#Christian bedtime stories

[compassionmattersmost]

A Light in the Heart: A Bedtime Story

Once upon a time, in a quiet village surrounded by hills, there lived a wise father named Joseph. Every evening, his daughter Sarah would sit beside him under the old olive tree as the stars began to twinkle in the sky. It was their special time together, a moment to talk about the wonders of God and the love of the Holy Spirit. One evening, as Sarah climbed into his lap, she whispered, “Papa,…

[birthday-journey-posts]

Day of the Dead Pascha Pumpkin  Halloween begins when you find a Pascha Pumpkin

[noam-easter-bunny]

Halloween starts with Noam Fall Garden and the Pascha Pumpkins

[colorolors]

Pink Ink's Purpose has water safety, fire safety, and stranger danger inside her book. Check it out on Amazon!!

[bookrabbit]

Book Reading Witch Librarian  Halloween Magic

[dwuerch-blog]

What is a Noble Man?

It still sounds strange to me when I speak of my now husband. After all I was a widow for nearly 13 years. Today, I get to celebrate him because it is his birthday. He is a NOBLE man by name and in character. In this photo, he is buying an Olive Tree (a symbol of peace) to plant at my children’s Epiphany Ranch in East Texas. What is a NOBLE man? Why is he needed so much in our society today?…

[alwayschoppedtaco]

bedtime stories ll l.h.

pairing: lewis hamilton x wife!reader

warnings: none, just fluff 

summary: the story of your relationship, as told through the bedtime story of Josie Hamilton.

word count: 1.3k

my masterlist

“Josie!” You yell down the hall. “Time for bed!”

“Momma!” You hear a frustrated groan from the playroom where your daughter has taken up residence. “I’m not even that tired.” The three-year-old shouts, making her way out of the playroom and towards where you stand, hands on your hips as you peer down at her tired eyes.

“Baby, if you go to bed, I will tell you a story.” You offer, stroking her curls off her forehead.

“The story of you and dad?” She begs, grabbing your hand from her hair and pulling you towards her room. You laugh at her quick change in mood as you agree to tell the story.

“Okay, but only if you get into your pajamas and get in bed.” Josie agrees to your bargain, slipping into her favorite pair of Disney princess pj’s and jumping into her new big girl bed that her dad had put together for her recently, with the help of Sebastian over facetime.

“Okay, where to start?” You ponder out loud, thinking of your husband and how you should go about telling this story.

“From the very beginning, momma!” Josie exclaims, moving over under her covers so that you could lie down with her.

“Okay, okay.” You scoot in close to her, wrapping your arm around her and beginning your story. “I met your father when I was working for McLaren in 2009, your father was coming off his first championship win in F1, and I had been interning under his lead mechanic.”

“And you guys locked eyes from across the room and fell in love?” Josie interrupts in excitement.

“Not quite.” You laugh, wrapping the covers tighter around her as she settled further into her bed for your story. “I talked to him maybe three times that entire season, he was a hotshot driver and I was an intern, we didn’t have much overlap.

“I was offered a leading position at Red Bull the following year, helping to develop the car that Sebastian won in.” You continue, a small smile forming on your lips as you reminisce. “The next time I spoke to your father was at a party celebrating Sebastian’s championship. He had come with Jenson to celebrate, Jenson never letting up a chance at a party.

“He came off a little snobby to me at first, you can get quite the ego when you are at the top of your sport, and only 1 of 20.” You explain, moving your hands as you talk. “He came up to me and offered to get me a drink, I had only talked to him a few times, but who was I to pass up a drink.

“He ended up asking for my number before he left, and that was that.” You sigh, thinking back to that night and how much alcohol the two of you had consumed, drunken secrets and actions that your daughter wasn’t quite old enough to hear about yet.

“But momma, when did you guys fall in love?” Josie asks, invested in the story.

“I’m getting there, I promise.” You laugh at her impatience before continuing with your retelling. “I stayed at Red Bull, occasionally running into your father at different parties and around the paddock, but it wasn’t until 2013, three years later, that anything happened.

“It was another championship for Sebastian, but by the end of the season Mercedes had offered me a job, and I had talked with Christian and decided that I would take it. And so I was one of the mechanics working on Nico Rosberg’s car. I talked with your father a lot more that year, growing closer and becoming friends. I have to confess that I liked him as a lot more than a friend for the next couple of years, but we were work colleagues first, and I wasn’t going to put my career in jeopardy over a boy.”

