#I think to think tails does university part time from home and that’s how he knows professor pickle

[woso-dreamzzz]

Kung

Hardersson x Daughter!Reader

Natalia Guijarro (OC) x Hardersson!Reader

Part of The Big Adventures Universe

Summary: The last member of the family

When you come in, you're cradling a blanket.

Natalia frowns. It's the blanket you kept in the car for Prins after a trip to the beach, so he didn't scatter sand all over your interior. It rarely comes into the house unless it's to be washed and it got washed two days ago. That's not nearly enough time for it to be due another one.

You look nervous too, bashfully dropping eye contact when Talia makes it.

"Amor?" She asks," What's wrong? Has something happened?"

"I'm sorry," You say, blurting it out as you cradle the bundled-up blanket closer to your chest," It's just...They were bullying him! And he was so cold! Talia, he was shaking! And I couldn't just leave him there!"

"Mi vida." Natalia stands, her hands reaching out for you. "You are not making any sense. Tell me what has happened. Who was being bullied?"

Slowly, you unravel the blanket.

A little bunny is sitting there. His ears are slightly covering his eyes and his little nose wiggles as he takes in his new surroundings. His fur is kind of fuzzy and a beautiful light tan colour.

"I went to that bakery you like, that one in the middle of the park? And he was being bullied by the crows! They kept pecking at him and one of them tried to snatch him up! I'm sorry but I couldn't leave him there!"

You look close to tears like you expect Natalia to be mad at you for bringing this poor, defenceless bunny into your home.

"All the vets are closed," You say," Just one night! Please, Talia! Just one night!"

Natalia shakes her head fondly at you, reaching up to cradle your face in her hands. "I love you so much, amor. You have such a big heart."

"He can stay?"

"Of course he can stay. Do we know how old he is?"

Panic flashes over your face again as you shake your head. "He's so little? Do you think he still needs milk? Oh god, what if the birds traumatised him and now he won't eat?!"

"Amor," Talia says," Let's not jump to the worst case. I'll go and grab some things we can try. Why don't you settle down and introduce him to the others?"

"There's cakes in my bag!" You call after her and she just laughs in response.

You take a seat on the sofa and gently take the little bunny into your arms. He's perfectly content to sit there, not moving as his chest rises and falls in sync with yours.

Reina is lazing around on the top of her cat tree, stretching out as she peers down at where Prins is wagging his tail in his bed. He's got his favourite duck toy sitting next to him and sometimes he nudges it with his nose in an attempt to get Reina to play with him.

"Prins," You say," Kom (come)."

He does so immediately, padding over and sitting at your feet.

You gently move the rabbit to his eyeline but not close enough for him to reach for it.

"Dette er en kanin (this is a rabbit)."

Prins tilts his head to the side in interest and you very carefully move so he can sniff it. The rabbit seems nonplussed by this whole thing, bumping noses with Prins happily and practically purring at the joy of it all.

Prins seems happy too, his tail wagging furiously and he keeps looking over at Reina, as if to introduce her to his new friend.

"Reina?" You call softly and your girlfriend's cat turns her head to look at you. You tsk to beckon her over and she does so begrudgingly, her silky fur showing that she's been recently brushed.

She takes the more assertive route than Prins did, meandering over and sticking her face all over the little rabbit's body. She sniffs him curiously before dragging her tongue over his head like she did when she first met Prins.

"No," You say when she tries to pick him up," Sorry, Reina, I don't think he has a scruff."

She looks a little disgruntled at that but swipes her tongue over him a few more times before she's seemingly satisfied. She leaps down from the sofa and herds a whining Prins away so she can groom him instead.

Prins looks at you completely betrayed as you allow him to be shepherded away but you just shake your head fondly at him.

"We'll take him to the vet tomorrow," Natalia says as she comes back," And I think I've still got Reina's old travel case so he can sleep in that for the night. How did introducing them go?"

You smile. "I think Reina thinks he's a kitten and Prins seems happy to make a new friend. They might be sad when we give him up."

Talia gives you a pointed look that you can't quite decipher. One of her hands gently scratches between the bunny's ears (who immediately goes limp and starts making a noise akin to purring) while the other gently cards through your hair, twisting random strands around her finger.

"Just them? I think you'll be sad too if we let this little guy go."

"Maybe a little." Your brows are scrunched up, a crinkle appearing between them as you hold the little bunny.

"I think that's a good enough reason to keep this guy around."

"Really?"

"Really, mi vida. I think this little guy is adorable. I'd love to keep him if you do."

It took you weeks to let your mothers know about the new member of the family. Kung the bunny had become a staple in the house. He fit in perfectly and, just like his namesake, thought that he was in charge of it all.

Multiple times, you had caught him taking over Reina's car tree and thumping his foot when you didn't give him his dinner fast enough.

But, Kung's favourite thing was when you and Talia wore sweatshirts. He adored wiggling into the front pocket and taking a nap there when you had a lazy day.

He enjoyed the beach too, exploring it on a leash like Reina as you tired Prins out by kicking a ball for him.

Kung fit into your life so well that you completely forgot to tell your mothers until you were on a video call at the kitchen table.

Talia pops in to greet them, pressing a soft kiss to your ticklish neck as she appeared.

"I'm heading out to see Patri," She says," Can I have you give his royal highness? He's being clingy again."

You beam. "I'll always take him."

"I know. I love you, amor."

"Love you, Talia."

She carefully removes Kung from her front pocket to hand him to you. He's still very small and easily fits into your arms without even waking up from his nap.

"Is that a rabbit, Princesse?" Momma asks, catching a glimpse of Kung's floppy ears.

You cheeks go a little red when you realise that she has no idea who he is. You hold him up so she can see better.

"This is Kung," You say," We got him a few weeks ago. Some birds were bullying him so I brought him home."

Morsa laughs. "Of course you did. We're lucky all you ever brought home was that rock when you were younger."

Your face gets even more red. "There was nothing wrong with Rocky!"

Morsa just keeps laughing. "And naming him Kung? You really like a theme, Princesse."

"How long until Natalia has to change her name to fit this theme?" Momma picks up the teasing too. "Will the royal family be deigning to visit us anytime soon?"

[i-am-baechu]

♬ Summary: After Y/N tells him something that makes him have bad dreams, Jungkook will do anything to show her that this is the right universe for her. Even though she already knows that 

♬ Pairing: Established relationship; Jungkook x reader 

♬ Rating:  Explicit (18+) 

♬Genre: Established relationship, comedy, fluff, and smut

♬ Warnings: Smut 

♬ Part of, ‘ His Fan Girl

♬ Author’s note: Special guest lol and Part two to Seven 

♬ Playlist: POV - Ariana Grande

Y/N sat in the back and smiled to herself. This was the first time she actually met Mingyu in person. She actually talked to him through facetime on accident and him being an extrovert was happy to make a new friend. Especially if that friend is his best friend's fiancé.  

Jungkook just released his single Seven and Y/N couldn’t be happier for him. She felt bubbly at the song but she does everything in her power to ignore the explicit version. Even though Jungkook sings it to her everyday. She knew the song would do good and the music video shows how clingy he is when he’s in love. Army loved the song and the accomplishments that he did with the song amazed her. She knew Army powers but it always surprises her. 

She let out a laugh when Mingyu messed up the choreography and her laugh only got louder when she saw Jungkook glare at him, “Mingyu, I told you to learn the choreography!”

“I was learning it!”

She shook her head and stood up from the ground. She walked towards them and placed her hand on Jungkook, “Be nice to him. He has a lot of choreographers in his mind.”

Jungkook pouted at this and turned towards her, “Don’t defend him.” 

“No, Y/N, defend me.” 

She leaned forward placing a kiss on Jungkook’s cheek, “Just re-do it. No harm in re-doing it.” 

He rolled his eyes and nodded his head, “Fine but you need to film one with me.” 

“Whatever you want, love.” 

She sat back down and watched them do it again. She took out a bag of cookies from her pocket and nibbled as the two argued about the lighting. She picked up a water bottle and looked at Mingyu, “Mingyu, you should have some water.”

Mingyu smiled at her and glared at Jungkook, “At least someone is nice to me.”

“She’s an extension of me which means I’m being nice to you.” 

After an hour, they finally got the clip and Jungkook shared it on Tik Tok. The drive home was quiet and a thought came to her mind. She let out a small laugh and tiredly turned towards Jungkook, “You know...I wasn’t supposed to go to the BTS concert all those years ago.” 

Jungkook raised his eyebrow and glanced at her through the mirror, “What do you mean?”

“My cousin had tickets for Seventeen. Her mom upgraded her tickets to meet and greet tickets at the last minute.”

“Yo-You were going to meet Seventeen?” 

“I was but I declined because I had a test the next day. I didn’t really think about it until I saw Mingyu today.”

Jungkook nodded his head in a nervous manner and then looked back at her, “Who’s your bias?” 

She let out a small laugh and leaned back in the seat with her eyes slightly closed, “Why?”

“Just curious...” 

“Honestly, I like all of them. I don’t have a bias. I’m going to take a nap okay...I’m tired from work.”

Jungkook nodded his head and rubbed thigh gently as he stared at the road, “Get some sleep babe. I’ll wake you up when we get there.” 

It’s been a week since this conversation and Jungkook has been having dreams about it. What if Y/N went to that concert? He would’ve never met her and he would probably still be single. The possibilities of her being with someone else never crossed his mind because it was always them together. Nothing more and nothing less. It was another night and Jungkook was sound asleep well, trying to be. The mind is a dangerous place. 

“Jungkook, I have someone I want you to meet.”

Jungkook put down his papers and turned to see Mingyu smiling at him, “Oh? Who?”

He moved to the side and there was Y/N. She was dressed in a pink floral dress with her hair in a low pony-tail. He felt his heartbeat go faster at the sight of her, “This is my girlfriend, Y/N L/N.”

He glanced at Mingyu and then back at Y/N, “Girlfriend?” 

“Yeah, I met her at a meet and greet. I saw how shy she was and I couldn’t stop myself.”

She shyly smiled and gently smacked his arm, “Gyu...stop it.” 

Mingyu wrapped his arm around her waist and smiled at Jungkook, “Y/N, this my close friend, Jeon Jungkook.” 

Jungkook couldn’t stop staring at her and he felt guilty. This was his best friend's girlfriend and here he was looking at her like she was his. He shook his head and smiled, “He-Hey.” 

She bowed her head at him and offered him a smile, “Hello.”

Mingyu leaned down and kissed the top of her head, “I’m happy you can meet her.” 

Jungkook shot up in his bed and ran his fingers through his hair roughly, “Fuck.” He glanced to the side to see Y/N sleeping with the plushie that he won her at a festival. He smiled to himself and pushed some hair off of her forehead. His touch wasn’t light enough and she moved in her sleep. She opened her eyes and frowned at him, “Are you okay, babe?” 

He sighed and looked down at the blanket, “It’s stupid.”

She slowly got up and she wrapped her arms around his arm with a worried look, “It’s not stupid if it’s bothering you baby. Take your time.” 

He sighed and glanced down at her, “It’s something about last week that happened...I’ve been thinking about it.” 

She frowned and thought to herself, “Is it because I ate your noodles? I’m sorry-”

“What? You ate my noodles?”

She let go of his arm and frowned, “Yeah....is that not what you're talking about right now? 

“No...you owe me noodles though.” 

She let out a small laugh and pushed some hair off of his forehead, “What’s bothering you then?”

“You were supposed to go to a Seventeen concert...instead of mine.”

She nodded her head and her face shifted in confusion, “Yes? I declined it, remember?” 

“I know...but my mind is making up situations. In another universe you would’ve been with one of them instead of me.” 

She frowned at this and hugged his arm, “Well, it didn’t happen baby. It was fate for me to decline and it was fate that we met.” 

He glanced down at her, “Yeah?” 

“Yeah, you're my everything. Jungkook. Is that why you’ve been sending me flowers everyday?” 

“Well, you deserve all the flowers in the world and also yes.” 

She let out a laugh and kissed the side of his head, “I appreciate the flowers but baby, I always want you. In every universe.” 

The next moments were blurred but the only thing she knew was that Jungkook was cock deep inside of her. His body pushing hers into the mattress. His hair stuck to his forehead with sweat and she couldn’t help but admire his dark brown eyes in the lighting. She pushed some hair away and he stopped mid thrust to look at her. She smiled and leaned up the best she could, placing her lips gently on his, “How could I want someone else?” 

He brought his hand and gently touched her face like she was made out of glass, “I hate that I thought of that. Will you ever forgive me?” 

She clenched at this question causing him to moan, “I will...you have a whole lifetime with me to do so.” 

He chuckled at this and gently thrusted into her making her eyes close, “I will do two lifetimes to get you to forgive me.” 

“Jung-Jungkook, this isn’t a competition.” 

“Y/N, you are the woman that I dreamed about when I was younger. The manifestation of every thought of what I want in a partner. I love you, I love you. You are not only my garden but the sun to my garden. My wife.”

She felt her heartbeat faster at his confession and leaned up to bring him in a passionate kiss. He returned the passion (maybe even gave more) and let out a dreamy sigh against his lips, “You’ve been watching too much Netflix.” 

He let out a laugh and kissed her again, “It’s the truth. I love Jeon Y/N.”

She let out a laugh and pressed her forehead against his, “I love you more.” 

“Impossible.” 

Her eyes fluttered closed when she felt another thrust. She couldn’t stop herself from clenching and he groaned at the feeling. The pure feeling of overstimulation and pleasure was taking over, ���Jung-”

“I know.” 

She let out a moan at affirmation and he placed a kiss in the crock of her neck. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he rocks against her. His hips sutter and she felt his fingers digging deep into her skin as he climaxed inside of her. 

He pushed hair away from her forehead and kissed it as she was dazed out, “This is the right universe. Always with me, always. I love you.” 

[head---ache]

New character charts!!!

Edit: Added new info to Lash's section + Added a link to Emmie's section.

They're here!!! The only new info is in the charts themselves btw, the long text under this is the same, except very minor changes. I just thought it would be better than having to go to the old charts to read all of this.

Emmie: She's now officially the one and only Tube Baby of the group!!! I imagine Tails will later use the big fucking tube in his lab, just not for any of the kids in this group (here's three posts about it: First, second, third).

Just to quickly mention it, her full name is Emily, however, everyone in her life just calls her Emmie, because, according to her, 'it goes with her vibe' (first talked about here + in universe explanation here).

She has Black Arms DNA, and although it's uncertain how it affects her, they (Emmie and her dads) know she has green Black Arms blood (shown here) and has access to the hivemind, which as a baby she used to communicate with Shadow (here), but as she grew older she stopped using it, and now finds it harder to access to it.

She also, of course, has Chaos Energy. She can perform Chaos Control (in this one) and turn Super (that second thing they don't know until she's a teenager, shown in this comic). She also has all the abilities Sonic and Shadow share (such as spindash).

Sparks: Like I've said before, Sparks is a Belly Baby, Blaze carried (here's context).

Sparks has fire powers, similar to Blaze's, though they find it a bit harder to control. They get Blaze and Espio's help to learn to use said powers, since they require a lot of concentration. Also, again, like Blaze, they can turn into Burning Sparks (here), but that form is more unstable and drains their energy pretty fast.

I am also taking this space to clarify this about the entire family (including Tulip). Since Blaze is a princess, Amy, Sparks and Tulip do acquire royalty related titles, however, they're very informal and don't hold that much power, since Blaze didn't want them to have any responsability simply because they're related to her. So they're royalty just by name.

Lash: Another Belly Baby, your local surprise baby representation.

Like is said in her chart, her main ability is acrobatics. She also has some sort of super speed but she doesn't rely much on it.

It's not said in her chart but she has both mommy and daddy issues and is often at Aim's house. The first time she stepped into that home and Tangle and Whisper welcomed she immediately felt glued to that family (here).

She also has two younger siblings, Strike and Decay (post introducing them here), and at first she didn't have that much of a relationship with, since they're younger than her and closer to each other, and since Lash spends a lot of time away from home, however, she eventually steps in and tries to be a part of her siblings' lifes as their parents' should've been.

Aim: I finally decided that he's also a Belly Baby, mostly because the timing didn't add up, since him and Emmie are the same age and there's only one Baby Making Tube.

Like it says in their chart, he does archery, which is his main fighting technique, however, during battle they also use their tail to move around faster (otherwise he just keeps it under his cloak) and teams up with Whisper's wisps in very rare occasions.

He does not speak, unlike Whisper who simply speaks quietly. Aim doesn't speak at all, but everyone around him eventually just finds a way to understand him (because I think it's funny). He very usually is the braincell carrier of the group.

Bria: Bria's a Belly Baby as well, it just felt like something Sonia would want.

They don't have any special ability, but they did learn martial arts as a way of self defense, consdering the group of people she often is surrounded by.

Even though Bria's hard of hearing, his biggest passion is music (over being a hero). She plays piano and guitar.

