#Pinball Carnival

[soahcity]

Sonic Superstars Pinball Carnival Act 1 OST Released

Sonic Superstars Pinball Carnival Act 1 OST Released #SonicTheHedgehog #SonicNews

SEGA has released new music from Sonic Superstars for Pinball Carnival Zone Act 1 by composer Rintaro Soma to give fans a sneak peek into the variety of music the upcoming title will feature. You can pre-order the Physical and Digital Standard or Digital Deluxe editions of Sonic Superstars at sonicsuperstars.com to receive an exclusive in-game LEGO Eggman character skin. You can also sign up for…

[simdertalia]

💜 🎈🎡 ACNH Carnival Set - Part 2 🎡🎈

49 items | Sims 4, Base game compatible

Use the scale up & down feature on your keyboard to make the items larger or smaller to your liking. If you have a non-US keyboard, it may be different keys depending on which alphabet it uses. This is useful for the plushies in this set, you can make size variations in the game booths 💗

Always suggested: bb.objects ON, it makes placing items much easier. For further placement tweaking, check out the TOOL mod.

Set contains: -Arch | 4 swatches | 3479 poly -Balloon 1 & 2 | 5 swatches each | 1178 & 586 poly -Chair (Arcade) | 4 swatches | 1118 poly -Clock Tower | 4 swatches | 1197 poly -Clock Tower Souvenir | 4 swatches | 967 poly -Confetti Machine Decor | 5 swatches | 1197 poly -Crane Game | 8 swatches | 1202 poly -Decoration Poles | 5 swatches | 774 poly -Drum | 5 swatches | 1200 poly -Ferris Wheel | 4 swatches | 7130 poly -Fortune Cookie Cart | 3 swatches | 3197 poly -Game Ducks | 4 swatches | 5516 poly -Game Ball | 3 swatches | 194 poly -Ball Box (created by me) | 3 swatches | 2596 poly -Game Ring Toss | 4 swatch | 1218 poly -Game Ground Lines (created by me) | 8 swatches | 6 poly -Ring Toss Box (created by me) | 4 swatch | 1060 poly -Ring | 16 swatches | 210 poly -Gazebo | 8 swatches | 9208 poly -Goldfish Prize | 8 swatches | 600 poly -Ground Display (feathered vase-looking item) | 5 swatches | 1032 poly -Lockers 1 & 2 (2 items, 2 heights) | 6 swatches each | 946 & 1878 poly -Mask Decor | 6 swatches | 702 poly -Parasol | 5 swatches | 2288 poly -Pergola | 7 swatches | 9652 poly -Pinball Machines | 5 swatches | 1198 poly -Pole with Tapestry | 5 swatches | 2106 poly -Shopping Bag | 4 swatches | 964 poly -Sign (Wood) | 10 swatches (one dark brown set) | 906 poly -Street Clock (2 versions, 2 items) | 6 swatches each | 1176 poly each -Teacups | 4 swatches | 8893 poly -Tip Jars (3 versions) created by me | 1 swatch each | all low poly -Toy Beau | 4 swatches | 1500 poly -Toy Bianca | 4 swatches | 1476 poly -Toy Boots | 4 swatches | 1342 poly -Toy Cyrus | 4 swatches | 1624 poly -Toy Gracie | 4 swatches | 2212 poly -Toy Julia | 4 swatches | 1472 poly -Toy Katrina | 4 swatches | 2071 poly -Toy Marina | 4 swatches | 1376 poly -Toy Molly | 4 swatches | 1348 poly -Toy Reese | 4 swatches | 1665 poly -Toy Scapegoat | 7 swatches | 2493 poly -Toy Tiger | 1 swatch | 1200 poly

📁 Download all or pick & choose (SFS, No Ads): <HERE> https://simfileshare.net/folder/194099/

📁 Alt Mega Download (still no ads): <HERE> https://mega.nz/folder/ltgVRC6C#njn2P7agN4wzxHHxJK_3AQ

📁 DL on Patreon

Will be public on July 20th, 2023

Happy Simming! ✨ Some of my sets will be early access from now on. If you like my work, please consider supporting me:

★ Patreon  🎉 ❤️ |★ Ko-Fi  ☕️  ❤️ ★ Instagram  📷

*Deco sims by xldkx

Thank you for reblogging ❤️❤️❤️

@sssvitlanz  @maxismatchccworld @mmoutfitters  @coffee-cc-finds  @itsjessicaccfinds  @gamommypeach  @stargazer-sims-finds  @khelga68  @suricringe  @vaporwavesims  @mystictrance15 @public-ccfinds

This set is brought to fruition by my lovely Patrons who voted in the poll 💗 Last month this set lost a tie-breaker by the tiniest amount, so I’m so glad I got to make it this time for the people who wanted 💗

[haveyouplayedthispinball]

Have you played this pinball?

