#I’m gonna read this at least a billion more times

[hawnkoii]

RAHHHH I LOVE THIS SM

I READ IT LIKE 3 TIMES AUAHHE AND I HAD TO DRAW IT

THIS IS SO PERFECT AND I LOVE HOW AIZETSU IS JUST DOING HER TUTORING CLASSES JUST TO BE AROUND HER 💘💘💘💘

I love these couples so much AHH THANK YOU FOR WRITING THIS, IM NEVER GOING TO FORGET IT 💓💓💗💗💗💗💗💗 I’m going to go day dream about this fic now

^Aizetsu’s ass is NOT paying attention!! (He’s only paying attention to Mitsuri’s beauty)

Oblivious Crushes Ch1 Sekido And Aizetsu

Just wanted to write something cute and wholesome with the Quadruplets having a crush on oblivious Mitsuri. 

Just for context. If you didn't already know this is a modern au fic and obviously I'm NOT doing a Zohakutan x Mitsuri. This is just a funny what if idea based on the art by @hawnkoi / @hawnkoii on Tumblr. Kinda based within Kimetsu Gauken and will probably be ooc with the four main clones and short but screw it! Let's go!

I'll do a second part with Urogi and Karaku later. 

@hantengus-fuckass-clones

@hantenguclonesimp-minuszoha

"And you carry the two up above here and that's how you get the answer!"

Sweet pretty eyes looked on in obvious happiness from the two who were obviously staring at her with different expressions. Blue Eyes wide with flustered pink scattered about his face as the girl across from him held up the paper with the math problems scribbled all over it some solved while others were waiting to be used. However the blue eyes still stared at her for too long. Maybe at the way her green eyes sparkled like emeralds. Perhaps at how her pink hair brought out her cheeks. Or maybe it was because the receiver of her smile had an obvious crush on the art major. 

Those pretty green eyes blinked again as they didn't answer. "Aizetsu, did you not hear what I said?" 

.... Eventually the other red pair of eyes belonging to an identical brother reached out a hand to slap the other on the shoulder and jolted awake the staring idiot from his stupor.

"I-..Y-YES!!," Aizetsu squealed far too high pitched to his embarrassment. "I-It's pretty. Uh! I mean y-you're pretty- AH!! I MEAN IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE!! THAT'S W-WHAT I MEANT!" 

He quickly fumbled twice and attempted to correct holding up his hands, his face such a red it rivaled his brother's eyes whom just grumbled and facepalmed. However she was completely oblivious to his blushing stare or if she noticed his obvious flustered state, she didn't bring it up and only smiled understandingly.

"It's ok! I know you'll get it soon!" The paper fluttered and made a small noise as she placed it down on the table and scooted it over to him. "Let's go over it again! Pay very close attention to what I say this time. Ok?"

Aizetsu gulped but managed to nod and attempted to look at the paper, however it was hard when the pretty girl they both maybe had just the teeniest tiniest most miniscule of crushes on was literally a few inches away beside you. 

The other had to bite his tongue and keep his irritation silent from the jealousy of his brother gaining her full attention for the moment. He HATED it! It made him feel stupid and childish for having these feelings like a middle school boy upset his crush wouldn't notice him. He hadn't even intended for this to happen! It had just.. happened! It all started with just a small problem with a class. He wasn't ashamed to admit math was stupid and probably not his best subject. Many pencils had been snapped out of anger from staring at numbers and trying to figure out how they go together. It was Aizetsu's idea that he sign up for some of the volunteer tutoring the campus offered. It was stupid of course. He'd never admit he'd need an extra teacher like Karaku's bumbling self needed! ... But when you have a couple Fs staring at your face from the last few assignments, you get a change of thought. Aizetsu, probably pathetically pitying him, offered to go take the sessions with him trying to be supportive-

"I've heard of this one girl everyone's trying to get as a tutor. She's supposed to be super nice and smart so that must count for something. Right? I'll try to sign us up for her sessions."

The very thought made him grit his teeth, and of course leave it to Aizetsu to get them tutoring sessions with the dingiest most hyperactive girl in the universe! He was expecting someone so different. Maybe another teacher. An older student in their final year. Maybe one of them serious bookworm students. But no. When the two of them walked into the library after classes with books and pencils and saw a few other people already studying or browsing through the shelves of the quiet sanctuary-

"OH MY GOSH! HI!!"

"GAH!?"

Many people had turned hearing Sekido's yelp and a woman's voice chirp out loudly. She had literally come out of no where! A blur of green and pink literally bouncing in place startling him into dropping his books and making Aizetsu blink.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry!," she quickly apologized holding up her hands and frowning sadly, "I didn't mean to scare you. I always forget I can be so loud sometimes. Sekido and Aizetsu Hantengu right?" Both had just stared at her, looked at each other unsure, and then Aizetsu turned back opening his mouth but was stopped when she literally grabbed him by the hand smiling again and pulled him forward with surprising strength. "C'mon! I already have a few things planned out for you both!"

She just wouldn't be quiet! If they weren't working on problems then it was a constant stream of chatter directed to both of them. How her day was, asking how their day was, what did they like, her major- It never ended. It was like a whiplash. He wanted to quit then and there..But the looming threat of Fs hanging over his grades made him stop. Admittedly she was annoying but also admittedly she knew a lot of math so it'd be better staying and just ignoring the rest. In one month he was used to it. Wasn't much different than his other two brothers' constant chatter so he was able to drown it out eventually. Aizetsu kept coming even if he didn't really need the tutoring in support and all that...But by the third month he started to get suspicious. 

Why would he keep coming when Aizetsu was an A and B mostly student including in Math?? It made no sense. He already told him countless times before that he didn't want him coming anymore, and unlike their brothers, Aizetsu knew when to back away and respectfully give Sekido his space. Yet every time Sekido showed up to tutoring time Aizetsu was already there present and ready. He was so confused. He never asked on the off chance maybe he was wrong and maybe Aizetsu DID in fact need the extra help, and he never got in the way of Sekido getting tutored so it really wasn't a bother but the confusion was starting to annoy him. At least until the confusion turned into realization. Aizetsu's face turned either a shade of pink or red everytime she spoke to him or touched his hand. And it was only then that it hit Sekido.

Aizetsu. 

Had a CRUSH on their TUTOR.

It shocked him honestly. Unlike their brothers who dated around and himself who went on a few dates, Aizetsu tended to stay away from any relationships but now he was following this girl like a lost puppy. It annoyed him to no end!...But really it wasn't affecting his tutoring and honestly Aizetsu rarely if ever showed interest in anyone romantically so he'd reluctantly let it slide. Within the few months he was there, his grade went up to a D and almost to a C which would be passing enough to him. However Aizetsu still came. He honestly couldn't see why he was. She was nice sure. Always taking time to slowly explain things, bringing food for their long sessions, always talking to them about their day- And he guessed she was pretty. Long hair always in cute bouncing braids, bright emerald eyes, beautiful face- And he supposed her personality was bubbly, kind, cute, maybe a lot oblivious and talkative-...

The double realization a month later ran him over like a truck startling him awake and staring at the ceiling.

".....Oh gods no."

So now here he was, red faced and angry as she guided Aizetsu's hand along with a problem she was explaining. Pretty smile on her face. Both of theirs red. Until he just face planted his into the table with horried annoyance and embarrassment coursing through him.

"Don't be like that, Sekido! I'll show you how to do the next one. Ok?," she happily asked.

"...Yeah. Sure. Whatever." 

Gods help him at this.

[illusioncanthurtme--art]

im curious, why do you like fiddlestan?

i like them in theory (all the pain potential, jeez!) but i feel like i'm missing something very obvious

Oh boy, you’re about to open pandoras box with this one -

I’ve liked fiddlestan for a LONG time, almost a decade now, (EXHIBIT A!!!), and honestly, I’ll admit that the ship is mostly based on speculation. So maybe you’re not missing something obvious, maybe I’m just delusional. I can’t speak for everyone, all I can do is explain why I like it: because it’s deeply rooted in several layers of irony. 

It’s ironic because fiddleford spent the better part of a YEAR dealing with fords nonsense. (And I KNOW, it’s not all bad, but really, especially if you read journal 3, that poor man was put through a LOT. He was definitely taken advantage of, at LEAST a little.) And after grappling with the acceptance that your longtime friend and unrequited love will never return your feelings, having lost the man to some crazy otherworldly nightmare machine, who shows up?? But his TWIN BROTHER who’s HUMBLE and KIND and TEN TIMES MORE DOWN TO EARTH?? It’s ironic, because they don’t know each other, yet they both have years of history with the same person who’s wronged them, and, they can make out about it!! THEY CAN FUCK TO SPITE HIM!! Stan stole his brothers name (and committed multiple crimes under said name), stole his house, and stole his research partner!! And… it's ironic because it’s Grunkle Stan and old man Mcgucket. That needs no elaboration.

(these are all my personal takes/headcanons! Like I said, this ship is based solely on interpretation, so I’m sure a lot of fiddlestanners like fiddauthor too. There’s like a billion different ways to interpret this ship.)

Also -

Their personalities are surprisingly similar when you stop and think about it!! You put those two in the same room, and they’d come up with some highly devilish scams together. They both have moral codes that are a little… ambiguous. And… I can’t believe I’m gonna pull this out as *canon fiddlestan documentation* but these are the kind of crumbs we’re working with here: MABELS DREAM IN THE SOCK OPERA CREDITS!!!! Although it’s not something that actually happened, and it’s just a reference to statler and waldorf, they are IN CHARACTER!! I think this is how they would actually act together if they were friends!! Just two old dudes, hanging out together watching tv, making fun of whatever they’re watching. If you’re in the room, you might get roasted too. Just a couple of old farts. It makes me so happy to think about. 

No fiddlestan rundown post would be complete without the fandoms EXTREME STRAW GRASP at Old Goldie and the Flame Retardant Raccoon. Soos calls mcgucket a “prospector guy,” amongst the other obvious comparisons you can make between fiddleford and goldie. Goldie is something stan used to like a long time ago, but he’s all old and fucked up now, best to throw him away and forget about it. BUT, as it turns out, there’s still good in that old thing after all. SO LETS GET MARRIED IN VEGAS!!!! It’s an extreme stretch, but… It’s a fiddlestan trope that they, at some point, have a crazy night of fun+romance in vegas together.  And I personally like to think that they return when they’re older+happy and tie the knot for reals. The raccoon speaks for itself - it’s one of the ways you can compare stan to a raccoon. And of course, mcgucket's raccoon wife. 

This is where it starts to get a little angsty, and if you “get all the pain potential” then you may have already given this some thought - but why does stan treat fiddleford the way he does if they used to love each other? The whole “UGH, this guy” comment in land before swine, looking all uncomfortable around him in fight fighters, choosing the spot furthest from where mcgucket lotions himself at the pool, and the “possum breath” comment in the last episode (and fiddleford actually has the mental clarity to look perturbed after he says it). Stan is hurt!!! He’s upset!! If they used to be a Thing after the portal incident, something must have happened between them for fiddlefords mental illness to get the better of him, and for him to choose to erase both stan and ford from his memories. I, personally, think that it was deep rooted internal homophobia (being raised in the south, that runs deep), and being scared for getting too close to stan. They were getting too comfortable, and that scared him. What about his family? And tate? His son can never meet stan. He can never let his wife know. And all the paranormal fuckery incidents leading up to this that already weakened his mental state, the portal incident, already having zapped his brain a few times, would have sent him over the edge. So I’m thinking they would have gotten into a fight of some kind, and fiddleford would have stormed off. Thus leaving stan having to live in a town with the person he USED to love, who doesn’t remember him at all!!! What!!!!! That sucks!!!! Only upside to fiddlefords memory erasure is that it makes it easier for stan to pretend nothing ever happened. But it’s still not easy. Also, if word ever got out that old man mcgucket used to be his boyfriend, he would never be able to live it down. So he compensates by being an ass towards him. Fuck. 

But then!! If fiddleford has the chance to heal!!! (say… maybe… when the twins are on the stan o war II) then stan would come back to gravity falls and see fiddleford looking like the person he knew thirty years ago!!!! WHAT!?!?! CAN’T RUN FROM YOUR PAST FOREVER, CAN YOU!?!?! And you KNOW fiddleford would remember what happened with stan. How long can stan keep himself in denial?? And now we’re opening up the can of worms: how the FUCK does this information reach ford?? That your brother used to canoodle with your research partner and might STILL BE?? That has so much potential too. 

Ok I wasn’t expecting to write those last two paragraphs but it’s A BIG PART OF WHY I LOVE FIDDLESTAN!!! It’s a crazy fucking rollercoaster ride!!! This thing has so many angles!!! And that’s just MY fiddlestan interpretation - I’ve seen a lot of different takes on the sort of story that would transpire between these two. But no matter what you’re cooking, It’s always a LOT. 

There’s probably so so much I didn’t touch on here. If anyone else wants to throw in their two cents as to why they like fiddlestan, please, add something!!!

[alwritey-aphrodite]

Physical intimacy prompt “literally sharing a sweater” with Jamie? Like ur wearing a sweater and he’s all like “I’m chilly” and worms his way into ur sweater 🥹 thank u in advance i love ur writing so much

This was so fun, I hope you enjoy and thank you!!

Jamie had a few little quirks that made him ten times more lovely to you. His shoes and clothes were always organized by color. He had an extensive skincare display to go with his extensive skincare routine. There were certain foods that were reserved for before and after matches. One of his little quirks that you didn’t find quite as adorable was the fact that his house was always freezing cold.

It didn’t matter if it was 100 degrees or 0, his house felt like a frozen tundra. With the lack of air conditioning in England, you always wondered how his house managed to be so cold all the time, but you’d just assumed there was some sort of magical reason for it.

Whatever the reason, though, you always needed to keep a stock of sweaters and sweatshirts at his house, even in the middle of summer. At least you always had an excuse to buy more soft, oversized outerwear.

Today, even though it was the middle of July, you’d spent the day curled up in a large sweater, under a pile of blankets on Jamie’s couch. You’d started keeping some books at his place, and he had every streaming service imaginable, so even though Jamie was at training, you had plenty to keep you entertained while you waited for him to return so you could spend your evening together, just like you did most nights.

“Is this how you’ve been all day?” Jamie asks after he returns home to see you in the very same position you were in when he left early that morning.

“I read outside for a while,” you respond, pushing the blanket back to reveal your shorts as you pull the hem of your sweater to reveal a tank top. You’ve learned that it’s best just to layer, so you can be comfortable inside and outside when you’re at Jamie’s house.

He just smiles at you as he flops on top of you, not even bothering to bring his bag upstairs or make himself a snack.

“It’s fucking freezing in here,” he says, pushing his hands under your sweater to rest on your warm stomach.

“Oh, I’ve never noticed,” you reply with a voice dripping in sarcasm. You’d brought up your disdain with the temperature of his house no less than a billion times, but he always just dismissed you with a laugh and a “I’ve never noticed.”

Now, though, it was your turn to laugh as Jamie attempts to work his way deeper and deeper under your sweater, starting by pushing his arms the rest of the way inside the fabric before he tries to wiggle his head in too.

“Jamie, you’re gonna stretch it out,” you laugh, even though you know the sweater was big enough to fit you and Jamie and probably one other person.

“No, ‘m not,” he responds with a laugh of his own as he pushes his head through the neck hole, successfully wearing the sweater with you.

Jamie’s laugh was nothing short of infectious, and the two of you spend the rest of the night giggling together as you cuddled up in the same sweater.

[rubyfunkey]

Exactly one person asked me to share my thoughts on Leander so here's all the notes I've been taking and thoughts I've had since playing the demo a billion times (not all of these are polished thoughts some are simply just observations that i think might be important to understanding him)

- Leander seems to value information the most out of all the LIs

     - He is the only LI that asks the MC what they think about everyone

      - He asks the most questions

      - He repays the MC for their information by providing them with room and board

- Leander sways the MC's opinion

      - When discussing Vere, no matter what the MC says about him, Leander makes it clear that getting close to Vere is a bad idea, and that he is a very dangerous individual. Notably, he says "-but like any monster, he's dangerous." which seems to conflict with how he views Ais, despite both being monsters.

      - When discussing Ais, when the MC mentions that they met him at the Seaspring, Leander chokes on his drink. If the MC states that Ais was upfront, Leander asks if the price of the Seaspring's effects seem worth it, and implies that he views Ais's "red-eyed minions" as another form of pet that Ais keeps. The topic seems to upset him so deeply that he requests a change of subject. If the MC states that Ais was intimidating, his reaction is almost the complete opposite, almost pleasant, and the subject of the Seaspring drops entirely. When asked if Leander is afraid of Ais, he says not at all, and explains that he sees the two of them as rivals. The MC worries if being rivals with a monster is smart, and Leander downplays the seriousness of it, saying that Ais isn't a bad guy. To me, when paired side-by-side, these two interactions read as Leander trying to sway the MC away from the Seaspring, or maybe even Ais himself. His reaction to knowing that the MC is intimidated by Ais is casual and amused, because he doesn't need to say anything else about it; The MC is already scared of Ais. If the MC WASN'T intimidated by Ais when choosing to say the former option, they probably would have been at least a little more apprehensive after seeing Leander's reaction to the Seaspring's effects.

- When discussing Kuras, regardless of what dialogue option the MC chooses, Leander seems to think fondly of him, with the exception of his bedside manner. If the MC chooses to say that Kuras seems like a good person, they will then ask Leander if he believes that Kuras could cure them. When asked this, Leander's face will drop*, and he will pause before responding, saying that Kuras is good, but he's "only a doctor". If the MC states that they found Kuras to be cold, Leander heartily agrees, saying that "he never warns you when something's gonna sting, and he's stingy with the pain medicine too". His response to both options is mostly the same, what caught my eye was his reaction to asking whether or not Kuras could cure us. Maybe he has some bitter experience with the limitations of Kuras's capabilities, or maybe he just doesn't want to entertain the possibility of the MC seeking assistance from someone outside of himself. Considering his response to hearing that you visited the Seaspring while meeting Ais, I'm inclined to believe the latter.

