#and I have dated and been friends with lots of people who do

[catmask]

meowdy! looks like our move to a new apartment is not going to be so peaceful after all - our old apartment is currently leaking sewage water and we have to evacuate four people and two cats! donations are appreciated, but im opening an emergency sale + commissions too! (more under the cut)

KO-FI SHOP SALE + EMERGENCY COMMISSIONS ARE OPEN!

DISCOUNT CODE IS 'LEAK' IN ALL CAPS

so for this section, i'm going to break down everything thats happening + when things will come off hiatus! i'm hoping that everything will be set up in the new place by JUNE 1st, so that is the hard deadline i'm setting to start all functions up again as usual.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

two years ago, my fiance and i were offered emergency housing when we (very suddenly and tragically) became the parents to his orphaned little sister. both of us are only 26 and had to move 8 hours from where we had been living at the time, so the housing we had was the best 2 people with few connections and no established jobs could find within a single weeks notice.

since then, we have been saving up and working to finally have a proper place to live. and we did so! at the beginning of this month we found an apartment where all of us can move to. we have a friend staying with us who is helping with the move as well.

i really wanted this move to be seamless - basically, you wouldn't have had to know it was happening. we were going to pay double rent for two months while i would stream and work from the old place, and begin sleeping at the new one. its expensive, but i didn't want my real life to trouble anyone here.

unfortunately this is no longer possible. the old building we were staying at had a pipe begin to leak, then eventually flood our entire apartment. this has been a reoccurring problem the landlord hasn't seemed to find a solution for, and it's led to a biohazard where we were planning on slowly moving from - leading to an immediate and emergency evacuation for the safety of everyone in our family.

SO... STREAMING?

will be back online as soon as possible! we moved out our tech as soon as we could due to fear of water damage, and it seems like everything is A-OK. we just need to rebuild my desk and sound proof the new room, so this will probaaabbly be back online within a week? im just going to take the week off to make sure everything is set up and there are no bugs. (digital. digital bugs.)

LAIKA'S COMET?

for the sake of not losing my buffer crazystyle, i'm pausing laika's until JUNE 1st. but i'm going to post one more page right now to leave you guys on a cliffhanger because i think it's funny. (the ko-fi will still update as regular as i finish pages! tbh, in between moving i am going to be drawing.... a LOT... it's like my only self soothing activity i have access to right now </3)

SHOP STUFF?

you basically won't notice a difference. orders go out every 2 weeks anyway, and literally the day before this happened we completely caught up to date. that + all of the goods we had were already moved over because (similar to the tech) we were worried about water damage, so nothing will be yucky... (i dont know if i can say the same about our furniture or clothes ; _ ; )

FINAL NOTES

while we did manage to get out with emergency bags and a weeks worth of outfits + things to sleep on + cook with, we have no real means of knowing the extent of damage until we bring things out of the apartment and clean them here. thankfully *most* things appear undamaged, its largely the flooring and the smell that are unliveable... walking through puddles of sewage water and having to wear a mask to breathe is not really liveable conditions.

however, considering this move is sped up way faster than planned, and i wont be able to work during it - any sales or donations are hugely appreciated. ; w ;

i'm sorry to ask for help like this, and its only if you are comfortable to do so!!! i can work hard, so i don't mind doing a little extra art to make money, this is just if you feel okay to help out and would like to.

if you read this far, thank you so much - hopefully next time i will return with good news - and maybe a new apartment tour...?

[eddiazx]

homecoming - eddie diaz x reader

Eddie hears her before he sees her.

An adorable voice that comes from several feet away. A voice belonging to a child, a child that was roughly 7 or 8 years old, probably the same age as Christopher. 

Eddie had been with the 118 for three months by now. He truly loves the job; it was rewarding and he loved being in service of people. Among their calls though, there were quite a handful of cats getting stuck in trees. Which was why they were currently at a park, Eddie resting a foot behind him against the fire engine, while he watches Buck climb up a ladder to extract the cat. Chim was popping his gum, explaining a new sci-fi flick that just came out to Hen, who to her credit, was doing a great job acting like she cared. 

“Are you a firefighter?” The voice had asked. Eddie looks down at the little girl, a girl who looked so very familiar with her hair in two braids and brown doe eyes. 

Eddie smiles automatically, and crouches down to be at the same height as the girl. “What gave it away?” He jokes, and he’s met with the sweetest giggle that he swears could cure diseases. 

“My mommy said that firefighters are unsung heroes. We actually had one come to the coffee shop that my mommy owns. It’s named after me! I don’t drink coffee though, I’m still too little. I do love the honey banana bread she makes though! That's why my mom calls me bee."

Eddie listens with patience, a soft smile on his face at the little girl’s rambling. Chris does the same thing - gets very enthusiastic and starts over-explaining with run-on sentences. It’s the most endearing quality ever, in Eddie’s opinion. 

“Yeah? Do you know where your mommy is now?” Eddie asks.

“Bee, what did we say about you running off without telling me?” A voice asks. Eddie’s eyes follow the voice and is met with an assault on all his senses, including a very clear pang in his chest. 

You look even better than you had nine years ago, which Eddie didn’t even think could be possible, since he already thought you were gorgeous when the two of you had dated at 18 years old. 

Your face drops when you realize who your daughter was talking to. The boy, or rather the man, who had broken your heart all those years ago. The one who your daughter shared DNA with. The one who didn’t even know he had another child, because you had left Texas for L.A. the second the strip turned pink. 

You recover quickly, putting your hands on your daughter’s shoulders. “Hey bee, Milo was asking if you wanted to play go-fish. Can you head over there? Mommy will be just a minute.” 

“Okay!” She tells you with a beaming grin. She then turns to Eddie, and says, “I liked talking to you firefighter man! You should come to my mommy’s shop sometime!” With that, she runs over to where your friends and family were. 

You internally curse the fact that your daughter was such a social butterfly, before finally meeting Eddie’s eyes. He looks like he was struck by lightning; eyes wide and mouth gaping. He was reeling, and you couldn’t really blame the guy. 

“She’s mine.” He says, eventually. It isn’t a question, rather, a simple statement, but you nod anyway. The familiarity that he had seen in the child makes so much sense now, down to the quirk of her smile that you have - but he could also see features of himself in her. The pang in Eddie’s chest was now reduced to a chronic, dull ache at all the years and memories he wasn’t there for. Again.

“I know it’s a lot to ask”, he starts, voice rough but surprisingly steady for someone who just received world-altering news, “but I think Christopher - my son, and I would love to get to know her more. I feel like they’d get along great. Could we all get to know each other?” The words feel wrong a bit, because there was a time where Eddie and you had known each other inside and out. Likes, dislikes, dreams, fears, and life goals - you had practically been an Eddie Diaz encyclopedia.

You’re pensive as you consider his request. You knew this day would come, where you would have to have this conversation with the father of your child. It doesn’t stop the fear gripping your insides, the fear that he would get close to the two of you, and then proceed to leave. It was a fear that was supremely unfair to Eddie, because he didn’t know when he chose to marry Shannon that you had been in the same predicament. And you didn’t know that hours before he was due at the altar, he had stood in front of your then empty house, desperately hoping you would tell him not to marry Shannon.

So with a rapidly beating heart, you smile softly. “Yeah. Yeah, let’s get to know each other.” 

[therainscene]

Gonna be a bit of a buzzkill here, but: I think what annoys me about Ted's been casually assuming that Mike was dating Will this whole time theories is that they always tend to treat it as a fun outcome.

Like, I get it: Ted's the useless one-dimensional suburban dad who makes bland observations he thinks are insightful quips, and he hasn't had much of a character arc beyond getting dragged along for the ride his more three-dimensional wife is on -- so what is there for him to do, really, other than to delight us with one final, genuinely insightful joke that subverts our expectations but makes perfect sense in hindsight?

But I feel like this would essentially make him one of those "allies" whose egos are more important to them than actually being supportive, and so they make smug jokes about how accepting they are at the expense of their kids' fear of rejection:

"I hate my gay son! Oh, not because he's gay, he's just an asshole." 🤭 "Why are you telling me you're gay? I figured that out years ago. Stop crying and go help your mother with the dishes." 🙄 etc.

It wouldn't be out of character for Ted to do this. I can totally see him doing it! But it's out of character for the show to make light of queer struggles, so I'd expect it to be critical of Ted for doing this.

