#also. uh. use drugs safely kids

[whumble-beeee]

Hey! Yall! I got high a bit ago and I wrote something from the perspective of Stan lmao. Basically just imagining I was Stan at the height of his drugging and kidnapping and writing whatever came to mind (not hard, since i was so high all i had to do was also imagine i was being kidnapped. I was having just a wonderful time). If someone came across it, I'm pretty sure they'd think I was in serious danger and need help immediately. It's a wild read, it's kinda funny, it gives a good view into what the hell is happening in Stans head (and why he really cant escape at the time lol), and honestly it's not that good in a great sort of way. And I absolutely refuse to edit it sober. So anyway...

[hecksupremechips]

Girl like. The reason he said "this is how it should be" and faced death with a smile....is cuz he wanted to die. For 2 years he sat there thinking he was worthless and deserved to die. If he hadn’t be shot, his death would’ve been suicide, he was fully planning to die in a gutter somewhere undetected. When saying "this is how it should be" hes literally saying "don’t cry because I’m dying, my death is a good thing actually because I fucking suck and you are better off without me". I don’t think that’s badass even slightly, it’s actually really sad and really shitty. Shinjiro is so convinced that he deserves to die and hates the idea of anyone giving a shit about him because he literally can’t wrap his mind around the idea that he will be missed when he’s gone, that his death is a bad thing actually. And his last words were meant to be comforting because he fully did not intend for anyone to be there when he died, he intended to die alone, so he says them as a reminder that he’s not worth crying over

Personally, if it were me, if I was holding my dying best friend in my arms who was deeply depressed and suicidal and he said "this is how it should be" uh. I wouldn’t admire him for it??? Like am I losing my mind when I say the way this game handles Shinji is bad or is anyone else seeing this too 😰

[qeyond]

So. B and A getting super high together. B has an insanely high tolerance and A only smokes maybe once or twice a semester, if studying allows. A has a Horrible high and is super on edge and anxious, but B makes them feel really safe so they're not completely bugging out. B is just vibin' and having fun, but also being a bit of a Shit Disturber. Keeps bringing up creepypastas and A ends up sitting snuggled up super close to B on the couch with their arm around B's. A being all "heyy this is getting really scary :(" and B being like "haha, oh I'm so sorry~. We can talk about something else..." and A getting relaxed and :). But then B interjects: " So yeah... you know The Bathroom Head?" and A shoves him and is all ">:((!!!! LISTEN!!! ITS SO SCARY, OKAY!! I HATE YOU!!!" They're both laughing and it's very soft and intimate, but in a very queer found family kinda way.

[starscabaret]

Hear me out…

Jaden getting addicted to reader’s smile as she becomes his own addiction

Smile Struck Introduction

pairing: yandere! Hood Drug Dealer Jaden 💸 x Fem Reader

summary : meeting of course, its a little long but enjoy n give feedback! I love Jaden omg

warnings: drugs will be involved in most of his stories… he’s a drug dealer duh! and cursing

Authors note : check out my oc profiles to learn more about jaden

Jaden liked to drive to clear his head. Of course, he could relax at home. But something about driving with no purpose other than to think and listen to music calmed him. There was no destination, that would ruin the relaxation. He just drove until he felt calm. He could think straight. Breathe easy. 

And he loved his car. He cared for it like it was his first and only child. He never let his car get dirty. Never missed an oil change. Hell, he never even let the gas go below a quarter of a tank. His car was just one of the things he was proud of. His career choice although illegal, he was proud of.

He always made sure his family was straight. He played it safe, he had little to no enemies, and his criminal record was clean. He also had respect. In his hood, people knew and respected him. He didn’t sell to kids, he didn’t go around starting fights, and he didn’t bring the cops snooping around in the area. 

It was a Monday night, people weren’t exactly blowing up his phone trying to get served, so he had time for his relaxing drive. As his drive neared its end he stopped at a nearby gas station. His car would attract attention of course, but nothing most folks weren’t used to. This was the inner city, with plenty of tricked-out cars. 

He wanted a pack of gum and a bottle of water. Also to fill his beloved car with premium gas. He loved to chew gum. Later you’d notice when you kissed him you could taste it. 

He hopped back on the highway to head home. He felt great. Things were good for him. Business was good. Life was good. His mom didn’t have to worry about much. That’s what mattered most to him. 

A smile on his face as he drove, was soon removed. He felt the powerful jolt of another car hitting his rear. He was a player but not too player for a seatbelt luckily. He was unharmed …. But his most prized possession was not. His jaw clenched as he unbuckled his seatbelt to get out of his car and assess the damage. Oh, and curse the other driver the fuck out! 

They were 100 percent at fault. They rear-ended him. He would never drive so recklessly not in his baby! When he stepped out of his car he was bombarded by you.

“OH MY GOD, ARE YOU OK??? IM SO FUCKING SORRY PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE POLICE!!!”, you screamed frantically with tears streaming down your face. In your disheveled state, you grabbed him, hands all over his chest checking for injuries. 

Wow, you were breathtaking even in tears and in shock. He had expected some ugly ass old man had hit his car. Not you, the most gorgeous woman he had seen in a while. He had to get on your good side. So instead of cursing you out as previously planned he grabbed your hands and held them to his chest, “I’m fine, are you ok? no cops sweetness I promise.”

“Oh hello, my goodness, yes I’m ok, but I’m sure my car isn’t, and I don’t even want to think about what I’ve done to yours.” You replied hands still in his against his chest.

“Don’t worry we’ll get it fixed, from the looks of it mine is still drivable… but yours … you should probably call your man to pick you up.” He was fishing, he hoped and prayed you didn’t have a man. And even if you did, no one he couldn’t get rid of.

“Uh no actually I don’t have a boyfriend, I’ll call my dad, he’s going to kill me …fuck.” With that realization, you began to sob. Cute, you were a little crybaby. 

“Shh shhh, I can drive you, and I can get it towed I know a guy it’s free.” He cooed; he already didn’t like to see you cry. Especially if he could fix it. He had tons of connections, none with a tow truck though, no worries he’d pay. 

“No that’s too much, I fucked your car up, and now you’re helping me, you should be getting my information and taking my dumb ass to court.” You replied. 

“Oh yeah that, let’s exchange information, I just need your name and number my insurance company can sort the rest out.” That was a lie, he didn’t plan on filing a claim, and he had enough cash on him to cover the repairs. But he did need your name and number. 

“Of course, it’s f/n l/n, 000-000-0000” you spoke while he inserted it in his phone and texted the tow company. 

“Got it, my guy is on the way with the tow truck, oh and I know a nice repair shop it’ll be the cheapest I told him to take it there. I’m sure I can get you a low price.” Now that was the truth, his uncle had one of the best repair shops in the city. The price would be free because he would pay and not tell you. 

“My gosh I can’t thank you enough sir, you are so nice, especially considering the circumstances” You couldn’t believe the kindness and mercy of this handsome … very handsome stranger after you hit his very expensive car. 

“No problem, it’s what I do. You can call me Jaden, not sir, sweetness. Hop in, I’ll take you wherever you need.” He replied with a smirk. 

And that’s when he saw it…. Your smile. Your smile was so big, bright, and beautiful. He swore he almost fell over. Your smile was natural he could tell you never had braces but cared for your teeth. They weren’t fake like the veneers lots of girls would get these days, they were natural in color. He swore he could count all 32 of them. 

You were gorgeous before. but something about that smile. It did things to him, his mind, his body. He knew he would do literally anything to keep that smile on your face. Whatever it took, whatever he could do. And if it was something he couldn’t, he’d become a better man for you so he could. 

He had to see you again. He had to make you want him like he wanted … no needed you. Even though you had nearly demolished the back side of his first love, and when he thought about the damage, he damn near threw up. You had given him the opportunity to insert himself into your life, so maybe it wasn’t so bad after all. 

So, as he drove to your apartment, you two talked, starting to get to know each other. You both liked what you saw and what you heard. He realized you were new to the city, no close friends, or relatives. No way to get to and from work while your car was being repaired. So, he offered. Of course, at first, you declined it was too much. You barely knew each other, he had already done so much, what about his job? He reassured you and told you he owned his own business it was fine, what else would you do? So, you agreed. He was elated, now he could see his sweetness every day. At least for a little. But no, it wouldn’t end there, he was smooth. He’d ask you out before your car was fixed. Fuck that he’d ask you as soon as possible. He didn’t mean to rush things. He just knew you were perfect for him. 

The first day he came to pick you up, you texted him to honk and just text he was outside. But he was a gentleman at least for you. He came to your door and knocked. You were shocked but smitten by the gesture. Even more so when he had breakfast ready for you in his car, opened all the doors for you, buckled you in, and asked what you wanted to listen to. That same evening, he asked you on a date at the end of the week. To which you agreed. You were excited, he was kind, and so many other things. Your rides to and from work were filled with laughs and smiles from both of you. 

On that Saturday evening, you two went on your first date. He made sure to trap all week so he could spoil his darling. He took you to a very nice restaurant. He sat beside you in the booth, not across from you. He liked to be closer to you. His large body blocked you in and you couldn’t even be seen by outsiders he liked that. Your outfit was beautiful. For work, you still looked stunning, but you dressed more formally, not yourself. But here with him on this date, you let your creativity flow in your outfit. He was fly, and you matched it. It wasn’t revealing but man did it arouse him, you always did.

At the end of your date at a mom-and-pop ice cream shop. Where of course once again you insisted on paying, he frowned at you and pulled out a stack of cash. Your displeasure disappeared once you two were at the table sharing ice cream. You even used the same spoon. You didn’t realize it, but he did, it was intentional he was even feeding you. He made sure you got a spoonful first, so he could taste you off the spoon. When he drove you to your apartment and came to a park you turned to him, “Jaden, I don’t want to seem fast, or like a hoe or something but I really like you. Thank you for everything, from my car to the perfect date.”

If he could Jaden would dap himself up. He knew he had a game. But with you, he had to be careful, you were special. He turned to you and spoke up, “It’s no problem sweetness, any man would do it for the woman he’s interested in.” He said as he grabbed your hand from the console intertwining it with his and kissing the back of it. 

Whew, your pussy was on fire. You had to get out of this car before he had you in the backseat. Then he’d really think you’re a hoe. Of course, he wouldn’t but you thought so. “Jaden uhm I should probably head inside, would you … would you like a kiss?” You could barely get it out before he grabbed the back of your neck kissing you deeply. You were starstruck, while he seemed so calm, so reserved. But inside he was crazy for you. The kiss was perfect, your lips and his lips together sent a chill down his spine and made this dick throb. He willed it down. He would be good to you. 

“Goodnight y/n, let me walk you up, I’ll text you when I get home. You will call me before you go to sleep, sweetness?”, He asked. 

“Of Course, Jaden,” you replied. 

He planned on making you some part of his life the day you met but this week and tonight’s date sealed the deal, and if that wasn’t enough, you smiled at him with all 32 of your teeth before you closed and locked the door to your apartment. There it was that smile; damn he was absolutely sprung. 

[vermilionsun]

If you are still open for requests..how about Ais and Kuras (or pick which one) with a child/children?

Of course!! Don’t hesitate to send in more if ya want <3

Ais

Father figure of the year

✩ Pretty chill in general

He's the type of dad who will let you have a good time but also make sure you're staying safe.

✩ Always there to lend an ear or offer advice… or constructive criticism—

You can always count on him to give you straightforward and honest advice, even if it's not what you want to hear. Even though he may not always agree with your choices, you know that his intentions are always good and that he genuinely cares about your well-being. Ais may not show his emotions openly, but his love and support for his child would be unwavering.

✩ Seems to know exactly what to say in any situation.

Whether you need help with a problem or just want someone to talk to, he is always there for you (with judgment /j)

✩ Don't even bother to lie to him.

He can see right through any facade and will always know when you're not being completely honest. His ability to detect deception is uncanny, but it also makes him a trustworthy confidant. Besides, what even did you do that made you think the consequences would be that bad? (Or even exist?) Partying? Smoking? Drinking? Drugs? Sex?

✩ “Lame. When I was your age I was way worse—”

✩ CRAZY parent lore.

And he mentions it so casually every time. Like, he's seen (and done) it all before. Nothing seems to faze him in the slightest.

✩ He's the kind of guy who would drop everything to help his kid, no questions asked.

✩ On the other hand, if we're talking about babies…

He might be a bit (completely) clueless when it comes to diaper changing, feeding schedules, or soothing a crying infant. However, his willingness to learn and his dedication to being the best parent he can be are admirable qualities.

✩ He's the type of person who will spend hours researching the best parenting techniques and tips.

✩ He gets the hang of it pretty quick.

✩ He is incredibly patient to the point where it becomes a bit scary. 

✩ COMMITTED.

From reading bedtime stories to playing endless games of peek-a-boo, a cheerleader, a rock, a shoulder to cry on—he's all in when it comes to being a parent. 

✩ GIRL DAD

✩ If anyone dares to think about touching his child, they'll never see the light of day again.

Kuras

24/7 confusion

✞ This begs the question of whether the child would be half-angel.

Let's assume so, because it becomes ten times funnier.

✞ Absolutely  b e w i l d e r e d  in the beginning.

✞ “...Why does it cry so much?”

Another question that often arises is, "Is there something wrong with it that I can't see?" He's just… confused. He doesn't really understand babies. Kuras is used to living a fast-paced, independent lifestyle, so the idea of being responsible for a helpless infant is overwhelming for him.

✞ Incredibly good once he figures it out.

Despite his initial confusion and overwhelming feelings, Kuras quickly adapts. Kuras is always on call to help with midnight feedings and diaper changes, making sure the baby is well taken care of around the clock.

✞ “Uh… honey? The baby is floating.”

Cue Kuras calmly walking into the room and safely guiding the baby back to the ground with a knowing smile. It becomes a common occurrence in the household. 

✞ Eventually takes on the role of mentor, teaching the child how to control their powers and use them for good.

✞ Slightly strict

Believes in setting boundaries and enforcing rules to ensure the well-being and safety of his children. He considers discipline an important aspect of parenthood, as it helps instill good behavior and values in his kids. He may come off as harsh at times, but it all stems from a place of love and protection. Kuras wants his children to grow up knowing right from wrong and understanding the importance of structure in their lives.

✞ Comfort

He listens without judgment, allowing his children to express themselves freely. Kuras encourages open communication and fosters a strong bond based on trust and respect.

✞ Don't even bother to lie to him part 2

If you try to sneak out, he'll be waiting for you at the door, arms crossed and a stern expression on his face. You can try to pull one over on him, but chances are, he'll see right through it. It's better to just be honest and upfront with him, because he always seems to know what's going on.

✞ Consequences

Although Kuras seems disappointed at times, he knows that it is all part of the process of growing up and learning from mistakes. He understands that his children need to make their own choices and face the consequences of those choices in order to become independent and responsible adults. Kuras tries to offer guidance and support, but ultimately allows his children to take ownership of their decisions and experiences.

✞ Always puts his children's needs above his own.

✞ Being the doctor he is and a parent can be a challenging juggling act. Kuras, however, manages to balance both roles with grace and dedication.

✞ T r i p l e t s

✞ If anyone dares to harm their child, he will stop at nothing to protect them. Fuck repentance and forgiveness; Kuras will seek justice with a vengeance that knows no bounds.

[justmeinadaze]

I Have Nothing (If I Don't Have You) (Steddie X You)

A/N: Like I said last week, I was watching the music video for "Queen of the Night" by Whitney Houston from the soundtrack of this movie and it gave me this Steddie idea.

I have a few ideas I can take this! I seriously love protective Steddie. Probably something to do with my PTSD and need to feel safe lol Anyway... I hope you enjoy it! I dedicate this to @unfocused81 <3

Warnings: No smut (yet😈) but angst for sure. Security Steddie and Singer female reader. It is mentioned that Y/N does drink excessively and do drugs. Her boyfriend is a douchebag and assaults her (mentions of smacking and grabbing her, yelling at her, and calling her names) that results in Steddie intervening. There is also a bit of a riot at one of shows that they protect her from (kind of like that scene in the movie where people jump on stage and chaos ensues).

I wouldn't really call this dark themes but reader definitely has some things going on and is struggling a lot right now.

Work count: 5906

“What kind of security work have you guys done before?” 

Your manager leans against the outside of his desk as he continues to scan through the messages on his phone.

“Oh, um, we’ve done a lot before for the bar in our town and most recently a rock band in—”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”, the manager cuts Steve off as he speaks. “That’s all well and good. Look, I’m going to level with you. This is essentially expensive babysitting. Y/N is a handful. Our last security detail quit when her last party at her house caused a riot in the streets of LA.”

“A riot?”, Eddie turned to his friend and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. 

The guy sets his phone down, sighing with impatience. “Yes. Obviously, you two don’t read or watch the news…which is good. Saves me the headache. Now, do you want the job or not?”

Both boys glance at each other before looking towards the man again. “Um, yeah sure. I mean it pays, right?”

“That’s the spirit. Ok, she’s at the studio downstairs right now recording…or at least that’s what she’s supposed to be doing. Go introduce yourselves. Glad to have you aboard.”, he rolls his eyes as he shoos them out of his office.

“Steve are you sure about this?”, Eddie asks as they head for the elevator. 

“Yeah. Come on, Munson. This is our ticket to high-rate clients and more money! We can handle one little girl.”

As soon as they get off on the right floor, they are met with extremely loud music and giggles from the studio room. A tall, lanky kid leans back in his chair extending his hand to greet both boys. 

“Hey, are ya’ll the security? I’m Devon. She’s in there ‘getting inspired’.” Their eyes follow his finger as he points behind the glass where you and some of your friends were strewn around the floor. “Good luck, gentlemen.”, he sings. 

Both men carefully tip toe around arms and legs to find you with your eyes closed, a half smirk painted across your lips. 

“Uh, Miss Y/L/N? I’m Steve Harrington and this is Eddie Munson. We’re your new personal security guards.”

“Hmm…sounds sexy.”, you slur. Your glassy, drug fueled eyes look up to meet theirs. “At least Jack hired some good-looking ones this time. Who is who?”

“Maybe, if you stood up and actually greeted us, you would have heard who is who the first time.”, Eddie chided. 

Your eyes fully open as your head tilts in his direction. No one ever had the balls to scold you like that since you became famous. It was usually “Yes ma’am” this or “Anything you want, ma’am. We’ll make it happen.”. Rising to your feet, you fully take them in through your haze. 

They both were attractive especially with that air of confidence you hadn’t seen in a long time. Your current boyfriend was cocky but definitely not confident. Everyone else around you seemed so fucking timid and you hated it. 

“Eddie. Steve.”, Steve repeated, pointed to his friend then himself. 

He was dressed head to toe in what you would call “conventional” clothes; nothing designer or anything to make him stand out. You could tell under the button up white, short sleeve shirt that he did have muscles that could protect you physically if need be. The jeans and sneakers he donned didn’t give you any new information that could tell you something about him except he probably didn’t make a whole lot of money. 

Eddie was more or less the same with a much more grunge fashion sense that, to you, he pulled off well. You pointed to his Metallica t-shirt with your finger. 

“My music isn’t like theirs. It might make your ears bleed.”

“As long as I can still see you and see you’re safe, I think I’ll survive.”

He’s quick witted. I like that…

“Ok. We’ll give it a try. Tomorrow, you’ll meet me at my house and I can tell you more about what you’ll be doing.”

***

“Steven Harrington, have you read half this stuff?”, Eddie sighs as he leans forward and places his elbows on his knees as he points at things on his laptop.

“She’s been arrested twice; once for possession and another for disorderly conduct where she was found having sex with someone while she was drunk in public. The cops have been called to her house multiple times due to, honestly, take your fucking pick. Her boyfriend was arrested just last week for sucker punching one of her fans for ‘getting too close’. How are we supposed to protect someone who invites all this chaos into her life.”

“I don’t know, Ed. The same way you protect anyone I guess.”, Steve leans back on the couch as he takes a sip from his bottle of beer. “Again, this is just a steppingstone. I’m sure after a few months of handling her, any number of high value agencies will want to hire us. WHICH MEANS…”, he glances towards Eddie. “…you need to control your Dom voice.”

The metalhead chuckles as he leans back as well. “It’s going to be hard with a fucking brat like her. Dude, she didn’t even have the common courtesy to say hello.”

“I know… I know… but just, try. For me?”

#########

It takes you awhile to open the door when they knock but when you finally do, you look completely hung over. 

“Yeah, come…come in. Do you want something to drink? Jack? Vodka? I have them all.”

“It’s 10am.”, Steve responds as he looks at his watch. 

You raise an eyebrow at him before heading for the kitchen and grabbing the whole bottle of Jack Daniels. “If you’re boring, Eddie. Just say that.”

“Steve. I’m Steve.”

“Right now, I don’t care—”

“We can tell.”, Eddie growls.

You blink as you look up at him. You’ve never wanted to toy with a man so bad in your life. He wasn’t even trying to hide that your disrespect was bothering him and honestly you couldn’t get enough. 

“I’m sorry, gentlemen. I don’t do mornings. Unfortunately, my manager insists on scheduling interviews for me that require me to up at this ungodly hour.” They watch you as you slump onto the couch and throw your arm over your eyes. “So, how much did Jack tell you?”

“Uh, just the basics. We watch out for you.”

“Good. It’s just following me around and making sure I don’t get swarmed or murdered. I’ll give you guys a key to my house before you leave today and when I stay at hotels I’ll do the same. You’ll most likely be staying in the same room as me anyway so…”

The sound of banging on your front door makes you cringe. “I guess I’ll get it.”, Eddie sighs as Steve’s eyes follow him. “Your makeup people are here, your highness.”

A big grin spreads across your face as you turn your head to look over at them. “I like him. Steven, you need to start stepping it up or he’ll become my favorite.”

The metalhead lazily glances towards his friend with playful wide eyes. “Well, lucky me.”

***

As snotty as your attitude was, they couldn’t deny how beautiful you were especially after your prep team was done putting you together. The makeup hid all damage you had done to yourself the night before and the outfit they had you in sexily showed off all your curves. Your eyes shifted to them, watching them as they looked around.

“No one is going to shoot me in here, boys.”

“Hm. You never know.”, Eddie exhales as he points to things. “Someone could come in through that back door behind you or because no one checks any of these people’s IDs, someone could sneak in pretending to be a hair stylist and take you out like that.”, he snaps his fingers. 

“Bags that hold all the beauty and camera equipment are big enough to hold even a rifle let alone a handgun. That’s implying someone would want to shoot you instead of stabbing or blowing you up.”, Steve followed. 

“Wow. Just charming.”

“It’s our job, Miss Y/L/N.”

“I think due to the circumstances you can call me Y/N.”, you grin. 

The producer gets your attention, walking you through the questions that would be asked and how the interview would go. The boys watched you in amazement as your personality practically changed when the camera went live. No one would ever be able to tell what you did behind the scenes or any other narrative then the one you provided. 

An hour later and after many questions, the interview ended and your face fell. 

“God, I need a drink.”

“Can we at least go over the tour first?”, your manager whined. 

“Baby!”

You excitedly got up and ran to your boyfriend’s arms. “Simon!”

Everyone in the room cringed at the heavy smacking sounds that left you two as he continued to sloppily kiss your lips. 

“Who are the new guys?”

“Babe, these are the new security guys. This is Eddie and Steve.”

They stand up to shake his hand but as Steve extends his palm the man looks down at it like the gesture was beneath him. “Yeah, listen boys, hands off, okay? She’s mine.”, you giggle as he slaps your ass.

“Come on, baby. I got a surprise for you.” You squeal as he lifts you over his shoulder and carries you towards your bedroom. 

“Y/N! We still have things to go over!”, Jack shouts as the door closes loudly. 

#########

“I want to go home, Steven. It’s 2am and they’ve been fucking in there all god damn day. At this point we shouldn’t have a client anymore because he killed her by not giving her any food or fucking water. It definitely won’t be due to her climaxing because I haven’t heard that happen yet.”

“We can’t leave until he does.”, Steve sighs. “Or she dismisses us for the evening.”

As if on cue, Simon saunters past them into the kitchen, casually opening your fridge, and begins chugging from a jug of orange juice. “Um, I’m pretty sure you two can leave. She’s not even here.”

“What?!”

“Yeah, I’m assuming she climbed out the window after I crashed. She does that to escape the security teams. It’s kind of a rite of passage honestly.”

“Where would she go?”, Eddie growls. 

“Um, there’s a bar about a mile up the road. She likes to walk there for some reason.”

***

“So, pretty lady. Do you want to come back to my place tonight?”

“Ugh, no. Get off me. I just want to drink in peace.”

“Oh, come on, honey.”, the man slurred. 

“Hey! The lady said no.”, Steve’s voice echoed through the bar as he starred the man down. “Leave. Now.”

The patron held up his hands defensively, staggering back towards his table. 

“Come on, Y/N. Time for you to go home.”, Eddie motioned for the bartender to stop serving you as the other boy reached into your purse to pay him. 

“You’re my security. Not my fucking dad. I can stay here and drink if I want.”

“You’re at a bar in a nightie, shorts, and flip flops at 2 in the morning. It’s a safety concern.”

“Oh shit.”, you giggle. “I am in my nightie.” Steve roughly grips your arm and tugs you out the door towards his car. “Let me go, you fucking dick.”

A switch flips in the man’s brain; he can’t help it. For the past couple of days, he’s tolerated your disrespect but like Eddie, he hated it. They both could handle a lot but you were pushing them too far. Still holding onto your wrist, he twirls you towards the vehicle till your back hits the door. 

“Now, listen here because I’m only going to say this once. We’ve handled the tone and the blatant disregard for what we do but it ends now. Our job is to keep you safe not fucking babysit some spoiled, rich washed-up singer. This is the last time you pull a stunt like this; do you understand me?” 

Steve’s body was so close to yours you could feel his angry breath fanning your face. It had been ages since someone put you in your place like this and you’d be lying if you didn’t say you were a bit turned on. A new feeling washed over you though as your eyes scanned his face. For the first time since you entered this industry, you actually felt safe. 

They weren’t afraid to be blunt with you which compared to everyone else in your life was a nice reprieve. You knew 90% of the people in your life, given the chance, would sell you out in a heartbeat but would still stand there and tell you how perfect you were. 

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?” Eddie’s voice startled you, completely unaware he was standing beside you with his hands in his pockets, glaring down at you with those same angry eyes. 

“Yes, I understand.”

“Good. Now get in the car.” 

#############

That following morning, they half expected to be fired but were surprised when you opened the front door as soon as they knocked. 

“We have to go to the studio first and then I have to get ready for the gig tonight.”, you mumbled as you swished around them, trying to get in the backseat of his car to no avail. “Can you open the door…please?”

Eddie caught it in your tone first…something wasn’t right and it had nothing to do with them. 

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Can we just…”, you gesture towards the car.

“HEY! When you get back tonight make sure it’s with a better fucking attitude!”, Simon yells from your front door. 

“Well maybe I won’t come back, you free loading mama’s boy!”

“Stupid bitch should learn how to talk to a man.”, he muttered under his breath as he slammed the door shut.

Steve and Eddie exchange a look before the metalhead speaks to you. “Is that something we need to handle?”

“No. He’s just being a fucking prick.”

