#big fan of dot eyes recently

[dipndotz]

I HAVENT POSTED IN AGES sorry erm heres some recent doodles mother 3 + stardew valley

[moonlitlex]

ok. final thoughts on doctor who season 14 (2024) (because maybe if i say all of this i will finally stop thinking about how much i hate this season)

short version: i'm this season's biggest hater. if this season has a million haters im one of them. if this season has 1000 haters i'm still one of them. if this season has one hater it's me. if this season has no haters it means i have left this world. if the world is against this season i am with the world

long & nuanced version (under the cut)

i'm just really, really, really disappointed. i've always said that good writing can redeem any project, and it kind of feels like they just took it in the exact opposite direction this time. there's so much that went wrong and like 99% of it is down to the writing. i did a rant on my youtube channel (which i'm not gonna link here because i want to keep these accounts separate) and it was like an hour long so i'm not gonna go into detail but i'll just go over my main issues with this season

fifteen lacks depth. i think he's a very generic doctor lacking his own eccentricities. after the first season the doctor usually has quite a distinct personality, but i don't think we got that with fifteen. just compare the kind of characterization fifteen has at this point to like... eleven in his first season. he was a lot more fleshed out. we got to see multiple facets of his personality. it seems like they tried this with fifteen but everything we got to see ended up being really surface level. the susan thing just kind of happens. the rogue thing just kind of happens. he faces racism and he's just kind of incredulous and then the episode ends. it's not explored. the show just moves on to the next thing and we don't get to see how he deals with it.

ruby lacks depth. similarly, i think ruby is a very generic companion. she's a young woman from present day london which isn't in and of itself a bad thing but it's not backed up by much. like, what do we actually know about ruby? she's adopted? she was left on a church doorstep by her biomom? she loves her mom but is still disappointed she can't find her bio parents? these are all plot relevant things. what do we know about her outside of the stuff that is necessary for the plot? job? friends? life before the doctor? there are a few tiny glimpses, but not enough to make her a developed character.

fifteen and ruby's relationship is boring. they never fight. they never disagree. they never argue. they're never angry with each other. they never challenge each other on anything. they're shown to have this amazing best-friend rapport but it's never developed or fleshed out. it just kind of happens. one second they're meeting and the next second they're bffs who never disagree about anything and are always on the same page. it's just not an interesting dynamic.

i found ten and donna to be a very compelling dynamic but that's because they actually have a real friendship and have to deal with conflict and challenges and disagreements. times when the doctor and companion challenge each other are interesting. this is a feature of some really beloved doctor who stories for a reason. dalek wouldn't be so well loved if rose just agreed with nine the entire time. the conflict makes the story more compelling. meanwhile ruby can't even muster an ounce of discontentment with fifteen for the entire season.

season finale payoffs were not compelling and are in my opinion a result of prioritizing shock and surprise and social media buzz at time of release over telling an interesting story.

sutekh is not automatically a compelling villain and the way that arc is written is so... bland. he appears and kills everyone and the next episode they just hit the reset button. fine, doctor who has done this before, but there was interesting character writing back then to distract you from the baffling story decisions.

the season 3 finale had flying jesus ten but it also had interesting character dynamics. this one had sutekh defeated in the most confusing way possible (if he got his power from the time vortex why is it killing him now....) but there's barely anything going on in the character department. it's rtd so i expected hamfisted deus ex machinas, but i didn't expect the lack of care on the character front.

the susan thing was just... it came out of nowhere, didn't really make much sense, and then it immediately disappeared. the doctor thinking it's his susan was just confusing for me and it didn't land. like why would susan.... do that? why would she be basically following him around the universe by weaving herself into the scenery everywhere he landed? this is never even addressed. they just get the tardis anagram and he immediately jumps to it being his susan and you're not really sure why he's so convinced and it's never really explained.

ruby's mom being a normal woman literally just doesn't make any sense. it's never explained. "we thought she was really important" doesn't just do all the inexplicable things. why and how is ruby able to make it snow if her mom is just a normal person? why does the song in his soul scare maestro so much? why is sutekh of all people unable to figure out who her mother is? the reveal is played as a criticism of the audience for building up ruby's mom to be this huge mystery, but it wasn't the audience doing this - it was the writers. these are the clues they laid out and they're never explained. "doctor who is more fantastical now" also doesn't make any sense. fantasy has rules too. you can't just do whatever you want. the world still has to be internally consistent. the reveal by itself is a nice moment but it's just disappointing that they decided to laugh at the audience for taking their show seriously.

i've seen a lot of people compare ruby's mom thing with clara's impossible girl thing. i would like to point out 2 differences that make clara's impossible girl arc superior. first - clara's impossible girl arc never tries to weasel its way out of the mystery. the point is that who clara is is more important than the mystery surrounding her. ruby's mom mystery tries to erase the mystery entirely. second - clara's impossible girl arc is resolved the way it is because of clara. clara is a person who takes an action because of who she is. it shows courage and selflessness and care for her friend. ruby's mom mystery is solved by ruby and the doctor finding a database where they can match ruby's dna to her mom's. it doesn't say anything about her character. her character is irrelevant to the resolution.

i've also seen it compared to the hybrid thing from season 9, but with the hybrid there was never anything unexplainable happening in the first place so "it was just the characters obsessing about it all along" makes sense because it literally is just the characters bringing up the hybrid all the time.

the individual episodes are not... good. here are my opinions on each of them

church on ruby road - ok introduction, weird pacing, the goblin song was just tonally off compared to the rest of the episode

space babies - genuinely makes the doctor seem like a sadistic asshole at times like he keeps laughing at the literal babies for being scared of the monster and this is played for laughs (???), boogeyman reveal thing literally came out of nowhere there was no setup and it made no sense and was never really explained, a lot of tonal whiplash in this episode, poor exposition choices at the start

devils chord - maestro was a fun performance but nothing else about this episode is interesting, there are no beatles, the 4th wall breaks are tonally inconsistent with the rest of the season

boom - ruby gets sidelined but making ncuti act without being able to move any of his body slaps as a concept and while it was too on the nose, the thematic messaging aspects of this episode are coherent and don't talk down to the audience, some side characters get to be relevant to the story and moderately developed (mundy, splice, the dad), splice's actor was far too old to be delivering those lines and it didn't land well, the dad ai defeating the ambulance ai was a bit too much but was in line with the power of love and faith theme so i'm conflicted on how i feel about that

73 yards - did nothing right. there are a few minutes of good welsh folk horror at the start before that aspect of the story is undermined by those people in the pub. ruby gets no character development. the horror atmosphere is abandoned at the start and the horror concept is abandoned entirely partway through the story in favour of the political stuff with roger ap gwilliam, which is kind of resolved in a really anticlimactic scene which doesn't matter anyway because everything just gets undone at the end of the episode. there are no answers.

it's not a good horror story because 90% of it isn't horror. it's not a good political drama because nothing happens. it's not a good character study because we don't get to know anything about ruby's character. i genuinely think rtd has forgotten the kind of stuff he's written because he called this the best thing he's ever written and it's literally not even in the top 10 doctor who episodes he's ever written. like midnight is right there. the waters of mars is RIGHT THERE. this episode is all setup and no payoff.

also - i might just be autistic, but the "can i pay with my phone" joke doesn't land because not everyone can actually accept digital payments yet! it's like... an extremely normal question to ask. i literally ask all the time unless i see an "apple pay accepted" sign because sometimes the answer is "no, we only take cash or card". i know it was supposed to be something about how ruby thinks she's in the past or welsh people getting wrongly stereotyped for being backward but maybe rtd should've come up with a line that would actually be offensive and not just a completely normal thing to ask in 2024.

dot and bubble - this is probably my most controversial take. i hate this episode. i think it's a poorly written bad episode. and furthermore i think only people who are disconnected from all discussion around racism think it's got genuinely good commentary. for MOST of this episode, it's a "kids be on they damn phones" thing. like, genuinely. lindy can't even WALK without her phone. there's nothing in the episode to tip us as the audience off to the idea that the dots hate them because they're racist. everything in the episode is pointing at "the dots hate them because they're stupid as fuck because they're always on that damn phone".

lindy at first seems like a flawed but sympathetic character, and this could genuinely have worked with the racism commentary. if it's about them being racist cause they're sooooooo fucking stupid, maybe don't have lindy be an irredeemable extremely racist character who kills someone. maybe she's repeating all the rhetoric she's heard her entire life without ever thinking about it. maybe trying to convince her racist friends to give the doctor a chance gets her socially isolated. maybe it's about echo chambers and social bubbles. maybe lindy as an individual has no malicious intent either way but she still behaves in a racist way and still ends up siding with the racists because they're her friends and she wants to fit in and be part of the in group and trying to not be racist because the doctor seemed kinda nice got her socially ostracized so she perpetuates racism regardless. but none of this is what happens. this is a reading you can get out of it if you're really dedicated to reading into a story written by a guy who doesn't give a shit about racism.

lindy and all her friends are stupid and bad and racist and the doctor is still desperate to save them for some fucking reason and he doesn't even get to SAY anything to them, he just laughs incredulously and that's his entire reaction. the commentary in this episode is baby's first lesson on racism. it's a message of "racism is bad and stupid" tacked onto an episode with a message of "being on your phone is bad and stupid".

it's shallow. it has nothing to say. it's very clearly a story about racism written by a white man who has never had to even think about racism. the entire writer's room for this season was white as well. rtd didn't even think he should maybe consider giving the racism episode to a black writer. he just wrote a full episode where the message is "racism is bad you guys" and patted himself on the back for his social commentary. i think it's embarrassing that people praise this episode for opening their eyes to racism in the real world and helping them understand it better. literally all that tells me is they've been closing their eyes and covering their ears every time a person of colour talks about racism. like black fans have literally been talking about racism in doctor who for decades and clearly none of you listened to any of them because you're here watching an episode with an "omg racism is bad guys" message going "wow, i never though about it like that!" that's because you're an asshole.

"wow i didn't even notice that everyone in this episode is white!" that's because that's not out of the ordinary for doctor who. or for television in general. this isn't revolutionary commentary. it's an indictment of the season 14 writer's room that they thought they could write this episode without even taking a look around their own writer's room and thinking "huh, everyone here is white too. maybe we should try to change that." this show has been predominantly white for MOST of its history. i'm a huge critic of the chibnall era but at least that guy hired poc to write for the show. at least the bad racism commentary in rosa (which was, to remind you, "the future racist is wrong. racism is bad. also the entire civil rights movement was basically a happy accident") was written by a black woman. at least the weird british empire glorifying shit in the partition episode was written by an indian man (to be clear, stuff written by poc also deserves to be criticized. my point is just that at least chibnall had the basic common sense to hire people who knew more than him to write these stories). rtd didn't even consider this. not even a cowriter.

it's just embarrassing to watch white fans falling over themselves analyzing how this episode is soooo deep when it's simply not. racism isn't silly goofy stupid. it's dangerous. it gets people killed every day. it's even more ridiculous that the racism is addressed in the future episode but not anywhere else! fifteen goes to 60s england and... nothing. he goes to 1800s england and nothing. sure, future people are racist. whatever. are we seriously sanitizing the real, actual, real life racist past of britain? and then patting ourselves on the back for it? and ricky september being considered not racist? like, reading a book doesn't suddenly make you not racist. racist people aren't necessarily idiots. plenty of highly educated people are racist. making ricky explicitly racist while also a clearly smart character would have added nuance to this episode, but rtd didn't do that. watching a black man beg and plead with rich racist white kids to please let him save their lives is just... ridiculous.

there are countless (and i do mean countless) works by actual people of colour that discuss racism in a far more nuanced way. that go beyond "racism is bad and racist people are stupid". there are specifically black british shows you can watch that actually address racism and have real commentary on it outside of what you would expect a toddler who has just learnt about prejudice to say. shows that aren't about coddling while people. watch shows made by and for people who aren't white. read books written by and for people who aren't white. and don't just watch and read this stuff to "educate yourself" on other people's experiences. watch it because it's art. because it's entertaining or funny or interesting or dramatic, just like stories that are about white people are allowed to be. and stop praising an episode with a racism is bad message for being good racism commentary. seriously. we already know racism is bad. this is embarrassing for you.

dot and bubble was a "kids be on they damn phones episode" with "racism is so bad guys" tacked onto it and white fans fell over themselves explaining how it opened their eyes and it was so deep and meaningful and powerful and it was none of those things. it was bland and shallow and honestly really boring they spend WAY too long hitting us over the head with how the kids are so stupid cause they're on their damn phones. you should be embarrassed. if this episode was the first thing that made me realize racism exists and is bad you couldn't waterboard that out of me. grow up.

