#but with this? yeah ok i can see what they're trying to do here okay

[rex101111]

Nah, nah, it arguably works with Cagliostro. The dude was such a two-faced liar in life who built his entire legacy on deception and conning people that he couldn't be anything BUT a Pretender. For reference Allisander Cagliostro ISNT EVEN HIS NAME nor is he even a Count, and much of the details known about his life and true identity come from remarkably shaky sources or his own liar mouth.

okay, you know what? looking at it like that that's actually pretty clever. Imagine being that duplicitous, that dubious in life. Imagine having Jordan's SO fake that when you die the Throne of Heroes decides that the only possible classification that fits you is Lying Liar Who Lies. So full of tricks and falsehoods that there's literally no space left for anything else, nothing true, an elaborate mask meant to hide nothing at all. Granted I think I'll withhold judgement until that particular story beat gets translated properly, because whether or not this is just the FGO team trying to outsmart everyone else in the room out of spite or them having an actually good idea will come down to execution.

[howtodisappearcompletelyand]

20/10 stars little guy

[misctf]

I had a dream once I found a pair of cleats and tried them on, and transformed into a big, dumb, horny football jock, then came load after load of cum , all sweaty and drooling as my new team arrived. How I wish I could experience that, do you know a way?

Huh, a dream you say? And just once? Part of me doubts that. And I can tell by how you’re blushing that you’ve likely had this dream a few times. And each time, you’ve woken up with your boxers soaked with jizz. Okay, okay... maybe I didn’t need to call you out like that. Anyway.... A big, dumb, horny football jock. Look, I’m not here to judge, but are you... of course you are.... Sigh.... Well, I’ll stop wasting our time. Risks yada yada, things going wrong yada yada... You get the point. Now follow me...

You follow close behind as I lead us through a few pairs of double doors. I have to unlock a few more doors and suddenly, we find ourselves within a large warehouse. There are thousands of articles of clothing. Underwear, socks, athletic shirts... you look around in awe.

Yes, I know, very impressive. We have a lot of magical items that we’ve collected over the years. Let me just grab a pair of gloves... Some of these items are quite potent actually. Like just a touch and bam! Stupid jock! Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but... And here we go! A pair of red football cleats... Just like in your dream? Well, what can I say, I’m a miracle worker. Okay, I’ll put them down right here. Look at that, they’re brand new too, they even have the paper still stuffed in them... Just give me one second, I have to grab a special tool. I can tell this pair is quite potent.... Wait... Don’t try to remove the paper with your... Fuck.... Didn’t I say... Hey! Don’t get too close!

The cleats are stuck around your hands. You’re shaking your hands, looking up at me desperately. No matter how much you flail, they seem locked in place. You’re breathing heavily. A sense of panic filling you. Something feels very wrong. You feel warmer and you’re sweating profusely.

This is very bad... Okay, give me a second to just... what do you mean your hands hurt? Oh fuck... Ok not good, not good... I need to...

You cry out as you feel your hands start to shift and change within the cleats. It feels like your hands are lengthening, while your fingers are painful shortened. But it’s not just your feet. You watch as your forearms start to shift and change. Packing on muscle that more resembles thick calves rather than forearms.

Oh yeah, these cleats are quite potent. Okay... uh, I would be lying if I said I’ve dealt with this before. This is something we in the business call a... okay yeah, maybe I’ll spare you the details. But... Oh careful now!

Your legs suddenly give way and you’ve fallen onto you’re abdomen. You let out another cry as your arms start to shift and change even more. They’re forced above your head and you yelp as thick muscle starts to fill in. Your once mediocre arms are now a set of two built legs, crushing your head in between new thighs. But the pain in your new legs pales in comparison to the feelings from your dick. It’s throbbing in a mixture of pain, then pleasure. You feel nauseous as the room is filled with the sounds of your body cracking and shifting. Yet you moan as your body continues its metamorphosis.

Oh fascinating... I’ve never seen this before... So the pecs become the abs, and the abs become the pecs. Fuck, they're getting huge too... What am I talking about? It’s uh... oh! Give me a second! Well, hello there... Huh, still barely a whisper... Who am I talking to? Well, uh... it’s complicated. But...

You yelp when you suddenly feel your body push itself up. You’re forced to look down at the floor, and it feels like you’re doing a handstand. You clearly see the red cleats,  and the firm calf and thigh muscles that used to be your arms. You try to crane your neck to look up, but are unable to.

Well fuck... this is, uh... What did you say? I can’t... your voice is a bit garbled now... Something salty? Yeah... I think that might be semen... Really? Come on, isn’t is obvious? Are you getting the idea now? Oh, don’t look at me like that, there were risks...

You yelp as a firm hand suddenly wraps around your neck. You’re afraid you won’t be able to breath, but instead, you just feel the salty liquid leave your lips. And as the hand moves up and down, more of it dribbles from your mouth. You try to speak, but you find your mouth has been forced to remain in a small “O” shape, no matter how desperately you try to move it. Worse yet, you watch as your hair falls from your head, decorating the floor beneath you.

Yeah, I doubt he’s gonna be able to talk much at this stage... So what did you say your name was....? Brett? Makes sense, you definitely look like a Brett. I gotta say, watching your arms grow in was quite the sight. And the muscle here... your biceps are so firm... oh sorry... right I’ll let you finish...

The deep moans that fill the air are not your own. You’ve never heard moans like this before. But soon your vision and hearing dwindle significantly. Instead, all you can feel is the rough calloused hand that jerks your hardened body, as well as the stream of cum that’s leaving your new mouth. And as the pressure builds and builds, so does the pleasure. It’s numbing. Numbing to the point you feel your complex thinking dwindle. All you can focus on is pleasure. Anyway, anyhow. And then you feel it. Cum bursts from your new mouth, and Brett lets out a loud moan, falling back against the wall. You feel your body softening, your mind only able to focus on your need for more.

Okay... I guess I’ll be cleaning that up... Oh? What’s happening? The room is spinning and... Wait, where are we...? The locker room? Damn, those cleats were potent... Oh sorry, you gotta get ready for your game. And I can hear your teammates coming in... Wait... You’re already getting hard again? And you’re already leaking? Shit... Well, I guess this isn’t what we expected. But, you’re certainly a horny, dumb football jock. And you’re certainly drooling there quite a bit, just in time for your team to see.... Well I guess I should go....Huh? Wait for you...? After the game...? In the locker room...? Sigh.... you stupid jock types are my weakness... see you soon...

[chamomiletealeaf]

okay i saw your tall thick girl post and i gotta ask now… how do we think the 141 men would react to a girl with a tummy / hip dips ? and when she’s insecure about it.

RAHHH YES

As a girl with a tummy and hipdips so deep there are men with rounder hips than me, I love this idea

The way I wrote Johnny's has ME BLUSHING MY GOD I NEED HIM

warnings: afab! fem reader, insecurities, body worship, suggestive themes, reader has a belly piercing for Gaz's blurb, MDNI

Price can not keep his hands off you. Especially if you wear a tight fitted dress. So when he catches you pulling every tight fitted piece of clothing you own out of your closet he's confused.

"Lovie what's all this?" He asks, watching you throw your clothes out your closet.

"I'm getting rid of them." You say, face hidden from him so he can't see the tears well in your eyes.

He goes to pick up a blue baby doll slip dress you loved wearing on special occasions and holds it out to look at it.

"Even this one hun'? You love this one. It looks so cute on you." He says, genuinely confused why all of a sudden you hated the clothes you seemed to love wearing.

You turn around and snatch it from him angrily and throw it back on the floor.

"Yeah well I don't love it anymore." You say, turning back around to continue pulling your clothes off the hangers.

Price cautiously walks up behind you and wraps his arms around your waist.

"Honey. What's the matter?" He gently whispers in your ear.

You stop your movements and close your eyes, biting your lip to try and stop the tears from falling.

You hang your head and let out a quiet sob which causes him to turn you around and wrap his arms around you.

"Hey, c'mon it's ok. What's all this about sweetheart? Talk to me please." He says and lifts your chin up to look at him. "Why are you cryin' sweets?"

You sniffle and try to talk between sobs.

"I- I just wish I looked different. None of these clothes look good on me. If I was skinnier or had fuller hips, or-" You ramble while crying but Price cuts you off.

"Oh honey. Sweetheart." He says and wipes your tears then kisses your forehead. "I don't see what you see. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever laid my eyes on. What got this stupid idea that you're not pretty enough in your little head hm?" He asks, still holding you like you'd fall out of his reach.

"I just- why do you even like me? All those girls in those catalogues I have look nothing like me." You say, refusing to look him in the eye.

"What? Why would I want anyone else? Who cares about the catalogue girls they're not you?" He questions.

"My tummy, and my hip dips, and-"

"Lemme stop you right there." He says, and drops to his knees.

"Listen love. I don't know why you think you're not the most beautiful woman in the world, so let me help set it straight hm?" He says, leaning his head on your thigh.

"John." You whisper, tears still falling.

"Uh-uh, unless the next words out of your mouth are about how perfect you are I don't wanna hear them." He says while placing a kiss to your thigh.

He runs his hands up your thighs to rest on your hips under your pajama shorts you're wearing.

"You. Are perfect." He says between kisses up your legs. He leaves his hands on your hips and goes to leave a little bite on your hip bone.

"And your hips are perfect too. I don't know why you hate them so much darling. The way they dip in right here is so fucking sexy. Looks so damn good when you wear that cute little fitted skirt with it. Really shows them off. Can't help but squeeze your hips when I see them." He says, moving his kisses right where your hips dimple in on both sides.

Then he moves his hands up from your hips to your soft tummy from under your shorts, keeping his wrists pinned to you. He moves his mouth from your hips to your tummy where he leaves little bites and kisses.

"And this cute little tummy my god." He says with a squeeze making you whimper.

"John stop." You say, trying to push his head away from embarrassment.

"No." He says like you offended him. "I said I was gonna show you just how perfect you actually are so that's what I'm gonna do whether you like it or not."

He sucks a mark onto your tummy making you whine from the tickling sensation of his tongue and beard on your delicate skin.

"You know, that babydoll dress is my favorite too. Shows off your tummy so nicely. Just wanna squeeze you when you wear it. And these shorts. You know how I feel about you in low waisted pants lovie. You always look so soft." His hands are still gripping and kneading your hips from under your shorts and his mouth is kissing and sucking on every part of your skin he can reach around your hips and tummy.

"John please. Tickles." You say with a giggle this time.

"Ah there it is. That pretty smile." He says

"Why don't you let me show you what other parts of you I love as well darling, if you know what I mean." He says with a mischievous grin looking up at you from on his knees, and how could you ever say no to him?

Gaz sees you in a cropped tank top and low waisted pajama pants which shows off your belly piercing and he stares at you like a deer in headlights. You walk past him in the kitchen to make yourself some tea or something and Gaz just... Watches....

"What?" You ask, looking at him with your mug while you wait for the water to heat up.

"Nothing you just..." Gaz starts, "You just look really cute."

"I'm just wearing pajamas." You say, eyebrows furrowed, wondering what could be so cute about you right now.

Gaz takes a step closer and holds your face in his hands.

"Yeah, pajamas that look really cute on you. You always look cute." He says before kissing your lips.

His hands run down your body over your ass which he squeezes, making you yelp. Then his hand comes around to play with your belly piercing.

"You know this little piercing you got is so fucking sexy." He says with a smirk.

"Yeah? I almost didn't get it because, well, my tummy." You say embarrassed.

"What? Uh, hello, that's all more the reason to get one sweetheart. Tummies are cute. Especially yours." He says that last part into your ear while his hands travel up from your ass to grab at your hips.

You giggle, but pull away to pull down your tank top and pull your pajama pants up so they hide your tummy. Gaz catches on and grabs your wrists to stop your movements, and he puts your shirt and pants back in place.

"No. Keep 'em there. Don't get all shy now honey." He says. "Now turn around and lemme see that cute lil' ass and those sexy hips while you make your tea."

Simon noticed you had hip dips when he first saw you out of your cargos while at a formal and he could not stop staring at them. And the way you walked in that long cocktail gown that accentuated the dips in your hips made him instantly hard. He imagined how cute and delicate they would look while he pounded you from behind, making perfect handles for him, and he wondered if you had back dimples too where he could put his thumbs while his hands grabbed your hip dips. He also noticed the way the dress stretched over your tummy, showing your pudge. He could tell you were wearing a girdle or something, but he wished you would have just let your tummy out fully. He thought it was the cutest thing and made you look like Aphrodite. And he knew he had to make you his.

"What are you doin' lovie." He asks, seeing you standing in your full body mirror in your shared bedroom in some new underwear you bought. "Oh. Are those new?" He asks with a smirk, noticing you're just in your new panties you're modeling for yourself and a t shirt.

"I like those. The color is sexy on you." He says, coming up behind you grabbing your ass while resting his head on your shoulder.

"Hm. I don't know. I don't have the body to pull this type of cut off." You say ashamedly.

"What? What do you mean? They look fuckin' amazing on you." He says as he turns you around so you're facing him.

"I don't know, it's not very flattering on me. It's low waisted so it shows my tummy and the band shows off my hip dips." You say, looking down and tugging at the underwear.

"Sweetheart. You just described the best parts about these panties." He says with a smirk as he goes to hold your face with his hand, running a thumb over your lips.

"You can be honest Simon. You don't have to lie. I already know it looks bad." You say, and Simon gets visibly upset.

He steps back a few steps to sit down on the bed and he reaches his hands out to grab you by the hips so you come with him. He tugs so you're standing in between his legs looking down at him.

"Turn around." He says sternly, and you do what he says, turning back around to face the mirror again.

Simon peeks his head out around you and presses his face into your side while his hands grab your thighs.

"Look at yourself bunny. You see this perfect fuckin' woman in the mirror? That's you. And this perfect, gorgeous body is yours too." He says, then he plants a kiss on your hip.

"Go on sweetheart. Say it. Say you're perfect." Simon demands, kneading your thighs and hips while leaving kisses all over your thick waist.

"I'm perfect." You mumble, embarrassed at the words.

