#CLAUDIA GIRL THIS IS NOT THE POWERS TESTING YOU IT IS THEM TELLING YOU TO MOVE ON

[a-very-sparkly-nerd]

"Stayed Gone" from hh playing every time Virus is onscreen

[murdockdevil-goooonnne]

if you'd like.

prompt: you can stay here if you'd like who: claudia dardashti (oc) x ma.tt mur.dock (da.rede.vil c*mic au) note: i felt like writing them after reading 'the death of dd' and couldn't get them out of my head.���🏽‍♀️it's 3:17am and i only checked over this once. we die and post like men, i guess? it's in matt's point of view. i just had an idea and rolled with it.

“You can stay here, if you’d like,” Claudia says in her soothing voice, her accent music to his ears as he focuses on the sound of it and it alone. 

There’s silence between them as it begins to snow after she speaks, and he stands at the front of the expensive Manhattan building she calls a temporary home. He can’t see it, but the area reeks of cologne and perfume that costs more than his rent and the heels that hit the pavement before it began to snow sound more expensive than the suit he wore to special court cases. 

Claudia, though she might say she fits in this world, due to how she dresses and the sophisticated air she brings into a room whenever she walks into it, Matt knows she’s more down to Earth than she’s willing to admit and on firmer ground than most of the rich people he meets in places like this. 

And the fact that she’s letting him stay at her place is a relief, but at the same time, the very idea of staying in this world and possibly running into her parents or her siblings makes him uneasy. 

The snow makes his radar senses absolutely useless and he could run into someone like Fisk, who has it out for Daredevil, or someone who just hates him as Matt, if he were to try and make it on his way home alone though. Which leads him to just do as he typically does and ignore the uneasy feeling and run head first into the uneasy situation just to see what would happen. 

He does not answer her, just nods his head, then loops his arm in hers in order to let her guide him. Though she knows about his radar sense, and though he can maneuver his way through a building on his own, it’s always nice when Claudia is closeby and willing to be touched – considering sometimes she has an aversion to it, due to her childhood and the many tests she had to go through, due to her powers, and her father’s curiosity about those powers.

“You know, I thought you were going to leave the moment I asked you to stay,” Claudia admits to him as they walk over what appears to be a carpet. Matt can’t tell the color, but it’s thick against his shoes. “Ever since we had that talk about exes, you kept avoiding me. The fact that you wanted to walk me home made me think I was on someone’s shit list.” An awkward laugh from her, an even more awkward laugh from Matt. “But like I said, I can’t die. And if anyone tried to get into my head, I’m pretty sure they’d have the worst headache imaginable, they’d throw up for several hours, or worse — depending on the attack.”

Matt isn’t assured by her words because her steady heartbeat is a little faster than usual, and he knows she can die, it’s just a matter of figuring out how to keep her dead. And if someone really wanted to keep her out of his life, they could easily do worse things like bury her alive, or throw her into the ocean that she loves so much and just let her die over and over again. The idea hurts, because it’s a possibility. Matt shakes it though as he keeps walking, his hand gently squeezing her arm.

 “I was avoiding you. I talked to Foggy though and he told me I can’t keep running away from my problems. I can’t promise you’ll be safe, and you can’t promise me you will be either, Cloud. But I want to see where this takes us. You and me..” 

They reach an elevator, because there’s a small group of people nearby. They smell like fresh laundry and one person smells like they work near a bakery or in one. A child is nearby too and he can sense Cloud’s body going rigid as she likely thinks of her own child. She smiles at the child though, because the girl tells her that her outfit is pretty. And though Matt can’t see the outfit, the material is soft and has the perfect amount of stitching, and to him it feels pretty, so he’d have to agree. 

When they’re in the elevator alone, he hears her press the button that signifies what he assumes is the top floor. “Top Suite, Cloud?” He teases. “High maintenance, much?” 

She elbows him, then kisses him behind his ear, making his worries melt away a little but also somehow making him feel more guilty about dragging her into his mess of a life. So far she’s yet to reply to what he’s told her, so he assumes he’ll have to wait until they reach her home. 

They reach her home after a little more walking. “Sorry if it smells a little…”

“...Like the ocean…mixed with cinnamon and lavender. Not a smell I thought would smell great, but it is incredibly you.” Matt admits to her, when she lets go of his arm and closes and locks the door behind them. 

She takes off her coat, then takes off his; even though he didn’t need any help doing so – and likely just to be polite. Everything is spaced out, but the place isn’t incredibly minimalistic from what he can tell. Though he is unable to see it, there is character to it, just as there is personality to Claudia.  

Gently, she takes his hand and guides him to a loveseat that is as soft as her clothing of choice, and he sits when she does. She then takes off her heels and finally begins to speak. “I want to make this work this, too, Matt. See where this goes. I have horrible issues with the people I care about dying or worse,as well — it’s not just you with the killer heart. I’m taking a big leap here by letting you in. But at least I’m putting in the effort.”

This is the most honest she’s been with him in some time. This is the most open she’s been with him since his accident, and the most open anyone’s been with him since he broke up with Kirsten in the worst way possible, instead of owning up to his own shit. 

“I noticed. Which is why I made the effort to walk you home, even when I knew it was going to snow and knew you didn’t need anyone to walk you,” he says, hand on her knee. 

She gives him a kiss on the cheek. “I can handle myself – remember that, okay?” She runs her hand up his arm. “I’ve handled my own bullshit way before I re-met you, I’ll be okay. I used to kill people, remember?” A soft hum when he believes she’s giving him a smile, and her heart is more relaxed. He’s going to say more, but then she says something that catches him off guard – or more off guard than the comment about killing, even though that hadn’t been something she had made a choice to do.  “So – what do you think of my place? Too snooty for you?” she asks animatedly. He’s a little caught off guard by the change in tone but it’s fine, he'll play along. The big smirk on his face shows he will. “Will you be mad if I tell you the truth?” 

“Tread wisely, Devil Man…” she expresses with a fake scolding tone, right before sitting in his lap and kissing him until he’s out of breath. 

[yurtletheturtlehenderson]

S.T. REWRITE - S2:E9; Chapter Nine, The Gate - [Pt. 6 - FINAL PART]

A Will Byers x Reader Series

The survivors turn up the heat on the monstrous force that's holding Will hostage, and Y/n's powers are put to the ultimate test in the process. Eleven makes plans to finish what she started.

A/n: your snowball outfit is completely up to you since everyone is different. IF you need ideas, I have a pinterest board you can look at if you want. My username is the same as my Tumblr, which is in my description. Also, I was wrong again, THIS is the longest chapter. Happy reading!

We’re finally here!!

Ps: you think this chapter is cute jUST WAIT FOR COSMIC 3 🤭😉☺

||3rd Person POV||

"Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock,"

The light and blithe tune of Bobby Helms' classic, 'Jingle Bell Rock' fills the Hawkins Middle School gym as everyone prepares for the annual Snow Ball. A mix of faculty and volunteers are spread across the gym hanging decorations, including Mr. Clarke who finishes hanging the large banner reading; Hawkins Middle Snow Ball '84.

"Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time,"

The Byers house is once more filled with soft music and laughter, smiles are worn by all. In the time of Will's recovery, everyone had been ecstatic to find his memories promptly returned to him. The dark fog over his brain had been cast away, returning to him all his forgotten memories.

Many new drawings hung on the fridge mixed in with older ones, one, in particular, sat front and center for all to see. None more proud to see it than Joyce who had wrapped her son in a tearful hug upon seeing it. It was a bright and smiling picture of Bob in the classic Superman pose, a bright red cape flying behind him and written boldly beneath were three words; Bob Newby Superhero.

"Yeah, you got it. See?" Joyce says, a big smile evident in her voice.

"Mom!" Will pleas, thoroughly embarrassed.

There's another beat of silence as Joyce dances around the living room with her son, a smirking Jonathan off to the side filming.

"Jingle bell, jingle bell Jingle bell rock,"

The two bounce across the floor as he gets used to the rhythm, short bursts of frustrated muttering under his breath do not go unnoticed by his mother.

"Will, honey," she smirks knowingly when he worriedly meets her eyes. "You're doing fine."

He tries to shake the nerves away, and the rising blush attempting to make an appearance. He tries to take his mind off his anxieties and redirects his attention to his older brother. Jonathan seemed intent on getting every angle, and it only put Will on edge further despite the small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. After all, it wouldn't be Jonathan if he wasn't trying to document everything.

Still, Will quirks a brow, trying to sound as polite as possible.

"Do you always have to be filming everything?" He asks.

"No, no," Jonathan chuckles, peeking out from behind the camera's scope to smirk at his brother. "Just the good stuff."

Will's eyes flicker from their bouncing feet and his hand on his mother's arm, the other in her hers, unsure. All week he had been racked with nerves as the Snow Ball got closer, not to mention how uptight he had felt all of that day.

Will wanted his dance with Y/n to be perfect.

He had decided early on he would ask her to dance, no matter how nervous he got. After she had saved him, things had been... different between them. They were both a bit of a blushy mess, but never said or did anything about it given Will's recovery. Something had already changed between them when he was rescued from the Upside Down. Since she kissed him on the cheek. But again, both of them had been too scared to do anything, or Dustin, Mike, or Lucas would interrupt before something could happen.

But now? The Snow Ball? Everyone had decided to go as a group, so they would meet up there anyway. But Will decided he couldn't hide it much longer, and he had hopeful suspicion she felt a similar way. So he planned on changing everything tonight.

But none of that put any of his nerves at ease.

What if she said no? Or worse, what is she said yes? And then he would be dancing like this with her and no one else would be, and she'd laugh.

"Are you sure people still dance like this?" Will asks finally.

"Yeah," Joyce shrugs, still bouncing them around the room. "It's what's happenin'."

He looks to her expectantly, only to see her smirking at him. Confused, but allowing himself to feel a bit hopeful, he looks to Jonathan past the camera. Unknowingly, his mother keeps her smirk screwed on her face as her eyes follow Will's.

"Is it what's happenin'?"

Jonathan shrugs, going along with the charade. "Yeah, yeah, it's what's happenin'."

Will lets out his arm, allowing his mother to duck and twirl. She unravels in step, spreading out her arms in a big show and a proud smile before returning to her son's arms.

"That was good," she cheers. "That was good, very good."

Will relaxes, nodding to himself and returning his attention to where he steps.

"Hey," she says softly, bringing his head up to look at her. She grins sweetly, her eyebrows shooting up. "You two are gonna have fun, I know it,"

Jonathan can't stop the chuckle before it breaks loose, and hides behind the JVC as Will turns pink.

"Mom!"

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The shutter of Karen Wheeler's polaroid camera hooks sharply into Mike's ears as does the blinding white light of the camera's flash that blinds him. The freshly printed polaroid falls to the ground and she quickly grabs it.

"Oh, wait!" She orders to a stiff and uncomfortable Mike who stands at the end of the stairs in a tie and sweater vest.

"Alright, that's enough," he huffs, hand still on the banister.

"One more, okay?" She pleas. "Just one more."

"Why?"

She grins proudly behind her camera and coos. "You look so handsome."

"Mom!"

"Mike." She retaliates, cheerfully.

The shutter clicks, grabbing another picture of Mike. This time, a pouty and exhausted expression on his face instead of a flat and embarrassed one.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Hey... wanna dance?"

Lucas shakes his head, hands on his hips as he tries to clear his head. He stands before his mirror, working through his nerves as he practices asking Max to dance. He felt a little silly doing it, but he deemed it necessary it if meant he was more prepared to dance with the girl who made his heart skip a beat.

"We should, you know, get out there, like, do our thing... Stop," he tells himself suddenly.

Even he felt himself growing uncomfortable at that request. But he tried again.

He looks at himself in the mirror, raising a finger and gesturing to his reflection. His mouth opens to say something clever, anything, but nothing comes out.

Okay, he needed to shake this. He was better than this! He smacks his face lightly, rubbing his puffed-out cheeks around trying to wake himself up a little more if possible.

"I love this song," he beams into the mirror with a charming smile. "You?"

Okay, that wasn't bad. That could work! He could feel the confidence swelling up in his chest like a balloon.

And then it popped.

"Yeah, I love it." Came an exaggerated, sickly sweet voice from his doorway. "But not as much as I love you, Lukey."

His face drops when he sees Erica in the mirror behind him, a mischievous grin stretching wide across her face. He whirls around to face her and stomps towards her as she bats her eyelashes, feigning innocence.

"Get out of my room!"

The door slams shut, leaving a giggling and rather pleased Erica out in the hallway.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Ow, ow. That hurts." Max protests.

Max sits in front of the mirror, her mother behind her as she pins back her long bangs in one thin braid. She smiles at her daughter through the mirror.

"It's gonna be worth it. Promise."

Max catches movement out of the corner of her eye, and she turns her head to see Billy who had come to a stop outside her door when she caught his eye. He looks at her blankly, testing the waters but she has none of it.

"Jingle bell time is a swell time,"

The radio continues it's Christmas melody, like Susan Hargrove, blissfully unaware of the hostile glare Max holds her stepbrother in. The threat of that night still burns behind her eyes, sending him walking.

She returns her attention to the mirror, where her mother finishes fluffing her long red curls and beams down at her.

"See? Pretty."

The word sends Max into a sigh, and she throws her head back with a groan.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Son of a bitch! Son of a bitch!"

Dustin marches out of his room in a cornflower blue button-up, black suspenders, bowtie, and a frown. He passes his mother who sits in her usual armchair, she is cuddling the family's newest edition; a young kitten she had dubbed Tews. Y/n took quite a disliking to the name, wishing her mother had been less obvious she was trying to replace Mews. Especially since she knew what had really happened to their "missing" cat.

The kitten purrs in delight as Claudia Henderson strokes Tews behind his small ear. She looks over at her son who angrily enters the kitchen, his head of damp curls bouncing near his shoulders.

"Where did you see it last?"

"Right here," he argues, gesturing to the counter. "Where I put it."

"What's in there that's so important anyway?" She asks gently. "You look fabulous, baby."

Dustin's hardened exterior melts, his worry dissolving completely into relief when he spots the brown paper bag hiding away behind a box of 'MeowMix'. He picks it up, testing its weight and he smirks back at his mother.

"Got it,"

Dustin dashes across the living room and back into his bedroom, just missing the sharp and quick ring of the doorbell.

"That's your ride." She perks, eyes darting to the door. "Dusty!"

Dustin unravels the bag on his bed, pulling out the cold tin can of Farrah Fawcett Hairspray, and uncaps it. He glides towards the mirror, taking a deep breath, and starts the first coat.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Soft moonlight spills over the faces of Jim Hopper, El Hopper, and Y/n Henderson as the truck they sit in navigates through the trees and into town. In the time since their defeat of the Mind Flayer, and especially since the latest news of El's adoption, Y/n had been over a handful of times. The only other person having been allowed to the cabin being Mike, each visit carefully planned and spaced out so as to not draw any suspicion.

When the news had been broken to El, she hadn't stopped smiling for weeks. Not only was she finally allowed a normal life, but she was also finally surrounded by people who would love her and nurture her, always. No more uncertainty of where she would end up, or if she were ever allowed to leave. She knew now her freedom was certain.

When she had first broken the news to Y/n, her smile was still screwed to her face as she repeated the word with great excitement.

"Adopted!"

Y/n had erupted into giddy laughter, more than thrilled for her friend. "El, that's fantastic!"

And when Hopper brought home the dress he had picked out - with the welcomed help of Joyce - and told her about the Snow Ball? She was elated. It wasn't long before plans were made with Y/n. And even though Y/n was there to offer her help with getting ready, Hopper couldn't quite pull himself away from offering his own assistance with whatever the girls needed. Whether it be hair, make-up, or simple advice.

He was just happy to have a daughter to worry about again, and she didn't seem to mind.

They now traveled in comfortable silence, the Christmas music on the radio blended with the steady white noise of the engine, and the tires traveling on the road blanketed the silence. El and Y/n sat together in the back seat that had recently been installed, Hopper turning his attention into the radio to give them as much privacy as possible.

El kept her eyes glued on the passing scenery outside her window as she took several deep breaths, her right hand absent-mindedly twirling the braided blue hair tie Hopper had gifted to her around her wrist.

Y/n, recognizing the behavior all too well, smiled timidly at her friend.

"You excited?"

El turned to her friend, trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach at the question. Her smile quickly matched Y/n's.

"Yes,"

She takes another deep breath, forcing her shoulders to relax and slowly they sink back down. El is quick to catch the quirked brow sent her way.

"It's okay to be nervous," Y/n says, drawing El's attention back to her.

El looks at her best friend, studying her. She feels herself relax a bit when she senses Y/n's words are completely genuine. Y/n offers El a soft smile that eases away any remaining tension. As the truck passes a clearing in the trees another ray of moonlight glides across Y/n's face, making El smile to herself.

'Pretty,' she thinks.

"It's completely normal to be nervous for a dance," she continues. "I'm nervous about it, too,"

El nods, thinking about this.

"I think it'll be different once you get there," her next words bring a small blush to El's cheeks. "Once you see Mike, I think it'll all get a bit easier,"

There's another beat of silence as El contemplates her words. Finally, she turns to Y/n, this time being the one to pull her attention away from the window to look at her. Her eyebrows raise in question, a small grin tugging at her lips.

"Same with you?"

Y/n's head tilts subconsciously to the side in question.

"What do you mean?"

"With Will? It'll be better when you see him?"

El grinned when Y/n broke away her gaze in a nervous laugh, her ears, and neck beginning to burn.

The two fell into shushed fits of laughter that would sneak back up on them for the rest of the ride. And as the two sat together, continuously feeding into one another's laughter, a warm thought crossed El's mind.

El wasn't quite used to this mood she was in. The mood Y/n had been bringing out in her lately since things had quieted down. It was a giddy and mischievous, light-hearted banter that always cropped up when she felt most relaxed. But she quite enjoyed it, and the feeling it brought to her chest.

El supposed this was what it felt like to have a sister, that this was what it meant. And she enjoyed it immensely.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Steve's car comes to a gradual halt in front of Hawkins middle, a less than eager Dustin in the passenger seat. He had to say he was quite impressed with the kid's technique, he did okay on the hair in his opinion.

"All right, buddy, here we are."

Dustin's eyes are fixed on the propped open entrance to the school where they were taking tickets and his stomach flutters. He takes a long and shaky deep breath.

"So, remember, once you get in there..."

Dustin looks to his friend and nods, affirmatively. "Pretend like I don't care."

"You don't care,"

"I don't care,"

"There you go," Steve chirps. "You're learning, my friend. You're learning."

Dustin nods as if psyching himself up and he eagerly reaches for the review mirror to check his reflection. Wounded at Dustin's self-doubt, Steve frowns, pulling the boy's hand away from the mirror with a gentle voice.

"Hey,"

"What?"

"Come on. You look great, okay? You look," He says, readjusting the mirror and turning to Dustin, giving him an okay sign. "You look great,"

"Okay? Now you're gonna go in there..."

"Yeah,"

"Look like a million bucks," he continues, matter of factly.

"Yeah!"

"And you're gonna slay 'em dead."

Dustin nods, feeling his excitement - and confidence - build at Steve's reassuring words.

"Like a lion." He adds.

He draws back his lips and rolls his tongue in his signature purr. Steve bites back a wince and says as gently as possible. "Yeah, don't do that, okay?"

"Okay," he nods.

Steve sticks out his left palm in gesture, and Dustin takes it happily giving it a firm shake.

"Good luck."

Dustin nods in thanks and exits the car with a blooming sense of pride. Unknowingly, Steve lingers behind assuring he gets in safely, a proud smile tugging at his lips.

When Dustin enters, he takes one swift deep breath expelling the creeping anxieties. He makes his way to the ticket table that Mr. Clarke manages. The teacher in question looks up from his clipboard and smirks.

"Looking very snazzy tonight, sir."

Dustin nods proudly. "Thank you, m'lord."

Dustin drops his ticket into the bowl as Mr. Clarke jots down his name. Steve watches happily from the car, and without his permission, his eyes drift past the young Henderson boy and through the gym doors windows. He can make out Nancy at the punch bowl near the entrance. Her hair is up in curls and on her face is her usual warm smile as she passes out punch to kids.

He feels a tug at his heart at the sight, wishing more than anything things had gone differently between them. But the words exchanged between that one night, ring in his ears. And yet he does not regret them.

Steve knew as he looked at her now, things had worked out for the best. She seemed truly happy, and in the end, that's all he ever wanted for her. A bittersweet look crosses his features as he silently says goodbye to his first love, and quietly he takes off into the night.

Dustin enters the gym, a new rush of excitement overpowering him as he sees the gym transformed. Curtains of silver, and flowing streamers hung in the center stretching out over the center of the gym in a beautiful canopy. The entrance he walked through was lined with three large balloon archways and several soft twinkle lights dangled from the ceiling and walls like stars. And at the very edge of the canopy, was the large glittery letters that hung before it; 'Snow Ball'.

It was surprisingly breathtaking for a small, middle school dance but it was still appreciated. Another deep breath leaves his chest before he stalks forward to tackle the task at hand; finding the rest of the party amongst the crowd. As he passes the punch table, he sends a smirk and a quick salute to the young woman behind it.

"Hey, Nance,"

"Hey," she smiles back.

As the ladle sinks once more into the punch bowl, collecting the contents for the next cup, a young boy approaches the table.

"What's in this?" He asks curiously.

A wistful smirk flickers across her face as she hands him the filled cup. "Pure fuel."

He stalks off with a curious look into his cup, and Nancy takes a moment to rest her arms against the table. Her eyes travel across the gym at the younger kids having fun, and it reminds her of simpler times. She stops when she sees a group of kids at the photo arch, smiling wide as they pose for a photo. The camera flashes and they wander off as Jonathan prepares the next shot. He feels a pair of eyes on him, and he glances over his shoulder to find Nancy.

The two smile warmly at one another, a small but noticeable spark deep in their chests.

Dustin approaches his friends with a grin and enters with a showy twirl, excited to show off his new do. His heart sinks when he's met with several chuckles. Mike even jumped up from his seat, wide-eyed.

"Holy shit, what happened to you?"

His friends circle around him, each of them failing to fight back a smirk.

"What do you mean, what happened?"

"What?" Mike asks bewildered.

"Dude--" Lucas begins, only to be cut off by Max.

"-Your hair!"

Lucas steps forward with a mischievous smirk, his hand reaching up to prod at his friend's styled hair. "Is there a bird nesting in there?"

Dustin pulls away, throwing Lucas's hand away from his head. His eyes dart back and forth between his four giggling friends and whines.

"No, what do you mean, 'what's wrong'?" He glares at Lucas. "There's no bird nesting in here, asshole. Okay?"

Dustin subconsciously pats his work, assuring not a single hair had gone astray. "I worked hard."

Everyone's attention is pulled to the dance floor at the newest song change. Quickly recognizable as Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time blasts through the gym's speakers, they all watch as kids all across the gym pair up for the first slow dance of the night.

Lucas takes a deep breath and turns excitedly to Max.

"Max..." she turns to see him grinning nervously at her. "Um, it's nice, right?"

He looks around at the room, gesturing to the song. A wide and bemused smile breaks out on her face as he continues to stumble. All the while, a deflated Dustin watches the exchange.

"Um, you wanna like, you know...?" Lucas gestures between himself and Max, a hopeful look on his face. "Like, just... you and me?"

"Are you trying to ask me to dance, stalker?"

His face falls as he begins to panic. "Um, no...? Of course not."

The expression breaks when he notices the great look of amusement on her face, and he perks a bit.

"Unless you want to?"

Max sighs despite her grin, interlocking her hand with his own and she shakes her head.

"So~ smooth," she chides lightly, pulling him onto the dance floor. "Come on,"

The three remaining boys stand awkwardly watching off to the side, a bit unsure of what to do. This feeling only worsens for Will when he hears the dreaded nickname he had been itching to escape since the moment he was tagged.

"Hey, Zombie Boy,"

His eyes are pulled to a girl he recognized from class approaching him. She offers a small smile.

"Wanna dance?"

A pit forms in his stomach at the unexpected obstacle. He was nervous enough building himself up to ask Y/n. Just thinking about seeing her soon sent his heart aflutter in the best way possible, but this was not something he could have possibly anticipated. Or asked for.

He gulps, unexpectedly swallowing a large ball of saliva as he begins to panic. His words come out in a panicked stutter.

"I- Well, I, uh... I'm-"

His eyes dart quickly between Dustin and Mike, silently asking for help but he only finds expectant - and a slightly threatening on Dustin's part - expressions. Dustin elbows him lightly and Will clears his throat, collecting his breath.

"Thanks," he mutters with a polite smile, slowly gathering courage. "But, I'm waiting for someone. Sorry..."

She smiles, nodding. "No worries,"

Her eyes catch a familiar face across the room. She sends one more polite smile at Will and the others before departing towards her friend. The three friends stand rooted to the floor as an awkward silence hangs in the air. Mike looks down at Will, his eyebrows shooting up weakly in a surprised manner.

Upon seeing this, Will scoffs nervously, both of their eyes returning to the entrance as they wait. Unbeknownst to them, Dustin's eyes sweep across the gym at all the new couples, starting with Max and Lucas. He can't deny the pang he felt in his chest, but he also wasn't surprised at the turn of events. It was something he had seen coming for a while.

Instead, he scans the gym and he smiles to himself when he sees his classmate Stacy across the room. She was laughing amongst a group of her friends.

Dustin tugs at his blazer readjusting it and lets out a puff of air grabbing Will and Mike's attention. He turns to them.