Fun Fact: It's the third in Barry Oursler's roller-coaster themed pinballs. The other two are Cyclone (1988), and Comet (1985).

[ty3ri]

All fun, No games.

[dustyskies747]

⚠️⚠️ CW: Clowns⚠️⚠️

“Hurry hurry hurry step right this way!”

Y’all ever just make an oc inspired by your favorite pinball machine? No? Just me? Ok

This lil cute is inspired by the Hurricane pinball machine made by Williams! (Featured on the right) I fit *every* mechanic that’s on the board on her design, it’s a fun little “find the Easter egg” game! She came out so cute!!

(Fun fact: I actually don’t even like clowns myself 😅)

[andreahz08]

[contentabnormal]

This week on Content Abnormal we present Paul McGrath presenting The Inner Sanctum story "Murder Rides The Carousel"!

Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum

Ballot For This Year's Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards

[sonichedgeblog]

Ooh, Kangaroo! Pinball Carnival Zone 'Sonic Superstars'

[starsfic]

Summaries:

A bargain is made. Now comes the waiting for the new season. Thankfully, there's work to be done.

AU where Macaque gets married to the wealthy and charming Azure Lion to support his failing theater. However, there is a darkness about his new husband and his mysterious first husband.

The Traffic Light Trio, Sun Wukong, and Macaque are caught by an artifact that forces them to reveal truths about themselves. Harsh stuff comes up.

1800s AU: A wealthy business owner must convince the survivor of his recent death games to play again over drinks.

Uncaring of timelines, several children's entertainment companies meet up during a convention, including Elliot Ludwig of Playtime, Isaac Indigo of Indigo Park, and Henry Emily of Fazbear. Henry of Joey Drew Studios is also there, but he's busy dragging Joey away from the Frankie's Fruit Flakes stall.

College student Cole's life is going to shit. Nya and Jay have been acting weird around him since that carnival game decided that he was Nya's soulmate and the travel abroad means that he and his friends are the only people he knows in this city. Hoping to ease the tension, he asks the cute waiter at his favorite restaurant to act as his fake date on a double date with Nya and Jay. The waiter's only stipulation? That his boyfriend watch the drama from another table.

Lord Red Son, sick of his family trying and failing to set him up with a spouse, asks a witch for help in creating an heir. Unfortunately for his heart, witch Qi Xiaotian is very pretty.

During a scouting mission gone wrong, the boys find themselves locked in Draxum's home, hunted by a mysterious figure.

Red Son gets turned on by Qi Xiaotian's hero speeches. Xiaotian notices. Smut.

While Abuela prides herself on making matches good for the encanto, Casita is the best matchmaker in the family.

A thought that occurred to me was that if Tripitaka has made a bubble while Wukong was flying him away from the Monster of the Week, was there ever like a moment where they ended up accidentally clanging around like a pinball?

[tailschannel]

New zones, customization options, and Emerald Powers: a recap of the Sonic Superstars cover story

Issue 358 of the Gameinformer magazine was published this Tuesday, and its 12-page column on the upcoming Sonic Superstars revealed a new look into its development, and previewed a number of in-game features and zones.

Here's everything you need to know.

Major takeaways

New zone names: Sky Temple, Pinball Carnival, Lagoon City, Sand Sanctuary, Press Factory, and unannounced Golden Capital.

New Emerald Powers: Avatar, Bullet, Water, Ivy, Vision, Slow, Extra, Super.

Expect vast character customization options in the brand new Items shop.

Select stages in a Generations-style World Map.

New zones

Characters have the choice of going through a normal act or a character-specific act. For example, finishing Act 1 of Speed Jungle Zone as Sonic allows you to choose between either playing the second act of Speed Jungle or an "Act Sonic," an alternate act of Speed Jungle where you zoom as Sonic, running away from a terrorizing Fang the Sniper.