"Louder." He says, before he goes to bite at the band of the pretty new panties you bought, pulling it back with his teeth and letting it go, snapping it back in place against your skin, making you jump.

"I- I'm perfect." You say louder, and Simon smiles.

"Good. Now get up here on the bed. Gonna fuck you through these cheeky little panties to show you just how perfect I think you are now."

Johnny actually has no shame. You and him are put together for a mission and the safe house you had was actually super nice. Some air bnb in the woods with a hot tub, so you brought a little bikini just incase you had any time to actually stay at the house. And besides, it was just Johnny there, so who cares?

Johnny did. Johnny cared very much.

You got one full night in the house since you and Johnny finished the mission earlier than expected. Yeah, you guys were just good like that, so you decided to celebrate with drinks and the hot tub you've both been dying to get in.

Johnny is already out there with a beer and you approach him wrapped in a towel with your drink in hand.

"Mind if I join you Sergeant?" You ask playfully.

"Not at all lass. Water's fine." He smiles.

You were trying to figure out how to get into the tub without taking the towel off long enough where Johnny could see your body, but there was really no way to do that. You were self conscious, and what if he didn't like what he saw? But you knew the only way to get in without wetting the towel, was to just take the towel off before stepping in. So that's what you did.

You placed your drink down on the little table by the tub and quickly took the towel off, crossing your arms over your body to hide as much as you could. Johnny noticed and felt bad you felt uncomfortable. After all, he did love what he saw. But Johnny was Johnny, and he stared anyway.

You unwrapped your arms from over your body to step into the tub and you stood on the ledge in it, water coming up right above your knees giving Johnny a full view of your whole body.

He rakes his eyes up and down your body and notices the softness of your body, especially the curvature of your hips and how they dipped in at one point.

cute he thought as he went to take a swig of his beer, eyes never leaving your body.

He also took note of the cute roll of your tummy when you bent down to sit and it made him grin around the beer bottle opening. You were adorable.

"Well fuck me lass. didn't know you had all that under that tac gear." He said with a smirk, and his eyes had a mischievous glint to them.

Johnny always flirted like this, so this was nothing new.

"Oh shut up Johnny." You said with an embarrassed laugh and turned around to reach for your drink. You couldn't reach it, so you had to climb out the hot tub a little bit more, notching your hips on the edge of the tub as you bent over to reach for your drink, giving Johnny the perfect view of your ass, the dips of your hips, and the mound of your covered pussy, which made Johnny's cock twitch in his swim shorts.

You and Johnny always had this unspoken thing, so it wasn't abnormal for this tension to be here. It was just heavier than normal tonight.

You grabbed your drink and sat back into the tub, moving a little closer to Johnny.

"You can come closer bonnie, I don't bite." He says moving up right next to you to lean into your ear to say:

"Unless you want me to." He whispers, making you shiver.

That night ended with Johnny fucking you over the edge of the hot tub, his face buried between your thighs from the same position, and multiple missed phone calls from Price.

[joeys-babe]

Joey B blurbs: Isn’t She Lovely

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Summary: Joe brings the twins with him to one of his press conferences, but all Miles seems to want is ‘Momma’.

Warnings: Fluff

Pairing: Joe Burrow x reader

Imagine Universe: Into The Mystic

————————————————————————-

*No particular date for this fic!*

(Joe’s pov)

“Joe, my mom’s calling. Can you take the boys with you?” - you

“To my conference??” - Joe

y/n, Tyson, and Miles came over to Paycor today to watch us practice.

Afterward, I and a couple of the other guys stayed back to play football with the kids. The guys made a few jokes after Tyson successfully threw a spiral at two years old. I thought it was accidental, but Ja’marr and Tee swore it was the ‘Burrow gene’.

Now that almost everyone had left the stadium, y/n and the twins were allowed to come into the locker room with me.

y/n got on to me about how messy my locker was. I told her it was fine, but Tee made a ‘Happy wife, happy life’ joke saying I should clean it.

In the end, I knew I would end up doing it anyway to please her because that woman had me wrapped around her finger. She has since high school.

Currently, I was just about to step into the media room when y/n came rushing up to me, the twins behind her, saying that her mom sent a text saying call me ASAP.

Zac had just walked out from his conference, and he heard our conversation.

“You’re allowed to take ‘em in if you want to. I know you would rather be with them than have someone else watch them.” - Zac

“Yeah, okay. Thanks.” - Joe

“No problem, kid.” - Zac walked off

y/n stood in front of me, her phone still ringing, and I made a split-second decision.

“Go ahead, I’ll take ‘em, baby.” - Joe

“Thank you, you're the best, Joe.” - you

She looked around to see if anyone was present, and when there wasn't anyone, she pressed a quick peck to my lips.

I watched her speedwalk down the hall toward the women's bathroom to have some privacy, and I bent down to the twin's level.

“You guys have to go in there with me for my press conference, okay? You know those videos you watch of me with Mommy where the people ask me questions?” - Joe

“Yeh!” - Tyson

“You guys are gonna sit on my lap for one, okay? If you wanna leave at any point tell me.” - Joe

“Ok, Dada.” - Tyson

“What about you Miles? Sound good?” - Joe

“Sound great, Daddy.” - Miles

I stood up and picked them both up, one in each arm, and walked into the media room.

It was kinda funny watching the reporter’s faces turn to shock. They knew I was a reserved, closed-off person, and that I hated the media, so for me to bring my kids in here was surprising to them.

Pulling my chair out, I sat down and situated the boys on my lap. One sat on each leg.

Tyson laid his head on my shoulder while Miles was looking around, trying to figure everything out.

“How’s it goin’.” - Joe

Everything was silent.

“What’s this?” - Reporter 1

“A one-time thing.” - Joe chuckled

Everyone in the room laughed before a reporter spoke up.

“Who are these cuties?” - Reporter 2

“They're my two-year-old twins. Wanna say your names?” - Joe

I almost laughed as Miles immediately lept forward and grabbed the mic.

“I’m Miles.” - Miles

His voice was super loud in the speakers from how close he was to the mic, and I couldn't help but bust out laughing.

Eventually, I pulled Miles back into my lap and nudged Tyson. He silently shook his head.

“This is Tyson. He's my little mini-me and doesn't like the media like his daddy.” - Joe

The room laughed again before I continued talking.

“You guys can interact with the boys for a little bit but I'm here to talk football.” - Joe

For the first time since I walked in, the room fell silent, till Miles spoke up.

“Momma!” - Miles

“Someone wants his momma.” - Reporter 3 laughed

“Yeah. She’s on the phone, which is why I had to bring ‘em in here.” - Joe

“Momma?” - Miles looked up at Joe

“She’s on the phone, buddy. If you guys can't already tell, he's a momma’s boy. He’s more like her than me personality-wise.” - Joe

“So he’s social?” - Reporter 2 jokes

I laughed as I nodded my head, finding his dig at me to be funny.

“Momma!” - Miles whined

“Guys, excuse me, but I'm probably gonna have to call my wife.” - Joe

This was the most unorganized thing I've ever done.

Pulling my phone out to call y/n, she answered pretty fast.

“Hello? Are you still in your conference?” - you

“Yes, but can you come get Miles? He wants you like bad.” - Joe

“Oh yeah, of course. I’ll be right there.” - you

“Okay, good. See you in a sec.” - Joe

“I won't say I love you, so you don't have to say it back. I know you don't want that being picked up on the mic.” - you laughed

“I love you too, bye.” - Joe smiled

“What?!” - you

I hung up just after that, not caring that I said it right into the mic.

“She’s coming to get this one.” - Joe

I nodded at Miles, then realized he was waving directly at a female reporter.

Just a few seconds went by before the media room door opened and y/n walked in.

She looked at me, unsure of what to do, so I flicked my head telling her to come in my direction.

y/n walked up the platform steps and took Miles from my lap, who was smiling from ear to ear.

“Do you wanna go with Momma too?” - Joe

Tyson shook his head no and sat up, now facing the room of seated reporters.

I leaned the mic away from my mouth and whispered to y/n.

“Thanks, Mama. You look beautiful by the way. I'll see you after this is over.” - Joe grinned

She grinned at me, her cheeks flushing as she situated Miles on her hip before waking away.

When I faced the reporters and fixed the mic back to point toward my face, they all had smiles on their faces.

“Did… did you guys hear that?” - Joe

All at once they all said yes, yeah, mhm, yup.

My cheeks turned red from embarrassment, this was an absolute trainwreck.

“So… Tyson, what can you tell us about your daddy? What does he do at home?” - Reporter 3

“Uhm…” - Tyson sighed

All of the reporters laughed, finding it so funny that Tyson just pulled something so characteristically me.

“He is just like you!” - Reporter 1

“What do I do at home, Ty?” - Joe

“Kiss Mommy.” - Tyson giggled

I immediately groaned and covered my face with my hand. Tyson kept on laughing, and so were the reporters.

“I’m getting exposed right now.” - Joe

“We, Uhm, pway foot…ball.” - Tyson

“We do.” - Joe nodded

“That’s it.” - Tyson blabbered

The room laughed once again till a reporter spoke up.

“So all he does is kiss your mom and play football?” - Reporter 3

“Mhm!” - Tyson

“Pretty accurate, not gonna lie.” - Joe

“Joe, you're pretty smitten with your wife, yeah?” - Reporter 5

“Have been since high school. She’s the best though. The best mom, wife, best friend… and so much more. She keeps me grounded. I know I usually keep my personal life separate from football, but I love her more than anything.” - Joe

“More than football?” - Reporter 2

“More than anything.” - Joe reiterated

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Authors note: though Joe would never do this, let's just imagine he would.

Request for this fic;

Hope you enjoyed! 💕

[toon-tales]

Hiya! Ok, so, I'm here to analyze, again. But! Not a scene. I'm here to analyze the evolution of the one and only #Broppy, from the first movie. I've been planning to include the three movies and the holiday specials, but I figured I can't add that many pics in one post. I can only add ten, soooo-

Let's take it from the beginning: the first appearance for Branch.

If you ask me, he was being rude, maybe even embarrassed Poppy in front of everyone. Yeah, I love Branch, and he's my baby and all, but dude, you shouldn't have done that, especially not in front of everyone. Like, yeah, we later know his backstory and his grandma and his brothers, but still, it's not Poppy's fault, he shouldn't have treated her like this. Sure, her believing life was all cupcakes and rainbows might have been provoking to Branch, but he's still at fault, and I think more people need to make peace with that.

Also, something I noticed, is that Branch and Poppy were close even before the events of the first movie, cause, literally everyone calls her 'Princess Poppy', except the snack pack. They just call her Poppy, and the fact that Branch also calls her Poppy just proves they were close.

Now, later, we see Branch holding Poppy's scrapbook, then staring at even more scrapbooks on the shelves. Like, cute, sure, but it's not what you feel, it's what you show, Branch.

Okay, now, this scene:

The fact that Poppy was knocking on the rock just means she never got into Branch's bunker before. But she knows the address, so that counts. Maybe he had given it to her when they first met in case she needed something after he'd found her hurt with a broken arm or something then they became friends- I'm totally drifting from the post. Sorry about that.

Now, there are two theories:

Annnywayyyy, let's focus on the scene after:

"Which is why I have to ask you..." she hesitated, before continuing, "will you go to Bergen town with me and save everyone?"

She hesitated! She freaking hesitated! Meaning? She probably never asked Branch to help her before. She surely had problems in her life, but she also had her friends, so I belive she always went to them whenever she was in trouble. But now those friends aren't here, which forces her to ask the person who she trusts the most after them. Branch. And, disappointedly, he refuses, because of the fear he's living in.

Moments later, Poppy surprisingly invites the entire village to Branch's bunker to keep them safe. Which was wrong of her. True, she was trying to protect everyone, but using Branch's house without his consent was wrong. Sorry. Sure, it was the safest place for now, but that still doesn't justify it. You can see he was clearly annoyed (which she loved). But I don't really blame her, just like I don't really blame Branch. They both did wrong.

Skip, skip, skip, skip, skip- hold... rightttt here:

Ah, yes. That scene. Now, look. He showed up, because he knew there was no way Poppy could do this by herself, and he wasn't wrong. Poppy, in return, also knew he would come, because it was the third hug time by then.

"I guess we were both right." That line. It speaks volumes for their relationship, yet no one talks about it! They both look at things from different perspectives, BUT, it doesn't mean either of them is wrong.

Like when they arrived at the troll tree: "The troll tree." "Bergen town."

Or when they found out the others were still alive: "They're alive?" "And on a silver platter too. We were both right."

Please writers and artists, we need more content with this line. Add it to your fanfics/art!

Skip, skip, another skip (yes, I skipped the part where Branch tries to avoid talking about his feelings cause it's kinda... i don't know, i just don't know what to say about it. It's sorta obvious), skiiiiiip, annnndddd, right here:

THEIR. FIRST. HUG.

My babies, oh my sweet precious babies. They've been through so much together, and finally, Branch has found it in himself to actually open up about his past (mostly).

I've spoken about this scene in more details in this post.

Now, we're going to talk about one of the most important scenes in the history of Broppy. This:

Branch is talking. He's always used to being in the shadows, never helping anyone, and here he was, helping a Bergen. If that's not a big change, I don't know what is.

And let me tell you, not only Branch was changing in this scene. See Poppy?

She's learning to look deeper into things, even persons. She's finally realizing that Branch, the grumpy, sarcastic troll, might not be as bad as she thought. They're both developing.

Until the rules are swapped.

Branch is the one to find the bright side, and Poppy is the one to cover it. And you can see how disappointed he is.

"I can't wait to see the look on your face when you realize the world isn't all cupcakes and rainbows." But when it happened, Branch realized that this wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want her to be like him, because this was him - a person who doesn't see the cupcakes and rainbows in life, not even in the slightest.

The way he was trying to cheer her up

And the way she actually smiled. Poppy was still there, her happiness was inside, not gone but hidden, and Branch was trying to find it again.

