#Oliver Clemming

[ryllen]

he really grew on me

[elgatofx]

FANKID LINEUP PT 2 🔥🔥🔥

Finished the final batch of fankids for my fankid au Guns and Emeralds

These 4 aren't technically major characters in the main storyline (Maybe Clem and Tundra at most) but I might make a separate arc to showcase these 4 more

Full fankid lineup under the cut

[panie-wanie-dean-bean]

The Cafe Masterlist

Concept intro

[tealgoat]

Some stuff from the animatic

[sunnyseconds]

Urgh what a GREAT F2 start. Fred and Clem are both out:( Théo is currently p2 so it looks like fred won‘t get the championship title🥲

Ollie is currently p1, I hope he can keep his place!!!!

[coverpanelarchive]

Green Arrow #38 (2004)

[gardenofadonis]

traditions (& interesting tactics)

[aimer-arts]

OHHH MY GOSH SHE’S SO CUTE... I am obsessed with this thank you thank you!! <3 <3 <3 

Clementine 🍊

Gift for @aimer-arts!

[pupsmailbox]

hi me again.

do you have names similar to Buck or Callahan?

asking for a friend.

BUCK︰ aaron. ace. alan. alayna. alison. allie. amelia. ava. axel. babs. baja. bak. baker. baki. baqia. bash. basia. bass. basye. baz. bear. becca. beck. becka. beretta. bessie. bevis. beyza. biagio. bice. bijou. bijoux. bo. boaz. booker. boone. bosco. boyce. boyko. boyne. boys. bozica. bret. brock. bronco. brooks. burke. buse. bush. buster. busy. buz. buzz. cash. chea. clayton. colt. crash. cupid. damon. danner. delilah. delta. denim. diana. diesel. doe. draven. dublin. evelyn. fallow. felix. flat. franken. grayson. gunner. hunter. isabella. jake. janna. jayce. joe. john. kaitlynn. kamina. kevin. king. laura. lollia. lucky. lux. mace. maile. mary. moose. mycah. nike. nora. ranger. remington. rhett. ripp. rocket. sargent. sawyer. shooter. slide. striker. tabitha. tank. tesa. tucker. uda. walker. whitney. wolf. wyatt.

CALLAHAN︰ acey. adelaide. ahlia. alen. allan. allen. amelia. anders. asher. avary. bailey. beckett. bellamy. benjamin. bennett. brady. branigan. brennan. brina. brooklin. brooks. caelum. cailean. caillen. cailyn. calan. calhoun. callaghan. callan. callen. calloway. callum. calum. calvin. camira. canaan. cannon. carrington. carter. cayleen. caylin. celaeno. celie. celine. celyn. chailyn. chalina. charlotte. chelan. cheslyn. chilion. chisholm. cholena. clem. cleme. cleon. coilin. coleman. colin. colleen. collin. colm. colman. colon. conal. conifer. connolly. connor. corin. cullen. declan. deimos. delaney. donovan. dorie. driana. eleanor. elixir. ely. emerson. emma. emmett. eszti. evelyn. everett. exa. finley. finn. finnegan. finnian. finnigan. fletcher. griffe. griffin. harper. harrison. hudson. itai. jack. kalvi. kannon. kason. kelan. kellan. kieran. killian. kimmie. kincaid. kylan. lachlan. lady. larami. liam. lile. lincoln. macaulay. madigan. maeve. magdala. makena. matthias. melitta. melrose. mozelle. murry. oakley. oliver. ottie. owen. parker. ponk. quest. quinn. rorie. rowan. salomon. sawyer. seamus. sebastian. shanti. sloane. sophia. sullivan. talen. tetra. theodore. thursday. tryphena. vick. violet. wren. xil.

[blackswallowtailbutterfly]

Plant names that are used as names or might be nice as names

Abelia (Abby, Bibi, Bel, Bee, Lia)

Achillea (feminine of Achilles; Lea)

Aletris (like Alexis or Beatris; Al, Allie, Tris, Trissy)

Alisma (Al, Allie, Lee, Alis, Lissy)

Alliaria (Al, Allie, Lia, Lee, Ria)

Amaranthus (actual name already; Amy, Mara, Anne, Annie)

Ambrosia (actual name already; Amy, Rosie)

Ammophila (Amy, Phil)

Andromeda (actual name already; Anne, Annie, Andy, Mimi)

Angelica (actual name already; Angie)

Anise (Anne, Annie)

Anthea (actual name already; Anne, Annie, Thea)

Apple (actual name already)

Aquilegia (Gigi)

Aralia (Lee, Lia)

Argemone (Gem, Gemmy, Monnie)

Argentina (Gen, Genny, Tina)

Arisaema (Aris)

Aronia (Ro, Nia)

Artemisia (actual name already; Art, Arty, Mimi, Missy)

Ash/Ashley (actual name already)

Aster (like Esther)

Barley (like Bartley)

Betula (Bett, Bettie, Tula)

Bluet (Blue, Bett, Bettie)

Blossom (actual name already)

Calla (Cal, Al, Allie)

Callirhoe (Cal, Al, Allie, Ro)

Caltha (Cal, Al, Allie)

Calystegia (Cal, Al, Aly, Gia)

Carya (actual name already)

Celastrus (like Celeste; Cece, Cela)

Celosia (like Celeste; Cece, Cela)

Celtis

Chelone (Lonnie)

Cherry (actual name already)

Clarkia (Clark, Kia, Kiki)

Claytonia (Clay, Toni)

Clematis (Clem)

Cleome (Cleo, Clem, Mimi)

Clintonia (Clint, Lin, Toni)

Clover (Clo)

Comandra (like Cassandra; Anne, Annie, Andy, Maddie, Mandy)

Commelina (Mel, Lina, Melly, Lin, Lee)

Cotton

Dahlia (like Delia or Thalia)

Daisy (actual name already)

Dale (actual name already)

Dalea (like Delia or Thalia)

Daphne (actual name already)

Datura (Dottie, Tura)

Della (actual name already)

Dianthus (Dia, Dianne, Anne, Annie)

Dicentra

Drosera (Dro, Ro, Sera)