Often, parents like the ones described above really do mean well, but they just don't know what they're supposed to do other than try to keep treating their kid the same as if they were straight. Lots of parents struggle with that; I'd argue even Joyce does in S3:

Will's clearly experiencing a specifically queer difficulty here -- boys like him aren't allowed to fall in love and he's upset about having to watch straight people openly enjoy things he thinks he'll never have -- and that apparently sails over Joyce's head. She just smiles at her Silly Immature Boy Who Doesn't Get The Appeal Of Sex Yet and drops the topic.

[Edit: To be clear, Joyce knows he's gay and is explicitly showing support for gay love here. She just has a blind spot when it comes to the gay teen experience.]

It's a disappointing change in her approach from the first two seasons, in which she fought her ass off to understand and advocate for his needs, even when communication seemed nigh impossible.

But then, maybe S3 is about granting Will his S2 wish to not be coddled by his mom anymore.

The Jonwill heart-to-heart at the end of S4 is my favourite scene in the whole show, because it's a pitch-perfect demonstration of how to balance closeted queer kids' need for support against their need to handle things on their own terms, all without embarrassing them by showing your hand of Already Knowing.

Maybe you're thinking: didn't Karen do exactly this with Mike all the way back in S1?

[Literally hiding his future beard in his closet during this convo lol 10/10 queer-coding]

Well, no. The point I made in my previous Wheeler analysis still applies: Karen, as of S1, is too prone to trusting dangerous authorities over her own kids -- and so her words ring hollow. She means well, but deep down she's prioritizing her need to feel like a good mother over putting any real effort into figuring out what Mike needs: reassurance that he and his flock of outcast friends will be safe if he's open with her.

The key thing Jonathan gets right is to understand his brother well enough to directly address the underlying fear that's been preventing Will from opening up:

So if Ted's sole contribution to Mike's queer arc ends up being a reveal that he's always known and been too cool to blab to anyone, but also that he did nothing about it other than to smugly wait for Mike to come out...?

...I just think that would feel more tragic than funny.

[justmeinadaze]

Curiosity (Part 5)(Eddie X Plus Size Y/N)

Warnings: Younger (Early 20s) Daddy Eddie & Older (early 30s) Plus Size Sub Fem Y/N, SMUT, light dirty talk, light spanking, etc.

ANGST *lays in a bed of angst with a cat named angst who does angsty things*

Consequences of last chapter rear their head here. Reader makes a friend and Eddie gets jealous, Y/N perceives things online and becomes jelly as well. Y/N runs into Steve at a bar dealing with a bad abusive date, both get hurt but Daddy comes to the rescue (so slight domestic abuse trigger) , Eddie mentions his abusive upbringing (brief near the end), slight cliffhanger ending (I've done worse). I think that's it.

Word Count: 5610

Series here/Donate to Me <3

“Hey, pretty girl. How did you sleep?”, Eddie asked from his chair at his desk when he heard you groan awake. 

“Good. How about you? How long have you been up?” 

“Not long, sweetheart.”, he murmurs with that morning husk that makes you swoon. “Can you come sit by me for a moment? I want to show you something.”

Softly smiling, you shuffle your feet over to the chair beside him and place your legs over his. While you were still in your panties and a t-shirt, he had pulled on a pair of shorts and loose tank top that showed off all his delicious muscles that made you want to run your hands along his skin. 

“So, I know I’ve told you before that people can schedule sessions with me on this website but I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned that I can schedule some to.”

“I don’t think so, baby, but I imagine you don’t schedule many.”

Eddie chuckles a bit as he nods. 

“Yeah, you’re right. I actually think I’ve only ever done it a handful of times but I’ve done it most with Mill. Like I told you, ya know, I really enjoy talking to her and she’s incredibly kind.” The metalhead pauses as his eyes shift towards you. “I know she would never do anything to intentionally hurt me and I’m sure that she’s always been honest with me. In this town, it’s not something I’m used to.”

Swallowing the lump in your throat you softly smile and caress his cheek with your finger.

“Steve mentioned something that I hadn’t noticed but now they kind of stand out to me that I can’t get out of my head. You both use the same phrases, same style of speech… Her name is CurvyCorporateMillennial and you ARE a curvy corporate millennial…”

“I mean…a lot of millennials…are in corporate and—and a lot of us talk the same…” His chocolate eyes flashed through so many different emotions before landing on one you recognized; anger. “Eddie—”

“No, no, Y/N. You are absolutely right. Since you two have so much in common I’ve been dying for you two to meet. I logged in and set up a time; I just have to approve it. Now, whenever I approve it, it sends a notification to the persons phone pretty quickly.” 

As soon as his finger clicks the mouse, a few seconds pass and out of the corner of your eye you see your phone on the night stand light up with a soft and subtle ding.

“You know what, I don’t want to miss her. Let me schedule a few of these and of course I can cancel them later.”

Five more clicks, five more dings. 

“You should get that. May be important.”

“Eddie, I—”

“Get. Your. Phone.”, he growls. Your head hangs as you rise to your feet and do what he says. “Show it to me.”

Your thumb shakes as the tears began to fall and you unlock your phone to show him your screen. The image of him hugging you from behind as he kisses your cheek greets him…along with six notifications for an OnlyFans session with EddietheBanished.

“Jesus, I’m so stupid.”

“No! No, Eddie, I swear I wasn’t…I was borrowing my roommate’s laptop and-and-and your profile came up. I got curious so I created a profile just to see what you did and then…I told myself I would never go on their again but then you messaged me and we talked—”

“Why the fuck didn’t you say anything?!”

“I tried! I was going to tell you after your concert but then you made a move and we—”

“I see, so this is my fault?”

“No!”

“So you didn’t come that night to see me play even though I had been inviting you for months. You came to tell me that you were catfishing me while you watched me jerk off…Wait a minute. That’s how you knew about the Daddy thing, isn’t it?”

“Yes but—”

“Fuck me…”, he sighs as he stands and you hastily follow.

“I called you Daddy that night because it felt right. I made love to you because I liked you. I’m with you now because I like you.”

“Why keep pretending then?! So that you can manipulate me?! I told Mill reasons why I was angry with you and she guided me. It was just you fucking with me!”

“No, Eddie, I swear that was never my intention! I should have told you sooner but I was so scared of losing you and it just got so hard to say anything the longer it went on.”

“Yeah, well, that doesn’t change the fact that you should have told me. I feel…I feel like our entire relationship was a lie.”

Your heart shatters as you slowly backed away from him and your emotional wall flew up. 

“Was? Are…are we still not in one?”

The metalhead’s eyebrows furrowed at the crack in your tone as he pushed down the notion to collect you in his arms and hold you to his chest to comfort you. 

“I don’t know, Y/N. I always thought you were the perfect girl for me. Everything about you fit to me like a glove and I asked myself constantly what an angel like you is doing with an idiot like me. I guess I know now, huh?”

“Eddie…”

“I think…I think maybe we should take a break.”

Nodding, you collected your clothes and quickly put them on before scurrying as fast as you could out the front door. 

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

You told yourself constantly with every year that passed you were saving your vacation time for when you desperately needed it. You knew there would be a day where you needed an escape; where on a pain scale, life hit you with a 10 and you would need that time away. 

This was your 10. 

You spent 2 weeks at home, sobbing as you processed everything that happened. You went through his socials but that was pointless because he rarely posted in general but you were able to snag a few crumbs when his friends tagged him in things. 

One night he went to a party at a friend’s house and his name attached to a photo of him chugging back liquid in a red cup. Another had you fuming when some girl close to his own age had her hand on his thigh while he laid his head on her shoulder. 

You wished you could do something to make him equally as jealous as the feeling of shame washed over you. He had every reason to be upset with you; you had lied to him but that didn’t change the fact that it hurt you watching him let loose while you were in your apartment falling apart. 

What surprised you the most was the headspace. 

The little girl headspace within kept kicking at your brain, desperate for her Daddy to come hold her in his arms and make her feel better especially at night when everything was quiet.

That first Monday back, you decided you were going to walk into your building with your head held high, refusing to give him the satisfaction of breaking your heart. Armed with a new pink blouse and lethal hairdo, you sauntered up to the double doors, ready to start over and face the day. 

“Fuck! I’m so sorry!”, a soft voice exclaims after bumping into you a bit roughly. 

“It’s ok. No harm done.”