Yet she didn't even notice her own colors returning. Maybe because she was focused on the change in Branch? She wasn't startled when he sang at first, she wasn't happy, just like he used to be. He didn't use to care, until later, when his feelings began to resurface again, because Poppy helped him. Just like he was doing now. Neither did he notice his colors coming back

Aaaaaand, I think the rest doesn't really need analyzing.

Feel free to add or comment on anything.

Part two

Part three

[ddejavvu]

ok but my favorite criminal minds specific trope is when the team needs someone to be bait and the unsub’s type is reader, would you pls write hotch just trying so hard not to lose his professionalism when the team realizes reader has to play bait??

There's a knock on your door, and you hope it's Emily. She'd know how to untangle this dress.

"Who is it?"

"Hotch," Comes the reply from behind the door, "Can I come in?"

"Uh-" You stammer, lunging for your tank top and throwing it over your head, "...Yeah!"

Once he gets the O-K from you he turns the knob, peering into the dimly lit locker room that you've been using to change. The outfit you'd been provided is a strappy ensemble, but the strings are intertwined with each other like stray yarn, and you don't know how you're ever going to get into the garment.

"I can't figure this out," You lament, holding the dress sheepishly between two fingers, "I think this is made for wizards or something."

Hotch chuckles, reaching for the dress, "Can I try?"

"Be my guest," You nod, turning to a mirror on the inside of one of the lockers and reaching for a comb, "I'll do my hair in the meantime.

Hotch absentmindedly fumbles with the dress while keeping an eye on your work, "Pigtails?"

"Well," You grimace, tugging one of the ponytails tighter on your scalp so that it sticks up and bounces with any movement of your head, "You know what they say about pigtails."

Hotch's face takes on a similar expression of discontentment, "Right."

While you pin some of your stray hairs in place, Hotch makes a breakthrough. The dress comes untangled, hanging between his fingers like it should have on the hanger.

"Oh my god!" You marvel, "Are you a wizard?"

"I was trying to keep it a secret," He plays along, offering you the garment, "But I guess the cat's out of the bag."

"Thank you," You gush, taking the dress from his hands, "I can't- oh."

The dress warps in your fingers. It hangs limp in your hands; apparently you'd grabbed the wrong strings.

"Uh- like," Hotch reaches for it, pulling a few straps up from where they're sagging, "That."

"Oh. Right." You grab the ones he's holding instead, hyperaware of his fingers brushing your own, "Can- um, is Emily here?"

"No, she's out at the second scene," Hotch hums.

"JJ?"

"Talking to the parents of vic #3."

"Hotch," You hum cautiously, "Could, um- could you help me get this on?"

He's still for a moment, nodding slowly after he processes your words.

"Yeah," He takes the dress back from you, letting you fumble with the zipper, "Here, I'll- I'll close my eyes."

"Thanks," You breathe, watching him lower his hands until the dress is close enough to your waist for you to step into it, "So just-"

"Yeah." He nods, letting his eyes slip shut as you take a deep breath. You take your tank top off first, then your bike shorts, and brace your hands on Aaron's to get your leg high enough to step into the dress. He doesn't open his eyes, but you can tell he wasn't expecting the touch.

"Sorry," You hum, far too close to his face as you shimmy your hips into the fabric. You try finding the sleeves, mindful of the straps, and his breath hits your face when he speaks.

"You don't have to do this." He murmurs, his lips moving mere inches away from your own.

"Hm?"

"This," He jostles the dress slightly, as much as he can with it around your waist, ""If this is too much, you don't have to go undercover. It seems stressful to me."

"It is." You nod, even though he can't see it. The movement shakes your chest slightly too, and with the way Hotch is crouched, your boobs bounce just below his jaw.

You take the time that his eyes are closed to admire his face like you can't when he sees you. There's equal laugh lines and frown lines in his face, and you're glad he doesn't overdo the latter.

You slide the dress the rest of the way up your body, fitting your arms through the sleeves and securing them over your shoulders. Then you hum, 'okay', and his eyes flutter open.

They widen at the dress, a maroon garment that hugs your curves and billows out at the waist. You back away from where you'd been nearly standing on his toes, tentatively turning on your heel, "Could you zip me up?"

"Mhm," He nods once, reaching for the zipper. It puts his hands on your lower back and you barely contain a shiver, something that you'll think about long after tonight.

"There," Hotch hums, securing the clasp at the top of the zipper's track.

"You're sure you want to do this?" He asks, his breath now fanning over your mostly-bare shoulder. This time you do shiver, but you hope he doesn't notice.

"I have to," You nod, "I'll be okay, Hotch."

"Alright," He nods reluctantly, his voice soft and careful, "I'll be across the room the whole time if you need me. Just say the word and I'll be there."

You pride yourself on not collapsing at his words despite your weak knees. You nod, "Thanks." And finally turn to face him with a nervous smile.

"Ready?"

"Ready," You nod, and he steps aside to let you pass him. Despite having let you go first he reaches the door before you do, pulling it open for you and letting you lead the way out.

"Oh," Morgan crows from across the room, "Killer, baby!"

"The pigtails are a nice touch." Reid smiles kindly at you, "Did you know that-"

"Yes Reid," You put a hand up, not intent on hearing nauseating statistics, "I know."

He nods, blinking rapidly at being cut off. But he's quiet, and that's all that matters to you right now.

"Okay, Morgan, you're with me," Hotch commands, "We'll be stationed around the club just in case Y/L/N needs help. And Reid, you stay here with Rossi. JJ will be out soon. Let me know if Garcia has any updates."

"Will do," Reid nods, and Hotch gestures to the exit of the police precinct, letting Morgan fall into step beside you.

"Nervous?" He asks, elbowing you in the arm.

You take a deep breath, nodding, "Yeah, a bit. But it'll help, I'm sure."

"It will." Hotch assures you, heading for the team's SUV and pulling open the passenger door for you. He pointedly avoids looking at the hem of your dress when you climb into the seat as it rides up your thighs, and he even tucks the fabric into the car so that it doesn't get caught in the door.

"Good?" He raises his eyebrows, waiting for your confirmation. When he has it, he shuts the door, striding around the front to the other side.

"I think boss man's more affected than the unsub'll be," Morgan snickers, and you turn to glare at him while Hotch climbs into the front seat.

"Morgan," Hotch eyes him disapprovingly in the rear view mirror, "Whatever you're doing, stop."

"Told you," Morgan smirks at you, hissing at the slap you land to his forearm, "Ow! Hotch, control your work wife."

"You probably deserve it," Hotch drawls, pointedly ignoring the work wife comment, as do you. But everyone notices the slight rosy tinge to his cheeks, and as usual, Morgan doesn't know when to quit. You're happy for the excuse to check your phone, even if the text does make your face flush hot.

Derek: I know he helped you get that dress on, maybe he'll help you take it off tonight ;)

[lucabyte]

obligatory ramble about postcanon loop ask

also your art is amazing

Hiiiiiiiii :D thank you :)!!

and thank you for the excuse to post the. just absolute wall of text that i truncated down to form the tags of that post. (i did,,, hit the tag limit. i forgot tumblr had one of those...) so let me just paste that and tidy it up a bit...

I am putting this under a readmore because it's a bit long. but:

This is like. The General Context for all* of my postcanon doodles? (Except AUs obviously) Like this is the base idea I've been drawing them all in. So, feel free to backread with this in mind. I've basically had this 'postcanon' timeline set in my brain since finishing the game...

My general thoughts are that I like the idea of Loop (even if through dubiously ethical means) being able to slowly reintegrate with the party as a whole new person, because they are, in fact, their own person.

It's a muddle of thematic threads im pulling on and "wouldn't it be fucked up if", but. (at its core, it's powered by the fact that like, while narratively isat's theme of 'the only person who can truly take the first step to help you is yourself'. (wrt: loop helping the party help siffrin in act 5) which i LOVE AND IS GREAT NARRATIVELY…. would be super fucked up irl to learn that your friend 'learned as a lesson' while you stood by kinda uselessly. I know i'd be upset about it. but thats mostly background here. doesn't really come up. at least not until loop has to explain who they are and the party realises they had to fall back on literally themselves again for help, but i digress,)

The real core concept is: Occam's razor. It is like, inherently, a buckwild thing to accuse a person of being somehow a clone or copy of your friend. Even if they start vaguely alluding to a backstory it's far more likely they were some other person before all that. (I still think Odile has that theory in the back pocket but she's rational enough to know it's a really long shot without a solid explanation. and i think Loop deep down knows this, and would, if cornered into confessing, turn the situation around to go J'ACCUSE and make HER explain it instead. Ever longer dodging being direct with their emotions...)

And the party are nice! And if someone has changed and wants to keep stuff secret it's kind of not their business? (Though it's hard not to speculate… see: the main joke of the doodles) And they seem important to Siffrin so they just try to accept them abrasive quirks and all. And eventually the question of their prior identity just fades away since, well, they're Loop. Their friend Loop.

but yeah. personal headcanon is that a few months/weeks after picking up and getting aquainted with Nille** (since that was presumably the IMMEDIATE TASK postgame), Loop reappears (either after a literal period of nonexistance, or just spending a few months wandering the french countryside alone being attacked by wild dogs). Since Siffrin has had a while to be therapised by the party they're doing mostly okay, but Loop showing up and still being agitated/aggressive pulls them both into a bit of a backslide behaviourally and puts the party on the back foot again.

Hooowever, I do think that due to no longer being literally stewing in the worst pressure cooker of all time together, the two do mostly actually sort themselves out with productive conversation. (Via a cycle of: genuinely distressing argument -> weeeird lovebombing -> ok we're good -> repeat, that gets less intense over time)

Thus, allowing the party to just. Integrate loop as a new person. They and Siffrin shuffle into different ecological niches (Loop taking over stuff Siffrin is now too squeamish for, etc (see: hunting, mostly)), and while it's not exactly what Loop wanted they generally get that beggars can't be choosers and it's a pretty good deal. And the rest of the party does straight up just like them as a friend, especially when Loop quits trying to actively antagonise them after a few weeks of being around them, since they just can't keep up being mean to people they like forever.

As for how I think the truth eventually drags itself out. This is where I invoke The Isabeau Torment Nexus™. So its gonna get shippy here for a bit hold on.

Which is, I think giving them time before Loop reappears long enough that Siffrin and Iseabeau actually manage to become established, Isabeau has to be the one to nudge the pair of them and go. "Hey. You know we're in Vaugarde right. I'm okay with polyamory if we all communicate." Before Loop and Siffrin actually even acknowledge that whatever the fuck they have going on kinda looks a lot like a relationship of some kind. (or have already been agonising about that via fighting and arguing, depending) (Obviously this comes after Isa "Emotionally intelligent enough to keep a lid on the jealousy" Beau has managed to use that big brain of his to Not just go Scream somewhere on the daily because oh godddd they keep talking like theyre suicide-baiting each other jesus chriiist. is it overstepping his boundaries to bring that up?? god)

This, taking a bunch of the tension out of Loop and Isabeau's relationship (Since I imagine Loop is a. being weird for the obvious reasons and b. feeling kinda guilty about 'getting in the way of' Siffrin and Iseabeau), allows them to actually get close in a normal friend way. (I think an interesting turning point could be Isabeau actually taking Loop's side in an argument vs Siffrin, which would absolutely break Loop's brain. Especially if it's an argument that matters. Like what do you mean he isn't just going to play favourites. What?)

Then Isabeau, just actually open minded and charmed by Loop (and maybe even somewhat at Siffrin's suggestion?) tries to close the final open side on the polyamory triangle here and that's the final straw for Loop on "This lie by omission is too unethical to keep up, this is just actually sick and wrong. I can't do this while he doesn't know who I am." Though. Obviously it probably goes. Very poorly with emotions high like that. And the added element of several months of deceit. Getting dark here for a second but that dagger is going MISSING and so are THEY for a hot minute.

Then yaaay everything works out in the end 👍 yippieee!! all it took was maybe a lot of harrowed recontextualisation of all the weird shit your new friend said and did when it turns out they're your old friend. It's fine.

But yeah. this is basically the context all of my postcanon doodles have existed within? And those exist to give other people something to chew on. So this does too.

I suppose TL;DR: Imagine if sloopis almost fucking happens before isabeau knows who loop is. can you fucking imagine. can you imagine having to navigate that. nightmare.

*Yes this includes the implied cannibalism comic. Uhh. Comes part and parcel with headcanoning that Loop went way off the deep end similar to A5 Sif But Maybe Worse before giving in. Add weepy half-asleep confessions to murder wherever you see fit in your mind palace. 👍👍👍

**Re: Nille footnote. I don't have anywhere to put this besides here! I have some thoughts on Loop and Nille having an odd dynamic. I don't imagine Nille to be super gung-ho on trusting a bunch of adults (even if they are majority around her age) given their implied backstory. It's probably a big shock to the system, especially since Bambouche is a good couple hundred Kilometers up north from Dormont and these guys don't seem to have trains. She would've been unfrozen and without Bonnie for some time....

Which is to say: I think she's suspicious of them. I think she may be looking for excuses to distance herself, keep Bonnie safe. SO.... A new guy showing up? And antagonising the party? What do they know that I don't...? I should find out.

And since... Loop didn't ever know Nille, they have no ammunition or real reason to be cruel. Plus, if they're trying to stay on Bonnie's good side (SINCE... if Bonnie thought Loop was cringe they may as well kill themselves. In their mind.) they SUPER have no reason to antagonise Nille.

Mostly, they might be able to open up to each other easier than they can the rest of the party?

I feel like this resolves with Loop feeling compelled to apologise for what they and Siffrin let happen to Bonnie, though... Hmm... Depends on how you interpret Nille that they'd be glad nobody else had been told about that yet, or furious it had been secret this long. I lean toward the former.

[candiiee]

ʜᴇʀᴏᴇꜱ ᴠɪʟʟᴀɪɴꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ᴘʀᴏʟᴏɢᴜᴇ: ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴄᴇ ɪꜱ ꜰʀᴀɢɪʟᴇ

ɪᴢᴜᴋᴜ ᴍ

summary: your childhood

warnings: nightmares, anxiety, depression, murder, death, violence, mention of running away

an: izuku is honestly a cute beam of sunshine here in reader’s sad little life. Not proofread.

