#[ ...that last bit probably didn't make any sense LMAO ] | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

justalildumpling · 2 years

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⇢ 3, 2, 1

synopsis: at this point of your pathetically unrequited crush on your popular friend, it didn’t faze you when you found out that he wasn’t going to be at the same NYE party as you. but when he suddenly turned up to come find you, did you start wondering that maybe you weren’t the only one with harboured feelings.

pairing: mark x reader genre: friends to lovers, mutual pining, fluff word count: 2.3k warnings: swearing, drunkenness/mentions of drinking and partying, the word sex was said once note: lmao the way i’ve literally had this idea in my wip documents since like last year… anyways, here’s a little soft boi mark to start off your year <33 happy new year everyone!!

It didn't really make much sense.

Well, according to the resident drunkards Haechan and Chenle that is, being sober on New Years Eve.

Or any house party for that matter.

"It's literally free alcohol Y/N, why not make the most of it?" Haechan protested, cracking open another can of Jack and Coke, letting out a satisfied hum after hearing the bubbles fizzing up to the rim of the lid.

"Cause some people want a functioning liver by the age of thirty Lee Donghyuck," You rolled your eyes at the tipsy boy, clicking your tongue in disapproval as he downed the alcoholic drink in his hand, "And actually be able to recall all the not stupid things I did the night before."

"What? Like accidentally telling our little Markie boy that you're head over heels for him?" Donghyuck fired back, shaking the last droplets of the drink into his mouth before chucking it in the kitchen bin, "He's not even with us tonight!"

Unfortunately for you, the little devil man dressed as your best friend was right. Mark Lee was nowhere to be found at the party, though you couldn't complain as you were already notified of his absence last Wednesday.

You and your group of friends sat basking in the sunlight outside on the picnic benches of the park, taking in the rare appearance of the sun within the rainy week.

"What do you mean you're not coming to Lele's?!" Donghyuck squabbled, letting his burger fall onto the wrapper with a thud.

Mark merely shrugged, guiltily scratching the nape of his neck, "Johnny had already invited me two weeks ago and I said I was gonna go, sorry guys."

You frowned at the boy's statement, swirling the fry that you had stolen from Jisung's tray into the ketchup tub.

Though Mark was an important member of your high school friend group, it was hard to align your meet ups with his hectic schedule. Sometimes you couldn't seem to understand your crush in question, how he managed to juggle his school work alongside the university basketball team, internship plus a somewhat abundant social life was a mystery in itself.

Mark Lee was a relatively popular figure at your school, good looks, a chill and caring personality and godly talented at everything he did. It was no surprise that his inbox was flooded with invitations all the time let alone the holiday break.

Despite this, he always made sure to keep in touch with you, checking in with you about how your day had been or if he's lucky to squeeze in an ice cream run by the beach with you, which you very much appreciated and made your heart swell just a little bit too much than the average person, not that he ever needed to know.

As if he sensed your disappointment within the group's chaotic wails and cries, Mark reached over to give your hand a little squeeze, sending you an apologetic glance.

It was things like this which made up your hopelessly harboured feelings for the Canadian, making you think that it wasn't just you that had pathetically pined over him but being the nice guy that he was, probably treated others the same way.

Jaemin and Renjun though seemed to argue otherwise, whining to tell the clueless boy about your feelings, saying that there's no way that he wouldn't like you back before you quickly shushed them, snapping to keep their delusions in their heads.

"Hello? Earth to Y/N?" A voice broke you from your thoughts, causing you to peer up from your seated position on the couch, eyes trailing up the body of a boy to meet an amused Jeno.

He held out your phone, his cheeky grin growing exponentially the more you stared at his hands in confusion.

"Lover boy texted," He finally explained, nonchalantly chucking the device onto your lap, "Figured you'd want to know."

You grumbled, throwing the nearest pillow at the boy in which he barely dodged as he chuckled at your embarrassment, slipping off to the kitchen, most likely reporting the incident to his best friend.

Rolling your eyes, you unlocked your phone to find a couple missed calls from Johnny, unsent message notifications from Yuta and Mark's little message.

markie: hey :)

you: hi!! how's johnny's?

markie: too loud, yuta kept tryinhg to kisss me and johnny keeps bullyibg me markie: so i left

You giggled at his poor attempts at coherent sentences, covering your mouth with your hand to avoid the potential teasing from your friends.

You've seen Mark drunk a couple times, mostly at Johnny's parties after finals week. He was a cute drunk, clinging onto your figure rambling on about things which you couldn't quite decipher, in turn making him an easy target for the playful teasing from his seniors.

Which now that you thought about it, explained the random notifications from Johnny and Yuta, the two culprits behind most if not all of Mark's misery.

you: mark, are you drunk?

markie: no, im repsinsible heh markie: you're still at lele's right?

As you started to type your response, a loud groan was made from the left of the couch, causing you to switch your attention from your phone screen to Donghyuck sitting cross legged on the timber floors with Renjun, who was holding the infamous vomit bucket in front of his mouth, disgust ridden over his face.

"How much did he have tonight?" Jisung asked, almost horrified by the older boy's pitiful state from across the room. His eyes quickly darted back to the array of party mix lollies and the lukewarm pizzas displayed on the dining table, as unidentifiable contents threatened to spill from Donghyuck's mouth.

"We've already lost count," Jaemin resonated from the kitchen, his voice slightly drowned out by the rushing water, "Lele's isn't doing much better either, he's currently occupying the toilet bowl instead of the bucket."

You shook your head, silently chuckling at your best friends' suffering.

you: i am you: lele and hyuck's drunk as fuck you: they're currently hurling their guts out you: one using the vomit bucket, one using the toilet bowl

markie: those idiots hahahah markie: btw could u come outisde for a sex markie: *sev markie: fuck markie: *sec

you: pfft and u said u weren't drunk you: also, ur outside?!?!?

markie: shut up im fine i djust cant type rn

you: lol whatever u say markie you: i'll be out in a sec

You sat up from the couch, quietly squeezing past the crowd formed around the unfortunate boy and up the stairs.

Slipping on Jaemin's drunkenly bought La Coste slides, you swung open the door. A shiver slivered up the small of your back as the cool breeze hit your bare arms, a contrast from the warm stuffy atmosphere from inside.

You spotted Mark standing by the gates of Chenle's house, the dim street light illuminating his facial features, making him look more ethereal than he already was. With a little smile tugging at the corners of your lips, you began making your way towards him.

The sound of gravel shuffling from underneath your feet caused Mark to whip his head around to face you, he was pretty certain that most of the alcohol in his system had disappeared on the walk from Johnny's house but why was it that as soon as he saw you happily skipping down the path, greeting him with the sweetest smile that made him feel so euphoric?

"I can't believe you came!" You exclaimed, bringing him into a warm embrace.

His reply came in the form of a shy laugh, tickling the back of your neck with his breath.

He held you in his arms for a few minutes, with only the occasional squawks from inside breaking the comforting silence.

"Can you believe it's already the new year?" You whispered in awe, pulling away from his body to face him.

"Yeah dude that's insane, it feels like this year went by so quickly," Mark replied, adding his favourite form of endearment to the start, "Do you think you're ready for it to be over?"

You pondered for a few seconds, reflecting back on all the events that occurred within the past year before shrugging your shoulders, "I'm not sure."

"Don't get me wrong, this years been great but I feel like due to school, work and whatever, I wasn't able to fulfil all the things I wanted to do."

Mark nodded his head at your words, resonating with every word.

You always seemed to have the right things to say to him, always so understanding about his hectic schedule but never failing to let him know that he was missed whenever he couldn't make his friend's gatherings. It was things like this which caused the gradual course of his feelings for you.

For a while, Mark believed that he had made his crush on you subtle, not overly flirting or showering you in gifts in front of your friends. But one friendly reminder from Jaemin about his drunk habit of becoming a koala and latching onto you as if his life depended on it, broke his oblivious bubble. He quickly realised that many people had caught on, with some making it more obvious than others.

"I'm telling you, she likes you back bro!" He remembered Johnny exclaiming a few hours back with Yuta nodding enthusiastically as he half hazardously sipped on his beer.

Mark, Johnny and Yuta were situated in the secluded areas of the host's bedroom, with the party hammering hard downstairs. He wasn't too sure how he had ended up on his bed getting lectured by his two teammates about love pestering him to confess his feelings.

"C'mon, just text her saying to meet up," Yuta encouraged, handing him his phone to unlock, "You saw what happens when Johnny and I have our phones."

Mark pinched the bridge of his nose, remembering the sheer panic he had felt when the older boys dialled your number on their phones a few moments back, threatening to spill his secret before he had lunged at their figures wrestling to press the red hang up button.

"You literally have the best excuse to kiss her tonight," Johnny huffed, flopping down on his bed with arms crossed, "It's New Year's Eve."

"No way dude," Mark flatly responded, slapping his phone against his forehead, "What if she doesn't like me?"

"As if a girl would ever reject you," Yuta snorted, nudging the sides of his arms with his elbow, "Now hurry up and text her you fool."

And here he was, standing in front of you in the middle of the gravel pathway, with his face flushed.

Though whether it was due to the alcohol or whether it was the thought of kissing you tonight, he wasn't too sure. But taking into account his palpitating heart in his chest as he waited anxiously for midnight, it seemed to lean towards the latter.

"Sorry for rambling on," You scratched the base of your neck, hoping you didn't talk his ear off.

Mark frantically waved his arms around, shaking his head.

A muffled shriek awfully similar to Chenle's interrupted your conversation, startling both you and Mark as you whipped your heads back to the house. It remained quiet for a few seconds before a range of shouts counting down from ten resonated shortly after.

You giggled, turning around to focus on Mark's smiling face once again as the both of you joined in.

"Three," Mark cleared his throat, wiping his clammy hands on the sides of his ripped jeans.

"Two," He grabbed onto your hand, taking in your sweet smile and the way you reciprocated his touch, clasping your fingers around his, your rings clinking with his.

"One, Happy New Ye-"

The moment his lips hit yours, it had felt like all the daze of the alcohol was wearing off. Regaining consciousness of the way his lips perfectly moulded against yours and how he slipped his tongue into your mouth, tasting the watermelon lollipop you loved so much. Gripping onto your waist and tugging you closer, his heart began to mirror fireworks, matching the way the real ones sparks crackled and thundered in the background.

Pulling away from your touch, the confidence he had going in had simmered down as he gingerly met your eyes once again.

"What was that about?" You whispered, your eyes carrying a sense of wonder.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have done that without your permission, but you just looked so beautiful and I've had a crush on you for god knows how long and I just couldn't help it. God what am I saying, you can slap me if you want-"

You cut him off by pressing your lips against his once again, jerking him forward by his hoodie strings.

"You kissed me," Mark's eyes widened, awestruck by the sudden gesture.

"I did." You replied, fidgeting with the hems of your shirt as you added, "You said that you liked me."

"I did," Mark confirmed with a shy smile, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear.

"Does that mean you like me too?"

You could feel your cheek heat up as you dipped your head in response, making him beam at the small motion as he brought you into his arms, snuggling his face into the crook of your neck.

"Happy New Year Y/N," Mark kissed your forehead, his hands resting on the top of your shoulders as he gazed into your eyes adoringly.

"Happy New Year Mark.”

permanent taglist: @polarisjisung @wooyoung-a @w3bqrl @xxxx-23nct @maeumiluv @produmads @shwizhies

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just-a-ghost00 · 6 days

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General channeled messages

To pick your group, take some time to ground your energy and when you feel ready choose the number or the image that you feel drawn to. Of course, you can select several groups if you feel called to.

Group 1 - Can you feel my heart?

Someone has been trying to reach out to you for days but they are so scared of your reaction that they find it hard to do. They are stuck in their head about you and they struggle to find the right words to express how much you mean to them. A part of them hopes that you can feel their inner turmoil and give them a nudge because they feel like they'll never find the courage to spill the tea. I'm getting the feeling of two introverts waiting for each other to make the first move because they both fear rejection. And if neither of them makes a move, this could last for a long while and this connection might never take flight. They wish that they could telepathically convey to you their feelings and telepathically pick up on whether those feelings are receiprocated. Truth is they probably can but they are so caught up in their fear of not being understood and possibly losing you that they do not notice. I'm told that this person has been given many signs by the universe but they failed to see them or did not want to see them. You were probably given the same signs and picked up on them. But you, on the other hand, purposefully ignored them. The reason for that is because you are tired of always being the one to make the first move. It's like both of you dance around one another without ever coming close, trying to express through your steps and glances words you dare not utter. And they know it would be so much better to get closer and properly embrace you. However, closing the gap feels like a herculean task to them. To you, it feels like a scene you've seen so many times before. And each time, it didn't end that well. So you feel wary about moving to that beat again. Who is going to give in first? Only time can tell. On that note, I felt like pulling a few cards to get advice from your guides. You got the page of cups, 9 of swords and 2 of pentacles. Your guides are encouraging you to consider this connection in a very chill way. Don't overthink it and just enjoy the experience. If you feel like interacting with them, go for it. If you feel like telling them about your feelings, go for it. If you wish to keep your distances, that is fine as well. Just go with the flow. It doesn't have to be any more complicated than that. There's nothing that could go wrong. What do you have to lose? You are already whole. Whether this person reciprocates the feelings or not doesn't change anything to who you are. So be straightforward and keep your expectations leveled. Keep your exchanges simple and balanced. Give when they give, retreat when they do. This is a dance after all. Just feel the rythm and groove to it.