The shoes in front of you seemed expensive with their sleek black shine but as your eyes continued to travel upwards, you realized he was anything but with slacks that seemed a bit too big for him and a shirt that was tucked into his belt a bit haphazardly. When your eyes found his, the man in front of you sighed in what sounded like relief as he reached out to shake your hand. 

“Hey. I’m, um, Ren. R-E-N like in Footloose.”

“I love that movie.”

“Yeah, so did my dad. Unfortunately, I didn’t get Keven Bacon’s moves but…” As he chuckles, you smile as you take in his handsome face and beautiful green eyes. He had to be about your age if not a little bit younger. “What about you? What’s, uh, what’s your name?”

“Y/N. Sorry, my name is Y/N. I was just on, um, on vacation so my brain is still catching up.”

“I understand. This is my first day here so I’m not as smooth as I normally am.”

“Why do I doubt that?”, you grin making his smile widen. 

“Maybe, you can show me around later and I can prove myself.”

“So are we all just hoping the elevator psychically knows to come down?”, a firm tone grunts in frustration before stomping forward to push the up button allowing you to come face to face with Eddie. 

Even with his hair pulled back you could tell it was a mess with the frizz struggling to be tamed. Utilizing every loophole in the handbook, he would normally at least show up in some nice jeans and a button up shirt but today his pants were torn at the knee while the polo shirt he had one was chaotically hanging off parts his waist. His eyes once full of life and a gentleness were now hollow as if he hadn’t slept in days. 

Silently, you all entered the elevator with you between these two men but your heart pulled towards one more than the other as you had to use all your energy to not loop your hand through the metalhead’s. 

“It was nice to meet you, Y/N, and again I’m sorry for bumping into you.”, he grins as you three step off on the same floor.

“No worries.”

Stalking towards his desk, Eddie slams everything down making the people around him including you, jump. 

“Edward Munson!”

“Angela.”

Your manager slid back in her chair at his gruff tone as you both visually took him in. 

“Everything alright, Eddie?”

“Everything’s fine.”, he grumbled before flopping down in his chair. 

Quietly, you do the same as your head hangs. 

“Do you want me to move somewhere else?”, you whisper as your bottom lip trembles. 

“No. Just don’t fucking talk to me.”

Nodding, you hug your arms around yourself as you set up your computer but you were unable to make it long before you hastily got up and disappeared into an empty office. The door suddenly opened startling you but as you tried to quickly dry your eyes, arms circled around you and pulled you into a broad chest that was laced with an overpowering smell of cigarettes. 

“It’s ok…everything’s ok…”, Eddie cooed as his large palm pet the back of your head. “I’m sorry I snapped at you… This has been incredibly hard for me. I…I miss you so much, Y/N.”

“I miss you to. C-Can we talk? After work maybe?”

The man sighs as he lets you go and lightly pushes you away. 

“I, um, I don’t think I’m ready for that right now. You really hurt me. Add into the fact that you’ve been on vacation for 2 weeks doing God knows what—”

“Excuse me? You think after what happened, I took two weeks off to ‘relax’?”, you scoff. “Jesus, you must think so little of me especially after you’re the one that’s been partying with girls on his lap!”

Chocolate eyes glare your way before a big sarcastic smirk paints his lips. 

“I see someone’s been stalking my social media. Not uncommon for you, is it, little girl? Hiding in the shadows as you watch me. Well, now you have no reason to be fucking jealous since you have that new blond asshole you were flirting with in the elevator.”

“I wasn’t flirting.”

“Oh, please! If I wasn’t there you’d probably fuck him against the wall.”

“Sure, why not?! I can finally fuck a real man then some pathetic little boy like you!” You blink as your jaw drops, surprising even yourself at your own words. “E-Eddie…I’m sorry…I didn’t—”

Backing slowly away from you, the metalhead throws you a sarcastic smirk before opening the door to leave and slamming it behind him. 

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

Work had become more excruciating and long since you didn’t have Eddie to talk to. While he sat beside you, he kept his headphones on with music blaring as he scribbled things down in his notebook until he got a call.

Ren was indeed a new hire at your company and he had begun filling the silence during your lunches, talking to you about everything you both could think of. He genuinely was a sweet man and you enjoyed having conversations with him but he never gave you those warm feelings the metalhead gave you. 

“No but that early 2000s music was always a bop.”, he laughs as he continues to walk you to your car after work. 

“A bop?”, you giggle.

“Yeah, I mean, isn’t that what the kids are saying?”

“No, Ren, I don’t think the kids are saying bop.”

“Well shit. I guess I’m not cool anymore.”

“That implies you were ever cool in the first place.”, you tease as you dig into your purse for your keys. 

“Oooo she’s sassy. I like that.” As you laugh harder, the man in front of you cranes his neck to softly kiss your lips. “I, um, I like you to.” You swallow as your breathing stutters and you place a hand on his chest to lightly push him back. “I’m sorry…was that too forward?”

“Um…a little…I just…I just got out of a…or we’re on a break…I don’t know…”

“Must still be raw if you’re about to cry, Y/N. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. You don’t talk about…which would make sense. Fuck, I’m an idiot.”, Ren scolds himself making you spit out a laugh through the pain as you wipe the tear that had fallen. 

“I don’t mean to laugh, you’re just really sweet.”

The sound of a car door cracking shut had you both jumping back but only you noticed whose van it belonged to as it sped out of the parking lot. 

***

“Y/N, sweetie, come on. Everything will be alright.”, you roommate tries to console at the bar you both were spending time in. 

Kelsey had seen you slowly falling apart, suggesting a girl’s night out and after a lot of playfully teasing you finally relented. 

“I miss him, Kels. Eddie has every right to be angry with me but I don’t know what to do to make things right. If anything, I’m making things worse by defensively belittling him and kissing some guy in the parking lot we both work at.”

“I thought you said that Ren guy kissed you.”

“He did but…”

“Baby, maybe he just needs some time, ya know? Whenever he’s ready he’ll reach out. You two were perfect together and there’s no way he can just let you go.”

Smiling, you give her a big hug, looping your arm through hers as you walk with her to the bathroom. There was a wall separating entrances between the men and women restrooms but even from the other side and over the music you could still hear someone yelling loudly.

“Do you think I’m that fucking stupid?! I just watched you grind against some girl out on the dance floor!!”

“Honey, we were just dancing while I was waiting for you. It meant nothing—”

You heard a loud thud and rounded the area to see a tall, muscular man pushing Steve against the wall with his hand on his chest keeping him in place as he pointed his fat finger in the boy’s face. 

“I told you to wait for me outside.”, he seethed through gritted teeth. “You don’t fucking listen.”

Your heart broke as Eddie’s friend folded into himself and his eyes glazed over. 

He felt unsafe.

“Hey. I said hey!”, you screamed stepping towards them. “Get your hands off him!”

“Stay out of this, little girl. It doesn’t concern you.”

“It does when you put your hands on my friend. Now I’ll only say it one more time, get away from him.”

The man chuckled sinisterly as he turned away from the boy in front of him to focus on you. 

“Or what, huh? What’s a little whore like you going to do about it?” When all you do is glare up at him, he laughs a bit harder. “Didn’t think so. Mind your fucking business or I swear to God I will put you back in your goddamn place.”

Without fully thinking it through you grabbed the nearest bottle and smashed it over his head causing him to howl in pain before falling blinding against the doorway. Reaching for Steve’s hand, he takes it without question but unfortunately you both are stopped when he catches the boy’s wrist and throws him behind him. 

An open palm smacks your face and you stumble to the dirty floor as you hear the other boy shout your name. He grunts as Steve tries to fight this much bigger man but it’s no use as he’s punched hard in the mouth and collapses in front of you. 

Boots rush past you both and the sound of heels soon follow. 

“Y/N, oh my God! Are you alright?!”, Kelsey asks as she lifts you into a sitting position. 

“Yeah…I’m…Steve?” Hearing blood spit to the floor, you turn to find the man himself trying to stand. “Are you ok?”

“Help me up, please.”, he murmurs sullenly and you both do what he asks. 

Your head turns every which way trying to find your assailant before being met with the back of long hair and shoulders under leather jacket as the metalhead continuously pulls his fist back to punch the man underneath him. 

Cautiously, your palm reaches out to touch his shoulder causing his bloody fist to hover in the air. 

“Come on, Eddie.”, you whisper, your eyes closing as he punches him again. “Steve needs you.” Another punch. “I need you.” 

