#but yeah I still hate my aunt but it could be worse

[chisatowo]

My aunt is gonna be leaving til next friday tomorrow I think, hashtag winning

[sepublic]

In hindsight it’s funny how I speculated after S1 about King and Lilith having a friendship because of similarities, not just because that happened for Hooty instead (and he needed it a lot more, it was much more based to do it with Hooty who was also the outlier in the Owl House) but also because.

Remember when King was just being a kid (something established in S2) excited to meet his dad, and then Lilith shut him down unprompted to be bitter about her own mother and project that onto King, who is devastated by the possibility??? And he actually internalizes it, with Lilith dragging him down to her level; It leads four episodes later to King being bitter about his dad and crying and lashing out in loneliness.

Not to mention Lilith just making King feel worse about being a Titan with her discomforting worship, to the point King had to walk away to be alone despite that being a dangerous thing to do; Hell he even trusts Steve because he needs anyone besides Lilith, and Hooty is not accepting criticisms of her as Steve painfully finds out. Poor King had to stand up for himself there.

I love you Lilith but uh jeez imagine if Eda found out she’d have been dead. Because after Luz, her other child needed a bad encounter and unhealthy worship too… At the same time, we saw Lilith begin to get her act together in defending her nephew, because adults should be nice to kids in general, even if they aren’t expected to be parents. King had Lilith and Eda for two months, sneaking off to meet with them when he needed a reprieve from the Collector. Because as much as he grew to enjoy the Collector, it was also a very stressful dynamic for him.

Anyhow this brings me to another point that yeah, I can see how Lilith being a bad influence to King during a volatile recovery period, and how King and Luz shouldn’t be expected to tolerate and support that over their own health (esp with Luz’s own health on the subtle decline), paired with Lilith moving out; She also needed to address her pain from someone who actually owed it to her and had that caretaker responsibility from the start.

I do find it funny/ironic with zero judgment (speaking from my own experience obviously) that a lot of us looked forward to the idea of Lilith as a mom to Amity or others and then it turned out she was just. NOT good with kids a lot of the time, she’s bad even, Lilith’s more of an aunt anyway and it’s like. Fine for her?

Lilith had a lot to work on before she could begin supporting kids, it was not her arc’s priority, a big part of her arc is about needing her own mother to support her, who is an adult but needs it and isn’t judged for that! Lilith's happiness and healing is not contingent on taking care of a kid, which is a worthwhile stance to consider from a feminist lens. And eventually Lilith reaches that point, not necessarily as a parent but definitely a proper mentor for Amity, to bookend Lilith’s growth with a nice achievement; But that’s a nice ending bonus, not a prerequisite.

Plus the thing is that for all this, Lilith is not like… demonized for it. It’s still bad and wrong and she needed to give distance to King. But her road to recovery could be messy and she could be messy and mean about it. But there wasn’t an insistence on reactively punishing Lilith for it, moreso addressing the problem constructively, and sometimes Lilith having better things was synonymous with the kids having the same with her. Kinda like how Camila was pretty harsh and even taking it personally at the end of Yesterday’s Lie, but she also realizes what she did wrong and doesn’t have to be punished, just be supportive.

Support Women’s Wrongs, not just in the literal sense, some flaws are allowed to be passed off as not big enough to address. But also in the sense that women are allowed to be flawed and messy and work on it without needing to be hated or punished, because there’s a difference between others characters feeling that way towards them and the narrative, y’know? Think TOH arguing Restorative Justice instead of Retributive Justice, building people back up instead of tearing them down further.

Kikimora was knowingly complicit in genocide and then manipulated children afterwards, but the new state shouldn’t have the authority to execute, so the worst she gets is community service, and before that Kiki’s still entitled to successful revenge against her abuser. Warden Wrath ran a prison and oversaw inhumane experiments, but still gets to live with his son. Terra and Adrian are terrible people but outside of some minor comeuppance, are allowed to live their own lives.

[sage-green-matcha]

MAROON - ETHAN LANDRY PT. 3 🍷🥀🔪

“You were standing hollow-eyed in the hallway, carnations you had thought were roses, that’s us. I feel you no matter what” - Taylor Swift

Content includes: mentions of murder! That’s all :)

PT. 1 of Maroon | PT. 2 of Maroon | PT. 4 of Maroon |

<3

<3

<3

"Listen up nerds! Listen up" You glanced at Chad while he smiled at Ethan, giving him a thumbs up. Your brows furrowed, confused at the bromance that was happening between them. "Uhm...how has your day been?" "Ethan, is Chad trying to get you to talk to me when we're not drunk for once?" He nodded shyly, scratching the back of his neck.

You glared at Chad, his smile falling flat as Mindy started to speak. "As terrifying as this all is! I'm actually glad I get to redeem myself for not calling out the killers last time... it's fine" You looked back at Ethan, he was playing with his fingers again, leg bouncing with anxiety. "You okay...?" "What...oh, I'm Fine"

"Okay, the way I see it someone is out to make a sequel to the requal" You looked at the group in confusion, Tara shrugging back at you. "Uhm, what's a requal?" Anika put her hand up only for Mindy to shut her down. Her words turned into nothing, going straight into one of your ears and out the other. You were ashamed to say but all you could think about was Ethan and also the fact that you could be stabbed at any given moment. You hated Chad for ruining your chance, your crush on Ethan was only growing and it was so close to being something more.

You distracted yourself from Mindy's words. You didn't notice how much you looked over at Ethan, especially his hands. He played with the chain of his keys, long fingers with veins running up his arm. You didn't know why but you found it hot, really hot. "Y/n! Are you listening?" Mindy clapped and you looked up at her, annoyed. "Yes Mindy, I'm all ears" "Great! As I was saying, nobody just makes sequels anymore! We're in a franchise!" She opened her arms excitedly. "And there are certain rules to a continuing franchise! Rule one! Everything is bigger than last time, bigger budgets, bigger cast, and worse of all...bigger body count"

"Beheadings! You gotta top what came before to keep people coming back" "Beheadings? Chad spoke up, pulling his pen away from the paper filled with notes. "Yes Chad, beheadings! And rule 2! Whatever happened last time, expect the opposite" You rolled your eyes, slouching down.

You should really be listening, but you were too distracted to care. You'd beaten Ghostface once, you could do it again. Somehow you weren't that worried for yourself, but you were scared shitless about your friends. "And rule 3, no one is safe" Ethan glanced at you with worry in his eyes. You felt bad for him, Quinn, and Anika. They had nothing to do with this but yet they were dragged in. And there was nothing they could do about it. They had been annunciated without a proper annunciation.

"It's not looking too good for Gale and Kirby...sorry Y/n" You didn't know if that should scare you. What your aunt did was unforgivable. Writing a book about the night where you, her own niece almost died. You still loved her...but you didn't know if she was worth saving.

"And that's not even the worst part!" "This is the part where she tells us the worst part" Chad pointed, Mindy's cue to continue. "The worst part is...franchises are just continuing, episodic installments designed to boost an IP! Which means, Main characters are expendable now too..." Tara and Sam looked up, concern lingering in their eyes.

"That means it's not just the friend group, any of us could go at any time...especially Sam and Tara" Ethan finally spoke up, scared for his own safety. "Wait, wait any of us?" "Yeah" "Am I in the friend group?" "Yeah, you are that's why you're here, not just cause you're Y/n's puppy and you follow her around everywhere"

"He's not my puppy!" Chad went to open his mouth before you shot him a threatening glare once again. "So, am I like one of the targets?" "Mhm" "Am I gonna die a virgin?" "Nah, Man Y/n will take it" he had a dumb smirk on his face, yours filled with embarrassment "Chad, I'm gonna kill you" you spoke through gritted teeth.

"Wait something is going on between you two?" Anika spoke up and you hid in your hands. "I knew I felt some sexual tension" Tara perked up. "Okay well...that was a weird overshare, but it brings us to our current suspect. Ethan! The shy dorky guy that no one suspects because he's so shy and dorky, and he's already got one of our final girls on her knees"

"I'm not on my knees...what?" "What...why am I on the suspect list? Because I'm randomly Chad's roommate?" You rubbed your temples, a small sigh escaping your lips. "Roommate lotteries can be juked, you could've fixed it to get next to us" he rolled his eyes, an annoyed expression on his face.

You were still annoyed at Chad, also Mindy now. She moved to target Quinn, even her own girlfriend next look. "Never trust the love interest" You wondered if Mindy couldn't even trust her own girlfriend...could you really trust Ethan? He was a stranger, and you didn't know much about him besides the fact that he was a virgin and his favorite chips were Cheetos.

"Okay, so we have our rules, and we have our suspects" "Wait, wait, wait, what about you guys?" Ethan spoke up, the death glare that was once for Chad was now for him. Is he serious? "I mean, I think it's pretty safe to rule out the 5 of us who went through this last year" "Agreed" you spoke, your eyes off Ethan, feeling his stare on your shoulder.

"Uhm, not agreed. What if the trauma you all went through caused one...or more! Of you to snap?" "Yea? Or the fame you got from the killings made you thirsty for more...I mean, to be honest, here, some of the theories online about Sam are-" "What the fuck is wrong with you?" "Don't you fucking dare?" You and Tara's words mixed, the same amount of annoyance coming from your voices. He backed away with wide eyes.

"Okay, she's right through, I mean face facts. If we're all suspects, you're all suspects" you gulped, looking at your friends. "Well I have to get to class, but I'll see you losers later. Be safe" Mindy waved, Anika catching up to her. You swung your bag over your shoulder, ignoring Ethan chasing after you.

"Y/n...y/n I'm sorry" "Ethan, no...why would you say that?" You walked faster, Ethan apologizing behind you. "Let me make it up to you, please" he caught up to you, stopping you in your tracks. "I wasn't talking about you... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Mindy got me all defensive and it just came out my mouth"

"Whatever, Ethan" You tried to walk away but he insisted. "Please Y/n, I don't wanna lose your trust over this" you paused, looking up at him. "Ethan, you know I like you, but you've never had my trust. Don't make it worse for yourself"

"Please, I'll pick you up at 5...or 6! We can go somewhere and talk it out, we can do whatever you want" You found his bickering kinda cute, agreeing so he would leave you alone. "Is this just a lame excuse to ask me to go out with you? you licked your lip, holding back a smile. "yes...and no?"

You decided not to go to any Classes, going back to the apartment with Sam and Tara. "Im gonna have everyone stay the night, it's better if we're all together. Invite your puppy y/n" you rolled your eyes. "He's not my puppy. And what he said was seriously messed up, I'm sorry, Sam" she just shrugged. "It sucks because he's not wrong...I am the daughter of a murderer, and it's always gonna haunt me"

"Hey guys, I won't be able to attend your little party thing... I'm going out with this new guy" Quinn waved her phone in her hand. "Isn't that a bit unsafe?" She bit her lip and shrugged. "it's not, trust me I know his intentions" she winked, making the group smile. "Byeee!!" She waved, shutting the door behind her. "Mindy definitely got the slutty roommate part right"

[radiant-reid]

Heyyyy cate! Could you do a blurt or Oneshot on Spencer with his teenage daughter who maybe doesn’t seem to like his new girlfriend at all but really she’s just really scare of her dad’s attention shifting ? She could do rebellious stuff to gain it back and he would take a while to really get what was going on? 🥺

omg yes i live for this type of angst. also, i'm considering a series with single dad spence, what do we think ?? i don't have a plot or anything lmao

There's nothing Phoebe loves more than her dad, and there's nothing Spencer loves more than his daughter. You knew that getting into a relationship with him.

He raised it early before your third date during the month you were only communicating by text. Now, you can't think of anything worse than going that long without talking to him.

You've been an increasingly permanent fixture in his life and, therefore, Phoebe's, especially after Spencer got released from prison. He needed an adult to talk to, not his fifteen-year-old daughter, and you were happy to be that for him.

Things would have been good, perfect even, hopefully, with you integrating even more into their lives, but your relationship with Phoebe was rocky.

