#and mike was the oNLY ONE freaking out in chat

[aseon50]

Q!tazercraft mindlink enjoyers wya

[starkidmunson]

glitter & crimson

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7

Realistically, Steve knows the band won’t hang around Chicago forever. He knows they’re out promoting a new album; knows they’ll have to move on and that Eddie has to go with them. It doesn’t stop him from wanting Eddie to stay; to live in the quick familiarity he’s built within Steve’s little found family.

Eddie and Robin seem to have already created their own secret language, all gestures and movement and eye contact Steve picks up on but can’t quite read. He’s already picking on the Party like he’s known them their whole lives; ruffling Dustin’s hair, elbowing Mike, throwing his arm around Will’s shoulders, and giving Lucas little shoves. 

It’s easy; so easy to get caught up in how charismatic Eddie is. Steve has a hard time keeping his eyes off him, and Eddie knows. He keeps making comments, throwing winks in Steve’s direction, seeing right through every wall he’s ever built around himself and Steve is caught between being obsessed with it and terrified. 

He stops drinking after the one beer, worried he’ll make things weird if he gets anywhere near tipsy, opting to stay as far away from the possibility as he can. If anyone notices, they don’t comment.

Lucas is chatting animatedly with Jeff, Max sitting close by, twisting braids into El’s hair. Dustin, Mike and Will appear to be grilling Gareth and Freak about dungeon and dragon campaigns Eddie used to run. Nancy has her arm looped through Robin’s, but her attention is on the phone in her hands, as Eddie and Robin talk about what touring is like.

“Where else are you going on this tour?” She asks as Steve tunes back into the conversation.

“This isn’t really a tour, we just haven’t been on the road in a while and we just stopped the album, so we lined up a few shows to get our feet wet before we hit the road for real this summer. One more show out in LA on Tuesday, then we’re done until May, for now.” Eddie explains.

“We’re in LA on Thursday!” Robin exclaims, and Steve’s stomach drops because, yeah. LA on Thursday. He trains his eyes on the glass in front of him, not willing to actually look at anyone they’re around. 

“We could totally meet up again if you guys are able to swing it?” Freak offers, and Steve forces a little smile onto his face and nods.

“We can figure it out later,” Eddie says after a few beats, and Steve is grateful for how the conversation rolls onto the next topic. When he finally looks back up, though, Eddie’s still looking his way. Steve hits him with what he hopes comes off as a reassuring smile, but it doesn’t seem to pay off the way he hopes.

Once the tab is closed and the staff is tipped well, Steve catches Eddie’s elbow on their way out the door. “I would like to meet up in LA, if you’re interested. I didn’t mean to get weird about it, it’s… I’ve been in my head a bit about that game since it was announced.”

“Oh, hey, no worries. We’re in LA the whole week, then we’re heading home. So no pressure, honest.” Eddie hooks his hand over Steve’s softly.

“Well, we should get in Wednesday, but we could totally do something after the game or even Friday?” 

Eddie smiles and nods, patting over Steve’s hand. “Text me about it.”

“I can do that. How much longer are you guys in town for, anyway?” Steve asks.

“Ah, the dreaded question comes,” Eddie’s playful, and it makes Steve’s face heat up. “We’ve got just under another 24 hours in the Windy City before hitting the road again.”

“Oh,” It pulls his chest in a way he wasn’t expecting, in a way that shouldn’t be happening for a rockstar he was adjacently aware of in high school. “Are you busy tomorrow?”

“Harrington,” Eddie’s teasing again, and it does nothing to help the blush on Steve’s face. “You can’t possibly miss me this much when I haven’t even left yet.”

“Shut up,” Steve shoves him away then, crossing his arms over his chest with a pout, only for Eddie to pull him in with an arm around the shoulder.

“We can grab brunch or something? We leave around 8 to avoid rush hour, so I’ll have to be in the bus by 6, or I’d say dinner.”

“Brunch works for me.” 

~~~~

The trip back to the hotel doesn’t go as Eddie expects; everyone is silently chatting amongst themselves, nodding and tapping along to the music and not causing a scene. He almost points it out, but elects not to bring unwarranted bullying upon himself instead. The guys had been giving him shit about Steve near constantly, so this was a nice change of pace after the last few days.

There was actually quiet as he made his way back to his room. A hot shower finally restored warmth to his bones the hockey arena had stolen, and he was drying his hair when he heard his phone vibrate with a text notification.

Steve: anything you're craving for brunch tomorrow so I can pick a place?

It’s practically too easy to flirt with Steve; he sets up lines without even seeming to realize. But Eddie still can’t get a real gauge on how Steve feels about the flirting, so he sidesteps the easy pass he could have made about Steve being enough of a meal, in favor of actually answering.

Eddie: French toast?

The next series of texts come before Eddie even moves his hands back to the towel over his hair.

Steve: sick, I’ll pick you up around 10:45

Steve: you mentioned going home, did you mean like, back to Hawkins?

Eddie twists his hair up in the towel, and lays down on the side of the bed he doesn’t sleep on before firing off an answer.

Eddie: nah, I’ve got a place in Nashville and no reason to go back to Hawkins anymore. My uncle moved to Indy, so that’s usually as close as I get.

Steve: any reason you moved to Nashville?

Eddie: are we playing 20 questions?

Steve: sorry.

Eddie bites his lip, and only hesitates for a moment before flipping over onto his belly and hitting the FaceTime button. Steve answers on the second ring, looking embarrassed, but Eddie doesn’t let him get a word in.

“My mom was born and raised in Memphis, but she always told me her favorite city was Nashville. I was there with her a few times when I was little and she’d just, like, light up. And music is so heavily engraved into every inch of the city, it’s hard to not find inspiration everywhere you turn. So. I bought a place in Nashville the minute I had enough saved up, and it’s kind of my home base now.” Eddie explains, watching as Steve’s face softens and he relaxes into his chair listening to Eddie’s answer. “Do I get to ask a question now?”

“I really wasn’t trying to be annoying, “ Steve looks ready to keep going with an apology, but Eddie cuts him off.

“Why do you play hockey?” It stops Steve dead in his tracks, and he genuinely looks confused for a moment. Eddie almost offers to drop the topic, but Steve fumbles his way into an answer.

“My, uh. My dad wanted me to play before I was even born. Because he played. Professionally for a few years when I was growing up, then he went on to coach.” Steve explains, and it sounds a little rehearsed. Eddie’s sure it’s something that comes up often if his father played and coached. “Gotta keep the Harrington legacy alive, I guess.”

There was a bite to Steve’s words that wasn’t lost on Eddie. “You don’t sound too thrilled about it.”

Eddie can see Steve working over how he wants to answer before he shrugs and sighs. “Because it’s all a show for him. The part we don’t talk about is how I got hurt and benched most of my senior season and he cut me off when I didn’t get full rides. Convinced me it was better to not go to college at all, despite the other scholarship offers, than to not get promised a spot on the ice. Convinced me to self-sabotage so I had to fight tooth and fucking nail to get into the league at all.” Steve pauses, then, and lets out a quiet laugh. “Sorry, that’s so unbelievably whiny of me. I love getting to play professionally, and I don’t take the opportunity for granted.”

“Not whiny. Dads can be the fucking worst.” Eddie offers, gently, and is grateful when Steve doesn't press on that particular bruise.

Instead, he takes his turn to ask a different question. “Why music?”

“This is lame, but the answer is once again my mom.” Eddie rolls his eyes at himself, but he smiles. “She was a musician. There were always instruments around and music was always playing and we traveled for her to perform. I knew my whole life I wanted to be a musician like her, but it wasn’t until after she died that I figured out that songwriting… telling stories and painting pictures with words and melodies and making people feel something…” Eddie trails off, lost in the thought.

“I’m sorry you lost her. It sounds like you enjoyed your childhood with her.” Steve offers, hopes it doesn’t sound like a forced nicety, but Eddie smiles and his nerves ease.

“She was a force to be reckoned with. Firing on all cylinders at once, chaos and home bundled into one.” Eddie’s soft a quiet for a moment, and Steve appreciates the silence by taking in how relaxed the other is to be talking about his feelings; it’s a refreshing break from many of his experiences with teammates or opponents who don’t know how to get emotional in a healthy way. Eventually, though, Eddie clears his throat. “Anyway. Back to 20 questions,”

“I wasn’t trying to start a game, really, I just… like talking to you,” Steve admits around a blush, tucking his chin into the collar of his shirt in an effort to hide the shade of his cheeks, but Eddie’s smile says his cover is blown.

“ANYWAY!” He announces louder, then taps at his chin. “Favorite and least favorite teams to play and why, go.”

“I’m not a dog.” Steve laughs but thinks about his answer anyway. “Favorite is probably the Flyers in Philly. Their fans are absolutely brutal, and their mascot is hilariously terrifying.”

“I have seen many a Gritty TikTok, so I completely understand,” Eddie gives him a few beats before he prompts. “Least favorite?”

“The Kings. LA. Billy Hargrove.”

“The…, what the fuck? How many guys from Hawkins are professional hockey players?” Eddie asks, because honestly, how had he not known there was more than Steve?

“He’s technically from LA, which is why he went back, thank God.” Steve mumbles, before dropping his head back against the wall behind him. “But, for whatever it’s worth, there’s me, Billy, and Tommy Hagan in the league.”

“Well isn’t that a fun bunch to surround yourself with,” Eddie muses out loud. Tommy and Billy were two of the biggest assholes Eddie had ever met, and it sounded like Steve wasn’t too fond of the other pair either.

“I actually…” Steve trails off, before trying again. “I was going to invite you guys to come to the LA game, but I’m really not sure it would be a good idea, so I’m… I’m actually going to ask you guys not to come, if that’s not too much of a dick move? I can get you tickets to literally any game you want for the rest of the season, just. I don’t think it’s worth it to get Billy started, and if he’s heard any of the press about us, I’m already going to hear it even if you’re not there.”

“Homophobe extraordinaire still, then?” Eddie guesses, and Steve chokes out a laugh, before covering his mouth and holding up a finger to ask for a moment to compose himself.

“He's… a lot of things.” Is the response Steve opts for, but Eddie can tell there’s more there. Whatever the two of them are doing, it doesn’t feel like Steve is ready to elaborate, so Eddie moves on. 

“I think it’s your turn.”

~~~~

Nothing changes after Corroded Coffin leave Chicago, though. Not in the ways Eddie had expected, at least.

Steve still texts him throughout the day, answers his Facetimes whenever he’s available. Eddie makes him the playlist he promised, and Steve gives feedback on which songs he likes and which ones he really doesn’t, after Eddie promises to not take Steve’s opinions personally. Which, to be fair, he tries really hard not to.

The concert in LA comes and goes, and Steve seems to send him every TikTok he comes across from the show. It’s a refreshing break, as every few videos in Eddie’s feed are of him cheering for Steve at the game, or Steve watching from sidestage in Chicago. 

A text from Robin eventually confirms their arrival in LA, and Steve and Eddie make plans to meet up after the game. Since Steve had expressed concern about Eddie going, he decides to just watch from the bar they agree to meet at. Televised games make it easier to track the puck, but Eddie decides he likes being there in person better.

Eddie’s sipping absently on his beer and in the time it takes him to look down at a text from Chrissy, several of the people around him react to something. Eddie looks around to make sure someone in the bar hadn’t passed out. When he looks back at the screen, absolute mayhem has broken out on the ice. The refs are trying to separate players from one another, and Eddie’s scanning through the numbers on each Blackhawks jerseys before he finally spots Steve, slightly off to the side from everyone else. The camera pans away from him, zeroing in on the fight, now between a Blackhawks defenseman and none other than Billy Hargrove. 

Billy’s helmet and gloves are off, teeth shining with blood as he grins like a psycho and starts to skate in Steve’s direction. One of the refs pulls him back, though, escorting him into the penalty box while another Kings player gathers his helmet, stick and gloves and clears them to the bench. 

The camera finally pans back to Steve, who is now sitting with his back against the boards. He’s got a gloved covering the lower half of his face, but his white jersey is covered in blood. A ref and the Blackhawks goalie are kneeling on either side of him as someone else speaks with him. The camera zooms in as the TV crews work to make out what is happening, just in time for Steve to lower his hand and shows off a gnarly gash along the side of his face. He leans forward a little and spits out blood onto the ice, and the TV jumps to the announcers in the booth. 

The volume is off, but they show a slow-motion replay of the few moments Eddie’d missed; Steve passes the puck off to another player on his team, just before Billy slams into his side. The impact sends both of them into the boards and down onto the ice. Billy swings his stick around and cracks Steve in the face with the blade heel. Steve reacts, throwing his whole arm into Billy’s face, before a sea of white Blackhawks jerseys sweep in and suddenly Billy’s a few feet away, with players from both teams piled up.

Eddie’s hand hovers over his phone; has no idea what to do in this situation. Texting Steve is useless; it would likely be hours, if not days, before he even thinks about looking at his phone. He doesn’t want to bother anyone, but he’s… well, he’s stressed. Even if Steve isn’t interested in him the way Eddie’s interested in Steve, they’ve still built a weird little friendship and that was an awful lot of blood.

So, Eddie ends up firing off a text to Robin. It’s just a simple 'let me know if there’s anything I can do,' but his phone lights up with a call immediately.

“How bad is it?”

“I’m not back with him yet, but just… meet us at the hospital, if you can?” She asks. While her voice waivers a bit, she’s calmer than Eddie expected her to be.

“I’ll be right there.” He agrees, hangs up and exits the bar before the game even returns from commercial break.

[smusherina]

bridges burnt - chapter 5 [epilogue series] (regina george x reader)

fandom: Mean Girls (all media)

pairing: Regina George x OFC/Reader

summary: When an invitation to Gretchen Wieners' wedding ended up in your mailbox, you'd been sure it was a mistake. Only, it read your name in neat, swoopy calligraphy. It was addressed to you. And Regina George, whom you hadn't spoken to in years.

additional clarification: This is set in the universe of yard work, a series of mine that can be found on my page! Reading this one might be a bit challenging without the context of the series :)

warning(s): weed mischief

chapter 1 / chapter 2 / chapter 3 / chapter 4

You were sitting at your table, chatting amicably with everyone, when Gretchen finally graced you with her presence. She was glowing, that much you could admit.

"Hey, guys!" She gave an energetic greeting. You smiled and waved.

"Oh em gee, Gretch!" Regina said as she stood up. She was considerably taller than the bride, with killer heels that gave some significant inches. They did air kisses on each cheek and cooed and squealed for a little.