Clutching his collar in one hand and a broken beer bottle with the other, he held the glass to the man’s throat as he growled deeply, “If ever come near Steve again or I see your fucking face, I will kill you. Do you understand me?”

“Y-Yeah, man.”, the guy mumbled. 

Rising to his feet, he takes yours and his best friend’s hand to guide you out into the parking lot towards his van. 

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

You tenderly ran your nails through Steve’s hair as his head rested on your shoulder while the two of you waited on Eddie’s couch. After telling Kelsey you were alright and it was ok for her to go home, you placed yourself beside him and he didn’t hesitate to curl up against you the whole ride home.

“Thank you for trying to protect me.”

“Don’t mention it.”, the pretty boy gravelly replies as his voice cracks. “Thank you for trying to protect ME.”

Silently, the metalhead stalked back into his living room and the chain on his pants clanked against the hard wood of the coffee table as he took a seat on it in front of you both with a first aid kit in his grasp. 

When he placed the cotton ball of antiseptic on the cut on his lip, Steve winced causing Eddie to freeze for a moment before moving forward once again. 

“What…were you…doing there?”, Steve asked as the long-haired boy’s eyes narrow with focus.

“You said he was three hours late. I wanted to make sure you were ok.” 

Steve nodded as his gaze shifted into the void and another tear fell down his cheek. 

“I don’t deserve you, man.”

“Yes, you do.”, you coo as you try to move some of his hair away from his face. “You deserve to be loved and respected.”

He broke then; allowing himself to fully let go as you held him to your chest. When he fell asleep on your lap, Eddie readjusted him so you could slide out and replace your thighs with a pillow under his head while the other boy covered him with a blanket. 

After leading you to his bedroom, he closed the door and followed you with his eyes as you took a seat in his desk chair. A small smirk painted your features when you felt ringed fingers brush against your arm as he took hold of the armrest and wheeled you over his mattress where he took a seat in front of you. 

Reaching back into his kit, he took something in his hand and after a satisfying crack, shook it with an obnoxious amount of force that had you giggling as he softly smiled.

“Ah fuck, that’s cold.”, you gasp when he places what you now realize to be an ice pack on your cheek. 

“Yeah, sweetheart, that’s the idea.”

Your fingers reach out to lightly push his shoulder but as you pull your arm back, he catches your wrist and wheels you closer to his chest as he places his lips on yours. 

“I probably would have killed that guy if you hadn’t stopped me.”, he whispered, his forehead pressed to your own. “Thank you for trying to protect him.”

“Of course. No one deserves to be treated like that.”, you murmur and Eddie nods. “I saw him shrink…in his eyes…he was so scared—” The metalhead’s jaw clenched as he heavily exhaled through his nose in anger. “Baby—”

“I can’t. I can’t do that, Y/N. I’m too… just no.”

“Too what, Eddie? Tell me.” He rises to his feet and you do that same trying to block his path. “You can be mad at me…you SHOULD be mad at me. I deserve it. I…I never meant for it to go this far and I swear, baby, every part of our relationship was real. I kissed you at the bar because I liked you. I made love to you because I liked you. I called you Daddy because it felt right—”

“And Ren? Does it feel right calling him Daddy?” You blink in surprise at his comment. “God, I wanted to hit that fucker when I saw him kiss you but I guess you got your wish. A real man your own age who’s going to fuck you better than me.”

“Eddie…I didn’t…I only said that because you hurt my feelings—”

“Oh? Forgive me. I thought after my girlfriend pretended to be another woman online to spy on me, I would be allowed to be angry and say some shit. Especially after you disappeared for 2 weeks doing—”

“NOTHING! I swear, Eddie, and I’ve never done anything Ren. He kissed me and I pushed him away.”

“Do you have any idea what that was like for me? I always feel like some man who’s better for you will come along and whisk you away and of course after all this bullshit, here comes the ‘perfect’ man—”

“You’re one to talk! You had some…skinny, young girl in your lap with your friends…how do you think that made me feel?!”

“Bad I hope. ‘Bout as bad as I felt when I found out you fucking lied to me!”

“Jesus, Eddie, I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m SORRY! What do I have to do?! Get on my knees and beg for forgiveness?! I will if you want me to. I’ll do whatever you want but if you don’t care about me anymore then you need to stay away from me because it hurts!”, you shout as you fold your arms. “I miss talking to you and hearing you laugh. I miss watching you focus as you play your guitar at the edge of the bed. I miss feeling your fingers brush through my hair while I sleep and the way your lips kiss me in the morning.

I miss your passion when you talk about anything but especially your game that I still don’t understand but I’m trying to. More than anything I miss feeling safe… every time you hugged me I knew nothing could hurt me. That’s why it fucking kills me that I hurt you. Those two weeks I was off, I didn’t do anything, Eddie because I was breaking in my apartment. I was being a coward…because I was too afraid…to face what I had done and how it affected you…To see how much I had hurt…the man I love.”

His palm shot out to grab your cheek and bring your lips to his as his other hand pulled you closer pressing to the small of your back. 

All rational and reason left the room as he spun you around and guided you to his bed with him falling on top of you. Your mouths barely detach except for the occasional breath but you don’t care. It was like you were both giving each other the oxygen you needed and he hummed occasionally into each kiss causing a little moan to leave your chest.

Reaching over his shoulder, Eddie struggled to take off his shirt, grunting in frustration till you helped him and he did the same for you. As soon as your skirt was freed from your hips and your panties were on the floor, he didn’t waste a moment, diving between your legs as his wide flat tongue licked between your folds to your clit and repeating the process at a vigorous pace.

“Fuck, Daddy.”

Without pulling away, you heard the loud clinking of his belt as he struggled to pull down his pants and free his cock from his denim confinement. Finally tilting back, your body shuttered with pleasure as he spit directly into your pussy lips before taking a hold of you and spinning you till you were straddling him.

Your brain hesitated slightly with this being your first time on top but when you realized all of your weight was on your knees against the mattress, you breathed a sigh of relief. With one hand gripping the back of your neck, he utilized the other to guide himself inside you and you welcomed the stretch as he thrust his hips roughly against yours. 

You could feel his jaw open against your cheek as his breath warmed your skin with every pant and his arms held you tightly to his chest.

“L-Lay flat, Y/N.”, he breathed but when you don’t respond or do what he said, his large palm spanked your behind causing your head to lift so your nose was touching the tip of his. “Lay your body flat against me.”

“B-But…but I’m—”

As you protest, he spanks you again. 

“I—fuck—Daddy needs to feel your body, baby.”

Nodding, you kiss his lips before fully collapsing against him as his arms wrap tighter around you and his fingers tangle in your hair. He slowed his pace but not his intensity as Eddie slammed his dick so deep inside you, he had you seeing stars.

You head fell beside his as your nose inhaled his smell that you missed and your lips gently kissed his neck making him mewl as he found his rhythm once more. 

“Just like that, Daddy, fuck.”

As the coil in your belly snapped, Eddie soon followed, pumping his release deep within your walls. 

You laid like that for a while before you rolled to the side but he didn’t allow you to go far, circling his arm around your hip and bringing you back to his chest. 

“I don’t want to let you go…because when I do…reality will set in and I’ll remember how upset I am with you.”

Tears stung your eyes as you intertwined your fingers with his and kissed the back of his hand. 

“I understand…”

“I wish I could talk to her…Mill…ask her for advice.”

“You can always talk to her…if that’s easier for you…she still has an account. I…she kept it just in case you—you wanted proof she wasn’t talking to or paying to see anyone else.” Your voice cracks and he tenderly reaches over to caress your cheek. “I love you so much, Eddie, and I’m so sorry for lying and hurting you.”

Nuzzling his nose into your hair, he squeezes you closer to him as you cry.

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

Two Days Later

Your private session with Eddiethebanished begins now! Don’t miss it!

“Hey Mill…”

“Hey Eddie.”, you type while you visually take in his haggard appearance as he brings a lit cigarette to his lips. “This is probably a dumb question but how are you doing?”

The metalhead chuckles, coughing slightly as smoke fills the air. 

“I’ve been better, sweetheart.”

“How can I help?”

“Well, first and foremost, my best friend is living with me now. He was dating another fuckhead who put his hands on him so I suggested he move in so I can keep an eye on him. I have a spare bedroom that just has junk in it so soon we’ll get his bed and stuff to put in there.”

