#I probably watched this trailer 20 times

[stevethehairington]

heck yeah 20th book of the year is FINISHED!!!

[televinita]

Just watched 65 and am now 65 (million?) times madder about Adam Driver being cast in it, because while on the one hand it loses some points for being overly invested in gross-out content and PG-13 gore, on the other hand it is stacked with ALL OF MY FAVORITE THINGS:

Opening scene: snuggling on the beach with your wife while you fondly look on at your daughter and Woefully discuss the necessity of your impending leave

GIRLDAD

Foster Girldad -- must keep the orphan child alive, She Is Now My Only Purpose

No extraneous characters, it’s just all these 2 all the time, aside from scene 1 and brief video clips

Would you like a nasty abdominal wound and some field doctoring with requisite grimacing through the pain

What about additional injuries and field doctoring as we go

Angst connected to precious video clips of the daughter you haven��t seen face to face in over a year

So. Much. Peril.

DINOSAURS

Fewer dinosaurs than you would think and also a really blatant level of “listen our dinosaur budget is Limited, we can’t just be showing them for extended periods all willy-nilly,” but still DINOSAURS.

I Would Die For You, I Would Kill For You

Comfort hugging

Tears

So little time wasted on setup or context or explaining what is happening. Full “somehow, Palpatine returned” to get to the good stuff. (did I use that right? idk the original context). 

(It does harm the story somewhat to be this confused -- like, this is definitely not Good Writing, despite the DVD cover proudly and specifically touting the pedigree of its writers -- but then you’re just constantly distracted by Danger, Hurt/Comfort, or Dinosaurs, so in practice what this means is I was glued to the screen and not once was I tempted to read so much as a page from my book.)

Did I mention that the girl reminds me of Maisie Lockwood, which did not hurt in the slightest.

But I can’t fully enjoy any of that with Adam “Ratface” Driver at the center of it. Literally spent this entire movie just baffled as to how it was doing EVERYTHING I LOVE IN A STORY, OVER AND OVER, and losing my mind about how much more I could have loved it if they had just cast. like. anyone else.

[burnyouwithacigarettelighter]

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT ─── cillian murphy ✧𖦹

ೃ⁀➷ “I am turned inside out by the ache in your voice, the taste of your tongue." — ‘Afternoon Masala: Poems’, Vandana Khanna

pairing. cillian murphy x actor!reader

summary. you and your co-star, cillian, are having a hard time performing a sex scene for your movie. they do say, however, practice makes perfect.

warnings. swearing, thigh-riding, creampie, p in v, unprotected sex, mentioned/implied age gap, probably inaccurate depictions of actor-life, mirror sex, slight breeding kink, kinda innocent reader(?), AU cillian murphy (not married/no kids), SMUT UNDER THE CUT! 

word count. 4.5k

a/n. this is not in any way meant to disrespect cillians wife😭 i js made this a not married AU to be convenient!

i.

“Cut - cut, cut!” The director repeated, his increasing irritation colouring his voice completely. “Now, I said it earlier, but—“

You scrubbed your face with a sigh, getting up off of Cillian and the desk, who was propping himself up by the elbows. “It’s not passionate enough,” you finished flatly for your director, who nodded earnestly. 

“I promise, this is as tiring for me as it is for you. Remember,” the director continued, the script half curled in his hands and making a thin flapping noise, “it’s the culmination of six months of pining. Six months of taboo, unrelenting, electric tension. Nothing more than stares in class and brief touches- you are supposed to be bordering feral for one another.”

You, and your co-star, Cillian, were currently filming the first sex scene of a movie portraying the forbidden, toxic love affair between a barely 18 teenage student and her much older teacher. Well, not exactly filming- you weren’t getting far with the scene, for the two of you just couldn’t get it right. Or, as the director liked to say, passionate enough. 

The role was already incredibly taxing, even without the added stress of the sex scene: it was 20 hour work days, living on set in a trailer far from home, having to devote at least half of those hours to filming this very sex scene, and had a perfectionist director like yours. 

The problem was that it was long, and the director wanted it done in one take. Brilliant man, he was, and had a love for this project you wished every director had for theirs, but he was adamant on it being done perfectly. He said it was intended to be the “primary and most iconic” scene of the entire film, for it was the crux of the story; the point of no return for the characters. 

“With all due respect, I’ve never imagined such a scenario, much less had experience. Just how can you expect me to portray a student-teacher romance accurately?“

“That’s your job: to imagine and perform.” The director demanded, obviously up to his ears in frustration.

Just before you retorted irately, Cillian cut in smoothly. “I think what she means,” he said, watching the veins in the director’s forehead nearly burst, “is that it’s hard to perform because it’s not common. S’easy to act in love because there’s love all around, yeah? We don’t have much to go off of, visually.”

The director’s gaze rapidly flitted between you and Cillian for a moment, before letting go of his anger and sighing wearily. “You’ve never even thought about a superior that way? Someone older than you?” he pressed, obviously joking and trying to lighten the set’s mood. 

You paused, and tried not to look at Cillian, your blatantly gorgeous forty-something co-star who was chosen for this role firstly, because of his stellar acting and secondly, because of how fucking attractive he was. 

His character was a total fucking creep, and you knew casting Cillian had been a calculated choice; all in the name of making the audience’s guard come down to be smacked in the face by his immorality later. He was meant to be charming, handsome, and terribly, totally, off-limits: the object of completely forbidden desire, the line your character was desperate to cross. 

It seemed the same in real life, too: the young inexperienced actress wanting to ignore those societal niceties and pine wholeheartedly over the middle-aged actor with decades of knowledge under his belt. 

You weren’t, like, in love or anything, but you certainly reveled in his presence: he was patient, kind, and completely understanding of your lack of experience, always guiding you through all the steps an actor takes during filming like when to take off hair and makeup, what best to say to family and friends prying for details- all the things, he said, he wished someone told him when he was first starting out. 

You were afraid you two had unknowingly fallen into a mentor-mentee dynamic, but there were always those spare moments, between hearty fits of laughter and silly conversation that you’d never expected to come from such an intimidating man as Cillian, where his rough hands would brush past your waist, gaze dragging up and down your body, sounding sensual and provocative despite nothing dirty leaving his mouth at all. 

He made your insides pulse, especially when your more intimate scenes came about, and you could only have a lusting woman’s pipedream that he felt the same. 

You still remember the first sequence you’d done with him: in the movie, your characters met after-class to make up for a missed exam, and it was the start of their corrupt attraction. Cillian had been pressed against your back, leaning over you to pressuringly peer at the test, large hand gripping your shoulder. The air felt steamy then, his body warm, low voice making you feel lightheaded as he recited his lines. 

You shivered at the remembrance of the moment, coming back to reality, and you answered the director’s question with a vehement shake of the head. 

The director let out a (strained) laugh, and smacked his palm lightly with the script, shoulders slumping. “Okay. Okay, we’ll - we’ll break for today. Take this extra time to imagine, research, anything- just practice the scene, alright? Practice makes perfect.” 

You and Cillian nodded simultaneously, giving eachother a look that just screamed “he’s ridiculous” before tearing away from each other's stare to return to your trailers. 

Later, you were getting ready to go to bed, peeling your freshly showered hair out of a small towel, when there was a knock at your trailer door. 

“One second,” you called out, pulling on your silk sleep shorts. You vaguely registered how awkward it might be to be seen in your pajamas if the director or one of your fellow actors came about, but you were way too tired to care. 

You did care, however, self-consciously crossing your arms and covering your thinly-clothed chest, when you opened the door and there on the steps stood your co-star, Cillian.

Before speaking, he looked you up and down, icy blue eyes gleaming behind an unfamiliar pair of tortoise shell frames. “You goin’ to bed?” he finally asked, tone husky. 

His gaze lingered on the bare skin of your legs for a few seconds longer and you shifted uncomfortably, crossing your ankles together in a poor attempt to hide yourself. 

“What do you need?” you asked briskly, more sharp than you meant it to be. 

“Sorry,” he corrected himself, shaking his head and finally looking you in the eye. “I meant’a come by earlier… got caught up. I know this, ah, sex scene is tripping us up, so…” he trailed off, lifting up the white script he’d been holding behind his back. “Y’up for some practice?”

You blinked rapidly at the simple, innocent request. Mere rehearsal, not some lecherous late-night escapade you’d been dreaming up in your mind. “Oh… yes, of course,” you nodded numbly, moving out of the way to let him step in. 

Only moments later, when he’d perched onto the edge of your vanity — looking uniquely casual in what you assumed was his version of pajamas: baggy gray sweatpants and a fitted, well-worn black t-shirt — did you realize the connotations of rehearsing your sex scene. 

Sure, it was all pre-determined, every word you’d say and every action you’d perform, but still. Saying- and doing, such suggestive things after-hours? That was beyond your dirtiest fantasies.

However, you shook yourself internally: Cillian had come to rehearse the scene with professional intentions. Honestly, he’d probably done so because he was tired of you messing up the scene. He could do his own part masterfully, and you knew that if it’d been a better, more experienced actress by his side, filming would’ve moved on ages ago. 

You took shaky, tentative steps near him, settling on your bed, watching him flip through the script— when he looked up and frowned. 

“What’re you doing? Come here,” he gestured for you to come closer, almost a command. “We don’t have a desk, so we can use your vanity.”

You nodded, biting your lip and nervously complying with his words. “So, we’ll start from the beginning?” you asked, your voice -- and legs -- suddenly feeling terribly weak.

His eyes were still trained on the paper as he answered. “Not necessarily. The sex part s’really the only thing we’re having trouble with, yeah?” 

You gulped, throat dry. “Yeah, I guess so.” 

With that, he chanced one last look at the script, before diving into the scene. His actions were ones you were extremely familiar with, having attempted this scene everyday for at least a week now. 

His body turned to yours, hands coming up to your jaw, and pressing your back onto the table slightly. He held you tightly, and made you look at him, while delivering his lines softly, memorable Irish accent replaced by his character’s generic American one.

Jiltedly, you did the same, poorly remembering what you needed to say and dragging through it like some amateur. “Fuck, sorry,” you cursed suddenly, tearing away from his touch and sighing. 

He gave you a small, careful smile, immediately breaking out of character and taking a step away from the vanity. “No need t’be nervous. Practice makes perfect, right?” 

You snorted at his quoting of the director. “I just… I don’t know what he means by passionate. I’m trying to be professional about this but - but I’ve seriously never been in some steamy love-affair.”

“Can’t really expect that of you, can we? You’re too young, too much’ve a good girl for that kinda ‘ting.” He said, hand coming up to your shoulder, the one where your silk tanktop’s spaghetti strap had slipped off, rubbing it soothingly. 

You practically melted into a puddle at both the pet name and how the rough pads of his fingers brushed against your sensitive skin. You were so entranced you almost whined when he stopped and pulled up your fallen strap, but instead you wordlessly snatched the script that was dropped onto the table and found one of the lines, inhaling sharply and readying yourself. 

Your hand came up to tug on the sleeve of Cillian’s shirt, as dictated by the script. “Sir, please,” you whispered out in your character’s high pitched voice, “I - I… want you to touch me.”

“This is -- wrong. I’m your teacher, and I…” Cillian responded, swiftly back in character, the back of his palm grazing your cheek. “I gotta break your heart, darling.”

You looked up at Cillian, summoning crocodile tears to fill your gaze. “Please. I need you.” Then, one of your clammy hands ran down Cillian’s chest as you spoke, like it did back on set. “I think of you, at night. I soaked through my shorts the day you scolded me.”

You heard Cillian’s breath hitch- his character, you reminded yourself. “Fucking hell… I think of you in class, sweetheart,” he growled out perfectly. 

So far, so good, you thought. It wasn’t awkward, and was already miles better than the lackluster performances you’d given previously. You continued by leaning into Cillian’s touch, making him sit on the vanity— the part of the scene you’d gotten to this morning, before the director called cut.

This time, however, Cillian’s actions differed from the ones he was supposed to perform: instead of petting the crown of your head, his fingers trailed down your hips, sending shivers down your spine.

“I’ll be good for you, sir,” you recited, face growing hot as his hand inched closer to the curve of your ass. “You can do whatever you want to me.”

Cillian’s gaze had darkened now, flitting over your features. He didn’t say his line - or, had at least missed the timing, and you removed your hands from his body worriedly. “Are you alright—“

Before you could finish your sentence, Cillian had grabbed you by the ass, switching your places and setting you down on the edge of the vanity. 

“Cillian!“ you squeaked out, the only thing you could really say as you processed what exactly just happened. Your mind was swimming with confusion — and anticipation — as he stood before you, legs pressing on either side of your knees and trapping you on the vanity. 

“Improv,” he promised quietly in his telltale Irish accent, a sly wink appearing on his sharp features. 

You bit your lip, nodded, and repeated your line. You trusted him to guide you — and the rehearsal — because, as mentioned before, he did these kinds of things often. If he thought you’d act better if you sat on the vanity, you’d sit on the vanity. 

His hand then pet your hair, the other hand coming up to your chin and making you look up at him. “Whatever I want?” he murmured, back on track with the script. 

You bat your lashes at him. “Everything. I’m yours.”

Now, this is where you thought Cillian would stop— because after your line came the kissing and the touching and the heavy petting: all things you thus far hadn’t filmed at all, because you couldn’t even get the dialogue out right. 

Instead, he leaned down and began to press hungry kisses down your neck, making you gasp.

“What are you—“

“Shh,” he demanded softly, “it's all part of the scene, remember?”

You blinked dumbly, mouth opening and closing, unable to register a coherent thought or word. He said it was part of the scene but you’d read that script, and his teeth nipping lightly at your skin was not written anywhere within it.

But, you gulped down your thoughts, and belted out several more of your lines in tandem to his own. With his other hand gripping your thigh so tight you thought it might bruise, you were starting to think that maybe this was one of those lecherous late-night escapades you were dreaming of. 

All you’d been doing was acting, like he’d asked, but still, you could see clear as day how that’d affect him— how easily it could be to succumb. After all, you were just barely restraining yourself from jumping his bones: how could you not, with his gorgeous face just inches away from yours?

Well, acting or not, you’d enjoy every minute of this.

When one of his hands began playing with the waistband of your shorts as he suckled on your pulse, that just right spot on your neck, you couldn’t help the whimper that left your mouth. 

However, the noise seemed to startle him; jumpshock him back to reality, and your suspicions became completely confirmed when he pulled away from you roughly. 

“Fuck, I’m—“ a pained grimace washed over his features, looking you up and down like he just realized what he’d been doing. “I don’t know what came over me, I— shouldn’t… I shouldn’t have come here tonight.”

You stared at him, body disappointed at the lack of touch, watching him press his pink lips into a conflicted white line. “What - what d’you mean?”

His gaze coursed over your every feature, so intently you thought he was admiring your face. “I can’t— we can’t happen. Y’too young, you’re, you’re too…”

“Then we can stop. If that’s what you want,” you murmured coyly, hand coming up to pick a piece of thread off his thin shirt. “But only if you ask. C’mon, say it: I don’t want you and I want this to stop.”

He groaned, biting his lip. “Don’t do that. I can’t do that.”

“Do what?” You tilted your head to the side. 

“Tease. Because you know I won’t tell you to stop. ‘Cause I won’t be able to fucking control m’self,” he grumbled, before pressing a desperate, deep kiss to your lips, pulling you off the vanity and continuing down your chest.

“Then don’t. Take me for everything I have,” you whined, following his every move and manhandling touch. 

He breathed heavily between kisses. “Saying those kinds’a words with that pretty voice of yours… fuck, you’re doing things to me.” 

Your hands were trailing all over his body, and then you tugged his shirt off, desperate to feel him. He had similar thoughts, fingers dipping into your silk shorts and petting your hot mound. 

“Need you,” you panted, and, at your words, he suddenly tore off your silk shorts and panties in one clean go, making you shiver.

He then sat down on your vanity chair and roughly grabbed you by the hips to place yourself onto one of his thighs. The thick fabric of his sweatpants, taking in your wetness like a sponge, made you wince.

“Go on then,” he demanded darkly, “get y’self off on my fucking thigh. Show me how bad you need me.”

You bit your lip, face burning with shame at the order. But there was an aching need in your gut, and the way he crossed his arms, watching and waiting for you to get the hell on with it, had you clenching around his thigh.

Your hands gripped onto his shoulders, and you began slowly rutting against him, the soft fabric of his pants doing poor work for pleasuring your core. You pressed your face into his shoulder, screwed up at the lack of friction. 

“Can’t do it,” you whined, “Please.” 

He rolled his eyes. “You said you needed me. You’ve got me,” he gestured to his thigh, “so get to work.” Then, he suddenly flexed, making an unwarranted mewl leave your mouth.

You wanted nothing more than his fucking cock, but here you were, pathetically pleasuring yourself on his thigh until he allowed otherwise. You nodded resignedly, and dug your fingernails into his shoulders, starting to set a steady pace of grinding down on him, slowly building up the heat within your insides. 

You were moaning now, vigorously dragging your hips against him harder, needier, feeling the pressure in your cunt grow hotter and more rampant. 

“Y’hear that?” He asked, one of his fingers tilting your chin back up to face him. “D’you even realize how fucking delicious you sound, all needy f’me?”

You nodded, but weren’t really paying attention: you were closer than ever, just moments away from falling off the edge— when Cillian stopped you. 

“Stop,” he spoke, voice filled with sheer lust, and you whimpered at the abrupt loss of momentum. Then, he got up, holding you against him by the waist, looking down at his sweatpants. “You made such a mess… soaked all over m’pants.”

You didn’t — no, couldn’t respond to his musings, pressing your thighs together in an attempt to return friction to your needy pussy, biting down on your lip to muffle your breathy pants. 

He noticed this, however, smirking and quickly pressing you stomach down onto the vanity. You caught a glimpse of yourself for the first time since your shower, and you flushed with shame: your eyes were heavy-lidded and dilated, lips pink and slick with drool, your brows in a perpetual knit.

You looked fucking filthy, and when you felt Cillian press his thick head to your entrance, something you hadn’t noticed he’d pulled out, too enraptured in your dirty expression, you shut your eyes. 

You were suddenly so much more aware of the situation: you’d fucked yourself silly on your co-stars thigh, the co-star who was twice your age. He now knew you weren’t a talented aspiring actress, no, you were just a desperate little thing begging to be fucked. 

“Hey, hey,” He tutted in mock-disappointment, “open your eyes, and fucking watch yourself. It’ll be good for our scene.”

You whimpered helplessly, obeying him and fluttering your eyes open, as he pushed his cock past your dripping folds inch by inch. 

“Oh my god,” you cried out when he finally pressed all the way in. You felt so full, stretched to the brim with his hardened cock, so deep his balls touched your sticky clit.

“So fucking wet,” he commented, chuckling darkly behind you. You were totally slick, helping him enter you faster, but his cock was still a foreign intrusion to your inexperienced cunt: you were young, and had never been the type to “get around” — at least not with the intentions of getting fucked so much you could take any length of dick easily. 

You clenched around him, a groan leaving his mouth at the increased pressure around his cock, and he snapped into you, making you bounce forward as your lips parted with a sweet moan. 

You’d been focussed on his face, in the mirror, but Cillian’s hand suddenly tangled through your hair, grabbing a fistful of it and lifting your head to face yourself. “I told you to fucking watch yourself,” he spat, gripping your hair tightly. “you’re the reason we can’t wrap up, so do your job and fuckin’ practice.”

With that, Cillian started pounding into you, digging the rough pads of his fingers into your hip, and you would’ve protested such a fast progression — having been given barely any time to get used to his long cock — but your expression was even worse than before, if that was even possible. 

Your mouth was open, tongue out and panting like a fucking dog, your lustfully sticky spit spilling down your chin to your chest, and your eyes were rolling into the back of your head with each hearty thrust Cillian delivered you. The sounds you were making weren’t helping your embarrassment either, all unintelligible mewls and needy whines for his cock. 

“You’ve wanted me for so long, haven’t you? I always knew what a filthy desperate girl you were, pressing up against me during shooting… those naughty hands on my thighs,” he snickered. 

“Needed you in me so bad,” you whimpered, nodding enthusiastically, barely able to register what you were doing now with the pleasure washing over you and clouding your senses. Your back was arching into him, sucking in his cock and never wanting him to leave despite the mind-breaking ecstasy that was coming from his pounding. 

“Just look at your dirty fuckin’ face… so pathetic.” he murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to your cheek; sweet and lovely, a stark juxtaposition to his unrelenting rutting and degrading words. 

You whined at his words, but you knew they were true: you’d never seen yourself get fucked, always too busy with, well, getting fucked, but seeing yourself in the mirror like this had you unexpectedly hotter than before. There was just something about it, your face unabashedly contorting around the pleasure, Cillian’s hands snaking up your body as he rammed into you in the background. 

Kind of like your own personal porno, you thought offhandedly, and you wondered how it’d affect you if you filmed yourself. Hopefully, with Cillian. 

His other hand then came up to your folds, spreading them apart so he could see himself disappear into your hole. “Fuck, your cunt’s so perfect,” he growled, his head falling back, losing himself in the pleasure. 

The orgasm building in your gut wasn’t like the one when you’d been grinding down on his thick thigh, no, it came faster, making you sweat and your knees shake. You wanted more, and you gasped out “faster,” and “harder,” to Cillian, needing him in the stick spongy spot deep in your cunt. 

“Please,” you begged without any expectation of a real answer or action, “please, Cillian, please.”

He did go faster, though, to your apparent shock, both hands coming to your thighs to steady himself. “So needy,” he grumbled, pushing himself deeper and more swiftly into you, feeling how deliciously your fleshy walls tightened around his new pace. 

With that, your high came just as quick, hitting you like a fucking freight train and making you scream out his name. Your orgasm wrecked you, made your vision go white and your thoughts stutter to a complete halt, and you vaguely made out Cillian’s proud hum, whispering “Good girl,” in your ear. 

When you came to, your head was hanging low, your eyes blown out, lips puffy. Cillian was still thrusting into your worn-out pussy, but it was more jilted, shaky and needy. 

“Come in me,” you pleaded suddenly, gripping the vanity to keep your trembling legs up, “fill me up, please, make your come spill out of me.”

“Good god, girl,” he groaned, pounding one last thrust into you before letting go, his cock pulsing around your wet core. He was pressed up to you so deep you could feel him shoot his load right into your cervix, and you grinned weakly, a sweet image of you: knocked up with his kid, your cunt so young and fertile you’d get pregnant from just about anything from him, entering your mind. 

After a moment, he slipped his softening cock out of your filthy cunt and picked you up by the waist to set you down on the vanity and keep you from falling onto the floor. 

“Thank you,” you mumbled, looking up at him through your lashes. You then bit your lip, feeling his thick load of creamy come ooze out of your used hole onto your vanity. 

He noticed too, letting out a satisfied groan, spreading your legs lightly, before collecting himself on his finger and pushing his come back into your cunt. “Such a good girl,” he reiterated, going back to being sweet and petting your hair, doting on your weak form, looking deep into your eyes. 

You swooned at his delicate actions. “Is this a good time to say I like you?” 

He laughed, all adoringly. “It’s as good a time as any. I like you, too, if it’s any consolation.” 

“But you, y’know… you said I was too young,” you reminded him, frowning slightly. 

He sighed, gaze drifting away nervously for a moment before coming back to you. “That I did, but, well… if you wanna take this old man for a ride before I keel over,” he shrugged.

You couldn’t help the laugh that belted out of you, his words so ridiculous and completely not based in reality. “Oh, sure,” you said, shaking your head, lips still in an amused tilt, “you’re mine, old man.”

Before he could speak, probably say another stupid joke, your hands wrapped around his neck and you pulled him toward you, pressing a soft kiss to his plump lips. 

“I like you like you, okay?” You whispered, sounding incredibly juvenile but twice as heartfelt, your tone wavering and self-conscious. You were bearing your heart on your sleeve here, okay, acknowledging feelings you thought should never come to light. 

His hands came up to your face, gently holding you. “Good thing I like you like you, too.”

ii.

“Cut!” The director called, and you swore you felt your heart drop to the floor. Fuck, you thought, mind racing, what went wrong this time? Was it the kissing, or the hands in the hair?

However, the director came up to you and Cillian and let out an uncharacteristic shriek of delight. “Perfection,” he said simply, bordering on catatonic with how content he was. 

Your shoulders slumped with relief, and you leaned into Cillian, who was subtly dancing his fingers across your thigh. “It’s finished?” you asked, breathless with excitement.

The director nodded. “That was electric, needy, tense, delicious, passionate, so, so passionate,” he continued with a gasp, hands clasping together tightly.  “You are two of the most amazing actors I have ever worked with— you are incredibly talented, so convincing I’d have thought you did sleep together.” 

You preened at his praise, but not without looking up at Cillian, meeting his gaze and barely keeping your expression happy and neutral and not at all warm at the thought of the other night's events. 

As the director went off rambling about the utter masterpiece the movie was to be, Cillian trailed behind you off the set, murmuring lowly in your ear, “I guess practice does make perfect.”

[hawkinsbnbg]

hold me tight

Written for @steddieangstyaugust Day 20: “I didn’t know where else to go.”

tags: post Starcourt, friends to lovers, requited unrequited love.

rated: T | word count: 1k4 | ao3

This was stupid, Steve told himself. Absolutely stupid. It wasn't like Eddie was his friend or anything.

They just happened to spend many sleepless nights together smoking and talking about everything and nothing. They just met up at Skull Rock almost every day so Steve could decompress by listening to Eddie's ramblings about DnD, Hell Fire Club, and Corroded Coffin. They just told each other a lot of secrets and held hands to offer each other comfort. They just shared multiple inside jokes that not even their own friends would know.

They just—

Okay, maybe Steve had downplayed it. Because at this point, Eddie might be his only real friend in this town.

And it was just Steve's luck to catch feelings for him and lose him in the process.

See, since his young age, Steve had always been self-aware enough to know what he wanted. Whether it was toys, food, or people. He just never made his liking obvious in case his parents decided to hold them over him.

Hence, nonchalance had always been his default façade. It was the "Kill two birds with one stone", helped him protect his secrets, helped him conceal his most vulnerable part, and helped him remain indestructible under scrutinizing eyes.

And for a long time, Steve thought he was so smart, hiding his true self behind the garnished mask he had created.

Until he met Nancy, until he got his heart broken that night in Tina's bathroom, until he stumbled on Eddie and realized that the mask he wore made him look exactly like what he always hated.

Bullshit.

And now, standing on the Munson Trailer's porch, Steve tried to not turn on his heels and run away or puke his guts out because he was too scared of facing rejection again.

But he also didn't want to be alone right now, and call it his moment of weakness, he just wanted to be held and reassured that everything would be alright even when he probably didn't deserve it.

Selfishly, though, he knew Eddie wouldn't say no to him, not when he was in such a pitiful state, not when they used to be good friends up until Steve ruined it all. And perhaps, it was the thought that gave him enough courage to rap his knuckles on the door.

"D'you know what time is it, man? If you're here to ask for weeds– Holy shit!"

Against his better judgment, Steve shrank in himself, ashamed that he was causing trouble for Eddie once more, making himself as small as possible and bracing for another rejection.

"Uhm, hi?" He smiled weakly.

Wordlessly, Eddie guided him inside, led him to the couch, and sat him down.

After handing him a glass of water, which he sipped slowly, Eddie started cleaning the cuts on his face, movements gentle as if afraid of hurting him.

Though it wasn't much and Steve knew any decent human being would treat him with the same sympathy, his heart still didn't get the memo and started somersaulting in his chest.

He watched the soft yellow light cast on Eddie's face, illuminating those dark brown eyes like stars, shining on the plump lips being worried between those sharp white teeth.

He glanced down, taking in the sleeveless black tee and gray sweatpants, the crimson guitar pick dangling on Eddie's chest as he leaned forward slightly, the tattoos on the pale arms, the long fingers, void of rings.

"What happened?" Eddie asked, sounding genuinely worried, after a moment of tense silence.

Instead of answering the question, Steve only shrugged and grimaced slightly.

"Sorry for waking you up this late. It's just," he averted his gaze to avoid Eddie's intense look. "I didn't know where else to go."

"You're always welcome here, Sweetheart," said Eddie kindly. "And you can wake me up whenever. We're already past that, aren't we?"

Eddie was right.

It wasn't rare for the older boy to climb through Steve's window at random hours and invite himself into Steve's bed so they could cuddle until morning. And it wasn't new for Steve to do so to Eddie, either.

Over just a few months, they had grown impossibly close and Steve would dare to say Eddie was the one who understood him the most and vice versa.

Except, it was never that simple, wasn't it?