rogue - rogue was an underdeveloped jack harkness ripoff, there's no development of the relationship between him and the doctor, ruby got nothing to do, the proposal came out of nowhere, the chuldurs were an interesting concept but they literally didn't even do any of the larping they were there for apart from the one who was lady emily. murder is not a prominent part of bridgerton or similar regency era romances that they were supposedly there to cosplay

legend of ruby sunday - this episode is literally 99% exposition. like i'm not joking. there's exposition and exposition and exposition for the whole episode and at the end sutekh appears and kills everyone. also "i will kill everyone" is like. not a compelling motivation. doctor who is full of guys who want to kill everyone. there's nothing making sutekh particularly scary or compelling apart from the fact that he thanos snapped the whole universe and that's also not particularly scary or compelling because he spares the main characters AND because you know they're gonna hit the comic book reset button next episode. sutekh being attached to the tardis since pyramids of mars is unconvincing personally (it would've made more sense if it was since wild blue yonder)

empire of death - ??????? ruby's mom is just a normal woman. they leash sutekh like a dog and drag him through the time vortex which kills him for some reason and also hits reset on his kill switch for the whole universe and that just fixes everything. ruby calls her biomom her real mom instead of carla which just really rubbed me the wrong way. she exits the tardis to stay with her family and it's... fine. you never see why ruby and the doctor were attached to each other so them saying goodbye doesn't hit home. nothing happens and then suddenly everything happens. the fact that the reveal is unconvincing makes the whole thing worse.

conclusion: i think rtd ran out of ideas for doctor who. i think he shouldn't have come back. i think the 60th specials were season 4 fanfiction. i think they should've given the showrunner position to a different writer entirely. i think 8 episodes is far too short for a doctor who season (flux being an exception because it was one ongoing story). i think the bigger budget and better production value can't save a show with poor writing. i think gatwa and gibson are acting their hearts out and i wish they had better material because i really like both of them in these roles. i'm also kind of sick of murray gold's music at this point. he won't let emotional moments just sit and it's really annoying how every time anything happens there's a swell of music. i think rtd should give up on racism commentary and just hire someone else who can do it justice if he really wants it to be in his show. i think rtd should shift focus back to the characters and their interpersonal relationships because that's what he's good at and his plot resolutions have always been underwhelming deus ex machinas. i think they should give this show more episodes. i think they should change the broadcasting times to be a better slot in the uk and the episode should go up on streaming at the same time or after it airs. this season has little glimpses of potential (some of boom, first few minutes of 73 yards, episode concepts in general are quite interesting, more fantasy in doctor who is a fun concept) but squanders all of it with flat characters. i started dreading watching the next episode after a while because i kept hoping it would be good and then i would hate it.

but i still care too much about doctor who to not watch the show so i guess i'll be here this time next year picking season 15 apart. woo.

[theemporium]

Hello my dear!!! So - I know your requests are closed for now, but I just had to tell you I am OBSESSED with your Danny Ric x Sunshine series, and I had a thought for once they’re open again… I know that Sunshine isn’t famous or anything, but what if she dated someone who was/is before she started dating Danny (ex. Joe Jonas)? Like maybe they were childhood sweethearts or something, and her ex shows up at the Miami GP as a musical guest or something and Danny goes FERAL and protective of Sunshine? I just think it would be so cute and fluffy 😍🥰

you are a cutie🥹thank you for requesting!!! i changed it a wee bit but i hope you enjoy! and sorry for making you wait so long🫶🏽

.

It wasn’t unusual for there to be famous faces dotted around the garage during the race weekend. 

Daniel was used to it and, if he was being completely honest, he enjoyed it. He enjoyed seeing familiar faces around the paddock, talking and chatting with them and meeting new and old fans alike. He was a social butterfly and he thrived in these situations, even if some drivers found it a little distracting or stressful when they were trying to get on with their jobs. Usually, Daniel loved it.

Except when these celebrities couldn’t seem to catch the hint.

You were gorgeous. Hell, in the eyes of Daniel, you were the prettiest human to ever walk the goddamn Earth. He was obsessed with you. He worshipped the ground you walked on. You were his sun and his life revolved around you and your love. He pinched himself every day that you chose to be with him, to love him, to be his forever partner. 

However, it seemed one of Red Bull’s recent garage guests didn’t seem to catch the hint that you were not single nor were you ready to mingle.

If he was being honest, he didn’t know who the guy was. He had heard from a few team members that he was some big, upcoming actor that most of the world was going crazy for but Daniel didn’t care. He didn’t care if the man was the biggest name in the world. He was going after Daniel’s girl and he didn’t like that one bit. 

Most guests tended to stick to their guided tours or near the back so they were out of the team’s way, yet this actor seemed to have gravitated towards you. He had been blatant in his attempts with flirting and chatting with you, going as far as leaning on the table you were currently working on until it became near impossible to continue with your job. He could see the discomfort in your face, could see the way you were getting progressively more annoyed and, despite knowing you could handle yourself, the last thing he wanted was you to be on the frog page after punching the douche in the face (even if it would've been well-deserved in his eyes).

“Got a problem here, mate?” 

The man—his name was on the tip of his tongue but he couldn’t bring himself to care to remember—turned away from you to look at the approaching driver. “Hey, Daniel, right? Huge fan. You’ve got a great team here.”

“Yeah, the best of the best,” Daniel said as he slided in behind you, his hand resting on your shoulder as your body relaxed under his touch. “Sunshine here has the best brain you could ask for in Formula One.”

The man’s gaze slid back down to you, his lips twitching upwards in what you assumed was meant to be a charming smile. “So, your name is Sunshine?”

You opened your mouth to reply, but Daniel beat you to it.

“Ha no, I can call her Sunshine,” he said with a massive smile on your face, one that would leave the people around you and out of ear shot to believe this was a happy conversation. “You can mind your own fucking business.”

The man’s face immediately soured. “Excuse me?”

“You’re a guest, courtesy of Red Bull, and that is the only reason I’m not dragging your sorry ass out of the paddock,” Daniel continued, stepping a little closer so you were leaning back against him. “Now, you can leave now or you can sit in the back of the garage like a good dog and leave my girl alone to do her work. What’s it gonna be?”

“You can’t talk to me like that,” he insisted with a scoff. “Do you know who I am?”

“No, but I don’t really care. You’re on my turf right now, and what I say goes. If I don’t want you here, you’ll be gone with a snap of my fingers.” Daniel stated so casually, like his whole body wasn’t humming with the desire to just punch the guy in the face. “Piss off now.”

You had barely waited until he was gone before you spun around in your seat, looking up at him with an amused smile. “Are you taking lessons from Max or something? That felt very Mad Max-coded.”

Daniel rolled his eyes. “I was teaching him a lesson.” 

“No, you were jealous and it was hot,” you corrected with a grin as you reached towards him, your arms winding around his torso. “But thank you. I was two seconds away from throwing my laptop at his head.”

He laughed as he leaned down, hands gently holding your hair back as he kissed you. “Always here to be your knight in shining armour, Sunshine.”

.

[lovebugism]

omg i can't remember if i ever placed a request for your summer fic fest or not so i'm placing this one just in case! if i did, feel free to write whichever you like better 🫶🏻

could you do "it's nine in the morning, are you seriously already in swimming trunks?" from this prompt list with dad!steve? 💗

hope you're well, love you 🫶🏻💗✨️

hi angel! thanks for your request!! hope you like it!! — the one where you and steve spend a chaotic morning with your baby girls (dad!steve, fluff, 3.1k)

bug's summer fic fest ♡

Little Ava wakes you up at seven o’clock on the dot.

Well, that isn’t exactly true. You were already awake by then. You and Steve are up with the sun most mornings, especially after baby number two. 

The early mornings are the only ones you get alone together. Your days are often too full of babies and toddlers — or rather, baby and toddler. Most of the time, you’re so exhausted by the end of the day that bedtime for both your girls is bedtime for the both of you, too.

But Steve usually has the hardest time going to sleep, which means he has a harder time waking up than you do — which also means you don’t get as much time together as you’d like. He’s developed a complex about the whole thing that you’ve tried hopelessly to squash.

He wakes up about fifteen minutes after you do, with a hearty groan and gentle stretch. The mattress shifts under his weight when he rolls over to curl into your back. With one arm curled beneath his head and the other thrown round your stomach, he presses you into his warmth and melts with you.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” he grouses drowsily into your neck, in between the little kisses he presses up and down the skin there.

You fight back a shiver when his plush pink lips dot behind the shell of your ear. 

“‘Cause you were sleeping,” you reply with a gentle laugh. You press your smile into your pillow when his mouth brushes along a tendon on your neck and lingers there. The answer is obvious to you, but you get what he means. “You’ve been crazy exhausted recently. I thought we could just sleep in.”

“But now we only have, like, eight minutes minutes to ourselves,” he whines.

You laugh at his early morning dramatics, a soft giggle weighed down by fatigue, though you’re just as grieved by it as he is. “Well, a lot can happen in fifteen minutes, Harrington,” you tease in a low lilt.

You feel his chuckle rumble in his bare chest, pressed so intently against your back. His smile curls along your neck, shaking breaths warm as they fan along your skin. “Yeah. I think Nellie was conceived in about two.”

Nellie — sweet, sassy Eleanor — was your oldest. The best newborn in the history of the whole world. She never really cried like most babies, just fussed to herself until she got what she wanted. She was quiet and curious and independent. She went down for naps like it was nothing, often asking when bedtime was coming when she was old enough to form halfway intelligible sentences.

Ava wasn’t nearly as easy, but you and Steve weren’t exactly new at the whole parenting thing by the time she came around. Nell was almost three when you found out you were pregnant, and the two of you had had a world of practice by then. 

She was the best big sister and Steve was the best father. 

They made navigating motherhood much, much easier on you.

“Give yourself a little credit, c’mon,” you smirk, twisting on the mattress until you’re lying on your back. Your tired, mischievously twinkling eyes meet Steve’s honeyed ones — swollen with sleep and sparkling just the same. “It was at least three.”

“Those were the days, huh?” he wonders in a whimsical sigh. 

A soft smile breaks out on his puffy cheeks, sprinkled with chestnut hair. He hasn’t shaven in a few days, too busy chasing after his girls to tend to himself as much as he used to. You like him best like this, with wild hair and a scruffy face. He looks more like home this way.

Your hand reaches for his cheek before you realize it. You scratch softly at his prickly facial hair, an electric touch that makes him sigh in contentment.

“The days we could fuck without having to put babies to sleep first?” you joke.

“Yeah. Or having to, like, lock the door. Or make a schedule.”

A fond smile tugs at your lips. You shake your head at the man leaning above you, brows raised as you smirk at him. “You wanted this, Stevie…”

“And I wouldn’t change it for the goddamn world,” he replies without missing a beat, fatigued features glowing with sincerity. “I love our girls— I love being a daddy.”

“It’s ‘cause you’re so good at it.”

“Well, yeah,” Steve shrugs with a lopsided smile. He’s not exactly being humble about it, but you figure the world’s best father shouldn’t have to be. “I had a lot of practice…”

Your brows pinch together. “With Nell?” you wonder with a distant smile. A chuckle spills from them right after. “She was an accident— there was no practice to have.”

Perhaps calling her an accident wasn’t the best turn of phrase. It was more so a depiction of your and Steve’s carelessness — the utter lack of planning on your part after having your life laid out since you were twelve. You much rather preferred to call her a surprise. It sounded a lot more poetic that way.

“Well… Before Nell,” Steve teases lowly.

Your face twists further in confusion, then grows lax with realization. 

Only halfway unamused with his crude joke, your arm darts out to swat at him. His bubbly, fatigued laughter fills the bedroom. It’s as golden as the sunshine peeking through the curtains.

“Steve. Harrington,” you bite like a scolding parent.

“Sorry,” he hums with an inflection that sounds less than sincere. “Couldn’t help myself.”

“You’re incorrigible…”

His smile widens. His twinkling eyes dart between your own. “You love me, though.”

“Yeah,” you grumble. “I guess so.”

He’s beaming down at you before he knows he’s doing it. 

Nell took after him in a lot of ways — the hair, the nose, the eyes. You complained about the likelihood of having more children that didn’t look a thing the person they came from until Ava was born. She was pretty much a mini version of you. You don’t realize just how much of your personality Nellie has, though.

Every day, you’re more and more surprised by her sass — like she didn’t get all of it from you.

Steve’s eyes dart past you to the alarm clock on your nightstand. His bushy brows raise when he turns back to you. “We’ve got, like, five minutes before Ave wakes up… Wanna try for baby number three?”

“We talked about this, Harrington,” you reply, firm in your refusal despite how desperately you ache to be touched by him. “We decided to wait until she’s at least two.”

The agreement was that your youngest be potty trained before you even thought about having another kid. Other than Nellie being the easiest baby in the world, her being established in toddlerhood made kid number two much easier on you and Steve. He’s often too jaded by baby fever to care about that kind of logic, though.

Steve’s brows scrunch in contempt at your rejection. His pout looks too much like Nell’s. “But that’s so far away,” he whines.

“Babe,” you hum sympathetically. “She was born last week, and now she’s almost one. It’s not as far away as you think.”

“Yeah. Maybe don’t remind me,” he mumbles, growing suddenly soft. “It’s too early to cry.”

A baby’s whine crackles through the monitor on your nightstand, then. 

Too early to cry, indeed.

