#can’t wait till the campaign comes back | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

rafesfavbimbo · 3 months ago

Text

Part 3 to this and this.

Pairing: FWB!Rafe Cameron x FWB!Reader

A/N: FLUFF! LIKE SO MUCH! Healed relationships >> I hope this does the heartache justice! Much love 🐰🌸💕 (not entirely proofread kinda just cranked this out)

Rafe can’t believe he’s standing in front of her door. His heart is pounding in his chest as he hovers his hand over the front door of her penthouse. It’s been so long and he swallows hard before he shuts his eyes as he finally knocks, soft taps but loud enough for her to hear. He pulls his hand back and stuffs it into his pocket as he stares at his shoes, his brain racking and stomach clenched with anxiety as he waits. Hoping she’s home, hoping the door opens. It’s when he hears a shuffling inside that his heart starts pounding, listening to the locks open as the door tilts open. A face he’s waited so long to see coming into view. God —she looks beautiful. She looks so stunning; a healthy glow about her and an aura of calm surrounding her as she faces him. Her eyes widening and pretty lips opening into a slight drop of shock as she whispers out a..

“Rafe?”

Right after y/n stormed out of his house, Rafe collapsed onto the floor. Hands holding himself up as he heaves, eyes clenched tightly as tears drip onto the floor. His face pounding and sore from the backhands she gave him —and rightfully so. He’s been rough with her before she loves to be manhandled; but the way he choked her till her face was red and the light slowly left her eyes is still playing in his head. The words she spoke to him still pounding around his brain as he chokes out a sob. She’s right, he is pathetic. She’s right, he does need her. She’s right about everything; he’s a kid full of issues playing grown up. He’s always known he’s needed help, many people facing the consequences of Ward’s lack of accountability for his son’s mental health. Hurting her though, was the break through he needed.

He’s used to being shunned, used to people being disgusted by his character. He’s accepted that; but she always accepted him. She never made him feel bad about being as fucked up as he is; until now at least. Y/n was the one person who didn’t lecture him about his actions. She put up with it; she comforted him. She loved him, the past tense use of the word making the cracks in his heart shatter more. She was the one person who loved him in his entirety; and for that reason he always thought she’d put up with him. She’s put with so much from him and this was the last straw. This was pushing him to finally seek the help he needed.

Yeah maybe Ward ignored his health, but Rafe is grown; he’s got the means to find help. That’s what he’s going to do he’s decided. He’s going to get help, make amends with those who have faced his wrath. He’s going to man up, be a better person. He needs too, for himself. He needs to do it for himself; needs to do it before he test faith one more time. He needs to do it for her. She deserves so much better, and he’s going to be better. For himself and for y/n; he’s willing to let her go. He will find his way back to her, he just needs time.

Y/n moved to Malibu only three weeks after the last time she saw Rafe. Her parents put her up in a beautiful Penthouse by the beach; she’s an ocean girl at heart. Her girlfriends helped her pack her things with aches in their hearts and tears in their eyes; taking her to the airport on her last day as they all exchanged tearful goodbyes and tight hugs. They knew she needed this; she didn’t need to be stuck in Kildare. She needed to spread her wings and fly; seek a happiness that clearly wasn’t here. So she flew, all the way to California and set her roots in Malibu. She’s gonna make it her home; she’s gonna make Kildare a thing of the past.

She quickly got situated, taking advantage of the beach being walking distance and soaking up the sun as often as she could. She got into modeling quickly, doing prints, editorials, campaigns, etc. She loved it, it was fun and kept her distracted. Flying from place to place and expanding her culture and knowledge. It healed her, to meet new people and experience new customs. She was on a spiritual journey, healing that hurt inside her and taking accountability for her bad habits. She was on the track to finding true zen; she was finally and truly happy for the first time in a long time. Her heart didn’t ache anymore, her soul and mind don’t scream anymore. Her stomach didn’t twist in knots anymore. So this was what true peace felt like; she thought to herself often. Choosing to stay away from any romantic encounters. She needed to be by herself; content by herself. She finally was.

Little did she know Rafe was on the same path, his road bumpier but the work he put in made up for it. He checked himself into rehab; actually accepting he had a problem. When he left he regularly kept in touch with a therapist; he told her the truth. He told her about everything. From his family life to y/n; and what he realized was that he projected all his resentment onto everyone else. He did it especially to her. His psychiatrist prescribed him medication that helped thoughts in his mind lessen; getting off it in a few months with weaning as he finally had a breakthrough. For the first time, in a long time… Rafe found his mind quiet. The thoughts stopped racing and the knot in his stomach unraveled.

He stopped throwing parties, cut his association with Barry after a very long apology. The two men making up and moving onto different paths; leaving a strong cordiality and respect between the two. He then went to apologize to Sofia, sitting her down and holding her hands in his own as he spoke with sincerity. He apologized for treating her so poorly, he apologized for using her. Giving her forehead a soft kiss and accepting her tight squeeze as she accepted his apology. Wishing him the best on his journey and vice versa. The two giving each other sympathetic smiles as they parted ways for good. Rafe feeling the weight on his chest lightening that much more, but there was one weight he waited and waited to get off . It would happen eventually, but for now he trudged it along with him. Throwing himself back into work with a new outlook on life. He was going to leave this place, it was time to find a new home.

“Rafe?” y/n said with shock. Her beautiful eyes staring at him doe-like as they watered. Despair rushing through them as all she wanted to do was throw herself in his arms. It’s been over a year and a half; it’s been so long. She knows how they left off but her new outlook on life pushed her to do something she’s dreamt about doing for months. She leapt forward and threw her arms around him; burying her face in his neck as tears of mixed emotion dripped from her eyes. Rafe immediately wrapped his arms around her tightly, burying his nose into her hair and taking in the scent he’s missed so much. They fell to their knees right there on her private entrance, embracing each other on the floor. His eyes closed as he let out a soft hum, he missed her so damn much. She missed him so damn much.

“I’m here, baby.” He spoke to her softly, kissing her hair as she sobbed harder into him. Her tears wetting his neck as he brought up a hand to caress her hair; pressing soft kisses and nuzzling his nose into her. Cooing to her, telling her it’s okay. She lifted her head back and looked up at him; nuzzling her nose against his as they pressed their foreheads together and closed their eyes. Just taking in each other’s presence and familiar scents they missed so much. Feeling the warmth and feel of each other under their fingertips; they missed this feeling so much. Distance truly makes the heart grow fonder; their chest beating against each other as they surrounded themselves in their own world once again. “Let’s go inside, it’s been too long.” She whispered to him, pulling back to look into his eyes as he nodded in compliance and began standing up. Taking her with him as they walked into her new home, his mind hoping it might be theirs soon.

Rafe sat on her black leather couch as she made him a cup of tea, bringing it to him in a pretty pink mug that he’s sure is one of her favorites. She sat it down on the coasters she had on her pretty glass table. Sitting adjacent from him as he picked up the cup; blowing on it softly as he took a small sip. While he did so she took him in; took all of him in. He looked so different; he was glowing. His aura shining and his face looking healthy. He even put on a bit of weight; he looked so different in such a good way. Glowing and the energy radiating off of him was so different from the usual chaotic darkness that shot out of him. It was light now, pure light and she felt like a bug that was drawn to it.

Rafe set the cup down, turning his eyes to look at her. The two taking in each other in, both more mature now. Both different. Their calmness radiating and intertwining with each other; encasing them in a feeling of serenity. “You looks so beautiful,” he said softly to her; a warm smile spreading across his lips as his eyes portrayed his full sincerity. “You look so beautiful,” she spoke back to him, her eyes full of positive emotion and a sincere smile on her face. “I think about you so much.” She finished, Rafe’s smile widening as he got up from his seat and stood in front of her. He got on his knees calmly, taking her hands in his gently as he looked up at her with love in his eyes.

His hand reached out to cup her cheek as she moved her head to nuzzle into it, closing her eyes as she let out a soft hum when his thumb began caressing her. “I did what you told me too.” He broke the silence, watching her eyes open while she still nuzzled into his hand. His thumb moving to caress his lips while he continued with his words. “I got the help I needed, I checked into rehab. I got a therapist and psychiatrist I see regularly. I -um… I took the meds they gave me. I just finally weaned off them; for good.” He admitted, watching as her eyes looked at him with full intent and hope; nodding at him to continue.

“I think you’ve heard enough apologies from me, but i’m going to give you one more. I am so sorry; for everything y/n.” His voiced thickened with emotion, thumb continuing to caress her as she continued nuzzling into him. She brought hand up to his wrist and held it softly; pushing him against her harder as she turned her head to nuzzle into his palm. She kissed it softly, and opened her eyes too look at him again. “I wasn’t good for you; I wasn’t good for anyone. I was a boy, like you said. I wasn’t willing to grow up and take accountability for myself. I-I pushed all this blame onto everyone else, especially my dad. I was old enough though, old enough to look for help on my own instead of depending on other people to do it for me. You included.” He squeezed the hand he was holding as he looked into her eyes, praying they display the swirl of emotions he’s feeling.

“You are the best thing to happen to me, and I took it for granted. I took all of you for granted. Your body, your mind, your heart, your soul. A priceless gift that I treated so carelessly and treated as if it was replaceable. You’ve never been replaceable, you are a gem, my gem. My diamond in the rough and I can’t believe I didn’t cherish your value the way I should have from the very beginning. You made me feel so many things, that to this day is hard to put into words.” Her eyes watered up, tears threatening to spill over as she cupped the hand on her cheek with her own, closing her eyes as she nuzzled and nuzzled into it. Biting the tip of him thumb softly when he brushed his thumb against her lips; feeling him squeeze the other hand he held in his.

“What I can say though; is that you’ve made me feel an emotion no one else has ever made me feel. You made me feel hope. Hope for so many things, but especially hope for a beautiful life with you. It terrified me, it was new and I didn’t know how to handle how overwhelming it was. I didn’t know how to handle it without messing it up. For the first time I didn’t feel like an outsider, I felt like I had found my place on earth and that was alongside you. My place on this earth is to be by your side, to love you to the best of my capability. I can’t promise things will be perfect, but I can promise things will be better. I will work for this, for us. I’m more than willing to rebuild the structure of our relationship and making it sturdy this time; make it stable. We were a ticking time bomb and this time I want us to build something indestructible. I’m in this all the way baby, all the way. I’m going to be the man you need, I’m going to take care of you. You deserved to be loved and I will give you all of mine. I am going to push myself every single day to be the man you need and to continue bettering myself so I can be good for you. I want everything with you; absolutely everything. I can’t imagine spending my life anywhere else. The one thing that kept me going was you. It’s always been you.” He finished, pouring his heart out to her. He watched as tears started pouring down her cheeks, her eyes full of something he hasn’t seen in a long time but he was hoping he would get. Love, forgiveness and acceptance.

He brought the hand he was holding in his to his lips, pressing soft kisses to her knuckles as he unwrapped it with her compliance. Her brought it to his cheek and nuzzled into it the same way she nuzzled into his. Pressing a kiss to her palm as she began returning his affections with a caress of her thumb against his cheek. C’mere,” she whispered softly, grabbing him by his white button up to bring him up to her face. She stood up the same time he did, his arms going to wrap around her as her hands fisted in his shirt. She stared up at him as he stared down at her, bringing a hand to smooth back her hair as he leaned down slowly. She leaned in to his advance and for the first time, in such a long time their lips reconnected again. Tears falling down both their closed eyes as they took in each other the way they’ve wanted to, under the circumstances they wanted to. This was so different, not the harsh sloppy kisses and dominating make outs they use to have as the only form of expressing their passion for each other. No, this was full of serenity, full of love and full of the same passion they’ve always held for one another. A kiss of reunion, forgiveness, love, acceptance and most importantly a kiss to symbolize the beginning of their new life. Together.

When they pulled back, they opened their eyes to look into each others. What once was full of hatred, anger, hurt, and utter disdain. Was now full of complete tranquillity as they accepted to forgive each other and move on. “I want everything with you. I want to build a life together, here. We can be happy, we can do whatever we want. You can build a company of your own out here, and I can continue modeling. I want us to leave our old lives behind and step into our new ones. This time with no unspoken words, because I want us to be able to be open with each other on anything and everything. This won’t be easy, but it will be full of complete love and acceptance. I’m sorry for everything I told you. For so long I hated you, you broke me down into a person I hated being. I was so lost with you and so lost without you. Being here has helped me grow so much, traveling has helped me learn more about myself. I realized that it wasn’t all you, it was me too. I wasn’t good, I enabled you and kept you from finding better for yourself. We both did. The time we’ve had apart and the time I’ve had to work myself made me realize how much I hated where we left off.” She poured her heart out to him, feeling his hand come to caress her cheek as he urged her to continue.

“You are everything to me Rafe, I love you so much. All this time apart made me realize how much I missed you and love you.” She cried to him watching the tears fall down his cheeks that matched her own as he pressed his lips to hers in a hasty kiss. Holding her face to his as they poured their love into each other. A love that once felt so heavy for both of them, now making them feel so light. It felt like they were flying; soaring together through the air onto a new adventure right by each other’s sides. Rafe moved to wrap her in a tight hug, his kisses traveling all over her face from her cheeks to the top of her nose, her chin, forehead just wherever he could get his lips. He tightened his grip on her as she returned it by wrapping her arms around just as tight. Burying her face in his neck once more and taking in the scent she missed so badly. Rafe laying his cheek on the top of her head as he closed his eyes. Together at last.

“Let’s make this place our home,” Rafe told her, feeling her smile against his neck as she let out a soft nod. “Home is wherever you are,” he kissed her head once more, taking in the scent that calms his being like no other. Taking in the presence that feels like the sun shining on him during a cold day. Bringing him warmth.