It wasn't as if Steve hadn't kissed Eddie in a completely un-platonic way. It wasn't as if they hadn't seen each other since the day Eddie ran away from him, confused and terrified, leaving Steve with even more nightmares.

He sighed, suddenly feeling tired. Who was he kidding anyway? It was a huge mistake to come here after all.

"Yeah," he sniffed. "But I thought I wouldn't be welcomed anymore after what I did to you."

"Steve," said Eddie sharply.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he squeezed his eyes shut and raked his fingers through his sticky hair, using the dull aches to ground himself. "I– Tonight's been a lot. People died, Eddie. And all I could think about was you. As much as I regret driving you away, I'd kiss you again and again even if I were allowed to come back to that day to fix my mistake. Because it had kept you safe and away from me, from dangers. And I swear I'm not trying to make you forgive me out of pity. I know I had screwed up big time. So I'm gonna be out of your hair soo–"

Steve let out a gasp when Eddie suddenly kissed him, staring in shock as Eddie pressed another one on the corner of his mouth, tasting his blood and pain.

"What–"

"I'm aware this is far from the appropriate answer you deserve," Eddie brushed a hair out of Steve's forehead, smiling sadly. "But I couldn't find any way more obvious to tell you the kiss was never a mistake. Because I've been dreaming about it for months and you had granted me exactly what I wanted."

Steve was confused. Because why would Eddie say that? Why would he kiss Steve then when all Steve wanted was to make it right? Why would he look so sad when he had already shattered Steve's heart into pieces?

"Why?" Steve asked softly, unable to hold a grudge when Eddie was looking at him like he hung the moon and stars, overwhelming and nothing he had feared at all.

"I was scared," said Eddie bluntly without needing him to elaborate, always understanding him beyond words. "That's not an excuse for the way I acted with you. I was an ass for going radio silence and leaving you in the dark. As your friend, I should've known to communicate better. But I didn't and I caused you all this pain just because I panicked over a kiss I've been wanting since the first time I saw you."

"I'm really sorry, Sweetheart," said Eddie quietly, hand cradling his face gently like one would hold something precious. "For having been an idiot and a coward. For breaking your trust. For running away. For hurting you."

Leaning into the touch, Steve closed his eyes and breathed deeply, inhaling the smell of old weeds, leather, citrus, and cigarettes, feeling oddly homesick even though he was already home.

He wanted to get mad at Eddie, to demand some kind of compensation for his battered heart; and yet, he was tired, in pain, and about to keel over now the drug in his system had worn off.

However, he was in no shape to hold a serious conversation at the moment and he knew Eddie had noticed it too.

"Let's go take a shower first, okay?" Eddie leaned in and kissed his shoulder. It was so random but Steve still felt his cheeks warm at the intimate gesture.

Somehow, he didn't have the energy to feel embarrassed about it and ended up having Eddie wash his hair for him.

———

After making a call to check in with Robin as promised, he padded into Eddie's room and joined the older boy beneath the quilts and blankets, smiling softly as he thought about all the time he had been in Eddie's bed when he couldn't stand his parents' arguments.

When Eddie pulled him closer, he went willingly and melted into those arms, feeling warm and safe for the first time after two months of staying apart from his best friend.

"I love you," he mumbled into Eddie's chest, too relaxed and sleepy to care about the consequences. Go big or go home, right?

And when Steve finally drifted off, he heard something almost sounded like, "I love you, too."

[youaintnothinbuta]

could u write something for austin where reader is obsessed with his hair especially when she goes with him on set and they get wet bc he’s sweating too much, and once it turns her on sm that it ends up with him eating her out with her hands buried in them and when it’s too much she pulls it a little harder and austin just loves it

“You're so good at this.” — austin butler x reader

Summary: see request^^

Pairing: austin butler x fem!reader

Word count: 1.2K

Warnings: SMUT, 18+, mature language, oral (f receiving), probably typos im sorryyyy

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

You stood nervously outside the set of Masters of the Air, clutching your pass, waiting to be let in. Your boyfriend, Austin, was in the middle of filming, and you didn't want be any cause of distraction. His manager, a familiar face to you, greeted you and whispered, “Just slip in quietly, Y/N. They should be done with these takes in about 20 minutes.”

You nodded, your heart racing with excitement, as you followed her onto the set. The lights were blindingly bright, and the air was thick with the smell of sweat and costume fabric. You spotted Austin immediately, his chiseled features set in a determined expression as he delivered his lines. His voice too —deep, commanding, and authoritative— it sent shivers down your spine as he barked orders at his fellow actors.

You sat down quietly and out of view of him and any of the other actors. You couldn't help but notice how good he looked, his blonde hair mussed and his eyes gleaming with intensity. The layered costume added bulk to his already impressive physique, and the sweat dripping down his face only added to his sexiness. You felt that familiar fire ignite in your tummy as you watched your man at work. You pressed your thighs firmly together, trying to contain the desire that was building inside you.

After what felt like an eternity, the director called for a lunch break, and immediately the chatter in the room began.

“Austin!” You called. He perked up, a bright smile spreading across his face as he heard your voice, his eyes locking onto yours instantly.

“Baby, hi,” he said, striding towards you with long, purposeful strides.

You smiled, feeling a little shy but also incredibly turned on. You felt a flutter in your chest as he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into a warm embrace, pulling you into a gentle kiss.

“I didn't know you were coming today,” he murmured, his lips brushing against your ear. “Sorry,” he apologised for being sweaty, tugging on his thick coat, “I feel like I’m melting in this thing.”

"I wanted to surprise you," you whispered back, your hands sliding up his chest to toy with the buttons on his costume, “and you look amazing.”

Austin chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Do I?”

You nodded, responding to him. You found yourself getting more and more turned on by Austin's proximity. You could smell the sweat on his skin mixing with his cologne, feel the heat radiating from his body, and see the way his eyes seemed to devour you, and the way his wet hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck. You knew you had to get him alone, and fast.

“How long do you have?” You asked, your words came out heavy, thick with desire.

Austin's eyes narrowed, his pupils dilating with interest. “40 minutes ish, why?”

You leaned in, your lips brushing against his ear. “I need you,” you whispered, the words sending a thrill through your entire body.

Austin's eyes flashed with desire, and he pulled back, his face set in a determined expression. “Let's find a quiet spot,” he growled, taking your hand, leading you to his trailer, the door closing behind you with a soft click. You barely had time to catch your breath before he was on his knees, his fingers deftly undoing your pants and pulling them down. His mouth closed over your pussy with a hungry growl.

"I've missed you," he said, his voice low and husky. You felt your body respond to his words, your nipples hardening beneath your shirt. His fingers dug into your skin as he pulled your core even closer to his lips.

You moaned as his hot breath washed over your skin, his tongue darting out to taste you. Your hands buried themselves in his hair, the soft strands tangling around your fingers as you pulled him closer.

“Fuck, Austin,” you breathed, your body trembling with pleasure. “You're so good at this.”

He chuckled against your flesh, “I know.”

He groaned, allowing you to feel the vibrations of his vocal cords, his mouth working magic on your clit. He slid his middle finger inside of you, curling upwards as his tongue lapped over your most sensitive spot. You gasped, your body tightening around his finger as he pumped it in and out of you. Your legs began to shake. You felt yourself building towards orgasm, your hands tightening in his hair as you tugged and pulled.

“Yes, baby, like that,” he muttered, his voice muffled against your skin.

Austin loved when you pulled at his hair, and he responded by increasing the pressure, his tongue lashing against you with reckless abandon. You felt yourself hurtling towards the edge, your body coiling tighter and tighter.

You were so close, your body trembling with anticipation. The pleasure was getting too much, you pulled his head back by his hair, when you finally let out a loud cry and came all over his face. Austin groaned, his eyes closed in ecstasy, as you pulsed against his mouth.

He gently pressed his tongue on your clit, allowing you to milk yourself of your orgasm using his face until you were empty.

For a moment, you just sat there, panting and trembling, as Austin slowly got to his feet, his face smeared with your juices. He smiled, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction, and pulled you into a deep, wet kiss, his saliva and yours mixing with your slick.

“I love you,” he whispered, his voice husky.

“I love you too,” you replied, a smile spreading across your face too. Austin's gaze never left yours as he reached for a towel that was draped over the back of a nearby chair. He gently wiped the remnants of your orgasm from his chin. Then, with a gentle touch, he brought the towel between your legs, softly wiping away your fluid. The intimate gesture sent a flutter through your chest, and you felt your heart swell with affection for this man.

As he helped you to your feet, Austin's hands lingered on your waist, his fingers brushing against the skin beneath your shirt. He zipped up the fly of your jeans, then fastened the button with a gentle tug. The simple act felt like a declaration of ownership, a reminder that you belonged to him, and he to you.

“Come on, let’s get food,” Austin said, his voice still thick, as he held your hand, leading you back to the catering area. He handed you a plate and took one for himself, both of you eyeing all the delicious looking food that was provided. Just then, the ten-minute call rang out across the room, a reminder that your break was drawing to a close. Austin's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, his voice low and teasing.

“You’re terrible,” he kissed your temple, pulling your head to his chest, “making me miss out on half my lunch break like that.”

You laughed as you leaned into him, “I’ll return the favour tonight.”

His stomach flipped at your words, he shook his head, a slow smile spreading across his face.

“Hush,” he teased, shoving a strawberry in your mouth. You bit down innocently, humming with delight at the sweetness.

a/n I know for a fact no one eats pussy like Austin Butler does end of conversation

[maviscat123]

Anatomy II

By: JohnBoy

Someone was pounding on the door...

Big Jim Reese woke up with a snort; he'd been having a late afternoon nap on the cot in his office. His "office" was actually a small trailer, parked amongst some trees near the back of the construction site.

Jim sat up groggily -- he coughed and slowly ran a large, beefy hand over the stubble on his shaved head. The pounding came again, more urgent this time.

"Hey, Mr. Reese! You in there?" It sounded like a young guy.

"Yeah, yeah," he spoke in his deep baritone, "hold on a sec." The huge black man got up and opened the door.

It was Ken, the son of the crane-operator. He was tall and rather well-built, about 20 or so, sandy blond and blue-eyed, and with a tuft of bristly beard on the end of his chin.

Jim had noticed (on the four or five other occasions that he'd met him) that he always acted a bit shy and nervous around him. Probably, he guessed, because he was intimidated by his size: Jim was a half-foot taller than him, and probably out- weighed the kid by at least 130 pounds (a good deal of it was solid muscle, too).

"Hey Kenny, what're you doin' here?"

"Is-- is my Dad here?"

"Nope, he's gone home already." Jim yawned; he thought the young man looked even more nervous than usual. "Uh, everything okay?"

Ken glanced over his shoulder. "The cops are after me, man."

"What?" Jim looked towards the street; he could see a police cruiser pulling up in front of the site. He'd heard that this boy had been in trouble with the law in the past: B&E, some minor theft...

"I need a place to hide. Please, you gotta let me in!"

Jim sighed. He wanted nothing to do with this kid's problems. But an idea was starting to form in his head... and before he even realized it, he said, "Okay, get in." Ken was peeking out through the blinds, watching the cop. Jim had not asked him what kind of trouble he was in this time, and the kid hadn't told him...

"What's he doing?" Jim asked.

"He's just talking to one of the workers. Wait-- shit, the guy's pointing this way!"

Kenny looked around the trailer. "Fuck, if I get caught this time, I'm going to jail for sure. You can't let him find me!"

"If he wants to look in here, I don't think I can really stop him."

"But... there's no place to hide in here! What am I gonna do?"

"Well," he said slowly, trying to sound nonchalant, "I got a suggestion."

"What??"

"How much you weigh, Kenny?"

"Wha--? Uh, about 190, I guess. Why?"

Jim tugged thoughtfully at his wiry, dark goatee. This young man was a fair bit bigger than the doctor had been. He wondered, could he do it?

"You can hide... in here." Jim pointed to his stomach.

"Huh?"

"I could swallow you."

Ken just stared at him.

Jim went on, "Just for awhile. I could swallow you whole and hide you inside my belly, just 'til the cop leaves. Don't worry, you'll be safe. If he comes up here lookin' for you, well... there's no way he'd find ya. Then when he's gone, I'll let you out."

Ken continued to stare at him.

"Well? What do you think?"

"Oh come on... this is a joke, right?"

"No, I mean it. I'm serious."

"You're crazy, Mr. Reese. You can't swallow a whole person. It's-- it's frickin' impossible!!"

"Well, yeah, for most people. But I'm different; there's somethin' special about my anatomy that lets me do it. Big mouth, big throat, big stomach... just ask my doctor. Trust me, I can do it." Jim knew this might not be completely true... after all, when he'd done it before (three days earlier), Doctor Moffat had given him some kind of injection as well. Whether he could do it now, without the drug, remained to be seen.

Ken still seemed unconvinced. He looked out the window again, anxiously.

"Well, we're runnin' outta time, son," Jim said, "Do you wanna try it or not?"

"But... you'll let me back out, right?"

"Yeah, sure, of course I will."

The kid shrugged. "What the hell, I guess I got no choice. Okay."

"Damn right!" Jim tried to suppress his excitement. Ever since the doctor's appointment, he'd been thinking of little else but swallowing someone again -- and now he had his chance!! Of course he intended to release the boy afterwards...

but he thought, maybe he could try to keep him inside for awhile? Say, ten minutes or so? Would he survive in there that long??

"Er, what should I do...?"

The big man went to the tiny fridge and pulled out a stick of butter. "Take off all yer clothes and rub this on you."

Ken's face screwed up. "What are you gonna do, fry me up first?"

"It's to make you slide down easy. Come on. And take that earring off, too." Jim looked through the blinds. "You better hurry up, son. I think the cop is comin' this way," he lied.

Kenny started to undress. Jim took off his own shirt, undid the button on his jeans, and unzipped his fly part-way. He saw Ken looking at him as he did this, and said, "Gotta make room for ya." He patted his belly. "You're a big boy."

The young man was completely nude now. After hesitating for a moment, he picked up the stick of butter and began to rub it over his chest. "It's cold!"

"Don't worry, you'll get nice and warmed up once you're inside me." Jim realized that he was starting to salivate. His stomach began to grumble and groan in anticipation, and he wondered if Kenny could hear it...

After the boy had buttered himself up, Jim ordered him to lie down on the cot, on his back. He dropped to his knees heavily at the foot of the cot and grabbed him firmly by the ankles, lifting his feet up. He hoped the hunger in his face wasn't too obvious. Now Jim could see a hint of fear in Ken's expression, and realized he'd have to work fast and get it done with before he changed his mind. (And just in case the policeman came around, too!)

He said in a reassuring tone, "It's okay, kid. I promise it won't hurt a bit. I've done this before." He grinned. Then he crouched down and opened his mouth very, very wide...

"Shit, man," Ken mumbled.

With a grunt, Jim quickly thrust both feet into his mouth and part-way down his throat -- Ken giggled despite his fear, squirming around as if he was being tickled. Jim grasped his legs more tightly and pushed again, taking him in almost to the knees with a thick, slurping sound.

"Holy cow, I can't believe you're doing that!" the boy said in amazement. "Hey, wait, I just thought of something... will I even be able to breathe in there?"

Jim tried to nod (which wasn't easy), and gulped again, taking his legs in even further. He couldn't believe how fantastic this felt... the kid was delicious! He'd be moaning with pleasure if his throat hadn't been so full. He wished he could slow down and enjoy every inch of Kenny's smooth, firm, sweet flesh as it slipped inside him, but there wasn't enough time -- besides, he was too ravenous!

Ken's face turned pale as he watched the huge man's mouth working to take him in, gobbling him up, the lips stretching around his hips and ass now. "Goddamn..." he whispered.

Jim's eyes were starting to roll over white with the effort. He continued to swallow, while at the same time holding Ken by his upper arms and shoving him in. Then he guided his hands into his mouth, gaping even wider to engulf the boy's muscular torso and arms. He could feel his legs starting to fold up inside his belly.

"Uhh, Mr. Reese?"

He ignored him. He couldn't believe the power of his throat muscles; it seemed they were working on auto-pilot, flexing and gulping almost on their own, practically sucking the kid down his gullet... it felt so natural. He realized there was no question now as to whether or not he needed drugs to do this.

But the most difficult part was coming: Kenny's wide shoulders...

Ken seemed to be having a bit of trouble breathing with the pressure on his chest. His eyes were starting to bug out, and there was an incredulous expression on his face; Jim imagined that he must've looked quite bizarre right now, with his mouth stetched out to grotesque proportions.

This was starting to get harder, and the sensation of fullness was unbelievable. Perhaps the boy was too big? Had he bitten off more than he could chew, so to speak?

The young man blurted, "I-- I'm not sure about this anymore. Wait..." He began to struggle feebly, but his arms were pinned to his sides, inside Jim's throat.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the trailer door. A voice called out, "Anyone in there?"

Jim's heart lunged. Shit, it was the cop! He looked Ken in the face, wondering what his reaction would be. Would he scream for help??

A moment of silence passed... then Ken seemed to make his decision: "Uh," he cleared his throat, and tried to talk in a deeper voice, "Yes, officer? I mean, who is it?"

Jim would've smiled if he could. He continued to swallow -- but now it felt like the kid was almost stuck!

"Jim Reese? I'd like to talk to you, if you don't mind."

"Uhh... okay, er, gimme a minute," Ken said.

Jim reached out, clamped onto Ken's shoulders and began forcefully shoving him in with all his strength, swallowing hard.

The door handle rattled. "Please open up, it's the police."

"Just-- just let me get some pants on! Oh, Christ..." Kenny gasped.

Now only his head still protruded from the man's mouth. Jim pushed on the crown of his head with both hands, and he continued to slide in... he could feel the kid's little beard scraping against the roof of his mouth.

In a muffled voice, he heard him say, "Jeez, it smells like hamburgers in here..."

And then he closed his mouth completely over him and gulped hugely. He felt the boy going all the way down, filling his gut...

The cop was knocking again, impatiently. "Sir, will you open the door??"

Jim was gasping for air. "Yeah, yeah," he managed to say. He could feel Ken squirming around inside him -- it seemed like he was trying to turn around. He gulped down several large mouthfuls of air so the kid could breathe. Then he got up with a loud grunt, steadying himself against the wall. The weight in his gut was incredible; he was having some difficulty just standing up!

He quickly kicked Ken's clothes and shoes under the cot, then unlocked the door.

The police officer looking up at him was on the short side, but quite burly. He had a thick, brown, brush-like moustache and a buzzcut. He was carrying his cap under one arm.

Almost immediately, his eyes went to Jim's enormous, round globe of a belly, and his jaw dropped slightly. But then he tried to compose himself and looked Jim in the face, saying in a firm voice, "Is there a problem?"

"Uh, no-- sorry I took so long, officer. I was... I had to put some clothes on." Jim tried to laugh.

The cop looked at him suspiciously. "I thought I heard someone else in here."

"Nope, just me. I was having a little snooze."

"Well... I'm Officer Banks. May I come in? I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Oh, sure." Jim backed up to allow the guy to enter.

"So you're the foreman on this site, Mr. Reese?" The cop couldn't seem to help himself; he kept glancing down at Jim's gut. Jim was nervous... for some reason, Ken was struggling a bit inside him, and he hoped it wouldn't be visible from the outside. Was the boy uncomfortable?

"Yes."

The policeman looked slowly around the interior of the trailer. He said, "You know a young man named Kenneth Delaney?"

"Yeah, I think so. He's one of the employees' kids."

"Have you seen him today?"

Jim's stomach gurgled audibly. "Ah, no. Haven't seen him."

"You sure? One of your workmen seems to think he came up here. He's in a bit of trouble, I'm afraid."

"Sorry, I was sleeping. I didn't see anyone." From Jim's belly came a small moan; Jim thumped a hand to his gut and uttered a short, loud burp. "Ooof... 'scuse me, officer!"

Banks couldn't seem to contain himself any longer -- chuckling, he poked Jim in the belly and said, "I'm sorry, but... man! That is some huge gut you've got there, buddy." He shook his head. "You got a horse in there, or what?"

"Aw, no, it's just fat. And... I had a big lunch today, too." Jim smiled broadly.

"Never seen anything like that. Damn! Sorry, I hope I haven't embarassed you."

"That's alright, I know I could stand to lose 'bout 200 pounds. So, umm... what's the boy done?"

"I can't really tell you that." The cop took another quick look around the trailer. "Well, you just keep an eye out for him, okay?"

"Okay, sure thing."

"Thanks for your time. You take care, sir." He left.

Jim could feel a massive belch building up, trying to escape. He sat down on the cot with a groan. Ken was wriggling around more now, and he could hear him trying to say something -- obviously, he wanted to be released.

Now that the policeman was gone Jim could relax, and really savour the experience of having a whole, live person inside his stomach. It felt great, even better than with the doctor... he'd never had such an enjoyable and satisfying meal in his life!

And now he was starting to realize something else: he didn't want to let the boy back out after all. He knew he had to; he'd surely suffocate in there before long and besides, he thought he could feel his digestive juices starting to flow. Just awhile longer, he thought...

The kid moaned again from inside his gut. His struggles seemed to be weakening.

Mm-mmm... he'd sure been a tasty morsel. He felt so full... and yet he thought that he could probably take someone even a little bigger than Kenny, next time. Jim rubbed his belly, opened his mouth wide and heaved out a huge, long, thun- derous belch. He was about to gulp down some fresh air for the boy, but then stopped himself.

With a sigh, he stretched out onto his back instead. I guess this was my plan all along, he thought to himself. Wasn't it? He didn't know if he could actually digest such an incredible amount of food...

but he supposed there was only one way to find out.

[deconstructthesoup]

I think the reason that Dimension 20 really scratches all those itches in my brain is that it really shows what you can do with D&D---and TTRPGs as a whole.

Fantasy High, by itself, is an incredibly compelling concept. What would D&D look like in a semi-modern setting? What would a high school that's all about teaching teens how to be adventurers look like? And the way it's done is beyond inventive, especially if you look at all the encounters in the first season---we've got a literal food fight, a high-speed road chase with tiefling greasers, a nightclub brawl with zombies, vampires, and werewolves, a skating match with a bunch of dwarven middle schoolers and a concrete golem, a high-stakes game of football (ish) with undead jocks that give off major teen slasher vibes, a fight done in an arcade where characters can get trapped in the consoles, and the final battle is done at prom. PROM! How cool is that?

And then we get to the Unsleeping City, which takes the urban fantasy elements that Fantasy High already had and elevates it. The way the D&D lore and magic is interpreted in a modern New York setting is excellent, as is the whole take on the "American Dream," magic literally coming from dreams, ideas, and the imagination. I know that I need to actually finish the UC saga, but from what I've seen and experienced, it is truly fantastic.

And the same energy carries through to the other seasons---my personal favorite outside of Fantasy High being A Court of Fey and Flowers, just because I'm a sucker for any Fey Realm content and I've been raised on Jane Austen---where the genre mashups shine through in the best way possible. I'll admit, I haven't seen A Crown of Candy, purely because I know how heartbreaking and devastating it is and I don't think I can physically handle it, but the concept of Candyland Game of Thrones is so beautifully bizarre that I totally get why people love it so much. Escape from the Bloodkeep hitting that workplace comedy vibe that we love to see in villains. Misfits & Magic being a love letter to the "magical boarding school" genre while also calling out all the weird contradictions inherent in it. A Starstruck Odyssey literally being an homage to Brennan's mom and exactly the kind of madcap and unhinged energy I need from my sci-fi. Neverafter perfectly encapsulating the true horror of fairy tales. Mentopolis hitting my noir-loving heart and personifying hyperfixation in the best way possible.

I'm not even kidding when I say that, if it weren't for Dimension 20... I probably wouldn't have even started my own campaign. I'd had snippets and ideas ever since officially getting into D&D and joining a game with some old friends (and getting back in touch with them in the process), but after I saw the Mentopolis trailer, I realized just how much variety TTRGPs had to offer. I could do a time-blending, history-meets-future campaign. I could go out-of-the-box. I could have endless amounts of options available to my friends and still tell the story that I wanted to tell. And when I sat down and watched Fantasy High---and when I got that Dropout subscription so I could consume whatever I wanted---it felt like the show was actually giving me advice. It's fantastic.

Also it helps that the episodes are usually only roughly a couple hours instead of being, like, an entire afternoon long. And that each season is 20 episodes, tops. No offense to Critical Role, but the sheer amount of content literally makes it impossible for me to get into it.

[saphirreesuccudus]

𝗘𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻

-

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲

divider credits: @cafekitsune

Request: @meetmeatyourworst

For the past few days, you’ve been waking up incredibly nauseous, and pretty much nothing stayed down. You haven’t even been to school recently, Eddie always had to pick up your work so you could complete it at home. At first you thought it was just a bug, or some virus going around. Which wasn’t new for you, you’ve gotten sick plenty of times, especially from kids at school, who knows where their hands have been? But it was soon hitting 2 weeks, so Eddie had another idea on why you could be sick.

“Baby, do you think I might have gotten you pregnant?” Eddie said, laying down with you on the couch, resting his head on your chest.

“No Ed’s, why?” You asked him, while you were busy watching your favorite movie.

“Well last we had sex, I’m pretty sure you weren’t on your birth control” Eddie pointed out.

You didn’t see that as being the case, you always made sure to keep up on your pills and fill any prescriptions when you were out. And besides, this was probably the first time you forgot to take them, it’s highly unlikely you would’ve gotten pregnant that fast.

“I’m sure I’m not pregnant, but I can always take a test” you told him, hoping he’d get the hint.

“Yeah yeah, of course” Eddie said, sweat dripping off his face. He quickly got up, slipping on his shoes, as well as his leather jacket. It was nearly 2 AM but if you were pregnant, he wanted to find out now. He got into his van, driving to the nearest CVS, and picking up about 3 tests.

He hoped you weren’t pregnant, obviously he wouldn’t make you get rid of it, completely abandon you and the baby. But he clearly wasn’t ready to be a dad, he could barely take care of himself, how would he take care of a baby? He’s not even done with school yet. And with his track record, it’ll probably be a long time before he is.

Once he arrived home, he parked the car out front of the trailer, went inside, and took his shoes and jacket off.

“I got them” Eddie said, handing them to you.

“Thank you Ed’s” you said, kissing him on the lips before heading to the bathroom. He sat on the couch and waited for about 20 minutes, before you walked out. You sat on his lap, showing him three negative tests.

“See? Not pregnant” you said, planting a kiss on his cheek. “It’s just a virus”

[mrs-gauche]

So, I *think* I've calmed down enough to form coherent sentences about this trailer now, after watching this about a gazillion times. 😂 There is just SO much in this and I still can't believe it's all real.. I feel like people have already dissected every single frame anyway, so here are just my poor two cents (that's a lie, it's an essay lol), I'm sure 90% of this has probably already been said lol, but I just had to write my thoughts down, so there you go. 🫠

But first, can I just ask you guys this.. Does anyone else feel SO friggin overwhelmed every time something huge like this drops? 😂😭 Like, I LOVE the collective excitement and freaking out over all this with the fandom together in real time, and maybe it's because I'm not a native English speaker, but I'm watching the trailer live and within like fifteen minutes there are already a bazillion notifications, messages, people have already made hundreds of theory posts, edits, fanart and shitposts, meanwhile I'm sitting here still looking at the FIRST FRAME and trying to process what I'm even looking at. lmaoo Like, it takes me SO long to take it fully in, calm down and look at ALL of it in detail, while I go radio silent for like two hours, making people think I just died watching the trailer, I guess. lmaooo So.. sorry if it takes me forever until I even go on here and look at everything you guys are posting. 💀 <3

Anyway, so first of all, I'd like to just generally say... Everything about this blew. me. away.

Look. After like 20 years of watching BioWare's entire animation catalogue of the same 25 movements in every cutscene, that it would make you jump every time a character but even slightly moved differently than everyone else, we're now getting a game that is SO INCREDIBLY CINEMATIC, SO SMOOTH, unlike any BioWare game before. A game where everyone just moves and expresses emotions like their own person, making everything a hundred times more immersive and impactful!!

Not only that but there's a BioWare game now with PHENOMENAL LOOKING HAIR and REALISTIC HAIR PHYSICS. Guys, do you understand this is HISTORY??? lmao We've been asking for this for YEARS and it's happening!! 😭

And the cinematography? THE CINEMATOGRAPHY?? Just looking at that very FIRST LOCATION SHOT alone. The camerawork, the composition, the fluidity of movement, the shift of focus, the lighting, the use of MoCap, the facial expressions... As someone who spent a *LOT* of time using the flycam to make cinematic gifsets of DAI, where - with all respect to the devs - 90% of the camerawork basically consisted of "zoom in/zoom out"... this. blew. my. fucking mind.