Ava was ten months old now. You’re not entirely sure where the time went. She sleeps through the night for the most part now. She doesn’t need a feeding in the latest hours of the night anymore, either. And even though she keeps on growing — far too fast for your liking — she’s never been able to shake those early mornings.

Your baby wakes up at seven o’clock sharp. Every morning. Like clockwork.

She’s got her mother’s knack for routine, it seems. 

You and Steve share a similar look. “You wanna get her, or should I?” he asks.

It was hardly a bargaining tactic. It never was, actually. Steve would get out of bed to do every feeding and midnight changing if you let him. You gave him two of the best girls in the entire world — as far as he was concerned, you did everything you needed to.

You humored him for a while. Childbirth was hard on you, as it would be for anyone. It was easier to let Steve take care of you and your girls than it was to fight him about who had to go warm up a bottle. Now, though, you’re more apt to protest.

“I’ll get her,” you answer with a huff, already climbing out of bed before he can argue.

Steve watches, still propped up on his elbow, while you flit around the bedroom. It wasn’t clean by any means, but rather dreadfully lived in — with all the trappings of two parents trying desperately to take care of two rambunctious little girls.

There were piles of clothes on the floor, some clean and needing to be folded and others dirty and needing to be washed. Nellie’s blankets and stuffed animals peek out from every crevice, as though playing hide and seek with you. A few of Ava’s brightly colored toys litter the ground too, but your backs’ ache too much to bend down to pick them up.

Despite the nagging mess, Steve can’t take his eyes off of you — his wife, the mother of his kids. You wear a loose-fitting tank top littered with milk stains and a pair of cotton underwear, a sight hotter than any expensive lingerie you could wear for him.

You still carry the weight — the stretch marks and the pudge. The softness of motherhood contrasts heavily with the scars from the life before it.

You’ve traded monster hunting for parenthood, and even though both look equally perfect on you, he’d be lying if he said you weren’t the hottest damn mom on the planet.

“I’ll probably take her to the grocery store or something while you get Nellie up,” you tell him, rifling through the drawers for a pair of bottoms. You reach for sweatpants and tug them over your full hips. “We’re low on diapers and those puffs Ave likes— you want anything?”

“Nothing other than my best girls to get back home, no,” Steve shakes his head with a rosy, sincere smile.

Despite the swelling in your chest, your eyes narrow in response. “You’re such a cheeseball…”

“And you’re the one who married the cheese ball, so who’s really the weirdo here?”

Your head tilts to your shoulder. With a fond smile on your mouth you don’t even know is there, you answer, “It’s always gonna be you, Steve Harrington.”

—————

Girlhood isn’t so different from motherhood. 

The majority of it is spent with your hands full in the most literal sense — carrying everything you own because your jeans have fake pockets (which you never did quite understand).  It’s a superpower of sorts, strong palms and dexterous fingers that can hold just about anything.

It’s why you halfway effortlessly carry Ava in one arm and three bags of groceries in the other. And she’s a chubby little baby, with the chunkiest cheeks and legs and stomach. You’re honestly a little proud of yourself.

You and Ava share similar smiles as you walk into the living room. Hers is a drool-slick, toothless one, though her bottom front teeth are slowly growing in. 

She giggles throughout your halfway intelligible conversation — coos of “who’s the sweetest baby in the whole wide world?” and “you’re so cute, when’d you get so cute?”

Honestly, you can hardly understand yourself, but she seems to get you, anyway.

Similarly, your Stevie and the tinier version of him sit together in the kitchen. Nellie’s got his honeyed locks and his structured nose that scrunches every time she smiles. 

She sits on the counter in her sparkling mermaid bathing suit, a one-piece number with rainbow scales and a frilly teal skirt. Steve stands in front of her in his own swim trunks and fitted t-shirt, cutting into a plate of pancakes which he feeds most delicately to his baby girl.

“What are you guys wearing?” you exclaim in the place of any actual greeting.

Nellie beams when she realizes you’re home again. “Bathing suits! Duh!” she answers, sounding too much like you.

You situate Ava on your hip as you gingerly sit down the plastic bags of groceries — diapers, formula, a few snacks, and a bathing suit for Nell because you just couldn’t resist. She’s been living in the pool since she stopped being scared of it this summer. Which also means you’ve been absolutely terrified all season long.

“It’s nine in the morning,” you scold lightheartedly, an adoring smile on your mouth. “The water’s probably freezing cold, Nellie— you’ll turn into a little ice cube!”

“I checked. It’s alright,” Steve tells you, quelling the worry you cover up with a joke. 

Of course, behind Nell’s overhasty excitement, is her daredevil of a father backing her up. 

His mouth parts absentmindedly as he feeds Nell another bite of pancakes. He sets the syrupy plate down and reaches for the cooled-off stack by the stove. He rips off a chewable piece for Ava and holds it out to her when you walk further into the kitchen.

“Here you go, babe. You love Dada’s pancakes, don’t you?” Steve asks his littlest girl, eyes sparkling as he smiles down at her.

Ava babbles as she smiles a toothless grin up at him. “Dada, Dada, Dada,” she blathers. That was a newish word for her these days, after spending so many months only saying Mama. You figured you were owed that much. The only word Nell liked to say for ages was daddy.

The baby on our hip takes the tiny piece of pancake from Steve. She grips it in her tiny baby fist, squealing softly in excitement and waving it in her hand.

“Little Aba wants to swim, too,” Nellie singsongs, kicking her tiny legs on the countertop. She had a hard time saying her V’s when her little sister was born. She knows the difference now, you think, but the nickname seemingly stuck.

“No, she does not,” you retort with wide eyes and a loud laugh. Your eyes squint like Ava’s when you giggle and turn down to look at her. “Do you, Aba? You’re too tiny to swim, huh?”

“Can we swim, Mommy?” Nell pleads, blinking up at you with wide, honey eyes.

You could never say no to Steve when he looked at you like that. It’s exponentially harder when it’s a tinier version of him doing it.

“Pleeeaaase,” she drawls.

“Did you eat your breakfast?” you interrogate half-heartedly as you bounce Ava on your hip. Your eyes narrow playfully at her because you can see the empty plate beside her.

She nods enthusiastically, wild waves of pulled-back hair swaying behind her. “Uh-huh.”

“And drink all your juice?”

“Two cups!” she exclaims with pride. Her little fingers struggle to curl as she holds up the number to you.

Your chest deflates with a teasing huff. “Fine. You can swim now, but you have to get out at lunchtime, okay? No arguing!”

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Nellie shouts as she descends from the countertop.

She doesn’t need Steve’s help like she used to, having seemingly possessed his athleticism in the last couple months. Her bare feet pad against the kitchen tile as she rushes for the backdoor. 

“Wait for me to come outside before you get in!” Steve calls to her as she slides it open.

“Okay!” she promises, already outside in the blink of an eye.

She closes the door shut again despite the strength it takes with her tiny arms. Through the door and the wide windows, you and Steve watch to make sure she doesn’t do anything rash. Your sweet, sassy Eleanor listens to her father — staying under the shaded patio and rummaging through the chest for her pool floats and toys.

Your wide, worried eyes flit to Steve as you shake your head at him. “She’s as relentless as you are sometimes, you know that?”

“Hey. You’re the one that said she had my looks,” the man dismisses with a grin. “That means she has your personality, babe.”

“Shut up,” you grumble with a smile as you pass Ava into the arms aching to hold her. 

Steve gasps with a gaping gaze as he sits her squarely between his forearm and bicep. “Did you hear that? That was so mean, wasn’t it, Aba? Your mommy used to be so nice to daddy…”

“Don’t lie to them like that,” you tease, reaching out a hand to wipe the pancake crumbs from the side of the girl’s chubby cheeks. She continues to gnaw at the cold breakfast in her fist. “Now, go watch your daughter before she implodes from excitement.”

She’s still under the patio, clutching about five mermaid dolls in her arms in anticipation of her father’s arrival.

“Go get your bathing suit on, Mama,” Steve instructs with a pink smirk on his scruffy face.

“I am not swimming. It’s way too cold. Me and Ava will happily watch from the sidelines,” you reject the man in front of you, then smile at the baby in his arms. “Won’t we, Aba?”

Steve shrugs. “I don’t care. Just sit out there and look pretty for me, yeah?”

He leans down to smack a kiss on your cheek. With the hand not holding his daughter, he swats the side of your thigh — mere inches from your ass.

It’s nothing more than a swift pat over the leggings you’d changed into after a quick shower. A colliding of his palm with your skin and then a leaving. It’s only halfway innocuous, though.

It’s one of those swift touches you’re forced to share throughout the day because you’ve always got a toddler to watch and a baby to hold. It’s a god, I wish I could touch you more than this, but I have to make sure our oldest doesn’t drown.

Steve chuckles at your gaping. He flashes you a sunshine smile, twinkling with mischief as he heads out behind Nellie. He stands in his flip-flops on the patio with Ava on his hip and gives the go-ahead for the tinier version of him to get in the pool.

The feeling of his palm still lingers on your skin. It’s not a stinging, exactly, but a tingling of your need for him. 

Maybe baby number three isn’t as far away as you think.

[offbranddrpepsi]

Hello! I'm not sure if you do this so feel free to just ignore this request if you don't :]! Could I request a Reyna X trans! Male reader that already had his surgery but some people were mean to him saying his still a female (how would Reyna react to them, comfort reader, etc) have a great day/night!

I am always open for asks like this because I know how much comfort they can give people as well as it just feels nice to have something like this sometimes. I hope you enjoy it and will be writing it as both top and bottom surgery (though the focus will be top surgery for obvious reasons). This is not proof read as im still a bit sick and finished a book recently so rereading anything makes my brain soup so i apologize for any mistakes.

Reyna is no stranger to being different though she doesn't understand why it is such a big deal for some. As such she is as well read as she can be when it comes to queer issues, especially if they involve her partner or someone close to her. She may not be perfect but she is always willing to listen and understand. Since day one when you introduced yourself she had asked for your pronouns, a habit Gekko had gotten her into, and didn't ask any questions past that. At that point you had obvious defined hips, despite trying to hide them, and a notable bump in your chest as binders weren't perfect but she never questioned it. You called yourself a man so she did and when you came out to her you could tell the dots connecting in her brain as you spoke. If someone misgendered you she would just very bluntly correct them with a "he." then stare at them with those vibrant eyes until you folded. Reyna was like having a guard dog that, even if they disregarded your identity, made it hard for anyone to disrespect you to your face in her presence. As you two grew closer and became a pair she would get a little intrusive but well meaning. She would ask you about physical things ranging from affection to more intimate ones. How you wanted her to handle you or refer to you, if you were comfortable with her seeing you in certain clothing or ways etc. Reyna is a woman who likes to establish clear boundaries and does so with you so she can be the best girlfriend she can be while also making sure you are comfortable. If permitted she can be found at times stealing your clothes like most girlfriends would, favoring anything oversized or jackets. She never stops gushing about her partner and boyfriend, even talking about how her sister would adore you and probably see you as a brother. At the end of the day who you are at the surface doesnt matter to her as she cares more about whats under it all, appearances be damned.

