#I actually have just about everything on my ao3

[wikiangela]

knee-deep in the backseat (and you're eating me out)

8x06 fix it + car sex

rating: E words: 8.6k summary: Buck and Tommy's six month anniversary dinner ends with them getting busy in the backseat of Tommy's car.

[read on Ao3]

“Deal.” Tommy grins, that crinkly smile making Buck’s heart swell. God, he- he adores him. “No, for real, I had a great time tonight, sweetheart. And I have a feeling the night is about to get even better.” Tommy says, pulling at Buck’s hand to bring him closer, stopping them to press a kiss to his lips, just a few steps away from the car. “Oh, yeah?” Buck smiles, eyes scanning Tommy’s face, the hunger and desire clear as day, and perfectly mirroring the way Buck feels. He should’ve cooked for Tommy, actually. They should’ve stayed in, and had a shorter distance to the bedroom. Or just… no audience to do everything he wants to do all over his loft, or Tommy’s house. But, well, he wanted to take his man out, to the place where he screwed up their first date and make a better memory there, and to properly celebrate him and their relationship, so now he has to be patient… or does he? “Mhm. I think I was promised a gift? And something about opening me up?” He says, tone of voice like he’s not sure he’s remembering correctly. Buck laughs, his free hand sliding over to Tommy’s ass and giving it a squeeze. “Well, I’m a man of my word.” He says as he leans in, kissing Tommy again, this time deeper and longer, pressing his whole body against Tommy’s, just wanting, needing to be closer. He can already feel his dick hardening, eager for some fun with his boyfriend. “Then let’s go, baby.” Tommy whispers into his lips, trying to pull away, but Buck pulls him in for another biting kiss, pulling at his lower lip, licking into his mouth. “Evan.” Tommy chuckles, then a muffled moan escapes him when Buck grinds his hips against Tommy’s, their clothed cocks already hardening, anticipating a great continuation of the evening. “What? God, I can’t get enough of you.” He sighs into another kiss. Tommy eagerly kisses back for just a moment, before breaking the kiss. Buck tries his best not to pout. “We’re still in public.”  “So what?” Buck whines, and Tommy laughs breathlessly again. “What if I can’t wait until we get home?” He starts walking, pushing Tommy backwards, until his back hits the passenger door of the car. “What if I feel like I’m gonna die if I don’t get your dick in my mouth right the fuck now?” “Jesus Christ.” Tommy closes his eyes, tilts his head back, takes a few deep breaths to compose himself. As if Buck’s gonna let him.

[read on Ao3]

[letteredlettered]

Related to your last post: For me tumblr would work better as a community site if there was a function that would hide reblogs of the same posts. I get overwhelmed if I follow more than ten people in the same fandom because of the repeating posts. With work and everything else, I don't have the hours to find the original things people are saying. Reddit works better sometimes except the subreddits often have very surface level discussions with high amount of newcomers asking the same questions and the topics are quite limited. Maybe I should just try if there is life on Dreamwidth :P

This ask is a response to this post I made about feedback to fic and fandom community.

Anon, I agree 100% regarding the difficulties of tumblr for discussion that builds community. If you're following this discussion, than you may have already seen these follow-ups:

@eleadore added their thoughts about preserving reader spaces in a reblog here

@yiiiiiiiikes25 added thoughts similar to yours re tumblr's poor functionality as a community space here

@thehoneybeet added to the post that sparked my post here, about how to foster the kind of community we're all saying we want.

I'm linking these posts because I want to call attention to them; I think they're great. But I'm linking them in response to you specifically because yes there are multiple vectors to this problem--the web enshittification I described in my post, the splintering of fandom after the death of livejournal, and the difficulty of tumblr as a venue.

But it's that last, the difficulty of tumblr as a venue, that means that even like-minded people who want the community we're discussing can't really have it. Some went to, and are still on, dreamwidth. Frankly, I still find myself deeply irritated that fandom didn't move there, that it accepted AO3 and not DW. But I think a large factor in that particular exodus actually has to do with the fact that AO3 is closer to the direction the enshittified web went than DW ever could be. AO3 has a "like" button and is not built for deep, meaningful interaction. Again, this is because it was meant to be a limb of the fandom community, not replace community entirely. I'm not claiming that AO3 is enshittified but rather that it bears more similarity to current social media sites because it's only one part of a community that was at the time, thriving (yes, in spite of strikethrough and everything that was happening on LJ at the time).

In my opinion, tumblr straddles the divide between that old style of community website and the new one. Like livejournal and DW, you can view tumblr chronologically, without an algorithm feeding you content. You can remain anonymous, and everyone can see anything you post. But like other more modern social media sites, you can reblog and like, which you couldn't do on LJ and DW. The fact that tumblr is sort of both--and that it wasn't sold to the Russians and torn apart, like LJ--is why fandom fled here and why scattered pieces of it remain here, despite so many others moving on.

One thing I wanted to talk about in my original post, but couldn't find a place for, was how so much of the "community" aspects of fandom are now private. I think that's happened partly because tumblr isn't a great place to hold a conversation, so the conversation quickly gets moved elsewhere--but instead of somewhere where everyone is still welcome (ahem, like Dreamwidth), it gets moved to private spaces. Or the conversation never starts and exists only in the kinds of spaces meant for such things.

@thehoneybeet makes great points about this in the post I linked above. They mention "the invite-only server, the private ao3 challenge, groups and experiences that you need to be in-the-know about to even begin to participate in. that, essentially, require an invitation."

@eleadore mentions it at the beginning of their reblog (also linked above), saying, "i feel discussions of this nature have been severely crippled over the yrs, and people prefer to take to private group chats and such instead of engaging [...]" But they go on to mention "private discord book club servers."

To be clear, I'm 100% with @eleadore about the necessity for spaces for readers, and also 100% with them at the idea that there can be spaces authors don't have to touch. Writers don't "deserve" to hear every single thing anyone's ever said about their fic, positive or negative. Earlier this year I in fact made an impassioned post about the fact that I believe that bookmarks are for readers, not writers, and that making them a space purely for an author's comfort limits the functionality of bookmarks for readers, both in terms of finding fic but also in terms of finding friends.

So, yes, I agree that it's okay to have private discord book club servers. But the mention of discord did make me do a double-take, because in my opinion, discord is a huge part of what I perceive as the problem. You can't find a discord for your chosen fandom by searching discord. You have to have the link. Even if the discord isn't invite-only--which many of them are, you can usually only get the link by knowing someone.

There are all kinds of reasons for why discord is so private. Discords are run by mods, who feel responsible for what happens to people in spaces for which they are responsible. And mods who take a laissez-faire "everyone just do what they want" approach often have servers dominated by people who make the environment difficult, sometimes through racism, sometimes through bullying, sometimes by constantly bringing up traumatic or triggering content, sometimes just by making everything about them all the time. It's not like lj or even tumblr, where you can just unfollow. You're kind of stuck, unless you've got a mod who is policing vigorously, which is a huge job and impossible to do in ways that will make everyone happy. It's just easier if you don't have anyone and everyone wandering through.

I hate that. It makes me want to throw things. To me, fandom is about a space that's for anyone and everyone. You shouldn't have to know someone to get to have discussions about the thing you love. That's not why I'm here. In fact, in some ways I'm in fandom to get away from that kind of bullshit, so I don't have to construct some kind of social persona that is palatable enough to be accepted. I'm hear to talk about blorbos and read porn, maybe write a thing or two. A private discord book club made intentionally as a safe space for readers is a great use for discord. But discord as a place for fandom actually makes me feel a little ill.

I don't have a good suggestion of where fandom community should be built. To me, the best place is dreamwidth, and I think that after fifteen years, I really need to give up on the idea that enough people will move there (in this economy????) to really get the numbers you need to be able to find the people with whom you really click and connect. When tumblr tried to ban nudes, a lot of people talked up other possibilities--and some people went, to Mastadon, to pillowfort, even to twitter and IG. But those spaces all have their downsides, and none of them have the critical mass to be a real fandom home. As before, I have no conclusions about this. I just wanted to highlight some other aspects of this problem and describe some other food for thought.

[alexanderwales]

@queenlua

(this is sort of a tangent so feel free to ignore me ENTIRELY but: who exactly is the audience for litRPG stuff? my first time hearing of it was at a sf/f writer's workshop, and when it was described to me i was like "wouldn't these people simply read webfiction" but then i was informed of The Sales Numbers Around LitRPG People I Had Never Heard Of and was like What The Hell, but i was clearly the only Extremely Online person in the room so figured i wouldn't get any further context from present company lol)

For some reason I thought I had answered this, and maybe I did somewhere and can't find it, so sorry if this is a restatement of something you've already read, but ...

There are a few fundamental fantasies being fulfilled by the modern litRPG.

First, there's the power fantasy, the idea that you can have control and be agenty and make decisions. I don't think there's anything wrong with power fantasy per se, and I expect that the desire for power fantasy will grow when people feel more and more powerless. litRPG does not offer anything much different from e.g. superhero stories, at least as far as power fantasy goes.

Second, there's the progression. This is part of the power fantasy, the getting stronger over time angle, powering up, getting better. litRPG promises that, it's in the nature of the RPG elements, and fundamental to the appeal. This is something that e.g. superhero stories usually don't have. (There is a whole genre, progression fantasy, that focuses on this, and litRPGs are usually a subset of that depending on who you ask.)

Third, the litRPG offers legibility. It is clear what the powers are, what they do, what choices are to be made. Everything is clearly laid out and easy to conceptualize, at least most of the time. And because this is the case, it's good as a platform for the imagination, especially for analytical readers. It's something for people to daydream about, argue over, etc. Legibility is super important, IMO, or at least the appearance of legibility, the illusion that the author has a Concrete Plan with Hard Numbers. Armchair psychoanalysis is that a desire for this relates to a lack of legibility (and by proxy "fairness") in real life.

Fourth, the litRPG naturally speaks the language of videogames, and a lot of the readers are super into videogames, so there's some element of "thing that I like" in there which I don't think can actually add to any analysis, but also some of the things that people like about video games are power fantasy, progression, and legibility, so ...

There's also a lot of overlap between webfic and litRPG. I don't know that I'd say it's the most popular form of webfic right now, but ... probably it is? The overall market is young men for both. [Edit: I should probably clarify that I don't know what the hell goes on over at Wattpad. AO3 is also webfic, but that's fanfic, and female dominated last I checked. I'm talking more RoyalRoad, SB/SV, QQ, etc. I am not a market expert, terms and conditions may apply.]

Here are some other reasons I've heard from people when I've asked:

it's hard to screw up, so you're guaranteed a quality baseline

the writing is often simple popcorn that's easy to digest

the writing is often bad in a way that makes it less predictable

there's often no romance or introspection

the numbers are going up, and I like that consistent dopamine drip feed

the characters are simple

the main character is just like me

I think some of these are just wild to think about, and others are not really about the genre, just the kinds of people who write within it and the stories that make up the bulk of what people are reading.

LitRPG where the protagonist's game system is very clearly from a game with a 20-minute day-night cycle, and whose gamification of hunger, thirst, and sleep just wreaks havoc on his personal and professional life.

Just kidding, litRPG protagonists don't have personal or professional lives.

[melancholicmelanin]

Compress/Repress | Chapter 3: Guess Who’s Watching

Pairing: Art Donaldson x Black!OC x Patrick Zweig, Tashi Duncan x Black!OC (Platonic)

Summary: The 2006 Junior US Open winner has been crowned, but Tashi and Maya are on a covert mission—sneaking into the Adidas party, dodging their shared father, and keeping their bond as secret sisters under wraps. What they didn’t expect was to catch the attention of the dynamic duo known as Fire and Ice.

Wordcount: 6.1k

Warning(s): Challengers spoilers, mild cursing, a non american writing americans, self edited and no beta.

masterlist | prev | next | wattpad | AO3

LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK - AUGUST 30, 2006

“Are we seriously sneaking into your own party?” Maya whispered, her voice barely carrying over the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore nearby. Her gaze caught between Tashi and the impending scene unfolding before them. The whole setup—the lavish house, the gourmet food, Tashi’s face plastered across banners and posters beside the iconic Adidas logo. Maya’s heart thudded in her, her nerves prickling, but mixed with that unease was a thrill she hadn’t anticipated feeling tonight.

Tashi’s lips curled into a grin, one that was both endearing and maddeningly confident. She reached forward, gently brushing a wayward leaf out of Maya’s wild curls, her fingers lingering as she tried to tame the unruly strands. “It’s technically not my party,” she corrected, her voice full of playful defiance. “Adidas threw it for me, so really, it’s all the more reason for you to be here.”

Maya groaned softly, tugging at her curls, which had frizzed up in the humid, salty air. “I just wish it didn’t have to be a secret,” she murmured, her voice soft but heavy with the weight of everything they were hiding. The words lingered between them, a reminder of the complicated reality they both faced.

Tashi stilled for a moment, her playful expression dimming as she felt the sadness beneath Maya’s words. She’d noticed the anxious energy radiating from her half-sister since the idea of this trip was first discussed. Yet here they were, crouched in a secret hideaway by the dunes, the ocean breeze tangling through their hair as Tashi’s fingers gently combed through Maya’s curls. In that moment, Tashi felt an ache for the relationship they never had—a childhood full of shared memories, secrets, and adventures, the way sisters were supposed to have. Now, on the cusp of one of the biggest moments in her life, she couldn’t help but wish it didn’t have to be hidden from everyone who mattered.

But even with the shadows of their circumstances hanging over them, Tashi couldn’t imagine celebrating any other way. Not without Maya.

“Alright,” Tashi declared, shaking off the sombreness and flashing Maya a determined grin. “Here’s the plan.” Her voice had taken on that confident, upbeat tone that Maya both admired and envied. “We’re here to have fun. No nervous jitters, and definitely no acting like you’re worried about my dad or Tabby and Winston finding out.”

Maya swallowed hard, her hands twisting together. “Who said I’m nervous?” she protested, but her voice wavered, betraying her.

Tashi raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Girl…” she teased, her tone filled with sisterly affection.

Maya rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling. The tension in her shoulders loosened, just a little, as Tashi’s humour worked its magic.

“Now, hold on,” Tashi said, her grin turning conspiratorial. She rummaged in her small crossbody bag and pulled out a miniature champagne bottle. The gold foil glinted in the moonlight, and she waggled it in front of Maya. “I’ve got just the thing to loosen you up.”

Maya’s eyes widened. “Wait… we’re actually doing this?” she said, feeling the giddy thrill build up in her chest. “Like, we’re really about to pre-game an Adidas party?”

Tashi threw her head back and laughed, a wild, free sound that seemed to dance on the breeze. “Yes, we’re fucking doing this!” She popped the champagne bottle open with a soft hiss, and bubbles spilled out over her hand.

Maya accepted the small, hastily poured plastic cup of champagne, her hands trembling in the process. “What if we get caught drunk?” she whispered, her voice a frantic rush. “And they call my grandparents? They’d ground me for life if they found out.”

Tashi’s eyes softened, but she gave a small, confident shake of her head. “They won’t find out,” she reassured her. “I promise.” She raised her cup, her voice gentle but full of conviction. “Besides, I wanted you here. You’re not just some outsider tonight—you’re my sister.”

Maya’s throat tightened with emotion, the word sister settling deep into her chest, warm and heavy. She hadn’t expected to feel this way. The joy, the love, the bond she’d craved for so long—it was all here, wrapped up in Tashi’s laughter and the unspoken promise that they would always have each other’s backs.

“To us,” Tashi said, holding up her cup with a twinkle in her eye.

Maya took a deep breath, her nerves still fluttering but her heart a little steadier. She clinked her cup against Tashi’s, a genuine smile breaking through. “To… us.”

And with that, they took a swig of champagne, the fizzy sweetness tickling Maya’s nose and making her giggle. The anticipation buzzed in the air as Tashi grabbed her hand, and together, they stepped out of the shadows, ready to embrace whatever the night held.

The music thumped louder and louder as Tashi and Maya stepped further into the heart of the party. A dreamscape of celebration sprawled across the Long Island's coastline, where every inch of the beach house’s backyard had been transformed into an oasis of glitz and glamour. The checkerboard vinyl dance floor gleamed under the glow of twinkling string lights suspended in a zigzag pattern across the venue. Outdoor furniture, chic and white, framed the dance floor, and lush potted plants lined the perimeter, swaying gently in the salty sea breeze. The sound of waves lapping the shore played as an undertone to the infectious rhythm blasting from the DJ booth.

Maya felt her pulse quicken. Tashi was already in her element, the vibrant blue strapless mini dress provided by the Adidas team hugging her figure perfectly as she sashayed through the partygoers. She exuded a confidence that made her untouchable, like she belonged in this glittering world of tennis champions and luxury. Maya, on the other hand, tugged at the hem of her own dress, a delicate, soft pink dress that embodied a balance of romantic and playful charm (or that’s what Tabitha said at the Bulmarine sample sale). Blend in, she reminded herself. She was supposed to be invisible, just another guest in a sea of faces.

“Just breathe, Maya,” Tashi murmured, squeezing her sister’s hand. Her voice was calm and steady, like an anchor in the swirling storm of sensations. “Remember, you belong here as much as anyone.”

They made their way toward the bustling center of the party, past clusters of people dressed in designer cocktail attire. Tashi moved like a force of nature, greeting people with quick waves and dazzling smiles, but never lingering long enough for anyone to ask questions about her plus-one. It was clear she had only one goal tonight: making sure Maya felt safe and included.

