#but also small things like her being a bit of a history nerd and being very idealistic but at the same time shes a bit oblivious and naive

[eatingsomegreeneggos]

Looking at Sunny Starscout screenshots on Pinterest and crying because she's literally so perfect 🥺💗 The cutest little horse to have ever horsed, one might even call her a little pony... (altough you'll find she's actually of average height). But yeah Sunny is like actually my favorite pony period. I will stand by this I love G4 as much as the next guy but Sunny is so precious to me! I wish they'd use her character more like come on I want to see her more in mym 😭 (I love her quite a lot in tyt though) But yeah she's so great she's really interesting to me and cute and funny and I would love to be friends with her 💕💕💕

[marzghost]

MK1 Headcannons I have in no particular order

Bi-han was a mama's boy.

Bi-han loves his brothers but has a hard time expressing his love since his father trained him way harder as he was the oldest and the one that would become grandmaster when he died

Bi-han's betrayal was his own way of showing his love for his brothers because in his mind if he could get the lin kuei stronger and get them more say in things then just being body guards then that in turn means his brothers ,who were also lin kuei at the time, would be protected and could also help change earthrealm for the better

Bi-han and Kuai Liang have a hispanic mother

Bi-han is better at speaking spanish than Kuai Liang as he spent most of his time with her when their father was off training Kuai and Tomas

Their mother is actually the reason Bi-han let their father die, she wanted more for her son's then just being another set of soldiers sent out to their possible death so she told Bi-han that if there ever comes a time to let the old man die

Bi-han hates mirrors because he looks almost exactly like his dad

Kuai Liang takes after their mother in looks but isn't an exact copy like Bi-han is

Bi-han hates Tomas because he had it easy compared to Kuai and himself and because Tomas was almost like a replacement for the sister who never got to live as she died at birth along with their mother due to birth complications

Tomas wasn't trained as hard as the other two but he still went out of his way to prove himself worthy of being a lin kuei and had always looked up to Bi-han ever since he was a young boy

Bi-han's betrayal hit Tomas harder than he let on but he refused to show it believing that he had no right to feel as bad as he did since Bi-han was Kuai Liang's blood brother and he wasn't lin kuei

Tomas is really good at hand shadows

Bi-han hasn't cried since the death of his mother and hasn't been the same since

Kuai Liang is naturally really good at dancing and didn't need to learn like Bi-han did

Tomas is not at all a dancer but he sure as hell can sing

Bi-han actually really respects Johnny Cage as he not only beat him in combat but also his brother

Johnny Cage is a pansexual

Johnny has never cheated on a partner despite his flirting ways

Johnny goes all out for Halloween and used to make his mansion into a haunted house before he had to sell it in order to pay for the divorce settlement

Johnny is a huge history nerd and enjoys reading up on the history of the realms in his free time when he isn't working on his MKCU or helping Kenshi with his whole thing

Johnny is a huge supporter of the arts and buys most of his stuff from small time artists and businesses

Johnny learned braille so Kenshi didn't have to do it alone

Kenshi was really good at art before he was blinded and hates that he can no longer paint like he used to. He still paints in his free time to release stress but he wishes he could see what he's doing since sento only gives him sight when in danger

Johnny has kept every piece of art Kenshi has given him and even puts some of them as Easter eggs in his films

Kenshi hates his tattoos but would never get rid of them since they serve as a way to remind him of where he came from

Kenshi is surprisingly a lightweight and a happy drunk so he tends to stay away from alcohol at all costs

Johnny on the other hand isn't a lightweight but when it finally does hit he's known to become reckless and maybe a bit self destructive

Kenshi is bi-curious

[dpr-stay]

Mandated Reporter Pt.1 | Y.T

All Might | Yagi Toshinori X Reader

Heyyy, guys remember me...? It's not like I haven't posted a fic since *checks history* January or anythign haha lol right? Anyways this was kinda a distraction from my magnum opus but it started getting too long to publish as a one-shot in good faith. So parts LOL. already on ao3, so yeh. sorry if you followed me for F1

WC: ~2700

Warnings: Swears probs, just fluff, soulmate au hehehheheh, idiots in love *sighs dreamily*

Charles Darwin, way back in the year 1859, published his book On the Origin of Species. He was laughed and jeered at when he presented his book, as the theory he had written on the pages differed significantly from the common ideas at the time. No one really wanted to look at the apes that they kept in zoos and find themselves reflected in their eyes. 

He presented many ideas in his writing, natural selection being one you may have heard. However, one you may not be so familiar with if you didn’t take biology in highschool would be the idea of variation (or speciation for you nerds) when faced with an extinction event. 

The two main types of variation that occurred in human beings as we know them in the modern day are the development of quirks and the recognition of soulmates. The extinction events that preceded these variations are still not known, perhaps Mr Darwin was wrong in these specific cases, but the reaches of these variations stretched across the world and revamped the meaning of normal.

In modern Japan, soulmates were almost a taboo topic. Not only did some people not have soulmate’s but the way that people found their soulmates varied, from timers to marks, or even visions. Asking a person how they would meet their soulmate, soon came to be seen as a flirting tactic instead of just genuine curiosity. Because asking if someone has a destined partner can easily be interpreted as wishing that the partner was yourself.

You, personally, had never asked anyone how they were going to meet their soulmate. You found no need to. You would 100% know who they were when you would meet your soulmate. You didn’t mean to sound egotistical or presumptuous, but you would definitely know.Your soulmate ‘marker’ came in the form of words inscribed upon your wrist, written out in mildly scratchy handwriting which was thankfully legible. 

And if you see this criminal or know anything about him, call 1800-XXX-XXX-XXX to give information into the anonymous tipline!

At first, when you read it, you were a bit confused. You knew to some degree it was your soulmate marking, but you didn’t know how it applied to a real life situation. Was it the first thing they heard on the radio? Would it be in the background the first time you’d meet?

Your parents were also confused. They first tried the number, but it hadn’t been registered to any tipline at the time they tried. So they took little 5-year-old you to a so-called ‘Soulmate Specialist.’

At first you had thought it would be like a stereotypical curtained tent, with a lady perched over a crystal ball. But when you arrived, it just looked like a normal hospital clinic. Your mother held your hand as you trailed behind her. 

In a small room down a hallway, you sat on a cushioned bench as a nice-looking lady walked in, exchanged a few words with your mother, and then touched your knee. You watched as she leaned back, her facial expression only able to be described as puzzled, before saying,

“First Words.” You had immediately looked at your wrist. You had read the words again and a slight feeling of disappointment panged in your heart. 

Later, sitting at a table in a small ice-cream store, licking lemon sorbet till you got a brain freeze, your parents tried to come up with scenarios where you would meet your soulmate. Your dad suggested you would meet him during a town meeting (which caused both you and your mum to look at him funny, because who went to town meetings?), whilst your mum suggested that maybe he would be a police officer on the street chasing down a baddie and yelling it out as he went (You giggled at that).

As you grew up, everyone else who you showed it to grew confused as well. It wasn’t exactly something that you’d expect to be the thing bonding two soulmates together. It wasn’t romantic, it didn’t imply any sort of attraction, and you began to get disheartened as you saw the ways your friends met their soulmates.

It seemed each time your friend group got together, another friend would bring in their soulmate, talking about shared marks, oh so lovingly placing the marks against each other right in your eye-line, or finally seeing colour, saying while staring directly at their pair. It started to get at you, the instant connection the pairs would feel, while you were left with a phone number, which only started to work when you turned 18.

(When you first rang the number and it went through, elation took over your body. You stood up and did a little dance as you immediately started speaking into the phone, hoping to find anybody that could help you in your search for your soulmate. You only stopped talking, and dancing, when you noticed that the call was automatic and that you were talking to a robot. The call ended when you realised that they had also recorded it.)

Whenever you felt yourself feeling particularly down, you’d look back to your arm, and see the words engraved. At least you did have a soulmate, you consoled yourself, and at least the words seemed neutral instead of belligerent.

One thing, though, your friends all seemed to agree on was that your mum was right: your soulmate was a police officer. Why else would the number send you to a police tip-line, and why else would he be promoting a tip-line. It made the most sense to you as well. When this solidified properly in your mind, you decided to do everything you possibly could to meet your soulmate. 

It seemed as though they were speaking out as a plea, perhaps outside a police station or on the news to spread awareness of whatever crime this criminal had perpetrated. And so, you began to become a news fanatic.

You’d always tune into the six o’clock news, holding out hope that maybe some sort of crime had been committed that warranted some sort of appeal to the public. It wasn’t that you wanted someone to suffer, you had to reason with yourself, it was just that you wanted to know who your pair was. 

Whenever a crime was committed, you always kept your eyes peeled to the news report, hoping for some sort of plea to the public. Alas, the words were always similar but never quite right. News anchors and police officers always recited from a consistent script about each different offender, never varying no matter how much you wanted to.

Soon, whenever you had a free day, sometimes you’d head to police press conferences. You had a nice camera, that your mum had given you under the pretense of photography and wanting you to expand on hobbies, that you used to justify being a member of the press in order to sneak into the conferences. You’d occasionally take photos while waiting for the police to discuss the details of whatever case they were dealing with, and you always looked right at the speaker whenever they’d come close to saying the lines, before leaving disappointed.

After asserting that your soulmate was most likely a police officer, you also took to walking past the station on your way back home from work every night. Not only was it safer, but it also gave you a chance to listen to the officers standing outside of the station, chatting amongst themselves. You’d often overhear some of their discussions about criminals, but there was never anyone out the front advocating for people to ring their tipline.

Tonight was almost the same as every other night. You’d gotten off work particularly late, rushing from the elevator of your office to the entrance. You pushed through the glass doors, turning to wave to the receptionist. The night air was chilly, but the streets were alive with office workers such as yourself. 

You eyed the takoyaki stall across the street, and reasoned that you were already late to go home, but you then saw the line of half-dead employees stretching from the stall down the corner of the block and quickly shrugged the notion off. You still wanted to try and catch the 9 o’clock news after all.

You weren’t allowed to check any sort of non-work related device or website during the day, so you had no way to see if any criminals were being searched for or if any press conferences were being held. As such you always tried to catch some iteration of the news on the TV at home, if only to remain informed. 

As soon as you turned, you started speed walking home. Living only a couple minutes from your job sometimes had its advantages, as it meant you didn’t have to walk a long way in the dark, only like a kilometer. If you kept up with your fast pace, you’d pass the police station in two minutes and reach your home in five.

You reached the station and slowed down a little, trying to peak inside. The place seemed relatively dead when you glanced at it, only seeing the glowing reflections of the lights within. Only a couple officers were in and you breathed in sympathy as you saw the stacks of paperwork they had before turning and continuing on.

In five minutes (you were right), you arrived at your apartment building. You quickly scampered up the stairs, taking almost three at a time, before jetting to your door and unlocking it. You had the TV on in twenty seconds, just in time for the evening reporter to begin rambling on about the events of the day.

