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moonchildreads · 3 months ago

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small town

Chapter 26 - The Heart of Rock & Roll

IN THIS CHAPTER: Odd meetings, sudden realizations, and Dottie goes metal [14.1k]

WARNINGS: toxic friendships (not related to the Corroded Coffin boys, they are the best), technically underaged drinking, angst w/comfort, one (1) queer panic moment, author talking shit about Anthrax (the band, not the disease)

A/N: next chapter will start getting more into the mysteries of hawkins so enjoy our final beach episode type of chapter <3 also please let me know if you wanna added to the taglist! HUGE shoutout to my beloved @gutterratt who helped me put together the setlist - i love you always, and i wish i was drinking chocolate milk with you while talking shit about college.

masterlist - prev - next | main playlist - chapter playlist

They say the heart of rock and roll is still beating And from what I’ve seen I believe ‘em

Friday, June 27th - 1986

“Hey rockstar, come on in!”

Eddie Munson was pretty sure he was never going to be a rockstar. He had discussed this recently with his best friends after an intense practice session and all four of them agreed that this had been fun while it lasted, but it wasn’t something they could realistically pursue long term. Jeff was getting ready to leave for college in West Virginia, Gareth was trading in his plaid sleeveless vest for a suit and jazz music sheets, and Donny was much more interested in perfecting his family tiramisù recipe than to keep shredding his fingers by learning new bass arrangements on a monthly basis. Eddie had had a long time to think about his priorities and hopes for the future, but the proud look on Wayne’s face upon seeing his nephew’s first weekly paycheck stuck to the fridge by an old magnet was enough to cement his decision.

No, Eddie Munson was never going to be a rockstar, but that didn’t mean Corroded Coffin had to hang up their towels just yet. They were still squarely in the middle of Summer when the long awaited muggy and rainy Friday that was poised to be their biggest show to date, if not perhaps the biggest show they’d ever play, finally arrived. All in all, the members of Hawkins’ most misunderstood and badass band felt like they’d gotten their cake and were about to eat it too.

“Nice outfit,” James said, a heavy hand coming to pat Eddie’s back while he closed the door behind him. “Was expecting leather pants to be honest, but this looks great.”

“It’s too hot for leather, sir,” Eddie laughed as he hoisted his bursting backpack up his shoulder. “Maybe next time.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” the older man craned his head towards the stairs. “Honey? Eddie’s here!”

“I know!” came Dottie’s faint voice from the upper floor. “Tell him to come up, I’m not finished yet!”

“She’s already done her makeup three times,” James confided in the younger man. “Maybe you can convince her to stop messing with it.”

“I’ll try my best,” he said, saluting him before climbing up the stairs towards his girlfriend’s bedroom two steps at a time.

Eddie slowly pushed the door open to find Dottie at her desk, still wearing her cotton pajamas with a cute duck print and curlers in her hair while she put the finishing touches on the sickest makeup look he had ever seen on her. As if entranced, he leaned on the door frame while he watched her expertly apply a thick coat of mascara to her eyelashes; she smiled at him through her round vanity mirror and he swore he could feel himself melt against the wood.

“Hey darling,” he said, voice all soft and gooey.

“Hey superstar,” she replied with a flirty tone. “Are you gonna come in so I can give you a kiss before I do my lipstick or nah?”

“If I ever say no to that, shoot me because I’ve been possessed,” he kicked the door shut behind him and hurried to wrap his arms around her middle. “You look gorgeous.”

“This isn’t my final look, I’m not even dressed yet.”

“Dunno, baby, the duckies are pretty metal,” he joked while placing little pecks on her lips. She laughed and swatted at his chest lightly, making the backpack that was perched on his shoulder slide down his arm towards the floor. “Here - I brought you a bunch of shirts, thought you’d like to have options.”

“Thank you! I’ll try them on when I’m done with my makeup.”

“Can I watch while you play dress up?” Eddie wiggled his eyebrows.

“No, perv, my Dad’s downstairs!” Dottie laughed with no malice. “But… you can let me do your makeup now and then you’re free to go get a snack while I take all this stuff out of my hair.”

“Aw, are you gonna make me look pretty, babe?” he batted his eyelashes dramatically.

“No,” she said with a wicked grin. “I’m gonna make you look metal.”

Eddie was dying of anticipation as he sat at the Burke’s kitchen island, distracting himself by eating cheese crackers and talking to James. Dottie was being awfully secretive about her chosen look for the night, and he’d tried to look around her room in search of clues while she was painting his nails with her favorite black lacquer but quickly gave up when she grabbed her eyeliner pencil from her desk. Standing between his legs with her left hand gently placed on the side of his face to keep him still as she worked, he decided to let her do her thing in silence - he’d had too many run-ins with the thick pencil himself and did not want to risk an accident by pulling her focus away from her task.

For a brief moment, Eddie got to enjoy the feeling of his hands on her hips, keeping her close as she swiped the pigment on his waterline, but it was over all too soon for his taste. Once Dottie deemed his makeup perfect, she swiftly pushed him out of the room and locked the door behind him before he couldn’t even think of protesting about it. Defeated, Eddie went downstairs to commiserate with his girlfriend’s father (who was still unaware of the change in the teens’ relationship status) and James kept him busy with genuine interest and a few well placed questions about their plans for the upcoming show.

The young Munson boy was in the middle of listing the songs they’d chosen for the first half of their set when James lifted his eyes from his chopping board and looked at something over Eddie’s shoulder with a very surprised expression on his face. Confused, Eddie turned around and was suddenly met with his usually soft and adorable girlfriend looking like she’d come straight out of one of the magazines he kept hidden underneath his bed.

In the doorway between the kitchen and the living room stood an extremely nervous Dorothy Burke sporting dark eyeliner and deep red lipstick, her wilder than normal curls looking both frizzy and bouncy while she fidgeted as she waited for their opinions. She sparkled with bold silver jewelry that had been borrowed from her friends - a few of Gareth’s smallest rings, Jeff’s studded belt, and Donny’s chain bracelets -, and she was grateful to them for being so willing to help her put together a suitable look for the occasion. Two pieces from her own wardrobe were the only things she felt fully confident about wearing; the black suspender skirt and boots she’d worn for her birthday paired with new fishnets made her feel less strange in her own skin.

It was, however, what she was wearing on the upper part of her body that made Eddie feel like all the air inside his lungs had suddenly rushed out of his body. When he shoved a bunch of his t-shirts into his bag earlier, he hadn’t noticed that particular garment had sneaked into the mix, mainly because it had been a couple of years since he had last worn it. It was a simple top really, a white cotton baseball tee with black short sleeves just like Hellfire’s shirt, but with his band’s logo printed in black at the front instead. The stylized letters spelling out Corroded Coffin now sat perfectly snug against Dottie’s chest, who was looking more and more apprehensive as silence stretched in the kitchen.

“Woah, honey, you look…,” James began, startled.

“Unreal,” Eddie completed, mouth suddenly dry.

“Shit,” Dottie shook her head. “I knew it, I knew was too much, I- I’ll go change really quick-”

“NO! No, no, are you crazy? This is- wow,” Eddie said, a huge grin spreading on his face. “You look amazing, like a- you look like you’re a Princess of Metal or something. Are you sure you’re not getting on stage with us?”

“I think I’ll leave that to the pros,” she said with a shy smile as her hands fiddled with the bottom of her skirt. “But are you sure this is okay? I have other options-”

“Honey, you look great,” James said, putting down his knife and walking around the counter so he could comfort her with a hug. “It’s just, y’know, different from your usual so we were surprised. But you look very pretty, I promise. You don’t like it?”

“No, I do, it’s just… I don’t know, it feels like I’m a poser,” she looked down at herself.

“You’re not a poser,” Eddie scoffed. “You know the setlist front to back and you were the one who got us this gig. You’re literally our biggest fan.”

“I thought I was your manager,” Dottie joked. “Also don’t let Lee hear you say that, he’ll get upset and he loves you guys.”

“I can fight him for you, you deserve the top spot,” he said, making her snort. “He’s like 70 and is missing a leg, what’s he gonna do?”

“He’s a war vet! Have some respect for the man!” she gasped.

“I bet you could push him over if you wanted.”

“Eddie!”

“Alright, kids, no fighting veterans in this house, okay?” James said while taking off his apron. “I’ll go get the camera before you two head off - behave while I’m gone, please.”

Once he was back and with a new roll film in place, James motioned for them to pose for his impromptu photoshoot. Eddie was quick to hop back onto his stool, bringing Dottie closer to him with his arms around her waist. With him sitting down and her standing between his legs, their heights finally somewhat matched for once and the eldest Burke snapped photo after photo of the dolled up teens - first with big smiles, another one with their tongues out, a third one with the devil horns up, and the last one slightly out of focus as Eddie planted a big wet noisy kiss on Dottie’s cheek making her squeal as she tried to leap out of his embrace. James’ only comment was to offer copies for Wayne, and Dottie instantly knew by his lack of teasing that there was a potentially very embarrassing conversation in her near future.

“We good to go?” Eddie asked. “Gotta head to Gareth’s first to load the drums.”

“Yeah, I’ll go get your backpack and we can leave. Meet me outside?” she replied, disappearing into the living room.

“Come on, I’ll walk you out,” James said, guiding Eddie towards the front door. It didn’t come as a surprise to the younger man when he lowered his voice for a man to man talk. “You kids drive safe, okay? Call me if you need anything, don’t bother your Uncle while he’s at work.”

“Yes, sir,” Eddie said, uncharacteristically serious. “Donny’s gonna take over for me if I’m too tired to drive back, we have it under control.”

“Okay, good. I trust you, Ed. You go have fun, yeah? Have a great show.”

“Thank you, sir. We’ll be safe, I promise.”

None of them were exactly unaware of the deeper meaning of their conversation, especially since it hadn’t been the first one of its kind they’d ever had. Eddie felt equal parts grateful that James trusted him so much and ashamed that he was actively lying to his face every single time he saw him. He was so used to Wayne knowing that sometimes he forgot no one else did, and while he was on the same page as Dottie and they both agreed that they didn’t want to make things awkward with their friends just yet, he hoped they could tell James sooner rather than later. He’d hate to disappoint the one person who had so warmly opened the doors of his house to him before he even knew who he was and without an ounce of judgment.

Dottie finally joined them at the door and after a few quick goodbyes and loving hugs, the pair got into the van and drove off towards the first stop of their most anticipated adventure of the summer. Take that, Hawkins, Eddie thought. Corroded Coffin was officially a touring band, and he was confident nothing in the world could derail the night ahead of them.

Indianapolis was not too far away from Hawkins, located only around 42 miles to the Southwest of the much smaller town. Corroded Coffin (plus Dottie, who was by then considered as much part of the band as the rest of them) had piled into Eddie’s van with their instruments and amps as they excitedly made their way towards their biggest gig ever. After a short argument that Eddie quickly silenced, Dottie secured her place as his co-pilot due to her knack for map reading, leaving the other three boys to sit in the back with Jeff acting as the official DJ for the ride.

Entering the city felt like a dream come true. As Gareth drummed on the window with his sticks, perfectly in tune to the songs coming out of the van’s speakers, Donny leaned forward to follow Dottie’s map over her shoulder, nervously watching as their destination grew closer and closer to her moving finger. It felt momentous as they saw the bar’s neon sign calling to them like a beacon, all five sets of eyes wide with anticipation as Eddie pulled into the parking lot behind the building. They sat in silence for a few seconds once he cut the engine and the radio was turned off, everyone’s heads reared towards the direction of the bar with elation and perhaps also a little bit of apprehension.

The Hideout was safe, a known place with familiar faces that cheered for them and supported their dreams even if no one else in their godforsaken town did. Here there would be no Dave with cold beers waiting behind the bar, no B.B. and Rudy telling stories, no Shonda’s cheek pinching once they were done, no Lee asking for a Judas Priest song before they packed their gear back into the van. Turning in his seat to look at his fellow band members, Eddie’s mouth split into a contagious grin in an effort to muster some collective courage.

“Well, boys. We made it,” he said, cringing at the sound of his own uncertain voice tone.

“So, what now?” Donny asked. “Do we start unpacking or…”

“Um, I think…,” Dottie said, chewing on her lower lip. “I think I’ll go in and see if Jessie is around? I talked to her last week and she said she would be here. She’ll tell us what to do.”

“I’ll go with you,” Gareth offered, quickly jumping out of his seat.

“Okay, we’ll, uh, we’ll get ready to start unloading then,” Eddie said, motioning for everyone to get out of the van.

“God, I need a fuckin’ smoke,” Donny muttered nervously as Dottie linked arms with Gareth and headed towards the sidewalk.

Moore House was a quaint corner pub a few blocks away from the main IUPUI buildings in Downtown Indianapolis, and even though rain had been announced for later on in the night, the outside tables were beginning to fill up with tired and stressed college aged kids trying to let loose for the weekend. The new semester wasn’t scheduled to start for a few more weeks, but that didn’t mean activities at Indiana and Purdue had been reduced completely to zero; there were summer lessons to be taken for extra credits, early graduations to be celebrated, part-time and student jobs to be worked, and sport camps and clinics to be attended, and Moore House always made sure to offer a safe, fun, cheap destination for visitors and locals alike.

Gareth stared around the pub in wonder, absorbing the atmosphere while Dottie stood on her tiptoes searching for someone. There was a long bar counter in the middle of the room with wooden stools and a cash register at each end, a sizable number of booths and tables with people milling about and enjoying cold beers and various pub foods, and a low stage at the back on the right side of the building. The curly haired boy gazed at the flags and banners that decorated the room: cream and crimson for Indiana University, old gold and black for Purdue, and Hoosier pride everywhere you looked.

“Are we sure this isn’t a sports bar?” Gareth asked, eyes stuck to a table with a group of guys who looked like they would have been best friends with the Hawkins Tigers.

“It’s just a college bar, their campus is like 10 blocks away,” Dottie said, balancing on her toes. “Also there’s like a million bars around here, they need to attract people somehow and school pride always sells. Oh, there she is!”

Jessie the Night Shift Manager was standing right outside the kitchen door talking to another employee, her bold makeup and crimped hair instantly making Gareth’s eyes widen. Dottie grabbed his hand and led him straight to her, a warm smile spreading on Jessie’s lips as soon as she recognized the younger girl approaching her.

“Goddamn, teach! That’s a hell of a look,” Jessie said, pulling Dottie into a one armed hug. She was holding a clipboard on her other hand, a clearly borrowed bright pink scrunchie she hadn’t had the time to use yet secured around her left wrist.

“Wanted to look the part for the show,” Dottie shrugged. “This is Gareth, he’s Corroded Coffin’s drummer.”

“H-hi, how’s it going?” he said, a little bit dazed upon seeing Jessie’s snake tattoo wrapping around her upper arm.

“Hey, nice to meet you, dude!” she replied, putting her hand forward to shake his before she turned back to Dottie. “I know I told you last week over the phone, but congrats on your graduation!”

“You too! Any news about the job thing?”

“I’m still waiting to hear back from the lab but fingers crossed! If I have to spend another summer managing this kitchen, I think I’ll off myself,” Jessie joked. “Where’s the rest of the band?”

“Oh, they’re in the parking lot! Should we start unloading the van now?”

“Hell yeah! We’ve got a great crowd tonight, should be fun. A lot of people touring campus this week,” she said while leading them towards an employee-only backdoor. “You guys can come from the parking lot straight through here, I know your equipment is probably heavy.”

“For sure, thanks-” Dottie was saying before Gareth cut her off.

“Not a problem, I can carry heavy loads,” he grinned.

“Good for you, kid,” Jessie said, an amused smile gracing her lips. “Well, just let me know if you need anything. Come find me when you’re done, teach, I’ll get you set up at a table!”

“Seriously?” Dottie raised an eyebrow at Gareth as soon as they were alone again. “You can carry heavy loads?”

“Don’t,” he groaned. “I panicked. You didn’t say she was hot.”

“Who’s hot?” Donny asked, leaning against Eddie’s van with a cigarette between his lips.

“Jessie, the manager. She’s too old for you anyways,” Dottie said at large before going to help Eddie and Jeff at the back of the van.

“Says who?” Gareth argued.

“She called you kid,” she replied, not even looking at him.

“Shit, man,” Donny laughed. “It’s lost.”

“Ugh, shut up.”

Between all five of them, the members of Corroded Coffin plus Dottie made quick work carrying the heavy equipment inside, their constant back and forth through the backdoor making the bar’s patrons notice the commotion. A live show was always something to look forward to for the college aged students who frequented Moore House, particularly if they had a bottle of beer in their hands. College was a moment where people got to figure themselves out, and there was no greater feeling than discovering a piece of yourself you didn’t know was there before through the rush of a good (and free) show.

Eddie and Gareth began putting the drum kit back together while Jeff and Donny went back to the van to get the last few bits and bobs they’d need for the show; Dottie, on her last task before being dismissed as their roadie for the night, headed towards the bar to grab a few water bottles for her friends as she knew they’d be asking for a drink two songs into their setlist. Corroded Coffin might not have known what it was like to shed blood and tears on a stage, but they certainly could sweat for an entire crowd if necessary.

Because of the jitters currently racing through her body, Dottie did not notice there were two people staring straight at her from the other side of the bar, directly opposite from where she was waiting for Jessie to come back from the kitchen. A boy and a girl about her age were inching closer and closer to her, muttering amongst themselves curiously and trying not to startle her.

“It’s her, I know it is,” the girl said when she was within hearing distance.

“No, it’s not, just look at her,” the boy was saying, and Dottie would have turned towards them if not for the fact that Jessie had finally appeared, a pile of cold water bottles balanced on her forearms.

“Ooookay, here you go,” she said, tilting the pyramid into Dottie’s waiting hands. “If you need more, ask Pearl or Frankie, I’ve caught them up to speed now.”

“Thanks, I will!”