After a moment, Tashi leaned close. “Come on, let’s find my brothers. You have to meet Demitrius and Kenan.”

Maya’s heart skipped a beat. Her brothers—half-brothers, technically, but it didn’t matter. The idea of meeting them was nerve-wracking and exhilarating. Ahead of them, at a sleek outdoor bar adorned with miniature potted succulents and lit by Edison bulbs, two familiar figures were laughing over bottles of soda. Demetrius, with his lanky fourteen-year-old frame and mischievous grin, was nudging his younger brother, Kenan, who still carried that last hint of childhood roundness in his face. Kenan, in his middle school glory, had a mouthful of braces that gleamed as he tried and failed at his turn at cornhole.

“Kenan! Demetrius!” Tashi called, her voice bright and full of warmth.

The boys turned, Demetrius with his signature, slightly older-brother smirk, and Kenan with wide eyes full of youthful energy. “Shy-Shy!” Demetrius exclaimed, his sister’s nickname familiar on his lips and immediately setting down his soda to greet her. He had an air of teenage coolness about him, but his voice still held the excitement of a kid.

“The lady from Adidas said the soda here is unlimited! Can you believe it?” Kenan exclaimed excitedly, his braces catching the light as he grinned at Tashi. His eyes then shifted to Maya, his expression morphing into one of curiosity. “Oh, hello!”

“And who’s this?” Demitrius asked further, his tone cautious yet open to the stranger stood next to his sister.

Tashi draped an arm around Maya’s shoulders, her grin never faltering. “This,” she announced, “is Maya. She’s a really good friend from tennis camp.”

Maya’s heart thumped in her chest; her palms clammy. She felt Demetrius’s gaze appraising her, though not unkindly, and Kenan’s childlike wonder at meeting someone new. She forced herself to speak, her voice steadier than she’d expected. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you both.”

Demetrius gave her a nod, his smirk softening into a genuine smile. “Cool to meet you,” he said, and Maya could tell he was trying to be mature, the way a fourteen-year-old boy does when he wants to impress. “Any friend of Tashi’s is a friend of ours.”

Kenan, however, had no filter. He looked between Maya and Tashi, his brow furrowed. “Tashi never lets us meet her tennis friends. Are you, like… super important or something?”

Maya flushed, her cheeks heating up under Kenan’s scrutiny. I mean, yeah, Kenan. I’m your sister for god’s sake. She was saved by Tashi’s laugh, a bright, musical sound that cut through the tension. “Yes, she’s incredibly important,” Tashi said, her eyes twinkling with affection as she nudged Kenan. “And it’s not like every person I’ve met through tennis was worth keeping in touch with, anyways.”

Kenan beamed, looking satisfied with that answer, and Demetrius rolled his eyes. “Alright, alright,” he drawled. “So, you’re here to party or what?” Demetrius asked, his arms rose into the air in an awkward swagger.

“Yeah!” Tashi replied excitedly, pushing the shadow of worry away. “We’re here to party. Forget the speeches about “how thankful I am to be a pillar of the community”. Just music, dancing, and maybe a little mischief.”

Demetrius’s lips curled into a smirk. “Mischief? You? Never.”

Kenan perked up. “Mischief? Can I be part of it?”

Tashi pulled both her brothers into a loose huddle, including Maya in the circle. “Only if you guys promise not to rat me out to Dad if we get caught.”

Kenan’s eyes widened with excitement. “Deal!”

Maya leaned closer to Tashi, whispering, “You really have them wrapped around your finger, don’t you?”

Tashi’s smile softened, a touch of melancholy there. “Yeah,” she whispered back. “They’re my boys. Always have been. Always will be.”

As they made their way to the checkerboard dance floor, Tashi’s father, Kevin, was deep in conversation with his wife, Crystal, and an Adidas recruiter. The recruiter’s voice was animated, hands gesturing wildly as he pitched ideas for Tashi’s future, and for a moment, Tashi’s smile wavered. Maya saw it—the flicker of apprehension, the shadow of pressure that came with being a rising star under the ever-watchful eye of a parent. But then Tashi shook it off, her determination steely, and pulled Maya into the crowd.

The music swelled, transitioning into Venus by Bananarama, and the dance floor erupted in cheers. Maya found herself caught in the rhythm, Tashi’s laughter like a shield that protected them both from the world beyond. They danced with abandon, spinning and swaying, the worries of their lives melting away under the glow of the string lights.

Maya’s head buzzed with a mixture of adrenaline and the lingering taste of champagne, and she felt, for a fleeting moment, free. This was what she had come for—this wild, exhilarating night, where nothing else mattered but the beat of the music and the warmth of her sister by her side.

“Look at you!” Tashi shouted over the music, her eyes bright with pride. “Told you this would be fun!”

Maya threw her head back and laughed, the sound coming from deep within her chest. “Okay, okay! You were right!”

The night air wrapped around them like a velvet blanket, and the dance floor felt electric beneath Maya’s feet. Tashi glanced over at her sister, a grin stretching across her lips as she saw how utterly transformed Maya seemed. The girl who was usually burdened with nerves had let herself go, laughter bubbling from her in a way that felt both wild and free. Her cheeks flushed with the heat of the dance, and her hair caught the light, a cascade of movement as she spun to the beat. Maya’s eyes sparkled with an excitement that made her seem almost airborne, like she could lift off into the sky at any moment.

Tashi couldn’t help but marvel. This was a side of Maya she rarely got to see—radiant, unrestrained, and completely alive.

Meanwhile, across the checkerboard vinyl dance floor, Art and Patrick sat transfixed, barely blinking as they watched the scene unfold. Maya moved with a kind of natural grace, her carefree energy impossible to ignore. She was magnetic, drawing eyes with an almost hypnotic allure, and the boys couldn’t help but be pulled into her orbit. Art shifted in his position, his breath catching slightly, while Patrick’s heart pounded with something he couldn’t quite name.

Maya, catching the feeling of being observed, turned with a playful twirl, her gaze landing on the two spellbound boys. They looked stunned, like they’d forgotten the concept of subtlety entirely. Her laughter faltered just a fraction, unable to decipher their intense stares fixed on her from across the dance floor. Her chest tightened, a familiar twinge of self-consciousness surfacing as if a cold breeze had swept through the warm, electric night. She dropped her arms a little, her body’s natural rhythm interrupted, and she shifted closer to Tashi, her smile dimming ever so slightly.

Tashi, ever attuned to her sister’s moods, caught the hesitation instantly. She turned to see what had made Maya nervous and rolled her eyes as she spotted Art and Patricks’ slack-jawed admiration. With a mischievous glint, she grabbed Maya’s hand and leaned in close, her voice a playful whisper. “Hey, don’t let a couple of boys steal your light,” she said. “If they want a show, let’s give them something to remember.”

Maya bit her lip, her nerves dancing alongside the beat of the music. “I don’t know…” she murmured, her gaze darting between Tashi and the boys. The idea of being the center of attention made her stomach flip, but there was something about Tashi’s energy—unwavering, unapologetic—that was infectious.

Tashi squeezed Maya’s hand and stepped back with a grin that radiated confidence. “Come on, we’ve got this,” she urged. She lifted her arms above her head, rolling her hips to the beat, her movements bold and full of flair. “Besides,” Tashi added with a wicked grin, “we look amazing. Let’s make sure everyone knows it.”

Maya hesitated for a beat, but then a rush of courage sparked within her. With a deep breath, she pushed the nerves aside and lifted her chin. If Tashi could be fearless, so could she. Slowly, Maya let herself melt back into the rhythm, matching her sister’s confident movements. The music pulsed through her veins, and she began to sway with purpose, her steps more deliberate, her energy more vibrant. Together, they became a mesmerizing force on the dance floor, radiating an electric kind of joy.

The boys’ attention only seemed to fuel them further. Tashi spun gracefully, her laughter ringing out like music, while Maya followed suit, a blush dusting her cheeks but her smile growing wider, bolder. They danced for themselves but couldn’t help embracing the thrill of being watched, of turning what had been awkward nerves into a moment of power and playfulness.

“See?” Tashi called over the music, her eyes gleaming with pride as she watched Maya’s confidence blossom. “You’re unstoppable.”

Maya beamed, her heart no longer pounding with fear but with exhilaration. “Okay,” she said, her voice light and free, “let’s show them what we’re made of.”

And they did—dancing with a newfound radiance, letting the energy of the night carry them, savoring every bit of the attention they once feared, transforming it into their own kind of magic.

Patrick's gaze lingered, captivated by the way the slinky blush-pink dress clung to Maya’s body, the delicate material riding up slightly as she moved, each motion accentuating her curves. Her skin glistened with a subtle sheen of sweat, catching the golden glow of the string lights strung up around the backyard. Her wild curls whipped around in the breeze, framing her flushed, exhilarated face. He couldn’t help but be drawn to her, the way she seemed both graceful and free, as if she belonged in that moment, like the world had been crafted just for her dance.

Art exhaled sharply beside him, the awe in his voice evident. “Oh my God,” he whispered, eyes wide with admiration, a hint of disbelief that someone could be so effortlessly captivating.

“Fuck,” Patrick echoed, but his was more a low, hungry murmur, a smirk playing on his lips as he took in the sight before him. His heart thudded in his chest as he watched Tashi slide her hands around Maya’s waist, pulling her close with an ease that spoke of years of familiarity and trust. The two girls moved together in perfect rhythm, bodies swaying to the beat, their laughter mingling with the music, the joy in their shared dance lighting up the space around them.

Patrick’s smirk deepened. He had watched Tashi command the tennis court with a kind of fierce determination, but seeing her here, away from the competition and pressure, so carefree and happy, was a different kind of spellbinding. And then there was Maya, who had quietly snuck into his consciousness, her presence growing more magnetic by the second. She wasn’t just beautiful; she was captivating in a way he hadn’t expected. A challenge, perhaps, and he loved a good challenge.

Art nudged Patrick with his elbow, finally pulling his gaze away from the girls. “Man, you look like you’re about to float over there,” Art teased, his voice tinged with envy and a hint of something else—admiration, maybe. “What’s gotten into you?”

Patrick’s grin only widened as he shook his head, eyes flicking back to Maya, who had now broken into a wide, uninhibited laugh. “Just…appreciating the view,” he replied, his voice light but laced with intent. “She’s something else, isn’t she?”

Art glanced at him, eyebrows raised, and then back at the dance floor where Maya and Tashi spun and twirled like they owned the night. “You mean they’re something else,” Art corrected, though his eyes kept drifting to Maya. There was a palpable pull, a magnetic tension that neither boy could deny.

Patrick's gaze softened for a moment as he watched Tashi’s protective hold on Maya, the way she shielded her sister from the world even while drawing her into the centre of it. He admired Tashi’s fierceness, but he was also intrigued by the vulnerability he sensed between the two girls—the way they seemed to be each other’s universe in this small, wild moment of freedom.

“Yeah,” Patrick finally said, his voice a little more serious. “They definitely are.”

For a heartbeat, he thought about pushing his luck, making his way onto the dance floor to introduce himself. But something held him back—maybe it was the realization that either of the girls were out of his league. That he was wasting not only his time, but also theirs by even speaking to them for 5 minutes. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning, that somehow, this night had tied all of them together, and he was desperate to see how the story would unfold.

Seeing Kevin and Crystal approach the dance floor, Tashi grabbed Maya’s hand in a flash, her eyes wide with a playful panic. “We’re busted,” she whispered, a laugh bubbling up as she tugged Maya away from the crowd. The two sisters weaved through the swaying dancers, the vinyl checkerboard floor beneath them slick from spilled champagne and salty air.

Maya’s heart raced, but it wasn’t just from the sprint or the thrill of sneaking around. It was the prospect of being caught, of her secret presence at Tashi’s celebratory night being exposed to her disapproving father. “Tash, wait!” she whispered, nearly tripping over her own feet as her sister pulled her along. “Where are we going?”

“Anywhere but here!” Tashi shot back, her grin mischievous. Her strands glided in the air with every hurried step, her dress glittering under the string lights like a constellation come to life.

Just as they were about to round a corner and slip behind a decorative hedge, they almost collided with someone—a tall boy with tousled dark brown hair and a confident smirk: Patrick. Art stood just behind him, hands shoved into his pockets, his dark eyes gleaming with interest.

“Whoa, running from the law?” Patrick teased, stepping into their path. His eyes flicked between the sisters, his smile a blend of curiosity and amusement. “Or is it Daddy dearest?”

Tashi paused for the briefest moment, but her energy never wavered. “You could say that,” she said, breathless from the escape. She leaned into the chaos of the moment, her confidence unwavering, while Maya tried to collect herself, the tension knotting in her stomach.

Patrick’s grin widened, and he gestured over his shoulder. “I know a spot,” he offered. “Quiet, away from prying eyes. Perfect for a getaway.”

Maya’s eyes darted to Tashi, silently pleading for her to reconsider. Being alone with two boys she barely knew in an unfamiliar place? Her heart thumped in protest, and a thousand reasons to say no flashed through her mind. But Tashi was already nodding, her eagerness for adventure propelling her forward.

“Lead the way,” Tashi said, leaving no room for debate. She tugged Maya closer, her grip firm and full of determination.

Maya opened her mouth to protest, but Tashi’s bright, carefree energy was overpowering. Her sister’s eyes sparkled with the thrill of something dangerous, something memorable. Despite herself, Maya found her resolve crumbling.

Patrick and Art led the way, guiding them off the dance floor and down a narrow stone pathway that wound through the outdoor garden. The music from the party grew muffled, replaced by the gentle rustling of leaves and the rhythmic crash of waves in the distance. The beach house’s elegant decor faded away, giving way to nature’s raw beauty.

Patrick took the lead, his stride confident, while Art walked a step behind, silent but attentive. The moonlit path they took wove between dunes and tufts of tall grass, the string lights of the party fading into soft, distant glows. Maya’s feet sank slightly into the cool sand, and she shivered, feeling exposed yet exhilarated by the cool ocean breeze brushing her skin.

When they reached a secluded spot on the beach—a little cove marked by large rocks and a pair of beach chairs that looked out over the glittering sea—Tashi let out an excited breath, dropping Maya’s hand and spinning in a circle. She was radiant, wild, and so alive that it made Maya’s chest ache with admiration and worry.

Patrick, ever the charmer, wasted no time diving into introductions. “Patrick Zweig,” he said, flashing a grin that seemed to demand applause. His hand gestured loosely toward himself, the motion so casual it bordered on cocky. Art, perched on one of the beach chairs with his hands stuffed into his jean pockets, offered a quieter addition. “And I’m Art Donaldson,” he said, his tone calm but watchful, lips curving just slightly.

Tashi tilted her head, her expression one of playful disinterest. “Oh, I know exactly who you two are,” she said, dragging out her words as if delivering a punchline. Her gaze swept over them, lingering just long enough to set both boys on edge. “Fire and Ice, right?”

Art blinked, visibly startled. “Oh my god,” he muttered, his composure cracking just enough to show surprise.

Patrick’s grin only grew wider, his confidence unshaken. “In the flesh,” he replied smoothly, tossing a glance at Art that was equal parts teasing and triumphant.

Tashi smirked. “Yeah, I heard you’re playing for Stanford next year,” she said, shifting her focus to Art.

“How’d you…?” Art asked, genuinely curious, though his tone hinted at suspicion at the possibility of thee Tashi Duncan pursuing information on him.

“I just accepted my offer,” Tashi replied breezily, nonchalantly tossing her pin straight hair behind her shoulders. “Your name came up.”

“Wait, are you going to Stanford too?” Patrick asked, turning to Maya, his curiosity now piqued by the quieter sister.

Before Maya could answer, Tashi jumped in, her grin turning wicked. “Maya? No, she’s just a baby!” she cooed in an exaggerated voice, the same one she used when teasing her younger brothers.

Maya groaned, her cheeks flushing. “What she means is I’m still in high school,” she corrected, her voice sharp with embarrassment. “I’m starting my senior year next semester.”

Patrick chuckled, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. “A baby, huh? Guess I’ll have to call you ‘Kiddo’ from now on.”

Maya, desperate to shift the conversation away from her age, latched onto their nickname. “Fire and Ice?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “What is that—some kind of boy band?”

Patrick laughed, his confidence undiminished. “You could say that” he said, shooting a pointed look at Art. “So, who’s who?”

Maya pretended to study them, letting her gaze flick between the two. Patrick’s bright, easy energy contrasted starkly with Art’s quieter, more reserved demeanour. “You’re Fire,” she declared, pointing at Patrick. “And you’re Ice,” she added, nodding toward Art.

Patrick clutched his chest in mock offense. “Fire? Me? I thought I was the chill one!”

Art’s lips twitched into a rare smile. “I’ve been called worse,” he said, his voice low and dry, but his eyes carried a flicker of amusement.

Art leaned forward in his beach chair, curiosity sparking in his dark eyes. “So, how do you two know each other?” he asked, his voice soft but probing. There was something almost innocent in the way he asked, yet Maya and Tashi exchanged a quick, loaded glance that spoke volumes. They had to think on their feet.

Maya hesitated for a fraction of a second, her mind scrambling, but Tashi was already smiling, that mischievous glint lighting up her eyes. “Oh, it’s a long story,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself as she shielded herself from the cold breeze. “We met in, uh… Paris,” Tashi began, drawing out the word as though she were savouring the memory.

Maya picked up on the fib, her heart pounding, but a smile began to curl at her lips. “Yeah, that’s right,” she added, the lie shaping itself as she spoke. “I was studying at this tiny art school. You know, the type of place that barely exists on a map.”

