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Cleon Song Week (rest of the week)

I lost steam (unsurprisingly) but here's what I was planning and might go back to:

Dance/pop (day 4) Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

This one would have taken the lyrics literally, a fun/sweet adventure of them when they're older.

Musical (day 5) Hadestown

I was most excited for this one and I still might go back to this. I don't typically do full AUs but I'm still obsessed with Hadestown and while listening at work I started to think about the music and how some of it applies to Cleon.

Claire as the Poor Girl with a song (this would be hard to balance the natural Manic Pixie of Orpheus) and Leon as the Hungry Young Boy. I was thinking about this because Claire is pretty relentlessly optimistic, even when it's white knuckled, while Leon is a 'realist' (pessimist) who's perspective changes around Claire. Still up in the air if I would have written the end because it's so devastating but "Doubt Comes In" for Claire is so juicy.

I was primarily thinking of the songs "All I've Ever Known" and "Any Way the Wind Blows".

Hip-hop (day 6) Glorious - Macklemore ft. Skylar Grey

I'll admit hip hop and dance are not my genres, but the last chorus was good enough for me. I was thinking something like the end for a lot of the games with seeing the sunset after a shitty night, them holding each other up and laughing about surviving.

Other Language (day 7) Ça va ça vient - Vitta, Slimane

My Canadian friend gave me this one, and I couldn't decide between taking the lyrics literally or have it be diegetic. 🤷 Definitely my weakest interpretation of the prompt, but maybe setting something in France again could be fun

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Cleon Song Week (day 3)

Day three: Old School Have You Ever Seen the Rain? - Creedence Clearwater Revival

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It’s hot, way too hot for the beginning of October, that's for damn sure.

The car they've ‘borrowed’ has a busted AC and despite fiddling with it, Claire can't get it going again. They've resorted to rolling down all the windows and having to live with the noise of the air roaring by. Shockingly Sherry is passed out in the backseat, oblivious to the noise and Claire laughs when Leon fusses about her taking off her seatbelt to stretch out.

The AC is out, but the radio still works. As they’re heading west down a two-lane highway snatches of local radio stations squelch in and out. Wrestling off her boots Claire sticks her feet out the window, leaning down to adjust the dial until it’s clear.

“Someone told me long ago-“

Claire leaves it, reclining as far as the chair will go, smiling widely at Leon. “You know this one? Reminds me of my parents.”

“There’s a calm before the storm-“

“Only from dive bars.” Leon nearly shouts back at her, then gestures towards her legs. “I can’t see my mirror.”

“Hey man, you didn’t let me drive, I get radio and passenger rights.” Claire laughs at his disgruntled face. “There’s no one else out here, you’ll survive without it.”

He’s not mad, she can see it in his expression, despite him keeping it pointedly away from facing her, there’s a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.

“I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain? Comin’ down on a sunny day?”

They sit in companionable silence, Sherry still dead to the world despite the windows and radio and how often Claire turns to check on her. After the third time she does it, Leon reaches out a hand and grabs her wrist in the barest hint of a restraint.

“She’s fine.” Leon assures, half-smiling at Claire and letting go. “You’re making me nervous, quit it.”

“Nervous?” Claire says, letting a hint of a mischievous smile creep into her voice, pointedly taking his words in a different route.

“Correction, terrified.” Leon laughs, shaking his head. “You’re a menace.”

“Yeah! I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?”

Claire winks then tips her head back against the headrest as the song ends. “Well this menace got us a car. Though if I had know about this shit weather I would’ve gotten a convertible.”

Slitting her eyes open when she hears him move, she watches him reach for her, like he’s thinking about touching her arm or hand but drops it back onto the steering wheel with a rueful shake of his head. Damn.

When it gets late enough into the afternoon they pull over at the least shitty looking motel for the night. Claire registers them while Leon anxiously checks for bedbugs, only allowing them all onside once he’s done; Claire stands at the door with an amused smile, hands on her hips as Leon gives the all clear, Sherry beelining for the TV.

“Hey you.” She says when he joins her on the bench outside, handing him a lukewarm beer that he grimaces over.

“I was thinking Yuma.” He says after a few minutes. “As a start, then… Well, I don’t know from there. But there’s got to be a way to check for your brother and the other S.T.A.R.S. officers.”

