#Please find my cub I miss him | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

madelynraemunson · 2 months ago

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HEY MADDY, WHAT’S ON TV? 📺

𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭 (…𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬) part 1/2

🥡 steddie x freaky friday fanfiction • RATED: NC-17 🥡

SUMMARY: Dustin’s science experiment goes horribly wrong and his two ‘bickering besties’ have to suffer the consequences.

WORD COUNT: 11.4k words

CONTENTS CONTAIN: (EASTER) EGGS, WHEAT, METAL, PARALLELISMS, A PINCH OF COMEDY, ANGST, AND LOTS OF SWEARING

ALLERGENS: CHEESY, CORN(Y), SHELLFISH (sorry eddie)

author's note: might put this on ao3 idk this one's a big boi.... hey y'all! i’m a little late to the steddie body swap train, but have arrived nonetheless! also i’m so stoked that jamie lee curtis and lindsay lohan are currently working on a freaky friday 2!! one of my fave childhood movies and i can’t believe we’re getting a parte dos :,) also, jake alan = corroded coffin in this AU

🥠

“Jesus Chr— what did you do to my hair?!”

“What did you do to MINE?!”

Perhaps a rewind is necessary. Metaphorically, of course. Time travel’s not real! ;)

◄ ◄ ◄ R E W I N D 🎞️

The year is 1989. Camp Knowhere. And since it’s the last year before he ages out of summer camp, Dustin Henderson is determined to 'WOW' everyone with his newest invention.

“They’re kinda like boner pills.”

“Oh...! WOW...?”

It’s not the weirdest thing Steve's heard come out of Dustin's mouth. In fact, he's practically immune to insanity at this point, having been surrounded by hormone-driven teenagers for a month and a half straight.

“Look I know, it sounds crazy,” Dustin pleads. “But imagine being able to walk a mile in someone's shoes just by eating a cookie. They'd be like the Viagras of empathy!"

Again, not the weirdest thing Dustin has said.

And for as long as Curly keeps hanging out with Eddie Munson, his Other Older Male Friend (O.O.M.F.) constantly like he has been all summer, it certainly won’t be the last.

Being a volunteer camp counselor hasn’t panned out as expected for Steve Harrington.

For the past six weeks, Dustin has spent most of his time locked in his cabin trying to perfect his new creation. But he's been MIA for so long, Steve hasn’t been able to teach him how to start a fire, pitch a tent, or even pick Dustin's brain about being his guest for Show and Tell.

Making s’mores. Canoeing. Telling scary stories in the dark. Dustin and Steve are missing out on actual summer activities. The real reason he signed up to be counselor in the first place.

But you know who has been able to spend time with Dustin?

"Eddie and I spent almost every night trying to come up with good fortunes," Henderson boasts.

Not the counselor, but the Certified Loiterer.

Steve bitterly kisses his teeth. “That’s awesome, man! But hey, speaking of spending—"

"They are so clever too. You gotta hear 'em!"

"I'm sure they are! But now that you're practically finished, I was sorta hoping—"

“AND,” Dustin adds. “if you get a good one you can add ‘in bed’ after for some comic relief.”

Steve crosses his arms as he finds himself fading back into silence.

“You are destined for great adventures…in bed,” Curly smirks, waving a fortune in Steve’s face. “You will be met with great luck this week... in bed. You are a pleasure to have around…in bed.”

“Agh, please tell me one of Harrington’s lays said that,” comes a voice. “Otherwise this interaction is very concerning.”

Dustin gasps. “EDDIE!”

Speaking of The Devil.

Like nails on a chalkboard, in walks Eddie Munson with his fucked up voice, fucked up rep, fucked up hair, and a fucked up sense of humor to match.

“Hey, Henderson,” Eddie gives a curt nod. “Hey, Steve.”

“Munson.”

“I was just telling Steve about my fortune cookies,” says Dustin. “I can’t wait to win people’s hearts over at Show and Tell, along with my spotlight secret weapon.”

“What’s your spotlight secret weapon?” Steve inquires.

“You’re looking at him,” Eddie quips. “I’m Dustin’s music act for his Show and Tell.”

There’s a pang in Steve’s heart that he wishes wasn’t there. All summer, the Retired Cub Scout had been secretly hoping that Dustin would ask him to be his Show and Tell buddy. He had so many survival skills up his sleeve that he wanted the little twerps to know before they age out.

But the stars had other plans, he supposes.

“My friend’s friend’s dad is a music scout for Cardinal Records,” Dustin explains. “If he shows up and sees Eddie play, Corroded Coffin may have a chance!”

“Yup,” Eddie nods. “We’re performing our new song Take Me Away.”

He hands Steve a piece of crinkled paper from his back pocket, to which Steve reads after clearing the lump marinating in his throat.

“Don’t wanna grow up, I wanna get out. Hey, take me away,” Steve reads.

“Aren’t the lyrics so metal?!” Dustin beams in admiration.

“They’re uh, very edgy…” Steve shrugs.

“And incredibly fitting, when you consider the circumstances. Just wait ‘til you hear Eddie and his band perform it!”

“I think I’ll be busy with camp duties...” Steve grimaces, handing the sheet back over to Eddie. “Sorry.”

“No worries, they will just perform in your garage. They still gotta practice. Been needing another place to do so too."

Steve's eyes widen.

“What?!” he shakes his head. “Absolutely not. When did we agree on this?”

“Uh, beginning of summer?" Dustin points out. "You said you’d be willing to accommodate any of my needs. Especially since my mom’s gone to her spicy book retreat and basically threw away keys to the house.”

Steve now recalls telling Dustin that. But nowhere did it say babysitting his replacement would be in the cards.

"I'm sorry Harrington, I know I'm kinda butting in…" Eddie acknowledges.

Finally, something he and Steve can agree on.

"But we're kinda desperate at the moment, so it would mean the world. You won't even know we're there."

“It’s still no!” Harrington blubbers. “Okay? With the loud music and Eddie’s screaming, I’ll have the Loch Nora book club moms with pitchforks at my door. We have a reputation to uphold.”

“Who’s to say the Loch Nora moms don’t want in on all the angsty fun?” Eddie smirks. “Corroded Coffin’s an acquired taste, but I’m sure your… progressive… neighborhood wouldn’t mind.”

"It's not that," Steve shakes his head. "Even though we’re ��progressive’, my neighborhood is still very much suburban-families-with-young-kids. They'd call the cops on us, for sure."

But Loch Nora was just a decoy for Steve’s true feelings. If everyone sees how cool Eddie is, they’re going to make him their Comfort Grown Up. Then where would Steve go?

Especially if they caught a glimpse of those big, brown eyes and the way they glisten in the amber sunset. And apparently Dustin’s caught wind of this Munson Magic as well; because not too long after, he’s imitating Eddie, the coercion-via-cuteness factor ramping higher on his part. And how could Steve say no to his lil face?

“Just this one time, Steve?” Dustin begs. “Please, please, pleaaase?”

“Dustin…” Steve shakes his head.

“Pleaaase,” a pouty Eddie chimes in, slyly gazing up at Steve through his long, batty lashes. “We’ll behave, Stevie. We promise.”

But Harrington is standing his ground. Eddie already stole his best friend away from him. His gig. His spot at the Cool Adults table. Did he want Harrington’s life too?

“NO!” Steve insists. "NO!"

“YEAAAH!” Eddie croaks into the microphone while he seductively strums at his guitar. “YEEEEAAAHHHH!”

Performing in Steve’s garage was a YES-go after all. Especially if free bud has anything to do with it.

"This dude and his band are pretty good," Argyle comments as he takes a long, savoring drag from his hefty blunt. "Corroded Coffin, man. They're gonna be big one day."

"Just wait til you hear his guitar solo," Jonathan adds. "Eddie's been working on it all summer for Dustin’s show.”

The walls of the Harrington household are forced to withstand a migraine-inducing bass while everyone — but Steve — jams out, losing themselves in a song about wanting to stay young forever.

“Don’t wanna grow up, I want to get out. Hey! Take me away…”

Jealousy festers within the host as he watches, taking in the sight of an awestruck Dustin playing his air guitar alongside Eddie, resonating with the lyrics the way he passionately yells,

“I wanna shout out, ‘take me away…away away away’…”

“Someone take me away,” Harrington’s inner monologue spews.

But it’s not that Steve hates the song, nor is he having a miserable time with everybody. It’s not that he hates Eddie or his stupid raspy voice, or the way he makes the guitar sing with every calculated twiddle of his fingers and every provocative buckling of his knees. In fact, it’s the opposite. Steve just didn’t want to admit that Dustin’s O.O.M.F. — and the other members of Corroded Coffin — were actually… pretty cool.

And judging by the fact that Eddie was most likely Dustin’s first choice for the talent show, there was a cornier, more ominous second thing that Steve isn’t willing to admit: it’s that the exclusion really hurts him.

“Same old SHIT,” Eddie sings. “Never ends.”

“WHOA!” Harrington exclaims, waving his disapproving hands in the air.

The band stops the song immediately, the negative feedback from the amp plaguing the air while they stare around in confusion.

“What?” Eddie demands.

Any chance there was for Steve to try to humble 'The Freak', he took. And clearly this time around, there was no hesitation.

“You’re not really gonna say the S word when you perform at Show and Tell, are you?”

“The S word?” Munson retorts. “What, is this preschool?”

Ba-dum-tss! goes the drummer.

"Gareth," Eddie scowls.

Gareth Emerson digresses with a sheepish shrug.

“No," Steve shakes his head. "But it’s still a summer camp for kids.”

Eddie chuckles at this. “Come on, Harrington. Don’t act like YOU weren’t cussing up a storm at their age. The kids are all in their rebellious phase anyways. They’re gonna love it.”

Eddie’s known Steve since elementary school. This is the same guy who held swear contests, who cussed because he thought it made him look ‘mature’. The same guy that used to call women “bitches”. The same guy who almost got suspended because he and Tommy H. were yelling out slurs during an assembly, but luckily his superintendent mom was there to pull some strings to simmer it down to one afternoon of detention.

Harrington couldn’t possibly choose now to care about profanities.

“I’d rather you not bend the rules of Camp Knowhere.”

Bend the rules?!

It doesn’t take too long for Eddie to figure out that the issue goes beyond Camp Knowhere. In fact, both of Dustin’s O.O.M.F.s know that.

“Why the sudden change of character, Harrington?” Eddie crosses his arms. “Huh? After all these years?”

"All these years, what do you mean all these years?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

Captivated, nosy eyes bounce back and forth between the two as they argue... on and on and on and on.

“This happens every time,” Jonathan hisses to Robin at a low whisper so that they don’t hear. “Do you think they ever get tired of it?”

"I actually don't know what you mean," Steve counters. "And quite frankly, I feel like you don't seem to really know me at all."

“Hey, I’m just following your lead,” Eddie shrugs. “You never took time to get to know ME when we were in school. Unless I had something you and your friends wanted of course.”

“So all of this is MY fault?”

“I never said it was.”

It’s almost ritualistic at this point, the arguing.

Just then, Gareth starts up again, issuing a theatrical drumroll to ease the tension. It only seems to make it worse, judging by how Eddie and Steve hiss at him immediately.

“GARETH!” “EMERSON!”

The drummer refrains once more.

Steve is quick to pick up where they left off. “I can read between the lines.”

“Crazy thing to say for someone who’s paid people to write his book reports.”

“I’m just…looking out for everyone, okay?” Steve snaps, reverting the conversation back to the kids. “The children might not care, but it may look bad on the counselors. And I like my summer gig, spending time with my best friend. I don’t wanna jeopardize it.”

A self-serving response. Eddie knew to not put it past Harrington.

Regardless, Eddie chooses to comply. Not to give Steve what he wants, but because Dustin's happiness is on the line. And if his best friend is happy and Corroded Coffin gets a record deal, then Eddie wouldn’t have to deal with Steve Harrington or Hawkins much longer.

The band starts up again and, this time, remains uninterrupted.

Meanwhile, Steve sulks back in his seat, unable to pinpoint why he felt like the issue wasn’t resolved. But he soon realizes that for as long as Eddie Munson is part of the equation, the problem will remain a constant.

“Same old stuff,” Eddie bitterly corrects himself. “Never ends.”

“Fortune cookie, anyone?”

Two hours feel like days when everyone is stoned. And given that everyone’s too tired (and high) to drive themselves home, a sleepover at Steve’s quickly becomes inevitable.

“Did we get the same fortune?” Jonathan asks Argyle.

“No, we didn’t,” he shakes his head. “Guess we’re not feeling sorry for each other tonight.”

Dustin chuckles.

“What are we feeling tonight? I’m thinking pizza.”

Leaving everyone else to decide on munchies, Steve and Eddie appoint themselves as the Designated Clean-Up Crew, searching for and rounding up any trash they see laying around.

“So, what are you up to nowadays?” Steve questions. “Since we graduated high school.”

“Oh, same old, same old,” Eddie offers a tense chuckle. “Still in The Biz, but the money’s good. Thankfully this time I’m doing it without my pops around.”

It strikes a nerve in Steve. He’d give anything to have his dad around.

He also wouldn’t be proud to be in the same position as he was in high school. Didn’t Eddie want to grow as a person?

“That’s amaziiing.” Steve lies.

Uncomfortable now, Eddie clears his throat, shifting his attention back to Steve so that he can eat his own words.

“What about you? What’s The Hair been up to?”

“I work at Family Video and then help out at camp right after.”

“Try bringing that to the career fair,” Eddie scoffs jokingly.

“Sorry?”

“I said great gig you got there,” Munson perjures.

Their gazes meet for a brief, charged moment before quickly averting.

Eddie watches Steve with both curiosity and disdain.

This is who his best buddy is seeing on the side? It’s hard for Eddie to think of anything Dustin and Steve could possibly have in common. What would they even talk about? Maybe the new Brook Shields movie, hair gel, and their favorite ice cream flavors, but that’s just about it. And Steve Harrington doesn’t seem like the best influence for Dustin anyways.

Steve’s eyes flicker towards Eddie, trying to hide his scrutiny behind a thinly veiled expression of disinterest.

He notes the way Eddie’s band tee has seen better days, the sleeves ripped and the print faded, and the way he absolutely reeks of Mary Jane and indistinct rubber from a Spirit Halloween store. If Dustin brought Eddie home to Mrs. Henderson, she’d probably stroke out.

Just then, a very intoxicated Robin chimes in.

“Duuude, Eddie. It’d be awesome if Coffin got this gig.”

“Oh, I know right?” Eddie lights up immediately. “We’d be out of this rugged town once and for all and living life in the big city.”

The distaste for Eddie only amplifies with that statement.

All of Steve’s life, he’s had nothing but good experiences in Hawkins. To have a “rough” upbringing, you had to be looking for trouble. Which is something Eddie and his father, Al seemed to have been doing since the beginning of time.

“What’s so rugged about Hawkins?” Steve challenges Eddie.

“Wouldn’t you like to know…” Eddie mutters.

“I would, actually,” Steve taps his feet impatiently. “Go on, tell the class, Eddie. What is so rough-and-tough about this part of town?”

Eddie knows Steve is trying to set him up. He thinks for a moment, carefully crafting his words before speaking.

“There’s just…” Eddie says with trepidation. “A lack of equal opportunity to succeed. Always has been. But in the city, opportunity is everywhere. For everyone. Indy would be a perfect, clean slate for us.”

It’s like a sock to the face.

Lack of opportunity? Eddie is most definitely looking for problems now. If he wouldn’t consider Steve being nice enough to lend him his garage — even when he didn’t like him — an ‘opportunity’ to succeed, then what would he consider?

“I mean, sure. Hawkins has issues like any other city, but I think there are equal opportunities for everyone,” Harrington protests.

“Very rich coming from you, Suburbia.”

“Uh oh,” Dustin mutters.

Now Steve is pissed.

Does Munson think that just because Steve lives in a nice house he’s never had problems in his life? With that logic, Eddie isn’t going to get himself very far. It’s very evident now, given where he currently is.

“Why can’t you accept the fact that life comes for others too?!” Steve spits. “Life is also hard for me, you know!”

“Guys…” Dustin starts.

A bitter laugh expels from the pit of Eddie’s stomach.

“Life is hard for you?!” Eddie exclaims. “It’s hard for you? How can life be that hard? Hey, I’m Steve Harrington. My life consists of Daddy’s money, wearing hair pomade to the ceiling and getting rejected by girls!”