He opens your door and you slowly slide in before both men do the same. As the car begins to move, Steve keeps checking on you in his rearview mirror. Your sunglass covered eyes remain focused on the window as you stare out into the California streets. 

“I’m sorry about yesterday. About leaving and keeping you guys out late when you didn’t have to. Simon just pissed me off and…”

“Does he talk to you like that often?”

“No. Sometimes he’s an asshole.” You flash them a sassy smirk that grows when you see Eddie try and hide his own at your sarcasm. “He’s just…hot headed, you know? He’s been through a lot.”

“And you haven’t?”

Your eyes swivel to Steve before glancing down at your hands. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

“He shouldn’t be talking to you like that, Y/N.”

“Yeah, well, neither should I so…”

“Just because you have an attitude doesn’t mean you deserve to be treated like trash. Maybe you just need someone stronger who can handle it and not take it personally.”

“Oh? And who would that be, Steve? You?”

“Aw, Munson, that’s cute. She thinks we can’t handle her.”

“Y/N, sweetheart, we’ve dealt with worse than you.”, he smiles as he turns around in his seat. “It’s you that can’t handle us. Thankfully though we aren’t in a relationship so we’ll never get to find out.”

“I never say never, gentlemen.”

****

After going over the tour dates, everything you would be doing, and everything you need, your next stop was the venue you would be performing at tonight. 

Eddie cringed as the feedback of the mic echoed around the building.

“Hey! Try plugging it into the correct port!” The young man shrugged his shoulders causing the metalhead to go over and show the boy what he was doing wrong.

“Let me guess? Rock and Roll drummer in a Metallica cover band?”, you grin at him as the mic starts picking up your voice perfectly. 

“Guitarist and our own band, not a cover band.”

“What about you, Steve? Are you musically inclined?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

“What are you good at?”

“Babysitting.”, he raised his eyebrow in your direction making your smile grow. 

As the additional security from the venue finally arrived, you watched with fascination as the guys took on a more authoritative tone, telling each person where they would need to be. Time slowly dwindled till it was about twenty minutes before the show. You began pacing as you shook out your preshow jitters.

“Hey, they say they are ready for you to head towards the stage.”

You jumped at the sound of Steve’s voice. “Goddamn it! Okay, fucking thank you!” His eyes narrowed in your direction as he came in and closed the door behind him. “Can I help you with anything else?!”

“Are you alright?”

“Jesus fucking Christ, you’re not my father, Steven, or my friend. Get the fuck out! I’ll be right out!”

The boy bites his bottom lip as he nods his head. “Yes ma’am.” As he starts to open the door, he pauses turning to face you again. “You look really beautiful, by the way. Your voice is amazing. Eddie and I have actually never heard any of your songs before today. This will be our first concert. I’m excited to see it.” 

Your wide, glassy eyes turn to look at him as he slowly begins to close the door again. 

“Steve! Thank you…”

##########

That night you gave it your all and then some. Occasionally, you would glance down at the bottom of the stage watching as Steve and Eddie’s demeanor remained focused on the task at hand. Sometimes, however, you would notice a foot tap to the beat or a head would bob to your lyrics. If this was the first time they were attending a Y/N concert, you wanted them to enjoy it and show them what you bring to the entertainment table. 

So many people when you were starting out told you that you would never make it. That your dream of becoming a singer was a pipe dream for people with “actual talent”. Since day one you always felt like you had to prove yourself, hell, even before you started singing. In your house growing up you felt like you had to fight to be seen. 

Once you crossed that threshold, everything came easier but you never stopped fighting. Fighting the fear of being nothing again, the knowledge that everyone in your circle just wanted a piece of you and what you earned. Fighting to keep everyone happy including yourself. The alcohol and drugs helped immensely or at least that’s what you believed. You thought it helped numb your brain and the pain so you could just get through every day. 

When Eddie sassed you in the studio, you knew he was different. For a while you couldn’t get a read on Steve until that night outside of the bar. The fact that neither of them had asked you to hear their demo tape or hit on you was already a point in their favor but they genuinely seemed to want to protect you so you wanted to return the favor in some way, your voice.

When the concert ended, they snuck a peak at you. Eddie was never a fan of the type of music you sang but he couldn’t deny that what you did sing went straight to his heart. Steve noticed that while you sang, it was like you transported to a different place. You seemed calmer and more in tune with yourself, making you seem more confident than when you weren’t. 

This was the first time since they met you that you genuinely seemed happy. 

Something in the atmosphere changed. Maybe it was too many booze served at the bar or just the energy of the evening but people in the crowd started chanting for an encore. You were exhausted having gone longer on your set then you were supposed to already. You gave the crowd your best smile, thanking them for coming out, and telling them how much you loved their support. 

A fan jumped on to the stage and Eddie was quick to pull him back down. Panic set in as you watched the crowd start to fight with each other and the security team jump into action. The metalhead was in front of you and you hastily gripped his arm as he scanned the area trying to find Steve. 

“Harrington?!”

After tapping his shoulder, you pointed to the corner near a wall where you saw the boy in a fist fight of his own. Eddie pushed you towards the side of the stage behind a curtain.

“Don’t move! I’ll be right back, ok?!”, he shouted over the chaos as you gave him a firm nod. 

You watched as he jumped off the platform, running to pull the man off his friend and shoving him to where you were hiding. Steve didn’t even hesitate as he lifted you into his arms and they both ran down the hallway. They didn’t stop until they reached their car and placed you in the back seat, him climbing in with you as Eddie sped away. 

“Wait…what about Jack…and everyone else?”

“No. We have to get you out and away from the building especially during a scene like that.” Steve searched through his jacket pocket for a tissue, placing it against his nose when he finally finds one. 

“Are-are you okay?”

“Yeah. Fucking asshole got me good.”

About a mile down the road, Eddie parked the car into a gas station and got out to check you both over. “What happened, Harrington? Let someone get the best of you?”, Eddie chuckled. 

“Dude, they cornered me so fast especially after I pulled him off of the venue’s security guy.”

“Did I do that? Did I do something wrong?” Their head swivel around to look at your frightened frame. “Th-that’s never happened before…I-I-I…”

“Hey, hey, hey Y/N. It’s ok. You didn’t do anything wrong. I seriously think it was just…”, Eddie shrugs. “Beer and a packed in place. People just being…too rowdy. It happens but that’s what we’re here for.”

The man throws his arms up in surprise when you suddenly tackle him, wrapping your arms around his waist as you press your head into his chest. 

“Thank you…so much.” You let him go as you turn to give Steve a hug as well. “I’m so sorry you got hurt.”

When you started to pull back, his arms came down to hold you to him. “Hey, better me than you.”, he gently sighs, “Come on. Let’s get you home.”

#######

“Oh my god! What the fuck happened?! Baby, are you okay?” Simon ran to you from his place on your couch as you and the guys entered your house. 

“The concert ended a bit roughly but I’m ok. Really…”

“Isn’t it your job to fucking protect her!?”

“Yes and we did that.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?! Look at her! She’s a mess and she’s shaking!” Your boyfriend charged up to Steve who glared down at him as he continued to yell in his face.”

“Simon, leave them alone. Please, I just want to get this crap off and go to bed.”

Eddie gripped his friend’s arm as he spoke to you. “Is there anything else you need, Y/N? Do you feel safe enough for us to leave and let you rest?”

“Of course, she fucking does. I can take care of her.”

Your eyes met theirs as you nodded. “Thank you.”

“We’ll talk to Jack and everyone in the morning.” The metalhead tugs at Steve forcing him to back down from your boyfriend. He flashes you one more cursory glance before turning around and leaving you for the night. 

###########

“You boys did good last night. I don’t know what happened but you knew what to do.” Jack gave them a smile as he nodded his head in approval. “Please keep up that vigilance next week when we go on tour. I think—”

“Wait. You’re still doing the tour next week?”

Your manager looked at Eddie in confusion. “Yes? Why wouldn’t we?”

“I mean…she just went through a pretty traumatic event. I couldn’t imagine getting back up on a stage immediately after something like that.”

“Yeah, well, your security not a musician so—”

“I actually am but whatever.”

Jack sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as speaks to you. “Do you feel like you need more time?”

You didn’t even hear the man’s question. Since they picked you up and brought you to your managers office, you had been uncharacteristically quiet. You were thinking about everything including what transpired last night. It WAS incredibly scary but they did pull through and keep you safe. Not only did they look after you but each other; you appreciated that loyalty. 

Now as Eddie defended you, thinking of your well-being, you felt yourself spiraling at the action. No one cared about you this much and they barely even knew you. What was their end game? What made them tick? What made them this way? Was it genuine or was it just their jobs?

“Y/N!”

“Huh? Oh, um, I mean…a week would be fine…especially if I can just rest…”

“Yeah, sure, whatever.”, Jack responded in a nonchalant tone. “Go ahead and take the week but be back here on Thursday so we can go over everything.”

You nod as you head out of the office with your protectors in tow. “Hey, um, did you guys want to go get some lunch or something?”

***

“So, why security?”, you ask as you bite into your burger.

“Like Steve said, I mean, we’re good at it.”

“Well, good at protecting people. Security work just allows us to get paid for it.”, the man smiles as he takes a sip from his drink. 

“And you two have been friends for a while?”

“Since high school.”

“And where was that exactly?”

“You’re asking a lot of questions, sweetheart. Can I ask why?”, Eddie playfully narrows his eyes in your direction making you smile. 

“I just…you two are very different then people we usually hire. I just want to know more about you.”

“Different how?”, Steve asks.

“I don’t know. You just seem to genuinely care.”

“If the people around you don’t genuinely care then you need to hire some new people.”

“Yeah, well, that’s hard to find in this industry.” You reach in your purse and raise a flask in their direction as you pour a bit into your coffee.

“Is that why you do things like that?”, Eddie gestures towards you drink. 

“No, baby. I do things like this to keep me from going insane.”

“How about you do the healthy thing and stand up for yourself?”

You angerly turn your attention to Steve. “I can stand up for myself.”

“Oh? Is that why you let your manager, boyfriend, and entourage talk down to you the way they do?”

“Go fuck yourself, alright?! Look, I can stick up for myself and say what’s on my mind. For example, you two are complete fucking assholes.”, you growl. “I’m done eating. I want to go home.”

Eddie smirks as the other boy sighs. “Such a whiney, spoiled brat. I swear.” The metalhead pulls out his wallet, throwing money on the table as they both get to their feet. “Your highness.”, he gestures towards the front door. 

“I’m not whiney or spoiled. I worked hard to get here and I’m not going to let you or anyone talk to me like that.”

“Yet you do.”, Steve retorts as he opens the back door to his car. You roughly reach across, slamming it shut. “I thought you wanted to go home.”

“Apologize to me.”

“For what? Pointing out the obvious? Frankly, I don’t get why you have such a low opinion of yourself. You’re beautiful, talented, and you have such a gorgeous voice yet you pump yourself with poison and let these people take advantage of you. Why?”

You exhale as you look towards the ground. “I can handle it.”

“You say that a lot.” Eddie folds his arms on top of the car as he leans onto his hands. 

“Because I can.”

“By getting wasted?”

“My personal life is none of your fucking concern.”, you growl. 

“You’re right.” Steve opens the back door again and this time you climb in. “You just seem like you deserve better.”

##########

“I swear, man, that girl is going to get us killed. Or put in prison after WE kill her.”, Eddie chuckles from his place on the sofa. 

“I kind of like her.” The metalhead coyly raises his eyebrow at his friend. “Oh, come on, like you don’t?”, Steve sighs as he leans back against the couch. “There’s something hidden under all that sass and alcohol…I saw it when she was singing. I’d love to get to know that part of her better.”

Eddie grinned as he reached for his phone, smile fading when he saw the ID. 

“Hello. This is Eddie Munson.”

“E-Eddie? I, um, I think—FUCK YOU! —I need help.”

“You stupid bitch! Open this fucking door right fucking now!”

Eddie ross to his feet, tugging at Steve’s arm as he searched for his keys. “Where are you?”

“I-I’m in my bedroom. Simon and I got into a fight and-and he’s wasted. Pl-please…I’m scared. He’s never been this angry.”

Steve had already started the car, speeding towards your house. “Hey, it’s ok, sweetheart. We’re on the way, alright? Just stay on the phone with me, ok?”

“I’m sorry I was so mean to you guys today. Fuck… you two seem s-so different. I-I just…”

“Y/N don’t even worry about that right now. Everything’s going to be alright. We’re almost there.”

“You think you’re so high and mighty! Think you can talk to me anyway you want to! Fuck you, you fucking slut! Open the door, Y/N!”

“Oh, sure! You fuck all the groupies and fans that show up to my concerts but I’m the fucking slut!”

“Y/N, stop engaging. Talk to me.” There’s a loud crash and a squeak from your side as the line cuts off. “Steve…hurry.”

Five minutes later, they are bursting through your front door, running towards your bedroom where they hear your boyfriend shouting. Steve tackles him to the floor subduing him with his knee in his back. 

“Get the fuck off me!”

“Stop moving. You’re lucky I don’t fucking shoot you, asshole.”

“Y/N?”, Eddie softly called your name as you continued to cower in the corner with your head tucked into your arms. “Princess, everything is ok. I’m going to touch your arm.” You jump when his fingers graze your skin but you allow him to guide you to your feet. “There we go. Good girl. You’re doing so good. Can you look at me so I can check you out here?”

Your lips trembled as you faced him, his eyes slowly growing dark with fury as he scanned you over. Your face was red from your tears but he could also see where Simon had smacked your cheek. You had bruises that were starting to form on your arms where he must have grabbed you. 

“I’ll call the police and EMS.”, he grumbled trying to contain his anger. 

“No! No EMS. Please…I don’t need those pictures or attention.”

“But I do of me being pushed into a fucking cop car.”, Simon spat. 

Steve grabbed his hair and hit his head into the carpet. “Shut. Up.” His eyes meet yours as he speaks in a much gentler tone. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, um, I have a first aid kit here and all that so I’m fine.”

*** 

The police came by and took Simon away after taking everyone’s statements. Eddie and Steve took care of almost everything which you immensely appreciated. After everyone left, you expected them to as well but as your front door closed, you found you weren’t the only one on the other side. 

“I’m going to see if I can get your bedroom door back on its hinges.”, Eddie turned the corner to head down your hallway as Steve followed. 

You tiptoe after them, watching them with bewilderment as the metalhead got to work and Steve began straightening up the things Simon had damaged.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” They both froze, straightening up to look at you. “Why…why are you so nice to me? I’m such a fucking bitch to you. According to you, I’m a bratty, spoiled, washed up singer. WHY are you doing this?!”, you gesture around the room. 

They glanced at each other and after a few minutes it was Steve who finally spoke. “How should we be? Hm? Should we be like him? Do you think you deserve to be treated like this, Y/N?”

Their voices and demeanor completely changed in the moment; talking to you like a little girl who had just run into your parent’s room crying about a monster under her bed. 

“Sweetheart, NO ONE deserve to be treated like this. You didn’t trigger this. What he just did…isn’t your fault. You did the right thing calling us here. Now what kind of protectors would we be if we left you here alone with your house like this?”

You broke, sobbing almost uncontrollably as your hands covered your face. Strong hands tenderly grabbed your biceps, pulling you into a chest as you wrapped your arms around his back. Another palm delicately petted your head and for the first time in your life, you had never felt safer.

Stepping back, you wipe your eyes, glancing up to see Eddie’s kind, worry filled orbs running over your face as Steve stood beside him doing the same.

“Can, um, can we worry about this tomorrow and you stay here with me tonight?” 

“Yeah, we can stay here, honey. Do you have another room you can sleep in? I don’t think tomorrow morning you should open your eyes and this is the first thing you see.”

“I have a guest bedroom down the hall here.”

“Good because I agree with Steve. We can sleep on the couches out here and—”

“Can you sleep with me?”, you interrupt, your question startling both men. “I-I-I mean, you don’t have to. I just… I’m still a bit scared. I’m…forget about it.”

Eddie grabbed your hand as you started to walk away. 

“We can do that for you. If that’s what you want.” You nod your head to his statement, watching him closely as his eyes shift from security Eddie to something you had never seen before in any man. Whatever it was it made you feel weak in the knees. His fingers reached out to brush a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “Can you say it?”

“I-I want you two to sleep…in my bed…with me. Please.” That last word comes out almost in a whisper, pleading with them to stay. 

Steve’s fingers softly caress your cheek before gliding under your chin, turning you to face him. He had that same look Eddie had, that air of confidence you remembered seeing when you first met them but more dominate. 

“Good girl.”

[saintyveningstar]

Mama! Abby Anderson headcannons!

No. 2

Part 2 of Mom! Abby Headcannons !

No. 1

❄️The biggest issue her kids have is maintaining eye contact while holding a conversation, and she has to remind them at every turn — they got it from her, as she used to be incredibly shy as a kid

❄️Abby has to remind her kids (and sometimes Ellie) to keep their dirty boots outside if they're not going to clean them right away

❄️(In my AU) Abby's son Absalem is usually called Abby or Abby junior, not only because of his name but also because of the traits of her that he emits

❄️She does not tolerate her kids drinking, smoking, or doing drugs of any kind - her family is prone to asthma and other serious conditions that affect the breathing or heart - also, she just doesn't want it going on, plain and simple

❄️"Don't let me find out, alright hun?"

❄️"Do not make me turn this fucking car around, you hear me?!"

❄️shes fair but also strict so if she planned on beating your ass she's gonna definitely do it

❄️"move your hand, ah-ah." She'll snap while delivering a spanking. "We're not doing that, move your hand before I get real mad."

❄️she doesn't tolerate fighting or talking back to the teacher, none of that and will get you together very quickly if she catches wind something like that has happened

❄️her children don't really have problems with grades (because they're her kids, duh) so when grades drop she knows something is the matter

❄️has to open bottles, cans, and jars for literally everyone

❄️teaches consent rules very early on and enforces that consent rules are applicable to everything and everyone

- (her teaching them) "Just like when you knock and ask someone if you may come in, you always ask someone if you're allowed to touch their body or enter their personal space." She explains, "Never assume, it's better to be safe than sorry. People should do the same for you, and if they're not you call me or come to me and you tell me immediately, do I make myself clear?"

❄️If she knows her kid hasn't been eating enough due to stress or a possible eating disorder she will put more food on the plate, or bring them more snacks during the day, sticking around for a conversation to watch them eat it then leave - wether it's noticed or not, they'll never talk about it

❄️plays hockey with them when they have free time

❄️gossips with them about doctors and nurses at the hospital she works at trying to turn it into Greys anatomy part 2

❄️God bless whatever other kid that tries to court her kid

-- she'll open the door and just give them the death glare (she was warned to be normal and welcoming) "Miss-Missus Anderson, Hi. Uh-Uh I'm here for your daughter Judah. I-Is that okay?"

Her eyebrow will cock, "hm." Then she'll turn, "Jude, honey! Your date is here!" Then she'll turn back. "Hurt my daughter, and I’ll—.... Hi, hun! Have a great time." Abby whispered, but her shovel talk is interrupted by her daughter appearing, but she definitely gives the date the eyes one last time before closing the door.

[mc-i-r]

Disposable Heroes

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four Ao3

A/N: Guys, I’m so sorry for the late update! Life has been crazy for me the past couple weeks but I hope that I can get back to writing more regularly. This chapter is the well-awaited Eddie pov, as well as a ton of backstory for him that I didn’t really plan on but it just kinda came out. This chapter is kinda rushed, I’m gonna be honest, but I wanted to get it out to you guys as soon as possible since its been awhile. There are gonna be some major warnings here so I’ll post them below. Take care of yourselves and stay safe, now enjoy!

Tw: homophobia, homophobic language, child abuse, domestic violence, referenced drug use, Eddie being incredibly gay

———

It’s a muggy Sunday morning, the summer sun burning through the last vestiges of chilled night air and frosted dewdrops as it rises from its slumber. Like the sun, Eddie rises as well. However, it’s with much less fanfare and grace due to the obnoxious pounding at his front door.

He groans dramatically, shoving his face in his pillow and willing whoever the fuck decided to bother him at—he glances at his alarm clock on the other side of the room, squinting to read the numbers—nine in the morning to go away. His wish must have pissed off some universal god because the knocking only gets louder, making the window above his desk rattle with every shake of the door.

With a sigh big enough to rival the windy intro of “Holy Diver”, he pulls himself to the door in a zombie-like state. Movements sluggish from his interrupted sleep, he misses the doorknob twice before finally turning it, throwing it open with newfound strength to find one Robin Buckley in all her glory. Her fist is raised and ready to knock again, her face the epitome of righteous fury as she glares at him.

“Uh, hey Buck. Whatcha doi—“ he begins, only to be interrupted by Robin shoving past him and barging into the trailer. He sighs, rubbing a hand over his face and pulling on his hair slightly before shutting the door.

Kids and their manners nowadays.

“Yeah, sure, come on in. Totally fine. I wasn’t sleeping or anything, noooo,” he says to himself before turning to face his intruder. Whatever Buckley is upset about seems serious, and from the icy look she’s giving him it also seems like it’s his fault. Her hands are on her hips like she’s in a Steve Harrington impersonation contest and plans on taking home a first place prize. Something in him squirms at the thought.

But, he is nothing if not a performer. So, of course, he puts on a show.

“Lady Buckley,” he declares in a posh British accent, bowing deeply with a flourish on his arm. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company on this fine morning?”

He’s expecting a fond eye roll, or a laugh, or huff, or something. He gets silence.

“Cut the bullshit, Eddie. We need to talk about Steve,” she demands.

Steve… Now isn’t that an interesting subject?

Now, Eddie has always been different. He was loud, and jumpy, and fidgety, and the other kids never wanted to be friends with him because they were scared. He was always covered in dirt, always barefoot because he either forgot to put on shoes or the ones he had were too small for his ever-changing feet. He would talk to himself, mutter little reminders under his breath or work through the questions plaguing his mind aloud because he just functioned better that way.

Then, at eleven, he found out just how different he really was. He was outside during recess when he fell off the monkey bars and scraped his hands and knees. He huddled on the ground, tears falling down his small cheeks because it hurt and his wounds felt like they were throbbing. Then a boy, James, ran up to him and asked him if he was okay. James had stark blond hair, a face full of freckles, and bright green eyes. He looked so concerned for Eddie, and was gentle when he picked up one of his hands to inspect the cuts littered there. It was that gentle touch that elicited a flutter of butterflies in his stomach, and ever since then Eddie knew.

When he had gotten home to the trailer that day, he felt confused. Other people in his class were constantly talking about who they “liked”; boys liking girls and girls liking boys. About how they would get all nervous around their crushes, and Eddie realized he had never felt that before. All of the girls in his class were just… girls to him. They never gave him that fluttery feeling James had. But… no one ever talked about boys liking boys. No one ever said if it was okay, so Eddie thought it must not be. That boys liking boys wasn’t okay. That he wasn’t okay.

It took awhile, but he finally confessed to Wayne that he liked boys, that he got all the little butterflies that boys were supposed to get about girls. Wayne shook his head and told him that he could feel butterflies for anyone he pleased, as long as they made him happy. They both cried that night, and ended up in a hug so tight they nearly fused together.

Since then, Eddie’s come to accept the fact that he’s gay. Has added it to his whole anti-conformist persona, even. So when high school hit he let himself finally be free. He joined Hellfire club, made friends with the upperclassmen who ran it, and learned all the intricacies of D&D that he never imagined he would. After two years, he met Gareth and Jeff who joined Hellfire much in the way he did. Then, Grant joined halfway through Eddie’s junior year and he quickly recruited him as well. He found his friends, his people, and he finally let himself be himself around them.

He told them he was gay after a long session of lazily practicing in Gareth’s garage and smoking, the weed having loosened both his limbs and his lips. They were all extremely chill with it, even after the weed had worn off. That, however, didn’t exempt them from making fun of him though.

Eddie was loitering in the hallway after school, waiting on Gareth to finish up a quiz he missed the week prior, when none other than Steve Harrington walked out of the pool room in nothing but those little speedos that leave zero to the imagination. Seriously, all those girls were right, holy shit. After he picked his jaw up off the floor, he noticed Steve was looking at him with that adorable little confused puppy look before a god damned smirk fell across his face. Eddie’s face, he knew, had to rival that of a Victorian nobleman fawning over a sliver of pale skin shown by a lady across the room with her face hidden by an elaborate fan because he was literally drooling for the man in front of him.

It got considerably worse when Steve leaned down to drink from a nearby water fountain, making Eddie’s mouth go completely dry with this blatant offering of ass right in his face. In hindsight, it might not have been an offering, per say, but it was definitely there and Eddie was definitely staring. So it really wasn’t a surprise that he jumped when Gareth tapped his shoulder, Eddie having not heard him come up behind him, and he turned on his heel so fast he’s surprised he didn’t get whiplash.

“Dude, you good?” Gareth asked. Eddie opened his mouth, squeaked out, “I’m fine” and immediately felt his face go up in flames. Gareth glanced over Eddie’s shoulder and he could see in slow motion the series of thoughts that crossed his mind. Gareth went from concerned to confused to understanding to smug so fast it was almost comical. When their eyes met, Eddie’s went wide.

“Don’t you dare say a word,” he hissed, and the smug look only intensified.

Once they got to his van, Gareth immediately rounded on him.

“Seriously? Steve Harrington?” Gareth teased. “Of all people, it had to be that douche?”

Eddie groaned and clenched his eyes shut. “I know, Garebear, now shut up before I push you out of the van.”

Of course, news about his little crush spread around his friend group like wildfire, and soon enough he was being teased by them relentlessly. Eddie knew his crush wouldn’t get very far, Steve was very clearly straight and in a happy relationship with Nancy Wheeler of all people. Still, Eddie couldn’t stop thinking about that smirk.

Just as his crush began to fade away, Steve showed up to school with a busted face and eye bags deep enough to rival shitty vampire Halloween make-up from a toddlers costume contest. Feelings came rushing back, the intense need to protect, to find out what happened and get justice for that pretty face.

Then it kept happening, and Steve showed up to school with a beat up face yet again. However, judging by his stumbling and droopy eyes, it came with a concussion this time. Just when Eddie was trying to figure out who did it, Billy Hargrove came stalking through the empty halls and all attention was focused on his scabbed knuckles. On the hungry glare he sent Steve’s way. On the way Steve shrank back a little on instinct.

And Eddie… Eddie just couldn’t leave well enough alone, now could he?

He walked up to Steve, brows furrowed. “Harrington?”

Harrington didn’t turn, eyes still focused on the spot where Billy had been before. Eddie tapped his shoulder. “Steve?”

He jumped that time, like Eddie had actually hit him, and spun to face him. Up close, his face looked a hell of a lot worse and Eddie had to suppress a wince just looking at him. Steve looked at him confused, though it was hard to tell between the swelling and assortment of bandages on his face.

“…Munson?” Steve began. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you come up.”

He said it flippantly, with a wave of his hand towards his left ear like that explained everything. It didn’t, but Eddie felt like it wasn’t his place to push.

“You good, man? You look like you got in a fight with a dump truck and lost,” Eddie said. “Badly.”

He expected Steve to scoff and roll his eyes, push past him and hit his shoulder too hard to be an accident. He expected him to spit some barb and walk away, to leave Eddie there in the hallway alone. None of that happened, though.

