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elleloquently · 1 year

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invisible string [5] : ellie williams

part four

| college!ellie x female!reader - thank you once again for being patient! comments are highly appreciated, as are reblogs <3 hearing from you all gets me so excited to write more for this little series!!

| c/w - anxiety

the sunlight woke you up in the morning, rays peeking in from your dorm window until your entire room looked vibrant and bright. it was an optimistic start. you weren't exactly a morning person, no matter how hard you tried, but the promise of seeing ellie was enough to make you spring up in bed, tossing the covers messily around your feet.

you felt around for your phone, lost somewhere within the blankets. it was a nasty habit you developed only after getting ellie's number, falling asleep with your phone tangled in your bedding instead of putting it up and away for the night.

you quickly pulled it free, delighted to be greeted with a message from your new favorite person about confirming your plans for the day.

new favorite person.

you let your phone drop in your lap. it was hard to keep reminding yourself not to get ahead of things... but ellie made it hard. she stuck around, essentially went out of her way to speak to you and even make plans. it could be easy to dismiss everything, to let your anxiety take control once again and convince yourself that it meant nothing, that you're reading into things and making things up and practically daydreaming about ellie actually caring about you...

but she really did, didn't she? she had basically admitted it the night before, unless you really were reading into it...?

her quiet confession still rang true in your ears.

'honestly i was getting ready to leave before i saw you.'

ellie stuck around. for you.

it had to mean something. whether it be a friendship, or... she cared about you, in some way, and you weren't going to push that aside simply because you were sure that it was too good to be true. the semester would end soon anyway, would you keep this up during winter break, throughout next semester? one thing was for certain, you weren't going to miss out on getting to know her more, getting to spend time with her. it was dumb luck, a class crush turned into something more and you would leap at the chance.

nerves ate away at you after leaving bed and getting ready, prepping to see ellie at 12:30 like you had agreed. she was even going to meet you at your dorm. it was polite but felt so formal, you were glad to have the study guide as a somewhat buffer for your nerves. even though it obviously wasn't your first meet up, if you were judged solely on your level of nervousness, anyone could be mistaken. ellie was a comforting presence to be around, but yet she was so intimidating. you honestly just wanted to drink her up, learning anything and everything you could about the girl.

you were zipping your bag when a soft chime rang through the air, your phone's notification breaking through the silence and your train of thought. it was a declaration of arrival and ellie was there, waiting for you outside of your building.

you immediately booked it into high gear, sparing only one last fleeting moment to glance in the mirror, making sure everything was exactly how you had wanted. after feeling like such a mess the previous night, you wanted to be easy-going and light hearted today, especially to continue to make a good impression.

nearly racing down the stairs, (the elevator always took far too long,) you made it to the ground level in record time. despite the misleading sunshine it was still miserably cold outside, and you didn't want ellie waiting for you long in the wind.

she was easy to spot once you were outside. ellie was just a few feet away from the main entrance, hands shoved in her pockets with a lopsided grin on her face upon seeing you.

"hey," ellie called, watching as you walked over to her. you grinned. the sound of her voice directed towards you was simply too much.

"i don't feel like studying today," you responded as a greeting. it was honest but joke-y, good to break the ice. not that the ice necessarily needed breaking, again, but perhaps just a little thawed. being anxious usually made things like that.

ellie snorted at your remark, shaking her head. "then we're off to a great start."

after the events of the previous night, you were grateful to have something to talk about that didn't revolve around schoolwork. of course, you had normal conversations about your lives, hobbies and interests, but sometimes it was difficult to pull a conversation topic out of thin air, especially with something as fresh as this thing with ellie.

regardless, you debriefed, discussing last night's most hilarious and dreadful moments while you walked alongside each other. ellie's laugh was a symphony and you revealed in it, playing up a bit if she found it especially funny. you were quick to find your footing today, maybe because you had seen her and hung out with her outside of campus and for some reason now it felt more real.

bumping shoulders occasionally while you walked, you opted to return to the dining hall that you previously hung out at. (ellie had referred to it as “our place” and even though you had only gone once before, your voice caught in your throat.)

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

the dining hall was crowded.

any confidence you had built up while getting ready and walking to your destination was quickly squished away. you sat now, red in the face and humbled as you toyed with a straw wrapper. ellie was hunched over her side of the table, focused on the study guide and trying to tune you in while tuning everybody else out.

you managed to score an empty table but it wasn’t ideal. at the table to your right, a group of guys were loudly debating something. to your left, girls with hoarse voices going over drama from some party.

you shrunk down lower in your seat, flicking the wrapper across the paper that was on the table in front of you. it was almost too loud to think, and you always avoided the dining hall if it was this unbearable. you attempted to steady your breathing but it happened louder than you expected, coming out like a sigh.

it was enough to draw ellie's attention, her eyebrows knitting together as her gaze slowly lifted to you.

"are you alright?" she questioned. you nodded, eyes wide. it was embarrassing. you didn't want her to feel like you were bored.

"we'll get it done, don't worry," ellie reassured you, which was sweet. she thought you were stressed about the study guide, (to be fair, you were, just not in that exact moment) so it was slightly relieving that you didn't appear to be as anxious as you felt.

"i know," you smiled because ellie was watching for your reaction. you debated for just a moment whether or not to indulge her, ellie's green eyes boring into your own. "it's just really loud," you admitted.

"and crowded," ellie added. this caused you to perk up, sitting up straighter.

"yeah," you enthused, happy your feelings weren't isolating. "i just don't really love it," you tried. treading lightly.

"this actually blows," ellie concluded. your smile grew into a grin, a contrast from your shared words but it was genuine.

"do you wanna go?" you questioned, happy to stay for ellie's sake but itching to leave, the cold would be better than another ten minutes where you currently were.

you seemed quite chipper but ellie faltered, her smile dropping noticeably after you had spoke.

"oh," you said automatically, quick to clarify. "we could go somewhere else."

you would've crossed your fingers if ellie wouldn't have seen. she recovered quickly and nodded. "we could go to mine."

your heart flipped.

ellie's tone was casual as she dropped her offer, but the tips of her ears were pink. maybe she was simply anxious like you, but suddenly reading too far into it felt like a game.

you grew eager quite quickly, to see how she liked to decorate and if she kept things tidy or couldn't help but have a few jackets thrown throughout the room.

nodding in agreement, accepting ellie's offer, she didn't hesitate to gather her things and stand up from the table. you followed suit, certainly in a trance.

the getaway was quick but the walk was slow, casual. neither of you were in a rush to hurry and arrive, finish the study guide, and say goodbye. you were genuinely hanging out, and you couldn't decide if you were more excited or more nervous. you peered over at ellie, who was breathing out on purpose, watching the cold swirl in the air. you wondered if she was nervous too, nervous about you seeing her room. it felt sort of intimate, but maybe only because you were prone to overthinking.

her building wasn't much different compared to yours, though you stuffed yourselves into the elevator, shoulder to shoulder so you didn't have to graze anyone else.

ellie felt awkward now, you could tell. she shuffled her a feet a little upon reaching her door, her first attempt at unlocking it failed by her fumbling hands. the action only made you feel more confident, determined to make her feel comfortable and not regret letting you into her space.

ellie held the door open with one hand, gesturing for you to step inside with the other hand after flicking on the light. you stepped in front of her, given her cue, and breathed out a sigh.

it was like getting a peek inside of her mind, viewing ellie's room. she watched you carefully with baited breath as you stepped around her room, taking it all in.

it was clean, but there was a hoodie thrown on the back of her chair. she had a couple of plants, comics, and posters too. they were band posters, and there was a solar system map above her bed. it caught your interest, and you threw an approving smile over your shoulder at ellie.

"you know those little glow in the dark stars that kids put on the walls and ceilings and stuff?" you asked her, feeling as though you had to speak quietly. everything was so still.

ellie nodded, glancing over you as you face towards her.

"i still have them," you admit.

ellie's gaze softens and she smiles in adoration. she doesn't speak, but her reaction is tender enough and you're satisfied. you look over the solar system once more before your eyes move to a different wall, one with a lot less open space. pictures and drawings are arranged, drawing your attention. you glance at ellie again, silently asking for permission, and she nods. you move closer to examine the pictures, but your eyes catch on one thing in particular.

it's a colorful post it note, the one with your doodle that you had signed. on her wall.

ellie had said that she was going to keep it, but you didn't expect her to put it up. hers were on your wall too of course, but it felt like a secret, harboring a crush with her drawings on your wall. this felt equal, and it made you feel brave.

"my drawing," you spoke, breaking the silence. you turned to look at ellie once more, waiting for her response. instead her face paled, almost as if she had been caught.

shit. was she embarrassed? you felt horrible for thinking it, but it made you feel better. equal. brave.

"i have yours on my wall too," you confessed. ellie's lips parted in surprise but she was so good at catching herself. her smile was crooked as a laugh escaped her lips. "no way," she remarked. flustered. proud. relieved.

"it's true," you played into it. "signed by the artist herself and everything. it's real valuable."

scoffing, ellie took a few steps closer so she stood just behind your shoulder as you turned back to peer at her wall some more.

"real funny," she grumbled, but you could hear the smile in her voice anyway.

she had some of her own drawings on the wall too, you could tell because it matched ellie's art style from her doodles.

"these are really good," you breathed, taking in every detail sketched by her pen.

"yeah?" ellie glanced at you sideways, watching you take in her artwork.

your heart seized, feeling lucky to have doodles done by ellie williams on your wall. you wanted even more. you wondered suddenly if any other girls had drawings done by ellie on their walls too, and you scrunched up your nose. it was a weird thought, and you forcibly shoved it away by moving on to the pictures.

some of the pictures looked recent, while others were obviously much older. the majority of the pictures featured her alongside other people. some were photobooth strips, with ellie making ridiculous faces at the camera. they looked old. other pictures were like that too, goofy faces and bunny ears with an older man and people who were most likely her friends. some of them were sweet, smiling photos and a few candids of small groups together.

it made your heart feel warm as you took them in, getting a peek at ellie's life while unveiling another layer. you felt soft for the girl and you wanted to hear stories, but you were weary of being invasive.

a lot of pictures featured dina and a guy, who you assumed to be jesse. they seemed to be a close trio, and you wanted to confirm it.

"that's dina," you pointed her out in one particular photo. ellie hummed, confirming. you only met her once, and it was pretty dark, but she was nice.

you pointed the guy out now, looking to ellie. "is that jesse?"

ellie nodded, giving you a small, encouraging smile.

you hoped that it was sweet, thoughtful that you had remembered the important people in her life. you moved your gaze back to the several photos that included the older man. they were younger in some of the pictures, both him and ellie victim to the bunny ears in seperate photos. there was a picture of them smiling at what looked to be a museum, with huge dinosaur bones behind them. they were both wearing silly hats and your lips lifted into a smile. in another, a much younger ellie was wearing an astronaut type of helmet, grinning wildly at the camera.

the recent photos were cute too. a lot were of them smiling together with varying backgrounds. in one picture you spotted a massive banner from your college, the one that was set up on move in day from freshman year. so many parents had pressed for photos, incoming students smiling through tears or grumbling about being embarrassed while posing. you stifled a laugh, leaning in closer.

ellie was stood in front of the banner, an awkward smile that looked more like a grimace was plastered on her face. she weakly held a thumbs up, while the man at her side was grinning proudly.

"ellie," you spoke. "is that joel?"

ellie smiled knowingly. "yeah. that's joel."

you grinned, pleased with your correct assumption. she had told you about him before, and now you could finally put a face to the name.

moving on from the pictures, you finally noticed a guitar nestled into the corner of the room by her desk.

"oh man," you sighed, rushing over to it. "ellie, it's so cool."

"joel gave it to me," ellie responded. "he actually taught me how to play," she explained.

you appreciated the tidbit, especially since before she had seemed shy at any mention of her playing the guitar.

"that's so cool," you said honestly.

ellie shrugged, modest, but still she smiled. she watched as you basically admired the things around her room, not wanting to pull you away but desperate to finish the study guide so that you could both focus on anything but that.

"alright," ellie began, posing the dreadful order. "let's finish this, shall we?"

sighing in resignation, you let your bag fall dramatically off of your shoulder and onto the floor, the thud softened by a rug as it landed next to your feet. "the sooner it's over, the better."

"no argument there," ellie uttered, plopping down onto her bed with a huff. you hesitated momentarily, considering sitting down in her desk chair but her words got to you first.

"you can sit up here," she mused, eyebrow raising at the look of panic that must've etched itself upon your face. ellie kicked off her converse, playfully rolling her eyes at your frozen state. it was your turn now to feel insecure. you shoved off your shoes, carefully setting them off to the side and placing your bag on her bed.

"sure?" you questioned, eyebrow raising. ellie nodded once and patted the bed. you sat across from her, cheeks noticeably heating up.

last night you had seen her off campus, and now you were on her bed. it was enough to make your head spin, but for now you had to focus.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

"and then he was like," you put on your most obnoxious guy voice, making it deep and stupid. "only one? you need more than that, blah blah blah."

ellie snorted, rifling through the assortment of snacks that had been dumped on the bed.

it took nearly two hours, but the study guide was out of sight, out of mind. you sat on ellie's bed, legs crossed.

"jesus dude," ellie muttered, sounded bewildered. "i still feel bad about scaring you though."

"please don't," you insisted. "you seriously saved me." your giggles teetered out and you glanced at ellie seriously. "and thank you for driving me back last night. things were obviously not going well for me, so," you played with the end fringe of a forest green throw blanket.

"anytime," ellie replied. her tone was lighthearted but the serious nature of your comment made her feel jittery, hands drumming on her thighs. you tensed, not wanting to be the reason for an awkward silence. ellie surprised you, however, when she swallowed hard and continued on.

"i thought you might've been out with like, your boyfriend, or someone."

you slowly met her eyes, heart pounding at her side comment. it was so unnecessary, and so obviously bait. it had to be, even if you were overthinking, because you had talked frequently and if you were dating someone it certainly would've come up by now.

you indulged her anyway, wiping your palms on your pants. "no boyfriend," you clarified, shaking your head.

it felt so stupid yet so important, the direction that the conversation was headed in.