Group 2 - I don't care! I love it!

A man has been eyeing you for days. He fell in love with your unique sense of humour and unconventional personality and has been wondering what you were up to ever since. You don't get to be in contact with that person very often. Every time you do, there are other people involved which limits your interactions. This person is a bit shy around you and doesn't know how to approach you. They wish they could know more about you and tell you more about themselves but they're afraid of how people are going to react if they approach you so they keep their distances. They try to find excuses to talk to you or get closer to you. So, let's say you have a common group of friends and all of them are talking, they would try to get you to participate to the conversation by bringing up certain topics. Since they don't know you that much, the topics they bring up can be really random lmao It's like one minute you and your friends are talking about the latest news and this person suddenly mentions UFOs and how they believe aliens are real. And somehow the trick seems to work because their dorkiness has caught your eye, I feel. Please if that resonates with you, tell me in the comments! lmao That man didn't realize they had a crush on you until one day they noticed that they kept thinking of you every time a subject was brought up by their peers or every time they were doing something random. Like going to the groceries, they would see a perfume or a body lotion and would think "I bet group 2 would love that". If they go to the barber, they would pick a cut that they think would be to your liking. If they know you like something in particular, they would start doing the same. Like buying your favorite coffee brand or learning about things that you like so that next time they see you they can talk about it a bit more. This person really wants to make an impression on you and they now understand that you hold a very special place in their heart. They are currently tip toeing around you, waiting for an opportunity to make a move.

Group 3 - Never know how much I love you...

I feel like all messages today revolved around romantic interests. I guess Fall season seems to be a good time of the year to fall in love ;) We have here yet another secret admirer who is not so secret because I feel like you know them very personally and you probably have a crush on them too. You steal glances at each other, give subbtle hints and send inuendos every chance you get. Yet, none of you has made a clear move. You're waltzing around each other, gauging each other, trying to see who will give in first. Both of you are hardcore introverts and honestly this could last for months, if not decades at this point. You met this person randomly and very quickly became friends. You might have confided in this person very early on, shared with them intimate stories about your past. The chemistry is undeniable. But somehow both of you are scared to death. I guess this echoes with your past romantic experience. You call each other friends but both of you know very well deep down that this is so much more. They wince every time they hear that word in your mouth because they want to be every thing but that. The single thought of you being with someone else makes their skin crawl. They are praying all gods and entities that they can think of to keep creeps away from you. They are wishing for you to be single and only interested in them because they can't stand the thought of losing you to someone else. Especially if that someone else is an ex lover that they know of. This person is ready to love everything about you, even the little details, the little quirks. They want to embrace every part of you, no matter what you think of them. They wish that you could see yourself in their eyes because you mean the world to them and they think you are gorgeous. I'm picking up on people feeling insecure about their body, especially considering that they find their crush way more attractive. This person is saying "don't assume what I like or don't like" that is up to me to figure out. "If you don't show me all of you, how could I know if I love you? Let me decide for myself instead of hiding away." I'm really getting a very sweet energy from them. Puppy love kind of vibe. They really want to pamper you.

#just-a-ghost #pick a card #pac reading #channeled messages

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libraryofgage · 1 year

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Hashah Tovah! It's Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and there's no such thing as too much Jewish Steve in my book (that being said, this story isn't about the New Year, it's about Shabbat hfjdks)

Also, I'm gonna be honest, this fic is a love letter to Judaism and my experiences with my temple and the people there. My experiences aren't universal, though, so please don't take anything here as, like, the end-all-be-all of Judaism. If you have questions about anything here, you can ask me; I'll be happy to answer ^_^

The time period is also very loose. Upside Down happened, but some of the attitudes are probably a bit more modern. Honestly, I suggest just shutting off your brain and enjoying the story lmao

CW: vague mentions of antisemitism and homophobia

As always, if you see any typos no you didn't

(also this is like 4k so buckle in bois)

----

Steve's car has officially given up on life. Honestly, he's surprised it even managed to live this long. For all it's been through, it probably deserves some rest and TLC. Steve just wishes it could have demanded that rest and TLC on any other day.

Because it's Friday. Because it's Shabbat. Because he's about to have a mob of concerned elderly members of his temple crowding his door if he doesn't go to services tonight, and that's not something he wants his neighbors to see.

He considers calling Robin, but she won't be much help. She might be his Emergency Goy, but she doesn't have a car. Now that he's thinking about it, Robin may not be the best Emergency Goy, not that he'd ever tell her that.

He knows one other person with a car, of course, but that means he has to call Eddie. Not that Steve has anything against him, of course, but Eddie makes him feel a lot of things that he's not quite ready to confront just yet.

Steve frowns, staring at the phone for a long moment, trying to come up with any other option.

Steve comes up empty.

Shit.

He takes a deep breath and takes the phone off the receiver, slowly punching in the numbers as though he'll suddenly have an epiphany before he's finished dialing.

Unfortunately, he doesn't, and the phone is now ringing. It rings twice before getting picked up, Eddie's familiar voice saying, "You've reached Casa de Munson. The fuck do you want?"

"Do you always answer the phone like that?" Steve asks, momentarily forgetting about the favor he was planning to ask.

He hears Eddie hum and can practically picture the way he's now leaning against the wall next to the phone, an amused smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Stevie. What, pray tell, has you calling me?" he asks.

Steve almost hangs up. This is already stressful for him. What if Eddie doesn't agree? Worst, what if he does? Wouldn't that mean Eddie is going to see a part of himself that nobody but Robin has seen? That's fucking terrifying. What if Eddie suddenly hates him?

"I, uh, I need a favor," Steve admits.

"What kind of favor?"

If he wanted, Steve could just lie. It wouldn't be his first time lying about Friday plans. "My car won't start," Steve says, hesitating for a second more before continuing, "and I need a ride to the next town tonight."

"Gee, Harrington, get invited to a party?" Eddie asks, a slight edge to his voice that Steve can't quite place.

"What? No. I...it's not a party, okay? This is really important to me, man. Can you give me a ride or should I ask someone else?"

Maybe Hopper or Joyce would have enough time to give him a ride. He just needs to be dropped off. Getting back...can be a bridge he crosses when he comes to it.

"What time would we be getting back?" Eddie asks, pulling Steve from his thoughts.

"Probably after nine. And we need to be there at six, so that means leaving here no later than five," Steve says, trying to ignore the growing hope and sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. "I know it's really last minute, but you could spend the night at my place after. If you want."

"Will it be fun?"

"Uh, maybe? I don't know, man, it kinda depends. I find it fun, but you might get...bored," Steve says. Or offended. Maybe infuriated? Maybe betrayed that this is a whole part of Steve's life he's never hinted at.

"You're being real mysterious about all this, big boy."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. It's just hard to explain."

"Well, lucky for you, I'm bored and curious."

----

On the drive, Eddie keeps trying to figure out where Steve is directing him. He keeps asking questions, Steve keeps dodging them, and that feeling of inevitable dread keeps growing.

Of course, all that dodging is rendered obsolete as Eddie pulls into a parking spot and shuts off the van. A few families are walking into the temple, some parents glancing curiously at the unfamiliar van, some glancing suspiciously, and some too distracted by kids to notice.

"Uh, are you sure this is the place?" Eddie asks, frowning slightly as he looks at the temple and then at Steve.

Steve swallows around the lump in his throat, his hands nervously gripping the material of his sweater. "I'm Jewish," he blurts out, feeling his face burning. When a few seconds pass without any response, he burns holes into a tree outside and adds, "It's Friday night services. Shabbat. I've missed too many because of...you know. The, um, the Rabbi called and asked if I was okay, and I promised to be at services tonight. You don't have to stay if you don't feel comfortable."

"You don't look Jewish."

Steve tenses, jerking his head to look at Eddie. There's no malice in his eyes. No suspicion, either, thankfully. He just looks...confused. "What's a Jew supposed to look like?" Steve asks in return, wondering if Eddie even knows that he's toeing the edge of the antisemitic swimming pool.

Eddie opens his mouth before closing it again. "Uh...I don't know, actually. Just...not you, I guess?"

Okay. Yeah. Steve can deal with this. He forces himself to relax. "Well, Jews come in all shapes and sizes," he says. He hesitates before deciding to get a burning question out of the way. "Are you angry?"

"What the fuck would I be angry about?"

"That I didn't tell you. That I was Jewish. To be fair, only Robin knows."

Eddie shakes his head, turning in his seat to face Steve. "No, Stevie, I'm not angry. I mean, I live in Hawkins, too. Not exactly the place to be standing out unless you wanna get accused of murder."

Despite himself, Steve can't help snorting at that. He takes a deep breath, the last bit of tension leaving his shoulders. "Well, uh, do you want to stay for services?" he asks.

"Can I? I'm not Jewish. And I'm dressed like this," Eddie says, gesturing at his clothes.

A Hellfire Club shirt, denim vest, gaudy rings, and dark jeans. It's incredibly Eddie, and something about it reassures Steve. He says, "You're with me, so not being Jewish is fine. And your clothes are okay, too. It's not formal."

"My shirt literally says Hellfire."

"Well, it's a good thing Judaism doesn't really have a hell."

Eddie stares at him for a few seconds, clearly full of questions, but then he just nods and climbs out of the van. Steve blinks and scrambles out as well, wanting to create some kind of buffer between Eddie and the congregation members who see a stranger and instantly become defensive.

The moment he's shut the door, he hears a little kid shout excitedly, "Steve!"

He whirls around in time to see a young girl rush across the parking lot, much to the shock and concern of her guardian. Thankfully, there aren't any cars, so the girl is unimpeded in her rush to Steve.

Eddie comes around the side of the van just in time to see the girl launch herself at Steve, giggling when he lifts her up and spins. "Yael! Have you gotten bigger?" he asks, smiling brightly as he comes to a stop and sets her on his waist.

Yael returns his smile with a grin of her own, tilting her head up so he can clearly see the brand-new gap in her teeth. "I lost a tooth! See? It came out last week," she tells him, practically bouncing in his arms.

By now, Yael's grandfather has reached them, smiling indulgently. "Yael," he says, his voice gentle but firm, "you know better than to run across parking lots." When she mumbles an apology, he looks at Steve, his smile turning warm. "Steve, it's been a few weeks. I'm glad to see you again, and you've even brought a friend."

Steve returns the smile and nods, shifting closer to Eddie. "Yeah, things got a little...chaotic in Hawkins. Oh. Mr. Adler, this is Eddie Munson. Eddie, Elijah Alder."

Mr. Adler's eyes light up, and Steve suddenly remembers something incredibly embarrassing. "Oh?" he says, looking at Eddie with renewed interest, "So this is the famous Eddie Munson? I'm glad to see you've healed well."

Eddie blinks, glancing at Steve. "Uh, thanks. How'd you know?"

"Steve asked the Rabbi to include you during the Mi Shebeirach."

"The Misha what now?"

"Mi Shebeirach," Steve says, gently nudging Eddie with his elbow. "It's a prayer for healing."

Mr. Adler nods once, his eyes practically dancing with new gossip. "Oh, yes, you've created quite the stir among the Sisterhood, you know. They have a backlog of Mi Shebeirach cards and nowhere to send them."

Steve translates that information as "the old ladies have been dying to know who this mysterious Eddie Munson is, so Steve had better brace himself." His smile becomes a little strained. "Well, let's get it over with, then."

Mr. Adler nods and gestures for Steve and Eddie to follow as he leads them toward the temple. While they walk, Yael looks at Eddie, her eyes wide. "Why is your hair so long?" she asks.

"Cuz I like it that way."

"Oh. Why are you wearing rings?"

"Because they're cool."

"Oh. Why did you need healing?"

"I was hurt really bad."

"Oh. By what?"

"A bear."

"Oh. Are you Steve's friend?"

Eddie glances at Steve, meeting his eyes for a brief second before smiling at Yael. "Yeah, Stevie and I are best friends."

Yael smiles right back. "Steve is my best friend, too! He's super strong and can carry me without getting tired and makes the best hamentaschen at Purim!"

"Yael," Mr. Adler says, cutting off any continuation of the conversation as they reach the doors of the temple. "Why don't you go let the Rabbi know Steve has joined us?"

Her entire face lights up with joy. "Okay!" she shouts, wiggling in Steve's arms until he lets her down. She tugs open the door, straining until Steve smiles and helps her. "Thanks! Bye, Steve!"