Dryas

Erigenia (Eri, Gigi, Gen, Genny, Genie, Genia, Nia)

Evadne (actual name already; Eve, Evie, Eva)

Fern (actual name already)

Filipendula (Fil, Filly, Flippa, Penn, Penny)

Flower/Fleure/Flora/etc. (actual names already)

Forest (actual name already)

Gale (actual name already)

Ginger (actual name already)

Grindelia (Dede, Delia, Lia)

Halesia (Hal, Hally, Al, Allie)

Hazel (actual name already)

Heather (actual name already)

Holly (actual name already)

Hydrangea (Hydie, Angie, Gigi)

Iris (actual name already)

Isotria (Izzy, Tria)

Juniper (actual name already; June, Junie)

Laurel (actual name already)

Lavender (actual name already; Lav, Vendy)

Leafie (actual name already)

Lemna

Liatris (like Beatris; Li, Lia, Tris, Trissy)

Lilac (like Lilah)

Lily (actual name already)

Linaria (Lin, Linny)

Lindera (Lin, Linny, Lindy)

Linnaea (Lin, Linny)

Lobelia (Lo, Lola, Bel, Lia)

Lonicera (Lon, Lonnie, Cera)

Lotus (actual name already; Lottie)

Lunaria (Lulu, Luna)

Magnolia (Maggie, Nola, Lia)

Malia (actual name already)

Maple (like Maybel; May)

Meadow (actual name already)

Melia (actual name already; Mel, Melly)

Melothria (Mel, Melly)

Mentha (actual name already)

Mertensia (like Mercedes)

Mitchella (feminine of Mitchel; Mimi, Mitch, Chella)

Monarda (Monnie, Mona)

Montia (like Monty; Monnie, Monty, Tia)

Myrtle (actual name already)

Myrica (like Erica)

Nemesia

Nyssa

Oakley (actual name already)

Olive/Olivia/etc. (actual name already)

Pansy (actual name already)

Peach (actual name already)

Peltandra (Pel, Tandy, Andy)

Persicaria (Persi, Kari, Carrie, Caria)

Petunia (actual name already)

Phyllis (actual name already)

Picea

Pilea

Pontederia (Ted, Teddie)

Poppy (actual name already)

Praline (Lina)

Primula (Prima)

Prunella (Nel, Nelly, Nella)

Robinia (Rob, Robby, Bob, Bobby, Robin, Nia)

Rose/Rosa/Rosaria/Rhode/etc. (actual names already)

Rosemary (actual name already)

Salvia (like Silvia; Sally, Vivi)

Sibara

Sida

Silvia/Sylvie/Sylvaine/etc. (actual name already; Vivi)

Tansy (actual name already)

Thuja

Tilia

Valley (Val, Al, Alley)

Vallisneria (Val, Valli, Al, Alli, Allis, Lissy, Neri)

Verbena

Veronica (actual name already)

Violet/Viola/etc. (actual name already; Vi, Vivi)

Willow (actual name already; Will, Willie)

Yarrow

Zea

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Friday, August 9th

BUFFYBOT: (OS) Anya! BUFFYBOT: How is your money? ANYA: (laughs in surprise) Fine. Thank you for asking.

~~Intervention~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Back-up Plans by veronyxk84 (Spike & Clem, PG-13)

Who's a Good Kitten? by Anonymous (Angelus/Fred, M)

Scientific Inquiry by Anonymous (Angel/Spike/Maggie Walsh, E)

The Other Side of Corporeal by Anonymous (Angel/Darla/Drusilla/Spike, M)

Expectations by mmooch (Buffy, Big Bang Theory crossover, T)

Favours and Flowers by Diary (Angel, Fred, Supernatural crossover, G)

Dreamt of Drowning by Anonymous (Spike/Drusilla, T)

Willow tells Xander she's bisexual by Johanna6Cats (Willow/Xander, G)

The Taste Of A Heart Beating by Geliot99 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Buffy season 8 " Wicked me", Chapter 8 by FreyStewart (Buffy/Angel, not rated)

Slayer & Rose Bride, Chapter 11 (complete!) by acpendra, Sparkle 94 (acpendra) (Buffy, Shoujo Kakumei Utena | Revolutionary Girl Utena crossover, M)

Darkness and Desire - Book - 01 - Hex Born, Chapter 7 by zxandris (Buffy, Willow, Tara, multiple crossovers, E)

Enter Sunnydale, Chapter 3 by Philister (Faith, Transformers crossover, M)

Further From Home, Chapter 2 by zombiesam (Buffy/Giles, E)

Who Are You Now? Chapter 2 by Mirrored_Illusions (Buffy, NCIS crossover, G)

School of Hard Knocks, Chapter 11 (complete!) by Melme1325 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Rebirth: A Stargate Tale, Chapter 12 by Buffyworldbuilder (Ensemble, Stargate crossover, FR13)

2024 FaD Tribbles, Chapter 2 by mmooch (Oz, Harry Potter crossover, FR13)

What the Drabble? Vol. 2, Chapter 58 by VeroNyxK84 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Tale as Old as Time, Chapter 14 (complete!) by honeygirl51885 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Task Mistress, Chapters 2-4 by HappyWhenItRains (Buffy/Spike, R)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Manip: There is a Geppetto in the house! by KneeHighMischief (Puppet!Angel, worksafe)

Screencaps with lyrics: Lyrical, Chapters 1-11 by scratchmeout (PG-13)

Artwork: Spike by isevery0nehereverystoned (partial nudity, probably worksafe)

Artwork: they've probably had better dates... by mistyintherivers (Giles/Jenny, worksafe)

Artwork: a little buffy drawing by teenaween (worksafe)

Artwork: Joyce has invited him to bookclub before without a DOUBT! by tothetoonandback (Spike & Joyce, worksafe)

Fanvid: ► Dynasty [Buffy & Stefan] by WeCanTry (The Vampire Diaries crossover)

Fanvid: Cordelia Chase - Primadonna Girl by TheOverlookedOne

Fanvid: Forsaken: Buffy v Lestat ("Official Trailer) by Brendan Ryan

Artwork: My kinda ok #btvs #drawings ❤️ by Wolvyn Woods (Buffy, Faith, Tara, Willow, Spike, worksafe)