"you could've been out with your boyfriend," you retorted, but the words sounded so idiotic leaving your mouth.

ellie snorted, genuinely caught off guard. "no boyfriend," she laughed scrunching her nose.

obviously, you thought.

ellie was amused, and you felt as though you were on the defense.

"whatever," you waved your hand, clearly embarrassed.

ellie laughed at you, but it wasn't mean. the sound was nice anyway, so you smiled, eyes crinkling. you felt lucky to be hanging out without the pressure of school hanging over your head. it meant that she actually wanted to spend time with you, not just for the sake of studying. you liked it like this, being able to just talk and get to know ellie. you liked having an excuse to look at her, too. she talked with her hands a lot, and you couldn't help but long for the feeling of her arm around your waist again, even if you felt guilty for thinking it.

"have you ever had a boyfriend?" ellie questioned suddenly. she wasn't good at pretending to sound casual and your stomach twisted.

wordlessly and trying to ignore how hard ellie was watching, you shrugged. "nothing serious," you tried to explain. "have you dated?" you asked back, purposefully leaving the statement vague.

"yeah," ellie clicked. "i've dated."

you tried not to allow your reaction to be evident on your face. of course she has. you felt honestly bitter, and even more irritated that she stayed vague as well.

the conversation lulled, panic settling in your emotions as you both grew quiet. you couldn't get a read on ellie, and you wondered if it was maybe because she didn't want you to. the idea taunted you, and you nearly wanted to take the plunge and ask her something that could change everything but maybe you didn't want to change anything, maybe you wanted to be content with being her friend and hanging out like this and helping each other study, maybe it was just better that way? you could try to convince yourself, but the nagging feeling would still eat away at you, what would happen if you could just confess-

"can i ask you a question?" you blurted out.

ellie sat forward, putting her elbows on her knees and resting her chin on top of her hands.

"why'd you sit next to me? in class? you always sat in the same spot and then... out of nowhere you just, why'd you do that?"

her eyebrows drew together as ellie contemplated which point to advance on first. you must've looked nervous because ellie's tone was teasing when she next spoke.

"actually, you sat next to me," she teased pointedly. "and you paid attention to where i sat every day?"

your face burned and you scrambled to back track, self conscious under her gaze.

"come on," you huffed. "everyone sat in the same seats all semester. i did sit next to you but you were sitting next to my seat!" you rambled, defending yourself.

"come on," ellie mocked, though she hesitated to meet your eyes. "iiiit's not a big deal," she breathed, drawing out the sound of the vowel.

you unwillingly retreated, but still wanted to pry for more. neither of you could commit. you would nearly knock down a wall and right when it was almost there, you gave up, never truly making any progress. still, you wondered if the territory was even worth recovering.

"ellie," you started again. "i'm glad you showed up for the study group that day, or, actually, that i showed up."

it was innocent enough, it didn't have to mean much but it could mean more if either of you wanted it too.

"yeah. me too," ellie responded quietly. she finally met your eyes again but you didn't shy away.

"ellie-"

she murmured your name in response, copying your tone. you faltered, too caught off guard to smoothly recover from it.

"you swear i didn't impose last night?" you asked.

'honestly i was getting ready to leave before i saw you.' the words stuck in your mind, and you were curious if she would say something similar now or go back on her word.

"swear," ellie said automatically. she didn't need to think about her answer, it was true and there was no denying it. her certainty had you feeling optimistic like the morning sun. you couldn't help but bring the conversation back to the previous evening, your skin burned under her touch and you yearned for it now, any confirmation that she could possibly feel the same way.

"i'm glad you were there last night too," you said, hoping you didn't sound too repetitive. you already expressed your gratitude a few minutes ago, but you needed something.

ellie smiled despite herself, your willingness to push forward impressing and amusing her.

"hey," ellie murmured. "i'm glad you were there too," she quietly admitted.

your pulse quickened at the sincerity and sighed. "i wish i would've talked to you earlier on in the semester... we could've been friends," you said wistfully.

"friends," ellie muttered, picking at her nail.

you squinted at her and she spoke up. "we are friends," she offered.

the confirmation was nice but something about her tone left you wanting. you were glad that she thought of you as a friend, but you still liked her.

"why'd you invite me to study with you? in the library?"

harmless, but you were definitely toeing the line of being annoying.

"you're very inquisitive," ellie mused. her tone was gentle but she moved her gaze to the ceiling. "we don't have to do this now."

do what? you wanted to ask, but you knew it was getting to be too much. you had your answer, after all. if it were a normal, casual situation, she could've given you an easy answer. but she didn't, so there must've been something there. you smiled down at your lap and ellie looked at you, wondering.

wanting the pressure off of herself, since you felt inspired to ask her so many questions, ellie decided to do the same.

"why'd you stay?" she pressed, taunting as she leaned closer to you.

you stiffened, looking at her from under your eyelashes. "what do you mean?"

"when i invited you to sit with me in the library," ellie clarified.

"oh," you said flatly. "to study. you needed help, didn't you?"

a look of confusion crossed ellie's face briefly before something clicked. whatever registered made her smile like she knew a secret, and she nodded. "uh huh," she breathed out.

you looked puzzled but ellie left it alone. unsatisfied, you decided to be more honest.

"plus... you just invited me, you know? you always looked cool and intimidating... i guess i wanted to, you know, get to know you?"

"what," ellie laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. "you're lying," she accuses.

"i am not!" you exclaim, gaping at her. you jokingly wack at her arm, but her reflexes are too quick and she catches your wrist in her hand.

you swallow hard, freezing at her touch. ellie's lips twitch and she slowly releases you, your arm flopping comically down on the bed.

"i'm not lying," you persist, nearly having to force yourself not to whisper. "honestly? i've wanted to talk to you for awhile." you feel sick at your confession, despite its innocence.

"why didn't you?"

"i don't know. scared?"

"scared of me?" ellie questions, sounding concerned.

"no," you quickly clarify. "not scared of you, just..." well, maybe you were a little scared of her. maybe you still were, judging by how quickly your heart was beating. your knees bumped against hers, but you didn't feel like you had to apologize. it was comfortable.

"well, you're talking to me now," ellie offered, glancing quickly at your legs once your knees touched.

"i know!"

"i'm glad you are," ellie spoke softly, carefully watching your reaction.

"yeah? me too," you reply, not overthinking the idea of conveying your feelings for once. there was so much that was still unsaid, but in way it was still revealing. you were happy even to just be there, sitting with ellie and talking with ellie and existing with ellie, and you were starting to feel pretty sure that she felt the same way.

[ part six ]

#ellie williams x reader #ellie williams x female reader #ellie williams x you #ellie tlou x reader #ellie williams college au #ellie williams fanfic

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pxrxcxa · 2 years

Text

Opposite Ends

Chapter One - Welcome to Hawkins High

C2 | C3 | C4 | C5 | C6 | C7 | C8 | C9 | C10 | C11 | C12 | C13 pt 1 | C13 pt 2 |

Chapter 2 is out now - enjoy Sunflowers, P. x 🌻

Pairing | Eddie x Female reader 18+. Steve x Robin x Female reader platonic friendship

Series summary | Dustins older sister got brought into the group during the events of Starcourt mall, 3 months on she's in her senior year and the kids are starting high school. After everything that went down she feels that she has to keep them safe at all costs, that includes keeping them way from the charismatic 'freak' Eddie Munson that runs a club based on their favourite game. They've both hated each other since her freshman year -with good reason-, but when keeping distance between the kids and Eddie means putting herself in the firing line, boundaries get blurred, intentions get lost & the heart speaks louder than the brain.

The story is told from both Y/N & Eddies point of view.

What to expect | Slow burn enemies to lovers, Angst - with a happy ending, fluff & smut (in the later chapters). 18+ to read this story.

Series Warnings | Mentions of abuse, drug use, 18+ smut content

Chapter word count | 3.2k word count

Chapter warnings | Mention of physical abuse & Drug use

Any & All comments/reblogs are most appreciated - Love, P. x 🌿

Authors Note | I really hoped you enjoyed it & if you read the entire chapter then thank you for reading! I plan on putting a lot of effort into this story so it may be slow going at first before we see some development between Eddie x y/n. Feel free to let me know what you think! Take care sunflower 🌻, P. x

Y/N | October 1985

It had not even surpassed a month since the quote 'Fire of Starcourt Mall devastates Hawkins' had been splayed across static ridden TV sets in almost every household as it broke across our dearest - and allegedly cursed -towns news headlines and quickly spiralled into a national sensation, the deaths of the flayed blamed on it.

I didn't have to imagine what people thought about that "poor dammed Hawkins town' when they saw the news, up until June I was of the same mind as the rest of the towns terrified residents. Housewives had huddle together in the aisles of Hawkins stores; heads close together as the whispers broke out above the white noise.

“Yes, that’s right, ever since that Byers boy went missing, nothing has been right and all of these tragic deaths. I’m telling you Helen; it almost devilish what’s been happening. Hawkins can’t catch a break, we’re cursed, cursed I tell you.”

And with those venomous words loudly whispered into the eagerly awaiting ears of the notorious town gossip, it had taken only all of an afternoon for that gossip to turn factual and become the opinion held in the highest regard by most residents. Unlike those oblivious to the actual truth, I liked to think I wouldn’t have been so naive and gullible to believe the theories circulating the grapevine, some even more farfetched and implausible than what actually occurred last summer.

Well, almost, I amended. Sometimes I wondered if I would have been better off being continually blissfully unaware of what was beneath my feet at this exact moment. But my brother Dustin and his nerdy friends had come to me for help, whirling me into the most thrilling and traumatising week of my life.

Somehow having read some Russian literature and being able to crack some stupid code that Dustin wouldn’t explain the importance of, corelated to me being stuck in a secret Soviet Russian base elevator underground the famous Starcourt mall. I had sat with my head between my knees for hours, the cold metal of the grates in the floor pushing into my thighs while Dustin explained the past 3 years of our lives from his point of view.

I couldn’t keep up with his voice. Between some band geek from school that I recognised by face only, rubbing my back and kept asking if I was going to hurl, Lucas Sinclair’s kid sister humorous running commentary interrupting Dustin’s story at points and Steve the freaking hair Harrington pacing with his hands on his hips, inspecting the roof and telling Dustin to hurry up. I cut him off halfway through telling a story of something called a Dart. His goofy grin faded from his face as I stood up quickly, rubbing my hand roughly against my eyes to push away the images his irrational words had painted.

“Let me see if I’ve got this.” I had started ticking off my fingers.

“Byers wasn’t lost in the woods but was in fact in some other underground dimension of Hawkins.”

“The upside down.” Dustin interrupted me.

I continued like I hadn’t heard him “There’s some girl with superpowers who always saves you guys, and there’s something called a demodorgan that eats people?” Dustin opened his mouth to correct me, but Steve beat him to it.

“We don’t have time for this dingus, in case you haven’t noticed we are stuck in a literal Russian based filled with soldiers that are probably going to shoot us the moment they find us.” His voice raised to an unattractive shrill at the end, I examined him closer, dressed in that dorky ice-cream uniform with panic plastered across his face it was hard to imagine that he had once been my biggest crush in middle school. Although I doubted I looked much better.

“One last thing.” I grumbled as my hands flailed at my sides.

“Everyone else, literally everyone else knew about this except for me?” I questioned the room, but my eyes were on my baby brother. Anger was coursing through me, but also shame, it was hard to not believe that what he was saying was true given where I was standing at that very moment, no matter how preposterous all of it sounded, but shame at the fact that he hadn’t included me in this earlier. That Steve the hair Harrington had been a better older sibling than I had, I had been too focused on getting the best grades in school and over analysing every interaction I had with Billy while giggling with my friends, to see what clearly had to be happening in front of my eyes.

In that moment I had thought our situation couldn’t get worse. But then Steve, myself and Robin the band geek had held onto each other like a lifeline as we were each interrogated by the Russian soldiers, while Dustin and Erica ran for help. And the lasting physical damage from that didn’t even begin to compare to the consequences after the events of the fire, consequences that we were all still dealing with to this day.

I would have happily taken beatings from trained six foot grown Russian soldiers for the rest of my life if it meant the Mind Flayer never came top side. If it meant that I would catch glimpses of bruised skin out of the corner of my eyes as I passed my reflection in the hallways at school, instead of black worming lines that weren’t really there, crawling over my cheeks and pouring into my head. It had taken weeks for me to convince myself that it was just remnants of PTSD, or whatever the school counsellor had called it, that was causing the fleeting images to stalk me during my waking hours and follow me into my nightmares, seemingly doomed to plague my broken, murky mind forever.

That was the funny thing about shared trauma, the bond it created with those involved. Even though half of the group was split in more ways than one, it was ironic that I’d complained about being left out of the loop for so long, only to be practically joined at the hip with the members of the group that remained behind in Hawkins after the fire.

Max and I had found comfort in each other’s presence, silently understanding each other’s feelings over Billy. Since her stepfather had left and she had moved to the trailer park with her mom it had become the daily routine to drive her to and from school together every day, her home was out of the high school bus route and even though it wasn’t that far of a walk, I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her to her own devices.

As I drove to the trailer park Max and her mother resided in, my eyes came to rest on the clothes flapping on the washing line next to her home, as I turned my car off Curly road, down her street. The familiar gravel of the makeshift street crunching away under the tires. She was perched on the weathered steps, wearing Billy’s jacket as always and headphones already covering her ears. No doubt playing that new ‘Hounds of love’ album, I could hear it sometimes when Max was having a particularly bad day and she blasted it as loud as possible it on her Walkman. Probably to drain out whatever thought or memory harassed her, the first time I wanted to chastise her about making her eardrums bleed I caught myself. I did things I wasn’t supposed to, to block out my own demons. Who was I to judge about how Max dealt with hers.

“Y/N” Dustin pulled me out of my thoughts from the seat next to me as the rolled the car to a stop, Max pulled the back door open and slid into the seat, nodding her head as her morning acknowledgment. “You’ve been in the school for three years longer than me so you should know what clubs there are!” Dustin smacked his walkie and shoved the antenna down in frustration. ”Dammit Mike!” The asphalt flew away beneath the car as I pushed the gas pedal down faster. Itching to get the day over as fast as possible.