“Hey, why don’t we play that one song again!” Jonathan suggests. “You know the take me away, away, away, away, away!”

But Steve and Eddie are way too locked in, committed to tearing each other to bits because the other one started it. Eddie wanted to play that game huh?

“Well all YOU know is complaining about the consequences of your own actions!” Steve spews in return. “Oh look, I’m Eddie Munson, I’m painfully self-unaware, I’m inconsiderate of everyone around me, and I commit petty crimes then wonder why the cops hate me. AND I still live with my uncle – AT MY BIG AGE.”

“YOU STILL LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS, HOW IS THAT ANY DIFFERENT?”

“AND! You’re as loud as your guitar. NEW-NEW-NEW-NEWWW. How about you evaluate your priorities if you want a good life, Munson? And make sure you at least have some ammo under your belt before coming for me.”

“Wow,” Eddie laughs. “I don’t know anyone more tone deaf. You think my walk of life was a choice?! Not everyone was handed everything on a silver platter, Steve. Not everyone’s lives are perfect like yours!”

“Sweethearts, anybody?!” Robin butts in, desperately waving the candies in the air. “You are what you eat, and everyone in this room is VERY, VERY SWEET!”

But the boys are only getting started. If this is Robin’s version of sweet, she was about to know what sour is real quick.

“You think my life is perfect?! At least you have a father figure.”

“I want you to assess the room we’re in, Harrington,” Eddie implores. “Family must love you a lot if they’re letting you throw parties and use drugs that a loser like me was nice enough to hook you up with.”

“Leave what I do outside of camp out of this! You know, as a counselor I’m not sure I like my kids hanging out with some loitering criminal all the damn time.”

“Not sure I like them hanging out with someone who acts like an overbearing, insufferable parent.”

“At least I have parents.”

Simultaneous gasps fill the room.

The color drains from Steve’s face when he realizes the damage he’s done. He watches as Eddie seemingly deflates, shrinking himself down at the shoulders, and then sulking in place. A blank stare overcasts his eyes, lips desperately trying not to quiver while in front of an involuntary audience.

“That was not cool,” Steve breathes. “I’m sorry.”

But Eddie is past the point of forgiveness. And caring. Steve’s already embarrassed the fuck out of him, so what’s Dignity at this point? Steve won. Whatever game he was playing.

“You’re right, Steve,” Eddie nods, bitterly. “You have everything I want. So why can’t you just give me this one thing?”

Steve really fucked up this time. He doesn’t even know why he even said that. It isn’t necessarily a brag that Steve has parents if they aren’t active in his life. Did he really want the last word so badly, he willingly let his anger steer the direction of the conversation? Sure, Eddie has backed off now, but the thick veil of suppressed tears did not make it worth it.

“Here,” Eddie quips as he chucks Dustin’s invention at Steve’s chest. “You win. You want a cookie for it?”

Before leaving the room, Eddie helps himself to one as well. Steve watches ashamed as Eddie storms away, not seeming to care who he bumps into on his way out. With the intention to make amends, Steve darts after Eddie, following him to the bathroom only to have the door slammed in his face.

“Eddie!” Steve knocks. “Listen, I’m sorry, okay? I thought I’d gotten over my anger issues and pettiness, so I don’t know why I said all that. It’s something I need to work on, for sure.”

No response. Steve tries again.

“You guys sound really good…” he musters. “I wish I had the courage to put myself out there like that.”

Steve gently taps the door with two fingers now.

“Eddie?”

On the other side of the wall, Eddie is angrily wiping away his tears, upset at himself for letting someone who wears women’s hairspray and Tiger Beat cologne get under his skin.

Giving up now, Steve sighs to himself and turns around to prop his back against the door. And in case Eddie decides to come back out, Steve decides to wait a while longer, reading the fortune from his fortune cookie in the meantime.

“A journey soon begins, its prize reflected in another’s eyes. When what you see is what you lack, then selfless love will change you back.”

“What could that possibly mean?” Steve thinks to himself as he takes a bite from the cookie.

And at the same time on the other side, Eddie also cracks open his cookie. A nice little dessert with some kind words are sure to make him feel better. He reads his fortune.

“A journey soon begins, its prize reflected in another’s eyes. When what you see is what you lack, then selfless love will change you back.”

“…in bed,” he adds with a chuckle.

Just then the ground begins to rumble.

The sudden JOLT causes Eddie to drop his cookie and latch onto the sink for stability. Meanwhile, Former Cub Scout Steve who knows everything about Stop-Drop-and-Roll dives for the nearest piece of furniture, crawling underneath to protect himself from any debris that may fall onto him.

“EVERYONE GET DOWN!”

“JESUS CHRIST!” Eddie yells.

Hawkins doesn’t get many earthquakes. But according to the news, Roane County was due for a big one. This could well be it.

But as fast as the earthquake happens, it fades away. And next thing Eddie knows, he’s taking deep breaths, gathering his composure before he swings open that door.

“Shit — Harrington, are you okay?”

Steve scans the room, looking around for any debris that may block his plight towards safety.

“Yeah I’m fine, thanks Munson,” Steve gulps. He allows Eddie’s firm hand to hoist him up. “Just a bit shaken up. Are you okay?”

Eddie nods his head rapidly. “I’m fine too,” he insists. “I’m just worried about everyone else.”

Running back over to the garage now, a frantic Steve and Eddie call out to their friends to make sure they’re okay. But when they arrive, they’re shocked to see everyone conversing, laughing, and ordering pizza, almost as if nothing had ever happened.

Steve coughs to make his presence known. “Did you guys feel that?”

Everyone turns to them.

“Feel what?” Dustin inquires.

“There was an earthquake.”

“No, there wasn’t?” Robin cocks an eyebrow.

“Yes there was!” Eddie insists in agreement with Steve.

“Are you sure?” “An earthquake?”

“There wasn’t an earthquake.”

“What earthquake?”

“A chicken bake?” Argyle questions, clearly high as shit.

“An earthquake,” Jonathan repeats for him.

“An Earth Cake?!”

“QUAKE!” Jonathan hollers. “EARTHQUAKE!”

“EARTHQUAKE?!” the startled stoner yelps.

“No no no!” everyone yells out, doing their best to contain Argyle’s panic. “No, no, no!”

———

“You’re an asshole, Steve Harrington. I wish I could hate you.”

Eddie winces as his neck partially kinks, due to the fact that Steve was too short-fused to get him a pillow for tonight.

At least the futon is comfortable. After flopping around like a fish out of water for a few minutes, Eddie finally feels completely relaxed. And as he flips through his mental catalog of Dream Scenarios, the aspiring rockstar begins to drift off to Dreamland, envisioning his guitar solo and jamming out with his favorite herd of sheep.

Meanwhile upstairs, Steve is too emotionally uncomfortable to hit the hay.

“Get a grip, Munson,” Steve grumbles, angry at the thought of the freeloader below him. “If you stopped thinking the world is out to get you, maybe you’d actually see some progress in your life.”

After one last fluffing of his pillow, Steve reaches into his drawer and pops a gummy into his mouth, bracing himself for more Camp Knowhere shenanigans that lie ahead and having to deal with the Freakazoid-With-a-Victim-Complex in the morning.

12:00 MIDNIGHT

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ [insert creepy, grandfather clock noises here]

8:00 AM

Obnoxious, fluffy duvet covers stir Eddie awake.

Maybe Steve did come with some goodies after all.

Munson begins to execute his morning routine: a gangly-limbed stretch followed by an exaggerated bellow and blissful smacking of his lips.

BONK.

A lamp on the nightstand interrupts his ritual. It is then that Eddie realizes.

He’s in a bedroom.

“What the—” Munson mutters.

Sitting up slowly now, Eddie takes a moment to assess the room around him.

Trophies and medals. Cologne and hair gel. A work desk with a basketball net over it, and a Tommy Hilfiger pop-up shop in the closet.

He’s in Steve’s room.

But where is Steve?

Curious about the time and day, Eddie instinctively goes to consult his watch that normally rests on his wrist.

It’s not there.

Eddie then looks at his hands…his palms… Not a single blister, callous or hangnail. Those are not his hands.

“Those aren’t mine…” he thinks to himself.

Eddie then runs some stressed fingers through his hair, only to discover that its length is half of what it was when he fell asleep last night.

“That’s not mine either.”

Eddie shoots up immediately. When he finds himself standing, Eddie notices his food belly is gone, and that six pack abs have taken its place. Eddie then stares down at his feet, which are now exponentially larger. And hairier. And his thighs, now they’re a lot bulkier.

Suddenly Eddie’s hands explore his thighs, grazing his quads shortly before going to grope the two plump mounds of tissue behind him, both cheeks comparably twice the surface area of his palms!

“That’s DEFINITELY not mine.”

Absolutely panicked now, Eddie releases his grip on the butt that isn’t his and dashes out the room.

It appears that he is somehow not in his body. And the only person in Loch Nora with a dump truck for an ass — that Eddie knows of — is Steve Harrington.

But if he's Steve, then where is Eddie’s body?

The couch.

Eddie bolts over to Steve’s living room in search of his corpse. And to his surprise, he does find himself there, the chest that was his – but not his – at the same time rising and depressing as he watches himself sleep.

“Christ if that’s not Steve in there, then I’m dead,” Eddie thinks to himself. “And quite frankly, I don’t know which one is worse.”

Eddie clears his throat.

"H-hello? Steve?”

Nothing.

“Steve?” Eddie attempts again. “Hey. Steve. It’s Eddie. Wake up!”

Nothing.

“This is an emergency, Steve. I need you to wake up now, please.”

He gets a good snore out of the entity. Completely frustrated now, Eddie does not hold back.

"This is alarming, Steve! WAKE UP!”

Eddie unearths the bottom half of Steve's…his… body by pushing the blanket aside. When he tugs at his legs, Presumably Steve retaliates, grabbing onto the arms of the sofa to keep him in place.

“EARTH. TO. KING. STEVE!” Eddie screams.

"Whaaat, dude?!" the host in Eddie’s body grumpily demands.

"Aha! So you are Steve!"

"Duh, who the fuck else?" It demands. "Are you still high?"

"If I was, then that would better explain this."

Steve must’ve really done too much last night. Because for a while there, the person who he assumed was Eddie sounded a heck of a lot like him.

"That’s fucking weird," Steve shakes his head, turning over to look at Eddie. "For a second there, you sounded a lot like m—AAAH OH MY GOD!"

Palms clasping his… (well, Eddie’s) mouth now, Steve can only gasp in horror.

"WHO are you?” he demands. “WHAT are you?"

"It's me! It's Eddie!" Eddie gulps. "I'm... I’M INSIDE OF YOU!”

There’s a pause.

“I don't like how I worded that,” he admits.

"Yeah, neither do I..." Steve agrees. Suddenly he squints. "Is that a zit on my forehead?"

He reaches to swat it but Eddie swats him away. Through Steve's gritted teeth, Eddie hisses,

"THAT'S what you're worried about right now? What in the sane hell is happening?!"

“This isn’t the first weird dream I’ve had after taking an edible,” Steve remarks.

“Harrington, this ISN’T a dream. Okay? This is real life.”

“Yeah, okay Munson,” Steve scoffs, finally hoisting himself off of the couch to pace around. “I know a dream when I’m in one. I just gotta… pinch myself or slap myself around and I’ll be awake.”

But Eddie wastes no time.

“OW!” Steve yelps. “You just pinched my nipple!”

“You mean my nipple?”

He does it again.

“OW! Quit it dude, that’s harassment.”

The two make their way over to a mirror in the living room. To test out the impossible, Steve raises his right hand. The mirror shows Eddie doing it. Eddie begins to touch his face. The mirror responds with Steve doing it.

It’s the confirmation they were too in denial to come to terms with. They somehow switched bodies.

“Oh god, I’m…” Steve stammers. “Wow…”

“Oh…GOD!” Eddie shrieks. He inches closer to the mirror. “I’m like an off-brand George Michael!”

“HURTFUL—”

“Harrington!” Eddie exclaims, turning back around to face himself. “What was the last thing you remember from last night?”

“Uhh,” Steve stammers. “A-all I remember was us arguing during dinner time and going separate ways after. And then there was a big earthquake that everyone insists that they didn’t feel. And then…we all went to bed, and I forgot to get you a pillow.”

“It’s okay, I’m over it,” Eddie pants. “Way bigger issues than a pillow right now.”

“And now we’re here.”

The two frantically pace around the living room. How can something like this possibly happen?

"Okay,” Eddie exhales. “Yesterday we were here with everybody. All of us were seemingly having a good time until we got pretty into it. Then the earthquake happened, we went to bed, and woke up sober… but in different bodies. Is this like…a rare phenomenon…some kind of medical emergency?”

“I don’t know, dude,” Steve shrugs. “This has never happened to me before. There has to be a scientific explanation for this."

Suddenly their two brain cells click.

"Henderson," they utter in unison.

“It was probably Dustin’s Empathy science experiment,” Steve infers. “Although I'm not sure how a fortune cookie would take walking-in-another-person's-shoes so damn LITERAL."

"God, we’re cooked!” Eddie groans. “And we can’t tell anyone but our friends about it or else we’re REALLY gonna end up as test subjects!”

Eddie starts biting his new nails and frantically pacing back and forth. Meanwhile, Steve centers in on his breathing before emotionally responding to the situation in front of him.

“Okay…” Steve exhales. “Let me just gather my thoughts… You’re in my body and I’m in your body.”

“...Right,” Eddie nods, annoyed since they’d already established that. “Does it seem less scary now that you’ve said it out loud?”

“No,” Steve shakes his head.

“Alright, cool,” Eddie shrugs. “Just checking.”

They look at each other, absolutely petrified of the reality that has now sunk in. And before they seek any other forms of help, there was one more final thought the two needed to share alone… one O.O.M.F. (Other Older Male Friend) to another, in the comfort of Steve’s living room.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

[cue panicked guitar rift here 🎸⚡️]

“This is so not cool, man, this is SO not cool!”

Argyle, Jonathan, and Robin are the first ones at the scene. Along with Dustin, of course, who is now evidently spiraling.

“I need some air,” Dustin sighs. “Oh my god oh my god oh my god.”

The scientist darts outside for a very reasonable and private mental breakdown. Meanwhile in his absence, everyone else attempts to get their Thinking Caps on.

“I mean…” Argyle pants. “It’s one thing to have a funky acid trip, it’s another to have an out-of-body experience…but this is…this is…”

“Freaky,” Jonathan finishes for him.

“It’s FREAKY!” Argyle agrees. “And it’s not like we can go to the cops, I mean, they'd never open their minds to something like this. They'd just ship us to the Kerley County KOOK HOUSE.”

“Or worse,” Eddie gulps. “The Lab.”

The room is drowned with frantic rambling once again as all the young adults talk over each other.

Will this be the new normal? A head-banging Steve and a preppy Eddie? It sounds like pure nightmare fuel. A disaster waiting to happen. And Dustin only programmed his fortune cookies for this… unintentionally. He didn’t program a way to undo it.

Everyone is running out of ideas. That is until…

“Wait!” Robin exclaims. “What if you guys just…combined?”

The idea is met with retaliation.

“I beg your finest pardon?” “WE WHAT?!”

“Wait!” Eddie exclaims. “No, no, yeah! I get it. What if we… what if we just… RAN… into each other and the force will be great enough to switch us back?”

“Right! Right!” Steve frantically agrees. “Right, the greater the force, the greater the impact, and we’ll be back in our bodies in no time.”

Steve and Eddie are on opposite sides of the room before anyone else can register it. Kicking his foot around like a bull, Eddie warms himself up while Harrington takes deep breaths, grounding himself before the ordeal.

“Are they really about to…” Argyle begins.

“Sh.. sh..” Jonathan stops him.

“I really wanna see how this goes,” Robin adds.

“Okay,” Eddie huffs before he lets out a battle cry. “EN GUARDE!”

“OH GOD!” Steve shrieks.

“AHHHHHH!”

SMACK! PLOP!

Luckily the floor breaks their fall. The commotion grabs the attention of Dustin, who had just finished his meltdown. But at the sight of seeing his two friends attempt to combine, he could feel himself being launched into yet another one.

“Okay,” Dustin sighs as he walks back in. “What the hell?!”

———

“Language, Dusty!”

The next brainiac to consult on the list is Suzie, Dustin’s girlfriend. Spawning from the Mormon Capital of the world (Salt Lake City, Utah), Little Miss Beauty and Brains is known to have a solution for just about anything. Until now, it seems.

