#el dialogue

[scealaiscoite]

cosy autumn prompts ˗ˏˋ ꒰ 🍁 ꒱

⋆ cuddling under a blanket

⋆ baking together

⋆ lazy days in

⋆ carving pumpkins

⋆ movie nights

⋆ flannel shirts

⋆ cold hands

⋆ steaming mugs

⋆ scary movie marathons

⋆ home-cooked meals

⋆ scented candles

⋆ bear hugs

⋆ coffee shop date

⋆ bonfire night

⋆ pillow forts

⋆ thunderstorms

⋆ leaf piles

⋆ sharing blankets

⋆ rain showers

⋆ log cabin

[magicalcreeks]

Tim is the type to do convoluted tasks for no reason and because Kon knows his bestie/partner he has no other choice but to roll with it.

“Did you just scale the side of the house with two cups of hot chocolate in your hands?”

“I scaled the side of the house with two cups of hot chocolate in my hands.” Tim confirms, “it actually took two trips because I dropped a mug.”

[greenfiend]

[shyjusticewarrior]

[owl-with-a-pen]

Outside of superhero emergencies, Kara didn’t tend to lean into her super hearing where she could avoid it. Girl’s night at her apartment, for example, definitely shouldn’t have called for it. Then again, she wasn’t usually the subject of discussion in just about every apartment block on her street.

So, maybe that wasn’t completely true. She’d certainly heard her name mentioned a lot more since the whole secret identity reveal thing; it was just, nowadays, instead of hearing Supergirl, it was usually Kara Zor-El.

She was used to it. She’d been used to it for years; her name was normally a hot topic days, if not weeks after a major save was broadcast. The only difference now was… not all of those voices were as positive as she’d come to expect.

Like right now, for instance. No matter how hard she tried to shut it out, she couldn’t help but listen for that same voice echoing from hundreds of homes across the city, streaming from earbuds, speakers and laptops alike. His voice was charismatic and quick, like a less polished Maxwell Lord, and while he may have been a nobody just a few weeks ago, he’d certainly gained enough traction now to give Kara one hell of a headache.

Unfortunately for her, she’d inadvertently tuned herself in at just the right time for her downstairs neighbour to hit play:

“Alright folks, if you missed our last episode I’ll catch you up to speed. Last week, we rounded off at the crux of the Supergirl Problem; that she hasn’t just been living in our midst this whole time, but that she’s been actively working as a journalist for CatCo Worldwide Media. And, just a few weeks ago, she was publicly put in charge of the editorial process for that same media outlet minutes after she came clean about her alter-ego to the world. And, as I doubt Supergirl will want to speak for herself on the matter, we have one of her self-proclaimed super-fans in the house today to speak on her behalf. Say it with me at home folks, debate me, Supergirl!”

The aforementioned ‘super-fan’ let out a surprised scoff at her introduction. She didn’t waste a minute of her airtime, jumping immediately into the conversation: “Well, for starters, I think you’re taking this whole thing out of context. Supergirl didn’t just become a journalist for CatCo overnight. If you knew anything about Kara’s story, you’d know that she worked her way up the food chain for years! I mean, how empowering is that? She started as a PA!”

“Yeah, a PA with superspeed, how difficult. No wonder she ended up in Cat Grant’s palm! And yes, I do know her origin story, thank you very much.” The host’s voice crackled as Kara imagined him relaxing into his microphone. “Let the audience not forget that she was a PA for Cat Grant before she became a journalist. Are we really going to pretend that wasn’t her foot in the door?”

“Cat Grant wasn’t even her boss when she got into journalism,” argued the young woman. “And by the time Kara made a name for herself, Cat wasn’t even leading the company anymore! She got to where she is now on her own merit, no one elses!”

The host spoke over her: “It begs the question, did Cat Grant know this whole time? She takes a sabbatical only to re-emerge just in time to offer Supergirl a promotion. On top of that, she’s been promoting Supergirl for years! She created her – her words, on record. And now she’s put her in charge of media distribution. Get this: Supergirl is now in charge of the media we consume. Isn’t that a little self-indulgent?”

The young woman didn’t back down. “Kara Danvers was a Pultizer winning journalist long before we found out who she really was,” she argued. “She’s been standing for truth and justice just as much as Supergirl has. In fact, she’s just as much a hero as—”

“But what’s the agenda here?” the host continued with a conspiratorial air. “How can we even believe the news now it’s being headed by a liar? And she did, didn’t she? She lied to us all! She had a secret identity this whole time, and what? We’re just supposed to accept that? What’s the bet that this story will make a headline at CatCo magazine tomorrow morning, with my comments made out as Supergirl’s latest villain story? Or, better yet, will I be Kara Danver’s first official nemesis?” He barked out a laugh into his microphone. “There’s no freedom of the press anymore, folks, not when CatCo is bias towards the very hero that made it so popular in the first place!”

Before she could hear any more, Kara was thrown from her super-eavesdropping rather unceremoniously when a hand shot out in front of her face, waving impatiently.  

“Earth to Kara,” Alex said, snapping her fingers in front of her sister’s nose. “Hey, anyone home?”

“Huh?” Kara said before screwing her eyes shut, swatting away Alex’s offending hand. “Hey, hey, stop that!”

It was only then that she realised that it wasn’t just Alex who had been trying to get her attention. Lena and Kelly were staring at her from the opposite sofa. Nia sat cross legged on the footstool by the coffee table, nursing her drink with an expectant expression.

Kara glanced lamely at the TV. It didn’t look like anyone had been paying attention to the movie for quite some time.

Just how long had she been…?

Kara tried not to cringe.

Kelly cleared her throat, smoothing her hands over her lap. “From your expression, I’m guessing you were listening in on something pretty important.” She hesitated. “Is everything okay?”

Kara’s eyes widened. “What? Oh, oh no, it’s not a superhero emergency, I swear. Girl’s night continues uninterrupted, I promise!”

“Okay,” Nia said with a slow smile. “Then what was with the—” She mimicked Kara’s spaced-out expression a little too well, earning a few grins at her expense.

Kara pursed her lips. “Uh—I mean. It was nothing. Just…” She sagged in on herself awkwardly. “Okay, so I may have been listening to this podcast…”

“Oof.” Alex winced. “You don’t wanna do that.”

Kara groaned, falling back against the sofa. “I’ve been trying not to, but it’s kinda hard when half of my building’s listening to it.” She rubbed aggressively at her ears. “Super hearing can really suck, you guys.”