“you’re my home.”

A/N: THE END! haha, i hope this did the heartache justice!! Please let me know your thoughts! (p.s. almost done with request) 🐰🌸💕

#rafe cameron imagine #rafe cameron smut #rafe cameron angst #rafe cameron fanfiction #rafe cameron #outer banks #rafe outer banks #drew starkey #rafe obx #drew starkey imagine #drew starkey angst #drew starkey x reader #rafe angst #rafe fluff #rafe cameron x reader

266 notes · View notes

capybaracorn · 7 months ago

Text

‘We won’t stop’: How Columbia’s students etched a new Gaza protest legacy

Inside a movement that took over a university building and lost its encampment within 24 hours – yet refuses to die.

New York, United States — At about 10pm on Monday, April 29, I thought I would call it a night.

My student journalist colleagues and I had stayed late into the night on Columbia University’s campus the previous couple of days, reporting on a story that had grabbed the world’s attention: the pro-Palestine protests and encampment that had inspired similar campaigns in schools across the United States and globally.

As I slung my camera bag on my back and began to leave campus, walking by the camp, I got a tip from a passing protester: “I would stick around till about midnight,” they said. “Maybe go home first, though.”

Got it. I went home to charge backup camera batteries and grab spare memory cards before leaving for campus again.

Back at Columbia, it appeared that more than one of us had gotten the tip. Crowds of student journalists, all of us with matching paper badges and blue tape on our clothes, waited next to the encampment for whatever was to come. Our journalism faculty stood by our side, as they had been doing throughout.

Protesters grouped into “platoons”, and while we didn’t know what to expect, we kept eyes on different corners.

We split up to make sure different spots were covered; a few of us stuck by Pulitzer Hall, the home of Columbia Journalism School, where a small number of protesters had convened, while some others stood ready with cameras and recorders by the encampment.

That is when it all began. Campers began walking their tents off the lawn. One group began chanting. Another at the opposite end of the lawn sang protest hymns. I was with a small cohort of journalists who followed the tents to another small lawn, a clever decoy – whether intended or not – that meant many of us missed the moment, at the opposite end of campus, when protesters entered Hamilton Hall.

By the time we had run over, tens of student protesters had gathered to link arms outside the building, which their predecessors had taken over in 1968 to protest against the Vietnam War, and in 1985 to demand that Columbia divest from firms tied to apartheid South Africa.

Two of my colleagues were in the middle of the scrum, up against the doors watching two counter-protesters attempt to stop the occupation before being pushed out. Protesters rushed metal picnic tables, wooden chairs, trash cans, and planters to the doors where they were zip-tied together, effectively forming a barricade.

Two masked individuals appeared from a second-floor balcony to cheers and applause. They unfurled a hand-painted sign, “Hind’s Hall”, a reference to the six-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed with her family in their car in January as they tried to escape Israel’s military assault in Gaza.

That night, I fell asleep on the floor of a sixth-storey classroom in Pulitzer Hall to the echoes of song, one lone voice amplified through a megaphone, coming from Hamilton Hall: “This joy that I have, the world didn’t give it to me … the world can’t take it away.”

Student protesters playing music at the Columbia University encampment in New York City [Yasmeen Altaji/Al Jazeera]

The final offer

The morning before had felt very different. Columbia University’s South Lawn was packed, and the little protest village in the heart of the campus – dozens of tents and tarps comprising the “Gaza solidarity encampment” – was bustling with life, two weeks since its erection.

The protest is rooted in a decades-long movement for Palestinian rights in their homeland, and to hold Israel accountable for its illegal occupation of Palestinian territories. The current campaign against Israel’s war on Gaza – in which more than 34,000 people have been killed – also aims to pressure Columbia to divest from Israel-linked companies, just as the university did in the case of apartheid South Africa after similar protests four decades ago.

In my time covering the protest, the sounds at the encampment varied. Some days, you could hear the (Islamic) adhan, or the chants of (Jewish) Passover prayer. Or the sounds of the dumbek (drum) and sharp violins echoing microtonal hymns of Palestinian folk music and classical Andalusian muwashshah. Speakers amplified the melodies of iconic musicians like Abdel Halim Hafez and Fairuz.

Protesters shared donated hot meals – pizzas and samosas, bagels and eggs, sacks of mandarins and tubs of crackers, muffins and cookies spread on a tarp aptly called the “cornucopia”.

One camper had set up a makeshift nail parlour, painting red, white, black and green manicures matching the Palestinian flag. Cardboard “street signs” named the tight spaces between rows of tents “Walid Daqqa Road”, after the Palestinian novelist and activist who died of cancer in April, while in Israeli custody.

In the lawn’s centre, organisers routinely updated a whiteboard to reflect the day’s programmed activities: Dhuhr prayer and Shabbat dinner, with jazz in the mix, too.

In a corner of the lawn near the main campus walk, an “art guild” was buzzing with protesters painting signs, drawing patterns of the keffiyeh, decorating and personalising tent spaces.

But that Monday, campers received a final offer from the university administration under President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik: evacuate now, and evade suspension. Campers defied the order.

And by Monday night, the morning’s bustle had died down to a hum, then a whisper, before the eruption that culminated in the takeover of Hamilton Hall. At the encampment site, the zipper flap doors of empty tents billowed in the breeze. Blankets lay crumpled beside pillows still dented from a nap; a sole LED lantern left lit on the ground, a paintbrush crusted with dried red and green acrylic lay stuck on a paper plate.

It’s a community that student journalists like myself at the Columbia Journalism School had closely observed for days at a stretch, unlike the “outside media” who were only allowed on to campus in daily two-hour windows since the encampment went up. Joining us were undergraduate peers at student publications including WKCR and the Columbia Daily Spectator.

A community that, through the intensifying attention on its members, had been trying to emphasise that they weren’t the story. Signs planted across the lawn read: “All eyes on Gaza.”

But in the 24 hours that would follow, the world’s gaze on Columbia would only sharpen.

Students were trapped inside the entrance vestibule at John Jay Hall in Columbia University in New York on Tuesday, April 30, 2023 [Yasmeen Altaji/Al Jazeera]

The raid

Tuesday morning started eerily quiet. The camp was empty, save for a few protesters, and Hamilton Hall was sleepy, the only movement coming from a banner reading “INTIFADA” hanging off the side of the building.

Just a few days prior, far before the occupation of Hamilton Hall, the Columbia administration had sent a notice arguing that “to bring back the NYPD at this time would be counterproductive, further inflaming what is happening on campus, and drawing thousands to our doorstep who would threaten our community”.

The note was met with mistrust by protesters: After all, the university had already called the police to campus for the first time in more than 50 years in April to try to clear the encampment. More than 100 students had been arrested.

Instead, I heard organisers advise campers to pack their belongings in trash bags and write phone numbers on their arms in case of arrest.

By Tuesday night, their apprehension would turn into reality. The NYPD entered Columbia’s campus shortly after 9pm on Tuesday (01:00 GMT on Wednesday).

Students linked arms and sang together in anticipation before the harmonies of “We shall not be moved” merged with the march of hundreds of police officers making their way, in formation, to Hamilton Hall.

Calls through long-range acoustic devices (LRAD) to disperse or face arrest, echoed across the campus square, all the time weaving in and out of the floating tunes of the protest hymns, earworms that anyone who’d been on campus had likely come to memorise.

Protesters outside of Hamilton braced for arrest. But officers turned away from them upon arrival, and instead turned towards us – onlookers and press.

Officers instructed us to vacate the area. We walked backwards to get everything on video. “It’s easier if you face forward,” one officer said. “Turn around so you don’t fall,” another yelled repeatedly in a collective command. “Time to go inside,” another said. “Back to your dorms.”

While our backs were against the door of a building at the end of the courtyard where Hamilton was, the doors opened, and officers raised their batons, giving one final push until we were all inside. There was a moment of disorientation before we realised where we were: inside an undergraduate dormitory called John Jay Hall.

It’s where the student health centre, a dining hall, and a late-night campus eatery are. But we couldn’t see any of that. While police guarded the doors into the entry vestibule of the building in front of us, campus security guarded the rest of the building behind us, restricting access to dorm residents.

With about 30 or 40 of us squeezed into the small entry vestibule, ventilation was poor. We wouldn’t reach the bathroom. Red arrows pointed towards the emergency exit but the doors were blocked by officers. Phone batteries were dying. And most pressing, for the journalists among us: we couldn’t see Hamilton beyond the bodies of officers standing at John Jay’s glass doors.

For about three hours, students kicked at the front doors, slouched on the ground against the wall, and slept with their backpacks as pillows. One student sat cross-legged on the floor, sobbing softly while her friend comforted her.

Three hours passed in that hall before we were let out, officers directing us to dorms and buildings they did not know the names or locations of. “We know you want to get out of here. We’re doing you a favour,” one said.

As I left campus at about 1:30am, I walked past a crew hauling the tents off the South Lawn and into a garbage truck that crushed them on the spot.

[See embedded video in the article]

The remains

On Wednesday, the tension wasn’t palpable, only disappointment. The campus was quiet, but not calm. It was completely empty. No one, aside from residents and essential staff – which the journalism faculty ensured we were viewed as, as student journalists – were allowed past campus gates.

Where the encampment once stood, there were only marks of discoloured grass in the shape of rectangular tent bases.

But the movement seems anything but a ghost; on Wednesday, protesters hosted a “light show” beside the campus, projecting titles onto the public-facing side of Hamilton Hall that read “Hind’s Hall forever.”

Every year, on the eve of exams, students gather to let out what is known as a “primal scream” on campus. On Thursday, they took that tradition to Shafik’s house, shouting outside her door.

On Friday, protesters again lined the street outside of Columbia’s gate. And the words still rang through the neighbourhood: “Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.”

34 notes · View notes

sapphickorro · 2 years ago

Text

“Are you mad at me?”

Pairing(s) - mommy!Claire Debella x fem!little!Reader

summary: Claire’s busier than usual after some photos of you and her leak making you think that you were at fault.

warnings: mentions/depicted bathroom sex, age play, mommy!Claire and little!Reader, pet names (baby, bunny, honey, doll), mentions of the word “prostitute,” mean men D:, fluff, hurt/comfort

word count: 1,152

A/N: I watched Glass Onion once and now I don’t know what to do with myself. This is the effect of Clarie Debella.

masterlist

“Mommy, I’m close.” A hand softly slaps over your mouth.

“I know baby, and you’ve gotta quiet down unless you want everyone to hear us.” Claire says as her dexterous fingers work into you.

Admittedly, having sex in a public bathroom as an elected official can do no good for the media. That didn’t stop Claire though.

Your low cut dress made her yearn for you. She needed you and although your protests of wanting to wait till you got home made their way to her ear, she insisted on being unable to focus until she got to feel you and you just couldn’t say no to your mommy.

When your orgasm finally comes, Claire gives you a couple seconds to calm down before quickly grabbing a napkin to tidy your makeup. She combs your hair out with her hands and stands back to look at you.

“There, good as new. Let’s get out of here before they get suspicious of us.” Claire grabs your hands and drags you outside before settling back into the party.

You wake up that morning to an empty bed. Your hand reaches to your side to be met with more pillows and blankets. You whine out trying to get Claire to hear you. After you realize that she’s not coming, you get up and drag your oversized stuffed bunny over the floor as you walk towards the living room where you hear her yelling into the phone.

You can’t make out what she’s saying but you can tell it’s not good. You tug on the bottom of her sweatshirt to successfully catch her attention.

“Excuse me for a moment.” She says into her phone before turning towards you. “Hey bunny, good morning. You wanna wait for mommy to finish this phone call before she makes breakfast?” She smiles at you, you can tell it’s strained but you don’t ask. You nod and she kisses your forehead before turning her back around you to speak with the person on the phone.

You take this time to brush your teeth and wash your face, not used to doing it alone without your mommy in the room to watch over you.

When you walk back out, you notice Claire watching the TV on the couch until she hears your little footsteps behind her. She turns her head and smiles at you, “What do you want for breakfast baby?”

“Can I get some pancakes…?” You meekly say to her and she immediately stands up. “Of course hun, I’ll make you the best pancakes you’ve ever had.” She walks to the open kitchen behind the living room and starts on getting her batter ready.

You opt to sit on the couch watching whatever channel she was watching. It certainly wasn’t as entertaining as bluey but sometimes you liked to watch the weatherman talk really fast while he predicted the areas that might rain.

Your ears pick up as you hear Claire’s name get mentioned. “Our sources say that she isn't even a worker for Claire's political campaign. For all we know, this could be some random prostitute that Claire’s hired.” The men on the screen start laughing and you notice Claire running towards the TV remote.

“Turn that damn thing off.” The screen goes black and you stare at her face. She’s visibly upset and you weren’t sure whether she was mad at the channel or at you.

You stay quiet as she sighs and returns to the kitchen. “Your pancakes are gonna be ready soon. Why don’t you take a seat by the table.” You do what she says not wanting to worsen her mood.

After she serves you your breakfast you notice her walk back into her office. Odd. You think. She usually sits with you while you eat to talk about your plans for the day or something menial. You leave your pancakes on the table and set the bunny in the chair you were seated at, choosing to walk to her office.

Claire’s busy typing away on her computer when you knock on her open door, alerting her of your presence. You look at her unsure what to say but she speaks up first instead.

“Not now, baby. Mommy’s busy.” She says while rubbing her temples before returning back to typing fervently on her keyboard.