Fanvid: Buffy & Angel - I Dont Care (remake) by Angelus_Clips

Fanvid: Buffy + Angel She’s my wind by AshleyBurchettAJLeefanlove23love

Fanvid: Wesley&Lilah | Vampire Smile by 1SnoWhiteQueen1

Music video: Are You Afraid of Buffy's Goosebumps? - CRACK HORROR | Official Video | by Whalley Exchange

[Reviews & Recaps]

Video: LET'S TALK ABOUT BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER by I RAMBLE A LOT

Video: My thoughts on Buffy the Vampire Slayer by The Autistic Buffy

Video: Buffy 2.11 Ted by Jen Katz and Ryan Something

Video: BUFFY the VAMPIRE SLAYER already has me HOOKED by Ashleigh Burton

Video: The Dated Vision of Buffy’s 23rd Century Future by PanelHopper

Video: Analyzing Buffy: Do You Wanna Hear My Philosophy? | 1x01: Welcome to the Hellmouthby The Bronze

Video: Analyzing Buffy by The Bronze

Video: Same Time, Same Place-Slayer Sunday by Jane Talks Buffy

Podcast: Twice More With Irony - A Full MUSICAL Review of 'Once More With Feeling' by Beer with Buffy

Podcast: DORPCast 247 - Buffy und Angel by DORP

Podcast: Buffy 2.12 Bad Eggs by Once More: A Rewatch Podcast

[Search & Recs]

Looking for [Spuffy or Spike/OC] fanfic recommendations by Ok-Olive-4048

Art rec: Darla/Drusilla (not worksafe) by drea.d.art, recced by roselynnthornwood

[Community Announcements]

Video: Slayerfest '24 Readathon Announcement - Buffy The Vampire Slayer Readathon! by Rescues and Reads

[Fandom Discussions]

btvs is just a seven year long competition between buffy and giles to see who can be the most unhinged depressed bisexual by comradesummers

A large portion of the issue with spike’s soul by greensaplinggrace

the scoobies were really the worst friend group ever by latrodectal

Okay, so... The Body... by redhatmeg

Never Kill a Boy on the First Date Fashion Part One by theoverlookedoneedits1997

Genuine Buffy/Angel Question by annarowyn

it’s so important that in Chosen (7x22) [Buffy] didn’t end up with either [Angel or Spike] by fictiongods

buffy you cannot seriously be comparing what willow did to sleeping with spike by justsolas

My dislike for Ensouled Spike with Buffy doesn't come from a place of not liking their relationship or preferring Angel by mortalaf

i think angel would have been a 1000% better character if they just put him in more situations by not worksafe

Why I was more invested in Spuffy than Bangel by peppermintquartz

Who the fuck curses a vampire with ... by sympathischeufos

Buffy rewatch podcast with Juliet Landau continued by Dogs of Winter

Rewatch thoughts and questions continued by multiple posters

I have never fully understood this joke [Wesley's in Underneath] by AndrewHeard

Please I need closure, and can’t get a clear answer. Shanshu… by Altruistic-Salt-8303

Having a brain fog here but help… [the blood on Robin Wood's knife] by Trixieswizzle

Sometimes the recaps at the start of episodes skip some lines from the original dialogue. This is my favourite of those by Baron_Butterfly

Which antagonist did the most damage? by jdpm1991

If you guys were a vampire just chillin' in a graveyard late at night by Spyderwarp55

Totally forgot how they gave Faith an accent in the beginning by VisibleCoat995

Buffy's Complex Release: Emotion vs. Desire by Interesting-Tea3907

What is the best order to watch? by wildguitars

Who is your absolute favorite character in the Buffyverse and why? by hatcherry

Which unheard OMWF song would you most like to hear? by MonsterTournament

Who has the better nonexistent, faux-British accent? by nowlan101

A small and fairly insignificant question about the season 5 finale by nickel4asoul

How did Buffy not realize who Robin was? by bluish-velvet

AU Scenario Swap! Angelus Chipped & Spike Remains Evil by orchid-noogie

Reboot? by sluteeprncss

Who looks more like their actor in the comics? by jdpm1991

I'm so mad the Slayers didn't get a wage by Suitable_cataclysm

Tara's name by MissSpooky69

Graduation Day, the poison and The Mayor by yukeee

Video: Buffy and Angel- The relationship that should have been? In under 3 minutes!" by BingeTalkTV

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[smurphyse]

Somebody to Love | Eddie Munson

Smurph's Masterlist | Zero to Hero Masterlist

Warnings: dream walking, bed sharing, mentions of past abuse, so many 80s song lyrics

Summary: You and Eddie make up after your fight. Later, he convinces you to share the bed with him, leading to a revelation

Eddie struggles to get anything done with this damned cane. The pain is unlike anything he's ever felt, and Zero still won't tell him where her grow patch is, so not even weed is going to help him. It’s gotten worse since she stomped off to the woods, and after finding out she was controlling it for him, he was hoping she'd come back sooner than later.

He felt bad for upsetting her earlier, though he still wasn’t sure what he did. Screech refuses to talk to him any more, so here he is stumbling around the kitchen trying to make her something to eat. The lights still haven't turned back on, but luckily he still has his lighter and the gas stove.

She's been gone for hours, but for some reason Clem has decided to keep him company. Or maybe she was keeping an eye on him, he wasn't entirely sure. 

Eddie found some of the same ingredients she'd been using for breakfast in the fridge, so he decided to save them since the power still wasn't on. Igniting the gas, he lit the flame and started cooking potatoes and peppers with some olive oil and spices he hoped would taste good together. 

Since Eddie lived mostly on Honey Combs and Spaghettios, he didn't know anything about cooking. Hopefully this was at least palatable or Zero would take some pity on him. 

Clem's tail thumps on the floor as he pushes the food around on the skillet. Eddie makes a face at her, "So, do you talk or nah?"

More tail wagging. No reply. 

"Am I even making this right?" 