"Wish me luck, gentlemen." He nods in the girl's direction with a confident simper. "I'm going in."

Dustin sends his friends a wink and a click of his tongue before marching onto the battlefield. Will and Mike watch taken aback, turning to one another as they share a bemused look.

The closer Dustin grows the more intense his heart beats, but he embraces it, Steve's words still ringing clearly in his ears. When he apparatuses the group and she doesn't seem to notice, he brushes it off at first. She was deep in conversation.

"Stacy?"

Her conversation continues without skipping a beat.

"He just broke up with Jennifer."

Her eyes bug out slightly as she continues, shaking her head a bit in disgust.

"Plus he's, like, not my type." She laughs.

Dustin clears his throat as politely as he can, not wanting to overstep his boundaries.

"Stacy?"

Finally, she breaks away from her conversation, clearly filled with great agitation. Her eyes widen when she spots his hair, not bothering to hide her distaste.

"Yeah?" She spits.

Dustin brushes it off in the moment, clears his throat, and bows his head as he gently extends his right hand out to her. He sends her a warm and charming smile.

"Shall we?"

Her eyes bug out once more, a chuckle leaving her lips.

"Um, no, thanks," she scoffs, voice dripping with sarcasm.

The girls around her burst into fits of laughter, and she joins them. Together, the pack of girls stride off, still overwhelmed with laughter as they begin talking about Dustin. None of them bothered to wait until he was out of earshot.

He watches sullenly as they disappear through the crowd, and he tries his best to stamp down the aching in his chest. He allows himself to perk a bit when he spots two other girls chatting quietly off to the side looking rather bored.

Dustin begins making his way towards them, but it isn't long before he halts in his path. Upon seeing him, they quickly whispered back and forth between one another before promptly scurrying.

He blinks several times, trying to keep the tears that threaten to spill at bay. He looks around the gym, heart sinking completely when he finds everyone in pairs. Everyone except himself.

He was completely alone.

Gifted with a small lull in which there was no punch to serve, Nancy's gaze sweeps the dancefloor. Her jovial composure fades almost instantly when she spots a lost and wounded Dustin planted on the sidelines. His shoulders sag and his lip begins to quiver as he searches the crowd sadly. Not a moment later does he slink off, disappearing behind the curtain of streamers.

The sight is enough to send a crack through her heart.

Dustin sits on the bleachers, his hands tucked into his lap as he invests all his energy into suppressing his sobs. His bottom lip quivered with intensity and a rather large tear he had been holding back finally broke free, gliding down his cheek.

It takes far too long in his taste for him to register the figure approaching is heading for him. Nancy pulls back the streamer curtain and offers him a gentle smile.

"Hey,"

He straightened immediately, swiping furiously at his cheeks as he tries to get rid of the evidence.

"Hey," he sniffles.

"Wanna dance?" She asks, offering her right hand.

He looks up at her in shock, his wide eyes still glassy. "What?"

"Come on," she grabs his hand, pulling him up to his feet and through the veil of streamers. "Let's go,"

He looks around bewildered as he finds himself pulled to the dancefloor. But already he can feel himself perking, and he smiles weakly at Nancy, not exactly knowing what to do now.

As if reading his mind, she smiles, grabbing his hands and gently placing them in her waist. "Here,"

He freezes, still not quite believing what is unfolding. She places her palms on his shoulders and he smiles wistfully. A wide smile plasters Nancy's face when she notes his distance, and she tries to reassure him.

"Closer,"

He stumbles forward a few inches, his eyes on her still wide and moonstruck.

"A little closer," she assures, smirking fully now. "Okay,"

Dustin's chest swells at her kind smile, and already he can feel his confidence returning. Both of them have yet to notice the spiteful glares being sent their way from Stacy and her friends.

"Now feel the music," he head sways gently with the beat. "The rhythm. Start to move to it."

Dustin's feet finally receive his brain's commands, and they begin to shuffle slowly as the dance begins. Nancy nods, eagerly.

"Yeah," she chirps, brightening his grin. "There."

"Good?" He asks hopefully.

She nods.

"That's good. Yeah."

"Okay,"

"You know," she begins. "Out of all my brother's friends, you're my favorite."

His grin stretches from ear to ear, his chest swelling once more in pride.

"You've always been my favorite."

"Really?"

"Yeah," she nods, her own heart-swelling seeing him happy again.

The distant sound of murmuring brings Nancy's attention across the room, where she spots a pack of perturbed girls. One brunette in particular, who stood at the center with a flustered glare fixed on Nancy. Upon being caught, she blinks rapidly trying to brush it off and looks away.

Dustin's eyes follow Nancy's, and that's when she returns her attention back to Dustin.

"Girls this age are," she rolls her eyes quickly. "dumb. But give them a few years, and they'll wise up. And, uh,"

Nancy softens when she notes Dustin is still beaming at her, hanging on her every word.

"you're gonna drive 'em nuts."

"You think so?" He asks hopefully.

She nods, a series expression befell her briefly. "Oh, I know so."

The two fall into a comfortable silence as they enjoy one another's company, and the music that fills their ears and sways their bodies.

Just across the room, still sat glumly at their table as they wait - and hope - are Will and Mike. They look around the room at all the dancing couples, and all they wish for is the sight of the two party members who have yet to show. Other than the occasional word, they sit in silence.

Will is the first to break it with a sigh, and he sits forward in his chair before rising. Mike looks up at him, his attention snapping towards Will as his mind jumps to the worst possible conclusion.

"Everything okay?"

Will nods, forcing a smile through his nerves.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I think I'm gonna freshen up a bit though. Use the bathroom while I can."

Mike nods, less than convinced though he shoves down the thought. He merely watches with a worried frown as Will stalks off towards the back of the gym. He relaxes a bit when he sees how many times Will's eyes fly to the entrance on his way back, and he supposed the jitters were all it really was after all.

Mike sighs, slumping back into his chair and he counts the minutes as they march on.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Joyce watches as her wind carries anther fallen leaf across the pavement, and checks her watch for the thousandth time. Logically she knows the dance is far from over, but she can't bring herself to leave. A familiar gruff, but soft voice pulls her attention up.

"Hey,"

"Hey,"

Hopper approached her with a weak smile, hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Thought I might find you here," he says.

Joyce lets out a defeated breath meant to be a laugh, her body leaning against her green Ford Pinto.

"Will wanted me to give him some space, so..." she shrugs, and a small chuckle breaks loose from her chest. "I'm giving him a few feet."

Hopper pulls a pack of cigarettes that had been hiding in his pocket, gives it a small tap and he smirks at the woman.

"What d'ya say?" He opens up the lid, pulling out one of the remaining cigarettes. "I'm pretty sure that Mr. Cooper retired in the seventies, so..."

He stepped forward to join her against the hood of the car, speaking through a smirk as he lit the cigarette that dangled from his lips. "we might be okay."

He takes one long puff of the cigarette, letting the smoke sting his lungs and he passes the stick onto her. She gladly accepts, taking the next puff only to be sent into a coughing fit. They both laugh lightly, and she passes the cigarette back to Hopper with a wince. It really was like old times.

He always picked the worse brands.

His next question does not exactly surprise her, but it definitely catches her emotions off guard. Immediately she feels a large lump growing in her throat.

"How are you holding up?"

She shakes her head, eyes falling back to the concrete as she nibbles at her nail.

"Ya know," She mumbles.

"Yeah, I mean," he nods, tsking another drag of the cigarette. "that feeling never goes away. But it is true what they say, you know..."

Joyce looks up at the man that towers over her, he holds the bud in his hands with a frown before handing it back to her.

"Every day does get a little easier."

Joyce takes the cigarette in her shaky hand, taking one long puff hoping it will replace the sadness that sits on her heart. But when the smoke leaves her lips the weight remains, and she finds it growing even heavier as the memory engulfs her once more. Her head grows heavy and dangles off her shoulders and into Hopper's side.

He can feel his heart lurch at her sadness, wanting nothing more than to take it all away. But he knows more than anything that healing took time. Instead, the two remained locked in one another's embrace. They feel the breeze carry the snippy winter air over their bodies unaffected in each other's warmth.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Y/n Henderson! I thought that was you,"

"Hey, Mr. Clarke,"

El timidly follows Y/n to the table with the familiar man who she almost immediately recognized. El watched silently from Y/n's side as she placed the bright red ticket in a glass bowl on the table. El froze suddenly when Mr. Clarke suddenly addressed her.

"Well, hello there, Miss," his eyes tightened into a friendly squint, and he gestured towards her. "Have we met? You look awfully familiar."

El's eyebrows twitched upwards, her mouth parting as she looked to Y/n not quite sure what to do. Y/n quickly jumped in with a rigid smile.

"She gets that a lot, but no," she explained quickly. "This is an old friend of mine, El,"

Y/n meets eyes briefly with her friend and they share a quick smile before returning nonchalantly to Mr. Clarke, hooking their arms together.

"She's my guest for the night,"

The man nodded in understanding, clicking his tongue as Y/n handed him El's ticket along with the special form.

"Ah, well," smiling up at the pair, unknowingly giving El a strikingly similar welcome as he had the year before. "Welcome to Hawkins Middle, El. We're happy to have you."

The two look at one another before departing, the largest of grins breaking out on their face. They burst into another fit of giggles as they head for the door, leaving Mr. Clarke to shake his head and smile as he welcomes the last of the guests.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Every breath you take,"

Mike sits alone, twiddling his thumbs. A small sigh builds up in his chest as he realizes yet another song change has been made, and still no El. He wasn't mad, just worried. All he wanted was to see her. To dance with her. To hold her.

"Every move you make,"

The usual creak of the gym's wooden door rings in his ears once more, and lazily he turns to see who else had risen his spirits. But his heart stops when he sees two figures entering the gym. One of them, his long time friend who glances excitedly behind her as she beckons the other shy figure behind her.

When he realized it was really El, he jumped to his feet, unable to blink. Too afraid she would vanish in thin air. She was gorgeous. Her hair was slicked back in adorable dark curls, and the dress she wore complimented her perfectly. But none of that mattered to Mike, just her being there was enough to take his breath away.

"Every bond you break Every step you take"

The girls crept forward under the archway of balloons, their eyes sweeping across the crowd. El breathing stopped momentarily just as Mike had. Y/n noticed this and smiled. The two were locked in a wide-eyed stare across the gym, and she laughed silently to herself.

"I'll be watching you,"

Mike watched as Y/n gave her a playful nudge, urging her forward. She watched warmly as the two glid across the sidelines, coming to a gradual stop when they came face to face.

Mike shook his head, unable to rid himself of the beaming smile even if he wanted to.

"You look beautiful," he blurts.

Her gaze drops to the floor in a wild blush, a bright smile on her face to rival his. He casts one glance at the dancing pairs around them and looks back at her.

"Do you wanna dance?"

She looks around the room nervously for a moment. Her eyes wander back to Mike's, and she looks up at him shyly.

"I... don't know how." She admits.

He shrugs, much to her relief.

"I don't either. Do you want to figure it out?"

El quickly nods, feeling her heart burst when he takes her hand in his. They wander onto the dance floor together, both a nervous - but happy - blushing mess.

Y/n smiles to herself once more from the edge of the gym when she sees them disappear into the crowd. Her eyes continue to venture around the room, her heart sinking when she finds no sign of Will.

"How my poor heart aches,"

Together, El and Mike blend in with the crowd of kids when they found a spot to dance. Gently, he takes her hands and places them over his shoulders.

"Like this,"

She smiles, her hands creeping up further to rest comfortably around his neck and he nods.

"Yeah, like that,"

They chuckle lightly as they softly begin to sway, loving nothing more than being in each other's company.

"Every vow you break,"

Nancy and Dustin begin twirling further, a joyous laugh bouncing between them.

When Y/n spots them, among Lucas and Max, the smile grows smaller. Both were pleasant sights, as each pair seemed to be having endless amounts of fun. But like her brother minutes ago, she began to feel lost.

"Every smile you fake, Every claim you stake,"

Finally, she spots Jonathan off by himself, taking advantage of the lack of kids waiting to get their pictures taken to clean his camera lens. Quietly she slips over to his side.

"Jonathan?"

His head picks up, and he smiles when he sees her.

"Hey, Y/n,"

His happy composure quickly falls when he sees her worried expression.

"What's wrong?"

In the back of the gym, the door to the locker room opens and Will enters boredly. He wipes off beads of water he had missed when drying his hands. He trudges back to his spot where he left Mike, his eyes glued to the floor. His head picks up when he sees Mike is no longer there, and he scans the crowd. His eyes widen when he sees him dancing with someone, El he realized it was. His heart began beating sporadically when he realizes what this meant.

"Since you've gone I've been lost without a trace,"

Quickly, Will shuffles forward, even rising himself up onto his tiptoes as to see over the sea of heads to find her.

"I dream at night I can only see your face. I look around and it's you I can't replace,"

"Hey Will the Wise,"

There it was, the voice he had simultaneously been waiting for, and afraid of all night, rang in his ears. Her voice was gentle and equally as nervous.

He blushes at the name, until he sees her. At that moment he swears he forgot how to breathe. When she caught his gaze - and the blush that raged like wildfire on his cheeks - a small laugh escaped. Her hands were shaking but in the best way possible. Like Will, she was just happy to have found him. To be here with him finally.

"You, uh, you're,"

Her eyebrows rose as did the heat in her cheeks at his sudden stutter. And though he seemed to be at an unending loop, he couldn't wipe the grin off of his face. It spread from ear to ear as he looked at her. Finally, he cleared his throat when he decided this was not how he wanted to remember this moment. The thought alone seemed to do the trick and he shook out his nerves as best as he could and exhaled.

"You look..." he shakes his head, unable to find the proper word, but none seemed to do her justice. "amazing."

He winced a little on the inside, finding the word ill-suited for how he usually saw her. He tries once more to shake it off, and just as Lucas had, the millions of scenarios run through his on how to ask her. But before his mouth could even part to speak, she extended her hand.

A playful smile paints her lips at the cheesy words that form on her tongue, but she leans into it, happy to see the delighted and bright warm smile that breaks out on Will's face as he chuckles.

"Care to dance?"

Will feels as if his chest just might burst with the rapid speed of his heart, but he couldn't be happier. His mind jumps back to the bit of advice Jonathan had given him when helping him get ready. At the time he had thought it had been too much, but now as he looked at Y/n, the two of them wearing big goofy grins, he quickly finds himself extending his right arm for her to take.

Gladly, her arm snakes under his arm, trying her best to suppress the violent storm of butterflies raging in her stomach, not realizing Will is doing the same. The pair find themselves in the center of the gym, and shyly their hands come to wrap around one another. Gradually, they begin to sway with the music. They share the occasional giggle as their gaze falls to the floor so as to not step on one another's toes in their nervous state.

In near percent sync, the gym full of students sway with the beat of The Police's Every Breath You Take. Everyone in question can feel themselves getting lost in the beautiful, fleeting moment.

The giddy, and frivolous pair of Lucas and Max twirl with the music. Max's eyes fall briefly to Lucas's lips as he smiles down at her. She can't help but blush back up at the boy who had managed to worm his way past her walls and made her feel welcome. Finally, she pulls him forward, bringing him into a soft and sweet kiss.

"I feel so cold and I long for your embrace,"

She pulls back, smirking up at his awestruck face. He blinks slowly, trying to process what had just happened and he can no longer contain the excited grin breaking out on his face. Softly Max giggles at his reaction, and brings her head to rest on his shoulder.

"I keep crying baby, baby, please,"

El and Mike remain with eyes locked on one another, their hearts beating at dangerous speeds as they sway with one another. The first and only time their eye contact is broken is when simultaneously, their heads inch closer together until their lips meet in a fiery explosion that melts their hearts.

Even when they pull apart, they can longer stand the small distance between them. In a happy, content lull, their foreheads meet, eyes fluttering closed as they lose themselves in the music.

"How my poor heart aches, with every step you take,"

At the very heart of the Snow Ball, Y/n's gaze mingles properly with Will's for the first time since they started dancing, and immediately her skin flushes. Heat resides the most in her cheeks and the tips of her ears and even the back of her neck. Will was her best friend in the whole world, the one she could always confide in and felt most comfortable around. But now she could hardly look at him without melting into a puddle. The way he treated her, just the way he looked at her now set her heart aflutter.

"Every move you make and every vow you break,"

They had been turning numbly in circles, and all she could do to take her mind off of her nerves was to put all her attention into commanding her feet. And yet, anytime she dares steal a glance at him, and feared he'd grow annoyed, he would just be smiling at her. It was a smile of genuine admiration, and it was as if he was silently telling her, 'it's okay. I'm nervous, too,'.

"Every smile you fake, every claim you stake, I'll be watching you,"

Her anxieties began to tell her to look away again, but now as she found herself looking into his kind hazel eyes, she couldn't bear to pull herself away. Y/n is quickly reminded of the dark times just one month ago. How awful it had been to look into these eyes and see nothing but hatred and darkness. But strangely, it assured only further now. These were the kind eyes that had always admired her from afar. These were the kind eyes she had missed so much.

"Every smile you fake, every claim you stake,"

The way he had always felt about her was undeniable, and as she felt the warmth brewing in her chest, spreading to her stomach and even dizzying her head, she knew she felt it too. She wondered why it had taken so long to get there, but more than anything she knew she wanted to hold onto it. What he had felt all these years.

Simultaneously, their smiles melted away, the blood pumping fast through their veins. Will and Y/n both felt it, the unbreakable magnetic pull that drew them towards one another. The closer they grew the quicker their racing hearts blended closer into one sporadic heartbeat. Finally, their lips met in a tender kiss as the music swelled around them. Will tried desperately not let his knees buckle, his stomach doing flips. It felt as if a firecracker had went off inside of Y/n's stomach, the warmth in her chest exploded and spread all the way to her fingertips, unknowingly her hands and arms warming his shoulders.

The kiss had lasted seconds but felt like a lifetime in the best way possible. It was a kiss that still lingered on their lips when they broke apart, a feeling they never wanted to let go of. The pair broke out into matching grins that neither one of them could contain. Finally, they were together.

"I'll be watching you,"

Finally, they were happy. And they would be, in the many months to follow.

"I'll be watching you,"

The four young pairs - even Dustin and Nancy who happily bounced their heads along to the rhythm of the beat - danced long into the night. The music from the speakers blasting through the gym, and echoing out into the cold December night.

"Every breath you take and every move you make Every bond you break, every step you take"

Each and every one of them blissfully unaware of the greatest threat Hawkins had ever known, towering above their heads in the Upside Down.

Watching.

I'll be watching you.

Waiting.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

More helpful links for the Black Lives Matter movement. Please don't ever stop fighting!!

Justice For Breonna!

I'm sure I must have shared this so many times but seriously, her killers are STILL free. This particular petition is SO close to meeting it's newest goal of 10,500,000. Just shy a couple hundred thousand. End this now, call, email, sign petitions to get her killers arrested. Sign this petition and share it,, HOWEVER YOU WANT. To a friend with a simple link, your insta, wattpad, idc just please share! Their names are BRETT HANKISON, JONATHAN MATTINGLY & MILES COSGROVE

Petitions That Still Haven't Met Their Goals

"Here’s a doc with petitions to sign that’s being updated regularly"

[Link]

If you are on tumblr, and have some money you want to donate to blm but also love BTS, I found this cool masterlist of accounts that take commissions for BTS work and all money goes to BLM!

[Link]

+++

Tag List: @dickkwad​​ @aimee-lucass​​ @iblesstherainsdown-in-africa​​  @miscellaneoustoasts​ @happyandlonely-blog​ @missmulti​ @youpi-chan​ @peeperparkour​ @ba-responds​ @bibliophilesquared​ @blogforhoes​ @witch-of-all-things-soft​ @shawkneecaps​ @whothefuckstolemykeds​ @mirdall @fishswimbetterunderwater​ @daughter-of-the-stars11​ @stranger-things4​ @heavenlycat567​ @nightbu-g​ @grapesauze​

DM me, or drop by my inbox if you want to be added!

[stereksecretsanta]

Merry Christmas, obsessedbutonline!

For @obsessedbutonline, who listed fluff, angst, and ‘Derek giving Stiles gift’ as a few ‘Likes’. I hope I did those items justice. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas, Friend!

Read On AO3

*****

The Gift

The gift. He supposed it all started with the gift. Or maybe Star Trek. Derek wasn’t sure. It was Stiles, after all. One day, the younger man had been debating the cuddle rating of a Tribble, before diving into an analysis of The Voyage Home being one of the worst movies in franchise history (except for the whales, of course), and the next thing Derek knew, he’d found himself discussing how Moby Dick was one of his favorite books. The random jumps from one topic to another hadn’t been anything new for Stiles, but that had also been the year they’d legitimately gotten ‘together’ after their contentious circling of each other’s orbits, so when Derek had opened an inelegantly wrapped early edition of the novel on that first Christmas as a couple, he’d been rendered speechless.

He couldn’t remember how long he’d stared at the leather-bound copy exactly, but he did recall feeling a bout of inadequacy. He thought he’d hid it well though. “Stiles – “ he’d started. “I wasn’t expecting…This is too much.”

Stiles had shrugged like it hadn’t been a big deal, an eager grin on his face. “Nah, it wasn’t too bad. A classmate mentioned a prof who needed an assistant to help translate some Latin verses, and I thought I’d check it out. When I went, I noticed a copy of Moby Dick in his office, and you’d mentioned it was one of your favorites, so I offered my translation services for free if he would sell the book for a discounted price.”

Of course, Stiles had remembered that weird detail from a throwaway conversation. And of course, he’d been resourceful in procuring it. That was just who Stiles was. Now, Derek, on the other hand… well, he’d felt completely out of his league when he’d pulled out the gift card he’d picked up a day earlier from a comic book store. He hadn’t even known if that was a store Stiles ever visited. He really sucked at gift-giving. “Sorry, I didn’t …”

Stiles had yanked it out of his hands before he’d even finished. “I love it. Thanks, Derek!” The younger man had beamed excitedly, clutching that cheap piece of plastic in his hands as if he’d just received some personal heirloom. There had been no uptick in the man’s heartrate, so there’d been no lie in those words, but that hadn’t stop Derek from feeling bad.

And it was then that he had resolved to do better, that he would be thoughtful and meticulous in his gift selection the next time Christmas rolled around. Stiles deserved as much.

But he’d mentioned he was bad at gift-giving, right? As in, monumentally bad. Because the next Christmas, when they’d settled down on his couch after an intimate holiday dinner he’d prepared for the two of them, Stiles had presented him with a charmingly wrinkled gift bag. And when he’d pulled out a lovingly restored and framed photograph of his family from before the fire, he’d not only felt a slight lump in his throat at the sentiment, he’d also felt remarkably small and completely lacking in comparison. It was a good thing they’d come to a mutual understanding that their birthdays would be a no-gift zone, because Derek wasn’t sure he could’ve handled double the inferiority complex this time of year.

“I found a copy of the photo from the digital archives of the town newspaper. It was for some fundraiser committee your mom chaired, I think. I saved a copy, and googled around for some pointers on how to increase the resolution so I could print out a decent version of it,” Stiles had explained.

Derek had nodded absently, his fingers lightly tracing the curve of his mother’s face under the cool glass. His whole family had stared back at him, carefree and unburdened in the moment that photo had been taken, eyes all shiny from a sunny afternoon picnic. “Yeah, I remember. It was a Pets in the Park fundraiser for the local animal shelter.” There had been an ache in the pit of his stomach at the reminder of everything he’d lost, but it wasn’t as sharp as it had once been. Now, it had been dulled by time, and tempered by the meaningful relationships he’d found, foremost of which was the one with the man beside him. “Thank you,” he’d said slowly, slightly surprised that his voice hadn’t cracked at the pool of emotion swirling within him.

“Anytime, big guy.” Stiles had leaned in, his weight and warmth freely offered as a source of silent strength.

But when he’d pulled out his gift for Stiles, he had had that sinking feeling of failing an important test. He hadn’t even had time to wrap it properly, opting to place a haphazard bow on it instead. “Sorry, I didn’t know …”

Stiles had grabbed the cellophane-covered box with a puzzled expression. “A bath set?” he’d asked slowly. “Is this your way of telling me I stink?”

There had been amusement in the younger man’s tone, devoid of upset or disappointment, but that hadn’t stopped Derek from feeling upset and disappointed in himself. After Stiles had gone through all the trouble of giving him such a personal and meaningful gift, he’d reciprocated with … soap. “Remember when you were on break during Thanksgiving,” he’d started to explain. “That necromancer problem we had?”

“Oh, damn, do I ever! We spent the whole night trying to wash zombie goo out of bodily crevices I never knew I had!” Then, realization had set in as those rich brown eyes widened. “This is perfect, Derek! Thank you!” And just like that, Stiles had fallen on him with his usual gracelessness, and proceeded to express his ‘gratitude’ properly.

That had been last year. But this time around, right before Stiles had returned to campus for his final two semesters of college, Derek had stumbled upon the ideal Christmas gift, while they were cleaning, of all things. They’d been packing up and storing some of Stiles’ stuff before the younger man headed back to school when they’d gotten diverted by some dusty, old boxes in the Sheriff’s attic. Somehow, in the way of procrastination, they’d ended up flipping through old photo albums when Stiles had paused to tell him about a picture of his mother.