You respond with an, “Okay,” so quiet that you’re unsure she even heard you. You lose your appetite and decide to hide under the covers of your shared bed. Tears threatening to fall as you thought you had done something wrong, perhaps that’s why your mommy had been avoiding you all day.

The knock on the door of your bedroom wakes you up. Not even realizing you had slept, you checked the digital clock on your nightstand and realized you had fallen back asleep for another hour.

“Baby?” Claire’s head peaks through the door before smiling at your groggy figure.

She walks in and slowly closes the door behind her. “I noticed you didn’t eat your breakfast.”

She pulls out your stuffed bunny from behind her back and hands it to you, “And, you left Señor Scratchy all alone sitting at the table.” You hold your hands out to cuddle into the soft material.

“What’s wrong doll.” She says caressing your face. “Are you mad at me?” You whisper out.

She exaggerates a gasp, “Why would you ever think that baby?”

“Because, I woke up alone and you got all mad earlier while you were in the kitchen. Then, you didn’t sit with me during breakfast like usual.” Tears start to build in your eyes again. She’s quick to wipe the falling tears and coos at you.

“Oh bunny, I’m so sorry you thought that. I wasn’t mad at you, I was mad at everyone else.” She says giving you a quick peck on the nose.

“Why?”

She sighs, unsure of how to answer your question. “There’s photos of us entering and leaving the bathroom together at that party, the leaving photos have your hair and makeup messier than when entering. I guess the internet blew up thinking something happened. Well, something did happen but they don’t know that.” She corrects herself.

“I’m sorry, mommy.” You whisper at her feeling upset that you’ve probably smeared her name because of this scandal. “Oh no, no, no. None of this is your fault. Don’t be sorry for anything.” Claire starts to pepper kisses all across your face causing you to giggle.

“Okay, how about we order some pancakes this time and maybe we can talk about getting Señor Scratchy a sibling.” She grabs your hands and tugs you up off the bed to lead you back out into the dining room.

You beam at her, “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” She kisses you softly, just glad to see that her sweet baby is smiling again.

#﹔﹒ korro writes﹒ ෆ #claire debella #korro writes 🎞#claire debella imagine

253 notes · View notes

ash5monster01 · 1 year ago

Text

Perfect To Love Part 17

Pairing: Steve Harrington x FemReader!PlusSize

Warnings: fluff, mentions of bullying, body image issues, fat shaming, angst, trust issues, language.

Summary: Beth Walker was used to living in the shadows. She had only one friend and anyone else who paid her mind usually bullied her for her size. So she learned to keep her mouth shut, her head down, and her heart closed because she had to accept the fact that she would be nothing more than the fat girl to people. That is until Robin decides Beth needs more in life and that might just include a boy who she never would’ve thought could see her for who she truly was.

word count: 2,631

Part 16 ←→ Part 18

Masterlist

Beth loved her birthday. Being a Christmas baby was a different sort of magic. The only thing was she had never had anybody to spend it with before. That was until this year. This year she actually got to throw a party, one that everyone actually said yes to coming too. That was a first for her. Especially her parents who were shocked by the crowd Beth had brought in, and how different they all were from one another. Everyone had come. Robin, Nancy, Eddie, Dustin, Mike, Lucas, and Max.

Everyone except for Steve.

She couldn’t help but be disappointed but after all she didn’t invite him. She had planned this after making up with Robin and Steve hadn’t reached out until two days ago. She did see a glimpse of his car in the driveway when he dropped Dustin off and that thought alone made her heart lurch. Yet she couldn’t think about it for too long because for the first time her living room was full of people she loved, laughing as Dustin beat Lucas at another Atari game. The Christmas tree sparkling in the corner and all her birthday presents scattered under it.

“This cake is amazing” Eddie said, his mouth full of the chocolate cake with pink frosting her mother had made. Beth chuckled lightly at him before handing him a napkin.

“I’ll tell my Mom you said so” she told him and he just smiled wide because Beth’s Mom was her, just older, and he had no issue shamelessly flirting with them both.

“Oh I’ll make sure she knows” he said and then Beth was launching a pillow across the living room, hitting him square in the head, and Robin fell into a fit of giggles as this happened.

“You asked for it” Nancy said as she pulled the cake from his lap to avoid further damage of smearing it on any furniture.

“Nance, are you going to see Johnathon for the Holidays?” Beth asked as if she didn’t just attack her other friend and Nancy smiled softly.

“Yeah he flies in the day after Christmas. I’ll have him till New Year’s day” she smiled softly, a warm blush on her cheeks and Beth vaguely wondered what it would be like to be so far away from the one she loved. Then she realized in a sense she knew, Steve being a far away thought for a while now.

“Me and El call the basement” Mike called out from the floor in front of the TV and Nancy rolled her eyes.

“You’re fifteen Mike, you do not need to be alone with your girlfriend” Nancy bickered back and Mike shot daggers her way.

“Yes I do” and then the two of them were arguing, clearly pent up for time alone with significant others.

“Will is coming home too, I can’t wait” Dustin piped in, eyes glued to the screen as he yet again beat Lucas at whichever game they had moved onto playing.

“It’s been so long since the original party has been together. Mike has been planning a campaign all week” Lucas grinned as he set down the remote, now tired of Dustin destroying him at every game. Max crossed her arms and instantly glared his way.

“So you can spend 19 hours in a dusty basement that smells while ignoring me?” she asked and Lucas instantly got nervous under her stare.

“You’ll have El” he offered and she just rolled her eyes before standing to sit beside Beth on the couch.

“Boys” she muttered and Beth just chuckled at the fiery red head, in awe of how she had put up with all of them for so long.

“All right let’s stop bickering and let’s do presents” Robin clapped her hands together and instant footsteps came from the kitchen.

“Ooh presents! Wait for us” Allie cooed as she joined the kids in the living room and Alan grumbled from behind her, following at a much slower and less eager pace.

“Alright let’s get this over with” Alan said but Beth knew he didn’t mean it in a mean way. That was just her Dad, and she loved him dearly for it.

Presents got handed her way, the first from Robin. She had bought her a new book she had been wanting. Nancy then gave her a new dress, very similar to the one she got on her first date with Steve and Beth could only smile. Eddie had gifted her a homemade Corroded Coffin shirt and she chuckled before telling him she loved it. The kids had all pitched in to buy her a necklace, it was dainty and silver, and held a tiny charm that said 84. The year her car was built. It was extremely thoughtful. Then her parents had gifted her a copy of Back to The Future on VHS, knowing her love for Micheal J. Fox. After all of that there was still one gift left, neatly wrapped with a beautiful yellow bow around it.

“It’s from Steve” Robin muttered, unsure of Beth’s reaction and she felt a bit of shock wash over her before seeing Dustin who sat nervously avoiding eye contact. She knew he had brought it for him and he was very kind to do so.

“I’ll open it later” Beth told her softly and Robin nodded as she placed it back under the tree, an awkward and quiet lull now filling the living room.

“Do you all want to hear me practice Metallica?” Eddie asked and the room instantly erupted in groans and Beth could only chuckle as she smiled at Eddie. Thankful he had lightened the mood.

The rest of the night went perfectly. The group even warming up to her father who could only laugh at their antics. He was glad Beth had found a group of good people and that they were willing to come here on a Sunday. Yet they couldn’t stay forever so Beth slowly said goodbye to them, one by one as they left to go home and celebrate Christmas time with their families. Soon it was just Robin left and even she had given Beth a big hug before going home to her parents. It was a beautiful winter night, snow falling softly on the ground, and the houses outside all had Christmas lights that lit up the earth. She couldn’t help but let her mind wander to the gift, feeling it stare her down as she looked outside, curled in a blanket with hot cocoa in her hands. Finally she realized she’d just have to do something about it.

“Mom, Dad, I’ll be back in a little while” and then she was snatching her coat, the present, and a letter from her room, before rushing out the door to her car. She reminisced on the first time she took this route, annoyed with Robin she even got tricked into driving this way and now suddenly she wanted to do this drive a hundred times over if it meant getting to see him every time. Just the thought of him all alone in the big empty house with no decorations, sugar cookies, hot cocoa, stockings, presents, a Christmas tree, loved ones, was heart breaking.

Beth stood under his porch light, watching the snowflakes flutter down, she could feel them getting caught in her lashes, and she knew the tip of her nose was pink. If she waited any longer she’d be the color of Steve’s door, and then she remembered he was all alone behind it and that was partly her fault. She had taken all his friends for her birthday and hadn’t included him. So she removed one hand from the present she had clutched to her chest and softly knocked on the door.

“B” he looked surprised and Beth just shook with a chill as she offered up a soft smile. “What’re you doing here?”

“Well it’s my birthday and I realized the only person I wanted to spend it with wasn’t there” she told him and Steve was smiling before ushering her in from the cold.

“You didn’t open my present” he noticed and Beth shrugged as his hands rubbed up and down her arms to warm her.

“Didn’t feel right to open it without you, and I had a present for you too” she smiled at him and he could only chuckle, somewhat relieved and over the moon that she was here.

“Come on and warm up, then you can open your present” Steve said and Beth nodded as she slipped off her shoes and went the familiar direction of his living room. Once she was sat on the couch, keeping her coat on for warmth, he was covering her lap with a blanket.

“Sit with me?” she asked softly and Steve smiled as she lifted a side of the blanket and allowed him beside her.

“Go on, open it” he grinned at her and Beth laughed as she delicately removed the bow before ripping the paper. Who would’ve thought Steve was so good at wrapping gifts.

Inside was a frame, gold with a beautiful engraving along it, and inside the frame was three pressed flowers. Beth was almost confused until she saw his handwriting underneath. October 12th 1985. The day of their first date. That was when she realized he had saved some of the flowers he had brought her and made this himself with the intention of giving it to her later on. If she hadn’t believed the letter before she had believed it now and her stomach did one full swoop as she looked at him.

“Steve, it’s beautiful. I don’t know what to say” and he just blushed, a nervous hand rubbing the back of his neck.

“I just figured it was something you’d want to remember” he told her and she smiled before reaching into her pocket. The letter she had grabbed was not the one he had written her but in fact one she had written in response.

“Here, for you” she told him and Steve nervously glanced at her as she gave him a letter with his own name written in cursive across the front. “Go on and read it”

Dear Steve,

I have always wanted a love letter but I have always wanted someone to love more. I pulled back because I was afraid I would always love you more than you loved me, if you even loved me at all. Now I know that isn’t true. In fact Steve Harrington, after reading your beautifully written letter I’m pretty sure you love me just as much, if not more than I love you. Isn’t that such a beautiful thought? To be loved and know love even if it’s once in a life time. It was more than I ever imagined it being and now I know I’m worthy of it. You did that for me Steve, you made me see that I’m more than just my size. I’m well appreciated in this ugly and often times lonely world and I’m probably the luckiest girl in the world to be loved by you. I’m glad Robin had asked you to meet me because if you never did I’m afraid I still would be to scared to put myself out there. I held myself back and if we had never met I would still be hiding and the thing about loving someone is allowing yourself to be loved. There is no use thinking you’re unworthy without seeing if you really are. Keeping yourself sheltered from it, safe from heart break, keeps you from enjoying it in the first place. So even if I only get to love you for a little while or forever, at least I got to love somebody as much as they loved me.

Yours, Beth ♡

“You forgive me?” he nervously asked, trying desperately to keep his eyes from watering because all he ever wanted was to be loved back by somebody. He always felt like he gave more with Nancy and his parents never stuck around long enough to care. But now he had someone who loved him just the same.

“I think I did a while ago, I was just scared” she told him earnestly and he smiled before darting towards her. His lips met her own in a haste, kissing her for all she was worth, because Beth Walker was worth the entire world.

“You are perfect to love Beth Walker, don’t forget that” he told her once he pulled away, heavy breaths puffing out, and Beth had found herself completely warmed over now as she accepted this response from him. Accepted taking the risk of loving another even if it meant in the end she could be heartbroken.

“You are too Steve Harrington” and he was grinning before pressing his smile back to her own. The two of them too caught up in each other. Steve relishing in the feeling of her fingers tugging lightly at his hair and he gave her hips a squeeze, thankful his empty home was now so warm. Warm with the welcoming presence of the girl he couldn’t help but fall in love with.

“Were you planning on sticking around for a while?” he asked, longing for her to stay and Beth looked to see what time it was. 8:15pm. She still had four hours of birthday left.

“Well I still have a little birthday left and I’d love to spend it with you” she told him, a warm hand curling around his bicep and she felt it flex lightly under her fingers.

“So I can keep you until midnight Cinderella?” he told her, lopsided smile tugging at his lips and she matched it before pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

“Yes, and you get to be with me for the best part too” she told him and Steve snuggled closer to her, hands finding the skin under her sweater and Beth didn’t find herself as scared of it as she thought she would be.

“And what might be the best part?” he asked and Beth just hummed gleefully as she laid her head on his shoulder.

“The time I was born. 11:45 at night, my exact birthday” she told him and Steve watched as he delicately laced his fingers through her own, holding their hands over their shared blanket.

“Fifteen minutes later and you would’ve been born on the 23rd” he told her and Beth just shrugged against him.

“True but I like the 22nd. Something about the two’s, my angel number” she told him and Steve pressed a kiss to her hair.

“How does the number two relate to us?” he asked and Beth leaned her head up to look at him, her hand leaving his own to push same fallen hair back.

“Because you did it right the second time we met” and Steve was smiling something fierce at that before pressing a hundred kisses to her face. Beth erupted in giggles and when Steve finally ceased his attack he pulled her as close as he could.

“I guess that counts for you giving me a second chance too” and Beth giggled lightly, pressing a small kiss to his neck.