“Y/N?” His soft breaks you out of your self deprecating thoughts. You’re both sitting under a tree, watching Bakugo and his lackeys play heroes in the playground.

You look up into his soft doe eyes. “Yeah?”

“Are you okay? I..couldn’t help but notice you seemed to be sad.” Izuku says, looking concerned.

You smile in fake happiness, “I’m fine. Why aren’t you with them?” You gesture towards Bakugo with a nod of your head.

“Oh..well, cause I’m, y’know, quirkless, and stuff, he doesn’t want me to join in. Cause heroes have quirks..and they're playing heroes. Actually, why aren’t you with them?” He twiddles his fingers nervously.

You frown, “That’s stupid. You can be a hero if you wanted to Izuku. And I’m not with them cause Bakugo thinks a quirk called ‘pickpocket’ sounds villainy.”

He flushes, eyes widening, in hope you think. "Really..?" Practically ignoring what you said after.

You nod, "You can be one, Izuku." Secretly wishing he would assure you that your quirk wasn’t evil, but it’s not like you could talk.

He blinks, a bunch of unreadable emotions going through him. "Thank you.."

You pause, "What time is it? I think I have to go now." He frowns, "You haven't even been here that long." You pause, thinking of a lie.

"Er..I have an appointment." You say, hoping he believes it.

He pauses not quite believing it, but too nice to pry. "Ok..see you tomorrow?" He asks hopefully.

You smile and nod, relieved he somewhat believed you. "I'll try." He hoped he wouldn't question how and why you planned on going home. Or how you even got here at the park for that matter.

Yep, nothing suspicious about a five year old going to a park all by themselves.

You waved bye, “Bye Izuku.” As you left, you passed by Bakugo, and stuck your tongue out.

He glares at, looking like he’s about to say something, but you’re too far to hear it.

The walk home is adventurous. Following your parent’s advice, use and ‘practice’ your quirk’s abilities by ‘borrowing’ wallets. You knew it was wrong. But your daily practice helped your family get by. Granted, the least they could do was be proud of you for helping.

You make it home, dumping your pockets contents, save for some 5 dollar bills. “Mom.” You say, announcing your arrival.

Just another normal day as a low rank thief.

—————

You’re eight now. With a bigger knowledge of the world and reality then any child should know. Using your quirk everyday to see what’s inside other’s pockets, then pickpocketing it.

Downright evil. You can’t help but feel glad Izuku won’t ever get to know. He’d try to save you or whatever.

You still continue meeting up with him at the park, playing together. Even though he would probably like to visit you, and maybe a bit hurt that you refuse.

That is, till you see your parents die.

A completely normal day. Mother hits you for not meeting the quota. You don’t cry. You’re used to it.

Your dad doesn’t show up till late night, and frantic. He immediately starts packing up after a brief conversation with your mom and a lot of yelling. Soon your mom joins in, telling you to make yourself useful and help.

So you do. And right in the process of stuffing your saved and stolen money into all your pockets, you hear someone banging on the door.

And who could that be, so late at night? And why did your parents look so terrified?

“We’re too late.” Your mother utters, standing still in terror. “Late?” You question.

That snaps her out of it. “Hide in the cupboards. Now.”

You blink, “Why?”

“Just do it!”

More banging, and curses.

She grabs your old stuffed dog toy, long discarded, and shoves it into your hands. “Don’t make a sound, and hang onto that.”

She pushes you into a cramped cupboard, and you protest. “Stay here and if you hear anything, don’t scream, don’t cry, don’t make a sound. Got it?”

You blink in shock, “Why..?”

She deeply inhales, “Your father borrowed money from people, bad people. So now they want to hurt him. And they don’t care who. So hide.”

That shuts you up. You nod, and your mother sighs, “Good. And don’t come out till you hear absolutely nothing.” She pauses, and the door breaks. “I love you.” She closes the door, and leaves you in darkness.

You hear screaming, and gunshots. It makes you jump, and you close your eyes shut. You dare to crack the door, just a bit.

What you see makes you wish you had obeyed. Your blood runs cold. Your dad lies dead, bleeding from his head, eyes lifeless but wide open.

Your mom was a gun pressed against her head.

“Where’s the money!” The man, at least you think is on, barks.

“U-under the mattress!” Your mom manages to say.

Which she would be right. If not for the fact that while you were packing up, you had grabbed it and put it in your pockets. You stiffen. If your mom died, her blood would be on you.

One of the men stormed into your shared room. A bunch of noises of things getting tossed around, and he returned, shaking his head. “Nuthin.”

The man cocks the gun. “Last chance.”

“I don’t know!” She cries. The gun goes off. And your mom falls over in a pool of her own blood.

You almost cried out and got out of the darn cupboard. But you remember her words.

You wanted to go out there and kill them. But now is not the time. You grip the stuffie, practically strangling it.

You wake up in a cold sweat. You blink. Oh right. You are not eight anymore. You are seventeen, had some kills under your belt, and was living in a shoddy abandoned shed on the top of a rooftop.

You rub your eyes, thinking about how somehow, your eight year old self had stuffed everything they could into a backpack, opened the window and never looked back.

You even still had that darn stuffie. It was a miracle you had lived this long. No thanks to heroes.

Today was a new day of stealing, maybe killing if anyone got in your way. Granted, you had already gotten your revenge by slitting their throats with a knife, after a long three years of stalking.

And you did feel guilty for indirectly being the reason your mother died. And maybe the authorities were on your tail. But you had outrun them. Maybe. Probably.

You sigh, surveying your scars on your arm. Caused by getting into knife fights with low rank scum.

You get off the floor and your sad excuse of a mattress, and start your day.

@candiiee 2024

Taglist:

@kimyoudraft hereee

@dokidokidraft heree

[0daylighthours0]

A Deep Dive into Milkvan and Byler's Development: If Milkvan Was Endgame All Along, Why Was it Written Like This???

SO. I've been rewatching st with my mother, who's never seen it before. And she was a fan of milkvan throughout seasons 1 and 2. Viewing those seasons again I could see why, they're cute. However, come season 3 and INSTANT distaste. And, listen, my mother is not the consciously shipping gal. She simply routes for main character pairings as writers intend, doesn't read between the lines, doesn't nothing. And she does NOT know my own opinions on the pairing. In other words, completely unbiased, uninternet drama influenced eyes. We've now reached season 3 and, after getting through a chunk of it, I asked her,

"so what do you think of Mike and El?"

and she expressed to me that they seem to be, quote:

"not very good together."

She said El's character doesn't suit the way she's acting now (in the first few episodes, concerning Mike), that Mike is more likeable and interesting when he's away from her. She doesn't like the way they ditched the party, and when it comes to their 'making out' the scenes are seen by her from Hopper's perspective (in other words, distasteful). She claimed that they'd be much better characters as friends.

And ya know what, she's right. And I mean like - duh, that's what we've been saying all this time, I'm not stating anything new here. But guys, wouldn't it be strange if the central couple of the show, pivotal that it is liked by audiences and is rooted for by them as they are THE pair, would be so dislikable like this? So uninteresting, so cliche.

I mean, okay, let's do a little mental experiment I like to do to test if I'm not just acting delulu. Let's play a game. In this game, milkvan ARE meant to be endgame. They are in love, they were all along, and they're here to draw in viewers and appease all El stans. Now, seasons 1 and 2 their relationship is honestly fine. Surface level, yeah, people will watch and appreciate them. They perfectly blend in with all the other neat pairings of the seasons, and have their own unique character traits to stand out as a main couple.

Just pretending our mate Will doesn't exist, we now get into season 3. Now, writers have nothing to lose here. If you've finished season 2, you probably like milkvan already. The issue is that they're already together now, so what's the conflict going to be? The arc? And every central couple needs that conflict to stay juicy.

Just take a look:

Jancy: quarrels, struggle to understand one another

Jopper: not yet together, one sided? will they won't they

Lumax: ...

Lumax? Lumax. Huh, guess they were simply together. Some loveable bickering, maintained a friendly dynamic while clearly in closer proximity. Well then, writers can do the same for milkvan right? Well, yes easily. But one might argue that since they are supposed to be THE pairing they need more going on between them than that. So what'll it be? Well, it seems that writers thought,

"hey, why not break them up?"

ok so.. that's a bit risky. I mean you want people to like this ship, if you break them up then that threats: 1. there being a disliking to one or both characters, 2. coming off generic if done incorrectly, 3. the break up might make no sense considering how in love they came off as just a season ago. But hey.. it could work, if done right. Some kind of misunderstanding, similar to Jancy. Maybe an argument leading to a sudden parting. I mean, yeah, Yeah! I can see that. Perhaps Mike is being too overprotective whilst El's trying to sacrifice herself for something, so she NEEDS to separate herself from him attempting to hurt him less. Or, I dunno, something akin. What's crucial is that us, AS THE AUDIENCE, still know them to be deeply in love. I mean, we have to still want them to be together. And we've seen couple trouble before. Just take a look at Lumax season 4 - did you or did you not want the best for both of them as a pair? You most likely did. See, it's doable. So did people like milkvan season 3 the same way, even after a separation plot? No.

Okay well, there are obviously those who'll always love milkvan no matter but, see, season 3 tainted it. "We need to write them like this cause it's more realistic to teenager behavior" my ars. You can make it messy without making it icky. Not only did it sour their unique dynamic, it flabbergastingly stomped on Mike as a character.

Honestly, I feel Mike has always been a mild struggle to write. Season 1 his motivations were 'find Will' (who still doesn't exist in our mind game yet shh) and 'protect El'. This worked well for him. Afterwards though, El and Will became more separate plots to him. But as a main character it remained integral that he be closely linked to them somehow. This sets him apart from Lucas and Dustin, who can easily be given any arc any season as their plots have the flexibility of a side quest nature. Since what Mike does is meant to matter more - with there probably being a better way of phrasing that but you know what I mean - it's harder knowing what he'll do when El and Will (who we'll GET to sh.) are their own separate people. And Mike is just a boy, he doesn't have super powers and he isn't a cop, which leaves there even less for him to do which is of significance. Season 2 writers decided upon having him support Will's arc, making himself of enough relevance by being able to take credit for some Will development in the story, and the plots that surrounded that, and then Mike was thrown a little bone by being the one to come up with the idea of burning those vines in the finale.

Truthfully, you don't really remember Mike's deeds much when reminiscing the series. It isn't like Dustin who's bond with Dart sticks to everyone, or Nancy and Jonathan responsible for kicking out Hawkins Lab. This is due to them, again, being able to traverse all sorts of adventures without limits. But my guy Mike can't do dat. Sadly, this kind of leads to him coming of as a little.. well... insignificant. And I know I know, the Mike truthers are gonna come at my throat. And hey! I love him too. I only want the best for my boy.

This makes season 3 a unique case cause it seems that, for the plot they decided they wanted, writers actually had to almost entirely change his character. I mean mate s2 Mike and s3 Mike are two different peoples, don't even. And I don't believe that the Duffers had their story and character turnouts completely drawn out from the very start at all. If I was to guess, I'd assume they have vague ideas of little plots they plan to include in future, but there is definitely a lot that has come unpredicted or changed throughout st's runtime. And one of those phenomenons are Michael Wheeler. So they decided to make this guy a di-

So they decided to make him more douchy, more movie typical teenage guy. It's not as if he wholly sucked, he didn't, but he didn't really do much. Whined about his girlfriend, separated the party. I mean what even was his arc? (UnLESS–)

You see, if milkvan is written to be loved, then season 3 was strike one. All of its charm was stripped away. It seems they had some cute scenes after their reconciliation, but it's not enough. It's just sort of

"oh, ok, so they're happy with eachother now. yayy."

and Stranger Things should want to be anything but boring. Sure they often enjoy indulging in tropes, but they always do something different with them. Something standoutish. And from this point on milkvan just got dull. Either writers ran out of ideas or lost interest, honestly (still with our mind game of telling ourselves they're meant to be).

But it's okay. Look, so season 3 was a bit rocky, maybe lost a couple of fans for the guys, but it is salvageable. Easily, easily. Looks like we want a plot of Mike struggling to tell El he loves her. Great! Much to work with.

So let's get into it. Season 4! Choices were... made. And, okay, now we can't go any further without bringing in our boy Will.

Mike is intrinsically tied to Will and El and has been from the start. Maybe Will was more of an accident. Maybe s1 Will was just a plot device for Mike, then s2 Will was a plot device again and Mike needed to be there as the main boy character. Come season 3 and it seems their relationship still matters. Will was sidelined - hard - so most of Mike's moments revolved around El. But as his bond with Mike is the only that's been properly built up, that's the only friend we'll get him interacting with in a way that matters. So the Mike and Will tie continues!

But that does not have to be the case for season 4. Now the writers have a chance.

They made Will gay.

Ok so.. ok so yeah that's fine. Yeah! I mean they didn't have to do that, might put them in hot water with the bylers since milkvan is their golden beauty but.. you know what no no that's okay. He's been hinted at being queer since episode 1, why not make it canon! Cool that works. Explore that, especially since we now have Vecna who can easily target Will for this. Give him a boyfriend! Or a guy crush. He's at a new school now? That's cool. Maybe we can explore some new male character Will's taken interest in. Hey maybe he meets someone who interests him which rises to surface his whole sexuality plot and-

he's in love with Mike.

Ok. No. No. What are you doing? What do you mean?? You didn't have to do that. Strike- strike EFING TWO mates! Strike. 👏 efing. 👏 2!

This was part 1. I am tired and gots to get my ars in bed. But ohohoh, do not worry. I am just getting started.

[kristinhateslife]

Okay so last night I was having an "art style panic"? I guess you could call it that? But I was feeling really bad, so i started drawing other peoples art styles and picking points and peaces out of it!

I did this last night when I was really tired and i used a pen so the drawings may not be how i usually do my drawings haha

Ok so first up we have @emjoyzhos-ej !! I recently just found your account but you have a very cool style!!

•Your skull shape is very unique, very rectangle

•your lines are very sketchy (most people I follow have this trait in their art..)