He's also the extrovert of the group. The loudest and friendliest there is. (Should I also add they're Emmie's cousin?)

Tulip: I was a bit more indecisive with him, but in the end I decided to also make him a Belly Baby, because otherwise it felt weird for that to be the one thing he has in common with Emmie. (In-universe explanation here!)

He hasn't shown any special ability yet -he's the youngest of the group though, being only ten years old-, so he isn't allowed to be around the other kids when there's danger, however, he's very sneaky and often gets things to work in his favor anyways. He does have an interest in tarot though, thanks to Amy, and he also shows to have an impressive intuition.

When he's not around Sparks he is often found next to Big, probably complaining to him about something.

Destiny: One and only Code Baby!! She's basically made from the same programming as Nicole, but more advanced and sophisticated.

Being an AI herself, she can hack robots and similar things, which helps during battle. They can also get into anyone's computer if they want to (they rarely do).

She usually takes the leader role very naturally, immediately making a plan on the spot and guiding the rest of the group. However, she's quite shy (even while being an extrovert. This forms a bit of a problem for her, wanting to be around people but being too shy to do it). Her more confident side mainly showing when assuming the role of the leader. She has great friends tho, who encourage to speak up and lead:]

Spades: She's a belly baby just because of the timeline, there simply wasn't a way without changing her age to make it make sense for her to be a Tube Baby -and I like her being 16-. Unfortunately I backed myself into a corner here JSKDJSKFJWKFKS I don't have many details on how she came to be because, guess what!! There's no real way for her to be the way she is the way I want it to happen:]]] So let's just use our imagination and say that it's possible for two amab people to have a kid who's biologically related to both of them because this is a world where magic color changing hedgehogs are a thing so this isn't super crazy, okay? Okay.

Like I said in this post, Spades has trajectory manipulation, so basically she will never miss her target, and can move away whatever is thrown at her, so that's pretty handy:] She also trains with Espio, so she has a lot of his abilities. She doesn't really want to be a ninja but has many of the skills.

She's the mom of the group!!! And the braincell carrier. She is very sweet and caring, but also quiet and calculating. Her strategy is the best, and her stoic appareance makes her look a bit threatening, but she's actually a total sweetheart!!

Also about swimming!! She really likes it because she finds it relaxing. You can't hear anything underwater so she likes to close her eyes and just swim around.

She gets along with everyone in the group, but is usually hanging out with Aim and Lash:)

And that's it for the individual kids!!

Here's some other links of interest:

-1. Character reference sheets for all most of the fankids, including a height chart.

-2. Voice claims!!!

-3. The old charts!!

-4. Ideas for weapons:)

[gennyanydots]

This is an official distress call, over

Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x f! Reader

Part of the Spitfire Universe. Can be read as a stand-alone but best enjoyed if you have some background.

Summary: Unca Wooster is having such a great day, especially since his favorite nephew is having an extended sleepover at his house. His girlfriend is even calling him in the middle of the day which she hardly ever does! Such a great day…… oh no.

Bradley was having such a great day.

He made pancakes for breakfast.

He got Eli to school on time.

He got to see his girlfriend for a minute or two at drop off.

He made it to work on time.

He got to fly.

Just such a great day. He’s been loving all of the extra Unca Wooster time he’s been getting in. Jake and his wife wanted to go away for an extended weekend for their anniversary and Bradley was first in line to watch his favorite nephew. He might have thrown some elbows to beat out Coyote but nobody needs to know that. (He’s not sorry)

Penny, Mav, and Amelia have Ellie for the weekend. Mav made sure to pull Bradley aside and let him know that if he needed help with Eli to just let them know.

Pshaw! Why would he need help with Eli? He’s the best kid ever! Bradley still wonders how Hangman could have made such a great kid. Must have been all his wife’s genes because he definitely doesn’t see Jake in the kiddo at all.

Bradley was on his lunch break when he noticed his phone vibrating in his pocket.

A surprise call from his girlfriend! See?! Best day ever!

“Hey baby, to what do I owe the pleasure?” He says as he answers his phone.

“Bradley, what the f word did you do?!?!” His girlfriend scream-whispers to him on the phone.

Huh. He wasn’t expecting that at all. What could he have done? He’s been having the best day ever so clearly it had to be nothing.

“Ummmmmm nothing? What are you talking about? What’s wrong, honey?”

He hears you sigh, “What did you watch last night with Eli?” He can hear some sort of commotion where you are but can’t quite make heads or tails of it. Probably in your classroom, which you shouldn’t be, you should be on your lunch break right now.

Bradley thinks back, they watched a lot of stuff, “Umm Paw Patrol, we watched some Bluey, threw in some Wild Kratts for educational purposes, and then I think Jaws was on when he was falling asleep. I put him to bed once it was over.”

“You let a baby watch Jaws?!?!” You scream-whisper at him again.

“Hey! He’s not a baby! He’s a big boy. He barely watched it. He fell asleep after like 20 minutes.”

“I’m gonna beat your a word. I really am. Is Phoenix there? Let me talk to her.”

“Why the violence, honey? I’m sure he’s fine,” Bradley assumes.

“Oh my sweet naive and dumb boyfriend. You think he’s okay? That’s cute. That’s really cute. Super cute. He’s definitely not clinging to me right now sobbing and telling me he’s never going in the ocean again because he’s going to get ‘eated by the scary gray shark in the water.’ and he definitely isn’t refusing to lay down because what if a shark gets him in his sleep,” you say exasperatedly.

Ohh. Fuck. Shit.

“I shouldn’t have let him watch Jaws,” Bradley said as he hung his head.

“Ya think?! Oh my God. I can’t believe you let him watch that. You’re never getting him to sleep tonight. It was a miracle the rest of the class went down for naps because when one overtired kid cries then they all cry. And they were all asking me why Eli won’t go in the ocean anymore and why sharks are scary.”

Bradley winces. Maybe he could wear him out a little when he picks him up. Let him play for hours at the playground.

He hears his girlfriend sigh then hears a kissing noise that he assumes went onto his nephew’s head. Poor little guy.

“Before you even ask I already told him I would come over and help protect him. He’s clung to me all morning and if his parents aren’t home and it’s just you then he clearly needs a responsible adult.”

“Hey now, I’m a responsible adult,” Bradley grumbles.

“But are you? Because you let him watch Jaws and I don’t think you’re allowed to be in charge of the tv anymore,” you say. He can hear you mumbling something to Eli.

“That’s….. fair. That’s a fair choice. You are in charge of the tv.”

“Okay I gotta go. I’ll see you in a bit. I’m gonna google some shark week stuff that shows sharks NOT eating people to help this little boy out.”

“Okay I’ll see you in a bit. Bye honey. Tell Eli I love him and that I would never let anything happen to him,” Bradley said with a sigh.

“You got it. Bye Bradley,” you say before the call disconnects.

Bradley runs a hand down his face.

“Why so glum?” A voice asks, walking up from behind him.

“I did something stupid,” Bradley explains while he turns to look at Phoenix.

Phoenix laughs, “What else is new? So what’d you do?”

“I traumatized Eli.”

Phoenix smacks Bradley’s arm, “Why the hell would you do that?! That poor sweet boy!”

Bradley pulls his arm closer to him then rubs it, “Ow! Don’t hit me!”

Phoenix leers at Bradley, “Don’t do stupid things. What. Did. You. Do?”

Bradley sighs, “I let Eli watch a little bit of Jaws last night and now he’s terrified of the ocean and won’t nap because he’s scared a shark is going to get him in his sleep. Don’t worry, I already got yelled at over it.”

Phoenix gasps, “You should lose custody. Like immediately. No more Eli for you.”

“My girlfriend said she’s coming over tonight because Eli needs a responsible adult,” Bradley explains.

Phoenix laughs, “Only you would get yelled at and then essentially grounded by your girlfriend.”

“Jake’s wife grounds us all, all the time.”

Phoenix shakes her head and points at Bradley, “No, she grounds you all. She’s never grounded me. I don’t do stupid stuff like this.”

Bradley grumbles.

“Well let me know if your girlfriend can’t stay the whole weekend and Eli needs a different responsible adult. I’m happy to help,” Phoenix smirks at Bradley.

“I got him. I won’t do something like this again. Promise.”

“Suuuuuure ya do,” Phoenix says as she shakes her head at Bradley.

When Bradley went to pick Eli up that afternoon Eli raced into Bradley’s arms, scrambling to get picked up.

“Woah buddy! Slow down! I got ya,” Bradley says as he scoops Eli up to gently set him on his hip.

“I can’t be down, Unca Wooster, I can’t!” Eli said as he hid his face against Bradley’s chest.

It was then that it hit Bradley just how bad he messed up. Poor kiddo. He felt so bad.

He watched as you walked over to the two of them holding Eli’s backpack, “He can’t be down, Unca Wooster, he can’t.” You shook your head as you handed Bradley Eli’s backpack.

Bradley holds Eli close as he leans to speak to you, “I’m gonna fix this.”

You shake your head, “No, I AM going to fix this. Don’t worry. I got a plan. You’re taking us to the aquarium tomorrow by the way. I’ll see you in a bit.” You wink at Bradley as you walk back towards the rest of your students.

Bradley sure hopes you have a plan because he sure as hell doesn’t.

[intoaneverythingbagel]

my hero academia and it's themes involving disability, and how that plays a major role in the story

a part two to my previous post, essentially. (I'd 100% recommend checking that one out as it covers any other topics regarding mha and disabilities that I don't over here)

my hero academia has always been a story that revolves around the mistreatment of those born different/differently-abled, and I think the fact that that is constantly overlooked ruins the entire theme of the story.

This theme is set right from the get-go, chapter 1 izuku is shown to constantly face harassment, bullying, mistreatment, and downright abuse by the hands of not only his peers but teachers as well, with his middle school home room teacher pointing out how midoriya wanted to apply to U.A. KNOWING he would be ridiculed.

Now here comes the question of why, why is izuku treated so awfully for something that seems so genuinely inconsequential, I mean most people in the mha universe don't even become pros, and out of the few who do become heroes so little actually become well known and revered, so why would it matter if he has a quirk or not? Well, it all has to do with the nature of quirks themselves. See, quirks arent just powers that you can tap into when you need them, something you turn on and off. I'd think of it as more of an extension of yourself - we see this when inko (izukus mother) used her quirk to float this around the house to move them towards her, or bakugo using his explosions to light a fire and help him cook. Tsu using her tongue to grab things. Ojiros tail helping him stand when he's tired, leaning on it, todoroki using his quirk to cool himself and others down when overheating, or warm up when too cold. These are all examples of quirks being used as extensions of the body, not easily removed from ones identity or characteristics. I feel as though having a quirk genuinely changes the way you think, as in you wouldnt know how to function without one.

So quirks arent just for heroes, theyre something that is so genuinely seen as needed for every day function. To survive as a normal person in society, to socialize and fit In. The abnormal is the normal, and anything other then superhuman is subpar.

Not having a quirk means that you supposedly can't function on the same level as those who have quirks. That you are not as able-bodied as those around you.

You are disabled.

Izuku midoriya was disabled (at least to their standards ) and it was something that everyone around him constantly ostracized him for. (I reference disability in the sense of it being physical, but I think this could also be applied to having mental disabilities as well, different nuero types ECT)

But then something happens.

Izuku somehow gets a quirk, he somehow gets a quirk, and everyone around him sees him as this new person.

Because he's no longer suffocatingly uncomfortable to be around. He's no longer the weak disabled kid that cant be left alone because what if a villain attacks?? How will he possibly defend himself? How will be ever be successful in life without a quirk to get him by?

Something that I saw a lot was when someone who didnt have a quirk got brought up, people would get really uncomfortable. They would apologize. Because not having a quirk is awful, and it's so unfortunate. Midoriya even does it to Melissa when she admits that she in fact does not have a quirk.

Now, fast forward to after the war, izuku midoriya loses his quirk.

He is officially back at square one.

And everyone is back to treating him as awfully and neglectfully as they did before- only this time, instead of being just disabled, he's a veteran as well, which I think has people treating him even worse then they did before. (If you want more about this, check out my previous post, as it goes hand it hand with this one. )

My hero academia is a story about disability, how different abilities hinder people, or lack therefore. It is a story about being as gifted as you arent. It is a story about gaining things only to lose them and learning how to live without them again. It is a story about disabilities, and how different people learn to live and cope with that. From neurological to physical. And, personally, I think it has done a wonderful job in explaining that.

[sigmxnd]

Frowning friends head canons NOW POOKIE 👿👹👺

i love you pookie. /p

you have no idea how long i've been waiting for someone to ask me this question

so i realized i've never actually written them all down and have just kinda been thinking about them in my head, so i'll put down the ones that have been floating around + add on if i come up with new ones

tw for mentions of smoking weed (its only once but still)

starting with them both:

they've known each other for a very long time, but got seperated a lot due to unstable housing. they reunited and have spent the most time together as adults (+ they live together)

100% make fun of and talk shit about other couples they see out and about

they are in love. they kiss and smooch and cuddle. physical affection is definitely their language. but only at home cause out there they gotta look menacing. they are happy with each other :3 (everyone else can fuck off though)

in a universe where they survived istg they have like almost a cartoonish rivalry with the smiling friends. imagine that "nice onezie does it come in men's" audio. that's them

stole their main outfits from some high schoolers but the rest they either shoplift or dig through the dumpsters for

halloween is the best only because they make stupid bets and competitions about scaring the trick or treaters only to have nobody come near their building (pim may or may not buy the big candy bars to give out on purpose)

when i'm thinking of a scenario/ship that's not gnargrim, they're in a qpr :3

i really like the idea that they love david bowie

grim:

gets frequent bouts of paranoia and generally has a lot of trust issues (especially with therapists)/low self esteem. took a lot of convincing himself that gnarly actually liked him and didn't have any hidden intentions

autistic. every character i like gets hit with the autism beam it just has to happen

gay + demiromantic/sexual

(sorry i can't think of more rn jfhwieifhe)

gnarly:

does his job good, takes it seriously, but off the clock he's probably one of the most unserious critters there is. he's my favorite of the two so i make him a lot like me🐺🌕

stoner :3

autistic. nuff said

pan/transmasc!?!?🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️‼️🧨💣🔥

his favorite mlp movie is rainbow rocks and his favorite episodes are a canterlot wedding parts 1 and 2 (cause they're MY favorites)

my furry version of him has a bent tail for a reason now and i'm writing something that has to do with it :3 (he also has a lot of scars that i've just been too lazy to draw on him that i'll mention in the thing i'm writing)

uses brainrot terms ironically/to piss people off

(while i do think that the ff and the sf would be enemies in a really funny way, i also like to think about gnarly & charlie being buddies/friendly with each other outside of work. i contradict myself all the time :3)

and thats all the ones i can think of for now. tysm for asking pookie :3

[vladdyissues]

do you have any headcanons about non-human ghosts/ghosts that originate from the ghost zone? like behemoth and the ectopusses and other creatures like that?

I do, in extensive detail! I like to think that creature-ghosts were actually once a part of the human world, physical manifestations of natural forces and other living things or magical myths and legends that gained some kind of form.

But as time went on and people developed the land or stopped believing in them, their power weakened, so they moved to the Ghost Zone—basically just another universe where physical dimensions don't exist and everything exists as energy—to keep from dying out altogether. Some return to the human world every now and then because, hey, home is home, but they don't stay very long.

I applied this concept to Frostbite's people in Chapter 11 "Syndis" of Familiar:

[Vlad] scoffed. “It’s no wonder you simple-minded savages died out.” [...] Danny’s head swiveled back and forth. “Wait, what’s he talking about? Who died? And what’s a yetnar?” Invisible weight settled on Frostbite’s shoulders. “That is the name of my people.” He lowered his heavy frame onto one of the benches, thick tail curling on the floor. “We had many names once. Thurs, risi, jötunn. We were forces of nature, earth spirits, guardians of the hidden places. We kept to ourselves, caring for the earth, weaving poems and magic.” “Whoa, hang on a sec. You mean you’re from my world?” “The Norwegians called them trolls,” Vlad muttered, waddling over to an adjacent bench and plopping down. “The Tibetans, yeti. Nearly every culture on earth has its own iteration. You can tell they’re not normal ghosts by the color of their spectral radiance.” Danny blinked. Vlad was right. Instead of the typical white glow that human entities emitted, Frostbite and Eisvin glowed blue. Danny felt painfully stupid for not noticing it sooner. “This is true,” Frostbite admitted. “We are not normal ghosts, for we were never living flesh.” “So how does that work?” Danny slid into the vacant spot beside him. “How can something not living be killed off?” “Our powers came from the earth, young one. From all living things. As time went on and humans progressed, the forests shrank. Animals retreated or disappeared altogether. Science and technology prevailed. Instead of living in harmony with nature, men and their machines soon dominated everything. We became few and weak. The magic that sustained us dwindled as centuries passed, and eventually we had no choice but to come here, the realm of ghosts, or face our own extinction.” He tilted his head back to stare up into the mountain’s dark crown. “It’s not much of an existence, but it’s better than fading away.”