“I guess so, don’t make it a third. I’m not as lucky with three’s” and Steve was laughing and for the first time in a while everything was right. Everything felt as it should be and Steve could only bask in the feeling of getting to hold the person he loved during the Holidays. Getting to love a person no matter their faults because that’s how he always wanted to be loved. To be loved in spite of it all. No one is perfect, but everybody can be perfect to love.

Taglist: @kindablackenedsuperhero @rinarecommends @starryeyedpoet17 @crustless-toast @loverofmarsss @dilflover-3 @bethanysnow @middle-of-the-earth @princessadriana4-blog @mochminnie @legendaryhumandiplomatgoop @a-lil-bit-nuts @i-came-as-bostonian @krazyk99 @thunderstomp-and-tequila @cumslutforaemond @futuristicbirdtraveler @unholyhuntress @crushculture03 @jenniferpendragon

Only one more chapter left my friends <3

44 notes · View notes

youmakemyhearthowl · 2 years ago

Text

Punk Princess

Also please go check out THIS and THIS fan art done by @heavenlycrashes

Eddie had finally and fully decided to ask Steve out after the campaign today. He was ready and excited and honestly sick of Gareth making fun of him for chickening out. So he’d made a plan, and was ready to do it.

But of course Steve Fucking Harrington had to be a step ahead of him.

And he’s not entirely sure that’s what’s happening, when Steve pulls out his lavender D20 and hands it to Eddie after their Hellfire session. Telling him to roll it when Steve gives him the say so, but the fucking twinkle in Robins eyes sort of hints that this is more then likely Steve’s adorably nerdy way of asking Eddie out. He’s got a sheet of paper with him too, that Eddie can see a numbered list on, but Steve keeps turning it too quickly when Eddie tries to read anything on it. It’s cute. Also infuriating.

“Steve what is even going on?” Eddie grumbles after the 3rd roll. He’s on the edge of his seat, waiting for Steve to actually ask the question he seems to be leading up to, but the stupid shit eating grin he keeps shooting Eddie is making his skin crawl. Eddie wants to dig his fingers into his hair and pull him down until he's on his knees whining at the pressure

Cause Steve’s purposefully being a little shit about this, dragging it out and letting Eddie sit in the anticipation of it.

He was being a brat . And Eddie was itching to fuck him into a bumbling mess.

When Steve finally tells Eddie it’s his last roll, Eddie locks eyes with him never looking away as he rolls, and he watches as Steve’s pupils dilate. His tongue coming out to play with his lip ring. His nose scrunching around the piercing in it.

Wait, when did he get a nose ring?

Eddie’s a little distracted with the soft metal when Steve finally claps his hands together bringing him out of the fantasy he’d fallen into of Steve letting Eddie pierce a part of him.

“Alright Ed’s, tomorrow, 6pm I’m picking you up for a homemade picnic and a drive in movie. Dress cute but comfy.” Steve winks, and Eddie bristles slightly, his eyes narrowing.

He wonders how much teasing it would take to pull that sleezy little smile off Steve’s face.

“You asking me out, Princess?” Eddie purrs, leaning into Steve’s space slightly, preening at the light blush that starts bubbling to the surface of his cheeks.

“I rolled a 20 in charisma beforehand, so you can’t say no.” Steve breaths, eyes flicking to where Eddie knows his tongue sticking out slightly from his lips.

“Mmm and what If I said no?”

“Don’t?” There’s a vulnerability in the word when he says it that has Eddie pausing slightly. He doesn’t want Steve to think he’s not interested, he’d just wanted to play a bit, but maybe now wasn’t the time.

“I could never, baby boy.” He softens his smile as much as he can, brushing a stray strand of hair off Steve’s face. “I’ll be ready at 6 sharp.” Steve fucking glows at the response, large lopsided smile taking over his face, and he looks back at Robin, causing a soft laugh to tumble from Eddies lips. Steve quickly leans forward and places a chaste kiss to Eddies jaw and scrambles over to grab Robin muttering a ‘ Don’t say anything till we get to the car’

Eddie’s on cloud nine honestly, even though he’d a little bummed Steve beat him to the metaphorical finish line and asked him out first, he’d had a plan okay? He was gonna ask the fucking socks off Steve, but he’d gotten distracted by the campaign, and then noticing all the little personalization's Steve had on his Hellfire shirt, that Eddie was sure was the work of El, and Steve had gotten there first.

And the rolling for ideas? What a fucking concept. Eddie was almost instantly hard at the fact that not only had Steve incorporated his favorite thing into the way he’d asked Eddie out, but he also still gave Eddie all the power in an off handed way? Fuck, if that didn’t get him going so fast.

“Okay, man, I feel like that was the weirdest foreplay I’ve ever seen, and I’m asking you nicely, to not do that with your boyfriend in front of me ever again.” Jeff grumbles, climbing into the back of Eddie’s van with Mack. Eddie can see Gareth snickering next to him in the passenger seat as he starts the car, and he smacks his arm.

“Dude, that was like, nothing. I’m pretty sure that was Steve asking Eddie out on their first date.” Mack muses.

“Yea, Jeff. They haven’t even kissed yet.” Gareth adds on rubbing his arm where Eddie had hit him, a stupid smile still in place on his lips.

“They haven’t even kissed yet?” Eddie can hear Robin's loud cackle through his open window, no doubt having heard Jeff's disbelieving yell as they’d driven past her and Steve.

“Gareth I swear to god if you don’t start taking this seriously, I’m never going to talk to you about things in my life ever again.” Eddie growls into the phone, eyes scanning over the mess he’s made in his room. Every piece of clothing Eddie has ever owned is thrown on his bed, his eyes following the movement as a pile of them slowly tumbles to the floor.

“Oh no, a crying shame.” Gareth drawls sarcastically, Eddie can picture his eyes rolling on the other end of the line.

“Gare I swear to god, I’ll kill you off next session if you don’t stop being a royal butthead about this.” Eddie groans, throwing himself onto his bed, while keeping the hand that has the phone in it outstretched. Slowly bringing it back to his ear, Wayne will kill him if he rips it off the wall again.

“Eddie, he’s not gonna care what you wear, just that you’re going to be there.”

Of course Eddie knows that, but he just, wants, needs , this to be perfect. He’s finally landed a date with, the Steve Harrington, and sophomore year Eddie would kick his ass if he ruined it by dressing like some weirdo. Eddie snorts at the thought, he’s always dressed like a weirdo in Hawkins standards, and Steve likes that about him so he’s really gotta stop stressing about this so much. It’s just he’s never dated before. Fast hookups are a standard for him when it comes to this sort of thing, because even at the clubs in Indy, Eddie never seemed to find someone comfortable enough with themselves to want to date him. Which is fine, and he gets that, he wasn’t really looking to date before either. But it's Steve , the honest to god best thing to have come into Eddie's life lately, and he wants to do this right. He wants this to last and last, and be forever. Which honestly, should scare him, they haven't even been on a date yet, but Steve’s had his heart for months now, and Eddie doesn't ever want it back from him. He just wants Steve, however he gets to have him.

“Eddie, you got stuck in your head again and forgot to share with the class.” Gareth's staticky voice through the phone brings him back to the present, and his eyes lock on the soft black button up Wayne had gotten him last year.

“Black button up?”

“Black button up, and your jeans, He said comfy clothes Eddie. That's the perfect outfit.” Eddie groans at Gareth's words, throwing himself onto his feet and padding over to the shirt.

“Alright, alright. Gotta go Gare Bear, time to woo a boy.” Gareth's cackles at Eddie before hanging up the phone. Eddie stumbles into the kitchen slamming the phone back down onto the receiver leaning his head against the wall.

“Did a tornado go off in your room?” Wayne laughs, making his way out of the bathroom, the steam from his shower tickling the back of Eddie’s neck.

“Trying to find something to wear on my date tonight.” Wayne lifts a single eyebrow up at Eddie.

“Steve and you finally making things official?” Wayne’s got a soft smile on his lips as he passes him, patting his shoulder gently before making his way into the kitchen to pour some coffee into the ��worlds weirdest dad’ mug Eddie made him in art class freshman year. Eddie groans rolling over till his back is pressed against the wall, his eyes catching the time.

“Shit! shit, shit, shit, He’s gonna be here in like 15 minutes and my shirt’s wrinkly and I haven’t showered, shit, shit, shit.” Eddie stumbles into his bedroom whipping around in circles.

“Hang it up in the bathroom while you shower, I fixed the water heater before work today, and the steam will help.” Wayne calls out, Eddie answering with a loud, resounding thank you as he slams the bathroom door shut.

Eddie’s scrambling to answer the door fifteen minutes later, when he sees Steve’s BMW pull into the driveway, He’s throwing it open just as Steve’s about to knock, and they both freeze when they spot each other.

Oh fuck, how in the hell is he supposed to keep his hands to himself when Steve looks like that . Jesus.

Steve’s standing there, in a loose fitting white button up, with the top few buttons undone, but he’s got a harness on that’s giving Eddie all kinds of ideas. A few straps around his stomach and over his shoulders, As well as just chains on chains hanging down in the front of his, god it’s like right there in front of his crotch, and Eddie wants to grab that chain and yank Steve to him. Steve has a huge smile on his face when Eddie finishes ogling him and makes eye contact again.

“Hi.” It’s breathy when Steve says it, and Eddie has to clear his throat.

“Hi yourself.” Eddie rasps, clearing his throat again, because god his mouth has just gone so fucking dry and he’s also pretty sure he’s drooling and he’s not sure how that works, but that seems to be what’s happening.

“Hi Steve.” Wayne calls from the living room. Eddie can hear a smug undertone to the words as he grabs Steve and shoves him out the door.

“Bye Wayne!” Steve yells at the same time as Eddie shuts the door, laughing at the way Eddie’s manhandling him away from his uncle.

“I’m ready to go, let's go.” Eddie grumbles, hand latching onto the harness Steve’s wearing and pulling him towards the car. Steve’s laugh cuts off suddenly, and Eddie stops walking, turning to look at him. And oh is he a fucking sight to see, his eyes are locked onto where Eddie’s hand is wrapped around the harness, face bright red, and eyes a little glassy. Eddie smirks, pulling Steve closer with the harness again, eliciting a small barely there gasp from him as he stumbles forward and looks up at Eddie through his lashes.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, Princess?” Eddie makes sure to make his voice low, and smooth, watching as Steve’s pupils dilate. Jesus Christ, how is Eddie supposed to get through a whole date if Steve’s gonna look at him like that, eyes blown and lips slightly parted. Eddie really wants to get some tears streaming down that face, and those lips swollen and begging for more. Fuck , Eddie focus you animal.

Steve’s clearing his throat suddenly, hand coming up to wrap around where his is still attached to the harness. He leans in slightly to Eddie's space and a soft smirk comes to his lips.

“If you don’t stop tugging on this, It’ll break and I think you’d have an even harder time focusing on the movie we are going to watch, if I have to go about watching it shirtless. The buttons on this shirt are all broken, so it’s the only thing holding it together.” He puts emphasis on the word harder, and Eddie’s trying really fucking hard to not just drag Steve back to his room, but Wayne’s home, and Steve went through all the trouble for this date, and Eddie’s not about to ruin it. Eddie swallows thickly, releasing his hold on the harness and bringing his hand up, using his knuckles to brush gently over Steve’s cheek.

“Alright cowboy, let's get going then.” He tries really hard to bring a soft rumble to his words, and smiles triumphantly when a light dusting of pink coats Steve’s cheeks. Steve shakes his head slightly as he steps back out of Eddie’s space. Eddie hurries forward then, pulling open Steve’s door and bowing slightly.

“Your chariot awaits, your majesty.”

“That only works if you’re the one driving Eds.” Steve laughs climbing into the driver's seat and leaning across to unlock the door for Eddie to get in.

“Well if my Princess would allow me, I’d drive her everywhere. But she’s a strong independent babygirl, and I don’t wanna take that away from her.” Eddie beams, climbing into the passenger seat. He watches closely as his words sink in, noting how Steve freezes slightly, before a blush starts creeping up from his chest to his cheeks. Eddie feels a warmth bloom low in his gut, wanting to chase that blush with his tongue, as he watches Steve try to reboot.

“You like that, babygirl?” Eddie coos, leaning into Steve’s ear, his lips ghosting over it. Steve shivers, nodding slightly before clearing his throat and putting the car in reverse.

“Buckle up you heathen.” He breaths, shooting a shy smile to Eddie as he leans back into his seat and buckles his seat belt.

“I’ll show you heathen later, Big Boy” Eddie beams, as Steve backs out of their little driveway and starts making his way towards the drive in, reaching across the center counsel and clasping Eddie's hand in his.

Eddie’s heart starts beating wildly in his chest, just the small comfort and warmth of Steve’s hand wrapped in his own, washes away any worries he had about fucking this date up. It’s Steve. His Steve, and as long as they are together, he’s pretty sure it could never be anything less than perfect.