“Mom!” Josie exclaims in exasperation, her brown eyes wide with anticipation for the romance. “When do you guys kiss and get me?”

“I promise I am getting there, you just have to be patient. If I wasn’t patient then I never would have gotten you.

“Anyways, I stayed at Mercedes for a while before my dream spot at Ferrari opened up and I left Mercedes in 2015. I was at my dream job, back working alongside Sebastian, and finally starting to realize I wanted to settle down.” Josie is trying to keep her eyes from closing, fighting against the sleepiness she is feeling.

“Maybe this story can be ended tomorrow, hmm?” You suggest, noticing the tired eyes and her yawns.

“No!” Josie quickly exclaims. “I can stay up, I want to hear this!”

“Ok,” You smile fondly, continuing your story. “Well anyways, I was working with Sabastian, who had become a good friend of mine while I was at Red Bull, and he had suggested that he set me up on a blind date.”

“I was hesitant at first, not wanting a date disaster, but Sebastian wouldn’t stop pestering me about it so I finally caved.”

“And you had the best date of your life with dad?”

“Oh no, it was probably the worst date I have ever been on!” You exclaim, laughing at the memory. “He showed up half an hour late, didn’t even apologize! I had half a mind to leave at that instant, but I couldn’t think of a good enough excuse!”

“Hey now, I made it up to you eventually.” Lewis pipes up from the doorway, having arrived at some point in your story without either of you noticing.

“Daddy! Come sit with us and listen to the story.” Josie says through a yawn, rubbing the sleepiness from her eyes.

“Okay, princess.” Lewis settles himself on the other side of her, stroking her hair comfortingly, knowing that it usually puts her straight to sleep.

“Continue momma.”

“Okay, well as I was saying, Sebastian set me up on the worst date of my life.” You repeat yourself despite your husbands disagreeing stare. “He arrived late, didn’t apologize for it, and by the end of the night I just wanted to get home and call Sebastian to complain.”

“Why did you go out with him again then?”

“He offered to walk me home, and somehow saved the entire night on that half mile walk.” You explain. “He finally apologized, explaining how nervous he was that he couldn’t pick out which tie to wear that night, he was so nervous that Sebastian called me the next day to tell me your father had called him five times to get his opinion on tie color and which type of knot he should use!”

There is a small smile on Lewis’s face as he watches you tell the story, remembering how sweaty his palms were over the thought of messing things up with you.

“I brought her flowers to make up for everything the next morning, I felt horrible for making a fool of myself.” Lewis laughs thinking of how much remorse he had for being late. “I brought her a bouquet everyday for a week to show her how sorry I was.”

“And it finally worked, cause I agreed to a second date.” You tell Josie. “Best decision I ever made.”

“Three years later I asked her to marry me”

“And then we got you.” You finish, looking down to see Josie’s eyes are closed, her breathing even.

You and Lewis carefully make your way out of her bed, closing the door to her room before making your way to your room.

“It really was my best decision to say yes to that second date.” You say settling into your bed and opening your arms so Lewis can cuddle with you.

“It was my best decision to get the ring after the third date.”

~

[cavehags]

The folktale I loved most was the Passamaquoddy tale of two girls changed into water-snakes. Every Sunday, the two girls went to swim and play in their local lake together, naked, wanton. Men in their village spied on the girls and warned of sin, while, as usual of men, disregarding their own lust and hypocrisy. The girls did not listen, so the men came to snatch them away, intending to fix their purity—and discovered the girls had been transformed into water-snakes, their long hair and girl heads connected to wriggly and reptilian snake tails. The story, colored by colonialist Christian values, was meant as a warning against evil behavior on Sundays, but they didn’t see the truth of the ending. I was convinced the two girls were free, freer than I could ever be. I envied their ability to slip through those men’s grasps. I saw their evolution as a gift, so they could play in the water forever, not beholden to men’s needs or a moralist God’s schedule.

I reread the pages of the Passamaquoddy tale as my nightly bedtime story, wondering if I’d meet a girl friend someday, and if we’d intertwine into water-snakes. Where was she sleeping each night, without me? And where would we sleep each night, together, after transcendence?