Post surgery shes adorable and overbearing as you heal. She helps change bandages, drains, even helps you shower if needed. Her radiance lets her monitor your heart rate and body temp so at the first sign of any infection or inflammation shes right on top of it making you take medicine and rest. Once you're healed enough she is the first to nuzzle herself into your chest and sit in silence as she hears your heart beat, you breath, just you exist as a more full version of yourself thats hopefully happier being in your own skin. Given how supportive and loving she is she absolutely takes it HORRIBLY when people are still mean and cruel to you. She makes sure to over talk them with your pronouns and correct name, throwing compliments at you in there as well to make them feel absolutely smothered by her. Of course thats when you're there, when you arent shes snarling and threatening them in the way shes best at. Teeth bared shes asking them to repeat themselves, seeing how dedicated they are to their bigotry before tearing into them. If theres one things Reyna is good at its being scary and damn does she scare them into at least being politely silent. When it comes to comforting you shes your biggest fan already but shes admittedly a tad bad at it because she doesn't really get why they have to be like that. Before it made sense because maybe they slipped up or just weren't thinking but now that you've taken steps to masculinize yourself more she sees absolutely zero excuse. Reyna holds you against her and promises to make sure you don't have to hurt again, to weed out those that would treat you this way. She makes threats of ripping tongues out but calms herself to turn her attention to you. You're the one that was hurt by people to small minded to be accepting, being vengeful won't fix that right now. For as long as you need she is there, holding you and talking to you. She talks you into setting up a date where she introduces you to her family that accept you just as she had. She arranges shopping trips to get you more masculine clothes and even helps you donate your old binders to other trans youth. Reyna even pulls Gekko in to "help his big brother out" as theres just some things about being a man that she doesn't understand but knows having someone like him around would be helpful

[ebongawk]

rules: post the first lines of up to 10 of your last fics/chapters posted on ao3 or your wips and try to draw some conclusions.

tysm for the tag @pipergirl17 (like a week ago whoops) this seems so fun!

every star in the sky (is taking aim)

I love you, man. It was a strange feeling, lungs filling with blood.  His lungs filling with his blood.  Painful, yeah, but also weird.   Unnatural.  Like his blood knew it wasn’t supposed to be there, but it didn’t have a choice.  And the sensation of drowning in the liquid of his own body, the wet he produced that was supposed to keep him alive literally killing him? Fucking unreal.

the beating of our hearts (is the only sound)

Chrissy was exhausted. Three hours before, when she’d initially walked into Jason’s home, she’d already been tired.  But then fifty of their classmates popped out of poor hiding spaces, shouting surprise! so loudly she thought they’d ruptured her eardrum, and her internal dial went from ‘worn out’ to ‘enverated’ almost immediately.  Like the room was full of vampires that thrived on energy, and every ounce she had was leeched as soon as she stepped foot past the threshold. Whatever she wore on her face, Jason mistook it for excitement.

overheated heart (head over heels)

Eddie needed this goddamn movie to end. He was dying.  Like, actually suffocating, his lungs inhaling and exhaling oxygen without absorbing any of it into his blood.  He kept taking slow, deep breaths, but every passing second was agony.   Because with every stupid, necessary puff of air, Eddie kept getting little nudges of flowery perfume, and it was gonna be the death of him.

let's climb too high (for the stars to reach us)

Plopping down on a stool, Chrissy gave a weary sigh, letting her head droop against her crossed arms on the bartop.  She felt, all at once, like she’d been awake for a thousand years, and all she wanted to do was go to sleep.   Curl up in her bed after a long, relaxing bath and read one of her romance novels until she passed out with the pages spread over her chest. Joke’s on her, considering her bed was now tainted.

give me your hand (give me your sound)

It was a weird fucking day. Walking into the hellscape that was school, the aura was weird.   Anticipation hung heavily in the air; the promise of an impending week off made tension thick as people prepared for their spring break with wandering minds and jittery dispositions.  Ignoring lessons outright in favor of planning road trips and parties, discussing how to obtain alcohol despite the prying eyes of ‘authority figures’ standing over their shoulders. Eddie reveled in it.

heart begins to beat

The memories came in increments. Lying awake, staring up at the ceiling of a hotel room that felt more like home than Chrissy’s own childhood bedroom ever had, the pieces of a past her tormented mind had begged her to forget slowly stacked together.  Like a game of Jenga towering higher and higher, waiting to fall and crush her completely.  Each new brick connected the dots of a nightmarescape she couldn’t have fantasized in the most insane of dreams.

the conclusion I'm drawing is that I'm a big fan of single-line tag lines to sort of set the tone for a story 😂 which tbh I already knew. I also tend to steer my Chrissy POV intros more toward emotion while my Eddie intros seem a bit more physical? but idk if that's true for every fic or just these six.

(also idk if it meant the first few lines of the story or of the most recent chapter posted but I went with the former lmao)

I'm gonna tag @cyraclove @billysblueeyes @astorytotellyourfriends and anyone else that might want to play!!

[daftpatience]

Do you have any tips or advice for running an artists booth at a convention? I'm thinking about doing it eventually and been wanting to hear from people who have done it before :^)

yeah!!! lemme rattle off a few things off the top a my head also, pardon me 4 using amazon dot ca links for products that i mention. its just easy to find references that way (and often u can look up the brand and find their non-amazon store etc etc)

this got super long so im putting it under a cut!!

• join an artist alley group!! i'm in this artist alley discord and it is a fantastic place to get info about cons, table display ideas, manufacturer recommendations, etc. there are more than just this group out there and i think there are bigger ones but i personally really like this one ^u^ i make a ton of use of the display resources and manu recommendation channels!

• if you can afford it, be choosy about the events you apply to. there are a lot of cons out there that are fantastic, and a lot that aren't worth the trouble, and i don't necessarily mean small vs big cons. some of my fav events are smaller artist alleys local to me, and most of the artists i know avoid informa (fanexpo) like the plague. check out what other artists have to say about past events and keep an eye out for red flags: personally i find cons with really out of date/poorly advertised social medias and websites that have mismatched info are a warning sign of a mismanaged and not well attended event. • you don't need a lot of fancy display stuff to start, those sorts of things you can build up over time. im a fan of getting a ton of my display stuff from the dollar store >:)

when you're ready and need the space to display a good amount of art the main thing you wanna pick up is definitely something that gives your table some verticality, whether that's a pvc pipe style setup, pegboards, or modular cube shelving (we all used to use these big heavy grid ones until the plastic sheet covered ones came out and now we all use those. theyre cuter and lighter and fit better on a table and come in more colours yayay. im sure some people still like the grid ones since they fit gridwall accessories tho) there are lots of other ways to display stuff but these r what i am most familiar with. definitely helps to look at youtube and pinterest and discord groups for display ideas!!

another thing you will want to start is a tablecloth. not every con has their tables already covered! there are those plastic picnic ones at dollar stores, and you can thrift bedsheets/fabric too.

• depending on the type of display and art you do you'll need some way to attach signs/prints/charms/etc to your display. i just moved from blu-tack to magnets but i used to use sewing clips (back when i used the grid cubes) and before then masking tape. all of them are okay and cool! except blu-tack. don't make the same mistakes as me it adds like 40 whole minutes to teardown and it leaves gross oil on the prints after some time. evil

• if you don't have business cards you can make a sign with a qr code that links to you/your shop! there are lots of qr code makers online that u can even customize with images and colours and stuff. there will be people that wanna know how to find you again after a con!

• these days a lot of people don't bring cash to conventions and it's pretty vital to bring some sort of card reader or other digital payment method. most of us use square - they recently made it so that the phone app can accept tap! so you don't need to jump for the expensive physical readers. i've also got a paypal dot me qr code and my etransfer email (i think this is a canadian thing) on a lil sign on the table so people have lots of payment options. usually over 50% of my con income comes from non-cash sales!

• make sure to bring change!! we've forgotten in the past and done okay but it's always handy to be able to make change for people. you'll want a secure place to put cash as well, whether it's a locked moneybox that you keep out of sight or a place on your person (friend of mine uses a fanny pack!) you never wanna leave your table completely unattended but especially when it comes to the moneybox. if it's a multi day con this is an item you mustn't leave at your table overnight.

• keep count of your sales and expenses properly so that you can see how much you made at the end of the con. i really like spreadsheets but you can even just note it down in a book. here's a little example of one con for me:

• you'll want to make a checklist of stock and display stuff to bring, but don't forget to make a list of minor stuff like phone chargers and scissors and tape and glue and pens and paper. multiple types of tape and paper if possible. they don't feel super important until you're stuck because you forgot to make a price sign and have to get by with a sharpie and a napkin. don't let that be you!! dollar store sticky note pads are super useful for this type of thing.

• plan out your prices and do as much prep (counting, sign making, display planning, packing/sorting) as you can beforehand so that the event doesn't feel too stressful. make sure your merchandise is stored in an easily accessible way for you behind the table so you aren't scrambling or rummaging too much when people are asking for stuff!

• similarly, whatever you can leave out for people to just pick/grab themselves, the more of it you're likely to sell. things like stickers and charms are good for this - people like to touch stuff! and it makes it so you don't need to go fishing for items for people as frequently. generally i don't do this with more expensive items just to be safe.

• if you sell prints, people are gonna ask for sleeves to keep them safe, especially at outdoor events. sometimes people ask for sleeves/bags even if they dont buy anything. they're a good idea to have on hand and you can find em for pretty cheap online and for a bit more expensive at dollar stores (i use OPP bags. if you dont wanna use plastic you can always get paper bags/envelopes/glassine bags instead)

• a cushion for the chair is a good idea. lots of conventions have really uncomfy chairs. some folks even bring camping chairs instead!

• pack snacks/lunch/water/drinks/have lunch plans. if you have a table buddy that is able to run out for food that's always nice. you might be sitting but it uses a lot of energy to interface all day!! you'll be exhausted and hungry and it's gonna be important to get enough fuel for your brain to function properly. i genuinely would recommend juice/soda/coffee/energy dink alongside water and food if you wanna live, especially if its a multi day con. get good sleep on days between!

• if you're excited to do trades with other artists during the con, the general etiquette is to wait until later in the day/near the end when the crowds are winding down! it's always okay to ask if someone's doing trades, and don't be upset or press them if they aren't interested or have certain stuff they don't want to trade.

• speaking of con etiquette, depending on the type of vert you are (intro/extro) and or how much customer service experience you have, interfacing can be nervewracking. my general rule is that if they stop to look, i say Hello and let them browse. if they seem interested in my table i try and do some small talk. stuff like How are you/How's the event been for ya/compliments on their outfit/cosplay/merch they have on like pins etc are good! kids and old folks love this. as tiring as it is to do some of my favourite parts of cons is talking to nice people that like my art!! all the folks that say nice things about my work are what keep me drawing ;w; i keep my sketchbook with me to jot down/doodle nice and funny encounters just cus it makes me happy to look back on XD

• when it's teardown time try to put stuff away as neatly as you can. you might be tired and just wanna toss all your stuff into whatever it is you brought it in but i promise future you (especially next-con you) will be so thankful that you put all your price signs into one baggie etc etc.

• speaking of bringing and putting away merch - you'll need a way to get it all from your home/car to your table and back. lots of people use dollies and other types of utility cart (i can guarantee there are a bunch of those grandma grocery ones at your local thrift store!!) - i personally use a big luggage bag and a collapsible wagon, but back in the day we used to CARRY bin after bin of stuff from the car and back in multiple trips which i would NOT reccomend lol. not every convention hall is easily accessible or close to parking so not having to lift stuff if you can avoid it is gonna be vital.

[kuwdora]

Lost Scenes Thursday! Get to know your favourite authors better. Show five scenes from either abandoned fics where you regret they will never see the light of day, or five scenes from WIPs where you are impatient to see them out there. Long, short, one-liner... it's all good reading. Tag five other authors where you are curious.

Here is a messy witcher snippet from 2021 which was part of a longer plotty story that never went anywhere. But this mostly was me embracing Jaskier as a Disney Princess and finding my way to Jaskier and Geralt's netflix dynamic and voices. Only remembered this because @littlestsnicket and I were talking about jaskier and geralt and music recently.

the original fic title was actually called Counterpoint of Disaster and got too big and messy for me to deal with. but this snippet should whet your appetite!

jaskier & geralt. case fic vibes. 850w. rated T.

Jaskier ambled along the stretch of road beside a fence, strumming his lute and humming. The sun was easing itself behind the peaks of the Mahakams and the shadow was creeping along the meadow. At the top of a sloping hill, Jaskier noticed a dot that resembled a cow. 

He perched himself on the fence and he resumed his song, uncertain he could project his voice enough for the cow to hear him.

But it did. The cow moseyed down the hill towards him. By the time it was half-way to Jaskier on the fence two more cows appeared at the top of the hill.

Amused, Jaskier sang louder. The ambling cow continued its approach with its companions making their way to Jaskier’s little stage. His fingers danced along the strings. Swing that scythe dawn to dusk with weary shoulders, to home and hearth your wife… All variations on a satisfying theme. A hard day's work followed by ale and love at home only to wake up and do it all over again. Music to rejuvenate oneself for the next day’s work.  

The cows mooed upon their approach and Jaskier played on. Three more cows appeared on the horizon and they herded each other down the hill towards him.

“Not my usual audience,” Jaskier said and laughed. He tilted his head and adjusted his posture, a smile tugging at his lips. “I wonder…” he murmured. He began playing a lighthearted song of a young maiden’s carefree day. 

He was halfway through the chorus and was deeply amused by the nearly dozen cows standing in front of him. By the time Jaskier was on the final verse another three cows had joined them, shouldering their way closer.

Jaskier continued to hum and sing, plucking a cute little melody for the attentive audience. He received some lowing in return and he laughed. “Happy cows indeed. Who knew I had fans afield. Will a good song produce sweet milk?” he asked them.

His fingers danced along the strings, improvising nonsense and one of the soft-eyed cows wandered right up to the fence and offered him an insistent moo before nudging his knee with its snout.

“I would definitely consider tips in the form of cheese,” Jaskier said and gave the cow a gentle pat on the side of her face. 

His hand came away wet and he was about to wipe the cow snot away when he saw his hand was crimson.

Jaskier gagged and nearly wiped the blood on his clean trousers. He stopped himself just in time and wobbled on the fence.

“Uh, Geralt?” Jaskier called. “There’s some bloody cows over here.”

“There’s a farm nearby,” Geralt said, sounding like he replied without looking up.

“No, I mean they look like they rolled around in a pool of blood,” Jaskier said.

Two of the cows pushed forward as if to ask why he’d stopped playing. They crowded Jaskier enough and pushed at his knees with soft blood-covered snouts. Jaksier unwound his legs from the fence to lean forward for a closer look. Then they were all at his knees at once.

Jaskier wobbled.

The cows mooed.

Jaskier flailed and threw up his arms with his lute, instinctively protecting it as he fell.