@zerokrox-blog @manda-panda-monium @funnymagicman-named-dandy @feministfandomgeek @bejeweledbabyy @phantypurplee @redfreckledwolf @classicdinosaurdeathposee @grimmfitzzz @lavender-butterfly-rockk @maya-custodios-dionachh @stevesoli @vampireinthesun @stevesbipanic @thatbitchgayasff @adaed5 @mo0nc4lf @steveisabicon @steddie-as-he-goes @definitely-notacrow @assholeachilleus @th3-r4t-k1ng @prettyboyandthemetalhead @allyricas @she-is-tim @freddykicksasses @homosexual-having-tea @counting-dollars-counting-stars @lilarosebabe @thev01dd @magic-with-a-twist @jentheratman @books-and-current-obsessions @rotten-lil-goblin

#Punk Steve #Punk!Steve #Punk Steve Harrington #steve Harrington #Eddie munson #Steddie #Steddie fic #Punk Princess #Punk Princess Fic

143 notes · View notes

heyharoldsboo · 2 years ago

Note

Percy’s fan account (surprisingly Brazilian) says he’s got productions coming up that’ll be revealed soon. I can’t wait till he’s back at work so he can immerse himself in that instead of the nonsense. Also more proof a social media cancel campaign does nothing if no one is taking real life action. I’m also crossing fingers that he’s gonna be doing a Gucci campaign soon cos he was sitting next to the CEO at Milan fashion week, fingers crossed for our boy

PHW_Brasil are so so nice! Kudos for the person who runs it.

I'm crossing fingers he either does something with Gucci or YSL. I see him more as a YSL boy, but he looked so good in Gucci that I honestly don't care lol

And yeah, it just shows how much a internet cancel campaign just gives everyone a headache but doesn't change things in real life.

#i stand with percy #percy is innocent #heyharoldsboo

14 notes · View notes

havesomeballs · 2 years ago

Note

dont want to come as off rude but didnt tapalovic caused all that goalkeeper drama with manuel? like not hearing the coach, just focusing on his 'best friend', etc?

Yeah that’s what’s circulating out there? I cannot judge the truth content of those hearsays, obviously, but rn they seem to be rather one sided, to put it nicely. Clearly Toni and Manu are close friends and have been for long, so ofc there’s that. 🤷🏻‍♀️

My main problem with this whole thing is that I feel like they are currently both getting framed in the press and in a way that’s very much not to my liking. All of a sudden the captain of the team (!) and the gk coach who’s been there for a decade (!) are mean, gossipy fossils, who run their bff clique, are uncooperative, against progress/new approaches and hide from competition? All while Brazzo is pictured as the big mediator, which is just lol no thanks.

How convenient it is for all this to come up when one of the concerned people is not even available to properly react/take a stand (very literally ehhh).

I don’t have an elaborate theory of who exactly wants what endgame here (honestly I’ve been avoiding football news/content for a while too for— well, my sanity), and a huge chunk of it is surely the press spinning whatever narrative they “stumble into” and “sells well”, but this is not happening for the first time here. (Maybe I’d be less suspicious if it wasn’t the case.) There has been a rather similar “character assassination campaign” against Hansi Flick back in the day. And isn’t it interesting that Brazzo always had a dream coach, who very clearly wasn’t Flick—

But somehow we aren’t supposed to be discussing/questioning other egos and biases that are in play in this. Wonder who/what does that imbalance serve. Wonder who/what that now longish list of super accomplished, loyal people serve who have been let go from the club one way or another (I’d say mostly disgracefully) over the last 2 years. Funnily many of them work together now elsewhere. Now I only have experience in the corporate world (which is actually great bc Bayern after all is a corporation lol), but this is usually a sign of shit (could say toxic) management.

I’m willing to accept that change can be necessary even if it’s painful, but like— has anyone delivered on the promises here? I’d like to see what all this soulless purge was for.

Even that wouldn’t bother me so much if not for all the “mia san mia” bs. Well, the style and pace in which the club is getting rid of some of its best and most loyal ones make me question who exactly are they really. Hope they prove me wrong, but what’s happening (again) comes off as an attack on more than one club legend at once. One just got fired and I can’t help being very concerned for the other. Can’t wait to learn from Bild how Manu was never actually a good goalie, Toni just managed to hide the facts till now, out of brotherly love—

Sorry, this got a lil off the rails.

Btw, to whom it may concern: if this is how your employer has your back while you are on sick leave, maybe time to reconsider some things in your (professional) life.

(And dammit, Bayern, those are really not the thoughts I used to follow football for.)

#anon reply #re the toni tapalovic news #just another grief post #fc bayern #team toni #toni tapalovic #manuel neuer

3 notes · View notes

wistfulweaverwoman · 9 months ago

Text

Look. When people say dems and republicans are the same they’re talking about the politicians, not the actual voters. What the politicians say (and I’m talking about the older generation here, not the noobs that have creeped in since Trump) between parties is different, but how they vote is often quite similar. Because part of being a politician is being able to play a part. Yes the younger crowd of politicians are really pulling the republican party to the right (but many of them hate it and only go along publicly but can’t wait for Trump to die) and the progressives are pulling the dems to the left (but more so the voters, not the politicians who scoff at universal healthcare and free college). When it comes down to it most of them (on both sides) will vote in a way that makes them more money. It’s unfortunate that the repercussions of their rhetoric only further divides the people. Oh well one thing that’s massively different between the two is that Republicans LOVE to use outrage as a distraction to keep the lowers classes uniting against the upper class (it’s been happening since Bacon’s rebellion). Any time it seems like libs and conservatives have something in common the conservative leaders are like but whoa, what about critical race theory, or something like that.

And Obama didn’t codify gay marriage into law (Biden did in 2022 along with bi racial marriage). First of all he said what he said while campaigning because he didn’t want to ruffle the feathers of the socially conservative.

What caused gay marriage to be legal was this law that passed in CA the same year Obama was voted as president for the first time. Prop 8. A terrible bill that was advertised as a law that would prevent teachers from teaching elementary school kids gayness or something (I remember being super pissed about those commercials because I already knew that it was really about gay marriage). Anyway, it passed and then was challenged in court, and went back and forth for years till it went before the Supreme Court and was overturned as unconstitutional, which immediately made gay marriage legal. Obama didn’t even want to back it after he was president and Biden pushed him to so they didn’t appear gutless by putting politics over principles.

And who signed the law banning gay marriage nationally? Bill Clinton.

Now saying Trump and Biden are the same is a very very different thing. Biden is not the best president, and I really really don’t like him for his voting history, which has had some pretty serious repercussions for disadvantaged communities over decades. I think only Boomers actually like him. I see Fuck Biden flags and Lets Go Brandon bumper stickers and tee shirts and I want to tell people it’s not the insult the think it is… but I don’t want to ruin their fun.

Biden a fucking angel compared to Trump. Trump is an self obsessed narcissist idiot that doesn’t know anything about governance and therefore is easily manipulated into making poor decisions and he doesn’t care because he’s literally only interested in doing what he can to become a dictator. Because he’s insane. I’ll take old and confused over delusional megalomaniac any day of the week.

asserting that both Republicans and Democrats are "the same" sure does give a hell of a pass to how extreme and radical Republicans have gotten in the last 20 years

like if you have actually been paying attention, Democrats have been shifting leftward in a more steady pace, Republicans took a SHARP turn right and didn't look back a couple decades ago and have gotten more and more unhinged to the point where even uber-conservatives like LIZ CHENEY get called RINOs. Like, Liz is as intensely conservative as you can fucking get and yet, still not conservative enough for modern Republicans because they have shifted into actual authoritarianism

when one party is openly advocating authoritarianism and the other party has spent the last decade trying to get people more health care.... THEY ARE NOT THE SAME. Or even close to each other. And you are letting violent radicals off the hook every time you assert this.

#it’s not black and white #political

1K notes · View notes

rainsmediaradio · 2 years ago

Text

Jack Harlow - Gang Gang Gang Lyrics

Jack Harlow - Gang Gang Gang Lyrics Intro (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang) Chorus Ride for my dawgs, lie for my dawgs, die for my dawgs Ride for my dawgs, lie for my dawgs, die for my dawgs Because it's— (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang) Because it's— (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang, oh) Verse 1 Home for the holidays My friend pulled me to the side like, "Did you hear about Marcus?" Our Marcus? "Yeah, our Marcus" "A bunch of girls say he raped them in the back of some Target" "They say he drove 'em back there in his car" "And then he parked it and the rest is even darker" Wait, which Marcus? 'Cause it can't be— "Yes, our Marcus" "The same Marcus we collected Pokémon cards with" The one with perfect grades that has family in New Orleans? "Yes, that Marcus, he's got seven rape charges" Chorus Ride for my dawgs, lie for my dawgs, die for my dawgs Ride for my dawgs, lie for my dawgs, die for my dawgs Because it's— (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang) Because it's— (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang, oh) Verse 2 Home for the holidays My friend pulled me to the side like, "Did you hear about Kevin?" Kevin who? "Our Kevin" What happened? "He got arrested" "They found a bunch of messages he sent to lil' kids" "And apparently, he met up with this ten year old and the now the kid's sayin' he got molested" Molested by who? "By Kevin" Nah, it's gotta be a different Kevin "Look, I'm tellin' you it's Kevin, that we've known since we were seven" "The one whose dad's a reverend" "The same Kevin we spend every weekend with and call brethren" Chorus Ride for my dawgs, lie for my dawgs, die for my dawgs Ride for my dawgs, lie for my dawgs, die for my dawgs Because it's— (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang) Because it's— (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang, gang, gang) (Gang, oh) Verse 3 Truthfully, it's family till it can't be, gang till it ain't Twins, but it depends, brothers until something is uncovered Dawgs until the lifting of the fog "I always got you," turns into "Well, I never thought you" Years of camaraderie suddenly disappear Almost like you never were here Unconditional love becomes very conditioned when push comes to shove And all that talk of taking bullets suddenly feels foolish Pictures with him turn to ad campaigns, you gotta pull it Feet held to the fire We hold accountable the ones we hold dear out of morals, but mainly fear The choice becomes clear And years of camaraderie suddenly disappear Almost like you never were here Outro Almost like you never were here Read the full article

#JackHarlow

0 notes

k4g3hika · 2 years ago

Text

WHO THE HELL?! ━ imagine!

eddie munson x fem! reader

summary: when eddie munson doesn't find the need to tell the dungeons and dragons club members about his new girlfriend. so imagine dustin's surprise when he visits eddie's trailer and sees it looking impeccably clean.

wc: 956

hi guys! forgot to mention i kind of wrote a part 2 to this so: “love, y/n:)”

“Okay, Eddie! I hear you! So it’s just in your living room? On the table beside the sofa? Okay!” Dustin stops his bike beside the Munson trailer, dropping it down onto the dirt as he rushes to the door. “Wait- how the hell am I supposed to get inside?!”

“Did I not give you my keys?”

“No!”

“Damn!”

“Wait! I see someone inside! I’m just gonna knock on the door till they answer. Talk to you later, over and out!” Amidst Eddie’s protests, Dustin turns off the walkie-talkie and strides over to the door. He secretly hopes to himself that it’s not Eddie’s uncle. But shit, who else is going to be in the Munson residence if it wasn’t Eddie or his scary-looking uncle?

He breathes in and out, raising his fist to knock on the door. However, right after his fists land on the door, it falls open as if it wasn’t locked in the first place.

‘Red flag. Red flag.’ Dustin knew better than to go into a complete stranger’s house. But, this was Eddie’s trailer. The worst thing that can happen is that he can stumble on some disgusting shit, or God bless him, his uncle holding a knife to his chest ready to pop off and kill him. ‘God, please guide me.’

As he walked inside, it seemed empty. There was absolutely no sign of life, but something did scare the living shit out of Dustin.

The Munson trailer was clean. Clean as fuck.

Dustin only knew Eddie from the beginning of the school year. But, regardless of the short time, Dustin knew that Eddie hardly took care of himself and would rather focus on anything else other than cleanliness. Shit, he remembers that one time he went inside Eddie’s room and it was laundry day. The stains on that mattress were traumatizing.

After going through a state of shock, Dustin remembered the reason why he was even in Eddie’s trailer. He began his search for the paper his leader needed, but it was far more difficult to find compared to the simplicity Eddie emphasized. Dustin cursed him under his breath, opening up every drawer on every table by the one sofa in the entire living room.

However, Dustin was so focused on his search, that he completely went deaf to the sounds of movement behind him.

“Hey! Who the fuck are you?!” Dustin almost fell back at the sheer terror he just felt surge through his heart. His breaths began to get erratic. Seeing a really, really pretty woman standing with only a shirt and…shorts? Or were they panties? He didn’t know. But it was fucking scary. Or hot? He didn’t know. “Hello?!? You better say who you are before I call the cops!”

“Wait! Wait! Eddie sent me here! He sent me to get something for the campaign! My name is Dustin! Dustin Henderson!” Dustin raised his hands up in defence, not seeing the woman’s shoulders deflate in relief. She chuckles, prompting Dustin to lower his hands. “W-Wha-”

“God, I’m sorry. Did I forget to lock the door again? Shit. I’m gonna get myself killed one day. Anyway, the paper he forgot is actually on the kitchen counter. I put it there figuring out he was gonna come back.” She walks past him.

‘Oh jeeze.’ Dustin tries not to look at them, only looking forward to where the paper was.

“Here you go, sorry about earlier. I just got scared is all. Did he drive you here?”

“No…I biked here.” He blinks twice at you, becoming nervous at your gaze staring him down.

“Oh my god! Really? Do you want some water? What about a cookie? Oh wait! I baked some cookies earlier, I was really bored. Can you bring some to the DnD club, please? Eds loves them…” As you ramble on about cookies and water, Dustin can’t help but gaze at your beautiful features. Your voice was also soothing, and shit, you look like you give the best hugs. “Shit, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Y/N, Eddie’s girlfriend. Nice to finally meet you, Dustin!”

‘Now I know why Eddie hides you.’

–

“Fuck! Look who finally decides to turn up! Henderson, what took you so long?” Eddie walks up to Dustin, eyebrows furrowing in search of the paper he asked him to get. “Did you get the paper-”

“You son of a bitch!”

“Excuse me?”

