#but i live in a town. everyone knows everyone in a town

[graceface1712]

How Sweet Pouge reader met Rafe!

Soft RafexSweetPouge reader

Summary: Rafe is known to hate Pouges. All of them are nuisances to him. Until one particular girl catches his eye. He asks Topper if he knows her name and only for Topper to tell him that she’s a Pouge. 

Warnings: Nothing!

Enjoy 🫶🏻🫶🏻

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊

The beach party was in full swing. People were drinking, dancing, and partying their asses off. Rafe on the other hand, was busy trying to make sure Topper’s psychotic girlfriend, Ruthie, didn’t start any more fights with people. She was literally insane.

“Topper. Control your girl. She’s being a fucking lunatic.” He bites out to Topper. Crazy ass bitch. He thinks to himself. His eyes scan the beach, making sure everything is going smoothly. Then all the sudden, his eyes land on you.

You’re wearing a bright pink tank top, it’s spaghetti straps fighting to hold in your boobs that are threatening to spill out from you jumping around. It shows just a sliver of your tan waist, but it’s enough to make Rafe want to wrap his arms around it. Your toned legs are clad in a pair of jean shorts and beaded brackets decorate your arms.

You look so carefree, so happy. Dancing around with everyone. Your smile is stunning. It takes Rafe’s breath away in the best way possible.

Rafe turns to Topper. “Hey, who is that?” He asks him. Topper tries to see who Rafe is pointing to.

“Dude, there’s about 20 people you could be pointing to right now.” Topper says sarcastically.

“Her. The girl in the pink tank top and jean shorts.” Rafe says growing impatient, even though he knows Topper had a point. It’s a giant group of dancing teenagers and Rafe could have been pointing to any of them. But he needed to find out who this girl is.

“Oh. Man that’s Y/N. She’s hot but I would never mess with her. She’s a Pouge, the Pouge princess as many people refer to her.” Topper spits the word out with disgust. Rafe’s eyes widen.

Now he remembers. Of course he knows how the Pouge Princess is. I mean, he’s the Kook King.

Well you being a Pouge isn’t going to stop him. He may hate Pouges but most of them are annoying and make stupid decisions. He’s never even heard of you so you must be normal.

Rafe walks over to you confidently. When he wants something, he gets it. And you’re no different.

When he lightly grabbed Y/N’s arm, she was startled and turned around to see who the culprit was.

She was even more surprised when she was met with Rafe Cameron staring down at her. Y/N along with everybody else knows that Rafe doesn’t interact with Pouges unless he has to. And typically it’s in a violent way.

Rafe has never done anything bad to her before. Honestly, she doesn’t get out too much anyways. Usually her dad is making her scrub down their little shack, and if not, she’s out at the beach tanning and surfing.

Y/N just lives her life to the fullest. Her family is dirt poor, the only reason they have a roof over their heads is because her grandpa built her house when he was younger. But other than that, life is all about the experience for her. She tries to be kind to everybody and will never ever judge someone for what they look like, or how they are. That’s why many people in town refer to her as the “Pouge Princess”.

But she has no hard feelings towards Rafe unlike many other kids on the cut her age. She doesn’t blame them though.

“Hi.” Rafe says. He can smell her intoxicating scent. She smells like a warm, vanilla, bakery. The breeze is making her scent drift right to his nose.

“Hi!” She giggles and its music to ears. “Do you need something from me?” She asks him.

He lets go of her arm and runs a hand through his buzzed hair. But something caught his attention, there was no judgment, no nasty look, or condescending tone in her voice that was directed at him. Most people in town couldn’t even look at him without wincing. Whether it was from fear or disgust. So naturally, Rafe was drawn to her.

“Well I just wanted to come talk to the prettiest girl on the beach.” He said with a grin stretching across his face. Y/N’s face burned with a blush.

“You think I’m pretty?” She shyly asked him

“I think you’re the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever laid eyes on.” He leans down and whispers in her ear.

The red staining Y/N’s cheeks turned to a dark crimson. Y/N has struggled with her appearance for a long time. Her dad being the main cause of that, always calling her ugly and worthless. The compliment meant a lot to her.

Rafe and Y/N shouted over the loud music, talking to each other about everything. Y/N was dancing and swaying to the music, and Rafe was trying to keep her still so her words wouldn’t jumble up while she was bumping around.

After a while, Y/N got tired. She smushed her face into Rafe’s chest.

“I’m tiredddd.” She complained. Rafe wrapped his hands around her forearms and guided her to a big piece of driftwood down the beach. Now they were away from the craziness of the party.

Rafe was looking at Y/N with something in his eyes that she couldn’t quite decipher.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She’s asks him.

“Can I go on a date with you?” The words fly out of his mouth before he can even register what he’s saying. Y/N’s mouth falls open.

“What?” She asks.

“Can I take you out? On a date. Tomorrow.” Rafe says. Now his words are collected and put together.

Y/N teases him a little. Taking a long time to come up with an answer. Even going as far as tapping her pointer finger on her chin and making it look like she’s thinking about it. Obviously there is only one answer.

“Y/N.” Rafe mutters.

“Of course I will!” Y/N happily says, finally giving up on her teasing. A sigh of relief escapes Rafe. Like she was really going to say no.

“Thank goodness. Here’s my phone you can give me your phone number so you can send me your address.” Rafe says while fishing his phone out of his pocket and opening his contacts app.

Y/N’s whole mood changes. More red flush adorns her cheeks, but not out of the fact that she has butterflies or is nervous, it’s out of embarrassment.

“What’s wrong?” Rafe asks her. He noticed her mood change.

“Ummm. I don’t have a phone.” She says.

“Why are you grounded or something?” Rafe asks her.

“No, it’s just my parents can’t afford to get me a phone.” Y/N says embarrassed.

Rafe’s eyes widen. He has never experienced a life without having some sort of electronics thrown in his face. Ward had always tried to buy his and his sister‘s love with either the newest gaming console or tablet or iPhone.

“Oh. Well that’s okay. You can just give me your address and I’ll write it down in my notes app.” Rafe says. It’s obvious that she is uncomfortable about not having a phone, so he doesn’t want to make it something it doesn’t have to be.

“Okay.” Y/N says and then proceeds to tell Rafe her address. She’s glad he didn’t make a big deal out of the situation. I mean it’s the 21st century almost every kid her age has a cell phone, especially in the Outer Banks. But unfortunately, her parents don’t make enough money to be able to give her a phone. So she goes without one. The only way her friends can communicate with her, is verbally.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow, 6pm sharp. Wear something comfortable.” Rafe says and smiles.

“Okay. I’ll be ready” Y/N beams up at him.

“Can’t wait baby.” That’s the last thing Rafe says before walking off and disappearing into the crowd of teenagers.

What just happened? They both wonder to themselves.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

First one! 🫶🏻

[theunvanquishedzims]

It's the pendulum swing of generations. Everything is a response to what has come before. People try to avoid their parents' mistakes and over-correct, or try being the parent they wanted and needed and wind up giving their kids the opposite problems they had. It's slowly shifting society between freedom and safety, privacy and pro-social behavior, community and independence.

Back in the day kids were set loose to run around on their own, manage their own affairs, keep themselves busy. The downside was the emotional neglect, the toughen-up attitude, and the kidnappers/child molesters. Pendulum swings, then parents were scheduling their children's lives, driving them everywhere, monitoring their internet. Too much pressure! You're paying attention but you're not seeing! I need freedom to experiment and be myself! Pendulum swings, now parents are gentle parenting, talking things out, trying to understand, having yes-days, standing up to teachers, supporting their kids but not interfering with them well into college.

Kids have had the message hammered home that they are valuable and vulnerable. That they need to be micro-managed and appeased, included in decision-making but don't worry, mommy can handle it. They don't have to put up with bullies, and that includes your teachers who want to bully you into filling out a math sheet! The world is full of predators and older people cannot be trusted! Tell everyone when something makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe! Preferably on the internet so we can vote who's the asshole and harass whichever side loses the poll!

The problem is that the kids who grew up being told they need to be protected are rapidly aging out of childhood and being caught flat-footed by a world that won't protect them. Don't they understand I am my grandma's special boy? That I am just baby? I don't know how to do anything and I'm scared, therefore I am a child.

Back in the day the kids who were tossed out to bike around town all day learned independence. If they didn't know something they learned, or asked a friend. Then the following generation figured if they didn't know something, there must be a class for it, or their parents could help. Now the newer generation knows that if the internet doesn't have an answer their parents will do it for them, or they can hire someone off an app.

They're going to grow up to kids who are so dependent on them it drives them insane, to the point where they'll be throwing their kids out the door and telling them not to come home until dinner. We've already seen the rise of "unschooling," the crappy kind where parents can't be arsed to homeschool their kids or deal with public school paperwork so they just take for granted that kids will naturally learn everything they need to know if left alone long enough. There is a definite failure to put in the work to prepare kids for independent adulthood.

[dollveis]

⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀𝐅𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐇 !

⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀you've got a fetish for my love

❝ ELLIE WILLIAMS ❞⠀ ✿ you always push ellie away because you're sure you couldn't work together, but maybe you can under the bed sheets. 3.3k words.

pairing. jackson!ellie x fem!reader content warning! mention of consuming alcohol, smut, vague plot tbh, the smut it's actually pretty light and there's more tension and making out than anything, a bit of fluff and maybe angst if you squint, kind of a enemies to lovers but they're not completely enemies (just don't get along), open ending, oral (r!receiving), fingering (r!receiving), top!ellie, bottom! reader, there's not really a dom/sub dynamic here.

☆ this is the first thing i've wrote in like a year and a half so bear with me please, this also has been sitting in my drafts for two years already and i finished it just now. i hope this isn't that bad! if there's any grammatical mistakes please let me know, english is not my first language, enjoy ♡

The party was obviously Dina's idea. She'd been going on about it for weeks now, how the younger crowd of Jackson needed a break, no one had barely time to just be and exist with all the patrolling, hunting and just surviving in general.

The party is already in full swing when you finally arrive, half the town's twenty-somethings crowding Dina's place. The warmth it's the first thing that hits you, the house is candlelit, the soft cracking of the fireplace and the strong scent of whiskey and woodsmoke fill your nostrils. The sound of laughter echoes from the living room, someone's half-drunk attempt at playing the guitar makes everyone laugh, you hear Dina's voice rising above it all, welcoming everyone, teasing people, just keeping the energy high. She really outdid herself, the whole place is alive in a way that Jackson rarely is.

And you hate it.

You immediately thought you shouldn't have come. The party is loud, too loud. It's not that you don't like the people here, you do, for most part, but crowds make you restless and you've spent the whole day convincing yourself that this? this isn't what you need, you should've stayed home but Dina insisted, said you were wound up too tight.

“Loosen up, drink a little, talk to someone who isn't your damn horse!” she said when she greeted you and saw that expression in your face, like if you were about to run back to your house.

So now you were stuck there, standing stiff against a wall, drink in hand and watching the room from a distance like it might swallow you whole.

Then your eyes land on her.

Ellie.

She's sitting in the corner, half sprawled on the couch, beer dangling from her slender fingers and her other arm resting lazily over the back of the couch, boots kicked up on the edge of a coffee table just if like she owns the fucking place. She's laughing at something Jesse just said, her head tilting back slightly, exposing the column of her throat. It's a rare sight— her guard down, her expression relaxed, warmth slipping through the usual sharp edges.

For a second you let yourself look, your gaze fixated on her. The way her shirt clings to her frame, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, her tattoo catching the dim light of the place. The way her fingers absently trace the label on her beer bottle. The way her green eyes flick across the room, scanning, searching, until they land on you.

There's a pause, a beat where neither of you look away. Then—

She smirks. Fucking smirks. She lifts her beer slightly, a silent acknowledgement of your presence, before taking a slow sip. She knows exactly what she's doing, she enjoys watching you bristle.

You scoff and turn away, pulse kicking up in annoyance. You and Ellie don't get along, y'all never have, she's stubborn, reckless, too sure of herself in a way that grates on your nerves. Every patrol together turns into a heated argument, every introduction a silent battle. It's not like she's mean, if anything, it'd be easier if she was, but she's just Ellie, all sharp words and cocky grins, pressing your buttons like it's a game. And she's determined to win it. For some reason she never lets up, not with you.

Maybe it's a game of push and pull and you always push first.

An hour passes, maybe more, two? you spend most of it trying to avoid her, talking to Dina, Jesse, anyone else but you feel her presence like a weight. Every time you glance her way, she's already looking, every time you move, she's just there and it's pissing you off.

You down the rest of your drink and push through the crowd, slipping down the back hallway, you don't run but you walk fast enough that it feels like it, you dodge Jesse's half-hearted attempt to pull you into some drinking game. You just need air, space—distance.

The first door you find is half open, a guest room, mostly unused since the bed was neatly made. You step inside, inhaling deeply, relishing the silence

Then the door shuts behind you, you don't even need to turn around to know who it is.

“Jesus Christ,” you mutter glaring at the ceiling, “do you ever take a hint?”

Ellie just chuckles, the sound low and amused, “Not when it's this much fun, to be honest,” and you don't even need to look around to know she has that stupid smirk plastered on her face.

You spin to face her, your eyes meeting her intense emerald eyes and your arms crossing tight over your chest, “What the hell do you want?”

She leans against the doorframe, her hand holding her chin like she was pretending to think, “dunno. . . maybe i just like seeing you squirm.”

Your jaw clenches and your fists close, “i'm not squirming.”

You see her smirk grow, a knowing look in her eyes, she looks at you like if she was able to read your thoughts and body language, like if she knew something you don't.

She steps closer, “no?”

You hate how easily she gets under your skin, how quickly she turns the air electric. The room feels smaller with her in it, the tension between you palpable. And the worst part? She knows.

You can feel the anger growing inside you, “why do you always do this?” you snap.

Through her lips escapes a soft chuckle as her brow raises, “do what?”

“This. You act like— like —” you exhale sharply, trying to put your mind in order and find the right words, “like you're trying to get a rise out of me.”

Another step, now you can smell the mix of beer and whiskey on her breath, the faint scent of smoke clinging to her shirt, “what if i am?” she says, her voice now lower, rougher.

You breath hitches, for a moment neither of you move, the tension is thick, suffocating, a rope pulled too tight between you, you're both too stubborn, too reckless, you'd burn each other out before you even had the chance to try.

Your heart pounds, your skin prickles, and fuck, you should push her away like you always do.

But you don't.

You take a step forward, closing the distance completely. Ellie doesn't flinch, doesn't back down, if anything she leans in, her usual green eyes now dark and heavy lidded, her smirk fading into something different. Something dangerous.

“You gonna keep pretending?” she murmurs close to your ear.

You don't answer, you can't because she's right and you both know it. So when she tilts her head, gaze flicking down to your lips— when she hesitates, waiting for you— you do the stupidest thing imaginable.

You kiss her.

The kiss is not soft, not sweet, there's frustration, months of tension unravelling all at once. Ellie makes a sound low in her throat, something between a gasp and a groan, and then she's grabbing you, fingers curling around the back of your neck, pulling you into her, pressing you against the door. The alcohol on her tongue is dizzying, her body solid and warm against yours and fuck, maybe you should stop. Maybe this is a mistake— but when she bites at your bottom lip, hands slipping under your jacket, pulling, teasing, demanding, you know there's no going back.

Ellie kisses like she fights, hungry, restless, all consuming. Her hands grip at your waist, pulling you impossibly close, fingers digging into the fabric of your shirt like she's trying to stake her claim. The taste of her mouth makes your head spin. You should stop, you really should, you keep repeating that to yourself in your mind but when she presses you harder against the wall, when she nips at your lower lip and swallows the soft, sweet sound it pulls from your throat— you don't. You won't.