She shakes her head this time. It's… weird, talking to this thing that looks so much like the monsters that ate his insides. After a bit of her following him around, Eddie was getting used to this shadow. She was even kinda cute, even though sitting her head came up to his shoulders. 

"Will she at least appreciate the effort?"

Now she nods. Eddie chuckles a bit, "Thanks, Clem. That makes me feel better."

The fairy lights suddenly come to life and the radio starts to play. Clem lets out a happy yelp just before the door opens and Zero walks through. Scratches litter her legs and arms, stray branches stuck in her messy ponytail. She looks exhausted.

"Oh my god," she groans, pinching her nose tightly between her fingers. "What is that smell?"

Eddie sheepishly picks up the pan and shakes it, "I was making dinner."

Zero scoffs and pads over to him. The pan jerks out of his hand and into hers. With a frown, she inspects it, then angles it toward Clem. "Would you eat this?"

Clem shakes her head, so Zero makes her way to the trash can and dumps his badly made food inside. 

“So, where’d you go?” Eddie asks, his hands buzzing with anxiety. 

“I was in a tree.”

Huh. Okay, then. "Explains the sticks in your hair." This weird girl gets weirder every day.

"I, uh, I thought I'd try to make what you did for breakfast this morning. I thought you'd be hungry when you came back."

Zero set the pan in the sink before leaning on her hip and cocking her brow at him, "Why didn't you just heat up what I made?"

"Oh, I ate that." Eddie stuffs his hands in his pockets and shrugs, "I'm sorry. I was starving and I didn't know when you were coming back."

"Did you throw it up?"

Now it was Eddie's turn to frown, "Uhm, no?"

"Good," Zero decides. Her gaze flicks down to his belly. "It means you're healing. That's good."

She trails off, biting her lip. Eddie squints as she tugs at the sleeves of her shirt. The lights flicker a bit as she frowns, but soon enough she steps forward, her fingertips reaching out to brush against his stomach. 

"Can I?"

Eddie nods, "Yeah, go ahead."

Zero leads him by his shirt to one of the armchairs she has set up in front of the fireplace, her free hand waving to produce a flame inside. She leans it back so his belly stretches for her inspection, then pushes up his shirt and Clem immediately bounds over to put her head in his lap. Her fingers are warm, making his stomach quiver with her light touch. Rough calloused fingertips graze the angry looking stitches and scars, but the pain eases as they pass.

"How am I lookin', doc?" Eddie asks nervously. He's starting to sweat from the tension in his shoulders, but he likes the feel of Zero's hands on him. It's comforting. She feels safe. 

"Like you're healing," she murmurs, but it has an edge to it, like she's not telling him everything. 

"You don't sound so sure."

Zero looks up at him with wide eyes, but quickly glances back down at his stitches. They're jagged and long, hurriedly put together as she pieced his body back into place. She smooths her palm until it's flat across him. 

"This is going to take time…" she says slowly, like she's scared of his reaction. "Longer than I think you want it to."

Eddie's heart drops, and he sits up on his elbows to watch her closely. "How long?"

"Months," she whispers. Her voice is wracked with pain. "There's a lot of damage. I'm doing what I can to manage your pain, but honestly if I wasn't here I think you'd die from the shock."

His lips part as his breath begins to pick up. It's like he's trying to breathe through a straw suddenly, his vision tunneling into a pinpoint until he can barely see. 

Warmth floods his cheeks, and when Eddie manages to blink he's staring into Zero's dark syrupy eyes. 

"But my friends…" he whispers tearfully, "my uncle Wayne. They think I’m dead. I can’t let them forget me."

"I'm sorry. The human body wasn't meant to survive things like this."

"Why can't you just come with me?" Eddie asks sharply, a strange anger taking over him. "Why won't you leave here?"

“You ask too many questions, Eddie,” Zero sighs. The bags under her eyes seem to darken with a weight he can’t see. “It frustrates me.”

Zero's hands fall from his face, and Eddie wishes he was brave enough to pull them back. She takes a deep breath, "I want to tell you something."

"What is it?"

Zero sighs and points to his forehead, "I can't… I'm not good at talking about this stuff. I haven't talked this much in years. I have to show you."

Eddie squints suspiciously at her, "Show me?"

"You don't like it when I go inside your head, but…" Zero taps his temple lightly, “It’s a memory.”

Eddie has to think about it for a moment. As much as he wants to learn more about Zero and her powers, she frightens him. She’s likely stronger than he can even imagine. After seeing what she showed him last time even with him fighting her, what would happen if he willingly gave his mind over to her?

Biting the inside of his cheek, he watches the exhausted look on her face. Her gaze is almost pleading, tired beyond belief. Finally, he opens his mouth and asks, “Are you this tired because you’re healing me or because of something else?”

Her jaw opens slightly in shock, lips stammering silently as she thinks of how to answer. Zero shrugs, “It’s complicated.”

“Will it hurt?”

“The memory?” He nods. Zero shrugs again, “You’ll feel what I felt.”

“And how did it feel?”

She swallows thickly but never looks away, “It was excruciating, but I survived. So will you.”

Eddie groans, "Fuck, fine. Excruciate me."

"Quit whining," she scoffs, but before Eddie can give a snappy reply everything goes black. 

The warmth from the Haven disappears in one fell swoop, replaced by a bitter cutting chill. The wind whips his hair, jerking at the scalp with its power. The world comes slowly into focus, and Eddie realizes he's on his knees. 

In the Upside Down. 

Before him stands a creature he'd only seen in drawings that Dustin showed him. Ones the Byers kid drew. With a massive angular head and six legs, Eddie trembles in terror as the sky booms and shatters around him. It's the Mind Flayer, and it's every bit as horrifying in person. 

"Mara!" he calls, a pleading scream. Only it's not Eddie's voice, it's Zero's coming from his own mouth. "Do it now!"

This is her memory, and he's living it as her. 

I'm sorry, a voice molds through his mind. 

The skyscraper of a monster lashes out, and Zero does nothing to stop it. No surprise flows through her as a vicious vine impales her stomach. She doesn't even look down, just keeps her eyes trained on the Mind Flayer.