Tashi nodded sagely. “And I was there for tennis camp,” she continued, her voice dripping with the dramatic flair she was known for. ���We ran into each other at this café near the Seine, didn’t we?” She nudged Maya, who nodded, trying not to laugh. “It was raining. Maya had forgotten her umbrella, and I offered to share mine.”

Maya’s eyes twinkled with mirth as she added, “It was fate. One cup of hot chocolate later, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.” There was a teasing, unspoken implication in their exchange, and it lingered in the air between them, charged and intriguing. The way Tashi kept Maya close, the way their gazes danced around each other—it was all deliberate, adding an extra layer of mystery.

Patrick chuckled, clearly entertained. “Let me guess,” he said, his grin widening. “Love at first sight?”

Tashi gave Maya a mock-swooning look, placing her hand over her heart. “Absolutely. I couldn’t resist her charm,” she teased. Maya rolled her eyes but laughed, her nerves easing with the flow of their banter.

Art seemed to buy it, looking between them with genuine interest, while Patrick tilted his head, smirking. “So, Paris, huh?” He let out a low whistle. “Well, that’s something.” Patrick’s eyes narrowed playfully as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on Maya. “So, are you a tennis player too?” he asked, his tone casual, but the way his eyes lingered on her made it clear he meant something more. “You’ve got the body for it.”

Maya’s cheeks flushed, the tension in the air suddenly sharp. Before she could respond, Tashi jumped in, her voice cutting through the moment like a lifeline. “Oh, please,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “Coming from Maya’s kind of background, you’d think she’d be amazing at tennis. But no—she sucks at sports.”

Maya exhaled a small laugh, grateful for Tashi’s intervention. “Yeah, hand-eye coordination isn’t really my thing,” she said, shrugging lightly. “But I make up for it in other ways.”

Patrick flicked his lighter open, lighting the cigarette perched between his fingers before turning to Tashi, his eyes narrowing with curiosity. “So, about the Stanford thing,” he said, his tone casual but pointed.

Tashi arched a brow, clearly caught off guard by the shift in conversation. “What about it?” she asked, leaning back slightly, her tone cool but wary.

Patrick took a long drag, exhaling a plume of smoke that drifted lazily in the night air. He passed the lighter to Art, who took it without a word. “What’s the deal?” Patrick asked, his words deliberately vague but weighted with insinuation.

Tashi tilted her head, the sharpness in her gaze cutting through the haze of smoke. “What do you mean, what’s the deal?” she said, her tone edging on defensive.

Patrick shrugged, flicking ash from his cigarette. “I mean, what’s your angle?” he clarified, his voice laced with curiosity but tinged with provocation.

Tashi’s eyes narrowed, but she kept her composure. “I wanna get better, obviously,” she replied, her words clipped but steady.

“By crushing a bunch of girls who were the best players in their high schools?” Patrick shot back, his smirk growing as he leaned into the challenge.

Tashi’s jaw tightened, but she didn’t waver. “You know, they offer classes at college,” she countered, her tone turning dry. “I’d rather not have hitting a ball with a racket be my only marketable skill.”

Patrick’s brows lifted slightly, a spark of understanding flickering in his expression. “Oh, I get it now,” he said, leaning forward slightly as if the realization had just clicked into place.

Tashi’s eyes narrowed further, her interest piqued despite her irritation. “Get what?” she asked cautiously.

Patrick’s grin turned sly. “It’s smart. You’re making them wait for you. You want all these girls you’ve been annihilating in juniors to go pro, have their little moment in the sun, and then—bam—you swoop in like, ‘Remember me?’” He gestured with his cigarette for emphasis, his voice carrying a note of admiration despite its teasing edge.

Tashi rolled her eyes, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

“And trust me,” Patrick continued, his smirk widening. “They will remember you. You’re the fucking Duncanator.”

Tashi scoffed, finally breaking her silence. “Is this why you came to my party?” she asked, her tone flat and unimpressed. “To interview me like you’re working for ESPN?”

Patrick chuckled, unbothered by her irritation. “It’s brilliant,” he said, his voice almost genuine. “Seriously. I can already see the Adidas campaign now.”

Tashi crossed her arms, her expression unimpressed but with the faintest glimmer of amusement in her eyes. “Glad I could help with your creative brainstorming,” she said dryly, her tone signaling the end of the conversation.

“And when are you going pro?” Tashi asked, her tone casual but her gaze sharp as she shifted her attention to Patrick, clearly ready to dissect him next.

Patrick leaned back, exhaling a lazy laugh. “Next season,” he replied confidently. “It’s a young person’s game. No point in waiting around.”

Tashi scoffed, her eyebrow arching as she crossed her arms. “Hitting a ball with a racket—great way to avoid having a real job. And an even better excuse to dodge college.” Her words were light, but the edge in her tone was impossible to miss.

Patrick’s smirk deepened, his amusement only growing. “Oh, I see. You’ve got me all figured out?”

“Not exactly hard,” Tashi shot back, her head tilting slightly. “Your coach’s been calling you a genius since you were what, thirteen? Letting you do whatever you want, hyping you up like you’re the second coming of Agassi. That’s your problem.”

Patrick’s grin faltered, just a flicker, before he masked it with mock surprise. “Wow, I didn’t know you’d been watching me,” he quipped, the teasing lilt in his voice refusing to waver.

“I haven’t. I watched you once at the Junior Australian Open, and that was all I needed. You’re talented, sure, but no one’s actually taught you anything,” she said, her words cutting with precision. “Especially not how to fix that god-awful serve.”

“It works,” Patrick countered, his tone firm but defensive.

“For now,” Tashi retorted. “But that’s just junior tennis. What happens when you’re up against the pros? Someone’s going to pick apart that messy game of yours.”

Before Patrick could fire back, Tashi’s gaze darted to Art, her target shifting with ease. “Meanwhile, Art couldn’t get your coach’s attention if he lit himself on fire.”

Art stiffened, clearly caught off guard by the jab. He glanced at Patrick, as if looking for an escape, but Patrick only shrugged, clearly amused.

Maya, sensing the weight of Tashi’s words and the awkwardness they created, spoke up. “I think Art has real potential,” she said, her voice gentle but sure. “With time and the right support, he could be a great player.”

Her words seemed to land softly, Art’s blue eyes meeting hers. His ears turned pink, a mix of gratitude and embarrassment blooming across his face.

Tashi, ever the provocateur, leaned back and shrugged. “I was being generous. The point still stands: you can build something solid out of ice. Fire? It just burns everything down.”

Her gaze drifted to the waves, her words hanging in the salty night air like a challenge.

Tashi glanced down at her Garmin watch, the glow from the moon light bouncing of the glass panel. “We should get back before my dad notices I’m gone,” she said abruptly, slipping off the rock she’d been perched on. She scooped up her wedges, the cool sand pressing against her bare feet. “Maya, let’s go.”

Maya hesitated, her gaze lingering on Art. She stood slowly, brushing the sand from her dress, and offered him a small smile. “Goodnight,” she said softly, before giving Patrick a brief wave.

“Wait!” Patrick called, half-standing from his chair, his tone a mix of urgency and playful insistence.

“Are you on Facebook?” he asked, grinning as though the question itself was a clever move.

Tashi and Maya exchanged a quick glance, an unspoken conversation passing between them. “No idea what that is,” Tashi said smoothly, her tone flat but her expression teasing, omitting the fact that her account had been forcibly deactivated by her mom months ago.

“He’s asking for your numbers,” Art clarified, his voice low and casual, his smirk lingering as he watched the two sisters. “And, yeah, so am I.”

Tashi laughed, shaking her head. “You both want our numbers?” she asked, her disbelief evident.

“Absolutely,” Art said, his gaze steady.

“Right?” Tashi shot back, turning to Maya with mock astonishment. “Unreal. What do we look like to you—a pair of homewrecking lesbians?”

“We don’t live together,” Art said dryly, his lips quirking.

Patrick leaned in, quick to follow up with a smirk. “It’s an open relationship.”

“Also, Patrick has a girlfriend,” Art added, his tone light but pointed, earning a glare from Patrick.

“I do not,” Patrick protested. “Hey, why don’t you come hang out with us later?” His grin widened as he added, “I’m guessing they put you up at the same hotel in Flushing?”

Tashi rolled her eyes. “Maya’s too fancy for that. She’s at the Hampton Inn. Last-minute booking, naturally.”

“Oh, come on, Tee,” Maya shot back, exasperated. “It was the closest place to your hotel, and everything else was booked.”

“Alright, alright,” Tashi said, waving them off as she turned to leave. “I think it is time you get your beauty sleep. Goodnight boys.”

Patrick’s voice followed them, lilting and mischievous. “We have beer!”

Tashi laughed over her shoulder, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, in that case!”

As they walked back toward the glow of the party, Tashi nudged Maya, her grin wicked. “God, they want you so bad. What are you going to tell Jake when he finds out you’ve got two suitors fighting over you?”

“Jack is not my boyfriend. He’s just my debutante escort... maybe, I don’t know yet,” Maya groaned, exasperated.

“Whatever you say, Princess,” Tashi teased, her laughter soft as the crashing waves swallowed their voices.

[fandoms-in-law]

A Demon's Safehouse

Summary: Steve isn't 'neglected' or 'abandoned', He's a child who got sold to a demon before ever being born. He knows why the demon isn't around just like he knows xir roar as he fights demobats off after being yanked into the upside down.

Everyone else involved in his life and the Upside Down do not know who/what this is or why they're getting deposited in a safehouse all together.

Author's note: If you want to read this in separate chapters, it's done like that on AO3, but honestly, I'm not making 11 posts and messing about linking them all today, so tumblr can have it all in one post. This is based on/ an expansion of an idea I shared august 2023 but as that scene is included in the fic, I don't think it needs linking either. Please enjoy.

/\/\

It wasn’t something Steve spoke about, finding it too complicated to explain for nobody to believe him. Then it felt too personal, or too much like Nancy’s gun would be trained back on him never moving, to share at all.

Then again, his friends finding out like this wasn’t much more preferable either.

Perhaps the Upside Down actually was connected to Hell for his owner’s roar to be echoing through the trees. Perhaps he wasn’t about to die at the hands of these bat-like creatures.

Steve had been trying to fight, had managed to get the bat choking him off once Nancy, Robin and Eddie appeared to help fight with him, but now he dropped, the roar ringing through him as he realised he demonic owner was aware he’d been, was being, attacked. The command to stay out of it didn’t need stating beyond that noise.

“Steve, get the fuck back up! Nancy demanded in a scream. “We have to keep-” Her words cut off as his owner threw her and Robin to the ground beside him, and Steve could see Eddie dropping similarly to how he had at the sight.

“Xe enforces orders if they aren’t immediately followed.” He explained, fairly sure that only gave his ex more questions.

“Xe?” Robin asks, wriggling to grab his hand. “Xe is a name for the thing eviscerating the bats? Xe gave no orders?”

Steve laughs, “Xir pronoun. You’ll get used to it and you wouldn’t have understood it.”

A low snarl had him laughing more as he sat up, “This is what sends you on the rampage? A few bat creatures? Forget Jonathan, the demogorgan, demodogs, mindflayer, Hargrove or the Russians, this is what makes you all possessive?”

“Are you making a joke? Why are two of those beginning demon?” There’s venom in xir voice and Steve huffs, dialling back his amusement before he got in trouble. It might not have happened before but if being made to follow orders was unpleasant he didn’t want to know what a punishment would mean.

“Nancy’s brother and his friends used their game to name things. Dorks and dragons.” He explained. “And should I mention thinking this place is a hive mind? Everything but us possibly connected and wanting us dead?”

Xe growled again, but snapped xir claw moving all of them out of the Upside Down, Steve hoped.

/\/\

Steve and the demon were the only ones to remain standing when they appeared in the safehouse and he looked around half curiously. He’d only been a few times in his life and knew the rooms changed by themselves so wanted to figure out if he’d been in their current room before.

“Stay here. I’ll get the rest then sort out whatever went on there.” Xe ordered, already turning to leave.

Steve chuckled, calling back “How would you expect us to leave?”

“How did you get there!” The exasperated call hadn’t finished when xe vanished.

Nancy had stood in the exchange and glared at him. “Who and what was that? Where are we, Steve?” She demanded.

“A safehouse.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, still a bit amused. “That was a demon, specifically xir my owner, something about a deal before I was born.”

“So the Upside Down is hell?” Robin asked, chipper as if that would distract Nancy from her annoyance.

Steve shrugged, “Maybe, don’t know. Wouldn’t have said so if xe hadn’t shown up.” Thinking about it made him snicker at the thought demons had been coming after him for years and xe hadn’t known until now.

Nancy’s eyes glinted as she started to ask something else but broke off at the sound of Erica Sinclair yelling in the next room.

“You don’t abduct kids! Put us back! This is – Steve?” Erica stopped at the sight of them, hurrying over to Steve and Robin to check they were okay.

Steve grinned, waving to Dustin, Lucas and Max too. “Hey, Xe isn’t much for introductions but in better news, I think xir going to sort this mess out for us.” Staying in the safehouse seemed like a lot more fun with his kids and Robin around. Eddie wasn’t a bad addition either and Nancy would have to calm down sooner or later, right?

“You got yanked into the lake and now we’ve been dragged here by god knows what. What’s going on?” Max asked, nearly demanding and looking around in concern but not fear after realising he was mostly relaxed.

“Demon got possessive over Steve.” Robin teased, leaning over his shoulder, “And has put us all in time out because of it.” Having the pressure on his back reminded Steve that he probably did still need some first aid, but he didn’t feel like bringing that to anyone’s attention. If it was anything like his first stay here then he’d soon be healed regardless.

Dustin’s eyes had lit up at the comment, staring at him with as many questions but at least a slightly less demanding expression than Nancy had. “Demons are real? What are they like? Do they really make deals? Why is one involved now? Is Vecna a demon?” He rattled off the questions all at once and Steve laughed.

“Yes, varied, yes, me and probably not. Does this have to be a constant interrogation?” He answered them all in order still laughing.

“Yes. You’ve hid a lot from us we definitely need to know now. Xe’s you’re parent?” Steve was surprised nobody was checking him for concussions simply because he’s laughing more at the repeated question. Nancy kept glaring as she waited for an answer though, and the kids seemed torn between looking around the house they’d all been deposited in and asking more of their own.

“Xir my owner. You know, demon deals, fairytale deals with witches, that kind of thing?” He stated.

Lucas frowned at him for a moment, “Owned like a pet or like a slave?”

“Same difference. I still have little choice over what I-” He broke off as more yelling broke out. He’d assumed only the kids in Hawkins were getting dragged to this safe house but given that was definitely Mike and Jonathan’s voices apparently he was wrong.

Steve led the others through rooms to the new arrivals just in time for Joyce, Murray, some guy yelling in Russian and Hopper? Somehow Hopper was also appearing.

Robin looked over them and back to Steve. “I know you said xe owns you but xir doing the impossible and raising the dead. Joyce, what deal did you make?”

A look of added confusion at the question told Steve enough. “Hey Hopper, by any chance were you captured by the Russians at Starcourt and tortured over the last year?”

“Yes but getting kidnapped while escaping was not my expectation.” Hopper agreed, scowling and looking around. “Especially not since it seems everyone else involved in the Upside Down has been too. What does that thing want from us?”

“Xir property to be safe and looked after. Pretty sure xe isn’t bothered beyond that.” Steve flippantly answered. “Honestly xir going further than I expected, so Jonathan, I’m very sorry for mentioning you when xe first turned up.”

Hopper leant back, glaring at him now, rather than around the room. “We’ve been kidnapped by what? Because of you how?”

“A demon I was sold to before I was born. We haven’t been kidnapped, just stored at a safehouse, I think while xe gets rid of the Upside Down entirely? Attacking a demons property isn’t a good idea if xe finds out.”

“Can I kill the Harrington’s? Is that actually the surname of your parents?” Steve had to laugh at Robin’s words, knowing that everyone’s focus was likely to stay on him for a while.

That was also when he properly registered the group around Mike and Jonathan had someone he didn’t know but also had a girl far quieter than he’d have expected. “El? You’re glaring at the wall, not reuniting with Hopper or anyone. Are you okay?” He asked, stepping over to her.

“No.” The reply was succinct but not helpful, and Hopper was moving towards her just as Steve was. “Your demon only put us all in the safehouse but other people helped me too.”

Steve frowned, “I think xe has only gathered people I view as family or who were with and helping people when xe located you all.”

“I was getting my powers back.” She said bluntly. “I need them.”

“Pretty sure you don’t.” Eddie called, waving with a grin when Hopper frowned over at him. “Guessing you’re the supergirl these guys kept mentioning and after seeing Steve’s demon in action, I don’t think you need to worry about fighting anything Upside Down any more.”

“But Jonathan hurt Steve once. I need to protect him.” El retorted.

Steve huffed a laugh out again. He knew his owner wouldn’t hurt him, or share xir name until xe decided he was old enough, but to most of the group xe was an unknown threat that had them captured before they’d got a chance to fight back. Then here was their group’s superhero being the only one to listen and connect what he’d said together. “You’re right. I can’t guarantee I can calm xim down if xe decides Jonathan needs punishing for a fight we had 3 years ago, but I will try to talk to xim first. I will do what I can to protect him, just as much as you will.” He reassured her, before blinking and glancing over to Eddie. “Also, yes Eddie, this is El or Jane as I think she’s legally called now. El, this is Eddie. He’s the DM of the boys club and witnessed the first death of this go around. We’ve been keeping him hidden as the town’s gone full witch hunt after him.”