He landed hard.

Jaskier wheezed. Pulled the lute close to his chest, cradling it amidst the pain.

He opened his eyes, not realizing he’d closed them. Geralt leaned on the fence, looking at the assembled cows.

“I think they were going to take a bite out of me,” Jaskier rasped. Geralt held out an arm and when Jaskier grabbed it he was heaved upward like it was nothing, again reminding him of Geralt’s effortless strength. He spread his feet and tried to gain his bearings but he’d fallen harder than he realized because the ache persisted in his chest and back. He rubbed the back of his neck and the back of his head and took a step backwards from the fence. 

“Wouldn’t be the first creature to try,” Geralt said and climbed over the fence for a closer look. The frown on the witcher’s face worried Jaskier. The eager brown cow, hungry for more song didn’t appear blood-thirsty in the slightest despite the blood-matted fur indicating otherwise.

“Did they make a grand escape from the butcher? One last dinner before they became dinner?” Jaskier said. 

“I doubt it,” Geralt said. He was reaching out to the animal and touching the side of her face, peering at her eyes and ears before doing a cursory check of her mouth before moving on to the rest of her body. She paid Geralt little heed and when she mooed it started a chain reaction from the others.

“The blood is human. At least a day old,” Geralt said and moved on to examine the other eager cow who hung her head over the fence like she was waiting for Jaskier to resume his song.

“So they were trying to take a bite out of me. This is definitely a mystery in the making: The Mystery of the Bloody Cows,” Jaskier said.

[runa-falls]

First off, you're amazing, you're a star, so let's just get that out of the way 👏👏

Second, I wanted to ask your thoughts on the Moonboys' reactions if the reader came home with really short hair one day out of the blue?

I've got a pixie cut with shaved sides and I usually love it but I've gotten two comments from close friends recently about it making me look masculine. :/

they'd be surprised for sure, but not in a bad way!

jake would probably greet you at home first. he likes to think he's something of a househusband even though he's the only one with an economically sustainable job (either chauffeuring for dumb rich ppl or killing for money -- the only two options im afraid).

"cariño, you're home--" you'd stand there awkwardly 🧍 as he approaches you with wide eyes. "did...someone steal your hair...?" (why is he dumb -.-)

"no, i, uh, just wanted to try something different." *nervous chuckle* you rub the back of your neck, still unused to the shortness at the nape of your neck.

his eyes soften as he takes you in. he likes it. really likes it. now he can see you're beautiful face and that shy smile that you try so hard to hide. but without your hair, you're you, wholly and truly.

"you look beautiful, mi vida."

"really? it isn't too...boyish?"

he shakes his head, "you're perfect."

--

marc would see it next. somehow, he finds the weirdest times to front. you and jake were on the couch watching some action movie after dinner. he's all wrapped up around you, nuzzling his face into your newly uncovered neck. he's got really touchy since you got home, wanting to kiss and nuzzle you everywhere where your hair used to inhibit him.

a soft sigh replaces the quiet growls that accompany the nips on your collarbone. marc.

"mm...i love waking up to this." you gasp as he sucks a small bruise onto the base of your neck. marc knows you have work, so he tries to place them somewhere you could hide easily. with your former length of hair, that is.

"marc!"

"hm?" he's so lost in your touch (our touched starved baby) that he barely processes your fussy tone.

"not there" you whine, though it's hard to stay mad at him when he's loving on you so tenderly.

his voice is muffled as he speaks against your skin, "why not? just cover it up tomorrow."

"can't."

he removes himself from your neck to give you a look. but that look turned into one of surprise. he glances down at his work dotted on your neck, "shit. you might have to wear a turtleneck baby..."

you grumble. of course, that's the only thing he's thinking about. it does ease your concerns a bit though, knowing that your new haircut isn't a big deal to him.

"well...if you're already going to wear something to cover it up..." he pushes back against you. "might as well make the most of this, hm?" he grins at you teasingly.

"marc!"

---

steven would see you last and gasp in awe, "wow you look amazing, when did you get this done?"

"yesterday. after work."

"whot, no fair! the others got to see you like this yesterday, didn't they?" he pouts.

"well, you were sleeping like a baby and i didn't want to disturb you."

"should've woken me up!"

"well...do you like it?"

"so cool, love! could i...touch it?"

"sure, baby. go ahead."

he runs his fingers through the short hair, hand tickling from the new texture. you nearly purr at the feeling. you didn't think you'd like this feeling so much.

steven swallows when he sees your reaction. you're practically vibrating under him. "s'this good?" his voice is huskier as he gently scratches against your scalp.

"mm...r-really --" *nervously clears your throat* "i-it's, uh, nice, yeah."

---

needless to say, the moonboys are a fan! i'm sure by now you've grown out your hair, or have gotten used to the haircut XD so sorry this took so long for me to answer, but i hope (if you find this again) you enjoy my take on the situation!

for a lot of people their hair is a big part of their identity so it's understandable why changing the length/style can make such a big impact in your life. but don't listen to your friends. you're beautiful no matter how much or what type of hair you have!

[tornrose24]

So a fews days ago, @chinirom05 asked me some questions regarding my art and writing, and I told them the question was too good to be just on a DM, because my response might help other creatives/writers.

So to answer the questions...

When it comes to fashion, it really depends on a few factors. Since I’ve mainly done fan art on here, it boils down to ‘What’s the event/time period’ and ‘who is the character I’m dressing up.��� As a bonus, sometimes I try to factor in if I want to pay homage to the character’s ethnicity/heritage (I did this for those TGAMM Aladdin AU drawings for the princess attire).

So I’m going to go WAY back in the past for one example that the CU fandom might recall–remember the CU Tangled AU drawings and fics I collaborated with @princeasimdiya12 ?

While there was inspiration from the movie its based on, I also had to research the time period the movie supposedly takes place in (I think it was around the 1790s if I remember correctly). Edith was the best challenge for this one because there were a lot of dresses to put her in, but I also needed to design them in a way that reflected her character as well as would look good for her body type since she has a plus sized figure. The apron from the first fic was meant to show off her creative side, Her castle dress had polka dots as a nod to her canon outfit, and the ballgown used colors I thought would be good on her–but blue was a necessary element due to her iconic blue eyes. (damn, that was YEARS ago and when I had my old tablet!) Also I loved getting an excuse to research period outfits and creating dresses. George and Harold’s outfits outfits took inspiration from the characters they were based on, but I kept their color schemes and looked up clothes boys might have worn back then.

A more recent example was from the TGAMM fic Her First Forever Friend, and I did do drawings for it, including the example I’m about to talk about. It comes late in the fic (chapter 13, to be specific), but for the moment in question, I wanted to give Molly a new outfit that was meant to be symbolic/reflective of her nature and growth in the story (especially given how limited her wardrobe is in the show). I researched sundresses (or just dresses) for a girl her age, until I found a design I could work with that also looked like something Molly would wear. I also used yellow daisies in her appearance as a theme and for the symbolism behind it (I wanted to use pink lotus flowers at first, but their meaning didn’t exactly fit what I was after). If you’ve read the fic or seen my drawings for the fic (which includes her in that dress), then you’d understand the meaning behind it as well as what the outfit is meant to be parallel to. (Also, if anyone is reading this, do NOT click the link if you haven't seen the series finale of The Ghost and Molly McGee, or read up to ch 13 of my fic.)

If you mean inspiration for fashion… I get it from almost anywhere. For art in general? Well, I started taking inspiration from anime, and then gradually cartoons.

For the writing question… well, it’s not easy. When I have a story, I focus on the ideas and plan things out in my head. However, I might not have the things in between right away, so I might have scenes that take a bit more work to figure out compared to others. There are also some times where I realize an idea might not work so I’ll have to plan it out differently, or I want the story to go in another direction (or I just can’t use an idea).

One good example of this is–again–Her First Forever Friend. I thought I’d be doing a one shot, but it had the potential to be more, so I gave it a go. Here were some challenges:

-Since Molly came to Brighton earlier than usual, how would certain events change as a result? If she’s meant to defeat The Chairman just like in canon, how do I get to that? What’s going to be the big moment where ‘everything changes?’

-Chapter 4. Everyone who read this fic knows this chapter for lots for reasons. As I wrote in my notes, I had a huge decision in ‘who will stay and who will go’ by the end of it. I knew I had a much more interesting story on my hands if I made the choice that I ultimately went with, as well as a really good character arc for someone who needed it… and my readers really enjoyed how that character arc developed. (There’s one line in chapter 6 that best reflects this arc and my readers quoted it in their comments on archive.) In the chapter that came after this, I wanted to put the fortune teller oc in the dream sequence, but I opted not too as it would have made the scene too messy and I needed to keep attention on the three characters already in it.

–When I got to chapter 8, I had an idea of what I wanted to do, but then I realized ‘wait a minute, I’m seeing a problem/plot hole in the future if I just continue forward.’ So I had to give the duo a new problem as well as a way to find the solution–it extended the story to about 2/3 chapters but it was worth it, and I got some good moments to write out.

So yeah, just some examples of my writing process. Sometimes I have things planned, and sometimes I don’t. Especially if I don’t have the entire story arc in my head.

Also, I’ve learned that I need to try to simplify some sentences to make them flow–especially if there’s action in it (a reader commented that my fighting scenes needed shorter sentences to make them easier to read many years back). However, I like going all out on the more emotional moments–if there’s a heartwarming moment in any of my fics, chances are that’s something I loved working on the most and went all out. Also, I’m sorry if you ever need to look up words–I guess that’s the academic side of me wanting to include things that hopefully the readers will look into.

Now if you are collaborating with someone, like I did with princeasimdiya12? There’s a bit of compromise, but I’ve tried to include all of our ideas and put them together. It’s been a long time since I wrote the Tangled CU AU fics and I can’t recall which exact story elements were his at the moment but I made sure to make a note as to which story elements were his. (Also, I’ve seen some collaboration fics where it looks like there’s a scene going on, but everything looks painfully out of order as if the two are writing responses at different or later times, and I can’t handle it.)

Anyway, I hope that advice helps somewhat.

[theladytumbledown]

REGENCYCORE.

I do find it rather funny i was searching high and love for some coquette themed dresses and then i was compiling a list of dresses to fit this aesthetic right before the big demand for them with the coming of the 3rd season of Bridgerton (which i was completely unaware of). I had never seen the show until last week and i can say i truly am a fan. I was looking for something i could wear for the upcoming Lana Del Rey concert a few months ago when i found all these websites to fit the aesthetic i was looking for.

I am here to help give you a list of dresses in the vain of regencycore. Corsets & Dresses galore or even better Corseted Dresses for that coquette vibe! If you loved Selkie dresses but couldn't quite commit then here is a list of many more options that are worth some reviewing! these are in no specific order.

1, Wild Rose & Sparrow I super love this brand, They have such exquisite corseted dresses.

i believe this is one of my favorite sites recommended on this list. the quality of these items are impeccable and perfect to say the least. i do plan on purchasing from this brand in the future.

2, Maison Amory

size inclusive with sizes up to 5x with perfectly constructed bodices and bows. this brand is CLASS.

3, Wax Poetic

this website is super cute and i love that their dresses are handmade. I absolutely love the pricing for these items as well. they have sizes going up to 4x

3, Selkie most of us are aware of the groundbreaking brand Selkie. keep your eyes peeled for sales on this brand around holidays. i find these items to be more worth the pricing around the holidays when they all drop in price up to 50%. you can also find some selkie items in Anthropologie and Free People locations.

4, For Love & Lemons this brand can also be found in some Victorias Secret locations and website. I recently took part in their memorial day sale and scored a nice summer dress for the upcoming Lana Del Rey Concert in Boston. This brand has very cute floral prints and ruffled dresses with nice bows perfect for that coquette look this shop is for you.

5, Loud Bodies this brand is on the higher end with their dresses being on the more expensive side. this brand is super size inclusive along with being super well made and also ethical! this brand screams BRIDGERTON

6, Lace Made This brand has more affordable options. These dresses and coresets are all super cute. the dresses radiate such femininity and romance. with all their dresses carefully dotted with bows and whimsical patterns.

7, Linennaive I'm quite in awe with these dresses, these are more on the fantasy, medieval side. these dresses have such a beautiful construction. perfect for renfaires. sizing for this brand goes up to 3XL and i noticed they do run a decent amount of dales from time to time.

8, Vanessa Mooney This brand has very delectable mini dresses and rompers. This brand however is not as size inclusive as most of their items seem to only go up to large and seldom XL-2X. i have also read some reviews suggesting that the fit wasn't correct on people with longer torsos.

9, Fairy Tong London

This brand is WHIMSICAL and could give Selkie a run for their money. very similar styles with more of a leg up on the fantasy side of things. you can get dresses to fit the aesthetic of fairy princess to being a classy bride from this website. i could see many of the ladies in Bridgerton truly wearing these dresses or even Disney princesses perhaps. this brand is also super size inclusive.

