#and ofc van's HI JEFF

[wistfulwatcher]

YELLOWJACKETS | 2.06 “Qui”

[thisapplepielife]

Written for @corrodedcoffinfest.

If It Makes You Happy

Day #24 - Behind the Scenes | Word Count: 1000 | Rating: T | CW: Language | POV: Goodie (Freak) | Pairing: Goodie/OFCs, Minor Steddie | Tags: 1990s, Touring Corroded Coffin, Superstitions, Goodie Just Wants To Go To This By Himself, But No, Fucking Road Manager Steve Harrington

"What's the big rush?" Eddie asks, propping his feet up on the coffee table, in another hotel room, in another city. Another tour date among dozens of others. Nothing particularly special about it.

"Nothin'. Just, you know. Stuff," Goodie says, "I'll be back later. Don't wait up."

"Well, where are you goin'? Maybe I wanna go with," Eddie says, and that's not happening. 

Not no way, not no how. 

"Nowhere," Goodie says, "stop harassing me."

"Stop being so weird, and I will," Eddie pops off, slipping a cigarette between his lips. 

Eddie won't stop being intrusive, never will, and being harassed by Eddie is just part of life. Has been since Goodie was a teen.

"I have plans, okay? Without you."

"Do you have a date?" Eddie asks, sitting up.

"Yes. Happy? I have a date."

"Gareth! Gareth!" Eddie screams, "Goodie has a date!" Eddie bleats, hoping to draw Gareth out of the neighboring suite. 

Gareth doesn't show up, and Goodie is getting out of here before any more questions can be asked. 

"Gotta go. Gonna be late," Goodie says, slipping his leather jacket over his shoulders, "for my date."

Goodie gets into the taxi outside of the hotel, and has the cabbie take him right back to the venue that they played at last night.

When he gets out, he looks at the ticket that's burning a hole in his pocket.

Front row, dead center. 

Sheryl Crow.

Goodie is impatiently waiting for the opening act to get on with it, when he's jostled from the side, and when he turns to look…

Eddie. 

He tilts his head back, as if to ask God why? What did he ever do to deserve this?

Eddie jabs his fingers into his ribs on his way by, and Goodie swats him away. Then sees that Gareth and Jeff are flanked by security, squeezing past everyone else around, drawing a whole shitpot full of attention onto themselves. Jeff is falling over himself apologizing, but nobody gives a fuck, because they aren't known. Not here. Not in this crowd, which is what Goodie had counted on when he planned to come all by himself.

Blend in. 

Fucking Steve Harrington. 

Steve must have told Eddie, and then got them all tickets. Not just the one, single ticket Goodie had requested to have a night to himself, looking up at Sheryl Crow. Listening to her sing and play the guitar, like a badass.

Now, he has to look at Eddie, Jeff and Gareth. And that's way less enticing of a prospect. 

He's been stuck looking at their ugly mugs for the past decade.

He knew Eddie dating Steve was a horrible, terrible, awful idea right from the start. 

And there is the little Judas now. Steve is pulling up the rear with Robin, and Goodie glares, and Steve looks back at him, absolutely unphased. Asshole.

After the show, they pile out of the arena with the rest of the crowd, and Eddie leans into him as they walk to the waiting van, their driver sitting behind the wheel.

Once they're situated, Eddie wraps his arms around Goodie's neck from behind, tight, squeezing, choking him a little.

"Just tell us if you want to do something, next time."

And Goodie nods.

Then Eddie slaps a shirt over his shoulder. 

Goodie pulls it down, and laughs. It's her silhouette, backed with blue. 

It's cool, and something he'd have picked for himself if maybe he'd been alone. 

"I expect you to wear it tomorrow night on stage."

"Don't think I won't," Goodie answers, dryly. 

Eddie squeezes his shoulders, shaking him, "If it makes you happy, then it can't be that bad," he teases, leaning over the backseat, talking right into Goodie's ear. 

And then he kisses the back of Goodie's head, and the rest of them laugh.

The next night, he does wear the shirt, with his leather jacket over it. 

And there's a girl in the front row that points at it, and then makes a heart with her hands. 

Maybe this will be his new lucky shirt. 

He thinks that really might be true when she's waiting outside of the stage door, looking for him. Not Eddie. Not Jeff. Not Gareth. 

Him. 

And it is his lucky shirt. 

Every goddamn night he wears it, he pulls, and without much effort. The women damn nearly throw themselves at him. 

Gareth is seething with jealousy, as Goodie holds his hotel room door open for the woman from last night to be on her way. 

She runs her hand over his chest, and leans up to kiss him again. 

The shirt, now soft with wear and magic, is the best thing that ever happened to him. 

And then it's lost in the laundry. 

Steve's gonna die. Goodie will make sure of it. 

"It'll turn up," Steve says, not looking up from his clipboard. 

"Steve. I need it." 

"It. Will. Turn. Up," Steve stresses, and then walks away. 

Goodie resigns himself to a dry spell, but he takes the stage, and kind of forgets about it. 

He gets the same attention he got the last time he wore it. 

And that happens again. And again. 

Then, about a month later, Eddie slaps it over his shoulder again, just like he did the first night. 

"It was never the shirt. I don't know why it finally gave you the confidence to flirt back with women, but it did and I just wanted you to know it was you. Not the shirt." 

Goodie doesn't say anything, can't think of what he could possibly say to that. 

It's still his favorite shirt. The most comfortable one he owns, and he wears it at least once a week, but now, it's not always on stage. 

Sometimes he wears it on travel days, or off-days, when nobody sees him but the guys. 

And, yeah, sometimes he still wears it on stage, even as the print fades. Because he likes it. 

But he doesn't need it.

Not anymore. 

If you want to write your own, or see more entries for this challenge, pop on over to @corrodedcoffinfest and follow along with the fun! 🦇

Notes: That does appear to be a Sheryl Crow tour shirt from the 90s, I found it on eBay, but I'm not sure what year. So, just pretend it's right for this, haha.

[a-strange-inkling]

Hello! No pressure or anything ofc, but are you planning to make this into a fic? https://www.tumblr.com/a-strange-inkling/727441373675094017/hellcheeronecheer-dark-suspense-au-1989-eddie?source=share I am soooo interested in it

It’s just a very early concept right now, but yes, I’d love to make it a full fic 🖤🖤🖤

Here’s some concept writing that I’m drafting for it:

“You’re staring again.” Jeff pointed out in annoyance as he put away his guitar in its case.

Eddie glanced at him over his shoulder heedlessly before turning back to watch Chrissy as she took down laundry from her clothesline in the next yard. The rows of pale, pristine linen flapped aggressively against her as the wind picked up, tugging at her hair and skirt. Amalthea moved at her feet, bumping her soft white head against her bare ankles and rubbing herself around and around her legs, desperately wanting attention.

He smiled a little at the cat’s antics.

He knew the feeling.

Chrissy bent down at her soft mewling, sparing the bothersome little lady a few scratches behind her ear before minding her task, her eyes rising briefly to the sky, noting the dark clouds moving in and hurrying her efforts. He took a slight step forward.

Maybe she needed some help.

“Dude, cut it out!”

“Jesus, I’m not even staring!” Eddie snapped back.

“Bullshit…If you keep this up, her creepy ass husband is going to come and skin us in our sleep or something…That dude has the freaking crazy eyes.”

Eddie ignored him as he leaned against the front of the van that he’d parked in the driveway so they could practice in the garage, crossing his arms tightly across his chest.

“Look, I get it… but she’s… off, man…they both are and she obviously doesn't like us, so just leave her alone.” Jeff sighed tiredly. “We really don’t need that kind of trouble.”

“…Aren’t you going to be late?”

Jeff seethed, shoving his shoulder as he passed him. “I’m serious, Eddie.”

“I’m not doing anything! I’m just standing here!” His voice raised to a high incredulous octave causing Chrissy to look nervously over the fence with wide eyes. He and Jeff quickly ducked back deeper into the garage, out of sight. She seemed to remember herself a moment later and got back to clumsily unpinning one of her dresses from the line.

“Yeah right,” Jeff muttered harshly as he moved to open his car door, shaking his head. “I know you. I know that look.”

[gayspock]

OK SOMEEEE gripes

im ACTUALLY extremely conflicted on some of the present day stuff and i think its mostly down to the characters

like im very happy with jeff, and i think he's fine as is - brilliant, even, bc hes a genuinely refreshing take imo as opposed to what they could have easily done (i.e unlikable, distant from it all husband). not that he would be CRAZY or unreasonable to resent shauna, but like... its just fucking so much funnier + more interesting to me to see a character kind of just go with it, rather than to have them stew in angst. like i think its more interesting and allows for them to explore different beats than what you'd assume they would if you'd just known the basics of what shauna was up to. imo

similarly i was happy with adam as a character, too, and i think they developed him well enough for who he was and how he functions in this story. im glad he didnt turn out to be javi (if he was, i guess, bc he still could be technically that kinda suck wway more now tbh booo) and whilst there was nooo way he was gonna survive if he was just some guy which he was

theres also guys like kevyn. my jokes aside abt how scary he is im kinda fine with him, and i do actually makes some kinda sense that hes a cop + that he's now so straight-laced. some loser divorced dad. and it'd be a good comparison to natalie, and the lifestyle she lives now and how their paths diverged. however i kind of wish they'd... just let him go? like i wish he'd been at the reunion, and they'dhad that exchanged and then he'd just walked away to his wife and kids and her back to the yellowjackets no return no return no return huh what was that YEHA. my point is. i feel like there's no true resolution between them two thats organic and it just kinda feels weird to keep him around past that. i know they need a cop character for whats happening with shauna now but it just feels kinda ... bizarre to have him playing that role with that creep dude. bc whilst i do prefer limited characters in a show like this and to keep it tight and clean it just feels weird for it to be him and for it to be THAT insular AND, again, for him to keep sticking around when i dont feel like theres anywhere for him to go.... like its kinda DIFFERENT with the other cop dude, bc he isnt pre-established and he does kinda just function moreso as just. a fucking yuckhead fuckhead but instead its just this weird uhhhh. and kevyn is back! um. he will continue serving this purpose and we will never touch on him and natalie again. bc we shouldnt ofc but it also feels weird to have him there without ever mentioning it LOL

who else. fuck. like i am also very conflicted abt tai's wife and son like.... they do just feel a bit like- theyre just there? and i think that DEFINITELY makes some sort of narrative sense with tai, and with her whole deal- she has it all, she has everything but she has nothinnggg but... IDK KINDA SAD MAN. bc its weird i'll go back to this with jeff and callie, but it does make SENSE that the non-yellowjackets characters are always gonna be secondary with the story theyre telling in more ways than them just being secondary characters but with how fucking impossible it is to reconnect with fucking ANYONE after everything they did/went through BUT ITS LIKE... like i said i kinda like jeff and ironically his absolute lack of personality became a personality, whereas with simone&sammy i feel like theyre just kinda... SUPER functioning and that does kinda make me worry because whilst i know a lot of ppl are yelling for tai/van endgame... i dont know it feels weird to write them off fuckin completely which is what i feel like the show might kinda lean into at some point...😭like i want more for them, and from them. and i also sorry i also hate fucking "scary child who sees the supernatural" trope SORRYYYY its so tired to me and so lazy . give this kid some proper fucking development

and i think its also another issue im having with the present day stuff. theres too many characters rn and its being misspent. like do not get me wrong im not against quirky elijah wood BUT i feel like misty's ENTIRE. FUCKING. ARC. RIGHT. NOW. would be so much more fucking effective if she was alone and tracking down natalie by herself and kinda struggling with that. OR if they kept up her rapport with jessica- like have her tag along, whether it'd be under the guise of a fixer or not, and maybe have her cause some tension bc again if eel like.. ITS SO MUCH WEIRDER just having jessica's entire stint just come to an end in the way it did and it would have been a much more solid throughline into s2 than to bring in elijah wood whos just genderbent misty and its like . ok its just nott.... INTERESTING TO ME... SO WHAT. SHES FOUND A GUY LIKE HER? WHO CARES MAN. IM SAYING THIS AS A LITTLE FREAK WHO CANT CONNECT WITH OTHERS & YEARNS FOR KINSHIP, LIKE... I JUST FEEL LIKE ITS KINDA BACKWARDS AND REGRESSIVE AND NOTHINGGGG. jessica was a much weirder fucking dynamic and i think could have been interesting and i do think theres ways they could have had them both pursue natalie but now its just... ehhhhhh like

and i also feel like elijah wood is kinda bringing up the comedic parts of misty's story and dont get me wrong i LOVED a lot of the dark humour bits from her in s1 but i feel likw now its kinda getting too close to just. that. kinda like just oh funny joke funny dark humour. and losing a lot of the substance it should have, which is kinda necessary to the humour itself....AND he's sort of stealing her limelight like WHO CARES. GO AWAY DUUDE. have confidence in misty to be able to CARRY this shit, cmon, bc no offence elijah but SHE WAS WAY BETTER AT IT! bc thats whats so GOOD ABOUT THE SHOW OTHERWISE- you have the confidence to let all these girlies to carry their plotlines by themselves, so dont slip!!! GET BACK UP. and again im saying with the too many characters thing- its just... ehrhh. who cares to spend so much time on him??? whos just out of nowhere when its like.. again i'd prefer it if you spent that time with taissa or with .....

CALLIE. SHHES PROBABLY THE PERSON IM THE MOST CONFLICTED ON IN THE WORLD. bc in so many ways again i feel like we cant focus on her too much in shauna's little life that shes made for herself but I JUST... I CANT HELP BUT FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE SPOT IMAGINABLE WITH CALLIE, wherein we dont get enough of her and her side to really empathise with her but we get too much of her to find her on the wrong side of irritating-AND THAT. SUCKS. THATS THE WORST. EVER. BECAUSE SHES LITERALLY A TEENAGE GIRL. I FEEL LIKE THERES SO MUCH MORE THEY COULD DO WITH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SHAUNA/CALLIE IF THEY PUSHED FOR IT MORE, BUT ITS JUST... again its in this such an awkwwaarddd position where they only bring her in to be difficult it feels like. and the thing is? shes being reasonable. MORE than. shes totally justified in all the shit shes doing. but bc of the unfortunate way its framed she comes off as...... sadly.... unlikable which . again AGAIN IT SUCKS. BECAUSE SHES A TEENAGE GIRL AND THIS FEELS LIKE THE FIRST SHOW IN A LONG TIME TO HAVE A CAST FULL OF UNLIKABLE FUCKING TEENAGE GIRLS BE THE BEST EVERRRRRR AND SHE COULD BE SO GOOD MAN SHE COULD BE SUCH A GOOD WAY FOR SHAUNA TO LOOK INTO THE PAST BUTEE..... they kinda just write her off too and bring her up to cause complications obly. thats all it is. and i dont know i do get it i dooo get it bc again it makes SENSE with shauna and who she is and where her life is that the presentation would thereforebe kinda more her perspective but also... i do just feel... ITCHES. LIKE IM CLAWING AT THE WALL

ok last thing maybe idk. idk how i feel about lottie at all. its strange. i felt like she..... was kinda not present enough in s1. does that make sense ever at all. i wish we had more from her and her whole visions thing, and she had as much focus in the past as the others did from the very beginning. bc i feel like in s1... we didnt see enough of her in that regard? like we got her- we got bits of her. but not enough of her-her. bc im fine with her kinda story on paper (ish) and how its playing out but i t does feel weirdly unba;anced across s1 / s2. and its throwing me a bit there

[girltomboy]

Last week I started watching Yellowjackets

Since Succession is ending I will be left with nothing to watch regularly, and my bf is starting exams soon so we will not be able to hang out as much, I figured I'm going to need a replacement for my little solo evenings. I was ambivalent towards the pilot but it was entertaining regardless of my petty gripes with it so I kept watching (imagine my disappointment when I logged in the next day to see people shredding the season 2 finale). And last night I finished the first season and I just want to say so far this show blew my hair back. Like it got me staring at my screen, hand stuck in my hair, mouth hanging wide open. The plot got me thinking it was going to be some kind of 90s Survivor Euphoria with cannibalism, but it's really more like teenage Hannibal if it was Stranger Things for the kids, and Desperate Housewives in Orphan Black for the adults.