So I headcanon that the ectopusses were probably some kind of sea monster, Behemoth was the physical embodiment of an ancient curse (protecting the Skeleton Key), and beings like Vortex, Undergrowth, Nocturne et al were probably ancient proto-deities of the weather and agriculture and sleep/dreams.

[kylobith]

Little Town Tails

Chapter 4: A Fish Out of Water

Summary: Halsin meets the potential new member of his team and tests his craft.

Ship/Pairing: Halsin x Fem!Tav

Trope: Modern AU, Meet-cute, Little countryside town, Cosy

Word count: 6,034

Read it on Ao3 here

Listen to the dedicated playlist on Spotify here

Pushing his sunglasses further up his nose, Astarion grunts for the hundredth time since he hopped into the car ten minutes ago. With his arms folded against his chest and a straw tucked between his lips as he sips from his cup, he blasts Hungry Like The Wolf through the speakers.

After receiving Karlach’s text message the previous afternoon, he has thought of various ways to care about this new mission that could earn his license back. But not a single reason came to his mind. Sure, he likes cats, but that is about it. Ironically, he does not care enough to spend his life around them, while he gladly welcomed his husband’s tressym when they moved in together a few years back.

But after all, as many of his friends and his husband can testify, Astarion is a man of contradictions.

The car stops in front of a typical old house, whose ground floor has been refitted to welcome a shop or, in this case, a veterinary practice. What a peculiar location for such a thing, he finds himself thinking. It differs greatly from other surgeries he has walked by in the city. Most blend in with neighbouring shops and few notice it unless they peek in or especially look for it. Emerald Grove, on the other hand, stands out by occupying the lower floor of a historic home on the forest’s edge. Most curious choice.

Gale presses the handbrake button and smiles at Astarion, giving him a soft caress on the cheek.

‘Time to go, Starry,’ he murmurs tenderly. ‘You have a good day, mh?’

‘Don’t call me that,’ Astarion replies curtly.

His husband sighs and drops his hand onto his lap. Astarion eyes him from behind his sunglasses and grimaces. No matter how often he has advised Gale against it, he finds it obnoxious how his partner insists on dressing like he is an old-timey esteemed professor at one of the best universities of the land when in reality, he is merely a history teacher at a senior school. On weekdays, Gale is much too reluctant to part from his tweed suits and his antique pocket watch he merely carries around because he believes it makes him look cool. The watch itself has long been unusable. But, as he always says, at least it gets the time right twice a day.

What a dork, Astarion scoffs internally. Yet he cannot help but ogle how the tweed embraces his husband’s curves.

‘Astarion? Are you listening to me?’

‘Huh?’

Astarion snaps back to reality and looks up into Gale’s eyes, elegantly surrounded by browline glasses. Years of being hunched over books even in poor lighting does that to a man.

‘Sorry,’ he mumbles, taking another sip from his cup, ‘I was thinking about something else.’

‘Mh,’ Gale responds, knowing quite well where his partner’s eyes have wandered. Not that he minds. ‘I was saying that too many places have refused you for your community service. Without your salary combined with mine, we can’t pay for the house, and you know quite well that it will take us even further away from the city, and that’ll make you miserable.’

His finger strokes the paler man’s jawline.

‘Can you promise me to make an effort this time? I’m worried about you, you know?’

‘Well don’t be,’ Astarion snaps. ‘I just couldn’t care less about these missions they want me to take. I don’t care about the community, I just want my godsdamn job back.’

‘And it will happen, but first, you need to make these hours and redeem yourself. It’s merely three months, Astarion, it will be alright. Plus, see the bright side of things, you’re going to work with Karlach!’

‘That’s the only reason why I came.’

‘No, not really, the other one is that I drove you here.’

Astarion glares at Gale, and the latter laughs as he presses a kiss to his partner’s cheek.

‘Come on now, mister, time to go. Call me when you need me to pick you up, or if Karlach is bringing you home, alright?’

‘Alright,’ Astarion grumbles.

‘Have a nice day, my love. And say hello to Karlach from me.’

‘Mh.’

The pair shares a fleeting kiss and Astarion drags himself out of the car. He waves his husband off, and before he can even make a step, he hears the door of the practice fly open, followed by a squeal.

‘Fangs!’

Karlach leaps out of the practice and enfolds him into a back-snapping embrace as she lifts him off the ground, squealing again. Astarion kicks his legs and grunts.

‘Ow, ow, ow, Karlach! Down!’

‘Whoops, sorry, soldier.’

She puts him back on the ground with an embarrassed chuckle as she looks at his friend.

‘Looking dapper for an interview to work at a vet’s office,’ she notes, eyeing his pristine white shirt and straight brown trousers whose hem stops about two inches above his waxed brogues. On his hip rests his brand-new brown satchel.

‘Well, this outfit certainly looks better than your blue sapphire scrubs, Karlach.’

‘Aw, damn! Halsin said they were teal!’

Astarion rolls his eyes and drinks from his cup again.

‘Anyway. Tell me of this… Halsin. What should I know about him?’

‘Oh, you’re going to love him! He’s great! Super nice, good with animals and all.’

‘I hope so, he’s a vet.’

His friend cackles and nudges him towards the door so they can enter together. As the two stand by the reception and Karlach shows him her desk and the waiting room, Halsin comes in, alerted by her enthusiastic talking. He beholds the tall and slender man with sunglasses on his nose and silky, curly white hair combed back, except for one lock grazing his eyebrow.

‘Good morning,’ he chimes, holding out his hand, ‘I am Halsin, the owner of Emerald Grove. You must be Astarion Ancúnin?’

‘Actually, it’s Astarion Dekarios-Ancúnin,’ the man corrects him while shaking his hand.

‘My apologies. Karlach told me much about you yesterday, but I believe I still have much to learn about you. Would you mind coming with me to my office so we can have a proper introduction?’

‘Sure.’

Halsin grins and shows him to his office, pulling up a chair for him and sitting at his desk himself. He turns around to face his guest, examining his every gesture. Although he is now indoors, Astarion seems to have a mind to keep his sunglasses on.

‘Would you like some tea, Mister Dekarios-Ancúnin?’

‘No, thank you. And uh, Astarion is fine.’

‘Very well.’

The veterinarian leans back against his chair, remembering what Karlach told him about her friend at the end of their shift.

‘So, let us go straight to the point, shall we?’ Halsin suggests, noting the reluctant demeanour of his interlocutor. ‘Karlach told me that you were in a bit of a pickle, as she phrased it. She said you need to do community service so you do not lose your job?’

‘Indeed.’

‘May I ask what this pickle is?’

Astarion sighs and sets his cup down on a small file cabinet next to him, before reaching into his satchel. He takes out a thin binder with all the documents relating to his current situation, forms that must be filled in should Halsin decide to take him in, and other decisions made by his firm’s board and the judge. He hands it over to his host, who skims through the carefully sorted file.

‘I work as a lawyer in the city for the Szarr Associates,’ Astarion begins to explain nonchalantly, having explained the whole story countless times already to the point where it has become almost mechanical. ‘And I messed up. I was on thin ice already because some of my colleagues suspected that I breached my clients’ confidentiality on multiple occasions and used that to win their cases. Plus, a few of my recent clients fired me from their cases. That was a new development in my career, truth be told.’

He runs a hand through his hair and drinks. Halsin continues to peruse the document with a crease on his brow.

‘But one night I was caught drunk driving, speeding, and shouting obscenities to the police. My driving license has been taken away, and my firm has decided to temporarily suspend my license. I got away easy only because the judge knew me well and felt pity for me, or something of the kind. He said that if I could do three months of community service, I could ask for a hearing and I could potentially get my license back and work again.'

Halsin closes the binder and hands it back to Astarion. A pang of worry tugs at him. Even though the younger man is Karlach’s friend, so far he does not strike him as somebody who can be trusted. Thankfully, it is not another veterinarian he is seeking, but merely someone who can complete sewing projects for him so the animals under his care can receive the best care he can offer. Yet, he finds it quite important to trust everyone working at his practice. He has not saved up for years to have one element throw his life project away.

‘That does not look too good on you, I am afraid,’ he confesses to the younger man. ‘Have you already done some hours for your community service?’

‘Of course,’ Astarion replies, his voice dripping with quite misplaced sarcasm, ‘I have done my hours, that is why I came here!’

‘How good are you at sewing?’

His sudden, off-topic question seems to throw Astarion off guard. He stutters for a moment, wondering whether all of this is a joke, a bad prank organised by Karlach. No. She would not do this to him in such trying times, especially if Gale is already breathing down his neck instead of nibbling lovingly at it. Ugh.

‘Sewing is my favourite hobby,’ he answers, a bit more quietly and seriously this time. ‘Would you like me to show you some pieces?’

‘By all means!’

Astarion reaches into his pockets and stands up for a moment to give Halsin a single twirl.

‘I made this outfit, to begin with,’ he says, slowly gaining in confidence. ‘Just not the shoes, of course.’

He sits back and begins to scroll through his social media to find photos of clothes and accessories he has created over the years. Halsin rolls his office chair to come next to him and look at his screen. Astarion shows him a variety of projects, some that the veterinarian believes to be worthy of the greatest designer brands.

In one photo, Astarion poses in a burgundy blazer with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Three thin chains hang from one hem to the other, resting against his torso, clad in a black, skin-tight turtleneck. The second picture of the post displays the back of the blazer and its magnificent floral design, embroidered with silver and gold thread.

Another post shows him again, modelling a striped shirt, unbuttoned at the top and tucked into elegant corduroy trousers. On his head rests a broad felt hat, which he customised with a different ribbon and feathers for a vintage and extravagant look.

The next one shows Gale shyly exhibiting a purple jacquard waistcoat, accessorised with his pocket watch, of course. Astarion tells Halsin that, while he did not make the jacquard pattern himself on the fabric, he did embroider the hems with golden thread and used antique buttons because he knew that his husband would be crazy about them. And he had been right, it seems, since Gale nearly wept with joy at their sight when he first saw the result.

Halsin nods all along, impressed by his skill and his obvious sense of aesthetics. Astarion seems to have quite an eye for it and he does not hesitate to flaunt it even just in the way that he photographed each outfit to post them to his social media.

‘When Karlach said that you were good with a needle, I certainly did not expect this,’ Halsin confesses with a soft chuckle. ‘If anything, she has undersold you.’

‘Karlach does not know how to dose her praise,’ Astarion sniggers, slipping his mobile phone back into his pocket. ‘Either she exaggerates one’s greatness, or she does not do it enough.’

‘The first option is the most common, isn’t it?’

‘Quite right.’

They share a laugh and Astarion drinks the last of his beverage, his suction noises filling the room. He gives Halsin an apologetic look, but the latter shrugs it off, allowing him to catch every last drop before resuming the conversation. 

‘Has Karlach told you what the idea of your work here would be?’

‘Not really. I figured you needed somebody to cuddle with the recovering pets, or to hold them down when they’re reluctant. But now that you mention sewing, I am praying that you’re not asking me to stitch them up during surgery.’

‘Hah, not at all. Let me show you.’

Halsin rolls back to his desk and unlocks his computer. He clicks on the tabs he left open for this interview of sorts and displays the broad pillows he wishes to acquire for his practice.

‘These pillows are quite affordable for me when they are in standard sizes,’ he begins, ‘but I need them much larger. We opened two days ago only, and we had a surprise with our first patient.’

‘A very big shepherd dog?’

‘An owlbear cub.’

If Astarion still had something to drink between his hands, he would have spat it all out in shock.

‘A what now?’

His host laughs warmly and shows him his notebook, where he has scribbled down the approximate measurements he would need the pillows to be.

‘Do you think that you could make, say, three of those to be safe? Perhaps two even larger ones if the need arises?’

‘Are you planning to heal all the animals of the forest? Perhaps an actual bear next?’

‘Hah, I would in a heartbeat,’ Halsin admits with a smile. I did think of a wide table for consultations and surgery, but nothing for the recovery. The owlbear was a harsh reminder that any situation can occur and I should be prepared for it.‘

‘I see. Well, that should be doable. I can see how the smaller ones are built and I can make the larger ones from there. That shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.’

Halsin nods in approval and proceeds to open the tab for surgery recovery suits for cats and dogs. Astarion only needs to catch a glimpse of what they are before shrugging.

‘Oh, easy. I have one of these at home from when my husband’s tressym needed to have a cyst removed. I can make some for tressyms, too. They’re built a bit differently because of the wings.’

‘Good thinking,’ Halsin reacts. Another thing he has not considered. ‘If you could make several of these, perhaps enough for a small stock, I would be beyond grateful. These will be given out for certain recoveries only, others will just require the cone.’

‘I can even make these pets look quite fashionable post-surgery.’

The veterinarian laughs, clapping his massive hands once.

‘That will not be needed, that might be a tad much. Practicality and comfort need to be prioritised over beauty here. However, I can compromise and let you choose different fabrics, so long as they are suitable for the animals’ recovery and within budget. I am not strict when it comes to prints, although they must remain presentable, of course.’

‘How about I go home and fetch the tressym’s shirt to study the pattern and I make you one by the end of the day? Then you can judge the quality yourself and base your decision on it.’

Halsin considers Astarion’s offer for a second, then nods in approval.

‘Very well. I will ask Karlach to drive you home so you can fetch your material and equipment and then you can work in the recovery room, there will be plenty of space for you to work. Would that be suitable for you?’

‘Perfect,’ Astarion smiles, internally cursing Halsin for not letting him work from home instead. He has no wish whatsoever to bring all his equipment from his house, but what choice does he have?

‘That settles it, then.’

The two of them stand up and Halsin tosses Astarion’s empty cup into the bin, before showing him back to the reception. Karlach instantly looks up, eager to know how it went. Before she can even ask, her boss hands her a set of keys.

‘Could you drive Astarion to his home so he can bring his equipment here? You can take my car, it is parked on the side of the house. I also would like you to use the company card and let him buy some suitable fabric for his tryout from the haberdashery.’

‘Ugh,’ Astarion groans with a roll of his eyes, ‘from the fabric shop, grandpa!’

‘Sorry?’

‘Nothing!’

Without wasting time, Karlach links arms with Astarion and guides him out to Halsin’s car, already chatting away happily. Left alone at the practice, Halsin sighs and stretches his back, before sitting behind the reception and browsing the latest wildlife photography posts on his favourite blogs and forums.

While his assistant and her friend are away, he answers a few phone calls and makes some appointments for new furry patients. Some of the owners, much to his delight, already tell him that they wish to transfer their pets’ files over to his practice out of practicality, but in some cases, because they only heard praise about his work. He already creates some of the files and sends the right requests to have the medical records passed over to him, then re-organises his agenda.

Four appointments occupy the first half of his morning, all going smoothly. One of his patients, a tiny puppy whose expression when panting always makes it look like it is smiling, came for his very first visit to the vet. Remembering Karlach’s advice, Halsin asks his owner if he can take a picture of the puppy so he can update Emerald Grove’s social media page and build a small community around it. He gives the dog two treats and waves it off as the satisfied owner leaves, eager to find his puppy’s photo online.

Halsin sits back on his chair and writes the post with the puppy’s picture, praising the little dog’s bravery during his first consultation, using its name with the owner’s consent. But as he is about to post it, the door opens and the little bell rings. Before he can look up, he hears a roaring but friendly voice.

‘Halsin, my good friend!’

‘Good morning, Minsc!’ he greets back, locking his phone and putting it away in one of the drawers. ‘How have you been?’

The forest ranger wipes his feet on the mat and steps forward with a beaming grin. Minsc is as tall as he is, making them stand out in town, and probably as broad as him as well. However, unlike the long and plaited locks on Halsin’s head, Minsc’s scalp is bare, only decorated with a purple tattoo that also covers his eye.

Minsc was one of the first people that Halsin met when he came to Heawick, back when he hesitated between settling down here or in Riverway, about thirty miles north. It was, partially, the ranger’s depiction of life in this town that tipped the scales in its favour. The eternal optimist, Minsc described it as a haven of peace, perfect for writers and those who have grown weary of the bustling city. He was quite right, from what Halsin has experienced so far. Everybody knows everybody, even between the neighbouring villages, and it seems that anyone is willing to go out of their way to give friends and acquaintances a helping hand.

Ever since he made his decision to make Heawick his home, Minsc regularly invites him over to his home for the occasional drink in his garden. There could not have been a more friendly face for one’s drastic life change.

‘Minsc has been good, my friend,’ the ranger replies in his thick accent, clapping him in the back. ‘He was wondering if you had some time to see Boo today?’

‘Anything wrong with your hamster, Minsc?’

‘Miniature giant space hamster,’ his friend corrects him with a finger pointing up. ‘The distinction is quite important. As vet, you should know.’

Halsin chuckles and notices Boo peeking out of Minsc’s breast pocket, rubbing its head with its tiny paws.