Chlorine by Jade Song

[pomefioredove]

i was wondering if you could do Duece, Leona, Ruggie, Azul, Jamil x Christian S/O headcanons? like reader used to be a preacher back at their world, and still kinda preaches in twst (i think rollo believes in God?) like they do all the things Christians should do but still kinda chaotic? their very respectfull and kind yk? sorry for making this a bit long and confusing lol

twst's relationship with religion is so vague and complicated and yet. I cannot imagine rollo as anything BUT catholic. look at that guy. so I believe there's some kind of similar belief systems happening there

summary: religious reader type of post: headcanons characters: deuce, leona, ruggie, azul, jamil additional info: platonic or romantic, reader is gender neutral, reader yuu, short and not proofread author's note: writing these on the basis that religion does exist in twisted wonderland and parallels religions of our own. I am catholic and admittedly unfamiliar with preaching to others, I think that's more of a protestant thing, so I kinda just winged that part?

𝐃𝐞𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐞

if there's anything for him to admire, it's your dedication

I mean, you're sticking to your beliefs and passions in an entirely different universe

with a bunch of strangers, no less!

whether or not some version of your beliefs exist here, you're committed! and quite knowledgeable, too

it's pretty impressive to him

Deuce's family doesn't seem particularly religious, though he probably just enjoys hearing the stories

the narratives of change and redemption catch his eye

𝐑𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐡𝐢

he's big into all those "it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God" verses

even if he doesn't necessarily believe in all that heaven stuff... it's a little funny

(he might use that one in the future, actually...)

if religion which parallels our own does exist in Twisted Wonderland, I can imagine his granny being religious

she seems like someone who'd cover the walls in symbols and art

maybe (likely) not Christian in origin, but enough for him to recognize that what you're going on about is a similar deal

he's practically used to it already

𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫

literally just falls asleep while you're talking

it's not that he doesn't care, it's just that...

wait, no. he doesn't care

sure, he participates in traditions and such with his family, but that's more for looks

Leona doesn't really see the point in blindly following something that hasn't helped him out at all

and hearing about miracles and blessings just annoys him

but, hey! you make for a great sound machine

these are basically all just bedtime stories for him to doze off to, anyway

𝐀𝐳𝐮𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨

merman religion is... tricky, to me

the existence of Hades in implies (confirms, even, if we take into account Yuu's dreams) the existence of Poseidon

but, like King Triton, these figures aren't necessarily worshipped. they're depicted as monarchs, not gods

but, then again, our knowledge on Coral Sea culture is limited

in any case, Azul might tolerate preaching

he really sees no use for it, and he's a busy man, but he doesn't really mind the company

if anyone, it's Jade who would be really interested in hearing alllll about these human stories

Floyd might tag along, too

and, suddenly, Azul finds himself wedged between the tweel's shoulders on the floor while they eagerly listen to you

...there goes his afternoon

𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐫

to me, Jamil is not religious or superstitious by any means

he doesn't mind listening, but don't expect him to change his mind about any of that

(especially while Kalim is begging for more stories)

though, even he admits that having you around is as refreshing as it is entertaining

you're just always so... hopeful

and it's much different from Kalim's version of optimism (in his eyes, at least) simply because, in this world, you're at the same disadvantage as Jamil is

your autonomy is constantly in question, you're living at the mere goodwill of others...

and yet, you're hopeful!

it's strange, but Jamil can't help but crave that presence in his life

[natsuki-bakery]

⁎˚ ఎ CG! Soap HC's ໒ ˚⁎

Hiii! Could I please ask for John Mactavish from Call of Duty Modern Warfare II caregiver headcanons? (⁠灬⁠º⁠‿⁠º⁠灬⁠)⁠♡

•Soap's protective instincts kick in naturally. He’s always vigilant about ensuring his little one feels safe and secure, both physically and emotionally

•Soap is known for his tough exterior, but with you, he's a gentle encourager. He always finds ways to motivate and praise you, boosting your confidence

•He has a treasure trove of stories from his missions, but he knows how to adapt them into kid-friendly adventures. His storytelling skills captivate you, transporting you into exciting, imaginative worlds

•Despite his military background, John has a playful side. He’s great at engaging in fun activities like building forts, playing with toy soldiers, or having nerf gun battles, making every moment exciting and memorable

•Understanding the importance of stability, Soap ensures there’s a consistent routine. From bedtime schedules to regular meal times, he helps create a predictable environment that his little one can rely on

•During difficult moments, Mactavish is a master at providing comfort. His calm demeanor and reassuring words help soothe any fears or anxieties you might have <3

•Dada Soap is always there to listen!He takes your thoughts and feelings seriously, offering advice and support whenever needed, making sure you feel heard and understood

•Creative Crafts : Whether it’s painting, drawing, or building models, he encourages creativity and expresses his pride in every masterpiece you create !