“Wait,” Nia said, perking up. “Are you talking about the Debate Me, Supergirl podcast?” When everyone turned to stare at her, she shrugged. “What? Brainy’s been keeping tabs on all social channels for this stuff ever since your interview first went public, y’know, calculating the odds on them picking up any real traction. In case things go… south.”

“And what are the odds on this guy?” Alex asked seriously.

Nia made a vague gesture. “I mean, until a few days ago, Brainy had him in the unlikely category. But his latest interview with a Supergirl stan got a whole lot of attention on social media. They were basically at each other’s throats the entire time.” She took a mild sip of her drink. “People ate it up.”

Alex rolled her eyes. “Of course they did. And I’m guessing from your tone, not much of the audience were on this super – uh – stan’s side?”

Nia pulled a face, taking an even larger swig.

Kara groaned again, burying her face in her hands. “This is awful. I- I just can’t believe how little faith they have in me now that they know the truth!”

Lena smiled her sympathy. “Take it from someone who was once deluded enough to fall right into that same category of hatefully ignorant.” She toasted her scotch glass to no one in particular, swirling its contents with a gentle twist of her wrist. “It’s not easy for people to accept that their larger-than-life hero was living amongst them.”

Kara’s head shot up in protest. “I never wanted anyone to put me on a pedestal.”

“Want has nothing to do about it. Like it or not, they did.” Lena paused, tucking her legs into the sofa’s arm. She fixed Kara with a level look. “Kara, I say this as your friend, but you have to understand how powerful you are in the eyes of a regular citizen. You fly, you shoot laser beams from your eyes, you’re bullet proof and fire proof. Your power is limitless and even though this city has seen you fall, they’ve also seen you get back up time and time again.”

Kara bit her lip. “That part I can understand, but it’s not just that. This podcaster isn’t only targeting my Supergirl persona. It’s Kara Danvers, Kara Zor-El that they don’t trust.” She snorted, throwing her hands wide. “They think the fact that I’m working as CatCo’s Editor-in-Chief makes the whole platform inherently bias. And – yes – I know I’ve fought my own biases in the past, and it’s not like being impartial was what won me a Pulitzer, but to them— a superhero in the press just doesn’t appeal. They think I’m a fraud, that I’ve been manipulating public opinion.” Kara could feel her face begin to flush in frustration. She ran a hand through her hair, standing just to put her energy somewhere. She slammed a fist against her palm, taking a step around the coffee table with every beat. “But, I mean, don’t they remember how CatCo turned on Supergirl after the Red Kryptonite incident? And rightfully, too. I lost the people’s trust then, and now—now it’s happening all over again and I just… I don’t know how to win them back,” she laughed through her teeth, “or if I can win them back!”

Alex took Kara’s arm swiftly as she passed her by, tugging her to her side. “Hey, no one said this was gonna be easy.”

“I think those were Cat’s exact words, actually,” Nia said helpfully, pointing in Alex’s direction.

Kara huffed, anchored by her sister’s steadying hand. “Yeah? Well, they didn’t say it would be this difficult, either.”

“Don’t listen to a few angry voices,” Nia insisted, her voice sobering. “They aren’t worth your energy, trust me.”

“Are they just a few?” Kara asked grimly. If she tried hard enough, she was sure she could still tune into hundreds of versions of that same podcast playing from across the city. Whether they agreed with him or not, the people of National City and beyond were listening to this nameless podcaster, and that was dangerous enough on its own.

Nia smiled tightly, balling her knuckles against her lap. “Just don’t listen to them, okay?” She closed her eyes. “Look, people like to make a lot of noise when they feel like they’ve been lied to, but the truth is, they were never entitled to that information to begin with. When I did my Dreamer interview with you, a lot of people were so supportive; some of them even saw themselves in me, but there were always hateful voices that tried to drown out the positive ones.” She straightened her back, opening her eyes. “But, y’know, they make that much noise because they know they’re in the minority, and they do not have the power that they think. Putting it into perspective like that… it’s a lot easier to ignore them, especially when I know how many people I’ve helped by sharing my story.”

“You’re right,” Kara said softly. Because she was. Of course she was. A single podcast spouting a single negative view didn’t diminish everything good that had come out of Supergirl’s identity reveal. Yes, the celebrity-level thing took some getting used to and openly flying to work made her something of a spectacle when it came to the office situation, but for the most part, Kara was relieved to have that weight off her shoulders, and it was a joy to know just how many aliens felt more confident to live as themselves now that they knew Supergirl had also shared their struggle.

In truth, the world knowing where she had come from, who she had been ever since she’d landed on Earth, grounded her to the people in a way that had never struck quite the same as just Supergirl. And that was worth any amount of growing pains.

Kara reached out for Nia’s hand over the coffee table, squeezing tight. “Thank you.”

Nia’s smile softened. “Any time.”

Lena cleared her throat, shifting higher against her pillow. “And, as for your job,” she said with a sly smile of her own, “let’s just say I know a thing or two about the public coming for your throat, deeming you unworthy of the position you’ve fairly worked your way up to. It’s just like Nia said, you ignore it, Kara. You ignore it because you have nothing to prove to anyone, you’re already doing one hell of a job as a journalist. Remain honest with yourself, and eventually people will see it. Not everyone of course.” She tilted her head, raising her glass to her lips. “You’ll never have everyone’s approval. If you did, well, I’d say you were on another planet, because that’s certainly not how the human race are wired.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Nia chimed in, leaning up to clink her glass with Lena’s. She caught Kelly’s glass on her way back.

Kelly smiled fondly, though there was a strained edge to her expression when she said, “We’ve all had to work twice as hard to prove ourselves. And as much as it hurts, that extends to Supergirl as well.”

Kara sat back down with a sigh, leaning into the embrace that Alex readily offered her. “Cat once told me the same thing; right after she’d first claimed Supergirl, actually.”

“Exactly,” Alex said with a sage nod. She kissed her sister’s hair. “And, hey, Cat Grant won’t let a podcast beat down her creation. Hell, her empire is built on powerful women, it always has been, always will.” She gestured to everyone in the room. “You are all prime examples of that.”

Kara nudged her sister playfully, pushing out of her arms. “Hey, well, the amount of times the DEO has personally kept that building from crashing to the ground, I’d say you’re an honorary member of Cat’s empire, too.”

Alex’s nose crinkled. “I think I prefer the title of badass DEO leader, but I’ll take it.” She grinned, rolling her eyes. “The point is, you have us, Kara.”