*I’m not sure how reliable the sprite expressions are re: understanding character motivation, but I’m going to use them anyway. With a grain of salt.

- When discussing Mhin, if the MC chooses to say that Mhin seems lonely, Leander states that he believes that Mhin actually prefers things that way, and goes on to say that if Mhin wanted to be our friend, we would know. If the MC chooses to say that they find Mhin to be irritable, Leander simply agrees, saying that even paying Mhin for work can be a struggle. His responses while discussing Mhin aren't as foreboding, but they don't really need to be. Leander seems to shoot down any hope the MC may have of being close to Mhin, and if they don't show interest in befriending Mhin, then there's nothing more to say.

- Leander is "friends" with everyone, but has something to say about each LI that makes them seem unpleasant or even dangerous to be around

- Leander is the only LI whose silhouette is unaltered

      - "not all monsters are inhuman"

- When selecting Leander on the Choose Your Fate screen, the description reads: 

Leander offers you something that should be impossible: a taste of normalcy free of your curse. As the first person to withstand your touch, he could change your life, but some things are simply too good to be true.

      - When discussing the Senobium with Leander, Leander states "things that seem too good to be true are often just that". He then proceeds to offer himself as "something that should be impossible" for the MC, as the Choose Your Fate screen says.

- LEANDER is an ASSHOLE

      - During the scene where Leander is asking you to show him the curse, regardless of whether or not you hold back or choose to trust him, he will grab your hand to prevent you from pulling away. IF YOU CHOOSE TO HOLD BACK, his grip is tight, his face falls, he takes a deliberate step closer, and even reaches for the MC's throat causing the player to worry that they've just ruined him and are now going to get choked out for the second time that day as a result... He then smiles and says he's just fine. I've seen a few people stating that they believed this was the curse beginning to take effect before he managed to push it away, but personally, i think he was just being an asshole. Like, some small punishment for you not trusting him like he asked you to. A silly little guy moment. I hope he chokes

     - When first mentioning the Senobium to Leander, his face falls, but he doesn't immediately comment, instead he continues to drink, ignoring the fact that his Bloodhounds have begun verbally accosting you. He only speaks up and snaps at them once he notices you're looking. The first couple times I read this part, Leander's response seems uncharacteristically snide in comparison to how he acts for the rest of the demo, which is NOT me saying he's been written inconsistently, it is me saying he is fake as hell. I hate this dude

- He seems genuinely concerned when asking the MC if they're alright after their run-in with the roughneck. When he asks them if they'd like a drink, he orders the same as them regardless of what they choose. He doesn't do this when you first meet him, he orders beer regardless of your choice. I don't know if this is important to my research. Compels me though

- "Acquaintances are merely friends you haven't shared a drink with yet" -Guy That Has No Friends

Here is a small list of things I believe I could confidently conjure some bullshit out of upon further research (or with enough imagination):

- The Bloodhounds' motto (As Above, So Below)

- Leander's earring. Maybe.

- Leander's quote, "They [flowers] don't last long, but they leave an impression"

- Another quote, "There are solutions to every problem, and alternatives to every solution"

- The ouroboros on Leander's Kickstarter charm

- The fact that Leander likes masquerades and hates sleep

Here is a list of things relating to what the other four LIs think about Leander that caught my attention:

- Literally everything that Vere said

      - Vere either has history with Leander that neither of them have talked about (unlikely given how "subtle" Leander was about his relations with Mhin), or Vere is able to read Leander in a way that the others either can't or don't make known to the MC. Vere clearly has sharp senses and sees through the MC like they're made of water, I'm not sure if this is just a thing for the MC but it could probably be assumed that he sees things in Leander that we can't.

- Ais' comment about Leander's resolve

- I could pretend like something Mhin said re: Leander interested me, but I don't think there was any deeper context to their words other than the not-at-all-subtle feelings of forced-down affection and open annoyance. Love Mhin though

- My thoughts on what Kuras had to say are similar to Mhin's, he seems to be fond of Leander and didn't have much untoward to say, unless you count what he said about the company that Leander keeps

I have no idea what's going on with this man. I believe that he may be involved in some harmful magick-y malarky that is having unseen and horrific effects, or maybe he's simply a charismatic manipulator whose personality is just as monstrous as his peers. I have silly little theories but I would be very shrimpterested in hearing what other people have to say.

TLDR; there's something WRONG with this man and I will be spending the next two years crafting a version of him in my brain that is almost certainly dead-wrong but goodness won't it be fun

[dame-zoom-a-lot]

Boba

For @steddiesmuttyseptember week 4 Prompts: breeding kink | slap | loud | vibrator

Tags: Breeding kink if you squint, Soft Dom Eddie Munson, Brat Steve Harrington, Brat Enabler Eddie Munson, Weird Biology, Human/Monster Romance, Monster Eddie Munson, Monsterfucker Steve Harrington, Getting Slapped with a Dildo Beta: @stervrucht Inspired by the podcast section in Lydia135's "if you need me, let me know, gonna be around". The entire series is so GOOD. I was knocking the 'brat enabler' concept around in my head after reading this section and I hope I've done it some justice. Rating: E Ao3 Link

“How does this even work? You literally can’t get pregnant?”

“Look,” Robin sighs deeply. “It’s not about actually getting pregnant. I can’t even keep a plant alive. Why the fuck would I ever want to be a mother?”

“Then what is it about then?” Steve asks, nose wrinkling. “And why do you need this… squirting thing?”

“It’s about the fantasy!” Robin exclaims. “It’s about thinking about getting changed. It’s just… it’s hot ok? Eddie! Back me up here!”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought I was in time out for stating correctly that breeding kink is just normal sex,” Eddie says from the couch, carefully lifting the page of his book with his knuckles to avoid tearing the paper with the sharp claws he has now.

“Ugh, talk about hypocrisy,” Robin says, lightly rapping her knuckles on Steve’s head. “You have a stabbing kink!”

“And? At least with my stabbing kink, I actually want to get stabbed. Right babe?” Steve calls out to Eddie.

Eddie wiggles his talons, grinning delightedly.

“Ugh, you’re perfect for each other. Never break up. Keep that shit contained from the population.” Robin presses her fingers to her eyes. “We are going to discuss this again when I’ve had more time to articulate my correct position. But, the point is, you have to get this with me dingus. I need the discount!”

“Can’t you just get all your girlfriends to buy one each?”

“We’re going to share,” Robin pouts. “And I’d have maybe ten dollars in my bank account after this and that’s with the group discount.”

“And you want me to enable you to buy this expensive-ass breeder dildo?”

“Yes! As you should! As my best friend!” Robin gestures so hard that she knocks her water bottle over. She bangs down on the the table for good measure. Eowyn the husky makes a deeply aggrieved huff and leaves the living room, making as much noise as possible. “See?! Eowyn agrees!”

“Eowyn just thinks you’re being loud and annoying,” Eddie says. “But, Stevie, darling, Birdie’s got a point. Who are you to deny her highness her fated sex-toy fueled bankruptcy?”

“Are you serious Eddie? This thing is like eighty dollars!” Steve sputters.

“Please Steve pleeeeease?” Robin begs.

Steve is getting assaulted by puppy dog eyes from both the side (Robin) and the back (Eddie). There’s only so much he can tolerate. He sighs. “Alright. I’ll get this stupid thing with you. But when you end up moving in with us because you can’t make rent, I’m going to tell you I told you so like a billion times.”

Robin squeals and kind of crushes him into the table with an over-enthusiastic hug.

Eddie throws him over his shoulder and marches him into their bedroom the moment Steve gets home.

“Eds, baby, what,” Steve wiggles, trying to find some sort of balance. “At least let me wash my face first, you menace.”

“Dude. Lay off your routine for one day,” Eddie insists. He throws Steve on their bed. “You’ve got to see this. It’s here!”

“What’s here?”

“The breeder dildo thing Robin made you buy with her?”

“Oh, ok?”

“Did you forget Steve? It’s only been a few weeks!”

“I didn’t… I didn’t know you actually wanted to use the thing,” Steve says laughing. “I thought we’d give it to Robin once she realizes it’s kind of gross to share a toy between partners.”

“Well, I did want to use this thing, my light, vanimelda,” Eddie pauses to lick up and down Steve’s neck. He jumps off the bed to grab something off the drawer. “And it’s here!” Eddie probably meant to hand Steve the toy. But he’s so excited that he kind of chucks it at Steve. The thing bounces off his face to land on his lap.

It’s not like any dildo he’s ever seen before. It’s vaguely phallic, sure. But it looks more like some sort of tentacle. A tube runs through the middle. There’s a pouch attached to the end of the tube. Some sort of a switch and dial dangle off the dildo itself. The pouch is full of some sort of liquid. Steve squeezes the pouch and whatever was in there gets pushed out the toy. It’s more of a sad dribble than the ‘squirt’ the ad promised, but it’s something.

“Ok, so the pouch is to squeeze...the eggy cum and that’s what’s coming out of the dildo?”

“Yep, yep,” Eddie nods.

“And what’s the… dial for?” Steve tries twisting it. He jumps back when the thing whirls to life, spraying fake cum everywhere. It’s loud.

“It’s a vibrator,” Eddie says with a glint in his eyes.

“I see that.” He feels it too. The vibration travels up his inner thighs right to his balls. The wetness feels pleasantly sticky. He was dubious before, but he isn’t anymore. Steve shifts a little and moans. Eddie giggles and pushes the vibrator harder into Steve’s legs right below the crotch.

“Do you see the vision now my love?” Eddie croons. “I’m going to get you nice and open with my tongue while this thing is vibrating against your cock. Then I’m going to put it inside you, still vibrating, while you fuck me. Does that sound good? Would that please you my dearest? My preciousssss?”

“Yes, please, all of that, minus the Gollum voice.”

“Alas, I see that I’m too far ahead of my dear Steve, but one day you’ll see the full vision.”

“Munson, I swear to god, if you make me picture fucking Gollum as I cum—”

“That would hardly be the weirdest thing I’ve done to you so far,” Eddie says, gently tracing the vibrating toy up and down Steve’s inner thigh. “Now, let’s put our hard-earned dollars to use, shall we?”

*********

Steve is on his back, wrists and ankles tied to each other on either side so he’s held open. His hair is still wet from his shower earlier. He has his blindfolds on. He can hear Eddie moving around him, taking his sweet time, occasionally licking him.

“Eddie. Please,” Steve gasps out. He’s been hard for so long it’s getting kind of painful.

“Please what babe? I thought you wanted to get all nice and cleaned up and ready? Weren’t we taking our time?”

“I just wanted to get the work gunk off of me! Not permanently lay splayed out like this!” Eddie laughs. Steve feels Eddie’s palms go up and down his belly. He writhes around, humping at nothing, trying to get any kind of friction on his poor sobbing cock. Then Eddie finally, finally, scratches down his side. Steve moans loudly. “Yes, please, that, again.” He hopes it’s bleeding.

Something soft and slimy slaps him hard on the face. The slime runs down his cheek. Steve pokes his tongue out as far as he can to catch and taste it. There’s something soft and bubbly in it. Steve keens and works his tongue, trying to work more of the thing in his mouth. He wants to swish it around, play with it, figure out what it’s reminding him of. Why does it make him feel so much hotter and worked up?

“Awww Stevie, you just wanted a good cock slapping?” Eddie croons. Something sharp, probably Eddie’s claws, pricks into Steve’s pecs. It hurts just right.

“Yes, yes. Again. Please.” Steve pants. Eddie slaps him with the toy again on the other side of his face. Then the thing gets shoved right into his mouth. Steve can feel Eddie’s cock rubbing against his. Steve sucks the toy hard, mewling. He’s pretty sure he’s drooling all over the pillow. He can feel the toy’s weird custom lube running off his cheeks onto the pillow as well. Laundry’s going to be a bitch. But it’s hard to care about that right now. Eddie’s soft fur rubs against his side. Eddie’s claws at his jugular, holding him in place. And there’s something delightfully slimy and squishy leaking into his mouth and out the side. Why is he getting so hot and bothered by the texture?

Eddie leaves the dildo in Steve’s mouth and moves away. Steve wiggles and whines, blindly looking for Eddie.

“Just a second love. Just a second. Gotta get to your pretty hole,” Eddie says with a reassuring pat on Steve’s exposed belly.

The bed shifts as Eddie moves off the bed then back on. Eddie’s tongue prods at Steve’s asshole. Steve can’t talk–there’s a leaking silicon tentacle in his mouth. Instead, he lifts his ass as much as he can to communicate that Eddie’s tongue should have been in Steve’s asshole yesterday (well, it was there yesterday, but that’s not the point).

Eddie’s particularly messy today. The slobbering, schlep sound of Eddie eating him out is driving Steve insane. He accidentally bites down hard on the very expensive dildo to. Fortunately, the thing holds. A training bead joins Eddie’s tongue, then two. Steve starts pumping his ass against Eddie’s tongue because he needs something bigger than just anal beads and tongues in there now. Eddie sputters and laughs.

“Ok, ok my liege. I did promise,” Eddie tries to pull the toy out of Steve’s mouth. Steve knows he should stop sucking on it. But it feels so good now that he’s gotten used to the silicon-y smell and taste. “Steve, baby, I can’t put this in you if you won’t let me take it.”

Steve keeps sucking.

“You want to keep it in your mouth?”

Steve shakes his head, whining.

“You want it up your ass?”

Steve nods, sucking even harder.

“So no take, only plug?” Eddie’s hands shake. He’s laughing so hard.

Steve knows he’s being impossible. But it tastes so good.

“What if,” Eddie says, running a knuckle up and down Steve’s taint, sending little jolts of pleasure across his inner thighs. “What if, I replace the dildo with my cock, and you can suck me off while I put the dildo up your ass and make it vibrate?”

Oh, that sounds perfect actually. Steve finally lets go of the dildo so Eddie can pull it out. He can’t resist giving it a little suck on its way out. Just a little one, as a treat. There’s a loud pop when Eddie manages to extricate it.

Steve smacks his lips, missing it in his mouth already. Eddie gently eases the toy up his ass. It goes in easily. It’s shorter than Eddie, but much thicker. The novelty of this new type of stretch almost sends Steve over the edge. He flexes his thighs, determined to last at least until Eddie gets his cock into his mouth.

Eddie eases himself in, and it’s heaven, being filled both top and bottom. Steve runs his tongue up and down Eddie’s cock, paying special attention to the sensitive scales that run along the side of Eddie’s dick. Eddie bucks a little, then hisses an apology. Steve can’t tug him deeper into his throat since his hands are tied, or tell him to buck harder, since his mouth is full. He tries to send the message anyway by bobbing his head as much as he can. Eddie gets the message and starts thrusting hard.

Then the dildo up Steve’s ass starts vibrating like Eddie promised. But in Steve’s defense, he was a little distracted by Eddie’s delicious, bumpy cock hitting the back of his throat. Steve almost clamps down on Eddie’s dick in surprise. Eddie squeals when he feels the beginning of Steve’s teeth. Steve manages to right himself.

“You good?” Eddie asks, giggling a little hysterically. Steve nods.

“Not gonna bite my dick off?” Eddie continues. Steve shakes his head.

“Not gonna bite my dick off even if I turn up the vibrations?”

Holy shit. He’s already so close, and he could have sworn that the vibrator was at its max setting already. It’s ripping through all of him from head to toe. But he’s not going to back down from a challenge. Steve opens his mouth wider and loosens his jaws, getting ready the best he can. He shakes his head.

Through the power of love and some other minor miracles, Steve manages to leave Eddie’s dick intact in his mouth as Eddie turns the vibrator up, and up, and up. He shakes with the effort of keeping the dildo inside; of not biting his boyfriend’s cock off. The toy is so loud it nearly drowns out Eddie’s grunts and moans as he chases his own orgasm up and down Steve’s throat. Steve feels perfect, like a thing made to take and give pleasure. He comes at the thought of being used and at the spurt of Eddie’s cum down his mouth. Steve swallows, relishing the slimy texture and the little squishy bits that pop in his mouth. Oh.

Eddie pulls out in a rush when Steve starts choking and sputtering. Steve howls with laughter as soon as his airway is free. Fuck oxygen. He needs to get these feelings out.

“Steve, Steve, talk to me. Did I break you?” Eddie sputters, laughing with Steve now that he’s sure Steve isn’t about to die from choking on his dick.

“No, no, it’s just…” Steve works his jaws. He sounds wrecked. He definitely feels like it too, loose around both his mouth and his ass. Words take so much effort. “I was trying to figure out why that dildo’s custom cum thing felt so nice.”

“Because it’s slimy and wet?”

“Yeah, but it’s also got like… little squishy bits in it.”

“Oh, what? Eww,” Eddie wrinkles his nose.

“No! It’s like eggs! Like tadpoles!”

“You’re really not selling the appeal here Steve,” Eddie says, gently untying Steve’s right wrist from his right ankle.

“Well, your cum’s like that, so,” Steve says, using his freed hand to stroke Eddie’s side.

“What?!”

“Babe, did you not know?”

“Oh, oh my fucking god. I’m never coming down your throat again. No, more than that. I’m doing a celibacy pledge. I’m a monk now. Stevie, you’ll never have to deal with my squishy cum again.” Eddie stops untying Steve to hide his face behind his hands and fluffy hair.

Steve finishes untying himself and tackles Eddie. Eddie squeals as Steve kisses him all over. “Eddie, if you really want to be celibate for the rest of your life, I’ll stay celibate right with you,” Steve says between little pecks and caresses. “But! I’m so into your cum. I’d guzzle it down any day. And judging by how many people want this dildo, I’m not alone.”

Eddie blushes. “You mean that?” He asks quietly.