“I’m sorry for the language, Suzie. I’m just freaking out,” Dustin blubbers. “It’s not every day my best friends switch bodies and I have no idea how to change them back.”

“So let me get this straight…” Suzie sighs. “Steve is inside of Eddie, and Eddie is inside of Steve.”

“Okay, can we please stop wording it like that?!” Eddie pleads.

“Sorry, Steve.”

“I’M EDDIE!”

“Jiminy Cricket, this is so confusing.”

And what a sight for confused eyes it also is. But as painful as it is to admit, it’s interesting watching “Steve Harrington” stomp at the ground muttering “Jesus H. Christ!” while “Eddie Munson” nitpicks everything about his hair in the mirror.

“Okay, let’s start from the beginning,” Suzie suggests. “How did this start? What did you use for your ingredients, Dusty Bun?”

“Passionfruit and cohosh,” Dustin answers firmly. “Well-known, NATURAL stimulants of oxytocin.”

“And you said they ate the cookies containing these ingredients?”

“Yes, and they got the same fortune which I programmed for them to feel empathy for each other when it happens. Their bodies should’ve released an immense amount of oxytocin. Instead, they uh well, they switched bodies.”

“Dusty Bun… there is no such thing as an oral oxytocin!”

“Why not?” Steve questions.

“Because it would just get destroyed in the GI tract,” Suzie explains. “Meaning there wouldn’t be any ‘stimulants’ to absorb into the bloodstream.”

“Meaning oxytocin would’ve never been released in the first place,” Eddie’s breath hitches.

“It’s also notorious for being unable to cross the blood-brain barrier,” Suzie adds. “Something always happens before it’s able to. This may as well be that something.”

“But… if it gets destroyed in the stomach…” Dustin wonders. “Then how the hell did Steve and Eddie still end up switching bodies?”

Suzie shoots Dustin a dirty look.

“How the heck…” he corrects himself.

Suzie softens up immediately. “I don’t know. Our Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways. This may have happened for a reason. I’m not sure what it is yet, but I’m sure it serves a Divine purpose.”

“Well, can it SERVE a little faster?” Eddie grumbles. “I’ve got a Show and Tell to practice for and Harrington’s got children to babysit. We obviously can’t do that for each other. People are going to think we’ve gone crazy.”

Suddenly a light bulb goes off in his head.

“Wait. Henderson! Give us a couple more cookies. Maybe if we get the same fortune again, we’ll switch back!”

“NO! No more cookies!” Steve butts in. “Who’s to say you won’t end up inside another person whose body you didn’t wanna be in?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Okay…” Dustin stops him, disgusted at the fact. “Enough.”

“Dustin is right,” Suzie nods. “Enough arguing for now, and no more fortune cookies with matching fortunes until we can find out what’s wrong!”

The boys watch as Suzie walks back towards her desk and returns with some papers and pencils.

“Here. My homework for you two is to write down every little detail there is to know about each other. This includes your day-to-day, your hobbies, and even habits. No one can know what is really going on behind the scenes.”

“Whoa whoa whoa, wait,” Eddie shakes his head. “I don’t like what you’re implying. We don’t have to… live life as each other… do we?!”

“In the meantime, yes. You do.” Suzie confirms. “And it will be uncomfortable, I’m not going to lie. But what else can we do?”

“Uh, go through all of Dustin’s fortune cookies until we find a pair so Steve and I can ingest THOSE!” Eddie points out.

“Yeah, and there goes BOTH my Show and Tell items!” Dustin hollers.

“Dusty, don’t worry,” Suzie speaks again. “You will get to showcase your friends and fortune cookies at Show and Tell. I’ll be doing my own research to ensure that this happens. This includes talking to some monks, priests, and rabbis. We WILL get to the bottom of this.”

The three leave Suzie’s cabin feeling absolutely defeated.

Of course this would happen the summer Steve finally got his hair under control. And of course this would happen the moment Eddie has a potential record deal at the palm of his hands. Any other circumstance would have been okay, despite the freakiness factor. This was just shit timing if they ever did see it.

And if Suzie can’t fix it, they’re screwed.

When they get far enough away from the girls' cabins, Steve excuses himself to the nearest water fountain. In contrast, Eddie shows himself to the closest Porta-Potty, the safest place for him to have a conversation he wouldn’t be caught dead having.

“Hey God,” Eddie grumbles. “Me again.”

———

Adapting to each other’s lives certainly wasn’t easy.

It started with switching cars.

Steve’s BMW has sensitive brakes. Eddie’s beloved van, Halen, on the other hand requires more force, more aggression, something Eddie believed Steve would bust his toe doing.

And Eddie can only hope that when Steve is running around town as him, he doesn’t embarrass him all too much. He’s already not off to a good start, with a stupid Thundercats t-shirt on and his hair up in a bun.

“And when you’re outside with the kiddos, make sure they wear sunscreen,” Steve advises him. “You're a camp counselor, after all.”

“Got it.”

“And that an epipen is with you at all times,” Steve adds. “Some of the kids have bee and nut allergies and those reactions can be lethal.”

Make sure this. Make sure that. It’s odd for Eddie to be hearing it all in his own voice. Has Steve always been this annoying?

Eventually Eddie gets tired of it and consults his Walkman, blasting “Take Me Away” through his headphones to drown out Steve’s rambling. Rambling on and on and on and on… on and on and on and on….

“Eddie!” Steve shouts. “Are you listening?”

“Don’t wanna grow up I wanna get out,” Eddie sings. “HEY! Take me away.”

Eddie was listening. In fact he listens and pays attention more than Steve knows. He just doesn’t want to give him that satisfaction.

“I’m gonna get you a real job,” Steve says to Eddie.

“A real job?” Eddie tuts. “My job is real. I sell real drugs and bring in real money to help my Uncle afford our really real rent.”

“But I’m not gonna be the one doing it.”

“Sure you are. You’re me.”

“Munson, no!”

“Harrington, yes.”

“I’M NOT SELLING KETAMINE TO MINORS, EDDIE.”

“Aw. But you fit the stereotype,” Eddie smirks, rather cheekily. “Now chop chop, Rick’s expecting royalties on said sales.”

“Maybe I can land you a hospitality job. Or maybe a front desk job. Something that comes with benefits. Something practical.”

“A Munson with a normal job in Hawkins?” Eddie can’t believe his ears. “Yeah, good luck with that.”

Perhaps there is a silver lining in all of this.

For the average Hawkins resident, getting a job is no issue. It was never a choice for Eddie. Given his father’s less-than-cookie-cutter reputation – and Eddie being an involuntary extension of him – he couldn’t believe Steve couldn’t grasp that getting a conventional job is hard. And Eddie always thought Harrington needed some humbling. This is the perfect scenario for it.

“Take your feet off your dash,” Steve grumbles. “Steve Harrington doesn’t do that.”

“AyAy, Captain.”

“And stop head-banging in my body, will ya?” Steve begs. “You’ll break a sweat and un-pomade my hair.”

“God, you’re so anal about everything, Steve!” Eddie scoffs. “I feel sorry for those kids, I really do.”

If Eddie’s going to be walking around in Steve’s body, he at least wanted to relax first. But even that was impossible, given that Steve is a talker and alleged goodie-two-shoes-who-discovered-empathy-on-drugs-and-that’s-all-he-preaches-now (with the rules of a mother whose son was allergic to everything but water).

The car ride is more tense and quiet as the two approach Knowhere. Eddie is quick to scurry out when Steve approaches the drop-off curb, a little speech already prepared from the first nerve Harrington managed to get on in the morning.

“Loosen up that manbun,” Eddie commands once he’s out of the car. “You look like the Buddha went thrifting in Chicago. You also need to unclench your asscheeks a bit more if you wanna be me. And to put more fiber in your diet. How’s that for advice?”

SLAM! goes the door. Steve normally would’ve been pissed, but since he’s driving Halen, he’s lenient about it. So he watches Eddie walk away, in a stride that looks like he's constantly got a wedgie, over to the camp and towards the kids he is to watch until Show and Tell Day.

“WEAR SUNSCREEN!” Steve hisses, one last time. “…I don’t play about my skin.”

———

“Hey, Steve!” a group of campers greet Eddie as he makes his way into Knowhere.

God, this is so weird.

“Hey…kiddos?” Eddie greets them in return.

“We’re gonna go diving in the lake, just letting you know.”

“Thanks for the invite,” Eddie tuts. “Sounds like a lot of fun. Just uh, wear sunscreen.”

“Well, we try to invite you but you never wanna come with us.”

“Says who?” Eddie demands. “It’s summer, everyone goes to the lake.”

“Everyone but you,” a kid points out. “You turn us down every time.”

“I do?”

“All the time,” another kid confirms. “You say it ruins your hair.”

"I was...joking," is all Eddie can come up with.

"Really? Because it doesn't sound like you were," another child counters. "You already don't like that the UV rays have the potential to damage your hair cuticles, which aids in your fear of dryness and breakage. Furthermore, swimming in a lake filled with miscellaneous, unidentified bacterium is another concern, apart from the warm water having the potential to dry your hair out even more. Also, at windy temperatures of about 80 degrees, typical for a Hawkins summer, your hair when damp will start to frizz. Which is where your pomade and Farrah Fawcett spray come in handy. And on summer days, you give your hair 32 hours before the next hair wash rotation, to which the cycle starts again. We know the drill, Steve. You've explained it multiple times. And we get it now that you don’t like the lake."

Even the kids think Harrington's insufferable. Eddie can only shake his head in disbelief.

"I'm not who I was a day ago," Eddie shrugs. "...literally."

"Huh?"

"You gonna let me join or what?"

Suddenly, the kids’ eyes begin to light up. Steve Harrington joining them at the lake? It was going to be the most fun day they’ve ever had!

"Sure!" the kids cheer excitedly. "Al-right! Steve is joining our party!"

Eddie smiles to himself, proud of the reaction he got from the eager children. Excited cheers? Smiling faces? Now THAT is how you Camp Counsel.

And now that Eddie thinks about it, he realizes something. He’s spent most of his youth in survival mode that he never got to let loose and have fun. And while he has Steve’s body and physical activity levels, he is certainly NOT about to let that go to waste. Pomade? Eddie thinks to himself. Meet Trash Can.

“Hey guys! Wait for me!” Eddie calls after the campers. “CANNONBALL!"

Meanwhile Steve sets off to find Eddie a job.

A real job.

He tries Hawkins Mart. The roller rink. The movie theater. The coffee shops. Something that involved social interaction and hard work.

"Hi there," Steve grins politely. "I'm Eddie Munson, and I'd like to apply for a job."

But Hawkins is anything but receptive to it.

"No."

"Nope."

"Sorry."

"Munson, eh? You related to Al Munson?"

"NO!"

Apparently misdemeanors and run-ins with the law make it impossible to land a good gig. It was no wonder now why Eddie stayed where he was comfortable.

Though, it's unconventional.

Steve is just about to lose hope when those looking for help didn't even want him.

But he wasn’t giving up. There has to be something Steve can do to increase Eddie's chances of landing a good job.

Just then, he realizes.

Maybe it’s not Eddie’s past, but his demeanor. The way he carries himself. If he didn’t dress like a vessel for Satan every single day, this conservative town would probably take him more seriously.

It's one of life's twisted games. Steve didn’t make the rules. And he sure as hell can't change it.

But there is one thing he can help Eddie do. He can help Eddie play the game. Master it.

And that’s when Steve sees the scissors.

———

So you can say sunscreen is the least of everyone’s worries.

“Jesus Chr— what did you do to my hair?!”

“What did you do to MINE?!”

“I had to let her breathe man,” Eddie explains. “God, Harrington. No wonder you’re always in a mood. Holding your hair up with so much gel, MY HEAD FELT HEAVIER THAN A BOWLING BALL.”

“Oh yeah?” Steve challenges him. “Well your hair was so greasy, I could’ve pat it down with a paper towel like it’s PIZZA.”

The two are at it again, reaching at each other’s hair and then swatting each other away like flies. Suddenly Robin butts into the quarrel, emerging from the kitchen with amusement spread all across her face.

“Oh…my…god…” she says.

Steve and Eddie simultaneously stop their bickering and pan their gazes over to her. Unable to contain her laughter, Robin releases a hearty chuckle in front of them.

“Holy shit, this is the greatest thing since disposable cameras,” Robin tsks. “On that note, let me go get mine.”

“NO!” both Steve and Eddie refuse.

“This is so humiliating!” Steve whines. “I look like someone literally mopped the floor with me!”

“You're embarrassed?!” Eddie exclaims as he points to his own, original body. “Whose Peepaw died?! Why am I wearing a grandpa sweater sourced from the crusty back bins of Goodwill?!”

"I thought it'd be fitting attire for your library job that I got you."

"You got me a job at the LIBRARY?!” Eddie shrieks. “Out of all places?"

"No other place would hire you!"

"Can’t say I didn’t warn ya."

“And why does my hair LOOK LIKE THAT?!” Steve demands. “You went into the lake with the kids, didn’t you? DIDN’T YOU?!”

Eddie shakes his head at him, baffled. “God forbid, I – the camp counselor — do camp counselor things! I did exactly what you told me to do.”

“WHERE DID I SAY YOU COULD MESS UP MY HAIR?”

Steve takes a moment to mourn his glorious mane. Meanwhile, Eddie starts brainstorming how he’s going to rob a high end salon for all their hair growth serums.

Just then, Robin reemerges from the shadows with her camera, panning it directly at the two of them, as if she were some eager journalist fighting for her spot on the front page of National Geographic.

“Say cheese, freaks!”

———

Eddie was having a hard time being Steve.

Being Hawkins’ most desirable male apart from Billy Hargrove was harder than he thought. Because while women worshiped the ground Steve walked on, it was hard for flight-risk teens to take the Pretty Boy seriously.

“Christopher!” Eddie hisses. “I told you to stop domesticating the raccoons, you little shit.”

Living in the trailer park, Eddie’s no stranger to those feral, yet adorable, beady-eyed beauties. And while they were cute, holding your hand, refurbishing your trash, and performing for crackers, there was an unspoken agreement when it came to those kinds of animals: you are to never take them in.

“But it’s for research!” Christopher pleads.

“I wouldn’t care if it was for the Nobel Peace Prize,” Eddie scolds him. He places his angry hands frustratedly on his hips. “Those things can be rabid, violent, and aggressive when you least expect it. Trust me on this. Raccoons are better left alone in the wild. They can’t live with people like us.”

A low, miserable groan furls at the base of the boy’s belly. He kicks at the dirt beneath him.

“Ugh, you ruin all the fun, Steve,” Christopher whines. “Eddie Munson would never treat us like this.”

That statement just about nipped Eddie in the soul. Was this what being a buzzkill is like? Little did Christopher know that it’s actually Eddie scolding him. And that the kids were not only hurting Steve’s feelings but his as well.

Meanwhile Steve wasn’t having a grand time being Eddie either.

“HEY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING BOY?!”

He almost died. Quite literally. And if it hadn’t been for Wayne launching himself across the room to stop it from happening, the odds of he and Eddie ever switching back would’ve gone from unlikely to zero.

“What?!” Steve demands.

“What do you mean, what?!” Wayne demands. “You eat that thing you’re going to wound up in the hospital! Again!”

Steve’s eyes trail down to the delicious shrimp tacos he had bought for takeout from Estrella’s.

Eddie is deathly allergic to shellfish. And with just a single bite of that shrimp taco, he would be in the back of an ambulance with hives and a closed-up throat. And judging by the fact that Eddie and his uncle didn’t necessarily bring home the ‘big bucks’, an invoice from Hawkins Memorial Hospital wouldn’t be an ideal situation to put him through.

“We’re already two months behind on rent,” Wayne grumbles. “You eat those tacos, kick the bucket, and rack up them bills, I may as well join ya six feet under.”

No tacos, no time and a half at work, and no solution to the problem at hand. No wonder Eddie was always an angsty mess. It definitely showcases in those lyrics too.

———

“Take me away, away, away, AWAY”

A killer guitar solo rips through the Harrington garage as Eddie strums away at the chords.

In hindsight, it looks like Steve is the rockstar. But the feral energy is unmistakably Munson’s, to which Dustin can’t help but get lost in, dancing along as a one-man-mosh-pit to the brilliance of Corroded Coffin’s discography.

“Same old stuff, it never ends.”

“The song sounds so cool hearing it in Steve’s voice,” Dustin beams. “And I can’t believe you put him in a crop top.”