As she spoke, you began to unwind. You changed into pyjamas from your business attire as she told a story about a bank robbery, you were cooking instant ramen as she recounted an announcement the governmental opposition made, and you had just sat down on the couch as she began a report about the newest criminal who was taken down by a team of pro-heros and All Might.

You slurped your noodles as you watched intently. Despite being quirkless yourself, you were not immune to the charms and draws of the luxurious pro-hero life. You weren’t stupid, you knew it wasn’t all glitz and glam, you’d seen plenty of videos surrounding the harsh conditions that heroes had to go through and the mental tax that it took on them. Even now, watching All Might beat the shit out of a guy while yelling “SMASH” and random US state names, you cringed whenever the other guy got a punch in. But still, the galas and large amounts of money coming in sure sweetened the deal a fair lot.

You looked around your meager apartment and snorted. If only you had a quirk as flashy as All Might’s, that way you might’ve been able to live a life that wasn’t just above the Japanese poverty line.

The TV flashed pictures of the guy the heroes had fought and you whistled under your breath. He looked tough, almost like a shark with the way his teeth were pointed but scarier with the way his hands were literal chainsaws. As you listened more, you realised that they hadn’t actually ‘taken him down’, they’d just secured the people he was holding hostage and All Might had beaten him so badly he wasn’t able to walk (yeesh). But apparently they’d put the cuffs on him but then he just faded away, which definitely didn’t seem like something a guy with chainsaws for hands could have attributed to his own quirk.

That was definitely something you’d be thinking about tomorrow as you walked home from work, the fact that chainsaw hands could pop out and saw any of your limbs off and then be teleported away before you could even see him. You shuddered at the thought.

The TV quickly changed to show a live news conference and you perked up in your seat, leaning forward to see who was in the line-up of speakers and see if you could identify any of them. The news channel had joined in towards the end of the conference, one police officer speaking about the dangers of the man and the crimes he had committed. 

He went on for a while, so you sort of zoned out, but your attention was quickly caught again when All Might stepped up to the podium to speak into the microphone, which was strange as you’d never seen him stick around for a conference.

In your attempts to be up-to-date and to make sure that you’d never miss a call-to-action anywhere, you’d encountered plenty of news stories about All Might. He was the symbol of peace, so it was only normal that he often was the one to round up the villains that the numerous press conferences were about.

You’d always admired him, it was hard not to, but you never really thought all too much about him. I mean yeah, he was always there to save the day, but you’d never been in a spot where you’d needed him. You knew he was exceptionally popular amongst, well, everyone, but honestly he was kind of just another hero to you. 

One thing that did make him stand out, and justified to you the cult-following he had, was his attitude. He took the symbol of peace schtick seriously, and was always smiling and ready to help people no matter the personal sacrifice he endured. He earned your respect through that. 

He was also kind of hot. He was definitely conventionally attractive, but you’d always kind of thought he was hot in the way that he was always someone to rely on. You don’t know, you’d always kind of liked the scrawny boys better, blame it on your issues.

When All Might finally spoke into the microphone, he essentially repeated what the police officer before him had. You sort of rolled your eyes in a ‘get on with it’ way. You could tell the news was about to cut back to their broadcasting from the live conference so you waited for him to finish his statement while mentally scrolling through your shopping list.

Leaning back into your sofa, you watched as he paused for a second before shooting his eyes up to the camera and lifting one commanding finger to point at the lens before speaking.

“And if you see this criminal or know anything about him, call 1800-XXX-XXX-XXX to give information into the anonymous tipline!”

You blinked. Then you promptly spilled your boiling ramen over your lap as you dropped the bowl. Pain immediately shot through your senses, causing you to curse and look down to your lap.

All Might released some sort of pained noise, causing you to look up and see him grab his wrist on the TV. Your jaw dropped. A female anchor’s face appeared on the screen and you cursed again, quickly looking back to the inflamed skin on your lap. You rushed to the shower, turning the tap onto cold water and sitting down as it rained onto your pyjama bottoms.

You titled your head back before it banged against the glass of your shower door. Had you just hallucinated that? No fucking way right? There was no literal way your soulmate was All Might? Like the actual All Might. Like always smiling, strong as fuck, number one hero All Might.

What the fuck. You had to have been wrong.

You looked down to your wrist, raising your sleeve up to read the words again. Something had changed. Instead of the words being outlined in a sort of dark purple that complimented your skin tone, they had changed to a light lilac. Your jaw dropped again.

What the hell? One of your fingers traced the writing as you groaned. There was no literal way your soulmate was All Might. It was impossible.

You opened your eyes to look up at the shower head, watching as the water poured down.

There was no literal way that he could be your soulmate because All Might, even since the early days of his career before he was known for being the number one hero, had been known to be one of the few public figures who was incredibly vocal about being soulmate-less. 

so how'd we feel? I do like a bit of crack, if you hadn't picked it up yet.

also she's unedited, but it's me, so it's no surprise.

[let-us-cultivate-our-garden]

Assorted Musings: A Jumbled Collection of Owl House Rewrites

So, I've been thinking of ways to improve The Owl House and the short answer is: make it actually stick to its premise. Show how the Boiling Isles is under the thumb of an oppressive dictator, make Luz an actual outsider in her home world, better explain how Belos came to power, etc.

The following is just a loose assortment of basic premises without rhyme or reason:

On Hexside and Amity-

Hexside and all schools (all buildings really) have a portrait of the Emperor that they say a vow to commit themselves to eradicating wild magic and upholding the Titan's laws. Luz is creeped out to the max by this as it reminds her of North Korea and other dictatorships (in addition to loving Azura, she's also a massive history nerd, to the point of correcting her teachers back home. She doesn't have many friends because she's rather intense about her hyper fixations and can be rather judgy). Hexside is also an exclusive school where a lot of students end up getting into the EC or in the upper echelons of the coven system. They have portraits of all the Hexside alumni who served as coven heads.

Amity is the top student of the school and a firm believer in the Emperor, since her mother is the ceo of Blight Industries and works closely with the Emperor himself. It is guaranteed she will be in the Emperor's Coven. She doesn't actively bully Willow, but does shun her and because of her influence, other kids avoid "half-witch" Willow as well.

On Luz in the Boiling Isles-

Eda is lazy and only took Luz in to help her in her illegal trade and sends her to Hexside so she will at least be out of her hair. She disguises Luz as a witch with undetectable magic (it can only be used in small amounts and only for minor spells). The detention kids don't multi-track as such an idea is sacrilege and it takes Luz to introduce the idea to them. Even then, they're nervous as hell about it. But Luz being Luz, she convinces them that it's not "wild magic" it's just trying out different methods to see if this is the right track. You don't want to upset the Titan by choosing the wrong magic, right?

While she is disguised as a witch in Hexside, she obviously can't use magic, which everyone makes fun of (like Akko in Little Witch Academia). She excells in Potions and Tarot Card Reading, basically anything that doesn't require a bile sac. Everyone calls her a half-witch (a term for a witch with weak or no magical abilities--sometimes witches are born with a malfunctioning bile sac). She makes friends with Willow and Gus, who is still a nerd for all things human related but keeps that secret because human trash is quickly picked up by the coven scouts. Luz steals some of Eda's human junk and explains what they are to Willow and Gus. He's thrilled but also terrified because his new friend is showing him contraband. Willow is suspicious and questions how Luz knows so much. Luz hems and haws for a bit before changing the subject. Hooty is pretty much the same. 10/10 character. King is not a child in this rewrite. His egg was in stasis for a long time and when he hatched he's functionally an adolescent but being in the egg for so long stunted his growth. He's very immature and still thinks he's the King of Demons. He pretends to hate Azura but rereads Luz's book when she's at school. Then Luz stumbles upon his fan fiction. Eda figured out right away that Luz stole her stuff ("but I gave it back, Eda!" "yeah, and I was going to sell it this afternoon but then it mysteriously wasn't in my inventory. You lost me a customer, Luz.") Eda then teaches Luz how to be a better thief and find more human stuff before the EC does.

On Belos-

Under Belos' reign, witches are judged by their strength and power; certain covens have more prestige than others: Abomination and Plant are near the top. Construction and Healing are more in the middle. Bard is at the bottom. Back in the days of the Titan, magic was communal and while, you could specialize in a specific type of magic, it was not regimented and more seen as a preference. All of it came from the Titan and all witches shared their knowledge and gifts equally.

In the days of the Titan, the Titan could speak to people but only through mediums. Although, there were some who argued that the Titan could commune with anyone if you listened and kept yourself spiritually open. Even then, some doubted how the Titan could talk at all if it was dead and perhaps the mediums were just powerful oracle/illusion witches. This led to some factions and divisions over what magic really is in the isles and how it is best used. Over time, fewer witches shared their gifts equally and petty squabbles warped into tribal conflicts. Belos manipulated these tensions by claiming the "elite" mediums spread lies about the Titan's wishes. He claimed that there used to be peace because there was one system and one way of doing things instead of all of this confusion and division. He passed himself off as a humble witch who received a vision from the Titan saying that magic should be unified. But this vision was so powerful that it left his face scarred, hence the mask (although he will show the doubting crowd his face). That only the wisest and most experienced witches could realistically practice all forms of magic while the rest would do the Titan's work in their chosen field. That way, the gifts of the Titan is still being shared among the populace but now with proper guidance. And thus the coven system was born.

Belos uses his curse as proof of being the Prophet of the Titan; when he regenerates an injury without healing magic, everyone is shocked but most importantly, they believe him. He spends his time proselytizing from town to town amassing a following. He calls them his "little birds" and they all wear bird masks as a precursor to the coven scout uniform. When they (rarely) experience violence, Belos whips them up into a frenzy as proof that the "wild witches" are against them. In one incident, Belos and his followers are prevented from preaching in a town. A fight breaks out and one of his followers is killed. Belos declares them a martyr and asks if his followers will sit by and not defend themselves? The crowd--already upset of course--then burns the town to the ground. As the years go by, people notice that Belos doesn't age and doesn't eat or drink, leading more people to believe in his divine message and join him.

[nimuetheseawitch]

director’s commentary: experts in a dying field

Alright, time to dig in. I saw this ask and set the scene for myself by brewing a cup of (decaf) English breakfast, pulling up my laptop, and putting on Glenn Gould's recording of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, Books I & II. To add to the academic vibes, there's even a fireplace and ivy in this room.

I'm going to start with my notes doc and then reread the fic and write anything that comes to mind, so it's probably gonna be long, and I'm putting it all under a cut.

