibe he would read mummy blogs though out of pure desperation (he’s trying his best </3).

-Steven is a big pushover. He’ll weakly defend himself if anyone accuse him - stating he’s just trying to make you happy - but it’s obvious enough that even he can’t defend himself properly.

-He’s pretty easily manipulated through your emotions. If you start crying, or even look slightly sad, the guy immediately backpedals on whatever it was.

-Since he’s super into Ancient Egypt, he knows how important interests can be. He’ll research into what like to try and make conversation. He’ll fully support any hobbies, skills, etc and try his best to support you if he’s able to.

-While writing this, I got this image of Steven, at like fucking 2am, half-asleep, trying desperately to understand all your ‘GenZ’ references like he’s studying some ancient literature. It’s an excuse to talk to you so he’ll take it, but god he wished you were a Ennead fanatic or something to make this a bit easier.

-He gives the vibe of randomly dropping some phrases that he hears you say to try and bond. He’ll probably give up after the first time though because you just stared blankly at him and he couldn’t deal with the embarrassment.

Marc:

-I guess it makes sense but Marc and Steven are both pretty similar in this situation, Marc just likes putting up a ‘i’m in control’ façade because he can’t correctly deal with his emotions (same).

-He’s even more scared than Steven, just better at hiding it. Obviously, his view on parental figures has been greatly screwed over by his own childhood, and despite vowing to himself he would never be the same, he always worries that he’ll cross that line.

-I think out of the two of them, he’d probably be the one to kidnap you, assuming that’s what happened, but he’ll be distant at the start.

-It’s not that he doesn’t want to comfort you, he just has no clue how to do it. And he will much rather show his love in his own way than mess up with his words.

-You’ll find little things you like around the apartment, or your favourite food just happens to be the one he brought for tonight.

-Honestly, I think he’ll also be a pushover. As much as he probably shits on Steven for being so, he can’t stand to see you disappointed, and he doesn’t have the ‘luxury’ (he never asks) of speaking to you everyday like Steven does.

-After a few months, he’ll start to be more open - small smiles, etc etc - but it depends on you mostly. If you seem happier, he’ll take over the body more, maybe for a movie night or a board game.

-If you’re just as or more angry/sad than at the start, he’s remaining firmly inside the headspace when you’re around. He’d rather live through Steven than have to confront the familiarly haunting look on your face.

A bit random but I have this cute thought of them putting more mirrors (or just any sort of reflective surface) around the apartment so both of them can hang out with you, even if only one can control the body.

#RemotePixel #platonic yandere #yandere mcu #yandere marvel #yandere moonknight #platonic yandere moonknight #platonic yandere Marc Spector #platonic yandere Steven Grant

[jelloangela]

For the sake and lack of Mayor content, I’ll be writing some of [LMK] Mayor x Reader Dating HCs for the lovers and fans of Mayor.

Warnings: Strong Language in some parts. I do deeply apologize if I’m being too non-canonical with his character. And a lot, I mean, A LOT of jumping around with topics.

[LMK] Mayor x Reader Dating HCs (SFW)

-What else do I need to say about this man? He’s an absolute gentleman. He’s just a good old-fashioned man.

-Nicknames for you? “You look absolutely magnificent as usual, darling.” “Need my assistance, my dear?” “Quite clever of you, love.” “You’re quite adorable, my beloved.”

-The Mayor probably has had a few past romantic relationships during his chief era so he has the experience of being within a romantic relationship.

-When both of you plan a date whether it’s going to a luxurious restaurant, a simple walk in the park or even a picnic with the most beautiful view of the city of Megalopolis. He always has a bouquet of flowers in his hand, awaiting for you. He may as well buy you small gifts, chocolate or whatever you take interest in.

-Giving him a gift…He doesn’t care what you give him. He will cherish whatever you give him until he perishes. Imagine you give him flowers, he will keep those flowers alive somehow. Don’t question it. He always admired your gifts, it gives him a reminder of you whenever you’re not with him.

-He definitely would have a picture of you on his desk that he’ll look at, but he prefers you at his side rather than a motionless picture.

-He’s usually busy majority of the time, serving for Lady Bone Demon or maintaining the control of Megalopolis as mayor. BUT he makes up for it. Taking you out or you coming by just to hang out with you! (Along with flowers and gifts, aha)

-Teases verbally, physically and compliments, do I need to say more? You might be walking on the side walk together, and suddenly, he gently picks up your hand and kisses it. He doesn’t care about your looks, he loves the way just as you truly are.

“I absolutely love you so much, my love.”

“This is the 15th time you’ve said that within 1 hour, but I love you too.” :)

-He loves PDA. You guys would be seen walking together hand in hand or he might just kiss you randomly before he disappears with a ‘POOF!’ If you’re someone who isn’t fond of PDA, no worries! He’ll respect your boundaries by all means.

-You’d get more emotions from him than his signature creepy-ass smile that puts on display. He trusts you after all! Sometimes when you visit him, his eyes light up. Practically twinkling and delighted at the sight of your presence.

-When you guys cuddle…goodness. Majority of the time, he’s big spoon. He just loves the feeling of his arms wrapped around your figure. Big or small, tall or short, it doesn’t matter. This brings him a sense of not only comfort but him being able to have you protected within his arms.

-Speaking of being protective, did I mention possessiveness? No? Alrighty. When you leave him to get something or run an errand, he tends to worry. You’ve been gone for…what? Like 8 minutes? Too bad, he’s going out there within the city in search of you to be sure you’re safe and sound.

-If someone ever flirts with you and he does take notice and he’s either going to stand there menacing with his signature smile or he’s gonna make sure they never see the light of day ever agai- (Really depends on his mood or how that ‘someone’ acts towards you) He may as well perform a heated make-out session with you right there and then. Overall, he’s laidback and as I’ve said before, he trusts you. Don’t try to break it.

-Whenever you rant or vent to him, he’s definitely all on ears for you. After all, he adores it when you’re happy. He would comfort you whenever you’re having a bad day, anything that would brighten your mood so he could see that beautiful smile on your face.

-When both of you go shopping…If you stare something at the shop’s display window or something on the shelf for more than 5 seconds, he’s buying that for you. No excuses. Being the mayor does have benefits after all, he doesn’t give a shit if you want something that’s absolutely expensive. He’ll buy it just for you.

-Um…Amazing cook?? This motherfucker will literally cook up anything you desire within seconds. You just stand there gawking at him when he has the dish in his hands, perfection. If you ever cook for him, he practically is delighted with glee and just internally melts just by the caring gesture. If both of you don’t feel like cooking? Take-out it is. He would always let you choose whatever you want to order as long as you’re happy.

-If you’re ever sick? Never fear! Your dear Mayor is here! Immediately would cook a dish that would help the process of you feeling better again. Along with cuddles and kisses- If you need help while you’re in bed, your Mayor is already along your bedside to aid you. Extra blanket? Coming right up! Water? Already in hand! I don’t even think he would catch a sickness, it’s very rare for him to be sick in fact.

“Mayor, you’re literally gonna get sick because of me. Please, I’m already grateful for all that you’ve done. I wouldn’t want you catching my sickness because you want cuddles-”

“So? I don’t see the problem. No more excuses nor any no’s, my dear.”

-Definitely the type to sneak up behind you. He loves to see your reactions! It amuses him very much especially when he surprises you with kisses or even just the slightest touch. Although..if you try sneak up behind him, he knows, but he’ll act oblivious.

“BOO! Didn’t expect that, did you?”

“My, my, you’re full of surprises, aren’t you?”

-Every time, he always uses an exaggerated loving tone, he’s absolute lovesick with you, no doubt. Someone save LBD with his fucking rants about you nonstop.

-Overall? Absolute Boyfriend/Husband Material. <3

#lmk mayor x reader #mayor x reader #lmk mayor #lmk hc #headcanons #lmk rant #lmk x reader #lego monkie kid #Lego monkey kid mayor #I’m absolutely in love help me

[munv]

𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗦𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗕𝗬𝗨𝗟 𝗫 !𝗙𝗔𝗥𝗨𝗭𝗔𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥

slow days in posting what a great life <33

RIDDLE was please to stay the least about your “unlimited knowledge”. He loves educating someone like you and how is a fast learner on the history and twisted wonderland. Turns out your worlds aren’t too different now are they?

RIDDLE as a child who was deprived of such things like story times regular kids would normally has loves to hear about your stories about domains and all the mechanisms you have solved. For you to the base of regular mechanism knowledge in a region for majority people and not to mention a whole academia is amazing to him!

RIDDLE admires you and looks up to you now, he also strives to be a genius like you in a way people will also admire.

TREY feels at ease knowing you are around Riddle so now he doesn’t have to worry about him going overboard at all! In return he likes to treat you to snacks every now and then as a thanks for taking care of his best friend even in his absence.

Sometimes he just walks in on you being a parental figure to riddle and he would just give you that cute little smile then proceed to walk off knowing he’s in good hands.

CATER tried to take a picture with you at first and then only to learn you were fun to be around intrigued his interest even more. He likes your element burst because whenever he posts it everyone just says it’s simply stunning! He doesn’t want to tell you but..he finds it cute whenever your ego gets boosted and he doesn’t even know how that makes sense himself.

He is truly fond of you to the point he actually shows his true nature around you. He’s comfortable enough to say that you’re completely honest even though sometimes your words are harsh you know exactly what to say and what’s necessary at times.

ACE at first just didn’t like you at all. Who do you think you are telling him to call you “madam” and all that crap? He’s not going to do it! He doesn’t care if you are some powerful prefect because he has too much self esteem. But eventually he will soften up to you in the end. After becoming close to him he starts clinging on to you like his life depends on it. “Hey prefect! I need to copy your homework real qui-“ “no.”

ACE and you tease each other a lot. He can get a bit touchy sometimes but he knows his limits too so it’s not always that you have to put him in his place.

He’s a PDA muncher not to mention y’all are sassy buddies

DEUCE appreciates you a lot more than you think actually. How could he? You’re so generous to him and maybe him being a top student might actually happen thanks to you! He often comes over to ramshackle for tutoring, while of course ace occasionally tags along when he really needs it.

I see deuce just being your personal bodyguard even though he is well aware that you can protect yourself. He just admires you so much! But..please stop picking unnecessary fights sometimes with people who piss you off..for his sake at least.

#x reader #{-muxis writes #headcanons #headcanon #oneshots #twst headcanons #twisted wonderland x reader #genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #twisted wonderland x genshin impact #faruzan #faruzan genshin #deuce spade #ace trapolla #riddle rosehearts #trey clover #cater diamond #cater headcanons #trey headcanons #deuce headcanons #ace headcanons #ace x reader #trey x reader #riddle headcanons #riddle x reader #deuce x reader #cater x reader #disney twisted wonderland #genshin impact headcanons #heartslaybul x reader

[chris-continues]

Fluff Alphabet!

With the one and only Nai Saverem! These will be answered with the idea that you’re in a college au (following the plot + ideas I’ve set up for my college au Knives via drabbles + hcs)

Activities - What do they like to do with their s/ o? How do they spend their free time with them?

Nai is a very introverted person. I don’t think he’d really enjoy an extroverted partner- and your relationship started by quietly studying beside one another. (Hence, appealing to one of his love languages, quality time). He could sit in a room while you both do your own thing (aka, body doubling, because Knives is neurodivergent and so is reader)

So- basically anything with you. But preferably at home. Cozied up. He relishes in embracing you.. or possibly you embracing him. He’s very grateful to have you, so he’s not too picky on whatever you’re doing, as long as it’s not in an overstimulating environment.

Beauty - What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?

As cheesy as it sounds, your smile. The way you beam was practically (and to his annoyance) engraved into his mind. There’s also your intense yet focused eyes. When you’re studying intently you have certain ways you focus, and when you’re excited your stims are very endearing.

For him? He finds his markings beautiful. He’s very proud of his plant heritage and when you’re eager to know more, he’ll tell you whatever he can. It means a lot to him that you care to ask, many brush it aside or don’t bother. (Which it is the bare minimum, and he acknowledges that, but he is somewhat eager to interest you and inform you. Plant heritage is a special interest of his he enjoys, and a past hyperfixation. Nowadays he’s more focused on composing music.)

Comfort - How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?

He knows the feeling all too well- and he’s comforted Vash many times as well. Depending on your preference, (which you would’ve discussed beforehand and he would’ve known because he’s prepared like that), it can go two different ways.

1. If you don’t want touch. He’s fine with that, that’s what he tends to lean towards since he’s normally very touch repulsed, especially when upset. He’ll speak to you, sitting in front of you in a firm voice, grounding you. “You’re here. Breathe. It’s ok.” He’s very good at this.

2. If you crave touch, he’ll give it to you. Holding you, cradling your head in the expanse of his chest and lulling you, (and as mentioned above), grounding you with his voice. He’s got a very assertive presence and he makes that clear when comforting you- you’re not alone.

Dreams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

Knives has thought about the future- academics wise. Romance wasn’t really on his “list of things to think about,” as much as creating a stable life for himself and Vash if needed. He’s a young “adult” forced to grow up far too fast, and while he enjoys you, reveres you, cherishes you- he’s thought of other priorities. But, if he managed to sit down and think about it.. a future with you would be nice. He just doesn’t really know what that would look like yet.

Equal - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?

Knives is a very dominant and imposing person, and he mostly knows what he wants and needs. He'll voice his opinions to you and (most of the time) will be direct with what he wants. He enjoys having a sense of control, so while he will do his best to listen to you, you will have to take the reigns of communication and remind him this is a two way street.