She must have struggled with her dad in prison, having to stay with Aunt Penelope for three months while she had no idea what would happen to their family.

It's only deteriorated since you started sleeping over. It's like whenever you're around, she refuses to come out of her room, and it's more hatred for you than it is teenage angst.

That night, Spencer calls, asking you to come over. When you get there, he looks furious mixed with worried, but the furious is taking over.

You run through a list of things that might have happened during the day to have made him so mad. Maybe a problem with his reinstatement, although it's been fine for months, or a problem with a higher-up putting pressure on the team.

"Hey, hey, what's up?" You ask, shutting the door behind you and slipping your shoes off.

He nods to the study, walking in wordlessly as you follow. It's even more concerning that he won't say anything until the heavy wooden door has closed.

"So not only has Phoebe been skipping school to go to the mall, she has been stealing." He rants to you, pacing angrily. "Stealing! My daughter, who I raised to be a morally good person has been caught stealing."

Your eyes widen as your mouth drops open. It's pretty unbelievable. Although she hates you, Phoebe's a good kid. She's got too much of Spencer in her to be anything but. He's more hotheaded than he used to be, and he's not seeing it from any other perspective than how morally wrong it was.

"Alright, okay." You say, grabbing his hands and steering him to sit on the leather sofa. "Just breathe for a minute."

He tries, but it doesn't stop his eyes from darkening. "I need to be thinking about how I can punish her."

You shake your head softly. "You can't right now."

He looks at you like you're dumb, but you know he doesn't mean it. "You can't seriously be defending this."

You shake your head again. "I'm not, Spence. I promise. But this is a cry for help." He's still not understanding it, so you put it in terms she'll understand. "Behaviorally, what does it say if someone's shoplifting?"

"It's a reaction to a loss, to fill a void real or perceived." He lists off the common parts of the profile before it clicks in his head. "Oh."

"Yeah." You nod. "This is a call for help, Spencer. She's struggling with something, and I'm guessing it's a mix of me and what happened to you."

His eyes cloud over with tears then, his whole face softening. It's his baby, who he's been raising since he was fresh out of college, and she's begging for help, even if she doesn't know it.

Then he feels terrible because what type of a dad is he to not realize she's having such a rough time? And because of his decisions?

You can tell, too. "Spencer, stop." You insist. "You're not a bad dad."

"How did I not know?" He asks, holding his head in his hands.

"Because she's a teenager who hides her feelings from her dad." You joke, earning a slight chuckle from him, his beautiful smile gracing his face once again. "So I'm going to go so you can talk to her."

He shakes his head, squeezing your hand. "No, don't go." He begs. "Her problem is not with you."

"It is." You assure him. "I've started coming around more, and it's a big change. You don't like change, and I bet she doesn't either."

That makes him smile lightly. They are similar in a lot of ways, and that means the better and worse traits. "Can you wait here?" He asks.

Hesitantly, you concede. "I'll be in your bedroom." You say before winking at him as he gets up. "Go do good dad stuff."

Spencer flashes you one last smile before leaving you alone in the study so you can retreat to his room. He's worried when he walks up the stairs. There's been a lot of moments as a dad that he hasn't been able to prepare for, but this feels like the biggest of them all.

Gently, he knocks on her door. "Hey, sweet girl, can I come in?" He asks.

"Not your sweet girl." She answers, although she doesn't tell him not to come in so he pushes the door open.

It's clear she's been crying. Her new heavy eyeliner look makes that obvious. "You'll always be my sweet girl." He tells her, sitting on her desk chair.

"So what's my punishment?" She asks. "No phone, no iPad, no wifi? I bet you'll get Aunt Penelope to block it all, too."

Spencer shakes his head. "Nothing like that, Phoebs. I just want to talk."

"About what?" She asks in return.

"What's bothering you." He answers. "You're a good girl, and you know that was wrong. You're too smart for me to tell you that."

Phoebe shakes her head. "I'm not smart."

"You are." He assures her. "So, what's going on?" When he doesn't get an answer, he guesses. "Y/n?"

"I- She's so nice." Phoebe starts, articulating her feelings much better than Spencer ever could. "And I've been mean to her. It's just- she's here a lot, and I'm not used to having..." She trails off, playing with her fingers in her lap. "Someone around like that."

He can guess what she's thinking easily. "Someone I'm romantically interested in."

"My aunts and uncles aren't here all the time, but I feel like she's here to stay." She explains.

Spencer nods. "That's a decision we make together, but yes, I want that."

"I do, too," Phoebe says. "She's nice, and she likes you."

"She likes you, too," Spencer reminds her, taking her hand. "But you'll always be my number one, sweet girl." She smiles at him, standing up and walking over to hug him. He pulls her into a tight hug, kissing the top of her head. "I love you."

"I love you, too, and I'm really sorry." She replies.

[thepunkmuppet]

ok if this is just me then it’s whatever but for me teen wolf finishes at season 3b.

like allison dies, the end. the rest of it is what my brain and the brains of talented fic writers can conjure up, because it could be absolute nonsense and still be better than whatever the hell season 4 onwards even is.

liam is okay I guess. I like the season where stiles disappears. there are some (emphasis on some) really great moments and plotlines. but season 4 is such a fucking shitshow, honestly some of the worst tv I have ever watched, which is made even worse because I have to watch it play out with characters I love.

isaac, who had the potential to be one of the best characters, disappears without a trace, and later so does the wonderful kira

malia (who I high key really hate, sorry but she sucks) and scott get together at the end which is just. what the actual fuck

alison’s aunt comes back in the most contrived and stupid way I’ve ever seen (were-jaguar?? ik this show is weird and silly but give me a fucking break)

danny also disappears in favour of a personality-less gay best friend (sorry if you like him, he never did anything wrong it just pisses me off bc he only seems to be there for diversity points. I literally can’t even remember his name)

jackson comes back and is dating one of the also personality-less twins for no reason (and yet they couldn’t even confirm stiles is bi??? what a joke)

and the writing is just bad it’s just so bad… where the dialogue in the first seasons was campy and fun now it’s just cringe and borderline unwatchable, and the plot points are sketchy at best and completely incomprehensible at worst (aka whatever the fuck happened in season 4 I still don’t know)

sorry I’m really dredging up some 2020-teen-wolf-obsessed-in-lockdown emotions here but god I just hate it so much. there is so much potential in that show, so many great characters and concepts, but it all just devolved into twilight-level awfulness and honestly full on character assassination, all culminating in me not even giving a single flying fuck about the (objectively insane and exciting) movie coming out whenever tf it did.

yeah I love teen wolf but it finishes with season 3 the rest is up to fanfiction for me idk what to tell you 🫡

[butterflyinthewell]

Behind a cut so people don’t have to see me rant about my disabled, emotionally abusive dad.

So my dad fell twice in the last five days due to not listening to me and mom. He has Parkinson’s and if you dig through my posts you’ll see me talk about it, so I won’t go into it.

I don’t hate disabled people, just him. I don’t hate him for having Parkinson’s, I hate him for the abuse he inflicted on me and still inflicts on me with his disability as a crutch to get away with it. And I call out ableism when the problems we have with him are caused by the medical care system, because sometimes it’s not his fault.

But THIS situation IS his fault.

SO ANYWAY…

Last Friday, he fell because he wouldn’t stop rocking sideways every time he got up. He gets up with help and uses a walker, but he throws his weight around when he knows me and mom are two tiny women compared to a hulking huge man.

And he fell.

We had to call my aunt and uncle over to get his ass off the damn floor and onto his toilet commode so he could take a shit. Then they got him into bed. He claimed he was fine, and then on Tuesday he started griping that his lower back and buttcheek hurt on the left side. But he could walk and didn’t complain much after the initial gripe.

Today, he was all scrunched up in bed in a way that guarantees his back will hurt and made his pain worse, like I told him it would (and he wouldn’t listen to me).

Mom took him out into the living room and he fell on the way, AGAIN, because he kept rocking his weight around.

Now get this, he doesn’t throw his weight like that when therapists would come over. Dad will be an angel for them, but a nightmare for me and mom. He cooperates for professionals, but not family. He does everything in his power to make life as hard as possible for me and mom. I’m not kidding when I say that.

He goes to the doctor on Monday to find out what the fuck he did to himself, but it’s going to be a nightmare.

My birthday is coming up and of COURSE he does this right before it, and ruins any excitement I had.

Before you attack me for that, keep in mind that he pulls shit like this all the time. He knows everyone will be sympathetic to him while looking at mom and me like we’re evil for being exhausted, angry and burnt out.

The fact that we can’t afford to put him anywhere or get help into this house means we have no lives outside of caregiving. Every waking moment until we sleep is him and all his emotionally abusive bullshit, every day with no breaks, forever. He has ruined holidays, birthdays and plans because his only joy in life is making everyone around him as miserable as he is.

I’ve managed to eke out a few moments of joy here and there, but for the most part my life is a slog that never ends.

I laugh at the people who acted like COVID lockdowns were depriving them of life. I won’t deny that it was a traumatic experience, and this is not aimed at people who got sick anyway and now have long covid. This ain’t you, don’t worry.

But the people who acted so inconvenienced that their social lives got interrupted? Fuck off.

I’ve lived something like the COVID lockdowns for over a decade. No life outside of my house, no life outside of being a caregiver for someone who is sucking away all my compassion and love.

I can’t leave because I’m disabled too and all the legal shit is inaccessible to me.

I’m trapped, mom is trapped, and we are eventually going to die from the stress while he sits there yelling at us for not jumping to his every whim.

My only escape is writing fanfics and staring dead-eyed at my ipad screen, interrupted constantly by him demanding things.

I have accumulated so much trauma from him, and COVID, and mom having medical crises that were resolved, and my needs not being met, that I’ll be surprised to see 45. I will be shocked if I wake up alive on my 45th birthday.

I turn 43 this July 29, 2023, so yeah.

If I don’t die, my mom is going to, and if she goes we’re all dead.

I just hope I go first. Either heart attack or stroke will probably do it, but I don’t want to outlive her and be alone with him.

No child should be trapped as a caregiver for a disabled abusive parent, but it happens and nobody talks about it.

[devastator1775]

Nix comes out with the truth (Murder Drones Nix Doorman AU)

Summary: Nix had it all planned. She'd go to her parents, sit them down and tell them. Plain and simple. Just …come out with the thing that had been in the back of her head for so long now. Simple, right? …. Unless, of course, her nerves get the better of her.

Nix paced from one end of her room to the other, muttering to herself. She had been this for at least half an hour, since she had come back home from school. She had decided to finally come clean to her parents and reveal something that she had been struggling with for a few weeks now. On her way home she was filled with confidence and determination. She would stand in front of her parents and proudly make her announcement.

And then she came home.

And nerves overtook her.

Hence why she was pacing around her room, almost chewing off one her fingers.

“I mean, there no way they’d be mad, right? I mean, nah. Not my parents. I mean, they love Aunties V and Lizzy. No, it’ll be fine.” Nix said to herself, bringing herself to smile confidently …before it faded to a worried grimace. “But what if they don’t? What if they hate me for it? What if-“

“Dude, you’re going to blow a fuse like that!” a voice called out, making Nix jump in surprise.

Nix took a deep breath and turned to her desk, where her phone still connected to Avery – her honorary cousin and the one person she trusted who had gone through something similar. Which is why she had called them, yet somehow that little event had completely evaded her mind while she was nervously talking to herself. She walked over to her desk and picked up her phone. “Sorry, Avery, forgot you were here …so to speak.”

“Uh-huh, I had that feeling, miss talks-to-herself-a-lot.” Nix could practically hear the shit-eating grin that Avery had on their face right now. The thought made her feel a little better. “Honestly, Nixie, just get it out. Better to throw it all in the open, than to let it bottle up inside where it can build up and burst. Trust me on that.”

“Uh, the way I remember, Ave, is that your moms were walking in on us while you were trying out some of Aunt Liz’s old school uniforms.” Anne chuckled. “And you were making so many panicking excuses that you suddenly just blurted out the truth. There was no ‘build up and burst’ with you.”

