#are they good bisexual options? let me know

[matchapancaekes]

The greatest plot twist in Dragon Age Origins is that Morrigan and Alistair are not the bisexual options.

More at 9.

[zincbot]

i'm really enjoying disco elysium. way more than i thought i would it's just a really good game

[rakurairagnarok]

I dedicate this story to my good friend and writing buddy @idesofrevolution. Merry Christmas buddy and please PLEASE Enjoy. Happy holidays to everyone and Happy TF's.

A Green Christmas

`What!!`

Ryan screamed at the news.

You sighed.

´I have no choice, my family has to move, and I have to go as well, I don´t have any accommodation here.´

Ryan grumbled. `Bro... you can´t leave me man... you´re my best bud.´

You grimaced. Your friend had been acting weird lately. You used to be super close, and you honestly still are, but your interests had began to shift. You used to play games, watch cartoons and study together, but lately Ryan had become absent from you life. He had been ´busy´ with other things but his grades had been plummeting and he had picked up smoking. Ryan had no idea you knew this, but you had seen the pictures from your classmates. His wardrobe had changed too. Before he would wear shirts and khakis, now its oversized shirts and hoodies. He started wearing contacts as well, which, to be honest, was a great look for him, he looked very handsome without glasses. His lingo had switched as well. No more academic jargon. Just simple sentences, which almost always had at least one bro in them.

`Look Ryan, I really am sorry, but I just can´t make this work´

Your family was moving, and while you were a college student, who by all accounts should have received some form of scholarship due to your amazing grades, you never did. The truth however, was that you wanted to move. The alienating feeling you got from your former best friend broke something in you, and you had to put some distance between eachother. You could easily apply for the on-campus dormitories but you just couldn`t bear staying near the now almost stranger.

`Look you´d better go, I want to be home before Christmas and I still have a lot of packing to do.'

Ryan sighed and left. After closing the door behind him, You let out a grunt.

"Why does it have to be this way! What happend to him?"

Reluctantly you began packing. Your father would come and get you and your things on Christmas eve, so you had your work cut out for you. You were currently staying Ryan, but this had always been a temporary solution. Ryan's landlord didn't want two friends staying together only couples or families. Ryan had become quite open to you about his sexuality. He had told you he was bisexual and that he could always tell the landlord the two of you were dating, but you had declined. You had a hard enough time not getting picked on. If word would get out that you two were dating, you would not be able to survive. What Ryan didn't know is that you were in fact also bisexual. You really liked girls but men really were where you got your satisfaction. From porn that is, because you were still a virgin. You grew up in a strict Christian household, with a Father from the south. Your parents would never approve and they were the reason you didn't have to work, so coming out was never an option.

A loud knock shook you from your deep train of thought. You opened the door and Ryan was standing right there, smiling.

"Steven, can we talk bro?"

"Ryan, I told you. I need to pack for..."

"Please, just for a little while."

"...Fine..."

Ryan walked in and sat down on your bed.

"Look man... I've been thinking... I need to be honest with you about something."

You looked at your former best friend with confusion. He had been so dominant and confident these last few weeks, and all of a sudden he looked shy and insecure.

"I... I picked up smoking... and... not just cigarettes. Weed too"

You sighed.

"I know Ryan, I have seen you. Don't worry, it's whatever... Your body, your choice."

Ryan smiled.

"Yeah for reallll broo but, I wanted to ask you a favor."

"What is it?" You asked, slightly impatient.

"Come sit down first" Ryan had this shit eating grin on his face, his perfect white teeth on display. Wait that doesn't sound right. he had braces right?

Because you took so long, Ryan grabbed your arm and pulled you onto the bed, right next to him.

"What the hell man!" You exclaimed.

He quickly wraps an arm around your shoulders, his musky scent drilling into your nose, and holds something up to your face.

"I really, really want to smoke this with you man. Like dying wish and shit."

You look down and see a blunt in between his fingers.

"I don't smoke Ryan, you know this" You point out.

" Just one hit bro, that's all, I won't tell anyone, you don't have to smoke any more, just humor me with this man."

You took a deep breath and wanted to decline, but then something clicked.

"You know what. Sure."

Ryan's grin widened. 'Let's fucking go bro!!!" He quickly grabbed a lighter, and lit the blunt.

He took the first hit, blowing the smoke right into your face, the fumes invading your nose and throat, leaving you gasping for air.

"Sorry there bro, just wanted to give you a little taste."

"I'm only taking one hit bro... fuck" Your eyes widen not only did you just curse, something which you rarely do, you also just used bro in your sentence. Hoping he didn't notice you hold out your hand to take the blunt.

Ryan, who's grinning from ear to ear, hands you the blunt, and you quickly take a hit. You deeply inhale, feeling the smoke fill your lungs and the weed invade your brain. A single hit, and you can almost feel your brain stopping.

"W...whaaat the fuuuuuck" You mumble. Your jaw slacks a bit as the smoke escapes from your lips.

"You gonna take that hit or not bro?" Ryan asked with a sly grin on his face.

"Huh didn't I just?'' You asked confused.

"Bro are you already tripping? I just blew some smoke in your face man, thats all. Now come on bro, you promised."

You took a hit, taking a deep breath, feeling the smoke fill your lungs, and your whole body. Slowly blowing out you feel constricted. You look down to see your buttoned up shirt bulging. You tug on it a bit, and it flies open, revealing a chiseled abdomen and two meaty pecs.

"Brooo wat the fahk' You mumble. "My chest is so big... what the hell"

"Yeah bro I know right. I love that strain. Made me who I am today" Ryan smirks as he takes off his hoodie showing his massive arms and chest.

You look in awe as he stretches a bit, his smooth torso , and bulging muscles on display. He drops his sweats, showing off a massive bulge in his white briefs as he looks at you and smirks.

"Wanna take another hit bro?"

Before he even finished his sentence the blunt was back in your mouth, filling you up with even more smoke. You look down and begin to giggle as you bounce your growing pecs.

"Huhuhu broo they are so bigg... what the shit..." You say as a familiar musk begins radiating from your growing body.

Ryan smiles back.

"Yeah bro you're getting so fuckin huge. You're so hot"

You look at him with a flushed face.

"What... did you say?"

"You're hot. You look amazing."

"Thanks..." You can't help but blush, seeing as he himself is a fucking model.

"You're really hot yourself" You say with a beetred face

Ryan stops smiling and looks at you. He sits down and looks you in the eyes.

"I don't want you to go Stevey. I love you..."

Your eyes widen at the words, and before you know it, his lips get pressed against yours. Before you can react he pushes his tongue into your mouth, and a torrent of smoke follows suit. It's almost as if hes blowing you up, and it feels that way too, Your muscles getting bigger, your mind hazier, and your dick... well...

You manage to push away and look at him.

"Ry... I ... "

"yeah?"

"I think... no ... I know... I love you too man"

Ryan signature shit eating grin flies back onto his face.

"Fuck yeah bro!!"

A sheepish smile creeps onto your face as you grab the blunt from his fingers, taking a massive hit before grabbing his neck and blowing the smoke into his mouth.

"You're so sexy." You say as he blows the smoke back into your face.

"What about you then, such a fucking cute stud you are"

The two of you continue laughing, finishing the blunt before crawling into each others arms.

You text your dad that he doesn't have to come get you anymore, as you will be staying with your boyfriend, and promptly block him afterwards.

You nuzzled up to your boyfriends pit and took a deep breath. It smelled amazing and it bricked you up knowing you smell the same.

This will be a pretty special Christmas.

__________________________________________________________

Happy Holidays Everyone!!!! Feel free to send in some asks or order something at Rakurai Inc.!!!

[cosmerelists]

Cosmere Characters React to Finding Fanfic/Fanart of Themselves: A Collab with Cosmereplay

As requested by anon :)

I asked @cosmereplay to collab with me on this anon's request, and happily, she agreed! Basically, I've written the fanart parts of this, and Cosmereplay has taken care of the fanfic parts since I, ah, don't read fanfic and wouldn't know the really good jokes.

1. Shallan, Adolin, & Kaladin Read Fanfic

Shallan (reading tags): Hmmm...ace Kaladin, aromantic Kaladin, bisexual Kaladin, bottom Kaladin (I'll have to look into that one later...), demisexual Kaladin, demiromantic Kaladin, dom Kaladin... Adolin: What are the relationship tags like? Shallan: Let's see... blushes thoroughly OH LOOK KALADIN/SLEEP! THAT'S SO SWEET! Oooh...Kaladin/Happiness! Kaladin: Everybody's a critic. Adolin: They just want you to be happy, Kal! Kaladin: I-I'm fine most of the time!

2. Elend & Vin Look at Fanart

Elend: Wow! Stunning! Magnificent! Vin (peering over his shoulder): Uh, Elend, I think you're supposed to be looking at art of yourself. Those are all pictures of me. Elend: Can you blame me?? I mean look at you here! Vin: I suppose I look...somewhat cool there. Elend: Ascendent, I'd say!

3. Ellista and Pai Read "Covenant" by liesmyth

Ardent Ellista: Oh you HAVE to read this one, it's the most popular Cosmere fic by kudos! Kaladin Stormblessed and Highprince Adolin are soulmates, it's so sad yet hopeful! Ardent Pai: I bet it doesn't even mention their class differences. Ardent Ellista: No it totally does! And it really gets in the way of them kissing!! Ardent Pai: Well maybe I'll take a look then.

4. The Kholin Family Look at Fanart: Part 1 (Dalinar & Navani)

Jasnah (slamming a large tome onto the table): All right, everyone. I've finished my extensive research into the fanart of our family. Jasnah: Dalinar, according to my findings, people on the internet find you (a) extremely sexy and (b) wish you to be shirtless on the beach. Jasnah: There is also extensive interest in you being strong but vulnerable in the face of Odium, which I believe goes back to point (a), your assumed sexiness. Dalinar: ... Dalinar: I see. Jasnah: Navani, the residents of the internet desperately wish to see you explore women as romantic/sexual options. Navani: ...In general, or specific women? Jasnah: Mostly Ialai and Raboniel, from what I have seen. You can see here, and here. Navani: Sure, makes sense. Dalinar: (Does it??)

5. Sigzil & Lopen Read Fanfic

Sigzil: Bridge Fourgy? Ohhh... oh no... Lopen: Well now you GOTTA read it, gancho! Sigzil: I will burn it is what I will do.