"It's been so long! You're so rarely in town I wasn't sure you'd come!" Gretchen enthused. Her husband stood on the sidelines, looking quite put out but trying to hide it.

"Oh, you know I always make time for you," A blatant lie but you weren't going to say anything about it. "I'm so happy you've found love!"

"Me too," Gretchen gushed, snaring her boo-thang by the arm. He'd zoned out so startled a little but recovered quick with a dashing smile.

"Hi, I'm Michael." Of course, his name was Michael. What was next? Chad? Tucker?

"Regina. Regina George." Regina said, then turned to you. "And this is my partner."

You stood up and shook his hand, then said your name. "Nice to meet you. Congrats."

Michael nodded, smiling uncomfortably. He'd seemed sociable and open with the other guests so you didn't get why he was being all shy now.

"Thanks!" Gretchen chirped. Her eyes flitted between you and Regina. "Sorry if this is abrupt, but you two are still together?"

"We did go on a break right before college." Regina chose her words deliberately. "But after that, we just couldn't resist. True love just pulls you in, doesn't it?" She put her arm around your waist and pulled you to her. You stumbled a little, falling into her. Your arms came around her neck.

Gretchen looked quite unsettled by the close embrace. "It totally does." She said, tone falling flat.

"Mmh. Well, what plans have you got? Honeymoon?"

"Michael's been planning it for us," Gretchen said. That surprised you considering she was such a control freak. Perhaps you were wrong.

"There's no keeping secrets from her," Michael laughed. "Surprising her is too damn hard." His Southern twang was prominent. Something was charming about him, you supposed.

"I just want it to be right, Mike!" Gretchen teased, lightly hitting him on the shoulder. "I've been better haven't I? I let Deborah do the flower arrangements."

"Yes, dear," Michael said, looking down at Gretchen with real, genuine love in his eyes.

Seeing them interact, so sweet on one another, made you sad. First of all, because you were so similar. You were on the same level, people just the same as them. Looking at them like this, in just the context of the moment currently playing out, you didn't want to ruin their wedding.

But you had history. Gretchen had outed you to the school in junior year of high school. It'd had devastating effects on your life as a whole. Your father went from cold neglect to open disdain, you lost the jobs you were doing around the neighbourhood, your peers ostracised you. Those close to you, Regina mostly, got targeted rumours spread around and more negative attention than ever.

Gretchen was not the sole reason for your and Regina's break up but definitely one of them. You had settled to forgive and forget when you came back to town, to stay away and not say anything in a silent, mutual agreement. You buried the hatchet and thought she had, too.

You should've known better. Watching her make googly eyes at her husband as if the things she did had no bearing, no weight, infuriated you. She had ruined your life. Things had progressed since you were in high school and outing didn't have quite the same fallout, but what she did to Kylie was still unforgivable. There hadn't been that much progress. Gay marriage was still illegal in some states.

"Man, Gretchen, seeing you like this brings me back." You said, eyeing her. "Those sure were the days," You sighed and played wistful.

The bride and groom shared glances. Regina picked up what you were putting down and got involved.

"You'll be seeing just how much of a wildcat she is, Michael," Regina said, laying it on thick. "You have my number, Gretch, just give me a call if you wanna relive old times on your wedding night." She finished off with a saucy wink. You almost couldn't hold in your laughter.

"Toodles," Regina wiggled her fingers and took you by the arm, leading you away.

Once you were a safe distance away, you asked: "Wonder if they'll talk about that in private?"

"About Gretchen being involved, allegedly, in a lesbian threesome sandwich? I'd bet on it." Regina grinned.

You steered towards the exit to the parking lot where your car was. You had the kazoos and water pistols in the trunk. Maybe you spent a good fifteen minutes pinning Regina to the side of your flashy vintage—Betty the Catalina, you introduced—sucking the soul out of her through her mouth. Making out. Whatever, that was neither here nor there.

While Regina set out to find a gullible mother to deceive into giving out kazoos and water pistols, you called a guy. Rick was his name and he owed you a favour. He happened to be the owner of several karaoke bars. He'd hook you up.

"Yeah, anything will do, just needs to connect to the loudspeakers—uhh, pretty new I'd say, nothing too fancy but they didn't skimp out, that's for sure—yeah, yeah, I'll give you the address. Can he get here in an hour? Maybe less? I can pay his speeding tickets, no worries."

After making sure a karaoke machine would be delivered to the reception, you strutted back towards the building. On the way, you spotted three youths huddled in a non-descript spot by some shed. They were only visible from the parking lot. You knew what they were up to.

"Hey, kids," You sidled up to them, prompting the tallest of them to fumble with the joint he was trying to light. He had acne all over and residues of black eyeliner on his eyes. He had a strip of hair dyed stripey like a racoon tail. It was pretty cool, to be honest.

"H- hey," He stuttered, voice cracking as he swiped some hair from his eyes. Oh, to be young.

"You got weed?" You decided to be blunt. (Ha, blunt.) The two others were shaking like leaves in their tuxedos.

"No. I don't, like, even know what that is," The ring-leader crossed his arms defensively and leaned casually against the wall of the shed. Or, well, he was going for casual but looked extremely spooked.

"Well, that's a damn shame 'cause I was just looking to buy some." You said and reached into your breast pocket to pull out your wallet. You opened it and pulled out a couple of fifties. "I got all this cash to burn. But, hey, if you don't got any..."

"You'd pay that much for weed?" The boy eyed the bills hungrily.

"I'll be straight with you, kid-"

"I'm not a kid. I'm seventeen." He grumped. "Flint. Or Finnigan, I guess."

"Alright, Flint, I'm gonna put this bluntly. Your family sorta sucks." You looked at the other two. They were probably all cousins. Wouldn't tattle if Flint, the Cool One, told them not to. They didn't seem that much younger. As a responsible adult, you should've probably said something along the lines of 'don't smoke it's bad for you' but you were just glad they weren't shooting up or anything.

"Understatement of the century," He scoffed.

"Which side are you from, by the way?"

"The groom's." They all said in unison. That explained why you'd never seen most of these folk.

"I don't know much about him to be fair, but if he's shacking up with Gretchen I'm pretty sure they're equally sucky. Anyway, I'm trying to get everybody as fucked up as possible." You clarified, skirting around exactly what you were trying to do which was to ruin the wedding. Maybe these kids had better morals than you. "The bride sorta caused a rift between my girlfriend and I years back, outed me to the whole school, it was a scandal, we broke up and I spiralled. It was bad and I want revenge."

"She outed you? Like..." Flint looked around, looking scared someone was gonna hear. Nobody else was around. "Like you're gay?"

"I'm here with my girlfriend today." You said, smiling dopeyly. Your cheeks hurt. "I think we're back together. It's complicated. So, you wanna sell?"

"Hell yeah," He grinned, teeth crooked to the ninth degree. "Can we get in on it? Michael totally sucks, he orders us around like we're his minions or something."

The other two nodded along empathetically. They all had the same boxy, swoopy haircut that kept falling into their eyes. What luck that ran into the angsty teens of the clan.

"I don't know how much you'll be able to do without getting in trouble with your parents. Gotta be at least a little subtle."

Flint dug into his backpack and pulled out a plastic tupperware. There were some decent-looking nugs in there from what you could see through the frosted plastic. You handed over the cash.

"Pleasure doing business with you." You contemplated for a moment. "Any chance you could pull the fire alarm for the cake-cutting?"

The three matching evil grins were enough of an answer for you. Their little emo faces made your chest feel warm. You wanted to take them under your wing, or something.

"By the way, weed is fine. It's not great, I don't recommend it, but if you're gonna do drugs then this is best case scenario." You shook the plastic case in your hand. "Never do hard drugs. It's gonna make your hair fall out and teeth hurt like a bitch."

You left the three teenagers to smoke their blunt, knowing that your little shpiel probably went through one ear and out the other. You hoped they pulled through but if they didn't, you were planning on doing enough wicked shit that the sprinklers triggering would just be a cherry on top.

You found Janis smoking a cigarette at the same spot you'd been at earlier.

"You got a grinder?"

You opened the lid of the box, blasting the air with the potent smell of cannabis.

"Where the fuck did you get all that?" She asked as she reached into her purse.

"Not important. What is, though, is how we'll get the guests high."

Janis, the bright mind that she was, immediately got to work. You didn't even bother asking what she was up to when she crouched on the floor and began grinding away. She had fast hands, you observed, with how quick and clean she was rolling several blunts. Now that you saw clearly into the tupperware, lord almighty Flint had a lot of kush.

"What's the plan?" You asked after a moment, holding the box in one hand and blunts in the other. You stubbornly ignored the compulsion to stick one between your lips and light up. That was over for you.

"Find a Helen, a Beatrice, and or a Leigh-Anne, and convince them this is a miracle herb harvested from the government-protected, top-secret alpine springs of Florida, known for reversing wrinkles, repairing hymens, and with long-term use reducing hair growth neck down. It might even accelerate or delay menopause, depending on whose asking."

"Florida is the flattest state in the continental USA." You pointed out.

"Exactly." Janis didn't spare you a glance, just kept on rolling.

"So we're spinning a multilevel-marketing scheme on these people."

"Not really." Janis paused and turned to you. "We're just scamming them. Not even with money, with the devil's lettuce."

"That's arguably worse. I think this might be a felony."

"Oh, it definitely is."

Notes: The ball is rolling! At last! It only took five chapters good golly god.

Taglist posted seperately! If you want on it, comment so on that post!

[half-oz-eddie]

I played through the Stranger Things 3 game and was excited to learn all the cute and fun things I could about Billy from the game. Spoilers if you never played.

Disclaimer: I will not address the weird shit with Karen

So, Billy is his usual Billy. Very possessive of the pool and is super stern about the “runts” not running around while they’re there.

He calls the kids runts and dweebs and freaks.

Billy likes soft pretzels. So much, in fact, that he won’t let Mike and Lucas back in the pool unless they bring him one. He also won’t give them the money for it.

Billy has a work friend named Chet who he is close to and they obviously care about one another (when you give Chet the laxative smoothie, Billy worries about him)

It’s implied that Billy and Chet chat shit about Steve’s work uniform behind his back.

Chet is not as mean as Billy. He’s pretty nice to Max and helpful even though he’s suspicious of the kid’s motives. He’s also stern about the kids being careful around the pool. (I like Chet obviously lol wish he was in the show)

Chet said Billy never goes in the employees only room. He enjoys the sauna after work. Or he used to until he started taking a lot of cold showers because he was flayed.

Billy works out like a maniac until his muscles are sore.

Billy loves denim and has a lot of it in his wardrobe.

In Billy’s memories, there is a flashback with Max and a different flashback of his parents where his father calls his mother a tramp and she’s very frightened by him.

The Mind Flayer speaks through Billy and says the last time Billy was happy was at the beach with his mother.

El tries to reach out to Billy and tell him to fight it but the mind flayer says there is no Billy.

Also—Max basically defended Billy and made excuses for him every time.

[bloodpen-to-paper]

Qsmp Finale Moments That Take Me Back to the Start (And Other Things I Enjoyed)

-Pre-stream chatting between streamers and their chats. Friendly teasing, funny donos, and talk about what's gonna happen next

-Quackity and Pol chatting while Bagi tries to kill Mike in the background. Q and Vegetta talking about using the plane to go to Andorra while Foolish yells about having a bomb to Cellbit and Tina. The chaos of people doing something crazy while others have calm conversations on the side

-The feeling before an event stream, when you're waiting for the timer to count down as you listen to the cinematic music. You and the others in chat, holding hands

-The admins doing lore cinematics, the kind that you might've needed to get used to since its all in Minecraft but that in this community gets your blood pumping and your eyes bright

-Streamers doing lore cinematics to make some goofy ass plotline where they turn into a rat or an egg

-The voice of Cucurucho

-Vegetta and Foolish being obnoxiously flirtatious, especially in public

-Bagi and Tina running towards each other with no hesitation

-Baghera and Cellbit wearing gas masks. Bolas. Always.

-Quackity not being able to teleport on his own server cause he's eternally broke (and only realizing he has no money when he's at the teleporter. and having to ask the admins for tps)

-Tazercraft coming in with the gimmicks, Zombie Mike and Pacovo

-Various multilingual conversations happening at the same time

-Seeing all the BibleThump crying emojis in chat when something sad happens, and the kkkkkkk's and jajajaja's when its something funny

-The streamers taking asides to set up the real time translation, for all the languages

-the hug emote being used. group hugs

-Tina making high pitched noises to signal distress

-Funny screenshots from the translators above the cubitos heads and the in-game chat messages

-Reunions with the more inactive members when they finally log on again

-Everyone getting abruptly tp'd to spawn and immediately screaming

-Quackity being reminded about his lack of houses

-The buildings. The Wall. Fit's gym. Foolish's Titan. Baghera, Vegetta, Cellbit's houses. The train station. Spawn.

-People killing each other out of boredom waiting for the event to start

-Foolish revealing that Cellbit killed the Fed workers

-Pierre greeting people with "hola!"

-The special way Bad greets Pierre and Baghera, the french speakers

-Group visits to the museum

-People (Quackity) moaning over Vegetta in a suit

-Pierre whining for Maximus

-The part in the museum with the server's historical items. The memories every one of these items brings back. The reminder of how much this project meant to the admins who put it all together, and how much it meant to us

-Foolish and Pol laughing as soon as they see each other, and Fit being there to witness it all over again

-"Quackity pay the server"

-Quackity being obsessed with Fit's baldness

-Pierre being a furry

-Maximus being a furry

-At least one person having the rainbow jelly effect

-Lucky Ducks mention

-Vegetta freaking out over copyright music

-Cellbit revealing he stole the Gem of Fobo

-Cellbit throwing a tantrum cause he never got to kill Empanada, followed by Bagi critting him

-The sound of a chainsaw revving. Baghera laughing not long after

-People trying to break out of designated event areas to explore

-Everyone getting tp'd to an event location on the same block and immediately taking damage from entity cramming (and then screaming)

-My computer lagging the fuck out during streams. This isn't something I miss in fact its something that infuriates me to the point of violence but the prompt was "things that take me back to the start" so here it is

-Q, Pierre and Vegetta walking in on Pol shitting and refusing to leave

-Quackity hitting on random men

-The introduction of a new launcher. The feeling that shit's about to get real

-CCs immediately crashing after the introduction of a new launcher

-cine. cinema. the PopCorn emote

-That eerie, electrifying feeling when the CCs have been transported to an entirely new place, far from home...