With that, she dashes into the temple, her voice carrying Steve's name into the room full of other people. When almost all of them, including three children that Steve can see, stop what they're doing and look over at the door, Mr. Adler says from behind Steve and Eddie, "Brace yourselves, my boys. The wolves have appeared."

Steve groans as Mr. Adler pushes them both inside. "Should I be worried?" Eddie whispers, leaning in closer to Steve as the door shuts behind them.

"I apologize in advance," Steve tells him.

Despite his words, he has a large grin as the three kids shout his name and rush over, much like Yael did. They're followed by a few teenagers and their parents. The kids pounce on Steve, two holding onto his biceps and hanging from them as he raises his arms while the third clings to his leg.

"Where ya been?" one of the teens asks, her hair pulled back into a ponytail so permed it looks ready to burst.

"Yeah, man, I've been manning the oneg table by myself," another teen says, his arms crossed over a Metallica shirt. He's got piercings climbing up one ear and through an eyebrow, and his gaze moves to Eddie as he speaks, taking in the other boy. "Who's this?"

"Yeah," another girl asks, smiling at Eddie and batting her eyes in a way that makes even Steve feel uncomfortable, "who's your friend, Steve?"

"Kids," an older woman says, pushing her way through them, "you know better than to crowd. Shouldn't you be passing out prayer books right now?" Once she's managed to shoo the teens away, she turns her gaze on the children still clinging to Steve. "And you three, I heard Mrs. Rost needs help in the kitchen. Something about there being too many cookies to platter all by herself."

Steve suddenly finds himself weightless as the kids abandon him, dashing down the hall toward the kitchen. He smiles with slight relief and looks at the woman. "Thanks," he says, rolling his shoulders.

"Of course, Steve. Now, who's your friend?" she asks, looking Eddie up and down curiously.

"Oh, right. Uh. Rabbi, this is Eddie Munson. Eddie, this is Rabbi Sara. I, um, I was hoping he could sit in on services tonight?"

Rabbi Sara immediately smiles at them. She holds out her hand to Eddie, shaking firmly when he returns the gesture. "Of course! I'm glad to see you're doing better, Eddie. We've been a bit worried about you here," she says. She glances around before leaning in and conspiratorially whispering, "There's a betting pool on whether his name would be added to the Mourner's Kiddish."

Steve snorts, knowing exactly which members would have started that bet. "Yeah, well, tell Diane and Yakov they've lost."

Rabbi Sara barely holds back her laughter, nodding once as she lets go of Eddie's hand. "Well, how about I spare you boys from socializing more," she offers.

When Steve nods, she gestures for them to follow her, leading the way to the sanctuary. He glances at Eddie as they walk, taking in the way he's tugging on a lock of hair and looking at the hall around them. "You doing okay?" Steve whispers, leaning in closer.

Eddie glances at him, is silent for a few minutes, and then says, "It's a lot to take in."

"Service will be easier. Lots of music. You'll like it," Steve promises, smiling reassuringly at Eddie. He hesitates before adding, "And if you want to leave, just let me know. The important part was making sure people saw I wasn't dead."

That's not entirely true. Steve doesn't want to leave the Shabbat service. He misses the routine of it and the feeling of togetherness as everyone sings. But Eddie's comfort is taking precedence here; he's already given Steve a ride and has begun subjecting himself to Steve's nosy congregation. Leaving early if he gets overwhelmed is the least Steve can do, really.

The teen in the Metallica shirt, Sam, holds out two prayer books when Rabbi Sara leads them to the sanctuary doors. His gaze lingers on Eddie for a few seconds more before asking, "Dude, do I know you?"

Eddie blinks and raises an eyebrow. "I don't know. Do you?"

Their gazes hold for nearly a minute before Sam's eyes widen and light with recognition. Steve is bracing himself for the worst (you know, devil worshipper, accused murderer, wannabe criminal, take your pick). Instead, Sam grins and says, "Yeah, I totally do! You're in that band, yeah? The one that plays at Hideout sometimes? Corroded Coffin. Your music is metal, man."

Eddie returns Sam's grin, throwing an arm over his shoulders and leaning in close. "You know, you're alright. Always happy to meet a fan. What's your favorite song?"

"You played that new one last Saturday. Bats, I think. It spoke to me, man."

Steve stares at Eddie, wondering how he missed the fact that Corroded Coffin started playing gigs again. A curl of something like regret or maybe hurt begins to build in his stomach, and he's almost overtaken by it when Eddie nods and says, "Oh, yeah, that one's about Stevie."

"Oohh, dude, that makes so much sense now."

"You wrote a song about me?" Steve asks, successfully regaining Eddie's attention.

Apparently, Eddie sort of forgot he was there. His relaxed posture becomes a little awkward, and he removes his arm from Sam's shoulder. He clears his throat, tugging a lock of hair in front of his mouth as he says, "Yeah. Is, uh, is that a problem?"

"No," Steve says, feeling a reassuring smile tug at his lips, "but you should play it for me sometime."

"This is all very touching," a voice says behind them, "but can you take the flirting inside the sanctuary? We still need our prayer books."

Steve jolts and looks behind them, laughing awkwardly when he sees Rivkah, a woman in her early 30s, and her partner, Tamar. "Sorry," he says, grabbing Eddie's arm and dragging him through the doors.

"Hey, Harrington," Eddie whispers, allowing himself to be pulled over to some chairs near the left corner of the sanctuary, "is everything okay? Like...are we...safe?"

It takes a moment for Steve to understand what Eddie means. Like, of course, he can't guarantee their safety. It's a synagogue. Every person here old enough to understand the world knows the risk, the potential for one person to show up and wreak utter destruction. Steve is about to say as much (and explain the temple's "worst case scenario" game plan) when he notices Eddie glancing at Rivkah and Tamar.

A light bulb practically clicks on above him, and he almost laughs at himself. He sits down and tugs Eddie into the seat next to him. "Yeah, we're safe, Eds," he promises, smiling softly when Eddie looks at him. "Rivkah and Tamar are married. I attended the ceremony. It was very nice. Tamar broke the glass."

Eddie's eyes widen slightly, and he looks around the sanctuary with renewed interest. His gaze especially lingers on the people that file in, taking in the couples and families and groups that wouldn't make much sense outside the temple's doors. Steve is content to let him look, allowing himself to relax back into the seat and wait.

After almost 15 minutes, Rabbi Sara approaches the bema and smiles at everyone. "Good evening, and Shabbat Shalom," she says, nodding along as her greeting is returned. "I'm glad to see so many familiar faces tonight. And some new ones. The week has been long for some of us, but it's now come to an end, and we have gathered to celebrate its end, another week's beginning, and being together. Now, please open your books to page 47 for the L'cha Dodi."

Steve flips open his book as Anna, the cantor and the same girl who tried to flirt with Eddie, starts playing the guitar next to Rabbi Sara. "Uh, the book is backward," Eddie whispers, leaning close to Steve.

"Hebrew is written right to left," Steve explains, taking Eddie's book and opening it to the right page. "Also, don't worry about singing along. Just try to follow. If you don't know where we are, just nudge me. I'll point you to the right spot."

Eddie nods, looking almost overwhelmed, but Rabbi Sara starts singing before Steve can reassure him verbally. Instead, he just shifts so their shoulders are pressed together, flashing a tiny smile when Eddie looks at him before joining the rest of the congregation in singing.

Steve has to point Eddie at the right line a few times, but he doesn't mind. He's memorized the prayer by now, and the book is really just for show. He pulls Eddie up with the rest of the congregation during the L'cha Dodi, turns him to the sanctuary doors, and places a hand on his back to gently nudge him into a bow. Eddie blinks through it, following along but seeming overwhelmed by the entire process. When the prayer is finished and Rabbi Sara invites them to greet each other, Steve looks at Eddie with a smile (one of the most genuine smiles he's had in weeks), holds out his hand, and says, "Shabbat Shalom, Eddie."

Eddie doesn't hesitate to take his hand, leaning in close and returning the smile. "Shabbat Shalom?" he asks, speaking slowly to test the words and let Steve approve of the pronunciation. When Steve nods, Eddie's smile grows wider, and he whispers, "Shabbat Shalom, sweetheart."

That...that's a new nickname. And Steve doesn't know what to do with it. Maybe Eddie just wanted the pseudo-alliteration, but his smile says otherwise, and Steve feels like he's frozen in place.

And then a few of the kids dash over to him, shouting, "Shabbat Shalom!" at the top of their lungs and practically fighting to shake his hand first. Steve would feel honored if he didn't know they raced to beat each other to every adult.

After greeting, they light the candles. After lighting the candles, Rabbi Sara leads them into the next prayer, the rest of the service flowing smoothly with her as their guide.

The service is (beautifully, wonderfully, incredibly, thankfully) the same as always. Prayers are sung, and Steve can practically feel them in his bones. He's never been particularly religious (his mother would say they're more culturally Jewish than anything else), but he can't deny that the sound of over 50 people, young and old and in-between, singing together is an otherworldly experience.

They are singing a language that only a few of them actually know how to speak. Steve is reading a language that he wouldn't recognize outside of the prayer book. It's disconcerting as always, but also special, because he shares in the ignorance and devotion wrapped into singing words he wouldn't understand without the book's translation on the opposite page.

The Mi Shebeirach and the Mourner's Kiddish are Steve's sign that service is almost over. And for the first time in forever, Steve doesn't speak any names when Rabbi Sara calls for them. He sinks back into his seat, an unfamiliar relief easing tension he didn't even know he had anymore. But it's true. Everyone is fine, and they've all healed, and Steve no longer has to say Max's name or Will's or Hopper's or Eddie's. He no longer has to dodge questions or call up the Rabbi and ask her to include an extra name in the service.

And this realization, the sheer relief he feels at the simple act of staying quiet when Rabbi Sara's gaze sweeps past him, is almost enough to bring him to tears. His throat gets tight, his eyes burn, and his voice almost cracks when he joins the rest of the congregation in singing for those in need of healing and those who have passed.

Eddie nudges him gently, and Steve glances at him and then at their shared armrest. Eddie's hand is lying palm-up, a silent invitation, and Steve doesn't hesitate to accept. He slips his hand into Eddie's, interlocking their fingers, and feels infinitely better when Eddie squeezes his hand gently.

----

"So," Steve says, refraining from getting up as others file out of the sanctuary, practically tripping over kids racing to reach the oneg brownies first, "did you...like it?"

Eddie is silent for a few minutes, staring down at their hands. Steve almost pulls away, an apology ready on his tongue, when Eddie squeezes his hand tighter. "Yeah. It was...different. But good. I...there was more singing than I expected."

Steve grins, glancing up to see the sanctuary has mostly cleared, and stands. He pulls Eddie up with him. "Yeah, we sing most of our prayers. It's nice."

"It is," Eddie agrees, still looking a little lost for words.

Steve doesn't push. Instead, he pulls, leading Eddie out of the sanctuary. He gives their prayer books to Sam, grabs two tiny, sample-sized cups of Manischewitz wine, and gives one to Eddie. "Don't drink it yet," he says, nodding to where Rabbi Sara has her own cup and is waiting for the rest to be passed around.

Once everyone is ready, she blesses the wine, blesses the challah, and invites them all to drink and eat. Steve braces himself before knocking the wine back, the strong, warm grape flavor coating his tongue, vaguely reminiscent of cough medicine. He sees the same grimace on Eddie's face. "This is shit wine," Eddie whispers, his nose still scrunched as he tosses the cup into the trashcan like he can't get rid of it fast enough.

"Yeah. It's specifically for services," Steve says, "it's not supposed to be good."

"Right," Eddie mumbles, glancing at the oneg table, his eyes lingering on the desserts laid out. "Do you wanna stick around? You know, talk to people?"

Usually, Steve would. He likes catching up with the kids and teens, likes ganging up on them when their parents come around and playfully scold them, and he likes hearing the most recent temple gossip. But as he looks at Eddie, feels their hands still tightly holding onto each other, Steve finds he doesn't mind leaving early.

So, he leans in closer to Eddie and grins at him. "Or," he whispers, "we could steal an extra pack of brownies from the kitchen, sneak out the back, and eat them on the drive home."

Eddie returns the grin, amusement and eagerness practically dancing in his eyes, and says, "You read my mind, sweetheart."

Later, when Eddie pulls into Steve's driveway after an hour-long ride spent eating brownies, explaining different prayers, and telling him about old temple gossip, a different kind of tension will start to fester between them. Steve will delay getting out of the car, Eddie won't comment on it, and they'll slowly gravitate toward each other.

And they'll kiss. It will be awkward and taste like chocolate and end far too quickly, but it will be perfect.

Steve will pull away, a faint blush rising and his heart racing faster than it ever did with Nancy, and shyly offer to let Eddie spend the night. And Eddie will accept and spend the night and ask to attend Shabbat with Steve again and...

And so much more.

But for now, while he has no clue of the future that's about to start after an hour's drive, Steve glances around the crowded hall and pulls Eddie toward the kitchen.

