#erica answers questions

[arobats]

is dean too busy dealing with john munchausens by proxying sam to consider he can also do it himself?

ooh compelling argument!

[myssalyssa101]

A quick question for a story I’m writing. The monster au for stranger things. Would they be born as these monsters, manifest as these monsters at a certain age or become these monsters because of something in the upside down???

[where-dreamers-go]

I hope this doesn't annoy you too much, but I have so many questions about Modern!reader

Like, would they try to find a way home? Would they want to stay? Would they worry about their loved ones missing them back home? Would Eragon try to help even though he'd obviously want them to stay with him?

Hi. Oh my goodness, the Modern!Reader. The fan of Eragon who has no idea, technically, how they dropped into Alagaësia. Magically, sure, but Reader read about magic, they didn’t know how to use magic. But that portal they arrived through was awesome, however short in its stay.

Modern!Reader has no idea how to return home. Their only small chance would be to tell Angela every detail and hope she would figure something out. Even a theory would be helpful.

During Reader’s first night in Alagaësia, they were feeling homesick and missing their loved ones, friends obviously included. Reader knew how exciting and dangerous Alagaësia was, especially alone knowing sensitive information. There was no telling what could be happening back home.

Once learning about Modern!Reader’s situation, Eragon would be confused and conflicted. Of course, Eraogn wanted to help his friend, but he wasn’t entirely sure magic doorways were real. But he wanted to believe the Reader, but even then what help could he be of getting them home? He didn’t know any complicated transportation magic.

Eragon feels guilty; he wants them to stay and he can’t begin to figure out how to help. All the Dragon Rider knows is that he cares for his friend deeply and he will do what he can to make them fell at home in Mount Arngor.

Reader feels torn; they love experiencing life on Mount Arngor, but they do really miss home and the people there.

Either way, Reader ad Eragon’s friendship would grow.

~~~

(If you love my writings and want to support me, I have a Ko-Fi where you can buy me a coffee. I would be eternally grateful.

Best wishes and happy reading.)

~~~~~

DreamerDragon Tags: 

Inheritance Cycle Tags: @shewhobreathesfire @emburbaguette

**Let me know if you would like to be tagged in insert readers, either through replies, ask, or message.**

[gnomey22]

Failtopia Smash or Pass

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-FqWO_Kbq-BP5P4T344s9zPi3H5K5AiwZftCfaqz-4iimJw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Just like the polls, I'm doing this for the sake of data collection, but also for fun, so while I'd appreciate all the responses I can get, you're entirely in the right to ignore this.

[comicbookddr]

So if Mbav was a disney show how do you think they would change the name to save money

I love this question a lot (referring to this post) because it allows me to think of a world where mbav gets more than two seasons lol. I had to think long and hard about this one, since Disney has never really done a series like this before on their own, but usually the change in name also came with a change in location, so I'd like to imagine that Disney would do some lame shit like having the final season take place in Transylvania where the fang gang is on foreign exchange or something. The characters ages and grades could get messy QUICK but I can see them doing something along the line of Benny, Rory, and Ethan are leaving on exchange and his parents make Sarah go with them as a teachers assistant or something so she can still babysit him while he's away. Then Erica can sneak in so she can be with Sarah or something along those lines.

So since the Disney Channel airing changed the name of the S1E13 to "Jesse's Girl", I could see them calling the show something like: My Babysitter's a Vampire: Revamped. Although personally, if they named the show My Babysitter's a Vampire: The Series Does: Transylvania, then I would be happy.

So there's my Disney Channel read of mbav, or mbavr, or mbavtsdt ;)

[malleleothreesome]

Have you ever thought about making writing your new '9-5' job? Or is it just a passionate hobby for you?

AKIISAME I LOVE U SO MUCH THANKS FOR SENDING ME THIS FUN QUESTION, I'M SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO RESPOND!!!