“Yeah.” Nia beamed. “And our opinion is worth a million times more than some crappy podcast.”

“Oh, cheers to that, too!” Alex laughed and they all converged with their glasses, meeting with a raucous clash over the coffee table.

Cheers rang out all ‘round, and Kara let the simple joy of that moment infect her. Their combined laughter easily blotted out any chances of hearing another word from that podcaster’s mouth.

She'd lost the taste for eavesdropping, anyway.

[tbcanary]

Kara Zor El in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

It's too big. We're too small.

[helpimstuckposting]

I’m a ghost and you are a shadow

Part one | part two | part three | part four | part five | part six | part seven | part eight | part nine | part ten | part eleven

—

When they finally got around to leaving the backyard, once Steve had collected all the little bits of himself that felt tattered and stretched to their limits, he glanced back at his bedroom window. He caught the blinds swaying just a bit, as if someone had been peaking through and just stepped away. It was easy to imagine Eddie, pulling his mess of curly hair over his face to hide even though Steve hadn’t seen him. He wished he’d come back down.

Eddie was the only constant back in his world. He may have been states away, chasing some kind of purpose that Steve had lost among the bodies, but he called at least once a week. Just to say hi. Just to make sure they were both alive. Steve thought maybe he’d been so used to calling Wayne, he just didn’t know what to do without him. If Steve could be that filler in his life, that voice on the end of the line whenever Eddie reached for the phone out of habit, that was fine by him. It was the only thing he’d started to look forward to.

He wondered if his Eddie would be sad when no one picked up the phone this week. Steve felt a little like the small child hiding amongst the clothing racks again. He’s sure Eddie would notice. He’s just not sure if he’d care. Maybe he’d also send the nanny if he could.

Steve steeled his thoughts as they stepped back into the house, trailing slightly behind Robin as if that would delay the inevitable. She told him it was okay, that he could trust this different version of his mom but he wasn’t quite sure he could believe her. Maybe this Linda was different. That still didn’t make her his mother.

Back in the living room, Nancy, Max, El, and Dustin looked up when he entered. Dustin looked so apologetic that Steve almost felt bad for his reaction. He looked like he wanted to tell Steve sorry, that he didn’t mean to blurt that out, or that he didn’t mean to startle him but he couldn’t get the words out. Steve just nodded at him with a small reassuring smile and ruffled his hair as he passed, sitting back down on the couch with Robin.

They were back to the looking at each other thing, so Steve took pity on them and broke the silence.

“I'm okay, we can call her. Did you tell everyone else?” He asked.

Nancy shook her head. “We were waiting for you, we didn’t want to do anything behind your back.”

Steve nodded, heart squeezing tightly in his chest at the reminder that they cared enough to do that, to wait for him. He turned to the kids that were no longer kids, sitting together on the second couch, Dustin on the left and the two girls on the right.

“Still got the walkies?” He asked. Dustin nodded, pulling the two-way radio out of the bag at his feet.

“Always,” he replied.

“Are you ready?” Nancy asked, eyes caring and worried. She emphasized that it was okay if he wasn’t, if he wanted a few more moments to prepare for what was sure to be a stampede. Steve reassured her it was fine, that they’d have to say something eventually, and Robin squeezed his knee to offer her support, letting her hand rest there to keep him anchored to the spot.

“The rest of the boys should be in town. Will and Mike work at the arcade and Lucas is working at Family Video.”

Steve smiled, it seemed like they’d passed down their shitty strip mall jobs to the next generation. It was still so weird to know the kids were the same age he was when Starcourt opened, older than Robin was.

Dustin clicked the radio on and took one more glance at Steve before pressing the talk button.

“Mike, Will, Lucas, this is Dustin, do you copy?” He waited a few seconds, static coming through the other line. “I repeat, Mike, Will, Lucas, do you copy?” Another few seconds of pause. “We’ve got a 10-17, I repeat, a 10-17, do you copy?”

The line clicked in response. “Uh, what’s a 10-17 again?” Mikes voice filtered through the speaker.

“I think it’s a request for a pick up?” Will’s voice responded on the same line.

“That’s a 10-16, isn’t a 10-17 out of service? Why are you telling us you’re out of service? Over.”

The line clicked again, “That’s a 10-7, Mike,” Lucas’ voice responded. “Over,” he tacked on.

Dustin was clearly ready to vibrate out of his shoes in disappointment. The voices filtering through the static of the walkies made something fuzzy in Steve’s brain. The banter and the arguing and the crackling of the speakers, he could remember it like it was yesterday, like he hadn’t been missing it for four years. He was starting to get misty-eyed again and clutched onto Robin’s hand, still resting on his knee. She squeezed back.

“You’re all useless, it’s urgent business! I repeat, urgent business! Over!” Dustin yelled through the receiver.

Max rolled her eyes on the couch next to him and sunk back into the cushions, arms crossed. El followed her example, crossing her arms as well and relaxing into Max’s side.

“You don’t have to repeat everything, you know,” Mike answered back, tone snappy and impatient. The familiar sound of arcade games crackled out vaguely in the background and Steve could picture him leaning against the prize counter, rolling his eyes as he ignored some little kid in favor of answering Dustin.

“My shift is over in thirty minutes, how urgent are we talking?” Lucas responded.

“Uhhh,” Dustin glanced at Steve, eyes looking just this side of manic, “Try back from the dead urgent.”

“What?”

“Dead?”

“Who’s dead?”

“Who’s back?”

Dustin pressed the talk button to cut them all off again, “Just finish your shifts if you have to and meet back at Base Nora, he’s not going anywhere. Over and out.” Mike, Will, and Lucas tried calling out over each other, the line cutting in and out about ‘who’s not going anywhere?’ and ‘what are you talking about?’, but Dustin just clicked the walkie off instead of answering.

Max leaned forward again, arms still crossed against her chest, and looked at Dustin like he’d finally lost it. “That was the absolute worst way you could have handled that.”

“Yeah but how fast do you think they’ll get here now?” he responded. Steve shook his head as a smile pulled at the corner of his lips. He had to admit Dustin was clever. Rude as hell, but clever. Max just smirked back at him.

“Oh they are so fired.”

“I don’t think Keith can afford to fire them,” El laughed.

Keith, Family Video, the kids, it was all so similar to his world. If it was just this, just the party and Robin and Eddie, it would be fine. The fact that his house was Base Nora, that it was clearly well used by many people and filled with laughter and the sunlight of the morning peaking through the windows, it filled Steve with longing for what he’d lost in his world.