6. Hoid & Design Look at Fanart

Hoid: (huffing and harumphing) Design: Well, I think the art is nice! Hoid: (harumphing and huffing) Design: The colors are spot-on, there's some symmetry... Hoid: (muttering) I've been involved in practically every Cosmere-significant event...I tell stories with colors and magic imagery...I beat up Kelsier that one time... Hoid: But nooooo they only want to draw me in the Mare shirt with mismatching socks and sandals!!! AND TINY RED SHORTS Design: Wow, look at my boobs in this one! They're so round and shiny! Hoid: ...I feel like you are not sympathizing with me here.

7. Rushu & Jasnah read "The Princess and the Captain" by ailvara

Rushu: Your Majesty I looked into the most popular fanfic by hits and discovered it's an ongoing slowburn romance between you and, uh... well... Jasnah: Out with it, Rushu. Rushu: You and Kaladin Stormblessed. Jasnah: Me? And Kaladin?? But he's half my age! And we've done nothing but argue! Rushu (blushing): I think that's part of the appeal, Your Majesty. Jasnah: Give me that. (reading) Well if he said THAT then maybe I wouldn't have... hm... Rushu, cancel my appointments for the next hour, I need to finish this. Rushu: Of course, Your Majesty! (sotto voice) Thank goodness she still doesn't know about the Hoid foot fics...

8. The Kholin Family: Part 2 (Adolin & Renarin)

Jasnah (continuing to leaf through her large book of findings): Adolin, according to my research, the internet thinks that you are a handsome, sweet man who wishes to be with his friends. For example, here. Jasnah: It is mostly you, Shallan, and Kaladin, however you want to read that. Adolin: As...reality? Jasnah: Renarin, if you are not suffering emotionally alongside a stained glass motif, or suffering emotionally as a child alongside Dalinar, then you are with Rlain. Renarin: With him as in...? Jasnah: Yes. Renarin: ... Renarin: I thought we were being fairly subtle! Jasnah: You were not.

9. Moash & Leshwi Read Fanfic

Moash: What are the fics about me like? Leshwi: Well, you either die a violent, horrible death or you make tender love to... Leshwi: ... Leshwi: ...Kaladin Stormblessed? You know him? Moash: Ok so here's the thing

10. Moash & Kaladin Look at Fanart

Moash: Okay...I should definitely get my ears pierced, right? Moash: I mean...look at me. Look at me, Kal! Hot, right? Moash: ...Kal? Kaladin: ... Kaladin: [silently pushing this art toward Moash] Kaladin: There are a lot like this. Moash: What, of you standing? Kaladin: Smiling. Kaladin: People want me to smile, I guess. Moash: ... Moash: Well, I bet you'd smile more if I was always looking hot in earrings, huh? Kaladin: Heh, yeah, probably.

[chaosandmarigolds]

Okay, HEAR ME OUT-

Johnny as the gay best friend. You and Simon have been dating for a bit, everything’s great, he loves you, you’re utterly infatuated, except for one goddamn thing that always manages to piss Simon the fuck off whenever he sees it, and that’s how close you are to his mate, Johnny. I mean, he has nothing to worry about, he met the bastard when he was drunk and hitting on him (he swears he never did that, stop lying Simon), and they’ve been inseparable ever since. But him being friends with you? Oh, that makes his blood *boil*. Going shopping? Let him join you! No, it’s okay, Johnny and the rest of the girls on going on a girl’s trip. Wanna go out clubbing? It’s not safe! But no, Johnny’s gonna be the gay best friend that acts like their boyfriend so they don’t get hit on. Simon knows he shouldn’t complain, he just can’t help it! He is grateful at the end of the day, though, because you’re with someone he knows he can trust you with. (Simon would have his head on a platter is so much as a leaf blew in your direction)

No because I agree but in my personal opinion- yeah no I was about to be like nah Johnny is bi and then I got thinking about it and it’s either he’s either 100% straight or 100% gay and I think it’s the latter- (or he’s a flaming bisexual, who knows)

-

And like yeah, Simon is jealous but that’s just his nature- he’s jealous of your dog if you give it your undivided attention for longer than twenty minutes- all the same, he is not ‘jealous’ of Johnny but he’s jealous ya know?

All the same, Johnny grew up with sisters and most if his friends outside of the military are women- so it’s nice

“Dior lip oil.”

Simon looks up from the catalog he was currently looking for your Christmas present in, his face contorted into confusion. “Eh?”

“I dunnae, a guy I wen’ on a date with las week had it on- tastes good.”

Scribbles down the name, “How’d the date go.”

“Eh, borin.”

—

“Okay, so this is option A,” you hold up the red cocktail dress from where you had laid out the outfits, “And I thought-“

“Yea it goes wit-what’s her faces lil hair clipy she wears.” Johnny replied, having been the judge of the outfits you were choosing for a birthday party that night.

You nod, “Masie. Yeah, but the theme is technically supposed to be maroon and I only have-“ you grab the other knit dress, a start contrast in style, “In maroon.”

Simon, who had been watching from the kitchen island chirps up, “Jus wear the red one, you like that one more.”

With a shocked expression you look to your boyfriend, “No!”

“yea, Si-“ Johnny adds in, leaning back to look at him, “S like wearing your sandals on an op, dress code.”

“Oh.”

—

(Tiny lil dibble dabble because I have too much time on my hands. Thanks for the ask! 🤍🤍)

[kingsdespair-if]

KING'S DESPAIR: THE FOG OF WAR. BOOK 1.

''Welcome, dear slayer.

Or better yet, slayer-to-be.

Sit with me by the fire and help yourself to some ale.

This journey will be long.

And what a journey it will be!

We are about to slay the spawn of a god.''

King's Despair is set in Melethya, a planet similar to Earth.

Our main character is a young adventurer sought after by the renowned sage Egon. Egon presents a mission to slay creatures born from nightmares, the offspring of a bestial god believed to have created the entire universe.

But is this belief true?

Before the creatures can be slain, a sword must be retrieved. Its pieces are scattered throughout the continent of Kellet, where the slayer was born and where our adventure begins.

Kellet is the largest of the five great continents in Melethya. It is also the most hostile, filled with magical creatures who are not keen on sharing their spaces. Now, you must form a party with creatures from different species who despise each other and try to make it work. The greater good calls for heroes, and you are those heroes… sort of.

Choose from 6 unique races, each with their own abilities and appearances.

Fully customize your SLAYER, including their name, height, weight, eyes, body, hair, sexuality, and gender.

Romance, befriend, or become enemies with any of the 6 romance options (plus a secret one).

Select your class, define your personality, and determine the fate of the world. Fight for peace or for destruction.

And who knows, you might even have the opportunity to hatch a dragon egg and have a dragon companion. 👀

This game will primarily focus on character interactions and romance.

Please note that this game contains explicit content and graphic violence, and is only suitable for players aged 18 and above. Reader discretion is advised (This is a very horny and very gory game).

Amisha Kahax, SHE/HER, 29 years old, lesbian, WARG. She has been your best friend since childhood, when your parents found her lost and alone in the forest. Amisha is a formidable warrior who can transform into a powerful white tiger. Despite her fierce appearance, she has a sweet and playful personality, often teasingly flirtatious with the female Slayer. Amisha will always crush on the female Slayer and is dedicated to protecting her friends and loved ones.

Standing at a height of 5'11" (1,82), she possesses a muscular physique and wields a heavy battle axe with great skill.

[Friends to lovers, puppy love, best friends falling in love]

Veleena, SHE/HER, 31 years old, bisexual, HALF ROYAL ELF. Veleena possesses a quiet and lethal demeanor. She is cold and distant, likely due to the mistreatment from her father and the abandonment by her mother since birth. Her father, a human from the human realm, began training her in combat from a young age, as soon as she could hold a dagger in her small hands. Despite her tough exterior, Veleena is fiercely loyal to her cousin, Veldon. However, there are moments when she lets her guard down and reveals her vulnerability, as evidenced by the faint sound of her crying when she believes everyone else is asleep.

Veleena stands at 5'7" (1.70) with a slender body. She has albinism.

[Oblivious to love, Emotional scars, Everyone can see it]

Prince Khalid Razzarq-cassim, HE/HIM, 24 years old, bisexual, HASSAM. Meet Khalid, the youngest member of the royal Hassam lineage. He is fiercely loyal to his people and will go to great lengths to protect them from the mistreatment of other races. Khalid is a strong and passionate individual who isn't afraid to show it. He tends to judge others quickly and is even quicker to dismiss any threats. With a strong sense of pride and stubbornness,

Khalid stands at a height of 5'3"(1,60), taller than most in his race, and despises when anyone suggests otherwise.

[Enemies to lovers, Unattainable love, Lovers in denial, Royal]

Veldon Heredon, HE/HIM, 33 years old bisexual, HUMAN. Veldon is Veleena's older cousin. He hails from the human realm's royalty and takes great pleasure in indulging himself in the city's brothels. He enjoys getting to know the people who work there, as well as engaging in activities like drinking and gambling. However, he puts a pause on his fun-filled schedule when his cousin needs him. At that moment, his playful smile transforms into a serious frown. Veldon has always made it a point to protect his cousin, even from her own father. The scar on Veleena's face haunts his nightmares, as he blames himself for it.

Veldon takes pride in his appearance and engages in regular training for two main reasons: to ensure his cousin's safety and to maintain his attractiveness to potential suitors. He stands at a height of 5'9'' (1,75).

[One-night stand to something more meaningful, Belated love epiphany, Playboy in love]

Kaellë Lorthan, SHE/HER, 27 years old, demisexual. SALT ELF. Kaellë is a timid salt elf who is fearful of her own shadow, but possesses exceptional healing skills. She has never failed to save a patient, even during her years working aboard perilous merchant ships. Accompanying her at all times is her affectionate sea wyvern, Jokhan. Blushing easily and frequently hiding behind her hands, Kaellë exudes a charming presence. However, her thanatophobia raises doubts about her suitability for her current occupation. "Has Egon lost his mind? Oh well, so be it."

She is 5' 1'' (1,55).

[Love at first sight, First love, Can’t say 'I love you', Sweet love]

Mauthak, the cruel, HE/HIM, 35 years old, gay, ORC. Mauthak lives up to his name, being strong, big, and fierce. However, this doesn't mean he indiscriminately kills every creature he encounters. He simply enjoys fighting a little too much for his own good. As the leader of his Orc tribe, Mauthak is responsible for training the young recruits in the army, a role he takes very seriously. He has a love for drinking, fighting, and sex, making him a straightforward individual.

Physically, Mauthak is an imposing figure, standing at a towering height of 6' 5'' (1,98). He possesses the strength of a minotaur. He confidently struts around, his muscular and scarred chest exposed, wearing heavy armor on his shoulders.