Blinding pain like he felt when the first demabat began eating into his belly bursts through his veins. Heat flashes through him, so hot his limbs go cold. It's as though he's being ripped in two, but Zero doesn’t even flinch. Her body jerks forward as the vine rips itself from her middle, and Zero collapses onto the ground. 

Sticky wet blood pools into the ground beneath him in waves. His face presses into the dirt while the life drains from him. He knew from experience that Zero could have healed herself, but she refuses now. She was dying and it was her choice. 

A cold hand grips his shoulder, turning him achingly onto his back. Eddie finds himself staring into the eyes of Vecna, the ice blue eyes of Henry Creel himself. 

"Not so fast, little sister," that rumbling horrible voice boomed. His claws reached to grab his hair to hold him up, "I can't have you dying on me."

"Henry, please," Zero's voice pleads from his - her - lips. Blood spurts from his mouth as he coughs wetly. "I can't live like this anymore. I can't keep fighting you…"

Henry's face morphs from Vecna to who he was before, and Zero groans in fear. He smiles down at him, soft and sweet as he brushes back Eddie's hair. He can feel Zero's pain, both physical and emotional. She was right. 

It's excruciating. 

"You can't leave me, Zero. You're all I have left," he whispers, and somehow this monster's voice is laced with pain. "Big brothers protect their sisters. I won't let anyone hurt you, not even yourself."

Henry presses his palm to the gaping wound in his chest, and Zero's voice screams out in agony. It's a horrible sound, one he'll never forget, accompanied by tears and the sticky sound of gurgling blood. 

"Start healing," he commands softly. "Now."

Eddie's head shakes, "No. Just let me go. Please, Henry."

Henry sighs, and in a flash he reaches out toward the Mind Flayer. A biting scream rips its way through his mind, and Zero's voice calls out in return. 

"Stop! You're hurting her!" 

"Heal yourself!" he snarls back, his face angling with rage. The creature screeches once more, its giant body trembling to the ground. "I'll keep hurting her, and I'll keep hurting you."

Something ignites inside his chest, and Eddie feels the blood flow begin to staunch. Like his own wounds, it'll take time, but she begins the process anyway. 

"There you go, don’t be afraid," Henry coos. The Mind Flayer goes quiet in his head, and Henry pulls his claws from the wound. "Try and stay very still. It will all be over soon."

He drops Eddie to the ground, and the screeching of the Mind Flayer stops. Henry gazes down at him with what at first glance seems like sympathy, but he knows better even though in that moment Zero didn't. 

"I can't lose you, Zero. You can't leave me," he says softly, his voice full of pleading hope. "I need you, sister."

"I just… I just want to rest," Zero spits out, her lips soaked with blood. "I'm so tired, Henry, please."

"And you can, so long as you do what I say," Henry tells her. It sends a shiver up her spine, watching him kneel beside her broken body once more. 

Hope flickers in her chest, a sliver of a spark that could easily die with the rush of the wind. Henry cups her cheeks in his hands, his thumbs brushing her temples in an attempt to soothe. 

"Promise you won't leave me," he whispers, and Eddie can feel the moment Zero's love for this man morphs with her fear. It's…traumatic, two people bonded through violence. "And I'll give you whatever you want. You can make your home here, make another Haven in my Darkness…

"You can go to the real world when you need, but you have to come back. Live out your days growing plants and vegetables, reading your books." Henry smiles, and Eddie feels as Zero smiles shakily back at the thought. "I'll keep you safe, just don't leave me, sister."

"You'll keep me safe…" 

"Nobody will ever hurt you here. I won't let them."

Eddie's chin wobbles as Zero gathers the courage to say this out loud, "Papa?"

"Never. If he opens a gate, I'll make him wish he hadn't," Henry tells her, his voice going hard and deadly. "I'll punish anyone who comes inside, anyone who threatens my sweet sister."

Eddie’s head nods, but this is wrong. It's so fucked up and Henry is lying to Zero in a way she doesn't know. His hands come up to cover Henry's on her face as she tearfully squeaks out. 

"I won't leave you, Henry. I promise."

Suddenly Eddie is looking back into the eyes of Zero herself, gasping as her hold on his mind loosened until it was gone. He stares wild eyed at her as he catches his breath, but hers are dead, haunted. 

“I can’t leave because I promised not to,” Zero whispers, looking somehow empty and full at the same time. “I’m safe here. He’s the only one who ever protected me, even when he hurt me. He makes sure I’m safe here.”

"He…he lied to you," Eddie pants incredulously, "Not everyone who he hurt came through the gates. I didn't come here to hurt you, Zero. I came here to kill Henry."

Zero turns away and stands, heading into the kitchen. Her shoulders hang, her jaw tight. The lights flicker as she starts cooking dinner to replace the one he'd tried to make. 

"I appreciate you trying to cook," she says, pulling out some veggies to chop. "Next time just let me do it."

"Zero-," he begins, struggling to get out of the chair, but she holds out a hand to stop him. 

"I don't want to talk about this any more. Can we just…eat dinner and go to bed?"

Eddie wants nothing more than to tell her everything he knows, but so much of it is second hand… He's more than likely going to have to wait until she takes him home. Maybe he can get her to at least meet Eleven again. But to do that he needs to be on her good side…and alive. 

He taps the cane on the hardwood, nodding to himself, "I have a condition."

Zero scoffs and leans on one hip while she glares at him. It seems to be her go-to move. "What?"

"You have to sleep. In the bed." Eddie waves the cane toward the bedroom. "I'll take the couch."

"The last thing you need with internal injuries is back pain from that piece of shit," she tells him. "I'll be fine."

Eddie looks back toward the bed, then at the couch. It's a queen, and it belongs to her after all, but his mouth opens before he can think better of it. 

"Sleep with me."

Zero's eyebrows almost hit her hairline, but a coy smile plays at her lips as she watches him struggle to backpedal. 

"I just- I meant," Eddie stutters. His face flushes deep and hot, and he rubs a hand across the back of his neck and points to the bed again with the cane. "I meant… share the bed. A compromise, right? It's yours after all, you should sleep in it."