Your input for things (such as where you both should get takeout, where you'll study, etc) is very reasonable, so he won't be disagreeing unless he has good rhyme or reason.

Fight - Would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?

When you do argue, like 90% of the time it’s because of him. You’re a good communicator in comparison to him, and while you’re patient with him sometimes things happen. Knives has a love hate relationship with his anger, because it’s what’s kept him alive, but it’s also what drives you away.

He’d plead for your forgiveness by leaving things at your door, such as snacks and food, letters and short texts wishing you well. Not that they sound tender, they’re abnormally stiff, just like the rest of his texts. You’ll have to initiate a meeting in person with him, he waits until you’re ready and he apologizes by silently murmuring, “I miss you” repeatedly into your hair as he holds you.

He’s sorry he’s like this.

Gratitude - How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?

Knives is for the most part, aware. He never wants to take you for granted, even though he does sometimes. After your first fight, he makes an effort to acknowledge what you do for him more often by being more reactive, thanking you more in the small ways he shows his love.

Honesty - Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?

He has his own past, and he’s had his own struggles, they’re not really secret, but he doesn’t talk about it much. They certainly do define how he sees the world, and how he understands certain things and experiences along with aspects of his life, but they don’t necessarily define him as a person.

He’s always kept more to himself, and while the situations he’s been through certainly made that more extreme, he’s his own person regardless of his experiences. He doesn’t hide it from you, but it will take him awhile to say much about it to you. He doesn’t consider it to be too important towards your relationship- if you open up about any experiences you’ve had he’s most certainly willing to listen though.

Inspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?

You’ve definitely helped him become more touchy. Not with anyone else really, just you. You’ve also aided him in conveying his feelings, and he’s most certainly not proficient but you praise him for his progress.

Jealousy - Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?

Knives would hate to lose you- especially since you’re one of the few good things in his life besides his studies and Vash. He has very few people he prioritizes, but when he does, he loves with his whole heart and it terrifies him. If someone is going to take you away, he’s wary of them. He reminds himself that he can trust you- you reassure him on this every time you speak of your love for him, and if he communicates this or you pick up on it you’ll spoil him with extra affection.

But it takes him awhile to admit it, so how does he handle it? Shoving it into the recesses of his mind in hopes the problem won’t arise again. It’s been his response to such bothersome things for years now.

Kiss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

The first kiss? I have yet to write that.. good idea. But it was an awkward mash of lips that led to embarrassment and regret until you spoke of it, reassuring him you’d like to kiss again. Later down the line in your relationship, he enjoys teasing you with a light brush of his lips until you’re beckoning him in for more, because god is he so sweet.

Love Confession - How would they confess to their s/o?

Beautiful, true genuine words that have been on simmering in his mind for awhile, on the tip of the tongue awaiting until they boil over. Until he can’t take it anymore. You’re so wonderful, so elegant, so sweet, so soft, and he yearns and longs for you- how could you keep teasing him and being on his mind all the time? It’s so aggravating, he needs you.

Marriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?

Referring to “Dreams” up above, he hasn’t put much thought into it. The idea of marrying you someday doesn’t rest on his mind until it somehow does, whether it be by Vash’s joking comments or cheeky notes from Wolfwood, or even if it’s you that mentions it. It would be nice to permanently be with you, in such a way.

But right now? He’s got too much going on.

I do think that if he ever does propose, it would be thoughtful and full of small mementos from your relationship subtlety placed. Knives is a romantic, a poetic person, and he wants something of utmost importance such as a proposal to be meaningful. Because he loves you, irrevocably and deeply.

Nicknames - What do they call their s/o?

Being a true romantic, whenever he does use nicknames it would be, “dear,” or, “my dear.” If he’s feeling in a teasing mood, he’d murmur: “my darling…” against your skin, brushing past your ear as he continues to walk past you. Hallways are convenient like that, are they not?

On Cloud Nine - What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?

Denies. Deny. Deny. Deny. Deny.

Mutual pining is a phrase that perfectly describes your relationship with Knives, and as you enter a relationship with him down the line both of you realize:

“Wait that one time you- when you did that- it was because you liked me?”

“Yes, yes it was.” And the other sighs, an amused smile on their face.

Vash can tell, easily. Knives hides it pretty well at first, but he’s a total dork at heart. He’s so desperate for you- it’s so sweet.

PDA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their so in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?

Knives won’t hide your relationship- but he won’t particularly brandish it either. He’s got a sense of class and while showing you off on occasion is rather gratifying, it’s not something he does often. He’s not a very touchy person, and most of the time in public he’s not in a very touchy mood considering he’s usually in a work/school mindset. But he has his moments.

Quirk - Some random ability they have that's beneficial in a relationship.

There are a few I wanna say-

1. He’s intimidating. When someone won’t take your, “no,” as an answer, and even when you say, “I have a boyfriend,” and they continue?

That’s a moment where Knives has a glare meant to kill, arm wrapping around your waist and pulling you to his toned chest. You get surprised every time, but enjoy it endlessly.

2. He’s a good cook. He had to cook for Vash- Vash was normally too tired, and depressed back in highschool, especially when they started living together due to the accident. He’s a very domestic person, and cooking is a way to show he cares.

Romance - How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?

He’s very romantic. He’ll write letters when texts just don’t cover it, leaving them at your door. He memorized your classes, so he knows when you’re home and when you’re not. Thanks to @coffinbeananteiku , we know that Knives has troubles picking the color of a wax seal- he analyzes the colors, “red is too passionate”, “blue is too clean”, so he ends up deciding on black or white because they’re all the colors or the absence of color. He’s classic when it comes to romance, he’s truly a gentleman when he wants to be. Hangs up your coat for you, opens doors (of course he’ll make fun of you but that’s just the fun banter of it).

Support - Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?

He will admonish you for your goals if they’re unattainable or unrealistic. He worries and nags, and he’d rather you hate him than you get hurt. He doesn’t want you overworking yourself into your grave- he knows the feeling all too well.

He does believe you can do what you set your mind to though, you’re very determined, and he admires your passion.

Thrill- Do they need to try out new things to spice up your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

Knives needs routine. It’s what he’s most comfortable with and without it, he ends up overstimulated, distressed, and overwhelmed. (Reference autistic Knives tag). If you want to try something new, you’ll have to introduce it to him and give him time to think about it and adjust to the idea.

Understanding- How well do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?

He has troubles with empathy. Sometimes- he most definitely understands what hardships you’re going through, and sometimes all he can do is listen. That’s what he does regardless.

He knows you very well- he’s very observant and truly notices small shifts in behavior about the ones he cares about.

Value- How important is the relationship to them? What is it worth compared to other things in their life?

As much as it’s a hard pill to swallow, Knives will not drop everything for you. He won’t leave school, he won’t leave Vash, and he won’t leave the opportunities he has where he is now. Does he love you?.. yes. It takes him awhile to admit it, but yes. But he wouldn’t move countries for you or anything.

He wouldn’t leave in the middle of class if you wanted to see him, he’s occupied. He’ll see you afterwards- as much as he misses you dearly he has priorities.

Wild Card- a random fluff headcanon.

He cuddles with you by draping your legs over his on the couch, practically holding you in a bridal carry laid against him as he kisses your neck. This is also convenient for when you’re both body doubling.

XOXO- Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?

In private? He loves to- on some days. He can get overwhelmed by touch sometimes and it truly fluctuates. If you’re the same way he definitely understands, you don’t need touch to love someone. You don’t need to talk to love someone.

When you do cuddle though, he reveres you. You’re absolutely divine, a beautiful sight he holds tenderly.

Yearning- How will they cope when missing their partner?

Your smell. I truly believe he has a heightened sense of smell (#autistic knives tag) and he has some clothes you borrowed from him that have your smell. It comforts him, as he wears his petal cloak that definitely doesn’t smell like you.

If he’s desperate, he’ll read through your texts. Not sending anything- he doesn’t really know what to say. Perhaps a, “When will you be back?”

But if you don’t mind him touching you, he’ll hold you close the minute you’re in private together.

Zeal- Are they willing to go through great lengths for the relationship? If so, how far?

Referring back to “Value”, he does have other things he values, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you. He’d escort you wherever as long as it didn’t clash with his schedule, he’d give you snacks (because you don’t seem to take care of yourself well enough, ugh), and he’d do many more small things for you.

Since this is a college au, no, he wouldn’t kill for you, and no, he wouldn’t destroy the world for you. But he certainly will cherish you- and while he messes up sometimes he does truly try to make up for it. He feels he’s not enough for you- you’re so soft and tender and he’s rough and jagged, unable to understand. He would treat you well though, and he makes a genuine effort.

Nai Saverem is in love with you.

#autistic knives #autistic writer #autistic reader #chris writes #knives millions #knives x you #trigun stampede #fluff alphabet #fluff #millions knives #this took forever to format help #nai saverem #knives x reader #autistic coded #Trigun college au #college au #college au knives

[slashersteve]

ii. fall

part two to confetti ✦ previous part ✦ series masterlist ✦ archive link

pairing: Single Dad!Steve Harrington/Female Reader

summary: Autumn was your favorite season, and spending it in Hawkins made you enjoy it even more when you spend most of it with Steve and Cassie.

warnings/extra tags: cursing, girl dad steve, fluffy, fall activities ive had to study because im a clown, moms are still in love with steve, its literally just steve and reader being all heart eyes for any little thing fall edition, mentions of steve's dumb parents, steve is a good daddy, surprise character appearance, beta read, edited by me so that's fun

note: I think this is the longest part because I love fall and wanted to put everything in it akljslkajsa thanks for waiting, and enjoy more Steve and Cassie ♥️

✦✦✦

October’s first school event would be the annual bake sale. You learned it was a long lasting tradition of the schools, and that it was an event that helped fund a lot of the winter activities for Hawkins Elementary, and maybe even some field trips for the following year, depending on how successful it was.

Now though, you were free from studying, and made your own money, and you were going to make at least something.  

“I usually just keep it simple like cookies or something,” Heidi told you during your shared lunch break, “The baker on main street comes, and trust me, he goes all out and gets the highest sales.” 

“Is it a competition?” you questioned as you ate your homemade sandwich and flipped through a magazine that was always left in the office lounge. Heidi chuckled into her salad. 

“No, no,” she said, “Between you and me, he’s a bit of a show off when it comes to it, which makes sense because he’s good at what he does, right?” 

You honestly couldn’t say you’ve visited the baker’s yet, you didn’t even know his name, so who were you to say if his baked goods were actually good or not. 

“Anyway, cookies are the easiest way to go, brownies are also simple, cupcakes and muffins are a little more complicated but it’s not a whole cake at least, right?” Heidi chuckled to herself, and it made you chuckle too because of how glad she was that the office wasn't doing a cake walk, “I guess it depends on how good of a baker you are, but like I said, our baker goes above and beyond so it doesn’t really matter.” 

You hummed with interest before your eyes settled back onto the magazine, catching a photo of some delicious looking cookies covered in light brown sugar. They were apple cinnamon sugar cookies, according to the recipe title, and Heidi saw your eyes peak with interest and she leaned over to look at them too. 

“Oh those would be good, you should make those,” Heidi told you with a nod, “I can taste them already.” 

So, you found yourself at the grocery market right after your work day ended, a basket in one hand and the recipe you cut out of the magazine with a pair of scissors from your desk in the other as you scoured the market for the proper ingredients.

All purpose flour. Check. Cinnamon. Check. Baking soda. Check.

There was still more, like the cream of tartar and the actual apples for example as the recipe called for grated apples so ‘there would be pieces of apple in every bite.’

You were looking down at the magazine cutout as you were walking, admittingly not paying much attention to where you were walking or who you were dangerously close to colliding with, not until a familiar voice spoke up. 

“Dee’s mom is going to make a cake,” the high-pitched voice of Cassie Harrington echoed across the aisle, “She said it was going to be like..three cakes on top of each other.”

“What? That doesn’t sound right,” Steve Harrington’s voice replied back to her, and you were stopping in your tracks and looking up to see the back of Steve’s head as he was leaning over a shopping cart to look at his daughter. She was holding onto the side of the cart while she carried three cake mixes in one arm, just barely as one looked like it was slipping from her grasp. 

“That’s what Dee told me, so we need to make a cake too,” she stated in a matter-of-fact tone. 

You just sort of stood there, feeling a bit of anxiety flush through you because you hadn’t seen nor talked to Steve since Back to School Night a few weeks prior…you never received a phone call from him, but to be fair, you hadn’t called him either. 

You felt a bit guilty for not calling him, having been so busy yourself.

“Cass, they’re making a cake because they’re part of the cake-walk though, and we’re not,” Steve tried to explain to her, but she wasn’t having it, wanting to bake a cake rather than just bringing store bought cookies, some of which were currently resting in the cart on top of other groceries. 

“But you didn’t make these cookies,” Cassie pouted, turning to look at her dad. It was then that Cassie had seen you, her eyes landing on yours until she recognized you before they flickered down to the basket you were holding. 

She was suddenly pointing at you, and you took a step back quickly to put some space between you and her dad as she said, “Look! She’s baking something!”

Steve was turning his head, his brows furrowed in confusion before his eyes too landed on you. He blinked a couple of times at the sight of you, and you offered a smile as you said, “So, you’re going for store-bought cookies?” 

After a second or two, you watched Steve laugh breathlessly and nod, “Yeah. I’m not much of a baker, to be honest. Never have been.” 

“But you made us those other cookies last time,” Cassie cut in, and Steve looked down at her. 

“Those were pre-made, all I had to do was pop them in the oven,” Steve reminded her, and she huffed, still hugging the cake mix boxes to herself as she looked back at you. Her eyes grew curious then, and she asked you what it was you were baking. 