“Oh, there’s the locket my dad helped me buy for Mother’s Day when I was eight,” Stiles had said as he’d pointed to a picture of Claudia Stilinski, vivacious and beaming brightly at the camera. Anyone could see where Stiles had gotten his smile. “I didn’t have the greatest taste in jewelry, so it doesn’t look like much, but she was so excited when she got it. She wore it all the time.”

“It’s nice that you have a memento to remember her by,” Derek had supplied.

Stiles’ shoulders had slumped a little at the comment. “Yeah, I think we accidentally sold it during a garage sale not long after she died. Dad wasn’t exactly in the best place, and he just wanted to get rid of the memories because they hurt so much back then. Lots of regret now. Who knows? It might’ve found another home, or it might be in a garbage dump somewhere.”

And that comment had led him down the winding, convoluted path to where he was now: standing in front of a teenage girl with bright blue hair and an eclectic ensemble of a loose plaid shirt, artfully ripped leggings, and combat boots.

“A hundred bucks,” the girl re-stated, her tone indicating that this wasn’t a negotiation.

“One hundred? The pawn shop owner said you only paid five dollars for it.” He could be stubborn too, though deep down, he knew he wasn’t really in a position of power in this situation, much as that rankled him.

Ms. Blue-hair shrugged. “So? If you want it that bad, then you should be willing to pay for it.”

She had him there. Three months of diligently interviewing the Stilinski neighbors, and following a trail of multiple goodwill and pawn shops had led him to that very locket hanging from the girl’s neck, that very locket Stiles had shown him in that old photo of his mother. He gave the teen what Stiles had laughingly termed his ‘murder-brow’ look and pulled out his wallet. Of course, he would pay, especially after all the work he’d put into tracking it down, and because this was for Stiles. He didn’t have to like being swindled like this though.

“That’s a nice jacket, by the way.”

Derek looked up from pulling out the cash and froze. He glared at the girl, hoping the intensity of his stare would deter whatever she was about to insinuate. It didn’t work.

“No,” he said flatly as she watched him expectantly.

“Okay, I guess we’re done here then. Nice meeting you.” And with that, she turned and started to walk away.

Derek ground his teeth together to keep from outright growling and fought hard to not wolf out. He hated being bested like this. Life would’ve been so much simpler if he could just take the damned piece of jewelry by force and run off with it. Stupid morals.

“Fine,” he conceded with a clenched jaw after she’d managed to walk several feet away.

She turned with a triumphant smile as he started to shrug off his leather jacket. When he held it out with the wad of cash, she unclasped the chain without any further objections and handed it over. “Pleasure doing business with you, sir.”

(***)

Stiles’ name flashed on his lock screen just as he was pulling up to his loft.

“Hey, you back already?” he answered as he shifted his car into park. His regular visits to Stanford notwithstanding, he’d been anticipating Stiles’ winter break for a while, and the timing couldn’t have worked out any better with him finding the locket when he had. “I was going to pick you up tonight after you’ve had a few hours with your dad.”

Several seconds of heavy breathing greeted his words, and almost instantly, he was on alert, muscles tensing and heartrate increasing. “Stiles?”

“Yeah, Derek, I’m here,” a familiar voice sounded through the phone. “Sorry, just had to get around Scott to check something out. But no, I’m not home yet. Got sidetracked on my way into town. Can you come to the preserve right now? The trail just off Parsons. We’ve got, um, a problem.”

Since his return to Beacon Hills, the supernatural activity in the area had decreased significantly, especially with a solid pack established in the area now, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t the occasional run-in with creatures bringing in death and mayhem. This sounded like one of those times. Shifting gears into reverse, he responded without hesitation, “On my way.”

The trip to the preserve was quick, the route having been travelled so many times that he could probably drive it eyes closed. After parking in the lot off Parsons, he picked up Stiles’ scent almost immediately, along with a few others of the pack, and had no problems tracking the source down a few hundred feet off a popular running path.

Not surprisingly, Scott noticed him first, looking up from a patch of tall grass and nodding in greeting as Derek silently approached. Stiles stood more out in the open, back turned and head down as he tapped busily on his phone. Once upon a time, his quiet ‘stalking’ would’ve caused a flailing of limbs and a high-pitched yelp from the younger man, but of the familiarity borne from the years of closeness, Stiles simply turned, smiled, and greeted him with a warm ‘hey’ as if he’d known he was there the whole time. And all things considered, he probably had.

They’d never been a couple for overt displays of affection, but the way Stiles unconsciously leaned toward him, trusting and open, worked just as well in telling Derek how the other man felt. He usually did the same, subtly breathing in the scent of his boyfriend and feeling more settled in his presence. They hadn’t seen each for a couple of weeks, and he’d missed having Stiles near.

“What’s going on?” he asked, looking around for the rest of the pack. Their scents were fainter, which meant they had been here recently, but had likely wandered off or left altogether.

“It’s Christmastime in Beacon Hills, so the usual. Y’know, carolers, Santa parades, sleigh rides, tidings of comfort and joy, and oh yeah, witches.”

Derek had never been bothered by Stiles’ sarcasm, though he wouldn’t openly admit that if asked about their first encounters with each other, but now, he found the trait rather endearing. “So, we’re dealing with a witch. How bad?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. I was driving back into town when I saw a kid running across the road. Freaked me out, and barely stopped in time. When I went to check on him, he was crying and said an old woman had tried to take him. At first, I thought it was an attempted kidnapping, but then, he said that there was a lot of screaming coming from her big bag, and he was scared of getting stuffed in there with all the other kid. For this town, that triggered alarm bells. Stuffing kids into bags and lugging them around is not your regular run-of-the-mill kidnapper MO. I called my dad, and he came out here with a few units, but is running interference on the supernatural front. He’d mentioned that this was the third attempted kidnapping this month, so the deputies are on high alert. They still think it’s a regular human predator, so they’re canvassing the other side of the preserve right now, which means we can do our own investigation here. I called Scott, and the others are now fanned out, doing a search to see if we can catch a scent.”

“No luck yet,” Scott added as he strode over to join them. “Just a whole bunch of the usual smells, and with the people that use the running trails, it’s hard to pinpoint a specific one. We’re not exactly sure what we’re looking for.”

“I think I have a lead though.” Stiles held out his phone to show an etching of a stooped crone with a large sack. “We might have an Icelandic witch in the area, one that kidnaps and eats children, but I’m not a hundred percent. I hope I’m not right because … well, children! But she’s supposed to be active around Christmas. I need to double-check some books at my house to make sure though.”

Derek nodded, not surprised that Stiles had pretty much figured it out already. As human as Stiles was, he was arguably one of the pack’s most valuable assets, and truth be told, Derek felt quite proud of the other man’s quick wit and life-saving accomplishments. “So, you need to go home then?”

Stiles made a sound of agreement as he tucked his phone away and gave him an apologetic look. No words were needed to communicate how sorry he was that their reunion wasn’t what they’d planned.

“Okay, call us with any info,” Scott chimed in. “Derek and I will probably be more useful if we keep scouting the area. This is children we’re talking about. I don’t want anymore of them put in danger.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Alpha leader, sir,” Stiles replied jokingly, giving his friend a mock salute.

The years had matured Scott somewhat, enough that the erstwhile werewolf took his role and responsibilities somewhat seriously now. And for this, Derek was grateful.

Scott gave Stiles a shove to get him on his way, before shaking his head with a laugh and started to move back to the tall grass he’d been searching through earlier. “Go, you idiot.”

Stiles responded with the very mature gesture of sticking out his tongue. Then, Derek felt the younger man’s arm wrap lightly around his waist and pull him close for a quick kiss. The motion was casual, natural, and one that Derek returned without thought. “Sorry, not what we’d planned when I got back, huh? Let’s catch this witch fast so we can start our Christmas cuddle session, ‘kay?”

Derek raised an eyebrow at the comment. His boyfriend sure did have a way with words sometimes. “Christmas cuddle?”

“Hey, it is what it is.” Stiles shrugged innocently as he started to move away.

“I’m not calling it that.”

“Suit yourself, Sourwolf, but I’ve officially labelled it, and you can’t take that away from me,” Stiles said as he walked backwards toward the nearby trail. Derek half-expected him to trip on some invisible rock in the next few seconds. “Gonna say it all I want!”

He rolled his eyes as the younger man’s antics. “Go.”

“Christmas cuddle! Oh, and far be it for me to complain about seeing you in that t-shirt, but you do know it’s winter, right? We may live in California, and you may have some super-awesome internal wolfy furnace going, but I’m cold just looking at you. Where’s your jacket?”

“Go!” While he didn’t feel the chill as acutely, he didn’t need to be reminded about his fleecing by a greedy, blue-haired teenager.

After Stiles wave his acknowledgement and jogged out of sight, Derek turned back to join Scott. Their relationship may have started out roughly, but they’d fallen into a companionable pattern over the last few years. It was likely because of everything Scott had been through and his maturation, but Derek guessed part of it may have been out of respect for both their relationships with Stiles. Without much preamble, they quickly sectioned off their respective search zones, and fanned out into the thicker parts of the preserve. Derek had grown up here, had run and played amongst the trees and foliage so often that walking through it now stirred a sense of homecoming. Still, sometimes, there were things here that could still surprise him. Like the odd whiff of fear and panic he caught a few minutes after he’d split off from Scott. It was faint, probably non-existent for the newer wolves, but it was there, so out of place with the earthy scent of moss and soil. He started to follow it, his senses sharpening as he homed in on the potential prey. He hadn’t made much progress before he heard a howl off in the distance, and his entire body tensed, ready for action.

They’d found something!

Once he pinpointed the source, he was off, dashing through branches and over roots with a surety of stride that had been acquired from a lifetime of running these woods. He didn’t get very far though. He heard it first, a loud symphony of disembodied laughter all around him. Before he could stop and confront whatever it was, he caught a flutter of movement in his periphery, and then, he was flying, thrown through the air by an impact harder than anything in recent memory. He was out cold before he even landed.

(***)

He wasn’t unconscious for long. At least, he didn’t think he was, given that generations of werewolf evolution had refined his healing abilities to the point where he shouldn’t be. But however long it was, it was enough to find himself strapped to a board – or a crude table, perhaps – staring up at the flickering shadows of a stone ceiling. Or a cave? He honestly hated losing time like this and waking up in unexpected places, which, given who he was and where he lived, was an actual occupational hazard.

A whimper somewhere to his left drew his attention just then, and he tilted his head at an uncomfortable angle to take better stock of where he was, and with whom. Just within his field of vision, he could barely make out a small figure sat huddled inside a primitively constructed cage no higher than his hip. A wood fire burned beneath a big vat just a few feet away, thoroughly heating up whatever was inside if the bubbling sound was any indication.

“Hey,” he said quietly, if a little hoarsely, hoping the hunched figure would shift enough into the firelight for him to make out who it was.

The figure shuffled over, and Derek could see the tear-streaked face of a boy, probably no more than eight or nine years old. Stiles had said there’d been attempted kidnappings. It looked like one had succeeded.

“H-hello? You’re awake.”

“Yeah, I am.” He wasn’t good with children, barring the few cousins he’d played with when he was younger, yet that had been different. They’d been family. He knew this kid was scared, could hear it in the tremor of his voice and smell it in the dankness of the air, but he wasn’t sure what he could say to help with that. “I’m Derek. What’s your name?”

“A-Andy.”

“Well, Andy, if you give me a minute, we can get out of here and I’ll take you back to your parents.” He tried to sound reassuring, though he wasn’t sure it worked as well as he’d intended when he was tugging and testing the thick ropes tied around his chest, waist, and legs. They were tight, but he managed to slide a hand free enough to shift and start slicing away at the restraints with his claw.

“Just Mom,” the boy said quietly. “Dad left.”

“Okay, we’re going to find your mom then. I’m sure she’s really missing you right now.” He figured that keeping a calm tone and easy conversation going was as good a plan as any while he worked on the ropes.

Andy shuffled a little in his cage, his face dipping down again into the shadows cast by the nearby fire. “She’s working. She’s always working. She promised I’d get to see Dad, but she couldn’t take me, so I went to find him myself.”

Which might explain why the boy hadn’t been reported missing yet. There was some give to the rope by his right hip, so he tilted his head and tried to look over at the boy and hoped he properly projected the sincerity of his words. “That doesn’t mean she’s not missing you, Andy. I know she’s probably very worried. She – “

The stench assaulted him first, sour and rancid, before he felt the whole space shake with a reverberating thud. Andy quickly scooted back into the corner of his cage with a scared squeak, leaving Derek to turn and search out the source in the dim light. An old woman came into view near the foot of his table, posture bent and face haggard, each of her steps sending tiny shockwaves through the cave. Her long, gray hair hung in a greasy, unkempt mess, framing a crooked nose and a gap-toothed, mirthless grin. She resembled the picture Stiles had shown him on his phone, but the younger man had neglected to mention one thing. She was a fucking giant!

The whole cave suddenly felt cramped, and her looming presence caused his heartrate to spike. He worked faster on his ropes.

“Good dog. You’re too old and gristly for my liking, but if my lads want a pet, a pet they will get,” she said in a voice deeper than he’d expected. She patted his stomach dismissively as she passed, and he fought hard not cry out at the jarring, painful contact. “Now, where’s my little snack? Little boy for a little snack. Little boy snack.” She cackled at her own wit.

He heard Andy whimper again as the old, giant crone ambled her way over to the cage, and he wanted to tell the boy to be brave, to hold on because he was almost through his rope. Yet, as he was about to do just that, he caught the scent of metal and electricity in the air. It cut through the myriad of other unpleasant smells like an olfactory beacon, clear and crisp and a harbinger of something – or someone – familiar. He couldn’t help but smile a little at the arrival of the calvary, even as Andy shrieked when the witch pulled him roughly from the cage and shuffled over to the boiling pot.

Then, several things happened at once. First, voices that sounded like the disembodied laughter he’d heard earlier came from somewhere outside. This time, however, they were shouting out in distress, intermingled with the familiar voices of his pack. The cries gave the witch pause for a split second, just as he cut through the last of his restraints and pulled free. After that, he was up and leaping through the air, aiming to get Andy free of the old woman’s clutches and away from the fire. And he managed just that, wrapping his arms around the boy as he clawed at the large hand that held him. But he underestimated the reaction speed of the crone, and barely managed to turn his body to shield Andy before her other hand swatted his side. He landed with bone-cracking impact against the boiling pot, adrenalin enhancing his movements as he rolled quickly to avoid landing on the fire or getting splattered by the hot liquid in the toppling vat. He was pretty sure he’d probably cracked a few ribs, but they were already healing. Andy seemed none the worse for wear when he looked down, unhurt and safe in his arms still.

“My boys! What are they doing to my boys?” the witch wailed.

Derek tensed briefly, thinking the giantess would take her surprise and anger out on him. He readied himself for a fight, but instead, she turned and marched the other way, he and Andy seemingly forgotten. He eased himself up with a barely suppressed groan, and let the small body pressed against his chest slide down to his lap. He could hear the pack outside, the growls of the wolves and the foreign-sounding chants from Stiles, and he knew that they had it handled.

“You okay?” he asked as he gave Andy a good once-over.

The boy simply nodded, his whole body still trembling. Then, without a word, he leaned forward and hugged Derek as if his life depended on it. Not sure how else to respond, Derek hugged the child back.

That was how Stiles found them a few minutes later when he stumbled clumsily into the cave. After some coaxing, they both managed to talk Andy into finally letting go. Scott took it from there, coming in to take the boy away to find the Sheriff, who had been called to the area when Stiles had triangulated Derek’s location. Stiles waited a moment after Scott had left before he turned and threw himself into Derek’s arms.

“Oh, thank every deity I just prayed to you’re okay. Had me worried.”

Derek squeezed the warm, lithe body clinging to him like an octopus, and bent down to briefly nuzzle his partner’s neck. He breathed in the fortifying scent that was simply Stiles and used it to ground himself after the crazy events that had just happened. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to. I’m fine.”

“I know. You’re one tough son of a bitch, but the uncertainty always gets me.” Stiles pulled away and gave him a look with those ridiculously wide Bambi-like eyes that made Derek’s insides go warm. “And of course, you would go all superhero and save a child while we saved you. With the way the boy was holding on to you, I thought you’d replaced me with a cuter, newer model.”

Derek quirked up his lip into a lopsided, half-smile. “Never,” he returned easily. “If I did, I would at least try to get a good trade-in price for you.”

“Smartass.” As his comeback, Stiles smacked his arm with the back of his hand. He then slipped said hand into Derek’s, intertwined their fingers, and started walking out of the cave. “See if I ever send baddies back through an intercontinental gate for you again.”

“So, she wasn’t a witch?” Derek asked as he followed Stiles’ lead out of the cave

“Oh, no, she was a witch. The giantess witch, Gryla, and her sons, the Yule Lads. I don’t know how they got here, but I was working off of some quick and dirty research, so the best I could do was track down caves in the area, which is what the literature says she tends to favor, and find a spell to send her back to her native Iceland.”

Derek silently listened as Stiles explained what had happened, both grateful and proud – and not for the first or last time either – at the quick wit and resourcefulness of the guy he got to call his. They eventually emerged from the cave, and he immediately felt lighter the moment he could smell the fresh earth and foliage again. The sun was beginning to set, creating lengthening shadows of the redwoods and the oaks that stood like sentinels around them. And with that came a distinct chill in the air. He felt Stiles shiver at the lower temperature, and wished he’d had his jacket around to offer the other man. The jacket that he’d exchanged for …

With his free hand, he reached into his jeans pocket where he’d tucked the locket earlier, and –

Shit!

Without another thought, he turned and sprinted back into the cave. He quickly scanned the area and did not see the locket anywhere. His eyes then fell on the overturned pot and the still-burning embers of the woodfire. A dash of panic began to taint his actions, but he didn’t stop to quell it. Instead, he rushed over to the dying fire and started digging through the ashes. His hands burned and healed almost simultaneously as he dug desperately through the charred wood, an odd combination of frustration and helplessness clouding his judgement.

“Derek?”

He heard Stiles, but didn’t answer, mainly because his fingers wrapped around a clump of metal just then. He looked down at what used to be Stiles’ mother’s locket, the piece now misshapen by the heat and bearing no resemblance to what it used to be. He dropped the thing, both dejected and angry. This was supposed to be the year. This was supposed to be the Christmas where he would show Stiles how much the younger man meant to him by putting the care and thought into his gift that Stiles had always put into his. But everything… everything had been for nothing.

“Derek? What’s wrong? You okay?” Stiles approached and knelt beside him, looking ready to join him in whatever he was searching for.

He brushed the soot and ash off his hands, shook his head, and stood up. “Nothing. I’m good. Just thought I dropped something but I was wrong. C’mon, let’s go home.”

Puzzled, Stiles stood too, though he didn’t pry, and together, they made their way out of the cave once more, but not before Derek threw one last, longing glance at the pile of ashes.

(***)

“Oh, my god, I’m so stuffed,” Stiles said as he plopped down on the couch and rubbed his belly. “I might have to be rolled off to bed later because there’s no way I’m standing up.”

Derek smiled softly at the younger man’s dramatics, and joined him on the sofa. Christmas dinner had been an intimate one again between just the two of them, with Derek doing most of the preparation, while Stiles had ‘helped’. He didn’t mind though. He enjoyed their time together. The way they fit together, their ease with each other … it had all been hard-won, and he wouldn’t trade it for anything. The younger man had chatted animatedly throughout the meal and Derek had let him go on, wanting to prolong the whole thing because, if he was being honest, he was dreading what would happen afterwards: their gift exchange.

“Merry Christmas, Derek,” Stiles said, as if reading his thoughts. He reached over to the end table and grabbed an unevenly wrapped gift.

Derek stared at the thing for a moment, just knowing deep down it would be a typical Stiles present, all special and personal. Why did Stiles even stay with him? He must come across as an unthoughtful, unappreciative jerk. Slowly, he unwrapped the gift, and revealed a collage of artfully arranged photographs. There were trees and flowers and butterflies dancing on sunbeams across open trails. They were beautiful, more so in that Derek recognized where they had been taken: the preserve.

“You sometimes talk about how you grew up in the preserve,” Stiles explained. “How it’s a second home to you, and how you have all those memories with your family there. I know the memories are special, so I went and took some pictures during summer break. I hope these help you remember all those good times.”

Derek blinked away the prickling he felt in his eyes. Stiles may have assumed he was touched by the gift, which was fine. He didn’t need to know what Derek was really feeling. He didn’t need to know that in that moment, he thought Stiles really deserved so much better than him.

“Thank you. It’s perfect,” he choked out. “I – “ He didn’t know how to continue. What else could he say? “My present isn’t –“

He stopped. Stiles looked at him expectantly. Not finding the right words, he leaned over to the coffee table and grabbed the last-minute gift bag he’d filled the day before. “Here.”

He looked away while Stiles eagerly dug into the bag. He knew what was in there, and he didn’t need to see the lackluster reaction the younger man would have at the assortment of Reese’s candies he’d find.

“Oh, this is awesome, Derek!” Stiles exclaimed excitedly. “Holy shit, there’s a half pound peanut butter cup in here! Hello, Heaven!”

Derek felt Stiles’ arms wrap around him in gratitude, but he couldn’t find it in himself to return the gesture. The younger man seemed to notice and pulled back. “Derek?”

He turned and took in Stiles’ questioning gaze. He couldn’t do this. They complemented each other so well in everything, but somehow, in this, they were completely mismatched. “Doesn’t it bother you?” he asked in earnest.

“What?”

“My gifts. Doesn’t it bother you that my gifts are so … so bad. Yours are always so … so perfect.” It felt good to get that off his chest.

Stiles gawked at him as if he was speaking a foreign language. “Huh? But I think your gifts are perfect. And that’s not a lie. You can tell, right?”

True, Derek hadn’t heard any change in the other man’s heartrate to indicate otherwise, but no one could like his choice of gifts that much. “I just ... I wanted to show you how much I appreciate you, how much I care about you, the same way to do for me, especially with the gifts you give me. But I can’t seem to do that.” This was uncharted territory for him, this admission. He wasn’t used to revealing his insecurities like this. Yet, this was Stiles he was talking to, he reminded himself. Stiles, who never had any shame in revealing his every failure and weakness, and who gave his trust without fear of being hurt. Derek owed him the same. “I found your mother’s locket,” he finally said. “The one from the album you showed me. I found it, and was going to give it to you, but I lost it when we fought that witch last week. I’m sorry.”

He stared at the coffee table. He stared at the discard wrapping paper of the collage he’d just received. He started at everything but Stiles.

And then, “That’s what you were worried about? Not being able to show me you loved me?” Stiles’ tone was incredulous, and it was enough for Derek to turn his attention to the younger man again. “You’re an idiot, Derek,” Stiles continued. “For the record, your presents are awesome. But that’s not the point. You drive three hours each way to visit me on campus every other weekend. You cook Christmas dinner for us every year. You help me pack for college each fall. You drop everything and meet me in a forest, no questions asked, when I call. You even spent all night picking zombie guts out of my hair. If that doesn’t say ‘love’, I don’t know what does!”

To put an exclamation to his point, Stiles pulled him in for a long, lingering kiss. “I love you, Derek Hale, and I know you love me. You don’t need to give me things to show me that. You show me every day in the things you do. And that’s more than enough.”

Derek looked at the man sitting beside him, stunned and at a loss. “I –“

“It’s more than enough,” Stiles re-stated firmly. “Now, stop your self-flagellation, and show me how much you appreciate my gift by kissing me.”

Stiles pulled him in again, and this time, Derek did put everything he had into that kiss because the weight of those heartfelt words were slowly sinking in. He loved Stiles. And Stiles … Stiles knew that. He groaned in appreciation at the true gift he’d been given as he pushed the younger man down onto his back, bracing his weight on his arms as he ground their hips together. Fuck it, he felt like he’d really won the lottery in finding Stiles … because Stiles was right, he realized as he deepened their kiss, tasting and teasing the smart, sarcastic, and silly man beneath him.

This … This was more than enough.

[beautifulterriblequeen]

I was on Instagram and I show someone call Claudia 'a dumb version of Azula' and it really annoyed me because while Claudia is one of my favourite characters,I really didnt like Azula. But its not just that. Their personalities are very different. The only thing that they have in 'common' is that they both chose to stay with their fathers while their brothers didnt. But they did that for different reasons. So since you're an expert at understanding characters, what is the conection between them?

Let’s go with “has way too much fun” instead of “an expert at,” yeah? But sure! Let’s see what we’ve got, anon.

Teenage girls, black hair, sassy, one brother, able to wield rare and very powerful magic, toxic dad, sent on a mission by their dad to clean up a mess involving the main characters who are kids, falling further and further under dad’s influence over time. So far so good, yeah?

I'd say that choice to cut off one family member in favor of another is a big clue to their connection. Claudia and Azula both have abusive fathers. They're both the Chosen One, the obedient child who has their loyalty tested again and again, like a frog in a pot, and slowly moves their goalposts further and further in a radical direction without them really noticing.

In both cases, these girls grew up with toxicity, so this wasn’t a quick thing. It took years to change them, and it happened during their formative years specifically. Those years are when kids are trying to learn what “normal” is. And “normal” is always just “whatever I’ve got.” Sometimes, what you think is normal isn’t even close, and it’s definitely not healthy.

The real question isn’t about the frog, though. It’s not even about the pot. It’s about whose hand is turning up the heat. Both of these girls were handpicked over their sibling to be favored.

Why them, when their brothers are older? Zuko and Soren are both autistic-coded characters, and one way or another, they were not cutthroat enough for their toxic fathers’ purposes.