“I should be saying ‘excuse me’! I get sent, for a paper, and y’know what I find? Hm?” Dustin looks around the room past Eddie, trying to show them validation for his anger. “The most beautiful and shit, best baker, I have ever met in my life!” After his last statement, Dustin shoves the container of cookies at his (now ex) idol’s chest.

Eddie, though initially confused at Dustin’s anger, finally understands why when he sees your signature chocolate chip cookies. You always add M&Ms, saying that they ‘add a pop of colour’ to them. Not that he minded. He loved it.

“I don’t get why you’re angry-”

“Bitch?! You have to show them off! Sell these cookies for God’s sakes! Bring her to meetings! Shit! Do I have to teach you how to be a good boyfriend?!?” Dustin drops his bag, groaning at Eddie’s ‘stupidity’. “Let’s get on with the game!”

Eddie looks at Dustin, then at the container in his hands.

It wasn’t like he was hiding you. Eddie smiles to himself, propping open the lid and eating one cookie.

Eddie just thinks that you’re his little secret. Only he gets to eat your cookies. Dustin just happened to stumble upon them. Never again though.

“Hey, Eddie, can we try some of those cookies-”

“Fuck off Gareth.”

#stranger things #eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fluff #joseph quinn #stranger things 4 #netflix #dustin henderson

12K notes · View notes

thewertsearch · 2 years ago

Text

Ask Compilation 08/08

He codes exclusively in B++!

The mental image of a software pirate who physically raids people’s houses for their data is pretty great.

Prince sounds like a ‘leader’ or ‘controller’ class. I hope it allows me to change Homestuck’s time rules, because I have ideas.

In other words, if we do get nine new characters, as I theorized a few months ago, the new Pesterchum letter will probably be U.

I did miss the Karkat-carcinogen thing. I forgot that was his original theme, since he has a lot more going on now than just his ‘cancerous’ personality.

You guys said these ship names were good, and you're delivering.

That's a good point. I haven't really played any point-and-click games myself. I guess Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright both have point-and-click elements, but they fit more neatly into other genres.

I didn’t think the point-and-click genre had any analogue to RPG classes, but it is a lens that I haven’t really viewed Homestuck through up to now, since, like I said, I haven’t played any. Totally open to anyone else weighing in, though!

I'll put it on the list!

I might need to compile an actual recs list for the blog at some point, because I’ve got a good few by now.

It’s a very Felt-themed thought experiment. they’d probably love it, and so do I.

It’s definitely possible to simulate simple time-loops, and extrapolate them to more complex scenarios. The problems kick in, like you said, when you try to factor in human choice, or ‘free will’.

If Tavros had a human name, it absolutely would be Martin. Kind of fits him perfectly, don’t you think?

Looking back at the pre-Hivebent troll appearances, this does indeed seem to be the case! Plus, I noticed one thing I hadn’t picked up on before:

An Act 4 cameo from AG!

Lusi works for me. I don't know any Latin, and since there’s no canon answer, I’m just going for whatever feels right.

Dangit, you're right. I was saying Meg-ee-do in my head, but just typed it wrong.

The narration called it inelegant, but Sollux’s name for the game works on multiple levels. Elegance ain’t everything!

Plus, it seems to be fully functional. I wonder the Alternian Exiles aren’t as far in their planet’s future as the Earth Exiles?

I personally doubt that a session would abide two identical Titles. They’re surely different - and maybe my Title, as a liveblogger, is different as well...

To make an 'alien' race, they don't remove this photoshopping, of course. They just layer a second bad photoshopping onto the horns, to clumsily erase them.

We’ll wait till I’m finished the liveblog, and see what state the game’s in then. This blog ain’t going anywhere for at least another year, so maybe we’ll see some movement.

Aradia's - specifically, the ones in her main sprite. Its just a cool spiral pattern!

Right? I had a minor revelation in the tags shortly after I posted that.

AG is Troll Captain Hook, it's definitely on purpose, and now that her relationship to Tavros has come to light, it’s starting to make more sense.

Guys, these puns are killing me. You're killing your liveblogger, guys.

I’ve played a lot of tabletop RPGs, and it does seem like I let it seep into my admittedly tenuous understanding of LARPing. I did know it was live, but I was under the impression that you were still acting as a party in a campaign, working collaboratively.

I guess I didn’t think about who’d be playing your enemies. They can’t all be played by the DM unless she can mind-control people so I should have guessed it’d be party-vs-party - or augmented reality, which is what we got.

Quitting my job to make the crOSby a reality.

Yeah, some of them aren’t exact matches. Maybe the color balance on this image was changed, at some point - or maybe these colors represent the ‘default’ blood for their caste, and each individual troll has different minor variations in their blood.

I've played once or twice. It's fun, and I’d love to get better, but the meta is so complex that I wouldn’t really know where to start!

Discard and Draw, though, is a kind of obscure TvTrope. I like the trope, but I like the phrase even more. It really encapsulates a lot of ideas, and I like the sense of change it evokes.

Hell yes! Enjoy the ride!

Wow, that's getting close to that one Super Smash Bros fanfic. I thought Homestuck itself would be longer than any of its fanworks, but I, as always, underestimate fanworks.

For what it's worth, I'm increasingly confident we have got to Vriska - just not officially. Who else is going to do it like AG?

Oh, that makes sense. I wonder if this implies my trollsona is yellow-brown colourblind?

The list I was working from didn’t have many meaningfully different options for Leo - most of them were just variations of ‘Lion’, and most of them were less than six letters. I saw the Finnish ‘Leijona‘, liked the look of it, and cut off the last letter. Voilà - we have our catgirl!

Don’t worry, true Derséheads will always find each other. It's like those Jojo things.

Gotta practice character voice while I can. The 1.8 million word Sahlee fic will drop one day, whether y’all like it or not.

Yup. Like with the humans, they often act like they’re older or smarter than adolescents, but that’s just Homestuck’s writing style. They’re just kids, which makes Alternia’s culture so much worse.

[ I never had a kidsona actually 🤔 the trollsona may show up some day, Sal, you have full permission after I show you her xD - C]

We shall have to see what happens, once Sahlee gets to her Land...

I’d say the resemblance is vague enough to be a coincidence - and it probably is - but you never know for sure, when your author is a CS major.

NAND gates always output 1, unless both of their inputs are 1. Thematically, that’s kind of similar to Sollux’s dual-universe deadlock virus, but if we pull that up again I’ll be here all day.

We’ve talked a lot about what Homestuck categories I’d fall into, but we’ve just locked in the most important one of all: my fursona.

Silly rules like this really give Homestuck a distinct identity - just like the trolls’ silly quirks do the same for them.

Also - a couple replies from a few weeks ago that I thought I posted, but it seems were eaten by tumblr:

Yeah Davesprite says he’s supposed to be vague, so it’s definitely intentional on the part of Sburb, and not just when your sprite is a capricious jester. The implied reason is that solving Sburb’s riddles yourself is part of the game’s challenge.

It could serve multiple purposes, though. Vaugeness about Titles, specifically, could be so the Players can make their own judgements about what their Title means.

This mythology is ‘hyper-flexible’, and Players decide what form their enemies take - so maybe they also decide what form their Titles take, too. Maybe what the game is ‘tailoring’ itself to, here, is the Players’ own interpretations of its lore.

That's a good point - and Jade lives in a big empty island, so she has more Space than any of the other Players! That’s the sort of thing that may or may not be deliberate.

She still hasn't displayed any Space powers, though, of any flavor. Jade - who spent years as a pseudo-Seer - certainly seems to have a funny relationship with her Title.

That's true - although their Trollian handles, plus the spectrum of their colors, are arranged in the correct zodiac order, so there must be some in-universe meaning to it.

I'm pretty sure the purples are the highest of all. Plus, AG is apparently 'aristocracy', and, more intriguingly, Karkat is seen as ‘gutter blood’, despite his anonymity. The plot thickens.

Yup, GA is as Jadelike as they come. Maybe the game always assigns a Player as the Frog Temple’s custodian - which makes me wonder if GA has her own Bec, too. He’s still a huge question mark.

Absolutely locked in as my headcanon.

#asks #full liveblog #act 5 #edit: YES it actually posted this time. thank you tumblr gods.#edit 2: edits only work sometimes. i think this post is legitimately too long for tumblr to handle

91 notes · View notes

strangerthingsfanfics · 2 years ago

Text

Anniversary

Pair: Eddie X reader

Warning: mentions of smut

Summary: it’s your one year anniversary with Eddie, and he has something cute planned for you two.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today was your one year anniversary with Eddie, and you were so happy and excited. Both you talked about on what y’all wanted to do for today, months in advance. All Eddie, would say “I got something planned don’t worry. All you need to do is look amazing.”.

While getting ready you couldn’t stop thinking of the crazy year you had with him. It wasn’t perfect but to you and him it was perfect. No matter how big or small the argument was, both of you would give each other space to cool down and come back to talk about the problem. You smiled at the thought of your first dumb argument with him which lead both of you to say “I love you” to each other. You helped with his classes and anything else that happened in his life. He helped you with bullying and “studying”. Eddie, is the boyfriend who spoils you and just with gifts but with his attention. Eddie, is always by your side and always reminding you of how pretty/handsome you are. You also remember the first sleepover you had with him and how painted his nails and how y’all tried to cook but it turned into a sexual food fight. You were to busy thinking about your relationship that you didn’t hear your mother say Eddie was here. The minute she said that, the butterflies came back just like the night he asked you to be his partner.

While walking down the stairs you heard Eddie, and your dad just talk about school and his “hobby”. Once he saw you couldn’t but smile and walked to help you down the stairs.

“These are for you, sweetheart!”. He said while giving you flowers.

“These are lovely, thank you! I’m gonna go out them in water and then we’ll leave!”

After that you and Eddie, walked to van. You tried to reach to open the door but Eddie, made some weird sound to distract you.

“nope, I’m the one who opens the door.”

“You’re such a gentleman!”

Once in his van Eddie, ran to the other side of his van and got in. On the drive to spot Eddie, kept giving you on kisses on the top of your hands.

“You look amazing tonight! I can’t wait see you naked tonight!”

“Eddie!”

Eddie, couldn’t stop laughing.

Once to the spot Eddie, opened your door and gently grabbed your arm and walked with to the spot. Once there you saw how he set up a picnic. You got so happy and thought about how your first date with him was a picnic, but right now it looked so much better and more romantic. Eddie, helped to your the blanket and once there you heard a familiar voice.

(Not my photo)

“Welcome, folks what can I get for drinks? For dinner is (your favorite food) and for dessert is (your favorite).” Dustin said.

You couldn’t help but laugh. “How did you get him to do that?”

“I told them if they lost the hellfire campaign then they gotta help with tonight.”

Both you busted out laughing while Dustin, looked mad but happy. He was happy that you enjoyed it but mad that he agreed to the bet.

Once he got your drinks and dinner, he left you and Eddie alone. Both you talked about anything and everything. Eddie, kept talking about his favorite memories of your relationship.

“I gotta say my favorite memory was either asking you to be my partner or the first time I saw you. I remember that day, it was my second time redoing my senior year and your junior year. I saw you the parking lot that morning, but till I saw you walk into lunch I got a closer look at you and saw how beautiful/handsome you looked that day. From that moment I knew I had to make you mine.” Eddie, said while looking into your eyes.

“Awe, my favorite moment was seeing you jump on the lunch table to yell that one teacher. My favorite moment when we started to date, was the first time we had a sleep over. I was so nervous that night and I think you probably could tell. We made brownies that night and I remember you “accidentally” throwing flour at me. It turned into a food fight which ended us in the shower together. That night after doing it was so special to me. You were so gentle after and sang me to sleep. That song reply’s in my head constantly.”

A couple minutes after Mike, brought out your dessert. “You too?”. “Yeah.”. You and Eddie, just started to laugh. Once dessert was over you and Eddie, helped clean everything up.

“Let’s head back to my place, I have a couple of your gifts there. If you know what I mean.” Eddie said while smirking.

#eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x reader #stranger things #eddie munson

96 notes · View notes

animefreak1145 · 3 years ago

Text

The Brilliance of Break On Through

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Mission Break on Through—An Analysis

I have replayed the campaign of COD:BOCW numerous times—too many times truly. Did a whole playthrough where it was Hardened and soon I’m sure I shall do Veteran(something I have never done for any COD game. Not even Hardened.).

All missions have their own unique qualities—parts where the player gets a little rush of adrenaline depending on the kind of mission and how they choose to play it (Nowhere Left to Run just a plain shooting match while Brick in the Wall you can choose to remain stealthy like the good spy you are or go crazy like an eager homicidal maniac).

Even within the safehouse, there are plenty of little details to discover if you take the time to look around and observe everyone. Or, everything. (The radio if turned to a Russian station/correspondence, Adler changes it back immediately before Da Nang mission. Watching Park’s body language, as you talk to Adler and she periodically looks over to you two. Adler suspicious when you go to the Red Room or the locked room with the arcade. The T.V. being turned on in the Red Room)

But the amount of details, details, in the mission Break on Through is outstanding. I have played this mission more than any other due to me wishing to look at all the details. There’s so many, I think I may miss some. And I can’t show them off all to you cause I suck at creating gifs and don’t know how to transfer that from Xbox to my phone.

To lighten it up a bit, I won’t focus on the four different scenarios you go through—at least not each one. That would take too long and I do not have gifs/pics to show it off since Tumblr limits it to ten anyways.

I will, however, try to guide to what parts of the game you all can explore if you choose to do so. As well just how detailed they did this mission.