“Oh, also I set up two tables for you guys over there,” Jessie leaned over the countertop to point to two square tables pushed together near the stage. “Just, y’know, tell them not to aim the amps directly to that side or your ears will start bleeding two minutes in.”

“I think I’m immune to it by now, but thank you for worrying about my hearing,” Dottie laughed.

“Holy shit, it is her!”

Nothing could have prepared Dottie for the whiplash of turning around and discovering the gossiping couple were none other than Benji and Tracey, two of her old friends from when she lived back in New York. She was suddenly grateful she had her arms busy, because her first instinct had been to reach out for a hug before her brain caught up to her limbs and she remembered why she didn’t consider these people her friends anymore.

“Dorothy?!” Benji asked, confusion all over his face as his eyes raked over her image.

“H-hey guys, what are you doing here? I- I mean, how are you doing?” Dottie managed to get out, trying to school her expression into what she hoped was a pleasant face.

“I got into Purdue! We’re touring the campus,” Tracey said, proudly. “Oh my god, are you going to Purdue too? Or Indy? Do you live around here?”

“No, no, I’m… I’m here with some friends, we live in a different town. We’re just here for the show.”

“Well, you look like you’re ready for it!” Benji said with a dumbfounded tone. “What happened to your hair? It was so long before, we almost didn’t recognize you!”

I cut it myself with a pair of kiddie scissors at a gas station halfway through Pennsylvania, was what Dottie thought, but she wasn’t about to tell them that, lest they knew how brokenhearted she’d been when she’d left everything she’d ever known behind to move to Hawkins. There was an old wound opening itself in the middle of her chest, and she’d fight tooth and nail before they ever saw her bleed again.

“Just needed a change! You know how it is - new year, new me,” she laughed and the fakeness of the sound went unnoticed by the pair but not to her. “So, you’re both going to Purdue then?”

“Oh, no, just Trace,” Benji waved his hand as he spoke. “I got into UTA. Gonna do Civil Engineering actually, so you can thank your Dad for that one.”

“No way!” Dottie smiled, and this time it felt less fake. “That’s awesome, congrats. And you’re still doing Psych?”

“Yup!” Tracey beamed at the fact she remembered. “I’m so excited! I’m gonna move in with Howie so we’re looking to rent an apartment somewhere around here.”

“Oh, wow, you and Howie? Didn’t see that one coming.”

“No, ew, not like that,” she shuddered. “He’s going to Indy U. We’re just gonna live together, you know, try not to kill each other. Fun stuff.”

“Is- is Howie here too then?” Dottie asked, dread settling at the base of her stomach.

“Yeah, Jeanette and him are trying to find a place to park, they’ll be here in a sec.”

“Jeannie is here?”

“We don’t call her like that anymore,” Benji said, his tone playful but revealing of the fact that he thought it was stupid.

“Where are your friends?” Tracey asked, not aware that Dottie’s knees were flaking on her. “We can all sit together and catch up!”

“I- Sure, it- it’s that table over there,” Dottie managed to get out, pointing to it with a lone finger. “I need to do something first but you guys go sit and I’ll find you later!”

Without waiting for confirmation, Dottie launched into a sprint towards the backdoor, not stopping until she saw the parked van on the other end. She found Donny with half his body shoved inside the back, searching for something on the floor while Jeff peered over his friend’s shoulder on his tiptoes, arms heavy with carefully looped cable cords.

“He always does this!” Donny complained, voice a little muffled.

“We should get him a stick bag for his birthday.”

“He has a brown leather bag, he just never uses it because it doesn’t look cool but if he keeps losing these goddamn sticks and making me find them, I swear-”

“Woah, what’s the rush?” Jeff asked when he spotted Dottie bounding towards them.

“My friends are here,” she wheezed out, dropping the water bottles she was still holding onto the van’s carpeted floor.

“What?”

“My shitty friends from New York,” Dottie explained. “I just ran into them, they want to sit with me and catch up and I think I’m gonna pass out.”

“Okay, okay, come here,” Jeff pulled her into a tight hug. “Who are these people again?”

“Remember when I told you about my best friend Jeannie who kinda stole my boyfriend but not really?”

“That bitch!” Donny said, abandoning the search for Gareth’s second set of drumsticks.

“Yeah, so, her and three more people. Trace and Ben are being super nice to me which is odd as hell because they spent all semester not talking to me before I moved away, and apparently Howie is here too and he’s always been kind of a douchebag but I never cared for him that much and I doubt he cares about me either.”

“I know I’ve said this before but they sound like they suck,” Jeff said.

“They do, yeah,” she rested her head on his shoulder, arms wound around his waist. “What do I do? They already know I’m here, I can’t just disappear and miss the show.”

“Hey, look at it this way,” Donny proposed. “You won’t be able to talk that much when we start the set and as soon as we’re done, we’ll be there for backup.”

“Yeah! You just gotta survive like ten more minutes on your own.”

“That does not make me feel any better.”

“We’re playing Mötley,” Jeff said, looking down at her.

“What? There’s no way Eddie allowed that.”

“Oh, Ed was in no position to argue,” the two boys snickered over her head.

“What does that mean?”

“You’ll find out,” Donny said mysteriously before turning back to the van. “By the way, have you seen Gareth’s extra drumsticks?”

“Yeah, I put them in my door pocket ‘cause they kept rolling around the back,” Dottie said, unlatching herself from Jeff’s front and going to get them. “Here.”

“You hold onto them, he didn’t bring the holder.”

“I told him we were forgetting something!”

Feeling more confident after their pep talk, the trio made their way inside where they exchanged a final group hug. For good luck, Jeff said, and while no one knew if he meant it for the band or Dottie, the question went unasked. He was the first one to walk into the bigger room to take the rest of the cables to their friends setting up on stage while the water bottles changed hands once more, this time settling on Donny’s arms.

“Hey,” he said, before they finally had to face the music. “You’ll be okay. You have us now.”

“I know. Thanks, Don,” she smiled, leaning to kiss his cheek and leaving a bright red print on his skin. “Oh, no, I forgot I had lipstick on!”

“Leave it,” he laughed, walking backwards and pushing the doors open with his shoulder. “It looks badass!”

Dottie felt a little bit like a lamb walking towards the slaughterhouse as she approached her table, now occupied by friends from what felt like a previous lifetime. Tracey and Benji were sitting next to each other, each of them holding a beer bottle and doing what one could only assume was gossiping as they looked around the place and the people mingling around. Next to them sat Jeannie, hand wrapped around a tall cocktail with a practiced air of nonchalance undercut by the tiniest bit of hardness in her stare. Rounding the group was Howie, already wearing an Indiana University shirt and cap he’d probably gotten during his tour earlier on in the day.

“Hey everyone,” Dottie said, smiling at them when she approached.

“Dorothy?” Howie said, getting to his feet to pull her into a hug. “Wow, what happened to your hair?”

“Oh, I just… I chopped it off! Do you like it?”

“Love it!” Tracey was saying but a voice rose above hers, cutting her short.

“You look like you’re wearing a costume,” Jeannie sneered before also getting up and hugging her former friend.

Being friends with Jeannie had never been an easy task for anyone who had been brave enough to try. She could be lovely if she liked you, could even be considered caring on occasion, but she could also tear you apart just as effortlessly with a few well-chosen words. Jeanette Sanders was the undisputed leader of their friend group, and she carried that title with pride, not allowing anyone to challenge her or her authority if they wished to remain in her graces. Tracey, on the other hand, had always been known as the genuinely kind one of the bunch, if a bit of a pushover. Whenever Jeannie lashed out, Tracey was always there to patch up the wounds she left behind in her wrath, never complaining about it but, most importantly, never defying her.

Howie, however, was a different story. In true Golden Retriever fashion, he had been deemed too dumb to be Jeannie’s second in command but too useful to cut by the time they’d entered high school. He had the most money, the biggest house, and as soon as they reached the age to own a license, the only one who had unlimited access to a car thanks to a very generous gift from his wealthy Criminal Attorney father. That is not to say that the only reason they were friends with him was what he could purchase or what he owned; after all, they’d known each other since they were six, but it was a well-known fact that they put up with his consistent silly frat-boy behavior because he just made plans go so much smoother if he was included in them.

What Howie had going on with his dumb rich kid lifestyle, Benji matched with his stereotypical still-in-the-closet theater kid attitude. Benji was smart, calculating and quick-witted, he was unrivaled in the Fine Art of a Comeback, and had secured his place as Jeannie’s right hand man a long time ago by sheer virtue of knowing who everyone was, and most valuably, what everyone wanted. He could be incredibly manipulative and two-faced, but he was also the one who was the most honest with Jeannie, constantly calling her out and keeping her in check whenever he thought she went too far.

Regardless of this, Dottie had to admit that if you had asked her what she thought of them a mere year earlier, she would have never described any of her former friends with such harsh words. Instead, she would have told you that Tracey was loyal to a fault, tender and compassionate with everyone around her, and that Howie was funny in a boyish sort of way, clumsy, hardworking, and entirely too selfless regarding his material possessions. She would have labeled Benji as self-assured and opinionated, never shying away from being in the spotlight and most likely to be destined for stardom, and Jeannie… Jeannie would have simply been called her Best Friend.

“It’s nice to see everyone,” Dottie said, swallowing her pride and sitting at the table, her back turned to the stage. “Are you excited for college? Tracey was telling me you two are moving in together.”

“Oh, yeah!” Howie said, leaning back on his chair. “We haven’t found a good place yet, but I’m hopeful. Do you live around here?”

“No, no, I’m just here for the show,” she shrugged. “I live in a different town, we’re like 30 or 40 minutes away I think.”

“Where do you live?” Jeannie asked.

“It’s called Hawkins, it’s to the Northeast? It’s really small, you probably haven’t heard of it.”

“But it’s here in Indiana?”

“Yeah, still Indiana!”

“At least you’re close to Indianapolis,” she said, like she would have dropped dead if she had to move anywhere that wasn’t a major city.

The sudden feedback of a microphone cut through the noise in the pub, and Jessie, busy stationed at the till, motioned to a coworker to lower the lights and cut off the ambient music. On the stage, the boys cringed at the shrill sound, Donny immediately lowering the volume of an amp at his side. Jeff looked sheepishly at the crowd, one hand on the neck of his guitar, the other resting on top of the mic casually.

“Hi,” he simply said, his easygoing tone making people turn towards them with curiosity. “Our name is Corroded Coffin, we’re from Hawkins, Indiana, and we’d like to play a few songs for you tonight if you guys don’t mind.”

Dottie turned around in her seat, completely ignoring everyone else at the table and feeling all her frayed nerves turn into joyous pride as she saw her friends on stage like they were always meant to be. Jeff stood confidently in the middle, wearing a white Metallica t-shirt he’d cut into a muscle tank, ripped jeans and a plaid red shirt tied at his hips. His chains glinted as he turned to look at his band members and Eddie nodded once, giving him the go ahead so he could start playing the intro to Dio’s The Last in Line.

Even if Dottie knew the setlist front to back and had seen them play each song repeatedly throughout the last few months, she found she was still happily stunned at the talent her friends displayed every time they got to play rockstars for a while. We’re a ship without a storm, cold without the warm, light inside the darkness that it needs, yeah, Jeff sang, and if the silence in the room was anything to go by, Corroded Coffin knew they had everyone’s attention on the palm of their hands.

“Huh,” Benji said, surprised. “Was not expecting that from how they look.”

We’re a laugh without a tear, the hope without the fear, we are coming…

“What were you expecting?” Dottie asked with a knowing smile.

Benji had no time to answer as Jeff strongly yelled the word home, the rest of the band following his lead and diving into the rest of the song with purpose and childlike joy. A couple of excited hollers were heard through the bar as Jeff launched into the second verse with the usual intensity he always performed with; Eddie joined him once he reached the chorus, happy to be the background vocals to his much more operatic-inclined friend.

They took no breaks at the end of the song, launching straight into Iron Maiden’s Flight of Icarus to a similar reception from the crowd, much to their surprise. Dottie sang along without a care in the world, entirely too delighted to care about the people around her when her boyfriend and her best friends in the whole world were finally living their shared dream and gifting everyone one of the best performances they’d ever done. Moore House was no Madison Square Garden, but to Corroded Coffin it might as well have been anyway.

Once they reached the last two songs in the first half of their set, Dottie anxiously leaned forward in her seat knowing this would be Gareth’s make or break moment. Perched behind his drum set, his next task ahead was to ace Metallica’s Motorbreath and Mötorhead’s Overkill back to back, and while he felt more than capable of rising to the occasion, there was still the nagging feeling that something might go wrong at the worst possible moment. He breezed through Motorbreath with ease, having played it several times to great success at The Hideout, but to go straight into Overkill with no time to shake off the tension in his arms had him all strung-out, and he had expressed as much in the van during their trip to Indy.

“Get it, G!” Dottie yelled in an effort to be supportive, and he absolutely heard her in the lull between the two songs, letting out a crazed laugh as he launched into Overkill’s intro.

Eddie wasted no time to jump in and the rest of the boys followed, giving it their all to get the crowd hyped up before they took a small water break. Maybe it was the manifestation of Gareth’s worst fears, maybe it was the fact that he’d gone all out for the last two songs and wore the wood out, or maybe it was simply an unlucky coincidence, but right at the last second, during his last hit, one of his drumsticks fractured into two pieces with a loud crack that made even Howie wince. Donny hurried to Gareth’s side and they shared a quick talk before the drummer stood up and started power walking towards the exit, most likely headed to the van in search of a new pair of drumsticks.

“We’re gonna take a short break, let you guys get a breather and more drinks, take a piss if you need it,” Eddie said into his mic with a cheeky smirk. “We’ll be back in a sec with more songs, thank you for the great vibes so far.”

“This is fun,” Howie said, polishing off the rest of his beer as Jeannie scoffed next to him.

“Where the fuck is he going,” Dottie muttered to herself distractedly as she watched Gareth bolt past her. “G! G! Jesus Christ- Gareth!”

“I’ll be right back-” he was yelling back to her when he saw her bend down and take his extra drumsticks out of the side of her boot. “Oh, thank God!”

For the first time that night, Gareth realized Dottie wasn’t alone at their table and after shooting the strangers a quick hello, he awkwardly turned towards his friend, feeling very much observed by them and not in a particularly welcoming way. He raised his eyebrows in a silent question; she simply pressed the sticks into his hand and mouthed the words “Ask Jeff”. He was about to say something when Jessie the Night Manager appeared suddenly, shoving more water bottles into his arms.

“You’ve got great taste, teach!” she said to Dottie before turning to Gareth. “Band sounds really good!”

“Thanks!” he said, eyes widening and eyebrows disappearing behind the floppy curls on his forehead.

“Better get back on stage, hot stuff, break’s about to end,” Jessie winked and quickly disappeared behind the bar again.

“Wow,” Dottie said, teasing him. “Didn’t think you’d actually start drooling.”

“I’m gonna need you to be quiet while I restart my brain,” he breathed out, entirely too flustered to come up with any defensive statement. “You said you talked to her last week, can I have her number?”

“No. Go up there and keep being charming until she gives it to you herself! You got this,” she pushed him towards the stage; he twisted in her hold and grabbed the back of her head with one hand to plant a wet, noisy kiss to her forehead.

“I love you, thank you for these!” he said, jogging back towards his bandmates.

“Love you too! Don’t break them, that’s your only extra pair!” Dottie yelled after him and he waved the drumsticks over his shoulder to let her know he’d heard her.

“Well,” Jeannie said with a dangerous glint in her eyes and her arms crossed. “Looks like Little Miss Dorothy isn’t so little anymore. Didn’t take you for a groupie.”

“I’m not their groupie,” she frowned. “Those are my friends, I’m just being supportive.”

“Really? How did you meet them?” Tracey asked, curiously.

“We went to school together. I had Political Science and Chemistry with Gareth, we were lab partners for a few months.”

“You’re not dating that guy, are you?” Benji laughed. “He seems nice but it looks like he’s in love with that waitress.”

“Ew, no, he’s my best friend,” Dottie said, a fond smile on her face. “They all, actually.”

“Best friends, huh?” Jeannie said pointedly. “In six months? You moved on fast.”

“Guess I learned that from you,” she shrugged, turning around once more to watch the rest of the show leaving Jeannie to fume in silence.

“Alright, everyone, who’s ready for some more?” Jeff said into the mic, capturing the bar’s attention once more. “You good to go, Gare?”

Instead of answering, Gareth simply launched into an intro Dottie was very familiar with, but she was confident it hadn’t been included in the setlist she’d seen in the van. They were supposed to open the second half of their show with a Megadeth song, she’d heard Donny argue for it, so what did Eddie think he was doing joining his drummer and plucking along to Van Halen’s Hot for Teacher? It was even more surprising when he approached the mic as Jeff took over guitar duties; the eldest member of Corroded Coffin scanned the crowd with a mischievous smirk until his eyes found his girlfriend before he leaned into the mic.

“Oh, man, wait a second,” he began, turning towards Donny and hamming it up for the performance. “What do you think the teacher’s gonna look like this year?”

Dottie let out a loud laugh disconcerting everyone at the table, but when she locked eyes with Eddie and he winked at her, she knew that Gareth had, as she’d suggested, asked Jeff about the uncomfortable situation going on offstage and had been thoroughly briefed on the issue at hand. It was so like them to change their setlist to make her feel better, and yet so unexpected that it left her a little teary. With a simple gesture, something no one else would have noticed except her, they’d managed to remind her that she had their support no matter what happened or how far they were from her.

As the show went on and the boys played a very funky rendition of Whitesnake’s Saints an’ Sinners, one of Gareth’s favorites, Benji and Tracey began getting more into it, cheering along with Dottie, swaying and headbanging in all appropriate places. Howie looked like he was honestly enjoying himself during Helter Skelter, even going so far as to sing along, elated that there was at least one song with lyrics he actually knew in the setlist. The band took a few seconds to let Jeff drink some water before they played Van Halen’s Little Dreamer, showcasing the boy’s best asset: his lovely crooner voice, full of body and emotion.