Your hands move on their own, fisting into the front of her shirt, yanking her closer, until there's barely any space left between the both of you. You feel Ellie exhale sharply against your lips, a quiet, breathy curse before tilting her head to deepen the kiss. Months of pent-up frustration unraveling with every movement.

Her hands now drag under your jacket, fingers slipping beneath the hem of your shirt, her rough and calloused fingers grazing over your bare skin. The touch sends a shiver through you, your breath hitching as she maps the contours of your waist, ribs, back and dangerously close to your chest.

“Fuck,” Ellie mutters against your mouth, voice husky and almost desperate, “you're—” she cuts herself off, biting at your lip again before pulling back just enough to look at you.

Your chest rises and falls in tandem, lips swallowed and face flushed. And, God, that sight was delightful for her, she could feel herself getting wet just by looking at you, her pupils are blown wide, green eyes dark and unreadable as they flick between your lips and your gaze. She's still gripping at your waist, still pressing you into the door, but there's hesitation now— like she's waiting, like she's asking, like she needs you to make the next move.

You exhale, reaching up, letting your fingers tangle in the short hairs at the nape of her neck. She shivers under your touch, just barely, and something about that sends a thrill directly to your core, making you bolder and almost demanding.

You tug her back in, Ellie groans softly as your lips crash together again, her hands gripping tighter, wandering and exploring beneath your shirt, sometimes her hands traveling to graze your chest. She moves like she's trying to memorize you, like she's been waiting too long for this moment and doesn't want to waste a second of it.

Somewhere between kisses and touches she starts backing you up slowly, steady, until the back of your knees hit the edge of the bed and your stomach tightens.

Ellie pulls away slightly, breath ghosting over your lips, “tell me to stop.”

You obviously don't. Instead, you hook a finger into her belt loop and pull, letting yourself fall back onto the mattress, bringing her down with you. She lets out a breathless chuckle, bracing herself with her hands on either side of your head.

“Yeah?” she murmurs, voice teasing but still rough around the edges, like she's barely holding herself together.

You swallow, breath shaky, “yeah.”

And that's all she needs. She kisses you again, even deeper this time, slower, like she wants to savor it. The weight of her body presses into you, her thigh slotting between yours and pressing it softly against your core, the heat of her touch setting your skin ablaze.

She takes her time now, trailing her lips down your jaw, your neck and collarbone, her hands moving and groping deliberately, teasing your nipples over your shirt. You arch into her touch, finger gripping at her shirt, nails dragging lightly down her back.

Ellie exhales shakily, her lips barely brushing against your skin as she murmurs, “I knew you wanted me.”

You laugh, breathless and heady, tilting your head back as she marks your neck with her mouth, “shut up and prove it.”

And Ellie doesn't hesitate at all now, the second your words leave your mouth, she moves— lips tracing a slow path down your throat, hands now gripping your waist with just enough pressure to keep you grounded. The heat between you is unbearable, every inch of your body hyper aware of her. She really takes her time, dragging her fingers along the hem of your shirt but not directly touching, she's just teasing, testing. Like she's giving you again the chance to change your mind, like she wants you to stop her and you won't.

You tilt your head back, giving her more room to work, breath hitching as her lips graze over your collarbone. Your fingers curl into the fabric of her shirt, tugging her closer, needing more, she grins against your skin, clearly pleased, before shifting her weight just enough to pull your jacket off your shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.

The room is quiet except for your breaths and soft moans, the faint crackling of a candle in the dresser, the muffled sound of the party still going outside. It feels like another world, distant, unimportant. Right now it's just you and her.

Ellie leans back to look at you, her green eyes searching your gaze, “you sure?”

And that almost made you roll your eyes, wasn't the whole situation obvious enough?

You exhale, heart pounding and voice low, “Ellie.”

That's all it takes. She kisses you again, her hands slip under your shirt, fingers warm against your skin as she softly gropes your tits, sending a shiver down your spine. You press into her touch, drinking in every sensation, every little sound she makes as your hands wander, lifting the hem of her shirt, feeling the taut muscle beneath. She groans when you drag your nails down her back and the sound sends a rush of heat directly between your thighs. A slow, aching need building, making your head spin.

The bed creaks slightly as she shifts, settling between your thighs like earlier, her weight pressing you deeper into the mattress. When her knee makes friction with your wet and aching pussy, you gasp, fingers tangling in her hair, pulling her back down to you, lips meeting in a heated, breathless rhythm.

She moves like she wants to take her time, like she's been waiting for this moment as long as you have but neither of you have the patience for that.

Clothes come off in slow, teasing increments— shirts and pants slipping, fingers tracing new paths along the bare skin. You shudder at the warmth of her mouth trailing lower and lower, her lips leaving marks you know won't fade by morning. She's restless, enjoying every reaction, every gasp and sharp inhale.

When she finally, finally, presses closer, when her wet mouth meets your core through your panties, when her fingers tighten against your hip,it's nothing like fighting. There's no sharpness, no stubborn push-and-pull, there's no battle to win.

Just heat. Just the press of her body against yours, just the slow, aching rhythm her tongue sets, the way she whispers your name like it's the only thing she knows. Just her.

She pulled away her mouth for a moment, enjoying the sight of soaking wet panties, your own fluids mixed with her saliva. With her free hand she began to rub up and down your slit, the thin fabric of your underwear making the friction even more delicious.

The way she was edging is making you crazy, she finally decide to move the fabric aside, she iz quick to attach her warm mouth directly to your, already, sensitive clit as her two of her fingers make their way to the entrance of your needy hole. A gasp escapes your lips when you feel her calloused fingers teasing it at the same time she sucks and licks your clit. The humid sounds of her mouth making your arousal grow even more and she knows.

Her lips let your clit go for a moment, she speaks in a lustful, almost velvety, tone, “i prefer when you're like this and not fighting me back,” and you can't even fight or bite back, you just whimper in response and she grins before going back to work.

She finally stops teasing your entrance and she slips one finger inside you, slick dripping down to her wrist. She was quick to find your spongy spot and she presses exactly where you need and while a soft moans leaves your lips, she inserts another finger, feeling how your walls clench against her digits.

The feeling of her fingers pressing your g-spot as her lips latching onto your bud quickly turns to be too much, you don't even know where to grip, you feel like you need something to keep you grounded, your whines and whimpers music to her ears.

And you don't know how much time passes but the room is warm, your breath stutters as Ellie moves against you, her fingers shifting slightly inside you, every touch, every word, sending a wave of arousal. She's steady, controlled, like she's savoring every second, like she's engraving this moment in her memory.

You, on the other hand? You're unravelling, your hands grip at her naked back, your fingers pressing at her warm skin, desperate to keep her close, to pull her even closer. She responds with a quiet, breathy chuckle, but there's roughness to it, a slight tremor beneath her confidence that tells you she's just as lost in this as you are.

She leans in, pressing her forehead to yours, breaths mingling, eyes half-lidded as she watches you, “you're so fucking stubborn,” she murmurs, her voice rough and teasing.

You let out a shaky laugh, tilting your head back as her lips find your throat, “look who's talking.”

Ellie hums in agreement against your pulse, her grip tightening at your waist before she started to move again inside you, it was slow and measured but intentional, the way her fingers curl inside you pulls an embarrassing sound from you, but she swallows it with her mouth, kissing you deep, hungry. She doesn't let up, doesn't rush, just takes her time learning you, every sound, every shiver, every spot that makes your breath hitch. It's infuriating and intoxicating all at once, the way she knows exactly what she's doing.

And when she finally pushes you past that point, when you can't think, can't breathe, can't do anything but feel her, when you're about to hit ecstasy— she murmurs your name against your skin, like it's a confession, like she's giving you something she hasn't given to anyone else.

When the tension finally shatters, your fingers curl against her back, scratching her, pulling her down into you as everything blurs, melts, breaks. She helps you to ride your orgasm, cooing you with sweet words and praises even if everything you can say it's just “hah-ahh” and moan.

The aftershocks leave you both breathless, tangled in each other, skin sticky with heat and effort. Neither of you move for a long moment, just lying there, letting the world settle back into place around you.

Ellie shifts first, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to your shoulder before resting her head against your chest. Her fingers trace lazy forms over your side, absentminded.

You exhale, your body still trembling slightly, you lift a shaky hand to run through her hair, pushing damp strands from her forehead. Silence lingers between you, but it's not uncomfortable. It's new, uncertain, but not something you want to pull away from just yet.

The auburn haired girl lets out a slow breath, pressing a kiss to your marked collarbone before murmuring, “still think we don't work?”

You huff a quiet laugh, shifting beneath her, “i still think you talk too much.”

She grins, biting lightly at your shoulder in retaliation before settling back down, “yeah, sure,” a pause. Then quieter, more serious, “you're not gonna run, are you?”

Your stomach tightens at that, at the way she asks like she already knows the answer, like she's bracing herself. You hesitate, your fingers playing with her hair.

You don't know what this is, what it means, if it even means anything at all. Maybe you'll still fight on patrol, still push each other's buttons, still refuse to admit how deep this thing between you two really runs.

But right now, here, in the quiet warmth of this bed? You don't want to leave.

“No…” you finally murmur, feeling the way her body relaxes against yours at the answer, “not tonight.”

Ellie hums, pressing one last kiss to your skin before sighing, “good.”

And for now, that's enough.

[bunni-v1]

so shadow milk legendary costume is coming so can we get more content of pre-corruption smilk 😝😝😭 pretty please and thank you ♥️

🍓Again I’m gonna call him Blueberry Yogurt because typing out pre corruption is annoying as fuck. Anyway, yes you can pookie mwah mwah mwah! These are short, but I still hope u like them :)

-Blueberry Yogurt is veryyyyy different from Shadow Milk. Shadow Milk describes his past self as a “Goody two shoes wet rag with no personality,” and while he’s being dramatic I don’t think he’s far off.

-Blueberry Yogurt is contemplative, gentle, kind, and above all else caring. He loves his subjects and his friends and he aims to share his knowledge with everyone. He’s in all sense of the word harmless. A sweet cookie with nothing but good intentions.

-He’s, essentially, his position as sage. And he doesn’t mind that, but he’s never really considered that he could be anything more. It’s what he was baked for, of course.

-Booooriiingggggg, as Shadow Milk would put it. But Blueberry Yogurt was content with things, it’s only after he realized cookies turn from the truth — mixed with the understanding of the sheer amount of power he held, that his mind changed.

-You we’re part of that realization. That, maybe, he could be more than what he was. That the life he lived wasn’t all it seemed to be. He was never made to fall in love, but he did, whose to say there isn’t more for him out there?

-But before that, he was likely the perfect partner to have. He cares a lot about his partner and their well-being, and he wants to be their total equal, even if they’re weaker than him.

-He spends a lot of his spare time with you. He’s an incredibly busy cookie with too many things to do, but he will always find time to spend on you. You are a high priority in his life, and he makes sure you know that.

-He likes having you around him, even when you aren’t doing the same things. Just you being there brings him peace of mind and makes him feel content.

-You being educated is equally important to him, so he takes the time to have conversations about serious topics. He’s particularly fond of reading with you and discussing the books with a critical eye. He won’t let you be blind to the truth, and if you’re afraid of it, he’ll work with you to ensure you aren’t.

-He’ll take you around the town when he visits, and most cookies know you as “The Sage’s Lover”. He won’t admit it, but that fact makes him proud. He loves to show you off, and he loves the fact that others know you’re together.

-Oh he does this cute thing where he’ll sweep you up in his arms and dance around with you. He’ll press you tightly against his body and swirl around like you’re at a real ball.

-He is so much more open about how much he loves you. He has no reason to hide or fear his affections for you, so he just doesn’t. His love is unabashedly displayed through physical touch as Blueberry Yogurt.

-Soft and gentle kisses pressed upon you dough. He burns into your dough his love for you so that you never forgot how much you are adored.

-He pulls you close and whispers his adoration like a prayer, as if to convince you of his love for you. Like you might forget if he doesn’t remind you so tenderly.

-He treats you to beautiful dates in locations you’ve only dreamed about, each one more heartfelt and romantic than the last. They’re built specifically to wow you, and he’s phenomenal at his job.

-He also gives you gifts all the time, hand made or things he found around the kingdom, it doesn’t matter. They’re all things you’ll make good use of, he makes sure of that.

-His goal is to make you feel considered and thought of. Again, he’s very successful. Everything he does takes you into account, and you become a very important part of his day to day life.

-One thing he does that Shadow Milk keeps is his love for carrying you around. It’s not a strength thing, he isn’t showing off, he just loves carrying you around. He feels like he can really care for you like that, so he does it as much as he can.

-He’s also very protective of you. He doesn’t stop you from engaging difficult topics and finding out truths, but he does stop others from disturbing your peace. It’s the one time he’ll use his magical abilities for selfish reasons, his need to keep you safe and happy winning out his morals for once.

-This is why when he feels himself… slipping… he sends you away as soon as he can. He doesn’t want you to think of him differently, and he’ll even take extra measures to ensure he won’t find you once he’s fully gone. (It’s the most annoying thing about himself, if you ask Shadow Milk. He plans for everything far too well.)

-It does ache and pain him to be so far from you when he does it, but it’s more important to him that you are safe. Even if it means you have to be safe from him.

[itsrensfairygardenn]

dilf!art x tired!reader for everyone who needs it </3

2,2k words

you’ve been seeing each other for a while now, and your friends say that it’s stupid that the two of you still haven’t moved in together — after all, it’s not weird at all. he seems to like you so much, and you like him too, love him even, because he is the best thing you could ever have, you know that for sure. you live in the most inconvenient part of the town, renting a tiny flat, which is not even that close to your university, and even further away from art’s place — he lives out of town, completely alone in his enormous house, except for days when lily stays with him. he never presses you into staying with him, moving your stuff to his place, or even lingering there for longer than you’re comfortable with, but his eyes always speak for himself — he wants you to stay there with him. he wants his home to become yours too.

life for you is routine, because you’ve built it this way; and while it obeys your rules, working like a finely-tuned machine, you can handle it just fine — i mean, there was nothing impossible, right? the schedule is tough, but you’ve already got used to it, still managing to submit your assignments just in time and getting excellent results, even though your part-time job is taking much more of your time and energy than you thought it would — but it feels nice to be appreciated by your professors, to stay one of the best students, even though it feels like you’re on the verge of losing it because of your job. you don’t have much time for living your quiet and slow life anymore, and it was difficult for you, to the point of a permanent exhaustion, of aching pain all over your body even after a proper rest. but life is never easy, is that what people always say to you? you should adjust to this rhythm, because you think that that’s how adult life works.

and you can handle it just fine, till the moment when this algorithm just stops working.

this day, everything went completely wrong since the very beginning — you overslept, simply because you’d forgotten to set your alarm the night before, and the whole process of getting ready and running to the campus brought you immense anxiety; by the time you got to the classroom, you felt a thick lump of nausea in your throat. you were answering questions on autopilot, thoughtlessly writing down words that couldn’t even form adequate sentences, and you could swear that by the end of this class you were on the verge of crying or losing your consciousness, because you felt so stupid and helpless, not being able to try your hardest, to focus and get a grip. you hadn’t had enough time to have a proper breakfast, you had forgotten half of your notes at home… god, you couldn’t even find it in yourself to answer art’s messages — as always, he sent you ‘good morning’, wishing you a nice day, reminding you about your plans for the evening. why was it so hard for you to just answer?

then someone accidentally pushed you with their shoulder in the cafeteria, and you stained your skirt with sprinkles of coffee that fell from your hands right to the floor… you were sure that you heard someone laughing behind your back, while you were frantically pushing through the crowd to make it to the bathroom. first of all, you were frustrated, terribly embarrassed and mad; second of all, you missed art so badly, that you teared up in the bathroom stall, because you still hadn’t answered his messages, and you knew that he would worry about this silence. he always worries, you know it, but he always pretends that he doesn’t, because he doesn’t want to seem overprotective or overly sensitive; right now a concerned expression of his loving eyes is the last thing you want to witness.

now, when your classes are over, and art’s car is finally waiting for you in the parking lot, you want to cry again — because he’s looking at you through the window, giving you the sweetest smile, with his thumb absentmindedly rubbing the leather surface of the steering wheel, because this very hand is waiting for its chance to settle on your thigh, or caress your cheek. art has missed you so much, you know for sure; he’s so excited about having dinner with you tonight, because both of you’ve been so busy recently, that you didn’t have a chance to spend some quality time together. and here you are, without any makeup on, with these ugly coffee stains on your skirt, and the same anxiety and suppressed emotions bubbling underneath every inch of your skin, that were making you sweat through the day. what if you smell bad? what if you snap at art, just because you feel like falling apart in front of him?