I just opened my notes doc for this fic/series, and of course, the first thing I see is copy-pasted notes from conversations with you. This is how it all began:

nimuetheseawitch: I want a Jake as a math professor AU  A little OOC, but I want him to not be aware of how attractive he is  He wanted to be a naval aviator, but something uncontrollable stopped him (like him being colorblind or something), and he was a scrawny kid in high school, then a math major, and he never got over thinking of himself as a nerd  hero-in-waiting: Ooooo. Maybe he had some bad teenage years and went into math and never really realized he grew up well.  nimuetheseawitch: He is cocky about his math though  Very Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park and Independence Day kind of cocky  

I managed to hash out all the broad strokes in that conversation. My favorite thing that didn't make it into the fic was your suggestion that Bradley does a spot on NPR. It is my headcanon for the fic, but it never made sense to mention.

Alright, reread time!

First thing I want to talk about is imagining Jake with glasses. Vests, rolled up shirt sleeves, occasional sweaters, glasses! Indiana Jones when he's teaching style. He does not realize how many of his students are hopelessly in love with him. I imagine half of why his whole thing with Bradley stirs up the rumor mill is that students are desperate to know more about both of them.

I just love them as ex-husbands.

I had planned on saying something about Wells being eccentric to explain why he used "Merlin," but I never did.

I definitely tried to set up Jake as ridiculously competitive and a little bit petty where Bradley is concerned because neither of them is really handling the whole being at the same university thing in the most mature manner. And also because I love for them to be asshole4asshole.

Amelia! I'm so glad I aged her up and threw her into the middle of this. I didn't want to make any of the Daggers Jake's TA, and I wanted someone to bridge between the college rumor mill and Jake's relative isolation in his department, and I think I fit her quite well into the small amount of space available in Jake and Javy's codependent friendship. Also, I always need Javy to have someone to commiserate with.

Man, so much of this story is pulling from my own academic experiences. I don't know if it resonates with anyone else, but the pub scene takes me back every time I read it. Cheese curds, beer, and the faint smell of wet wool from the snow melting on everyone's discarded outerwear.

I love the conspiracy board.

I also love Amelia roasting Jake. He needs it.

This is possibly my favorite line I have ever written (even though I love the 'stache): “All he would tell me is that you have a quote ‘mysterious and tragic history’ with him. When I asked him to elaborate, he followed up with ‘have you seen Bradshaw’s mustache? The mystery is why anyone would allow that kind of tragedy within 10 feet of them.’ He was absolutely no help.”

I didn't get into it too much, but Jake really tries to avoid thinking about how much he misses being married to Bradley. Because when it was good, it was really good. Even though it's been about 2 years, he still feels the ghost of his wedding band on his ring finger. He learned how to be Bradley's husband, and it's hard to unlearn that.

I would love to explore Bob more. Bob POV on wtf is going on between Bradshaw and Seresin. Bob, who has a background in cryptography and knows all the gossip, and who Jake is definitely actually going to become friends with once he stops spending all his energy on avoiding Bradley and proving himself (so, basically after he gets approved for tenure).

Amelia should, in every universe, think Bradley's flirting is dumb.

Jake is all thrown off by Bradley and tries to set boundaries (calling him Dr. Bradshaw, communicating via official email and office phone) and then goes and recommends a restaurant he knows Bradley will like. He just isn't capable of forgetting how well he knows Bradley. And Bradley is over here desperately grasping at any possible opening while also pretending he's Totally Normal about Ice visiting. Pierogi are a step too far.

Chana masala is always good.

Bradley and Jake are really, really bad at keeping the personal and the professional separate. Absolutely hopeless.

I have such a soft spot for both Jewish!Jake and Jewish!Ice. And I'm so soft for Bradley connecting with Jake about something that reminds him so much of the familly he's pushed away.

I feel like Javy coming over to take care of Jake is part of a pattern that defines their friendship - they each will drop everything to be there for each other.

Bradley may not have his shit together, but Jake, hon, your shit is also not together. I would love to write a follow-up where Jake figures his shit out and makes things work with Bradley.

Also, part of Bradley getting his shit together is also backing off a little on trying to get back together with Jake. The hot and cold thing really wan't working for either of them.

To finish things off, here are some of the random bits I have floating around in my notes doc that may, someday, become something more:

Early relationship: Bradley whispering into the dark, "I feel like I can tell you anything."  Falling apart: Jake breaking down a bit and saying "I feel like you never tell me anything."  

I really like this line, and I have nowhere to put it yet:

But you were so stuck in the past that you never let us have a future. 

Possible follow up fic ideas:

5 times they kissed goodbye and the time they didn't - prequel that explores how their relationship changed from dating to marriage to long distance to divorce

5 times Jake started things all wrong and the time he got it right - getting back together (Bradley won't settle for just a hookup) 

Thanks for the ask - it was a lovely way to spend my evening. I wrote way, way more than I expected to. This AU makes me really happy.

[bonecaffeine]

hullo! I hope you're doing good <3 i've never usually cared much for matchups but i've fallen in love with the Touchstarved characters. i think the wait is far too long and so i decided to indulge myself heh my description: Pronouns: she/her Name: Lillian (Nickname: Lily) Romantic matchup Physical features: shoulder-length wavy, dark hair that always looks like a mess and deep brown eyes, tan skin, 5'2 (unfortunately) Hobbies: reading, writing, art, video games, working out, cooking, building stuff, collecting random things, Likes: animals, music, films, photography, travelling, architecture, martial arts, sports (mainly football), spicy foods, sweets!! (its an obsession), anything horror and sci-fi, playing in the rain/snow, playfighting, nature, the beach, tattoos, piercings, jackets. i'm a HUGE science nerd, esp when it comes to physics and bio. i love math and history too. also i've had this obsession with the colour blue since i could remember. Dislikes: insects, country music, silence, hot weather, bad listeners, constant lying, geography Random facts: My top love languages are definitely physical affection, quality time and acts of service. I've always been a stubborn picky eater despite my family trying to kill that habit. My music preferences are a mix of metal, rock, indie and pop. it really varies based on my mood. i love listening to classical music as well. I can be quite clumsy most of the time but it helped me develop quick reflexes, i don't actually end up causing a mess often (thank god or i'd be dead). i do get a ton of small injuries though. My recklessness is usually calculated, so don't be worried if i jump off the roof :) (i'm an adrenaline junkie, i can't help it) I do a bit of calisthenics because i'm trying to improve on my core strength and parkour skills. I can be really directionless most of the time because my memory is frankly embarrassingly poor, which means i get lost easily. I'm an ambivert who fluctuates between loving people with my bleeding heart and hating (almost) everyone. i tend to yap a lot. i love intense discussions about anything and everything. it's fun to bicker and tease. I'm overly dramatic and sassy. I like being in charge but wouldn't mind someone else having the reigns for a change. I'm really protective and loyal once i become fond of someone. I'm used to being the one to take care of others, i like to spoil my people. I have this habit of giving a personalized nickname to anyone i'm close to. Once i get attached, i'm real clingy. I try to help out whenever i can, even at my own expense, but i'm working on it. It's really hard for me to open up about my issues and talk about my feelings; i prefer cracking jokes or distractions. I tend to feel cold often, esp my hands and feet. Most of the time my muscles are usually sore. I struggle with sleep and my appetite is kind of inconsistent. I don't get unnerved easily by blood, gore, etc and can watch literally anything with a straight face. My top aesthetic is grunge or dark academia probably.

Thank you for reading all of this lmao <3 I'm so excited to see what you come up with!

Hii, I'm doing well, thanks!^^ here's your matchup!

☆ romantic matchup

☆ tw - none!

...

*Drum roll please* I match you with Ais!

The similiarities between your life styles are so so apparent! Just like you, Ais also lives for a fun challenge and for the feeling of an adrenaline rush. It's fairly obvious by Ais's body type that he's athletic, so he would have no trouble keeping up with your need for adventure, whether that be via sports or doing something daring. I see Ais enjoying martial arts and calisthenics too, and he'd be absolutely down to learn those skills with you!

Additionally, I think that Ais has a high tolerance for spicy food so he'll challenge you to eat a bunch of very spicy food with him as a fun game.

You two also share a liking for animals! He'll be so happy if you share the same interest in keeping soulless as pets, and he'll gladly let you petsit his own soulless when he is busy.

While Ais is an avid yapper himself, sometimes it feels nice to sit back and listen to someone else talk instead. He'll listen to you as intently as he can and if that turns into a fiery debate, then so be it! As stated earlier, Ais loves a good challenge, and he'll try using his wit to win the upperhand in a discussion like the smartass he is. Ais does it because he just loves watching your dramatic reactions! This type of playful teasing appears very often in your relationship.

If you ask about his tattoo, he'll gladly tell you the meaning or the reason he got it. He'll even encourage you to touch it and will use his tattooed arm as an excuse to get closer to you, if only that's what you're comfortable with, of course!

Speaking about physical touch, it's definetly one of his top love languages! He's just not too big on PDA though, but he'll put an arm over your shoulders when you're sitting/walking somewhere. Other than that, he likes cuddling with you in private! He's definetly a big spoon and a comfortable one at that since he has quite a bit of mass.

I think that Ais has acts of service as his love language too, though it's a type of love language reserved for people closest to him, like you. He'll always have a favorite snack of yours somewhere in his pocket, will actively plan dates for you two to go on and will sometimes pick up peculiar trinkets for you to add to your random stuff collection.

Ais doesn't mind that you're a picky eater and won't try to get you to eat things that you really don't want. But if you want to try to eat something new, he'll try it with you!

When you joke about your own struggles and trauma Ais will humor you, but will also briefly remind you that you can talk to him about anything. Ais may not be a very serious guy, but he'll get serious when life calls for it!

...

I hope you enjoy it, Lily!! It may be a bit ooc, so I'm sorry about that!!

[tideswept]

15 questions for 15 friends

I was tagged by a few people, so~here we go!

1. Are you named after anyone?

Kinda! I was supposed to be born a boy, and absolutely nothing was prepared for me when I turned out to be female. And mom went "I like my sister's name" and named me that. (This caused a lot of drama.) So I wasn't named after her per se but....

I ... I was almost a Peter.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Few weeks ago.

3. Do you have kids?

4. What sports do you play/ have you played?

None tbh other than what I was forced to in school. Oh. OH WAIT SWIMMING IS A SPORT. Okay. Yeah. I did a lot of that. I just, uh, never view it that way?

5. Do you use sarcasm?

... having a small crisis upon the realization that I rarely do these days. god what happened to me I was such a sarcastic little demon I'm all EARNEST now

6. What's the first thing you notice about people?

Hair. Weird thing, right? Mostly because I'm always impressed by how people can keep their hair tamed. (me, with curly hair: [despair]) Followed quickly by body language.

7. What's your eye colour?

Brown! I'm told it looks green up close but ehhhh. (doubt)

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

Scary movies! Or, you know, scary movies with (relative) happy endings are also good!

9. Any talents?

I have a knack for detecting accents/identifying languages and having a general, if not specific, idea of where people are from. I also have a scarily good aim. (though my form is atrocious and under no circumstances should ever be mimicked)

I'm also a pretty decent cook! Bit hit or miss as a baker, though.

