#[r: molotov cocktail]

[roseofdarkness0]

Quick after work sketch of Rhode Island yeeting a fireball and New York teaching someone a lesson, based on this text post by @augustreneemurray and specifically this song

[crappymixtape]

because of you • part four

PART I • PART II • PART III • PART V • EPILOGUE // REQ -> @sattlersquarry ❝ an enemies to lovers fic with Steve? 💙 maybe they have to put aside their differences to fight upside down stuff and realize they actually have a lot in common 👀 • 18+ | ( 5.6k – little bit of king!steve, mostly angst with a dash of fluff, enemies to idiots in love, steve x reader )

B E C A U S E O F Y O U • P A R T F O U R 🎶 the elevator, lizzy mcalpine

“Alright. We’re gonna take care of things at the Creel house and your job is take care of things here,” Steve leveled with Eddie, thinking he was out of earshot for everyone else, but you heard it. Knew what he really meant.

Take care of things.

Fight monsters.

Try not to die.

You’d dropped Lucas, Max and Erica off, drove halfway across town to Eddie’s, dumped all your weapons through the gaping hole in the ceiling and threw yourselves in after them. Had outfitted the exterior of the trailer with metal fencing and cages, ladders and locks, hoping – no – praying it would hold and begged the universe to let everyone come out the other side of this.

“Robs, you and Nance are with me.”

Steve pulled taut the belt around his waist and clicked his flashlight on, looking for once like he actually knew what he was doing, and for a split second you thought maybe this just might work. Thought if Steve was that confident, if Nancy was willing to go with him, then maybe it would be alright.

But then it came time for you all to split in half again and you walked with Steve and Nancy and Robin to the front door and out into the ash choked air. Half-hid behind Eddie as they double checked their gear and started to walk away, but Steve stopped at the last second and turned back around.

“Listen. If things here start to go south, I mean at all, you abort. Okay?” he said brows tugged together with conviction, the weight of his words causing you to start trembling. “You draw the attention of the bats, keep ‘em busy for a minute or two, and we’ll take care of Vecna.”

And as you looked at the axe slung over Steve’s shoulder, the shotgun held tight in Nancy’s grasp, heard your molotov cocktails clinking together in Robin’s backpack you realized you didn’t want them to leave because what if they didn’t come back?

“And don’t try to be cute or–or be a hero or something. You’re just–”

“Decoys. Don’t worry. You can be the hero, Steve,” Dustin said rolling his eyes, unable even now to let go of the consistent needling that happened between him and Steve, but you could read between the lines.

I care about you.

Don’t get hurt.

Please be safe.

“Absolutely. Agreed. I mean look at us…we are not heroes,” Eddie admitted shaking his head, his nail covered garbage can lid swung over his shoulder and hair tied back out of his face. Trying so hard to just do his part in all this and after Steve nodded his acknowledgement, he looked at you.

Held your gaze for a minute. Parted his lips with words held heavy on his tongue, but unsure if he should say them. Knowing if he set them free, they would make the stakes unbearable and instead gave you a small nod.

A slight smile.

An attempt at quiet reassurance and as he turned to leave you felt a tangled knot of worry start to swirl at the pit of your stomach and the further he walked away the more knotted it became. Snatched up with it regret, possibility, second and third chances and trying to start over until the sound of someone’s voice shouting into the dark broke your concentration.

Your voice.

“Steve! Wait!”

He had never turned around so quickly, the sound of your voice stopping him dead in his tracks and he waited. For you. Waited as your boots crunched in the dead sticks and leaves on the ground, cracking and snapping with each step until you reached him, breathless and unsure of what you wanted to say but insistent on saying something.

“Everything okay?” he asked, trying to be casual. Unattached. Felt Robin and Nancy’s eyes on you both, but shot them a look and they gave you some space.

“Yeah–I mean, no? I just–we’re about to get swarmed by bats from hell and I...well, I guess what I wanted to say is–” you tripped over your words, felt clumsy and stupid, but desperate. Wanted him to know you wanted to work on things. Wanted to give him another chance, but it just wouldn’t come out and his expression softened as he realized what you were getting at.

“Slow down,” he murmured and you drew in a breath.

In.

Out.

Try again.

“I just want you to know that...I wanna try,” you said, still a bit clumsy, one word falling out after the other. “I wanna work on–on forgiveness or…shit. I don’t know,” you squeezed your eyes shut, hoping it would help you gather up your thoughts and Steve waited. Patient. “Just come back, okay?” you finally asked, opening your eyes to see his mouth tugged up at the corner in a lopsided smile.

“You want me to come back, Princess?” he asked wryly and you scowled.

“I’m gonna let that one go cos ‘end of the world’ and whatever,” you snarked and it made him laugh. A low rumble in his chest that filled you up to the brim and spilled over at the edges.

“Gee thanks.”

“Yeah, you owe me now,” you teased.

“Alright, deal. Promise I’ll get you back when this is all over.”

When this is all over.

“I’m gonna hold you to it,” you said, your voice wobbling a little despite your efforts to keep it even and the sound put an ache in Steve’s chest. Pulled his hand to your cheek. His fingers gently tucking your unruly curls behind your ear.

“Wouldn’t expect any less,” he said quietly, only to you, and then took a couple steps back. Put space between you quickly to try and make it easier, but it stung. The sudden realization that your want for reconciliation was mutual and having to watch it walk away with the possibility of not returning.

The possibility of death.

“Good luck,” you whispered, your throat closing around the sob that had lodged itself in your chest, and watched as Steve disappeared into the dark.

❝ JUST ANOTHER TIME THAT I GO DOWN, BUT YOU ARE KEEPING UP, HOLDING TO A HOPE YOU’LL UNDERMINE ❞

“Eddie, Eddie! It’s working!” Dustin yelled after Eddie helped you back into the trailer.

“Shit–” Eddie handed you his nail covered garbage can lid and grabbed hold of your shoulder. “Listen to me. You leave this trailer no matter what, you hear me? Doesn’t matter if I’m yelling at you for help or–or covered in these fucking bats, you leave.“

“Wha–”

“No. It’s not a discussion.”

“Eddie, I’m not leaving–”

“Yes. You are, sweetheart.”

The ache in your chest swelled unbearably, painfully, tight and squeezing around the possibility that your best friend might not come back through that gate with you and the tears came. Hot against your cheeks as they cut paths down to your jawline.

Swiping his thumb gently across the line of your lashes Eddie gave you a sad smile.

“It’s not the plan, honey, but just in case. Now take this and get inside.”

All you could do was shake your head as Eddie popped back out of the trailer, shouting at Dustin to hurry the hell up, and as you walked back to the angry, gaping hole in the ceiling you could hear scratching on the roof.

“Eddie!” you yelled through your tears.

“I know, I know!” he called back.

“Eddie, they’re on the–”

“The roof! I know! Dammit, Henderson, get the hell in here!” yanking the younger boy into the trailer, Eddie slammed the front door shut and barricaded you in. “Fuck!” he shouted into the door, “I hope this works.”

“It’ll work, it has to work,” Dustin muttered, eyes glued to the air vent above you.

“It has to,” you echoed, quieter and under your breath as an image of Steve wielding his axe in front of Vecna flashed in your mind.

The squeals and shrieks in the air vent were getting louder and louder, scratching closer and closer and the ache in your chest twisted into something uglier, dread, fear.

“Eddie…” Dustin looked over his shoulder, “Eddie can they get through that?”

“Uh–I don’t think so–”

SCREEEEEEECH!

The vent burst open as a demobat clawed it’s way through the plastic cover, it’s long, sharp talons cutting deep gashes in the ceiling.

“FUCK! FUCK!”

“SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!”

Eddie and Dustin were on it before it could get all the way in, jamming their spears into the hole, Die, die, die!! until Eddie slammed one of the garbage can lids over the top of it and sealed it shut, heaving holy shit, holy shit from his lungs.