Okay, first of all, I'm truly honored you think I could be a full time writer! I told my bff & coworker Emily, who is a professional copywriter, that you sent me this message and she basically told me to never become a full time writer because it sucks all the passion out of writing 😂

That being said, her job as a copywriter is a lot different than the job of like, a novelist or something, and I think writing books could be really fun! I know some fanfics get turned into novels, and that is a very exciting prospect for me, but I'm not sure how I would actually feel about that when it came down to it, or if it something I would want to do.

This year, one of my goals is to write a novel-length fanfic inspired by this idea.

I mostly write in second person, which is apparently not a very marketable perspective for books. One of my greatest joys about what I do here is that I am able to create a story that you all can fully immerse yourselves in and have a deeper connection to. The only reason I started writing in the first place is because I had such an overwhelming love for Malleus and Leona, I needed a medium to express that love through. If I were to actually write a novel length fanfiction that was successful enough to get picked up as a book, I'd have to change so many details to avoid copyright, and I'd have to choose an actual descriptive MC... If it came down to it, I don't know if I would turn down such an offer, but I would certainly have to think through all the pros and cons. The main goal of making profit off of this would be so that I could continue to write fics and pursue other artistic endeavors that would bring me endless joy and fulfillment in my life. Regretfully, I don't have any other book ideas besides things that are inspired by TWST, since MalleLeo occupy too much space in my brain to make room for OCs or other arcs.

Unfortunately, I feel like writing is a lot less profitable than art. I wish I could sell my fanfics in cute lil hardcover books in a similar vein to how artists sell keychains of their faves, but I don't even know if thats something people would want. It would be uncharted territory and D*sney would probably try to take me out.

Another concern is AI and the uncertainty of what the art industry is even going to look like in the next few years... I am lucky that AI writing is not currently very good, but who knows how that is going to change. Before I became a writer and started writing fics, I used to be a lot more concerned for my friend Emily's writing career. However, now that I truly understand what it means to write, I feel a bit more secure against the AI. Line by line, every word I choose to speak, every concept I choose to employ, every direction I send the story in is meticulously crafted... an Erica Original™️. The computers can steal my writing style, but they can't steal my thoughts and my brain... at least not yet (knock on wood). I mean, with writing, there are only so many combinations of words and phrases that you can use. What matters is now is how I, a human, choose to use them. Right now, AI just does what is predictable. I could have a tender moment happening one second, and choose to send Malleus flying off a cliff the next second—and I'd still create a cohesive story that kept y'all on the edges of your seat.

Last but not least, I am a Software Engineer, and I also have a mortgage... the mortgage makes it harder for me to take financial risks, and I would need to make close to how much I'm currently making in my job to feel comfy switching careers... 😅

[redheadedbrunette]

Any headcannons on the hale sisters? Or any of the spy school characters?

they're both incredibly jealous each other for the upbringing they got. trixie is jealous that erica got to be a part of the family legacy and be a hale in a way that, even if she were allowed to start training as a spy, she would never get to be. erica is jealous of trixie because she gets to forge her own identity outside of the spy business. because even though she's good at espionage and doesn't want that sense of identity taken away, she wishes that it could have been a choice, and more and more she's realizing the toll that it takes on her personal relationships and is wondering if it's really worth it.

erica was homeschooled for the entirety of her time leading up to her entrance at the academy, aside from the two weeks she attended second grade when trixie started kindergarten. it was around the time catherine and alexander's marriage was starting to fray at the edges, and they were hoping that if both girls were going to school, then catherine could spend more time working around the world because she felt obliged to stay at home with them when they were young. it went kind of horribly, and while erica herself didn't get into any fights (because she had been warned explicitly not to hurt any of her classmates), it was going pretty bad for her socially speaking and trixie had received no such warnings and was completely willing to release all of her feral energy and bite seven year olds who were being mean to her big sister. erica was pulled out almost right away and went back to homeschooling, and after her suspension was over, trixie went back and finished the year and started going to boarding school the next year. meanwhile, erica was just taken around with catherine most of the time and dropped back with alexander when catherine went on more involved missions and just did her schoolwork there.