10. Where were you born?

Venezuela!

11. What are your hobbies?

Writing, gaming, reading, cooking, being a lil' nerdy about Disney comics and Disney history overall. Obsessively analyzing data.

12. Do you have any pets?

I point you upwards! Big one is Jupiter (ASH) and the small one is Saturn (Russian Blue). Both of them are about 13 years old.

13. How tall are you?

5'2... and a half. (It counts!) [158cm]

14. Favourite subject in school?

English, since it gave me an excuse to read and tune out everything else lmao. (I was often bullied, or, I guess, attempted, once I got into a book you could scream in my ear and I was full Helen Keller. Who? What? Don't care.) ♥ Depending on the teacher, I also really liked history and science! Basically, as long as I don't have to do math and the teacher wasn't a bitter monster, I enjoyed the subject.

15. Dream job?

Ethnologist! Oh my god, I'd be so delighted to get to nerd out like that! ♥ With the rise of various internet cultures I think, more than ever, we could really use more of them around. It's such an interesting thing to do to be able to delve in order to contrast and compare, to find links and reasons for variances, commonalities, schisms--all of them. There's so much data available online, and it paints such a colorful, and sometimes tragic, implications that extend far into our burgeoning global identity and--

I'll shush. 👀

Tagging: @scatteredheroes @irrationalsense @dark--whisperings @aigoos @gretchenzellerbarnes @qed23 @mollysunder @mari-lwyd-fannibal-blog @skyerie @minimal23 @ellelans @mutteringretreats1 and anyone who hasn't yet gotten tagged/wants to do it!

[presidenthades]

Where do you get such ideas?

Awesome update on Lavender's blue altough it made me a bit sad reading that Rhaenyra longs for Daemon and Alicent longs for Rhaenyra - Viserys really knows how to screw things up. Also I love Jace's POV but I find Aegons much more interesting and the whole thing with the tea for a moment I thought it was Larys doing but no he is not that sloppy this was pretty stupid and I really dont think that Mysaria or Daemon would do something like this Daemon would have drowned Alicent's kids with moontea if that was his intention I believe that even if they are not together he would still not do anything to harm Rhaenyra.

This smells like something a jilted lover would have done, a pretty stupid one at that.

Also Jace's educational methods I will never forget about it and Aegon was like where have you been my entire life I need you.

I kinda see the kids being part of Aegon's future Small Council Aemond the history nerd maybe as Master of Laws, Luce as Master of Coin Joff perhaps as Master of Whispers Daeron I still need to think about that but marybe some sort of diplomat and Jace well she is not a pretty consort she is the brains of the marriage she will be the Hand or maybe Aegon will say she is my equal she is the one wearing the pants here

Honestly, sometimes I read Asks and Comments that get my brain going, and suddenly I get an idea that I might never have thought of without a reader planting that seed in my head!

Rhaenyra definitely lost a lot in this AU. She still has a nice life on Driftmark, but she’s never gotten over how everyone she cares about has seemingly rejected her. 😞 She really only has her kids in this universe.

No comment on the moon tea, only vague emojis ☕️ 👀 🤐

I mostly read on AO3 not Tumblr, so I may have missed some fics, but I’m honestly kind of surprised that I have yet to read another story about someone using sex/striptease to motivate Aegon 😂. It’s the ultimate incentive for him lol.

Aegon is almost definitely going to clean house one day when he’s king.

[jacquelinemerritt]

Being a Transgender Nerd

Originally posted December 28th, 2015

Unpacking the male dominated culture of nerds from a trans woman’s perspective.

I have been a nerd all of my life.

That’s a statement I can’t see anyone objecting to. If you’ve met me, then it’s pretty obvious how nerdy I am; I’m arguably the biggest fan of Star Wars among anyone I know, I’ve spent a significant portion of my life obsessing over videogames (my favorites being Zelda and Metal Gear Solid), and I run a blog devoted to critically analyzing the abridged version of a popular anime. To put it simply, I have more nerd cred than I know what to do with, and I’ve loved investing myself in nerddom since I was a little kid.

I have also been a woman all of my life.

That statement, unlike the first, carries a small amount of potential controversy with it, given that I am a transgender woman (it’s thankfully much less dangerous a statement than it used to be, as our culture has becoming more understanding and accepting of trans people).

And to the benefit of those who would argue against my womanhood, I have not known all of my life that I was, in fact, a woman. This experience of growing up not knowing my true gender and assuming that I was a man has left me with a unique experience, and as a result, I have gained a deeper understanding of the way one’s gender affects their experience within nerd culture.

The hold that straight white men have upon the role of the protagonist is one of the things I noticed earliest. This however, did not help me understand my gender identity; it reinforced the idea that women were inferior, even though that idea wasn’t something I ever directly vocalized.

Of course, I still found myself drawn to the few female characters there were, and Asajj Ventress, a minor character from the Star Wars expanded universe, particularly caught my attention, as I could feel a lot of empathy for a woman whose troubled past had led her to embrace the Dark Side of the Force.

I quickly found myself rather obsessed with her, and I poured over every bit of media containing her that I could get my hands on, even when her lack of significance outside of the Clone Wars animated miniseries meant that most of that obsession was spent rereading her entry on the Star Wars “Databank*.”

Looking back, I see that that obsession rose not only out of a love for Ventress’ character, but out of a dire need to see women I could relate to in the media that I loved. Now, given the complex environment that I grew up in, it is unlikely that the inclusion of more women in Star Wars would have helped me understand my gender identity earlier (though honestly, who’s to say what could’ve helped), but I can safely say that the inclusion of more women would have helped me feel even more like the Star Wars universe belonged to me.

And while I don’t spend as much time obsessing over Asajj Ventress as I used to, thanks to “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” she and the Star Wars universe have grown up about as much I have; where she used to be shown only as a tool of the men who would use her, she’s grown into a woman who abandons these men to live her own life, and is attempting to live a good life despite it the hold the Dark Side still has upon her. That version of Ventress, as it happens, is just the type of role model I needed back when I was a youngling.

*Back in the early 2000s, the official Star Wars website had a database of professionally written articles summarizing the history of each character and object present in the Star Wars universe. It was unfortunately discontinued a while back, but its spirit lives on through Wookieepedia.

[hollowedmind]

Nisha, tyler ,adam headcannons

Starting off with their families(TW spansih words/j)

Adam Delgaldo-Chen 17

nicknames: addy, adds/ads, king Adam, jerk, Principe/caballero, bro, otou, guey/compa/fiera

His father is Japanese, and his mother is afro Latino she is from the Dominican Republic. he was born October 26

fathers a high school teacher (English 10 and Ap lit and comp) and mom has owned a small diner

Nisha lucia Mendoza-Reyes 17

nicknames: Princessa/princess, Firey/hot tempered, loca, bruja, encabronada,

her family if from El Salvador. Nisha has an older brother. She was born on July 9

her father works in an autoshops, and his mother is a part house cleaner

Tyler Lopez-Jones 16

nicknames: ty, Indiana, Guero, "no sabo", mono/monito,

he's white Latino, his mother from Mexico. Tyler has two younger sisters. He was born august 31st

his mother dosent work and his father an office job

Tyler and Adam met playing baseball they been on the same team since they were little. Tyler is the main pitcher on their team and Adam is the starting batter(Adam also does track).

Nisha plays basketball and is on currently varsity

all of them go to each other games

Nisha lives down the street of where Tyler lives

their families send over a lot of food over to each other. meaning they've swapped out plenty of tubber ware so much that almost all of their containers aren't theirs

Adam and Tyler were both chambelanes at Nisha quince (her dress was a Firey blue)

Nisha and Tyler were at the championship they cheered for Adam the whole time

Tyler really struggles with learning thing he can't Rember anything he learn but he is in very deep on the internet and can hyper fixate and create a 20-page essay on the lore of the Nintendo Wii

Tyler is a very big no Sabo kid he sucks at Spanish Nisha and Adam tease him a bit for it, they do help him learn

Adam and Nisha gossip in Spanish together

Nisha is very trendy always know was happening online always changing styles and ideas to fit whatever everyone else doing

they are all high schoolers Adam and Nisha are juniors (in the real-world Adam was 16 when he played the hollow so he still 16 in game making Tyler and Nisha older him) Tylers is a sophomore'

Nisha has had a good handful of boyfriends but, since most don't like her being friends with Tyler an Adam (they shit talk them together)

Adam is a big science nerd it's his fav subject gets good grades, Nisha hates school likes pe and any electives gets okay grades B's mostly sometimes c's, Tyler likes history cause it interesting is all over the place really, he does well sometimes then all of sudden drop has failed Spanish at least once highest grade an a-

Adam likes drawing he drawn all of his friends

Nisha (and Tyler) have stolen Adams clothes (mostly jackets) both on accident and own purpose

Adam and Tyler have broken windows practicing baseball in their back yard

Tyler's sister enjoys playing princesses and drag Tyler and them to play

Adam always being the prince and Nisha the dragon, Tyler whatever else

ty sisters like Adam far more then Tyler it kind of pisses him off

Nisha and Adam have a major spice tolerances Tyler very much less so

thanksgiving goes crazy with them parents and some of their relatives, they make so much food leftovers for weeks.

this is all complete lore accurate (lots of this is from my family and life)

[dragons-and-ages]

And I’m done with The World of Thedas Vol 2!

With special mention for The Seer’s Yarn. Note that all of The Seer’s Yarn is included within the text of TWoTV2 and you don’t need to hunt it down separately. This printing was included in the special edition box.

While Volume 1 focused on the overarching history of Thedas and went into details about the places, cultures, history, and a general overview of magic in the world, Volume 2 really focuses on the people. There are large chapters dedicated to each of the three games. It doesn’t go into detail about our protagonists of course, but it lists out all of their companions, allies, and enemies, giving you little snippets of their history… Almost like an anthology of in-game codices.

In fact, much like the first volume, this one reads as though it was written in-universe and kept vague in key places. So there is room for the player’s choice, but there is also space for BioWare to go back and retcon, blaming the errors in the book on the unnamed in-universe author. Speaking of errors, there is a small section in the back, penned by Brother Genitivi, that addresses some of the errors in Volume 1.

I would definitely recommend a read to learn things like the history of Cousland’s parents, an account of Leandra and Malcolm Hawke’s meeting and flight from Kirkwall, Meredith’s childhood (it informs but does not excuse her actions in Kirkwall), The Iron Bull’s history in the ranks of the Qunari, and many more. There’s even little tidbits about the characters in DAI’s multiplayer.

One fascinating and ominous bit in the book is the little snippets about the Grim Anatomy, a book found in the Western Approach. There is art from this text scattered throughout the latter half of the Inquisition chapter and the figures have nothing to do with the main text. It was written in an unknown script by an unknown author and details the dissection of various beasts with a focus on the eyes. The further you get in the book, the more the author seems to focus on demons entering through the eye and the demonic possession of the creatures being dissected until it devolves into a mass of incomprehensible diagrams in the final, damaged pages. Like. What the fuck. I wanna know more about THAT.