‘Boo is strong and well, only his claws are too long. Minsc told him to wear them down more often on wood, but Boo has mind of his own. A bit stubborn, at times.’

‘That is not a problem at all, follow me.’

He takes the wireless phone from reception and drops it in his pocket while guiding Minsc to the consultation room. Without being asked, Boo hops onto the table, continuing to take his bath. Halsin puts on his gloves and grabs the pet nail clipper. Minsc gently holds Boo in the palm of his hand.

‘Minsc holds Boo. He wouldn’t want him to think that you are foe, my friend! Oh, heard about Mr Bongle from Combury?’

Halsin smiles to himself and nods.

‘I have,’ he speaks quietly while starting to trim the hamster’s claws. As Minsc said, they have not been worn down in a while, considering how curved they are. ‘He confessed to setting up the bear trap in Combury, I heard?’

‘Yes! Minsc thought that Tav would gouge his eyes out on the spot! And honestly, he would not have intervened, no. Minsc doesn’t understand people’s cruelty with animals. Why do it? Animals are friends, unless they try to maul you.’

The concentrating veterinarian chuckles at these words. Tav has not struck him as a woman who would resort to violence, but he has witnessed firsthand how attached she is to her owlbear. Unless relocated, Beaky will never know a neglecting or abusive home, and he is sure of it.

‘Quite right. I do not understand it myself either.’

‘Do you know if Beaky is recovering well?’

‘No, I do not. He went home yesterday morning and I have not heard anything from Miss Ashguard since.’

‘Oh.’

Finishing up the hamster’s hind paws, Halsin moves on to the front pair.

‘She told me that you referred her to an animal protection lawyer. I am glad that you did.’

‘Ah, Minsc only does his job.’

‘Still. With Mr Bongle agreeing to cover the veterinary costs, it was easy for you or even her to drop the matter altogether. But I am happy to hear that you decided against it. Besides, if you or she needs Beaky’s medical report following the incident, I will be happy to make one. You can refer the lawyer to me if they get in touch with you.’

‘How nice of you, my friend! Perhaps it will be handy. Tav will tell,’ Minsc declares, before looking down at his hamster and smiling. ‘Boo will make sure that nobody hurts Beaky anymore!’

‘That is an honourable goal,’ Halsin laughs, cutting the last of the animal’s nails. ‘And here you go.’

‘Thank you, friend!’

Halsin quickly writes down the impromptu consultation in his log and removes his gloves, tossing them in his bin.

‘If Boo is unwilling to walk on wood to trim his nails, I recommend that you use cork wherever it is that he spends the night. If he has a food bowl, coat the path around it with cork so he will walk on it. You can also put some on his wheel, but I do recommend buying one that already has that. I can send you a link for it.’

‘Great advice, Minsc will look for that. Do you hear that, Boo? You need to walk on cork!’

He lifts his hamster and tucks it in his pocket again. After a brief conversation, Minsc pays for the consultation and leaves in even higher spirits than when he arrived. Soon after, Karlach and Astarion return, carrying his sewing machine and a bag of supplies, some that he already owns and others they acquired at the fabric shop.

Karlach takes Astarion to the recovery room and brings him a chair for him to work in a comfortable environment. She closes the door behind her as she returns to the lobby, finding Halsin standing there.

‘Hiya there, Doc! Astarion’s about to start making the shirt.’

‘Perfect.’

‘Anything happened while we were gone?’

‘All four patients were received, and Minsc came to have Boo’s nails trimmed.’

‘Aw, dang! I’m gutted that I missed him, I love this guy.’

She sits behind the desk at reception and checks the agenda for the other appointments of the day. Halsin has a look as well, then proceeds to show her the post he wants to post with the puppy he examined earlier in the morning. Karlach takes his work phone and tweaks the text, explaining as gently as she can — which means not subtly — that his manner of writing makes him sound antiquated.

Halsin takes no offense, however. He is much aware of how little experience he has got when it comes to social media. He used to have his own profile, but besides using it for the occasional farming game, he found little use to it. In truth, he struggled to even comprehend how it worked. There was never any profile picture set, since he did not know how to upload one. It was Karlach who taught him how for the practice’s official page, and even then, he still struggles with it all. Not that it occupies his thoughts much, of course.

Once Karlach has posted the photo online, Halsin leans towards her and whispers.

‘Karlach, this friend of yours, do you trust him when it comes to working? He told me what caused him to lose his license and I must say that this worries me.’

The tiefling smiles, although taken aback by the sudden question.

‘I would trust him with my life, and you know that I don’t give my trust to just anyone,’ she declares with a solemn tone that strangely does little to ease Halsin’s worries.

‘His work… problems, do you know if they are commonplace with him? Do you think I should call his manager at Szarr for a reference?’

‘No need, Doc!’ Karlach responds while waving a dismissive hand. ‘He’s just going through a rough time. Actually he’s one of the best lawyers in his firm! If there’s a dire case, they usually refer to him.’

He nods slowly. He is struggling to figure Astarion out. He is a man who obviously possesses a lot of talent, especially when it comes to sewing. If anything, Halsin cannot wrap his head around the fact that he is a lawyer and not a designer or tailor. Perhaps this sort of career would suit him better.

But what could have driven such a successful lawyer, if he is to trust Karlach’s word, to throw it all away so recklessly? Surely if he has so little consideration for his career, there must be something at hand. If he is experiencing a burn-out, there are other ways for him to cope, and surely Karlach, as his good friend, would have advised him to seek medical help. And if the matter is one of the heart, then that is quite a different problem. She could do her best to help him, but ultimately he has to be the one to cope with the issue. However, it seems that he is married, and the waistcoat that he designed for his husband is quite recent. Merely a month old.

What to do?

‘Well. I will not call his firm,’ Halsin sighs. ‘I will trust you on this.’

‘You will not regret it, Doc, I promise you.’

He smiles at her and pats her shoulder, which instantly illuminates her eyes.

‘After all, it is just for three months and it is merely sewing. Nothing so dire as pet surgery.’

‘Exactly! Plus, he loves sewing and working on his own. He hates it when people are in his space when he’s focused, so that’s a win-win situation if you ask me.’

‘We shall see. The pet shirt will decide.’

Halsin grins and paces towards his office. He sits behind his desk with a sigh and grabs the salad he has been keeping for his lunch break, but since he is already hungry, he prefers to indulge himself already. While chewing his seasoned lettuce, he opens his browser and pauses, thinking about something to search for. He eyes his tasklist but sees that he is up to date already.

Without thinking, he types in the words ‘Szarr Associates’ and reads about the law firm. When skimming an article in an opinionated online newspaper, he grimaces when he reads that the firm has a tendency to save the hinds of big corporation leaders when sued for environmental damage or violation of workers’ rights. Decidedly, that is not improving his image of Astarion.

Putting his fork down, he adds ‘Ancúnin’ to his research and finds a few articles from several sources. He clicks on the first one, a news site supposedly neutral. Under the title is a photograph, and he quickly recognises Astarion in his robes, raising his hand at prying journalists while accompanying a man with a sombre expression on his face.

‘Big win for Arledrian Group, sued by a worker’s union for an alleged case of salary withdrawal. Wilril Mistflow, 28, joined the union after his employers supposedly refused to pay out overtime hours after several months. When Mistflow demanded to receive his payment, he claims that the company repeatedly withheld his salary, causing him to fail to pay his rent on multiple occasions. “This whole debacle has almost cost me my home,” Mistflow declared to the press. “I can only hope that they will see reason and finally give me what they owe me. I worked extra so I didn’t have to worry at the end of the month, but it’s done just the opposite.” Ruthos Sine, the regional manager of the branch where Mistflow is employed, appeared at court under the counsel of Astarion Dekarios-Ancúnin, a top lawyer from Szarr Associates. The court ruled that Arledrian Group was not at fault and a contract termination has already been issued against Mistflow.’

Halsin shudders at the thought that Astarion has defended such people and managed to save them from trouble for what seems to him like sheer injustice. He sighs and plants his fork in his salad, trying to put things into perspective. Defending such scum is merely Astarion’s job. Justice cannot be carried out fairly unless all parties are represented, and that only means that Karlach’s friend is a link in this chain. Hopefully that is not telling of his character.

Putting his morals aside for the time being, Halsin finishes his food and spends the day doing his work. About two hours after Karlach and Astarion returned from the fabric shop, they hear the faint clicking sounds of the sewing machine inside the recovery room. Halsin’s worries are somewhat quelled; at least it seems that the deprived lawyer does take his task seriously.

When the last patient leaves and it is closing time, Astarion comes out with a bunch of folded fabrics under his arm. Karlach locks the door and turns the sign on it, while Halsin wraps up his call to a supplier to order more dog kibble for the practice. Upon seeing the pale man, still with his sunglasses on, he rushes the conversation and eventually hangs up.

‘Ah, Astarion, there you are! You did not even take a break, are you not hungry?’

‘Oh, no, I’m fine,’ he mumbles. ‘Big dinner at home tonight anyway.’

‘I see. Did everything go well?’

Astarion walks over to the counter and unfolds all three shirts that he has created. He made them in different sizes, all befitting several types of animals. The first one, cut from an elastic fabric with floral patterns is perfect for a kitten around sterilisation age. Its hems are decorated with pleated green fabric, giving the impression that it has sleeves. The second one, adorned with blue feathers on a white background, stands out with adjustable holes cut out in the back. The third, suitable for a dog, was sewn from a burgundy fabric with paw prints and adorned at the collar with a fake lace ruffle.

Halsin chuckles at the sight of the frills and picks them up to examine the handiwork.

‘We will not need all these fashion details,’ he says, ‘since they are supposed to remain medical garments. But I must admit that the diversity in patterns is something we can offer. I suppose it can help the owners with dealing with the surgery as well. It makes the whole thing seem less dramatic.’

Karlach gasps as she admires the garments over his shoulder. Maintaining a serious and professional demeanour, Astarion steps forward and picks up the second suit to show its structure.

‘This one is modelled after the tressym shirt that I brought as reference. Technically it was just a cat shirt that the vet adjusted for our Tara. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough push buttons for this one, but I marked where I’d position them on the flaps. They can be adjusted according to the tressym’s wing size.’

‘Quite clever.’

Halsin takes a deep breath and looks the younger man in the eyes.

‘Listen, Astarion, I have done a superficial background check on you. I read that you are quite the prolific lawyer, but your recent… blunders do worry me. If I take you in for your community service, can I trust you?’

The man, put on the spot, is about to grace the veterinarian with one of his usual snarky remarks. But when he sees Karlach giving him a reproving look while Halsin is not looking, he stops the words from flowing out. He merely clears his throat, although visibly bugged by the question.

‘You can.’

‘Uh, Fangs?’ Karlach calls him in a soft tone, which earns her a glare from Astarion. ‘Perhaps you should let him know about your condition?’

Halsin frowns and looks back at the younger man, who sighs and finally removes his sunglasses. Under them, ruby-coloured irises seem to have been the object of this attempted dissimulation.

‘Oh,’the veterinarian says in a surprisingly calm tone. ‘I see.’

‘Yes, I’m a vampire,’ Astarion scoffs and clicks his tongue. ‘I suppose that it’s the moment you kick me out?’

The older man chuckles and shakes his head.

‘Not at all. If you can promise that the animals and owners here are safe around you, then I see no issue with your condition.’

Astarion appears genuinely surprised to hear that he is not about to be thrown out the door for his nature. His fingers fidget with the tressym shirt as he thinks over a way to thank him. But thanks are not often part of his vocabulary.

‘I promise,’ he declares, biting his tongue.

Halsin considers him for a second, before holding out his hand.

‘If you think I can trust you and if you think you could survive working here for as long as you need to have your license back, then do you think you could come back tomorrow?’

The vampire stares at the hand for a moment and finally allows a smile to grace his cheeks. He shakes his hand firmly.

‘Now that is done, I will discuss some details with you. Since you are a vampire, you are allowed to bring blood into the office as long as you don’t scare the patients and owners off. I can allow several breaks for your back’s sake and you can fetch blood from the butcher’s while on the clock, as long as you do not abuse the opportunity.’

‘Sounds good.’

Halsin nods and pats his back.

‘Welcome to the team, Astarion.’

Taglist: @emmanuellececchi @reignydeys @cakenpiewhyohmy

[fastcardotmp3]

even if they were never going to let hopper stay dead after season three because the don't know how to Do That, I still think it's bonkers that they chose to tease him being alive in the post-credits sequence LIKE.

his death felt impactful when I watched it the first time when it was released. it felt like a really big deal and a great set-up for questioning well fuck what are they going to do without him next season? what will happen to El? How will Joyce cope? what will the police force look like without someone in the know in charge?

and yeah, those questions still get answered in season 4, but during that (extra long) hiatus between the two seasons, we didn't even get to relish in ASKING because three minutes after the show ends it's just a letdown of hard-won emotion like. oh. oh he's still alive so no matter what changes it's just gonna... maybe not matter? lasting impact TBD?

there's just. like okay if he HAS to come back from the dead lets think about a slightly different way to do it, yeah? for shits and giggles?

(I am just having fun I am just playing what-ifs please do not take this too seriously fjsdklf)

step one: let the audience actually grieve that character.

let them believe he's dead or at least be very uncertain about his ability to get back up from that particular fight. let them mull on a ST universe without him because that's part of the joy of ongoing TV right?? that we get space to think about what might happen next? let them MOURN.

step two: don't send him to russia.

why are we sending him to RUSSIA when we have access to the opportunity for trapping him in the very dimension his daughter both single handedly opened and closed. why are we sending him to RUSSIA when the upside down was brought into contact with Hawkins by his kid, this girl who he has to find determination to stay alive for, who he has to find pieces of in this rotting place because if she had even some small hand in touching it then there must be something good here right?

(this also has the added bonus of opening up Joyce and Murray for having a more narratively impactful arc too. Like as if they both haven't gone down the government conspiracy rabbit hole in the wake of losing their friend? as if they wouldn't take an opportunity to investigate their OWN government and military if there's some sense that Owens is still hiding something from them?? let Joyce be contradictory in the face of having lost so much; let her outwardly look for a safe place to raise her kids and actively chase down danger because she doesn't know how NOT to at the same time)

(anyways ahem)

step three: don't bring him back in episode one.

maybe not even episode 2 or 3 either. maybe let us watch characters want him or need him or miss him in the aftermath of his loss in a mirror of what the audience feels in the wake of his death too.

step four: bring him back in a moment of high stress or action.

bring him back when Steve's got a bat's tail around his throat and his friends are wailing on monsters with rowboat oars because it's all they've GOT. bring him back-- equally changed, looking hardened and rough on the outside but with this flash of shining hope in his eyes when he realizes-- if they got here, then they can help him get home.

step five: give him the chance to be Different Now.

He's single-minded and single-missioned-- get back to El-- and that has the potential to get in the way of a lot. just because he's in hawkins this time around doesn't mean he's going to be all that helpful when the kids have a different first priority than he does. don't worry, they can still lose this time around, especially when you add the conflict of not knowing how much help Hopper is going to be when he's running exclusively on adrenaline and love for his kid.

step six: the reunion.

there is so much satisfaction to Hopper and El reuniting I love that scene in canon, but imagine how much better it could feel if, instead of his season 4 arc being about getting out of russia it could be about coming home to El.

they've both, in their separation, come to understand each other better this way too-- El because she better understands the grief that has run Hopper's life since Sara died and Hopper because he has become so familiar with the world and the creatures that have haunted El for so many years.

let there be symmetry to their reunion. let Hopper realize he wasn't there when she needed him, let El realize that she left Hawkins when he was there the whole time.

let them both be changed and have to get to know each other all over again.

let them be willing to do it.

bonus alternate tragic ending if you're into that:

there is no reunion because he dies in place of Eddie and El has to face the realization that he's been alive for 10 months only for him to die as soon as they find him and before she even gets to see him okay BYE

[witchthewriter]

𝐒𝐅𝐖 𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲

⤷ gender neutral, Na’vi reader. Requests are open, thank you for reading!  

a/n: I have so many headcanons I want to do for the Avatar characters!

ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ      

𝑨 = 𝑨𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

On a scale of one to ten, Jake is about a 6. He may not always be physically affectionate, but he does love when you hold each other’s heads in your hands. Or when you rest foreheads against the other. 

𝑩 = 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 (What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?)

𝑷𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚: Your eyes. They’re different to the other Na’vi’s eyes. Because you’re the Tsahìk of your clan, you have different colours streaked throughout 

𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚: Your resolve, the way you stand up for your morals and beliefs. There’s nothing that could rock your faith or morality. As the spiritual leader of your clan, the one closest to Eywa, you feel so confident in your goddess and the life she gave you.

𝑪 = 𝑪𝒖𝒅𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒔 (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Jake likes to cuddle. To feel close to you physically. Usually, when you’re cuddling, you have your queues attached to each other (the tendril-looking part at the end of the tail). 