There is reportedly a World Map similar to Generations where you run in a 2D-plane to select a stage.

There is also an items shop where you can trade medals in for customizable parts. Apparent, you can customize your "head, body, arms, legs, accessories color, and something called prototype."

The third zone of the game is reportedly called Sky Temple Zone.

In the zone, there is a mini-game similar to the game "Breakout," where you turn into a ball and aim to break bricks.

The climax or the ending of the zone is a massive storm.

The fourth zone is called Pinball Carnival Zone.

As the name suggests, "a giant pinball arena and fast sequences with fireworks setting off."

The fifth zone is called Lagoon City, which is filled with submerged city ruins and water slides.

Act 1 is mostly above water whereas Act 2 has several underwater sequences.

Amy's character-specific act of Lagoon City is fruit-based, with several gimmicks like a fruit based robots and such.

Sand Sanctuary Zone is the sixth zone of Sonic Superstars and a seventh zone reportedly called Press Factory Zone.

Filenames in the newly released screenshots also disclosed the officially unannounced Golden Capital Zone.

Emerald Powers

Emerald Powers were inspired by the Wisps mechanic from Sonic Colors.

Every stage has a giant gold ring and a giant blue ring. Completing the giant gold rings rewards you a Chaos Emerald and the the blue ring rewards you a medal.

Both special stages have the same central gameplay mechanic: swing from floating bubbles toward the moving objective.

Emerald Powers can be used by using the right stick and operate on a cooldown, with each star post checkpoint replenishing your cooldown meter.

Avatar (Blue Emerald)

Allows you to create clones of yourself.

Useful for defeating any enemy that lies on you path.

Bullet (Red Emerald)

Allows you to direct and shoot your character at a specified direction.

"It's an extremely useful action; it's probably the most useful action for this kind of game," Iizuka said.

Water (Cyan Emerald)

Allows you to interact with any body of water, like swimming freely underwater or climbing up waterfalls.

Ivy (Green Emerald)

Allows you to grow upward vines.

Helpful in reaching higher areas.

Can also be utilized to help your teammates in co-op mode.

Vision (Purple Emerald)

Allows you to see hidden objects like platforms, rings, or items found in the level.

Slow (Yellow Emerald)

Allows the player to slow down everything on screen.

Helpful in tighter platforming sequences or boss encounters.

Extra (White Emerald)

Unlocks character-specific actions.

Sonic – Homing Attack: Unlocks the Homing Attack from the modern titles.

Tails – Tornado Spin: Unlocks a devastating tornado attack that can destroy enemies in front of you

Amy – Hammer Throw: Unlocks the ability for Amy to throw hammers instead of the usual Hammer Swing.

Knuckles – Punch: Unlocks the ability to punch for Knuckles.

Super Form (All 7 Emeralds)

Characters can turn into their Super form after collecting all 7 Chaos Emeralds.

Characters won't have any specific abilities outside of being invincible and becoming faster.

Emerald Powers can still be used in Super form.

Development

The concept of Superstars came from a Zoom call by Naoto Ohshima during the initial COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

Ohshima and Iizuka held producer roles for Sonic Superstars.

Despite hinting at a short development time than expected, Ohshima was impressed by Sonic Team and Iizuka.

"Though Arzest and Ohshima led development efforts on Sonic Superstars, Sonic Team collaborated frequently, with Iizuka and Ohshima constantly sharing ideas of and production duties."

There were talks between Iizuka and Whitehead's team following the release of Mania where concepts were considered, but the project fell through; however, Iizuka does states that he is "pleased that the next generation of Classic Sonic that we talked about with them has been achieved with Superstars."

Iizuka said that the programming for Superstars "is completely unique and done from scratch by Arzest."

(Story contributed by Spectre and Scarlett from the Tails' Channel Newsfeed)

[ask--eggman]

Sonic definitely has a thing for Amy, thoughts?

I'm not sure about that, nor do I care. I don't keep tabs on the hedgehog's love life. All I know is that he's ignored me or seemed a little bothered whenever I refer to her as his girlfriend and it's fun to tease him but I don't know if it's true. Though if it ever made itself fully apparent to me, I'd be sure to find a way to exploit it. I'll happily ruin any relationship he gets into, if he ever does.