Instead, Steve smiled. A little self-deprecating, but a smile nonetheless. He huffed a laugh.

“Make it a supercharged dump truck and you’ve got it right,” Steve joked at his own expense. It resulted in a shocked laugh bursting from Eddie’s lips, which he immediately stopped by smacking a hand over his mouth.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, pulling his hand away. “That’s not funny. I mean… your joke was, just not,”—he gestured to Steve’s… everything—“this.”

“It’s okay man, I know what you meant,” Steve said sincerely and Eddie doubted why he was ever called King Steve. The person who stood in front of him was the furthest thing from what those jocks supposedly worshiped that Eddie had to hide another bubble of laughter.

“Seriously, dude, did you even go to a doctor?” Eddie asked, and at Steve’s wince he knew the answer. He rolled his eyes and slung an arm around his shoulders, careful not to land too hard in case he was bruised there too, and led him down the hallway towards the nurse’s station.

“Uh,” Steve began. “Where are we going?”

“The nurse,” he explained. “Figured a look wouldn’t hurt, right?”

Steve’s shoulders relaxed a little under his arm, and Eddie decided to focus on him during their walk down the empty hallway. He noticed the way his hair bounced a little with every step, how a couple strands were threatening to fall from their perfectly coiffed positions. He noticed his moles and freckles, how he had a smattering of faint ones all over his face from time in the sun. He noticed how his nose was a little crooked now, with a bump on the bridge that wasn’t there before the weekend. He noticed how pretty his eyes were, with at least three different shades of brown all swirled together like melted chocolate with flecks of forest green nestled in the folds.

He noticed that Steve was looking at him.

They had come to a stop in front of the nurse, yet Eddie’s arm was still over his shoulders. He quickly retracted it, but Steve didn’t move away and neither did he.

“Well, this is your stop,” Eddie nearly whispered out. Steve smiled, just a small quirk of his lips, and his eyes flitted across Eddie’s face.

“Thanks, Eddie,” he started. Steve took a step backwards toward the station and did a little wave with his fingers that had no right being as endearing as it was. “See you around.”

With that, he disappeared behind the thick mahogany door and Eddie was left there alone, face full of flames and smiling like he was in fucking love with the guy.

Fuck, maybe he was a little bit in love with the guy.

That feeling didn’t waver, not even after seeing him in a skimpy sailor uniform as he scooped overpriced ice cream for toddlers in the Mall. Or, when he was pinning him to the rickety wall of the boathouse he was hiding in after seeing Chrissy murdered in front of him by some freaky wizard from an alternate dimension with a broken bottle to his beautifully freckled throat.

That feeling greatly intensified when he saw Steve take an honest to god bite out of a demonic bat and spit the flesh and blood out on the dried lakebed in the previously mentioned alternate dimension.

And, really, you can’t blame him for falling all the way when he found out exactly who dragged his half-dead body out of hell and saved his life.

So yeah, Steve was a very interesting subject indeed.

“Is… Is he okay?” Eddie questions as he straightens from his hunched position, head tilting to the side and making his bangs fall in his eyes. Robin throws her hands up with a mighty huff and a frustrated groan.

“Obviously not!” She exclaims. She starts pacing around his living room, back and forth in front of the coffee table. “He’s obviously not okay because you’ve been avoiding him and making him feel like shit for months and I’m actually really worried about him ‘cause he’s been doing stupid shit that can get him killed and I don’t know how much longer he can go on like this before it completely ruins him.”

As Robin rambles, her face turns a bright shade of pink. She finishes her speech, sucking in a deep breath as if she ran out of air. Eddie’s brows furrow.

“I haven’t been avoiding Steve,” he defends weakly. He hasn’t, not really. He just… he doesn’t want to get hurt.

Okay yes, Eddie is practically in love with the guy, but that doesn’t mean Steve feels the same about him. They’re friends, that’s it. Steve is going to find some beautiful girl and get married and have the houseful of kids he’s always wanted and Eddie will be here, still pining from afar. He knows it would be easier to just forget about him, and forget about the feelings clutching his heart like a starved hawk with its first fulfilling catch in months. That’s why he’s been slowly letting go over the past few weeks, trying—and failing—to get that stupid pretty boy out of his head. Of course, it’s not working, and every day he spends not talking to Steve feels like hell.

So no, he’s not avoiding Steve. He just doesn’t think he could survive it if he confesses and Steve rejects him completely. Staying away means he won’t accidentally reveal his feelings for the man, and judging by how much he’s feeling, it wouldn’t be very hard for that scraggly cat to come clawing and screeching out of the proverbial bag.

Robin, however, thinks the opposite because according to the look she’s giving him, she says he absolutely fucking has.

Eddie sighs. “Okay, maybe I have just a little bit but it’s not—“

Eddie freezes, stomach plummeting as Robin's rambling words take purchase in his mind. She said Steve was doing something stupid, something that could kill him. Flashes of a night now a distant memory play in his mind, one filled with panicked breaths, stilted tears, and a bloody bat with nails.

“Robin… What do you mean by ‘stupid shit’?” Eddie asks tentatively. Part of him wants to know the answer, while part of him fears the idea of ever finding out. Robin only gives him a confused look and crosses her arms.

“Eddie, that’s totally not the point of this conversation and you know it—“ Eddie cuts her off by waving his hands.

“Robin! Just…” he trails off. Should he tell her about Steve? He promised he wouldn’t but…

“Okay, I have to tell you something about Steve but please please don’t tell him I told you because I promised him I wouldn’t but if you also know something about him then I think you should know about this too,” he rushes out, words tumbling fast out of his mouth as his lungs scream for air. Robin’s icy glare has melted a bit, turning into one of anxiety and caution.

He sighs and flops down on the couch, resting his elbows on his knees as he looks down at his hands. He feels more than sees Robin sit next to him and he knows he has her attention.

“What happened, Eddie?” She prompts, and he takes it as a sign to continue.

“I had a visit from Steve awhile back, around four or five days ago,” he begins. “It was early in the morning and I couldn’t sleep so I was writing notes for a new campaign idea in the living room. I could feel that something was… off, so I looked out the window and there he was.”

He ran a hand over his face, pushing his bangs back and pulling on the ends. He glances over at Robin to find her looking at him. He squeezes his eyes closed for a moment before looking back at her.

“He wasn’t all there, Robin. Like… like he was trapped in his mind or something. I thought,” he huffs a deprecating laugh, “for a moment there, I thought he was cursed.”

He doesn’t mention that the image found its way in his head and can’t seem to find its way out, like a stubborn housefly who keeps banging against the glass hoping to be freed. The thought of Steve floating—eyes rolled back in his head while his lids flutter and his limbs shudder and break one by one—has kept him awake on more nights than he can count. The thought of him being subjected to his worst nightmares given life, all the lies that he tells himself turned to truth. The thought of Eddie being completely helpless, watching him die in agony in front of him.

He doesn’t mention that every night since then, he’s called Steve. He needed to hear his voice, to know he was okay. To know he was alive. He never got a call back.

“I got him to come inside but he didn’t stay long. Something spooked him, I think, I just… I don’t know, it was really weird. Like…” he trails off, unable to find the words.

“Like he was in fight or flight mode?” Robin suggests, and he nods.

“Pure instinct.”

Robin groans. “Shit, this is worse than I thought.”

“Wait, did he tell you?” He asks. Steve was so insistent on Eddie not telling her—made him promise, in fact—so why…?

“Well… after a very long, very emotional, and very vulnerable conversation, yes. He told me on his own terms though, if that’s what you’re worried about,” she supplies. “He… He didn’t tell me a ton of details, though. Not… Not like that.”

There’s a pause as Robin clenches her eyes closed and looks away from him.

“I didn’t know it was that bad,” her voice comes out just barely above a whisper, something he wouldn’t have heard if he wasn’t right next to her. Eddie stays silent, unwilling to break the solemn mood. Robin, however, misses that message entirely as she smacks his arm.

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me, doofus?!” She accuses, giving him a half-hearted glare that is no less threatening. Eddie holds his hands up in surrender, unable to hide the exasperated look on his face.

“He made me promise!!” Eddie defends. “Plus he gave me those damn puppy dog eyes and I couldn’t say no.”

“He is really good at that, especially when he wants something. He says he has no clue but I bet you he does,” Robin whispers, almost conspiratory as if they’re sharing a terrible secret. Eddie can’t help but smile and shake his head. Screw Harrington and his stupid pretty eyes.

“Did he say anything else while he was here?” Robin asks after a moment of silence.

“No, that was the only thing he said really, other than an absent ‘I’m fine’ before he bolted out the door. It was a very uh… one-sided conversation,” Eddie explains. “He mostly gave only one or two word answers before he panicked and ran.”

“I’m gonna assume he didn’t tell you why he left?” She asks, and at the shake of his head she curses. “Fuck.”

“Fuck indeed.”

Robin shifts beside him, raising her hand to mindlessly chew on her thumbnail. He thinks the conversation is over. Or, rather, wishes it were over.

That universal god must really hate Eddie today because Robin roughly shakes her head and waves her hands around, letting out a huff.

“Okay, one problem at a time. That was totally not the point of this little talk and you know it, Munson,” she admonishes. “Why. Are. You. Avoiding. Steve?”

She punctuates each word with a, quite literal, punch to the arm. Eddie reels back, dramatically clutching his bruised arm and gives her a fake glare.

“Ow!!” He rubs his arm. For her incredibly bony arms, she really can pack a punch. He’s only half joking that it hurts.

“Answer the question!”

“Fine fine…” he takes a deep breath, knee bouncing with building anxiety before he stands up, unable to quell the urge to move. He paces twice in front of the coffee table before he has the nerve to look at her waiting gaze.

“So, as you know, I am a raging homosexual,” he states, and at his pause, she nods. “And I miiiiiight have a teeny weeny, itsy bitsy, enormous crush on him.”

The end of his sentence is rushed out, words jumbled together as he screws his eyes closed and waits for… whatever Robin’s response is going to be. He waits for five seconds. Then ten. Then twenty-five because yes he’s counting. If he knows one thing about Robin Buckley it’s that she doesn’t know when to stop talking so silence is a very rare occurrence for her and now its been a whole minute and something must be wrong so he opens his eyes to find her—

The only word that even remotely comes close to encompassing the expression on her face is seething.

He instinctively takes a step back.

“Edward Lee Munson you better explain yourself right fucking now or I swear to every god out there that I will rip out your spleen and feed it to the neighborhood dogs before you take a step out that door,” Robin all but growls out, eyes icy and cold as they stare through him. He’s quick to explain because he really quite values his spleen, thank you very much.

“Okay, okay, geez I get it! Fine,” he huffs. “I’ve been avoiding Steve because it’s hard to be around him.”

Robin only raises an eyebrow. Eddie groans. He really wishes he didn’t have to explain his big, fat, gay love this early in the morning.

“It’s hard because he’s so…. So Steve all the time. He’s so kind and caring and hot— god, Birdie, he’s so fucking hot—“

“Okay, yeah, I didn’t need to know that,” Robin interrupts.

“Sorry,” he says, a bit sheepish. “Every little smile he gives me feels like a swarm of butterflies are fighting horde-style to get out of my stomach. I just…

“I think I’m in love with him,” Eddie confesses. The way her eyes blow wide is comical, and he’s half expecting them to pop and burst like they do in cartoons.

“But I know better,” he gives her a sad smile. “I know that I’m not special, he doesn’t mean it like that. Like I want it to. And…. And I know he never will.

“I thought that distancing myself would make the feelings go away, make it… I don’t know, hurt less? But not seeing Steve at all… fuck, it hurts worse than dying and I know what that feels like. Now I don’t even have him as a friend,” he scoffs at himself, shakes his head a little and focuses on a framed picture of him, Steve, Robin, and Dustin from graduation on the wall. Focuses on how Steve’s arm is wrapped around his shoulders, hand gripping his upper arm as he smiles shyly at the camera. How Eddie himself is leaning into his side, tucked under his arm as if he belongs there. As if he’ll ever belong there. He looks back at Robin.

“But this is what’s best. I can’t have my stupid heart feeling things my brain knows it shouldn’t,” Eddie ends his little speech by flopping back down on the couch. Part of him regrets telling her, but another small, itty bitty part is almost grateful.

Eddie’s always had a way of caring too much, even from a young age. Wayne could tell you better than anyone that Eddie has always had a soft side. He could tell you that Eddie refused to let him kill any of the bugs that got into the trailer when the weather turned cold and insisted that they be put outside under the trailer where it was at least a little warmer. He could tell you that every time Eddie would see another person cry, he would too.

He’s just always been like that, so carrying this around with him everyday? It was becoming too much to bear, having to put on a face around everyone so no one could tell. So no one could see how it was breaking him inside. Wearing him down to the bone. Slowly, slowly killing him.

Robin sighs beside him and he had almost forgotten she was there. Her voice is quiet and strangely gentle as she speaks.

“Why do you think that, Eddie?”

What?

“What?” He asks incredulously and knows his face is in a similar state to his voice.

“Why do you think Steve wouldn’t like you like that? Has he said anything to make you think he wouldn’t?” She clarifies, which really doesn’t clarify anything at all for him because what?

“Um… are we talking about the same Steve? You know, Steve Harrington, Hawkins’ resident ladies man? Why the fuck would you think I’d have a shot?” He explains. “He’s so painfully straight and I am so painfully not, Robin.”

Robin just looks at him like she’s trying to read his mind. Or, rather, push a thought into his mind. Waiting for something to click. It doesn’t. Eddie rolls his eyes.

“Besides, Steve never tried to talk to me about the whole distance thing, so I just—“

“You know what happens when people assume things, Eddie,” Robin interrupts.

“—figured that he didn’t mind,” Eddie finishes with a glare. Robin closes her eyes and takes a breath as if calming herself. She pinches her nose, right between her eyes like Steve always does when he’s frustrated or tired, and turns to him. She takes his hands in hers, and her face is only a mere mask of calm, the tumbling waves of anger rolling just under the surface.

“Eddie,” she begins. “Have you ever thought of the possibility that Steve doesn’t talk about his feelings? That he would keep it all bottled up inside like he does with literally everything else?”

Well, when she puts it like that…

“Fuck.”

“Yeah,” Robin agrees. “I only found out about this whole… thing two days ago and that was only because I just so happened to catch him falling asleep at work. He wouldn’t have told me if I didn’t ask him, I know that for sure. He… Eddie, he honestly believes that this is all his fault. That he’s the one that fucked everything up between you and he kids.”

Eddie’s brain screeches to a halt. “Wait, what do the kids have to do with this?”

“You haven’t told them anything?” Robin asks, eyes going a little wide.

“Have I told a bunch of teenagers—whose opinions I regretfully respect—that I have a crush on their babysitter? No, I have not.”

“Okay, yeah that was a stupid question, sorry,” she amends. “Just… the kids are avoiding Steve and I can’t think of a reason why.”

“They’re what!? Wait, why haven’t I heard of this until now?” Eddie exclaims. Robin gives him a look that makes him deflate a little. “Let me guess, you only found out two days ago?”

“Bingo, we have a winner!” Robin fake cheers, raising her arms in a mock-celebratory fashion. She drops them with a huff. “They haven’t talked to him in weeks, Eddie, and I think it’s because you have been avoiding him.”

Her tone isn’t accusatory, but it still makes him feel like shit.

“They must have picked up the sense that something was going on between you two and assumed they should be avoiding him too,” she suggests. Eddie leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“I don’t get how they could think that, though. I mean, Steve has been nothing but good to them for years now.”

“I know,” Robin agrees. “But they’re kids. Stupid, dumb, ungrateful kids, but they’re still kids.”

Eddie drops his head in his hands, pressing hard on his eyes until spots form behind his eyelids.

“I really fucked this up, didn’t I?” He asks it rhetorically, but Robin gives a noise of agreement anyway. “How do I fix this, Birdie?”

“You could start by talking to him,” Robin suggests.

Now isn’t that a terrifying thought?

Because knowing you have feelings for someone is one thing, but telling them? That’s something so far out of the realm of possibility for him that he’s never even thought about considering it.

“Have you lost your fucking mind, Buckley?” Eddie exclaims, looking over at her with wide eyes. “I’d like to keep all my teeth if you don’t mind. I mean, I know I’m not your type and everything but some poor schmuck would probably like to look at this face one more time before it's beat all black and blue.”

Robin only rolls her eyes at his rambling—which is rather hypocritical of her if you ask him, since she seems to treat rambling as an Olympic sport she plans on winning every time she opens her mouth. She grabs his face between her hands and honest to god shakes him.

“I can’t tell you everything, but I’m telling you to trust me and talk to him,” she practically demands, giving him a pointed look much like the one from before. Except he still doesn’t know what it means, as that final piece has yet to click into place.

He nods in her hold, partially afraid of her now, and she releases him.

“We need to fix this. Now,” Eddie insists. He looks over at her. “We need to talk to the kids.”

Eddie stands up, running to his room and groaning at the mess he left. Tossing his sheets and blankets back on the bed, he reaches under his bed for the walkie he knows he last saw under there three days ago. Except, it’s not there. He stands up, scrunches his eyebrows, and thinks.

Let’s see… it was next to the keychain that was on top of the VHS sitting on the books on the corner of the desk, then he moved it when he had to answer one of Lucas’ questions which he did while he walked around the trailer and he laid it down when he finished to get some cheese from the fridge, meaning—

Eddie runs back to the kitchen, finding the walkie on top of the fridge, right where he thought it would be.

“Got ya!” He grabs it and runs back to the living room where Robin is waiting very impatiently.

“Where even was that?” She asks but he ignores her, electing to set the frequency so he can talk to the kids all at once instead of answering her. He presses the button.

“This is Eddie the Banished calling an emergency Hellfire meeting pronto,” he orders into the speaker. “I repeat, emergency Hellfire meeting.”

He waits for a response. One minute. Two minutes. Three—

“Oh, for crying out loud,” Eddie mumbles, pressing the button again. “Over.”

Immediately, Dustin responds. “Hear you loud and clear, Eddie. Is this a code red situation? Over.”

“Nope, not a code red. More of a uh…” he glances over at Robin who shrugs. “Code yellow? I think. Over.”

“What the hell is ‘code yellow’? We don’t even have one of those,” comes Erica’s, as always, sarcastic remark. Eddie can faintly hear Lucas yelling in the background.

“Munson, you better not be shitting with us.”

“I promise you, Red, I wouldn’t. Not about this.”

“How many times do I have to tell you, people! You’re supposed to say ‘over’ when you’re done talking! Over.”

“Shove it, Dustybuns, the adults are talking.”

Eddie has to hold the walkie away from him at Dustin’s responding shriek. He presses a hand over his eyes. These kids are going to kill him one day.

“Guys, this is serious. Just get your asses over to my trailer as soon as possible. Robin’s already here, does someone have Little Byers and Supergirl?”

“I’ve got them. Over and out,” Mike responds.

“Erica and I are on our way. Over and out,” Lucas says.

“Be there in fifteen. Over and out,” Dustin declares. Eddie glances at Robin, sharing equally nervous and worried looks. This is not going to be fun.

Thirty minutes later, all of the kids are cramped in Eddie’s living room. Lucas, Max, El, and Mike are scrunched together on the couch, while Will and Dustin sit on the floor in front of them. Erica claimed Wayne’s recliner as soon as her and Lucas got there, refusing to move for the older teens.

Robin is standing next to him, hands on her hips again—really driving home the whole “Steve is my platonic soulmate” bit—as he stands there with his arms crossed. The two of them remind Eddie of disappointed parents about to tell off their kids, which, in reality, isn't too far off.

“Okay, what the hell?” Dustin asks, still breathless from the trek there. “I literally just got home an hour ago. Why did you call us and make us bike all the way here in the heat?”

“Because you deserve it for being shitheads,” Eddie defends and rolls his eyes. He’s met with a cacophony of dweeby teen voices as they retaliate.

“What did we do this time?”

“What?! We didn’t do anything!”

“What did Dustin do, now?”

“Me? Why am I the one being blamed? I wasn’t even here!”

“Because you’re too damn nosey, dude.”

“Ouch, Lucas. Ouch.”

“Hey!” Eddie yells, clapping his hands to get their attention. It startles them all enough to quit talking over each other and look back up at him. “Okay, I’m just going to get to the point. Why are you all avoiding Steve?”

Mike gives him a confused look and crosses his arms, his expression the epitome of teenage angst.

“We thought you hated Steve, dude. You would always leave the room whenever he was around with some shitty excuse so we just decided to do the same,” Mike answers. Dustin nods from his spot on the floor.

“Yeah, we all thought he did something or said something to you since every time we brought him up, you’d shut the conversation down somehow. It just… naturally progressed from not talking about him to not talking to him either,” Dustin explains.

“Steve stopped showing up to things, too. He used to help me practice but he’s not shown up in weeks,” Lucas adds.

“Mom’s gotten really worried about him. He’s not shown up to dinner in a while, either,” Dustin chimes in. He shrugs. “We just thought the feeling was mutual.”

Eddie clenches his eyes closed and throws his head back. Fuck, this is worse than he thought. He hears Robin shift beside him, and knows firsthand the look she’s giving them right now.

“Have any of you even considered asking Steve about this?” Robin asks accusatively. “Or even talking to him about anything other than rides or movie nights?”

Silence falls over the room, so thick and suffocating that Eddie briefly prefers the air of the Upside Down to this. He pulls his hair, scrunching down on the floor and balancing on the pads of his feet.

“This is all my fault,” he groans, twisting strands of hair frustratedly.

“It is,” Robin agrees and ignores the glare Eddie sends her way for that. “But we can still fix this.”

“Wait, what’s going on?” Mike asks.

“Why does Eddie look three seconds away from strangling himself with his hair?” Max hesitates, sounding the most cautious he’s ever heard her. Eddie groans and avoids eye contact with the group.

“The reason I’m avoiding Steve isn’t because I hate him. It’s uh… quite the opposite, actually,” he explains, nervously fidgeting with his rings and pulling a thick strand of hair to hide his face. He glances at Robin, who gives him an overly enthusiastic thumbs up, and he rolls his eyes.

Max and Erica give him equally smug smirks while Will looks at him with wide, understanding eyes. The rest of the group, however, look confused.

“Wait, then why are you avoiding him?” Dustin asks.

“Dude, that makes zero sense,” Mike counteracts. El just looks lost, almost like she’s trying to read his mind. Which… he really wouldn’t be surprised if she could at this point. Eddie sighs.

“That’s not the point,” Eddie redirects. “The point is that an issue with me and Steve shouldn’t affect you guys’ relationship with him.”

“Yeah,” Robin agrees, and he deftly ignores the pointed look she sends his way. “Steve has been there for all of you for years.

“Dustin, wasn’t it Steve who helped you catch D’art when he escaped from your cellar? He bought pounds of meat for you to lure a demodog away with, then fought a pack of them by himself to keep you safe. Steve put himself in the line of fire again against said demodogs in the tunnels after he was beaten unconscious by Billy, then sacrificed himself to Russians just so you and Erica could make it out alive a year later.”

Dustin clamps his mouth shut from its gaping position—likely from him wanting to defend himself from the truth—and has the decency to look sheepish. Eddie turns his gaze to Lucas.

“Lucas, wasn’t it Steve who helped you train for basketball when you started to show an interest in it? He practiced with you every week, even after a long shift at work or when he felt like shit, just because you asked. Steve protected you against Billy because it was the right thing to do, and took a beating so you wouldn’t. Not many people can say they’d do that for someone else, especially not against anyone as vicious as Hargrove,” Eddie adds. Lucas drops his head in his hands, knee bouncing from his place on the couch.

“Max,” Robin begins. “Steve checked up on you every day after Billy died. He would bring you food or ice cream or a distraction, but he was always there. He would drive you to the arcade just to cheer you up, let you beat him at Dig Doug and Pinball just to see you smile. Steve was terrified to let you be the bait for Vecna, he… he kept telling me that he wished it was him instead. That he should be the sacrifice, not you.”

Robin wipes her eyes where they begin to tear up, and Eddie uses the pause to look at Mike. He still has his arms crossed, but the smartass look on his face has dwindled a little.

“Mike, I know you don’t like Steve because of him and Nancy, but you can’t hold onto that grudge forever. What happened between them had nothing to do with you, so there's no need to be mad at him for it,” Eddie states. Mike isn’t looking at him now, and something tells Eddie that the kid just needs a reality check. Hopefully, this will work. “Steve has been protecting you from the beginning, even when you were more than hostile to him. You’ve at least got to give him credit for that.”

Eddie looks around, sees the morose expressions on the kids’ faces.

“Steve has picked you all up countless times from Hellfire, waiting the entire session out in the parking lot while wasting away in his car. He was there rain or shine, snow or sleet, and he never missed a day. Not once,” he states.

Eddie first found Steve’s presence after Hellfire to be confusing, an anomaly. He didn’t know that the Steve the kids talked about was the same Steve he had a debilitating crush on in high school, not until he saw him waiting outside after the first session the kids attended, leaning against his maroon BMW like a Calvin Klein model. A ball of anxiety formed in his stomach at the sight, because one thing about Steve Harrington was that he’s unpredictable. Eddie just didn’t know if it was good or bad yet.

“You know, usually when people graduate they tend to stay away from high school, not willingly come back,” Eddie teased.

His words seemed to spark some life into Steve, as he jolted from his relaxed position against the hood to stand firmly beside his car. Steve ran a hand through his hair, and looked Eddie up and down.

“You’d probably know more about that if you managed to actually graduate, Munson,” Steve quipped, but it wasn’t mean. He had a smile on his face, and the air around him was friendly. Some of the anxiety churning in Eddie’s gut eased at the sight.

“Besides, who says I’m here willingly?” Steve asked rhetorically, as Dustin made his appearance by running up to him and immediately began talking his ears off about the new campaign. Steve turned his full attention on the boy, nodding along to certain comments even when Eddie knew for sure Steve didn’t know what the hell Henderson was talking about. The other kids soon crowded around the former jock, all talking so incredibly fast that Eddie was surprised the sound barrier survived their cracking voices.

Eddie watched as Steve glanced at him over the kids’ heads, giving him a loose smile and a shrug as if saying, ‘what can ya do?’

Soon, all the gremlins piled into Steve’s fancy car, still talking and gesturing wildly with their hands. Eddie had a passing thought that he should get Steve some earplugs or something to at least help drown out the noise. He immediately shook his head at the thought and jumped in his old, beat up van, driving home to an empty trailer and trying desperately to forget Steve Harrington existed.

“He always waits until the excitement starts to wear off before he takes you all home, letting you talk to each other for nearly an hour after each session despite the fact he never has a clue what you’re talking about. He always listens to you guys, no matter what,” Eddie supplies. “Did you guys know he has mixtapes for each of you?”

At the question, they all look at him with varying degrees of confusion and an all-too-late realization. Eddie huffs, while Robin mutters something under her breath that sounds a lot like, ‘of course they didn’t.’

“There’s one for each of you, filled with songs you like or mentioned liking at some point despite some of them not being his own taste. He listens to you, all of you, and it fucking hurts to know you don’t see that,” he exposes, and part of him regrets letting a bit of his anger out. Though, the kids need to know this is serious, that you can’t go through life assuming the worst in people, so if being angry is what it takes then so be it.