•when you color it looks like you mayy have rook inspiration from itsxroxannex? Idk i wrote that down, maybe it's not true but I guess i thought that last night

But I love your style! Your art is so cool and I had fun trying to replicate it!

Next we have @milkybnnuy ! Omg so I really like you!! Your art is sooo good

•You draw a lot of fell, so i made the drawing of killer like how you made that one fell killer drawing

•when you color you have a very paintly-style and that's cool!!

•your skull shape reminds me of an egg (i guess thats why i said "egg head" last night)

Up in the top I wrote "I did not replicate your art properly enough," and that's true! Your art is so unique and different from what i usually drew so i had a hard time replicating it! But nonetheless, i had a fun time trying and hope you ain't disappointed lol

Btw- I really like the way you draw your fuzz on hoods!! So satisfying to look at!

And now we go onto @voidzphere !

I've followed you for a while, and you're cool to be around and I like when you post! Though i had a hard time finding the art hidden around, I still was able to replicate it (luckily i chose to draw killer for this haha)

•so I see that you usually draw/post doodles, unless i just didn't scroll down far enough haha (plz tell me if you have drawn something big i wanna see)

•I noticed you have more pointy and thicker lines

•you have a certain way you draw your Skulls, I can't really put a shape or object here to describe it

Even though I couldn't find more drawings, I still tried! I hope you like it, friend, cause u cool

Here is @cherrio-krispz ! I just started following you last night, like seriously I had to search you up just now to figure out who you were cuz I forgot, but when i saw your art I immediately recognized you

•you have a very recognizable style!

•again, i did not replicate well.

•very painty-like when color

•sketchy lines, seems like you don't do line art?

•I like ur skulls, they look like skulls

OMG I'VE BEEN WAITING TO TALK ABOUT YOU. YOU. YOUUU. @somegrumpynerd OMG YOUUUUUU. I REALLY LIKE YOUR ARTTT.

•I LIKE IT

•very cartoonish

• noticable art style

•thick lineart

I LOVE seeing posts when they come out!!! They're really really cool and make me feel so happy when I see them! Keep going because you're so cool!

@spookeri haiiii

You're here tooo

i like ur art :)))))) a LOT . Same as the last guy, I get very excited when you post. Your DTIYS were fun, and yeye... Yeah

•Very flat colors

•flat lines

•cool looking skulls

•you have an "air-brush" shading style (i guess you could call it), which isn't a bad thing! Do what you want to do! But maybe try out cell-shading? Idk you don't have to, but idk i feel like cell-shading fits your art style

Also if you look in the bottom you can see a scratched out drawing, that was my first attempt haha

You can see it in the drawing below

@wyllaztopia !! I like your art :)) you have a very noticeable style and when you post I get excited as well!

•clean lines

•you make skulls longer than how other people make their skulls in this last

•I liked replicating it

Idk what else to say ... Its just all really cool!!

And last but not the worst

My art style!

My art style is

•cool

•easy to draw

•and funny lookin'

What did i learn from this whole thing i did? That everyone has a unique style, that even if they try to change it it still stays theirs and it's still unique

I also found out that everyone, small artists and big artists, has flaws! It's comforting to know that everyone has flaws so I know I'm just learning and getting better everyday

Another thing I got from this is that everyone's styles are always changing and warping. But thats fine! Because everyone's moving and changing, and the worlds always moving and changing!

So, don't be so hard on yourself if you're struggling to draw or find an art style, how you draw is unique to you and you'll like it one day

Just keep drawing everyday and you'll get there.

I suggest doing this challenge, on paper or digital, wether you color it or not, or post ot or not!

It's great to try out.

[vulpixisananimal]

<You jolt awake. Stars, you thought you'd survive that. It was just one story up, and sure, it was a little glass, but->

(Do you mind?!?!?)

<You roll your eye. No, but Odile did. Ha. Come on, Siffrin. Odile wasn't acting like herself. She was a dangerous enemy- we had to escape.>

(Stars, come on! You had to at least try and see what was going on, right?!?)

<Stop being stupid. Odile knows how to stop us Looping.>

(. . . I-)

<I'm right.>

(Shut up.)

<You sigh and sit up from the Favor Tree. Back here again, strange- oh stars, You hold your head for a moment. Headache, and sick. Your stomach churns, head pounding.>

(Craft exhaustion- stars, this is why, I wanted to-)

<We'll get over it. Just- just, breathe. . .>

(You breathe in, and out.)

(. . . Ack, stars. Why WERE we waking up here again? Wasn't it because of sleep that we make a checkpoint?)

<Perhaps whatever strange logic the Universe has at work counts our little meeting as a sleep. Which doesn't make sense, because->

(Yes I know we weren't asleep. I'm not stupid.)

<Could have fooled me.>

(You grunt, and shake your head. You start walking down to the homestead, seeing Ramos and Mirabelle walking up to meet you.)

(Mira waves to you.) "S-siffrin!! Oh thank Change, are you okay???"

(You laugh half-heartedly.) "Yeah, just a bit dizzy, it's the stage."

"It's. . O-oh!" (Mira perks up a bit at that.) "Oh then! T-then I guess we've, told you everything already?"

"Yup." (You nod.) "I'll try and make this quick. . ."

>>>

(You quietly open up the back door to the Homestead, which lead straight to the kitchen. Mirabelle and Ramos followed behind you, ready for anything. With Isabeau waiting for you up front, and Odile possibly going after you upstairs, getting in the back would be the best idea.)

<Or you could break in a window again.>

(After what you did?!? Not a chance.)

"Hey, wasn't Bonnie cooking here this morning?" (Asks Ramos.)

"O-oh, yes! They were getting along with Jan." (She tried not to bite her nails.) "W-we should, check on them! Make sure they're ok!!"

"Good idea." (You nod, continuing through the kitchen. Nothing too strange, so you continue-)

"I thought the kiddo usually cleans up after themself." (Ramos says, you look back, they're looking at some half finished dishes.)

". . . They do." (You squint. That's not like Bonnie. If they didn't clean up, they'd make sure someone else did.) "Let's hurry."

(You get to the doorway to the common area and stop. You hear some voices.)

"Get him upstairs, we can figure it out there."

(Huh? Oh wait you knew that voice. You pause for a second.)

"I, I don't, why should I trust you?!? I'm fine! I-"

(You didn't recognize that voice. You hear a craft spell of something. You feel Mira lean in a bit close to listen in. She asks,) "What is it?"

"People I met last loop. One of them gets effected." (You listen in again.)

"He'll stay asleep for a bit. I'll take him upstairs."

"I'll make sure everythings safe. Just be quick."

(You hear them walk off. You sigh.) "Stars, maybe talking to Polaris coulda helped but. . ."

"Maybe. . ." (Ramos starts.) ". . . Well, maybe next time I could do something about it? If we're quick to get here?"

(You nod.) "Right, next time. C'mon, lets find Bonbon."

<You're really worried about the Kid, aren't you.>

(You frown as you step out into the common area. Of course you are! You care about Bonnie, and you have to make sure they're okay!!)

<The time could be better spent looking for the star. Then the Kid could be safe.>

(You ignore him. You start looking for anything out of the ordinary. There's a few random dishes left out, Jan wasn't around, those three travelers went upstairs, Isabeau was waiting outside. . . Hmm.)

(Looking up to your friend and ally, Mirabelle looked distracted, probably worried about the rest of your family. Ramos was staring at that sign in your language.)

"It's just a cheesy proverb," (You call over, going back to looking around.)

"Wait, really?" (Ramos turns to you, hand on hip.)

"Really."

"Why."

(You shrug.) "Not every island thing is some omen- Oh, yeah that reminds me, Mira?"

"O-oh?" (Mira looks over to you.)

"Did I ever mention that I found a book in my language in the Dormont library?"

"Oh really??? What was it about?? Was it helpful or anything???" (Her eyes brightened- genuine interest! Yes!!)

"I mean, I got the title," (You stick your tongue out.) "The Cursing of Château Castle, volume 2."

". . . Pfft-" (That makes her giggle.) "Of all the things to be found there!"

"I know right?!?" (You shake your head.) "H-haha, I was so excited, too. Finally able to read it, and lo and behold. . ."

"Hehe, It was just a book from my favorite series!"

"Exactly." (You finish looking around and walk over to her.) "Well, nothing here. Upstairs next?"

(Ramos and Mira nod in agreement. The three of you get back in formation as you lead them upstairs. You make sure to step quietly, listening as you go, not wanting to be caught off guard.)

(You hear some talking, a door opening, then closing. You take a few more steps, and peek over the top of the staircase. There's no one in the hall.)

<What is your goal, Siffrin.>

(To find Bonbon, like I said!)

<Ugh, fine. If you're looking for the kid, why would they be here? Where should you go?>

(The room they were staying in? That's where you think, anyway. You walk through the hall, hand on your dagger, Ramos and Mira right behind you.)

". . . Which room was Bonnies again?"

"O-oh uh, that one, on the left." (Mira replies, pointing to a door further down the hall. You head over to it. Nothing out of the ordinary yet. You put an ear to the door.)

(You could see Mirabelle get more and more fidgety with each second. You wait, still. . . . No, you couldn't hear anyone on the other side. You try the door, locked.)

"Stars."

"I could break it down, probably." (Ramos suggests.)

(You shake your head.) "Too much noise."

"Uhm, what about the outside window?" (Mira asks.)

(You make a face.) "Yeah, that could work. Again."

"Why didn't you go in a window this time?" (Ramos asks.)

(Your face was all the response they needed.)

<It wasn't that bad.>

". . . W-well. . . Where, where else can we check?" (Asks Mira, finger to her chin.)

"I'm. . . Hmm. . ." (You tap your foot.) ". . . Your room, Jans, double check my own room."

"Lets check yours- out of Odile's way, hopefully, and maybe Isa did something." (Ramos suggests. You nod.)

<Your rooms one door down. Right side. You have a key for it in your pocket.>

(How did- Oh, it was YOU who was in charge this morning then?)

<It was. What of it.>

(Unpack that another day. You get to your room, listen at the door for a moment, then unlock it. The three of your slip inside and you lock the door behind you.)

"One bed?!?" (You hear Mirabelle exclaim. Uhoh.)

"Stars, you two really are like a bonded couple." (Ramos jokes, giving you a look.)

"S-shut up! I thought it was going to be two beds!!"

"Suuuuuure." (Ramos rolls their eyes.)

(You tug up the collar of your cloak. Stupid. Dumb. At least they wont remember this. You go over to your pack to check if everything's in order, only to find it isn't.)

"Oh blind it all!" (Your pack had been completely upturned, belongings spread out across the floor. Stars, what on earth was this?!? Null, did you forget to lock up once you woke up?!?)

<No. I made sure to lock the door.>

(Great. Mira came to your side with a sour look.) "Was, anything stolen?"

(You crouch down, sorting through your things.) "No, it doesn't look like it, but. . ."

(Among the items was a lot of scrap paper. You had been noting things down on them. A lot of things. Before you realized your amnesia was partially caused by freeloaders in your head, you had made notes to yourself. A lot of those notes you didn't remember. Each of those notes were laid out neatly, like someone was looking through them.)

"Someone tried getting in here." (Ramos comments, you look over, they were inspecting the window.)

<That window's stuck.>

"But isn't that window stuck?" (You echo.)

"Yep, but. . . Here, here and here, signs of an attempted forced entry. Probably gave up 'cause it would make too much noise."

<Very, very concerning. There is a good chance that was last night.>

(Yeah yeah.) "Who was trying to get in then?"

(Ramos shrugged.) "I dunno. Someone who could scale up to a second story window?"

"But whoever it was, that might be who we're looking for!!" (Mira says, almost excited.) "Oh this is like a murder mystery!!"

"But without the murder." (You hope.) "Stars, what a mess. . ."

"Don't think there's anything else here." (Ramos comments.) "Where to next?"

"I'm not sure. It was around now that Odile showed up last time." (You sit down on your bed.) "She was upstairs, and I opened the door and. . ."

<Quiet down, then.>

(You hold up a hand, and a finger to your lips, and listened.)

(. . . There were a few footsteps outside, from down the hall. There were a few voices, possibly the other traveling group. No-one coming upstairs. . . You hear some light footsteps run past your door, followed by a slower, heavier pair.)

<Going downstairs. Light footsteps are possibly Wren. Possibly Bonnie. Check that out next Loop. Heavier footsteps are either Odile or Vixul. Most likely Odile and Bonnie then, right?>

(Then you should go check on them! Make sure they're alright!)

<No. If Odile is being effected by Mind Craft, which I think she is, then Bonnie is too.>

(You frown. Stars, you hate that he's right. You wait a few moments more before saying in a low whisper.) "That might have been Odile going downstairs."

"R-right." (Mira nods.) "What, w-what's next then, Siffrin?"

"Don't know." (You shrug.) "This was where I died last time."

(You see Mirabelle wince at that. Oh, right, she's still not used to you dying. Eh, it was fine. You think for a moment, where to go next. . .)

"Uh. . ." (Ramos spoke up.) "I, know you can't exactly take a note thought the loops, but, maybe going through daily events could help? Where everyone is and such?"

"Right. . ." (You tap your foot. Where would you even start with that?) "Next loop, though."

"A-alright." (Ramos replies. They look out the window to the rain.)

(There's an awkward silence, and you're not sure what to do right now. Sneak to one of the other rooms? You weren't sure if Odile was still out there waiting for you. You were really sure she was downstairs now, but you didn't know.)

<There is still a lot to think about, Siffrin. For one, why did, assumedly Isabeau, look through your things?>

(Because he's being mind controlled?)

<No, stupid. Think deeper. Why would he be commanded to do that.>

(Why would he- right. Someone is in control, after all. Was it who talked to Ramos and gave them that star? They did seem like prime suspects, and they were interested in their guardian who was from the Island. Were they looking for more about the Island?)

<Good. You're on track. What about people we know are here.>

(Well. . . Jan? Maybe? No that just doesn't seem right-)

<"Doesn't seem right" isn't a good reason.>

(Alright, what about Vixul and her group? Sure, they seemed just as confused about this as you were, but she was a researcher. It would be up her ally.)

