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macgyvermedical · 3 months ago

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Reference Guide to Writing Drug Withdrawal

So your character has a substance use disorder (or physical dependence to a substance for another reason). This post will tell you how to write a scene (or story) in which they go through withdrawal.

NOTE: THIS POST DOES NOT INTEND TO COVER ANYTHING EXCEPT WITHDRAWAL, WHICH IS A VERY SMALL PART OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE.

Substance Use Disorders and Physical Dependence:

Substance use disorders are chronic illnesses in which a person continues to use a substance (commonly nicotine, alcohol, cocaine, opioids like heroin or fentanyl, benzodiazepines, etc...) even when acquiring or using the substance can be dangerous or cause significant problems in their life (such as problems with money, safety, law enforcement, job security, child services involvement, or physical problems like wounds, infections, side effects, hangovers, and withdrawal). Substance use disorders are a common cause of physical dependence.

Physical dependence is also it's own problem and can occur for other reasons too. For example, many people take prescription medications that they would go through withdrawal from if stopped abruptly (say, because the pharmacy couldn't fill it in time and they ran out). Assuming that the medication is being taken as prescribed, physical dependence in itself does not mean someone has a substance use disorder.

So what is withdrawal? Withdrawal (sometimes called "detox") is the process by which a body stops being physically dependent on a substance. Generally speaking, it is unpleasant. This is because when a body is exposed to a substance repeatedly, it changes how it functions to accommodate that substance. When the substance is removed, there is a period of time where the body has to re-adjust to not having the substance.

For example, alcohol is very similar to the neurotransmitter (brain chemical) GABA. If you drink a lot of alcohol (more than about 4 drinks per day) for longer than about a month, the body decreases the amount of GABA it makes naturally to accommodate the "fake" GABA from the alcohol. If the alcohol is suddenly removed, the body doesn't have enough GABA, and the effects of not having enough GABA result in withdrawal symptoms.

The difference being, someone taking a medication they no longer want to take can slowly reduce the dose to minimize withdrawal symptoms. Someone with a substance use disorder usually finds cutting back nearly impossible. Because of this, managing physical dependence in someone with substance use disorder generally means giving them a similar substance which they get from a pharmacy and take continuously (methadone, buprenorphine), or a similar substance they can then taper off of in a controlled way (benzodiazepines, gabapentin).

Specific Withdrawal Syndromes:

Alcohol/Benzodiazepines:

These are the only two substances that result in a potentially life-threatening withdrawal syndrome, and it's essentially the same syndrome. As stated above, when taken for either 2 weeks for benzodiazepines or 4 weeks for alcohol, the body decreases the amount of GABA it produces naturally. GABA is the "brake pedal" in the brain, slowing things down and decreasing the amount of activity. If you don't have enough GABA, you get too much activity, which can result in severe anxiety, insomnia, seizures, hallucinations, high blood pressure, temperature, and pulse rate, heart arrhythmias, and confusion.

6-12 hours after a person's last drink, they will experience insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and headache.

12-24 hours after a person's last drink, if untreated with benzodiazepines or gabapentin, they may start to experience hallucinations (they typically know they are hallucinating at this point).

24-48 hours after a person's last drink, if untreated, they may start to experience seizures.

48-72 hours after a person's last drink, if untreated, they may start to experience a severe symptom known as delerium tremens. This is a state where they are hallucinating severely and they don't know they are hallucinating anymore. This is also a state where the person has heart rhythm problems that could result in death. This is the most dangerous period during withdrawal.

If a person makes it through 72 hours, they are usually in the clear as far as life threatening symptoms go, though they may experience mild symptoms like headaches and insomnia for long periods afterwards.

Note that medication for alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal like other benzodiazepines, phenobarbital, and gabapentin are given only for the first 5 days of withdrawal, tapering to lower doses each day. This gets the person through the dangerous part hopefully with no life threatening symptoms. It does not mean all symptoms are controlled, but they are hopefully kept on the milder end while the brain learns to make it's own GABA again.

Opioids:

Opioids include a range of drugs including prescription medications like oxycodone, hydromorphone, and morphine, as well as street drugs like heroin. Today, the street drug supply in many places is heavily adulterated. Many samples of heroin (and even "pressed pills" made to look like prescription opioids) contain the much stronger opioid fentanyl (which increases risk of overdose) and the sedative xylazine (which causes wounds) in addition to the expected heroin or oxycodone.

Opioids work by pretending to be endorphins- another neurotransmitter usually used by the body to reduce pain and stress. Similarly to GABA in alcohol use, the body reacts to having sustained high amounts of fake endorphins by decreasing the amount of endorphins it makes itself. This means, when the opioids are no longer present, the body can't make itself feel good or recover from pain.

There are many parts of the body that endorphins work in, including the brain, gut, nerves, and spine. When they are removed, symptoms include:

Nausea and vomiting.

Diarrhea.

Insomnia.

Anxiety.

Increased body temperature.

Racing heart.

Muscle and bone pain.

Sweating.

Chills.

High blood pressure.

There is not really a universal timeline for these symptoms like there is with alcohol. For someone who primarily uses short-acting opioids, withdrawal begins 8-24 hours after the last use (though anxiety and cravings can start much sooner). For people who primarily use long-acting opioids, withdrawal can take up to 36 hours to begin following the last use. Generally, symptoms peak within 1-3 days after they start, and acute symptoms last 10-14 days.

Unfortunately, someone who has an opioid use disorder will frequently experience cravings for very long periods of time (potentially the rest of their life) after they stop use. For this reason, people do significantly better at reducing or stopping use over the long haul if they are taking an opioid replacement drug like methadone or buprenorphine.

Methadone and buprenorphine are prescription medications that a person goes somewhere each day to get (methadone) or picks up each day from the pharmacy (buprenorphine). The drugs essentially make it so the person won't go into withdrawal and will have significantly fewer cravings for as long as they take the drug.

The management of opioid withdrawal is usually done by switching the person from a street drug to one of these opioid replacement drugs. However, it is important to note that methadone doesn't work immediately (usually it takes about 2-5 days of titrating it up to get it to a high enough dose to work, longer if the person has a very high tolerance). Buprenorphine requires a certain amount of time in withdrawal (usually a day or two) before it can be given, or it can make withdrawal worse instead of better (something called precipitated withdrawal).

Once someone is on one of these medications, they can choose to stay on them (recommended) or taper off (nice to be off meds in theory, but high rates of return-to-use).

Cocaine/Amphetamines:

Instead of pretending to be a neurotransmitter, stimulants like cocaine and amphetamines prevent the body from re-absorbing the neurotransmitter dopamine, leading to a whole bunch of it hanging out in the brain. This increases concentration and energy and boosts mood. However, taken over long periods of time, the brain kind of burns out and fails to respond to the high levels of dopamine.

You may have heard that amphetamines and cocaine don't have withdrawal states. That would be a myth. People who use stimulants repeatedly for long periods frequently have a withdrawal that is essentially the opposite of the effects of stimulants- they feel very tired, have trouble focusing, and feel depressed because their brains can't use dopamine the same way they did before the drug use. This may last for weeks after cessation of stimulants.

Unfortunately, unlike with alcohol and opioids, there's not a ton that can be done for this withdrawal. There have been several studies, including testing medications like the antidepressant mertazapine, the migraine medicine topiramate, as well as naltrexone and buproprion (also an antidepressant).

In Conclusion:

There is so much more to drug use, substance use disorder, and physical dependence than I am covering in this post. I am just covering a small part of physical dependence, however the cause, by discussing the effects and common treatments for withdrawal.

Thank you all for reading this far! I hope you learned something and will use it in your writing!

#whump reference #writing reference #whump #drugs #medications #drug withdrawal #substance use disorders #which is a better way to put it than addiction tumblr #physical dependence

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redflagshipwriter · 6 months ago

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Halfa Cass Chapter 8 part 2 of 3

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“I will work with Black Bat?” Robin paused, looking between her and their Batdad. Batdad was still in his slippers and sweatpants.

He nodded at Robin. “That’s correct.”

“Finally,” Robin said. “A professional.” He turned on his heel to dismiss their Batdad from the conversation. “I will go suit up.” He waited a moment for her acknowledgement, not approval.

Cass gave him a double thumbs up. When he was out of sight she made eye contact with her Batdad and waggled her eyebrows at him. He did a big sigh. “Thank you for taking care of your little brother,” he said, because he meant well but he was really very silly about things. Robin did not need taking care of. Robin needed a place to jump and scream and bite.

She just nodded. No point in explaining.

Black Bat took the wait time to read through the most basic details of the ongoing case. The takeaway was: boring mission. Look at mechanic with her eyes. Take footage of his face. Find his name or other biographical information. Look at any ongoing projects to determine if anything required immediate action. Do not engage. Do not reveal self. Do not fight mechanic.

Boring!!!

It took very little time for Robin to ready himself. Damibat was a true professional, despite the sentimental wishes of the old people.

He spoke to her in sotto voce when they had gathered. “I admit relief.” Robin flicked his mask into place. “I am weary of being quashed by the authoritarian impulses of my…betters.” His disgust was clear. His tone and shoulders said:

I miss Richard. My Father is a fool and Alfred is constraining my artistic soul. The regulations are unending. I do not feel confident of my survival in these conditions. I was forbidden to take home the tiger even though I saw it first. I may wilt.

Poor baby. Her face twisted with empathy. He did deserve the tiger. He would love it very well.

“Wanna drive the Batmobile?” Cass asked.

His sorrow lightened infinitesimally. “I cannot reach the pedals in order to operate it correctly. However, we could take the new cycles.” Robin scrolled to the right inventory item. “I took the liberty of customizing the paint jobs.”

Cass peered over his shoulder. “Ooh,” she said. Shiny. Spiky. “Looks fast. Let’s go.”

“No,” said Brucedad, from a distance. “Take a two person motorcycle and have your sister drive it. You do not have a license, Robin, you are 13.”

Robin made a sound of disgust, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “I am beset by enemies,” he muttered. He stomped away towards their limited options.

Black Bat aimed a disapproving look at her Batdad. “You are crushing his artistic soul,” she informed him.

“That’s a burden I will have to bear,” Batdad said gravely, and put on his reading glasses.

She hissed at him but they took one of the approved models out.

Robin further debriefed her on a private channel on their ride into town, voices muffled to the outside world by their protective helmets.

“One of the previously uninfluential local gangs has been gaining territory and members in recent months. We have attributed this to an influx of unique tools they have access to, which have so far been unconventional tools.”

“Tools for what?” Cass took a hard left turn at a lean and let her fingertips trail just barely over the pavement.

“Excellent,” Robin said about the turn, and then, “they have been used to commit robberies. However, the designs are concerningly martial.”

He did not sound remotely concerned. He sounded approving. Cass asked for clarification with an upwards lilting “Mmm?”