After all, they've got brownies to steal.

#steddie #steddie fic #steve harrington #eddie munson #jewish steve harrington #stranger things #stranger things fic #my writing #this is so fucking self indulgent guys

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ohbo-ohno · 11 months

Note

Ghoap: Cabin + Something isn’t right about (setting). Something is off.

1k game here - no more please!

so sorry, i have no idea if you meant ghost x soap or ghoap x reader lmao but i did ghost x soap cause it's the first thing i had an idea for!

3.8k of a little red riding hood au featuring hunter ghost turning the tables on werewolf soap. noncon physical punishment and smut below the cut! also i put this one on ao3

Something's gone wrong with Price's cabin.

Ghost can tell something isn't quite right as he steps past the little wooden gate, the air still and silent around him. Not a bird or a buck in sight - the forest is unnaturally mute.

Ghost doesn't walk up the path yet. He stands as still as the forest, watching for any hint of movement beneath his red mask.

There's nothing.

He moves slowly towards Price's cabin, footsteps silent even against gravel. Still, nothing moves.

The door is cracked open. Not enough for him to see inside, but enough for him to know that something must be truly wrong. Price has long since spelled his property so that it can only be found by those who want to find it. It should be impossible for anyone unwanted to stumble by.

Unless they're somehow immune to magic.

Ghost draws his gun, quickly checking to make sure his silver bullets are loaded. He pushes the door open, grateful for the oiled joints as it's silent.

The cabin is trashed. Price seems to be unharmed - he's resting on his bed, a large bruise painting one side of his face but his chest rising and falling steadily. All of his furniture is destroyed, though, and his carpet is shredded.

The wolf is in the kitchen.

It's a big fella, dark brown fur and a few scars decorating it's sides and haunches. It's snuffling through a cupboard, probably looking for food that doesn't exist. Price hasn't kept up the facade of eating in decades, so it's not going to find anything.

Sure enough, the wolf ducks out of the cabinet a moment later, empty-handed. It sneezes, makes an unhappy noise in his throat, then spots Ghost.

It's younger than Ghost originally assumed. Not a pup, by any means, but it's limbs are a bit lanky, it's fur is far thicker around the neck than he'd thought, and the teeth it bares in a snarl are pearly white, not stained from years of eating raw carcasses without a way to brush.

It's growl is loud, but surprisingly unintimidating. It doesn't even make to lunge for Ghost, just settles back on it's haunches and lets it's fur stick up, making it look bigger than it really is.

It almost seems like it's not worth it to kill the beast.

But still, Ghost has been hunting the supernatural under Price's command for a long time. If he was a betting man, he'd say this wolf is the one who's been causing disturbances in Price's wards for the last few months.

"You feral?" He asks, leveling his gun at the dog's head. Not much you can do with a feral wolf but put them down, but if the thing still has it's sanity than Ghost can try and talk some sense into it. Put it in it's place a bit.

The wolf's growl tapers off, and a moment later there's a naked man standing in front of him.

He's definitely young, like Ghost expected, but still grown. His shoulders are broad and he stands tall, his muscular frame filling up the kitchen. His scars carry over between forms, scattered across his body. His hair - a fucking mohawk - matches the pair of ears on either side of his head, dark brown.

He's a pretty thing, for a wolf. Big blue eyes framed by dark lashes, plump pink lips, a nose with a little bump in the middle to give it some personality. He'd be cute if he didn't look so scruffy.

"You know where you are, kid?" Ghost grunts, keeping his gun pointed between the wolf's eyes.

He doesn't look too happy, but he answers. "Yeah, 'course. Figured a witch might have some half decent food." He kicks the cabinet with a little pout. "Guessed wrong."

Ghost almost snorts at that, letting his gun fall and holstering it. Idiot kid.

He takes another moment to scan his body. He's quite attractive, with tanned skin and toned muscle. His cock hangs soft between his thighs, thick but not all that long with a dark trail of hair leading down to it. He's got thick thighs and a light dusting of hair across his entire body. There's an extra limb in his shadow that Ghost can tell is a tail, but it's drooping low. Not quite tucked, but close.

A bit of interest sparks in the back of Ghost's mind. It's been a while since he's played with a wolf, .

"Do you know who's house you've just trashed?" He asks, adopting an authoritative tone.

The kid tenses a bit, but doesn't break eye contact with Ghost when he shakes his head.

Ghost gestures over his shoulder to Price's prone form. "That witch you knocked out? That's John Price."

That gets his breath hitching a bit, eyes flickering from Ghost to Price and back again. Ghost can smell the hint of fear in the air, relishes in the slightly widened eyes.

He gets himself under control quickly, stands up a little straighter and plays and being unbothered.

"That make you The Ghost?"

His tone is steady, unwavering. Good for him. The stench of fear doesn't waver, though.

Ghost nods once, lets a bit of his own power shine in his eyes through the mask.

The pup mimics his nod, then rolls his shoulders back, like he's come to a decision. "I don't want any trouble."

"That so?" Ghost asks softly, menace creeping into his tone.

"Yeah. Didn't mean any harm, comin' here. Just wanted something to eat."

"Hmm," Ghost hums, taking a few steps forward. "And knocking out Price, trashing the room, all of that was necessary?"

The wolf scowls, shifting back on his feet. "He's a rude bastard."

Ghost almost snorts at that. "So am I. You gonna pull the same shit with me, pup?"

The man snarls a little, finally taking a little step back and planting his feet again. "Don't call me that. I'm not a pup."

"No?" Ghost coos a bit, stepping so that he's only a few feet away, blocking the only way out of the cabin. "You don't seem to know how to solve your problems like a man. You wolves are good hunters, couldn't kill even one doe to keep yourself fed, puppy?"

It's never good to imply a wolf is weak or unable to take care of themselves, but Ghost knows this man couldn't hurt him, and it's fun to see him riled up. His shoulders rise up like he's trying to make himself seem bigger now that their height difference is more noticeable, and his teeth are fully bared.

"Fuck you," he snarls. "Your boss is the one chasing all the animals away! Some of us have got to fucking eat, it's only right Price goes hungry for once."

He's a bit of an ornery thing, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring up at Ghost like he's being victimized. His ears lay flat on his head.

"Not how this works, puppy," Ghost shakes his head, stepping around the counter. He purposefully leaves a space open beside him, hoping the wolf will try and make a run for it. "These are Price's woods. If he wants to kill every fucking animal in them, he can. You don't like it, leave."

He snarls, head whipping side to side a bit like he'd like to lash out. He takes a step forward, glaring up at Ghost. "Oh yeah? Think it's that easy, jackass? I can't just find another fucking pack to join!"

Ghost tilts his head. "Let me guess, they don't want a pup who can't even carry his own weight?"

The scent of fear has disappeared, leaving just anger and stress in its wake. The boy's cheeks flush a lovely red, and his ears shift to stick straight in the air, pointing forward.

He's so close to snapping. Ghost licks his lips in anticipation, eager to see if fight or flight will win out.

The poor pup is stressed out of his mind, that much is clear. Even with his muscle he’s clearly been going hungry, and he can’t seem to decide what the right course of action is with Ghost antagonizing him like this.

Honestly, Ghost would usually let someone like him go without much fuss. Times are tough, and Price is has been weirdly stingy with the wildlife in the last decade or so. He should probably talk to him about it, but Kyle's always been better at getting what he wants out of the old grouch.

If this werewolf weren't such an amusement, he'd already be on his way. It's his own fault Ghost isn't going to let him go that easily.

"You fuckin' bastard! All you witchy-types are the same, you don't get how fuckin' miserable you make everyone else in the woods!"

Ghost pauses at that, a little shocked the pup assumes he's a witch. He's not, but he's also not offended. He's not going to dissuade him of the notion, either.

"An adult would learn to deal with it," Ghost taunts, leaning his torso closer. The wolf inches to the side, eyes darting to the front door. "But you're just a dumb pup, aren't you? Can't even figure out how to take care of yourself. Should I call your mum? See if she can sort you out?"

For some reason, that dig seems to be a step too far. The wolf's growl is loud as he lunges towards Ghost, feinting away at the last second and darting towards the door. He's on four legs before he hits the porch.

A smile stretches over Ghost's lips, and he cracks his neck as he strolls to the door. From his bag, he pulls out a collar and leash - Price's never-ending enchantment comes in handy once again. The wolf is slower than he'd expected and he seems to be favoring his back right paw. He'll be an easier prey to catch than Ghost had hoped.

Oh, well. There's always next time.

It takes very little effort to pin the pup to the ground. In only a few blinks, Ghost's on top of him, using his weight and momentum to send them both to the dirt and rolling until he's pinning the dog to the ground.

He gets one hand around the wolf's neck, forcing his head down while he gets the collar hooked around his neck. He spits and yowls like he's being tortured, but can't do much to fight with Ghost's entire body-weight over him.

It's easy to shift his hand to the tender spot between neck and shoulder, fingers searching, searching, searching.... there. With a cruel press, and a magical pop, there's a writhing boy beneath him instead of a wolf.

A forced change is never easy on a shifter, the wolf's face reflects that. His eyes are pinched shut, lips pushed out in a pout as his body squirms against the pain, small whines eeking from his lips.

"Quiet," Ghost rumbles, ruffling an ear. "It's gonna get a lot worse for you, puppy."

The collar fits him nicely in his human form - not so tight to choke him, not so loose it feels like a necklace. Ghost tugs the leash up to keep his head in the air as he forces the wolf to his feet, dragging him over to Price's fence while he's still reeling from the pain.

He forces the boy to bend over the fence, tying the rope around one of the fence posts with a knot complicated enough that no wiggly puppy fingers will be getting it undone anytime soon.

He's just pushing himself up as Ghost steps back, snarling as he tries to turn around. Ghost whistles sharply, making him freeze mid-turn.

"Stay." He commands, voice stern.

That sets the pup off more, and he tugs at the collar and leash as he turns and presses his back to the wood. "I'm not a fucking dog! Untie me you fuckin' asshole, this is bullshit-"

"Turn around," Ghost raises his voice to be heard over all the bitching. "Or I'll whip your front. That how you want this to play out?" He undoes his belt as he speaks, making it clear what's going to happen next.

The boy's face flames, and his struggles become more desperate. He doesn't shift - he won't be able to for at least another hour, but he doesn't even seem to be trying to.

"You think I'm just gonna stand here and let you whip me, you goddamn bastard? Fuck you! You're not gonna do shit to me, you bawbag, I'll-"

He's cut off, again, when Ghost whips his front. One long strike across his middle, horizontal. He yelps loudly, skittering back as much as he can. Ghost raises an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Odds are, a whipping to your front will injure you. Then we'll have to split this into two parts. That what you want? You turn around now, we get this over with in one session."

The boy's chest is heaving, and the stench of fear returns.

"You can't- why are you even doing this?"

Ghost tilts his head and adopts a condescending tone. "You're clearly not mature enough to handle an adult conversation. I think the only thing that'll get through your head is pain, puppy. Now turn around."

The real reason is that Ghost wants to paint the man black and blue then fuck him while he's screaming. A face that pretty is meant to be dripping in tears, and Ghost can't wait to make it happen.

The wolf takes a stabilizing breath, then turns. Wolves are a physical species, it's not unlikely he's been punished with pain at some point before. His alpha probably gave him a few of the scars decorating his back.

Ghost doesn't waste any time. He steps far enough away to cause real pain with each strike, but not so far that he can't appreciate the way the man's muscular back lights up red.

He doesn't make the wolf count, as much as he'd like to hear him struggle. Something tells him that might be the wolf's last straw, and Ghost doesn't particularly feel like dealing with a wolf gone half-feral from rage right now. He'd rather break the man down to tears of pain, not anger.

They're both silent throughout the punishment. The wolf manages to keep a shocking amount of composure considering how heavy handed Ghost is, but he's clearly struggling. His breaths are audible even from several feet away, and sweat drips down his back to make the strikes gleam in the sunlight.

He lasts about ten minutes under Ghost's belt before he whimpers for the first time.

"There ya go," Ghost hums when he hears it, snapping the belt across an already forming welt to hear the noise again. "Starting to sink in now, pup?"

He doesn't get a response, but that's alright. Ghost knows he's almost got the boy at his breaking point.

It comes about five minutes later, when a strike to his ass wraps low enough to glance off his balls. The wolf falls forward with a loud cry, limp and shaking against the fence.

Ghost finds himself nearly purring as he drops his belt to the ground, quickly moving to ease the man into the dirt. He's shivering in Ghost's arms, face pinched in pain.

"Took your punishment well, pup," Ghost praises, stroking a hand over the man's ribs. "Good boy."

"Jo-" the man grunts, pushing up to his elbows and knees. "Johnny, not pup."

"Johnny?" Ghost hums, leaning back to kneel behind the man. "Hm. Fits you. I think I like pup better, though."

It's a testament to how far gone he is that Johnny only whines instead of arguing.