By the time Corroded Coffin reached their last song, Moore House was packed with the patrons that had been sitting outside when they’d first arrived at the bar. A light irregular shower had forced people to either go home or seek refuge inside, and many had gladly chosen to stay for the rest of the show and were now being treated to a high energy rendition of Quiet Riot’s Cum on Feel the Noize to close out the evening. During the song, there was a moment where Donny and Eddie, who were goofing off with each other, turned to look at Jeff and Gareth who were also playing along to their antics from the other side of the stage.

Miles away from home, in front of a crowd that had only just met them but seemed nonetheless enthusiastic - or at least not disgusted by their presence - the quartet had never felt more at ease when performing. Even if Moore House wasn’t The Hideout, they knew they could get used to it just as easily if given the chance.

“So,” Eddie said, once the applause at the end of the song had quieted down. “Normally that would have been our last song, but today’s a special day for us. You see, Moore House, today’s the very first time we’ve played outside of our hometown. Little Hawkins has had quite the monopoly on us for the last few years,” he joked, making a few people chuckle along with him. “The truth is, we wouldn’t be here without a very special someone in the audience. You might have heard her screaming her ass off like a banshee all night - that was pretty metal of you, princess.”

It felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room, leaving her floating between the tables as Dottie realized Eddie was talking about her. Charmed like a snake, she sat a little bit taller, eyes glued to the tender smile her boyfriend was not so secretly affording her. It didn’t matter if anyone else saw the hearts floating above his head - he was so in love with the short haired girl sitting a few feet away from him that he was willing to bear all the jokes their friends had been making at his expense for the past week every time they practiced the surprise they had planned. Just the look on her face was worth all of it, and so much more. Donny motioned for her to stand up and she did so, one hand wrapped around the back of her chair for support.

“That’s our banshee!” Gareth said, gleefully.

“Actually, that’s our manager,” Jeff chuckled into his mic without missing a beat. “And she’s the one that got us this gig so you’ve been enjoying the show, please give it up for her.”

Jessie finger-whistled loudly from behind the till, leading the amused applause that broke out while Dottie marveled at the audience happily following Jeff’s commands. It was undeniable that Corroded Coffin had always been charming, but seeing how strongly a crowd of college aged strangers reacted to them had her feeling incredibly bittersweet at the fact that their path to glory was being cut short so early by themselves of all people. Maybe she could convince them to see their college adventures as a hiatus rather than a permanent break. Four years would pass by quickly, wouldn’t they?

“To show our gratitude to our most Darling Dottie, our friend and manager, let’s end this on a high note, shall we?” Eddie redirected everyone’s attention back to the stage. “This has been Corroded Coffin, from Hawkins, Indiana, and we have one final question for you, guys-”

No fucking way, Dottie thought when she heard Jeff start playing their surprise song. There’s no way. They’d never do this outside of Gareth’s garage, I must be totally hallucinating-

“Whatever happened to Saturday night?” Eddie sang into the mic, exchanging positions with Jeff and taking the lead singer spot in the middle of the stage. “When you dressed up sharp and you felt alright?”

“Oh, I love this song!” Benji said, in true theater kid fashion.

“You used to love Rocky Horror, didn’t you?” Tracey said, remembering an old theater ticket Dottie used to keep around as a bookmark.

“I still do, yeah,” she breathed out, a dazed smile etched onto her face.

Eddie wasn’t the best singer in Corroded Coffin. He knew this very well and didn’t have any issues admitting to it, especially when what he lacked in the voice department, he knew he more than made up for with his guitar skills. When he’d brought up the idea of closing the show with Hot Patootie/Bless My Soul as a thank you to Dottie, everyone else had quickly agreed that while the gesture was lovely, the song did not fit in with the rest of their planned set. The boys had then begun suggesting different songs they knew she liked, but Eddie had remained undeterred. In the end, the only reason he’d managed to crack them was because he’d arranged the sax break into a new guitar solo that had really excited Donny upon hearing it, and so the rest of the band followed suit in changing their opinion.

“Go, girl!” Benji pushed Dottie towards the stage when the solo started and Eddie kneeled near the edge looking right at her as he played. “He’s waiting for you!”

With red cheeks and embarrassed giggles, Dottie let herself be guided towards the stage by both Benji and Tracey, turning back to look at them dancing with one another when she felt their hands leave her back. Shifting her focus back on Eddie and only Eddie, Dottie let herself imagine a future where they got to do this all the time, and instead of having to play covers of well known bands, Corroded Coffin would be allowed to play their own songs - the ones she knew were written into notebooks stashed in Eddie’s closet and Donny’s old toy chest (now turned into a junk trunk after donating all his action figures to his little sister Giulietta to marry off to her Barbies).

With your arms around your girl you’d try to sing along, it felt pretty good, woo, really had a good time, Eddie belted before he moved away and sang the chorus along with Jeff at this mic, eyes never leaving his girlfriend’s beaming figure at the bottom of the stage. He had never felt so in the zone performing before: he had a cheering audience that consisted of more than five drunks, his girl was dancing and singing along with the crowd, and his best friends were killing it even after Gareth’s little drumstick mishap. At the start of the night Eddie Munson had been sure he would never be a rockstar, but at that moment he couldn’t deny he certainly felt like one already.

“Good night, everyone!” Jeff said while they played themselves out. “You were fuckin’ awesome!”

Most people cheerfully clapped for them before going back to their chosen alcoholic beverages for the night, the speakers sparking back to life with classic rock to mask the chattering and gossiping. Eddie took his guitar off his shoulder and hurried off the stage, wrapping his sweaty arms around Dottie who squealed in delight when he lifted her up and shook her around excitedly.

“Okay, okay, calm down!” she laughed, hands coming to hold onto his shoulders for dear life.

“Thank you, darling, holy shit, thank you,” he said, his voice full of emotion as he squeezed her sides. “That was the best moment of my life, I’m so fucking thankful.”

“You guys were so good! That was your best show ever, I’m so proud of you, babe.”

“Yeah?” he grinned at her, finally moving his face off her neck. “You have no idea how much I wanna kiss the shit out of you right now but the guys are totally gonna notice.”

“We can sneak down to the lake after we drop everyone off,” she whispered, mischief in her eyes.

“Fuck, I’m so in love with you,” he groaned, eyes closed and face tilted towards the ceiling. “I’ll- I’m gonna take my shit back to the van and I’ll be right back or else I’m gonna do something stupid and get us kicked out of the bar.”

“I’ll go get us drinks!” she announced, loud enough so that the rest of the boys could hear her. “Beers for everyone okay?”

“I’ll go with you!” Gareth said, springing up from where he was squatting while he unplugged a pedal. “Leave the kit here, guys, I’ll come get it when my arms aren’t about to fall off.”

He offered his hand to Dottie who happily took it, and together they went to order beers for everyone as a prize for a job well done. Corroded Coffin’s Big Show had been perfect and a celebration was in order, even if their table had been co-opted by a bunch of teens none of them really felt like partying with. Sense of danger lulled by the excitement of the evening and the fact that she was now flanked on both sides by her best friends, Dottie relaxed and finally let her guard down, content on enjoying the festivities and listening to the chatter around her as she often did when hanging out with the boys.

In retrospect, she should have known better. Hawkins had changed her, softened her, made her more trusting, more vulnerable. She was easy prey now, and as much as she tried to hide the gaping hole in her chest every time she looked at her former best friend, Jeannie had always been an expert in sniffing out blood in the water. Dottie really should have known better.

The Corroded Coffin boys might not have been stellar students during their time at Hawkins High, but their social status as the school’s freaks had taught them a very valuable skill: all four of them could spot a lion dressed like a lamb from miles away. Introductions had barely been made before they recognized Jeannie for who she truly was, all fake smiles hiding a look of contempt she just couldn’t - or wouldn’t - mask in its entirety. It was almost laughable how easy it was to pinpoint how important she thought she was, and also just how much it bothered her that none of them seemed to fall at her feet no matter how much she flicked her long hair over her shoulders.

Jeannie sat silently at the table, becoming more and more upset as the minutes ticked by and no one so much as turned to look at her. As Tracey talked to Donny sitting next to her, gushing about the show and his performance, Eddie stretched and then dropped his arm on Dottie’s chair, pulling her closer to him without the rest of the group noticing. She looked up at him for a brief second before she leaned forward with the excuse of grabbing a napkin, letting their thighs touch as she sat back down. They both turned towards Tracey with bashful smiles, and upon hearing her friend praising the lamest band she’d ever heard, Jeannie felt a ball of anger grow and lodge itself in her throat. Time to hunt.

“How would you even know if they’re good or not? You only listen to Hall & Oates, Trace,” she laughed dismissively, finger tracing the rim of her glass with a practiced smug expression.

“You do?” Donny asked Tracey who had suddenly gone mute. “My sisters like them too, I think we have all the albums at home. Do you have a favorite?”

“Um, I don’t know, they’re all good…,” Tracey said, squirming uncomfortably under the sharp sight of her friend.

“Oh, come on, you love H2O,” Dottie said, matter-of-factly. “You used to listen to Maneater constantly.”

“Oh, oh, here she comes, watch out, boy, she’ll chew you up,” Jeff sang softly, making Tracey’s mouth lift up in a thankful smile.

“Show off,” Benji said, but it was clear to everyone he meant it as a harmless joke.

“You guys listen to Hall & Oates?” Howie asked, surprised.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t we?” Eddie shrugged. “We all love metal the most, but we’ll listen to almost anything once. How do you think we got this one into our music?”

“Actually, Donny was the one to corrupt me with that Helter Skelter cover, so if you want a teacher, that’s your guy,” Dottie smiled, remembering old conversations with the gentle boy who helped her navigate her first D&D session.

“Why does only he get the credit for corrupting you?” Gareth complained, shoving her lightly.

“Because he lets me borrow all his mixtapes whenever I want them.”

“And I don’t? I’ve offered you my tapes a million times but you never take any.”

“That’s because you’re obsessed with making me listen to Anthrax and I’ve told you like ten times that it’s fucking noise.”

“Woah, woah, woah,” Eddie said, raising a hand to stop her. “That’s sacrilegious, princess, you can’t say that.”

“Can’t I have my own opinions?”

“Yes, but if they’re wrong, we’re legally obligated call you out on them,” Jeff said, bottle of beer halfway up to his mouth.

“Et tu, Jeffrey?” Dottie asked, hand to her chest dramatically making Eddie snicker next to her.

“You’re fun,” Benji declared. “I like this new Dorothy.”

“Me too!” Howie agreed.

“New?” Gareth frowned, baffled. “What do you mean new? She’s always been like this.”

It had been a long time since any of the boys had had questions about Dorothy Burke’s past. As months went on and their friendships got stronger, they’d gotten to learn about her extensively and she about them in return. The five of them were a well-oiled machine by then; banter flowed easily, diner and takeout favorites had been memorized to perfection, and comfort was given before it could even be asked.

It was strange for them to think of a moment in their lives before they knew Dottie, because it truly felt like they had known her forever. She’d opened up to them about why she was the way she was sometimes, her past experiences and her fears shaping her into the fiercely loyal yet deeply afraid of being lonely girl they had come to love and appreciate. No one could imagine her being something other than who she had always been - that shy tenderhearted teen looking for connection with a bag full of snacks and a set of borrowed dice - so hearing that Dottie hadn’t always been their Dot was a little shocking, to say the least.

“It’s not that she was very different,” Tracey tried to explain. “It’s just that she used to be more… reserved I guess?”

“She was a loser.”

“Jeanette!” Benji scolded her. “That’s rude!”

“What? You know I’m right!” Jeannie defended herself. “She never wanted to go to any parties or bars, never misbehaved, never drank. I’m surprised she even had a boyfriend while she was such a prude.”

“I- I was just busy-” Dottie muttered, embarrassed in front of her friends and feeling her hidden wounds rip open once more.

“Yeah, busy being a loser! You never wanted to go anywhere with us, the only time we could get you to break a curfew was on Tyler’s birthday.”

“If all that makes her a loser I guess we are losers too, aren’t we boys?” Eddie said, dropping his hand from the back of Dottie’s chair to her shoulder protectively. “I mean, shit, I had to do my senior year three times.”

“I had a panic attack the first time I smoked weed and I’ve never touched that thing since,” Jeff added.

“I still go to church every Sunday morning with my Nonna,” Donny raised his glass as if he was toasting.

“The only party we went to during senior year was the one Dot made us go to, and we had to leave because she got into a fight,” Gareth said, laughing at the memory.

“Actually, Eddie got into a fight,” she clarified, feeling brave with her friends by her side. “I just finished it.”

“Well, you did blackmail the guy, so I think 50% of that fight was on you,” Donny reminded her.

“Fuckin’ Andy, man,” Eddie shook his head. “I had a bruise on my ass for days.”

“She almost broke his nose so I’d say you guys are even now,” Jeff finished, turning to the four people staring at Dottie like she had grown two heads. “You should have seen her, it was awesome.”

“You did all that?” Howie asked, almost with reverence.

“Are they gifting fucking lobotomies in that shitty town of yours or did you suddenly grow a personality so you could lie to get new friends?”

“That’s so mean, Jeane-” Tracey said, but Dottie interrupted her.

“You know what, Jeannie? You’re right. I was a loser,” she said in an even tone, aware that she was bleeding out around a shark. “I’ve always been a loser, and that didn’t change when I moved to Hawkins just because I went to a party once. I’ll always be a loser, I know that, but at least I’m not trying to pretend like I’m cool when I’m actually fucking miserable all the time.”

“Holy shit,” Benji muttered, but no one paid any attention to him.

“Don’t act all high and mighty with me, Dorothy. You may have new friends now that don’t know the real you, but I do. Let’s not lie to ourselves here, you’ll always be that know-it-all nerd who used to hide under my wing for protection.”

“Protection from what?” Dottie scoffed. “I was always Jeannie’s boring little friend from preschool. No one gave a shit about me, you made sure of it.”

“Don’t say that,” Tracey said, frowning.

“Save it, Trace. You were all pretty clear about where you stood when Jeannie started dating Tyler,” she reminded them, and at least Benji and Tracey had the decency to look ashamed. “But thank you, really, because if it hadn’t been for you guys ignoring me, I would have never spent all my lunch periods alone in the library with Mrs. Randall, and I would have definitely never gotten into Michigan without her help.”

“You got into Michigan?” Tracey asked after a beat, eyes shifting over towards where Jeannie was sitting.

“Princess got a full ride and everything,” Eddie said, proudly.

“Well, shit,” Benji said, grinning. “Can’t really say I’m surprised, but congrats! If anyone was going to get in, it was you for sure.”

“You’re such a fake bitch, Benji,” Jeannie turned to him, seething.

“Hey, not my fault your GPA sucked.”

“Okay, guys, come on, we’re losing the plot here,” Howie tried to cool down the room to unsuccessful results.

“You applied to Michigan too?” Dottie asked Jeannie, gears slowly turning in her head.

“Thought it’d be fun,” she shrugged. “Doesn’t matter, I’m going to CSI anyways.”

“Crime Stoppers?” Donny said, confused.

“What?”

“CSI, that’s Crime Stoppers International, right?”

“No, dumbass, Staten Island,” Jeannie said through her teeth, humiliated and furious.

“Isn’t that… sorry, I’m not trying to be mean here but they don’t even ask for your SAT scores to get in there,” Jeff frowned, quickly realizing that had been the wrong thing to mention.

“Once I’m a registered nurse no one will give a shit about my SAT scores. And I get to live with my boyfriend in the city if I go to CSI, so that’s a plus. I’d be stupid to ever leave NYC.”

“You’re still dating Tyler?” Dottie wondered curiously.

“Of course I am. He’s so in love with me it’s actually pathetic.”

“Wow. Does he know you talk about him like that?” she cringed.

“Why do you care?” Jeannie said, smug. “It’s not like he’s still your boyfriend.”

“You’re right, he’s not,” Dottie stood up, brushing Eddie’s shoulder with her hand and feeling very thankful for the path her life had taken. “Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom.”

As she walked towards the door marked with a “Women” sign, she could hear Benji and Jeannie at each other’s throats, Howie still trying to calm them down to no avail. The heavy metallic door closed behind her back and, for the first time since they’d arrived, Dottie felt like she could breathe normally. She approached the sink furthest away from the entrance and began washing her hands with cold water, staring at the suds disappearing down the drain like she was cleaning up her own blood after a fight.

When she’d joined the Hellfire Club and met Eddie, Gareth, Donny, and Jeff, she knew things would be different. She was still fearful at the time, of course; a lifetime of disappointment doesn’t vanish just because you’ve found a few good friends, but even if she’d realized a long time ago how truly lucky she’d been to find her people in the Middle of Nowhere, Indiana, she’d never actually compared her new friend group to her older one. At least, not until now. Four friends with four clear positions, and her as an addendum. Eddie and Jeannie as the leaders, Gareth and Howie as the class clowns, Donny and Benji as the seconds in command, and Jeff and Tracey as the sensible ones.

And Dottie. Always just Dottie, loser, shy, boring Dottie, attaching herself to a group and tagging along to adventures she hadn’t planned or dreams that had never been her own in the first place. Except… well, that wasn’t the case anymore, was it? She’d gotten them the gig in Indianapolis, that had been her creating the adventure. She’d convinced them to go to that fateful party at Jason’s house, they’d gone to prom as a group because she mentioned she wanted to go, they’d gone swimming in the lake in their undies because she’d agreed to it. And that’s not to mention the countless times they’d gone out for ice cream because she’d suggested it, or the movies they had rented because she wanted to see them.