You held up the magazine cut-out, amused by the fact that Cassie was desperately trying to make her dad make literally anything homemade for this bakesale. 

“Something called apple cinnamon sugar cookies, bit of a mouthful,” you told her, holding out the cutout to show her. She leaned in a bit, examining it until her eyes lit up and she hummed as she practically melted on the spot at the sight of the cookies. Steve leaned over to look at it too.

“God, those do look really good,” he said quietly to himself, making you smile as you dropped your hand back to side just as Cassie turned to look at her dad and say, “We can make that too! Please! The stuff is all there!” 

She gestured to your hand that held the cutout, and you waved it in Steve’s face. He scoffed at you, though it was more out of amusement than anything else before he took it from you to actually look at the recipe itself. 

Cassie was giddy standing beside the cart, hugging the boxes of cake-mix tighter to herself as she awaited for her dad to finish reading through the recipe. His features contorted slightly and he said, “What the hell is a cream of tartar?”

This made you laugh, and you said, “My thoughts exactly, I was actually just looking for it.” 

His contorted expression vanished as he laughed too, and held the cut-out for you to take back, and looked at his daughter with an apologetic look,  “I want to say that seems easy enough, but…god I just don’t think I have the time to actually make these.”

Her face fell, and it was probably the saddest you’ve ever seen Cassie Harrington who was always so smiley and had half of an attitude whenever she came around the office still to give you food she didn’t want. 

“But…but she could help us,” Cassie said, now turning that sad look of hers toward you. It made you pause, not remembering the last time a kid has ever tried the ‘sad puppy dog’ look on you. The kids you used to babysit all the time did it with you whenever they wanted to stay up later or have another sweet. You’d grown immune to that, but there was something about Cassie specifically looking like that that made you feel bad…like she probably wanted you to. 

Steve gave Cassie a raised brow and said, “Don’t give her that look.” 

Her eyes turned into a small glare, pointing to her dad and he gave her one back until it became a staring contest between the two. You just sort of stood there, looking between them now with a half-curious and half-amused expression as they just stared at each other and you could tell this was something that happened often between the two. 

Steve’s eyes squinted, then so did Cassie’s, and she even tilted her head upwards as if to show him she wasn’t going to back down. Steve’s look then turned pointed, and her jaw tightened, and he raised both brows and then Cassie was letting out a defeated breath. 

“Fine, we’ll use…those dumb cookies,” she said, muttering the last part toward the storebought cookies in the cart. She then turned away to set the cake mix boxes back onto the shelf, still finding it in her to be polite enough to do so. 

Steve turned toward you with a sigh, “Sorry about that.” 

You met his brown eyes then, and shook your head as you said, “Don’t apologize…you know though…if you need help I can help.” 

You made sure to say that low enough so that Cassie couldn’t hear and you noticed Steve’s demeanor grew slightly soft at your offer, his eyes flickering downward for a moment before he pursed his lips together and shook his head. 

“No, no it’s alright,” he replied, resting a hand back on the handle of the shopping cart, “She’ll live, I’ll just make her breakfast for dinner tonight.” 

“Breakfast for dinner?” 

He nodded, “Yeah, baking? No way. And I don’t mean to brag, but I can make a pretty good pancake.” 

That made you smile for some reason, feeling like you were learning more and more about Steve Harrington despite the fact you too only really talked in moments like this where you just so happened to run into each other. 

“I love pancakes,” you said, then felt a little silly even saying that as he didn’t need to know that, but he was smirking softly as he leaned onto the cart slightly and replied to you, “Maybe one day I can make you some.”

You narrowed your eyes at him, the tone he said it in being borderline flirtatious but you didn’t want to look too much into that, rather just laughing and started to step backwards to make your leave so that you could finish finding the right items and he could finish his grocery shopping with Cass. 

“I look forward to whenever that happens then,” you stated, “I’ll let you guys finish your grocery trip…” You gestured to the both of them, but Cassie was suddenly returning to herself. 

“Wait!” she said, “Can I help you find the rest of the stuff? Daddy, can I help her?” 

She asked the both of you at once, hope returning to her eyes, and Steve seemed unsure, not because of you though but in case Cass tried to get you to buy her something because she’s done it before with Mrs. K and Karen Wheeler before, coming back to him with a candy he told her she didn’t need. 

“Uh, I just need to find this cream of tartar, and some apples,” you said as you looked at the cutout quickly. That’s when Cassie suddenly got another idea the moment you said apples. 

“Oh! Does that mean you’re going apple picking?”

You tilted your head at the mention of that…apple picking. It was pretty self-explanatory, but the idea of it had never really crossed your mind. 

“I…no I was just going to buy them here,” you replied to her, not knowing that there was even an apple picking event here in Hawkins anyway. Cassie looked suddenly disgusted, and when you looked at Steve, so did he. You blinked at them, and asked them what was wrong with buying apples here, growing slightly amused again at how their expressions matched exactly. 

“Is there something like…wrong with them here?” you questioned them both. 

“Not exactly, but the apples from the apple farm a town over are way better, trust me,” Steve told you, “They have this apple picking event every fall, you pay for however many baskets you want, and then you…you know pick apples and take them home.” 

“Yeah, we’re going tomorrow!” Cassie cut in again excitedly, before she grabbed her dad’s arm and said, “She can come with us!”

Steve was looking at Cassie again, a slight flush over his cheeks as he told her she had to stop trying to tell people to go places with them without asking them first because she can make someone uncomfortable real quick, and Cassie looked absolutely done with her dad’s attitude in this store. 

Then he turned to you again, brown eyes finding yours as he asked, “Have you been apple-picking before?”

“No,” you replied after giving it little thought, “Not many apple farms in the city, you know, unless you want to drive a couple hours out…store-bought apples were definitely closer and less of a hassle.”

“Ah, right, you’re from the city,” Steve pointed at you, “I mean…if you would like to go with us, or you know just be there at the same time, that’ll be totally okay. Plus, I think it’s an experience everyone should have at least once.”

A small grin was returning to your face, knowing that Steve was inviting you properly for Cass, who looked up at you with wide eyes that matched Steve’s almost identically.

“I…I would actually love to go,” you said genuinely, watching as Steve’s eyes lit up like Cassie’s might, “I mean, you said it’s something I should experience at least once, so…yeah…yeah I’ll go.”

“Great!” Steve blurted out before his cheeks grew flushed, and Cassie was giddy again, “You want to meet there, I can give you the directions?” 

“Yeah, I’ll meet you guys there, just…call me tonight to tell me more details, maybe?” you said, working that in almost professionally. At the mention of calling, Steve’s cheeks became even more flushed because like you when he had seen you he felt guilty that he’d forgotten to call you as well, having been, per usual, very busy with Cass and his three different jobs. 

“Yeah, sure,” he said, and you smiled with a content nod. 

“Good,” you said, “I look forward to it then, I’m gonna go and find that cream of tartar now and I’ll see you two tomorrow?” 

Both of them nodded, and you both said a final see you later before you were stepping backwards, leaving one last longing stare at Steve Harrington before turning around with a large smile on your lips, looking forward to apple picking with the both of them. 

✧ ✧ ✧

The apple orchards were just simply beautiful to you as you sat on the tractor that took you and the other apple pickers in your group around the entire farm before they would stop at the orchards and allow time for you and everyone else to fill up your baskets. 

“We have to get all the red ones,” Cassie Harrington was sitting beside you, the basket she had looked comically big in her lap compared to the same basket that was sitting in yours. 

“There’s a lot of those ones, I don’t think they’re going to run out,” you replied to her as you looked out into the distance at the rows and rows of apple trees. 

It was a nice day, clear skies and a light wind that felt nice against your skin every time a breeze passed by. 

Beside Cassie was Steve, and he wasn’t looking at the orchards like you and Cassie were, but he was looking at… well you. The sun shined down on you in a very specific way, and it made the color of your eyes more visible. His chest sort of tightened and he had to carefully release a soft hitch of his breath. 

He would admit to himself that he had been nervous when he called you the night before, using a quick break in order to do so from the phone in the employee lounge at the market he worked the night shift at. He knew it was late, but he also knew you were expecting that call.

You had sounded very sleepy on the phone, but there wasn’t an ounce of irritation in your voice either which surprised Steve because of the hour, like you were looking forward to the call…like you might’ve been looking forward to a call since you’ve exchanged numbers. He beat himself up for a moment or two, wishing he didn’t do that to you, but knowing that it was really something he couldn’t help. 

“You do this every year?” you asked Cassie, tearing Steve from his thoughts. He looked at his daughter now, her hair in two braids that he had done just before they got on the tractor because she changed her mind about the pony tail and clips she had him style her hair in that morning…clips that were currently in the pocket of his jacket. 

“Only last year,” Cassie replied to you, “My daddy barely discovered it last year through my friend Delilah and her mom.” 

You were nodding along to Cassie, and not in the way people typically nodded along to children when they spoke to them, you actually seemed genuinely interested in holding this conversation with her and it made Steve feel slightly warm. 

“Sounds like it could be a nice tradition though,” you said with a small smile as you looked back to the orchards. Cassie was nodding. 

“Yeah, I like it! The apples are super good, so that means your cookies are going to be super good too!” she claimed, which made you chuckle in response. 

“I hope you’re right, like your dad here, I’m actually not the best baker,” you admitted, your eyes finding Steve’s that were already on yours. He blinked softly, realizing he’s been mentioned as you chuckled again and said, “But I’m willing to try, especially if these are as good as you say they are.” 

“They are,” Cassie said confidently, grasping the basket between her hands just as the tractor came to a stop. Steve knew what she was going to do and caught her hand before she could hop off and start running like it was some kind of competition of who could pick the most apples. 

“Hey! Hey! Let’s help her pick some before you go getting into a fight with another kid for an apple you want,” Steve told her, and she was starting to nod in agreement with him and even apologized before all three of you got off together. 

Cassie held the basket in one hand now while the other was in her dad’s, and you trailed beside them holding your own as you gazed at all the apples, wondering if there was some kind of trick to finding the best ones. 

Some of the trees were taller than the others, so they had ladders, and others were small enough so that a kid like Cassie could pick some of her own as well. You did stay together for the most part, Cassie pointing out apples for you to get, and some for Steve to grab that were too high for her. 

After you had a good few, Steve let Cassie run off to find some of her own, leaving just you and him. You wandered over to one of the trees nobody had been picking at, and before Steve knew it you were suddenly on a ladder. 

He stared up at you, feeling this sudden regretful feeling come over him that he’d been feeling since your teasing comment the day prior about him calling you for details.

“Hey so,” Steve started from below you, “I wanted to apologize for not calling you.” 

You were reaching for a particularly large apple that was further into the tree, your fingers just barely grazing it and you were going to reply to Steve when a dramatic gasp had cut you off. 

“You didn’t call her!?” Cassie called, the gasp coming from her.

Steve looked away from you, and toward Cassie who was standing there with a basket half-full of apples. Steve stared at her for a moment, feeling slightly embarrassed by her blurting that out, others had looked over, but fortunately you seemed more preoccupied with still getting that giant apple off of the tree.

In fact, you grumbled, going up another step on the ladder, while Steve walked over to Cassie. 

“Are these all the apples you got?” Steve asked, and she shrugged as she looked down at them too, and told him that these kids were more mean this year than last year. It made Steve shake his head, and rest his hands on his hips before she asked him if she could sit down and listen to her music. 

“You’re done already?” he questioned, and she nodded. It was just as well, she did have an early morning today like he did so he told her she could sit in the tractor and listen while he filled the rest of the basket up. She grinned and nodded, already putting the walkman headphones over her ears before running toward the tractor. 

“Uh, Steve-” 

He was turning toward you, seeing you on the top of the ladder and he stared for a moment before realizing you were holding onto the actual tree for dear life. 

“Could you hold me steady?” you asked, turning your head to look back at him and Steve was nodding, quickly walking back toward you as he rolled his sleeves up and went behind you. 

“Uh- where do you want me to hold you?” he asked, not wanting to hold you anywhere that might be inappropriate or uncomfortable for you. You told him to just place his hands on the back of your thighs, and he sucked in a breath before nodding. 

He carefully held you still, feeling the denim of your jeans underneath his palms as you were finally steady enough to lean forward and successfully wrap your hands around the apple you really wanted. 

“Got it!” you said, before you started to climb down. Steve helped you do that too until you were on your feet. You got a bit of vertigo though being on the ground again, your head feeling slightly dizzy that if it hadn’t been for Steve grasping your shoulders you might’ve almost embarrassingly lost your balance. 

When you came to, you were met with the concerned face of Steve, his brown eyes flickering over you to see if you were okay. You held up the apple though and said, “I think I like doing this, it’s pretty fun.”

“I can see that, you worked really hard to get that apple,” Steve commented, eying the apple that was a pretty impressive size, “Damn, no wonder you climbed so high to get that one.”

You clicked your tongue, and said, “I’m having a lot of fun, thanks for inviting me.” 

“Yeah, no problem, Cass is really enjoying you being here too, before she ran off is all,” Steve said, turning his head where Cass was sitting on the tractor with the headphones placed over her ears and her head nodding back and forth to whatever song she was jamming to. 

“Also, you don’t have to apologize for not calling, I mean, I didn’t call you either,” you told him, finally responding to his apology that Steve had accepted went unheard when Cassie interrupted. Steve stared at you for a moment, and let out a quiet breath. 