He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d opened the blinds in his house. It was always dark, quiet. He barely even turned the lights on most days, just fumbled through the house hungover and half blind. If it was just the kids they had to tell, he’d be excited to see their reaction, to know that everyone was safe.

However, with the conclusion of one task, the other much more daunting task was at hand. The lightness in Steve’s chest from the kids’ banter was slowly stripped thread by thread, unraveling the warmth he felt and replacing it with cold dread. Robin pulled him up and they all made their way back into the kitchen.

He glanced again at the picture wall, taking in the images he was too panicked to really see before. He stepped closer. There was a picture of the party at a beach, though Steve didn’t know where. He’d only ever seen beaches from expensive hotel windows, before his parents deemed him old enough to stay home alone. Here, the other Steve was smiling, arms around Eddie and Robin, who both had their hair up in buns, kids fighting in the background. There was another picture of the party in his living room, blankets strewn around the floor, kids huddled around with a movie on in the background. He couldn’t tell which movie, but the kids weren’t looking at the screen anyway, they were all huddled around laughing at he and Eddie, sleeping soundly splayed out on top of each other.

Steve wondered how much happier this Steve was. How much more he had. He did things, went places, surrounded by friends, always touching and talking and laughing. He had the party, all safe, he had his mom. But he’d died, left it all behind and Steve was in his place, taking that spot from him. It didn’t seem fair. Steve really didn’t belong here.

“Steve?” Robins voice called as softly as he’d ever heard her. He turned away from the pictures to where she was standing by the phone, already held in her hand. She tilted her head toward the dial on the wall, silently asking if he’d like to do the honors.

He shook his head but walked over to her, stepping in as close as he could. She wrapped an arm around his waist and held the phone to her ear, inexplicably dialing the Wheeler’s number. He glanced over at Nancy, leaning against the archway to the kitchen.

“Our moms have girls’ days sometimes. That’s where they all are now,” she whispered as Robin finished dialing. He could hear it ring. The phone anxiety was creeping back up on him, clawing at his throat. What if she’s mad they interrupted, what if she’s sad he’s not really her Steve, what if she doesn’t care, what if-

“Hi Karen, can I talk to Linda?” Robin’s voice cut through his spiral. He could hear Mrs Wheeler on the other end calling out for his mom, heard giggling in the background and wondered how many of their parents were there. Linda. Robin Buckley was on first name basis with his mother. The more things stay the same, the more they change or whatever the fuck that saying was.

“Hello? Robin?” His mothers voice called out through the speaker. Robin gripped his waist tighter, squeezing three times. He tapped her hand three times right back. It was okay. He’d be okay.

“Hi Linda. I uh… sorry to interrupt!” Robin responded.

“Oh, nonsense, is everything okay? You’re all there, right?” Her voice was so soft, so kind. The last time he’d heard the same voice it was cold, hard like stone. A frigid ‘We’re very disappointed in you, Steven’ tossed his way before his father threw down job applications on the kitchen table. He blinked back the memories and tried tuning back into Robin.

“-don’t really know how to explain it, we just… uh. It’s about Steve.”

It was silent on the other end of the line. The static counting down the seconds before his mother cleared her throat to respond.

“What about Steve, Dear?”

Robin turned to look at him, a vague panic in her eyes as she didn’t know how to respond. They probably should have thought this through more, figured out something to say before calling. It was too late now.

“Um… uh… Something… happened this morning and we think it’s, you know, campaign related,” Robin emphasized, as if she were adding a wink, wink onto the end of her sentence.

She continued, “There’s some, uh, gates we think have opened and someone’s stumbled back into our lives.” Steve felt her shrug helplessly, letting go of his waist to give Nancy a sort of ‘please help me, I’m drowning here’ look, gesturing frantically to the phone. She marched over to them and slid it out of Robin’s hand, stepping in between the two of them.

“Hi, Linda. We think you should come home and see for yourself. It’s a lot, so just… try not to freak out,” Nancy added. Robin smacked her hand to her forehead, that would definitely make someone freak out.

Steve didn’t hear the end of his mom’s call, just the whispered frantic arguing between Nancy and Robin. Eventually, though, Robin hung up the phone and they all looked at each other. At least that was over now. The actual explaining this though was going to be harder. Where did they even start? Everyone was going to flip out the second they saw him, and Steve was exhausted enough already. He couldn’t wait for this part to be over, he just wanted to rest.

This much energy, this many people and conversations and socialization wasn’t something he was used to anymore. It was a bit suffocating, but that could also have just been the panic. It would take about fifteen minutes to get here from the Wheeler’s house, same for the boys at the strip mall — though, Steve wasn’t sure if they’d finish out their shifts first or just make a break for it. They were never good at impulse control.

He decided to sit on the staircase at the entryway. He figured being right there would sort of rip the bandaid off, so to say. So, he sat on the cold hardwood steps, felt Robin plop herself down next to him, and he waited. The dark wood table against the wall of the entryway was the same in his world, though there was a vase of fresh flowers, recently filled. Alive. In his world, they were never real to begin with. Instead, there was a large vase of scented sticks, some minimalist bullshit decor that meant nothing. He stared at the flowers, outlined each and every one to keep his mind away from the panic, to keep himself rooted to the spot.

He used to sit here after saying stiff and formal goodbyes to his parents. He’d watch them leave, tell them have a safe trip, close the door behind them and then just… sit on the stairs. He’d sit for minutes or hours or whatever amount of time it took him to get over himself and get back on with his life. Who cared about some superficial woes of a rich boy? What was he going to say, that he missed parents he never really had? That he wanted his mommy? It was pathetic. So he’d dust himself off, though a spec of dust probably didn’t exist anywhere in the Harrington house, and call up Tommy and Carol to tell them he had the house to himself again. He could fill it with as many people as he wanted before they got back, he was fine.

Now, instead of shaking himself out of it, he was snapped back by the sound of high heels against the brick steps outside. He held his breath, or maybe he just forgot to breathe all together. Before the handle was touched, a stampede of sneaker noises caught up to the heals on the steps, the panting and gasped complaints bleeding through the door.

“Hi, Mrs Harrington,” he thought it was Will’s voice that filtered in.

“Hi, boys. I’m assuming you got a cryptic call as well?” She teased. She teased. He’d never heard that tone before in his life.

“Yeah, Dustin called right in the middle of our shifts!” Lucas accused, as if Dustin didn’t specifically tell them to finish their shifts before coming over.