“This go around?” Jonathan asked, trepidation breaking into his voice as everyone who hadn’t been in Hawkins froze, turning to whomever they were closest to that had stayed in Hawkins.

Robin snickered now, coming to lean over Steve’s shoulder. “Did you think this boy’s owner kidnapped us all for normal shit? Steve was trying to find out if there was a gate where the kid’s compasses pointed and got dragged through. Me, Wheeler and Munson dived in after just in time for xim to show up.”

/\/\

Steve had to get away from being the centre of attention for a while. He got it. Everyone had apparently been dealing with shit and being put in one place together wasn’t really a solution to any of it, but that didn’t mean he had any answers or knowledge beyond having been brought here once before.

After trying and failing to slip away a few times he just ignored the people calling him back, cutting through doors he remembered thinking were cupboards when he was twelve and trying to explore everywhere. He could only hope they’d believe the same now, or be too uncertain over exploring a demon’s home to try going through them.

“You doing okay?” Robin asked, coming through a different door a few minutes later. From the direction he bet she’d watched him leave and gone in the opposite direction out of the room most of the group was trying to stay gathered in. Xe must like her though, because finding him now meant the house had helped her pick the directions to try and find him in.

“Fine.” He muttered, slouching into the chair between bookshelves.

She didn’t reply, just came over to sit on the armrest, leaning over him.

“Slaves are owned by other humans and aren’t free. Children are effectively owned by their parents or guardians and have a time limit on when they should become free. I am owned by a demon and will never be free even in death. It hangs over me and I don’t know what xe wants, or expects from me other than that I’ll have to give it when asked.” He ranted, tugging at his hair in frustration. “When xe explained how to be popular I thought that was xir orders for me, but xe didn’t care when I stopped. Xe suggested I support myself. It wasn’t an order but I took it as one, and now we’re here?”

Robin’s hand brushed his back comfortingly. “You’re still worried about missing xir orders, aren’t you?”

“That growl was the clearest I’ve had in years. It was simple.” He looked at her, showing his fear and confusion. “I’m not free but xir not – I don’t know if I’m trapped either, beyond everyone temporarily being stuck here.”

“So we’re all expecting you to know what’s going on when you’re probably the most lost out of all of us.”

He sighed heavily. “The kids shouldn’t know what I’m going through. They’ve got good parents.”

Robin nodded, sliding into the chair so they were squished together. “Dustin’s trying to get Lucas and Mike to scheme with him over how to buy you from the demon even without knowing much.” She commented. “Will and Eddie meanwhile dodged out of the conversation claiming that they should try to find you after you left. I think they’re actually trying to figure each other out. Will’s upset with the other boys and on edge with Eddie while Eddie is so interested in Will. Apparently the kids apparently talk him up during Hellfire.”

“Ten bucks says one of the next campaigns covers breaking into a demon house.” Steve snorted. “This place treats people differently based on how much xe likes you.”

/\/\

“That boy cares for you and her and immeasurably for those kids. And you? You’re forever two steps from taking one of his kids away cause you never bothered getting to know him.” Xe was quiet, firm and Jonathan didn’t know what was going on.

The demon had come back to the safehouse, spoken to El, nodded through a door at Robin and tugged him through to a separate room. Xe was undeniably dangerous but the mind reading, if that’s what was happening, had him on edge more than any risk of harm.

Still he disagreed. “I know Harrington well enough.”

“Then tell me when he and Nancy broke up.” Xe stated. Something showed xe were annoyed but controlling xirself carefully and part of Jonathan wished he could identify what.

“Tina’s Halloween party in ‘84.”

“When Wheeler was black out drunk and went to seek him out the next day? Nope, they didn’t.”

“Well then that’s when.” It seemed like the logical assumption, but Jonathan stepped back as he realised he only had assumptions now, that Nancy had never said and he hadn’t thought to ask, even through Murray’s matchmaking conversation and that night.

“Still wrong. They were arguing but not breaking up. My boy got her flowers and was going to try talking it through later.” Xe stated and now what xe was saying grew clearer.

Arguably Jonathan was one of the first people involved with the Upside Down and one of the first to take steps to fight back against it, but in that moment he wondered just how much of the story he’d missed. It definitely showed that some of the interpersonal relationships had gone unnoticed or ignored because they focused on Steve Harrington and he hadn’t cared to know.

“I don’t read minds. I see the past and intentions or desires of people. You know nothing of my human. You are blinded by rumours and assumptions plus a bad day which your actions made worse. Lose them and get to know Steve.” Xe ordered. “Or I will ensure it’s him all the kids go to first for brotherly help and advice.”

With that the demon left and Jonathan froze, wanting to ask who Steve’s kids were despite already knowing. Xe could estrange Will to him if he didn’t listen and that terrified him more than any attack or threat of physical harm could.

/\/\

Nancy had watched the door since the demon took Jonathan through it and was already standing when xe walked straight past her. “Aren’t you going to drag me off too?”

She’d thought over what Steve had said more due to El’s worries and had reasoned xir mentioned protectiveness would mean xe had judgement for her too.

Xe looked at her like she was an irritating bug. “No. You’ve already realised how little you know of Steve and already seen how easily Michael can estrange or replace you. There’s nothing to say that wouldn’t waste breath.”

The dismissal almost hurt more than whatever she’d expected. It only made her feel smaller when xe went to kneel at Erica’s side, “Young Miss, you made a deal with my human we need to discuss.”

/\/\

Erica didn’t fear this demon. Xe might own Steve and use pronouns she’d never heard of but she had xir number: If xe expected them to believe Steve was just xir property xe shouldn’t have gathered everyone for him.

“So are you looking to renegotiate for Steve or tell me to let it go?” She asked, following xim in the direction Will and Eddie had gone exploring in.

Xe looked over xir shoulder at her, amused as xe reached into a cabinet of the kitchen they’d entered, “Neither. I’m giving you your due.”

“A bowl and a spoon?” She eyed the items sceptically. “We have plenty of those at home.”

“But can you state an ice cream flavour and have it appear in those?” There was a challenge in xir eyes that she met easily, deciding what to test the bowl with.

“One scoop lemon dream, 2 scoops chocolate brownie, topped with caramel sauce.” She glanced down after saying to see the ice cream she’d requested there. “This is staying with Steve for now. I don’t need my parents getting suspicious of it, but why?”

Xe watched her, assessing but not judgemental. “Steve misunderstood something I said. This is how I’ll help my boy for now.”

She narrowed her eyes for a moment, tempted to wait it out and try for more information but shrugged it off, realising that she shouldn’t push a demon too much. “Okay then. Are we safe now?”

Xe only said yes before xe was gone back towards the room everyone else was in.

/\/\

While xe had been with Erica, Nancy had vanished from the visitors room. Xe was certain she was trying to find Jonathan, and xe knew that some of the kids had gone into a neighbouring room when xe arrived to discuss freeing xir boy; a sweet sentiment.

The teens and kids remaining looked uncomfortable so xe offered, “If you want to explore, go ahead, kids. Steve will find you when you get lost.” Getting lost was assured for most of them and xe wasn’t going to lie about it.

The powerful girl hesitated, looking from xim to the adults. “He’s learning. Be nice.” She cautioned but corralled the other kids with her, claiming Jonathan would be nearby when the final older teen tried to remain.

“Smart kid, knows which battles to pick and yours is already lost.” Xe commented, turning to the emancipated man who’d jumped up. “Although your latest months have been punishment enough for that.”

“What’s lost?” Hopper demanded, glaring and moving closer. Xe found it daring but stupid, as if simply sending the kids to explore had been a threat xe needed attacking over.

Xe smiled coldly, the temperature of the room matching xir expression. “Any chance you or her can claim to care for my boy.”

“We do!” Joyce protested. “He’s a good-”

“Shield.” Xe interrupted. “That’s what you use him as. A body shield for the kids you leave in danger.”

Both humans bolstered and Hopper snapped, “That is not how we see him. He’s brilliant.”

“It is pretty much how he gets treated.” Murray said nonchalantly, still sitting and looking around at the exits to the room. “I mean, Joyce’s eldest and his girlfriend have already had their talking to, sorry for my part in that, I guess, but we’re the grown ups here. No kid should be left to protect others but that’s exactly what we’ve done twice and unknowingly a third time I’m gathering.”

Xe laughed. “This man, he argued against kids being involved at all the one time he was active in the fighting. Makes him the best parent of the lot of you after my boy. Steve accepts that they’re involved and will not stay out of it through any restriction less air tight than literally spiriting them away to a safe house they can’t leave.”

“My kids are my world.” Joyce protested.

“Who you abandoned with lies instead of an explanation when you decided to try saving him.” Xe countered, gaze darkening. “And who weren’t willing to share the bullying they’ve gone through or the fact one of them was apprehended for an assault before you left that she’s since been arrested for. The entire mess I’ve cleared up is the only reason she’s not in a cell still. Good parents don’t forget to look after their kids because of a ransom note.”

Neither Hopper or Joyce knew how to respond to that and even Murray was shifting uncomfortably

“I am involved and I will do what you failed to do.” Xe stated. “El believes you are learning but you had better learn quickly, because currently I will support my boy adopting any of those kids he thinks needs a safer or better home and support system. He’s proved himself in doing that already. You have not.”

/\/\

The demon was still there. Dustin had checked and kept listening on the conversation through the archway. Xe had been harsh on Hopper and Joyce from the bits he’d been able to make out clearly enough, but hadn’t left.

Actually Hopper and Joyce had been the ones to leave, storming out through the room Dustin had pulled Mike and Lucas through to and further into the house. Given how many people had gone through the 3 doors into these rooms, Dustin was beginning to suspect it shifted around them.

Either way, it gave them the chance to make their case. Murray wouldn’t stop them and whoever the new man was didn’t seem to understand English so couldn’t.

The demon looked amused as he pulled his friends through, leaning back in a chair, showing xir control of the situation better than any executive ever could. “You have a question?” Xe drawled meeting each of their eyes.

“We want Steve.” Dustin began but fell silent at xir dismissive laugh.

Xe waved a hand to one exit of the room, “He’s through there. I’m not keeping him trapped here. Once I know that area is completely gone, you’re all going back to Hawkins, my boy included.”

He stuttered for a moment, but hearing Mike’s argumentative noise tried again, “You can’t own people! We want Steve.”

“And you can?” Xe stood, looming over him for a moment, “That’s what you’re asking for, ownership transfer and frankly humans treat people they claim to own worse than any demon has treated anyone they’ve owned.”

“As if we believe that!” Mike snapped, coming to stand beside Dustin and cutting off any attempt to focus on what they’d give to have Steve. “You’re a demon. You lie.”

The demon scoffed now, gesturing vaguely around the exits to the two rooms, “Look at your girlfriend and best friend. Steve is my boy. That’s not changing.”

Both boys huffed, glancing back to Lucas who remained slightly behind them silently. Dustin only took a moment to think over the demon’s words before arguing, “He shouldn’t be owned by anyone. Let him go.” He was proud for a moment, thinking that changing the phrasing would explain what they wanted better.

“No. He won’t see it as giving him ownership of himself. He’ll see it as ownership transferral and you brats already push his boundaries and take advantage of everything he does for you. I will keep my boy and ensure he knows refusing you is okay, encouraged even when he needs a break.” Xe explained calmly now, but firm.

“We do not-” Mike began to argue.

Xe stepped to lean close to him, “Wheeler, you treat him the worst of your friends. Don’t test a demon of the treatment of their human. It won’t end well for you.” Xe stated quietly, straightening after. “Now, this attempt of yours has been sweet. Go explore now.”

Dustin’s shoulders drooped as he turned to try and plan some more arguments, but Lucas stepped forwards now. “Nobody should be a slave.”

“Entirely agree.” Xe smiled at him, “But is Steve a slave? Would you have thought that before learning of me?”

Lucas shook his head slowly, but still watched xim with narrowed eyes. “No, he seems to think so though.”

Xe was grinning now, turning to sit back down and nodding. “My boy has many thoughts of me and my ownership but they’re complex. Nothing as simple as slavery implies though. Your sister is more astute.”

“I’ll start paying closer attention then.” He confirmed, turning and tugging Mike with them away from the demon.

Dustin just heard a satisfied “Good” as they went to sit back in their plotting room.

/\/\

Steve didn’t know whether to be concerned or amused when he led Robin back to the room they’d been brought to originally only to find everyone except Murray, the Russian and the demon gone. “So we’re not going back to Hawkins soon then?”

“Give it a day or two. Removing offshoots is difficult, even more so with this much mortal influence in the creation of it.” Xe replied, “But I think it’s time you tell me just what those quips when I arrived meant.”

That was an order. It resonated in Steve and he tightened his grip on Robin’s hand at the unfamiliar sensation. “You mean the times I’ve fought over the last four years?”

“Yes.” Xir eyes narrowed, scanning over his form. “As well as why no-one has checked your injuries since I brought you here. That’s only healing because of the safehouse.”

“They had questions and I didn’t feel like combining an interrogation with getting first aid.” He replied, tugging Robin with him to sit down. “Let’s start with the Russians so I can explain why.”

Murray looked over at that, “Starcourt, right? Never got told why the kid could give directions. Can I listen in?”

“Sure.” Agreeing was easy, but even with Robin there beside him Steve didn’t know how to start.

The demon didn’t let him hesitate for long. “Do you have specific names for the people who hurt you in this Starcourt?”

“No, just Russians. If names were said between them it was after I was too concussed to remember them or said in Russian.” He answered, sighing. “I kept their attention, kept yelling before that, wasn’t going to let Robin get hurt if I could do anything to stop it. She might-” He drifted off, meeting Robin’s concerned gaze and knowing she didn’t know any names either.

She let out a small noise, squeezing his hand. “They had a base under the mall, trying to get through to the Upside Down, where you found us,” She paused, gesturing to xim. “Dustin intercepted their radio message so we investigated, managed to get in, even got Erica and Dustin out but we got captured. Steve tortured. I never knew why I wasn’t also. Thought they’d killed him when I was dragged into the same room as him after hours.”

Xe looked between them, reaching over to rest a claw softly on Steve’s knee. “How long did they have you for?”

The pair shared a glance, saying guesses at each other until Murray cleared his throat to get their attention. “Too long and let’s leave it there instead of guessing.”

“That wasn’t all they did.” The words, condemning missing information, made Steve’s shoulders slump in, almost curling protectively into Robin.

“Once we were together they left us alone for a bit, tied back to back. Long enough I woke up and Robin tried planning a beginning of an escape. Then they drugged us and were going to torture us again, removing finger nails or something. Said we were hurt but the doctor would help us when that was starting. Dustin and Erica came back then, used some overpowered taser rod thing to attack the doctor when the others had left. I think it killed him but Dustin can’t know that. He can’t have the trauma of knowing he might’ve killed someone when he was just trying to save me, save Robin.” Steve finished, words growing quieter as he ended that story.

Robin rested her head on top of his, arms coming around him too. “From there it was getting out, hiding in a movie, hiding again when we saw Russian guards checking the people leaving to try and find us, the other kids arriving in time for El to save us from those guards, adults coming in, crashing the car into Billy’s to save the kids, fighting the mindflayer, same old chaos everyone else could tell you about.”

The claw on his knee dug in for a moment, not enough to hurt, but enough he knew how tense xe was before xe shot up and stormed from the room. “Wait, I’ll do your first aid now. You two comfort each other we can talk about the other things you’ve mentioned later.”

It was an easy instruction for Steve to hear, already wrapped in Robin, but xir departure was paused by Murray. “Dmitri says he might know some of the names of people involved, or know where the records for that infiltration would be.”

“Write them down and I’ll review them later. My boy needs looking after first.” Xe grunted still leaving the room.

/\/\

It didn’t make sense to Robin.

Steve spoke of being owned and worrying over it but still talked back and seemed relaxed by the demon’s presence and the demon? Xe wasn’t parenting her friend but xe were close to it.

Xe was gentle with Steve, letting him hide and warning him of any actions xe did. When xe finished checking one side for injuries, Robin thought xe would just move him, and went to speak but instead xir grounded Steve with soft words and a hand heavy on his knee, waiting until he looked up to request, not order, the position change.

She couldn’t help wondering more and more why Steve worried in the way he’d just confided to her. This didn’t seem like an owner treating xir possession. If anything she thought xe was acting a little like a cat owner.

“Well I can see why Nancy asked me to set you two up.” Murray commented, watching them swap places around Steve. “Don’t think she’s right, though.”

Steve snorted and Robin pulled a face at him, “No thanks. We’re platonic and happy that way.”

“Soulmates actually. It’s almost as strong as mine over his soul.” The Demon remarked, glancing up before nudging Steve’s arm to reach a wound more easily.

“Platonic.” Steve used moving his arm as a chance to swat at xim.

Xe chuckled, catching his wrist and gently guiding it to Robin’s shoulder. “Didn’t argue with that. You two took never leaving each other more seriously than most marriages though. Was that because of the story you just shared, or something else?”

She glanced sharply at xim, ready to scold for asking questions when they’d all agreed to leave it while Steve’s injuries were treated, but xe was looking at her, same as Steve was.

“Yes.” She replied bluntly, set on not going into more detail until Steve was fully bandaged up.

“I’m glad my boy had you there then.” Xe stated, nodding genially.

/\/\

“This house is moving around us.” Will observed.