-Foolish getting downed 2 seconds into the new location

-Bad running away from the group shouting "every man for himself!"

-The puzzles. Enigmas. The CCs having to work together however chaotically in order to solve them

-Quackity panicking and going "we're fucked" over and over as soon as they're given an objective

-Foolish, Cellbit and Quackity screaming at each other over the radios (sometimes in fear, sometimes just because they can)

-At least one person suggesting cannibalism upon realizing they've been left to the wolves

-Cellbit locking in and working through the enigmas

-Bad and YD chatting, being in their own little bubble

-People getting the radios and immediately messing around with them and using them to insult each other

-Pierre asking "how does this thing work?" and Quackity excitedly explaining the transceiver before a beat of awkward silence and Pierre going "I MEANT THE MAP"

-Foolish's 10/10 voice acting making the horror event feel genuinely tense

-Fit using the transceiver to say "buttcheeks" and Cellbit going "what the fuck is wrong with you" in that way he does

-"Language"

-Cellbit bringing up who he'd eat first if they run out of food

-The admins getting one last opportunity to jumpscare the players with scary soundbites

-Fit saying "calma" when Pac starts freaking out

-Those special conversations that happen when the CCs are having to travel long distances

-Bagi traveling with a blue bird and calling it Jaiden

-Quackity seeing a crow and calling it Philza

-Seeing skeletons and scattered codes on the floor

-Dungeons. Code fights.

-Quackity explaining the Federation lore to YD. YD being the last newbie to get The Talk from an existing member who's dealt with the Federation first hand. Carrying on the tradition.

-The realization that the Federation were the ones that brought the August batch to the island. That the Feds were the ones who encased them in ice all those months ago. We might've known, but now they know

-Pac and Mike figuring out how to exploit game mechanics

-Maxo talking about atomic bombs

-Maxo immediately interrogating YD on her Federation allegiances

-The sight of an egg running around. The ghost of what once was

-Players getting downed either to stupidity or op mobs and having to wait around for revives

-Tina speaking spanish with Maxo, and them speaking korean with YD. Fit speaking portuguese around Pac, Foolish speaking spanish with Vegetta, and Vegetta speaking english with Foolish

-Quackity hitting on Badboyhalo

-Pierre and Maxo being the way that they are (the way they haven't been able to be in so long)

-Tina finally telling people she's a demon. Tina telling Bagi, who already knew. Who stills loves her.

-CCs crashing and having to wait for the server to start back up

-Autotune Quackity

-The Bad x Cucurucho allegations

-Baghera distributing random items she definitely should not have

-Cellbit antagonizing Tina on principle and her clapping back that she's marrying his sister

-Maxo getting bombs and having them stolen by the admins

-Quackity telling Baghera and Cellbit to throw up in his mouth and Baghera being 100% down no questions asked and doing it (while Cellbit runs away from these freaks)

-LGBTQsmp jokes

-Pierre's incredibly horny type of humor

-Cellbit telling Tina he'll be at the wedding

-Bad stealing all the couches

-The players being utterly unable to find the elevator they need and deciding to just destroy the entire house

-The admins having to replay a cinematic because it didn't play the whole way through the first time

-Bad admitting to stealing all the couches. All of them.

-Old Ordo and Resistance members getting together for theory meetings. Pac telling everyone about the Codes in the basements. Everyone communicating their way through building the escape plane like a well-oiled machine. The familiarity of it.

-It happening amidst Maxo singing the Halo theme with reverb right next to their ear

-The sky turning red

-The Codes being enemies

-Bad getting absolutely swarmed by mobs as Foolish comically screams in the background

-SOFIA. Her and Maxo. Maxo's final moment in the spotlight.

-Running through the old Federation hallways. The last rush to find the exit. To freedom.

-The final cinematics. Getting kicked from the server.

-"Thank you for participating :)"

-Elena's montage of all the old bases and moments. Her saying the hell she went through was worth it for the beauty of what she saw and experienced with the players. The Qsmp's message to us.

-Vodwatching lore you missed cause you slept through it

-Scrolling through the Qsmp tag to find all the details of streamer POVs you missed

-Liking fanart, seeing people's reactions, memes, clips. Laughing together, crying together, theorizing and taking in every last little detail. Seeing people make the most cursed comments under Cucurucho thirst art. Seeing people cry over images of the eggs. In all languages. On the Qsmp.

-Being part of a community. Being Here. Juntos.

[octuscle]

I'm tired of being fat and dateless can you make me a hairy muscle freak who likes having his snake drained if you get what I mean

I'm tired of being fat and dateless, can you make me a hairy muscle freak who likes his snake emptied, if you know what I mean

Well, you're not exactly the catch of the day… Well beyond 300 pounds. It's amazing that you made it to the age of 55 with your blood values. You look much older with your bad skin. Yes, you won't get a date like that… But I'll see what we can do for you.

It's not easy for you to get out of bed in the morning. Neither is taking a shower. You struggle into your jogging suit and sit down at your computer with a box of donuts. Before the pandemic, you were sometimes still in the office. Since then, you've only been able to work from home. You rarely leave the house anymore. What's the point? You take a break after two hours. Dealing with suspected money laundering cases is an annoying job. You drink a large glass of water with a shot of grapefruit juice. And do a few squats and a few press-ups. You've been trying hard to lose weight for two years. You've already lost many kilograms. But the flaps of skin that now hang from your tits and hips are an expensive price to pay. But you feel better for it. But now back to the computer. You get paid by the case.

You have a lunch break with friends. At a vegetarian restaurant a quarter of an hour away. It's raining and at first you wanted to go by car. But you're not a wimp and any exercise is good. So you take the bike. Yes, you look anything but sexy in those rain overalls. But you enjoy the looks when you take it off. You've been training hard and eating healthily for five years. You look quite respectable for a man of 50, even if the sins of the first 45 years of your life still show. But now you don't need to hide among colleagues who are sometimes 15 or even 20 years younger. The food is delicious and it's fun to chat with your colleagues, who you meet far too rarely in the office. It's not easy to lead a team that only works from home. Okay, you're not a good example today, but you try to be in the office as often as possible. If only because you enjoy the bike ride. And because it's close to the swimming pool.

The lunch break took a long time. The afternoon was short. Nevertheless, you finish work at 18:00. You have HIIT at 19:00. At 44, you are one of the oldest participants. But you easily outperform some much younger ones. Your job has been your life for eleven years. But sport is your passion. Giving your all during the day and even more in the evening is your motto. When the course ends at 8 p.m., most of the participants are panting and crawling into the shower more than they are walking. You hit the weights again.

At 11pm, Mike, the gym manager, switches on the emergency lights and turns off the music. Your signal that it's time to end the workout. You are once again the last one on the training area. You pull your T-shirt over your head, drop your pants and post up in front of the mirror. Not too bad for a man in his early 40s. Mike approaches you from behind, hugs you and grabs your nipples. Damn, this guy knows exactly where your on switch is. You're actually a disciplined nerd. But for once you give up an hour of your precious sleep for a good fuck. And if you spend the night at Mike's, you also save yourself the trip to the morning gym before work. So you fuck another round straight away.

Amazing pic found @rickmuscleguy

[ranger-ribbons]

More General Rangers Headcanons

Sixth Rangers are inherently more powerful than the regular Rangers. You'll notice that most can 1v1 difficult enemies that prove challenging to even the Reds of the team (ie.: Zhane (In Space Silver) 1v1'ing Ecliptor). This is because, on a power scale, the Sixth is supposed to balance the team out. A team that can work as individuals and an individual that can work on/with a team

Reds develop an attachment to their Sixth Rangers, be it romantic (Carter Grayson/Ryan Mitchell) or platonic (Leo and Mike Corbett), but it's close and quickly formed

Similarly, Sixth Rangers form quick and close attachments to their Reds, platonic or romantic

Pinks and Blues are either siblings or best friends and there is no in-between

Survivor's Guilt is a powerful force and 90% of the Rangers have it, especially the alien Rangers or those like the Lunar Wolf Wildforce Ranger

Rangers getting discouraged and believing themselves unworthy of the Power is also common, so there's a network of Rangers you can call to help with that kind of stuff

If you don't already have fantastic spatial awareness, you develop it pretty quick as a Ranger. It's damn near impossible not to because of all the attacks by Monsters, Bugs, etc

Red Rangers can give orders to their teams and the Power will give little pushes for the other Rangers to following it, but that doesn't mean the other Rangers can't refuse of their own volition

The Morphin' Grid affords its Rangers a form of immortality. They can be fatally injured, but otherwise, Rangers are effectively immortal

Some Rangers go on to become police officers, but most Rangers agree that working to assist and help people (ie.: lifeguards, doctors, breaking ground in the science fields) is best. Some of them establish dojos to train people to protect themselves (Tommy Oliver) and others work with volunteer efforts (Troy Burrows)

Veteran Rangers, Reds especially, tend to hang back during crossover events- this is to give the new Reds the confidence in themselves and their abilities, and allow them to grow into their leadership. The only exception was Forever Red, because Jason is a little bit of a control freak. He's the oldest Red, it's his right

When a Ranger is in a battle that forces them into demorph (i.e.: Gia, Jake, and Noah (Megaforce) against Creepox) the other teammates will be supremely worried and clingy, this is because of a trauma bond each team shares, but also because seeing someone you love get so hurt in a battle that they lose their ability to hold their morphs is fucking terrifying.

On that note, other Ranger teams will check in after those battles because seeing your successors get demorphed in the middle of battle is also something terrifying

Also on that note, some Rangers have specific nightmares in which they don't make it out of those demorph fights alive

The TMNT do on occasion pop out of the New York sewers to assist in a battle or two with the Ranger teams

Rangers who have martial arts skills (Ninja Storm, Jungle Fury, Samurai, Ninja Steel, etc) stick together, much like Rangers who are from or went to space

The techs of the teams have secret channels that they use to make "communication devices" (cell phones) so that Rangers don't have to rely on their morphers to communicate as well as being able to communicate with other Rangers and teams

Bulk and Skull have been linked so tightly with the Rangers that they've been kidnapped several times, only to be let go when it's been clear they aren't Rangers themselves

Junior Rangers have a chat, kids that helped Rangers (Heather, Jordon, etc.) have linked up and compared notes. They know of or know each other and most of them are tightly linked together

Possibility of more later, I didn't expect more than one post lol

[strangersteddierthings]

Gut Instinct: Interlude - Lucas

[Art] [Ao3] [Prologue] [Chapter One] [Chapter Two] [Interlude] [Chapter Three] [Chapter Four] [Chapter Five] [Chapter Six] [Chapter Seven] [Interlude]

Saturday morning was… rough. He had woken up hungover for the first time in his life, and maybe his last because he’s not sure this feeling is worth the fun of last night. Then the police had shown up and spoken to Jason.

Lucas had planned to go home, check in with his parents and then figure out what he and Dustin were going to do during spring break, since Mike was gone.

But the sound Jason had made, when he’d stalked past everyone and just wailed in the woods. Lucas had known then that he couldn’t abandon him. Lucas wasn’t as close to anyone on the team as he was with Dustin and Mike, but he still considered Jason a friend.

He couldn’t leave until he knew that Jason was going to be alright.

Then Jason told them all what the police had said.

Lucas couldn’t leave then. What a shitty friend he would be if he just left when Jason had just learned that his girlfriend had been murdered.

He would admit to being a little thrown off his guard to learn that Chrissy had been found in Eddie’s home, and that Eddie was nowhere to be found. But even so, he couldn’t imagine that Eddie would do something like that.

Yeah, Eddie was kind of scary and mean, but not enough to Lucas to believe he’d done it.

So, Lucas stayed Saturday night, too. There was a lot of hushed whispering between Jason and the guys on the team that Lucas knows to be Jason’s friends outside of just being on the team with him. They tried to include Lucas in the conversation, but Lucas is only half listening.

Maybe that did make him a bad friend to Jason.

He just can’t stop thinking about Chrissy being dead and Eddie being missing. It makes more sense in his brain that Eddie was kidnapped by whoever killed Chrissy than it does that Eddie might be a murderer.

It just doesn’t make sense that someone would pick to kidnap Eddie over Chrissy. That’s the part Lucas can’t wrap his brain around and is why he hadn’t spoken up in Eddie’s defense to the guys.

Now it’s Sunday.

Lucas wakes up alone and knows instantly that it’s early. The sun hasn’t even fully risen, judging by the light outside.

The sound draws him outside, and he finds Jason, Patrick, and Andy loading the back of Jason’s car with stuff. Dangerous stuff.

He’s not naive enough to believe they really just want to find Eddie to talk to him. Lucas wants to find Eddie, too, but not for whatever they’ve got planned.

“What are you guys doing?” Lucas asks, even though he knows.

“We’re gearing up,” Patrick answers, throwing a bag into the back of the car.

“Preparing for the hunt,” Andy says, wiggling a very big, very heavy looking wrench in the air.

Lucas pauses, unsure how to proceed.

Jason drops what he’s holding and approaches Lucas, reaching out to grab onto one of Lucas’ shoulders. “Hey, man. Relax. We’re not killers like Eddie. We just wanna talk to him. Get him to admit to his crime.”

“Yeah,” Andy adds, “A little friendly neighborhood chat.”

Jason, who had turned to look at Andy when he spoke, turns back to the silent Lucas and says, “Hey. You didn’t know Chris. If you’re not up to this, you can go home. There’s no judgment. You’ll still be one of us, alright?”

Lucas hesitates. He’s Jason’s friend and he’s Eddie’s friend, and he knows with a certainty that he won’t be friends with one of them by the end of this. Whatever ‘this’ ends up being.

Lucas thinks to the championship game, and how all of Hellfire turned up. He just can’t imagine a version of Eddie that turns up for his game would then go home and murder someone. “I- I’m sorry about Chrissy. I am. But Eddie…” Lucas trails off, afraid to admit out loud that he’s friends with Eddie.

Jason must see the fear, because he drops his voice so Patrick and Andy can’t hear and tries to assure Lucas, “I know he seems scary, but the freak’s no match for us. But I can drop you off at home if you’d rather. I meant what I said. You’re one of us.”

It’s an out that Lucas didn’t even know he needed until Jason offers it to him. “I’d like to go home.”

A half hour later finds him banging down the door to Dustin’s house. He wants to know if Dustin heard, if Dustin knows why Chrissy might have been at Eddie’s place. And now that he’s thinking about it, he wants to know if Max is alright. She lives at Forest Hills Trailer Park, too.