Anyway, everyone knows that the whiny bubbly pink girl hedgehog absolutely has a thing for him, at least. She doesn't exactly try to hide it with the way she's thrown herself at him in the past, even if she has found herself and has become more of her own person now. About time. Who would want to revolve their life around Sonic? Eugh. Everything should revolve around me instead, always!

Anyway, I drew this masterpiece on the wall at my Pinball Carnival to poke fun at them for how ridiculous they are and how silly they'd look being lovey dovey together! I figured it'd make Sonic embarrassed or angry when he saw it, regardless of whatever their status is.

As you can see, I made sure to capture just how stupid they both look with immaculate detail and precision, hoho! I have quite the impressive art skills, don't I? I'm a man of many talents!

[transparentcheesecake2]

I HATE PINBALL CARNIVAL HUNT!!!!!!!!

Omg this mini game so annoying I'm gonna cryy I HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT!!!!!!!! Goddd the Sonic fandom is gonna love this mini game when sonic rumble finally comes out

[beevean]

🔥 for... Sonic music. :]

It's good.

Well, what other opinion could you have? :P

Alright, let's see...

I think SA2 unfairly overshadows the OSTs of the entire Adventure era. While SA1 still gets a lot of love, it pains me that Heroes is rarely considered - I think it has an unique soundtrack that takes a lot from SA1 but puts its own spin on it, a vibe that IMO only Colors matches.

ShTH's music is better than most give it credit for. Yes, a good chunk of it is generic butt metal. But then you have beautiful tracks such as The Doom, Sky Troops, Digital Circuit, The ARK, Lost Impact, GUN Fortress... The latter two are, no joke, some of my favorites in the whole series.

3D Blast has my favorite soundtrack among all Genesis games. You can feel that the composers know the console chip from the inside out by now, and those compositions hit the nail with the melody, the soundfont and the complexity.

Spinball has my second favorite soundtrack among all Genesis games. No I'm not trolling :P yes it uses the dreaded GEMS sound, but I think it fits the grittier vibe of that game. Lava Powerhouse, The Machine, the boss theme and the option themes are especially bangers to me. (yes again I'm not trolling)

I think people are too mean with the "alternative" soundtracks. I still play CD with the American soundtrack, both out of habit (I first played the game on Gems Collection) and because I think it fits the surreal, alien style of the game more. And I appreciate a lot how the Saturn soundtrack of 3D Blast incorporates the game's leitmotif, and sounds as deliciously '90s as Sonic R :P (plus You're My Hero is one of my favorite songs in the series)

Mortar Canyon is one of the best tracks Ohtani has composed in his career and y'all sleep on it because you got convinced that Forces' OST is made of nothing but Faded Hills >:( in fact, I feel about Forces' soundtrack the same way I feel about ShTH's. Yes, it has some stinkers, but a good chunk of it is great.

Actually, you know what: this is the reason I don't hate Superstars' music as much as most do. It's perfectly in line with the series. It has some duds but it has many more bangers (Lagoon City <3 Pinball Carnival <3 Press Factory <3 Special Stage <3), and I hope that Rintaro Soma has joined the fray in the same way Tee Lopes did.

[haveyouplayedthispinball]

Note: You don't have to vote if you've PLAYED them or not, but which one is your FAVORITE.

[dandyville]

Community Lots in Version 0.1

Same with the uninhabited residential lots here's a list of community lots in Dandyville version 0.1!

Aquamarine Quarter, 58 Dandy Main Way This quarter once was a bustling fish market. As pet fish gained popularity, it slowly evolved into a hub about ANYTHING to do with the world's most abundant fluid. Now it has become a centre for Sims to swim, soak, splash, and submerse themselves into!

Amenities, Shops & Activities: Outdoor Pool, Hot Tubs, Hot Dog Cart, Pet Fish Store, Ice Cream & Smoothie Parlor, Swimsuit Store, Diving Aquarium, Spa

Dandyville Carnival, 70 Dandy Main Way The carnival is in town! And has been for a while. In fact, nobody seems to remember when they first set up, but they have been a consistent sight in Dandyville ever since.