Initially I criticized it (in my head and my notes app) for not-great acting at times - I saw the post that said Juliette Lewis plays Natalie like she's constantly drunk and I can totally see it and it's kinda bugging me now - AND for playing too much music. Like, I appreciate needle drops when they have a purpose, but here I think the frequency is just excessive. I thought Nicholas Britell has turned me into a spoiled TV watcher with the Succession soundtrack, but honestly there are times in Yellowjackets when I'd just prefer silence. Anyway, those things are too minor to matter in my watching experience at this point because the show is too good so I got over them quickly.

I have a lot of thoughts about it; first of all, is it ever revealed that Callie is really Jeff's daughter? Or that she's the daughter Shauna carried and birthed in the wilderness? So far I'm just not entirely convinced. It is not lost on me that she seems to have a wonky relationship with meat, so I wonder if there's more to that or not.

Second, we still don't know if Adam was for real with Shauna or if he had any hidden intentions. Like, okay, he wasn't involved with the blackmailing, and also he's dead now and apparently his friends and family are looking for him, but that still doesn't mean he was fully honest with Shauna about who he is/what he wants, especially because she caught him lying a few times already, and his whole existence around her was excessively coincidental. By the way, the whole Jeff thing with the blackmail and stealing Shauna's stuff and everything was SO FORCED and weird like I would have preferred the cheating arc instead of this goofy stretch.

Moreover, young Taissa is shown to be skeptical of Lottie's visions and Van's faith, but adult Taissa is implied to have used the cult symbol/sacrifice for professional gain - at least that's what I gathered from it. So I assume this means her skepticism will be dropped in s2 or her sleepwalking takes a freaky turn. I already believe Lottie actually saw her eating dirt in the forest at night and it wasn't a dream or a vision, because when Taissa was bathing with Van in the lake, Van points out how dirty her nails are, and Taissa doesn't know why.

So far Van and Misty seem to have joined Lottie's little church, and at the end of the last episode, Nat's former sponsor Suzie implies Lottie is connected to the blackmail and the kidnapping, and ofc the cult. But if Van, Misty, and Lottie were first in the cult, why is adult Misty apparently clueless about it? I feel like she of all people should have a slight idea, or should be able to draw a connection, even as a theory.

I'm concerned by how little everyone seems to care that Javi straight up disappeared while he was tripping on shrooms. I did think Adam was Javi for a split second (when Shauna goes to his house the second time, the shot of his face fades into a shot of Javi at doomcoming) but apparently that is not the case, and it was a complete stretch (mainly because Javi would not be much younger than Shauna, and also they would probably recognize each other as adults) but just a lightning bolt thought I had. I think perhaps he went to his father's burial place, or maybe the lake, but after the snowfall I have very little hope of him still being alive.

Speaking of snow, I think Jackie died way too soon and too suddenly. I thought the whole Shauna's pregnancy with Jeff's baby - secret thing would drag on for at least a little bit longer. Like, it was just ridiculous, but also I assume the girls who were at the reunion (and Travis) were the only ones that made it back home? Or maybe the rest just didn't come? I know there's an adult Van from what spoilers I accidentally read from s2, but I'm curious to find out why they don't *all* stay in touch.

Anyway, I am enjoying the hell out of it, Flight of the Bumblebee was one of the best TV episodes I've seen in a while, and I'm going to start s2 today, but I've seen people complain about it so I'm not sure if it's the drama in the show or straight up the quality of the season that they were complaining about. So I'm going in with lower expectations.

[myoddessy]

johnny knoxvile but hes losing his mind because his gf female!reader just pulled off an insane stunt

JOHNNY WHEN YOU PULL OFF A CRAZY STUNT

I love this idea sm, and it took me a while to try and think of a really impressive stunt to base this off of and I actually really like it-

Jousting was a stunt you'd written very late one night before the crew would be travelling to the bull ring for some of Wee Man's stunts, which involved two people and two bulls. The idea was for each person to mount one of the bulls and attempt to joust, while the bulls got progressively more aggravated, and whoever stayed on their bulls the longest would win.

Ik it's mostly Johnny who does bull stunts, but I can see Chris doing this stunt with you, mostly because he saw an opportunity to dress up like a renaissance knight and jumped at it with open arms.

So while Wee Man was getting his costume ready for El Matador, you, dressed in a cowgirl outfit, and chris, dressed in a suit of armour, stood in front of the cameras before the bull ring.

"Here ye! Here ye! To joust is the ultimate test of strength, resistance, and balance. It is an honourable sport reserved for only the best. I am Sir Christopher Pontius, and I challenge Fair Lady, Y/n L/n to a joust!" Chris turned to you, you shook hands before making your ways over to mount the bulls.

The stunt itself didn't last much longer than two minutes, with Jeff yelling at you to see just how long you could hang on for after Chris got flung off.

While Rick kept the main camera on you, Lance took this as an opportunity to get footage of how the rest of the crew was feeling about the stunt.

"How are you feeling about this, Bam?" "She's batshit crazy."

"What do you think about this stunt, Steveo?" "I'm so fucking happy I turn down bull stunts."

And then he finally gets to Johnny who's not entirely present in the moment, at slightly zoned out while he stares at you.

"How do you feel right now, Johnny?" "Harder than a turnbuckle."

However, all good things must come to an end, and yours was harsh and fast, ending in you knocked to the ground and winded while the bull was herded away from you.

One of the cameramen, probably Rick because he was closest to the ring, hurried to get a close up on you, who, surprisingly, was laughing uncontrollably while clutching your bleeding forehead.

"How you feeling, Y/n?" "Like a winner."

That day was probably when people really got hit with the similarities between you and Johnny and why you guys were so good together because even though you were probably concussed to hell and back, you were acting like it was nothing.

With a bit of help and a lot of applause and congratulations, you were finally seated in the medic van, you head being gently cleaned and Johnny sitting at your side, unable to stop talking about how killer the footage was and how impressive your performance was.

This was all caught on camera, ofc, and even though it probably didn't make it into the movie because it wasn't actually relevant to the stunt, it was nice to look back on when you were all reviewing the footage because, to be completely honest, your ears were ringing like crazy and you didn't hear a single thing he said.

[portaltothevoid]

For Whom the Bell Tolls - Chapter Nine - Detroit Rock City

Pairing: Eddie Munson x OFC (Kat Ramsay), sequel to Foolin’

Summary: Hellfire meets for the final time. Eddie and Kat take Chrissy back to his trailer…

Warnings: established relationship, mentions of doing drugs

Word count: 3.7k

Chapter song: Detroit Rock City by Kiss

Tag list: @munchabunch @madaboutmunson @michele131 @riffcrusader @prettyboyeddiemunson @idiot-parade​

A/N: double post today! in my opinion, this chapter is far better than the previous one, so please enjoy and know that 10 will be on it’s way soon...

After their meeting with Chrissy, Eddie and Kat made a pit stop at his van to gather the rest of the things he needed for his final campaign. From there, they made their way over to the drama room where Hellfire was held. While Eddie was setting up his spot at the head of the table along with the story map and figurines, Kat went for a vending machine run, grabbing sodas and a few snacks for everyone. 

“Are you ready for tonight’s quest, Kat the Magnificent?” Eddie asked her over his steepled hands.

“You bet your ass I am. Dustin got me up to level nine so I am a sorceress now,” she answered with a confident nodd. 

Eddie smiled at her. “What a nerd.”

Before Kat could even retort, Gareth and Jeff bursted through the door. A round of greetings occurred before they questioned Kat about her level and her character. All of which she answered with ease as she had everything about that down, as for playing the actual game, she had her notes from Dustin handy. 

Eddie had taken his place at the head of the table in his grandiose chair he dubbed his throne. Gareth and Jeff were on Eddie’s right side and Kat stood on his left when the door flew open. In sauntered Mike and Dustin.

“Wheeler. Henderson. You have better not be alone,” warned Eddie as Mike and Dustin sauntered in.

“Would we ever let you down, Eddie?” Mike asked. A young girl wearing an American flag as a cape paraded in behind the two boys.

Eddie’s hands were propped on the table, one over the other. He stared intently at the new addition to Hellfire, scrutinizing the girl in brightly colored and loud patterned clothes. After a moment’s pause, “Absolutely not,” he said.

“You asked for a sub. We delivered,” Dustin said with his hands out.

“This is Hellfire Club. Not babysitting club.” He leaned forward with a sarcastic smile on his face.

“I’m 11, you long-haired freak,” the girl fired back. Kat bit her lip to hide her smirk.

“My, my, the child speaks.” Eddie smiled up to Kat, who let out a chuckle even though it was at the girl’s attitude not at Eddie’s observation. He got up from his seat and asked, “So, what’s your name, child?”

“Erica Sinclair.”

Eddie chuckled. “So this is Sinclair’s infamous sister.” 

Erica rolled her eyes and looked back at Dustin and Mike. “He’s sharp,” she said flatly, clearly being sarcastic.

Kat let out a laugh. She liked this girl already. Gareth and Jeff looked at each other and also laughed. Eddie gave everyone a piercing look that instantly brought their faces back to neutral. Even though as soon as Eddie’s head was turned again, Kat kept a smirk on her face.

“What’s your class and level? Level one dwarf?” Eddie taunted. Gareth and Jeff erupted into laughter again.

“My name is Lady Applejack. I’m a chaotic good half-elf rogue, level 14. And I will sneak behind any monster you throw my way and stab them in the back with my poison-soaked kukri,” Erica snapped back. “And I’ll smile as I watch them die a slow, agonizing death. So, we gonna do this, or we gonna keep chit-chatting like this is your mommy’s book club?” she demanded.

Everyone’s eyebrows shot up as she spoke. They all watched in anticipation, unable to predict how Eddie would respond. Mike winced as he waited. With the exception of Kat, who couldn’t wipe the smile off her face as she nodded in approval at how much fire and sass Erica had. She knew Eddie felt the same.

He stared at her for a moment before his face broke into a smile. He held out his hand to Erica and simply responded with, “Welcome to Hellfire.” Skeptically, Erica accepted and shook his hand. “Alright. Everyone, get in your seats. We’re starting this shit,” he said as he twirled his finger in the air to round everyone up. 

When Mike and Dustin were beside him, he slapped them both on the back. “Good work, gentlemen. I had faith you two could get your bo-peeps on. Hellfire just might stand the test of time after all.” Mike jumped, startled by the aggressive affection.

“Thank you, thank you,” Dustin said with a triumphant smile.

Kat took her place at the table, still to the left of Eddie’s seat. He leaned in behind her, over her shoulder. “Oh and Kat?” he began, “Don’t try to control the outcome. Let the dice fall where they may.”

Kat shot her gaze towards Eddie. “Now what would be the fun in that?” She rolled her eyes at him. “I can’t believe you’d even thought to say that to me,” she glared at him.

He held his hands up in surrender. “Just wanted to make the rules clear.” He then went on to put the finishing touches around the room as everyone settled in. Erica sat right beside her and began setting up, but not before her, Dustin, and Mike exchanged questioning glances with each other, having overheard Eddie.

“Is she like…?” Mike mouthed to his friends.

Dustin quickly shook his head. “No. No. She can’t be. There’s no way…” He started out sure of his statement, but by the end, his face was filled with skepticism. Erica just questioningly raised her eyebrows, until she heard Kat address her.

“Erica, I’m Kat. Pleasure to meet you,” she said, holding out her hand.

“Mhm. Class and level?” she asked, shaking her hand.

“Chaotic neutral elf sorceress, level 9.”

“Pfft. And he gave me shit thinking I was a low level,” Erica said as she shook her head.

Kat leaned over to Erica, whispering, “Eddie was just testing you. Trust me, he thinks he’s rough around the edges, but he’s the closest thing to a human teddy bear I’ve ever met. You were in the moment you gave him sass, which by the way, I adored every second of.”

Erica couldn’t help but give Kat a small smile. “Thanks,” she quietly chuckled. 

“Everyone ready?” Eddie asked the group.

 A chorus of ayes sounded throughout the room. He dimmed the lights and slowly took his place once again at the head of the table. The candles that were lit flickered, casting an eerie glow. Behind his dungeon master screen, he looked over the group one last time before he got right into character.

“We last left off hearing voices in the far distance. As you all approached, it was coming from hooded figures… They are in the middle of worship, sending praise to the one with the utmost power.” He paused as everyone was listening intently, on the edge of their seat to find out what exactly this campaign’s epic finale entailed. “The hooded cultists chant ‘Hail Lord Vecna. Hail Lord Vecna,’” he continued. “They turn to you, remove their hoods. You recognize most of them from Makbar. But there is one you do not recognize. His skin is shriveled, dessicated. There’s something else. He is not only missing his left arm,” Eddie began to rise from his chair, placing his left arm behind his back, “but his left eye!” he emphasized as he used his right hand to also cover his own left eye. 

Everyone’s reaction to the final boss reveal was priceless, all were clamoring.

“What!” Kat and Erica exclaimed.

“No! No! Shit!” Mike grimaced, rubbing his face.

Dustin threw his pencil down.

“Vecna’s dead!” shouted Jeff.

“He was killed by Kas,” interjected Mike.

“So it was thought, my friends. So it was thought. But Vecna… lives!” Eddie stated as he slammed Vecna’s figure in the center of the map. He then slyly asked, “Do you flee Vecna and his cultists? Or do you stand your ground and fight?” As the group took a brief pause to make their decision, Eddie encouraged them with a “Come on...”

“I say we fight,” Dustin said. “To the death.”

“To the death!” Erica agreed. 

Everyone else followed by chanting and rhythmically slamming their hands on the table, “To the death! To the death! To the death!” 

Eddie couldn’t have had a bigger smile on his face as he leaned back in his chair. “Well, alright then. Let’s play,” he said as his smile turned devilish. 

The dice rolled across the board. When they landed in the group’s favor, they all clapped and cheered. But soon, they began to drop one… by… one.

First Mike was out. In protest he slammed his hands on the table as he shouted “No! No!” Next Jeff was down. Somehow Kat was still hanging on, having just enough power with her spells. At times she did need guidance, but everyone was gracious as they helped her out. Even Erica lent her words of encouragement after being briefed about how Kat even got a spot in the club.

When their rolls were high enough to cast some damage to Vecna, they cheered, but that was quickly short-lived as the next set of dice did not turn out in their favor. Her luck had finally run out.

“Come on!” Dustin yelled, throwing his hands up.

Eddie stood up “Have you had enough?” he challenged.

Dustin also got up to menacingly point at him. This campaign was sadistic, indeed. 

Eddie cackled wickedly just before he knocked over Gareth’s figurine, signaling he was also out. 

“Time out! Time out!” Gareth cried out as he tapped his hands together in a T shape. Eddie waved the group on as they got up and formed a huddle.

“Guys, I hate to say this, but we have got to flee,” Gareth said regretfully.

“I concur,” Jeff agreed.