10, Fanciful Doll

were talking super fantasy with these dresses. fitting for anyone going for a truly outstanding appearance and statement these pieces are on the higher end and quite expensive. sizing for fanciful doll goes up to 6x.

11, Free People

I love the dresses at Free People they offer such a an array of stylish dresses in all sorts of different styles and they do offer a lot of coquette type options and are known for having selkie dresses from time to time.

12, Anthropologie

Anthropologie has cute dresses some on the regencycore end. They do have good sales around the holidays and they do sell selkie items so its worth keeping an eye out from time to time.

13, House of CB

I love the bubble dresses they have. found this brand the other day i noticed they sell the brand at Nordstrom/Nordstrom rack they have some super cute lace up dresses and more to fit a array of different styles. you can select your cup size for these dresses which i find to be very cool!

14, Sugar Thrills

I believe this brand is only accessible on the dollskill website however its on the more affordable end. The quality isn't as excellent as the other brands above. I will say i do like the Sugar Thrills shoes i find them to be so pretty i had bought myself the rhinestone cowboy boots years back and they are still a favorite part of my wardrobe.

15, Franseca's

A mall staple and amazing website. they ALWAYS have sales and good ones too like 60% off . i have bought many of my favorite dresses for holidays and events over the years here at Fransecas.

they have many baby doll dresses with puffy sleeves and cute patterns.

16, Holy Clothing

all your perfect dresses needed for a more medieval vibe. i know many renfaires are about to pop up from now until novemeber so if you need anything for those then HOLY CLOTHING is for you.

i hope these website are helpful for anyone looking for a particular dress to suit their aesthetics.

[orchidsangel]

who’s your favorite robin? i feel like it’s jason but i’d still like to know why

-🦦

alright, this is actually ro lore. because- because because my fave robin is dick grayson *everybody gasps* and has been for YEARS.

i've never been a big batman lover, actually have had one-sided beef with him since elementary school. for some reason, i hated all of the men in the justice league except for the flash (could never hate barry allen my cutie patootie snuggle wuggle bear), and that was so amplified for bruce wayne.

partially bc i thought he was a loser like you don't even powers, you're not even a superhero fr, flop womp womp, yada yada yada. then. this girl i hated so. fucking. bad. for so. many. reasons. was the biggest batman fan ever. and when i was in 5th grade, she would always always always talk about how he was better than everyone else, and she would start arguments about it, and it was just so annoying.

so i already hated him, and she liked him, which means i hated him even more basically. also, i hated how many movies he has. pisses me off so bad to this day.

bc of that, i never got into batman or anything related to batman outside of the justice leage, and i never knew anything about him than his backstory. which i didn't even know that well bc for the longest time, i thought he got his powers from bats, and it turns out he's actually just like the rest of us. snooze.

i can't give you an exact timeline of how i discovered dick, but it probably went something like this:

saw nightwing - heart eyes - looks up nightwing on wiki - heart eyes - "first robin" - shocked emoji - connects teen titans dots - ignores everything about batman - hyper fixation passes - watches young justice - robin? - dick grayson? - heart eyes - NIGHTWING!!!!! - heart eyes

when i watched yj, my love for dick multipled by the thousands, and i already loved him bc i was a huge teen titans lover, and i always knew about batman and robin but my dumb ass was such a batman hater that i literally never connected the fucking dots.

my obsession with him is truly legendary, i had a nightwing theme for my spam acc on ig and twitter, all of my friends send me nightwing edits when they see them, and when my best dc loving irl wishes me a happy birthday, she calls me the "#1 nightwing stan" bc it's BAD for me.

but like i said, i wasn't well versed in batman lore until really recently, and that's where jason comes in. idk why when i read "first" robin i never once thought about there being any other ones, even though that more than implies that there are ??? but there's this guy ik who i went to middle school with who's also a fan of comics and superheroes like i am. and his fave character of all time is daredevil.

so one day, we're talking back and forth about which is better, dc or marvel. and he mentions that while he's not really a dc lover, they have one of the most goated characters. *insert jason todd*. and he's like, "yk who that is, right?" and i'm like, "pftt duh (no i don't)" but i'm never gonna let a man catch me slacking, so i do my due dilligence and start my research.

boom. here we are. with 2.5 blogs dedicated to jason who’s spent months living my head. dick will always have my heart, though. honestly, they both will.

[westadventure24]

Day 6 - Old Geysers and the Canyon

Never a dull day here in Yellowstone! Once our breakfast was done, we started our tour for the day. I don’t think I will ever get used to the bison! At times, they are so funny! Take this gal….just walking down the middle of the road, holding up traffic without a care in the world. We thought she wanted to cross so we gave her some space…she just looked tight at us as she went by. And Todd decided upon eye contact it was time to move on. Traffic was backed up behind her for at least a mile, if not two.

Just down the road, we stopped at one of Mom’s favorites so far…the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The roaring, clear water of the falls streaming down into the deep canyon was absolutely breathtaking. Dad wasn’t too interested in looking down into the Canyon as we couldn’t convince him that the rocks creating the barrier weren’t going to move. Who knew he wasn’t a fan of heights???

Have you ever driven the big loop in Yellowstone National Park? Much to marvel at here! You see, the entirety of Yellowstone National Park is considered to be a geothermal caldera, an underground volcano. There are beautiful blue pools that are so hot any living creature daring to enter would be boiled alive. We could feel the heat and mist on our faces as we looked in awe at the pristine color. Then, there are mud pots. I am not even sure how to describe the mud pots, other than the boiling mud seems like it would be sent to a spa you would see on an 80’s tv show with young ladies’ hair wrapped in towel as an attendant spread a mud mask on their face. Really interesting. Mom and Dad neither were too found of these natural wonders thanks to the media coverage of the recent explosion in Biscuit Basin.

We had a late lunch at the Old Faithful Inn. It was constructed in 1903-1904, made out lodge pole pine for the price of $140,000. Old Faithful is called that for a reason…the time of eruption can easily be predicted within a few minutes time. So, at 3:17 pm on the dot, we eagerly awaited for the geyser to erupt as we watched from the 2nd floor terrace of the dear old inn. It was glorious!

On the way back to camp as we drove through Hayden Valley, we saw the biggest herd of bison yet! I personally enjoyed these two lying side-by side close to the road just watching the traffic go by. Somehow I envision their conversation to be that of a Far Side cartoon….”Well, Troy, should we just keep lying here letting them think we are tame or charge and scare the heck out of them-for fun? I don’t know Carl, I find this people zoo very entertaining. Why is the guy in the red hat mooing?!” Anyway, I digress and there is a clear reason I don’t write cartoons for a living.

Later that night, we enjoyed a leftover dinner buffet by the campfire. Todd, Lily and I stayed out to enjoy the forest of pines overlooked by the beautiful starry night before heading off to bed. The last thing we learned yesterday is that Lily is definitely afraid of the outdoor dark…she is likely smarter than all of us!

Also, one correction to yesterday’s post…I had incorrectly identified one of the animals as a mule deer, when upon further inspection by the expert (Ryan), I learned that was actually a female elk! Unusual to see one alone!

[dadsbongos]

chapter 2 - the stacey bennett house party

4.3K words

warnings - underage drinking, eddie is totally sober before he drives wow

prev. chapter / masterlist / next chapter

Your post-school ritual consists, mainly, of blocking yourself up in your dad’s big recliner with the TV spewing nonsense and a book on your lap. Usually, Eleven is cooped in your shared room and anybody in Hawkins could tell you Hopper isn’t home long enough to arm you out of the chair. Usually.

Today, he’s burning pasta with a fan on max trying to blow smoke out of a window and Eleven is crooking over the back of the polka dot recliner. Her new Byers’ traditional bangs brush your cheek and she keeps poking your arm the more you ignore her. When you huff and close your copy of The Color Purple around your fingers, she beams at you sunshine sparkly,

“Any plans this weekend?” overly sweet, like her syrupy Eggos every morning.

“What is with everybody and my plans recently?” she shrugs, digging an elbow into the shiny leather and supporting her head by her palm, you crack the book back open and stare it down, “I’m going to a party.”

She gasps, but despite her connoisseur status in modern television, she isn’t a good actor and you can tell she already knew, “You’re going to a party?” she scoffs, brows scrunching, “Without me?”

“This is so not a party for little freshmen,” you slam The Color Purple closed around a bookmark and shoot out of the chair, “or their littler boyfriends!”

Her jaw pops open before she pulls into a pout, “He’s not even my boyfriend, Papa made me dump him.”

Something crashes in the kitchen and you curl your arms tightly around your book, binding it to your chest, “And for that, I’m sorry, but this party isn’t something kids can just go to.”

“Well, why don’t you just bring me so I can get a taste of high school parties,” she slithers over the back of the couch and slumps into the worn, lumpy seat of your father’s chair, “Then I can decide if they’re something I can handle!”

She’s such a pain in the ass.

“You’re such a pain in the ass,” you kick her shin and she hisses as though it actually stings, “Ask Dad and I’ll think about it.”

Another crash in the kitchen but this time the thumping of your father’s work boots follows, Hopper careens into the area, hands barely catching him against the chair, “I heard ‘Dad’.”

“Psycho,” you nudge your head in your little sister’s direction, “El has something to ask you.”

She guffaws, glares, and gruffs before standing and puppy dog pleading, “Can I please, please, please go to a party?”

Hopper’s eyes narrow and he shakes his head slowly, “You know the rule…”

Eleven tosses an arm back to point at you, “She already has a date and everything!”

You can see it in your father’s eyes - that shock and disbelief, as if your sister claimed you knocked your own teeth out. You’re the reason the rule exists. You’re the factor. You never date.

He points at you, skeptical and cold, “Is that true?”

Eleven whips around to stare straight into your soul and you know her fate is in your hands. And you take time in this consideration, just to make her wait, wait, wait before swallowing your elder pride, “Yeah,” you toss the book up, waving it dismissively, “It’s true. We’ll watch the kiddies.”

“And who’s your date?” Hopper stands straight, hands latched on his hips.

You just know he’ll hate the name and man, so you don’t bother trying - instead teasing, “That’s not part of the deal.”

He puffs his chest and prepares to instigate, but the new beeper Florence gave him rings and rattles his leather belt. A great big sigh unglues his tense muscles and he shakes the pointed finger in your direction, “We’re talking about this later.”

“Yeah, yeah,” you wave the book again and replace Eleven in Hopper’s chair, sinking into broken springs.

Work boots thump across the open floor plan and straight out the door, he pauses - just a second - to grab his hat, and that irritates you more than it should.

“Thank you,” Eleven tosses her arms out around your neck, squeezing until you’re goosing her off with light shoves, “Thank you! Thank you!”

“Sure,” you point at the phone hooked against the cabin wall, “Go call Mike, schemer.”

Another mock of innocence shoots straight through her face and she flutters out of your sight.

Your thighs are going numb from the heavy sack of flour in a diaper that your father ‘mandated’ you and Eleven carry around the party. Eddie swings around the front of his van quickly enough, lugging the passenger side door open for you and offering a kind hand.

Eleven is assisted out of the van by Robin, and Barb takes her flour sack - tucking it carefully under her burnt sienna cardigan and pretending to be pregnant. Robin punches the mound and you spot Mike lurking under Stacey Bennett’s porch lights - lanky and jumbled and rubbing his arm just a little too often to be casual.

“I’m never having kids,” you unceremoniously huck your flour-in-a-diaper onto the curbside and watch its weight roll onto the gravel by Eddie’s tire.

The man himself, in gaudy rings and leather, coos and swoops down for your flour baby. Cradling it in his arms, he brushes dirt and grime from its once pristine packaging, “Don’t drop the baby- !“ he takes his keys and jingles them above its ‘face’, “Poor thing.”

Robin and Barb hop up the stone path to Stacey Bennett’s double-door entry, turning to wave you over.

“Plan on babysitting Junior all night or something?” Robin lurches forward and clings to one of the porch banisters, “Come on, lovers!”

Barb, still pregnant, looms over Robin’s shoulder, “We’re waiting!”

Eleven and Mike slip inside the grandiose doorway while your eyes sweep back over to your apparent date of the evening.

“I never thought parties were their thing,” Eddie muses, keys still clinking for your fake baby.

“They’re not,” you press a palm into the puckered top of the flour and jam it through the gap in his hold - back into the rocky gravel below.

“Aw!” you snag Eddie by his wrist before he can be too devastated about a pretend baby and drag him up the rocky pathway.

“My esteemed guests,” Eddie prances out in front of your group, one hand tight on the unlocked knob and the other waved out at his side, “I present to you… an average Stacey Bennett rager.”

It looks like something from a teen parody movie. Lamps are tipped over in the foyer with toilet paper strung out like streamers and plastic cups crushed against the floor. The rug has crumbs and questionable stains and has clearly been tripped over without being properly replaced - unevenly lumpy with ill corners.

People side-eye and point, but you think Eddie’s used to it by the way he guides you all through the swarming crowd. It’s lighter than an average night at The Sunset, but that uncomfortability is thicker - like a boiling shower in the middle of sweltering July. In Arizona.

Or maybe Florida.