Amenities, Shops & Activities: 6 Unique Carnival Games, Prize Booth, Fortune Teller Machine, Candle & Mask Merchant, Cotton Candy Cart, Smoothie Stand, Hot Shrimp Skewer Stand, Pinball & Arcade Games, Skydiving Simulator, Mechanical Bull

Dandyville Farmer's Market, 78 Olive Avenue This market is where the neighborhood's proudest farmers present their bountiful produce. From honey to roses, you will find quality homegrown stuff -- even everything to start a garden of your own!

Amenities, Shops & Activities: Fresh Produce Stands, Baking Supplies, Vegetable Seeds, Berry Stands, Florist

[repentarium]

the truth is i've been dreaming of this tired, tranquil place tag 15/??

ao3

He hasn't seen Eddie much. 

The morning after Halloween, Eddie had made it so plainly clear the way he felt about everything. 'That was a lot of fun, but we can't do it again.' His face was drawn and his eyes had full baggage under them and he was shifty, like he couldn't look right at Steve. He'd left for work early and without coffee, even through what was most assuredly a hangover as bad as Steve's. He'd looked - well, honestly he'd looked terrible. He'd look like lost sleep, like the days after a particularly bad nightmare, back before they called each other to talk each other back to sleep. 

The worst part about it, maybe, was that Steve had woken up so warm and had even taken a minute to smile at Eddie's rumpled and sleeping form next to him, to think happy thoughts. Then he got up to start breakfast before work. He'd been fucking humming as he did it, even, felt like things had slipped right into place when they had pressed their smiling mouths together and like maybe this was the way things were meant to be, felt like it made so much sense actually. His head was pounding, sure, and there was a bruise on his neck that was tender when he pressed his fingertips into it, another one on his side from being pressed into the wall outside the bar, but maybe that was just proof he was alive, that everything had really happened.

Steve never spent a lot of time deliberating about things like this, not beforehand; his surety was a blessing and a curse, because it set him up for so much. Like as soon as he decided it was what he wanted, he was kissing Eddie or getting on the basketball team or landing a shitty job. People said it was his money or his family or his looks or whatever, and Steve said sometimes it was his charm, and probably that was all at least a little true but really it was his conviction. 

So when Eddie had drawn a very clear line and then left that morning, and Steve could only stand there with too much toast on a plate and too many eggs in a pan and his breath coming too quickly, he felt stalled. No, he felt totalled. Smashed into a wall as soon as he’d floored it, left bruised up and disoriented and looking at a flaming wreck.

He just wanted to talk to Robin. If he could talk to her he could fix things, at least fix his dizzy head, which feels like it's just gotten off of a carnival ride or climbed out of a burnt up skeleton of a totaled car at all hours of the day. 

He'd turned the stove off and tried to call her three times before her roommate picked up and screamed at him that she was in class and some people liked to sleep. 

He has missed her like air. Robin, who could help him talk things out, who could help him pinball around in his brain and come up with a plan or a solution or a way to let things go.

Keith at work noticed the 'love bite' (his words, not Steve's) and made such a big deal out of it and the eyeliner he couldn't scrub off of his eyes that Steve had raised his voice at him for the first time ever, just to plead with him to cut it out. Keith had gotten quiet and left early, and Steve felt bad about it as he closed. He felt bad about everything, bad in general. 

The next two and a half weeks were a quiet that rivaled the times he was at his parents', and if it wouldn’t have made it worse he would have called off of work and stayed in bed. 

They were both busy working, and Eddie's been getting ready for some whirlwind practices with Corroded Coffin when they're in town so they can play a few shows at the Hideout over the holidays. He’d told Steve before all this, with a laugh, that they had to stay relevant, keep from getting too rusty. 

Waking up quiet, work, working late if he could help it, sneaking home past the sticking door and having microwave dinners in bed, laying in the dark and maybe falling asleep but mostly listening for Eddie to get home just to make sure he was still alive, then doing it all over again the next day. A horrible and freezing cycle. 

It’s not like he hates Eddie. He’s not even mad at him, even though he knows he promised he’d stay; technically kind of he did, that night at least. He remembers how soft his hair was and how plush his lips were and how firm and right it all felt, he has dreamt about it all every time he does manage to drift off. He hopes he doesn’t call for him in his sleep, because if Eddie could hear nightmares through the paper-thin walls he could undoubtedly hear his own name. Embarrassing. 