“There was a bazooka that shot temporary voids,” Robin said, sounding young and excited. “They were used to bypass a bank vault and to intimidate a teller.”

Cass lifted her eyebrows and nodded. She could see why Brucedad would be antsy about bazookas, even if they didn’t hurt people.

“There was also a device that created a foam which immobilized those it was deployed against by creating a sort of calcification effect. It ended naturally after a period of hours, but no technique we employed before that seemed to have a weakening effect on the substance. We were unable to attain samples.”

Cass hummed, feeling a little depressed about tonight’s mission after all. Science. Evil science. She was a little burnt out on evil science. She felt tired at the thought. This wasn’t fun.

Damibat noticed. He was silent for a few seconds. “After we confirm the location of the workstation, we could go to the docks,” Robin suggested.

She perked up a little bit.

There was always someone to fight at the docks. Always a drug deal, smuggling big bad things, always something.

“Good plan.”

“We will inform Batman afterward.”

Black Bat nodded her agreement. He didn’t need all the details of their schedule in live time.

She felt a lot better driving out into the night with something to look forward to.

#dp x dc #dc x dp #red halfa cass

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simdertalia · 9 months ago

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🎵 ACNH Music Stuff Set - Part 1 🎵

My lovely patrons wanted to have this set split into 2 parts so that some of it could be posted today, so here it is!

Sims 4, base game compatible (Piano is functional & requires City Living, as it uses the keyboard as its base). 48 items 💗

Always suggested: bb.objects ON, it makes placing items much easier. For further placement tweaking, check out the TOOL mod.

Type “acnh music" into the search query in build mode to find quickly. You can always find items like this, just begin typing the title and it will appear.

As always, please let me know if you have any issues!

📁 Download all or pick & choose (SFS, No Ads): HERE

📁 Alt Mega Download (still no ads): HERE

📁 Download on Patreon

Will be public on June 1st, 2024 💗Midnight CET

Happy Simming! ✨ Some of my sets are early access. If you like my work, please consider supporting me (all support helps me with managing my chronic pain/illness):

★ Patreon 🎉 ❤️ |★ Ko-Fi ☕️ ❤️ ★ Instagram📷

Thank you for reblogging ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

@sssvitlanz @maxismatchccworld @mmoutfitters @coffee-cc-finds @itsjessicaccfinds @gamommypeach @stargazer-sims-finds @khelga68 @suricringe @vaporwavesims @mystictrance15 @moonglitchccfinds @xlost-in-wonderlandx @jbthedisabledvet

Other Instrument Downloads & Related: -Theramin -Gong & Bamboo Drum -Ukulele -Harp -Festivale Drum -Pipe Organ -Street Organ -PA System on Stand -Radios

-Music Tag

The rest of my CC

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wandagcre · 1 year ago

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Heyyy there saw our request still open so could I request mommywands dry humping femreader? Thank you so muchhh

do not touch | wanda maximoff 🔞

(Dom!Mommy!Wanda Maximoff x AFAB!Reader)

You've got a debt to Wanda, awaiting to be paid. She decides to claim it immediately.

WARNING: dom!wanda, sub!reader, somnophilia, mommy kink, dry humping, humiliation, choking - no pronouns referred to reader but they got afab parts +18 / men & minors dni. Words: 2k

You looked peaceful. Unknowing. Innocent. All of the things you haven't been as of lately. Usually, Wanda dived with no hesitance to lay beside you in bed. She's eager for the opportunity to stroke your face with feather-like touches, threading her fingers along your tousled hair, and admiring your features. But she wasn’t craving for sweetness, instead, the need to jump on your bones – for lack of a better word – encompassed her frustration for you.

It wasn’t that serious – was all you’d say, Wanda already expects it. But she won’t let it slide, you have been testing her will as though nothing but determined to push her. Therefore, Wanda decides she'll give you a taste of what you wanted.

It's like an invitation too, given that your shirt rode up and exposed some of your abdomen and your face turned down to the pillow, the lower half caught in a twist so slightly that it gave Wanda a perfect view of your ass.

She hung beneath your resting figure, calculating how the fun part should start. Wanda’s legs were in between, effectively trapping you, and she steadied her weight with hands perched on the bed – right where your head rests, alike to her legs. Your hair keeps away the adorable sleeping face you’ve got. An urge to envelop you temporarily surges to your lover’s chest, you must’ve been tired, much as she was.

But oh one glance was all it took again for Wanda, eyes trailing lower with your back curvatures. So appetizing that she had to wet her lips in excitement. She gives her lower body a tentative glide to your shapely ass. A few more and she's already hooked. Wanda rubs herself with much confidence and better timing this time, sending a jolt of pleasurable force on her now throbbing core. To add, Wanda hummed deep from her chest as she got handsy, her hand already having a palmful of your breast.

It felt exhilarating to her with your body completely at her disposal and a stimulating pedal to her pleasure. The mattress dipped and the springs started to creak ever lightly as her rubbing of her front against your curve was getting more desperate. A drag of sleepy sound comes out of your pretty lips. Wanda does not slow for a moment, but she gauges if you were being stirred to consciousness. Wanda doesn't care anyway.

"Don't move." A honeyed voice warned you. You let out a confused yelp, heart still racing, though now you realize who it was.

Your throat felt dry. Was she… grinding? “Wanda?”

“Possibly, yes.” She snarkily replied.

Relief slowly settles over your body. At least it wasn't a nightmare nor a break-in that you initially felt. It was only your girlfriend who had been desperately needy, wanting your assistance even in your sleepy state. She smelled slightly of sun and transportation, but her distinct scent remained.

Wanda tries to be quiet, yes you've heard of her whimpers and how she initially tried to stifle them. It wasn't fruitful at the end as your girlfriend kept moving her front against the slope of your ass. Moreso, the images of having you in the most sinful ways, being used to her own needs, flashed through her and made Wanda's eyes roll to the back of her head.

To be frank, you were still trying to snap out of your daze. Once you've gotten a semblance of decent consciousness, your muscles attempt to move, perhaps you should be of help right?

"Wanda, baby, tell me–”

But the heel of Wanda's palm was firm and insistent on your lower back begs to disagree – roaming and scratching her nails to the side of your hips, then to your breasts again, like a warning. She wants you as it is. Although, you can’t help but wonder what had your lover all riled up, enough to have you while asleep. Was it the stress under work?

"You feel so good against me, darling." Wanda uttered all velvety that you almost forgot what you were protesting for.

You find your cheeks roughly pushed on the pillow, left with no choice but to take it. Wanda’s scent draws you in like sweet lullaby, the fig and the musk, even the arousal that awaits her undoing. You take deep breaths, all no longer out of surprise, but rather in familiar adoration of the woman – all while she has you pinned down.

"I want to help!" Your voice embarrassingly cracked as you begged.

"D-Do you now? That's rich coming from you." Wanda's ragged and condescending tone sent a delicious shiver up to your spine. She adjusts, head tilted near your head's side to capture your earlobe with her teeth. "You teased me for how many days. Acted like a real brat when all I did was compromise with you. Remember that?" Displease fills her tone, Wanda’s other hand came to push your head to bury you further against the pillow.

It doesn't alleviate the ache and burning that rattled in your body now with how you can practically feel your lover’s nipples grazing hard against your back as Wanda rubs herself needily, unabashed force against you. A blurb of incoherent sounds tumbled out of your mouth, helpless and quite literally bent at Wanda's will.

“I’m really, really sorry!” She knows it was an attempt to make amends. Wanda let out a saccharine chuckle.

Despite her cold demeanor, it only amplified the warmth that soon swallowed the room.

You raised your hips up to aid in her languid grinding on top of you. Miraculously, a positive light comes in. Your efforts seemingly were not about to go to waste, as Wanda was pleased by how willing you are so far that she considered your offer.

"You can turn around for me and stay still. How about that?"

"Yes, I-I can do that! A-anything to help..."

"Good. Thought your pretty mouth was going to say something stupid. like, defying my instructions." You whimpered at Wanda's cynical tone and her harsh turnover grasp over your body as she detaches herself, breathing unevenly. "You're surely familiar with that, aren't you?" Wanda sneered and grabbed you by the cheek, making you look dumb as a fish out of water.

Her fading auburn hair curtained as she hovered beneath you. Wanda’s usual green eyes were almost unrecognizable as her pupils dilated, swarmed by pure unadulterated craving and lust. You whimpered, hopeless.

“What can I do, Wanda?” You were all red and pathetic.

Wanda loved this side of you.

“Funny that you ask now.” She husked out, sloppy kisses placed underneath your jaw. Your toes curled at the sensation. "What's the right title you should use to address me with?"

"Mommy?"

Wanda’s grip now set to pin you again, this time by the wrists placed above your head. Her cunt clenched upon the title that was all familiar and pretty coming out of you.

"Do I hear an answer or a question? Darling, I haven't even fucked you dumb yet."

"No. I'm sorry, Mommy."

A wide knowing grin set on Wanda’s features as she rose up. You can’t help but stare, enchanted by the sight of her. Your lover still wore her work slacks and dress shirt, albeit unbuttoned, making wanda look so effortlessly beautiful even in mess. It worsened the state of your dried up throat that was captivated. Wanda made you hungry for her and she knew it.

All of this just for you to grow wet.

To be complacent was the most you can do after adding to her stress. The price you were paying for came in full stop onto your mind. Recently, you almost walked in topless while she was at a zoom meeting. What were you thinking? Dumb pretty thing. Wanda was infuriated. It didn’t matter if it was accidental on your end – amongst all the other stunts you’ve been pulling.

A slew of moans rang soundly in your ears. Your shared bed was disturbed, shaking lightly. The close proximity did not help your libido that soon spiked, along with Wanda's continuous grinding over the slope of your ass.

Wanda was thrilled with your regret and submission. She slaps your thigh, "Now bring this up for me because I'll be riding you. All you have to do is to not touch – but keep your eyes on me. Is that clear?" She cocked an eyebrow to which you furiously nodded at.

"Crystal, Mommy."

Wanda’s eyes gleamed with mirth. She grinded against you again, wantonly with no shame against your own sweatpant covered thigh. Your wrists still pinned up for good measure as she rocked herself back and forth, absorbing how the wetness provided lubrication to the gnawing burn of pleasure that ebbed as friction of the lightweight fabric did its thing to her core.

Her hips were languid and hypnotizing at each rocking. Soon you were moaning low with Wanda, contrasting your sound with her loud erupting ones.

Her dripping cunt clung and sucked the fabric of the apex material of her slack against your cotton bottoms. Wanda thought for a second maybe she should have ordered you to wear jeans for this session, the rough texture could’ve spurred her further and faster to orgasm.

“Mommy, you look so good..”