“My point exactly!” Avery shouted. “And after a good cry and a long talk, everything worked out between us. Just like -*snap* - that!.”

“Still totally different than what I’m gonna do.” Nix flopped down on her bed, staring at her ceiling. “You got caught – you did, don’t deny it – and it worked out. What if-?”

“It will work out!” Avery repeated themselves. “Nix, your parents are, like, totally the nicest people I know – and I’m counting my mom V with that.”

Nix chuckled. “Yeah …can you still believe people saying that she was so much worse back when?”

“I still don’t believe she was a Disassembly Drone at all. My mellow, librarian mom …like that? Right, no way. It’s like- yatatata, don’t change the subject!.” Avery scolded – they sounded so much like V right now.

“It was worth a try …” Nix grinned. Her audio receptors picked up the sounds of doors closing outside her room. She took a deep breath. “Mom and dad are here. Wish me luck, Avery.”

“Luck!”

Nix ended the call. She closed her eyes for a few moments as she gathered her courage.

“Nix, you here, Sparkplug?” She heard her father call out to her from their living room.

“Y-yeah, in my room!” Nix answered, hoping she really didn’t sound as nervous as she thought how nervous she sounded. She took a deep, final – hopefully not that final – breath and walked out her room. “Hey, I’ve got something to tell y-“

The rest of her words got caught in her throat as she immediately felt her confidence fade when she saw her mother laying down on the couch with her head resting on N’s lap and the latter pressing an icepack against his wife’s forehead. “E-everything alright, mom?”

Uzi let out a soft groan. “Yeah, just …a [parental advisory] day at work.”

“Uzi.” N scolded, despite the grin tugging on his lips.

“What, her censor routines are still powered on.” she paused for a moment before she threw a glance at her teenage daughter. “Are they?”

“Y-yes, sure …” Now they were, at least. Nix had figured out a long time ago where those hidden settings were in her programming. Little trick that Avery had taught her, so they could watch R-rated action movies with unfiltered audio when their parents were out.

“Good girl.” Uzi closed her eyes again, smiling contently as N caressed her hair. “You said you wanted to tell us something, Nix?”

Panic welled up in Nix’s core. “I-it can wait.” She winced when she heard her voice crack in such an obvious way and of course her parents had heard it too. She tried to back away as she saw her mother sit up straight, giving her that motherly ‘something-is-wrong’ look. “I’ll just go back to my room and-“

“Nicole…” N spoke up, his voice soft and calm but it made Nix nevertheless freeze in her tracks, her entire body going rigid as she let out a surprised squeak.

“Nix, what’s the matter?” Uzi asked, clearly concerned about her daughter’s current state.

“N-nothing.” Nix fiddled with her fingers.

“Did something happen at school?” N asked.

“No, honestly.” Why did she sound so desperate to avoid this? Okay, maybe she was kinda trying to avoid it, but … She squeaked again when she suddenly saw her mother right in front of her. Her mother could be so fast when she wanted to be. A pair of hands gently held her arms.

“Nix?”

It was like a heavy weight had nestled inside her forehead, as Nix couldn’t bare herself to lift up her head to watch her mother in the eye.

“Honey, did something happen?” Uzi asked softly. “Did someone hurt you?”

Nix shook her head. “It’s …” Her voice sounded so weak, she hated it.

N ushered Uzi and Nix to come back to the couch, where Uzi gently sat her daughter down while she and N knelt in front of her.

N placed a hand under Nix’s chin and gently lifted it up, making her look at them. Nix didn’t know why but his gently smile always had such a soothing effect on her. She couldn’t help but to smile …but just a bit.

“Oh, I do think I see a little smile under all that gloom.” N joked, chuckling as his wife shoved him in the ribs.

“Nix, your dad’s horrible jokes aside,“ she threw her husband a teasing sideways glance. “We just want to know what is bothering you.”

“W-why would anything bothering me?” Nix asked, playing nervously with her hair.

“You’re playing with your hair.” N pointed out. “You do that when you’re nervous.”

“Like when you were lying when you got an F on your homework because your forgot it.” Uzi added. She crossed her arms, giving her daughter a stern look. “Is this something like that?”

“No ���it’s …completely different.” Nix admitted. “It’s just …difficult to find the words?”

“Just that?” N asked, placing a hand on Nix’s knee. “It looks like a bit more than ‘not finding words’, though….”

Nix knew they were gonna grill her until they got answers. She knew they did it because they loved her and they wanted her to be okay, but …no, no ‘but’. Because of that, she needed to tell them the truth. They did everything for her and for that, Nix needed to be honest with them.

“Okay, okay …” Nix took a deep breath, slowly releasing it as she tried to steady her core, so it wouldn’t feel like it was going to burst out of her chassis at any moment. “There is something I need to tell you, but …”

“Yes?” Uzi pressed softly, trying her utmost best not to push beyond Nix’s comfort level. She knew – out of personal experience – how a teenager could lash out when pressed beyond their limit of comfort. Robo-God knows that her dad had faced the brunt of her anger so often …completely justified, of course

“I …I’m scared.” Nix confessed.

“Scared?” Uzi asked, surprised. “Of what?”

“Of us?” N asked.

“Of how you’ll react …”

Uzi and N looked at each other, before turning back to Nix. Uzi held her child’s hands between her own. “React to what, Nix?”

No turning back now. Time to come clean. The curtain falls. The code cracked. The teenager running out of expressions to use to stall for time. One final, deep breath.

“For the last …couple of months, I’ve been …noticing things. Noticing certain …people. Certain …g-genders?” Nix began. Something in her core jumped when she saw her parents’ expression change, even though she couldn’t decipher what emotion it was. “I noticed that I’ve been looking at the girls in my class a little more, a little longer. And when I realized that was happening, I decided to look some things up, got a few digi-books recommended I should read. And, you know, once I remembered that I never really looked at boys that same way, I ….”

She gulped, trying to find out her voice again while she was figuring out what her parents were thinking. Maybe they wanted to say something about what she’d been telling them so far?

…

No? Okay, back to speaking, then.

Nix took a deep breath. Her entire body was tingling, and she felt like her system was going to shut down. “I …I like girls. Really like them. Like …I’m attracted to them. Romantically. I’m often fantasizing about holding hands with girls, kissing girls, dating girls.  I-I-I…I’m gay. I’m a lesbian.”

Nix figured that that knot inside her stomach should have loosened up by now, but it felt tighter than ever. She couldn’t feel her legs. She was sure that she was mere moments away from passing out due to stress related energy loss.

Why weren’t her parents saying something?

They were just staring at her?

Processing the information? Judging? Trying to figure out if they really heard what they just heard?

“W-well?” Nix voice was barely audible.

She felt her core jump when N suddenly stood up and walked away from the couch, hand pressed against his mouth. Was he in shock? Getting angry? Was he disappointed in his only daughter?

A pair of hands fell on Nix’s shoulders, making her jump. Oh yeah, her mom was still her too. Uzi was gazing down at the floor, her expression hidden from the anxiety-riddled teenager. She wanted to call out to her mom, but it seemed that Nix’s voice abandoned her at the moment, only coming out as a barely audible squeak.

“Nicole Doorman …I can’t believe you’d do this to me.”

Nix’s core sank and ice filled her entire being.

“I can’t believe you made me lose the bet.”

Wait, what?

A small, slightly apologetic grin, appeared on Uzi’s lips. “I mean, I thought that, at least, you’d be bi, like me.” She sighed. “But it seems your father had it at the right end and now he’s never going let me live it down.”

“Uzi, when did our daughter ever show any sort of interest in boys?” N asked, as he turned towards his wife and daughter with a massive grin on his face.

“There was …” Uzi paused. “Well, I guess that doesn’t really count, since that person is going by ‘she’ and ‘Sally May’ now, but –“

“Excuse me!” Nix called out, announcing that she was still in the room. “Very surprised and very emotional adolescent Drone sitting here!”

“Oh honey …” Uzi caressed her daughter’s cheek. “I’m sorry. We should be handling this a little better, shouldn’t we?”

“Yeah, you got that right!” Nix’s emotion were all over the place. Confusion. Anger. Relief. Many others. She took a deep breath before stating her question. Which was, very simply: “You knew?”

“We didn’t ‘know it’ know it, but we had our suspicions.” N confessed.

“HOW?” Nix suddenly realized the bombshell her mother had dropped earlier. “Wait, you’re bi, mom?”

“Not really the topic at hand, isn’t it?” Uzi quickly stated, blushing softly and ignoring the teasing chuckle of her husband. Uzi took her daughter’s hands in her own, giving them a soft squeeze. “Nix, our little Sparkplug, we …are your parents. You are your daughter. We know you. We notice things, even if you don’t realize we’re looking.”

“But that book titled ‘Your robo-sexuality and you. A quest for LGBTQIA+ understanding’ you forgot to put away and was laying in the middle of your bed, gave us some clues as well. You really should clean up your room more often.” N confessed with a soft chuckle. “But even without it, we had a feeling.”

Nix’s eyes hollowed. They found that book? She was sure that she had …hang on, not the pressing issue. “So, why didn’t you say anything?” she asked, still blushing.

Uzi cackled for a moment, before she composed herself. “Sorry about laughing like that, but …we thought that ’Honey, can we have a really awkward talk around the diner table about your unlocking sexuality?’ wasn’t really something you were waiting for.”

“So we waited for you.” N smiled reassuringly at Nix. “Until you were ready to come to us.”

“Honey, we are so proud of you, for coming out to us, despite being so anxious and so scared.”

“Yeah, we kinda pressed on the issue there, but-“ he grinned sheepishly when Uzi shot him a scolding look. “Shutting up. But, like Uzi said, we are so proud of you.”

“And we love you.” Uzi held her daughter’s head between her hands. “No matter who you decide you love.”

Flabbergasted. Stumped. Surprised. Baffled. Dazed. Perplexed. Puzzled. Dumbfounded. Flustered. Stupefied. Awestruck. Floored. There were so many words for what Nix was experiencing right now. All of that fear and anxiety she had been feeling. All the buildup leading to her coming-out moment. For days, she had been working up the courage to confess to her parents. Out of all the reactions that her parents could give her …’we had a feeling’ was one she didn’t count for.

It was …laughable.

A snort escaped her. She tried to apologize, but then a giggle got out, followed by another. She tried to keep it in, but she suddenly bursted out in laughter …for a few moments, before it slowly changed into a sob …then another sob. She started crying, wailing as digital tears started to flow down her visor when the emotions that she had been experiencing these last few moments finally found release.

Two pair of arms wrapped around her, each pulling her close. Her dad was stroking her back, holding her head against his chest. Her mom was her hair while whispering words of comfort to her.

“’m s’rry.” Nix tried to choke out, gasping for air – despite not really needing it – and trying to calm herself down.

“Shhh, let it out, Nix.” Uzi whispered warmly, as she gently pulled her daughter against her chest. She couldn’t help but smile as Nix clung to her clothes, sobbing out her apologies. A tear was forming in her eyes as well.

“Our strong girl.” N stated softly but with pride in his voice. The grin on his face made Uzi think back on their wedding day. It was the same goofy, happy smile back then too.

Nix didn’t know how much time had passed. It felt like she had been crying for hours, even though she figured there hadn’t even half an hour passed.. Her sobbing had died down to small hiccups, her head still resting comfortably on her mother’s lap while the latter was stroking her daughter’s hair.

“Are you feeling better, Nix?” Uzi asked when Nix finally found the energy to sit up again.

“Mm-hmmm.” Nix rubbed her visor. Her eyes felt dry, even though it's not really possible. She took a deep breath and smiled at her mom. “sorry for breaking down like that.”

“Honey, never apologize for things like that. Never to us.” Uzi stated, caressing her daughter’s cheek. It didn't show, but Uzi had been crying as well, as did N. “It was an emotional rollercoaster, after all.”