“Nice,” Dustin gasped from the floor.

“Thanks.”

You didn’t realize you were watching everything through your fingers, face buried in your hands, until Eddie glanced up and saw you.

“Oh, god. You okay? You’re okay. It’s okay,” he closed the distance between you and wrapped his arms around you. “It’s okay, they can’t get in now. It’s okay.”

“Eddie…” Dustin was still on the floor, eyes looking down the hallway to Eddie’s bedroom. “Are there any more vents?”

Eddie tensed against you and froze for a second and then let you go in an instant, “Oh shit.”

“What? Eddie, what??” you shouted as he turned and ran down the hallway, Dustin on his heels, both of them just yelling shit so much now that it didn’t even sound like a word anymore.

“There’s a vent in my roo–”

As Eddie yanked open the door to his room the hissing slap of wings against wood paneling almost drowned out the shrieks that followed.

“That’s not gonna hold!” Dustin screamed.

Eddie shoved you back down the hallway, “Let’s go, let’s go!”

“But the others–”

“We don’t have time!” Eddie shoved at you and Dustin, the younger boy already halfway up the knotted bedsheet hanging out of the ceiling as Eddie snatched up the spare garbage can lid.

“C’mon!” Dustin yelled from the other side.

Grabbing Eddie by the jacket you shook him, “They need more time!”

He met your gaze and sobered, chest heaving as he gasped for air and realized what you were implying.

“They need more time,” you said again, quieter, throat tight around your words as Eddie looked up at Dustin through the gate.

“Fuck,” Eddie whispered harshly, squeezing his eyes shut against he knew you needed to do. “Dammit, I’m sorry,” he said looking back up at Dustin.

“What? What d’you mean sorry?? Eddie what d’you mean sorry?? What are you doing? What are you–”

Grabbing a spear, Eddie sliced the bedsheet in half and you watched as the other end fell to the floor in a pile at your feet.

That was going to make getting back just a tad more difficult.

“EDDIE! EDDIE, NO! STOP!” Dustin was screaming now, strained and painful and you couldn’t bear to look at him.

“C’mon,” Eddie grabbed your arm and pulled you with him back to the door.

Steve’s bat was heavy in your hands, your fingers readjusting their grip in anticipation of putting your training session back at the meadow to good use.

…wide stance right?…choke up on your hold…it’ll make your swings hit harder…follow through with your hip.

Sucking in a breath you could hear Dustin still screaming at you from the other side.

“Come back!! Don’t do this! Please, don’t do this!”

And your body went numb as Eddie put a hand on the doorknob, “This is for Stevie. For Nance. For Robin and Max and everyone. And we come back alive, okay?” Eddie said to you, brown eyes soft like brown sugar, crinkled at the edges as he tried to smile and you tried to give him one back.

“Okay. Together,” you said.

“Together,” he echoed and then yanked the door open to a swarm of bats from hell all screeching and clamoring to get their hooks into you.

The bat in your hands hit hard against the body of the demobat flying above you with a sickening crunch. Caught it mid-air as you swung it down into the ground and twisted it, shouldered down and killed it with another pop! but you were far from finished.

Pushing loose hair out of your eyes you glanced up to see Eddie wrestling with his own hoard of nasties that the Upside Down had coughed up.

THWACK!

You swung again in a half circle, taking two demobats down with one swing and a grin flickered at the corners of your lips. Steve would be proud.

“Just a little longer, sweetheart!” Eddie shouted over the slap of desiccated wings and sharp, gnashing teeth.

A little longer, you told yourself, swinging the bat again and again, Eddie keeping up with his spear and shield.

Pulling back, you swung heavy at a particularly nasty looking demobat, a sneer on your lips doing as Steve instructed and following with your hips, but it didn’t connect and you stumbled forward, scraping your hands on the ground.

Fuck, was your immediate first thought, your bat clattering a few feet away with the impact, and again, fuck, when claws sliced through the heavy canvas of your tactical vest and into your back.

The cuts burned, hot and angry, the fabric against your back growing damp with blood, but you couldn’t stop. You had to get Steve’s bat. It was just out of reach as you scrambled against the dirt, fingers fumbling on the handle until something slipped through your hair at the back of your neck. Gritty like sandpaper, slithering as it crept around your throat and wrapping around and around and your eyes grew wide when it squeezed.

“Eddie!” you croaked, hands scrambling against the demobat tail tightening at your neck, cutting off your air supply.

“Wha–shit! Hang on, sweetheart! Hang on!”

The look on Eddie’s face scared you, like maybe you were going to die and god you didn’t want to die, and then the demobat yanked at you and everything went sideways as you hit the dirt, back first. The cuts there screamed and your head thunked hard enough against the ground you saw stars. Then, as if to add insult to injury, the demobat tightened its hold so that now and truly you could not breathe.

Your fingers scrambled against the flesh of the monster, struggling to loosen its grip, but it felt impossible. It was too tight.

Little pinpricks of light appeared against your vision as you watched red cracks of lighting split the sky in two. You couldn’t remember what it was like to take a breath. How long had it been? Thirty seconds? A minute? Longer? Where was Eddie?

A fuzzy feeling crept around you, warm and wrapping around your body as a shadowy haze blurred in at the edges of your vision. Closing in further and further and melting your pain along with it. You couldn’t feel the scrapes across your back, the cuts on your knees, the burning in your throat.

Were you going to die?

But what about Steve? You promised. He promised.

I’ll get you back when this is all over.

You needed to tell him how much you wanted to try. Wanted to hear him out. Wanted to see the real Steve, the one Eddie trusted so much, the one you were starting to feel like might actually prove you wrong, but you weren’t breathing. Hadn’t been breathing and you were dying and–

“God dammit–die, asshole!”

Suddenly the tail loosened at your neck and your body heaved you from the ground, writhing at the ability to breathe again. Gasping and gulping and pulling in ash-thick air, your hands pressed to your throat to make double damn sure it was really gone.

“Christ–” A hand, wide and warm was at the small of your back and the voice in your ear made you feel like you couldn’t breathe again.

Steve.

“Told you I’d come back, princess. You alright?”

You swallowed the lump in your throat, but it wouldn’t go away and your fingers smoothed over the angry, swollen skin.

“Look, twins,” Steve tried to joke, tugging his shirt down so you could see the same marks on his neck and it pulled a hoarse laugh from your lips, but it hurt. “*Shit–*I’m sorry, don’t talk. C’mon, we gotta get out of here.”

You wanted to stop for a second and look at him, the moles dotted on his cheek and neck, the dip of his cupid’s bow, the cut on his cheek and wipe the dirt from his forehead and just–

“We gotta go!” Robin yelled from the trailer and Steve scooped his hands under your arms and pulled you to your feet.

Nancy was with Robin back over at the trailer door yelling something about not jumping through gates like that anymore – Dustin? But didn’t he…and then your stomach lurched.

“Eddie?” you croaked, fingers digging into Steve’s waist, “Where’s Eddie?”

“Shh, don’t talk. He’s okay, he’s already in the trailer.”

“Where–”

Steve stopped for a split second and looked down at you, brows pinched together, his eyes dark, worried, “I’ll explain everything, but we need to leave.”

You nodded and he picked up the pace again dragging you both into the trailer and, as Robin says, by some miracle you all piled through and came out the other side.

❝ I FEEL IT COMING ON, YOU CAN BE WELL AWARE, IF I EVER TRY TO PUSH AWAY YOU CAN JUST KEEP ME ❞

When you all stumbled out of Eddie’s trailer into Hawkins it felt like nothing had changed – it still looked like the Upside Down.