In between the sections about the HoF, Hawke, and the Inquisitor, there are large chapters that read as in-world books:

The New Cumberland Chant of Light

Andraste’s Bookshelf: Essential Tomes for the Painfully Devout

The Seers Yarn: A Treasury of Tales for Children All Over

The Whole Nug: Culinary Treasures of Thedas

These read like exceptionally long Codex entries, giving more insight into the world. Personally, these sections were my favorite and very fun to read. A special shout-out to The Seer’s Yarn. It contains children’s stories from most cultures in Thedas and it’s fun to imagine our heroes having listened to some of them in childhood.

This is my favorite one. I love the art and the idea of Lavellan having been sung the lullaby as a child and, in turn, singing it softly to her children.

As I’m preparing to play a Cousland, I’m thinking about how much she knows about all of this. Seeing as she’s a noble, I imagine she has access to plenty of books, not necessarily just Chantry-approved items. This is my lore heavy worldstate and Theo is definitely a big nerd with a soft heart.

Next up, I dive into the actual story of the world with The Stolen Throne!

[chellyore]

Wolf pack. Arthur, Rosalyn, Mylah, and Liam. Just a small drawing. I felt like drawing fluff. Also, I have no idea how wolf legs work still. Enjoy, I'm currently not sure how this app works but I also post on instragram which has a lot more as of writing this.

But I know how to fix that, let's go over character traits and basic meet the character type of stuff.

Liam- he is 16, or 15 I'm still deciding on year this takes place, 2020 or 2021.

He he likes therian culture, wolves, animals in general too, and making stuff, like man can make a weapon out of anything or even masks that look like animals.

Mylah- 15 or 14, depending on year story will take place.

She likes constellations, astrology, psychology, animalogy, anything with logy at the end. Girl is a completely a nerd like her dad, but is more outgoing and is willing to be a tad bit of a bully, only jokingly though, and doesn't take it too far, sometimes.

Arthur- 41 or 40

He is a nerd, plain and simply. If you want facts about something like say, the magma that it takes for a volcano to blow or even what certain things do in the body, he is you're man. But most of all he is a loving father, taking his family out with him on trips around the world for his job, dressing up in middle ages outfits and sword battling for his kid's entertainment, and being a lovely one to vent to.

Rosalyn- 42 or 41

She is lively, full of love, and overall a good mother. She will protect those She loves with everything she has, and even show affections if they get too distracted by their lectures of science and history(Arthur) She also loves just showing her child the world of Aura, though never really some parts, as to spare her such knowledge.

Might as well add him as he is shown. He is the one guy with the salmon-colored hair.

Finnegan- he is 14 or 15

And he is a gurdian from Astral himself. He follows rules, organizes, even when others try to stop him, likes to learn about the mortal plane he never has been in, and well guy has a fascinating interest in rocks as they don't exist in the Astral. Like puts them in rows and compares them together. (he might be on the Spectrum) but he is also calculated and knows all about the aura stuff, particularly stuff Mylah isn't allowed to know.

And that's a lot of the information I can share on Aurawolves for right now. If any questions please never be afraid of comment, I have no idea how Tumblr works but I feel like this might be better than Instagram giving the whole AI thing, so let's learn together shall we.

[mayxlee]

"Alright... if you say so," Maya said softly with a smile, his promise only making it easier to believe. She was curious to see him in an environment where he seemed to excel and feel the most comfortable, enjoying what he loved doing. Was he going to record himself? Or was it live? Whatever the situation, she couldn't wait to see how it worked. With a small nod of her head, Maya just weighed both options. "We could play... or watch a movie. Maybe both? Let's see how much I suck at the game, and then we can decide," she offered, thinking that they could just figure it out later. "I am sure it will be fine... I mean, you'd be there. I am pretty sure I've heard it all by now, but I know I will be okay with you there," the brunette admitted, with a warm smile on her face. She trusted him that his intentions were not bad, and at the end of the day, she had a thick skin. If they tried to bite, she'd bite right back... just gentler.

It was the little things that counted, from being present to making sure the days went by without being on an empty stomach. Perhaps he was a kid back then to understand the bigger picture of things, just like all of them, but his actions had made a difference, and there was no doubt in Maya's mind about that. Looking down at her food as Dean spoke again, she couldn't help but smile sadly. "Thank you," she replied, wondering if there was ever going to be a day when the topic wouldn't cause her heart to drop in her stomach. What she didn't expect was for him to have gone through something just as similar. "I am sorry," the brunette muttered, glancing over at him in hope he knew she meant it. "I know... I mean, we're not here to compare our losses, but I am sure it wasn't easy on you either." Maya exchanged softly before shaking her head. "It's okay. I mean, it's part of life, right? If I am being honest, I do prefer people acknowledging the fact he was here at some point in time because sometimes it does feel like everyone but us has forgotten him... so thanks. For remembering him. It means a lot."

It wasn't too hard for him to make her laugh, and the moment he called her "dude" that was enough to just brighten her mood again. It was odd how easy it was, but Maya wasn't complaining one bit. "Well... I was kinda of a history nerd. I was the quiet kid carrying around colored pencils and would draw everything I'd seen in history books. My parents just... supported me through that, till I decided I wanted to go to fashion school," she explained, smiling softly at the thought. "My dad made me promise I would. I don't know, I just loved being able to create designs of my own, whether they were traditional or modern... or a combination of both. At first, it was easier, sketching them, but creating them from scratch was completely different... I mean... I also wanted to be a vet back in the day, but designing just gives me peace of mind. It always did. And since I promised my dad.. I didn't want to let him down." she explained, trying to give him a more direct answer.

She smiled again at his compliment, highly doubting that would be the case, but appreciating it nevertheless. "You're too good to me, you know that?" Maya muttered, knowing that despite her lack of general confidence, she knew that her pouting game was strong. Years of using it against her siblings meant she had mastered the art of it, to the point she felt confident enough to even show Dean playfully. "I'm not sure if it's all of Providence Peak, but let me tell you it gets me places," she teased. "Whether it means getting extra sugar in my coffee or an extra donut." Maya added, giggling.

The siblings' code was important to keep the balance, especially in a large family like theirs. Luckily, Hoonie was harmless... most of the time. "Yeah..? I was the sibling I couldn't say no to anyone," she responded, pinching the tip of her nose. In fact, when could Maya say no to anyone, especially if it was from a person she cared for?

"My pouty face? Okay, prepare yourself! One... two—" But before she could count to three, just when she was about to give him yet another pouty face, Dean leaned in to kiss her. She would be damned if she didn't just melt into his gentle kiss, a smile slowly forming on her face. "Yeah... yeah, it's fine," Maya muttered, already feeling butterflies in her stomach, which was unexpected if anything. Well, shoot. Now she had forgotten how to even make it, with his face so close to hers.

@deanchaiyachet

"Nah. I have to deal with annoying people in my chat everyday, asking the weirdest questions ever. You won't annoy me." As he ducked his head, searching for her gaze, once he found it, Dean continued. "I promise." And still he didn't really mind it. Dean had felt like he'd been able to create a good relationship with his fans and followers, so he took most of their annoying questions in a joking way. People found him funny, so funny he would keep on being. A little daft sometimes, depending on the question, but he'd always stand his ground on others. "If you're up for it, after dinner, I can show you how to play it on Playstation." To that, he was quick to add: "Only if you want. We can also watch a movie or something. Whatever you want." Because that was the point of that evening, right? Talking, getting to know one another, without the peer pressure of others staring at them or crowds. "Please. They'd be stupid not to have you around. Besides, they're really easy on newcomers, so you'll be fine. They're just... you know... men, so a few stupid jokes are bound to happen, but I'll have your back. I can't say I'll hold your hand because that would be counter productive, but, you know the drill. I got you." Besides, it was really exciting to welcome Maya into his world. Not even the streaming part, but the gaming one. The part that relaxed him and made him want to make a living out of it.

As Maya went on about what he had said about his mother, Dean bobbed his head at her words. He didn't think of himself as some sort of savior, but he did his best to keep his family from falling apart, whether it was baking for his mother or simply, not leaving Colorado as a whole as he'd always dreamed to do. "I'm sorry about your dad, by the way." He said, gently nudging her sides with his elbow to catch her attention. "I know it's too little and it's too late, but I really am. I lost my oldest brother to cancer." He shared a bit more, but that was probably the most that he would share about Pat, because he didn't want for tonight to become sad, and if he continued talking about Pat, she would probably be sad about her father and the whole evening would be ruined. "I don't really remember him. I was three when he died, so I'm not saying it's the same as what happened to you and your dad, but, you know... I understand. And I'm sorry." As he reached for her hand, Dean gave it a light squeeze. "I'm also sorry I brought it up. I don't want to make you upset or anything."

Luckily, they changed the subject and with that, came the topic of her career, and he was super interested in getting to know more about it. "Dude... big YIKES! Especially in the fashion department, right?" Wait. Had he just called her dude? Okay, okay, this wasn't a date per se, but would she think he wouldn't want to go on a proper date because he'd called her dude? Ugh! He needed to brush off his vocabulary, because his habit of calling everyone 'dude' might have cost him a date with a nice woman. "How'd you get into that, by the way?" Although his mind was racing, his lips didn't seem to be following his mess of thoughts as they continued asking her questions about being a costume designer. "You said you wanted to be a lot of things growing up, so what was it about costume design that stood out to you?"

When she mentioned him wanting to give her wrinkles, Dean figured it was safe to assume he hadn't screwed everything up but saying 'dude' to a woman like Maya. "I mean... I think you'd look very pretty even with wrinkles." And, shit... as she went on about her pouty face, it was very hard for Dean not to go back to his teenage self and realize that she had always been this cute. Even back in high school. And now, he was actually chatting up with her. He wouldn't say that his crush on her had returned, but he'd be lying if he said he thought that flirting with her was a bad idea. "Oh... I can see that." And Dean wasn't joking. He had even leaned a bit closer to her, though involuntarily, as he rested his chin on his hand. "I'm sure you have all Providence Peak swooning over it." Because seriously... they'd be crazy not to.

Right. Her brother. Dean remembered how scary the older man felt like to him, especially since he knew that he was into martial arts, according to one of his older siblings. One hit and Dean would've been doomed back then. "Nah, I'd never break the siblings code. You wouldn't caught me getting a glass of water to my siblings, but I'd give them a kidney if I had to." And he almost did. Maybe not a kidney, but well... details. And right now, Dean was more interested in something else than talking about her brother. Or any of his own siblings.

"But like... About that pouty face... you want to show me again?" And as if caught by a surge of courage, Dean leaned in and pressed his lips to her pout in a gentle kiss when Maya repeated her actions. "Is this okay?" He asked softly, pulling away a little to check on her answer as he looked into her eyes, but not too much to make her or him give up on the idea of continuing kissing her.