“how was your day?” art asks in this soft, soothing tone of his. as you’ve expected, his hand settles on your knee, gently rubbing your skin; you’re afraid that he’ll say something about this damn skirt, but he doesn’t even look down at it.

art smells like his usual cologne — such a faint note of it, because he’s already washed it off in the shower after training his tennis players under the scorching heat of the sun on the tennis court; you want to bury yourself in his chest and inhale the familiar scent of his skin, to nestle your nose in his neck and make him giggle, the way he always does when you’re together — so boyish and sweet, despite the age. god, he doesn’t seem much older than you at all.

but you can’t even speak, biting your lower lip, with that gloomy crease between your eyebrows. art notices almost immediately, and out of the corner of your eye, you can see his smile fading. is he no longer happy with you? what if you’ll upset him with your attitude, ignoring him just because you feel terrible? he just asks you about your day, and the next moment tears starts falling from the corners of your eyes; you can feel it prickling in your nose, and suddenly the morning nausea is back again.

art’s heart sinks into his chest, stopping its steady rhythm and falling down to his stomach, slowly dying from the sight of your reddened nose and cheeks, the faint traces of tears on your beautiful face — god, he only wishes to never see you upset again, to make you the happiest person in the world. he’s noticed everything about your busy schedule, your exhaustion and those dark circles under your tired eyes — this life is slowly pushing you to the limit, and you don’t even want him to help you. because you think that it’s completely fine, that you can handle everything that you’ve weighed down on yourself.

you think that he’ll be upset with you? the truth is, art will never leave you alone with your pain, and much less judge you for it — if anything, art will make your pain his own, too. he’s ready to absorb it, erasing the line between your difficulties and his own, because as far as he’s ready to share his bed with you, he will always share your worries, your anxiety, your bad days and overwhelming feelings.

“bunny, come here,” he whispers into your hair, already pulling you into his arms, shielding your trembling figure from the world, from all these people passing by his car — he kisses your soft hair, your rosy cheeks and lowered eyelids, wiping your tears away with his warm lips. his thumb catches a hot salty drop right in the corner of your eye, brushing it away before it rolls down your reddened skin. “that’s okay, don’t worry… no, don’t apologize, sweetheart. we’ll figure it out, i promise”

he’s rubbing your back with his firm, calloused hand, grounding you, silently promising you safety and comfort you desperately need, the same quietness and slow pace of life you miss so badly. he whispers that he’ll take you home now, that the restaurant can wait, that you can order takeout later. at this moment, you know that his home is your home, and nothing else matters anymore.

once you get there, he runs you a hot bath and ends up kneeling on the tiled floor, running his fingers through your shampooed hair and massaging your scalp with his fingertips — you’ve already calmed down enough to speak to him and tell about your day, detailing every single thing that has happened to you. he mutters his little “you did nothing wrong, sweetheart”, “they’re just a bunch of stupid kids” and “you’re still my genius” in your ear, occasionally smiling at your choice of words; to be honest, you can make him smile without even trying, and when you joke? he’s giggling, of course he is.

afterwards, you put his old shirt from one of those tennis events and his boxers on. he leads you to the large couch in the middle of his light, spacious living room, and you both settle in the mess of pillows and a blanket that he’s brought from the bedroom; you rest your head on his chest, while he’s looking at his phone screen, quietly listing what you can order for dinner — as always, he’s the one who does it, because he knows how difficult it’s for you to decide what kind of food you would like to eat.

“you aren’t listening, are you?” he notices with a slight grin, and his voice requires this attractive hint of hoarseness. he traces wet hair on the top of your head with his lips, lazily drawing invisible patterns, finalising them with a firm kiss — more like an attempt to immerse himself into the scent of your (his) shampoo.

you’re half-listening, with your eyes blissfully closed, but you’re smiling at his question — it seems like food is the least important part of being next to him right now; you put your hands under his shirt, drawing small circles on his toned stomach with your fingertips, and you know that it was calming both of you down.

“i love you, art” you whisper against his chest, sending these words right to his heart — literally and metaphorically.

“i love you too, bunny” he adjusts his position to kiss your cheek — gently and lovingly; it always feels even more intimate than making love, because at these moments he touches your cheeks like priceless gemstones, or the finest silk.

“you know that i can do anything for you, right?” his tone changes, but it’s barely noticeable, because he’s still so soft with you, treading carefully to not scare you away from him. “i know how much you value your studies. just focus on it, and i’ll help you with the rest”

you shift in his arms, only to look up at him, resting your chin on his broad chest — you seem uncertain, as always. art’s already got used to it, because you’ve never liked talking about money — his money, particularly.

“i don’t know, art. it’s embarrassing,” you admit, lowering your voice to a whisper, and you feel his hand on the back of your neck, gently massaging your tight muscles — never able to keep his hands off you. “i don’t have enough money, and i can’t give anything in return. don’t mention love, because it won’t be enough”

“love is always enough, y/n,” he doesn’t give you a chance to belittle yourself, to underestimate the value of your love. you both know that you saved him, that you healed him with your very presence, your shy smiles and and the way your cheeks flushed when his lips first touched yours. “i want you to be here, to do things that you love, to not worry about money”

art knows that money can’t buy happiness, but ever since he met you, he wishes to have a chance to buy this precious piece of pure joy, to have it on the palm of his hand, to give it to you without a second thought — and when he’s ready for such things, does money really matter? do you really have to worry about it, when he only dreams about you putting your clothes in his wardrobe, leaving your makeup products on the sink in the bathroom after getting ready for your morning classes, marking the edge of his favorite mug with your lipstick?

you’re so quiet that it almost feels eerie, as if you’re not with him anymore — but then you finally break this foreign silence.

“we can try,” you whisper, and you both smile at the same time — his boyish grin, again. ”i'll call the landlady tomorrow”

trust me, just by looking at his face, it’s obvious that at this very moment he already starts thinking about rearranging his entire house to make it the perfect place for you — dressing table, secluded corner for your bookshelves, maybe even entire room just for you… well, give him some time to think about it, and he’ll make you the happiest person in the world.

thank you for supporting this idea! i hope that the result isn’t too disappointing :( just needed some emotional support from dilf art calling me a bunny, please don’t judge me for trying 🐇

[chaoswiththeprettyspine]

Batfam Karaoke tournament headcanons

I firmly believe that the batfam has a bi-monthly karaoke night, which is mandatory for all family members. You can enter with a serious song or a joke song it doesn't matter, but you have to perform. It doesn't matter if someone can sing or not, the others judge them on execution and ✨️vibes✨️. It's forbidden to let any preexisting grudges affect your rating. You WILL be called out if you do.

Dick has a nice voice, but nothing extraordinary. He usually goes with his favourite song at the time, or something really relatable to him. His dance routines always slap tho. Best performances include: Holding out for a hero by Bonnie Tyler, Inertia by AJR and 30 by Bo Burnham

Barbara usually only performs the one mandatory song, but she's a ruthless judge. She is responsible for recording the event, and making memes from it that can be used in the groupchat. Her favourite song to perform is Burn for You from the Bridgerton musical that she and Dick made a choreography for when they were still dating. They perform it at least once a year for nostalgia sake. Other than that, her best performances were I am not a Robot by Marina and a duett of Mamma Mia with Steph.

Jason "theatre kid" Todd is living his best life every tournament. He usually has 3 songs prepared, and depending on the mood, he performs one. His voice is really fucking good. And the worst part is, he knows and weaponizes this. He usually makes podium, if not wins it all together. Best performances include: Bad Reputation by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, My Petersburg from the Anastasia musical and Dos Oruguitas by Sebastian Yatra (which DID make everyone cry for 3 hours)

Tim goes with a meme song every single time. His voice is horrible. Despite that, his choreography and dedication sometimes gets him to the podium. His best performances include: How bad can I be? from The Lorax, Barbie and Ken by Scene Queen and Set it Off (duett with Steph) and on one memorable occasion WAP: Midwest emo rendition. He WAS disqualified for the last one, but it was legendary.

Steph gives it her all every single time, and she usually makes it to the podium. Her voice is good, but it's the dedication which she performs with that sells the show every time. She usually sings at least 2 songs, sometimes even a duett at the end. Best performances include: Die Young by Kesha, Girls just want to have fun as a duett with Cass, and all American bitch by Olivia Rodrigo

Damian doesn't like singing. His voice is at the stage where it starts cracking, and he doesn't really listen to music with words. He does like to dance tho, so he usually sings duetts where he can be a background dancer while the other performs. Best performances include: It's tough to be a god with Duke, Revolting Children performed by the whole Batkidclan and Prince Ali sang by Jason ABOUT him, while he acted out everything Jason sang about.

Duke likes singing, but he's mostly here to judge. His points are always fair and well thought out. He's the most influential judge right after Alfred. He does have to perform tho, so he usually chooses something he listened to right before the competition and is already in his head. Best performances include: Bourgeoisieses by Conan Gray, Dirty Town by Mother Mother and Come on Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners.

Cass is selectively mute, so depending on the day, she might just dance, or she might sing you to tears. Her voice is a little rough around the edges from misuse, and she mispronounces some words, but the emotion behind it shines through every time. Best performances include: a ballet to Swan Lake, a modern dance interpretation of Luminery by Joel Sunny, and Last Words of a Shooting Star by Mitski (which also left everyone crying for 3 hours)

Bruce is not exempt from the competition. His kids are adamant he performs too, but he doesn't actually care what he sings, so the song depends on what kid gets to him first. Crowd favourites include Bring me to life by Evanescence, Teenagers by MCR, Little girls from the Annie musical, and one time when Tim got to him first My Dead Gay Son from the Heathers musical.

Alfred performed exactly once, and it was a heartbreaking rendition of Frank Sinatra's My Way. He was forbidden from participating because he would win every single time. Now he's only judging, and his points are greatly sought after.

[legendofmorons]

Written in the stars (forever on loop) Chapter two - Catch my breath (what else can I do?)

Pairing: eventual Poly! Chain x reader, platonic Wind & reader

Series Rating: T

Summary: Day two with the chain has its challenges. Thankfully, Epona and Wind are there to make things better. Four and Sky have a heart to heart while a late night talk with Warriors leaves you with some questions and thoughts.

Warnings: grief, cursing

Other: If I missed anything, please let me know

Previous masterlist. Next

Breakfast is your saving grace in the morning, especially because you need something to do that isn't focusing on everything that happened yesterday.

You sit by Sky again, though Wind sits on your other side.

Sky looks exhuasted, blinking blearily and having to stifle a yawn every so often. He's got puffy eyes... has he been crying? Maybe it was just a bad day...

No one else speaks to you or sits near you, though. There's a tense atmosphere you could cut with a very dull butter knife.

"So, what do you do back home?" Wind asks before stuffing a bite of his food in his mouth.

You smile politely, "I work, I listen to music, I talk to my friends and family. Nothing exciting. What about you?"

"I like to sail a lot." Wind says.

This isn't a surprise. He gives off pirate gremlin energy anyhow. It's good to know it is from a hobby and not just your own interpretation of what is apparently more than a video game.

You smile a little more real this time. "That's good, it's important to have hobbies. Do you live near the sea?"

"You know about the sea!" Wind declares excitedly.

You laugh a little, "Of course I do."

You can feel the way all the others look at you with strange gazes and furrowing brows or outright glares.

You focus your gaze on Wind, blocking out the others.

Wind looks absolutely delighted, though, his grin wide and bright. "No one else but Wild knows. You do, though!"

"I do." You agree easily.

The young teen is adoreable in the excitement that causes his ears to twitch a little.

Sky smiles too, "He's a fan of the sea."

"Maybe we can visit it." You offer.

Wind cheers, beaming at you. "I hope so!"

Time clears his throat to get everyone's attention. The air goes thick again around you.

You turn your gaze to the oldest, wondering yet again why he has the fierce diety marking on only half his face if he has them at all.

"We're going to keep looking for a town today, we need to get our new friends some supplies since they were caught unawares." Time says.

He hasn't looked at you. Most of them haven't looked at you. Not really.

You feel your face heat up a little. Embarrassment floods your being.

If you had known you were going to end up here, you would have prepared more!

"We should also probably see about finding a river or something soon." Warriors adds firmly.

The others agree with both sentiments.

Wind elbows you playfully, "Don't worry, we all got caught unawares at least once. I started my adventure by hitting things with sticks."

The teen gives a wink at the end, like he's telling you a secret.

You laugh, recalling that sequence in Wind Waker. Immediately, you feel guilty simply for having loved and played the games.

Apparently, the world of Hyrule is real.

Oh.

Right.

This is all so bizarre.

You played through what were probably horrible quests and memories for fun. (You didn't know! If you had known - breathe. You remind yourself to breathe.)

Last night's dreams were weird.

Everything is so different

"Don't overthink." Sky chides lightly although, it sounds like it's something he says on autopilot, his face twisting with an unreadable emotion.

Grief, maybe? But worry, too.

"Okay." You manage.

"Twilight, Wild, Wind, Legend, and Sky, you'll all look for a river. Warriors, Four, Hyrule, and I will take (Y/n) and look for a town." Time says.

No!

You don't want to leave Sky and Wind. They are the least tense!

At least you'll be with Four and Hyrule. They are far less intimidating than Time and Warriors.

"Don't worry," Wind whispers to you as he nudges your side lightly. "They're all big softies."

He gives you a dramatic wink.

You crack a weak smile. "Really??"

"Really." Wind assures.

"Thanks." You say softer.

The teen grins at you. He looks pretty eleated in general.

"Alright, when you are ready, we'll head out." Time says to you. He's finally looking at you, but his face is stony.

You acknowledge his words and work on finishing your food.

After you've eaten and everything has been packed up, the groups split up.

You are flanked by four men as you walk. Warriors and Four on either side of you with Time in the back and Hyrule beside him.

None of them talk except to tell you if you're turning. Their eyes never seem to be on you, but you swear they're watching.

The silence is strange. (Some strange subconscious part of you rails against the tense air around you. This is wrong!)

"So... uhm... what's with the portals?" You ask after a good twenty minutes of walking.

This seems like a solid start point. The silence is too much anyway.

The others seem to share a silent conversation around you. None of them look at you.

Warriors looks at you as he answers. "There is a Sahdow opening them and letting lose monsters of different eras."

You nod. That sounds like some Legend of Zelda stuff right there... You should probably stop thinking of this as a video game world.

Four sighs. "Of course we're all here because we're heroes."

"That makes sense... why am I here?" You ask, feeling as if you're in free fall without a parachute as far as information goes.