Ash fell from the sky, dark clouds hung heavy overhead and smoke rolled up from downtown as you struggled to process what had happened. They’d killed Vecna, or at least blasted his ass out the window and onto the ground below, but when they went to check he was gone and that was when the clock chimed. Four chimes, four deaths.

Everyone was worried about Max, but everyone was also in various states of injury, so you all decided to split up. Nancy and Robin took Lucas, Max and Dustin to the hospital and after you’d suffocated Eddie with hugs he said he wanted to hang back and look for Wayne. Part of you wanted him to stay, but Wayne was the only family he had so you understood. With Vecna ‘gone’ there were no real pressing threats – for now.

So, all that was left was you and Steve.

“Let me give you a ride?” he asked, dirt flecked across his cheeks and forehead, bottom lip split.

“I can’t go home like this,” your voice had made a return, but it was hoarse, sounded rough like gravel and every time you spoke Steve winced.

“Oh, right. Okay, yeah–uh–we can go to my place. My parents are out of town on business, so no one’s there. Get cleaned up and then I can take you home.”

Piling into Steve’s BMW you could feel the adrenaline starting to melt away. The pain that your body had held at bay starting to push against your skin, your very bones, a deep ache that threatened to break you and you fought it as hard as you could.

“Thank you,” you half-whispered into the quiet of the car and Steve’s fingers twitched on the gear shift.

“For…?”

You looked across the center console at him, “For saving me.”

That pulled his attention and he met your gaze and for a split second everything felt suspended, held in mid-air, floating in the space between you and Steve’s lips parted. Trying to find the words.

“You don’t have to thank me,” he said quietly, still looking at you, then he flicked his eyes back to the road. “I know you said I owe you, but…I really do. I–I couldn’t stop thinking about you after we left the trailer. How fucked up everything was and how I didn’t get to say everything I wanted.”

You watched his profile, the strong line of his jaw, the way it ticked when he clenched his teeth and fought back the lump in his throat.

“I owe you a lot more. A lot more.”

“Steve–”

“No, I mean it,” throwing the BMW into park he turned to look at you again. "You've made me feel...so many things I didn't think were possible anymore and–god–I thought about losing you and I just..."

"I did too," you admitted to the dark and it pulled his gaze.

"You did?"

"Yeah, Steve. I think I–ouch," a sharp pain punched in you leg and you doubled over from the force of it.

“Wait. Are you hurt?”

You sucked in a breath and tried to sit back up, tried to play it off. "Yeah, I mean, aren’t we all?”

“No...your back," Steve ghosted a hand over the back of your vest and pulled his hand away damp with blood.

“I–the demobat–” stuttering over your words Steve didn’t let you finish and stumbled out of the car and around to your side to get you into the the house.

The Harrington’s place was out of a stupid catalogue. All the art, the vases, the plants and furniture – it all looked staged, not lived in. If you hadn’t felt like you wanted to throw up you would’ve lingered a bit longer in the entry, but Steve was pulling you up the stairs and you were too weak to fight it.

“Shower’s in here,” he said, opening the door to his parent’s room.

Exquisite sky lights cut large rectangles into the ceiling and washed the room in the dim, cool light of the moon above. A clearing in the smoke. Somehow his house hadn’t been swallowed up by the gashes in the earth. A large sleigh bed sat against the wall, a large painting of a garden hanging above it and two matching nightstands with lamps perched on either side. Nice, but cold. Not lived in.

Too busy looking around, Steve came back out of the master bath and called your name, but when you didn’t look he took the few steps to stand right in front of you.

Warm. Safe. Steve.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Sorry, uh–yeah, I'm okay.”

He looked at you, skeptical, but needed to gather more supplies and so didn’t push you on it.

“Alright, princess. I got the shower going in there, but don’t move too quick. Take it slow, one step at a time and I’ll be back with a towel and some bandaids.”

“Okay–”

“Seriously,” he said, “I mean it. Slow.”

“I will,” you insisted, a smile twitching at the corners of your lips and he gave you a little grin.

“Okay. Be right back.”

Even if he hadn’t asked you, you couldn’t go faster than one foot in front of the other. The pain was almost unbearable now, screaming all over your body and you didn’t know if you could handle a shower, but it wasn’t an option. Infection would finish off what the demobats couldn’t, and so, layer by layer, you pulled your clothes from your body.

Your jeans, your vest, your shirt, your socks, your shoes. All of it a muddied brown and red pile on the floor leaving you in your bra and underwear. Your back was burning, felt like fire and when you stepped into the shower expecting more pain, you found peace.

Carefully shuffling on the tile floor, the steam billowing up from the shower floor felt like it was swallowing you whole. Filled the air around you and made everything hazy. Made it feel otherworldly, like heaven, and as you stared you watched the water falling down your body turn rusty. Mixing with the dirt and ash and blood from your skin and carrying it down the drain. Washing away any remaining proof that interdimensional monsters are real and that you’d nearly died killing them. The only things left hinting at what had been life or death, would be all the little silvery scars after your wounds healed.

You turned the heat up and as more steam clouded the stall, you felt a warmth wrap itself around you. One that felt deeper than the hot water. Like a heavy cloak draping over you and you wanted to let it swallow you whole. Wanted to nestle into it and succumb to the deep, soft feeling it was pouring into you and your vision started to blur at the edges.

“Oh–” you half-gasped. Stumbled as the world swam in front of you. Pressed a hand heavy against the wall to steady yourself and your fingers slipped against the tile.

“Hey! Whoa, whoa, whoa–”

Suddenly someone was opening the shower, sucking out the steam, and a shock of cold air hit you as Steve filled the door frame.

“Shit, hang on–” he swore softly and stepped in with you still wearing his jeans and ripped up shirt. Water soaking him from head to toe, he gently looped an arm around your waist and held you steady. “I got you, I got you,” he said, voice barely above a whisper, and it pulled your gaze up.

Water clinging to your lashes, your lids were heavy as you blinked and when he finally came into focus it made your heart ache. A deep pinch between his brows, eyes searching yours and trying to work out what he needed to do to fix you. What he needed to do to keep you here.

God, he wanted to keep you.

“I’m fine,” you insisted weakly, pushing against him as your lips tried to twist into a scowl and it pulled a huff of a laugh from him.

“No, you’re not,” his tone was firm, but gentle. The rough pads of his fingers pressing into your side as he eased you onto the seat at the corner of the stall. Made doubly sure you weren’t going to fall and half-stepped back out onto the bathmat.

Shrugging off his shirt, he pulled it over his head and tossed it into the tub. Kicked off his wet Levis and left them in a pile on the floor. Grabbed a washcloth from the towel rack and stepped back in with you and closed the door behind him.

Kneeling, Steve sank down through the steam, putting himself at your height for once. Water running hot and soothing both of your aching bodies as he wetted the wash cloth. Then, pushing up on one knee, he started to gently scrub the dried blood from your forehead. Rinsed the cloth out and moved to your hand. Looked it over for any obvious wounds and softly cleaned the dirt from your palm. Then, satisfied with what he found under all the grime, he turned to your other hand. Moved up your arms and paid close attention to the cut on your right shoulder. Winced and snuck a glance at you when you sucked in a pained gasp through gritted teeth.

“Sorry,” he said and when he looked up at you it was a thousand sorry’s, so fucking sorry, and it made your chest ache. “Let me look at your back,” he said, standing to see the three nasty cuts across your skin there and he huffed a sigh. “These could be worse,” he assessed, shaking his head, “I’ll look in the light when you’re out.”

He bent back down and knelt in front of you again, water splashing against his back as he took your hand in his. He started up again at your feet. Skipped over the bruises on your shins and the angry-looking scrape on your left knee and as he gently shifted you to reach your upper leg, the water running off your body turned bright red.

“Oh shit..." he breathed, a deep frown pulling at his features as his eyes frantically searched for the source, worry tugging at the pit of his stomach. It couldn’t have been your back…where was it coming from?