“100%. You’re perfect. This was lovely.”

“Can I deal some psychic damage though? I thought of something while you were pulling me away from the brink.”

“Ugh, way to ruin the moment.” Steve pouts. “Alright, shoot.”

“So, you said this payload is a lot like my cum right?”

“Yes, and that’s why I liked it so much. Because you’re hot, and smart, and beautiful. I love how everything with you is so different, and this thing reminded me of that and—”

“Right, right! I’m assured now Stevie. So assured. But let me get to the point.”

“Ok?”

“Robin and her harem are all going to be breeding each other using my cum,” Eddie sings out. He cackles when Steve pelts him with their slimy, drool-soaked pillow.

[jinx-420]

Summer fling

Summary: Your brothers childhood friend joins your family’s annual summer beach trip, nothing has changed between you two…right?

Warnings: brothers bsf Abby x fem reader, gets a teeny bit smutty, this series is gonna be kinda slow burn, smoking weed, Abby calls reader princess like a billion times. this isn’t proof read so it’s kinda shitty.. 😧

“Why do you even need so many bikinis, I mean cmon..there’s like forty in here” your bestie friend Kira says as she watches you pack your suitcase.

“A girl needs her options okay!” You said rolling your eyes adding an additional bikini you just found in your messy closet. “Im ganna be so lonely without you here I think I’m ganna die of boredom” Kira complains once again about your annual 1 month long summer beach trip your leaving for in the morning. “Let’s just FaceTime every night alright ? I’ll let you know if there’s any summer flings over there” you say struggling to zip up your overfilled suitcase. “Shit dude try to help me out here” you add on while your zipper still doesn’t budge. “I’ll sit on it and you zip it” you say as you sit on the suitcase. You put all your weight down as Kira pulls the zipper one way as hard as she can, which leads to the suitcase slipping from under you. You let out a little yelp as you land on the floor. “Ohmygod I’m ganna pee my pants” Kira manages to say while wheezing .

Just then your older brother, Jordan bursts in the room “Ohmygod can y’all be any louder me and Abby are trying to finish our summer project so we don’t have to during the trip” you could barely even process what he said from the ongoing laughter but then finally registered what he said. “wait what ? Abbys here? And she’s coming on the trip too ? Y’all haven’t hung out in years and plus mom said only family” you said questioning him but also giving your friend ‘the look.’ “Yeah we have been hanging out like we used to again and yep mom practically thinks of her as a daughter” he says before leaving your room. “Hmm maybe Abby will be the ‘summer fling’ I’ll be hearing about” Kira starts teasing you because if there’s one thing about Kira, it’s that she knows you more than you know yourself. “Oh shut up even my brother just said she’s practically family that’d just be weird” you said putting your focus back on the stubborn suitcase to cover your slightly flustered face. “Mhm” Kira says raising her eyebrows before joining in once again to help zip up your luggage. “Tada !” You say as you finally get the zipper to close all the way.

———————————————-

“Dude it’s 2:35 AM you have looked over the project like a billion times, I’m pretty sure it’s good enough” Abby says while smoking a joint on Jordan’s bed. “Ok fine, now gimme that” Jordan says as he puts his hand out while submitting the assignment.

“Dude you know what I just realized.. I haven’t seen your sister in like years” Abby says with red slanted eyes. “First off, you look absolutely gone right now, second she’s literally right across the hall if you want to invite her to our little movie night and third she hasn’t even changed that much” Jordan says in between hits. Abby agrees to his idea and takes the joint from him while he sends you a text asking to come in his room. “Alright now we wait for the gremlin to arrive” Jordan jokes a bit while scrolling through his Instagram feed.

Abby was mid hit when you walked in wearing only a small tank top and sleeping shorts. She could barely recognize you because the last time she remembers seeing you, you were just a tween. Of course Abby wasn’t expecting the same kid she knew before but cmon.. you looked like a fucking model. her eyes drifted down your body to your hardened nipples poking through your tank top and your plush thighs make her instantly cough on the smoke she was inhaling “fuck” she said, mid coughs. Jordan laughed a bit at Abby coughing on the weed (at least that’s what he thinks she was coughing from) Abby let out one final cough before looking back at you to see your eyebrows raised at her then to jordan. “I’m ganna get dressed real quick I kinda forgot you were here” you say with a nervous giggle to Abby hoping she didn’t see the redness on your cheeks or any sign of panic in your voice. As you turned around to exit his room Abby couldn’t not check to see if your ass has grown as much as your other body has and holy fuck, she thinks she might pass out.

“I thought you said she didn’t change a lot bro.” Abby says with her jaw on the floor. “I mean her hairs longer I guess” jordan says shrugging like having a goddess as a sister was nothing. “Yeah whatever you say” Abby’s says still completely flabbergasted. “Yo imma go make some popcorn downstairs for us real quick, you pick a movie on Netflix or something” jordan says before heading downstairs. As Abby turns the tv on to look for a movie, you walk in once again but this time wearing a hoodie to cover your chest and the same little shorts. “He went downstairs to get us popcorn so we can have a movie night” Abby says when she sees your eyes looking for Jordan. “Oh alright sounds fun, we haven’t done this in years” you say sitting down on the bed next to Abby leaving a few inches between you both. “Yeah last time we did you were a little kid” abby said laughing with you “oh shut up were literally only three years apart you were basically a kid too” you say defensively. Abby puts her hands up in the air in a surrendering motion and you both laugh a bit before you talk again “you look so different..” your eyes trail to her muscular build. “You think I look different ? I could barely recognize you if it weren’t for your face, you still kinda have a baby face” she says teasing you with a smirk. “I’ll fight you, watch it” you say cheesing reminiscing on how you always use to play around like this when she slept over. “oh yeah? Hm I wonder who will win” she says sarcastically, turning her body to face you completely, her muscles flexing in her hoodie as she laid her body weight on the bed. She noticed you go quiet while staring at her thighs “y/nnnn..” she said chuckling tilting her head to try to catch your attention again. You realize you were staring too long and the blush went back across your face for what felt like the billionth time today as you look back at her to see she was staring at you with those same old eyes you always swooned over. “I- uh..” you start as you direct your gaze to the pillow on the bed. you could barely speak let alone hold contact with her as she kept staring at you like that. “Youu what, princess?” Abby teased calling you the name she always use to call you as kids. The way you two were positioned had Abby slightly over your body which was sitting against the pillows. You finally get the courage to hold eye contact with her again and you take in each others appearance, you were staring at her with doe eyes that could make Abby go insane, and Abby slightly towering over you, staring at you with droopy eyes and a lazy smile. “You get my sister high or something?” Jordan barges in with popcorn and a few drinks. Both you and Abby slightly jump away from each other. This was nothing than like when you two were kids. “Uh no but it’s about time you shared with me” you say grabbing the joint from Abby, trying to break some tension from before. “Help yourself” she said with her eyes lingering on you smoking longer than she could control.

“Scoot” Jordan spoke up as he sat on the bed next to you, pushing you and Abby together. “What movie are we ganna watch, Abby ?” Jordan spoke again looking at Abby. “Oh uh I was kinda in the mood for a classic movie or something..” Abby put the idea out there for any recommendations. “How about fight club that’s always a good one” you say after brainstorming for a few seconds. “Ooo I fucking love fight club hell yeah” Abby says with wide eyes and grabbing the remote.

————————————————————

“How is his ass already asleep it’s literally been half an hour since we put the movie on” you say in shock as your brother snores in a deep slumber next to you. “We should definitely pull a prank on him later” Abby says laughing with you. “Oh definitely, I’m thinking a finger in warm water trick yea ?” You question Abby as you look between them both. “Sounds like a plan” Abby agrees with you and faces towards you to put her hand out and shake yours like you two made a deal. Your eyes lock on her biceps flexing against her hoodie as you shake her larger hand, yours feeling awfully small in hers.

As you two still were hand in hand, Jordan stirs in his sleep and ends up in a position that takes up half the bed, leaving you to smoosh yourself into Abby’s side more than before. “Sorry I don’t mean to take up your space but he’s being a hog” you say a little awkwardly and Abby looks down and smiles saying in a slightly raspy voice “all good princess, just like when we were kids”. You blush and innocently snuggle into her side a little more. Just as you thought your brother couldn’t cause anymore problems, he threw his arm over his head in his sleep, and in the process of doing so, he knocked his fan; the only source of air conditioning in the room, off the bed and onto the floor with a ruckus.

“Fuck this better not be broken or it’s ganna get hot in here” you said getting off the bed to try and fix the fan. You grunted in frustration when you realized that there was no saving the stupid broken fan. “Here lemme see it” Abby says coming up behind you with her hand on the small of your back, making you internally scream. She has her share of a struggle with the fan before giving up as well. “Welp it can’t get that warm in here, right?” Abby questioned you with a hint of worry in her voice. “You’ll see for yourself” you say as you strip yourself of your hoodie, Abby watching your body (specifically your tits) the whole time. “That’s better” you say with a sigh and hopping back into bed. “I’ll take your word for it then” Abby says as she follows your lead and takes her hoodie off as well, leaving her in a black wife pleaser. You assumed that Abby’s arms would match the rest of her toned body but Jesus Christ. You couldn’t snap your eyes away from her biceps, noticing the veins in her arms made you go weak and even as she stood infront of the bed following your gaze on her arms, you still couldn’t pull your eyes away. “Take a picture it’ll last longer” she said with a little chuckle. “Uh… sorry you just look a lot different” you tried to play off the fact she caught you basically eye fucking her. “Just a little muscle is all” she said humbly as she got into bed next to you and joining you to continue the movie. Even though Abby had a nonchalant facade going on, your braless tits pressed against her side had her going fucking insane. Her heart was racing and she was hoping to god that you couldn’t hear it thumping in her chest. The movie was the last thing you two were worried about and had both of your minds wrapped around each other.

You wondered if Abby really lived up to her childhood nickname, abs, and your eyes drifted down her body to see a slight imprint of her toned stomach. You internally fold once again at the sight alone. You were fully convinced that Abby was sculpted by a god as your eyes check her out sneakily while her eyes stay focused on whatever the hell is happening on the tv. As you finish making your own mental movie of Abby in your head, it was Abby’s turn to get another peek of you herself. Although fully knowing you would notice her checking you out, one look couldn’t hurt right ? As her eyes carefully flickered down your body, she herself was convinced you crawled right out of a wet dream. why did you have to get so fucking fine? Abby thought as her eyes scanned every inch of you.

First her eyes focused on how you had one leg poking a little further out than the other so the side of your hip was sticking out a bit, then she noticed how your tank top had ridden up your stomach a little bit leaving a slant of skin exposed. As she made note of every little detail of your heaven sent body, her eyes made the mistake of looking at your face. You were already looking in her eyes with a blush on your checks and Abby swears she almost had a heart attack from the way you were looking up at her. “Thought I was the one with a staring problem” you teased her like you weren’t just staring the exact same way she was.

“Kinda hard not to stare when you’re looking at me like you want me to fuck you” Abby says in a raspier voice than usual. You were caught so off guard from Abby’s words your mouth was just left agape as you struggle to find the words to reply. “Relax, I’m just teasing you” Abby says with a blush across her face and trying to play off the fact that she wants to spit in that open mouth of yours. You laugh a painfully forced laugh as you shift from your position a little bit, needing to relieve the unbelievably intense ache in your pussy.

After what felt like the longest hour in a half of your entire life, the movie was finally over. (not like you would have known if it weren’t for Abby sitting up a bit) As you stretched your arms you felt yourself tired, you decided it was finally time to go to sleep.

“Hey abs I’m gonna go to sleep now alright?” You said to her as you got off the bed and grabbed your hoodie off the bed. “Sure, I’ll see you in a few hours then goodnight princess” Abby said as you made your way to the door “just come wake me up if you need anything” you said as you slipped out the door quietly. As you got to your bedroom the crisp air from your A/C unit instantly gave you goosebumps, you went to put your hoodie back on only to be met with a more than pleasant aroma of Abby. Her hoodie ? Shit.

You contemplated on giving her it back but the second you put it up to your nose to smell it once again, you knew your answer. She smelled like pine and a little musk and you swear if you didn’t get on your bed just then, your knees would have gave out. Your mind replayed the events of the night as you fell asleep curled up with her hoodie.

——————————————————-

A knock at your door woke you up. You let out a weak groan and they opened the door. You opened your eyes slightly to see a strong figure in the shadows. None other than Abby. “Hey abs” you say with a still weak and sleepy voice. “Hi sleepy head” she said as she stepped closer and closer to your bed. “Whatcha doin” you ask as you sit up a bit on the bed. “I just couldn’t resist my princess” she said before smashing her lips into yours and pushing you back into a laying position. Her strong body pressing you down against your bed. Your pussy was aching so bad you started to grind a bit against her. She was so close to you, you could smell her again. As you two made out, her tongue started to enter yours and you happily welcomed her tongue in. Abby pressed a little deeper into you and the friction from you grinding against her was becoming too much. You were whimpering pathetically against her mouth as you sped up your desperate humps against her. Abby pulled away from the kiss and started to suck and nibble in the crook of your neck. “Cmon baby cum for me” she said a little muffled. Just as you reach your climax, you hear your morning alarm go off. Shit. As you slowly open your eyes the first thing you notice is your tired legs which just so happens to have a certain piece of clothing in between them, Abbies hoodie. “Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck” you repeated as you realized what you had just done. You take the hoodie out from your legs and feel the soaked material of your panties. “Shit” you say as you try to hurry to your bathroom to shower. You get dressed quickly after your shower and into a comfy t shirt and shorts. You try to decide on what to do with the whole Abby hoodie situation but decide it’s best to just act like you didn’t know that you took her hoodie last night.

As you step outside your room with her hoodie in your hands you take one last smell of it before entering your brothers room. The sight you were faced to see was much more pleasant than you could have imagined. Abby was sleeping like a baby, with her body curled up a bit and her head resting on her inner arm. You couldn’t help but feel a little guilty about her hoodie but figured it would be best to just try to forget. You placed her hoodie on the end of the bed and located your hoodie close by. You quickly grabbed it and made your way out of the room to finish getting ready for the day.

——————————————————-

“Can you go inside and get your brother and Abby?, we’re all packed and ready to go” Your mom said as you both finished packing the car. You agreed and quickly went inside to get them both.

As you entered the kitchen to see Jordan and Abby finishing eating breakfast, you notice Abby’s adorable sleepy appearance but more importantly she was wearing the hoodie. Your eyes linger on her like they always do but you manage to snap yourself out of it. “Uh mom said we’re ready to go, just waiting for you two” you say and go upstairs to get some pillows and blankets for the ride. You turn all of your lights off and double check you have everything before you make your way outside once again. Your mom was shutting the trunk and getting into the driver seat.

“Guyssss can I get the front seats so I can sleep for a bit” Jordan asked with his best puppy dog eyes.

You realized that means that you would sit with Abby in the back of the car the whole trip. This was definitely going to be interesting, you thought. “Fine, it’s better in the back seats anyways” you say with an eye roll as you and Abby both climb in the back. “Here” Jordan says tossing your pillows and blankets back to you so you two could get comfy. Once you were satisfied with your little car ride setup you got your phone out and texted your best friend Kira, knowing she would finally be awake by now.

“sos”

“Oh no did sum happen w Abby?”

“How’d you know..”

“Yk I’m an empath girl”

“Whatever.. I may or may not have had a wet dream about Abby last night and she may or may not be right next to me in the car rn…”

“WHAT.”

“Ik. She’s wearing the hoodie I just so happened to use..”

“why would you use her hoodie?!”

“IT WAS AN ACCIDENT”

“mkay girl.. all I have to say is goodluck! (And lemme know when y’all finally fuck)”

“Kira.”

“Ttyl ! Love you 😘”

While you were busy texting about the eventful night you had, you hadn’t even noticed Abby wearing shorter shorts than usual, showing off her mouth watering quads. Fuck, you thought. Why did you have to sit next to her?!

You could already feel your panties getting wet and growing annoyed at the affect Abby had on you without even trying. Just trying to let it go, you tried to comfy yourself in a position but nothing seemed to feel right. Abby took notice of this and had a little rush of confidence as she leaned in “you can sleep on me you know, I won’t bite..unless your into that” she said looking deep into your eyes and chuckling a bit at your flushed expression. “You just love messing with me don’t you” you say under your breath. “You know it princess” she says with a wink.

You roll your eyes and give into her request as you lay your head down onto her lap. The only thing stopping you from falling asleep in that moment was the fact that your face was so close to her clothed pussy. After a few minutes on her lap, her hand comes down to your head and her fingers start to run through your hair. Your eyes almost rolled to the back of your head at Abby’s little antics. If there’s one thing Abby remembered from your childhood, it’s that you always loved your hair being played with. Even when Abby first braided your hair for you, she noticed how much you relaxed into her touch. And all these years later you hadn’t changed one bit. She felt you relax even more in her hands and tried to ignore the fact that her pussy was aching worse than last night. In your half asleep half conscious state, you don’t have the energy to think before you slip your hands around Abby’s waist and finally get lulled to sleep like a child.

[sonnetsoncanvas]

Mess it up : pt 3

Summary: Years ago he had let you go for your own good. But this time, he isn’t sure he can

Part of the Mess it up series

Pairing: brother’s best friend rock star Bucky x fem reader (Steve’s sister) (dual pov)

Warnings: modern AU, angst, second chance, eventual smut, brothers best friend trope, implied cheating, self-deprecation, happy ending?

Inspired by: Mess it up by Gracie Abrams

Notes: This is the first time a fic has made its way from my laptop to the internet. So please be kind and do leave your feedback. Happy reading!

 

Chapter 3: I keep thinking maybe if you let me back in

Reader POV

Life was not fair. Never was to you. But that never seemed to faze you. if anything, that made you more resilient. Unafraid. Unbothered. Living in that small, noisy Brooklyn apartment, with a mother who worked herself to death trying to provide her children with a good life, a brother, the literal personification of sunshine, being picked on and bullied, tending to his bruises when he thought nobody’s looking.