Eddie points out a cooler of subpar, inexpensive beer that he says will give you a hangover if you have too much of it and you have one.

“Where the fuck are Robin and Barb?” you have more than one.

Eddie hums, attention still mostly on you even as he closes a deal with Andy Johnson, and his eyes flicker quickly out of your post in the kitchen, searching the rest of the house. Andy slips over cash and Eddie coughs up the weed.

“They left ten minutes ago, sweetpea,” Eddie watches Andy crawl back to Hawkins High’s self-appointed savior, Jason Carver. He watches them whisper and stare and he decides to not ruin whatever buzz you’re on.

Judging by your lax muscles - you seem to be enjoying it.

“Why?” your bottom lip puffs out miserably, head leaning against Eddie’s shoulder. It’s thicker - firmer - than you would have expected. And the material of his long sleeve is softer than you would have thought, too. It’s nice, even if the frayed armholes of his sleeveless vest tickle your forehead every now and again.

“Saw Nancy Wheeler, wanted to say hi,” he leans down to force eye contact, “How you feeling?”

Body sluggish and unmotivated, you attempt to shrug - cheek squished against his arm, “Fine.”

“That’s good,” he tilts his head against yours. Some of his curls hang in front of your face - you think you can smell coconut shampoo. You don’t know if it’s a good thing that you notice that.

“You’re lucky I don’t have lice,” you jab your knuckle into his rib and giggle at the way he histrionically whines and cups the afflicted bones.

“Evil mistress.”

Jason Carver, for all his stupidity, is brave. Much braver than the students who assume Eddie to be a conduit of the Devil and you a heartless witch. You think you prefer those students, at least they don’t bother trying to prove how unscared of you they apparently are.

Like Jason is doing now, his most loyal lapdog Andy lingers just to the side. Within arm’s reach.

“You know,” he stands closer to you, though, and you smile to yourself knowing it's because you aren’t assumed to be an actual hellspawn, “I’m glad to see you’ve taken the stick out of your ass and decided to become a nice young lady for the night.”

Eddie stands up straight, face pinching in something between upset and confusion, but you cut in before he could embarrass himself trying to stand up for you.

“Well, Carver,” you lean back and simper, “maybe if you pulled your head from your ass, you could become one, too. Maybe even prettier than me, if you really gave it your all.”

Eddie’s chest shivers in his peels of laughter and you imagine he’s giving that big dumb smile that shows off all his teeth - one you’re unwilling to admit has been endearing since you first saw it junior year.

Jason backs off, but still opens his mouth to spew more sewage. You steal his thunder in the form of ripping a still-unopened beer from Andy’s hand. It hisses as you pop the tab and rolling foam kisses your fingers, you bump the can into Jason’s shoulder as a cheer. Eddie continues his unbecomingly delightful giggles while you take a swig and wander out of the kitchen.

You don’t get stared at the way Eddie does - the fewer people look at you, the less they are subjected to your dreaded “attitude problem” - but this time seems to be an exception. Eyes flicker and remain as you nail-bite the railing to stumble upstairs with an eager, starry-eyed Eddie Munson hot on your trail.

Mike has to lean down so nobody else can hear as he says, “They look like they get along!”

And yet over vibrating speakers that do more damage to his ears than anything else, he still has to yell in his poor girlfriend’s ear.

Eleven tilts her head, one eye narrowed and nose scrunched as she shakes her head, “She doesn’t talk about him at all…”

“Okay,” Mike leans and barely manages to catch the crinkled tail of Eddie’s black bandana as you both exit the crowd, “but does she ever talk about people? At all?”

You jiggle a couple of knobs - some locked and some leading to compromising views - until you find one just right and Eddie’s about to blindly toss himself in after you when he catches something glinting under cheap lamps. Chrissy’s gold ring with the emerald in the middle, she’s grinning big as he flounders after you - giving a generous thumbs up he certainly wouldn’t be getting if she knew of why he asked you out.

But that doesn’t stop Eddie from returning the gesture.

“Hey!” you snap at the waist to haul up a blue cooler with muffled brown rings stained into the plastic bottom - murkier, browner rings spot the white lid. Popping the lid open, you find more beer, “Sweet!”

“Didn’t know people actually said that outside of movies,” Eddie clicks the lock into place behind him - for privacy rather than any nefarious purposes - and absorbs the pleasant decor. Tulips paint the walls and thin apple-red curtains with fairies embroidered at the skirted bottoms.

“Whatever,” you lean a little too far trying to swat his shoulder and Eddie has to hold you up before you fall.

“Should you drink more?”

“I have nothing going on tomorrow,” you hold out one of the chilled cans, “And I’d like to forget today, preferably as fast as possible.”

He could sense that intention when he picked you up - there was something like thick smog when you crawled into his front seat. It didn’t disappear until he slammed on the brakes at a light and Robin - who refused to put on her seatbelt no matter your insistence - was flung straight into the back of your seat.

The two of you settled onto Stacey Bennett’s Disney princess bed, cooler abandoned on the floor after you have a beer in hand.

But no matter how much time is lost shooting the shit, Eddie can’t get his mind off that beginning to the evening. Being inebriated doesn’t silence him, to no surprise whatsoever.

“Why’d you seem so upset when I picked you up?” he presses his thumb into the raised lip of his can, “I was scared you might rip my head off.”

You kick your legs in and under you, pretending to drink from a can he knows is empty. Eddie sets down his can and lays down in front of you, so your downcast eyes can lock with his, you push his face away by the cheek, “Why do you care?”

He doesn’t know.

“Maybe I’m just a kind soul,” he splays his hand wide over his chest, “With a loving heart.”

Eddie flutters his lashes and you wonder why they’re so long and thick - you hate that you like the way they look. He clasps his hands as though he’s begging you.

You don’t even remember how it started - or what entirely was said. Just that you had the last word against your father before Eddie arrived.

”You can’t keep me here just because your last family didn’t pan out right!”

Pretending to take another drink from a can you both know is empty, you dodge Eddie’s eyes, “I regret it now. That’s all you need to know.”

You like to imagine you’ll apologize - but apologizing to family is always harder than regular apologizing. There’s more baggage and history, and a higher possibility that it’ll just happen again. You can’t even feel sorry for yourself about this because it’s all your fault, isn’t it?

But Eddie looks at you like you’ve done nothing wrong. Realistically it's because he doesn’t even know, but part of you wants it to be because he thinks you’re still good and sweet. Like your family used to when you were a kid.

That makes you realize there’s a lump forming in your throat and hot shame filling your eyes, you blink it away and crush the can in your hand to toss out.

“I suppose that’s fair,” he can see it - the tears - but he chooses to not mention it, “Can I ask why you insist on being so…”

Maybe he doesn’t think you’re still good and sweet, then.

You can’t blame him.

“Heinous?”

“I was gonna say original.”

“Is that an insult, Munson?”

The way he snickers makes you think it was, though he vehemently shakes his head, “No, no. Not intentionally,” he turns onto his side, head propped up by his fist and he beams at you, “Just meant - how do just… do what you do? Not listen to people?”

“I would think you’d know!” the softness of Stacey Bennett’s plush bedspread looks so inviting that you can’t help following Eddie’s lead and laying on your side as well, “You of all people should know.”

“But I’ve been hearing it my whole life,” he shakes his head slowly, “Don’t think the sheriff’s daughter has had quite the same treatment,” and when your brows furrow and he can tell he’s offended you, he quickly adds, “Don’t get me wrong! I like it a lot, just curious where it comes from.”

You dig your elbow into the lofty mattress and push so you’re matching Eddie’s eye level, “Guess I just like disappointing people.”

“You never disappointed me,” he offers, and you think maybe he does consider you good, possibly even sweet, “Not that I’m much to judge, but, you know.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough.”

You roll your eyes but Eddie can see it plain as day - the smile playing at your lips.

“Whatever,” you think you scooch closer - or maybe he does, “I admire you, too. Living for yourself and whatnot.”

“I just fuck around,” he lays a hand on the mattress, his fingers brush yours and neither of you move, “More fun.”

“Agreed,” you’re about to take the leap and actually clasp his hand when you notice, in this sudden proximity, something new, “Are you wearing eyeliner?”

It’s only a little - practically a smudge under his eyes.

Eddie shies away instantly, embarrassed by the sloppy job he’d done. He shucks his hand away from yours and up in front of his face, thick rings blocking out the minute makeup.

“No, hey- “ you grab him by the hand and pull it down, the leverage rocks you just a little closer to his face. Noses almost bumping, “I think it looks good. I like it.”

For the first time since you’ve stepped foot into Hawkins High, Eddie is speech-jammed. His cheeks flare like cherries and he briefly worries if you can feel the heat his face is radiating. You were pretty from a distance, in the way he thought many people were pretty - but this is different. You’re actually within reach, you’re actually kind. He thinks he might actually like you.

Oh God, and now he might actually want to impress you.

“I like your…” he’s breathless, nervous in the presence of a girl for the first time since middle school, “everything.”

At least you laugh over the line, that’s enough for him.

And as much as he wants to lean in and kiss that smile on your face, he can’t ignore how much you’ve drank tonight in comparison to him. So he pulls away.

Almost as though something had struck you over the back of your head, your expression drops. No signs of the flirtations and the joy, now you’re straight-laced and pulling back farther than he did. So far, in fact, you’re getting off the bed entirely and storming out of the room.

Eddie slips on the soft sheets as he attempts to follow you, landing flat on his face before gathering his bearings.

The search for Robin and Barb is cut short when you can hear your name - and a glance back confirms that Eddie Munson has returned to his usual M.O. of making himself a fool. He’s tripping over himself and waving you over and you don’t need to look around to know people are staring.

So you instead shoot for the only freshmen in the entire Bennett household, snagging the beer they’re slowly nursing together and passing it off to a girl on the couch. She passes it to the boy trying to find the missing screw in his glasses between the couch cushions while you take both Mike and Eleven by the wrists to bring them outside.

“This is exactly why I didn’t want you coming to these damn things!” you snap, looking over your shoulder to glare at the couple, “Underage drinking is illegal.”

Mike tries ripping himself from your grasp, failing miserably, and glares right at the back of your head, “That’s why you smell like a brewery, right?”

You pause at the front door, scoffing as you shove the pair out in front of you, taking Mike by the back of his shirt and dragging him down the steps, “I’m a legal adult - I can do whatever I want.”

Eleven harps after you, “Don’t hurt him!”

“I really can’t lose the kid taking over as DM when I graduate, you know!” Eddie seconds, hopping over the stone pathway until he’s by your side at his precious van, “So try not to wring him out for the crime you just committed.”

“Buzz off, Munson,” you wave him off.

“Totally would if I wasn’t your ride home,” Eddie’s hand hovers by your shoulder, prepared to guide you should you allow him, “Can we talk? ‘Cuz I don’t want you getting the wrong idea about earlier.”

You glare, “By earlier you mean a minute ago?”

He nods hopelessly, eyes big and wet as if he’ll burst into tears should you refuse to hear him out. With a ‘stay here’ to your child companions, you do allow Eddie to guide you off to the side of the curb.

“I pulled away because it wouldn’t be right to kiss you like this,” his fists clench - clammy and shaky and craving your own - when you don’t immediately respond, “Because you’re drunk. I’m sober. That’s all.”

Rather than the sigh of relief he may have expected, you snit - entirely haughty, “I’m not leaving because I got rejected, do I look like your average douchebag?”

He shrugs, brows climbing to his hairline - tantalizing - and you groan at his ill joke. Eddie fumbles for another response, a way to ask without scaring you away, “Then why are you leaving? The only person that wants you gone is you, so just stay.”

“I’m leaving because I don’t like…” your hands shake as they fly in the space between you and Eddie, “this.”

“What’s wrong with this?” he copies your motions vaguely, hands steadier though. Now less unnerved.

From the corner of your eye, you catch your sister and her boyfriend staring at your trainwreck, their necks rubber into the other direction when you serve a nasty glare. Eddie leans, big head blocking out the teenagers, pleading for you to look at him - just as he has been all night. Always trying to meet your eyes just because the idea of him seeing you is somehow terrifying.

You’re leaving because you know that even when you’re sober - you’d still want to kiss Eddie Munson on his dorky lips.

Not that you said it - not even a twitch of the lip.

Eddie is unused to forfeiting the way he’s about to, “If you really wanna leave, I’ll drive you all home - no questions asked,” he steps back, hands jamming into his jacket pockets, “Can’t promise not to call later, though.”

Oh God, he’s in trouble - the way he’s bending over backward just to please you.

“Sure,” you step down to where Eddie is, catching another glimpse of the tantrum toddler twins you’re tasked with escorting, “We should do something tomorrow, just to not leave things like this.”

“Assuming what? We’d never see each other after this?” Eddie jests, “I dunno about you, sweetheart, but I don’t ask people out as a day job.”

Technically he does, and he swallows the thick guilt like expired milk.

“We can talk about it when you call,” you walk by, already heading in to recollect Robin and Barb when you turn back and call, “I’m bone-tired from all your fake flattery, Munson!”