You helplessly ogled her writhing state as she used your body for her own needs. It was exhilarating to witness how determined Wanda was. She did not hold back with her lewd expressions and movement that barely faltered.

“Y-yeah? Wish you could touch me now, don’t you?” She taunted you with gritted teeth.

“Yes,” You whisper, defeated.

You can’t even squirm as Wanda used you like an instrument for her own playing. And sly as ever, Wanda made sure her knee slotted to your pussy, albeit, it did not lead to anything further than mere accidental bumps.

"Fuuuck, fuck!" Wanda's uneven breathing and eyes rolling back hard with sclera visible, indicated one thing. her panties, slacks and your own sweatpants now soiled with her arousal, she kept going in a faster manner. "So so sooo good! And you don't even have to do anything. Just gonna use you like this, darling. Until I fall apart," Wanda mindlessly uttered and moaned, her accent slipping as she rubbed herself with much force.

She started to unbutton her dress shirt in a frantic manner, almost ripping them off, all to cup and squeeze her own breasts while she rocks on your thigh that she felt contract and tense.

"Mommy, please...."

Wanda groaned, her tummy warmed up and stirred a new sensation over her as she picked up your words crystal clear. She doesn't halt, only slithers her soft hands under your tracheal region. Like a good girl on autopilot and pure desperation, your hands stay as they were, only arching your neck back to accommodate the hold Wanda has on them.

“Darling, oh god… I-It’s so good!”

She gives your neck a firm squeeze as she cums – your eyes flit to her core that was beyond damp – but so was the cotton material of your sweatpants. Your own pussy began to clench onto practically nothing, as Wanda cried as she fell apart in your thighs, slowing down her movements, dragging it all out.

Oh it was good, alright. Even the scent of her arousal lingered deliciously on your senses.

Wanda was dripping now over you. It was sticky yet satisfying on her end. As she was pleased, yours were aching and begging to be stimulated. Not even touched, you just needed something to ease the emptiness or else you'll lose it. All while your lover was enthralled by the whole sight of you being at the edge of her conniving revenge for tonight.

“Now let this be a lesson.” She grinned deviously, standing up on her feet. She started to undress from her work clothes. It was jarring for you how Wanda did all that – as though nothing erotic and mind blowing had occurred. “Also, no cumming for a while. Trust me, Mommy will find out.”

You squirm with your legs tightly crossed upon Wanda’s sternness, all authoritative. A pathetic groan comes out again of your pretty mouth, no promise of alleviation to come for tonight’s little show.

do not repost/translate on other sites. © wandagcre

#gg.writes #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff smut #wanda maximoff x fem reader #wanda maximoff imagines #wanda maximoff x female reader #wlw #lesbian #wanda maximoff x you #wanda maximoff x y/n #wanda x reader #requested

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tortillamastersblog · 9 months ago

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♕ No Matter What - Part 2 | Lena Luthor ♕

Pairing: Lena Luthor x reader

Warnings: none

Summary: Working as Lena’s bodyguard turns out to be more boring than anticipated. Yes, there have been several attempts on her life right before you were hired, but since then… nothing.

Previous Part | Next Part | Masterlist

________________________________________________

It’s been three weeks and the only words spoken between Lena and I since I started have been anything but personal.

I get to her apartment in the morning to accompany her to the office, then sit around outside her office, sharing light conversations with Jess every now and then before following her into a high end restaurant for lunch where she meets her best friend Kara Danvers, or some business partners.

After lunch it’s back to the office until dinner, which she usually orders in.

It’s only in the late hours of the night that she finally decides to go home. I obviously accompany her all the way until she’s at her front door where she bids me a polite goodnight before shutting the door in my face.

The next day is the same, and so is the one after that. It’s like clockwork. Until it’s not.

I’m running exceptionally late today because the electricity in my apartment building shorted out in the middle of the night, effectively resetting my alarm clock and deleting the alarm I set for this morning.

In a haste I pulled on some clothes, brushed my teeth and fixed my hair, leaving no time for breakfast.

I rushed out of the door and downstairs, struggling with the lock of my bike for a second before jumping on and pedaling as though my life depended on it.

Now, fifteen minutes late, sweaty and breathing heavily, I get to Lena’s apartment building. I rush inside and shove my bike into the janitors closet, ignoring Ann’s laugh behind the reception desk.

I’m just about to call for the elevator when it dings and the doors open to reveal an annoyed looking Lena Luthor.

“You’re late,” she states, moving to brush past me, but then she notices the state I’m in. “Why do you look like that? Did you run here or something?”

I wipe a droplet of sweat off my forehead and grimace. “I biked, actually…” The unimpressed raise of an eyebrow I receive has me quickly adding, “But that’s not important. I’m so sorry for being late, Ms. Luthor. It won’t happen again.”

Lena’s eyes rake over me once more, only this time she seems more curious than scrutinizing.

“It better not,” she quips and for a moment I can’t believe that she’s actually joking.

I follow her outside and open the backdoor of the waiting car. She slips inside and I follow after her, signaling for the driver to go once we’re both buckled in.

The ride is uneventful, so is the trek from the car to her office. However when she stops in front of Jess’s desk instead of walking into her office, I almost run into her.

‘Ms. Luthor, what—?”

“Jess,” Lena says, ignoring my surprised exclaim. “Could you please grab Y/N a new shirt from the lab storage room? Something a little less sweaty?”.

Oh my God…

If I died right now I honestly wouldn’t care. Anything would be better than this.

Jess hurries off immediately, leaving Lena and I to our own devices.

I don’t dare to meet her eyes, but then she laughs softly and I look up to find her smiling at me.

It’s the first ever genuine smile she’s directing at me and it makes my stomach flip.

“Don’t be embarrassed. It just shows that you actually care about your job,” she says and it’s almost enough to assuage my embarrassment if it weren’t for my stomach growling the next second.

Please, just kill me.

Instead of making a big deal out of it, Lena just crosses her arms with an amused smile and says, “How about some breakfast?”

I’m about to decline, but then my stomach growls again and I agree with a shy nod. “Yes, please.”

We enter her office and she asks me to take a seat on the couch while she rearranges some of her meetings to accommodate for the turn of events.

“Ms. Luthor, you really don’t have to do this, I know you’re busy and—“

Lena raises her hand, effectively shutting me up. “Nonsenses. I want to do this. I want to get to know you better,” she hits return on her keyboard, presumably sending off an email to her staff entailing the details of the change of plans and gets up to join me on the couch.

I frown and bite my tongue to prevent myself from asking but why now?

She hasn’t made any effort to get to know me these last couple of weeks. What’s changed?

First the teasing earlier and now this impromptu breakfast.

“Fine,” I say, a little impatient but Lena doesn’t seem to notice, or she just doesn’t care. “What would you like to know? I feel like there’s hardly anything you don’t already know after reading my resume and the extensive background check your security team did on me.”

Lena’s eyes widen for a split second before she recomposes herself. She shifts in her seat and nervously straightens out her blouse. “Actually, I never took a look at any of that.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “What? But then who—?”

The question dies on the tip of my tongue when Lena meets my eyes with a sheepish smile. “Sam took care of everything.”

Ah, that explains why she hasn’t asked about the honorable discharge. She doesn’t know.

I don’t know if I’m supposed to feel relieved or offended. Relieved because it means I don’t have to talk about what happened, or offended because I know almost every little detail about her by now and she doesn’t even know where I worked before agreeing to this position.

For instance, I know that she’s an excellent chess player, she hates Salmon, she takes her coffee black, she doesn’t like tequila, and she’s not one to shy away from a glazed donut every now and then.

“I only really know your name,” Lena continues with a hint of regret in her voice, “which is a shame because you’ve proven yourself to be competent and discreet.”

The corner’s of my lips twitch involuntarily at that last part because I know she’s referring to the time last week I walked in on her doing a dorky victory dance when she managed to solve an equation on her whiteboard.

She’d gone pale when she realized I was there, but I just acknowledged her with a nod and set down the coffee she’d asked for before leaving the office again, not losing a word to anyone about what I’d witnessed.

“Well, alright then,” I say, the tension melting away. “Ask away.”

Lena perks up and clasps her hands together in her lap. “When’s your birthday?”

“November 12, 1990,” I reply easily. “Almost three years older than you.”

“You know my birthday?”

I shrug. “It was in Sam’s briefing on you.”

Lena looks surprised and slightly alarmed. “What else did she tell you?”

“Not much,” I admit with a small smile. “Just the basics like your birthday, where you went to school, and your favorite restaurants.”

Lena visibly relaxes and gets right back to questioning me. “Good, so what did you do before accepting this position? Sam briefly mentioned you were in the Army, but that’s about it.”

There it is. I don’t want to get into this too much, so I recite the answers I’ve been practicing ever since it occurred to me that she would want to know why I’m no longer serving. “I was, yes, but before Sam approached me about this job I was living off some savings and a the little money I made teaching self-defense classes.”

Savings… more like separation pay that followed my honorable discharge.

It’s so ironic that it’s called an honorable discharge when I feel like I was anything but that in the moment it counted the most.

“Really, that sounds interesting,” Lena says, bringing me back to reality. I’m glad she doesn’t ask any follow up questions, but then she continues and my stomach drops. “And what about siblings? A sister maybe? Or a brother? I’m sure you know all about my brother.”

She laughs self-deprecatingly, not realizing I’ve frozen in my seat.

“No. No siblings,” I croak which seems to get her attention. Her brows furrow in concern and she opens her mouth to say something, but in that moment Jess returns with a black shirt in one hand and a brown paper bag in the other.

I jump to my feet, glad about the interruption and take the shirt from Jess. “Thanks, Jess.”

“No worries,” she chimes, obviously not picking up on the vibe in the room. “Here you go, Ms. Luthor. Two French Toasts and a Pain au chocolat.”

Lena gets off the couch as well and takes the paper bag and it’s only then that I notice the sweet smell it’s emitting.

“I’m gonna go change.” I hold up the shirt for reference and don’t indulge Lena when she sends me a pitiful look. Of course she knows that something is up after the way I just reacted to her question.

I leave quickly and find a bathroom to change in. My shirt is no longer soaked in sweat, but I know it will start smelling over the course of the day, so I change into the new shirt.

It’s a bit small around my shoulders and strains around my arms but it’ll have to do. I exit the stall and splash some water on my face by the sink.

When I look up and meet my own eyes in the mirror I scoff.

Coward.

The white L-Corp logo over my chest reminds me where I am and I banish any thoughts of Noah from my mind. I grab a paper towel and wipe my face before practicing an unbothered smile in the mirror.

After a couple of tries I manage one that even convinces myself and return to Lena’s office.

She’s taken the food out of the paper bag and placed it on some napkins on the coffee table. She’s also managed to organize some coffee which is steaming in two mugs next to the food.