The kids have various emotions on their faces, ashamed and regretful being the two most prominent. Dustin clears his throat and looks up at Eddie, flicks his eyes to Robin, and returns them to his lap.

“I… I didn’t realize he did so much for us,” Dustin quietly admits, and a small part of Eddie cheers at finally teaching the kid a thing or two about humility.

“We’ve been taking advantage of him for… for so long,” Lucas breathes out. Max nods morosely beside him, and Will raises a shaky hand to cover his mouth.

Mike rolls his eyes, still petulantly crossing his arms. “Why should we even care about him? All he’s probably doing is wallowing in his fancy house or something.”

He says it with a layer of snark so thick, all the kids turn to him with varying levels of bitchy glares. Eddie, however, can tell his attitude is a mask, a way for him to hide how he’s truly feeling to prevent from being too vulnerable. From being too open. Eddie knows a lot about that.

It started when Eddie was four and he scraped his knee on the harsh gravel outside his parents’ run-down home in Kentucky. Tears rolled down his chubby cheeks as he ran inside to tell his mom, who he knew would take care of him. She told him to play outside, and not come in until she told him so, but his knee really hurt and he was scared they would have to cut it off if it bled too much. At least, that’s what Charlie—a kid who lived two streets over—said they would do.

When he stepped over the threshold, something felt off. The house was quiet, more so than normal, and it set him on edge. The TV was filled with static that grated on his little ears, and he covered them with his hands as he made his way over to turn it off. He picked up the antenna off the floor, wondering how it got knocked off the top of the TV in the first place. He looked around the living room, finding it in a similar state of disarray. He followed the trail of broken things before him; the overturned coffee table, a spilled ashtray, a stray pillow, and the chair his dad always sat on, pushed far out of its normal place. He questioned who could have messed up his house like this, leaving a big mess behind.

He found his answer when he ventured into the kitchen, just a few short steps from the living room, and found his mother laying on the floor. She was on her stomach, arms splayed out as if she tried to catch her fall and head turned to look at the doorway where little Eddie stood. Her eyes were closed but she was still breathing, the floral pattern of her dress moving with each breath. Shards of ceramic were spread out around her, littered with droplets of dark blood that spilled from a cut on her forehead. It dripped down the side of her face, along the curve of her cheek and onto the floor where it formed a small puddle. Her skin was pale in the artificial light of the house, the soft yellows doing nothing to soften the tones of her ashen face.

“Mama!” He ran up to her, falling to his knees beside her still body. He shook her, trying to get her eyes to open, but all it rewarded him was a pained grunt. His eyes welled with tears again, this time for his Mama, but nothing he was doing was working.

A shadow fell over the floor and he looked up to find his father blocking the light from the gold-colored light fixture above the kitchen table. His face was stern and dirty looking, his stubble well past the point of a five o’clock shadow and leaning more towards a sleazy strip club owner. There was a smear of blood on his face from his hand, which he noticed was bruised around the knuckles. However, the sight of what was in his other hand made him freeze, entire body going stock still.

In his father’s left hand were the remnants of the broken plate on the floor, the jagged edges cutting into his skin where he gripped it tightly. Matching blood littered the edge, and a splatter of the dark liquid traveled up his hairy arm and disappeared into his rolled up flannel sleeve.

He looked up at the figure before him, and the tears spilled over against his will.

“What happened to Mama?” He asked. “Why won’t she wake up?”

“‘Cause she’s sorry, son,” his dad answered, throwing down the ceramic and causing it to shatter against the floor. Eddie flinched, and his father caught the motion. He hadn’t been able to quell it, hadn’t learned how to hide his fear yet. The man scowled at him, lip curling as he grabbed Eddie’s arm and hauled him off the floor in one solid motion.

“She’s weak, Edward,” he began. This close, Eddie could see the redness of his eyes, and the deep purple bags that hang underneath. “Just like all women. Do you wanna be weak, boy?”

Eddie shook his head, and his father gripped his arm tighter. “Answer me!”

“N-No sir,” Eddie muttered, voice small and weak in the face of his father.

“Then stop that fucking crying, don’t be a sissy. I ain’t raising a fucking faggot, Edward.”

With that, his dad dropped his arm and stumbled into his bedroom down the hall. As soon as his figure was gone, Eddie turned back to his mom, crouching next to her. Sometime when his dad was talking, her eyes had opened and her breathing grew stronger. Eddie felt like it was nothing short of a small miracle.

“Mama, are you okay?”

“‘M okay, baby,” she replied, pushing herself off the floor with a grunt. She sat up with Eddie’s help, and frowned when she saw the reddened mark on his arm. “I shouldn’t have let him do that to you.”

“You were hurt, Mama. ‘S not your fault,” Eddie reasoned, pulling his arm out of her grasp to wipe at some of the blood on her face. “You’re bleeding, too.”

“Oh,” she began, reaching up to touch the wound as if she hadn’t realized it was there. “It’s nothing, Eddie, just a little scratch. Mama will be okay, promise.”

She didn’t look okay, this close, with her sunken-in face and slowly forming black eye Eddie hadn’t been able to see before. But his Mama was always right. Always.

“Pinky promise?” Eddie asked, holding out his little pinky. His Mama smiled, and raised a shaky hand to lace her pinky with his.

“Pinky promise.”

A year later, he was riding in the car with his Mama, backpack at his feet. She was dressed nicer than he ever remembered her being; a baby blue, short-sleeved dress hugged her slender frame, paired with white heels, white bug-eyed sunglasses, and a sheer white scarf she had tied around her hair. Her suitcase was in the trunk, but his father was nowhere to be found.

“Mama?”

“Yes, baby?”

“Where’s Dad?” He asked. His Mama cleared her throat before she answered, voice shaky.

“He’s not coming with us, Eddie,” she said. “We’re going somewhere far away from him. Somewhere new.”

“Where?”

“Have a look for yourself, honey,” she said, pointing to the window. Eddie crawled up on his knees to look out, seeing a sign welcoming them to a place called Hawkins. He sat back down in his seat, looking back at his mother.

“What’s here?” He asked. His mother smiled.

“Your Uncle Wayne. He’s my brother,” she supplied. “We’re just going to pay him a little visit, okay?”

A few short minutes later, they were parked in front of a small trailer, a gruff looking man waiting for them on the newly-built porch. They got out of the car and Eddie grabbed his backpack, slinging it over his shoulders before his Mama led him up the steps.

“Eddie, this is Uncle Wayne,” his Mama informed. He looked up at her and she nudged his arm, urging him to say something.

“H-Hello, sir,” Eddie greeted, sticking out his small hand for the man to shake. Wayne huffed a laugh and crouched down, causing Eddie to take a step back on instinct, before he took his hand and shook it.

“Nice to meet ya, Eddie,” Wayne began. He let go of his hand but stayed crouched. “You can call me Wayne, or Uncle Wayne, or Uncle, or—hell, Todd for all I care. Just none of that ‘sir’ business, you got me?”

Eddie smiled and nodded. “Sorry, si—uh, Uncle Wayne.”

“That’s better, boy,” Wayne said, smiling as he clapped his shoulder softly. Wayne had kind eyes, blue and soft around the edges. They weren’t mean like his fathers. Instead, they looked exactly like his Mama’s—save for a few extra wrinkles around the edges. “Why don’t you go on inside while your Mama and I talk?”

Eddie did as he was told, walking in the trailer and taking in his surroundings. It was small, smaller than his house, but cozy. A couple mugs were hung up on the wall, paired with three trucker hats and a framed picture he was too far away to see. An old, floral patterned couch sat on the long wall of the living room, a coffee table in front littered with an opened can of Coke and a half-eaten bag of chips. The windows were open to let light in, making the space feel much bigger than it actually was.

He stepped into the kitchen, just a pace away from the living room, and took in the red-toned wooden cabinets and cream countertops stained with coffee rings yet to be wiped away. There was a hallway to his left where he found a single bedroom and a bathroom. The bathroom was small, just big enough for a stand-up shower, toilet, and sink. A single toothbrush sat in the cup on the side of the sink along with a bar of soap and an almost empty tube of toothpaste. On the other side of the sink though, Eddie noticed an unopened toothbrush. It was blue and had sparkles throughout its plastic. At the bottom, there was a small dog sticker and it made him smile a little.

His attention soon wandered to the bedroom, where he found a little twin-sized bed and tons of boxes. The bed was bare, save for a folded up quilt near the bottom with a pillow on top. The boxes were filled with various things; clothes, books, a cassette player, shoes, and tons of other small trinkets. He sat on the ground, pulling a box closer to look through it. There were thin books near the top labeled ‘Hawkins High’, and he flipped through it to find pictures upon pictures of people. He read the names, sounding them out to see if he could get them right. Some of them were weird, though, and he quickly put the book down to look at something else.

There was a box of cassette tapes to his left and Eddie scooted over to look through it. There were tons of names he didn’t recognize as he rifled through the plastic cases, though one stood out to him.

He picked up the Fleetwood Mac tape along with the cassette player from a box near the closet, plugging it into the wall and putting the tape in. He eyed the front door, seeing it still firmly closed. Just then, the tape clicked, causing him to jump, and he pressed play.

The familiar voice filled his ears, and he smiled. He and his Mama used to listen to Fleetwood Mac back home in the kitchen while they made supper, singing along with the tape or the radio to fill the house with music. The sound of it brought a smile to his face, and he closed his eyes as he listened to the words.

Engrossed in the music, he barely registered that the front door had both opened and closed until a soft hand was laid on his shoulder.

“Eddie, baby, I have to go,” his Mama said, and he jumped to his feet. He kinda felt bad about going through Uncle Wayne’s things without him being there, but if they were leaving then he didn’t think he would get too mad.

“Where are we going now, Mama?” Eddie wondered. His mother’s face turned pinched, and she lifted her glasses to look at him directly. She wore make-up, much more than she usually did, and as she crouched down Eddie could see it was barely disguising a bruise along the top of her right cheekbone.

“Eddie, only I’m leaving,” his Mama corrected. “You’re staying here with Wayne.”

At that, his whole world fell apart.

His mother, his Mama, was leaving him. It didn’t seem fair that he couldn’t go with her, that he couldn’t stay with his Mama like he wanted to. Wayne seemed nice from their brief interaction, but he didn’t know him. Not like he knew his Mama.

His stomach sank to his feet, and it felt as if someone poured ice-cold water over him. His eyes grew wide as tears welled, spilling over his cheeks.

“Why, Mama?” Eddie sobbed, wiping at his face because he wasn’t supposed to cry. “Why can’t I go with you?”

“You just can’t, Eddie, I’m sorry,” she stated. It felt hollow, her explanation. Like she was hiding something.

“But why?”

“Because you just can’t, Eddie!” She snapped, and Eddie’s breath caught. She sounded mad, but Eddie had never heard her get mad, not at him at least. He didn’t know what he did, only that she wouldn’t let him go with her.

She took a breath and cupped his cheek. “I’m sorry, baby.”

“But- But you can’t leave me!” Eddie wailed. “Mama, please!”

She opened her arms and he fell into them, clinging hard enough to deem separating impossible. She hugged him back just as tight, and Eddie saw evidence of tear tracks streaking through her caked-on foundation.

“I know, baby, I don’t want to leave you either,” his Mama soothed. “But Wayne is going to take care of you, okay?”

Eddie looked over her shoulder to see Wayne leaning against one of the kitchen countertops, smiling sadly at him. Eddie screwed his eyes shut and buried his face in his mothers neck.

“You’re gonna come back, right?” Eddie mumbled before he moved to look at her. “Pinky promise you’re gonna come back for me.”

His Mama cried and wiped at her cheeks, smearing the make-up and making the bruises appear fresh on her pale skin. She held out a pinky, and Eddie laced his with hers.

“I promise, Eddie,” she said, leaning forward to kiss his forehead before getting to her feet. Her and Wayne shared a hug on her way out, and Eddie caught Wayne wiping his eyes too. He and his uncle stood on the porch as his mom drove away, waving until her taillights disappeared around the curve of the road.

That was the last time he saw his mother.

Unfortunately, it was not the last he saw his father.

He stayed with Wayne for two months until his father found him. They had grown accustomed to each other in that time, Eddie having warmed up to another parental figure and Wayne having gotten the basics down for caring for another being. Wayne insisted he start school in the fall, and he was two weeks in when all hell broke loose.

His father rolled up to the trailer in a fancy-looking sports car Eddie knew his dad didn’t have the money for. He stumbled out on the gravel, banging on the door until Wayne pulled it open.

“The hell are you doin’ here?” Wayne asked, standing firm in the doorway.

“I’m here to get my son,” his father demanded. He pushed past him and stormed the place until he found Eddie in the only bedroom—Wayne having set up a cot in the living room.

Eddie hadn’t expected to see his father again, mostly because he didn’t think the man really cared for him. That was prominent when he snatched Eddie off the bed and hauled him out of his room.

“Dad?” Eddie questioned. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m taking you away from here,” his father responded, glaring at Wayne who stood blocking the doorway.

“You’re not takin’ him anywhere, Al,” Wayne countered. He crossed his arms, looking far more intimidating than Eddie ever imagined. “He’s happy here.”

“He’ll be even more happy with me,” his dad insisted. “With his real family.”

“Son of a bitch, Al, I am his real family!” Wayne yelled. “You ain’t got the means for takin’ care of that boy, and you know it.”

His father stood toe to toe with his uncle, glaring at him. He whispered something Eddie was too far away to hear, but it made Wayne deflate completely.

Eddie didn’t want to leave. He found that these past two months with Wayne were filled with more happy memories than he ever remembered having back home. Wayne was nice, a little rough around the edges but he was a big softy inside. He cared about people, that much was evident in the way he was constantly helping people out around the park. He was a good person, so leaving him felt like his Mama all over again.

“Come on, son,” his father demanded, grabbing his arm and dragging him out of the trailer. Eddie looked back at Wayne, eyes stinging. He waved, and Wayne waved back. He watched the trailer from the backseat until he couldn’t tell which one was theirs, only facing the front when his dad snapped at him.

They rode for hours, far past the Indiana state line, until they ended up in a strange city filled with tall buildings and blinding lights that made Eddie’s eyes sting. They went through the city, stopping on the outskirts in a run-down neighborhood even more decrepit than his old house in Kentucky.

He spent two years with his dad in a city he came to know at St. Louis, but it never felt like home. Not like the trailer with Wayne, or anywhere his mother was. He learned how to hotwire cars and how to drive like a bat out of hell whenever his dad told him to. He learned that he was too much to take care of; his father constantly complained about feeding him, keeping him clothed, taking care of him like a father should. He learned that showing emotions would only get you hurt, that he had to hide them to survive. He learned what all the different white powders did to someone, how they would affect your mind and your body. How they made his father violent, or remorseful, or depressed, but never happy.

His father was on a bad trip when a rush of red and blue lights invaded their windows, sirens blaring and making Eddie’s ears ring. Their front door was kicked open, the old wood splintering easily under the force of a steel-toed boot. Police flooded the house, and Eddie was grabbed and dragged out before he had time to comprehend everything that was happening.

He was sitting in the back of a cop car with the door open, body completely still as police went in and out of their house. He couldn’t let them know he was scared out of his mind, that he was afraid of what they would do to him. He knew the best way to get through it was to show nothing at all. To be indifferent. Emotionless. It was the only thing his father taught him that he deemed useful.

His father was dragged out of the house by two policemen, kicking and screaming at them but Eddie couldn’t hear what he was saying, ears having gone deaf to anything other than the ringing in his head. Next thing he knew, his father had broken free and punched one of the officers, causing several to tackle him to the ground and handcuff him before practically throwing him into a car and hauling him away. All Eddie could do was watch, knowing there was nothing he could do to help him.

“You got somewhere to go, kid?” One of the cops that took him out of the house asked, leaning against the open door and blocking the flashing lights. Eddie nodded, and the cop took him back to the station where he called Wayne.

“Eddie, son, where are you? Are you okay? If that bastard hurt you, I swear to god—“

“Wayne,” Eddie began, his voice rough from not using it. “Can you come get me?”

A pause. “Sure, kid, where are you?”

“St. Louis,” Eddie supplied. There was cursing on the other end, muffled so Eddie couldn’t tell what was said but he knew Wayne well enough. Even after only two months, the man had become more like a father to him than his own dad ever was.

“I’m coming right now to get ya, just hold on tight, okay? I’ll be there ‘fore the morning.”

True to his word, Wayne showed up right before dawn in his beat up truck. He stormed the station like a madman, looking for him. He was rumpled, like he threw on just enough clothes to be decent before booking it all the way here. If he knew Wayne, that’s probably exactly what he did.

“Eddie? Eds, where are ya?”

“Sir,” the lady at the front desk interrupted. “I’m going to have to ask you to lower your voice—“

“Wayne!” Eddie perked up from the desk chair he was sitting at in the station, running around desks before jumping straight in his uncle's arms. Wayne held onto him just as tight, and he could’ve sworn he heard a sniffle or two come from the man.

“I was so worried, Eds,” Wayne whispered. “I tried lookin’ for ya, I swear I did, just—If I’d known he’d taken ya to another state I wouldn’t’ve stopped ‘til I searched the whole damn country.”

“I know, Wayne,” Eddie muttered. “I missed you too.”

As much as Eddie tried, he couldn’t put up that mask of indifference around his uncle. He could try, sure, but it never worked longer than five seconds before he saw right through it and it crumbled at Eddie’s feet.

“Let’s get you home, son,” Wayne insisted and before he knew it, Eddie was asleep in the passenger seat of the truck as they took the highway home.

Since then, Eddie and Wayne had become inseparable. There were no secrets between them, no masks. They weren’t needed, not when Wayne was more than good to him. They weren’t wanted, either, since Wayne made sure to remind him that showing emotions wasn’t a bad thing. That it was good, healthy.

It wasn’t until much later in middle school when he learned that having a mask was necessary sometimes. Especially when people started calling him a freak and a weirdo because he wasn’t identical to everyone else. Because he lived in a trailer with someone that wasn’t his biological parent and wore hand-me-down clothes that were baggy on him since his growth spurt hadn’t hit yet. He donned the air of indifference he had left behind long ago, letting the names and rumors bounce off his skin like water off an umbrella.

That need intensified when high school hit and the rumor mill grew exponentially. Suddenly, he was bombarded with accusations of Satanism, prison time, drug dealing—though that one was true—pet raccoons, and, at one point, an army of undead babies he sucked the life out of that he could command at will. Really, the shit people came up with was astounding, and Eddie learned to shove it all away. None of it was true—save for a couple things he would never, in a million years, tell another soul at Hawkins High—so he made sure to act like it was true. Let people believe what they want to believe. In the meantime, Eddie used it to his advantage to prevent anyone from getting too close. From looking past the barrier he put up between himself and everyone else.

So yeah, Eddie knows a little bit about where Mike’s coming from.

“Actually…” Robin starts. “Steve’s not doing so great—“

“What?!” Dustin squawks out, cutting Robin off and all but jumping up from his seated position. “Why the hell did you not start this whole damn thing with that?!”

“We were getting there, Henderson!” Eddie clarifies. “Now sit your ass down.”

Dustin—for once—does as he’s told. Eddie looks to Robin and gives her a nod, letting her have the floor.

“Steve’s got it in his head that he’s the only one allowed to sacrifice himself for us, that he’s only needed or wanted when he can put himself in the line of fire. So, like the caring dumbass he is, he’s been wandering around Hawkins at night because he’s worried that something will happen.”

“But I closed all of the gates,” El starts, head cocked and eyebrows scrunched like a confused puppy. “We are in no more danger.”

“I think part of him knows that, Supergirl,” Eddie explains. “But he needs to know for certain, to make sure you guys are absolutely safe.”

She nods, and sadness finds its way to her eyes. Eddie feels a pang of sympathy for her, knowing that learning how to live all over again is never easy.

“He’s not been sleeping much,” Robin continues. “It’s like he’s barely there anymore. Like he’s just… a shell.

“He thinks you all hate him. He thinks he deserves this for all the shit he did in the past, even though we all know he’s more than made up for it by becoming a decent fucking human being,” she spits out. There’s anger in her eyes now as she glares at a stain on the carpet, unwilling to look at the kids but needing to get her point across. “He broke down in my arms because this is the fifth fucking time the people he’s loved has left him and I think… I think this time broke him.”

She raises her head and looks over the kids, tears balanced on her lower eyelashes and threatening to spill over.

“You’re his family, the family he got to choose, and you still… you left. Just like everyone else has.”

The room fills with silence as the words sink in.

“How… How do we fix it?” Will asks, his quiet voice now loud. Eddie sighs and rakes a hand through his hair—a motion that keeps reminding him of Steve—before shoving his hands in his pockets.

“I know part of it is my fault, I admit that. I shouldn’t have just stopped talking to him all of the sudden, I should’ve… well, there’s a lot of things I should have done but I didn’t, so I plan on fixing that,” Eddie admits. He looks around the room, makes as much eye contact as he can to drive his point home. “You should too. A simple ‘I’m sorry’ isn’t going to cut it, not this time. Not for this.”

The kids all nod, and Eddie gestures to the door to dismiss them. They all look like kicked puppies with slouching posture and ducked heads, walking out of the trailer with their tails between their legs. Dustin and Mike are the first to hop on their bikes, ready to either apologize and get it over with or get as far away from his and Robin’s disappointed glares as possible. Before they can push off, Eddie calls out to them.

“Hey! Give it a couple days,” Eddie orders. “Steve… He’s going to need some time. Go to him when he’s ready, okay?”

He’s met with various nods and ‘will do’s as some of them take off, their knobbly knees hitting the handlebars of their too-small bikes. Then, he notices a particular brunette has yet to leave, her bike with little white training wheels still standing in the grass. Her big brown eyes lock with his and, even though there's a porch between them, he can feel the seriousness in her gaze.

“I miss him. He was always very nice to me,” El confesses. “He always gave me piggyback rides.”

Her face falls a little. “I did not know we were being mean to him.”

Eddie finds himself softening a little at her words.

“I know, Supergirl,” he winks at her. “That’s why you’re my favorite.” 

She giggles in response and hops on her bike, meeting up with Max who stopped to wait for her a few yards away. 

Eddie closes the door, falling against it with a thud. He groans, the sound bouncing off the thin door and out in the empty trailer. He turns to go to his room, preferably to wallow, before nearly jumping clean out of his skin. 

Well, he thought the trailer was empty, except there now stands one Robin Buckley who has resumed her unimpressed, hands-on-her-hips, "you're a fucking dumbass" position from earlier. 

"Jesus H. Christ!" He exclaims. A hand comes up to grab at his heart which is actively trying to beat out of his chest as his lungs grapple for air. "Birdie, I forgot you were there."

"Yeah," she deadpans. "Clearly." 

Eddie straightens up, and quirks an eyebrow at her rather over dramatically. Robin rolls her eyes.

"Well?"

"It's a deep subject," Eddie sarcastically responds. Robin, unfortunately, doesn't find that funny. "'Well' what?"

"Go apologize!" She yells. 

“Okay, okay, geez!”

Eddie pats himself down, looking for the keys to his van before Robin clears her throat. He looks over at her to see an unamused quirk of her eyebrow before she points to the hook by the door where his keys hang. 

“Thanks, Buck!” he exclaims, pressing his hands together in prayer to the saint she is. Grabbing them, he throws the door open and clears the steps in one jump, stumbling a bit on the landing but really, he’s quite proud of this rare athletic appearance. 

Jumping in his van, he slams a random tape in the deck, grinning a little at the song that plays first. Despite his obvious avoidance of the second track, the Master of Puppets album still holds a very special place in his heart. So it's really not a surprise that the song that just so happens to play first reminds him of the very man he’s going to see, sacrificial tendencies and all. 

He slams on the gas, tires squealing as he peels out of Forest Hills trailer park faster than he ever has before. 

He’s not running away this time; not running from a small cheerleader’s body trapped on his ceiling, not running from angry town hicks with their fiery pitchforks, and not running from a creepy interdimensional demon who enjoys sucking the life out of depressed teenagers. 

No, this time, he’s running to something. Running to Steve. 

He just hopes Steve will let him.

———

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[nburkhardt]

Saw this post and couldn’t get it out of my mind :)

His tattoos don’t even cross his mind when he takes his sweater off, too focused on knowing that he’s the only one that could handle swimming to check for a gate. Hoping that for once Dustin’s wrong.

It’s not until Nancy’s using her shirt to wrap around his middle that he remembers, “fuck, did they eat the sunflower?”

All three of them stare at him and in that moment he also remembers, no one knows about his tattoos. The only other person that knows about any of them is the artist who did them and he’s all the way in Indianapolis, probably working on a new design for him.

“Where’s the sunflower?” Eddie breaks him out of his thoughts, “because it seems like those bats just went to town on you. And you have some serious road rash on your back”

He doesn’t have to move far, the sunflower is or maybe was on his left side on the ribcage, fallen petals going down towards his hips. Pointing towards it, he watches as Eddie looks and his eyes wander across his chest. There’s a broken crown sitting on his collarbone, hopefully at least.

“Uh, well, the sunflower has some damage, sorry to say, though that crown is fine. Any, uh any other tattoos?” Eddie tells him and there’s something in his voice that he can’t quite place.

He nods and turns around, there should be an image of the nail bat on his shoulder blade with the lyrics from Mad World, “the dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had” wrapped around it.

It’s probably not the best time to worry about the tattoos and should probably worry about the fact that they’re stuck in the upside down but his brain can’t stop focusing on the things that kept him from freaking out for the last three years.

“Woah! That’s metal as all hell, some of the words got a little scraped. But still there”

Eddie’s voice brings him back to the moment and he’s thankful the nail bat is still there. He sees Robin and Nancy talking and then before he knows it, pulling him and Eddie along to who knows where. His focus on the tattoos fade away and in place is just pain from his whole body.

Once they reach top-side again, his tattoos aren’t on his mind. The pain from the bites and road rash is the only thing he’s processing. Not processing that the kids are staring at him both in worry and curiosity because they didn’t know about the tattoos and the sunflower is peaking out from under the makeshift bandage and the broken crown is on display.

Thankfully Nancy gets everyone moving. He gets cleaned up and bandaged with actual bandages. They plan, steal a Winnebago, buy weapons and before Steve knows it, they’re back in the upside down and he’s telling Eddie and Dustin to not be stupid.

After it’s officially over, they’re in the hospital for several reasons. Max’s broken legs and arms, Dustin’s ankle, Eddie’s bites and Steve’s own bites. But it’s over and everyone is safe, that’s all Steve cares about really.

He gets cornered by Robin, and it’s not really cornered since he’s stuck in a hospital bed already. “Ok Dingus, now you’ll be explaining how the hell you managed to keep this a secret from me!”

Shrugging, because he doesn’t know exactly how to explain this. Especially since his brain is feeling like mush with the drugs they have him on. “I like tattoos” is all he says and then promptly falls asleep. He has good reason for it, there’s plenty of time to talk when he’s not high on pain meds.

~

I’m gonna leave it there because I’m lost on how to continue right now. I’ll definitely come back to it to do a part two of the actual conversations and why, how & when Steve got the tattoos. Here’s a better understanding of what they are tho:

Sunflower with fallen petals on his ribcage, the only one with color (his favorite) A broken crown on his collarbone (represents fallen King Steve, this was the first tattoo) The nail bat with lyrics from Mad World on his shoulder blade, “the dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had” wrapping around it. Not mentioned because it hasn’t happened yet in the fic, he has a d20 (for Dustin) tattoo planned and a copy of one of Robin’s doodles from her shoes. (He’s a sentimental guy? Okay?!)