And then he finally saw it. The nasty gash on your thigh courtesy of the same damn demobat as it dragged its claw down through your skin. “Christ,” he hissed under his breath, moving to let the water run over it, “We gotta clean this–”

“Fuck, Steve–” you choked out, the pain in your leg white hot as you pressed a hand heavy into his before he could use the washcloth. “It hurts,” you half-sobbed and he quickly blocked the shower with his back again.

“Shit–I’m sorry–dammit–” a string of curses fell from his lips as he leaned closer to get a better look.

The few seconds of water had done a good job of cleaning it up, but he could see now how deep it was. Probably needed stitches, just like his stomach would, and he squeezed his eyes shut for a minute.

It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay. We’ll be okay.

Pulling in a deep breath he went to the place in his mind he knew all too well. The one where he closed out the sick feeling of worry blooming in his chest, the thoughts of 'what if' that didn't end nicely and hardened against it all so that he could do what he needed to keep you safe.

“Alright, princess,” he reached over his shoulder and turned off the tap, then looked back up at you, still on his knees. “I gotta get you out and dried off, okay? Get this fixed up,” he said, nodding at your leg, “Will you let me do that?”

A soft scowl pulled at your features and it almost made him smile – how pretty you were even when you were mad. Even like this.

“I don’t think you’re gonna give me a choice,” you tried to snark around the sob in your throat and that finally cracked a tiny grin on his face.

“I’m not,” he gently agreed and with that you let him lift you from the seat. Let his hands, warm and wide at your waist, guide you from the shower and wrap a towel around your tired body.

Setting you at the edge of the sleigh bed, Steve dug around in the box of medical supplies he’d slowly put together during his time with the Upside Down. Bandages, rubbing alcohol, peroxide, antibiotic ointment, wraps, gauze–

“Steve,” you whispered and it pulled his gaze.

“What is it? Are you okay? Are you dizzy?”

You gave him a weak smile, “I promise I’m fine.” He nodded, not wholly believing you. “What is that for?” you asked, pointing at a needle and thread and his expression shifted.

“For cuts,” was all he could manage and it made your stomach lurch.

“Like mine?”

He chewed on his lower lip, fingers twisting the thread dipping through the eye of the needle. “Like yours,” he agreed quietly and you squeezed your eyes shut.

No. No, no, no. Not here. Not Steve.

“Hey, hey,” Steve pressed his hand into yours, warm and safe, “I promise it’s gonna be okay. Look, I’ve got my own shit I need to do too.” He moved his arm aside to show you the cut along his stomach from the lake gate. “See? Right?”

You were crying, but it was too quiet to really know and when Steve saw your tears silently slipping down your cheek he caught them with the pad of his thumb.

“I know how scary this is,” he finally said, voice a low vibration you could feel in your chest, reassuring and true, “But I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you. I swear.”

And the way he was looking at you was something you’d never seen from him before. Features pulled in pain, agony, but not from his wounds. Searching for something in your eyes he wasn’t sure of, but knew he’d find if he looked long enough and you lifted your hand to his over your cheek.

“Okay,” came out cracked, wobbly, crying, and he gave you the tiniest smile.

You watched as he pulled through a new line of thread, knotted the end and dipped the needle in rubbing alcohol and a wave of nausea crashed over you.

“Here,” Steve caught the look on your face, the way you were shaking, “Lie on your back and hold this to your face. Scream into it if you have to, okay? I’m going to go as fast as I can.”

He handed you a pillow and thank god because you were sure if you’d had to watch, you were going to pass out.

Doing as he asked, you laid back on the bed with the pillow pressed to your face, still only wearing your underwear and bra, and a thought struck you – if this had been literally any other time, what would Steve had said? Would he tell you how beautiful you looked? How he liked the lace trim across your bra straps? How he wanted to trace his finger along the hem of your panties? How–

“Oh, fuck–” slipped out of your mouth, muffled against the pillow, but you didn’t get a chance to finish because everything went black.

“Hey, hey! Oh, shit. Dammit. Princess? Are you with me?” Steve had just finished the first stitch when you suddenly went limp on the bed.

Quickly leaning up he put his ear to your chest for a heartbeat and heard a steady thum, thum, thum. Happy with that he sat back up and took even more solace in the even breaths falling from your lips.

“Sorry,” he whispered to you, “I didn’t do well with it the first time either.”

Then, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead he finished stitching up your leg. Cleaned up your back and applied a few bandages there where needed. It’d looked worse than it actually was, thank god. He pulled back the covers and lifted you up to the head of the bed and tucked you in, checking your breathing again to make damn sure.

He made quick work of stitching up his stomach. Pausing only a couple of times to swallow down his own nausea, and when he was done, he changed into a Hawkins Athletics shirt and shorts and crawled in next to you.

Despite the world on fire outside his window and despite the fact they couldn't find a body for Vecna, it was all okay for right now. In that moment. With you there in that room, hidden in the indigo shadows as he clicked off the light, promising he'd finish saying what he'd started in the car. And soon enough exhaustion claimed Steve too, pulling him into the same deep, dreamless sleep that you'd thankfully found.

[ NOTE: THIS IS PART FOUR OF A FIVE – POSSIBLY MORE – PART SERIES, PART FIVE TO COME SOON ]

crappymixtape™ • steve harrington masterlist // stranger things masterlist♥️ reblogs and comments keep me going, friends! ily! ♥️

[rottenpumpkin13]

Mass text from Director Lazard:

Attention! According to my sources, the Department of SOLDIER is getting a surprise inspection by the President in less than 2 hours. Please wear your uniforms (shirt included!) and be on your best behaviour. If you have to, you can use the storage room 4903, but please no human or animal corpses this time. Use the incinerator in R&D. Please remember to pick up all your belongings after the inspection, let's not traumatise our cleaning staff again.

The Fire Olympics scheduled for Saturday is an unofficial event and we are NOT going to mention it to the President.

Kind regards,

Lazard

Inspection Day

• Lazard sends the email, then casually goes back to work, reviewing some documents, the norm. The SOLDIERs are a handful, sure, but trusts his men. They're good people and that's why he's letting them have the fire olympics. After all, they deserve it. They've been on his best behavior lately and—why does he smell smoke and hear screaming?

• He gets up and rushes out into the main hallway.

• First thing he sees is Sephiroth running from a determined Angeal and four other SOLDIERs. Angeal has a uniform shirt in his hands and the others are all holding tranquilizer guns.

• Angeal is laughing manically while chasing him, screaming "HAHA WE GOT YOU NOW BITCH" and Sephiroth is heard replying with "I REFUSE. NEVER. OVER MY DEAD BODY."

• Genesis is crying. He's playing tug of war with his red coat while two 3rds try to wrestle it away from him.

SOLDIER: Commander, I understand why you're upset, but it's not part of the issued uniform!

Genesis: But I'm the Crimson Commander! The Red Mage of ShinRa! How else am I supposed to show that I'm special!?

• Meanwhile Kunsel stumbles out of Genesis's office looking dazed and petrified.

Kunsel: The amount of illegal shit in this man's office OH MY god. Zack! Hey Zack, help us drag some of this kerosene, gasoline, fireworks, Molotov cocktails, Dynamite, Sephiroth cardboard cutout filled with bullet holes, and what I hope isn't drugs down into the storage room...Zack? Zack, where are you going?

• Zack ignores him. He's holding a box of leashes and cages and looks as white as a sheet.

Zack, mumbling to himself: I knew this was going to happen one day. Okay, Zack, you got this. You got this, don't panic.

• And then Cloud stumbles out of Angeal's office holding a.... suspicious..plant.

Cloud: CODE RED. CODE FUCKING RED. HEWLEY HAD MARIJUANA IN HIS OFFICE.