“It’s like dressing up a Barbie doll,” Eddie jokes as he puts his guitar away. He then turns his torso towards Henderson’s field of view. “Look… Harrington’s an innie.”

Dustin cackles at the sight.

“Hahaha, no way!” he cheers. “I’m an outie.”

“Me too.”

The garage lets out an insulated hum as Steve strides in with the tacos. He cocks an eyebrow, confused at the sight of Dustin and Corroded Coffin comparing navels with each other.

“What did I just walk into?”

Eddie’s eyes light up at the sight of Steve.

“Ooh, is that Estrella’s I smell?” he inquires.

“All yours,” Steve grumbles. “Found out today that I can’t have shellfish.”

Eddie smirks at the realization.

“But I can,” he sings. “Because I’m Steve Harrington.”

Eddie rushes over to Steve to acquire the food. Steve goes over to greet the rest of the boys and to issue Dustin a long-awaited high five.

“Mmm…” Eddie coos. “Take a good look at these washboard abs, Innie. They’ll be gone for as long as I can have these tacos.”

Steve makes a face. “I can’t believe you put me in a crop top.”

“I can’t believe you cut my hair,” Eddie shrugs.

But he seems to have gotten over the fact. Hair will grow back. There were larger issues at hand today. Like how exactly Eddie is going to perform with Corroded Coffin at Show and Tell.

“Listen,” Eddie wipes his mouth. “Harrington. I have a favor. If worse comes to worst and we can’t switch back on time, I need you to perform as me for Show and Tell.”

“And why exactly would I do that?”

“Because it’s our one shot to make it big.”

“Again, why would I do that?”

“Because you love me,” Eddie sneers.

But his face drops when Steve doesn’t return the energy.

Nowhere in the fine print did it say ‘Steve Owes Eddie’. So why would Steve bother? It’s a lot for Eddie to ask of someone he’s openly mocked for years. But now that he needs something, suddenly Steve is the coolest person in the world? It doesn’t work like that.

“Hey…” Eddie begins. “I know you don’t like me, okay? Whatever animosity you have towards me, I hope we can move on from it one day.”

Steve refuses to meet Eddie’s eyes.

“If you do this for me, I’ll be eternally grateful,” Munson adds. “And maybe just maybe — when Corroded Coffin makes it big and we start touring around the world — I’ll be out of your hair forever. Literally.”

“Seems transactional.”

It leaves a bad taste in Eddie’s mouth. It was always ‘Terms and Conditions’ with Harrington. Never has he ever considered the other person’s feelings. Never has he ever done anything out of the goodness of his heart. It was always, “What do I get out of it?”. Always some sort of fucked up business move. Just like his father.

“You view everything as a transaction, don’t you?” Eddie scoffs.

“Why would I do favors for someone who’s done nothing but disrespect me? I value my time and energy. I’m not wasting it on you.”

“But you can waste it on being a camp counselor, right? The kids aren’t so hot about you anyways, so I don’t know why you keep showing up.”

“Because Dustin is there. Because I’m a good friend. You wouldn’t know sacrifice and loyalty if it hit you in the face.”

“Ah, there it is. The performative activism in plain sight. We all know that this is about Dustin. AAAAlways been that way.”

“Of course my summer is about Dustin,” Steve argues. “You’ve had him all year. Spending every second with him and breathing down his neck.”

“I’M the one spending too much time with him?” Eddie scoffs. “Breathing down his neck?! You’re the one who got a gig to be closer to him.”

“Does it register with you that it’s because I DON’T SEE HIM MUCH AT ALL ANYMORE?” Steve shouts. “He’s always at your stupid D&D games and never wants to hang out with me! You’re taking the spotlight, like you always seem to do!”

“That’s IT!” Dustin barks. “I have HAD it with you two fighting all the time.”

Finally, it’s quiet. And normally the two would be stoked about it, but seeing Dustin on the brink of tears does not make the last word worthwhile at all.

“Not even a life-changing catastrophe will make you guys stop! You’re in each other’s bodies for Christ’s sake and still going at it like cats and dogs.”

Dustin starts back towards the house, kicking at the chords beneath his feet that are blocking his dramatic exit. All Dustin has ever wanted from those two – and quite literally every adult in his life – was co-existence. A notion so easy, yet no one has ever been able to give him that. Not even with his damn empathy cookies.

“It all makes me feel like a failure. Locking myself in my cabin for six weeks to have my fortune cookies yield THESE results? My last year at camp too.”

“Dustin–”

“And if you guys keep this up, then I don’t wanna spend the rest of my summer with either of you. How’s that for compromise?”

“Hey. Buddy…” Steve starts again.

“Henderson!” Eddie calls at the same time.

But it’s already too late. Off Dustin goes, Camp Nowhere notebook in his arms, walkie in his pocket, and car keys jingling furiously around his fingers. Nothing worth displaying at Show and Tell if the grown ups were going to act younger than the campers there. And if Dustin’s anger wasn’t already prominent, the way he backs out of Steve’s driveway is a dead giveaway, judging by the screeching tires and the pop of the engine as he steps on the gas.

“Damn,” Jeff comments. “Taco ‘bout a tough crowd…”

Ba-dum-tss! the drum sounds.

“GARETH!” Steve and Eddie growl.

"Scott Clarke."

Hearing that name nearly gives Eddie whiplash. Especially because it came out of Steve’s mouth.

"Huh?"

Steve repeats himself. "Scott Clarke? Our middle school science teacher?”

Steve is perched at the bottom of the stairs, wading aimlessly around in guilt. Eddie watches as he props himself against the rails of his fancy staircase, almost as if to serenade him with an apology song of sorts.

"When we were kids, he headed the Hawkins Middle AV Club,” Steve recalls. “Nancy was in it, and so was Mike and so was Sinclair, Baby Byers, and Dustin.”

“Go on…”

“Well…whenever they ran into trouble, Mr. Clarke was always there to help,” Harrington shrugs. “Always been very personable, non-judgmental, and most of all, he’s knowledgeable.”

“Okay…”

“And with his degree from MIT, he’d be the one most likely able to get us out of this mess,” Steve emphasizes. “Just in time for Show and Tell.”

“What makes you think he’d want to help former students like us?” Eddie demands. “We weren’t in the AV club or anything.”

“Because he cares, Eddie. Current students or not.”

There’s a pause.

“Remember that one time you came into homeroom with a black eye?” Steve reflects. “And Clarke made you stay after class so he could ask if everything was okay at home?”

Attempting to mask the mushy feelings underneath, Eddie simply shrugs. Steve persists.

“Other teachers would have assumed you got in a fight or something. Even if that was the case, none of them cared to look further into it. No one except Mr. Clarke.”

“Yeah,” Eddie admits, choked up now. “Yeah, I almost forgot about that.”

It actually was a fight that happened that day. Some random kid at school. But there were also times Eddie has gotten in scuffles with his father, typically when Al Munson stumbled home too drunk for his own good and tried laying a hand on either him or Uncle Wayne. And Mr. Clarke, having grown up with Al, knew what he was capable of. Meaning it was his unspoken civil duty to look out for (Munson) Junior.

“And,” Harrington sighs. “I’m kinda really desperate here. I want you to be able to perform at Dustin’s Show and Tell. You and the band have a shot at this. I wholeheartedly believe that. And I don’t have much faith in my ability to perform as you. Neither does Dustin, it seems.”

“Steve…” Eddie begins.

“And sure, I was upset about not being Henderson’s first choice for a while,” Steve rambles. “But I’ll be okay. The kids can learn survival skills another time. ”

Grateful tears start to form in Eddie’s eyes. He’s never seen this side of Steve before.

“My hopes and dreams don’t depend on Show and Tell,” Steve mumbles. “And if it means a producer from Cardinal Records is going to be there, then getting Wayne and yourself out of debt does.”

Their eyes meet again.

“I can’t take that away from you.”

Suddenly the rocker feels his knees buckle.

It feels as if Eddie’s soul is about to leave his body. Or Steve’s in this sense. Struggling to keep his composure, the ever-so-rugged Eddie Munson clears his throat.

“…I didn’t think you paid attention to any of that, Steve.”

“I pay attention more than you think,” Steve counters. “And if my observations are right, Mr. Clarke might have the answer.”

Steve shrugs, dangling the keys to Eddie’s van around his fingers. He hula hoops them around as Eddie remains floored, pondering above him.

“Well?” says Steve. “You just gonna stand there and gawk, ‘Harrington’? Come on.”

Perhaps walking and gawking would be more productive. Without further hesitation, Eddie races down the steps and follows closely behind Steve before shutting the door to the house.

“Wipe your feet,” Steve commands as he unlocks the doors to Halen.

“What do you mean wipe my feet?” Eddie snaps. “It’s MY van!”

“Yeah, but I’m the one who’s been driving it,” Steve counters with a glare. “And I’m saying wipe your feet.”

Nonetheless, Eddie sighs and does as he’s told. But he’s not happy about it.

Never in a million years did he think Steve Harrington would tell him how to run his own van. Nor did he think Harrington would actually end up being a good dude. Both were very humbling experiences. And while King Steve drives them off to Hawkins Middle, willingly blasting Metallica and doing his best to head-bang, Eddie crosses his arms and stares blankly out the passenger side window.

“I’m never eating anything Dustin makes me again.”

———

"So..." Eddie prompts. "Can you fix us?"’

“If it isn’t broken, then do not fix it,” Mr. Clarke advises.

There was only so much that could be disclosed to their former teacher. Being an educator also meant being a mandated reporter, and it’s without a doubt government officials would bust down the doors of Camp Knowhere and run a freak raid on Dustin’s science experiment had they known the truth. Steve and Eddie had to gloss over practically everything.

“I appreciate and am honored to know you two trust me with your dilemma,” Mr. Clarke nods. “That being said, it is normal for gentlemen your age to go through an identity crisis after experimenting with recreational drugs. It will subside, but only if you don’t fight it.”

A decade can certainly change things. Steve and Eddie never expected their most logic-driven teacher to embrace his heart, dressed in a brown linen robe, as he calmly kept them on standby with soothing, meditative “Ommm”s while they spiraled into desperation in his ‘BACK TO (S)C(H)OOL’ classroom.

“But what is the science behind this?” Steve demands. “Is something happening in the…the… what did Suzie call it? The blood-brain barrier? Why would… Harrington and I both feel like we are living the life of the other person?”

“To question everything is to not know peace,” Mr. Clarke soothes them.

He’s saying this while criss-cross-apple-sauce on his desk, by the way.

“Sometimes, it is best to simply let things be,” the educator warns. “By going against the grain of the water, you are blocking the potential you can reach if you had been in a flow state.”

“Good God, you choose NOW to go on a spiritual retreat?!” Eddie hisses. “When we need science and your genius mind the most?!”

“If not now, then when?” Mr. Clarke mumbles. “If not you, then who?”

For the first time in his life, Eddie feels plagued with academic regret. He wishes he paid attention in Clarke’s class. Meanwhile Steve is considering having a word with his superintendent mother, because no way in hell is some barefoot, most-likely-vegan lunatic about to indoctrinate the future kids of America.

“If not you… then who?” Clarke repeats. “If there's one thing I learned during my time in research… and mindful meditation… it's that sometimes the answer is right in front of you. Or within."

Steve and Eddie look at each other.

"The world is full of obvious things," Mr. Clarke says. "...which nobody, by any chance, ever observes. Sherlock Holmes."

Accepting the absolute bust, Steve and Eddie storm out of the door and back down the stairs of their prepubescent alma mater.

“Son of a bitch,” Eddie curses under his breath. “The damn hippies got to him before we did.”

As the two walk down the stairs, Steve sneaks a few quick glances Eddie’s way. Seeing him upset didn’t necessarily make him feel so hot. The answer is clear: they need to venture beyond a Mormon child and a middle school science teacher. They need to consult the big dogs.

“We can go to the Indianapolis Science Center,” Steve suggests. “And maybe ask some people there. There’s also the university. If we flag down a professor from the physics or chemistry department, maybe they can offer us some insight. Or…”

“Just give it a rest, Steve,” Eddie surrenders.

“What?” Steve questions. “No! We’ve got to figure this out before Show and Tell. It’s in a couple days.”

“What’s a couple days?” Eddie demands. “We’ve been like this for nearly a week. What makes you think it won’t last another week? Or indefinitely.”

Eddie kicks at an empty carton of orange juice at his feet while Steve watches with an overwhelming sense of guilt. He didn’t want Eddie to give up. Not yet, at least.

“Hey I’m not going to let you blow this shot, Munson,” Steve demands firmly. “I know how much this means to you. This could finally be your ticket out of Hawkins. You guys were meant for the Big City.”

“No,” Eddie disagrees, absentmindedly.

Eddie’s gaze veers off to the side, a sadness in his eyes so profound that Steve almost starts tearing up as well.

“All… the answers… point…to no,” Eddie continues. “Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone followed their dreams? We’d have no one doing the conventional jobs. It's not in my cards, I fear. Maybe I was always meant to stay in Hawkins, being everyone’s weed man and no one’s first choice.”

“Eddie…”

“But thanks for trying though, Harrington. Doesn’t go unnoticed.”

———

To be continued…

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩

📽️ INTERMISSION CREDITS 🎬

DIVIDERS

@saradika-graphics

@silkholland

@dreamlandcreations

BETA READER

@mediocredreams

TO PEEPS THAT

MAY

BE INTERESTED

@littlexdeaths

@joshlmbrt

@swiss-mrs

@hugdealer

@munsonssweets

@eddiesxangel

@myherometalhead

@belokhvostikova

@guiltyasquinn

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩

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quitealotofsodapop · 5 months ago

Note

Wukong still, very clearly, makes the fact he doesn't want Macaque near him or his son very apparent. I like to think it wasn't Macaque forcing a demon attack but rather the group just... ran into each other at the grocery. Like maybe Wukong offered to help out after MK's developing powers ruined Pigsy's stock or something??? But then they run into "Mr. Liu'er" who immediately sets alarm bells off in Wukong's head

Yeah, Wukong pretty much threatens Macaque to stay tf away from him or MK. He doesn't care that Macaque has suddenly returned after centuries of being missing/dead - Wukong only cares about keeping his cub safe.

I like the idea of Wukong and MK running into Macaque (in glamour as "Mr Liu'er") at the grocery store. MK's powers are super unstable, and he accidentally takes out a bunch of ingredients in Pigsy's kitchen (lots of broken eggs), and Wukong offers to grab replacements for the lost ingredients.

Then cue Wukong seeing a dark-haired man at the store wearing a familiar red scarf - staring at the products like he's never seen them before.

A quick flash of Gold-Vision confirms his suspicions.

MK: "Baba! You used Gold Vision! Is there another demon here?" Wukong: "Xiaotian, my beautiful little egg, please don't shout when you see me do that." Macaque, sly smile: "Oh my gods, Wukong? Good to you you bud. How have things been?" Wukong: (*annoyed groan*) "Hello Macaque." MK: "Baba makes that sound when he sees someone he doesn't want to talk to." Macaque, chuckling and kneeling down to shake MK's hand: "I know it well. The name is Liu'er Mihou, Macaque to my friends. Is this little scamp yours, Wukong?" Wukong, defensively: "Yes. He's mine." Macaque: "Is there another Mr Sun or...?" MK, a bit too enthused: "Nope! Baba isn't married! How do you know my baba, Mister?" Macaque: (*glances at Wukong*) Wukong: (*glares back with "You say anything you die"-energy*) Macaque, hesitates: "We're old... friends." MK: "Oh! Then... how come Baba doesn't talk about you?" Wukong, wanting to Leave: "OK! We're leaving! C'mon MK! We need to get these ingredients back to Mr Pigsy!" MK: "Oh ok! Bye bye Mister Liu'er!" Macaque, waves: "Take care MK. You too Wukong~" Wukong: (*annoyed growl!*)

Wukong later tells MK that the glamoured monkey demon was an old friend of his, but they fell apart over something bad Mr Liu'er did. MK is a little confused.