[Redemption, Nobody thinks it will work, Forbidden love]

SECRET. Selectable Gender, 28 years old, gay/lesbian/heterosexual, their sexual orientation depends on MC's gender. UNKNOWN race.

They are familiar with you, even if you are unaware of them. They have been discreetly observing you, captivated by you. You are their sole focus.

Unknown height.

They possess immense power. Wait, did you hear that?

[Unrequited love, Dark secret, Secret identity, Secret admirer, If I can’t have you, nobody will]

PLAY THE DEMO

English is not my first language, so please be gentle with me.

//

My side project, Shadow of Styria, can be found HERE.

//

Join the Discord and come chat with me! 🥰 https://discord.gg/NcnHwV65xn

[factcheckingmclennon]

cynthia's take on john & paul: fact or fiction?

"John never looked at anyone the way he looked at Paul."

-cynthia lennon

this quote gets passed around a lot. a Lot a lot. it's in compilations, it's on twitter, it's in youtube comments...

did cynthia really say john never looked at anyone like he looked at paul?

from everything i can find?

this one comes in from an anon! and a few people talking about this quote when i brought up the idea of making this blog/brought up the amount of unsourced things in this fandom

well, anon, i found the origin of the quote- at least this iteration of it. i came to a bit of a dead end that i'm not sure is a dead end, but i'll share what i found!

disclaimer: these all come from tumblr posts around 2014. this is old enough that i'm willing to link & name the users involved but if you know them or are them & would like any urls/names taken down, let me know! for now, it's staying up for the sake of answering the question "where it originated from"

so the original post that this all seems to circulate from comes from a tumblr post on january of 2014 (source)

the rest of the post is mostly speculation from the op about john being bisexual with some other quotes in there (some real, some i'm unsure on as i've never deep dived on them)

a few months later, they were asked about the source of the quote bc people were evidently already coming up blank

buffysommers-blog: That quote you site from Cynthia Lennon, "John never looked at anyone the way he looked at Paul." Where is that quote from? I've seen that quote repeated often but I've never once seen a source for the quote (was it from one of Cyn's books? an interview? with which publication) so I'm not yet convinced she actually said that. theforgottenmadcap: Hi, if I remember rightly I read it on here, I think it may be from an interview with her, as I've got both John and A Twist of Lennon and don't remember it from either of those.

(source)

however, this is where i ran into a road block. given that the op thinks it might be from an interview, i spent a good few hours listening to rare cynthia lennon interviews that haven't been transcribed on double speed. nothing there (although there were some pretty interesting quotes in them- including her calling them twins lol). and this exact wording isn't found in any of her interviews that Have been transcribed, as far as i can tell.

so there's a few options here. 1) this is completely made up & this answer was just a handwavey copout (not the answer i'd like to believe & not one i think is most likely honestly bc generally i don't think people have bad intentions) 2) they did indeed see it somewhere else on tumblr & that blog is the true origin of this quote for whatever reasons. i just can't find anything older or 3) it is in fact from a cynthia interview, just not worded exactly like this since it seems theforgottenmadcap wasn't directly copy-pasting and was just quoting a quote they saw around from memory.

if anyone winds up finding anything older or a cynthia interview with some similar statement, do let me know! or something older with similar wording.

but for now, putting this on the "fake" shelf

[stevesbipanic]

@steddiemas Day 26: Fake Dating

Steve was ready for Hawkins to open up again and for the Upside Down to swallow him whole. Christmas was meant to be fun, well at least it was supposed to be fun now that he spent it with the Buckley's. Right now though he was glaring at his boyfriend and best friend across the table. Or wait not his boyfriend this evening, no tonight, Eddie was Robin's boyfriend.

Steve could only blame himself he supposed, one for loving the two idiots that were currently badly suppressing giggles and two because it was all because of what he'd said last week.

One week earlier...

"Robin, just tell your mom you're a lesbian or I'm not coming to Christmas lunch next week."

"Steve I can't do that do you want to ruin Christmas!?"

"She was already fine with me being bisexual she's not going to send you to hell, that's why we tested her with me in the first place!"

"No, I'm not ready!"

"Well I can't sit through another Christmas of your mom suggesting a Spring wedding!"

"You're my boy space friend can't we just let her live in a fantasy world where she marries into the Harrington's?"

"I don't even want to be one!"

"Could pop down to the courthouse and become a Munson, baby," Eddie supplied watching the back and forth while blatantly stealing from the candy display.

Steve gave him a deadpan look, "You need to propose to me better than that, Eds. No, Robin that's it I'm not going, I'm not being your boyfriend anymore!"

"What am I meant to do then, she'll be asking about you all day!"

"I'll do it!" Eddie exclaimed.

"Do what?" The other two asked giving him a questioning look.

"No, stop I hate when you do that twin thing it's creepy. And I'll be your boyfriend for Christmas, Birdie."

Which brought Steve to now. It had seemed like a brilliant idea, one Steve could enjoy his Christmas lunch peacefully being the golden boy of the table as Mrs Buckley dawned over him and two, no boyfriend questions. There was also the added bonus that lesbianism might seem like a better option than the town's drug dealer in the Buckley's minds. What Steve hadn't counted on, was the Buckley's loving Eddie.

"Oh, you're in a band that's so lovely, you know I played tamborine for a band back when I was your age, we thought we were going to be a big girl group."

"I hear you're working over at Thatcher's son, they're good men there you're certainly going to learn a lot."

Steve had been relegated to peeling the potatoes while Eddie was literally putting his feet up in the living room. He felt like the middle child of a family that just got a newborn baby, how dare Eddie steal his pseudo parents. What was worse was that Robin was finding this hilarious.

"Oh poor Stevie Wevie are you sad mom's not asking about how EMT school is going?"

"Yes! I had such a fun fake heart attack story she was gonna love." Steve pouted and for a moment he thought about stomping his foot in protest.

"Hey, it's ok, next year I promise I'll have told them, and Edward over there can come as your boyfriend, ok?" Robin reassured wrapping an arm around him.

Steve guessed that he could give up being the favourite this time, and it was nice seeing people be kind to Eddie, it hadn't been easy after Spring Break. It didn't stop him shooting daggers whenever Eddie and Robin decided to reassure Steve at lunch that he'd find someone nice eventually.

Steve and Eddie waved goodbye after lunch, promising to visit soon and hopped into the van.

"Have fun?"

"Oh yeah, I think Janice is already planning the Spring wedding."

"Well, I hope you enjoyed getting fawned over because we've got dinner with Wayne now, and guess who's his favourite?"

"Just because you know the difference between the Chiefs and the Packers, I'm his own blood and the minute you're there it's like I'm chopped liver!" Eddie exclaimed as they drove towards the trailer park.

Lunch had been interesting but he was very glad it was over as he laughed and slid his fingers between Eddie's between them, happy that he had his boyfriend back.

Ao3

[kinkleydiaz]

weekly fic rec

since the bucktommy nation was on a ship whatever you want week, i decided to include some other ships this time too lol

and i'll use you as a focal point by @evansboyfriend (E | 2,253 | 1/?)

It’s not until three days later that he realises their friendship is well and truly beyond platonic.

They’re hanging out at Tommy’s apartment again, watching a fight Sal was keen on but Tommy didn’t care about all that much, and Sal catches him looking. Tommy’s on the verge of a panic attack, straightening up where he’s lounging on his couch, when Sal gets up from the armchair and flops down next to him and grabs him with a hand at the back of Tommy’s neck and pulls him into a kiss, and Tommy thinks, yeah − he could get used to this.

Tell Me It's Not Too Good To Be True by @princessfbi (G | 9,690)

Buck had texted Tommy in their group chat that they were going to be late when the negotiations pushed them into their first hour of OT.

Tommy had replied with a quip about the last one home buying dinner.

Eddie had pressed down on the message until a little heart popped up on the side.

Then the hostage-taker had agreed to let first responders in to rescue a wannabe hero who’d been bleeding out on the floor from a gunshot for over three hours.

Buck’s Big Bisexual Birthday Bash by @bucksboobs (E | 18,818 | 9/9)

Buck has a fantasy about being used. For his birthday, Tommy and Eddie help indulge him.

amber glow by @buckttommy (T | 5,844)

Tommy Kinard enters the room with an entourage at his back—men, women, and people of all races and ages clamoring for him to sign this form, or remember this interview—but all that ceases to exist the moment Buck gets a look at his face. All the blood in his veins run cold as memories of a shitty night with too much alcohol and too much honesty clobber him over the head. The memory of that deep voice at his side comes rushing back to him like a tidal wave.

Oh fuck.

Oh fuck.

Tattered jeans. Jacket. Gold chain around his neck, and that goddamn cleft, how could he have forgotten the cleft?

"Eddie," Buck whispers.

He has no idea where Eddie is but he knows he's close enough to hear him because Eddie is always close enough to hear him. Sure enough, Eddie appears behind him.

"What?" he whispers back.

"I think I fucked up."

“What did you do?”

“I think I remember how Tommy Kinard knows me.”

or; Buck is a down-on-his-luck photographer, and Tommy is the industry It-boy that just wants to help him out.

Both Bermuda and Golden (Lost but Doing Just Fine) by @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (E | 62,600 | 9/12)

In which everyone has two hands and two holes and is keeping their options fluid.

(Or: a collection of threesome fics.)

[sevensoulmates]

7x05 Buddie Meta "You Don't Know Me" Part 1 (of 4)

Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Welp. I'm back at it again with the four-part metas. I was hoping this one wouldn't take too long but alas there was even more to unpack in this episode than last episode.

Fair warning my meta does contain speculation, and is very much my opinion/interpretation. I will be diving into my personal opinions about Eddie's sexuality and marriage to Shannon here. My headcanon is that Eddie is a repressed gay man, not bisexual, and I believe that while he did love Shannon, he was not in love with her and their marriage was something they were pressured into and was not healthy for either of them. I do my best to look at these topics in a nuanced light, but if you are sensitive to reading opinions that differ from yours I'm warning you of mine now. Let's begin!

Taylor Wong is nothing if not an amazing comedy writer. This call didn't end up being as psychological as I may have hoped but it still acts as an interesting parallel and metaphor. "I'm the Boss of Me!" is the tagline for a self-control conference and Buck and Eddie being the ones hurt here. How they got hurt is interesting too and reflects their exact conflicts in this episode.