• Angeal, who was passing by holding a struggling Sephiroth with duct tape over his mouth, stops cold in his tracks.

Angeal: I had WHAT in my office?

Genesis, hopeful: Oh! It grew!? <3

Angeal: YOU WERE GROWING WEED IN MY OFFICE???

• At that moment Zack walks buy with about 8 dogs on leashes and a cage under his arm that contains a feral hamster.

• But no one pays attention because Sephiroth has freed himself, tears away his shirt, and is running away screaming through his duct taped mouth.

• Angeal and the other SOLDIERs run after him, nearly crashing into a dispirited Roche coming in

Roche: Bad news, guys. How are we gonna cover the hole in the lounge wall from the time I drove through it on my bike?

• Zack walks buy with 3 pigs on leashes and an exotic bird on his shoulder.

• Angeal walks back in dragging Sephiroth. Sephiroth has his hands and feet bound. They put him in another shirt and are now left with the arduous task of tying his hair up.

Sephiroth: #$*@&!

Angeal: Woah! You kiss your mother with that mouth?

Sephiroth:

Angeal: Ah shit, man, sorry.

• Zack rides by on a horse.

• Genesis walks in wearing the standard SOLDIER uniform without his added accessories.

Genesis: No, no, noooo! I look so boring! How am I supposed to—ACK!

• Kunsel crashes through the ceiling and falls on top of Genesis. Genesis is now partially unconscious on the floor covered in white dust, and there is now a gaping hole in the ceiling.

• Kunsel: Guys, quick, someone help me burn these illegal documents I stole from the turks and was hiding in the vents!

• A few SOLDIERS run out of the elevator hacking and coughing with watering eyes.

Luxiere: Commander Rhapsodos's illegal items broke the incinerator.

• Zack runs by chasing 7 chickens.

• Cloud runs in.

Cloud: You're not gonna believe this! Remember the stolen materia the Turks were investigating a few months back? I found the stash here. The culprit is a SOLDIER!

Genesis: Well they're not going to confiscate MY loot!

Cloud: IT WAS YOU!?

• Zack passes by with what could potentially be all of the Chocobos in Midgar.

• Angeal finally gets Sephiroth into the complete, official SOLDIER uniform sans accessories. Sephiroth looks severely miffed and wants to run away, but Angeal is holding a tranquilizer gun.

• Zack walks by with an Alligator. It's notable to mention that the alligator has a name tag that reads Lacoste.

• And then Roche walks back in.

Roche: Im gonna pass out. Did you guys read the handbook? Article 38 says all SOLDIER operatives cannot have hair that exceeds 30 centimeters.

• Angeal looks at Sephiroth.

• Sephiroth looks at Angeal.

• Angeal pulls out a razor.

Sephiroth: OH NO YOU DON'T

• Both he and Roche run away screaming.

Genesis: Oh, I almost forgot about the stripper pole we installed in the gym. Better go take that down.

• Zack rushes by riding an ostrich.

Lazard: I'm going to get fired.

[randomfanner]

My Ramshackle Headcanons

if you haven’t seen the animated pilot for Ramshackle you should. It’s really good. These are just my headcanons based on the limited information we have. completely understand if you have your own these are just what I think and could easily be disproven.

headcanon number one that applies to all of them: all these mother fuckers have Autism or ADHD or both. Also I know they are referred to as kids a few times but I think they are more young adults. (Expect Stone, he is an ‘old’ man)

Stone(27ish)(He/They) - Demi-romantic and asexual - I think the alcohol he is drinking is vodka, because it is something strong enough for Molotov Cocktails. (And sometimes when he wants to fuck with people he will drink Vinegar) - He was actually part of the upper crust considering his more expensive habits he has picked up before meeting with the other two. I don’t think he left his family on the best of terms. - Keeps watch out during the night most often… probably after the others have gone to sleep. - Oldest in the group and the last one to actually join everyone else

Vinnie(24ish)(She/Her) - I have been describing her as a hungry battle whore lesbian and I don’t plan to stop any time soon. - Likely came from the orphanage and escaped or was kicked out due to constantly causing trouble. Not that she cared much. - She somehow is always showing up with mysterious bumps, bruises or cuts and whenever it is addressed she just shrugs and “I don’t know where it came from-“ - Literally never gets sick e v e r. She has an iron stomach and an iron immune system.

Skipp(25ish)(Look me dead in the eyes and tell me Skipp cares what pronouns you refer to him as. He doesn’t) - Pansexual because much like not carrying about what pronouns you use for him, he doesn’t care what gender you are! - Before running into Vinnie, he would get by playing music and getting tips. Never made all that much but will still sometimes do it. - Vinnie totally taught him the basics of how to fight on the streets after an unfortunate incident of someone trying to steal his fiddle and that is how they first meet. Now he can kick your ass. - if anyone in the cast has a living blood relative they get along with it is probably Skipp. However they probably aren’t doing much better.

[lubotomies]

Trick or treat!

Moho like literally everything she did

mohos literal entire reputation on my old blog when i was 13 i dedicated so much time in outing her gross bullshit and calling her out and whenever she would respond to me id go Omg stop interacting with me im literally a minor and youre a porn blog omg weirdo. Ok anyway heres a list of things moho did from the top of my head

said the n word albeit with the 'b' emojis because i guess she thought it didnt count then. also said the r slur. and many other slurs

wildly transphobic and transmisogynistic and had a 'drag' au where the entire thing was literally just el oh el men in dresses and also refused to draw trans characters when requested before caving and providing her followers with a literal caricature mocking trans men

had an orientalist islamophobic ~middle eastern~ au where tom was a belly dancer and matt was a sultan and tord was a street thief . Cool

had a whole age regression au that was supposed to be about tom age regressing due to trauma from seeing his pineapple father getting shot by a bear but mohos idea of age regression is literally physically transforming into a child and the other 3 were his caretakers except also he was in a relationship with them and called them daddy and stuff While, mind you, being a literal actual physical child

glorified EDs

every time she drew tamara black she would give her 0 black features EXCEPT give her big caricature lips . Like, cartoon fish lips. Ok

she had really scary kinks . Hope you understand

if you taught moho the metric OR imperial system i think shed actually explode because her perception of what a 2 inch height difference is is literally 2 ft

This is just from the top of my head . needless to say she was a card and scary and gross and weird but also she was literally everywhere all of the time and sometimes i see people in the modern community draw tord or edd the way she did and i get goosebumps and want to make a molotov cocktail

[hoodienanami]

r/punk is beyond parody

if it was 1977 or 1980, maybe you'd have a point. but its 2024. theres nothing radical or intimidating about the punk subculture to the mainstream culture or the government

the guy who got arrested the op is talking about got arrested for taking a picture of himself pretending to threaten a cop car with a fake molotov cocktail. no one is being arrested for being punk

[woomycritiques543]

maybe let actual trans people and gnc people say what they have an issue with instead of acting like…one episode of a cartoon on youtube that has people do drag is going to result in mass murder?

idk it’s just funny to me that you seem so upset over what you think episode 5 will be

Stereotypes have literally caused genocides in the past, multiple times! Jim Crow laws even came from stereotypes of people like me, people who are poc! Not just that, but the stereotypes being portayed in the newest episode, are the same stereotypes being used as an excuse to try to kill drag queens, and children, right now!

The episode is literally going to show Moxxie, in drag, as a "danger around children" by depicting him trying to harm someone in front of kids, the exact type of stereotypes that

When if the media stopped constantly representing drag queens as "a danger to children", would attacks like this would have happened?

Actually... NO! Because this happened because of generations of misrepresentation, generations of public misinformation.