MK: "What did Mr Liu'er do to make you not like him anymore?" Wukong: "It's not that easy, kiddo. Mr Liu'er tried to steal the important scriptures from Master Tripitaka, and we had a really bad fight about it." MK: "But you and Uncle Bull were enemies for a long, long time, and you became brothers again!" Wukong, sighs: "It's not that easy, kiddo." MK: "...do you guys need a play date?" Wukong: (*blushing with surprise*) "What!?" MK: "That's what Mei says people do when they haven't seen each other in a long time. Her parents have a date every time they have to go away for a while. If you had a play date with Mister Liu'er, could you be friends again?" Wukong: (*in deep though, but admires his child's innocence*) Wukong: "I don't think Mr Liu'er would agree to a play date, MK. We hurt each other a lot in the past, and it takes a lot more effort to patch things up after that. Do you understand?" MK, disappointed: "Yeah..." Wukong: "Aww, it's ok bud - maybe in future we can be friends again, but not right now. C'mon! Let's get these groceries back to Mr Pigsy before he gets worried! I may have also bought us a treat or two for after dinner." MK: "Peach buns?" Wukong: "Peach buns!" MK: "Peach buns!!!" (*Wukong & MK start walking back to Pigsy's, arms swinging happily. The younger monkey deep in thought*) MK, thinking hard: "Must find way to make Baba and Mr Liu'er talk again..." Macaque, watching from the shadows: "Hmm. Thankfully, the kid seems more open to talking than Wukong is. Wonder how I can make sure we run into each other more often?"

#marbled stone egg au #sun wukong #six eared macaque #liu er mihou #shadowpeach #lmk mk #qi xiaotian #lmk aus #shadowpeach being parents #lmk #lego monkie kid

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zizz-asdf-re-r-o-u · 4 months ago

Text

So You Want To Know Garu & Karu (Timeline Edition)

Very loosely inspired by Idololivine's Olivine post and Halfeti's Edmond post. Update: here's Phaerlax's post about WRITING Garu&Karu

Lore spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BSTEdunb5PwVkhcuoEkaFVXUIk02FCnsoYkhL8yB9pA/edit?gid=221633315#gid=221633315

This is also going to double as a directory of all my Garu/Karu analysis posts.

Note: I did not play every 2022/2023 event, so if Garu/Karu had a tiny cameo in other events, I might have missed it even when watching recordings of past events. Please let me know if I'm missing something or have something wrong.

Warning for many spoilers & also trauma!

This timeline was last updated when Ch 14 pt2 was released.

This is an attempt at a complete timeline of Garu & Karu's history, that we know of. I've written quite a few meta about Garu/Karu, and thought we also need a concrete "these are the canon facts of their history".

Pre-Eiden Arrival:

Assume all these dates are before from Eiden's arrival in Klein.

[25-30 years ago before Eiden arrived in Klein] Garu was born to a nomad wolf spirit pack with a gemstone in his throat (Misty Vale, Ch 14)

[20-25 years ago] Garu, still a cub (in Earth normal wolf years, that would mean 3.5~ months old, unsure about Klein wolf spirit years), is kidnapped by some humans that eventually brought him to the Council of Sorcery (Ch 14).

[20-25 years ago] Kolt and his research team force Garu to transform into a wolf yokai/human form. Karu is formed as a DID trauma protective response. (Ch 14)

[23 years ago] Huey disappears, Eiden is born

[20-23 years ago] Kolt & his team continue to torture Karu, while Garu is dormant during the experiments, Cashel takes care of their injuries. (Ch 14)

[20-23 years ago] Rei returns to Council of Sorcery, Cashel catches him up with what's going on. The church has some kind of plan for Kolt's experiment (aka Garu/Karu), so 2 scientists on Kolt's team remove Garu's gemstone, Karu kills them, Rei & Cashel escape with Karu. (Ch 14)

[10-20 years ago] Garu/Karu and Cashel/Gramps are hiding in a cabin in the Dead Zone, killing monsters, taking care of people who get lost in the Dead Zone. At one point, Cashel/Gramps nearly drowns and never recovers from the illness. (Ch 7)

[3-10 years ago] Gramps dies, leaving Garu/Karu to wander Dead Zone alone. They do also find a cave for their main hiding spot. They also meet Blade occasionally in the Dead Zone. (Ch 7, AxBxO)

[Year Eiden arrives] Eiden meets Karu 1st, then Garu in the Dead Zone. Eiden proposes the human slave plan & Karu accepts. (Ch 7)

At this point, I don't know where the timeline is, because we don't know when the events are taking place amongst the main chapters, so I'll split it into sections.

Main story timeline:

Ch 8: Garu/Karu meets the rest of the gang and moves into Aster's mansion.

Ch 13: Garu reunites with Rei & co, they travel to Wood territory to find Kuya & Quincy because the Wood territory is in danger.

Ch 14: Karu makes Rei promise not to tell Garu his history, in part 2, he does anyways.

Events/SSR timeline:

Master's Gift: revealed that Karu idolizes/occasionally visits Kuya

Mystic Banquet/Endless Banquet SSR: G/Karu are not invited to the yokai banquet because they're under 100 years old and not as powerful as Yakumo. Kuya takes them and Eiden along to be his attendants. Shenanigans happen. Note: In the lore document, it says that Garu produced purple flames during his performance. That was actually Kuya that created the flames.

Idol Fest: Karu is a fan of Blade's idol persona.

Klein Star: Karu and Dante hunt a wild animal as a birthday present for Eiden.

Eerie Escapade/Howling Cyclone: It is revealed that Yakumo reads adventure stories to them, Garu likes drawing pictures, and shenanigans happen.

Silver Miracle: Garu sticks up for Kuya when the rest of the clan assumes Kuya is endangering Eiden with Night Crane shenanigans.

AxBxO/Forgotten Fruit: Shenanigans happen inside a book AU. Garu officially asks out Eiden to be his commander/master. Karu admits that he doesn't hate Eiden in a very backhanded way.

Misty Vale/Ethereal Guardian: Garu finds how hints about his past, so we can assume this event happened before ch 14 for sure.

Frozen Echoes/Binary Starlight: Echo spirits shenanigans happen including Karu getting kidnapped for 2/3 of the event. Garu & Karu perform with Edmond & Quincy for the Festival, Aster sells merch with everyone's face. Karu is scouted and then auditions to be a model, shenanigans, he gets some fans, and then ends up being a model/promoter for one of the restaurants.

Garu/Karu make cameos in Journey to a Nu World and Fancy Capricio, but they're AU/dreamland events and therefore not happening in the real (Klein) world. The only thing that happens in the real (Klein) world is that they join the clan in the hot springs.

Desert of Dusk/Stampeding Adventurer: Garu goes with Eiden to a town outside of Solaria while Dante is investigating it. Shenanigans. We can assume this event happened before ch14 because Garu has another confusing flashback.

Dessert Island Knockout/Beguiling Windchaser: Garu wins round 1 of the sports competition, and then together with Dante & Quincy wins the final flag of the whole contest. Garu is fast enough to be able to dodge both Dante and Quincy's (paintball/fire) attacks. Karu is apparently afraid of ghosts now, and can be easily fooled by human scent tricks.

This post will be updated as future events/chapters occur!

All my Garu/Karu analysis posts:

#nu carnival #garu #karu #nu carnival meta #nu carnival analysis #analysis #meta #personal

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wellthebardsdead · 5 months ago

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Clow: *seated with Guenhwyvar resting her head in his lap, purring so loudly she could almost rattle every bone in the small drows frame* good girl, such a lovely girl, *strokes her fur and smiles as she nuzzles into each touch*

Drizzt: *smiling watching them* she likes it if you scratch her chin. *looks to Wyll* yes I’m hurt. I find out I have a nephew who just escaped over a century of enslavement, I finally find him and find out he’s already married after only 7 months above ground!!

Wyll: I understand your concern but I promise you our marriage isn’t affecting his freedom and he’s welcome to do whatever he pleases-

Drizzt: Oh I don’t care about that I’m upset because I missed the wedding!!! None of you thought to send a letter?! Not even a note?! He knew of my existence not one of you could have shown him how the postal system works here?!

Clow: *now barely peering over the panther as she drapes herself across his lap* no one believed me when I said you were my uncle. I mean- mintharas the exception but no one believed her either.

Minthara: as if I would lie about his parentage.

Drizzt: *pulls back his hood* What difference between our faces is there beyond skin tone and my wrinkles?!?!

Wyll: w-well to be fair none of us ever saw you in person and there’s so many portraits from different artists nobody was certain what you really looked like s-sir-

Drizzt: and yet you still didn’t believe him when he’s the man you married?!?! I missed my only nephews wedding! My daughter would have been thrilled to meet her cousin!!

Clow: *now on the ground as the panther licks his face like a cub* I have a cousin?

Drizzt: yes!!

Wyll: I’m- guessing I’m not in your good graces then?

Drizzt: You certainly aren’t right now!

#he was very upset finding out he missed their wedding #drizzt do'urden #clow Do’Urden #Clopin Do’Urden #Clow Tav #Clow oc #Wyll bg3 #minthara bg3

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blorbologist · 2 years ago

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Just wanted to be brave like you

Gen | 1.7k | Perc’ahlia and little Vesper | Modern AU | Just fuckin sad

Cross-posted to AO3

She’d warned him.

Vex had taken her husband aside when it became clear this film was on the agenda for the day. “Percy, darling,” she’d said, all filed edges and feather soft, “you don’t have to-”

“I do,” he’d insisted just as gently. “I’m not missing out on time with the women of my life because of a movie. Not an obligation, but a pleasure.” Then, wry: “Besides, we’ve both seen worse. Been through worse. The reviews are great, Keyleth has recommended it for as long as I can remember. Now is as good a time as any.”

“Are you sure?” And she’d pulled back to scrutinize him. Vex’ahlia is and always has been very good at that. There are no lies in him for her to find, though he suspected that’s not what she was looking for. “Percy, it made Vax sob the first time we watched it after our mother-”

She fell short of words, so he went the extra mile to find some for her: “I know, I know, dear. But it’s Vax. He’s like that. It’s a silly movie, and I have you both to protect me. It’ll be fine. Please?”

“Alright, darling. If you’re sure.”

She’d warned him, and he hadn’t listened.

Percy buries his face in Vex’s shoulder, waits for the music to pick up a little louder, and uses all this to cover a pathetic, wet sniffle.

Peeking through his lashes, it does not seem like Vesper noticed, too enraptured by the television screen.

She clutches her stuffie to her chest with a gasp. The dusty scene glides slowly over the still golden form of a magnificent beast.

“Dad?”

Vesper mouths no - he thinks, because his eyes are burning and he really can’t look a second longer. Percival de Rolo has another embarrassing, probably snotty sniffle in his wife’s (his, but she’s stolen it) sweater.

Why the fuck is he, a grown man, getting weepy over animated lions?!

Bless his wife - no I told you so, just a calloused hand running through his hair, over and over.

“Dad, c’mon,” begs Simba - he thinks it’s named Simba, “you gotta get up. We’ve got to go home.”

And fool that he is he looks up just in time to see the cub tug at his father’s ear - oh gods, just like at the beginning of the movie when he woke him up for the patrol - and the horror, the realization -

Percival does not say fuck because he is the father of a five-year-old. He comes close, though, because even a vehement “Fudge,” is wholly incapable of conveying how truly wretched he feels.

He knew the stupid lion was going to die. The film is just about as old as he is, and Vex had warned him repeatedly. For all that he never watched these movies growing up, Percy was not found under a rock either - everyone knows Mufasa dies.

It’s just something else, to be presented with the desperate loneliness again. This can’t be happening. He can’t be gone, they can’t be gone. Help - somebody, anybody, help. (And no one did.)

“Percy?” Vex murmurs, and he can hardly hear her beyond the raspy breathing. His raspy breathing. Oh dear.

“‘m coping,” he gets out.

They both freeze when Vesper starts whimpering. Percy just has time to see her cheeks become tantrum-red before she bubbles into hiccups.

“Vesper, sweetheart - what’s wrong?”

The words are a trigger - springloaded, she spins around to bury her face in Percy’s chest with a sob that breaks his darned heart. “I don’t want you to go-” she sobs, and that heart crumbles to dust in tiny hands when she takes fistfulls of his shirt.

“Dear,” and he’s so watery, he doesn’t want his baby to see him like this, surely it’ll make it worse, “I’m not going anywhere-”

“He promised! Papa, he promised!” He gets a shaking hand to the nape of her neck, rubbing soothing circles that do little to make him feel better. They don’t seem to help Vesper, either, who clings tighter. She also makes a very obvious smear of snot, which, really, is enough to get a choked laugh from him.

Vex might have paused the television - Percy can’t be sure, when she shuffles around to hug them both. “Vesper - little Whisper,” Vex whispers, barely beyond tears herself, “what do you want, sweetheart?”

“I want Daddy,” she sobs, “and - and you, and me, and - and-”

Vex’s free hand takes up running through as much of Vesper’s hair as she can. It usually works on her just as well as it does Percy - instead their little girl jerks back, almost offended her mother thinks she can soothe this new pain.

“He’s alone! His - his Papa’s dead and he’s alone and he promised-”

“It’s just a movie,” Percy warbles. Takes a moment to sound less devastated than his child. She needs him. “Vesper, darling, it’s okay. There are no stampedes here, no evil lions. We’re not going anywhere - I promise, I give you my word.”

He can’t promise that.

He knows better than anyone, anyone at all. There’s worse than wildebeest, worse than evil uncles. Long live the king, death to the de Rolos, there’s little difference.

But he’s a father, now, he’s Vesper’s father, and if this is her reaction to the understanding that he could die - that he could be gone - he will build every bulwark, every defense against her ever experiencing this heartbreak as he has. Fuck tragedy, age, accidents - he won’t leave his family. He won’t. Death will have to face him, and he’s got good odds that death will lose.

Death had won back then, though, which makes him clutch Vesper tighter.

One day. But he will fight for each one he has with them. And knows well Vex will do the same.

It goes around like that - the DVD player faintly whirring in protest, here and there, as Vesper keeps repeating the tragedy in her mind, as Vex and Percy keep trying to soothe her of it.

Vex shoulders most of it. Percy is still in much of a state himself, to his shame. Bouts of comfort before he needs to take some for himself: Vesper’s hazel eyes made dark grey by the film of tears, or his grief-rough voice sounding like his father’s to his ears.

It’s not fair to Vex, to be juggling the both of them. He hates this, badly, but struggling to keep his breathing even just makes it buck his control and throw him into more crying.

He has a family, now. Vex and Vesper and Cass and Vax and Keyleth and Velora and those bound to him by no law but forces greater than them. No one here is alone, and never will be again.

“Daddy, you’re sad.”

Well, so much for hiding it. Percy cannot exactly wipe away the tears regardless - hands full and all, and unlike his progeny he is not going to wipe snot on his shirt. “I guess I am,” he admits.

“You -” Vesper has to pause to work through the words - stuck somewhere in her throat, he thinks, maybe wiggling in her mouth like a frog, he knows the feeling. “You don’t-”

He leans into Vex’s touch. An anchor for the wave he knows is coming. He takes the time he can to measure his breathing before Vesper says, “I - Daddy, you don’t have a daddy.”

“No - no, sweetheart, I don’t.”

(He doesn’t include the list, the tombstone-script of names. He’s lost so much more than his father, but he supposes that’s a good place to start. Let alone Vex’s mother. One at a time, or he’ll break again and break worse and Vesper doesn’t need that.)

Vesper looks up at him with streaming eyes. “I’m sorry, Papa.” She squeezes him with all her might - which is considerable, to him. So much love to give and with no remorse. Those perfect little brows - more Vex’s than his - furrow something fierce, and she struggles just free enough of his hold to offer her stuffy. Who is also covered in snot. “’m sorry. Will - will Bauble make it better?”

And oh, fuck, he isn’t ready for that.

“Thank you, dear,” he says solemnly. “Yes - yes, Bauble makes it better.”

He lets Vesper press the owlbear (it was supposed to be a bear, but - Velora, dear, that’s a beak) to his chest, where his heart struggles to pet it.

“I love you, Papa.”

She says it often. More than daily, more times than he can count - and he has tried, diligently, to count and treasure each one.

This one makes his face melt into something awful, and Vesper looks so worried, so scared, and it’s because of the stupid animated lions -

He must have made a gods-awful sound, this time, because there’s a racket of tags and claws on the hardwood as a brown blur bounds over from the kitchen and launches himself at the couch.

Which he’s not supposed to be on, strictly speaking, but who could keep Vax from encouraging the habit? And who would dare fault him now when all the de Rolos shriek.

“Trinket,” Vex scolds, hardly scolding at all. “Down, buddy!”

He just wuffles and noses Vesper’s ear until she wails with giggles, shoving her open palms at their dog. Those get licked too.

It’s very hard to cry when a huge fluffy dog is whining at you for every whimper and licking at your mouth until they turn into laughs.