•He ensures to dedicate special one-on-one time. Whether it’s watching a favorite movie, reading a bedtime story, or just talking about their day, he cherishes all these moments

•Mactavish understands the importance of a balanced life. He incorporates a mix of physical activities, quiet time, educational games, and relaxation, ensuring your overall well-being

DNI: basic criteria, DSMP, vivziepop/h4zbin h0tel/h3lluva b0ss fans, Owl h0use fans, St4r butterfly fans, Ghibli fans, ddlg/abdl, nsfw/k!nk, anti-agere, anti Christians blogs

[birthday-journey-posts]

5 Star children book series--share Halloween Magic

[noam-easter-bunny]

Book Reading Witch Librarian

https://www.booksie.com/721393-the-pumpkin-witch

5 Star children book series.

[colorolors]

New Children's Book Series Out!!! You should pick up one of these books today. Happy reading.

[yourtypagirl1]

Christian As A Girl Dad (Headcanon)

Christian Yu/DPR IAN [Fluff]

The moment that Christian becomes a father, his whole world would change. He would put his daughter before and above, anything and everyone else. She would be an important part of his life, just like his mother and his first daughter, Lori.

Christian has a lot of symbolic and meaningful tattoos. There’s no doubt that he would get a tattoo to commemorate the birth of his daughter.

He would melt into a puddle of mush for his daughter. His daughter would be, “the apple of his eye,” “his whole world,” “his little princess,” and Christian would make sure she knew that.

Christian is a very affectionate person, and he would not fail to constantly tell his daughter, “I love you” or “Appa, loves you.” He would show his love with many hugs, kisses on the cheek, and kisses on the forehead.

Christian would want to share with his daughter, some of the things that shaped his childhood and left a good impression on him as a kid. For example, Christian has fond memories of going to the circus as a kid. He would want to take his daughter to the circus too, and buy her popcorn and cotton candy. He would introduce to his daughter, some of the movies he grew up watching like, “Wizard of Oz” and “Dumbo.” And without a doubt, he would take his daughter to see “Cats,” which was the very first musical he saw as a kid.

Christian would be the kind of father who makes a snack for himself and his daughter, right before bedtime. Maybe a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, split down the middle, one half for himself and the other half for his daughter. Served with a glass of milk.

He would be the kind of father who would allow his daughter to paint his nails, and put make up on his face. And he would dress up with her for a make-believe tea party, and sit at the table with all her stuffed animal friends.

His parenting style wouldn’t be too strict, but it also wouldn’t be too lenient either. He would be in the middle. He would scold her when he needs to and wouldn’t overly spoil her.

He would be the type of parent who of course, wants to make sure his child is getting all the nutrients she needs to grow healthy and strong. He would make sure she is eating plenty of vegetables and fruits. And although, he would mostly want her to eat proper meals, he would allow her to have things like pizza and chocolates every once in a while. He isn’t the type of parent to completely eliminate this from her life. Besides, Christian likes to eat pizza too, every once in a while.

Christian would be sure to read his daughter a bedtime story every night, or possibly tell her a story if she asks for one. Maybe even sing her a song on occasion. After putting her to sleep, he’d make sure her night light is turned on, and leave the door to her room ajar, in case she needs him in the middle of the night to scare away the monsters.

Because of Christian���s love for music, it is certain that his daughter would be raised with an extensive knowledge of it. He might even teach his daughter to play a few instruments if it really piques her interest.

In regards to language, Christian would teach his daughter to speak both English and Korean from an early age. He would want his daughter to be able to speak both languages interchangeably, with much more ease than himself.

Aside from teaching his daughter the Korean language, he would also want her to know more about their Korean culture.

Having lived in Australia throughout his childhood and adolescence, and then in Korea throughout his twenties, he would want to take his daughter to visit both countries.

Christian seems to value women who have qualities such as, independence and strength. He would raise his daughter to be this way. He wouldn’t want his daughter to be completely dependent on him or any other man for that matter. There are times when it would be ok to be a bit vulnerable. But there are times when he would have to show some tough love, depending on the situation.