This isn't about "this makes this happen". It's about representation. -and the fact that so many of you forget what representation is to benefit a cartoon made by a cis white passing woman is actually disgusting. This episode literally has stereotypes that can and will cause more problems for the lgbt+ community, same for how Angel Dust caused more people to sexualize gay men being molested because of people like Ralphielle, same for how the pilot and episode 4 of S2 caused more people to say the r slur. This shit effects people, universally, it's not a "you have to be ___ to see that something is causing issues" ordeal. Misrepresentation is a universal problem that effects literally all minorities, all of us! Drag queens being misrepresented as a "danger around kids" is why the laws trying to ban them are happening... in the first place! Representation effects the reputation of us all! So speculation or not, do I, and multiple people from the trans community who have now said the same thing, have a right to be concerned? Yes! Yes, we all do, stop gatekeeping because you want to get off to Moxxie's femininity. It's gross, and people do have a right to be concerned.

Stereotypes are not "harmless". They effect all of us, the more stereotypes show trans women as a "danger" to kids in the bathroom, the more that drag queens are seen as a "danger around kids." The more that black lives are seen as "savages." The more that people who are disabled are seen as "stupid and useless". All of the stereotypes in Helluva Boss are stereotypes created from generations of oppresion. None of this is "ok."

There are literal threads about stereotypes like this being wrong everywhere. This isn't "for" me to "look good online/white knight", that would involve making assumptions with no other says.

This is for them, to say what they've all been saying now for DECADES! Trans lives are not "a danger to kids", these stereotypes need to stop, not just for their safety, but for the safety of all the lgbt+ community against conservative stereotypes!

EDIT:

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL!

-and just to make it worse:

They even had the violence be done to the ONLY DARK SKINNED KID IN THE ENTIRE EPISODE!

HOLY SHIT Vivienne, this is some of the most unsubtle version of queerphobia in a cartoon that I have ever seen. Literally, all the episode does is fetishize Moxxie for being in drag, while he's meant to be disguised as a minor, while also literally, having even worse since Moxxie here isn't depicted as being a danger "around" kids like I thought he would be- he's a danger TO them! Which is even worse!

Because this year, an entire church full of children was attacked by transphobes for these exact assumptions about the drag community! These stereotypes have now gone too far, way too far, and now I wish that I begged harder for this episode to be post ponned because THIS YEAR Florida is planning to even cause physical harm to the drag community- for these exact stereotypes, that were originally created by conservatives... in the first place!

The Helluva Boss fandom even called the trans genocide "GOOD LAWS!" THEY'RE NOT EVEN BEING SUBTLE WITH THEIR TRANSPHOBIA ANYMORE!

This is literally how Vivziepop stans responded to my post trying to warn Spindlehorse to post pone this episode- they aren't just transphobic, Vivziepop stans actually want the trans community dead.

THIS EPISODE IS LITERALLY CAUSING MORE PEOPLE TO WANT THE TRANS COMMUNITY TO BE KILLED BY THESE LAWS! THIS IS A REAL FUCKING ORDEAL AND WE NEED TO STOP NORMALIZING THE STEREOTYPES IN THIS SHOW BEFORE THINGS GET ANY MORE OUT OF HAND!

Look. Stop turning your heads away and look at the harm the stereotypes from this show have now caused!

Again, for the last time, actually read my posts because so many of you said "But it's not going to be-" while not even looking at the previews, what I wrote, or anything! For fucks sake- Stop excusing Helluva Boss's stereotypes just because you want more episodes of a cartoon. These fictional characters are not more important than real people! It's a public show, and conservatives can and will see this episode it weaponize the imagery as a means to cause harm to us, the exact same way 4chan did so after episode 3 of S2. This shit is really getting out of hand. Which is all the reason why that my video on the Sallie May controversy will be released, Vivziepop will be held accountable, and I will make sure that not a single piece of vital info is excluded from that video in question.

[nonsense-writer-sorted]

<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3

Intro / Tags / Sorting

<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3 [it's a looong post, help.]

[For tags] Block what you need to! <3

[Intro]

-------------- ~ABOUT ME~ -------------- Names: - Dingo / Dell / Dillon / Mundy My pronouns: - He/him | They/Them | Any masc/neutral -'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'- Interests:

Writing, Drawing, Team fortress 2, TF classic, Animation, music creation, Skyrim, Archery, mechanical engineering, and learning languages.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'- TF2 TAGS BLU - B🟦 RED - R🟥 Scout - 👟Scout⚾ Soldier - 🎇Solly🦅 Pyro - ⚠Pyro�� Demo - 💥Demo💣 Heavy - 👊Heavy🥪 Engineer - 💛Engie🌾 Medic - 💉Medic✂ Sniper - 🤎Sniper🌲 Spy - 🗡Spy💖

TF2 SHIP TAGS SAME CHAR. SHIPS [Ex: Scout/Scout or Medic/Medic] - [whatever ship tag] +# 💫doubled💫 OFFENSE: Scout ⚾ Scout x Scout - 🍗headache⚾ Scout x Soldier - ⚾batting Helmet🦅 Scout x Pyro- ⚾flash fire🔥 Scout x Demo- ⚾hop scotch💣 Scout x Heavy- ⚾heavy hitters👊 Scout x Engineer- ⚾run n gun🌾 Scout x Medic- ⚾quickfix💉 Scout x Sniper- ⚾speeding bullet🌲 Scout x Spy- ( ಠ_ಠ) - no.

Soldier 🦅

Soldier x Scout - ⚾batting Helmet🦅 Soldier x Soldier - 🎇screamin' eagles🦅 Soldier x Pyro- 🦅fire works🔥 Soldier x Demo- 🦅boots n bombs💣 Soldier x Heavy- 🦅cold war👊 Soldier x Engineer- 🦅rocket science🌾 Soldier x Medic- 🦅liberty cabbage💉 Soldier x Sniper- 🦅american aviators🌲 Soldier x Spy- 🦅freedomfries🗡

Pyro🔥

Pyro x Scout - ⚾flash fire🔥 Pyro x Soldier - 🦅fire works🔥 Pyro x Pyro- ⚠twin flames🔥 Pyro x Demo- 🔥molotov cocktail💣 Pyro x Heavy- 🔥toasted sandvich👊 Pyro x Engineer- 🔥molten metal🌾 Pyro x Medic- 🔥burn ward💉 Pyro x Sniper- 🔥bushfire🌲 Pyro x Spy- 🔥frenchtoast🗡

DEFENSE: Demo 💣 Demo x Scout - ⚾hop scotch💣Demo x Soldier - 🦅boots n bombs💣Demo x Pyro- 🔥molotov cocktail💣Demo x Demo- 💥double dynamite💣 Demo x Heavy- 💣big bang👊 Demo x Engineer- 💣short fuse🌾 Demo x Medic- 💣jaegerbombs💉 Demo x Sniper- 💣swordvan🌲 Demo x Spy- 💣bomb voyage🗡

Heavy 👊

Heavy x Scout - ⚾heavy hitters👊Heavy x Soldier - 🦅cold war👊Heavy x Pyro- 🔥toasted sandvich👊Heavy x Demo- 💣big bang👊Heavy x Heavy - 🥪cold war👊 Heavy x Engineer- 👊heavy metal🌾 Heavy x Medic- 👊birds n bears💉 Heavy x Sniper- 👊vegemite sanvich🌲 Heavy x Spy- 👊spoovy🗡

Engineer🌾

Engineer x Scout - ⚾run n gun🌾 Engineer x Soldier - 🦅rocket science🌾 Engineer x Pyro- 🔥molten metal🌾 Engineer x Demo- 💣short fuse🌾 Engineer x Heavy- 👊heavy metal🌾 Engineer x Engineer- 💛more gun🌾 Engineer x Medic- 🌾glasses n goggles💉 Engineer x Sniper- 🌾trucks n vans🌲 Engineer x Spy- 🌾practical espionage🗡