“So, French toast, huh?” I say lightheartedly which causes Lena’s head to snap up.

She eyes me curiously for a second (her eyes momentarily darting to where the shirt is cutting into my biceps) but when she can’t find any traces of my emotional turmoil she takes a seat on the couch and reaches for her coffee.

“Yes, it’s from my favorite breakfast place down the block. I hope you like it.” She sounds just the tiniest bit self conscious which makes me melt a little on the inside, so I take a seat next to her and pick up one of the sugary treats.

I take a bite and hum in delight. “This is great!” I take another bite before swallowing the first and groan. “Wow. I can’t remember the last time I ate something like this.”

When I look up Lena’s watching me over the rim of her mug, hiding a satisfied smile. The awkwardness and tension from ealier has vanished completely and for the first time I think I catch a glimpse of the friend Sam has described Lena to be.

She is a cutthroat business woman, yes, but it seems underneath the tough exterior she’s just like everyone else, proud when the food she got to pick is to someone’s liking.

I take another bite, and another, and another until the French toast is gone and the only traces of its previous existence are the powdered sugar on my hands and the maple syrup around my lips.

I wipe my hands on a spare napkin and take a sip of coffee before getting rid of the maple syrup with the same napkin.

Lena’s only on her second bite when I look her way, but I honestly couldn’t care less about how I just inhaled that treat. I was starving and like I said, it’s been a long time since I’ve eaten something as good as this.

“So,” Lena starts, gracefully setting down her half-eaten toast, “How’d you meet Sam?”

I laugh and sit back, trying not to eye the Pain au chocolat too obviously. “We grew up together. She was living down the block and when her mom kicked her out when she got pregnant we took her in.”

Lena’s eyes widen. “Really? She never told me about that.“ She ponders over the new information for a moment while my eyes dart back and forth between her and the Pain au chocolat. “So that’s why she’s so protective of you.”

I don’t know what exactly she referring to, but I know what she’s talking about. Sam’s always been like that, defending me whenever she deemed it necessary while I’ve always been there for her and Ruby.

“I guess,” I say with a chuckle. “She’s like a sister to me.”

Lena smiles at that, her eyes twinkling with something I can’t quite place as she leans forward to pick up her toast again. “I can see that,” she says, taking a bite. When my eyes drop to the Pain au chocolat once again she notices and smirks.

“Go ahead,” she mumbles around her mouthful of food, gesturing at the pastry with a jut of her chin. “Take it.”

I beam and reach for it, ready to devour it in a few large bites, but then I think better of it. I pick it up and rip it in half as best as I can, taking one half while putting the other back on the napkin and sliding it in front of Lena.

“There, now it’s fair.”

Lena’s eyes widen slightly and she swallows thickly before taking a big sip of coffee to hide tinge of red that’s made its way to her cheeks.

Maybe this year won’t be so bad after all.

________________________________________________

Welp. This story is shaping up to be longer than anticipated…

#fluff #lena luthor x reader #lena luthor #dc universe #dcu #supergirl #cw supergirl #imagine #x reader

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sp0o0kylights · 1 year ago

Text

Part Seven/ Part Eight (YOU ARE HERE)/ Part Nine

Ao3

Monsters aren't real.

The thing that's flying towards him is--a hallucination. A figment of Gareth's imagination.

The same way the feeling of time slowing to a crawl is just a trick of the light playing with his anxiety.

He'd be fine.

(It won't hurt.)

Gareth's limbs froze, locking him in place even as the manticore bore down on him.

Thankfully, Steve did not have that problem.

Gareth's shirt was snatched from the back, choking him as Steve yanked him out of the way.

It was just in time--the Manticore blew past seconds later, too-large body so close Gareth could feel the air move past him.

The stench was unimaginable.

A fuckload of noise exploded in Gareth's ears as time kicked back in. He fell hard, behind Steve as the older teen swung his nail bat with his left hand.

Huh. Gareth thought distantly as wood, nail and flesh connected. Steve's ambidextrous.

He never would have guessed.

Doesn't think anyone would.

(Should Gareth survive this, he will immediately tease Steve about it. Right after profusely thanking him for saving his life and having a meltdown about honest to God monsters existing in Hawkins.)

The fucker barked a noise, and the only comparable thing Gareth could relate it to was a seal--if a seal had played with some of the sound effect pedals the music store.

Maybe got run over by a car right after for good measure.

In one breath, the monsters' weird, elongated hand-paws raked lines through the floor.

In the next, a wing smashed high over Eddie's head. The finger-like claws at the crux of it pierced through Stewart's still-stuck door, balancing itself as it turned.

This brought the manticore's gore-filled hole of a mouth so close to Eddie's head Gareth thought it forfeit, and it was only Steve's interference that kept Eddie the Banished from being Eddie the Buried.

"Come on!" Steve bellowed.

He smacked the bat into the floor, as much a challenge as it was a distraction.

Thick saliva dripped to the floor in clumps as the manticore's head, a bulbous thing composed of five petal-like slices of flesh and too many teeth rattled in response.

A car horn trumpeted again--and if it was a warning it was one coming far too late.

The Manticore dropped its chest to the ground as it took the bait. A dark, black tipped scorpion tail rose over the back of the beast, stinger longer than Gareth's arm and wider than a sword.

Faster than Gareth could track, almost faster than Steve could parry, the tail lashed forward, stinger out like a lance.

(But Steve, wonderful, amazing, athletic Steve, caught and parried it with his bat.

Then and there, Gareth swore to never mock a jock, ever again.)

The bat met armored exoskeleton with a sickening crack!, the force of the hit shaking Steve's arms. His right foot slid back, biceps flexing as the stinger pushed against him, straining hard against nail and wood.

Steve grunted, shoes squeaking as he was forced to give ground, the Manticore overpowering him by the sheer strength of its tail.

The entire encounter had barely lasted a few seconds but without interference?

Steve would be thrown aside--and impaled.

Before Gareth could think about how stupid it was, he was on his feet and rushing to help.

He grabbed the fire poker off the ground and thrust it forward, towards the manticore's not-a-face.

Screamed “Go back to hell you piece of shit!” So loud his voice cracked.

It worked.

The beast flinched, tail rocketing back as it rose back up on all four paws, hissing in outrage.

Steve staggered with how fast the tail had moved, but caught himself, bat wavering in the air, and--

There was no reprieve.

No moment to breathe, because as soon as the stinger's gone there's a grotesque, hand-like paw swiping at them both.

Gareth fell back, only to realize he wasn't the target.

Steve was.

The claws flash in the flickering overhead lights and there wasn’t any time.

He's as good as dead and Gareth can't do anything to save him--

But Eddie can.

Sometime during the last few seconds, the older teen had pulled his knife. Jammed it deep into the back of the manticore's front leg, and twisted after the blade had sunk down to the hilt.

This, and the resulting aborted attack, saved Steve's life.

The thing wailed as the struck leg crumpled, sending the fucker’s head on a collision course with the floor.

Stewart's door jumped in its frame as the wing-claws, dug in deep into the wood, caught the manticore. Two flesh-petals scraped the floor, but the move kept it from falling-- at the cost of putting its full weight on the door.

A door already bowed. Hinges pre-fucked with, thanks to Eddie’s early meddling.

It didn't hold.

Hinges screamed as the wood bent, before gravity asserted itself and shattered it. Massive wood splinters shoot out in an explosion of wood, more than one piece embedding itself into the manticore.

Eddie scrambled backwards half turned to protect his head, saved from two large chunks of wood only by the grace of his thick leather jacket.

Several things happened at once.

The car outside honked a third time.

The manticore lunged.

And Eddie tripped.

One petal of teeth tore into him--a graze that left his leg a bloody mess and ripped a scream from his mouth.

Gareth and Steve both shot instinctively: Steve to attack the side of the manticore's head, Gareth to slam the fire poker into a wing.

(One second turned into three.)

The manticore in turn, leapt backwards, head shaking with the hit of Steve's bat--and Gareth had exactly one half-second to realize all they had done up until this moment was piss it off before the wing he'd struck swept out.

It struck him in the gut and Steve in the chest, sending both of them flying.

Gareth's back met the floor a second time expelling all the air from his lungs, vision going dark at the edges as his head hit the floor.

(Three seconds turned to seven.)

This time he physically couldn't move, too stunned as Eddie screamed Steve's name.

Stewart, Gareth realized, was screaming too.

(Seven seconds became eighteen, until Gareth's chest could take in air again, the loud ringing in his ears easing somewhat.)

He kept blinking, thinking the weird streaks of orange light was his vision blurring, until his brain kicked in and informed him that no, those were flames he was seeing.

Gareth pushed himself up on his elbows to find that reinforcements had arrived.

Flames flew in an arc as another on-fire tennis ball struck the Manticores side. The ball bounced, flames trickling down to the floor as the monster beast shrieked.

A third ball had it slamming itself into the wall as Gareth whipped his head to the opposite end of the hallway.

Tiff and Dustin were spraying a can of something onto a number of tennis balls--the ones Gareth knew Tiff kept in her car for tennis.

Lucas loaded one into his slingshot, drawing the rubber bands back and holding so that Jeff’s lighter could turn it into a proper weapon.

He launched it once flames encompassed it fully, and Gareth watched as it flew true.

Landed to the right of the muscular, lion--like chest, flames catching every piece of skin that was touched.

A part of Gareth expected this to only distract the fucker, the same way the pieces of wood sticking out of it’s sides had barely slowed it down--but fire, apparently was its weakness.

The manticore reacted like it was being burned with acid more so than fire, dropping and rolling and ping-pinging between walls as more and more of its wing was overtaken.

Its screams turned into rapid, wracked yelps, until finally it threw itself so hard into a wall that it fell through it.

For a moment a dark hole remained open.

Gray pieces of ash lazily floated out, giving them all a glimpse into a terrifying, dark blue forest, red lightning slashing the sky above before the hole re-sealed itself.

(It closed the way a wound did. All sides creeping in at a speed far too fast for human skin, but was just slow enough to make the wall appear like a living membrane instead of wood and plaster.)

For a long moment, the only thing Gareth could hear was all his friends' harsh panting.

"Did you kill it?" Stewart asked, head peeking around the corner.

Eddie looked to Steve to answer.

Which he did.

"Rule number two, man.” Steve raked a hand through his hair, trying to comb out the sweat that had collected at his temples after he climbed to his feet. “If you can’t see the body, it’s not dead.”

Stewart crept cautiously into the hall, looking as shell shocked as Gareth felt. "Why the hell isn't that rule one?”

"I don't know, the kids made the rules. You can ask them.”

Gareth’s head pulsed unhappily, but Gareth had other concerns as he made his way to his feet.

“How bad is it?” He asked as he made his way over, Eddie still on the ground.

“I’m alright.” Eddie lied, as if they all couldn’t see the sticky patch of blood on his torn jeans.