“Besides, you should’ve seen Uzi’s outburst when we-“

“Bite me, husband!” Uzi spat out but the grin on her face betrayed that she didn’t mind. She turned to Nix with a grin. “So …is there someone special?”

Nix instantly blushed, playing with a strand of her hair. “N-no …not really.”

“Oh?” N almost seemed disappointed. “No-one I can give a ‘what are your intentions with my daughter?’ speech to yet?”

“I thought there was, but …turns out she doesn’t – how did Avery put it? – play for the same team.”

“Wait, you told Avery before us?” Uzi asked, a hint of a teasing grin playing on her lips. “I don’t know how to feel about that.”

“Avery is kinda an expert – or the closest thing to it – on the subject of ‘life-changing realizations and how to present them to your parents’, y’know.”

“Some expert.” Uzi snorted. “Did V and Lizzy walk in on them?”

“Yeah, while you two were trying on dresses?”

“That’s what I told them, too.” Nix giggled. Her expression turned bittersweet. “But …I don’t know, it felt like they were the only ones I could go with this, quote-unquote, “problem” of mine. We’ve always been each other’s confidants, y’know?”

“Did V and Lizzy know before us?” Uzi asked sharply.

“Avery swore she wouldn’t tell before I told you guys, but, eh …you know how Auntie V can get when she sniffs a secret.”

“Well, if V knows, she’d keep it a secret, too.” N stated as he ruffled Nix’s hair, much to her chagrin. He scratched the side of his chin before adding. “Robo-Lord knows she knows how to keep ‘em.”

“Huh? What does that mean?” Nix cocked her head in confusion, while Uzi threw N a warning glare.

“Uh, nothing.” N quickly answered, as digital beads of sweat ran down his visor. “Something between the three of us.”

Nix rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“Well, someone is back to being a moody teenager.” Uzi grinned. “Feeling better?”

“Feeling great!” Nix stated cheerfully, and it couldn’t be more true.it was like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She felt like she could fly – if only she had inherited wings like her dad, but at least she could dream.

Nix grinned as she thought about the advice that Avery had given her. Who knew they were right, although in a different order: A good talk, a long cry and everything worked out great.

*SNAP*

Just like that.

[sweetangelanon]

I've talked about William before in the new time line being kind to the kids he previously killed. That at first it would just be a boss being seemingly extra nice to random customers.

I feel like, given this is his second chance and he def believes in superstitions if any of the previous kids are friends with his kids or Henry's kids he'll find new ways to... metal in their lives (for what he assumes in the better.*) and give gifts or just talk with the parents. Which is honestly sickening because he so clearly remembers what it was like to watch these families fall apart. In the past he was there patting their shoulders, comforting them, speaking on how they would find who did this and bring them to justice. And here he is again a fresh clean slate. Worming himself into their lives again but for a whole other purpose. One of the thoughts I had was with Fritz where he needs eye surgery done or something and his parents can't afford it. But, you know who can? William Afton baby and he pays for that shit. And Fritz dad is so tearful, thankful to him, begging him to just let him pay William back. Will just smiles like a kindly God, resting his hand upon the other man's shoulder and telling him he couldn't even think of accepting the money. He's just happy to know Fritz is okay. He still has beef with Cassidy though because of the bullshit she put him through LMAO. Mixed with him wondering if he could nurture her hate/rage to make her his new protegee.

Thinking about Oz who recognizes these faces, is meeting these kids that he read about in newspapers back in his time. Sometimes looks at them and remembers the gory descriptors on a radio recording he found on youtube. Between blinks he only sees dead bodies standing in front of him before they seem normal again. I don't know if he could ever really be... friends with any of them. I just feel like he'd freak out to much in front of them to the point all of the kids in the MCI are like "this kid is super weird....." like GOD GOD YOU DON'T KNOWWW YOU DON'T KNOWWWW. I can't get into charlie, I mean i can but also that is even worse. Because we know he kills Mary Ann, makes it seem like she disappeared/ran off. Henry falls into a depressive state, William convinces this man to move in with him an his family WHICH WAS ONE OF HIS BIGGER PLANS FROM THE START. He wanted a reason to move house so that his family wasn't in the same house that their life went 'wrong' at. He wanted a clean slate, a fresh start. And Henry's like "but Will I- I can't impose like this I just-" and Will just puts a finger to his lips going "shhh shh it's okay henry," brushing back a bit of his hair while smiling going "what are friends for?" and henry cries while william is inwardly like yess tehehe the man i've been obsessed with for years lives under my ROOF NOW YIPPEEE HE'S MINE FOREVER!!!!!!!

Which means he can get his hands on charlie and sam.

He didn't get sammy before because after mary ann died in the first timeline and henry kinda lost his mind folks were like "yeah we just don't think u are fit for taking care of a kid' and handed him off to his aunt.... Which aunt idk man not sure if I want to give henry a sister like he had in the books.... will have to think about it. Anyway they all get a bigger house obviously and while Oz is like "thank god I don't have to share a bedroom with Evan anymore" he's also like "oh shit oh fuck oh shit oh fuck" as there are now MORE people in the house and his autistic ass can NOT HANDLE CHANGE HE IS FREAKING THE FUCK OUTTTTTT. IT'S SO LOUD IN HERE HE'S SCREAMING FOR HELP HE'S BEGGING LET HIM OUTTTT. anyway yeah so like Henry basically becomes third parent. There's nothing romantic going on btw William's just obsessed with Henry and gay about it. This time around Amee is AWARE of these feelings since Will sat down and told her about how he felt/ that he was queer and it's a whole cry moment cuz he had never gotten around to really telling anyone back then about THE GAY THOUGHTS!!!!!! Henry sorta had an idea, the vibes you know but it was never openly discussed like it is in this new timeline. And she kisses him and tells him this doesn't change how she feels about him an that she still loves him to the moon and back an im gonna YARF over how sickly in love she is with him UGH.

Anyway this change brings upon the him nurturing the traits he sees as 'Henry's' in Charlie and Sammy so he can forget about Mary Ann ever being a thing. Everything is awful as the kids are unknowingly lead down a particular path that Will thinks is the right one for them and finds himself able to actally love them this time around. (I hate him!!!!!) Though during the process of trying to squish these two into his heart in the beginning if anything happened that didn't go to plan or he was annoyed he'd just close his eyes and think about how he murdered Charlie in the alleyway yikes.......... as a way to calm down..........

**When I was writing this out I had an example of an idea of what type of metaling he'd be doing. As we all know Fritz mom hates his ass rip. I'm thinking she's flat out cheating on her husband with another man because she hates the way her life is going and hates her 'defective' son. So yeah anyway William metaling and gives Fritz dad bread crumbs leading him on this hunt where in the end he finds out his wife has been cheating on him. So much upheaval happens because of it. William's like "well it's better like this she hated her kid anyway and was nothing but trouble I'm def making Fritz life better" and like yeah okay you have a point but also you do this in the meanest way possible dragging out this whole thing instead of just telling it to this man STRAIGHT. you could've come up with a lie that you saw her kissing some other dude while you where out BUT NOOOO NOOO HE JUST DRAGS IT OUT LIKE A LITTLE GAME AND IS GOING tehehe ur getting closer buddy!!!

[graciegoeskrazy]

figure my heart out | PART 2

Matty Healy + Queer!Teen!Daughter!reader

warnings: coming out, language

a/n: you didn’t really think i’d leave u on read did you? cmon u know me better than that. in all honesty i didnt mean to split it into 2 parts but i just loved what i had written and wanted to get it out there asap. my bad whoopsies. AT LEAST I DIDNT LEAVE YALL HANGING FOR LONG RIGHT. i’m sorry for all the pain i caused. xoxo. ALSO THANK YOUNFOR ALL THE IIND COMMENTS AND LOVE U GUYS MAKE MY FUCKING DAY LIKE LITTERSLY MY DAD WAS SO SHIT IMAND YOU GUYS TURNED IT AROUND WITH UR REQUESTS AND COMMENTS I LOVENUUUUHU OKAY enjoy 😚

An hour had passed. No one had gone to bed or left including your aunt and uncles because they all were too worried about you. They tried to convince your father to follow you upstairs before things worsened, but he couldn't move. This was a life-changing moment for crying out loud, and he was the one who ruined it. He couldn’t get that out of his head. After a while of going back and forth with each other, Everyone had enough of your father’s bullshit and decided to get involved. George and Ross took it upon themselves to head up to your room. They weren't even sure if you were awake in the first place, but the faint music of Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour album was playing the the background which was a telltale sign you were awake. Awake, and not doing well. It was nearing 3 in the morning but on weekends like this, sleep didn’t exist in the Healy and company household. People were up and awake or blasting music or just doing things you would normally do when the sun is up, so everyone staying up and having an intervention of sorts was a normal thing. (Which makes you wonder why your curfew was 11 pm in the fucking first place) That’s another reason why George and Ross had no problem with knocking on your door. “Bubs? You in there?” George knew the answer. They both did, but they didn’t know how to start the conversation. You had just sent a goodnight text to your girlfriend. As soon as you got upstairs a while ago, you texted her saying that you needed to talk. Not even a full minute later she answered the phone and you told her everything. After getting you to calm down and promising you everything would be alright, she suggested that you get some rest, and that’s what you planned to do. Until your uncles knocked on your door.

“Bubs it's Me and Tallie. We need you to open up.”

You were so tired. You didn't want to deal with them or anyone. You just wanted sleep. So you didn’t answer. After a moment, Ross spoke. “Love, open the door, please. We just want to help you.” He gave a glance towards George when you didn’t reply. “Bubs, we love you. We only want to help. What your dad did was unfair, we know that, and we just want to stop it from getting worse.”

Ross added on, “We love you, y/n. It doesn't change how we feel about you. You’re still our baby and we still love you. Let us in, please.”

After thinking about it and coming to the conclusion of what more could go wrong you reached up from where you were sitting on the ground near the door, and let them in. Still not saying another word.

George found you first. He knelt in front of you and did some of the breathing exercises he taught you. Eventually, he helped you up onto the bed where Ross sat and you just fell into him. You cried into his chest as George closed the door and went around to the other side of the bed.

“You feeling better?” You nodded. Ross pressed a kiss to your head. “Good.” He said.

George scooted closer and smiled. ‘So…June, huh?”

Ross smiled and you cringed, “Oh my god, shut up.”

“What?! I’m not judging. I like vaginas too.”

At this point, Ross was a pool of laughter and as much as you hate to admit it you laughed a bit too.

“Oh my- just get out.” You said, cracking a smile.

“You gonna be okay?” Ross asked.

You solemnly nodded. “Yeah, I’m just gonna go to bed and see what happens tomorrow.”

George smiled, “One day at a time.”

You nodded.

They both pressed kisses to your head like they have done since you were little, and left the room, silently, closing the door.

…

The next morning, after some very much-needed rest, you woke up to the sun coming through your window. You sat there for a while, wishing it was still night and wishing June was right there with you. After a minute of snapping back to reality, there was a silent knock at the door. Matty peaked his head in and his eyes found yours. He was still in last night’s clothes, dress pants and all. “I’m sorry- did I wake you-”

“No. It’s fine I’ve been up.”

He just nodded. He cleared his throat before continuing. “Can I come in?” You didn’t expect this conversation to happen this early but it was clear that he got no sleep and had been preparing himself all night. You nodded. He came in and shut the door and sat on the edge of your bed. You lay back, resting against the headboard. He couldn’t meet your eyes, but finally did when he said, “I’m sorry.”

You showed a slight tight-lip smile.“I know.” You said.

He looked away again and sighed. “I didn’t mean for it to happen like this, I just…”

“For what to happen?”

“You coming out.”

Your head tilted in confusion, “Wait- you knew this would happen?”

He shrugged as if it was nothing. “Well, not this but yeah, love.”

You crawled forward and sat next to him by the edge of your bed. “Are you kidding?” You yelled.

“No. I’ve known you liked boys and girls since you were in primary school.”

This bitch. You stood up with wide eyes and stared at your dad. “You knew I liked both!?!”