“We’ll figure it out.” Claire agrees, crushing her can under her boot heel. “As long as we keep Sherry on the move. That’s the first thing.”

They both don’t have to say it aloud how little they want Sherry to be taken from them, haven’t talked about what they’d do to stop it. Leon nods.

Watching the sunset for a minute more, Claire sighs, stands. “Guess I’ll check on her.”

“She’s good.” Leon says, catching her hand easily as she passes. When Claire shoots him a questioning glance he looks as baffled as she feels.

But he doesn’t let go. Claire moves to stand in front of him, staring at their hands with a creeping smile, “Got something to-“

Leon sits up and gently tugs her down to his level, and he is so stupidly, charmingly, polite, knowing he’s as much as a menace as he accuses her of being- checking her expression before kissing her. A good kiss, one that has her hands in his hair as she leans down to him, his hands on her waist.

“Very smooth, Leon.” Claire laughs, leaning her forehead on his. “Very smooth.”

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Hello! I really love your fics and just read Second Chances. Its amazing so far 🥰 I hope you are doing great 🙂

Thank you so much!!! The ending of Second Chances is still giving me a headache but I'm happy with what I have so far :) Thank you for reading my fics, I love knowing they've found an audience, it means a lot!

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Cleon Song Week (day 2)

Day two: Angst

Kids Again - Artist vs Poet

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“Redfield? She'll go out if you ask, but she doesn't really date, you know?” 

Claire can hear perfectly how the two Terrasave employees are gossiping about her. Within earshot– which is rude as hell, but what they're saying isn't totally untrue. 

Casual dates and flirting are fun, and she doesn't usually have a bad time, she just can't seem to bring herself to accept a second or third time. It's flattering to know she's still got it, flashing a smile at the two men before leaving the elevator, watching one of them turn bright red– from being caught or because of her, she doesn't know but it's still funny.

In pretty pathetic reality, Claire knows she's still holding out for a very specific person. Someone who's halfway across the world throwing himself into any conflict he can.

Dumb to think of him as “her” person, but she still does, even though Leon might never feel the same. He's chasing down someone who might destroy him, putting himself into situations that could kill him. And she's here, in a cushy office, a stable job. 

Boring, stable, Claire.

But at least she's got a date on Friday, right?

I know a girl

Who's never tried to settle down

She wears her loneliness just like a crown

But when she smiles, all the kings will bow down, down, down

And I know a boy

Who likes to keep his burner on

He's always running with no one to keep warm

It's like he's flirting with the smoke alarm

His fire's fading

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Cleon Song Week

Day 1: Love

Invisible String - Taylor Swift

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Fate sure has a funny way of pulling them together.

Strings of time spent apart, but pulled together when they seem to need each other most, weaving in and out of each other’s lives but never severing them completely. Each time an important lesson on trust and partnership even when they can’t make it work as anything other than acquaintances with loaded history.

They try to make times for the two of them without the threats on the world on their backs but they’re even fewer and further between, brief moments snatched from Time’s jaws often ruined by their own pride and bitterness.

But always they get pulled back together again. Always.

One final time, one final try. A local dive bar in D.C. neither frequent but were drawn to when passing by without realizing.

Leon can spot her anywhere, the energy around her warm, even when she’s in a bad mood- even when she’s furious at him. Claire doesn’t flinch when he touches her shoulder and says her name, smiling up at him like the last time they met didn’t end in harsh words and awkward silence.

“Leon.” She rises to her feet immediately hesitating only a split second before pulling him into a tight hug, his own arms instinctively wrapping around her to hold her close.

Pulling away they both seem to be marveling at the odds, a smile creeping onto his face that has Claire’s eyes widening and giving him a happily curious one in return.

He changes his mind on shots, ordering the same beer as the one on Claire’s table and she’s got the same curious expression on her face.

“I thought you wouldn’t want to talk to me anymore.” She admits once he’s settled with her. “I was being a bitch last time.”

He’s already shaking his head, “I couldn’t have been meaner if I tried. I’m sorry too.”

Nodding thoughtfully Claire takes a sip of her beer, eyeing him.

“Let’s skip that this time, okay?” Leon’s tone is halfway towards joking and she sort of smiles though it doesn’t spread across her face like it usually does, studying him closely. “What?”