@i-less-than-three-you @artiststarme @imfinereallyy (hopefully you don’t mind I used your idea, I couldn’t get the post outta my head)

[yokiidokii]

How would the gang react to a reader who constantly says sorry ? like for every stupid thing at the end of a sentence due to being Bullied majority of their life . So now I their adulthood it’s just kinda automatic “oop I’m sorry” even when it’s not necessary

My smile is immeasurable- I do this so often you have no idea. I have absolutely been worried about not knowing if I was gonna do the request just right. This is not one of those times. I did have a surprising amount of trouble with it though? Despite it being something I myself do constantly lmao, ah well I hope I did it justice!

Also hi! I was in college so this is so very late and I’m so sorry about that <3 My prof mentally threw me around like a rag doll and I came out with my brain fried.

Warnings: I don't think any? Maybe some general allusions to anxiety just because of the prompt itself? Andre mentions weed but uh- nothing else! Relatively safe<3

Reagan

I feel like she understands, I could see her thinking of it more in a like, a logical sense? Not like she doesn’t understand the more emotional side of it- she’s got her own issues. But in the like “Oh, usually when people do this it means they are scared of what people think and don’t like conflict. I’ll keep that in mind.”

She gets it, and I want to be absolutely clear- I cannot see her being one of those people saying “It’s fine.” Because like, for her it doesn’t feel like it ever really is? But she will be the person to help you feel like, it’s okay that you said it but know that you do not have to. You didn’t do anything wrong.

If you want to tell her the reason why you do this, apologizing and explaining she will feel for you. I mean we’ve seen her school experience, we had one friend and a buncha kids who were way older than you and treated her like shit. Also her father, very much her father.

She won't ever press you or act like you aren't trying harder to get better but she'll make sure in her own way that you know it's all gonna be okay one day.

One day you won't have to think about the past and everything will be okay <3

-

Andre

Andre may or may not have told you about his experiences with his family and how they really affected him.

You have probably also- at least once maybe seen him without drugs and how that can make him.

Long story short he is in no position to judge even if he for some reason wanted to.

Would offer you some weed

He means well and will not pressure you if you say no, though he will totally ask “Are you suuuureee?” because he cannot stress enough the wonders of medical marijuana

Whether or not you take it is up to you, but he will absolutely let you chill either in his office if you're at work or at his house- would come to your house to make sure your comfy if you need it<3

He is a loving man with lots of his own experience in this kind of regard and he will help you no matter what!

He is more than the drug guy though please literally let him be known for more than that he deserves it so any tips he's used to help himself out he will give to you.

A very caring man with his own issues and lots of advice and love to give if you'll have it~

-

Brett

Oh honey, this man? This man understands.

Brett will apologize after you do because both of you think that is is somehow both of your faults.

Though he will undoubtedly let you know in every way he possibly can that it is not your fault in any way and that he loves you.

He would absolutely mention therapy- it helps him! It might help you?

He would absolutely be holding your hand anyway and if you do apologize while it happens, he’ll squeeze it in his own and shoot you a quick “No need to be!” before continuing the conversation. He doesn’t wanna spend the whole time acknowledging it just in case putting too much attention on it in the open would embarrass you or make you feel worse.

But he will be there for you, and he will be listing off things that he’s learned to help him when he can’t stop doing it either.

-

Myc

I can see Myc start by just being a little bit sarcastic. Like he isn’t entirely sure why you do it just yet, but he doesn’t want you to be saying it and thinking that you did something wrong.

He gives those like “Oh yeah? You’re sorry?” and you know that if he had actual eyes, he would be giving you a look of ‘You really wanna do this rn?’.

And he will probably continue to do so even after he knows why.

He isn’t going to treat you differently per se, at least- he acts like he isn’t going to…

But you feel the tentacle that was already wormed around your waist squeeze just a little tighter before you end your sentence to remind you that you didn’t do anything, and you don’t need to apologize. 

I mean he gets it, he got bullied. He ended with a different outcome for himself, but he still understands. It sucks, and even if you don’t want to think about it or you don’t want to constantly feel like life is repeating itself over and over again but sometimes it’s just going to feel that way even if it isn’t.

Though Myc will be there to help you understand and work through all the woes of getting to inside your own head.

-

Gigi

She would raise her brow at it at first.

Hit you with that “Honey you didn’t do anything wrong.” and make sure you know that it’s all okay.

Is teaching you how she ignores her haters constantly, if you say anything about it not being on the same level and you start apologizing again, she is going to lovingly slap you in the face with her words (She would not lay a hand on you ever-)

Comparing yourself gets a “tsk tsk” from her and a long list of all the parts about you she thinks are beyond stellar.

Gigi would be very honest -like the most honest maybe- about whether or not you actually have anything to be sorry about. 

If you do, she’ll accept your apology but try to figure out a way to do it in a way that won’t encourage you to do it when you don’t actually have to.

And when you don’t, she places a hand on her hip and gives you a look, eyebrow raised just lightly in a ‘really?’ sorry of fashion.

She’s not questioning it; she knows it happened. But she’s asking if you really wanna do it, you know that she will no doubt spend her time talking your ear off about not doing this again.

She does it with the upmost amount of love I promise- but like,,

Do you dare question her? I wouldn't

-

Glenn

Okay. I don’t want to say Glenn doesn’t get it at first, but out of all of the people in the gang it feels right to say he might take the longest to adjust and learn how to handle it.

But just because he might not get it at first doesn’t mean he’s rude!!

It’s more of a “What? Why are you saying you're sorry? You didn’t do anything?” Kinda confused-

He’s a confused ol man, forgive him.

Though, he would understand the bullying thing like 100%

He’s no stranger to rude comments or being talked to as if he has no feelings, typical bully behavior even if he wouldn’t talk about it or call them bullies, just,,, assholes?

That and the feelings that come from thinking about those comments is something he understands, and something that he can try and a headspace he will gladly try to help you out of.

[slashingdisneypasta]

MultiVillains x Reader || Reactions

Topic: You move into an apartment in a dodgy neighbourhood.

Characters Included: (Rarin'-to-Fuck) Buck, Dr Peter Andover, Erik Destler, Freddy Krueger, Bonus!Jason Voorhees, Ian Essko, Bonus!Madame Blavatski, Inkubus, Jim Bickerman, Bonus!Reba, Doom Room's MC, Minister Kratski, Stuart Lloyd, Wayne Jackson, Bonus!Norman Tyrus and Bonus!Dale Acton.

Tagging: @ghouletka , @grav3yardgirl , @marinerainbow , @masqueradeball , @thecourtofgraywaves , @yesthetrashbin and @your-mxnd-is-mxne .

Rarin'-To-Fuck Buck: *Stays right by the window where he can see his car so it doesn't get stolen* "Uh... nice place... " (You: Thank you! I was so jazzed to find it on the market!, it has a dishwasher and everythin- ) "I was kidding Y/N this place is a fucken dump. Lets go- "

Dr Peter Andover: "... no." (You: What. But- ) "We have rooms at the clinic, you can stay there." (You: I cant live at the clinic- ) "Ohhh yes you can."

Erik Destler: "Oh, this is near to the brothel I used to- Ehem. I mean, Y/N this is a very nice, uh... home... you found, here... " || He wants to sweep you away but also he doesn't want you questioning him on that first bit XD So I guess he's just gonna have to stalk you all the time ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ With love. For your safety.

Freddy Krueger: "You couldn't find an actual house?? Oh, and wouldja look at that! Guys with guns. *Waiving out the window* Hey fellas- " (You: Newsflash Fred its not the 60's anymore old man and you cant just b u y a h o u s e !! And put your hand down- )

Jason Voorhees: *Nope. No- Jason will not let you stay here XD He takes one look around, picks you up, and leaves.*

Ian Essko: "What filthy-fucking-hell... Oh! Wait wait wait- " (You: Don't you dare take out that black light Ian.) "What? Afraid of what you'll find in this house of horror!??"

Madame Blavatski: "Oh- this is nice. Lovely. I lived in a home just like this in my stripping days in Russia! Very lovely, very good. And you have drug dealers just two doors down, which is convenient. I already visited, they're very nice boys, and I bought you welcome-to-area 'blow'- da? They even gave discount!" *head pats*

Inkubus: *He's very calm, listening to you talk about it and show him all around, until the very end* "Y/N, love, may I ask something of you right now?" (You: Oh- sure? ^^) "Wonderful. Uh, don't be here between eleven and 3 tomorrow." (You: Why?- ) "Mmm, no particular reason... do you think these beams are good and flammable?" || If it is not clear- the man is going to burn your apartment building down so you don't live here, anymore.

Jim Bickerman: *He's been walking around peering out the windows shaking his head. When he finally looks at you waiting for his thoughts, he flashes a big smile.* "We're going gun shopping." (You: Oh no we are NOT- )

Reba: (You: So! ^^ What do you think?) "... well I noticed the police station a block away, I liked that feature."

The Doom Room's MC: "Well its better then my place, at least."

Minister Kratski: *not getting outta the limo*

Stuart Lloyd: "Y/N I saw some hooligans just down the street with switchblades. I don't think this area is safe." (You: Oh don't worry, I have a plan! ^^) "*Genuinely relieved* oh, great. Wh- what is it?" (You: I got these really big ass boots from the charity store- and I'm going to keep them just outside my door so everyone walking by thinks a lumberjack lives here!) "... ... Y/N- "

Wayne Jackson: *He's very quiet. Just wandering in and out of rooms, lookin' around* (You: ... Wayne, is everything okay?) "... preeetty sure I lived here in the 70's. Cant be sure, though." (You: Oh- ) *Pulls an open door away from a wall* "Ah! I did! Heheh, I made that w in bullet holes."

Norman Tyrus: "... no." (You: Norman- ) "Nope." (You: Not another place, Norman- ) "You're moving. You're not staying here." (You: I'm gonna stop showing you my new places.) "How about ya just find a place that doesn't have bullet holes in the front fucken door?" Dale Acton: "OH!!! I know those guys upstairs, I used to buy coke from them a couple years back! Until a deal fell through at least... hey, don't tell 'em you're with me. You'll be fine. We probably shouldn't be seen together, though, so uh... bye babe- "

[princess-of-the-corner]

QuirkSwap Soulmate AU

2 major thoughts, device being weird, so submission to be safe (all ideas may be altered to fit, or discarded):

1) My idea with Himiko, was like. In this, she is a year older. She should already have swapped with Hagakure and Sato. However, her parents have had her on Bond Blockers basically since her Quirk CAME IN. In addition to forcing her to suppress her Quirk, essentially starving her, they also are terrified she’ll meet her Soulmate, Quirk Swapping them, and letting everyone know about their “demon child”, so they put her on Bond Blockers. Himiko doesn’t know that’s what they are, of course. She actually thinks it’s “medicine” to help control her “deviant tendencies”. Or, alternately, to help with whatever “condition” she has (ie, BEING STARVED). Himiko basically takes the Bond Blockers until she flees her home, at which point she stops because a) she doesnt have easy access, but also b) she doesn’t actually know what the medication is CALLED, so even if she had access, she wouldn’t know what to look for. Also, as far Himiko is concerned? She doesn’t have a Soulmate. At all. Her 16th birthday came and went (her parents upped her dose that day, just in case) and no swap happened, so …

Now, I headcanon that part of the reason Bond Blockers are seen as so … is insidious the word? It’s probably not, but anyway. Part of the reason it’s seen as a “dangerous” drug, is that if you take it “recklessly”, it can seriously fuck you up. It is possible to “OD” on Bond Blockers - you won’t necessarily die, but it can really screw with your head, like the world’s worst drug trip, even make you physically ill. If you take the meds while you have an active Soulbond, it feels like submerging a part of you in a flash-freeze, it is actively PAINFUL. Which, is probably ironic, cause I see the function of Bond Blockers as “numbing agents”. They are meant to “numb” the bond, so you can’t feel it, hence their use for people with broken or severed bonds. But you have to be careful, cause the wrong dose, or the wrong kind can REALLY hurt somebody.

And one of the big things is you DO NOT give Bond Blockers to someone UNLESS THEY HAVE AN ESTABLISHED BOND TO BLOCK. If The bond is already in place, said bond is usually stronger than the meds. The moment you stop taking them, it snaps right back into place. But if the bond hasn’t quite “formed” yet? The Bond Blockers “numb” the part of you that SHOULD form the bond, making it anywhere from hard to impossible to actually FORM said bond in the first place. You are essentially crippling someone if you do this. I’d see it as a LAW that you cannot give out Bond Blockers to anyone under the age of 16, under threat of outrageous fines, and maybe almost 10-20 years in prison. The only exceptions are medical emergencies, and you’d better hope to hell you can prove your patient has an established Soul Bond that would have caused problems if you hadn’t given them the blockers. If you can’t, whatever happened had better have been life-threatening, and even then, it might not save you from legal, social, and financial ruin.

There’s probably a study, or famous in-universe story, about a kid who got put on Bond Blockers, and even after he went off them, his Soul Bond never kicked in. Like, he was thirty with no bonds. It had a serious psychological effect on him, (similar to how Himiko being starved makes her a little … uh, murdery?) and maybe even gave him long-term health problems. It affected the Soulmate too - his Soulmate was younger, that guy thought he didn’t HAVE a Soulmate, until these two met in person, but even the First Meeting didn’t actually awaken the Bond. The two had to physically TOUCH each other (they shook hands) for the Bond to snap into place. So, even after Himiko stops taking the Blockers, she doesn’t swap with Haga, or Sato (who can probably vaguely feel SOMETHING from Himiko, but like. Nothing actually HELPFUL). Then, during the training camp, Himiko fights Haga or Sato at some point, and physical contact kicks their bond into gear - maybe even drags the other person in too, like, chain reaction, if she doesn’t encounter them both.

I’d imagine, in addition to about 48 hours of NOT feeling like she’s been starved and left on a deserted island, the Bond also is a massive (no better phrase currently) mental boost. Like. Have you ever taken a medication that gives you something you are currently lacking, and man, you feel awesome!? Himiko is having that. For the first time in her life, she isn’t starving, and whatever part of her brain is wired for the Soulmate stuff is getting the right “nutrients” or whatever. Or Like. Chronic pain, suddenly not having it? She’s having that kind of high.

(other thought, if we go with this, and Kurogiri and Tomura are on Bond Blockers. Kurogiri already had bonds, and he’s been through A LOT, so while said Bonds need a bit to recover, they do slowly snap back into place on their own. Tomura stops taking them … and nothing happens, cause I imagine AfO was making him take these as a kiddo, so he’s having the same problem Himiko did, only Tomura has a lot of, like, justified feelings about physical touch. My thoughts are either he bumps into Spinner, and suddenly has scales and a tail, or Momo or Hana, or someone else grabs hold of him to pull him to safety, immediate swap.)

2) I like to imagine Dabi and the rest “jumping ship” isn’t exactly a smooth process. Like, “we desperately need a hospital, or us leaving was pointless cause we’ll all be dead” kind of not-smooth. So I just have the image of Dabi rolling up his house with his very beaten, bloody friends behind him, like. “Heeeeey Fuyumi, you remember when we were like, 8, and we promised we’d help each other if we had to evade the law?” And now the entire Ex-League of Villains is just hiding out at the Todoroki house. Enji and Rei would probably have more problems with this, except, ya know, turns out their son isn’t dead, and part of the reason he isn’t dead is bleeding out on their couch, so. Guess the family just got bigger.

Thoughts on the LoV’s Soulmates:

- Still a big fan of Magne/Jin, so I’m pulling for these two. They meet at the LoV, like officially meet their Soulmate, think this might be a good sign (which … debatable??). Also, I know Magne’s in-universe name is still her birth name, cause she hasn’t really been able to start her physical transition (which, again, anytime I think of her leaving the AfO Employ, that’s the first thing I see her doing), but I was thinking - do you think she just straight up changes her name to Magne? Or is that kept as an alias, and she goes with … idk, Kimika? Jun? Megumi?

-other Jin thought, that info-broker guy? Giran, I think? I’d see him and Jin as possible platonic Soulmates. Like, in canon, Giran (who seems to be aloof and strictly business with everyone) treats Jin like a friend, regularly checking up on him, going out of his way to help the guy out. He even apparently shelled out the cash and resources for Jin’s costume, and outright REFUSED any kind of repayment, which seems wildly out of character for him. And later, when he gets nabbed, Jin’s the first one pushing for them to save Giran - not because he has loads of info on them, which Tomura’s concerned about, but because “[he’s] my best friend!”. And there isn’t even his usual double line right after, saying the opposite. I don’t know how he’d survive the eventual League of Villains possibly becoming the League of Vigilantes or whatever, but I can definitely see a bond there.

-Kurogiri/Oboro, of course, has Aizawa and Mic, I see his bonds kind of … no better phrasing, fading in and out like a bad radio frequency, at least until he either regains more of his memories, or meets the two in person.

-Also a big fan of Spinner/Tomura. Mimi and I dubbed them the GamerGecko ship, and I adore these two awkward losers. If yes, then Spinner is probably feeling BIZARRE around Tomura at first, cause. Tomura’s still taking the blockers, but also, they are like. Right next to each other on the regular, their bond is TRYING, DAMMIT, WILL YOU TWO JUST BUMP SHOULDERS OR SOMETHING-!

-Mr. Compress … hear me out, but I kind of like the idea that Compress just … doesn’t have a Soulmate? Like, either he did, but they died before he ever met them, or (the one I’m thinking of) he simply never had that kind of bond AT ALL, but like. He’s fine, ya know? Ok, I realize he’s a criminal, but I mean. He isn’t super torn up about it. He doesn’t feel “incomplete” or “like half a person” or any of the other ways people describe not having a Soulmate. And it isn’t even “if he DID have one, he’d realize what he’s missing”, it’s more “if you managed to give Compress a Soulmate, he’d be ‘what the hell is this??’ about it”. Like, he’d adjust, but it would be HELLA WEIRD for him, and he would be real uncomfortable until he got used to it, which would take a WHILE. And I’m not even billing him as AroAce, I kind of see Compress as, like, the token cis, straight guy of the group? Like, Soulmate or no, he has romantic relationships. I can even see him settling down and getting married, having kids. He just doesn’t particularly need (or want) a Soulmate for any of this. As Mimi put it, if you swapped the Soulmate AU with CC, only Compress would be exactly the same. Any of this make sense?

(thoughts, feeling, opinions?)

-

OKAY SO

1.) My thoughts on Himiko:

I think I vote for the idea of her being on them but not knowing that’s what they are. Just her parents put them in her daily vitamins and such. And then she’s off them when she runs away. I do want to keep her age being dropped like in CC because it doesn’t change much except when the Soulbond kicks in. Because it’s either first meeting or when the youngest turns 16. So their first meeting would be during the Forest Training Camp Arc, which is after Hagakure and Sato turn 16. So she would’ve gone in knowing at least one of her Soulmates is invisible rather than dealing with it mid-fight.

Anyway!

Re: Saito! With Himiko not knowing she’s on the blockers, she gets a crush on Saito and because he’s either Quirkless or doesn’t have a flashy Quirk she /thinks/ that the instant obsessive crush she gets means that he’s her Soulmate because she’s a bit of a romantic like that. She does find out he’s not, but she still likes him and he likes her but yadda yadda blood frenzy and she nearly kills him and then runs away.

Himiko stops taking the meds after she runs away, but it’s not until the LoV and the discussion with Shigaraki and the same ‘idk what you’re talking about these are totally just normal vitamins’ conversation happens and she realizes what her parents were doing to her and laments the fact that she may have missed her Soulmate.

1.5.) As for the blockers! I wouldn’t say they’re seen as ‘insidious’, but because of both cultural stuff surrounding Soulmates and the fact that there’s evidence that unless the Soulmate is actively causing distress it is healthier to be with the Soulmate in some capacity. The meds themselves are less ‘insidious’ as much as there’s an instant ‘oh you’ve been through some shit’ if you see someone taking them. 

Officially, the blockers are untested on people who have yet to trigger the bond. Because of the age trigger, they really can’t get mass-experiment in people 15 and under. There��s definitely been some people who never triggered the Bond on them, but those are usually adults who /should/ have triggered the Bond.Though also yes like any medication it can be abused and overdosed on. Which is why it’s only prescribed by licensed professionals!

Now, because of the previously mentioned lack of study on it, there’s no real protocol. But they have noticed that the only time the blockers stop working is on the initial First Swap when the Bond kicks in. They still can’t feel the Bond, but it’s now active and forces the Swap. So in the case of the Shigaraki-Momo Bond, they did swap that first 24 hours! Only Momo noticed because Decay is easy to accidentally activate. But she couldn’t pull on the Bond because the blocking meds effect both parties in that regard.

But again there’s little study on it because people are only supposed to be on the meds after the Bond is active. It’s really only cases where like ‘A and B already bonded, A went on the meds, then sometime later awakens a Bond with C’, which is always rare.

So on the three being on the meds and then recovering….. I think their dosages are probably normal despite them being gotten illegally. Kurogiri and Shigaraki’s meds are through Dr. Garaki who might be committing so much medical malpractice but his other identities are licensed to prescribe them so he knows the dosages that would be okay. Himiko’s parents are getting them in a similar way: bribing doctors who know what they’re doing rather than buying them from back alleys and guessing at dosage.

Kurogiri is pretty fine. Once the meds are out of his system, the bond is back in full swing. Pretty much no issues.

Himiko has some issues but not a lot. She’s been off the meds long enough to get them out of her system by the time she runs into her Soulmates. Her end of the bond is a bit quieter and lethargic, but that’s one of the reasons the group shoves her at her Soulmates. Close proximity helps healing.

Shigaraki has like. A Lot. Because he’s still numbed out when the Bond first activates and doesn’t notice it. Then a few months later he gets off the meds and deals with the withdrawl symptoms and such. But the Bond is very quiet on his end. It’s hard for him to grasp because it’s so foreign to him and even quieter than Himiko’s is. And he can’t fix it by proximity. Especially as he has no idea who his Soulmate is or what their Quirk does or how to find them.

2.) Oh yeah there’s some difficulty in jumping ship! In part because they’re a little on the run and also they’re trying to get away from AfO’s influence because he’s not gonna like that and he’s ESPECIALLY not gonna like Shigaraki getting away. Like fuck everyone else that’s the one he’s hunting down to drag back.

re: lodgings…. I have this headcanon that I actually used for CC where Enji has a handful of safehouses planned out and used for Hero Work things. Toya knows where most of them are and how to tell if they’re in use so he just shoves the LoV members in one of those for a bit.

As for coming home that’s a wild ride because like. How many people know Toya’s alive. Because

Hawks finds out when the Soulbond re-activates after Toya wakes up from the coma and they end up swapping for a bit. Hawks told Endeavor because…. honestly he was kinda freaking out and doesn’t have many people he can go to for that sort of thing.

Enji…. didn’t really. Didn’t tell the rest of the family. Because he knows that clearly something is going on ofc. But he doesn’t know what and clearly Toya is still in danger and… if he tells them that Toya is alive only for them to lose him again……

So like. I still have Shoto get kidnapped with Katsuki in CC because AfO thinks yoinking Toya turned out great! (Himiko is already there so no need to yoink her but I might yoink Shinso? Both in general but also for this). And Dabi thinks that Shoto knows because he reuinited with Hawks who admitted that Enji knows but Shoto is like ‘hey what the FUCK????’ when Dabi shows up to let them escape (another reason he’s jumping ship from the League).

So ofc Shoto called Enji out on that when he got home and now Rei, Fuyumi and Natsuo know too but they’ve had like a day before Dabi shows up with Himiko under his arm and is like ‘hey you might notice a safehouse active that’s totally fine ignore that’.

3.) LoV Soulmates!!

Okay yes Magne/Jin! They’re having fun because they’ve had the Soulbond active for years but never ran across their Soulmate until now and are very much riding a honeymoon phase about it.

Kurogiri is having his weirdness in like. Because of the blockers he assumed his Soulmate must be dead as he didn’t feel them. Once he stops the blockers the bond clicks back but it’s. It’s like a lot of things with his other Amnesia qualities. There’s plenty of muscle memory but not a lot of active memory so some things he does on reflex and it feels so familiar but also he has no idea what he’s doing.

I am 100% here for the GamerGecko but I’m also here for 1.) Soulbonds that are platonic and 2.) romances that aren’t Soulmates. So we have the Tomura-Momo Soulbond and idk who Spinner’s is yet but it’s also something platonic but then the gamergecko ship still sails.

Honestly while I can NOT see Mr. Compress as straight, I do agree that I can’t see a Soulmate with him so yeah I’m rolling with him not having one due to them dying before the Bond triggered. But also yeah while there’s people who feel absolutely devestated by the loss or feel like they’re missing out, there’s also plenty of people who cope really well and feel fine! He’s never even considered the blocking meds he just kinda rolls with whatever. Maybe when he was youger he felt more out of place about it, but mostly he’s just fine.

[asirensrage]

Saudade - Chapter 4

Rating: Explicit Pairing: Mikey x OC, Hanma x OC, Ran x OC, Mikey x OC x Draken Fandom: Tokyo Revengers Warnings: swearing, violence, threats of violence, murder, smoking, sex, consensual sex between teenagers, alcohol, recreational drug use, mention of trafficking, torture, family neglect, mentions of sexual violence. isekai OC. memory loss. unbeta’d **warnings are not exhaustive**Summary: No one seems to realize she doesn’t belong until she finally runs into her “new” brother, Hanagaki Takemichi. Now, hearing his story, Takara makes the choice to help him and hopefully find her way home, but faking it til you make it only lasts so long when you start losing the memories of the life you had before. As Takemichi becomes the only family she’s ever known, how far will she go to protect him?

notes: this is the first time we see the future after Takara's arrival... I loved writing this whole chapter and I hope you enjoy reading it. Please tell me all your thoughts (especially theories on how we got to this future).

also on ao3

fic masterlist -prev chapter

“What are you wearing?” 

She glances over at Akkun who stares at Takemichi like he’s embarrassing to be near. “He’s got a point.”

“What?” Takemichi looks at her in shock. “What do you know? You don’t even have a fashion sense!”

Her mouth drops open. “Well, excuse me for wearing what’s comfortable!” 

“Comfortable? You stole that from our dad!”

“It’s a good shirt!” The shirt in question was a large button-down that she was wearing with leggings. She was sitting at the table, doing her homework for the week as Akkun came to pick up her brother. Apparently, they were going to visit Draken.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Takemichi asks for the third time. He’s been oddly insistent. He seemed guilty and reluctant to let her leave his sight since he discovered the bruise on her face. She figures it’s another item he’s trying to add to his list of things he thinks he’s responsible for. 

She waves him off. “They’re your friends, not mine.” 

“You don’t have any friends.” 

She fakes a gasp, holding a hand to her chest. “Aren’t you supposed to respect your elders?”

“Sure, when I see one.”

“I’m going to wipe that grin off your face. Come here!” She darts up and lunges toward him, determined to wreck his hairstyle. 

“No!” Takemichi runs from her, laughing hysterically as he tries to keep the table in between them. 