"Hush. Your punishment's almost done. Just gotta take your fucking, and then we can all move on."

Johnny's head jerks up at that, looking over his shoulder as best he can. "Wait, what-?"

Ghost doesn't stretch him much. He keeps one hand beneath Johnny's body to keep his head tugged back down by the leash, and uses his others to stuff a few fingers into his hole.

He only gives him a bit of spit - he doubts Johnny is clean enough for him to lick. He lets it dribble from his lips and into the little hole, then begins stretching him.

It must sting something terrible, with the way that Johnny squirms. He's forced to keep his head against the ground, left pinned by just a leash.

"No, no, you can't-"

"Clearly I can," Ghost says meanly, shoving in a third finger just because he can. Johnny's a werewolf, he'll be perfectly fine in an hour or two. The pain is the point of the lesson.

"I don't want- stop, please dont... please, you can't..."

"You're not supposed to want it," Ghost says, letting his voice dip into a more comforting tone. "Punishment isn't meant to feel good for naughty pups. You just lay there and take it."

He spits into his palm when he pulls his fingers out, slicking up his cock as much as he can. It'll be a pain in his ass if Johnny tears, so he lubes himself up just enough to avoid that.

Johnny's squirming gets more vigorous when he feels Ghost line his cock up at his entrance, and he nearly manages to pull away.

Ghost growls at that, yanking the leash down far enough to grab and squeeze Johnny's heavy balls. "You keep up your wigglin' and I tie you leash to these. That what you want?"

He whines, shaking his head no. "No, sorry, I won't... I'll stop moving but please, please, you can't fuck me."

Ghost rolls his eyes and chooses to ignore that, instead sliding into the pup's warmth.

He feels good. Tight and hot and squeezing around the intrusion. He nearly wails beneath Ghost, body going limp at the pain. Ghost uses his free hand to turn Johnny's face to the side, so he can see the inevitable tears.

Sure enough, the waterworks start as Ghost finally bottoms out. He moans in sync with Johnny - one from pleasure and one from pain. The way the boy tightens beneath him is delicious, he's not sure he'll ever find a hole as good as this one.

He praises Johnny as he pulls out and fucks back into him.

"Good boy," he says on a moan. "Feel so fuckin' tight around me. Just wanna keep my cock deep in your guts, huh pup?"

"Nooo," Johnny hiccups, shoulders hitching.

"It's alright, you don't have to lie, Johnny. Your tight little hole's tellin' me all I need to know. Were you a virgin?" He grunts as he bottoms out again, quickly tugging out and snapping his hips back in. "Musta been, way you're grippin' me. Did I take your virginity, sweetheart?"

The hitched cries and tiny nod are enough answer for Ghost. Johnny just barely manages to tuck his hands beneath his face as Ghost starts to really work him over, free hand planted on the ground as he bullies his cock deep into Johnny.

"Might just have to keep you," he pants. "'S only right, huh? Mold you right to my cock, nothin'll ever feel like this again for you. Can't send you out into the world, hungry for somethin' you'll never find. That's what got you into this mess, isn't it?"

Johnny's not quite capable of speech anymore, just breathy little whines and moans. Ghost gives his cock a few strokes, grinning at the way Johnny's head jerks in time with the movements.

"Feel good yet, puppy? It will, don't worry. I'll teach you how good a fucking can feel, make sure you never forget. Make a space for myself right-" thrust "-here, huh puppy?"

The first time Ghost nails his prostate, it's like Johnny wakes back up. He rockets back up to his hands, back arching as he throws his head back despite the leash. He cries out loudly with his face thrown to the sky.

"Aw," Ghost breathlessly chuckles, angles himself to hit that spot on every thrust, raising his voice to be heard over Johnny's noise. "You howlin' for me, pup? Want everyone to know how good you're bein' fucked, huh?"

Johnny huffs, shakes his head like he hadn't realized what he was doing.

"No, no," Ghost rumbles, using the hand with the leash to tug Johnny's head back by resting his fist in the small of his back. Johnny is left with a beautiful arch to his neck, blinking up at the sky. "Keep goin', I wanna hear you, Johnny."

Seemingly against his own will, he does. His howls don't stop as Ghost fucks him - not when he comes from all the prostate stimulation, and not when Ghost himself paints his insides.

He lets the boy ease down to his chest again as they both pant through the aftershocks. He traces Johnny's rim with one finger, just barely slipping the tip in.

Johnny doesn't like that, whining high in his throat as he tries to jerk his hips away.

"Hush," Ghost soothes, petting the rim and forcing a second finger in, watching the rim of his hole go bloodless. "Thought you wolves liked a knot?"

That gets a sob, and finally, beautifully, Johnny shatters beneath him.

Ghost lets him cry himself out on his cock. occasionally cooing to him when his sobs get a little dramatic. He really must've been pent up with how long it takes him to come down.

He calms himself eventually, though, sobs petering off into pathetic little sniffles. That's when Ghost pulls both of his fingers and his limp dick out, rumbling low in his chest when Johnny cries out at the abscence.

"You're alright, calm down," he mutters, pushing himself back to rest on his ankles and then up to his feet, looking down at the pup.

Johnny looks good like this - naked in the dirt, sweat-slick and covered in welts, hole loose and dribbling come. He makes no effort to move and Ghost sighs loudly, nudging him with a boot.

"C'mon, pup. Your pity party's over. Time to go clean up your mess."

Johnny blinks blearily up at him, a little furrow between his brows. Ghost sighs again and ducks down, gripping him by the elbows and forcing him to his feet. He holds the man steady until he's sure he won't crumble, then grabs the leash and takes a few steps away.

"Let's go. Unless you want Price to wake up before you finish cleaning, I suggest you get a move on."

Johnny blinks dumbly at him, big wet eyes shining. Ghost's heart skips a beat.

"Come," he command, tugging until Johnny is forced to stumble forward. "Good boy. Now, heel."

Johnny - amazingly - listens without a fight, staying to the right of Ghost and one step behind.

Once there in the cabin, he's still fucked out enough to not complain. Ghost settles against the counter, sips on a cup of tea, and watches as Johnny cleans with shaky hands.

He looks good with a collar around his neck, and it's been a long few decades without any companionship.

Maybe, Ghost thinks to himself with a small smirk. It's time to get a dog.

#bo writes #1k celebration #ghostsoap #ghoap #ghost x soap #ghostsoap fanfic #simon ghost riley x john soap mactavish #simon ghost riley x johnny soap mactavish #simon riley x john mactavish #simon riley x johnny mactavish #cod fanfic #call of duty fanfic

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zane009 · 1 year

Text

a little bit of blue

summary: you found some bleach and box dye on your last run so maybe it’s time you ask Daryl to help you dye your hair…maybe you’ll even get him to do it as well…just a LOT of fluff and fun times

Daryl x reader

word count: around 1500

a/n: literally based on my dream lmao it’s silly 🥲…not proof read

" shit i dun' know 'f I'm doin' this right"

Daryl grunted as he was currently trying to figure out how to bleach your hair correctly. He was given a few instructions but to be honest he had no idea what he was doing.

You and Daryl found some box dye and bleach on your last run and while Daryl thought it was completely unnecessary and a waste of space you quite literally just showed the items inside without a second thought. It's not common to do something like this these days so the thought of dying your hair felt a bit comforting. A reminder of the old world. And with Daryl helping it would make this experience that much better.

You were currently back in Alexandria sat in a chair in Daryls bathroom, trying to calm the big man behind you. It took a hell lot of convincing to even get him to agree to this. You were surprised he didn’t give up yet considering the amount of his complaints in the last 30 minutes.

"You're doing just fine Daryl just apply it like i showed you" you said as you bit back a laugh.

He was stressing himself out for no reason and it was appealing to watch. You looked in the mirror and saw him behind you trying to apply the bleach precisely with the little brush.

He was staring with deep concentration with his brows furrowed softly and the tip of his tongue peeking out just a bit. It was a habit he did when he was really focused. Just like he did when he was sharpening his knives or carving out his new arrows. Or bolts if you would ask him. You didn’t really get the difference between those two anyways.

So you couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped you this time. His eyes snapped up immediately catching yours in the mirror. " dun' laugh at me woman 'm tryin' ma best here" he puffed out as he went back to it.

"Hell i told ya ya should've asked Rosita ta help ya" the frustration in his voice at this point was absolutely adorable. He took the last dip in the bowl filled with bleach and layered it on your hair for the last time.

You finally let in a big stretch as you hummed " I genuinely don't know why you're complaining i mean do you think Rick knows how to bleach someones hair?" You asked as you dropped your head back over the chair and saw him frowning. "I think the fuck not. You just gained a new skill bub and you look hella hot upside down"

you smiled sweetly at him as he looked away embarrassed. “Stop”

You still won because after his complaining he still leaned down and pressed a kiss to your lips being really careful not to touch any of his hard work. He would lie if he said he didn't sweat his ass of for this.

"Ya are lucky i like ya" he said as he flicked your forehead slightly.

He softly ushered you back up as he sat down on the edge of the tub " 'lright how long do ya have ta leave tha' on" he asked as he pulled a hand through his hair.

You stayed silent for a minute thinking about probably the most brilliant idea you've ever had. You slowly smiled mischievously at him raising your eyebrows a bit. Daryl was immediately alert because he knew that look. It meant nothing good was in store for him.

" wha's that look supposed ta mean" he said uncertain already backing away.

" we have just enough time for you to bleach a strand before i need to rinse this out"

" hell naw!"

He quiet literally yelled as he stood up with abrupt speed. You slowly approached him as he went around the chair that was placed in the middle of the bathroom. "Ohh come on it's just a little piece of hair and we'll be matching" you said trying to convince him.

He didn't budge just stood there with his senses high on alert ready to attack if necessary. You slowly picked up the brush still deep in bleach and took a step towards him, grinning. He immediately stepped back and hit the bathroom door. Oh it was on.

As you quickly advanced forward he ran through the door into your shared room in the basement. Dog barked seeing us running probably thinking we are playing a game. Daryl went around the table while i followed him around. Dog was running around us in circles as well while we tried not to step on the poor animal.

This went on for a few more minutes just me and Daryl running around his room, with me trying to catch him. At some point the brush in my hand was forgotten as we just laughed and enjoyed the silly moment.

After a while we were back to square one with each one of us standing on either side of the table with smiles on our faces.

Sometimes I genuinely forget how closed off Daryl used to be. He would never do this with me back at the prison. But here we are now and I wouldn't trade this for anything else.

Suddenly Dog jumped on Daryl catching him off guard as he stumbled back on the couch " Dog no" he said as he tried to get him off. I took this as my chance and made my way to him as fast as i could. I took a piece of his hair and just plopped the bleach on.

Daryl stopped everything he was doing and looked up at me slowly. " tell me ya didn' " i just burst out laughing at him while he hurried into the bathroom tripping over some pieces of clothing on the way.

" how do ya get this off" he said hurriedly as his hands went to the specific piece of hair covered in bleach. He tried touching it when I quickly stopped him still smiling

" stop you shouldn't touch it it's bleach you ass"

He looked at himself in the mirror an unsure look on his face. You started giggling behind him which made him look at you through the mirror with a frown plastered on his face "we are gonna look absolutely terrific" you said as you kissed his cheek hard and then leaned you chin on his shoulder. You looked up at him and saw him let out a defeated sigh meaning you won. He pressed his lips to your forehead and mumbled " yer gonna be the death of me"

About good half an hour forward you were quietly murmured the song playing in the background on the boombox Eugene fixed for you awhile back, while you were applying blue hair dye to Daryl’s chosen piece of hair. You did went back eventually after you both calmed down a bit and fixed the bleach making sure it was perfect. He was now sitting in the chair with hands on his lap looking like a defeated puppy. But he wasn't complaining so it was a step up.

As you two were finally done with the whole dying process it was time to rinse it out. Daryl grumbled the whole time your tired to wash his piece. He wasn't happy he had to wash his hair in the middle of the day for no reason for the second time that day already. It could be just the hair strand if he wouldn't be complaining and moving around so much. Dog contributed his part by literally jumping in the tub, getting all wet and then shaking it out.

You were drying daryls hair with the towel making sure to be gentle and not tug on any of his hair. When you felt like it was good enough you dropped the towel and looked into to the mirror. Your hair was a deep blue while Daryl had a little blue piece on the side. You places your hands on his shoulders and squeezed them a bit. "Dont we look adorable"

He seemed to frown at that as he grumbled out " sure adorable fer a clown yea" you giggled a bit as you squeezed his face in your hands and kissed his cheek lovingly. Oh how you loved this man.

He thought you looked absolutely breathtaking in blue. But then again you did look good in anything according to Daryl. It was him that felt silly with his little piece of blue hair. But what’s done is done.

You ran your hands through his hair for the last time with a pleasant smile as you went towards the bath tub to clean up the mess you two made (and Dog). You knew he wasn't actually angry but it's best to let him cool down a bit. You also knew he'll come around soon. Hell its just a matter of time before he asks you to do the rest of his hair you thought as you smiled to yourself.