It made you realise that the world is a dangerous place. It eats up those who stand unprepared. And so, you steeled yourself. Made yourself the most fearsome creature to behold in any room you entered. Your biting wit, your sass, you sharp intellect made you attractive to some, unappealing to many and untouchable to all.

There was only one who dared to play with the fireball that was Y/N Rogers. Only one for whom your guards went down. After all, if Steve trusted Bucky with his life, you could trust him with your heart. Right?

Turns out you couldn’t.

“This was supposed to be a temporary thing” he’d said.

“Do you really think I’m gonna take you home to my mother ? tell her you are what I want the Barnes legacy to continue with?” he’d sneered.

“Its time you go back to your dreams, and let me get on with mine.” He’d offered.

You never should have.

Bucky POV

Life was hilarious. Or at least it started seeming that way after years of neglect. He had everything a child could’ve wanted. All the toys in the world, the most expensive apparel, all the amenities a person could dream of. But the one thing he lacked was love. Pure genuine love.

His mother, The Winnifred Barnes of the upper east side, knew how to give birth to heirs, but did not have a clue about raising a child. Growing up in that negligent household, amongst people who were nefarious for being social climbers and gold diggers, little James soon realized that the only worth he has comes attached to his name. that no one would care for him if it weren’t for his billions.

But he was proved wrong when he met a lanky blond boy of Brooklyn at the music camp. It was there he shed the expensive cloak of James Buchanan Barnes and donned the dirty sneakers of Bucky. It was through Steve he recognised his own significance, that he could be something more than the well-groomed showpiece his family was expecting him to be.

And then he met you.

And it felt as if all his prayers had been answered.

You weren’t like Steve, not one bit. You were this fiery, self-assured human who could scorch the world with her brilliance. Unlike Steve, you were pragmatic. Unlike Bucky, you knew who you were and where you wanted to be.

And he fell for you. hard.

He borrowed some of your bravery, some of your light, and formed the Avengers with Steve, Sam and Wanda. He wanted to make something of himself to deserve you. to earn the jackpot that was your love.

However, for bucky, it seems happiness is always a temporary tryst. He tends to forget that.

Skiing was his passion. One of the many trappings of his privileged life that actually he enjoyed. It was the same passion that completely changed Bucky’s life. But unlike you, for the worse.

It was his own fault. No one else to be blamed. Had he heeded the weather warning, he wouldn’t be on that slope. he wouldn’t have been caught in that blizzard. He wouldn’t have lost his left arm.

When he regained his consciousness, the first face he saw was yours, streaked with tears, anguish in eyes.

You came there every day, sometimes under the pretence of dropping something for Steve, who refused to leave him alone, sometimes to fill in for his absence. The better bucky got, the more hopeful your eyes grew.

You’d altered everything to fit Bucky’s schedule. You worked late nights so that you could visit him in evenings after school, stopped going out with your friends to be with him instead. There were times you pulled an all nighter just so you could turn in your assignments on time.

He saw it all. The dark circles beneath your eyes, your tired face, the endless cups of coffee. It should’ve pained him, but the thought that you were there, to love him, to hold him, brought endless solace. and so he selfishly held on to you.

Until one day, Steve told him about your college acceptance letters.

“She got into Harvard Bucky! My baby girl in Harvard. Just think about that.” A hint of pride glimmered under his annoyance, “But she refuses to go. Says she cant leave Ma and I alone.”

“what ?!” Bucky had asked, guilt gnawing at him

“I mean Columbia is a decent school, but Harvard law?! It doesn’t get better than that. How far is Boston anyway?...”

Steve’s voice blended into the voices in Bucky’s brain. He knew the real reason behind your hesitation to go to Harvard was him. He remembered how excited you were when your adviser had confidently proclaimed that she is Harvard material.

And you were willing to let that go. For him.

Instead of joy, Bucky felt trepidation. Fear. Was this love? Or pity? Is this how the rest of your lives will be? You leaving things you love for his sake? And how long before you resent him? Hate him for all the opportunities you’d let go of for him?

How could he ever live with himself, knowing he was the anchor that was holding you back?

Bucky had resigned himself to live his life with his situation, but you didn’t have to. You , perfect in every way, intelligent, so beautiful that his heart ached.you should be with some one who deserved you. not him. Never him.

And so James Buchanan Barnes did something that was somehow more painful than ripping his heart out.

He let you go.

Reader POV

you woke up with a heavy head. It felt a lot like jet lag, except that it wasn’t. one did not get headaches by travelling from Boston to New York. One did, however get headaches after crying all night. Which was what you did last night.

It was embarrassing. Pathetic even. You thought you were over him, and all that it took was one glimpse of his to mess you up. You had a Suma cum laude from the most prestigious law schools in the world, scored job offers from the most esteemed firms, made grown men cower in front of in courtrooms, and yet, were drowning in a puddle of tears over a high school boyfriend.

To be fair though, your only boyfriend. After he dumped you, you swore off men, while he went on an array of affairs with so many women you lost count of it. The tabloids had always had a sweet spot for him. “The heartbreak prince” indeed. Its only that the prince did the heart breaking, not the other way round.

You ambled out of the bed and cleaned up. It was hours before your usual time, but well, its not as if you’re getting any sleep now, is it?  Its better to get some coffee for your pounding head. Your interview was tomorrow thank heavens. There was no way you could’ve done it today.

A clattering of utensils startled you. there’s no way Steve was up this early. Your confusion was immediately clarified as you came across the very bane of your existence hunched in the kitchen.

You tried to turn back and leave as noiselessly as you could. You cannot endure this so early in the morning. You’d rather go out to get coffee, there must be some place open at the ungodly hour. Its New York after all.

He turned that very instant, as if he could sense you. his beautiful blue eyes widened as he took you in, as dishevelled and disoriented as you were. After a long minute he shifted his gaze from your face, looking everywhere but in your direction.

You were beginning to suspect that God was punishing you for all your years of antagonism.

“I was about to leave.”

His voice, his goddamn voice. Your heart had always been ready to race out of your chest and beat to the rhythm of his speech. It was ready to do that now.

Had human beings been able to survive without a heart, you would’ve had yours surgically removed ages ago. Stupid, bloody organ always getting you in trouble.

a wave of guilt hit you as he started for the exit. He had done the same yesterday, leaving moment you guys entered, Sam dragging him away to help him do something you don’t recall. He returned after you went to bed, whenever that was. And now this. It felt wrong that he was uncomfortable in his home. It wasn’t his fault that you weren’t over what he called “a seasonal distraction”.

“stay” you rasped; your voice too low to be heard. You tried again. “Stay, James.”

He stilled. Stood frozen on the threshold long enough for you to wonder if he’d fallen asleep standing up. And then he turned. His eyes full of something you were scared to decipher. The silence was too oppressive, even for you.  

“we both know this would happen. We’re both adults, we can co inhabit a space without it imploding” your head was about to implode though, and not from the headache.

“yeah, right. Youre right.” He mumbled, still sticking by the door, which was a good thing because you needed coffee, and you were sure you couldn’t function properly with him in close proximity.

You turned towards the fancy coffee maker, which was far more advanced than the old spluttering relic that you had in your dorm. You fiddled with the buttons, trying to get it to work.

“here, let me.” He said, the low raspy baritone that made you shiver. You hoped he thought it was the morning chill.

He skirted around you to get to the counter, and yet his subtle smell plagued your senses. He turned the shiny knobs easily with his right arm, putting in a new filter and placing a cup near the nozzle.

“you still take your coffee black?”

The question, innocent at its core, jarred you. your ex remembering a small detail about your from years ago was not on your bingo card, but there you are.

“uh I umm, yes.” You internally cringed at the fact that you, the mock trial champion, was stuttering. He nodded slightly and continued.

“How can anyone like something like this?!”  he gagged, sliding your cup over to you.

“that’s what you get for taking a sip without my permission Barnes.” You smirked, snuggling in his outstretched arms, ready to resume his favourite movie that you honestly didn’t understand. All you cared for was spending time with him, even if it was hidden in his apartment.

“Atleast add sugar to it doll. Its too damn bitter.” He coughed.

“I like it bitter.”

You jerked at the small beep from the machine. Your eyes involuntarily went to his, only to recognise the same surprise there, as if this conversation took him to some other. the very thought of it gave you hope, and hope, you’ve realised over the years, is the most dangerous thing.

You hastily grabbed the cup, too eager to end this interaction. His presence was triggering emotions you have avoided for too long.

In your hurry you toppled the cup over, its blistering hot content pouring out. But before you could feel the burn, a shiny metal gripped your wrist and tugged you away. You staggered and stumbled forwards, bumping into his chest.

It was you who froze this time. too incapacitated by his smell, his body, him to move. You felt him draw in deep breaths, his heartbeat audibly speeding up. you stayed there for god knows how long.

It was he who withdrew. Because of course it was. You regained your composure and jumped back, frightened by the comfort that had washed over you in that moment.

“Thank you.” you gasped, and bolted out of the room right that instant.

[machinesonix]

Okay with Dune 2 being mostly about messianic philosophy and the next one probably even moreso, I wanna talk about what I see as the BIG MESSIANIC PICTURE behind the setting, or at least what I believe it to be. There's going to be spoilers in here, but they're not going to be anything you're going to see on screen in this trilogy.

I'm gonna start off by highlighting something that might not be totally obvious at first glance. There are two completely different prophecies Paul finds his terrible purpose in. The Kwizatz Haderach is the ‘ultimate human’ envisioned by the Bene Gesserit who will have an enhanced power of prescience because he can project the Other Memory through both the X and Y chromosome and free humanity from its animal nature. The Lisan al-Gaib is a myth planted in the Fremen culture by the Bene Gesserit in case the Sisterhood ever needed to control them. The big tldr is that Bene Gesserit training involves a lot of learning through observation, so their kids tend to learn things so fast it looks like they already knew them and they pass that off as a miracle. 

I think it’s pretty obvious we’re supposed to find this Kwizatz Haderach thing pretty sus. The disciples of this prophecy are themselves purveyors of false prophecy. Paul certainly doesn’t believe he’s the Kwizatz Haderach, and that’s because he knows he’s not the Lisan al-Gaib. But he does wind up ticking the boxes. He does in fact survive the Water of Life ritual despite his sex. He is indeed uniquely prescient because he can see both sides of the Other Memory. Thing is as we move forward into the books that are not getting movies, we’re asked to reinspect this because of all the other Kwizatz Haderachs.

Brian Herbert gets kind of a raw deal because he didn’t have his father’s writing chops, but we’re comparing him directly to a person many consider to be the greatest science fiction author of all time. What he did have is a deeper insight into his dad’s setting and philosophies than anyone else, so miss me with any mess about which books you don’t consider canon unless you’re ready to go all Council of Nicea with me. Anyway, a really prominently weird thing that loses a lot of people is that Paul’s kid is a worm. He’s not born that way, he basically does the Water of Life ritual in the middle of a bunch of pupating sand worm larvae and comes out of it as a big worm with a human head that can produce spice in his own body. Leto II claims that he’s the Kwizatz Haderach, and to be fair, he is way more of an ‘ultimate being’ than his dad. People worship him not as a prophet, but as a god. Paul brought revolution to the universe, Leto II brought peace. It’s the peace of a godlike tyrant who can read minds and punish dissidence before it happens, but as long as we’re comparing people to their dads it's not like he started a race war that killed 26 billion people in the name of ‘justice.’ 

You may have heard Duncan Idaho winds up being the real Kwizatz Haderach. If you remember that gimp suit beetle thing in the first movie, the Harkonnens and their Tlelaxu buddies take dead people and turn them into sort of clone-zombie servitors called gholas. I’m not making any promises, but there is a real possibility the third movie will have Jason Momoa in a gimp suit, because Duncan is the best ghola. The second Duncan Idaho, bearing the edgy mid-century sci-fi moniker Hayt, is a gift from the Tlelaxu to Paul after his rise to power as an ostensible ‘we’re sorry we helped the Harkonnens kill your entire family.’ If you’ve seen the 1984 Dune movie you’ll know that the Duke of House Atreides keeps a pug. What you might not know is that it’s been the same pug for 10,000 years by virtue of genetic xeroxing. Once Leto II takes over, Duncan becomes the new house pug. Duncans serve as mentats, swordmasters, philosophers, and more over millenia of incarnations. Eventually one of the Duncans gets slammed with all the memories of the previous Duncans and he’s got this totally bizarre version of the Other Memory where he can remember all of his ancestors' memories, but his ancestors are also himself. Thereafter he can run like the Flash and fistfight robots and people call him the Kwizatz Haderach. Like I said, Brian’s books are petty controversial among fans.

Also the reverse-Bene Gesserit wind up making a Bizarro Kwizatz Haderach at one point but he’s just prescient enough to see that there isn’t a future where he isn’t just a washed up fraud. 

Now let’s put it all together. I think the core philosophical study at the center of Dune is the question ‘What is a messiah?’ And like any great work of art it really is more about the question than the answer. Our three Kwizatz Haderachs (I’m not gonna count Thallo, he’s more like an allegory for Joel Olstein) propose some possibilities. Paul is the guy who ticks all the boxes. His messianic status is descriptive, not prescriptive. He isn’t actually the guy the Bene Gesserit thought it was going to be, so that notion of predestination is gone, but if the Kwizatz Haderach is ‘the man who can use the Other Memory,’ then he’s it. He and the people around him knew the prophecy and chose to lean in that direction, he got 

Leto II is the closest thing to a divine manifestation that fits in this universe. He is literally in the body of one of the unstoppable forces of nature the Fremen venerate as their protector. He calls himself ‘God-Emperor’ in a setting where every man, woman, child, face dancer, and thing in between is raised on the principle that there is a monotheistic creator deity and that deity wants humanity to flourish. Everyone who didn’t believe in God got killed by robots ten thousand years ago. By insisting on literal religious worship of his political station, Leto II is seriously making some waves. Imo this is sort of like an extreme example where the question is more like ‘Is this what it takes before you’ll call someone the messiah?’ Even then, the fact that this dude is definitely NOT God in the way this setting understands it casts aspersions on the idea of a visibly supernatural force being inherently divine.

Finally, Duncan is a total freak accident. He is the ‘perfect human’ because he has been iterated on and improved over and over again, but he has nothing at all to do with the Bene Gesserit breeding program. Thousands of years after the Fremen uprising, when everyone thinks the Kwizatz Haderach is ancient history, there’s this guy with super powers. Unlike Paul, there’s no prophecy to suggest he might be the Chosen One and no decision to lean into the mythos surrounding it. The idea of iteration is really important with Duncan. Pardon the unflattering comparison, but there’s something kind of Heglian in how perfection is an inevitability as long as someone keeps stirring the pot. 

I would argue that aspects of all of this are present in the first book. Leto II and Duncan are just deeper explorations of some of the questions posed by Paul. And if I’m to wrap this all up with a neat little bow, I think the point of it is that they’re all totally valid Kwizatz Haderachs. ‘Kwizatz Haderach’ are just words. For ten thousand years, there was a description of a thing and nothing existed that fit that description. There was a plan to create something that fit the bill, but we got a guy who could do the miracle even when we went off script. At that point it just seems like a semantic argument. Likewise, Leto II is pretty much God. He’s immortal, he sees all things past and future, his body produces and feeds him the chemical that puts him in that trippy oneness-with-everything. He sure as fuck isn’t what anyone was expecting God to look like, but it’s pretty much theologicially bankrupt to be like ‘Excuse me, something isn’t the universal superbeing unless it’s exactly what I already had in mind’ even if people do exactly that all the time. If the 400 meter single worm-boot fits, as they say. I’m not exactly how to make this sound as serious as I mean it, but Duncan as Kwizatz Haderach is basically like Brian Herbert shoving the pile of Korans off his desk and going ‘Fuck it, look.’ This guy’s got nothing to do with the Bene Gesserit. He has the genetic memory of his masculine ancestors, but you probably couldn’t get away with calling it the same thing Paul does in court. Half the reason he gets called the ‘perfect human’ is the sentiment expressed by ‘Oh dawg, Duncan, bro, he’s the realest, most human out of any of us.’ He is just called the Kwizatz Haderach because that is the language that exists in the culture that is closest to what he is. But you know what? Same with Paul, or Leto II, or even the Joel Olstein guy I mentioned. 

Prophecies don’t predict saviors, they make them. Chani has a line in the new movie that’s something like ‘Promise them a messiah and they will wait forever,’ and I think that’s Dune boiled down to its most essential notion.  

[spidereggs888]

Miguel’s new secretary ooh-la-la

(lol /j 💀)

Miguel O’Hara & y/n, any gender or non gender. Very casual writing style. TW Dark humor, dangerous situations, 18+. Y/n are sorta attracted to Miguel (why else would you be here?) but he doesn’t know you lol

This is a loooong read so make sure you have time or something. Also, there’s an illustration in the middle of the chapter! Enjoy

≋≋≋≋≋≋≋≋≋≋≋≋

MIGUEL & YOU

ACT 1 | ALGORITHMIC LOTTERY

It's the year 2110.

You are maneuvering through traffic in a sputtery fashion, the lifter problem in your engine getting so bad it almost sounds like you got rocks under the hood. The podcast is going on about alligators in Nueva York sewers.

“Couldn’t be more wrong,” you mumble, “there’s CROCODILES in the sewers, not alligators.”

You aren’t looking forward to this interview. How the heck did you manage an audition for office secretary to the CEO of Alchemax?!