Azula and Claudia reacted in very different ways to their brothers, though. Azula belittled and teased Zuko at almost every opportunity. Kids pick up stuff like that from people around them. From parents, too. But Zuko’s mom loved him very much. And who’s going to badmouth the son of the Fire Lord? Who did Azula get that attitude from? Ozai was a vain and cruel man, and “weakness��� was anything that wouldn’t get him what he wanted at the exact speed he wanted it. If his son couldn’t adapt as swiftly as he wanted him to, and if throwing him under the bus earned him his daughter’s undying devotion, then that’s two problems fixed.

Claudia, on the other hand, loves and adores her brother. But I think their whole family knows that Soren needs a little extra protecting, and not in a sword-and-shield kind of way. Her mom asked her to stay with Soren after Soren picked Viren during the divorce. And Claudia is very protective of him, doing exactly what her mom charged her with. She restores his health and his ability to walk, at great cost to herself, because she feels it’s her duty as the more worldly-wise sibling. She also does end up believing Soren about Viren asking him to kill the princes. She’s very accusatory when she brings it up to Viren, and he has to scramble and take Aaravos’s advice to cover up the truth.

And in doing so, he throws Soren under the bus. Oh Claudia, you know how your brother gets. It’s not his fault. He’s just... that way. But you and I, we know how things really are, don’t we? You and I, we’re the same.

And just like that, Claudia is back on Team Viren.

We didn’t get S4 of ATLA, which was supposed to contain Azula’s redemption arc. If we had, I wonder if it would’ve included some flashbacks to her childhood, showing how different it was from Zuko’s, and some of her interactions when she was alone with her father. I bet they’d be pretty telling.

Now that we have the full saga coming, I’m excited to see what Claudia’s full character arc will contain. It’s pretty clear she’s still on the downward swing right now, just like Azula was. But I’m hoping that, in the end, she’ll get to swing back up and have someone there to catch her hand and pull her to safety.

My money’s on Soren. Because they’ve always had each other, no matter what, and he’s going to want that back, for both their sakes. Especially if Viren keeps making terrible choices and dies again.

As for the “dumb” part of the comment you saw, I can’t imagine that you get to be this skilled of a mage, memorizing tons of anatomical details and spells and harvesting techniques, if you’re dumb. Claudia’s very dedicated to her craft, and she’s scary good at it.

Maybe, as an alternate explanation, she enjoys simpler humor because that’s the kind of uncomplicated amusement her brother can actually follow and enjoy--since he canonically does not get sarcasm and puns--and she just wants to make him laugh.

[fears--all-the-way-down]

“Would you believe it if I told you that he’s actually married?” the woman beside her whispered out and it peaked Max’s interest. She turned her head to the stage where the man with the messy curls pulled back neatly into a french braided man bun stood at the podium. His eyes gleamed as he went about his speech, oblivious to the world around him. He had no idea the conversation that was taking place in the audience. Instead of shutting the woman down, Max played right into the game. “You don’t say. He’s so young.” she shuffled her hands, hiding her left strategically under the papers that had been handed to her when she’d walked in. 

“Tell me about it. Such a shame and a shock. Something tells me that man could have his pick of most women.” a smirk pulled at darkened lipstick as she looked back at the stage again, 

“bet he’s real good too, ...if you know what I mean.” The devils smile wasn’t soon to be washed off. 

“I wouldn’t be surprised.” the woman practically purred out. She was deep in the game now. “You should hear him in class. The way he goes on about that wife of his…”Max adjusted in her seat for a moment, pulling fingers through copper bangs and doing her best to hide her smile. 

“I didn’t know men like that even existed.” she needed to say something, should have said something. 

Pulling her eyes away from the stage she glanced back at the woman beside her, “They usually don’t. His wife is one lucky woman.” The speech was wrapping up now. The class of 2020 was shifting their tassels and getting ready to evacuate the auditorium. The speech giver was graduating a year early, had already been accepted into a masters program, and had a great handle on how to open and operate his own business to the point where the ink on his lease for the building was all past dry and the lucky lady who wore his ring had already painted the offices to perfection. Video game design. The console was anticipated and his company was pushing a plethora of games forward that had all been tested by a group of misfits in his own basement. Standing up and fixing her graduation robe, Max’s eyes followed the woman as she stayed sitting, “Guess I should go say congratulations before everyone starts to surround him.” Max picked up her hat from beside her, settling it onto her head and giving the woman a moment to rush off before she stood. It never quite got old, listening to the way the women who looked at him were instantly enamored. The way the scholars etched closer to learn more when he spoke. Dustin Henderson had come into his own and was far removed from the curly top at the Snowball who couldn’t for the life of him get a date. Steve Harrington had been right about something way back when. And by when, she meant less than ten years prior. They were standing around him now, women saying their last goodbyes to the man who’d simply been the dorky brain in their college classes. The way their eyes lit up and hung on every word was almost hilarious. Especially when she’d watched so often as Mike and Lucas had brushed whatever he’d wanted to say or do under the rug and pretended to not hear a second of his words. “What are you doing over here baby? The boys and El are coming down in a sec. Abby and Bec already stepped outside, the baby was getting fussy.” It was Derek’s voice that filled her ears as he placed his arm around her shoulders. The closest to a father figure that she’d had. She had a feeling that Billy would have been happy with the way she was finally being treated. 

“I was just giving him some time with his fangirls.” her free hand snaked up for a second, fingers wrapping around the St. Christopher pendent. “Go get your husband before his mother does it for you.” she loved Claudia’s new husband. He was enamored by his wife and immersed in the lives of his children, all of them, blood or not. The only time she’d seen a man like him had been in Dustin, almost surprising her that their blood was not in fact shared. With a final eye roll in Derek’s direction, Max walked forward to where the woman she’d been sitting with was making googly eyes at the man from the stage. It took less than a second for him to spot her, for that full smile to make a similar one break out on her own face. “There’s my sunshine.” his hand being placed out to her was not something that she shied away from. Instead, she took his hand and stepped closer to him. “Ladies, this is my wife, Max. Max, this is Bridget and Sophie from my comm ethics class and Wren was the assistant professor.” tucking a strand of hair behind her ear she took a step closer to him, silently apologizing to Wren without words for not admitting who she was right off the bat. “I’m sorry you all had to endure more bullshit from him besides that boring graduation speech.” she smirked as she felt him wrap an arm casually around her waist while expressing a wholehearted laugh. The girls were sizing her up, doing the thing that still made her the tiniest bit uncomfortable as it had in high school. It always reminded her of the way they’d whispered behind their hands about who her brother was. Though these women didn’t know the story, and for that she was thankful. They didn’t know the supernatural phenomena that went down when they were still kids. How they’d run from forces that no one ever would have believed now. That their best friend had once had powers that were unexplainable. There were many things that had gone on the summer before freshmen year that neither one of them would ever be able to explain to a living soul. And Max was just fine with that. It was all almost as unexplainable as to why she’d donned a ring during senior year, said her vows not too long after. Explainable in the means that she hadn’t ever expected to reach the level of happy they had. She’d never thought she’d deserved it, “I see the boys and El. We’ll meet you outside when you’re done in here.” a quick peck to his lips, dark lipstick never leaving a mark, she bid a chased goodbye to the ladies and excused herself to find their friends. She was dying to get out to their late lunch celebration. Congratulating him on his achievements and sharing a couple of pints of beer with their friends and family seemed like the perfect way to end the sunny may afternoon.

[avenger09]

The Dragon Prince: Fighting Game Banter

If there was one made in the style of a NeatherRealm game.

Callum: (Drawing a rune in the air) It's the fight of the century!

Ezran: (Riding on a Banther) Brother, vs Brother.  

Callum: Mage vs giant sharp-toothed Banth- Oh-this-was-a-terrible-idea.

Ezran: Callum, and Rayla, sittin' in a tree-

Callum: You've been waiting to use that, haven't you?

Ezran: K-I-S-S-I-N-G. And yes. 

Rayla: How’s our adorable little Prince? 

Ezran: Great. But I’m a king now. 

Rayla: You know I meant Zym, Ez. Good joke though. 

Soren: (Sword over his shoulder)  Rematch Time.

Rayla: (Her blades switching in and out of scythe mode) Really? You want to risk breaking your back again?

Soren: (Combat pose) Hey! That was a Dragon! Not you.

Callum: What did I do?

Rayla: You ate my last moonberry surprise...

Callum: Oh no, she's Hangry again!

Soren: Want to spar today your highness?

Ezran: I would like to, yes.

Soren: As you wish. For the record though, using a Banter is totally cheating.

Soren: Sometimes girls can be so weird.

Callum: My first girlfriend get's superpowers from the moon.

Soren: ...That's neat buddy. 

Rayla: Winner gets to plan our next date.

Callum: Neat. And the loser?

Rayla: (Chuckle) Has to tell your Aunt we're together. 

Callum: (melodramatically) Two lovers divided, forced to fight!

Rayla: (just as melodramatically) Can their love endure this tragic twist of fate?!

Callum: Only thing is for certain... Wing cuddles will ensue.

Callum: Hi there. What"s your name?

Rayla: I'm Rayla, I'm your girlfriend, and we really don't have time to play "Never Met."

Callum: ... Rayla's a pretty name.

Callum: You didn’t need me to dance with you to let me into the Silvergrove did you? 

Rayla: Hmmhmm Nope.

Callum: I’m dating an evil genius. And I’m okay with that. 

 Rayla: You think we should be called, what?

Soren: Eclipse Elves. ‘Cause that’s the only time the moon makes a shadow.

Rayla: That's... surprisingly A good point.

Ezran: What is it Aunt Amaya?

Amaya: (Gren interpreting) [Your mother would be so proud of you.]

Ezran: Thanks... I think she'd be proud of you too. 

Amaya: [What's this I hear about you jumping of a cliff?]

Callum: It was for love!

Amaya: [Good motive, still reckless.]

Soren: Sometimes for lunch, I eat nothing but butter.

Amaya: [You shouldn't do that.]

Soren: Probably. My chest hurts all the time. 

Corvus: (Spinning his sickle chain) We got off to a rocky start.

Rayla: It's okay. We all came together when it mattered. 

Corvus: Still feel like I owe you a free one.  

Amaya: [It's good to have you back.]

Corvus: Funny how we both ended up captured, General. 

Amaya: (Grinning) [Captured? I was just taking a sunny holiday.] 

Corvus: You really set an impossible goal post, your Highness. 

Callum: How?

Corvus: How can any other couple top; Confessed our love mid-flight?

Rayla: So... Got any hobbies?

Amaya: [I know your dating my nephew.]

Rayla: Wha... I don't, I wasn't. Okay, I was just building up to that. 

Rayla: Are you the reason we’re sometimes fighting copies of ourselves?  Lujanne: (Dissipating her Human form) Maybe I am, or maybe the veil of reality has been opened wide for your others selves to come through. Rayla: So it’s definitely you, then,

Soren: Waaait... Are you and Callum together?

Rayla: Uck, no Soren. (mock cheery tone) We just like to kiss, hold hands, and be around each other all the time.

Soren: Hey, some people do, do, that. I'm not judging.

Soren: This is freaky.

Soren: Are we in some kind of weird, reflection, world?

Soren: If it is, you'd think it'd be a lot shinier, other me.

Ellis: (Ava poised dramatically) Hey Banterboy.

Ezran: Hey Wolfgirl. 

Ellis: (Ava ready to lunge) Now, we fight crime.

Ellis: Yes! I knew you two would get together!

Rayla: Well we didn’t.

Ellis: Of course you two wouldn’t, dummy. 

Ellis: You can grow wings now?! Callum: Just call me, “Souring Callum.”

Ellis: Hehaha! Sorry I thought you said: “Snoring Callum.”

Viren: This is a test Claudia.

Claudia: (Eyes turning black her snake wrist chain moving) To prove what?

Viren: (Staff extending)  To prove If your strong enough to fight even your flash and blood.   

Claudia: Hey man-bun!

Corvus: I have a name.

Claudia: Well, I've forgotten it. So...  

Soren: Shouldn't have sent a Guard to do an Assassins job.

Viren: I sent you to save Katolis from a weak ruler. And to earn my pride.

Soren: I've got plenty of Pride. Big shock, none of it came from you!

Viren: Come to kill me for real, son? 

Soren: I should have left you when Mom did!

Viren: Yes. You should have. 

Viren: Impossible. How did you learn Primal Magic?

Callum: I did this thing called; Actually trying!

Viren: Dark Magic, Is not, A shortcut!

Claudia: Don't make me fight you Sorebear.

Soren: Claud's... Dad is evil.

Claudia: I can't choose again!

Callum: The way you use magic is wrong.

Viren: Oh? And how should I use it, oh wise, mongrel, Prince?  

Callum: To help people, not use them! You selfish idiot!

Callum: You say you cared about my Dad.

Viren: Like a brother.

Callum: Then why didn't you ever just consider trading back the egg?

Rayla: Shouldn’t you be a puddle right now?

Viren: Despite your best efforts I live.

Rayla: Your remind me of a bad itch that just won’t go away. 

Rayla: Do you even know my name? Or the names of those you’ve captured? 

Viren: Should I, Elf.

Rayla: You will. 

Ezran: I know about the Soulfrang, Viren.

Viren: How?

Ezran: Let's say, a little birdy told me.

Jenai: (drawing her Sunforge sword) Lux Aurea will be avenged.

Viren: I don’t even know who you are. 

Jenai: You will...

Callum: So. You and my aunt huh?

Jenai: (Genuinely confused) What about me and your aunt? 

Callum: Oh you’ll find out. 

Janai: You don't have to stand so close to me.

Amaya: (teasing) [But your so warm and cozy.]

Janai: *sigh* *You where much more intimidating before we started talking.

Soren: If it isn't the Hot Elf.

Janai: Excuse me?!

Soren: Huh? No, Wait! I meant like.. Your made of fire sometimes!

Claudia: I bet Callum hates me right now. 

Rayla: He doesn't hate you. He misses you. 

Claudia: Why? He has you now.

Claudia: (sadly) Just an 'Assassin Friend' huh?

Callum: I'm sorry. Me and Rayla... It was completely unexpected.

Claudia: ‘Unexpected’ is just another kind of expected.

Ezran: I'm not angry Claudia.

Claudia: How can you say that, after I let you down.

Ezran: Your not your father. You can still be helped. 

Soren: Your hair, what did you do?

Claudia: I made Dad better. Like for you.

Soren: Better, but he..? Claudia, no...

Amaya: (stern) [Your father is a liar, a thief, and a traitor. For your sake give him up.]

Claudia: It's not that simple!

Amaya: (sympathetic) It never is with family.

Aaravos: (After his familiar has possessed a host) I've looked forward to this meeting.

Callum: Do I know you?

Aaravos: No. But you possess something that can help me. A certain... cube.

Lujanne: They say “Time fades even Legends”

Arravos: Who does?

Lujanne: No clue? Read it in a book about vampires once, and thought you might know?

Callum: Why should I trust you?

Aaravos: I can help you achieve your full potential.

Callum: That just helps me, what about my friends? 

Aaravos: Why settle for being a mere High Mage? 

Callum: What else is there? 

Aaravos: Becoming the heir to my power. The new Archmage of Xadia.

Aaravos: We have both broken past the limits others set upon us.

Callum: That doesn't make us friends.

Aaravos: But it does make us equals.

Aaravos: I had such hopes for you.

Viren: Please, I still need your power. Anything you ask I’ll grant! Aaravos: Oh, have some dignity!

Amaya: [Stay away from my family!]

Aaravos: Afraid you’ll fail at protecting another of them, are you?

Amaya: [I’m only afraid I’ll enjoy this.]

Jenai: Any last words?

Aaravos: How’s your sister..? 

Jenai: (Heat mode) Arrrrgh!

Aaravos: You shall be quite useful. 

Rayla: Not happening. 

Aaravos: Your compliance is not required. You will lure my new disciple to me. 

Harrow: (Standing up from his throne as a set of disembodied armor) So... Tell me about this girl your seeing.

Callum: You do know she was one of the Assassins sent to kill you, right?

Harrow: Well, nobody’s perfect.

[sunmoonandeddie]

little ballerina (5/16)

pairing: peter parker x reader

word count: 3,111

summary: After The Snap was reversed and the world went back to normal, Natasha Romanov had one request of her team: to infiltrate and destroy the Red Room.

chapter warnings: Dirty words, violence

masterlist

a/n:  Let me know what you think!

The next morning found you in the lab, sitting up on a counter as Bruce ran a multitude of tests.  Tony and Natasha were standing off to the side watching you.  Every few seconds, they would whisper to each other, like school kids that were afraid of the teacher catching them.  You were starting to get fed up with it.  "You know I can see you talking about me, right?"  Your right arm was currently in Bruce's hand as he drew blood to test.  You tugged down the sleeve of Peter's sweatshirt after he put a pink band-aid on you, crossing your arms.  "What are you two whispering about?"

Nat and Tony hesitated as they glanced at each other and back at you.  "Y/N...  We think it'd be a good idea to bring in Wanda," the redhead said as she walked closer to you, gauging your reaction.

"Why?"

"She can kind of read minds," Tony said, fiddling with a few things on his cluttered work space.  "We don't know the exact science of it, but it can be useful when going through someone's memories."

And that is exactly what Peter said they wouldn't do.  You immediately pushed yourself off the counter, your metaphorical hackles raising.  "I knew you would do this.  I told Peter that I wasn't going to tell you anything about the Red Room and he promised that this wasn't going to happen."  You took a few steps back, hyper aware of the three superheros around you.  "He lied to me."

Natasha shook her head, reaching out towards you to try to calm you down.  "No, no.  I promise we won't go through memories of the Red Room."  Tony and Bruce seemed ready to object before she continued, "We'll only go through memories of before you were in the Red Room.  We're just trying to find out where you came from."

Your e/c eyes searched her face for any signs of lying, but when you couldn't find any, you conceded with a short nod.  "Fine.  But if I feel her trying to go through memories of the Red Room, it's over."

The other three seemed to relax as you backed down.  They knew what you were capable of.  You were a mini-Natasha, in their minds, and even she was wary of you.  When you had tried to run your first day, the only person who had been able to stop you was that Bucky person, and that was entirely just because he had a metal arm.

Tony called out to F.R.I.D.A.Y., telling the A.I. to call Wanda to the lab.  It was less than two minutes before she was walking in the door.  You watched her with wary eyes and she held a rather cold air about her as she stood in front of you.  You weren't quick to forget that she had literally called you a female dog the night before.  She had gotten to you, and that made you extremely uncomfortable.  You had been trained to never let someone get into your head, and that just happened to be her super power.  "Don't fuck with my head," you snarled at her, sitting on the counter once again.  "You go through the memories that you're supposed to, and that's it."

"Whatever you say, păianjen mic."

You raised your eyebrows at her Romanian, realizing that it was most likely her native language.  You had figured from the accent that she was from somewhere around Eastern Europe.  "Nu sunt micul tău păianjen, târfă."

"Hey, language," Natasha snapped at you.  Both you and Wanda rolled your eyes as she launched into mother mode.  The other Avengers (besides maybe Clint and Bruce) had never seen this side of her.  When it came to you, it was like she was trying to make you into the daughter she could never have.  Clint had spent hours talking to her about it the night before, but she couldn't be deterred.  It didn't matter to her that you might be troublesome at first.  In her eyes, you needed a mother and she was going to be that for you.

If you let her, that is.

Wanda turned to look at you, raising her hands as red strands of magic formed between them.  You took a deep breath as the tendrils started to make their way towards your head.  You could feel your heart rate increasing, which you knew Bruce was highly aware of.  As soon as one of the red strands touched your head, you were thrown back into your memories.  True to Natasha's word, she didn't touch the Red Room memories and went to memories of your childhood instead.

You found yourself in a dance studio and when you turned to the mirror that you knew was going to be there, you realized that you couldn't be older than six years old.  Your h/c hair was tied up in a bun that was starting to fall out.  You watched as a few other girls began to leave, heading towards where their parents would be waiting.  A few stopped to talk to your dance teacher, a tall thin woman with bird-like features.  She seemed beautiful in an ethereal way.  Like you were too human to understand her beauty.

"Y/N!"

Turning, you felt a bolt of joy run through you as you saw your mother.  "Mama!"  You ran to her, jumping into her arms as she swung you around.  "Did you see me, mama?  I did a spin!"

"A pirouette, honey," your dance teacher said as she walked over to you and your mother.  Her name jumped to the fore front of your mind almost immediately.  Miss Claudia.  You had forgotten her name over the years you had spent in the Red Room.  You held tightly onto your mother as she began to talk to Miss Claudia.  "I believe Y/N is ready to be moved up to the next level dance class."

"Really?"  Your mother seemed surprised as she set you on the ground, her hand resting on your head to keep you close.

The tall woman nodded, smiling warmly.  "She has real talent, you know.  I really think you should keep her in dance."

She moves her hands a lot, you thought to yourself, clutching onto your mother's leg.

"When are the upper level classes again?"

"Everyday from three to six."

You could almost feel your mother deflating.  "Oh.  I work during those times.  I wouldn't be able to get her here.  My mother watches her after school and she can't drive."

Miss Claudia waved her hand, dismissing your mother's worries.  "I will pick her up then."

"I can't ask you to do that."

Your dance teacher forged on, refusing to back down.  "Miss L/N, I want to take Y/N on as my personal student.  It would be a shame for her to be held back simply because the classes aren't at a good time."  She began to head for the door, your mother following after.  She grabbed your hand, pulling you along with her.  "I know that her father isn't in the picture, so I will pick up Y/N from school."

"I...  I..."  Miss Claudia turned to look at your mother as you tightly squeezed her hand, looking between the two women.  Your mother finally sighed, giving in.  "Thank you, Miss Claudia.  It means a lot."

"It's nothing, I assure you."  The nymph-like woman continued on towards her office, leaving your mother and you behind.  "She'll start on Monday."

You jerked as you felt yourself torn from that memory as Wanda began to go through more of your childhood.  It was like watching a slideshow.  True to her word, Miss Claudia began to pick you up after school.  Soon enough, you were being homeschooled and spent no less than six hours a day in the dance studio.  And Miss Claudia was honest about wanting you to be her personal student.  She cut the cost of the dance lessons, making it affordable for your single mother.  She also began to buy your dance wear.  Everything from your leotards to tights to your very first pair of pointe shoes.  Wanda briefly brushed against the memory of your grandmother dying, but didn't stop to linger.  Memories were coming faster and faster.  Lesson after lesson, competition after competition.  You were placing first in almost every single one, and soon people were talking.  The dance industry from all over the world was talking about a little girl from (your hometown).  Your mother and Miss Claudia were there for all of it.

And then came the invitation to dance in Moscow.  Your mother had been so unsure and had almost turned it down, until Miss Claudia had convinced her to take it.  After all, the only thing you had to pay for was getting your passport.  Everything else was covered by sponsors, apparently.

You could feel Wanda flicking through your mind like it was a filing system, eventually finding what she seemed to be looking for.

You were in Moscow.  You had landed three days before and had spent that time getting in last minute rehearsals from the competition.  Miss Claudia was convinced that you'd make the top three, if not first.  You had spent months on this one routine, hitting it again and again until it was perfect.  Your mother sat behind you on the bed the morning of, brushing your hair back until it was in a tight, perfect bun.  "You're going to be perfect, sweetheart."

And she was right.  You had done every little thing perfectly.  When they announced that you won first place, everything seemed to move in slow motion.  You were given a massive bouquet of blood red roses that you could barely carry.  A gold medal was placed around your neck.  Your mother and Miss Claudia were hugging and jumping and cheering louder than they ever had before.

That night, you all went out for the fanciest dinner you had ever had.  You even got to have ice cream, which you only got on special occasions.  The three of you seemed to be walking on air as you got back to the hotel.

But then the fire had started.  Someone had pulled you out of the hotel window and out onto the fire escape just seconds before the fire got to you.  Your mother and Miss Claudia were no where to be seen.  They had gone down to the hotel bar after you had fallen asleep.

A woman dressed in street clothes held you close to her chest as she walked down the street, despite the fire fighters looking for survivors.  You realized as Wanda sorted through that memory that you were the only one to make it out, and it was because of the woman carrying you.

"I want my mama," you whined to the woman, squirming in her arms.

She tried to hush you, pushing your head further into the crook of her shoulder.  "Shhh, it's okay.  It'll all be okay soon."  She pulled you into a van and your vision faded to black as you felt a needle prick your neck.

When you woke up, you were on a hard bed, handcuffed to the metal frame.  "Hello?!  Mama?!"  You shouted, tears falling down your cheeks.  "Mama!"  You began to thrash about, ignoring how raw your wrists were becoming from struggling against the handcuff.  "Where am I?!  MAMA!"

"Shhh, little one."  You looked up to see an older woman standing with the one who had pulled you out of the burning hotel.  "It's alright."

"Where's my mama?" You whimpered, sitting up and tugging on the handcuff still.

The older woman, Madame B, pushed your hair back from your face.  "We're your family now, my dear.  Welcome to the Red Room."

A panic rose in your chest as you felt Wanda try to push further.  It took great strength, but you pushed her out of your mind.  As soon as you were back from the present, your hand reached out and struck the older girl.  The slap resounded through out the lab as the others stared at you in shock.  "I told you to stay out of those memories, you conniving cu—"

"Y/N!"

You turned to see Natasha glaring at you, her arms crossed over her chest.  Wanda was holding her cheek as she muttered insults in Romanian under her breath.  "I told her not to go there, and she did.  It's my mind.  I had the right."