Zero eyes him for a second, and the amusement is clear as he stands there embarrassed. 

"Fine, but I sleep closest to the door," she decides. Zero turns back to the stove and waves a spatula over her shoulder. "And I don't want your morning wood pressing into my back tomorrow, either."

"Yeah, fair."

They eat on the porch, watching the sun go down. Clem seems to have become attached to Eddie, sitting next to his chair and resting her head on his foot while he's eating. Screech stays at a distance, but his eyeless gaze never leaves Eddie.

 Zero's cooking is amazing, mouth watering even though he finally realizes she doesn't eat any meat. When he asks her about it she chalks it up to it being a difficult supply to keep fresh here. What she's built here… it is amazing. The massive garden alone is impressive, but the remodel to the cabin and the pond make this her home. Eddie sees why this is her Haven, her place filled with books and puzzles and small things to keep Zero happy in a prison of her own making. If only she would listen to him. She could be happy somewhere else in the real world.

He decided to stop asking her questions. The lights were flickering too much for his liking. 

After working on the puzzle late into the night, Zero took Eddie's hand and led him back to the bedroom, careful to slow down for him and his cane trailing behind her. 

Eddie goes to sit down and slide into his side, but Zero points at his jeans, "Don't you sleep in your underwear?"

"Well, yeah," he stammers, frowning to himself. Eddie motions toward her, "I didn't wanna assume you'd… be okay with that."

"Eddie, how many times do I have to tell you that I've seen you naked?" Zero smirks, standing before him looking much too hot in her panties and flannel combo. "It literally doesn't matter."

"Fine," he snaps back, working at his fly. Eddie toes off his boots and pushes down his pants, waving his arms at her like an asshole as he steps out of them. For good measure he even takes his shirt off and tosses it at her, and Zero just catches it with a small smile as he clambers onto the bed. 

Her warmth bleeds into his side under the covers, their hips pressed together. The back of her hand is just out of reach from his, and if he twitches he'll be touching that too. It's a strange urge, to intertwine his fingers with hers. 

Settling into the pillows, he finds himself looking up at the stained glass she has dangling from the window. The plant doesn't reflect much now, just a glint of moonlight from the Haven, and Eddie points up at it. 

"Where'd you get this from?" He knows she hates his questions, but she's much more amenable if they're not about her powers or past. 

Zero smiles softly, her fingers reaching up even though she won't touch it. "A swap meet."

Eddie turns his head on the pillow to grin at her, "You go to swap meets? No kidding."

"You've been to one?"

"Oh, yeah," Eddie drawls with a chuckle. "My mom, she, uh, she loved ‘em. She used to make necklaces and we'd sell them out of the back of our van. She took me to them all the time. I think she'd like you."

Zero's knuckle bumps the back of his hand as her voice softens to a whisper, "Why's that?"

"She was a weirdo too."

"Was?"

The smile quickly fades from his cheeks with her question. Now he knows how she feels when he does this. His chest is suddenly quite hollow and too full all at the same time. 

Eddie licks his lips and forces his voice not to shake as he replies, "I don't remember much. She died when I was pretty young, but she was a hippie chick. Long curly hair, feathers everywhere… just trying to find a place she fit. We lived in the van, in communes, and in shelters sometimes."

"She didn't really know who she was, but," he trails off, staring up at the ceiling with faraway eyes. "She was always my mom. She always took care of me."

She says nothing for a moment, chewing on his words as he avoids her gaze. Zero nods out of the corner of his eye and decides to look at the ceiling too. 

"My mom liked swap meets, too. We found a lot of plants there. She was a botanist."

Eddie squints, "A… what?"

"She studied plants," Zero laughs lightly, "She taught me all about them. What they need, how they grow…"

Zero bumps his hand again, "She'd like you, too."

Eddie's smile creeps its way back across his face, "Why's that?"

"She always asked me questions. All the time like it was her job. I don't remember much about her. She died when I was young, too."

Eddie finds himself nudging her back, "What do you remember?"

"Well," she says quietly, with a soft grin playing along her lips. "I remember that she was so smart, and she was always teaching me something… she liked to dance in the kitchen…"

Zero waves a hand as a laugh bubbles from her chest, "She liked to make fun of my Papa and how buttoned up he always was. She loved music… all sorts, and…"

She took a deep breath, seemingly lost in a pool of her memory. Zero's voice trembled with painful longing as she said barely above a whisper, "The day she died was the last time anyone called me by my real name."

If Eddie's attention wasn't caught before it surely was now. He gets up on his elbows to gaze at her in the moonlight. Tears glisten over her eyes as they trail the slats of wood above them. Eddie had never thought of that before…that she had a life before the lab… and a name that was hers and not a number. 

"What is your name?" he asks softly, but Zero chuckles bitterly. 

"It doesn't matter. She died a long time ago." She swallows thickly and does that shrug that always accompanies her pain. "I haven’t been that me in a long time."

"Zero-."

"Goodnight, Eddie," she says firmly, turning on her side and away from him. 

Eddie watches her back, the way her shoulders tremble ever so slightly. It's all he can do not to wrap his arms around her so she doesn't feel so alone, but Zero seems to like being alone.

"Goodnight, Zero."

I wake the next morning to hazy sunlight pouring through the windows. It's a strange weighty feeling. I haven't slept deeply in a long time, and for the first time in years I find myself rested. 

Eddie's snoring softly in my ear, his nose pressed against my neck. I stiffen as I notice him, but his embrace melts me. It's like a cocoon, safe and warm. His hair tickles where it's tangled into my collar, his arms wrapped tightly around me. 

I eye his rings, revel in the rare feeling of another body pressed against my own. His hug the other day was the first real human touch I've had in so long, and a shock of fear runs through my belly as I realize that I don't want to get out of this bed when every day for the last eleven years I've gotten up without a backward glance. 

It's later than I normally wake. I can tell by the way the sun is hitting the walls, probably six in the morning. The music is even silent, and still the Haven stands. I'm safe even without the constant noise and lights. It doesn't even feel as dark without the fairy lights. I keep them on all the time so I don't feel like I'm back out in the Darkness, so I don’t have to think of my life before I created the Haven.