There's a beat of silence.

The men exchange glances around you, yet another silent converstion exchanging in seconds.

"We don't know." Time says evenly, a measured tone flowing in his voice. His gaze is still too heavy on you, as if he's daring you to do something.

"Okay." You manage.

Four offers you a slightly strained smile. "We'll figure it out."

His smile is wrong. His eyes are wrong. He dosen’t believe in what he says, does he?

"I hope so."

Hyrule hums once. "Are you a hero where you're from? That might make it make sense if you are."

You laugh a little, startled at the notion. "No. No, my life back home is... boring enough."

Four and Warriors both look spooked by your laugh, looking at you with frowns. The latter looks a little angry, too, with pinched brows.

Okay. Maybe it was rude to laugh?

"Oh." Hyrule says.

"Boring can be good." Warriors offers after a moment, face fixing itself into an overly polite mask.

You smile weakly. "I guess so."

"Are you a royal then?" Hyrule asks.

You laugh again. "No. I'm definitely not."

The silence comes back, heavy and awkward. You don't bother trying to break it again.

There's something wrong in the air. You just can't place it. You have barely interacted with any of them!

At least Hyrule and Four just seem to avoid watching you. Or maybe it just feels that way because Warriors and Time won't stop - even if you don't catch them, you can feel it.

What is it with these heroes and the staring problem?

Yeesh.

Hopefully, when you see Wind again, He can lighten the mood.

-------

The trip to town was awkward, stilted, and almost painful. When you're dropped off at an inn to what for the boys to get the others, you are relieved.

You've gotten a travel pack with a place for your bed roll. You've also been given a few spare clothes, which is nice.

You are apparently to share an inn room with someone tonight.

Hopefully, it's Wind or Sky. They haven't glared at you or made you feel unwanted.

You settle on one of two beds, wondering what you have done to earn their cold shoulders. Did you... over step somehow?

Maybe they know about the video games? They aren't self-aware in the game, hopefully?

Nothing makes sense anyway.

There's a knock at the door before someone calls. "Hey, it's just me! We're roommates!"

Wind.

Thank goodness.

The door opens to reveal a grinning Wind.

"Did you have fun?" You ask.

The teen is practically bouncing. "I did! It was great, oh my goodness! Wild and Sky got tangled up in some roots, and we had to finish a mini dungeon!"

"That sounds... busy?"

"It was fun! We got some rupees, too."

"That's good!" You say a bit more cheerily.

The boy grins.

He asks you about your trip, and you just say it was okay, a little awkward, but not horrible.

Dinner is quick, and every time you try to make conversation with anyone but Wind they look pained by the attempt, and it peeters out.

Even Sky seems a little skittish about you during dinner, although his eyes look puffy again. Maybe he's going through something?

You sigh, deciding to go see Epona. Maybe she'll let you pet her?

Epona is at least less scared of you. She just sniffs your hand curiously.

As soon as she sniffs you, she's pressing her face into your hand insistently, as if asking for attention. Who are you to deny her?

She's sweet, at least.

"Such a good girl you are." You coo to Epona sweetly.

She isn't at fault for the tense atmosphere of the boys.

Petting her mane gently is relaxing in ways you hadn't quite expected. She's all but leaning into it, a few soft snorts here and there but otherwise seemingly content to be near you.

"Aw, I wish I had something to give you, sweetheart."

Epona just leans a little more into your touch.

"I'll just keep an eye out. Maybe we can find an apple or something for you."

You can feel a few others watching you, but you don't turn. It's much nicer here with Epona than with the heavy silence and strained attempts at conversation provided by the boys.

Although Wind is certainly picking up some slack there, he deserves some cookies or something.

"How'd you get to be so sweet, pretty girl?" You muse.

It's a nice break from havin to be around anyone. Epona is so gentle and sweet, at least with you. She's happy to let you pet her man and sctach behind her ears gently.

Animals are amazing.

-------

Sky and Four take to their room, both looking forward to getting away from the painful reminder you are. They know it's not your fault, you seem nice, but still...

Grief is funny sometimes.

The moment the door closes, Sky's carefully polite face is falling into twisting grief.

Four just flops himself onto his bed. His head hurts, pounding like a horribly novice out of step marching band is playing their show inside his skull.

It's too much.

Sky just leans against the door, sinking to the floor with his head leaning back.

"Why couldn't they look different?" Sky asks in a shaking whisper.

The question escapes his mouth on accident.

Four turns over, so he's staring up at the ceiling. "I don't know."

Sky dosen’t turn. Instead, he just closes his eyes.

"It's not their fault." Four says, staring at the ceiling.

"No." Sky agrees. "It's not."

"I feel so bad for them." Four manages.

He does.

Against the grief and the anger and the stupid hope that twirl around his lost love, there's sympathy. Sympathy for the unexpected start of an adventure.

Sympathy for the lost look in their eyes at unfamiliarity scripts of hylian writing.

"Goddess... They looked terrified when they first saw me." Sky whispers into the room.

He uses that expression of terror to ground himself. It sounds bad. He knows it sounds bad.

But your terror is proof that you aren't his beloved sunshine.

His sunshine... never looked at him like that. They were never scared of him. Not when they saw him seal the imprisoned. Not when they saw him fight Demise.

They were never scared.

The expression of terror on your face chafes at his soul, but it helps him remember you aren't anyone else but a stranger in a scary situation.

"I think they're scared of Time." Four says.

Sky laughs weakly. "He is intimidating..."

"It's uncanny... They're identical in looks and personality."

"I know."

"How do you do it? I can barely look at them."

"I - can barely look away." Sky laughs, though it almost sounds like crying.

Four hums once, thoughtful mostly. His entire being, all of his colors, struggle under the grief you've stirred up. His empathize for his soul brothers is endless.

His grief is even more vast.

"Goddess. They'd be ashamed of me." Sky admits, "Dancing around a stranger trying to keep everything under wraps and falling apart as soon as the door shuts."

Four narrows his eyes, pushing up to lean on his elbows. His glare is trained on Sky. "Don't sully thier memory by assigning your shame to them."

"What?" Sky swallows, looking at Four with wide eyes.

The hero of skies looks like a kicked puppy, glassy eyes, and shaking form.

Four dosen’t care. Not now. Not when the memory of their soulmate's memory is being treated so poorly.

"They wouldn't be ashamed of you for doing your best in a hard situation. They wouldn't blame you for having complex feelings. Your own guilt shouldn't be projected onto their memory." Four says, or maybe that's Blue and Vio in control for now. Who can tell?

They all miss you. Every piece of him misses you.

"How could they not be?" Sky asks. "I'm messing everything up!"

"Legend hasn't stopped glaring at them, Time just stares silently, I can barely look at them. Sky, you're being more normal about this than anyone!"

"Wind is doing much better."

"Wind hasn't lost them yet. Of course, he's doing better." Four rolls his eyes, pushing down the envy.

"I know. I... Why does he still have them when no one else does?"

"He's fourteen. There's plenty of time for him to get fucked over like the rest of us." Four snaps.

"I didn't mean- I just miss them."

"I know." Four sighs, closing his eyes. "I know... I think we all do."

Silence falls over the room, heavy but not uncomfortable. It's the silence that falls over loved ones when they've had a hard conversation and need to think but still feel safe together.

Four falls back against the bed, trying to remember the way his lover once held him. Perhaps it's self destructive, but when it helps him cope, he dosen’t care.

He can feel the colors, his head is still pounding.

Blue is restless as ever, a rage at the reminder that you're gone. Anger that Sky could speak of your memory so poorly.

Green and Red are trying to calm it all down. They're trying to focus on the better times they had with thier lover.

Vio... is Vio. He's focusing on the facts again.

Like always.

Four focuses on his breathing, pretending that it's them here counting it instead of him.

Who knew trying to keep himself together would be so hard?

-------

You're outside trying to get some air after having the same dream from last night. The argument and lead up to something horrible in the dream is - draining.

The night air is chilly, but it's a nice relief from the stifling feeling of the bed.

Stars above you make out patterns you shouldn't be able to recognize, but you swear you see a set of stars that's supposed to be a harp. It isn't the harp constellation from your world, though. It's different.

You sit on the steps that lead up to the inn porch, leaning against the banister.

There's some sort of spinning string instrument tune stuck in your head, unplayable as the origin of the second and strange harp constellation.

There's the sound of the door opening and closing behind you. Probably another person in search of some air.

"What... are you doing our here?" Asks a man.

You turn, looking over your shoulder to see Warriors, still in his entire outfit, chain mail, and all.

His gaze is heavy, not as bad as Time's but strange as ever.

You sigh, trying to avoid tensing up at the sight of him. "I needed some air... I guess you do, too."

Warriors sighs, "You could say that."

"Don't let me stop you." You say, turning your head back to facing forwards and gazing out at the small town before you.

A lazy night breeze blows across you, ruffling your hair a little.

Warriors is silent behind you, a large presence. He's unmoving.

You're left wondering if he's still there for a moment.

It seems rude to check, though.

How he can be so still is beyond you, but you suppose that's probably a skill he picked up from the war. (A war you're not meant to know about.)

Warriors moves finally, walking until he's beside you. He stands there, unmoving again as he stares up at the stars.

"You shouldn't be out here without a weapon." He says finally.

You glance up at him. "Why? It's a small town."

"Ambushes can happen anytime anywhere."

"I can't say that's something I've had to worry about much." You admit. Which is true, for all the creeps and killers of your world... none of them are literal monsters.

Besides, you don't have a weapon right now. Why would you need one while traveling with the group?

"Count yourself lucky." Warriors tells you, "You should start worrying about it, though. Our group gets ambushed often."

You take a slow breath, trying to decide if you're supposed to respond or not. What do you even say to that?

He looks at you, face carefully neutral in a way that feels vaugley threatened. "You... aren't a fighter, are you?"

"Not the way you guys seem to be."

"You've never fought a war... have you?" Warriors asks in a soft voice.

He sounds- he sounds like your answer is important to this question. He sounds like you have some huge sway over what happens with this answer.

His face is still carefully blank.

"No. I've never fought in a war." You say slowly, trying to make sense of whatever this is.

Warriors let's out a slow, heavy sigh. "I hope it stays that way."

"Me too." You say.

You mean it, too. How could you not? Who hopes to get pulled into a war? Not you.

Moments pass, and thick silence seems to press in on you.

"I'm sorry." You say finally.

Warriors looks at you, face still unnervingly calm.

What life has he led that he's so good at neutral poker faces?

"Why?" He asks you.

That's a great question. Why are you sorry?

There's so many reasons.

You're sorry you played their games and enjoyed them.

You're sorry that you're here and slowing them down.

You're sorry that you came unprepared, and they had to step up.

You're sorry he's lost so much.

"I'm sorry I've been such a pain." You settle on. "I know I slowed you guys down and that you stepped up yesterday to help make sure I'm set up for whatever it is we've all been dragged into."

Warriors sighs while something heavy flashes through his eyes before it disappears. "You don't need to apologize. We weren't going to kick you aside."

"I guess. I'm still sorry."

"Do you know how many times I've heard these kinds of apologies?" He asks.

You shake your head. "No."

He looks up to the sky again. "Too many times. Too many people have told me they're sorry for things they can't control. That they're sorry for me doing something simple."

"Oh."

"Don't waste time or words on things like that." Warriors tells you with a stern look.

You would imagine it's a look he picked up as a captain.

"Okay." You breathe out softly.

"I mean it, (Y/n)." He says, though he sounds far away. It's like he's actually speaking to someone else.

Someone he lost.

"Okay." You say again softer.

-------

Next

[nudityandnerdery]

Anyone who lives in a red state wouldn't be surprised that Dallas said fuck you to ice. But these privileged people who shit on every poor, trashy, gerrymandered "red" state citizen are surprised when poor people stand up for their mixed communities. Y'all think we're all bigots since y'all grew up in bigoted upper middle class communities with bigoted upper middle class families. Meanwhile we're out here with queer, mixed, black, white, brown, trans, gay, lesbian, male, female communities where matriarchy runs strong despite the government trying to obliterate us and managing to turn a few of us against each other and blast that minority all over the news. We've always been more diverse than y'all will ever be and because of growing up together we're also less bigoted than y'all. It's the government and like 2 old geezers that's fucking racist homophobic and misogynist. Not us. We love each other, all races and queer shit. We don't care.

Hey there, boo, I'm gonna just take a second to screen shot something I wrote on that post a few weeks back, just for some context:

So, hold your fire, okay? I grew up in a red state. I know that it's not all shitty people, okay? My surprise was literally that the COPS were saying no.

But, I also want to just take a second to gently push back a little bit on something you said:

We've always been more diverse than y'all will ever be and because of growing up together we're also less bigoted than y'all. It's the government and like 2 old geezers that's fucking racist homophobic and misogynist.

Hey. Do me a favor. Think about something for a second:

Who voted in that government? How did they get into power?

It wasn't just two old geezers, okay? You know as well as I do that there's bigots who are voting for these shitbags. And pretending that rural towns are an oasis of harmony and acceptance is the same stupid shit as pretending big cities are. I mean, let's look at recent electoral results. How did your county vote in the presidential race? Where I live right now, the county went roughly 65-35 for Trump. Hasn't gone to a Democratic candidate since LBJ.

It wasn't just two old geezers who got two votes that counted as 65% of the election here, you know? There's plenty of other people that went along with making the government more bigoted. Fucking millions across the country, rural and suburban and urban locations alike.

I'm not saying "Everyone living outside of a metropolis in a blue state is a bigot!" here, obviously, that's not what I'm going for. I'm not saying everyone living in a metropolis in a blue state is open-minded, either, of course, because shitbags gonna be shitbags wherever they're from- like the Felon who got elected, he's grown up in NYC and a racist dick for decades.

But I am saying that being blind to the flaws of places we love is incredibly dangerous, and that attacking each other over pointless shit like where we live is just feeding into the bullshit division that wealthy, powerful assholes use to keep us divided and from actually having an electorate that could support policies that would help large swathes of the nation, and take away the power that their money and control gives them.

So. Just something to think about. Assuming someone is an out-of-touch big city liberal who hates anyone living in a rural area is about as useful as assuming anyone living in a rural area is a MAGA fanatic who hates anyone living in a big city.

Aaaaaanyway. The American inability to acknowledge how class war is what will doom this country is near pathological. Sorry to the rest of the world that we're gonna drag so many of you into our bullshit.