The others couldn't exactly argue and you stormed out of the lab.  Waves of utter fury were rolling off of you as you made your way to the training room.  It was a top-tier gym with an entire wing just for combat.  You found yourself in front of one of the punching bags, tying your hair up into a bun.  You had tossed Peter's sweatshirt into a locker so that you were in just your sports bra and leggings.  You didn't even bother with shoes.  You zoned out all of the people around you as you began to hit the bag, going through your routine that you had at the Red Room.

"Getting out some steam?"

You turned, scoffing as you saw Bucky standing there.  "Do you often watch people when they're working out?"  Sure, you were a little snappy, but almost all of these so-called Avengers were pissing you off more and more as time went on.

He came around the other side of the bag, holding it steady for you.  "I heard you slapped Wanda."

"And?"

"And nothing.  Just thought it was a little funny."

You blew a strand of hair out of your face, kicking the bag particularly hard.  "She might be able to get into my mind, but she needs to remember that I can kick her ass anytime.  I don't care how much she's trained with you guys."

Bucky seemed a little amused as he watched you.  "You've got a lot more fight in you than I thought you would."

"So you underestimated me, is what you're saying."  Sweat was beginning to drop from your forehead.

The super soldier's hair was pulling into a low bun, his bright eyes alight with mirth.  "I suppose so."

You paused, shaking out your hands.  In your fury, you hadn't bothered to wrap your knuckles.  They were now starting to bleed and you knew that it meant more cleanup on your part.  Bucky walked over, having grabbed his own wrap and taking your hand in his.  You watched him cautiously as he wrapped your knuckles for you.  "I told her not to get into my memories about the Red Room."

"And she did?"  You nodded, watching as he took his time wrapping them.  He went quiet, until he reached for the other hand.  "They did the same thing to me when I first got here.  Wanda helped me sort through my memories of being the Winter Soldier."  He ignored the way you looked at him in surprise.  You had heard of the Winter Soldier, but it was kind of like the Black Widow.  It was a myth until it wasn't.  "But I understand if you don't want to go through them right now."

"I don't even want to be here."  Your tone was biting, cold and harsh.

He finished wrapping your hands and squeezed them comfortingly.  "Neither did I, at first.  But they mean well."

"The Red Room is all I've ever known."

Bucky frowned a little.  He knew exactly what that felt like, and it wasn't a good feeling.  Having all you've ever known ripped from you could make you go a little crazy.  It made sense to him that you were so hostile.  He had once been the wild animal backed into a corner.  So had Natasha, but it had been a lot longer since she had been rescued, so to say.  So if anyone really knew what you were feeling, it was him.  "The Red Room didn't want what was best for you.  You have to know that."  You let out a huff of air, going back to punching the bag as hard as possible.  Bucky took his stance behind the bag once again.  "They've molded you into what they wanted you to be.  The perfect, obedient assassin.  But how many of your friends died because of you?"

Ouch.

Now that stung.

You hesitated, your breathing coming out shakily.  "Fourteen."

"And you know each one of their names, don't you?"

"Clara, Josephine, Alana, Elizabeth, Pearl, Carol Ann, Juniper, Lena, Diana, Brianna, Miriam, Trina, Naomi."  You swallowed down the bile that was rising in your throat.  "And Evelyn."  Evelyn had been the older girl to comfort you when you had first arrived at the Red Room.  She was sixteen when you first arrived.

On your fifteenth birthday, Madame B had forced you to practice combat with her, but didn't let you stop until one of you was finished.  And when she said finished, she meant dead.  You had kept going until you had pinned the blonde down, your hand wrapped tightly around her throat.

"It's okay," she had said, her green eyes staring at you with pride and love.  "You can do it."

Tears stained your cheeks as you crushed her windpipe, watching as the light faded from those beautiful emerald eyes.  She had been the closest thing you had had to a sister, and she was gone.  You were devastated and you had collapsed into a pile of tears.

But the Red Room had won.  After that day, you became cold and calculating.  You became what they dreamed you would be.  From that point on, all that mattered was being the best.  You had to make sure that Evelyn didn't die in vain, while also making sure that you never cared enough about another person that the Red Room thought to use them to break you.

"The pain doesn't go away."

You were brought back to the present, realizing that you were crying.  Your eyes met Bucky's and you realized that he had truly been through what you had.  He had killed people and, like you, had never forgotten their names.

"The pain doesn't go away, but you learn to forgive yourself and move on.  You learn to live with it."  He stopped to readjust his grip on the bag, before nodding at you.  "Come on.  Again."

You pushed the thought of the girls to the back of your mind, throwing yourself into hitting the punching bag.  You were so focused on the task at hand, at getting the aggression and frustration out, that you didn't even notice the rest of the Avengers watching you from the observation deck up above.

[lchufflepuffcorn]

Her (Scott McCall x Reader)

Resume: Being a born necromancer isn’t nearly as cool as being a werewolf of a banshee. Even being human is cooler than being able to raise the dead. 

Words: 3604

Warning: Bref mention of suicide (very brief but still) details of eyes missing. 

Note: There is a high possibility of being a second part to that, I just don’t know when so... I hope you’ll like it. (I do not own the gif.) -LcH. xxx

You can find my masterlist here!! 

If you could blame your weird habits on someone, in particular, you’d name your father, without a shadow of hesitation. The reason for it was that he had been missing from your life since you were very young, and you were sure as hell that your mother couldn’t see the ghosts like you could. Partly because when you would wake up crying, she would assure you that it was only a nightmare. You did try to tell her that, no, the bloody grandma living in the ceiling really was there, next to your bed but to no avail. So your absent father was the only logical explanation for your condition. All the more so that Deacon had said it was hereditarian. Though, having your father in your life wouldn’t have made you the woman you were now from what you’ve heard. 

You were born and raised in Beacon Hill, as was your mother. Single child after your father left home, she raised you well to be a kind girl with a vast curiosity for things. Your mother had been a close friend to Claudia Stilinski and her husband from Stiles and your’s playdates in kindergarten, she worked with Melissa McCall at the hospital, though your mother was a doctor, not a nurse. On top of everything, she went to school with Peter Hale and Chris Argent, hooking up for a brief instant with the first, Peter had told you that first hand after discovering your origin. Therefore, you were bound to know Scott and Stiles, even Lydia Martin, though your mom didn’t really like her mother. 

While being friends with both Stiles and Scott meant many things, though it mostly said that you had to help patch-up the stuff they’d messed up, you were not considered as one of the troublemakers. More like their mother to be honest. Stiles tended to forget eating, because of that, you found yourself doomed to put food in all of your bags. Scott wasn't the most prepared teenager, so you were affording his lacks most of the time, such as helping him study five minutes before a test and what-not. Lydia sometimes needed to hear things that her mother couldn't tell her. So you did it for her. You went from a group of friends to another like a butterfly. Everyone in the school knew your name. 

At first, Scott didn’t want you to be involved in all these supernatural problems. Up until Derek asked if your dad was (Y/D/N). Derek was the one to tell you what you really were. A necromancer. After that, your role as the mother of the group just became more evident. You would drive the gang around when it wasn’t Stiles who was doing it, more often then not, Derek asked you to talk with him about the matters with Scott and Peter, because you were spiritually his age. Now, was that a compliment or an insult, you didn’t know. Then Scott and Alisson broke up, and things started to get weird for everyone. Your dreams were more vivid, sometimes happening during class or when you were driving. Lydia was a Banshee, Isaac Lahey was turned by Scott, and Scott became Alpha. 

He would, in the beginning, call you to take Isaac home. He usually called you when matters were starting to get out of hands.

After Alisson’s death, when Isaac left, you remember feeling empty, as if something was missing, and you could only imagine what was Scott's feeling and thus understanding why he didn't want Liam or Mason near any troubles was. It soon became a habit of yours to bring them back home, even if Scott didn’t ask you to. During the years, Scott or Stiles would call you from any places at ungodly hours in the night. You scolded them often about their lack of safety, especially if they got hurt that night. And you would always be the only one to talk about school night and homework and eating correctly. You liked being able to say: 'I told you so!'. Most of the time,' Scott would back you up on the safety talk every chance he had. He wasn't any better than they were in the matter of safety, well, in the concern of his safety anyways.

Could you blame him? Not really, he didn’t ask for it after all, but at the same time, he wasn’t really doing anything to help his case. After the bite and his change. Then Allison's death, the Alphas, and Derek going from and to God know were. With everything that was going on, you could only try to help your childhood friend. Unlike Stiles, you weren’t human. Thought, unlike Liam, Kira or Lydia, your powers were not so developed that you could actually be helpful. You couldn't even spell charms to save your life or scream to kill your opponent. Your bite wasn't poisonous, you couldn't control the electricity or a sword for that matter. On top of all, you didn't even own a baseball bat. All you could do was talk to the dead, and you didn't really like doing so.

At first, it was because of the meaning of profanity behind the rise of the dead. Later it became because of the dreams you had because of them, then because of Allison. Your dreams held on her rising from the dead for months. Scott was with Kira at that time, but it didn't stop him from answering all your calls at outrageous hours and come to your house for a night in. Melissa had bet twenty bucks with Stiles' father that you would end up together. Your mom already owed her fifteen.

Parents were not the only ones taking bets about the two of you. Since Scott and Kira's breakup, Lydia and Stiles had many playful fights about your romantic status. Liam had even nicknames your mom and was using this to name you instead of your real name every chance he got. 

''Tell mom this.'' ''Did mom do that?'' ''Where's mom?''  He was worse than a child.

Today as Stiles, Lydia, Scott, and you were studying for a test, things were going smoothly. Liam was in class with Mason. Somehow, you had obtained what you had asked for so long: a time of peace and quiet. Well, the silence was approximative as it was on the school ground, but it was still a peaceful moment. In one of your ears was playing an instrumental song. In front of you, numerous sheets of notes were expending. You had taken the trick from Stiles, but your structures of notes were less messy than his.

''(Y/N)'' Scott's voice made you lift your head suddenly. ''Do you have the notes from last history class?''

As the four of you were studying for the Mathematics test, you found it odd that Scott would want the last notes in history. More so because you remembered him being present in class that day. 'Yeah, I do, here. But it won’t help you with math...'' Scott only chuckled as he took your notes, not answering your point. 

After school that day, Scott was taking you home on his scooter. You didn't have for a habit of accepting getting on because of the idea of getting killed. But your mom had driven you to school in the morning, so you didn’t have your car, and you didn’t like taking the bus, so you agreed. When Scoot first started riding his bike, you would bicker about his deficit of headgear. He only had one, and you were at least 75% sure that it wasn’t the safest one he had found. Unfortunately for you, Scott now had another one, basically with your name on it. The grey mass slowly moving in the sky helped convinced you to ride back home with Scott; it would rain before you would arrive home on foot. Homework was beginning to drown you under their weight, the year was slowly starting to end, and you could literally feel it. Melissa was working the night shift, and your mother was doing a double shift tonight.

Melissa was still home when you arrive at Scott’s, getting ready to leave. It wasn’t unusual for you to spend the night at the McCall’s or vice versa. She smiled at you before running back to her room.

''Lunch is in the oven.''  She called from upstairs ''Don't let it burn, please.'' 

''Mom, I won't!'' Scott responded, making his way toward the kitchen table, bringing you with him as he did. He let his schoolbag slide on the table, and you sat down next to him. Melissa came down to the kitchen and kissed her son's forehead. She then proceeded to kiss your hair as well. She grabbed her keys and left, but not before shouting her last goodbye for the night.

''You two have a good time studying!''

''Bye, Melissa!'' You shouted back before the door closed. The house fell silent, finally. As you turned to focus on your homework -you had them out of your bag as soon as you reached the table- but Scott’s eyes were on you. ''What?'' 

''Nothing, what do you want to start with?'' He questioned. Lifting your shoulders up, you just gestured toward the pile of books before you vaguely. 

It was maybe an hour or so later, Scott and you had half-eaten your dinner now, still doing homework when your phone started to buzz like crazy. Calls and texts were harassing you fro every one of your friends as if the world was ending. But all of them were for the very same thing. 

'Hey, have you seen Scott? He doesn't answer his phone!!' From Stiles.

'Can you tell Scott to look at his phone? Stiles’ starting to be very annoying.' From Lydia.

'Is Scott with you? We need him A.S.A.P.' From Kira. 

'Hey, Mom, could you text Scott? We've been trying to contact him for a while, but he doesn't answer.' From Liam.

‘Need Scott, hes with you?’ From Malia.

As more text flowed in, you signed. You shoulder felted like iron bars as you let them dropped a little. Your heart was racing. What was it this time? Another Deadpool? A Nogitsune roaming free in town? A werewolf without a pack but surprisingly much more robust than it should be? Was it a witch wanting the power of a mythological tree again? You raised your eyes to Scott's.

''Look at your phone. You've been popular this evening.'' He seemed surprised, his brow nearly raising to the top of his head as he took out his telephone from his pocket. At the same time, Mason had managed to call you, and Scott's phone too was ringing. You answered your phone with a sigh as the boy next to you showed you the caller ID. 

‘’Hey, Mom!’’ exclaimed Mason, seemingly relieved that you answer this time. 

''Hey, Mason. Tell Stiles to stop calling, Scott’s right next to me.'' 

''Oh, okay, I’ll tell him!’’ there was a pause. ‘’Stiles! I’ve got (Y/N) on the phone, Scott’s with her!'' Mason's voice called, he echoed your message to what seemed to be Stiles. The ringtone of Scott's phone stopped a second later.

''What is it?'' Scott moved his hand, and you put your phone on speaker.

The words were coming out of the engine as if there was some distance between Stiles and Mason's phone, but you could still distinctly hear what he was saying. ''I should have called her, they're always together.'' Scott scoffed, Stiles' voice came in much more clearly.

'' Hey, you two! Uh, we're kinda having difficulties? I mean, you should really come to see this. It’s nothing like we’ve seen before...'' His tone seemed odd to you like he was trying to make it look less of a big deal than it really was.

''What do you mean?'' Scott asked. You took the now empty plates back to the sink int the kitchen. Scott was old enough to understand Stiles on his own anyway. And you didn’t mind missing half of the conversation anyway, you would follow him to where the others were having trouble anyway. It was always like that. And if you were to go out, who knew what time it would be when you arrive 

to sleep, and in no way would you want to have to clean if that happened, so the plates were going in the sink now before it was too late. 

As you let the water clean most of the stain of the food from the ceramic, you felt a cold breeze hit your skin tenderly. Your heart started to race. It was the first time a ghost appeared at Scott’s house. You slowly turned, trying with all of your might to make it seem as if you couldn’t see them. The man was standing tall behind you, his face was partially hidden by a shadow and blood was spotting on his clothes. You downed your eyes. Making it look as if you couldn’t see him at all. Clearing your throat, you called for Scott but heard nothing back. The sounds were slowly fading out, you knew what was going on but refused to accept it. Going into your little necromancer mind place wasn't really as attractive as it sounded. Your heart was racing, and your mind was running for anything that would anchor you to reality. Your breath was coming in short and leaving before it could have done his job to help the blood run through your veins. The man took a step to be closer to you.

His mouth opened, but it wasn’t words that came out of it. It sounded like wailing and a grunt at the same time. It was as if broadcast was continually cut off then switched on again. You figured that it was too late to ignore him anymore, so you looked at him the eyes. But there were no eyes to look at, only bloody holes oozing a black liquid out of them. The man was holding his hands high as if he wanted to grasp your shoulder. You closed your eyes, unable to move, your heart was racing, and you felt sick, the dinner in the back of your throat threatening to spill if you looked at the man any longer. You were ready to handle the ice-cold touch of the dead on you, but instead of it on your shoulders were hot and desperate hands that ended on your face.

“(Y/N)!”

You gasped for the air you had forgotten to inhale, your eyes wide open now. Disoriented -the waving of the furniture before your eyes weren't helping either- you soon realized that it was Scott's hand on your face, gently tracing patterns on your cheek to comfort you. Also, you were not standing in his kitchen anymore, you were laying on its floor. The fresh feeling that was the ceramic tiles on your neck was recomforting enough, you didn’t feel like vomiting anymore. 

With some difficulties, you managed to sit up, Scott was all over you asking if you were okay. ''Yeah, I think so.'' Your head was turning as if you were sitting in a boat, but you didn’t have the seasickness that usually occurred when you were in a boat.  

''What did Stiles want to talk about?'' you asked, trying to distract yourself from the memory of the eyeless man. 

Scott hesitated a moment before telling you. ''Lydia found another body.'' His statement sent shivers down your spine, you felt nauseous. Through your shirt, you could see the frequency of your heartbeat.

''Do you want me to come with you?'' You asked. Scott looked at you as if he didn't want you to come. Even so, you ignored it and, with his help, rose on your feet. ''Liam and Mason didn't go home today, so they'll be hungry. Stiles will, too, because he's him. Maybe we should also bring covers? It's cold outside and-''

''(Y/N)'' Scott cut your ranting by setting his hand on your arm to prevent you from leaving the kitchen. ''Maybe you should just rest? I could call my mom too. You were unconscious on my kitchen's floor.''

''I'm fine now.'' You shrugged, trying to play it cool. He didn't look assured. When he still didn't let go, you huffed. ''Scott, can we just go?'' He sighed but compelled to your request. He left the room after placing a kiss on the crown of your hair. Borrowing a hoodie from his collection, you trailed after him, arms full of food and covers.

Lydia wasn't as shaken as she was the first few time she found dead people. However, she did take the blanket you were proposing to her. Liam was happily eating the pizza you had brought him while Mason was explaining in detail all of the things you had missed. Scott was talking about it with Stiles, Malia and Lydia on his side.

''- and then Lydia stopped moving and just took a deep inspiration and then started to scream!'' You nodded slowly. Since your arrival, you hadn't looked at the body that was lying there. Too scared to watch, no, you felt disgusted more than scared. The little you had seen of the body was close to the spectre you had encountered in Scott's house.

It was crazy to think that the man had been able to overpass your magical defences just to meet you. You weren't a defenceless child anymore like you were when Peter first came back. You understood your power much more now, but that was not something you've been able to explain to yourself. Mason was still ranting about how awesome it had been when Lydia screamed and brought them to the body when you cut him.

''It's late, boys. Didn't you had homework to do?''

Liam looked at you with pleading eyes, and Mason lowered his head.

''Seriously, guys! You need to stop that. School is important for your future, even if you don't like it.'' You had tried to level with them many times. You even talked about it with Isaac when Derek couldn't handle him, so he had to live with Scott. Liam lowered his eyes to the ground.

''Scott does it-'' You stopped him before he could finish his sentence.

''Scott took his responsibilities in hands. He tries his best to have good grades and does every single one of his homework. He didn't ask to become the Alpha, Liam.'' You took a breath before starting to talk once again, but with much less energy. ''While you don't have such responsibilities, try to take advantage of it. Plus, your mom will be worried if you don't go back home soon. I won’t cover for you his time.'' 

You and Mrs. Dumbar had made an agreement when Liam started to pass more and more time with Scott’s pack, you would take care of him. Unbeknown to her, you also made an agreement with Liam so that when he didn’t feel like going home, you’d cover for him saying he was staying at your house or that the gang was having a sleepover somewhere. 

You turned your back from the boys but soon realized your mistake when the shadow you thought you had left behind came back in front of you. Your blood ran cold once more, and your head started to spin again. You closed your eyes. 'Go away, leave me alone.' You thought.

''(Y/N)?'' Malia's voice sounded so far away that you had difficulties hearing it. You opened your eyes. The ghost was nowhere to be seen, Malia was standing in his place. You smiled in her direction. ''Are you okay?''

''Of course.'' She looked at you with anxiety. You felt forced to continue. '' I just thought that I don't have my car. So I can't drive Liam and Mason home.''

''But-'' tried to intervene the two youngest only to find themselves being cut short.

''No, buts, you have homework to do and a future to plan.''

Scott made a movement with his head, and Stiles started to make his way toward his Jeep. ''C'mon, boys. Tomorrow will come in way too early anyway.'' Lydia sighed and followed him. She was holding Malia by her arm to make her walk too.  Scott pushed Liam in the back to make him move in the direction of Stiles' car.

''I'll call my dad, you two better leave,'' Stiles called after starting his vehicle. Scott waved his hand.

''We will.'' He then looked at you, brow knitted in worry. ''You saw him?''

''Saw who?'' You tried to play it dumb. He didn't need to worry about you over everything there was for him to worry about.

''The man, (Y/N). Did you see him?'' His tone was not the one you could just ignore. He was worried and would become angry if you played it dumb again.

''Yes, from what I saw, it could have been him.''

''Did you saw him at my house too?'' 

How come he could know such things, he wasn,t even trying. You couldn’t get the words out of your mouth, it was as if your tongue had stopped working, so you nodded instead. The man was standing in front of your eyes. Your breath caught in your throat. ''I don't want to see him, Scott.'' You succeeded to choke out. ''He standing there, and he won't go away! ''

Scott's hand met your arm and brought you in a warm hug.  ''Let's go home, we'll talk about it there.'' You nodded, closing your eyes.

[lostinthewinterwood]

Chocolate Box Letter 2020

Dear Chocolatier…

  Thank you for writing for me!  I hope you find inspiration, if you need it, somewhere in this letter, but either way, good luck with your writing!

(some of the prompts are… rambly and disjointed; the lengths vary wildly, but dw I love them all.  I hope the rambly ones still make sense; this letter is uhhh almost 3k and my brain is Tired.)

General DNWs:

Rape/non/dub-con; non-canonical major character death*; smut/graphic sex scenes; heavy angst; hurt no comfort; graphic depictions of deliberate and methodical self-harm**; graphic depictions of suicide;  gore; heavy gender dysphoria; grimdark; complete downer endings; character bashing; incest; cringe comedy; a/b/o; mpreg; full setting AUs (canon-divergence, even significant canon-divergence, is fine); graphic eye trauma; graphic and/or permanent hand trauma (unless the setting can provide a more-or-less fully functional prosthetic or equivalent); issuefic.

*exceptions noted below.

**I don’t include things like, say, punching a wall in a fit of emotion under this. however, something like cutting would not be appreciated.

  General Likes:

I like family/friendship stories, things that play with canon in interesting ways, honestly… a lot of things.  I don’t know. articulating things I like is hard.

I’m an absolute sucker for identity porn/secret/mistaken identity drama, as well as non-sexualized/non-fetishized crossdressing (either direction, and especially if for plot-relevant disguise purposes!) and if you combine them, well, I’ll be a very happy camper.

Other things I like include wriggling into canon and exploring something left unexplored by said canon, what-if stories featuring some sort of canon divergence, and plotty fic, if you want to write something long enough for that to be relevant.

  Order of fandoms:

·        Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

·        Super Powereds – Drew Hayes

·        Tortall – Tamora Pierce

·        Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)

·        The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)

·        Frozen (Disney Movies)

·        Little Women (2019)

·        Original Prompts

·        Crossovers

    Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren (Star Wars Sequel Trilogy)

So uh I may be having a slight case of Feels™ over these two, though tbh I’m not entirely sure what those feelings are exactly.  I don’t know what exactly I’d most want, though I’d be interested in explorations of their evolving emotions in relation to each other, especially through Kylo Ren/Ben’s whole death/rebirth thing.  What-ifs are another thing; what if, say, Ben didn’t die?  What happens, then, since they’d have to actually deal with what he’s done?  Feel free to retcon the kiss (which I thought was rather devoid of chemistry; in general their dynamic came across to me more as weirdly sibling-ish, especially after the Death Star duel) to a hug or something, if you want.

If you want to go to a lighter place, I can also see all sorts of shenanigans emerging after they discover their Force-teleportation skills.

Also feel free to retcon Rey’s parentage, if that is where your heart takes you: might she be Luke’s secret child?  Leia’s?  A descendant of Obi-Wan Kenobi and, say, Satine Kryze?

Apart from that I’d prefer no full-setting AUs; canon divergence is fine, and if you go that route you can pick a divergence point as far back as you want.

Feel free to include whatever other characters are necessary for the story you want to tell.

(And also do keep in mind that you can absolutely cut off someone’s hand here, or for the Star Wars crossover farther down; in this franchise it is a goddamn motif.)

    Super Powereds – Drew Hayes

Adam Riley & George Russel | Relentless Steel (Super Powereds)

I’m utterly fascinated by the relationship these two have; the interplay of Adam’s… vendetta, maybe?  I’m not sure what the right word for it is… and the fact that George also serves him as a mentor/almost-parental, in some ways, figure.  And, you know, that Adam (maybe) kills him.  We don’t actually see that; for all we know he made a different choice.

Consider this an exception to my “non-canonical MCD” DNW, since it’s deliberately ambiguous in canon; you can kill George, if that’s where your muse takes you.

  Alice Adair | Legacy & Vince Reynolds | Jack of All (Super Powereds)

Their friendship/cousin relationship is Wholesome and I love it.  Any point in the timeline, post-canon, all of it is Good and Welcome.  Do they form a legacy children/villains’ kids club? They’re secret cousins; untangling the mess that is the past; so much juicy juicy stuff to work with!!