[newx-menfan]

Maybe Haymaker is Julian's half-brother. James, Julian, Justin. There's a theme

Possibly- Julian’s family is largely unexplored except for the “Hellions” mini; where Julian’s parents were using the Kingmaker to become wealthy business owners.

I just don’t know how likely that is, since it has been YEARS anyone has touched on Julian or his backstory… (I admittedly haven’t read any of Schultz’s prior work either, so I don’t know her style)… Even with Laura, writers doing their homework on her canon varies tremendously; even with Taylor, who seemed like he read “NXM”, “Target X”, “Innocence Lost” and was probably the more due diligent Laura writer after KYOST…at times had continuity flubs…

I also COULD see Schultz and Marvel trying to essentially create a “Weapon X” like supporting cast- Kimura being essentially Sabertooth, and Gastin playing more or less Mimic or Silverfox….which could work or could not…

It’s definitely not impossible that Jordan is related to Julian and is the more fun theory (in MY opinion) than Gastin just being a male Logan clone or pre-“Orphan of X” character…

We will just have to wait and see.

[n4talia-chaparro]

Hey, a question that happened to Erika from your Au?

💜||꒷꒦︶🫐︶︶꒷꒦︶∪∪︶꒷꒦︶︶🫐︶꒷꒦||💜

It's gonna be hard to explain--

Erica is doing alright honestly, although she may seem weak due to her injuries. I'm assuming she's okay???? I don't know. I'm bad at explaining each character in the AU, some of them may have a different side of the story (probably like a "POV" thing) but you know. It's hard to let it out of my chest or mind.

But hey! Soon I might explain what happened to her and the rest of the characters soon (or maybe not cuz I'm bad at keeping a promise and I'm a big dumbass with no creativity lol). Or idk. Who knows. Again, Erica is doing alright and idk silly? No normal yeah normal.

[leotanaka]

kraina, what are your thoughts on the archies as a riverdale fan... Feel free to answer this ask at your own pace.

hey erica :)

great question.

you know, i absolutely loved "the archies" and the more i think about it, the more i feel like being a riverdale fan is actually a big factor in why i loved it so much because it reminded me a bit of the 90s tv movie "archie: to riverdale and back again". obviously they are two very different movies based on the archie comics but if i had watched them on their own without having seen riverdale and no prior knowledge of the characters, relationships and structure of the stories, i'm not sure how i would feel about them. whether i would like or dislike them but having watched riverdale and loving the show as much as i do, i think is why i love the film so much. it's very much a case, imo, that when you look at an adaptation of a story or a comic or anything else that you love, you tend to appreciate the different ways of telling the story more and the different yet similar ways of portraying the characters you've grown to love.

[itz-ps15]

Barbershop Trio QNA

The Barbershop Trio is the barbers of the BubbleTucky Barbershop and friends of Miss Jenny. Who says barbershops should have a quartet? These three make the perfect team!

Top left: Erica

Top Right: Kayden

Bottom: Devon

About them

Erica

The oldest of the Barbershop Trio, but the shortest. She is Kayden’s girlfriend and the most sweetest and kindest barber you’ll ever meet. Though she can be a bit shy and timid, she has a good personality. Erica loves styling hair and she would even play with Kayden’s hair to try different styles, and even her own hair. Erica is also a very understanding and patient barber, she loves helping her clients feel comfortable for their haircut! Her favorite colors are also teal and turquoise. Erica is also known to be an animal lover owning two bunnies, Gigi and Becky. She also got a cute puppy in a mix between a  Pomeranian and a Japanese Spitz from Kayden and she named her Marshmallow! Erica can be jumpy and hates horror movies. But other than that, she loves to play with Kayden’s hair and tie it in a ponytail like always. She always found brushing hair relaxing. And she also loves playing her flute when she’s not styling hair. 