Akkun rolls his eyes. 

“I saw that!” She pointed at him. “You’ll be next.”

“I’ll be outside,” he tells Takemichi before running for it. Smart kid. 

Takemichi stops as soon as Akkun is gone and faces her. “Hey, I’ll uh…I’m going to go,” he tells her. “After I see Draken. I did what I wanted so the future should be good. Hina should be safe.” 

Takara pauses. “Oh. Right.” If she’s honest, she forgot about the whole time travelling thing. She forgot that the boy in front of her might change into someone she doesn’t recognize. She kind of hopes it doesn’t work. If he’s gone, then she’s going to be alone again. It’s only the him from the future who somehow knows who she is. 

“You sure you don’t want to come?” 

She presses her fingers together. An old nervous habit her mother drilled out of her when she was a kid. “It’s fine. You’ll see me in the future, right? Twelve years?”

“Yeah.” They both fall silent. “You should have more friends,” he finally says. “Who’s going to protect you when I’m…me?” He frowns at that, seemingly confused at the comparison.

“Who says I need someone to protect me?”

“You nearly got the shit kicked out of you a few days ago!” 

“They got one lucky shot. For three against one, that’s not bad.”

“Three?” His jaw drops and she instantly winces as she realizes what she said. “You said it was just one!”

“I may have…under-exaggerated.” 

“Takara!”

“What? It was fine. I’m fine.”

“This is why you need friends! To back you up with this!”

She rolls her eyes. “Will you stop worrying? We don’t even know if I’ll still be here when you go back to the future. Maybe I’ll just go home.”

He stops, staring at her as though the thought never crossed his mind. “Do you think you will?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugs. “Just look for me in the future. You’ll know then.” 

“Yeah, okay…” he nods, suddenly determined. “I’ll call you as soon as I get back.”

She smiles softly. “Okay. I’ll see you in the future.” He makes more promises, telling her to go make more friends or he’ll send Akkun and the others to drag her out of her seclusion before he finally leaves. Takara lets out a sigh. A couple more hours and she’ll find out if she’ll wake up back home. She looks at the work on the table before deciding to pack it up. There’s no point in doing it if she’s not around. 

🐈‍⬛

The future.

The first thing Takemichi does when he realizes he’s back working in that video store is check his phone. Naoto’s number isn’t there, but Takara’s is. He lets out a sigh of relief. Honestly, he wasn't sure if she’d be there, but he’s glad she is. Even though she’s a little crazy and anti-social, he finds he likes having her as his sister. Her presence was a huge relief once they got over how weird it was. He didn’t feel like he was completely alone to deal with everything. 

He dials her number. It rings twice before someone answers. 

“Hello?” A soft feminine voice says. 

“Takara?”

“Yeah? Takemichi, why are you calling?”

What? Do they not…why wouldn’t he call his sister? “It’s me. I just got back and wanted to see you.” 

“I’ll call you back.” She hangs up and Takemichi stares at his phone, totally confused. What just happened?

If he’s honest, he forgets about Takara in the wake of seeing Hinata alive and well. He gets lost in the reminder of what his relationship was like and the reveal that he apparently broke up with her. And then…then it all goes to shit. He runs into Hanma outside the bathroom and Akkun crashes into Hina, killing them both. Her death was slow in comparison to his friend’s and he’ll never forget that she used her last bit of energy to save him. 

🐈‍⬛

Takara finds him the day after Hina’s funeral. 

He doesn’t recognize her at first. She climbs out of an expensive car, wearing a sleek dress and heels. She’s fashionable for the first time he’s ever seen her. She stares at him for a long moment once she’s close before she sits down across from him. 

“I’m sorry,” she tells him softly. 

“What?”

“For Hina. I’m sorry I couldn’t–” she cuts herself off, looking away. 

“What happened to you?” He asks. He hasn’t known Takara for long but the woman sitting across from him is a stranger. 

“You’ve been gone a long time, Take. I’m sure this must be pretty fucked up for you.” There she was. 

“Yeah, it is. What–you were surprised that I called. Do we not talk anymore?”

She smiles but it looks sad. She takes a second to dig in her purse and he stares at her in surprise as he watches her pull out a cigarette and light it. “No,” she finally says once she’s taken a drag. “We’re not close.” 

“But you’re…you’re doing well?” 

She takes another inhale of the cigarette before ignoring the question completely. “I’m glad you’re still alive, Takemichi. I would have killed him otherwise.”

“What? Kill who?”

She tilts her head as she smiles at him. “Who do you think? The person who ordered your murder.” 

He stares at her. “What?”

“What are you going to do now?” she asks, tapping the ash off the cigarette. 

“Naoto and I are going to see Draken.”

Her gaze sharpens and she turns towards him. It’s the first real expression he’s seen on her this whole time. “You can get in to see him?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Let me come.”

“What?”

“Please, Take. Let me come with you.”

He frowns, totally confused. “To see Draken? You’re not even friends.”

She laughs slightly. “Things change in twelve years.”

“Okay, sure,” he nods. “I’ll call you when we’re going.” He’ll bring her, if only so he can spend more time with her and figure out what the hell is going on. 

“Thank you.” 

🐈‍⬛

Her heels clack with every step. 

She shouldn’t be here. Even with her brother at her side, she knows she’s being monitored and someone is going to be pissed that she’s here. She doesn’t know what will anger them more. The cop at her brother’s side or the fact she’s coming to see Draken. She needs to though. She hasn’t been allowed to see him since…since he was arrested. Since everything went to shit. 

Both the men motion for her to sit while they wait for Ryuguji to arrive. She sets her purse on the table before her and crosses her ankles while she waits. She knows she’s a stranger to her brother, but it’s fine. He’s been a stranger to her since the last time they spoke about his plans. 

Ken is ushered in by the guards and her heart leaps into her throat at the sight of him. How long has it been? God, he’s so close and yet so far. His eyes widen once he sees her and whatever he was going to say to her brother is lost as they both drink in the sight of each other. He looks well, but the shaved head doesn’t suit him and he shouldn’t be there. They shouldn’t be barred from each other by a plane of plastic glass. Her eyes burn with tears. 

“What are you doing here?” he demands, ignoring the men and focusing on her. “What the fuck are you doing, Takara?”

“I know, I’m sorry,” she carefully wipes under her eyes, trying to keep the tears from falling and ruining her makeup. “I just…Takemichi got permission to see you and I–I had to.”

He ignores her, looking at the men behind her. “What the fuck did you do? You gotta death wish and you have to drag her into it too?”

“She asked,” Naoto says calmly.

Draken looks at her brother. “They find out she’s here, that you brought her with a cop? You better fucking leave the country and take her with you. He probably already fucking knows. Shit!” 

“It’s fine,” she says, trying to placate him. “I can…I can handle him.”

“Him?” Takemichi asks. “Who?” 

Draken gives her an unimpressed look. “You shouldn’t have to fucking handle him, okay? You shouldn’t–we shouldn’t have gotten you fucking involved. In any of this. Should have left you to become a housewife or some shit.”

She snorts. “You think I’m housewife material?” The look he gives her says exactly what he’s not giving words to. “I just wanted to see you,” she adds softly. “It’s been…” She swallows the growing lump in her throat. “I had to see you before…” she cuts herself off. Before he’s finally executed. 

“I’m sorry to cut in,” Naoto says, “but we don’t have much time and Takemichi has questions.” Her brother is looking between her and Draken like he’s never seen them before. She knows the feeling. Even if the last thing he remembered wasn’t twelve years ago, they haven’t kept in touch. Not like they should have. He was free to go his own way and she…she found herself swept up in the current of the Tokyo Manji gang before she even knew what was happening. 

🐈‍⬛

She’s a distraction but she knows neither of them cares. Ken answers all of their questions, his eyes continuing to stray to her. It’s so good to see him and yet…it’s so fucking sad at the same time. She was in love with him once and she knows she still loves him, even if it’s not in the same way. Too much time has passed. Too many deeds between each other and she knows he’s never fully gotten over Emma. He never will. 

When Ken is ushered out, she blows him a kiss. It looks cruel but he pretends to grab it all the same and presses it against his chest. Her heart aches knowing that it’ll be the last time she sees him. 

“Thank you,” she says to Naoto again. 

“You’re welcome,” he nods. “You can repay me by coming to the station and telling me what you know of your husband.”

“Husband?” Takemichi interrupts. “You’re married?”

She smiles softly but keeps her eyes on Naoto. “I don’t know what you mean.” He doesn’t look impressed. “May I have a moment with my brother, please?”

Naoto nods again. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.” He walks away, leaving her with Takemichi.

“You’re married? To who?”

She stares at him for a long moment, trying to burn this expression into her memory. “Same man who tried to kill you,” she says. 

“Kisaki?”

She laughs at that. “God no. Hanma.”

Takemichi’s expression falls. “What? Why?”

She pulls out a cigarette, needing the nicotine if she’s going to get through this conversation. “I don’t have long, okay? So just listen.” She lights it and takes a slow inhale. She has as long as this lasts before she’ll have to leave. “Everything I’ve done has been to help you, okay?”

“How–”

“Stop,” she cuts him off. “Listen.” She waits until he falls silent and sees that determined expression on his face. “I knew someone wanted to kill you in the future, so I tried to make sure that didn’t happen. Obviously, I wasn’t completely successful, but I’ll deal with that. Hanma is just part of the means to the end.” That isn’t true. Hanma’s obsession with her just helped get her in place to know more than she should. “You weren’t involved in the Tokyo Manji gang, not really, but I know you. I know you’re going back. I know you’re going to try to fix this, okay? So listen. Make sure to tell my old self everything. Except the Hanma part. I don’t want to know about that and I’m smart enough to avoid it in the first place if I know the rest.” Takemichi didn’t look like he believed that but he didn’t interrupt. “You need to ask yourself this. Why is someone always trying to kill you?”

“Draken said it’s Kisaki’s obsession with Mikey.”

“You’re not that close to Mikey right now. We both know that. So why now? Why is Kisaki still determined, not only to kill you, but Hina? She’s been a factor each time. You need to think about that, okay?” 

Takemichi stares at her as though he’s never seen her before. “What aren’t you saying? Why are you involved with the Tokyo Manji gang? With Hanma?”

“I have to go. I’m sorry, Take. I hope you make it this time. I’ll keep looking out for you, okay? I’ll protect you, so don’t worry. Save everyone else.” She leans forward and brushes a kiss against his cheek. “Goodbye, brother.” 

🐈‍⬛

She knows it’s coming. She waits, lighting a cigarette and mentally preparing the next steps. This will be the catalyst. She just wonders who’s going to pull it off first. Her or Takemichi

She hears the door open. “I don’t want to play this game,” she says softly. 

He hasn’t moved from where he’s leaning on the door, staring at her. “It’s too late for that.” 

“Yeah,” she taps her cigarette into the tray. “It is, isn’t it?”

“You went to see him.” 

“Yes.” There’s no need to lie. Not when he already knows the truth. 

“Why?”

She sighs and takes another drag. It’s a bad habit she still hasn’t been able to shake. There are worse vices though. “I needed to. I needed to say goodbye.” She looks up at him. “If I had asked, you would have said no.” 

She can see the tick in his jaw, the careful way he’s trying to control the anger that lies under the surface. He knows that she’s always been closest to Draken and he’s hated it since he met her. She’s been a pawn in this game long enough to know how each of them works. 

Draken will always sacrifice himself for Mikey. Hanma will always covet what was someone else’s. Kisaki will always be ten steps ahead. And Takara? She’s been along for the ride since she woke up here. 

“And did you?”

“Say goodbye? Yes.”

He moves forward and she watches as he pours himself a drink. He comes to the table, setting his glass down before winding his fingers in her hair and yanking her head back to look at him. She meets his eyes.

“You shouldn’t have gone.” He grips her jaw with his other hand, fingers pressing into her skin. He’ll leave bruises if he’s not careful. 

“I know.”

“Tetta’s going to be pissed.”

“When isn’t he?” 

He grins at that, always amused at her attitude no matter where it’s directed. He leans down, pressing his mouth to hers. The kiss deepens instantly and she’s reminded of everything she’s done to get to this point. The fingers on her jaw soften, stroking the skin gently as if he could erase the lingering feeling.

“Come to bed,” he orders. 

“After. Let me finish this,” she motions to her cigarette. “Drink your drink and then we can go. I owe you that much.” 

He slams back the drink quickly. No matter how many times they’ve slept together, he’s always desperate for more. She knows he wants to burn the memory of Ken from her skin. Especially now. She stubs out the cigarette and smiles. Takara holds out her hand, waving her fingers lightly. Shuji leans down, kissing the tips before he takes her hand and pulls her to her feet. Even in heels, she doesn’t come close to his height. 

“I’m sorry,” she says softly. It’s the truth. For all of his obsession, Shuji has been good to her. Most of the time. He’s kept her safe, even if it meant giving in to his demands. His arms wrap around her, pulling her in and holding her against him. 

“I know,” he says, kissing the top of her head. If only he knew what she was apologizing for. She steps back and lets him lead her upstairs. They get halfway before his balance slips. She darts out of the way, watching as he falls backward. The fall injures him but it’ll be the poison that kills him. She stares down at him and when his eyes meet hers, even with that furious expression on his face, she smiles softly. 

“You tried to kill my brother. What did you expect?” 

tag list: @raith-way @zeleniafic @veetlegeuse @chickensarentcheap @residentdormouse

@themaradwrites @kingsmakers @thatmagickjuju @awkwardchick87

tr tag: @mitsuwuyaa @blackfire2013 @bleach-your-panties @reiners-milkbiddies

saudade tag: @thisbicc

[slumber-lexifer]

Messy massacre

Male Yandere x reader gn

[Warning lot of death and gore]

You were running in the woods in the middle of nowhere, there has to be a place nearby, you don't know how long you been running,you ran at sunset was up and now the moon is out, your bear foot you don't care for that, he could find you ,it's late at night and the only sound is you footsteps and panting,and crickets in the background, you see a faded light down a hill leading down you pick up your strength and push on out rough pointy sticks, rocks on forest floor, to the cold street cooling you aching bleeding feet,a petrol station your saved

you run over to the front, sliding door opens smooth cold white tiles meet your feet are probably bleeding you look around sweating, you run to the cashier you probably look crazy

"Mx are you okay l have to ask you to leave if you on drugs-"

"HELP ME PLEASE!" You cry out

"Are you in trouble holy shit l can get my boss who's here!" She walk in the back office

Another customer walk up he looks like an old lumbar jack "mx l can help lm use to be a sheriff lm retired are you in any trouble?"

"Pleaselneedtohidethereafterme" you rush the words in a panic

"You need to slow down take a breath in and out" he said calmly

You take in breath in and it still doesn't help with anxiety the worker and boss comes out

"Help me please l got kidnapp he's after me lm y/n l need to hide" you look around frantically

The boss speaks up "you can hide in my office" the boss opens his door

The retired sheriff ask "do you know were you where" he say this walk behind you in the office,You hide under a table, shaking,still you can still speak your also cold, the sheriff notice, and take of his leather jacket big compared to you "hay kid you can call me nick" you look around it's a small office,but you feel safe under the table, the side are blocked and next to the door a table, infront of you aswell is table with security computer,

He came back home after going grocery shopping, he had the bags of food, and walk up to his front door left open, of course he panicked, what if something bad happens to you,he blame himself, they know they should of put cameras in the house, they expected it your just confused,this is you new home now, you just didn't settle in yet, cause they didn't do anything wrong, they look down to the ground at you footprints of cause he knows it leads to Woods.

"oh darling you must be afraid what if some pervert is out there forcing themselves on you" that thought snap them into a red rage grabbed there axe, and off they went you don't have to keys to his van so he guessed were you can be trying to get back to that crappy apartment, so the nearest place he can think of,

"Ding dong" the door slides open your hiding in the office you flinch eveytime the door opens, thinking if it's him,

The boss spoke up "don't worry l called the police there on there way in 20 minutes"

You nod the employee had to work,the sheriff spoke up "so describe him?"

A tall lanky man with long black hair skinny with blue eyes who entered the patrol station, axe behind his back ,looking around, until his craze eyes met the cashier, he walk up to her

"Welcome sir" she looks out the window his van is parked in the wrong spot

"Um excuse have you seen a y/n there this height" he used his free hand to describe there height

"Uh no sorry sir not at all" she got nervous holy shit is that the kidnapper the person was talking about she can't freak out she sweating when she lies,

The retired sheriff walk out he stood in place to see the exact description of what they told him he cough up "sir l need to ask you what you doing?"

"TELL ME WERE ARE THEY WERE IS MY Y/N" he pulled out his axe he scowl

You cower under the table shaking crying the boss stand at the door blood curdling screaming terrified the poor man to freeze

Blood so much blood, he slice of the head of the worker, cut right trough her throat, she gurgling on her own blood airways slice expose, he cut open the old man stomach guts dropping to floor in a "squelch", and strangulated him with his own intestines,"HAHEHAAHEHEAHHAHAAHHAHHHAAH!!" Loud manic unrestrained laugh laced with sadism

he was pissed off, he spat on there corpses, he's drenched in blood he looks up hunched shoulders head twitchs, dots as eyes,he smiles showing off those sharp teeth, he sees a person in terror, at the office door closed, with a small window a click a lock he laughed mockingly he runs at the door swing his axe at the window a "squelch" the axe split the boss face in half he pulled his axe out as the body slump agenst the door,

You couldn't help you panic crying in fear you lying in a sitting tucked up position,he speaks at the other side of the door

"Oh don't fear my precious darling these..t.these FUCKING DISGUSTING VERMIN...won't hurt you and won't be in our way...my darling~" He whispes sickly sweet to calm, for this situation he puts his hand through the broken glass to unlock the door it clicks you weeping louder knowing your doom

He pushed the corpse with the door and walked in axe dragging next to him with a blood trails

You hold your breath as you still hidden under the table crying softly, you saw black jeans legs ,walking with the axe your going to die,it stopped at the desk with a pause, and bent down ,face to face, to this crazed lovesick face dripping with blood, it smiles and reaching out a blood soaked hand, to caressing you face, you flinch he frowns softly"shhhh its okay my darling they can't hurt you anymore come on out my love l carry you l know how squeamish you are so burrow you face in my shirt even if it soaked in blood or just cover your eyes with you hands"

You still stuck in fear, tears running down freely, he reaches his hands out to be behind you back,to not drag out with you feet ,he looks down at your feet it's bleeding, "gasp my darling how could you do this to yourself your bleeding this is horrible your hurt my beloved l must carry you" he picked you up,you covered you eyes, as he walked out, with you held bridal style,he opened his van and place you on the passenger seat, he puts on your seatbelt and reaching over you, he grabs rope, he ties your limbs up in rope,untill he's confident in tying you up, he walked back to the petrol station in the office and wipe all video footage and turned them off, and pick up his axe off the blood covered floor, and walk out to his van, he opened the back van door, and place his axe, he "grumbling" on how much he needed to clean his van and the seats now

He hops in the driver seat, and looks at you with a loving smile, as you crying softly to yourself curled into the door.

"Oh my darling you test me next time lm putting a collar on you your lucky you didn't piss me off enough to use a shock collar lm not cruel just don't force me darling oh and lm washing you up maybe we shower together~"he winks and giggles, he started the van and drove home.

[Honestly l was thinking of gray man when writing this]

[thesevenwondersofawitch]

Chucky, s2e1 Halloween II

The way the one doll didn't get a knife 😂😂

I love the bickering between the Chucky dolls

The way Tiffany yells at them to get back in their boxes and threatens them not to make her come back there, and the one doll thinks she's hot, one is saying she essentially needs a real man, one is focusing on Andy who meanwhile is reminding Tiffany that the dolls don't know she killed main Chucky 😂

Damn, so Kyle is dead😭

Oh nooo Andy🥺

Jake's hair is so curly 🥺

Aw, he's moving two hours away🥺

Oh no, that kid is 💯 gonna end up with a Chucky doll, no doubt about it

"Holy secret identity" that kid is a real one😂

OH MY GOD SALEM NJ? I GREW UP 15 MIN FROM THERE and it looks nothing like that lol

Poor Jake, he got jump scared 😂

This kid is fucked up😂

Awwwwwww Jake's foster brother is so cute

DUDE DO YOU NOT REMEMBER CHUCKY'S VOICE

I love that Chucky is miffed yet patient about telling Jake he doesn't discriminate and isn't a homophobic😂

Damn Lexy, of allll the times to not answer your phone, this is a bad one

Lexy your sister isn't a dog, she doesn't need to be trained

Drugs are bad, repeat with me Lexy, drugs are bad

Awwww, poor kid is scared of Chucky 🥺

Poor girl is in therapy 🥺😭

Poor kid turns to her sister for verification

Oh no the therapist bringing out her own doll

Belle? Well shit 😂

Noooo let Caroline have a fear of dolls it's safer

Lexy's mom still sucks

You bitch, you need to be better to both your daughters they deserve better

The reporter really had the audacity to bring up the doll thing to a lil kid🥺

Awwwww, at least Lexy is being a better sis to her sister

Well, I mean giving your sister a way to defend herself if good, by a giant knife? I would've given her a knitting needle and helped her get stronger to stab things

Course, I also would've tried to get a room connected to hers just out of safety

Frankly I would've stayed in the closet to observe if the doll moved

I want them to give us the Bride of Chucky version from in universe Chucky

Oh yeah, Lexy is starting to go through withdrawa

Oh shit, I knew Jake's foster brother was gonna get brought into this

I love how Caroline's comeback is that she's still alive, she's got some guts and I love her

Gary is getting too excited about being blown up lol

Damn, Uber is getting too good😂 it's taking killer dolls to easy stuff

The way Chucky calls them out for seeing each other so little😂

Oh, Belle is totally alive and kill Chucky(I hope)

Chucky's little leg shaking as he's waiting for Lexy to come downstairs 😂

Oh noooo Gary!!! 😭😭😭😭

Damn, no one is safe in this universe (except kids under 5/6)

The dude lecturing Jake and them is so mean

Ok, the therapist advocating for Jake, Devon and Lexy is nice, but I am thinking she also had bad intentions like working with Tiffany

I feel like Jake and Devon are gonna get shit for being gay and I'm not looking forward to it

Oh shit, Lexy's mom sent Trevor to that school, uh oh

Oooooooooooo it's the home Charles lived in! This is gonna be some spooky shit

I wonder if that kid who Charles gave the hand to works there or something 👀

What a cheeful song

SHIT IT'S ANOTHER DELIVERY TRUCK! Chucky has also arrived, good timing

[kathyprior4200]

Hazbin Hotel Episode 4: "Worlds Fair" (Helluva Scribe Remake)

The sea blue serpent demon roared and bared its sharp teeth…at a small size from inside a jar. After the monster had gotten loose, Baxter had to shrink it with his shrink ray. He was warned by Vaggie to “keep it in your lab or better yet, get rid of it.” Niffty admired the beast inside the jar. “Can I pet it?”

“No,” said Baxter. “Lophiiformes is my science experiment to test my Speed-Growth formula and to have a monster to scare off any enemies who would dare stand against my genius!”

“Don’t let it loose again,” said Vaggie, rolling her eyes. “And Niffty, get back to work.”

Niffty stared intently at Baxter, her face blushing before she snapped out of it and darted off to clean more rooms.

Vaggie gave Sir Pentious one stern glare, and he slithered off back to his quarters with the Egg Boiz.  She sighed. “Why can’t you guys just behave for once? It’s like trying to raise kids who are on drugs.”

“It’ll be alright, Vaggie,” Charlie said, hopefully. “We got Baxter back safely from the desert.”

“But now he has more deadly weapons he could use for who knows what! We can’t redeem anyone if they still have weapons around!”

“Again, we need to defend ourselves against the Vees and the angels,” Angel Dust deadpanned. “I’m surprised all of us have survived each other so far.”

Vaggie then pondered in thought. “Hmm…”

“So, you’re saying no weapons at all?” Charlie asked. “That would be nice!”

“Sadly, not,” Vaggie explained, holding out a hand. “I hate to admit, but Angel Dust is right. Perhaps we need to figure out what kind of weapons could be used for defense and get rid of the more destructive ones.”

“Easier said than done,” Angel Dust mentioned. “Those inventors and other criminals will say ‘killing is for self-defense,’ and get stuck in their ways. We can’t monitor them all the time.”

“We need to keep the angelic weapons at least,” said Husk. “They can be used to kill all kinds of demons, even the powerful ones.”

“They can…kill angels, too,” Vaggie spoke in a soft low voice. The Hazbin crew stared in stunned silence.

“Really?!” Charlie gasped. “You mean the Exorcists aren’t indestructible?!”

“No, they’re not,” said Vaggie. “Besides killing anyone, the weapons can also damage angels and scar demons.”

“Is that how you lost your eye?” Charlie asked, wide-eyed.

Vaggie stuttered nervously. “Y-yeah, I got into a fight with another Sinner, and they used my Exorcist spear to…ya know…” she lied, making a stabbing gesture toward her eye.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Vaggie,” Charlie responded, hugging her briefly. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“Oh…uh…thought it would be too traumatic for you to hear…”

“It’s alright,” said Charlie. “It’s hard to survive in Hell, especially when you’re a lost Sinner from Earth.”

“Rrrright,” Vaggie smiled nervously, briefly putting her hands behind her back, feeling the stubs of where her Exorcist angel wings once were.

“Thanks for telling me,” said Charlie.

“Sure,” said Vaggie. “Just try not to make any deals with Alastor or forget it after many more months.”

Charlie stood red in the face, already losing her confidence.

Going back to the topic, Charlie began. “I mean…I’m sure you could train them to just use weapons in self-defense instead of, you know, pleasure in destruction and murder.”

“Wait, what about Alastor’s dangerous powers?” Vaggie asked.

“Alastor’s magic is another matter,” said Husk dejectedly. “Best to start with dealing with physical weapons first.”

Charlie waved a hand. “I bet we can help redeem these guys, one eliminated weapon at a time. I mean, they’re in my hotel under our surveillance. What else could they possibly use the weapons for?”

Charlie had just finished speaking, when a video flashed on Angel Dust’s phone: “Introducing Hell’s Weapon Expo World’s Fair! Sign Up Today!”

Vaggie glanced at Charlie, both of the girls downcast. Vaggie began, “Guess that answers your question. Shit just keeps getting worse, doesn’t it?” Vaggie growled in frustration as Charlie’s eyes widened in concern and fear.

0 0 0

“Guys,” Angel Dust called. “You might wanna see this.”

Baxter and Sir Pentious glared daggers at each other as they walked into the parlor, but both came over to Angel Dust, Vaggie, and Charlie.

Angel Dust showed the advertisement video. A smiling Vox appeared on the screen. Next to him was a picture of a slowly spinning globe that showed a large neon red pentagram.