“I don’t know,” you say aloud to your other self, “but if I get the job, Imma upgrade to a better ride than this heap of Maglev shit…”

But there’s other bitches who want this position. Two of them you are aware of: Syd and Brody. Syd is a real suck up who will say any damn thing to get the position. She out-groveled you and got the lead PR accounting job you wanted. Suck-up Syd is what you call her around your friends. Brody on the other hand is opposite; he thinks he can strong-arm his way into anything and he pretty much has. He’s kicked people down, screwed people over, and there’s a rumor he filed a sexual harassment charge on his friend Ashton just to get the promotion before Ashton could.

These two skanks are gonna be tricky, but that’s the least of why you loathe this whole thing. You also heard that Miguel O’Hara is a hard ass. When he came into power a few years ago, he immediately fired the former secretary for talking about his father in a positive light. Then he proceeded to chew and spit out people who ever had the misfortune of being in that job position.

“Or maybe they just cut their losses after raking in half a billion,” your friend Speshall guessed the last time you seen her, “they prolly couldn’t take the heat for that long so they waited until they were set for life then said something stupid on purpose to get him to let them go. What a retirement plan! To work for the sexiest man of the year then have him berate you on your way out!”

She was always like this.

Anyway, now your car is not being validated in the automated parking center.

“What the HELL?!”

“Sorry, your credit has been declined.”

“Oh fuck me-“

You fumble your lanyard of data sticks. You are looking for the green one, which has a small amount of credit you procured from test playing phone games. You lean out of your car window to bring the green stick drive near the wireless reader.

“Sorry, we cannot accept credit from online gambling. Please use another method of payment.”

“Oh fuck you!”

≋ ≋ ≋ ≋

Now you are walking. You had to park where they don’t give a shit about where your money is from. Alchemax is trying to create a good precedent by not accepting dirty money, but Alchemax, as far as you know, does dirtier stuff for pay. Why the hell is “gambling money” any different?!

Scowling so hard, you almost didn’t notice there’s some douchebag trying to walk close behind you. He probably saw the lanyard of data sticks around your neck, so you fluff your scarf around until they are covered.

“I don’t have any money, muh guy” you say in your heaviest Nueva York accent along with this generations lingo.

“Oh I’m not afta you. I was tryna tell ya there’s this otha weirdo following ya. I’m tryna group up here.”

You know better than to look back. That’s what this fucko wants you to do. He’s probably a flasher, so you walk into traffic.

“Hey that’s dangerous, yo!”

You don’t listen. Cars flying past is not as scary as going up to see the freakin CEO of Alchemax.

No cars hit you, so now you have to face reality. You walk into the Alchemax Business Bureau building (one of hundreds), and wave your ID at the receptionist in the lobby. The receptionist is preoccupied with a lady who has one hand on her hip and the other holding out a holo watch. It’s projecting a screen with a giant hourglass animation flipping over and over.

“I don’t know why it’s so hard to get a damn cup of coffee around here, I just don’t!”

“C’mon it’s not necessary to bring security here, ma’am.”

He remains standing behind his desk and grimaces at you. You really need to get him to validate your ID so you won’t be stopped by security, so you pull up your phone and say to the woman, “you want some coffee coupons for Dunkin Donuts?”

“What?”

You open your savings app and hastily air-swipe several coupons to her holo device like someone flicking bills at a stripper. She stops to look at them.

“A regular frap for half off? Oh woooow, how- will they really honor this?” She asks.

“Yeah! It’s good for two more days, so you may wanna hurry over to the kiosk at the west end.”

“Really?”

“They sell all brands of coffee, they’ll honor it.”

“Well, nevermind, then,” she says curtly to the receptionist as she turns her shoulder away, “Didn’t want hours-old coffee anyway.”

She turns on her fancy heel and trots away. You grin stupidly at the receptionist who rolls his eyes and snatches your ID card from you. He swipes it near his card reader then flicks it back without a word.

After a nod, you swiftly leave down the lobby to the elevator area. You round the corner and see an open elevator closing. It's the only one since the other two are under construction. You rush forward as fast as your legs will allow.

"Wait wait WAIT WAIT!"

The doors are closing and you see the face of Suck-up Syd with her smoky eyes and faux fur capelet. She smiles and does nothing as the doors close.

"Shocking typical," you grumble. But you know where the other elevator is. You take off to the other end of the building for the second set of elevators.

You make it onto the elevator with two other people, some white chick and an Indian dude. The lady sees your pass.

"Going for the secretary job?" She asks.

"Yeah."

“Me too. If I don’t get this, I’m going to jump from this building,” the lady jokes.

“If I get this, I WILL jump from this building,” you add.

“Either way, it's gonna be job security for the custodian department,” the Indian guy says. All three of you chuckle politely.

The elevator lets more people in. You check your phone. You are fucking late by 20 minutes, but so is the lady who wants this job or else. You assume it would have taken a while anyway, since there was about 15 people going in for this very same job. Could it be you?! Could you land this job?! What if your mom was wrong?! And what if O’Hara says yes? What if you are set for life?

The final floor of this elevator is reached. You wobble on your way out. The lady doesn’t move.

“Actually, I can’t do this. I’m going home.”

The elevator doors close and she goes back down. You hear a faint byeeeeeeeeeee as the elevator descends to lower levels. You pay no heed and follow the Indian man into the massive hall.

There’s already chaos. One guy is being escorted out of the lobby by his shirt collar, and he's spouting obscenities. Some lady had dropped all her paperwork and she’s too numb to pick it up again. Two ladies near her are sarcastically wishing each other luck, one of them is Suck-up Syd. She looks 10x more desperate today with her tight-fitting outfit and belt buckle the size of a plate. Her overly fake smile gives you no esteem or hope. You almost sit but realize there’s barf on the chair.

Okay, surely everyone is overreacting in here.

“Man I’m not scared at all. There’s a trick to facing down Alpha males,” says a guy who you didn’t ask.

“Ah, cool.” you say through a grin. It’s Brody. You don’t even have to see him to know he’s there with his overwhelming presence of snobbery.

“See, as a Sigma male,” he continues, leaning on the back of the barf chair to talk to you, “I don’t adhere to the Alpha’s orders. That’s how the pack survives! One guy is an outlier so like if the Alpha fails in his role as leader, the Sigma will show by example and the rest of the females and Betas will follow him-“

“BRODY!”

You and Brody see Ashton in the doorway you came from. Ashton beelines across the room with his briefcase raised high. He brings it down on Brody with a loud clunk and they grapple and exchange blows. You go ahead and sit down perfectly still.

"Oh my GOD!" Suck-up Syd muses. She only sees this as two less competitors. You wince as the men start yelling obscenities at each other in their struggle. The guards who took out the last guy come back in and see this happening and they both huff angrily.

"Next!"

"Ah, that's me!" Syd says, “you guys are welcome to leave, I probably got this in the bag.”

She gets up and thrusts her capelet onto the lobby assistant.

.˳˳.⋅ॱ˙˙ॱ⋅.˳ ˳.⋅ॱ˙˙ॱᐧ.˳˳.

Four hours pass. Brody and Ashton were escorted from the building, those bozos didn’t even get an interview, but it was funny watching Brody get dragged down to hell by a demon he wronged.

Suck-up Syd walked out in tears and a forced smile. You felt bad for making fun of her in the past. She’s just kinda desperate and a little pathetic. You assume groveling doesn't work on the boss.

Other people came and went swiftly. The cheerful Indian man from earlier left looking surprised at his failure. The lady who dropped all her crap earlier apparently already had an interview and was reeling from her bad luck. You understand their disappointment since being chosen for this position was like winning the lottery, except you don't know if you won or not.

“Next!”

Your stomach twists but you refuse to be like them. This is just a job. You’ll be answering phones, emails, and possibly even mailing some dry cleaning. No big fuckin deal.

You thank the lobby assistant but she ignores you and walks away. She is just doing her job. She looks very tired of everyone else’s shit and is probably glad it's over. You walk to the elevator where the second to last person is taking baby-steps, talking on his phone with someone nursing his wounded pride. That could be you in a minute.

I'm probably not gonna get it either, you think, but I'm going down with some dignity.

You work yourself up as you step into yet another elevator, this one glass paneled. You stare across Nueva York as you ascend, contemplating your future. So what if you don't make it? You will simply fall back to your job and go about your life. Your mom will say she's right about the invitation being a fluke. You will go back to paying off debts and supplementing your food budget by testing mobile phone games during work hours and before you go to sleep. You see your own reflection, no longer as young as you used to be, and you sigh.

The glass doors open behind you. You walk through another set of foggy glass doors. Despite your self pep talk, you are still not looking forward to this. You've seen pictures of Miguel O'Hara before; over 6 feet tall, wide shoulders that could support an ox yoke, and a presence so large one would think he could go toe to toe with Godzilla. How will the interview go? You imagine fire. You expect a demon sitting behind a black marble desk in the darkness, a horrendous mob boss wearing Scarface attire, spitting fiery facts and passing cruel judgment, his horns ascending at the heavens with searing indifference and contempt for mercy. You expect a fax machine in the corner that will print out your death.

This is not what you see.

There he is, in this meager temp office sitting behind a tiny desk covered in empty water bottles. His shoulders are wider than the desk, but he's scrunching them in to seem normal. He's wearing a regular dress shirt, no tie. No fancy jewelry either, just some off-brand oversized watch on his left wrist. He looks disappointed already, but not at you. He’s squinting down at some of the tiny desks’ interactive holo-projections. You see your name on one of the files he’s peering at through comically large anti glare glasses.

You don’t sit. You are too stressed. He hasn’t noticed you. He picks up one of the water bottles and carefully opens it with his monster hands. They look travel-sized compared to him. He sips it and notices you.

“Hello!” You greet.

He finishes it in two gulps and sets it down slowly, as to not disturb the other bottles.

“Okay I don’t have a lot of time left, so let’s cut through here… you work for the guys in the PR department-“

“Ah yeah, they are a very friendly bunch down there! That is until you get to know them!” You blurt out. He looks up at you with tired eyes and swipes through the files without looking at them.

“Says here you were demoted from vice head PR accounting a while back, but you attached a note saying you have an alibi? Let’s hear it.”

“Uhhh.”

“C’mon I don’t have all day.”

“There was a payment discrepancy, uh, I was given a raise but I noticed my boss didn’t update it for a whole month. He was on vacation and wasn't answering my calls, so... since he left the finances to me I updated it myself… And I got into trouble BUT it was technically not embezzlement, so I was given an ultimatum to either move to a lower department or get fired, so-“

“Self-reliant. Got it. There's a note from your current department head saying she's been notified anonymously that you've been paying for Alchemax home services with gambling money, what do you have to say about that?"

"I- that is a th- thing with SoloGameMedia, ah, they are a parent company to a gambling franchise, therefore every transaction from them is registered as gambling profit- but I test games with- from them directly! It's a side hustle- thing, I- that, I DO NOT playtest games during work hours! Only on-"

"Why do you think I should hire you?”

You are caught off guard by the most basic interview question.

“Hhhhhh WELL… because you need a secretary now?”

He’s already looking back down at the files again. You can see NYPD files, apparently he’s now looking at your small criminal record. You also notice his shirt is unbuttoned on the top. For curiosity's sake, you discreetly raise up on your toes to see down his cleavage. It's deeper than you expected. One mighty flex and that shirt will send buttons flying everywhere. He looks back up as you quickly drop back down on your heels.

“Yeah. Mmm. Ok. So you are way in over your head in college and credit debt, you have been gambling as a means to get by- really don’t care about that, and you did not dispute your boss's ultimatum when you had the chance."

"Wait, what?"

"Four years ago, when your boss gave you the ultimatum to get demoted or get fired. His proposal was ILLEGAL."

Your gut twists.

"That- that was illegal?!"

"You had six months to report him and you didn't. Why?"

"Be- because I just thought he was being fair, I-"

"I'm sorry, but you got screwed."

He looks sincere behind those nerdy lenses with his pout lips. You really want to throw something right now.

“I… oh…”

"Look, the most I can do is re-open your case," he says as he pushes his glasses back up his nose bridge, "You might get a small settlement out of it, but even that isn't guaranteed."

"So... I'm not getting the job?"

"How do you expect to get hired with such an unexceptional history of white collar crime and a meek attitude that's gotten you nowhere? Hey Lyla? Is this all we have?”

An AI assistant pops up from the interactive desk.

“This is the last one, sir.”

“Okay, cool. Look I’m sure you’re actually great at your job, but I have places to be-“

“Wha- well so do I!”

“Uh huh, nice talking to you,“ he scoots his chair back and hits his knee on the tiny desk, sending empty bottles scattering all over the room. He cringes.

“Well if I’m so unexceptional, why was I accepted for an interview?!”

“I’m gonna guess because of some algorithmic lottery? Probably to do with the amount of experience you have in your department, I dunno,” He guesses as he attempts to gather the bottles by sweeping them under the desk with his shoes, “If you wanna blame someone for the short interview time, thank those other time-wasters who came before you. I gotta go.”

“Now WAIT a… minute”

He stands up from his tiny desk as you say that. He’s towering over you with a tired expression and loose strands of hair about his face.

“What?” He asks, all friendliness gone.

“Can we continue this interview at a different time? You obviously haven’t found a secretary you want, but you still need one, right?! I could be the one you need even if I’m not the one you want!”

It takes every inch of your being to not slap yourself on the forehead. He is scrunching his nose, squinting down at you with mild contempt. You get a good look at his sharp, broad temples and cheekbones, complete with a hardened jaw. His thick dark lips are pulled to one side in annoyance and are accentuated with a pair of jowls that look poised to bite at any time like some kind of deep sea angler fish. His eyes are very dark. They almost look red…

His expression goes blank as he sighs.

“Okay.”

“Great! Ah, when?!”

“Tomorrow, same time.”

“Grabsolutely- Great- fantastic! I won’t let you down!”

“Uh huh.”

He leaves. You assume you should leave too. You awkwardly follow him. He grabs his coat off a nearby chair, and you get a brief display of his amazing body shape as he flips the coat over his shoulders. You avert your attention to the floor, already feeling disrespectful after having looked down his shirt. Now you are both in the elevator. You are doing all in your power not to pass out over your small lucky break.

O’Hara pretends you aren’t there as he looks at his phone and chats with his AI assistant.

“Lyla, push the evening meeting to tomorrow as well, except an hour earlier.”

“Roger that!”

“I need coffee.”

“Roger that also!”

“Please, PLEASE tell them to not add cream. I really hate when they do that.”

You wanna ask him if he’s lactose intolerant but you already pushed your luck today.

Apparently he is exiting the building in the same way you are going, but he's booking it with long ass strides and it's difficult to keep up. You both end up on the same elevator again, this time with other people. He awkwardly acknowledges you with a blank smirk and brow raise, then promptly looks back down at his phone. Everyone else is trying not to bother him.

"Hello, Mister O'Hara, I didn't realize you were here! Hi!" says a lady who is shooting her shot at a social connection (she totally knew he was there.)

"Ah, hey. Miss...?"

"Stacy Brian! We met at the Student Festival earlier this year."

"Oh, right, right! Miss Brian, how are you?"

"Doing well! I didn’t know you wore glasses!"

"Oh- I totally forgot these were on my face," he admits while taking them off and trying to find a place to stash them, "I actually don’t wear glasses, it's- um, I have issues with bright computer screens."

You discreetly watch him in the elevator wall reflection as he quickly swaps the lenses out for a pair of red sunglasses. The elevator doors open and everyone flows out into the foyer. You realize you never got his card.

"Hey one more thing, sir!" You call out to him.

"What?"

"I don't have your number! What if we need to reschedule?!"

"Ah, right. Get your phone out, please."

He turns back around and searches for something on his phone. With a swift flick of his hand, he air drops his ID and number to your device.

"Thank you!"

"¡De nada!"

He swiftly leaves through the front doors and trots down the steps. You watch this huge marvel of nature hail a cab. The automated transporter car is so small that he has to bring his shoulders in tight to fit through the doorway. This seems to have more to do with him not wanting to snag his nice jacket.

A man of this position and wealth... hailing a cab? Must be in THAT much of a hurry. You look down at the data he sent you. His ID photo looks like they took his picture after pulling an all-nighter, and his half-hearted smile reveals his crooked teeth. But somehow he still looks great in an unconventional way.

•°《💀》°•

You drive home, feeling both anxious and also deflated. Miguel O'Hara was a mixed bag of what you expected. Speshall hyped him up as a sexy hunk of the year and Brody felt so intimidated that he went on an unwarranted Alpha Male rant, but the guy was so awkward with his tiny desk and water bottles and weird glasses, and he was whining to his AI helper about his coffee. He’s a large… finicky… lactose-intolerant nerd, but he's also got the moxy to move mountains. What’s more, now ya gotta think of what to say to him in the next interview. What could be expected of a guy like that? What if he cancels the meeting and your chance is lost forever?

Your car makes it home and you sit in it for a moment. Speshall left you a text asking about the interview.

Went weird, you text back.

"Welcome back, tenant 27," the AI apartment valet greets.

You open your car door and notice you've been parked over the grates again. You remember when you last dropped your phone in this spot, the fucking thing went right in between the grate holes and you couldn’t get it back for a week. You have the presence of mind to upload the latest bit of information (O'Hara's phone number) to your data cloud.

You walk through the parking garage. You know all the safe routes. It didn’t matter who you were, Nueva York was never safe at night.

You hear footsteps to your left but it’s just a couple of people walking together, a man and woman trying to huddle. The garage opening is just ahead. You go ahead and march out, not looking back.

You step out into the warm breeze of middle-class Nueva York. The wind is artificial, billowing from the hydro-electric plants that keeps this city running. It took you forever to get here, a lot of cheap-skating, white lies, and debt piling to maintain this life, but you are here! Unapologetic holo screens buzz near you as you walk, begging you to spend money as they light up the way to your apartment. There's no point in tapping their "no" buttons since that just wastes your time. The screens showcased brand-new cars, beautiful clothes, and radiant health. If you had more money, at least some of that could be yours. You hate that people roll around in all the wonderful things this world has to offer while you have to make do with decade old clothing and over-processed food. Where the hell is everyone getting it all from? When the hell will you get yours?