<Getting better, keep going.>

(What about that mystery couple who left this morning? We don't know much- well, anything about them.)

<Then that's who you should look into, right?>

(But they left long before any of this Mind Craft started! Who knows if-)

"Crabbing Stars-!"

(The strange mix of curses snaps you back to reality. You turn to Ramos, whos face was pressed against the glass, looking, concerned.)

"W-what's wrong???" (Mira asks, standing up. You stand too, going to the window. Ramos moves to let you look.)

"It's that sadness again." (Says Ramos. As you look out. . . Stars, it was. It was barreling towards the homestead. Looking as mean as last time! Come ON!  Why did this have to happen NOW!!)

"O-oh, oh no-" (Mira grabbed her sword, moving to the door.)

"Mirabelle wait, just a second." (You start.) "If, if we just rush out there, then we could be stuck between, u-uhm-"

(You stop talking at the look Mirabelle gives you. R-right. You, you couldn't just, leave a sadness to run rampant, even if you were looping.)

"N-nevermind."

(You hear a crash from downstairs, and a scream. The three of you race to save the day.)

[rogueddie]

Now and Forever M | non-sexual d/s | 913 words Prompt for @steddielovemonth: Love is letting someone take care of you

Steve has never had any problems with the kids before. It's always been easy for him to keep up with them and, though he'd never admit it, he likes how they tend to keep him on his toes.

He never knows, when they come calling for a ride, if it's a day where they'll try to drag him into their nerd games or if they'll be seperating so much that he has to literally run after them, just to drag them back to the others.

He loves the kids. He knows the kids love him too.

It only makes it harder to say no to them.

"But you have to take us!" Dustin whines. "Nancys got some important college thing that she's doing with Jonathan and Eddie isn't answering his phone!"

"Uh," Steve winces, glancing to the side, where Eddie is lounging on his sofa.

He's already watching Steve and, when their eyes lock, he frowns. He starts to get up

"Sorry kid, but I can't," Steve insists, turning away to focus on the call. "Not today."

"We won't run away! We'll be on our best behavior! We promise- right guys?"

The others agreements are muffled, but loud enough that Steve is sure that Dustin is holding the phone up at them.

"Dustin, I can't. Really, I wish I could, but-"

"Here," Eddie mumbles, gently taking the phone from him. "Go lay back down, ok? I got this."

"You don't have to do that, I can-"

"I know you can," Eddie cuts through him, brushing his fingers across his cheek, smiling softly. "I've got it though. Lay down, drink your tea. Dustin will survive without you for one day."

Steve reluctantly goes back to the sofa, flopping down on it. He snorts at how Eddies soft and sweet tone immediately drops as soon as he starts talking to Dustin.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll call," Eddie finally says, after a lot of back and forth. "Goodbye!"

"They finally listen?"

"Not really, but they won't call again today."

Eddie walks to the end of the sofa, raising an eyebrow at how Steve tilts his head back so he can see him.

"What?"

"How long has it been since we were last able to just... play?" Eddie asks, gently taking Steves face in both of his hands.

"Oh- you mean like-" Steve perks up, trying to sit up.

Eddie chuckles, gently pushing him back down with a hand on his chest. "Not like that, not today. Or, not exactly."

"It's not that bad," Steve lies. "Really, I'm ok. We can-"

"No."

Steve pouts, crossing his arms.

It only makes Eddie laugh at him. "Come on, ease up on the theatrics, that's my job. I just mean... I still want to take care of you, but as a- a friend."

"I can take care of myself."

"I know. But you don't have to do it all by yourself. I want to take care of you."

"Why?"

"Well, it's- I mean, we're... friends," Eddie stutters, flushing. "And friends take care of each other. Robin cares about you, right? That- I care about you too. As friends, or- or, uh..."

"Or?" Steve teases, smirking.

"As something more," Eddie huffs, rolling his eyes despite how much he's blushing. "And, yeah, I know, laugh it up."

"Laugh it up?"

"You know you're easy to love, Steve, come on."

"And... you love me?"

"Well, yeah, of course."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"You can take care of me or... whatever else. As something more."

"Yeah?" Eddie breathes, lightly scratches at his scalp, grinning at the way it makes Steve melt. "Good. How's your pain now? Still sharp?"

"A little, yeah. Tea helped."

"How do you wanna do this? Laying or on your knees?"

"Laying."

Eddie stands, grabbing the blanket Steve keeps under the coffee table. Once he's sat, he puts a pillow on his lap and pats on it encouragingly.

Steve lays on his front, head turned to the side, wiggling until he's comfortable.

He flinches when Eddie throws the blanket over his head and upper back. He rubs Steve's arm for a moment, mumbling quiet reassurances.

"Hands, Stevie," Eddie reminds him, whispering.

He moves his hands so they're behind his back. Eddie takes hold of his wrists in one hand, his grip gentle at first, giving him a reassuring little squeeze before shifting his grip.

He tries to tug his hands free on instinct, though he doesn't try too hard. He doesn't really want to escape and they already know that Eddie wouldn't be able to hold him if he did.

"Shhh, you're ok," Eddie whispers.

It takes less than a moment for him to settle, to relax.

It's always been easy with Eddie, to let himself slip away into that peaceful place where he can finally and truly relax. He's always trusted Eddie to take care of him, even when he's fought him on it.

He thinks, distantly, that it probably should feel different. They've said the quiet part out loud.

But it's the same as it always is. Only that, this time, he doesn't shy away from how loving it feels- to be cared for, to let Eddie care for him.

With his head floating far above his body, it's easy to say the words he was scared to say just a few moments ago.

"I love you too, Eds."

He can only hope that his voice isn't slurring so heavy that Eddie misunderstands him, with how relaxed and spaced out he is.

[jade-len]

bad svsss fanfic/au idea, pt. 2: random svsss anti-fan (or hater) transmigrates into svsss after tweeting "stupid author, stupid novels" and proceeds to solve 90% of the novel's conflicts out of pure spite by pretending to be a seer.

"luo binghe will not kill you, shen qingqiu. just trust me when i say that."

"please listen to me when i say this, luo binghe. focus on yourself for a bit. learn to love yourself too. yes i know you're hopelessly in love but you shouldn't just rely on his affection to hold up your emotional wellbeing, okay??"

"oh yeah no. the huan hua palace's sect leader is a pervert who preyed on su xiyan, which led to a bunch of conflict and misunderstanding and now he's kinda gotten away with it." *proceeds to explain the whole lore of it* "see you later, yue qingyuan!"

"zhuzhi-lang, i have very important advice, okay. just because you love someone and believe something is best for them, you should not force them to do it. by the way, can i see your uncle real quick?"

"yeah. uhm. it was all old palace master's fault. go fuck him up, tianlang-jun. just don't kill anyone else in the process. also uh, read better romance novels please."

"gongyi xiao, if immortal master shen qingqiu and shang qinghua ever ask you to look around for some special mushrooms, run right after you help them navigate huan hua palace. like leave the damn place. you will meet your fate if you stay here. ok cool bye."

"mu qingfang please introduce this thing called 'therapy' and 'counseling'. i promise you it will reduce qi deviations by 50%."

"mobei-jun... don't. don't beat shang qinghua up. look i know it's demon culture but maybe try to also learn some human courtesy too?"

"liu qingge. one day you will find someone who will have the same amount of devotion for you as you will for them. and you are an amazing person for it ok."

at some point they probably explain to sqq and sqh that they've transmigrated into a story that's about sqq transmigrating into PIDW, which is also a story.

there can be three routes to this:

1. there is no hurt. binghe's heartbreak points doesn't even exist. everyone is cool and there are no deaths. also tianlang-jun tortures and kill OPM, so there's that. maybe some romance or whatevs happens but it's all good.

2. while they stopped 90% of the original conflict, they proceed to accidentally create some more by simply being there. the system declares that they're the "new main character" for the audience, just like how sqq is with svsss. now, new and different plot points start happening to them instead of shen qingqiu! how will they use their knowledge now, with things they can't predict?

2. mid-way, they accidentally put a huge target on their back. unintentionally, they're going against the system's wishes and the whole point of the novel: uncover the hidden plot of PIDW. they're like a virus, a bug, something that isn't supposed to be there, but is. they don't have a system, they exist beyond that; so they can't just be sent back. they're accidentally ruining the story of svsss by not having any of the conflicts mxtx created to occur, and thus must be stopped before they completely flip everything over.

the new mission given by the system for sqq and sqh? [URGENT: stomp the bug, no matter what!]

[leeknow-thoughts]

୨୧ BRUTAL

𝝑𝝔 son of Eros!Changbin x mortal!fem!reader

𝝑𝝔 cw : unserious!reader (she is .... interesting for sure!), crude humor, Changbin is a sweetheart :c, fluffy smut, mild angst, Switch(mostly sub)!Changbin, Switch(mostly Dom)!reader, LOTS OF KISSING, mutual masterbation, clit play, no p in v, tit sucking, mommy kink !??!, love spells!!!, lmk if I missed anything!

𝝑𝝔 hyung line m.list | maknae line m.list

Something was off, you didn't know how to describe it.

You sat up in your bed, looking around for a moment. That's when you spot a man in the corner of your dark room and you scream.

You grab the knife you kept in your nightstand, "who are you!?" you scream at him.

"Shhh!" the man tries to hush you.

"Why are you telling me to shh, you broke into my home!" you exclaim.

"Listen, I'm here on business," he starts before you interrupt him.

"What business do you have being in my house? Is the C.I.A trying to take me out because of my theory on the money smuggling because if so I deeply regret questioning my government and I swear I'm a good brainwashed citizen!" you yelp.

"C.I.A? Government? Brainwashing? I swear to Zeus, you mortals get more crazy by the minute!" the man exclaims, "but no, luckily for you, I am not from the government, well not your government."

"So like the United Nations!? That's even fucking worse! I swear I'm a good law abiding citizen who never questions the old hags that we call politicians!"

The man stares at you with a look of mixed shock and terror on his face, "the godly government," he explains.

"That's somehow even worse?! I don't even believe in God! Wait which religion is right? I swear to God, if it's Scientology I'll find the nearest cliff and jump off, I swear you will not take me alive Mr.Secret Scientology Agent Man Thing."

The man's mouth is agape and you can tell he's trying to put the pieces together, "What's Scientology?" he questions.

"They believe in aliens and shit, but they're lowkey a cult, and they're trying to reach Nirvana or whatever, trying to get their brainwaves to vibrate at the same frequency as an alien's or some stupid shit like that," you explain.

"Ok, well aliens aren't real," Changbin starts before you interrupt him.

"Ok science denier, you're telling me you're a- whatever you are- and aliens aren't real. Maybe you're in a cult. What frequency do your brainwaves vibrate at?"

"I'm not in a cult, I'm one of the sons of Eros," he explains.

You burst out into a fit of laughter while the man slaps himself on his forehead, "okay buddy, time to put you back in whatever insane asylum you escaped from," you say as you sit up.

The man turns around and you see the wings poking out from his back. "Maybe evolution did hit the ancient Greeks, you're like Icarus but like evolved and not as crispy and fried as I'd imagine him being," you figure as you admire the man's wings.

"Why are you bringing up Icarus?"

"Well he had wings," you remind him.

"Yeah and you're about to fly too close to the sun," he sighs, "I was assigned to your case. I'm going to help you find your soulmate."

"Ok sure you are buddy," you chuckle.

"Can you at least put down the knife, I feel like you're gonna stab me," he requests.

You sigh and put the knife back in your nightstand. "So how does this whole thing work?" you ask the man.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions, and I'll find a list of potential soulmates for you," he explains.

"So you're like the match maker from Mulan?"

"I'll make sure to look for someone who appreciates your fantastic sense of humor," he retorts sarcastically.

"Boo, you're no fun! Live a little!" you exclaim and sit criss crossed on your bed.

The man pulls up a chair and pulls out a clip board and a pen. "Male or female?" he asks.

"I'm a woman," you say it like it's obvious.

"I mean for a partner, do you want a man or a woman?"

"Either," you shrug.

He scribbles that down in your chart. "What's your name by the way, you know like everything about me and all I know is that you're a Scientologist and mentally impaired and a bird or whatever."

"Changbin," he says while rolling his eyes, "do you have a height preference?"

"Nope," you pop the p.

"Weight preference?"

"Another no."

"Age preference?"

"What do you mean by that because I am not-"

"-I'm going to stop you right there," he glares at you, "you need to take this seriously."

"I am being serious!? I'm not a-"

"Ok! I get it, I'll j-just mark down older."

"Make sure it's not like super old though."

He looks up at you, "excuse me?"

"Like a person who is like- older than my grandma. Unless they're like absolutely loaded."

He rolls his eyes and moves on, "do you have a preference regarding lifestyle?"

"Yeah, I don't want them to be a politician or a Scientologist or mentally insane."

"Ok," he scribbles on the paper, "done, I need you to sign here."

He passes the clipboard to you and hands you the pen.

"Why?" you question.

"Because this is a legally binding contract," he says it like it's obvious.

"So like in Cat in the Hat where two underage kids sign their life away to a six foot tall man in a fur suit? Am I signing my life away?"

"Just sign the fucking paper," he requests.

You sign the paper and hand it back to the winged man.

He flips through more pages in the clipboard before his face falls. "What is it? Don't tell me my soulmate is a politician!" you whine.

"It's worse," he hums, "you need to come to HQ with me."

"Wait so who is it? Is it like a serial killer? I didn't even think of that!"

"Will you shut up and take my hand," he offers his hand out to you.

You hesitantly take it. You're instantly transported to a place you've never seen before. An office building with pink walls and pink tainted glass that over looks above the clouds. Changbin pulls you with him to a desk.

"Eros, I need to speak with him," Changbin says to the person, who also has wings, that is working at the desk.

"I'll tell him you need to see him," the person says.

"Thanks," Changbin mutters.

Changbin lets go of your hand and begins pacing around the waiting room. "So like is it bad?"

"It is me," he mumbles.

"Huh?"

"Your soulmate, it's me."