Buck is being choked, stopping his ability to breathe but also his ability to talk. In the context of this episode, his inability to bring himself to tell Eddie the truth weighs on him--chokes him with guilt-- until he finally does come clean near the end, and only then is he able to exhale again. For Eddie, his being grabbed by the crotch is funny, but it's also an indicator of his storyline in this episode too. He deals with sexual dysfunction because learning about Marisol being a nun makes him feel so deeply uncomfortable that the idea of being with her sexually disgusts him and stops him from having a functioning sex life. For both of them, the pain and discomfort still linger even after the claw arm guy lets him go, but my hope is that this is indicative that one day both of them will get clarity and be set free too.

"Keeping our options open" is a call back to the last episode where Buck says he's "keeping his options fluid". Whereas the last episode it seemed to be more about sexuality, options open with men and women, this time it seems to be about something else. Maybe it's an indicator of Buck keeping his options open with different people? Which is interesting considering who pops up a second later.

This is part of why I think it's a good idea they're having Buck get used to queerness with another man other than Eddie. I feel like if Buck had discovered his queerness with Eddie, these kinds of issues might've been blown out of proportion on both of their ends and probably caused much MUCH bigger problems. Allowing Buck the chance to work through this with someone safer was a good bet.

Additionally, I find it interesting here that both Buck and Eddie are dealing with external and internal conflicts that mirror each other in this episode. In this instance, it's the fear of being Perceived. For Eddie, being perceived by God. For Buck, being perceived by Heteronormative Society at large.

This would be an adjustment for anyone, so I don't necessarily think Buck is dealing with internalized homophobia that's too detrimental. I think it's more so he needs an adjustment period and needs to figure out why he's uncomfortable. Is it the idea of being perceived as queer by others? Is it the idea of being perceived as queer by Eddie? Is it the fact that you are on a date with a man? Or is it because you're not sure if you're on a date with the right man? More on this when we get to his scene with Maddie.

Now I had a strong feeling that Tommy was going to be someone who only figured out who he was later in life too. And it seems a lot of that was due to his past, possibly how he grew up, and being in the 118 under Gerard who was every "ist" in the book. It goes to show how far Tommy has come and also proves to be interesting if we keep thinking of Tommy as a parallel to Eddie. I also had a feeling that Tommy was going to lean slightly more toward the gay side (though he's purposefully unlabeled which is fair).

To me, the phrase "lying about who I was" seems to align more with someone who is into men and not into women, but that's just my interpretation. Especially because in the next moment, Buck says that he's not lying about how he is, which is more in line with the bisexual experience.

Because Buck isn't lying. He was always/still currently is attracted to women, and is only just now discovering a new aspect of himself with his attraction to men. Whereas Tommy seems to be implying that when he was with women he was lying to himself about his attraction to them. Sound like anyone else we know?

Additionally, we have another call back to 7x04 (plus a myriad of other episodes) where Buck "makes it about him" when Tommy was really just trying to tell Buck more about himself, not imply that Buck was also lying. I'm going to give Buck some grace here because this is all new for him, so I understand his hyper-sensitivity. But it is once again showing another instance of Buck failing to really connect with Tommy about something related just to Tommy. Last episode, every conversation they had always found its way back to Eddie or was about Buck's feelings regarding what was happening. This time, when Tommy tries to be vulnerable and connect with Buck, Buck makes it about him and it feels like a misconnection (like how I predicted with the missed hand grab in 7x03 with Tommy and Buck trying to connect, but something always not quite hitting the intended target).

If down the road we see Tommy's (abridged) story about "lying to himself" come to fruition in a similar light with Eddie's storyline I'm going to be delighted. Here Buck is out on a date with a man who the last episode spent the entire time telling us was extremely similar to Eddie, only to have Tommy align perfectly with a lot of our headcanons about Eddie's sexuality too. I think this is something to stick a pin in to come back to later for sure.

Oh, Buck. OH, baby bi Buck. My heart aches for you and my body cringes. He's obviously on edge, but Eddie showing up just makes it worse. Buck immediately tries to no homo not just himself, but Tommy as well, stating that they're going to go find some "hot chicks" to pick up. Eddie makes a face, obviously picking up on the weirdness of Buck's statement (because "picking up chicks" is wildly out of character for current Buck and has been for years) but he's too distracted with Marisol to dig any deeper into it. He believes it very easily instead of stopping to question why else these two men might be on what looks like an intimate date. Tommy looks hurt, and I feel bad for him, but this was obviously his breaking point, and I can understand why.

I want to briefly touch on Eddie and the way he was speaking about Marisol throughout the entire episode separately from the whole nun thing. I found this piece of dialogue so odd here, because in general this isn't really how Eddie talks, it doesn't feel natural for him, but at the same time, it also harkens back to some of his horrendous dialogue with Ana back in season 5. "This hot chick already found her firefighter" "Spank me with a ruler" "kinda naughty" "Grade me on a curve" "Maybe you need to keep me after class", etc.

I've always wondered why Eddie starts talking like this about or with his girlfriends. I was discussing it with my roommate and she said to her it sounded like an "8th grade boy sitting with his guy friends trying to talk up how he banged some chick when really it's just a ploy to make himself look good to the boys and like he's more sexually active than he actually is for social clout". And you know what? I think that's exactly what it is. Eddie speaking like this feels like overcompensation on so many levels (not to mention Marisol looks lowkey uncomfortable here, that smile is fake af). Trying to make himself seem way more into sex or kinky things (like roleplaying with a teacher or nun) than he actually is. The dialogue is cringey and Ryan overacts it because the audience isn't supposed to feel comfortable with it. It's not supposed to feel natural. It's not supposed to endear us to the couple, it's meant to feel out of place and wrong because Eddie being with Ana and Marisol was and is out of place and wrong. It feels like a performance to us because IT IS A PERFORMANCE.

This is only enhanced by the new jarring information that Eddie has apparently asked Marisol to move in with him (offscreen). Keep in mind that they've been together for (I'm assuming) less than six months, he obviously didn't discuss it with anyone since both Tommy, Buck, and Bobby later are surprised. Christopher is also noticeably absent from this episode which leads me to believe he likely didn't really discuss it with him beforehand. This choice feels simultaneously like an OOC choice AND so very in character.

It's OOC because Eddie has stated that he doesn't like performing, he doesn't want a "ready-made family" and one would think that he would sit and contemplate this seriously given that if something goes wrong, he's providing another example of a failed relationship to his son. Not to mention that living with your parent's girlfriend is a huge thing. I've been through that process before in my own life with my mom and it's really only something you do if you're really committing to a person for the long haul because that's the message that sends to your kids.

But at the same time, this is also so severely in character for Eddie. As is pointed out later, he got married to Shannon because he was guilted into it, he dated Ana because he was pressured into it, and then overcommitted to her far too fast. And now he's doing the same thing with Marisol. This is very much a PATTERN for Eddie. Maybe, as this episode suggests, it's a facet of Catholic guilt that pushes Eddie to move way too fast in his relationships. Or maybe, Eddie finds the idea of being settled with a woman comforting, and he'd be okay sacrificing his happiness and settling with any woman as long as he got to have that comforting facade. All of this points to very obvious compulsory heterosexuality for me. More on this later.

I'm going to talk more about the way the show is choosing to use physical objects, Marisol's things, as a metaphor for who Marisol is, and Eddie's willingness to receive/learn about them as a literary device later. For now, I wanna talk about the exchange of Eddie being the one to bring up "closet space", Tommy being the one to say "Aint't that the truth" and point it towards Buck, who hammers it home with his "bro" line. I find it interesting that they had Eddie say this line, when it very easily could've been Marisol (after all it is her armoire) with Tommy in the middle. Tommy (IMO) is in the center of these two men's queer realization arc. The more subtle one in the earliest stages (Eddie) and the more present one (Buck). The way all of them volleyed this dialogue felt like I was watching a choreographed play, and the lines landed perfectly.

This is also the third line in five episodes specifically poking at Eddie possibly being queer alongside Tommy and Buck. "I've never seen a man turn off a woman with such skill. it's a gift" "you both like to watch half-naked men pummel each other" and now this. "You can never have enough closet space" suggesting that not only was there Tommy in the closet in the past, Buck in the closet recently (and somewhat presently given that Buck just shoved himself and Tommy back into it), and Eddie right now still deep in that closet. Hopefully, there's enough space for all y'all!

I very much liked how this went down. Tommy has a right to break things off if the person he's with clearly exhibits weirdness around being out with you. I don't blame him for his choice here. I like that he's also not making it about the fact that's he inexperienced. Additionally, I think this is another instance of Tommy witnessing something weird between Buck and Eddie, and I'm not sure how much of that he's picking up on, or if he thinks it's generally about being perceived as queer, or just needing to slow things down and process before he actually starts a relationship with a man. All are valid, but I think it's just interesting that a lot of it had to do with Eddie yet again, and I wonder how much of that Tommy is aware of.

From the start of this conversation with Maddie, Buck makes it seem like the thing that's making him uncomfortable most is the fact that he lied to Eddie about the truth of his date with Tommy. Obviously, he's not going to immediately jump into telling Maddie the truth, and he's gotta start the conversation somewhere, but I do find it interesting that rather than seeking her advice on "how to get his date back" he instead is seeking advice on why he lied to Eddie and can't bring himself to tell him the truth.

This could be deflecting because he's not yet ready to tell Maddie. Or it could be the truth that all of this angst may stem from him still trying to get comfortable in his queerness. But the main issue that isn't sitting right with his soul is that he lied to Eddie, that he's hiding a fundamental piece of the truth of who he is from Eddie. Because to Buck it is unthinkable that Eddie doesn't always know the whole truth, all of who Buck is, at all times. At this point in their relationship, they're supposed to know everything about each other, and yet something about sharing this part of himself with Eddie in particular scares him. Could it possibly be that he's aware that sometimes "straight" men get weird around their queer male friends? Could it be that he thinks his relationship with Eddie would be negatively effected if he told Eddie this truth? I will touch more on this later. But for now, Buck makes it clear that his interest isn't wholly in getting Tommy back right now. It's making sure that all is right in his relationship with Eddie.

Once again, this choice by the writers to center Eddie in every step of the way of Buck's queer realization journey is telling. Especially given that he's able to tell Maddie without ~too~ much struggle.

I understand where Buck is coming from. It's again distancing himself from Tommy, trying to get her advice about Eddie. But also, it's an attempt by him to normalize him going on a date with a man, which should be normal, but it's not in Buck's personal historical normal.