In return, she’d seen The Exorcist because Gareth had wanted to, she had accepted the job Donny had offered because he wanted to work with her all summer, she’d actually jumped into the lake in her underwear because Jeff had encouraged her to do it. With the boys she wasn’t tagging along. They always made sure of it. She was wearing Eddie’s shirt, Jeff’s belt, Gareth’s rings, Donny’s bracelets. They constantly and consistently included her, not just by inviting her to things, but by actually making the effort to make her feel part of them. And she really was. With them, she had always been, from day one and without having to ask any questions.

“Don’t talk to me, I just want to pee,” a voice broke her train of thought, and Dottie only managed to see Jeannie’s long hair swinging before she went into a stall.

Dottie considered leaving the bathroom, going back to her table and sitting down with her friends, maybe even ordering a basket of fries to share and pretend like nothing had happened, but something inside stopped her. As much as she hated to admit it, there was a part of her that still cared for Jeannie and if this was going to be the last time they’d ever speak, she didn’t want to leave things like this. Jeannie had been her best friend a lifetime ago. It wasn’t right to pretend like that shared history had never existed.

She moved to the side to dry her hands as Jeannie came out of her stall and went to wash up, biding her time until she figured out what she wanted to say. Jeannie was visibly furious, the little vein in her neck straining against her skin as she chewed on the same kind of anger she’d been carrying inside since they were kids. Jeannie used to be so furious all the time. She’d break all the toys in her vicinity, whether they were hers or borrowed, she’d bite and pull on people’s hair, and she had to be constantly put on timeout as a child so the teachers could get her to settle down for a few minutes.

Their pre-school teacher had been at her wits end the day she sat Dottie next to Jeannie, hoping that the much quieter and well-behaved little girl would be able to influence the terror that disrupted every single one of her classes. The two kids had gotten along just fine during drawing time, but when they were let out to the playground for a break, Jeannie pushed Dottie off the slide, making her fall knees first onto the gravel below. Dottie had then cried and cried, her tender knees oozing blood down her legs and staining her white socks, and Jeannie, upon seeing their teacher approach, also began crying uncontrollably.

What happened next surprised everyone, mainly because Jeannie wasn’t used to being kind to other kids, but the tiny five-year-old sat eerily still in the nurse’s office next to a sniffling Dottie, holding her hand while Nurse Olivier cleaned and bandaged the hurt child. Afterwards and unlike herself, Jeannie said she was sorry, and Dottie, much like herself, forgave her because “that’s what friends do”. Jeannie had spent the rest of their lives pushing Dottie and holding her hand afterwards. Why would she do that if she wasn’t utterly terrified her oldest friend would eventually leave her, constantly testing the strength of their friendship much like a child who can’t quite understand their own emotions just yet?

“Sorry, can I ask you something?” Dottie said, looking at her former friend through the mirror. Upon receiving nothing but silence, she continued. “Why nursing?”

“What?”

“It’s just… You wanted to do Civil Engineering. You talked about it with Benji all the time, you wanted to apply to colleges together. You even asked my Dad about it.”

“Yeah, well… I changed my mind,” Jeannie said, bitterly.

“But why?”

“Because Engineering is not a girl’s career.”

“Says who?”

Jeannie didn’t look at Dottie as she closed the tap and shook her hands to get rid of the excess water, the latter moving out of the way to let her access the paper dispenser. Her silver bracelet shook as she dabbed at her hands with the rough material and Dottie was suddenly struck with a memory so old that for a second she thought she had made it up as an eight-year-old.

They’d been waiting to be picked up after a long day of school on a Thursday, which meant that it wasn’t James the one Dottie was waiting for - it was Uncle Johnny, coming to take her to her swimming lessons at the community center near his home while her Dad was stuck working extra hours. Jeannie’s mom arrived earlier than him that day, bringing her daughter a present: a small Tiffany’s bag with two matching bracelets inside to commemorate the day she had finally divorced Jeannie’s dad. Dottie had been much too young to understand the intricacies of adult relationships and how they affected her friend at the time, so she’d only cooed and awed at the gorgeous piece of jewelry while hiding a pang of quiet jealousy at the fact that she would never be able to match anything with her own mom.

Two days later during her monthly Saturday Crafting Afternoon with Aunt Mary Elizabeth, she told her what had happened with an innocence that tugged her Aunt’s heartstrings before she tore her craft bins apart searching for supplies to make her niece feel better. Between small breaks that consisted of chocolate milk, homemade cookies, and endless hugs, the two of them worked on a ton of bead bracelets, one for each member of their little makeshift family. James’ bracelet was a gaudy little thing with the word DADDY spelled with a 4 instead of an A because they had run out of the correct letters and Mary Elizabeth was nothing if not incredibly creative. Dottie was confident that if she decided to snoop through his bedside table’s first drawer, she’d find the plastic accessory still rattling around with the rest of his junk.

“Don’t- don’t fucking do that,” Jeannie said tiredly, finally turning around and facing her. “You always do that and it pisses me off.”

“Do what?”

“Don’t act like you understand anything about my life!”

“I-I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to,” she said with genuine remorse in her tone. “I just wanted to know why, I didn’t mean to-”

“Didn’t mean to what? To rub in my face that you got into a good school and I didn’t? I’m so fucking sick of you, Dorothy,” Jeannie said in calm anger and Dottie wished she’d just yell at her. “Just when I finally thought I’d gotten rid of you, you show up to embarrass me like you’ve always done. Stop pretending like you’ve ever cared about me or my life, because you haven’t. You’re a goddamn liar and you know it.”

“I’ve never lied to you in my entire life, Jeannie,” Dottie said, trying not to bleed out in her attempt to find peace.

“God, do you ever shut up about how good you are? About how nice you are? You were always the Golden fucking Child, and I’ve always been trash compared to you. Oh, Dorothy is gonna do something great with her life, you should be more like her! She’s so kind, so polite, so goddamn quiet,” she said, voice mocking before it switched back to scathing. “Fuck you.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve never said anything like that to you! Actually, you were the one who was always treating me like trash!”

“Oh, give me a break,” she laughed. “You didn’t need to say it, everyone else did it for you. You were the teacher’s pet who always got away with murder, and I was the stupid fuck-up who was too much like her Dad and couldn’t get into your fancy college. I might be a bitch, but at least I’m honest.”

“Jeannie, are you even listening to what you’re saying?” she argued desperately. “I’ve never thought of you like that, I swear! I literally spent my entire life wanting to be more like you - you had a pretty house, and all the toys you wanted. And you had a mom! Everyone wanted to be your friend, and I never understood why you picked me instead of anyone else-”

“I knew it, I fucking knew it, I always knew you were a jealous bitch-”

“God fucking damnit, I loved you!” Dottie admitted, clenching her fists in frustration. “I loved you so much, and I wanted to be like you because I thought if I was, it would make you love me back! You treated me like shit all the time, and I still loved you. You were my best friend, Jeannie.”

Jeannie might have looked like she had just been slapped but Dottie knew she didn’t understand the meaning behind her words, not when she had only figured them out after they’d tumbled out of her own mouth. Feeling strangely lighter, she watched as her oldest friend’s eyes changed from furious to scared, as if she was that five-year-old holding her hand while Nurse Olivier bandaged her bloody knees again. Dottie understood then that it had never been about her or their friendship, but she’d just served a shark her corpse on a platter and she needed to get some closure before she left the sanctity of the girls’ bathroom or else she’d always wonder what could have been.

“Why did you apply to Michigan?” Dottie asked, eyes full of unshed tears.

“...Because you were there,” Jeannie muttered, defeated. She crossed her arms before she continued. “After you left I asked Mrs. Randall about you and she told me you were early admission. I was just so mad at you, I- I don’t know. I never told anyone else you had already gotten in when I decided to apply.”

“Why did you switch to Nursing? You could have picked literally anything else.”

“Tyler’s pre-med at Cornell. You know how his family is, and I obviously couldn’t get in with him, so this was my only choice.”

Tyler’s family, while perfectly nice, supportive and polite, had always stressed to their sons the importance of getting into the family business. Not all of them were doctors, but everyone who had gone to college in the last three generations had gotten a degree somewhere in the Health field, and most importantly, they had also married a medical professional. Tyler’s dad was a generalist, his mother was a psychiatrist, his uncle was a surgeon who had married his assistant nurse.

They never made Dottie feel like she had to change her career path to be with Tyler while she was dating him, and yet there had always been a silent expectation put upon their son to “get serious” further down the line. Jeannie knew what this meant for her own relationship once they went off to college, so she decided to make two households very happy by trading in her Civil Engineering dreams for a future that included a shiny RN badge and a nuclear family who lived in a friendly cul-de-sac.

“They talk about you sometimes, you know?” Jeannie said, surprising the other girl. “They say you were always nice, ask me if I’ve heard from you. I think Flynn misses you the most.”

“He’s a good guy,” Dottie said, smiling. “You should ask him for advice on college stuff, he helped me out a ton.”

“Yeah. Maybe I will.”

“I, um… I should get back to my friends,” the short haired girl said pointing at the door with her thumb. “We have a long way home, so…”

“Yeah, no, I get it,” she smiled, a little wistful. “That guy with the long hair, uh…”

“Eddie. His name is Eddie.”

“Is he good?”

“He’s the best,” Dottie’s smile grew bigger at the thought of her boyfriend. “They all are.”

“They seem nice,” she said, falling quiet afterwards.

“Goodbye, Jeanette.”

“Goodbye, Dottie.”

Jeannie stayed in the bathroom needing some space to process their final goodbye, surrounded by New York Dottie’s remains while Hawkins Dottie walked back to the table. Eddie, as usual, was the first one to notice his girlfriend’s turbulent expression, instinctively putting out a hand to touch her as soon as she was in range for him to do so. He pulled her into the space between their chairs, fingers splayed against the low of her back protectively.

“You okay?” he muttered quietly, but everyone’s eyes were on them regardless.

“Not really,” her lips curved into a small pout. “Is it okay if we go?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course,” Eddie downed the last of his beer and sprung out of his seat. “We just gotta, uh-”

“We’re on it,” Jeff said, also getting up. “You two go get the van closer to the door so we can load the drums, it’s supposed to start raining soon.”

“I have to talk to Jessie about your payment, she told me-,” Dottie said, but the sound of more chairs shuffling cut her off.

“I’ve got it!” Donny said, putting on his battle vest while heading towards the till.

“I’ll go get my stuff,” Gareth announced, unceremoniously jogging towards the stage to disassemble his drum kit.

“Okay then, uh,” Dottie turned towards her former friends to find them already standing up and heading towards her.

“I’m so sorry,” Tracey said, throwing her arms around her for a comforting hug. Neither of them knew who needed it more. “I’m sorry about everything. It was really lovely to see you again.”

“You’re glowing, girl,” Benji said when it was his turn to get a hug. “Whatever you’re doing, keep it up.”

“Show was great, guys,” Howie said to Eddie and Jeff, giving them both a boyish pat on their shoulders.

“Thanks, man. See you around.”

Dottie wrapped her arms around herself while Eddie led her towards the van, never letting go of her hand while he guided the vehicle closer to the double doors that led to the backside of the building. The smell of an incoming storm filled the air as he lowered his window and lit up a cigarette before turning to her with a knowing look on his face.

“D’you wanna talk about it?” he asked, only the rumble of the van’s motor filling the quiet of the night.

“I… I think I used to have a crush on her,” Dottie said, coming to terms with something that deep down she had always known but had never dared to think about.

“Uh-oh. Should I be worried?” Eddie pouted, succeeding in his goal to make her giggle.

“You’re silly,” she moved closer to him, ready to put their argument behind and Eddie obliged, throwing an arm around her. “The show was so good. I’m so proud of you.”

“Yeah? You liked our surprise?”

“Are you kidding? I loved it. You’re so talented,” she leaned up to kiss him but couldn’t reach his lips, giving him a peck on his jaw instead. “We have to come back, see if we can get you booked again.”

“I love you,” he said, staring down at her completely and truly lovesick. “You’re amazing. Best manager in the fuckin’ world.”

“I love you too, Ed. Thank you.”

“The hell you thanking me for, darling?”

The van’s back doors opened with a loud noise startling them apart as Gareth and Jeff pushed the rest of their equipment onto the carpeted floor, quickly securing it and climbing into the backseat. Donny rushed out of the building with an unlit cigarette in his hand and an envelope in the other, waving it in the air proudly. The first thunder of the night mixed in with their cheers as he got in and Eddie pulled out of the parking lot.

“Hey, guys,” Donny said, watching Jeff count their earnings. “You wanna go to McDonald’s?”

“Oh, fuck yes,” Eddie said, turning the corner and heading towards the Golden Arches glowing in the distance. “We need fries, don’t we, princess?”

“Yes, please,” Dottie agreed. “And milkshakes.”

“Dot, your old friends sucked ass,” Gareth said, tone conversational but still a little upset on her behalf as he leaned over her seat to throw his arms around her shoulders.

“I don’t know. They weren’t always that bad,” she mused, hands coming to hold his forearms crossing over her collarbones. “You guys are much better though.”

“Hell yeah we are!” Donny said, smug.

“Hey, Gare… I think you might wanna look at this,” Jeff said, barely contained mirth staining his serious tone.

On his hand was a napkin with girly writing scribbled with a blue pen on it, right underneath the Moore House logo. It read: hey hot stuff, sorry to disappoint. I would have totally given you my number if you were older, but sadly you’re not. Keep drumming like that and make me regret having morals when your band becomes huge. XO, Jessie.

“Turn back!” Gareth yelled dramatically, pulling at Eddie’s shoulder. “In the name of love, turn back!”

“Sit down, Bono, she’s four years older than you. She’s not interested,” Donny cackled, forcing him back into his seat.

“Yeah, man, she just wanted to let you down gently,” Eddie said, joining in on the teasing.

“That’s my future wife you’re talking about, you assholes,” Gareth said, knowing full well he didn’t have a chance with Jessie the Night Manager but having fun pretending he did.

As the rain kept falling and their good natured ribbing continued while heading to McDonald’s, Dottie quietly basked in the knowledge that she was safe swimming on open waters with her best friends. She swore right there and then that she was willing to die for each and every one of them, because she knew they were much more likely to be on the surfboard next to her, fighting for their lives together instead of being the ones attacking her.

Previous chapter of her life finally closed, she peacefully leaned against her seat as Eddie pulled into the McDonald’s drive thru. NYC Dottie is dead, long live Hawkins Dottie, she thought, unabashedly staring at her boyfriend as he ordered enough fries and milkshakes to last them the whole trip back home.

taglist: @munsonology @kurdtbean @eg-dr3amer3 @oneforthemunny @munsons-queen

@cinemabean

#bunny writes #small town fic #eddie munson x female character #eddie munson x ofc #eddie munson x oc #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson angst #eddie munson #corroded coffin #gareth stranger things #jeff stranger things #unnamed freak stranger things #stranger things 4 #joseph quinn #baby's first fic

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0mysticmidnight0 · 10 months ago

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★HEY, HELLO HI AGAIN, SO UUUUUH, I'VE GOT A REQUEST- AN IDEA FOR THE PB&J YANDERE DUO SJSSSK★

★SO LIKE UUH- YANDERE PB&J DUO WITH A BORROWER!READER UURRH- THE TROPE WILL BE PLATONIC EEERH★

★SBSJSBS HERES THE PLOT (it's long)★

_____________________________________

| IN THIS ONESHOT- MIKEY HAD A LITTLE IDEA TO GET/MAKE SOME CLOTHES FOR [READER], BECAUSE, SINCE THEY ARE A BORROWER (and borrowers are like, 6 inches tall), THEY DON'T HAVE ANY ACCESS TO Y'KNOW, FANCY OR STYLISH CLOTHES. ANYWAY, SO HE INVITED DONNIE TO JOIN IN AS WELL- SO HE CAN INSTRUCT THEM ON WHAT COULD SUIT THEM MOST (since it's known by the fandom that he is the most stylish of the brothers, which I love bdhddh).

YEAH, THEY END UP HAVING A DRESS UP SESSION WITH THE READER, ALL SEEMS GOOD AND FUN!! HOWEVER, AFTER SOME TIME PASSES, [READER] GETS BORED/TIRED OF THE SESSION, AND MAYBE A LITTLE CREEPED OUT AS TO HOW THEIR FRIEND'S KNOW THEIR MEASUREMENTS-.

THEIR EXACT MEASUREMENTS THAT IS.

THEY ALSO FEEL A LITTLE SUFFOCATED (not literally), BY THE FACT THAT THEY GET TO CHOOSE THEIR OUTFITS FOR THEM, SHUNNING AWAY THE CLOTHES THAT ATTRACT THEM. (ahem, ahem Donnie declines most of their choices) NOT THAT THEY ARE NOT GRATEFUL FOR IT, BUT THEY KIND OF WANNA STOP NOW.

YEAH, THEY ALERT DONNIE AND MIKEY THAT THEY WANT TO LEAVE AND THAT THEY WANT TO GO BACK INTO THEIR HOME (aka, the sewer walls). HOWEVER THEY DON'T WANT [READER] LEAVING- SO THEY GUILT TRIP THEM INTO STAYING OR SOMETHING LIKE THATDBRJND.|

_______________________________________

★SGSHS, YEAH URH- THAT'S MY REQUEST FOR THE ONESHOTSBSB★

★IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT BORROWERS ARE THEN YOU CAN EITHER SEARCH ON GOOGLE OR DM ME UH- YEAH★

★EEEEEEEERH BYE <3★

(sorry for any grammar mistakesbdjddj)

very interesting request.. I would have to guess you got this from one of your recent post where you had to write about borrowers!! But, it sounds fun! Reminds me of "The clothes don't make the turtle" ep

Yandere Donnie and Mikey x Borrower! Reader -Mikey was hanging out with Donnie! and... by hanging out i mean he draws in Donnie's lab while Donnie works on a few upgrades. Mikey thought of drawing the reader but notices the lack of variety in clothing.. He decides to draw the reader in different outfits he think best suited them. He felt proud of his work so he showed Donnie. He was quite impressed and even had ideas for other outfits. -Donnie and Mikey went to a nearby wall on the sewers and knock on it. You walk out and they grab you and immediately run to the lab rambling about clothing.. You were confused but decided to go with it. -Donnie made a whole presentation about different types of clothes while Mikey hyped him up! You were watching in awe. Your fashion choices were alright but you were a bit interested in what these two had in store and a bit creeped out that they already knew your measurements, size, height and weight without you telling them.. -The three of you spent hours in the lab! having fun and a few laughs here and there! You found clothes you really liked!! until a few disagreements happened..