They’d turned back from their exploration a while ago, but neither he or Eddie could figure out how to return to the original rooms. Eddie laughed at the statement. “I’m sure we’ll be found if something’s going on, right now I’m just wondering how we could use this in a campaign. Give them an unmapped place, maybe offer the players the option to draw a map as they go and see how long it takes them to realise the rooms are changing.”

“Then it would be a case of how to provide them an escape.” Will mused. “Getting in would be easy, and finding conflicts or challenges in different rooms fun, hell if we worked together as joint DM’s we could swap for each room and pull an enemy or type of room out of the hat each time but there’d need to be a reason.”

“Or an ally outside of the area that could bring them back out of it if signalled.” Eddie suggested. “Maybe someone wanting a specific treasure.”

Will huffed a little, “As long as it isn’t a rescue the village mission. Never managed to make them focus on campaigns like that.”

“Hey Will, Eddie, You want to find my old room with me?” Steve appeared in the door they’d been approaching, tugging Robin along behind him.

“We were actually just-” Will began to say but paused when Eddie held his hand up.

Looking over the paid, Eddie was sure Steve was avoiding some emotional moment while Robin thought whatever had happened was incredibly awkward. “Sure Harrington, if you know the way cause this safehouse says we don’t.”

“His demon decides who finds each other. Xe isn’t going to let Steve get lost.” Robin chimed up, nudging Steve teasingly, “Just everyone else.”

“Useful. Also his demon? The ownership thing goes both ways?” The remark was laughed after, Will snickering a little too.

Steve just rolled his eyes. “No. But apparently just talking about someone using pronouns is too boring for Robin. Xe hasn’t told me xir name so I doubt anyone else is going to learn it. What’ve you two been up to?”

“Exploring and getting lost trying to get back to you all.” Will said, gesturing around, “Then figuring out how we can make this part of a campaign.”

“Great, another time getting put into your game.” Steve sarcastically cheered. “So you pair decided to be friends then?”

Will shook his head then, “Nope, I just decided not to blame Eddie for Mike’s lies or Dustin’s hero worship. Still trying to figure out why Lucas barely mentioned him though.”

“Did you blame me when Dustin and me started hanging out?” Steve blinked, wondering how often the kids had stayed in touch since that definitely suggested the closest friends of the group had shifted while the Byers were in California.

“Nope. You didn’t separate him from us. Mike’s the one who claimed to have a grudge over that, but we all think he’s just looking for reasons to be annoyed at you.” The answer was easily given, but with an expression that said an insult was either disguised in it or a word away.

All the older teens laughed anyway, before Steve narrowed his eyes on Eddie, “This is why you need to let the kids enjoy their own hobbies. Lucas not mentioning you to Will says just as much as your reaction to the Championship Game did. Sort that out.”

“Get me to Lucas and I’ll start the apologies now.” Eddie agreed, hand on his heart and exaggerating his sincerity by kneeling. “But I’d already pledged to welcome Sir Will the Wise into Hellfire from my sheepies reports of his skill. Mayhap even declaring him heir to the DM title, although I think Jeff will be annoyed to graduate with me and miss that chance.”

Robin huffs at him, gesturing in the direction Steve had started leading them, “Then let Jeff have a go while you still lead the club. Come on, I need to know if Steve’s room is as bad here as it is in that house of his.”

“What’s wrong with my room at home?” Steve protested. “It’s clean and spacious.”

“Devoid of personality and a plaid overload.” She countered, “Tell me, was that your choice, or xir choice?”

He pouted at her, moving to sit down as they entered a living room. “Not letting you see my room now. I like the pattern. I can graph things on it and they always vanish before I’m next in there.”

“Not sure what’s worse, that you draw on your walls, or that you want guide lines to help you draw on them. Did xe start that when you were a kid?” Robin retorted.

“To make graphs a bigger size, if you must know.” Steve snarked back.

/\/\

Will hadn’t expected this when he decided to introduce himself to Eddie. He’d meant to make a sarcastic comment about the other having magic to get Mike playing DnD again and explore on his own, but the other had insisted on knowing him.

Steve was on a rant about struggling with maths but learning as much as he could of geometry after a teacher explained how it impacts basketball. Honestly it bewildered Will a little to hear the generally accepted dumbest of the party going off about angles and throw heights and just how having plaid walls helped him understand it all. A glance at Eddie and Robin suggested they were having similar thoughts before Will had to exclaim, “You can do all this but refuse to play DnD because adding a small amount to the roll of a die is too difficult?”

“Nah, I’m just bitching at Dustin when I say that. He knows I’ve played when Erica needed cheering up.” He waved the words away, “Besides, He, Mike and Lucas all got into Hellfire and aside from the entire club having great reasons to hate ‘King Steve’, I’m not giving up work shifts or dates to join a high school club.”

“I didn’t hate you.” Eddie mumbles, getting the group looking at him curiously. It was the quietest that Will had heard him.

He scoffed, “Jonathan hated him for a while and I know he wasn’t really on Steve or Tommy’s radar before I went missing. Rumour has it you’re usually making yourself the target of bullies so who did you actually hate?”

“Billy.” Simple word, but Eddie laughed a little when Steve waved a hand to tell him to continue. “Steve didn’t pay attention. He was popular because he was good as sports and everyone wanted to figure out what actually went on in his head. Tommy was a jerk and a bully, but the King? He barely looked at us all in judgement. It did my head in but wasn’t enough to be hated for, especially when Billy joined the school just wanting to fight anyone. The amount of kids that learnt they could be great at track because that boy terrified them in his first months at Hawkins High could’ve tripled the size of the club.”

“Is that why Max says she only tolerates you?” Will asked. El had mentioned it after one of the few calls they’d managed to get since the move and he’d assumed it was something to do with Lucas earlier.

Eddie fell back, hand to his chest, “The insult so harshly given. I thought we were sisters in arms, bound by the good fight, and here I am betrayed?”

“No, it’s cause of Lucas being pushed out a little from dragons club for playing Basketball, don’t tell him, only a few poorly timed insults about Billy were heard and she’s heard them from most of the party now unfortunately. The tolerating is because Eddie and Wayne help out in the trailer sometimes, have done since they moved in.” Steve explained, swatting at him.

“Steve. I forgot to mention, tell your kids to be more careful when talking to demons.” The demon was suddenly in the room with them, and Will had to push himself further onto the couch to avoid falling off when he startled. “Three of them literally just tried to demand you off me.”

Steve stared at xim for a moment, blinking and looking over to Robin, “Mike got talked into that?”

“Emotionally he was only slightly less fervent in the appeal than Dustin. Lucas at least was somewhat cautious over it.” Xe replied.

“You told them no, right? Those shitheads are not getting into some mess with you in my place.” Will blinked at the confrontational tone in Steve’s voice. When they’d been talking about how he’s owned earlier Steve had seemed resigned, almost fearful of what he could be made to do on the demon’s will but now he was ready to fight xim.

Xe laughed, shaking xir head, “Of course I rejected the idea. Humans do not treat each other correctly if ownership is mentioned and I will not have you subjected to that no matter how good their original intentions.”

/\/\

Steve hesitated, turned to the door having declared he’d get the other kids together to sort out dinner and bedrooms. It felt wrong to walk away from his owner and friends, especially after hearing what some of his kids had tried.

“Perhaps we should talk first.” Xe offered, getting a warning glare from Robin as xe moved to follow him. “You’re more anxious than normal.”

He nodded, “And you’re acting oddly.” With that he led them into the next room, not worrying over his friends listening in as xe wouldn’t allow that.

“I’m looking after you as you’re allowing, the same as I always have.” Xe stated, sitting on the floor as Steve curled into a corner of the sofa there.

He shook his head at the words. “That’s not – Don’t lie. You’re my owner. I do what you want, not this, the reverse.”

“Yes, I do own you, but what does that mean to me?” Xe asked and he folded, arms trying to hug and protect him from the question.

“I can’t know your thoughts.” He mumbled, sure that even if he’d argued and bitched at the demon before this was a dangerous time to do so.

Xe still pushed xir question, “What do you think it means to me?”

There was the feeling of an order again and Steve hated realising it hadn’t been directed at him before. “I don’t know!” He repeated, springing up. “I thought you wanted someone popular, to get deals from my friends or something, but you didn’t care about that. I thought it might be to show off, like Tommy’s parents did over expensive things, but you never do that. I’m not a slave cause you never make me do anything and it’s not company cause I barely see you for months at a time. You own me and want nothing somehow. Everyone wants something and they say demons trick and are evil but you just don’t care.” The words felt like they exploded out of him and Steve grabbed a cushion as he fell back onto the sofa to hide.

“Demons aren’t humans.” Xe replied, moving to sit next to him, resting a paw on his back. “These are all very human views of ownership. Do you want me to tell you how I view owning anything?”

A sniffle and small nod was all the response he could give. It felt odd but natural to fear his owner a little after the day he’d had and the years where his religion classes and history lessons all taught him how dangerous it could be to be owned.

“I’d describe it as being the emergency contact.” Xe began. “At least if I’m putting it in human concepts. I own you because someone else values other things over a precious life so I need to take what was a flicker and let it grow. If that’s into a flame or a forest fire that transforms the world isn’t my choice. I’m just here to enable it to happen.”

Steve watched xim warily. “You said values. My genetic donors still don’t care, do they?”

“No and I could see this when I accepted the deal.” Xe agreed. “It used to be that demons would accept deals like yours to save families. That’s where the myths came from of magical beings taking first born children in deals and how evil demons are. Some people made the opposite deals, asking for children and putting them through horrible lives and still pay for it now in torture and pain from the demons they hurt the children of. We can see intentions but they can be hidden and we can’t take the living out of the human world. For you I tried another way.”

“Have any parents wanted the sold children back?” He asked.

“Sometimes, and I do, just like most demons, check in, have the chance to amend deals if that’s the case. Usually it’s for visitation rather than parents having their kids back.” Xe shifted, form adjusting to be more jelly. “Yours never have. They’re vain and barely remember Hawkins or the pregnancy. I know they’d intended to offer you to the lab if no demon appeared for them.”

Steve didn’t reply for a moment, letting everything xe shared settle into his brain as his eyes flickered over the room. “Robin’s my emergency contact.” He eventually said, “The hospital said your information was out of date and I didn’t know what to put instead.”

“Her claim on your soul is nearly as strong as mine.” Xir voice stayed calm, trying to soothe him. “But I will add details to be a secondary emergency contact again.”

/\/\

Recognising his safehouse ceiling made Steve breathe easier after a week jerking awake, wondering if Vecna had taken anyone else. The night before he’d insisted on all the rooms for Robin, Eddie and the kids to be on the same hallway as his, getting the demon to promise it would stay that way until he woke at a minimum.

Nancy and Jonathan hadn’t re-emerged from wherever in the house they’d gone to, and Argyle had been given directions to find them when Steve levelled a glare at his owner. He would have tried keeping them near him as well, but being fairly sure xe had spoken to them about their pasts he didn’t. It might’ve ended up in an emotional confrontation when he needed to talk with his kids about how serious demonic deals were.

The adults had also been shuffled away from him, although Hopper did manage to stay long enough to call a wellbeing check in over at him. Steve had found it odd, but went along with it easily enough.

“Steve? Please say your room hasn’t moved.” Robin called, knocking on his door.

“It’s not. Xe did promise it wouldn’t. Come in.” He replied, comfortable lounging in bed for now.

She didn’t, just opening the door enough to lean around it, “Just me, or are all of us allowed in?”

“Might as well have all of you. Come make it a slumber party.”

/\/\

Steve noticed he was being watched during breakfast. It wasn’t a new feeling when everyone was together but the expressions on Hopper and Joyce’s faces were unsettling for how difficult Steve found them to read.

In the past they’d scrutinise him, waiting for him to mess up or something, and occasionally try to move their kids away from him, but none of that was happening now. If anything they seemed to be getting frustrated at each other the longer the meal went on. He kept glancing over while making sure everyone had their choice of breakfast and answering a few more questions along the way.

“Nope.” He got utterly distracted from trying to figure their expressions out as he saw Erica’s choice of breakfast was ice cream. “Actual food first, ice cream after 9:30.” He stated, barely surprised when the bowl emptied itself to show the current time. “Of course xe gave you this.” He sighed, meeting the glare now levelled at him. “I said at least halfway healthy breakfasts, Erica.”

She huffed, glancing around the table. “So if I had cereal on my ice cream?”

“I’d want there to be more cereal than ice cream in the bowl. How about pancakes and bacon instead?” He suggested.

For a moment she glared some more, but eventually nodded. “I suppose that’s acceptable.”

“Can I have pancakes too?” Dustin called out, too loud for being a seat away from them and getting the other kids, except El, to start agreeing.

Steve just laughed, nodding at them and turning to the adults. “Murray, do you and Dimitri want including in the pancake orders? Joyce? Hopper?”

“Oh I can do that Steve.” Joyce offered, standing as Murray translated the question and seemingly a lot more for the Russian.

“No! Mum, no need. If Steve needs a hand cooking, we’ve got this, right?” Jonathan interceded before steve could react, tapping Will’s shoulder and getting an agreement from him too.

For a moment, Steve looked between the family, grinning at the out of place reactions. “Thanks for the offer, Joyce, but you’re our guests. I’m not making you cook and am happy to do it.”

‘And we want edible pancakes.’ Will mouthed, not visible to the adults further along the table.

“Looks like the kid has this, Joyce. I’ll have pancakes if that’s okay.” Hopper said, tugging Joyce’s arm to get her to sit down again. “If this is a shifting labyrinth of rooms, where’s the food coming from?”

Steve shrugged, already pulling ingredients out of the cupboards, “Xe buys it whenever we stay here. I usually get taken with xim, but I think xe went as we slept.” He explained. He hadn’t seen the demon yet that morning but knew xe had been around while he gathered the party together.

/\/\

After everyone separating to explore or talk the day before Xe was surprised that they were staying together through the morning. Xe was less surprised to see Steve surrounded by his kids, with Eddie and Robin pulled into the group as well.

“No one trying to escape today?” Xe asked, joining the group and looking around at everyone more spread through the room.

“We’re planning how to clear Eddie’s name from the accusations.” Dustin said, barely glancing up from a notebook they were using to plan.

Xe laughed, shaking xir head, “Not needed. He spent that night teaching Steve guitar and stayed over. Since then you brats have kept him busy stopping you from trying to do the police’s job. Given that bunch of monkey’s can’t prevent an angry mob from forming, it was for the best.”

Steve groaned, holding a hand out for the guitar he knew would appear, while the rest had to scramble out of the way of other instruments appearing. “I think I’d prefer orders over this.”

“You wouldn’t and I won’t use them.” Xe reaffirmed. “They aren’t going to expect you to play to prove his alibi.”

“Wish they weren’t idiotic enough that I can’t believe that.” He grumbled, but looked at Eddie curiously. “Are you alright doing this?”

Eddie had leant back, blinking, barely even adjusting how he sat when his own guitar appeared in his lap. Slowly he picked it up, looking Steve over. “Sure Big boy. I’ll have you shredding in no time.”

/\/\

With the guitar in his lap, Steve thought about taking off, insisting on learning without an audience but decided against it. When he’d led Robin, Will and Eddie back to the group the night before Mike and Dustin had complained about being replaced again and he wasn’t going to let feelings like that grow if learning around everyone could stop it.

He was just looking from Eddie to the guitar, wondering if he should ask something to start when Mike came to sit closer to him.

“Can I learn too?” Mike demanded more than asked. “I want to play good music though.”

Eddie and Steve exchanged a glance before Eddie turned to him, “What’s with the emphasis on good music, Little Wheeler? You’re not getting far enough to play any songs today, anyway.” He leant forwards, eyes focused and promising offence would be easily taken.

“Like you play, not Steve.” He stated, matching the look. “No whining singers, either.” Max scoffed from her seat a little ways off, but didn’t say anything.

Steve huffed, “Judgemental shit, glad you weren’t the one trying to save Hawkins. How about Eddie shows us how to hold the guitar, first?”

He got a nod in return, and immediately Eddie started instructing them, barely acknowledging when another guitar, acoustic this time, appeared beside Mike for him to use. There were still other instruments around the room, but nobody moved to use them, and only claimed one if they knew how to play it, like Robin claiming hers.

/\/\

Lucas sighed after a while of everyone watching the guitar lesson, “So how do you decide which hobbies are cool and which aren’t?”

“Go with the chillest and you’re on the right track.” Argyle called, leaning back with Jonathan nodding beside him.

Max shook her head. “It’s the rebellion, the energy about it.” She countered.

Steve rolled his eyes, moving the guitar to one side as the conversation distracted him. “You shouldn’t. All hobbies are both cool and nerdy depending on how interested we are. In high school, the ones most people are interested in, or pushed to be, become cool, like basketball. In this group, a lot of you mostly the weird kids at school, DnD becomes cool. It’s just a popularity contest for activities.”

“How much of that was Robin and how much your way to delude yourself you’re still cool?” Mike sneered, getting a sharp glance.

“Some of it was things I wanted to yell at half of you shitheads when I saw nobody but me there supporting Lucas in the championship game.” He snapped back. “What happened to not splitting the party and supporting each other, huh, Mike?”

Mike blustered and so did Dustin, “We tried to reschedule! To postpone or something. Eddie wouldn’t let us.”

“And I was wrong not to. I’d spent too many years in that melting pot taking on the bullies to shield others that I did the same thing the jocks do and tried to make Lucas give up something for our club.” Eddie spoke up before more of an argument could start. “Steve’s right, we should have supported him, “He turned to Lucas now, “And I’m sorry for my part in stopping that, as well as how I’ve treated you over the laundry baskets game.”