He smiled. “Remember the first time you got drunk at a party?”

“No?”

“Exactly. You came home super drunk from June’s house and while I was helping you sober up and get ready for bed you told me you had a crush on June. That you liked her and wanted to marry her.” He smiled at the thought.

You were shocked to say the least. “Wh-why didn’t you say anything? Or yell at me for being drunk!”

“Because you’re a teenager. I wanted you to have fun.”

You rolled your eyes and sat back down, of COURSE he knew I was queer of course. Sometimes I wish he didn’t know me this fucking well. “Oh my gosh.”

“You thought I believed you were going to ‘study sessions’? I’m not dumb, love. I used to make the same excuses. Plus, I didn't think I’d have to worry about teen pregnancy if you were having sex with a girl.”

“Dad!” You said, slapping his arm.

“Sorry.” You covered your eyes in embarrassment and shock.

“I wanted you to live your life. And figure out who you are before you tell me anything. I wanted you to feel comfortable coming to me and trust me.”

You sat up. “I’ve always trusted you. It’s just June isn’t exactly out yet to her family so it’s comp-“

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.” He said, smiling, and putting a hand on your knee.

“I’m sorry, I yelled,” he said.

“You don’t have to be sorry. I’m sorry I lied and stayed past curfew.”

“It’s alright.” He said, patting your knee.

He looked at you and took your face in his hands. “I love you. No matter who you love.”

You smiled “I love you most.”

[katyawriteswhump]

Home to you (Platonic Stobin Day fic)

Written for @steddieholidaydrabbles, Day 17, Platonic Stobin. A year or so after the events of S4, Steve and Robin both struggle to get on with life. They had NOT planned in any way to spend Christmas together…

WC: 984. Rating: T.

CW: None (except only a small Steddie subtext in this one!) Tags: Chronic pain, OCD, platonic soul mates.

***

Steve had just gotten through the kitchen door—Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ blasting in his ears—when his boss got right in his face.

“You’re fired, Harrington.”

“Come on, man, no way.”

“You’re late. Again. You sleep through your alarm. When the order bell goes off, you sit and chill, like you don't freakin' hear.”

Oh, I hear, dipshit.

Your crappy bell sets off a stabbing pain between my eyes, and I’m blacking out, or shitting myself I’m having a stroke. So, yeah, I take a moment. I’m still your best waiter, plus it’s Christmas Eve!

He didn’t say it. Wished he had.

Ten minutes later, he was out on the snowy street, half-a-week’s pay in his pocket. Not enough to settle his rent. He was jobless, verging on homeless, out of meds. Yeah, he knew where he wanted to go. Christ, he missed her, but…

He sucked it up, called his mom: “Not working after all. I’ll be home tonight.”

“That’s… lovely. I’m afraid Aunt Lobelia has your room, and the couch is taken—”

“Wow. Can I go in the stable with the donkey?”

“Very droll, darling. For Christmas Eve nibbles, it’s the carparking we’re really concerned about.”

Carparking? Hilarious! He'd sold his car to pay medical bills. That was gonna be a fun conversation with his Dad.

In the queue at the bus depot, the fumes worsened his headache. He sat cross-legged on the ground, his face in his hands, spiralling deeper toward despair.

He heard mutters: “Is that guy drunk?”

Hilarious! Again! Like I could touch alcohol these days.

He wanted to punch somebody. That ache of loneliness settled in his guts, panged tightly in his chest.

Screw them.

He got on a Greyhound in the wrong direction. It sure felt like the right one to him.

***

She found him sitting on the steps of her dark university halls, curled forward with his arms around his knees. He was actually wearing that ghastly overlong scarf she knitted.

“Steve?” She wanted to blub, her rush of emotion kinda overwhelming. “Thought you were working Christmas, too?”

He looked up, groggily, started to rise. Two seconds later, they were in each other's arms.

“You're freezing,” she murmured, her cheek tucking against his scarf.

“Back at ya. There’s, like, frost on your stupid, crocheted bobble.” She hugged him a little tighter and took him inside. Beneath his jacket, he wore the ‘lame-ass’ sweater she knitted for him too.

They sat on her bed, sharing a tube of prawn cocktail Doritos. Everything pent up inside her burst free:

“My waitressing gig is the worst. Next a-hole who grabs my butt is gonna get slapped silly. Talk about objectification—it’s a billion times worse than Scoops.”

She noisily crunched a Dorito; he crunched one, too: God, I miss working together. I miss you so much.

“I’m totally behind on my college work. Nobody else gets it, because they, like, have money, and go home for Christmas, but my mom’s not talking to me, and—”

She paused for another crunch. They shared the last Dorito. He sank heavily against her shoulder, and before she knew it, she’d gotten his head in her lap.

I hate touching people, having them touch me. Then there’s you. Something else she didn’t need to say.

“It’s spookily quiet here, Steve, with the other students gone. I end up, like, checking every window and door a thousand times, because if it's spooky, there’s gonna be spooks, right? Or other supernatural shit, because after what we’ve seen, nothing can be ruled out, and don’t get me started on what I do when the lightbulbs flicker… uh, Steve? You okay? Too much prattling?”

“I’m with the spooks,” he mumbled. “Hot for the quiet. Though you’re not making my head any worse, so shoot.”

Nope. She’s done. With Steve, she can have this thing called comfortable silence.

She stroked his hair; it’s still damp, but they’re warming up, snuggled together. She skittered fingers across his brow, down his cheek. His face is toasty hot.

“Your fingers stink of prawns.” His snicker tugged her lips into a smile.

“You can talk, Mr Dorito-breath. I’ll wash.”

“Come straight back—you’re helping. Best treatment I got, till I can bag more opioids.”

She turned on the faucet, wanted to scream: I hate how nobody cares about your pain. I hate the price you paid for helping others, saving lives. You never ask for help. Why can’t anybody see? And then there’s Eddie. Healing all alone, while living on the run...

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, when they’re settled back as they were.

“What the hell for?” He slid his hand under his cheek, taking some weight off her knee.

“Oh… nothing. I guess, it was… nothing.”

“You think about Eddie much?” He tugged that smile from her again, this time blurred with tears. Brain-share, huh?

“Only every single day.”

“Yeeeah. Me too.” He unleashed a long, shuddering sigh. “He called last month. I'd drop everything and run to him, if he just... said the word."

"Did YOU say the word yet?"

A faint harrumph.

"If you never tell Eddie how you feel, Dingus—"

"Hey, is it midnight yet?”

“Yeah." She shook her head, lovingly. "Merry Christmas, Steve.”

“Merry… Christmmm…”

He sighed again, long and slow. She sensed immediately that he’d fallen asleep. 

That night, she only checked the windows and doors twice.

***

It was great to wake without an alarm piercing his skull. Without that grind of loneliness in his gut.

They’d squished into the single bed. He’d gotten most of the pillow, and she’d hogged most of the blanket. His head hurt less, and Robin’s soft snores had to be one of the few sounds in the world that didn’t bug him.

Okay, they grated a bit. He was still stupidly relieved to be here.

He curled up behind her, spooning like a pair of furry sloths, and went back to sleep.

[stardust948]

Frenemies AU Beginnings

[At the showcase]

Jee: Are you Bato's mom?

Kanna: I'm his aunt. What's wrong?

Jee: Come with me!

[Go backstage and find Bato's feverish]

Kanna: What happened?!

Bato: I don't know. It just sprung up out of nowhere.

Nurse: Does anyone know how this happened?

Hakoda: The herbal tea! You must have had an allergic reaction to it.

Jee: Will he still be able to perform?

Bato: *vomits*

Nurse: Does that answer your question?

Kanna, helping him: I'm sorry sweetie. You can do the concert next year.

Jee: Does anyone here know Bato's part?

Kya pointing to Hakoda: His cousin does.

Hakoda: Me cousin? No no no I just helped them rehearse. I'm not even a student here-

Kya, dragging him away: You know this whole thing inside out. The song. The chorography. You can do this! Come on!

Hakoda: Nuh-huh!

Kya: He said he'll do it!

Hakoda: No I didn't! I am not getting on that stage!

[Hard cut to Hakoda on stage]

Hakoda: 😬

Kya: *flashes a thumbs up*

Hakoda, whispering: I hate you.

*Nervously starts singing but grows in confidence. The crowd gives a standing ovation.*

[Backstage]

Kanna, hugging Hakoda: Oh honey I'm so proud of you!

Piandao: Excuse me? Who are you?

Hakoda: I'm Hakoda Kuruk. Who are you?

Jee: This is the principal of Republic Arts!

Piandao: You don't go to school here?

Hakoda: No I was just filing in for-

Piandao: Do you want to? Full scholarship!

Hakoda: Me? Should I?

*Everyone agrees*

Hakoda: But the kids who go there are crazy talented!

Kya: Yeah so are you!

Hakoda: I'm not good enough.

*Arguments break out. Kya raises the curtains.*

Kya to the crowd: Hey! This guy doesn't know if he's good enough to go to school here! What do you people think?!

Crowd: *cheers*

Kya: Okay?

Hakoda: ...Okay! I'm in! *hugs her*

~

[First day at Republic Arts]

Hakoda: *amazed by all the performers*

Hakoda, stopping a passing girl: Hey, I'm new here. Could you help me with-

Poppy: Oh! You're Hakoda! I saw you at the big showcase! You were amazing!

Hakoda: Thanks.

Poppy: My name's Poppy.

Hakoda: Like the flower?

Poppy: What's that supposed to mean?!

Hakoda: Nothing! I love flowers.

Poppy: *gasp* Me too! They're so pretty! *leaves*

Hakoda:

Kya: There you are!

Hakoda: Hey!

Kya: Excited for your first day at Republic Arts?

Hakoda: Excited, crying, throwing up-

Kya: Oh it's not that bad! Speaking of which how's Bato? Sucks he couldn't make your first day.

Hakoda: Doctors' said he'll recover in a week or two.

Kya: Great! C'mon we have first period together.

~

Hakoda: *walks into Ursa and spills her coffee*

Hakoda: I'm so sorry! *wipes it off*

Ursa: It's fine. Don't worry about it.

Hakoda: I think it's almost off.

Ursa, laughing: You're making it worse actually.

Hakoda: *smiles*

Ozai: Hey! Why are you rubbing my girlfriend?!

Hakoda: Oh I spilled coffee-

Ozai: Get away from her!

Ursa: Relax. It was just an accident. *kisses his cheek*

Ozai: *glares at Hakoda*

Bumi, rushing in: SPIRITS, THERE'S A HUGE FIRE!

*Everyone panics*

Bumi: Kidding! Just wanted to get your blood pumping which I did! HA! Now let's get started. Rumps in chairs!

Hakoda to Kya: That's our teacher?

Bumi: Okay, first I'd like to introduce our new student Hakoda. And thank him for her generous gift of two dollars which he handed to me outside of school this morning. Not necessary but much appreciated!

Kya whispering: Why did you give our teacher two dollars?

Hakoda: I thought he was homeless!

Bumi: First up, improv lessons! Hakoda do you know what improv is?

Hakoda: Yes and no.

Bumi: Well which is it?

Hakoda: No.

Bumi: Alright, crash course! Improv is acting without a script. Understand?

Hakoda: *about to ask a question*

Bumi: Excellent! Ozai you will captain the first session. Choose your players.

Ozai: Poppy, Kya, Ursa... and Hakoda.

Hakoda: ???

Ozai: Yeah. You.

Bumi: Scene is 'At home. Big news.' Action!

Ozai to Hakoda: Why don't you go wait in the hall.

Hakoda: Okay...

Ozai to Ursa: Hi honey how was work today?

Ursa: Uh, I got fired.

Poppy: Again?

Kya: Mom's a loser!

Ursa: Thanks.

Ozai: That's okay. I got big news that will cheer everyone up! *brings in Hakoda* I went to the animal shelter and got us a dog!

Hakoda: Uh yeah... I'm the new family dog. Woof?