[manticorecure]

who up fearing on they hunger aka f&h termina au drafts with all my current obsessions. minus parkciv but thats bc i couldnt fit them on the canvas

real ozymandiers will remember my previous f&h post but that is currently irrelevant for these freaks. detailed explanation under the cut

ive changed some character roles around (well. i say 'some' but i literally only had clown and branzy pinpointed so like. you know.) now ken/wato/parrot are all partially based off of olivia, while wifies is their reila. hes MIA. is he alive who knows. im thinking pre-machine god reila would be clonefies, and machine god reila would be evilfies

they all have engravings of the god of f&h because theyre all trying to get to wifies before its too late. not that it will help but go guys i believe in you <- i dont

ken is sorta based off osaa? idk much about osaas story tbh but from what i understand hes a priest who broke off from the old religion to pursue his own understanding -> ken breaking off from the regular escape room content to do his own thing... its a tenuous sort of relation but i think it has its merits

parrot is partially based off karin. i dont think i really need to explain this one

wato is daan. i also dont think i need to explain this one. elise in their case would be wifies again lmfao

now for chiefzypierce. i still decided to keep the plotline of branzy wanting to find rek, but instead of it being olivias plotline, i decided to make it completely marinas plotline where she returned to prehevil to find out what happened to her family. in this case, branzy finds out rek is dead and heads back to prehevil in order to figure out what truly happened

clown is still marcoh, but kab has come along with him to prehevil because they both arranged to meet up before going off the grid. kab is a Little bit based off of tanaka- she too has a latent soul, but because clown will stick with her, she's able to actually fight off monsters a lot earlier in game and isnt in danger of dying really quickly

chief is based off abella and partially levi -> he's raised in an orphanage in prehevil after growing up with a relatively volatile early childhood experience, but after he's given to the army he manages to run off and make a good living for himself. he eventually gets involved with the nameless liberty underground and finds himself back in prehevil where it all started though, and hes really not having the time of his life.

also did i mention clown chief and branzy keep bumping into each other and at some point they all just start samarie'ing each other (*stalking)

zam is based partially off henryk -> she comes to prehevil completely by chance because she wants to collect stuff from the town and ends up getting himself involved in the festival, but she has a much higher mentality than henryk does and thus manages to survive for a while on her own until she befriends kab, who then breaks off from clown + his polycule to join zam in her exploration of prehevil

the status effects everyone has are the ones i think theyd have by like day 3, clown doesnt have anything because hes built different

sigils: god of fear and hunger are branzy, ken, parrot, wato; gro-goroth is clown; vinushka is chief; rher is kaboodle; all-mer is zam. no one wants sylvian 😒

if i do include parkciv in this im thinking seawatt would take on a similar role to daan / wato, evbo would probably be someone similar to marcoh, and emf would be similar to olivia (without the whole. sister plot. just the inferiority complex)

IM GOING TO MAKE THEIR MOONSCORCHED FORMS SOMETIME LATER. will i post them , maybe not. but I WILL make them. this is a threat

[rafesbbdoll]

part 2 of soft spots ?

soft spot . rafe cameron

warnings . soft!rafe, cursing, NOT PROOFREAD

wc . 939

part one. part two.

it had been a few weeks since the beach incident with the kooks. the pogues have kept their distance from them, staying at poguelandia and in the cut. during late nights, however, y/n would sneak off to hang out with rafe.

it's wasn't like they were a secret of course. but, the other pogues and kooks would not approve of the two. rafe and y/n had a connection after that night with the turtles. y/n saw a softer side of rafe that she didn't even know existed, let alone that could come out of rafe. they would go to the beach, go on drives, stay at his house. you could say they're friends.

today was the hearing at the town hall for the house all the pogues owned. you were following behind kiara, all of you making your way to take your seats. "this is bullshit," you whispered to her. kiara nodded, shaking her head in disbelief. "literally. we had a whole auction for it and now they want to take it away," she replied, rolling her eyes as the mayor began.

everyone who lived on the cut was heated as everyone heard the following procedures for the house. out of the corner of your eye, you saw rafe on the side with the kooks. turning your head fully, you made eye contact him, silently saying "what the fuck". rafe shook his telling, almost signaling for you not to worry about it. focusing your attention back, you looked over to find jj missing. "guys? where's jj?"

just then you heard a loud crash of glass from behind you, making everyone turn their heads. jj had smashed a window with a chair, sending everyone into a frenzy. soon then, everyone rushed out of the building, cops left and right, people runnning and screaming. you stuck beside the pogues, all shouting about jj's whereabouts. "i think i know where he went," john b said, motioning his hand to the twinkie.

just as you were about to follow them, you felt a hand on your shoulder pulling you back, turning to find that it was rafe. "what the hell!" you yelled. "i have to go with them! jj is missing!"

"i will drive you, okay. it's bad enough that he's running wild. shoupe is probably gonna look at y'all next," he replied, his handing moving to your lower back, gesturing you to his truck. "if this is a bullshit tactic, rafe, i'll kill you," you said as you got into the passenger seat.

it was now later in the evening. rafe was driving all around town with you, attempting to find jj. "here," you said motioning to the plaza. getting out of the truck, you found glass all over the street, a car on fire, and a sparking power line. rafe kept you close to him so you wouldn't get hurt. you got out your phone, texting sarah where jj might've been and sending your location.

a few minutes later, the pogues showed up, looking at all the damage jj must've caused. cleo and kiara were the first to notice you and rafe. "y/n!", they both shouted. turning back, you immediately waved them over. "look at what he did!", you said, motioning to the damage. everyone looked around, kiara shaking her head. "where are you, jayj?"

just then, the riot made its way to the plaza, throwing smoke bombs, fireworks, and more. "we have to find him before they do," john b said. everyone nodded before running into the direction of the forest. you turned to rafe, looking up at him before speaking. "i'm going to go with them. just text or call me if you see him."

rafe rolled his eyes before nodding. "i'm only doing this because i like you." you smiled lightly, "thanks, rafe."

a few hours have passed. the pogues found jj, now at a campfire away from the island. you and the girls were having small talk until sarah turned to you. "y/n? what were you doing with rafe earlier?"

you turned to face her, catching the attention of kiara and cleo. "well... about that... rafe and i are friends," you said, biting the inside of your cheek. the guys heard "rafe" and "friends" and instantly turned to you. "what?!"

"remember that day on the beach? with the turtles?", you asked. they all shook their heads, john b speaking up, "you didn't come with us back home." you nodded. "i had an injured turtle in my hand and rafe helped me. he took me to the vet and we got it fixed up and freed it ."

sarah giggled, "rafe? no way. he used to shoot birds with his bb guns when we were kids." you shrugged. "i don't know but he did help me. and..... we been kinda hanging out." jj and john b's eyes both widened. "hanging out?? what do you mean? you don't just hang out with rafe," jj exclaimed.

you rolled your eyes, lightly hitting his arm. "well are y'all dating or something?", cleo asked. you shook your head. "no. but, he did admit that he liked me earlier," you replied, looking away. "what?!", everyone screamed in unison.

you shrugged. "i don't know! maybe it was the heat of the moment," you replied. they all shook their heads. "no way. don't do that 'heat of the moment' bullshit," jj said. just then, you phone dinged with a text message, making the girls squeal. you rolled your eyes in response. "it probably isn't even rafe," you replied picking your phone up. but to your surprise, it was.

rafe 🏄: come over to my place?

part 3?

[toseesoclearly]

The WSQK Bunker Map Wall: What Does It All Mean?

hi no surprise here, I am obsessed with the map wall from last week’s leaks, let’s talk about it!

This post contains spoilers from all ST5 content and leaks so far, pls leave now if you’re avoiding any part of that.

first off, the fact that they gave us all the clues…

We can see tape and scissors are on the table of this shot of everyone in the WSQK bunker from the BTS video, along with a container with a green cap (of pins?). that plastic blue bin is also helpful to anchor us whenever it shows up in a shot.

Note, a) the overall table spread places this in the WSQK bunker officially and b) the bags hanging out there also put Will & Jonathan in this scene. I think it’s likely the full group is here at this point, meeting sometime in mid/late 5.01.

So, the map wall itself! They are projecting a grid onto a map of Hawkins, and the grid's columns are labeled by letter. it's a safe guess that the rows are labeled by number, a not atypical convention in certain kinds of maps and, of course, spreadsheets. 

The color coding in the cells seems likely to be indicating the concentration of something in a given zone, since many of the cells on the right are lighter, and on the left there's some stronger yellow, orange, and more intense almost pink/red. Basically like conditional formatting on a spreadsheet, and inventing projector spreadsheets in 1987 would be a classic Nancy move tbh. 

So, the group is systematically tracking a phenomenon across town. What could it be? Upside Down activity of some kind is a likely candidate. 

Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve take a drive maybe after this in a WSQK van when it’s outfitted with the antenna. Another relevant big open Q: What exactly is the function of the antenna? Boosting radio signals is an option, esp since they put it on Steve’s car before that group’s expedition to the Upside Down in 5.04 - but I think the fact that they’re using it before now, in tandem with this new evidence they’re tracking something, has me leaning toward: the antenna detects Upside Down activity of some kind, maybe strong or abnormal electromagnetic radiation.

Lucas and Mike are also both wearing military gear. If this is 5.01 (it's at least not later than 5.02 based on Nancy's outfit), what are they doing suited up for a mission so early? I’m not sure if their task is related to what’s going on with the map wall or not, and unfortunately unlike the teens I don’t think we have enough info to do anything more than fully guess right now. (I am also mostly guessing for the teens, but I’m grateful for pieces that are even that little bit closer to coming together…)

This makes our vague and incomplete picture of the movements of the groups in Night 1:

Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve leave in the WSQK van, which based on the discussion above may be a shift in a patrol system (just a disclaimer, this is the highest potential bad data point on this list, since we don’t have visual confirmation of this entire group together here, just set rumors),

Lucas and Mike are off in mission mode together (also feeling like a task assigned as part of the full group’s strategy),

Will is being sketchy by himself, at school on his spooky tree adventure, and

Karen and Holly are at home, enjoying some chill time and then being attacked (and you’d think Ted should probably be there too but truly who knows???)

So: this leaves Dustin, Robin, Joyce, Hopper, and El as our remaining fully unaccounted for parties. (And Murray and Erica, but I think they’re more likely just living their lives.) 

They may end up as part of the above groups, or may be doing their own thing(s). Probably at least some subset stays at WSQK, especially if Hopper, El, and/or Joyce are indeed living there.

But like everyone else who we know is out and about on Night 1, they all probably get pulled into something that prevents them from changing their clothes the next morning - and actually get stuck wearing these clothes what’s looking like pretty late into the next day or even the day after until they finally change in episode 3.

(Hopper is maybe the exception, I can’t place his first outfit change but it feels out of sync with everyone else - and El is the exception in the other direction since she’s stuck in her training get-up maybe through 5.06 or later).

Tunnel Time

But the still not the only asset the leak contained related to the map wall - there was also this (wonderfully, very high res) version of the Hawkins map wall, collage squares and all, overlaid with the s2 tunnel system. I would say this is a strong indicator that s5 will include a version of the map wall with that same overlay.

We’ve known the tunnels will be back for a while now based on various BTS glimpses and crew allusions to s2’s importance. But very exciting confirmation! 

If the still with El, Nancy, Lucas, and Mike in front of the map wall and grid is in the first couple eps, it’s possible the tunnel projection happens later. In fact, I think that’s likely - “The Crawl” being the first episode title gives it a special weight. I do subscribe to the theory that has been commonly speculated for the 10,000 years that the title of 5.01 has been one of the only pieces of information we’ve had about s5 that “The Crawl” is a plan (that Mike probably comes up with) where the tunnels are used to move around Hawkins a la a DnD dungeon crawl. But because of the likely timeline for when they actually use the tunnels throughout the season, it makes sense to me that the plan is concocted but not necessarily enacted during the first episode (and also there may be some double or more meaning going on).

I still don’t totally understand what their goal with the plan is if they come up with it in episode 1. But maybe it’s as simple as they’ve been aware the military is up to some funny business and are seeking a way to access their downtown base.

The other WSQK big group meeting we’ve seen so far we can now likely place later in the season, when Nancy is in her candy striper dress and Hopper and El are either not present or out of frame. (We know Nancy returns to WSQK in candy striper attire, with Steve and Jonathan both still wearing their first outfits in ep 3 based on this BTS photo.)

So, is this when they’ve switched to projecting an overlay of the tunnels map? Will and Joyce make sense as the presenters, as the S2 Tunnel Map cartographer and its #1 assembler. 

A relevant additional question: Where does the tunnel map projection come from? Either Will is keyed in enough to the Hive Mind* again that he can produce this at the appropriate scale (which you would think everyone would find pretty alarming but I know they’ve got a lot going on, plus that might not be the worst of his extremely haunted behavior atp), or they get a copy of Will’s s2 map from somewhere. So unless there was some documentation by the Party in s2 before they cleaned up the Byers’ home, that would probably involve a trip to the Lab…

*I also don’t have a great read on the supernatural mechanics of this, are the tunnels themselves still something the Hive Mind is experiencing now memories of or did the Mind Flayer leave that behind in s2, how much of this dynamic does the Party even understand (we know they - ahem Mike - have a tendency to be overconfident about their level of UD-related expertise)??? but yes feel free to fact check me on any aspect of this.

Anyways, some tunnel observations of interest to me, and maybe also you:

Tunnel that crosses under the library, probably the access point to the military barracks where Robin, Mike, and the kids are in Maya’s leaked script. I think this also indicates this map is not full-on nonsense, since it seems like this matches a season plot point. 

The chunk taken out of the library rectangle on the map seems to correspond to where the building collapsed at the end of s4. Weird thing to show up on a street map if they’re not thinking about post-s4 lockdown Hawkins specifically. On that note, the shaded area is probably the downtown district, but might indicate the new military base? Though I don’t think the perimeter matches for the second option.

Tunnel under the hospital, we know a fair amount of action goes down there

Major tunnel convergence under the Middle School, ominous

Elementary school also looking very tunnel accessible

Appendix: Yes the map contains errors, but I think we can still take it seriously

Look: there is some weirdness on the map. While it contains lots of familiar place names, a few key landmarks or street names you'd expect are missing, or show up oddly. No Maple Street (that I’ve been able to find) nor Hawkins National Lab. Cornwallis is there but feels off, terminating in the middle of town and never intersecting with a Kerley. And the tunnels don’t go out to Lovers Lake, which of course is how Bob identified that Will’s s2 drawings were a map at all.

Basically, based on what is there and rendered according to a logic that matches what we’ve seen on screen (and more importantly what we’re expecting to see), I think the production design team prioritized cohering with a few specific s5 location-based plot points (with a little bit of s4). We’ll see what happens, it’s possible there is something more reality bending going on, but that seems like the simplest explanation at this point to me. That also makes the Hawkins National Lab’s exclusion - the biggest thing I was hung up on - even make in-universe sense, considering it’s been closed for three years. So, with that in mind, I do think they did an impressive job generating something that passes muster even if you’re like, how do you not include Mirkwood or Maple come on…

Also, if I am correct about the above, the landmarks they did label and we haven’t seen in the show yet might be worth thinking about… 

so, yes, lots of observations without too many answers or clear theories. as to Q: What Does It [the WSQK Map Wall] All Mean?, the real truth is A: We do not presently have the information to know. however, that does not keep us from theorizing and I would love to hear what others think! I believe this is a real key to unlocking the season's overarching plot.

[d33pwithinmys0ul]

୨★✧.*party 4 u ✧★.*୧

Jean Kirstein x Reader, one shot

★ recreational drug use, angst, fluff, post break up, kissing, ex boyfriend, insecurity and anxiety

Ik the song is trending but when I tell you it's been a fave with me forever.. this WIP has sat with me for a while, and I changed my mind with a lot of it but hopefully u all still like it! (If I had a nickel for every Jean fic I wrote inspired by a charlixcx song, lol) Who said you can't make corny songfic in 2025??

┈➤here's the ao3 link or read under the cut :)

Jean thought you were the most beautiful he’d ever seen. 

Silver confetti fluttered around you, the echoes of the crowd and thudding bass was overwhelming. You felt weightless and free as you danced in the darkness. The strobe lights made you see spots, highlighting the smoke that spun into the air, and for the briefest moment, everything was fine.

You couldn’t believe you almost didn’t come. 

Hitch barely managed to persuade you to skip your 8 am tomorrow, just so you could all get fucked up tonight. 

You took an Uber so none of the group would have to drive from the pregame near campus to Jean Kirschtein’s obnoxiously large house in the country.

You and Jean had a complicated history—Hitch and Annie didn’t know, because you hated the drama of it all. 

All your freshman year at Paradis State, you were inseparable in puppy love, and so unprepared for the consequences of it. You weren’t the best at expressing your feelings and boundaries, and Jean was eager to please you. It should have worked better, and you tried not to linger on that fact. He was breathtakingly handsome and had lots of friends, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise that you eventually just stopped seeing each other. 