"That's a cute outfit.. BUT I THINK THIS ONE WOULD SUIT YOU BEST!" "This one is better!" "I know you may not be into this style but it is WAY better than what you wore before!" "Maybe pair it with something else- OH! I KNOW THE PERFECT THING!" "You can trust us Y/n!!" You told them that you were getting a bit suffocated with how they were treating your tastes and how "what they knew was better". You were also getting a bit bored. "Hey, guys.. i appreciate that you're trying to help me but i think i should go. I had some fun but i really wanna end this-" You were cut off by Mikey. "But we were having so much fun!!" Donnie tuned in. "We worked on these clothes for you for hours! Don't you think you should consider trying on a bit more?" Mikey chimed in. "We just wanted to make you happy.." putting on his signature please face. You sighed and agreed to a few more outfits.. Maybe one or two more wouldn't hurt.. right?..right?

#rise of the tmnt #rottmnt #rise mikey #rise michelangelo #rise donnie #rise donatello #rise mikey x reader #rise donnie x reader #donnie rottmnt #yandere rise mikey #yandere rise donnie #yandere rottmnt #yandere rise of the tmnt #tmnt 2018

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redsrooftopprincess · 2 months ago

Text

Pumpkin Sugar (Part 2)

Raphael x Fem!Reader - Established Relationship

Part 1 . Part 2 . Part 3 . Part 4 . Epilogue (🌶️ Fem!Reader)

Based on this ask by @gornackeaterofworlds

More of a question to expand on than a detailed request, but would raph help a teacher reader grade papers?? Would he get invested in gossip on the kids??

I was zoning out and somehow thought about elementary school teacher readers, coming back to the lair with papers to grade, Donnie getting angry over the lesson plans you have to use, etc. And then, like always, raph thoughts(I am unbelievably gushy to raph x lil sweet cheery readers) Being oh so sleepy tired but still having work to do. Grading papers, getting activities printed and cut, weekly plans. I'd like to imagine he helps to get you to sleep faster, all the while listening to the venty yapping about which kids are troublemakers

Special thanks to @the-cauldron-witch . The best brainstorming buddy I could honestly ask for. Could not have written this without you. 😁

It's almost two. He's later than he was supposed to be, because somehow the night construction crew on 4th don't need to take pee breaks. He had to wait half an hour for an opening to get by the site, but he's finally made it home.

He walks into the lair to find you asleep on the couch, cuddled with one of his blankets, and five pumpkins left. The living room is a wreck. Thin foam slices and shapes, along with more than a handful of candy wrappers (most likely your dinner) litter the couch and the ground around you, he's relieved to at least see a mostly empty bottle of water. He smiles down at you fondly. You had a way of taking on more than you should probably handle. He was a perfect example of that.

After a quick shower to rinse the city off of him, he goes back to the living room, snatches up a pumpkin and an exacto knife, and sits back on the recliner. He props his foot up on the coffee table and glances over at you before getting to work. Even unconscious, he was awestruck.

From the moment you met he was drawn to you. He's not even sure he can place what it was, but somehow he found himself caught in your eyes. Every touch, every whisper was the most beautiful agony. For two years his head fought his heart, reminding him every moment of every day that he was unworthy of you.

He still doesn't get how he managed it. You. He's still so damn confused, but he's past questioning it. He seems to be what you want. You seem happy, and he's been on cloud fucking nine for the last three years. There's obviously been some growing pains, and considering, to your knowledge, a relationship like this has never exactly been done before, patience and understanding have been a must. But when you're lying in his arms, it's more than worth all the bullshit.

And he's having so much fun.

Being with you has been the most incredible time of his life. And the moment he was able to say that he was yours, it felt like none of the other shit mattered. You somehow saw the beauty in the beast, and despite everything, still chose to stay. And now that he finally has what he wanted, and has for years, he feels like there should really be a "something next."

He couldn't give you everything. He could barely give you anything. Somehow, It seemed to be enough. But there were some human experiences he wanted to have, too.

He glances over at you, still asleep, and smiles. He can hear Donatello scolding him as he pulls the ring from his pocket for the fifteen time today. He should really just put it away. But he was proud.

It took him a year to make it. A ring of white gold beset with a deep red asscher garnet, and small triangle cut moissanites resting on either side of the band.

He didn't feel right giving you a stolen ring, and giving you something he found in the garbage was unthinkable, so between sourcing the materials and learning an entirely new skill thanks to Donnie (who has a bit more experience working with metal), he'd only just fit the stones this morning, which is why he NEEDED to see you. He was excited (and terrified) Even if it isn't time yet, it's finished, and he's been pouring his love for you into it for a year.

Now to figure out the hard part.

He hears your phone buzzing as your alarm goes off and fumbles to quickly hide the ring. When it's no longer in his hands, he smiles over at you, "Morning, beautiful."

You smile sleepily over him. "Hi..." You take a deep breath and stretch, yawning, before your eyes fly open. "Shit!" You fell asleep.

"Relax" he soothes, before you can panic, "I finished 'em up for you."

A wave of cool relief washes over you and you sink back into the couch. "How did I ever manage life without you?" you ask with a soft smile.

"You didn't," he clarifies, "that's why you needed me." He grins as your laughter fills him. "Why don't you go grab a shower and get ready for work. I'll get these packed up."

You stand and stretch and he looks at you fondly (and a little lecherously). You catch his stare and smirk, walking over to him and leaning down (only slightly), for a kiss. "Your amazing," you whisper against his lips, before you pull away and open your eyes.

You head towards his room to grab a change of clothes before going off to shower. It isn't until he hears the bathroom door close, and the shower turn on that he lets out a heavy sigh of relief. Too close.

He looks at the foam explosion in the living room for a moment and is about to start tidying up when he has an idea.

Opening up each of the pumpkins as he goes, he tosses some candy into each one before putting it in the cart, leaving the last five he carved for last. He checks the time and grabs one of the sharpies and a pack of post-it's out of your bag and gets to work.

As his hand is lifting the lid of the last one, a haunted house, you are coming down the stairs. He tosses the note in quickly without looking, closes it up and places it on the cart with the others.

You reach him and stand up on your tip toes to kiss him. "Thank you for saving my life," you say.

"Someone's gotta," he replies. You scrunch up your face and he grins, kissing you again. You kiss him back and bite his lower lip, he growls, still smiling, "don't start something you ain't gonna be around to finish."

"I'll make it up to you," you breathe into his ear, his hand tightens around you waist, "besides," you say pulling back with a suggestive brow, "I do owe you a thank you for the help last night."

He walks you to the garage and rides up the elevator with you. As your hand touches the door to exit at street level, he quickly pulls you back into him, kissing you fiercely. "I love you so fucking much," he whispers as he pulls away, grinning.

"I love you too," you say, slightly confused, your suspicious feeling from the night before returning, "what's going on with you?"

You don't miss the flash of panic in his eyes. "Nothing," he insists a little too emphatically, "I mean, what do you mean?"

"I don't know..." You say, eyeing him as he tries to appear casual, "you're being weird."

"Babe, I'm a six-and-a-half foot talking turtle, I'm made of weird."

You laugh. A few years ago, he could have never made that joke. He's come so far and you are so damn proud of him and the reptile he's become. "Okay, granted. Weirder, then."

He looks like he really really wants this conversion to be over, "you're gonna miss your train," he offers helpfully.

And if he wasn't right, you would have stayed to wring it out of him.

...

Tag list

@thelaundrybitch @the-cauldron-witch @fyreball66 @ninnosaurus @tmntngl @thegirlwiththeninjaturtletattoos @zagreustomb @ramielll @silverwatergalaxy @gornackeaterofworlds @daedric-sorceress @sophiacloud28 @iridescentflamingo

...

Part 1 . Part 2 . Part 3 . Part 4 . Epilogue (🌶️ Fem!Reader)

#bayverse raphael #raphael x reader #tmnt raphael #tmnt #bayverse raphael x reader #raph x reader #tmnt raphael x reader #tmnt bayverse #teenage mutant ninja turtles

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allyheart707 · 9 months ago

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*walks into Room /w the turtles* me: I come baring gifts!!

*walks up to Donnie* “I got you noise canceling headphones and a weighted blanket! I.. I tried my best to get you a book, but they wouldn’t let me.” I kneel down and whisper “you’re doing great. I know it’s a scary situation and there a lot happening right now, but I believe in you. I’m so proud of how well you’ve been handling this change. Please remember it’s ok to be different and feel big emotions or no emotions at all. Don’t let anyone down you for who you are.”

*walks up to Leo* “I got you a wooden-play sword (for some reason that was ok for me to give you-) and a unicorn plush!” I whisper “you’re going to be just fine. Just know that you’re enough. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. I’m so so SO proud of you. You’re the best fighter I’ve ever seen, you’re amazing! I adore your fighting skills. You’re not worthless. You shouldn’t have to earn people’s love. You’re deserving of all the love in the world.”

*walks up to mikey* “I got you finger paints and glitter!” I whisper “thank you for helping people. Your heart is so so big and beautiful!” *hug*

*walks up to Raph* “and last but never least, I got you a heart-shaped pillow and a friendship bracelet!” I whisper “you can do it. I love your kindness. I appreciate your want to help. You’re doing a great job bringing people and yourself together. Thank you for looking out for your brothers. Don’t worry too much big man.” *hug*

I would have drawn this all, but I’m in a motivation burn out rn :,) At least I was able to draw the gifts :D!

You are totally fine not being able to draw everything- I super get it! I also didn't end up drawing a lot for your response- but hopefully you still like it! It's more my retelling of events rather than continuing the story? Also- sorry in advance for how long it got, I was just very excited about all the adorable words you told each of them and how they would respond to it ;v;

Your ask was such a joy to read- tysm for sending it! :DD

Donnie stares at the large assortment of items in the person's hands, wondering which were for him, and for some of them.... what they even were. The human comes to him first and he tenses, confused as the stranger kneels down to his level. Odd, but Carol does it enough that he isn't completely lost.

“I got you noise canceling headphones and a weighted blanket! I.. I tried my best to get you a book, but they wouldn’t let me.” He stares at the items offered for a moment, then takes them with a small nod. He doesn't really know how to feel about them yet.

He holds the blanket that was covered in small glittering stars in his hands, the weight oddly comforting- Like when his brother hugs him, or the times he would hide under their bean bag. It was familiar. And, after inspecting the other grey object in his hand and connecting it to the words she spoke about "noise canceling", he assumes the soft cushions were meant for his ears. He slowly tested them out- pressing one against his right ear. Determining the effect wasn't painful or uncomfortable, he slid them all the way on.

The sound of Raph and Heishis whispered conversation, of Mikey's excited squealing, and of the humming of the vents was suddenly dulled.

It was.... nice.

He knew he should thank the person, he should be as excited as Mikey who was still squealing by her side.. but he didn't know the human. With the new room, his new "brothers", and everything else that had been happening.... he couldn't bring himself to force a smile or even muster a thank you, though he knew he should.

“you’re doing great. I know it’s a scary situation and there a lot happening right now, but I believe in you. I’m so proud of how well you’ve been handling this change. Please remember it’s ok to be different and feel big emotions or no emotions at all. Don’t let anyone down you for who you are.” She whispers to him.

He still didn't want to talk to the new lady, or smile at her, or thank her. But now he felt a swell of relief flood through him, because that was okay. So, he took the gifts with another nod and found his way to the corner of the room, watching with silent awe as she began to pass out the rest of the gifts.

Heishi watches tensely as the enemy first approaches Donnie, claiming that they had gifts for them. Right, like he would fall for that. This was clearly some scheme to lower their guard- but he was a warrior, not some child who could be so easily swayed.

He noted as Donnie made his way to the corner, blanket and headphones in hand. That left the strange viles, the sword (it was wooden, but with enough force maybe he could.... hmmm no, not yet. Not while still stuck in a locked room...), and a few other softer objects that he couldn't quite make out.

Then, it was with dread he realized that the enemy was approaching him next. His shoulders raised and he showed his teeth, hoping to scare her off. Thankfully, it seemed to work as she stopped a few feet away, bending down and offering the sword to him

“I got you a wooden-play sword (for some reason that was ok for me to give you-) and a unicorn plush!”

... Why would she give him a sword of any kind? UGH! Was he really that unthreatening? Was he really so bad at his one purpose that they would mock him by giving him weapons knowing they could beat him?!

... well he would show HER! He will take that silly play sword and-

“you’re going to be just fine. Just know that you’re enough. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. I’m so so SO proud of you. You’re the best fighter I’ve ever seen, you’re amazing! I adore your fighting skills. You’re not worthless. You shouldn’t have to earn people’s love. You’re deserving of all the love in the world.”

... well, now it didn't really feel like she was mocking him- maybe she was just crazy.

"Yeah... well, I am the bestest warrior... I don't gotta earn anyone's love, cuz I'm... I'm just that cool. Heh." He stammers, rushing to grab the sword and the other item he hadn't really noticed before.

When he got a safe distance from the enemy, he wasn't exactly sure why he turned his back to the enemy but he just.... couldn't face her. His whole chest felt warm and oozy in a way he wasn't sure was normal.

He shook his head and focused back on the items in his hand.

The sword...

and...

Mikey was bouncing on his feet as he followed the new scientist around the new room. She was so nice- he hoped she would stay forever and ever! Maybe she could convince the scientist to let Carol come back and they could all play together? He squeaked again a the thought.

“I got you finger paints and glitter!” It took a moment for Mikey to realize she was talking to him, to absorbed in his daydreams of introducing her to Carol and George.

He claps his hands together and looks up at the sparkly tubes and jars of color that she held out for him. It felt like Christmas all over again!!

“thank you for helping people. Your heart is so so big and beautiful!”

He was hugging her before she could even finish the sentence, and he couldn't help but chirp with glee as she hugged back!

"Thank you! Ohmigosh!" He pulled away after a moment, taking the jars from her hands and spreading them out around him on the boring brown floor.

After a few moments of struggling against the lids, the vibrant colored jars were now open. He let out a mischievous giggle that turned into a cackle as he made up his mind:

These floors were not going to be boring brown any longer-

Raph stood awkwardly at the table, watching as one by one his brothers were distracted by the humans gifts. Finally, she turned to him.

“and last but never least, I got you a heart-shaped pillow and a friendship bracelet!”

His tail lightly twitched behind him, unsure if he should be excited or nervous. Pops told him that humans were dangerous to mutants like him but... this one seemed okay... maybe if he asked her nice enough she would take him home?

...no, no... he couldn't tell her where his home was. Dad said he could never, ever, EVER tell anyone where they lived.

But... then how would he get home? He frowned.

“you can do it. I love your kindness. I appreciate your want to help. You’re doing a great job bringing people and yourself together. Thank you for looking out for your brothers. Don’t worry too much big man.” She ended her small speech with a hug, which he melted into.

Yeah. I'm Raph, their big brother.

He had gotten this far, had found his brothers, had brought them together- even when pops said he that it wasn't possible!

And, now he just had to bust them all out of here!!

He smiled at his new friend, and gave her a toothy grin.

Raph was going to be the best big brother they ever had!

#ally asks #rottmnt #tmnt #rise of the tmnt #little subjects au #turtle tots #rottmnt seperated au #little subjects 1000 #ally writes #ally art

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severeturttism · 2 months ago

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[SFW] rottmnt! michelangelo - shell painting!

Mikey was a unique one by nature and not necessarily nurture, is a statement you came to acknowledge after only a few weeks of knowing him during your earlier teenage years - bumbling, and croaky, and awkward, but no less ambitious. His brothers, of course, were not far off of the mark either, in their own uniquely quirky ways.

And if there was one thing you and the box-turtle bonded on heavily, it was your love of the arts - in all forms.

Meeting was a blessing in disguise for you both as teenagers - whilst you were feeling particularly alienated to your classmates due to your abstract fascination with artistry, Mikey was literally a mutant turtle with a love for the same thing, and it made you fast friends. A friendship that cultivated and formed far far faster than that of the one you shared with his brothers.

You and the sunny orange-clad turtle painted, sculpted, make use of your limited photography skills, tried your hand at some ceramics (which, although didn't go exactly to plan, you now both are the proud owners of matching deformed coffee cups), and even worked to more traditional drawing means. Everything.

That's why, when you saw videos through social media of people painting patterns onto their pet turtles shells... you had an idea.

"Mikey, can I paint on your shell?" You didn't hold back your question, nor your excitement. Mikey looked a little lost at first, head tilting ever so slightly to the left as he contemplated on it - but as quick as his confusion came, it was replaced with infectious joy.

"Sure!" A sequence of conversation and melodious churring followed.

And that's how the remaining three brothers found you. Kind of. Painting was a tiring hobby, and being painted on was even more exhausting, who could blame you both for going to sleep?

Raph felt a small smile quirk onto his face, ignoring Leo and Donnie's whisper-shouting argument behind him - observing the intricately traced multicoloured paint strokes on his littlest brothers shell, moving his gaze to the same multicoloured paint coating your fingers and painting shawl. Swirls and stars and hearts professionally placed and beautifully composed.

But, above all else, the three of them observed the way you two were cuddled up close, Mikey unconsciously nuzzling his snout into the top of your head - arms and legs tangled with one another, to the point that they wouldn't know where you ended and Mikey began had it not been for the fact that their little brother was a green mutated turtle.

"Let's leave them be," Raph softly spoke - bringing a blanket to cover the two.

"They're in loooove- Ow! What the Hell DonTron?!" "You're being too loud Nardo, you're going to wake them up!"