“Greetings geniuses and gunslingers of all ages! Looking for an opportunity to show off your egregious exploits?! Come on over to Hell’s new Weapon’s Expo, located right here in Pentagram City! Demonstrate your deadliest devices and prove your prowess in…”

 Vox briefly lowered his voice, his left eye making hypnotic motions, “…gory gains!” More images showed a variety of weapons, guns, spears, swords, bombs, axes and more on the screen. “Whoever wins the contest shall receive infernal eternal glory, an angelic weapon of their choice and of course, tons of fucking money! But be warned dear Sinners, for this contest shall be judged by Carmilla Carmine herself, the top weapons dealer! Plus some other Overlords. Me? I’m just hosting this thing, so keep those profits coming in! To make this extra spicy, we’ll have contestants from all the Rings of Hell showcase their gadgets! So be prepared for some cultural trading and sharing. Sign up today at the center of the city near the clocktower and let’s dial up the chaotic fun! Applications are due in a few days and the event will be seven unholy days of sin. First the contest, then meet and greet, and then free weapon testing on your enemies! Be there or be double dead, fuckers!” Vox laughed as upbeat futuristic music played before the commercial ended.

Everyone stared wide-eyed and in silence. Sir Pentious and Baxter then looked at each other and said at the same time: “I’m gonna beat your loser ass!”

Angel Dust smirked. “Ya know, you two have more in common than you think.”

“Shut up, spider!” they both roared, before narrowing their eyes at each other again.

“I’ll make the best inventions that Hell will ever see!” Sir Pentious bragged, hand over his chest. The Egg Boiz cheered behind him. “It’ll be my best work since my time alive!”

The Piscine Machines stood erect before Baxter. “I’d like to see you try, old fossil,” Baxter retorted. “Everyone knows my IQ is superior than yours and my inventions are, too! Former lab partner.”

“Nobody is gonna want to see a girly fishy nobody,” Sir Pentious hissed. “And a smelly fish that Frankenstein pooped out. You’re nothing more than a background character and an Einstein wannabe.”

“Some words from a goofy old-timey villain no one can take seriously! You’re the butt of all sex and exploding jokes,” Baxter cackled.

“And you’re just a lunatic who needs to be in an asylum!”

“I’ll shove those Egg Boiz down your gullet you cock-sucking cobra cunt!”

“Anglerfish asshat!”

“Tyrannical troll!”

“Diabolical deranged dick!”

“Schoolboy sissy shit scientist!”

“Here we go again,” Vaggie groaned out loud, leaning her head back slightly and almost ripping out her hair.

Charlie took a breath. “Is it…too much to ask for you guys to stay here and…”

“’Talk about our feelings?’” asked Sir Pentious with sarcasm at Charlie. “Not at all. I’d be happy to talk…after I’ve won at the fair!”

“I see a 0% probability of that happening! In fact, I’m going to get started, slowpoke!” Baxter stated. “I’ll see you at the sign-up, sissy-suck-snake!”

“I hope not, fishy-fuck-face!” Sir Pentious snapped. The two inventors turned their heads at each other, arms folded, noses in the air and marched to their respective lairs.

Amid the tense silence, Angel Dust added with a mischievous grin, “I’m planning on joining with Cherri Bomb. I bet demons will love my guns just as much as my…” he grinned, “…parts and fluffy things people think are tits.”

“Absolutely not!” Vaggie cut in, folding her arms. “If you’re staying at this hotel, you’re not going to run off and kill people!”

“Relax, toots! I’m only gonna show off my…guns if you will,” he winked. “No harming others, ya have my word.”

“And you’ll come straight back to the hotel?” Charlie asked.

“Absolutely! If I don’t have work with Val.”

Charlie’s face fell.

“Ready to quit?” came Alastor’s radio voice into Charlie’s ear. He grinned with red eyes.

“Nope,” Charlie folded her arms. “We will…wait and see how things go.”

“You’re just letting two mad inventors run amok?!” Vaggie inquired, incredulously.

Charlie turned to Vaggie. “We just need to make sure they don’t use their weapons to kill anyone! Then we’ll bring them back to the hotel once the contest is over!”

“But this whole thing is run by Vox! You know he wants to bring this place down and create chaos!”

“Well…” Charlie explained. “If this contest can help Baxter and Sir Pentious bond over similar interests…”

Sir Pentious and Baxter slammed their doors at the same time…

Charlie smiled nervously. “…I’m sure it’ll turn out better than we think. Hopefully.”

“Alastor, you’re not thinking of participating in this bullshit too, are you?” Vaggie asked, eyebrow raised.

Alastor laughed and shook his head. “I could destroy all their little toys in an instant. It’s been quite entertaining here already!”

“Tell me about it,” Vaggie groaned.

“But for now, I’ll be off hunting and eating venison in my room,” Alastor said, reminiscing. “Ah…my good old bayou in New Orleans!”

“Can you make a portal to Earth and stay there?” Vaggie asked.

“Nope, I enjoy you sinning failures too much.”

Vaggie sighed and shrugged. “Worth a try.”

Alastor hummed as he vanished to his room in shadow.

“I’ll watch Baxter, you take Sir Pentious,” Vaggie said. “Make sure they don’t kill each other or anyone else.”

“Who’s gonna watch over me?” Angel Dust asked, grinning at Husk. Husk sighed, a bottle in his pawed hand. “I ain’t talkin’ to you.”

Niffty clapped her hands. “Two bad boys! How exciting!”

“Wait…I thought you said…” Charlie began.

“That snake is going back to being bad!” Niffty snickered evilly, making Charlie squirm inside.

None of the Hazbins noticed a few of Alastor’s shadow minions glancing at the doors of the inventors and emitting supernatural sinister snickers.

0 0 0

Sir Pentious sat at his work bench in his room. Before him on a table were a variety of tools, screws, blowtorches, and blueprints. Sir Pentious had his goggles on over his eyes and was using a blowtorch to meld some metal beams together. Extra space had been added to his hotel room for his workshop.

“Wrench,” called Sir Pentious, holding out a gloved hand. One of the Egg Boiz placed a wrench in his hand.

“Screws,” he said. Another Egg Boi placed screws in his hand. The room was full of banging, whirling, fizzling, cranking and the grinding of steampunk gears.

“I shall make a grand zeppelin, bigger and better than before! It’ll have double the weapons and lasers. Even Alastor will think twice! When I make my grand entrance at the fair, the crowd will surely adore me and my masterpieces!”

He pondered. “Hmm…should I bring my Skinflayer 11,000? No, I’d better keep it here at the hotel…in case bratty Baxter tries to sneak up on me. I know what I’ll call my vehicle of war… the Soulslicer 20,000! Perfect!”

“Excellent, boss!” rooted several Egg Boiz in the background. More eggs climbed onto an unfinished hunk of machine parts, screwing in screws, hammering in nails, lifting gears, and putting pipes into place. A few were testing parts of weapons, firing holes into the wall. One Egg Boi stomped on a small fire, putting it out with a yelp. Another Egg Boi in the corner was drooling over a poster of Sir Pentious dressed in a blue military uniform with red eyes on the chest like badges.

“I’ll prove to Vox that I’m NOT a failure! I’m the ultimate everlasting extraordinaire…the vilest of all villains! He’ll be sorry he ever bossed me around!” Sir Pentious banged his fist on the table and laughed.  “I’ll blast that fish-brain boy to bits with this!”

Frank the egg glanced around and spotted something coming in from underneath the door.

“Uh…boss?”

“What is it?” Sir Pentious snapped, not paying attention.

“S-something dark is coming in the room!”

“No one can enter my secret lair,” Sir Pentious proclaimed as a horned shadow minion of Alastor slithered under the crack in the door and flew off to the side in an upper corner. Frank pointed upward with shaking small black fingers. “It…it’s back, boss! I see it!”

“Oh, quite your yapping and get back to work!” Sir Pentious hissed at Frank before melding more metals together. Frank shuddered as the grinning shadow floated down and behind the giant machine. Before long, Sir Pentious stood up, wiping his face with his arm, and staring proudly at a dark gray prototype of another zeppelin.

“Alright, let’s test this baby out!” he called. The shadow minion unscrewed several screws and bent the wires and pipes where the engines were. Frank jumped and yelled frantically but was drowned out by the sounds of the other eggs hustling and bustling. Two eggs opened up a window and two sat at the controls in the front interior of the war machine.

Sir Pentious pressed a button and the engine rumbled to life. Sir Pentious grinned as the Egg Boiz steered the ship toward the window. Victory was his!

The engine suddenly rumbled and sputtered, and black smoke puffed out of the engine holes.

“What the shit?!” Sir Pentious cried out.

“It’s gonna blow, boss!” cried Frank. Several Egg Boiz ran for cover. Sir Pentious leaped out of the way before the back part of the zeppelin exploded with a smoky blast. Sir Pentious screamed and curled into a ball on the ground as smoke filled the shaking room. He stood up and coughed as the smoke cleared.

He slithered forward and gasped. The back half of the vehicle was now burnt rubble and several windows were broken. The two Egg Boiz who had been in the cockpit were now shell pieces and yok.

“FUCK!” Sir Pentious roared. “Now I have to start from scratch again! Who did this?!”

The Egg Boiz cowered and stepped back. Sir Pentious glared at Frank who whimpered and lowered his small black top hat. “I’ll have you scrambled for this!”

“S-sorry, boss, it wasn’t me, I swear!”

Frank then stared at a piece of paper that fell from the sky, pointing upward. Sir Pentious glanced at it and snatched it from the smoky air. He peered closely and read a note: “Blow up in your face, ha! -Baxter.”

Sir Pentious’ face turned crimson red, and the eye on his gray top hat glowed an angry red as well.

“THAT FISH BOY IS SO DOUBLE DEAD!”

From up in the air, having dropped the note, the shadow minion laughed evilly before vanishing from the room.

0 0 0

Baxter hummed as he got to work in his laboratory. Cyan fluorescent lights hummed overhead. He grinned as blue electricity zigzagged from one metal pole to another on a device in front of him. “Oh ho, ho, that stupid serpent is gonna shit his scales when he sees my greatest new invention!” Baxter examined a blueprint of a towering transformer-like robot shaped like an anglerfish. In front of him, the tower of metal was almost complete. It had six metal arms, two thick metal legs with spikes on them and a metal head with a window where Baxter could sit and control it. A nearby remote also allowed it to be on autopilot. In the robot’s six arms were a variety of weapons.

“One gun shall fire my new cactus juice substance and put the audience in a hallucinogenic stupor. One will shoot mind-control rays, another, poisonous green goo from the Hell eels. One will shoot angelic bullets...hopefully I’ll get enough. The next, deadly blasts of electricity that make tasers seem like toys! Hahaha! The last one…shit, I don’t know. Shit? Maybe it’ll just shoot out shit. Whatever works.”

Klein grinned evilly too…until his sensors caught something unusual. “Unknown presence detected,” called his robot voice, a scanner popping out from its metal head. Baxter glanced around. “You fool, I don’t see anyone. You locked the doors, didn’t you?”

“Yes, master.”

“Then perhaps it’s a glitch in your system.”

Alastor’s shadow minion poured in through the crack in Baxter’s lab door, blending in with the darkness.

“Negative. The presence appears to be…non-physical.”

“Non-physical?” Baxter scoffed, standing up and walking to the robot. “You know there are no transparent ghosts in Hell!”

“Technically, you are a ghost, master.”

“Technically, I don’t care! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to become the greatest most evil genius at the expo! My masterpiece is almost…”

Baxter paused with surprised cyan eyes as Alastor’s shadow minion pushed the robot forward with magic. The towering invention moaned and groaned as it slowly tipped forward. Baxter screamed and leaped out of the way just as the hunk of metal crashed down onto the floor. Baxter stood up and seethed at the broken parts of his robot. He then spotted a note that flew down to the ground. He picked it up and it read, “Guess your project is now 100% defective! -Sir Pentious.”

“I’LL SKIN THAT SERPENT ALIVE OR UNDEAD!”

 Baxter screamed in rage as Alastor’s shadow minion laughed again before vanishing.

0 0 0

Sir Pentious and Baxter stormed into the parlor, almost wrestling each other to the ground. Baxter stomped on Sir Pentious’ scales and the snake grabbed Baxter’s esca and yanked it hard. Soon, they were yelling and rolling on the ground.

“Break it up!” Vaggie bellowed as Charlie looked on in concern. Vaggie tore the two men off each other. Charlie held down a seething Sir Pentious, while Vaggie held a bellowing Baxter back. Alastor watched in the background with red glowing eyes and an evil yellow grin. Niffty, Husk, and Angel Dust sat on the couch with popcorn in their hands. The two men stood up, eyes blinking and glaring on their bodies as they briefly turned into their more demonic forms.

“This sneaky old snake has been messing around with my latest invention!” Baxter bellowed.

“Oh, shut up!” Sir Pentious hissed. “I know you destroyed my zeppelin earlier in my workshop!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! Old fart!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! Neurotic juvenile!”

“Will both of ya shut the fuck up and let’s go sign up already?!” Angel Dust cried. “The expo is startin’ in several hours!” He pointed outside to a line of demons heading to the clocktower.

“No, Angel!” Vaggie and Charlie protested at the same time, but Angel Dust was already out the door, carrying his trusty collection of guns. Sir Pentious and Baxter raced back to their lairs to finish their inventions. “Okay, then!” they both said. “We’ll be back!”

Vaggie groaned in frustration. “With the drugs and the weapons, Angel is never gonna redeem himself!”

“Let’s focus on one problem at a time,” Charlie encouraged her girlfriend, putting a hand on her shoulder.  

A few hours later, Sir Pentious and Baxter raced out the door, their minions carrying their respective inventions behind them underneath heavy-duty coverings. Sir Pentious gasped and stumbled as he glanced down.

“Watch out, swine!” Sir Pentious yelped as he nearly tripped on Angel Dust’s pet pig Fat Nuggets, who was strutting in the lobby. The pig squeaked and ran back to Angel Dust’s room. Sir Pentious slithered to catch up to the mad fish scientist, his Egg Boiz chattering excitedly behind him. The inventors seethed at each other as they made their way through the crowd of demons. They made it to the black podium stand near the clocktower, where Vox stood with the sign-up papers in front of him.

Vox revealed a grin of cyan teeth. “Sir Pentious! Baxter! How lovely to see you two fine gentlemen today.”

“How do you know my name, TV man?” barked Baxter as he scribbled his name and invention onto the paper.

“I know things,” Vox leaned in. “Quite simple, really.” With one last flip of the bird to the serpent, Baxter ran off with his invention, trying to find a spot away from the dense crowds.

Then Vox sneered at Sir Pentious. “So, the failure spy has come back to see me. Don’t expect any praise.”

Sir Pentious looked off to the side and wrote down his name and invention in the contestant slot for the Pride Ring.

“What makes you think you can win this expo, after you could barely follow through with your task?” Vox asked, his eye moving in hypnotic circles.

Sir Pentious hissed, standing up straighter. “You don’t know my strengths, you talking picture box! When I reveal my most vile, diabolical device of doom, even you will shit your pants!”

Vox scoffed. “I’d like to see you try!”

“I’ve been in Hell for a long time!”

“So long, I think your gears are rusted,” Vox snickered.

“I’ll be the best inventor there is, and nothing will stop me! Not that fish freak, not you, not that stupid hotel pig of theirs.”

“Wait, pig you say?” Vox asked, eyebrow raised.

“A pet owned by that spider sex creep, Angel drug something.”

Vox paused and an evil gleam sparked to life in his eyes. “Interesting. Whatever you say.”

Sir Pentious huffed as he and his minions continued on toward the convention. Vox grinned evilly. “You’ve actually been quite helpful this time, Pentious…”

Vox held up his phone and tapped it with electricity from his finger.

“Vox?” came Velvette’s voice.

“Hey Velvette, baby, I have a little job for you…”

0 0 0

Charlie and Vaggie sat in the parlor worrying about Angel, Sir Pentious, and Baxter.

Charlie put her face in her hands. “They’re gonna cause more trouble with those weapons at the expo! I can’t afford to lose my clients!”

“That’s it. We have to go after them!” Vaggie said. “At least keep an eye on them.” Vaggie looked at Husk. “Hey, lazy cat, you’re coming too!”

“Getting pulled into these shitty adventures for crying out loud,” Husk groaned.

“What about Alastor?” Charlie asked.

Vaggie watched as Alastor leaned against the wall and smiled before fading into the shadows.

“Forget it,” Vaggie said. “He only likes to watch us fight and fail.”

No one noticed a slender figure outside dressed in black with a hood decorated with a pink <3 heart at the top. The figure tossed a grappling hook, and it caught on the edge of a slot where a window was. The figure climbed the rope and then pulled open the window. She stood inside Angel Dust’s room, a menacing slender figure with magenta glowing eyes and an evil grin. Fat Nuggets was drinking from a bowl of water. A shadow hovered over the pig. The pig turned to the side with wide surprised eyes.

A loud shrieking demonic squeal rang through the hall. Niffty was finishing dusting a vase and then froze.

“What was that?”

She darted over toward the source of the sound. She arrived at Angel’s door, where it was decorated with neon pink hearts and pictures of Angel Dust, Husk, and the girls. She opened the door but could only see an open window and a figure running off into the distance with something struggling in a sack.

Niffty raced down the stairs and over to the girls, a worried expression on her face. “Charlie! Vaggie!”

“What is it, Niffty?” Vaggie asked.

Niffty huffed. “I-I heard a loud squeal and I think the pig is gone!”

“What pig?” asked Vaggie. “One of Baxter’s monsters?”

“No! A pet! I think someone stole it!”

Husk then sat up with wider eyes. “Angel Dust’s pig?”

Niffty nodded.

Charlie gasped. “Oh no! Fat Nuggets! I completely forgot about him!”

Vaggie stood up, holding her spear. “How did someone get into the hotel?!”  She seethed. “I swear if Alastor is up to this…”

“We don’t know that,” Charlie said. “Maybe…Fat Nuggets just ran away after Angel Dust!”

“That pig always stays at the hotel and near Angel’s room,” said Husk. He glowered. “I’m afraid Nif may be right.”

Everyone looked worried.

“Angel Dust’ll be heart-broken!” Charlie cried. “We have to save his pet!”

“And stop those mad geniuses from causing any more trouble!” Vaggie added. “Buckle up, Sinners, we’re going to an expo.”

“You know Charlie’s not a Sinner, right?” Husk said.

“I know that!” Vaggie roared.

“Oooh, I can’t wait to see some more bad boys!” Niffty giggled, twirling her sewing needle.

“Keep an eye on her, “Vaggie said to Husk. Husk groaned as Niffty briefly tugged on one of Husk’s cat ears.

Vaggie glared at Klein and several robot minions holding small tasers. “Robot, guard the hotel.”

“At your service, Vagatha,” Klein replied, doing a robotic salute. “Bring back a victorious Master Baxter!”

“No promises,” Vaggie called as she, Charlie, Husk, and Niffty headed outside toward the convention.

0 0 0

Vox stood proudly in his usual suit outfit, broadcasting his expo live on TVs throughout Hell. He grinned as he saw more demons attending and his VoxTech views climbing every minute.

“Helluva hello, filthy demons of all ages! Welcome to Hell’s one of a kind weapons expo! We have a horde of contestants from all over Hell’s Rings and we’re very excited to see all their deadly weapons! But first, this expo is sponsored by VoxTech’s Angelic Security, the ultimate protection app for any extermination! Buy and upload today!”

The crowd cheered, already hypnotized by Vox’s words. Vox pressed a button, and through electricity, everyone was transported to a nearby park with more room for the show.

“Let’s meet today’s judges. Give it up for our old guy Zestial!”

The elder black spider-like Overlord demon wearing long black robes and wearing a tall black top hat gazed at the crowd with several green eyes on a black spider-like face. He took his place at a tall table with screens at the front to allow him to see the various inventions. The table was covered with a white cloth stained with red and black blood.

“Zeezi!”

A pink giant dinosaur Overlord lady with wild colorful hair and a tail stomped over to her spot at the judges’ table.

“The head judge Carmilla Carmine herself!”

The angelic weapons dealer strode forward to her spot at the center of the table. She was a slender woman with sharp white angelic ballet shoes pointed like weapons. Her face was light gray, and she wore a dark gray mask around her reddish eyes. One bang of her hair was black. She had white hair and pointed horns on her head with thin black stripes. Her hair ended in small curls near her black hoop earrings. Her hands were giant and white with black nails. She wore long black leggings with white crisscross designs, a black top and her dress ended in sharp pointed ends like sword points. Her two daughters Odette and Clara wandered around, looking at several other inventions and writing on their clipboards.

“And Carmilla’s secret assistant, Charlie Carmine!”

Another woman took her spot next to Carmilla. She had tall red high-heel boots decorated with barbed wire, dark red pants, a red dress with dark red stripes on it and red goggles on her head. She had long red hair and large red eyes with small black pupils. Her skin was white, but her left hand was giant and red with a gear on it. Her arm was made of molten lava and could shapeshift. She looked like a fusion of Sir Pentious and Cherri Bomb, with an edgy steampunk look. Sir Pentious blushed when he spotted her face.

“Yeah, I didn’t know she existed either!” Vox admitted. “But she does the dirty work of melding the weapons with angelic essence for Carmine and her daughters to sell! Heard she died in the 1830s.”

Vox cleared his throat.

“And now…our contestants! Please come forward!”

Epic warrior music blared from the speakers as machines and electricity towered toward the city. The audience applauded and stepped back to allow more room. Through various colored portals in the red sky, demons descended downward with their diabolical dangerous devices!

“Here comes the not-so sloth, Sloth Ring!”

Floating gracefully from the Sloth Ring were four demons with the heads of goat and sheep. The first one had a pink goat’s head with a white candle with a pink flame on it. His name was Hypno. The second was a sheep that looked at peace, with a candle of a teal flame on her head: Zeezee. The third was a strong bull demon with long curved horns and a blue flame: Morphi. The last was a white sheep with a lavender candle on his head: Lulla. All four wore white doctor’s coats.

They landed on the ground before the crowds.

“Greetings, fellow Prides,” sang Hypno the leader. “We present our amazing invention sure to keep you content…for a long time!”

Hypnos and Morphi held up a long pink ray gun which read “Deep Sleep Dreams,” in light pink. “Fly high, folks!” sang Lulla.

Zeezee pressed a button and teal beams of hypnotic rays pulsed over toward the crowd. Many demons instantly swayed and had drugged happy looks on their faces as distorted lullaby music played.

“We have your favorite drugs and substances flowing in our machine! We can mimic any drug of your choice!” sang Hypnos. “Ecstasy, crack, meth, angel dust, you name it!” He mentioned to the various glowing substances in the see-though veins of the device.

“Did somebody call me?!” Angel Dust called out from the background.

With an evil grin on his face, Hypnos pressed more buttons. Various colored rays shot out, causing the demons nearest to the device to laugh uncontrollably, fight each other, fall asleep, scream in agony, or drop dead completely.

There was a rather sleepy round of applause as the judges examined their device, Carmine’s daughters careful not to get too close.

“A sleep ray? Boring!” Sir Pentious dramatized.

“Don’t get lazy! Cast your votes now!” Vox began with a fake yawn. He cleared his throat.

“Don’t get too jealous, but the Envy Ring is next!”

A gush of ocean water spilled out from the purple portal and a triad of aquatic demons with many eyes morphed before the audience. Three demons stood before them, one blue, one green, and one teal. Their names were Shimmer, Glimmer, and Swimmer. Swimmer was a teal female, Glimmer was a green female creature, and Shimmer was the blue male leader. They were all slender with fish fins, eyes all over their bodies and their arms like tentacles. They wore clothing made of fish scales. Underwater otherworldly music played.

“Land-dwellers!” sang Shimmer. “Prepare to meet your watery end!”

Shimmer held out a large golden trident and pressed a button. The prongs extended and each turned into different things. The first one morphed into a golden sword that shot out to stab some demons before being retracted back into the device via a rope. The second prong opened up to a hole that fired fish nets that electrocuted several captured demons. The final metallic prong in the middle opened up and fired acidic water onto more demons, melting them instantly. Swimmer grabbed a struggling pink demon and held him in front of her partner. Glimmer held a smaller blue gun to the demon’s face and open mouth that sucked out all the water in the pink demon’s body, causing dehydration. The pink shriveled demon dropped dead at their feet. More applause.

“Big deal,” Baxter scoffed. “I’m the ultimate water creature!” He grinned and held his small sea serpent in a jar.

“Water you waiting for? Cast your votes!” Vox chuckled.  “Time to get aroused by the sexy folk from Lust!”

Seductive club music played as a horde of pink succubi and incubi with small bat wings and BDSM clothing descended down from the dark blue portal. The group was called XXXtreme, and they had various names: Phallo, Booby, Clitora, Lubey, Vaga, among others. They did seductive dancing around poles and displayed phallus shaped torpedoes, cannons, and guns. One succubus fired a gun that shot out condoms and sex toys that exploded. Another one of their weapons shot out acid semen and noxious gas. And, of course, there were love potions.

“Oh, yeah, I’m gettin’ hot already!” Vox chuckled.

“These performing inventors are going for the green! Give it up for Greed!”

Circus music blared as a group of performers danced and flipped out of the green portal. Six demons dressed like jesters came down to the ground: The Fearsome Freaks. One jester wearing a striped skirt balanced on a ball, juggling rainbow bombs before tossing them into the air. The bombs exploded into fireworks as the audience cheered. A large shirtless tan male demon spun a pole into the air, the two ends lit with green flames that gradually turned red. After spinning the pole, he popped a flaming sword into his mouth before spitting it out at several bystanders.

“We feed on Greed! We feed on Greed! Glory is all we need!” sang the Greed contestants.

A third performer female hollered war cries as she rode a demonic elephant covered with green armor, the many-eyed gray beast trampling more screaming demons. She also fired a gun accurately at several dummy targets as she balanced upside down. The fourth performer threw angelic knives at targets with his eyes closed. The fifth spun through the air, firing fiery bullets through the air in a spectacular dance. The sixth one just stood under a green spotlight telling bad weapon jokes.

“What is Satan’s favorite gun? A caliber 6.6.”

“Bravo, bravo!” Vox clapped as the bloodstained performers bowed.

“Show-offs,” muttered Sir Pentious.

Vox continued. “Sickenly sweet with plenty to eat! Here comes Gluttony!”

Through the yellow-gold portal came four muscular Hellhounds, who howled in triumph as they came down to the ground as club music blasted in every direction.

“Let’s get this party started, hooligans!” chorused the black Hellhound leader, who had named his group the Hellhound Hooligans. Bael was the back hound leader, and he carried a black electric guitar that shot out deadly electricity at demons whenever he played it. All the Hellhounds wore colorful party clothes, boots, jeans, and torn shirts.

“Taste the honey, fuckers!” sang an excited tan Hellhound, Bella, who held a large cannon that fired alcohol bottles of intoxicating honey at the crowd, who reached out for them in excitement. The demons danced and dodged more attacks from the contestants, including Beezi the white female Hellhound’s very explosive bomb pies and poisonous pink cotton candy. Bubba the brown hound laughed and demonstrated her flips and tricks, using an axe on a chain to swing at various demons.

“Don’t be late to the party…vote now!” called Vox.

“They make me sick to my stomach,” Baxter remarked.

“Y’all know the roughest, toughest warriors in Hell, they’re all the rage in Wrath!” called Vox.

There was a roaring of cheers and western rock music as a dozen Wrath Ring imps charged from an orange portal, riding on stallions with flaming manes. The Wrathful West Warlords were one of the finest fighter groups and blacksmiths in all of Hell and it was easy to see why. Two muscular imps wearing cowboy hats led from the front on motorcycles, wearing spiked armor.