“Just thinking.” Claire says with a shrug. “Strange, isn’t it? That we keep finding each other.”

He thinks on it, how no matter how hard they’ve tried to shove each other away they always instinctively know what the other needs, how to find the other. “Yeah, think it’ll stick this time?”

Looking like she’s facing a high dive she nods, almost shy, a weird thing to see on someone as bold as Claire. Carefully he slides his arm along hers, brushing the back of her hand with his and holding it palm up in an offering.

She looks Leon in the face for a long moment then at their hands as she laces their fingers together, smiling to herself. “If we want it to, I think it just might.”

Time, curious time Gave me no compasses, gave me no signs Were there clues I didn't see? And isn't it just so pretty to think All along there was some Invisible string Tying you to me?

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Done for the Cleon Year 2024 prompt of "Thunderstorms" :)

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Second Chances WIP

This is a bit of the new long-fic I'm working on for Cleon. Meet-cute fluff before shit gets weird and angsty. An AU without zombies, nothing goes wrong that night they both first go to Raccoon City, they meet and fall in love like regular people.

Rating/tags: General, fluff, first kiss

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“Why didn’t you bring your bike?” He asks, with clear disapproval on the word bike.

“It’s healthy to walk,” she laughs, “besides, gas is going up and I am just a college student. Sometimes I wait tables with my roommate at her job when they’re busy but it doesn’t pay all that great.” 

“In that case,” he hesitates, “Can I walk you home?”

“Sure, it’s the opposite way from your place though.”

“I don’t mind. It’s healthy to walk.” He shares her smile and it looks good on him.

With a speed that only southern summer rain can, the clouds gather and they have to accept that they’re about to get soaked. Debating on making a run for it, Claire laughs, opening up her arms, “well, regretting your offer now?”

Leon’s expression seems for all the world like a plane could drop down to the ground next to him and he wouldn’t notice, the way he’s looking at her, she could be the only person on the planet and it makes her breath catch in her chest. Then the first droplets of rain hit him and he blinks, shaking his head with a grin and Claire gleefully notes how red his face gets as he scratches the back of his neck. 

“No, I don’t mind a little rain.” 

A little turns into quite a lot actually and they’re both near soaked by the time Chris’ house is in sight. “Oh, Chris is home.” Claire notes curiously, “the search and rescue must have gone well.”

Leon walks her up the steps, making sure she gets in alright and he’s got such good manners it makes her smile, if her mom could have met him, yeesh- she’d be planning their wedding already. 

“How… how do you seem so familiar?” Leon asks suddenly, an easy smile giving way to something more intense, shaking his head. “It’s like every time I see you I feel like I’m remembering you more and more.”

Claire feels it too, like she’s been looking to get him to laugh a particular way, predicting his expressions seconds before they cross his face. 

He looks uncomfortable, “Sorry, that was such a corny thing to say.”

“No, me too.” She reassures, “like we used to be friends or something. But I’m pretty sure I’d remember you.” Leon cracks a smile when she winks at him again.

“I was going to do this earlier before you asked me out,” he turns bright red but she shushes him, “here. My number. I have a roommate, so if someone else answers don’t freak out.”

“Thanks,” he says quietly, stowing the napkin she’d stolen when he wasn’t looking safely into his wallet. He leans forward and she’s holding her breath, trying not to lean in as well to get closer-

He shakes his head once, light hair falling into his eyes as he looks up at her with the perfect delicious blend of sweet shyness and wanting. She wants to eat him alive. Losing his nerve he smiles ruefully and takes a step back down the narrow staircase.

“Goodnight, Claire.” And she can’t help but feel disappointment even though it doesn’t feel like he’s trying to run from her. She waves, watching him go, deciding whether or not to call out to him before he stops halfway down the steps, shoulders tense. She thinks she might hear him say something like “Screw it” as he turns and bounds up the steps back to her. 

Startled, she laughs- nervous, happy giggles bubbling up as he holds her face gently in his hands and looks at her so seriously, “Claire, can I kiss you?”

“Absolutely.”

For all his shyness and how unsure he seemed- Hell. She doesn’t give a damn about the rain, or her brother just behind the door she’s now leaning on, needing something to hold her up; this boy is something else. She should feel trapped with her back pressed to the wooden frame, with his hands still cradling her face but his lips on hers are soft and gentle. His thin shirt is twisted into her fingers as she pulls him closer and he doesn’t resist, letting her crush them closer together. Unable to help herself, Claire smiles, laughing when he pulls away, resting his forehead on hers.