SUPPORT: Medic 💉 Medic x Scout - ⚾quickfix💉 Medic x Soldier - 🦅liberty cabbage💉 Medic x Pyro- 🔥burn ward💉 Medic x Demo- 💣jaegerbombs💉 Medic x Heavy- 👊birds n bears💉 Medic x Engineer- 🌾glasses n goggles💉 Medic x Medic - ✂double dose💉 Medic x Sniper- 💉bush meds🌲 Medic x Spy- 💉gentle surgery🗡

Sniper🌲

Sniper x Scout - ⚾speeding bullet🌲 Sniper x Soldier - 🦅american aviators🌲 Sniper x Pyro- 🔥bushfire🌲 Sniper x Demo- 💣swordvan🌲 Sniper x Heavy - 👊vegemite sanvich🌲 Sniper x Engineer- 🌾trucks n vans🌲 Sniper x Medic- 💉bush meds🌲 Sniper x Sniper - 🤎shoot first🌲 Sniper x Spy- 🌲bloody suit🗡

Spy🗡

Spy x Scout - 'again, no. thought u were gettin lucky eh? This ain't it bubs.' Spy x Soldier - 🦅freedomfries🗡 Spy x Pyro- 🔥frenchtoast🗡 Spy x Demo- 💣bomb voyage🗡 Spy x Heavy- 👊spoovy🗡 Spy x Engineer- 🌾practical espionage🗡 Spy x Medic- 💉gentle surgery🗡 Spy x Sniper- bloody suit🗡 Spy x Spy - 💖information sellers🗡

COLOUR TAGS Warm colours - 🧡warm🧡 Cold colours - 💙cold💙 Nuetral colours - 💚nuetral💚

OTHER TAGS Suggestive - [general tags] + ❗cw❗+❗suggestive❗ Stimboards - 🌟stimboard🌟 Self-shipping / OC x cannon / etc - 🌲love🌲 Icons / PFPs - 🔸icons🔶 Saving - 🔹save🔹 Art - 🎨art ref/tips/etc🎨

[TO BE ADDED] -'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'- <3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3-<3

[haircoveredwriter]

Episode 1x04 thoughts

This episode wasn't one of my favorites, not horrible, a decent episode in itself but it felt as though it fell prey to a few of the issues similar ones in s11 of TWD did. I'll get in to those later but first we'll put the usual page break for those who don't want any spoilers.

First the aspects I did enjoy:

After taking a swim in walker-infested waters post his ceiling crash like a drunk Mary Poppins (you're welcome for the reference lol), Daryl strolls through Paris trying to get his bearings and comes to see an older couple inside a house, having tea (perhaps). The woman caresses the side of the man's face across the table which causes Daryl to pause, appearing to be lost in reflection before looking down briefly lost in a memory, only moving on once the nearness of walkers is apparent. Now who is the only person/woman who Daryl has ever stroked the face of/had his face stroked by?? I'll give you 3 guesses but anyone with a brain doesn't need that many and in case you've been living under a rock, please refer to my previous precious gifs post.

Later we get to see Daryl-of-old while he's beating a prisoner he and Isabelle took in hopes of finding Laurent. Having him go back to his early TWD season story-telling ways was lovely while also mixing it with the depraved Dixon he learnt to be from his upbringing meshed very well. (Basically Daryl wanted to create his own R-rated version of "Babe"). He must have read some anatomy books over the years to know where to cause the most damage without hitting vital organs.

Fallou's group using Molotov cocktails during their assault on Quinn's place is something I've been waiting for someone to do in the ZA! Like, seriously! Who wouldn't be using mini firebombs at this point when supplies are low and it keeps you at a distance from your opponent? It's just good sense imo.

Norman and the show itself did a very good job again pointing out that there is nothing going on shippy-wise between Daryl and Isabelle. (I know many a worried about it but there was nothing there from my standpoint) Daryl looked honestly uncomfortable when Isabelle hugged him, returning it lightly after a beat or two but happy to break away to continue looking at anything else afterwards. We also got Isabelle's own words that she has no romantic feelings for Daryl but simply concern for his wellbeing. When you watch the scene, they have Sylvie asking (a young girl who only now has her first ever crush but knows nothing of love) who is not equipped enough in life to be able to discern anything different.

Daryl's expression looking at the mini Statue of Liberty made me smile as well. Knowing he's getting closer to getting home, no matter what other tasks people throw at him, and getting back to his person would make anyone happy.

Overall the episode sets up the plot for the remaining 2 installments, getting us where we need to be for certain other aspects to take place. (Gonna let that be for the moment until the next ones drop 😉)

What I didn't like:

The pacing seemed quite slow and the story arc pretty much went in a circle, finally reaching an end point which we realistically could have gotten in 10 mins of another ep. Several points of the episode felt contrived just to fill up space before they could move on to a main bullet point in the story. (This was my main issue with a fair number of s11 TWD eps).

Isabelle's lack of any fighting skill is really getting on my nerves. How has she survived this long? The answer is probably by making things up and having others protect her/do her dirty work and other not so nice things so I'll relent. I haven't seen worse stabby abilities since early on in TWD ... again, yes I am not gonna say anything if I can't say anything nice.

Why'd they do pigeon man like that?!😒

Genet is equally as concerned about finding a man who blew a hole in her years-long-prepped boat as she is a kid who gives people hope? Mmmkay.

Regardless of it all I am excited for next week. It's gonna be great. Trust me.

[askaniritual]

i actually have been trying to figure out how to talk abt this for a while because i feel like i see a real disconnect between the concept of dave as somebody who makes music and like. the kind of music that a 14 year old aspiring rapper/dj living in houston, tx in 2009 would actually be listening to or inspired by lmfao.

like so many fanworks say dave is like working on his music or whatever and not to throw a molotov cocktail into this whole enterprise but like. what do you guys think dave is rapping about. because i will be real with you guys i get the sense a lot of ppl r picturing like. porter robinson or something when they imagine the kind of music dave is making

[reachartwork]

i love... worldbuilding!

[redjaybathood]

The We are Robin movement could fit perfectly into both UTRH and Battle for the Cowl in terms of world building but would so radically change the stories in question its wild.

Okay, I see what you mean, but consider this: WAR first appearing during, well, War Games would be also very apt.

Dre Cipriani is an orphan of a mafia family. Izzy Ortez is someone who got backlash after refusing to join a gang - and a conflict with her brother who did join. Duke's parents - one of whom is a first respnoder, and the second is social worker - suddenly disappear as the city is thrown into chaos. Daxton Chill is very disturbed by appearance of a gang called Jokers - even as Joker himself is not heard from for quite some time. Riko and Troy get into it when their school is attacked by men gung ho on gunning down an upperclassman, and so the duo, in turn, throw Molotov cocktails on their car, trying to give Darla time to run (unfortunately, it only gives her so much time as to be assassinated in a classroom instead of a school hall). Shug-R gets into it by deleting footage with Riko and Troy on it, and deleting them from school files, so they won't be found by gangsters.

They maybe don't defeat Black Mask, but. Duke finds his parents, Dre discovers why his parents were killed, Izzy saves her brother, Dax finds out who put Jokers up to it in the absence of actual Joker, Riko meets Batgirl, and Troy is just chilling. Doesn't blow up either.

By flapping the butterfly wings, We Are Robins prevent Orpheus from going into Black Mask's trap - and Steph went after Orpheus too, so Sionis is not getting his hands on her either. So - there's no such thing as Black Mask disguised as Orpheus finding out Batman's plan. Gangs are united under Orpheus pretty peacefully. GCPD arrests them. No riots, no escalation, no Clock Tower blowing up unless Black Mask is going to do it himself.

Which he tries to do, but Spoiler and We are Robins stop him. The end.