[cubitodragon-moved]

Yesterday Mike added more fuel to my “Tubbo is bugged” theory and it’s making me extra worried about what’s going to happen this week LOL.

This post is rambly and long, so I’m sticking things behind a cut!

Mike’s memories of the last 3+ weeks are scrambled and foggy; an interrupted El Quackity treatment? Unclear. But between saying he doesn’t remember anything and then spouting off pro-Federation propaganda (something his anarchist ass would never willingly do!) and fiercely trying to pin blame to Fit as a traitor, a comment by him during one of the questioning sessions stood out to me.

When Fit asked who told him his janitor duties were fake/a front, that he couldn’t be trusted, he said Cucurucho.

We and FitMC know that the Feds are sus of Fit, but they’ve had no actual concrete evidence that he’s been misusing his position to obtain information. And yet now Cucurucho, supposedly, is informing Mike of this so called betrayal?

If we think back to the prison cleanup in August, there was a room that had a chess board map on the wall. Only two pieces were present: a queen and a pawn. And the pawn was positioned on a clear way to indicate it’s meant to represent Fit. A warning - possibly to Fit from the ghost entity in the Prison (or someone in a neighbouring pocket dimension, if recent ruminations and theories on the server have any legs) that aided Pac and Mike, OR the Federation itself, reminding him of who has the power and who is always watching.

But they have yet to take any action. And always praised his work when completed.

Enter: Tubbo. Who arrived on the Island as part of a group rescued from a mysterious location. One with lots of strange blocks, code-eggs, frozen floors and who himself was frozen away. Shortly after, Mike and Pac ventured back to that location to explore, and when he entered the tower, the floor vanished and Mike fell. Fell down into a pool of water at the bottom of a trap lined in black concrete, and then frozen.

During Mike’s absence, Tubbo has gotten to know the “morning crew”, has gotten up in everyone’s business. I’ve outlined some highlights in another post. But more recently, every time he talks to Fit about his cleaning job, he’s picked at it again and again. Freaks out over the badge and keycard - especially over the keycard. (This feels important, for more than just Tubbo’s excuses of it being bugged, but I can’t put my finger on why, yet.). Tubbo whines when Fit won’t give him direct insight, or tell him detailed specifics on what he’s found on the job. Fit has made it clear he will not jeopardise his position to satisfy Tubbo’s need to meta-game win over the system to know everything, resulting in accusations, and Tubbo commenting privately to his own chat that this makes Fit untrustworthy in his eyes. Tubbo has been careless with some of his questions. They’ve been asked topside, sideways comments uttered with side eye. He wants to KNOW what Fit is after.

And Fit did spill to Tubbo that he’s not just there for the obvious. Yes, He IS looking for something. Yeah, he IS trying to find things out about the Codes, the Eggs, and the Federation - he wants his beautiful baby boy (made in Heaven by God Himself) back home safe and sound.

But this has not been successful, never mind the long absence of any work in the last few weeks..and we the viewers know that things he has found have been incomplete, or need more time to cook before he goes to others with evidence. Fit is meticulous, his life on 2B2T trained this into him in order to survive. You don’t last 10 years in an anarchy wasteland without being prepared. Better and safer to leave things unsaid than having to walk them back later. And there’s no point in sharing what isn’t relevant to the matter at hand.

And now Mike - who Fit calls friend, who he bonded with, who he swore to help locate Walter Bob with - said Cucurucho told him that Fit was a traitor, and wasn’t looking for what he said he was, even point blank accused him of lying yesterday about what he’s looking for. And when pressed about what he’d found so far when on janitor duty, Fit had to admit that no, he hadn’t found anything related to the Eggs or the Code.

Mike seemed to take that as proof of his lying about what he’s doing. That what he was told was right. But admitting to a lack of success doesn’t make one a liar. And Fit telling him he found nothing is also a smart play - lose lips sink ships, and better to be thought incompetent. Especially if the Federation are now trying to flush you - and perhaps your ties to your employer, outside the island - out into the open.

The Federation did not know about Ramón’s furnaces until Tubbo did. And they didn’t know Fit was in it for more than the obvious until he spoke with Tubbo. They can’t get Tubbo to take on Fit, but they can use a different pawn they have on the board instead.

I may well be completely off base. And I’ll be delighted if I am. It’s been so much fun to theorise about the lore on QSMP! But mark my words, we need to pay much more attention over the next 48 hours. And who knows what everyone will come back to in a week’s time?

[jadedlavendergemini]

Rage built up

A/n: just a drabble I had thought of based off some bts pics for season 5. Basically reader is still upset over Eddie’s death and has a hard time keeping herself in check.

It had been the same for weeks since your encounter with vecna and Eddie’s death. You felt nothing but cold and numb. Your friends tried to help by trying to include you in activities and conversations but nothing worked. At the end of each day you would just curl up in bed and cry, your grades were slipping and every night you watched endlessly through your nightmares of Eddie’s death over and over again.

When you weren’t with your friends or in school, you’d find yourself at the Hawkins cemetery with a bucket of soap and water and scrub away at the graffiti that would always wind back on his headstone.

You knew you weren’t the only one grieving Eddie’s death though, Dustin was also upset but he hid it well. He was trying to carry on Eddie’s legacy with Hellfire Club. And while he would always remind you by saying “Eddie wouldn’t want you to mope around.” Or “No one deserved to know Eddie the way you or I did.” None of it made you feel better.

So you kept quiet. You endured the constant reassurances from your friends that everything would be fine and that he loved you. But it wasn’t enough to make the pain go away.

So here you were now, sitting with Nancy and Robin at a table closer towards the back of the lunch room. Nancy and Robin conversed with each other as more of your friends appeared. Mike, El, Dustin, Lucas, Will and Erica took their seats at your table.

The Hawkins cafeteria was loud as per usual. Students were seated at their normal tables and chatted or laughed.

You were staring off into space, trapped between memories of having lunch with Eddie in his van or out at the picnic table when El’s voice pulled you out.

“Y/N,” you turned to your left where she sat next to Mike. “Are you alright?”

You just nod and before you can respond with a simple “I’m okay”, a cocky yet familiar voice can be heard nearby.

“She’s still crying over her serial killer boyfriend,” Chance’s laughs along with Andy and two more basket ball jocks walking by your table.

“That’s enough, douchebag.” Robin says, glaring at the dark haired boy.

“Maybe I’d be sad too, if he wasn’t such a freak who murdered my friends.” Andy chimed back as he and the other boys made their way to the normal jock/cheerleader table.

You looked down to your lap where your hands are clenched into fists, fighting back tears. You had endured your fellow student’s bullying for the past weeks.

El’s hand wraps around your left hand in an attempt to hold it comfort but you jerk from your sister’s touch. Suddenly you feel rage, like a fire burning in your chest.

Standing up, you snatch Nancy’s lunch tray and empty it onto the table.

“Y/N, what the hell?” Nancy exclaims as you clutch the now empty tray in your hands and make your way towards the jocks.

You ignore your friends calling your name as you march towards Chance who has his head turned, laughing at one of Andy’s stupid jokes.

“Hey Chance,” you speak loud and clear. And when he turns to face you… WHAM! The cafeteria is quiet as the only sound that can be heard is plastic smashing his face. You let out shout and slam the tray against his face again. By the third time, you had caught his forehead with the edge and a small amount of blood can be seen.

Before you can land another blow, someone’s arms are wrapped around your waist pulling you back. But your vision is blurry from tears and you throw the tray blindly back in Chance’s direction. You continued to try and reach towards the boy in attempt to claw and punch him but you’re held back and you scream in frustration.

“Y/N stop!” Lucas is the one holding you back. You recognize his voice but still try to fight him off.

“She’s fucking crazy!” You hear one of the jocks yell.

Slowly you stop resisting knowing Lucas won’t let you keep beating the shit out of his ex- teammate. When he slowly loosens his grip, you find yourself standing above a freaked out Chance who is covering his face on the floor, terrified that you’ll continue with your rampage.

Your breathing is heavy as you’re tired from all the movement and tears fall freely. You look around to see all the other students are staring at you, mouths agape and eyes wide. You turn to see your friends still at their table but standing, worried gazes on you.

Before you can gather your thoughts on what you just did, you run. You ran through the cafeteria doors and into the hallway. The students who weren’t in the cafeteria to witness your wild behavior stare in your direction.

You push past them and make your way into the girls bathroom and find it empty. Looking in the mirror you only see someone you don’t recognize. Your hair which was tied into a ponytail is frizzy and out of place, your eyes are red and puffy and your face is red.

You slump down to your knees onto the dirty floor and let out a sob. You couldn’t recognize yourself anymore. Your emotions, your thoughts, even your actions. Your body continues to rack with sobs and heavy breathing, you don’t even hear the door opening.

You flinch when you feel a hand gently rest on your back. You look back to see Nancy, Robin and El kneeling next to you.

“Y/N,” Nancy’s voice is soft and comforting but you continue to cry. You try and let out a breath but it comes out like a choking sound. She doesn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around you in a hug. “Hey, it’s okay.

“I- I’m sorry.” You cry out. “I didn’t mean to hurt him-“

“He deserved it,” Robin states. “You don’t owe him an apology.”

“Y/N,” you lift your wet eyes to your adopted sister who reaches a hand to your shoulder. “It’s okay to let it out. I know how you feel.”

“No, no you don’t.” You sob. “They treated him like a monster. But he fucking saved them. And I- I loved him.”

Before El could respond, the bathroom door opens and the girls find themselves at the attention of principal Higgens’ secretary. She’s stares down at you with her glasses at the bridge of her nose and her hands on her hips.

“Hopper,” she addresses you coldly. “Higgins’ office. Now.”

———————————————————————————

You sat across from the principal himself as he lowered his gaze at you, which only made you shrink more into your chair and stare intensely at your hands.

The door opens and Higgins stands tall at the sight of your father entering the room. “Chief Hopper,” he gestures to the chair next to yours.

Jim takes a seat next to his eldest daughter and places a strong hand on her knee. “What happened?”

“According to our Hawkins Basketball team, everything was peaceful, students were enjoying their lunch period until…. That is your daughter Miss Y/N,” he points his skinny finger at you. “Assaulted Chance with a plastic lunch tray.”

Jim chuckled. “A plastic lunch tray, okay. And the damage?”

“Just a scratch on his forehead, but Chief, if I may, this still counts as an assault on another student. Now if his family chooses to press charges-“

“Oh I’m sure they won’t. Did Y/N tell you why she did it? I mean did you even bother to ask her why she felt the need to assault this kid?”

Higgins clears his throat before returning his attention to you. “Miss Hopper, why did you feel the need to violently assault one of your classmates?”

You finally move your eyes up to meet the principal’s dark ones and quietly spoke. “He was teasing me about Eddie Munson. He called him a serial killer.”

“Well, Miss Hopper-“

“Eddie wasn’t a serial killer! He didn’t harm Chrissy or Patrick or Fred or ANYONE! You HATED him. So you let all your students just bully him and you LET Jason Carver create some angry mob against him and even told them that he should be found DEAD.”

By then you were out of your seat, fists clenched to your sides and eyes brimming with tears again.

The principal just stood there brows raised and eyes glancing at the chief for some assistance.

Jim stands up and wraps an arm over his daughter’s shoulder. “Okay, look, Higgins. I don’t think this is going to happen again, alright? I’ll take her home, we’ll have a long discussion about what happened between her the kid and maybe I’ll even get her to apologize. Let’s just not start the whole pressing charges BS, the kid is gonna live to see another day.”

“Mr. Hopper, I NEED to make an example for the other students-“

“Expelling my daughter from school on her senior year won’t do any good. She’ll be back on Monday, attitude changed and hopefully her grades.”

And with that he led you out of the office and to the parking lot where his beat up chiefs jeep was parked.

After hopping in and sitting in silence for a few minutes, the talking finally begins.

“So a lunch tray, huh?”

You nod.

“Y/N what’s going on? I know you’re upset about Munson and what you said back there was true about the bullying and name calling, but assault? Now look, I can handle that kids parents if they do want press charges, but you need to talk to me more.

“I know I wasn’t around for a bit but I’m here now so just talk to me. You’re upset about Eddie? I can handle that. You feel like what? Depressed? I know all about that feeling, kid.”

You remained quiet until you didn’t. “Every night I have the same nightmare. Eddie dying in my arms, telling me that he loves me and there’s blood everywhere. And then I wake up and he’s gone. If I could just hold onto him just a bit longer or maybe if I could’ve saved him-“

“Y/N, I never thought that once Eddie was a bad kid. Sure, his old man was a scammer and a thief but Eddie was different. I know he just wanted to get out of this town and do whatever it is he wanted to do. But you know what really made me believed that he was a good guy?”

You look into Jim’s old eyes. “He died protecting you, my daughter. Even if the rest of this shithole of a town doesn’t know it, he helped save them.”

“Don’t shut your friends out, definitely not El because you need them, kid. Trust me. If you wanna cry, you cry and let them hug you, you want to hit something, I have old bat somewhere in the cabin and I’ll let you go to town on some trees. But just leave those ungrateful students alone. Let them think what they want. Because as soon as you graduate, you can go and do whatever you want, just like Eddie.”

You nod your head while wiping your tears. “Thanks dad.”

“Anytime, kid. But promise me, no more beating up basketball players!” Jim couldn’t help at laugh at the thought of his eighteen year old daughter beating up a jock.

“I’ll try,” and for the first time in forever, you smile. Not quite large but one that could pass as a smirk.

[thatpodcastkid]

Magnus Archives Relisten, MAG 4 Page Turner

Analysis of MAG 4, Page Turner. Spooky book time! Spoilers ahead.

Jurgen Leitner? Stupid idiot motherfucking Jurgen-

Sorry about that got possessed for a second. Anyway, first Leitner statement! Let's get into it while I try to control my rage.

Facts: Statement of Dominic Swain, regarding a book briefly in his possession in the winter of 2012.

Statement Notes: So much in this episode! First Gerry and Mary citing, first Leitner and Mike Crew mention. Crazy how relevant this episode was and we all had no way of knowing.

Starting simple, I would just like to say that as a theatre tech, Swain is so accurate and so real. "Doing a little bit of everything?" Real. Trying to see friends work but you also work at the same time? Real. Work place romance? Real. Not being able to relax when you see a play because you know all the tech stuff that can go wrong? Really real.