“Still…I don’t know, as the guy I feel like it’s my obligation to call the girl first,” Steve admitted, as in his experience with women in the past it was always him calling first, whether it’s after a date, a good morning call- things he would do before Cassie came into his life and he stopped everything to be the father she deserved. 

“Well, that would make sense if we were romantically involved, which we aren’t…” you said, hearing your own voice grow a little soft at the idea of it. In fact, you kind of batted your eyelashes at Steve, just slightly, and if he noticed, which he did, he didn’t tease you..

“That’s true…but…to be honest, I probably still wouldn’t have,” Steve said, suddenly cringing at his own behavior that he was acutely aware of, but no matter how guilty he might’ve felt he still hadn’t changed it yet. A smile that mirrored his came onto your lips and you laughed quietly. 

“You know, I’ve never really been a high maintenance friend, Steve,” you said, trying that out instead and Steve looked genuinely surprised by the term. It wasn’t like he didn’t have friends, in fact he even had a best friend who wasn’t very high maintenance either since she moved to New York over a year ago, a single phone call every once in a while and visit usually sufficed, but the idea that he found a friend in you, that you even started to consider him as one, made Steve’s brain a little buzzed. 

He guessed he hadn’t made a new friend in a while now, and he was glad that it was you. 

“Huh…I guess we are friends,” Steve said, moreso to himself. Your smile grew wider and you nodded. 

“I would say so,” you replied, then held up your full basket of apples, “And I think that friends should help each other bake cookies for the bake sale on Monday.”

He glanced down at the apples, wondering how you managed to find the biggest ones in the orchard and was impressed all at once. He rested his hands onto his hips, lifting his eyes back up to meet yours and you were giving him an expectant look, like you weren’t going to take no for an answer and Steve honestly liked that. 

Something else brewed up inside of him, something not so warm but rather hot, and he had to cool down by sucking in a tight breath before saying, “Oh, Cass is going to jump for joy.” 

You laughed, that look on your face all but vanishing and being replaced with amusement, and the heat only got stronger. Steve’s eyes lingered onto your lips, longer than the other times he’d been with you, and the foggy part in his brain wondered just what would happen if he just leaned in and kissed you. 

Of course, he wasn’t going to because above all he was still a gentleman and was aware that just because you make a woman laugh doesn’t necessarily mean they want to be snogged, but Steve still wondered how your lips would feel against his. 

It was lucky, then, when Cass was calling out to him and taking his and your attention off of each other before you had more time to notice his slightly heated gaze. His father instinct kicked in almost immediately when he heard Cassie’s cry of distress. 

Steve was turning around, eyes growing concerned and brows pulling inward as his eyes found his daughter dashing toward him with her walkman and headphones in each hand. Tears prickled at the corner of her brown eyes. 

“It’s not playing!” she cried as she got to her dad, “It just stopped! I didn’t do anything!” 

Steve grew slightly relieved that it was just the walkman acting up, as his first thought had been that she was somehow hurt. 

Beside him, you were frowning because of Cassie’s clear distress and sadness over the walkman suddenly breaking on her, as you’ve been there before yourself. She held it up to Steve, her lips quivering and tears fully pouring from her eyes. 

Steve took them from her, eying them for only a moment before sighing, as if he knew one day these things would just break on her. It was an older model, you observed, and Steve all but gave them a quick look over before tossing them into his half full basket of apples on the floor beside his feet and resting his eyes back on his little girl. 

“Hey, don’t cry, alright, these things were old, I’ve had them since I was in high school,” he told Cassie softly. 

“I know, but-but I wanted to listen to music,” Cassie cried, “And now I can’t!”

A sympathetic smile was on Steve’s lips as he knelt down in front of his upset daughter and wiped her tears away with his thumb, “There’s worst things to happen, and these can be replaced, alright?” 

Cassie sniffled, “But how will I listen to my music?”

“Well there’s the radio in the car, the stereo at home…” Steve listed off, “It’ll be okay, I can get you a new one, ones that won’t skip over tracks so that you have to hit it.” 

Cassie’s eyes showed more light in them at the idea of that, “Really?” 

Steve nodded, “Yes, really- but it’s totally okay to cry about it, I think I might cry too. I’ve been through a lot with this guy.” 

Cassie giggled, and Steve’s smile turned warm, happy to make his little girl smile again after mourning the loss of her walkman. Steve kissed her head affectionately and said, “I have good news though, we are going to bake cookies for the bake sale.” 

Her face lit up completely, her cheeks still tear stricken but her eyes were brighter now. 

“We’re going to bake a cake?” Cassie asked, hopeful and Steve winced. 

“No, no! Not a cake, I already told you we don’t have to…I was thinking more like…” Steve looked over at you, and you stared for a second before saying, “Chocolate chip cookies?” 

Steve snapped his finger, “Yeah! We’re going to do that…it’s not a cake, but it’s still baking.” 

Cassie was still excited, nodding up at her dad and saying, “We’re going to bake! Let’s go home and start now!” 

This made Steve laugh, and Cassie was trying to pick up the basket to bring back to the tractor that would take you back to the farm. Meanwhile, Steve looked back at you and you were smiling again, thinking to yourself that no wonder everyone (the mothers of Hawkins really) were so enamored with him. The way he comforted Cass, how soft his voice became…you realized you couldn’t be more attracted to a man.

And now, you are going to have him in your house.

✧ ✧ ✧

Your entire house smelled like a bakery. The smell of cinnamon was strong, mixed with the sweet pleasant scent of chocolate. Music was playing out of the stereo in your living room, music chosen specifically by Cassie Harrington when you told her the day prior that she could listen to anything she decided to bring or anything you had too. 

Steve was standing beside you, wearing a cupcake apron with frills that matched Cassie’s, a pair she chose when she and her dad went to the market the morning of with a list of ingredients you relayed to him over the phone the night before. Your second late night phone call.

Cassie was busy taste testing one cookie from each batch before she’d package them away in these clear bags that had fall leaf designs all over it, complimenting your apple cinnamon cookies after devouring one. She was making you laugh a lot this afternoon, and so was Steve. 

“Okay, okay Cass, you’re going to get a tummy ache,” Steve told his daughter after she ate her fifth chocolate chip cookie. She pouted at him, claiming that she wouldn’t, but Steve wasn’t buying it.

“I’ll set some aside for you, Cassie,” you chimed in as you were grating more apples for yet another batch of your cookies while Steve was stirring chocolate chips into the mixture he was working on in one of your many mixing bowls. 

“But how will we know it’s not poisoned?”

“Cass nobody’s poisoning anything- what- why would you think we’d put poison in these?” Steve asked, practically horrified by his daughter’s choice of words and Cassie sighed and replied, “That’s what Dustin says we have to do! I’m helping!”

Yet again, you were laughing while Steve just stared at his daughter practically dumbfounded before he said, “It’s not poisoned, and I think the mixtape you brought is about to end, so you’ll have to change it.” 

Cassie turned her head, recognizing the final song on it as she listened to it all the time and was going to go change it (or start it over) but not before sneaking another cookie. Steve huffed, turning his attention back to the mixing bowl. 

“So how’s the broken walkman situation?” you asked Steve suddenly. He let out a deep sigh, as if hating to be reminded of that, “Sorry for bringing it up.”

“No, no- I was honestly waiting for them to just break, I was just hoping it would be closer to Christmas,” he said, wiping his face with the hand that was covered in flour. You glanced at Steve, your eyes instantly going to the flour that was suddenly decorating his cheek. He didn’t seem to notice, too focused on getting the right consistency of the cookie dough…in fact he was actually covered with various stains, on his forehead, his arms, and his neck. Your eyes lingered there for a bit before you forced your eyes back to what you were doing. 

“No back ups? I remember having a back up,” you joked. 

“That was the back-up,” he replied quickly, “It’s alright- she’ll be fine until Christmas…hopefully, honestly I might have to see if Mrs. K has one. Sometimes she has random things for Cass.”

You tilted your head gently, and asked him who Mrs. K was, as you feel like he had mentioned her before. Steve was quiet for a second, as if confused you didn’t know who she was until he remembered you barely moved here in the summer.

“Oh she’s my neighbor, nice older woman, probably the nicest person in this town really, she gives me and Cassie a lot of things like vegetables from her garden, or random casseroles and sometimes just these bulks of snacks.” 

You hummed with interest, thinking that to be kind of sweet. As Steve began to mess with the finished dough, he laughed and continued to say, “It’s kind of nice honestly, because my parents moved out of this place years ago, like maybe a year after Cass was born and I barely hear from them- so it’s almost like she’s Cassie’s unofficial grandparent.” 

Though you didn’t know much about Steve yet, you thought it was safe to assume that Steve shared no relationship to his parents, and you didn’t know what to say about it, feeling like if you asked anything he’d tell you to leave it alone.

“I used to have someone like that,” you said rather than that, making Steve look back at you. Now you were the one looking away, too focused on finishing the next and final batch of cookies, “My fifth grade teacher, and probably the only person I think my dad might’ve dated.” 

It was odd bringing that up, but like Steve had done with you, you were word vomiting too and immediately felt embarrassed. Steve didn’t seem to think so though, instead asking you to tell him more about it. 

“She was just super nice, and I could tell he liked her a lot,” you said vaguely, feeling slightly uncomfortable talking about your dad because it had been a while since you’ve talked to someone about him, considering he was the only family you had left before his passing, “The point is, it’s good to have people willing to help like that.” You chuckled then smiled weakly.

To be honest, you hadn’t thought of your dad since you moved here, not as often as you would’ve liked… you hadn't even got around to putting photos of you and him around the house. A part of you felt…sad that you hadn’t, like you didn’t know if you were mourning him enough anymore. Steve had noticed your expression turn grim, how the smile that followed your soft chuckle suddenly turned into a frown. 

“I didn’t mean to pry, I’m sorry,” Steve said, realizing that it was a touchy subject for you. You quickly shook your head. 

“No, no it’s alright, it’s been a while…I mean the grief doesn’t really go away, but…I just hadn’t talked about him with anyone in a long time,” you admitted to Steve.

“I mean, I really like talking to you, about anything so if you’d like to talk about him, or anything else again…well you have my number.” 

You looked at Steve again, feeling touched by his statement, forgetting that you probably weren’t going to see him for a few weeks following this unless things changed in his schedule, but the gesture felt nice. You nodded softly at him, and said almost breathlessly “Okay.” 

Steve winked at you before he turned his attention back on his dough, then he grabbed a separate spoon and brought it up to his lips to taste before asking you, “Is this good? It looks good, it tastes good, but is it good?”

The spoon he was holding was turned to you, wanting you to validate it before rolling them into balls and putting them in the oven.

You didn’t mind, really, parting your lips and taking a bite of the dough off of the spoon he held. He stared at you, brown eyes resting onto your lips for a few seconds too long before lifting them to meet your eyes. You hummed at the sweet taste flooding your mouth, and nodded, “You’re kind of a natural at baking, you know that?” 

A grin spread across his lips, “You’re just saying that, it’s not as good as yours. Mine’s just basic chocolate chip, anyone can make it.” 

“Making bad chocolate chip cookies are possible- and you managed to make really good ones on the first try, I’m pretty impressed,” you said, half paying attention to the sound of Cassie diving through your various cassette tapes, something you said she could do if she wanted. You never really listened to music anymore, unless you were cleaning. 

You could feel Steve’s eyes still on you, seeing him in your peripherals and pretending you couldn’t, even as your cheeks started to heat up and you said randomly, “I kind of wish we went with M&M cookies for you…same concept…more colorful and exciting.” 

Steve paused, “Are those your favorite or something?”

“Oh yeah, something about them really hits the spot,” you joked. Steve half-grinned, as if he learned something even more interesting about you and he glanced at it before he took a double take. 

“Wait, look at me real quick,” Steve told you, and you did, seeing his eyes zero in on your cheek before he pointed and said, “You got a little something right there.” 

You blinked, and he laughed as he grabbed one of the clean dish towels to wipe whatever it was off of your cheek. Your body burst with warmth when he held the fabric to your left cheek. You also felt bad because he was covered in flour head to toe and you didn’t tell him even once. He’d have to take a shower to get it all off probably, but this didn’t change the fact that he was practically holding your face in his large hand.

Heat plummeted throughout you, and you found that you didn’t want to move away, and maybe he didn’t either, as even after he successfully wiped your cheek he didn’t move away. No, he stayed this close to you, so close that your nose caught a whiff of his suddenly familiar cologne that had been masked by the smell of cookies after a while. It was enough to make your mind fog up, just a little, and your breath hitched softly…something that Steve caught.

“Are you okay?” Steve asked you, a teasing element lingering underneath his tone. His eyes lifted to meet yours, and you swallowed thickly, unsure what was going on, and your nerves made you say, “You got something too…uh…well everywhere.”

Steve’s eyes furrowed as your eyes flickered at his entire face, breaking whatever trance he’d entered, and you could see his cheeks turn a little pink underneath the flour. God, did you want him to break out of it? Because he was moving away from you then, and you felt slight disappointment…wondering if something would’ve happened if you didn’t say anything. 

“Everywhere? How?” Steve asked you, now bringing the towel to his face. You gestured to his cheek, then his neck, and his arms and his eyes grew wide. Just then Abba’s “Mamma Mia” started to blast through the speakers, and Cassie was back in the kitchen and wiping her brow like finding the right cassette really tired her out. 

“Okay! I’m back to try more cookies,” she announced. You laughed quietly, and told Steve where the bathroom was before turning to Cass and telling her, “After this final batch you can test one, but first put on some gloves and help me roll the dough into the sugar.” 