Christian would be the kind of parent to constantly give his daughter advice, give her words of encouragement, teach her valuable life lessons, and most importantly, he would teach her self-love.

Christian would be the type of father who gets a bit teary-eyed witnessing the biggest moments in his daughter’s life. From the day of her birth, to the day of her graduation, the day she goes off to college, and the day she gets married.

This was an anonymous request I received a couple of weeks ago. I don't typically take requests, however I really loved this idea and had to write it. Hope you enjoyed the read.

[bookrabbit]

Halloween begins when you find a Pascha Pumpkin, Share the Magic.

[ihni]

Miracles

For @metalsandwichbingo, square B3, prompt: "Religious imagery". 3,6K, no major warnings.

Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson

(Additional tags: mentioned religion, mentioned temporary character death, guilt, hospitals, polyamory mention)

Summary:

Eddie's not a religious person. But then Billy comes back from the dead.

(On AO3 here)

Eddie has never been a religious person, despite all the religious texts he consumed when he was younger. No one in town would believe it with the reputation he has nowadays, but he has actually read the Bible – twice. He supposes that it’s because he has always been thirsty for information. Unfortunately, not the kind of information that they would spoon-feed him back in school, but rather anything and everything that would tickle his imagination. Not math, not grammar, not boring history or biology or physics. But the interesting things? The things that he could use as an inspiration for music, for art, for his campaigns? He would devour it. And that included religion – and not only Christianity either – because religious text were shock full of interesting stories and people and gods and metaphors and colorful imagery.

But while he had read about it, and frequently used it in his work, he never found himself believing in any of it. Because it seemed insane to him that people actually believed that God and the devil and angels and demons and saints were real. Only sad and lost people needed to put their faith in something larger than life, and Eddie would pity them if he didn’t detest them so much. He believed in what he could see and touch and smoke, thank you very much.

Then again, up until recently he hadn’t really believed in monsters either. And now he bears the scars on his own body that proves that monsters are, in fact, very real. And if monsters exist, perhaps all those other things do, too? Maybe the Bible had some truths in it, after all?

That is – insanely – his first thought when Billy (his Billy) comes back from the dead, because people just don’t do that. They don’t die and then come back alive. (Eddie should know. His mom sure never rose from the grave, no matter how much little Eddie prayed under his blanket at night before he decided that religion was only bedtime stories for adults who needed something to cling onto.)

The thing is, that while Eddie believes in what he can see, he never actually saw Billy die. He wasn’t there for it. But he did see his body.

He wasn’t supposed to, of course – but when has that ever stopped him? He’d been a little high at the time and overcome with a mixture of grief and disbelief, as well as a healthy refusal to believe that Billy – his Billy – was really gone until he saw it for himself, and so he had broken into the funeral home the night before the funeral. He’d found Billy in his coffin – just a simple wooden box, painted white – and it had been such a surreal experience to see him so pale and still and unmoving. Because Eddie had never known Billy to be so unnaturally still; even when he wasn’t moving, he had a kind of energy buzzing underneath his skin, and even when he slept, he twitched and sighed and scrunched his nose up in the cutest way. Eddie knew all these things intimately, because he had loved watching Billy when he slept, for those blessed months between April and July when they’d … ‘hooked up’ might be the go-to term, but yet it didn’t describe the depths of what Eddie had been feeling. They hadn’t really been dating, with the flowers and the chocolate and the actual dates – because this was Hawkins and Billy’s dad was a threat and generally a violent shitstain of a person – but it had been more than just sex, too. They’d listened to music together and smoked and talked until the early hours of the morning whenever Billy stayed the night. They’d watched movies and eaten bad takeout food and kept a list of the best pizza combinations Hawkins had to offer. Sure, they’d had sex (glorious and mind-blowingly good sex if you asked Eddie) but they’d also driven around Hawkins at night and talked about books and held hands in comfortable silence under the stars. Billy had spent hours on Eddie’s bed, listening to Eddie ramble on about his campaigns, and Eddie had made a point of making sure that Billy ate something, no matter what time he showed up at the trailer, or what shape he was in.

Point was, the two of them had been something, something more than fuckbuddies, so when Eddie heard about the tragedy at Starcourt, he refused to believe it at first. He had to see him. If only to be able to wrap his head around the fact that he was gone.