I am going to start with the different statements Adler says to you throughout all the Scenarios(17, 6, 11, 1). We only go through four in the actual game—but the fact it goes up to 17 or possibly more shows just how far they went in and messed with Bell’s mind.

Now, Adler seems to be a bit bipolar on how he talks to you whether or not you listen to him and all his directions. Either totally blasé and cold to giving you and pumping you up with more MK or meds, or actually a tad concerned and patient as he guides you through.

If You/Bell Stands Still/Does Nothing:

Example 1

“So you did nothing? What were you, in shock?”

He throws the words callously, mocking. As if Bell isn’t confused and lost at what is going on. He even sounds irritated that you might actually be in shock due to these memories that are just fake—not even real. Not like what he has.

Example 2

“What’s wrong with Bell?” -Adler

“I’m not sure. . .” -Park

“I guess we’ll just wait on you to proceed, Bell.”

The contrast is dizzying. He sounds concerned when he asks Park on what could be wrong with you. If he pushed you too far and now you’re just frozen. And, instead of rushing you due to how the fate of half of Europe is at stake, he decides to give you space. Just wait for you and you’ll come out of it soon enough.

He does these sort of reactions numerous times. Jumping from intimidating to the Adler we knew as the player, as Bell—kind and always in your corner that believes in you. He switches tactics based on what he believes will work really—or he just felt really on edge at times and threw the farce that you two were friends out the window.

Other examples include:

Scenario 11–Napalm Strike-in the lab in the room where you were brainwashed

“Christ, what’s happening with them?”-Adler

“A mild seizure. Sims, past me a benzodiazepine.” -Park

Again, concerned. Worried. Almost…at unease?

In the lab—tripped up on drugs. If you run through the tight shrinking hallway back and forth like so(I suck at making gifs, I’m sorry):

“Why is Bell repeating themselves?”

“Bell, stop speaking in circles.”

Now, as others may have suspected, Bell is talking to everyone as they’re stuck in this horrible loop of mental torture. Most likely muttering, hands clenching and arms pulling against the straps of the gurney, moving their head back and forth depending on what they’re seeing. I always saw Bell as muttering quickly in Russian as they go through all of this—their mother tongue where it may comfort them as they’re panicking and speaking to Adler.

It’s just a nice detail showcasing how exactly Adler knows that Bell is on script—Bell saying what they’re seeing and doing and what’s going on. It shows also just how hard they put Bell through the ringer(badum tss. I’ll leave now).

All the details too when the game shows how the drugs they put in Bell affects you. Like so. The hallways appearing long. The lights looking yellow. You feel so fast—look how quick you can run. Run towards the Red Door that Adler so desperately wants and maybe this can stop. Ah, why is it running away from you? What’s going on?

I don’t know about you, but I was so lost and confused at what was going on my first playthrough. For the majority of this mission, the possibility of me being brainwashed didn’t reach the BACK of my mind till probably I actually saw the flashes of scenes about Vietnam and calling Bell a subject. So like right here.

I personally thought that I had a repressed memory or something due to me going through the Vietnam War. That whatever I saw with Perseus, I—or rather Bell—repressed it from our mind due to how violent or horrible what we saw or experienced was. And that Adler suspected and just really wanted to know about it.

I didn’t expect for the man to actually brainwash my character—us—Bell! The game made Adler your mentor, who always defended you from Hudson and believed in your skills very highly. How he and Bell were basically perfect partners when the two of you were together.

It’s amazing—cause I think that’s what the developers were going for. The absolute trust. The loyalty. The denial that ‘maybe Adler is being a little harsh but hey, this is to help Perseus so it’s okay?’ It’s perfect. Because I’m sure that is what Bell actually felt in real time.

Yet, if you go through the total rebellious choice of not listening to Adler, some thing’s make sense. The Rebellious Side shows you way more than if you just listen to Adler like a Dutiful Soldier.

You go through this room if you choose the rebellious route, the T.V.’s automatically turning on the closer you get. Of Vietnam. And now, all those T.V.‘s that turned on by themselves(the Red Room, Lubyanka, Cuba) make sense. You were actually being brainwashed. Poor Bell probably can’t ever have a turned off/broken T.V. again. The trauma.

Said trauma being shown multiple times too. Not just the T.V.‘s. But the absolute terror that Bell felt, before they became Bell, with Adler.

Like do you see this? This terrified me when I saw it at the end of the hallway. I just saw a red shadow in the distance and I legit thought I was about to be chased. Call of Duty became a horror game(I also went through the door to the ground too my first playthrough, so before this I went through zombies and I think my heart was going to jump out my chest) I thought. I didn’t want to get closer. I had to, with each step I see that it’s not a shadow but a body. And than I see the familiar jacket, the sound of whirring in my ears and see it’s Adler’s head being twisted back and forth, side to side, up and down, in a speed that in inhumanely possible.

Makes one wonder if Bell themselves sees Adler as inhumane. Not human. Adler seeming to just be a god in their head. All the Adler shaped rocks/boulders you go through and see. Even one point the V.C. becoming Adler and you killing him over and over and dead bodies of Adler being everywhere.

The man has entered Bell’s head and won’t leave. Just like Adler won’t leave Bell alone.

Heck, there’s one point in my playthroughs of this mission I was by the bridge yet there were parts of the lab by it. I jumped towards it, noticing down below there were different floors of the lab that eventually reach the ground. I jumped to reach the next floor and missed and I died.

And Adler mocked Bell committing suicide.

That was the kicker really that Adler truly is indifferent towards Bell. Like complete disregard. I know it’s fake. We know it’s fake. Adler knows it’s fake—but to Bell, it felt real. That’s the crazy part. All of this—this whole sequence feels real to Bell so each time they die they actually feel it. It’s insane. It’s cruel.

But we all know that Adler isn’t known for his kindness. Still like his character though, he’s layered.

I don’t have the exact quote he said, didn’t wrote it down like the others. I was shook he said it at all.

Moving on to the final details I’m going to talk about.

When you go through the room, I believe this comes out for both rebellious and dutiful, really depends. You see it filled with post it notes, articles, plans, and newspapers. And you see once more just how Bell has been scarred.

I don’t know Russian or German, but I imagine the notes are similar to what the English one’s say. If I’m wrong, please point it out.

There’s also post it notes which I believe is in code as well due to all the numbers—I’m not sure what those could mean since I am no decoding expert.

Poor poor Bell. And with all these pictures and plans—of Adler included—it begs the question that Bell may have been warned about the famous America’s Monster beforehand. Had to have—since Adler is basically Perseus’s adversary due to how stubborn the American man could be. It just adds more to the story, despite Cold War having quite a short campaign, they made it up somewhat with all these details everywhere.

When you finally and actually reach the room.

As you grow closer to the table, to your chair in the conference room while everyone else seems to have their own spots, there’s something I noticed.

There’s glasses. As well as a hat. And it’s Bell’s. Or at least, it used to be. Why else is it on their side of the table? By their chair? I believe it might be reading glasses due to all the decryptions Bell does, whether on paper or through a computer, it’s hard on the eyes. (I’m sure I’m not the only one who noticed this. For look at @second-vtoroy ‘s Bell)

I believe through the brainwashing, Bell might not need glasses anymore. After all, apparently they were a smoker like Adler before too but they took that out of you. What else they changed of Bell? It makes one wonder how far they truly went into molding a person.

Which just adds onto how mind boggling this mission is—this game is. This is my favorite COD game, despite how short it is. The details and choices and interactions with everyone and able to create your own character(albeit it’s very standard and not specific but it’s good enough for me) is AMAZING. I’ve always been a sucker for RPG’s and able to get that even a little in a COD game? Truly wonderful.

I couldn’t touch on everything because it would’ve gotten long, but the fun of the Break on Through mission never gets old. It’s genius multiple ways you can do it. All the details. The feelings you feel as a player as you go through it.

They truly did a unique job with this and I hope they continue with this type of game storytelling. Hopefully longer as well.

Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed this rant basically!

Gifs made by me and used the video down below to help.

https://youtu.be/t6QkmkGGHSQ

youtube

#russell adler #call of duty #cod #black ops cold war #call of duty cold war #cod cold war #cod bell #cod analysis #cod:bocw #call of duty analysis #bell call of duty #Adler and Bell #Cold War

225 notes · View notes

robininthelabyrinth · 3 years ago

Note

Prompt~ hoping you'll like it ♥️

Things between the Nie brothers are not always nice and happy, they fight, just like any other pair of brothers, and sometimes things are said, sometimes these things are heavy and painful. Sometimes they're said in the wrong moment (maybe at the eve of a battle? Sunshot campaign?) and huaisang doesn't know what to do with the broken look his brother gives him before leaving the unclean realm. Because what if he doesn't return? What if the last thing he said to him was how much he hated the man he became?

Labyrinth - ao3

“But I didn’t mean to wish him away!” Nie Huaisang cried out.

“That’s really too bad,” the goblin king said, looking pleasant and humble and charming the way he always did, even in his cape of glittering gold and high-browed hat. “I wish there was something I could do for you, but the rules are the rules. You wished him away, and I took him.”

“Aren’t you supposed to only take babies?” Nie Huaisang demanded.

“Your brother’s enough of a crybaby to count, it’s close enough.”

“It is not!” Nie Huaisang wrung his hands. “You don’t understand, the last thing I said to him was that I hated him! Meng Yao, please!”

“It’s Jin Guangyao,” the goblin king corrected. His smile looked a bit strained. “Listen, do you think I’m happy about this? He’s my sworn brother! I’m only doing what I have to –”

“Oh, save it for Lan Xichen,” Nie Huaisang growled. “Show me the labyrinth already.”

“You’re going to face the labyrinth,” the goblin king said. His voice was very polite, and yet still expressed significant doubt. “You.”

“Yeah, me!”

“You remember that it goes ‘through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered’, right? Not ‘through a nice teacher and a forgiving grading system’?”

“Yeah, well, your father is a fragging aardvark. Let me at the labyrinth already!”

“You know what,” Nie Huaisang said thoughtfully. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

The life-sized animated puppet blinked at him. “You – don’t want my help?”

“Nope. I’m good.”

“You haven’t even gotten into the labyrinth yet!”

“It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t have a chance to get in,” Nie Huaisang said, patting around his sleeve and pulling out a fan. “So I’m just going to walk over and beat at the wall till something happens.”

The puppet followed him, staring blankly. Quite a change from his original apologetic ‘I’m sorry, I’m busy with my own things, I really can’t help you, also it’s too dangerous and you shouldn’t go’ response.

“You were blackmailing me to help you just a moment ago,” the puppet said after a little. “Don’t you need a guide?”

“Listen, I’m bad at memorizing things and I’m a little useless, but I’m not actually dumb,” Nie Huaisang said, fanning himself. “Jin Guangyao is a demon of the mind above all else, and the labyrinth is supposed to be ‘fair’ – which means, more than likely, that the labyrinth is a reflection of the subconscious, specially tailored to each person’s strengths and weaknesses. And that means that you, who sound exactly like Lan Xichen, are almost certainly a set-up sent by Jin Guangyao to ‘reluctantly’ aid me and then betray me.”

“Uh,” Lan Xichen-the-puppet said. “My name’s Hoggle, actually.”

“Whatever makes you feel better, er-ge…A-ha!” Nie Huaisang beamed at the gates that automatically opened. “Perfect!”

“Oh, don’t go that way,” the worm said. “Never go that way. And are you sure you don’t want to come in for a cup of tea?”

“No time,” Nie Huaisang said. “Thanks a lot – wait.”

The worm blinked at him.

“You’re a pretty attractive worm, in a slimy sort of way,” Nie Huaisang said, frowning at him.

The worm blinked again. “Why, thanks!”

“No, that’s not what I meant. Is your name Su She, by chance?”

“Definitely not!”

“Mm. Oddly vehement of you. Never mind. Just, quick, could you tell me exactly why do I not want to go that way?”

“I don’t suppose straight ahead is an option?”

The hands-faces stared at him.

“I’m just saying, I feel like most of my problems so far have come from the fact that I decided to accept the whole concept of turns. It seems like a mistake.”

“…it’s a labyrinth,” another set of the hands said. “You have to make turns!”

Nie Huaisang shook his head mournfully. “I should’ve brought Baxia or something and just – ZIP. Gone straight through. You know what I mean?”

“I’m dropping you in the oubliette regardless of your decision,” the first set of the hands said. It sounded a bit like Sect Leader Yao. “Just so you know.”

“My life is so hard,” Nie Huaisang sighed. “So hard! Do you know what it’s like to be overlooked by everyone? Do you know how hard I have to work at being this useless?”

“Drop him,” the set of hands that sounded like Sect Leader Ouyang said, and the set of hands that sounded like Sect Leader Yao said, “Yes. Now!”

Down Nie Huaisang went.

“I can take you back to the beginning of the labyrinth,” Lan Xichen offered.

“What, and waste all that time? I have a time limit, er-ge!”

“It’s better than being stuck in an oubliette. That’s where they put people to forget about them, you know.”

Nie Huaisang’s eyes filled with tears. “You want to forget me, er-ge? You think I’m useless, don’t you? A good-for-nothing, who’ll never amount to anything –”

“Please don’t cry.”

“ER-GE! WHY DON’T YOU LOVE ME!”

“Please stop crying!”

“So what’s the point of you?” Nie Huaisang asked the Wise Man with the Talking Hat.

“Not everyone exists to contribute to your storyline,” the Talking Hat snapped at him. “Some of us’ve got our own problems. Now hand over the candy!”

“Don’t be mean,” the Wise Man said. He had a white cloth over his eyes, and was smiling like he found the hat funny.

“Awww, but daozhang…!”