“Didn’t we all just agree ‘to the death’?” Erica asked.

“That wasn’t literal!” Gareth spoke through gritted teeth.

“I thought you guys were ready to fight this asshole!” Kat added.

“Vecna just decimated us. We can’t kill him with just two players!” Jeff countered.

“You too?” Dustin asked, appalled. “He has 15 hit points left. Don’t be pussies.”

“Pussies? Really? Because we’re not delusional?” Gareth spat.

“Delusional? How about not cowards?” Erica shot back. 

“Hey!” Eddie yelled from across the room. “If I may interject, ladies and gentlemen. Whilst I respect the passion, you’d be wise to take Gareth the Great’s concern to heart. There is no shame in running. Don’t try to be heroes. Not today, ‘kay?”

Dustin squinted his eyes at the dungeon master and held up a finger. “One sec.” The group returned to their huddle.

“What do you think, Mike?” Dustin asked him.

“How many hit points do you and Applejack have left?”

“Twelve,” Dustin and Erica said in unison.

“It’s risky as hell,” Mike noted. Dustin nodded in agreement. “But you’re the ones on the battlefield,” Mike continued. “So it’s your call.”

“What do you say, Lady Applejack?” Dustin asked.

“You really gotta ask?” she replied.

Briefly, Dustin pondered his choices. Then he quickly shook his head. “Screw it.” The huddle broke and he turned to face Eddie. “Let’s kill the son of a bitch.”

“The chances of success are 20-to-1,” said Jeff wearily.

Again, Dustin held up one finger. “Never tell me the odds. Give me the d20.”

With an impish smile, Eddie tossed him the die, which Dustin caught effortlessly. He took a deep breath before cupping it in his hands to give it a shake. It was now or never. He let it roll onto the playing board. The anticipation made time feel almost painful. They watched as it bounced and slowly… rolled… to… reveal… the… number…

Eleven.

“That’s… a… MISS!” Eddie yelled, shaking his head.

No’s rang out behind Dustin as he cried, “Shit! Shit!” He hit an empty can of Mountain Dew, sending it flying.

As Erica retrieved the d20, Eddie gave Kat a stern look, which Dustin saw. Kat stepped back and held her hands up, pushing them away from her in surrender. Dustin went to furrowed his brows, but was quickly distracted as Erica had the die in her hands. She clasped it. She shook it not once, not twice, not even thrice. 

“Come on!” Dustin yelled.

“Please! Please!” cried Gareth.

“I can’t even watch,” Kat said, covering her eyes, but moved her index finger over so she could peak.

She shook it eleven times in her hands before letting it go. Everyone watched as it rolled, eyes giant with apprehension, mouths agape. 

“Please!” Gareth repeatedly begged.

“Come on!” Dustin yelled again.

Until… finally… it stopped.

Eddie leaned forward while the group watched on with baited breath as they also peered at the die.

Somehow, some way, it had landed on twenty.

“Crit hit!” Erica cheered.

“Yeah!” Everyone shouted, clapped, and jumped up and down. The odds were stacked against them, but the odds were never zero. 

“What!? What?!” Eddie exclaimed as he brought his hands to his chest and turned left and right, also in shock that they were able to pull it off. He clapped his hands once and leaned forward with the biggest smile on his face. “That’s why we play! That’s why we play!”

Erica turned to him victoriously with her hands on her hips. Eddie put his hands out to her and bowed. The group had beat his campaign, sure, but it was all thanks to her.

Slowly, the initial celebration, the hooping and hollering, died down as everyone gathered their things to head home. The high from the win was going strong. As everyone but Kat and Eddie headed out, their boisterousness could be heard from down the hall. Eddie’s smile never left his face.

“That was seriously the most fun I have had in so, so long,” Kat commented.

“I told you, it’s a fun fucking game.”

“Okay, okay, fine! You were right! I’m so glad, though, that this was the game I played.”

“You know what this means right?”

“What?”

Eddie zipped up his bag, having finished putting away the last of his things. He walked right up to Kat, leaned into her, and spoke into her ear. “You are officially a nerd.” She smiled as she rolled her eyes and teasingly pushed his chest.

Her smile was all of a sudden wiped from her face as a piercing pain shot through her head. Wincing, she immediately dropped to her knees, followed by Eddie with his arms outstretched to grab ahold of her. When the pain lessened, she looked up at him, eyes alight with worry.

“I know, I know. Come on, let’s get out of here,” he said soothingly.

“No, Eddie. This was different. I saw… I’m not sure what I saw. But it was like this red glowing… portal? I– We have to get to Chrissy.” Kat bottled upright and hurried to the van with Eddie right beside her.

“Did you see something’s gonna happen to her?”

“No, but… I wish I could explain. All I know is something doesn’t feel right.” Kat sighed, frustrated with having an exponential amount of questions than answers to anything.

When they arrived at the van, everyone had mostly cleared out with the championship game having ended around the same time that Hellfire did. Eddie had picked Kat up this morning, so she hopped into the van. 

“Can you start the van, please?” Kat asked. 

Eddie nodded. He knew she needed the radio on, so he turned it up. She breathed out a sigh of relief as Motörhead filled the van’s interior. He glanced in the side view mirror and saw Chrissy poking her head out to check if the coast was clear. She then quickly trotted across the parking lot. “I see her,” he whispered. Kat slid herself over til her side was flush with his, but that last for a brief second as Eddie got out to open the door for Chrissy.

“Your chariot of rust awaits,” he said with a bow. Chrissy giggled.

“Always one for theatrics,” Kat said with a smile.

Once Eddie was back in the driver’s seat, Kat moved herself right against him. She shut her eyes tightly as her stomach felt like it was doing flips now that Chrissy was next to her. To distract herself, she focused on Eddie’s words and the hum of guitars in the background. Slowly, her nausea subsided.

“So, how was the cheer thing?” Eddie asked.

“It was great! We won!”

“All thanks to you, I’m sure,” Eddie said, flashing her a galant smile.

“No, actually it was Lucas… um… Sinclair that scored the winning point.”

“Huh, I’ll be damned. At least missing Hellfire was worth it for him,” Eddie said, slightly gritting his teeth and pouting as his grip tightened on the steering wheel. 

Chrissy looked concerned at Eddie’s sudden change in mood.

“Lucas missed the final Hellfire meeting for the championship game, so Eddie’s a little bitter about it. Don’t mind him.” Kat informed Chrissy as she leaned into her as he took a corner fast. “Also, don’t mind his driving,” she laughed.

“My driving is just fine!” he defended with a laugh.

“Yeah for a maniac!” Kat shot back.

“You’ve never complained before.”

“Because I’m from LA, I’m used to this. Poor Chrissy probably has her life flashing before her eyes.”

“I’m fine, really. As long as we don’t crash,” Chrissy giggled nervously as the music quieted while the song changed. 

Within the first couple of notes of “Iron Fist” by Motörhead, Eddie and Kat both reached to turn it up. Kat conceded first, laughing to herself as Eddie turned up the volume. They were close to his home anyway. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel to the beat, while Kat was head banging. “Black night, nothing to see. Invisible hand in front of me. Scared to death someone’s near. Scared to move, but you can’t stay here,” they both sang along, giving Chrissy a mini performance. She just watched, clearly amused by both of them and also moving her head to the fast beat. 

After the first chorus, Kat reached to turn it down a few notches. “You’ll be my new best friend if you know who that song is by,” Kat said to Chrissy.

“I’m sorry, I have no idea.”

“Oh, Chrissy, we have so much to teach you,” Eddie said.

“Hang on now, we can’t force her to be a full fledged freak. Do you like the song?”

“Um, yeah, actually. It’s loud and angry? And I get angry a lot, but I always have to hide it.”

Kat put her hand over her heart and sighed. “She gets it. You get it! Yes! So this is ‘Iron Fist’ by an English band named Motörhead.”

“Oh! Is that what the patch on your chest is for, Eddie?”

He glanced over at her with a twinkle of pride in his eye. “That is exactly what that patch is.”

“Alright, I’m turning this shit back up! Now, one way to enjoy metal or rock ‘n’ roll music is to headbang. Just follow my lead!” Eddie shook his head back and forth so he was still able to see the road, while Kat went all out. 

“Okay, I really should see you guys at The Hideout!” Chrissy said as she just let herself go after watching Kat for a handful of seconds. Her smile was plastered on her face as she laughed and just had more fun than she had in months.

Soon enough, Eddie slammed the van into park outside of his trailer. He cut the engine and blaring music ceased. He stepped out of the van, Kat followed behind him, and Chrissy gently hopped out. 

“This is, uh, my castle,” he said as he slammed his door shut. With a few long strides, he got to the door and opened it, ushering Chrissy in first with Kat right behind her. 

“Sorry for the mess,” Eddie smiled apologetically to Chrissy as he picked up trash he had neglected to throw away. “Uh, maid took the week off.”

“Jesus, Eddie. I’ve only been at my aunts for two nights!” Kat scolded as she went into the kitchen to clean it up and rummage for some snacks.

Chrissy was too distracted by the Munson’s collection of mugs and hats to notice. “You, um… You live here alone?”

“With my uncle. But, uh, he works nights at the plant. Bringing home the big bucks,” he said as he was searching in various places for the reason they had invited her over.

“How long does it take?” Chrissy asked quickly, her nerves clearly getting the best of her.

“Sorry?”

“The Special K. How long to kick in?”

“Oh, uh, well, it depends if you snort it or not,” he said, still searching through a drawer. “Uh, if you do, then, uh, yeah. It’ll kick in pretty quick. Oh, shit,” he muttered.

“You forgot where you hid it, didn’t you?” Kat asked absentmindedly. 

“You sure you have it?” Chrissy asked.

“No, no, I got it. Um, somewhere.”

“Check your room. It was left over from last week’s party drop,” Kat suggested.

“Uh… right…” he said as he turned and trotted down the hall to his room. The girls heard him strum his guitar as he greeted it.

Kat shook her head. “If there’s anything he loves more than me, it’s that guitar of his, I swear.” She glanced over at Chrissy who was standing in the middle of the living room, nervously lacing her fingers together. The poor girl couldn’t stay still as she also kept shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “Hey, he’ll find it. Just takes him a while to retrace his steps.”

Chrissy nodded. “Does it… does it hurt to snort it?”

“It’s weird at first. I won’t lie, it’s a little uncomfortable, but you get used to it. It really does kick in faster that way, so you forget about it quick.” Kat gave her a reassuring smile, which Chrissy could barely return. She spun around and opened the fridge. “You want anything to drink? There’s, uh… Well, there’s not much. Looks like there’s milk. Gross. Some questionable orange juice… But of course there’s plenty of beer!”

Before Chrissy could even answer, she heard the clock that had been haunting her chime. Kat instantly stopped looking in the fridge, closed it, and froze. “Do you hear it too?” she asked Kat.

“Yeah… I do…” Kat said as she reached for the back of her neck to feel the goosebumps that caused her hair to stand on end. 

previous chapter | next chapter

[babybammargera]

Bf Jeff hcs

Has you around 24/7.

Whether it's just to have you around or to help behind the scenes.

He just loves having you by his side.

He's a busy man so every free second he wants to spend with you.

Probably uses you in the early jackass days for pranks on people in the streets.

But I doubt he'd let you actually do any jackass stunts.

He's affectionate in his own way.

Random hugs from behind and cheek kisses.

You're the first to get new merch.

Anything from wildboyz to jackass to viva la bam. Even dickhouse and random MTV merch he gets his hands on.

Let's be real sometimes he uses you to avoid getting pranked by Knox or Spike.

You've learned to watch for warning signs and avoid Jeff when you know he's about to be pranked.

Knox has definitely snuck into your house to prank you and Jeff on more than one occasion.

Always getting onto him and Knox for being idiots together.

He definitely enjoys days he gets to sleep in with you.

Probably snoring with his arm wrapped tightly around your waist.

Van naps together during shoot days. (If the pranks aren't too out of hand ofc)

You shoo the guys off if he really needs some rest.

Who needs movie nights when you get to sit and watch him go through clips from whatever he was filming that day.

If one of the boys make you mad suggest a prank or skit to get back at them and he'll make it happen.

Hes always apologizing for the boys.

Gets excited telling you about project ideas and concepts.

He's like a cute little puppy when hes telling you things.

"Hey babe come look at this clip and tell me how we can make it better when we shoot again in the morning"

Having to hide his phone and laptop at home so the man will ACTUALLY REST.

He always finds it after he takes a nap but hes thankful for it.

Camera lenses, Memory cards, Hard drives, cameras and sound equipment everywhere at home.

Having to babysit whatever guy is being too rowdy between shoots so Jeff isn't so stressed. (It's almost always Bam Dunn Steve or Dave)

He needs a break sometimes.

He probably takes you to cool museums for dates but won't shut up about the cool things he knows about when he sees him.

He's got that really loyal but also probably a little lazy golden retriever energy ya know.

I feel like Jeff is such a protective sweetheart and I love him for that

@ghosttofcalum

[hunnywrites]

Summary: Cheryl Burns: The She Demon of Hawkins High. She's got a heart of brimstone and her eyes set on Eddie Munson. Will she be able to reform her ways, or will the curse of Hawkins, Indiana keep her from getting what she wants?

 Pairing: Eddie Munson/OFC 

 A/N: I'm so excited for this series. Our dear Eddie Munson has bewitched Cheryl, who is the absolute worst, body and soul, and I can't wait to go on this adventure with her. And while there's some obvious similarities to Arcade Dreams, we're gonna be in for a very fast, messy, bumpy ride with these two. Definitely no slow burn this time around. I can’t wait for you all to see what a total freak Cheryl is. 

It was a hot, miserable, summer day in Hawkins. Eddie had parked his van in the parking lot of the 7/11 that sat next to the Hawkins public pool. Gareth was inside getting snacks while Jeff was taking first watch. Eddie was perched nervously behind him, waiting for any updates. 

“She’s just…standing there, dude,” Jeff said, eyes trained on his binoculars. “Maybe we should’ve gone to the pool. It might’ve been easier to spy-”

“Okay,” Eddie interrupted him. “Don’t like the term spying. That makes it sound like we’re perverts or something. This is reconnaissance.” he corrected. 

Jeff let out a snort. “Well, whatever you call it, I still think we should’ve hauled your pasty ass over there anywa- ow! Dick.” Jeff laughed as he swung blindly behind him after Eddie had pinched his arm. 

Gareth soon emerged from the convenience store, three slurpees and two bags of chips wrapped in his arms and a slim jim hanging from between his teeth. “Any movement?” he mumbled around the plastic.

“Nope. Same exact place she was ten minutes ago.” Jeff sighed, taking a long drink of his cherry slurpee. 

“Maybe we should just go over there,” Gareth suggested, repeating Jeff’s idea. “Well, you should. Teddi told you she was into you, didn’t she?”

“What if this is some sick joke and Teddi’s in on it?” Jeff offered.

Gareth rolled his eyes. “You seriously think Teddi’s gone full dark side?” 

“Not. Happening.” Eddie said, reaching forward and snatching the binoculars from Jeff. He pointed them in the direction of the pool’s snackbar, his eyes landing on the subject of their reconnaissance. Cheryl Burns. She was wearing a white polo with the ‘Hawkins public pool’ logo embroidered over its breast pocket. Her cuffed, red shorts clung perfectly to the curves of her waist and hips, and her strawberry blonde hair was up in a ponytail. Eddie sighed. 

Cheryl’s arms were crossed. She was looking on at nothing in particular with a bored and unimpressed look. Every so often she looked back at the shiny red clock that hung on the snackbar’s wall, her lips pursing each time she checked. 