He had expected … worse. The mall had burnt down, after all, so he had half-expected only unidentifiable charred remains to be in the coffin. Instead he was met with Billy. Eyes closed, skin cold and pale. Could have been asleep, if it wasn’t for the way he was too still to look real. He looked … empty. Like a shell. Like whatever had made up Billy simply wasn’t there anymore.

Eddie had looked at him for a long time, without feeling much of anything. This was undeniably Billy’s body, but it wasn’t his Billy. Not anymore. So he left, feeling oddly off-kilter.

The day after he’d attended the funeral without really understanding what the priest said, and that night he had proceeded to get spectacularly drunk and had woken up at noon the following day with a raspy throat, tear-swollen eyes, the worst headache of his life and no memory of anything past the halfway point of the stolen bottle of gin.

He wished the gin could have taken the memory of Billy’s unmoving body in that coffin, too, but unfortunately that particular image seemed to be burned into his brain forever.

Unexpectedly, he wasn’t alone in being haunted by an image of a dead Billy Hargrove every time he closed his eyes. Even more unexpectedly, the other person with that particular problem was someone he would have never thought he’d willingly hang out with, or would willingly hang out with him. But Steve Harrington proved to be different than Eddie expected, in almost every way. Eddie found that out when he bumped into the guy at the quarry a week after Billy’s funeral, and they started talking.

Over the course of the next couple of weeks, Eddie found that Steve was not just a dumb jock, which he had previously assumed. That he cared a lot about his dwindling number of friends (which included a bunch of loudmouth kids), and perhaps more importantly; that he was a real person underneath that shiny surface, with real feelings and problems just like everyone else. Eddie also learned – and here’s where things got interesting – that Steve had been at the mall the night of the fire. That he had, in fact, been right there when Billy died. He wouldn’t go into details – not even after he and Eddie grew closer; first as friends and then eventually as more than friends – but he let a few things slip. Eddie knew that Steve was frequently having nightmares and that many of them had something to do with the night that Billy died.

It didn’t make much sense, at the time. Because why would Steve be having nightmares after the days when they’d talked about Billy, and wake up screaming as if scared out of his mind? Why would he wake up in a cold sweat mumbling Billy’s name, and why did he sometimes cry and ask for forgiveness in his sleep? He and Billy hadn’t been that close, from what Eddie had heard. Quite the opposite, in fact.

He and Steve were way past the friends-stage at this point, so Eddie finally asked him about it – but Steve just shook his head. Scrunched his eyes shut and looked almost pained when he said he couldn’t tell him. Eddie was curious by nature and he wanted to know, of course he did, but he cared a lot for Steve and he didn’t want to poke at that particular bruise since it was so obvious that Steve didn’t want to talk about it yet.

And then suddenly one day, he got his explanation and learned why Steve hadn’t been able to talk about it. Thrown into the mess, he quickly found out about the monsters and about the dark version of Hawkins that existed just a dimension away, and everything that had happened before fell into place with some broken explanations as they hurriedly brought him up to speed on human experiments and monster dogs and children with superpowers. He freaked out of course, but there was no time for his questions as he was pulled into a plot to save the town – and, in extension, the world. It was a whirlwind of fear, fighting and adrenaline. When it was all over, they’d succeeded in besting the monsters and close the gate to the other side – hopefully forever this time – but Eddie wasn’t around to celebrate with the rest of them, because he was in a super-secret hospital, recovering after being chewed on by a pack of monster bats.

The thing is, though, that he wasn’t the only patient there.

He finds out about Billy being alive from Steve, the first time he comes to visit. His boyfriend bursts into the room with wide eyes and shaking hands, looking like he’s seen a ghost, but it isn’t until he’s made sure Eddie is alive and whole – well, mostly whole at least – that he collapses into a chair and drops the bomb.

Billy is alive.

Despite apparently having been skewered through by a huge monster made out of melted people and bleeding out on the floor of Starcourt mall, he is somehow alive. After having sacrificed himself and fought said monster with his bare hands to save a kid he barely knew, perhaps saving all of them in the process. And all that, after having been possessed by some kind of interdimensional parasite who used his body as a puppet to lure others do their deaths.

Eddie is not a religious person, but as Steve haltingly tells him all of this, he can’t help drawing parallels to the stories he has read. Jesus on the cross, willingly sacrificing himself for the sins of others, and also the history of the sacrificial lamb, willingly given up by others. He wonders which is more apt – and then he wonders which is worse.