“Do I look like I’m even remotely interested in your nerdy stuff to even pay the slightest bit of attention to what clubs you might like?” Although it might have been a good idea to see what group I could off load my brother and Mike wheeler to, it was the last day of the first week of high school and they were still following me around like lost sheep. My senior year, the one where I needed to concentrate the most and I was stuck running a baby-sitting club. I rocked in my seat as we drove over the speedbump leading into the school’s carpark.

“What’s hellfire?” My neck snapped to look at Dustin.

“Wh – what?” I sputtered, “How do you know about them?” He pointed to a duo walking in the swarm headed to the school’s entrance. Gareth and Jeff I thought, but it was hard to tell from the distance, my eyesight was worsening, and I made a mental note to find my glasses in my bombshell of a room, sooner rather than later. Dustin must have seen their shirts.

“So?” He pushed, eyeing me curiously.

“I don’t know man, they’re a club I guess, they play some game...” I tightened my grasp on the wheel and looked over my shoulder to park.

“What game?” He drew out his question like he already knew the answer. I groaned internally already sensing where this was heading. Apparently so did Max.

“Bye.” She murmured as she slinked out of the backseat, sliding her bag up her shoulder and burrowing down into the safety of her oversized jacket.

"Some fantasy game” I shrugged nonchalantly as his eyes bulged in his skull. Killing the engine and gathering my stuff, I spoke before he could. “You’re staying away from them, Eddie Munson’s a member and he’s a freak.” I explained forcefully, the words burned my tongue on the way out, I was sure the words ‘hypocrite’ were plastered on my forehead.

“He’s a freak because he plays a game?” He scoffed looking at me disbelievingly, with traces of disdain.

I rushed to explain myself “No I just – he just – look, he’s dangerous and you aren’t to go near him, no discussion.” He just grinned and jumped out. Rolling down the passenger side window I shouted at his retreating back “No discussion!”

With robotical movements, ingrained from following the same path for almost four years, I made my way to my locker to grab the necessary books for my first class of the day. Ignoring the lingering and longing stares thrown my way, the whispers had dissipated weeks ago. New morsels of gossip were either discovered or created far too often to focus on any specific one to cause any real discomfort.

After the fire, everything had changed, it wasn’t just the physical impact it had. Anyone could see the holes that the deaths had created in Hawkins, but there was one that affected me more than anyone else's. Suddenly the basketball team wasn’t as loud, the hallways were missing a certain cologne and I still waited five minutes after the last bell rung to hear the smooth purr of an engine that would never roar to life again.

In the terms of Hawkins Highs newsletter, I may as well be a victim of the fire to. Sweet perfect Y/F/N didn’t care about cheerleading, or basketball, or parties, or boys or friends anymore. I was just an empty shell, an echo of the bright person they grew up with. They said Billy’s death changed me, that I was too heartbroken to continue on without him. They weren’t all wrong, loosing Billy, and – my heart squeezed painfully with the memories of what happened right after that - did change me. I would never admit it to listening ears, lest it get back to Max, but I was well and truly over Billy in a romantic sense. The past 4 months brought my inane problems and mundane life into excruciating clear focus, suddenly what I was going to wear to the after-game party didn’t matter. Graduating as soon as possible so I could escape the town that had its talons in deeper than just my skin - it had my soul in its grasp - was the most important purpose in my life.

That still didn’t stop my old friends from caressing at the surface, probing to see if I’d would come back to life. A strong hand slammed down on the locker next to me, sending a ringing in my ears and my carefully stacked books to clatter the floor. Sighing, I stilled the rattling open door of my locker.

“You coming to cheer me on tonight Y/N?” Jason Carver. His overpowering stench of expensive cologne and sweat after basketball practise assaulted my senses, invading my body and mind. I took an involuntary step back and crinkled my nose.

“Just like every other Friday you’ve asked me Jason, no. For the last time no.” His nonchalant laugh insulted the seriousness of my tone, but his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. There was something lurking there.

“Come on, I know your squad misses you.” His voice was whiny as he reached behind my head to bring the end of my ponytail over my shoulder, the brush of his fingers sent a chill up my spine as he fiddled with the green ribbon tied there. I could feel eyes pouring into my back, but when I spun away from Jason, slamming my locker shut, sending a fresh breeze over the both of us, there was no one I could see watching me.

“I’m going to be late for Mr Mundy.” I called as an afterthought, barely glancing back at a confused Jason still standing by my locker, not wanting to have him seek me out later. I hadn’t heard the second bell ring while he cornered me, too preoccupied with the sickening feeling that had begun in my stomach when Jason’s blue eyes bored into mine and now settled in the low pits of my frame as I tore through the empty corridors. I paused at the edge of Mr Mundy’s classroom door to fix my hair back into place when I got a glimpse of my reflection in the window. My breath hitched in my throat as a prickly heat spread out across my body. She smiled back at me with lips that were trembling on my own face.

“Y/N” She drawled, “I’m still here, waiting.” Black lines appeared on my neck, crawling up my face. My head swam as I hung my head down, ripping my eyes away from the stranger in the window. No, not a stranger echoed in my mind, the same black lines started to flourish from my fingertips, spreading up my forearms.

Something hard but fleshy slammed into my back, bringing me out of my nightmare. Tommy H spun around to grin at me holding his hands up in an apologetic way as he walked backwards into the class. My head snapped back up to the window, but it was my own eyes, glassy with fresh tears that stared back at me. I quickly followed suit after Tommy, hoping to slip in undetected. Fortunately, Mr Mundy was preoccupied with reprimanding Carol over some violation or another as I hastily found my seat in the third row. I shoved my bag under the desk and flipped to an empty page in my notebook, a strong breeze blowing through the open windows helped even my breathing as I focused on the coolness of the air. I groaned as I felt the warm body on my left shift in my direction. With everything that had happened that morning I hadn’t let myself think about this class. Mr Mundy had been out sick for the first two days of the week, so it was actually the first class of senior year, and like the past three years of high school in calculus, I was situated in my regular seat with some quiet band geek on my right side and –

“Miss Y/N,” He cleared his throat leaning forward “You uh –“

“Shut it Munson, you’d think since it was you’re third year trying to pass high school you would at least bring a pencil, regardless – not my issue.” I snapped, crossing my legs and angling my body away from Edward Munson, Hawkins Highs very own organically grown Metal head.

As much I appreciated Mr Mundy’s teaching style, i wasn’t a fan of his inability to deal with change, hence why – after clearly pissing off some high power from above– I ended up sitting next to Eddie on an iron clad seating chart. No amount of begging and bargaining with the Calculus teacher got me anywhere

‘The best and the worst students in the class, you might rub off on him Y/N.’ Mr Mundy then just winked, laughed and snatched his brief case up on his way out before I had a chance to respond. But if he thought for one second that I was going to tutor or be some sort of good role model, then Mr Mundy wasn’t as smart as he thought he was, or I just was as stubborn as I thought I was. Eddie was a lost cause, for the most part of our four years of school, I’d managed to avoid and ignore the metal head. We’d probably said about five sentences to each other and that was only because of partnered projects we were forced to share. Even so, I swore his sole purpose on earth was to piss me off and he seemed determined to live up to the title or die trying.

The way he’d twist the rings that adorned almost all of his knuckles, so they’d catch the sunlight and blind me, or how he’d bang a couple of pencils on his desk pretending to play a fake drum set while humming a song I didn’t know under his breath. The scratching of his pencil against his desk piercing through my concertation as he doodled away, completing ignoring whatever important material Mr Mundy would be teaching. Most infuriating of all though was the fresh smell of weed that would hit me like a rock as he sauntered past my desk, arriving late to class because he was busy smoking. More infuriating now, as it was what I used to be able to sleep through the night. Since the fire I hadn't one night where I didn't wake screaming or locked in a frozen cage of terror.

The earthy smell, even diluted by Eddie's cologne, sent a stab of wanting through my core, not a feeling I wanted to associate with Eddie.

A wolf whistle erupted behind me and I slowly turned to see Tommy and some cronies eyeing me up and down like a piece of meat.

“Nice show Y/N” They chuckled loudly, ensuring everyone could hear them, Mr Mundy started to make his way over to the commotion. I scowled at the group of boys confused, until realisation dawned on my face.

Chapter Two

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter & my very first post! If you would like to be added to my Eddie tag list, let me know! :) Enjoy Sunflowers - P. x

#eddie munson fan fiction #eddie munson headcanon #eddie stranger things #eddie munson one shot #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson #stranger things s4 #stranger things 4 #stranger things #eddie fanfic #eddie smut #eddie fluff #eddie x reader smut #eddie munson x reader smut #eddie x reader #eddie x you #opposite ends

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hauntedhokage · 5 months

Text

PART 09: Planted

WORD COUNT: 1k

SUMMARY: Bakugou’s thank you gift has materialized, he’s just forgotten to tell you that it’s for you

[series masterlist] | {ao3} | [tumblr masterlist] | {ko-fi} | [spotify playlist]

The plant Bakugou had settled on was basically a miniature palm tree. It was taller than the two men and had to weigh at least sixty pounds without the massive planter it would need to live in and, naturally, the two men bickered the entire time they had to carry it. Neither knew where to put it, so it was placed by the entryway to the kitchen and they were done with it. You could direct them properly after Bakugou presented it to you.

When you finally return to the apartment after a long day of work, you’re surprised by the new edition to their environment but say nothing about it. If they wanted to talk about their new giant plant, they would, but instead you were told that dinner was almost ready and you just made your way to the small dining table.

Over the last week, however, you and that palm were at odds. It was beautiful, but where they’d chosen to place it was not the best. Just barely out of your line of sight but perfectly placed for you to walk into. You had bruises on your hips from how often you ran into the thing since it was perfectly placed for you to walk into whenever you were leaving the kitchen to go to Eijirou’s bedroom or going into the kitchen from the living room, which created issues because your boyfriend's fingers found those bruises easily.

“I really keep bumping into this thing,” you comment as you exit the kitchen on the morning of the seventh day, your hip hitting the rim of the planter for what was probably the hundredth time since its arrival in the apartment. “Not to tell you how to decorate, but is there somewhere else it can go?”

“Where do you wanna put it?” Eijirou asks, watching as you tilt your head in confusion while he gently takes your coffee mug from your hand to steal a drink.

“Not my apartment.”

“But it is your plant.”

“It absolutely is not,” you counter, knowing that he knew damn well you wouldn’t bring a massive palm tree into their apartment. The building didn’t have an elevator, so you couldn’t have gotten it up here on your own. “I didn’t buy this thing.”

“No, but Bakugou got it for you. He didn’t tell you?”

“I haven’t seen him all week. Why would he get me a large plant?”

“Ask him!” The front door is opening, and you’re both looking at the confused Bakugou who hadn’t even crossed the threshold yet.

“Ask me what?” Eijirou just looks at you, and you take your coffee back before he emptied the mug while turning to face Bakugou.

“What’s up with the plant? And can we move it?” you ask, gesturing to the palm and watching the hero’s face quickly cycle through a couple different versions of flustered before he coughs

“Yeah, where do you want it?”

“Why is it my choice?”

“It’s your plant.” The two men speak in unison, and you only look between them while putting your hand on your hip as Eijirou looks to Bakugou. The way those two had conversations with just their faces was borderline annoying when you were just eating dinner with them, to have them do this while you were trying to deal with the apparently gifted plant can be forgiven since you know this is a vulnerable moment for the blonde that Eijirou was trying to help him through without over-helping (if that was even possible at this stage of budding friendship).

“It’s, uh- it’s a palm.” You saw as much, but you know better than to push when Eijirou shoots a look your way. “Wanted to get you something nice to thank you for taking care of us after Fight Night. We can move it, but I can also take it back if you hate-”

“It’s not leaving this apartment.” You cut him off, raising a hand to stop Bakugou’s nervous rambling. “I only want it moved over by the TV so I stop bumping into it.”

“So…you like it?”

“I love it a lot!” You weren’t going to tell him you weren’t sure how to keep it alive, that could wait until he truly believed that you liked it. “But, also, you should probably come inside.”

There’s a moment where you’re hiding your smile in your coffee mug as Eijirou holds in his laughter while Katsuki looks around and sees that he is, in fact, still standing in the open doorway. The pink on his cheeks evolves into a red, and he quickly crosses the threshold and shuts the door behind him a bit harder than was intended. The request for help moving the palm is answered, and you can only watch as they carefully squat to lift the large planter and carry it across the living room to rest in the open space beside the TV before Bakugou is excusing himself to shower.

“It’s really a beautiful palm,” you comment to Eijirou once Bakugou is locked in the bathroom to shower, and you know by the look on his face that he was really proud of it.

“He picked it all out on his own. The tree, the pot, everything. I was just there to help carry it.”

“But does he know how to take care of it?” you ask, leaning into his side when his hand settles on your hip. “Because I know you don’t.”

All he says is that Bakugou was confident he could help you with it, leaning in to kiss your head as you both continue to look at the plant. It’s a comfortable quiet between you two, until you realize something. Eijirou had never done anything grand like this for you, not that he really needed to, but it was good teasing material.

“How come you never got me a houseplant, Eiji?”

“I got you a key to my apartment, multiple drawers in my dresser, and you’re using my favorite coffee mug. Where’s my plant at your apartment?”

“You’re not responsible enough for a plant, babe. That’s why he hasn’t gotten you one either.”

#alp #kirishima eijirou #bakugou katsuki #kirishima eijirou imagine #kirishima x reader #bakugou katsuki x reader #bakugou imagine #katsuki bakugo imagine #kiribaku #mha fanfic #bnha fanfic

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itsallyscorner · 2 years

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࿔*:･ﾟTwo in One | H.S

↝ pairing: Harry Styles x actress!reader

↝ summary: Harry finds Marvel interviews hard to do, luckily for him, you’re there to help.

↝ warnings: some cussing obvi. This was longer than expected whoops

↝ a/n: still struggling with trying to write so I decided to clash two of my favorite things in the world to help my creativity flow :) anyway I’m a whore for co-star fics oop🤪

“Right, so you’re paired up with Harry the entire tour. You okay with that?” Tasha, your publicist, informed you. You and the rest of your team had just arrived at the hotel where all the interviews for today’s press junket would be held.