About a week ago his friend Teddi Larsson had told Eddie that Cheryl had a thing for him. While he wasn’t sure when exactly hell had frozen over and had caused Teddi to start hanging out with Cheryl Burns of all people, he knew she wasn’t a liar. Which made things all that much more confusing. 

Two months ago Cheryl had been at the top of the food chain of Hawkins High. Eddie was positive she had no idea he existed. Which was admittedly a blow to the ego seeing as she’d bought weed from him more times than he could count and they had been paired up to raise one of those flour bag babies four years ago in health class. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was expecting to come of him watching her now. He’d told Jeff and Gareth the news and suddenly he was just there at the 7/11 with binoculars and not an ounce of shame. 

Alright, maybe some shame. 

“Maybe it’s ‘cause she’s sort of a loser now, too,” Gareth suggested. Eddie and Jeff both look at him like he’d grown a second head. “What? I mean, she graduated and all of her friends are gonna go off to college and she’s…y’know, here.” he nodded towards the pool. 

“Yeah, uh, sorry, dude…Cheryl not going to college doesn’t change the fact that she’s the hottest girl in Hawkins,” Jeff shook his head. “...And possibly all of Indiana.” 

“You guys gotta stop talking about her like that,” Eddie argued. “It’s gonna be really awkward after I win her over with my charm and sexual prowess.” 

Eddie frowned when his friends burst into laughter. “That’s funny,” Jeff snorted. “Tell us another one, Ed.” 

Gareth grabbed the binoculars, focusing back to the task at hand. “Uh, guys? We got movement,” he announced. Eddie and Jeff both looked at each other before crowding behind Gareth, trying their best to see whatever it was he was seeing. 

Cheryl ducked out of the snackbar, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder and hips swaying as she headed for the locker rooms. It was like she was walking in slow motion in Eddie’s mind’s eye. Like his own personal recreation of Fast Times.

She stopped when she got to the locker room door, turning and looking directly at Eddie’s van. All three boys took in a deep breath. Cheryl pursed her lips again, lifting her hand and flipping them off with a long, perfectly painted, red and sparkly fingernail before she disappeared inside.

“Fuck,” Eddie hissed. “Close the doors. Get in the van!” he grabbed Gareth by the back of his shirt, yanking him inside as Jeff slammed the door shut behind them. The three boys went still, sharing nervous looks as they waited for someone to speak up.

“...Maybe she didn’t see us,” they looked at Gareth as if he’d sprouted yet another head. “What? There’s a lot of people at the pool today!”

Jeff rolled his eyes. “Yeah, there’s a lot of people at the pool, so she looked over at us watching her with binoculars next door. Makes sense, dude.” 

“How the hell did I let you guys talk me into this?” Eddie asked, running a hand through his hair. 

“Us?” Jeff asked. “It was your idea!” 

“Well…you could’ve told me it was a stupid plan!” Eddie argued. 

Gareth raised a hand. “I’d like to go on record as saying that I did in fact say this was a stupid plan.” 

“We should go,” Eddie said, ignoring him. “We get out of here and we pretend that this never happ-” the three jumped when someone knocked on the back door. They shared a look before Eddie crawled to the back of the van, swinging the door open to reveal Cheryl Burns fixing him with a look that would strike him dead had she had the power to do so.

“You know,” she said as she crossed her arms. “Usually when a guy wants to play peeping tom it’s at night through a bedroom window or something. I don’t know a lot of people who do it in the middle of the day,” she spat. “I’m starting to see why you keep failing senior year. You’re kind of a fucking moron.”

Eddie winced. He stumbled from the van, shutting the door behind him and closing his friends inside. He clasped his hands behind his back, rocking back and forth on his heels. “I can totally explain-”

Cheryl rolled her eyes. “I’m gonna assume that this is because of Teddi.” 

“Whaaat would make you say that?” he asked.

“Because she loves to meddle,” Eddie couldn’t exactly argue with that. “Look,” she sighed, placing her hands on her hips. “Can I give you some advice? If you like a girl, or whatever, maybe try asking her out instead of being a freak stalker? ‘Cause this is exactly how you get kicked in the dick.” 

Eddie let out a laugh, scratching the back of his head. “Point taken…so, uh, would you want-”

“I’d rather cut off my own arm and eat it,” Cheryl said, cutting him off. “I think this puts you behind Steve Harrington on the list of guys I wouldn’t fuck even if we were the last two people on Earth.” 

Eddie winced again. “...Is he high on that list, at least?” 

“He was the only one on that list,” she smiled sweetly at him. “If I catch any of you watching me again, I’m shoving those binoculars up your dickhole.” 

Eddie watched as she walked away, whipping around and opening the door to his van only after she was totally out of view. Jeff and Gareth both stumbled forward, obviously eavesdropping in on the conversation. Jeff smiled up at Eddie. “What was that you were saying, man? You were gonna win her over with your charm and sexual prowess?”

Gareth let out a snort. “Yeah, tell that to your dickhole, dude.” 

Eddie rolled his eyes, shoving past them and crawling into the van. “It’s a work in progress,” he argued. “She totally wants me.” whether he was assuring them or himself, he wasn’t really sure. 

“When did she say that?” Gareth asked. “When she was saying she’d kick you in the dick? Or shove binoculars up your dickhole?” 

“Or when she said you’re behind Harrington on the list of dudes she’d never fuck?” Jeff added, the two bursting into laughter. 

Eddie grumbled, sliding into the driver’s seat. “Beats you two assholes. She doesn’t even know you exist.” he muttered.

“Yeah, yeah. So, where to now? Back to your place to lick your wounds in private?” Jeff asked, hopping into the passenger’s seat. 

“No,” Eddie gritted out. “I gotta get to work,” he waved a hand at them. “So, get out of the van.”

“Oh, come on!” Gareth complained “You could at least give us a ride to my place!”

“You should’ve thought about that before you let me go with this stupid ass plan,” Eddie jabbed his thumb in the direction of the pool. “I gotta regroup, dude. Come up with a new approach. There’s a pay phone right over there,” he nodded to it. “Call Freak, see if he’ll pick you up.” 

Eddie waved them out of the van again, his friends grumbling and muttering at him as they hopped out into the parking lot. Eddie threw his van in reverse, throwing only a quick glance over his shoulder before he peeled out of the lot. 

He spotted Cheryl standing next to her car, talking with one of the lifeguards. For once she didn’t look completely and utterly irritated. Eddie slowed down as he passed, rolling his window down and honking his horn. “See ya, Cheryl!” he called, waving wildly at her. Cheryl whipped her head to look at him, casting another deadly glare in his direction. 

She flashed a middle finger at him once again. “Oh yeah,” Eddie chuckled, rolling up his window and driving away. “She wants me.” 

—

“So, you’re saying that Teddi told you that Cheryl told her that she’s into you?” Billy asked, leaning against the counter. Eddie nodded, letting out an uuuuh-huh. Billy scratched his head. “...Well, why the hell wouldn’t she tell me about something like that?”

Eddie shrugged, using the pricing gun to smack a price sticker on a Pat Benatar album before tossing it back onto the messy stack of new inventory. “I don’t know what goes on in your relationship, dude. I’m just filling you in on the situation.” 

“Whatever,” Billy scoffed. “So, you find out that Cheryl’s got a thing for you…and your first thought is to stalk her?”

Eddie groaned, smacking the gun against the next album a little more forcefully. “It wasn’t stalking, man. It was reconnaissance.” he argued. 

“The hell for? She’s a chick. What were you expecting to happen?” He still didn’t really have an answer for that. Something about the situation had felt so wrong that he felt like he needed to resort to spying. “Besides, I work at the pool. We’re friends. You could’ve just come by and said ‘hey, Cheryl. Is Billy around? By the way, you are lookin’ hot today, you doing anything this Saturday?’ Simple.”

Eddie mulled it over for a moment. “...Something tells me that would’ve actually gotten me kicked in the dick.”

“What for? If you say it with enough confidence she’ll totally fall for it.” 

Eddie laughed, reaching over the counter and smacking a price sticker onto the sleeve of his jacket. “Think you’re forgetting we’re on two opposite ends of the food chain here, Billy boy.” 

“That food chain shit isn’t real, dude,” Billy rolled his eyes. “She’s into you. You just gotta make the first move. Turn on the charm. Not fucking stalk her. Besides, Cheryl’s easy-...no offense.” 

Eddie narrowed his eyes, tilting his head. “...None taken?”

Billy grinned, turning and raising a judgemental eyebrow at his friend. “I don’t get it, Munson. You don’t usually have a problem getting any. You trying to tell me Cheryl’s got some kinda brain frying powers?”

The image of Cheryl walking in slow motion towards him flashed in Eddie’s mind. He winced. “It’s more like she makes all the blood rush out of my head.” he said, the two of them laughing. 

“You should try that next time you talk to her,” Billy chuckled. “Probably find it flattering.”

“Yeah,” Eddie snorted. “Thanks, ya Casanova,” Billy scoffed, rolling his eyes and pushing away from the counter. Eddie flashed his friend a knowing smile. “What? Am I wrong? You found a girl that likes all the same shit as you, actually likes hanging around you and wants to have sex with you. That’s, like, the dream, dude.” and maybe Cheryl wouldn’t be that for him, but, she was a girl that might have sex with him, and one out of three wasn’t too bad in his book. 

Billy stifled a smirk before letting out a sigh and running a hand over his head. “Yeah, well, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be sometimes,” Eddie only raised an eyebrow. Billy shifted awkwardly, picking at the small bandage on his forehead. “Our apartment’s a total shithole. The power’s going out all the time, sometimes it’s like the building’s sitting on fucking train tracks. Teddi wants to move. Get a house closer to town.”

Eddie wriggled his eyebrows. “The people across the street from my place just moved out. Prime real estate. Know a guy that can hook you guys up with some sick ass weed.”

Billy let out a short laugh. “You know, something tells me she’s gonna say no to that idea, Munson,” Eddie made a face. “I’m just trying to figure out when my life became…this. I moved to this shithole ready to count the days ‘til I could leave and now it looks like I’m gonna be a lifer,” he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “It’s like this roller coaster on the boardwalk back home. It was this huge piece of shit wooden thing that I’d been on a million times, but every time I’d ride it there’d be that voice in the back of mind wondering if that would be the day the thing finally collapsed.” 

Eddie grinned, crossing his arms and leaning back against the counter. “I think you should do it, dude,” Billy shot him a look. “I’m serious. It’d be, like, a sick ass party pad,” he laughed when Billy rolled his eyes. “Hey, you know, you could let us have Hellfire Club meetings there!”

“Oh, abso-fucking-lutely not, Munson-”

“Eddie!” the two boys looked over at Mark, Eddie’s manager, as he walked into the store. He was the opposite of Eddie. He had a smart hair cut, wore glasses and tacky sweaters. He was also a complete hard ass. “Come on, man! I’m not paying you to sit around and chit chat.” 

Eddie stood a little straighter, looking around the store. “Dude, there’s literally no one else here. Plus, I finished all the new inventory,” he nodded at Billy. “And I’m chatting up a customer.” Billy smirked at Mark, giving him a short wave. 

Mark rolled his eyes. “Just get back to work.” he pushed past Billy, heading to the back storage room and slamming the door behind him.

“Guy seems like a dick.” Billy noted with a cool expression.

Eddie rolled his eyes. “‘Cause he is. It’s Sam Goody, you know? Not fuckin’ Wall Street. He told me when I came in today he’s hiring some chick to help “pick up the slack”. Pfft.” he shook his head. 

“Yeah?” Billy grinned. “Well, there you go. If you completely fuck up with Cheryl you got a back up,” Eddie let out a snort. Billy checked his watch, letting out an annoyed huff. “Shit, I gotta go pick up Teddi from work. Total pain in the ass having to borrow her van while my car’s in the shop. Like I’m everyone’s chauffeur suddenly.” he muttered. 

“Oh, yeah. You ever figure out what you hit?” Eddie hadn’t gotten the entire story. Mostly that Billy had been on his way to pick up Teddi, something had hit his Camaro head on and Billy had blacked out. 

Billy shook his head. “Nah. Still can’t really remember much. Gotta admit though, it’s pretty nice having Teddi play nurse,” he grinned. Eddie laughed, rolling his eyes. Billy took a step back, giving Eddie a short wave before pausing. “...Don’t actually say the hard on line to Cheryl, by the way. I was kidding.” 

Eddie raised his eyebrows. “...I thought you were serious, soooo, thank you for clarifying.” he admitted with a sheepish grin. 

Billy let out a short laugh, shaking his head. “Anytime. Later, Freak.”

“Later, Asshole.” 

—

Heather swung the door to the Palace Arcade open, her hair swinging as she turned to wait for Cheryl to catch up with her. The two girls linked arms as they walked inside, Cheryl casting a quick glance around the arcade for any sign of Keith as the pair made their way back to the prize counter. 

Teddi was spraying the glass counter down, wiping it with a ratty rag and nodding her head along to the Tears For Fears song playing over the speakers. She looked up as her friends approached, smiling and waving before she stowed her cleaning supplies in a cabinet that lined the back wall. “Hey! What are you guys doing here?” she asked. 

“We came to see if you needed a ride home.” Heather explained, looking down at all of the prizes beneath the glass. 

Cheryl pursed her lips, leaning against the counter. “Heather wanted to see if you needed a ride home.” she corrected. Heather rolled her eyes.  

Teddi snickered and shook her head. “That’s so sweet of you,” she teased. “But, Billy’s coming to get me.”

Cheryl picked at her nails, not bothering to look over at the blonde. “That’s nice. I’m here because I have a bone to pick with you, Larsson.” 

Teddi raised an eyebrow while Heather let out a groan. “You always have a bone to pick with someone.” Heather complained. 

Cheryl turned to face Teddi, bracing herself against the counter. “Did you or did you not tell Eddie Munson that I have a thing for him?” Heather was looking between her two friends with wide eyes. Teddi looked guilty. Cheryl pointed a finger at her. “Specifically after I told you that I don’t need your help getting dates?” 

Teddi shifted awkwardly. “I may have mentioned something to him-” Cheryl glared at her. “I thought it would be harmless!” she argued. 

“Sure,” Cheryl clicked, crossing her arms. “Harmless. That’s why he’s, like, totally stalking me now.” she scoffed. 

“What?” Heather asked. “What the hell, Cheryl? How is this the first I’m hearing about any of this? I totally didn’t know you had a thing for Eddie Munson.” she said his name quietly like it was some sort of dirty secret. It was if you asked Cheryl.

The girls ignored her. Teddi shook her head. “Okay, what exactly do you mean that he was stalking you?” Teddi asked, leaning against the prize counter.

Heather’s eyes were wide, unphased by the pair ignoring her. “Yeah, Cheryl. Should you, like, tell someone about this?”

Cheryl rolled her eyes. “He’s totally harmless, Heather. He’s just a pervert. And I mean that he was sitting in his van with his little freakoid friends in the 7/11 parking lot watching me work for, like, half an hour before I caught him. I mean, who does that?”

“...I used to lounge out at the pool and watch Steve work back when he was a lifeguard.” Heather admitted, her eyes shifting awkwardly between her friends. 

Teddi pat Heather on the back. “I don’t think that’s the same thing, Heather,” she shifted, looking over at Cheryl. “I’ll admit, when I told Eddie-”

“Which I’m still trying to figure out why you told him when you were told that in confidence.” Cheryl glared at her. 