Like, they did it. They mastered the Frostbite engine on all fronts. And it truly hurts my heart seeing people compare this to Fortnite or whatever, when in my opinion this time they actually managed to find a perfect mix between stylized and realism, in favor of making the characters even more expressive and this coupled with the use of MoCap and the incredible cinematography will make these emotional scenes hit SO hard and.. ugh, I just love it so much. 🥹❤️❤️

With this being said, let's dive into it!

Okay, so I know this is super random, but it was literally the first thing I noticed about this trailer. lol Did you noticed that it said "BioWare" *before* "Electronic Arts" in the beginning, unlike that first... controversial reveal trailer, where it was the other way around? 😂 Not reading anything into this of course (or do I? lol), but.. Idk, I thought it was.. interesting. 👀

So we start off with the first of many amazing tracking shots, with the camera orbiting around Rook in this place devoid of color or life. The note at the bottom made me chuckle "Game engine footage with some costum camera angles", I was like "Oh, so they used the flycam to make this?". lol So some shots of these will look different in the final version (what kind of spoilers are they hiding?? 👀👀).

I do hope that next shot DOES end up in the game though, because holy SHIT, that FIRST wide shot already blew. me. away.

Look at the COMPOSITION of this.

Actually, you could probably take every single location/wide shot of this trailer and hang it on your wall. lol But seriously, the way this place just looks... dead. It makes me think of "void" rather than Fade.. like an ancient graveyard. The raw Fade looks generally creepy, but this is haunting even for that. There's no life, no color, no motion. It's all broken and crumbled. Almost like it reflects Solas' feelings. People are speculating if this place might change depending on Solas' state of mind.. This is the Fade after all, but Solas is here physically and this being the place that was supposed to be the new prison for the gods.. It's probably different from the rest of it.

We also see all seven statues of the pantheon from the ritual site again. Solas "I have the high ground", *literally* talking down to Rook, while standing on two separate cliffs (how did Rook even get there, I wonder? lol), like there is quite literally a rift between them (for now..!) and Solas is keeping a distance, as always. We still don't know how that connection between the two even works, I assume Rook can only contact him while asleep? But to think that this is the place where he is trapped now, where he is even more isolated than ever before, is making me so emotional. ;-;

I love how it's just black and white though. It gives the scene a destinct atmosphere that might be important, if this is where we get to see Solas doing a lot of introspection. In the art of filmmaking, the absence of color is often used to force the audience to focus on the contrast, textures, and tones present in the image, which can evoke a deep sense of emotion.

And speaking of emotions...

"You have no idea what you have done."

We had already heard that line before, but something about that booming, echoing effect they used on his voice sent a shiver down my spine!

"The blighted elven gods walk free. And all because you disrupted my ritual."

To me, he *sounds* much more frustrated here than he *looks* when saying that. lol He looks incredibly worried though, and just so tired. A moment ago, he was SO close to achieving his goal after hundreds of years of preparation and then he failed again... and now there is this completely clueless stranger who got him in this situation, but who he has to rely on now to stop these gods, when he's unable to trust anyone, and yet he can't even yell at them too much, because he *needs* them. He must be so exhausted.

And yes, it is kinda funny how they put "elven gods" in quotation marks. lol

Thank god he still has his freckles though. ❤️ We're actually seeing a lot more texture on his face here than in the gameplay showcase. And yes, not only did he get his eyebrows microbladed but apparently he's also sporting eyeliner and lipstick now. 😌✨✨ The only downside to the lack of colors here is that his super purple eyes are not poppin' anymore. lol

"You battle against gods. They will not rest until you are on your knees. Fearful. Cowering. Helpless in the face of such power."

I love how they play this line so early on in the trailer, that it makes you go "WAIT... IS THAT- NO WAY" and not until the end do we get the confirmation with the most amazing entrance ever.

We then get a shot of what I think has to be Treviso in flames and Ghilan'nain symbolically coiling her tentacles around a crow statue's head, as she's probably about to take over the city. 👀 *falls on my knees the second I meet her in the game* lol

Then there's the shot of this horrifying Blight.. lump.. growth thing that has completely devoured an elf (and several other bodies it seems) with a hair style that has everyone wondering if this could be Felassan! 🥺🥺🥺 As much as I would LOVE for Felassan to make an appearance.. I kinda hope this *isn't* him.. because good god, whatever happened to this persom here must be pretty traumatizing (are they even still alive?) and also, how do we get them out of there? lol Either way, seeing as there are Harding, Bellara and Neve accompanying Rook here, this might be earlier in the game (and this is them dicovering that the Blight is already spreading rapidly?) and yet it already shows us that this Blight is on a whole other level than anything we've seen before, and it's taking every living thing.

Then we see another snowy place (or might this be within the same area?) that's also in huge parts taken over by the Blight. You can also see a dead(?) dragon lying on the ground at the bottom right corner? 🥺

Then Elgar'nan literally pops up right next to Ghilan'nain, and btw, I love how I can't even tell where her body begins or where it ends in this shot. lmao What ARE you, Ghili?? 💀

It looks to me like maybe she was struck by a bolt/spear from a ballista or something? The Grey Wardens tried to take her out maybe? Looks like the power of Elgar'nan's mere presence blows the Wardens away then lol, like they're just insects to him.. and in the blast we can see a person that looks like Evka?? <3333 (please don't die here though 😭)

Then we're getting a first glimpse of a dragon that shows up multiple times in this trailer. Also, to me, it looks so much like the dragon from the Golden City vinyl cover, which has me like 👀👀👀👀

Next there are a few scenes from the prologue we've already seen in the gameplay showcase, but it's coupled with new lines from Varric, that have me super worried. :(

"Rook, you've got this. I've seen your work. You're clever, adaptable. And you don't know when to quit.

My first reaction to this was "Oh god no, that sounds so much like a "passing the torch" kind of dialogue to me" as in Varric either dies (PLEASE NO but it IS super suspicious how he's not seen or mentioned in any other scene so far) or retires his role as the leader of this group and hands it over to Rook. And he just sounds... weary. 🥺 I wonder what he means by "your work" though? Is he talking about things Rook has done before Varric recruited them? Or is it maybe later down the line, after Rook has already proven themselves to be a great leader? 🤔

Then we get another shot of that one dragon and our first look at Harding with the bruised face (whoever did this, come fight me!) and some poor person tangled in.. something, I'm not sure. lol

Then there's a super quick shot of the floating building in Minrathous, followed by Rook opening a gate Aragorn style, which leads me to believe that this is actually somethere IN that floating building maybe?

But the fact that Rook and everyone else seems to be wearing casual clothes in the following shots, plus the architecture in the background has me wondering if they might be at the Lighthouse actually? 👀

Especially because in the very next shot we see Rook, Bellara, Neve and Harding all in casual clothes again in front of a giant eluvian and I wonder if that's the mirror that we've read about in the Game Informer article. The special eluvian at the Lighthouse that can take you anywhere? :o

Speaking of the Game Informer article, it also told us that Rook, Harding and Neve went back to the ritual site after what happened in the beginning, which is probably what we're seeing here!

"You want allies to go after the elven gods. I've got places to look."

Well, good thing we have a clever detective on the team that apparently knows people who would willingly fight some gods. lol Notice how Harding's face is still injured in this scene. 👀 So I assume whatever happened to her must've happened at the ritual site? Btw, I love how the trailer makes it look like they're all in casual clothes and the second they're stepping through the eluvian, they're in full gear? 😂 (I'm sure those two scenes take place at different times though.) It's crazy how much different the Arlathan Forest looks now, without the cataclysmic storm and all. I love the lighting, the colors and the soft rain! :3

Then we get another gorgeous location shot to hang on the wall. <3 My guess here is definitely Anderfels, given the landscape and those "pillar ring" things we've seen before (I still have no idea what those are, the funniest guess is still griffon training flight path 😂 But something tells me those things will be important.).

"I'll be damned! A griffon!"

Davrin and Assan!! <33333 And the dialogue makes it sound like this might be the first time they meet each other?? 🥹🥹 Followed by a scene of Davrin taking care of business and what might be the return of children in DA?? 😭 Seeing that little girl made me so happy, because that was actually one of the few things on my wishlist for DA4, because I always felt like children make the world feel SO much more real and immersive and besides Kieran, children were completely absent in DAI.

Am I trippin or does it look like this child is smiling here, while running away from a horde of darkspawn?? 😶 Kids in the Anderfels are build different, I guess. lol

"In war, victory."

CHILLS!!

Then we see Assan again, who is pinning down a.. thing I can't identify. lol I'm very curious about all those cages in the background though.. 🤔

We then get one of the shots that made me freak out the most, because it's a flippin *underwater* shot of elven ruins??? 😱😱

We know it's elven because if you look very very closely, you can see a Halla statue in the distance, to the left side. I'm immediately reminded of the stories about Arlathan having sunken to the ocean floor! There's also still all that mention of Ghilan'nain's grey "goop" that smells like the ocean and another shot later on of a dragon (Elgar'nan?) emerging from the ocean! 👀👀👀

And aside from all that, it's just such a sick level design!! 😍 What do these ruins look like if you enter them in the game? How do we get there?? There's an eluvian in the middle of the ocean on the newest map that's included in the Collector's Edition! 👀👀 If that one flippin theory of mine actually turns out to be true and there are somehow two parts of Arlathan, one on the ocean floor and another in the center of the Fade/the Black City, I'll do a triple backflip. lmaoo

Then Lucanis jumps in with some incredibly smooth fighting moves against the Venatori... and PURPLE WINGS!! So we were right with our speculation about the reveal trailer! Why does he have them? Is it some connection to a pride demon that revived him? 😂 I don't know, but it looks SO cool!! And after showing off, we hear his first line "I'm ready" with that sweet sweet accent, which is just the cherry on top!! <333

What the heck is up with the sky in this one?? My first thought was the Lighthouse?? 😍😍 Because if you look closely, there are a few wolf head ornaments on the walls? 👀 And this could be in the Crossroads and just like a real Lighthouse, there's a light on the top..? 🥹

Then there's Bellara using some magical device, that looks super similar to the things that were next to the big eluvian in that other scene!

Which makes me think that this might be where we help Bellara find this artifact in order to get the eluvian at the Lighthouse to work properly (since it doesn't seem to work right without Solas, according to the Game Informer article).

"I've never seen this before. There's something kind of exciting about it!"

Not gonna lie, that line and that weird looking device gave me Peebee flashbacks from Andromeda, which I honestly wasn't the biggest fan of. 😂 But Ghil Dirthalen (member of the community council) responded to me a few weeks back on twitter and confirmed that Bellara is nothing like Peebee at all. lol So that's a relief. 😂 I'm really looking forward to learn more about her and every time I see her magical gauntlet, I'm reminded that we're *definitely* not in Ferelden anymore. lol

Anyway, we then get a few shots of the Deep Roads?? Kal-Sharok??? 👀👀 And of course, there's Harding's big reveal of her new magical powers! The animation on this looks sooo amazing!!

Like many suspect, the Titans' awakening might have something to do with this! I totally agree with what Ghil Dirthalen said on twitter recently and, rather than this being Harding having Solas' petrification powers, it's actually Solas who has the powers of the Titans/stone sense/whatever Sandal did to those ogres back then lol. (I need Sandal to return and be her "teacher" or something 🙏❤️) We know of Solas' orb, which was likely created by obtaining the heart of a Titan. And if the Titans are connected to the Forgotten Ones, Fen'Harel was once considered their ally in Dalish legends. 👀

Also, if you look closely, you can see that the moment her powers are triggered, we see the blue glowy effect all over her body, like glowy lyrium veins almost?

And that in turn could hint at something in connection to her blood? So that big injury we see on her (which is still visible in this scene btw!) was maybe the moment her blood came in contact with something that awakened these powers? (We need Valta back to explain! lol)

"What is happening to me?"

That delivery gave me chills again... She is frightened. Ali Hillis is so good. 🥺🥺🥺

Next up is the Grand Necropolis and people have already pointed out that the ceiling we see at that entrance hall or something looks like a GIANT rip cage?? 💀 (What kind of creature would be THIS big???)

First look of Emmrich in-game!!! And he's wearing a fancy new outfit!! And I paused at the perfect moment to catch Rook already falling in love with him, clearly. lmao

There are two characters next to the gate that could be anybody, really. Myrna from Tevinter Nights or Joanna from the short story "The Flame Eternal"? The guy on the right is actually giving me Executor vibes?? 👀👀👀

Then there's Giant Skeleton Monster (Manfred's mom?), and don't even ask me what this could possibly be. 😂 I just hope we don't have to fight THAT (we totally will 💀). I got flashbacks of the Human Reaper endboss in ME2. 😭😭

"Let the Fade draw close!"

There's something kinda... posh about the way he says this? 😂 Like, he's not really intimidated by Giant Skeleton Monster and it's just another Tuesday in the Grand Necropolis and Professor Volkarin is just doing his every day job. lol

Then there are two shots of what I think is somewhere in the Anderfels but snowy again, like that area in the beginning where Elgar'nan and Ghili showed up? And a destroyed watchtower that is occupied by the Wardens. Then we get a *third* and final shot of this beauty again.

"Draw the dragon out into the open. Then attack."

I assume that's Taash?? Sadly, that shot of her drawing her weapon is all we got from her in this trailer, but she looks awesome!! <333 We're gonna be Lord of Fortune buddies, even though we might disagree on the matter of dragon hunting lol (look, I don't want to *fight* dragons, I want to be *friends* with them 🫠😂❤️ I want to see them live their best lifes.. for the most part (I get to the Elgar'nan dragon and the blighted "twin dragons" in a second lol))

We see the docks of Minrathous for a split second and then a first glimpse at a romance scene between Rook and Neve? 👀 At the Lighthouse maybe?

"You and me Rook. Maybe that's what scares me."

What does she mean by that exactly? Does Neve have commitment issues? lol Or is this more like a "We're a dangerous match, Rook. We'll be too powerful of a couple. Like Bonnie and Clyde." kinda statement? 😂

And THEN... Well, then we get probably THE most badass looking introduction/entrance of any character in DA yet. lol And YES, I freaked out SO hard.

SHE'S BACK. Returning like the QUEEN that she is. 🙏 And of course, she has to come down a flight of "stairs" again. lol (And no, Claudia Black did not lie, she just wasn't contacted at the time. 😁) Gosh, that transformation is so SMOOTH. I could watch that forever, it's so darn beautiful. 😍 Again, the way this is done, cinematically.. just *chef's kiss*.

In retrospect, it seems almost like a given that she would be back because.. well, everything about the way DAI ended. lol Flemeth wanted her to inherit her "godhood", and she looks more than ever like her mother now. Remember the designer notes on that last scene in DAI.

Flemeth intends to let Solas have the power, so long as she can pass the essence of her godhood onto Morrigan, a gift Flemeth had always planned for her daughter yet one Morrigan misunderstood as hostile possession.

So, what exactly is she now? Did she receive whatever Flemeth sent through the eluvian at the end of DAI? Does she carry Mythal now?? If so, does Solas know (I NEED a conversation between those two technically "half-siblings", because Flemeth/Mythal is both their "Mother"? 😂)?? Remember when I said that this one dragon that appears multiple times here reminds me a lot of the dragon on the vinyl cover with the Golden City, which is very likely Mythal? So my very first thought was that the dragon is actually Morrigan?? lol Just throwing that out there.

It seems to me that she is with the Dalish/Veil Jumpers in the Arlathan Forest now? (Btw, if you look closely, you can see elven mosaics in COLOR in the background? :O)

"These are the times in which legends are born or slain."

That line goes so HARD aHhhh. Also, speaking of slain, that new outfit is slaying too. <33 Her return also means that the Well decision and potential consequences are back on the table, which will definitely keep me up at night again. 💀

That moment right there. She is everthing. ❤️❤️❤️ I wonder if we're gonna see Kieran again?? 🥺🥺

We then get the most impressive tracking shot and choreography of what I think is Teia and Viago fighting some Venatori?? <333333 Like, seriously, the way the camera is following his movements in this shot without a single cut, makes me think of something like flippin Games of Thrones' Battle of the Bastards. 😱 And those hair physics on Teia as she's swinging around?? Absolutely amazing.

Followed by Lucanis and.. is that Zara Renata (the character with the best name ever lol)?? Fighting over an ominous glowing staff. lol We know these two still had unfinished business with each other after the Wigmaker Job in TN.

Then we get our first in-game look of my man MANFRED (🎉🎉🎉🎉), proving yet again to be the most fashionable character in the whole game, using his pelvis effectively. lol I love him so much.

Then there's another terrifying shot of Giant Skeleton Monster, which almost looks like it's in command over the crowd of people here, like they're possessed or something? Uhg.. As if this thing wasn't scary enough. 💀

"Our gods are back. Our gods! How do we stand up against that?"

Again, CHILLLLS!! Chills all over. It's gonna be so interesting to hear what the Dalish, Bellara or Davrin think about all these revelations!

Then we see the Wardens again, confronting one of the super duper blighted "twin dragons" we see at the end (more on that later).

We see Neve using a barrier or something against a guy who wears the same armor as her, so maybe the Shadow Dragons are corrupted, too?

Then we see Rook dramatically tossing a sword on a table at Weisshaupt? And holy moly, Davrin in that new armor here looks FINE. 😍

Back in Treviso, we see a cool finishing move from Rook, obliterating a poor Venatori guy. That bow on Rook's back though (I need it)! :O

"I believe in all of us. So let's get it done."

That little pep talk from Rook certainly worked for me. lol Like, whatever it is we're doing here, I'm so pumped, let's gooooo!

Then we get literally a millisecond of a frame, where you can see Ghili lying on the floor.. with the lyrium dagger stuck IN HER CHEST??

EXCUSE ME?? They wouldn't just spoil her death like that, right?? lmao Also, that adds another billion questions about this damn flippin dagger and at this point the list of questions is getting so long that I've completely given up speculating. 😂💀 We see how Rook tries to retrieve(?) the dagger but the power it emanates pushes them back?? What the heeellll.

And then I died. No, really. lmaoo

What can I say.

I cried. I screamed. My soul left my body. It happened. We FINALLY saw him. The Dreaded Wolf, He Who Hunts Alone, Roamer of the Beyond, God of Rebellion. The one everyone's been talking about since flippin 2009. And by GOD, he lives up to his NAME.

He's dreadful, he's horrifying. He's a monster, a nightmare. He's perfect. And just like Solas, he's just a Little Guy and bald. 😭😭😭

...At least in comparison to this dragon!! Look at that friggin SIZE DIFFERENCE. Someone measured the size by comparing them to Rook, who we see for a split second before Fenny leaps in. So, make no mistake, Fen'Harel IS the size of a high dragon, like he was described in Tevinter Nights... It's just that this blighted dragon is HUMONGOUS. lol That dragon, let's call him Elgar'nan, because we all KNOW, right?? Who else could it POSSIBLY be?? He's got the horns, he's the dragon on the vinyl cover with the Blighted Black City, he's ENORMOUS!! I've been saying this forever. Fen'Harel vs Elgar'nan, Battle of Gods was all I ever wished to see and FUCK, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WISH CAME TRUE. 😭😭😭

And look WHERE they are fighting!! It's Minrathous, you can clearly see the floating building in the background!! Which means the Dread Wolf is OUT. He's no longer trapped, or in the Fade. Remember Sandal's prophecy "When he rises, everyone will see". And he HAS RISEN. lmao And look at the lighting!! It's the same dim, gloomy RED we've seen at the end of the reveal trailer with the eclipse. "AN ECLIPSE AS FEN'HAREL STIRRED". IT'S HAPPENING. Remember the 2020 teaser MURAL.

Is this the Black City or is it the floating building?? Either way, it's BLIGHTED. In the trailer, Minrathous has clearly been completely taken over by the Blight. "All the world will soon share the peace and comfort of my reign", that's what Elgar'nan said at the end of the 2023 teaser, and what better way to take over the world than to start with the biggest capital in Thedas, a nation which built their own empire over the ruins of Elvhenan, ruled by the most powerful mages!

And I am SO scared. You can see Elgar'nan snapping Fenny. The dragon is blighted, and maybe so is Fen'Harel. He's also clearly been through so much. "The Wolf chews his leg off to escape the trap.", is what Cole said in Trespasser. I don't think he always looked like that. In the murals and the 2022 cinematic, he has a lot more fur. And I can't help but think about the devs saying that Solas wasn't always bald either. lmao How are they connected.. are they one and the same.. are they bound to each other.. we still don't know. But I'm SO. F*CKING EXCITED. TO FIND OUT.

Those few seconds of this scene were breathtaking and whoever made this trailer knew exactly what they were doing, because the editing is so perfect as Fen'Harel charges at Elgar'nan in slow-motion and the music cuts out completely while that beautiful wolf howl can be heard and you can almost HEAR everyone's jaw dropping on the floor. lmao THAT's. how. you. do it. *standing ovation* *sobbing*

Okay. Breathe. Moving on. We gotta get to the end. lol

The very next shot is SO funny to me, because we literally just got to see Elgar'nan, the biggest flippin dragon we've ever seen in DA and it's followed by a shot in which Elgar'nan looks SO tiny next to Ghilan'nain. lmaooo

His ego doesn't allow to appear small though, I guess, so he f*cking levitates to top her in height. lmao These two ancient clowns are already killing me.

What's interesting though is that this is the exact same angle from which we left off in the gameplay showcase. And Solas is nowhere to be seen, so... did he literally just "poof" away right there into that Fade prison?? lmao

We get a quick montage of all the lovely monsters we will face. Like I mentioned, there's the Elgar'nan dragon taking a swim in the ocean, I guess? (I hope he drowns. lol) And a shot of what I think is Irelin (from TN and The Missing) doing.. something with some magical device. Someone fighting a magical "automaton" in the Arlathan Forest. lol Harding doing her THING again, acting like Toph from Avatar, literally bending the flippin earth, like a true Child of the Stone!!

And right before the end, there's one of my personal favorite shots, Rook basically bitch slapping a Pride demon into full K.O.?? lmao

The trailer ends with a final beautiful shot of Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire. lol No, seriously. A SUPER blighted pair of angry dragons, seemingly at the same snowy place that Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain popped up earlier in the trailer. 👀👀👀

So, they might have something to do with this? There was a dead dragon lying on the ground in an earlier shot, so maybe the elven gods revived them? If I see Blue and Red, I'm of course immediately reminded of lyrium.. whatever that means. Or, given that they seem to be attacking Grey Wardens in this place... maybe we are looking at an altered form of Archdemons?? Or something similar to Corypheus' dragon? 👀 There is an interesting theory floating around that Ghilan'nain might look like *that* because she somehow merged with her lover Andruil. As I mentioned in the beginning, Ghilan'nain seemed to have been struck by a spear or something.. and in this shot, you can see that the red dragon is pulling a spear out of its body! Sooo... maybe that actually IS her?? And she somehow transformed into two different blighted dragons, representing herself and Andruil??? The tinfoil hat is strong with this one. lol

ANYWAY. The release date is revealed to be 31st of October, making this the best Halloween of all time!! Not only is it perfect because of its origin, Samhain, the thinning of the Veil between the living and spirits.. But also because we all get a chance to dress up as Manfred, walk into the store, buy the game and then go Trick or Treat (but mostly trick) in the name of Fen'Harel, the Trickster God. 😂😂💜💜💜

And that's it!! Now we only have to wait two months before we can all lose our collective shi— NO WAIT, OF COURSE WE'RE NOT DONE YET.

WHAT THE HELL

IS THIS

EXCUSE ME, how do you throw this in there in the background at the very last second, HELLO??? A rocky object, split in half. HUH, WHERE HAVE WE SEEN THAT BEFORE.

Oh, you sneaky sneaky people. The mural depicting a Titan's death.... Remember the description of this place in DAI's files.

"A final eluvian is situated in a beautiful bolt-hole where Solas has painted murals. Fen'Harel was here and wanted to make sure nobody ever found what the other gods were doing. This place was the breaking point for him that turned him against the gods."

Whatever this is... I think it might be the very reason why all of this is even happening. The Evanuris mined the Titans' blood and "something else" before they collapsed and sealed the Deep Roads with stone and magic.

"Terror, heart-pounding, ice-cold, as the last of the spells is cast."

"What the Evanuris in their greed could unleash would end us all. Let this place be forgotten. Let no one wake its anger. The People must rise before their false gods destroy them all."

I'll leave it at that. I'm so so so flippin excited. I want to thank all the devs involved, I'm so full of joy and can't wait to finally return back to Thedas in October. 🥹🥹🥹 (And if anyone wants to get me that "Rook's coffer" collectibles thing for my birthday two days after release, my address is— naah just kidding!! ..or AM I?? 👀😂😂)!! 💜💜💜💜💜

[avidboafan]

HII can i request an itoshi rin fic where him and reader watch horror movies together and reader gets a lil scared <33 ??

WHITE THOUGHTS : “CAN I GO WHERE YOU GO?”

character : rin itoshi x reader

content : horror movie descriptions | fluff

summary : rin tries his best to comfort you after you try watching a movie with him.

notes : rin might be out of character (;^_^A) hope you like it!! really appreciate any comments or reblogs! and requests are open!!

you and your boyfriend rarely ever get to spend time together due to his growing career in the france’s U-20 team. so when he finally got the day off,you didn’t miss the chance to spend the little bit of time with him, and he decided to give you some of his much needed attention, granted, he gets to choose the date activity.

of course, he chooses a good ol’ fashion horror movie. he gets to relax his muscles and enjoy his time with the most lukewarm person he knows. what a dream. you were at first hesitant to watch it, but rin persuaded you otherwise. at first, he pretended that he didn’t care that you didn’t want to watch the movie he picked. but after you suggested some much more lukewarm, and boring movies, you soon noticed that he was just sulky that you didn’t like his tastes. not that his face shows much, but being his partner, you had some experience figuring out what he was feeling underneath his stoic expression.

you cuddle up next to him, burying the side of your head on his chest as you pulled the fluffy blanket over your legs and he drapes an arm around you, his free hand holding the remote and clicking to the movie he wanted to watch. incantation.

“i don’t know, rin. even the trailer looks creepy,” you commented on the little snippet showing on the screen. “i told you if you didn’t want to watch it, we can watch another movie.” he replied impassively, but the corners of his mouth pulling into a slight frown symbolised that he was probably really looking forward to seeing this, especially with you. you gulped and pulled on your big kid pants, “it’s okay. i can watch it,” you mentally prepared yourself for the tension, the jumpscares, the feeling of goosebumps growing on your skin. rin eyes you preparing yourself briefly, before clicking play on the screen and setting the remote down next to him.

the first few 40 minutes of the movie made you breathe a sigh of relief, luring you into a false sense of security that this movie was probably not that scary at all. suddenly, the sounds of bones snapping as the old lady’s head turns a full 180 on the screen, her orifices leaking black liquid greets you on the tv and you immediately tighten your grip around rin’s waist, holding in your breath at the sight. rin’s teal eyes stare down at you, as if checking if you’re okay, before rubbing his thumb on your shoulder to soothe you.

the movie plays on to a terrifying scene. the main characters stumble upon the cult-like scene, people chanting and singing in a eerie manner in dim, red lighting. the sounds of screaming were apparent as the side character disappears, only to reappear dead, with their teeth plucked and their appearance completely pale and bloodied. the two characters crawl into a dark tunnel, only for the next side character to die, as many blackened hands reach out, you could feel the same hands on the screen reach out for you, and the screaming from the tv ringing loudly in your ears, almost feeling real to you.

you bury your entire face into rin’s sweater, hiding your eyes from the bloodcurdling scene in front of you, as your fingers tightened a vice like grip onto him, grabbing so hard that you were leaving crimson crescent-shapes onto your palm.

rin fishes the remote that had somehow teleported into the crevice of the cushions and pauses the show, noticing that you were clearly scared and going past your normal fear limit. he looks at you awkwardly, unsure on how to comfort you other than patting your back and shoulders rhythmically.