At the moment you were in LA promoting the latest installment of the Eternals series. The last couple of months have been surprisingly enjoyable for you and your career. While you were a talented and well known actress around the world, you were famously known for the character you play in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You’ve been part of the MCU family for a couple of years now;your first appearance being Captain America: Civil War and your latest one being in the Eternals sequel.

You were excited to be part of the Eternals crew, however, you still missed your Avengers family. Despite your character being around the longest in the cast, you were still the newbie amongst the actors. Everyone knew each other from the previous film so it was like a reunion for the lot of them. You were nervous to meet everyone, but the first table read you all had proved you had nothing to be anxious about. Immediately they made you feel welcome and it honestly felt like you knew them for ages. Though out of everyone, the one person who made you the most comfortable would have to be Harry.

He might’ve been shy at first but that didn’t hide the fact that he was an absolute sweetheart who was genuinely interested in getting to know you. He was intrigued by you—your personality, your journey as an actress—everything about you was just so interesting to him. While there was a hint of flirting and typical banter between you both, you guys were friends;close friends to be specific. Did you find him attractive? Yes, of course you did who wouldn’t? And yeah, there is definitely chemistry between the two of you, though you chose to not act on your feelings.

1. Harry was dating Olivia Wilde and you really didn’t need to be in the center of a cheating rumor

2. You weren’t too comfortable with the whole “dating co-stars while working on set” kind of thing.

Besides having a crush on him, you were okay admiring him from afar and supporting him as a friend. Even when filming wrapped up, you both remained in contact with each other, no matter what time zone or country you were both in.

Adjusting the black sunglasses that rested on the bridge of your nose you turn to Tasha, “Course I’m okay with that! More than happy actually, I’m more comfortable with him than everyone else here.” You admit to her as security guards guide you towards the elevators of the hotel.

Tasha peers at you from behind her coffee cup, “You two get along well.” She comments, though there was a hint of something behind her tone. Your brows slightly crease, turning to look at her, you find a cheeky smirk on her face.

You and your team, along with the security guards enter the elevator. One of the guards pressed a button and the elevators slide shut. You noticed your heart skipping a beat as the floors of the elevator increased. The higher you went the faster your heart seemed to beat out your chest. At first you thought it was nerves, but it wasn’t, it was the brunette haired boy waiting for you in a hotel room a few floors above you. However, you pushed down the feeling, not wanting to get caught up in your little crush for him throughout the entire press tour.

“Stop it.” You mumble towards Tasha, the smirk still evident on her features. While she was your publicist, the two of you managed to form a beautiful friendship over the past 6 to 8 years you’ve known each other. She was one of you best friends at this point.

The tall blonde shrugged, “I’m just saying, he’s newly single and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind you making a few moves here and there.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her engagement ring flashing against the harsh elevator lights. The elevator dings and everyone slowly files out.

“That’s exactly why I shouldn’t say anything about my feelings. He’s freshly single, might I emphasize, I’m sure he’d want to explore the freedom of being single again.” You explain, linking your arms with Tasha’s. “Plus, it’s a crush, it’s not like I’m in love with him or something.”

Tasha rolled her eyes at your stubbornness.

“I understand Y/n. But there’s literally no denying that there’s something between you two. Whether you’d like to explore that or not is totally up to you, though as someone who’s quite familiar with the situation, I’d say you just go for it.” She advised while the two of you walked down the hall looking for the room with your and Harry’s name outside of it. You smile as you pass some interviewers already waiting outside the rooms, offering a little “hi” or “hello”.

When you spot Harry’s name on the door you stop in your tracks and turn to Tasha.

“Thank you Tash for the advice, really. But right now I just need to avoid thinking of that and just focus on the interviews. You know how overwhelmed I can get and the fact that he’s gonna be there the entire time doesn’t really help.” You reason with her. You appreciated her advice, although you seriously couldn’t be hyper focused on your crush on Harry. Maybe it was the fact that you were seeing him again for the first time that made you so giddy and lowkey obsessed with him. Whatever it was, you didn’t want to focus on it.

“Understood.” Tasha nodded. She peaked into the room where Harry and the camera crew was setting up. “Alright, you all good to go in? How’re you feeling?” She checked up on you.

“I’m good.” You confirmed. Tasha walked into the room, you trailing behind her. It was the typical setup: a backdrop with the film’s title plastered on it, a few chairs, and a camera crew. Tasha greeted Jeff, Harry’s manager, the two sharing a friendly hug. You greeted him as well before walking further into the room.

Already sat in the director’s chair with his name behind it was Harry. He was on his phone, mindlessly scrolling with his brows scrunched together, almost slouching in the chair. The increase in volume kn the room caught his attention, causing him to look up from his phone.

You eyes widen when his instantly connect with yours. His face brightens, eyebrows raising and a smile that squeezed into his cheeks.

“Hey you!” He excitedly greets you, hopping out of the chair with his arms wide open for you. Your own lips form into its own sweet smile as you find yourself being engulfed by Harry’s arms.

“Hello to you too!” You laugh into his shoulder, your arms wrapping around his waist. He leans back to look properly at you, though his arms remained around your figure.

“You’re late.” He teased you, a glint of playfulness in his green eyes. Your mouth gaped dramatically, leaning further away from him.

“Am not! I’m actually on time—“ you cut yourself off to look over your shoulder at Tasha. “Tash, we’re on time aren’t we?”

You feel Harry chuckle at your banter, eager to prove him wrong. The blonde smirks at you, “Thirty minutes ahead schedule.”

“Told you.” Harry rolls his eyes at you before bringing you back into his chest. Sure, you were friends, but when it came to showing affection, you and Harry were very touchy and “huggy” people.

“It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other, I’ve missed ya.” He looked down at you, eyeing your outfit for the day. “You look gorgeous by the way, love.”

A light blush forms on your cheeks, “Thank you, H. You don’t look too bad yourself.” You say, patting the lapels of his blazer. His outfit was fashionably casual yet comfy all at the same time. It made him look very soft and cuddly. Plus that stand of hair that curled against his forehead was very attractive—simple yet very effective.

He thanks you, leading you towards your chairs with his arm around you. He gives you a hand to hop onto the director’s chair before sitting in his own.

You lean you elbow on the arm rest and place your chin in your palm, “So, first interview for the movie, you nervous?”

He copies your stance, shifting closer to you, so the conversation was only between you both.

“Y’know what? Yes, actually I am.” He admits with a breath.

“Really?”

“Yeh, I mean it’s a bit different from other movies I’ve promoted. I’ve never been so self conscious about accidentally spoiling something.” He spoke, using his hands to emphasize his point. “Marvel’s bloody secretive, I feel like m’head’s bout to be chopped off or something if I let something slip.”

You let out the laugh at his comment, “I mean you’re not Tom Holland or Mark Ruffalo, so you’ll be fine.” You said, nudging his shoulder with yours.

Shaking his head he stares at you, “I don’t know how y’do it, I’m shitting m’pants right now.” The corner of his lip raises to cover up his nerves. He was joking for the most part, although Harry was genuinely worried about sharing too much about the movie or his character. The movie was a big deal to him since it was a different experience to the previous movies he’s been in. Marvel movies had more action to them and it was an honor to be part of the wide-ranging world of the MCU.

Harry was more than happy to be coupled up with you for the entire press tour. Besides the fact that’s he’s been having a budding crush on you, the two of you got along great and we’re very comfortable with each other’s presence. You bounced off each other effortlessly and there was a natural connection between you both—at least that’s what Harry believes.

“Oh, please! You’re going to be fine, Harry. I’m sure these interviews will feel like a breeze once you get through the first one.” You assure him, placing a hand on his arm. “Plus, I’m gonna be right next to you if you need help. You’ve got nothing to worry about.” You grin, the dimples in your cheeks going unnoticed by Harry. He had an urge to poke them, not in a menacing or teasing kind of way, but in a “oh you’re so cute, I adore you” type of way.

Harry hums into his palm gazing staring at you, “Guess you’ll be my good luck charm then, huh?”

“Sure, though I can’t guarantee how much luck I’ll be for you.” You snort, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

“I mean you’ve already got the charm, think we’re already halfway there, darling.” He shamelessly flirted. A boost of confidence shot through him when he saw you attempt to hide the smile behind your hand.

“Shut it.” You muttered, feeling a bit flustered at his comment. You’re so pathetically down bad for this man that a simple bloody pickup line was enough to have you blushing like a teenager, you thought to yourself. Gosh, you wanted to ram yourself into a wall headfirst.

Harry huffed, gently pulling your hand from your face, “Oi, don’t get all shy on me. I don’t need ya ignoring me the entire day.”

You placed your hand down to glare at him, “That was one time.”

“Y’still didn’t talk to me the entire day.” Harry rebutted, tilting his head at you. Happy that he could finally see your face again, he rested his head on your shoulder. The room was full of murmurs from different people. The film crew was double checking all the equipment and lighting before interviews began, while Tasha and Jeff were having a run down on today’s schedule.

Everything around you and Harry was loud and borderline chaotic. Yet the two of you sat in comfortable silence. Since you’ve arrived Harry’s nerves had calmed down. His palms weren’t moist and his heart wasn’t pounding as hard against his chest anymore.

“Y’know I actually did miss you.” Harry spoke, shifting to look up at you.

“I missed you too. I always see videos and pictures of you on tour, looks like so much fun.” You hum. Harry lifts his head off you, “Oh, y’keeping tabs on me now?” He smirked, earning him a swat on the chest to which he feigned hurt at.

“You wish.” You scoffed jokingly.

“You should come to one of the shows one day. I know a guy who can get me tickets.” He offered, the corners of his eyes crinkling at his own joke.

“Oh really?” You play along. Harry nodded seriously, “Yeh, he works for the guy who sings and all that. I heard he’s a right dick though.”

“Your friend’s not wrong.” You claim causing Harry to gasp at you in offense. The banter was cut short when Tasha and Jeff approached you two, signing that it was time for the interviews to start.

*clip 1 🎬*

“So Harry, how was it like to work with someone who’s been in the Marvel business for a while now?” Claire, an interviewer asked. “Did you ask her for any advice? Have you learned anything from her—what was that like?” Harry took a sip from his Starbucks cup and hummed.

Harry turned his head to look at Y/n with the corner of his mouth quirked up.

“She was horrible.” The camera panned to Y/n who’s mouth was in an “o” shape. Before she can speak, Harry placed a hand on her knee and began sputtering apologies through his laughter.

“He’s quite the comedian.” Y/n sarcastically remarks while Harry is pulling her into his side. Claire giggles at the two’s antics.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” Harry started. His arm remained around Y/n’s shoulders. “Y/n’s the opposite of horrible. She’s been such a help since day one and she’s been helping me today during these interviews. Uhm, I’m very appreciative of her actually—because she’s been patient with me and the ridiculous amount of questions I have. She’s been a kind of guide for me while we were filming this movie and I couldn’t have gotten through it without her.” He finished with a shy shrug.

“That was sweet.” Y/n cooed at Harry, who only blushed in response.

“Was it?”

“Yeah.” She nodded.

“Well I meant it.”

*clip 2 🎬*

“I know you guys can’t say much about the movie, but can one of you try to give the audience an idea of what goes down in this film?” Josh another interviewer asked.

Y/n hummed to herself in thought.

“Y’know I’ve been dreading that question.” Harry mentioned wiggling his pointer finger at the interviewer. Y/n snorted to herself and jokingly pushed Harry to lean back into his seat.

“I’ll take it.”

Harry looks up at the ceiling and said, “Oh, thank God.”

Josh laughed at Harry, “You’re not willing to risk spoiling it, huh?”

Harry shook his head, “Are y’kidding me? I’ve been on the edge of m’seat the entire time.”

“Have the people at Marvel given you the talk about spoiling the movies?” Josh asked.

“Yeh, they’re very strict about what we’re allowed to say and not say about the film.” Harry pointed behind him, “Actually a few minutes before we started, they had to pull me aside and remind me that I can’t say this or that about the film.”

An amused expression was on Y/n’s features, “Did they actually?”

Harry looked at her seriously, “Yeah! Wait—you didn’t get one?”

“Nope.” Y/n answered causing Harry to slump into his seat with his arms crossed. Josh and Y/n laughed at the man.

“Hey man, Y/n doesn’t need it, she’s a trained professional.” Josh said in the actress’s defense.

“Y/n, how has Harry been in the spoiling department? Has he let anything slip or almost slip?”

“He’s been doing well. Thankfully, he hasn’t let anything slip out yet, but that’s only cause he makes me answer all the hard questions.” Y/n replied, making quotation marks with her hands when she said the word hard.

Harry raised his hand like a child in primary school.

“I’d like to point out that I just helped us avoid answering the question about the movie by changing the subject.” He stated proudly earning himself a high five from his lovely co-star.

*clip 3 🎬*

“So Harry, we got to meet Eros towards the end of the first Eternals movie. What can the audience expect from him in this sequel?” Silence filled the room as Harry stared at the interviewer with a blank expression.

“Uh—hmm—what can we expect from Eros?” Harry mumbled to himself, looking everywhere but the interviewer.

“Mmm, uh, I-I don’t know.” He tried to answer with a sheepish grin on his lips. Harry fully turned his body to look at Y/n and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

“I need help.” He whispered, though the mic picked it up. Y/n began to whisper in his ear with her hands covering her mouth. Harry’s mouth gaped as if he were going to speak.

“Uh, we get to learn more about him as a character and what he means to the story of the film.” He recited almost childlike.

“What are some things will we learn about Eros in this film—that you can tell us, of course?” The interviewer continued to question, enjoying the interaction between Harry and Y/n.

Harry’s eyes widened as he sheepishly leaned back down to Y/n. She giggled to herself and began whispering in his ear again. Harry’s eyes furrowed before looking at Y/n in confusion.

“Am I allowed to say that?” He asked her.

“Yeah, they mentioned it at the end of the movie.” She explained.

“When?” His tone growing more confused and concerned that he wasn’t aware of the information about his character. Harry scratched his temple with the hand that rested behind Y/n’s chair and placed his hand back where it was.

“When Eros literally entered the scene.” Y/n clarified. Harry awkwardly smiled at the interviewer and sat back into his seat.