“Aren’t you going to get in trouble for that?” She asked

“Oh please, Keith can’t afford to fire us anyway,” Mike muttered.

With the greetings out of the way, someone finally gripped the handle. The rattling of the metal put a fire under Steve’s ass and before he knew it, he’d booked it around the corner and just out of sight.

“Wait, Steve-,” Robin shouted after him, though the door finally opened and she was confronted with four startled faces before she could run after him.

“Steve?” Lucas shouted.

He muttered a quiet fuck under his breath and braced himself. He couldn’t just leave Robin floundering around by herself out there, that was too cruel. So, instead of being an absolute coward he took in a deep breath, held it for just a few seconds until his lungs felt stretched to their limits, and then he let it all go as he stepped around the corner.

—

Sorry about that one guys, I hate cliff hangers but I never know where else to stop these lmao you'll meet Linda Harrington in the next one! We'll also hear from Eddie 👀

I'm still adding to the taglist as well, so feel free to ask!

@weirdandabsurd42 @sirsnacksalot @space-invading-pigeon @aliea82 @goodolefashionedloverboi @emly03 @bestwifehaver @mentallyundone @13catastrophic-blues @estrellami-1 @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @likelylad @aellafreya @wxrmland

[drowsyr]

robin’s relationship with el after starcourt hadn’t been bad, it just hadn’t been anything at all. in the haze of everything that came after, robin’s poorly timed comments on bones and where-they-may-or-may-not-have-been on the soccer field her sophomore year hadn’t remained important in el’s memory.

neither steve nor robin were that close to el, though. obviously steve had dustin and max, and robin totally thought erica was the coolest fifth grade she’d ever met; but with robin new to the game and steve usually subbing in with the twerps they weren’t particularly in with el. they still stopped by the byers in the days and weeks leading up to their departure. the party was congregating every day to eke out every minute of summer sun they could while they were still together, and robin was sitting out front in the passenger seat of the beamer nearly just as often. she hadn’t really been inside the house, but had sat up front while steve picked el and max up for the arcade. they’d probably play air hockey while el stayed slumped on the side of dig dug, watching max as she chewed her lip and focused on the screen.

air hockey was one of the only arcade games they could agree on after spending enough time there, surveying while waiting on dustin and lucas to haltingly show erica some pac-man. steve was a fan of the more physical ones, of course: he snagged tickets shooting hoops in the corner and racked up the highest pinball score on the karate kid-themed game. robin hadn’t really gone in the arcade that much before the summer, even though it was one of the only places in town with reliable air conditioning before the mall opened up. so she didn’t really have a preferred game beyond air hockey, which was fun with steve when they were both competitive and stagnating in finding a new job.

when max had slowed to a clunky pace on the dig dug cabinet, she and el wandered back to the air hockey table where she and steve were still sending the puck back and forth. they watched a round of the two of them trading goals and max half-heartedly heckled them. el drifted closer to the edge of the table, staring intently as they lunged and twitched their hands. she waited, and watched them slow to a stop when robin scored a point above steve and started cheering.

on their way out, robin trailed behind steve and max, trying not to eavesdrop on the little league soccer coach-style clap on the shoulder he gave her as part of his pep talk. el drifted up to her side, dragging her feet on the brightly colored carpet.

“what’s… your hand? you and steve. you match.”

robin startled in surprise and stared uncomprehendingly at the back of her hand. before too long el reached out a finger and pointed at the bracelet slowly loosening on her wrist from wear. it had been lime green and buttery yellow and a too-bright cobalt blue. now the yellow had gone a slightly sickly beige and the blue had dulled significantly, but it still gave her a little thrill to see steve’s matching bracelet.

they’d made them in that first awful week after the fourth, when steve hadn’t left the buckley’s house in four days and counting. they’d cycled through robin’s childhood collection of muppet movies and the old black and white classic she had grown up watching with her parents. mr buckley had come in from work one night when they had just started singin in the rain, and he had joined them for most of it while standing behind the armchair and resisting offers to sit down. they’d been snickering through bringing up baby, curled up on the couch in the middle of the day and still pretending they were A-Okay when robin realized they’d migrated through the entirety of the buckley’s front room furniture and most of the floor near the tv. robin liked the heavy comfort of being around steve, but her hands were starting to sweat where they were tucked up with steve’s, and she felt undeniably restless as she tapped her fingers on the back of his hand.

steve broke first. “it’s not that i’m like. uncomfortable. or even bored! but it is like ohmygod my legs are like lead weights right now.” with this, he flung his legs out in front of them, splaying out in front of the tv. 

robin had groaned and slumped down onto his chest, then thought of the play-doh she kept in her desk for when she was working on difficult homework. she dropped to the floor with another groan, then sat up and dashed to her room, coming back with purple and teal-capped play-doh jars. they’d made little figurines and stars and hearts with it while the movie played out, and had scavenged robin’s room for craft supplies before slumping back in front of the tv with their spoils.

steve had gathered up robin’s shockingly extensive collection of construction and scrapbooking paper and a pair of scissors. robin had taken the embroidery floss out of the pale purple trunk in her closet, and scotch tape and the glue stick she kept in her backpack. they’d snipped and shaped and tied, and had ended the night with mostly matching bracelets and cheesy out of season valentines for tammy thompson and nancy wheeler.

for the bracelets they chosen a kermit-y lime green, a pale but warm yellow, and a navy blue that felt grossly familiar. robin showed steve how to make simple stripes and it felt like tying off a birthday present, or locking a door. they’d traded bracelets, and worn them every day since.

that was what el was pointing out. “oh well, you know… me and steve, we’re like each others party so.. we just thought we’d do something to you know… commemorate. or something. to celebrate getting each other.”

robin cringed at the word choice, but el didn’t seem to notice the potential accidental slight. el nodded seriously at this and looked ahead at max and steve, her eyes flickering around steve’s bracelet where it hung around his watch.

“i could show you? how to do them, i mean! i’ve still got some stuff left over for it, and you could take it on the car ride so you’ll have something to do! i heard it’ll be, like, a forever car ride, so i hope it’d help.” el met her eyes and nodded seriously once, before thanking her and giving her a small smile.

robin had kept that pale purple trunk in steve’s car until the next time el was a passenger, and had showed her the two styles she’d learned from her mom as a kid. el had chosen shades of pink and yellow for her first try, before moving on to something like steve and robin’s, only with a vibrant orange rather than yellow. she added a bright pink, and knotted the string into a thin band. el had beamed when she finished her first one, and robin had felt just a little bit better about seeing her off so soon.

by the end of the first week of the byer’s departure, robin received a letter via steve. el’s name was printed neatly in the corner over an address in california, but it had been addressed to robin at steve’s house, the only address el had been able to get. the letter was short and sweet and ended with an embroidery thread bracelet taped neatly to the bottom of the page. it was lilac and dark blue and a fun light orange, and the letter was signed love, el with a doodle of a sweet smiley face.