He hasn’t been able to stop thinking about how he was always the lover, never the loved. Not really. This was just more of the same. He shouldn’t be surprised. He always fell too hard too fast and was too quick to attach, and on top of it all he was terrible at hiding it because why should he? Shouldn’t people want to know they’re loved? He would. He would want to know. 

Eddie hadn’t said it in so many words, but lurking in the ‘we can’t do it again’ was the ghost of Nancy telling him his love was bullshit, the ex-girlfriend calling him clingy, his dad telling him he was too soft and to stop crowding him. 

The problem with seeking home in other people is finding it, and the problem with finding it is that when they take it away you're left wandering again. That’s not really fair to Eddie, and Steve knows it as soon as he thinks it. Eddie didn’t ask for Steve to rely on him the way he does. Clingy and soft and crowding. 

The only thing helping to keep him sane the whole time was knowing Robin would be home soon for Thanksgiving, that she'd talk him through it and help him shake it off. He could tolerate anything for ten seconds at a time, and what’s a couple of weeks but a bunch of ten second blocks?

So he spends the time feeling cold and sad and melodramatic, and he spends the time counting the days. 

When it’s finally time, he drives the Beemer to Chicago to pick her up, thinks the time away will do just as much for him as seeing Robin so he takes off work and leaves a simple note for Eddie. He doesn't think about the whole 'staying alone in a car for eight hours' part of it, and he cycles through his tapes quickly. 

She greets him with a hug that makes both of their eyes water and he practically shoves her into the car to go somewhere they could actually talk, and she must have be able to tell through their weirdo wondertwin psychic bond that something is seriously wrong because she just rambles about her classes while he helps with her bags and the whole way to the first stop.

He pulls off the road and into one of those nondescript rest areas, a field and parking lot, a gas station and a forest of vending machines surrounded by actual trees. He parks in the back and turns the car off even though it's chilly. 

He hasn't been able to look at Robin much the whole time, and still fixes his eyes out the windshield at a hole in a nearby tree and while he gnaws on his lip and twists his fingers in his lap silently. Robin puts a hand on his arm and says his name. 

‘There’s something wrong, and I don’t know what could have happened but you know you can talk to me about it. I love you no matter what. Even if you're kind of a loser sometimes, you’re my loser.'

The carefully- but poorly-constructed dam breaks and Steve is suddenly crying, full-body and ugly in a way he doesn't remember ever crying, even in the midst of all the Upside Down or Nancy's 'bullshit' or his dad giving him his second or third concussion, and he's so fucking scared for no good reason because he knows of all people Robin is on his side. He’s not scared of Robin.

She just quietly says 'oh my god, Stevie,' and unbuckles both of their seatbelts, crawls as close to him as she can and pulls him into another firm hug that at least stops some of the shaking he hadn't realized he'd been doing. She pets at his hair (unstyled and flat-looking, at least to him) until he's calmed down a little bit. He matches his breath to hers and tries to let it ground him.

'Robs,' he still sounds like he's drowning and he kind of feels that way too, 'I don't even know where to start. I missed you so much.'

'Stevie, I am so sorry, I should have called you more, I was just so busy and-'

'No, Robin, I know-’

‘-I should have tried harder-’

‘Robs, I just missed you so much and I think if you'd been there you could have stopped all of this from happening or something. I think I messed up.' He's basically talking into her neck and he knows he's soaking the shoulder of her sweater, so he sniffles and pulls away but keeps his head down. 

Robin pushes his hair back out of his face and tucks what can fit behind his ears. 'You gotta talk to me here, man, what the fuck is going on?' She looks scared. She hasn’t ever seen him like this. He knows because he hasn’t seen himself like this. 

He finally meets her eyes and fights the tears back that try to push forward again, and he sees that her hair is longer than he remembers it, and that she's got these cool dangly earrings in and a little eye makeup that's smeared because of course she's crying too. He doesn't remember ever seeing the sweater she's wearing. It’s striped, and soft. 

'I know it's only been a few months but it feels like so much longer and all of this stuff is happening and I think you're right, I need to get glasses, because my headaches keep getting worse-'

'Well, I could have told you I was right about that.' She rolls her eyes but still has to dab at them with her sleeve.