“To be fair you never specified that it was in confidence,” Teddi argued. “Besides, I wasn’t helping you, I was helping him. He’s probably always thought that you think he’s a freak-”

“He is a freak.” Cheryl said. 

“And yet you still like him anyway,” Heather said with a smile. “Like, look at how worked up you are over this,” she tilted her head. “Well, actually, you kinda always look like that. But, still! I’m just trying to figure out why you’re being such a freak. I mean, what’s so great about Eddie?”

Cheryl let out an annoyed grunt, crossing her arms and shrugging. “...He makes me feel sick,” she confessed. Teddi and Heather both shared confused looks. Cheryl huffed. “When I’d go with Billy to buy weed from him he, like, ignored me, right? But, after I broke up with Billy and started going alone he would talk to me. Like, a lot. And he’d flirt with me. Which, like, okay, everyone does, but he hadn’t before, you know? So, I was always wondering if it was some sort of, like, sales tactic. Then that just made me start thinking about him all the time. And, every time I do I feel sick. Like, I’m gonna hurl. And, like, my heart and my stomach are up in my throat. And, I get all sweaty-”

Heather laughed. Cheryl glared at her. “Cheryl, that’s literally just having a crush on someone.” 

Cheryl sneered. “You’re telling me that this is normal?” she asked.

“Unfortunately.” Teddi nodded. 

“You should ask him out!” Heather suggested. “Teddi has his number. You should call him-”

Cheryl’s sneer somehow grew wider as she shook her head. “Ew, Heather. Are you insane? Do I look desperate to you?” she didn’t give her time to answer. “And, like, who even cares, anyway? This isn’t a crush. I had a small, carnal interest in him that I’ll get bored with in, like, a week,” she pointed at Heather. “So, no asking Eddie out,” she pointed at Teddi. “And no trying to help him get laid so long as I’m involved. Got it?” 

The three girls turned at the sound of the employee break room door opening behind Teddi. Cheryl rolled her eyes as Keith strolled out. Just what she needed. Keith looked between the three of them with a sly smile that Cheryl wanted to smack off his face. “Ladies…Cheryl.”

“Eavesdropping again, Keith?” Cheryl asked, her manicured fingernails angrily gripping the edge of the prize counter.

“Not my fault if you’re speaking loudly next to my office-”

“It’s not an office, Keith. It’s a broom closet,” she spat. “Don’t you have a six year old to harass or something?”

“Does Eddie Munson know you still have feelings for me?” 

Cheryl, Teddi and Heather all rolled their eyes. Cheryl turned away from Keith, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “That’s it. I’m out of here. Come on, Heather. I’ll see you later, Teddi.” She spun around on her heel, not bothering to see if Heather was following after her. 

Her teeth were grinding together as she fished for the keys to her Pontiac Sunbird from her purse. Were all men so infuriating? So presumptuous? Whether it was a guy like Billy or a total loser like Keith? Cheryl swallowed the urge to let out a frustrated scream.

“Are you ever gonna tell us what happened with you and Keith?” Heather asked, hurrying after Cheryl through the parking lot. 

Cheryl let out an annoyed grunt and unlocked her car. “There’s nothing to tell,” she slid into the driver’s seat. “He’s like every other guy in Hawkins. Just because he’s a nerd he thinks he can treat me like I’m a piece of arm candy,” she scoffed. She looked over at Heather, who was buckling her seatbelt with what Cheryl could only describe as a suspicious expression. “If you bring up Eddie again, Heather, I swear to god-” 

“He could be different!” Heather argued, throwing her hands up. “I’m just saying! You never know until you try, right? And if I’m being completely honest you’ve been, like, a huge bitch since you broke up with Keith…well, more than normal.”

Cheryl glared at her best friend. “I’ll ask Eddie out when you finally get the nerve to ask Steve out.” 

Heather shook her head, crossing her arms and sinking in her seat. “...That’s different. I could ask him out, it doesn’t change that he’s still totally hung up on Nancy,” she turned to Cheryl, a pleading look in her eyes. “Come on, Cheryl. It’s slim pickings in Hawkins and I only have, like, two months until I go off to college. The least you could do is let me live vicariously through you having a hot summer fling. Even if it is with Eddie Munson. Pleeease?” she batted her eyelashes at her.

Cheryl grumbled, looking over her shoulder as she pulled out of the parking lot. “I hate when you make that face. You’re like a pathetic, wounded dog.” 

Heather smiled. “I’ll take that as a yes,” she sat upright. “So, what are you doing tomorrow? Me and Teddi have the day off. Maybe we can go to the movies or something? Shopping?”

“I can’t tomorrow. It’s my first day at the new place, remember?” 

Heather groaned. “Ugh, right. Are you sure you don’t wanna keep working at the pool? I mean, me, you and Teddi are all finally friends now. It’s nice having people to talk to. Billy isn’t the greatest and making chit chat with.”

“Trust me, I know,” Cheryl said with a snort. “And I’m positive. I fucking hate it there. I mean, no offense, or whatever. But, I’d rather spend a day handcuffed to a rabid dog than serve anyone else fries or cokes or be forced to look at Mr. Myers’ pasty ass in that speedo of his,” she shuddered at the image. “This is, like, the mothership calling me home, you know? Totally can’t pass it up.”

“Fine,” Heather sighed dramatically. “...Can we come visit you on your first day, then?” she asked. 

“I don’t know why you’re asking,” Cheryl rolled her eyes. “You’re gonna do it anyway.” 

“True,” Heather chirped, smiling widely. Cheryl pulled into Heather’s driveway, shooting an unamused look at her best friend. “Well, good luck tomorrow. And call Eddie, okay? Or at least think about it. I’m gonna harass you about it if you don’t.” she warned, pointing a finger at Cheryl. 

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll think about it. No promises.” that was good enough for Heather. She smiled again, slipping out of the car and hurrying up to her front door. She turned, waving at Cheryl before she went inside. 

Cheryl grumbled as she pulled out of the driveway. She wasn’t going to consider it. She’d placate Heather until she forgot about the situation or went off to college. Whichever came first. There was a tinge of annoyance that shot through Cheryl at the thought of Heather leaving for college. It’s not like she was surprised.  Heather’s father ran the town’s newspaper. He was smart, successful, and had goals. He’d instilled a lot of his good qualities into Heather. Heather had drive. Dreams. 

So, what was wrong with Cheryl? Her father was successful. She’d grown up with more money than Heather. In a bigger house. Cheryl’s father had raised her alone and done everything he could to make sure that Cheryl had a good head on her shoulders. So what was it about her that was so broken? Why didn’t she have any real dreams like Heather?

There was also the added issue that maybe Heather would come back to Hawkins during a break from school and would be someone that Cheryl didn’t recognize anymore. Would she still want to be her friend? 

Maybe all of that urban legend bullshit about Hawkins was real. The town was cursed. There were a handful of people that would never make it out no matter how hard they tried. Maybe Cheryl was just destined to be one of those unlucky few. Heather was good. She didn’t have any deep, dark secrets like so many other people in Hawkins. Chery shook her head and turned on her radio with a huff and a jab of her finger.

The lights were still on when she pulled into the driveway. Her father had waited up for her. He was in his office, his glasses resting on the tip of his nose as he looked over notes on a yellow notepad. He looked up when he heard Cheryl’s footsteps against the wooden floors, smiling at her. 

“Hey there, pumpkin,” he checked his watch. “You just getting home from work?” Lee Burns was an attractive, middle aged guy. He was just about to push forty, didn’t have a grey hair on his head and went on an hour long jog before work every morning. He was well liked in Hawkins; a successful lawyer whose clients included the town’s mayor and Chet Baker. He and Larry Kline often held fundraisers throughout the year and Lee sometimes offered his legal expertise up for pro bono work. Cheryl adored him. 

Cheryl leaned in the doorway, crossing her arms and shaking her head. “I got off a few hours ago. I was hanging out with Heather and then we went to the arcade to see Teddi,” she leaned back just a little, trying to find any sign of her step mother. “Is Stacey asleep?” 

“Bath,” Lee said simply, setting his notes down and spinning his chair to face his daughter. He removed his glasses, tucking them in the front pocket of his button up shirt. “Teddi…I don’t think I know her, do I?” 

“She’s new…I mean, she moved here last year, but I just started hanging out with her.” as busy as Lee could be, he’d always tried his hardest to keep up with Cheryl’s social life. She didn’t really envy him. Sometimes she could barely keep track. 

Lee smiled. “Oh, well, that’s great, pumpkin. You can always use new friends, right?” Cheryl let out a snort. Lee ignored it. “And, if she’s any different from Carol and Tommy I like her already.”

“Yeah, they’re, like, from totally different planets, daddy.”

“Good…hey, you should be heading to bed, huh? Big day tomorrow. Nervous for your first day?” Lee would never have shown that he was disappointed that Cheryl had decided to go into the world of retail rather than going off to a prestigious school and really, truly making something of herself. But Cheryl knew that he was disappointed. It always sent a twinge of guilt through her stomach. 

She only shook her head, pushing those thoughts away. “No.”

“That’s my girl,” he stood, patting her on the shoulder. “The Burns aren’t afraid of anything, right?” Cheryl smiled thinly and nodded. Lee had been saying that to her for as long as she could remember. Being a Burns meant you were never afraid and that you never showed any signs of weakness. People only took advantage of weakness. “Goodnight, pumpkin,” he kissed the top of her head. “Can’t wait to hear all about the new job tomorrow.” 

“Night, daddy.” Cheryl mumbled, moving aside to let Lee pass her and head upstairs. She reached up, pulling the red, velvet scrunchie from her hair before she went to her own bedroom. She shook her hair, running her hands through it a few times in an attempt to make it look presentable. 

She flicked the light on, her eyes immediately landing on the window that looked down onto her street. She thought back to that afternoon; Eddie watching her from his van. She decided not to close her curtains as she changed into her pajamas and got ready for bed. 

She slid into bed, wondering if he’d ever watched her before. Was this just some new curiosity that started because Teddi had told him about Cheryl? Did he think about her the way she thought about him? Cheryl hugged her pillow close, letting out a heavy sigh and closing her eyes. She pictured Eddie; his lips on her neck and those stupid rings of his digging into the bare skin of her hips…

Cheryl opened her eyes. Her jaw clenched. She turned onto her other side with another huff, screwing her eyes shut. Eddie’s rings glinted in the moonlight, his hand wrapped around her throat. Cheryl’s thighs clenched together, her hand slowly running down her stomach.

“No,” she said through gritted teeth. “No, no, no.” she muttered, her hand clenching into a fist. She turned onto her back, tossing her hands on top of her covers and glaring up at her ceiling. Maybe Heather would get her wish after all. Maybe Cheryl would bite the bullet and ask Eddie out so she could get this stupid crush out of her mind and move on with her life. 

Maybe then she’d finally be able to have a peaceful night's sleep for the first time in months. 

[ohprettyweeper-moved]

Open Your Eyes (Part 5)

Chapter Summary: Christmas is the time to tell people how you really feel.  Pairing: Tyler Joseph x OFC, Frank Iero x OFC Word Count: 1515 Warnings: None? A/N: I needed something fun and cute to write with low pressure so that I could stop worrying about a more serious piece I’m working on for a bit. This five-part crossover series was the result! It’s cheesy and fluffy and is probably akin to something you’d see on the Hallmark Channel, but that’s how I intended it to be. Thanks to @razor-tothe-rosary for your help and encouragement! Enjoy reading, everyone!

This is the finale! Thank you to anyone’s who’s read. Tomorrow starts a month of fics, make sure to send in your requests if you have them!

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Christmas morning with her father and her brother’s family was perfect. Americus sipped at her coffee and watched her niece and nephew rip open wrapping paper and awe over their gifts. The more time she spent here in Columbus with family, the more thankful she was to have taken the extra time to come home.

By now she had made a decision about her future, but she hadn’t told anyone yet. The more time she spent with Tyler, the more clear it became that the two of them were headed into a new relationship. The last thing she wanted was to ruin anything with the choice she had made. Even if nothing was official and they hadn’t so much as kissed, Americus guessed it wouldn’t be much longer until they grew from friendship to more.

The sky was grey and cloudy, and the forecast nearly guaranteed snow. Americus was excited; not that the outdoors weren’t already covered in a thin blanket of white, but a little more on Christmas day wouldn’t hurt.

“I’m going to go by Tyler’s for a little bit,” she informed her father, pulling on a coat and her gloves. “His immediate family has done their thing, so before we each head to our extended family celebrations, we wanted to exchange our gifts with each other.”

“Sure, sure, exchange gifts,” her father teased with a wink. “Be careful out there.”

Americus simply smiled at him before retrieving a wrapped package from under the tree and heading out to the car. She wanted Tyler to be the first one she told about her decision, and it seemed she couldn’t get over there fast enough.

When she knocked on the door, Tyler’s father answered. He greeted her cheerfully, and Americus returned the sentiment. She asked for Tyler, and his father invited her inside.

“He’s in the basement.”

“Thanks,” Americus smiled, holding tight to the package but still managing to get her gloves and coat off before she made it to Tyler’s old room.

“Merry Christmas, Ty,” she smiled when she reached the room.

Tyler was sitting on his bed, leaned against the wall and scrolling through his phone. He smiled back at her. “Merry Christmas, kid. Ready to do this present thing?”

Americus nodded. “Ready when you are.”

He tossed his phone to the side and reached under the bed. The package he handed her was crudely wrapped, but he had done his best. Americus didn’t mind; she handed him his present as well and insisted he open his first.

“Same time?” Tyler finally suggested.

“Fine,” Americus agreed.

They both ripped into the paper and the boxes. Americus came out with a pretty bronze locket; when she opened it, she smiled. A picture of them not long before she left for Los Angeles was settled inside. They were both laying on their stomachs in this very room, cheek to cheek while Tyler’s arm rested around Americus’s shoulders, and she held that hand in hers.

“I remember this. I wanted a copy, but I left before we could make it happen. We look so young.” She bit her lip. “That was the night of that first kiss.”

“It was,” Tyler nodded. “I remember thinking that if I didn’t kiss you then, I might never get the opportunity.”

Americus didn’t bother hiding her blush. “Okay, okay. You got the paper off yours, but you’ve gotta open the box.”

Tyler managed to get the tape undone and pulled out a multiple-image frame. Set inside each smaller frame was a picture of them, from the time they were little kids, all the way up to the Vans photoshoot.

“I managed to get a few frames early, to preview for this,” Americus explained.

Tyler carefully examined each picture. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

“Will you put this necklace on for me, please?”

Tyler did as she asked, carefully sweeping her dark hair aside so that he could clasp the chain behind her neck. Americus turned back around to face him, knowing that she needed to tell him about her decision.

“Let’s go outside. See if it’s snowing yet,” she suggested.

Once they were both bundled up, they went out to the front yard where the snow was only falling in flurries so far. Americus sighed as she turned to him.

“Ty, what’s going to happen with us?” she asked. “I mean, regardless of what I do in the future -- what about us?”

He pushed the windblown strands of hair out of her face, letting his cold knuckles run down her jawline. “I think we both know the answer to that, ‘Mericus. This has been a long time coming, and now it’s happening. I’ve been hesitant because I don’t want to spook you, but, no matter what you decide, it’s gonna be me and you. I promise, we’ll make it work.”

She chewed on her bottom lip as she laced her fingers through his. “So even with me being on tour with you, working for you, it won’t cause problems?”

Tyler’s brow raised. “Is that what you’re going to do?”