Ozai: Ugh. Bumi would you tell this amateur that dogs don't talk and they don't walk on two legs. BUMI!!!

Bumi: Sorry I was sucking the milk out of this coconut. But it's true Hakoda, if you're gonna play a dog, be a dog.

Hakoda: Right... *gets on hands and knees* Woof.

Poppy and Kya: *pets him* Wow! He's so cute!

Hakoda: Woof. Bark.

Ozai: Uh-oh! Looks like this dog has bugs in his hair!

Poppy and Kya: *jumps back* Gross!

Ozai: That's okay. I read online coffee is great for getting rid of fur bugs. *steals Ukano's drink*

Ursa: Maybe you shouldn't-

Kya: Ozai!

Ozai: *dumps coffee on Hakoda's head*

Hakoda: !!!

Ozai: What's the problem, dog?

Hakoda: *runs out of the classroom*

Kya: *runs after him* Hey what are you doing?

Hakoda: Calling my mom to tell her I want to go back to my old school!

Kya: Why?

Hakoda: Because I don't like having black coffee in my hair!

Kya: Then I'll get you some cream and sugar. Everything will be chill.

Hakoda, on the phone: Hey Mom-

Kya: *Steals his phone* Nope!

Hakoda: Give me back my Mom!

Kya: You're gonna quit this school on your first day just because of one mean guy?

Hakoda: It's not just him! I don't fit in with all this!

Kya: Okay, the school's not normal-

Hakoda, sarcastic: Really?

Kya: But neither are you. I've seen what you can do on stage. You're special. You're fantastic! You belong at this school. Normal's boring.

Hakoda:

[At home]

Hakoda: *Rewatching his performance*

Bato: You know, it doesn't even look like you're gonna pee yourself in this.

Hakoda: *rolls eyes*

Bato: You're really gonna quit Republic Arts?

Hakoda: What do you think I should do?

Bato: I think you should come back.

Hakoda: Why?

Bato: So I won't be known as the guy whose cousin quit on the first day. *Playfully shoves Hakoda*

Hakoda: *laughs some*

Bato: And I think you were really good in the big showcase. That took guts.

Hakoda: ...Thanks Bato.

[Next day]

Hakoda: *returns to class*

Kya: You're back!

Hakoda: Yeah. You're right. Normal's boring.

Bumi: Today's lesson, ABC Acting. Who wants to start?

Hakoda, raising his hand: I do.

Bumi: Alright, chose your players.

Hakoda: Kya, Poppy, Ursa, and... Ozai.

Ozai: ???

Hakoda: Yeah. You.

Bumi: Start with the letter P. Go!

Hakoda: Please go take a shower.

Ozai: Quit telling me what to do.

Ursa: Relax. Let's all try to get along.

Poppy: Totally!

Bumi: Your line had to start with the letter S.

Poppy: Aww S is the worse!

Bumi: Here's a piece of candy.

Poppy: Yay I love candy!

Bumi: Kya your go!

Kya: Something bit my toe.

Hakoda: Turtle bit her toe.

Ozai: Unbelievable that you're even here.

Ursa: Very immature of you to say that!

Kya: What if the turtle broke my toe?

Hakoda: X-rays are the only way to find out.

Ozai: U should shut up.

Ursa: Zap! I just healed your toe with my magic finger!

Kya: Thanks!

Bumi: Your line had to start with an A! Sit down!

Kya: Aww I just got my toe bone fixed.

Bumi: Hakoda, keep it rolling!

Hakoda: Aliens are the only ones who can heal by finger zapping.

Ozai: By the way! *blows raspberry at Hakoda*

Ursa: Correct. I am an alien.

Bumi: Oh plot twist!

Hakoda: Don't hurt me, please!

Ozai: Even though he's extremely annoying.

Ursa: Fainting. Can't breathe your Earth air.

Hakoda: Gah she fainted!

Ozai: Hey why don't you go jump off that cliff over there?

Hakoda: I think you should.

Ozai: Just where did you come from?!

Hakoda: Kangaroos.

Ozai: Lousy animals. They're awkward and dirty.

Hakoda: Must have learned from you.

Class and Bumi: Oooooohhhhh!!!

Ozai: No one talks to me like that.

Hakoda: Obviously someone should.

Ozai: Please get hit by a bus.

Hakoda: Quite obnoxious of you to say.

Ozai: Really?

Hakoda: Sure was!

Ozai: Thanks!

Hakoda: Up your nose I see boogers!

Ozai: Very clever.

Hakoda: Wished you thought of it?

Ozai, pointing at his face: X marks the spot I want to punch!

Hakoda: Y-Your finger smells weird!

Ozai: Zero is what you are on a scale from on to ten!

Bumi: And back to the letter A!

Hakoda: As if I cared what you think!

Ozai: Better watch yourself!

Hakoda: Can't take it?

Ozai: Don't push me!

Hakoda: Eat your pants!

Ozai: YOU EAT YOUR PANTS! WAIT!

Bumi: Sorry Ozai. The next letter was-

Ozai: F! I KNOW!!! *glares at Hakoda then storms back to his seat*

Hakoda, helping Ursa up: Get up alien.

Ursa: Head still spinning.

Hakoda: I know what would make you feel better.

Ursa: Jumping jacks?

Hakoda: Kiss me.

Ursa: Let's do it. *They kiss*

Ozai: !!!

*Class applauds*

Hakoda: Man I love this school!

[amethysttribble]

Nimloth was kicking her legs, swinging her arm as she laid upon one of the arching branches above the grand hall of Menegroth.

Here, enclosed by vines and flowers and moss, she would remain unseen, but she need only ask to plants to move a little to see everything. Mother said she was too young to be up so late and watching such proceedings, but that just went to show what she knew.

Queen Melian saw all in Doriath, and had not yet reproached Nimloth. That must mean her 'snooping' was righteous.

But even being resolved of her righteousness had not stopped Nimloth from growing... bored.

Her kin, who were not the kinslayers, but were kin of the kinslayers were proving to be shockingly dull. Her cousins, Lord Finrod and Lady Galadriel- named such by Uncle Celeborn, in what the whole court agreed was a very romantic display, but Nimloth thought was mostly funny- made merry the same as anyone else. There had thus far been none of the drink throwing and hair pulling that her friends whispered would happen, when their kin who were the kinslayers' kin were re-invited to Doriath.

Still, Galadriel and Finrod glowed, and that was just interesting enough to watch from above. They took up so much space. Only Luthien and Daeron could match them for gloriousness, and for some reason that annoyed Nimloth. She wasn't quite sure why.

Ah, that would probably fade once she met them. Mother and Father were agreed that she should be of age before consorting with their strange, proud, lying, kinslayer's kin kin. Nimloth thought that was foolish, but she picked her battles.

Mother and Father could be so over-protective, and what stung the most was that she knew they had not always been this way. Why-

"You always find the best spots," a voice said from her left, as a weight settle next to her head.

Nimloth gasped and sat up, a grin splitting her face.

"Oropher!" she whisper shouted, and her cousin smiled brightly at her. He held up an arm, allowing her to throw herself around his torso, squeezing as tightly as she could. He dropped his arm around her shoulders and squeezed right back.

"I missed you," she said into his shoulder, "you've been gone so long, why are you always gone these days?"

Oropher laughed softly and said, "Part of the job, kid. Marchwarden Mablung runs a tight outpost. I'm not about to go asking for time-off and make him hate me. Or worse- think I'm soft."

Nimloth rolled her eyes and did not hide it. She knew Oropher had this grand and horrible fear of people thinking he was 'soft', because he grew up in Menegorth with Mother, Father, and her, and not in some desolate outpost with Aunt Tanwendess, who Nimloth had only ever called Marchwarden Tanwendess. She was the toughest elleth Nimloth knew, and as different from Mother as could be, though they were twins.

Personally, she thought it was a grand thing that Oropher had been raised by Mother and Father and not that steely marchwarden. It made him as good as her brother, which could only be a good thing. But Nimloth knew that Oropher disagreed- about the raising part, not the brother part, he always assured her- so she did not say anything.

He was so sensitive.

"But you're here now," she said happily, pulling away from the hug.

"I am," he agreed, releasing his arm from around her shoulders and ruffling her hair. "A lucky break, I was assigned to escort your Noldor kin to the city, with a few others. I'm only here for two days, but we'll make it count, yeah?"

Nimloth ignored the stab in her heart at hearing he would be leaving so soon. He was gone so often... Nimloth bit the inside of her cheek, to halt the sorrow. If he could not stay long, she would have to be resolute. Resilient like an oak, as Oropher said. They'd make the most of it.

"Yeah," she agreed, trying to remain cheery. "Right. I can't believe you've met my cousins and I haven't! Did you tell them you were my kin?"

Oropher laughed, loud and deep and Nimloth knew at least someone below must have heard him and looked up. He could not be sneaky for the life of him. But even if Mother and Father caught wind of her being out of bed, now that Oropher was here, they would only sigh, rather than punish her.

They knew he would take care of her.

"Absolutely not," he said, only marginally less loud. "Your Lord Finrod is a trial even if he does not think you have anything to offer him. If he knew about Aunt Tathrenes? Insufferable, I would not have been able to breathe, Lothig."

"You do not like him then?" she asked, eyes widening, "Everyone seems to like Lord Finrod, even Uncle King Elu."

Oropher made a considering sound, looking down at the party below.

Yes, they had long since been spotted by everyone below, and Lord Finrod even noticed them looking at him. He waved.

"That one is good with egos," Oropher said carefully, voice much lower. "He likes it when people like him, and so tries to be as likable as possible, no matter who you might be. He changes like water, to fit the needs of anyone he speaks to. And once he has entranced them, then comes the favors, both to and from, until you are ensnared in his web. It's a very pretty trap, and I must respect it, but-" He sneered suddenly. "I have nothing to say towards the deceitful. He and his brothers lied to our people once for their gain, and I do not forgive so easily."

"You sound like your mother," Nimloth said.

Oropher smiled at her like this was a compliment.

"What about Lady Galadriel?" she quickly changed the subject. "What do you make of her?"

He lapsed into silence again, considering. At long last, he said, "Your uncle is going to marry her and I am going to be a menace at their wedding."

"Oropher!" Nimloth laughed, and his façade of seriousness cracked, and then they were laughing together.

They collapsed their heads and shoulders together, giggling, and she said, "Can I help cause trouble?"

Nimloth loved, loved, loved Uncle Celeborn, but he was very silly and took himself very seriously, and Oropher said that was never a combination to celebrate. He was very fun to tease and also eternally indulgent. And he never snitched, so even if it was his wedding day, she was sure to get away with mischief.

Oropher would not get away with it, but that was how things with him and Uncle Celeborn went.

"'Course," he said, "as long as you're able to get away from your parents. Do you think if they tie the knot before you're of age, you'll even be allowed to go to the wedding?"

"Oh no," Nimloth whined, "No, Lady Galadriel doesn't have any sisters, they must allow me to attend to her at the wedding, they must. Or, I guess... do you think she will even care to remember me?"

Oropher's eyebrows furrowed and then he rapped his knuckles on her head.

"Lady Galadriel," he said, "by my estimation is the opposite of her brother. She is as straight-forward as they come. She will remember you, if only for duty. If she will care too, I cannot say. What do you even care?"

"She is family," Nimloth grumbled, crossing her legs and leaning over them to look all the way down again. Her cousins, all of them except for Oropher next to her, were so bright. They took up so much space, and she faded into the shadows.

"I don't know," she sighed into her knees, "Princess Luthien is not interested in me, so I wondered if maybe..."

"Hey, hey, hey," Oropher said, tugging on the back of her nightgown until she was sitting up again. He leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "Princess Luthien has her head stuck in Iluvatar's grand beyond. Her lack of notice is not an insult, it is just..."

Just Luthien.

Nimloth pressed her lips together tightly. When Oropher pulled back and noticed her expression, he frowned. He reached for her hair, pulled out several strands, and started to braid.