[el-dritchknight]

ice skating for whichever blorbos you desire

Christmas time prompts - Ice skating | AO3 Version

"No."

"Aw, come on, doc! Just give it a shot!"

"I refuse. This is ridiculous."

"Pfft. You're gonna let a little ice stop the great and mighty Veritas Ratio?"

"It's Doctor Veritas Ratio, though your senseless stream of flattery is duly noted. Be that as it may, I am not going to set foot on that death trap."

"Seriously? It's just a frozen lake, Ratio. Belobog's been frozen for millenia. It's not suddenly going to break under your huge, bulging muscles."

"..."

"Oh, don't give me that look! Here, why don't you take my hand? I'll guide you over the ice."

"If that's what it takes for you to finally leave it alone, then fine."

"Good, that's it. I won't let you fall."

"...Aeons!"

"Eyes on me, gorgeous. I got you."

"G-gambler, there is no need to accelerate on my account!"

"Ahahaha! But we need to have a constant state of acceleration to keep our balance, doc! Don't you have a degree in physics?"

"It's a doctorate, you im--watch out!"

"Whoa!"

"Hff... are you alright, gambler?"

"Never better, doc. You make a pretty good cushion, you know that? So much solid muscle, but your skin is really soft. What skincare products do you use?"

"Perhaps I shall tell you when you get off of me."

"Oh, doctor, not in public! We can't afford to ruin the IPC's reputation in front of the Supreme Guardian just yet, you know."

"Ugh. You are completely incorrigible."

"Yeah, yeah. Come on, let's go get some hot chocolate before we freeze our asses out here."

"Speak for yourself. I was feeling quite warm..."

"What was that?"

"I said we're lucky there's no chance of a snow storm. Now stop dawdling and help me up."

"I don't know. It's rare to see you looking up at me like this. I rather like it."

"Aventurine."

"Hahaha, you're too easy, Ratio. Here."

"Thank you."

"Anything for you, doc."

[mikrokosmcs]

La  fiesta  no  se  estaba  tornando  aburrida,  al  contrario,  las  personas  aprovechaban  el  terreno  de  Silas  donde  las  manos  de  los  dioses  no  llegaban  para  poder  tener  acercamientos  con  otros  semi-dioses,  beber  hasta  desfallecer,  comer  hasta  atiborrarse  y  caer  en  la  perdición  completamente;  pero  Alastair  tenía  temas  más  importantes  que  tratar.  Había  notado  la  frialdad  de  su  persona  cuando  se  saludaron,  también  como  prácticamente  estuvo  fuera  de  su  radar  toda  la  noche  y  Alastair  debía  suponer  que  Silas  estaba  en  una  de  sus  etapas  donde  no  deseaba  seguir  persiguiéndolo  y  él,  no  podía  permitir  eso.  -  —Tienes  un  estudio  encantador,  libros  interesantes  —  -su  vestuario  ahora  carecía  de  “masculinidad”,  una  túnica  negra  que  llegaba  hasta  los  pies,  cadenas  de  oro  y  diamantes  desde  sus  tobillos,  el  muslo,  brazos  y  muñequeras,  al  igual  que  un  maquillaje  en  negro  y  dorado,  su  cabello  rubio  estilizado.  El  menor  anda  hasta  el  otro,  evitando  que  se  le  escape  de  su  pequeña  telaraña  y  como  un  depredador,  alza  los  brazos  para  rodear  esos  hombros  anchos.  -  —Baila  conmigo  —  -a  música  se  escucha  apagada  por  la  distancia  entre  ellos  y  la  fiesta  real,  pero  est��  seguro  que  no  necesita  música  para  sentir  las  manos  del  otro  en  su  cuerpo. 

[mango-mya]

God I need to digitalize the Queen's design because I have to redraw this one specific Pearl and Rose scene as her and Hazel.... OUHHH

[smileflowcr]

Escuchó que alguien quiere acercarse a su María y no está feliz(?)

[owl-with-a-pen]

“You still haven’t signed those?”

Kara lifted her head from the pizza box she was currently nose deep inside of, a garlic knot already hanging from her mouth. “Hm, wha--?”

Alex was stood on the other side of her apartment. She had been on her way to get more wine – that was what she’d promised, at least - although now she was eyeing a pile of documents on Kara’s dining table with a firm glare. She folded her arms expectantly. “Those. Cat’s contracts? You’ve been glancing over at them for hours.”

The garlic knot fell back onto Kara’s plate in an instant. She laughed weakly, shaking her head. “Pfft, no, no, I haven’t.”

“Uh, yes you have,” Alex said, grabbing another bottle from the kitchen counter before returning to the sofa, collapsing onto crossed legs at her sister’s side. She took a slice of pizza from the box, draping it over a napkin.

The whole while, Kara watched on forlornly. Alex rolled her eyes. “C’mon, I go away for a week-long honeymoon, and I come back to Miss Doom and Gloom over here? What happened?”

Kara’s stomach clenched. She briefly considered super-speeding her way out of the room just to avoid the conversation, but that would’ve only proved Alex’s point, and made her absolutely unbearable for the next few days at least. “Alright,” she said finally, offering a weak shrug. “I—I just haven’t made my mind up yet, is all.”

“That’s all?” Alex leant back, narrowing her eyes. “Kara, this is your dream position. And back under Cat’s leadership? It’s like the stars have aligned, tell me you don’t have cold feet about that!”

“I—I don’t!” Kara screwed her eyes shut. “Ah - it’s complicated.”

Alex tipped her head forward patiently. “Well, go on then.”

“Alex—”

“Tell me!”

Kara glared at her sister, snatching a slice of pizza from the box, nearly inhaling it in one bite. She slowed just enough to swallow around her words. “Cat told me something at the wedding that really jarred me,” she admitted, “and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. I talked to Lena about it and I—I truly thought I’d made my mind up.” She winced, setting down her plate. “So, uh, Cat knows. About me. About—Supergirl.”

Alex blinked.

Kara blinked back. “Could you try to look more shocked?”

“Oh, I am,” Alex said, nodding along. “This is totally my shocked face, you’ve seen it before, right? Like when you told me that Mon-El had a crush on you?”