Age: 21

Voice Actress: Kira Buckland

Kayden

Kayden is Erica’s boyfriend, he is 20 years old, but likes to tease his girlfriend since he’s taller. He’s a music lover and ver passionate about styling hair, cause he, Erica and Devon are barbers. His favorite color is green and his style is a casual exotic style. He acts very charming and flirts almost every time with Erica, but he is actually really smart and chill about his passion and personality. Kayden can get annoyed at Devon from time to time, but he always forgives and that’s what matters. But he is usually that one dude who’s always calm and chillaxing chill. He also grew up mostly with dogs, he loves them, especially his German Shepherd Jet and Brussels Griffon Eevie. He is also shown to be a good singer and guitar player. He sometime would sing playing his guitar while Erica plays her flute.

Voice Actor: Ray Chase

Devon

Devon is 19, making him the youngest of the group. He is mistaken for an emo, but he’s actually really kind and mature. But he is a bit clumsy, accident prone and a goofball. His favorite color is black, and his style is an artsy “Emo” style. Devon is really clumsy and likes dark emo and gothic aesthetics and styles. But he always puts his priorities and friends and family first. Devon also is a great artist, he loves to create different painting with his hair colors and often draws his ideas. He also has a Husky named Comet and a Half Maine Coon and Half Randall kitten named Zara. Devon is also shown to have a keen eye for drawing, he would sometimes do arts and crafts with coming up with new hair dyes and colors for the customers. A personal favorite of his is glow in the dark hair dye, and he made some as a spray.

Voice Actor: Johnny Yong Bosch(Power Rangers Adam and Giyu Tomioka. Slay!)

Erica is the oldest, 21 years old. She’s a barber at BubbleTucky Barbershop, but Kayden sometimes teases her for being short. She’s shy, understanding, kind, caring, an animal lover, smart, gentle, and patient. Her favorite color is teal, and her style is an artsy style. Kayden is her boyfriend.

They are all friends with Miss Jenny.

The Barber Trio also have pets.

Erica has two bunnies, Gigi and Becky. She also got a puppy from her boyfriend Kayden. The puppy she got was a mix between a Japanese Spitz and a Pomeranian, and her name is Marshmallow!

Kayden has 2 dogs, a German shepherd named Jet, and a Brussels Griffon named Eevie.Devon has a cat and dog. His cat’s name is Zara and his Husky’s name is Comet.

[arobats]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN ABOUT THOSE AUS

PLEASE ELABORATE LMAO

i had to do some weird ao3 searches but here you go!!

That's the Spirit by xXChemically_Imbalanced_RomanceXx

[buddieisgoingcanon25]

Just a random question, how old are you?

Not sure why you’re asking that question… but I’m 36.

[steddie-there]

They don't acknowledge it.

When Steve and Eddie share a bed - which, after that first nightmare-fueled middle-of-the-night phone call a few weeks after spring break, that first quiet "Come over," happens increasingly often until there's hardly a night they can't be found together - they don't acknowledge it.

They don't talk about how, though they start on either side of the bed (a decent space between them if they're in Steve's, elbows knocking if they're in Eddie's), it only takes a few minutes of anxious wakefulness before they tuck themselves together, arms wrapped tight and legs tangled.

It's just an unspoken understanding that Eddie sleeps better with Steve's arms curled around him, that Steve can't sleep without his palm over Eddie's heart, the rhythmic proof that Eddie is still alive beating into his hand.

So they don't acknowledge it.

Not when Steve starts pressing a kiss to the side of Eddie's head as they settle in, or when Eddie begins bringing Steve's hand to his lips before placing it back over his own heart.

And they don't acknowledge it when it starts to bleed over into their waking hours. When sitting next to each other on the couch during movie nights becomes Steve leaning his head on Eddie's shoulder becomes Eddie curled up on top of Steve, their eyes trained on the tv but their fingers tangled together on Steve’s chest.