“are you.. alright?” rin’s usual detached tone held a tinge of worry as he tilts his head down to see you eye-to-eye. he seemed doubtful of himself, uncertain if you were comforted by his actions or not. you nodded into his chest, “juf sverd.” (translation : “just scared.”) you mumbled, the sweet voice he loved so much sounding muffled, much to his disappointment.

he seems to be a little amused by your funny sounding voice. “..what?” he scoffs, his lips curving slightly into an amused expression. “i can’t understand you,” you lifted your head up from his sweater, your hair slightly disheveled, “i said i was just scared,” you chuckled, your voice turning an octave higher mid sentence as you started laughing at his expression. “are you trying to smile for me? you look stupid,” you joked, pointing at his usual straight lined lips curving upwards slightly as you gave a toothy grin. “..shut up,” he grumbles, but you could tell it was all in good fun.

he pulls the blanket off his legs and tucks the entire thing onto you, making sure you get nice and cozy in an awkward silence. “um.. do you want some water?” he asks, cocking a brow. “a tea would be nice,” you suggested, “but don’t leave me alone!” you wrapped yourself tightly onto him as he tries to leave, like a koala bear hanging onto a branch. “how am i supposed to get you a tea if you’re clinging to me like dirt? you might as well just make it yourself,” rin quips.

“fine! but you’re coming with me!” you giggled, pulling him along as he sighs and rubs his face with slender, long fingers, following you to the dimly lit kitchen and wait as you make your tea. “never realised how creepy the kitchen is when it’s so dark,” you rambled, trying to make conversation to distract yourself from the memories of the horror movie earlier. “then turn on the lights.” rin states the obvious, reaching his hand to flip the switch. you groaned like a vampire to sunlight, squinting your eyes as it adjusts the the bright lighting, “you’re human, not a vampire.” rin flicks your forehead and rolls his eyes.

you’re back in the room as soon as you left, your hands holding onto the cup of tea as it warms your unusually cold hands, which you suspect was from how scared you were earlier. you sip it finish and place it on the nightstand, falling back onto rin’s chest. perhaps it was how disinterested you were from the movie after you knew that you couldn’t handle it, or how warm rin’s firm chest was, or it was just the tea working its magic, but you closed your eyes and fell asleep before you knew it, lightly snoring on him. as the movie ended, rin turns his attention to your sleeping form and his eyes soften, gently pushing you off him as to not wake you up, mumbling something about you getting neck aches if you sleep in that position.

he turns the tv off and goes to sleep next to you, a small smile gracing his lips.

this was the first time in a while he has felt this way. this content with being just himself. with all the pressure of his expectations, the expectations from his team, from the fans, from the weight his brother has left on him, the current him would never be enough. the current rin itoshi is not the striker people imagines him to be. that’s why he keeps training. and training. and training. to become the striker he envisions himself to be. to best sae itoshi. but you see him as just rin itoshi. not the football genius’ sae itoshi’s brother. not paris x gen’s U-20’s rin itoshi. not blue lock 11’s rin itoshi. just.. rin.

you really are lukewarm. but that’s alright. sometimes he needs someone to balance him out.

[deancasbigbang]

Title: Arms Around His Angel

Author: blackhorsedances

Artist: stonelions

Rating: Explicit

Pairings: Castiel/Dean Winchester, minor Benny LaFitte/Garth Fitzgerald IV, Gabriel/Kali. Charlie Bradbury/Meg Masters; Jody Mills/Donna Hanscum. Past Dean and Lee Webb; Past Dean and Lisa Braeden; Past Dean and Benny LaFitte. Sam Winchester/Jess Winchester. Jack is Sam and Jess Winchester’s son.

Length: 36041

Warnings: No major archive warnings Content Warnings: Mention of James and Amelia Novak dying in an MVA (no gore, nothing on screen), mention of the humane slaughter of a steer (no gore, nothing on screen).

Tags: !Inventor Castiel. !Rancher Dean Winchester. Bisexual Castiel Novak. Semi-comfortably Bisexual Dean Winchester. Top Cas/Bottom Dean. Smut and fluff. Mostly safe sex. Hurt/comfort. Happy Ending.

Posting Date: October 14, 2024

Summary: Castiel Novak invented cutting-edge solar technology and left his position as CEO of Angelus, Inc. to protect himself and his technology from his dysfunctional brothers. He found safety on a 20 acre farm in Kansas with a pond, house, barn, and his trailer. When his twin and sister-in-law are killed, he’s drawn back into the business, and into danger, to protect his niece Claire and his technology. Dean Winchester rebuilt Winchester Ranch after John almost destroyed it. He has 500 acres of land, a ranch house, and a big barn. He raises American Wagyu beef. He’s a single Dad with a great son, Ben, a giant moose brother Sam and Sam’s wife Jess, and an adorable nephew Jack who roams around the ranch with his trusty sidekick, Honeybee, Dean’s old palomino mule.  Castiel and Dean meet accidentally at a hotel and share a night of wild–and completely anonymous–intimacy. When Castiel wakes up alone, with no note and no phone number from his ‘Cowboy’, he assumes that the night was a one and done, and regretfully moves on with his life. Dean keeps thinking about the ‘Angel’ that he spent a night with, but is pretty sure that he doesn’t deserve that kind of a guy in his life. Jack and Honeybee discover “Mister Cas” and inadvertently set the stage for ‘Cowboy’ and his ‘Angel’ to meet. But sinister forces are moving in the background. Will they be able to overcome the forces that are trying to keep them apart?

Excerpt: “What’s Jack doing, Sam? Garth says he and Honeybee are out most days from breakfast until well after lunch. Jody says he packs peanut butter and banana sandwiches.” Sam shrugs. “He says he’s out visiting Mister Cas. I think he probably found the fort we built that one summer, and is holed up out there with sandwiches for his imaginary friends. Let it be, Dean. The heifers are out in the north pasture. The steers are in the east pasture. There’s nothing out by the fort to worry about.” “Snakes, Sam. There are snakes to worry about.” Sam looks at Dean across the kitchen island, and shakes his head, hair flopping over into his eyes. “You’re the one that told me that a mule will kill a snake faster than you can say ‘snake’, and I believe you because I’ve seen Honeybee do it. Let him be. Ben will be out of school in a couple of weeks, and he’ll be following Ben around like a puppy.” “Heh, you’re probably right.” Dean runs a hand down the back of his neck.  “I know I am, Dean. You worry about all of us, but you worry too much. You can’t watch over everyone all of the time.”

DCBB 2024 Posting Schedule

[hippiegoth97]

Renegade: Eddie Munson x Reader

Collage by me :)

Master List

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Description: It's spring break of '86, and you receive a call from Dustin after seeing a troubling news story on the television. He enlists your help to find Eddie, a young man you remember was supposed to graduate with you two years prior. The two of you have history, which causes you to willingly volunteer yourself to watch after the unfortunate fugitive. You comfort him in his time of need, in more ways than one. And you end up finding something that's been missing from your lonely existence for way too long...

Content Warning 18+ Only, Minors DNI: swearing, female reader, smut, fingering, oral sex, unprotected sex, squirting, consecutive orgasms, mentions of violence, one use of the F-slur, mentions of abuse/attempted sexual assault, mentions of past underage sex (reader and Eddie are both 19/20 in the actual story), mentions of drug/alcohol use, mentions of minor criminal activity, crying, light PTSD

A/N: This story contains dialogue from Stranger Things season four for context within my story, some of which has been modified. The credit for said dialogue goes to the Stranger Things writers, the Duffer Brothers, and Netflix. I only use it for entertainment purposes, I do not own Stranger Things or any of its characters, and I do not profit from my stories.

Word Count: 25.8k

divider by @strangergraphics

Renegade

You're sitting on the couch in your apartment, watching the early afternoon cartoons. A bowl of Honeycomb cereal sits before you, and you munch away at it mindlessly. Suddenly, in the middle of your animated entertainment, the local news cuts in to deliver a breaking story. You roll your eyes, it's probably another story about how evil Dungeons & Dragons is or some shit. This town sure loves to cater to sensationalism. There's been actual monsters from another dimension terrorizing this town, but all anyone can talk about is 'Just Say No' and 'the threat of satanism'.

A newswoman stands outdoors in the afternoon sun, in the middle of a place you'd recognize anywhere. Forest Hills trailer park, and the scene of the crime behind her is none other than the home of Eddie Munson. What the hell? You turn up the volume, needing to know what's going on.

"This is Channel Nine News coming to you live with a breaking story. We're in the Forest Hills trailer park in East Roane County. We don't have a lot of details right now, but we can confirm that the body of a Hawkins High student was discovered early this morning. Police have not released the victim's name, although we are told they're currently in the process of notifying the family. This incident is sure to rock the community of Hawkins, as the town has seen so much loss in recent years. Just last summer, there was the tragic fire at Starcourt Mall that claimed thirty lives. Police have the area around the crime scene blocked off as they are currently investigating, and are advising the trailer park residents to stay indoors, and stay vigilant. It has not yet been determined if foul play is involved, but we'll report back when we receive further details on this story."

You click off the TV, unable to believe that yet another life has been claimed by this bullshit town. The second you put the remote down, your phone begins to ring. You take the receiver out of its cradle, bringing it to your ear. "Hello?" You say.

"Y/N! It's Dustin, have you seen Eddie?" Dustin Henderson, one of the many friends you've managed to make over the last couple years. You'd first become acquainted with him last summer, when you worked at Starcourt before the 'fire'. You worked at Scoops Ahoy with Steve and Robin, both of which you remembered from your high school days. You graduated back in '84, the year Eddie was originally supposed to. You didn't hang out much, but you'd run into each other at times. He was kind, if not a little guarded. But he has every reason to be, given the fact that Hawkins High and the town as a whole absolutely hate him. And now, they're going to think he's a murderer. "Hello? You there, Y/N?" Dustin asks, snapping you out of your thoughts.

"Um, yeah. I haven't seen Eddie, but I just saw the news." You reply.

"Yeah, so did I. Can you meet me at Family Video? We should make some calls." He says, seemingly hiding some vital details. But you know just as well as him that someone could be listening to your conversation right now. The government has been keeping a very close watch on Hawkins, screening calls and performing raids. Anything alluding to the upside-down, or Eleven, or any other product of Hawkins lab will send some very scary people your way.

"Yeah, I'll be there in fifteen." You say hurriedly, checking your watch. The line cuts out, and you set the phone down on the table. You jog to your bedroom, hastily changing out of your pj's and into some jeans and a t-shirt. You slip on a cardigan as well as the air is still a bit chilly at times. You pull on your converse and grab your purse as you walk out the door. You get in the car as fast as you can, peeling out of the parking lot of your apartment complex. It doesn't take long for you to show up at the video store, noticing two bicycles leaning against the glass windows. You put your car in park and go inside. You find Dustin and Max behind the counter, having just spilled some newly returned tapes on the floor. Steve and Robin are yelling at the two of them for disrupting their day, noting how hectic the shop has been thus far. "Hey guys." You say to interrupt their squabbling.

"Oh, hey, Y/N. What are you doing here?" Steve asks, giving you a once-over. You roll your eyes at him, he's always had a bit of a thing for you. He knows you aren't into him that way, so he stopped persistently asking you out quite some time ago. He can't seem to control his wandering eyes, though, much to your dismay.

"Dustin asked me to meet him. Eddie's missing, and we need to find him." You reply, going around the counter the civilized way to help out.

"And how exactly do you guys plan to do that?" Robin asks, putting the dropped tapes back on the counter.

"I'm going to look up the numbers of Eddie's friends so we can call and see if they've seen him. Someone must have, right?" Dustin replies, going over to the computer and beginning to push buttons.

"Hey, now! That's property of Family Video, dude. You shouldn't be messing with that." Steve says, trying to get in the way to stop the kid.

"Quit it, Steve! I need to do this! It's important!" Dustin shouts, still pressing on keys to get into the customer log.

"But why? You think Eddie's cooler than me cuz he plays your nerdy game or something?" Steve asks, sounding rather jealous.

"No, dude! I never said that." Dustin says. He looks to Max, needing some assistance here. He can't stop what he's doing to explain every little detail, there's no time to waste."Can you just- fill them in while I do this?" He asks as he types away on the customer database.

"Fill us in on what?" Robin asks, speaking for the three of you who have no idea what's going on. Max proceeds to explain what she saw last night, Chrissy at Eddie's trailer, Eddie driving away, the lights flickering. The pieces begin to fit together as she speaks. Automatically, your mind goes to some upside-down-related nonsense. But there's no way to know for sure until you locate Eddie and hear his side of the story. You truly believe he wouldn't do something like this. He may look intimidating at times, but he's no killer.

You assist Max and Dustin in calling around, allowing Robin and Steve to work on this busy Saturday. One by one, names are crossed off a relatively short list. But the name 'Reefer Rick' comes up as another person who may know of Eddie's whereabouts. It's said that Rick is Eddie's supplier, and he crashes at his house sometimes. No one knows exactly who he is, or his phone number. So, for a moment you think this plan is a bust, a dead end. Until Robin comes up with an idea, after Steve stupidly suggests you go to the police. She takes Dustin's place at the computer, typing in 'Rick'. There's twelve names that match, hopefully you can narrow it down.

"That's a lotta Ricks." Max observes aloud, drawing nods of agreement from all of you. Robin pulls up the profiles one by one, eliminating them due to their picks of musicals, kids movies, teen flicks, and one account with an odd amount of water-themed films. She clicks down to one containing Fast Times and practically every Cheech and Chong movie in existence. Bingo.

"Looks like we've found our guy. Rick Lipton. The address is 2121 Holland Road." Robin says.

"That's out by Lover's Lake." Dustin chimes in.

"Middle of nowhere." Max adds.

"The perfect place to hide." You conclude. With that, Robin and Steve close up shop and the five of you pile into Steve's car to go find Eddie. It's gotten dark by the time you reach the home, and Steve parks the car. You all walk to the front door, with Dustin pressing on the bell. The dinging tone echoes through the interior of the house, but no one seems to be inside. Dustin pushes the bell repeatedly, becoming frustrated at the notion that this idea was wrong from the start.

"Well, looks like he's not here." Steve says, ready to give up. Dustin calls Eddie's name aloud, hoping the sound of a friendly voice will lure him out. Steve keeps trying to shush him, not wanting to call attention to your snooping if anyone else lives out here. The rest of you flash your lights through the windows, looking for any sign of life. You notice there's a boathouse which partially hovers over the lake. The door is slightly ajar, and you call everyone over to see your discovery.

"Maybe he's in here." You say, and your group slowly approaches the boathouse. You search the outside first, peeking in the windows. You can't see much, it's an absolute mess in there. You go inside, flashing your lights into every corner in hopes to find your missing metalhead.

"Hello, anyone home?" Robin asks cautiously. She's not too keen to be out by the lake at night, where a potential killer could be hiding.

Steve notices a boat with a large tarp over it sitting in the water, taking an oar off the metal wall of the shed to poke around. It's really the only good hiding place in here, so he jabs at the bulky tarp with the wooden instrument. "What are you doing?" Dustin asks, thinking Steve has lost it.

"He could be in here." Steve replies casually, continuing his curious prodding.

"Just take the tarp off!" Dustin suggests.

"If you're so brave, you do it!" Steve shoots back. You and the other girls continue to look around, ignoring the usual Henderson-Harrington banter. It's best to tune them out when possible, they spend half their time together going back and forth like siblings.

"Someone was here." Max notices empty snack wrappers and beer bottles, signaling that somebody had been here recently.

"Maybe he heard us. Got spooked and ran." Robin proposes.

"Don't worry, Steve will get him with his oar." Dustin quips, pointing to the man still poking around in the boat. The tarps continue to rustle, but no sounds of a person emit from underneath.

"I know you think you're being funny, man. But considering everyone here has almost died a hundred times, I don't personally find it funny in the slight-" Steve is interrupted as a figure jumps out of the boat. They grab onto Steve, pushing him roughly against the wall. You all shout at the sudden movements and noise, processing what's happening. You realize the figure is indeed Eddie, holding a broken bottle up to Steve's neck. A frightened yet defensive look sits on Eddie's face, and he's glistening with sweat. His body is shaking, making the broken glass in his grip quiver. His chest heaves, breathing heavily as adrenaline rushes through his veins. Steve looks just as terrified, the glass so very close to puncturing his throat. "Wait! Wait! Wait!" Steve shouts, trying to get Eddie to slow down.

"Eddie! Stop!" Dustin cries, attempting to get his friend's attention. He calls his name a couple more times, drawing Eddie's gaze to him. His eyes change slightly, somewhat confused as to why the kid is here. He's possibly contemplating whether or not his life is in danger. "It's me, Dustin. This is Steve, he's not gonna hurt you. Right, Steve?" Dustin gestures at Harrington, whose eyes are blown wide in terror. Eddie's got an iron grip on his shirt, keeping him pinned to the wall.

"Right, yeah." Steve whispers. He doesn't want his throat to get cut from talking too loudly or too much.

"Steve, drop the oar." Dustin instructs. Steve does so, which makes Eddie move in closer to him, like he might actually hurt him. "He's cool! He's cool!" He tries to explain.

"What are you doing here?" Eddie asks in a shaky voice. It's the first time he's spoken, and he sounds like a man who's been to hell and back. You're frozen in place, helplessly watching this situation unfold.

"We're looking for you." Dustin replies.

"We're here to help." Robin adds, and Eddie's eyes snap to her suspiciously. This could be a trap. A trap formed by the cops to draw him out.

"Eddie, these are my friends. You know Robin, from band." Dustin points to her, and she imitates playing the trumpet as that's her instrument of choice. "This is Max, the one who never wants to play D&D." He gestures at Max and she gives an awkward wave. "And this is Y/N. I know her from when she worked at the mall with Steve and Robin last summer." You give him a small smile, and Eddie's eyes change again. He definitely recognizes you, from back when he was supposed to graduate in '84. You were really nice to him, unlike most people. "We're on your side, Eddie." Dustin insists, hoping these statements are enough to get him to drop the weapon and talk to your group. "I swear on my mother. Right, guys?"

"Yep, yep, we swear. On Dustin's mother." You all add in various volumes and phrasing, nodding your heads to affirm this. Eddie thinks it over a moment, his face hardening again. On the one hand, the police could be waiting outside right now, waiting for the right moment to bust in here. But on the other, you all seem to want to help him, to listen to the crazy shit he saw last night. He lets Steve go, turning away. Steve lets out a sigh of relief, and all of you do the same. Crisis averted. All that's left to do now is get Eddie to talk. You notice him sliding down the wall, looking absolutely exhausted and traumatized.

Dustin walks over to him slowly, noticing the bottle still in his hand. "Eddie. We just want to talk." He takes the words one at a time, carefully reaching for the weapon in Eddie's hand. Eddie snatches it backwards, not quite wanting to let it go. It's all he has to defend himself with, and he feels far from comfortable enough to drop it. "Okay." Dustin says when he flinches.

You kneel beside Eddie, hoping your familiarity might help ease him a bit more. "We wanna know what happened."

Eddie sniffs harshly before speaking. He turns his head slightly to look your way, while still halfway hiding behind his hair. "You won't believe me." He says meekly, quieter than you've ever heard him talk before. He shakes his head, not wanting to believe it himself. It would be so much easier to believe he lost his mind, and hallucinated whatever the hell he saw to cope with the fact that he did, in fact, kill Chrissy. He knows he wouldn't do that, but what other explanation is there? His silly fantasy games aren't real, so that only leaves the horrors of man as the culprit. Right?

"Try us." Max says simply. The unphased looks on your faces make Eddie's eyebrow raise in questioning. Maybe something else is going on here, and maybe you and your friends can give him the answers. He takes a moment to gather himself, inhaling a few deep breaths before reliving this fucking nightmare.

"Chrissy had come to me at school yesterday, wanting to buy drugs. She wanted something stronger than weed, so I brought her to my place after the game. Things seemed fine at first, but that's when the weird shit started." He says, relatively calm. That is, until he has to bring up the 'weird shit'. His demeanor changes, becoming panicked. "Her body just, like, lifted up into the air and, uh..." He says, his tone laced with fear. The images replay in his head as he speaks, though they haven't exactly stopped since he first witnessed them. You all listen intently as he recounts the events, finding the details utterly gruesome. "And she just, like, hung there. In the air. And her bones, uh..." He whimpers, squeezing his eyes shut at the thought.

He feels sick saying any of this, it's all so horrible. But he knows you just want to help, so he soldiers on. "Her bones started to snap." The echoes of Chrissy's arms and legs breaking like twigs flashes fresh in his mind, making him want to throw up. "And her eyes, man. It...it was like something, like, inside her head, pulling." He makes a pulling motion with his hands to illustrate the point. His voice becomes more unsteady. He feels so ashamed of what he did next, like a goddamn coward. "I-I didn't know what to do, so I..." He stops again, his heart aching terribly. "I ran away. I left her there." His breath hitches, and all of you look at him with sympathetic sorrow. He stares at all of you, scoffing at how bonkers his story sounds. "You all think I'm crazy, right?" He brings his hand to his face, becoming embarrassed for saying anything at all.

"No. We don't think you're crazy." Dustin says.

"Don't bullshit me, man! I know how this sounds!" Eddie exclaims. His voice cracks, and his eyes fill up with tears.

"We're not bullshitting you." Max interjects.

"We believe you." Robin joins in. Eddie exhales in defeat, shaking his head. This is all too insane, there's no way you all aren't yanking his chain. Sure, people talk like this town is cursed or something. But that's all talk. Hell, he's heard so many rumors about himself, which he knows are lies. So who's to say that anyone claiming there's a curse, or monsters, or any of that crap is telling the truth?

"Look, what I'm about to tell you might be a little...difficult to take." Dustin says, and you all realize he's going to tell Eddie everything. Personally, you're not so sure that's a good idea. Eddie's been through enough as it is, hearing everything else that's happened might push him off the deep end.

"Okay." Eddie says weakly, unsure he even wants to listen. But he supposes if it could clear his name and explain what he saw, he might as well give it a shot.

"You know how people say Hawkins is 'cursed'? They're not...way off." Dustin says. He can't believe he's actually about to drag yet another person into the supernatural shit you've all experienced since Will went missing. "There's another world. A world hidden beneath Hawkins. Sometimes, it bleeds into ours."

"Like ghosts and shit?" Eddie interrupts, not quite understanding what Dustin means.

"There are some things...worse than ghosts." Max adds.

"These monsters from this other world...we thought they were gone. But they've come back before. That's why we needed to find you." You say, your own nerves beginning to get to you at the notion. Last year was a fight for your lives you'll never forget, and you definitely don't want to repeat it.

"If they're back again, we need to know." Max takes another turn.

"Did you see anything that night? Dark particles, maybe?" Robin asks, going over the usual upside-down tropes.

"It would almost look like dust, swirling dust." Dustin elaborates, hoping that's a bit clearer.

Eddie shakes his head. "No, there was nothing you could see…or touch. You know, I tried to wake her, man. She couldn't move. It was like she was in a trance or something."

"Or under a spell." Dustin suggests, piquing Eddie curiosity. He's making it sound like it's a fuckin' D&D campaign.

"A curse." Eddie replies, leaning into the idea. It's far from The craziest thing he's heard at this point, so why not?

"Vecna's curse." Dustin breathes.

"Who's Vecna?" Steve asks, hoping to God it's not another geeky reference to their silly game. The group has named nearly every creature and phenomenon after various bullshit fantasy things, and he's a little sick of it to be honest.

"An undead creature of great power." Dustin replies fearfully, making Steve roll his eyes slightly in response.

"A spell caster." Eddie says, committing to the concept completely.

"A dark wizard." Dustin says with total finality.

"Okay, great. So...we're dealing with another unstoppable force. What exactly do we do now?" Robin asks.

"I don't know, we don't have a lot to go on. Eddie didn't physically see anyone, and the way Chrissy died isn't exactly one we've seen before. We'll have to do some investigating, maybe find Nancy. But until then, we'd better get some sleep." Dustin says. He stands, and the others move to leave. But you stay where you are.

"Aren't we forgetting something?" You ask, gesturing at Eddie who's still crouching on the floor.

"Oh, right." Dustin sighs, trying to think of what to do. "I don't think any of us could harbor Eddie unnoticed, and the police will probably exhaust every lead that connects to him. Even you, Y/N. I think it's safest to leave him here. We can deliver supplies and leave a walkie with him. But there's not much else we can do." He says sadly, hating the idea of leaving his friend behind.

"I'll stay with him." You offer. You don't want Eddie to be alone, he shouldn't have to be after all he's been through. Besides, there was a time where you needed him years ago and he helped you, no questions asked. It's odd, up until now, you'd almost completely forgotten all about it.

It was junior year, and you had kind of fallen in with a bad crowd. Kids that skipped class, did drugs, snuck off to all corners of the woods to have sex. You were seeing a guy named Benji, who was a real creep. He was a year older than you, and often took advantage of your naivety. There was one night in particular, at some popular asshole's house on a Friday night, where Benji tried to take everything you had.

"Hey, babe. Get me another beer, will ya?" Benji slurs, handing you his empty cup for you to refill at the keg outside. You've been doing so all night, bringing him cup after cup while hardly having any time for yourself. It's a party, and you wanna dance and have a good time. But of course, you can't possibly disobey Benji. He's the only one that pays attention to you, the only one that makes you feel alive.

"Sure thing, baby. I'll be right back." You say, turning away to head out into the backyard.

"That's my girl." Benji smirks, smacking your ass. Him and his buddies laugh raucously, and you try to hold back the yelp from the sting of his hand. You hate it when he does that, especially in front of everyone. You go out to the keg, finding quite a few people waiting in line to fill up. There's some couples making out against the side of the house, guys chatting about how many chicks they've laid, a girl crying on the porch steps because her boyfriend kissed another girl. Typical party fare, nothing to write home about. Except for a certain someone you recognize, selling little baggies of weed and coke out of his metal lunchbox. Eddie Munson.

You've seen him around school a lot, he's in the same year as you. He's a bit odd at times, but he's one of the only people that's actually nice to you. You've talked politely in passing in the hall, and you've bought stuff from him a few times. He always gives you a discount, which you highly appreciate as the only money you get is whatever Benji gives you to buy with. You notice Eddie finishing a sale, and his eyes meet yours. He smiles at you, closing up shop for a moment to come say hello. "Hey there, Y/N. I figured I'd see you here. You havin' fun?" He says with a kind smile, moving forward with you as the line progresses.

"I guess. I'm just waiting to get a refill for Benji." You say nervously, looking over your shoulder. Benji is definitely the jealous type, and you really hope he doesn't see you talking to Eddie so casually.

"Ah, I see." His face falls slightly. He knows all about Benji. He's a grade A asshole, and Eddie hates seeing the way he treats you. He's always grabbing at your tits and ass in the middle of the hall, ignoring your protests and swatting hands. And he frenchs you by your locker in front of everyone, shoving his tongue sloppily down your throat. "Can't he get his own drink? He's a grown man, well, legally speaking." Eddie snarks.

"I know. It's fine, gives me a moment for myself, away from the crowd." You reply as you gaze down at your feet.

"Well, it's not really a moment for yourself if you're spending it serving someone else. Right?" He continues, trying to get you to admit how you really feel. He knows you're suffering in this 'relationship', and it breaks his heart. To see someone treat you so terribly, like an object. It makes him sick.

"Why do you care so much?" You ask defensively. You don't really want to discuss your relationship with your drug dealer. He's not really your friend, you're just another sale.

"Because you seem like a nice girl. You deserve better. You should have someone who treats you right, not like a piece of meat." He says, putting a hand on your shoulder.

"What? Someone like you?" You scoff, rolling your eyes.

"I didn't say that. Just...someone that isn't Benji. You don't look very happy when you're with him." He says as your turn comes up to fill Benji's cup. You take hold of the nozzle, squeezing it to release the beer.

"I'm fine, Eddie. He's just...older. More mature. You wouldn't understand." You insist, shrugging his hand off of you. You know Eddie is right, but you don't want to admit it. Because all that would do is make you look like a fool. Until Benji came along, not a single guy gave you the time of day. And now, you've got a boyfriend that's pretty hot, if not a bit rough around the edges. But he protects you, and keeps you from feeling lonely. Who else is gonna do that for you? No one.

"I guess I wouldn't." Eddie says sadly, realizing this conversation is going nowhere.

"You makin' a move on my girl, Munson?" Benji asks as he walks over to you. He puffs out his chest a little, wrapping an arm around your waist aggressively. His movement jostles you slightly, making you spill a little bit of his beer on yourself.

"Not at all, man. Just looking for a sale." Eddie says, averting his gaze from you. His words sting a bit, even though you weren't really responding well to him trying to help you.

"Oh, well, in that case. We'll take a little somethin', whatever you recommend, man." Benji chuckles, reaching into his pocket for some cash.

"Cool. Got a twenty there? I think this will enhance your evening." Eddie exchanges the money for a small baggie of cocaine, putting on his signature smile. You know it's all for show, his eyes read with intense worry for you during the transaction.

"Thanks, dude. See ya later." Benji replies as he slips the baggie in his pocket, before moving to turn around and lead you both back inside.