“If I get in trouble I’m blaming you.” Harry warned her.

Y/n rolled her eyes at him, “They all know Thanos and Eros are brothers, Harold.” She looks at the interviewer, “Right?”

The interview nodded in confirmation, “Yes ma’am.”

“Well alright then, anyway—.” Harry continued

*clip 4🎬*

“I think I’m not the only one who notices the lovely friendship between you two, you guys are adorable.” The next interviewer, Ana, pointed out.

Harry nudged Y/n cheekily, “Oh, stop it.”

“But you guys really are!” Ana exclaimed at the the two. Harry threw his arm around Y/n and pressed their cheeks together.

“We’re cute aren’t we?”

“We just can’t resist each other, we must be together all the time.” Y/n said, going along with Harry. She grasped his arms around her and squeezed it.

“At all costs. We’re practically attached at the hip.”

Ana laughed at the two actors, “I don’t doubt that.”

*clip 5🎬*

“How was it like working with each other? You guys seem like very great friends so I’m assuming all was well?” Another interviewer, Ben questioned the two.

Harry was seen stretching down in his seat to grab Y/n’s coffee, who was seconds earlier, struggling to pick up her coffee from the floor. He hands her the cup while she thanks him quietly.

“I guess I’ll start, Y/n’s been helping me answer questions all day.” Harry began. Y/n chuckled at him and continued to sip on her straw.

“We really do get on well, Y/n and I. I enjoyed working with everyone in the cast, but I honestly had the best time with her. Y’know, I don’t think I’ve ever admitted this, but I’m a huge fan of her and her work. It was a huge honor to work with someone who’s insanely talented. She puts so much passion in her work and working alongside her is something I’d like to do again. She’s the sweetest and most caring person I’ve ever met and she never fails to make me laugh, I truly adore her.” Harry admiringly answered, fiddling with the rings that wrapped around his long fingers.

“Harry.” Y/n cooed at him, her heart warming at his little speech. Her hand smoothed his back, lightly brushing past his brunette hair.

Harry sniffed and jokingly wiped an invisible tear from his eye, “Gosh, I’m sorry.” Causing Y/n and Ben to laugh.

“Y/n? How about you?”

Y/n smiled to herself, “I mean he’s amazing. Like he said, we got really close to each other on set and we’ve became the best of friends. It was a joy to work beside him, he brought so much energy to set and was an all around sweetheart. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love him, he’s someone you want to always be around and have in your life. It made me really happy and proud to see him on the big screen because he’s so talented and I wish to see him in more films in the future.” She answered beaming at Harry with a glint in her eyes.

Harry rested his chin in his palm and stared at Y/n with the same look in his eyes, “We should just become a two in one deal and film all our movies with each other.”

“That’s not a bad idea, Styles.” Y/n acknowledged.

“It’s a good idea innit?” Harry looks behind the camera and waves his hand, “Get on that, Jeffery!”

#Harry Styles #harry styles x reader #harry styles x y/n #harry styles imagine #harry styles drabble #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles headcanon #harry styles oneshot #harry styles blurb #harry styles x actress!reader #marvel #mcu #eternals

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lwh-writing · 3 months

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Girl Genius Reaction #2

Hi, hey, been a hot second since I've done one of these but here we go!

I love that the Heterodyne boys have been elevated to this almost folklore-like state where everyone's got a story about them that ranges from "mostly true" to "entirely made up"

Also, Gil's Dad was adventure buddies with the Heterodynes???? I know Theo said he made the story up, but considering it was shown to us like a flashback, I assume there is at least a few kernels of truth to it all

I think I clocked the possible Von Pinn connection. As all the students claim Von Pinn is modeled off of and/or secretly Lucrezia Mongfish (whoever the hell that is), and Lucrezia was name-dropped in Theo's story/flashback and on the receiving end of one of the Heterodyne's love confessions, I'm assuming Von Pinn is thus modeled off of and/or secretly Agatha's mother or aunt. I wonder if that'll ever come up later. Either way, it's nice to know I'm not crazy for thinking Von Pinn and Agatha looked way too similar

Also, I know Agatha probably took the chance to change out of the pants and into a more comfortable skirt while Theo had everyone distracted, but I kind of like the idea that she can just randomly and inexpensively modify her clothes at will with no one noticing

The Baron being concerned about the hive engine being "eighteen years old or brand new?" really caught my attention. Larger scope villain entering the chat? 👀

Theo & co. running into Gil and there's an obvious disconnect about whom hasn't kept in touch with whom, re: Gil saying they'd only ever come to him if they need something vs. Theo saying Gil hasn't answered any of their letters. Betting money that the Baron has been withholding Gil's mail and trying to isolate him for whatever reason.

Whomst is Othar Tryggvassen? Hello? Random man just suspended over the void, every limb chained, giant green globe on his head? WTF???

I do love Agatha's reaction though. "Is it right to leave a fellow sentient strung up like this?" "Well, that depends upon the nature of the experiment..." I love this mad scientist so much

I'm also really loving the Jaegers (Jaegerkin? Jaegermonsters?). They're all so full of personality. And the tension with the Lackya is very delicious

Love the Jaegerkin generals inviting Agatha to supper, saying "It's good, no bugs!" only for another general to say in the most dejected voice "...no bugs?" 🥺

Also, it looks like the Jaegers are officially figuring out that Agatha's a Heterodyne! Gil may believe/know Agatha is a Spark (has the Spark?), but the Jaegers are the only ones connecting the dots to the Heterodyne question. Wonder if they'll tell someone or keep it to themselves.

Also, Jaegers playing matchmaker? "What do you think of the young master?" "What kind of question is that?" "Well it would make things really simple if--" What's their angle there? Hm....

Speaking of ships, I am sending Andre the Jaegermonster to horny jail. I'm with Agatha; Von Pinn doesn't sound interested

Flashback with Uncle Barry was very cute. He obviously didn't want to repress Agatha's powers, but it was probably a matter of safety

Agatha sleep-inventing is very cool, but why's her little sentient robot(s) hiding from her?

Von Zinzer is giving some insight on the larger world. Apparently, there's a series of wars going on? I know the Baron is a ruler and is keeping the school kids as hostages, but I didn't know it's a continuous conquest of what seems to be Europe.

Also, side note, do we ever see the rest of the world? Africa, Asia, Australia, North & South America? I know deep in my bones that this world's version of China would fuck severely.

Dr. Dim and his bears are also very cute. Loved the moment between him and Agatha

The fight between Von Zinzer & Agatha was very fun. As was Gil hiring Agatha on the spot. The friendship is growing!

And finally, the talking cat! My oh my, how will this go from here? It's very obviously sentient, and based on the website's banner, a main character to boot. But what is it? A chimera? A rogue experiment? Someone trapped in a cat's body? Guess I'll find out

Overall: Still really liking the story! It's got me hooked so far and it's building really well on the premise. The story is still obviously finding its footing, but it's still good!

Continued 7.5/10

#girl genius #first read through

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daisies-on-a-cup · 8 months

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i don’t really agree with the interpretation that will likes/wants to be hurt, or that he views any kind of hurt, be it physical, emotional, or mental, as a form of love/care. will has been in consistent, constant pain throughout the series. he dry swallows aspirin all the time, he’s sweating and shaking, and he’s nervous to be around people because all people carry some kind of pain with them that he, by sheer proxy, absorbs. i feel like people gloss over that will likened to hannibal so quickly because hannibal wasn’t offering him pain or asking for something from him. initially will was wary of hannibal because he assumed that hannibal already had the same ideas and motives that everyone else had about him: that he was an unstable man incapable of making sound choices for himself, but was useful enough to tolerate because of his empathy (the very thing that harms him). hannibal offered friendship and peace to will their first time meeting, void of any pity or cautiousness that everyone else carried around will

will was drawn to hannibal because hannibal wasn’t offering pain or hurt. he was offering sanctuary and needed nothing in return, only willing to take what will wanted to give him. he wasn’t demanding anything from will but instead giving will the chance to trust his intentions, lower his high walls, and go from there. will liked and wanted to be good friends with hannibal because of the peace he offered

the pain and hurt only came much later, a betrayal will felt keenly and which nearly destroyed him. only after seeing hannibal did will begin to interpret the pain he was given as something more than just delivered evil on his person. will still did not like this forceful, aching transformation, but now he understood it and saw it as the careful machinations of a man who might love him (even if that love differed vastly from what he had known his entire life) and only then could he accept that kind of hurt, even if begrudgingly done so

and even then! will still does not like to be hurt! he does not relish being in pain! if hannibal was able to offer the same kind of stability and care in any other form other than him wounding will over and over again, will would leap at the opportunity. i firmly believe will when he says he tolerates-- he does not delight like hannibal does. he tolerates the pain hannibal gives him because he knows why hannibal does it and what it means, the same way he understands the love hannibal offers when he gives will home cooked meals and an ear to listen

although will does end up betraying an affinity towards killing, he is an opportunistic killer. he does not seek out, does not delight in seeking out like hannibal does. he kills hobbs because it was an opportunity to save abigail. he kills tier because tier tried to kill him first. he helps kill dolarhyde because dolarhyde was a killer and needed to be put down- it was will's job to take down killers. every instance of will killing or hurting someone has not been for the sake of doing it- it has been at the opportunity to do so, or to take revenge. he tries to kill hannibal because hannibal betrayed him- it was an act of revenge. he bites cordell's cheek off because he was kidnapped and was going to be killed. the only instance where it would be argued that will killed for the sake of killing/elevating like hannibal does was when he killed and decorated mischa's killer. however, i would again argue that this was an act of revenge. not for himself, this time, but for mischa and all the grief hannibal endured as a consequence

will might occasionally indulge, but he mostly tolerates. killing, inflicting pain on another individual, is not something he delights in, and i believe at least a part of that is due to his own empathy which might make inflicting such terribleness on another person akin to inflicting it on himself. if will's empathy prevents him from seeking out destructive, painful things because it also harms him, then it is not illogical to assume that will also does not like being in pain or being the recipient of it. i get it's fun to write headcanons that a piece of will liked the pain hannibal gave him, that he obsesses over the wounds because of how wonderfully hurtful they were, but it's not about the pain, and never has been, for will. it's about what the scars and the actions meant

if will could have gotten the chance to understand hannibal without the constant pain hannibal forced on him, i think he would have been that much closer to truly being happy with a life after everything they had gone through

#will graham #hannibal lecter #nbc hannibal #anyway just thoughts in my head #firm believer that will does not like to be in pain nor has he ever found delight in his own suffering #will probably already endures chronic pain in his shoulder- why tf would he want more of that dizzying experience

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wishitweresummer · 1 year

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✨Summer’s Blog✨

Hi I’m Summer!!!

This is a dtqk+ fandom blog AND a tickle blog.

I will shitpost, live-blog events/streams, and I will post my tickle fanfiction!!!

I’m also a multishipper and will ship anyone that looks at each other! (Within their boundaries.) It’s all very non-serious and fun.

My ask box is open! Headcannons, random questions, my opinions, anything, go ahead! Curious about either side of the communities I’m in?

I try my best to keep everything generally SFW!!! Keep in mind that the boys are vulgar and make mature jokes, and I will too!

(I do have a NSFW blog though if that is more your vibe. It features nsfw shitposts, my explicit fics, suggestive art, etc. Be warned, if you are a minor and you attempt to interact with my NSFW page you will be blocked entirely! Blog is @darknightsofsummer .)

This blog is super tickle-focused, but don’t be scared. Check it out anyway~~

@mushiewrites once said…

(Links to everything below!!!)

Summer’s Fics

Dream Team (Plus Friends) Tickle AU

This is my alternate universe where the boys live together/closer together and also tickle each other all the time. (Features the Feral Boys, Skeppy, and Bad)

Introduction (not required to understand story!)

Dream Tickling Class (Dream Team)

The First Fight (Dream Team)

George’s Simp (GeorgeNotFound x Dream)

Sapnap vs. George (Sapnap x GeorgeNotFound)

George’s Revenge (Sapnap x GeorgeNotFound)

Elevator Instigator (Sapnap x GeorgeNotFound)

Dream’s IRL Minecraft Manhunt (Dream Team)

Phantasmagoria (Dream ft. GeorgeNotFound x Sapnap)

Leftovers ( or Phantasmagoria Light) (Dream Team)

The Dream Hoodie (GeorgeNotFound x Sapnap)

The Tickle Fight Video (Quackity x Skeppy)

Hair Reveal? (GeorgeNotFound x Quackity)

Touchy Karl (Sapnap x GeorgeNotFound x KarlJacobs)

Stop Touching My Stuff (GeorgeNotFound x Dream x Quackity)

Sap’s Tickle Games Masterpost

(Little spin-off of the Tickle AU from when Dream and George found out Sapnap is really really weak to tickle games.)

So He Is Ticklish! (Skeppy x BadBoyHalo)

You Mute When You Laugh! (Skeppy x BadBoyHalo)

Language Stream (Skeppy x BadBoyHalo)

Sitting Pretty

My first weekly release book! It follows dog!Dream, cat!George, and panda!Sapnap. They are in love and idiots and very ticklish! Like most of my books, it has a clean side here and a not-clean side over on @darknightsofsummer.

Silly

Dirty Paws

Call You Up

Brat

Waves

Midnight Memories

Puppy Love

Helium

All My Lovers

This is my story of Karlnapity. A SFW collection of ticklish moments in their relationship. No angst, just the sweet spot of them all living together, being happy, and fiancés.

(These are all sfw!!! The nsfw side of their relationship can be found on @darknightsofsummer )

(I don’t know what I’m doing with this series going forward, but I still love what I’ve already created.)

Kissies (Karlnapity)

Double Massages (Karlnapity)

Sap’s Cuffs (Karlnapity)

Poor Ducky (Karlnapity)

Tickle War (Karlnapity)

Three Fools in April (Karlnapity)

Affection for Karl (Karlnapity)

Glass House

An alternate AU where GeorgeNotFound is secretly in our community and an actual lee. Like, traditional lee - he loves being tickle tortured. What happens when Dream and Sapnap discover his little secret? (This started from @mushiewrites ‘s lee!George week and spiraled into a whole little series! It’s my first time attempting to write a character that enjoys being tickled instead of hates it…so tell me what you think!)