Americus grinned and nodded. “That’s what I’m going to do. I need to work things out on the last couple of contracts I’ve committed to, and I’m not going to quit modeling completely. I’m not ready to do that, but I am --”

The rest of her sentence was lost in Tyler’s kiss after he grabbed her face and pressed his lips to hers. One of his hands left her cheek to pull out his phone and take a picture of the kiss as the snow began to fall around them.

A glance at the clock on her nightstand told Emerson that it was far too early for someone to be knocking on the front door. Groaning, she pushed the covers back, knowing that her mother and Graham could sleep through World War III if necessary.

She pulled her flannel robe tighter around her before she opened the door, preparing herself for the cold outside.

“Frank?”

“Merry Christmas,” he said, breathing hard.

“Merry Christmas,” Emerson returned. “Did you sprint over here or something?”

He shook his head. “No, but I am kinda nervous so I think that’s why I’m breathing so hard.”

“Okay, well … do you wanna come in?”

He shook his head again. “I know it’s crazy cold out here, but I have this pictured in my head a certain way, and if it doesn’t happen that way, it’s going to completely throw me off.”

Glad she had taken the time to pull on her fuzzy-lined boots, Emerson stepped out on to the porch with him, closing the door behind her. She raised her brow, cueing him to continue.

“I don’t care about making Sarah jealous,” he blurted out. “I never did. I don’t care about you making Jeff jealous, and I wasn’t trying to get you to play any games. I legitimately wanted to take you out the other night, but I felt like I needed an excuse to do it. I know that’s sketchy and it’s all games, but I -- you intimidate me, Emmy. In the best possible way. I love being around you. Falling asleep with you on the couch that night? Do you know how perfect that was? I sound like I’m crazy, I’m sure, but … I mean, it’s Christmas. And you’re supposed to tell the truth at Christmas. So here I am, at Christmas, telling you the truth about how I feel.”

Emerson stared at him, slack-jawed and not sure what she had expected, but it hadn’t been that. “Are you -- am I -- was that rhetorical?”

Frank let out a deep breath, and it showed in the cold air. “I don’t know. Not necessarily? I don’t want you to feel pressured or anything, but I needed to be honest with you.”

“Then I guess I should be honest with you,” Emerson said. She pursed her lips together, trying to figure out how to word what she wanted to say. Finally, a smile tugged both ends of her mouth up and she blurted out her feelings, same as Frank had done. “I don’t care about Jeff, either. I didn’t want to rush things with you, or make it seem like this was some kind of rebound thing. I genuinely enjoy my time with you and I think this could be a good thing. I’m willing to give it a try, if you are.”

Frank closed his eyes with relief. “That’s really good to hear. I want to try, for sure. Which means I can execute the rest of my plan.”

“What’s that?”

Frank pointed above them, to the mistletoe he had fixed to the overhang on the porch. Emerson laughed as Frank’s hand set on her hips, and she went up on tiptoe to kiss him.

I’ve got so much to tell you! Emerson couldn’t help but text Americus later that day as she and Frank sat together at her grandmother’s house for another Christmas get together.

Americus’s response was quick from her spot cuddling next to Tyler. Me too! See you back in LA!

[thisapplepielife]

Written for the @corrodedcoffinfest Seven Deadly Sins pop-up event.

Wham, Bam, Thank You, Ma'am

Prompt: Envy | Word Count: 666 | Rating: M | CW: Talk of Off-Screen Sex, Recreational Weed Use, Period-Typical Objectification of Women | POV: Eddie | Relationship(s): Off-Screen Gareth/OFCs | Tags: Gareth's on a Hot Streak, None of the Rest of Them Can Understand It, At All

Eddie thinks it's a fluke. A random hot-streak that's gonna end as fast as it started. 

But it doesn't. 

Gareth picks up one, three, then a dozen girls. Nearly every stop they make, Gareth finds a way to get laid. It's honestly getting impressive. For a kid that got no action in high school, he's sure hit his stride once they hit the road. Goddamn.

"Are we gonna talk about it?" Jeff asks, flicking the lighter, flame burning bright, as he holds it up for Eddie to get the joint going. 

"I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. It's a travesty," Goodie says dryly, and Eddie and Jeff both laugh at him.

Gareth's gone, out for the night, or at least well into it, and the three of them are hanging out in the van, because they don't need another angry motel manager whining about the skunky smell upon check-out.

"He's a little twerp, this's unholy," Goodie continues and Eddie leans into Jeff, cackling.

"I wish I had that kind of confidence," Jeff admits, passing the joint back to Eddie. "To get shot down, and just move along to the next one."

"I mean, if you get enough nos you're eventually gonna get a yes," Eddie reassures, "It's just if you're willing to accept all the rejection first."

"Clearly he'll get rejected all day and all night to get some pussy," Goodie snarks.

They all laugh.

When this all started, Eddie gave Gareth the safe sex lecture, loaded him down with condoms, and told him to have fun, but be safe. The last thing they need is…well, anything that could come from not wrapping it up.

Mama Jones would kill Eddie if anything happens to her boy while they're out here. It's his job to keep all of them safe and in line, at least somewhat. 

"How is he even doing it?" Jeff asks.

"Confidence," Eddie answers, "Charisma. Charm."

Gareth has an easy way about him, a swagger and smile that he's learned to work. Eddie watched it evolve. The kid was never told he couldn't do something, so now he thinks he's god's gift to women, and for some reason, the women are believing this.

It's a pretty great trick he's got going, Eddie's not gonna lie. 

"Cockiness," Goodie adds to the list, interrupting Eddie's thoughts.

They all burst out laughing, and are still cackling when there's rhythmic pounding on the side of the van, making them all jump and then laugh louder. Gareth.

Eddie slides open the door to let Gareth climb in. He reeks of perfume and sex, and they all wave their hands around, like the smell of him is stronger than the skunky weed cloud they're sitting in.

"That was fast," Jeff says.

"Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am," Gareth answers. 

"Got your dick wet, so now you're good enough to hang with us," Goodie says dryly.

"Don't be jealous," Gareth says, snagging the joint right from Goodie's fingers. He gets kicked for his trouble, but doesn't seem to mind.

"That was fast," Eddie echoes, "Did you even leave the parking lot?"

"Nope," Gareth says, and passes back to Eddie. 

"Well, I'm sure she enjoyed the quick encore you gave her," Goodie goads.

"I know what I'm doing. She left with no complaints," Gareth answers, but digs in his pocket, "But I did leave with this, though."

Gareth tosses a bra onto the floor of the van. It's pink, and lacey with a tiny bow.

"Classy, kid," Eddie says, while Goodie toes at it with his sneaker.

"Bras are expensive, she's gonna be pissed," Goodie says, and they all turn to look at him.

"How do you know how much a bra costs?" Gareth asks. 

"I know things. I read."

"Yeah, you been reading the lingerie pages of the Sears catalog," Jeff teases, and Goodie flips him off.

Eddie realizes that's probably exactly where Goodie's gotten this info, and he tosses his head back, laughing. 

If you want to write your own, or see more entries for this challenge, pop on over to @corrodedcoffinfest and follow along with the fun! 🦇

Notes: Before there was the internet, there were the models in the Sears catalog. 👙

[thorne93]

Unexpected Guest (Part 1)

Prompt: Imagine working a party and seeing a mysteriously handsome man who captures your entire attention. There’s one catch: you’re engaged to a different man.

Warnings: angst, fighting, negative relationships, flirting, language, smoking (cigs? Is that even a warning? idk)...

Word Count: 3078

Notes: Inspired by Gorgeous - Taylor Swift...Beta’d by my amazing @like-a-bag-of-potatoes. I’m so blessed to call you a friend, love. OFC/OC Jeremy

Forever Tags: @capsmuscles @cocosierra94 @essie1876 @magpiegirl80 @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked @harleyquinnandscarletwitch @iamwarrenspeace @marvel-imagines-yes-please@superwholocked527 @myparadise1982sand @missinstantgratification @thejemersoninferno @rda1989 @marvelloushamilton @munlis @thefridgeismybestie @bubblyanarocks3 @random-fluffy-pink-unicorn @hardcollectionworldtrash @igiveupicantthinkofausername @kaliforniacoastalteens @feelmyroarrrr​ @kaeling​

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Putting the finishing touches on your hair and looking over your daring bright red dress in the mirror, you smiled in approval at the outfit. You were donning a red, form fitting cocktail dress that had a see through sash sweep train, the sash train nearly reaching the floor, landing just above your bright red heels to match. Unfortunately, you didn’t have a good necklace to match but you did have earrings so you popped those in, did another once over, and went out to the living room of your shared home with your fiance.

“So what do you think?” you asked, stepping in front of the tv and twirling, playing with the sash a bit.

Jeremy, your fiance, grunted and tried to peer around you, waving you to move from his sight. “What the hell, Y/N? I’m trying to watch this.”

“So pause it,” you tried. “How do I look?” you asked, your ego already deflated and at this point not really giving a shit what he thought.

He frowned angrily and looked at you as if you just interrupted the biggest business deal of the year. He whipped his face to your body for half a second. “You look fine.” His eyes shot back to the screen before asking, “Where you going?”

“I told you this every day this week, I’m going to a party for Nicholas Hamilton. We’re catering...for the It party?” you said as a reminder, your voice going up to try and trigger some remembrance.

He barely shrugged.

You sighed. “Good night. I’m not sure how long the party will run, but we’re supposed to be catering and serving alcohol all night so don’t wait up,” you informed as you grabbed your clutch. “If you could, do the dishes, please.”

“Yeah, yeah. Have fun at your shower,” he called as you went out the door, his remark making you roll your eyes. His behavior wasn’t atypical. This was normal for him to not know what you were doing, or where, or when. You would tell him and he’d forget or just flat not listen. For the past three years since you’ve been engaged, you’ve chalked it up to him not wanting to be involved with the girly part of your life or the infamous myth that “men never listen”.

You hopped in your car and drove through LA to the home of Nicholas, to meet your team. You had a team of around eleven people for this party. It was a simple, typical Los Angeles house party. He expected one hundred guests, so you would accommodate that with two bartenders, five servants--three circulating the party, two on standby at the buffet to serve--and you had five cooks back at the restaurant to prepare it all. You didn’t need to be at this party, per se, but being a control freak, it certainly helped your nerves to know that your staff was doing their best and that the food looked and tasted perfectly.

On this particular party, you didn’t prepare any of the food, but they were all your recipes and creations, but you trusted your chefs fully to prepare this food. Typically, you would help, but in this case you just wanted to oversee the event.

You finally arrived at the home, just in time to see the team unloading the trays of food, utensils, flatware, and glassware.

“Oh good, you’re on time,” you breathed as you rushed up to your staff.

“Of course we’re on time,” Jeff responded with a scoff, one of the young servers you’d hired. He was a definite asset to your team.

“Well I was just--” you started before a chorus of workers cut you off.

“Worried.”

“Yeah, we know,” your best friend and top employee, Ida, stated as she grabbed a tray, her raven hair pulled up in a sleek bun. “You don’t have to fret. We know how to do this,” she assured.

“I know but I just can’t help it,” you reminded, slightly wringing your hands. “Have you all been inside yet?”

“Nope, just got here,” Jeff informed.

“Ah, great.” At that, you ran up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the bell. Nicholas answered, greeting you with a smile and a hug.

“You’re here! Awesome!” he said opening the door.

“Absolutely! Where would you like us to set up?” you questioned.

“I’ll show you. Come on,” he said, gesturing inside the moderately sized home. You led the way for your staff of seven through the house to a fairly large kitchen with an island and plenty of counter space. “So use whatever space you need. If you need anything, let me know. The party will start in about an hour so…”

“Thank you,” you said sweetly. “And thank you again for picking us to cater the event.”

He shrugged. “Hey, your food is freakin’ awesome. That stuff was like crack on set. I knew I had to have you again.”

“Well thank you again. We’ll get everything set up and warming,” you informed as the staff filed past you with trays, dishes, and a myriad of other goods. “Okay, Ryan, put that tray over there. Jennifer, could you start the warming trays--”

“Y/N, stop,” Ida commanded softly. “We know what we’re doing. How about we set up and you can correct us if you don’t like it?”

It took you a second to concede, a little unwilling to relinquish power but you nodded. Everyone seemed to relax by a fraction and they set to work. You watched them, quietly, observing how they set it up, how fast it took, if they did it properly and in a sanitary manner. So far they were doing everything exactly as you would want done. The hors d'oeuvres were arranged neatly and in an appealing manner. The main dishes were on their warming trays. The plates, glasses, and utensils were arranged perfectly. The bartenders got set up with their glasses, tumblers, and a small bar that you’d purchased. It was a collapsable sort of bar, but it was sturdy and well made. This way, it gave the real feeling of being at a bar, and the bartender could keep an eye on his glasses, the alcohol, and tips. All the while, the crew was back and forth from the van, bringing in more of everything.

About thirty minutes later, a DJ showed up. He was actually one of the hotter DJs in LA right now. You only knew this because you’d seen him at a few of the events your company catered, and being one of the top  three caterers in the city was a good indicator you were at all the right events.

Though being at all of these glamorous parties, it didn’t have the effect on you it might have other people. You hardly ever watched TV or movies. You never went to the theater, you didn’t binge Netflix, you didn’t rent redbox, you didn’t have Hulu. Every once in a blue moon, you’d watch a movie, if you’d seen the trailer for a movie that was spectacular, but typically you didn’t watch anything. Instead, you read or you were working on recipes. You didn't have a lot of time for much of anything else, and if you did, you didn’t use that time for it.

In a way, it was a blessing. Because if you knew who these people were, what they played in, it might make you act differently. Like being star struck, and you didn’t want to be that way. You knew a lot of actors, actresses, directors, or producers names. You knew most of the “big” ones, the ones people could only ignore if they lived under a rock, such as George Clooney, Charlize Theron, Angelina Jolie...But even then, you held your composure. If you worked directly with a big name in Hollywood, they quickly turned into any other customer: what food do they want, where and when do they want it. The whole mystique of the title of being an actor or director fell away when you were working on how many shrimp cocktails they wanted.

So when Nicholas reached out for this party, you were pleasantly surprised. You’d catered for the set of It for about three weeks towards the end of filming, but that was nearly a year ago now. You’d brought them lunch every day, and got to see a glimpse of the magic happening for that movie. Now, Nicholas was throwing a party one week before the premiere.

Part of you wanted to see it because you’d read the book long ago, part of you didn’t care if you never saw it. In fact, you weren’t sure who played the clown. You knew most of the kids because they would storm the food table as soon as the director let them loose for lunch and you often joked around with them, but the clown would stand up, stare at you for a moment, which usually creeped you the fuck out, then he would disappear. You always assumed he just went to get out of makeup or went to take a rest because he never approached the table to get food, at least while you were there.

The party had just started, with people filling in quickly, heading straight for the food. You made sure to get the hell out of the way as people grabbed plates and glasses and filled up on food and drink then set out to mingle in the house or out in the medium back yard with pool and patio. It made you fill with pride and happiness to see people take bites of your food and light up.

After about an hour and a half into the party, and you mingling with some of the younger actors you’d met on set, along with other people you’d never met, a man showed up at the party. He was tall and lanky, but he took your breath away. He was absolutely gorgeous with dark hair and eyes that made it impossible for you to move. He entered the house, his eyes scanning the party before they landed on yours, and when they did, a small smile touched his face. He nodded to you before setting off through the throng of people.

Your jaw was hanging open. You weren’t sure what had just happened. That man had completely captivated you, but you were sure you’d never seen him before. No, eyes and a face like that you would’ve remembered. Your eyes were glued to his back as he made his way out to the back yard.