Sure enough, his morning wood presses insistently against my backside. His attraction to me is obvious, and if I let myself I'd admit I like the look of Eddie Munson too. It's just because I've never been this close to a man for this long…and I haven't had sex in some time as well. 

That's gotta be it, right?

Eddie squeezes me tightly, nuzzling behind my ear. I find myself holding my breath, fearful of breaking this spell, ruining the moment. His thumb rubs circles into my forearm, a soft groan escaping his lips and landing hotly on my neck. 

His eyelashes flutter against my skin, and my eyes clamp shut as he begins to stir. I don't know why I'm pretending to still be asleep, but something just feels wrong about being the first to let go. 

"Oh, shit," he murmurs, his hips immediately pulling away. Eddie slowly untangles himself from me, sweetly careful not to jostle the bed. 

He scoots to the end, clattering a bit for his cane before getting a good grip on it. His hand lands on my bare ankle, wide palm giving me a soft squeeze. He makes a small hmm before he lets go and stands. I hear him pick up his clothes, grunting with some pain, then letting out a deep breath. My eyes don’t open again until I hear the bathroom door shut, and I’m alone again. 

Sitting up slowly, the bed has no allure for me anymore. It left the same moment Eddie’s arms did. The chill that surrounds me seems colder somehow than normal, like the warmth of the covers clung to his shoulders and followed him out of the room.

I decide to get started on breakfast instead, padding quietly in the kitchen. The lights flip on as I enter, the radio picking up music so I don’t feel quite so alone and empty by myself. 

Can anybody find me somebody to love? Pours through the speakers. I turn to glare at the damned thing, cursing my own brain for pulling this song from the ether. Each morning I get up I die a little. Can barely stand on my feet.

“As much as I hate most of your music,” Eddie’s voice pops up behind me, making me jump. The dishes in the cabinets clatter and shake with my surprise, dying down as I turn to spot him lingering in the doorway. “This is a great song.”

“You should,” I reply, hastily plastering a smile on my face to cover up my embarrassment. “Queen rocks.”

Eddie scoffs, “You keep telling yourself that.”

Eddie sidles up beside me, leaning against the counter with a queer look on his face. His eyes are playful as he watches me, but by now I know Eddie's 'question time' look. 

"So," he begins. He crosses his arms over his chest, flicking one of his hands out. "Your name… we gonna talk about that?"

"I told you last night I didn't want to talk about it," I tell him, pushing the food around the pan. The peppers sizzle throughout my small cabin, filling up with the scent of breakfast. 

Ooh, somebody, please. Can anybody find me somebody to love?

"Uh, no. You rolled over and said, 'Goodnight, Eddie,' and went to sleep," he snarks back at me. A playful smile breaks out across his cheeks as he shrugs. "Which would be fine if we'd just had sex, but we didn't."

I open my mouth to make a joke about his boner, but he cuts me off, "Anyway, I've made an executive decision that you don't have to tell me your name."

My mouth snaps shut and I squint as Eddie chuckles, "I'm gonna guess it. I’m gonna be spending a few months here. Might as well have some fun with it, right?"

"Oh for the love of-."

"Betsy? No, Buela." Eddie's eyebrows raise as I shake my head. "It's Buela, isn't it?"

I can't help the laugh that bubbles from my chest, "No, it's not Buela."

“Irene? Mmm, too seductive,” he frowns. Eddie rubs his jaw with his knuckles before throwing up his hands, “I’ll get it, just you wait and see.”

“Are you done?” 

Eddie taps the counter, watching me for a moment. I watch back, unyielding as ever. He’ll cave, and soon enough he does. “Yeah, I’m done… Katrine.”

“Wrong again,” I tell him. I focus back on the food, using my powers to pour us both coffee from the carafe. Eddie toasts the air when he grabs his cup, but I decide to ignore that odd mannerism. 

“What’s the plan for today, Nina?” he asks, wiggling his brows again with the hope that he’s correct. He’s not. 

“First, breakfast. Then, I’ll check your stitches and we’ll do some physical therapy again,” I decide. It’s the regimen I’ve come up with for now. It’ll change depending on Eddie’s progress. He already looks bored, his eyes glazing over. “How’s that sound?” “Yeah, sweetheart, that’s fine,” he mutters into his coffee cup. He doesn’t seem to notice the pet name he threw out into the ocean between us, but I did. 

Sweetheart. He said it without much thought, like he said it all the time. Maybe he does to his girls in the real world. The tightness in my cheeks turns hot as I focus on cooking instead of looking at his big doe eyes.

I just gotta get out of this prison cell. Someday I'm gonna be free, Lord

“You wanna do a new puzzle tonight?” he asks, and it’s so domestic it constricts my chest. I haven’t done puzzles this much with anyone since my mother died. I forgot how much it meant to me.

“Do you like doing puzzles? We don’t have to.”

“Oh, I love ‘em,” Eddie smirks. “Wayne and I do them all the time. It’s fun.”

“Okay,” I say shyly, biting my lip harshly. I don’t like the way I’m feeling right now. If I get used to him here, it’ll be that much harder to give him to Henry.

“Hey, Kitty?” 

I glare up at him, smiling just enough to let him know I wasn’t getting irritated. This was actually kind of fun. “Yes, Edward?”

“Uh, it’s Eddie,” he glares back, just as playful. I laugh and he does too, but then Eddie points at the peppers in the pan. “I think those are cooked.”

“Shit,” I snap, pulling it off the burner. Sure enough, they’re burned beyond rescue. I angle it toward him. “I’m… showing you what not to do.”

Can anybody…

Eddie chuckles, “Sure thing, Clea.”

Find me…

“Fuck off, Munson.” 

Somebody to love.

Smurph's Masterlist | Zero to Hero Masterlist

Notes: *Sigh* I love bed sharing... I'd really appreciate your comments on this story! I have been feeling pretty self conscious about this one lately and it would mean a lot if you let me know your thoughts on it.