Buck wants to believe that because he was an "ally" that that means he'd just be automatically okay with dating a man right away. But I think he's trying to push himself at a speed faster than he's comfortable with (which he again does at the end by inviting Tommy to Madney's wedding) and needs to realize that he can slow down, which is a parallel with Eddie the whole episode. Which is why I think Tommy was right to step back and give him some time. The other part that is interesting is that Buck once again appears confused about the truth of his feelings, similar to the last episode and I just find it interesting in this scene where Buck and Maddie are once again talking about Eddie at her house, it's once again ambiguous if the subject Buck's really hung up on is Tommy....or Eddie. Both are true at the same time.

Go to part 2!

Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

[romanarose]

The Bikeriders as a metaphor for bisexuality

Now I ain't saying this was intentional because I'm pretty sure it's not but this is how I read the struggle between Johnny and Kathy for Benny just feels like Benny's internal struggle between homosexuality and heteosexuality, how neither of it fits him so he was always walking that line.

For the record Im speaking in terms of binary gender because this is just a simple movie theory. I am well aware of other genders but this is just how I see it.

Spoilers below

Kathy tried to get him to leave, he wouln't do it. It's like he wouldn't let go of that same/sex attraction, the queerness, the subversive side of him.

Johnny never tried to get him to leave Kathy for him, but his pull comes in the two times he tried to get Benny to take over the club. Benny refused, because that full commitment to the club, the lifestyle, would be rejecting the other side of him.

He didn't want to choose. he wanted to just be himself. I think his happiness came in accepting that.

Benny didnt give up riding because Kathy made him. He gave it up because Johnny was dead and that broke him. He was ready to settle down. Benny didn't choose "being straight", I think in his crying, his finally crying he and Kathy new what Johnny was to him and I think Benny accepted who he was. Then he was happy with Kathy, because he did love her. I think she was wrong that he didn't miss it. I think he did. But I think he misses it in a sense that we as people will always long for the past.

Another way I see it is that yes, he's happy. Yes he has a good life. But Maybe he was always going to end up with Kathy as the "settling down". Johnny didn't equal settling down. I think a lot of times, especially back then, homosexuality was viewed as a phase, like the trope of college girls going through a "gay phase" or concepts of homoerotic military men secluded from women. That its something you do for a while then you "grow out of it." But thats not how it really works. I stand by that Benny loves Kathy and is happy at the end.

He smiles, which is rare for his character. He's smiling when Kathy isn't looking, so he's not performing for anyone.

But I think when you look at it in the context of the time, she was the option if he wanted to settle down. That, as bisexual people, maybe you have some crazy times in college but then you find someone in a heterosexual relationship and settle and try to put that behind you. It doesn't mean he's not happy, as bisexual people in straightpassing relationships are happy. It just means, when the motercycle sounds echo for him, he still thinks about the past. the what if.

And thats just a human thing to do.

I saw The Bikeriders on Saturday and then twice, yes twice today (sunday). I was bawling at the end the last two times when the bisexual metaphore theory came to me. I read Benny as bi right away.

Johnny is said to have gotten his inspiration from Marlon Brando. Bando has talked about being bisexual. Another famous name and face of Brando's era was James Dean. Although Dean was more a car guy in the end, he was deffinetly into motercycles. Dean's sexuality is speculated but many close friends say he was bisexual.

I think it would be almost impossible not to have homoerotic subtext with this sort of thing if the movie was true to inspirations of the era. I don't know how you can watch it and think benny and Johnny dont want each other.

Personally, I don't think Johnny was bi, I think he was gay. I think because of how little emphasis on his wife there was, how she never quite seemed to get him, not in the way Benny got him, I think he was gay. I think he married and had kids because thats what you did.

Anyway all this to say I fucking love this movie. At first watch I wasn't a fan of Austin butlers performance but now I get it. Wow. I get it

I know its not anyone intention making the movie for it to be a metaphore for bisexuality but I can just see it see clearly.

This came out during pride month for a reason

[punkeropercyjackson]

I'm very protective over Hobie,Gwen and Margo because y'all really showing ya asses the most when it comes to them and as an afropunk who's audhd and mentally ill due to brutal ass childhood trauma and an eldest child,i clock what y'all doin' without even trying.Hobie spent all his screentime being the personification of our heritage i.e AFROpunks,not universal punks and especially not universal alt for the 'Hobie is goth' headasses(yes,this genuinely happens)and a black gentleman who gives Mama's Boy but y'all deliberately twist his words,behavior,relathionships and even his design to cater to normies and no,i ain't talking about whitewashing,i mean the sexualization-Where the fuck is his Spidersuit top under his tee in a lot of fanarts i've seen???????And the weird ass trend of feminizing him for sexualization when he's accurate black femme rep and kink based designs have no place on a goddamn underaged children's character(He's seventeen,they've called him a teenager in all official sources and 'he's 19/20' was talking about his concept art based on the og idea of a timeskip inbetween Itsv and Atsv and you can look up Gwen's own concept art if you don't believe me)

Gwen gets victim blamed for her cop dad who pointed a gun at her,A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD TRANS GIRL,gaslighting her into moving back in with him when they already had a turbulant relathionship thanks to him as implied in the movie itself and the script and realistically there's no such thing as a cop being a good parent and y'all 'she's just like her dad' weirdos should get decked for that,ESPECIALLY the grown ones who should know how to act by now.'She should've done more to help Miles' as if the whole tragedy isn't that she couldn't because all the adults around her took away everything that would let her-It's not her fault either y'all don't got media comprehension or any problem with jokes about Peter B sexually harrasing Miguel as shipping or Miguel being antiblack to Miles and Hobie but Gwen putting her shoes on Miles' bed,opening his collectable by accident,going through his sketchbook and calling his parents by their first names is toooooo far,she's so racist omg!!!Don't play with me,she wouldn't do or say even 1% of the shit y'all do Miguel,Hobie and Miles G and she was a girls girl in the comics y'all don't read for Miles,Hobie,Margo OR Jessica either so that Margo moment was a retcon and she wasn't even mean to Margo herself

And Margo.God she's had it the worst because misogynoir is omnipresent no matter what.At least Hobie and Gwen have plenty of positive content and shipping,Margo gets a cameo if she's lucky.She might've not been an mc but she will be in Beyond as confirmed by the crew and y'all give her NOTHING.You including fucking Pavitr as Miles' love interest over her because godforbid a bisexual black boy like black girls instead of just black guys and white girls,right?That's not diverse at all!!Shut the fuck UP,Pavitr and Miles have zero chemistry compared to Miles and his black love interests!And Margo is as interesting as Gwen and Hobie already and certainly deeper of a character The Spot's discord mod lookin' and actin' ass and you're threatend by that so you have everybody hate her because black girls can't be cool,smart,pretty,funny,flawed and everything else except the sister figure or the token or the 'wrong choice' or just not exist!The way she's obviously close to Hobie because they're both black and a major theme of Spiderverse is black solidarity and is obviously only not best friends with Gwen too because the writers couldn't dare risk letting teenage girls know they have options outside of fighting over guys even if one of you is literally transfem and one of you is literally black,NTM her not even giving her a Spidey intro is demonic on so many levels.Miles is a real Spiderman but i guess Margo isn't so that's why she dosen't deserve Miles or Miles G because obviously Miles G likes Gwencel Stacy-I MEAN GWEN 42,right???????I mean why would Gwen Stacy be black,she isn't in every other universe and Ghostspider shouldn't be either because it's not like it would fix the one problem with her and Hobie as a ship in the movie and having a black girl mc in Miles Morales stories wasn't the comics either,totes!!!

Y'all thinkin' you cute with all this shit.Nah,that ain't sliding by me,mainly because it's been a year and you still at it.Sick of y'all and you need to keep my kids' names out of your mouth 'cause the bullshit is drooling through.Invest in soap instead of official Spiderverse merch Hobie wouldn't even want you buying

[xstevex-world]

(Part 1 of the pop star Chrissy AU)

“So what you’re saying is that you are 100% positive that I’ve spent my day with, not only an actual, real life international pop sensation; but the same Chrissy Cunningham that you have been fangirling over since senior year of high school?”

Robin hears Steve groan on the other end of the line. She can't blame him though, she’s made him explain her exact situation to her 3 times over.

“Yes Robin, that’s definitely her,” he sighs.

Robin falls back down on her bed, she can’t believe this. If she had been honest with herself, that entire day felt like a fever dream, a fantasy she had conjued up from weeks of sheer boredom. It was hard to ignore, the feeling that her day shared with her was a one time thing, especially after Chrissy apologetically declined to meet up with her the next day, saying she had to do work stuff.

Thinking about it, in retrospect, the signs were there. She had absolutely talked about how she worked in music and had been travelling a lot with it recently - yeah, Robin thought she was probably in a small band or was a session musician by the way she talked so casually about it.

But this? Shit, this whole situation she's found herself in? it’s like something out of those stupid romance novels her mom and Steve like talk about.

She always had it in her head that pop stars were meant to be over the top and flashy, but Chris just seamed so…sweet. She was listened to robin ramble on and on about everything and nothing, laughed loudly at her terrible jokes before giving her perspective or talking all about her own experiences

And when she smiled? She radiated happiness and joy as if she was the personification of the sun. There would be an etching of that smile in her brain for the rest of Robin's life.

“Robin!”’ His voices takes her out of her trace, grounding her in reality. “Are you still there?”

“Yeah,” is all she mandages to say.

“So you have two options,” Steve explains, and gods, she wishes he was here so she could at least see his eyes roll at her obvious awkwardness.

“The first is you just ignore that this whole meeting ever happened,” which, yeah is she absolutely not doing. Even if she never got to meet Chrissy again, at least she would still have the memory of meetng that deity of a human being.

“Or?” She asks, hoping that even 3637 miles away, Steve would be able to bring her down from her wild panic.

“Or; you listen to me and go see her.”

Steve has always been rather blunt, it’s what Robin likes so much about him. He tells her exactly what he means, no in between meaning to his statements.

“She’s playing a concert tomorrow night in the city, it’s probably why she said she couldn’t hang out tomorrow, she has sound checks and rehearsals and stuff," he explained, as if he knew her entire schedule (what was she kidding, he probably did.) "I'm going to get you a ticket, so you go to see her tomorrow night, enjoy the show, take a photo and dm her telling her how good her performance was, ok?”

He makes it sound so simple.

“But what if I go and do all this and it turns out that-“

“She’s straight? Robs, she’s very open about being bisexual-“

“No, dingus!” She yells into the receiver, running her hand through her hair. “What if I read the entire thing wrong and she was just being nice? I’m famously not good at reading the room and, for all I know, she could have thought this was just all a friendly thing that we have going? Like, listen to me Steve, I’m me, and if she’s the same pop sensation that you’ve talked drones about for as long as I’ve known you then what could she gain with a romantic endeavour with me? She could have anyone and not the person who she met yesterday who’s…”

“Who’s what, robs?”