𝑫 = 𝑫𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄 (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Jake ... didn’t see himself ever settling down. Ever. Finding a new life on Pandora meant his past life ideals no longer applied. So it was a big transition into his new body and therefore, a new state of mind. What did he want? He knew he wanted you. And did he want to mate, have children? Surprisingly, domestic life isn’t as boring as he thought it would be. But that’s because all he has to do is step out of his home and there’s adventure waiting. 

   So, as he grew into his life on Pandora, he became more and more comfortable with the idea of settling down. 

𝑬 = 𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 (When something is bothering them, how do they act around you?)

Jake goes quiet when something is bothering him. Not completely quiet, but you notice it. It’s like his head is in the clouds - you’ll be talking and he just nods and agrees because his mind is focused on something else.

𝑭 = 𝑭𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒆 (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

As he commits to this new world, he becomes more and more committed to you. When he mated with you, that’s when he realised just how ready he was to tie himself to you in every way possible. 

𝑮 = 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆 (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

𝑷𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚:

He’s quite rough, sometimes forgetting that his Na’vi body is different then his human one. But it’s not like he grabs you too hard or hits you accidentally - it’s more like he knocks things over with his tail or accidentally forgets he has fangs. 

𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚:

Jake can be quite blunt. He can be too truthful, verging on brutally honest at times. You have to keep him accountable and show him how to word things a little more carefully. 

𝑯 = 𝑯𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 (Do they tell you about their childhood? Their trauma? The sides of themself that they keep hidden from the world.)

Barely. He talks about his brother but doesn’t like talking about his trauma. I can see him being the type of person to talk about his upbringing or trying to relate to another person and them going “what the actual f*ck bro, that’s terrible???” And Jake being like ??? Is that not a universal experience? 

  The side that he keeps hidden from the world is a soft one. He can be very romantic and sensitive at times. He’s put up a tough wall, and only you can see this emotional, open and free Jake. 

𝑰 = 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Jake said “I love you” on the night that you first mated. Hearing those words made you sure that this man was for you. 

𝑱 = 𝑱𝒆����𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒚 (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Jake gets pretty jealous. He’s comfortable in your relationship, and he trusts you immensely, but he doesn’t trust others. When Jake’s jealous he will get near you and put his arm around you. But when he does this you look at him like he’s insane. 

    “Jake, they know we’re mated.”

“Oh-”

𝑲 = 𝑲𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔 (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆: Deep, and romantic. He holds the back of your neck and melts into the kiss. There’s quite a lot of tongue but not an overload of it. He knows what he’s doing. 

𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅:

Jake likes to be kissed on the chest. He loves when you plant kisses there, especially near his heart. It makes him feel all tingly inside like butterflies are erupting. 

𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖:

On your back. It’s a way to remind you that Jake always has your back. He plants slow kisses down your spine, which always makes goosebumps appear all over your skin. 

𝑳 = 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 (How are they around children?)

Wasn’t very good with kids. All his life he felt so awkward around them. Once he asked his friend’s newborn if it was enjoying the weather - unironically. 

𝑴 = 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 (How are mornings spent with them?)

He hates getting up early in the mornings. Even though he had to do it while being a marine, he never got used to it. You’re up before him, and have to prod him awake:

   “Jake! Wake up!”

𝑵 = 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 (How are nights spent with them?)

He collapses into bed after a long day. He loves his sleep. Jake would misses hot showers, but the Na’vi have hot springs and every week you take trips to them. Those are the highlights of his week (besides being with you!)

𝑶 = 𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒏 (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Takes a while to reveal things about himself. He told you about his brother quite easily, but the rest of his family was difficult to talk about. He likes to compare his human upbringing with yours, and talk about the differences. But he doesn’t like to have deep talks. They make him anxious. What if you reject him if you knew everything about him? Did his life before even matter? Those were some of the questions he still thinks about. 

𝑷 = 𝑷𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 (How easily angered are they?)

Depending on the person, Jake’s patience varies. If he doesn’t like the person, then he gets easily irritated. If it’s an enemy then he does everything to keep a cool head. And if it’s someone he loves - say, someone who does something stupid, then he will lose his patience as soon as he sees them.

𝑸 = 𝑸𝒖𝒊𝒛𝒛𝒆𝒔 (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing or do they kind of forget everything?)

He doesn’t remember everything. In all honesty, he is really bad at memorising things. It took a whole team to help him learn about the Na’vi way. He memorises your family, as he wanted to show them respect. He remembers your favourite places though - the things you can physically show him. 

𝑹 = 𝑹𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 (What is their favourite moment in your relationship?)

When he realised that Eywa was real. That your faith was based in truth. He grew up an atheist, and thought that people who believed in a higher power were delusional. He was proved wrong. 

𝑺 = 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Jake is very physically protective. His instinct is to push you behind him and shield you from any danger (but never does because you would hate that.) 

He wants to protect you from all things that might hurt you. And you picked up on that, even information about deaths in the clan - he doesn’t want to tell you because he knows how much it would destroy you. 

     But you had a really meaningful talk with him one night. 

“Jake, you cannot protect me from everything. Life is both dark and light. We must experience all we can. It’s Eywa’s will.”

𝑻 = 𝑻𝒓𝒚 (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, and everyday tasks?)

You two bonded over Eywa and showing Jake the hidden wonders of Pandora. He likes to commemorate those memories on special occasions. He might even put some human culture in there as well. Jake wanted to marry you. And he showed your parents what he wanted to do for you, and they complied (out of respect. But once he explained further they were onboard.)

   Your siblings were the most excited about the wedding. And Jake asked them to make you something that you could open a year after your wedding day. 

 So yeah, he does put effort into things like that. Because he knows that you like those meaningful gifts and activities. 

𝑼 = 𝑼𝒈𝒍𝒚 (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Is a noisy chewer/eater. If something is really good, he will literally moan. You had different stages in handling it - first was laughing because you couldn’t believe it. Then you just shook your head and now you kick him if he does it too loudly. 

𝑽 = 𝑽𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Jake doesn’t care about his looks. He’ll obviously look after his basic hygiene, but he doesn’t care about his hair or physique. He prefers comfort, but more so practicality over anything else. 

𝑾 = 𝑾𝒉𝒚 (Reasons why they love each other)

Jake loves you because you inspire him. You always give him great advice, even before you got together. You’re actually really accepting of his problems, particularly the way he had to learn how a whole new world worked - basically forgetting all he knew. You understood that, and have leniency with him. 

𝑿 = 𝑿𝒚𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆 (What’s their song)

Blood of My Blood by Ramin Djawadi

𝒀 = 𝒀𝒖𝒄𝒌 (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

People who limit themselves, who say “I can’t,” and sit and moan. He can’t handle whiners. Because he lost his legs, he figured out how to live with that. So he gets really irritated by people who can’t do the same. 

𝒁 = 𝒁𝒛𝒛 (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)   

Has terrible nightmares. Ones about fire and invaders, people wanting to take away his home and family. One of his recurring nightmares is losing his legs again. Not being able to move freely and as he wishes. 

[sparkles-rule-4eva]

I’ve officially been a Sonic fan for a year!

And to celebrate, since my bestie @thewritingautisticat and I were first properly introduced to said fandom via the movies, I decided to post a big fat rant about how much I absolutely ADORE the movie universe. Right alongside every other aspect of this amazing franchise.

Here’s the thing. I’ve seen people claim to be the #1 SCU defenders/lovers/etc., and then I’d explore their blog and still find them complaining about the human characters, and still imply that the movie universe isn’t as good as the games because it’s different.

Me? Dudes and dudettes, I think I’m one of the only people who can truly claim to be the #1 SCU defender. Because I love the movies in ALL their differences and wackiness. I don’t just tolerate the presence of the human characters, I love them. Right alongside Sonic and the original cast. During those wedding scenes in the second movie, the parts where everyone seemed to complain that they were bored and just waiting for it to get back to Sonic? I was loving every second of it. I see the human characters to be just as much Sonic characters as Sonic himself, Knuckles, Tails, etc.

I love scenes with Tom because he’s Sonic’s adoptive father. I love scenes with Maddie because she’s Sonic’s adoptive mother. Rachel is his crazy, unhinged aunt. Jojo is his chill cousin. That’s his family right there. Right alongside Knuckles and Tails, his adoptive brothers in the cinematic universe. I love and accept them just as much. I’ve barely seen anyone else do the same.

I love that the movies give Sonic (and the others) the ability to do something that the games can never do: be a kid. They show him to be kind, compassionate, empathetic, energetic, fun-loving, adventurous, sassy, and heroic, just like his game counterpart. And then they give him more: they give him parents who love and support him. Who cheer him on from the sidelines as he’s off fighting giant robots. Who will give their lives for him without a second thought.

People complain that the first movie isn’t a good “Sonic” movie? I disagree there, too. Because it’s missing the other characters and the lore and all that? Is Sonic not Sonic if he’s separated from his friends and original home? No. The first movie didn’t focus on the lore. The first movie focused on Sonic, him as a character. They established the settings of this new, alternate world for Sonic. Gave him a backstory because the games never do. They let him be a hero and a kid at the same time.

Guys. Paramount found themselves with rights to make a Sonic movie. A movie with a version of Sonic who had zero mandates hanging over his head. Did you really think they were just going to make a story that we’d probably see as a game someday? No, they were not going to miss this opportunity. They rewrote his story in this alternate version. They let him be a few years younger. They let him be emotional. They even gave him extra epic powers linked to said emotions, and those powers have even impacted the games.

I love the voice actor they chose for Sonic. People complain he doesn’t sound like he does in the games. So? The people who casted the voices weren’t looking for a soundalike voice actor. They were looking for an energetic, optimistic voice. Because that’s how they saw Sonic. Is he not? He feels like the very embodiment of energy and optimism a lot of the time. So I love the choice of Ben Schwartz. He does amazingly.

And about him getting adopted by humans? Found family is not a new trope in the Sonic franchise. In the games, we have Sonic raising Tails as his little brother. We have the Chaotix, a team consisting of a grown dude, an angsty teenager, and a literal child who see each other as family. We have Amy being a big sister to Cream and Tails. We have Vanilla being a mother figure to half the cast. We have the ARK siblings. The list goes on. Is it really so “cringey” to let Sonic himself get adopted? Especially when he’s younger than the game version, and was properly given the chance to be a kid? To have fun with his brothers and parents outside of fighting Eggman? And by parents who accept him wholly for who he is, strive to take care of him where they can, and allow him to relax and enjoy the remainder of his childhood??

Not to mention, Tom and Maddie are literally the perfect parents for Sonic (and later Knuckles and Tails). For one, they’re a very healthy couple. They’ve loved and supported each other for years even before their marriage and before meeting Sonic. Green flag number one. For two, they understand Sonic, they see that he’s still a kid and they want to help him, they try to “steer him in the right direction,” and they don’t try to stifle him and his love of running and adventure. Tom is a cop, a very good cop I might add (I absolutely refuse to listen to any of the crappy hate I’ve seen towards Tom just because he’s a police officer), and he’s inclined to help people just like Sonic is. Maddie is a vet, she loves animals. Sonic is literally an anthropomorphic hedgehog. She knows better on how to take care of him; and even before she got to know him, she still tended to his needs when he was out of it, even being cautious in doing so because she didn’t yet know his physiology.

So yes, I love the SCU. I love seeing the Wachowski family doing mundane, everyday things just as much as I love seeing the boys in epic battle scenes. I loved watching Sonic and Tom have a father-son bonding moment on a fishing trip. I loved watching them play along with his airport setup the same way parents play along with their child’s imagination. I loved watching them ask for a hug goodbye, make sure he knew how to contact them in case of an emergency, blow him kisses as the ring closed. I loved that Tom kept calling and texting Sonic to check in on him just like any parent would while they were away. I loved seeing Tom express wishing that Sonic could have buddies like him. I loved seeing Maddie call him “their kid.” I most especially loved seeing Sonic finally call Tom “Dad.”

I loved seeing my favorite trio of alien boys ride in the back of a truck, even though none of them needed the transportation, bickering about the baseball game they just played as their parents drive them out for ice cream.

Does this mean I prefer the SCU over the games? No. I love the games just as much, and I could easily rant on everything I love about them as well. I’m just not planning to because it’s not necessary. They’re the mainline thing.

Even though I’m disappointed to have missed so many years in this amazing fandom, I think I like being a fresh fan. I constantly see people griping and complaining about this or that in some area of the franchise, and tbh it annoys me. I’ve been ruined for reading reviews because I find people hating on things I liked. I introduce “NO-HATE REVIEW!” Not complaining about what I didn’t like, because there’s not much. Just loving on what I loved. Sharing my excitement with others.

As a result, I’ll later post similar rambles about other parts of the franchise I want to defend. Such as the IDW comics. Sonic Prime. Sonic Frontiers. All the parts people are far too quick to judge.

Replies that are hateful or irrelevant will be deleted. 👌

(A little later I’m also going to make a celebratory post about how this franchise literally changed my life in a good way XD)

[shannonallaround]

Knuckles Show Thoughts

This is just an overview but here we go. Spoilers ahead.

Parts were a fun experience. I cringed so much during this show though

Really liked all the ex-GUN bad guys 😈

Genuinely enjoyed the first two episodes for the most part—particularly the evil humans trying to get Knuckles, and Knuckles' interactions with the other Wachowskis.

We didn't get enough of the Wachowskis 🥲🥲🥲

Pachacamac—WHAT THE HECK. I mean it was funny in principle, but also so weird??? I didn't know how to feel about that. I'm just gonna say that Knuckles was meditating and that's what he experienced, and Wade's vision was a fever dream. Wades bowling alley vision was so cringe.

I loved Wade's mission-impossible vision of himself that was hilarious and awesome 😂 Honestly that whole episode was just fun and cool.

KNUCKLES GLIDING WAS COOL

The writing quality REALLY dropped in the third and fourth episodes. They felt like filler and much more amateur in terms of acting direction and pacing. It felt like the human actors were asked to improv, but they were given way too little direction within which to improv, and then their stuff wasn't cut or edited through enough afterwards. The pacing was very off as a result, especially in the third one.

Genuinely hated Wade's sister for the entirety of the 3rd episode. However, I think a lot of her character's despicableness was again a symptom of too much improv and not enough thinking through her character's behavior in advance by the writers.

I totally thought Wade's sister was gonna end up having lied about her position in the FBI, or was gonna end up being a janitor there or something, because she wanted to impress her family and suffers from the same self-doubt Wade does. I think that actually would have been way cooler for her character growth.

The one part I truly loved in the 3rd episode was the Jewish folk music during the epic fight around the candles! :D That was by far the best part of the episode.

Wade's mom really grew on me by the end. I like her a lot.

Overall I enjoyed the last two episodes. THE BAD GUY LORE WAS SO INTERESTING. It was really cool worldbuilding! I wish we could have gotten more of that. The bad guys talking to each other about their motivations relating to GUN was one of the neatest parts of the series and it lasted for about 5 minutes.

I really liked hating Wade's dad (as I was supposed to). I was very suspicious of him from the beginning and honestly did not want him to have a redemption arc, and I was not disappointed. Westley my beloved he was fantastic.

LOVED how Knuckles secretly knew about the bad guys' plan to have Wade betray him through using Wade having him use his earpods that was so genius and made me happy

The rings becoming an endless loop void thing was cool.

Knuckles' fire abilities were not nearly as cool to me as they probably were supposed to be. I get they were a reference, but it changes things a lot in this universe lore-wise and I'm not sure I like that.

The ending was kinda cool, but it felt very rushed. Wish we could have seen that cool battle mec for longer, and that guy could have been a direct opponent for longer. And Knuckles passing out was angsty and dramatic! But it felt like that moment deserved a lot more time.

KNUCKLES' ARC WAS NOT FINISHED. Whyyyyyy did we not get a scene at the end where Maddie, Sonic, and Tails are frantically looking for Knuckles and they're super worried about him?? Knuckles should have come back to them all freaking out that they can't find him anywhere and it's been like THREE DAYS, and he goes up to Maddie and humbly explains to her where he's been (helping Wade) and that he's sorry he's left, but that he realized that he had somewhere to return to. That he has a home. That the Wachowskis are his new home. And he is sorry; he will go back to being grounded. And there should have been a sweet sibling moment and momma moment between them all where they hug or something ahhhh. Again, WHY did we not get this??? I must write a scene to fix it.

More about the previous point because I'm not done. In the first Sonic film, the climax of Sonic's arc was when Tom said "he was my friend", but the actual completion of that arc was when Tom and Maddie invited him to live with them and be their kid. With Knuckles, we only got the climax of his arc (Wade saying he had a home) and not the conclusion (returning to his family and home). We were cheated!

WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO THE GUY KICKED ONTO THE MUSHROOM PLANET IN EP. 1?