'Please don't be upset with me when I tell you. I know you won't be, but I'm kind of freaking out.' He clenches his hands onto the bottom of the steering wheel until his knuckles cramp.

'Scout's honor, we will figure whatever it is out. It’s not an Upside Down thing, right? Or the twerps? Is it a girl thing?'

Steve fights off a hysterical giggle trying to force its way out of his throat and says 'It's actually. A guy thing?'

Robin stills and is completely silent and after a minute of it Steve has to know so he looks at her again.

'Steven Jacob Harrington-' 

'-you know that's not my middle name, Rob-'

'I know there's no way you think I'd be upset with you because you're having a gay crisis.'

'Well, half-gay? Maybe? That’s not what’s wrong.'

'Half-gay.'

'Yeah, I mean I'm still into boobies-'

'Please do not say that-'

'But. I kissed a guy. And it was so good, Robin.' His head hits the headrest in frustration. 

'We're gonna come back to the fact that you kissed a guy and talk about it in detail, but first I need to know why you're upset if it was that good and it’s not a gay crisis.’

Steve is feeling a little bit better, like he's let off some of the pressure, lanced some kind of horrible infection, but he doesn't know if telling Robin about Eddie is something he's really supposed to do. Like, it’s one of those things that could get people in real trouble. 

'He. Well. He's someone… or was someone, maybe?’ God. ‘That was really important to me. Like a best friend. And I think I ruined it.'

'Oh no, Stevie. Was he not into it? Did he do something?'

'I don't know, I thought he was, it was good I thought, he was, like, enthusiastic about it, and so nice, but then he said we could never do it again and he's been completely avoiding me and Robs I miss him so much, and we don't even have to keep kissing or anything, I just miss my friend.' 

'Steve, is this someone I know?'

He nods after a moment. 

'Is it Eddie?'

He can feel his chest get tight and his eyes widen and water and he knows he has a terrible poker face but he really does try, it’s just that even on a good day it’s so hard to hide his feelings, especially from Robin, and he's been through such an emotional rollercoaster and feels like such absolute shit that there wasn't really any chance. 

'Hey Steve, it's okay, you're okay. He's avoiding you? You live in the same house.'

'Yeah, no shit. He's trying really hard.’ He laughs, sniffles. ‘I don't know what to do, if I should move out? I don’t know where-' his breath is catching again. He scrubs his face, his itching eyes.

'Okay, slow down. You haven't talked to him since?'

'Not really.' he'd tried a little, tentatively and just at first. Asked how his day was, or if he wanted dinner. He'd just say 'good' or 'nah, not hungry Stevie' and smile sad and shower or go into his room and close his door with a soft click. 

'Stevie. I am going to tell you something but I need you to believe me because I can't tell you why I know this. This is like, damage control, like talking you off the ledge shit.' 

Steve looks at her and nods for her to continue.

‘Eddie doesn't hate you. You tend to have a hard time not believing this but I swear you're an amazing friend and all of your friends love you and you're handsome and cool and smart, even if you still won't wear glasses because you're stubborn and probably a little afraid to make the appointment, which we are absolutely going to do while I'm here by the way. Eddie cares about you, and I don't know what's going on with him right now but you have to know, and I mean this the kindest way possible and with all the love in my heart, it is not always about you.'

'Jeez, thanks, Rob.'

'No! I mean it! You haven't talked to him, so you don't know what's going on in his world, and projecting something onto him isn't fair for either of you so you need to like take a breath and not freak out about it anymore until you talk to him.'

Steve feels like his brain is untwisting a little. God, Robin is such a good friend. 

'If you want to use logic here, I guess that makes sense.'

'Exactly! And I'm not saying you're wrong for feeling emotions about it because this is all kind of a big deal. But please know that even if Eddie suddenly for some reason decided whatever happened was a bad idea-'

'-which he did say, with his actual mouth, verbatim-'

'-he wouldn't hate you or want you to be upset or anything because he is your friend.' Robin finally sits back into her seat, but keeps Steve's hands in hers. 'Now tell me everything about what happened. Don't skip anything.'

Things were easier when people were bleeding, in a way, that’s what Steve thinks. You can put the adrenaline to use when you're trying to save someone else's life, or save your own, but where is it supposed to go when you're in a car explaining your doomed love life and the most exciting first (and likely only) kiss you'll ever have to your platonic soulmate?