What I really loved about Dominic's statement though is the highlight of the ozone smell. He walks all around London with that book, shows it to Mary and Gerard, shows it to friends, and no one else mentions the smell. Yet, when he shows it to his ex Katherine Mendes, she said it "triggered her vertigo." This happens with a lot of the cursed items in the show: they don't have one general effect, but target the specific sources of fear and anxiety in the owner. Katherine apparently gets vertigo often, so The Vast would naturally trigger than height-based stressor. But Swain has a specific fear of lightning and the ozone smell because of what happened to Mike, so torturing him with that smell is the most effective way to cause fear in him.

There's also some really classic cursed object horror going on here that I love. Swain tries to sell the book the whole episode, but calls it "his book" fleeing Mary. Additionally, he says that he thought about giving it away, but felt that "wouldn't count." Very similar to Do Not Open here and a lot of cursed object horror in that there needs to be some kind of debt or reciprocity established rid one of the object.

I also just love the line "walking felt as natural as falling." It really conjures the idea that he can't control himself, that he's stumbling to Mary's shop uncontrollable just as he would fall through the sky: completely unable to stop.

Entity Alignment: Dominic translates "Ex Altiora" as "From Higher" or "Out of the Heights." That's just such insane Vast energy, the idea that whatever the book does to you will spawn from the open empty sky and you won't be able to stop it, just as you'd never be able to stop falling.

Obviously this episode is generally Vast aligned, but that painting of the Eye really freaked me out. "Grant us the sight that we may not know. Grant us the scent that we may not catch. Grant us the sound that we may not call.” This engraving very much encapsulates the point of the Eye and the Archive, and weirdly foreshadows what Jon goes through later. It is essentially saying, "Let me witness the fear and pain of others so that I don't have to experience it myself." Why would Gerry paint this? Especially given that a giant eye gives Elias direct view into his home. What is the goal?

Character Notes: Jurgen Leitner? Stupid idiot motherfucking Jurgen Leitner god damn fool book collecting dust eating-

Sorry what happened I blacked out.

Seriously though, my biggest takeaway about Leitner in this ep is that he doesn't spell his name with an umlaut like others. Why did Jonny include that detail. What does that do for me.

I do love that the only information Swain could find on him was that he lost a bidding war over a book to "GRbookworm1818" who is so obviously Gertrude it's hilarious.

I think it's so weird that Swain couldn't find anything online about him, though. Leitners are clearly around, so wouldn't there be some kind of chat room or reddit post about one? Builds my theory that the Entities or at least the Web has some influence over internet content in this universe that it doesn't have in The Magnus Protocol universe. In TMAGP, the OIAR sorts through things found in databases and the internet, but in TMA the Archive seems to be the only source of real supernatural info, proving that Elias or someone else was controlling the stream of information in a way that the entities aren't able to (yet) in TMAGP.

Let's turn away from the most hated character on the internet to talk about the most loved: Gerard Keay.

Our first intro to Gerry is death metal music blasting from his bedroom at two am which is just, so on brand.

(Also want to point out that Dominic Swain didn't realize it was 2 am until he heard the music. Missing time is another motif that keeps coming up in this show.)

I also forgot that Gerry painted in this universe, so it's nice to see they kept that connection in Protocol.

The thing that's truly key (no pun intended) about this episode though is the ritual Mary performs, blaming Gerry for her fake murder. I believe this is the episode she binds herself to the Skin Book, but I can't figure out when/how she would attach Gerry. Also, the case against him was thrown out because a "key piece of evidence was deemed inadmissible." Was this Gertrude pulling strings, Mary using magic influence, or some other powerful eldritch bureaucrat pulling for our boy? Who's to say.

Mike Crew is really only mentioned in this episode, but it did get me thinking about the relevance of scars in the show. His Lichtenberg scar influences who he is and what he becomes as an Avatar. Very similar to Daisy naming herself after her scar and pursuing law--which would lead to her becoming an Avatar--because of the event and injury. Also, Jon's "markings" are what allow him to start the Eyepocalypse. Physical manifestations and reminders of trauma shaping who we become really is a theme in this show.

And of course, Jon. He is such a terrible liar yet him believing in the supernatural was still somehow a plot twist. Proves how good a writer Jonny is, honestly. He doesn't believe in the supernatural, but is absolutely terrified of Leitners and is working on an "institute project" to eradicate them? I would love to know how this project worked. Was it just research? Was there a team dedicated to finding and collecting Leitners? He also mentions "the incident in 1994," is that when the library was destroyed? Or is just another terrible Leitner incident.

Crazy ep, one of my favorites. Let me know what you think!

[mad-zz]

One Shot-

Mike Wheeler x Fem Reader

Word Count:

Fluff

Warnings: Cuss words and some parts where i dont clarify who is speaking

Reader , Mike , Dustin , Eddie

Can’t belive he did it

Mike Wheeler wasn’t known to have “rizz” as some might call it. The only girl he ever actually dated way Jane/Eleven but she moved away with his bestfriend in a whole other state so the relationship got a bit rocky and the had to break up. Mike didnt want it but Jane knew it was for the best.

So of course this left Mike in a mental state where he thought he would never find love again……Untilll he meet you. Co-Captain of the cheer team. Never afraid of speaking her mind. One of the most popular kids in school. So who would ever think a nobody like mike bagged someone like you?? His friend sure didn’t think so until you proved them wrong

Mike was walking to his next class until he saw you at your locker getting out your needed books. He thought you looked pretty doing anything. Walking, Talking, Eating. Anything you did you did it best to him. So it wasn’t much of a suprise to him that you were one of the captains for the cheer team. Mike walked up to you and right when you saw him you gave him a tight hug. He wrapped his arms around your waist and gave you a tight squeeze.

Gosh you had butterflies in your stomach right away. You found it werid that you still get butterflies even though y’all have been dating for 2 months already. You had asked him how his day was going and he said good as usual. As you and mike were talking you two were on your way to class when a particular friend of mike’s was watching. You had seen him before..What was it…?Uhhhh……DUSTIN! That was it you had seen Mike talking to him and he told you that Dustin was a close friend of his.

But Dustin was off. He was just staring at the two of you looked confused. And when he saw you staring at him, he had walked off in a hurry. You just minded your business and walked into class with Mike chatting about his new dnd board and how you should come over and see it. In the middle of him talking you had cut him off and said “ Hey why was Dustin looking so strange just now?” He has turned to you saying “Oh he was here i didn’t even notice?!” He looked kinda nervous when saying it. You thought something was up but you didn’t metiton it. So when you finally entered class you had taken a seat by Mike and had forgotten about it.

~Time Skip~

It was now lunch time and you were sitting with the jocks and cheerleaders while Mike was sitting with his friends. Every now and then you two will share glances with each other. It’s not like your relationship was a secret. Almost have the school knew you two were dating. Emphasis on almost. Because while you didn’t know it, Mike’s friends were that other half. So while Mike was staying at you a little bit and Dustin noticed he said. “Mike what we’re you and Y/n Y/l/n doing walking habe in hand with each other?” The guys immediately spit out there drink and in union yelled out a WHAT?!. Mike had turned his head right away and kinda just laughed it off with a “Whattttt pffff uh i mean i would never uhhh you knowww umm yeah”

Dustin replied with “You complete dodged the question” “I did not doged the question-” “You definitely just doged the question Wheeler” Eddie said. “Ok ok even if I did where is your proff of-” “Jason is hitting on Y/n” “WHAT” Mike right away turned his head to see you just talking with your friends. “Hey you tricked me!” “Why were you so worried about jason talking to y/n hmmm?” “Do you like her??” “And going back to the original question why were you two walking to together?!”

Mike looking completey embarssed with no excuses he had to fess up. “Ok ok i’ll tell you but yall have to promise to not freak out or something ok?” The whole table and nodded wanting to know what was happening between there friend and the most popular girl in school. “Ok here it goes…. Me and Y/n are dating and have been for about two months so far” Mike had looked back to stare at his friends for a moment until all his friends had staring laughing as Mike trew his head back in frustration.

“HAHAHA OK OK SO YOUR TELLING ME YOUR DATING Y/N Y/L/N THE MOST POPULAR GIRL IN SCHOOL ??!!!” “Yes 😐” “STOP JOKING WHEELER IF THAT WERE TRUE I WOULD BE DATING CHRISSY RIGHT NOW AGHHH HAHAHA” “Guys im telling the truth!!” “Then how about you go prove it” Dustin said fake wiping away a tear “FINE” Mike says getting up to walk to your table. “Oh shit he’s actually going to do it”

You see your boyfriend walking up to your table so you wave at him but right when he comes up to you he pulls you up from the table and just kisses you. You don’t know why he’s doing it but hey your not complaining. You wrap your hands around his neck as he holds your waste. The kiss is passionate but soft at the same time. And when you two stop you ask him quitely why he did that. He just said I had to prove something to my friends real quick and presses a quick kiss on your forehead.

And Mikes friends are still at there table jaws dropped to the floor, astonished by the fact that Mike was telling the truth. Just as Mike was walking back Eddie said “ Cant belive he did it, he actually bagged Y/l/n” And Mike sat down he asked “Any other questions?” {Spoiler Alert they did}

[castlebyersafterdark]

AH the cafeteria scene drives me INSANE. barely any bylers ever talk about it even though it's such a crazy scene and i feel like it's such an important look into mike's character.

i suppose a lot of bylers are just uncomfortable with the idea of mike being into any other guy than will, let alone eddie, who's older than him, and that's why they ignore it. which, come on.

it's not anything against byler. and not anything problematic, obviously, not even gonna go into that. let him have a fucking crush. it's just proof that mike is intoTM men. and only men. that boy is smitten. he's shown more attraction to eddie in this one scene than to el throughout the entire series so far, istg. it's so funny.

and he's just so cute. this is the only time we've ever seen him act like this, other than in his scenes with will. especially taking into consideration how absolutely miserable mike is ever since the byers moved, and that him and dustin are 'in trouble' because lucas won't be able to play d&d, the fact that eddie manages to make him sooo giddy says so much.

and the music choice... even without it, i'd have been real suspicious, but that just confirms to me mike really has a crush.

i think about this all the time.

Combining two older asks with this recent one together for some Eddie chat! This will cover a few topics as to consolidate ideas and not be repetitive. I made a post a little while back about Mike's behavior towards Eddie I've linked here, the rest of my thoughts under the cut since this got long!

I think Eddie in general served primarily more as a plot device - and you can love him and love the character and that's cool and admit that's not a bad place/character to be in the narrative. Stranger Things has a pattern. New character for the season, they will represent something for main/focus characters arc, then they die tragically. Barb, Bob, Billy (even if he slid into two seasons), Eddie (people add in Alexei and I guess he counts? I have very few thoughts on him but sure, I'll add him). Not to say that these characters are not characters onto their own, but for analytical purposes - I think it's accurate. Eddie had an arc, met his end, represented many many things for our characters. Especially Mike and Dustin. There is something to be said for his queer-coding - but I don't think it was primarily meant for Eddie himself (I mean, to be fair we do have the guy yelling about sodomy in the high school cafeteria). It was the catalyst for audiences to shift the idea onto Mike. And most probably missed it, but I think it will hold up on the rewatch after the whole series is out. Who knows what the show is going to do with Eddie (mentioned in passing - that guy's dead) in season five. Maybe it's my biased opinion since that's when I picked up on what was going on with Mike, that cafeteria scene.

Mike's reactions and body language around him. His treatment of Eddie like an older figure he respected and didn't want to disappoint. They hang out and play DnD together, but when has Mike ever been a beacon of agreeability with people giving him shit, especially those older than him? He wasn't really trying to be cool, Eddie was a freak. I'm honestly not sure they were close friends, even if they were in the club together - and maybe I'm wrong. I feel like Dustin was the closer one, and Mike enjoyed the club, but was probably also going through the motions of high school. I haven't watched the show in a while, might need to revisit to reevaluate episode one to see how Mike is acting overall that episode. There's a lot packed in there.

He wanted his approval, though. His body language around him. The cafeteria scene, though - that song playing in the background. Mike had a crush. I stand by that forever. Eddie wasn't on Mike's mind once he left for Cali because Mike wasn't around Eddie, and Eddie's part in the story was for those in Hawkins. Television storytelling. Mike had to pretend and force it again for El and hide it all and act messy af with Will. But it set the tone for the season, what happened in episode one. Why would he mention Eddie when they had other things going on in California?

And I stand by in canon - no real purposeful chemistry between him and Steve (I don't care what people do in fanon fanfic world - yes, yall want two adult male characters to ship and write smut about. I see you, I understand you, I've been you. I just have no investment because Byler is more interesting to me and I'm bitter about the Steddie fandom because I wish I liked them more so I could enjoy more fic and art while wishing people weren't babies and fearful about Byler for no damned reason). YES there was a cheeky little remark in the van, but I think Eddie's just an ass, not specifically flirtatious. He spent too much screen time on pushing Steve and Nancy together, for whatever reason (plot device reasons). He moved the narrative. He will move the emotional narrative for Dustin, like Bob moved it for Joyce, and Barb for Nancy.

It's interesting that there's this discomfort with either Mike or Will having a wandering eye for anyone other than each other, which is just unrealistic. You don't have to write them with other characters if you don't want to, but to not even acknowledge what might have brought them along their sexuality journey... boring. I've literally read things where fans say "Mike is just Will-sexual" or the same for Will. Ughh, spare me. Let them be gaaaaay. Let them admire men around them and have formative crushes on other boys, especially older boys. That's sooooo formative and something fun about the speculative nature of fandom, a space to dive into what that could mean for the characters.

Take Eddie for example, great question. Because we talk a lot about what Eddie meant for Mike's sexuality, but what would Will have thought about him? I'm not sure, because I can see multiple angles with him. There's the rock and roll angle and the unashamed nerd angle and the DnD angle - I also think Eddie draws? They'd have a lot to bond over. Eddie's unabashedly himself. Will would admire that. But Will's also a little reserved, a little bit of a doormat sometimes. How would he react to the somewhat brash attitude? The aggressive methods. The critiques and insistence of nonconformity. But Will is really the most himself of everyone, even if hiding a massive secret. His style and personality and demeanor is neither "conformity to being normal" (Mike) nor a somewhat forced "fuck you to conservative small town society" (Eddie). Will stands alone.