"Besides, you are young," he said, as his fingers soothingly threaded through her silver-white hair, for which she was named. "Not every adult is so gracious as me to take interest in such a little thing, with a spirit half-formed."

She half-heartedly slapped his bicep, pouting, but he just laughed and said, "Give it time, Lothig."

"It feels like all I do is give 'it' and everyone else time," she snapped, crossing her arms. "Time to be allowed to do anything, time for my relatives to care about me, time for you to come home. I want to be alive now, Oropher, not when I'm 'of age' or the war is over."

Oropher did not immediately reply. He pulled a string of dyed leather from his hair and used it to tie off the braid he'd weaved in hers. Only once he'd given her braid a slight tug for good measure did he softly say, "I understand that."

Nimloth looked up at his shadowed, far-away eyes and knew he was thinking of his mother. She who- after his father died and he was sent to Menegroth- he did not see again until he was a warrior grown. Because the border was too dangerous, Father said. Because the grief was too strong, Mother said. As far as Nimloth knew, Aunt Tanwendess had never said anything on the matter.

Nimloth reached out and grabbed Oropher hand.

"Can we go camping while you're here?" she asked, and he looked at her curiously. "If we leave now, it'll be a nice little trip, just us. And we can do whatever we want."

"Don't you want to meet your cousins?" he asked, but he was smiling, fond and happy and boyish still. "I was going to offer to introduce you."

Nimloth shook her head.

"No. I like you better."

Oropher let out another booming laugh, and then he stood. No doubt the whole court was looking at them; Nimloth could never use this hiding spot again. Oh well.

She took Oropher's outstretched hand.

"Well, how can I turn down an invitation like that? Sure, let's go camping. Auntie and Uncle can yell at me later."

Nimloth, as she frantically packed to make her escape from the city with Oropher, knew that Mother and Father would not yell. They loved Oropher and they trusted him. She'd say 'as much as she did', but that was impossible. Surely no one loved and trusted Oropher as much as her.

Unlike all her bright and fancy cousins, Nimloth knew that Oropher would never, ever let her down. And that he would love her- even if she was small and plain and trouble.

[prowerprojects]

That post actually reminds me about one scene in Zootopia. Basically there was a childhood local bully that the main character got into a confrontation with that did leave a impact on her she didn't completely noticed until she meets the OTHER main character, who was the same species as the bully.

Come years later as an adult, she meets up with said bully again who clearly changed for the better, *is now business partners with her parents and apologized to her, saying he had personal issues to work out. (*This being really big as the parents weren't the biggest fan of the species either until their daughter's optimistic personality made them reconsider.)

__________

For Tails, it depends on how bad the bullies were and deep-rooted this affected him. If it was just the kids/only foxes or something that they got from their parents, were there some trying to befriend him but peer pressure held them? Was it just one village or the entire island? {One has to wonder if there were pre-Sonic travelers that were as nice or just as bad} Would Tails be willing to forgive; or rather start over? Or is the bitterness and anger still there, wanting to "fight back" when it couldn't before? Would he ever set foot on that island ever again?

Oooh I haven't seen Zootopia, but I know who the main characters are, so I think I understand the idea. I wonder how often people actually apologize for bullying. Like that post said, most people probably don't even remember that they were doing anything especially bad.

(Personally I would never want to face my childhood bullies again even if they became the best people in the world. Everyone who manages to make up with theirs is a stronger person than I am)

Anyway, back to Tails. This is really interesting, I think. If you were asking about my specific story, I could give you answers, but in canon, we don't know much. I've seen a lot of people hc that he was shunned from his village and had to survive in the jungle and if other people see him around, they'd beat him up, etc. Meanwhile I have him living with his aunt and cousins, at least, even if they treat him horribly (I already made Cinderella jokes about him before)

In Fleetway, it doesn't seem like there's anything other than verbal abuse. In aosth he gets weird comments, but by that time he's with Sonic already and gets kidnapped by robots on the daily so I'm not sure how to fit that here. In Sonic X, iirc, he gets held back while his invention gets smashed, (and I hate it here). In the scu he's being awfully vague about this whole situation (he does react strongly to people crowding him and calling him a freak).

I thought in the games it was more on the verbal side, too, calling him "Tails", and probably some worse things too. But then we got the Origins cutscene which has the bullies physically assault him by tugging at his tails. So there's that.

He doesn't bring up or reference his past in the actual games, which I actually think is good and in character. Tails doesn't like to talk about his issues, like. Sonic has no idea about his character arc in Adventure or what he was doing or feeling there. He clearly has issues in Colors and Lost World but he expresses them in a horrible roundabout way. Tails had to have a breakdown in Frontiers to actually open up to Sonic (he didn't tell Sonic what happened in Forces either before that). Tails might be more sensitive and emotional person that Sonic and a lot of other characters in the cast, really. But he doesn't like to be perceived as weak. He wants people to rely on him. So it stands to reason he wouldn't be openly sharing his past. I want to note that being bullied isn't an indication of weakness, but I also wouldn't be surprised if Tails doesn't want his friends to pity him. Sonic probably doesn't even know what was actually going on with Tails back there.

So yeah, those are all good questions that you're asking, which we most likely would not get the answers for... well, ever.

Personally I could see Tails being able to start over. (But only with the people who genuinely want to try with him too). He does have a tendency to stew in negative emotions but I don't imagine it's something he enjoys. The bitterness and the anger are probably still there, but I could see him making an effort to put them behind him to get closure. (It's often fun and cathartic to see your fave owning the people who wronged them, and I won't begrudge anyone for it, I just think this is what would make Tails happier)

[yanzinator]

Why are you so proud to be so antisemitic?

I'm not? Antisemitism is hatred against Jews and as much as I hate it, I know ahavas yisroel and all that, but there is this one Jew that I do hate because, (strap in) picture this. So 2 years or so ago, this guy, he does tshuvah, and for his teacher, technically he's not a rabbi, but the entire journey the guy is guided by my father who acts as a rabbi for this guy. He comes to our house shabboses, holidays, friendly, great guy overall. Fast forward a year and a half or so. This guy is chabad chassidish, super religious, and he's looking to marry. It takes a while, He gets on a religious dating show, doesn't find anyone there, but soon after he finds a shidduch. couple weeks later, It's purim, He and this girl are getting married. Everyone in my shul are saying he's a good guy, so she trusts him based on that. This guy, his shidduch, and her aunt, are staying at our house for about a week before the wedding and a few days after. Thursday after Purim, the wedding happens. Everyones happy. Next friday night (shabbos) I walk downstairs to hear him screaming. He's yelling at, threatening both his newlywed wife and her aunt like they just murdered his family. My dad is trying really hard to calm him down to no success. This goes on for a couple minutes until he leaves in a huff to go to shul, and his wife is crying on the couch, and her aunt is also terrified. We do our kiddush without him, she doesn't feel much better, it's a very sad kiddush. She goes to sleep, her aunt stays to talk with my mom a bit more about it, then he comes back, and so does half the regular congregation who could tell something was up because what's a newlywed doing in shul without his wife? At this point he's also a bit drunk (but he insisted and kept insisting the next day he wasn't), he sees her aunt and starts yelling at her that she ruined this marriage, and because of her he doesn't want his wife anymore (he thought she still wanted him after that.) imaging 8 people trying to calm this dude down, then my mom hears this and yells at him that she doesn't want him. He tries to run towards her presumably to physically attack her, at this point 9 people including me, holding him back. His wife wakes up, comes to the door sees him screaming and yells at him that he should be ashamed of himself, and goes back to her room crying. They were planning on going on a honeymoon across south america for a few months, but she decided she's not safe with him alone and returned to her family in israel, with him, they kept trying to make the marriage work. Anyway, last tuesday, his ex-wife comes to visit us in Jerusalem (where we were for... reasons). Her divorce was just finalized. She says that the last few months were that night and worse. We celebrated the end of the horrible marriage with sushi. A few days later he visits us. My dad is seemingly friendly with him, I put on a we're cool face, it felt awful, He talked with my dad for a while, I heard this fucker bragging "Yeah man I went from chiloni to bachelor to married to bachelor in the shortest amount of time" like it was something to be proud of. So anyway my hatred of that guy is the only antisemitism I have. I'm not proud of it but I can't bring myself to forgive that fucker. I've also never mentioned it so idk why you think I'm proud of that? unless of course you don't actually know what antisemitism is beyond "bad guy" and because you're actually antisemetic you think the Jews are the antisemites.

[oldfangirl81]

For anyone who hasn't seen me rant before about why the Buckley parents hit my sore spots here I go again...

Buckley parents were upper middle class from what we can tell. They buried a child and didn't allow anyone to grieve. They cared more about appearance and reputation than their kids. They gave therapy a try but quit one session (to be fair this might be a fanon one). They emotionally neglected and abused their kids. They put the blame on the kids for not making it easy on them.

Now my paternal grandparents were middle class and advancing to upper middle class when my dad and his sister came along. Money became their focus.

They had substance abuse issues but the socially acceptable kind. My dad avoided substances because of it. My aunt scored from their med cabinet and liquor cabinet. My Dad tried to be the perfect child to earn their love and respect. My aunt rebelled every chance.

In her very 20s she was starting to get her life together when she was killed crossing the street by a drunk driver. After her burial my grandparents shamed my father for expressing grief. They rarely would allow her to be spoken of. Dad became a traffic cop largely in part because of her death.

As I got older I had some of her mannerisms even though she was long dead before I was born, to their pain.

They would actually help when I was hospitalized but it was more about appearance then strictly helping my parents.

When I first got sick in preschool my grandparents offered my parents money to have plastic surgery on my ear. So that if I couldn't be perfect on the inside I'd be perfect on the outside.

My grandfather offered my mom a mink if she'd give him a second grandchild. Might have been one of the first times Mom saw Dad go off on them. My birth could easily have killed Mom and Dad never wanted to risk her life again like that. He even had a vasectomy, which eventually his parents learned of. (Probably because I told them Dad couldn't have puppies anymore. My folks had used the puppy getting spayed around that time to try to explain in kid friendly terms.)

My relationship with them started to deteriorate around the time I really started thinking for myself. It got so much worse after 11 1/2. I needed an ileostomy to save my life really. Or at least give me a good quality of life. My grandfather was there when they did the finale test. He heard me screaming through the lead door.

He still called me directly the night before surgery to say "Can't you just learn to handle the pain? I'd rather be dead than have an ostomy." I repeat I was 11 1/2 years old. I said I wanted the surgery and hung up on him. I have never once regretted my ileostomy, only that they didn't make it permanent on the first surgery, it took three total over 18 months or so.

Both my grandmother and grandfather died in Sept '22. I hadn't seen them in person since the early '00s. I rarely spoke on the phone to them either. Rarely exchanged cards or letters.

Another thing they hated was me having short hair. "too butch" and "you'll never find a husband" bullshit. As a kid I kept it short in part out of spite. But it was also easier with my health then.

I don't think they ever knew I was bisexual. I used to joke the only way I'd ever visit them was if I had someone pose as my tattooed lesbian biker girlfriend.

So yeah. The quickest way to make me hate a show is to pull that "family is blood and must always be forgiven" or "they tried their best, so the damage they caused is fine because blood" bs. I've stopped watching other shows over it.

[sunnyie-eve]

8 | That's a lot

Series: Never Leave You | OBX

Paring: (JJ Maybank x OFC! Rafe Cameron x OFC!)

Word Count: 2790

Warnings: mention of abuse, JJ being jealous, unlikely conversation, angst, hinted death

MASTERLIST

"Morning, Callie, you're busy today so you can't leave with JJ." Joey stops them as they walk downstairs.

"We're actually kind of busy today." JJ tells him.

"Too bad. Callie, you're ride is waiting outside to take you." Joey tells her.

"Fine." She and JJ walks out to see Rafe smiling. "He's my ride?" She looks back at Joey standing the doorway and he nods his head. "Tell Kie and Pope." She look at JJ and he heads off.

"Ready?" Rafe smiles.

"Not really." She goes with him and they head out to this random house because it wasn't the Cameron's. "Rafe, why am I with you?" Callie asks as he takes a seat.