Although Daryl would never ever think about confessing this out loud he didn't hate it. Sure the blue in his hair was bound to bring some unwanted attention to him but he would take it if it meant seeing you smile and giggle over it. If he was honest it didn't look bad when he saw you beside him with your beautiful blue hair.

He grinned as he stood up and went over to help you.

𐬼𐮙𐬿𐬺𐬼𐮜

I don’t think i like this tbh

#daryl x reader #daryl drabbles #daryl x y/n #daryl dixon fanfiction #daryl dixon x reader #twd daryl #daryl dixion imagine #daryl dixon #daryl imagines #daryl dixon fic #the walking dead daryl #daryl x you #daryl fanfiction #daryl dixon fluff #daryl dixon x you #twd fanfiction #twd imagine

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stars-n-spice · 1 month

Text

Oough,, hear me out-

Bad Ending Bad Batch AU.

Bad Ending Batch? Bad² Batch? I swear I had a cooler name before but I forgot it-

Because I was thinking about like a Bad Endings AU for my ocs and then had an idea to make one for the Bad Batch as well.

Essentially,, it'd be like,, Imperial!Bad Batch - but also like,, okay hear me out:

Hunter:

Literally just Imperial!Hunter

Maybe in this AU at the end of S1 when they capture Hunter and bring him back to Kamino they mess with his chip and he becomes an operative

And oh BOY is he a very useful weapon for the Empire with his heightened senses and all of that

Echo:

In this AU Echo never made it out of the stasis chamber (oof)

Ended up stuck in there and at the end of the war, even if they didn't really need his strategies anymore, they decided to keep him

Then he becomes "The Algorithm" or something and they continue to seep information out of him that could help

Eventually they probably take him out of the chamber and use him as an operative as well since he was an ARC Trooper and therefore highly skilled

Like,, Winter Soldier-esque probably because they have to brainwash him or something since his chip probably doesn't work

Wrecker:

I mean,, we got a glimpse of what he'd be like in this AU in canon

And it's basically just that

This AU is "what if they never got Wrecker's chip out?" sort of deal

They pull a "he's too far gone" and for their safety bolt out of there, leaving Wrecker

Eventually he makes his way back to the Empire and starts to do work for them and is a fucking FORCE of nature

Like,, holy shit,,

Tech:

Return of CX-2

He'd be the last of his brothers to fall (lmao literally) into the hands of the Empire

Bad Batch Bad Ending AU is basically just,, Tech Lives AU but as CX-2

Probably gets paired with Crosshair a lot on missions and they are both forces to be reckoned with

Crosshair:

He's basically the same (as in like S1 and half of S2 Crosshair)

MAYBE there's the chance that he "gets better" but this is the Bad Endings AU so like,, psshh that doesn't happen

No they keep messing with his chip and he becomes worse

Loyal to the Empire to a fault would fucking die for them if the time came

Nothing you say or do will sway him

Omega:

Okay so like,, I'm thinking in this AU either she 1) ends up staying on Kamino and eventually starts to work in the science division of the Empire when she's a bit older (like Emerie) and then is subjected to experiments once they realize she's got a compatible M-Count

OR 2) she DOES leave with her brothers but then slowly loses them one by one to their chip/the Empire until she's all alone again and after failed attempts to save them she finds Boba instead and stays with him (and Bossk or Cad Bane or whoever) and becomes a bounty hunter like Boba

You could even have a 3rd option where you mush those two together - she escapes the Imperial facility and THEN finds Bossk and Boba or like,, idk one or the other of the first two

Might make designs for them later idk.

Feel free to add on any other ideas though!!

#y'know for the angst #i'm just having thoughts #i love bad ending aus though #tbb #the bad batch #clone force 99 #bad ending au #bad ending batch #tbb hunter #tbb echo #tbb crosshair #tbb wrecker #tbb tech #tbb omega #cx 2 #tbb au #i'll probably post the baddies batch bad ending later

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weenwrites · 2 years

Note

Hello. I was the anon that asked about the matchups and requests but thanks for letting me know!

May I request a headcanon for TFP Soundwave, Ratchet and Optimus who somehow accidentally turn into humans but their human S/O also becomes cybertronian for a day or few? If this hasn't been done before

Their S/O is so confused and has no idea what to do in their cybertronian body and how it works as well as being worried that they'll hurt them when it comes to being around them or having to carry them around. Their S/O is curious on what it's like in being the cons/bots perspective of being a cybertronian with a human S/O but at the same time hesitating to even touch and pick up the cons/bots in fear they'd accidentally hurt them or worse

With Soundwave, it would be kinda interesting if Lazerbeak wasn't affected and didn't turn into some regular raven or something, he could probably attach himself to Soundwave's S/O for the time being LMAO otherwise him as a raven would also be cute cause he'd raven's are cute and cool

Sorry if that didn't make any sense or seem silly. Just a random thought 😭 if not this, I could try requesting smth else that's better otherwise have a good day 🙏🙏

Soundwave

Actually, Soundwave's faring rather well as a human. He knows quite a bit about human lifestyle, so he's certainly better off than you are. Of course they do warn you about your own strength. You're already well aware that cybertronians are super strong in comparison to a human, so he's unsure how well you'll be at controlling your newfound strength. Even if you're really good at controlling how much force you use as a human, it's nothing in comparison to a cybertronian's strength (but still, it might come in handy.)

If Lazerbeak wasn't affected, then he'd stick around to help keep Soundwave safe. Since Laserbeak and Soundwave both trust you enough, Laserbeak would temporarily attach himself to you so long as you're fine with it. To you it may feel odd, but it establishes a connection of sorts between you and Laserbeak. But if Laserbeak was affected, he'd be a bird perched on Soundwave's shoulder.

Of course as a human, they need to eat and whatnot. He has no problems with preparing meals according to any instructions you give, but he's unused to having to complete so many tasks just for something to eat. Of course energon needs to be refined before being consumed, but when it comes to cooking you have to complete so many other steps.

For the most part, he tries to do what work he can, and he sticks by your side to help out if you're having any trouble, or just to keep you company. He'll usually perch on your shoulder if you're big enough, or he'll just follow you around if your shoulders aren't big enough for him to sit on comfortably.

Throughout the entire day they remain as unreadable as usual. Normally it would be impossible to tell that they're even exhausted by the end of the day, but since you know them so well it's easier for you to detect the subtle changes in their posture. But even as he lays down to sleep it's difficult to tell whether he's sleeping or whether he's simply closing his eyes—actually scrap that, it's hard to tell if he's even alive at all. He sleeps like a corpse and it's hard to detect the subtle rise and fall of his chest as he breathes.

Ratchet

Despite his now miniature stature, he still insists on doing a full routine check-up to ensure your body is in good condition. Although the check-up lasts a good 30 minutes longer than it usually would, he's still able to get the job done despite how limiting being a human is.

He tries to help you the best he can while this predicament lasts, and honestly he's the best out of the 3 at doing this. He can help properly describe how you change your arm back if you've activated any possible built-in weaponry, or how you transform out of your altmode. But when it comes to your strength, there's not much he can do to help with that aside from advising you to grab things carefully.

As a human, he's doing rather well aside from the fact he's upset he can't do anything. Of course saying "anything" may be an exaggeration, but his size debilitates him greatly. Even if you'd suggest that he could take this opportunity to kick back and relax, he's far too stressed to just settle down. No matter how tempting that may sound, he can't just relax in the middle of a war.

If you seem excited to put your altmode to the test, Ratchet would definitely advise against it for 2 reasons. 1: while flying, driving, or diving comes naturally to cybertronians, it may not come as naturally to you, a human who's been turned into a cybertronian. 2: any attempts you make at using your altmode may attract unwanted attention if you were to do it outside the base. You could test it inside the base, but that's only if your altmode isn't anything that can fly.

Optimus

The instant this happens, he has Ratchet look you over to ensure you're in good physical condition. And while he's relieved that you're in top physical condition, he now has a whole lot of other problems to worry about, such as how he'll reverse whatever happened, the well being of the team, etc. etc.

It's not that he doesn't believe in his own team, no, but he has to factor in the notion that he has been severely limited by this sudden happenstance. Of course he can still lead them, but he can't join them out in the field to work or do patrols, which affects the strength of the team.

He's had experience having to adjust to a newfound strength once he inherited the matrix, so he can relate with and understand any predicaments that ensue because you grabbed something too tightly, or you pushed a door too hard. He advises you to learn more about your strength in a non-harmful way.

He doesn't have a difficult time adjusting to being a human, in fact he's faring pretty well despite it all! While he's not as busy with helping the team out on the field, he's still busy doing what work he can, and he'll firmly refuse to take this time to relax. At the end of the day he's exhausted beyond relief and rather hungry, given the fact he didn't spare even a single second to sit down and eat something.

By the time he's decided to stop working, all the kids have gone home, which leaves only you at the base to help. There's no kitchen to make a full-blown meal, at the very least there's most likely a mini fridge full of snacks and drinks. According to what you tell him about the 4 food groups and how everything in the fridge fails to fulfill the needs, it's better than nothing.

The one thing he enjoys the most about this entire ordeal is being able to rest. While the couch may not be the most comfortable bed to you, it's many levels above a circuit slab in terms of comfort. However he feels a pang of guilt when he lays down to rest while the rest of the team is wrapped up in work. A little bit of reassurance from you will help him get a good night's rest, and encourage him to try and fall asleep as soon as possible.

#tfp imagines #tfp headcanons #tfp x reader #tfp soundwave #soundwave x reader #tfp ratchet #ratchet x reader #tfp optimus prime #optimus prime x reader #x reader #reader insert #self insert #[ you have no idea how excited i was to get a request like this ]#weenwrites

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aihoshiino · 6 months

Text

chapter 145 thoughts!

what even was this chapter, y'all. i'm getting a migraine.

While it certainly wasn't actively bad, it basically hits on enough of the issues I've been having with the Movie Arc that if you've been reading my chapter reviews lately, you could probably write this one yourself. Weird pacing, skipping over interesting parts of the movie, continued framing of AQRB as a shallow gag and failing to follow on any of the implied development from or literally any referenced fallout of the kiss in 143? It's all here, babes. It would ultimately just be boring and redundant for me to go over all that at length again, so I won't.

I will however say that I'm pretty disappointed we're blasting through what had the potential to be some really interesting bits of postmortem characterization for Ai, even filtered through 15YL. I don't mind the manga breezing past scenes we saw firsthand but like… how did Ai react when she realized she was pregnant? How did she feel, especially given that Spica once again emphasized her longing for a family of her own? IDK. The way the story is suddenly jolting forwards in these last few chapters and skipping such huge chunks of Ai's life ultimately feels very strange and I don't know what to make of it yet.

Everyone reacting to Crow Girl's acting was pretty funny though I'm kind of exhausted with Ruby's Gaga-For-Oniichansensei Gag Character flanderization. IDK if my tolerance for it is just decreasing or if it really is amping up, but at least in the 125-137 stretch I at least got the sense that they could be in the same room and have a normal conversation but ever since 139, it feels that bit more relentless. I imagine this would be less irritating if we knew how the aftermath of 143 had played out but it really seems like the manga is going to drag this out until we're all old and grey.

THAT SAID, this chapter does confirm that Aqua's hoshigan stayed white after that chapter and… eh. Who even knows what that means lol. It does at least imply that his talk with Ruby has brought him back to Baseline Aqua but Baseline Aqua is still a guy with every single mental illness on planet earth so I don't know if that's the world's biggest W quite yet. It certainly implies an improvement over double black hoshigan but… again, with Aqua being so totally cut off from the readers this whole arc and no idea of what happened in the aftermath of 143, it's impossible to make a meaningful guess as to wtf is going on with Aqua right now.

Oh yeah, uh. This chapter also I guess constitutes the reveal of how the AQRB reincarnation happened. I guess LMAO. Honestly, I don't have much to say about it other than it feels like a bit of an anticlimax for me? The idea works fine, the execution just left me… idk. Whelmed at best, underwhelmed at most. I feel like this backstory and the implied deep fondness for GRSR -> AQRB it implies doesn't really like up with the personality she displays in the Private arc but like, I kind of feel like she was tossed into the story without Akasaka having a clear idea as to what her role was even going to turn into so maybe that's not a surprise LOL

I will say I'm glad this seems to quash the theory that Aqua and Ruby were secretly capital-G Gods, instead framing it as a Tsuru no Ongaeshi type return of kindness to two otherwise mundane people. There was some fun fan theorizing around the idea, but for me personally, Oshi no Ko is most interesting when it focuses on that aspect of the story Akasaka highlighted in an interview recently, of human relationships being warped by the entertainment industry and I think an explosion of the emotional stakes to the cosmic scale of AQRB (or tbh any of the characters) being Secretly Gods All Along would be a bit of a shark jump for me and would really shift away from what I like about the series most.