Kara hit her playfully. “Was it really that obvious?”

Alex snorted, taking a bite of her own pizza. “She’s Cat Grant, I mean, really, what the hell doesn’t she know?”

“Well, I didn’t know, and that’s not the point.” Kara groaned, folding her arms over her knees. “I told her that I was struggling with playing the part of Kara Danvers and Supergirl, so she said why don’t I just… stop… playing them?” She looked up at Alex innocently, biting her lip.

Alex stared at her. “You’re serious,” she said flatly, before raising her voice, “you’re really serious? Kara—I mean… it’d change things. A lot of things.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Everyone would know who you were.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you ready for that?”

“I don’t know,” Kara said softly, drawing her legs in closer. “Would it be amazing to just get to be me, without hiding parts of myself from people, or putting strains on relationships? I mean, yes… it would. But would those relationships also change because people knew about the whole… Supergirl… thing?”

“You’ve had plenty of friends who haven’t changed their opinions of you because of that,” Alex countered, her brows drawn with uncertainty.

“And some that pretty significantly did.” Kara’s smile felt way too strained. She pursed her lips instead, closing her eyes. “I think about William sometimes. Everything I didn’t tell him. He was right there in the centre of everything Super Friend and I just left him in the dark.”

“He was a civilian; if he’d known…”

“What?” Kara asked sharply, lifting her head. “He could’ve been hurt?”

Alex flinched. “That’s not what I—”

“I know,” Kara said, shaking her head. “I guess… no matter what I tell people, if they want to be in that part of my life or not, it’s their choice, not mine. I’ve put people in danger by holding parts of myself hostage, but at least as Kara Danvers, no one has put a target on my back. People are safer around me.”

“You said it yourself,” Alex said, “it’s their choice, not yours.”

“Is it selfish to be scared of that?” Kara asked, hating the whine in her own voice. She swallowed, trying to rid of it. “That maybe some people won’t want to be a part of my life anymore?”

“Oh, Kara,” Alex said gently, taking her sister’s knee. “I’d say just about anyone would be scared of the same thing.” She looked away thoughtfully, clearing her throat. “Okay, so, let’s think positives. If you really want to entertain this, you gotta mark things on both sides of the list, right?”

Kara sniffed, nodding her head. It was a pretty loaded question for a Danvers sisters’ movie night, but she’d opened this can of worms herself, and she wasn’t about to back down. Instead, she let Alex’s encouragement spur her forward, considering her options lucidly. “Well,” she started, “there’s the obvious stuff. No more pretending I know anything about the horrors of prescription glasses expenses, or making up excuses for running out on other commitments. I wouldn’t need you or anyone else to lie on my behalf anymore, and I-I could be honest with people.”

“Okay,” Alex nodded, “and--?”

Kara blew out a breath, lifting a hand in an awkward half shrug. “And—it’d probably make me a more efficient hero. I bet Brainy could pull up the math on that, but it’s got to cut the time it takes to reach an active threat in at least half, right?”

“Okay, so practical, too,” Alex agreed. “But what about you, Kara?”

Kara frowned. “Me?”

“How do you feel about it?”

Kara felt her face begin to warm. “I—I thought we were doing pros and cons.”

Alex patted her sister’s leg knowingly. “Sure. Tell me how you feel, we’ll decide if that’s a pro or a con.”

Kara shoved the last of her pizza crust into her mouth, reaching for another slice and coming up empty. Since when had that happened? She grabbed her wine glass instead, draining it in one gulp. Not that human-grade alcohol would do anything for her, but at least it spared her precious time to think of an answer.

“Well…” she said, “I feel… scared.”

“You can do better than that,” Alex said. “What else?”

Kara pulled a face, squirming on the cushions. “Excited? A little? Maybe? But… but mostly I feel uncertain.” That wasn’t all of it. She knew there was more, but articulating it suddenly felt harder to achieve than holding up a whole building. She looked at Alex again, the unending patience in her eyes, and tried to let herself relax.

She could do this.

Kara sighed, clenching an arm around her chest. “This world has only ever known me as Kara Danvers or Supergirl, but if I tell the world who I really am… I lose those identities. I become… me. Kara Zor-El, an alien from a fallen world who was so terrified of finding a place here. Who didn’t understand your cultures or the nuances of your language. Who was stuck learning pre-school level chemistry but couldn’t ace my way towards skipping a grade without rousing unwanted attention. And even that wasn’t me, it was what this world made me, by being so different from what I’d known. I was meeker at first, then I was angrier and now I’m…”

“You’re… what?”

Kara shrugged. “I don’t know,” she admitted lamely. “That’s the problem, the uncertainty. I don’t know who that person is anymore, AIex, I don’t even know how to be her. To be alien and a superhero and to be honest about those sides of myself with the whole planet.” She laughed humourlessly. “How can I be honest about that if I don’t even know who that person is… who I am?”

Alex’s expression was so gentle. “Kara…”

“I stopped praying,” Kara said impulsively, nearly choking on her words. “When I first got here, I used to do it every night and then when I lost Mon-El…” She swallowed hard, feeling her eyes begin to burn. “My father… guided us through prayer while we were trapped in the Phantom Zone, too. But since then, I…” She trailed off, wiping quickly at her face with the heel of her hand.

“You miss him,” Alex said softly.

“With my whole heart.” Kara clutched at her centre, balling her hand into a tight fist. She felt more tears roll down her cheeks. “My mother, too. And I-I wish I’d been there with him when Brainy had taken him home. I know how happy he was to go back – to see her. I don’t know, maybe that was when the struggle started, with Nyxly taking over my life, invading my thoughts and feelings, and I realised how empty I really was. I just thought it was the Phantom Zone, that it’d take time to feel like myself again. But when Cat told me I could be both Supergirl and Kara… it scared me. Because, if I feel like half of myself already, will trying to smash those two parts of my life together really make me whole?”

“You’ve got grease all over your face,” Alex said with a sad smile. She took a napkin from the coffee table and swiped at Kara’s jaw, catching a few wayward tears in the process. Her eyes were shining.  “Do you remember all those years ago,” she murmured, “when I turned up to your apartment and you were just soaking wet with that big glowing smile on your face?” She squeezed her sister’s chin.

“Oh, I remember,” Kara said with a watery laugh, swatting her away.