"Stop talking, start walking!" Dustin yelled at them.

“Eddie’s injured, give us a minute!” Steve yelled back. “God. Go make yourself useful and get my medkit!”

“I’m fine, it’s fine! ” Eddie yelled out right after, voice waspish in his pain.

It convinced absolutely no one, and in fact, caused several people to come down the hallway towards him.

Lucky for him, Steve made it there first.

Dropping to his knees in front of Eddie, he gently moved a ringed hand away from the wound, giving it a critical once over as Gareth and Stewart hovered.

“It’s not bad.” Eddie tried to argue, wincing as he poked around his leg, Steve continually having to bat his hands away. “If we can wrap it I’ll be able to walk out of here.”

“I won’t know until I see more of it.” Tiff said, Jeff and Grant right on her heels to circle Eddie and Steve. “But he might be right for once--there’s not much blood. You’re gonna lose the pants though.”

“Noooo.” Eddie said, in a poor mimic of one of his D&D voices.

“Not to rush you, but we need to get out of here.” Jeff cast an anxious look over at the wall, and Gareth nodded his agreement.

This wasn’t a safe place right now.

(Had likely never been a safe place, if it was birthing out monsters like the manticore.)

Steve looked up at Eddie, holding his gaze.

“Think you can hobble over to the cars if two of us help?”

He got a sharp nod back.

“Yeah.”

“Good. Now hop to it.” Tiff said with a clap. Her voice was dry, tone almost sarcastic, but Gareth heard the unease in it

Not that anyone needed any convincing to get the hell out of dodge.

("I'm going to take up running." Eddie told him later, hands shaking from pain as Gareth drove Van Helsing after FrankenCar, Grant's Ford Escort

They had managed to wrap Eddie’s leg up in a quick bandage with the medkit. Gareth hadn’t truly been able to bring himself to look at the wound, but he’d caught a glimpse.

The fang marks stood out on Eddie’s pale skin, and ran in so many rows it looked like he’d shoved half his leg into a shark's mouth.

Tiffany insisted it was more horrific looking than it was actually horrific, and given Eddie had made at least three “am I gonna lose the leg, Doc?” jokes, Gareth believed her.

Still--it was weird, to drive Eddie’s van.

Weirder still to see Steve's Beemer (unnamed on grounds that Hellfire couldn't decide between the Batmobile and the BeemHolder) lead their little procession--though it had been a fight to get Steve to drive the car instead of ride along with Eddie.

"We both know you’re not seriously considering going running.” Gareth told him, voice shaking. “Which is unfortunate, because I'm going to make you anyway."

His fingers tightened hard on the steering wheel.

“I’m going to make everyone go running.”

It was a testament to how scared both of them were that they ended the conversation there.

No joke, no walking back what they'd said.

Running apparently, was back to being a core survival skill and Gareth very much enjoyed staying alive.)

xXx

Gareth hadn’t asked why the Byers house was the chosen place to regroup.

Had kind of assumed that it had been picked because Will’s mother wasn’t home.

Definitely was not expecting an adult to come flying out of the door with the air of a frazzled border collie, herding kids inside before freezing when she caught sight of Eddie.

Or rather: Eddie being carefully pulled out of Van Helsing by Steve and Jeff, cursing and whining the whole way.

“You big baby, you’re not that hurt.” Jeff huffed as Eddie’s squirming almost forced him to let go, resulting in Eddie gripping at Steve’s sweater like a liferaft.

“You can talk when you’re the one that got bit by a monster, Jeffrey.” Eddie snapped back, hopping on his good leg. “I almost died!”

“Steve said it just barely grazed you--”

“Steve was busy trying to keep it off of me to really notice what was happening! Unlike you. What were you doing, Jeff? Honking the fucking car horn?”

“I wasn’t the one honking--”

They continued to bicker as Miss Byers marched forward.

Gareth expected her to yell--and given the way Eddie’s eyes went wide at the sight of her, possibly even deny them entrance.

Shoo them away or send them home.

It wouldn’t be the first time a member of Hellfire had been beaten, only for the adults around them to act like they were the ones causing trouble.

Instead, she earned Gareth’s respect immediately by moving alongside Steve and asking; “Is anyone else injured?”

Barely waited for the shake of Steve’s head before spinning on her heel and heading back inside, yelling all the way.

“Will, fetch me towels. Jonathan--get the medkit! ”

“No worries, Miss Byers. Stevie here already has one.” Eddie said, before his attempts to charm her fell utterly flat when he accidentally jostled his leg and hissed out a curse.

“Steve’s not as good as mine, hun.” Her eyes swept over his leg, calculating. “Is that bite what I think it is?”

“Related.” Steve answered, starting the lengthy process of getting Eddie inside.

“Shit.” She sighed, and for the first time that night Gareth realized she too, wore the same haunted look Steve did.

Which meant she'd believe them.

A part of him, the part who was still a teenager, a kid in his own right, relaxed that an adult knew.

As with most of Hellfire, Gareth didn’t typically trust adults, but his relationship with his own parents was slightly better than most of the others. It led him to such beliefs like that maybe, just maybe, this would be the end of the monsters.

That he’d never face a thing like that outside of D&D, ever again. That whatever events haunted Steve would be handled by the proper authorities.

(That they’d be okay. Everyone would be okay.)

Sirens sounded in the distance, and even as Gareth walked inside the house he knew it wasn’t true.

Whatever all this was?

It wasn’t going away anytime soon.

“Munson?” A rumpled Jonathan Byers said, blinking like an owl hit with sunlight as the Steve-Eddie-Jeff procession went past.

He got a half-assed roguish grin and a waggle of fingers while Steve rolled his eyes over Eddie’s head.

“What happened!?” Jonathan asked, as Joyce bustled past him, relieving Jonathan of the medkit.

“It’s a long story, but we have a code red at the lab.”

Gareth knew he was frazzled, purely by the fact his hands once again went to mess with his hair, right after helping Eddie down into a chair.

“Which they knew apparently.”

‘They’ was accompanied by Steve jerking his thumb towards the living room--where the kids were talking to themselves in a huddle.

Outside, the sirens grew louder.

Jonathan looked to the living room and back, before heaving a sigh so world weary it was almost impressive. “Of course they did.”

“Demodog?” Miss Byers asked as she laid out various medical supplies on her kitchen table, pausing every so often to stare at Eddie’s leg.

“It was a manticore!” One of the kids yelled.

Gareth wasn't surprised to learn some of the brats were listening in.

There was a pause, as Miss Byers stared quizzically at Steve.

“It's like a demodog but much larger?” He told her, making an awkward shape with his hands that explained absolutely nothing. “With wings? Oh--and a scorpion tail.”

“It was terrifying.” Stewart added in a mutter, all of Hellfire awkwardly camped themselves around Eddie.

Which wasn’t good, given the frown on Miss Byers face as she carefully cut away even more of his jeans and their shitty attempt at band-aiding his wound.

It was the face of someone who was about to cause pain in an attempt to heal, and knew it.

For all that he was their front-man and self-proclaimed shepherd of Hellfire, Eddie's pain tolerance was absolute shit.

The guy could take a punch well enough, and the rings on his hands meant business when he hit back--but when adrenaline wasn't flowing?

Eddie broke down faster than his van did.

This whole thing was a bit of a sore spot. Something Eddie had admitted once under extreme duress had come from his father repeatedly telling him a man needed to be tough, and a Munson man even tougher.

(The duress in question was during one particularly animated D&D fight.

Eddie had gotten too excited and slapped an open palm down on top of a pointy figure, embedded it well into his skin.

The incident had derailed the campaign entirely and caused Hellfire as a whole to learn that their fearless leader really hated people watching him cry.)

Needless to say, a room full of children, his friends, his crush, and one of said kids' mothers wasn't exactly an ideal set up for Eddie to lose it.

So Gareth set himself up as a sort of barrier, blocking Eddie's view from the living room (and hopefully, vice versa, before making eyes at his friends to do the same.

Thankfully Jeff at least, caught on.

Communication was given through pointed looks and nudging elbows, but quickly enough, Hellfire managed to make a decently solid barrier between the kids (and Jonathan, who was doing an amazing job of chewing out said children) leaving Steve and Gareth as the sole onlookers.

“Alright, someone start talking.” Miss Byers loudly commanded, as she finally unearthed Eddie’s wounds.

To Eddie, she offered a well-used bottle of Tylenol, muttering quiet apologies before she began cleaning his very gross looking wound.

“Hey--” Gareth himself muttered, half praying he’d magically think of an excuse for Steve to fuck off, only to realize Hellfire’s jock had actually moved into the kitchen.

A line of mismatched mugs and cups was taking form on the counter, and it took a minute of carefully looking anywhere but at Eddie as Miss Byers worked to figure out Steve was making hot chocolate.

Figured that was probably smart, given Grant looked so tense Gareth expected his head to explode at any second.

(The loud arguing from the kids as they tried to explain didn't help any.)

A thought that Jonathan also seemed to have, given he put on a voice that sounded far to fatherly for Gareth's comfort and bellowed;

“Alright, enough!”

--which at least got him the silence he wanted.

“One at a time!” Jonathan parented from the living room. “Will, you start. Dustin you’re up next, then Mike, then El.”

He put his hands on his hips and Gareth nearly laughed aloud, because apparently the children weren't the only ones picking up Steve's mannerisms.

“Start from when you decided to sneak out without telling anybody but Steve.”

“If it makes you feel better we didn't actually tell Steve.” Dustin chirped.

Jonathan stared at him, and judging from his face alone Gareth expected utter hell to erupt from his mouth.

Instead they got a sort of quiet: “That does actually make me feel a bit better, thanks.”

Steve scoffed from the kitchen in response, which thankfully covered Eddie’s pained hiss from where Miss Byers was patting hydrogen peroxide into his bite mark.

Unfortunately for Jonathan, the kids came up with their own order and as always, let Dustin and Mike be their talking pieces.

“Like we told everyone else, it started because Will and El sensed something--” One began, right as red and blue lights splashed across the walls.

The source of the siren--a police truck that, judging bu the loud crunch of tires sliding on gravel and a shriek of breaks--had arrived.

Several of the children (plus Grant) cursed.

“Who called Hopper?!”

“He’s El’s dad idiot, of course someone called him.”

“Come on Max didn’t we talk about calling people names--”

Eddie tensed, as did the majority of the room, as loud, pounding footsteps tore up the front porch.

“I called him.” Miss Byers said as she rose from her crouch, apparently done re-bandaging Eddie.

She weaved her way through the room and was nearly taken out by her own front door when it was flung open to reveal the man himself, who looked like he’d spent the night fist-fighting his way through a bar, in the dark.

“El?!” He bellowed, eyes frantically scanning the room before landing on her.