[anonymousbeefriendfanfics]

Emily

Full Name: Emily Collins

Pronouns: She/Her

Fandom: None

Emily is quite the free spirit, vibrant and bubbly and a little bit chaotic. She is Aja’s younger cousin, though they often feel more like sisters, and have a very close relationship. Although the two resemble each other, their personalities are quite distinct; Aja is often more calm and relaxed, while Emily tends to be much more energetic - especially in their younger days, when she got them into trouble quite frequently. She loves exploring and meeting new people, and often disappears for a week or more with little warning to go and visit somewhere new before returning with stories and souvenirs. Along with typical souvenirs such as postcards, she collects two things if possible from everywhere she visits: a small rock, and the most unique local fashion (often jewelry) she can find.

She’s a very creative person, and has her own little business selling the things she makes to help finance her explorations. She enjoys painting, and will often create a painting or five whenever she visits a new place, though her eye tends to be drawn towards nature instead of tourist attractions - she’ll skip the Eiffel Tower and paint the lovely little cafe she ate in instead, full of bustling life as people go about their day. She often teases Aja for being the history nerd of the family, while she herself is fascinated by the living - the people who exist here and now, doing their mundane tasks in their own extraordinary ways. She’s often stopped people who look particularly interesting to her and asked if she could paint them, usually at least taking a few pictures for future reference while exchanging contact information so she can share it when she’s done. In addition to painting, she also makes jewelry to sell, often focusing on the unique factors of each piece instead of trying to make them look flawless and perfect.

She loves nature, and incorporates it into a lot of her designs, often adding little flowers to most things she makes. She has her own garden for growing fruits and vegetables, and she has a small beehive that she maintains as well, selling jars of all-natural honey along with her art.

She still technically lives with her parents, but only while she’s home - she saved up enough money to buy and remodel a large van, turning it into a mobile living space for her on her journeys. She also has a furry ‘child,’ a small black cat that she found badly injured as a kitten. After he was released from the vet, unfortunately losing one leg in the process, she brought him home and named him Onyx, and he has been well-loved ever since and happily accompanies her on her trips. Onyx is a surprisingly gentle and friendly soul, considering his background, and most attribute that to Emily’s infinite love and care.

Emily has wavy blonde hair and the same ocean blue eyes as her cousin. Unfortunately, she inherited the same skin as well - she loves the freckles, but hates having to constantly apply sunscreen before being outside for too long, lest she end up looking like a lobster. It’s rather inconvenient for someone who enjoys the outdoors as much as she does, but such is life. She’s an average height and weight, and tends to wear clothes and accessories as vibrant and unique as she is.

[just-placebo-estate-things]

Tag Yourself (Placebo Edition)

Vee:

Pure condensed anxiety

Could kill you but would cry the entire time

Spent his childhood as a bridge troll

Damours:

Said “no” to society

Comes out of the shadows to help you like a mythical guide

Lowkey protective

Caunter:

Pyromaniac

Fidget 100

Crime as a bonding experience

Maynet:

Evil robin hood

“Do Not Perceive Me”

Has mastered the poker face

Ferrieres:

Survives on a steady diet of gossip

Horse Girl™

Collects figurines

Montaigu:

Would sell you to Satan for one corn chip

Sexuality: money

Hates everyone except for like one person

Wissant:

Mom-shaped

Could 360 noscope you no problem

Small body big voice

Tournebut:

Stable interests? I don’t even know her

Gets a crush and immediately regresses to being a flustered schoolgirl

Trying her best

Emory:

GPS implanted directly in brain

Biology nerd

Pigs are good

Margas:

Mad online, mad offline, mad all the time

Oops all repression

Will kill for you without hesitation if he likes you

Fairfax:

Not a fan of nature

Punches extremists

Politely asked the grim reaper to leave him alone and it worked

Montgomery:

God simp

Gullible

Awkward™

Reynauld:

Holy dad

Attempts to be the sensible one

Reliable when not engaging in Rat Behavior

Guyot:

Himbo

Works out to get good at hugging

Doesn’t like fish

Corneilles:

Has just completely given up and is mad about it

Saw god

Brooding as a hobby

Rosebud:

Judging you

Egotism as a coping mechanism

Goes by his nickname only

Gaveston:

Calculated chaos

Supplies the cursed knowledge

Made one (1) mistake years ago and will never forgive himself

Siggy:

Be gay do crimes

Here to make things worse

Dead inside and outside but still kicking somehow

Bertie:

Hopeless romantic

Writing a fix-it fic for life

Probably on an FBI watchlist and not just for her search history

Carnet:

Capitalism

Names everything she comes across

Pestering as a love language

Marches:

Can only express one (1) emotion per lunar cycle

Screwed up so bad that ghosts had to stage an intervention

Reluctant mom friend

Verdun:

Looks like she could kill you and would 100% kill you

Must be the best or she’ll just die

Has a husband but is also married to the grind

Lynom:

In a constant state of “fight me”

Living in denial

Strongk

Dismas:

MVP dad friend

Killed god

Tired but also a chaos enabler

Piquiri:

If looks could kill you’d be dead

Earned 1st place in having trust issues

Bad luck magnet

Corbiere:

Fancy street tricks go brrrrrr

Raccoon energy

Kisses the homies

Venois:

No talk

Hates excessive loud noise

Loves his dog more than he loves most people

Loges:

Is the law

Beware of dog

“I can fix him”

Mauroaurd:

The sane one

Pampers his dog 24/7

Doesn’t like alcohol

Warci:

Does it for the bit

Loves his wife

Is your dad now

Pip:

Personified trauma

Music god

Needs a hug but will also stab you if you get near him

Nesdin:

Catboy

He protecc he attacc

Cannot heely away from the feelies (but he does try)

Marchmain:

Big boy. Buff

The one responsible member in the group project

He forgor :(

Marci:

Riddle Hour Is Every Hour

Everyone’s chill cryptid uncle

Vibing

Merteberge:

Philosophical

Has come to terms with the inevitability of death

Youngest in the group but is somehow the leader

Fontemai:

Did a Leeroy Jenkins once

Physically fought his demons

Funny accent

Noyers:

Grandpa vibes

DIY king

Doesn’t like war

Perci:

Hyper strict

“Get off my lawn!!!”

Job is life

Bosanquet:

Stays up all night reading

Mommy issues

Smarter than you

Montfort:

Is brother

Edgy loner

Art as a coping mechanism

Fribois:

TIME FOR TEA TIME FOR TEA

Token extravert

Cottagecore gay

Lucy:

Gifted kid syndrome

Will kill you if you don’t vaccinate

Necrophilia pog

Malv:

Group baby

Just wants to be taken seriously

Keeps having to watch everyone she loves die

Lilie:

Old(?)

Likes being carried around

Who is she

Bele:

Monsterhecker

Only in charge because she’s the oldest

Had a rebellious phase (and may still be having it)

Ville:

Religion bad

Sweet and shy but will start swinging without hesitation

Listens when you vent

Pasquier:

Will feed all you heckers

Beautiful cinnamon roll to good for this world, too pure

Immediately knows when things are sus

BONUS:

Cheney:

Fuzzy

Firm believer in the power of friendship

Chivalry died with him

Riebou:

Group brain cell

Gives scoldings (affectionate)

Pigs are bad

Odette:

Got tired of waiting for her husband to return from war

Plant whisperer

Do no harm take no crap

Edith:

Daddy issues extraordinaire

Social skills replaced with street smarts

Learning the hard way that life is so painfully complicated

Thelma:

Whore 

Milf

Tells you exactly what she thinks

[softspaceboibrian]

Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy || Eddie Munson || Chapter 1

Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5 || Chapter 6 || Chapter 7 || Chapter 8 || Chapter 9

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Y/N Henderson || I used she/her pronouns, but there is no actual physical description, so the pronouns can be switched with whatever anyone wants or prefers!

Summary: Eddie needs help with an English assignment, and who better to ask help from than the best student in his class, Y/N Henderson?

Warnings: "fuck" is used a lot. fluff, a lot of pining and crushing. steve being a bit of a dick at one point, and Dustin not being able to keep things to himself. just bad writing, really.

Wc: 5397 (it's kinda long, I know... but I didn't know where to stop! sorry!)

A/N: this is my first ST fic ever. and actually the first time I wrote after some very long months of writer's block. hopefully, it's not too bad. I have a chapter 2 in mind already, if you guys liked this! please let me know (I would have to work on it next week, since I have an exam on Monday, ugh..). Also, the title will probably make more sense in the following chapter(s).

Eddie hated going to class. He didn’t completely hate high school because there he had some friends and the Hellfire Club. But attending classes was a whole other thing. And he hated it. Sitting still at a small desk, on a hard chair that made his back hurt, which always made him feel older than he was – and he was already older than any other kid there. Listening to teachers talk and ask stupid questions was hell incarnated to him. For example, when would he ever need to use trigonometry in his life? It wasn’t like he was going to become a space engineer or an architect. Given that that’s what you would use trig for. He definitely didn’t know and didn’t want to find out. Or, like, Shakespeare. That morning he found himself having to listen to his English teacher reading once again lines from Romeo and Juliet, as if they would need to know that “the window is the East, and Juliet’s the Sun” to get somewhere in life. If it were for him, they would spend every single English lesson reading Tolkien or King, and not that boring stuff that everyone calls classics. Shining. That’s a classic.

The only reason he ever really enjoyed English was Y/N Henderson. She sat in front of him in English and History, and they had PE together. Eddie hated every single one of those subjects, but her presence made them less terrible. Not that they were friends or anything. She’s Dustin Henderson’s older sister; she’s the smartest person in the entire school, hell, possibly in all of Hawkins. And he was just Eddie “the Freak” Munson. She wouldn’t want to be friends with him. Of course, she was the kindest person in school, and she always smiled at him whenever they crossed paths. But still, he was the school’s freak. And she deserved better than him. Yet, he couldn’t help himself but smile back, or get a little bit excited when he remembered they had class together. He would never, for the love of God, admit the feelings he felt for her. He was completely sure that, if he just ignored them, they would simply disappear. It wasn’t like a tested theory, but he was sure it worked like that. It had to work like that.

“Bullshit.” Eddie was pulled from his thoughts by a soft voice. He quickly looked round the classroom, only to notice Y/N shaking her head. “Pardon me, miss, but it’s all bullshit.” Eddie was not sure what he had missed, but was now all ears.

A blonde girl from the first row snapped around to look at Y/N. And if looks could kill, Eddie was sure Y/N would be well on her way to the hospital now. “Do you have something to say, nerd?” He never really understood on what basis people used nerd as a mean name. As if being a nerd was a bad thing. Also, being good at school doesn’t make you a nerd.