"My dad asked for help from Joey about me. My dad said if I spend a few hours with you and you tell Joey we had fun, he'll let me back into the house." He picks up a beer.

"You expect me to lie? Because I'm not having fun and don't plan on having fun with you." She takes a seat far away from him. "Why are you such a dick?" She asks him after a few minutes of silence.

"I'm not. I'm completely a normal person."

"You're not? Okay. So you're not violent, unstable, and troubled. Physically aggressive towards others. You're not a cocaine addict that appears to suffer from some severe form of psychosis. You don't obsessively seek for your father's attention and favor. Yeah, you're a completely normal person, Rafe." Callie gives him a smile.

"So I may have a drug problem." He groans.

"May have? No, you a 100% have one. When did you're drug abuse start?" She asks him starting to annoy him.

"That's none of your business."

"If I'm stuck here for a few hours with you... I think I would like to get to know you." She gets up taking the beer out of his hand to drink.

"Few years ago, I think. I don't exactly remember when. And I hate how you know all those things about me you listed off. But you missed one good thing. I may argue with Wheezie at times but I get along better with her. We bond over the fact that Sarah is our dad's favorite. I have some empathy when it comes to her." He looks at Callie as she sits down. "I wish I could be better and just make my dad proud of me but it's impossible to be the man he wants me to be when I have a drug problem."

Callie actually started to feel bad for Rafe which she hated because he has beat the shit out of JJ and Pope. "You know getting help isn't that bad of an idea. You have your whole life ahead of you still and you're just flushing it down the toilet way earlier. I know living in a shitty family setting is hard." Rafe gives her a look, "And I mean behind close doors. Not lifestyle wise."

"How was your life shitty?"

"My father verbally abused me and he did the same to my mother. He never laid a hand on us... until one night he snapped trying to murder my mother. He went to prison, she ran away leaving me behind, and my aunt got custody over me. I had to move away from here to go live wit her and Joey. I thought I'd finally be free if the abuse but I didn't. Joey is worse than my father. Verbally and physically abusing me and my aunt. He's harassed me in all kinds of ways. I've gone through all of that and still going through it and never once turned to anything or turned violent."

Callie tells him looking down at her hands and Rafe stands up to sit next to her, "You got it worse than me, Cal." He chuckles so she looks at him.

"Thanks for laughing." She downs a beer.

To pass the time the two just drink and get high hoping it would make the time go by faster. Callie just wanted to go home or back to her friends. "Why are you looking at me?" Callie sees Rafe staring at her out of the corner of her eye. "Hello." She turns snapping her fingers in front of his face before he smashes his lips on hers.

She tries to push him away but he was over powering her as he leans her back. He forced his tongue into her mouth without hesitation as she was still trying to get him off her. She hated to admit but he was a good kisser but not as good as JJ. It didn't feel right either but slowly she gave in since fighting back wasn't working. Rafe pulled his mouth away from hers suddenly, a smug grin on his lips.

Callie finally shoves him back standing up leaving him, "Callie!" Rafe rushes after her.

"Leave me alone. I'll tell Joey we had fun but I started to feel bad." She says walking away with him following still.

"Callie!" Rafe yells so she stops walking to face him.

"What do you want?" She shouts at him.

"You."

"Me?!" Callie laughs at him as he walks up to her, "Well you can't have me, Rafe. Just because we had one sorta decent conversation doesn't mean shit. I still don't like you because you're a shitty person." She laughs as he crashes their lips. "God, damn it!" She backs away and walks away ignoring his yelling this time.

Callie goes home telling Joey they hung out having a good time getting to know each other but she started to feel back so she came home.

In her room her aunt walks in shutting the door behind her, "How was it with Rafe?" She takes a seat in her bed.

"We had one kinda decent conversation then he forced himself on me kissing me." Callie gives her a smile.

"I'm sorry." Tess apologizes to her.

"It's fine. He's not a bad kisser." Callie laughs to make it not feel as bad."

"I know you love being with your friends but don't leave the house today so Joey can calm down some. Please." Tess gives her a look so Callie nods her head.

For the rest of the day. Like stayed home like she was told too. It wasn't until last at night JJ came through the door groaning, "You missed a shit ton of stuff by the way. Ward killed John B's dad. He's slightly missing. Pope and Kiara argued over John B since Pope has his interview tomorrow. For once I had to step in and take responsibility. How was your day?" JJ plops down onto her bed.

"We just drank and got high to pass the time. We had one sorta decent conversation. Oh, and he kissed me again when I tried to push him off of me." She gives him a smile as she was going through her closet.

"Rafe kissed you! And you said again?" JJ sits up quickly.

"He tried the night of Midsummer. He kissed me last night and today twice." Callie rolls her eyes.

"That's fucking asshole. You're my girl no one else's." JJ makes Callie laugh walking over to him.

"I'm your girl?" She stands in front of him.

"Yeah." He wraps his arms around her waist looking up at her. Callie gives him a head nod making him happy.

-

In the morning, Callie, JJ, and Kiara head to John B's for him to tell them he went to Tannyhill but finds the gold completely gone. Cameron Construction units were outside the house letting him know Ward was definitely the one who took the treasure.

"Guys!" Pope runs to the others at the dock, "Oh, God. I ran all the way here." He bends over out of breath before mentioning Ward and the airstrip and the plane

Back on the plan to steal the gold they watch from afar. The group watches Sarah and her dad butting heads before Ward forces her onto the plane. John B immediately drives through the fence making the group yell what the hell was he doing. John B drives and blocks the runway, forcing Ward to stop the plane.

"Guys, I can't get arrested." Pope says as police sirens are heard.

"I'm on probation." JJ adds.

"Look, we're no good if we're all in jail." Kiara tells the group so they run off leaving John B.

While they wait out they see the plane fly over causing Pope to break and brake every thing. Kiara kept yelling his name but Callie told her he needed to let it out.

"I was wondering when this was going to happen. Here you go, chef." JJ holds out the vale of weed to Pope, "A little weed never hurt no one." Pope takes it since he lost his scholarship.

John B shows up so they rush over to him to see his hands bloody. Later in the day John B after telling the group really happed he decides to go to the sheriff's office to report what happened.

"Start the car, Kie! Go! Go!" John B jumps back in making the other panic and drive off. All night they hide out in the car to avoid the police looking for John B.

"So, um... okay, bad news. The ferry's closed, and there is this." Pope shows them the wanted flyer, "Okay, so the whole island's lookin for John B right now."

"That's a lot of money. Literally anyone will turn you in for that. Any Pogue would too. Wait, JJ, does your dad still have the cigarette boat? The Phantom. The one he used to race." Callie asks him.

"Maybe."

"Great, let's give it. You can get right I'm the coast, no problem." Pope starts the car.

"It's not going to be easy, Pope. I don't know where the keys are." JJ tells him while Pope makes a scene sing he's so high.

"Your car's on the poster." John B speaks up and Pope honks the horn getting people's attention pointing out John B so Pope takes off.

"I should be the last to say this, but you are not okay to drive. Stop!" JJ shouts at Pope so he slams on the breaks.

"John B, get out." Pope looks back at him.

"He's right. We'll draw the cops, you run. I'll get the rig, and I'll meet you in the dump tomorrow, okay. Three o'clock." JJ says as John B gets out taking off.

Pope and JJ get high while they keep driving around pissing Kiara and Callie off.

"Pull over!" Kiara yells so Pope does as he said making JJ laugh so Callie glares at him.

"JJ, it's not funny, he shouldn't be driving." Callie says as Kiara gets out of the car.

"Mama's mad." He smiles holing out the blunt to her.

"No. Stop it." She pushes his hand away as Pope climbs over to the passenger seat for Kiara to drive to the Cameron's for Sarah.

Pope goes with her while the other two wait at the car, "Come on, relax some." JJ massages Callie's shoulders as they stand outside the car.

"Relax? Our best friend is wanted for murder while the real killer is in that house but no one will believe the truth." She moves her shoulders so he turns her to face him, "Don't look at me with those eyes."

"What am I doing?" He smiles resting his forehead to hers, "Callie, I love you. I've loved you since the day I saw you in kindergarten but was too scared to talk to you until the fourth grade when John B started talking to you."

"JJ, it's not exactly the right time to be doing this. We need to focus on helping our best friend then our feelings for each other. Trust me, I want this but we need to wait and you're incredibly high right now." Callie holds his face in her hands.

"I just wanted to tell you." He holds her before the other two come back and head to The Wreak to spend the night.

- While Pope goes to get gas for the boat, the other three pack up food for John B's trip off the island. As they head out Kiara's parents show up asking where was she.

"Where you even going to tell us? Callie, and your aunt Tess is worried about you and JJ." Anna tells the girls before trying to stop them from leaving.

Callie and JJ felt bad as Kiara kept apologizing to her mother as she gets in the car to drive off to JJ's place. Kiara asks if he wants them to go with him and he said no as they pulled up to his place.

As he gets out of the backseat the girls watch him go inside the house, "So you two?" Kiara speaks up so Callie looks at her, "You two are a good match." She smiles.

"He told me last night he's loved me since kindergarten before I even knew he existed. But I agree with you, just right now isn't the best time to get together. John B needs us to focus on helping him." Callie looks back towards the house.

"I agree." Kie says as JJ gets back in with the key so they head off.

When they get to the boat Kie didn't think it was a junker after JJ takes so well about it. "Really? She's right there, Kie. She can hear you. Let's just put it this way. You would not be smokin weed right now is she never existed, okay?"

"You talk like you love this boat more than Cal. And yeah, I know. It's obvious." Kie smiles at the two and they think Pope showed up.

"Hey, there. What's goin on? JJ. How you guys doin?" Rafe walks in, "Nice to see you again, Cal."

"You look like shit, Rafe. Can't get your hands on your cocaine?" Callie says as Barry walks before pointing a gun at JJ.

"See, don't think I forgot about me and you in the side of the road. I'm here because I want my motherfuckin money." Barry hits him.

"JJ! JJ!" Callie goes to help him so Rafe moves her and Kie away asking for John B.

"I don't know!" Kie slaps him across the face then says she knows he killed Peterkin making him grab her by the throat.

"Rafe! Let her go." She shouts so he shoves her far with his other hand and she sees Pope show up. The boys overpower Barry and Rafe so they rush to get away with the boat.

When they have the Phantom ready for John B, he shows up but Sarah wasn't there at the dock so John B had to leave for the sake of time.

"Hey, hey. I'm sorry for basically... throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing." He tells his friends and they say they love him.

"You okay?" JJ asks as they walk away a few feet as John B left.

"Not really but he has to go." Callie takes his hand into hers and they see Kie and Pope kissing, "Thought no Pogue on Pogue macking?" She giggles looking at JJ.

"The rule has already been broken a few times." He smiles as cops show up pissed that John B is out on the water.

The four are taken having to go wait at the base being watched. JJ held Callie's hand as they just sat around when their friends were being search for. Once the power on the island came back on, they spotted the boat so boats went fret the two. The only option John B had was to drive out into the storm, so when it settled down they had a search team go out to find them.

"Did you find them?" The four walk over to Shoupe and other deputies.

"No."

"So they got away?" Kie asks.

"We, uh... we lost them. I'm sorry."

"You lost them? What do you mean you lost them? Like, they're gone? What are you talking about?" Pope asks worried.

"They took an open boat into a tropical depression, Pope."

"So they're dead? Callie asks.

"We don't know."

"You drove them straight through the storm, man! Are you kidding me? Come here, man! I'm gonna kill you, you bastard!" JJ grabs Shoupe so a deputy pulls him away and Callie tries to calm him down.

"Please stop, JJ. Please." Callie starts to cry so he calms down pulling her into a hug as Kiara's and Pope's parents come in to go comfort them.

"Thank, god!" Tess rushes into the tent going over to the two wrapping her arms around JJ and Callie, "I'm so sorry. I know, it's hard." Tess rubs their backs as they cry.