"Guys, what's going on...?" "Uwahhhh, what's happening...?"

Yeah, Raph wasn't happy.

#🧡 angelo #rottmnt x reader #rottmnt mikey #rise mikey #mikey x reader #teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt #rottmnt

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yourlocalartsonist · 3 months ago

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MONTHLY MFIP UPDATE✨✨

9/24 | Month 2 | Next Month | Month 1

Hey folks 🦐 I finally got the chance to make this month’s MFIP Update cuz god damn life was kicking my ass. College is fine for the most part tbh, just a lot of reading and writing cuz of the specific classes I chose. HOWEVER I have 💥FUCKING PMDD💥 so um skill issue on my part but it’s why I’ve been kinda exhausted as shit this week and was late with the update so my bad folks! (Also for more info on PMDD, click here! I don’t wanna spend this post yapping about it but wanted to leave a resource to spread awareness just in case :3). Also, Imma be tagging some of y'all who have been reading/supporting MFIP consistently just for this post, so yk you guys actually know these updates exist. I was gonna do that for the first ever update but as with many things, I forgor, so I'm doing it now! They’re supposed to come out on the 18th of every month, but yk sometimes life happens and I’m a lil late. It won’t be any earlier than the 18th tho so look out for these once it hits that date! Anywho, cheers to this month’s update!

Alrighty folks we be starting with the Art~!

Alrighty so obvious new thing, WE GOT RAPH’S REF SHEEEEEEEET TEEHEEEEEEE

BRO IM SO HYPE ABOUT IT! It turned out so genuinely amazing and I’m ridiculously proud of it! Especially cuz I honestly thought Raph was gonna be a harder design to figure out yk? I’m not used to drawing his body type, I wasn’t as familiar with his outfit, and even tho I’ve sketched him a few times before, I was just a bit nervous with Raph. Funfact, he’s also been the hardest to figure out how to write back when I was first starting MFIP. I genuinely don’t know why, but I got there eventually (I actually really love writing him now—) and same thing happened with his design!

Since MFIP’s taking place a few months after the Krang invasion, i’m able to take creative liberties and update the boys’ designs more! For some clarification btw, in my story’s lore, the invasion took place in September 2020, and MFIP starts on March 2021. Anywhizzle, my ideas for the boys’ designs is to combine their movie look with their show look, cuz while I do LOVE the black on them, it doesn’t feel right to me to not make them still unique in their own ways. These guys are all about authenticity, so why make their gear exactly the same, ya get me? I basically recolored his show gear to be black and red (and added a lil asymmetry on his legs) cuz I think it makes Raph feel older and more sure about himself, just feels right for him! I also just think the red fade on the black is hella cool! Fun lil color theory i think application, the black is more of a really dark, inky blue, so it makes the red pop out even more! I decided to make a bow out of his mask tails, too! I don’t wanna spoil the entire lore reasoning for it yet (it’ll pop up in the story), but I can indeed say it’s intentional that it looks a little like a lunamoth with damaged tails :3 I also took a BUNCH of creative liberties with his sais’ handles, since we haven’t really seen it much so like idk gaslight yourselves into thinking it’s always been this epic✨✨

Also I gave him his shorts back because FUCK YOU I LIKED THE RED TRIMMMM—

OH I ALMOST FORGOT yes he has longer eyelashes! I saw he grows to have really pretty eyelashes in the future cuz of his turtle species, and I wanted to lean into that by showing they’re starting to grow now :3

Bullshit Gag Because Yes‼️‼️

There ain’t shit to say about this, I just pulled a silly. I saw the fact Donnie was supposed to have a “Doctor Donatello” persona in the deleted episode where Dale turns into a werewolf. I’m really heavily on the train of Leo being the team medic and into medicine in general. I don’t think it makes sense for Donnie to be the medic judging by his sensory issues and this mf being as much of a germaphobe as my mom, and in my opinion it felt too stereotypical anyway to have Donnie be the medic. Ofc, to each their own, and this is just my interpretation of it, but I thought it’d be funny if Donnie still had this persona and was passionate about it, but was like horrifically bad at being a doctor. I made this dumbass sketch that I’ll finish sometime in the future (it’s gonna be a chapter in Arc 3 probably) and I just wanted to share it with yall~

THEY’RE HUMAN NOW⁉️

My ass wanted to show off cuz I’m sketching out some ideas of what my human designs for the boys culd be. I already did Leo’s like ages ago so he’s not on here but I’m realizing as I’m typing this my dumbass forgor to post it so um my bad I will do that in a few days—

But I wanted to design (or more accurately, redesign cuz I did draw em once a while back but I’m not satisfied with them) and I think I ate so far so uh yea. There isn’t any logic to sharing this, I just thought it was cool😭

And actually, imma share them here too just so y’all can see my boy ;w;

(A lil outdated cuz I didn’t give him lips at the time)

Okay there we go~

As you can see, I want all the boys to look kinda etherial and like they'd turn heads, and I think I am SUCCEEDING SO HARD SO FAR CUZ DAMNNNN THEY'RE ALL PRETTY AS SHIIIIIIIT TEEHEE✨ Also am tryna make sure they actually look Blasian since that's what the canon of my story says they are. I'll talk about them more another time when I have all of them on here~

But yea that's all for art this time folks :> ONTO THE NEXT THINGGG

Chapter Progress Time Whoop Whoooop‼️‼️

I didn’t make much progress on anything this month due to college—again, it’s fine, but there’s a shit ton of time management going on in my part to just manage everything and make sure I’m on track—BUT I am indeed still working on chapter 10. We’re up to 20 pages now which is only two more pages written from last month, but it’s kinda cool writing Donnie and I feel like I’m getting a better understanding of him! One thing I’ve been tryna do is understand autism better as a condition cuz I do wanna acknowledge and show bro’s autism instead of just ignoring it due to a lack of understanding. Donnie ain’t Donnie without it, ya know? I don’t know everything and tbh I would say I still have A LOT to learn on the subject matter, but I’m tryna expand my knowledge every opportunity I get and experimenting with how to better show it! This is to say tho, I’M NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL, NOR AN EXPERT ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM. This is what I’m finding and comprehending via my own research, and can tbh end up being wrong so please don’t quote me as a reliable source, I’m still learning ;v;

I remember one of the things I kept hearing about was autism leading people to struggle with empathy. The best way I heard it being described was someone bringing the example of when their friend was upset. That person can’t truly feel their friend’s emotions because they’re not the one experiencing it, so can’t properly understand how it’s making their friend feel. But they can see that their friend is communicating their sadness, and they still try to comfort them and make sure their friend knows they’re there for support. I understood it as bringing logic to emotions in a sense; collecting data and figuring out how to handle the situation based on the data rather than using intuition alone.

I’ve been using that to figure out how Donnie might handle more emotionally subtle situations, where he might try to rationally work through what’s happening and kinda substitute it in place of natural empathy. Like the little tidbit I gave above! Instead of just automatically being able to get vibes that the other person is upset, I felt maybe Donnie would instead notice the fact their tone is kinda different from before; it’s basically a data point. With that data point in mind, he could connect it to past experiences where a tone change could indicate a mood change, and as a result he might conclude that Salena’s tone change means she’s upset. I comprehend it as manually working through empathy rather than it being second nature, if that makes sense. Obviously and thankfully Donnie isn’t gonna spend the entire chapter playing a guessing game or anything with Salena’s emotions, it’s just one lil moment that I thought was cool challenge to myself with when writing him! I really love putting myself in the characters’ shoes when I’m writing them or their dialogue. I highly recommend it as a tool too, since it's helped me a lot with staying in character!

Last Lil Segment Y'all

Aight so, I wanted to try doing something cool if y'all are up for it. I really love rambling about my story and lore and characters blah blah blah, but I don't really know how to do so tbh. I'm not that familiar with how social medias work cuz I just never took it seriously, and I don't wanna just keep being like HEYYYYY ASK BOX IS OPENNNNN like I'm screaming from the top of the hill either. Sooooo insteaddddd

I think it'd be fun to do Q&As here! Or at least something similar. I'll open my ask box again and feel free to send any questions you want; it can be about the story, past lore, design questions, getting to know the characters, absolutely anything! Then when I'm gonna do my update for the month, I'll compile all y'all's asks, (prolly will have to tag to make sure you guys know I answered it, or if you ask anon then uh idk look out for the monthly update) and then answer them during the monthly update as the last section! I think it'll be a cool way to make this feel more interactive, and gives me an excuse to ramble. Don't be afraid to ask potentially spoilery questions either! If it's something I can't spoil yet or even give hints or vague answers about, I'll just say so in the update!

Anywhizzle, That's All Folks~!

I'm glad there was so much to talk about this month! I actually deadass thought it would be short but I should know better with my yapping' ass💀✨ But yeah, thanks for reading everyone! I hope y'all enjoy the rest of your days, and I shall see you next month~ Bye :D

Tageroonies:

@yosajaeofficial @chaoticspeedrun @ramblehour @randomcerealbrand @goldanrabbit @m1sf0rtun3 @foundthethief @ackalice @jellyfishheartsss @dollyrin @harukonene @iieieiw @mwantstossleep @zipzaizen @hypocriticaltypwriter @lordfreg @rainbowpr1sm @idioticsky @oleander-nin @cheeselord-official @skittlesqueen101

By the way, if you guys think you’d like to be tagged whenever an MFIP chapter is posted, lmk in a reblog or comment (no asks or dms plz, too inconvenient) and I’ll be sure to tag so it’s more reliable than tumblr notifs :3🫶

ROTTMNT: Moths Fly In Packs

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beetleviolet · 9 months ago

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So uh... anyone remember this post? About rottmnt Raph and Leo post invasion?

@midwesternvibes i did it.

I didn't go super deep into it because like. What do you even do in that situation lmao. And I'm not sure I did the idea justice. Idk. Might do another draft before I post it on ao3. Super proud of all my metaphors and shit tho.

(Tw: PTSD, panic attacks, crying, negative self talk, suicidal thoughts (kind of?? Blink and you'll miss it. Its a hyperbole anyway but better safe then sorry))

meteor shower (quick, take cover)

The worst part about it was that Raph had seen it coming.

They were all jumpy. Trigger-sad and still pulling themselves back together. The crashing of pots as they spilled out of the cupboard, and everyone in the kitchen jumped out of their skin. Leo flinched a second time as Raph landed from his (admittedly embarrassing) hop. His little brother's breath hitched and hitched and he ducked his head to the floor, staring staring staring. His cane clattered to the floor.

“Oh buddy…” Raph dropped his voice soft. Leo's eyes locked onto him. He stumbled, arm reaching blindly behind to find its grip on the counter. He fell, frame shaking. His eyes didn't leave Raph's, Raph's right eye, droning up and down his arm. Hitch, hitch, hitch hitch hitch.

Raph took a step forward. And Leo-

Leo

Leo raised his arms, taking himself to the floor without the support. He ducked his head, limbs already starting to retreat into his shell. And Leo looked up at him, eyes big and shaking and welled up tears and and and

Beside him, Mikey unfroze, bounding forward before Raph could stop him.

“Mike, I don't think-” He trailed off as Leo peaked up, reaching for Mikey with unrestrained sobs. He held his little brother close, only looking up to watch Raph. Again, their eyes locked.

Terror. Panic. Horror. Fear. The hitch hitch hitch when Raph raised a hand. So he stepped back instead. Back and back and back until he was running out of their kitchen, glancing over his shoulder in time to see Leo relax, just a little. Just enough.

Raph punched his wall. His wall, this time. Not Leo's or Leo or anything else. He breathed, hard eyes roaming and landing on a pile of stuffies by his pillow.

He'd like to say he did anything else, but Raph fell into bed, held a stuffed cat tight to his chest, and cried.

The plushie's name was Kitty-Kitty. Once, when they were really little, Leo tore her arm off in a fit of rage and safety scissors. Raph cried and then Leo cried and then Mikey cried, overwhelmed with it all. Leo sewed the arm back on and even added a little heart on her sleeve. The clumsy stitches had long since fallen out, but Raph had sewn them back year after year and kept it and held it close, tight to his chest as he cried like a child. He cried and he cried. It seemed the world was constantly finding new and creative ways to break his heart. (Or maybe not so creative because)

(Well)

(He'd seen it all coming)

Raph let himself drown, let himself toss and turn and wallow in the salty leftovers on his cheeks. Like a beached whale, he let himself wallow, just a bit.

Donnie once said that dead whales could explode. Maybe Raph would explode. He wished he would, just a little, if only so he wouldn't have to get back up and see that look in Leo's eyes ever again. Ever, ever again.

But he would, wouldn't he? The next panic attack, the next mission gone awry, the next the next the next… It kept going and going. The next… what if Raph got weird again? Leo had always been the best at calming him down, bringing him back. What if Leo couldn't do it? Got too scared, was hurt too bad? Decided that it just. Wasn't worth it.

Raoh let another wave of tears wash over him. Usually after a good cry he felt cleaned out, hollowed chest and burning nostrils, insides sanded and painted with white wash, fresh and new. Maybe it was just a bad cry, because he still felt all stuffed and overwhelmed and big and heavy and gross, insides all slime and goo and and and

Raph picked up that train of thought, dragged it through his mind palace, and threw it in the moat.

He took stock.

Raph was tired. His nostrils burned and any emotion was still a messy, unnamable blarehorn, though his eyes had nothing left to produce but the liquid ache that flowed like a lava lamp behind them.

Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock

That was Leo's knock. Raph tensed. Leo's knock was usually accompanied by a greeting or a yell or the sound of something breaking. It was odd to just…hear the knocks, all hesitant and lonely.

“You there, big guy?” There it was. Leo's voice was still gravelly from earlier, still a little quiet. Raph's heart clenched. He stacked his courage and spoke,

“Hi.” Wow. Nice one, Raphie.

“Hey.” Leo was close to the door. Raph could imagine him, shell against the wall, his arms crossed and head tilted back so he could speak without having to face the quiet subway car, a new dent on its side.

Maybe he had his forehead up against the cold metal of the sliding door, condensation decorating its surface, staring at the floor. Staring, staring, just a little.

Or maybe he was just standing there like normal. Raph doubted it, somehow.

“Listen, Raph, I..” His voice broke, a lightning strike down the middle. Lightning actually does hit the same place twice, Raph remembered Donnie explaining, more likely to, even. “I'm so sorry.”

“‘s not your fault.” His voice was a twin wobble. Leo chuckled,

“Heh, snot…” Raph felt his mouth twitch up.

“...do you wanna come in?” He asked, trying to keep his voice from being all nervous and weird. Like Raph was anything but nervous and weird. Super weird.

Leo didn't answer, but Raph heard the jerk of the handle and the door slid open. And…

Post-panic attack Leo always made Raph want to scoop his brother up in his arms and never let him go. With red eyes, shaky and distant, quiet breaths before a quick deep one, like he suddenly remembered how. Everything about him was… dialed down. Like he was too tired to keep his brightness up all the way.

It's not that he wanted Leo to pretend he was okay, but reminders that he wasn't hurt too. And Raph couldn't scoop his brother up and never let him go. Besides the obvious impracticality, he would just make everything worse.

But his palms turned up without him meaning too, and Leo stumbled forward and wrapped his arms around Raph's neck. Not too tight, just there. Secure. Raph's hand hovered over his brother's shell, not daring to brush the cracks, almost trembling at the thought of falling anywhere near Leo's throat. So small. Leo was larger than life, but Raph's little brother was so, so small.

“This is lame,” Leo whined, “Hug me!”

“You sure?” He asked. Whispered. Leo grumbled, tucking further into Raph's chest.

“It was the Krang, not you.” Raph took a breath, a little shudder,

“Then it was your brain juice, and not you.” Leo didn't answer for one beat, two, three,

“Then hug me, stupid.”

“Aye, watch it!” But Leo didn't so much as flinch as Raph's arms wrapped around him, held him close. They breathed for a bit. It was the Krang, not you. Not you. Not Raph.

Raph pressed his head down, tension whirlpooling down the drain. It was a little odd, wasn't it? Because, well,

He hadn't seen this coming.

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taffycandyqt · 1 year ago

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Hi I was wondering if you could do tmnt 1987 Donnie x a fem trad goth reader and he’s just enamored with her and his brothers are just confused asf as to why a “vampire” is dating their brother

OMG YES! there is a severe lack of 87' content in the TMNT fanbase and it makes me sad. Not to mention I dress goth occasionally so this request got me really excited!

Who in the Halloween is That?!

87' Donatello x fem trad goth reader

Fluff, crack

Donnie Brings his goth girlfriend to finally meet his family. His brothers are happy for him but Donnie is a little to enamored with his girl to realize that they're also a little concerned.

Donatello and you have been dating for a little more than three months. He had been out on a mission to find a missing part for his next invention when you instantly caught his eye with your unique style. You were an employee where he was looking and he was fascinated by your choice in clothing, it was so different than anything he had seen before. So he approached you. And with the confidence of a shy fangirl meeting her celebrity crush, asked you if you knew where he could find what he was looking for.

You, of course, helped him find it but right before you went on your way, he complemented your outfit and asked you out. Then the rest is history. There were a couple of things to smooth out as with all relationships, but you guys were a match made in heaven.

Now, you both were at a place in your relationship where Donatello felt like it was finally time to introduce you to his family. He actually introduced you to April first, to ease you into it. She was surprised to say the least but really happy for you guys. Honestly, she was proud of him.

Nows not the time to reminisce however. Not while your sitting at a table with Donatello's family staring at you like your the mutant.

"Umm, Donatello, who's this again?" Raphael said gesturing to you.

"I'll introduce you all in a minute, I want everyone to be here so let's wait for Master Splinter." Donatello replied as he was setting the table.

Leonardo sat down next to Raphael as Michelangelo brought out the pizza and sat it in front of the others. Michelangelo side eyed you curiously but looked back fast once you noticed.

Safe to say, it was a little awkward.