The relief was so immediate it seemed to make him slump for a second.

Or rather, long enough for him to draw in enough air to get out a proper yell. “Someone better start explaining, right now. Starting with you Michael Wheeler!”

It was only then, as the man himself stepped into the light, that Gareth finally figured out why he looked sort of--off.

Unreal even, like a figure stepping out of a dream and into reality.

Jim Hopper, Chief of Hawkins Police Department, was wearing Scooby Doo pajamas.

The top was a faded orange color, boasting an image of a footstep in the center of a magnifying glass.

The bottoms were green, the head of the famed Great Dane patterned all over.

Combined?

It was Gareth's last straw.

‘You cannot be having a panic attack over the Chief’s pajamas.’ A far away part of Gareth thought hysterically, as his vision kaleidoscoped.

God, was he so fucking lame.

#adopt a jock #pre steddie #steddie #gareth emerson #steven harrington #eddie munson #the hellfire club #the party #and #a manticore #0o0 fanfics #stranger things fanfic #stranger things #hellfire adopts steve #RIP to hellfire you had a good run not knowing about any of this lol #tw small injury mention #tw panic attack mention there at the end #cause Gareth just kinda paused his while fighting for his life lol

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the-urban-witch · 4 months ago

Text

Fuck it, I‘m feeling unethical today so here are some

Easy Love Spells

For shits and giggles. Assume you shouldn’t even try these and if you do there might be repercussions.

Also the spell part is easy but the rest is a mess…

•feed them pumpkin seeds - you cannot give them the pumpkin seeds you have physically feed them to them. Best done with your hands. (also if you’re close enough where you can feed someone pumpkin seeds with your hands do you even need a love spell?)

•share a rose cigarette with them

•hide a jar of your period blood under their bed (this is a horrible idea omg do NOT do this… why am I putting it on the internet then? Beats me)

•put a satchel with apple seeds, rose pedals and rose quartz in their pillow for them to sleep on

•put both of your names on a bay leaf light it on fire with a little red candle. Burn the leaf and burn the candle completely (for sure the generally easiest on this list but also ngl definitely the least effective)

#witchcraft #witch #witchblr #spells #love spell #love spells #you shouldn’t be doing any of these tho but #maybe I was put on this earth to rest y’all

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moregainmusicstore · 2 years ago

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Come hang with us next weekend in Chicago. We’ll be premiering our second guitar design here.

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dreamwatch · 3 months ago

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Written for @corrodedcoffinfest

“Eddie, don’t.”

“Come on, man.”

“Don’t be stupid, Eddie!”

He’s not listening, not tonight. Tonight he has a calling from on high. Tonight he has places to be, a person to see. A person to touch.

Tonight he’s driving

He climbs into the car, his beautiful Ferrari bought with the spoils of fame. There are three cars in his garage, but this is the fastest. This is the one he wants to be in tonight. It’s a racer, meant for speed, a rocket ship of possibilities.

There are voices behind him, the band arguing amongst themselves. Maybe they’re shouting at him, but he’s not listening. He’s only had a two or three vodkas, and coke doesn’t have the same effect on him as it used to, back when he was a kid and all this was new to them. The pills were nothing, just something to keep him awake, something to chill him out. But he’s older now and those things aren’t new anymore. Booze and drugs are supplements, part of the regime, part of his five a day. It’s fine. It doesn’t mean anything.

It’s Gareth that follows him, climbing in beside him a second before Eddie turns the key in the ignition and the car roars to life.

“Eddie, what the fuck are you doing, man? Come back inside.”

“Get out.”

“I’m not—”

“Get out!”

Gareth buckles his seat belt tight and glares at him.

“Fine,” Eddie spits at him. “Fuck you then.”

He revs the engine repeatedly, the vibration like electricity through his body. It only goads him on. He slams his foot to the pedal and the car streaks out of his garage and onto the streets.

The city is magical at night, blinding lights, a stratospheric glimmer of colour. He knows if he was walking out on the road it would be quiet, there’d be no sound, just the occasional car speeding past on the empty streets, just like he is now. There’s music in the car, a blasting thump of drums and bass and he feels his foot drop on the accelerator; he doesn’t look at the speedometer because he doesn’t care. Part of him wishes he’d taken the bike, his black Yamaha that barely gets ridden anymore, then Gareth would still be back at the house with Jeff and Matt and their girlfriends, and not with him shouting for him to slow down.

“—wait till tomorrow. Nothing will have changed. Let’s just go back, you can talk to him tomorrow, okay?”

Eddie doesn’t like to be ignored, doesn’t like his calls going unanswered. So no, actually, it won’t wait. He wants him tonight. Deserves to have Steve tonight.

“Eddie, slow down.”

“No.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Eddie! It’s red!”

It’s a challenge, him against the stop light, him against the cross traffic. The road is empty, he knows it will be fine, Gareth just worries too much. He always has. Cocky until he’s not, that’s Gareth. If nothing else it will be a good lesson for him. Eddie didn’t want him here so he can consider this his punishment.

Eddie floors the gas pedal, the engine butter smooth as it gives him the speed he wants, and he howls out of the open window as he flies through the stop light, laughing into the hot summer night.

Gareth is heaving in deep breaths beside him and it only makes him laugh more, he can barely hear himself over the sound of the engine and the music.

The Ferrari speeds over the freeway and he feels like he’s flying. He feels like he’s free, and when the fuck was the last time he felt like that? His face is everywhere, his every second accounted for, every moment of his life planned. Stand here, wear this, do what we tell you, say what we tell you. He just needs a moment to fly.

Gareth is on the phone, but the engine noise and music drown out whatever he’s saying. Eddie doesn’t really care. He can call Jeff, he can call Wayne, fuck, call the cops for all he cares. What are they going to do? He’s Eddie fucking Munson.

He lifts his foot of the gas just a little, just enough so that when he floors it again he can feel it. It’s like warp speed, he’s Han Solo and Gareth is Chewbacca and the laughter fires through him again, the utter absurdity of it all. He loves his life.

He hates everything.

When he checks on Gareth he looks like he’s going to be sick, and there’s no fucking way he’s going to be sick in his Ferrari, so he lays off the gas. Gareth hangs his head out of his own window, the wind blowing his hair back. It’s warm out tonight, it just makes everything headier. Makes his need feel deeper.

He needs Steve. It’s in his head now, can’t sleep, can’t sleep, can’t sleep, can’t be without Steve. That there, that’s the heart of it, he doesn’t know how to be without him. Can’t get his head around him leaving, can’t comprehend why he’d walk out on this. They had everything, Eddie gave him everything, and he threw it back at him. Like, how fucking dare he work, go out on the road, make money for them? They were fine, they had a system, it worked for him, it worked for Steve, he’d have said if didn’t. It was Robin getting in Steve’s head again, telling him this wasn’t normal, ‘it’s not a relationship if you’re never together, Steve’, and when did she become such a meddling cunt?

He drops his foot on the accelerator.

It’s not instant. The streaks of light are lining the road, leading him to heaven, and then it’s the light polluted sky he sees, the distant glimmer of weak stars filling the windscreen. He thinks Gareth is screaming beside him, but Eddie’s not scared. He feels like he’s floating, feels the hot night air whip around him, feels the dizzying spin of the car, his own fairground ride in the sky. The strips of white lining the asphalt rise up to meet him.

He never feels the hit.

Yes it's essentially Blinding Lights by The Weeknd, but this prompt was fighting me so hard and I've spent days trying to make another story work and it just wasn't. Then this came on, and yes I may have looped it for half an hour while I wrote, but I competed the prompt!

@the-unforgivenn

#corrodedcoffinfest: seven deadly sins #corrodedcoffinfest #pride #eddie munson #gareth stranger things #cw drunk driving #cw drug abuse #cw alcohol abuse #cw car accident

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inellz · 1 day ago

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「 ✦ driving me crazy ✦ 」

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 .ᐟ

ᯓ★ warnings ; nsfw !

The evening had been perfect. A cozy little restaurant tucked away from the city’s usual chaos, dimly lit with soft music playing in the background. You and Quackity had spent hours talking, laughing, and stealing bites from each other’s plates. He had a way of making everything feel effortless, his jokes flowing easily, his smile contagious.

Now, the night was winding down as he drove you home. The hum of the engine and the soft glow of streetlights passing by made the car ride feel almost dreamlike. The air smelled faintly of his cologne, and a quiet, comfortable silence filled the space between you.

As he drove, you found yourself stealing glances at him. The way his hands gripped the steering wheel, the way his hair fell slightly over his forehead, and the way his eyes sparkled in the dim light of the dashboard—it was all so captivating. You felt a rush of heat as you realized just how attractive he was, the kind of hot that made your heart race and your cheeks flush.

You turned your head to watch him as he focused on the road. His fingers gripped the steering wheel casually, veins subtly showing beneath his skin. His jaw was sharp under the dim lighting, the slight furrow of his brows making him look effortlessly attractive. The way his lips parted slightly in concentration, the flicker of his dark eyes under the glow of passing streetlights—everything about him right now was captivating.

You hadn’t even realized you were staring until his voice broke the silence.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked, glancing over with an amused smirk.

You hesitated for a moment before deciding to be honest. “I was just admiring your facial features, that’s all.”

His smirk widened, and he raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Is that so?” His tone was playful, but there was a glimmer of something deeper in his eyes.

You nodded, feeling your cheeks heat up, but you didn’t look away. Instead, you let your eyes linger on him, watching the way he licked his lips before shaking his head with a chuckle.

“Well, now you’re just gonna make me drive like an idiot,” he joked, but you could tell by the way his grip tightened on the wheel that your words had an effect on him.

The car rolled to a stop at a red light, and without thinking, you leaned in slightly. He turned to look at you, his dark eyes searching yours for a moment before he smirked again, this time softer, more teasing.

“You wanna do something about it?” he murmured.

You didn’t hesitate. Reaching out, you cupped his jaw, pulling him into a kiss. The second your lips met, he let out a quiet hum of approval, his hand moving to your cheek as he kissed you back eagerly. His lips were warm, slightly chapped, but they molded perfectly against yours.

The kiss deepened quickly, the air between you turning heavy. His hand slid down to your waist, pulling you closer despite the awkward angle. You felt his breath hitch as you bit his bottom lip teasingly, and he let out a quiet curse against your mouth before kissing you even harder.

A sharp honk from the car behind you made you both jolt apart, laughing breathlessly as the light had turned green.

Quackity shook his head, chuckling as he put the car back in motion. “You’re gonna be the death of me.”

Quackity cursed under his breath, quickly pressing down on the gas pedal as the light had already turned green. You were both breathless, hearts racing, laughter bubbling up between you.

But one glance at each other and you both knew—neither of you was done with that kiss.