Your mouth falls agape as you stare at he man. "What?" you question.

"Yeah, tell me about it," he grumbles as he continues his pacing.

"But you're like-" you pause.

"-a matchmaker. And you're a mortal."

"Eros will see you now," the woman at the reception desk announces.

Changbin pulls you by the wrist through the hallway and into a room. The room is large, huge floor to ceiling windows on two of the walls, a huge desk right in the center, and an extremely tall man with strawberry blonde hair sitting at the desk. Changbin lets go of your wrist when he makes eye contact with the man. "Changbin!" the man at the desk says, he stands up and walks over to where Changbin and you were standing, "it's so good to see you, son!"

You look up at the man towering over yourself and Changbin. Easily 8 feet tall with a pair of feathery wings on his back.

The man lifts up Changbin, pulling him into a tight hug. "Dad, it's good to see you too, but listen we have a situation," Changbin says sternly.

"A situation?" the man asks, putting Changbin back on the ground.

"This is Y/n Y/l/n," he introduces you.

"I know of her," he smiles.

He leans down to shake your hand, holding his out for you to take. You hesitate before you do, but you gently shake the tall man's hand, "you know me?" you ask the man.

"Well of course I do! I am a God after all!" he cheerfully booms, "you can just call me Eros!"

"Nice to meet you," you give the man a tight lipped smile.

He lets go of your hand and it falls to your side.

"Listen- Dad," Changbin interrupts, "I think that there was a mistake with y/n's soulmate generator."

"How so?" Eros questions.

"Well, it said that well-" he stammers.

"Does she have a soulmate?" Eros asks.

"Well yes b-but-" Changbin continues to stutter.

"-it's him, sir, Changbin is my soulmate," you explain.

"What?" the man gasps.

"Listen, I'm just as surprised as you are, I specifically said no politicians, Scientologists, or mentally insane people."

"He is, none of those things?" Eros states.

"Yeah well when you wake up in the middle of the night to someone standing in the corner of your bedroom talking about how they're from the 'godly government' and it reminds you of Scientology, and then he tells you he's the son of Eros so obviously you start thinking to yourself that this guy is either seeing something we can't or he's strung out on something, and then he makes you sign your life away like those kids did in the cat in the hat movie, then you can call me picky," you ramble.

Eros glances at Changbin then at you and then back to Changbin, "well were you the only option?"

"Yes," Changbin confirms.

"Well then it is destined to be, she did sign the contract," he points out.

"So wait? Did I sign my life away?" you ask.

"Well not your life," Eros begins before he cuts himself off.

"Dad," Changbin says, "what do we do?"

"I suppose we follow the rules," Eros figures, "you two are soulmates."

Changbin's jaw practically falls to the floor, "there is no way."

So now you find yourself at Changbin's house, well apartment, on Mt.Olympus. The apartment itself is more than just nice. It is beautiful. Floor to ceiling windows with a scenic view, a full kitchen with a separate wine closet, even a balcony overlooking the streets of Olympus which were full of nymphs and muses and Gods and Goddesses alike. Ornate furniture with gold accents, a chandelier that looked like it costed more than a yacht, and 4 luxurious bedrooms. "Make yourself at home," Changbin sighs as he takes off his coat.

"Woah, this is your house?" you exclaim as you ogle at the ornate house.

"Yeah," he blushes, "it's ours now I suppose," he runs a hand on the back of his neck.

"Oh my God, this is straight up like a fairytale," you say as you look through the kitchen.

"Are you hungry?" he asks, opening the fridge.

"Yeah, is there anything I can eat?"

"What do you mean anything you can eat?"

"Well like I don't think I can drink nectar, because I'm like a mortal or whatever," you chuckle as you look at his puzzled expression.

"Well technically you can drink it, but you would like probably pass out from what you mortals call 'alcohol poisoning'," he chuckles as he grabs a soda from the fridge.

"Wait do you have some?" you ask excitedly.

"I mean yeah but like, why?"

"Well I wanna try it!"

"No," he shuts down before you can continue.

"Please! Just once Changbin!" you beg.

"I said no," he says, more firmly this time.

"Ugh fine you're no fun," you cross your arms and take a seat on his kitchen island.

"What do you want for dinner?" he asks, changing the topic.

You hum while you think for a moment, "spaghetti," you decide.

"Okay," he agrees.

He begins pulling ingredients out of the fridge and pantry and you just sit there on the counter and watch as the man prepares dinner. "Soooooo," you speak as Changbin puts a pot of water on the stove, "what's it like being the son of Eros?"

"Well, I think it gives people the wrong impression of me sometimes," he reveals.

"How so?"

"Imagine that your father is known for orgies and sex, prayed to by mortals for him to grant them fertility and true love, doesn't always leave the best impression with people," he explains crossing his arms.

"Why not? Are you not like him?"

"Not at all," he mumbles softly, "I do this job because I like making people happy, to be honest I didn't know it was possible as a matchmaker to match with anyone," he explains, "especially a mortal, like yourself."

"Doesn't Zeus have lots of kids though? Is he matched with someone?" you ask.

"Don't even get me started on how many kids he has, y'know we have a whole department that keeps track of his children," he whispers the last part.

You stifle a laugh and get a good look at the man who is your soulmate. His sharp nose and round face paired with gentle eyes and buff arms have you feeling tingly inside and out. "Zeus does have a soulmate, or well he says she's his soulmate, Hera," he explains.

"Isn't that his sister?"

"I wish you mortals would stop spreading lies like that," Changbin sighs and rubs his eyes.

You giggle and swing your feet back and forth. "So wait, not all of you are like related?" you ask.

"No," he chuckles.

"So like how does the whole soulmates thing work?"

"Well, once you're matched, you're matched, you fall in love with the person, they fall in love with you, some couples get married, some don't," he explains.

"Can we get married? If we get married can we please get married by and Elvis impersonator in Vegas, ooh and I want a pink wedding dress!" you proclaim.

"Yeah, sure," he hums as he adds the noodles to the boiling water, "anything else you want for our wedding?"

"Hmm, maybe a chocolate fountain at the reception and for the reception to be held in a strip club," you half joke.

"That would make our wedding, interesting," he giggles, turning back to face you now.

"Well yeah, you only get married once! May as well enjoy it! Also honeymoon in Paris, or like somewhere in Europe!"

"Yeah," he smirks, "we can do all of that."

God, he looked good. Did he always look this good? Maybe you were too blind to it before, because fuck he was good looking.

"Really?" you ask enthusiastically.

"Really," he smiles softly.

"What about our wedding night?" you ask before you fully think through what you're saying.

"Our wedding night? Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?" he teases.

"Well- I-I j-just wanna k-know what you like? I mean I-" you stutter as you try to speak.

You freeze when Changbin moves over to where you sit and pulls you in for a kiss, stopping right before his lips touch yours, you feel your heart thumping in your chest and heat rising to your cheeks as you slowly relax into his gentle grasp.

"Kiss me-" you hoarsely whisper.

He licks his lips before he finally puts his lips on your own, his lips molding against yours in a tantalizing rhythm. You are the one to break away from the hypnotic kisses he is placing on your lips. "Changbin- why I feel so-" you mumble, searching his eyes for an answer for the certain wanting in the bottom of your stomach.

"The love spell, it- well- it makes you," he flushes.

"Horny?" you ask.

"Yeah," he laughs, "makes both parties-y-y'know horny."

"Holy shit," you giggle as you bring him back in for another kiss.

This kiss is passionate and rough, in perfect contrast with the way Changbin holds you close. His hands resting on your waist, gently rubbing feather-light touches on your sides, each one leaving you more breathless than the last. Your arms loop around the back of his neck, reveling in the comfort of his lips on yours.

It's not enough though, you need him inside you, you need him to fuck you. "Changbin-" you moan against his lips.

"Darling," he coos, "tell me what you want-you c-can have it-w-whatever you want."

"Bin- I-I," you whine.

"P-please ma'am wan-wanna be inside," he squeaks.

"Ma'am?" you smirk, pulling apart from the kiss to search Changbin's eyes.

"Ma'am, mommy, mistress, master, whatever you want- I-I d'care, just pl-please, wanna be inside," he searches your face for any apprehension.

"Changbin I-I, get on your knees," you whimper as you notice the way he looks at you.

His hair is messy, his eyes lust blown and lips plump from kissing. You watch the heavenly sight in front of you as Changbin sinks down to his knees in front of you. He gently holds your leg as he kisses your knee, "please," he speaks a confession, "wanna worship you."

His fingers trail up and down your clothed legs, and at this time you curse yourself for wearing plaid pajama pants instead of flimsy sleep shorts.

You quickly stand on two feet and begin walking away, scaring the man on the floor. "Y/n- w-we d'have to!" he yelps.

"Take me to the bedroom, please," you huff.

Changbin leaps onto his feet and shows you to the bedroom, his hand in yours. Like two horny teenagers left unsupervised for more than 30 seconds.

You found yourself making out with him on his soft bed, it was a little awkward with Changbin's wings on his back, but you couldn't seem to mind, especially not when his fingers are cupping your breasts under your shirt and his fingers are tweaking your nipples in his fingers. A soft tune is playing from what you presume is your phone, or it could be the record player in the corner of Changbin's room, but honestly you don't care when Changbin's head moves down your chest, kissing above your waistband. "Honey," he calls out to you.

"Y-yeah," you look at him.

"Wanna watch you get off," he requests, "wanna watch you, please."

You're stripping off your clothes before you can even think of what you're doing, throwing your clothes somewhere in Changbin's room. You watch as his mouth falls open as he stares at your tits. "Like what you see, honey?" you ask as you lay your head back on the pillows.

He nods and you watch the faint blush creep up onto his cheeks. "Wanna see you too, please, please Bin," you hum.

He follows after you, removing his clothes and you ogle at his body. Fuck, he was muscular, and your mouth started watering when you saw his cock.

"It's n-not," he begins before you are spitting in your hand and wrapping it around the base of his cock.

Not very long, but fat in girth, with a pretty flushed tip and nicely trimmed bush surrounding it. Changbin's mouth falls open as you begin jerking his cock, "it's more than okay, baby," you reassure the man whose eyes are rolling to the back of his head from pleasure.

"Y-your," he whimpers, trying to speak.

"Don't worry about anything other than feeling good, just relax my love, let me make you feel good," you hum.

You can see the internal struggle on Changbin's face before he shoves his own hand in between your legs, spreading your wetness around your folds. "Changb-" you begin, going to chastise the boy but his fingers move up to your clit, rubbing in soft circles.

"P-please," he whimpers.

"Hm?" you hum searching his face while his fingers continue playing with your pussy.

"Can I suck on your tits?" he asks with a timid voice.

You can't help but smile as the fingers on your spare hand wrap in the boy's curly black hair and bring his mouth to your chest. You speed up your hand that is playing with his cock, trying to repay how well Changbin is making your pussy gush just with his calloused fingers.

Changbin is sucking on your nipple and his fingers are playing with your clit and it all is becoming too much and just enough at the same time. "Mommy," Changbin moans against your chest.

"Yeah, I know it feels good doesn't it?" you coo to the man who is clearly losing himself in the pleasure of you stroking his chubby cock.

He nods his head into your chest and you watch as his eyes roll to the back of his head before his hips start bucking his cock into your hand. "G-gonna-ngh," Changbin whimpers.

"It's okay my love, let go, there you go honey," you instruct.

Changbin cums with a low groan as his hips keep bucking into your hand, his fingers that were playing with your clit stopping and resting there as you watch his pearly white cum shoot out of his cock and onto his soft stomach.

His legs slightly twitch as he comes down from his orgasm before he looks up at you before remembering he is also supposed to make you cum, you don't let him feel bad about cumming first though. Instead opting to praise him for being good while his fingers resume their movements on your swollen clit while his mouth continues playing with your nipples.

"Ch-changbin," you choke out a whine.

A particular hard swipe to your clit has you tumbling over the edge of your orgasm, clenching Changbin's shoulders as you ride through the high. "Perfect," Changbin praises and presses a kiss between your breasts, "and all mine."

"All yours," you reassure, "all yours Changbin."

[findafight]

Tw for hospitals and use of of pain medication, infection, and canonical injuries, brief mention of the AIDS crisis. Ohhhh steddie dating pre S4 au where Robin has now been subjected at work to Steve both striking out spectacularly and flirting like he knows he's getting laid that night. She isn't sure which is worse. (The striking out is worse. She is glad her friend is happy. She's just painfully single and pining away)

The same stuff happens in s4 minus Robin and Eddie pushing Steve and Nancy together romantically (Dustin is trying to push Steve to both Robin or Nancy he's like dude these are girls you like why are you not making a move on them! I want you to be happy!!! And Steve rips his eyes away from Eddie's lips like huh?) But they're still like hey Nancy! It would be nice! If we could be friends maybe! And it's still awkward.

Robin is out here sweating and glaring at Steve and eddie trying to beam thoughts into Eddie's brain in the Upside Down like Eddie please cool it I know it's a stressful situation but stop staring at Steve's tits for five minutes pl-oh giving him your vest??? You think that's going to help? Ok buddy. I'm just going to. Distract Nancy up ahead a little bit while you and Steve chat aaaaand neither of you are listening. Fine.

And it's still a mess. Max and Eddie and Steve end up in the hospital. The ground split open but sealed itself once Steve cut Henry's head off. Everything is over.

Eddie gets discharged first, despite having more bites than Steve, because his didn't have two days to get infected with Upside Down nastiness. So he ends up camped out with Robin at Steve's bedside as he fights the infection with antibiotics (the doctors hope will work), pain meds, and a slight fever.

Which is to say, completely out of it and high as a kite.

So when Dustin visits and Steve is awake, he gets to see a big, goofy grin spread across his best friend's/adoptive older brother's face as he reaches out and says "dusssstyyyy! Cmere. Lemme. Boop you." And yeah, okay, it makes him feel a bit like a baby but Steve is out of it and apparently drugged Steve likes to Boop his younger friends noses. Dustin can accept that. He sighs and leans forward and allows his nose to be booped.