[magnoliabutters]

• CAN YOU TAKE IT ALL? •

pairing: eddie munson x steve harrington

summary: the munson-harrington friendship gets a tad bit more complicated.

warnings: 18+ content, mdni, adult language; st spoilers; ptsd-related nightmares, first kiss, fluffy fluff, smutty smutty, oral, etc.

word count: ~5.7k

support your writer: reblogs for the steddie boys 🤤

note: my dear staffi, your 1k is 1k% well deserved. i could think of nothing better than to honor @seidenbros with a steddie smut fic. this is inspired by my homie @steveshairychest post and miss staffi's thoughts, as well as the nightmares mentioned in her beautiful steddie post. this story is set in a cannon divergent universe post season 4’s events. i hope you like it! also i will say there’s a lot of back and forth so i hope it’s not too too confusing 🥹 there’s also a narrator type of feel in there, idk my adhd brain’s like mad scattered so good luck?

prompts included: (1) scars tell the story of where we’ve been, they are a part of us, and you show that to your loved one with kissing all of their scars, (2) “you taste like heaven, and I can’t get enough,” & (3) “will you stop talking, or do I have to make you shut up?”

He will never forget that red thundering sky.

The sounds crash above him. His instinct is to look up, but he keeps his eyes focused as the demobats spiral around him. His grip tightens onto his shield. He knows he is going to die. He knew that when he decided against going through the portal in his living room. When he walked away from Dustin’s screaming pleas. He wanted to be a coward no more. He would need to die to ensure the party’s safety - his safety. He is fine with this. He honestly could not think of a better way to go. He just prays it will be quick.

He watches as the bats seem to alter their flying at the sound of each clap of thunder. His mind begins reeling. What can he do to use this information against them? He feels the fear bubble up through his chest. He yells out to give himself the bravery he desperately clings onto. He thrusts his spear into the tornado of bats just to be met with their attack. He holds as much as he can back with his shield but they overwhelm him. He falls.

Once recognizing the floor pressed against his back, he knew it was time. It was his time. He uses the shield to cover as much of his body as possible. He feels hot strikes of pain through his shins and thighs. He cannot help but scream as he grips tighter onto his shield’s handle. They are killing him and it is not quick. He feels every single bite. Each bite plays on repeat in his head.

One wraps it’s tail around his throat. He cannot breathe. He quickly digs his nails against his own skin, struggling to put distance between his neck and the tail. Panic hits him like a train. His entire body is in this confusing mixed state of stillness and desperation. He is moving in slow motion, perpetually stuck in death.

Steve wakes to a thumping sound. His eyes open widely. His body is startled, but swiftly ready for action. Was it happening again? Was Vecna coming? Or was it the demodogs this time? Did they come back? He raises from his bed and continues to listen. He keeps his eyes on his closet, knowing he has a shotgun waiting for him. A gun he purchased back when he found out the truth about Barbara - how close death was. How was he never meant to feel safe in his home again.

He hears a voice. Eddie’s voice. The mental grog from waking up blurs his mind, but Eddie’s voice pulls him through. He remembers that he invited Eddie to stay with him while they both heal and particularly while he is technically still on the lam. As much as his voice calms him, an interesting reaction he notes, it sounds a bit troubled now. He quietly stands from the bed and walks towards his parents’ room - where Eddie was sleeping.

Steve feels worry as he tip-toes down the hallway. He does not want to scare Eddie, but something is wrong. The altruistic side of him would never be able to ignore that, let alone fall back asleep. He hears mumbling again and suddenly a scream. He bursts in the through the door, quickly scanning the room for any threats. He stands above Eddie who wriggles in his sheets. His brows pressing in and out as he mumbles in his sleep.

Part of Steve is clearly concerned. The other part could not help noticing the sleeping beauty below him. His lips supple. His hair thick and incredible. His shirt cut at the shoulders. His biceps on full display. From far, Munson looks scrawny but from where Steve stands, the boy has muscle. Quickly, he pushes those thoughts from his head. His face scrunches as he struggles to ignore the light hearted feeling of letting in that type of thinking.

Steve has only felt this way towards two people in his life, despite the trail of people he has left behind in his high school career. The feeling of his heart being drawn out of his chest. He felt it with Nancy. He feels it again with Eddie. It caught him off guard. Nothing prepares you for a sudden longing of a guy, especially when you pride yourself as a ladies’ man.

Steve felt a brief attraction to Billy Hargrove when he so aggressively beat him in basketball. It definitely had nothing to do with his personality - how could it? But how he pushed against him, with that sweat-filled bare chest. There was a moment where anger and annoyance subsided, and Steve did not mind being pushed around by Hargrove’s strength. Of course, this thought was pushed down deeper than the pits of hell. Especially after he heard what Billy had done to Max and Lucas.

Once Dustin began high school, Eddie became a prominent person in Steve’s life - whether he liked it or not. Dustin loved this guy, compared this guy to Steve. Anger and jealousy fueled his mind anytime “Eddie Munson” was discussed. Yet, when he finally met the man, he felt a spark. Eddie jumped out of nowhere and pressed Steve against the shack’s wall, hard. A hand on his collarbone and a broken bottle dangerously close to his juggler.

Steve initially thought the spark was the fear and adrenaline pushing through his body. He rose his hands to show he wasn’t a threat. Once Dustin started talking, Eddie began to let his guard down, placing space between them. It gave Steve the opportunity to look into those gentle chocolate eyes and see the genuine sincerity and beauty within them. He knew in that moment that every incredible thing Dustin said about Eddie was true. He had to know more. The spark, he now recognizes, turned into a red hot flush to his cheeks…

As another disturbed mumble falls from Eddie’s lips, Steve is pulled from his thoughts and lightly pats Eddie’s shoulder. “Eddie,” he whispers. “Eddie, it’s just a dream.” He continues to mumble, his movements more jagged. “Eddie,” he says louder. He shakes his shoulder and sits on the edge of the bed. He begins to stress, wanting to remove him from this scary state. He shakes a bit harder.

Eddie’s eyes shoot open. His breathing heavies as he grips onto Steve’s shoulder. “Eddie, it’s okay. It’s okay,” Steve soothes. “Where’s Dustin?” he mumbles on as his brows pull together. Eddie struggles to grip onto reality, but he recognizes the mattress and sheets below him. He realizes it is not the upside down’s floor plastered against his back. He pulls his eyes towards Steve’s. “Steve?” he asks out of breath and still panicked.

“Hey, yeah. I think you had a bad dream,” Steve answers as he places his hand upon Eddie’s chest. “You’re safe.” Eddie watches with confused eyes. He feels comfort from Steve’s warmth but still lost in bouncing thoughts between what is real and what is not. His eyes travel towards Steve’s hairy chest and green pajama pants hanging by a draw string. He immediately pulls away and places all his energy on not staring. Steve’s eyes are focused upon his hand. He’s both shocked and overjoyed with his hand’s placement. Ambiguous thoughts flood his mind.

Where Steve has hidden his attraction, even from himself, Eddie has always been straight forward with those he’s closest to. At first, Eddie was not the biggest fan of Steve. He even told him so. Dustin spoke of him at length. Each conversation that surrounded Harrington just reminded him of every conversation he had in school. Everyone spoke of him and his gorgeous hair.

Yet, when Eddie finally had the opportunity to interact with Steve, all that changed. Through the danger, gore, and fear within the weeks filled of Vecna, Eddie felt a burning inside of him. He recognized immediately that Steve was someone special and that he wanted more. He had no care in the world and openly flirted with him any chance he got. He particularly enjoyed the confused looks of the members of his party. Not to mention a shirtless Steve wearing his denim vest? Eddie was done for. So when all that shit was finally done and Steve asked if he wanted to stay at his house, Eddie did not hesitate.

“Thanks,” Eddie says with a shaken tone as he lifts himself from the bed, resting back on his palms. Steve lightly pulls away as his focus has shifted back to concern. He remembers the last time he saw Eddie like this. It was a horrifying sight. He walked up on Dustin cradling Eddie in the darkness of the upside down. Henderson’s tears falling upon Eddie’s lifeless face as blood pooled at the edge of his mouth. They thought he was going to die. But Steve was going to work his damned hardest to make sure that didn’t happen - especially not in front of Dustin.

As gently as he could, Steve flung Eddie over his shoulder and ran into the trailer. He heard a grumble and a wince. Both sounds that burst energy through his body. He was alive. He and Dustin worked together to hoist Eddie through the portal. Nancy and Robin were shortly behind. They both quickly jumped into the roles of doctor as they treated his wounds with bandages and disinfectant. Steve can still hear his screams when they dowsed his injuries with alcohol. Steve wanted nothing more than to run to him in that moment. To comfort him - hold him. Instead, he watched from the corner of the room, gripping tightly onto his chin as he bit his trembling lip.

Eddie’s eyes flick towards Steve. He observes the shift in his face’s expression. His first instinct is to raise his hand to his face, pull him back from whatever thoughts clouded him. He strongly stops the urge, clearing his throat. “Steve,” he says softly. Quickly Steve’s eyes look back into his. “Sorry,” he laughs and pushes his hand through his hair. “It’s okay,” Eddie says softly. “Get lost in your thoughts?” Eddie asks. Steve turns to look at him with a smile. “Something like that,” he replies innocently. “Yeah, that happens to me too,” Eddie nods as he looks down at his hands on his lap.

Steve took that moment to realize that he may have overstayed his welcome. He stands and gestures a goodbye. “Well, I’ll let you get back to bed,” he says as he turns towards the door. Panic rushes through Eddie. He isn’t ready for Steve to leave. “Wait,” he says loudly. “You can stay if you want,” he coyly murmurs.

Steve reaches the door handle and turns back to Eddie. “Are you sure?” he asks. “I’m sure, Harrington,” Eddie reassures with a smile. The devilish smile that Steve has been waiting for. It quickly eases his worry and melts his heart, all at the same time. Most of all, it pulls a big grin upon his face. Eddie has the best smile, whether you would like to admit it or not. And Steve will admit it.

With a failed attempt to not be awkward, Steve sits at the foot of the bed. He rests only a few inches away from Eddie's feet. Eddie stifles a laugh as he watches. "You can sit up here," he chuckles as he pats the bed beside him. Steve laughs at himself. "I wasn't sure what would be weirder," he mutters under his breath. "Hm, I think the sitting at the edge of the bed is weirder," Eddie says with a bit of flare.

Steve shrugs, amused, as he stands and walks over to the other side. Surprisingly, he lays back onto the pillow comfortably and without hesitation. His feet cross in front of him. He intertwines his fingers as they rest upon his stomach. Without looking at him, he gently asks, "Did you wanna talk about it?" Eddie turns towards him and smiles as Steve's eyes remain down. "It's nothing too bad," Eddie tries to downplay. "Just some nightmares after everything that went down."

That was enough to pull Steve's eyes towards Eddie's face. Eddie watched as his sweet honey hazel irises peer into his soul. They were so full of anguish and worry. "But it's okay. It's not that bad, remember?" he tries to reassure. Steve's brows continue to furrow as he watches in sadness. There is a certain twinkle to his eye that Eddie doesn't recognize.

Steve pulls his eyes from Eddie once more. "When I first got dragged into all this, I had nightmares every night for at least 2 months straight," Steve says solemnly. Eddie listens intently, now his turn to worry. "I had a few months of life going back to normal, which - I knew wouldn't last. But then the demodogs showed up-" he shares. "Demodogs?" Eddie asks. His mind immediately screams at him for interrupting. Steve turns back towards him with a small smile. "Yeah, they're like smaller versions of Demogorgens," he answers. "You know about Demogorgens?" Eddie scoffs. "It's what the kids call it - I don't know," he laughs. "Just talk to Henderson. He'll give you the whole run down."

Eddie smiles as his eyes fall upon Steve's. "I'm sorry I interrupted," he murmurs. "What were you saying?" Steve could swear his heart stopped beating for a second. Those sweet eyes give him all the pleasure and all the comfort he could ever want. "After Vecna, the nightmares came back for good. I haven't had a good night sleep since," he weakly laughs. "I wake up to the slightest of sounds and if I manage to get to sleep, I dream about those bats choking the life out of me." Eddie's heart races as he hears Steve's account. He almost forgot that Steve was attacked by the bats too. That he shares the same wounds - physically and mentally.

"I've been dreaming about them too," Eddie sighs as he plays with the blankets. With a deep breath, he plasters a brave smile on his face. "I'm just happy I made it out alive." He places a hesitant hand upon Steve's. "Thanks to you," he whispers under his breath. Steve could not help but blush. He pulls his eyes from Eddie's touch, as if not to bring attention to it. "You would've done it for me," Steve says. Eddie laughs, "I'm not sure I would've been able to do that." Steve joins him in a nervous chuckle. "What do you mean? You wouldn't have come back for me?"

Eddie pats his hand on Steve before holding it against his own laughing abdomen. "I don't think I'd be able to carry you, dude," he tries to say through bursts of laughter. Steve chuckles as he pulls his head back onto the headboard. He smirks and playfully punches Eddie's bicep. "You wouldn't be able to carry me with these muscles?" he scoffs with an eyebrow raised. Eddie smiles at his touch, but quickly wiggles it away. "Maybe I could," Eddie mumbles under his breath with a shrug. Steve grins as he looks back at those gorgeous eyes of his.

"I would have never left you there. No matter what," Steve murmurs with a shake of his head. Eddie pulls the side of his mouth and nods. "I would do the same for you," he whispers. Steve recognizes the sincerity in Eddie's eyes. Eddie enjoys the warmth in Steve's smile. They sit there for a few seconds, which feels like hours. But for the two of them, hours are not enough.

Steve's heart races. He can feel his pulse in his ears. Nerves rush through his extremities. Happiness fills his chest. Eddie feels a pit in his stomach. His muscles tighten as he struggles to remain calm. He is caught off guard by this reaction. He usually only feels this when he's nervous before a show. Luckily for him, the usual adrenaline that follows shortly rides throughout his body. Without a second thought, Eddie slowly leans closer towards Steve. His eyes focus on his supple lips, hoping that this isn't a mistake. Before Steve could even think, he places his hands on Eddie's cheeks and pulls him into a kiss.

Now, this is not your typical first kiss. There is no sweet peck and pulling away to look into each other’s eyes. No. There is a huge fire burning deep within Steve and Eddie. It’s been building for months. And it finally has a way out.

Steve’s hand travels towards Eddie’s ear. He intertwines his fingers within his brunette curls. Eddie bites into the kiss. His neck extended as his body slowly follows. He notes that Steve’s lips are supple and sweet - sweeter than expected. His ringed hand feels cool against Steve’s cheek. The painful longing they both felt now turned into an aggressive match of love.

Eddie’s fingers grasp harshly against Steve’s skin. Steve’s body scoots closer to his, eventually toppling over him. The ends of his soft hair tickling Eddie’s face. The two struggle to gasp for breaths as they crash their tongues against each other. Eddie spreads his legs as Steve leans between them. Steve’s hand rests upon his waist as Eddie ruts his hips up. Steve could feel that bulge against his crotch. He wants nothing more than to…

Steve pulls away with a gasping breath. His eyes dragged from Eddie’s as he slowly begins to lean up from the embrace. Eddie rests frozen in place, completely confused. “I’m sorry,” Steve mutters as he wipes his lips with the back of his hand. He crashes back onto his side of the bed. His head leaning onto the headboard as he tracks his hands down his face. “It’s alright,” Eddie says as he watches Steve out of his peripherals.

“I haven’t done anything like this before,” Steve says as he places his hands on his legs out in front of him. His body language screaming “uncomfortable.” “We don’t have to do anything-” Eddie starts. “But I want to, Eddie, that’s the thing,” Steve says with distress, finally turning to look at the chocolate eyed boy. Eddie sighs as the sides of his mouth curl into a smile.

Steve puts his hands to his own face. “Have you done this before?” he asks, peering out curiously from behind his fingers. Eddie softly laughs at the sight. “Yeah, once or twice,” he murmurs. “Oh god,” Steve says as he drags his hands down his face. “Harrington, it’s okay,” Eddie soothes. “Let’s just take this slow.” Steve sighs in relief as he shakes his head. “I can do slow,” he whispers. “Yeah,” Eddie says as he places a hand to his shoulder. “That way we’ll have a better story to tell our grandkids.”

Steve’s head shoots up, “Hey! That’s not slow!” Eddie bursts into laughter. To the point where his knees are at his chest. His hand at his stomach. Steve can’t help but chuckle alongside him. “I’m kidding, Harrington,” he manages to mumble between laughs. “You are too easy.” Steve smiles as he rolls his eyes.

“Eddie?” Steve asks with a softened tone. Eddie smiles as he directs his attention torwards the god of beauty in front of him. “Do you mind if I sleep here, with you, tonight?” he asks. A tightness balls in his chest. Eddie can’t help but smile larger at his request. “Yes,” he says. Steve immediately beams. “But only if I get one more kiss,” he adds.

Steve bites his lip as he leans in towards Eddie. They both close their eyes as their lips meet in a gentler embrace. Steve pulls back and whispers onto Eddie’s lips. “Good night, Munson.” He turns over and gets under the blankets. The two begin their sleep with their backs to each other. Only to wake up to Eddie resting his head upon Steve’s chest, and Steve’s arm caressing Eddie’s back - pulling him closer.