As for the UtRH, so if there's - look, so the assumption above is Jason killed Joker offscreen, and Black Mask paid to create Jokers for even more chaos and destruction, to distract vigilantes from seeing the pattern, the bigger picture. He's a clown because they're exactly how Robins find him out. But anyhow. I know I did it like this because I need a reason for Dax to be included but here it is. Jason put Joker under ground off screen. He's like. Stable and shit. He's staying the hell away from Gotham. No UtRH. And seeing as the massive losses both in people killed, arrested, property destroyed or sized, post-War Games Gotham is very much a different landscape here. Bruce lobbies for changing the way city institutions work, giving young people better opportunities for school and higher education studies, or professional education, more employment - lemme be clear, it's not him personally sponsoring the students and personally hiring them to Wayne Enterprise, but the city. He's just lobbying the changes. He's lobbying not just politicians and officials, but also business. Educated employees are more productive employees. And healthy employees, employees with enough (paid!) rest, with childcare. Anyhow. Gotham is going like Scandinavic model +/-. It helps that businesses and business owners who are too stubborn to keep up with the times - there's someone who hostile takeovers them. Or they are just losing their business. Or arrested for tax evasion. Unknown to each other at first, it's not only Bruce who's after it but also Talia al Ghul. So Bruce's main focus is on economy of Gotham and its institution. He's not being Batman anymore.

So yeah, Jason is staying the hell away. Somewhere on a beach. Meditating and doing yoga.

As for the rest: It's not that there's suddenly no crime, but it's different crime. Cass is on it. Although Barbara - despite the Clock Tower not being blown up - left to found Birds of Prey with Black Canary, Cass is assisted by Shug-R on the comms and computers. And Robins are officially taken under her bat-wing. They didn't disband completely - no way in hell Riko would lose on a chance to work with Batgirl! The Batgirl, for her! Duke, while he found his parents, still needs to figure out who poisoned them with Joker toxin and how to cure them. Izzy is trying to escape her mom. Dre wants to do good things to compensate for the things his parents did. Dax is in for the friends he made along the way. Troy, as usual, is just chilling. Spoiler is with them all the way, too, struggling to redeem herself for the failed plan.

At the same time, Tim joins up with Titans - it doesn't matter much, Gotham has its share of Robins. He's basically redunant there, while larger scale threats are more suitable for him, so he's like, a little bitter? But he deals and doesn't throw tantrums like with Damian.

Hmmm Bruce with his main battlefield being the market, and basically no time for Batman - well, he technically is on call for big scale threats Justice League deals with. But. They don't need him when they confront Darkseid because there's a guy who showed up kinda out of nowhere and assists them. The guy has no code name, his suit is... pretty much just basic armor and a red helmet. Although good armor. And he has moves on him, and good, quick thinking. He fills in the Batman niche in their group pretty nicely. The only one who knows his identity is Green Martian because he read his mind - the guy asked him to - and he was surprised, a bit distrubed, but he gave the go ahead for the rest of them to work with this guy. So that's what they do.

And, okay, so the confrontation with Darkseid ends with his defeat but not before the guy is hit with omega beam. He desintigrates before everyone's eyes, and Green Martian is - fuck. I need to tell Batman. Do I need to tell Batman? I have to, but I really, really don't want to.

But he goes. And tells Batman. That his dead son rose from the grave, and got himself killed again while helping them to deal with Darkseid. Batman goes nuts! He's like - no, that can't be true, but he checks the grave, and it's empty. He goes to Talia, or Talia gets the wind of it and finds him - and basically confirms it. And then he goes even more mad and insists that Jason Todd is not dead (again).

It will turn out that he's right - eventually. And while he's looking for his dead-alive son, he finds a very unexpected person who helps him, just a little guy but very misterious and full of knowledge of art and history which comes handy. And he's an ace with a sword. Bruce doesn't get why the kid is hanging out with him and basically his instincts are screaming to adopt him. He doesn't bring it up for some time because he's afraid to scare him away. The little dude, on his side, doesn't get why he's so freaking out about his former son. Didn't he dissapoint him? And Bruce is like - no, no kids of mine could ever dissapoint me so much I wouldn't want them back in my life. That's what being a parent is. And at some point, he finds out that this little dude is Damian. Who was heavily influenced by his grandfather, to the point when Talia decided to get out and take him to Gotham - he refused to go with her. She said that as long as he's ready, he can come to her, that she will take care of their future home for him, so that their lives will be more peaceful. But Damian is like, just got through his year of blood, and he realizes the fucked up nature of it all, and he's like - he's ashamed to desire safety, family, find his father. So that's the reason he didn't tell Bruce who he is and just helped him and traveled with him in incognito, trying to get at least some crumbs of his father.

So yeah, long story short, they bond, Bruce explains to him that no matter what he did before, it won't even make Bruce love him less, please come home with him when they find his older brother... So basically, Bruce adopts his own biological son.

And eventually, with their help, Jason Todd is brought back from the times, where - may I add - he kinda becomes responsible for the legend of Robin Hood, as in a prototype. But that' not here no there. And after he's brought back, he kinda visits Gotham? To see the big changes? And it would be rude to ditch Damian just after he helped to save him. And it would be nice to visit Talia. So - he visits Gotham, but he doesn't stay for long. He continues to unexpectedly assisst some heroes here and there, around the world, that's basically his main thing now. Like with Roy Harper and time traveling to save his daughter. Or Artemis Grace and finding her relique.

Main thing, there's no Battle for the Cowl. In Gotham, there's no Batman, but there's also no other Bat figure except Cass, so that's who gets called Batman, it's not like she woke up one day and started to call herself that - it's the people she protected. R-iko still remains her loyal fan, though. Duke discovers his powers and becomes Signal. Steph continues to rock it as Spoiler because you don't mess with perfection. Dre-b-Robin, Draxatax, Troy Wonder, Shug-R, they keep their aliases. So Damian is the only Robin-Robin among WAR collective. So there's no war betweeen them either. They deal with the Court of Owls together - Nightwing, Red Robin (Jason Todd, by the way!) and Robinman (I'm sorry, it's all I could think of for Tim) all come to assist.

I hope I didn't forget anyone.

[certifiedgoofball]

waterball :3

earthball :3

airball :3

F I R E B A L L > : 3

i think using fireball to create a molotov cocktail would be like the ultimate Fireball

[jouissanceangel]

Dear CREEM:

its three in the morning. shot up with wild turkey. barbecue bob on hifi. jimmy reed on radio. danger zone just around the corner. somebody threw a molotov cocktail and blew up the block. an hour with keith richards will do. please tell tony glover, wonder where he is tonight, maybe pulling the harps outta the ole leather bag. playing along with ole sonny stereo. really liked that blues 72 piece. tony gets sharper and real razor tongue. thanks for tony.

ps. thanks for r. Meltzer pss. WARNING, leave dylan alone. thats for you lester you pigfucker. love you love your dog but leave dylan to the ones who really love him.

psss. (piss) yes I was born in Chicago. patti smith america (the country not the group)

1973 CREEM letter to the editor (Lester Bangs) from Patti Smith

[erisolkat]

steven king truly is the capitalism of the writing world. he churns out slop at breakneck speeds then holds his productivity over everyone elses heads. on the other hand george r r martin is the poser twitter and tumblr anarchists who dont vote and daydream about throwing molotov cocktails through windows but dont actually do any community action and dont even volunteer of the writing world

[automatismoateo]

Evangelical Trump supporter throws Molotov cocktail into the window of donut shop that held a drag show Tulsa USA via /r/atheism

Evangelical Trump supporter throws Molotov cocktail into the window of donut shop that held a drag show, Tulsa USA https://youtube.com/shorts/7o2Ye1sQ9TE?si=oG-n5E8EbQcJaj_Z Submitted December 27, 2023 at 07:51PM by ISHIPKSIANDSIMON (From Reddit https://ift.tt/jWOnQUq)