“What?” He whispers and Claire closes her eyes to try and cement the memory of his hand sliding through her hair and pulling free the elastic, the way whatever detergent he uses mixes with the smell of rain.

Opening her eyes she realizes Leon is hesitating, worried, “Nothing, just glad you did that.” Claire catches him by surprise before he can answer, rocking up onto her toes and he wraps his arms around her to pull her close, gasping into her mouth-

Warm air rushes suddenly against her back and she loses her balance, held up now only by Leon’s arms. He immediately sets her down and steps back, clearing his throat as Chris glares exasperated from the now open doorway. Chris shakes his head, mouth in a taut line,

“Jesus Christ, really?” 

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Resident Evil Prompts

I'm taking prompts again, this time focusing on RE since I'm working on a really long Cleon fic now that It's Always Been You is finally finished and would like to focus in on the series. The other prompt post is still up because I'll still take ones from that list, but I'm reposting this for (hopefully) some new engagement.

Ships I will write for in RE:

Cleon (Claire/Leon)

Valenfield (Jill/Chris)

Shake (Sherry/Jake)

Reilly (Rebecca/Billy)

ratings: General to mature

Won't do: Explicit smut, major character death, omegaverse, SA

Turn around time: hopefully a week, but there's no guarantee that I'll take any specific prompt; i.e. submitting something doesn't mean you'll definitely get a response

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do u guys have a character/ship that you are the #1 enthusiast and understander of but you just. never post about them. like they are on your mind 24/7 rent-free but you just don't talk about them

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rb in the tags what would be the physical feature used to identify you in fanfiction of you if you were a fictional character

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She contemplates the absurdity of a nearly empty coffin for a moment, then thinks about him taking her tag, settling it right next to his own and keeping it safe for five years by his heart. 

"I really did a number on you." 

"No. It's always- it's always us. You and me. That's how it worked, I never minded for a minute."

"You and me." She echoes back softly.

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Finally finished! A post RE5, pre RE6 side story focusing on Jill and Chris. Remembering being in love/falling in love again and finally working towards being an actual romantic relationship, all inside a canon-typical scenario, mysteries and vague science included.

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reblog and tag what is “your” video game, aka the game you could make an entire video essay on it, mines acnl

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Can you do a prompt for domestic cleon fluff, bonus points if they have children

Well, you said kids and uhhh, how about three of them?

Media: Resident Evil

Ship: Claire/Leon

Rating: General; Tags: Children, domestic fluff, background platonic or romantic Valenfield

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“Mom? Why does auntie Jill have a dog we can’t play with?” Claire looks down at her son’s serious face, a scrunched little V in between his faint red-brown eyebrows.

“Well,” she says, leaning back on the counter and wiping her hands on a dishtowel, “she’s a service dog. She’s working right now.”

“Her dog has a job?” The V gets deeper and Claire has to smile at his incredulous tone. Ruffling his hair she laughs, Leon, across from her leaning on the stove chuckles.

“Yeah. She’s got a job. She makes sure Jill feels okay, watches out for her.”

“So not like Grover.” he says slowly, “All Grover does is sleep. And poop.”

“Yup. Just like your sister.” Leon says, dodging the towel Claire snaps his way with a smile before scooping up Scott and laughing with him. 

Scott’s childish voice rings through the hallway as Leon carries him away before Claire can hear him shouting in the backyard. Their oldest, Shirley yells back, sounding like she’s starting up a game of tag. Claire smiles to herself, reaching up to put the last of the morning dishes away.

“I don’t know why you’re doing that.” Leon says behind her fondly, resting his hands on her hips and pulling her back into him. “We’re just going to have to pull them all out again once your brother stops hogging the grill.” 

“Like I’m letting any of my flatware out on that concrete, besides, you let him take over.” Leon kisses along her neck and Claire tilts her head to the side with a quiet sigh. Who’d’ve thought, all those years ago, that they'd end up here? Three kids, a big yard, too idyllic to be real but it is. Chris’ deep laugh sounds from outside and Claire can only guess that it’s from some quiet joke Jill told him, or maybe the kids being goofy. 