“That’s good. I think not only will he physically feel safer but mentally and emotionally as well. You’re a good friend to him.”

“Did you defend him? Is that why your knuckles look like that?”

At your question, he glances down at the bruising on his right hand before taking another puff from his cigarette. 

“Yeah. Steve had texted me saying his date was late and I just…I got this feeling…plus I thought I could keep him company, you know? So I drove down to the bar he was at and when I got there…Steve and Y/N were on the floor…this asshole…”

“He hurt them.”

Eddie nods as his eyes glare off into the void past his monitor. 

“Mill, have I ever told you about my father?”

“You told me he was in prison and that he wasn’t a good person.”

“Yeah…he used to be like that asshole at the bar… I, um, I don’t really talk about my life too much because my childhood wasn’t great. My dad was abusive as hell…to me and my mother. When she passed away…” He shakes his head as he puts out the stick between his fingers before lighting another. “Oddly enough, when I think about that time in my life, what makes me the most angry…is the lying. Mill, my dad could spin a story, I’m telling you. 

He knew how to con people and get right to their emotions before taking them for everything they got. Did the same with my mom even when she got sick and did the same with me multiple times before he was arrested. Every time he tricked me into helping him do something illegal or had me lie for him, I felt…I felt stupid.

I told myself I would never allow myself to end up in situations like that again.”

A tear leaves your eye that you quickly wipe away as he continues. 

“Y/N and I got into a fight. I found out that she was lying to me about something and… Look I know she’s not perfect, lord knows I’m not either, but this…this was pretty big and now I can’t help but constantly wonder what in our relationship was even real or based on what she found out through this lie.”

“I can understand that. I bet she feels pretty stupid herself for hurting you.”

“Eddie, you’re the most interesting person I’ve ever met and you showed me things I never…never would have even had the courage to try or experience. For her, it’s most likely the same. She wanted to know more about you and loved the way you made her feel but was terrified of losing or hurting you.”

“So she kept hiding the truth hoping it would just go away. That was selfish on her part…she definitely should have been honest with you but I guarantee you every part of her relationship with you was real and she loves you. She would never lie about that.”

His chocolate eyes take in your words as his jaw tightens and he struggles not to break. 

“She hasn’t been at work these last couple of days. I thought…maybe I scared her off…”

Clicking all the buttons on the computer, your profile picture suddenly changes to show you sitting in a room that Eddie doesn’t recognize. 

“You didn’t scare me.”, you murmur softly. “I had an emergency so I had to fly home.”

“Is everything alright?”, he asks, his tone full of care and concern.

“Yeah, um, it is now. My parents got into a car accident and my dad was in the hospital. He’s fine but they just wanted to keep him over night to keep an eye on him.”

You watch as his eyes glance towards where his second monitor usually is and his fingers click his mouse. 

“There’s a flight leaving Hawkins in a couple of hours. That will give me enough time to talk to Angela and get to the airport—”

“Eddie, baby, it’s ok. I’ll be back in a few days.”

“Y/N, your parents were hurt and you’re in a city where you said people bullied you. I’m not leaving the woman I love up there to handle all that bullshit alone.”

Both of you pause at his words as he heavily exhales and you nod as your chest heaves. 

“Hey…look at me. I do…I love you so fucking much but…we still have a lot to talk about.”

“Ok, yeah…that makes sense. Um, I…I’ll see you soon?”

“Yeah, baby girl. I’m on my way.”

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

@debkk16 @myherometalhead @fireeyes-on-teller-dixon-grimes @twirls827 @micheledawn1975 @chelebelletx @hardladyheart @spiderxbatty @twirls827 @daveythorntonslocker @eddies-dungeon-and-dragon @mrsjellymunson @utterlyinsanity @daveythorntonslocker @jeangeniex @seedlingghost @joemamahehepoopoo @veemoon @mrsjellymunson

[plaidos]

as a theyfab lesbian im fighting chaser allegations (from, weirdly enough, men? trans men and transmascs??? why do they care who i date as a lesbian????) regular because my relationship history has a lot of trans women. i don't know. i don't think im a chaser? im attracted to women. but cis women and theyfabs are riddled with bad politics and transmisogyny.

so like. yes, i have dated theyfabs and cis women. these days I don't really run into cis women all that often because my friend group is mostly trans people. so, i date a lot of trans women. because I'm a lesbian and most of the women i know are trans. idk. i guess i can rest easier knowing it's never actually been the people i date calling me a chaser. but i don't understand why so many men wanna call me one

my inbox sure isn’t beating the “chaser confessional” allegations.

Anon you should scroll down to the other posts i made/reblogged about chasers yesterday because i’m of the opinion that specific attraction or even preference to trans women isn’t in and of itself a worry or concern — it isn’t an issue that you obviously prefer trans people (even transfems specifically) like i’m sure if you rly wanted you could find cis women to hang out with lol. the accusation from trans men that you must “want to date trans women for the wrong reasons” is just another incelish lash out at us for dating each other instead of them — it’s because they see me as sexual currency. rather than actually believing that you do.

the belief that attraction or even preference to trans women is inherently predatory is not just a lie, it’s a self-reporting lie; the reason so many people who date/fuck trans women mistreat us is because society not only provides the means for TME people to mistreat us without consequence, it encourages them to as well. by locating the mistreatment of trans women as inherent to attraction to us, people are simultaneously patting themselves on the back for not being attracted to us (???) and letting themselves off the hook for being transmisogynistic when they Are attracted to us (because it’s, in their eyes, inherent.)

[erwinsvow]

i 100% saw a post from someone weeks ago about pope in a romeo and juliet type situation and i started thinking thoughts about it while studying so whoever that was or if anyone's seen it please tell me so i can credit it properly. but if you had a bunch of brothers and cousins maybe not in oceanside but in san diego or chula vista or something (IDK!) and it seems that somehow they're always competing for the same jobs as the codys. like they hear about a job that got pulled and of course your brothers had been planning something just like that and now they can't do anything because it'll arouse suspicion and there's a lot of tension. maybe one of your brothers is friends with deran or craig or something and so they're around even though your families don't like each other. used to be that when you were younger things were better and you've even been to their house during one of their big parties, celebrating something you don't really know anything about it. your family is invited because smurf wants to rub it in or something but things weren't that bad yet so you went and maybe that's when you first met andrew?? sitting quietly inside with him, people watching and then maybe you start talking about how you don't like parties but your brothers do and the conversation kinda goes on from there because he agrees with you. and though you don't know much about him besides that he's the quiet, weird one—words from your brother's mouth, ones that you really find yourself disagreeing with the more you talk to him on the couch—you guys get along just fine. he doesn't drink and neither do you, though he gets you a soda and you smile at him and tell him thank you very politely and he kind of never forgets about it. you two run into each other occasionally, and though you've never been brave enough to ask him if he wants to go on a date or a walk or whatever, there's something there, you think. fast forward a few years and you knew andrew went off to prison and your brothers had laughed about it but you had excused yourself to go cry in your room about it even though you didn't know him that well. maybe you wrote him a couple of letters because you felt bad. and of course all of this has to be done without anyone's knowledge because your brothers—even the one that's friends with deran—would kill you if they found out you were writing letters and harboring feelings for a cody brother. (especially the one they call the quiet, weird one, though they know what he's capable of and he's also the one they're the most scared of. not that you know much about any of that.) well i just think he'd get released and you don't have a ton of freedom but have enough to sneak away for a few hours after one of their ragers. but you'd get a text from a burner number asking you to come see him and you don't need to work that hard to figure out who it is. you spend a couple days elated that he even remembers you (as if he didn't read the letters you sent him a million times over three years.) and you go meet andrew and finally get that cup of coffee you should have gotten a few years ago. and the two of you do the dance, sneaking around and being worried about getting caught (andrew thinks you are very sweet for worrying about him if anyone finds out, because he knows you should be worried for your brothers, if anything.) and then i am thinking of the hell that breaks loose when everyone finds out

[sacredsorceress]

Cass 🤍

I'm so glad your requests are open!!!! So I was thinking for a request, could be head canons or not. What would it be like for Bob shy and awkward guy vs reader who's very extroverted and open. I think there could be a fun dynamic there.

🥹🤍

☆.°*Bob Dating an Extrovert HCs*°.☆

pairing: bob reynolds x extrovert!reader a/n: OO YAY!! as an extroverted person with an introverted bf this is so my cup of tea. i’ll do headcanons now but I def want to explore this in a full fic soon <3 word count: 1k warnings: none I think? fluff!!

☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・bob masterlist・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

Bob felt some days that there must have been some magnetic pull or magic spell that you had on people that just made them gravitate towards you in a ways no one ever did towards him.

On many an outing, Bob had stood awkwardly at your side as you gave an old man directions, laughed along to a joke that some lady at the crosswalk said, or cheerfully shared where you got your outfit from after a compliment from a stranger.

And he wasn't confused, per say. Bob understood why people gravitated towards you- you had friendly demeanor, kind eyes and an infectious smile that you passed on freely to everyone you saw. People had to try not to like you.

What he couldn't understand is how you so confidently engaged with so many people. If he had been in your shoes, he would have fumbled over his sentences and somehow manage to disgruntle the other party. As kind as Bob was, as you assured him many a time, he just didn't draw people the way you did.

Really, it was just another thing that he loved about you: that your view of the world, experiences, and people were so different from his.

That being said, if you had a lot of friends he would be so nervous to meet them.

Bob would almost try to get out of it- rehearsing his faux illness to save him the embarrassment of making a fool out of himself in front of the people who mattered most to you-

but in the end, he would go. Bob may have been scared, but you were his girlfriend. His fear of disappointing you and seeing the sad "oh... okay" on your face as he lied to you was greater than his fear of a night out.

When he did meet them, you'd have to hold his hand to ground him.

But obviously, even with his meekness, it went swimmingly, with your friends even commending him on being able to balance you out.

Opposites attract after all.

Some things won't change for Bob. As I've mentioned before, Bob has an addictive personality and would stay far away from a night out drinking. Although being with you had brought him out of his shell more, there were simply some things that he wouldn't do.

If you had a night out without him, Bob would be waiting up for you in bed reading. The second you walked through the door, he'd mark his place in the book, look up at you, and wait for you to repeat the whole night for him verbatim.

"And then- oh my god, Bob, you wouldn't believe it-"

And he would listen just enough to be able to answer any questions you might quiz him on, but mostly he'd just be admiring how pretty you look talking about your friends in the warm glow of the lamplight.

Though he may be sober now, Bob is no stranger being drunk or having a hangover. If you walked in the door stumbling after a night out, he'd guide you into the bathroom, tie back your hair and get you ready for bed: with medication and water waiting on the nightstand for the morning.

If you were in the habit of having friends stay over, Bob would make up the pull out couch, no questions asked, stock the fridge and leave snacks out for your guests.

"Bob, I love you." Your friend would groan flopping onto the freshly washed sheets. "Can you marry her already?"

And it was moments like that where his cheeks burned bright red and he excused himself to the other room to avoid stumbling over his words and embarrassing himself further.

Whether you intended to or not, you would often share stories with others from your relationship with Bob. In your case, they often slipped out when telling an unrelated story that you had gone off track on, or you simply didn't think it was anything worth keeping secret.

You were an open book and your love for Bob was nothing to be ashamed about.

Bob wouldn't even know until he'd be walking into the kitchen of the Avengers Tower one day and everyone would just look at him.

"Bob, why did you not tell us that you keep picture of team in your wallet?" Alexei asked.

"Forget that," John interrupted, mouth full of cereal. "Why do you hide it behind your condoms?"

And if it were not for the Sentry serum pumping through his veins, Bob was sure he would've died of mortification on the spot.

But Bob couldn't even find it in himself to be upset with you because you not being able to stop yourself from talking about him just made his heart swell.

So many people loved you in this life, and you still chose to love him. He really wasn't sure he would ever understand it, but he would try his best to prove you right.

You would have to go with him to his doctors appointments if something was wrong because Bob would be too embarrassed to discuss his body with another person like that.

If the Void ever did make an appearance, he would hate you. He thrives off of Bob's loneliness, but being with you made that impossible. You effortlessly merged him into your daily life and relationships, making enough time for Bob to be alone with his thoughts long enough to spiral, extremely rare.

Your friends would become his friends and vice versa.

On the rare occasion your social battery died or someone had hurt your feelings, rendering you silent, it was as if Bob's backup system had booted up. He'd glance at you worriedly, reaching for your hand and take over the remainder of the conversation: either insisting to your friends that it was time to head home or defending your honor against some asshole.

Even if he stumbled over his words doing it, watching him take care of you like that did make you swoon.

I feel like I could go on about this all day, but Bob would be perfect with an extroverted partner. Opposites attract and your conflicting personalities would bring balance to one another- you getting Bob more out of his shell and confident in his own skin, while he kept you grounded, safe, and loved in the privacy of your own little bubble.

☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・inbox・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

[aro-culture-is]

hey, there's an anon ask with a lot of personal details and a note of the asker being concerned of someone identifying them based on that ask. I want to be real: I'd rather not publish in those cases.

You do not need to share your age or school grade or specific dates of things online, and I would advise against it. You do not need to tell me, nor the internet, that level of detail, and I'd be extra cautious to NOT share that level of detail when you are a minor going through some emotional times.

Until Facebook changed the online game, it was considered normal that you lied about your age and name and details on any and all platforms because it is not safe to share real information. And then Mark Zuckerberg made a website to rank the women at his college in terms of how much people wanted to fuck them, using hacked information to list all of those people without their consent.

That's what became Facebook. It was profitable to sell data about people, so Facebook required real names and faces and ages and schools. Ethical standards and internet safety be damned, because he never cared about that, if the nature of the original website didn't tell you that.

Also, anon of the long ask:

If I'm correct you're seeking validation. Something happened which you worry has impacted a personal relationship - and learning to ask, not assume, is a huge part of life. "Hey, I feel like we've been distant recently. I'm worried it's because of this. Am I reading too much into it? If not, what can I do to help heal this relationship?"

It also sounds to me like you're having some low self esteem, which makes it easy to assume others are seeing the worst in you. Try to practice saying "I am proud that I did this" throughout your day. "I am proud I turned in that homework. I am proud I talked to my friend about a tough subject. I am proud I survived today, even though it was rough."

Additionally, I'm an internet stranger. I don't know you, your life, any of that. But some of the phrasing you use sounds similar to my friends who struggle with morality OCD, and it can be worth knowing that it exists. Here's two great websites to look into that, if you feel like it might apply:

[lifeafterpsychiatry]

I downloaded a dating app cause I don't really know anyone besides my family (im disabled and housebound). I thought that ive been doing better, but it's caused a lot of anxiety. not only do I have nothing to offer. but I also feel so guilty and disgusting for even looking for a relationship. It's not like religious guilt or anything, but most of my peers or friends when I was in school acted like the idea of my being desirable was repulsive and a joke. I feel like a creep and just idk like I don't deserve to take up anyone's time. I'm so desperately lonely but any time I attempt to make connections, I'm just plagued by intense self hatred and doubt. I know I should probably be talking this out with a professional but it's so hard to keep regular appointments when my health is sporadic

This is internalized ableism speaking. I get that it's hard to feel like a person when you don't get treated like one and can't live the kind of life you associate with adulthood, and I don't blame you for internalizing it. But you ARE a person. A person who has something to offer that only you can offer even if it doesn't fit into society's expectations and demands. A person whose desire for connection and love is natural and valid, not creepy. A person who has worth completely regardless of what you can and can't do. Nothing about your desire to date is wrong or disgusting. Nothing about downloading a dating app is predatory. There are ways to go about dating and approaching people that can be, but simply trying to date as a disabled person absolutely isn't. You're a person just like everyone else on there, even if it can be hard to feel confident in that

[paperclips37]

Just a little something I'm working on.

Aka Frank is an idiot and everyone else sees how he feels before him. (Jack Abbot is a hard guy to write.)

-----

Back at work 6 months after a near year long “sabbatical” was a lot. He’d worked for it. Harder than he’d ever worked on anything before. Withdrawal had been easy in comparison to what had come next.

Building his life back up.

Coming back to The Pitt.

Facing everyone.

The divorce had been the easy part of it. He and Abby had been far past breaking point when he not only admitted his addiction but brought home a fucking dog. Then he’d blown anything else straight out of the water. Splitting custody, family therapy it was working out as best it could. But it still sucked.

Frank Langdon: expert in making all the wrong decisions.

Smoking being one of them. But better that than a handful of pills. The tendrils of smoke twisted up into the darkening air.

‘You do know this is the therapy spot right Langdon?’ Jack Abbot appeared next to him on the roof.