Steve was just about to go to the restroom to clean up a bit, but found himself taking a bit of a moment to take in the sight before him. Cassie was now sitting on the stool on her knees right beside you, too big of plastic gloves on her smaller hands, watching you roll the dough into the sugar, then doing one of her own. 

Something swelled up into his chest, something he didn’t quite understand, but he did recognize the warm feeling of happiness seeing Cass with you. There was just something about it, Steve thought, that made a soft grin grow onto his lips…especially when you praised Cassie when she showed you the little ball of dough covered in sugar and cinnamon. 

It was Cassie’s bright smile too that made Steve think for a moment…where did you come from and how come you’re barely in his life now?

✧ ✧ ✧

“Enjoy!” you stated happily as you handed over what felt like the 100th bag of cookies from the faculty’s booth. The woman grinned at you before she handed the cookies to her son and began to take off, giving you time to add more bags of cookies onto the table. 

Beside you, Heidi was counting the money you made so far and placing the bills into a tin box. 

“These cookies are a hit, I’m glad you went with them- they’re super good too,” Heidi said as she picked up her half eaten cookie and shoved the rest into her mouth, “Yup, delicious. You have to make these for the Holiday office Christmas Party in December, god I think I’ll pay you.” 

That made you chuckle as you went around to fix the sign the other members had worked all weekend on that said ‘Front Office’ and had poorly drawn cookies all over it. 

As you did so, there was suddenly a burst of laughter from behind you. You lifted your head up, turning your head toward one of the booths that was across from yours, but more down the line. Women and their kids all surrounded this one table, so much that you were unable to see who’s table it was…that’s if you didn’t know because he’d been here early to set up along with you and others. 

Heidi leaned over the cookies, having heard the commotion too and she laughed out loud, “So, Steve Harrington baking was all it took to take that baker down a notch.” 

She was looking over at the other booth, the town’s baker having only a handful of customers while Steve’s booth was surrounded by a crowd who might as well been waving cash over their heads. It was almost comedic how the simple fact that Steve Harrington baked cookies rather than brought store bought ones caused such a commotion. 

He was standing behind the table handing out the bags of chocolate chip cookies while Cassie was sitting on a clear space on the table taking the cash with the help of one of the other parents working the booth. They were both wearing the matching cupcake aprons again, something that did not go unnoticed by the mom’s either. 

“These are absolutely fabulous, Steve,” you heard one of them compliment him, “It makes me wonder what other skills you’re hiding from us.” There was a giggle after that almost resembled one of a high school girl talking to the football captain and you were sure you could hear the eye roll of the woman’s husband somewhere around here. You laughed while shaking your head and fixed some of the cookie bags to look more presentable before placing more smaller samples onto the tray. 

At the booth, Steve was slightly overwhelmed but Cass was doing a good job keeping everyone at bay. 

“There’s a line!” she told the crowd, “One at a time please!”

Compliments continued to be thrown Steve’s way, and with flushed cheeks he was thanking them and being professional and handing them their bags when a woman asked him for the recipe. Steve looked up at her, and laughed nervously, “Well it’s not my recipe- I had a little- well a lot of help from a friend.” 

“A friend you say? I’d love to meet them and get the recipe then,” she said cheekily before she took the bags from him and moved on. Steve smiled at the next customer, but behind them was a parting of the crowd finally and Steve’s eyes caught you in front of your booth. 

You were holding the tray of apple cinnamon cookies, one of the husband’s of one of the women over here standing beside you as he tried one. He said something to you after, making you grin up at him in a friendly manner and Steve realized he hadn’t listened to a word the lady in front of him said. 

“Daddy! She said she wanted 2 bags!” Cassie tore him from his eyes on you just as your eyes found Steve’s. He cleared his throat lightly, smiling at the woman and grabbing two bags of cookies and holding it out for her. 

She thanked him, and Steve’s eyes found yours again, finding that you were looking at him already. You waved at him, and Steve smiled softly and waved back at you. 

From where you stood, Heidi had caught the small interaction between you and Steve, raising both of her brows with interest. Her eyes rested onto your face, recognizing the expression of warmth written all over your features, right down to your wide smile and eyes that seemed to have lit up. 

She leaned on the table, and hummed with pure interest. 

“So…you and Steve?” Heidi asked, and to you this question had seemingly come out of nowhere as you returned to the seat beside her in the shade. Though it was a cool autumn day, it was still pretty hot when you stood directly in the sun like you just were. 

“What about Steve?” you questioned her as you settled into your chair, Heidi shrugged. 

“Are you and him…getting to know each other more?” she asked you another question, and by now you were used to this, used to Heidi not getting to the point of something and speaking to you like everything that you talked about was gossip or something. You just stared at her, watching her eyebrows wiggle suggestively. 

“Heidi, please, we’re both adults here,” you said, wanting to beg her to stop talking like this and she could only giggle like a high schooler. 

“Oh come on, you can tell me.” 

“There’s nothing to tell,” you said, and Heidi sighed at your stubbornness to admit anything. You chalked it up to maybe this town was so small that any gossip was the holy grail to her, or maybe the odd obsession every married woman seemed to have with Steve Harrington. It could be either, honestly. 

Still, you knew you were lying because maybe there was something to tell because afterall you don’t think anyone’s ever looked at you like he did, if anyone’s ever made you laugh and smile so much. The thought of Steve made your stomach twist pleasantly, and your chest to warm up like your oven when you helped each other bake all of those cookies the mom’s were currently salivating over. 

Jokingly, you told yourself that if you looked at him and he was already looking at you, maybe there was something there, something that would be worth telling somebody else about. 

And when you snuck a glance, you were pleased to see that he was. Heat raised to your cheeks, and you allowed yourself this small moment of vindication, as silly as it sounded. 

“I’ll be damned,” Mrs. Abi’s voice broke you from your moment of warmth and you looked up to see her standing there with her arms resting on her waist as she stared at the crowd Steve’s booth brewed up, “I think we’ll all be getting raises next year, and all we had to do was get Mr. Harrington to bake a couple of cookies.” 

The joke made the other faculty at your booth including Heidi laugh, and another office member, who you distinctly remembered seeing go over once or twice, stated, “He had a lot of help I hear from somebody.” 

“Well, whoever convinced him and helped out- I’m grateful because look at this crowd,” Mrs. Abi said, still entirely impressed by how something as simple as Hawkins’ favorite Dad baking chocolate chip cookies could ring up this much business. 

You elected to stay quiet, dropping your eyes to the cookies before you as Mrs. Abi continued to admire the amount of people here. Still, you smiled to yourself, knowing that it was you and liking that you were the only one who knew, like those moments with Steve and Cassie were yours to keep and only yours. It made you feel special, in a way. 

Suddenly, somebody was tapping your arm. It captured your attention, and everyone else sitting at the booth’s attention. Everyone was pleasantly surprised to see it was Cassie Harrington, well mostly everyone as Cassie would visit you on occasion to give you part of her lunch. 

She held out a bag of cookies to you, and said, “My daddy said to give you these. They’re for you and you only!” 

You blinked, and took the bag of cookies from her. Cassie didn’t give you a moment to respond, flashing you a bright smile before she was turning and pushing her way through the crowd. You looked at the bag of brightly colored cookies.

There was a little note attached to the tie around the bag of cookies, different from the rest of the bags, in fact they were different from the cookies you spent hours helping him bake entirely. 

‘Thanks for the help. You deserve these :) - Steve’

The bag was filled with smaller, homemade M&M cookies, the colors of the candy vibrant against the cookie part. Did he seriously make these cookies for you? When did he have the time to do so? Did he make time? So many questions rang through your head and you had forgotten that you weren’t alone. 

In fact, the entire faculty, Mrs. Abi included, was just staring at you as you gawked at the bag of cookies Cassie had just given you in front of everyone. It seemed they had gotten their answer as to who helped Steve bake all those cookies. 

“Nothing to tell,” Heidi muttered beside you, repeating your words from before. You cleared your throat, and placed the cookies inside of your purse that was underneath your chair, trying not to let them see how the gesture was affecting you further.

And later, when you would take a bite out of one of the cookies, your thoughts were filled with Steve Harrington until you would go to bed that night and even then, he still plagued you in your dreams. You weren’t complaining though…not one bit. 

✧ ✧ ✧

If Steve was anything, it was self aware. He knew he wasn’t the most punctual when it came to any relationships outside of the one he had with his daughter, but with Halloween and then Cassie suddenly getting the flu, life had just been a hassle. 

He’d been meaning to call you again, or maybe visit you in the office (except he thought that would be odd if he didn’t have an excuse to be there other than he just wanted to see you) to ask if you enjoyed those cookies he and Cass had baked for you but then he also got sick while taking care of Cass. 

He wasn’t a six year old though, so he managed better than she did, but it did take him out for a day or so. When he thought about you, he tried to remind himself of your declaration that you weren’t a high maintenance friend, basically that you understand him vanishing for weeks on end, but that didn’t change the fact that he did feel bad that after basically a whole weekend spent together he kind of just vanished and relied on Cassie to stay interacting with you. 

The doctor’s note in his pocket came at a good moment, one that he had to deliver to the office himself so that her past few absences would be excused, and he thought that maybe you’d be keen on having some lunch with him today. 

Although, when he entered the school’s front office he was met with an empty desk. 

His eyes danced around the office, disappointment brewing in his chest that maybe you were out sick too or something until he heard you say his name. He snapped his head to the side, seeing that you were actually next to him, he just hadn’t seen you. 

“Oh, god I didn’t even see you,” Steve said, feeling stupid for not, but you just laughed and waved him off because it really wasn’t a big deal, “I have a doctor’s note for Cassie.” 

Steve dug his hand into the pocket of the sweats he was wearing, and scowled when he couldn’t find it, now afraid it had slipped out of his pocket outside on this very windy day, “Shit, I thought I did. Give me a second.” 

He wasn’t looking at you, but if he had he would’ve definitely noticed your suddenly flustered expression, and how you were desperately trying to keep your eyes anywhere but on his lower half. He dug his hands into the other pocket, pleased to feel the paper there instead. 

“Ah, there you are,” Steve muttered to himself, something Max might’ve said was very ‘dad’ of him to say. He held it out for you to take, and you did, walking over to your desk while Steve finally noticed that you were actually decorating the front part of the office with autumn leaves. 

Various colored leaves decorated the wall, meant to look like they were being blown in the wind, but there was a lot more on the floor. He wasn’t sure if that was part of the decor, not until he noticed there were a few pieces of tape missing leaves. 

“Oh,” Steve said, bending over to pick them up. He started to stick them to the wall for you without really thinking, but then the door was being opened again, causing a breeze to fly in so all the ones he had just stuck on had fallen again. 

He realized then that probably happened to you when he walked in, and he cringed, feeling bad about that. He looked over at you when he heard you ask the person, another parent, who had just walked in what you could help them with. Your eyes glanced over at Steve and he waved a leaf at you, catching the amusement to flash over your eyes as you looked back at the parent. 

“I unfortunately don’t have a copy of the permission slip, but they are going to be sent home with the students today…if not come back and I will be sure to have extra copies…” 

Your voice trailed off as you returned to typing on your computer, surely trying to continue inputting Cassie’s doctor’s note into the system. Meanwhile, Steve just waited and watched you, slightly intrigued with you working and realizing that you were just very busy too. 

After a moment, the parent had turned to leave, smiling at Steve as they pushed through the door, the wind causing more leaves to fall off the wall. Steve picked those up too, and when he turned back to you, he saw you were smiling with your eyes on the computer screen. 

“Are the fifth graders going to that museum out of town already?” Steve asked, having practically memorized the schedule they had all been handed at Back to School Night, the one with all the events on it (and your number) despite him needing only to worry about first grade events. He honestly couldn’t wait until Cass’s first field trip in the spring because he was going to be a chaperone. It would be her first field trip too.

“Yeah, at the end of the week,” you replied to him, eyes moving to the doctor’s note, “You don’t have to pick those up by the way…they keep falling anyways.”

He looked down at the leaves, then said, “Well I mean, leaves do tend to fall in fall.” He walked over to you, placing them onto the front of your desk as you continued to type away on the computer and you laughed lightly at his lame joke as you pressed enter on the keyboard with a loud clack!

“Alright, Cassie’s absences have been excused, is there anything else I could help you with, Steve?” you asked, finally looking at him. Steve thought, then shook his head. 

“Nope, well…I don’t need help, just have another question.” You tilted your head at him, urging him to ask you what he wanted, and he said with a soft clearing of throat, “Did you go to lunch already?” 

You seemed genuinely surprised by that question, eyes flashing to the clock on your desk before looking back at him and replying in a suddenly quiet voice, “Not yet, in about 20 minutes actually…why?” 

Steve leaned both hands on your desk, getting slightly closer to you, “Well I haven’t had lunch yet, Cass is still sick and Karen agreed to watch her while I run some errands, so…” he knocked on the wooden surface of your desk, almost nervously before he said, “Want to go get something to eat?” 

You said yes quite fast. 

That’s how Steve found himself with you in his car, meals done and low music playing on the radio as you two well…you just talked. 

You had asked him about Cassie, he told you she was doing much better, and then he was telling you about how his Halloween was. 

Cassie had decided, very last minute, that instead of being a regular fairy she wanted to actually be Tinkerbell. It wouldn’t have been a serious problem if the dress he got her was already green (it was blue), so he had to spend one of his entire lunch breaks finding a dress before he had to end up making it himself with a bunch of material from the only fabric store in Hawkins. 

“Wait a minute…you made her costume?” 

You were shocked, Steve could tell by the way you said it and stared at him with wide eyes and he felt a little embarrassed, “Yeah, took me two whole days. It was bad huh, you can be honest, Cass said she loved it, but I think she was just being nice- she doesn’t want to break her dad's heart.”