  Phillip Adair | Globe & Charles Adair | Alchemist (Super Powereds)

Brother vs brother! O the drama! But also, they grew up together; they were once best friends; and Charles grew hard and it all fell apart—give me their childhood, maybe, or HCP years or young heroes before Shelby’s powers grew too much for her, or lean into the tragedy of what comes later…

    Tortall – Tamora Pierce

Numair Salmalín | Arram Draper & Varice Kingsford (Tortall)

Numair Salmalín | Arram Draper & Varice Kingsford & Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe (Tortall)

Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe & Numair Salmalín | Arram Draper (Tortall)

Varice Kingsford & Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe (Tortall)

I love these kids, okay?  And I wish they could all just… be okay.  But of course they won’t be; we already know what becomes of them, after all.

There’s a lot to explore here, with these three in their varying combinations of course.  Right now I’m most interested in the pre-Wild Magic timeline—what was Varice and Ozorne’s dynamic before Arram came along? what little snippets of things happen offscreen during the timeline of Tempests and Slaughter? how does Arram gain his black robe; how does Ozorne feel about that? Varice? how does Numair end up in exile, and how do the others feel about that whole affair?—but really I’d also be interested in something set during or around the time of Emperor Mage, from any of their POVs.  We get all the story there from Daine, who is great! but she doesn’t know the history between the three of them, not intimately as they do, and I’d love any of their emotional reactions to being together again under such strained circumstances, so many years after everything fell apart.

  Numair Salmalín & Myles of Olau (Tortall)

He was on a mission, was he not, when he became that hawk at the beginning of Wild Magic?  (please ignore if I am Wrong there.)  So how did they meet?  Why did Numair become an agent?  All sorts of questions, here…

  Prince Stiloit Tasikhe & Varice Kingsford (Tortall - Pierce)

Stiloit seems so… calm, and level-headed, especially when compared with Ozorne who is not.  And he clearly finds Varice interesting, and her company valuable.  So maybe tell me something about that—what does he think of her?  She of him?  What if, perhaps, he didn’t die when he does?

  Keladry of Mindelan & Nealan of Queenscove (Tortall)

They have a BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP and also ye gods when I reread First Test at like 19 (having first read it at 10) I was struck by how very, very fifteen Neal is in that book and it’s hilarious.  But more seriously—Neal’s PoV on things would be fantastic, since we only see him through Kel’s eyes and he doesn’t let her see everything about himself.

  Keladry of Mindelan & Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak (Tortall - Pierce)

What a beautiful mentorship relationship, I love them.  Also, how does Raoul feel about this open girl page?  Who’s so determined, and has such potential in how she could become more, in an area he knows about (that being military command)—how does he feel about her, living her best life; how does he contextualize it in his intimate knowledge that Alanna could not do what she is doing—and yet it was Alanna, with her deception, who allowed this to be.

  Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau & Numair Salmalín

The renowned lady knight-healer-mage and the black robe on the run from Carthak! How did they meet, anyway?  They’re something like the same age, I think, or at least he’s no more than ten years her junior.

  Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau & Thom of Trebond (Tortall - Pierce)

My poor Important Destiny Twins… Look I just, I want some content with poor Thom, right?  I’d rather here that we set the story before his death, or that we make it an AU where he gets to live.

    Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)

Shadowsan & Hideo (Carmen Sandiego 2019)

There’s… so little of this stated or shown overtly, really, but I’m fascinated.  I can’t get over it.  Just tell me about the brothers, please.

    The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)

Runaan/Ethari & Rayla (The Dragon Prince)

Family fluff!  Or angst!  Or turn round and give them a reunion!  All depends on where in the timeline you pick, really.

(there’s a fic on ao3 with the tag “this fanfiction written by the ETHARI LOOK IN THE FUCKING WATER gang” and honestly that is just such a mood.)

  Amaya & Sarai (The Dragon Prince)

…I don’t have much to say here really, just that I love me some sibling dynamics.

  Callum & Ezran (The Dragon Prince)

A king by birthright, a prince only by adoption, who by age/maturity would probably be better-suited to ruling… look idk just, bros okay???

Maybe something when they were younger, or canon-era, or… idk I love them.

  Callum & Ezran & Rayla (The Dragon Prince)

Friendship! Angst! The gang’s all here!  If you want you can include rayllum but for this prompt at least I’d rather it be lowkey.

  Claudia & Soren (The Dragon Prince)

I am heartbroken over these kids and just—I need more content with them.  Even if it makes me sad.

  Callum & King Harrow (The Dragon Prince)

There are a lot of complicated feelings I have about them—how clearly Harrow loves his stepson, and how even after more than a decade, Callum still isn’t quite comfortable with his stepfather.

    Frozen (Disney Movies)

Agnarr/Iduna (Frozen)

How did they get together?  Why does Iduna stay with Agnarr; why doesn’t she just go home?  How does that revelation conversation go—when does it happen?  How do they come to decide to block Elsa’s powers; when/how do they decide to sail for Ahtohallan?

  Kristoff & Ryder Nattura (Frozen)

Reindeer bros!!  What did Kristoff do while Anna and Elsa were off doing the plot stuff?  Does he go with the Northuldra?  I love the dynamic between these two; it’s adorable and there’s so painfully little of it.

  Yelena & Mattias (Frozen)

So clearly they know each other, right? It’s been thirty-four years, and they clearly have some sort of sniping thing going on but they don’t seem to be actively antagonistic towards each other.  How do they feel about each other, really? How have they interacted in the past?  Is there anything there?  What about after Mattias goes back to Arendelle?

  Anna & Elsa (Frozen)

There is just.  There’s a profound tragedy here—they’re best of friends till they’re five and eight or so, then they don’t interact for thirteen years, they have three years together, and then they go off together to the Enchanted Forest and Elsa doesn’t come back to live in Arendelle, while Anna must return… I don’t know.  Tell me about that, maybe.  Or give me sweet fluff about them as children.  Or something.

  Anna/Kristoff (Frozen)

They’re adorable and I love them and I really just want more.  Maybe something from between the movies—how do they navigate forming a relationship, when he was raised by trolls and she’s been so isolated?

    Little Women (2019)

Amy March/Theodore Laurence (Little Women 2019)

…I don’t know, they’re cute, Laurie is a disaster, I love seeing Amy grow up, I hunger for moar content with them.

  Beth March & Mr. Laurence (Little Women 2019)

This has a lot of potential for cute/sad father/daughter dynamics, I think!  And I’d love more of it.

  Friedrich Bhaer & Josephine March (Little Women 2019)

Friedrich Bhaer/Josephine March (Little Women 2019)

I just want cute content with Jo and her dynamic with this man who actually respects her and her writing okay?  Maybe something like, I don’t know, navigation of boundaries around Jo’s writing and his criticism thereof… I don’t know.  Have fun with them.  And I really don’t care if it’s shipfic or not.

  Theodore "Laurie" Laurence & Josephine March (Little Women 2019)

Theodore Laurence & Josephine March (Little Women 2019)

Laurie is still a disaster but I love him anyway, and their friendship is sweet, and I need more content™.

    Original Prompts

In general: I’m not super picky about how shippy the shipfic gets; most of the ship prompts here would, I think, work as well for gen, excepting the suitor and the princess (which is not to say I’m asking that it be gen, obviously I’m not, but if your muse takes you that direction then go for it).  Likes I put up top still apply down here.

In terms of settings, I especially like high fantasy, space fantasy, or, if relevant, Classic Superhero City Setting, but I’m open to just about anything.

I’m also not tremendously picky about the genders of the characters involved; if it isn’t stated within the prompt, go wild, but please do stick to standard English pronouns; I have a lot of difficulty reading things with neopronouns.

Most of these pairings are prompts in and of themselves, but I’ll add in some bits of commentary for each one.

  Disgraced Vampire Queen Moonlighting As A Barista/Exhausted Vampire Hunter In Search Of Caffeine

Okay, so I just think this has great potential for absolute hilarity, and identity shenanigans aplenty.

  Dragon & Human Child (Original Work)

I love dragons.  I love playing with dragon-lore, though here I’d appreciate it being a relationship wherein the dragon is not evil, at least not to the child.

  Female Crossdressing General/Female Crossdressing Enemy General (Original Work)

So uh from my general likes, it should be… fairly obvious what called to me here lmao.  But there’s such potential here!  The drama!  Do they know each others’ real gender?  Do they know that they’re on opposing sides?  How does this romance across the battlefield work?  Is it even across the battlefield—are they at war, or just generally enemies?

  Female Failed Chosen One & Female New Chosen One

Such delicious depths to delve here… why did the first one fail?  What’s her relationship with her successor?  What have they been chosen for?  The setup of this makes me think that the failed chosen one is an adult of some age that’s distinctly older than the new one, who I’ve been imagining as an older child or young adult, but you should follow your muse there.

  Female Ship's Captain & Grumpy Stowaway Orphan Rebel

What kind of ship are they on, anyway?  Sailing ship?  Spaceship?  What’s the orphan rebelling against—an Evil Empire?  The Man?  Something else?

  Female Suitor Sent As An Insult To Ruling Monarchs/Princess Uninterested In Male Suitors

This seems like… I don’t know, there’s just such potential for dancing around each other and Misunderstandings™ about what’s going on.  Is this the princess’s Gay Awakening?  Has she known for a while why she’s not into the male suitors?  Why was this female suitor selected for the insult?

  Injured Male Superhero/Male Supervillain Who Saves His Life

I love superhero identity shenanigans, and ambiguous morals, and I’d love to dive into the emotional turmoil that results from this rescue decision—why does the supervillain do it?  How does the hero feel about being saved by his enemy?

  Musician/Dancer with magical powers (Original Work)

Another trope I love that I didn’t mention before is magic music and magical arts in general, so this here is right up my alley.

  Portal Fantasy Protagonist & Their Mentor In A Trade Useful In Both Worlds (Original Work)

…Look, idk man this is just sweet and wholesome and I Want.

  Retired Male Superhero/Male Supervillain Who Keeps Seeking Him Out Because He Misses Him

Is this not just the plot of Megamind?  In all seriousness, though, I feel about the same here as I do in the injury situation; I love me some hero/villain dynamics in general.

  Witch & Witch's Apprentice

Mentor and student!  Always a fun time.  I’m picturing this as some pseudo-historical or straight alternate-world setting more than modern, but follow your muse here.

  Wounded Werewolf/Female Apprentice Witch who Begrudgingly Rescues him (OW)

Honestly I feel like the dynamic here will probably scratch the same itch that the hero/villain pairings do.  Clearly I have a Type.

    Crossovers

Oliver Queen (DC's Arrowverse) & Matt Murdock (Daredevil(TV))

Local Vigilante Man With Many Issues Meets Counterpart From Another Universe would be the headline here, probably.  I don’t know.  I think they’d be fun to bounce off each other.

For reference though I haven’t watched all of either show: I’ve seen the first four seasons of Arrow in their entirety and some of what comes later, and I’ve seen the first two seasons of Daredevil.  You can reference later events, I’m not currently really following either show and am not particularly worried about spoilers, but without some degree of context I’ll be fairly lost.

  Shmi Skywalker (SWPT) & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren (SWST)

How do these two meet?  Is it time travel nonsense?  Shmi as a Force ghost?  Both of them in the afterlife?  And if it’s before Ben’s redemption but after his Fall, I do rather hope she’s Disappointed™ in him.

  Vince Reynolds | Jack of All (Super Powereds) & Midoriya Izuku (My Hero Academia)

Look.  Look.  All I have ever wanted since I started watching My Hero Academia (which… I haven’t seen much of, but don’t worry about spoilers I legitimately do not care) is to see Vince meet with the character who I immediately internally dubbed tiny green Vince.  How did this happen? Frankly I neither know nor care.  I just want to see it happen.

Thank you for writing me fic!!

[canvaswolfdoll]

CanvasWatches: The Dragon Prince (Season 3)

And we’re back! Since the last batch of episodes… my life has changed very little. Dog’s still adorable. D&D campaigns keep stalling due to lack of time or interest of others. Not producing any of my own epic projects.

Yup.

The third season continues its trends of subverting tropes with kind of a lackluster pay off, while playing other tropes benignly straight. We finally get into Xadia, which has some interesting fauna. But even the character writing is starting to wear a bit thin. Everyone’s been settled into their roles and personalities, and few characters get to interact with others they hadn’t previously.

So, same recommendation level as last time: watch it if you have time and/or have been following it, but it’s not a major tragedy if you don’t.

We open the season with backstory for the inventor of Dark Magic, Ziard, and a former Dragon King, Sol Regem. Sol Regem wants Ziard to stop with the dark magic. Ziard is like ‘we humans don’t have naturally occurring magic, this is literally our only way to defend ourselves from you magical folk.’ to which Sol Regem responds “Stop it or I’ll raze your home city.”

So Ziard sacrifices himself and a few birds to blind Sol Regem and saved the city.

Which means the founder of Dark Magic is a good guy, and Dark Magic may not be inherently bad, and this is what I wanted and I’m sure I’ll be deprived of the conclusion once the series actually ends.

So, what are the arcs for the various teams?

Well, Team Escort lost Ezran, so it’s just Callum and Rayla making googly eyes at one another and becoming an official couple about half way through the season. I appreciate them not dragging the romantic subplot any further than necessary, and even granting us half a season to watch them be love birds, but it also smoothed out their dynamic, cutting down on the banter they once had. I miss their quips.

Team King (Ezran, Opeli, Corvus) are dealing with Ezran’s new authority and Viren being Viren. It’s nice to watch Ehran’s morals being tested, and showing that doing the right thing can be more difficult than just going to war. There’s political maneuvering that, in a more complex show, would’ve had more grey areas, but it’s mostly just Team King versus Team Viren.

Speaking of Team Viren, he picked up Aaravos and Prince Kasef, so Viren in no longer alone! He is also no longer in charge, as without King Harrow to set goals, Viren lets Aaravos call the shots. Viren is remarkably easy to lead. Viren’s actual goals also seem murkier than previous seasons. He clearly wants power, but I no longer know to what end. Is he avenging Ziard? Does he want world domination? To bring Humanity to greater heights? Or is he just a more active Lord Ozai? Regardless, his moral ambiguity is out, and I miss it.

Finally, Team Dark (Claudia and Soren). Turns out, I got their meta roles backwards in the first season review! Claudia is the loyal Azula to Viren’s Ozai, while Soren is the Zuko. I am disappointed by this arrangement, because watching Claudia’s descent into evil means she gets less funny moments, and I don’t think Soren can shoulder the full Zuko arc. Also, fear of making big changes prevents the narrative from doing anything really interesting.

The third season has a heavy case of fast travel. What took Team Escort three seasons to cover is now done by full armies in three episodes. There’s a giant sea in the way, remember? And a lava flow? Characters travel back and forth with remarkable ease for people without Rheairds.

After Viren’s rather drastic actions last season lands him in a cell after sending out magically created assassins with only the voice of a mysterious Startouch Elf named Aaravos, who is such an obvious example of what Viren would be if he were totally self-motivated that I’m astounded that Viren hasn’t ditched him, Ezran has kind of a mess to handle upon assuming the throne. The other four human kingdoms want to avenge their murdered/injured rulers, but Ezra doesn’t want to continue the cycle of violence, which is good in theory, but Prince Kasef is pushy and is willing to wage war of Ezran’s kingdom if necessary.

Also, Ezran spares Claudia and Soren from sharing their father’s fate, because that would be a jerk move. Team Dark confronts Viren about his secret missions, and Viren elects to burn his relationship with Soren to maintain the loyalty of Claudia.[1]

All this ends with Viren taking the throne (again) and Ezran taking a bird to rejoin Team Escort.

Now in charge, Viren’s like ‘I’m in charge of all the human armies now!’ and all the human armies are like “Checks out.”

But first, he needs to keep his end of the trade he made with Ezran, and lets soldiers opt out if they’d like. But they have to wear a broken chain patch to mark their cowardice. You’d think this would lead to a subplot about those who abandon the mission being shunned, but that would require more than nine episodes worth of time, so it’ll pay off at the very end instead.

What about Team Escort? Well, Callum and Rayla are finally being forced to confront their unresolved romantic tension as they keep walking towards their goal.

Initially, Rayla’s trauma of being unpersoned by her hometown acts as a nice distraction. I mean, sure, you sent a literal child to kill another younger child, and used a vague sort of magic tracking to decide she abandoned the mission as opposed to unforeseen events transpiring, but, sure, Night Elf knock-offs, make her a ghost in her own home town. You jerks.

Rayla eventually gets to talk with her Uncle’s husband, who only offers to send an advance message to the Dragon Queen and not, you know, telling the rest of town Rayla’s on an even better and less murdery mission and maybe we should reperson her?

Does anyone think of ways to resolve more than one problem at a time? Or think laterally? Is… is that why this fictional history is the way it is? Literally only three kids are able to conceive of consequences of their actions? That should be the adults jobs!

Mirroring the inland sea from last season, Xadia has a giant black sand desert with deadly zombifying snakes and hot sand. So that’s fun.

Luckily, a Skywing elf named Nyx has a giant lumbering camel to transport them over two days. She’s here to kidnap Zym under the theory of a reward, but I love her design and character so she better come back!

Maybe throw her into the Teen Girl Rogue Squad I want. She’d play off Amaya well.

Anyways, the trip is enough for Callum and Rayla to finally decide to be an item. So they’re an item with half the season to go.

Which, cool, we get to actually watch a relationship develop beyond the ‘We’re dating now’ point, but there isn’t actually down time to dig into that, so instead Callum and Rayla bicker less and it’s lame.

But Ezran took a moon phoenix, so he’s caught up. Time to climb a mountain!

Oh, by the way, Amaya got taken prisoner by Sunfire elves, acquires an elf girlfriend abruptly, and escapes with her to join Team Escort. Whoo.[2]

Team Viren plus Dark lead their army to the Sunfire Capital so Viren can steal a staff to forcibly upgrade his forces, and Soren finally decides enough is enough, and flees to join Team Escort while Claudia converts fully to Team Viren. Now, Claudia doubling down on her loyalty to her father is disappointing for a number of reasons, but, again, a later thought.

Anyways, Team Escort has gotten to the Dragon Queen, but she’s in a despair coma, and they get information an army is coming, so guess it’s time to prepare for war?

War ensues. It looks bad for our heroes for a bit, but then reinforcements bearing the banner of the broken link appears to flip off Viren specifically.

Good guys win the battle. During clean up, Ezra stumbles upon Viren, who threatens to kill him, but Soren shows up to defend Ezra. Then Cluaida shows up to make this tragedy even more Shakespearan.

Soren stabs his father, but it’s just an illusion.

Which is the first major missed opportunity. Yes, Viren[3] has a confrontation to have with Rayla and Callum in the Dragon Queen’s lair, but I think this confrontation didn’t add much. Having Soren kill his own father and having to face the emotional consequences of that instead of disappointing Claudia…

Actually, what was the point of illusion Viren? Could it have killed Ezran? Why would Claudia be okay with killing Ezran? Why kill Ezran at this point?

Anyways, Soren should’ve killed Viren, and Claudia could’ve still necromancied him back to life.

Instead, Viren falls off a mountain. It’s meh.

With all that done, the Dragon Queen wakes up and is pleased to have her son back (reasonable) and there’s two human/elf couples present (weird). I mean, she’s the first dragon shown not to be deeply anti-human, and I’m not sure that tracks? Shouldn’t she be in favor of the separation, or were there a bunch of bedroom arguments between her and her husband about racial politics?

Anyways, if we didn’t have three more schools of magic to get through, this would be the point we get the ‘where are they now’ epilogue, as all conflicts are resolved.

Except Claudia resurrects her father, and…

Wait. Viren had an elf prisoner. He could’ve resurrected Harrow. What is his deal? What are his motivations.

Anyways, the grub that was acting as the speakerphone between Viren and Aaravos went to pupate and it’s scary to our dark mages.

Which finally brings me to what I really wanted to see happen: Aaravos should’ve traded puppets. What would’ve been a better power move than him setting Viren up for failure so he could use the more gullible (and powerful?) Claudia instead. They’ve been slow rolling his deal, but what better way to firmly plant Aaravos as the most Machevallian Jerk than to out ‘for the greater good’ Viren himself? There’s an inevitable conflict between the two, as Viren hates elves despite being too trusting of Aaravos, so why not have Aaravos shrug off Viren getting stabbed by Soren and send his grub to Claudia’s ear?

Heck, why not have him teach her the wrong spell and use Viren’s body as a vessel?

Come on, this is one of the few times I’m actually advocating killing someone off. I never do that. But the story potential we’re now missing is tremendous!

Anyways, despite my snark and notes, I did enjoy the season. Not as much as the second season, as it got too locked into the myth arc to have as much fun as the last season, but the show’s maintaining what strengths it does have. However, I can easily predict it falling from grace sooner than later. Story-heavy shows struggle to maintain momentum past three seasons, and research indicates there’s four more planned.

Still, I’m excited to see what happens now the main quest has been completed.

If you enjoyed this review and what more, please use the tags below to explore my other writings, as well supporting my patreon (for early access and regular support) or my ko-fi (for a quick tip). I want to do more fun things.

Kataal kataal.

-

[1] Which had the potential for a much, much better pay off than we got. [2] Just once, I want the person whose confident the other is too stubborn to admit their crush to be wrong. I would love that dynamic. [3] Wearing some nice pajamas.

[aitaikimochi]

Boku No Hero Academia “The Two Heroes” The Movie FULL Detailed Plot/Summary from Anime Expo

Twitter user Eikosenpai has posted on her Twitter a super long and detailed summary from the Boku No Hero Academia “The Two Heroes” movie premiere from Anime Expo 2018! She sent me the transcription of her super long summary, which was separated as several tweets containing pictures of her summary. I will personally be watching the movie in August when it comes out in Japan and will write my own report, but this is a pretty detailed one from Claudia. Enjoy~

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS NOT MY OWN SUMMARY. THIS IS THE SUMMARY FROM TWITTER USER EIKOSENPAI THAT WAS TRANSCRIBED. SHE ASKED ME TO CROSSPOST HER TWEET ON TUMBLR!

Some things to note, the movie is set before Bakugou gets kidnapped, so All Might still has his hero form. The movie begins in Vegas where a villain attacks and steals $10 million. A car with a family is about to get hurt when All Might comes just in time to save them. All Might then assures them to not worry because he has arrived!

Dave is introduced during the fight and drives a very flashy red sports car to get him closer to the fight. Dave Shield is All Might’s partner in crime in the States. All Might fights the villain and ends the fight with the iconic Detroit Smash! After the fight, all of the people watching the fight do not know who All Might is yet and Dave introduces him as “He is a student exchange student from Japan, and he is a hero.”

A little background of Dave, he is the ones who made All Might’s hero outfits the Young, Bronze, Silver, and Golden Age! He has a daughter named Melissa Shield.

This whole scene transitions into the present All Might in his weak form and he is sleeping, which means he was dreaming of the opening scene. He wakes up by Deku calling his name as they are about to arrive on I-Island! They are taking a private jet which allows All Might to be in his weak form until they arrive.

I-Island is an exclusive island that scientists reside and All Might has been invited by Melissa to attend the I-Expo that is held to surprise Dave! The island is HUGE with a lot of heroes roaming around that is almost like Disney mascots in Disneyland that you can take photos with. I-Island’s setting is basically a theme park but a hero park.

When All Might and Deku arrive at the island, everyone recognizes All Might and scream ‘All Might!’ and rush over to him and crowds him. The scene switches to Deku who is being completely stuck and moving like seaweed in the ocean from how many people there were.

Right after they manage to get away from the crowd, All Might’s face is covered with red kiss marks. Then, Melissa comes jumping on a pogo stick yelling All Might’s name and is first introduced. Melissa is introduced as Dave’s daughter and is amazed that Deku is a student at U.A. and explains that she jealous because she is quirkless. Melissa takes Deku’s hand and realizes that he has major scars on his hand.

Melissa then takes All Might and Deku to meet Dave and Dave is very surprised that they have arrived. Upon their arrival, Dave was speaking with his assistant Sam.

Melissa and Deku leave Dave and All Might to view more of I-Island and All Might can finally turn back into his real form as he had to put up his strong front up until now. Dave is shocked by the shape All Might is in.

Melissa takes Deku around to see all types of heroes items in what looks like a bat cave (lol) and they are getting along very well! Suddenly, Ochako comes out of nowhere and clearly sees Melissa and Deku getting along and is drawn literally with this face ( - u - ) It was very clear she was not too happy about this “date.”

* I remember Deku saying something along the lines of ‘She’s a friend’ and Ochako going like ‘Ahhh…’ *

Ochako is introduced with both Jirou and Yaoyorozu who Deku is very surprised to see. All of them decide to go to a cafe. All the girls are talking on one table as they get to know each other. Deku is by himself and when his drink arrives (it is an All Might Drink that definitely looks like it can be sold at a cafe in Japan in the future LOL), Denki and Mineta are introduced as waiters!

The two of them are working as part-timers during the I-Expo and they are very excited for making money and meeting girls (as usual). When they introduce Melissa to them and both Denki and Mineta, but mostly Mineta, are very excited to see such a pretty girl…

Iida conveniently comes running in and says his family was invited to I-Expo as well, but no one could get so they told Iida to go instead. Deku then asks why the other girls of Class 1A are not there, and Yaoyorozu explains with a scene of the girls all playing Rock, Paper Scissors with Tsuyu, Mina, and Toru losing. Mina was yelped at how sad she was that she lost, Tsuyu threw up a peace sign

There is a loud explosion sound and Deku looks concerned. Turns out Bakugou was the reason for the explosion as he is fighting in an area with Kirishima! They both are competing to try to destroy as many bots as they can as fast as they can.