“I was so scared for you back then, Kara,” Alex continued seriously, “I’d been protecting you my whole life and suddenly – suddenly you were the one protecting me. And you were reckless and so damn innocent, and I kept thinking to myself, one of these days, she’s going to see the world for what it really is, and it’s going to get her killed.” Alex shook her head, moisture catching in her lashes. “But you’re the one that changed my perspective. You made me realise that there was a reason to hope for the best, to see the positive in every situation. I blew up on you that first night because I was scared for you, for what a change like that would mean, for how the world might perceive you. But now I know that whatever you decide, you will be ready for it.”

“I could have come clean to the world that same night,” Kara croaked. She sniffed again. “I could have lived my whole life from that point onward as myself. No cape. No alter-ego. But I… I loved my human life. And it kept people safe. And maybe, even then, I wasn’t sure I would’ve known what to do if the world started treating Kara Danvers differently. Because I love her, too.”

“You can still be her,” Alex said, taking Kara’s hand. “You’ll always be her. Just, you’ll be more, too.”

“Right.” Kara’s lips trembled. She curled her fingers against her sister’s palm, watching Alex’s hand as it closed tightly around hers.

They didn’t speak for a while, and so Kara listened to the steady rhythm of Alex’s heart, one of the few sounds that was guaranteed to keep her grounded. Right now, it proved to her that her sister wasn’t angry or stressed by anything she’d told her tonight. She really did believe in her to make the choice that felt right for herself.

Kara only wished it was as easy as Alex made it out to be.

The truth was, she was still terrified. And, through that fear, she yearned suddenly for the insight she’d once been offered in droves as a child.

“What are you thinking?” Alex prompted into the silence.

Kara sighed shakily, stifling her next breath. “I’m thinking… this is all happening so fast.” She glanced skyward. “And, honestly? I-I just want to see my parents.”

Alex’s hand tightened around her. “As in—go to Argo?”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Kara said, nearly to herself. “When I first put this cape on, all I had of my mother was a necklace and a hologram that I couldn’t even touch. And my father—only memories. Now—now I have a chance to share this choice with them both. I need a fresh perspective, somewhere I don’t have to be Supergirl or Kara Danvers for a little while. Maybe that’s the first step to figuring out the rest of who I am.”

Kara couldn’t ignore the way Alex deflated at that.

“Hey, hey, and,” Kara said confidently, drawing her sister’s hand towards her. “I would really like it if you came with me, Alex.”

Alex’s eyes popped wide open at that. “Wait—really? I could go with you? Really?”

“Of course!” Kara laughed. “You’re my family! I want to experience this with you. I-I don’t think I could make this choice without you, actually.”

“Well, that’s for sure.” Alex snorted, but the tears in her eyes quickly spilled free. “Oh my god—I  mean, I guess I don’t officially start at the DEO until next week. Not that J’onn would mind but—oh, what sort of climate is Argo? What do I pack?”

Kara rolled her eyes. “Alex.”

“Right.” Alex shook her head. “Sorry. I don’t go to space often.” She was still grinning. “I’d be honoured to go with you. We’ll figure this out, Kara. Danvers sisters’ style.”

Kara smiled just as brightly, throwing herself into her sister’s arms so enthusiastically that they nearly ended up in a heap on the ground.

It didn’t matter, though, because for the first time since that phone call, she finally felt a little more certain on where she was headed next.  

[redlyriumidol]

this is very unimportant but i think sometimes people have taken and run with the "solas iambic pentameter" thing a little too far haha. he definitely does not always speak in iambic pentameter

[cjvno]

📍Rosengarten con @imaven

" ¿te puedo decir un secreto? " comenzó juno al momento que desviaba la mirada, si mal no recordaba aquella era la banca donde se habían visto después de Toledo, ni ella podía pensar que las cosas hubieran cambiado tanto desde esa vez " cuando te vi la primera vez tuve un crush contigo, luego te conocí y se esfumo " hizo un mohín antes de reír, aquel era su intento por hacer la situación menos melancólica " ¿y ahora qué? " preguntó al recargarse mejor luego de unos segundos y lo decía de manera general " ¿seguiremos siendo amigos luego de esto?... ¿aun somos amigos? "

[mikhardwheat]

Byler, (modern?) au where Will and Mike are not friends, but each other's hallway crushes

Dustin: remember that guy?

Will: what guy?

Dustin: the one you like? from the Math class?

Dustin: the one you draw in your sketchbook all the ti-

Will: okay, stop, I get it

Will: so?

Dustin: he applied to join the DnD club

Will: did he now?

Dustin: this dude is a nerd, I'm telling you

Dustin: also, his friend? Lucas from the basketball team? The hottest person to ever walk on the Earth??

Dustin: he applied too, at the same time!

Will: fascinating.

Dustin: do you think his girlfriend will apply too?

El, appearing out of nowhere: apply where?

Dustin: jeez, El, where did you come from

Will: summoned by the mention of a redhead

El: it wasn't-

El: why did you even bring her up

Dustin: Lucas and that one dude Will is hopelessly in love with are going to play DnD this Saturday with us

Will: since when I'm "hopelessly in love"?

El: oh, the one who's portrait he painted the other day?

Dustin: portrait?

Dustin: dude, you're down bad

Dustin: was it big?

El, nodding: half my size

Dustin: damn.

El: isn't his name Mike?

Mike: whose name is Mike?

El: the guy Will has a crush on

Dustin:

Will:

Mike:

El: oh, hi

Dustin: yikes

Mike: hi?..

Mike: sorry to interrupt, I wanted to ask if there's a dress-code for the campaign

Dustin, confused: dress-code?..

Will: he's asking if we're playing in costumes

Dustin: ah

Dustin: no, not this week

Dustin: but we do that sometimes, mostly during the holidays

El, pointing at her watch: we're running late

Dustin: are we?

El: yes, we have Chemistry together, it's in 2 minutes

Dustin:

Dustin: fuck

Dustin, to them both: bye guys!

Dustin, to Will: see ya later!

They quickly walk away.

Mike: so...

Mike: um...

Will: is Max going too?

Mike: what?

Will: your friend's girlfriend? is she joining the campaign too?

Mike: hell no.

Mike: why?

Will: El was dreaming about holding hands with her since the last Summer break

Mike: and you are telling me that because..?

Will: fair exchange

Mike: I'm not sure I follow

Will: my crush on you?

Mike: "Mike" is a pretty common name, why would I-

Will: I know you overhead more than the last sentence, come on

Will: I saw you standing there and waiting for the right time to say something

Just to be clear: Will noticed Mike when he replied "did he now?" to Dustin.