She can’t answer that, knows if she says what she wants to that Steve will deny it, but she knows who she is - she’s annoying, too much all the time and knows that logically she wouldn’t be anyone’s first choice in friend, let alone girlfriend.

Sometimes she thinks it’s a miracle that Steve has been her friend for as long as he has.

“I know what you’re thinking,” he interrupts her inner monologue, voice softer than she’s used to with him. “But you have to stop thinking that you’re not good enough. The only person who’s allowed to talk shit about my best friend is me…and probably Erica, but I think she thinks you’re too cool to actually insult you much.”

Robins audibly snorts, falling back onto her bed.

As hard as it was being away from her family and the rest of their little friend groupd, the thing she misses the most is Steve. She was so used to having her platonic soulmate with her at all times, ready to latch onto for whatever the reason may be.

And right now? She could really use a hug, pecifically one from Steve "The Hair" Harrington.

“Robs, just trust me, she wouldn’t have spend they day following you around Paris is she wasn’t completely gone for you - she would have been at Disneyland with Corroded Coffin getting pictures with Darth Vader and shouting about how it's a capitalist utopia while eating the churros…" he pauses momentarily, and robin knows exactly what he's going to ask next. "...actually, speaking of, did she-?"

“Talk about Eddie Munson? Well, considering that I didn’t know that it was the same Eddie that you’ve had a raging boner over for the past year despite the fact-"

“Robin!”

“It’s true!” She yells, face now beaming from her laughter. “I’ll make you a deal, Stevie, if you plan works then I’ll put in a good word with Chrissy for you, she’s bound to know what gonna bring you into Munson’s raider-"

“Robin, stop!”

"-because I have some stories, Steve, and you’re lucky I was listening because if I didn’t like Chrissy so much I know wouldn’t remember, which would suck for you because i now know a few rather scandalous stories about the guy-"

“ROBIN!” Steve shouts through the receiver, making robin jump. “Focus!”

She shuts up, smiling to herself.

“I wish you were here, dingus,” she admits, rolling onto her stomach. “At least you’d be able to help me out, maybe, if this works, make sure I don’t pass out in front of her.”

“Of course it’s going to work” he states with every syllable oozing that signature Harrington’s smugness. “But only if you wear those plaid pants you have, the ones that hug your thighs in all the right places-“

“Gross, dingus!”

But sure enough, she listens, but if Steve’s right about one thing it’s how to leave a lasting impression, especially in the “you look good” department.

So, the following evening, she dons blue, plaid pants with a plain black tank, slicks back her hair using whatever hair products Steve left during his last visit and makes up her face: brushing electric blue pigments onto her eyelids before smudging kohl against her waterline.

It takes her serval pep talks in the mirror to finally convince herself to actually leave the apartment, but she did it, managed to walk to the venue and wait, nursing her beer whilst leaning against the against the back wall.

Robin kind of regrets not tagging along to all the Chrissy Cunningham concerts that Steve invited her too in the past, maybe then she would know what to expect.

(Or, maybe then, she wouldn’t be in this exact situation, but who was she kidding, of course she would be, nothing straight forward ever happens to her).

The entire thing is overwhelming, the venue has been crowded since before she arrived, (since it was well after the opening act ended) which really isn’t her scene. She’s already nervous and her hands won't stop shaking and she's about to call it quits, text Steve that she'll pay him back for the tickets in actual money rather than their original plan and walk out the doors of the theater where she can crawl back into bed and scream into her pillow-

The lights dim, and everyone around starts screaming as the first notes of the synth play, Chrissy's voice carrying through the room.

Robin can't help but stare, she's so beautiful, stunningly gorgeous with the voice of an angel, she doesn't even notice the rest of the band join her one by one or the two dancers who have a hand on Chrissy's shoulder. She doesn't even realise the opening number has finished, can't pay attention to anything other than the cascading curls of chrissys hair, the way her body moves in one with the music, the same smile that struck her heart in the first place- the smile that shines brighter than any spotlight ever could.

She doesn't register much, barely hears anything other than Chrissy sing about new moons, staying when she shouldn't or sending her love to Wayne; songs she know she's probably heard before, probably from (just being in close proximity to steve Harrington), but none of that matters, shes memorised by her.

And when the final act is coming to a close, she almost misses it, but she can feel eyes on her even this far to the back of the crowd.

Robin only meets Eddie Munson’s eyes for a second, impossibly wide eyes staring her down in disbelief before seeing his cue to exit the stage. She almost drops her half-drank pint, a string of curses running through her head - but the whole interaction has her frozen. 

Her brain tells her to "RUN! GET OUT!" before it escalates any further, the churn of pure anxiety in her stomach reminding her that this was a stupid plan, she shouldn't have come. She cant do this, won't do this-

She leaves before lights go black.

⭐💘🎫🎤🎫💘⭐

So thank you all so much for the support on the first post, I was not expecting it to get traction buy you all loved it??? My heart is swelling omfg. Thank you for being patient with me with this part (I'm dyslexic and work full time, on top of just being very slow at producing, well, anything lol).

I'm hoping to have either 5 or 6 parts altogether if you guys keep enjoying it ((sorry not sorry to make you steddie fans sit through the Buckingham part first, Robin needs to get her girl!!!))

Shout out to my gf (who's not an st fan) for beta reading this with comments like "is Robin a useless lesbian?" Or "do they really say dingus in the show?" Or "wow, she really needs some loops!"

As a bonus treat, the concert playlist can be found here! Included are songs that represent or resemble the tracks on the set list of the gig that Robin goes too see (including the CCxCC material that would be played as the encore in the final three songs)

Taglist (if you wish to be added, I just ask you be polite about it x): @maya-custodios-dionach @papermachedragons @mildgendercrisis @vampiregirl1797 @lizard-dyk3 @hellomynameismoo @beckkthewreck @eboyawstenn @justmiiriam @gregre369 @korixae @victor-thee-corvid @yes-im-your-mom @bisexualdisastersworld @questionablequeeries

[daipeanutsaiban]

Hello! Um I know it's been a few months since you said people could ask you more questions on your tgaa thoughts, but I was hoping to ask about your baskerzieks and genshinxwife ones. Like how they met, or what their last in person convos went like before each couple separated/died, etc, bc I really adore your Lady B & Mrs. Asougi designs! They deserved first names 😭

Also I'd love to hear your genklint/ville thoughts too if you care to share those!

ALSO I wanted to say you're 100% correct that if Kazuma & Klint ever actually met good ending au Kazuma would think he's the most annoying person alive. It's funny if genklint is platonic or romantic too, it's like Herlock Sholmes is right there and instead Kazuma thinks his dad's bf (best friend OR boyfriend lol) is significantly worse. Something something hating your parallel

Anyway no pressure, and sorry if you aren't looking to answer more questions at this time!

HI i love to yap and to yap about dgs especially so you're good haha <3 i'm the kind of person who needs to be asked tbh bc i tend to be self conscious/doubt myself so questions are always super appreciated 🥹💗 this post got LONG so i'm going to put it under a break to spare anyone who's just here for art or trying to look at memes during their lunch break

TL;DR: klint and primrose were engaged as kids but it was broken off upon his parents' death, it was renewed when he earned prestige as a prosecutor; their last conversation was when primrose forced him to confess his crimes to her but she'd started having doubts months ago; in my favorite hc, gkv never pursued one another beyond dropping hints here and there but because i am bisexual i also want them to have fun; genshin and yukari met by chance as teens and genshin had to convince his father to let them marry each other after finding out she was pregnant; he could never say his last words to her because writing about the professor's identity could've endangered her and kazuma.

first of all thank you so much, it makes me so happy when people enjoy my designs and characterizations for lady baskerville and mrs asougi!! for clarity, i'll be calling them by the names i gave them in this post, primrose and yukari respectively.

klint and primrose's engagement was decided by their parents and they met as children- i think they were probably feeling awkward around each other for a while since children don't really care about such things (right..?) and primrose actually chose to spend her time reading when her father would take her to visit, and she might've even been more interested in talking/playing with barok because there wouldn't be the daunting idea of an engagement looming on the horizon lol. eventually, she and klint do grow closer and come to consider each other friends thanks to him putting in a lot of effort to make her feel welcome and also have more fun (she finds him boring- i characterize klint as having been a very serious and dutiful child, though he does play with and dote on his brother).

when the van zieks parents die in my hc, losing their life in a fire specifically, primrose's father chooses to cancel their engagement because he doubts klint can suitably provide for his daughter- a cruel but logical decision as klint is just fourteen years old with no backing or achievements. as an aside, the fire is declared to be an unfortunate accident but klint silently believes it was premeditated- this incident contributes to him considering prosecution as a career. out of care for his brother, he never brings up this idea to barok.

still, primrose is a very clever child who's acutely aware that her father's doting is a form of control (such as making her wear beautiful, white clothes to easily find out if she's been sneaking out, which i think i talked about before), and she insists on meeting klint either at his estate or in the city while they both (and occasionally barok) wear disguises/common clothes. the latter option allows them to meet people outside of their social caste, and to develop a sympathy for them from an early age which also contributes to klint's growing bitterness towards other nobles. throughout his struggle to be taken seriously by these men in spite of his age, primrose continuously encourages him and even spies on her father's meetings with other gentlemen to then report to him, and this continues in their adult life with her reporting rumors and "gossip" from other ladies about their own husbands (with perhaps dire consequences in the long run, haha...)

primrose has ambitions of her own, though, many of which are philanthropic in nature and stem from guilt at being born in a wealthy household to a father who does not care about people other than his own. they are difficult to achieve as an unmarried woman (or even as a woman in general), as her father would never greenlight her ideas, and as such she becomes enraged with klint when he allows the engagement to be dispelled due to believing she would ultimately "be happier with someone else" when it would effectively condemn any ounce of freedom she could have. from primrose's perspective, klint is the only candidate for marriage because he actually respects her and understands her as a person.