Bakugou sees Deku and rushes over and starts yelling stuff like “WHY ARE YOU HERE?” aka the usual. Bakugou explains that he was invited to attend I-Expo because he won the Sports Festival and he invited Kirishima to come with him.

Everyone tells Deku to try his shot at the arena battle to try and beat Bakugou as he was currently in the lead for most kills. Deku agrees and is uses 6% of One For All (I think it was 6% but not completely sure). Melissa recalls the scars on Deku’s hand and correlates it to how Deku’s power is too strong for his body.

After Deku finishes his round and finished in 2nd place behind Bakugou. Suddenly, Todoroki uses a gigantic ice move that kills a ton of bots that immediately plummets him to 1st place. Bakugou angrily goes up to Todoroki like ‘WHY ARE YOU HERE?’ which Todoroki responds with ‘Oh, Bakugou.’ Bakugou then retorts like ‘DON’T IGNORE MY QUESTION!’

The arena scene switches to Dave and All Might in his lab and Dave is running tests on All Might. His monitor shows that All Might’s One For All power is depleting at an extreme rate that Dave suspects can’t be just from All For One’s attack. All Might thinks to himself that he cannot tell Dave he gave Deku One For All or else it will endanger both Dave and Melissa.

There is a reception party that will be held later that night and Iida informs all of them that they must attend or else it will tarnish U.A.’s reputation. He orders them to be very very punctual and suddenly runs off to prepare. The scenes pan to them getting prepared but mostly of Bakugou’s room.

Bakugou is lying on his bed and is complaining how he does not want to attend the party as its a hassle and boring. Kirishima is in his room (shirtless btw) and tells him otherwise and that it’ll be fun! Kirishima also tells Bakugou he brought them suits so they will be dressed to impress basically.

** Both Denki and Mineta are invited by Melissa to go to the reception party, but I do not remember when this scene specifically is set in between. I just remember this scene happened SORRY! **

Later, Melissa invites Deku to her room and she mentions to him that she saw how he was holding back power for his body to handle to which we made him a special gauntlet to use! The Full Gauntlet is a support she made for him that will balance his power with his body so it does not overpower him.

They all meet up again ready for the reception party and Deku is running a little late. Ochako comes in and Deku compliments her and she waves embarrassed like how she does in the anime (really cute)! Yaoyorozu and Jirou arrive with Jirou hiding behind Yaoyorozu because she was embarrassed since she doesn’t wear dresses usually. Denki compliments Jirou and Mineta creeps on them which then Jirou hits them and Denki says ‘But I complimented you!’

All Might is down at the reception already and is about to make a toast when the scene switches to someone hacking the security system.

There is a short scene with Kirishima and Bakugou in their suits walking down a hallway and they are lost. They also can’t tell their classmates that they’re lost because Kirishima left his phone in the room.

Suddenly, the security system is hacked and is warning everyone on the island that there is a bomb. The villains come in to the reception party where all the pro heroes and All Might are in and they tie them all up. Dave is captured because he knows the security system and the villains take him away.

When the security system informs people that there is a bomb, there is scenes that cut to Tsuyu, Mina, and Invisible girl that shows them having a sleepover. They all are alarmed of the news when Invisible Girl brings out a deck of Uno cards since there is time to pass (( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)?)

There are also scenes that show Tokoyami seeing the news too (he was with someone else, but I dont remember who!). Sato was in a room with Sero when the news broke out.

Now, Deku, Melissa, Todoroki, Iida, Ochako, Yaoyorozu, Jirou, Denki, and Mineta are now stuck in a room because the hacked security system blocked all entrances. They now all have to decide what to do. Iida says that they should all escape as All Might wants them to do, but Deku refuses and states that he “wants to save.” Ochako agrees with Deku and they all start agreeing to fight back and take over the security system. Mineta freaks out that they all are agreeing and only agrees because everyone else is all while crying.

** During this time, Deku sees All Might down in the reception and they have like a telepathic conversation where All Might tells Deku to leave, but Deku says he will not. All Might recognizes Deku’s willpower to save everyone and allows him to go and take back the security system. All Might will have to endure his hero state until the security system is restored. **

Melissa tells them that the security system is located on the 200th floor and they all have to run up flights of stairs when they were only on the 30th floor! They manage to get up to the 80th floor when Mineta opens a door which alerts the hacker that they are running and not captured.

The hacker tries to close the walls on them, but Todoroki uses his ice move to keep the wall from closing which gave Iida an opening to use Full Throttle to break down all the other walls.

They all manage to get to a wide open area that is filled with plants. Imagine a greenhouse, but the size of whole building. They all hide amongst the plants to blend in as two bad guys know that they are all hiding. The villains yell out ‘We know you’re here’ all while everyone is thinking ‘DO NOT FIND US!’

The villains suddenly say ‘We found you,’ but they did not find the main gang, they ran into Kirishima and Bakugou. Both of them think that the villains are regular adults which Kirishima then apologizes and says that we are just lost. One of the villains tries to hit Kirishima which Bakugou instantly tries to deflect, but Todoroki is faster and uses ice to deflect the attack.

The fight continues with Todoroki, Bakugou, and Kirishima while the rest of them escape to try to get to the security system. They escape to a dead end where the only opening is through an air vent that the only person who can fit is…Mineta. Mineta immediately does not want to do it because he’s afraid, but Denki convinces him by saying that the girl’s will all praise him and love him for saving them!

Of course, Mineta immediately starts climbing the vent yelling “HAREM! HAREM! HAREM! GIVE ME LOVE!” He manages to get to the top and opens the door for them all to which he says something along the lines of give me all the praise.

The scene switches back to the fight with Todoroki, Bakugou and Kirishima where they all have to team up to fight the two villain henchmen. Kirishima gets hit and he gets blasted to a wall. Bakugou uses Howitzer Impact on a villain and his sleeve rips which the villain thinks is stupid. But this distraction created an opening for Todoroki to defeat the villain.

After they have defeated the two bad guys, Kirishima is seen still stuck to the wall and says he can’t get out. Bakugou immediately says “Are you stupid, just undo your quirk and you can get out.” Kirishima says, “Oh!”

After Kirishima undos his quirk, Bakugou looks away from Kirishima and says sheepishly, “Kirishima, thanks.” Kirishima looks up at him and smiles a huge grin and says “Don’t mind!” ** I’m sorry in advance but I really can’t remember if Kirishima or Bakugou blushes for those asking! **

The scene switches back to the main group where they are now stuck and surrounded by bots that the hacker sends out. Denki steps up to the plate and uses his power to kill the bots. He goes up to 2 million volts to which right before he uses it, Jirou says “but that will make you…” he switches to his derp face and Jirou ends with “dumb.” The bots then tie up Denki in his derp phase.

Deku now uses the new support Melissa made for him and he uses 30% of his power completely scratch free! The support is a success, but he can only use the gauntlet two more times as it has a limit.

During this scene, Ochako Iida, Jirou, Yaoyorozu, Mineta, and Denki agree to fend off the bots for Deku and Melissa to escape to make it to the security system. Yaoyorozu makes cannons that they use but she has used her quirk too much that she cannot do much else. Mineta also uses his quirk that his head starts bleeding.

Ochako has to use her Zero Gravity quirk to have Deku and Melissa fly away from the fight to make it to the security system. As Ochako uses her quirk on them and they start floating, bots are about to hurt Ochako when…Bakugou and Todoroki come and save her! Kirishima says “You guys make a good team” to Bakugou and Todoroki that Bakugou denies immediately.

Deku uses his Detroit Smash move which was successful and then they fall to the ground. She falls on top of Deku with Deku’s hand near her waist (and everyone in the audience said ‘oooo’). Melissa is hurt on her arm and Deku patches her up before they head into the security room.

Dave and his assistant Sam are both in the security room. A drawer in the room is open and contains a device in a case that Sam holds. Sam congratulates Dave on the success and Dave says that the plan was a success as well. Melissa and Deku both hear this which Melissa immediately says ‘Papa, this is a lie right?”

Dave created a device that enhances a heroes quirk, however, his research for the device was cut short while it was being developed because an executive board forbid such a device. After the committee denied his invention, Dave’s assistant, Sam, told Dave that we can try to get the device back by creating a plan to physically take it back.

The plan was to hire fake villains during I-Expo so that it would look like they are the ones stealing the device, when in actuality, they would be giving the device back to Dave. Dave explains that his main goal for taking back the device was just to save All Might. He says that “he’s doing it for All Might.”

The main villain, Wolfram, enters the room and Sam takes the case towards him. Dave is shocked because it turns out that Sam hired real villains instead of the fake ones they planned to hire. Sam backstabs Dave because he says he put just as much time and effort into the device that he wanted money for his efforts. Sam hands the case to Wolfram and in return, Sam is shot because Wolfram says he does not remember making a deal with him (classic bad guy).

Wolfram is about to kill Sam, when Dave runs and takes the shot instead. Dave is shot on his arm and Melissa tries to run to him but gets thrown to a wall. Wolfram holds back Deku by using his quirk that allows him to manipulate metal. Dave is captured by Wolfram and taken away.

Wolfram explains to Dave that he plans to have him mass produce the device for him as they are about to board a helicopter. Melissa manages to revert the security system back to normal and All Might is shown freed and he is ready to fight. Deku manages to save Dave on the helicopter for a second, but Deku loses his grasp and falls off the helicopter. Deku is upset with himself that he can’t manage to bring the helicopter down to save Dave, when All Might comes to the rescue!

All Might comes flying in and literally EXPLODES the helicopter (I legit thought like I guess All Might kills Dave LOL). Somehow he has Dave safely on the ground, and All Might looks pretty weak.

Suddenly, Wolfram is back but in a much stronger form because he put on Dave’s device. Wolfram grabs Dave and he is now in between walls of metal. His quirk has been enhanced exponentially as he fights All Might. All Might is showing signs that he is at his limit when Todoroki and Bakugou come to help!

Wolfram manages to capture All Might and he is being restricted by his arms and legs by huge pillars of metal. Wolfram explains to All Might that he did not plan this all by himself, he had the idea and help from All For One…

** When Wolfram explains that All For One helped him, the music turns to the same creepy music with the opera singing woman in the anime. I got chills **

While All Might is being held, HUGE rocks of metal and debris all crash onto All Might. (I don’t remember how All Might got out of that debris mess cause I was too concentrated on how intense the battle was. BUT Deku and All Might both manage to get back on their feet and fight!)

The fight turns for the better as Deku and All Might finally team up as the two heroes! They use their One For All quirk to the best of their ability and it is one epic fight. There is a scene where All Might is running with Deku right alongside him and they are running with the same speed and style that Melissa and Dave (I think?) takes note of. They can see how in sync they are with the most powerful quirk.

Their epic finishing movie is a DOUBLE DETROIT SMASH WITH PLUS ULTRA! (This fight scene was really well animated.)

Wolfram is defeated and the sunrises over the debris filled I-Island. The separated Class 1A reunites after the fight.

** I have a note that Todoroki smiles at Bakugou but I don’t remember what led up to that smile and im pretty sure Bakugou smiles. But, I’m not 100% sure, sorry!!!! **

The last scene shows Dave and All Might talking with each other while the students are up above on a higher ground. Dave and All Might talk about how Melissa will be a great scientist and how Deku is on the way of being a hero. Dave tells All Might that he knows that Deku is the one who he passed One For All to and says that he has the “light of a hero.” This is said while the scene pans over Deku and Melissa smiling.

THATS THE END OF THE MOVIE! There was no extra scene at the end because they will show the scene when it hits theaters. Thank you for reading the whole thing if you did and sorry if some parts are confusing! I know I am missing some scenes and transitions but I tried my best and hope you enjoy the movie when it comes out! Thanks~

[roninishere]

Frantic || two ||

(Gif not mine)

WARNINGS: Language, mentions of sexual content, teen pregnancy, assholes, more daddy issues, inappropriate comments, my horrible grammer and word count is... 3692

Frantic

||

    To say that everything went pretty well after Billy dipped out like that, that would an utter lie. Things got even worse after that day.

    When the doctor confirmed that Raven was indeed pregnant, about a month and a half to be exact; the look of shear disappointment on her mothers face made the young teenager hang her head for the rest of the silent car ride home. There were three choices she was given; get an abortion, keep the baby, or give the baby up for adoption.

    She chose keeping the baby, of course she understood that this doesn't just change her life, she kinda had to make that decision with or without Billy Hargrove. Raven Henderson could never bring herself to end a innocent babys life.

   With the relief that she'd have alone time in her room, they were met by Mr. Henderson who sat on the stairs with Dustin.

   Claudia Henderson had told her ex-husband the unexpected news.

   "He's pissed, isn't he?"

   Her mother pulled into the garage and turned the car off "he is. I tried to reason with him that you're taking responsibility for this, and not running. And look at me sweetie," doing as told she looked up at her mother "I want you to know, it doesn't matter what he says, I'm proud of you and you're going to br a great mother."

   "Thanks mom."

   At least one parent supported her. She got a earful of it with her father.

   "How could you be so careless? You of all of those punks at that school! Where's the son of a bitch that got you pregnant?"

   She couldn't. "I don't know. I was drunk and can't remember the rest of that night."

   "Great, I've been gone for what? Six months and this happens. Aren't you suppose to make sure this doesn't happen?" He directed the blame on her mother, and this wasn't her fault.

   Her mother always takes the blame, not this time. "Dad, this isn't on mom, I snuck out. I went to the party, I drank, I had sex with a stranger, I got pregnant, I am taking responsibility for this. Stop blaming mom, blame me. I did this to myself."

    "You're damn right this is your fault! Now, you're going to go downtown and get an abortion, or else!" Chills ran down her back when he yelled at her. She had idea of what could happen next.

   She is keeping this baby "I can't dad, I'm sorry. I didn't even kn-"

   "Get your things and get out! Go! Now!" You know when you're expecting that thing to happen but you didn't expect it to hurt that much? It felt as if someone punched her dead center in the chest and replaced that with a big ball of pain.

   It left her speechless for a few seconds, and she snapped out of ut when Dustin said something "Dad, please no. Mom, say something please!"

   "It's okay Dusty," Raven finally spoke up "Nice to know that the first time dad is around in months is when he's kicking me out," She understood she was burying herself here but he had the nerve to show up all this time to just kick her out of her mothers home. "Don't worry, I'll be out in an hour."

   Stuffing everything in her stingray, she stood at the doorframe looking into the empty room; the millions of memories and bad times in this room. The room she's had since she was born. Her childhood is that room.

   "You'll still come and see me right?" Dustin observed his older sister move things around in the trunk of her car so she could close it properly.

   Once she slammed it shut, she leaned against it as he handed her a small cuddle size teddy bear that had belonged to her until she passed it down to him. Softly taking it in her hands, she gave it a squeeze feeling the corner of her lips tug. Her eyes lifted to meet her brothers sad ones "I'll always come and see you as long as you want me to."

   Understanding he could be ashamed of her, she never wants to push herself upon him or make him uncomfortable if he doesn't want to see her. However; Dustin and her actually grew a stronger bond since their parents divorced. Raven has been his, say so, rock he's down about no father show up as he has her a bit grounded when she's getting out of control.

   "You're still my sister Raven, and I think of this situation as another member in The Party. I'm excited, my magical powers are predicting it's a boy." A boy? A boy hopefully not like his father at this point.

   It doesn't matter, if a boy or girl, they will be loved equally and raised to best of her abilities. "A boy huh? I guess we'll have to wait and see. Stay out of trouble okay?"

   "I'll try, you stay out of trouble too," nodding, she pulled him into a tight hug before she got a glimpse of her father in the doorway watching them needing to get out of there. "Go inside, everything will be okay."

   He waved goodbye to her as she drove away, everything, it was really really settling in. On her own with no place. No job. Two of which she can control and needs to take control of. The first thing was, she needed to go to the place she knew she could come out with everything.

    The Wheelers home.

    She stood outside for a long time before she brought herself the courage to knock. Gathering her thoughts together, she rose her fist up and knocked three times before realizing that this was a mistake to come here to ask to stay because she refused to please her father.

    Having no time to turn her back, she was welcomed by Mrs. Wheeler who looked like she already began dinner with her very nice cooking apron and her hands preoccupied with a spoon and box of food "Raven! It's nice to see you! Come in, Nancy! Come down! Raven's here!"

   Entering the home, she closed and locked the door feeling her heart rate raising by the second "Are you hungry? Foods almost done."

   "A little bit," she was actually starving, ha.

   Nancy came down the stairs finding her friend in the kitchen area with her mother curious of her presence, who wasn't the only one "Everything okay dear? You're awfully quiet."

   "Hey Raven." Nancy entered sitting with her at the island counter.

   The pregnant teenager rubbed her hands together taking a deep breath "I actually wanted to tell and ask you something," now about to talk it, her eyes teared up and one tear fell only to be wiped quickly "My, um, dad is back and he kicked me because... Because I'm pregnant. So, I um, wanted to ask if I could stay for a few days, just a few days so I can get things going."

   "Of course honey, stay as long as you need. Know the father?" shaking her head with no eye contact, Mrs. Wheeler didn't ask anymore as she was telling Nancy to prepare either her own room or the basement.

    As Mrs. Wheeler was finishing up dinner and called her husband to the kitchen to discuss what will be happening, Nancy followed her friend back inside with some of her things, and who dragged her out needing to explain some things to her.

   "So you're pregnant? What are going to do?" Nancy hung up some of Raven's things in her own closet, turning around with her hands on her hips.

   Raven unzipped her bag grabbing some things actually now able to answer that "I want to finish high school, but I'm missing a few days so I can get a job and find my own place. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate your mothers offer but I have to get my own place. I didn't want to come here but I can't go to Steve's."

   "Yeah, I think his parents would frea-""Nancy, I couldn't go to his place because, the father is, um is Billy Hargrove."

    She had never seen Nancy's eyes get so wide her life. Seeing her mouth open wide, Raven silently cursed at herself for even putting Billy's name out there; his father freaked out, Billy's reputation would be at risk, and she doesn't want him to be forever tied to her because they've created a child. Thus saying she doesn't know the father is better for everyone.

    "You and Hargrove? What the hell Raven?" She silently screamed at her best friend, not understanding how she could even think of that asshole in that WAY!

   Truth was, she was an asshole too and Nancy knew it.

   "I wasn't thinking, we hooked up at a party. Nancy, you can't tell anyone about Billy, please I'm begging you," Grabbing Nancy's hands and squeezing them, Nancy looked at the fear in her friends eyes and nodded "Not even Jonathan or Steve."

   Promising on her own life, Nancy Wheeler couldn't help herself ask "He didn't take it well did he?"

   "He took off when I told him the test results. I don't expect him to want anything to do with myself and the baby, it's best for him if he doesn't."

   Despite what people thought and said about Raven Henderson; she truly cares for people, even if they don't about her. Billy Hargrove may of thought her as just a girl he banged and is something nice to look at, but doesn't mean he still doesn't have a shot at a bright future. Not like they'll get together and get married. This'll be the hardest thing for her, she's on her own and has to prepare her child.

  She can do this. Right?

   "I can do this." She whispered to herself to keep herself mentally ready for what's to come next. Feeling Nancy's arm around her shoulder, Raven rested her head against Nancy's shoulder letting out a long deep sigh "No matter what everyone says, you're going to be an awesome mother."

||

‎   The word got out the next day by first period that Raven Henderson was pregnant thanks to her father blubbering the news to his old coworkers and high school friends that have children of their own Raven's age. Just about everyone knew, and rumors spread that she dropped out of school because her absence.

   In those few days, Raven got a serving job at Benny's Diner, and in order to get an apartment, she had no choice but to sell her Stingray that her grandfather have her a few years back and in return, has enough money for the deposit for her place, next months rent, and the necessities she needed.

   Her mother stopped by to help her daughter knowing it hurt her with having to sell her grandfathers car, she loved that car, and was sad to see it go. Claudia Henderson brought her daughter some sheets and house items to make things feel more at home.

    By the fifth of absence, she returned to school with everyone's eyes on her. The whispers echoed in the hallways and the classrooms as she made her presence back at high school. Grabbing her books from her locker, she felt a presence next to her catching Steve's hopeful smile "How are you doing?"

   "I'm okay, just for once don't want the attention." She admitted as she shut her locker walking along side Steve as they headed to Chemistry. He nudged her softly to lift her spirits.

   "You probably not, but don't let them get you, you'll be great. This kid will a champ too. "

   She sure hoped better than that.

   When she entered Chemistry, the entire class was silent when her and Steve came in laughing about his story with the Party at the arcade. The girls of Hawkins High School stared at the teenage girl's stomach seeing she obviously had no bump yet as they snorted whispering words About Raven.

   "Hey look, it's the pregnant whore of Hawkins," Carol smirked making Raven's blood boil "if a boy, maybe he'll be smart like his grandfather and leave your ass like your daddy did. It's safe to say that if it's a girl, she'll be as good as a whore as her mother."

    This just made Raven exploded, getting up and shoving Carol's back who wasn't all smirks anymore "What? Got nothing to say now? Can't say it to my face bitch? Huh?" Her eyes were nothing but dark blue eyes shooting daggers through Carol.

    "Mrs. Henderson! Get back in your seat now, or you'll be sent to the principals office."

  Ignoring the teachers request, she kept her eyes on Carol waiting for her to answer "Keep talking shit, I'll kick you little skinny trashy ass, and if you don't think I'll kick yours and anyone’s ass two months from now, five months, or even nine months from now; I assure you I will."

   "Harrington, get your bitch." Tommy yelled from across the room as he went to get up, but Billy snickered behind him with some comment about letting Carol get her ass kick.

   Raven finally calmed down shaking her head as she pushed off Steve's hand from her shoulder, her eyes never leaving Carol's "You can run your mouth about me as much as you want, but if anything negative about my baby leaves your mouth, I don't have to tell you what'll happen."

   "Raven! Principals office right now!"

   Peeling her eyes from Carol's, she grabbed her bag and books entering to the office leaving many of her classmates in shock, especially the one boy who kept quiet the rest of the class period deep in thought.

||

    The next two weeks were challenging; it got harder to keep her cool with all the whispering, harder to concentrate, and real hard when it came to not falling asleep in class. That's what was so damn hard, it was seeing that son of a bitch every fucking day, and him treating treating her like every other girl.

   9 day streak without getting into a fight or vocal altercation was snapped in half when in the middle of gym, one of the boys that had once admired Raven's unique personality, ran his mouth.

   "Hey Raven! I'll be your baby girls daddy. I'll take real good care of her, and make her a real woman." she shoulda kept walking. But she didn't.

   Since she obviously couldn't physical be involved in sports, Mrs. Shepard has allowed her to receive credit for the class with walking and small article summaries on sports and health. Nancy had finished her mile run and came back in walking it off alongside Raven with chatter.

   "You know, acting like a dick won't make yours any bigger." and she crossed a line.

   Bryan small dick Jones was fuming as every single person in the gym laughed including the jokester herself. The only clever thing he could think of was "shut up whore!"

   "aww did I hit you were it hurts? Do you need glasses to see the size of it? Will it bring realization?"

    She was well over that crossed line in his eyes, as she and Nancy giggled, Bryan was fuming and pushed Raven on the gym wall causing everyone's eyes to be on them once they heard him yelling "You just don't know when to shut your mouth, do you? You better hope that kid of yours doesn't either."

    "Not really, nice to know all it takes a few words to get you all rattled u-" the fist connecting to her right cheek completely took her by surprise and immediately after, throbbing pain came along. Taste of blood as her hand flew up to where he hit her as she made eye contact with him.

   "Bryan! What the hell are you doing? You okay Raven?" Steve got in between, Raven mumbling "yeah" with anger and embarrassment took over her emotions. Soon as Steve turned away to get Bryan away, Raven said "hey asshole!" re-catching Bryan’s attention, and when he began to turn back to her, Raven punched him back on her cheek with everything she had.

    Cursing after, Raven held her hand in her own seeing she ripped the skin, blood of hers and Bryan’s laid on her knuckles as the gym teacher broke them apart "Both to the principals office, um, someone take Raven."

   "I got her, let's go Henderson." The voice made her stomach drop when the mullet asshole led her to the hallway, where when they reached it, she pulled away rubbing her arm awkwardly. 14 days since he had said anything to her.

   Why the fuck did he offer to make sure she got to the office?

   "What happened to your car? Haven't seen it lately." Really? Worried about her car?

   Shrugging it off, she answered "I had to sell it."

   "Why? You love that car." Jesus Billy.

   A bit annoyed, she let out a frustrated sigh, yet continued to answer his questions "Because Billy, my dad kicked me out, so I sold my grandfathers car so I could get an apartment. Why do you even care? You haven't said a word or even looked in my direction for two weeks."

   "I don't care, about you anyways, but for some dumb reason, you've decided to keep the kid, why? We're not even together, you're not even m-" "your type, got it. You can't understand, no one will."

   Her eyes were fixed forward as she put a couple of fingers in her mouth, pulling them out to see them soaked in blood. He followed her eyes noticing she walking faster, his strides got longer keeping up. He also noted her bloody knuckles before handing her his sweaty gym shirt.

   "No thanks, I can take care of myself and another human being." Her stubbornness was irritating him more and more by the second.

   She couldn't bring herself to tell him to go away, but he had to.

   "Are you even listening to me?" Billy's voice raised grabbing her out of her own head.

  Spitting into the closest trash can, she kept walking trying to out walk him. She expected him to catch up, not what he did. In 2.5 seconds, he grabbed her wrist and pinned her back against the lockers with a some anger lingering in his blue eyes "Hey! I'm talking to you!"