That's kind of it for this one…! Not really a lot to say about this chapter, which is why most of this review was me explaining why I didn't have a lot to say about it.

#oshi no ko #oshi no posting #chapter reviews #onk spoilers

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upslapmeal · 3 months

Text

The Devil's Chord

For context going into this episode, I can name off the top of my head.....3 Beatles songs? idk I'd probably recognise more but I was v much hoping this episode didn't hinge on having any actual emotional attachment to them lol

that kid is excellently cast, really looks the part

RIP Henry your great casting was cut short too soon

very chaotic vibes from Maestro!

the theme on the piano!!

the theme on the jukebox!!

‘I want to see the Beatles’ followed by the most cute serious face <3

sure Doctor you've never been to see them but you've had the space time visualiser!

lmao Ruby and Fifteen are so much fun

pure vibes and here for a good time!

1963!!

meanwhile One is busy kidnapping Ian and Babs lol

so. gonna guess from their faces it’s not an actual Beatles song

poor Fifteen dying at the orchestra and Ruby just 😐😐 *pat on the back*

hey it’s that lady again!

do these people look like the Beatles? I feel like they don't but again. I don't really know what they did look like

so my question with all this is.. why still make music if music isn't a thing any more?

why are the Beatles formed as a group and recording with someone encouraging them in the control room?

why even set up a recording studio at all?? I guess it speaks to the underlying human-ness of music

that even when musicality is gone, people are still forcing themselves to make some sort of music

yeah I feel like I should care more about the Beatles lol

Lennon and McCartney just. immediately baring their souls

feels weird watching this and knowing it's about someone who's still alive

'GEGGC'....ah ~~music~~

'we had bad smog in November ’62' I love how the Doctor speaks like a reminiscing Londoner bc that's what he was!!

Susan mention red alert!!!

‘timelords were murdered. :D I’M FINE’ sure

Ruby's theme!

interesting that in-universe it’s music she wrote for someone else

the giggle!!

‘you never hide’ I get that Fifteen and Ruby were instant besties but she's speaking like someone who's known the Doctor way longer than 3 adventures

the sonic screwdriver being sonic!!

RIP piano granny

‘defeating him took everything*’ * catching a ball

‘you always know’ idk if it's a symptom of the reduced episode count but it does feel like they've skipped over a fair bit of Ruby and Fifteen getting to know each other

‘I was born in 2004’ 👵🏻

oh so it’s been 6 months since the last ep??

again I guess the reduced ep count has meant speeding through but :/

‘where’s my mum’ :(((

I like the un-music that Murray Gold has going on for this bit. v effective.

child of the Toymaker??

‘now time for my ppt presentation about nuclear winter’

'the lost chord' - I feel like they could have done a lil bit more with that at the start bc it didn't feel as though the guy played anything particularly unusual or special?

lol Fifteen kissing the tardis better. I mean it seemed to work

the Doctor leaving Actual Musician Ruby Sunday in the control room while he tries to play a guitar

‘I thought that was non-diegetic’ lmao I guess it makes sense that the whole episode's music is being messed with

‘there’s a hidden song deep inside her soul’ hmmmm

...secret evil power Ruby??

excellent visual of her held up by the music in the snow

they're lucky Maestro doesn't seem interested in just. killing them.

‘music battle’ this is so weird. not sure if it's weird in a way I'm enjoying

this ep has felt a bit....meandering isn't the word but I don't know what is

lmao the nostalgic voiceover…not-Lennon totally unfazed by magical floating notes...reading them even though they absolutely cannot be read because there’s no stave

danse macabre!

it’s just so funny that it's the most boring-ass chord that defeats Maestro

the thing is the ep did v little to establish these guys as Characters To Root For outside them being Beatles and I just. don't care

I'd be interested to know if Beatles fans felt more about them saving the day

musical number!!

that shot of Fifteen vibing in the spotlight is so much fun!

and the one of him and everyone in the control room watching Ruby!

the world has been deprived of music for so long that of course it explodes into a musical number!!

and a certain Mr H Arbinger returns…I imagine that's not the last we'll see of him

what a fun end lol

I dunno about this one, it had good stuff but some of it was a bit all over the place and weird in a way that I didn't enjoy that much. And some of the music-specific stuff just idk. didn't land.

Also I rewatched the ep before editing my notes but I watched it as ep4 which honestly made Fifteen and Ruby's dynamic seem less rushed (and then there wasn't the weirdness in Boom of Ruby not going to a planet for the first 6 months of travelling).

I don't know. Mixed bag this one.

#the devil's chord #doctor who #dw #fifteenth doctor #ruby sunday #ramblings

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satansindexfinger · 2 years

Note

Can you do the Brothers and Undateables reacting to an MC who called God sky daddy?

Author's note: ahsjdjdkf this is hilarious, thank you for requesting! It feels so weird putting the fancy banners and everything for something this silly lmao

Warnings: none

Crack; gn!mc

Everyone's Reaction To You Calling God 'Sky Daddy'

Lucifer

"... Pardon?"

He knows for a fact you did not just call his father sky daddy of all things. It takes him a moment to process it.

He visably cringes and rubs his temples, annoyance evident, "Please, for the love of everything, do not refer to him that way ever again."

What would even posess you to do that? You humans really are an enigma Lucifer can't decipher.

He couldn't look more disgusted if he tried.

Mammon

"Huh? W-who are ya callin' that?!"

Relax, Mammon. God isn't their side-hoe. It's not the type of daddy you're picturing. It's a joke.

"Damn, why didn't ya just call him by his name... yer really weird, yknow that?"

Now he's jealous. Why does God get a goofy nickname and he doesn't?!

Leviathan

"LMAOOOOO"

Thinks it's hilarious. So what if it's his dad? That was a good one, MC!

Boy is well-versed in obscure internet slang so nothing can surprise him on that front. Won't dare to use it himself but... okay, maybe when it's just you two.

He really wants to fit in okay? Probably has his own fair share of memes relating to The Lord (tm) and will send you every last one.

Satan

"Thank who?"

Did he hear you right? Is this some weird type of human word play? Even his big brain needs a second to connect the dots.

"Huh, I've never heard that alias of his before. Well, he is on the upper realm, and he is technically the father of all things... I suppouse it makes sense."

Doesn't pay any mind to it after analyzing the connection. He thinks it's a weird way of saying it but you do you, MC.

I lied. He so keeps that in the back of his mind to use when Lucifer is around just to piss him off.

Asmodeous

"Oh, MC! I didn't know you had quite the mouth on you! How blasphemous!"

Gasps like the drama queen he is.

Good job, you've turned his cringy flirt mode on. Now he won't leave you alone.

You might want to reconsider your word usage around this bitch next time.

Beelzebub

Whomst? What?? Sky who?

Doesn't get it, doesn't ask about it. He thinks he didn't hear you clearly over the sound of his munching.

Will look at you like a confused dog and cock his head, hoping you'd explain. If you do he will just nod. Like it's the most normal thing he's heard all day.

"Ah, you mean Father." Whatever. Back to your guys' scheduled sixth meal of the day.

Belphegor

"Sky daddy? Really? Could you be any weirder about him?"

If you pay close attention you can hear his subtle snicker. Come off it Belphie, you think it's hilarious.

Would absolutely call his maker sky daddy if they ever met again. Shame he's probably permanently banned from the celestial realm.

Look me in the eyes and tell me he hasn't attempted to call God weird ass names to his face before.

Joins Satan in his quest to piss Lucifer off by calling their father that.

Diavolo

Congrats, you've stumped the demon lord himself! .. For a split second. Then he lets out a laugh like he's just watched the funniest stand up on Netflix.

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you, MC? What an odd nickname!"

Thinks it's charming for some reason. You little humans and your interesting choice of words! How cute!

"Does that make me ground daddy?"

Diavolo please.

Barbatos

Ignores you. No reaction from this killjoy right here.

Okay, maybe he finds it just a tad amusing. Won't show it though. He might mention it in passing while he's having tea with Diavolo and chuckle a bit about the blatant disrespect you have the balls to show, but that's about it.

Or so you think. Motherfucker will drop it in conversation when you least expect it.

"It's a good thing we heard the timer on the oven this time. I suppouse we can thank Sky Daddy for this?"

It sounds illegal coming out of his mouth.

Solomon

"Daddy Jay-Z really has blessed us today."

Will play along with it. Man gives zero shits. Remember, this is the same dude who wanted to call Michael Mike.

He already knows he's going to hell shall he become mortal again so why not drag his favourite MC down with him?

"May the cloud son-in-law and holy poltergeist help us one day too."

You two are a walking menace.

Simeon

(Let me upload the banner you piece of shit site)

Look absolutely scandalized. You might as well have murdered Luke right infront of his eyes.

"M-MC!! That is highly disrespectful! Please watch your language, especially if Luke is around."

Knows you were probably trying to be funny but mans is whipped for holiness. Relax, he knows you probably didn't know any better so he isn't mad.

Just a bit dissappointed.

Won't lecture you further but will sigh and look disapprovingly if you ever did it again.

#obey me #obey me crack #obey me imagines #obey me scenario #obey me memes #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me levi #obey me satan #obey me asmo #obey me beel #obey me belphie #obey me diavolo #obey me barbatos #obey me solomon #obey me simeon

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piromantic · 2 months

Text

long gender rambling pt 2 (stuff that's been on my mind since watching i s4w the tv gl0w)

lowkey i do think knowing ahead of time what this film was about did dull the emotional impact for me but i did still get caught off guard by a random mundane line and cry for the rest of the film so, yeah

but it didn't really have the impact on me that everyone else seemed to get from it even though the ending scenes resonated with me so fucking hard. it just kind of got to me in a depressing way lmao but i do appreciate that wake-up call.

compound that with my experience at the conference back in may and ughhhhhh like i really am suffering and nobody even notices. i put aside so much discomfort to play the part of 'professional woman in STEM' for a few days and i get rewarded by being just straight up handed a she/her badge. like my lab mate was well meaning but damn ok life, that's a bit on the nose. and then i watched the movie and it's like ohhhh right i forgot that i'm the only person in the room who knows this is all a big elaborate performance for the sake of everyone else's comfort.

but what else can i even fucking do at this point?

honestly i feel like i have this deep-seated fear that i will never be taken seriously if i try to come out as any sort of trans and i don't know where it came from. it's probably a conglomeration of a ton of things. comments from my family. the portrayal of the transmasc experience always seeming to glorify the rejection of feminine traits and interests. the fact that i even have feminine traits and interests - and while i consider them gender neutral because fuck off nothing is inherently gendered, i can't argue my way out of ballet (for example) being a stereotypically girly thing. which is not to say that being a stereotypically girly thing is bad - it's not at all - but that it feels like evidence that can and will be used against me by other people.

(as an aside, i have mentioned really connecting to writings about the butch identity before, but it still feels like a label i can't claim. i'm not really doing masculinity in a queer way i'm just kind of... existing. also it feels like a label that only makes sense within the context of communities that i don't actually get to interact with that much. idk. 'you can just use the label if you connect with it' true, but if i used it people would be like 'ugh you can't call yourself that just because you have short hair and wear pants', and i can't disagree with that lmao)

i don't even know if hormones would help at all. i feel like any euphoria i feel would be more than cancelled out by the sheer amount of fear i'd feel being actually visibly trans. (especially because the non-permanent effects of hrt aren't even that interesting to me - i am already as hairy as i want to be, and my only issue with my face is the acne.) but then i meet someone in STEM who's transmasc and it's like godddd what would my life be like right now if i was just less scared. something about being in a room with people that i feel connected to but who don't recognize me as someone like them kills me inside.

and what is there besides hormones. i still haven't found a name that i actually resonate with, plus i've already published literature, and there's a practical reason why many women in STEM don't take their husband's last name. i already dress in ways i like, outside of formal clothes. changing pronouns goes right back to the 'i feel like no one will take me seriously' issue, and i just do not have the energy to continuously educate and correct people. i'd like top surgery for sure, but that requires three things i don't have: money, time off, and someone that can take care of me during recovery.

as a kid i preferred math to science because math is neater, more satisfying to look at, but at the same time math is frustrating because at the end of the day it's theoretical, not realistic. and that's how i feel about queer/gender theory. on the one hand, my views of gender are veeeery much 'none of this is innate, we need to deconstruct the very idea of gender'. on the other hand, the theories i find the most relatable and fulfilling do not at all help me understand how to deal with real life. like no amount of me not caring about gender will cancel out the fact that other people are always projecting gender onto me.

i think i keep digging into this stuff because i'm looking either for some way to continue being a woman more palatable to me, or for some satisfactory explanation for my mother's question of 'women can be anything, so why is that not enough for you?'. but no matter how much i dig into theory about 'woman' as a social construct, i can't find a way to be okay with the label, nor a way to explain why i need a different one. i can't just think my way into a social vacuum where wearing pink dresses doesn't carry meaning. but then it's like, okay well what do i do about this discomfort within my material reality? and the answer is i don't know. i don't know!

the one thing i really, really hate is having a feeling that i can't explain. i wince at explanations of being trans that go like 'i always preferred sports to dolls' because it works off of gender binary stereotypes, but i understand why people say that. at the same time, while i relate to theory that throws gender out the window, i can't deny that other people do have strong feelings about gender, both regarding identification and orientation. and i can't decide for them whether that is their innate truth or effects of social conditioning.

not really sure what the point of this was. umm 10/10 good movie

#personal #j rambles

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pray4saint · 1 year

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wait wait delete that last ask i did it wrong 😭

number 7 with dreamie pls 💕💕

escapism

masterlist & descrip. pg-13. 13+. leaving a toxic ex. rebound!dream that ends up not being a rebound lmao. use of 'y/n'. irresponsible drinking. use of alcohol. lyrics are out of order. flirty dream my beloved.

escapism. by raye & 070 shake | this is apart of my 500 follower event!

sleazin' and teasin', i'm sittin' on him.

you weren't quite sure how you got here or why you were here; in a short black dress, talking up a tall dirty blond with gorgeous green eyes, downing whiskey like it was nothing. scratch that shit, of course you knew why were here.

a little context if you care to listen, i find myself in a shit position. the man that i love sat me down last night, and he told me that's it's over, dumb decison.

your boyfriend had left you, after three years, with no explanation other than ”i can't do this anymore.”

and i don't wanna feel how my heart is rippin', fact, i don't wanna feel, so i stick to sippin'.

this wasn't the first time you'd been through a bad breakup, but this one was strange, it didn't make sense, which made it hurt ten times worse that it probably would've otherwise.