‘Ahhh the sacred site.’ Abbot chuckled. One hand reached out silently asking. Frank passed over this nearly empty pack and lighter. ‘Those things will kill ya.’

‘Not dead yet Langdon.’

Silence swept over them. Standing shoulder to shoulder staring out at the city. How many of those sirens were heading towards them? Abbot coughed awkwardly.

‘I’m proud of you.’ Frank’s head whipped around to stare at the attending. Abbot was keeping his eyes fixed at the city. ‘Most people wouldn’t have the strength to come back and face everyone.’ Frank felt his face contort into utter bafflement.

‘Thank you?’

‘Langdon.’ Suddenly Frank could hear the army man in his voice. Not the one from the heat of chaos. This was the one that led people.

‘I thought you hated me?’ He was only half joking. Abbot had a connection with Robby but always seemed to give him the side eye. Little jabs here and there. Frank never quite knew where he stood with him.

‘I never hated you. It’s more fun to let you think that.’ He couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head. Frank had to respect a man determined to have fun. And he kept up the act for a long time.

‘And people think I’m an asshole.’

‘That’s because you are.’

‘Who here isn’t?’ Frank retorted sharply, but not with any real bite. They both chuckled, then paused thoughtfully. Considering the questions. Abbot turned his head to Frank. Eyebrows raised to his hairline.

‘Mel.’ In unison. Frank ground out the cigarette under his foot and leaned over the barrier.

‘She’s one of the few...’ Abbot mused almost more to himself than Frank. ‘She has grit but keeps her soul intact. Not many like that.’

‘She’s always Mel.’ Frank smiled softly at the complement. Abbot’s right eyebrow quirked upwards. The look on his face was curious and something else. A something else that made Frank’s cheeks heat up.

‘You guys are close huh?’ There was an implication that Frank didn’t know what to do with.

‘I mean yeah.’ He crossed his arms, not defensively. Abbots faced twisted in scepticism. ‘She’s a good friend. One of the best.’

Mel had been one of the few people who didn’t treat him any differently post rehab. That 4th of July shift she’d found him frozen outside the doors to the Pitt. Robby stood on the other side; just staring at him. Face forcibly neutral. He’d seen her out of the corner of his eye approaching her. Blonde hair shining in the sun. She’d stopped at him. Did a double take at seeing him.

‘You’re here!’ Her voice was so joyful. Happy to see him? It felt like an alien feeling.

‘In the flesh.’ Mel didn’t just feel her emotions: she embodied them. Her face brightened like a sunrise and bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. Her grin somehow brightened even more.

‘Lets go!’

She’d written him whilst in rehab. Even visited a few times. Kept him up to date on her weird cases and hospital goings on. Even brought him medical journals she’d thought he’d like.

‘Just a friend?’ Frank froze at the question. Abbots tone was purely curious. No judgement or anything else in it. ‘You’re different with her. Less of an asshole.’ The last comment came with a gentle punch to the arm. Frank was still stuck at the question. And the commentary.

Sure they tended to work on cases together, work the same shifts when it suited their schedule. Even carpooled from his new apartment. Even had a group chat with her and Becca. Monthly movie nights. Mel had even hung out with him when he had Tanner and Taylor. And they adored her. But all kids seemed to gravitate towards her. They were close. Frank even thought of her as one of his best friends.

‘Am I?’

‘Oh god am I the first one to point this out? What- How- I can’t-’ Abbot was stammering. Frank recoiled at the sight. And the conflicting feelings burning in his chest. He felt exposed. Maybe he liked being with her more than a friend strictly would. Mel was that person. They clicked. Easier than he had with anyone before. But she also made him better. A better teacher, a better doctor, a better friend and even Dad.

‘I’m gonna go. See you back there.’Abbot very awkwardly patted him on the shoulder and gave him a thumbs up.

Frank opened his mouth to say something but only a vague squeak came out.

Of course Mel was his friend. There was nothing else to it.

Right?

[maxdibert]

Oh please please please give me some brutally honest Lily HC. And Jily! And Sirius! I just want this place to BLOW!!!!

Lily was the typical charming person until you disagreed with her on something. At that point, she’d start pulling little stunts or confronting people in a really disruptive way. Then she’d begin acting controlling and possessive, and if people didn’t do what she wanted, she’d throw massive tantrums, to the point where she’d even throw things around or explode with rage. Eventually, people got fed up with her crap and ghosted her. She’d hop from friend group to friend group, always ending things badly because of her horrible attitude. The only group that stuck with her was her boyfriend’s friends, but only because they had no choice but to put up with her.

Lily was always smug about James liking her. Publicly, she’d play coy and act like she didn’t care, but deep down, she loved it. She even threatened people, warning them about what could happen if they did or said anything against her, because “you know Potter’s temper.” So, a lot of people just pretended to tolerate her or put up with her, even as she perpetually messed with their mental health.

Lily and James were made for each other. She was a narcissist with anger issues, and he was a violent guy who enjoyed making others suffer. They loved having social power in Gryffindor, bullying people in their own ways. They complemented each other perfectly, but Lily cared a lot about her image and couldn’t let herself be associated with a bully. So, she told James there’d be no sex unless he pretended to be a decent human being. He, of course, stayed the same piece of trash but tried to hide it. Spoiler: everyone knew he was still a piece of trash.

Lily was delusional and thought that by dating the rich, upper-class pureblood guy, she’d reached the pinnacle of the social hierarchy. She acted clueless and pretended she didn’t know anything about James’s behavior. After all, it didn’t affect her directly, and if it didn’t, she didn’t care.

Lily joined the Order because she realized that if Voldemort won, she wouldn’t be able to remain part of the social elite and flaunt her status to her parents and sister, like being the equivalent of an aristocrat in the wizarding world. So, obviously, she had to fight against him. She told James that if he didn’t join too, she’d break up with him, and the guy didn’t have anything better to do anyway.

If Voldemort had targeted house-elves or centaurs instead, Lily and James wouldn’t have cared about the genocide at all. They only cared about things that affected them directly; every other social cause was completely irrelevant to them.

James had several house-elves in his family home, which he used as targets for practicing spells when he was a kid. He constantly abused them and used them as target practice.

When Lily and James were still dating and his parents were still alive, James once showed Lily how he could make the house-elves dance for him like circus animals. She thought it was super entertaining. They didn’t see them as beings with rights but as subservient creatures meant to serve them.

Social justice warriors, both of them, but only for what suited their agenda.

They got married because Lily got pregnant, basically.

While Lily was pregnant, James would often go out with Sirius to act like an idiot and get drunk, then come back home and vomit all over the carpet, making a mess everywhere. Honestly, he was irresponsible, and Sirius always excused him.

Lily tried to reconnect with her old friends during her pregnancy, but they all ignored her because she had always been toxic to them. So now she was alone.

James and Lily constantly argued and would go days without speaking. But they always made up because they were the same kind of terrible people.

[rodmantrinitysoccer]

JOE BURROW, HIS WOMEN AND PARASOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Since the beginning of 2024, Joe Burrow's love life has been a topic of discussion on social media, after all because he is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL and one of the sexiest athletes today. The fascination with the personal lives of public figures has always existed in society, so of course Burrow's love life would be the subject of debate among people, however, since he was linked to Olivia Ponton, and months later, due to the fateful robbery at the quarterback's house in which rumors that they were having some kind of relationship were confirmed, all limits of common sense were exceeded and this has a lot to do with the parasocial relationships that we build with some public figure.

Here on Tumblr, Instagram, Reddit, Tik Tok and other social media, there are MANY profiles claiming to know people close to Joe or women he has dated, people saying they live in Cincinnati and that they know behind the scenes of their relationship and life, in addition to telling stories that seem similar to Wattpad fanfics. Social media has intensified the level of neediness of people, who, when they see other people posting their "perfect" and "happy" lives, create an emotional bond with those people and their routines and create mental narratives about a life that they believe is ideal for them to be happy. Often, these influencers take advantage of their followers' illusion to manipulate contexts.

Regarding Joe Burrow and the women in his life, the reality is: No, you don't know these people, you're not their friend, you don't know what's going on in their lives and minds, you're just a needy person who has confused the wiring with reality and who tries to force other people to believe the narrative you created for your own benefit and to feel good about yourself.