When Eddie's regular visits to Family Video start and end with a hug that lingers maybe a little longer than strictly necessary and Eddie drapes himself over Steve's back to look at something in the magazine he's reading and they aren't more than an arm's length from each other the whole time Eddie is there.

When Robin sends Steve a raised eyebrow stare across the diner table, Eddie pressed against his side in the booth opposite her. She kicks Steve's leg under the table when he doesn't respond and he kicks her back, raises an eyebrow of his own that says not now.

And so they don't acknowledge it.

They don't acknowledge it until the sleepover when the kids beg Steve and Eddie to stay downstairs with them, to not retreat to Steve's room, to actually be a part of the sleepover like Robin and Nancy whispering in the corner, like Jonathan and Argyle giggling by the fireplace. When the combined forces of Erica's, El's, and Max's puppy dog eyes have him grumblingly setting up another sleeping area for him and Eddie. When Eddie smirks at him and knocks their shoulders together and Steve shrugs with a grin of his own that says I've got a soft spot for my girls, so sue me.

They don't acknowledge it until, after those few minutes of laying still next to each other, Eddie rolls into Steve's arms and Steve presses his lips to the side of Eddie's head and Eddie tugs Steve's hand to his lips and Dustin, observant and tactful as ever, asks, "What, are you two, like, dating now?"

There's a beat of silence before several muffled thumps and Dustin's, "Hey, ow, that hurt, jeez, it was just a question," sound from across the room, both Will and Lucas having kicked him while El smacked his arm. Max's hissed, "You can't just ask people that, Dustin, what the hell," has Robin and Nancy stifling giggles behind their hands.

Meanwhile, after a stiff, frozen moment, Eddie turns to catch Steve's eye and quietly asks, "Are we - ?" at the same time that Steve murmurs, "Do you - ?" They pause, only to speak in sync again when Steve answers, "I mean - " and Eddie says, "If you - "

They pause, matching shy smiles on their faces. Eddie pulls a strand of hair over his mouth, hiding behind it, before taking a deep breath and answering both their questions. "Yeah," he says.

"Yeah?" Steve asks, and the hope in it has Eddie squeezing the fingers still in his grasp.

"Yeah," he says, smiling softly.

"Okay," Steve sighs happily. He pulls Eddie's hair aside, gently presses a kiss to the side of his neck.

Eddie leans into it with a happy sigh of his own. Then he calls across the room, "Hey, Henderson."

The whisper-fight across the room immediately stills as they all turn to Eddie.

"Yeah, we're dating."

For a moment, it feels like everyone is holding their breath, then Dustin says, "Oh. Okay," and Robin calls out, "Congrats, Dingus," and the conversation gradually drifts to another topic.

Steve pulls Eddie closer, nuzzling into the space between his shoulder and neck. Eddie turns, just a little, just enough for Steve to lean down and kiss him, soft, chaste. Eddie leans into it, presses their foreheads together when they part, then settles back into Steve's hold.

"Goodnight, Eddie."

"Goodnight, Steve."

Tomorrow, they both know, there will be more to say. Questions to answer. Explanations to give. But, for now, this is all the acknowledgment they need.

[writerjayne]

When the first bottle appeared, Stiles almost didn't notice. He was grabbing his backpack and running out the door of the loft, shouting his goodbyes to an amused Derek and Peter, who didn't bother to remind him he didn't need to shout. It wasn't until Stiles was halfway home that it occurred to him that werewolves can't get drunk. But Peter is weird, maybe he just likes the flavor and happened to leave it at Derek's place. Odd but quickly forgotten. 

Stiles noticed the second bottle weeks later. The loft was finally finished being renovated and there were two bottles on some shelves that Derek had installed behind the kitchen island. The first bottle was still there, the second beside it but again Stiles didn't have time to ask. He was too busy trying to convince Erica to team up with him so they could take over the monopoly board. 