Percy will be sure to sneak him a little ham, later.

“Tell you what,” says Vex, in his ear. Vesper wiggles to look up at her, too. What must their daughter see? Vex is too close and his eyes too damp to make out much of her beyond redder than normal and shaky. What a portrait, what a distressing sight. “You remember what the daddy lion -”

Sniffle. “Mufasa, Mama.”

She smiles. “- what Mufasa said earlier? About the great kings of the past?” Trinket’s collar rustles when Vex ruffles his soft ears. “Later tonight, after supper, we can go look at the stars, and… talk to them. Would you like that, darling?”

Percy is fairly sure she means Vesper. But when their daughter pinches her eyes shut - overwhelmed? To think? - she’s looking at him with eyes he’d surrender his fears to.

Would he like that?

“Yes, Mummy,” Vesper burbles, with a final rub of her fist to her nose. She then pats Percy’s arm, snot and all. “Can - can we keep watching the movie, Papa?”

“It gets scary,” Vex warns gently. A glance at the screen confirms that Scar looms, some shadows in the dust behind him. “If it’s too much, just tell us and we can stop, alright darling?”

“Trinket will protect you,” Percy adds quietly. The thump of a stubby tail seconds that.

Vesper nods so bravely. “Alright.”

Dutifully, Vex - the only one with a free arm to reach the remote, and with the least gross hands - presses play, and soon enough the thrilling music and fast-paced chase have Vesper distracted again. Even Trinket watches, with his old eyes, laying his head on her little lap.

Percy brands a kiss to Vex’s brow. As hard as he dares.

She hugs him a touch too tight. It’s a promise.

#im Fine im totally Fine im so Fine im So okay I dont have Issues regarding dads dying i swear #critical role #cr fanfic #critical role fanfiction #perc'ahlia #percahlia #percival de rolo #percy de rolo #vesper de rolo #de rolo family #vex'ahlia #modern au #my writing #just a lil ficlet to get over some writer's block

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r0-boat · 9 months ago

Note

OKAY SO- Your Tarzan Ingo AU has my horny brain by the balls, and my god, I love it. This one idea has swirled around my head for so long so have a random prompt, if you want to do anything with it! Imagine you have been his 'mate' for a good while, and with plenty of raw sex to boot! He has been rutting into you basically nonstop when he can whenever you're together, his brain turned to mush between growls of "breed, breed, breed!" and babbling how much he loved you. Him hissing in pain when you leave scratch marks in his back as you cling onto him as he thrusts his cock in over and over again, and egging him on more and more with the occasional kiss. It is only a matter of time before welp, it's confirmed that you're pregnant. Your belly has only started to swell at but it would be noticeable enough to your 'mate' once he sees you. (It's a tad early to be getting that big, but it would probably only be a big baby... spoiler alert, it's two. ;D) It wouldn't take long for you to find Ingo (or him to find you?) and reunite with him after spending time back in the village due to being sick. Of course, he brought back food but that could wait as he wanted to breed you again. Of course, you miss his girthy cock inside of you so get straight to stripping. But you decide to surprise him without words by just straddling his hips and lifting your shirt to show off the proof that he successfully bred you. Ingo would be so confused as he palmed at your belly before it finally got through his brain that he actually knocked you up. You were pregnant! Pregnant with his 'pups', his babies! (You said you were sure it would only be one baby... imagine his smug face months later when you hold your newborn twins after a long delivery) It would be a whirlwind of clothes being flung carelessly away and prep before he is fucking you again, but he is much more gentle than he usually is with at least one hand on your belly at all times and face in the crook of your neck. He couldn't wait to show his family that the pack would be growing soon~

I've written so many things about this in the tag but none more delicious than what you gave me 😔

Giggling and twirling my hair I need to be bred so badly by Tarzan ingo. All I will do is grow his Cubs and warm his nest!

please one chance

#ro.chatting #smut #ingo.thirst #Tarzan!ingo #I didn't answer this sooner because I read it so many times

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twistmusings · 2 years ago

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hi! i’m so happy your requests are open! i love your blog :) i was wondering if you’d be comfortable writing how the dorm leaders would mourn for you if you died? i know that’s pretty angsty but angst is my favorite 💕 if you’re not comfortable with it, i totally understand! thanks either way!

Aw, thank you so much! I'm glad you've been enjoying it. I don't mind angst at all, though I may be a bit rusty, so hopefully this does it justice!

How would the Dorm Leaders mourn for MC if they died?

TW: Dark content, death, mourning, bad mental health and coping mechanisms, implied relationship but it could also be read as very intense friendship (just depends how you wanna view it!).

CW: Mentions of a major spoiler from book 6 in Idia's section. Please be careful of that and skip reading if you would like to avoid it!

Riddle Rosehearts

Riddle is convinced he must have done something horrible in a past life. His life was supposed to be getting better, right? He was supposed to be moving past the things that happened in the past with his mom and his isolation and be making moves to improve himself, right? So why was someone so important to him taken away from him so soon?

At first he couldn't bring himself to believe it-- it had to be some cruel prank. Despite him having attended their service... there was no way that they were gone. It had to be a joke and someday he would wake up and they would be there and they would be smiling and say "Gotcha!" and he would be mad but they would still be here and he could learn to forgive them someday.

And then that had not happened. Trey had told him that he was worried about him-- about how little reaction he seemed to have. Chenya came to check on him every few days to try and drag him out of the house, but he said to him that something had changed with that worried look on his face. People were tip-toeing around him again, he could see it.

It might take several weeks, but when it finally hits him, he snaps. He starts crying-- loud and ugly and miserable. He's inconsolable, and even though he has people there to help, no one is ever going to be able to fix this. He can't stop the tears, and they come on so randomly. He can't quite bring himself to be as put together as he always has been-- his hair is an unbecoming mess and his clothes don't sit on him right and he's exhausted to the point that he can barely hold himself up.

He has people to help him work through it, and he's so gracious for their support, but it's still going to take him a long, long time to be even be "okay" again.

Leona Kingscholar

Leona's first thought when it happened was that he should have known. He should have known because his life had always been this way. Happiness had always been dangled just outside of his reach, and yet somehow he had hoped this time would be different. He'd let his guard down enough that this hurt, it felt like someone was tearing a hole in his chest and it feels like a piece of him is missing now. He's hollow on the inside.

He shouldn't get his hopes up, and so he doesn't. Anything he loves or values is snatched away from him, so it's in his best interest to just stop caring about anything. It's what he'd been doing for years-- and what he should have kept doing because he wasn't allowed to know contentment. Maybe if he had, they would still be here.

He's starting to wonder if they really would be-- maybe he was cursed by someone as a cub and he would have to watch the people around him that he cares about wither and turn to sand whether he uses his unique magic or not. It's ironic, really, because it feels like every time he tries to find any light at the end of the tunnel that it slips through his hands just like sand.

So he sleeps. And he doesn't get up anymore, not unless someone pulls him physically. He can't find it in himself to care anymore, it's exhausting to constantly be disappointed and grieving. He doesn't have the energy and he can't muster it anymore. His body feels weak, like the only thing that was holding him together was momentum and their loss was the last straw and he was finally going to fall apart. It's so much easier to just sleep.

And at least when he's asleep there's still a chance he will get a chance to escape to somewhere where he's still allowed to feel hope. And maybe, if he's lucky, he'll get to see them again.

Azul Ashengrotto

It's like someone has cut a limb off of him. There isn't a better way to describe it-- it feels like someone has taken one of his legs and now he's left there to look at the place where it used to be and to know that something is missing... except, unlike his own limbs, this one won't regrow. It can never, ever regrow.

For a while, he throws himself into his work. He needs to fill the void with something, at it feels like his job and the Leech twins are all he has left to try and mend. And even the Leech twins sometimes look at him like he's broken-- look at him with such pity in their eyes and it takes him right back to that pathetic, small octopus that he was as a child. It makes him feel helpless, so when he notices Floyd behaving because he's worried, he tells him off. Likewise for Jade, when he notices that he's shying away from giving him a hard time. He expects them to be on the top of their game.

On some level, he knows it's unfair. It's unfair to them to expect that he should just be okay to move on like this. Unfair to himself to not give himself the time to mourn, and unfair to Jade and Floyd because they were also close to them. But if things don't feel normal, then he's going to fall apart. He just might overblot, again, if he has to sit and wallow in it. He needs to feel some semblance of normal. He needs it. Please.

But that's not how it works. It's not normal, because he's trying to ignore it. He's trying to push off having to deal with it until he feels well enough to deal with it and it backfires horribly.

It overwhelms him, one day in the lounge. Floyd and Jade are in the back room with him and they're chatting with each other. Azul hasn't really been listening to them-- he's trying to crunch the opening predictions and he doesn't need to know what they're saying. At least, not until he hears Floyd say Shrimpy, and suddenly it feels like Azul's lungs are collapsing. It feels like he can't breathe-- like his potion is failing and he can't breathe the air on land anymore. His grip tightens on his pen and his desk, fingers flexing so tightly against the wood that they go white. He feels like the walls are collapsing in around him, and though he can see the way the tears splash against the papers and desktop below him, his brain can't quite connect that he's crying. He's started crying.

"Azul?" It's Jade, and something about hearing him address him snaps Azul out of the hole he feels like he's falling into and everything snaps back to the present around him. Jade has this worried look on his face, and he's apparently had his hand on his shoulder. Azul is confused and overwhelmed, and all at once it's too much. He feels the sob wrack his body painfully, and he hiccups. It's like he's a cup and he's overflowing. He must look pathetic. Floyd and Jade move quickly, one on either side, arms around him in a hug and there's something soothing about feeling small and safe knowing that despite all of their ribbing, they won't abandon him here when he's at his lowest. And they stay until he stops crying.

He's lost a limb and it's never coming back, so he's going to have to learn how it is to live without it. It will take work and time, but he will learn to live without it someday, though he will never forget it.

Kalim Al-Asim

For one of the first times in his life, Kalim feels entirely lost. Hopeless and adrift, and since all he knows is showing his heart on his sleeve, he cries hard and repeatedly. The only person who he really lets near him is Jamil, and that's only because Jamil is too obstinate to let him self-destruct.

He can't pull himself out of bed. He feels like he's been run through the wringer and he has been thinking about it non-stop since it happened and wondering why. They were so kind and fun and wonderful, he doesn't understand why it had to be them of everyone. They deserved better, and though he knows the universe doesn't work that way, he can only hope that they still exist somewhere and that they know that he does care. That he misses them, and that he hopes they can still have fun. He's not spiritual, nor is he religious, but the thought brings him comfort, so he clings to it.

Since he's really the only one who actually gives himself space to mourn, it might look like he gets over it quickly, but really he just reaches his equilibrium faster than anyone else because he isn't trying to stuff the feelings down. He will always, always miss them, but he can only hope that they know how much he cares and how much love he has for them in his heart.

And even if privately, he will hold out the hope that someday, in some form, he'll get to see them again.

Vil Schoenheit

Vil handles his mourning with silence, and with shutting people out. No one needs to know how he is feeling, he's not a spectacle, and it's none of their business how he's handling it. That might be well and good in the eyes of the public but... in private, people are worried about him. They can't see him cry, but they can see that he's tired. His normally perfect complexion is marred by the dark bags that are under his eyes. He does a good job of covering them up, but for the people who see him every day, they can see the difference.

It's not that they haven't tried to talk to him about it, but whenever they try, Vil's temper gets the better of him. He is fine, they need to act like it. At least... he will be fine someday, and he doesn't have time to dally and linger on it right now. He can deal with processing his emotions when it's more convenient.

It fails in about the most spectacular way that it could have. He's asked for an interview, and while he's not acting right now to finish out his education, he still needs to keep himself relevant so he accepts. He doesn't know how the interviewer found their name, but they ask about them. Ask how they're doing-- entirely unaware-- and it hits Vil like a train. It is so unbecoming to have a breakdown on camera and especially so on live television, but he can't seem to stop it before it happens since it happens so fast. Before he's even aware of it, he's started crying and his mascara is starting to run.

He handles it as gracefully as he can, apologizing profusely for his crying and phrasing in the most detached way possible that they are no longer among the living. He ends up needing to ask to be excused half way through the interview and leaves the stage with cheeks streaked with his makeup and shaking. Despite it all, he holds it together long enough to get to his dressing room before the dam breaks and he starts sobbing.

He still has a long way to go, but if there is any saving grace, it's that the people around him care about him and are patient with him. After the interview even Neige reaches out to make sure he's okay and offer his support, and though Vil is overwhelmed and miserable, at least he knows he still has people to go to if he needs.

Idia Shroud

Idia is no stranger to death. Their death wasn't so traumatic as Ortho's, he hadn't seen them get mauled, and he didn't feel responsible for it, and yet it still hurts so badly. They had managed to get him to lower his walls-- get him to let them in to see who he was despite of his fear of their judgement. They had so easily made themself at home in his heart and now there was nothing there to fill that gap. Idia has no desire to fill it-- no one else is worth the effort.

Somehow he expected something like this should happen. It was a sort of dread that always stuck with him-- maybe its trauma? Either way, Idia has a track record of losing everyone who is important to him, so why would he try? He should have learned his lesson the first time and he can't find himself to feel anything but disappointment to start. He'd always shown his grief strangely-- look at Ortho.

He doesn't try to make a replacement for them, though. Something tells him that isn't what they would have wanted him to do, and as much as he loves Ortho, he thinks trying to recreate them might be impossible. He'd know Ortho better than anyone, but they were always so unpredictable and seemed to know exactly how to push him to open up. Even if he tried to recreate that, he would fail-- even he doesn't know how they managed to earn his trust.

He doesn't cry. Not really. He's spent a lot of his life crying over the dead-- cried more times over Ortho than he can count, and eventually it just... stopped. He doesn't think he can cry from sadness anymore.

He ends up knowing that he is destined to be alone. He already knew that, actually, but this cements it. He's going to end up losing the people he cares about, and regardless he's going to end up having to care for STYX and the underworld, and that's all he's got going for him in life.

Malleus Draconia

Nothing anyone could have said could have prepared Malleus for the reality of death. And a young death, at that. Malleus cared about them so, so much, treasured their company and their opinions and seeing how quickly their life had been snuffed out was devastating to him. He wasn't able to bring himself to speak to anyone for several days after it happened. Instead he retreated into himself entirely.

He knew that the others were worried-- Lilia kept bringing him food and insisting that he eat to sustain himself, but he finds that he can't taste anything and really has no desire to. He's listless, and while Lilia and his other retainers keep coming to sit with him, he's having a hard time holding himself together and continuing to push on.

It marks a fundamental change in Malleus-- something inside of him morphs and becomes cold. He struggles to let people in again. And while he ends up warming up again to his fellow fae and SIlver, he finds it so, so hard to let another human in even if he wants to. They're so fragile and getting hurt and he doesn't know if he can take it again.

Especially not when the person that he lost was as special as they are.

#answered;;#riddle rosehearts #leona kingscholar #azul ashengrotto #kalim al asim #vil schoenheit #idia shroud #malleus draconia #tw: death #tw: character death #cw: death #cw: character death

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myymi · 1 year ago

Text

intro !!

꒷˚꒷︶꒷꒥꒷‧₊˚

⤿danielle / myla

⤿18 || [02/23]

⤿agender || they/them + ny/nym (preferred, but im ok w any!!)

⤿alt.blogs :: personal - @dyymi || art - @ceemi

⤿ao3

⤿mutuals are free to ask for my discord 💜

⤿.

⤿don't forget your daily clicks!!

faq !!

꒷˚꒷︶꒷꒥꒷‧₊˚

⤿"are you still taking prompts?"

⇢ ˗ˏˋmy bio will say if theyre open or closed <3

⤿"how do you get inspiration?"

⇢ ˗ˏˋlistening to music!

⤿"can i draw art based on your fics?"

⇢ ˗ˏˋof course!! please tag me if you do, i'd love to see it!

⤿"have you written for any other fandoms?"

⇢ ˗ˏˋyes, but you'll never find it. i never posted them lol

⤿"any tips for __?"

⇢ ˗ˏˋcheck my tips tag first!

main tags !!