“Hey! Wanna buy a shared data cloud?!”

You are now being bothered by a salesman. You say nothing and keep walking. Even saying no opens more dialogue. He gives up but another comes at you.

“Wanna be a part of the elite task force that edits any and all articles about Thor?! It’s a paying job! $100 an hour!”

As dystopian as it sounds, $100 an hour won’t get you far in Nueva York, not in this era of quadrillionaires.

“Hey, I saw ya on da street earlier! Ya walked into traffic!”

You accidentally glance over at the familiar voice talking about the familiar subject. He’s got you. Your eyes are fixated on a creepypasta face, his irises flashing in a hypnotic pattern. This was way worse than the idea of the guy being just a flasher.

He’s a black market demon. The worst street hawker known to man.

You can’t remember much else besides him taking you by the hand and leading you away.

_________________________________________

Next: ACT 2 | BLACK MARKET DEMONS

[v-i-r-i-d-i-a-n]

The main question: What was after Will Byers?

(And a second more important question: what did it want?)

The show obviously wants us to believe that it’s a demogorgon, on first watch anyways. I believe we can infer there was a demogorgon in the shed with him- at least in the upside down. Even considering everything I’m going to talk about- I still agree with that, strangely. But before that? I’m calling bullshit.

(For reference this is technically the second thing I wrote about for the first episode, BUT I’m releasing this BEFORE that because it’s a more well thought out analysis, and can exist more as a standalone, I will probably add to this in the future. This is also technically unfinished? I don’t have a definitive answer to the questions I ask. I’m simply trying to bring more attention to it.)

🚨SOMETHING TO NOTE‼️ I HAVE NOT WATCHED A SEASON OF ST IN LIKE 6 MONTHS, PROBABLY MORE, IF ANY QUESTIONS I ASK GET ANSWERED IN LIKE AN EPISODE, DON’T BE A DICK ABOUT IT, I DONT REMEMBER EVERYTHING🚨

Also just one more thing before we get started, I’m sorry this post has a lot of exposition- I know that some of the things I say have probably been said before, hell the analysts in this community have talked about and seen this show far more then I have and I have nothing but respect for anyone whose put in that much effort- and I truly do not mean to copy or steal anyone’s work- if you feel like I’m not giving credit where credits due, or like I’m stealing something PLEASE tell me- i’ll @ you or cut something out- I don’t want anyone to feel disrespected by what I talk about, but I also don’t remember every post I’ve ever read or that’s on this app, this is merely supposed to my own fun twist and thoughts about the events

NOW, I know, I know, fifty billion other people have talked about how weird Will’s vanishing is, how it doesn’t make any sense and there’s something else going on, BUT, if I’ve learnt anything from this fandom, it’s that we love to read and write the exact same things over and over again. And!! That’s how discovery is made, so I’m doing it anyways >:3

Its hard to decipher where exactly to start with Will’s vanishing, because the entirety of it is completely jumbled and twisted and doesn’t make sense, whenever I think just a little too hard about it I feel like I’m being so completely mindfucked, like even now I’m sorting out things and every other sentence I realize something else and have to figure out where to put it- ANYWAYS

So I’m just gonna start at the beginning! In the Wheelers house.

Now, the first bit of strangeness we get in this sequence is when they’re all going home (I could also argue the DnD game has some weirdness, but that’s for another time, as we’re focusing something else right now) more specifically, when Mike waves Will off and his garage light starts flickering.

I think that’s supposed to be because of the like “town wide electrical problems” that are happening because of the gate opening up, and most likely not because of something already being at the Wheeler’s house.

i’m gonna argue there’s something there later in a different analysis I’m complying, because, I don’t believe that the thing following Will is the same being that killed the scientist in the lab, hell, I don’t think it was a demogorgon AT ALL, honestly I’m a little skeptical that the thing that killed that scientist was even a demo BUT that’s for my first analysis to cover >:))

I want you to think about this for later however, because I am desperately trying to stay on track, but I just have way too many thoughts about this little stupid show.

The sequence of Will Byers Vanishing

(And all the fuckery is includes)

For this segment, I’m going to take you through Will’s vanishing, and all the little discrepancies and “plot holes” that I’ve seen on my rewatch

The vanishing starts with the light on Will’s bike going out, he looks down, momentarily taking his eyes off the road, and looks back up to the “demogorgon” standing suddenly in front of him. We don’t see any obvious gate, or anything of the sort really, it just sort’ve appears (unless we think that for some reason it’s been stalking through the real world…which doesn’t make much sense considering how demo’s hunt.) And the thing that tickles my brain the most about this scene is that…the demo just sort’ve seems to be standing there? We only get a few seconds of it on screen, but the way it moves makes me feel like that it doesn’t even really know what it’s supposed to be doing. Like, it got zapped down from some alien spaceship or something.

Will, in response to seeing a horrific nether monster, veers off the side of the road, like any child would, and gets up slowly, which again, its sort’ve strange he’s able to get away with that? Most of the time, when a demo gets its eyes on a target, it’s pretty quick to act, not quite the “lie in wait” type of hunters when they’re in the regular plain. He gets up and just sort’ve stares for a second, and we don’t really get to see what he see’s, instead, we just a hear growl, which sends Will running in a panic.

The next few things are fairly normal in the sequence, he gets home, locks the door, pets his dog a little (me too bro), and runs around looking for his brother and mom.

He runs quickly back to the window, after he can’t find them, and as he’s looking through the clothesline…wait-

*wipes glasses*

Nope, I’m seeing this shit right WHY ARE THE CLOTHES THERE?? THATS NOT WHERE THEYRE SUPPOSED TO BE. Why is it so close to the window??? With how the lines are set up we should’ve seen them when he’s running into the house- but we don’t. They’re actually at a completely different location in the next scene at the Byers house in the morning.

(Put a pin in that)

Anyways, in the distance through the classic horror fog we see the demogorgon slowly walking up towards the house, on its back legs again. Looking like a person stalking through the night. Like some weird Jason knockoff, I half expected it to try and get through the door with a hatchet on my very first watch through.

WHICH AGAIN, isn’t how they act. Even back in the lab, in the very first scene it suggests that whatever is after the scientist is fast, he’s running, he’s hitting the button over and over again to try and get the elevator to come faster, he’s outwardly panicked and looks desperate to get away. He’s looking over his shoulder to make sure it’s not there yet. And then after that whenever we see a demo chasing someone, they’re quick to chase after their prey. They don’t slowly walk up towards a house.

It reminds me WAY more of how a human hunts their prey, slowly following and tracking it until it wears itself out. However, I’d argue it’s less like whatever is chasing him is actively hunting him, and more so like it’s corralling him, herding him. Attempting to manipulate him to go where it wants him to. If it wanted to kill him, it could’ve done so already (especially if we take into account the whole telekinesis thing). It had plenty of chances, especially when Will was in that ditch after he fell off his bike, that’s when a human hunter would’ve attempted to kill him. It’s as if, whatever was on that road, whatever is following Will, actively wants him to go to the Byer’s shed. To the demogorgon lying in wait ready to pounce.? That doesn’t sound quite right either.

All of these analysis are gonna be me going “that’s not quite right, that shouldn’t do that” over and over again LMAO

When you take everything into account, I think there’s a quite a bit more evidence that this thing didn’t want to hurt Will at all, at least not physically, at least not in this exact instance. Whether it was corralling him in hopes of figuring something out, or actively wanting the demogorgon to feed on Will. I have no idea. But you cannot decisively say that whatever was following Will had the active intent to kill him with its own hands.

Will gets scared once more and attempts to call someone, it doesn’t work and instead he just gets the static-y growling sounds of the upside down. Which is a tad bit strange considering that the reason Joyce hears that later on is because Will’s actively trying to communicate with her. But what number is that? Like 55 of “things that don’t make sense in Will Byers vanishing?” Oh, and then immediately after we get the whole DEMOGORGON USES TELEKINESIS SCENE. 56.

(Put a pin in this as well)

Will runs into the shed, and we know (WE DONT.) what happens from there, there’s a demo in there with him(?) and he’s somehow he’s pulled into the upside down- without any real evidence of a gate there. Unless you take…the slime in the shed the next morning that Hopper finds as proof. But I’ve learnt not to hold a suspension of disbelief here. (“Did Mike see it? Then it doesn’t count” worst vibes y’know? Gotta see it to believe it.)

There’s also the whole thing with instead of the light flickering it just gets really bright. Which is another thing I don’t believe we see often- especially if we assume the light glowing bright is because of a gate opening.

I’d actually like to talk about that point for a sec, because it genuinely doesn’t seem or feel or look like anything we see after that. The way that nothing really happens, and that’s what’s so terrifying about it, we don’t hear any screams or even see the signs of a struggle. He’s not dragged through a portal by vines or a demo.

Will just vanishes, he’s not taken, or kidnapped, he vanishes. It’s truly the only word that can describe it. And it truly doesn’t make any sense. We don’t see anything like it again really, at least not that I’m aware of or can remember right now. He’s there one second, and then he’s gone. The only thing I can really think of like it is El killing the demo at the end of the season and vanishing.

All and all we get back to the same point I started with and a point I think pretty everyone agrees with. Whatever was after Will was not a demo.

But then…why does it look like one? And sound like one? Well my curious little reader, I THINK I ACTUALLY HAVE A LOGICAL SOLUTIONNN

We’re being fucked with.

(And as much as it might sound like it, I’m very much NOT joking here.)

Remember everything I told you to put a pin into? Yeah this is the section where I want you to think about it more.

By now, I’ve described the entirety of the sequence of Will’s vanishing. I don’t want to say disappearance or kidnapping because I don’t believe that’s what it was. The oddness of the demogorgon, the strangeness of his surroundings. And I’ve come to only one seeable conclusion, which probably isn’t good on a scientific aspect, but it’s the only logical solution I can come up with.

Will is being fucked with, and since we’re in his eyes for this scene, we’re being fucked with.

Will has always been my favorite little unreliable narrator.

Now, what exactly could be happening? I don’t know yet, I’m still at the beginning of the series after all in this rewatch- these are all just thoughts I’ve been having after the first episode. I can’t present a de facto answer to whatever’s going on here because I don’t think we’re supposed to know yet.

My main guess? Some sort of upside down shit. With everything we know about timeline fuckery, and illusions, and visions, and memory sequences even being untrustworthy- isn’t it possible we’re being shown something that didn’t happen? Or maybe more accurately didn’t happen the way we’re being shown?

It might be a problem with the actual timeline, like somehow false memories were implanted and the universe itself is being tricked. Or, some sort of upside down related nightmare sequence only Will see’s- maybe Will got planted into another timeline directly who knows. MAYBE- it’s even Brenner’s fault (especially with all the TFS Brenner vs Will Byers stuff) Because I will find a way to blame that man for everything.

With all of the characters saying constantly that things are a nightmare, or that it isn’t real, we can’t trust what we’re seeing on screen.

The Duffers, don’t want their audience to know what’s happening. They’ll tell us when they want to.

So, if it wasn’t a demo after Will what was it?

A person, probably

Though in this show, it’s hard to tell exactly what that means.

God. Where do I start? There’s just so so many possibilities for this one instance that I can’t fully wrap my head around it. Now I’m going to say this again, I don’t have a definite answer to what’s going on, and my opinion will probably change as time goes on and I reread other analysis posts and rewatch the show- I’m small potatoes in the analysis community and I think this is actually the first analysis I’m posting(?) wow that’s crazy actually. So my thoughts are gonna be especially jumbled for this part because at this very moment it’s a pretty big question mark.

I will say this though, I don’t think it’s Vecna. At least not the Vecna we’re shown on screen.

Why do I say this? Mostly because it doesn’t really feel like Vecna gives too much of a shit about Will- if anything, the MF seems much more interested in him.

And I know that’s like the main theory in part of the fandom, that for whatever reason Vecna is super into Will but I just don’t agree with it. There is some substance to it but I think a lot of you forget that Vecna and the MF are two separate beings (Hell Vecna and HENRY are two separate beings). Vecna is not controlling the MF, even if he believes he is. That’s pretty much proven in the VR game, if you’re willing to look deeper at it than what it’s putting forward.

Remember, we cannot trust what we see. We’re actively being fucked with at any point in time. The Duffer’s do not care about tricking their audience, they want to. So it’s almost never going to be the obvious answer.

I guess this section just turned into me saying “I don’t know exactly whats happening but it’s NOT Vecward”

I wanna say Brenner, trying to find out something about the upside down or Will himself, but the whole telekinesis thing is really throwing me off. Hell maybe it is Henry trying to disrupt the timeloop by stopping a TFS William Brenner from forming.

Everything I try and think about and put forward just doesn’t really feel quite right, I don’t have enough evidence or backing for any of my theories right now to definitively say one thing or the other- so if anyone has any idea’s they’d like to bounce off of me I’d appreciate it, because I’m kinda at a loss at this exact moment.

None of it was real

(And what that means)

This is the only thing I’m really sure of right now. Nothing about what we see is what really happened. Maybe it’s how Will remembers it, maybe his memories were actively altered by the MF or Brenner or Owens or something.

But if nothing that we saw with Will was real, then how do we know anything we’ve seen is real. Especially through Will’s POV. Throughout the entirety of the story Will has always been an unreliable narrator, from the very beginning.

That also means that this show built itself around unreliable narration. There is a reason that the one of the first big scenes we get doesn’t make sense. There’s a reason it feels like it’s built on a shaky surface.

Id argue, that the literal first scene is unreliable, but that’s again for another time.

TL;DR Everything is fucked and nothing makes sense, and everything will continue not making sense until the Duffers decide to let it make sense, oh and Will was definitely not being followed by a demo no matter how much the show wants you to believe it

If you made it this far, thank you so much for listening to my relentless rambling! Sorry the format is kinda fucked again this is my first analysis I’m actually posting. Again I’ll probably add onto this in future- but for now I’m pretty happy with how it turned out, hope y’all have a good day <33 !!

[vro0m]

Seeing how confident McLaren is about their car and their drivers makes me nervous. I saw that Toto extended his contract at Merc through 2026 and it just feels like same sh*t, different toilet. I think Toto should just be satisfied as the owner of the team and step aside and let another TP come in and change the culture at Merc. I think that could potentially attract new engineers that could help with the development of the car.

Lewis is struggling with his qualifying times and George is overconfident. At this point, it's starting to feel like Merc is just not that girl. Why are they starting all over again with their car? I'm fairly new to f1, but I thought it takes years to develop a championship-winning car, yet they're developing a brand new one over the winter? That doesn't feel right to me.

Also, I didn't understand TeamLH bragging about Lewis retaining Monster as his sponsor, when Monster jumped ship from Merc to McLaren. Isn't losing sponsorships a bad thing, since the team is losing money that it would likely use to develop the car that would help Lewis win his 8th WDC? A loss for the team is a loss for Lewis..unless I'm wrong.

I truly hope Merc proves me wrong, but something's gotta give. I just don't have confidence in them.

Do you think that Merc needs a major overhaul or do you think they're going to make progress continuing on the path that they're on?

Okay i was gonna answer this in the morning but i can’t sleep so here we go, sorry if it’s a bit unhinged.

Here’s the thing. In my book, the second rule of F1 is never ever listen to a team principal. (The first rule being, of course, you always, always have to do better than your teammate.) So I’ll believe McLaren’s confidence is warranted when I’ll see it. Hell, I’ll believe they really are confident and it’s not basic 101 PR when I’ll see it. And mind you, Toto seems pretty confident too. (The only thing I’m happy about here is that he also said they’ve been working on their pitstops but due to Rule 2, I’ll also only believe it when I’ll see it.)

They’re starting over with their car because, as you noticed, the past two cars were Not Working. So no real choice here but to get back to square 1 rather than spend a third year trying to make a car that doesn’t work, work. Building a championship-winning car is less a matter of time (I mean especially nowadays with the costcap and windtunnel allocation etc. it’s getting irrelevant), and more a matter of getting it right. RedBull got it right and they won. The problem is : the others need to develop to catch up to them because they didn’t get it as right as RB, and that takes time and resources and is very complicated. And if you have a bad starting point, it’s that much more difficult. Basically there were too many things that needed changing with this car concept anyway. So they’re starting over. But it's also not like they don't have data and experiments from the past two years. They know more about these regs and cars than in 2021. Are they gonna win the ‘24 championship with the W15? No. But they weren’t gonna win by keeping the last, dysfunctional car concept either anyway. At least now they have a chance to develop in the right direction.

I did not read anything about the Monster sponsorship because i really, really don’t care. I didn’t even know that was a thing. I don’t think Monster leaving Mercedes is gonna make a dent in their budget. First of all, there’s a costcap now, so they can’t throw money at a bad car to make it good anyway. Second of all, they have a lot of other sponsors. Third, they’re the second most expensive team in the paddock. And fourth, their parent company is worth 85 billions of dollars. Lewis’ 8th has pretty much nothing to do with Monster or any sponsorship.

To answer your main question : no, I don’t think Merc needs a major overhaul. Given that you’re fairly new to F1 I concede it might not look like it in the current context but changing TPs is actually Not All That. And it generally doesn’t really solve anything. If anything I’m against major overhauls. Imho a stable ground is the best ground to build up on. Toto is... Toto. But he’s not the reason why the car is bad. It’s a whole team. 2’000+ employees. You can’t pinpoint any of the problems they have on one singular person. I mean Ferrari has had 5 different TPs in the last 10 years and that has solved exactly zero of their problems, and they still haven’t won a championship since 2007.

They are making progress. All of them are. It’s just, it’s F1. We’re talking about such tiny tiny differences in performance now, millimeters off of a piece of carbon fiber, milliseconds off of a time sheet. The time the pecking order could be turned upside down from one race to the next has been gone for decades. It’s all about the long game when the differences are so subtle. Even more now that they, again, can’t just throw money and wind tunnels at issues. It’s frustrating when it’s not your driver/team on top but success is mostly cyclical in this sport. Right now it’s RedBull. Next who knows. Merc is just not that girl, at the moment. It is what it is.