"No problem, man. See ya, Y/N." He calls to you, and you just nod. You feel Benji's hand press further into your hip, squeezing you to the point where it really hurts. You know you're in for it now, Benji always loses it when you talk to other guys. He takes you into a bedroom in the house, shoving you inside while he slams the door. You stumble forward in your heels, catching yourself on the edge of the bed. You swivel your body to sit on the mattress, finding Benji glaring at you furiously.

"What have I told you about talkin' to other guys?" He growls, his teeth clenched together as he speaks.

"He was just trying to sell to me, Benji. I swear. Nothing happened." You say sheepishly, fearing what he might do next.

"Fuck that, 'nothing happened'! I saw him touch you, when you're mine. You whoring around on me, hm? Fuckin' the freak behind my back? Answer me!" Benji shouts, getting all up in your face. You flinch at his proximity, your heart pounding in your chest as you wait for him to punish you.

"No, I'm not! I told you nothing happened!" You shout back, immediately regretting it once the words leave your lips. Your mouth claps shut, eyes widening as you realize you're really gonna get it.

"Don't fuckin' talk back to me, Y/N!" Benji yells even louder, slapping you across the face. His palm stings against your cheek, making tears spring from your eyes. Your own hand comes up to feel where he hit you, and you meet his furious stare again. He grabs hold of your chin, squeezing your cheeks together. He brings himself as close to you as possible, his hot breath rushing over you. It stinks of beer, and your nose would crinkle if you weren't so scared. "You are MY girlfriend! You got that? You don't talk to anyone else!" He shoves you backwards in his grip. Your head lands on the blankets, bouncing at the force. "You don't look at anyone else!" He slaps you again, harder than before. You yelp in pain, wanting this to stop. "You don't even THINK about anyone else!" He climbs on top of you, weighing you down. "Say it! Say that you belong to me!" He commands, his eyes wild despite his drunken state.

"I belong to you, Benji! Okay? Only you!" You say frantically as tears stream down your face.

"Damn right! I'm gonna show you, make you see that you're mine!" He lifts himself slightly, undoing his belt. He starts to shimmy his pants down, reaching for your skirt. You don't want this, you don't want him. Not like this.

"Benji, stop!" You cry, trying to push him away. But he's heavier and stronger than you, holding you down with one arm while he pushes your skirt up. He pulls down your panties, letting them gather around your ankles. "Benji! I don't want this! Stop it!" You pound your fists on his chest, wanting him to stop. But he doesn't listen, he just keeps getting ready to take you as he pleases. You keep crying for him to get off of you, hoping someone will hear you scream over the loud music that's flooding the house.

"You're mine, Y/N. I'm gonna show you." He says darkly, looking at you with a sickening grin. He yanks his boxers down, and you see his half-hard cock flop out. You try to kick him away, scratch his arms, anything to stop this. But it's no use.

"HELP! PLEASE! SOMEBODY HELP! BENJI, STOP IT! I DON'T WANT THIS, I SAID NO! STOP!" You scream at the top of your lungs, tears blurring your vision as you kick and squirm with all your might. Benji takes his dick in his hand, bringing it towards you. This is really gonna happen, he's going to rape you and there's nothing you can do. "BENJI, PLEASE! STOP IT!" Your screams only grow weaker as you realize you're utterly helpless. No one can hear you, and no one would care if they did.

"Stop fucking screaming and take it! You're mine! No one is gonna get in my way!" Benji shouts at you, just barely brushing his length against you. The feeling makes you want to vomit, your stomach tensing in warning. He's just about to shove himself into you, when the door slams open. Of course he's too drunk to remember to lock it.

"Hey! I'm pretty sure she told you to stop!" You hear a familiar voice, before Benji is suddenly being hurled away from you and across the room. Benji smacks into the wall, slumping to the floor. You see Eddie standing before you, his eyes burning with fearsome anger. "Are you okay?" He asks, quickly throwing a blanket on top of your legs to cover you up. You pull your clothes back on under the covers, thankful that nobody seemed to see your most vulnerable area on full display. You notice the music has stopped, and a gaggle of heads is poking into the doorway of the room.

"I'm alright. Thank you, Eddie." You say frantically, standing up to run to him. You bury your head in his shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.

"You fucking whore, I knew you were sleeping with him." Benji slurs from the floor, struggling to get up. He hit his head pretty hard when Eddie pushed him. But you don't mind, he had it coming. His fucking skull can crack open like an egg for all you care.

"Shut up, Benji. You're a fuckin' lowlife, you know that?" Eddie retorts. He's far from afraid of the man crumpled on the floor before him.

"Takes one to know one, Munson. Fuckin' asshole, I'll kill you!" Benji roars, clumsily lunging towards the both of you. Eddie moves you out of the way, taking all of the impact on your behalf. His back meets the wall hard, and Benji starts wailing on him. "Fuckin' freak! Stealing my girl! I always took you for a faggot, guess I was wrong!" Benji screams as he punches Eddie again and again. He lands blows on his nose, his jaw, his eyes. Eddie grunts with every hit, and blood gushes from his nostrils.

"Benji, stop it! Leave him alone! Stop it!" You shout helplessly. You turn to the other party goers who seem to be enjoying the show. "Do something! Call the cops, anything! Help him!" You beg and plead, and a couple guys from the basketball team come in to pull Benji off of Eddie. Eddie collapses, spitting out a mouthful of blood. You fall to your knees before him.

"Eddie, are you okay?" You ask, his eyes drifting open and closed in a daze. "Eddie, stay with me. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, this is all my fault!" You can't stop crying, you're absolutely hysterical. You pull him up to lean against the wall, tapping his cheek to keep him awake. Even while wasted, Benji’s really done a number on him.

Eddie’s eyes meet yours, already swelling up from the bruising. "It's okay, Y/N. I'm gonna be fine. Calm down." He says weakly, reaching out for your hand. You give it to him, and wait with him until the police arrive. Everyone besides the kid whose house this is and anyone involved in the fight quickly disperse before the cops show up. You certainly don't blame them, you're all underage and consuming various substances with no parental supervision. You give your statements, and the paramedics tend to Eddie's wounds. Benji is taken away in handcuffs, and the cops insist you won't have to worry about him anymore.

You stand outside the house with Eddie once the emergency services leave, taking hold of his hand again. You look at his beaten face. The swollen eyes, the cut on his eyebrow, his busted lip and nose. He looks awful, and you feel even worse. "Eddie, I'm so sorry." You say, getting teary-eyed again.

"For what?" He asks, doing his best to raise an eyebrow. When you don't answer, he sighs. He gestures for you to sit with him on the front steps, and you do. "Y/N, he was gonna hurt you. I couldn't let him do that. You were literally crying for help, was I supposed to ignore that? Should I have let him rape you?" He asks, only answered with more silence. You don't know what to say, part of you feels like you had it coming. That you deserved to get hurt. He sighs again, trying his hardest to look deep into your eyes. "What Benji did was wrong, okay? You didn't deserve that, nobody does. I stepped in, which was the right thing to do. I know you're upset that I got hurt, and I'm flattered, really." He laughs lightly, groaning in pain soon after. "But it's worth it, because I kept you from getting hurt. So please, don't feel bad for me. I'm used to getting my ass kicked anyways. At least this time was for a good reason. Promise me you won't blame yourself?" He asks sweetly, putting a kind hand on your knee.

"I promise." You nod, wiping away the streaky tracks on your face. "Thank you, Eddie. I don't know what I would've done without you. I couldn't get him off me. I tried to kick and scratch him, I-" Your mind quickly goes back to that place, images of Benji forcing himself on you playing at shutter speed through your head.

"Y/N, you did everything you could. It's okay." He puts his arm around your shoulders, so much more gentle than Benji did. You can't help melting into his touch a little, your heart fluttering at how sweet he's being. You assume he's just being nice, calming you down from your hysterics. "You mind giving me a ride home? I can't see shit right now." He asks politely.

"Of course, Eddie. It's the least I can do." You help him stand up, holding his hand as you walk to your car. You'd driven yourself and Benji here tonight, as his license is suspended. Benji drives like a maniac, speeding, running red lights and stop signs, almost hitting pedestrians. God, the more you think about it, the more you hate yourself for wasting a single second on a guy like that. You drive Eddie to the trailer park, going so far as to walk him to the front door.

"Wow, such a gentleman!" Eddie jokes, making you both laugh. You stand on the steps for a moment, awkwardly wondering what to say next. You're about to speak, when Eddie breaks the silence. He clears his throat. "Well, I should get inside and ice my face." He gestures awkwardly at the inside of his home.

"Yeah, yeah." You nod, rocking back and forth on your feet restlessly. "Thank you again, Eddie. I don't know how I'll ever repay you, honestly. I know it's cheesy to say, but you saved my life tonight." You lean over to press a kiss of gratitude to his cheek. Eddie blushes at the contact, his stomach filling with butterflies.

"No need, sweetheart. Just doing the right thing. But, um, we should...hang out sometime." He stumbles over his words, which you find really cute. And the name he calls you, 'sweetheart', brings a flare of color to your own cheeks. You might just be starting to like him...a lot.

"Yeah, we should. You're a good guy, Eddie." You smile, deciding that now is the time to finally leave him be. You hate to be alone right now, but you don't know him well enough to ask to come inside. There will surely be other times for that. "I should get going. But I'll see you on Monday, okay?"

"Sure thing, Y/N. See ya there." He waves goodbye, walking inside as you head back to your car. Unexpected feelings at the thought of seeing you again begin to bloom inside his chest. Dangerous feelings that can only mean one thing. He's starting to like you...a lot. Fuck. Leave it to Eddie to fall for a 'damsel in distress'.

When you see Eddie again, he looks a lot better than he did on Friday night. His eyes are far less swollen, mostly circled with dark purple bruises, and he's only got small bandaids on his cuts now. "Hey, look at that. You survived the weekend." You say with a giggle as you greet him in the hall. You've been thinking about him nonstop the last couple of days. How brave he was in defending your honor, how unbelievably caring he acted towards you. That's the way you want to be treated from now on, anything less isn't good enough for you anymore. You've learned your lesson, no more asshole guys.

"Looks like it. How are you feelin', Y/N?" He asks, giving you a smile.

"I'm okay, much better than I thought I'd be." You reply, leaning against the lockers. Eddie mirrors you, his shoulder brushing against yours.

"Good. So, uh...are you busy tonight? I figured we could hang out...if you want to." Eddie curses himself for being so jumbled, but he can't help it. He couldn't stop thinking about you all weekend, replaying you kissing his cheek over and over. It was so soft, and warm. He can't help wanting to get to know you better, and to maybe earn some more of your affection.

"Yeah, we can do that. Your place or mine?" You ask casually, keeping your cool. But on the inside, you're absolutely freaking out. Eddie may have used the words 'hang out', but it feels like he's asking you on a date.

"Yours, if that's okay. My place is kind of a mess." Eddie replies happily. He's over the moon that you said yes. He doesn't necessarily mean it as a date, he doesn't want to push you into anything. But he figures you two can get to know each other better, be friends first. And even if that's all you end up being, he'll still consider himself a very lucky guy.

"Sounds great. Meet up with me after school?" You ask, solidifying your plans.

"You got it." He smiles, just as the bell rings. "Well, I'd better get to Click's class. See you after, Y/N."

"Will do, Munson." You give him a wave goodbye, before heading down the hall to your own classroom. You spend the entire day counting down the minutes until you get to bring Eddie to your place. Time can't move fast enough, and you find yourself frequently staring at the clock to will the hands to move quicker. But you have no such luck. The final bell rings, sweetly releasing you for the day. You practically skip down the halls, getting your stuff from your locker before heading out to your car. You find Eddie leaned against it already, waiting for you.

"Hey, Y/N. You ready to go?" He greets you, waiting for you to unlock the door.

"You know it!" You reply, a bit too eagerly if you're honest with yourself. You both get in the car and make the short drive home, and you lead him inside. "My parents work late, so we have the place to ourselves for a few hours." You inform him, making your way to the kitchen. "You want a drink?" You ask after opening the refrigerator, pulling out a couple beers.

"Uh, sure." Eddie says, leaning against the doorway while you pop the caps off. You hand him one of the beers, and you both head upstairs to your room. You plop down on your bed, patting a spot beside you. Eddie quirks an eyebrow at you, wondering where this is going.

"Relax, Eddie. I don't bite." You say jokingly, hoping to put him at ease. You're not planning on anything in particular to happen, it would be too soon to try to jump his bones right now. Plus, you don't think you're ready to rush into a new relationship. What happened with Benji was really scary, and you need time to build up trust before letting a guy into your heart again.

"Sorry. I just...don't exactly get invited into the bedrooms of teenage girls very often. It has a certain connotation to it, I guess." Eddie replies with a light laugh, mentally kicking himself for jumping to conclusions. Obviously you're not going to try to fuck him. You probably won't try to fuck anyone for a good while after what happened.

"Oh, we could go back downstairs if it's too weird. I'm just more comfortable in here, it's the only space at home that's really mine." You offer.

"No, no. It's okay, I'll get my damn mind out of the gutter." He chuckles, before taking the spot you've left for him. He takes a swig of his beer, hoping to calm his stupid nerves.

"Good. I'd hate for you to get the impression that I'm easy." You reply as he swallows, making him choke slightly. You can't help giggling, though it was a bit rude to go there.

"I promise you, Y/N. I have no intention of thinking of you in any insulting way. Like I've said before, you're a nice girl." He says through a cough, wiping a dribble of beer that's spilled out onto his chin.

"I know. I'm not so sure I agree, though." You reply sadly, before taking a long drink from your own bottle. You know you should take it easy, you're kind of a lightweight. But being around Eddie, and potentially becoming vulnerable around him, makes you very nervous.

"Why's that?" Eddie asks, putting his hand on yours as it sits between your bodies.

"I mean, I was going out with a guy like Benji, who's a total asshole. He was awful to me, to everyone, really. And his 'friends' are just as bad, but they're also mine by association. I drink, I do drugs, I have sex. I skip class, I lie to my parents about everything, and my grades are pretty awful. What about that is good, Eddie?" You ask him seriously, unable to hide how you truly feel about yourself. You're everything your parents claim is what makes a lowlife, though they have no idea you do any of it. You've kept Benji a secret from them, and pay one of the computer geeks to change your report cards every semester so your parents don't flip out. And you come up with excuse after excuse to cover up the parties and other forbidden places you sneak off to.

"Y/N, you do realize that none of that makes you a bad person, right?" Eddie asks, becoming a little sad himself at seeing you in this new light. You shake your head, you don't believe him one bit. You feel heat build behind your eyes, tears threatening to spill out. "I know you probably won't believe me, but I honestly think you're one of the best people I've ever met." Your eyes meet his, and he can see you're about to call bullshit. But he silently asks you to just listen, taking full hold of your hand this time. "You're pretty much the only one who doesn't treat me like shit at school, and you aren't unkind to anyone else either. Even when Benji and his lackeys pick on people, you never participate. Most people go along with the crowd, but you don't. You do what you know is right, Y/N. Everyone makes mistakes, or hides things from their parents to avoid disappointing them. But it doesn't define you."

"I appreciate you saying that, Eddie. Really." You sniffle, you hadn't really thought about it that way before. You suppose, if anything, Eddie knows better than anyone that regardless of what others think, your character says more about you than anything else. People think he's just a dumb drug dealer who plays weird fantasy games. But he's a whole lot more than that. He stands up for others when no one else will, especially the geeky kids like him that need it most. You down the rest of your beer, blinking a couple tears down your cheeks as you swallow.

"You want another?" Eddie asks, reaching for your empty bottle.

"No, I'd better not. I've probably had too much already." You say as the slight buzz begins to run across your brain.

"There's no way you're a lightweight with how much you went back to the keg over and over on Friday." Eddie scoffs, taking your bottle from you to toss away in the small trash can in your room.

"That was all for Benji. I usually don't get to drink at parties or hangouts, at least not enough to have any sort of tolerance. Just one of the ways he liked to control me. He sure as shit got me high off my ass when he wanted me to be 'up for it', though." You say bitterly. You sigh loudly at the annoying thought, falling backwards to lay halfway on the bed. Your legs dangle off the edge still, toes barely grazing the floor.

"I'm sorry, Y/N. I didn't know." He can't help feeling personally responsible for Benji drugging you for sex. He knows damn well that the substances used for such a thing came from his stupid metal lunchbox. He wishes he could take those transactions back, keep you from getting taken advantage of in such an awful way.

"It's not your fault. At least I know your stuff is safe. Other dealers around here love to lace their shit, and fuck knows what would've happened if I bought from them instead." You say it like it's nothing, perhaps shutting yourself off from the idea that Benji has already done what you were so afraid of last weekend. You don't want to talk about it anymore, or even think about it. The hours of clarity after separating yourself from your abusive boyfriend have repeatedly brought so many terrible experiences to light. You're not sure how much more of it you can take.

"I wish you would've told me, Y/N. I could've done something so much sooner." He lays down beside you, scooting a little closer now.

"Yeah, and gotten yourself busted in the process." You retort, finding his suggestion ridiculous. It's not his responsibility to take care of you, he's not your boyfriend. "Can we talk about something else?" You say abruptly, desperate to change the subject.

"Of course. But I'm always here to listen if you ever do want to talk about it. I am your friend now, after all." He gives you a kind smile, which you attempt to return as your lip trembles. "Oh, sweetheart. C'mere." He almost whispers, pulling you into him as carefully as he can. He doesn't want it to look like he's making a move on you, he just knows you need a shoulder to cry on. You let him encapsulate you in his arms, burrowing your head against his chest as you begin to sob. Neither of you say anything else for a while, just laying awkwardly in your bed as you cry. Eddie strokes your back with his hand in the most platonic way possible.

After a bit, you start feeling a little better. You poke your head up, not realizing just how close you are to Eddie. You look deep in one another's eyes, your heartbeats picking up at the proximity. You both know it's stupid, idiotic, even. But you find yourselves wanting to kiss each other more than anything in the world. Your breath fans hotly together, and you start to meet each other in the middle. But just before your lips can touch, you hear a key turning in the lock downstairs.

The front door opens, and you hear your parents walking into the house. You stop what you're doing immediately, shooting up in bed as you lose your romantic moment. "Shit. Get up. I'm not allowed to have boys in my room." You say hurriedly, wiping your face and shooing Eddie out of the room. You make it look like you were just showing him where the bathroom is, and your parents buy it. They always do. Perfect little Y/N would never have a boy in her bedroom. Only whores do that. You tell them you're just going to drive Eddie home, heading outside with him once more.

The drive over is silent, and charged with unresolved tension. Neither of you dare to speak, not yet. You aren't really sure what to even say. You sure as hell didn't intend to almost dive head first into what you can only imagine would be a very messy relationship. You escort Eddie to his trailer again, and it's here that you finally speak. "So, um...about earlier..." Eddie starts.

"Yeah, uh...I was just feeling vulnerable. But I don't want to lead you on, I just can't get into another relationship right now." You practically vomit the words out, wanting to shut this down before it gets too far.

"Oh. Yeah, no, that's- fine." Eddie replies awkwardly, trying to give off the impression that it doesn't bother him. That couldn't be further from the truth. But he knows you're right, it just isn't a good idea.

"I'm sorry, Eddie. I don't mean to play with your feelings or anything like that. But I enjoy hanging out with you, and I'd like us to be friends." You really do mean what you're saying. If the timing was different, you would definitely pursue things further with him. He's everything you want in a guy, the total package. But it's not what you need. What you need...is time...and a friend.

"I understand completely, Y/N." He replies kindly, nodding in agreement. "Hey, look. You should go home and rest, 'kay? And I'll see you tomorrow." He suggests, needing some time of his own to figure out what he's gonna do with all these goddamn feelings he's built up.

"Okay. Goodnight, Eddie." You say as you turn to leave, you can't help feeling like you've upset him. You know he would never say, but you know how guys are. Even the nice ones don't handle rejection in the best ways. You just really hope you haven't blown your chances at having a real friend for once.

"Goodnight, sweetheart." He says, almost too quiet for you to hear. It makes your heart ache, the softness of his voice as he utters the words. You know without a doubt that you've hurt him now. And you wish you could take it back.

The next day goes just as you expect it to. You try to talk to Eddie before class, and he's nice enough. But he keeps the conversation short, eager to get away from you, it seems. You knew this would happen. He stuck out his neck for you, and you rejected him. And now, he doesn't want anything to do with you. You try not to take it personally, but it definitely stings. So you do the only thing you know how. You shut yourself off, and focus on finishing this year and the next. You focus on all the freedom you'll have once you graduate. No parents, no teachers, no assholes. Just you, working for a living, doing whatever you want.

And that's exactly what you did. You kept your head down, stayed out of trouble. You did most of the job for Eddie, avoiding him at all costs. Again, if you happened upon each other, you kept things pleasant. Neither of you blamed the other for how you felt, but it was too awkward and weird between you to try to keep a good friendship going. And of course, you got separated even further when you graduated in 1984, and he got held back the first time. It's strange, it seems like that was a lifetime ago. But being in Eddie's presence for this long makes it feel like only yesterday.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Eddie asks, worried that being in proximity to him might get you hurt or killed.

"Eddie's right. The cops are looking for him, it could make you look like an accomplice." Steve adds, crossing his arms.

"But we can't just leave him here all alone. After what he's been through? No way." You stand your ground. "Look, you guys have parents and other people that would worry about where you are. I don't. My folks moved away after graduation, I live alone. I'll stay with him, I'd want someone to do the same for me." You turn to Eddie, giving him a knowing look. He nods, understanding what you're referring to. The others find this nonverbal communication odd, but set it aside for the time being.

"Okay, fine. But please, be careful. Use the walkie if you need anything. We'll bring you guys food tomorrow, and we can swing by your place to get you some clothes." Robin says, holding out a hand for your keys. You give them to her, and take a seat on an old wooden crate in the shed.

"We'll be alright. We've got an oar and a broken bottle to defend ourselves with." You quip, taking the walkie talkie Dustin gives you. The others say goodbye, and you wish them luck in finding out what's causing the chaos this time. You sigh once they leave, realizing how awkward this is actually going to be. You both sit in silence for a while, listening to the crickets chirping outside. You don't know what to say, or if Eddie even wants to talk at all.

"Thank you. For staying." Eddie breaks the silence, speaking quietly. His eyes meet yours for a moment, before pulling away.

"It's the least I can do, Eddie. I kinda owe you for the favor you did for me." You reply from across the room. You suppose it's best to keep your distance. Not just because of your past history, but Eddie's been jumpy to say the least.

"And here I thought you were just dying to see me again." He chuckles, mostly joking.

"It is nice to see you again, I've missed my friend. I wish it were under different circumstances, though." His face falls slightly at your use of the word 'friend', and you can't help feeling bad about it.

"Yeah, well. Life's a bitch, I've learned that the hard way." He says solemnly. "You can come closer, if you want. I don't have the plague, ya know." He says in a roundabout way to ask you to comfort him. "I've still got a couple beers left, too. On the table, there." He gestures at them, the glass glinting in the moonlight that peeps into the windows. "Fuck knows we could use 'em."

You retrieve the bottles, bringing them over. You sit down next to Eddie, and he pops the caps off the beers. He hands you one, and you take a small sip. You notice his shoulder brushing against yours as he longs for some form of contact. Not necessarily in a romantic or sexual way, he just needs comfort. Any sliver he can get, if you'll supply it to him. "So, um...how are you holding up?" You doubt he'll have a good answer for you, but you don't know what else to say.

"Not well. I keep seeing...her, every time I close my eyes." His voice shakes as he speaks.

"I'm sorry, Eds-" You start, when he cuts you off.

"'Eds'?" He questions, giving you an odd look. No one's called him that before, but he kinda likes how it sounds coming from your lips.

"Yeah...is that okay?" You ask, waiting for Eddie to laugh at you or something. You don't really know why you decided to give him an impromptu nickname, especially now. But it suits him when you really think about it. He smiles at you, nodding his head.

"It's fine. Kinda cute, actually." He blushes, just like the night you drove him home all those years ago. He clears his throat, pushing away the mushy thoughts swirling around his head. "Anyway, what were you saying?" He nudges you, pulling you out of your own mind.

"Oh, right. I'm sorry that you had to see that happen. It sounds awful. Is there anything I can do? Maybe I could....distract you?" You suggest, wanting to help him calm down. He's still plenty on edge from last night's events, flinching at every little sound outside.

"Distract me...how, exactly?" He asks, wondering what you mean by that.

"I dunno, we could play a game, or talk about something besides supernatural shit." You shrug your shoulders.

"What kind of game?" He presses further, liking the sound of that.

"Um...maybe, 'twenty questions'? Or 'truth or dare'?" You suggest while you rack your brain for other ideas.

"Nah, what else?"

"Ooh! I know, how about 'never have I ever'?" You say excitedly.

"Sure, we can do that. Uh, sorry if I sound like an idiot here. But, how do you play?" He asks sheepishly.

"It's a pretty popular party game, Eds. You've seriously never played it before?" You ask with a laugh, unable to believe it.

"Y/N, the words 'popular' and 'party' don't exactly describe anything I'd be a part of. I typically only supply to those things." He smirks.

"I suppose you're right. Well, I'll tell you the rules, it's very simple. Basically, you say a phrase, like 'never have I ever...gone streaking', or something like that. And then whoever has done that thing takes a drink. Easy enough?" You watch him observe you with adoring eyes as you explain how the game works. You've never had someone look at you this way before, and it's certainly a welcome gaze.

"I think so. You go first." He nudges you again, an action you could easily get used to.

"Alright, lemme think. Never have I ever....stolen something." You start, taking a small sip from your own drink. Eddie takes one too, no surprise there.

"What did you steal, if you don't mind me asking?" He inquires, surprised that you've actually done something even remotely criminal before.

"A pack of gum and some lipstick, really lame stuff. One of the assholes I used to hang with dared me to do it." You chuckle at the thought. You were so terrified of getting caught, you returned to the store on your own later that day to put the stuff back. "What about you? Or is it too many things to count?"

"Surprisingly, no. It's more than you, of course. I've got a reputation to uphold." He laughs, before continuing. "Let's see...I've stolen a traffic cone, some beer, cigarettes, a few candy bars, a pocket knife, and a Playboy magazine. Not all at once, mind you. I'm not that good."

"Well, safe to say I'm impressed at your thieving skills, Eds. I'd expect nothing less. Okay, your turn." You pat his thigh, keeping the game moving along. His eyes freeze on where you touched him. It's innocent enough, but it's made his skin flare with simmering desire all the same.

"Right." He meets your eyes again, focusing on the task at hand. "Never have I ever...had sex on the first date." You both drink again, smiling as you bring the bottles to your lips. You spill a little bit of beer on yourself, it dribbles down your chin. "Nice one, sweetheart." Eddie chuckles after swallowing.

"Sorry, I'm totally accident prone." You giggle, wiping the yeasty liquid from your face. You notice he called you 'sweetheart' again, just like he did way back when. It appears not much has changed between you after all.

"It's alright. Your turn again." He says with a grin.

"Hmm, never have I ever...fallen in love." Only Eddie drinks this time, and his eyes widen at this discovery.

"You've never been in love, Y/N? I don't believe that for a second." He scoffs.

"Never, Eds. I've liked people before, and really liked someone once. A long time ago. But it never got far enough to turn into love, much as I wanted it to." Eddie doesn't know it, but you're definitely talking about him. You avert your gaze, not wanting to give yourself away.

"Who was it?" He asks curiously.

"Why don't you tell me yours?" You retort. You don't want to admit this to him. Not now, not yet. Once again, the timing is all wrong. You pick at the label on your beer bottle, unable to hide the unease on your face.

"Y/N, please? Pretty sure I'm a wanted man at this point. Humor a fugitive, will ya?" He pleads, placing his hand on your thigh. You tense at his touch, feeling rather warm in your cardigan. Given your change in body language, he's assuming you were referring to him. He sure as hell was thinking of you when he took his last sip in the game.

"Okay, how about we both say it at the same time?" You suggest, as that might make it easier for you both to just spit it out already. He's right, he may not have a lot of freedom left. You might as well come clean.

"Fair enough. Count of three?" You nod, looking at him intensely. He mirrors you, his heartbeat picking up with yours. The familiar butterflies swarm again, fluttering in a most ticklish way in the confines of your bellies."'Kay, one...two...three." He counts, and your nerves reach a mountainous peak once the final number leaves his lips.