Not much has changed for the Harrington-Munson friendship. One month later and a handful of heavy make out sessions to show for it. The biggest change was that neither of them slept alone anymore. Since that first night, they have slept in the same bed. They have slept better than they ever have. They both had no intention of sleeping without each other again.

After a long night of Eddie trying to teach Steve how to play dungeons and dragons, Steve finally was able to suggest saying goodbye to the group. “I’m not at all surprised that you chose a Paladin,” Dustin says with a sheepish laugh as he packs up the dnd game. Eddie smirks from across the table. “Yeah, I still have no idea what that means,” Steve says as he grabs another chip from the designated snack bowl.

“I would’ve thought he’d been a Cleric,” Will shares with a shrug of his shoulders. “Big boy’s got the energy for both. Don’tcha, Harrington?” Eddie says with a tilt of his head. Steve watches his taunting smile with hunger in his eyes. “Still got nothing,” Steve says with his hands thrown up. “We’ll be back next week,” Mike says as he waves for Lucas to stand up. They clearly have somewhere to be.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Steve says as the boys rush to the front door. “Next week?” His face full of confusion. His face squished together in worry. “I thought this was a one time thing?” Eddie smiles, biting on one of his rings, as he softly laughs. He adores the man. “Yeah, we made our characters and next week we play,” Lucas says dumbfounded. “What did you think we were doing here, Steve?” Dustin asks with a chuckle. “I thought we were just making characters. Isn’t that what you guys do?” Steve asks, pushing a hand through his hair and raising his other hand. “Yeah, and then we bring our characters into battle,” Will says sarcastically as he shares an annoyed glance with Mike.

“Okay, okay. Whatever next week,” Steve says, shooing the gang away. Eddie immediately stands and begins to clap his hands. “Let’s go boys,” he yells. “We were just leaving-” Mike whines. “Up-up-up,” Eddie interrupts. Steve smiles as he watches him from the side of his eye. “That doesn’t sound like leaving, Wheeler.” Will laughs and quickly grabs his die. “Quick feet, Beyers. Let’s go!” Eddie claps closely at Will’s back, enough to make him hop and skip to the door.

With confused faces and devilish laughter, Eddie got the boys out without much of a hassle. He closes the Harrington’s front door and flicks the lock. He turns with his arms held high and bows before Steve. Steve watches amused but with teetering brows. "You're welcome," he says with that demon smile. "Thank you," Steve scoffs as he crosses his arms against his chest. Eddie walks over to the couch and flings back with dramatic intent. “Alright, Harrington. Come ravish me,” he says with a deep breath and closing his eyes. Steve laughs as he walks to the other end of the couch. He picks up Eddie’s crossed legs and places them onto his lap as he sits upon the cushion.

“Or … I could ravish you,” Eddie says as he raises his torso closer to Steve’s. His hand is placed against Steve’s chin, pulling his eyes towards him. “Ravish me?” Steve laughs. Eddie leans in with a bit lip. Steve’s lips meet him half way for a short, simple kiss. He pulls back with a sweet grin. “We wouldn’t be doing anything you haven’t done before, Harrington,” Eddie says as his finger travels down his chin to his adam’s apple and to his collarbone. Steve’s eyes light up. “This has all been pretty new, Munson,” he scoffs.

“Oh what, you think because it’s two guys it’s different?” Eddie says with a smirk as his finger tracks down his chest. “It’s still just two people who enjoy each other’s company and making each other feel good.” Steve chuckles as his finger twirls a curl in Eddie’s brunette locks. “That’s one way to simplify it,” he says under his breath.

Eddie plays with Steve’s happy trail and finally hooks his finger beneath his waistline. Steve’s eyes are pulled quickly towards him. The two have spoken of moving forward before but no one has initiated, until now. Nerves send shock waves out to Steve’s body. His touch hesitant and thought out. Eddie smiles as he crawls onto the living room floor and plants himself between Steve’s legs.

Steve watches as Eddie looks up at him with those “fuck me” eyes. God, did Steve want to but he is so nervous. He is more nervous now than his first time with Lacy Pickett. Eddie slowly spreads his legs as his hands smooth out the denim of his inner thighs’ jeans. Sharp breaths leave Steve’s nostrils as his chest tightens and he feels the blood leave his head.

“You can always tell me to stop, Steve,” Eddie says as he licks his bottom lip. “I promise it will be okay. We can try again another day.” He squeezes his hands against his inner thigh, massaging as he playfully taunts his groin. “I-I don’t want to wait another day,” Steve mutters softly. He could feel how hard he was for Eddie. He would not be able to leave without releasing some form of pressure. Eddie blushes as he bites his lip. “We’ll go slow,” he says with a nod.

Steve returns the nod as he reaches for his shirt, pulling it off rapidly. He then gently reaches for Eddie’s, but is met with hesitation. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he says as his worried eyes make another appearance. Eddie takes a deep breath as he sits back onto his knees. “I just-,” he laughs, trying to brush off his feelings. “I just haven’t gotten used to the scars yet.” Steve slightly smiles as he completely understands.

“I love your scars,” Steve says as he holds Eddie’s hand. Eddie scoffs as he keeps his eyes down. “They show how strong you are. How much you’ve been through. They are a part of you now,” he murmurs. “They’re disgusting,” Eddie adds with a sheepish smile. Steve shakes his head. “Not to me. To me, they scream bravery and strength. You saved us, you saved me. I love them, Eddie,” he says with all sincerity.

Eddie’s eyes finally make their way back to his. Steve slowly raises Eddie’s shirt, watching him for any sign of discomfort. Bites rest on the sides of his torso. One broke through his spider tattoo. Steve joins Eddie on the ground. He places a kiss onto each scar softly. Eddie jumps at ticklish spots, making them both laugh. “I love them,” he says as he places a kiss on Eddie’s lips. “I love yours,” Eddie adds.

Steve smirks. “So what the hell is a Paladin?” he asks. Eddie quickly shakes his finger no as he returns back on his knees. “No seriously. Can we go over that part again because-” “Will you stop talking, or do I have to make you shut up?” Eddie asks with a daring look. Steve scoffs as a grin sprawls across his face. “You might need to make me,” he jokes. Eddie smirks. “Shut up, and get your ass back on the couch,” he instructs with his finger pointed. Steve laughs with his hands up. He stands and follows Eddie’s demands. “Yes, sir,” he mutters. He sits with his legs spread and a growing mass at his groin. He leans back into the couch in excitement.

Eddie carefully unbuckles Steve’s belt. He lightly pulls it around his waist. Their eyes remain on each other. He then unbuttons his jeans and pulls them down. Steve lifts himself up so that his pants could pile at his ankles. Eddie glances at the thickly lined cock hidden under Steve’s boxers. Eddie could feel himself hardening at the thought of it. His tongue presses against the roof of his mouth as excitement hits him like a wave.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do this,” Eddie mutters under his breath as he tugs onto his boxers. Steve quickly leans forward to place a sweet hand to Eddie’s cheek. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since we met in that shack,” he says with all sincerity. Eddie is speechless, completely frozen in shock. Not once did he imagine Steve returning the level of attraction and affection that Eddie had for him.

Without any more words being said, the two knew in that moment that they are not just a fling. They are not a curious experiment. They are not a frivolous mistake. There is something real between them. Something special, something they have never had before.

Eddie’s smile grows as he pulls down Steve’s waist line. Steve’s hand now behind his curled locks as his eyes remain on Eddie’s. A small gasp escapes Eddie’s mouth as he catches a full glance at the thick, girthy cock in front of him. The blood rushes quickly down to his groin, but he tries his best to stay on task.

Eddie lightly wraps his hand around its staff as Steve lets out shaky breaths. Eddie slowly makes his way up and rubs his thumb against the bead of pre-cum falling from its slit. He uses it as lube as he begins to strengthen his grasp. His eyes flick up towards Steve, just to see Steve struggling to maintain his slow breaths.

As he quickens his strokes, Eddie’s tongue dances against the back of his front teeth. He struggles to keep it in. Steve’s eyes begin to close as he rests his head back. Eddie can feel Steve's hips grinding against his forearms. He could feel the slight thrusts into his grasp. Eddie’s other hand lays flat and tight against Steve’s upper thigh.

Steve lets out slow, low-toned moans as he wriggles under Eddie. “Oh fuck,” he mumbles under his breath. His grip behind Eddie’s head becomes tighter. “Steve,” Eddie says, breaking Steve’s concentration. “Hold my hair up,” he demands. Steve quickly raises to gather as much of his thick hair as he could.

Eddie lowers his mouth onto the tip of his cock. Steve’s mouth opens widely and quickly shuts with a bit lip at the sight and sensation. Eddie’s tongue wraps around the head as his grasp tightens at its bottom. He lets out a sweet moan as he takes another inch in. Steve’s grasp of Eddie's hair tightens even harder as he watches Eddie take more of him in. “Shit, shit,” he whines as he begins to slowly thrust into his sweet mouth.

“Eddie, fuck,” Steve moans as his hips wiggle. Eddie takes in more as he squeezes Steve’s thigh. He grinds his own cock against the couch’s side. Eddie loves feeling Steve's thick cock in his mouth. It’s grooves and veins excite him, making him salivate. He rubs against it as it lightly rides down the center of his tongue. “C-can you take it all?” Steve softly blurts out, struggling to keep his breath. Eddie smiles at the request and takes in a deep breath from his nostrils. He takes as much as he can, with Steve’s hand guiding him down.

Steve releases a moan that Eddie will remember for the rest of his life. It was sweet, yet dominant. He loves it. He wants to hear it again and again. He lifts off Steve’s cock with drool seeping from the side of his mouth. Steve is still breathing heavily, now with a hand in his hair. Eddie goes back in taking a little bit more. “Shit, Eddie. Oh my god,” he says as he thrusts further into his mouth. Eddie lightly gags but fights to stay enthralled with Steve. He could feel his curls at the tip of his nose.

With a gentle movement, Eddie begins to play with Steve’s balls. Steve quickly and instinctually pulls back as to not overstimulate himself. Eddie begins to circle his tongue around his head once again. His thumb plays with the thick vein underneath his shaft.

Steve feels a familiar pit in his stomach. Without thinking, he begins to thrust into Eddie’s mouth lightly. Eddie encourages him by quickening his movements and licks. Steve thrusts quicker, harder into Eddie’s throat. His mind reeling as he feels his muscles tighten. “Oh fuck, Eddie. Oh god,” he moans breathlessly. Eddie can’t help but smile at the beautiful sounds. He knows he must be close.

The pit in Steve's stomach is growing in size. His toes tighten and straighten out. He feels tingles at the top of his head. “I’m cumming, Eddie. I-I’m cumming,” he yells. Eddie begins to feel the shots of salt within his mouth. The taste that brings an incredible rush of happiness through his body. Steve’s muscles tense and relax as he thrusts into Eddie’s mouth. He releases more than he would have expected.

With a final groan, Steve goes limp. His chest heaving. Sweat building at his collarbones. Eddie swallows and wipes off the drool from his chin. He slowly rises with a smile and sits next to Steve with his arm resting behind his head. “That was different,” Steve murmurs with his eyes slightly opening. Eddie’s brow peaks in curiosity. “It was better,” he adds with a light laugh. Eddie rolls his eyes and playfully bumps against his shoulder.

“Come here and kiss me,” Steve says, barely able to move. “Let me brush my teeth first,” Eddie answers with a smile as he attempts to stand. Steve quickly grabs his pants to pull him back down. “No, kiss me,” he whispers. Eddie’s smile pulls to its side. He gently pushes back strands of hair from Steve’s sweaty face. He places a soft kiss upon his lips. “You taste like heaven, and I can’t get enough,” Steve whispers between kisses. Eddie smiles until his cheeks hurt.

note: i think my perspective has slowly shifted to eddie the pansexual god and steve the bisexual hoe. and i love that. please let me know what you think! shall there be more? who knows. i hope you like it staffi! check her out @seidenbros (you won't regret it)

✨don’t forget to reblog and/or comment lovelies!✨

• nav • no-no plagiarism • one shot • requests open •

[aidenlyons]

A couple days after Love Day, Jake is fresh from a shower after his morning workout when his phone rings.

J: Hey, Kory. What's up, man?

K: Nothin' much. You around?

J: Yeah, got a little time, what's up?

K: Just something I need to talk to you about.. in person. Can I come over?

J: Of course.

K: Thanks, see you soon.

Jake's always happy to help out a team member, if only as someone to rant to. But this is different. Kory sounded so serious, he really hopes nothing is wrong...

When Kory gets there, Jake's out back enjoying the sunshine while finishing up a bit of reading.

J: Hey man! How's it going? Heard your party was killer.

K: Yeah, man. You should have come.

Maybe then he would have seen with his own eyes what Kory is about to tell him.

J: Nah, man, you know me. Parties aren't really my scene.

Plus he's trying to respect Aiden's decision. He hasn't reached out so he assumes he'd rather not see him. Especially in his own home. On Love Day. A part of him didn't want to see Aiden at a party like that, either.

J: What's up? You wanted to talk. Is it about the party? Girl trouble or something?

It wouldn't be the first time one of his teammates came to ask him relationship advice. They're pretty tight, especially with a lot of them living in the same dorm.

K: Yeah, right. As if. Look at me, I get plenty of tail. No problems here. No, I'm not here to talk about my love life, but yours.

J: Mine?

Jake hasn't HAD a love life since starting University. He's just been focusing on school work and football and... ok. Maybe pining a bit.

K: Man, don't be so dense. You know your ex lives under the same roof as me.

J: I know that, Kory. Trust me. What's your point?

K: Just think you might want to get used to seeing him around.

Jake would hope, but the tone Kory is using says Aiden won't be around for him.

J: Just spit it out, Kory, you obviously have something to say.

K: I just.. think you should know he's not carrying the same torch you are. Elias went up to see him during the party and, well...

K: I didn't see Eli until the next morning and I know what the walk of shame looks like. They weren't playing patty-cake, you know?

Jake does know. And it hurts to hear, he can't lie. Elias, of all people.

Aiden said that they were just friends, but maybe... no. If there's one thing Jake knows down to his bones, it's that Aiden is loyal.

J: .. yeah. Well. It's been over six months, Kory. Aiden is single. He's allowed to date - or sleep with - whoever he wants.

K: Man, how are you so calm?

J: I expected this, at some point. I hate that it's Elias, of course I do, but they're friends. It makes sense. When he left, Aiden told me he didn't want me to wait. I knew that meant this might be permanent.

J: Why did you even come to tell me this, Kory? What were you expecting? For me to get pissed, or jealous?

Kory is feeling more than a little exasperated.

K: Maybe I just want you to move on! Stop carrying a torch for a guy who doesn't feel the same. Maybe never did.

J: Listen up. You don't know shit about me, or him, or our relationship. There is not a doubt in my mind about what we shared. You have NO IDEA what Aiden has been through.

If Kory wanted Jake to get angry, he got his wish, but not for the reason he expected.

J: This hurts like hell, every day because I loved Aiden. Still do. But I NEVER doubted he loved me too. I know what it must look like, him breaking up with me. 'Cause you don't know shit about him. This is what he needs. It's BECAUSE I love him, that I respect it.

J: Maybe you should stop sticking your nose in other people's business and focus on your own life.

K: Man, you are a damned fool. You just got blinders on. If you believe all that shit, why haven't you dated? They'd be all over you. Men, women, take your pick.

J: Because I'm not over him!! I don't WANT anyone else! Not everyone is the same. I need more time before I can even think about that. I'm focusing on school, football. MY dreams. You know what? Just leave. I don't need any more of your 'help'.

Kory has nothing more to say. As he walks away, Jake tries to calm himself. He's been doing well, but it hurts all over again. He had hoped that maybe he and Aiden might get back together, but... maybe that was a false hope? Maybe Aiden has truly moved on?

[call-me-maggie13]

Beatrice finds her on the roof, just beyond her window. Shannon’s dragged a blanket onto the shingles and she’s laying on her back speaking to the sky quietly. Beatrice can’t hear what she’s saying from here, but this feels private. She doesn’t want Shannon to think she’s lurking or trying to eavesdrop, so she wrings her hands and turns away.

"Oh, hey, Bea. What’s up?" Shannon’s rolled on her side looking at her, there’s no discontent, no malice in her face.

"Sorry…"

"For what? Oh, the sky? Nah, you’re not interrupting anything. Come ‘ere." She shuffles over and pats the space next to her, rolling onto her back and crossing her arms behind her head. Beatrice doesn’t move, waits for Shannon to repeat the invitation before slowly crawling over the windowsill and across the shingles. She sits beside Shannon on the blanket, follows her direction when she tells her to lie down.

She doesn’t ask. She still feels like she’s intruding, especially when Shannon starts talking to the stars again.

"This is Beatrice," she smiles and motions to her. "She’s kinda weird but I love her. Bea, say hi."