Quackity pulled into a nearly empty parking lot, the only light coming from a dim streetlamp flickering overhead. The moment he shifted the car into park, he barely had time to turn toward you before you were already reaching for him again.

He let out a soft chuckle, amused by your impatience, but it quickly faded the second your lips met his again. This time, there was no hesitation—just pure, unfiltered need. His hand immediately found your waist, pulling you closer.

Your fingers threaded through his hair, tugging slightly as you deepened the kiss, and he groaned against your lips. The sound sent a shiver down your spine, making you press even closer. His hands slid down, gripping your hips, his fingers digging in slightly like he didn’t want to let go.

The air inside the car felt thick, heavy with something electric. Every touch, every brush of his lips against yours, only made the fire between you burn hotter. You could feel the warmth of his breath, the way his heartbeat pounded just as fast as yours.

At some point, his hat had slipped off, forgotten somewhere in the car as you ran your fingers through his now-messy hair.

With a sudden burst of urgency, Quackity shifted, went to hover you in your passenger seat, his lips trailing down your neck, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. You gasped, arching your back as he found that sweet spot that made your head spin. “God, you’re so beautiful,” he murmured against your skin, his breath hot and intoxicating.

You could feel the heat pooling in your core, a desperate need building within you. “‘lexie,” you breathed, your voice shaky with desire. “I want you.”

His eyes darkened with lust, and his hands moving to the hem of your shirt, lifting it over your head with a swift motion.

The cool air hit your skin, contrasting with the heat radiating from his body. You felt exposed yet exhilarated, the thrill of the moment consuming you.

As he leaned in to kiss you again, you could feel the urgency in his movements, the way he pressed against you, his body a perfect blend of strength and tenderness. You could feel him hard against you, and it only fueled the fire within you.

With a swift motion, he shifted, creating space for you to straddle him, your legs wrapping around his waist as you ground against him, the friction sending shockwaves of pleasure through you. Alexis groaned, his hands gripping your hips, guiding your movements as you found a rhythm that matched the pounding of your hearts. The car felt like a world of its own, the outside fading into nothingness as you lost yourselves in each other.

Every movement was filled with urgency and passion, the air thick with desire. You could feel the heat radiating from him, his breath coming in quick gasps as you pressed your bodies together, the tension building with each passing second. Alex’s hands roamed your back, fingers digging into your skin, igniting sparks of pleasure that coursed through you.

“Just like that,” he whispered, his voice low and husky, urging you on. You could feel the heat pooling deeper within you, a desperate need for more, for him. The way he looked at you, filled with hunger and admiration, made your heart race even faster.

As you moved together, the world outside the car became a distant memory, the only thing that mattered was the connection between you two. The sounds of the night faded away, replaced by the soft gasps and moans that filled the car, echoing the intensity of the moment.

The car felt small, the seats enveloping you as you pressed against him. You could feel the warmth radiating from his body, the way his breath quickened as you deepened the kiss. Your fingers tangled in his hair, tugging gently as he responded with a low groan, sending shivers down your spine.

Alex’s hands roamed, exploring the curves of your body, sending sparks of electricity with every touch. He pulled away for a moment, his eyes dark with desire. “Are you sure you want this?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

You nodded, your heart racing. “I want this ‘lexie, soso bad.”

With that, he captured your lips again, more fervently this time. His hands slid down to your thighs, lifting them to rest on his hips as he pressed you against the seat. The car creaked slightly under the weight of your passion, the world outside forgotten.

As the kiss deepened, Alex’s hands explored further, tracing the outline of your body, igniting every nerve ending. You could feel the heat pooling in your core, a desperate need building with every caress. His fingers danced along your skin, teasing and tantalizing, making you arch into him.

You pulled back slightly, your eyes locking onto his.

Alex’s eyes darkened with desire, and he wasted no time. He leaned down, his lips trailing along your neck, kissing and nibbling at the sensitive skin. You gasped, the sensation sending waves of pleasure coursing through you. His hands gripped your thighs tighter, pulling you closer as he explored every inch of you.

“lexie…” you breathed, your voice a mix of need and urgency.

With a smirk, he shifted, positioning himself between your legs. The car felt even smaller now, the air thick with anticipation. He leaned in, capturing your lips again, his hands exploring your body with a newfound urgency.

With that, he leaned in closer, his hands gripping your waist as he pressed you back against the seat. The car felt like a cocoon, the world outside fading away as he focused entirely on you. His kisses grew more urgent, more passionate, as he explored your body with a mix of tenderness and hunger.

You could feel the heat radiating from him, the way his body pressed against yours, igniting a fire deep within you. His hands roamed, exploring every curve, every inch of your skin, making you arch into him, craving more of his touch. You could feel the tension building, a delicious ache that made you want to pull him closer.

His hands moved to the hem of your skirt, pushing it up further. You could feel the cool air against your skin, contrasting with the heat of his body. His fingers danced along your thighs, teasingly close to where you wanted him most.

As he kissed you, his hands found their way to your core, fingers brushing against the fabric of your underwear. You gasped at the sensation, your body arching instinctively towards him. He took his time, teasing you, his fingers moving in slow, deliberate circles that made your breath hitch.

“lexie,” you moaned, the sound escaping your lips before you could stop it. The pleasure was building, and you could feel yourself getting lost in the moment.

You could feel the heat rising, the pressure building until it became almost unbearable. “alex, I—” you gasped, the words barely escaping your lips as the wave of pleasure crashed over you, pulling you under in a blissful tide.

He followed you into that blissful abyss, his body tensing beneath you as he let go, the two of you entwined in a moment that felt like eternity. The car was filled with the sounds of your shared ecstasy, a symphony of passion that echoed into the night.

With that, he slipped his fingers beneath the fabric, finding your most sensitive spot. The sensation was electric, sending waves of pleasure coursing through you. You could feel the tension building, the heat pooling in your core as he expertly worked his fingers, each movement sending you closer to the edge.

“Just like that,” you gasped, your body responding to his every touch. You could feel the world outside fading away, leaving just the two of you in this intimate moment.

Quackity’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he watched you, clearly enjoying the effect he had on you. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against your ear as he whispered, “mi amor is so beautiful”

The compliment sent a rush of warmth through you, fueling the fire that was already burning. You could feel yourself teetering on the edge, the tension building to a breaking point. With every flick of his fingers, every kiss, he pushed you closer and closer to the edge.

“alex, I’m so close, please” you breathed, your voice barely above a whisper.

With a final, expertly placed movement, you felt the wave crash over you, pleasure washing over you in a tidal wave. You cried out his name, the sound echoing in the confined space of the car as you surrendered to the bliss.

As you came down from the high, Quackity pulled you close, his arms wrapping around you as he pressed soft kisses to your forehead. You could feel the warmth of his body against yours, the intimacy of the moment wrapping around you like a warm blanket.

As you both caught your breath, the world outside faded away, leaving just the two of you in your own little bubble, filled with laughter, connection, and the promise of more adventures to come.

You knew for a fact that once you got home, you and Alex would be tired all night.

#karmaland #las nevadas #mcyt #qsmp quackity #quackity fanfic #quackity x reader #dsmp #minecraft #quackity #twitch #quackity x y/n #quackity x you #qsmp #c!quackity

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fuzzkaizer · 3 months ago

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DEMTON - multi effects pedal

"In 1975, 1 year later, 50 years ago, I built myself a multi-effects pedal, I think it might have been the first multi-effects in the country. I had never seen anything like it before.

The entire mechanism was also self-made.

Its special feature was that the Wah and Volume pedals were already optoelectronic, not potentiometers. Noiseless and squeak-free.

It had WAH, Phase shifter, compressor and distortion. The sequence of WAH and distortion could be changed with a switch. And the distortion was adjusted with 6 selectable sound volt switches and coiled inductive filters. I loved it very much."

"I think Hungary's first multi-effects pedal was completed in 1977 :-) I outgrew the old simple distortion and wanted to imitate the professional sounds. The little devil was moving in my brain and didn't leave me alone until I created this pedal. This was the content of WAH - Phase shifter - Fuzz - Compressor . The Fuzz and WAH order could be switched with a switch. It was particularly interesting that even then the Volume and WAH were made with optical control without a potentiometer! The Phase Shifter was a copy of a Roland Phaser, I cringed the most because the phase shifting was done by 6 RC members, which were controlled by 6 FETs at the same time. After construction, it sounded pretty bad. In my frustration, I messed around until I realized that the FETs must be exactly the same. Luckily for me, the local parts store had approx. It has 150 FETs, from which I was able to select the 6 identical ones. The result spoke for itself. And I began to learn the profession more and more. Thanks to a bit of luck, it came back to me."

cred: facebook.com/Zoltán Dugmanics, demton.hu

#multi effects pedal #combo pedal #DIY #made in hungary #demton

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gaijin-fujin-resonance · 23 days ago

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ストレリチア / Strelitzia

youtube

Due to my family background (my grandparents were botanists in southern Africa) I know Strelitzia as the crane flower. It’s an incredibly nostalgic plant to me, as its image used to adorn the back of the aerogramme letters I received from family abroad as a child.

So I suppose I was expecting more of an African sound, all chiming guitars and sweet harmonies? So wow, was the psychedelic sitar sound of Strelitzia a surprise!

It was impossible on first listen to tell if it was a sitar, a guitar, a synth, or what. Thankfully, Imai’s production notes for Sound & Recording Magazine answer that:

今井寿: あの曲では星野がシタール・ギターを弾いていて、僕のギターはシタールのエフェクターをかけた音です。ELECTRO-HARMONIX Ravish Sitar というモデルですね。 Imai Hisashi: In that song, Hoshino plays a sitar guitar, and my guitar has a sitar effect applied to it. It's the ELECTRO-HARMONIX Ravish Sitar model.

This pedal is, frankly, one of the grooviest things I’ve heard in years. Just listen to the official demo recordings from Electro-Harmonix to get an idea of what it’s capable of.

youtube

It’s quite one of my favourite things about Imai, the delight he clearly takes in experimenting with the oddest and strangest of guitar pedals. I love that Imai (despite regularly achieving some of the most beautiful guitar tones known to humankind throughout the band's recording history) has absolutely no respect for the guitar as a guitar player. He treats the thing purely as a note-generator to be processed, run through effects, manipulated, modulated and otherwise completely f*cked up until it’s almost no longer recognisable as a guitar. In my books, this puts him up there with people like Kevin Shields and Robert Fripp, in terms of rearranging my perceptions of what a guitar is even capable of.

Anyway! On to the song itself, pretty much a rough guide to all of the wonderful elements that make up Imai’s sonic landscape. Strelitzia starts starts with classic Imai slithering insect noises - they might be sonic artefacts of the effects pedals, or they might be percussion run through a really extreme phaser effect? Then the song kicks in with our old friend, a pedal point on the bass, with an occasional semitone down to keep it moving. (The song is only 74 bpm, almost shockingly slow for a B-T song, but it never seems to drag.)