Finally, you regained composure and went back into the kitchen where Ida was refilling one of the platters. You stood against the counter, speechless, as Ida saw you out of the corner of her eye.

“You look like you saw a ghost. What’s up?” she questioned before turning her attention back to her task.

“This guy...He...I don’t know. He just walked in and he looked right at me and…Ida, he was gorgeous,” you said in a breathy voice.

She chuckled lightly. “That good, huh? You need to pick your drooling chin off the floor though. You have a fiance,” she reminded.

Just then, you remembered, you did. How awful of a person were you that a pretty face made you entirely forget about the man waiting at home for you? Even if Jeremy was sometimes a passive dick, he didn’t deserve what you’d just done. You shook your head, the self loathing starting to wash over you.

As soon as Ida stepped away, you went back to mingling, subtly asking people if they enjoyed the food and nearly illuminating from head to toe when they raved about it. Yet all night, as the music sounded through the air, the lights dimmed outside and in, the mysterious man would appear then disappear, each time, the two of you would steal glances, no matter if he was talking to someone or you were, your eyes always found each other. When your gazes did meet, you were frozen for those few seconds, completely transfixed, as if he had a spell on you. You’d stare at each other a moment, then go back to mingling. Sometimes he broke the gaze, sometimes you did, but it happened an insurmountable amount of times.

The jitters of the party and praying everything went well, along with the captivating guy, you needed a break. You stepped outside on the patio and fished around your clutch for the small pack of cigs you kept. Typically you were a social smoker but your anxiety had peaked due to the party, the tiff with Jeremy, and this guy so you needed some nicotine related relaxation. The quiet of the outside and the zero guests made it appealing.

Why was this guy so damned gorgeous? And why did it bother you? You worked in LA, hot men paraded in and out of your store and at parties and events you attended all the time. What the hell did this fucker have that you’d never encountered before? You lit the cigarette and took a drag.

“Having a good night?” a smooth voice suddenly sounded beside you. You didn’t recognize it so it wasn’t Nicholas or anyone on your staff or anyone you’d talked to tonight. You turned slightly to your left to see the man in question. Instantly your mouth dried and your heart raced.

“Uh, yeah. I am,” you responded, stammering a bit, then frowning at yourself for acting like a total spaz. He got closer to you, pulling a pack out for himself and lighting up, but you couldn’t look at him, he was too intimidating. “And you?” you questioned. “You having a nice evening?” you inquired before flicking your ash.

“Not really, but then I saw you,” he stated.

You half smiled, the other half wanted to roll your eyes at his statement. So you turned to look at him to tell him off for using such a lame ass line, but when your eyes landed on him, you couldn’t breathe. He had the cigarette poised in his mouth, his fingers cradling it, taking a drag. This was the first time you’d been this close to him all night, face to face. The sight of him and that cigarette, made your insides do things it hadn’t done in a long time for anyone, including Jeremy. Not to mention the dark sweater and jean combo he was wearing that complimented his fair skin nicely.

“Uh...Um..wow, what a poor excuse for a pickup line,” you chastised when you gathered your senses.

“Who said it was a line?” he asked before blowing the smoke out.

Just then, a blush hit you hard. It was a big assumption on your part that he was hitting on you.

“Oh...I…” you stuttered, feeling like a dumbass.

He grinned at you. “It was, a bit,” he confessed, saving you from your meltdown. “But seriously. You look amazing tonight.”

“You say that as if we’ve met,” you noted curiously.

“I saw you on set,” he informed.

“Oh,” you said, realizing why he said what he said.

“Yeah,” he continued.

The blush heated your cheeks again. “Well...thank you.” A moment of quiet passed between you two. “So you worked on the set for It? Were you on the crew?” You only asked because, if he was an actor, you would’ve met him, and you hadn’t.

He gave you a strange look, almost puzzled, before he gave a slight nod and said, “Yeah, something like that.” A sideways smile crept on his face and you found yourself smiling like an idiot back at him. “So you’re with the caterers?”

“It’s my business,” you informed nonchalantly, gesturing inside back at the party. “I’m just here to oversee,” you informed.

He nodded toward you. “Ah. Well the food is exceptional. Your recipes?”

“Every last one,” you answered. “Can’t say that I’ve seen you eat them though,” you noted.

“I’m good like that. I get the job done and no one’s the wiser,” he said with a wink before taking another drag.

“Ah, I see.”

Just as you were about to ask about his name, and introduce yourself, Sophia, one of the young actresses ran out onto the patio and grabbed his sleeve and began tugging.

“Come on! We’re about to watch the trailer together! Come on!” she encouraged excitedly.

He laughed lightly at her enthusiasm. “Alright, alright, let me put this out,” he said before taking another hit then throwing it on the patio and snuffing out any flame with his shoe. He gave you a polite apology smile, due to the over excited cast member and you nodded and shrugged, waving it off. “Nice to see you,” he said as he was drug inside the house.

You gave a small wave before finishing your cigarette and joining the others back in the living room. You found your way to the back, standing in the doorway of the kitchen, your eyes on the huge tv, watching the trailer for the first time.

The footage rolled and you couldn’t help but still be creeped out by the clown. On set he was much more menacing looking than on screen. But the trailer itself seemed to scare you, enough that you felt jumpy the rest of the evening. As soon as the footage ended, the guests cheered and roared, grabbing each other for hugs or high fives. You smiled at the lot of them and the work they’d done.

It was around midnight and the food was low, but no one was really eating any more, mainly drinking. The team started to pack up the food and trays, while your two bartenders stayed hard at work.

“I’m gonna go home,” you informed Ida, to which she nodded.

The mystery man continued to fade in and out of your view all evening but you didn’t speak to him any further. You left when you didn’t see him, escaping into your car and driving home, to meet a sleeping Jeremy who hadn’t made dinner and left the dishes in the sink, unwashed. You got angry for a moment, but then took a deep breath, trying to remember that maybe he was tired and needed a break. Then you headed for bed, knowing you’d have to get up early to deal with the dishes.

[truckstophottie]

music/band reccomendations (that anon who asked for recommendations and forgot to actually put what i was asking recommendations for)

Well I don’t know what you’re into but don’t worry bc I love all types of music so here to be all inclusive my favorite bands/artists of each genre

Rock/ metal/ classic rock-Led Zeppelin (lz 3 and 5 are my favorite) The clashDio (but mainly just Holy Diver)Iron Maiden Metallica (and justice for all is great don’t even bother listening to st. Anger tbh)Nine inch nails (not the actual events is my favorite album tbh but downward spiral is great too)Nirvana (of course)Pearl Jam (had the best debut album ever seriously listen to ten particularly Alive and Jeremy)Pink Floyd (wish you were here is probably the best album but the wall is great too and DEFINITELY listen to comfortably numb I mean.. Honestly) QueenRadiohead Santana (supernatural is my favorite album and smooth is the best song tbh)Van Halen (1984 was my personal favorite album)Puscifer (they’re a little weird but Rev 22 Dry Martini Mix is a great song)SlayerZZ Top

Rap- (I’ll try and do shit you might not have heard of)K.A.A.N (I’m not sure if you can find him anywhere but soundcloud and YouTube but he’s great)Immortal Technique (my favorite rapper ever)Los Rakas (they rap in Spanish but they have a great song called Sueño Americano)Ana Tijoux (again Spanish but great)

Blues-BB King Janis Joplin Bob Dylan (all of his shit is great and as he got older he got more into blues so try it all he’s got many different styles)Fantastic Negrito (an honest man is my favorite song of his) Gary Moore (still got the blues is really good) Johnny Cash ofc course (is he country or blues? Idk him and Janis Joplin are going in blues but they could both be either)Lana Del Rey (honeymoon is probably her best album)Low Down by Kingsborough is a good songMelanie Martinez Mirah Mirel Wagner (honestly she’s great listen to her) Nina Simone (the queen)Otis RushBobby Blue Bland Amy Winehouse Angel OlsenRobert Johnson Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Soul/ R&b-Al GreenAretha Franklin (another queen)The Emotions (they’re kinda disco but in a good way.. like an ABBA way)James Brown (ofc)Stevie Wonder (again ofc)

Country-I mean Dolly Parton is my queen Carrie Underwood (mainly the songs where she talks abt ruining men’s lives)(Again Johnny Cash and Janis Joplin could be here too) Willie NelsonZac Brown Band Merle Haggard Miranda Lambert (again the songs about her killing men are great)

All the shit I couldn’t figure out where to put-Jeff Buckley (have you ever heard of a song called Hallelujah? This is where all the Christmas time madness started from)Lucius LP (Muddy Waters and Lost on You are my favorite songs by them) Rilo Kiley The Smiths (Morrissey is everything and also harboring a lot of repressed homoerotic tendencies) Belle Mare

[ohprettyweeper-moved]

Open Your Eyes (Part 4)

Chapter Summary: As Christmas Day nears, feelings get stronger.  Pairing: Tyler Joseph x OFC, Frank Iero x OFC Word Count: 2635 Warnings: None? A/N: I needed something fun and cute to write with low pressure so that I could stop worrying about a more serious piece I’m working on for a bit. This five-part crossover series was the result! It’s cheesy and fluffy and is probably akin to something you’d see on the Hallmark Channel, but that’s how I intended it to be. Thanks to @razor-tothe-rosary for your help and encouragement! Enjoy reading, everyone!

Wanna be tagged?

Masterlist

Americus scrolled through her phone one morning, ignoring Vanessa’s emails and catching up on the industry gossip. She was slightly surprised when she came across a paparazzi picture of Emerson and Frank Iero coming out of a record store in Jersey together. She knew that the Vans photoshoot had gone well for her new friend, but she hadn’t realized it went that well.

“Canoodling with co-stars, huh?” Americus teased when Emerson answered her call.

Emerson paused for a moment. “What do you mean?”

“There’s pictures of you and Frank together in Jersey,” Americus explained. “I knew you were going home for the holidays, I didn’t realize you were going to see Frank while you were there.”

“This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen,” Emerson groaned. She explained about Jeff and the phone call on the day of the shoot, how she had become friends with Frank, and how Jeff had stood her up at the airport. “Frank rescued me, and I wasn’t ready to face my family, so I hung out with him for a little bit.”

Americus frowned. “It’s not a bad thing, you know. I don’t know Frank real well, but I’ve heard good things about him.”

“No, Frank is great. It’s just that I’m new to all of this, and I don’t want anyone thinking I’m using Frank or you or anyone to climb the ladder.”

“I’ve seen your work, you know. You’re climbing the ladder on your own. If you make friends along the way, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s important to have people you can trust in this industry, honestly. Vans was a big deal, and you got there on your own. It can only go up from here, and it’s not going to have anything to do with Frank.”

“I guess,” Emerson mumbled. “I’m with my family now, but I’m going to call Frank. I’ll give you a call when I’m back in Los Angeles.”

Americus cleared her throat. “I’m actually doing some soul-searching of my own right now, and I’m in Columbus. Stay in touch, though, okay? If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”

“I will. Talk soon.”

Americus disconnected the call and tossed her phone to the cushion beside her. Emerson’s fear of being thought less of within the industry was precisely one of the things that made her want to get out. The littlest thing about one’s life could be misconstrued; it could destroy a prestigious career such as Americus’s or end one that had hardly begun, such as Emerson’s.

“Deep in thought again, daughter?” her father asked, coming into the living room with a cup of coffee in each hand. He handed one to Americus and took a seat at the other end of the couch.

Americus gave a small smile. “I’ve got a lot to be thinking about. I love the life I’ve lived, Dad. Really. I have no regrets, except that lately, I just don’t feel … well, grounded. That’s the word I keep using. I’ve never canceled on contracts before, until now.”

“That’s how you know this is important to you.”

“You’re right there. Being home again has been amazing, but it does still feel like a break. I know I need to go back to work, I just don’t know what work that will be.” She pressed her lips together. “Tyler offered me a job doing photography for their tour.”

“Tyler,” her father echoed. “That’s been a nice reunion, hasn’t it?”

“Daddy,” Americus said, rolling her eyes. “This isn’t about Tyler. Though, yes, it has been nice to be around him again. But to give up modeling -- everything I’ve built over the last fourteen years. I don’t know if I can do that.”

“Modeling wasn’t going to last forever, anyway. And, you know, taking a step back now doesn’t mean you’re done for good.”

They finished off their coffee in silence. With their mugs empty, Americus’s father excused himself to run his usual Saturday errands. Americus had some things to do herself, so she got up and got dressed, and headed out on her own.

Emerson let out a deep breath as she surveyed herself in the body-length mirror. Her sweater dress was pristine, save for the little piece of fuzz she picked off near her hemline. Her leggings would keep her warm, as would the socks and boots on her feet. Her hair was perfectly curled, her makeup flawless.

“Well, you look date-ready,” Tanya smiled from her place on the couch, curled up with Emerson’s soon-to-be stepfather.

“Thanks,” Emerson replied, one end of her mouth tugging upward. “I’m really not sure about this.”

“We know you’ve never wanted to do things this way,” Graham assured, “but Frank has been in this business for a long time. I don’t think he would lead you astray.”

Emerson didn’t think he would, either, but that didn’t make his plan any more appealing. What her mother and stepfather didn’t know was that when Emerson had called Frank about the pictures and the speculation, he had suggested they use it to get to Jeff and Sarah; to make their exes jealous, if nothing else. These weren’t the types of games Emerson usually played, but it had seemed like a better idea at the time than it did now.

When Frank arrived at seven o’ clock on the dot to pick her up, Emerson let him in the house and politely introduced him to her mother and Graham. Ignoring the meaningful looks in her direction, Emerson bid them goodnight and promised not to be gone too late, before she and Frank walked out to his car.

“Freezing out here,” she mumbled, dropping into the passenger seat.

“It is Jersey in December,” he reminded her. “You hungry? I’ve got reservations in the city.”

Emerson nodded. “I’m definitely hungry. But we don’t have to go all the way into the city, you know. We could eat around here. I don’t mind.”

“First of all,” Frank said, smirking at her as he pulled onto the main drag, “you deserve to be spoiled a little. Second of all, pretty sure New York City is a better place for us to be seen out together than anywhere else in the area.”

“That’s true.”

“We don’t have to go, if you’re unsure.” He reached for her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

Emerson took a deep breath. “It’s not that I don’t want to go. I wouldn’t mind Jeff seeing me out there, better off without him, really. I’ve just never played games like this before -- always made a point not to, actually.”

“I like that about you. But sometimes, you’ve got to play the game. In this industry, Emmy, you have to show them that you can stick up for yourself. That you’re not a doormat, and that you’re not the innocent, naive thing they all think you are.”

Emerson withdrew her hand from his. There was something harsh and condescending in his tone. It made her want to get out of the car and walk home in the cold. Crossing her arms over her chest, Emerson sat back in her seat and spent the rest of the drive staring out her window.

Tyler came to pick Americus up this time, and when they saw each other, they couldn’t help but laugh. Americus’s sweater read, “Why is the carpet all wet, Todd?!” while Tyler’s read, “I don’t know, Margo!” The exchange was one of their favorites from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, so it was only fitting that their sweaters were coordinated.

“And we didn’t even have to try,” Tyler laughed, holding her steady as they walked down the icy steps of her father’s front porch. “Don’t slip. I about ate it on the way up.”

Not at all interested in a bruised backside or sore limbs, Americus held tight to Tyler’s arm as they awkwardly made their way to his car. When she was safely seated and buckled in, Tyler went around to the driver’s side, ready to get them to Josh’s place.