“Eugh. ‘Let’ is a strong word, he would have been annoying till I let him, it was strategic.” 

“Ah.” Claire turns in his arms and smiles into the kiss he gives her. “Strategic. Sure, sure. Totally believe that, and not that maybe you didn’t want to be in charge of food? Huh? Mr. I Burn Most Things Kenedy?”

“Hm. I’ll let that one slide.” On the counter the baby monitor squawks to life, “Sorry, gotta go, my baby’s calling.”

“I always knew I was the side piece!” Claire calls and Leon claps his hand to his heart as if shot and stumbles dramatically out the doorway. 

Once outside the afternoon passes in a haze of dreamy happiness. Leon brings the baby downstairs and shoots Claire a faux-annoyed look when immediately Chris scoops up his newest niece. Claire pokes him in the side once and laughs as he jumps, watching with an unconscious smile as Chris sits carefully next to Jill and the two of them make the baby laugh with funny faces.

“Cece, right?” Jill asks.

“Yeah, well, Celia, but we call her Cece.”

“She’s beautiful.”

-

Just as Cece is finally asleep after her last bottle, from down the hall comes a loud wail. In her crib, the sound makes Cece start and her cries join in with an ear piercing harmony. 

“I’ve got him, you good here?” Leon nods, already focused on soothing the startled infant, pulling her into his arms.

Claire cracks the door to her son’s bedroom open wider, adding illumination to the shark night-light and glow in the dark stars scattered across the ceiling, “Hey baby, what’s happening?” 

Behind her she can hear a door open quietly and she turns, nodding to Shirley, “He’s okay, I’ve got him, thanks Love.” Shirley sleepily nods and closes her door again.

Scott is sitting up in his bed, no longer sobbing but hiccuping with tears stains running tracks down his cheeks. When Claire lays down beside him he snuggles into her arms immediately, leaving a snotty-wet smear stain right in the center of her shirt, but she can’t say she minds. “Want to tell me about it?”

“It was-” He hiccups again and she rubs his back soothingly, “Scary, big dogs- and I couldn’t find you!”

“I’m right here, I’ll always be here.” 

His hands are fisted into her shirt, “But what if I can’t find you?” 

“You know how it goes, just like in the grocery store. I’ll find you, no matter what. No matter what.” 

He still looks troubled but lets himself be soothed, the exhaustion of the day settling in again.

“You can sleep with us tonight if you want.”

“Shirley says five is too old to sleep in your bed.”

“Well. I’ll tell you a secret,” Scott leans in with his big serious eyes, dying to know, “Shirley would still get nightmares when she was seven.” 

Scott giggles with her, “Okay.” 

“Okay.” Claire nods, picking him up despite how heavy he’s getting. By the time she’s changed into her pajamas he’s already asleep right in the middle of their bed. Claire scoots him over enough to give herself room and he’s dead to the world, sleeping soundly while she reads and waits for Leon. When Leon finally enters she holds a finger up to her mouth, pointing at their son. Leon only lifts his eyebrows, moving one of Scott’s arms off his pillow as he slides in.

“What are you smiling about?” He asks quietly.

“Just thinking. We’ve been through quite a bit to get here. Reminding myself to be grateful, I guess.” She whispers to him over Scott’s head.

“We’re pretty lucky, for sure.” He reaches for her cheek and she turns her head to kiss his palm. “Really lucky.”

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Uh, yeah. Hi. Had no idea how to start with this prompt but ended up having a lot of fun with it? Hope this was something close!

Shirley: 8

Scott: 5

Celia: 5 months

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Oh so ur a writer?? Prove it. Drop the last sentence of ur wip in the tags

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"Chrissy Cunningham," he says her name real slow, "that is one of the most metal things I have ever seen and you have got to be the coolest person here by ten fucking miles."

Chrissy beams, full on beams at him and if he didn't currently have latex drying on his arms he'd be clutching his chest to check that he's not dying from a heart attack.

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Makeup artist Chrissy, Rockstar Eddie AU :)

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Hellcheer S4 rewrite WIP

Takes place right before everyone splits up for the finale showdown

Chrissy POV

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Nervously she folds her fingers into the too long soft blue sleeves. "I'm going to go with Max." 