“Steve, she talked my ear off about how much she loved her costume,” you told him, genuine surprise still written all over your face, “Every time I learn something more about you the more I like you.” 

Your words made Steve pause for a second, and he turned his head over to you, watching as you took a sip of soda then grinned at him. 

Steve half-smiled at you as he moved to take a sip of his drink as well, “Did you not like me before or something? I really thought we had something with the apple picking, the baking…I even made you cookies, which…were they any good?” 

“Oh the cookies,” you said, your hand flying over your chest as you sighed, “They were delicious, thank you for that.” 

Steve smiled and nodded at you, and you added, “And I liked you before, just…now I like you more. You bake and you sew, and you love your daughter so much. What’s not to like?” 

You were looking at him softly, and Steve felt a bit flustered underneath your gaze. It didn’t feel like when the other women in town would compliment or praise him for what he thought was the bare minimum, where he felt as if they were nothing but empty praise. No, yours felt genuine.

“Well…I didn’t really bake until I met you, so…feel free to take credit for that quality,” he said, jokingly and you chuckled, “And I’m glad somebody thinks me being able to sew is good. Remember those kids I told you about? They break my leg about it all the time, especially Henderson.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, like me sewing is weirder than him building a whole radio when he was 13.”

“Wait he built a whole radio? Huh…”

Steve nodded, “Still shows off about it too, he told me one time what spectacular thing I did when I was 13 and I couldn’t say because I was already getting dates at that age.” 

His statement, as ridiculous and silly as it was, made you almost choke on what was left of your drink. He turned quickly to you as you coughed, and was worried until he heard cackling coming from you and saw your pretty smile again. 

You shifted in your spot, coughing lightly a few more times before you said, “And you’re funny? God, Steve.” 

His cheeks turned a slight pink, proud that he had made you laugh, but concerned with the fact that you had choked on your drink because of it. 

“Everyone except you and Cass would disagree with that statement, but it’s nice to hear every once in a while…” especially if it was the pretty city girl Steve was growing very fond of calling him funny, he didn’t say that part out loud though. Nope, that felt too forward in a lunch between friends even though it was incredibly true. 

Steve stayed staring at you, before he asked what it was that you did at 13, because he realized he’d been talking about himself the entire time and he wanted to know more about you, of course, having really gotten a few glimpses into your life. You hummed in thought. 

“I wasn’t building radios, definitely not getting dates like you Mr. Popular,” you teased, then continued to think with your face scrunched up before you hummed again, and finally said, “I was really big on roller disco.” 

“Wait…wait seriously?” 

Out of all the things Steve might’ve thought, you liking roller disco had not been one of them, and he found it cute the way you became flustered now as you nodded slowly. 

“Yeah, well…just disco in general, I was home alone a lot with nothing to do so I just learned a lot dance moves, and the roller rink was down the block, I was really good…god I can’t believe I’m admitting this to somebody,” you said, clearly embarrassed but Steve didn’t think it was something you should be embarrassed about and felt bad if he was making you think he was judging you in any way. 

“That’s pretty…I honestly would’ve never guessed it,” Steve decided on saying, before he thought of something, “Now that I think of it…Cassie’s music taste has been a bit disco-y lately ever since we were at your place baking…”

This made you laugh in disbelief.

“No way,” you said with a shake of your head and Steve nodded, “That’s funny, I’m a little less embarrassed now.”

“Yeah…god now I know who the culprit is,” he laughed, “Don’t be embarrassed…though how long was that your interest though? I just want to know, I’ve never met a disco dancer before.” He grinned cheekily at the title he’d given and you scoffed, though your eyes held warmth in them still.

“Oh the interest definitely went past 13, up until my college years really, I was in a club and everything, it was really the only fun thing I did.” 

Steve laughed with the shake of his head, still shocked by this information. So, you were a disco girl…he stupidly wondered if you two might’ve been friends if you knew each other in High School, but he quickly shut that down, remembering how he actually was in high school and knew you wouldn’t be friends with him most likely.

What mattered really was that he knew you now, and you knew him now, and like what you had told him…the more he was getting to know you really, the more he was liking you…or maybe it was something deeper with how his stomach churned pleasantly being in this car with you on this windy, fall afternoon just talking, making you laugh joyfully…he remembered having a lot of dates that went exactly like this back in High School, though it would be night time or you both would’ve been half way to Skull Rock by now. 

Still, it felt nice sitting here with you, it felt nice when you were with him and Cass apple-picking too, and at your place as well, baking cookies and enjoying each other’s company. 

All good things must come to an end though, and Steve hated how time flew by when you were having a good time, but you had to get back to work and Steve had to grocery shop for the week then go pick up Cassie from Karen Wheeler’s house. You still talked though as he drove you back to the school, your elbow leaning on the car’s door, hand resting above your head as you spoke and laughed. 

He stopped the car in front of the office, and you thanked him for a fun lunch, and Steve’s eyes had caught the post for the food pantry event the Hawkins School District were holding for Thanksgiving the following week. His eyes rested on the poorly drawn turkey and an idea flashed in his mind. 

“Hey, sorry, one last question,” Steve called to you before you could climb fully out of his car. You turned to him with a curious look, and he said, “What are you doing for Thanksgiving this year?”

“Nothing, I don’t really celebrate it,” you told him that pretty fast, indicating that someone has probably asked you before and that was how you answered.

Steve began to absent-mindly run his hands over the steering wheel, deciding just to ask you if you wanted to join him and Cassie. 

“If you’re up for it, me and Cass join the Henderson family. It’s just…them too, Dustin and his mom. I know she’ll enjoy having an extra person there.” 

You were quiet for a bit, eyes moving to his moving hands, and Steve was about to tell you that you didn’t have to if you didn’t want to, but you were speaking before he could even open his mouth. 

“That sounds fun actually…I guess that means I’m going to meet the little genius who built a whole radio at 13,” you said, referring to the prior conversation. Steve was grinning now, relieved and happy that you said yes and he chuckled and replied, “Yeah, honestly, I think you’d like him. He’s a cool kid.” 

“Alright, guess I’ll be seeing you sooner than I thought,” you said cheekily, and Steve scoffed at you but smiled afterwards. 

With a promise to call you sometime before then to give you the address, Steve was off to the market with butterflies fluttering in his stomach the entire time and when he ran into some familiar faces, they wondered what had him so joyful.

✧ ✧ ✧

You had made the joke to yourself that you felt like Steve when he tried to bring store bought cookies to the bakesale before you got your hands on him and convinced him to let you help him bake. The reason for this was because you had run out of time to make anything, but didn’t want to show up empty handed so you bought a pumpkin pie, and then a cheese tray and showed up just on time at the Henderson home; nothing homemade like you initially wanted but truth be told you didn’t really know how to make any traditional Thanksgiving supper.

They were already there, Steve’s car parked in front of yours, and the door was open, so you poked your head inside, looking around for anyone familiar…basically just Steve and Cassie, but instead you had been met with a young couple sitting on the couch. The girl was shorter, dark hair pulled back in a low ponytail with wispy bangs framing her face, and the boy, well you could only see his curly hair since his back was to you as they seemed to be in the middle of a conversation. 

“Oh Dusty Bun, latin has never been your strong suit and it’s okay to admit it,” the girl told the boy, and he huffed in response, “A genius can’t be good at everything.” 

“That’s not true,” ‘Dusty-bun’ replied to her, “You’re good at everything.” 

And she smiled, clearly keen on the compliment. You entered the house a little more, ready to announce your arrival when the girl saw you first. Your eyes locked with each other’s and she blinked a few times before saying, “Oh, hi?”

The boy snapped his head around quickly, blue eyes finding yours instantly, and when he didn’t recognize you in the span of a second he was saying, “Uh, sorry, I think you’re at the wrong house.”

You furrowed your brows, knowing for sure that wasn’t true because you recognized Steve’s car, and you said, assuming Dusty Bun was a nickname for Dustin, “Oh, I don’t think I am, you’re Dustin Henderson, right?” 

He nodded at you, and you told him your name and ended with, “Steve invited me, he probably just forgot to tell you.”

This seemed to genuinely surprise Dustin, both of his eyebrows raising in disbelief as he looked at you, and then all he could say was, “Wait- wait- are you telling me Steve invited you?” 

“Hey, don’t be rude,” the girl said, slightly tapping Dustin’s arm but he shrugged her off as he said he wasn’t being rude before he said, “I’m just surprised! Steve invited a girl to have dinner with us, is that not insane to you?” 

The girl opened her mouth to say something, maybe along the lines of trying to defend Steve before it went slack, and she replied, “...I admit it is a little surprising considering…well you know.” 

You stared at them, wondering what that even meant but decided not to question that in favor of asking awkwardly if they could just find Steve for you and tell him you’ve arrived. Dustin gave you another nod, and you expected him to get up rather than just turning his head and shouting the last thing you expected for him to shout,  “Hey Steve! Your girlfriend’s here! Why didn’t you tell me you had one!”

Following Dustin’s yell there was a crash from a room to the right of you, then a feminine shout of surprise followed by the familiar voice of Steve saying, “My bad! I’ll clean that up- don’t worry-” And then, Steve was in the room. He was wearing a nice polo shirt that was tight around his arms, and chest, over that was the same cupcake apron that matched Cassie’s. You supposed he was getting a lot of use out of it since buying it. 

There was also pink dusted on his cheeks as he told Dustin, “I can’t believe you just shouted that- she’s not my girlfriend, Henderson. Way to make it awkward- and hi, you’re here.” He was looking at you when he said that, his pretty brown eyes resting on you, and a smile, more shy than usual because of Dustin’s assumption, tugging at his lips. 

“You said 4,” you told Steve, a smile crawling its way onto your lips too. You stayed smiling at each other for a beat or two before you lifted the items you bought and asked, “So, where can I put these?” 

Steve waved you over toward him, “Right this way actually here-” He held his hands out, taking the pumpkin pie and cheese platter off of your hands, and you felt his fingers lightly drag against yours. He was really warm, which made sense as the kitchen you followed him into was drastically warmer than the living space and the colder fall temperature outside. 

“Sorry about Dustin, I hope he didn't make you uncomfortable,” Steve said, apologizing on his behalf but you could only wave that off with a shake of your head. 

“In his shoes, I’d probably think so too,” you admitted before you laughed nervously, afraid that had come off weird, but Steve let out a breathless laugh then nodded in agreement with you. 

There was a woman in the kitchen, Claudia Henderson you presumed, and she was wiping down whatever Steve had dropped. His face fell and he said, “You didn’t have to do that-” 

“It’s no problem, Steve! It wasn’t that bad of a spill,” she told him as she tossed the paper towel pieces she used into the trash, and Steve looked like he was going to say something else when her eyes landed on you and she was saying, “Is this her, Steve? Wow, aren’t you the pretty one?” 

You felt your cheek heats up, not expecting the compliment, and Steve’s eyes widened as she continued to say, “I’m so glad he’s finally found someone else, you know it was so hard-” 

“Wait, no it’s not-” 

“I’m just his friend,” you cut Steve off, Claudia paused before her expression turned shocked and then regretful. Her hands even flew over her mouth like she’d just cursed at you in an accident or something.  

“Oh, oh I’m sorry, I just assumed when he told me he was inviting a woman over that meant-” she gestured between you two before she laughed nervously, “Either way, I’m glad he’s invited a friend, thank you for joining us.” 

Her smile was kind, and despite the confusion from everyone you’ve encountered so far, you felt at ease standing in this pleasant smelling kitchen, and you said, “No thank you for having me! Now that I’m here, is there anything I can do to help?” 

Your eyes danced around the kitchen now, having never seen a kitchen so full with food before and you felt something odd in your chest, something you couldn’t quite describe, but Claudia’s claim that you didn’t have to make you ignore it and set it aside. 

“I pulled a Steve and brought only store bought items, please let me at least do something,” you said, poking at Steve and he huffed beside you. 

“Hey, you say that like there’s something wrong with that,” Steve said as he placed the pumpkin pie on what looked like the dessert portion of the kitchen counter, and placed the cheese platter onto a table with other appetizers to snack on before dinner. 

He was actually opening it before throwing a cube of cheddar cheddar and a ritz cracker into his mouth. 

Claudia had laughed at you both before saying that if you weren’t going to take no for an answer you could help prepare the ham. Your eyes landed on the thick piece of ham resting in a pan as you shrugged off the coat you were wearing to reveal a nice burgundy turtleneck underneath.

That feeling started to linger over you again as you realized you didn’t know what to even start with, having never prepared or baked a ham before- not even on Christmas when it appeared to be the most popular. Claudia didn’t seem to take notice of your sudden hesitation, but Steve did. 

He was back beside you and he said, “I’ll help, she’s taught me everything I know.” 

Claudia hummed, as if proud of her teaching Steve how to prepare a ham, and you gave him a curt nod before you went to wash your hands and Steve grabbed the things from a bag he must’ve brought of the things he would need. 

As you started to pour pineapple juice into a measuring cup per Steve’s orders, you suddenly realized there was somebody missing, a vital person, and you said, “Wait a minute- where’s Cassie?” 

Like you managed to summon the girl with the utter of her name, Dustin was entering the kitchen holding Cassie and grunting as he claimed she was heavy. He didn’t put her down though, not when she was very clearly half-awake, her eyes squinted and various strands poking out of her french-braided hair. 

She still managed to ask, “Is the food ready, yet?” 