Now They Know

Now Admit It

Now How Do You Want It

Now What Do We Use

Now Let Me Explain

Blueberry Muffins

This is my story of Skephalo. Skeppy and Bad finally do their meet-up and they find they just can’t be apart ever again. When they met online for the first time all those years ago their lives shifted courses drastically for each other, and now it’s happening again. The lines between friendship and relationship blur, and it’s not for the meme this time.

(My sfw tickle-heavy story about Skeppy and Bad falling in love. Not completed yet!)

Chapter One - BBQ Meet-up Turned Jealous Trio Meet-up

Chapter Two - Alone Together

Chapter Three - “We’ll figure it out.”

Chapter Four - Road to Rat

Chapter Five - Giggles

Summer’s Ficlet Masterpost

This link will take you to a post with a ton of my tickly drabbles and ficlets!

Non-AU Fics

Tell Me What’s On Your Mind - Karlnap Valentine’s Fic

Home Alone Together For The First Time - (lee!George x ler!Dream)

Sensitive - DNF Love Story

Passenger Princess - (lee!George x ler!Dream)

Backseat Princess - (lee!George x ler!Dream x ler!Sapnap)

Text Me Back - For Mushie - (lee!George x ler!Dream)

Rotten Apple - Halloween Bingo - (lee!Dream x lee!Sapnap x ler!George)

Filled to the Brim - (lee!Sapnap x ler!Georfe ft. Dream)

Mushie’s lee!George Week

(This is my bestie @mushiewrites !! They did lee!George week, and you can totally participate too!! Also, you can find the stuff we all did in the tag #mushies lee!george week go go go.)

Soft Tickles - Love Bites

Ribs - Like a Puzzle

In Minecraft - Manhunt Training

A Challenge - YLYL IRL

Thighs - Weakness

Intense Tickles - Now They Know

Free Day (Playful Tickles)- Pool Day

Hiddenheaven’s SNF Week!!!

(This was a fun week that was from X!! George and Sapnap love <33. You can see the other day I did here , but it’s a little nsfw. Just a touch!)

Free Day (Playful Kissing) - Nights Like This

Summer’s Friends

Finished reading all my fics and still wanting more? Here are my favorite tickle-fic accounts! Go show them love!

@mushiewrites

@cayjno

@awkwardtickleetoo

@fluffallamaful

@covenofwives

@an-inkling-of

@what-the-honk

@fluffy-fics

@emmadoodlewrites

@rxsahgrce

@sleepy--anon

Need/want to look at some beautiful art? My friends are so talented!!!

@kazenomegaminowanpisu

-Did the amazing cover art for Dream Team (Plus Friends) Tickle AU

-Cover art for Sitting Pretty!!!

-Tickle art for this fic as well!!!

-Open for commissions! Here!

@mushyruuu-art

-Tickle art for me here and here!

-Commission here!

@canonicallykayfabe

-Tickle art she did for me here!

-Open for commissions! Here!

@an-inkling-of

-Made art inspired by one of my fics here!

-Check out their tumblr!

@traidyy

-Made my blinkies!

-Check out their tumblr!

@mushiewrites

-Made my header!!

-Made this comic!

-Is my best friend!

-Check out their tumblr!

@snugglyfluffle

-Drew meeee.

-Made this art inspired by one of my fics!

-Made more art inspired by one of my fics!

-Check out their tumblr!

@jjoneechan

-This amazing comic!!!

-Commission them!!

—————————————-

Piccrew I used for my profile picture.

—————————————

Where Else You Can Find Me

ArchivesOfOurOwn - WishItWereSummer

(I do write more DSMP Tickle Fiction here, but some of it is NSFW so be warned! You can find my Karlnapity book All My Lovers there.)

Wattpad - WellUhYeahHaHa

(My Wattpad is NSFW and features my OC content.)

My Fav MCYT Laughs

-Karl snorting

-Dream wheeze

-George uncontrollably laughing on the floor

-George laughing

-George trying to tell a story while laughing

-George’s “Sapnap stahahap!!!”

-Dream wheeze-talking

-George crazy giggles

-George and Sapnap scream-laughing

-George “stahahap!!”

Common Tags

#hc ask - Sometimes I get sent headcannons! You can send me them if you’d like, just know I am very new!!!

#summer ask - These are when I send out asks and get responses.

#summer irl - I don’t show my face or go by my real name here, but every once and a while I’ll share irl content!

#summer sfw snippet- SFW snippets from my NSFW fics.

#summer ficlets - Tickle stories outside of my AU or books.

#any askers? - Oversharing about my life.

#lee! #ler! - And add your favorite person!

#laugh clip - The MCYT boys laughing

#wishitweresummer #mcyt tickle #dream smp tickle #tickle fic #skephalo #skephalo tickle #blueberry muffins #tickle AU #feral boys tickle #dream team tickle

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regalvoid · 11 months

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Welcome to another addition of my currently running Manga recommendations

MARRIAGETOXIN: awkward assassin Gero needs to find someone to marry and fast or else his family will force his older sister to break up with her girlfriend, and marry a man to become head of the family. With the help of marriage swindler Kinosaki, Gero pivots from killing to protecting in order to meet women. Great comedy, art and characters. It can be goofy jokey one moment and jump to a deadly serious battle the next.

OSHI NO KO: A fantastic read, an amazing recent anime adaptation. A nuisance take on celebrity/idol culture in japan. I cannot possibly do it justice describing it anymore, just read it

The Ichinose Family’s Deadly Sins: The entire family has amnesia after a car crash. The family sets out to learn about themselves and uncover mysteries along the way. The art can be a barrier for some but it really elevates the frantic and uncertain feel of the story. If you liked Taizan 5′s other work Takopi’s Original Sin, you’re gonna dig this too.

Me and my Gangster Neighbor: 10 year old Yuuhi lives alone most of the time since his Uncle is frequently away on business trips. One day his upstairs neighbor Mr. Aoi falls through the ceiling. An unlikely friendship forms and slice-of-life antics ensue. This manga is wholesome on wholesome.

There are plenty of other gr8 series running but these are some of my favs : )

#regalpersonal #shonen jump #jump plus #marriagetoxin #the ichinose family's deadly sins #me and my gangter neighbor #regalrecommendation

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elliepassmore · 8 months

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Never A Hero review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: time travel, morally gray characters, magic

Only A Monster review

Have you ever had a series where you liked the first book but didn't love it, but then read the second book and it completely elevated your opinion? That's what this book did for me. I liked Only A Monster but wasn't in love with it (even though I rated it 5 stars, don't @ me I have rating problems). But this book definitely hooked me. I liked where and who the characters were when this book opened, I enjoyed the adventure they went on, and overall I was more interested in seeing how it ended and was more desperate for the next book when I finished.

Joan was less naïve coming into this book and was still grappling with the implications of everything that happened over summer. She's obviously struggling with her heritage and has vowed not to time travel ever again, but is also still having fade outs where her mind dangerously tries to make her travel without time. As the action picks up, we see that Joan is still hugely protective and loyal toward the Hunts, despite the mixed emotions she feels toward them. She's determined to ensure that they're taken care of while at the same time she's trying to survive herself. We get to see even more of her complicated emotions regarding her monster heritage and her feelings of loyalty toward humans, which I liked. I wasn't so much a fan of how she decided to take such a morally high road that she didn't even use the trinkets that hold time. Like, girl, it's already been stolen, it's not going to become any less stolen if you don't use it and hurting yourself to avoid using it doesn't do anyone any good.

I loved Aaron from the get-go in book 1, but he does fall downhill here a little bit. It's not...entirely his fault, but I did hope he'd snap out of things faster. That being said, Aaron does make the right decision and returns to being his hilariously privileged but lovable self. His and Joan's friendship continues to be one of my favorite parts of this series and I'm very excited that he'll be in book 3 from the beginning.

Nick comes back in and I liked him again! I felt, in general, like he was much better this time around than he was in the other timeline. We get to see a different side to him this time around. He's gentler and more caring, and his protectiveness over humanity now gets extended to Joan and some of the other people they meet along the way. I think Nick is a more complex, nuanced character in this book than he was in book 1, and part of that is that he is able to make his own decision and come to his own conclusions in this one vs. in the first book when he was manipulated behind the scenes every step of the way (or almost every step).

I'm going to be honest and say I kind of had mixed feelings about the plot for a large portion of the book. Don't get me wrong, I really liked that Joan was forced on the run and there seemed to be this big mystery about the timeline. I also really liked how we got more insight into the true timeline as well as some of the other families we briefly came into contact with in book 1. That being said, I felt a little weird about Eleanor (new character), though I came around to her role in things toward the end. It's just, she felt cartoonish at first, but as more was revealed, more of both her complexity and her monstrosity became apparent. I like a good villain, even if I don't root for them, and Eleanor shaped up to be a good villain. I'm very interested to see where she goes and what she does in book 3 (also kind of scared at some of the implications for how the team is going to fix this).

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot more than the first one and it really elevated my opinion of the series as a whole. The villain in this one is more nuanced, and we get more nuance for our other characters and their past actions as well, which I particularly liked. The ending is definitely a banger and I'm looking forward to seeing how our protagonists get out of this one.

#book #book review #books #book recommendations #fantasy #bookstagram #booklr #bookblr #bookaholic #bookish #book addict #never a hero #only a monster #aaron oliver #vanessa len #ya fantasy books #fantasy book #time travel

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immortalconclusions · 2 years

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Thoughts on Episode 1 of Interview with the Vampire (2022)

Hi there it's me ya boy immortal_conclusions.

It's been a long ride waiting for this show to come out. When it was announced a year and a half ago, my reaction was one of joy and then trepidation. "Hope for the best, expect the worst." That moment spawned hours and days and months of what the worst (and least academically inclined, I might add) among us called "intellectual debate" in this fandom, most of which was horrifying flaming garbage that most of you know about and that I won't get into here. As someone who remained optimistic throughout that time of uncertainty and tried to uplift voices of other people of color, it's been a long road. In the past year and a half I've written boatloads of fic, made dear friendships, burned friendships with others. A few months ago, I almost stopped writing and almost quit this fandom. I'm so glad I didn't, and today proves why.

"For the first time in my life, I was seen." - Louis de Pointe du Lac, Interview with the Vampire (2022)

This episode was, in a word, perfection. It was gut wrenching, gorgeous, brutal, and devastatingly sad. The framing device was using sparingly and effectively, and the pacing was magnificent. I almost didn't breathe throughout that entire ending sequence. It was a trainwreck hurtling towards its inevitable conclusion. It was overwhelming, dramatic, heartbreaking...everything it should have always been. The amount of respect and homage to canon was more than I'd ever expected.

I am not afraid to say this: they elevated and went beyond the source material.

The way they centered Louis' very human, very real struggles was so poignant and effective. Jacob Anderson portrayed his rage and his guilt and his white-knuckled repression with virtuosity. Louis is filled with guilt over the condemnation of his brother to a world which would never accept him, his homosexuality, immorality of his exploitive profession and the way it betrays his family and his race and his history. He is a man defined by his guilt, imprisoned by lies, and damned by cowardice.

"Bless me father, for I have sinned. Grievously sinned. I'm a drunk, Lord. I am a liar. I am a thief, Lord. I profit off the miseries of other men and I do it easy. Drugs, liquor, women. I lure them in and grab what they got, Lord. I take daughters with no homes and I put 'em out on the street, Lord, and I lie to myself, saying I'm giving them a roof and food and dollar bills in their pocket, but I look in the mirror, I know what I am -- the big man in the big house stuffing cotton in my ears so I can't hear their cries. And Lord I dragged my whole family into this mess with me. I shamed my father. I failed my brother. I lost my mother and sister, and rather than fix it like a man should, Lord, I run. Like a coward. I run to the bottle, I run to the grift, I run to bad beds. I laid down with a man. I laid down with The Devil. And he has roots in me. All his spindly roots in me, and I can't think nothing anymore but his voice and his words. Please, help me!"

This really got to me. That is Louis right there. That is the unfettered essence of his character. JA's performance was magnificent. (Jacob Anderson IS Louis de Pointe du Lac and I will never see him any other way.) This passage reminded me of what a genius Anne was to create this character that nobody ever had before, a character that has captured hearts and minds since. It was mainlining Louis straight into my soul.

Suffice to say, this was more than I'd ever hoped and imagined. I can't even begin to scratch the surface on some of the themes here and how much they mean to me, because I'm overwhelmed right now. This series that I've loved and grown so attached to, adapted in such a faithful and thoughtful way. Carrying all the themes through and transforming them into something even better than the original. I have a whole new appreciation for the source material that I never had before. I am floored and no joke this has restored my fucking faith in humanity. Literally. I am not even kidding about that. We all deserve to be seen. We all deserve to have the stories that are meaningful to us told and shared and loved. Today, we won.

#interview with the vampire #iwtv #amc’s interview with the vampire #amc iwtv #vc #vampire chronicles #louis de pointe du lac #jacob anderson

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catladywriter · 2 months

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Inotan Fanfic: The Height of Friendship - Chapter 2

Moments of Inadequacy

Synopsis: Inosuke's excitement knew no bounds when he finally surpassed Tanjirou and Zenitsu in height. But a series of incidents lead him to believe that being taller than his companions comes with drawbacks, leaving him feeling left out and dejected. Determined to lift Inosuke's spirits, Tanjirou hatches a plan. Zenitsu is sceptical about the feasibility of the hare-brained scheme, but decides to put friendship before sensibility. Will the plan succeed, or will it backfire?

Main Pairing: Inotan (Inosuke x Tanjirou)

Secondary Pairing: ZenNezu (Zenitsu x Nezuko)

Setting: Canon AU, 3 years after the main story ends

Wordcount: ~9000 words across 3 chapters

Chapters: 1 2 3

Status: Complete. 4th story in the Series: Where the Wisteria Always Bloom.

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Zenitsu was determined not to wear the ridiculous footwear that lay before him. He was no fool like Tanjirou. He had resolutely informed his friend that if he wanted to use such a stupid method to please his boyfriend, he would be on his own. But Tanjirou had an uncanny ability to persuade him, and Zenitsu had to give him credit for that. After Tanjirou reminded him of how much Inosuke valued him as a brother, how capable he was, and what a great guy he was, Zenitsu was convinced that putting on these strange sandals couldn't possibly be beneath his capabilities.