꒷˚꒷︶꒷꒥꒷‧₊˚

⤿tails - miles tails prower

⇢ ˗ˏˋ& sonic - unbreakable bond / dynamic duo

⇢ ˗ˏˋ& knuckles - brain and brawn

⇢ ˗ˏˋ& amy - pinky lemonade

⇢ ˗ˏˋ& shadow - bumblebee

⤿asks - myyanswers / anon / anonymous / anon ask

⤿drabbles - myydrabs

⤿fanfic - myyfics

⤿headcanons - myyhcs

⤿alt.blogs rbs - dyymi / ceemi

⤿tips - writing tips

(you may not find every post when searching up tags. i sometimes forget to tag them, and a lot of these are new ones. sorryyy)

fics !!

꒷˚꒷︶꒷꒥꒷‧₊˚

[it's quite long, so i'm going to add a read more]

⤿Quick Trip

⇢ ˗ˏˋTails just wanted to run to the store to pick up a few things but was attacked on his way home.

⤿Tails can Purr

⇢ ˗ˏˋjust the family finding out tails can purr

⤿Tails can Purr | Sonic Boom Edition

⇢ ˗ˏˋthis is before season 2, same time as cabin fever cause i love that episode

⤿Welcome To Westside Island!

⇢ ˗ˏˋtails runs into some old 'friends'

⤿What Kind of Genius Can't Figure This Out?

⇢ ˗ˏˋThe crew stay behind to lend a hand in repairing the chateau after the avalanche hits. Over time, Tails properly processes everything that happened that day, but is left with more questions than answers.

⤿Early Birthday Gift

⇢ ˗ˏˋTails is working on The Tornado when Amy swings by the house with an early birthday present

⤿Sonic Hoodie

⇢ ˗ˏˋsonic comes home to tails in a hoodie that looks like him

⤿Feelings

⇢ ˗ˏˋSonic and Tails have a little talk about what happened during the war.

⤿Reality Check

⇢ ˗ˏˋWhat starts as a normal day with Tails fixing up Omega after an accident turns into the fox receiving a reality check from Shadow

⤿Chaotix Babysitting

⇢ ˗ˏˋour favorite detective agency look after our favorite two tailed fox while he's sick :)

⤿Abandonment Issues

⇢ ˗ˏˋKnuckles and Tails are left home alone for the first time. It later proves to be a terrible idea

⤿They're Called Scary Movies for a Reason

⇢ ˗ˏˋtails watches a horror movie for the first time. it does not end well

⤿Echidna Memorial

⇢ ˗ˏˋknuckles takes sonic and tails to the memorial he made for his ancestors :]

⤿It's What Brothers Do

⇢ ˗ˏˋjust a cute little moment between the boys, set in the aosth universe :]

⤿That's His Little Brother

⇢ ˗ˏˋsomeone else saves Sonic instead of the avatar

⤿Worried

⇢ ˗ˏˋAs Tails packs up the Tornado, Sonic comes to him to talk about something on his mind.

⤿What's the Point?

⇢ ˗ˏˋtails notices people don’t typically care to listen to his tech rambles so he stops

⤿Sleeping Troubles

⇢ ˗ˏˋknuckles wakes to find tails missing and sets off to locate him. they talk abt history :]

⤿Hide and Seek

⇢ ˗ˏˋjust kids being kids. for the most part, anyways

⤿You're Not Alone

⇢ ˗ˏˋa small rewrite of one of the scenes in the third issue of idw's scrapnik island :]

⤿Rainy Day, Sick Hedeghog

⇢ ˗ˏˋsonic gets sick, leaving tails to take care of him :]

⤿He's Still Five.

⇢ ˗ˏˋknuckles watches over tails while sonic goes to fight eggman

⤿First I Love Yous

⇢ ˗ˏˋsonic wakes up to a empty bed that should’ve had a fox cub in it

⤿Jelly

⇢ ˗ˏˋbasically; tails finds out he’s allergic to jelly. lethally

⤿Sonic Prower

⇢ ˗ˏˋsonic changes his name

⤿Online Fights

⇢ ˗ˏˋsonic and tails get into a fight like losers /lh

⤿If you can't catch a Hedgehog, Torture a Fox

⇢ ˗ˏˋthis is based off a response my friend got when messing around with an eggman ai

⤿School Troubles

⇢ ˗ˏˋTom and Maddie get a call from the school about Tails

⤿Complimentary Colors

⇢ ˗ˏˋobligatory first meet fic starring sonic and tails

⤿Waiting

⇢ ˗ˏˋtails waits for sonic to come home

⤿Storybook

⇢ ˗ˏˋEither Tails has a nice nostalgia trip, or Sonic gets to embarrass him. The joys of being the big brother.

⤿Easily Hurt

⇢ ˗ˏˋ"You ever think about plastic surgery to fix those, uh, freaky tails?" -- based on the events in episode 61 'fast and easy' in aosth

⤿Situation

⇢ ˗ˏˋknuckles gets some visitors

⤿Tumblr Drabbles

⇢ ˗ˏˋvarious drabbles from tumblr

⤿Find a Rock

⇢ ˗ˏˋbaby tails meets amy

⤿One Last Favor

⇢ ˗ˏˋa scene from telltale's the walking dead game rewritten w sonic and tails

⤿Mobius Lost Another Hero

⇢ ˗ˏˋtails, knuckles, and shadow scavenge for supplies. it does not end well

⤿Grocery Shopping

⇢ ˗ˏˋlittle slice of life fic, aosth bros

⤿Similarities

⇢ ˗ˏˋshadow sits on a roof to sulk. tails says no

⤿Tail Wags

⇢ ˗ˏˋtails finds out his tails wag

⤿Rainstorm

⇢ ˗ˏˋknuckles sonic and tails are stuck in a cave during a rainstorm

⤿A Warm Meal

⇢ ˗ˏˋzombie apocalypse sonic au - inspired by telltale's the walking dead (s1e2)

⤿New Allies

⇢ ˗ˏˋsonic and tails meet knuckles !! yayyy

⤿Bitten

⇢ ˗ˏˋzombie apocalypse sonic au - inspired by telltale's the walking dead (s2e1)

⤿Actions Have Consequences

⇢ ˗ˏˋzombie apocalypse sonic au - inspired by telltale's the walking dead (s1e3)

⤿What Did I Do?

⇢ ˗ˏˋmy take on what happens after the end of sonic prime part 3 (contains spoilers)

⤿Have You Seen Tails?

⇢ ˗ˏˋsonic wakes up from his nap and tails is not there

⤿False Paradise

⇢ ˗ˏˋsonic and tails talk on angel island

⤿Collapsed

⇢ ˗ˏˋa large hotel collapses while a certain fox is inside

⤿Holoska

⇢ ˗ˏˋonce the world began to restore itself after the war against infiite, tails sets out to explore an abadoned eggman base located in holoska

surely nothing bad could happen there

⤿Love is Confusing

⇢ ˗ˏˋtails has no idea what love is

⤿Familiar Faces

⇢ ˗ˏˋtails runs into a few familiar faces as he's transporting a batch of weapons to the resistance's armory

⤿Welcome to the Team

⇢ ˗ˏˋAmy and Sonic are on a walk through a forest when Knucks, Amy's Sandslash, runs off the path. They follow him, and Sonic ends up gaining a new team member. - pokemon au

⤿Closer is Better

⇢ ˗ˏˋtails falls asleep on sonic for the first time

⤿A Small Celebration

⇢ ˗ˏˋtails's eighth birthday is here, but there's a problem; sonic isn't there to celebrate it with him

⤿Tumblr Drabbles

⇢ ˗ˏˋvarious drabbles from tumblr

#miles tails prower #sonic the hedgehog #tails the fox #sth #sonic #myyfics #myydrabs #introduction #intro post #introductory post

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munofsilver · 5 months ago

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Split Monkey Family 3

Finally posted an update. Sorry, it took so long. AO3 link. Summary: The seal is gone, and Demon Bull King returns to play after he is reunited with his family. MK has his first fight, kind of.

Both Macaque and Yue Yan felt something once the seal was removed. The little cub woke up crying because of fear. Macaque stops eating and picks up his scared daughter. He was rocking her back and forth while humming.

"It's okay, my plum blossom. You're safe here," Macaque tries to calm Yue Yan down.

In his mind, he knows what the power they felt was. Someone removed the seal he placed on DBK Mountain Prison. The question is, who did it? Macaque made it so that only Wukong, or himself, could remove it. That's how he remembered making that seal centuries ago. There is no reason for Wukong to remove it. MK doesn't even know anything about it. He's also unsure if MK can even do it.

Macaque's six ears perk up. He never put his glamor back on. Making a cubsitter, Macaque rushes out. The clone and cub stare at each other, and then Yue Yan cries again, scaring the shadow clone.

Looking for something to watch on TV, Wukong felt the same power surge. He dropped the chip bag he was holding and swallowed the chip in his mouth.

"What in the underworld was that?"

Wukong calls out, standing up.

"That felt like, but it couldn't. I didn't remove the seal, and I know Macaque never would."

It takes a moment for the thought to enter Wukong's head.

"If I'm right and Macaque finds out, he will kill me. At least I will get to see him again. I do miss him," Wukong sighs, then he shakes his head, "No time for that."

As fast as the wind, Wukong rushes out the door.

The Demon Bull King overlooks the two below him. He is focusing on his hands.

"Flesh. Bone. I have returned to the realm of the living," he deeply laughs.

"Yes, my dear, thanks to these two."

A feminine voice is heard behind Mei and MK, making them both turn around to see Princess Iron Fan and Red Son.

PIF stares at her husband while Red Son glares at the peasants. He looks down at them in disgust. PIF walks past the pair and stands next to her love.

"Oh, Demon Bull King. How I've missed you."

"Princess Iron Fan. The years have been kind to you."

The happy couple kisses, making Mei dry-hearted. MK has a sad look on his face. Seeing them reminds him of his fathers. He wishes Macaque had never left. Then, he would have met his sister sooner, among other things.

"Yuck," Mei makes a disgusted face.

Mei's remark draws the attention of the whole Demon Bull Family. They all glare down at them. MK stares at Mei as she covers her mouth with her hands.

"Oops," she nervously laughs.

MK nervously laughs as well, "Do you guys like noodles? I know a great place you will like."

"It seems a waste to crush something so insignificant as my first act as ruler of this new world, but so be it," DBK snorts.

That comment makes Mei mad.

"Insignificant!" She roars.

"Mei, not now," MK whispers.

"Wait, Father," Red Son finally said something.

It seems DBK didn't like it. He turns around, gives his son a wicked death glare, and makes him gulp.

He clears his throat, "Ahem, waste not your energy on these two peasants. Please allow me to show you how powerful I have become in your absence."

It sounds like Red Son is trying to gloat and failing. At least his father might have bought it.

"As you wish," DBK steps down.

"Maybe this is our chance to escape," MK whispers.

"Why do that?" Mei whispers back.

MK gave Mei a look she knew well—a look that said, "Listen to me, I mean it." When MK gives her that look, she always listens.

Red Boy suddenly stands in front of them.

"In some ways, you two are very fortunate, Noodle Boy and random girl. Not many insects are lucky enough to be stamped out by the Demon Bull Family."

Mei was about to say something when MK stopped her. With his eyes, he pointed to an exit. MK had heard stories about PIF and DBK from Tang, but he was curious if they were real or if he could take them, even with all his training from his father.

"Are you even listening to me!? I, Red Son, will not be disrespected! You're both history!"

He pulls out this huge power glove and puts it on. Sparks come off of it in many places.

"I was going to use this to free my father. Now that I don't need to, I will use it on you two instead," Red Son gloats.

Red Son gets ready to punch Mei when MK blocks the attack with his staff, but Red Son's power glove is too much, breaking the staff. Angering MK, his hands become fist-shaking in anger.

"My father made me that staff. Both my fathers made that staff for me!" He roars as he uppercuts Red Son, sending the demon flying upwards.

Mei is frozen in shock. She knew Wukong was training MK but never knew he had that much power. MK stares at his furry hand before the disguise returns. The other two were too busy staring at the dot in the sky, that is, their son, to see monkey MK. When Red Son landed in a crater, MK was dragging Mei back to the elevator.

Embarrassed, Red Son isn't going to let them leave—not without a pounding, anyway. Crawling up from the hole, Red Son starts to flame up. When he notices the two running away, his eyes turn red, and his hair turns into fire.

"No, you don't!" He yells, charging at them.

His parents let him go after them as they celebrate reuniting. It's been a few centuries, after all. Plus, neither of them seems to care about MK or Mei. Their son can take care of them, and they don't want to waste this time apart from their son.

The elevator doors closed in time for them to see Red Son approaching them. Red Son was able to open the doors with ease by melting them. He not only melts the doors but also the cables holding the elevator. Thinking fast, MK turns into a hawk and carries Mei down.

"I'm so glad your father taught you 72 transformations," Mei sighed with relief.

"Too bad I can only do animals," MK turns back.

A massive tower of flame comes from where the elevator used to be, making the two remember Red Son is after them. Without his parents, Mei and MK think they can take him.

Above, PIF and DBK share a loving kiss when a hawk drops down on them, peeking DBK in the eye. Laning in front of them is the Monkey King himself. He crosses his arms and poses in a badass way.

"I don't know how you got free, but I'm here to put you back, you naughty demon," Wukong grins.

While he was a bird, he looked around and didn't see his son anywhere, which made Wukong worry and relieved at the same time until he saw MK's training staff broken on the ground. Then he became worried and angry.

Wukong charged at DBK with his staff. He was about to strike DBK when a strong wind blew him back.

"I'm not going to lose my husband again. We will retreat for now, but don't worry, my love. You will have your revenge soon enough."

With another gust of wind, the two vanish. Wukong roars angrily to calm down. Then, he transforms into a hawk and flies off.

A figure emerges from the shadows, picking up the broken training staff. Looking up in the sky, he sees a hawk flying away.

"Don't worry, Sunshine, our son is unharmed."

Red Son steps out of the flames and towards the duo. Each step leaves a burnt footprint on the ground. He is grinning like an idiot, thinking he had already won before the fight even began, forgetting all about the free ride MK gave him earlier.

"Well, well, Noodles boy and random girl, there's nowhere to run to now," Red Son laughs.

Only to get punched in the face by Mei. Surprising Red Son and MK.

"I'm not a random girl. I'm a dragon girl!" Mei roars.

They forgot the plan they half-assed made in about five minutes as she tried to copy the punch MK did earlier. Only to manage to knock Red Son back ten feet. Red Son wasn't even shocked, and he still had that grin on his face.

"That did hurt, dragon girl. Not enough, though," he laughs.

Mei looks at her hand, then back at MK.

"I think it's time for you to make him fly again," she whispers to her friend.

MK shrugs, "I don't know how I did it the first time."

"We better do something," Mei gulps.

They both looked at each other briefly before a clanging sound broke the staring contest. On the ground between the duo and Red Son is a golden staff. MK knew this staff right away. He looked up to see a hawk circling them. With a grin, he picked up his father's staff.

"Stand back, Mei. I got this."

MK twirls the staff above his head while walking towards his opponent.

"You really think you can defeat me with a stick," laughs Red Son.

He stops laughing when MK makes the staff stretch out and wacks him in the stomach, pinning the demon against the wall of the burnt elevator and causing the power glove Red Son was wearing to fall off. MK can hold his father's staff but can't use it well, so he drops it, freeing the fire boy.

"That is not a normal stick," Red Son coughs.

MK picks up the staff. Mei also gets into a fighting stance. She doesn't have a weapon, but she does have her fist.

"Mei, I can handle this. Get out of here."

"No way, Monkey Boy. You're staying, so I'm staying."

With an eye roll of fine, MK charges at Red Son, twirling the staff over his head. He strikes at Red Son, but the fire demon jumps out of the way. He lands and gets punched in the back by Mei, turning around to get hit in the same spot by the staff. When Red Son surrounds his body in flames, MK uses the staff to pin him against a building.

The wall collapsed on Red Son. MK and Mei used this to get away. Jumping on the dragon's bike, they speed off. MK was able to grab the staff as Mei drove by it. Red Son summons his own wheels to chase after them when his father lands before his son. PIF floats down next to her husband.

"That's enough. You have failed. We will deal with those two later. I want to learn more about this new world," DBK snorts.

"I agree," with a gust of wind, all three are gone.

Mei doesn't stop until they reach Piggy's Noddles. She even ran a few red lights. Like all the other times, that's something to worry about when her parents get the tickets. MK gets off, and Mei drives off, cheering on about how fun tonight has been.

"You did good, son," Macaque appears out of the shadows, "It seems you kept up with your training while I was gone," he smiles, "Don't worry, Yue Yan is fine," he says like he could read minds.