Steve was walking toward Dustin, taking her from him, and as he pushed a few strands of her hair out of her face he said, “Not yet, sleepyhead, in about an hour, but look who’s here.” 

He turned around, and Cassie looked very closely at everyone in the room before she finally realized there was an extra person. Her being on the verge of falling asleep had vanished the moment she saw you, and you waved both hands at her eagerly. 

“I was waiting for you! I thought my daddy lied about you coming!” Cassie said, quite loudly. You laughed, head tilting back slightly. 

“Why do you keep thinking that I’m lying? I never lie to you,” Steve said with a shake of his head, and Cassie turned to look at her dad as he placed her hair behind her ear. 

“You said the food will be ready when I wake up, but it’s not,” she stated. 

“Ha!” Dustin laughed from where he stood next to the cheese platter you had brought, placing pieces of it onto a decorative plastic plate, “She got you there.” 

Steve gave him a look, but sighed as he said, “Yeah she did…how about you go and play with Dustin and Suzy and then it’ll be done.” 

“Oh yeah, I forgot I wanted to give her a lot of my old edition D&D books, and other old toys,” Dustin said, turning around to look at Steve and Cassie.

“Dude, come on…” 

“What? They’re Steve of Approved, plus if I start teaching her now, she’ll definitely keep the Hellfire Club going when she gets to high school, and that’s important,” Dustin said, clearly having a plan, and Steve could only shake his head as Cassie seemed excited about the word Hellfire and club. 

“Hellfire Club?” you asked, and all eyes turned to you. 

“Oh, it’s a Dungeon and Dragons club, do you play?” Dustin asked you, and you shook your head. 

“No, but…I’ve always wanted to, just never got the chance,” you admitted, remembering there being a club like when you were in high school too and wondering how one might play the roleplaying game, “It looks fun though, I’d like to learn one day.”

Dustin snapped his fingers, “See, that already makes you cooler than Steve” 

“Am I just going to be made fun of the entire time? Well yeah, that’s how I know it’s Thanksgiving,” Steve answered his own question with a scoff, making you smile sheepishly at him until he was smiling again as he said, “I’ve played a few times, not really my thing, but…I mean if you want to play I know a guy who could teach you. He’s a bit insane, but if I’m there you’ll be fine.” 

“Oh so you’re ‘not girlfriend’ is interested in playing and suddenly you’re willing to hang out with Eddie and playing too?” 

Dustin was giving Steve a knowing look, one of which had you suppressing a grin, especially when you saw Steve’s eyes get wide with shock that he’d say. He was probably regretting inviting you now.

“How is Eddie anyway? I haven’t seen him around in a while,” Claudia chimed in before Steve could properly respond and Dustin replied, “He’s always out of town lately, I know because I called before I even got here to see if he wanted to start planning a campaign for us to play.” 

Claudia hummed in response, and you watched Steve give Dustin a look, one of which Dustin shrugged at him before smiling menacingly. 

“Come on, Cass, let’s go,” Dustin said, and Steve placed Cassie down. She eagerly followed after Dustin, waving a good-bye to you before disappearing back into the living room. 

Steve was back by your side, helping you with the ham again and he muttered, “Sorry again.” 

In all honesty you weren’t bothered by the comments, Steve actually seemed more bothered than you were, his cheeks haven’t stopped being flushed since they started. You gently grasped his forearm, making him look at you. 

“Stop apologizing, I can handle being mistaken for your girlfriend,” you said teasingly, to which Steve turned even more pink, “Plus, I’m having a good time, so let’s finish this ham before Cass comes back asking why it isn’t ready yet.” 

Steve laughed and agreed with you as you worked together to get it done. 

Another hour had passed, you were more comfortable, and that weird feeling in your stomach had started to gently subside, up until dinner itself was ready to be served. Dustin, Suzy, and Cass were more than happy to set the table, then as you sat having the said dinner, you stayed quiet the whole time just watching. 

Steve was sitting at the end of the table, Claudia at the other end, Dustin and Suzy were sitting across from you, and you were sitting next to Cassie, just a seat away from where Steve was sitting. It was, what you believed to be, your first big family dinner. 

As you’ve said, it was really only you and your dad growing up, and when you told Steve you never celebrated when he first invited you, you meant it. Your dad and you would go out to eat the following day, but it was still just the two of you and as you watched them interact, laughing and teasing each other, retelling stories you’ve never heard before, and Dustin going on about how his year at University was going, you realized that empty feeling you were feeling was one you always tended to feel around the holidays. 

Maybe you were feeling it a little bit more since you really had no family left, and seeing them just made you think about it more, made you think about how lonely you actually felt, a loneliness you’ve always felt. 

After dinner, Claudia had offered to make cocoa and coffee for everyone as you let your stomachs settle before dessert and everyone had agreed. She shooed you all out of the kitchen though, keen on letting you guys enjoy each other’s company so you were gathered in the living room, the television playing and Dustin continuing his D&D lesson for Cassie, and you actually. 

You couldn’t shake the feeling though, and had excused yourself for a bit. You hadn’t noticed that Steve wasn’t even in the room when you snuck outside to gather yourself. 

Steve had actually gone to the bathroom, mostly to fix his hair and when he came back, the living room was actually just empty. He figured the beverages were ready and waltzed into the kitchen, seeing that he was right. 

Suzy was helping Claudia pour them into various mugs and Dustin and Cassie were standing by the dessert counter, taking advantage of their backs being turned to them. 

“What are you doing?” Steve questioned as he walked closer. They both looked at Steve with wide eyes, their lips covered in crumbs of one of the apple pastries Claudia had made. 

Dustin wiped his mouth with his sleeve and said, “We’re checking it for poison, duh.” 

Steve’s face deadpanned, having heard that just weeks before from Cassie herself. Deciding it really wasn’t that big a deal, Steve looked around the kitchen, trying to find you, but only seeing the people he originally saw when he first walked in. He asked where you went, and Cassie, with a mouth full of pastry, told him that you had gone outside and Dustin backed her up.

So, Steve went outside too, not without taking two mugs of coffee; one for you and one for him. 

You were sitting on the bench, arms crossed over your chest and staring at nothing in deep thought. You didn’t seem to hear Steve coming outside, not until he cleared his throat and held the mug out for you to take. You visibly snapped out of your thoughts and turned to look at the mug then at Steve, muttering a soft thank you as you took it from him. 

“I just needed a bit of air,” you told him as you held the mug with both hands, enjoying the warmth it radiated.

Steve nodded, and took a sip of his before he sat down beside you, guessing what it was that was bothering you because he had been in the same position as you before. He just kind of sensed it and recognized it, especially when he observed how quiet you were during dinner.

“I know it’s overwhelming,” Steve suddenly said, “Sorry, I just assumed, and maybe I should’ve…I don’t know eased you better into having a big family dinner like this.” 

You blinked, and looked at him. He looked thoughtful as he continued to speak. 

“I’ve mentioned my oh so great parents once or twice, but…yeah I never had any of this,” Steve gestured around with his mug, “Not until I was well out of high school, not until Cassie was born really…I had her mom, but that’s…” he made a face at that, and you tilted your head, this being the first time he’s mentioned her in any context and you thought maybe the comments of surprise Steve invited somebody had to do with her.

“Anyway though, I get it- I was overwhelmed the first time too, and I still kind of am- but knowing that I can give Cassie these experiences I didn’t have growing up makes it worth it,” he finished with a sip of his coffee, eyes soft as he too stared at nothing, thinking of Cassie back inside enjoying the Holiday with the Henderson family. 

You didn’t have a daughter, not like Steve, but you could imagine if you did you would try your best to do the same. It made your heart swell with how much of a genuinely good person and dad he was, and you just wondered what more this guy could do that would make you like him even more. 

“It feels like something I never knew I needed,” you said, laughing weakly and Steve joined you with that weak laugh. 

“Oh yeah, it feels weird huh…but also good.” 

“Yeah…yeah it feels really good,” you agreed, turning your body toward him. 

Steve returned your gaze, seeing something in it that made him swallow very thickly. It had been a while, yes, but when Steve said he was getting dates at 13 he meant it. He knew what it was like when someone liked him, it was almost like second nature and he prided himself once in being able to know when the right time was to kiss a woman. 

He called it ‘electricity.’ Stupid to say as an adult, but true when he was a high schooler. There was electricity between you, and with a soft flutter of your eyelashes, Steve knew they were ‘kiss me’ eyes.

And so, he was slowly starting to lean in…catching your lips parting and your eyes flickering down to his lips. You were leaning in too, but then, the door was being slammed open. 

“We’re having pie now, come on!” Cassie called, poking her head out the door, startling you and Steve. He sucked in a tight breath, leaning away from you as he looked at Cassie who remained in her place, just staring at the both of you like she knew something you both didn’t or something. 

“We’ll be in right now,” Steve told her, and she slowly disappeared back into the house, making you laugh. Steve turned back to you, trying to steady his breath at what almost happened out here and feeling guilty for whatever reason.

He wondered what you were thinking, but you were already moving to stand and he tilted his head upward to look at you, trying to see if he could read you, but you didn’t really give him a chance. You rather smiled at him like always, not giving any sign that you knew he was going to kiss you, which relieved him…but also disappointed him. Did he imagine you leaning in too? Was he being a creep?

If he was, you weren’t acting like it and rather held your hand out and said, “Well, let’s go enjoy some dessert.” 

The rest of the night was filled with more fun, and Steve liked how you were looking less melancholy, talking with Suzy and Dustin (You did actually bring the radio up and Dustin would not shut up). Steve remained on the couch, Cassie laying on it with her head resting on his lap and he figured they should head home soon when he noticed Cassie was actually falling asleep. 

Then, you were standing up, announcing that it was late and you should go. Steve gently moved Cassie, telling her that you were leaving and she opened her sleepy eyes to say bye to you before shutting them again. 

You told everyone a good night, thanking them for letting you join them, and then Steve walked you out. It was on the porch, you turned to Steve and leaned in to give you a chaste on the cheek, catching Steve off guard. 

“Thank you for everything Steve,” you told him, the tone of your voice very soft that Steve almost didn’t hear you over the fasting beating of his own heart from the feeling of your lips touching his cheek, even if it was just for less than a second. 

“You’re…you’re welcome,” he said, voice breathless. You stepped backwards, telling him good night and Steve watched you, a million thoughts running through his mind until he noticed you snap your fingers. Steve furrowed his brows, wondering why you did that before you were leaning into your car and grabbing a paper bag. 

Then, you were walking back to him, and held it out for him to take. 

“What’s this?” Steve asked you as he took it. 

“Just a gift for Cassie,” you told him, looking between him and the bag almost eagerly.

Steve looked into the paper bag, having to squint his eyes to see what it was. When he realized what he was looking at, his eyes widened and he was looking at you. There was a walk-man in there.

“Is this- wait- you didn’t buy this did you?” 

“No!” you said, “It was actually mine, but I never use it.” 

Steve’s gaze remained on yours, jaw slightly agape at the gift you’d just given him to give to Cassie, “Are you…sure?” 

You were nodding, “Yeah, it just sort of sits in my dresser and I know Cassie will use it all the time. Oh, I even…” You reached out, digging into the bag for a moment before you wrapped your hands around what you were looking for, “I made this for her, since you said she was enjoying disco lately I thought I might as well introduce her to my favorite ones and others too I think you might enjoy.” 

Steve looked at the mixtape in your hands, and those butterflies went insane in his stomach, actually rising up into his extremely warm chest. He thought maybe he was feeling light headed by your incredibly nice gesture, Cassie was going to be so damn happy. 

“You might want to listen to it first,” you continued after Steve was still silently staring at you, “You know…make sure it gets a Steve of Approval.” 

That made him laugh, the disbelief leaving his face for amusement before his expression was warm again as he said, “No…no I trust you…god thank you so much, she’s going to be happy.” 

You were nodding again, dropping the tape back into the bag and putting your hands into your coat pockets, “So I guess I’ll see you soon?” 

Steve held the bag against him, and he nodded, “Yeah, yeah see you soon.” 

And then, you were off. 

Steve stayed standing there, up until you were pulling out of the driveway and waving at him from your car.

“...fuck,” Steve cursed at himself for some reason, but saying it just felt right and necessary. He liked you, a lot, and he hadn’t felt this way in such a long time. And because of that…Steve wasn’t quite sure how he was going to proceed with this, or if he should considering his luck with women in the past.

Yet, as he watched your car disappear and felt this pleasant buzz in his mind with thoughts full of you…he knew that he should. The only thing was…he hoped to god he would see you soon. 

#i had it all planned out in sections good lord this took a while to write but i DID it and i love it so much #honesty...take your time reading it it's so long alksjalksja #steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington imagines #steve harrington x female reader #reader insert #female reader #stranger things #single dad steve au #confetti series #lys writes again

[carnivorousyandeere]

SFW Alphabet: Ace

CW: mentions of drug use, fighting, killing, depression, risky behavior in general?

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Ace shows affection through physical touch and close proximity to you, always wanting to have his arm slung around your waist or shoulder. He’s also the kind of person to tease the people he likes, so be prepared for him to come up behind you and startle you, things like that. He also verbally teases a lot, especially if you’re reactive (like Cyrus), shy, or short, things like that, but nothing too abjectly mean. Definitely calls you prey-coded things like“human,” or “rabbit.”