"Hi?" Shannon giggles and props herself up on her elbows.

"Did you know the light we see from stars is like a bajillion years old?"

"Bajillion isn’t a form of measurement but yes, I did know that." Shannon rolls her eyes and drops back onto her back.

"That means that we’ve yet to exist so every one of those stars." Shannon traces a design through the sky.

"I suppose. It’s more complex than that, but that presumption isn’t entirely incorrect." Beatrice has never understood a fascination with space. There’s enough wrong on our planet, why would we want to spread that across the universe? Why would we want to add the universe’s tribulations when we can’t handle the woes within our atmosphere?

"It’s more complex than that, but that presumption isn’t entirely incorrect," Shannon mocks. "What are you, ninety? Let me have this."

"I’m - "

"Don’t apologize, I’m teasing." Beatrice bites back the words and lets Shannon continue. "What I’m trying to say is, somewhere in the universe, there’s a point where all the people we’ve loved are still alive. Does that make sense?"

Beatrice shakes her head slowly.

"Okay so, somewhere, the star my grandma wished on when she was my age is just now receiving that wish. So, to that star, she’s still alive. She still exists. Does that make sense?" Shannon is sitting up now, legs crossed and hands waving as she tries to explain herself.

"Yes. It’s similar to what you were saying about the trees and how we’ll always be a part of them if we carve our names into the bark."

"Yeah. Kinda like that."

"Where’s this coming from?" Beatrice turns back to the stars, watches them shimmer and sparkle.

"When I was little, my grandma told me when people die, they leave little pieces of themselves in the stars. She said every star is a soul. So when I would miss her, she told me to talk to the stars and she would always listen."

Beatrice is reminded of her Yéyé, her father’s father. She remembers bouncing on his knee and feeding his koi fish while he promised her the moon. No matter where you or I go, we will always be looking at the same moon. He had sworn. Even when I’m gone, we will always share the moon.

Perhaps, he is among the stars too. Scattered around the glittering, glowing sky watching over her. Perhaps he is waiting for her patiently, always patiently waiting, with a mooncake and a smile. He would drop to a knee and ruffle her hair and offer her a hug. He would make her laugh and listen to her stories and tell her he loves her. He’d tell her he’s proud of her. Probably.

If he were still alive.

Beatrice finds herself wishing she could talk to him one last time, to tell him about her new home, about the girl who holds her hand after she has a nightmare, about the man who taught her how to bait and cast a line, about the woman who carefully bandages every scrape and kisses it better, about the dog that bounces and thumps his tail against everything when she comes home. Home.

"Talk to ‘em. Tell ‘em what you’re thinking."

"Who?" Beatrice watches Shannon roll her eyes in her periphery.

"Whoever you’re missing right now. The stars will pass along your message."

That, Beatrice knows is faulty information. Stars have no voices, they know no language, they have no more connection to the people she’s lost than she herself. They’re just giant balls of fire millions of billions of trillions of miles away.

"Dude, just try it, alright? Even if you don’t believe it, it’ll make you feel better to say it out loud."

Beatrice grimaces and wishes she hadn’t gone looking for Shannon, wishes she’d just gone to her room instead of searching for Shannon.

"Okay." Shannon shrugs and flips back onto her back, crosses her ankles and folds her hands over her stomach. "I’m gunna talk to my grandma though."

"I can go."

"You can stay, if you want." She doesn’t look away from the glittering sky, but Beatrice can feel her watching her. She lies back down beside her and Shannon smiles. "So anyways, Granny. We start school in like two weeks and I just know everyone is going to be talking about all the fun places they went and things they did this summer. But I didn’t go and do any fun things. I got Beatrice, but Aspen’s not going to care because she learned how to sail and Vera had her birthday party in Bora Bora and Solomon probably went to Europe again."

Shannon quiets, tilts her head and furrows her brows like she’s listening intently for a response. Beatrice’s chest burns when she realizes how much Shannon missed out on due to her arrival. She was supposed to go to summer camp. She had told Beatrice about the summer camp in a letter over winter break. She was supposed to learn how to water ski and sail a boat and ride a horse. She had been so excited.

"Hey, Beatrice?" Shannon tangles their fingers together, squeezes briefly before turning to face Beatrice. She hums instead of responding, fearing her voice might crack and give her guilt away. "I’m really glad you came here. My friends are going to say I had a really boring break and they’re probably going to say that my summer would’ve been better without you because I would’ve gone to camp with Aspen and Bora Bora with Vera. But they’re going to be wrong.

"This is the best summer of my life." She punctuates her statement with a wide grin and three quick squeezes of her hand around Beatrice’s.

Neither speaks after that. Shannon’s waiting for a response from her grandmother’s star and Beatrice is wondering when the world is going to crash down around her. It isn’t until Rich calls them for bed that either even moves again, Shannon helps Beatrice up and steadies her as she crawls across the shingles and back into the window.

Shannon gets a secret handshake from Rich and a kiss on the head from Martha for her tuck in, and Beatrice gets a hair ruffle and a tight hug. They offer to tuck her in, as they have every night since she first emerged from the depths of her room all those nights ago, but she doesn’t want it.

"You know where we are if you need us, okay?" Beatrice smiles and nods, like she has every night before. Martha waves and closes the door behind her, like she has every night before. They start down the stairs and, just before they reach the foyer, Shannon opens the door and climbs into bed beside her, just like she has every night before.

But, unlike every night before, Beatrice doesn’t fall asleep. She stares at the moon peeking through her curtains until her toes tingle and her fingers twitch, then she slips out from Shannon’s embrace and pushes her curtain back.

She gets it. At least, she thinks she finally gets it.

"Hi." She glances at Shannon to check she’s still sleeping, continuing once she’s certain she hasn’t awoken. "It’s me, Beatrice. Or… am I supposed to assume you know that? I’m not certain how this is supposed to work, forgive me. Regardless, I miss you."

She can picture his soft smile and the wrinkles around his eyes like a warm blanket, feel the callouses on his hands when he would take her hands and rub her knuckles, smell the wood shavings and varnish on his coveralls. He always had a gift for her, a tiny wooden animal he had carved in his workshop when he would think of her.

"I moved. Mother and Father didn’t - well - they sent me away. I wasn’t even allowed to tell you goodbye. I’m sorry." She sniffles and wipes away her tears roughly. "I live with a wonderful family now. Rich, he - he reminds me of you. He’s always smiling and telling jokes. And he often has treats for us when he returns from work. And Martha always has cookies for us. They do not compete with your mooncakes, but they are still delicious. And Shannon. Shannon is weird. She’s loud and silly and she doesn’t think before she does things and she can be merciless and melodramatic, but I think you would like her. She likes to draw and she holds my hand when I’m scared and she makes me laugh and she loves me. I think… I think they all love me."

She picks at a loose string around the ankle of her pajamas, twists it around and around and around her fingertip.

"Yéyé…" she rips the string off but doesn’t untangle it from her finger, watches her fingerprint taint red then blue then purple before tearing it away. "May I love them as well? Would you mind if I did? Because… because I’m nearly certain I love them also. They - they aren’t you. They never will be. But - I think they’re trying to be good to me. Despite how I am unworthy of it."

Shannon rolls over, pulls the duvet away with her. Beatrice smiles softly and rolls her eyes.

"I think - I think I do love them. I think I might…" Beatrice bites her quivering bottom lip as she turns back to the window. "I think I might love them more than Mother and Father. I know I’m not supposed to. But they make it so easy to love them, Yéyé. Mother and Father… they… they don’t even like me. But Martha and Rich and Shannon, they do."

Shannon was wrong. Saying it out loud doesn’t make her feel better. It makes her chest tight and her eyes burn and her hands shake. She squeezes her thighs into her chest and buries her face in her knees, bites back a sob and forces herself to slip back into that hollow, empty space in her head.

Nothing can hurt her here.

She’s empty when she goes back to bed. The curtains drawn and blankets stolen by Shannon. Beatrice has half a mind to take her pillow and a blanket from Shannon’s room and curl into a ball beneath her bed. But she’d promised she wouldn’t sleep beneath the bed anymore.

She doesn’t want to sleep. She fears the world will fall apart if she does. She fears her parents will have heard what she’s said and she will be called back to Europe to her empty room in her empty house with her empty parents.

She doesn’t remember falling asleep. But she does regardless.

Her dreams find her in front of the koi pond in her grandfather’s garden. The waterfall burbles and splashes, his chickens cluck and crow, his cat purrs and twines around her ankles. The sakura tree blossoms fall around her like snow and fill her lungs with an irreplicable sweetness. The sun shines bright and warm on her shoulders. She’s wearing the cheongsam she had worn his last Chinese New Years.

"You have grown quite a bit in two short years." She flinches away from the pond, confused when she feels the wind dance across her skin.

He’s behind her, warm and weathered and wrinkled as he was the last time she’d seen him except he’s not sick this time. He looks healthier than he had the entire time she’d been alive, softer and happier as well. He extends a mooncake to her, his calloused palms the same sandpaper she’d always known.

"Yéyé?" How? How does this feel so real? Has she died?

"You’re not dead, xiǎo yāojinɡ." He laughs and his eyes crinkle and Beatrice doesn’t have time to worry about how he knows her thoughts because she’s too busy trying to figure out how she could possibly be here with him. "You are just visiting. I called you here."

"Called me? Where - "

"Do not worry of the what’s and the where’s and the when’s. They are not important." He swats the air between them like her question is a bothersome gnat.

"Alright. Then how?"

"How are you here? Or how did I call you?" She takes the mooncake when he offers it again, takes a step closer to him.

"Both? Neither? I’m not certain." She doesn’t know which she wants to know more.

"Does it matter?" It doesn’t, she supposes. She shakes her head and he smiles again.

"Why am I here?" That does matter.

"Because I called you here." He knows by the tilt of her head and the lift of her eyebrow that his answer is insufficient. "I heard you."

"Oh." Back comes the burn of shame in her chest. The rush of blood in her ears. The sting of tears in her eyes.

"I’ve been watching over you. Your parents… they have not been good to you. I am not certain where I went wrong with your father, but he wasn’t always like he is now. I wish you could’ve met the man I thought I was raising, but that’s not the case." He strokes her cheek, collects the tears there with his knuckles. "Richard, he’s a good man. He is like the man I thought I was raising. And Martha is good too. They are good people, little Beatrice. You are allowed to love them."

"You’re not mad?" She looks up from her feet and into his aged, wenge brown eyes. She used to think his eyes held the secrets of the universe, that she would find the answer to every problem she could ever have if she just looked deep enough. They’re brighter than she remembers, like death has gifted him a light.

Perhaps it has.

"Why would I be mad? My xiǎo gōngzhǔ is finally being loved the way she deserves." She missed how his eyes crinkled when he would laugh, how they would disappear when he smiled too wide. "That Shannon, she’s good for you. Maybe she will teach you to laugh as well as talk to the moon."

"I said… what I said…"

"You love them more than your father and mother." Beatrice nods solemnly, drops her chin against her chest. "As do I."

"What?" Her father is his son. His own child. It doesn’t make sense.

"They are giving you something your own parents never offered, Beatrice. Unconditional love." He pulls her into his embrace. She tucks her head against his chest and is surprised to find no heartbeat. Of course he doesn’t have a heartbeat, he’s dead. She’s not certain what else she had been expecting.

"That family doesn’t care about the grades you get or the languages you speak, the ribbons your bring home or the instruments you play. They care that you laugh, that you smile. That you feel safe and, most importantly, loved. You could be a drug addicted school dropout and they’d love you the same as if you were the Queen.

"You are not worthy of their love because of anything you have ever done nor anything you could ever do. You are worthy of it because you exist and that is enough for them."

"How do you know?" He pulls her away, holds her by the shoulders so he can meet her eyes. People have always told her she has his eyes, she’s not certain she does because his eyes contain the universe while the most hers have ever held are tears.

"You aren’t the only person I watch over. I’ve listened to their conversations of you. I’ve seen how they have shown up for you. I’ve heard how they speak to you, so careful and considerate and kind. I’ve felt the unending love they have for you through the planes of existence.

"Your father? I have to love him. He’s my son, my blood, my heir. But Richard and Martha and Shannon? I love them for how they love you."

He kisses her forehead and she closes her eyes and when she opens them, she’s back in her bed, staring at the ceiling fan going round and round. Shannon leans into her line of view and grins down at her, hair still ruffled from sleep.

"Did you know you talk in your sleep?"

"Do not." Beatrice sits up and Shannon bumps their shoulders together before pushing her out of the bed.

"Do too, you kept saying yeahyeah or something. That’s not English, right?" Shannon drags her down the stairs, Beatrice doesn’t try to pull free like she has every morning in the past.

"It’s Mandarin." Shannon pauses on the bottom step to turn back to her, eyebrows knitted together and head cocked like a confused puppy. "It means Grandfather."

"Oh." Shannon shrugs and leads her to the kitchen where Martha is making pancakes. "Did you have a dream about your grandfather?"

"Yeah. Something like that."

Find more here!

I have been corrected! I should’ve used Yéyé instead of Zufu!

[pico-digital-studios]

How does it feel being stuck with Mr. Needlemouse, someone that embodies the ruthlessness of a cartoon character from the 40s/50s

Mr. Needlemouse: Hey, got another one over here! And it looks to be from my creator, too! Now, let's see... "How does it feel being stuck with..." Yeah, imma just toss this out-.

Mini Sonic: Hey, gimme that! We're not just turning down questions at random, especially not from a co-writer. Yo, guys! Got another question!

OMT!Mina: Sweet! Now, let's see... @mcgamejolter asks... Hey, that's one of the co-writers of our adventures. "How does it feel being stuck with Mr. Needlemouse, someone that embodies the ruthlessness of a cartoon character from the 40s/50s?" And a hastily-stuck-on "#ask the blur gang" as well.

D-Sides Mighty: You know, he's got a good point. How come we're stuck with this trouble-loving maniac?

Mr. NM: Hey! What was that about me?!

Mini Sonic: Yeah, no kidding. Would you believe he just told me to do the sacrifice to shut down Nega's energiser instead of being selfless about it like the rest of us?

Mr. NM: Look, I'd rather live on causing chaos back in my dimension than be stuck in a world where my abilities only cause humiliation! Ya can't fault me for not being selfless!

CR!Sonic: Being selfless is a core part of being a hero, Needlemouse. Even a cartoon should know that.

OMT!Tails: Alright, alright. Let's not cause any in-fighting right now. I kinda don't like having him strung around any more than anyone else here, though he's mainly here for the free chilli dogs, even if they might not taste the same as they do back home for him.

Mr. NM: Heard that one right! Am I a useless asset? Sure! Heroic qualities? None. But I'm loyal if you feed me, and I'll never leave you because... well, I need the food.

OMT!Mina: I mean, why couldn't we have had the Sonic from Dimension AO-1992 on board with us in our first quest?

OMT!Tails: Oh! What if Wacky was there with us on our first crusade?

Wacky: Oh?

OMT!Tails: Yeah. It would've made us a gender-equal ensemble right from the get-go!

Wacky: Remind me what the first multiversal quest here was about to me.

CR!Sonic: Simple summary; Eggman Nega built a huge device that catapulted five of us from other dimensions over to Tails's one. I wasn't inclined with being his mentor after all the stuff that happened in my universe, but I got time to think, and I wasn't gonna let that world go unprotected if Tails wasn't ready to protect it. Even if I did want to stay behind to do the act myself...

CR!Sonia: Woah... You told me about it at breakfast one morning!

CR!Sonic: Yep! That's the adventure I went on before you and Manik came into the world, my little adventurer!

Wacky: One journey before I joined the crew, heh.

Mr. NM: How come I wasn't invited to your second multiversal mayhem? I could've levelled all the guys easily!

Hog: My guess is that the wave never reached your dimension, what with it being all cartoon and such.

Wacky: And as for my end? The wave kicked out Bizarro from my body and meant I didn't have to keep my eyes shut to block them out anymore.

Mr. NM: Possession poschmession! Cartoons can't get possessed by supernatural entities!

EX!Alice: And do we have to remind you about the case involving Lilith Rose?

Mr. NM: Er, nah.

EX!Alice: Yeah, that's what I thought.

BK!Amy: Yeah, Adventures Sonic would definitely have made a great fit for the role if he could. Cartoon-like, AND has inherited some pain in his life before.

Nitro: Yeah, I got a message that he was considered for Ham's role before being swapped out with NM, for whatever reason.

Mr. NM: I got a contract to follow assigned by my creator first-hand. It's only fair!

Nitro: Eh.

Mr. NM: What? I'm here for a role, and I'm gonna fulfil it! Don't judge me for it.

CR!Sonic: As long as you keep causing chaos for laughs? ...Yeah, we'll judge you for it.

Mr. NM: Oh, come on!

CR!Manik: Let's cut this off here before things get more hectic.

CR!Sonia: Yeah. Thanks for the question, MCStudio!