their engagement was eventually reinstated following klint's multiple achievements, chiefly when he made a name for himself as an extremely prolific prosecutor and primrose's father couldn't really object to it (ha) anymore. when i researched, i learned that men in the victorian era would commonly get married in their thirties once their careers were established, and i especially like that for this couple because it means that genshin could've attended their wedding. (it's also amusing to picture klint pitching him as the best man while primrose is firmly in barok's camp and they have a silly spat about that, haha. but ngl i prefer genshin as their best man because it was tradition that the best man would drive the married couple to their month long honeymoon directly after the ceremony so. he could stay behind a little while if you catch my meaning. teehee)

on the topic of genklintville, my ultimate preference/personal "canon" is that they never outright acted upon their romantic or sexual interests in one another although the tension was clearly there. but like any bisexual on the internet, i like to indulge a little bit, as shown in my previous paragraph hehe. i like to imagine a kind of kinship between genshin and primrose as they are interested in similar literature and share a similar sense of humor as well (chiefly teasing klint- in a deadpan manner for genshin). klint and primrose tend to dote on genshin in a way they think is discreet, because they can sense his loneliness at being apart from his family even though he generally doesn't voice it, but as we all know genshin isn't a fool and it leaves him quite flustered haha. genshin also relates to klint in the way that they are both heirs to something "greater than them" (the asogi clan/the van zieks heritage) and sometimes yearn to break away from it which might contribute to why genshin left for london if the first place. i'd like to add that if i draw genklint without primrose present, it's taking place with her knowledge and consent, though them being pushed to cheating due to increasing stress or suchlike circumstances is an interesting angle- it's just not something i see myself making at present. though now saying that has made me think about the ways it could be fun to explore the way klint's lying and gaslighting keeps piling up, so what's one more lie? so i'd be interested in reading a story that would attest to his guilt from committing the act and his gaslighting towards not only his wife but also to himself, hmm. the best way that i can put it is that if i'm to explore gk without the v, she must be a relevant character because i'm not about to discard a canon female love interest to focus solely on the yaoi lmao.

now for genshin and yukari, or genyu for short as i like to call it in my head (lol)... there's a lot to cover here too 😵‍�� some of this, particularly the stuff concerning ayame, is still undecided on but i thought the more context the better!

to understand their dynamic, it feels important to state/repeat my headcanons about the asogi clan aka genshin's immediate family beyond her and kazuma, which were mentioned here. but to summarize, they are very patriarchal, strict, and the type to suppress their emotions. genshin is his father's illegitimate child, and his real mother is... hm, well, she won't ever appear in my art because it's suitable for her character, but she's a high ranking courtesan, aka "oiran", and therefore pregnancy/being a mother could bring shame to her and likely ruin her livelihood, because they are meant to project the image of being unattainable both in appearance.. and price. her disappearing for some months to a year wouldn't be all that suspicious as few men can even afford to meet her.

because the oiran brings the House where she works good money, they help her cover up her pregnancy and her son's existence by sending him to live with his father as soon as possible. once, genshin tries to visit his mother, but he is turned away. in short, his first experience was to be abandoned by someone who was supposed to love him. i think this backstory also serves to give reason to his name (written with the kanji 'shadow' and 'truth') because he is a truth meant to be hidden by the government. if you think about his father giving him that name, it becomes quite sad and implies shame for bringing his son into the world. i think it would also justify the personality i like for him, which is more reserved and serious than how i portray the rest of the visiting trio (with a boisterous but ambitious seishiro and a downtrodden but shy and earnest yuujin), and with a greater disposition for being suspicious... which is naturally a good thing for a detective.

genshin's father's wife lost her life to an illness some years prior to genshin integrating into the asogi clan, which is why he sought comfort from the oiran. to avoid unsavory rumors and to preserve both women's reputation, syoma (genshin's father) forbids his son from venturing outside of the house - paralleling primrose's childhood, which they could bond over later in life - until he turns a certain age. he's the dark sheep of the clan, to make it short. it's by sneaking out as a child that he meets seishiro, and then yukari who is accompanying ayame.

as an aside, i want to add that while syoma holds misogynistic beliefs, he still feels a sense of responsibility so he does eventually pay off the oiran's debt in the end- not that she's particularly grateful since he led her on and made her promise not to abort his child without ever planning to marry her. not a great guy, but def a fun character to write. those are things genshin deduces in his teenage years, and he swears to never become like his father.

as for yukari, her family history is also nebulous, and i don't know if i even want to establish her circumstances before meeting ayame and genshin because i like the meta irony of those details remaining unknown to us just as they were unknown to those around her outside of how she is tied to other people. ayame's friend, genshin's wife, kazuma's mother- never her own person. she reaches a breaking point during genshin's absence, but i won't go into detail about that for now because it's part of a long project of mine. what i can say about her is that she does housework for ayame's family in exchange for room and board, but she's not categorized as a servant because ayame cherishes her, a privilege that makes her feel awkward at times.

genshin fell for her due to her frank and joyful approach to life which was so different from the outlook he was raised on, and she piqued his curiosity with her unusual and often "silly", but free, behavior. he has the utmost respect for her, which is why as much as i like gkv and think it could work in a modern au with yukari's inclusion/approval + rapid methods of communication, i think realistically genshin wouldn't have the heart to start anything with someone else when she is waiting for his every letter so far away. he wouldn't be able to read the expression on her face, and she could easily lie about being okay with it.

in this wikipedia article about marriage in japan in the edo period (1600-1868), it reads: "Members of the household were expected to subordinate all their own interests to that of the [household], with respect for an ideal of filial piety and social hierarchy. [...] Marriages were duly arranged by the head of the household, who represented it publicly and was legally responsible for its members, and any preference by either principal in a marital arrangement was considered improper."

you might've guessed where i'm going with this, but genshin's father had already chosen a wife for him, and that person was ayame, who is from a 'good' family. obviously that marriage didn't go through with yukari becoming pregnant at 18 or 19 (!!), and syoma capitulated to genshin's request that he be given permission to marry his girlfriend which only further strained his relationship with his father further. as for ayame, she was fortunate that the man she was interested in was studying medicine, and therefore struggled less for her family to accept yuujin as her husband. but for yukari, although she knows genshin doesn't love ayame, there's always that nagging feeling that she was the "wrong" choice. after all, she has to witness the interactions between genshin and his family every day, and her presence is often the source of tension. her only rock after ayame's death and genshin's departure is her son, who starts rejecting spending time with her as he grows older because, well, he's a teenager (something i want to expand on in that project i mentioned).

in yukari's case, she was never able to read her husband's last words as even writing about the professor's identity could endanger hers and kazuma's lives, but perhaps genshin had promised he would briefly return at the half-way point of his stay overseas and then ended up having to break that promise by choosing to investigate the professor killings before eventually losing his life. yukari's feelings of helplessness were confirmed as the truth in her eyes then.

as for primrose and klint's last conversation, it's been sitting in my wips for a while LOL. i def think she had her suspicions, and when she finally gathered her courage to confront him, he broke down and told her the truth. i've revised this comic and especially its dialogue so many times that i don't even know if i like it anymore, please pray for me 😅

It's funny if genklint is platonic or romantic too, it's like Herlock Sholmes is right there and instead Kazuma thinks his dad's bf (best friend OR boyfriend lol) is significantly worse.

this made me laugh LMAO honestly kazuma would be so petty about it meanwhile i feel like he'd get along super well with the man's own wife 😂 i also think that as an adult kazuma would admire his father less and even be a bit of a tsundere lol, but yeah in a No One Dies/Good Ending AU(tm) he'd probably resent genshin a little for leaving him and his mother, whose struggles he witnessed firsthand for ten years. hell, maybe he does resent him in the current circumstances even if it's not the dominant emotion when it comes to his father, it of course being grief... still. lord van zieks get your paws off my dad!! 🙄💢 also if genshin starts reciprocating the attention kazuma might start killing LOL

...this answer is now well over 2000 words and i still feel like i'm leaving things out i feel CRAZY omg. autism diagnosis unnecessary atp lmfao.

also just found this in my #yukanotes i should've just copy pasted all this augh. i love yukari very much she is extremely dear to me. 😊💗

thanks again for your questions I'M SORRY IT'S SO LONG....... i DO love to yap 🥹🥹💗

[munsooooon]

when you know, you know.

rated g | 2, 086 words | tags: Additional Tags: Eddie Munson Takes Care of Steve Harrington, Pet Names, Gay Eddie Munson, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Friends to Lovers.

Note: I apologize for any mistake, english is my second language. this is my first Steddie fanfic published and my first fanfic in english. I hope you enjoy it, let me know if there any mistake...

🌟🌟🌟

Steve was happy to have someone to help him with the day to day tasks, he had always been independent (although there was no other option for him really) and he enjoyed being that person who was always there for his friends and who helped them with their day to day life, it made him really happy and made him feel useful. Of course Robin helped him a lot too, but for some reason, when he called Eddie for help it was different, it felt different and sent shivers down his spine.

"Hello?"

"Hello Eds." Steve whispered, doing things as simple as calling him on the phone felt truly intimate. Steve could swear Eddie was smiling.

‘’Stevie! To what do I owe the pleasure of hearing your voice so early, my highness?’’

Steve smiled at the nickname, he hated being remembered as King Steve, but he loved when Eddie called him that, because he loved when he said "my." He got as close as he could to the clock on the wall so he could see the time....

‘’Eds, it's 1:00 PM’’

‘’See? I told you I got up early, actually I should sleep until 3, it's my rest day.’’ Eddie smiled.

‘’Now that you remember it, it makes me feel terrible because I was going to ask you a favor.’’

‘’And I will tell you: Of course, Stevie.’’

‘’No, Eddie, it's…’’

"Ah ah ah," Eddie interrupted, "don't try to convince me because you won't succeed. What can I do for you, darling?"

‘’Eddie, but…’’

‘’Honey, I want to take care of you, what do you need?’’ Eddie responded softly.

“Thanks Eds,” Steve whispered with a slight, “Can you pick up my migraine medication? The pharmacy closes at 5 and my shift ends at 7, I forgot that I had to go get them, the prescription is…‘’

‘’In the refrigerator.’’

Steve smiled without being able to stop.

‘’Yes, there is also money in the next drawer, please Eddie, take it.’’

‘’Okay.’’

"I'm being serious, Munson."

‘’I don't know where that drawer is.’’

‘’Eddie, if you don't take it, I'lI feel terrible. ‘’

‘’Have a nice day, pretty boy.’’

Eddie didn't even give Steve time to respond, he immediately ended the call. Either way, Steve barely managed to put the phone down, because his brain short-circuited upon hearing the older man's words.

---

‘’Eddie’’

"Don't insist, Stevie," Eddie exclaimed, "I'm a gentleman and I won't take the money."

Eddie smiled triumphantly as he saw that Steve finally gave up, he gave him a loving pat on his arm and sat on the kitchen floor of his house, Eddie sat next to him. They had spent about 15 minutes arguing with a smile on their faces for money. Although Steve felt genuinely bad for making Eddie spend money, he also felt happy to have someone who would immediately agree to go get his medicine without expecting anything in return.