When Master Splinter entered the room he greeted you and then sat down and situated his sushi. Once everyone was seated the began to eat. Donatello quickly snatched you a slice before it all went missing. You smiled at him as a quite 'thank you' and he smiled back.

"So, gonna introduce us to your new bud Donatello?" Michelangelo flopped his pizza around to gesture before punctuating his sentence with a large bite.

"Yes!" He answered, almost like he forgot, "Everyone, this is Y/N L/N, my girlfriend."

Everyone except Splinter choked on their food at the sudden news.

"G- girlfriend?" Leonardo coughed out.

"Since when did you have a girlfriend Donatello?" Raphael questioned.

"Well we've been together for a couple of months and-"

"Months?! And you never told us?!" Michelangelo interrupted.

"Well I'm telling you now aren't I?" Donatello crossed his arms.

"Now my students, relationships are a complicated thing. They take time and Donatello and y/n have decided to tell us when they felt the time was right." Splinter explained, "It is good to meet you. I am glad my son was able to find someone that brings him happiness."

"Thank you. I'm glad I get to finally meet all of you." You said.

After that the dinner became much more comfortable and you enjoyed the conversations you were able to strike up with Donatello's family.

After dinner, Donatello wanted to give you a tour around the lair and show you some of the inventions in his lab. Master Splinter decided to leave them be and meditate in his room while the rest of the brothers congregated in the living room per Michelangelo's request.

"Okay dudes, I know how this is gonna sound, but I need you to listen to me here."

"Just get on with it Michelangelo." Raphael responded, already wishing he could watch his comedy skits on the television.

"Donatello's girlfriend is a... VAMPIRE!" Michelangelo emphasized by raising his arms.

"A vampire. Really."

"I'm serious dudes!"

"Michelangelo, I get that y/n might dress a little differently but that's no reason to assume that shes a vampire."

"It's true! Let me show you!"

Michelangelo began to pull out their movies and display the covers of each.

"Observe, exhibit A. 'The Vampire Girlfriend', the vampire dates her prey to not only to eat him but to get access to more meals through his family!"

"Oh, oh no Michelangelo! I think your right! Not!"

"Come on Michelangelo a movie?"

"Wait theres more! Exhibit B. 'The Vampire Alien Next Door', the vampire comes off as a friendly person to gain their neighbors trust before they suck their blood!"

"Again, Michelangelo, it's just a movie!"

"Do any of these 'vampires' even dress like y/n?"

"Pay attention mi amigos! Exhibit C. "Attack of the Goth Vampire Clan'."

Leonardo and Raphael studied the cover before looking at one another.

"Whelp, I'm convinced." replied Raphael.

"Yup, that's pretty solid evidence." Leonardo agreed.

"So dudes, now that we all see the truth, the question is, how do you expose her?" Michelangelo asked.

"Well we can't just let her stay with Donatello." Leonardo answered, "We will need separate them."

"Okay, how are we gonna do that fearless leader?"

"I'm thinking," Leonardo responded, "I got it! Michelangelo, break the oven!"

"What?! No way dude, how are we gonna make pizza!"

"Don't destroy it, just, ya know, break it a little so Donatello has to come in and fix it. That way we can distract him long enough to test y/n."

"Okay, sure sure." Raphael nodded along, "but now my question is, how do we test y/n?"

"Oh don't you worry brother of mine, I have a great idea." Michelangelo smiled.

"I don't know Donatello, I think one of your brothers was glaring at me during dinner." You weren't sure what to think, they all seemed to like you just fine except the one. It made you nervous to think one of his brothers didn't like you.

"Oh that's ridiculous, my family loves you! And I mean, how could they not? Your amazing!" Donatello saw nothing but smiles and good food. To him it felt like you belonged there. How could one of his brothers not see that?

"I guess." You sighed, you love Donatello but he tends to wear rose colored glasses when it comes to you. It's caused a few minor spats in the past, but nothing that wasn't easily fixable. Overall, though, it was pretty good for your selfesteem. You've never felt more like a catch in your entire life.

"Hey, don't worry okay? If one of them really doesn't like you I'm sure it just because they haven gotten to know you yet! They'll see how wonderful you are with time. So don't stress okay?"

You couldn't help but smile at your sweet boyfriend. Gosh, you loved him so much.

"Yeah, your probably right."

"I usually am. Now that that's been settled, let me show you the Turtle Van! It's my prized invention and I've wanted to show it to you for forever!"

And with that you were lead along and shown every beep and gizmo that the Turtle Van had to offer. Your boyfriend's creativity and ingenuity never ceased to amaze you.

"And if you just put your hand here-" Donatello moved you hand to a small scanner, "there! Now your hand print has been entered into the vans main frame. You should have access to all it's central controls." As he turned back to you it donned on him just how close the two of you were. Donatello blushed as he gave you some space.

"A- anyways I, uh."

"Donatello! Duuude! I need some of your brains amigo!" called Michelangelo from another room.

You and Donnie left the van to stand at the door way of his lab.

"Does it haft to be me?" Donatello yelled down the hall. This was the first time you had been in the lair. Can't he relish on you presence in peace?

"Afraid so compadre! Your the only one who can fix the busted oven!"

"Oh for the love of-" Donatello rolled his eyes, "looks like Michaelangelo broke something again. It may not be the most interesting thing in the world but we can still talk while I fix the oven if you want."

"Sounds good to me!" You reply. In all honesty you enjoyed watching him work. It was something that made him happy, and how could you to be upset with a happy turtle.

As you entered the kitchen you sat at the table while Donnie inspected the damage.

"Is it bad?"

"No, it shouldn't take me too long to fix this."

"That's a RELIEF." Michelangelo responded putting extra emphasis on 'relief'.

Donatello got to work while you asked him to tell you what happened. He loved explaining the technical stuff to you.

"I said. THAT'S A RELIEF!"

Donatello paused, "Yes Michelangelo, we heard you the first time."

"Oh, ummm. Y-yeah dude. Sorry." Michelangelo then turned to the doorway of the kitchen and gave Raphael and Leonardo a look.

"What does that bozo expect us to do?" Raphael whispered, "She wasn't supposed to follow him!"

"We'll just have to carry on with the plan anyways." Leonardo shrugged.

Raphael sighed but continued anyways.

"Look at this neat new necklace I found Leonardo!" He faked as he walked into the room.

"WOAW Raphael! That's amazing, what's it made of?"

"Oh you know, just garlic woops!" as Raphael pretended to slip he made sure to throw the garlic so it landed on you.

"Oh my goodness!" All three of them turned to look at you, "Are you okay? Your not hurt are you?"

You stood up and pulled the garlic off as you hurried to Raphael's side.

"What's going on?" Donatello stood up and surveyed the situation in the kitchen, "is everyone okay?"

"Uhhhh, yeah yeah. How are you y/n, sorry that garlic got you, hehe." Raphael rubbed the back of his neck and tried not to act suspicious.

"It's fine, it's just garlic. Your the one who slipped flat on your face."

"I'm okay, don't worry about it." Raphael waved you off.

"Why did you have a thing of garlic in the first place Raphael?" Donatello asked.

"Oh, uh... I... just... found, it."

"Oh. Would you like help washing them then?" You offered.

"Uhhhhh, s- sure."

"Okay!" Your turned and went back to where you had let the garlic fall. Donatello gave his brothers a weird look but continued on with the oven.

"There has to be another way!" Michelangelo exclaimed.

"She touched the garlic Michelangelo, what Vampire can touch garlic?!"

"Maybe that's something the movies just added to give them another weakness." He responded, not willing to except that you weren't a vampire.

"Michelangelo, I think its time to give this a rest. Y/n being a vampire is a little ridiculous." Leonardo placed his hand on Michelangelo's shoulder.

"No dudes! I can prove it, this time for sure!"

"Here we go." Raphael rolled his eyes.

It didn't take long for Donatello to fix the oven. After he did he led you back to his lab so you both could spend some time together.

"I also wanted to give you this!" Donatello handed you a hand held device designed like a turtle shell.

"Thank you! ... What is it?"

"It's a Turtle Comm! Each of us have it and all our friends too, now you have one! I didn't want to give it to you before because it contacts through an interconnected line. I didn't want anyone thinking you stole one of our Turtle Comms. But now you can contact me directly at the click of a button if you need anything."

"Wow! Thank you Donatello, it's amazing!"

"Oh it's nothing I-" you cut him off with a kiss on the cheek.

"I-I-I, um, oh, well, I-"

"Oh Donatello. You got a minute?" Raphael asked as he knocked on the labs entrance.

Both you and Donatello jumped a little bit but you weren't to startled. You put your hands in front of you as you looked anywhere but Raphael, you hoped that he didn't see you do that.

Donatello on the other hand sighed and turned to his brother, not to pleased with the constant interruptions.

"Does it have to be right now?" he asked.

"Hey listen. I'm just checking to see if this is y/n's." As he said this Raphael shoved a cross necklace in your face. Why he had to do the brunt of the work for these plans, he had no idea. He just wanted to get it done quickly.

Donatello separated Raphael from you, as he was in your personal space, and turned to you.

"Is it yours y/n?" He asked.

"No I don't think so."

"Great, so Raphael, you can-"

"Well in that case y/n, you can have it." Raphael said as he tossed it to you, "It doesn't belong to any of us and finding the original owner in New York of all places is out of the question."

"Oh. Thank you, I guess?" You had caught the cross and looked at it. It want anything special, just a regular silver cross on a cheap necklace chain.

"Well I'll leave you two be." and with that he winked at Donatello and left the lab.

"There Michelangelo, she held the cross with both hands and nothing."

"She's still a vampire dudes I'm sure of it!"

"You get one more test to convince us Michelangelo. Then Raphael and I are done and you put this whole vampire thing behind you and be happy for Donatello."

"And if she is a vampire?"

"Let em' date." answered Raphael.

"WHAT!?"

"Unless she wants to suck his blood, right?" Leonardo questioned.

"Obviously."

"My turtles, what are you doing?"

"Michelangelo over here thinks that Donatello's new girlfriend is a vampire and has had Leonardo and I running around with him trying to prove it."

"I see. And what is your basis for this assumption Michelangelo?"

"It's because- OH! Master Splinter do you mind if we borrow your long mirror? It's the only one in the lair that can we move and everybody knows that vampires don't have reflections!"

"Hm." He thought for a moment, "Yes. But if you would wait my students. I have some business to attend to before I can lend it to you."

"But sensei! Time is of the essence!"

"And patience is a virtue."

"Okay my sons, here is the mirror." Splinter hands Michelangelo his long mirror. He had informed them before that he would like stay to make sure they don't break it. So that's what led Splinter, Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo hiding in the living room waiting to jump y/n.

"Donatello! Can you come here for a minute? I need a sparring partner to practice my katas but Raphael and Michelangelo are busy!"

"Sorry Leonardo, but I'm busy too!" He called back.

"Please Donatello! It's only one move, it shouldn't take too long!"

It was quite for a little bit and that's when they heard foot steps.

"-but what are katas?" They heard you ask.

"Oh it's a typ-"

"AHA!" Michelangelo said as he jumped out of his hiding spot to put the mirror in front of y/n. As he looked at the mirror there was very clearly no reflection.

"I TOLD YOU DUDES, LOOK! NO REFLECTION, SHE IS A VAMPIRE!"

"Wait what?!" Raphael said as he and Leonardo ran to take a look at the mirror.

"It seems your intuition was correct my son." Splinter told him.

"Yes, it seems it was." You said menacingly, "And now that you know, I hope your aware that I can't leave you alive."

"Wh-what are you saying y/n?!" Donatello exclaimed.

"It's been fun Donatello, but a girls gotta eat." You lunged at him and his brothers were all to slow to stop you before you reached him.

You wrapped your arms around his neck and started...

laughing?

Both you and Donatello were laughing.

"Umm, dude, most people scream when they're being attacked by a vampire." Michelangelo said, stunned and very confused.

"Uhh, Michelangelo, look in the mirror." Leonardo instructed.

"Dude nows not the time for-" as he turned around to face Leonardo he saw that he didn't have a reflection either.

"Wh-what?"

"Is Michelangelo a vampire too?!" Asked Raphael still freaked from the whole ordeal.

"No my students. When you told me about your belief in y/n being a vampire, I took the mirror you wanted to use to Donatello. I informed them of the situation and what you planned on doing."

"We decided to have a little fun since you've all been pulling our legs all day. I switched the mirror out of the frame with a screen. I uploaded a scan of the entire lair and programed it to simulate a reflection of the spaces based on its positioning. However because it is a screen projecting a pre-performed scan, instead of reflecting light, no one standing in front of it would have a reflection." Donatello explained.

"Then all we had to do was implement a bit of expert acting and you were fully convinced!" You finished.

The three of them stood there stunned.

"S-so you really aren't a vampire?" Michelangelo asked.

You held up a compact mirror to your face and angled it towards Michelangelo so he could see your reflection.

"No, I'm really not." You smiled.

"My students, let this be a lesson to you on judging someone based on appearances. In some cases it is necessary for your safety. However, for most situations, especially one like this, it is important to give someone the chance to demonstrate the content of their character before jumping to conclusions on who or what they are."

"You're right sensei. Y/n, I'm sorry, I guess I just got too caught up in my movies."

"We're sorry too." Raphael started.

"We didn't believe you were a vampire as much as Michelangelo did but we still contributed to his antics." Leonardo finished.

"Aww, that okay guys. You aren't the first people to think I'm a vampire though, so don't worry about it." You told them, "Though usually the people who think so are around the age of five."

"Well that makes sense, Michelangelo stopped maturing after age five!" Raphael snarked.

"Hey! I am very mature!"

"Now Michelangelo, you shouldn't repeat everything you hear on TV!"

"THAT'S IT COME HERE!"

Michelangelo began to chase Raphael.

"OH BOY, television really is making today's youth more violent!"

"WHY I OUTTA!"

As the kept running around Leonardo turned back to you.

"I do hope that this first impression doesn't scare you off. We're glad your here and want you to know that your always welcome in our home."

"Oh don't worry about it, it's totally fine. But thank you." You smiled at him then turned to Donatello and grabbed his hand, "I should probably go home now though, I told my parents I was at a friend's house and it's getting close to when they want me home. Can't have them calling her house, afterall you have yet to meet my family."

"Oh boy." Donatello nervously chuckled in response. That would definitely be an adventure for another day.

------------------------------------------------------------ This took me so long but I really like it! The dialogue might be a bit fast paced but it think it's still fun. One good thing about writing for 87' is that a lot of the humor in the series is derived from ridiculous situations and things that don't make sense. So it was pretty easy to come up with situations for this one because it didn't need to make logical sense🤣🤣

#tmnt 1987 #leo tmnt #mikey tmnt #raph tmnt #donnie tmnt #87' TMNT #TMNT x reader #1987' donatello x reader #Donnie x reader #87' Donnie x reader #trad goth #87' Donnie #87' Raph #87' Leo #87' Mikey #X reader

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theyhavetakenovermylife · 2 days ago

Note

Hear me out! Pillow Talk with the 2k3 Turtles or the Dark Turtles! The aftermath of a passion filled night or a spur of the moment! Is one cuddly and needy after? What would they say to reader in the afterglow?? Would they get nervous and dare ask “how was it?” Would reader be round 2 ready? lol ❤️💚💙🧡💜

Pillow Talk (Fluff?) (18+)

Dark Turtles x reader

A/N: It’s a long time ago since I’ve done the Dark Turtles, so why not go with them. I don’t think the Dark Turtles would get particularly nervous, but I do think they would have their own little quirks. Anyway, here you go, hope you’ll enjoy🖤💚

All characters are aged up.

Warning: Implied sex before and after, implied orale - female receiving.

Dark Leonardo:

Dark Leo is an absolute sucker for the tender moments that happened after sex. He would never admit it, but his actions betrayed him. With sweat just beginning to evaporate from the two of you and your legs still entangled, he loved it when you laid there in each other’s arms, still relishing in the afterglow of the orgasms you had had just moments ago.

You didn’t necessarily have to talk during these moments. Sometimes you and Leo found that comfortable silence spoke louder than words. And after what he had just put you through, it wasn’t strange for you to get drusy in his arms, before falling asleep with a satisfied smile. It made him feel strong, like a protector. And there was just something about the fact that he had gotten you so worn out, that made Leo feel proud. He did that to you. He made you feel so good, that you almost couldn’t stay awake anymore.

During these moments Leo would watch over you, his eyes filled with love as you fell asleep against him. Just moments ago you had been begging him to make you cum over and over again, and now you were so exhausted after gaining exactly what you wanted, that you couldn’t keep your eyes open. Leo couldn’t help but feel a little proud of himself. He did that to you, and you let him do that.

It wouldn’t be long before Leo too fell asleep with your head on his plastron, knowing that when you woke up, the two of you would go take a shower and clean up together, but not without another round in the shower.

Dark Raphael:

Though you may be absolutely worn out after several rounds with Dark Raph, feeling your body ache with that wonderful pain that only could come about from sex, your eyelids getting heavy, don’t expect to be sleeping straight away. Raph loved to cuddle and talk, just moments after having had his dick inside of you, pounding you into absolut oblivion.

Raph loved talking to you about anything between heaven and earth, adoring how you still had trouble speaking, after - as Raph liked to put it - having had your speech fucked out of you. It was nice and calm, with a silence rarely heard from you and Raph when alone in bed.

However, with you and Raph being the way that you are, the silence wouldn’t stay long. Soon - as you regained your ability to speak - the two of you would find something to argue about for fun. That would evolve to the two of you poking each other, until one of you found poke a ticklish spot. And that would undoubtedly turn into a tickle fight in the bed you had just had sex in.

Raph loved the feeling of a mock fight, even if it was to see who could gain dominance during a tickle fight. It triggered some deep animalistic urge in Raph. Whether that was his turtle side or his kanabo side, he couldn’t tell. But with you still sore from your earlier love making, it wasn’t hard for Raph to overpower you. And that would - in many cases - turn into yet another round of a good pound.