When Steve gets to the point in the story where Billy died apologizing, they are both crying. Eddie because … well, he loved Billy, and then he lost him, and now he’s back but he’s been through so much, and Steve because –

Eddie’s actually not entirely sure why Steve is crying.

It takes some prodding, but it turns out that Steve had one hell of a night himself, the night at the mall. He’d been running from Russians who tortured and drugged him (which, yeah, Eddie’s going to need to come back to that particular trauma), and had personally witnessed Billy’s ultimate sacrifice, while being shot up with a cocktail of drugs that made sure it etched its way into his brain in full technicolor. And he’s been dealing with a truckload of guilt since then.

Because apparently, sometime in the spring, Billy had tried apologizing for the fight they had – the fight that the whole school knew about – but Steve had refused to hear him out. It was only after Billy died (died protecting them, died sacrificing himself, died not knowing what was happening to him because no one had told him anything) that he even learned what Billy dealt with at home on a daily basis, and got some nuance as to what happened the night of their fight. Steve has been living with his regret ever since, which only got worse when he found out that Billy and Eddie had been a thing – because Eddie never kept his previous relationship a secret – and Eddie unthinkingly started telling him all about Billy’s softer sides.

“He said he was sorry, but I didn’t wanna listen. I should have listened to him,” Steve mumbles, leaning his head against Eddie’s shoulder. “Hell, I should have told him about everything the night of the fight.” A pause, then, “Fuck, Eds, I should have forgiven him.”

Eddie can do nothing but pet his hair in silence, because there is no use thinking of what they should have done and what could have been. What happened, happened, and to his knowledge it isn’t possible to change the past. It is, however, possible to change the future – and it’s not often that one gets a second chance with someone who has died, and Eddie says as much.

Steve looks up at him with teary eyes and looks so hopeful that Eddie aches with it as he says, in an effort to soothe, “It’s not too late, Stevie.”

It takes some time before Steve gets his chance, though, because Billy is in a medically-induced coma. It turns out that getting taken over by an interdimensional monster and then surviving for more than a year in a toxic alternate dimension takes a toll on a human. Eddie doesn’t have all the facts, because the goddamn doctors won’t tell him shit, but the transition back to the real world had been difficult on Billy’s body, and he is now kept under, with a drip in his arm to help his system adapt to the right kind of nutrients, and a mask over his mouth and nose which is to help him get used to the cleaner air here in the real world.

The first time Eddie sees him – when a tall male nurse wheels him into his room in a wheelchair after half a day of outright begging – he can barely believe what he’s seeing. Billy, right there. He looks like he’s been through hell – with his hair longer than before and sunken cheeks and ashy skin – but he is alive. Eddie remembers the way his body (or whatever it was that they buried; huh, they should look into that actually) had looked in the coffin, and even though Billy now looks like shit, he is there. Whatever had been missing in the body in the funeral home – his soul or whatever, if you wanted to get spiritual – is no longer missing. It is right here, in this broken body.

Billy is back.

As previously (and often) stated, Eddie has never been a religious person. Despite this, he spends hours next to Billy’s bedside that day, holding his hand and silently thanking God, Lucifer, Allah, Mohammed, Buddha, Odin, Zagreus and every other deity he can remember for this miracle.

(Just to be on the safe side. Monsters are real, after all – maybe the gods are, too.)

Neither Eddie nor Steve – or Max, for that matter – are allowed in the room when they bring Billy out of his coma, but it’s not for a lack of trying (or nagging). Someone comes into Eddie’s room after, though, to let them know that it worked and that they will be allowed to see him in the morning.

Steve doesn’t go home that evening, but instead spends the night in Eddie’s room. Mindful of Eddie’s injuries, he curls up next to him in the hospital bed. But instead of sleeping, they talk. In low voices and hesitant murmurs, they talk about what this means; what it might mean for them that Billy is back.

It’s easy enough for Eddie: Eddie is over the moon that Billy is back, because he loved him and he was a mess after he lost him. Eddie also loves Steve. He has enough love in him for more than one person; it’s not like he’s going to run out.

Steve, in turn, says that he loves Eddie, which Eddie kind of knew but enjoys hearing nonetheless. When it comes to Steve’s thoughts of Billy, though, that’s where things get … complicated.