I firmly believe Will would have gone to Lucas's basketball game - the loyalty of friendship. But with Eddie screaming at them in the cafeteria, judging them? Would he even have joined Hellfire? Would the Party have even joined if Will had been there - maybe, maybe not. It seemed Will leaving broke the glue. Would they all have even been interested if Will was there - would he have made some comment to the group - "I'm not interested in joining a new party. What we have is good enough, right?" or would Will been intrigued by joining in a group with fellow nerds? I honestly cannot make up my mind. And I'm not so sure that Will would be as into Eddie as Mike is. I just feel like there would always be either this layer of trepidation or his admiration might be at arms-length. But I can also see Eddie as maybe clocking Will for his sexuality and maybe since they're all fellow misfits, maybe he'd be a source of telling Will to embrace who he is and tell the rest of the town to fuck off. I'm not sure he would be that sort of mentor but he... has the potential capacity. And maybe we can make the case of bi Eddie, as something he and Will could find commonality over, idk. That makes for a cool fanon exploration, to be honest.

Kind of a ramble, kind of a lot of ground covered. But there's a lot of interesting directions to take with Eddie - who is just a fascinating point of conversation regarding his role in Stranger Things. The Eddie Effect is both bafflingly overly-popular while simultaneously underutilized in other subsets of the deeper fandom.

[eddieintheupsidedown]

this was supposed to be a super short draft but i got carried away and now it’s 2k words and cross posted on ao3

————————————

au where vecna didn’t happen and steve and eddie became buddies purely through association with dustin

eventually steve has enough of the kids™️ always talking about dnd without knowing what’s going on, so he joins them just to watch. eddie doesn’t like gawkers at his dnd sessions so he invites steve to hang after the session to come up with a character so he can join the next session and steve happily(?) obliges

he feels weird about steve the hair harrington being in his trailer at night but hey if dustin likes this guy then he must be at least a little bit cool

one night they get together to work on steve’s character and decide to have a few beers. those turn into a lot of beers and before he knows it, steve is passed out on the couch in the trailer, spilling the rest of his beer over his shirt in the process. eddie is asleep right next to him, their legs tangled together

they wake up the next morning to eddie’s alarms, he actually makes an effort to get to school on time now. this is his year after all! both boys jump at the sound of the alarm clock and steve scrambles to grab his stuff, noticing how sticky and gross his shirt is from the beer he spilled

eddie offers him one of his shirts, goes to look for a clean one (he hasn’t done laundry in a while, don’t tell his uncle) and the only clean shirt he finds is one of his 3 hellfire club shirts. because of course he has 3 of those. he throws steve the shirt and picks a semi-clean one off the floor for himself.

steve pulls off his sticky shirt and goes to put on the hellfire club shirt “thanks…does that mean i’m officially in the club?”

eddie’s breath hitches in his throat, as THE steve Harrington is shirtless in his trailer. he’s seen him shirtless before (steve used to love pulling off his shirts after winning games) but never this close up, and he doesn’t know why his stomach feels like that right now. all crazy and excited. oh no, he can’t even reply to steve’s dumb question so he just shrugs and turns away, before changing his own shirt

they take steve’s car to school, eddie doesn’t know how he’s gonna get back home later but that’s not a problem for right now. people very obviously stare at him when he gets out of steve’s car. Harrington and then freak hung out? no one wants to believe it. and then steve steps out of the car. the flannel he’s wearing unbuttoned. showing off the hellfire club shirt that’s obviously not his size. it’s just a little too small for him

people start whispering right away, coming up with all sorts of wild theories because no one wants to believe those two could be friends

they part ways to get to their respective classes, but when steve sits down at the hellfire table at lunch, the whole cafeteria goes silent. no one dares to say anything, not even eddie who usually can’t shut up. steve doesn’t seem to notice though, he sat right next to eddie and after eating a few bites, turns to him and starts talking about his dnd character creation again

this continues for a few weeks. they hang out after school to teach steve dnd, get drinks together sometimes, steve actually starts coming to hellfire weekly and joins the campaign, although not without protest from mike, which is promptly shut down by eddie and will

Eddie’s hellfire club shirt is still sitting in steve’s closet. he wore it a few more times since he got it from eddie. doesn’t mind that it doesn’t really fit him. slowly he notices how nervous he gets around eddie, when he tells robin she slaps the back of his head and calls him an idiot, she was probably the first one to notice the massive crushes the two guys have on each other. but steve refuses to admit it. he can’t.

once wayne comes back from his business trip, they start hanging out at steve’s house instead. they sit in steve’s room just chatting. about movies, dnd, school.. anything really. they both enjoy how comfortable they are in each other’s presence, but neither of them has the balls to admit it. one thing leads to another and eddie decides to sleep over at steve’s house. steve tells him to grab anything from his closet as pajamas if he wants to.

he doesn’t know what he expected to find in steve’s closet, but it sure wasn’t a bunch of shirts just shoved in there and then… the hellfire club shirt, folded carefully and placed on the top shelf. his hellfire club shirt. he should probably take that back and get steve his own shirt that actually fits. but he can’t bring himself to take it. he’s seen steve’s face when he wears it to school. so he just picks a random shirt from the messy pile on the middle shelf

the shirt is too big on him when he puts it on. not awkwardly big, just a little oversized. he doesn’t mind. he also doesn’t mind the way the heat creeps up his neck when he notices steve’s scent on the shirt. at this point he’s admitted his crush on steve to wayne , who encouraged him to go for it. wayne has seen the way the two boys look at each other when the other isn’t looking. he’s not stupid. but eddie is afraid, doesn’t know how to even start a conversation like that or if steve will hate him and kick him out and never speak to him again. he doesn’t want to ruin the friendship they have formed

steve’s bed is huge, his couch isn’t. so they decide to just share the bed. eddie gets his own blanket and pillow and they build a small wall of pillows between them, neither of them know why they did that but they just did. as they both lay there, staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep, eddie says something. so quietly that steve can hardly make it out.

“i’m gay”

steve thinks he must be imagining it, his half asleep brain conjuring up wild dreams of his crush also being into men, “cool. me too”

Eddie freezes. did steve just say he’s gay too? his heart is racing in his chest and he doesn’t dare to move a muscle, scared that he’s asleep and if he moves he’ll wake up. but both boys are awake and just admitted their biggest secrets to each other. steve slowly turns to eddie, they didn’t put a pillow up between their heads, and looks at him. “did you just say something or did i dream that?”

eddie still doesn’t dare to move, he breathes out a quiet “yeah” and closes his eyes tightly, scared steve will kick him out now. but steve turns back, looks up at the ceiling again “cool cool…”

neither of them speak about this conversation after that moment. eddie stops asking steve to hang out after school, says something about having to help wayne with some work.

the next hellfire meeting is weirdly awkward. everyone in the room can tell but no one knows why.

eddie doesn’t even know why he’s avoiding steve. maybe because he doesn’t want the chance of rejection by his crush feel real. maybe he’s avoiding confronting his feelings about steve.

after their dnd session steve drives the kids home, he offers to take eddie back home too and the other boy shyly accepts. steve drops the kids off first. the trailer park is closer to his house so this makes the most sense. when it’s just the two of them in the car, an awkward silence settles in. neither of them dare to speak, until steve parks infront of eddie’s trailer. they can see the lights on inside, wayne is home. but eddie doesn’t leave the car. he sits in silence and stares out the window.

“i’m gay” he says, playing with his rings, “i just..: want you to know in case you wanna like… stop being friends”

steve nods, “i know… i heard you when you slept over. and it’d be kinda weird for me to be homophobic, considering i’m like.. super gay too. i didn’t really know until recently though. robin helped me figure that out, i guess that’s why i never really dated a girl for more than a week. well except nancy. but now nancy is like family so maybe that’s weird too” he keeps rambling on, until he hears eddie chuckle. he hasn’t heard that sound in too long, and only now realizes how much he missed it. eddie invites him into the trailer, they watch a shitty movie together and have a beer. at the end of the night steve goes home.

they go kind of back to normal after that. except for one thing. there’s so much tension between them. they still hang out and drink, just like before. but now they both know. the chance of something happening between them isn’t zero. even robin notices when eddie comes to pick up steve from family video one night.

it takes them a few more weeks to address the tension. they’re sat on eddie’s couch, closer than they used to sit, their legs barely touching, each with a beer in their hands, when steve turns to eddie. he didn’t expect the following words to come out his mouth but they do, with no warning and no filter.

“i like you. kiss me”

and eddie stares at him, jaw almost hitting the floor. he slowly puts his beer down on the coffee table, steve copies him. both still staring at each other. “what are you saying harrington?” eddie leans in close. very close. steve can smell the beer on his breath but he doesn’t back off. he leans in closer, looking eddie in the eyes.

“i like you. kiss me” he repeats, still staring.

and so eddie does. he gently places his hand on steve’s cheek, pulling him closer before connecting their lips. steve kisses back with no hesitation, his arms finding their way around eddies neck to pull him closer, if they could they would fuse together into one being, that’s how close they are now.

eddie uses his free hand to hold steve’s hip, gently pulling him onto his lap, where steve’s legs instinctively wraps around eddie.

they don’t take it any further. they just sit like this and kiss for a good 20 minutes, only pulling away a few seconds at a time to catch their breaths, before diving right back. Once eddie finally pulls away and looks at steve, he sees how red the other’s lips are, his face is flushed, hair messy and he’s staring right back at him. they sit like this and just stare at each other for another 5 minutes before eddie speaks up.

“so this is how king steve kisses? i get all those girls now” steve chuckles and lighty hits his shoulder, before burying his face in the crook of eddie’s neck. eventually they fall asleep like this, without speaking another word.

eddie wakes up first the next morning, he carefully lifts steve off himself and gets up, trying to throw together something that resembles breakfast with the limited supplies the tiny kitchen has. he finally find some probably stale cereal and prepares 2 bowls for them, turning around to the couch, where he sees steve. He’s now awake and carefully watching eddie, biting his lips and fiddling with his hands.

“Mornin’ Big boy” eddie smirks and hands steve the bowl, sitting back down next to him.

they sit and eat in silence for a while, spoons clinking against the bowls. eventually steve looks at eddie, the same adoring look in his eyes as he had the night before. and then steve takes all the courage he has and kisses eddie again and within moments they’re entangled, the same was as the first time they kissed.

they spend the rest of the day together. between kissing and whispering sweet nonsense to each other, they figure out that they’ve been crushing on each other for months now. since before steve came to watch hellfire. steve has been crushing on eddie since the day he snuck into a bar and happened to catch a corroded coffin set. eddie has been crushing on steve since steve nonchalantly picked up a pen for him in the hallway 2 years ago.

it still takes them a few days to officially start dating but when they do, they don’t hide it. they don’t openly tell anyone, except their friends and uncle wayne. but they also don’t shy away from hanging out in the school courtyard, at family video every day and wherever else they manage to find time together

[ronancexists]

Hi everyone, I'm sorry I'm late again. I'm posting everything today so I can be caught up, I promise! For now, here's Day 8 of Ronancetober!

Day 8: Uncanny

Mike

Mike will be the first to admit that it was an absolute shock to him when Nancy practically yanked him into her bedroom, locked the door, and admitted she was bisexual and in a relationship with Robin. As in, and these were her words, they’ve been on dates and kissed and cuddled on the couch during movie nights and held hands when they were sure no eyes were on them. It took him a moment to process the information, and by the time he did Nancy was freaking out and threatening to kill him if he breathed a word of it to their parents because they both knew they would never approve of them dating someone of the same gender. She continued rambling on and on, something he was sure she’d picked up from Robin. He supposed it was a combination of nerves and fear about admitting something so huge and something that could drastically change the nature of their relationship.

In the heat of the moment, he’d done the only thing that he thought would be able to calm her and blurted out that he and Will had shared a few kisses with one another and just had their first date the other night with Robin and Steve as their chaperones so they wouldn’t be picked on. Despite graduating from high school, there were still kids that refused to bother them because “King Steve” was with them.

“Wait, you and Will?” Nancy asked, her large doe eyes blinking rapidly as she absorbed what her little brother had just admitted to her.

“Yeah, it’s, uh, kinda new, so, I haven’t really, like, told anyone. Jonathan kinda already suspected, I guess he’s known Will’s been in love with me for a while now or whatever, but yeah. You’re the first person I’ve told. Just, like, please don’t make a big deal out of it.”

Mike groaned in annoyance when Nancy crushed him into a hug, but he eventually wrapped his arms around her in return. The two of them stayed like that for a while before pulling apart, though Nancy’s hands remained on his shoulders.

“I’ll tell you what. You tell me everything about you and Will, and I’ll tell you everything between Robin and I. No more secrets, alright? For real this time.”

“Yeah, o-ok,” Mike said, surprised by the offer even as Nancy ushered him to sit on her bed.

They talked for a long while, not just about Robin and Will but about the D&D gang and about the school newspaper and how school was a drag and how they were still worried that the Upside Down would come back even though they had gotten rid of it and Vecna for good. The two of them were so caught up in chatting with one another that they didn’t even realize how hungry they were until their mom knocked on the door and asked if everything was alright and that dinner was ready. They made a pact before they left the room that if they needed one another for anything, they’d be there, no matter what.

It was after their talk that Mike started observing the way Nancy and Robin acted around one another whenever they all hung out as a group in the Wheeler’s basement or at the Byers home. He noticed the glances they shot one another when one caught the other staring. He noticed the shared smiles and the linking of hands when they were sure nobody was looking. He noticed the way Nancy seemed so relaxed and content and so sure of herself with Robin, unlike when she had dated Jonathan and Steve. No offense to them, but they always seemed to doubt her sister whenever she had discovered something that could be related to the Upside Down. With Robin, she was instantly there to support his sister and help her get to the bottom of the mystery. He noticed the gooey eyes Nancy possessed whenever Robin started one of her classic rambles or whenever she did anything that was so ridiculously Robin and he noticed Robin’s gooey eyes whenever Nancy so much as looked her way.

He also thought it was uncanny how easily the two of them could read each other. As soon as Nancy looked even the slightest bit angry, Robin was doing something ridiculously goofy. It caused laughter and smiles from the entire group, and it made Nancy soften so incredibly much it amazed him. Whenever Robin was on one of her rambles and spiraled off the original topic, it was Nancy who managed to pull her back to the discussion at hand with a simple brush of her fingertips against Robin’s shoulder or linking their pinkies together. When Nancy was sad, especially about Barb (he couldn’t imagine the pain Nancy was feeling since he had gotten Will back and Nancy hadn’t gotten her version of Will back), Robin was right there with Nancy’s favorite movies, snacks, and someone to lean on, whether it was to cry on her or to vent to her. Robin tended to fiddle with her rings or play with her hair when she was stressed, and it was Nancy who would gently take Robin’s hands into her own and help her concentrate on her breathing so she wouldn’t harm herself because she was lost in her thoughts.