To those who frequently post about his ex-girlfriend under the pretext that they are "fans" and "love" her: No, you don't love her and you don't know her, you just used her to affirm your own imaginary narratives. We normal people will hardly have access to Joe Burrow one day, so you took advantage of the fact that his ex is a person with a normal life and looks similar to normal women and started living your personal fantasies through her, believing that it would be possible for a normal woman to date a great athlete. However, since real life is not like fanfics, the "perfect relationship" in your vision ended and you still can't accept it to this day because you don't agree with the narrative that you created, because since she is no longer with him, the chances of you ever dating him ended up decreasing.

But some time later, Olivia Ponton enters the scene, a woman who fits the beauty standard considered ideal by society and who wins the heart of the current NFL sex symbol. Since none of you identify with her life, you reach the lowest point of the internet with misogynistic attacks and the spread of fake news, just because she doesn't fit the narrative you created. Ponton has only been in the business for a short time, so it's easier to dump your frustrations about your mediocre life on her, but I'm sure that if he were dating an A-list celebrity, there would be the same hatred and misogyny. However, I believe you would think about it first because the risk of a lawsuit would be huge, and you don't have the courage to mess with big people, do you?

And another thing: according to the 2023 census, Cincinnati's population was approximately 311,097 inhabitants, and I wonder: How is it possible for 311,097 people to know so many details about a single person's personal life? A high-level athlete who must only frequent high society places, how do so many ordinary people know so much about him and people close to his inner circle? Reality: many of you who spread fake news live in other cities and even in other countries and make up stories to fit your narratives.

Seek urgent therapy, because this obsession and parasocial interaction only makes your mind sick.

[clumsypuppy]

learning abt friendship decay and "not reaching out to your friends for months at a time unprompted is not neurotypical behaviour" has me feeling a certain way

[onesnoopyaday]

I AM AT MY LIMIT

Snoopy #90

30/12/2024

description under the cut

[description: a cartoon-style drawing of Snoopy's head. Snoopy is a white dog with black ears. His eyes are shut and his mouth is a horizontal line. There are two large blue teardrops, one under each eye. The text "I am at my limit" is handwritten across the top of the image.]

[lastjudgmcnt]

As Diego explained the color-changing process, they ran into the same words-with-three-syllables-or-more problem. But instead of drawing attention to it, Oona simply smiled and nodded. There were only so many times in one conversation she could point out her lack of intelligence before it really started to bum her out—a boundary she both discovered and enforced only as she got older. "Oh wow," she said simply, trying to imbue the word with the fact that she was honestly impressed, but also looking to tiptoe away from scientific talk. "That's really interesting."

No communal wine? Oona shook her head, the tip of her finger tapping a couple of times at the base of the wineglass. "We were a pretty staunch bunch of Welch's enthusiasts," she answered with some humor. She'd long ago broken away from that church, even before the Hallow, and not entirely of her own volition, but there were still a few scattered memories that could bring a smile to her face. Sweet, sticky grape juice was one of them, apparently. At his follow-up question, Oona found herself reaching up to pinch at the crucifix that hung past her collarbones. She felt her muscles tense somewhat, uncertain and definitely not looking forward to where this topic would lead.

"I... am, yes," she answered, though the truth of the matter felt more complicated than those three words. "I find a lot of comfort in it, but I totally understand if that is not your thing." He was a scientist, after all. It wouldn't surprise her. A few scientific types have taken it upon themselves to challenge her over the past decade, as well as plenty of people who were simply grief-stricken. "I am not here to judge or cast aspersions. You're a very intelligent young man." And there she went, sounding like her grandmother. Young man. Diego was probably a few years her senior. "But to answer your next question, yes. I would go back if I could. I mean, I hope to. It's definitely where I'd like for Lydia to spend the rest of her childhood."

Mexico, Florida, Stanford—to Oona, that was an exceptionally interesting life. Even in a world-ending situation, her own stayed relatively sheltered until recently. "Fourteen?" she repeated, thinking back to when she was fourteen herself. She just remembered trudging through Great Expectations in her English class and secretly watching New Girl at her friend Hunter's house. She spent time in front of the mirror in her bedroom rolling up the bottom of her t-shirts to see what wearing a crop top would look like after her parents went to bed; she certainly wasn't attending a highly competitive university. "That must've been an intense transition. I can't imagine. I was still such a kid at 14."

And then he got involved with Eden, presumably. Oona pressed her lips together, reminding herself of her own words: not here to judge or cast aspersions. What was done is done. She cleared her throat quietly. "You know, I came into his building in hopes of finding that fancy red syrup. I don't remember what it's called, but they put it in Shirley Temples." The syrup was probably long past its expiration date, but Oona was willing to hold onto this one silly little delusion for another few minutes. Silly little delusions were sort of all she had some days. "Do you want to help me poke around behind the bar?"

"Yeah no, it's...it's a common misconception." he smiled, hoping those words provided some sort of reassurance. Diego often feared being perceived as odd, or dull, or intimidating. Feared his company might be feeling uncomfortable or, out of place. So when Oona asked him a follow-up question that could well open the floodgates of information, he was very evidently gladdened. It showed, in the way he shifted excitedly in his seat, and the way his smile was less controlled and somewhat uneven. "Okay so uh, colour." now there was a challenge of putting things in a way that did not sound like spewing out a textbook, so he leaned just slightly forward and cleared his throat. "In red wines there are these pigments called the anthocyanins, they're found in grape skin and they give it that original purple-red colour. These pigments as they age, and...well the nature of ageing itself is a contributor, but these pigments they polymerise which uh, forms larger molecules that reflect light differently. The pigments also oxidise, this shifts the colour from purple to...ruby, to garnet and sometimes brick --" he lifts his cup then, a perfect example. "and brown. Brown is a rare find." he reached for the wine cork, placing it upright between his thumb and his index. "Cork, like this one, creates small and controlled oxygen exposure. When done right it leads to this...gradual change in colour and flavour." he let go of the cork then, and with a swift movement of his hand he dismissed the rest of the factors pertaining to phenolic compounds and tannins and changes in white wine. "That's the gist of it really. Storage conditions and grape variety are contributors too but...we don't need to get into all of that."

He may have put her on the spot there, so he nodded encouragingly as she provided feedback. "Rich and sweet. Well, I'm glad we can agree." a laugh followed his words and he did not take the opportunity to dive into particular vanilla notes provided by the oak barrel storage. Instead he welcomed the change of topic and left it at that. "I see." she'd not exposed much, so he'd started putting together bits and pieces on his own. "Your church, no communal wine?" Diego knew Methodists, Baptists and the Seventh-day Adventists replaced the communal wine with grape juice, but exceptions were made across different churches depending entirely on agreed-upon preferences. There was no way of knowing for certain. Besides asking, that is. "Are you a religious person, Oona?" Diego leaned back into his chair, sinking deeper into it's comfort. His fingers lightly tapped the wine glass, which rested effortlessly above the armrest where his hand had settled. Eyes remained on her, as she spoke of the ranch, as her eyes glistened with memory of what must've been 'the most beautiful place this side of heaven'. Unbeknownst to her, there was something about those words which deepened his resolve. A lot depended on this cure, a lot could yet be restored. "Is that where you'd go? If you could? Back to Colorado?" Her questions were delivered with a coat of amusement and he had to laugh. "No, no you did not forget." Another sip of wine graced his lips before he attempted a response. Times like these Diego wished he'd lived a more...interesting life. "Well uh, before my fancy-pants school I was an infant so, Mexico?" eyes narrowed above a smile. For all the many things he could recall, he never could quite remember a time when he wasn't being taught something. From the moment he was sentient enough to truly grasp the world around him, he was already in school. His parents made sure not a single drop of potential was ever wasted. Yet it didn't exactly make for a good story, in the end. "Parents moved to Florida when I was one. I started school at four, moved to Stanford at fourteen then..." Elliot came, and he'd become a part of something he'd never really got a say in. And was stuck in it's vicious and unpredictable unravelling ever since. But again, it did not make for a good story. "I guess here I am. Here we are." part of him was itching to ask, to see what she thought of that -- of him, of Eden, of his contribution to how utterly fucked the world had become. But the other half, was stronger, and it had kept him quiet, reaching for another sip of that wine.

[bitchfitch]

I've started playing Potion Permit, and so far it's one of my favorite games I've messed around with, but the most big brained move the devs made was giving you a dog on day 1, and then making that dog able to track NPCs and lead you directly to them no matter where they are in the town.