"You." You and Eddie blurt out simultaneously. Gasps leave your mouths in sync at the confession. It's not all that surprising, really. It's more that you're both in disbelief of the other truly liking you the way you wish they would. Your shared admission hangs in the air for a moment, the silence becoming deafening the longer you refrain from saying anything. You both make a couple attempts to speak, opening your mouths, then snapping them shut again. Your eyes wander around his features, taking in how handsome he looks. His doeish eyes, his supple lips, the slope of his nose, and the apples of his cheeks. He does the same to you, wondering if now would be a good time to kiss your gorgeous face. He leans in hesitantly, almost backing away a couple times. You realize what he's doing, and this time you have no intention of denying him.

"Go ahead, Eddie. It's okay." You say softly, your breath fanning in his face from how close you two are. He takes the leap of faith, gently pressing his lips to yours. Your eyes flutter shut at the contact, he feels even softer than you imagined. Eddie takes his time, slowly, repeatedly, pulling away and going back in to feel every centimeter of your mouth with his own. You meet his every move respectively, opening and closing your lips at all the right times. His hand comes up to cradle your head, his large fingers slipping into your hair. You let out a small moan into the kiss, and this chilly spring night is quickly heating up. You grab the lapels of his jackets to pull him closer, and he smoothly maneuvers you to straddle his lap without even looking. You keep hold of his clothes, wanting to be as close to him as you possibly can.

You stay like this for what feels like forever, the only sounds now are the quiet smacking of lips and the occasional moan from either of you. This is easily the best and hottest kiss you've ever had, none prior to this even come close in comparison. It's so warm, and tender, loving, even. Your heads feel light, overcome with passion. Neither of you want to stop, but unfortunately it's getting a little hard to breathe. Eddie breaks away, exhaling shakily at how mind-blowing that was. "Holy shit." He says, opening his eyes to look at you. He's totally awestruck, never in his life has a kiss completely blown him away.

"Yeah, I second that." You reply, just as dazed as Eddie. "I can't believe it took us this long to do that. And during a crisis, of all things. All that wasted time...I'm such an idiot." You lament your foolish decision to turn Eddie away those years ago, wishing you could turn back the clock and get it right.

"Don't say that, sweetheart. I might have felt hurt back then, but I understand why you didn't wanna get involved with me. I wouldn't have either if I was in your shoes." He says seriously, he doesn't want you to beat yourself up over it. "And I may not have a lot of time, but we can try to make the most of it." He adds, cupping your cheek as he gazes at you in adoration.

"You make it sound like you're dying or something." You can't help laughing nervously at the idea.

"Well, we don't know what's going on just yet, so I might." He looks down, hating the thought. But he has to be realistic. Whatever got Chrissy could easily get him, too. He feels himself start to cry, hot tears rolling down his cheeks. He meets your eyes again, his bottom lip quivering in fear. "I'm so scared, Y/N. I-I don't wanna die." He says helplessly, falling to pieces before you.

"Hey, hey. Don't think about that right now, okay? We're gonna do everything we can to keep that from happening. I promise." You hold his face with your hands, giving him another kiss. His arms wrap around you to hold you tight, and you sense some tears of your own joining the mix. You don't want anything bad to happen to Eddie, especially not now. He's such a good man, he doesn't deserve any of this. If you could, you'd swap places with him. To let him go free while you take the fall. But you can't. All you can do is be here for him, and try to love him as long as you're able. You pull back, and you wipe away his tears and yours. You look him over, noticing just how tired he looks. "Did you sleep at all last night, Eds?" You ask in concern.

"No. I couldn't, I was too afraid. I didn't want...to see her again." He says quietly, his eyes darting away in shame.

"It's okay, maybe it'll help to have me here. But you need to rest, baby. You'll only feel worse if you don't." You get off his lap, looking around for anything you can use to make a place to sleep. You take the bunched up tarps out of the boat, layering them down on the warped wood floor. You find a couple life jackets, which you can use as pillows. You set everything up on the other side of the shed, sheltered away from the windows. That way, if anyone comes by, they're less likely to see you. Eddie watches you work from the floor, realizing what you're doing. He feels a little bad for sitting on his ass, but it's like he's paralyzed into this spot. He'll need your help to move away from it. You return to him, holding out your hands. "C'mon, it's time for bed." You say softly, a kind smile on your face.

"Thanks." He takes your hands, and you lift him up. The force and weight of this motion sends you stumbling backwards. You almost fall back into the water, your stomach dropping at the impending plunge. But Eddie manages to catch you by the waist, his strong arm wrapped around you swiftly. "Careful, princess. Wouldn't want you to get soaked." He says with a grin, setting you upright.

"Thank you, Eddie. You're my hero." You reply in a cheesy tone, giving him a warm kiss on the cheek. He blushes again, which is something you can't get enough of. "You're very cute when you do that." You giggle, poking one of his rosy cheeks.

"I dunno 'bout all that, sweetheart. I'm sure I look like hell right about now." He chuckles dryly, carding a hand through his long hair.

"You look handsome as ever to me, Eds. Now, come on. You have to get some sleep. You'll feel better in the morning." You lead him by the hand to your makeshift bed. You both lie down, the tarps rustling loudly as you try to get comfortable. You face each other, finding yourselves admiring one another again.

"Well, it's certainly not the Ritz. But it'll do." Eddie jokes, but his face quickly changes afterwards. "Can I...hold you, Y/N?" He asks sheepishly, hoping it's not too weird. He knows you kissed just a little bit ago, but he's still unsure how to navigate the situation. Something he'd left out earlier is that you are the only one he's been in love with. His feelings are tangling up his insides, leaving him clueless about what to do, or not do.

"Of course you can, baby." You reply softly, rolling over so he can spoon you. His arms wrap around your waist, pulling you into him. Your back connects to his chest, your body heat radiating to be shared between you. He's so warm, and he smells amazing. Like tobacco and leather, the scent encapsulates you in his embrace.

"I like it when you call me that, by the way. It's really nice, givin' me butterflies and shit." He smiles against your neck, his breath fanning hotly against you.

"And I feel the same when you call me 'sweetheart'. I could get used to that." You practically whisper. You can feel Eddie's body relaxing as he cuddles you, his heart beating steadily as opposed to racing like it was before. His breaths go in and out of his lungs nice and slow. He's finally able to stop freaking out, at least for a little while. "Goodnight, Eds."

"Goodnight, Y/N." He barely gets the words out, his eyelids falling heavily as sleep takes him in an instant. The adrenaline of the last twenty-four hours has come to an end, his body shutting down into heavy slumber. It takes some time for you to join him, you're not nearly as exhausted as Eddie is. You've only been involved in all this for a short period of time, plus, you're worried that something might happen to him while you're asleep. And that possibility scares the shit out of you. You lie here for who knows how long, lost in thought. You're not sure when it happens, but you do eventually fall asleep. You know this, because you're woken up by Eddie screaming in his sleep as the sun comes up.

"Jesus christ!" You shout when you hear him scream right in your ear. You shoot up in your finagled bed, looking over to see what's happening. Eddie's still asleep, but his mouth is wide open as he lets out the most awful screams you've ever heard. He must be having a horrible nightmare, seeing Chrissy dying before his eyes. "Eddie! Wake up! It's just a dream, wake up!" You shake him as hard as you can, gently smacking his cheeks. But it's not working. His body is thrashing, and his wails only get louder.

You have to act, and fast. You get up, going to the water. You kneel down and scoop some in your hands, rushing back to Eddie to drop it on his face. It lands cold and harsh, shocking him awake. His eyes snap open, and he scurries backwards, his back hitting the wall of the boathouse. He looks around frantically, whimpering and gasping for air at the same time. The water glistens on his face, soaking into the top of his shirt and the hair around his cheeks and forehead. His eyes land on you, realizing he's not in that awful nightmare anymore.

"Fuck!" He exclaims, his chest heaving as he rests against the wall. "Thank you...for that." He says, out of breath. "I...couldn't...wake up." He huffs the words out between gasps. You sit beside him, taking hold of his shaking hand. His head falls onto your shoulder, water dripping through your cardigan.

"Are you okay, Eds?" You ask, knowing full well it's a dumb question.

"I am now." He swallows hard, the horrific images quickly dissolving as you continue to touch him. "Are you alright, angel? I'm sorry if I scared you." He feels awful that you had to see him scream like that, and it's kinda embarrassing for him to be so uncontrollably vulnerable.

"I'm okay, baby. I was just worried about you. Did you sleep alright besides the nightmare?" Another stupid question, no doubt.

"Surprisingly, yes." He says warmly, nuzzling into your neck. His wet face shocks your flesh from the cold, making you squeal.

"Eddie! That's freezing!" You laugh, which just eggs him on to rub himself all over you. The water transfers onto your skin, soaking into your clothes to make you shiver. But he quickly warms you back up with hasty kisses on your throat. You stop squirming, allowing yourself to relax into Eddie. His mouth feels so good against your skin. His teeth nibble a spot just below your jaw, leaving a light purple hickey behind. "Eddie." You sigh, wondering how far this is going to go. His hand cradles the other side of your head, holding you up as you melt in his touch. His tongue soothes the bruise he's marked on you, and he drags the wet muscle down further to make another near your collarbone. He bites a little harder this time, making you moan. A familiar pressure begins to build between your legs. You rub your thighs together in an attempt to relieve it, but it's not nearly enough.

"Gettin' hot and bothered, baby?" Eddie asks lowly, smirking at you brushing your legs against each other. He wonders how wet you are, and if you'll let him see for himself.

"Uh-huh. Your lips feel really good, Eds. C'mere." You pull his head up, and smash your mouth onto his. You're becoming so hungry for him, it's unreal. You let yourself fall backwards, taking him with you. He grunts at the sudden movement, positioning himself to lay over you. His knees rest on either side of yours. Eddie bites your bottom lip, making you gasp. He slips his tongue in to roll against your own, heating you both up further. Your hands slip into his thick locks, tugging on them lightly. He moans down your throat, such a beautiful sound.

Eddie's just about to ask if he can move things further, perhaps to second base. But you both hear a car pulling up in the distance, which makes you freeze in place. "You heard that, right?" Eddie asks, quickly going into panic mode again. You nod, listening for any other noises. The car comes to a stop outside of Rick's house, and you hear doors opening and closing. It could be Dustin and the others, or someone else who is certainly not a friend. Eddie climbs off of you, going back to the corner to grab his bottle. You take the other oar from the wall, and you gesture at him to check the windows, carefully. He nods, taking one side while you take the other. The angle of the windows isn't optimal, as you can't make out who's approaching the door to the boathouse. You both brandish your weapons, ready to fight if it comes down to it.

You can feel your heart pounding in your ears, your body ready to attack any enemy that comes your way. The door swings open, screeching on its rusted hinges. In comes Dustin and the rest of your friends, carrying bags of snacks and your overnight bag. "Delivery service!" Dustin says, making you flinch.

"Jesus! Thank fuck it's you guys." You say with a sigh of relief. You set down the oar, and Eddie puts the bottle away again.

"Long night, I take it?" Robin asks, setting your stuff down on the table where Eddie's old wrappers and bottles are.

"That's putting it lightly." Eddie says sarcastically. "It was a helluva lot better than being alone, though." He looks to you, giving you a kind glance. You smile back brightly, unable to help yourself.

"Well, eat up, you two. You've missed out on some stuff." Steve says, quirking an eyebrow at how friendly you seem to be getting with Eddie. You go over to the table to see what your friends brought. There's nothing very nutritious, but you're not gonna complain. Food is food. You pull out a box of Honeycomb cereal, and two Yoo-Hoos. You bring them over, plopping down beside Eddie. You hand him his drink, and start working on opening the cereal box.

"Thanks, sweetheart." He says without thinking, making your eyes bug out. His utterance of the pet name draws bewildered stares from the others.

"What did you just say?" Dustin questions, he's only heard Eddie use such a term of endearment when talking about his guitar. He suspects you two got up to...something last night.

"Uh...nothing. It was just a slip. Right, Eds?" You pipe up, trying to cover your asses. You don't want your friends to know that while you were technically supposed to be looking after Eddie, you were making out with him instead.

"Yep. Totally. My bad." Eddie agrees. He's on the exact same page as you. He realizes how embarrassing it would be for everyone to know you're essentially hooking up when there's an interdimensional killer on the loose.

"Uh...what is that?" Robin chimes in, pointing a finger towards your throat. Shit.

"What's what?" You reply nervously, swallowing hard.

"That mark on your neck, it looks like a hickey!" She exclaims, her surprise morphing into a sly smile. Eddie, you dog. She thinks to herself. The looks on your faces spell it all out loud and clear, there's no mistaking it. You two are officially in a budding, trauma-bonded romance.

"No it isn't!" You scoff, rolling your eyes. You're laying it on way too thick, stumbling over your words all the while. "I-I fell! Yep, tripped on the...- crate over there and landed on the edge of the boat. Right, Eddie?"

"Yeah, I saw it with my own eyes." He insists, nodding before taking a sip of his drink.

"Hold on, you just called him 'Eds', a second ago...what the hell is going on here?" Steve crosses his arms, furrowing his brow at you both. The others follow suit, holding similar looks of distrust and smug knowing. They certainly don't hold it against you, you're two attractive young people in a distressing situation. It's only natural, really. Scientifically proven to happen, in fact. "C'mon, out with it. We're burning daylight here, and we've got other things to do besides wait for a confession from you...lovebirds." Steve demands, using his babysitter powers to force you to yield.

You sigh, rolling your eyes again. "Ugh, fine! We kissed last night...and we were making out a few minutes ago." You admit, keeping your eyes trained on the floor to avoid making visual contact with anyone.

"We've got, uh...history. We'll just leave it at that." Eddie adds, mirroring your bashful stance. You both feel like scolded children, even though you know you've done nothing wrong.

"Alright, cool. Moving on, we've got some good news, and we've got some bad news." Dustin says. You manage to get the box of cereal open, and you and Eddie dig into it hungrily. Eddie's far more ravenous than you, taking large handfuls and munching them down like a starved animal. You feel a little sorry for him, but at least he's able to eat now. "How do you prefer it?" Dustin asks, looking to Eddie.

"Bad news first, always." Eddie replies with a mouthful.

"Alright, bad news. We tapped into the Hawkins PD dispatch with our Cerebro, and they're definitely looking for you." Dustin states. Eddie's face falls slightly, and no doubt yours follows suit. "Also, they're, uh, pretty convinced you killed Chrissy." He adds as an afterthought.

"Like, a hundred-percent convinced." Max interjects. Eddie's head follows each of them as they speak, his fear dialing up again.

"And the good news?" You ask, needing there to be a sliver of hope in this shit sandwich.

"Eddie's name hasn't gone public yet. But if we found out about him, it's only a matter of time before others do. And once that gets out, everyone and their shallow-minded mother is gonna be gunning for him." Robin says, making your heart sink.

"Hunt the freak, right?" Eddie asks, a frustrated sadness lacing his tone. Typical hick town, making the weirdo into a scapegoat.

"Exactly." She replies, understanding full-well the gravity of the situation. She knows better than anyone what it's like to be on the outskirts of society, having to hide away for fear of being cast out entirely.

"So..before that happens. We need to find Vecna, kill him, and prove your innocence. That's all." Dustin says, as if it's the easiest plan in the world.

"That's all, Dustin? That's all?" Eddie parrots back, finding the concept utterly ridiculous. You put a hand on his shoulder, drawing his eyes to you.

"We've done crazier shit and pulled it off before. I'm sure we can beat this, too." You say calmly, and he lifts his hand to rest on top of yours. He nods, trying to keep himself grounded.

"She's right. Delusional as it sounds, we've been through this kind of thing more than once. Well, they have. Me and Y/N have been through it once. Ours was like, more human flesh-based, and theirs were more smoke-related." Robin explains, which makes Eddie pull an odd face. She shakes away her poor explanation skills, finishing her point. "Bottom line is, collectively, I really feel like we got this."

"We usually rely on this girl who has superpowers. But, uh, those went bye-bye, so..." Steve trails off, realizing it probably wasn't all that helpful to say.

"So, we're in kind of, uh...more of a...brainstorming phase." All four of them form the odd sentence together, finishing one another's thought clumsily.

"There's nothing to worry about, though." Dustin splutters, which does nothing to put either you or Eddie at ease. You look at each other, and then back to them. They can't possibly be serious. Suddenly, you hear sirens wailing in the distance.

"Quick, you two hide!" Robin instructs. You and Eddie go to your corner where the tarps are laid about, before hopping into the boat and pulling them over your heads. You're kinda squished together under here, but you refuse to leave Eddie's side. You notice him breathing heavily again, putting your hands on his shoulders to calm him down.

"Hey, hey. Look at me, okay? We're gonna be fine." You whisper, just in case any officers are coming around right this moment. He does as you ask, nodding silently. He slows down a little, focusing on your beautiful face. The others peek out the window, watching the cops roll on by down the road, totally bypassing this hiding place.

"Well, that can't be good." Max observes from across the shed.

"Hey, guys. We're gonna go check out what's happening. Just stay here, okay? We'll radio you an update." Steve says, leading the others out to his car. They shut the door behind them, leaving the two of you alone.

"You good?" You ask Eddie, speaking at a normal volume now.

"Yeah, yeah. Just felt like a close call." He presses a quick kiss to your lips, further tuning himself back into his regularly-scheduled brain function. "We should probably stay under here for a bit, right? Just in case?"

"We can do that. You wanna...keep kissing me?" You ask, as it seems your affection tends to calm him down. Not to mention you really like the way his mouth connects to yours.

"How can I possibly say no to that?" Eddie says with a small smile. He kisses you again, slower this time. Your eyes close instantly, and your hands wander over to get lost in his hair. Things are heating up quickly, your lips and tongues playing with one another hungrily. Eddie pulls back for a second, like he wants something else. "Y/N, can I...?" He trails off, his eyes flicking to your chest. It really isn't that hard to say 'Hey, Y/N, can I touch your tits?', he knows that. But as it has been stated before, you make him nervous, in the best possible way.

"You can do anything you want, Eds. I want it all." You reply, finding his sheepish asking very adorable. Eddie doesn't seem the type to be so unsure of himself when it comes to...whatever this is. He must think you're pretty special if his typical devilish charms fly out the window whenever he tries to make a move on you. He still seems unsure, so you take hold of his large hands, bringing them up to your chest. "Is this what you want, baby?" You ask, already knowing the answer. He nods, not saying another word as his palms hover a centimeter away from your breasts. You manipulate them to finally cup your tits, immediately letting out a quiet moan.

"You're so beautiful, sweetheart." He says, his eyes widening slightly at the fact that he's made it to second base. He feels like a fuckin' virgin, it's kinda embarrassing that he needs you to lead him like this.

"You're pretty handsome yourself, Eddie." You say breathlessly. Eddie's hands squeeze the swells of your chest, drawing more lustful noises from you. Everything he does to you feels so good, it's been a very long time since you've been touched by anyone. Even yourself.

"You think it's safe to get out of the boat now?" Eddie asks as this position is a bit uncomfortable.

"I think so. C'mon." You move to stand up in the boat, almost falling over again. Eddie catches you, and you both step back onto solid ground. The second you do, he leads you backwards until you meet the wall. He gets a bit of his confidence back, wanting to take you by surprise. "Is someone coming out of their shell?" You ask slyly as his body presses into yours.

"Maybe a little." He replies with a smirk, moving to slip off his jackets. He tosses them onto the table beside you. You take off your cardigan, letting it fall on the floor. Your hands grip the hem of your shirt, slowly lifting it up to expose your torso. Eddie watches wordlessly as you reveal your body to him, his eyes following the shirt as it goes further upwards. You pull it over your head, letting it join your sweater. You're left standing in your bra, and his eyes practically pop out of his head. "Damn." He exhales, you're even prettier than he thought you'd be.

"Like what you see?" You ask with a sly smile.

"Uh-huh. Can I see more?" He requests, unable to hide the neediness in his voice. The tone of it sends a dark thrill through you, and you reach behind your back to unhook your bra without a second thought. The straps fall loosely from your shoulders, the cups no longer holding your breasts up. The garment slips away, adding to the pile quickly gathering on the floor. "Fuck, Y/N." Eddie murmurs, taking your bare tits into his hands.

"Eddie." You gasp at the cool metal of his rings meeting your supple flesh, your nipples hardening from said cold and your arousal. He grips them firmly, rolling the sensitive buds between his thumbs and forefingers. He gazes at you in admiration while he works, giving you a cheeky grin. Your mouth sits agape to let out dulcet sounds, and you can't stop staring into his beautiful chocolate-hued eyes.

"Does this feel good, sweetheart?" He asks, eating up every little sigh and moan you let out for him. His cock is straining against his jeans, aching to feel you in every way possible.

"Mmhmm, you're very skilled with your hands." As much as your brain has begun to melt, you want to keep up with his mischievous nature. It's been so long since you've been able to play with someone in this way, and you're sure Eddie is more than up to the task.

He chuckles darkly, leaning in to speak in your ear. "I think you'll find I'm very skilled with my mouth, too." He bites your earlobe, drawing a low moan from your lips. "Mmm, your noises are drivin' me crazy, princess. Makin' it hard for me to take my time with you." He says hotly as his mouth travels downwards. Eddie nibbles harshly on your throat, leaving yet another hickey in his wake. Satisfied with his work, he goes even further downward. He kisses the swells of your tits, and the valley between them, every inch of skin he can reach.

"Feels so good, baby." You sigh blissfully. You look down at him as he worships your chest, becoming unbelievably wet with every passing moment. He swirls his tongue around your nipple, before taking it between his teeth. "Fuck, Eddie." You whimper as your hand takes hold of his head. He smirks against you at your reaction, he can't get enough of your little moans and curses. He wants to keep touching you, pleasing you, in every way you'll let him. He'll use whatever time he has left to make you come undone, over and over until he drops fucking dead. If he has any choice in the matter, he might as well go out with a bang, literally. "I need more, Eds." You plead, instinctively bucking your hips forward in an attempt to get your pussy closer to his cock.

"You got it, angel." Eddie pulls away from your chest, tugging his own shirt over his head. You take a moment to drink in his bare torso, and it's certainly a sight to see. His chest and arms are slightly toned, his long hair brushing against his shoulders. Sexy tattoos adorn his pale skin, and a guitar pick hangs on a chain around his neck. A light trail of hair runs down the middle of his chest, disappearing into his jeans. He looks like a goddamn rockstar, if you're being honest. Eddie finds your gawking amusing, letting out a small snicker at your shameless ogling. "Have I rendered you speechless, Y/N?" He asks while you feel him up, dragging your palms along his arms, up and down his chest.

"You're really fucking hot, Eddie." Your eyes flick to his, displaying pure, unadulterated lust. You don't bother to think, all you know is that you want him. Now. You grab him by his belt buckle, whipping the both of you around. The motion takes him by surprise, and you practically slam him up against the wall. He grunts at the impact, and you smash your lips to his before he can respond. His hands grab at your ass, holding you as close to him as possible. You shove your tongue in his mouth to tangle with his, and you clumsily fumble with his belt. You stop kissing him so you can see what you're doing, breathing heavily as anticipation builds between you. You get the belt open, and unzip his jeans with ease. You reach your hand inside his pants, underneath his boxers to take hold of his dick.

"Shit, you don't waste any time, do you?" Eddie asks through a groan. You pump his length in your hand, brushing the bead of precum around his tip with your thumb.

"No, I don't. We can take our time later. But I want you to fuck me, now." You say in a sultry tone, stroking him a bit firmer and faster than before. He moans again, which is music to your ears. "I like how much noise you make, Eds. It's very sexy. Now, you wanna help me with the rest of my clothes?" You ask in an undeniably tempting way, trying to push his buttons.

"Sure thing, princess." He pants, bringing his own hands around to unbutton your jeans. He slides the zipper down its track, hesitating before going any further. "Can I feel you, sweetheart?" He asks sweetly, which makes your heart flutter. He's been quite the gentleman this whole time, always asking permission before doing anything to you. It's highly attractive, no other guy has done so before. Not like this. It's always been one 'yes', which somehow grants unlimited access to your entire body.

"Yes, baby." You answer softly, waiting for him to touch you where you need him most. Eddie slowly slips his hand under the waistband of your panties, and his fingers graze your soaked folds. "Oh, fuck." You gasp at the contact. You knew you were turned on, but this is a whole other level. Everything he does to you feels better than anything you've experienced before. His fingers drag along your soaked cunt, feeling every part of you he can reach.

"You're so wet for me, angel." Eddie observes in amazement. To know he makes you feel so strongly, it's enough to drive him mad. You're still touching his dick with your hollowed fist, and he decides to push two fingers inside you to rev you up further.

"Eddie." You whimper as his digits meet your g spot easily. He curls them to press on it at a slow, torturous rhythm.

"You like having my fingers inside you?" Eddie asks, his own breath hitching as you squeeze him a little harder. You're both doing everything you can to rile one another up, so you'll go absolutely wild on each other when you finally connect.

"Yes, but I think there's something else I'd like even more." You press a warm kiss to his lips, giving him your best 'fuck me' eyes afterwards.

"God, you're so needy. No patience at all." Eddie teases with a smirk. He takes his hand away from your pussy, and you release his cock from your grip. You remove the rest of your clothes, and he does the same. You're left standing naked in front of each other, taking a moment to soak in every little detail. You notice his dick standing at attention, the head swollen and red, leaking pre-release onto the wood floor. Eddie looks you over, becoming very interested in the drips of your arousal running down the insides of your thighs. He wonders how you taste, wanting to make you scream his name while he eats you out.

"Is there something you want?" You ask slyly, realizing he's staring at your crotch like a feral animal.

"I know you said you want me to fuck you, Y/N. But I would really like to go down on you first. I bet you taste amazing, and I just want to make you feel good." He speaks honestly, with no effort to hide his desire. He's practically begging to give you head, which only makes you want him more.

You step closer to him, placing your hands on his chest. You lean forward to speak into his ear, nice and low so he listens to every word. "Knock yourself out, baby. What kind of woman would I be to deny a wanted man?" You take his earlobe between your teeth, just as he did to you earlier. You keep it brief, though, you imagine Eddie wants to get things moving. "Lead the way, Eds." You back away slightly, smiling as you wait for him to put you in position. His hands meet your hips, and he carefully maneuvers you around to the table. He pushes everything off of it, various objects landing on the floor. He lifts you onto the surface, spreading your legs wide while he stands between them. His palms roam up and down your thighs, inching so very close to where you're longing for him to touch.

Eddie's eyes wander over your gorgeous form, committing every last detail to memory. The curves of your waist and hips, the length of your legs, your hands holding tight to the edge of the table as you wait for him to begin. Your chest rising and falling faster than usual, tits shifting slightly from the pace. And to top it all off, the sex-drenched expression spread shamelessly across your face. Expectant eyes meeting his, pleading with him to appease your every desire. "You have got to be the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Y/N." He says sincerely, breaking the charged silence.

"You really think so?" You ask curiously. You've never really found yourself all that attractive. After Benji, the guys who look your way have been few and far between. And even then, they never think you're anything special. Deep down, you know your worth doesn't hinge upon your desirability. But it's hard to remember that when society relentlessly pounds the idea into your head.

"I know so, sweetheart. You're perfect." Eddie replies, not an ounce of doubt or dishonesty in his voice. He means every word that comes out of his mouth, and you love him even more for it.

"I dunno about all that, Eddie." You say as your eyes flick downwards. Here you are, completely naked, fully displayed to him. And you're still questioning his liking of you. His hand comes up to gently lift your chin to look at him. His intense gaze burns into you, like there's a roaring fire ignited behind his eyes.

"I'm serious, Y/N. I know I don't know everything about you, but I know enough. Enough to say that I care very deeply for you, because you're an amazing person, in every way." You don't know how he does it, but he's somehow managed to sound even more sincere than before. You're utterly captivated by him. You've never had anyone speak to you in such devotional ways, until now.

"You're pretty great, too, you know." You say with a light smile, color warming your cheeks again at his saccharine declarations. You wait for him to make his next move, keeping your eyes on his all the while. Somehow, sitting here like this, with him standing before you while his thumb and forefinger gently hold your chin, is possibly the most comfortable position you've been in for who knows how long. Eddie slowly leans in, pressing a feather-light kiss to your lips. Your eyes flutter closed, and you enjoy every second of this until he pulls away just as gingerly. "Damn, you are way too good at that." You say breathlessly.

"So are you, baby. Takes two to tango, right?" He grins at you, allowing his less serious side to take hold. You've waited long enough, and he wants to pleasure you in every way you deserve. He picks up where he left off, trailing kisses down your body that set your insides ablaze. Shoulders, chest, stomach, before moving on to your thighs. He kneels in front of you, putting your knees over his shoulders.