Steve giggles and smiles and pats his head. "Good to see you, man"

Dustin smiles, a bit watery because it's hard to see Steve in the hospital again, and because it was fucking terrifying to watch him nearly drop to the ground after making sure Eddie got treatment, only being caught by Robin. Dustin almost lost three people he loves, and he is so fucking glad they're all alive, if not well.

"yeah, Steve. Good to see you, too. They say when you're allowed to blow this pop stand?"

Steve frons. "No. Still got Upside Down goobies in my guts, 'parently."

Robin sighs. "They said a few more days. Make sure the infection is clear and there's no suspicious side effects."

"yeah. That's what I said, Robin."

Dustin grins, then settles down beside Robin, across from Eddie. He hasn't said anything since Dustin walked in, but was playing with the sleeve of Steve's hospital gown and tracing patterns on his arm. He looks up at Dustin, and offers a small smile.

It's a bit weird, how close he's stuck by Steve this whole time, but Dustin guesses they probably bonded when they got sucked through the watergate, and that Steve saving his life really endeared him to Eddie. He hopes they can be actual, real friends once things settle. Given how much Eddie is at Steve's bedside, he thinks they're well on their way to it.

They all chat for a while, Steve sometimes getting off topic and dreamy, but looking happy even when he isn't quite following what they're all saying. Dustin is pretty sure Steve doesn't have his hearing aids in on top of the drugs, so he isn't really surprised.

His mom eventually bustles into the room, and fusses over Steve. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry. Let me know if we can do anything, I mean anything, to help, okay? I'm sorry I cant visit for longer today, but what with everything happening like this, I -"

"isss okay, Mrs. H...Ma." Steve corrects himself immediately, smiling. Dustin's insides always get a bit squiggly when Steve calls his Ma, Ma. Like they're actual brothers, and she's their mom, and no one could ever argue they're not family for real. What makes it better that it was Ma who insisted Steve call her that since January of '85, as though she knew just how much both Dustin and Steve needed each other like that.

"I'll be by tomorrow, okay, dear? Robin, you and Eddie are alright for tonight? I'll stay tomorrow but today I re-"

"it's fine! Seriously, Mrs. H. Don't worry about us. My parents will force me home tomorrow anyways, but tonight we're good." Robin grips at Steve's ankle, grounding herself. Dustin doesn't think there's been a day when she hasn't been in Steve's room. Doubts if the places were reversed Steve wouldn't have to be dragged out to shower and change clothes. They're so weird, but Dustin is glad Steve has someone older that loves him like Robin does. It makes it easier to not be able to spend all day with him like he wants to.

"okay. Alright." She leans forward and kisses Steve's forehead a few times, brushes some stray hairs out of his face, just like she does when Dustin is sick in bed. "You take care Steve, sweetheart, and make sure you let Robin and Eddie take care of you too." She turns to Dustin. "I'll give you a few minutes to say goodbye and then meet me down at the car, okay?"

Dustin nods, and his mom is out the door. He sighs. "Well. I guess I'd better head out." He gives Steve a hug, a bit awkward from Steve lying down, but it's fine, Steve wraps his arms around Dustin and tries to give him his normal double squeeze, but it's more of a press with his hands than anything. Dustin'll take it. "I'm glad you're getting better Steve. Glad we're all safe."

Steve's smile is soft, gooey in a way that he usually tries to hide. "Glad you're safe, too, man. Love you." Something in his smile sharpens, then. "Unlike some people in this room you actually...listened? When I told you not to be a hero. And didn't nearly almost die."

Eddie groans, dramatic. It seems like a game they're playing with each other more than anything, but it's a game Dustin doesn't know the parameters of, and it's jarring. "C'mon, Steve. I said I was sorry! I wasn't going to let Dustin get hurt."

Steve glares at Eddie, which would be more intimidating if he wasn't scrutching up his nose or propped up by pillows freshly fluffed by one Claudia Henderson. "Which is the reason why you're allowed in here even though you almost died. Dustin is safe, and that's good. But I'd've been so fuckin pissed if you died."

Robin snorts, pats Steve's hand. "Oh, buddy. You'd have been inconsolable."

"yeah. Exactly. it would have fucking sucked, Eddie. So. I'm still mad at you, even though I love you. Probably because I love you."

Which is. Not what Dustin was expecting. Sure, Steve was pretty open about his love. Especially after Starcourt, when he finally seemed to settle into something Dustin thinks of as comfortable with who he is. (Which is, actually, a big softie with a bit of a bitchy mouth) He's told Dustin he loves him before, and he's pretty sure he's told Max too. Steve says he loves Robin all the time, just not romantically even if Dustin doesn't think that's entirely true, but.

This feels different.

It is different, given the way Eddie squeaks a bit and sways towards Steve. "Steve..." He breathes, his eyes big and wet and wide. He swallows. "Steve. Dustin doesn't. He's still here, i--"

Steve's brow furrows. "Yeah? So? Did you not want...oh." something in the blankness that drops over Steve is scary, especially in comparison to how Steve's been open and lax the entire time Dustin's been in the room.

Steve turns his head slightly towards Eddie, ten slightly away, like he doesn't know if he wants to look at him or not. Dustin shuffles his feet, not quite sure what's going on, feeling awkward and wrongfooted. Robin stands, puts her hand on Dustin's shoulder, tries to turn him away and out the door, but Dustin isn't leaving when Steve's face is all stiff and blank like it is.

"steve--" Eddie sounds wrung out, wrecked. What the hell is going on?

Steve sniffs ever so slightly, interrupting Eddie. "You don't have to say it. You don't even have to-uh. To feel it, right now. That's okay. I've done that before. I can wait." Dustin sees a muscle twitch in his jaw. "But if you- if you don't think you can, I need to know now, actually. Because now Dustin knows but he's my brother so that's good and fine but if you don't want to--if you don't think this is gonna, like, be a long-term, tell people important to us kind of thing; if you're realizing that it's been long enough that you should feel that--that way about me but you don't, then I need to know because I don't want you lying about how you feel. I can't do that again. When you say it back I want to be sure you mean-"

"I love you too, Steve! Jesus fuck." Eddie blurts, apparently having had enough of. Well. Everything Steve was saying.

It's dawning on Dustin that maybe when Steve and Eddie said they knew each other they didn't just mean from highschool. That they. Well. Obviously they love each other. Which is....something to consider later because Steve looks like he's about to cry. Because Woah, Dustin has misread a lot between the two of them if they're...like this.

"yeah? You're sure?" He says, wobbly now he isn't rambling.

Eddie's squished himself more into Steve's space. "yes, yeah, of course Steve. Fuck. You met Wayne! I want you in my life, for a long, long time. I don't- I didn't do anything to make you think I didn't, did I?" His voice is a little rough, and little pleading.

Steve shakes his head, grips Eddie's hand in his m, even as Eddie uses it to support himself over top Steve. "No. I just. I know it freaks people out, is all, and I don't want you to freak out, or leave, or think you had to because we've been dating for a few months and I want to say it. It just came out because it's true."

Eddie laughs, leans in reeealy close to Steve. "Honey. It came out because you're high and morphene."

Steve grumbles a bit, but he's smiling too, and knocks their foreheads together. "Yeah. And also because it's true. I love you."

Eddie's eyelids flutter, Dustin can see, as he grins. "And I love you." He says, before closing the distance and kissing Steve squarely on the mouth.

Robin clears her throat. "As...heartwarming and sappy you two are. Dustin has to leave, and probably...has some questions? That he's not going to be a dick about?" She says this as she grips his shoulder tightly, in a way that is definitely a threat.

Dustin nods furiously. Eddie sighs but pushes away from Steve, not before pecking him again, drawing that dopey smile back into Steve's face. "Yeah." He says. "I'll walk you out Henderson."

Dustin waves goodbye to Steve, who seems cheery once again, wiggling his fingers are Dustin and Eddie, before walking out the door behind Eddie.

"so. How long have...has that been a thing?" He asks, as soon as they clear the doorframe.

Eddie huffs, but seems good natured about it. "Few months. December."

"okay." Says Dustin. "Uh. I didn't. I didn't know you...or Steve, I guess...I didn't know you guys were-" he lowers his voice, despite the hallway being surprisingly empty. "Gay."

There's something steely in Eddie's eye when he answers. "We're not. Well-we are, but we both also like women."

Something doesn't sit right about that with Dustin. "But! You just said-"

Eddie holds his hands up, and Dustin shuts his mouth on instinct. "You can like both while just dating one person, Dustin. Just because you like women doesn't mean you're going around with girls who aren't Suzie, right?" He nods. He adores Suzie, can't really imagine looking at any other girl like that because she's just. Amazing. She's his girlfriend and they love each other, and just because girls are pretty great doesn't mean Dustin wants anything other than friendship wi--oh. He sees where Eddie is going.

"right. Yeah. Sorry."

Eddie shrugs. "Steve kinda dropped a bomb in both of us, today"

""isn't it weird though?"

"well...girls and guys are different"

"they are indeed."

"so, if you like girls, why do you like...boys...too?"

"why do you like girls and not boys, Dustin?"

Which is hard to answer because, well. Dustin's never really thought about why he likes girls. He just does. And maybe that's what Eddie means. There's no reason, really. People just...like what they like.

Or there are reasons, because girls are pretty and often smell nice and Suzie looks like a mad scientist when her ponytail gets a little loose after hours of working on a project, her eyes glinting behind her glasses as she giggles and bites her lip, just a little. But that's mostly Suzie. So. He can't really put a finger on why he's only ever had crushes on girls, or why before last summer they've never been as much or as consuming as his love for Suzie. Never been anything like the long days spent together at camp building and creating and blasting ideas off each other, before one day Suzie took his hand and they ended up sneaking away to look at the stars, trying to outdo each other's knowledge about them and slowly being pulled into the other's orbit like binary stars. He's never really wanted to kiss anyone like he wants to kiss Suzie, not even when he had a brief and fleeting crush on Max.

"oh." Is what he says, and feels pretty lame for it.

Eddie shrugs. "You can't really choose who you like." He says before breathing in. "But you do choose who you love, and how you love them."

And. Well. Dustin thinks of his Ma sweeping Steve up into family dinners every other week, and how the party absorbed Max into it as easy as anything, and holding Suzie's hand as they looked up at the stars in dew covered grass feeling like the world starts and ends there, and of Steve and Robin cackling together and having seemingly no personal space or boundaries between them. And of Steve and Eddie, saying I love you for the first time in a hospital room after saving the world.

"That's pretty good." Dustin says, and Eddie smirks at him.

"yeah. Steve said it to me, way back on our second date."

Dustin scoffs. Because he should have known; it's so typically Steve to say something like that. "And you were surprised when he said he loves you?"

Eddie's eyes twinkle in the florescent lights of the hospital. "Nah. Just... it's different being pretty sure, and knowing for sure. I also didn't want him saying something in front of you he'd regret."

He nods. "That's fair. I...don't know how I would've taken it if Steve weren't in the hospital, honestly. Like!" He tries to reassure Eddie "I would have gotten over it, for sure! But if had had sat me ore the party down and talked it out I might've been, like, y'know. Super weird about it. Because. I mean. This talk is good, right? I'm think about things and thinking about how I've only ever really wanted to kiss Suzie, even if I thought about maybe abstractly kissing other people. And how we as humans have all these quirks that let us be human, but different, which enable us as a species to thrive." He heaves a breath. "But. Seeing Steve all loopy and saying it, and then being worried you felt pressure about it, I dunno. It makes sense, I guess. I don't know how you two met or got to know each other, but. I guess it makes sense, how you like each other. And talking to you now. It's helped, I think."

Everything is a bit scrambled in Dustin's brain, the love and the confusion and the worry, because it's setting in that in Hawkins, something like this, for Steve and Eddie, is dangerous. Something that could get them hurt or killed, scorned by the town they've helped save.

His mother always grumbles agrily when ads about how the virus going around is God's punishment for sinners, or how it's cleaning up the streets of unwanted people gays and addicts. She huffs, swears. Says that just because bigots don't consider the people getting sick as wanted or valuable, doesn't mean no one does. That no one deserves to get sick for things they cannot control, or for things they can. A smoker is more likely to get lung cancer, but that doesn't mean they deserve it more than someone who's never seen a cigarette.

Their families will mourn them the same.

They reach the main doors, and Dustin sees his mom has pulled into a pick up lane, blinkers on. He turns to Eddie, and burries his face in his neck.

Eddie takes it in stride, parting his back and giving him a bit of a squeeze. It's not as good a hug as Steve gives, but that bar is only really surpassed by his mom, so it's still a good hug.

"please be careful, Eddie."

"ah," says Eddie, and he pulls back slightly. "We are, man. You're close to both of us and didn't suspect. We know what we're doing."

Dustin raised his eyebrows. Now that he has context, a lot of interactions between Steve and Eddie in the wake of getting them out of the Upside Down seem a lot less friendly.

Eddie chuckles. "Seriously. We are. It was just hard during everything, and, well, we both feel safe around you guys. I think Steve's been gearing up to ask me if we can tell all of you sheepies soon."

"yeah?"

"yeah, bud. Don't worry about us."

"Considering you just got released and Steve is still in the hospital, I think a little worrying over you jackasses is justified."

Eddie smirks. "Fine. A normal and reasonable amount of worrying, then. But no more than that. Now, git! Your ma's waiting on you."

Dustin smiles, "yeah, yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."

"yep. You know where to find me."

He waves again as he hopes into the front seat, and buckles his seatbelt before Ma can ask him to. He smiles at her, and feels oddly...grounded. a mystery has been solved, even if Dustin doesn't have all the pieces, he still has the big picture.

"everything alright, Dusty? Nothing wrong with Steve, is there?" She asks, even as she changes out of park.

"yeah, yeah. Just accidentally stumbled over something saying goodbye, and was worried about them. But everything is fine. Robin and Eddie have Steve handled."

They turn out of the hospital parking lot, heading for home. Ma smiles. It's softer, more indulgent than usual. "Yes. They're good for each other, I think. Compliment one another nicely."

Dustin doesn't bother asking which set she's talking about, thinks maybe they both know.