Thus, he and Tanjirou practised all night and into the early hours of dawn until they were finally able to wobble around in the tengu geta. Even then, the entire plan was shrouded in uncertainties. Zenitsu could walk steadily now, but it wouldn't take much to throw him off balance. As if on cue, a light breeze swept through the yard, and Zenitsu panicked.

“Eeek! I can’t do this! I’ll fall!” Zenitsu grabbed Tanjirou’s sleeve in desperation.

“Just keep calm and put your weight in the middle,” Tanjirou advised, “and don’t pull me, please. You're making me off-balance.”

“How long do we have to wear these?!” Zenitsu demanded, his tone laced with frustration.

Tanjirou didn't respond, and Zenitsu took that as a bad sign that Tanjirou didn't have a clue either. Nonetheless, they soldiered on, practising their footing as they walked around the yard, trying not to fall over.

Tanjirou's keen sense of smell alerted him to Inosuke's presence in the backyard. He spoke up suddenly, "Inosuke's here."

Zenitsu quickly straightened himself up, making sure that the hem of his pants was draped over his new footwear, hiding any signs of their artificial elevation. Nezuko had stayed up all night with them, helping them work on their pants. Zenitsu had hoped that Nezuko would talk some sense into her brother, but instead, she had offered to help them lengthen their pants.

Inosuke stood with his arms crossed and a scowl etched on his face, as he watched Tanjirou and Zenitsu slowly make their way towards him. Zenitsu knew Inosuke considered grabbing Tanjirou’s sleeve as his privilege, but what could he do? He was really afraid of falling. That would blow their cover, and the thought of exposing their deception filled him with dread. He knew that if they were discovered, Inosuke would be even angrier than he was now.

However, as they approached Inosuke, his frown turned to surprise when he realized that they were now at eye level with each other. He put his hand horizontally against his own forehead and stretched it out to Tanjirou’s and Zenitsu’s faces as if to check if it was true.

"Same height?" Inosuke exclaimed, his voice tinged with incredulity.

Tanjirou beamed and gestured towards their hems. “Yes! And we’re even wearing longer pants like yours!”

Inosuke scrutinized them, his intense gaze wandering up and down their bodies. Zenitsu felt his heart pounding in his chest, praying that the hems of their pants had concealed their deception. Suddenly, Inosuke reached out and patted Zenitsu's shoulder with so much force that he almost lost his footing. Zenitsu braced himself, clenching his fists and trying his best to keep his balance.

"Good work! As expected from my underling," Inosuke boomed with his usual bossy demeanour, a wide grin spreading across his face. Zenitsu heaved a sigh of relief, glad that Inosuke had not noticed their trickery.

But then, to Zenitsu's utter horror, Inosuke turned to Tanjirou and grabbed his face, pulling him into a sudden, forceful kiss. As Tanjirou fell forward with a yelp, Zenitsu cringed, averting his eyes and covering his face with his hand. This was a moronic idea doomed to fail, and he knew it from the start.

To Zenitsu's surprise, he heard Inosuke's voice, excited and full of wonder. “This is amazing!”

Zenitsu cautiously peeked through his fingers and saw Tanjirou in Inosuke’s embrace, having somehow managed to grab onto Inosuke for support when he stumbled forward.

“Uh…yea… weird, isn’t it? We woke up, and just realized we became like that…” Tanjirou stammered. His chin rested on Inosuke's shoulder, and Zenitsu imagined that he must be making his grotesque liar face as he said that. It was just as well that Inosuke could not see it.

Inosuke grabbed Tanjirou's shoulders and pushed him away so they could face each other eye-to-eye. Tanjirou's face turned a deep shade of red, and Zenitsu noticed him wobbling unsteadily on his geta.

Inosuke dismissed Tanjirou's apparent discomfort. "Doesn't matter as long as we can spar together, share clothes, and I get to kiss you just like before."

As Inosuke planted another kiss on Tanjirou, Zenitsu wobbled away from the stupid couple, questioning his life choices.

Making their daily walk to the Wisteria Garden was usually a cheerful affair, but today it felt like an impossible feat. Tanjirou and Zenitsu struggled to keep up with Inosuke's long, confident strides, teetering precariously as they attempted to maintain their balance. Inosuke, who had initially been thrilled with their newfound equal heights, had grown increasingly annoyed with his companions' sluggish pace.

"You two move like snails," he grumbled.

Tanjirou's face turned pink with embarrassment, and Zenitsu could see that he was at his wits' end with the charade. "We're just getting used to our new heights," Zenitsu quickly interjected, hoping to defuse the situation before it escalated any further.

Inosuke let out a derisive snort. "Fine. You both are too slow, so I'm going ahead by myself to open the eatery." With that, he took off at a breakneck pace.

Zenitsu let out a sigh of relief and stepped out of his geta, almost crying with gratitude for the chance to finally rest his aching feet. "Thank goodness," he muttered.

“Nezuko,” Tanjirou said as he removed his own footwear, “go ahead and make sure Inosuke doesn’t turn back. We’ll catch up shortly.”

Nezuko nodded and ran off, leaving the two boys alone on the dusty path.

Zenitsu glared at Tanjirou, his voice low with frustration. "This is a hare-brained scheme, and every fibre of my being regrets listening to you!" he hissed.

But Tanjirou remained steadfast in his optimism. "Everything will work out. Trust me. We just have to cooperate."

Zenitsu wanted to scream and rip apart Tanjirou’s confounded optimism with all the ways that this plan could go disastrously wrong, but he knew it was pointless. Instead, he silently seethed as he trailed behind Tanjirou, holding his geta in his hands and muttering darkly under his breath.

The ground was rough under his bare feet, but for the first time in hours, Zenitsu felt a sense of relief. He was determined to savour every moment of it, knowing it would soon come to an end.

When they entered the Wisteria Garden after putting their geta back on, Zenitsu felt his nerves start fraying again. Kuro-chan, their resident feline, kept giving their new footwear suspicious sniffs and looks that could kill. It was as though the cat was judging them for their dishonesty. Zenitsu's heart raced at the thought of Kuro-chan revealing their secret to Inosuke. He had to be careful not to trip over the cat as he navigated his way around the eatery.

Tanjirou set himself to work in the kitchen, resolutely wearing his new footwear even when Inosuke wasn’t around. Zenitsu couldn't help but wonder if Tanjirou was wearing the geta to feel better about lying to Inosuke, or if he was simply a masochist. Judging from the way he frequently pandered to Inosuke's whims and wants, Zenitsu concluded it was definitely the latter. Well, good for Tanjirou for having such a high tolerance for pain, but it wasn't like he had to do the same job as Zenitsu.

Zenitsu, on the other hand, had to be constantly on the move in the dining area. He couldn't even remove his geta since Inosuke was working in the same area most of the time. Zenitsu gritted his teeth and bore the growing soreness in his feet as he rushed around taking orders from the customers. But serving them their food was now beyond him. It was impossible for him to balance the heavy trays while walking on those ridiculous geta. Inosuke took over the work from him, but that came at the expense of a lot of taunting and new nicknames making fun of his slowness.

As Zenitsu brooded over his predicament, he couldn't resist feeling murderous thoughts toward Inosuke. He had half a mind to throw in the towel and reveal the truth, and better yet if Inosuke got mad and decided to up and leave for his old home in the mountain. He wondered why Tanjirou had such bad taste in love. Sure, Inosuke was pretty for a guy, but he was also brash, loud, and completely uncivilized. Someone of Tanjirou's calibre should have no trouble attracting a pretty girl with a nice personality.

In his mind, Zenitsu began to imagine what life would be like if Tanjirou were to find a normal girl to marry - someone who was quiet, gentle, and civilized. There would be no irritating boar to force him into daily training, call him silly nicknames, steal his food at meal times, make him cringe with brazen public displays of affection, and order him around as an underling.

But then, he thought about the good moments they shared: the intense sparring sessions, the playful teasing, and even the boar-like antics that both frustrated him and made him laugh. Without Inosuke, no one would treat him like some love guru, asking him for love advice and putting it to practice with entertaining consequences. No one would awkwardly pat him on his back and console him haltingly in the endearing way Inosuke would when he thought he messed up. No one would look up to him like an annoying little brother, telling him he wanted to spar with him and share clothes.

Life would be less colourful , less chaotic, and more boring without Inosuke.

Zenitsu straightened himself and checked again that his pants concealed his tengu geta properly, silently resolving to tough it out for Inosuke’s sake.

Zenitsu finally found relief for his aching feet as Inosuke left to do a delivery. He sank into a chair, letting out a grateful groan as he stretched his legs out, feeling the weight lift off his feet.

“Don’t ask,” he groaned, as Giyuu shot him an odd look from his seat at a nearby table with Urokodaki. Zenitsu knew that the former hashira would have been sharp and observant enough to notice his odd footwear the moment he stepped into the eatery. Thankfully, he had the good sense not to say anything about it. Zenitsu couldn't see Urokodaki's reaction since he donned his mask as usual, but he was sure he was just as puzzled.

Nezuko noticed Zenitsu's discomfort and sprang into action, rushing to grab a cold towel to soothe his throbbing feet. She knelt down beside him and tenderly applied the towel to his feet. Zenitsu released a deep, contented sigh, and at that moment, he was reminded of just how lucky he was to have Nezuko in his life. Without her, he wasn't sure how he would cope living in the Kamado household with his two idiotic best friends. A wave of gratitude washed over him, and he looked at her with a warm smile, feeling blessed to have the most caring and adorable girlfriend in the world.

“Sensei! Giyuu-san! It’s great to see you!” Tanjirou appeared with their orders perfectly balanced on a tray, walking with surprising ease in his tengu geta. Zenitsu’s moment of bliss melted away as he stared, mouth agape. He couldn't believe how Tanjirou managed to stay upright in those ridiculous shoes. Nezuko turned to watch too. While there was initial apprehension in her eyes, it soon turned into admiration. Tanjirou calmly and confidently delivered the heavily-ladened tray, filled with extra helpings of everything, to Giyuu and Urokodaki's table, beaming as though he didn't have a care in the world. He continued standing by their table and chatting with them animatedly, showing no sign of discomfort.

"Don't you want to sit down?" Giyuu asked, eyeing Tanjirou's feet with concern.

"Oh no, I'm good! I'll have to go back to the kitchen soon anyway." Tanjirou waved a hand dismissively.

Zenitsu couldn't help but feel envious of Tanjirou's resilience. Despite struggling to walk in the tengu geta earlier, Tanjirou had seemingly mastered them. Zenitsu had even seen him bend over and give Kuro-chan some head scritches earlier on when the cat rubbed against his leg, all while remaining steady on his feet. Zenitsu knew he could never have done that without tumbling over himself.

Tanjirou's ability to achieve anything he set his mind to with sheer determination and hard work was something Zenitsu admired but knew he could never fully replicate. The realization that Nezuko might consider her brother to be superior to him stung. He slumped back in his chair, feeling inadequate and defeated.

Nezuko's smile radiated warmth and reassurance as she placed her hand on Zenitsu's knee. "I know it's been tough for you, but I’m sure nii-chan knows what he's doing. Just trust him, all right?"

Zenitsu was highly sceptical. While Tanjirou showed remarkable skill in walking around in the tengu geta, that didn’t change the fact that this plan seemed moronic and destined for failure. Love had made Tanjirou stupid and the idiot boar's recklessness and idiocy had certainly rubbed off on him. Despite his reservations, he knew better than to voice his feelings to Nezuko about her precious nii-chan.

"Uh, sure, I guess," he muttered noncommittally.

Nezuko's smile broadened, and she leaned in to peck him on the cheek. Zenitsu felt a jolt of energy coursing through his body as if her touch had breathed new life into him.

"You can do this! I have faith in you!" she said with a giggle before heading back to the kitchen.

Feeling reinvigorated, Zenitsu sat up straight in his chair. "Thanks, Nezuko-chan. I won't let you down!" he declared, his voice brimming with newfound confidence.

Tanjirou was caught off guard by Zenitsu's sudden outburst and stumbled backwards, his tengu geta clacking against the floor. Urokodaki and Giyuu quickly moved to stabilize him, each grabbing one of his arms to steady him. "Careful there, Tanjirou," Urokodaki said. "You should sit down."

He pulled over a stool, and Tanjirou sat down obediently, looking flustered. He thanked them and continued speaking, albeit with less gusto than before.

Zenitsu couldn't resist a snigger of satisfaction, glad to see that even Tanjirou had his moments of inadequacy.

Chapter 3

「 ✦ Please support your creators by reblogging ✦ 」

Author's Notes: This was supposed be a two-chapter story. But I got hit with a sudden brainwave and decided to sneak in a Giyuu and Urokodaki cameo. Next thing I know, I'm knee-deep in a Zenitsu introspection about how he sees himself compared to Tanjirou. It was all getting a bit too much, so I split the chapter in two. Don't worry though, we'll definitely find out if Tanjirou's harebrained scheme worked out in the next chapter! Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed my fic, it’d really make my day if you could drop a like, reblog, and/or comment to let me know! This story is also published on AO3 where you can comment anonymously! Although I mostly write for myself, your encouragement keeps me motivated to post and share my work.

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mdhwrites · 11 months

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Did you also cringe during that Lumity love tunnel scene? It seems to be a mutual feeling to those who like the ship as well. Was it supppse to be awkwardly cute? Or angsty?

It didn't deliver either way tho

So... The cringe is the point... I just don't think it was done well, especially for The Owl House. If the same scene were in Amphibia though, it'd have worked a lot better and I'll get into why soon.

I first just kind of want to mention that I think ALL of the big S2 Lumity moments have problems and they just kind of get progressively worse as the season goes on but their problems aren't universal and they range in how bad they are. Not even to say they're all bad but none of them are all good like the Grom team up.

What's wrong with this one though? Well... The first problem is it's a tonal break even from an episode that is being looser than TOH normally allows. TOH doesn't go to the nines though. It stays fairly grounded (for better and for worse, and probably more worse) with its tone, reactions, etc. like that. S2 doubled down on this feeling but it's there in S1 as well.