She knows they've all heard her clearly, still, Steve clarifies, "Chrissy, are you sure?"

"I know you don't know what to do with me, and I appreciate you all trying to keep me safe, but if Max is right wouldn't the two of us be better? I can help draw Vecna in too." 

"Yeah but–" Eddie says, face pinched in worry. Everyone looks doubtful, Nancy's eyes tighten as she purses her lips and Robin stares at her shoes.

Clenching her fists and cringing when her voice wavers, she protests, "it's not right for me to hide wherever you want to put me while a freshman goes and risks her life alone. And a middle schooler."

Erica scoffs while Lucas looks doubtful and Max bristles, "I've faced things from the upside down before, I'll be fine–" 

"It's just that Max is…" Nancy says and she doesn't need to finish her sentence. Max is tougher. Max has fought creatures before. Max isn't as afraid, Max is braver, stronger, a fighter–

Chrissy knows what she looks like in her borrowed blue sweater and white pants, cheer shoes tied with perfect bows and her hair carefully pulled up. She knows what they see when they look at her. Something small, something fragile. She isn't brave, or a fighter, she's a doll to be carefully protected in her glass case. Chrissy Cunningham will be placed back on her shelf when the danger is past with not a single crack in her perfect porcelain.

"Eddie." She whispers, looking to him for something, some sort of backup. And when he meets her eyes she's relieved to find support there; the two run-aways, the cowards understanding implicitly that this time they don't want to run from what scares them. If he's going to face his demons, so will she. 

"You sure about this, Cunningham?" He checks with her once to be safe, when she nods resolutely he ruffles the back of his hair and shrugs to the others. "She's sure, she can make her own choices. Who're we to stop her?" 

"It'll be harder for Sinclair to watch over both of you but if he thinks he can do it, I say screw it, this whole thing is already a long shot to begin with." Steve puts his hands up as if surrendering to her and Chrissy almost smiles. 

"I can do it." Lucas says, "but I think this whole thing is stupid and dangerous."

When Max looks like she's gearing up to argue again he quickly adds, "not that I think you can't, just…"

"It either works and we kill the most evil this town has yet to see– which is impressive, or, we all, you know. Die." Robin says almost cheerfully. Next to her Nancy adds in her intense and serious way,

"But at least we'll have tried."

-

When everyone is almost ready to split up and the nerves are starting to weigh so heavily it's near crushing Chrissy catches the sleeve of Eddie's jacket.

"Thank you." She whispers, still holding on. "Uhm."

At a loss for words she glances around them quickly to make sure no one is watching before darting up onto her toes and kissing him on the cheek. "Please be careful. You– you don't have to prove anything, okay?" 

It's such a dumb thing to blush about but she knows her face is bright red as he touches his cheek with awe. "Yeah. Chrissy, uh, you too." 

Even though she can tell he's just as filled with dread as she is, he's still Eddie and he groans, rolling his eyes and bouncing the heel of his palm off his forehead, "Wow, not much of a bard, huh? They should write that down to keep when they write our epic tale of adventure, 'uh, you too.' Yikes." 

His smile is wide when she giggles, and she'll always give him credit for his seemingly effortless transitions from endearingly awkward to incredibly smooth, "lets try that again, yeah?"

His warm, wide eyes are inches from hers as he leans down close, hands on her shoulders,

"You keep those squirts safe, I'll go play one of the most metal sets in the history of music to save these stupid heros, then we get out of this hellhole and do whatever the hell we want together. How's that sound?"

"Sounds like a date." Eddie's shocked face is going to be imprinted on her eyelids, right next to the shy smile he gives her as he licks his lips nervously and reaches to pull free her scrunchy. "It's like a good luck charm, I know it's dumb but I always feel like I can be better when I wear it." 

"For luck." He says when she doesn't protest or ask for him to return it, putting it on his wrist and tucking it under his sleeve.

"I, I'll need you to give that back you know." Chrissy says, chest tight with worry. "Make sure you bring it back to me."

Make sure you come back to me. She thinks, surprising herself. 

She's about to let him go, she can see Dustin getting antsy behind him, before she takes his hand and gently slides free one of his rings. The vampire one, miniature fangs bared. It sort of fits on her index finger and she holds it in place with a tightly clenched fist.

"And I'll give this back when you do."