In moments like this, Steve feels as if he and Eddie are building their own world that only the two of them can inhabit, together. Steve feels loved and it has taken him a little time to process that feeling, but for the first time in his life he is certain that love exists. Eddie seems to understand that Steve is not used to this, but he has allowed him to go at his own pace, and has given him a safe space to find himself, to feel what is happening between them.

It is worth mentioning that Steve went into complete panic when he realized that friendship with Eddie was not just friendship, curiously and considering the person he had been just three years ago, it did not scare him so much to know that he was falling in love with a boy, he was actually scared of not knowing what to do about it, it was the first time he felt genuinely loved. No move he had used in the past for his conquests seemed good enough. Steve found at age 20 that he had no idea what to do when you were truly in love, he had adored Nancy romantically and knew that Nancy adored him and was attracted to him, many people were attracted to him but had never received what Eddie gave him, they didn't talk about it but Steve was certain that they belonged to each other, and although he didn't know exactly what to say, he knew that the time to talk about it was getting closer and closer.

Meanwhile he can only say...

‘’Thank you’’

For accepting me, for loving me, for waiting for me.

“It's a pleasure” Eddie says with genuine sincerity, taking Steve's hand in his and placing a small kiss.

Eddie's ideal response made him smile, Steve was obviously thanking him for picking up his medications but also for being patient with him. Steve rested his head on Eddie's shoulder, who smiled when he felt it.

"By the way," Steve whispered without breaking away, "I have something for you."

“Mm huh?” Eddie exclaimed, looking straight into his eyes, they were so close. Steve could see how his eyes shined just for him, it physically hurt him to have to separate from him when he had those beautiful eyes fixed completely on him.

"Yes" Steve whispered, lost in his eyes.

“What do you have for me, darling?” Eddie whispered as he hugged him.

Steve smiled as if he were hiding a mischief, got up and took Eddie's hand to walk together to the refrigerator, Eddie rested his back on the kitchen counter, his little eyes reflected the curiosity he was feeling, Steve opened the refrigerator, pulling out the surprise...

“Ice cream?” Eddie asked.

‘’Do you remember the vanilla ice cream you bought on Saturday when we went to breakfast?’’

“The best ice cream in the universe?” Eddie asked excitedly, Steve nodded “God, I loved that ice cream”

"Well, I bought you this bottle..." Steve answered, Eddie looked at him very excitedly, "and maybe three others that are in the refrigerator."

Eddie looked at him with wide, surprised eyes.

‘’But the waitress didn't want to tell me the name!’’

"Yesterday I came back alone, she even told me where to buy it," Steve smiled. "No one can resist my charm!"

"Surely not, dear." Eddie said with a huge smile. “You flirted and tricked a girl just so I could have my ice cream?”

“It sounds awful when you say it like that“ Steve exclaimed “Besides, you loved the ice cream”

Eddie let out a genuine, happy laugh, filled with pure adoration, and picked up Steve who immediately wrapped his arms around his neck for support.

‘’What did you say to her?’’ Eddie said.challenging him, looking into his eyes with a smile, Steve felt his cheeks heat up.

‘’Hi, I'm Steve!’’ Steve said, faking his own voice. ‘’Oh! I was just looking for you, by the way, your hair looks very nice like that’’

‘’Oh yeah?’’ Eddie exclaimed, raising an eyebrow, taking Steve’s words as if they were meant for him.

"Mmm huh," said Steve, "last Saturday I came with my best friend, he loved the vanilla ice cream, Oh! don't worry babe. I understand that you couldn't tell him because it's a company secret but maybe you could tell me, his birthday is on Tuesday and I would like to serve it at his birthday party. I don't want to cause you problems  but oh, I would love to be a Good boy  for my man, my best friend.

Steve was exaggerating his performance but Eddie was completely lost, he couldn't help his eyes drifting to the other boy's lips when he emphasized being a good boy .

‘’And she gave it to you so easily?’’ Eddie smiled.

‘’Of course, nothing moves more than a boy being sweet for his best friend. ’’ He smiled proudly.

"Sure, you're a great friend, my best homie."

Steve laughed outrageously, Eddie imitated him and lowered him to the floor. Steve scooped up some ice cream and gave it to Eddie to try, who gushed about his love for ice cream. Steve's mouth watered, his lips were open, the sounds Eddie made flooded his entire body and brain.

"God, Steve! You're truly the best, I don't deserve you, you got ice cream just because I mentioned that I loved it," he exclaimed with emotion, "thank you so much, baby."

Steve smiled with a sweet blush on his cheeks, he took care of continuing to feed them both with the ice cream, they shared a spoon and from time to time Eddie smeared ice cream on his face, the tension in the air was evident, the two of them were so deep into the space of the other. The metalhead looked destroyed and proud every time he saw the delicious, white ice cream on Steve's face, it seemed that he was engraving that image of Steve deep inside his mind. Steve could tell Eddie was holding back from doing something else, and Steve wanted that badly, he wanted Eddie to lick every bit of ice cream off his face, but, instead he just smiled at him with complicity, shyness and a blush on his cheeks.

They eventually ended up back on the floor sharing the ice cream and a spoon.

"I've been meaning to ask for a while,” Eddie exclaimed. Steve looked at him. “What does the “J” mean?"

Steve looked at him confused.

"In your prescription, it said Steve J. Harrington."

"Oh, that's my name," Steve answered, concentrating on the ice cream. "Steven Joseph Harrington."

Steve stopped eating when he felt Eddie staring at him with genuine surprise, it seemed like he was even having a hard time breathing. He was always so expressive, especially with his eyes but at that moment he was surprised like he rarely was.

"Are you kidding?" Eddie asked, almost holding his breath.

"No," Steve responded with visible confusion and some anxiety.

"Stevie"

Eddie took him by the face and covered his cheeks, his forehead and his nose with small sweet and noisy kisses.Steve dropped the spoon and without being able to stop himself he began to laugh softly. It was the first time Eddie had kissed him so many times and with so much enthusiasm.

"What's wrong, Eds?"

"Happens that I love you and that we were fucking destined, God." Eddie exclaimed with emotion, Steve looked at him surprised, that was a confession, it was the first time he had said those words to him "And It's my name too"

Steve still hadn't processed that Eddie had told him ‘’I love you’’ for the first time, casually in his kitchen while eating ice cream, and now he had to process that he shared his name with the boy he loved.

"What?" Steve exclaimed, surprised.

"I swear on my guitar," said Eddie, "Edward Joseph Munson, I never thought it rhymed, nice to meet you."

Steve laughed hysterically.

"Steven Joseph Harrington, mine doesn't rhyme either." Steve responded, "the pleasure is mine."

Eddie took his hand ‘’What are the possibilities? I mean, we're only children from marriages that probably never loved each other, we have matching scars and matching names!’’

Before he could think about it too much, Steve kissed him. Their teeth clashed a little because it had been unexpected, but Eddie quickly knew how to keep up, Steve was sure that kissing him was the best decision he had ever made, he felt like all the pieces finally fit together, he was feeling like he was breathing properly for the first time in his life, which was ironic because Eddie was stealing all his air, Steve wanted to take everything that was within his reach, with his hands he ran over the other boy's face and hair, at times he traveled to his back and to his waist. After a few seconds he was sitting on the lap of the other boy who received him and held him firmly.

Steve Harrington had never felt so powerful before, kissing a boy felt powerful.

"I love you too, by the way," Steve smiled close to his lips, looking into his eyes. "Thank you for waiting for me."

"Always."

Steve smiled because he felt free and light, loving Eddie felt easy like eat vanilla ice cream. He couldn't believe that the right moment had arrived when he least expected it, he was simply certain at that moment that when you are with the love of your life, you know it.

[jeannereames]

Hephaestion seems to have a big fanbase. How did it develop? I ask this because not much is known about Hephaestion historically. How did this interest in Hephaestion grow despite lack of enough information? Has Oliver Stone's "Alexander" contributed to it?

He does have a fanbase, which I discovered by accident. It well predates Stone’s Alexander, although the movie certainly enlarged it. I suspect much has to do with Mary Renault, at least at root. Even Oliver Stone’s film is an homage to her. I hope I’ve shed a little light on his career as well, but freely admit she started it, even if I didn’t come to my interest through her. I may be one of the few, at least among people my age.

I wrote a little about his fanbase in my article “The Cult of Hephaistion,” published several years after the film. If the bulk of the article is about Hephaistion’s military career, the opening discusses his public-facing reputation, and I got to use “fangirl” in an academic article. LOL.

As the chapter explains, I discovered his fanbase after I completed my dissertation in (late) 1998. While still at Penn State (e.g., before mid-2000), I began to receive email and even a few snailmail letters asking for a copy of it.

Let me point out something: nobody, much, reads a dissertation. It’s a niche market if there ever was one; in the normal run of things, only other scholars and grad students read dissertations. God alone knows how people found out I’d written mine on Hephaistion, but within a year, word had spread and I was getting requests for it. To say I was floored would be an understatement. And it wasn’t just one or two. For a little while, I was getting queries every few months.

(PLEASE do not go buy a copy! I’m working on a major revision, and large chunks of the dissertation are already in print as articles anyway [HERE on academic.edu]. The dissertation is no longer up-to-date and parts are simply wrong. I did the best I could at the time, but now have 25 more years of academic work under my belt and a whole lot of very good material has been published since that I’m consulting for the book.)

Anyway, what struck me was the truly international nature of the interest, even before the Stone flick. Many requests came from Anglophone countries, but not all. Yet—as I discuss in the book chapter mentioned above—they did share one common characteristic: over 80% came from women. 2/3rds of the rest were from gay or bisexual men. From my chapter (you can download it to read further):

What struck me most about Hephaestion’s fans is that they compose subsets of society who have traditionally occupied disempowered social positions: women, and gay or bisexual men. If I were to say, “Hephaestion has fans,” the instinctive reaction to that pronouncement is rather different than if I were to specify, “Hephaestion has female and gay fans.” The clarification transforms him from Alexander’s right-hand man and chiliarch into a romantic hero—a Brad Pitt of the ancient world. (Or a Jared Leto, as the case may be.) All of which says perhaps more about our unconscious assumptions and automatic ordering of value than about the fans themselves. Enthusiasm for Hephaestion seems to be suspect and uncomfortably suggestive of motivations emotional and romantic. Yet is any intense interest ever devoid of emotional content? Perhaps the biggest fans of all are those of us who have devoted our careers to the study of Alexander, his court, Macedon, and related topics. Certainly no one goes into academics purely for the financial compensation.

I DELETED THE POLL. Going to redo it with a better list of options.