“Actually,” Y/N sat up straight. “Yes, I do have something to say.” Eddie always found Y/N’s will to speak her mind fascinating. She always said what she believed in. And she always tried not to hurt anyone’s feelings in the process. “I think it’s bullshit that you think- actually, that everyone thinks that Romeo and Juliet is the epitome of love. I mean, let’s be real, that story is unrealistic. I know that Shakespeare had to stick to time a certain time frame and everything, but who falls in love on sight, immediately decides to marry each other, and not even three days later kill themselves because of the stupid decisions they took? Because, in this regard, we have to remember that Friar Lawrence plays a major role in their dooming end, since he is the one that suggests the whole poison gimmick.” Eddie could not help but smile. He found amusing the hurt look on the blonde in the front row as Y/N dismantled her beliefs, or at least he thought, he wasn’t really paying attention before. “I mean, I get how appealing the trope of the star-crossed lovers is. Really, I do. But are you really telling me that Romeo and Juliet’s is a better love story than Beatrice and Benedick’s, or even Rosalind and Orlando’s? I would so love for someone to carve love poems for me into trees so that our growing love could forever live in nature.” Did they read about that in class? Eddie had no idea who those people were and was more than confused at that point, but still extremely intrigued.

“That’s not what I was saying!” The blonde replied, obviously offended that someone had told her that she was wrong.

“Then what were you saying? I’m open to clarifications.” Y/N smiled kindly, but it was obvious that the other one didn’t take it as so. Eddie looked at the girl, waiting to hear her answer. But then the bell rang and everyone started gathering their stuff. Lucky girl, saved by the bell, he thought. He would have loved a bit more drama, it always made classes more interesting.

As everyone was rushing out into the corridor, Eddie included, the teacher tried to get everyone’s attention one last time. “Please, remember that next week we are moving all the way to the gothic novel and that you have to prepare a 3-page essay on any book you want from that genre.” He stopped in his tracks, right in the middle of the entryway, and was pushed aside by two guys who wanted to get out. What? And essay? When did she say that? If it had been any other time of the school year, he would have not cared, but Eddie knew that, with spring break coming up, he had to start working seriously if he wanted to graduate that year. Fuck, he thought. I’m fucked. He quickly looked around the room, as if a miracle could just fall into his lap.

Y/N was still at her desk, struggling to close her ever so full pencil case. “Miss Henderson” the teacher walked over to Y/N’s desk. “I know you’re passionate about literature, but you cannot answer like that to your classmates.”

“I know, ma’am… it’s just, they don’t understand it. They don’t understand literature and why it is important.” Y/N sighed, fidgeting with her hands. “You know I try my best to stay calm, but sometimes I just… I just can’t.”

The teacher smiled kindly at her. “I understand. Don’t worry.” She walked back to the front of the class and started cleaning the blackboard, before turning once again towards the girl. “Just, try to avoid using bad words next time.”

Eddie was standing right outside of the classroom, still panicking over the assignment, when Y/N eventually walked into the corridor. And that’s when an idea came to his mind: if Y/N was actually so passionate about people knowing more about literature, then maybe she would be so kind to help him. Yes, that made perfect sense. She would do what she loved, and he would become one step closer toward graduation. Also, on an even brighter note, he would have to spend time with her, which never hurt. He shook his head, trying to shove that thought in the far back of his head.

He looked around, his eyes scanning the corridor until he found Y/N’s figure walking alone towards the cafeteria. He started walking, almost running, trying to catch up with her. “Y/N! Wait up!” He found himself calling out for her, something he never really thought he would do. But he did. When Y/N eventually realised she was being called, she stopped and turned around. However, at that point Eddie was walking so fast that he didn’t stop in time and completely ran into her. “Oh, Jesus, I’m so sorry!” He started apologising immediately.

“It’s okay! You didn’t hurt me” Y/N laughed, looking up at him. He had never realised how tall he was compared to her. “Did you have something to ask me?” He couldn’t believe how kind she was with him. Any other person wouldn’t even have stopped for him, they would have just flipped him the bird or exclaimed something along the lines of fuck off, freak, and went on their way. But, yet again, she wasn’t any other person.

“I, ehm… yes, actually. I…” Then and there, Eddie thought about turning around and running away. But that would have been too embarrassing. So, he just went for it. “I was wondering if you could, maybe, help me with the English assignment. You see, I’m not really the best at English, but I cannot flunk this class, so-”

“Of course!” Y/N cut him off, still smiling. “Just know that you are the one that is going to do all the work, I’m just going to help. I may be kind, and you may be cute, but I won’t let anyone take advantage of me, alright?”

Cute? Did she just call him cute? Was she for real? Did she really think that? And why did he feel like he was a middle-school boy talking for the first time with his crush? What was that feeling in his chest? Also, why did he feel warm on the face and ears? Was he blushing? Fuck, how embarrassing! But still, cute? Did she find him cute?

“Hey-oh!” Y/N waved her hand in front of Eddie’s face. “Earth to Munson. Are you still there? Are you having a stroke?” She said playfully, pinching his arm as in a further attempt to gain back his attention.

Eddie shook his head, and then nodded. “Yes, sorry. I just… I really expected you to say no, so…”

“Okay, so it has nothing to do with me calling you cute, right? Because I wouldn’t want it to be a problem.” She chuckled, and Eddie was completely taken aback.

Come one, dude. Concentrate. You cannot get lost in your head whenever she smiles at you, or she’s going to think you’re a creep. “It’s not going to be a problem, I promise.” He laughed, raising a hand to the back of his neck, a bit embarrassed. Definitely not a good first impression, Munson.

“Okay, so, I know you have Hellfire Club tonight, right?” She asked, and Eddie simply nodded in response. “You could come over to our house for dinner, which would mean I don’t have to drive back here to pick up my brother and I can get ahead with my assignment, because you would take him home. And then, after dinner, we can start talking a bit about what you’re going to work on.”

“Are you sure for dinner? Like, I don’t want to be a bother.”

Y/N put a hand on his arm and shook her head. “Not a bother, trust me. Plus, Dustin will be more than happy to have you over for dinner. He talks about you constantly, about your campaign and how cool you are. Like, really, if I didn’t know he was in a relationship with that Mormon girl, I would have sworn he was in love with you.” She laughed, and so did Eddie. “But really, if you want and can, come over for dinner.”

“I mean, it’s not like I have plans…” Eddie said under his breath. Or that many friends, for that matter.

“Then it’s decided!” Y/N smiled. “So, let’s recap: after school you have your D&D meeting, then you drive Dustin home, we have dinner, and after that we’re going to start working on your assignment. Sounds right?”

“Perfect!”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You have actually invited Eddie “the Freak” Munson over to your house? You’re not joking!?” Like every other day, Steve had picked Y/N and Robin up after school to drive them home. But today he was complaining about what Y/N had just told them. “I’m telling you, he’s not good news!”

“Oh, come on, Steve! He’s nice!” She replied, throwing her hands in the air.

“How do you know that, uh?! His reputation precedes him! Everyone at Hawkins High knows about him and his dealing!” Steve kept moving his eyes between the road in front of him and the rear-view mirror to look at Y/N sitting in the back.

“Steve, calm down. Y/N is a grown-up woman. She can defend herself.” Robin tried to help her friend. “Plus, she’s a pretty good judge of character. I mean, she decided to be your friend when everyone else though you were a douchebag.”

“I still think he is a douchebag.” Y/N whispered, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Listen, it’s my life, and I make friends with whomever I want, okay? So, whether you like it or not, he’s going to come over to my place, he’s going to have dinner with my family, and then we’re going to work on our English assignment together.”

“Yeah, and it’s not like they’re going to fall in love!” Robin added and Steve raised his hands from the wheel for a couple of seconds, as in a sign of surrender. However, Y/N did not answer to that. Obviously, that wasn’t her plan, to fall in love with Eddie Munson. But she could not deny to herself the fact that she found him charming in his own way. Yes, fine, he wasn’t the conventional pretty boy her mom would want her to end up with, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t find him cute. Hell, cute was probably an understatement. She thought he was hot. Maybe it was the hair, or the leather jacket, but she couldn’t help herself, and whenever he walked by, she would just find herself smiling at him, deep down wishing he would stop and talk with her. Yes, her brother being part of his D&D party had its perks, because she then had to see him every time she went to pick up her brother from school. Also, having a few classes together was something. Not that he paid much attention, but that also meant he wouldn’t notice whenever she turned around to steal a glance. Fuck, she thought, I have to keep my feelings under control. She shook her head in an attempt to push away the thought of Eddie, and tried to make small talk with her two best friends, but her mind wasn’t of any help, and the image of Eddie looking down at her with his big, chocolate eyes in the corridor a few hours prior kept popping up, distracting her from whatever the other two were saying. I’m screwed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Y/N’s mom called her into the kitchen, it was about 7:30 in the evening. “Darling, please, help me set the table. Dusty and his friend are on their way home.” Said the woman, handing her the plates. Y/N fought very hard the urge to tell her mother that Eddie was also her friend and that he was going to be there for her and not Dustin. But instead, she simply took the plates from her and started placing them on the clothed, round table. She hummed to herself as she moved back and forth between the cabinets and the table, stealing, every once in a while, a piece of bread.

A few more minutes went by, when she finally heard the front door open and Dustin’s voice announce their arrival. Their mother quickly left the kitchen to go greet them, whereas Y/N stood frozen for a moment. She looked at her reflection in the small mirror hanging on the wall, and tried to fix her hair and her clothes – a simple t-shirt and a pair of loose jeans. Yes, she could have definitely changed into something a bit nicer, but there was no time now. So, she sighed and stepped into the front hallway, hiding a little behind her mother’s figure, as if hoping they would not pay that much attention to her. However, that didn’t last for long. “Y/N!” Eddie smiled, taking a step towards her, but then stopping. They both looked at each other for a few moments, unsure of what to do. Should she hug him like she does whenever Robin comes over? Or nod like she does with Dustin’s friends? A similar thought process was going on inside of Eddie’s mind too. When he first had taken the step towards her, his intent was to give her a kiss on the cheek, but he had immediately changed his mind, thinking that might have been too much. Afterall, it was the first time they were actually hanging out.

Luckily, Dustin stepped in and shouted. “Y/N/N! You would never believe how cool today was! Remember the villain I told you about, right? Vecna. The one we thought had died. Well, yes, I said we though because, plot twist, he was still alive!” She looked at her brother and smiled, wrapping her arms around him for a moment, before giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“Dusty, go wash your hands! It’s ready in here! You can tell her more about it as we eat.” Mrs. Henderson shouted from the kitchen, and Eddie could not believe how close the two siblings actually were. Like, yes, Dustin would always talk about her in the cafeteria, but he would have never thought they actually were that close. So close that she knew everything about his campaign, the one that himself, Eddie, had spent days preparing.