They did all of this and so much more for one another that it had Mike begrudgingly going along with the consensus of their group of nerds and outcasts that yes, Nancy and Robin belonged together. And if anyone did anything to harm them, well, Mike would be the one to throw the first punch.

Will

Will wasn’t as surprised as Mike to find out Robin and Nancy were dating, especially since Robin had confided in him a long time ago about her crush on Nancy in the hopes of helping Will come to terms with his own sexuality. Which it did, and he was forever grateful to her for that. When she had finished telling him, she’d just stared at him, biting her lip and playing with her rings. He merely broke down sobbing and uttered one sentence as she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. “He doesn’t love me like I love him.”

He’d finally calmed down after what felt like hours, but in reality it was only fifteen minutes, looking up at the teenager he felt was the big sister he’d never had, only for her to be smiling down at him with kind, accepting eyes.

“I don’t believe that for a second. I’ve seen the way Mike looks at you, Will. It’s the same way you look at him and it’s the same way I look at Nancy.”

Will sniffled, thanking Robin quietly as she held out a tissue box that was previously sitting on the little table they had in the back room of Family Video. “But, what if you’re wrong?”

Robin tilted her head at him, maintaining that soft smile. “If I’m wrong, I’ll let you rent as many movies as you want for free.”

“Won’t you get fired for that?”

The older teenager shook her head, mischief dancing in her eyes. “I’m the best worker Keith’s got. If he wants to fire me, he’ll regret it the instant he’s stuck working with Steve who will complain about me being fired every chance he gets.”

That elicited a bout of giggles out of Will.

“In all seriousness, if I’m wrong, it shouldn’t matter to Mike. If he’s truly your best friend, he will support you no matter what.”

“Like you and Steve? You told him, right? That’s why you guys always say you aren’t dating and deny the accusations of the rest of the group every time they pester you about it.”

Robin ruffled his hair, causing Will to screech and bat her hands away. “You’re too smart for your own good.”

“I’m not called Will the Wise for nothing,” he replied, sticking his tongue out at her.

“Yeah, yeah. If you’re so wise, why are you doubting me that he likes you back? It’s pretty obvious,” she mocked, slinging an arm over his shoulders and leading him out of the backroom, cackling as he elbowed her in the side.

It was after his talk with Robin that he had finally hyped himself up to confess to Mike. He was pleasantly surprised to find out that Mike felt the exact same way, and they agreed to go on a date with one another. He burst into Family Video the next day, ignoring the looks of the customers as he rushed towards Robin and knocked the wind out of her with how tightly he was hugging her. She just chuckled and returned the embrace.

“I hate to say I told you so, but—”

“Shut up,” Will murmured, burying his face in the crook of her neck as he fisted the back of her shirt into his hands, wrinkling it as he held on tight. “Thank you,” he whispered, pulling back to look at her with tears in his eyes.

“Anytime, kiddo. How about you tell me all about it over lunch? My treat,” Robin offered.

“That’d be great. Thanks!”

And so they did, with Robin revealing to him that she had also confessed her feelings to Nancy after their talk, only for the other girl to reveal she felt the same with a kiss rather than words. They were going on a date to the newly rebuilt movie theater later that night.

After that, Will kept a closer eye on Nancy and Robin, wanting to make sure that Nancy wouldn’t do anything to hurt Robin. As much as he loved Nancy, he felt like he connected with her on a different level than he did with Robin. He watched their relationship develop, and was surprised to discover how uncanny it was that they picked up on each other’s mannerisms.

Usually, he’d see Robin bite her lip or fiddle with her rings when she was stressed, but ever since they’d started dating, Nancy had stolen some of Robin’s jewelry and tended to do the same things whenever she was anxious or stressed. Robin was the one who used humor to bring some sort of levity to whatever situation they were dealing with, but Nancy had started doing it too. Where Robin used to be the one who avoided discussing anything related to her home life, Nancy (and Mike) had begun avoiding the issue as well.

As for Nancy, she was the one to offer comfort to them in the forms of hugs or reassurances, but Robin had begun doing it as well. Which was shocking, considering she tended to avoid being too touchy-feely with most people. Except for Steve, and quite frankly, none of them could decipher whatever bond those two shared, nor did they have the energy to. Nancy was the one who would defend them in an instant against their bullies, but now Robin did it too, despite how much she hated confrontation. The older Wheeler used to be the only one who’d be able to form their half-fledged ideas into a full plan, but now Robin could do it too (and Steve would help sometimes too).

In the overall scheme of things, Will thought the two of them complimented one another really well and truly believed they would make it despite the many odds stacked against them.

Lucas

Lucas was a bit ashamed thinking back on how he’d first reacted to the news of Robin and Nancy dating one another. He didn’t do anything as drastic as call them sinners and scream at them they were going to hell, but he did say that he was confused and he needed some time to think. He didn’t have anything against the two of them, not at all. He loved them both as much as everyone else in the group, it’s just he’d never seen or heard about any one of the same gender dating someone else of the same gender.

Now that he thought about it, it was understandable as to why he’d never heard of such a thing. With all the bullying and names Will and Jonathan (and even Robin sometimes) received for being suspected as “queer,” he couldn’t imagine how it would escalate if they were to actually come out of the closet. He’d done some research in the library, and he felt absolutely nauseous when he read about some of the things people had done to those who came out as homosexuals.

After having finished reading up on it, he’d determined that it wasn’t something wrong or offensive or whatever people were saying about it. He hopped on his bike after leaving the library and headed straight for Family Video, knowing he would more than likely find Nancy and Jonathan loitering around, chatting with their respective partners as they worked. He locked his bike up and pushed the door open, beelining straight towards the first teen in his sight, which happened to be Nancy.

“I love you, no matter what. And I’m really happy for you,” he declared, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly. While he didn’t normally dole out affection like this, it was Nancy. She had been his surrogate big sister for what felt like forever at this point, even though it really had only been a few years.

“Thanks, Lucas. I love you too,” she replied, and he pretended as though he didn’t hear how her voice had wavered as she returned the hug.

Lucas pulled away, only to be engulfed in a gigantic squeeze by Nancy’s girlfriend. “Robin!”

“Sorry, couldn’t resist. We love you too, no matter what,” she echoed, squeezing him in surprisingly toned arms once more before setting him down.

“We can talk more later,” Nancy said, recognizing the curious glint in Lucas’s eyes.

“I want to know everything,” he demanded with a tone that implied it wasn’t actually a demand.

“As soon as we get off we’ll answer whatever questions you have,” Robin agreed, playfully shoving him towards the door. “Now, leave. You’re distracting me from doing my job.”

“Like they aren’t already doing that,” Lucas said with an eye roll, gesturing to Nancy, Steve, and Jonathan. “I’ll see you later!” he shouted, saluting the group before he left the store.

Later that night, as Robin and Nancy kept their promise and answered all the questions he had about their relationship, he realized how uncanny it was that they had picked up on one another’s facial expressions.

They both had a tendency to narrow their eyes and purse their lips when they were annoyed, especially when one of them had done something stupid that required them to intervene.

If they were angry, their arms were crossed tightly over their chests and they took deep, controlled breaths lest they start screaming or yelling when they were arguing, whether it be with one another or someone from their ragtag group.

When they were sad, they bit their lips to try and stifle the sobs while tears shined brightly in their eyes. Though they refused to let them fall, waiting until they were completely alone or the only the other was with them before breaking down, tucking themselves into their girlfriend’s arms and allowing themselves to feel what they had been trying to shove down.

A singular eyebrow was raised when they felt dubious about something, tilting their heads to the side as they listened to what was being explained to them. Most of the time it was regarding something D&D related or an interest that pertained to a certain individual of the group.

Concentration was shown through furrowed eyebrows and tips of pens or pencils tapping against the surface they were writing on, sighs escaping unknowingly when they were becoming slightly frustrated at not figuring out the answer.

They shared the same wide smiles and crinkled noses when they were happy or found something amusing. That mainly occurred when Robin was teasing Steve or Nancy was playfully bickering with him, Mike, or any of the other teens. It also happened whenever El had discovered something new or when one of them was sharing something exciting that happened that day.

The group doubled down on their efforts to reassure one or both of them whenever they noticed they were acting as though they weren’t an important member of the group with half-smiles and shrugs of shoulders when they were feeling insecure.

As for when they were feeling fearful, that was something hard to discern unless they were looking for it. Their muscles were tense, a guarded look in their eyes, jaws clenching to keep themselves from spilling how they were truly feeling. It happened whenever they were discussing something related to the Upside Down and their experiences with it.

And when they showed love and affection, nothing else seemed to matter. Playful shoves and ruffling of hair, soft and kind eyes, grins that stretched to their ears, hands resting on backs and arms slung around shoulders.

So yeah, Lucas thought they were eerily similar in that regard. Though he supposed that’s what made them perfect for one another, and quite frankly, he couldn’t imagine either of them with anyone else.

Dustin

Dustin had blinked in confusion so many times when Nancy and Robin revealed they’d been dating for a few months that it seemed as though he was never going to stop. Like, he was genuinely happy for them and everything, but he was also disappointed that all his efforts to get Steve and Robin together had been for naught. He was so utterly, completely, positively sure that they belonged together despite them both saying they were just friends. Hell, the conversation he’d had the other day with Steve had been another attempt at getting the two of them together.

“But Steve!” he whined exasperatedly. “You and Robin are literally perfect for one another! I mean, you hang out, like, all the time. You’re both literally cuddling or holding hands or hovering within centimeters of one another. You know exactly what the other needs without even needing to say so out loud. Plus, I know you aren’t blind. Robin’s attractive, even you’ve admitted to that! So explain it to me, please. Because I just don’t get it!”

“Dustin, listen to me,” Steve had replied, setting his hands on Dustin’s shoulders to get his attention. “Are you listening?”

Dustin nodded, eager to see where Steve was going with what they had dubbed his “mom voice,” which meant he was talking about something serious and was figuring out a way to put it in terms that would keep the kids from doing exactly what he was trying to prevent them from doing.

“Robin, she’s incredible. I know that, you know that, and every single one of our friends know that. Quite frankly, I don’t think any of us deserve her, but that’s besides the point. She’s incredible, she’s super smart, she’s kind even when we aren’t kind in return, she’s sarcastic as hell, she’s dorky, and she means the entire world to me. But, I mean that entirely in the platonic sense. She’s my best friend, the person I never knew I needed, the other half to my heart. As she likes to say, we’re ‘Platonic with a capital P.’ That’s all I want from her, that’s all she wants from me, and we’re both perfectly fine with it. We both prefer it that way, believe me. I’m going to be real with you, Dustin. Robin and I have our reasons for being friends, and when we’re ready, we’ll tell you guys. For now, you just have to trust me, and trust Robin. We’re friends, best friends, and that’s all we’re ever going to be.”

Dustin was ready to protest, but when he saw how truly exhausted Steve looked from having to explain that he and Robin were just friends and were going to continue just being friends for what had to be the millionth time, he wisely clamped his mouth shut and refrained arguing. “Ok,” he said, a toothy grin emerging at Steve’s flabbergasted look.

“Ok?”

“Ok. I won’t push it. If you and Robin say you are friends and will stay friends, then you’re friends. I don’t get it, but I trust you guys. I just want you to be happy, and I thought that meant getting the two of you together.”

“We are,” Steve breathed out, reaching forward to tug his little brother into a fierce hug. “We are so incredibly happy, Dustin. But we’re incredibly happy staying friends. I promise.”

Dustin merely nodded, though his thoughts were racing a mile a minute. He didn’t truly understand why they were so insistent on them being friends and nothing more, but he supposed if they were happy with it staying that way, then that was all that mattered.

The next day, when Robin and Nancy announced they were together, all the pieces clicked into place. The way the two of them reacted around one another was uncanny.

They both possessed the same goofy grins when recounting something the other did. They shared the same spark of happiness and love in their eyes when they set their sights on one another, lighting up like Christmas trees. Their bodies practically radiated nerves whenever they found themselves sharing kisses and embraces in front of everyone, still scared that one day one of them was going to lash out and shame them for it. They had the same pouts when it was discovered one couldn’t hang out with the other. And they both relaxed greatly whenever the other backed them up in an argument.

It would take some getting used to, for sure, but the more he observed them together, the more ridiculous of an idea it seemed that he had ever believed Robin and Steve belonged together. Robin was clearly head over heels for Nancy, something that was much more obvious now that he knew exactly what to search for. He could only hope he’d continue to be able to bear witness to their budding love.

Oh, this would be a great story to tell their kids. He could only imagine the incredulous looks those ginormous eyes would shoot at him, absolutely in shock that he’d thought their mom was ever going to end up with anyone other than their mama. He grinned in delight at the thought, already imagining the best way to tell the story so it held the most dramatic flair. He could totally picture it, him retelling the tale with exaggerated emotions while Nancy and Robin rolled their eyes in fond amusement, while Steve sat next to them on the couch, absolutely cackling, unaffected by the elbows Robin kept shoving into his side.

Little did he know that he’d be doing exactly that, almost fifteen years later, to two little ones that both bore a striking resemblance to their mothers. And their cousins, who happened to be Jonathan and Steve’s three little kids, who each had a huge mop of the famous Harrington hair.

But for now, all he’d have was his vivid imagination.