“I thought you said Josh lived in LA?” she asked.

“He’s got an apartment there and a house here,” Tyler explained. “We’re in Los Angeles a lot, but Columbus is home. You know?”

Americus nodded. “Yeah. I do, actually.”

“It’s been nice having you around here, you know. Spending time together again. Not that this is anything, you know, so don’t take it the wrong way, but I always wondered if you and I wouldn’t have became something if life hadn’t taken us in different directions.”

“Really? You would have wanted that with me?”

Tyler shrugged, suddenly wondering if maybe he shouldn’t have brought it up. “We were young. When you’re young and close friends with the first girl you ever kissed, those things cross your mind. But I’m kind of an emotional guy.”

“You are,” Americus agreed, “but I wondered it, too. You were my first kiss too, you know.”

Tyler couldn’t help but smile as he glanced at her from the driver’s seat. “I did know that, actually.”

Americus couldn’t help but blush and wonder if maybe Tyler had walked back into her life at just the right time, and for a reason she was just beginning to understand.

When they pulled up to the front of the restaurant, Frank handed the valet the key before opening Emerson’s door. She stepped out of the car, walking a few steps ahead of him. Just outside of the front door, Frank caught her by the elbow and pulled her aside. His hands mingled with hers, and he begged her forgiveness.

“I shouldn’t have said it like that, I’m sorry. I know the kind of reputation you’re trying to uphold and I’m not saying it’s wrong, but I am saying that you have to start sticking up for yourself if you’re going to make it, or your reputation isn’t going to matter. I think you’ve got a great future ahead of you. I want to see you make it. I don’t want -- I don’t want anyone to hurt you.”

Emerson swallowed hard. “Thank you, for the apology. It’s accepted. And for not wanting me to get hurt. I don’t want that either, but I also don’t want to become someone I’m not. I don’t want to be cold and callous and unfeeling.”

“There’s a balance,” Frank assured. “We just have to find it for you. Ready to eat now?”

Leaving one of her hands in his, Emerson nodded. “I’m ready.”

Frank smiled and led her into the restaurant. He gave his name at the front, and the host assured him that a table was waiting as reserved.

With their minor disagreement behind them, more pleasant conversation ensued. It wasn’t at all unlike their times together before; Emerson couldn’t believe how easy it was to just be around Frank. She didn’t have to pretend to be someone she wasn’t, or keep up appearances for work. In fact, by the time their food was served, Emerson had all but forgotten the reason they were out in the first place.

After dinner, Frank took her to Rockefeller Center. They took a picture together in front of the big Christmas tree there, watched people go by, and slowly made their way back to the restaurant.

When they crossed the Jersey state line, Emerson bit her lip. She knew what she wanted to say, but she wasn’t exactly sure how to say it. After another couple of minutes, she just blurted it out.

“I don’t wanna go home yet.”

Frank looked over at her briefly before setting his eyes back on the road. She could see that he was the one trying to fight a smile now, and it made her feel better about saying what was on her mind.

“Wanna go back to my place?”

Emerson nodded, shooting a text to her mother that she may not be home at all. Even as an adult, she didn’t want to worry anyone and add anymore drama to her vacation.

At Frank’s place, he offered her an oversized t-shirt to exchange for her dress. Her leggings would suffice for now, so she declined his offer of sweats and they settled on the couch with a couple of beers and Year Without a Santa Claus. The movie was Emerson’s favorite holiday film, so when she saw it on the guide, she pleaded with Frank to watch it with her.

As the movie started, Frank scrolled through his phone. Emerson asked if there was any reports of the two of them out in the city together, but he shook his head.

“Nothing yet. Don’t worry, I’m sure something will come up. Jeff will see what he’s missing.”

Emerson nodded and sipped at her beer, but she wasn’t really interested in making Jeff jealous anymore, she realized. She was only interested in what could develop with the man sitting next to her.

As the movie played and the two of them drifted off to sleep, Emerson leaning against Frank and him with an arm around her shoulders, Emerson started to wonder just how much her career would be affected if something with Frank started … or perhaps it already had.

The party was a blast. The crowd wasn’t too big, but it was certainly more than a group of people hanging out. Josh was nice and hospitable, conversed easily with Americus, and enjoyed hearing her stories about Tyler from their childhood.

Tyler never once left her side. Every wink he sent in her direction, everytime he leaned close to whisper something in her ear, chills invaded Americus’s spine. Her crush was quickly developing into something more, and while she wanted to see where all those what-if’s from long ago might lead, she also knew she had a decision to make regardless of her feelings for Tyler.

They stayed later, after everyone had left, and helped Josh clean up.

“That’s good for now,” Josh said, once all of the trash was picked up and the snack bowls were grouped on the island in the kitchen. “I’ll get the dishes and whatnot tomorrow.”

“You sure?” Americus checked. “It won’t take long between the three of us.”

Josh waved her off. “It’s almost one in the morning, it’s freezing outside. Get out of here before I change my mind.”

Americus smiled and hugged him. “Nice to meet Tyler’s best friend.”

“I was going to say the same to you,” Josh returned with a smile. “Good to know we can get along, if you decide to come work with us.”

Americus took a deep breath, glancing at Tyler. She should have figured Josh would know about the job offer; Tyler wouldn’t have offered it before checking with other people involved first. Still, it was strange to hear from someone else.

Josh bid them goodnight and saw them to the door; Americus had a tight hold to Tyler’s arm again so she wouldn’t slip but they both managed a wave back to Josh before getting in the car.

“Are we too old to do sleepovers like we did when we were little? I mean, before the whole boy-girl thing became an issue?” Americus asked. “I know it’s not the field like you talked about before, but I just feel … I don’t know. Can’t put a label on it.”

Tyler nodded and reached his gloved hand out for hers. “Yeah, I think I know what you mean. Wanna stop at your dad’s for clothes and stuff first?”

Americus nodded, lacing her fingers through his. They had more or less picked up right where they left off before her life moved west, and she wasn’t complaining one bit about that. There was some getting to know each other again that would have to happen, but she could accept that.

[ohprettyweeper-moved]

Open Your Eyes (Part 2)

Chapter Summary: Old friends and new friends come together for a photo shoot for Frank’s and Tyler’s collabs with Vans.  Pairing: Tyler Joseph x OFC, Frank Iero x OFC Word Count: 1885 Warnings: None? A/N: I needed something fun and cute to write with low pressure so that I could stop worrying about a more serious piece I’m working on for a bit. This five-part crossover series was the result! It’s cheesy and fluffy and is probably akin to something you’d see on the Hallmark Channel, but that’s how I intended it to be. Thanks to @razor-tothe-rosary for your help and encouragement! Enjoy reading, everyone!

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Masterlist

Five musicians had been chosen to collaborate on a shoe and apparel design with Vans, and Emerson wasn’t sure whose design she would be modeling, but she wasn’t surprised that she had one of the earliest call times that day.

She had been in hair and makeup for about five minutes when Americus walked in and took the seat next to her. Emerson was only slightly in awe, since she was used to meeting other models with longer resumes, but Americus was on a higher level than Emerson.

“Are you okay?” Americus asked.

Emerson cleared her throat and apologized. “Sorry, didn’t mean to stare. It’s just -- well, I thought since I’m newer in the industry, that’s how I drew the short straw and got such an early call time.”

“I think they’ve got two photographers, and the musicians had first dibs. Some of them like to get it over with early so they can relax the rest of the day,” Americus explained. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to tell me your name. I don’t think we’ve met before.”

“Emerson,” she replied. “Americus, right?”

The other woman nodded. “You’ve got a unique name. That’s good in this industry -- you’ll stand out in people’s memories. Where are you from?”

Emerson launched into her background and growing up in Jersey. Americus shared similar stories about her life in Columbus, and they both talked about how they had gotten into the modeling business. Their stories weren’t that different, starting local and growing from there. Americus had simply started earlier than Emerson.

By the time they were on to wardrobe, Emerson and Americus were like old friends. They had traded contact information and were looking forward to getting together next time both of their schedules allowed for it.

“I swear, the plan for my butt to hang out of the shorts they put me in,” Americus sighed, tugging the denim shorts down as far as they would go. She turned and surveyed her backside in the mirror. “That’s better I guess. You lucked out with jeans, Em.”

Emerson nodded. “Can’t argue that. I haven’t had to do anything with shorts in a while, but the last dress I had to model was more like a long shirt. Yikes.”

An assistant came to take them to set where the girls waited in between the two backdrops while the photographers did lighting checks and the musicians finished up in hair and makeup.

“All right, ladies, I think we’re ready,” the shoot director announced.

“Good luck!” Americus called to Emerson as they parted.

“You too,” Emerson returned, cheekily adding, “Watch that backside!”

Americus laughed as she walked to take her mark on the red backdrop. She looked up at the man walking towards her and gasped.

“Ty?” she exclaimed.

The man with the yellow tape on his jacket and fingers looked just as surprised as she was, but was fully expecting the hug Americus launched herself into. He held her tight, picking her up off the ground.

“Americus? I can’t believe it’s really you!”

“Same,” she chuckled, wiggling back down to the floor. “How have you been? Congrats on all this, and the band -- everything.”

“You too,” he returned. The photographer cleared his throat, and Tyler waved an acknowledgement. “Sorry, we’re old friends, from before anyone really knew who we were. Give us just a second, we’ll be ready.”

“Are you in town for long?” was Americus’s next question.

Tyler shrugged. “Today and tomorrow. Staying with a friend.”

“Well, I’m free after this, if you are. We need to catch up.”

“Count me in,” Tyler agreed eagerly.

“I’m Frank Iero,” the hazel-eyed man greeted Emerson.

She returned his handshake and his smile. “Emerson. I love this design, by the way. Kind of hoping they’ll let me keep everything.”

His smile grew at her half-joking statement. “I’m glad you like it, and it looks good on you. If they don’t let you keep it, I’ll make sure we send you a box of stuff.”

“Thanks,” Emerson grinned. “Ready?”

Frank nodded. “I think so. Let’s take some pictures.”

It was one of the most fun shoots Emerson had done so far. Frank made her feel super relaxed, joking around with her and making the shoot feel nothing like work. She genuinely enjoyed being around him and hoped that, somehow, they would have the opportunity to work together again in the future.

A few hours later, after shooting almost every pose from almost every angle imaginable, the photographer called it a wrap. Emerson saw that Americus was still working, so she waved briefly and motioned that she would call her new friend soon.

After the makeup artist removed her makeup, Emerson washed and moisturized her face, packed up the clothes and shoes they had in fact allowed her to keep, she checked her phone. She had a couple of missed calls from her boyfriend, so she rang him back on speakerphone while she had time.

“I called you twice,” he replied, once the call connected. “I had time to talk then. I don’t have a lot of time now, Em.”

Emerson sighed. “I was working, Jeff. I’m sorry. Had the Vans photo shoot today.”

“Well, I’ve been in the DFW airport for three hours, dealing with a delayed flight. This whole debacle is setting me back two days on work.”

“The shoot went great, thanks for asking,” she mumbled sarcastically.

Jeff scoffed. “I’ll bet you got your hair and makeup done, stood there while someone snapped a camera, and got some free stuff out of it. I figured it went well. Can we get back to talking about my day?”

“No, we can’t,” Emerson snapped, tired of Jeff constantly being gone and not caring one bit about her life. “I’ve got to finish packing up and get out of here. Just call me when you have more time.”

She hit the red button on the screen before he could say anything else and blinked back the tears in her eyes. The relationship with Jeff had started out really well but lately, that just wasn’t the case.

“You shouldn’t let him talk to you like that, you know.”

Wiping at the few tears that had fallen, Emerson turned to see Frank standing just inside the dressing room door, arms crossed over his chest and a concerned look deepening his frown.

Emerson waved it off. “Jeff’s an investment banker. Amazingly smart man, not always the best at handling his frustrations. We’ve been spending a lot of time apart lately, since I’m working on my career, and he isn’t exactly freelance, but he works for a nationwide service. He travels for business a lot.”

“Distance can be hard, I know. My ex is an actress and we just split up at Thanksgiving.” He dropped his arms. “I don’t mean to be forward or anything, and don’t take this the wrong way, but maybe, if you’re not busy, I can take you out for something to eat. Lift both of our spirits.”

“You really don’t have to do that.”

Frank put his hands in his pockets. “This is just as much for you as it is for me. Really. C’mon -- we had a fun shoot, let’s go let off some steam.”

Though she wasn’t entirely sure it was the best idea, as she had always been adamant she wasn’t going to associate with anyone just to bolster her credibility in the industry and she didn’t want it to appear that way, either, Emerson agreed.

“I am a little hungry, I guess.”

Frank smiled. “Good. C’mon, I’ll take you to one of my favorite places around here.”

Emerson shouldered her bag, feeling a little better already.

Americus was laughing as she and Tyler entered her apartment. “It’s really nothing to be impressed by, I promise.”

“I’m impressed by how clean and tidy it is,” Tyler admitted, looking around in awe.

“Eh, don’t be impressed by that, either. I’m gone so much, the cleaning lady comes every other week to keep up with things. Thirsty?”

Tyler asked for water, and after dropping her bags, Americus went to the kitchen for a bottle of water for each of them. They sat on her couch, and she shook her head.

“I still can’t believe, after all these years, this is how we meet again.”

“Me either,” Tyler agreed. “How long has it been? Ten years? Twelve?”

Americus did the mental math. “Almost fourteen. I came out here just before junior year started, finished high school online.”

Tyler nodded like a sudden realization had hit him. “That’s why I never got to take you to prom.”

Americus rolled her eyes. “You weren’t going to take me to prom! Not so long as Mariann was interested in you.”

“Nah, it still would have been you. Would have been way more fun.”

Americus smiled. “Well, thanks. How’s Columbus? Or do you get back that way very often?”

“As often as I can,” Tyler nodded. “Just spent Thanksgiving back home, actually. Was there for a week or so. I didn’t see your family, but I think my parents do every now and then.”

“Good. I talk to my dad at least once a week, to catch up. My schedule … it’s hectic.”

“Not that I know much about the modeling business, but I know about entertainment. Can’t you turn some jobs down to spend more time at home?”

Americus shrugged and let out a deep breath. “It’s just not that easy, Ty. I wish it was -- every time I come home from some party or appearance, I wish it was much simpler. I miss a quiet life. When I started modeling, I was young. I didn’t know where it would lead, you know. Didn’t know it would take me so far from home, from people I love. I rode the wave because I didn’t know what else I would do, and it was stable. But, it won’t be stable forever. I guess that’s why I stay, so I have my little nest egg when they’re done with me.” Her voice was shaky at the end, so she cleared her throat. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to get that deep. You’ve always been someone I could talk to.”

“Likewise,” Tyler returned, reaching out to squeeze her hand. “Remember when we were kids and we’d go to the field down from my parents’ house and just be there all day? Maybe you need to come home and we need to do that again.”

She took a deep breath and let her head fall to the back of the couch. “That would be amazing. I’ll be home Christmas and Christmas Eve, then I’m off to Europe, actually.”

Tyler nodded. He was disappointed, but he did his best not to let it show. “Then I guess we’ll have to make the best of tonight. You order the pizza, I’m going to grab my stuff from Josh’s. I’ll get some soda while I’m over there.”

“You bring back Coke and I’m not going to be happy.”

“Don’t worry,” Tyler smiled, heading for the door, “I’ll bring back some of that nasty Pepsi you drink. I remember.”

Americus smiled at the doorway, even after the door was closed behind Tyler. She bit her lip and forced the nostalgic butterflies of her childhood crush to calm themselves.