“Different plotline entirely, I guess,” Nie Huaisang decided. “Probably just here as a foil. Shall we keep going, er-ge?”

“I can’t believe you scammed me to get out of the oubliette,” Lan Xichen mumbled. “I can’t believe…”

“Oh, leave him alone, he’s just sensitive!” Nie Huaisang snapped.

“Am not!” the upside-down creature snarled, curled up on itself and trying to hide from all those that had been hitting him. Its fur was a vivid sort of purple. “Go away!”

“Don’t you have some sort of special power to help you here,” Nie Huaisang asked him as he tried to get him down before the goblins came back with weapons. “Rocks, maybe?”

“…lightning?”

“Well then get to it, will you?” Nie Huaisang frowned. “Wait. Lightning, constantly being tormented, terrible at communication, and purple? You’re Jiang Cheng, aren’t you?”

“…maybe.”

“Well then get down faster! I need to copy someone’s notes here!”

“Leave me aloooooooone!” Nie Huaisang howled, running away from the measuring snake.

“Wow,” Lan Xichen said, holding his cheek. “You kissed me.”

“You saved me from the snakes,” Nie Huaisang said. “Can we focus on how we’re in this awful stinking bog?”

“It’s not that bad!” a voice piped up. “I don’t smell anything!”

Nie Huaisang turned to stare, then pinched the bridge of his nose. “Of course you don’t,” he said. “I bet the total absence of a sense of smell helps when you eat spicy food, Wei-xiong.”

“There’s nothing wrong with spicy food!”

“You’re short,” Nie Huaisang informed the small goblin-like creature with the big grin and the red ribbon in its hair. It looked vaguely fox-like, or possibly like certain large breeds of rabbit.

“Why you..!” Wei Wuxian crossed his furry little paws over his chest. “Just for that, I’m not going to help you.”

“Uh-huh,” Nie Huaisang said. “Really. That’s awful…oh no! A dog!”

Wei Wuxian jumped high into the air. “A dog?! Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan! Save me!”

Much to Nie Huaisang’s surprise, a furry dog immediately darted out of nowhere – only Wei Wuxian didn’t seem afraid of it, but rather hid behind it, teeth chattering.

Truly, Nie Huaisang reflected, the eyes of love are blind.

“I think the ‘dog’ is gone now,” he said. “Your brave and noble Lan Wangji must’ve scared him away.”

Wei Wuxian’s head popped out from behind dog-Wangji. “Well, Lan Zhan is really cool…hey. Are you trying to manipulate me?”

“Is it working?”

“No!”

“So you won’t help me?”

“No!”

“Not even if it means you get to figure out a really tricky puzzle?”

“No – wait. A puzzle?”

“I can’t believe this is going to work,” Lan Xichen muttered from behind Nie Huaisang. “I mean, I can. But also…Wangji…I love you, but you could do so much better than this.”

“Ugh,” Nie Huaisang said. “I’m so thirsty.”

“Have some Emperor’s Smile,” Lan Xichen said, offering a jar.

“Amazing,” Nie Huaisang said, accepting it and taking a swing. “I had my doubts, you know, but you’re actually good for something after all, er-ge –”

The golden bird was Nie Huaisang’s favorite.

He’d worked so hard to bring it back to his aviary – it couldn’t be forced, he knew; it would play along at first but in the end it would turn on you and bite you. It had to be coaxed with gentleness and kindness, approached indirectly so as not to spook it, convince it that you really did mean well – that you were harmless, that it had no reason to fear you. It was arrogant, too, proud of its shining feathers and ashamed of the brown plumage of its chick days, which still remained visible on its tender underbelly. Ironically, that was Nie Huaisang’s favorite part of it, the soft and gentle part; it might not be as pretty as the gold, but it felt more genuine.

Nie Huaisang smiled as he brushed the beautiful feathers, and the golden bird allowed him. He felt cherished, treasured. So what if he had to hide all the sharp parts of himself to get this close?

It was fine. He didn’t like to be sharp.

He wanted to be soft. Soft and gentle, careless and free, relaxed and without effort, good for nothing –

Wait.

No!

“It’s all junk,” Nie Huaisang hissed at the pile of burning fans, tears in his eyes. “I want my da-ge!”

“You’re all right!” Wei Wuxian exclaimed, helping pulled Nie Huaisang up.

“Huaisang-xiong,” Jiang Cheng said, looking relieved. “You’re back.”

“We have to go to the temple beyond the Goblin City,” Nie Huaisang said, teeth gritted together. “We have to. I won’t let that bastard…we’re going to go there and throw all his damned tricks right in his face!”

“Just us?” Wei Wuxian asked. “I mean, I’m awesome, Lan Zhan is fantastic, and of course Jiang Cheng is great, too, but…uh…there’s a lot of goblins in the city.”

“We’ll sneak in,” Nie Huaisang said. “He thinks he’s sidelined me entirely – he thinks I’m useless. He won’t be expecting me to get this far.”

“I can get help,” Jiang Cheng said. “I have friends.”

“…not to be rude, Jiang-xiong,” Nie Huaisang said. “But – really?”

“You know what,” Nie Huaisang said, eyeing the pile of rocks following Jiang Cheng around, each one painted with a name. One of the names was yellow. Two were in white, with forehead ribbons. “This is fine. I feel like it says something really rude about my empathy for and interest in our junior generation, or lack thereof, but you know what? I don’t care. It’s fine.”

“You saved me,” Nie Huaisang said blankly, looking at Lan Xichen, who shrugged, abashed. The remains of the mechanical temple guard were scattered all over. “Over – him?”

“Huaisang –”

“No,” Nie Huaisang said, holding up his hands. “Don’t. Don’t…I don’t want to hear you talk.”

Lan Xichen’s head dropped down and he looked at the ground. “You knew from the beginning what I was like,” he murmured. “I never tried to hide it –”

“I forgive you for being what you are,” Nie Huaisang told him, and Lan Xichen looked up at him, startled and pleased. “I forgive you for not having the backbone to stand up against Jin Guangyao for me – or for da-ge. For being willfully blind for so long, for needing someone else’s proof of his ill-intentions, for always picking him first, for never trusting me…I forgive you, even if you’d never forgive me for the same.”

He dashed away the angry tears in his eyes.

“I just wish this wasn’t a fucking metaphor.”

Nie Huaisang left the fighting to the people who knew what to do – Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, Jiang Cheng, even the rock-juniors – and went to the temple at the center of the city alone.

Some things, he knew, needed to be done alone, even if it was the type of alone when you were surrounded by other people. Even when those other people stood by his side and made him promise that if he needed them, he would only need to call. Some things…

“I want my da-ge back,” he said to the maze of stairs.

“Then go and find him,” Jin Guangyao replied, looking smug, and Nie Huaisang had to go up and down all those fucking stairs, because Jin Guangyao was nothing if not predictable with his trauma, looking all over, looking for –

Looking for pieces.

“It’s just a metaphor,” he whispered to himself, ignoring how tears were streaming down his face. “It’s just – I need to put him back together, it’s fine. I’m not too late – I’m not too late –”

Jin Guangyao held Nie Mingjue’s head in his hands, blinded and gagged and bound with talismans, pulled out of whatever oubliette he'd shoved it into to forget about what he'd done. “Beware, Huaisang,” he said, still smiling. Always smiling. “I’ve been generous up until now, but I can be cruel.”

Nie Huaisang laughed, scoffing. “Generous? What have you done for me that’s generous?”

“Everything! Everything you’ve wanted, I’ve done – I cared for you, I gave you attention, I got you out of work, doing your schoolwork for you and coming up with excuses to get you out of saber training. I gave you presents, fans and pretty clothing, and when that brute of a brother of yours tried to take them from you, I rescued you. And then I even managed your sect for you, answered all of your questions, any time you had – Huaisang, I’m exhausted trying to live up to your expectations of me. Isn’t that generous?”

Nie Huaisang bared his teeth. “Half of those are burdens that only fell on me because of you. Why should it matter to me that cleaning up your own mess and satisfying your own guilt is hard? Why should I pay such a price when all I wanted was to be your friend? When all da-ge wanted was to be your friend? How dare you, Meng Yao!”

“Huaisang…” Jin Guangyao shook his head mournfully. “Huaisang, the last step here is to say the words to break the spell. But you were never good at memorization, were you?”

Nie Huaisang bit his lip until he drew blood.

“Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered,” he said. “I have fought my way here to the temple beyond the goblin city –”

“Huaisang, stop! Look at what you’re risking here. You know how everyone loves me – do you think anyone will forgive you for taking me down, for tricking them all? You’ll be all alone!”

I already am, Nie Huaisang thought.

“My will is as strong as yours,” he said. “And my kingdom is as great…”

His voice trailed off.

“I ask for so little,” Jin Guangyao said beseechingly, convincingly, looking just like he always did, like the man who'd been their friend. “Just let me fool you, and you can have anything you want. No responsibilities, no stress, a life of your own. You can even have Lan Xichen, if that’s what you want…”

What’s the last line, Nie Huaisang thought, hating himself for being such a poor student, for cramming things into his mind without any order, for never being able to retain a single drop of it no matter how hard he tried. What is it? Why can’t I ever remember?

“It’d be so easy,” Jin Guangyao crooned. “Much easier than this. Just fear me, love me, believe me, and I’ll be your slave.”

Sharp teeth in a false smile.

Nie Huaisang shook in terror. He couldn’t – his da-ge needed him – he couldn’t be afraid, couldn’t be a coward, couldn’t be good-for-nothing – couldn’t let Jin Guangyao win – couldn’t let him –

That was it.

Nie Huaisang raised his head until his eyes met his enemy’s.

Sensing something wrong, Jin Guangyao’s eternal smile dimmed, and he began to step forward, reaching out, but it was too late.

“You have no power over me,” Nie Huaisang declared, and the world within a world collapsed.

Nie Huaisang opened his eyes.

Nie Huaisang sat in his desk in the Unclean Realm, trying to amuse himself by trying to figure out what exactly he’d eaten the night before that had given him such bizarre dreams. It was not successful, on account of him being alone.

Alone, just as he had been every night, and every day as well, since the success of his scheme at the Guanyin Temple.

Just as the dream-Jin Guangyao had threatened.

It wasn’t that Nie Huaisang regretted what he had done – the dream was clear enough about that; he’d do it all again in a heartbeat if he had to. But in the dream he’d been working alongside his former friends, with Lan Xichen betraying but then returning to him, with Wei Wuxian dragging Lan Wangji around, with stone-faced Jiang Cheng and the rather interchangeable junior squad behind him…and in his dream, in the end, they’d let him go to take his revenge, telling him that if he needed them for any reason, he could just call.

Just call, and they’d come back to him. Instead of turning from him in disgust, they’d stand by his side…

“Stupid subconscious,” Nie Huaisang mumbled to himself. “What do you expect? That I'd write to them and say ‘for no real reason at all, I find that I rather need you’?”

Silence answered him.

“Well, I do,” he said with a sigh, putting his chin on his hands. “Does that make you happy? I do need you.”

“You do?” Wei Wuxian’s voice rang out, and Nie Huaisang jumped nearly out of his skin. “Well, why didn’t you say so?”

Nie Huaisang turned, staring: it was Wei Wuxian at the door, the human version of him, and of course there was Lan Wangji right before him, and Jiang Cheng, and the (still mostly interchangeable) juniors, and – and even Lan Xichen, who Nie Huaisang was sure had gone into seclusion with no intent to leave.

“What are you doing here?” Nie Huaisang squeaked. And why hadn’t any of his sect disciples warned him?

“We just bullied our way though the door before anyone could stop us,” Wei Wuxian said cheerfully, answering the unspoken question first. “As for the rest – it turns out that I had the strangest dream the other night, really, truly bizarre, and obviously I had to tell Lan Zhan all about it, except it turned out he had a strange dream too.”

Nie Huaisang’s jaw dropped. “But –”

“I felt da-ge’s qi woven into the labyrinth,” Lan Xichen said quietly. “I thought it’d have long ago dissipated or been locked away, but – it was there, in every stone, in every turn. Every obstacle that didn’t really hurt you, every goblin that was more silly than scary…he was there. It was unmistakable.”

Nie Huaisang swallowed. The story of the labyrinth, baby-stealing wish-granting goblin king and all, had been one that Nie Mingjue had told him as a bedtime story, when he'd been a child in need of comfort; he hadn’t thought of it in years before last night. “But…why…?”

“Because Chifeng-zun has a demented sense of humor?” Jiang Cheng suggested, looking irritated.

“Jiujiu means that he hasn’t had that much fun in years, and also that you should throw a party,” Jin Ling said. “You are hosting all three of the sect leaders of all the other Great Sects. Also, why were we rocks?”

“Uh, no idea,” Nie Huaisang said. “Da-ge’s weird sense of humor, no doubt! Anyway, did you say party? I can do a party!”

He rushed out of the room, calling for his servants, calling for them to bring food and wine and tea, and as he did, he looked out of the window – a golden bird was flying away, looking hunted as if something was chasing it, and even as he watched, it crossed the borders of the Unclean Realm and suddenly dissolved into a fizzle of golden dust.

Nie Huaisang put his hand on the stone wall, and felt a familiar echo.

A very familiar echo.

“Oh,” he said, to his servants, feeling somehow simultaneously sheepish and filled with joy. “And while you’re at it, can you bring me my saber? I seem to have – misplaced it…”

#mdzs #nie huaisang #jin guangyao #lan xichen #jiang cheng #wei wuxian #lan wangji #su she #sect leader yao #sect leader ouyang #xiao xingchen #xue yang #my fic #my fics #labyrinth

325 notes · View notes