I’m working under the assumption that the guitar in the right channel is Hide’s sitar guitar, since it has quite a natural sitar shimmer. The guitar in the left channel has a slightly more synthetic tone, more flanged, so I presume that’s Imai with the Ravish pedal? Then straight down the centre, the main riff is played on a sound that I, as a westerner, would describe as a little banjo-like. But the particular resonances definitely make it sound more Asian, perhaps the lightly bending and warping tone of a Shamisen or even Koto?

At 0:44, when the live drums kick in, the left hand guitar goes a little farty - but it’s all about context. With the fluttering symphony of psychedelic sounds weaving and echoing around it, I don’t mind a little synthetic squelchiness. In fact, it provides a nice build and lift indicating the song is preparing to move to the B-part, as the bass finally shifts off its pedal point and starts climbing what feels like an endlessly ascending Escher staircase, to provide melodic dynamics while the guitars stay on their hypnotic drone.

If Imai really wanted to, he could drag that build out a little longer? He definitely knows how to do dancefloor dynamics, as shown on the song Subrosa and previous bangers like Gustave. Some day I’d love to see him abandon all pretense of the standard Verse-Chorus pop arrangement and just really go all out on an endless dancefloor loop with a build and a drop and no B part. But the vibe shift here from the A part to the B part really reminds me a little of Todd Terje’s Inspector Norse. It’s got a similar sort of long hold on one two-note bass riff, which builds and builds - until at last, when the bass finally moves off that single note at 3:37, it feels like the whole world tilts on its access, like a plane taking off and immediately banking sharply. It’s a gloriously ecstatic moment!

This is basically a rock song done in the form of a dancefloor filler - in the place of a guitar solo, at 1:36, he has put in a classic dance drop. Everything cuts out except for some pretty extreme Einstürzende Neubauten metal-banging!!! YES!!! ROX0R!!!! MORE OF THIS PLEASE!!!

Then it’s back to the lovely phased-out, droney sitar-strumming with beautiful warm vinyl crackle in the background, and it’s technically not a true instrumental because there is a whispered Syd Barrett vocal at 2:11 just as the big echoey synth kicks on, but I’ve no idea what he says. (And please don’t any Japanese-speakers ruin it for me by informing me he just says “now” or “start” or “1-2-3-4!” or whatever!)

The whole sequence repeats again, almost exactly as before, with more vinyl crackle and insect noises accompanying us out. The second time the B part repeats, there’s a lovely wooden percussion (marimba?) sound doubling the guitars in the background, like a stately minuet of odd noises. There’s something so pleasing about the arrangement, like a very formal, exactly lined up arrangement of extremely weird sounds. This is one of those tunes that really gives me hope for the second season of B-T, that there aren’t just new songs sleeping in the brains of Imai and Hoshino, but entirely new genres lurking in their future. Can’t wait to hear more!

#buck-tick #subrosa #track by track #strelitzia #buck tick #guitar pedals #Youtube

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cosmicseafoam · 6 months ago

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Randy Moore on the Sunken Teeth Co live part2

part 1 about the drop here

These wont be super in order as I'm gonna try to group them

Dividers by @wrathofrats

He's in the middle of making a record so new music soon-ish

It's not a new band, he says this is a "Randy record"

It's being produced by his friend Henry Chadwick

They'll be in the studio this weekend to record more stuff

Someone said "I hope you're taking care of the Mothman enamel pin I gave you" and he said he transferred it from his jacket to a pin board in his room to keep it safe so he doesn't lose it

"Do you still have the Sunken Teeth Bracelet I gave you at the SLC show?" he said "Yes I do! Anything that anybody has ever given me, I still have and I cherish cherish cherish everything that people take the time to hand me and make. 🙏🏻 I'm very appreciative. You guys are awesome"

He was fucking around a bit with a delay to make voice effects and said "I'm just trying to add some production value, y'know, just a little something, know what I'm saying?"

At one point he did something with the delay pedal and then said "never mind that was dumb and I've embarrassed myself"

He's excited to see the new Nosferatu

He doesn't have a dog but wishes he did

He's from the Bay Area

He drinks sparkling water

He's been watching The Sopranos for the first time (he's on s6)

He hasn't seen Twin Peaks

He hasn't gone to Spirit Halloween yet because he thinks he should wait for Lucy to get back from tour so they can go together

He hasn't watched Longlegs because he's "been busy doing stuff"

He's playing with Sweet Gloom in Santa Ana and San Diego on the 9th and 10th of August

He hasn't watched Over The Garden Wall

He really liked the Danzig dance scene in Abigail

If he was to get a Nightmare Before Christmas tattoo it would be of the masks that the three kids wear to represent him and his siblings

Someone said bring the 'stash back, he said "I don't think so"

He hasn't been to a Rocky Horror shadow cast and the thought scares him cause he doesn't want people to touch him while he's watching the movie

Someone asked which chipmunk he is, he said his sister Alyssa dubbed him Simon, herself Alvin, and their brother as Theodore.

He's not doing any overseas gigs any time soon

He said he's trying to recharge creatively and physically

He's an Aries

He uses the Ernie Ball regular slinky 10-46 guitar strings in the green pack

Someone asked if he plays mermaids he said "of course"

If he was a muppet he'd be "The Count. Obviously"

He has not listened to BRAT

He mains Dry Bones on Mario Cart

He likes Halloween because he thinks the weather is nicer, he likes sweater weather

He's never watched Baywatch

He gets scared of walk-through haunted houses

He is not going on the next Alkaline Trio tour

He likes Sisters Of Mercy

He has 10 or 11 guitars

He's been playing guitar since he was 11 or 12.

He takes his coffee with lots of sugar but Lucy drinks hers black which he "could never"

He doesn't know what he's gonna be for Halloween

He's not watching IWTV

He wants to visit Salem and the cemeteries in New Orleans

He has paper bats strung up on his shelf and he said "The bats keep my record collection safe. From... the sun! Idk."

He hasn't watched the new Deadpool movie

He likes The Shining

"I'm a real vampire, it's confirmed"

"I can fit in your pocket. I can get in there, for sure. IIIIIII can get in that pocket"

Someone asked how tall he is and between questions he said "I'm 6 feet tall", "I'm LIKE 6 feet. I don't know what I am, I haven't measured myself since I was 12 so who cares", "I'm like 6ft on a good day. People shrink, fluctuate. Who cares. Who cares about anything", "Yeah I'm like 6 feet on a good day, it's not that big of a deal. 6 feet is like NOT that tall. Maybe? I don't know", "I'm ACTUALLY 7 feet tall. Let that be the takeaway from this." and finally "I'm two bats tall."

Someone in the chat said "Basically 6ft is not 6ft, why do men lie?" and he responded "I'm sorry. I'm just- I'm just a boy"

Favourites:

Vampire movie: The Lost Boys, he later mentions it was filmed in Santa Cruz which is close to where he lives and he hangs out at the bridge sometimes

Beatles song right now is "I'm looking through you"

Chappell Roan song: Red Wine Supernova

BoyGenius song: "probably Satanist" but he really likes the first EP a lot

The Strokes song: either The Adults Are Talking or Last Nite

Cryptid: Mothman

Newer horror movie: Nope by Jordan Peele

Tattoo of his: ballerina on a tightrope or the crocodile underneath her

He owns a first pressing of Goddammit by Alkaline Trio and it's his favourite record of all time

Someone asked him to rate the 1990s ninja turtle movie out of 100 and he said "It's probably 100, it's maybe my favourite movie"

He can't pick between Creature Of The Black Lagoon and Dracula, they're his two favourites from the Universal monsters

Dogs or cats? "Dogs"

Metallica album: Master Of Puppets

Misfits song: Night Of The Living Dead or "Astro Zombies is always a favourite" and he did specify Danzig Misfits

Spirit World song: ULCER

Dracula: Bela Lugosi

System Of A Down song: Toxicity

Guitar model: Fender Jaguar

Dead Kennedys song: Kill The Poor. He said Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables is his favourite DK record.

He likes MCR, his fav album is Three Cheers and fav song is I'm Not Okay

Fall Out Boy song: Dance Dance

Fav song EVER: Sleepwalk by Santo & Johnny

Animal: Bats. No specifics, he said "I like 'em all!"

Alkaline Trio song from the new album: Shake With Me

Halloween candy: the pumpkin reeses cups

Concert: He saw Green Day do a secret show at Gilman Street which is a really small DIY venue

Thing about touring: he likes to see the friends he's made over the years cause he doesn't get to see them often

White Claw: Raspberry. He doesn't like Black Cherry so he gives those to Lucy

Cemetery he's visited: Hollywood Forever

AFI song: Fall Children

Zombie Film: Night Of The Living Dead

Horror movie actor: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee

Pokemon: he's a Charmander guy

Place to travel: "My bed. I love sleeping"

Food: Pizza. He said he's a pineapple on pizza guy.

Liv was in the chat and ask for a toy shelf tour

Pee-wee Dracula painted by Matt Skiba, given to Randy as a gift

He has a Green Day tour poster from when Dog Party (his gf Lucy’s band) opened for them and he said “super proud of Lucy, she’s the best”

Funkos: Rivers Cuomo, Dracula (which the lady at walgreens didn't charge him for), and Twenty One pilots but he's trying to get rid of his funko pops

He’s trying not to collect things anymore

Kiss Alive figures

Ozzy bark at the moon werewolf eating a mini brand ball taco

Ninja turtles 1990 movie figures

Fake ninja turtles ice cream

Alkaline trio Campbell soup cans from the my shame is true record

Metallica figurine setup

He thinks he has about 500 records on his shelf

Someone asked for a tattoo tour and he said "that would take too long" but he did show off his arm and speed run through some of them.

tooth

flower

moth

birds

crystal ball

rose through a heart

ballerina + crocodile

bats

skeleton

panther

scorpion

His first tattoo was a mermaid on an anchor on his upper arm. Her tail is "seafoam green" which he said is his favourite colour.

Most of his tattoos are in a traditional style, but he said he's "got some crazier ones" on his leg.

Ones he didn't specifically mention but that I've seen from photos:

a broken arrow

an astronaut lady

bats on his collarbones

portrait of a lady on the back of his arm

a few random roses scattered around

a large flower on his elbow

(what looks like) a rose inside a diamond with a straight razor underneath

(what looks like) a mummy/wrapped sarcophogus

Legs:

dagger and rose

Elvis TCB lightning bolt

a small flower with a smiley face in the center

creature from the black lagoon

#larsposting #randy moore #sunken teeth #sunken teeth co #jesus I'm so so sorry this is so long #everything he says is important to me lmao #he's my little cringefail baby girl #and i adore him #i hope he does more lives

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