Lucas took the offered hand then, a cautiousness in his eyes, “In full apology you need to try shooting some hoops with me when we get back.”

Eddie laughed outright, “Damn it Sinclair, making me exercise, but your condition is agreed too.”

The exchange reminded Steve of a room he’d asked for on his last visit so he slipped off, waiting in the doorway when he saw Dustin had spotted and was trying to follow.

/\/\

“So where are we going?” Dustin asked after the third room they went through.

Steve smirked over his shoulder, “Basketball court. I asked for one the last time I was here.”

“Really? Actually how can basketball be nerdy? That makes no sense. It’s for the jocks.” Dustin was excited though Steve knew he had no enthusiasm for exercise.

“Ask Will. Apparently I complain over the math of DnD too much to have tried so hard to learn geometry for basketball.” He snickered

Dustin hesitated then, “You’re not mad at me over how I reacted when we got here, right?”

The question confused Steve for a moment, before he realised that he hadn’t actually had one on one time with Dustin since they’d arrived so of course he friend would be worrying. “Not at all. I knew you’d have questions. It was just a lot for me when everyone expected me to know the most and I really don’t.”

“Okay,” He nodded, “Now teach me this basketball math you somehow do.”

They laughed together when the next door did bring them to the court.

/\/\

They’d been in the safehouse for only two days when the Demon said xe could return them to Hawkins. The days had been filled with catching up, comforting each other over new and old traumas as well as everyone trying to learn more about Steve.

Steve had found himself having in depth conversations with everyone, which he’d expected for the kids. He hadn’t expected it so much with the adults and other teens near his age and assumed that his owner was the cause or inspiration for them all trying to actually know him. The oddest of the conversations had been Murray giving him advice over how little was noticed about relationships by people both outside and inside them, but it was a nice change compared to most of the group dismissing comments about that as useless gossip.

The relief of hearing they could return to Hawkins was cut through by Hopper asking, “Do you mean all of us are going back to Hawkins?” He’d looked from the Demon, to El, the Byers and Argyle.

Xe looked at him in amusement, “Would you prefer to be returned to where I took you from?”

“No.” A deep frown etched itself across Hoppers face, “But California to officially move back with the Byers would be more reasonable.”

“I want to go home again!” El protested, “It’s too hot there!”

A cacophony of requests and protests broke out then, everyone having some view of where they’d either be needed, wanted or expected to be, until Steve clapped twice, getting everyone’s attention.

“The kids coming back to Hawkins, I’ll look after, whether that’s telling frantic parents where you’ve been or having you stay with me, I’ll sort it out. Murray is best at sorting out the press from what I hear, so I want him to come back to Hawkins too. The rest of you are old enough to sort this out quietly! Without arguing. Discuss and decide.”

“Or I will drop Steve and the youngest at home and everyone else close to where I found them.” Xe agreed, serious in tone but Steve could see xe was teasing them all.

At those words, Joyce and Hopper moved to talk in a corner while Nancy left her argument with Mike to talk with Jonathan and Argyle.

“That invite to stay include me, Sunshine?” Eddie asked, nudging Steve with his elbow.

“Not sure I was planning to let you leave if you tried.” Steve replied. “Staying in murder houses isn’t fun.”

It looked like Eddie would ask more but Nancy called him over then, “Steve! How well can you sweet talk my parents.”

“Depends, are you about to make me explain your disappearance to Cali and Mike’s appearance back in Hawkins?” He asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

The trio gave him sheepish looks and he muttered under his breath while walking over. The stories he’d have to share would either get more complicated than a spiders web or need to basically just be reading parents into what they’d been dealing with for years.

/\/\

In the end, Murray and Dimitri joined Steve, Eddie, Robin and all the kids in going back to Hawkins, while Argyle, Jonathan, Nancy, Joyce and Hopper went to California. It made sense to ensure the California house was sorted and any issues there cleared up but Steve was now worried over how Dustin’s mum and the Sinclair’s parents were reacting since the kids had all been missing so far as they knew for days, right after murders had happened.

Erica was also thinking about that and tried to demand a lift home as soon as they were dropped back into Steve’s home.

“No. I’m calling everyone’s parents, and Eddie’s uncle to come here. One explanation for all of them.” He decided. “Get drinks, snacks, and Erica, find somewhere to stash that bowl of yours too.”

He did call the Sinclair’s first, knowing better than to argue with Erica’s glare too much.

Something in him withered when Mrs Sinclair answered the phone with “Lucas? Please say that’s you.” She sounded frantic.

“It’s Steve Harrington actually, but-” He hurried to continue hearing a sob, “Lucas and Erica are with me. I’ll explain everything if you come over. A couple of Lucas’s friends also need their parents calling so-”

“We’ll be right there!” She promised, cutting him off and hanging up, already yelling “Honey! Steve-”

The call to Claudia went similarly, but Steve was sure the last two would be odd. That was why he easily let Robin take the phone. Her call was quick and basically left her parents even more convinced they were dating than they had been. Steve shook his head when Dustin heard it and was clearly about to ask if they were together now. The Buckley’s were the only ones that belief was allowed for at Robin’s request.

Then he was being given the phone back and dialling the number Eddie had given him to put off talking to either Wheeler parent a little longer.

“Who’s this?” A gruff voice answered, “And why are you calling the factory?”

“This is Steve Harrington and I’m trying to get in touch with Mr Wayne Munson.” He put on the overly polite tone his mother used for staff in shops.

He got huffed at before hearing a yell away from the phone for Wayne. There was a thud as if the phone had been walked away from and Steve could only wait, hoping Wayne was where Eddie expected him to be.

“Hello, why was I told a Harrington is calling for me?” The question made him wince, knowing nothing good was likely said about him before.

Eddie shoved a note under his nose. “What?” Steve asked aloud before shaking his head and just reading it; “Letting you know the Garfield Mug will get repaired.”

“Eddie only just told you to say that, didn’t he?” Wayne sounded thoughtful, “Insisted on a code to say someone is safe but always forgets it.”

“Shoved the note in front of me without saying anything.” Steve grumbled. “But we’ve been helping him since, well since Spring break started. He’s gonna stay with me for a bit but I’ve got to explain everything to a few others soon if you want to come see him and learn what’s been going on.”

Wayne let out a noise, enough to know he’d been heard, and, Steve guessed, thought for a moment, “He’s got info about Eddie beyond the pigs backtracking. I’m taking off.” Wayne called, the volume of it startling Steve as the phone clearly wasn’t moved when he yelled. “You’re in the fancy district. Which car should I look for?”

“BMW.” Steve replied, amused that that was how Wayne planned to find his home.

“I’ll be there soon.”

Steve took a deep breath as he hung up, closing his eyes for a moment only to meet Mike’s expectant glare when he reopened them.

“Are you going to call my parents or not?”

He narrowed his eyes, “I could just make you call them, see how well you explain anything to Karen.”

“Like that’d be hard.” Mike huffed, getting Steve to turn back to the phone with a roll of his eyes.

Half dreading the call, Steve dialled and soon had the call answered, “Hello Wheeler household. This is Karen.”

“Hi Karen, how are you?” He began, trying to delay explaining the mess, given neither Wheeler kid wanted their family to know what was going on.

“Steve, I’m wondering where Nancy is. I know she was dating Jonathan Byers the last I was told but have you gotten back together and stolen her away?” Karen asked, half teasing as she clearly tried to bury her concern.

Steve laughed a little, “No, but she is with Jonathan, and that’s her location too. There’s been some drama with her relationship and Mike’s friend group so Mike has come back to Hawkins early, while Nancy has gone to talk with Jonathan something about college I think but I’m not sure.”

“She’s driven there? Are you sure she’s fine.” Karen sounded alarmed now, “And how did Mike get back?”

“One of my relatives helped them sort out travel and they’re both fine. I checked in with Nancy just over an hour ago and have Mike glaring at me currently. I’m returning him as soon as I’ve got some other stuff sorted, okay?”

Karen laughed lightly, “That’s fine, I know you’ll keep him safe, but tell him no more changing travel plans without telling me beforehand.”

“I will. See you later.” Steve hung up, leaning against the wall, amazed that had been so easy to do.

/\/\

In the end, nobodies parents were fully told about the Upside Down. Steve did start to, but the conversation got side tracked so the most Claudia and the Sinclairs knew was that the Lab had caused everything and the government was involved in them not being told. He almost felt guilty but Lucas and Dustin seemed happier with that happening.

Robin was still getting judgemental looks from Lucas after admitting she was the one to get Erica involved but let Steve shoulder the ice cream deal mostly. Both she and Steve were amused by that and definitely relaxed as those kids headed home.

Wayne had listened to the explanation but didn’t make any move to leave as the kids did, sharing a glance, Steve took Robin, El and Will with him to drop Mike off. “You tell him anything you want. Nobody has got involved here yet, so do it now.” Steve reassured, last one to leave the house deliberately so he could.

He only hoped Eddie did actually inform Wayne of it all, since they seemed really close.

/\/\

Since El had mentioned getting help to get her powers back, Steve had expected the government to get involved, even if he doubted Hawkins had really had enough happen to get that attention. What he didn’t expect was his owner to walk into Family Video halfway through his and Robin’s shift, looking every bit the business man Hawkins assumed his parents were, and plant himself behind the counter with him.

After that he wasn’t surprised to see the black cars of government officials coming in, or Doctor Owens coming into the store with someone else wearing a doctors coat beside him.

“Excuse me, people who torture children are not welcome in Hawkins.” Xe spoke before either worker could give their normal greeting.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Doctor Owens replied, “I’m just here to talk with Mr Harrington and Mrs Buckley about their absences over the last week.”

They both scoffed, “That would be Keith’s job and in his words, ‘Shutting the store for a mourning period was a great publicity move.’” Robin countered, “And Family Video has no need of Medical Doctor’s when we rent videos to people.”

“You’re not discussing anything with my son when I am here to represent and protect him.” Xe followed her words with an unmoving stare. “Now, Brennan, if you don’t wish to experience the tortures you’ve put others through yourself, you should leave Hawkins immediately. I’ve cleaned up the hell you tried bringing here and your favourite kid is dead. Henry Creel tried to steal part of hell and is paying for that forever more.”

Brennan tried to meet his glare and Steve could only assume this was El’s papa. After a moment of that he turned and left, waiting in the car as Doctor Owens was still there.

“I don’t know what your son has been telling you but-” Doctor Owens began to say, only to fall silent though his lips still moved.

Xe glanced back at Steve. “He told me nothing until I was charging through a land that definitely wasn’t Earth to save his life and that of his friends. What I’ve learned since then says you’ve been giving less than the bare minimum to everyone plagued by your failures and the governments inability to treat people humanely.”

“You want to negotiate?” Doctor Owens asked, clearly uncertain over what was happening.

The demon’s grin was like an alligator shining his teeth as xe nodded, “For everyone involved, from my boy, to the Munsons and even to the emancipated Chief soon moving back after being captured by Russians. You are going to compensate them all into wealth for the amount of trauma and pain you’ve heaped on them. Would you like the demands now, or after all of Hawkins knows what the abandoned lab used to do?”

He looked at xem in horror, never doubting the xe could manage that, then out through the doors. “Now, and I will do all I can to get them agreed to.”

“If you don’t, the world will know just how cruel America was before Russia even dreamt of it.” Xe vowed.

As the door closed behind Doctor Owens Steve and Robin started snickering, “Steve, your owner is brilliant.”

“Apparently!”

Xe smiled at them, shaking xir head, “Thank you. I’m keeping an eye on you for a while until I know this is as safe as it used to be again.” Xe informed them.

/\/\

“So, Demons! Can I ask more questions now?” Dustin had been holding a notebook even as he got into the car, watching Steve expectantly.

He shook his head, “Surprised it took you this long.” He admitted, before sharply looking over, “And if I ever hear of you trying to deal with demons even after I’ve answered whatever questions you’ve got, your ass is grass.” He pulled off, taking Dustin to the arcade where Eddie and Mike should be meeting them.

In the back of the car El and Will were sitting quietly, happy to just listen to them.

“Xe told you?” Dustin pouted for a moment before looking at his notebook, “So does xe only have that bipedal but with horns and claws form?”

“Xe changes and chooses xir form based on what’s happening and how xir feeling. No, I don’t know if all demons can do that.” Steve guessed the second question and decided to stop that possibly getting repeated a lot from the start. “I’ve not met any other demons so can’t say anything about them, just the one that owns me.”

Dustin nodded, crossing out a few questions and writing a note, presumably of that lack of knowledge. “Have you been to hell? Other than the Upside Down?”

Steve shrugged, glancing over as the road was quiet. “Again, I don’t know. Xe moved us to the safehouse so do you know where that is? But I don’t think so. Xe is pretty closed off about things that might risk me or just some information about xem.”

“Did xe know about everything else we’ve been through?” El asked, looking calm when Steve glanced in the rear-view mirror at her. He was just pulling up to the arcade now and wasn’t going to leave Max waiting for a ton more questions to get asked.

“No. Xe hasn’t shown up for the others and hadn’t realised what I’d gotten into. Apparently other humans xe owned had some bad injuries over their lives too.” He answered, “No more questions when you could be attempting to beat Max’s scores again.”

/\/\

They’d been back in Hawkins a day when they heard the roar again but Steve didn’t drop, ignoring the clear order and everything in him wanting to.

Jason and the rest of the current basketball team did stumble back however, staring in fear over his shoulder.

Lucas hadn’t faltered either, solidifying his stance and bringing his slingshot out of his pocket to aim at his teammates. “Eddie is innocent. No devil worship is done in a game. It’s done by hate-filled bastards like you, thinking you’re owed more than you’ve earnt.” He spat.

“Tell that to the demon you summoned.” Jason stuttered back, a shaking hand raising to point over their shoulders.

“Oh no, Xe’re here because you attacked me and xe’re keeping a closer watch currently.” Steve straightened from his defensive stance, rolling his eyes, even while sidestepping so the demon could pass. “It’s really dumb to attack a demon’s property, you know.”

Jason looked angrier for a moment, seeming to judge if he’d get past Steve, Lucas and the demon to Eddie again. “They already sold you! You call that innocent Sinclair?”

“My boy has been mine since the 60’s and you are already due for hell.” Xe growled out, startling Lucas as he moved past them with many limbs and spikes on xir current form. “I’ll escort you there.”

Steve couldn’t tell if it was xir words or xir lunge towards the boys that had them sprinting away, and didn’t care much, the fact he’d ignored the order weighing on him the further they went. “Sorry I didn’t drop out of the way but I wasn’t letting them past me.”

Xe huffed. “My roar doesn’t mean get down or drop. It means don’t block me.” Xe grumbled. “Go get your injuries checked.”

“Are you doing this so I can learn when something’s an order? ‘Cause I’ve got that figured out now.” Steve muttered, going to his car where the door was still open from him jumping out to help Lucas fighting the club back from Eddie.

Xe nodded, “Yes, you’ve torn yourself apart looking for them too much and I’m not getting Robin on my case again.”

“Why would Robin do that?” Lucas asked, giving Steve a chance to actually make the call on his walkie. He’d moved to help Eddie up who had dropped upon hearing the roar, though since he’d been the target Steve wasn’t sure if an injury from before he and Lucas had gotten the attention from him influenced that reaction.

“Very protective friend.” Xe answered, eyes narrowed as xe checked the area one more time. “Very protective and too ready to fight me.” As soon as Xe finished speaking Xe was gone.

Steve shook his car keys to get Eddie and Lucas’s attention from the now empty space. “Come on, Robs has the Family Video first aid kit waiting for us.”

/\/\

A month after their return had everyone back in Hawkins, even Steve’s owner hadn’t fully left yet. Most of Hawkins had accepted Eddie’s innocence now, although some of the basketball team still tried to start fights occasionally.

Steve was worried still, since he had expected the Demon to leave after dealing with the government, but xe hadn’t. “So are you just staying in Hawkins now?” He had to ask eventually.

Eddie and Wayne were in the kitchen but he’d wandered out to the pool, knowing xe would be there too. Xe knew when conversations were needed and Steve never bothered to ask how, perhaps one of the more curious or confrontational of the party had done, but that wasn’t his concern.

“No, I’m not staying for much longer.” Xe replied, but tugged him to sit beside xim.

“So what happens then? Do I just carry on with Robin as my emergency contact?” Steve had to ask. He’d learnt enough about his owner now that he doubted xir detachment; he just didn’t know how xe could remain updated with what happened around him now.

Xe looked through him for a moment. “Now you live. Carry on doing your best to look after this family you made and be happy.”

“And never seeing you unless you decide to visit?” He challenged. It had been nice letting someone else be in charge of his wellbeing even in the small ways xe did.

“That is an option, but there are others you might prefer.” Xir lap suddenly held a variety of objects, including a crystal ball, a plain notebook and a phone handset.

Steve looked over the items, brow furrowed for a moment, “Are you saying these are ways I could call you?”

“The notebook I’d need to refine and then anyone who wrote in it would be contacting me. The other two I can ensure are set up for you to contact me, the phone already is really since I am your secondary emergency contact once more.” Xe explained, handing the notebook over when Steve reached for it.

“Is that only for important stuff? Not just letting you know things happening.” He checked.

Xe shook xir head, “It’s for anything you want to tell me, but definitely if off shoots of hell are formed again.”