ETA : btw I think firing Toto would really throw Lewis off so. Another reason not to imo.

[evansbby]

1, 27, and 28 🥰🤍🖤

1. the last sentence you wrote

I’ll do you one better and give you the whole latest paragraph I wrote! I was working on this yesterday, can you guess which fic it’s from? 🤔

He’s got Natasha on his arm and all Steve can think about is how pathetic Bruce is for allowing his girlfriend to attend a public event dressed in such an indecently cut gown. Steve himself would never allow you to wear anything indecent whilst you were in the presence of other men who would be able to lay their eyes on you. Of course, in the privacy of his bedroom, he’d have you wearing all types of scandalous things, namely scantily clad, vintage lingerie. But in public? You were Captain America’s soon to be wife; the picture of modest femininity and demure innocence. Which was why he’d personally chosen your dress tonight — a beautiful powder blue gown with a respectable neckline.

27. your favourite part of the writing process.

When I get to delve into a particularly emotionally harrowing scene that I know people are expecting and that I’ve been building up towards. For example, confrontation scenes like the bathtub scene in poyt or the whole Wanda exposing reader at the ball in wg. Bc I’ve gone through those scenes a billion times in my head so I know exactly how to write them down when the time comes and all the words and dialogue really flow and I get to have fun with the dialogue and these are the scenes where the characters truly come to life and take on a life of their own. It’s like I don’t even have to think about what they’re gonna say next, I just write write write bc it’s like my fingers already know what to type! Idk if that makes sense but yeah! I look forward to writing those important, emotionally heavy or confrontational scenes with a lot of back and forth dialogue and secrets being revealed etc!

28. your least favourite part of the writing process.

Lately it’s been the smut 🥲 only bc sometimes I feel like I’m being so repetitive and I don’t feel inspired by a lot of my sex scenes anymore bc I’ve written similar stuff a billion times before. Of course there are some smut scenes I write where I literally turn myself on and I’m super proud of them but that hasn’t happened in a while. But I’m happy bc I’ve cut down on writing smut just for the sake of smut, as my readers seem happy to read chapters of my fics that don’t have/need smut at all. So now when I do write smut, it’s more meaningful and it’s smut that I actually enjoy writing and it’s not repetitive!

[stygianheart]

Koby’s Realization

Edit: Just gonna warn you now, it was two in the morning when I wrote this. It’s scattered all over the place but I decided “hey why not post it.” So here we go, yo.

——————————

Koby was staring out at the sea, feeling his heart hammer in his chest. A newspaper was gripped in his hand, hanging limply from his side. 

The sea smelled amazing, looked amazing, with the sunset mirroring on the crystal water, but that wasn’t why Koby was staring out and feeling like he was about to have a heart attack.

His head tilted down as he looked at the paper again, at the news: STRAW HAT LUFFY BEATS KAIDO. A NEW EMPEROR OF THE SEA? YOUNGEST IN HISTORY!

He was proud. Proud of Luffy, and in…

No, he couldn’t say in awe. It was much more than awe that caused his heart to beat like this.

He didn’t know when the awe had turned into more. Koby had always admired Luffy, from the second Luffy had stated he was going to be the king of the pirates. He had followed Luffy’s adventures while with the Marines, always asking Helmeppo if the paper came in, and, more importantly, if Luffy was mentioned.

Sometimes he regretted looking at the paper. Articles discussing how dangerous and notorious Luffy was, mentioning how he needed to be killed and executed before he achieved his dream. Or the part where he saw Ace’s face on the front, and despite being there for that war, felt his heart shatter. Luffy, was all he was able to think. Luffy, I’m sorry.

Of course, other times he was thrilled to see Luffy in the paper. Like a new bounty price— from 30 million to 300 million to 3 billion.

During the Reverie, he had been thrilled when he had seen Luffy on the front page, given to him by Princess Rebecca (who seemed so happy to find someone to talk about Lucy/Luffy with.) He may have shed some tears—or a lot, he couldn’t remember—but at some point, he wondered, had Luffy ever heard about him?

Koby was now, while not the post popular marine, well known. He had been called a war hero from time to time (which he would bashfully disagree with, saying he was just doing what he loved.)

But had Luffy heard about him? It was no secret that Koby always listened in to conversations, just for snippets of Luffy’s name (it always made him grin, made his heart flutter to realize how quickly Luffy was growing.) Some of his fellow Marines Would teasingly raise their voices when mentioning Luffy-san, especially Helmeppo.

But did Luffy do the same for Koby?

He doubted so. Luffy was busy, most likely. Undoubtedly, really. He defeated Warlord after Warlord, allied with some of the most dangerous pirates, got a fleet of over 5,600 pirates, obtained a new crew member (“Jinbei, the former Warlord? With the Straw hats? OUTRAGEOUS!” Koby’s superiors had said.) And definitely not least, he had beat down a Emperor. Koby was nowhere near that level of popularity, of fame, of recognition.

Still. Some nights, as he laid in his hammock, rocking to the movements of the boat against the gentle waves, he imagined Luffy being proud of him. Imagined Luffy hugging him, exclaiming “Koby’s doing so good! You’re a captain!!” He created fantasies where he secretly met up with Luffy, talking about all his adventures (yet knowing they were nothing compared to Luffy’s, never would be, but even so, the dark haired pirate would be proud.)

Like now, as Koby lifted the paper, reading the first paragraph as someone called the rubber man “the sun god,” Koby found himself crafting a conversation with Luffy in his mind.

“You’re a captain! I’m proud of Koby, you used to be a nobody!” Luffy would say bluntly. (Always so blunt, always spoke what he thought.)

Koby closed his eyes, smiling softly. Picturing Luffy’s too-big-for-his-face grin, the childish laughter…

And then his imagination took off on a different course than usual.

Luffy wrapping an arm around Koby’s waste, grinning at him.

And then… and then Luffy gently taking the side of Koby’s face in his hand, pulling his jaw close and…

Koby’s heart thumped loudly, his eyelids flinging open before he could imagine it.

But it was already there.

A kiss he so desperately wanted.

He gripped his rib cage, trying to catch his breath. “What the heck?” He whispered, feeling his face heat up. “No. No, that’s crazy. I don’t…”

His voice trailed off as footsteps echoed behind him. He turned around, expecting to see Helmeppo-

Luffy was there, wearing a black cape over an unbuttoned red shirt, his straw hat crown hanging off his neck. The X scar on his chest was left for the world to see, but what caught Koby’s attention was that bright D like smile, the shut eyes. “Shishishishi! Koby!” Luffy said, waving at him.

“Luffy-san?” Koby’s face burst into a bright red. He lifted his fists, rubbing his eyes before looking again.

No, not Luffy. He didn’t even look like Luffy. It was Helmeppo, like he had expected, eyebrows furrowed like he was looking at Koby curiously. He guessed he was, for when Koby lifted his hands to his face to hide the shame, his cheeks felt hot.

“No, not Luffy.” Helmeppo chuckled. “Guess you’ve been reading about him too much again?”

Koby managed a nod, turning away from his friend and staring at the sea. What was that??!

“They’re calling him a Sun God. Nika, I think?” Helmeppo leaned against the railing. “Others are saying he’s Joy Boy. I think the Admiral really wants to burn the press. When I walked by his office, he was practically steaming as he ripped the paper up.”

“I’d bet. Most Marine’s hate Luffy-san.” Koby commented.

“But not you.” 

It was stated simply. No undertones of teasing, no mocking drag of the syllables. Just put so simply, so obviously.

So why did Koby feel so embarrassed? Why did his face turn a slight pink?

“Oh.” Helmeppo patted Koby on the back. “I’m starting to feel bad for you, Koby. Marines and Pirates aren’t supposed to be friends.”

“I know.” Koby whispered, hands trembling. 

“Luffy’s counting on you.”

“I know.”

“Yet you like him.” Koby froze, feeling his heart come to a screeching stop. “Would you really arrest him if you ran into the Straw Hats?” 

Koby licked his lips, trying to figure out what to say. “P-pardon me?”

“Would you arrest him.”

“No, before that.”

“Ah.” Helmeppo grinned. “You like him.”

“I admire him.” Koby corrected. Half-heartedly. Something in him knew already, knew that this protesting was fruitless. It already knew how he truly felt.

“Which is almost worse. But no, Koby. You like like him.”

Helmeppo sounded like a teenage girl, gossiping about a cute town boy.

When Koby didn’t say anything, his friend continued. “It’s understandable. Luffy is certainly good looking, and his personality seems to attract everyone. I’m still surprised he was able to make an alliance with Trafalgar Law. And Boa Hancock, as we know, is completely obsessed with him as well.”

Koby felt a twinge of irritation at that.

Boa Hancock. Koby recently had to be rescued from her and Black Beard (thank the seas Garp came for him.) When he had mentioned her infatuation for Luffy, she had seemed to change entirely. While before she had been aggressive to him for being, well, a boy, the second he mentioned Luffy-san, she had became a monster.

“How do you know him?!”

“He rescued me.”

“And yet you threaten to capture and kill him? How dare you endanger my love!”

Koby knew well enough to tell a delusion from reality. Boa was definitely delusional, talking about Luffy being her husband, her love…

Koby couldn’t even imagine Luffy being married, let alone in love with someone.

But yet, he had felt a twinge of jealousy—burning like a fire, stinging like an open wound, at the way Boa Hancock knew more about Luffy than he did.

And that wasn’t saying much, because Boa seemed to have an entirely different version of Luffy in her mind.

How could Koby like Luffy when he knew barely anything about him?

“I don’t like him.” Koby stated plainly. “I just admire him for his stubbornness and ambition. Besides, he’s the reason i’m here in the first place. I owe him a lot.”

“Then why did you say ‘Luffy’ when I walked up?”

Koby held back a curse at that, and Helmeppo’s chuckle said it all: Bingo.

Koby didn’t say anything. Fear was starting to flood through his thoughts.

How could he balance this? What if Helmeppo was right?

He had a duty, a job, but he also had a friend.

Was there a way to balance these things out? To have both?

“You don’t have to answer.” Helmeppo replied after what felt like minutes of silence. “And I obviously won’t tell anyone. But realizing how you feel is important.” He clasped a hand on Koby’s back. “You’re on watch duty tonight, Captain.”

Koby nodded, listening to Helmeppo walk away before slumping against the rails.

He lifted his head, just barely, so he could see the new flyer for Luffy.

Beautiful.

Koby was wrong. It was awe that he felt. Admiration, too.

However, Helmeppo was right as well. Koby did like Luffy.

But he didn’t acknowledge it because…

What right did he have to feel this way about someone in a totally different world?

It sounded like something out of a fairytale. A Marine and a Pirate.

That made him think about Garp. Luffy’s grandfather… a pirates grandfather and the father of the Revolutionary Army’s leader, guardian of the son of Gol D. Roger.

How did he choose? If Luffy got captured, would he sit back and let his grandson be executed? Or would he try to help, speak up for his family?

The answer was partially there. Garp had stood in Luffy’s way during Ace’s public execution. He had made no attempts to help the boy he had been in charge of, as rumors said. Would that be any different for Luffy?

Koby felt torn. He felt like he owed Luffy for getting him this far, felt devoted to the pirate, and, of course, love for him.

But he also had a dream, a dream so important to him and so close he could practically reach out and grasp it.

When the time came, if he faced Luffy again, would he have the ability to arrest Luffy, the boy he liked? Or would he throw away his dream?

He had promised Luffy that one day, he would capture the pirate. He would be the one to arrest him.

If he failed to do this, if he ran into him and refused to do anything, would Luffy be dissapointed in him?

He gazed at the wanted poster and the news paper, heaving a sigh.

That was a choice for the future. In the meantime, he could just realize…

He could just realize how much Luffy really meant to him. He could dream about secret meetings, forbidden dates, soft touches and moonlight walks.

Even though he knew he stood no chance in the line of winning Luffy’s affection.

Last time he had seen Luffy, Zoro had been practically attached to him by the hip. Zoro, the one who had stayed with Luffy. Zoro, the one hopelessly devoted to the pirate.

Koby could have done that. He could have given up his dream to stay with Luffy.

He could imagine what Luffy would say to that. The slight, childish scowl as he said “Koby’s dream is more important. Don’t give up on it! If I really mean that much to you, then know that I’d rather you chase your dream!”

But you’re important too, Koby thought sadly. Yet I’m a Marine, and I promised I would be the one to catch you when you became King of the Pirates.

I will get stronger. Koby smiled. I will get stronger so I can catch you.

And maybe I can catch your heart in the process.

[gamerwoo]

hansol/mingyu: the lovers playlist

characters: mingyu x female reader (mentions of hansol x female reader)

genre/warnings: idol au, friends to ????, one-sided pining, a smidge of angst but mostly fluff, mingyu is so stupidly in love it’s insane, a lot of time skips with no mention of how much time has skipped lmao i’m so sorry

word count: 3,248

summary: so i’ll just tell my telephone all of the above when i’m alone

a/n: things in bold italics are song lyrics

previous song | next song | back to playlist

“Do you ever hear a song that you forgot existed and you just know it’ll be on repeat for the next two weeks?”

Mingyu gave you a strange look, sitting across from you at a table at some burger joint the two of you pulled into. Actually, it was your idea. You reached out to him, and he was kind of shocked.

i’m keeping the promise 😋, was what your text read when you asked him to grab lunch.

Honestly, he wasn’t confused by your question -- he saw the way you sat up straighter when the beat kicked in, like you were trying to get closer to the speakers in the ceiling to listen to the music -- but more so confused by why you would listen to only one song for so long.

“You have no idea what I’m talking about,” you realized with a laugh as you saw his eyebrows knit together, looking like a confused puppy.

“I’m trying to,” he promised with a chuckle.

Despite not getting your need to play one song over and over again even after you tried to explain, like the lovesick simp he was, he found that exact song and played it on repeat for you whenever he saw you.

-

I’d like to know your middle name; Let’s talk about your parents and your future dreams.

“You did this on purpose.”

Your playful glare was on Mingyu, who merely grinned proudly and announced, “Yup!”

“You said you didn’t get it,” you reminded him.

He shrugged, “That’s okay. I don’t need to get it to listen to it.”

“You’re gonna keep it on replay?” you scoffed.

“Why not?”

As if he didn’t listen to it alone at home until he knew what the lyrics were.

“So, _____,” he continued as he stretched out comfortably on your bed, arms going behind his head as he laid back on the headboard, “why don’t you tell me about your middle name and your parents?”

You gave him a look that was something along the lines of an annoyed ‘are you serious?’ or a ‘shut the fuck up’ with a small eye roll, but you shifted at the other end of your bed and replied nonetheless.

“When did you become an English major?”

“If I’m gonna listen to this song a billion times with you, I may as well know what it’s about,” he stated in a ‘duh’ tone.

Very good save, he told himself, It’s not because I’m in love with you or anything.

After another, more dramatic eye roll, you replied, “You don’t need to know my full name, and my parents are a teacher and a vet tech who live in some tiny town and own a tiny yappy dog to replace me while I’m gone.”

“Yeah, you’re basically the same thing,” he deadpanned.

You grabbed your stuffed bear that had ended up on the floor when you and Mingyu climbed onto the bed, and threw it at him. He let out a loud laugh as he held up his hands so he didn’t have to take it to the face.

“Do I at least get to know the dog’s name?” he asked, still laughing.

“Molly.”

“So you’ll tell me your dog’s name but not your middle name?” he sighed, feigning sadness.

“You don’t actually care,” you scoffed, “you’re just trying to be a smartass.”

“I do care!” he insisted, looking straight at you so you would know he wasn’t joking or lying.

You didn’t know that Mingyu actually did want to know everything about you.

After a few seconds of just studying him, you sighed and relented.

Mingyu’s smile slowly grew when you told him, testing your first and middle names on his tongue. He liked how it flowed. He liked saying it. There was something kind of intimate to him knowing your second name.

“You’re so annoying,” you giggled. “Are you not gonna ask me about my future dreams?”

“Your dream wasn’t to become an idol?” he asked, cocking his head slightly to one side.

“Originally it was to be a cowboy,” you explained, earning a belly laugh from him. “But I still have other dreams. Do you not have, like, dreams for your future? Getting married and having a family and stuff?”

“Ohhhh,” he nodded, finally understanding what you meant. “Yeah, I think about that stuff. I’ll get married and maybe have a few kids.”

“Would you travel or are you sick of it now?”

“I’d want them to experience the world, too, I think,” he mused. “There’s too many beautiful places and things to experience, and I want to provide them the opportunity to do all that.”

“I still haven’t been a lot of places,” you said. You realized that Mingyu had kind of been everywhere and you hadn’t really been many places compared to him. “I still have to discover all that, which is kind of exciting.”

‘I’m interested but distant to a fault, and I’d never want to complicate your heart.’

His immediate thought was to show you those places. Replace the faceless wife in his head with you, bringing you and your two kids to all the amazing places he’s seen thus far in his career. 

Relax, he reminded himself with a deep breath that you didn’t catch as you rambled about how traveling was scary but exciting.

This was only the fourth time you’d hung out together since that night after the ball, and the third time since the wound re-opened when Hansol and Ivory went public. Of course you wouldn’t be ready for any sort of romantic thing. And yet, here Mingyu was, becoming delusional for absolutely no reason.

He should be thankful you even reached out. At least, that’s what he told himself. He knew how you felt about wanting absolutely nothing to do with Hansol or what happened, so it was a miracle you invited him over, especially after already asking him out for burgers to “keep the promise.”

"Gyu?” you saying his name brought him out of his thoughts. “You good?”