”so, how bad was the breakup?” the man who sat merely one stool away from you asked, and if you weren't already a little drunk, you would've spit out your drink at the forwardness of his question. ”excuse me?” you actually weren't entirely sure you heard him right over the loud music, but it still came out a little bit accusatory. he tilted his head at you, a grin spread across the lower half of his face, and god, were his smile lines pretty. ”i asked you a question sweetheart. you're out here, alone, talking to a stranger, with an assumed no way to get back to your own place with how much you're drinking. so, i reiterate, how bad was the breakup?” you were shocked by his words, but since he seemed to see your dilemma, you were straight up with him. ”alright. we were together three years. he left, no context, no reason. just left.” you admitted, and you expected to start crying, but you didn't. you weren't that drunk yet.

i ordered two more wines, 'cause tonight i want him.

he exhaled heavily, turning to signal the bartender just one more drink for you when you'd ordered two more. ”well then, what is it that you're hoping to get out of this..?” his head tilted the other in anticipation of hearing your name roll of your tongue. you took a second, the alcohol leaving a haze over your mind. ”oh, uhm, it's y/n.” he smiled at you, more genuine than his previous grin. ”i'm dream. now what is it, y/n, that you're hoping to get out of this, hm?” he asked, and your brain let the words out without processing any of them. ”simple. a hookup. a one night stand. wild, crazy sex to get my ex off my mind.” the taller man nodded to you as you downed your last drink of the night, ”i think we can arrange something like that.”

i was looking for a man who's on the same page.

before you knew it, you were slung on clay's arm, headed for the exit.

.⋆｡⋆˚｡⋆｡˚｡⋆.⋆｡⋆˚｡⋆｡˚｡⋆. ︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶ .⋆｡⋆˚｡⋆｡˚｡⋆.⋆｡⋆˚｡⋆｡˚｡⋆.

you woke up in a strange bed. at first, you just felt around the sheets, double checking for a body beside you that was nowhere to be found. then you sat up, looking around the room and decidedly down at your lap, just to see your legs covered by clothes that weren't yours. ”fuck.” you'd muttered under your breath and almost as if on cue, dream stumbled out from the bathroom connected into the bedroom and into the next doorway. it was as if he felt your presence how he straightened up his posture in the last doorway and turned around. ”oh you're awake! hi y/n.” he gave you that crooked smile while wiping away at his eyes before giving you a small wave, leaning his shoulder against the frame. ”did'ya sleep well?”

”yeah. slept like a baby. uhm.” your sentences were short, concise, and to the point because there were other things on your mind. ”did we–” ”no.” he cut you off rather quickly. he took a few steps closer to the bed, to you and sat down on the bed. ”if we had sweetheart, you'd remember it.” he grinned, eyes on his fingers which played with the sheets between them. then his hand halted and his gaze shifted up to your eyes that were glued on him because even now, bedhead and all, he was beautiful. ”what do you remember?” his almost search yours for answers. you bring a hand up to your face and scratch at the back of your neck in attempt not to think about how much of a mess your hair must look at the moment. ”i remember the bar, i remember leaving the bar, i remember..” you trail off before looking away for a second. ”how much did i say about my ex?” you ask, a little embarrassed at the memory of starting to bare your feelings to a stranger. it being in a bar didn't help. ”at the bar? not much. just that he left and all you wanted was a hookup.” he shrugged and you exhaled, thank god. ”and i had every intention of hooking up with you.” he continued and you could almost feel the twitch in your eye, a wonder of what had gone wrong.

your hands twiddled with the bottom hem of dream's shirt you were wearing and you worked up the words to ask another question you were sure would leave you either a blushing mess or an embarrassed mess. ”so what happened then?” dream was gentle with his response because he didn't want you to feel bad. after all, how could he hurt the pretty girl in his bed, wearing his clothes? ”uhm, well the drive back here was fine, great even! but when we got back, in the uh, living room, you started crying.” for a split second, clay could've sworn he saw your eyes widen but he couldn't be sure because you'd thrown your hands over your face. ”is there anything else?” you peeked out with one eye from between two fingers. ”yeah, but uhm, let's get you something to eat before we talk about this, hm?” he asks, standing up, hand outstretched to you.

hesitantly, you let your hand fall into his and you follow him out of the bedroom into the kitchen.

”so, what can i get you stranger?” he smiles, and you sit down at the island as he releases your hand.

#⪩⪨ / saint's 500 f celly !#: the setlist #saint's inbox !!#saint's friends: honey !!#dwt #dreamwastaken #dteam #dteam x reader #dwt x reader #dreamwastaken x reader #dwt fluff #dreamwastaken fluff

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breakfastteatime · 1 year

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hope you don't mind the rant but argh i finally realised why i feel so disconnected to survivor in comparison to how close jfo is to me

spoilers for those who haven't played survivor

but i really dislike major decisions made and i'm gonna babble on a little (i've had like eight panadol and two sleeping meds as of the last hour n a half so if this doesn't make sense that's why)

one that's been swirling around my head ever since i played us that it really felt like they brought cordova back JUST to kill him off. this also ties into my next point that i find bode's betrayal hard to believe as well. every role he had in the story could easily be replaced by someone such as cere, and i felt like the only reason he was there was to have someone for bode to kill to show how really evil he was but respawn didn't want to kill any of the main cast off. he's such a useless character in the plot that killing him off didnt effect anything LMAO

my next major dislike is, understandably, about bode :,) yes i know this can come off as making excuses for a character i was attached to since the trailers dropped but the more i think about it the more i really cannot understand both the timeline and the motive that was behind bode's betrayal. i kind of get the idea he was lax about betraying them UNTIL cal mentioned using tanalorr for the hidden path but according to the echoes you get after the game bodenis plotting and scheming the whole time... plus, you think that his whole motive relies on creating a safe place for kata on tanalorr where no one can find them but also like. you have two (technically three) jedi, a nightsister, and a whole clan of anchorites that kick the empire's ass every day. "will you be able to protect her when the empire comes?" fuckass have you SEEN cal use a lightsaber?? kata is safer with cal then she is bode

dagan was hella underwhelming too which disappointed me tbh i was excited for this high republic jedi to show us all this cool stuff only for him to die in like three seconds 😔

ANYWAY i hope this ain't too long but i'd love to hear your thoughts/criticisms on js bc i love the game and all the little bits are amazing but some of the decisions made have me a bit hrghh

Okay, friend, you asked for it ;)

The decision to bring back Cordova was an unexpected one, but the sight of him makes me cry happy tears every damn time, so it doesn't bother me at all. I take your point re: Cere being able to do everything he does, but part of Bode’s betrayal also hinges on him betraying Cere to Vader, who clearly wants vengeance after Nur (which is SO IN CHARACTER for Vader I can only lol. Petty bitch.), so Bode killing her wouldn't have had quite the same impact.

Because I was so convinced he was dead that him *actually* being dead didn’t strike me as ‘brought back only to die’. I would argue that killing him off did put them at risk of not being able to reach Tanalorr and defintely drove Cal to Nova Garon, but yes… Cordova's character probably lacks development and definitive purpose compared to the others… Although even as I say that, I find myself thinking of the logs he left behind in the various ruins on Jedha and the words of advice and I just can’t get mad. Plus there's that teeny hint that he's been unwell when Merrin asks how he's feeling. I see your points, yes, but I'm not too fussed by any of it.

Moving onto Bode...

So, here’s my interpretation of Bode, based on the post-game echoes and the little nuances that take on a totally new light on a replay. Bode is playing Cal from the very beginning. They are never friends from Bode’s perspective, and he is a master manipulator. He’s a textbook abuser – he lovebombs Cal with compliments and praise to cement their relationship, and does the same with everyone in his family. Plus, he used his knowledge of Cere’s location to further his cause with the Empire.

There’s also a power dynamic at play here because Bode was a Jedi Knight during the war while Cal was still a Padawan. Bode is older and more experienced with the world than Cal. He knows Cal longs for friendship, and he wields that against him more effectively than any weapon. Every action, every word, every choice Bode makes is solely to dig in deeper with Cal so he can and Kata can escape the Empire. Had Cal agreed that Tanalorr would just be for them, *maybe* Bode wouldn’t have betrayed him the way he did, but Bode is well on his way to the dark side because of his attachment to Kata. And Cal very nearly follows him because of his attachments to his family.

To me, this is what the Jedi Order meant by 'no attachments'. Jedi are allowed to love, but when that love becomes all consuming, when it becomes an obsession, that’s when the attachment becomes dangerous. Bode’s story is very similar to Anakin’s, he’s just not as powerful. Hasn’t got those Skywalker genes 😉

Bode’s motive to me is clear – he *thinks* everything is about Kata, but actually it’s all about him. It’s about his grief and rage and fear because of his wife's death the terrible choices he made. Denvik promises that if Bode gives him what he wants (Cal and Cere), he will reveal which Inquistor murdered his wife. Bode is already in it for revenge, not his daughter's wellbeing. His choices are very pre-meditated. He is a parent, yes, and I can understand that overriding love of a child, but he is also a grieving husband who is so broken by his loss that his love for Kata has become too possessive. He is terrified of losing his daughter, and it eclipses his love for her. Kata is aware of this, and her love is also turning to fear. Bode is neglectful (he's always leaving Kata behind) and bordering on abusive at the end. He trusts no one but himself, and he even asks Cal at the very end if he can protect Kata. Cal says nothing because he knows he can’t – he’s tried protecting so many people, and he’s lost nearly all of them. He won’t make a promise he can’t keep, and that’s what completely breaks Bode. Bode doesn’t believe anyone *but him* can protect Kata because he has become completely consumed with fear and anger. Cal gave him a chance to make a better choice when he disarmed him. In fact, Bode had *so many chances* to make a better choice, and he didn’t. So, when Bode responded by choosing to try and kill Cal, Merrin *and* very nearly his own daughter, Cal had no choice but to put him down – hard. That second shot took my breath away both times I played the game because Cal knows he cannot save Bode and protect the people who matter, and by showing Bode mercy, more people will die. It's also about control - Bode tries to control everyone. Cal knows he can't, so he takes the only option left - killing Bode. Honestly, the more I think about that finale, the more intense it becomes. It's an astonishing moment.

I do wonder if the reason people struggle with Bode is because he is so nice, and he fits in so well, but it’s all fake and it’s all an act. Whether you saw it coming or not, that hurts. Cal – and the player – want so badly for Bode to be better than he is, and that’s the tragedy. Bode’s not capable of that. He has suffered losses just like Cal, but he couldn’t overcome them. It’s a lot to deal with emotionally!

And as for Dagan, I quite like him! Mostly because that final battle with him incorporates my favourite Star Wars thing – WEIRD FORCE SHIT. He’s also a mirror held up to Cal – this is what you could become if your obsession takes over you. I also think his relationship with Santari Khri is meant to show Cal the potential pitfalls of his relationship with Merrin if his attachment overcomes him… but we’ll have to see what happens next…

Gosh this got long. It's always fun to see other people's perspectives and share my own! Hope you've got some rest and feel better soon :)

#jedi survivor spoilers #star wars jedi: survivor #jedi survivor meta #answered asks #bode akuna #cal kestis #dagan gera #eno cordova #long post #breakfast tea has THOUGHTS and FEELINGS #times like this I wish i had a youtube channel el oh el

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