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

He just sees you, and decides you’re gonna be friends. You don’t have much choice in the matter, sorry~!💕 Wherever you go, he’ll want to go, and he’ll want to drag you to parties and local concerts, etc. Ace can be a real troublemaker– he’s ride or die, and expects you to be too. The chances of ending up with matching mugshots (with him grinning at the camera) are reaaaaal high.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Ace does like cuddling pretty well. His favorites are having you on his lap, or between his legs, and setting his chin down on the top of your head, with his arms around your middle either way. He doesn’t care who sees either, he’ll make you sit like that with him in broad daylight in public and look confused if anybody else is offended by the pda.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

That’s an interesting question; despite the whole rebellious delinquent thing he’s got going on, I do think Ace would like to settle down with you and would even make a decent househusband, being good with cleaning and cooking. He’s a little shy about his cooking skills, but he secretly practices a lot just for you. It makes him really happy if you like what he makes 😊

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

“Pfft, a lover’s spat? How cliché.” He’ll just bring you back, whether you want him to or not, and ‘wait for you to come to your senses.’

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

He’ll first think about marriage a few weeks or months into knowing you. Ace really likes the idea of getting hitched– and he wants a cool wedding. He’s the kind of guy to make a scrapbook of pictures from the wedding and honeymoon. His personal favorites are of you together on the dancefloor after the ceremony, and pictures of his car with a “Just Hitched ❤️” sign on the back and tin cans tied to the bumper driving into the distance 💞💞

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Ace can be incredibly soft and gentle if you’re genuinely scared, hurt, or sad. Wiping away your tears, offering to bring you food, things like that. Otherwise he can be a little hardheaded and abrasive, especially with his penchant for teasing and startling you 😅

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Ace likes hugging you, especially from behind. Depending on how tall you are, he likes resting his head on top of yours, on your shoulder, or against your back.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Ace will say it a lot to tease you after he’s already gotten on your nerves LOL. It can take him anywhere from two weeks to a few months to say it seriously, depending on other circumstances.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Ace can get really jealous, especially with strangers trying to talk to you. He even gets jealous of the other werewolves, and will often pull you away to cuddle if he misses you. Strangers often get an express trip to the local emergency room or heaven’s door 😇

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Ace’s kisses are often quick and mischievous. He likes catching you off guard with them. Some of his kisses are much deeper and more possessive. He likes kissing you on the top of your head and tip of your nose. He also really likes it if you kiss him on the tip of his nose.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Debatable? Kids think he’s fucking awesome, and he doesn’t do anything to hurt or scare them intentionally, but he’s definitely a bad influence and they might get accidentally injured from like. Him trying to teach them skateboarding or something. Might make a good dad in the future, after settling down more.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Ace isn’t a morning person; if you try to wiggle out of his arms to get up he’ll either pout and give you his best puppy dog eyes, or give you a seductive look– whichever he thinks will convince you to crawl back into bed. He’ll pepper little kisses all over your face if you come back to bed. He does like it if you sit on his lap during breakfast, and he’ll share his food with you 💕

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Ace loves urban exploring at night– aka, breaking and entering, trespassing, etc. He loves the adrenaline rush of it, and he especially loves it if you’re a scaredy-cat and cling to him over every small noise.

He also likes going to bars and parties, but definitely has a penchant for starting fights there.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Ace can be extremely careless with a lot of things, including information about himself and the rest of the wolfpack. Just ask Mason, the poor man’s been on the verge of heart attacks like five times from Ace almost revealing the pack. He is shy about small, innocent things that he likes, though— small moments of softness, like picking a worm up off the pavement and placing it back in the grass so it doesn’t get stepped on, or his fondness for strawberries (/u\)

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Ace is patient with you and only you, although even that has its limits. If you make him angry, he’ll leave to go cool off. Nobody else is so lucky. He gets in fights for fun and the thrill of it, just imagine how much more ruthless he gets when genuinely angry.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Ace won’t forget much, but he also likes playing dumb just to tease you.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

His favorite moment would definitely be your wedding, if you get married. Before that, it’s gotta be the first time you let him just casually hold you, or you that you sit in his lap.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Ace likes spooking you and seeing you scared, but he would never want to genuinely put you in danger. He loves protecting you, and he has the force to back it up. If anybody tries to hurt you, they’re gonna end up on a t-shirt, y’know? 😇 Ace also likes it if you try to protect him, he thinks it’s very endearing of you.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Ace NEVER forgets an anniversary. He fucking loves them, loves the excuse to be really saccharine and genuine while still hiding behind his tough-guy facade. “Well, y’know, I’d really be a shit boyfriend to forget,” and other little excuses to hide the depth of his softness for you. Gifts are similar– like the wedding scrapbook? That’s what he would give you on your first anniversary. Although you might have found the work-in-progress in his workshop by accident beforehand, he can be a little careless and forgetful after all 😂

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Getting into fights is the biggest one. It might be sweet if they were only fights over your honor and noble stuff like that, but really he’ll fight randos over anything;;; It’s kinda nerve wracking to have him come home all scraped up and bruised, and he’ll just laugh and shrug it off with the stereotypical “you should see the other guy,” line.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Not extremely concerned? He knows he’s hot, and his lack of intentional work on his appearance is part of why. He likes the unkempt, grungy look, and pulls it off damn well. It’s like Henry Cavill as Geralt v./ him as Superman, if Ace tried to clean up too hard it would kill the sex appeal 😅 (sorry Mr Cavill but it’s true)

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

He would be so heartbroken and unable to rest if he ever truly lost you. Ace would never know peace again, pacing from until the small hours of the morning. Eventually he’d waste away from hunger and drugs, not taking care of himself.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

His birth name is Giuseppe, but he goes by Ace because he thinks it sounds a lot cooler. His favorite color is red, and his favorite food is strawberries. He can be a little shy about innocuous stuff he genuinely enjoys though, so you might catch him hiding away to eat his strawberries (with or without powdered sugar, but probably with)

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Ace is flexible; there’s not much you could do to scare him off or genuinely annoy him. Although, if you were to side with Mason every time they have a disagreement, it would definitely get under his skin.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)

Ace prefers sleeping next to you in human form rather than wolf form. He always, always wants to spoon, and doesn’t give a shit which of you is the big or little spoon. He also tends to run hot, and sleeps in thin pajama pants, usually without a shirt. He does tend to move around a lot and sometimes when he does wear a shirt to bed, he’ll wake up to find it crumpled on the floor??

#oc ace #my thoughts #yandere #yandere imagines #yandere scenarios #yandere x darling #yandere x reader #yandere oc #yandere x you #yandere cw #yandere werewolf #werewolf #werewolf pack #werewolves #sfw alphabet

[seoafin]

please free to ignore this if you’re not comfortable talking about it but i saw in a previous post you mentioned in the tags that you got into a huge fight with your best friend last year because you felt she didn’t put in enough effort on her end and i feel like i’m on the brink of going through this right now 😭

i’ve been friends with this girl for over 13 years now and love her to death but sometimes i feel as if my presence gets taken for granted. i feel like she believes she doesn’t have to put in much effort into our friendship anymore because i’ve been around for so long so there’s no way i’m gonna leave…and i HATE it!! there’s so much i have to say but i don’t even know where to start.

this is also semi related to my feelings on this but we have a third friend as well who we consider our best friend (corny to say but we’re a trio) but i feel this way towards her too sometimes. these past few months she got in a relationship and she while she definitely talked to us, she talked to us less and less in favour of her boyfriend (uni def played a part in this but she talked to him daily while we were lucky if we heard from her) but this past week lots happened and they ended up breaking up. this is genuinely the most i’ve heard her talk about her life with us in MONTHS and while i’m glad she did i’m a little bitter that she realized she should break up with him after some guy she befriended told her how trashy he is while i’ve been telling her that for MONTHS for it to fall on deaf ears.

it’s so annoying and i feel so stupid constantly putting in all this effort into these friendships giving all this advice for it to be ignored and be reciprocated back in lazy ways (they both give horrible lazy advice to me the rare times i have asked for it and it ends up just making me feel stupid).

i actually don’t know what i wanted out of dumping this in your asks but i just feel a little insane currently and think i’m crazy and care too much about little things. i feel so obsessive over these friendships and every little thing that happens while i know those two don’t think twice about it 😭 i guess i’m asking for advice on how to be less co-dependent? idk but you definitely don’t need to answer this if you don’t want, i know it’s A LOT to unpack and ur not a therapist…it’s very weird i’m dumping this here i sincerely apologize…

i do hope you’re having a fantastic day!!

i think what helped me the most was the realization that (cue that tumblr post) you can't force reciprocation. sometimes relationships and friendships will fizzle out. in the end all you can do is look back on and appreciate the time you did spend with them. there's no such thing as a wasted relationship. the only thing i can say is talk to them! i know how exhausting it can be to continuously be the one reaching out and how sad it is thinking you're the only one with any stake in the relationship

if you decide that this is a relationship worth preserving then you need to sit them down and talk to them. if they still don't understand then it's not worth it. let them go! i will say upon talking to my friend she did promise to try more and do better. and while she hasn't completely done that 100% i think i was at a point in my life where i recognized that our friendship wasn't going to be the same as it was when we were constantly seeing each other almost every day in hs. i can't keep on holding on to the past when we're completely different people! i'd say we're in a good place now. not as close as we once were but close enough that i don't need to rely on her when i go through life crises. i also don't harbor any resentment towards her anymore. as for being less co-dependent i think it's important to still be able to talk about your problems to a friend but i wouldn't look for emotional fulfillment in them if that makes sense? either find another friend or acknowledge that the advice they offer you comes from a place that doesn't necessarily have your best interests. rant to them but don't hinge your hopes on emotional reciprocation or a resolution. sometimes, just talking helps! you don't need to seek out an answer. also taking up a hobby doesn't hurt.

#i will also say that the situation was a bit more layered because i felt #that my friend had ditched/replaced me for her elite intellectual [redacted] friends despite going to an elite college myself #so i just felt extremely inadequate seeing my friend who i thought like me found it hard to make friends suddenly having a group of friends #while i was alone in (redacted) #also i feel you about having a friend that does NOT listen to you about her bad taste in men god... SHIT SUCKS #long post #ask

[thatgirl4815]

Tankhun & Chess

Thought I’d make an additional post to address this fruitful question, @aprilblossomgirl (and @luckydragon10 you might find this interesting as well!). Thanks for mentioning it because I’ve had a lot of fun thinking about it! :) *Link to the original post: here.

Before I get into it, I’ll just mention the first part of your comment on the OG post: Kinn and Porsche are definitely opposite sides of a coin, and I think that’s what makes them so interesting as double protagonists. One comes from very little but leads a very emotionally satiating/optimistic lifestyle while the other comes from a lot but carries a lot of inner turmoil and emotional damage. They’re essentially opposites.

Ok, now onto the main topic.

Tankhun in the chess game

Tankhun is a bit difficult to place in the chess game because his power is not as clear-cut as Kinn’s or Korn’s. According to the general hierarchy of chess pieces, the rook would naturally fit between Kinn (the king) and Kim (the knight):

Rook

In chess, the rook is just under the queen in terms of power. Now, this makes sense to me for a few reasons, both of which relate to Kinn as the king piece. We know that, at the moment, Porsche holds the most sway in Kinn’s life. But we also know that Kinn cares deeply for Tankhun, as he demonstrated in the first few episodes (pleased that Porsche could get Tankhun out of the house, willing to buy Tankhun new carps, etc.). The queen and the rook are both fundamental in the life of a king (at least when it comes to chess).

Tankhun doesn’t seem very powerful, but I think he holds a lot more sway than we think. And, like how the queen plays a monumental role in defending her king, Tankhun is devoted to protecting Kinn and pointing him in the right direction. He doesn’t want to trust Tawan because he knows that Tawan betrayed the family, and Kinn, in the past. He also doesn’t believe that Porsche is a traitor. It doesn’t necessarily matter in this instance, but I’d like to note that I think Tankhun knows the relationship between Kinn and Porsche. He’s more observant than others give him credit for, and though he’s a bit erratic, he’s still got a sharp mind. This makes him a unique protector of the king.

When it comes to the actual capabilities of the rook piece, a rook can move in all directions (like a queen) EXCEPT diagonally; this is what cements it as one step below in the hierarchy. Where things get dicey is when we think about the hierarchy in terms of mafia power versus the power to manipulate the playing field—i.e., the power Porsche has. Korn is most powerful in a mafia sense (and as the player in the chess metaphor, he’s the one giving all the pieces meaning), but we know Porsche is the most powerful in a more objective sense. In this case, I think Porsche is so powerful because Kinn has developed such a strong attachment to him. Again, it’s easy to get in the weeds on this metaphor, but at its most basic, I think Porsche holds a lot of power because of the way he lives his life: freely. His freedom of thought and spirit is what Kinn adores/craves, and it’s what elevates Porsche’s power that much more. It also feeds into the “us against the world” idea because Kinn and Porsche give each other strength. Kinn was afraid of Porsche (…and still is, as evidenced by his hesitation to admit his love), but the greater theme seems to be that love isn’t a weakness. We’re still working to a full resolution of this idea.

I’m getting off topic a bit, but I want to reiterate that I think the chain of command is necessarily muddled/messy because control is so dependent on the bonds formed between these characters. That’s what makes KP such a deeply personal show, despite how it might look from the outside.

So, all of this is a long way of saying that I think Tankhun is a rook. He’s quietly powerful, not as notorious as a queen piece, but still offering helpful input. Yet again, I have gone on a wild chess rant, so please let me know your thoughts on the organization of each piece in this metaphor. :)

#kinnporsche #kinnporsche the series #kinnporsche meta #Idk if anyone else has done a meta on Tankhun in the chess metaphor? #But this is the best interpretation/analysis I could come up with #kinn and porsche #kinn porsche #kinn anakinn #porsche pachara #tankhun #tankhun kinnporsche