@tlclick73 @theloser007 @sadbitchfangirl @chaoticcancer  @harrys-tittie @assassinsasha23 @spacedoutdaydreamer @legendarytrashcopeclipse @notahappystan @kbakery

[panie-wanie-dean-bean]

Ok, new ocs! Not only that though, these ocs will be placed into a separate universe/cannon than Little Town (That's not to say you can't ask for crossovers if you're one of the few who enjoy my little guys, just know they don't naturally share the same space)

These ocs are in a Big City but the things that tie them all together are the fact that they're all hybrids and they all work at the same hybrid cafe

Now, for any of you who don't know (I don't blame you) my hybrid aus have a few rules. These Hybrids have only been around a few generations, the first hybrids were made by humans in a lab, all hybrids lean towards the "neko" body type (They're mostly human but with the ears, tails, scales, wings, and or behavioral tendencies found in their animal counterparts), and all hybrids can be adopted or bought (Their society doesn't allow them independence)

Since the hybrids were made by humans, some lean more towards stereotypes than others. All cow hybrids produce milk, for example. Gender, hormones, or whether or not they've had a kid does not matter, it's just a puberty thing for them

Now, a hybrid cafe is a mixture of both cat cafes and maid cafes. The hybrids themselves serve you and can even preform if you pay for it, but you can adopt any hybrid that catches your eye while you're there

I will now list all the characters the work in this cafe briefly, I will give each of them their own intros later for more detail

Ben the Polar Bear: He's big and tough and mean looking. He's actually a softy but the heat of being in the wrong climate makes his sensory issues kick in, so he's constantly overstimulated on the job

Clemintine the Calico Cat: They're constantly high on catnip and acts very mellow and hippy dippy. When they're sober they're a panic ridden mess who locks themselves in their room

Delilah the Border Collie: Very laid back and chill. Has some milf/ cow girl vibes to her. If you become friends she will feed you every time she sees you. No is not an option

Benny the Ghost Bat: A gremlin mixed with a crypted? He likes hanging out on the ceiling and scaring people and can be caught eating pre-shredded cheese from the bag at 3 AM. She has insanely good hearing to the point of catching a lot of secrets so she chooses to almost never speak so she can't let anything slip

Greg the Leopard Gecko: Himbo with a lot of emotional intelligence. It can take one look at you and become your therapist, and it will if it's already your friend

Gabriel the Dutch Landrace Goat: The oldest of all the hybrids. He makes himself unlikeable to the patrons to make sure he can stay and take care of the others or any newbies that come in. Gilf

Fiona the Arctic Fox: Bimbo girl boss? Very "they asked for no pickles" once she likes you. Very friendly, but will do a 180 if they catch you fucking with their friends. Loves iced black coffee

Cassandra the Carrion Crow: Goth gf/ vampire vibes. Actually a fucking dork. Knows a lot about "sky stuff" weather, lift, the stars. She dreams about being able to fly some day (The city has rules against it but some places in the country let bird or bug hybrids fly openly)

River the Holland Lop Rabbit: Looks and acts very cutesy but will not hesitate to put you in the hospital. A bit "yandere" towards his coworkers. Has consensually collected a small vial of each of their blood and wears them on a necklace, making sure to change who he's wearing every day

Alexzander the White Albino Axolotl: He's just, so excited to be here you guys! Constantly acts like they're on a sugar high. Wants to see the world!!! When ever he does eventually crash he usually cries about never achieving his dream

Blake the Bumble Bee: Scatterbrained workaholic. They're always either doing something or going somewhere. They say it's because sitting still makes them feel weird but they actually feel the need to prove themself constantly. Terrified of being alone "What is a bee without their hive?"

Olive the Barn Owl: Smart ass. The "glasses character" if you will. Likes to turn her head 180 to freak people out. She drinks black coffee because she thinks it makes her look cool but fucking hates it. In love with the cafe's "pink Sparkle drink" but will throw herself off a cliff before admitting it. Cares a lot about the other hybrids, but again, cliff

[rad1o-passiv3]

im having my seasonal name crisis

yall please give me name suggestions masc or neutral

rn im thinking clem/clementine, clover, oliver, arlo, rocky, fern, val

[the-obnoxious-sibling]

Top 5 cats

mitzy! adorable bitey child. i wish she would bite less but i forgive her for choosing not to.

clementine, called clem. a sweet girl, discovered as a kitten by my ex-roommate in a parking lot on a hot summer’s day, dying of dehydration. i connected her with my cat expert friend from high school and watched her go from “idk about cats, i have two dogs already” to “my sweet child <3” in like a month’s time. clem will allow me to pet her if i am also feeding her treats, and once in a blue moon will sit in my lap.

sir pounce-a-lot, called pounce. a very sweet old man owned by that same high school friend, who graciously allowed me to pet him when i was still very nervous about cats (thanks to an Evil Neighbor Cat who clawed me as a child). had a tragic encounter with a lily in the early 2010s, and was succeeded in her home and my heart by…

james buchanan “bucky bear” bear, called bucky, buck, buck-buck, et al. a real doofus. will not allow me to pet him, but will allow me to sit on the same bed as him, and that’s fine by me; his dog sister loves me enough to make up for his deficits.

celebrity kitty olivia “olive” mcelroy. like, what’s not to love here.

[opal-zamora]

WHERE: clem's place WHO: @clementinebriar & opal

This was certainly not Opal laying low and playing it safe. Since she'd adopted this new façade, she'd done very little to actually build out the character she'd decided to play here. Was it that this town was full of more shady types like her that could recognize a game or was she just losing her touch?

Either way, she shouldn't have been here. Their business should have been a one and done— no well-worn path to trace between them. But for as careful as she always had to be, she couldn't deny that it felt just as good as it did terrifying to remove her mask. Clem didn't know her, even still, but she knew enough. Just as Opal knew enough about her should she ever need to indulge in a little mutual destruction.

So, here she was, perfectly manicured nails— painted a drab olive green she hated, but thought the character of Opal would probably love— curled into a loose fist to knock against the door. In her other hand, a bottle of grocery store wine. As the door opened to her, Opal smirked, raising the shit wine in offering. "If I pay the troll toll, can I come in?"