 "Billy, stay away," She looked elsewhere making sure no one saw him, and when he stepped back confused of her behavior. How could she tell him that? "Just stay away from me, we're going to be just fine."

   'we're going to be just fine.' those words echoed through his head as she walked out of his sight..

||

   "Raven, where are your parents?" Principle Anderson asked as Bryan's, Bryan’s Parents, Hopper, himself, and Raven sat in his office.

   The nurse was generous enough to wrap up her knuckles after cleaning them, and a ice pack for the forming bruise on her cheek. Sighing, she moved the pack from her fact "I told you that they're not coming, they kicked me out. On my own now."

   "Very well, do you want to press charges against Bryan, kid?" Hopper asked surprised by her head shaking.

   Her and Bryan made eye contact, he was still a kid, so was she. She shoulda walked away "No, can we just bury the hatchet?"

   "Yeah, you okay Raven. Sorry." It may have been a shit apology, but with the pounding pain on her cheek along with the headache coming on, she didn't care.

   "Sorry about your face, and what I said." Shaking hands, Bryan left with his parents, and in three, two, one.

    Principals voice spoke up "Miss Henderson, this is the second incident, another one and you'll be suspended. You're a great kid, just don't put yourself or your child in a bad place, okay?"

   "Yes sir, thank you and I apologize, there's no excuse for my behavior." Being excused, seeing it was already the end of the school day, she headed back to the gym for her things.

   "Hey kid!" Hopper called after her, she stopped waiting for him to be along side of her as they walked "Let me give you a lift to Benny's Diner, it's on my way."

   Not arguing with that, she met him in the front of the school with her white work clothes, and slid into the passenger seat as she set her duffel bag in the back seat.

   It was quiet at first, and Hopper broke it immediately "How you holding up kid?"

   "I'll live." She smirked, couldn't help her sarcastic comment getting a smirk back.

   She took out her many snacks and ate knowing she had to make time to eat and feed not only herself, but her baby. Glancing at her, he shrugged at least respecting the fact she was eating.

   "So your mother was telling me that you got your own place and everything. I'm sorry that your father kicked you out," There was a pause "Look kid, if you need anything, just call. Even if it's something small as what type of diapers are the best." He chuckled getting a giggle and smile from her.

   "Alright?"

   Munching on her peanuts, she answered "Yeah, thanks Hopper."

||

   After working a 11 hour shift, all it took for Raven to crash after her shower was that heaven like feeling bed. The teenager was curled up on her side snoring like a bear getting the best sleep she has gotten in a while.

    Until sounds of tapping glass hit her window causing to stur and wake up. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hands, she kicked her feet over turning on the light. "the hell..." she muttered making her way to the window.

   The closer she got, the clearer it was that rocks were being thrown at it. Who the fuck is throwing rocks this late? With one eye open, she opened the window with her head out finally seeing who had showed up.

   It was someone she didn't except.

"You gunna let me in doll or freeze to death?"

||

Three

Here’s chapter two, and I apologize if it sucked. I’ll try to update asap, and please let me know if you have any ideas or want to be tagged. Love ya!

-Cammy

Tagline:

@50-shades-of-boredom / @shelby-company-limited / @lalalindsay25631888

[czec-hoslo-vak-ians]

I really do enjoy that they start off the episode(s) with Liz writing in her journal I think that's a smart idea. Kind of awkward having an orthodontist convention in in Roswell. Grandma Claudia sounds like a really cool. it's a little awkward and weird that the dentists ask to look at Liz's overbite while she's serving their food. I'm kind of getting sick of the Max and Liz stairs( do they really need to do that in each episode it's kind of getting redundant). The boys are watching Max and every move I guess Kyle is sending a message to Max stay away from his girl meaning stay away from Liz.

I agree with Michael they should do something about those boys however they should do something low-key. Liz really needs break up with Kyle. She's just leading him on and it totally unfair. I love these settle things Michael is doing to boys. He is just getting even Low key. He is enjoying every second of it.

I'm really glad that Liz has her grandmother to talk to about boys because obviously she can't talk to her parents about him. I love how Maria and grandma gain up on Liz about Max. I don't understand why Max doesn't think Isabel can handle the truth.

Oh no poor grandma this doesn't look so good what a great way to start up your date by seeing your grandma being wheeled into a ambulance. She totally has a better connection with Max then she does with Kyle because she called Max wanting him to be there instead of wanting to be there with Kyle her boyfriend. I can't believe Liz use a payphone I forgot that cell phones were not popular back then. Where is Maria why isn't she at the hospital when her best friend is in need.

Poor Granny had a stroke those can be very dangerous. Kyle totally doesn't buy that Max cousin got into a car accident. Max really can't stay away from Liz. It was really kind of him to go to the hospital for her that's just shows how much he really is in love with her. Kyle is acting like he owns Liz the jealous boyfriend is definitely coming out of him right now which makes them even more unattractive.

Kyle and Valente has the most awkward Father and Son relationship but it works for them. It's Kyle knows that Liz's mind and heart is with someone else why doesn't he just break up with her? I feel bad for Kyle that he's in a one-sided relationship. Michael again messing with the kids that beat up Max pretty sweet how he just changed that kids answers on tests. It's totally hard for Max to keep Liz at arm's length because all he wants to do is have her close by.

All the stall to hit Max hits the one that Michael is using LOL. Michael's only speaking the truth Max's in love with a girl who's with someone else but who's secretly in love with him while she's with someone else. Max can be sometimes be an ungrateful person Michael is only having a little fun with them he's not hurting anyone. Michael is correct Max is the one who put them all in danger by Saving Liz. Michael definitely has trust issues. Of course Kyle is going to think that Max had something to do with this locker door not opening up. Maria such a consoling friend. Liz feelings is correct on Max pulling away.

Oh no Maria's not to be able to handle this crowd . Really risky to ask Isabelle to help Why would Maria think that Maria she would do anything for Liz? She is the reason why the secret is out and that they are in the mess they are in Isabel does not like that. Maria had a better shot if she asked for her instead of asking if being for Liz. Cute story about Grandma making a citizen's arrest. Looks like Grandma's going downhill😔.

Liz should not beat herself up oversee the situation she had no idea that this was going to happen. I wonder what made Isabelle change her mind mind in helping out at the cafe. Isabel is correct we shouldn't have to be kept away from people who need us the most. Maria and Isabel working together they work good as a team. I like that she uses her powers a little bit to get the job done.

Liz basically told Max she's in love is him without actually saying the words. Kyle had no idea that his friends beat up Max. Liz had no idea that Max got beat up. Liz is right Kyle shouldn't be friends with people who beat up other people for no reason. I'm glad that she broke up with Kyle finally! I feel bad that Kyle got dumped oh, he did do the right thing by telling Liz what happened to Max and that he had nothing to do with it it was his friends who went behind his back and did it he really did try to explain the situation.

How precious that Max wants to help Liz say goodbye to her grandma. That just melts your heart. That was really precious and sweet of Max finding away to let Liz say goodbye. Max and Liz would be super cute together however their love for each other is way too intense for high school age.

Well you guys that's the end of the episode I had fun I hope you had fun I'll see you on the other side..

Quote of the episode

Up next: missing

[elainesknight]

A Roman Drabble Prompt that might be fun: Fulvia and Clodia meet for the first time, and instantly like each other (platonically or otherwise).

Hello, it is me, the fastest writer in history bringing you the story for this prompt only two eternities later. 

As Fulviamade her way through Celer’s house she tried valiantly to look calm. So far ithad all been quite normal. She had gone to the house accompanied by her newhusband, a picture of an honorable roman matron. The doorkeeper had treated herwith respect even after Claudius had fled the building muttering somehalf-hearted excuse. That had been the first time Fulvia had sensed some obscuredread inside her chest. Claudius was no coward – she would not have married himif he had shown such weakness – but for some reason he had expressed the strongwish to not be present when she first met his famous sister, Claudia.

Insteadof accompanying her to the quarters of the mistress of the house himself, thedoorkeeper had called for a slave girl and ordered her to bring Fulvia to herlady. Fulvia watched the slim figure of the slave with some interest as thegirl walked in front of her trying her best to appear demure even though sheclearly had the lead. The slave girls a woman kept with her often said muchabout the mistress herself. There were the insecure ones who only hired uglygirls as they could not bear the thought to be overshadowed by a pretty slavein the eyes of the public. (Or their husbands’.) There were the strange oneslike the renowned Aurelia Cotta, famous for many reasons, but also because shehad chosen a giant German woman as her first personal slave. And there was ClaudiaPulchra who obviously did not fear any kind of competition from her servants,for the girl who lead Fulvia was of an almost ethereal beauty, tall and slimwith curly dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. She looked, thought Fulvia whohad more poetry to her than most people assumed, like a Greek water nymph. Mostslave women who possessed some kind of beauty had a tendency to be vain andunruly, always trying to win the favor of the steward - or the master if theywere also ambitious. Claudia’s girl was the complete opposite. She had givenFulvia a kind smile and always kept a pleasant expression on her face. Herhands were folded in front of her body and she moved with subtle submissivegrace worthy of the servant of a queen. The slave girl made Fulvia feel evenmore insecure, a feeling that was new and strange for her. 

“My mistress awaits you” said the girl quietly and Fulvia noticed that they hadreached a door hung with beautiful light pink curtains that moved softly withthe winds from the garden. The slave waited patiently for her answer and Fulviarealized with a start that the girl was probably used to the nervousness peopledisplayed in front of her mistress. She gathered her wits and nodded to theservant. She was the heiress of the Gracchi – she would not be thrown offbalance by this woman, no matter what.

Fulvia wasthrown off balance. They had walked into the room and Fulvia had only had a short moment to marvelat the richness and tastefulness of the furnishings when the slave girl hadannounced her presence. “Mistress, the lady Fulvia is here.” “Thank you, Andromache. You may leave us alone” Claudia had said and Fulvia’slast coherent thought had been that this was definitely not the slave girl’sreal name.  Claudia was alone in the room. She was lying on her side on a huge couch andshe was the most fascinating woman Fulvia had ever seen. Beautiful, yes, shedefinitely deserved the cognomen of her family. She was not dressed as a romanmatron who expected guests was supposed to be dressed. Her hair was not done upin one of the latest fashion trends but instead it fell in luxurious curls aroundher shoulders. Where Claudius’ hair was brightly red, Claudia’s hair was morelike ember – dark red with golden strands illuminated by the soft light thatstreamed in from the windows behind her. Her eyes were green, not unlike thoseof her brother, but again darker and with hints of gold. She wore a simple whitegown with only a few selected pieces of expensive golden jewelry. As she lookedup at Fluvia, a small triumphant smile on her lips, she looked like Venusherself. 

For a second Fulvia - raised with the notion that women could only grow less desirablewith age – asked herself how old she was. Claudia was her husband’s oldersister after all. But then again Helen of Troy had not been a young womaneither. Fulvia knew that she was staring but Claudia was clearly used to it. “What do you think? Would my face be enough to start a war?” asked Claudia andreminded Fulvia of a lioness watching her prey. But Fulvia smiled. “That’s why you called her Andromache. Is Helen of Troy the association youwant to evoke in your visitors?” she asked and for a moment Claudia seemed tobe taken aback. Then she suddenly broke into laughter and clapped her hands. “Oh, wonderful! I already like you!” she said and turned into a simple mortalin front of Fulvia’s eyes. Still beautiful, still vaguely intimidating but waymore approachable. Fulvia felt more at ease. Claudia raised herself into a comfortable sitting position and lightly gesturedfor Fulvia to take a seat next to her. “Oh, I’m glad you called me out, my new sister. It does get terriblyuncomfortable lying like that for a longer time” said Claudia, good humorglittering in her eyes. Fulvia laughed as she took a seat. “I imagine. But why Helen of Troy? She strikes me as a deeply unhappy woman.” Claudia raised a perfect eyebrow and looked at Fulvia with a new sort ofinterest. “She was, I have no doubt. Do I not strike you as an unhappy woman?” she askedand shook her head at few moments later. “Don’t answer that, darling. No, that’snot why I chose her. You see, most people who come here only know Helen for herbeauty but they have no eyes for the woman underneath.” Fulvia decided to indulge her host and leaned back. Claudia made it easy tofeel at ease around her. “So you wish to hide something behind your beauty?” she asked and Claudiagrinned victoriously. “That means you think I’m beautiful?” Fulvia felt trapped only for a moment but Claudia noticed because she shook herhead again, laughing softly. “Don’t worry. I’m just playing with you.” “Of course you are. You strike me as a smart woman so I’m assuming you havenoticed your beauty at some point in your life.” Fulvia paused and rememberedwhere she was. “I’m sorry, I had no intention to offend you.” Claudia made an exaggerated pout. “Offend me? Dear new sister, that is very difficult and I can assure you that I’min no way offended by you.” Fulvia smiled at her and tried to think of a good topic for conversation. Claudia,however, proved again to be a most uncommon woman. She reached over and cuppedFulvia’s face in her hand, gently forcing her “new sister” to look at her.Fulvia was surprised but managed to not shy away from the touch. It was clearto her that Claudia was somehow testing her and she was determined to prove herworth. Instead she focused on returning Claudia’s gaze. Her host’s lips curledinto a small smile. “Well, your face is certainly beautiful. But there are other beautiful women inRome. Why did you marry my brother?” she asked, her intense stare never leavingFulvia’s face. Fulvia gave her best to not look intimidated. “My parents and your older brother arranged…” she started but Claudia hushedher by putting a perfectly manicured finger on her lips. “Not that. Money, blood lines and all that – it bores me. Tell me the excitingpart. Why did you marry my brother?” Claudia slowly removed her finger andcaressed Fulvia’s cheek as if to soothe her. If that was her intention shedefinitely failed because Fulvia felt a deep unrest at her core. She struggledfor an answer but in Claudia’s half embrace she could think of nothing but thetruth.  “I am – I mean I view myself as heiress of the Gracchi. I can see how thismight seem presumptuous as I am only a woman…” Claudia shook her head gentlyand let her hand wander down Fulvia’s neck. Fulvia drew a shaky breath and wenton. “I read about them. I heard about them. And I agree with them. Not oneverything of course. But I think that it is right to question the currentsystem of the Republic.” “Oh” said Claudia and started playing with a loose strand of Fulvia’s hair. “You’rea politician. How exciting.” Somehow encouraged by this, Fulvia went on. “I think that Rome can only survive if we – I mean the men who rule the city –do more for the people. I think that Rome was built by all Romans and it canonly continue to survive and grow if all Romans have a chance to be involved.But I am only a woman.” “And you hope that my brother will be able to help you, my beautiful politiciansister?” asked Claudia and her hand laid still on Fulvia’s shoulder. “I do not only hope, I am sure of it.” Like an afterthought she quickly added “AndI love him, of course.” Claudia smiled at her with true affection. “I see.” Fulvia had never spoken so openly with another woman before. Now, she felt asif she could tell Claudia anything, even though a rational voice in her mindtold her that this was Claudia’s power. This was what Claudius’ sisterintended. But Fulvia could not find any malice in her face and so she spokeagain. “And I do not wish to be left behind.” Claudia stroked her collarbone with her thumband gave her an inquiring look. “I mean I don’t want to be left in the house to deal with slaves and children.”Quickly she added: “Though I’d love to raise children, of course. And I do notmind the work of a mistress of the house. But I want to go out. I want to go tothe forum and to the senate, even though I’m not allowed to enter or speak. Iwant to talk to people and support my husband not only as a woman but as acompanion.” Her speech had grown fiercer and when she focused on Claudia againthere was a strange look on her face. In a sudden motion Claudia drew up herknees under her and hovered above Fulvia. Gently Claudia cupped her face inboth her hands and looked down at her with an unreadable expression on herface.  She seemed to search for somethingin Fulvia’s eyes and when she found it the most bewitching smile appeared onher face. Fulvia felt light. “Yes” whispered Claudia “I think he has found the right companion in you.” Herfingers caressed Fulvia’s cheeks and Fulvia could do nothing more than stare ather, motionless. Claudia held a strange power over her but she did not feel theneed to break free. “Like you, my beautiful sister, I long for a kind of freedom I was not bornfor. A different freedom than you, may be. But freedom still.” Fulvia smiled. Claudia returned her smile but Fulvia sensed that she was waitingfor something. My permission, Fulvia realized and suddenly knew what she wantedand what she had to say. Unused of the gesture but sure of her intentions Fulvia warped an arm around Claudia’smidriff and marveled at the effortless elegance with which Claudia pressed herbody against her. “Maybe I can be your companion, too?” whispered Fulvia and when Claudia kissedher she knew that she had found the right words.

[stereksummerexchange]

Mind’s a Mess

@inatshej

by @septima-sum

“This is our new student,” Finstock tells the class. “Derek Hale! Go easy on him, you rabid monsters.”

Stiles gets a burst of anxiety from the new kid. For a moment, he hears Derek’s thoughts loud and clear. I hate First Days. I never get used to the staring. Play it cool, damn it. Play it cool.

Stiles winces in sympathy. Yeah, First Days suck.

To Derek’s credit, he looks as bored and disaffected as he possibly can while introducing himself to twenty new people who will mercilessly judge every single one of his moves. His tells them that his family moved here from New York, which sounds cool until he mentions the upstate part. He has three siblings. Two of them also go this school, while is older sister is off to college. He likes gaming, movies, and food, by which he means eating rather than preparing. He’s also a werewolf. “And that’s it, mostly,” he concludes.

Okay, the last part is probably not something that comes up in most introductions, but that sort of info is par for the course in Beacon Hills. Everybody is something in this town. When Derek is finished with the introduction, he scans the rows of chairs and – hurray! – ends up claiming the free place next to Stiles. He’s slumping into it as if he wishes he could disappear. Makes himself smaller than he is. Observes everything.

Stiles very much wants to read his thoughts, really read his thoughts, deliberately, but doesn’t. He had many a talk with Ms. Morell why privacy is sacrosanct. Being born a telepath, it was a tough thing to learn. He’s always caught snippets of thoughts here and there, even if he didn’t want to. As soon as he could talk, that got him in trouble big time. Like when he’d mentioned the divorce to Scott, who hadn’t known about it. (And neither had his dad, actually).

Great powers beget great fuck-ups.

Speaking of which, Finstock’s cell phone goes off and prompts him to argue with the poor person calling him. “Are you kidding me? That’s why it’s called an insurance – no – that’s the literal definition of the word!” He scowls at the class as if they are to blame for his predicament. “You do group work until I get back! No shenanigans! I’m looking at you, Greenberg.”

“Stop picking on Greenberg,” a girl in the last row yells.

“I’m not playing favorites! I hate all of you!” Finstock shouts and slams the door shut.

“Wow.” Derek seems bewildered, to put it mildly. “Is he always like that?”

Stiles grins. “My sweet summer child… that’s nothing. Wait until he recruits you into the Lacrosse team and gives one of his motivational pre-game speeches. Now that’s a spectacle.”

Derek processes that. “Can’t wait,” he says dubiously.

“What’s up with the whole Clark Kent thing?” Stiles asks him, motioning to Derek’s bulky black glasses and his whole… vibe.  Like the plaid button-down shirt that strains to fit around his athletic form, or the very neat hairstyle that makes him appear like an engineering student form the 1950s.  He seems like the world’s least convincing nerd. As an actual nerd, Stiles feels compelled to defend the honor of his brethren.

Derek corrects the position of his glasses. “Clark Kent?”

“You know, Superman?” Stiles asks in a tone of profound derision. Jesus. They don’t make ‘em any brighter these days, do they.

“I know Superman,” Derek says. He sounds insulted, which, fair point, he has every right to be. “Kal-El from Krypton, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938. I’m just wondering if you’re talking about the Pre-Crisis or Post-Crisis versions? The Golden Age? Silver Age? Bronze? Or maybe you’re talking about Bizarro Superman.”

“Um,” Stiles utters eloquently. This is not going the way he imagined it would go.

“If you mean the 1930s version, you’re practically describing me as an aggressive vigilante, so thanks for that. Or maybe you think I’m the archetype of the brave-hearted hero with a strong sense of justice, morality and righteousness? Like the version from the 1940s onward? Maybe. But you could also mean that I resemble the recent DCEU version, where Superman is deeply distrustful, doesn’t give a crap about human lives and the entire heroic arc is all about his ego. That comparison I would find offensive, frankly.”

“Uhhh… well.” It’s possible that Stiles’ knees turn a little weak. “I just meant because of the glasses and your whole suppressed jock vibe,” he says. “Dude, I don’t know you well enough to even guess which moral belief system you ascribe to!”

Derek considers this. “If you have to make a comparison at all, compare me to the classic Post-Crisis version,” he says earnestly. “And I’m not a jock, suppressed or otherwise.”

“Ok,” Stiles says, bewildered. “Yeah, I’ll… I’ll keep that in mind. Fine. But really, what’s up with the glasses? Wolves have perfect vision.”

Derek seems to deflate. “I know, and so do hunters. My family insist I tried to blend in as much as possible. I’ve worn glasses for years.”

That Stiles didn’t expect at all. “Really? Wow.” He’s been so used to living in the little bubble that is Beacon Hills that he forgot what it’s like out there. “This town is warded. We haven’t had hunter activity in, like, decades. You couldn’t find a safer place anywhere on this planet.”

Derek looks unconvinced but doesn’t voice his doubts.

-

Truth to be told, Stiles is envious.

Of Scott, who lives for the full moons, for the nights spent running through the Preserve, where he can unleash his powers and feel at peace with himself. Of Kira, whose mother instructed her in the ways of kitsunes since she was a little girl. Even a little bit of Jackson, lizard freak that he is, because even he can display his kanima self in this town whenever he wishes to.

In contrast, telepathic abilities are intrusive by their very nature. Not something to be cherished and celebrated – they’re a problem to be managed.

Which is why Stiles loved loved loved the family trip to Chicago last year. Just being in the city and opening himself up, listening to the hundreds of voices streaming past him. He figured he wouldn’t do any harm that way, not if he couldn’t tell whose thoughts he was emerging himself in… but really, in all likelihood that was probably a convenient lie he told himself.

-

Derek sits with them at lunch. He learns that Scott, Erica, Boyd, and Isaac are werewolves. He learns that Lydia is a banshee and Kira a kitsune.

It’s with the familiar nervousness that Stiles tells him he’s a telepath.

Oh shit, Derek’s mind yells. A telepath? Is he reading my thoughts now? Does he know I think he’s CUTE?

Stiles, under the greatest effort known to humankind up to this point, manages not to do a tap dance in the middle of the cafeteria. He closes his mind, but it’s too late to forget what he just learned. Cute. Derek thinks he’s cute!  

“You can read thoughts?” Derek asks out loud, an anxious edge to his oh-so casual question.

“Yeah,” Stiles confirms and fiddles with his napkin.

“Are you reading everyone’s thoughts here?”

“Absolutely not,” Stiles says and acts extra annoyed because of his latent guilt. “There are rules and guidelines. I have ethics to consider, man. Not that I’m interested in the dull inner workings of you unwashed furballs anyway.” The last part he says to all of the werewolves at the table.

“Like we’re interested in your inner workings either,” Erica says sweetly.

Yelping, Stiles ducks as Isaac throws a crumbled paper at him, but it still hits him right in the center of his face. Curse that scarf-wearing annoyance with his impeccable aim.

“You should really try out the Lacrosse team,” Scott tells Derek. “You look like you’d be a good fit!”

“He means that you’re built like a brick house,” Boys says. “And just for the record, I agree. Come to one of our open training sessions, check it out. There’s no harm in that.” 

Derek hesitates. He’s worried, that much Stiles can tell even without working his telepathic mojo.

“I haven’t really played sports yet,” Derek says. “At school, I mean. My mother was always worried I would be too good at it and would give my werewolf identity away.”

That earns him a few looks a pity, but Scott also slings his arm around his shoulders and tells him it’s all going to be fine.

And maybe for the first time that day, Derek believes them.

-

 Growing up, Stiles watched his parent interact with ease, often communicating mentally instead of verbally. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to him.

Sometimes Stiles will visit Claudia’s grave and the wind will ruffle his hair… almost with purpose, almost lovingly – and he’ll imagine it’s her. He’ll imagine that something of her is left behind; a fragment, a piece or her mind. In those moments, he allows himself to believe she watches over him still.

-

Stiles learns that Derek likes to run first thing in the morning, when the dawn is just breaking and the air is still chilly and damp.

He also collects graphic novels and studies for tests with a single-minded intensity that is nothing short of impressive.

Most of the time he’s so quiet that his deadpan humor all hits them a second too late, surprising them into fits of laughter.

And yes, Derek is great at Lacrosse – which irks Jackson to no end and delights everyone else.

-

They’re supposed to study together, but Stiles can’t focus on electrostatic charge right now.

Because: cute.

It’s unhealthy how often Stiles obsesses about that one word and ponders its many connotations. Why didn’t Derek ask him out yet? Why? It can’t be for the lack of puns about bisexuality, because Stiles didn’t spare him those. And yeah, it’s not like Derek is obligated to make a move, he hardly needs to ask out every person he found attractive for one split second, but… but.

“Stiles,” Derek sighs and closes the book he was reading with a thud. He looks at his friend with fond annoyance. “I feel like this would be so much simpler if you just read my damn mind.”

“You mean that?” Stiles asks, nearly breathlessly.

“I do.”

And that’s how it all begins.

For the lovely inatshej and their prompt: I love friends to lovers, preferebly high school, human, light angst with a fluffy ending, maybe nerd Derek.