Following the two imps were four other males who came toward the audience and showed off their angelic weapons. One held two broad swords that had been forged in the volcanos in Wrath. Another showed off a mace that shot out spikes as he swung it around. A third imp drove a large black tank into the park and a fourth imp did a presentation of various torture devices. A dozen more imps wearing cowboy hats, knight armor, samurai armor or general uniforms, danced in a line as they flaunted their well-crafted destructive tools. Maces, swords, knives, throwing stars, cannons, katanas, cutlasses, revolvers, rifles, bombs…Wrath Ring had every kind of weapon from all kinds of time periods at their disposal!

“Nothing beats classic war anger!” said Vox. “Vote, vote, vote!”

“And finally, here come our proud Sinner contestants from right here in Pride!”

As royal music with a circus flair briefly played, the audience gasped in awe as the contestants were announced.

“SIR PENTIOUS!”

“BAXTER!”

“ANGEL DUST!”

“CHERRI BOMB!”

“CRYMINI!”

“LOOPTY GOOPTY!”

“LYLE LIPTON!”

The seven Sinners came forward, revealing their masterpiece inventions. They sang as their inventions were analyzed and tested. Vox was enjoying all the chaos and calamity.

“Sinners! Cower before me!”  Sir Pentious sang.

“When this day is done, you all will adore me!

My new zeppelin is running and here!

The Soulslayer 20,000 is your new worst fear!”

The new zeppelin hovered in the air; now black with the outer shell made of snake scales. The windows were red, and the weapons extended from an opening in the front of the ship that looked like a serpent’s mouth. There was even a large black hat structure that was added on top of the ship with a round window at the top that allowed for more surveillance. Sir Pentious laughed evilly as the Egg Boiz inside fired the cannons. Several destructive blasts shot out from the extended cannons in the zeppelin, razing parts of the city.

“Not so fast, fool of the past!” Baxter fired back in song.

“For my day of glory is here at last!

Brace yourselves for Destructo Doombot,

Initiate the Baxter Blast!”

Baxter laughed manically and pressed a button. A giant blue robot with slender flexible legs and six weaponized arms towered onto the scene. The robot fired a wide range of blasts, shooting acidic water onto the buildings.

Charlie, Vaggie, Husk, and Niffty raced as fast as they could toward the park. They narrowly avoided a falling roof and a water splash several feet away. The asphalt street cracked and crumbled before them.

“This is mayhem madness!” Vaggie cried in song. “The city’s gonna blow! I knew we shouldn’t have let them go! If we don’t get them back to the hotel…things will not end well!”

“I think we can still reason with them, it’ll be fine,” Charlie sang back before her eyes widened, “There’s not much time!”

“Stab! Stab! Stab!” Niffty trilled in song.

“Vox doesn’t care for the city at all. He’ll gladly grab at money and see us fall,” Vaggie added in anger.

“Any ridicule from Vox…Sir Pentious cannot take it. Just a little further…we can make it!” Charlie huffed.

“All this running around, I’ve had enough,” Husk growled.

“Bad boys so strong and tough!” Niffty grinned.

Angel Dust posed with several guns in his hands on stage. Vox scoffed.

“Another one bites the Angel Dust!” Angel Dust grinned in song, striking a pose. “Bang, bang!” He held a small gun and squeezed a button. A small flag came out of the slot which read “Eat my dust.” Several of Angel Dust’s porn fans swooned and cheered. “Come too close and get caught in my web.” One of his guns fired a pink spider web, capturing several winged demons. “I can fuck hard and fight hard,” he smirked. He grew six arms and fired his weapons all at the same time, earning more cheers and claps from the crowd.

Cherri Bomb and Crymini posed together, each holding a bomb in their hands. Cherri Bomb had white skin and a single cyclops eye. She wore a pink tank top with xs on it, one of her white shoulders revealed. She had torn black pants and tall pink high heel boots. Her hair was blonde with pink highlights done in a ponytail. Crymini the hyena Sinner grinned next to Cherri Bomb, her fur white and dark pink. Her eyes were yellow with pink iris. She wore a spiky black collar, and a short pink dress with a white skull on it. Her legs were spotted, one had black stripes and one had pink spots. She also had a thick pink and white tail that matched her thick long bangs of hair near her pointed ears. 

“Dames of destruction, relish in the arson,” Cherri Bomb began, tossing a pink bomb that exploded into pink smoke in the sky. She brandished a small metal shooter that fired sticks of dynamite into the distance that let out more explosions.

“Never afraid to make our mark,” Crymini added in song, as she sprayed red graffiti onto a nearby wall that read, “BAD BITCHEZ RULE THE WORLD!”

“Rebellious streak hotter than Hell’s center,” Cherri Bomb grinned, doing spectacular flips, and fighting poses. She and Angel Dust posed side by side and grinned.

“We say ‘bomb’s away,’ to our blown-to-bits foes,” Crymini harmonized, using a torch like a paintbrush to create flaming designs and words in different colors on the ground: “ROCK YOUR SOCKS OFF!”

Sir Pentious blushed in secret as Cherri Bomb threw one final bomb behind her that exploded in pink smoke. He had never seen a woman so tough, so rambunctious…and so beautiful before…at least not during his time in Hell. Cherri Bomb had spunk and despite being an annoying rival…Sir Pentious couldn’t help but feel there was something more…

At the same time Crymini and Cherri Bomb finished, two rival Sinner inventors rolled and spiraled onto the scene. The two men glared at each other, but still seemed to work together, if not to prove themselves better than everyone else.

“I am Loopty Goopty, dastardly inventor of all things loopy and loopish!”

A tall slender demon arrived, riding on a spiral of black metal loops, almost as if they were extensions of himself. He wore tall lime green boots and a black suit with a green color on his waist and a green upward spiral on the chest. He had a red cape and red gloves on his hands. He had wavy tall red horns on his head, red skin, a long nose, and a cliche villain black mustache. He also had a black top hat with a green rim and green hypnotic goggles over his eyes.

Lyle Lipton rolled into action, wearing a green suit with a red undershirt, black sleeves, and green gloves. He revealed a grin of piano teeth and a wavy white mustache obscured part of his light green face. He wore a small black top hat with a red rim and red hypnotic goggles. The lower half of him was black with red stripes…he had no legs but could roll fast to get around.

“I am Lyle Lipton, experimenter of the poor and inventor of endless youth!”

The two Sinners posed in front of their zeppelin ship.

“Look at my loops!” sang the eccentric Loopty Goopty, reaching his hand to swing himself from building to building. He danced and spun in his own spirals before coming back to the ground.

“React to my rolls!” added Lyle Lipton as he crashed through walls unharmed with his speedy rolling body. “Face the music, demons! I have achieved supervillain strength!”

“We shall bring glory to ourselves and be heralded as your vile saviors!” Loopy Goopy added, arms extended, grabbing demons and squeezing them. “For we are dead but cannot die!”

“So that makes you like Frankenstein,” Lyle Lipton said to him. “An eccentric loopy zombie.”

Loopty Goopty paused and turned to him. “Says you, piano man! You got owned by a piano and now you roll in your own ego.”

“At least I didn’t get killed by my own invention!” Lyle Lipton fired back.

“Oh, the heat is on, folks!” Vox called as he relished their arguments. “Let’s see what the judges have to say.”

The judges first looked at the Sloth Ring inventions combined with the votes.

“Good for drug parties, otherwise…nay,” Zestial remarked.

“SUPER COOL!” remarked the dinosaur Overlord.

“Needs more gore,” Charlie Carmine remarked.

Carmilla Carmine said, “Okay inventions but I sense a rather…lazy effort.”

“On to Envy!” called Vox.

“I thinketh the design creative but too confined to water,” Zestial said.

“A GOLDEN TRIDENT WITH WEAPONS INSIDE? WHAT A FINTASTIC CLASSIC!” exclaimed the dinosaur, banging her fists on the table.

“Eh, not bad,” said Charlie Carmine.

“No angelic power and a half-assed display of bravado,” remarked Carmilla Carmine in disapproval.

“Lust!” called Vox.

“Eweth,” Zestial remarked with a disgusted look.

“AROUSING AND DEADLY! I LOVE IT!” smiled the dinosaur.

“Kinda pathetic. Not steampunk enough,” remarked Charlie Carmine.

“Yeah…no,” said a disgusted Carmilla Carmine. “Save your tools for the bedroom.”

“Greed!” Vox continued.

“A circus performance doth not equal true brutality. Maketh more war-like,” Zestial commented.

“CIRCUS PERFORMANCE WAS DYNAMIC AND WILD! ENCORE, ENCORE!” stomped the dinosaur lady.

“Indeed, very creative,” said Charlie Carmine, “But still not my favorite style.”

“Like clowns playing with toys and lacking cold strategy,” Carmilla Carmine scoffed.

“Gluttony!”

“A shooter that fires drugs, food, and alcohol…a fruitless child’s toy on the battlefield,” said Zestial. “Thou should be ashamed.”

“WHOO! PARTY WEAPONS AND INCREDIBLE BOMBS! DO MORE!” cheered the dinosaur Overlord.

“Boring,” said Charlie Carmine. “Needs more sharpness and less blinding colors. Though…I would like that recipe for the rotten candy.”

“Juvenile and ill-crafted,” said Carmilla Carmine.

“Wrath!”

“Me thinketh thou imps put on a spectacular show. A classic example of the grace, brutality, and effectiveness of war and thine culture,” remarked a pleased Zestial.

“YES! YES! CAN I JUST SAY YES!” beamed the dinosaur Overlord.

“Are you really approving everything?” asked a skeptical Charlie Carmine. “But yes, I very much approve their work.”

“Very impressive, fine craftsmanship,” Carmilla Carmine said in approval for the first time. “Just tone down the wrath…a lot.”

The board read:

Sloth: 12

Envy: 13

Lust: 8

Greed: 16

Gluttony: 10

Wrath: 20

“And…Pride!” announced Vox.

Sir Pentious and Baxter were tied. Loopty Goopty was in third place, Lyle Lipton was in fourth, Cherri Bomb was fifth, and Crymini was in sixth.

And then…

“The porn star is out,” Carmilla Carmine remarked, glancing down after Odette came up to her.

“What? Why?!” Angel Dust asked angrily as boos were heard.

“This is a weapons expo, not a porn show.”

“I gotta show off my stuff at some point. Look how good I am at fightin’!”

“You do have great skill, but I’ve seen better.”

Angel Dust slumped and walked off the stage just as Charlie, Vaggie, Husk, and Niffty reached him.

Angel Dust fumed after he spotted the small piece of paper that was in front of Carmilla Carmine that hadn’t been there before. On it was Vaggie’s handwriting: “I’m just after the prize money. – Angel Dust.” Vaggie had told Odette about a “really important customer inquiring about fighting techniques. Here is the number.”

Angel Dust wasn’t happy.

“Bitch!” he spat at Vaggie. “You made Carmilla drop me out!”

“We have to get you back to the hotel,” Vaggie said. “You could’ve used that money for more drugs! Or who knows how mad you’ve have gotten if you had stayed longer.”

“That prize money could’ve helped me pay off my debts to Val!”

“Well, thank goodness you’re okay!” Charlie said, wanting to change the subject.

Angel Dust glared. “What you ya mean, ‘thank goodness?!’ None of these people know true talent when they see it.”

“I told you that entering the contest was a bad idea,” Vaggie reprimanded. “Killing is not allowed for you anymore!”

Angel Dust shrugged, hands out. “I didn’t kill anyone! I swear!” Angel Dust glanced back at two wounded demons he had shot earlier. “Well maybe a little…”

“Hotel. Now,” Vaggie glared, pulling him along.

“Wait,” said Charlie. “Baxter and Sir Pentious!”

“What about ‘em?” Angel Dust asked.

“Look,” said Husk, pointing to the stage. Niffty had popcorn in her hands with an excited grin.

“The final feud is on, folks!” Vox announced. “After Wrath coming in second, we are down to our two finalists! Mad Inventor Sir Pentious and Mad Scientist Baxter!”

(“I’m The Sinner Winner!” song)

The two men pushed buttons on their own remotes and their battle inventions rumbled to life in the distance.

The crowd cheered and voted some more as the two Sinners glared daggers, put on their goggles, and began to clash. They were each lifted up by their minions, rising into the air. Like boys in battle suits, they comically exchanged punches and insults. The Egg Boiz stumbled and held each other’s hands, also trying to support their master. Several Egg Boiz broke the glass of a few Piscines, causing the biotic fish to spill out. But more Egg Boiz got cracked from metallic punches from the robots.

Sir Pentious and Baxter circled each other as the crowd watched. Sir Pentious briefly hypnotized Baxter, causing him to stumble and nearly lose his balance. But one shock from one of Baxter’s robots tazed the snake in the tail, allowing Baxter to snap out of the trance. In the background, the zeppelin and Baxter’s Destructo robot also fought each other. The giant robot tried to crush the warship in its metal hand, but a rapid barrage of bullets briefly blinded the giant Baxter-lookalike robot.

“I’m the Sinner Winner!” Sir Pentious and Baxter sang at the same time in a duel, seething.

“You may think you’re hot shit, but you’re just a beginner!”

“I’ll wipe the floor with your fishy face!” Sir Pentious hissed.

“Your slow brain cannot match my pace!” Baxter retorted.

“Cower before my steampunk splendor!” Sir Pentious grinned, gears grinding behind him. Charlie Carmine grinned in approval.

“Watch your confidence get mixed in a blender!” Baxter scoffed, shaking a flask of teal liquid that fizzed with steam. Carmilla Carmine facepalmed at the idiocy of Vox and the contest.

“Without my work, yours wouldn’t exist!” Sir Pentious sang.

“Mine is a recognizable improvement, I insist!” cackled Baxter.

“You weren’t even in the first season!”

“I enjoy being alone for a reason!”

“I should fire you again for treason!”

“In your body, I’ll add a lethal lesion!”

They both sang at the same time.

“I’m the Sinner Winner!”

“I’m the Sinner Winner!”

“You may think you’re hot shit, but you’re just a beginner!”

“You may think you’re hot shit, but you’re just a beginner!”

“I’ll make sure the ass anglerfish drowns once again!”

 “I’ll make sure the sissy shit snake gets roasted alive!”

“All will bow in my coils!”

“All will be my lab subjects!”

“And now I say, farewell mother…”

And now I say lebewohl you piece of…”

“STOP!” Charlie, Vaggie, Husk, and Niffty shouted at the same time. Charlie briefly flared in her demonic form before reverting back.

Baxter and Sir Pentious paused as Vox himself stepped onto the stage, slowly clapping.

At long last, both of their inventions groaned, fizzled, and collapsed at the same time. The zeppelin crashed and exploded to the ground in green smoke, while the robot slammed to the ground in an explosion of metal and teal light. Many demons flew backward from the force of the explosions. Charlie and the others ducked for cover, rising only when the smoke had cleared.

Baxter and Sir Pentious both slumped in disappointment and frustration as their minions gently lowered them to the ground and scampered off. They brushed themselves off and breathed hard.

“D-did I win?” Sir Pentious asked with a nervous grin.

“Congratulations to both of you!” Vox grinned, arms out. “That was an amazing performance! So incredible that I now have 6.6 billion views on VoxTube. Now, to determine the final winner. Sir Pentious…”

Sir Pentious gulped.

“Since you’re the oldest, you have the privilege of coming forward for your demonstration. I have examined one of your weapons and it appears to have transmutation powers?”

“Yes,” said Sir Pentious as Vox gave him his small gray gun with various settings on it. “It can turn things into monsters without having to grow them in a tank,” Sir Pentious smirked at Baxter. “But I have yet to make some modifications…”

“Too late for that,” said Vox. “Now’s the time to prove your worth! If you can successfully demonstrate the effectiveness of your weapon, you win the contest!”

Sir Pentious beamed, his eyes wide with tears. “Really?”

Vox nodded. “And gain my approval back! And win lots of money! And brag in Baxter’s face!” Baxter folded his arms.

Sir Pentious had an evil smirk on his face. His dream was coming true at last!

 “But if you lose, well…I guess I’ll have to ask Baxter to do it instead!”

Baxter grinned, but Sir Pentious folded his arms. “He won’t even get a chance!” Sir Pentious loaded his gun. “Let’s get started!”

“Whether it works or not, at least you can say you tried,” Vox said. “Yes,” said Sir Pentious, aiming the gun. Velvette appeared and pushed a cart forward with a cloth on it to Sir Pentious.

“I present to you…your test subject!” Vox grinned. “Begin!”

Velvette removed the cloth and underneath it was…

“FAT NUGGETS?!” Angel Dust cried in shock.

Sure enough, the pet pig was struggling and squealing on the table as his hooves were restrained by small chains.

“SIR PENTIOUS, DON’T!” Charlie yelled.

Sir Pentious looked taken aback. “The swine pet?” He pointed a finger. “So, it was you who stole the pig from the hotel!”

“All thanks to you mentioning it,” Vox smirked. Sir Pentious lowered his eyes as Vaggie and Angel Dust burned holes in his soul with their stares.

“Go ahead, snake man…turn this runt into a monster and you’ll be back to true Overlord status!”

“B-but I could kill him!”

“Who cares? You’ll still be rewarded no matter what, I promise!” persuaded Vox.

“Sir Pentious, don’t shoot,” Charlie pleaded.

“You kill my pet and I’ll make sure you’re double dead!” Angel Dust snarled at the snake, tears in his eyes. He aimed his gun at Vox, but Vox held up a hand. “Wouldn’t do good for Hell’s hottest porn star to strike an Overlord. Especially if my sexy buddy Val found out, heh?”

Angel Dust wavered, hands shaking on his weapon. He was at a standstill. If he were to attack Vox, Velvette could roast his beloved pet to bacon. Vox also grinned at the Hazbin crew. “So nice of you lowly has-beens to join us!”

“Stop trying to mock us and my hotel!” Charlie bared her teeth. “As the princess, I demand you to let Fat Nuggets go!” Vaggie gave her a proud look.

“No one in Hell listens to royalty,” Vox purred in a low voice, moving a menacing electric gloved finger toward Fat Nuggets. “One step and he’s toast.”

Sir Pentious’ eyes darted around, sweat beading his face. Velvette kicked one of his Egg Boiz for good measure.

“He’s trying to divide us so the hotel fails!” Charlie called. “You already said, ‘sorry.’ Now it’s time to act for the good of your friends!”

“We’re not friends,” Baxter stated.

“Stop ruining it!” Vaggie barked.

It was all up to Sir Pentious now.

Vox grinned. “You have no friends to begin with! So…what’s it gonna be, Sir Pentious? Wanna be the vilest villain you were destined to be? Or will you always be a good for nothing joke of a failure?”

The tension built as his hands shook holding the weapon. He stared into Angel Dust’s angry eyes, Charlie’s pleading ones, Vox’s hypnotic orbs…and the innocent sweet eyes of Fat Nuggets who gave him a somber look.

“I…I…”

Sir Pentious inched forward, closer and closer and closer…

“I think I’m gonna slip!”

He stumbled on his tail and fell forward onto the table. Velvette gasped as Sir Pentious nearly fell on top of Fat Nuggets. Sir Pentious and the wheeled cart rolled forward past Velvette and off the stage. Velvette fired rounds from her gun, but the bullets bounced off Sir Pentious harmlessly. Sir Pentious gave Baxter a look, pointing at the chains. Baxter nodded and fired a few blasts from a gun, breaking apart the chains and freeing the frightened Fat Nuggets.

“FUCK!” Vox roared as Sir Pentious held the pig close in his arms and raced over toward Angel Dust. More bullet blasts caused Sir Pentious to slow down, making him nearly drop the pig. Vaggie pointed her spear at Velvette, who had tried to grab Sir Pentious from behind. Sir Pentious tossed the pig to Angel Dust just as Vox tackled him to the ground. The crowd cheered and chanted, “Fight! Fight! Fight!” Fat Nuggets nuzzled into Angel Dust’s white fur and the spider demon sighed in relief.

Vox had Sir Pentious in a chokehold, but Baxter aimed one of his weapons at him.

“Back off, I say!”

Vox chuckled as he stood up. “Trying to save your own rival now?”

“The only one who can kill him…is me!” Baxter spat as Charlie helped Sir Pentious up. She and Vaggie supported him, his arms on their shoulders as the Egg Boiz lifted his lower serpent body.

 Vox stood up. He and Velvette soon found themselves outnumbered by the Hazbins. Carmilla Carmine also looked at him in disapproval. Vox stared nervously at the cameras. “Sorry about this interruption, folks! Due to unplanned circumstances, I officially declare the winner of this weapons expo to be…ME!”

Vox posed as the golden VoxTech Angelic Security logo appeared on the screen. “Because let’s face it, the greatest weapon of all is the one used on the mind, ears, and eyes…the most subtle weapon of all! Magnificent media! Horray for me!”

Many demons cheered while several others booed. Cherri Bomb and Crymini took a selfie together, posing as explosions and flames flashed in the background. Crymini had managed to snatch some of the prize money. They labeled their Voxtagram photo with #BestWeaponsExpoEver. The brave demons who avoided the chaos exchanged tools and inventions. Some took selfies with the various scientists and inventors, grinning when they got their creations signed by them.

“YOU FRAUD!” yelled Lyle Lipton and Loopty Goopy to Vox. “You stole our victory!” Vox mentioned for one of his managers to stop the Hazbins. Vox fled the scene in a flash of electricity, leaving Velvette to run to her pink and purple fancy car on foot. She zoomed away, barely escaping the enraged inventors.

“Take that, shark fiend!” Baxter shouted as one of Vox’s managers rushed at him with a taser.

Baxter hit the manager with his cactus juice ray, making him drop the taser. He began dancing like a chicken and saying everything he hated about Vox…live on TV. “Vox wants Alastor to notice him!” “Voot Floop cereal is overrated!” (No one ever saw him again after that.)

“Let’s get outta here!” called Angel Dust, holding Fat Nuggets in his arms.

“What happened, Sir Pentious?” asked Charlie.

“I…uh…sorta tripped…on purpose.”

Husk grinned. “Clever trick, kid. Wasn’t expecting that from you.”

Charlie gave Sir Pentious a hug and he winced a bit. “I knew you had a good heart!”

There was a sudden roar and a shaking of the ground. The Hazbins slowly looked up. Demons screamed and scrambled away as Baxter’s blue sea monster towered over them. The monster let out a thunderous screech and promptly crunched a screaming demon in its mouth. 

“BAXTER!” Vaggie raged.

“HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT SO MANY EXPLOSIONS WOULD ALLOWIT TO ESCAPE FROM THE JAR?” he yelled over the noise.

“SHRINK IT BEFORE IT DEVOURS US ALL!” Charlie yelped, stepping back.

But then Niffty jumped up and down. “I HAVE A GREAT IDEA!”

“What, Niffty?” Husk asked.

The Hazbins soon found themselves screaming and riding on the scaly back of the many-eyed monster as it slithered back to the hotel.

“THIS IS FUCKING INSANE, NIFFTY!” Charlie cried, holding on for dear life.

Baxter was using his pulsing esca to guide the beast as much as he could. Husk, Vaggie, a hurt Sir Pentious, and Charlie screamed as they bobbled up and down, nearly falling off. “WHEEE!” cried Niffty in excitement as Baxter cackled at the front near the monster’s head. Baxter hollered, “I KNEW MY INVENTIONS WOULD COME IN HANDY!”

The Egg Boiz got to work stitching up Sir Pentious’ wounds, while the Piscine Machines helped keep the serpent calm, using telepathic communication through their escas.

“Angel,” Sir Pentious said, in a softer voice. “I don’t expect you to forgive me after my spying on you and almost losing your pig…”

Angel Dust shot him an angry look.

“…but I sincerely apologize for my selfish behavior. No more showing off weapons from now on…”

Vaggie smiled.

“…at least in public.”

Vaggie’s face briefly fell but she shrugged. She figured that Sir Pentious would continue to improve.

“I’m proud of you, Pentious,” Charlie said.

“I’m a loser,” he said, dejectedly.

“No, you’re not,” she comforted. “You saved Fat Nuggets and hopefully learned your lesson with Baxter. Plus, you stood your ground against Vox. That was amazing!” Vaggie nodded in approval as well.

Baxter and Sir Pentious folded their arms, but they no longer argued.

“Hey, why’d you save Sir Pentious from Vox?” asked Husk to Baxter.

“Vox just made me mad,” Baxter claimed. “I don’t care about Sir Pentious.”

“Perhaps you admit I have some prowess,” said Sir Pentious.

Baxter scratched his neck. “Well…yeah…that was pretty clever what you did to save the pig.”

Sir Pentious beamed.

“Well, both of you technically lost the expo contest…” Vaggie said.

“I think it was a tie,” said Charlie, trying to cheer them up.

Baxter sighed. “Well since we both lost our inventions and perhaps our lives…perhaps I will refrain from quarrelling with you.”

“Same,” said Sir Pentious.

Charlie smiled.

“But that doesn’t mean we’re friends!” Baxter spat.

“Wholeheartedly agree with you!” Sir Pentious snapped.

“Wonderful, Baxter! You’re improving also!” Charlie exclaimed.

“Finally something you two can agree on,” remarked Husk.

Vaggie sighed, glancing at Charlie’s hopeful eyes again. “If you guys promise not to leave the hotel or cause any more trouble, you may stay.”

Baxter and Sir Pentious smiled.

“But you both have to do your part to clean and defend the hotel. Plus the redemption part.”

“I shall do my very best!” declared Sir Pentious.

“And shrink this beast for good when we get back,” ordered Vaggie to Baxter.

Baxter sighed. “Okay. I’ll do my part too…as long as I don’t have to participate in Charlie’s superficial social sessions too much. Or Angel Dust’s sleazy acts.”

“It’s a deal,” said Vaggie.

Niffty raced down the beast’s side and snatched a pink smoothie from a pair of demons at a table. She climbed back up, the bottom of the glass in her mouth before scouting closer to Baxter. “You know…I’ve been interested in more of your inventions.” She held out her smoothie to him. “Can you… tell me more?”

Baxter looked at the smoothie. “Where did you get that?!”

“Want some?” Niffty slurped from one of the straws.

“Yuck! Who knows who ate it!”

“We’ll be great friends, someday, I just know it! You’re just so…slippery.” She giggled.

“Niffty,” groaned Husk as the beast headed back to the hotel as the sun set.

Vox sat in his studio again, Velvette behind him, screens glowing in the dark.

 Vox furrowed his eyebrows. “I was so close to getting my views to be the highest in all of Hell! I almost brought that hotel down, would’ve been hilarious to see Angel Dust heartbroken! I knew I should’ve slaughtered that swine when I had the chance!” He slammed a fist. He narrowed his eyes as he saw the news: “Drama At Hell’s Weapon’s Expo! Vox’s Embarrassing Secrets?! Plus, Snake And Fish, Who Would You Smash?”

“Well, we still have plenty of tricks up our sleeves,” said Velvette. “Hell will eventually belong to us completely…it’ll just take time.”

“I’ll make sure no Sinners will ever be redeemed in that dump. No one will ever leave Hell, especially from me. When I’m through with that little princess and her rag tag bitches, every Sinner in Pentagram City will be hanging on to every word I say for eternity!”

Vox grinned evilly, his eyes glowing red and his teeth glowing cyan in the darkness.