“Oh.” Steve blinked, stunnd that it was this easy to get a way to contact his demon. “Thank you. Um, Did I disappoint you? Doing all that stuff I thought you were telling me to?” The thought had grown since he’d heard how xe viewed this ownership situation, and if xe was talking candidly with him it seemed like a good time to ask.

“No, I understood it. This isn’t a situation humans can explain, even in their stories, so I knew there’d be some confusion as you grew up. I just didn’t think it would upset you so much otherwise I’d have spoken about it with you sooner.” Xe spoke gently, patting Steve’s shoulder. “Now you can go on living your life just getting in touch when you want to without worrying over orders it’s unlikely I’ll ever give you again.”

“Unless I’m in another life or death situation.” Steve finished wryly.

Xe laughed, “Unless that happens, yes.”

/\/\

After xe left, Steve found it easier to return to daily life than he had so far following Upside Down instances, easily accepting the Munson’s into his home while the investigation of Chrissy’s death was finished and their payouts sorted. Xe had told Steve xir demands of compensation so he would report back how much ended up being offered since that hadn’t yet been finalised.

“You really saved me, you know.” Eddie commented slouched on Steve’s sofa while Steve and Robin messed around in the kitchen supposedly sorting out dinner and drinks for their hang out. “This town would’ve killed me if it wasn’t for you and your demon.”

“Xe isn’t mine, just my owner.” Steve laughed, “And of course we were gonna help. Dustin alone would have been insufferable if we hadn’t.”

Robin laughed too, “Yeah, that boy can get Steve to do anything he wants, I swear. Have you seen their secret handshake yet?”

Steve rolled his eyes, “Dustin put a stop to that before he started high school, apparently it’s too childish to keep doing.”

“Damn, sounds like it would’ve been revolutionary to see. King Steve doing a dorky handshake.” Eddie teased.

“As if the pats and slaps the basketball team does are any different. Dustin’s was just more fun.” Steve huffed, “Are we gossiping over how we got each other through that shit or going to watch a film?”

Eddie grinned at him, shaking his head, “I’ve got stuff to say first.”

Steve gestured around the room, “Then the floor is yours, what do you want to share.”

“My gratitude, yes to Robin as well, but mostly to you. You might not have been the most willing to help from the start but you did anyway, and you did everything you could to keep me feeling okay. You’re worlds better than I ever imagined you could be and then when you could have just dropped me off home you not only let me stay but got Wayne to as well. And it’s wonderful.” Eddie had stood and faced Steve as if he was actually making a speech or a toast at a wedding. “If I was better at cooking I’d offer to make you dinner every night, but instead, let me take you out to dinner soon, Enzo’s maybe, to thank you for all you’ve done.”

Robin gasped at the offer, hands shooting up to cover her mouth and Steve raised an eyebrow at that, before running Eddie’s words through his mind again.

“I’ll agree either way, but is that just a thank you dinner or is it a date, Munson?” He asked, watching Eddie’s expression carefully.

He flushed a little, hand going to tug his hair in front of his face, “So it’s okay for it to be a date? Really?”

“I’m saying now, I’ve never dated a guy before, but you are hot.” Steve cautioned, knowing from some of Robin’s rants that it was better to be honest about that, “So long as you don’t mind that I’ve got that shit to figure out still, then we can try a date.”

Eddie didn’t react for a moment, but Robin did, launching herself at him for a hug. “I’m not alone, Steve! Dingus! I’m not alone here!” She exclaimed excitedly.

“Guess not,” He laughed, “And I still say you should do exactly what Eddie just did and ask Vickie out!”

“You said yes!” Eddie blinked back into the room, latching onto Steve’s other side. “I get to date you! I’ll make it a great evening!”

With that promise made, Steve grinned but nodded at their seats. “You do that, we can sort out when tomorrow, now, I need to get food out of the oven and you can get the movie put in.”

/\/\

Three months after Steve’s Demon had closed the Upside Down and got the government to given them far more than they’d need to live comfortably for the rest of their lives, the Party decided to have a celebratory dinner. Steve offered to host it since even with the payouts he had the biggest home still.

Hopper and Joyce had insisted on being the actual hosts despite the location and with Jonathan and Murray’s help managed to get the dinner made and dining room set for everyone to be able to fit in.

Before they began to eat, Hopper stood, “Yep, this is fake formal but seriously, lets toast to Steve’s Demon. Xe has better morals than too much of humanity and all of the government. Here’s to xem!”

Everyone laughed as they reached up and down the table trying to clink all their glasses together. “To Steve’s demon.”

[11queensupreme11]

What would it be like if the Gods, adults not children, know all this about Percy being from another universe and everything he's going to have to go through and somehow they end up meeting a 12-year-old Percy? I'm talking about a Percy before the field trip to the museum with Mrs. Dotts, which is to say when he didn't know anything about the Gods.

this whole thing just reminds me of this final fantasy 7 ao3 fanfic where everyone got sent back to the past AND remembered what happened... EXCEPT CLOUD and they were all frantically planning on a way to train this poor kid on how to save the world in case sephiroth goes insane again while simultaneously not telling him cuz they didn't want him to remember all his trauma 😭😭😭

(also if anyone knows which fic this, PLEASE SEND ME THE LINK CUZ I FORGOT THE TITLE AND AUTHOR AND I WANNA READ IT AGAIN!!!!)

anyway, if they got isekai-ed to percy's universe in the past AND THEY KNOW what's gonna happen to her, they are absolutely gonna scramble for a way to get back to their universe with percy in order to prevent The Plot from happening 😭😭😭😭

like "hell fucking no my baby is NOT going through any of that!!!!" 😭😭😭😭

i can't even blame them cuz imagine finding this tiny lil 12 year old girl, the de-aged version of someone you love so very much, and KNOWING she's about to go through some traumatizing shit soon and you have the chance to save her from that? they're gonna do whatever it takes to save her from that awful fate!!

poseidon is straight up kidnapping her, getting a child leash, and tethering her to him while he frantically tries to find a way to access the bifrost and send them back home, meanwhile he's got a feral 12 year old trying to gnaw through the leash 💀

hades definitely feels bad for kidnapping her from her poor mother, BUT IT'S FOR PERCY'S OWN GOOD, HE SWEARS!!!! 🥺🥺🥺 he's absolutely not gonna go to any of the gods for help because he's seen their buffoonery and wants no part of it, so it's up to him to find a way back home!!

beelzebub's not gonna bother with a child leash, after he kidnaps her he's whipping out the cuffs again cuz those have a shorter chain AND she can't gnaw them off 💀 probably gives up on the handcuffs tho when she somehow manages to break them and ends up just lugging her around like this:

apollo's gonna be such a nervous wreck. he does NOT want to kidnap her, he would prefer it if she just comes with him willingly but it comes off SO sus like "hi there little girl! do you want some candy? i'm trying to save ur life pls trust me" and percy may be 12 but she's not STUPID, so she goes "stranger danger" and runs away and now he has no choice but to kidnap her while he tries to find a way back 😭

loki's more subtle at first. he'll kill of mrs. dodds, chiron, and grover and shapeshift to become percy's new math teacher to replace dodds. he knows he still has some time before The Plot hits, so he's not TOO panicked rn and when he's not pretending to be a math teacher, he spends his time snooping around asgard to try and figure out how their bifrost works to send them both home. killing those three ^ eliminates the whole field trip issue, but you know, Fates 💀 ofc they find a way to make The Plot keep going so yeah, loki snaps and kidnaps her to keep her safe

i promise you, ten minutes into anubis' arrival in the pjo verse, the news article "freakishly tall furry man kidnaps child from yancy academy -- local furry community claims no ties to the kidnapper" is gonna spread around like wildfire 💀 he is absolutely gonna kidnap her is probably gonna spend most of the time freaking the fuck out instead of actually trying to find a way back home

cú chulainn's got it a little harder. yes he can easily kidnap her, but he's not a god. he's been blessed with his adoptive father's abilities, but he can't like... teleport, be in multiple places at once, easily search the universe in case percy runs away, etc. so he tries to be more discreet about it like loki by killing off mrs dodds and any monsters that come percy's way. he'll try to find a way to the bifrost too, but it'll be more difficult for obvious reasons. it's once The Plot hits does he finally say fuck it and just joins her to keep her close while trying to find a way to access the norse pantheon

[holyblanchett]

i’m like that other anon and i don’t blame anyone who thinks agatha never loved rio and i hate that i can be one of them easy enough sorry!!! i don’t want to, of course i rather believe agatha loved/loves rio, but it was a choice, they wanted the idea that death loved agatha, that she was on her knees for her and they found the time (and somehow marvel ‘let’ them) to make it very clear. heart beats for her, my scar, spent centuries chasing her, lost her fucking mind in the end while asking why doesn’t she want her but agatha? even the almost kiss could be a manipulation to distract her from billy like she said she was doing, looking at rio longingly while flying, rio is hot and how good it is for her ego that death itself loves and wants her, that ‘my love’ without any kind of backstory can be easily a desperate manipulation to save her baby, the kiss their ‘breakup’ when they weren’t even together. even becoming a ghost, the show still made sure that we knew rio hated ghosts so that could be a fuck you to her ex. after everything, rio was devastated with her ‘death’ but wait she became what rio hated ha ha ha

the only thing that is telling me agatah genuine loved rio is jac schaeffer (and im only thinking loved, not even loved) but she said a lot, do I believe everything even when they make no sense and contradict themselves. i think kathryn hahn also said agatha loves rio but it could just be her headcanon who knows, she didn’t get any script saying that for sure. i still love the ship and the fics, and at least there i can believe they love each other

when i think about jac schaeffer saying that there will be other chapters for agathario when she knows it won’t be i just feel mad. maybe there will be a wiccan show, there’s probably even a decent chance but they couldn’t bother with their relationship in agatha’s show, to actually believe that they will give us those ‘chapters’ in a show where she’s billy’s sidekick full of new characters that are connected to billy and with aubrey plaza nowhere near is madness

This tea is piping hot oomfs. It's such a shame that people feel that way. The fact that Rio knew Agatha was manipulating her to distract her from Billy makes me want to to storm marvel HQ. I mentioned earlier that jac even said in an interview that Agatha often uses her body to get what she wants. So it can be hard for people that don't over analyze everything like we do to be kind of confused.

The writers made it very clear there is absolutely no chance of them getting back together. Which i understand but like damn you didn't have to destroy their relationship like that. I would have been more satisfied if they talked and then went their separate ways tbfh.

Everything about how this ship was handled makes me want to crash out as time goes by. But I refuse to let them take anything else from me 😭 back to ao3 I go.

[sailorvenusxoxo]

Full Celebration

Fandom: Rivals

Pairing: Tony Baddingham x Reader

Summary: The second part of "Half-Celebration". You threatened Tony with a good time, and a hint of a dominance streak. But now, in the intimacy of your place, the rest of the celebration for Corinium's success can take place...

Warnings: Smut, fem!reader (but no she/her pronouns), cunnilingus, fellatio, vaginal sex, grinding, mirror sex, slight femdom, switching

Word count: 2.7k

a/n: hey everyone! Due to some people asking it, I published a part 2, which is also on Ao3! If you have any requests, I'm willing to try, and obviously, any constructive criticism is welcomed! <3 Also, I apologise in advance, English is NOT my first language. Lots of love 🫶🏻

Were you excited? Antsy? Apprehensive? 

Hehe, of course you were.

Giving blue balls to Lord Tony Baddingham, your own boss, and also coincidentally your lover, was an enormous thrill, and a massive ego boost. You still remembered the way his face scrunched in pure frustration, as he had realised the intent of your visit to his office, and the sound of his growl, almost ready to pounce on you, and prolong the celebration on the carpet of his office.

As you looked at yourself in your fancy golden lined mirror, checking your appearance for the last time, you nodded your head in approval at your reflection.

You knew what was coming tonight. Perhaps a shitstorm, due to the little dominant streak that had taken over you earlier that day. Would there be a reverse, where he’d take back his usual dominant role, and… perhaps… punish you, for today’s boldness? Or maybe he simply loved your confidence and sudden dominance, and he’d reluctantly ask for more?

Either way, both scenarios seemed equally as enticing. You felt yourself already slightly flush at the idea, and you scrunch your face, trying to make it go away. You added some more blush to make it seem like you had just forced on it. It was simply horrendous, when Tony mocked you and infantilised you for your blush.

As you dusted your lounge outfit once more, the door opened. Tony never rang. “Why would I? My bloody name’s on it, and I pay the rent.”, he’d always retort, whenever you scoffed at him for it. Which you always did, because no matter the fact he payed it, or the fact his name was on the papers, you were the one living there. You loved your privacy, and your precious alone time in this fancy flat, after a long day of working and asserting yourself at Corinium. And, Tony almost felt like a jumpscare, when he barged at 10pm, grumbling about work and his home life, while you were all wrapped up for bed, with your homemade mask, hair rolled up, and nestled in your favourite jumper.

Though… Something that you tried not to acknowledge, to not give your affair too much of an emotional importance, but Tony usually never mentioned your attire. He’d just sit next to you on the couch, loosen his tie, and rant to you about everything that annoyed him, while he’d steal some of your snacks.

A part of you was annoyed by it, but another part could not help but find it… endearingly domestic.

Still, he came in, and saw you facing your reflection. Your eyes met in the mirror, and you tilted your head at him, face playfully stoic, as your hands went on your hips. He smirked to himself, rolling his eyes, as he snickered.

“Yes, yes, I know. ‘Knock before coming in’... You need to stop saying it like that, you make me sound like a nosy mum…”

You rolled your eyes, still facing the mirror, as he slowly walked to you, his expensive shoes echoing on the wooden floor. As you were about to open your mouth again, to notify him that, unlike him, you did not have a cleaning lady, and did the moping yourself (which translated to: ‘take off your shoes.’), he stood behind you, putting his large skinny hands on your hips, his eyes going from your actual face, to your eyes in the reflection of the mirror.

He smirked again, and whispered to your ear, meeting your eyes in the mirror.

“Admiring yourself, starlet? Hosting your own little show?”

You huffed softly, before pinching your lips, as his chapped lips started to pepper some kisses on your neck. Alright, you had gotten the vibe. You had your dominant streak earlier, but he was taking control back again. A part of you felt a bit disappointed, but not too much. You still enjoyed yourself very much, when he dominated you. Though… that spark you felt, with your heel on his forehead, his face stuck between your thighs, putty in your hands… That was something. But, oh well. It was nice enough while it lasted-

“You know… I have to admit, your little bit earlier was interesting.”

He suddenly murmured into your ear, his teeth nibbling on your lobe. Your pulse accelerated, and not just because of the sensual nibbling. He had enjoyed it? Because, that was basically what he meant. Clearing your throat, you decided to test the waters.

“...If you actually enjoyed it, you can just say it like that, instead of playing the cryptic card…”

You muttered, your voice a bit lower than usual. You heard him chuckle, before his grip on your hips tightened.

“...Maybe I did. Maybe it stirred something.”

He whispered back, pressing a kiss to the skin of your neck, below your ear.

“Seeing you like this… All dominant, confident… you looked gorgeous, starlet. Like a bloody goddess, sculpted out of my bare hands…”

He praised, his left hand slowly going from your hip to your chest, and cupping your left breast. You let out a soft gasp, leaning your head back against his shoulder.

“...You know Tony… You paid for my flat, got me this job, believed in me… And I’m very grateful.”

You started, your voice a hushed murmur.

“But… No matter what, don’t forget that my bloody talent got me there. Got us there. You wouldn’t have believed in me, and lavished in such expenses, if I hadn’t been that fucking good back then, on the NBC. Corinium wouldn’t have such high rates, if it weren’t for me and all the work I pour into your company.”

His eyes looked to yours in the mirror, slightly taken aback, as you continued, your right hand reaching behind you, to take a hold of his crotch.

“The praise is nice to hear, Tony. But don’t forget who you also owe some of your success to.”

You murmur, staring right into his eyes, through the reflection. His eyes widened slightly. For a second, you got slightly apprehensive. Would he be turned off by this dirty talk turned quite personal? Would he ignore it, and get back to his dominant persona, or even worse, and just walk away? 

But to your surprise and relief, he kept on looking into your eyes, lust clouding his dark brown eyes. The hand that rested on your left breast suddenly twitched, as he rolled your nipple between his fingers, through your shirt. Your eyes widened, as you let out a soft moan, still looking at his reflection.

“Is that right? I should be more grateful, more thankful? Get on my knees, perhaps, to praise and thank the almighty producer?”

Tony growled, his voice betraying pure arousal. Gosh, this was your shot. Your chance.

“As a matter of fact, yes.”

You retorted, your face slightly more stoic, your back still pressed against his chest.

“Get on your knees. Thank me dutifully, and make me feel appreciated.”

You ordered, your voice low, pressing your hand harder on his crotch, as he let out a groan. You put both your hands on the furniture before you, still looking at the mirror, as you felt Tony slipping your pants down, getting on his knees.

He peppered harsh kisses on your backside, almost nibbling at the flesh his teeth could access, while playing with your underwear.

Tony’s enthusiasm was almost feverish, as his long fingers harshly slipped your underwear off you, and you gripped the furniture.

Tony Baddingham. On his knees. For you.

You had to see that.

You turned around, slightly startling him, before hooking a leg around his neck, colliding his face to your core. His dark eyes looked up to yours, as you simply murmured.

“Shut it. Eat me out, that’s it. Last time wasn’t long enough.”

His eyes squinted again, as he gripped the flesh of your thighs with his hands, completely devouring you.