The Lumity sequence is frankly, somehow, the most over the top of the three while Eda's, despite being a dream sequence (since really it's just an elevated flashback mostly), is the most grounded. Eda is actually running at a 2, King is maybe a four and Lumity is at an 8 to try to scale it. There are jokes with King but his emotions being taken seriously and what he's doing is honestly kind of low key because they won't show us the weirder stuff. Eda is being deathly serious going back through her memories and there are almost no jokes until Harpy Eda shows up and what is Lumity doing? A fucking tunnel of love where Luz LOSES HER MIND. Like... This is literally the first time in the entire series Luz has had anything even remotely close to this sort of reaction to something that might embarrass her. To anything really. Yes, she's more excitable than other members of the cast but she doesn't usually go batshit. It's like if Polly's reaction to someone dissing her and her family was to suddenly dive into a five page soliloquies. It doesn't match what we're used to and it's too sudden to connect properly with the emotion.

It also just isn't funny. Like there's a little bit of humor but for how over the top it is, the reaction is HORROR. It is playing this breakdown deadly seriously... But all Amity really does is not scold Luz for ruining for a good time or anything like that but just comment about them dating, confirming her feelings (in an honestly awkward line because the tunnel of love never asks for a date, it's just saying Amity is cool), and then... she just kind of moves on. She doesn't ask what the hell happened, what happened with Luz, etc. like that. She just... doesn't properly react besides in abject horror.

That's not funny or endearing or sweet. It's... sad. And it just tries to move on from that like it almost didn't happen. Amity is fully ready for Luz's confession when it comes. She's not nervous or scared like Luz is despite the fact that all the confidence should be in Luz's court while Amity is terrified of whatever news Luz has for her.

...And this is WITHOUT the framing of Amity having been kidnapped against her will, shoved into an amusement ride where Luz's feelings are forced out of her before Luz is blackmailed by Hooty essentially TO CONFESS. Yes, Eda tries to be nice but there home is going to be destroyed if she does ask Amity out.

What the fuck are you telling kids with that? That it's okay to blackmail a friend to get them to confess? That it's okay to tell the person they like their feelings? Like yes, the audience knows that Amity likes Luz but Hooty has no reason to. Luz has arguably only recently started showing deeper feelings than friendship towards Amity. This is a LEAP on his part that is just kind of cruel.

And yes, that's part of the point of the episode but the other two are basic, well meaning actions just taken too far. Someone needs sleep, help them get some sleep with the too far being drugs. King... Frankly isn't bad. Just period really. I wish it wasn't audio hell for me honestly.

But romance is more complicated than that. Confessions like this are more complicated. Worse yet, when the confession happens, they play it straight. Like the rest of the episode didn't happen. It's just an awkward confession between two teenagers that also comes off as "Marry me please" on Luz's part because of the phrasing. That's not actually a criticism. The show built up the line to have multiple levels of meaning and also an overenthusiastic teenager going a LITTLE far on the confession is very real.

That's the rub with Knock Knock Knockin'. The confession is good and gives a real emotional punch to conclude the action element of the episode. And, because it is an adventure series, some threat usually does need to be present for the episode and Hooty's tantrum is that, even if it ends up being played mostly for emotional blackmail because the other two are obviously fine.

I don't even really know what to say for fixing this episode that wouldn't be against its genre. It's kind of an issue for Lumity in general that the romance elements don't pair well, at least not with TOH's writer's concept of doing romance, with the adventure elements. Then there's the episode framing (which jesus christ is a problem for Clouds on the Horizon as well) where... This is only a third of a Lumity episode. But it's the episode they get together. It is what in most shows would be the climax of this arc and the show doesn't really explore their relationship afterwards so why not dedicate at least half an episode properly to the confession. Or have them exchange more... Ten? words to each other each before the confession? Because the focus is ENTIRELY on Luz losing it rather than the two's relationship and their feelings towards each other.

That's maybe the final problem: It's cringe that doesn't setup the payoff of the episode. Nothing does. Admittedly, Lumity, the longer it goes on, just struggle to talk to each other but it especially hurts here where Amity is dumped off, they are immediately dumped into the bellows of the house, immediately go onto the tunnel of love after Luz helps Amity up and then the confession happens outside.

There's just not much that works cohesively for this to be the major payoff of Amity's character and Luz's efforts, theoretically, to get with Amity. It instead feels just awkward, sad and then suddenly we're supposed to celebrate? Sorry. I'm still waiting for Luz to properly apologize to Amity and make sure she's okay. But... That didn't happen. Despite this being the girl Luz wants to have in her future. Edit: Luz does apologize for the Tunnel of Love (not her actions though) in an attempt to not look like a nerd and blame Hooty for the tunnel, not what actually made Amity upset since Amity show any signs of being upset until Luz goes off the rails. But... She's trying to apologize for looking nerdy and over the top to the only other member of the Azura Book Club. Who, you know, she once challenged to a witch's duel after stating where the reference came from. Can you see why I started to no longer believe that future was one where at least Amity wasn't going to be happy in?

=========

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead, If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

And finally a Twitter you can follow too!

#amity blight #luz noceda #luz x amity #Lumity #TOH Critical #the owl house criticism

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emmym1 · 4 months

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My thoughts on... X-23: Target X 2006 (#1-6)

After finishing X-23 (2005) I was super excited to continue my journey reading her comics. She's such a compelling character with a lot of depth and complexity to her that I just couldn't wait to see what was next for her after leaving the facility. And this series really delivered on that front. I did not expect to be hit in the feels so soon again! The way the first issue opens with Laura grieving over Sarah's cold body in the snow really set the tone for this series and it just hit really hard. Especially because you can see a tear rolling down the cheek of her lifeless body. It's such a painful moment. I really liked how this series also filled in some gaps and added onto her time at the facility. Like the development of the trigger scent and why it existed in the first place. And I also loved how it recontextualizes her first field mission from Captain America's point of view. That was really cool to see. It really shows you the gravitas of what happened on that first mission and how terrible it really was. I also loved how this series follows up on Sarah's sister and her daughter Megan. The parallels with Megan and Sarah when she was little were really interesting and tragic as it kind of further adds to Sarah becoming the thing she hated the most. Similar to how no one believed Sarah being abused when she was little no one believed Megan when it came to her being kidnapped. And this would end up having a really have a big effect on her life. When you see Megan again in this series she's a really different person from when you last saw her. The friendship between Laura and Megan was super sweet and I really we got to see more of it but sadly things don't end up going that way due to the facility still being after Laura. It was so interesting to see how Laura just does not have any idea of how the world works and how she takes everything so litteraly. It was funny and also kind of tragic to see her give these unhinged answers to questions the teachers asked her. I love when Megan is like "I just want to run away" she just goes "ok" and they end up having this super sweet day together and really opening up to each other. Their conversation on the docks was also really sweet.

The trigger scent activating on Laura and her going after Debbie and Megan was a SUPER nervewracking sequence. I totally expected her to kill them and it being another tragedy for her. The horror movie homages in that sequences were super cool though. I love how she was able to snap out of it in time and save them. The fight sequences in this series were also really good and made amazing use of Laura's foot claws in battle. And Kimura was a super menacing villain, especially in concept. She's one of the few things Laura can't kill and it's interesting to see her work around that and find loopholes.

Laura leaving behind Debbie and Megan at the border was a super super sad moment. The final hug between Megan and Laura really made tear up it's such a painful moment for both of them. And the art really elevates that entire moment.

Her confrontation with Wolverine after was also super gutwrenching. Her mindset basically being that they're both weapons and that they need to be destroyed before they cause more harm is incredibly sad, especially after Laura was able to find some sort of normalcy with Debbie and Megan only to be confronted with her past again. It's so tragic to see that she genuinely believes that she's nothing more than a weapon and can't be nothing more than that after her trigger scent activated in Debbie's house. The talk she has with Wolverine after their conversation was super sweet and I really want to see more of their dynamic together.

The final page of this series really made me cry. Her finally getting to read the full letter her mom wrote for her and completely bursting out in tears really hit super hard. And even thinking about it makes me tear up because there is so much weight and emotion behind that moment. Such a perfect yet bittersweet way to end this series.

This series was fantastic start to finish with some super amazing art, like the art for this was really good. And I really love how we got to see more of Laura at her time during and after the facility and how she intrepets the world around with the way the facility raised her and how her self image is so messed up. I can't wait to read more of her comics, because she really is such an amazingly compelling character.

#comics #marvel #earth 616 #marvel comics #x 23 #laura kinney

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cleave-and-plough · 9 months

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finally, one of the weird ones.

something i distinctly remember from my first pass at utena was the presence of the "other" episodes, where the romance and psychodrama fall away in favor of some extremely different tones, either humorous or surreal (or both, usually). watching this episode now, i feel like i better understand why they included chu-chu, or at least how humor fits into the show's world. as much as the story has a strong narrative and character bend, it also revolves around a core of mundane and amplified emotions. just there are small dramas of friendships and school grades, there are also grand dramas of swordfights and the end of the world. why not some light comic relief from a purple mouse contrasting with a series of runaway killer animals?

nanami has slowly taken a more and more central role within the show, starting with miki's arc and now taking the stage for an entire episode. more and more the show feels like an ensemble cast, with utena and anthy often following the action in small, adjacent roles. it also feels as if the central character sets the episode's tone - miki's arc felt fairly similar to the usual sensibilities due to his mirroring of utena, but there were little touches here and there that seemed unique to him (such as the short piano figure that plays when he looks at anthy, or the gold-washed memories of the garden). in nanami's case, touga spells it out, saying, "i think you shouldn't read so many detective novels."

the first half of the episode couldn't be more pulpy - nanami walks home alone at night, pursued by a shadowy figure and almost struck by the blinding lights of a passing car in a dark tunnel, touga seems to be enlisting anthy to plot against his own sister - and all of it seems to be colored in by nanami's warped perspective. she says she's afraid, and she is - afraid of losing her brother, who miki describes as "the only man she really wants." leaving aside the brocon allegations, there's a real pain to nanami that shows in so many ways - how she hurts people around her, how she uses others to avoid dealing with anything directly, and how her vivid imagination brings her worst fears to life. utena is swept up for the ride at first, but is able to see reason once anthy reveals the real nature of the conversation - as usual, utena remains grounded and true.

suddenly, a horse arrives, continuing nanami's strange theme of being an enemy to all animals. (i do unfortunately remember the origins of this enmity.) a prince appears to rescue her, and suddenly the show returns to its fairy tale visions, showing nanami's rescuer as a silhouette-like figure matching the prince from utena's prelude. and yet, as the show often does when a character parallels utena, the tone twists. nanami's rescuer is an elementary schooler named tsuwabuki, and she begins dating him solely to exploit him as a bodyguard and servant. it's here that utena must take a stand, as the defender of the sanctity of love, and yet her power does not manifest, for she has no one to avenge. as much as nanami is using tsuwabuki, he's using her as well, having created numerous dangerous scenarios to save her from, hoping to act as her protective older brother. of course, no one can replace touga for nanami, so while she appreciates tsuwabuki's services enough to rescue him from the kangaroo, she breaks up with him, and he takes his place as an adoptive younger brother. wait, kangaroo?

there are so many absolutely hilarious moments in this episode, accentuated by excellent direction - the composition and timing of certain shots alone carry an incredible sense of comic rhythm. i'm laughing even now thinking about saionji (saionji???) appearing from nowhere, trying to be profound about his own misdeeds, and then standing there solemnly as utena and miki ignore him in prolonged silence, like a bathos-infused version of the evangelion elevator scene. the shock of his sudden reappearance being immediately neutered by his own romeo-like melodrama is just impeccable. what really strikes me is the density of imagery and gags as well - tsuwabuki crouching under nanami's desk to help her cheat on a test, the interchangeable suzuki, yamada, and tanaka's seemingly-rehearsed appearance (and later harmonizing?? as they prepare to battle a fifth-grader??), nanami's wiretap setup (bringing the episode back to its pulpy beginning to resolve the mystery), the trifecta of loose animals, shirtless touga k.o.'ing a kangaroo - it's beyond belief.

tonally, it could not be farther from the show's resonant scenes of abuse and sorrow, and yet its inclusion doesn't feel haphazard. it's often said that disparate genres like horror and comedy are related - they both seek to provoke an irresistible reaction in the audience, and i think something similar is at work here. typically, the show wrenches the audience emotionally, showing characters in pain and desperate to find salvation, helpless people rescued from cruel fates, all in the name of love and told through rich, imaginative imagery and settings. in their turn, the gags are just as rich, creative, and provocative, stunning the audience with their absurdity and depth of character. it's that deepening that i think strikes me most - taking utena as the lead, her life typically doesn't revolve around the duels and the fate of the world. other than her mysterious prelude, she's mostly a typical high schooler, playing basketball (and baseball) and goofing around with her friends. episodes like this feel like a gentle sweetness in the dish alongside the sour, compelling bite of the drama, each serving to heighten the other. it's a small glimpse of the bright side, just as over-the-top as the darkness beneath. it helps to have a world worth saving when the apocalypse is on the table.

of course, the allure of the past continues to bind the cast, from nanami's idolization of touga to tsuwabuki's fixation on rescuing nanami from dangerous animals. as comedic as it is in that context, it's yet another instance of a character willing to do anything to reclaim some lost beloved feeling. tsuwabuki's attempts to recreate the scene of nanami's rescue echo with miki's attempts to claim anthy as a partner in music to relive his childhood with his sister. seeing this theme reoccur as character after character struggles to let go of the past, the council's motto of bringing the world revolution feels especially pertinent - the death of the old world for the birth of the new.

stray thoughts:

incredibly excited for the next episode, which centers the mysterious juri.

it's no secret that this show was a big influence on rebecca sugar during the development of steven universe (and the allusions are especially apparent in-text), and the surreal humor of an episode like this feels just as influential as the high drama, romance, and iconograpy.

i'll be interested to see how the show handles the relationships between utena and her challengers after their defeats - saionji seems to be more of an annoyance than a threat at this point, while miki, who was more misguided than truly ill-intentioned, has seemed to become a close friend. somehow i suspect juri will follow a new path here.

#revolutionary girl utena #shoujo kakumei utena #utena project #my writing #duel 06

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