“Um...” he hesitated, wondering if he should even say anything, but now he was feeling guilty. “Can I actually ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“You’re not...forcing yourself to hang out with me because of our conversation on the car, right?” he wondered slowly and quietly. “I don’t want you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with. If you really don’t want to be friends, I can handle it.”

It would hurt, but he would stay away if you really wanted. He’d get over it eventually.

...Probably.

You let out a sigh and looked down at your lap, picking at your nails, “It’s... Okay, so, yeah, it kind of sucks because of, like...everything. But I also do have fun with you, so... I dunno, I guess I just have to get over the Hansol thing eventually.”

“But I don’t wanna rush you or force you or--”

“Mingyu?”

He stopped talking, just watching you with his mouth half-open. The look you gave him was one that told him you didn’t want to talk about the matter anymore.

“I’m fine. It’s fine,” you promised. “Can we drop it?”

-

I talk a lot but we could fill your frames with pictures of our faces 'til we share a name.

“I’m begging you to shut that song off,” Soonyoung whined.

“And to shut the fuck up for a second,” Minghao sighed in annoyance, kneeling a few feet away from where you, Mingyu, and Soonyoung were leaning back against the pier railing while he snapped some photos. “Your mouth is open is literally all of these. You don’t need to hear your own voice all the time.”

You learned quickly that Mingyu was constantly talking. Currently, he was on a rant about which place on the pier was the best place to get pizza, and that stemmed from a story about going to the beach with Seokmin, which stemmed from wind blowing sand into Minghao’s face. He really knew how to get sidetracked over and over and over.

“If he closes it, he’ll die,” you told him.

Mingyu frowned and glared at you, “I’m not a mouthbreather.”

“And I’m not your journal but you talk like I am,” you shot back with a shit-eating grin.

Mingyu mimicked you with a sneer so you did it back.

Honestly, Mingyu was nervous inviting you out with some of the other members. He kept reminding you that you could say no, but you figured you’d been fine with Mingyu thus far so what was the worst that could happen? He knew better than to invite Hansol, and you figured his friends were smart enough to not bring him or what happened up.

Well, except maybe Soonyoung, but he was doing good so far.

“Okay, I’m over this,” Soonyoung reached around you to Mingyu, ripping away the small bluetooth speaker that was clipped to his jeans and powering it off. “Five times is enough for one song.”

To be fair, you were the one who was playing it this time.

“Can you guys please look less like you hate each other?” Minghao asked.

“We’re fine,” you shrugged, gesturing between you and Mingyu. Then you shot your thumb toward Soonyoung to your left. “It’s this one who’s being a party pooper.”

“Then leave, Soonyoung.”

Both you and Mingyu burst into laughter, causing Minghao to smile at his own statement. Soonyoung looked appalled as he slowly started stepping out of the frame, looking at the younger boy with a mix of confusion, offense, and anger.

“Are you kidding me?” he demanded. 

Before he got up to run away, he snapped a photo of you and Mingyu laughing together.

You didn’t get to see the photos until later when Mingyu was dropping you off. Minghao texted them to you and in the middle of yet another Mingyu tangent, you cut him off to coo at the photos.

It was perfect timing because he just pulled up outside your building, so he leaned over to look.

All of them were kind of a mess. Mingyu’s mouth was open in most of them, or Soonyoung was blinking, or your hair was blown in your own face or one of theirs -- actually, there was a photo where it was both.

It wasn’t until you scrolled to the last one that you let out a laugh from how cute it was. You and Mingyu stood beside each other, you half-bent over and Mingyu holding the railing behind you to stay up as you both laughed toward the camera but not directly at it.

“Shut the fuck up,” you squealed as you immediately went to make it your new lockscreen.

And for once, as Mingyu watched you change a photo of the two of you to your lockscreen, he was at a loss for words, his heart thumping in his chest the only sound that came from him.

“Honestly, I was getting kinda tired looking at my group,” you said absentmindedly as you looked at your new lockscreen. “It was us for a loooong time.”

“What was it before?” he wondered in a murmur.

You looked over at him with a ‘you know who’ look.

“Oh...”

“Yeah...” you sighed.

“Do you think you’re still in love with him?”

Mingyu blurted the question. In classic Mingyu fashion, he just spoke without a filter. He never stopped speaking. You didn’t really expect anything less.

“Wait, that was--”

��No, it’s fine,” you interrupted. “I think...yeah.”

“Yeah...” he mumbled, his mouth going to one side of his face. “I mean, love takes a while to get over.”

You looked over at him, “Have you ever been in love?”

He gulped but hoped you didn’t notice.

“Yeah.”

“You’re single, right?”

“Yeah.”

“How long did it take you to get over it, then?” you wondered, hoping for some advice.

“Honestly? Um...” Mingyu took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to come up with an answer that wasn’t too suspicious. “Honestly, I’m not. I’m just...trying.”

“To be with her?”

“Sort of. I just want to be her friend right now.”

You nodded slowly, “So you’re not friends now?”

“We kind of are. I think.”

You laughed softly and shook your head, “Okay, well, let me know how that goes.”

“Yeah, I will.”

-

I’m living on a target and you shot it with an arrow; Now I lost my self-control, I can’t stop thinking and I’m thinking that I’ve lost it.

Mingyu watched you move around your bedroom as you mumbled the words to yourself mindlessly. You were supposed to be putting away the few pieces of laundry scattered across your floor that you were too lazy to put away, but you were clearly getting distracted.

To be fair, it was his fault. He randomly asked if you wanted to hang out since he finished his schedules early, and you still had a couple hours before your own so you didn’t plan on cleaning until you got home.

Instead of planning accordingly and spending time to get ready, you decided to hang out with Mingyu. But that was okay because Mingyu was supposed to be getting an early night’s sleep since he had to wake up early for recording the next morning.

“Can I ask you something?” he asked suddenly.

You paused what you were doing, looking at him to silently let him know he could ask whatever he wanted.

“Why didn’t you just say no if you were busy?” he chuckled even though he was getting butterflies just knowing you let him come over when you had things to do. It made him feel important; like you wanted to see him that badly.

You shrugged and countered with, “Why didn’t you go home to sleep?”

“I will always readily admit I have back self-control issues,” he stated.

“And who said I don’t?” you scoffed.

The butterflies only got worse. You couldn’t say no to him?

Was he getting delusional again? Absolutely.

Was there any coming back from it? Probably not, but at least he was self-aware.

All these aisles feel like miles; Where you go, I'll follow.

Finally, you grabbed your Switch controllers and went over to your bed, sitting beside him against the headboard and handing him one. 

“So why do you have nighttime schedules?” he asked as you started up Mario Kart.

“Soey insists we sound better at night, so we’re recording at night instead,” you explained. “Since she’s the one with the music degree, we all just kind of listen to whatever she says, I guess.”

“Won’t she ream you for not, like, warming up and stuff?” he chuckled, recalling you talk about how Soey could be when it came to music.

“I can drink tea and play Mario Kart at the same time,” you decided as you got back up from the bed. “I could probably also get Taehyung to distract her or something. You want anything?”

“I’ll just come with you,” he said as he put down the controller and climb out of bed with you.

Mingyu shuffled behind you like a puppy as you led him to the kitchen. Along the way, a few of your members that were hanging around the dorm were greeting him like normal. It had become common for you and Mingyu to hang out, and while it took some warming up for some of the girls, they liked having Mingyu around. Plus, he sometimes made them food.

When you first started hanging out with him, you got the third degree hard. You knew it was just because your friends cared about you and didn’t want you falling back into your awful depression, but it was also kind of annoying that they suddenly wanted to be protective when it felt like they wanted you to get over the whole Hansol thing already. 

But now, it was almost like Mingyu was the thirteenth resident of the dorms. Half the time, if you were somewhere, Mingyu was bound to be there, too.

“Your shadow’s gotten taller,” Mori joked as the two of you passed her in the kitchen.

“If he’s my shadow, you think Soey will be pissed if he ends up at the studio later?” you asked jokingly.

“Wouldn’t put it passed the two of you for him to end up there.”

Mori looked up at Mingyu with a knowing look, and Mingyu just shrugged, cheeks turning pink, “At least I’d be there on time for our session tomorrow.”

-

I know we only just met so why do I feel invested? And do you feel it too? Do you feel it too?

Mingyu finally understood what it was like to want to listen to the same song on repeat. Because that was how he felt about this song. It was the perfect song for his situation. How he fell for you instantly. How he was trying to be respectful while you healed your heart. How he had gotten so attached to you and had begun wondering if you could or would ever feel the same for him. Whenever he heard it, he thought of you, and he never wanted to get you out of his head to he just kept it on.

I could be your best yet; Future favorite regret; Do you feel it too? Do you feel it too?

He watched you, drunk and borderline unhinged, as you passionately sang along to the song in his bedroom. Most of the members had gone out for a night of drinking, and while he invited you, you decided you wanted to stay home so he offered to stay in and drink.

And boy, was he glad he did, or he wouldn’t witness you using his hair mousse as a microphone so you could sing his newest favorite song at the top of your lungs while you jumped on his bed.

I've gotta let you know that I think that I love you so.

It was so hard to not be hopelessly in love with you, especially in moments like this. Moments where you were goofy and unapologetically weird. Moments where you did whatever you wanted and just acted so you. Moments that were rare for the rest of the world to see. Moments that were just for him.

You could be my only one; I've gotta let you know.

You’d come so far from when your heart was first broken, and the more time he spent with you, the harder it became for him to not say anything. Even if you denied him, he wanted to tell you. This must’ve been how you felt when you wanted to confess to Hansol. He wanted to do it so badly that he thought he’d throw up.

But now wasn’t the right time. Not while both of you were drunk. Not while he was still even a little bit unsure if you were over Hansol.

So I'll just tell my telephone all of the above when I'm alone.

In the middle of him laughing loudly and shouting along with you, his phone buzzed on his lap. He picked it up to see it was Minghao texting to see how things were going. Wanting to know if his alone time with you was going well or not.

At least he had his friends to talk to in the mean time so the word vomit wouldn’t make him explode.

So I'll just tell my telephone all of the above when I'm alone.

── « ⋅ʚ ♫ ɞ⋅ » ───

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[alaskan-wallflower]

Pls feed me with more Kyle HCs 😔 (respectfully)

lol okay pookie

he’s really good at woodworking and has built shelves and signs for his house

hr waits tables after school, not in the winter tho because he has basketball

he probably gets a scholarship because he’s so good at basketball in his junior year

he plays point guard and is probably the captain tbh

he’s the tallest of the group at 6’5’’ when he gets older

He becomes a psychologist in the future (or maybe an ap history/english teacher, still on the fence about that one)

he ends up going to CU Boulder but i feel like he did end up getting into at least one ivy. not Harvard or Yale but he probably got into John’s Hopkins but he didn’t want to leave his family and friends

his eyes are hazel but when you shine light on them they look greenish

he has those veiny ass piano player hands

if he ever gets a partner he doesn’t really do pet names because he thinks it’s lame but sometimes he’ll slip up with a ‘honey’ or ‘sweetheart’ but that’s really only when he’s high or drunk or smth

he has a very high pain tolerance (i mean…it’s been proven that redheads have a higher pain tolerance anyway)

he’s a total english/history brain

he sucks at science, especially bio. mainly because he finds anatomy gross but he’s pretty good with evolution and genetics

he lets ike play games on his phone but one time ike accidentally bought shit with kyle’s credit card and he never let him use his phone again after that

still doesn’t read the terms and conditions completely, he’ll scan through it to look for anything suspicious but he doesn’t read all that

he holds grudges for a long ass time

i don’t think he would keep kosher honestly, even on his own

he likes animals. i’ll die on that hill

i’m sorry but he’s the most cishet if the group

He cannot draw to save his life

he has that sleeper’s build

theres always one vein on his forehead that shows whenever he’s pissed off but nobody can see it through his bangs

if you touch his hat he will end you

he’s a marvel geek lol (he’s canonically a bit dorky. he plays world of warcraft. come on.)

he and stan drift apart a little. they’re still best friends but they aren’t as codependent on each other in their teenage years

his mom teaches him how to cook before college and everyone goes over to his dorm because they know he’s gonna be cooking

he HATES ‘gen alpha lingo’

cartman knows this and purposefully apams him with shit like ‘jank botigo rizzing up livy dune with his skibidi rizz only in ohio’ shit

kyle doesnt get that humor lol

he has one of those laughs where he takes this sharp gasp for breath midway through (y’know what i mean?)

he’s got a kitten sneeze

that’s all i have time for lol-if you want more on a specific topic lmk!

also sorry this is a billion years late-

[crazy56u]

Whelp, I just woke up, and (without naming names) I just saw a reaction that I am 100% taking with a grain of salt.

Let’s take a look.

Okay, if they’re bringing up the chip subplot now after it supposedly got resolved, that’s not a good sign.

Also, Ben got fucked out of saving Hannah’s husband. And having seen the synopses for the last two episodes of the season [sidenote, NBC, ya gonna fucking announce a renewal or… …?], long story short, oof.

And we’re at a funeral reading in 1953, and Ben may or may not be the maid.

Okay, no offense, that vase looks like shit.

“Is this a joke?” I know, right?!

Oh, so Daddy was too busy being Indiana Jones to remember how money worked.

“To my fearless Dina-” “It’s Dean.” …misspelling, or deadnaming? Is this a trans plot?

A ship in a bottle, I don’t know if they make those anymore.

And it goes smash. …revealing a map; okay, Ben won this will reading.

Addison, why the fuck do you continue to have the shittiest timing

“Hey, I know we’re supposed to be working, and Ben just leapt in, but you wanna ditch this episode?”

Okay, legitimately, I couldn’t tell if Ian was wearing glasses or not.

“I planned a wedding once. That led to me burying a not-dead man’s belongings in the park; the cops are still nagging me to dig that shit up.”

Yeah, remember, you have jobs?

“Are you sure I’m not rushing you?” You want to get married a day or so after proposing. What do you think?

Like, not to make a controversial statement, but Ross Gellar at least had the foresight to wait a few months.

“Do not wait to live your life. Otherwise, time travel will fuck you over.”

And the horrible vase is dead.

San Patricio… Quick Google search gave me this little number, so my interest is peaked…

…okay, I don’t think Wikipedia mentioned cursed jewels, so fuck me, I guess.

Okay, wait, I just realized: is Sarah played by Veronica from Riverdale?

How much longer until they realize the Accelerator isn’t doing shit, and it’s Ben?

I agree: Family bullshit is less enticing than being Indiana Jones. But unfortunately, it’s this show, so you should already know the punchline.

“[Dean] is the key to all this.” Like how Horace was the key to Halloween Havoc.

I love the Kramer entrance Ben just pulled.

Teamwork makes the dream work, and maybe Veronica can stop bitching.

I love how Will Man is intentionally withholding the lore unless it’s for dramatic moments.

Okay, quick math time; 40 mill in 1953 would be about… almost half a fucking billion in 2024, so…

This looks less like Mexico and more like The Darjeeling Limited.

Who sings opera while biking?

Yes, that’s right, make Addison bring up the wedding now of all places…

“Hey, I know you’re talking to ghosts, but check out the map!”

Well, given how the priest killed for those jewels, blood probably did get on them, so he wasn’t wrong…

That wasn’t “fashion advice”, that was “we’re going on a treasure hunt, don’t overload the fucking suitcase” advice, Veronica.

“Okay, maybe let’s stop deadnaming and let’s get crunk.”

[Okay, how have I not noticed the producer is named “Meg Fister” until now?]

Yes, Jenn, Ian does want to do their job, that’s not a shock.

“Look, if we’re still pretending 2023- now 2024- is supposed to be 2026, then Addison and Tom can get married. That’s the law.”

[I will fucking laugh if my long standing theory pays out, and Ben undoes the time skip.]

“Hey, Rachel, I just said a sitcom line-” “Ian, we are fucked, they remembered the chip subplot.” “I thought we finished that!”

…is Tom a puppet?

And, in a rather appropriate cutaway, we go to the bar.

A bar is not a place to yell, pleas calm down.

“Nadia, where did you learn Spanish?” “From a person who speaks Spanish.”

I don’t like how the bartender is immediately in the know.

And that satchel is going to get taken in 5… 4… 3…

Ben, with that type of scratch, you can change all their fucking lives.

“And what are we doing?” Not looking after a satchel?

Why does their dad look like Santa?

And it’s now a race.

Ben, he was clearly lying about not believing the treasure was real.

Sarah, you don’t just get to decide to abandon the episode after fucking everything up.

“I have a very good memory, and I’m friends with a ghost.”

Sarah, if you hadn’t left the satchel, this wouldn’t be as bad, stop denying fault.

Meanwhile, back in Subplot 2.

Look, Ian, if it makes you feel any better, given how next week involves a leap into the 1980s, dealer’s odds Ben accidentally erases Gideon from the show.

Meanwhile, back to the treasure; this is a packed week for everyone, isn’t it…

Well, this is Indiana Jones coded, so one of you had to do the snake line…

“Well, I am not climbing down that.” Okay, die then.

Okay, you won’t drown, but if you slip, you will break something. Small miracles.

So the jewels are a metaphor- okay, if the plot twist is that the dad hid the jewels back home, due to “home being the real treasure,” I will piss blood.

“Some say it was Saint Patrick. Some say it was Santa.”

Okay, I thought that was gonna be a zombie.

Either bartender wanted to cover his tracks, or bartender is under those rocks.

“Is there another option?” Get to fucking digging.

Sarah, legitimately, stop being a bitch.

God is getting angry now, that’s how much we’re approaching the Family Bullshit Event Horizon.

Okay, that’s peak comedic timing. “THE ROCK’S FAKE! :D”

Dad’s pun fetish, I swear to God.

Stephen King had once again gotten his grubby mitts into an episode of Quantum Leap.

They found the prop wall.

That was not fucking funny, that got me.

…well, I mean, to be fair, the key to all great comedy is misdirection… 🥁

And of course.

[I choose to split this up now.]