Dark Donatello:

After the hot and heavy sex, that you and Donnie had been engaged in for what felt like several wonderful hours, Donnie loved to talk to you. Sometimes you would talk about the sex you had just had. You would talk about what you liked and what you didn’t like (not that there really was anything that either of you didn’t like), which you could bring with you to the next time you got physical with each other.

It wasn't because Donnie was scared you didn’t like what he was doing, but because he liked for both of you to feel heard and seen. Maybe he did this one thing he thought that you were really into, only to learn that you weren’t actually that much into that, and would actually like Donnie to stop doing it. Same thing for him. But so far there hadn’t been anything like it, but Donnie liked to keep the space open, making sure you both felt safe enough to speak your mind. In other words - Donnie found good communication with you very sexy.

Maybe that is the reason why, his tail seemed to get a mind of its own when you were talking, growing restless before slowly making its way for you. Gripping a soft hold of your ankle while neither you or Donnie noticed, before slowly making its way up your legs, until you couldn’t help but notice the unmistakable feeling of Donnie’s tail gliding across the insides of your thigh, going for either your backdoor or front.

Round two with the assistance of Donnie’s tail? Round two with the assistance of Donnie’s tail.

Dark Michelangelo:

When talking about pillow talk, many people might think of something calm and intimate. Soft spoken with tender touches, and love filled looks that spoke the words “I adore you”, over and over again, while holding each other close, like you were fragile and easily bruised. Well, if that’s how you think of pillow talk, then you obviously haven’t met Dark Mikey.

Pillow talk with Mikey wasn’t this intimate and calm affair some might expect. It is filled with one bad joke after another, that somehow still managed to crack you up. He was bouncy, rarely sitting still with you in the bed, even if your legs was aching from all the things Mikey had done to you just a few moments before. It was just part of Mikey’s charm, and the thought of him doing anything else felt strange and foreign to you.

Just because Mikey was a kanabo clone of Michelangelo, it didn’t mean that he was free of his counterparts' ADHD tendencies. And one of the places where these tendencies became apparent, was when the two of you rolled around the bed, still feeling the dopamine and adrenaline from the highs you had just been through. It was here that Mikey remembered all the things he had been wanting to tell you throughout the day. He told you about that adorable dog-like creature he had seen on the street, and how he thought about telling you the moment he saw it. Basically sharing everything that had happened to him throughout the day, as a way to show that he often thought of you.

However, Mikey’s nature dictated that he couldn’t just sit and talk to you for hours on end - especially not when you were still naked from your prior actions, looking ever so enticing for Mikey and his constantly wandering mind. Let’s just say, Mikey’s mouth went from talking to performing another welcomed act, this time between your legs.

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obsidiancreates · 5 months ago

Text

Out of the Shadows and Into The Neon (Part 9)

“Okay, everyone line up.”

The four children scramble into a line before their fathers, standing at attention. Raphie tries to look stern as he stands before them, ready to lay down the law, but…

Raph has his arms crossed and little twin sai hanging at his hips, Leo is looking up at Raphie with an attentive and dutiful expression, Donnie has his little bo already held in both hands, Mikey is crouched in a squat ready to leap onto the nearest fire escape and get to the rooftops…

Raphie can’t help it.

Instead of continuing his planned speech, he bursts into tears and scoops all four kids into a big hug.

“RAPHIE IS SO PROUD OF YOU BOYS!” he sob-shouts. “YOU’RE ALL GROWN UP!”

“DAD!” Raph pushes against his father, trying to get Breathing Room moreso than actually escape. “YOU’RE GONNA CRACK OUR SHELLS!”

“Seriously, bro, you gotta set ‘em down.” Leon plucks his son out of Raphie’s grip. “Don’t make me give the ‘stay where we can see you’ speech! I’m the cool dad!”

“You’re all the cool dads!” Mikey wiggles, and slips out of Raphie’s hold. He falls to the ground and lands in a crouch, one hand on the cement of the alley floor. “And cool uncles!”

“Guh!” Donnie squirms, but makes the least progress in escaping his uncle’s loving capture. “Uncle Raphie, I-I think I see a light!”

Raphie lets go, and as Raph falls he kicks off of one of his dad’s spikes to catch Donnie before he hits the ground. Raphie sniffles, wiping his eyes and taking a deep breath.

“Okay,” he says, voice still wobbly. “Now remember. This is a practice patrol, and we’re gonna do our best to avoid any fights. If one breaks out, you run and hide together and call Auntie April and facetime her until the fight is done. Got it?”

“Awww, but Dad! Why do we have these if we’re not gonna use ‘em?!” Raph pulls out his little sai, spinning them in his hand fast enough to make a metallic shhhhhing! sound before gripping them tightly and raising them for battle. “I wanted to kick some butt! And you just said we’re all grown up!”

“Raphie meant it felt that way because Raphie can remember when you were all tiny babies!” Raphie pinches his fingers together for emphasis.

“This is why direct communication is always preferable to emotional outbursts,” Donald says flatly. “Kids, you’re all still too young to take on any big fights. The weapons are an absolute last resort in case the literal worst occurs!”

“Which it won’t,” Angelo assures, partly to the boys but mostly to Raphie. “Just remember to keep up, call out if you fall behind, and if you see a villain, tell one of us!”

“But we’re already ten years old!” Raph keeps a grip on his sai. “We’re totally ready for a fight!”

“Not with an adult, little man,” Raphie says, rubbing his son’s head. “If you want to fight another ten-year-old, though, just make sure the kid is a jerk who deserves it.”

“Orrr, how about we don’t fight anyone, huh?” Leon elbows Raph. “Especially not human ten-year-olds.”

“What about yokai or mutant ten-year-olds?” Mikey whispers to Donnie.

“I think we can assume they fall under the same ruling,” Donnie whispers back. “But the three of you can claim misunderstanding, I guess.”

“Sweeet! Sorry your big brain means you can’t fight with us, Dee.”

Donnie sighs. “I could always say I had to jump in.”

While the two “younger” boys whisper to each other, Donald and Angelo lean their own heads together.

“Do they know we can totally hear them?” Angelo whispers.

Donald shakes his head. “Note to self, add ‘proper whispering techniques’ to the list of things I never realized I’d have to teach someone until I became a parent.”

“Alright, huddle up!” Raphie waves the kids closer. “Now just hop on our backs and-”

“Too slow, uncle-brah!” Mikey, practically vibrating with excitement, springs up onto the fire escape ladder and begins making his way to the roof like a bouncy ball on a mission!

“Junior, wait!” Angelo dashes after his son.

“Okay, nobody follow Mikey’s exa-!”

Raphie is cut off as Raph, Donnie, and Leo all follow Mikey’s example, leaping and flipping their way up to the building rooftop all on their own. Raphie watches, tearing up again.

“Your chasm is getting deeper again, bro.” Leon watches the boys with a proud smile of his own, but it slowly turns into a frown. “Heyyy… does this mean they’ve been sneaking out to practice their building-climbing?”

“Not according to the lair entry and exit logs,” Donald says, pulling up said logs on his wristpad.

“You record our entries and exits?”

“But of course! After the Big Mama incident when they were six!��

Raphie and Leon both Oooooh in understanding, then crouch and spring up to climb the building themselves. Donald uses his hovershell instead, meeting his family at the rooftop, where Angelo is clinging to Mikey and checking him for scrapes.

“Daaaaad!” Mikey pops into his shell in protest. “I only wobbled a little like, one time!”

“You almost fell!”

“Did not!”

“Hamato Michelangelo Jr, I know an almost-fall when I see one! Your uncles and I didn’t learn to skateboard right out the eggs, you know!”

“RAPH! SAVE ME!”

Raph, though, is too busy rolling on the back of his shell pointing and laughing- until his own dad picks him up.

“I was in the middle of telling you to keep close and jump on our backs to get up here!”

“We aren’t tots anymore, Dad! We can get around without riding on your shells all the time!”

“Wait, but, I still think that’s fun!” Mikey shouts as he pops his head back out of his shell. His limbs follow soon after, and Angelo sets him down so Mikey can scramble up Raphie’s back and wrap his uncle’s neck in a hug. “It’s cool, Uncle Raphie, don’t listen to Raph!”

Donald and Leon both look down at their own sons- who have the decency to look away sheepishly, Donnie laughing a little and rubbing the back of his neck while Leo taps his fingers together shamefully.

“Just saying, this is not a great way to build our confidence that you’re ready for this,” Leon says. “Look, I get it. Rules totally suck, especially when you’re a kid with a lot of energy and total rad ninjocity to go with it. But you guys don’t have any experience with this kinda stuff yet-”

“Yeah we do, when we went to the yokai hote- mmmph!” Mikey’s reminder of their little sneak-out is cut off as Raph quickly covers his mouth and drags him over to Leo and Donnie so the four are grouped up again.

“Okay, you have a little experience,” Leon allows. “But still not enough for us to feel like you’re okay to be doing this stuff on your own. The plan was for you to just hop on our backs to get up here and then follow along on your own, but now I think we should have you on our backs until you get a good idea of what patrol is actually like.”

Raph releases his little brother with a scowl. “Way to go, Mikey!”

“Hey, you followed me too!”

“Boys, no fighting!” Raphie pats his shell, and Raph reluctantly climbs up. “Little man, are you actually mad at your brother for going up first, or are you mad at yourself for following his lead?”

Raph sinks against his dad’s shell, like he’s trying to hide among the spikes. “Mad at myself for screwing up,” he mumbles.

“So what do you want to say to Mikey now?”

“... Sorry, Mikey.”

“And?”

“Do I have to?”

“Raph.”

“Fine. And… I shouldn’t take it out on you when I’m upset with myself, I should take time to process it and deal with it healthily.” With each grumbled and embarrassed word, Raph sinks lowers and lower among the spikes until he’s basically lying flat on his father’s shell.

“It’s okay Raph,” Mikey says from his own dad’s back. “I’m sorry I went up without listening or waiting for anyone.”

“I’m so proud of you both,” Angelo sniffles, making Mikey beam and Raph even more embarrassed. Angelo’s years disappear as he points off into the distance. “Now enough rules-laying! It’s time for RAZZMATAZZ!”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Four shadows leap with ease from rooftop to rooftop, silent despite the huge stature the silhouettes imply. The bright neon glow of the city around them hardly touches the ninjas as they effortlessly move, unseen and unheard.

But the lights touch something else.

The hearts and awe-stricken souls of four young boys.

Clinging to their fathers, the boys all stare out at the city with wide eyes. The neon lights reflect, some colors seeming to linger a bit longer than others. Bright blues glow in Leo and Mikey’s eyes, toxic green gleams in Raph’s, and deep reds shine in Donnie’s.

“Dad?” Leo says as they land.

“Yeah?”

“Can we come up every night?”

Leon’s heart melts at the soft, awed tone in his son’s voice. “Someday, mi hijo.”

Leo hugs his dad’s neck a little tighter- and then too tightly. Leon chokes for a second, reaching up to loosen his son’s hands. “Whoa-”

“Dad, look!” Leo points.

Leon looks down at the street to see that Leo is pointing at a group of humans all filing out of a… reality office? They’re all somewhat slack-bodied, eyes wide-open and swirling.

Leon stops, and without a word his brothers stop too. He crouches and squints. “Don? Is that something mystic, or did a really bad lawsuit just hit that office?”

Donald reaches up to flip his mystic goggles down, but Donnie beats him to it and flicks them onto his father’s eyes. A robotic arm comes out of Donald’s battlehell to rub Donnie on the head as Donald’s normal organic arms adjust the settings. “Ooooh, it is definitely mystic.”

“Come on! It’s been quiet for weeks and now something happens?!” Leon groans, dropping his head dramatically at the timing of it all. “Okay, Raphie and I will go check it out, you and Angelo stay with the boys.”

Angelo and Donald both give a thumbs-up as Leo and Raph climb down from their dads’ shells and stand next to their uncles. Leon and Raphie hops down, sneaking into the office through an open window.

“Thank gosh for those new window-sizing regulations,” Angelo sighs as Raphie peeks his head back out and slams the huge window shut.

“Yes, an incredible stroke of luck for Raphie and his continued ninja-ing, he said completely non-suspiciously.”

“... Doooonald? Did you lobby for the city to require windows to be bigger so Raphie can keep sneaking into places?” Angelo grins at his brother.

“Technically since Mutant and Yokai are more or less a known ‘secret’ is it really lobbying to simply… throw money at politicians until they make more mutant-friendly building regulations?”

“Awwwww!”

“No, no no stop gushing! I am still the detached bad boy!”

Donnie giggles at his dad’s statement.

“Gasp! Not you as well! My own progeny!”

“Well, technically progeny would imply we’re genetically related, Dad.”

“... You know you’re adopted?”

“Was I not supposed to?” Donnie climbs down so he can look his dad in the eyes. “I mean, we aren’t the same kind of turtle, or even mutant turtles.”

Donald looks, slowly, over at his nephews. Who seem unphased, only equally as curious and perplexed as their brother.

“How long have you all known that?” Angelo crouches down and Mikey slides off so his dad can look him in the eyes. “Do you need to talk about it?”

“Why would we?” Raph asks, shrugging with his arms crossed. “Auntie April isn’t related to us either. Or Auntie Cass. Or Uncle Casey.”

“Papa Draxum isn’t even related to us, really,” Donnie adds. “Why would we need to talk about it?”

“Well… usually, with human families, being adopted is kind of a big deal.”

“Well, sucks for them.” Raph grins, somewhat deviously. “Just another way our family is way cooler than a boring normal one!”

“Yeah!” Mikey hugs his dad. “You guys are our dads! Nothing else matters!”

Donnie looks up as he feels water drip on his head. “Uh, dad?”

Donald is covering his eyes with his forearm, tears streaming down. “That one really got through.”

“Um, would a hug make this better, or worse?”

Before Donald can answer, there’s a scream. A familiar scream.

Donald and Angelo scoops the boys up as Leon comes crashing into the rooftop.

“Dad!” Leo pushes out of Angelo’s hold and rushes to his father. Leon groans and stands, a little battered but not seriously hurt. Leo hugs his leg. “Dad, what happened?”

“Okay, so, little good-news bad-news situation,” Leon says. “Good news, it’s just Hypno and the worm guy looking to not have to wait in line to find a bigger apartment.”

“And the bad news?” Donald leans out over the edge of the building.”

“Hypno may have hypnotized Raph into being their bodyguard against the rest of us.”

“What?!” Raph runs over to the edge of the building and jumps–

Only for one of Donald’s robotic arms to grab him mid-air.

“I have to go help my dad!” Raph swings his tiny sai at nothing.

“We will go snap Raphie out of it,” Donald says, setting Raph back down by Mikey and Donnie. “You four stay here! Don’t worry, Hypno and the… worm… thing… are complete villain lightweights. For us. Not for you.”

“But-!”

“Raph,” Leon says, kneeling down to put his hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “You know how upset your dad would be if you were in danger because of him, right?”

Raph’s eyes go wide, and he looks down. He grips his sai harder for a second… and then slumps, spinning them and putting them back on his belt. He steps back, huddled up with his brothers.

“We’ll be back before you can say ‘cowabunga’,” Leon promises. “Remember, call Auntie April!”

And the three fathers hops down from the building.

And their sons are left alone.

“Uncle Raphie’s gonna be fine, bro,” Mikey assures, putting a hand on Raph’s back. “They beat those dudes every time.”

“I know. … But they made him hurt Uncle Leon.” Raph sniffles and wipes his eyes. “Dad hates when he even-even accidentally hurts him during sparring or something.”

They all move back, hiding in the shadow of a billboard, and wait as the sounds of shouts, crashes, and portals sound from below. For a while it’s all they hear, until-

“Hey!”

“AHHH!”

All four spring up, drawing their weapons at once and spinning around to face the voice.

A little bird yokai girl, no older than them, hovers above. Her arms and wings are one and the same, yellow feathers drifting off as she flaps somewhat frantically to stay aloft. She’s majority yellow, with black accent feathers at the ends of her wing-arms, and a few on the top of her head that look kind of like a poofy topknot bun. She’s got a smart little deep-pink suit, and her orange beak is dotted with pink freckles.

Mikey relaxes a little, lowering his nunchucks. “Oh, hi!”

The girl arrows her eyes. “Are those guys down there your dads? “Four of them are!” Mikey puts his hands on his hips and grins, even as his brothers all gape in disbelief at his openness. “The other two are evilll villains!”

The girl scowls. “Your dads are beating up my dads!”

“Oh! You-your Hypno and the worm’s kid!” Leo chuckles nervously. “Um, our dads are just-”

“Totally ruining our chance of getting a penthouse!”

“... Will it help if we tell you they just want our uncle un-hypnotized?” Mikey tries as his brothers all glare at him.

“My dad hypnotized him because he needed a bodyguard!”

“Why’d he need a bodyguard to rent an apartment?! Huh?!” Raph points up at her with one of his sai, matching her scowl.

“Because we can’t afford one, we need it free, and some stupid humans have a problem with us doing that!”

“Listen, we all think housing should be free–” Leo says, and his brothers all nod in unison, “– but our dads only went in to see what was happening, and yours made it into a problem!”

“Oh yeah?!” The girl drops down, landing on her feet, feathers puffed and ruffled. “Well yours are ugly!”

“HEY!” Mikey spins his nunchucks again. “Take that back!”

“No!”

“Well you’re ugly!”

“Mikey, don’t! We’re not supposed to get in a fight, remember?!” Donnie whispers harshly.

“Too bad!” The girl throws her wing-arms out. “You’ll regret the day you ever insulted the dads of Tweetie Stone!” “Ah… sewer apples.”

#tmnt 2012 #rottmnt #tmnt crossover #reincarnation au #fanfic #my attempts at fanfic #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise of the tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles 2012 #teenage mutant ninja turtles

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