Well, you stopped seeing him. 

You practically ghosted Jean when you found out about his weird feelings about Mikasa. You couldn’t unsee his crush whenever he was around her, and it killed you. You weren’t even angry with her for it, since Mikasa was happily infatuated with Eren, though you wished you could tell her plainly that you harbored nothing against her for it. 

You were young and emotional, and let your hurt get the better of you. It didn’t make any sense, and you didn’t even give Jean a chance to explain himself, ever. 

The aftermath was awkward considering how many mutual friends you had, so you just avoided him entirely. You started going to clubs in the next town over instead of bars and parties around campus, and you were content with the new friends you made in Annie and Hitch, despite their connections looping back to the same place. 

You supposed for as long as you lived in Trost, everyone you knew would lead you back to Jean. He was a good guy. You kind of freaked out, and got too embarrassed and proud to go back to him and apologize. 

“C’mon man, are you gonna try to enjoy yourself?” Connie gave him a light punch on the shoulder. 

“I am,” Jean said, irritated, and glanced outside again. “Are you sure she’s coming?”

He had spent the first hour of the evening hovering by the windows. They were tall and wide, so he would have seen you perfectly from the other end of the room, but as soon as he heard that you were coming, he was a wreck. 

He insisted on picking out the decorations instead of letting Sasha take the lead, like she usually did. He couldn’t help himself from the excitement that blossomed in his chest at the idea of seeing you, really seeing you. 

As the others around him began pregaming, Jean really drank. 

He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but he couldn’t help it. His heart raced all evening, resounding all his longing, begging, willing you through that door. Come to my party. Come to my party.

Jean felt like he was always catching glimpses of you, and no matter how hard he tried to move on, the way you seemed to, there was always a remaining trace of bitterness. You were barely there, yet not close enough for him to properly ignore the way you made him feel.

It was years ago, and should mean nothing. It meant nothing. 

“Look man,” Connie put his hand on Jean’s shoulder, his breath fanning the scent of beer over to his friend. “Just relax! Either y’talk to her, or you don’t. I don’t think you should waste your night being emo about it. Make a decision. Do something instead of moping around.”

Jean shoved his hand away, a little harsher than he intended to. He couldn’t gauge his own strength—or temper–when he got drunk like this. 

“Yeah, I know.”

By the time you arrived at the sizable mansion, up a long winding driveway lined with trees, you were so high, you didn’t give Jean a second thought. 

You walked in with the girls, immediately enamored with the superfluous decorations, the colorful, ambient lighting, and the blasting music. Balloons hung from the ceiling and littered the floor, and it seemed like over a hundred people were crammed into every crevice of the house. 

“What the hell is this party for again?” You yelled to Hitch, despite her face only being a few inches from yours. Her eyes were hazy and distant, as she’d shared some molly with you earlier, the dose she took was far more. 

“Uhh, I think Jean said he just needed a pick me up for the new semester,” she shouted back and slipped her sunglasses over her eyes. “I think it’s pretty.”

“I’m getting jungle juice,” Annie said boredly. She’d taken more shots than any of you, and remained composed like it was nothing. “Come with?” 

Hitch nodded. 

“Y/n? You rolling?” 

“Not yet. I’ll catch up with you in a bit,” you shook your head and gave them an encouraging smile.

“Fine, but if I leave here alone, I’m killing you both,” she stuck her tongue out at you playfully, and gripped Annie’s arm as they went off. 

You smiled and decided to occupy yourself by weaving through the crowd, people watching. 

There were people taking shots, legs in tall boots and short skirts, groups smoking cigs and rolling up by the staircase. A throng of people surrounded the DJ on the raised platform by the living room. 

Your senses were pleasantly heightened, you felt warm and light. The mixture of drugs kept you at ease, though a part of you ached, and seemed to search for a certain familiar face.

You pushed away the thought and made your way across the floor. 

You saw Historia posing as her girlfriend took photos of her, the flash briefly blinding you as you stumbled past. You waved at Connie and Sasha, the former shotgunning a beer as his friend timed him. It was always nice seeing them. 

“Hey Y/n!”

You turned to find a buzzed, cheerful Marco, with a solo cup in hand, and he leaned in for a hug. 

“Hey!” You said, surprised, and squeezed him tight. 

You liked Marco a lot, and despite being Jean’s best friend, he was one of the kindest people to you throughout the past few years.

“I’m great, did you just get here?” He asked. 

“Yeah. Looks like you guys went all out,” you grinned and gestured at the crowded room. If it wasn’t silver or gold, it was sparkling or glowing. 

“It was all Jean’s idea,” Marco rubbed the back of his neck, stumbling over his words. “I dunno. He’s uh– excited. Probably on a second bottle by now.” 

“Oh,” your eyebrows betrayed your concern. “Um, is he alright?”

“It doesn’t seem fair to… sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything,” Marco was pink from the alcohol, and seemed to turn a little redder. “You should enjoy yourself!”

“Well, where is he?” Your eyebrows pinched together. 

The temptation was killing you. Was Marco trying to say that Jean wanted to talk to you? Why else would he suggest it?

“Um, outside, I think,” he gave you an apologetic smile. “Really, he’ll be okay. You should enjoy your night. He sent me away to enjoy mine.”

You swallowed and watched him disappear into the crowd. 

You were fucking out of it. Maybe any mistakes you made tonight could be reasonably excused. Besides, you were friends with Jean long before you fucked things up. 

You made your way through the sea of people and to the back door, an angelic synth swimming in your ears. 

You stepped outside, and shivered from the biting February breeze. 

The pool shone blue in the night, casting a glow that shimmered and shook with the water. It was quieter in the backyard, the thudding music and chatter was muffled and seemed worlds away. 

You braced yourself to see Jean around the corner, or on a chair, but you were completely alone. 

Your head was pounding from the powerful speakers. You took a deep, shuddering breath, allowing yourself to feel. Maybe you shouldn’t have gotten so fucked up, knowing that Jean would be here. You kind of walked into this. Yet, you think you might’ve felt the same sober. That was sadder. At least with this, you could blame it on the drugs. 

Fuck. You couldn’t let yourself spiral and lose it. You felt like shit ruining girl’s nights like this, even if Hitch and Annie were preoccupied elsewhere. 

You sank to your knees by the pool, and took off your heels. You dipped your feet in the water, grateful for the cold, tranquil distraction. You closed your eyes, and took deep breaths. With the muffled crowd and the occasional car passing in the street, the moment felt a little more real. 

Jean was always good at helping you calm down. When you managed to convey the times you were overwhelmed, he was a saint, rubbing your back and keeping you hydrated when you got too high or anxious. 

Tears leaked down your face before you could stop them. You didn’t want to ruin your makeup, after using so much glitter, but your cheeks were wet and your vision blurred. You hadn’t thought about this, or him, in years. 

Did you overreact? You let your jealousy get to the better of you. God, you sucked. Maybe you should have stayed home. Maybe it’s just been too long, or you were high, and lonely, but the idea of Jean holding you close now made your heart ache. 

You heard the back door slide open, spilling more heavenly electronic music into the air until it shut again. 

“Hey.” A familiar voice called your name, nearly cracking. 

“Hey,” you said, hastily wiping your face, staring straight ahead at the water. “Are you alright?”

“I think I should be asking you,” Jean slurred and sat down on the pavement. He had a bottle in his hand, and wore a button down with the sleeves rolled up, his hair tousled and sticking slightly to his forehead from sweat. His legs were crossed, and he leaned down while he spoke, his posture ruined in favor of staying at your eye level. “I di–um..” He cleared his throat. “I didn’t think you’d come.”

“Seemed like fun,” you laughed, despite the salty taste in your mouth. “It’s all beautiful, Jean. You always throw one hell of a party.”

His eyes were pained, and it sent a stabbing sensation to your chest. 

“Thanks.” He seemed very tempted to say more, but instead took a swig and passed you the bottle. 

“No I’m good, I’m rolling,” you pushed it back to him. 

“Oh,” he said, surprised. “Any.. particular occasion?”

You shrugged. 

“Hitch offered.” You tried not to read too much into his question. You rolled very rarely—partying was always magnified by a little molly every now and then. You likely flattered yourself too much as you wondered if he was thinking you came out tonight to fuck someone, with its reputation as a sex drug. 

“Sounds fun,” he said, jaw tight. “So… why are you out here?”

“Marco kind of sent me,” you laughed. “Obviously, I was too late. Thought you’d be somewhere else by now, and the pool’s nice.”

“Well, here I am,” he said bitterly. He swept a hand through his hair, pushing it away from his eyes and ruining the near-perfect coif. You liked it better that way, messy and long, you didn’t think the perfectly combed look really fit him. 

“How–how are you?” You said lightly. His lashes were so long, perfectly framing his sad eyes, brushing his cheek with every blink. 

“Second semester always sucks,” he shrugged and took another swig. “Thought something extravagant would lighten everyone’s spirits.”

“Yeah,” you exhaled and laughed nervously. You were chewing your lip as you kicked your leg gently against the water, watching the small droplets flick away from you.  “I think it was a great idea. And it’s stunning– inside, by the way. It’s gorgeous.”

There was a trace of a smile on his lips from your compliment. He couldn’t make himself say that it was really all for you. 

Your features were glowing from the light refracting off of the pool, your short dress rode up your thighs, and Jean couldn’t help but stare. He wondered if you sensed it too, the tension—not from the awful history, or the unsaid professions, but the near tangible desire.  

“I’m glad you made it,” he said softly. “It’s really nice to see you.”

“Of course,” you said quickly. You averted your eyes, your hands in your lap. 

The drugs were heightening all your emotions, and all your senses—the tinge of chlorine in the air, mixing with Jean’s familiar scent, the faint thudding of music from inside the house, the cool water against your skin. 

“Um,” your breath was shaky, your hands clenched into fists. “I’m sorry, by the way. A-about freshman year.” You nearly choked on the words as they bubbled out of you. “It’s—I was really dumb and jealous. You’re a great guy, Jean. You’re an amazing, sweet, romantic son of a bitch. You deserve the world.”

You tried not to stare, but it wasn’t like he was returning the favor. You were both shamelessly memorizing each other's features, a mingling of fear, apprehension, and desperation. You felt so wretched, to pretend like he was someone you never loved. 

“Do you wanna dance?” Jean said pathetically. It was all he could manage, despite everything he wanted to say. 

You blushed and tried not to smile too hard. That was more than enough for you. 

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

You ignored the tossing in your stomach as Jean held the door open, leaking sound and smoke into the air before sliding it shut. 

It was a small, guilty pleasure, feeling him guide you through the mass of people, dancing, thrashing bodies and balloons. 

You found a small opening, nearly thrown together from the crowd. 

You spent the night with your arms at Jean’s shoulders, and his hands at your waist. The strobe lights nearly blinded you, but you couldn’t look away from him. The adoration in his eyes, the curve of his lips. Maybe he was thinking the same thing, that you were both ridiculous, cowardly idiots. Maybe you were just delusional. 

You couldn’t stop yourself when you leaned into him, taking in his scent, yearning to feel his heartbeat, as if you were the only people in the room. It was like time stopped and everyone else faded away when he closed the space between you, his lips warm and rough and they met yours, finally reuniting after all the heartache. 

Jean tasted like home. His hands roamed your body, through your hair, and you clung to him, kissing him and forsaking your breath. It all felt so good, so right.

“Oh my god,” Jean groaned, thrilled by the taste of you, the way you felt against him and in his hands. He tried to be gentler, but he was too excited by your shallow breaths, your impossibly soft skin, your moans urging him to be more and more indecent. 

You nearly stumbled, getting shoulder checked from a nearby dancer, and your tall heels failing you. Jean’s grip at your waist was firm, and he led you to the corner and pinned you against the wall. He kissed you until you gasped for air.

“Uh, should we do something?” Sasha nudged Connie with her elbow as she spotted you both from a distance, making out passionately, for all to see. 

“Are you kidding?” Connie snorted. “They need that shit. I’ll find them an empty closet myself.”

[nibbelraz]

I keep seeing about the pregnancy SVSSS stuff so I would like to contribute with some trope. For qijiu.

The thing about my family is that EVERY TIME someone is pregnant the one who will also can feel the morning sickness is my grandma.

From my mother's female siblings and her, to the wives of uncles including my own cousins who have married when they got morning sickness, my grandma who is somehow in Johor while everyone is two states away started puking.

Oh you think you can withhold the announcement later on ? Nope if grandma started showing puking and morning sickness the fam will notice quickly and the fact that one of my uncles live nearby in town to check on her weekly.

(she's old tho I hope she got rest, her 10 children are all married and she even already have great grandchildren and before you asked yes she also get morning sickness when the pregnancy of her great grandchildren happens)

So I actually planned thoughts of SJ pregnancy with this. Qing Jing's previous peak lord started having nausea and wonders what going on and bam. Their newest meow meow is pregnant. Or even it is the previous Sect Leader who somehow feel the pain cause our beloved SJ is cursing him up a storm for locking YQ in cave.

You know that transmit period pain into your favourite male fictional character, yeah SJ will do that.

But another scenario that also makes sense is peak lord SQQ(j) is pregnant and Qi-ge promises to find a cure to lessen the burden of morning sickness. Bla bla plot stuff. SJ successfully connect the pain stuff towards Qi-ge so he can feel the burden together. Pretty sure he won't hesitate it to transmit the pain into others cause seems not ooc

Anyway what's your thoughts?

I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS but one is definitely I agree that Shen Jiu is beaming his Pregnancy pains to Yue Qingyuan AND the rest of the peak. Also if it works by just thinking about the person imagine this was during canon and he just is beaming his Pains to Luo Binghe In the abyss just to piss him off (he thinks he's dead but you know...if he isn't hit him with another pain)

Another is i hope your grandma can soon rest from all this morning sickness especially when she's feeling it from her GRANDCHILDREN ALSO

[imagine-you]

Reach Out and Touch Faith 8/9 [Steve Harrington/Reader]

Summary: You leave Hawkins for the summer and come back to a total shitshow. The new mall burned down, Chief Hopper and Billy among the causalities, and everyone, including Steve, seems to be hiding something from you. To make matters worse, you keep hearing and seeing Billy, but that can’t be possible. Billy’s dead…isn’t he? Word Count: 3.5k Author’s Note: This is the sequel to Boys Like You. Be warned, there is some angst, but I swear this will have a happy ending. Boys Like You // Read On AO3

"This is so disgusting," you croaked, trying to shake off sticky bits of the gate that clung to your arm.  

"Trust me," Nancy sighed, frowning as she glanced around the dark and desolate version of the mall. "It gets worse." She looked at the gate, considering it for a moment. "If he came through here, why didn't he just crawl back out?" 

"Maybe he couldn't," Steve pointed out, helping Robin pull herself through the twisting, writhing tendrils that held together the only barrier between your world and the Upside Down. "Will was hunted when he was here, right? He was kept from leaving by the demogorgon." 

"So, maybe something's keeping Billy from leaving," you surmised, sharing a worried look with Steve. "You think it's another one of those things? A demogorgon?" 

"Billy faced down the Mind Flayer," Steve reminded you. "I doubt just one demogorgon would keep him from getting back." 

"What if whatever has him trapped keeps us from getting Billy out of here?" Robin asked, worry in her tone. "I mean, are we really prepared for that kind of fight?" 

"We'll have to be careful," Nancy said, lowering her voice. "Let's just do our best to not announce that we're here. Our best bet is to sneak in, grab him, and then sneak out." 