His tongue, like it did earlier that day, lapped all around your sensitive area, before he decided to ignore your instruction to make it last, as he suckled on your clit, his tongue flicking on it, as he messily rubbed his mouth and chin all over.

He was ravenous, like a starved man, discovering his first drop of water.

Your back arched, and this time, you could gasp and cry out of pleasure as much as you wanted, with no fear of being heard. You looked back at him, flushed, panting, chest heaving.

“That’s right… keep going, you better not stop…”

You growled softly, hooking your right leg tighter, to nestle his face further into your most intimate place. In the corner of your eye, as he was busy working on you, you noticed the red kitten heels you had worn today.

As you looked to the powerful Corinium CEO on his knees for you, an idea came to your mind. You shifted slightly, to sit for support on the furniture, before slipping your left foot in your heel.

Discreetly, you sneaked your left foot along Tony’s thigh, caressing his inner thigh with the point of your heel. He gripped your skin harder, his mouth now almost suckling harder, as you groaned.

“Easy…”

You mumbled to him, before your left heel harshly pressed into his groin. He let out a startled gasp, as you pressed your heel even more. His eyes looked to yours, as he started to moan, his lips parting, as he licked them in a hurry, trying to talk.

“You fucking little-”

He started, before you interrupted.

“Shut your fucking mouth. Take what I give you, and get back to work.”

You snapped, gripping his hair with a hand, shoving his face back between your thighs, as he moaned loudly at your dominance, his hips now bucking into your foot, shamelessly mumbling words against your soaking core.

“So fucking gorgeous, look at you… All wet, for me to devour…”

He groaned, almost humping your foot, as you felt yourself slowly coming undone. The pressure was building up, and you just loved to see him like this.

Just like it happened earlier, you came against his mouth, as he shamelessly slurped everything.

Still shaking, you unhooked your right leg, and pulled your left foot away from his groin.

He looked up to you, still on his knees, as he weakly chuckled, licking his lips.

“...Are you gonna leave me all blue balls again?”

He murmured, as you shook your head, slowly.

“...No. You took good care of me. You deserve a….little reward.”

You murmured, before joining him on the floor.

There, you unbuckled his belt, looking into his eyes, who looked as eager and dark as earlier that day.

His erection sprung out, you made a gesture with your chin.

“Up on your feet.”

You ordered him, to which he executed himself. He stood up, taking the same furniture you did as support.

Then, with his crotch facing you, you decided it wasn't just going to be any blowjob. But simply a way to have him surrender even more.

You licked his leaking tip, teasingly, before pressing a chaste kiss on his tip.

He shivered, gripping the furniture harder.

“F-Fuck…”

He grumbled, as you peppered chaste kisses all over his hard length.

“Feels good, huh?”

You murmured.

“Torturous, almost… my lips on you, but not exactly like usual…”

He groaned again, looking down at you.

“For fucks sake, just hurry…”

You snicker, shaking your head, before your kisses moved to his sack.

“Oof… so full… Were you really that excited, earlier?”

You mocked him, before licking a stripe on it, as he let out a sharp gasp.

The stripe soon turned into a suckle, before it turned into a full blown slow sucking of his balls, as your hand worked on his length.

You pulled away for a bit, as he panted, already moaning and shaking his head, before you lubed your hand with your spit.

You got back to stroking his length, before wrapping your lips around his tip, fully putting it in your mouth. You softly sucked on it, before you tried to take more and more of him in your throat, trying your best to mix all the elements that made a blowjob acceptable.

Breath through your nose, press your thumb into your palm to not gag, and bobbing your head softly, deciding to continue in this teasing trajectory, to drive him insane.

And god, was it working.

He was moving his hips, thrusting into your mouth, loudly moaning.

“F-Fuck, starlet! Just like that, I swear t-to god… Fuck yeah, that’s right…”

He groaned. You kept on sucking him for a while, slowly, teasingly slow, as tears of pleasure and eagerness pooled in his eyes.

Seeing this, you pulled away, smirking, satisfied. You had brought Tony Baddingham to tears. Tears.

As you stood up, smug and proud, he grabbed your hips, to your surprise, and turned you back to the mirror.

Your eyes widened, before he looked to your reflection, looking like a mess, and murmured into your ear.

“That’s what I wanted… see you in all your glory, before making you come undone like a proper little mess, clenching around my cock…”

You blinked, and suddenly, his plan and intentions became clearer.

He wanted for you to dominate him again, a bit more, to rile him up to no end, so he could dominate you in return. An endless fight for dominance, that sounded simply divine.

“...Yeah? Think you can do that?”

You managed to say to his reflection, as he wrapped an arm around your waist, hoisting one of your knees on the furniture below the mirror.

Tony looked to your eyes in the reflection, and murmured.

“...Y’know I can. Don’t act coy.”

He grumbled, as he bit softly on his neck, leaving a soft mark. He continued by saying something that unfortunately always made your stomach churn in desire.

“You’re gonna look at that bloody mirror, while I wreck you, Starlet. You’re gonna make the hottest movie ever for me, aren't ya? Be my pretty little star for the night, while I thrust into you with no mercy? I want to see you… all putty in my hands, moaning, shaking, flushing… that clear, starlet?”

You shivered at his crude, harsh, but so exciting words. You nodded, pinching your lips.

“...Okay.”

You murmured.

Tony gripped your hips, before lining himself up with you, the tip of his cock finding your entrance. Finally doing so, he slowly entered you, letting your warmth wrap him and suck him into yourself, as your moans both echoed.

“Fuck…”

You murmured, enjoying the sensations of your two bodies connecting. Soon enough, after a minute of slow thrusting, to linger around and enjoy the feeling, his thrusts grew harsher, faster, as his grip on your hips grew harder.

“F-Fuck… that’s it, starlet… take it, do your pretty little moans for me, princess…”

Tony groaned, his mouth attacking your neck, as you looked at your messy reflection in the mirror.

Your breasts were out of the shirt, as Tony’s hand went to cup one, your eyes were pooling with tears, and your lips were parted, letting out the precious sounds Tony craved.

“A-Argh… just like that, damn it… just like that…”

You groaned, praising him, as you moved his hips too, one of your hand going to your clit, to play with it, and heighten the sensations.

“So fucking gorgeous… look at you, starlet, shining like a pretty little star…”

Tony murmured, with an amused smile, as you slightly chuckled as well. Indeed, you were shining, but due to sweat. Not for some other romantic or poetic reasons.

Minutes passed, with Tony’s endless thrustings, his lips on your neck, a hand cupping your breast, squeezing it, pinching the nipple… and all of those stimulation, added to the visual stimulation of seeing the whole spectacle as a front row spectator, was just euphoric.

Without any warning, you clenched around Tony, your back arching, your toes curling, as you let out a hoarse cry.

“A-Ah, Fuck!”

You cried out, as Tony joined you shortly after. In a post orgasmic bliss, his hips kept on slowly thrusting, to ride the waves of both your orgasms.

He peppered kisses on your neck, soft ones this time.

“...You were amazing.”

He mumbled, looking at your reflection.

“...You always were, and always will be, starlet.”

He added.

And as you looked at your reflection, wrecked but happy, and thought back of your professional and sexual accomplishments, you concluded that….

Yes, indeed. You were amazing, and always will be.

[ppushable]

Fanfic writer interview

tysm for the tag eb! sorry i took so long getting to it. i swear it was screaming at me from the drafts the whole time

How many work do you have on AO3?

4! (but one of them doesn’t really count because it’s a test)

What's your total AO3 word count?

84,177

What are your top 5 stories by kudos/likes?

two ibuprofen - 92 notes

low tide - 44 notes

just us - 26 notes

ofcwbo - i’m not sure but she’s definitely at the bottom

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

yes i do! i love that people take the time and effort to do this and i want to show my gratitude always. they didnt have to comment but they did. fics are so personal as well imo, seeing what other people have to say about it is. i’m not sure how to describe it but it makes me want to yell into a pillow.

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

ofcwbo will have the edgiest ending, but since i haven’t actually finished any of my (posted) fics other than just us, it has to take the title by default. (it does have a very angsty ending though. and an angsty beginning and middle)

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

using the above logic, just us by default….? (it would be anything in the rose tinted hours collection (that being two ibu or low tide (for now (👁️)) because that’s my happiness and i shall keep angst away from it with a 10 km pole)

Do you write crossovers?

nope

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

nope! if that happens i’ll wither and die

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

no

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i know of!

Have you ever had a fic translated?

nope!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

oh dear god. my origin story

back in my reddit phase (i was like 13? leave me alone) i made art for a fandom which mustn’t be named and met another person there. we became friends (stranger danger, i know, i’m smarter now) and somehow we started writing fic. it went pretty well, they would make most of the plot and the chapter outline and i would go in and edit it to make it make sense. we had a good run, all things considered. we then moved on to another fandom (read: they dragged me into another fandom) and we wrote for that one as well, except this time i got the opportunity to write my own chapters with my own ocs. that’s when i started realizing how nice and cool this was.

if youre seeing this, J, hi.

What's your all-time favorite ship?

jean and i. alternatively, me and jean (YEAH FOR SELFSHIP DELULU I LOVE BEING INSANE)

What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

i don’t have such weaknesses. i WILL finish all my wips.

(ofcwbo. it’s going to drag on forever. deep inside a part of me wants to be realistic and say that it’s a little unrealistic for me to actually get down everything i wanted in a way that satisfies me. maybe i dont even WANT to finish it, because the fic has been such a comfort in the back of my mind for so long that the idea of it suddenly. terminating. is terrifying. maybe i’m overthinking it. i just dont want that world in my head to die, whether that be by fading away quietly or suddenly coming to an end.)

What are your writing strengths?

toughie. i think my descriptions are solid, as well as getting into the mc’s head (but that can just be attributed to the first person pov thing aha).

What are your writing weaknesses?

planning whatever i’m trying to write - i dont control it, it infects my brain and hands and forges its own way. i’m also not a huge fan of proofreading (this mostly applies to the earlier chapters of ofcwbo (i get embarrassed)). i also have a tendency to repeat a certain phrase or metaphor in a fic without realizing it. sequences of actions are hard to write too.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

i try not to do it too much because it can be confusing and having to translate/provide a translation can break the flow. but i do like adding in little phrases sometimes based on my hcs for what languages the characters speak

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

i’m not sure i have one. i’m deep in the bowels of jean/reader purgatory and i don’t see a way out

What's your favorite fic you've written?

just us. <3

@firefly--bright no pressure (yes pressure)

Fanfic writer interview

Thank you @thelettersfromnoone for the tag!! 💖

How many work do u have on AO3?

3, not your local AO3 girlie lmao

What's your total AO3 word count?

8 534

Your top 5 stories by kudos/likes

I'll go with Tumblr ones, cause from my 3 AO3 works the biggest number I got is 31 lmao

Anyone but you (Legolas x f!reader)

Night watch (Legolas x Reader)

Well-deserved rest (Haldir x f!Reader)

One messy night (Boromir x f!Reader)

Transition (Haldir x f!Reader)

Honorable mention (since it's not fics but headcanons)

Green Council receiving a hot pic from you (HotD)

TLK men's reaction on being pet named

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I always try to respond to comments! These little things are brightening up my day, so I wanna let the people know that they are my heroes hahaha

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

I really think it's Transition. All in all it's a pretty dark story, a bit depressing I think (I had these intentions while writing at least).

Otherwise, I don't think I have angsty endings fics?

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

New family members for sure!! Was thinking hard what to choose, cause I think all of my happy ending fics are on the pretty same level on a happy scale, but I remember that I have this gen, non romantic baby and I love it so much ❤️‍🩹 There's a little TLK OMC for y'all

Do you write crossovers?

I wanted to say I've never done this BUT THEN!!! My Assassin's Creed (Ezio) x LOTR little headcanon!!! My beloved child!!

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

No, not that I remember getting any hate on my fics

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do, tho not much and on rare occasions. I used to write a lot of smut when I was younger (a teen), then I stopped being comfortable with it for a wild few years (tho reading never made me uncomfortable lmao).

Now I started writing smut again, idk what kind? Don't really understand what does that mean lol F x M traditional sex? Pretty detailed? If so, then yes lmao

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't know 😂 Maybe, maybe not. I think rather not.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not to my knowledge, I don't think so.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

We tried with my friend a long long time ago. Didn't go well lmao It's hard and kinda stressing, cause you never know what the other person is gonna write (at least we had this SURPRISE system), so... You kinda have zero plot cause everything you want to write plot-wise can be ruined by the second person's plot lmao

What's your all-time favorite ship?

Athelnar?? Athelstan and Ragnar were my first ever OTP (quickly followed by Alfred and Uhtred). You could never beat that Athelnar shit out of my body lmao I've never written for them, but oh I do love them boys!

What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

Now, that's the HARSH one lmao

I think I have at least 3 OC stories that I really wanna write (2 for TLK and one for LOTR), but I'm scared that I will never actually do it. I never was good with multi chaptered stories, and these are indeed not a one shots 🥲

What are your writing strengths?

Ugh... I don't know? I think I was pretty good with dialogues and descriptions of the surroundings to build the atmosphere. But... I guess it's not for me to decide but for the readers?

What are your writing weaknesses?

I rarely finish what I've started lmao I should write everything in one go or else I'll never finish it... Or will finish it in two months even if it's a 2k words one shot

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I love them! I've only done it with my LOTR fics (with Sindarin) but I really love it. But I really love it when the language is different from the language of the settings? Like, if the story is happening in England and everyone is English, but you have two characters who can speak idk Dutch, let them have a Dutch language in their dialogue. I had a rant post about it not that long ago actually lmao You have to think about your in-universe language

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

Ahhh Bungou Stray Dogs! I love them, and I'd gladly try to write something for them. Not a character/character but reader my beloved.

And maybe Stephane Narcisse (reign) my beloved and a reader

What's your favorite fic you've written?

The blood on my hands (Eomer) and Peace (Finan) are definitely my fave ones I think. They are dark and both explore some trauma

No pressure tags: @whitedarkmoonflower @lord-aldhelm @holy3cake @gemini-mama @emilyhufflepufftlk @persephones-journey @solinarimoon @mrsalwayswrite @emmanuellececchi @bilbotargaryen @levithestripper @mrsarnasdelicious @paula-in-dreamland

[littledreamling]

🍦!!! i know u like your angst but there must be a sweet fic somewhere 👀

🍦 What's the sweetest fic you've created so far?

You're right, I do like my angst lmao

The sweetest fic I've ever written has to be either In Sickness and In Health (Sandman) or 10,000 Emerald Pools (Our Flag Means Death)! Both are very fluffy, very sweet fics (and show my range, if I do say so myself, because they are both a far cry from the angst I usually lean towards)

From this ask game!

[rouge-fauna]

I think you’re talking about these posts [here & here], I don’t know if there have been others.

I'm not gonna say what I did was right, you are correct I should probably just not respond to asks getting me to talk about other people. I will say for these two posts those people had already blocked me I’m pretty sure, so it’s kinda hard to talk directly to them in that case. And I was not doing so anonymously and had not blocked them so I wasn’t hiding what I was saying. I did not follow them, I am not part of the innitor community, and not that that makes it right but I do think it is kinda different. Though you make a good point, perhaps we should stop this pattern of responding to asks about other blogs and such.

Still, the biggest thing to me I realized, back in elementary school when I first dealt with this, was that honestly all the time we talk about people behind their back. Talking about people when they aren’t always in the room is kinda just inevitable and part of socializing, however I think the important part is how you are talking about other people. It’s when you are insulting them, talking negatively about them to people they know, spreading false information and so on that it becomes not okay. Hopefully that makes sense.

In these cases I merely focused on the lore. I didn’t insult them or talk shit about them, as a person, as a blog or say their takes were stupid or they are stupid or speculate about their trauma or mental history. I just talked about reasons why I disagreed, or saw things differently and why we might see things differently. They were also not the only ones I saw to say similar things so I think in my mind I was making more of a general discussion, not trying to target them specifically. I didn’t post beyond that about them. But you are right, regardless it was probably not the right way to go about things.

But just to be clear, if I am a hypocrite it is not my intention. I haven’t vague blogged anyone or meant to vague reblog anyone. I think this week is pretty much the first time I’ve ever been not naming, passive aggressively talking about blogs, and even then I’m not trying to insult them, trying to cancel them. I’m just expressing that before you go off about how I’m stupid and unable to have a discussion about it, the very least you could’ve done was give me an opportunity to try.

[thatrandomlemononyourcounter1]

I love making aus that no one asked for

[monty-glasses-roxy]

I've noticed I seem to be the only one on Tumblr that actually talks about Roxy specifically. I feel like that can't be true yet I've so rarely seen it anywhere

Like maaan I'm sat here thinking about the possibilities of what Glitchtrap would learn getting control of Mimic's security node Roxy and yet I've basically never seen anyone else mention it. This is actual canon that she's Mimic's security node. It's implied an entire team of people from the Raceway died to Mimic and that she's keeping the Raceway closed on purpose.

Did no one else notice? Or am I just not seeing the other people talking about it?

[novuit]

I feel like I decorate my tumblr blog theme for fun because I can't visit my site unless I use a VPN which is really weird.

[pinksilvace]

the inexplicable urge to see one's favorite character as a Creature

[burinazar]

It's a bit funny that to parts of my circles I'm 'the fandom one'/'the fanfic one'/'the shipping one' as the person they know most prominently into such things

because as much as i love writing my fics and shipping my ships my interest in both of those things is, I think, very narrow and specific compared to most people who are into them? due to my habits being like. very particular