Dinner went on smoothly: the food was delicious and Dustin spent most of the time talking about Hellfire Club and the assignments he had to prepare for the following week. Eddie and Y/N would, every now and then, exchange a look or a smile, without saying a word. But both of them were fine with that. However, things changed a bit when Dustin turned to Eddie and exclaimed. “Dude, you should ask my sister to help you write some of the one shots for Hellfire! She’s a great writer!” Eddie turned to look Y/N, wanting to ask her more about that, but instead he found her with her head hanging low.

“Oh, yes! I never read anything of hers, but Dustin has read everything and loved every single bit, so I suppose that means she’s good.” Her mother added, obviously wanting to contribute to the conversation. However, Eddie couldn’t help but notice Y/N’s discomfort.

“Can we please talk about something else?” Y/N’s voice was soft, and her eyes never left the almost empty glass of water in front of her.

Dustin tried to gain back Eddie’s attention by exclaiming. “She writes a lot of fantasy, stuff with vampires and faes and all of that. I think you could use that in a stand-alone quest.”

“Dustin!” Her voice was now louder, and the girl was visibly upset, but the younger boy would not stop talking about that. “Dustin, stop! You know I don’t want you to talk about it!” Y/N got up from her seat, still not looking anyone in the eyes. She had her hands closed into tight fists as she walked towards the corridor.

“Come on, Y/N! Don’t be mad! I was just trying to-”

“I know, what you were trying to do, Dustin. And you know I don’t want you to do it. That is personal stuff and I don’t want you going around telling people about it.” Her voice was cold, but Eddie could ear it tremble slightly. “Now, if you excuse me, I’m going to my room.”

And with that, Y/N left the kitchen, leaving her tablemates speechless, with their eyes glued to where the girl was standing a few moments before. Mrs. Henderson sighed and tried to explain to Eddie that Y/N had always been very proud of her things, especially of the ones she made herself. She explained that ever since she was young, she had always been a very reserved girl, not sharing much with others, and that was the reason she found so surprising the friendship between her and her two best friends, Robin and Steve. She told Eddie about how hard on herself she was, how much she studied everyday wanting to get the best marks possible. She explained that she had no idea why she acted like that, since no one ever asked her to get straight As or to get into the best colleges. But as Y/N’s mother talked, Eddie couldn’t stay still. He wanted to make sure, he needed to make sure she was okay. So, as soon as they were excused from the table, he asked Dustin which room was hers and went straight to her. He walked down the corridor, the carpet softening his steps, and stopped in front of the last door. He knocked gently on the door, waiting for an answer. “Y/N…” He called, turning an ear to the door, trying to understand if she had moved at all. “Y/N, it’s me, Eddie. Ehm… can I- can I come in?” He stayed quiet for a moment, but still no answer. “I promise we will only talk of the English assignment or whatever you prefer. Promise.”

“Okay” A voice came from behind Eddie, making him jump.

He turned around and found Y/N laughing at him, a hand on her stomach, one in front of her face. “Damn, Henderson, I thought you were in your room!” He exclaimed, laughing a little himself.

“I was, but then I had to go to the bathroom.” She moved past him and opened the door to her room. “Come in” She smiled, standing aside to let him in.

The room that Eddie walked into was far from what he had imagined Y/N Henderson’s bedroom would have looked right. Not that he had spent that much time thinking about it, but he definitely did not expect the giant posters on the wall of David Bowie, Labyrinth, Queen, or the beautiful drawing of The Lord of the Rings. What he did expect to see, on the other hand, was the floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall library. “Wow, Henderson. I must say, you’re not what I thought you were.”

Y/N sat on the edge of her bed; her arms crossed. “What did you think I was?” She asked, more curious than anything.

“I don’t know, actually. I thought you were going to have pictures of, I don’t know, Johnny Depp, John Cusack or some other heartthrob girls love. Definitely not them.” He walked over to the side of the bed and pointed to the Queen poster.

She got up from her seat and walked next to him. “Well, I do like Johnny Depp.” She smiled. “But he is my kind of guy, actually.” She tapped her finger on Brian May’s figure.

“Not Roger Taylor?” Eddie brought a hand to his mouth, as if to fake shock.

“He’s alright.” She raises her shoulder. “But you see, Brian is tall, has dark, long, curly hair, plays guitar. There’s nothing sexier than that to me.” She replied, eventually turning around and leaning against the wall. It wasn’t until she finally met his eyes that she realised what she had just said. She bit the inside of her cheek, quickly moving her eyes everywhere but on him. Fuck, fuck, fuck. So much for “try keeping your feelings under control”.

Eddie, on the other hand, couldn’t help the smile that lingered on his lips. He nodded, biting slightly his lower lips, trying to conceal the pleased look on his face, but it was too hard. I mean, I am tall, I have Brian May’s hair, and I do play guitar. Does this mean that I am sexy to her? He was very close to asking her, but decided not to, wanting to avoid making her feel frustrated or embarrassed. Afterall, it was very much possible that, even though he perfectly fit her description, she still did not like him like that. Hell, it could even be that she did not like him at all.

So, after a few moments of silence, he turned to the Lord of the Rings poster, studying it. “This is very beautiful.” He said, changing the topic to make her feel more comfortable.

She looked at the poster herself and smiled. “Oh, ehm… Dustin and his friends got it for me for my birthday last year. You see, I used to read it to Dustin before going to bed when we were younger. Actually, I read him The Hobbit, but still. After that, he started telling his friends about it and they all wanted to know more about it. So, when they were old enough, I got everyone a copy and put up a small book club for them. It only lasted a few months, until everyone was done reading the book, but I think it contributed to their passion for D&D.” She finally looked at him with the softest look anyone ever gave him, and he swore he could have melted right then and there.

“I wished someone read me Tolkien when I was younger.” Eddie murmured, going over to the bed and sitting there. “My parents, they… – he sighed – and my uncle… he was always out. So, I spent most of my evenings and nights alone. I still do. Unless I’m out for a deal…” Y/N sat next to him, so close that their legs were brushing, and if she leaned a little to the side, their shoulders would touch. But this time neither of them said or did anything. Eddie enjoyed the closeness, the warmth that came from her body, and a part of him wanted to reach for her hand, to hold it, to play with her fingers. Whereas Y/N realised only then that she actually knew nothing about him, about his parents, his family, if he had any siblings or cousins. “But I read Tolkien.” Eddie broke the silence. “I have a very old copy of The Hobbit back at my place. I think I found it at a yard sale a few years back. I could show it to you, if you want to.”

“I would actually love that” She smiled.

“But my favourite author is King. Man, I love his stuff. Shining was great, but I also liked Carrie and Pet Sematary.”

She never thought she would, on day, spend an evening with Eddie Munson, let alone talking about books. Still, she wished that evening would never end. “Well, if you’re into horror stuff, I think I have idea about what you should do your English assignment on.” Eddie had completely forgotten why he was there in the first place, and that sentence brought him back to reality. He looked her figure get off the bed and followed her to the bookshelf. She browsed it for a few moments, her fingers gently caressing the spines as she looked for the book she wanted. “Here it is.” She exclaimed, picking out a very thick book, with the spine completely cracked. “Don’t worry, you don’t need to read all of this.” She chuckled when she saw the fear in his eyes. “It’s called Night Pieces and it’s a collection of stories by Hoffmann. There is one in particular I love which is The Sandman.” Eddie carefully took the book in his hands and observe it. He obviously wasn’t thrilled at the idea of having to read something he knew nothing about, but he trusted Y/N, so he nodded. “I promise it’s good. If it’s not, then you can… I don’t know, force me to watch a horror movie.”

“I like the sound of that.” He laughed, laying on the bed, his back against the soft duvet that smelled of fresh laundry. “Do you think I could start reading it here? Or do you want me to go?” He looked at her, propping himself up on one elbow for a moment, wanting to look at her better.

She found herself thinking, please, stay for the whole night if you want. But instead, she simply nodded, grabbing her own book before lying next to him, this time leaving a bit more space between them. And they spent almost an entire hour like that, each reading their own book. Y/N could swear that she caught him staring at her a couple of times, but so could he. Eddie went on reading, eventually turning on his stomach, and in doing so he got closer to her. Y/N, however, kept staring at the words on the page in front of her, unable to concentrate enough to actually understand what she was supposed to read because of that closeness. A little voice inside of her kept telling her “Reach for him. Lean on his shoulder.” But she was too shy to even just move a little closer to him, let alone do any of that. And if they were characters in a story, to any omniscient reader, a situation such as this one would be extremely frustrating: the two of them, lying together, their arms or legs brushing against each other’s every now and then, both of them pining for the other, but neither of them realising their feelings were reciprocated.

Eventually, Dustin walked in on them, wanting to bid goodnight to his sister, but remained dumbfounded when he realised Eddie was still there. “I thought you had already left. It’s 10:30. On a school night.”

“Dustin, we’re old enough to stay up late if we want to, you know that?” She replied, getting up from her spot, immediately missing the warmth irradiated from his body.

Dustin looked at his sister, then the man laying her bed, and left without saying anything. “Yeah, maybe he’s right. It is kind of late, and you probably want to go to sleep.” Eddie didn’t really want to leave. On the contrary, he wanted to stay with her for as long as she let him.

And the same went for Y/N. But she nodded at him and put her book on the desk. “I’ll see you tomorrow at school, though, right?”

“Of course! Plus, I only have like 10 pages left to read, and I am completely enthralled. I really thought I wasn’t going to like this, but hell, was I wrong!” He smiled, putting the book in his backpack as slowly as possible, almost wanting to take everything out only to have to spend more time there putting everything back in. but he resisted the urge and put the backpack on his shoulder.

“So, no horror movie then?” She smiled, leading him out of her bedroom and down the corridor.

“Well, I mean… we could still watch a movie together some time… if you want, that is.” Eddie scratched the back of his neck, trying hard to play it cool. “It doesn’t even need to be a horror movie, really.”

Y/N stopped in front of the front entrance and turned towards him, smiling. “I would love that.” She opened the door for him and stood aside to let him through. She watched him walk down the driveway to his car, hoping he would turn around and come back to her. But he didn’t. He just got inside his car and started the engine. Fuck it, she thought, as she started running down the driveway too. “Eddie, wait!” She called for him. She jogged to his car and stopped for a few moments, before pushing herself on her tiptoe to reach his cheek and leave him a kiss there. Eddie was visibly caught by surprise, s much so that his cheeks started turning a soft shade of reddish pink, like they did that morning in the hallway at school. “Don’t be a stranger, okay?”

He smiled, gently placing a hand on her cheek, the cold metal of his rings sending shivers down her spine. “I won’t, princess.” He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

After that, he waited for her to go back inside her house to do anything. But as soon as the door closed, he started basically dancing inside the car, humming the “Oh, love… oh, lover boy!” verse from Good Old Fashion Lover Boy by Queen as that was the song that had been stuck in his head for the entire night. Hell, what a day!

A/N: if you read this, thank you very much! Please, feel free to like and comment! I'd love to get some feedback! <3