And that was enough.

~~~

So I haven't actually really wrote for any other characters besides Robin, Nancy, and Steve. Let me know how I did...? Please?

[skylarsin7]

Chapter 1: The Hellfire Club

My name is Liliana Rose Halen-Ramsey. A level 23, chaotic neutral Lunar Elf Ranger adept in arcane archery and healing magic. You may call me Aezadora.

The Hellfire Club was my home. Is my home. A place where I could get away from the Perfect House, the Perfect Family, the Perfect Life. Everything I was not. It was a place where I could just let go and be my wonderfully weird self, where I was among friends. But it was their leader who taught me that I didn't owe the world perfection. That I was perfect for just being me. His name is Eddie Munson. The DM of the Hellfire Club. 

“Absolutely not.” Eddie’s voice had a slight edge to it as if he didn’t quite believe that they would even dare make such a ludacris suggestion. Dustin and Mike stood before the head of the table with Erica Sinclair, the younger sister of the turncoat benchwarmer that had gotten them into this bind in the first place. “You asked for a sub. We delivered.” Dustin protested. “This is Hellfire Club, not Babysitting Club.” Eddie countered, his voice clearly displaying how thin his patience was wearing. “I’m eleven, you long-haired freak.” Erica corrected, clearly not intimidated by the two-time super senior. Eddie scoffed. “My, my, the child speaks.” He said with heavy sarcasm. The other members of the Hellfire Club snickered as Eddie rose from his ‘throne’. 

He stalked towards her, looking every bit like a prowling wolf, the reigning DM, whose will was absolute. “So, what’s your name, child?” He mocked as he approached her. “Erica Sinclair.” She replied, her tone bored as she cocked an eyebrow at him. Eddie chuckled, clearly enjoying this little back and forth. Clearly enjoying the challenge this little spitfire brought. “So, this is Sinclair’s infamous sister.” Erica rolled her eyes at Dustin and Mike. “He’s sharp.” She said sarcastically over her shoulder. 

Eddie’s smile did not fade but became lethal as his eyes glittered dangerously. “What’s your class and level? Level One Dwarf?” He asked, still holding the mocking lilt to his tone, but it had become a razor's edge. She stared at him, undaunted by the note of menace in his voice. “My name is Lady Applejack. I’m a chaotic good half-elf rogue, level 14." Eddie's eyebrows rose as she spoke, but he said nothing. Erica continued as she stared him down. "I will sneak behind any monster you throw my way and stab them in the back with my poison-soaked kukri. And I’ll smile as I watch them die a slow, agonizing death. So…we gonna do this, or are we gonna keep chit chatting like this is your momma’s book club?” Erica did not back down, didn’t move or raise her voice. But her words rang with power as they faded into silence. The rest of Hellfire Club all but held their breath. Eddie glanced back over his shoulder. 

“Did you get all that, Aez?” He asked. The walkie setup to the left of the throne crackled with static. “Loud and clear.” Came the answer. The voice was female, and even though it was slightly distorted from the static, it was melodic and soft. “What do you think?” He asked. There was another moment of static. “I like her spirit. We could use that kind of spark in our party.” Aeza answered. Eddie smiled, the action lighting up his entire face. “You heard the Lady.” He extended a hand for Erica. “Welcome to Hellfire."

***

“The hooded Cultists chant… Hail Lord Vecna…Hail Lord Vecna…” Eddie’s voice held them all captive as he laid the scene. “They turn to you, remove their hoods. You recognize most of them from Makbar. But there is one…you do not recognize.” The players around the table held their breath. “His skin…shriveled, desiccated. But there is something else…” No one dared move, their eyes trained on their DM. “He is not only missing his left arm… but his left eye!” Eddie said with a flourish. He relished this part of D&D more than anything else. The table erupted with protests and outraged cries. “Vecna is dead!” One shrieked. “He was killed by Kas!” Mike pointed out. Eddie laughed, rising in his chair. “So it was thought, my friends, so it was thought��But Vecna Lives!” He bellowed as he placed the mini figure in the arena. “You’re scared, you’re tired, you are injured…do you flee Vecna and his cultists? Or do you stand your ground and fight?” There was an unspoken challenge in his words. The players exchanged a glance amongst themselves. “Aeza, what do you think?” Dustin asked. There was another crackle of static followed by another loaded moment of silence. Aeza took a deep breath. “Through dangers unseen, and challenges unnumbered, we have fought our way to this place. Our goal is near at hand. I, for one, will not cower before likes such as these when what we seek is so close. I say we fight….to the death.” She said, her voice carrying through the room. A shudder rippled over the table. “To the death.” Dustin repeated. “To the death.” Mike agreed. And one by one the players repeated the oath, their words rippling into a roar. 

Eddie’s laughter carried above the din, and gradually the players quieted. “Very well…as you wish. Roll for initiative.” He commanded. There was a flurry of motion and static from the walkie. The players each looked up in turn. “16.” “12.” “18.” “7.” “15.” “4.” Another crackle of static, and a sigh. “19.” Came Aeza’s voice. There was a collective intake of breath around the table. Eddie smiled almost wickedly.

“Aeza, Lady of the Night, Archer of Shooting Stars, you stand before the Archlich and his Cultists, weary but determined. How do you proceed?” Eddie’s voice was somehow softer, taking on an affectionate quality that he didn’t usually use. A moment of silence followed before the Lady answered. “I draw my bow. It is blessed by the Goddess Tou Mu, and I carry with me her Light of the North. I notch a black arrow. The tip crackles with barely contained light, as if housing a captive star.” The players sat in rapt silence, even Erica unable to make a sound. It seemed that Aeza was as gifted a storyteller as their DM. The players shivered. “My gaze meets the Archlich’s single good eye unwaveringly. My eyes glow amber in the lantern light, refusing to back down. I lift my bow, drawing the throng back.” There was a clatter of dice as she rolled. “18. I fire an arrow inscribed with the sigil for Starlight Smite, for…” Another Clatter. “Twenty points of divine damage.” All eyes fell on Eddie, who scanned over his sheets. He paused, calculating. “It’s a hit. Well done, Aeza.” The table erupted into a chorus of cheers. 

As the game progressed, the other players began to lose HP, and one after another, they fell. Even Lady Aeza was beginning to sweat. Now, only three players remained. “Time out! Time out!” Nick cried, his eyes wide in his chubby face. Dustin grabbed the walkie, gesturing for the others to follow after him. They ducked into a huddle, Dustin cradling the walkie in the center. “Guys, I hate to say this, but we have got to flee.” Gareth the Great said quietly, his voice defeated. The boy brushed an errant curl from his face.  “I concur.” Nick agreed without hesitation. “Didn’t we just agree “to the death?” Erica asked, annoyance an edge to her words. 

“That wasn’t literal.” Gareth argued. Nick nodded. “Vecna just decimated us. We can’t kill him with three players.” Jeff added. Dustin scoffed. “You too? He only has fifteen hit points left. Don’t be pussies.” He said fiercely. “Pussies, really? ‘Cause we’re not delusional?” Gareth argued. “Delusional? How about not cowards?” Erica added, rolling her eyes. 

“Hey!” Eddie’s voice caught their attention and the group turned to face him. “If I may interject gentlemen, ladies, whilst I respect the passion, you’d be wise to take Gareth the Great’s concern to heart.” His tone managed to be both friendly and condescending all at once. “There is no shame in running. Don’t try to be heroes. Not today.” A sadistic smile curved his lips. “Kay?” Dustin stared at him a moment before holding up a single finger. “One sec.” He turned back into the huddle, pulling the others with him. 

“Aeza, we have not heard you speak in favor or in opposition. What say you, Lady?” The familiar crackle of static preceded her answer. “While I agree that it will not be without its costs, we have banded together before and defeated other foes, against the odds. In honor of our fallen comrades, I say, let's finish this.” There was a moment of silence that followed her declaration. Dustin turned to Erica. “Lady Applejack?” The unspoken question hung for barely a second between them. “You really gotta ask?” She said incredulously, pursing her lips. Dustin nodded with determination. "Okay, let’s kill the son of a bitch.” 

         Dustin approached the table, his lips set in a harsh line. He stared Eddie down, walkie still cradled in his hand. “The odds of winning are twenty to one!” Jeff said beseechingly. Dustin held up his hand to silence him. “Never…tell me the odds. Just give me the D-twenty.” He said harshly. Eddie chuckled wickedly, tossing the die to him. This was the reason he played. You could never underestimate the mettle of some players. Some of them just didn't know when to walk away. And this time, whether it was fortune or folly, they would find out very soon. Dustin took a deep breath, rolling as if his life depended on it. “11.” He said as it landed. “That’s. A. MISS!!!” Eddie’s voice was giddy as there was a collective groan from the other end of the table.

“Lady Applejack, you’re up.” Eddie lounged at the head of the table, clearly comfortable and confident that he would have this victory despite their best efforts. Erica plucked the dice off the table, cupping her hands around it and shaking it hard. The players held their breath, praying with every ounce of their strength. She flung the die, all eyes fixed on it as it rolled to a stop. Nat twenty. “CRIT HIT!!” She exclaimed, and the players erupted in cheers. Eddie’s surprise was written all over his face, covered quickly by a genuine smile. “That’s why we play.” He said, repeating his thoughts and bowing gracefully in defeat. The players cheered, high fiving one another. Aeza’s pleased laughter could be heard over the walkie. Eddie rose, taking the walkie back from Dustin.

“Excellent game, as usual. Same place next week.” He said to the others, turning to gather his things, casting a side eye at the younger Sinclair. “Sinclair, feel free to come back anytime. Welcome to Hellshire once again. It was a pleasure facing a most worthy opponent.” He bowed once more to her. Erica beamed, her features radiant with pride. “Great.” She replied, gathering her own things. Eddie turned his attention to the walkie. “What a game Aez. Good call on Sinclair.” He praised. There was a hum from the walkie. “I only offered my opinion, it is you that allowed her to play." She countered. Eddie chuckled. 

“That’s true, but you know I value your opinion, oh great leader of the Party.” He teased. She blew him raspberries. “Smart ass.” She quipped. “So?” He drawled, grinning before switching gears. "Quoting that trailer already, Aez? That movie doesn’t come out until what…June?" He teased. She huffed. "June 27th, to be exact. And I happen to love the concept of Labyrinth. Don't judge." He shook his head even though she could not see him. "Sure, the concept being David Bowie in tights. I can't understand the appeal of Bowie in tights." He said as his nose wrinkled. He really didn’t see the appeal of any man in tights, but he had heard it from several girls around the Hideout that the Goblin King looked ‘dreamy’.  She sighed heavily, and not privy to his inner tirade, didn’t bother trying to explain it to him. He clearly enjoyed needling her.

“Headed home now?” She asked, changing the subject herself. “Shortly, I have something I have to do first, but I shouldn’t be too long.” He answered. A moment of crackling static. “Alright, I’m going to grab a bite. I have something I want to talk to you about when you get home.” There was a rustling that indicated that she was packing up her stuff. Eddie smiled. There was a world of possibilities there. He looked forward to it. “Alright, talk to you then.”

***

A little over seven hundred and fifty miles away, in the basement of a plantation style home in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Liliana Halen-Ramsey closed her character binder, slipped it discreetly into the hollowed-out cover of a bible, and placed it back on its shelf. Her parents would've had her hide for boot laces if they ever found out she played D&D. Her stepfather, one Pastor Arland Ramsey, believed that everything in the fantasy genre was made by the devil and therefore forbade it in his home. She rose, stretching, popping a few joints as she did so. She could hear the television upstairs, rolling her eyes and shaking her head as she could faintly hear the religious channel blaring. She had some time to kill before Eddie would be home, and while she preferred the solitude and judgment free zone of the basement, her stomach rumbled in demand for food. She sighed, turning and stalking up the stairs into the rest of the house, her dragon slippers rubber soles slapping the polished wood as she went. 

She padded into the kitchen, careful not to make a lot of noise and disturb her stepfather. Her dragons bounced a little as she walked, their wings and tails fluttering with the motion. They were her favorite, and one of the few of her father’s gifts her mother let her keep after his death. She was grateful her feet hadn’t really grown since she was fifteen.

She grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter, and set to work peeling and slicing it, lobbing a healthy spoonful of peanut butter into a bowl. Her mother would have frowned at her choice of dinner, but knew better than to argue with her daughter about food. It was one of the few points they agreed on these days. Pick the fights you can win. And with Lily’s blatant distaste for her stepfather, her mother didn’t push the issue of her sharing a meal with them. Arland was a whole other story. He would force her to join them when company was present, but for the most part ignore that she existed any other time. As she ate, her eyes wandered to the idiot box, watching some wrinkly pastor as he paced back and forth on a stage, his movements animated as he spoke of hellfire and damnation. She couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at her features. She’d take Hellfire any day. In more ways than one.  

When she finished, she washed her dishes, placing them in the rack. She climbed another set of stairs into her room, changing into her most comfortable pajamas. Bats and pumpkins danced across the short set’s purple fabric, the edges trimmed in delicate black lace. She let her long hair down from its bun, running her fingers through it like a comb to loosen the worst of the tangles. The wine-colored curls hung in ringlets down her back, swaying just past her hips. She was proud of her hair. Had been growing it since she was very young, despite her mother’s protests. Stretching again, she worked her hands back and forth, the long coils joining in a neat french braid. Once she had tied it off, she set back down for the basement.  

As she neared the door, she could hear the static of Frequency, the nickname of the walkie rig she used to speak with Hellfire. Her heart leapt, butterflies instantly fluttering in her belly. He was earlier than she expected.  What she heard however, had her stopping dead in her tracks. “Chrissy? Chrisssssy…?” She could hear Eddie’s voice, but it was terribly muffled and distorted. “Eddie?” She asked as she picked up the walkie. He didn’t seem to hear her. “Hello? Helloooo….Chrissy! Hey, Chrissy wake up. Hey, hello?” Lily’s face wrinkled in confusion. “Eddie, what is going on?” She spoke a little louder. “Hey, Chrissy.” Heavy static distorted his voice and he still didn’t respond to her question. Who the hell was Chrissy? “Time to wake up! Hey, hello, can you hear me?! Wake up, Chrissy!” His voice grew frantic and Lily’s heart dropped into her slippers. “Chrissy, wake up! I don’t like this Chrissy, WAKE UP!!” He continued to call that name, over and over, every repeat even more frantic than the last. “What the- Jesus Christ!” There was a crash, and a heavy thud. “EDDIE!” Lily cried, cupping her hand around the receiver, her blood rushing painfully through her veins. There were a series of cracks, like gunfire, followed by a blood-curdling scream. Eddie's scream. “EDDIE! EDDIE!!” She cried, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. Another loud thump sounded, then the line went dead. 

  Lily stood in shock for a moment, her heart hammering so fast that it threatened to leap right out of her chest. She felt for all the world that at any second, she would double over and vomit. Without indulging that and without a second thought, she turned, bounding up the stairs two at a time. She skidded into the living room, her thoughts so erratic that she didn’t even notice that the television was off, and that her parents were upstairs, likely getting ready for bed. She snatched her mother’s car keys from the rack and tore through her mother’s purse for her wallet. Stashing the wallet in her pocket, she sprinted up the stairs to her room, grabbing her own driver’s license and go-bag before bounding out the front door.

        Her mother’s station wagon was old, but reliable, and it turned over without much fuss. Lily glanced up to her parent’s window, watching it a second for movement before flicking on the headlights, throwing it into reverse, and slamming on the gas. The tires squealed as she tore into the night, heading west, to Hawkins. She only hoped she wasn’t too late.