"Right," you agreed, nodding your head. "And how do we do that?" 

From the frown on Nancy's face, you figured she had no idea. 

"It would help if we had a clue about where we should go," Robin interjected, gesturing around the mall. "Hawkins has a lot of hiding places." 

"So, where do we go from here? Where do you think Billy's been hiding all this time?" Steve wondered, looking to you for an answer. "Where would he feel safe?" 

You knew that there were only two places in Hawkins that Billy actually felt safe. Since you were sure he wasn't currently cruising the Upside Down in his ruined car, you knew there was only one place he would go.  

"My house," you answered. "Our house," you corrected yourself. "When he called me, he was sitting in the living room." 

"Think we can make it that far without calling attention to ourselves?" Nancy asked, shooting a questioning look at Steve.  

Steve was still watching you. You knew what he was seeing. Your fear. Your determination. Your longing. Your need to see this through no matter the consequences. If the others tried to leave now, you would just continue on alone. And Steve knew that.  

"We don't have a choice. We have to try," he finally determined, nodding at Nancy. “So, let’s head out.” 

Steve led the group with his bat up, ready to swing at any threats, while Nancy took up the rear of the group. You figured Steve had more experience getting to your house than Nancy did, so it made sense for him to lead the way.  

You tried not to flinch at every little noise. Even Robin accidentally scuffing her shoe had you glancing over your shoulder, sure that you were about to be attacked.  

"Sorry," Robin whispered, wincing at how much her voice carried.  

After leaving the mall, the Upside Down only got freakier. Trekking through the abandoned streets of Hawkins was creepy enough, but the sky regularly lit up with red bolts of lightning.  It was so dark you could hardly see your surroundings, but the red flashing through the sky lent a hellish atmosphere to the nightmare version of your town.  

You kept your gaze on Steve's back, knowing that he would lead you in the right direction. You were so focused on him that you noticed when he tensed before he froze, holding a hand up to stall you, Robin, and Nancy.  

"What is it?" Nancy asked, keeping her voice low.  

"Up ahead," Steve said, nodding towards a spot farther up the street. "Thought I saw movement." 

Steve didn't move, so you stayed put. Of everyone in the group, you had the least experience for whatever the Upside Down could spit out in the hopes it chewed you up, and until you got the all-clear, you weren't moving.  

Finally, Steve started walking again, prompting you to follow him. There was a screech from up ahead and you felt Robin twist a hand into the back of your shirt.  

"Shit, over here," Steve hissed, leading the three of you towards a car covered in vines. He ducked down behind it, reaching out a hand to reel you in to his side. "There's something up there." 

You squinted into the darkness, trying to see what Steve had spotted. It wasn't until the sky lit up again with more lightning that you finally saw it. Whatever it was had wings and sharp teeth and was sitting perched on top of a light pole like a sentinel. It lifted its head and let out another terrifying screech. You worried for a moment that it was calling friends for reinforcements, but when none showed up, you let yourself relax just the slightest.  

"Are you going to shoot it?" Robin asked Nancy, glancing over at her.  

"No," Steve decided before Nancy could answer. "It'll just draw more of them." 

"It hasn't noticed us," you pointed out. "I don't think," you added with a frown.  

"Trust me, if it knew we were here, it would've called in the calvary," Steve whispered, keeping his eyes on the weird creature.  

You worried, though, that the creature might have spotted you before you spotted it. What if there were more waiting for you to let your guard down before swooping in and ripping all of you apart? You knew Steve would never let anything hurt you, but you didn't want anything hurting him.  

You felt restless as you waited for the creature to leave. All you could think about was Billy waiting for you. You were so close to saving him and now you were terrified that you would find obstacles at every turn.  

After what felt like an eternity, the creature finally flew off, letting out one more terrifying screech as it went.  

You stayed crouched down beside the car with the others until Nancy nodded her head.  

"I think we're okay," she said, glancing at the three of you as if waiting to see if you all agreed. "We shouldn't spend too much time here. It might not be safe." 

You had to fight down a nervous laugh at the idea that anything in the Upside Down could be deemed safe. As far as you could tell, nowhere was safe. It seemed like one endless hellscape with nightmarish monsters lurking around waiting to tear you apart. The entire place was one huge trap lying in wait to swallow you whole.  

"Come on," Steve urged, moving to stand up again. He held his bat out in front of him, grip tight on it like he was worried he would need to swing at any moment.  

You followed him, doing your best to scan your surroundings. Now that you were paying more attention, you caught every bit of movement and every sound you couldn't explain away. You could hear Robin breathing softly behind you and the way Nancy was keeping her steps slow and measured. You didn't know how you ended up here among people who had obviously dealt with this specific brand of insanity before, but you felt unprepared for how much stealth was required to not get yourself killed.  

By the time you got to your street, you felt like a nervous wreck. You didn't know how you had gotten so far without having some kind of mental breakdown, but you were going to take the win where you could. For now, all you had to do was get into your house, get Billy, and then get the hell out.  

With any luck, you wouldn't find another one of the demon bats or anything else that might be lurking around.  

Once you got to your house, Steve stepped aside at the front door.  

"You do the honors," he offered, gesturing towards the door.  

You nodded your head and took a step forward. You put your hand on the doorknob of the front door, ready to turn it, before you froze.  

"What is it?" Robin wondered, fear laced into her voice. "Is something wrong?" 

"No," you whispered, shaking your head. "But what if--," you cut yourself off, not even wanting to voice the thoughts suddenly swarming your mind. What if Billy wasn't here? What if you were too late? What if Billy was really dead? What if you were so crazy with grief that you had fabricated all of this as a way to cope? What if all of this had been for nothing? 

You managed to meet Steve's concerned look and he seemed to at least read some of your worries from your expression alone.  

"You don't know until you try," he soothed, reaching out a hand to put on your shoulder. When you still didn't move, Steve hastily handed Robin the bat, ignoring her noise of protest, and brought both of his hands up to frame your face, forcing you to look at him. "I'm right here, alright? And you're not crazy. Whatever you're thinking right now, I've been there before. The first time I dealt with this shit, Nancy pointed a gun at me and threatened to shoot me to get me out of it."  

"You what?" Robin hissed, turning an accusatory look on Nancy.  

"I wasn't going to shoot him," Nancy defended herself. "But Jonathan and I were baiting the demogorgon and Steve was just kind of in the way. I wanted to scare him into leaving." 

"The truth is, I would do just about anything to get you as far away from all this shit as I could. Because I've seen how messed up it is and I know what it can do to you. I thought I was going crazy. Some days, I still think I'm secretly locked up in a nuthouse somewhere dreaming this all up. That first day, I thought there was no way any of it was real. I thought maybe Byers had managed to knock the sense right out of me. But it's real. And I am right here with you telling you that I am not leaving you to face this alone. So, you should open that door and find out for yourself if he's in there waiting for you. Because he's the reason we're here now and we're not leaving without him." 

"Damn," came Robin's soft voice. When you all shot a look at her, she shrugged her shoulders. "What? That was really good." 

You felt a reluctant smile pull at your lips and caught an answering one on Steve's face beneath his mask.  

"Okay," you finally allowed, nodding your head. "I love you," you whispered.  

"I love you too," he responded before tugging down his mask long enough to place a kiss on your cheek.  

You pulled away from Steve and glanced over your shoulder to see Robin and Nancy waiting for you to continue. You felt just the tiniest bit stronger knowing that all three of them were right there with you, willing to back you up in whatever way you might need. You faced the door again and pushed it open, steeling yourself for whatever you might find.  

You walked into the living room, taking in the darkness inside. There were more vines covering the walls and floors. You could hardly see anything, but years of experience with the layout of your house gave you an advantage over the others. Half the furniture was destroyed and the paint on the walls was chipped. The light above the couch was busted and half the stuffing had been ripped out of the cushions.  

And there was no Billy in sight.  

"Where is he?" You heard Robin whisper.  

"Let's split up and look," Nancy decided, reaching out to wrap her fingers in the sleeve of Robin's jacket. "Robin and I will look down here. Steve and Y/N, you'll look upstairs." 

"We should not split up," Robin argued. "Are you kidding? We're in the middle of a horror movie and you're suggesting the worst possible thing to do." 

Steve didn't look like he liked the idea either, but he still nodded his head. "We're all staying in the same house. If you find trouble, just shout," he added before grabbing your hand and pulling you towards the stairs.  

Once you got upstairs, Steve let you take the lead. You went to Billy's room first, but didn't find him there. Then you checked the bathroom and your mom's room. You were starting to feel a swell of panic rise within you with every moment of silence you endured without hearing any confirmation from Robin or Nancy that they had found him. If he wasn’t upstairs and he wasn’t downstairs, then where the hell was he? 

It was only Steve's hand gripped tightly in yours that got you through your search.  

Your final stop was your room. You had been so sure that Billy would have sought out his own room for comfort. You held your breath as you swung open the door, hoping that he was there, but when all you found was an empty room, you felt like you couldn't breathe.  

"Billy?" You called, trying to keep your voice low enough that you wouldn't attract unwanted attention. "Are you here?"  

You moved over towards your bed, checking underneath it just to make sure. You shook your head at Steve, catching his disappointed expression.  

You thought maybe you should go downstairs and rejoin Robin and Nancy. Maybe you hadn't covered all your bases yet. There had to be somewhere he would be hiding that you hadn't thought of yet.  

You tried not to feel dejected as you began to follow Steve out of your room. You were nearly past the threshold when you heard something make a soft thump in your room. You quickly turned, surveying the room, before you heard the sound again.  

It was coming from your closet.  

You felt like your heart had lodged itself in your throat. You turned, barely managing to utter a soft 'Steve,' to get him to stop walking, before you were rushing towards your closet.  

You pulled the door open, no longer hesitating, and saw him.  

He was curled up in the corner of the closet, half-hidden beneath clothes that were damp and musty. All you could really see was his face. His eyes were closed and he was so still. You felt terrified as you crouched and reached out a hand to cup his cheek, searching for a sign of life.  

"Billy? It's me. I came to get you," you told him, hating that he had yet to open his eyes. All you wanted was for him to look at you. If he opened his eyes, then you would be able to at least breathe again. Instead, you were caught between terror and relief, not sure which way to land.  

"Steve?" You said, glancing up at him where he was waiting behind you. "Help me?" 

"Yeah," he agreed, moving forward to help you drag Billy out of the closet and onto the floor of your bedroom. He never got his bat back from Robin, so both his hands were free to help you get Billy settled on the floor.  

"Billy," you called again, hovering over him. You reached out to tug free a sweater of yours that had clung stubbornly to his leg. "Billy, c'mon, it's me. I'm here. We're getting you out of here." 

Billy still wasn't moving. You were terrified to think that you might have been too late. What if he was dead? What if he was gone forever when you could have done something sooner?  

You saw Steve reach down and grab Billy's wrist, feeling for a pulse. You decided to tuck two of your fingers up under his jaw, checking for yourself. At first, you didn't feel anything. You pressed harder, searching and hoping, before you finally felt the sluggish beats under your fingers.  

You glanced up at Steve, meeting his eyes, and sighed in relief at his nod of confirmation.  

Billy was alive.  

"It's faint and weak, but it's there," you told Steve. "Billy? Billy, wake up," you said, barely resisting the urge to shake him. You didn't know if he was injured and you definitely didn't want to risk making anything worse.  

You noticed Steve rush out of the room, likely going to tell Nancy and Robin that you found Billy. It didn’t take long before he was back and kneeling at Billy’s side opposite you.  

"We need to get him out of here," Steve decided, moving to put one of Billy's arms around his shoulders. "He's got to get to a hospital. Help me," he directed at you.  

You moved to grab Billy's other arm and slung it over your shoulders. You got him up off the floor with Steve's help, only struggling a little until Steve wrapped an arm around Billy's waist and helped shoulder most of his weight.  

Billy's head lolled forward and you reached out to try to help him out. You startled at the sound of a weak chuckle coming from him before you could even try to tip his head back.  

"Knew you cared, Harrington," he croaked, voice strained and faint.  

It sounded like he had spent hours screaming and the thought only broke your heart. You wanted nothing more than to pull him into a hug, but you felt an urgency creep up on you. Now that you had Billy, would you be allowed to leave the Upside Down just as easily as you had entered? You still felt like you were racing a clock, your luck quickly running out, which meant you needed to get back to the gate as soon as possible.  

"Yeah, yeah," Steve said, taking a step forward. "Just put one foot in front of the other and stop slacking." 

Billy let out another weak chuckle. Seeing Billy with his eyes open, all his focus on making himself walk, made you feel like you were going to start crying with sheer relief. Everyone had been telling you for so long that Billy was dead. But here he was. Alive. Whole. Not unharmed, but you would take it. And it was all because he had managed to reach through hell just to haunt you.  

You felt Billy's hand grab the back of your jacket, his fingers scrabbling to get a good hold on the fabric. His grip felt weak, as if he didn't really have the strength, but he needed to anchor himself.  

"You're bein' quiet," he murmured and it took you a moment to realize he was talking to you and not teasing Steve. “’m I scarin’ you, or somethin’?” His words were slurred, but he was still talking, so you took it as a good sign.  

"I'm just thinking about how you're going to hog the bathroom all the time now. I got used to having it all to myself. What a bummer," you joked, feeling your hands begin to tremble. You felt so nervous that you were shaking. Your insides felt like they had been doused with freezing water and your head felt like it would float right up off your shoulders.  

None of it felt real and you were terrified. Terrified that you were dreaming. Terrified that Billy would be snatched away from you again. Terrified that you wouldn't be able to leave.  

"Lookin’ this good takes work," Billy muttered as you got to the top of the stairs.  

You glanced down the stairs to see Robin waiting at the bottom. She shot you a thumbs-up. "Let's go," she whispered. "Nancy's on lookout. She said coast looks clear so far." 

You had to maneuver Billy down the stairs between you and Steve. Steve led the way with Billy between the two of you and you guiding him from behind. By the time you got to the bottom, Billy was practically slumped over on Steve, on the verge of passing out again.  

"Billy?" You tried, moving until you could finally face him. You framed his face in your hands, willing him to look at you. "Just stay with us a little bit longer, okay? We're going to get you out of here. We're going to take you home." 

"We are home," he mumbled. His eyes were unfocused and he looked so out of it that you found it hard not to freak out at the sight of him. Finally, understanding began to creep back into his expression and he managed to nod his head. "Let's get the fuck out of here." 

You let out a relieved laugh before you finally reeled Billy into a hug. It was everything you had needed and you couldn't stop yourself from desperately clinging to him. He was alive. You had to remind yourself of that several times before you finally let him go. You met Steve's eyes over Billy's shoulder, glad that he had been helping Billy stay upright.  

"Let's get the fuck out of here," you echoed. 

taglist: @mysticalfuncollectorus @paintballkid711 @fangeekkk @outoftheregular @thebossiswrongasrain

Author's Note: So, it's been a while!! I definitely didn't plan on being gone for two years, but I honestly got really burned out on writing for Stranger Things and depression hit really hard. I promise that I will finish this and finish out the trilogy which will involve Vecna and Eddie! Thank you to everyone who was so patient waiting for this! I hope it was worth the wait. And if it all seems a little too easy, well…💖💖💖

[joeliz99]

“You, Always.”- Danny Ramirez

Warnings: Slowburn, Friends to lovers, RPF fic, Fluff, Multi-part series

(In case you missed the first four chapters, click here)

Part Two

Where we begin again

Fifth Chapter

Three months after NYC. A summer in Miami. No time like the present.