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Will this be a whole fic? IDK but I have a lot of other things to finish first.

I know hellcheer fans love the idea of Chrissy saving Eddie from the bats but personally I immediately thought of how different it would be if she was there to confront Jason. It A) solves a huge part of my problem with S4V2 of having Lucas and Erica's biggest threats be regular (white) humans instead of fictional monsters and how much I hated those scenes for them, and B) Gives Chrissy the chance to stand up to Jason and have a great character moment

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Claurenz WIP

Claude Von Riegan/Lorenz Hellman Gloucester (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)

Modern AU, first time meeting after leaving the monastery, Golden Deer aplenty

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Leonie bumps his shoulder and uses her manager’s voice, “Table five has been sitting too long, can you grab it?”

Lorenz huffs, rolling utensils into the pressed cloth napkins and pausing to give her a heavy side-eye, “That’s not my section, I'm on the patio today.”

“Yeah, I know, but Marianne is held up doing the latte art, they’re the only ones in there, you can cover for her, right?”

It’s clever, using his friendship with the quiet girl against him, Leonie’s smug smile indicates she already knows he’s going to do it as he groans dramatically and scoops up the pile of menus.

“You can take the tip, too.” Marianne murmurs as he passes, head bent over the mug she is delicately inscribing with a bird. As if he could ever do that to her. Still he offers a “Thank you.” before straightening his hair and making his way to the lone occupied table.

The people he can see on approach are stuffy businessmen, dressed in cheap suits with expensive accessories to compensate, leaving a tacky sense of “trying too hard”. The man with his back to Lorenz is younger, curly hair artfully messy, spilling over the neckline of a very expensive suit. The cuff-links when he reaches to run a hand through his hair could easily be over three-thousand dollars, but the man moves as if this hasn’t occurred to him, exuding a casual air as he makes one of the businessmen laugh with an undignified snort. 

Lorenz puts on his best charming smile and plants himself on an empty side of the table, setting down menus gracefully and making eye contact with first the cheap-suits, then the younger man. His stomach sinks down past his outdated ugly work shoes, down through the basement storeroom and settles somewhere in the dirt below. He knows this man.

Claude Von Reigan. Of all the people to wander into this cafe, of all places. 

Praying to the Goddess that Claude doesn’t see (or, mortifyingly, share) the recognition in his eyes he looks away quickly, straightening his back and pulling free his notepad. 

“Our apologies for the delay, can I start you all off with drinks? We’re well known for our lattes, if that is something that interests you.” He says with a smile to the cheap-suits, sparing a quick glance at Claude for politeness’ sake. He sees the spark of recognition there and his heart sinks down to the dirt with his stomach. 

To Claude’s credit, he doesn’t comment, only orders and addresses his companions as Lorenz leaves.

Back behind the counter, in the safety of the kitchen he sinks against the stainless steel and holds his face in his hands. 

“Hey, you okay?” Leonie, passing with a tray of unbaked pastries pauses in concern. Marianne surfaces from her work to look up in confusion.

“Claude is out there.”

“What!” Leonie isn’t usually one for being surprised but the tray slips from her hands before she catches it in the nick of time. “Are you sure?”

“I think I know what he looks like. It was definitely him.”

“Well, shit. Do you think he recognized you?”

He groans into his palms. “He definitely did.” 

“Fuck.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

“Well, we knew it’d happen eventually,” says Marianne sympathetically. Leonie continues the thought, “Yeah, it’s not as if you’re in hiding, someone was bound to find you.”

“Yes, but I’d hoped it wouldn’t be like this.” Sighing he emerges from his hands, “Or, that it’d be him of all people.”

Setting the tray aside Leonie leans on the counter next to him, “Your parents still haven’t announced anything, then?” 

“No. And seeing as I received yet another letter from mother last week begging for me to come home, she is still holding out hope I’ll see the light and return.”

“Yikes.” Is all Leonie can offer.

A gentle hand touches his wrist, “I can finish the table.”

“No, there’s no need to show yourself as well.”

“I don’t mind, I was already in the news…” Marianne frowns at the memory and Lorenz hates to see it on her face.

“I’ll be alright.” With that he straightens up and puts on his most at ease air. “Let’s hope he at least tips well.”

“Geez, wait till I tell Ignatz.”