MK takes out the seal from his pocket, "I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't know…"

Macaque stops MK by taking the seal, "It's not your fault. If anything, it's Wukong's for not telling you about Demon Bull King."

"Can you reseal him?"

"Not with this. I will need to make a new seal and find a new prison," the dark-furred monkey sighs.

Inside Macaque is cursing at Wukong. One of their biggest fights was when Wukong wanted Macaque to stop teaching MK seals and shadow magic.

"You're saying that because you want our son to be just like you," Macaque roars angrily.

"That's not true," Wukong hisses back.

"Then why do you want me to….."

"Because it's pointless. I want our son to know how to fight. How to defend himself, not run away like a coward."

Wukong's look of anger is initially replaced by concern once he sees Macaque's look—a look of anger, hurt, and betrayal.

"You didn't always think that way," Macaque walks away.

That's the moment when Wukong realized what he said.

"Macaque, wait."

It was too late; his mate teleported away with his shadow portal.

"Dad!"

MK's shout brought Macaque back.

"Are you okay?"

Macaque looks at his son with a small smile, "I'm fine. I should be going now. Yue Yan needs me. I will make a new seal."

Macaque falls into the new open shadow portal underneath his feet and soon returns home.

Wukong came just in time to see the shadow portal close as he rushed to his son.

"Macaque was here? What did he want? What did he say?"

He shook his son as he asked those questions, and he didn't stop until MK broke his father's grip. Thinking fast, MK quickly tells Wukong.

"Yes, dad was here. He wanted to know if I removed the seal. I did. I'm sorry, father. I didn't know what it was."

Wukong looks hurt, not because MK removed the seal.

"That's all he asked about?"

MK stares at his father. Before he can say anything, Wukong is back at it, talking fast and shaking his son like before.

"Do you know where he went? Are you sure he didn't say anything else? Have you seen him before today?"

Again, MK breaks free but is now feeling dizzy.

"I will tell you everything when we get home, Father. Please stop with that."

#LMK #LMK AU #LMK FanFic #ShadowPeach #six eared macaque #Sun Wukong #MK #Mei #lmk six eared macaque #lmk sun wukong #Yue Yan #OC #LMK OC #feel free to comment #And reblog

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imfluentinfangirlandgay · 1 year ago

Text

A Father's Resolve - Ch 1

Ingo returns after a decade - with two extra cars in tow. Years later, his kids are swallowed up by time in the same way he was. Will he be able to find them? Will they be able to make it out alive?

Word Count ~3000

"Kids, time for dinner!" Emmet called from the kitchen. Two sets of footsteps ran in the backdoor, giggling. "Make sure to wash up after being outside. Your father will be home soon."

The footsteps ran into the bathroom, followed by the sounds of a scuffle as they fought over who could have the sink first Emmet chuffed to himself. He remembered those days with Ingo.

He shut the back door to keep the cold air in and returned to the stove, finishing off the food and beginning to plate. Four empty plates got filled with potatoes, chicken, carrots, and some gravy each (except one, who did not like gravy).

The footsteps ran back to him, in the kitchen, two silver mops of hair taking up either side of him.

"When's Daddy gonna be home?" The boy asked on his left. Emmet handed him a plate.

"Any minute now. Take your plate to the table, please, Rei. And here you are, Miss Akari." He handed the girl the plate without gravy. She grinned up at him, one tooth missing in her mouth, as she ran off to join her brother. "Don't start until Ingo gets here. What do you two want to drink?"

No sooner had he asked than the door opened in the other room. The kids immediately hopped up and ran over. Emmet could hear laughter.

"Daddy!"

"Hello, cubs." Ingo removed his outerwear before he came into the kitchen, taking his own plate as well. "Thank you again for watching them, Emmet."

"Of course!" He loved his niece and nephew to bits. Even if they had been a big shock to him, he would trade them for nothing.

Emmet led the small party into his office. Ingo glanced around, alert. He ducked out and nabbed an extra chair from the break room down the hall and pulled the one from his desk forward, motioning for Ingo to sit down. He did so, allowing the two kids to sit on his lap. They dangled their legs between his, facing each other. They both still had tight holds on Ingo's coat.

Ingo seemed to have finally found his voice. "I'm very sorry but I have no idea who you are or where I am. I recognize you are someone I knew well before my sudden departure," he added as Emmet's heart stopped, effectively stopping that train of thought before it left the station, "but I lost all my memories when I first arrived at my other terminal. Please do not assume it is because I do not wish to remember, in fact, it bothers me greatly I do not. I have been trying to remember for years." He shifted the small figures in his lap.

Emmet bobbed his head slowly. "Well," he said slowly, "I am Emmet. I am your brother. Your twin, in fact." He kept a close eye on his brother’s eyes as he spoke. While Ingo's face was always set as stone, his eyes would always be a dead giveaway for his thoughts. Emmet paused and watched as some kind of recollection fell into them, some puzzle piece slotting into his expression. He lit up.

"Wait… I think I remember something now." His brows furrowed as he tried to think. "You were the one who was fond of the phrase 'I like winning more than anything else.' And we battled together inside that… oh I can't remember the word… the metal box on wheels."

Emmet blinked. "A… a train?"

"Yes!" His voice radiated warmth. "It was a train!" Had Ingo, his own brother and fellow conductor, forgotten what a train was? Ingo blinked. "Where are we?"

"This is my… our office," Emmet corrected. "Your desk was repurposed after a while…"

"Oh, that's quite alright. It was a shame I wasn't able to use it." A sadness entered his eyes as he glanced around, seeing some of the photos on the walls. Reminders for the station to run smoothly, pictures of the two of them.

The child on his left tugged at his sleeve and murmured something to him that Emmet did not catch. Ingo responded in a language that Emmet could not even guess what it was.

Curiosity ate at Emmet. "Who are these children?" He asked, cocking his head.

"Oh! I forgot to introduce you." Ingo looked down at the boy. "This is Rei." Rei looked away from him shyly, still unsure what was going on. "And this is Akari," he said, looking at the young girl. She was a bit more bold than her brother and waved. "They're mine."

Emmet's mind reeled even while his heart soared. Children? Amnesia? What language was he using? Why had he come back now? What was that tearing hole? "Ingo," Emmet asked, "where were you all this time?" He blinked. Before Ingo could continue, he stood. "Actually," he interjected. "Why don't we continue this track at home? I feel that the office is hardly the place to discuss this."

Ingo knitted his brows, but nodded. He set the two children down and they took his hands, still keeping close to his heels. Emmet opened the door to the office-

"Emmet, are you coming?"

Emmet jerked his head up and left the kitchen, sitting down at the table. "Apologies, I got distracted." Ingo had managed to wrangle the twins into their seats, and now that all four seats were filled, dinner could commence. Four silver heads dug in, the kids excitedly telling their father about their day between bites.

"And then Uncle Emmet took us to a creek and there were some Tympole in it! He said we couldn't swim in it in case they tried to fight us but they were really really cool," Akari was saying. Rei was nodding. Both of their eyes sparkled as they recounted their adventure hiking across Pinwheel.

"And some Trainer asked us to battle but we didn't have any pokemon so Uncle Emmet challenged them instead," Rei blurted, a mouthful of potato still inside.

"Rei, please swallow before talking," Ingo chided lightly. Then he swung his gaze to his brother. "Please tell me you went easy on them. Pinwheel is full of early Trainers."

"You wound me. Of course I didn't use my Subway team." He grinned. "I only used that Gurdurr I am training up. They fought quite valiantly and even managed to take it down."

Ingo nodded, satisfied. Emmet smirked. "And then with Eelektross-"

"Emmet, you didn't!"

Emmet laughed. "Of course not. I am merely teasing."

Ingo huffed as he brought another bite of steak to his mouth. Emmet had to stifle his laughter lest he spit out his food.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Hm," Emmet said, standing, "I wonder who that is. Were you planning company?"

Ingo shook his head.

Emmet crossed the living room and swung the door open. In the doorway stood a familiar figure. "Ah, hello, Elesa. Care to join us for dinner?"

She smiled, flicking back her hair. "Only because you asked so nicely."

Emmet rolled his eyes as she came in, pulling up a chair from the office for her. "There's more on the stove. Help yourself."

"Hi, Auntie Lesa!" Akari grinned at her as she swung for another bite of carrot.

Elesa smiled softly at the children and fixed her plate. "Hey there, squirts. Did you run your uncle in circles today?"

"Uncle Emmet took us to Pinwheel Forest today!" Rei started to climb out of his chair.

"Hold on there, kiddo, make sure to finish your dinner. You can tell me all about it while I'm eating."

She joined them at the table and the children talked and talked throughout the rest of the meal. The sun was beginning to go down now. Ingo cleaned up the dishes as the kids dragged Elesa to the living room to play with them. Emmet fed their pokemon dinner before heading that direction himself.

"And then you take this guy and put him in here," Rei was explaining. Elesa sat on her knees on the living room floor, off to the side of the couch.

After Ingo had returned with the twins, Emmet had done his best to find a larger home. At first, he thought Ingo may want to live alone with the kids, but it turns out being a single parent to two rambunctious twins was harder than it looked. It was not uncommon for the brothers to trade off who watched the kids every other day, making sure that the Subway always had at least one of the Bosses on any given day, except Sundays. Sundays were family days.

The home they lived in now was much more spacious than the one-bedroom apartment Emmet had downgraded to after Ingo's disappearance. It had a room for each of the children and the brothers shared a room. The pokemon seemed to approve as well. The backyard was the kids' favorite part. Usually they would run out in the mornings and not come in until evening, with the exception of meals. Whoever stayed home on a given day's pokemon team would take turns keeping an eye on and playing with the kids.

"That's neat, kiddo," Elesa was saying. Rei was showing her the toy car set they the twins raced with. Akari was showing her how they wound up. "What do you squirts want for your birthday?" Elesa asked them.

Since they had been born in a time without a 'proper' calendar and Ingo said they had fallen through the portal around the time of their birthday, they celebrated the anniversary of their return as their birthday.

Ingo had just put the two small children to bed. Emmet had insisted they could sleep on his bed for the time being, he really didn't mind the couch. Ingo could sleep with them, to help them feel safe.

"So… Hisui," Emmet said. Ingo came into the living room to talk. He had changed into a faded pair of Emmet's sweatpants and an old t-shirt. After a shower, his hair fell to about his shoulders. It was still damp.

"Yes?" Emmet offered Ingo the mug of tea he wanted, which he took.

"What was it like?"

Ingi sipped his tea as he thought about it. "Hisui was beautiful," he said finally. "It was almost the opposite of Nimbasa. It was wild, settlements of people were rare. The pokemon were wild and untamed. Forests gave way to beaches, mountains were untouched by humans. Everywhere was dangerous, there was always a chance of being attacked by anything. Even a passing Happiny had a chance to injure you gravely." He took another sip of tea before lowering his hands. "But there was something beautiful about it. Something about the danger made each day something special, something amazing. The sunsets were unparalleled. The breezes through the trees, the sunlight on the mountainside…" He set his mug on the coffee table. "I lived on the side of Mount Coronet. As such, there were a myriad of ravines and cliffs and sudden rockslides. After the twins were born, we had to be more cautious about where they were at all times. It was a chore to keep the two wrangled," he chuckled. Then he grew more somber. "Their mother passed right after childbirth. Medicine in Hisui was rudimentary at best and the chances of survival after any birth are never guaranteed. With it being twins… it was just too much."

Emmet reached over and patted his brother on the shoulder. He didn't really know what to say.

"They just turned five. They're my entire world." He glanced over to the bedroom that they were asleep in. "I just want them to be safe."

"And they will be," Emmet said. "Unova may not be paradise, but we do not have pokemon attacks, hardly ever. And now that you're back, you have help. You may not remember them, but we do have family and friends."

"We do?" The question slipped before Ingo even really thought about it.

Emmet nodded, a deep sadness permeating his bones. Yet another reminder that his brother had been swallowed up by time for a full decade with no idea who he was.

"Perhaps it is time to head to the home station for resting," Emmet said. "It has been a long day. We can continue discussing in the morning."

"I want a paint set," Rei said. "Daddy took us to a Daycare and they had paint there and let us make a drawing. Daddy put it on the fridge." He didn't look up from his car, the red one. The red one was his favorite, Emmet knew.

"I want a trampoline!" Akari squealed as she wound up the blue car, her favorite. She insisted it was the fastest. "I wanna jump really really high and touch the moon!"

Elesa snorted and ruffled the girl's silver hair. "If you do touch it, let me know if it's really made out of cheese, eh?"

"The moon is made of cheese?" Rei asked, finally looking up with his eyebrows knitted.

"Some people say it is. They say it's made out of stinky blue cheese." Elesa motioned up, to the ceiling, and presumably beyond that, the moon. "And that sometimes you can see the bite that a giant pokemon took out of it. That's why there's a hole there."

Akari's eyes were wide as she considered this. "Woah."

It was truly astounding how much they'd grown in the three years they'd lived in Unova, Emmet mused. The language had come fairly easily to them (though they still talked to each other in Hisuian sometimes).

Akari beckoned to Emmet. "Uncle Emmet, we still have the green car and we need another racer."

Elesa waved the yellow car at him. "Yeah come on, Uncle Emmet. Don't be a wet blanket."

Emmet rolled his eyes and fluffed up her hair. "Only if you're not."

"Emmet, you're such a pain."

"Me?" He asked, feigning ignorance as she tried to fix the mess of her hair Emmet had made. "I just wanted to come and race the green car."

"You both are horrible influences," Ingo grumbled from the kitchen.

"You know, eight is a pretty big birthday," Elesa said, ignoring Ingo’s comment.

"It is?" Akari asked her.

"That's the age I met your pops and uncle at," she said. "My mom was taking me for a trip to Opelucid and they were there with their uncle. We were just walking by when someone knocked me over and spilled a drink all over my dress. Turns out, Emmet hadn't been watching where he was running and he'd been chasing a Joltik. He yelled at me for being in the way and I got so mad, I chased him," she laughed. "Ingo was behind me trying to get me to not pulverize him. My mom started chasing me down. And their uncle Drayden was chasing all of us."

Emmet's face burned. "You were in my way."

That only made her laugh harder. "We caused so much trouble as kids."

"And I was usually trying to get you out of it," Ingo grumbled, drying his hands and coming over to sit by the group. "Don't listen to them," he said to the kids, "we were all in trouble all the time."

"I kinda felt bad for you, Ig. Though you often also got in on the stupid stuff we did."

"Like what?" Rei asked.

"No comment," Emmet said quickly, seeing his brother's warning glare.

"Did I ever tell you what they're named after?" Ingo had asked him one day. The twins were maybe six, playing with Haxorus in the garden.

"No, I do not believe so." Emmet and Ingo stood on the porch, watching them. The sun was warm, a light breeze stirring the leaves on the trees. They’d only been living in the house for a couple months now. There was still a lot to do in terms of making it a home, but Emmet needed a break. So he stood outside with his brother, leaning on the railing in identical fashion.

"Did I tell you the story of the Heroes of Hisui?" His eyes stayed trained on his children, always alert, even though Haxorus was more than capable of handling them.

"Bits and pieces."

"There was a time when Hisui was riddled with space-time distortions," Ingo started. "I know I mentioned those. One of those is what we fell through when we landed in the Subway. A massive rip in space-time hung just over the center of the region, in Mount Coronet. And one day, two teenagers fell out of it and landed right next to Jubilife. Soon after, the Nobles, I told you about those, started to be struck by strange lightning and going into destructive frenzies. They completely mauled anyone who came near and even killed one or two.The two teenagers calmed the Nobles as they were struck and built up a reputation. I met them myself once, and guided them through the Highlands."

He paused in his story to watch Akari as she hopped for a tree branch, pointing to it and calling to Haxorus. It lifted her up, allowing her to pluck a ripe Oran from its branches, and set her down gently.

"And then the sky changed. It was awful, Emmet. Something I'd never wish to see again. I am not sure what happened, but the heroes fixed the sky. They fixed the rift, too. And soon after, they disappeared. I'm not sure what happened to them, but I always hoped they got to return home. Wherever they belonged. The twins’ mother wanted to name them after the Heroes to bring them luck and courage."

Emmet nodded beside him, watching Rei run circles around Haxorus to try to grab her tail. "I think they are honorable names. They suit them."

If Ingo could smile, he would have.

[First] - [Next]

#submas #subway boss ingo #subway bosses #my writing #ingo #pokemon #subway master emmet #subway master ingo #pokemon rei #pokemon akari #pokemon legends arceus

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