"Mmm." You moan as he gently nips on your sensitive flesh, sucking tiny love bites closer and closer to your core. He's still taking his time, wanting to warm you back up before he finally tastes you. His eyes watch your dripping hole, his cock twitching as he can see how wet he's making you with every inch of progress. Your nails dig into the worn wood of the table, scratching deeply as you resist the urge to shove your crotch in his face. You want him to fuck you with his mouth more than anything, and it's taking everything in you to be patient. He finally sets himself before your glistening pussy, his hot breath fanning over it. Eddie lets his tongue slip out of his mouth to make first contact with your clit. "Fuck!" You cry out, your hips jolting upwards off the table.

"Settle down, angel. I'm just getting started." He coos, before dragging the wet muscle along your slit.

"Sorry, it's been a while." You say with an embarrassed laugh. You force yourself to relax, keeping yourself seated on the table as he works on you. It's harder than you expected it to be, every little lick and suck feels too fucking good.

"You taste so sweet, baby." Eddie praises, before resuming his work. He's pulling out all the stops, wanting to make you lose control. He flicks against your clit, and alternately shoves his tongue into your cunt to push on your sweet spot. His pattern and pace varies wildly, never giving you a chance to predict a single move.

"You're really good at this, Eds." You sigh blissfully, thoroughly enjoying everything he's doing to you. You feel an intense knot growing within you, tightening further with every passing second. Eddie's building you up unbelievably quickly, though you figure it wouldn't have taken much to begin with. You emit an endless stream of expletives and calls of his name, your body gradually coating itself in steaming sweat.

"Mmm." Eddie moans against you as he can't get enough of your juices flowing into his mouth. You taste like nothing of this earth to him, so fucking delicious. His dick is leaking profusely as he eats you out, your noises are driving him insane. He wants to make you cum all over his face, and soon, so he can finally fill you up with his painfully hard cock. He pushes his fingers into you again, focusing his tongue on your clit as he quickens the pace.

"Oh, Eddie. Just like that- fuck, I'm getting close." You whimper, digging your nails further into the table. You're surprised you haven't broken any off with how much pressure you've put on them. You sense your oncoming release, the telling ebb and flow of pleasurable waves beginning to collide with you. "Don't stop, baby. Make me cum, I'm almost there." You plead with Eddie to keep doing exactly what he's doing, needing just a little more to make that ever-growing knot snap. He takes heed of your desperate words, not changing a single thing for fear of denying you of your orgasm.

"Mmm." He moans into you again, watching your fuckstruck face as he gets you near the finish line. Your eyes are squeezed shut, your mouth hanging open as you make the most beautifully obscene sounds he's ever heard. Your chest heaves as you breathe rapidly, your skin slicked over with glimmering perspiration. Eddie wishes to save this image in his mind, you look like a total goddess to him at this moment. He's afraid he's not going to last, though, as he's forgotten just how arousing it is for him to go down on a woman. He's certain that the second you lose it, he'll end up falling off the edge right alongside you. He doesn't mind, however. Far be it from him to complain about getting self-satisfaction out of pleasing you.

"Just a little harder, Eds. I'm so fuckin' close." You pant out the words, needing just a little more to get what you want. Eddie grants your request, pressing his tongue more firmly on your bundle of nerves, and fingering your pussy at a harsher speed. "Perfect, right there." You whine as you're just about to cum. Eddie groans against you one last time, he can feel your walls fluttering around his digits. The vibrations from his muffled noises bring you to your high swiftly and completely. "Oh, fuck, EDDIE!" You cry out as your legs begin to shake. Your orgasm rips through you violently, and you can't control your thighs clamping around Eddie's head. You feel your release spilling onto him, and he tries his best to slurp up every last drop. You're seeing stars, absolutely flaming from the inside out.

"Fff." You hear him grunt against you, his breath coming out shakily as he cums with you. His load spills messily onto the floor under the table, some of it landing on his thighs. His hips buck upwards once or twice, he has no idea. All he knows is bliss, and he relishes every last second of it until you calm down. You slump backwards against the wall while you release Eddie's head from your iron grasp. You're absolutely spent, almost gasping for air from how mind-blowing this was. "You good, princess?" Eddie asks from the floor, as you haven't opened your eyes just yet. Your lids flutter upwards to let you look down at him. You find his chin is glistening with your nectar, and you peek down to see that he already came from the erotic display you put on a moment ago.

"Yes, so fucking good." You say sincerely, smiling down at him as your ecstasy wanes away to nothing. "I see you enjoyed yourself, too, Eds." You flick your pupils downwards, hinting at the mess in his lap. You can't help finding his position quite hot. Sitting on his knees, his own release splattered about in sticky streaks on his skin. He just couldn't help himself, you were too powerful a sight for him to handle. The thought alone makes you feel wet all over again.

"I really did. You were so sexy, and I couldn't get enough." He says from below you, and he can't help blushing when you stare at him like this. Lust burns in your eyes from seeing him all sweaty and spent from doing almost nothing at all. He's never had a girl look at him like that, and he definitely enjoys it more than one would expect.

"C'mere, baby." You say softly, beckoning him upwards with your finger. He does as you ask without a thought, standing between your legs. Eddie puts his hands on your waist, waiting for you to speak. You gaze at each other for a moment, gentle smiles sitting about your mouths. "I love you, Eddie." You utter the words so quietly, Eddie almost thinks he's imagined it. Before he can ask you to repeat yourself, however, you take hold of the back of his head to give him a tender kiss.

He's surprised you'd tell him such a thing. Sure, you both admitted to being in love with one another at some point in time last night, and the fact that you've just engaged in sexual activities can also help argue the case. But for some reason, hearing it out loud makes it sound...illogical, irrational. He considers the possibility that you're only saying it because he might die, but he doesn't think you'd be so cruel to lie about your feelings. Honestly, all this contemplation is making his head spin. At this point, he doesn't give a fuck if you mean it or not. He'll take your affection hand over fist as long as you continue to give it to him. You release his lips from yours, allowing him time to respond. "I love you too, Y/N. I've been waiting years to hear you say that." He says sincerely, as he hopes your own words are just as genuine.

"I wish I'd said it a long time ago. You're the only man that's ever made me feel this way. And I know we're pretty young, but I don't think I'll ever feel like this about anyone else." You stroke his hair as you speak, it's so soft, if not a bit damp from what you just finished doing a minute ago. You can't help shivering a little as the cool March air chills your sweat.

"You cold, angel? We should put our clothes back on." Eddie says as he notices your teeth beginning to chatter. He leans down to pick up all your clothes, handing your items off to you.

"Hey, Eddie?" You ask while slipping your panties on.

"Yes, sweetheart?" He looks to you, wondering if something is wrong.

"Is 'Reefer Rick' home? Or anyone, for that matter?" You question, contemplating using the house as a warmer, safer location to hide in.

"Nah, he's still in jail right now and doesn't live with anyone. Why do you ask?" He quirks an eyebrow at you.

"Well, I was thinking it might be more comfortable in there if no one's home. We could shower, wash our clothes, have an actual bed to sleep in. And it would be a helluva lot warmer in there, too." You explain your train of thought, though you wonder if he'd already thought about it.

"I hope this doesn't change how you feel about me, but I hadn't even thought of that. The jackass probably doesn't even keep the door locked." Eddie chuckles, smacking his head at his own stupidity. "But yeah, I think it's a damn good idea. We won't have to sleep on the floor, at least."

"Well, it's a good thing I decided to stay with you, huh? I'm more than just a good lay." You giggle as you finish getting dressed.

"Technically, I don't actually know if you're a good lay...yet." He jokes, making you both share a cute laugh. You gather your supplies to bring into the house, and Eddie takes your free hand in his. You check to make sure the coast is clear, there's a few rednecks that live around here, and you don't want them to see you. You make your way to the house, and try the doorknob. Unsurprisingly, it opens without a hitch. "Thank you, Rick." Eddie says under his breath, and you make your way inside.

It's clear that Reefer Rick hasn't been home in a few months. Dust covers every flat surface, and there's rotten fruit in the bowl on the kitchen counter. Some used dishes sit molding in the sink, and there's a bit of old...everything all about the place. Pizza boxes, beer cans, pints of Ben & Jerry's, other things like that. You would clean up, but it's probably best to let any passerby assume that the premises is still vacated. Plus, all you really need is a bed and a shower at the moment. "God, this place is a dump." You observe aloud at the slight odor that permeates the house.

"Yeah, looks like the maid hasn't come around in awhile." Eddie replies sarcastically, wiping one of the tables with his finger. A thick streak of dust coats the pad of it, and he scrunches his nose as he wipes it on his pants.

You try turning on the sink to see if anything will come out. And sure enough, the water flows from the faucet, plentiful and warm. "Nice, we've got water." You open the fridge, and the little light clicks on. It's full of even more nasty food, but you weren't really worried about it anyway. "And power. So shower and laundry are a go." You say with a smile, moving on to check out the rest of the house.

The heat isn't set, but it's still so much warmer than outside and the boathouse. You locate the thermostat to turn up the temperature a little, and thankfully you hear the system kick on. You avoid turning on any lights to prevent drawing attention from afar, and you find the laundry room downstairs. Underground where no one will hear the machines running, perfect. Eddie follows behind you the whole way, and the two of you strip off your old clothes in the damp basement. You've both seen one another naked, so you're not bothered by walking through the rest of the house without your clothes on. After setting the load to wash, you head back up the stairs and to the second floor where the master bedroom is. There's a bathroom inside it as well, and you let Eddie take the first shower.

While he does so, you check Rick's closet to find some clothes Eddie can wear in the meantime. There's tie-dye t-shirt after tie-dye t-shirt, at least fifty in total. They're a little big for Eddie, but they seem comfortable enough. You take out an orange and red and yellow one, setting its hanger on the bed. You open a chest of drawers, hoping the bottoms will be more in your boyfriend's size range. Lucky for you, Rick seems to be a very lanky guy who just prefers baggy shirts. You pull out some blue jeans, putting them next to the shirt. You don't bother with underwear, you know Eddie won't go for wearing another man's tidy whities. Commando will have to do for the time being.

As for you, Robin was gracious enough to supply you with some jeans, sweatpants, a couple shirts, and...every pair of panties you own. You suppose she wasn't sure how long you'll be in hiding for, and you don't have an answer to that either. Better safe than sorry, you think to yourself with a shrug. "Fuck, I really needed that." Eddie says with a satisfied sigh as he walks out of the bathroom. He's got a towel wrapped around his waist, showing off his v-line. His necklace dangles wetly around his neck, and water drips from his hair and down his front. Damn, he's hot. You mentally observe while biting your lip. "Helloooooo...Earth to Y/N." He waves his hand around, smirking at how you're staring at his body again.

"Huh?" You snap out of it, meeting his eyes and handsome smile. "Oh, was the water warm enough?" You ask as your cheeks flare red.

"Yeah, there should be enough left for you, too. Gonna warn you, it's only guy soap in there." He says casually, walking over to see what you've put out for him to wear. "What the hell is that?" He furrows his brows, pointing at the obnoxious tie-dye shirt.

"It's all Rick has, and it's only for a couple hours. Leave it to you to be picky about fashion in a crisis." You chuckle at his apprehension to wear anything outside his personal style.

"That's easy for you to say! The others brought you your own clothes!" He retorts, crossing his arms. He doesn't know how to explain it without sounding like a child. But he hates wearing clothes that aren't his, it feels...wrong somehow. The few times he has done it, he feels like his skin is crawling beneath the fabric. Because it knows they don't belong to him. It's also one of the ways he gets to express himself, and he sure as shit doesn't like tie-dye.

"I know, baby. I'm sorry. I'm sure they would've brought you something if your house wasn't an active crime scene." You're sympathetic to his distaste, his clothes should be one of the few things he can control in this situation. And wearing things that don't belong to him can't be very comfortable. You stand before him, putting your hands on his shoulders for a moment. "It'll be alright, Eddie. We have to work with what we've got, okay?" You give him a little kiss, hoping to put him at ease. He accepts your offering, grabbing your ass in large handfuls. You sigh against him, it's crazy how easily you fall into a deep pit of lust every time he touches you. Eddie pulls away, taking your breath with him.

"I suppose I can live with Rick's stoner style for a bit." He says unconvincingly, rolling his eyes.

"I appreciate you making the sacrifice." You press a kiss to his cheek, returning to your bag to see if Robin packed any toiletries for you. You find your shampoo and conditioner, an unopened bar of soap, and your toothbrush. No toothpaste, though. Maybe there's some in the bathroom.

"Shit, Robin thought of everything, huh?" Eddie says, taking a peek into your things himself while you head into the bathroom to wash up. Damn, there's a lot of panties in here. Eddie thinks, pushing the slips of fabric around to see what else lies within the bag's contents. Clothes, hair ties, lip balm, tampons. His hand recoils at finding your lady things, before noticing something else beneath them. A deck of playing cards. Well, it's not D&D, but it'll do to pass the time. Wayne's showed him a ton of card games over the years, though he can't remember the last time he played any of them.

The thought makes Eddie's heart ache. Fuck, he misses his uncle so much. And he must be worried sick about him. Does he know Eddie didn't kill Chrissy? He has to, right? Eddie can't help wondering if Wayne has even entertained the idea that he is a murderer. He comes from a broken home, suffering awful abuse, no less. Happens all the time. Lots of serial killers come from environments just like Eddie's, it's only natural to ponder if something went wrong inside his head. A few tears spring from Eddie's eyes. He wishes he could tell Wayne that he's okay (for now), and that he didn't do this. But he can't risk being found, it'll all be over for him if that happens. He wipes his eyes frantically when he hears you shut the water off, sniffing harshly to get himself together. He puts his borrowed clothes on and takes the deck of cards from your bag.

"Mmm, nice and clean and ready to get dirty again." You quip as you walk into the bedroom. You're drying your hair as you walk, another towel wrapped around your body. You bring the towel away from your head, finding Eddie standing in the little outfit you found for him. You can't help smiling at how he looks in it. The pants fit just fine, but the shirt makes him look like a little kid.

"What?" Eddie asks, curious as to why you're looking at him the way you are.

"You just look so cute, Eds." You say with a giggle, plopping down on the bed.

"I do not. I look like a total dork." He grumbles, narrowing his eyes at you.

"No you don't, baby. Whatcha got there?" You change the subject, knowing Eddie doesn't want to talk about it anymore. He seems really upset, but not entirely about the clothes. Maybe he'll tell you later, but neither of you need any more doom and gloom right now.

"Oh, um, looks like Robin packed us some entertainment. Wanna play?" He asks, holding up your playing cards. Your eyes widen when you remember what's printed on them.

"Are you sure, Eddie? Did you look closely at the package?" You ask cautiously, you don't want him to flip out.

"They're just cards, right?" Eddie looks at the box again, wondering what you're talking about. The one side looks like the typical packaging, the traditional pattern and branding. Until he flips it over to the other side. These aren't just any old playing cards, they're playing cards with naked men printed on them. "Oh." He says as his pupils enlarge. "And, uh...why do you have these?" His eyes flick to you.

"They're a gag gift from Steve. He saw them in a sex shop and thought they were, quote, 'hilarious'." You explain, rolling your eyes when you recall just how tickled Steve was by the huge cocks and washboard abs on all the men.

Eddie smiles, finding your embarrassed face rather amusing. "Oh, and here I thought you were some kinda pervert." He says jokingly, climbing onto the bed and laying on his stomach. He pulls the flap of the box up, pouring the cards out to get a closer look. "Jesus! How do you walk around with a dick like that?!" Eddie laughs, showing you the card in question.

"Jealous, are we?" You tease, opening your towel to get dressed. His eyes go to your tits immediately, his breath catching in his throat.

"N-not really, I imagine one that big wouldn't fit anyway." He says absent-mindedly, practically drooling at your naked body.

"Who's the pervert now?" You quip, reaching in your bag for the sexiest underwear you own. Red, lacey, perfect to tantalize Eddie with later. You pull them up your legs, remembering just how good they feel on your skin. You'd really splurged for these when you first bought them. It wasn't for anyone in particular, you just wanted to feel more confident in your own skin. You put your spare jeans and a t-shirt on as well, effectively hiding your body away from his gawking eyes.

"Eddie, Y/N, do you copy? Pick up guys, we've got news." You hear Dustin on the walkie, his voice crackling through the little speaker. You pick it up, pushing down on the talk button.

"Yeah, we're listening." You reply simply, releasing the button.

"There's another body. It's Fred from the school paper. Nancy was with him investigating Chrissy's death and they got separated." Dustin says.

"Oh, shit. I'm sorry, Nance." You figure they're all sitting somewhere together, hoping she heard you. You were wondering what she's been up to this whole time. Typical Nancy Wheeler, always investigating. "Is there anything else? Do you guys have a plan to find out more information?"

"Yeah, I talked to Eddie's uncle, Wayne. He says there's this old guy, Victor Creel, who committed similar murders back in the fifties. It's a shot in the dark, but I'm gonna go to the library to find out more." Nancy speaks this time, and Eddie's face falls a little at the mention of his uncle. He looks at you, holding out his hand for the walkie. You nod, handing it over without question.

"How was he...when you talked to him?" Eddie asks cautiously.

"He was...pretty shaken up. He found the body in the trailer. But he insisted that you wouldn't do this, Eddie. So he knows you're innocent." Nancy says, hoping the words offer Eddie some kind of comfort.

"O-Okay. Thanks." Eddie replies shakily, handing the thing back over to you. You notice his eyes watering, as if some amount of relief has washed over him.

"You okay, Eds?" You ask as the others haven't said anything else yet. He just nods, wiping his eyes. "Okay, is there anything else?" You ask the group.

"Yeah, the rest of us are going to try to talk to Ms. Kelly, the school counselor. Max saw Chrissy talking to her on the day she died, she looked upset. So we're thinking maybe she was seeing things, and talked to Ms. Kelly about it." Steve speaks now.

"Well, I'm glad you guys seem to have this under control. We'll be here when you have more. Be careful out there." You reply to end this conversation.

"Sure thing. You two take care of each other. And let us know if you need anything. Over and out." Dustin says finally, and the walkie clicks for the last time, for now.

"Well, that was cheery." You say sarcastically, reaching for the deck to shuffle it. You may as well move on to something else for the time being.

"At least Wayne knows I'm not a murderer." Eddie replies softly through a sniffle.

"Of course he knows, baby. He practically raised you, right? He knows you're a good person, and I'm sure he's told the police that." You put your hand over his to try and comfort him.

"I doubt they believe him, though." He says sadly, squeezing your hand slightly.

"You're probably right. But we're gonna prove that you're innocent, okay? There's no way in hell I'm letting anyone pin this on you. I'll fight off the entire local police force myself if I have to." You reach over for your purse on the other side of the bed, pulling out the small pistol you carry inside it for personal protection. Eddie's eyes widen at the sight of the weapon, you make it sound like you'll actually shoot a police officer to keep him out of jail. "And if any of the ignorant assholes in this town try to mess with us, I'll get them to back off."

"Are you serious? Why do you have this, Y/N?" He's getting freaked out again, which you don't really understand. The gun is yours, you have the proper permits for it, you know how to use it. What's the big deal?

"Eddie, relax. I carry this for my own protection, in case some asshole tries something. I've had it for years, I kinda needed it when I didn't have a lanky metalhead to fight my battles for me." You don't mean the last comment as a slight, it's just the truth. Until now, you haven't had Eddie in your life in a very long time. You've basically been on your own. Even after coming into the fold of the massive monster-fighting team, you still spend most of your time alone. And being a young woman, living in a shitty neighborhood, you need something to fend off any potential attackers.

"Okay, fine. Just...please don't shoot anyone? I don't need any more blood on my hands." He pleads, he really wants you to put the damn thing away already. Guns make him nervous, he could never imagine owning one, let alone carrying it around everywhere. He's had enough of them shoved in his face to know that they're not to be taken lightly. Such a small thing can do so much damage. One can use it to kill without a second thought.

"I'm not shooting anyone, Eddie. I've never had to actually fire this thing. It's just a deterrent, nothing more. Okay?" You put the pistol back in your purse, and Eddie relaxes a bit. "And I'm sorry for freaking you out."

"It's okay. I get why you have it. There's some pretty scary shit in this town sometimes, apparently." He ends on a dry laugh, unable to hold off on rolling his eyes. He still finds it absolutely insane that this town really has been up to some spooky shit like everyone's been saying. And now he's caught smack-dab in the middle of it. "But anyway, you gonna shuffle or what?" He slaps on a smile, attempting to lighten the mood a little.

"Yeah, what game should we play first?" You shuffle the deck, waiting for him to choose a game.

"Well, since it's a rather dirty deck, how about a dirty game?" He suggests with a devilish grin.

"Alright. Strip poker it is." You smile back, knowing exactly where this particular game will end up. It'll be a relatively short game, though, as you both only have two or three items of clothing on at the moment. But you're guessing Eddie doesn't really care how many rounds you play, as long as you find yourselves fucking like wild animals by the time it's over. You deal out five cards to Eddie and yourself, setting the deck down to see what you have. Three aces, an eight, and a six. Three of a kind isn't bad, but trying for a fourth or maybe a full house would be better. "You want to switch out any cards?" You ask Eddie as he looks over his hand.

"Two, please." He puts two of his cards down, and you give him the new ones. You drop the six, and draw one new card. And sure enough, it's another eight. A full house, that'll be hard to beat.

"Okay. Now, if I win, what will you take off first?" You ask while biting your lip. You've got absolutely no poker face, you're sure he can see how giddy you are about your hand.

"Uh, I'll take my jewelry off, I guess." He replies, cool as a cucumber. You can't read him at all, which is worrying. "And you?"

"Well, I don't think jewelry should count. But it makes us even, I suppose. And I'll take off my jeans, if you win." You smirk.

"I'd rethink that confidence if I were you." Eddie warns playfully. "C'mon, show me what you got."

"Full house, baby. I'd love to see you beat that." You say smugly, laying the cards down neatly on the bed.

"Oof, that's too bad. Looks like I get to have a second look at those panties of yours." He says as he lays down his hand. A straight flush, all hearts.

"You motherfucker!" You scoff, unable to believe he beat you.

"Sorry, sweetheart. You'll just have to get luckier next time. Now, c'mon, off with the pants. Please and thank you." His eyes flick to your lower half, waiting expectantly for you to show some skin.

"Ugh, fine!" You exclaim, undoing the button and zip of your jeans, pulling them off and tossing them to the floor. You lay back down on the bed, your red underwear on full display for him. He stares at them for a moment as you gather the cards to shuffle again. "You really like them, huh?" You ask, drawing him out of his lustful trance. You notice a bulge forming in his own pants, which only builds your anticipation for the next hand.

"Yeah, they look really sexy on you." He compliments, giving you a hungry look.

"Thanks, Eds." You deal out the cards again, and bet your shirt this time. Eddie sticks with his rings and necklace, and you play the hand out. You have two pairs, and he beats you again with three of a kind. "Dammit!" You shout in disappointment as you yank your t-shirt over your head. Your tits bounce as they're freed from the fabric, and you're one loss away from being completely naked.

"You're just all outta luck today, angel." He's feeling cocky, all he needs is one more hand to beat you. You mutter a couple swears under your breath, you're not a very good sport when you lose at games. You shuffle a third time, and deal once more.

The next two rounds thankfully go in your favor, stripping Eddie of his accessories and tie-dye shirt. You're tied now, one more round to put an end to it all. You're both holding your final hand now, having already exchanged cards. You're on the edge of your seat, so to speak, eager to see who wins this erotic game. "You wanna show them at the same time, baby?" You ask darkly, unable to hide just how aroused this game has made you. You've both been eating up every last bit of one another's flesh as it's been revealed, just waiting for the moment when you get to see more.

"Okay." He nods, meeting your anxious gaze with his own. You both place your hands down on the blanket, waiting a second to actually look at them. Once you do, you see that you've just barely beaten Eddie. He has three of a kind, whereas you have a straight. "You win, princess. Congratulations." He says lowly, wasting no time in taking off his pants. His dick slaps against his stomach, waiting for you to take hold of it. "You wanna come over here and claim your prize, Y/N?"

"I thought you'd never ask, baby." You crawl over to him on the bed, ignoring the cards spilling around everywhere. Eddie lays on his back as you prowl, stroking his cock lazily in his hand. You climb over him so your body looms above his. You lower your head to give him a kiss, slipping your tongue into his mouth a moment later. His free hand reaches up to your underwear, slipping beneath the luxe fabric to feel your soaked folds. You moan against him at the sensation. "I want you so bad, Eddie." You say breathlessly, your lips still brushing against his as you speak.

"I want you too, sweetheart. Can you take these off for me?" Eddie replies, tugging at the waistband of your panties. You nod, dragging the fabric over the curves of your ass and down your legs. You kick them away with your foot, and straddle Eddie's thighs.

You replace Eddie's hand with yours, slowly running your hollowed fist along his dick. He groans at your touch, wanting you to pick up the pace or move along to the main event. "You want me to ride you, baby?" You ask seductively.

"Please." He begs, his hands resting at your hips. You lift yourself upwards slightly, just enough to drag his tip against your pussy, spreading your arousal onto his length. His breath catches at you lubing him up, and you let out low moans as he repeatedly brushes against your clit. "Stop teasing, sweetheart. I need to feel you." He can't hide the whining in his voice, and his eyes stare up helplessly at you as you continue your tantalizing actions.

"God, I love it when you beg, Eddie. It's so fuckin' hot." You smirk at him, allowing the head of his length to slip inside your dripping cunt. "Fuck." You gasp, eyes fluttering shut. He's barely in you and he's already stretching your walls in the most delicious way. You slowly sink down, accepting every last inch of him. You bite hard on your lip, savoring the slight burn you feel from him filling you up so completely. "Oh, god." You moan with your eyes still blissfully closed. You lay on his chest as you adjust to his size, pressing your lips to his while you loosen up.

"You're so tight, angel. Holy shit." Eddie says lowly to you between kisses. He can't believe he's actually inside you right now, and you feel like absolute heaven around him. Warm, snug, and perfectly slick. He could stay just like this forever, holding you close as you're connected like matching puzzle pieces. His hands caress your back and sides, worshiping every inch of you he can reach while he waits for you to start moving.

"And you're so big, Eds. You fill me up so well." You squeeze around his length involuntarily, making him gasp.

"I really hope you're not just strokin' my ego, princess." He laughs lightly, his hands pressing firmly into your hips from you hugging his cock so tight.

"I wouldn't dream of it, darling. I'd never lie to you." You keep planting languid, hungry kisses to his mouth while you start to move. You gradually bring yourself upwards on his cock, almost letting him slip out, before sinking back down in one swift motion. Breathy moans leave both your mouths, and you repeat the action a few more times. Up...and down, up...and down, up...and down. You let out muted noises as Eddie brushes against your g spot with each landing.

"Fuck, sweetheart. You're still teasing, I can't take it." He whimpers, rolling your bodies over to take the lead. Your head rests on the pillows below, your legs spread wide with him still sheathed inside you. "Is this okay?" Eddie asks, looking down at you expectantly. He's desperate to get some real speed and friction going. But not without your permission, of course.

You reach up to cup his cheek, and wrap your legs around his waist to pull him closer. "Yes, Eddie. And please, don't hesitate to go as hard and as fast as you want."

"You like it rough, huh?" He questions with another filthy smirk. He says so much with so little, you really wish you knew how he does that.

"You seem to know me well enough, what do you think?" You tease, keeping up with his playfulness again. You enjoy pushing his buttons, hoping it'll make him go crazy on you.

"Is it so hard to give me a straight answer?" He says as he thrusts into you once. It's the perfect mix and deep and rough, just like you wanted. It steals your breath away, making your eyes roll into the back of your head for a moment. "Just tell me what you want, angel. And I'll happily give it to you." He speaks lowly in your ear, thrusting again to draw a low moan from you.

"Fuck, keep doing that. It feels so good, baby." You sigh as Eddie's lips meet your neck. He's marking you again, you're gonna look like a leopard by the time he's done with you. But you'll proudly wear love bites on every inch of your body, as long as they come from him.

"You got it, princess." Eddie picks up the pace, using the same amount of force as before. He pushes on your sweet spot over and over, which makes you all the more wet inside. He slips in and out of you so easily, your arousal dripping onto the bed with every shove into your cunt. "Shit, you're fuckin' soaked, sweetheart. Your pussy feels amazing." He groans, sending a shock of pleasure through you. His words are absolutely filthy, and his tone makes your heart pound in your chest.