He goes to insist it isn’t fake, but he catches Mike in his peripherals and remembers the two $20 bills in his piggy bank on the kitchen counter. So he keeps silent as a church mouse while you bop back inside Stacey Bennett’s hell house party.

Turns out “doing something tomorrow” after all you had to drink last night was a bad idea - a worse idea? Allowing yourself to be talked into an outing at the rebuilt Scoop’s Ahoy! in all its colorful neon and pale blue fluorescent glory. Robin gives her favorite bug-eyed stare as you order ice cream for your small group.

Through narrowed eyes and arms folded defensively to your chest, you wave away the bizarro look, "Whatever, whatever."

“I didn’t say anything,” she clinks two glass bowls of banana split onto the counter followed by a waffle cone and a large (or a Chest of Booty size, as Scoops puts it) cup of cookies and cream.

“Don’t you have a shift at The Sunrise to prepare for?” you can’t feel your skin and the room is just a few thousand degrees too cold, “I swear, for a workaholic, you really don’t hurry anywhere.”

“I’m not a workaholic - I’m poor,” she seethes, swatting your arm over the counter.

And after her shift at The Sunrise, Robin has to hit her pillow before a day at Family Video.

And yet she still has the gall to make kissy faces at you as you walk back to your booth with the ice cream.

Eleven watches as Eddie wraps an arm around you in an annoying side-hug she sees couples at school partake in and delights because she assumes this means he genuinely likes you.

Mike, meanwhile, internally vouches to give Eddie a raise for how well he’s acting.

You watch, bewildered, as Eddie manages to get melty strawberry ice cream from his banana split over the bridge of his nose.

“God, Munson, you’re sloppy,” you sneer.

“So I’ve been told,” he doesn’t bother wiping the sugary mess away as he leans in, “I can show you someday if you want?”

“Ew,” pushing Eddie back by his cheek, you ignore the swell of heat that descends from your face to your gut to your thighs. Disgusting.

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Imogen, Obviously by @beckyalbertalli Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❓ #QOTD What movie majorly impacted your life? ❓ 🦇 Imogen Scott has endless experience as a straight queer ally. Her friends are pan and bi, her sister is out, and she never misses a Pride Alliance meeting. While visiting her best friend Lili at college, who has her own little queer community, Imogen takes "supportive" a step further. She pretends to be Lili's ex-girlfriend and bi. The longer she wears the label, the more she wonders if it fits...especially when she's in the company of Lili's new friend, Tessa. Can Imogen keep her story straight, or is she finally starting to see who's staring at her in the mirror?

💜 This recent streak of bi/sapphic YA books (One Last Stop, Perfect on Paper, and now this) has left me slain. It's all too much. I am FEELING too much. Be still, thy bi heart.

💜 In all seriousness, this is the exact story little baby bi me needed back in high school, and I'm so glad it's on shelves for adolescent readers now. There's SO MUCH to discuss, the themes of self-identity, friendship, and coming-of-age so perfectly layered to make Imogen so obviously (I had to) exactly who she is. Imogen's "bunny" brain is a realistic mental chaos of self-doubt and queer questioning. Everyone assumes straight is the default, when really, it should be bi until proven otherwise. Most people aren't given the chance to question their sexuality, to explore who they are, instead establishing themselves in a pre-determined box. I've been there, and Imogen's constant questioning and confusion make her emotions all the more real. She questions if queerness looks a certain way, or if we're supposed to have our queer awakenings by a certain time, or if we're supposed to be CERTAIN, but how could we with the constant DISCOURSE over everything? Imogen's voice leaps off the page, making her easy to like; a character you want to follow to the end. Lili is EVERYTHING as a best friend (and queer mentor), while Gretchen so perfectly straddles the line between well-meaning and toxic. We've all had that friend we realized (almost too little, too late) wasn't looking out for our best interests, the one in the back of your head spinning every worst fear until it became a play-it-on repeat thought. Though she could have felt too extreme, we see why Imogen hears Gretchen out, why Imogen gives her a second chance, allowing her to become the cranked-up monster of self-doubt in Imogen's head. Also, The Owl House, One Last Stop, and Sailor Moon mentions were everything.

💙 This had an awkward start for me, namely because of all the names and identities we're given in the first few chapters. It felt like Imogen's younger, queer sister was less of a character and more of a plot piece (both to prove that Imogen was surrounded by self-aware queers and to show what queerness looked like in Imogen's eyes). She doesn't have some cute scenes with Imogen until the end, and by that point, I wanted more.

🦇 Recommended for fans of Perfect on Paper and One Last Stop.

✨ The Vibes ✨ 🩷 Young Adult 🩷 Queer Cast 🩷 Bisexual FMC 🩷 College/Coming-of-Age 🩷 Identity 🩷 Romance & Friendship

💬 Quotes ❝ The only way to let someone into your reality is to retell it. ❞ ❝ One girl can’t topple your entire sexuality, right? ❞ ❝ All these moments, scattered and separate. All these disconnected dots. ❞ ❝ Then she buries her face in the crook of my neck, and every breath she breathes feels like a love letter. ❞ ❝ How I felt. Dizzy, off- balance, unsteady. Like my bones were too big for my body. Like I couldn’t zip myself closed. Like I’d colored outside my own outline, stepped out of frame, made myself three- dimensional. ❞

[liselicanis]

Even Dreams Fall Apart

[AO3] [Ch1]

Chapter 2: And I Am Drowning in Regret

The inside of the airship feels claustrophobic. Being inside Tokki’s cockpit was one thing, but being sandwiched between people was something else entirely. Brigitte is on her right, leaning over to show her a K-pop group she had recently gotten interested in, and had gotten excited when Hana told her that she’s met the group a couple of times before during game events. Apparently they were, like, the avatar mascots for a game or something like that. 

“That is so cool! You think we can go to one of their concerts together someday?” the Swedish shieldmaiden practically had stars in her eyes, and Hana couldn’t help but laugh.

“Definitely, I can maybe even get us backstage passes. No promises though. If anything, I can at least get us the best seats in the venue.” It was a small distraction, one that she can eagerly participate in. “Of course you’ll come too, right?”

Across from them, Lucio was turning his Sonic Amplifier in his hands, fidgeting with the dials and some of the buttons on the side. He seemed a little nervous, obviously not too enthused about returning to Paraiso. Hana hadn’t been there when Overwatch first picked him up, but she later learned that Null Sector had been there. There were still some remnants leftover from that, so they were going to clean up the last of them.

Or something along those lines. 

And that probably meant that he wasn’t there. If he had been, then he was long gone. Hana swallowed thickly and did her best to continue smiling, reaching over to give her fellow superstar a reassuring pat on his knee. 

“Uh, yeah. I’m just a little worried about my club. I’m sure I locked it up tight before we left, but I don’t think locks are that effective against the big guys, heheh.” Lucio smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. “Will be more than a little bummed if it’s totally trashed. But hey, so long as we can drive Null Sector out, I’m satisfied enough. Maybe I’ll even throw a celebratory concert afterwards.”

They all settled somewhat after that, Hana leaning back against her cramped seat to see if she could catch a small nap before they landed near the beachfront(‘Only space big enough for this big girl,’ Lena had said, giving the ship’s controls a very fond pat). Even if Ramattra wasn't there, at the very least she can have a hand in thinning out his army. 

–

When she opens her eyes again, it’s like she’s back in her workshop. She’s sitting on the couch with a remote in hand, her legs crossed underneath her. The holoscreen is projecting a movie, but at the moment, she isn’t interested. Rather, she’s more focused on exactly who is sitting next to her, his staff leaning against the couch’s side.

Ramattra’s attention is focused on the screen, but after a moment, he turns to her. The red dots on his forehead all gleam brightly in the dark room, and she’s oddly reminded of some old American movie that had some (at the time) rising actor with aliens who were hunters or something. His cables that were attached to his head really did remind her of the antagonistic entity.

Never mind that, what the fuck was going on? Why was she sitting next to him as if they were friends? She should be on an airship somewhere over the Atlantic right now.

He seems amused by her confusion, if the little vent he lets out is anything to go by, and tilts his head curiously, “What?” 

She can vaguely hear the sounds of the movie playing, but Hana pays it no mind, only staring at this omnic. It really wasn’t fair. Maybe once upon a time seeing him next to her like this would have made her happy but right now? It was upsetting.

Sighing, she drew her legs up to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. She gets it. Of course it’s just another stupid dream. Whatever. “…You’re not real.”

She can hear the near silent whirr of his cooling fans, and the click of his joints as he moves away, standing up to pick up his weapon. He doesn’t aim at her though, merely examines it. “No, I suppose I am not. But this is something you once wanted, is it not?” 

Her eyes widen and she practically leaps out of her seat as if he’s thrown scalding hot water on her. No way. There was no way he would know any of that. Had she entertained such thoughts before? Perhaps, but not once did she ever admit it out loud to anyone. The most she had allowed herself to do while fixing him was holding his hand and that was when it hadn’t been attached to his body.

He continued, “You wanted me to stay, didn’t you?”

Her gun is in her hand before she even realizes it, as if she willed it into existence. No wait, she probably did, this is her dream after all. She can feel tears pricking at her eyes as she inhales a deep breath and takes aim. “Don’t you fucking dare do this to me.”

“I still owe you for helping me, Hana.” Ramattra extended his hand to her, the crook of his staff now lowered to the ground. 

“SHUT UP!”

The trigger is pulled and her entire dream collapses.

—

Someone is lightly shaking her shoulder, and immediately Hana wakes to find Cassidy grinning at her. “We’re here, darlin’. You all right? You were frownin’ an awful lot.” 

Sticking her tongue out at the cowboy, she unbuckled herself and stretched out her arms over her head. “Nn, yeah. Just feeling a little cramped. You’re all used to this though, huh?” Damn it, get it together, girl. They can’t know about any of the shit that's been troubling her. Of the secret she is hiding.  

“Been a couple o’ years for me, but yeah. Though I wasn’t uh…” he fell silent and merely chuckled, shaking his head. “It could have been worse. As fine a scientist as Winston is, sometimes you don’t want to stay cooped up with him for too long.” He waved a hand in front of his nose, and grinned.

“Oh hoooh.”

–

Once on the beach, Hana climbed inside Tokki, her heart thumping hard inside her chest. Her dreams seemed to be getting worse, making up scenarios that never happened. And even in them, he wasn’t even mocking her with his words. Simple questions stated as facts. 

Shaking her head, Hana tried to clear her mind as the team went over their plan to weed out any remaining Null Sector units left in the favela. She could see the faces of concerned civilians peeking out from one of the taller buildings, and absentmindedly maneuvered Tokki’s left cannon to wave at them. Amazing how they hadn’t left yet, but looking beyond the once pristine  beach, she could see why.

Where would they go?

“D.va, let’s go!” 

“Right! Game on!”

—

It wasn’t hard to find the remnants of Null Sector, not much can really hide an omnic that is almost as big as your mech. Hana used her defense matrix to cover Cassidy while he stared down their enemies, confirming their positions before firing all six of his bullets into five different targets. Lena finished off the last one, the Eradicator letting out one final droning sound before collapsing onto the pavement. 

Lucio let out a whoop as he jumped off the wall he had been riding on, dancing just out of reach of some Slicers and finished them off with a blast from his Amplifier. “Damn, we’re so good at this. Hey, Hana, nice moves there!”

Even though it was hard to see, she was grinning back at him. “Of course! It’s my job to protect you guys after all! I think we can push up a bit more, there’s gotta be a place we can hold out for a bit while we get our bearings.” 

Halting in front of her mech, Lucio pointed to a garage door that had been partially blasted open. “Like that? Can see if we can get a quick little fix up. My tech can only restore so much and also…” he looked behind her, where Brigitte was busy smashing in a Nulltrooper that they had missed, “yeah.”

Brigitte swung her flail one last time, decapitating the omnic and watched it fall to the ground. With a grim look, she kneeled and rummaged around until she found a panel to pry open. The others watched curiously as she carefully sifted through wires and circuits until she finally sighed and stood up. “I thought that maybe we could take one back and see if we could reverse engineer Null Sector’s tech but I don’t think that will be possible.”

Cassidy whistled at her work, hand in his pocket until he pulled out a lighter to light the cigar on his lips. “You’re starting to remind me more and more of Reindhardt, you know.” Brigitte smiled, and hefted her mace over her shoulders. “In a good way of course.”

“I am his squire after all.”

Chuckling, he motioned for the team to follow him into the garage Lucio had pointed out. “Yeah, yeah, just don’t charge in like he does.”

Hana smiled as she pressed a few buttons to get Tokki to lower itself down so she could hop out. Lena came closer and held out a hand for her to take, which she did and finally stepped out onto the ground. Fallen Null Sector troops littered the ground and Hana grimaced over the efforts it would take to clean all this shit up. Her gaze wandered to the sky where one ship remained, but she had been assured that it wasn’t actively creating new units. For the moment at least.

They’ll tackle that later, but right now clearing out the remnants came first.