Danny was back in his hometown for two weeks, a short but much-needed break before diving back into work and a massive new project that awaited him. The first few days were spent with family, relaxing and recharging. But as his second and final week approached, he couldn’t shake the thought of (Y/N), who now lived in Miami as well. He hadn’t heard from her since he’d texted her his number, and since both of them were over-thinkers, they hadn’t managed to spark a real conversation over text.

That night, lying in bed, Danny couldn’t help but reach out, sending her a text message before he regretted it for good.

"Hey (Initial)! Hope you're doing well. I’m in town for a couple of weeks and thought it’d be nice to catch up if you're up for it. Let me know what you think. See you soon! :)"

When (Y/N) saw his message, she froze for a moment. It had been a while since they last spoke, and she hadn’t expected him to reach out after sometime. She’d wanted to respond right away, but her schedule was packed. Hours passed, and though she saw the ‘read’ status on her phone, she couldn’t find the right words or moment to just do it.

Danny, after noticing hours had passed, began to doubt himself. Maybe he had misread the whole scenario. Perhaps she really wasn’t as interested in reconnecting as he’d hoped.

In reality, it wasnt that she wasn’t interested. She was just busy and, honestly, a little overwhelmed by it all. The next evening, after mentally editing her response a few times, she hit ‘send.’

"Hey! Sorry for the late reply. I’ve been caught up this weekend, but let’s plan something for the week. What are you in the mood for?"

Thursday of that same week, (Y/N) hurried through the streets of Miami, trying to get to the ice cream shop on time. Of course, today of all days, everyone at the office had needed something from her, pushing her lunch break nearly twenty minutes late. Now, someone was already waiting for her.

As she neared the shop, she slowed her pace, taking a deep breath to regain her composure. Outside, Danny sat at a table, focused on his phone, his posture relaxed. (Y/N) adjusted her purse and walked toward him, catching his attention as she approached.

“Oh hey! You made it.” A smile spread across his face as he stood, greeting her with a side hug and a quick kiss on the cheek.

“I’m so, so sorry. Work’s been crazy today—I hope you don’t mind the change of plans.”

Danny laughed, shaking his head. “Not at all. I’m chill with whatever. It’s good to see you.”

(Y/N) smiled as they headed inside, scanning the array of ice cream flavors.

“You eat anything yet?” Danny asked after a beat.

She shook her head, still focused on the options in front of her.

“Want to grab something else first?”

“What? No, no. I’m good. Ice cream’s better than real food anyway.”

Danny shot her a half-smile, clearly unconvinced. She caught the look and glanced back at him.

“I like your hair,” she said, changing the subject. “It looks longer than the last time I saw you. Actually, I think this is the longest I’ve ever seen it on you.”

“Oh, yeah.” He ran a hand through it absently. “I have to shave it all off for a project, so I figured I’d just let it do its thing for now.”

“Are you serious? What a waste of good lucious hair.”

Danny laughed, shaking his head as they paused to place their orders.

Outside the day felt warm and with a thick scent of freshly baked waffle cones wafting from the shop behind them. (Y/N) and Danny sat down on a bench and entertained themselves in a casual conversation while the occasional murmur of passing conversations mixed with the distant hum of traffic.

“So, I’m kind of curious… Where do you work again? I don’t think we ever talked about that.”

(Y/N) pulled the spoon from her mouth, tilting her head as she considered the question. “I work at a marketing agency as a Content Production Assistant. I handle all the audio editing for their productions and stuff like that.”

Danny hummed, nodding as he swirled his spoon through the melting edges of his ice cream. “That sounds cool. Do you like it?”

She hesitated. “I guess… yeah. It’s not exactly where I want to be, but I don’t mind it. It pays the bills, I’m getting real-world experience, and I’ve gotten more comfortable with my work. I just wish I had more time for my own projects.”

Danny took a slow breath, his gaze drifting toward her, resting his elbows on his knees. “You’ll get there,” he said. “When I got out of college, I struggled bad. At one point, I was juggling three jobs while still trying to stay on top of auditions and callbacks. I was desperate for anything.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “It took me a long time to get to where I am now, and honestly? I still feel like I’m barely getting by.”

“Shut up.” (Y/N) rolled her eyes with a smile. “You’re doing amazing.”

Danny turned to her with a smirk, tapping his spoon against his cup. “Yeah? So that means you’ve seen me on TV?”

Her posture stiffened. She licked her lips, suddenly more focused on her ice cream as she stole a quick glance at him.

“Ohhh, so you have!” His grin widened.

“Uhh…” She stayed quiet, gauging his reaction. “Actually… I haven’t. Like… at all.”

Danny’s smile faltered. “Wait, are you serious?”

(Y/N) bit her lip, suppressing a laugh when she noticed the slight flush creeping onto his cheeks.

“This is embarrassing… Why would you say I’m good if you’ve never seen me?!”

“Because!” She laughed, nudging him with her elbow. “I’ve seen you in your element. I know you’re good.”

Danny exhaled dramatically, slouching back against the bench. “Okay. I’m done with this conversation.”

“No, no! Wait.” She nudged him again, her grin playful. “I actually do want to know what you’re working on. Are you gonna tell me about your next project?”

Danny turned his head slightly, giving her an exaggerated, unimpressed look before shaking his head.

“Oh, come on. Don’t be such a baby, Danny. I said I’m sorry.” She playfully punched his arm, and though he said nothing, a small smile crept onto his face.

“Well, it’s good that you’re sorry… but I really can’t say anything for legal reasons.”

“Oh.” She blinked at him.

Danny smirked, barely holding back a laugh.

“Guess you’ll just have to wait until it’s out in theaters.”

(Y/N) was about to fire back a playful remark, entertained by the easy rhythm of their conversation, when her phone started to ring. She ignored it at first, hoping it would stop on its own. It did—only for a series of text messages to pop up on her screen.

Her eyes scanned the messages quickly, and as she reached the last one, her expression shifted.

“Are you serious?” she muttered, exhaling sharply as she read it again.

Danny, catching the change in her demeanor, leaned slightly toward her. “You have to go?”

She nodded with a frown. “Yeah… Apparently, my lunch break was supposed to be shorter today whether I wanted to or not. We have a last-minute client meeting, and I have to be there.” The disappointment was clear in her voice. “I’m really sorry, Danny.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault.” He smiled, already standing up and taking the empty cup from her hands to toss it in the trash. “At least we got to hang out for a bit. We’ll plan something next time I’m in Miami.”

“Right… Sure.” She tried to return his smile, though it came out a little sheepish. Leaning in, the girl gave him a small hug. “Thanks for reaching out. We’ll stay in touch, alright?”

“Sounds good to me. Now go before they call you again.”

(Y/N) nodded, waving once before hurrying back toward her job. Danny stood there for a beat, hands in his pockets, watching her go before turning in the opposite direction.

But as she walked, something nagged at her. It had all felt too short and too fast. Even more-so when she had taken her sweet time to actually plan something decent with him. And now, the reality settled in—she probably wouldn’t see him again for months. Maybe longer.

Before she could overthink it, she pulled out her phone and dialed his number.

Danny glanced at his screen, momentarily confused. Had she called by mistake? Still, he answered.

“You butt-dialed me or something?” His laughter was the first thing she heard.

“No, not really.” She hesitated only for a second. “When exactly are you leaving Miami?”

“In two days.” His tone shifted slightly, curiosity creeping in. “Why?”

“Are you busy tomorrow afternoon?”

“Uh, no, not really. I was just gonna spend the day with my mom. Why?”

“Would she hate me if I stole you for a couple of hours?”

Danny let out a chuckle. “I doubt she’d hate you for any reason in the world, to be honest.”

(Y/N) smiled, knowing damn well he was right about that.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow after five. I’ll send you the details later, okay?”

“Sounds perfect. I’ll see you tomorrow, Miss (Initial).”

“See you tomorrow. Bye.”

As she hung up, a smile tugged at her lips, her chest suddenly feeling lighter. What she didn’t know was that on the other end of the call, Danny felt the exact same way. After all, maybe going back to being friends wasn’t going to be as hard as it seemed.

The next day rolled in, and thankfully, (Y/N) was on time and much more relaxed than the day before. She waited at the park, casually snacking as she watched people stroll by, some walking, others riding bikes along the path. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden hue over the scene, and the usual Miami heat had softened under the evening breeze.

Just as a new playlist started playing in her earphones, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She pulled out one earbud and glanced over her shoulder.

“Hey,” Danny greeted her with an easy smile.

“Oh, hi!” Her own smile mirrored his as she took a quick look at him from head to toe, checking if he was dressed for the occasion. He was—comfortable athletic wear, a hat, and, as always, the same chain resting on his chest.

“Let’s go. We’ve got places to be!” she announced, already starting to walk.

Danny chuckled, shaking his head at how naturally she spoke to him, as if they had just seen each other minutes ago. He followed her lead, still unsure of their destination, until they stopped in front of a rollerblade rental shop.

“You’re kidding.” He looked from the skates to her, eyebrows raised. “Are we roller skating?”

(Y/N) nodded nonchalantly.

He let out a laugh. “Did it even cross your mind that I might not know how to do that?”

“You don’t?” She tilted her head, though she didn’t seem all that concerned.

“I do,” he admitted. “But you didn’t know that.”

“I guessed.” She simply shrugged. “ I don’t, by the way. Figured it would be a good time to try it out.”

Danny stared at her, half amused, half baffled. “Bro, what? Are you crazy?” He laughed again, shaking his head. “I cannot wait to see how this ends. You’re unbelievable.”

(Y/N) finally laughed, not bothering to argue as she went ahead with the rental process. Before he could protest further, she handed him a pair of skates and dragged him back toward the park, just steps away from Miami Beach.

They sat on a bench, helping each other lace up their skates. Danny stood first, testing his balance before extending both hands toward her.

“Alright, come on,” he said, steady and sure. “Let’s see if you survive this.”

(Y/N) took his hands, already laughing as she wobbled to her feet.

The moment (Y/N) was fully standing, she realized she had made a mistake.

Her feet wobbled dangerously beneath her, rolling in opposite directions as she clung onto Danny’s hands for dear life.

“Oh—oh no, wait—” she stammered, trying to steady herself.

Danny, already grinning, barely held back a laugh.

“Oh, this is bad” he said dramatically, his grip tightening to keep her upright. “I thought I was gonna have to help you a little but you might actually die.”

“Shut up!” she whined, struggling to find her balance. “This is harder than it looks!”

Danny, completely at ease on his skates, skated backward while still holding onto her, making it look effortless.”

“See, the key is—”

Before he could finish his sentence, (Y/N) yelped as her foot slid forward too fast, and just like that—bam—she hit the pavement.

For a split second, there was silence.

Then, Danny lost it

“Oh my god—” He doubled over, laughing so hard he had to brace himself against his knees. “That was amazing. I wish I had my phone out.”

(Y/N) groaned from the ground. “ Can you please not?! “

“No, no, I’m motivating you,” he said between chuckles, offering her a hand. “Come on, get up. Let’s try this again.”

She took his hand and, with his help, got back on her feet. This time, she lasted about ten seconds before her legs betrayed her again.

Thud.

Danny clutched his stomach, laughing even harder.

“I swear—” (Y/N) glared at him from the ground. “If you laugh one more time—”

“Sorry, sorry!” He wiped a fake tear from his eye. “I’m done, I swear. Come on champ. Get up.”

He held out a hand again, and after a second, she narrowed her eyes at him but took it anyway.

“Alright,” This time Danny pulled her closer so she had no choice but to hold onto his shoulders for support. “We’re gonna take this slow. No sudden movements.”

(Y/N) nodded seriously, gripping onto him like her life depended on it.

“Good.” He smirked. “Now… say ‘Wheee!’”

She blinked. “What?”

He suddenly pushed off, skating forward with her clinging onto him.

“Danny, NO!”

Her scream echoed through the park as he burst out laughing all over again.

Two very long hours passed—and after an embarrassing number of falls—(Y/N) finally started to get the hang of it. She still wasn’t graceful, and Danny never missed an opportunity to have fun with it, but at least she could move without immediately wiping out.

By the time they returned their skates, both of them were starving. So, without much thought, they walked to a nearby burger spot, grabbed their food, and made their way to the now-dark beach.

The sound of the waves filled the quiet space as they sat down on the sand, shoes off, letting the night breeze cool them down. Danny took a big bite of his burger, chewing thoughtfully before turning to (Y/N).

"Alright, I’ll admit it," he said, stretching his legs out in front of him. "That was way more fun than I expected. Even if you’re all bruised up and traumatized after it.

(Y/N) scoffed, nudging his arm. "You know what? You’re actually a hater. There’s no need to mention that stuff.”

Danny laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah. But seriously, this was great. We need to do it again."

(Y/N) smiled, resting her chin on her knee as she looked out at the water. "I’d love to. Just gotta figure out when we’ll actually be in the same city again."

Danny hummed in agreement. "Yeah… schedules are a pain. But we’ll make it work. Even if it takes months, we’ll plan something.”

"Deal," (Y/N) said, holding out her pinky.

Danny grinned and locked his pinky with hers without hesitation. "Deal."

For a moment, neither of them said anything, just enjoying the cool breeze and the comfortable ease between them.

However long it took, they both knew this wouldn’t be the last time.

————————————-

Still wanting to read more? Here are some other Danny’s shots to read. You’re welcome!!!

[spleenthecat]

alright let me take a crack at this

there are a few plot holes that we need to avoid here. and by a few i mean a good amount.

stan’s criminal record. nobody would want to take the identity of someone who still has jail time to serve. so this will have to be an au where a. it takes place before stan turns to crime or b. stan doesn’t commit crime at all. or a secret third option where ford doesn’t even realize how much of a criminal stan is until he’s too far in and has to learn how to run from the cops.

the fingers. nobody in gravity falls ever noticed that ford had 6 fingers, so it was easy for them to just go with a normal guy who had 5. but someone with 5 fingers seeming to randomly grow an extra finger? strange. especially since stan is much more sociable than ford. the guy who’s known for being super talkative and knows everyone in town suddenly locks himself away in his house? also strange.

stanley needs to be out of the picture one way or another. probably not dead?

ford needs a motive. this has two parts two it. a. he needs a reason to leave his old identity behind and b. he needs a reason to take stan’s identity specifically.

so with all of this in mind. i give you this.

stan gets to gravity falls before ford does. thinks “hey this place isn’t on any maps. no cops will find me here!”

settles in. makes a good living off of being a tourist trap.

he uses the bill summoning thing as another attraction. Very Stupid Idea.

bill comes to make a deal with stan. thinks “hey look there’s a guy i can con.”

stan gets approached by bill for a deal. thinks “hey look there’s a guy i can con.”

stan goes missing

ford arrives to gravity falls.

ford does not have grant money. people don’t believe in his weirdness theory because they think he’s just talking about the tourist trap that used to be there for a while.

finds an old abandoned shack.

investigates old abandoned shack.

“hey wait a minute. not only are there scraps of proof for my theory, but these are stan’s belongings!”

ford thinks. nobody takes him seriously. people don’t seem to take stan’s disappearance seriously either.

“hey! what if i took on his identity, reopened the tourist trap, and used this footing for money and such while i look for stan?”

and thus. ford takes stan’s identity, runs the tourist trap and tries to look for his brother.

the excuse for the fingers is that he had a run in with some kind of magical creature. it gifted him with extra dexterity in the form of extra fingers. everyone loves it.

ford learns to run from the cops. something he never thought he would have to do.

You know what? We have Stanley pretending to be Stanford for a long ass time

Now give me an AU where Stanford pretends to be Stanley. I don't know man, like he wasn't anyone you could even pretend to be. Stanley is a nobody. Basically.

So this AU would be where he is someone somewhere and Stanford has to pretend to be him. Why? I don't know, figure it out.