"It's all for you, Eds." You moan out, grabbing hold of his back with your hands. Your nails dig into his skin, drawing another vulgar sound from his lips. Eddie continues to assault your neck as he fucks you, leaving hickey after hickey with his every moan. You're clinging to him, trying to keep him as close to you as possible as he ruts you into the bed. His body weighs heavily on yours, encapsulating you in excessive heat. But it's not enough, you want to be even closer. You wish you could crawl under his skin, to somehow fuse yourself to him and never let go. "Fuck, roll over, baby. And sit up against the headboard." You pant out, wanting to ride him like you originally planned.

"Is something wrong, sweetheart?" He asks, his face meeting yours with concerned eyes. His thrusts slow for a moment, and he wonders if he should stop altogether.

"No, definitely not. I just wanna be closer to you, Eds." You reply breathlessly, patting his shoulders to prompt him to obey your request. He does as you ask, managing to stay inside you while putting you on top again. He scoots back to lean against the headboard, and you straddle his lap in this new position. Your arms wrap around his shoulders, your chest pressing against his. "Perfect." You exhale as his tip is kissing your cervix at this angle. You press your lips to his, putting a pause on the sex for a moment. You want to take a moment to taste his mouth on yours, he's so addictive to you. "I love you, baby." You whisper to him between gentle smooches.

"I love you too, princess." Eddie's happy to return the sentiment, he can't get enough of you admiring him in such a way. His hands sit at your waist, slowly migrating downwards to grip the rounds of your ass in rough handfuls. You let out a quiet moan, your pussy flexing around his length at the aggressive action. "Fuck, Y/N. Gonna be the death of me if you keep doin' that." He whimpers. It isn't exactly easy for him to sit still with his dick encased by your soaked cunt, and you squeezing him like that makes it all the more difficult.

"You want me to start moving, darling?" You ask, biting your lip at the thrill of teasing him just a little bit more.

"Please." He says pitifully, it's taking everything in him to not thrust upwards into you right now.

"Mmm, you're so needy, baby. I'll never get over how sexy you sound like that." You smolder, before lifting your hips up to give you both what you want so badly. You allow yourself to fall back down, crying out in pleasure at the feeling of him hitting your g spot even better than before. You set a steady pace, allowing for plenty of sloppy kisses and bites being made on your bodies. You don't know where you start and Eddie ends at this point, and a roiling knot has been brewing inside you from the moment you first accepted his dick into your silk. Eddie's hands lead your hips to roll against him, and he punctuates your bounces with an occasional buck of his hips to steal your breath away. "Oh, Eddie. You feel so fuckin' good, keep doing that." You moan out, increasing your own speed to meet him in the middle. Your arousal continues to flow from you freely, making a small puddle on Eddie's abdomen.

"You're makin' a mess all over me, sweetheart. You're so perfect." Eddie praises, ramming his hips upwards to meet your every landing.

"I'm getting close, baby. Fuck me harder, faster. I need you to make me cum." You whimper the words, with no regard for just how much they affect the man moaning along with you. You feel the twisting ball inside you pulling tighter against its restraints, waiting to snap at any moment. Eddie's not far behind you, you're easily the best sex he's ever had.

"Turn around, princess. Hands and knees." Eddie commands, needing to take control to drive you both off that proverbial cliff. You hop off his lap, scrambling to get in position. He's half a step behind you, giving you a moment to grab onto the blankets before he shoves his length back into your needy hole.

"Fuck!" You cry out, and you feel Eddie's hands digging rougher than before into your hips. He hammers himself into you, the slapping of skin mixing with your obscene noises. His pelvis smacks against your ass, stinging your flesh from the force and wetness from your sweat and juices. "Just like that, Eds. Don't stop, make me cum. I'm almost there."

"I'm right there with you, angel. Your pussy is so fuckin' amazing, best I've ever had, so wet and tight and perfect in every way." Eddie's words spill from his lips haphazardly, he can barely think straight as his stomach begins to tense. You sense he's close, his movements have become unfocused.

"Cum with me, baby. I wanna feel you fill me up, claim me as yours. I can't get enough of your dick, baby. It's so fuckin' good." You allow every passing thought running through your mind to become verbalized, letting him know he's rocking your fucking world right now. Just a little more, and you'll both be in complete and utter bliss. Eddie unexpectedly snakes his hand around your front, his long fingers locating your clit to rub rapid circles around it. "Oh, god, oh, fuck!" You moan helplessly as his touch brings on the rapid buildup you've been waiting for. Your walls begin to flutter around him, signaling loud and clear that you're about to lose it.

"Fuck, Y/N." Eddie grunts, his own high taking over only moments before yours. His breath hitches, and his hips thrust into you even harder while his load shoots into you in thick white ropes. The warmth of his cum, mixed with his harsh bucking pulls you down with him.

"Eddie!" You practically scream as your thighs begin to shake. You clamp down on him, almost making him fall backwards with how mind-blowing it feels. Your vision blurs with stars, your entire body radiating with glowing ecstasy. Eddie stills inside you, allowing you time to ride out the wave of pleasure coursing through you. You collapse onto the bed, your ass in the air as you're still connected to him.

"You alright there, princess?" Eddie asks, exhaling heavily as he tries to catch his breath.

"Mmm, yeah. More than alright. That's easily the best sex I've ever had." You reply, sounding just as winded as he is. Eddie slowly pulls out of you, which proves quite the challenge as your pussy doesn't want to release him. You both let out muttered curses at how sensitive you are as he eventually removes himself.

"Shit, sweetheart. Never had anyone hold on to me so tight like this before." He says in awe, gazing at your glistening body as you still haven't moved from your awkward position yet. Your eyes are shut, your mouth letting out hot huffs of air. Your arms lay limp on either side of your head, and your legs are still spread open wide. Eddie eyes your cunt, licking his lips when he sees your mixed release oozing out of you. You're an impeccably gorgeous sight to him, and he can't resist crawling over to sample the sweet nectar currently pulsing from your slit.

"Shit." You mutter as his tongue makes contact with you. Light vibrations run against you as Eddie moans at the sweet, musky flavor you’ve created together. He continues to lick you clean, drinking up every last drop. You're still sparking from your previous orgasm, and you're dangerously close to having another. "Eddie, you're gonna make me cum again if you keep going." You warn with a whimper, which only spurs him on. He shoves his tongue into your pussy, scooping out every last bit of cum he can. The wet muscle manages to stroke your g spot repeatedly in its quest for bodily fluids, which causes another orgasm to rip through you. Stronger than the one before. "Oh, fuck!" You cry out, trembling all over again as you soak his face.

"Mmm." He groans at you giving him even more to taste, his hands grasping clumsily at your legs to hold you in place while he continues to consume you. He still doesn't stop, your pleasure building on top of itself, folding over in exquisite layers.

"You're so greedy, Eds." You sigh, letting yourself enjoy every second of his relentless appetite thoroughly. You expect to be brought to yet another high very soon.

"You just taste so delicious, sweetheart. I can't help myself." He speaks briefly before returning to his task. His statement is absolutely true, he doesn't know how he's going to eventually stop eating you out. You're like a goddamn drug, and he wishes to receive hit after hit until you tell him to stop. His dick twitches at every little sound you make in response, shining beads of his own release running down his shaft. It appears extending your pleasure has inadvertently done the same for his own.

"I'm getting close again, Eddie. I don't know how much more I can take." You whine, your legs twitching at every move he makes on you. The inevitable peak you're climbing towards is certainly going to be the strongest you've ever had, and you just know it's going to make a huge mess. You've never squirted before, but you have a sneaking suspicion that both you and Eddie will highly enjoy it.

"Just do one more for me, angel. You've been doing so well. Cum for me, Y/N." Eddie begs, before sucking harshly on your clit.

"OH, GOD, OH FUCK! EDDIE!" You're overtaken by white-hot flames, the heat consuming you from the inside out. Your entire lower half shakes violently, and you feel a massive gush of your cum splashing onto Eddie's face and down your thighs. "Fuck!" The sensation is nothing like you've experienced before. You almost feel a little embarrassed, as the only bodily function you could compare it to is...well, not something you'd want to release so easily onto another person. But all Eddie does is attempt to swallow as much of it as he can, as if he's dying of thirst. He doesn't pull away, or say anything judgmental. Clearly he knows more about this phenomenon than you, which puts your mind at ease a little.

"Damn, that was hot." Eddie says as he finally pulls away from you. The rest of your body falls onto the bed, totally spent. You've never cum so much or so hard before. Even the slight flow of air as the heating warms the house makes your cunt twitch in overstimulation. "I think we're gonna need another shower, though." He chuckles as he looks down at your juices glistening on his chest and stomach, not to mention between your legs. You made such a splash, it's not something he's personally seen very often. But, fuck he loves any opportunity to witness it.

"I second that. But I feel like I'm made of jelly now." You let out a weak giggle, groaning as you roll over onto your back.

"That good, huh?" Eddie smirks, meeting your tired eyes with his own.

"Oh, Eds. You have noooo idea." You manage to sit up, scooching yourself closer to Eddie to give him a gentle kiss. He returns it gingerly, leading you to lie down with him. He pulls you in real close, cuddling you in your radiating afterglow. You break away from the kiss, looking deep into his eyes with total admiration. He's too perfect, and this moment represents everything you've ever wanted in a relationship. True love, deep connection, not to mention incredible sex. "I wish we could just stay like this forever." You say, barely above a whisper.

"We can certainly try, Y/N." He replies, a single tear running down his cheek at your words. You both know it's borderline cruel to make such confident statements. Given your uncertain future regarding Vecna, and the police, and any potential lynch-mobs that might demand Eddie's head on a spit. But despite all of this, you want to hold onto hope. Hope that both of you will get what you once denied yourselves, what you both clearly deserve out of life. You've been through far too much in your lives. To find one another again after all this time, only to have your newfound happiness snatched away from you? No fucking way. You refuse to go down without a fight. You've beaten monsters before, and you sure as shit plan to do it again.

"You're damn right we can. I already lost you once, and I'm not gonna let it happen a second time." You speak emphatically, resolving to do everything in your power to keep Eddie safe.

"I love you so much, Y/N." He says weakly, trying so hard to keep from falling apart.

You smile calmly at him, wiping away the tears from his chin. "I love you too, Eddie. I promise we'll get through this. Together."

"Together." He parrots the word quietly, nodding his head. He has no idea what the future holds for either of you, or your band of monster-slaying misfits. But all he can do is hold onto the idea that once this shit is settled, he can have the chance to do the one thing he's wanted for far too long. To be your man, and to cherish you like the world's greatest treasure.

The end.

[shallyouobeyme]

For the “spicy” prompt im imagining Platonic Yandere Batfam discovering your internet history, and having a confrontation about how you’re far too young for such things (reader is a full adult, not that the Batfam sees it that way).

I sadly already have something written out for today, but I really love this idea so I decided that I'd just go into the concept a bit as well - I mean I make the rules to this so I might as well use that power.

Okay, so I don't really write smut as of now because I don't read it and I do have not a lot of real-life experience so I figure it might just be a lot of cringy blabbering. But let's go with the 'spicey' meaning that horny adolescents will probably think of when reading the word in the context of fanfiction.

Now you're probably somewhere in the span of 16-20 in this scenario, old enough to live independently on your own, but young enough that the batfam can somehow justify it in their mind to treat you like a precious, fragile, little toddler. Sure, some of them logically know that you're basically a grown-up, but with how much effed-up shit they see every day they don't really wanna admit that to themselves and rather chose to act all 'I do not see'. And while that's all fine and dandy for them to do, it doesn't change the logical facts. Fact number one: You grew out of binkies and blankies like a decade ago, for god's sake Dick stop trying to make me take ten naps a day with them. Fact number two: Like I said, you're kind of (definitely) an adult and assuming that you have not always been the coddled little Wayne-baby that the Batfam wants to see you as you've probably been exposed to adult things before and aren't sensitive with seeing them. Like, guys, I was reading the news daily before you crazy people kidnapped me - stop talking about international crises as if the countries are people who have minor disagreements, okay? Fact number three: there comes a time in an adult's life when they might be craving a somewhat more intimate partner in their life - and no, Damian, I don't mean the bestest friend in the whole world forever, I mean a guy or a gal or a nonbinary pal who can rock your shit, if you get my drift (never dare say that to Damian out loud tho, you will be having your mouth washed out with soap). So while it might be a giant oversight on your part to not realize that all your precious internet time is completely monitored, you still probably haven't expected to be sat down by Bruce, Dick, Jason and Alfred and get a lecture on how you're way too little to look up these kinds of things (you looked up TikTok videos and happened to watch a few with TikTokers dancing in slightly less covered clothing) and how your mind is too undeveloped to grasp these big things you searched for (you looked up a statistic on the rate of kidnapping victims to get killed) and how you should keep playing your safe games instead of these violent ones (you looked at a game trailer for Cyberpunk 2077).

All your arguing falls on deaf ears. They just don't wanna hear that you're not their little, innocent baby. The only good thing is that they don't think you have enough logical thinking skills yet to properly grasp the situation so you'll be punished very lightly (a month without internet privileges). Once you're allowed to go online again though, you'll have to make do with the special kiddy-pad they got you with all the safety features and parental controls installed. So yeah, might wanna get used to being without the internet from now on...

[astoundingbeyondbelief]

I was a skeptic about Criterion releasing any post-Showa Godzilla movies on disc, but lo and behold, they're teeing up Godzilla vs. Biollante, my favorite movie of all time, for 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (or just plain Blu-ray) on March 18. The description:

SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES:

New 4K digital restoration, with 5.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack

In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features

New audio commentary featuring film historian Samm Deighan, host of the podcast Eros + Massacreand coeditor of the book Revolution in 35mm

Making-of program from 1993 featuring director Kazuki Omori and special-effects director Koichi Kawakita, among others

Short documentary from 1993 about the Biollante and Super X2 vehicle concepts

Deleted special effects

TV spots and trailers

New English subtitle translation

PLUS: An essay by science-fiction and horror film expert Jim Cirronella

Yes, this means they're skipping over The Return of Godzilla and not waiting until all the Heisei films are in their hands to unload them as another box set. I was surprised at first, but it makes sense. Biollante is the only Heisei movie Toho has released on 4K in Japan so far (with The Return of Godzilla and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II joining it in June), and arguably the best-regarded. Toho's always going to prioritize the domestic market first, so this is Criterion's best shot at a new release during Godzilla's current swell of popularity.

I have mixed feelings, as is usual when any new English kaiju/tokusatsu home release is announced. I'm glad the movie is back in physical circulation; it's again become legendary as the most difficult Godzilla movie to find on home video for a reasonable price. Only one library in my county owns it, and that number is about to spike. It'll be a major visual upgrade to boot. The non-G54 movies in the Criterion Showa box set didn't have audio commentaries, so I'm glad they sprung for one this time. I'm not familiar with Samm Deighan's work, but I think she's the first woman to record an English commentary for a Godzilla movie.

But...

I saw the Criterion presentation of Godzilla vs. Biollante at the Dryden Theater in October, and the subtitles were... simply not proofread, or at least not proofread by anyone who should have a job in the field. "More typos than a Mill Creek Ultraman Blu-ray" was how I described it at the time. I believe Criterion is using a number of vintage (we're talking probably-shown-in-Hawaii) subtitle scripts for the Toho tokusatsu films they're made available on streaming but not on disc, and I dearly hope they show more care with the Biollante 4K.

There's also no English dub.

This suggests that Toho is now doing its best to bury all the pre-Reiwa Godzilla dubs, even the ones they commissioned themselves. I doubt Criterion will bother to include the film's English visuals either. So... the version of Biollante I rented from Blockbuster some 20 years ago, the version I grew up with, will just be completely erased from the latest-and-greatest (and last?) edition. Depressing stuff. The current incarnation of Toho might be embarrassed by those old dubs, but as an indignant woman in the Diet Building once exclaimed, the truth is the truth! And Biollante's one of the films I prefer to watch dubbed (for one, nobody can argue that the English the actors spoke on set was better than that recorded by the Hong Kong Players).

Lesser concerns: I'll have to double-check, but I think the making-of program and the short documentary were on the old Echo Bridge discs too. The trailers would be new, but, well, they're trailers. So potentially nothing fresh in the featurette department, certainly not a retrospective with surviving cast and crew. (Somebody get one of those done before we lose even more of them!) And I do feel bad for Ed Godziszewski, whose commentary for Echo Bridge was effectively pocket-vetoed by Toho and is now truly never going to see the light of day.

Bleh.

[hellfirenacht]

Water Balloons

Summary: You’ve been dating Eddie for a few months, but never talked about the future.

Tags: Eddie x Reader, sfw, fluff, neither reader or eddie want kids, mentions of breeding kink but it’s Reader being a little shit, NO ACTUAL KINKS INDULGED IN, no use of y/n, fem!reader

Notes: I have nothing against breeding kinks or parent!Eddie fics. But this is for anyone who does NOT enjoy those specific things. 

Bassed off of this post by @deathbecomesthem 

You and Eddie laid on the roof of his van, a blanket under you both as you stared up at the sky. The two of you had been watching the late summer sun slowly disappear over the horizon in shades of fiery reds and oranges. Now the two of you stared at the stars above, creating new constellations as your fingers intertwined. 

This had been the best summer of your life. Eddie had asked you out the second he ran off the stage in his graduation gown, diploma in hand. You had barely said yes before slamming your lips against his. He’d been waiting two years to ask you out, not wanting you to have to explain to people that you were in your early 20s and dating a high schooler. 

Summer days were stretched with Eddie visiting you at work, day long games of dungeons and dragons, hanging out at the pool, and driving around with music blasting. Nights had been endless memories of the Hideout, watching him play, sneaking into his trailer when Wayne was at work, and long conversations that would only end when the sun came up. 

You didn’t think it could be better than this, which is why you had been putting off this conversation for so long. 

Eddie was talking about how he’d snuck into the High School to play Dustin’s latest one-shot. Without Eddie as the DM, the other members had been taking turns running different smaller campaigns. 

“The kid has imagination.” Eddie said, his hand giving yours a squeeze. You could feel the clunky rings on his fingers digging into your skin but you had grown used to the feeling by now. “He always threw me off when I was in charge but he’s on a whole other level as the DM.” 

“Did anyone catch you sneaking in or out?” you asked, looking at the small sliver of moon above. 

“Not a soul.” he looked over at you and grinned. “Besides, what would they do? Expel me?” 

“Arrest you for trespassing.” you nudged him with your own grin. “Remember, I don’t have bail money.”

“I’d break out.” Eddie said. “Get myself a spoon and start digging.” 

You giggled and ran your thumb over the back of his hand. You’d always had a thing for his hands before, but after dating they were one of your favorite parts about him. His fingertips were rough and calloused from playing guitar, but the rest of his hand was smooth and soft from the lotion you’d always put on him when you applied it to yourself. He used to pretend he hated it, but now he always offered his hands whenever you pulled out your lotion. 

“I ran into Cass Finnigan earlier.” you said, trying to keep your tone casual, as if your heart wasn’t beating out of your chest. Things were going so good, why ruin it?

“Cass?” Eddie sounded surprised. “Huh, I haven’t seen her since she graduated."

“She’s pregnant. Probably about three months.” you said, your voice going a little quiet. The pause between the two of you was closer to term than Cass. 

“Yeah?” You could hear a strain in Eddie’s voice that you wish you knew what it meant. Was that stress? Yearning? Gas? Most times Eddie wore his emotions on his sleeve but your own anxiety was clouding your reading of him.  

“Yeah.” you echoed. “Surprised me, considering how young we are.”

“Too young.” Eddie said, and you felt him shift next to you. 

“Way too young.” 

The silence between you stretched miles, each of you trapped deep inside of your minds as you thought about a former classmate's pregnancy. 

You decided to rip the bandaid off.

“I don’t want kids.” You said, staring harder at the sky. You held your breath, waiting for the shoe to drop. Kids had never been something that appealed to you, not in a million years. The idea of children, pregnancy, parenthood, none of it sounded rewarding or exciting. It only filled you with dread and anxiety. 

You’d lost boyfriends over it, partners that you had really liked. They all said the same thing. That you were still young, still in school, of course you didn’t want kids now. You’d change your mind. 

You never did though. 

As you held your breath, Eddie deflated next to you. Shit, this was going to end the same. He was going to repeat those same tired lines and you’d have to break this off. 

Then Eddie started laughing.

“Oh thank Christ.” he said, rubbing his face. “I was terrified you were dropping a hint that you wanted to start a family.” 

“What? Oh no- Eddie. Eddie, no.” you shook your head quickly, the tension in your body starting to ease up a little. “But I mean it, Eddie. I don’t want kids. Ever. Like, ever ever. I don’t want pregnancy, I don’t want to adopt... I don’t want to be a parent.” 

“Me either.” Those two words could have knocked the wind out of you. 

You sat up and looked down at him. Eddie looked so pretty with his long hair splayed on on the blanket and brown eyes that reflected the stars that you had just been looking at. 

“Do you mean that?” you asked firmly. “Because I mean it.”

Eddie sat up and faced you, not letting go of your hand. “I’m not dad material.” he said. “I never have been, and I never will be. Being a parent scares the shit out of me. I wouldn’t even know what to do with a kid even if I had one.” 

“I think you need to feed it sometimes.” you gave him a smile. “Take it for walks twice a day and teach it not to poop on the floor.” 

Eddie laughed, and pushed you down so that he was on top of you. “No, that’s me you’re thinking of.” he joked. Moving his legs on either side of your hips. 

“Oh, I hope you’re housebroken, Munson.” you laughed. “Otherwise I want a refund.” 

“Sorry, I don’t do returns. You know this.” he kissed your cheek.

“You’re so fucking weird.” you giggled, wrapping your arms around his neck. 

“I believe the word you're looking for is freak, sweetheart.” 

Your fingers ran through his hair and he closed his eyes, a faint smile on his face. “You’re really okay with that?” you asked. “I know we’ve only been dating a few months, but I don’t- I’m not just dating you to date you. I want this to be real. If you want kids, we can stop this whole thing and-”

Eddie didn’t let you finish, cutting you off with a kiss. “No returns.” he said firmly before kissing you again. “I don’t want kids.” Kiss. “You don’t want kids.” Kiss.

You couldn’t resist messing with him, and looked up at him with a grin that Eddie learned quickly meant trouble. 

“Oh but Daddy, don’t you wanna knock me up?” you said, batting your eyelashes. The look on Eddie’s face was priceless as he looked at you like you’d eaten a bug. He tried to get off you but you grabbed him and pulled him back. “Come on, Eds, let’s make Granny Eckard right and get some Munson Jr. Jrs running around!”

“Absolutely not, oh no. Get off me, woman!” Eddie struggled to pry you off, but you just held him tighter. 

“Don’t you wanna... uh....be my Daddy and also be the father of my children?” you laughed, tears streaming down your cheeks. 

“I think my poor dick just went into early retirement.” Eddie said dramatically. “I may never get it up again because of this conversation. And what will you do then, hm?”

“You have fingers and a tongue still.” you wiggled your eyebrows. “And I have plenty of toys if those go limp, too- MMFFF...!”

Eddie had covered your mouth with his hand, and despite how pale he had gone for a second he was now laughing hard. “Stop talking. You’ve abused your talking privileges for the night.” Eddie looked down at you. “I’m gonna let go, and you’re gonna stop making it weird. Can you do that?”

You nodded, still shaking with your laughter. It was tempting to keep going, but you wanted to check just one more time. 

His hand pulled off your mouth and you both sat up again, your giggles echoing in the small park that you were in. 

“I mean it.” Eddie said, taking your hand again. “I don’t want kids either. I could live the rest of my life with just you and I’d be happy.”

Your heart jumped up in your throat. “The rest of your life...?” 

Eddie realized what he said quickly. “I mean, you and I have been friends for years and I know that the whole dating thing is new for us but... yeah. I know I’m not exactly Mr. Romantic, but...”

That was enough for you, and you took his hand and kissed his knuckles gently. “So... kids no, but open to marriage?” 

“Not right now.” he said. “Later.” 

“Aww, am I not enough for a whirlwind, runaway marriage?” you smiled. “Not gonna drive me to the courthouse right now and make an honest woman out of me?”

“Considering how your specialty was always a bluff check, I doubt anyone could make an honest woman out of you.” Eddie snorted. 

“I guess you’re worth the wait.” your leaned closer to him. “You were always worth the wait.” 

“You’re gonna make me blush.” Eddie said, cupping your cheek and kissing you softly. “You know... since we’ve agreed that kids are off the table, I do have a half used box of condoms in the back of the van that could be used right now.” 

“Oh, and what happened the the other half of the box?” you smirked, knowing full well what happened. 

“Well, you see sweetheart, a few weeks ago we decided to have a water balloon fight but we ran out of balloons so me and Jeff had this idea-” 

“Eddie no!” you laughed, smacking his arm. “Seriously? Where was I during all this?”

“You abandoned me.” 

“I was at work wasn’t I? Remind me to quit tomorrow.” 

Eddie pulled you in closer “Well that’s only where a few of them went. The rest went to this really hot chick who somehow decided to take a chance on the biggest freak in Hawkins.” 

“Lucky her.” you said, pecking his lips. “So... wanna show me these makeshift water balloons? For science, of course.”

“I thought you’d never ask.” Eddie said with a smile. 

Eddie helped you down from off the top of his van, and you just knew that this was it. No matter what happened after tonight, you knew that you both were in it for the long haul. No need to change or force things just because of what everyone said you should do. From then on, it would be just you and Eddie, and that would be enough.  

[aangarchy]

Alright. I've rewatched the trailer like 20 times by now and i've been processing it.

First things first: anyone that's gonna talk shit about Gordon Cormier is gonna have to go through me first. I've only had Gordon!Aang for a day and a half and if anything happens to him i'll kill everyone here and then myself got it?

Just look at him! This is the exact big eared cute little kid i wanted them to cast for Aang. He looks adorable and honestly his outfit is growing on me.

The glowing arrow looked cool as hell. I like that the light spread through his tattoo almost like veins. I'm still curious on how the full avatar state is gonna look, how they're gonna get the glowing eye effect. Please don't let it look goofy.

Y'know what does look goofy?

Is it better than the m night shyamalan appa? I guess. Does that mean it looks good? Well.... at least momo sort of looks cute instead of some folklore nightmare like in shyamalan's version. But also you can tell in this shot in particular that it's very green screen-y

Then we go over to the bending, the limited shots we have of it. Mainly firebending was shown (a little airbending too but kinda hard to get a stillframe for that one)

Idk how to feel about it. In screenshots it looks alright but the shots while they were moving looked a bit off, especially the one where zuko's kicking. We only got very limited shots and that's intentional. I feel like the bigger cgi fails are gonna show up once we get the full show. If the bending looked good all the time i feel like they'd be showing it off by now.

What i don't like, is how apparently they're gonna SHOW Zuko getting burned. Like sure in atla they didn't bc kids show and Nickelodeon wouldn't allow it, and netflix can take darker turns if they so please. But i personally always felt that scene made so much impact because we didn't see it. Iroh is telling it from his memory and he didn't look when it happened, so we don't see it either. It's like a courtesy the show extends to both Zuko and the audience. We just hear the harrowing scream, and that's enough to know how devastating it is. I don't need a dramatic overlook so we can see the whole thing in detail, netflix.

Another thing is the hair in some scenes.

Daniel dae kim looked better in that promo photo, bc here you can just see how the bulky goatie was glued on. And then Sokka's hair..... where's the ponytail? It's laying completely flat against his head... why? Is it bc that's Ian's hair and they didn't know what to do with it? Literally get a comb and tease that bitch. This is like the complete opposite of Jackson Rathbone's hair in the shyamalan version, and somehow that full maybelline ponytail makes more sense than this sad excuse of a tail. Either way at least Suki looked dope.

Another thing i found weird about the trailer is the narration. I think it's either Iroh's voice or maybe Gyatso's? (I haven't heard Iroh's actor talk yet so idk, but it felt like it was being said TO either Aang or Zuko) but the lines they gave him... it felt like some weird mumbo jumbo tbh. Something something about the past and present being the same and it's up to us to know the difference and be the difference? It's saying everything and nothing at the same time and it felt kind of out of place. They're probably saving the iconic opening narration done by Katara for the full trailer (i hope???) but still they could have just gone with music, or maybe just a few iconic existing lines?

The music? Fire. Nothing needs to be added there. Was i kind of hoping for a different soundtrack? Maybe a bit. But am i mad? Not at all. They clearly took the nostalgia route with the more epic version of the avatar theme, and i can only respect them for that.

So far, very mixed reviews for me. I'm morbidly curious and very nosy by nature though, so i'm absolutely watching.