They spend the night holding each other close, quietly talking and reassuring each other. Despite everything, Eddie can’t do anything but be hopeful. Because a complicated situation where everyone is alive beats an easy situation with one of them dead, every time.

In the morning, they get to visit Billy. In order not to overwhelm him, they decide to go in separately. Eddie goes first.

Seeing Billy blink his eyes open does something to Eddie’s heart. The world is blurry all of a sudden and he finds himself letting out a laugh that sounds more like a sob, and when Billy’s raspy voice croaks out “Eddie?”, he can’t help himself; he wheels his way over to Billy’s bed and leans his head on Billy’s arm and cries and cries and cries.

Distantly, he feels Billy’s hand fumble to pat at his hair, but if there are any words said, he cannot hear them over the way one single thought is blaring through his brain in beat with his pulse.

Alive alive alive alive alive

Eddie has never been a religious person, but suddenly he can understand all those people who fell to their knees to worship at the feet of a resurrected Jesus. It is the miracle of miracles. Because death is definite, and it should not be possible to come back from it; yet here Billy is.

Impossibly, undeniably alive.

He cries until he’s all out of tears and his sides are aching from the power of his sobs, and by then Billy has fallen back asleep, too drained to stay awake for more than a couple of minutes at a time. His hand still rests on Eddie’s head, like a blessing.

Over the next couple of days, Billy manages to stay awake for longer periods of time. Eddie visits him again and they actually talk a little that time, and Max comes to visit along with El and Chief Hopper. Steve goes in alone one day and stays there for a long time, and when he comes out his eyes are shiny but there’s something lighter about the way he moves. He hugs Eddie long and hard, and Eddie has to ask, so he does:

“How did it go?”

“I apologized,” Steve says, voice trembling. He offers a shaky smile when he adds, “So did he.”

And that’s that.

Only, it’s not. Not really. Because while Billy may be back, he is different. Not counting the obvious – the physical changes after being possessed and dying and spending a year starving in the Upside Down – he is … quieter. Seems to hesitate before speaking, more often than not. Eddie can’t pin down the reason why it bothers him so much.

Is he bitter because no one told him about what was happening? Is he angry because no one came looking for him? Is he sad about his father leaving town without seeing him – or is he sad about the same? Is he simply unused to speaking, after having spent the better part of a year on his own?

Turns out, it is none of those things.

“I miss you,” he says in a small voice one day, when it is just him and Eddie in the room.

Eddie looks up, but Billy is looking down at his hands, not meeting his eyes.

“I’m right here?” It isn’t supposed to be a question.

Billy takes a breath, as if steeling himself. “I know you’re with … Harrington, now.” A little laugh, that doesn’t sound all that happy. “I get it. You know, I used to have the biggest crush on him when I got to town.”

“I know,” Eddie says, strangely calm. “You told me.”

“Mm.”

After a while, Eddie feels the need to say, “I do love him.”

“I know,” Billy says, voice small.

Eddie adds, “I still love you, too, you know.” It’s the first time he says it to Billy. They never got that far back in the spring.

There is silence for a long while. Then, “How can you?” And his voice is full of self-loathing and pain, and his face reflects that in the grimace he makes before he can school his features back to something neutral.

Eddie could have listed reasons until his voice grew hoarse, because he’s got all of them in his head ready to go and he’s good at talking and he’s goddamn excellent with lists, but despite that, his answer is a shrug and a simple “I just do.” Because some things just are.

And Billy looks at him with wide eyes that are so, so blue, and Eddie is so grateful that he gets to get lost in them once more.

It’s not a big thing, that changes. It is not a small thing, either; but rather a trickle of tiny things, one after the other, day out and day in. Eddie visits Billy daily as they both heal up. Steve visits Eddie almost every day, and they go together to visit Billy. Talking gets easier, the awkwardness lessens. Then one day, Eddie walks – because they have finally let him out of the wheelchair, deeming his healing torso strong enough for him to start walking around – into Billy’s room, and stops in the doorway. There, in the light coming in from the window, Steve is sitting in the chair at Billy’s bedside, and Billy is sitting up in his bed, propped up on pillows. None of them have noticed Eddie yet, and both of them are smiling.

Their fingers are touching on top of the bedspread.

Now, Eddie has never been a religious person. He doesn’t really believe in gods or devils, angels or demons. But he suddenly finds – in this moment when he watches both of his loves alive and well and smiling at each other after everything they’ve all been through – that he might just believe in miracles.