By the third bottle Stiles was not the only one noticing. Isaac had asked and gotten a shrug. Erica had inspected the bottles and confirmed they were human alcohol so there was no way Derek was getting drunk. Boyd pointed out that Derek wasn't drinking them anyway, all of the bottles were sealed. The pack continued to puzzle over the bottles together, while a very amused Peter refused to contribute and Derek refused to answer questions. 

Bottles four, five and six were added without any answers. There was no pattern to when they arrived, no pattern to the brands or sizes, even the shapes of the bottles were different. Most of the pack had given up, more interested in the other changes in the loft (new furniture, with lots of pillows and flannel blankets, a chess set on the table, the shelves full of books both old and new, and the smaller shelf full of movies) but Stiles was aware of every new bottle. 

It was after bottle eight that Stiles finally cracked and asked. 

"What's the deal with the whiskey?" 

Derek looked up from his book to study Stiles, who was studying the shelves of alcohol. It was just the two of them today, Stiles doing some kind of research while Derek simply enjoyed the younger man's presence. 

"I don't know what you mean," Derek said mildly, dropping his eyes to his book when Stiles turned back towards him. 

"Oh, come on, Derek. You don't drink! I mean, you can if you want, but it won't do anything and not a single bottle has been opened. So what's up?" 

"It's nothing," Derek sighed, and if Stiles didn't know the werewolf, he would have thought nothing more. 

But Stiles did know Derek and unless he was very mistaken Derek was blushing! It was faint but Derek's cheeks were pinkening as were the tip of his ears. 

"It's something," Stiles slowly smiled. "You just wont to tell me!" Stiles shifted how he was sitting, scooting closer to Derek. "C'mon Der, what is it?" 

Stiles leaned in and Derek closed his eyes taking a breath. 

"It's...." Derek said more but it was mumbled and Stiles wasn't sure what it was. 

"What?" Stiles asked again, leaving even closer. 

"It's the color of your eyes. The whiskey." Derek finally blurted, his cheeks warm and pink. 

"Huh?" Stiles mouth fell open as he sat stunned. 

"Well almost. None of them are quite right but whenever I see amber whiskey I think of your eyes and I always end up buying a bottle," Derek kept his eyes on his lap as he explained. 

"My eyes," Stiles repeated. 

"Yeah," Derek glanced up. "In the sunlight your eyes aren't just brown, theyre like warm amber whiskey." 

"So you bought eight bottles??" Stiles almost shrieked, his brain finally catching up with what was happening. "Because it reminded you of my eyes?! Alcohol is expensive!" 

"This is why I didn't want to tell you," Derek looked away, his shoulders dropping in defeat. "It's so weird and probably creepy. I'm sorry I'll take them down tonight-" 

"Derek!" Stiles interrupted and Derek looked up startled. Stiles was smiling and before Derek could realize it was happening Stiles was kissing him. 

It was warm and Stiles smelled amazing. Derek had initially froze but he quickly melted into the kiss, pulling Stiles closer. One of Stiles' hands rested on Derek's chest but the other slid up to cradle the back of Derek's head, fingers threading through the werewolf's hair. After pulling Stiles against him Derek's hands had slid down to rest on Stiles' hips. 

When Stiles pulled back, he stayed close, studying Derek's face, a faint smile on his lips. 

"So... Not weird then?" Derek asked a little sheepishly. 

"Oh totally weird dude but also probably the most romantic this anyone has ever done for me," Stiles grinned as Derek rolled his eyes. 

"We just kissed and you're calling me dude?" Derek complaint lightly and Stiles laughed, his eyes crinkling. 

"Seems like it, Sourwolf." 

Still laughing Stiles leaned in to kiss Derek again and Derek was more than happy to let him.

~This was inspired by a line from the song 'Heather on the Hill' by Nathan Evans: "She's as warm as amber whiskey"

[steviewashere]

I love you guys, so for WIP Wednesday, you get the first two and a half pages of my unnamed, but currently named "Steve Makes Eddie Apologize to Lucas for Not Postponing Hellfire for the Championship Game" fic. Uh, I don't think there's any warnings, but here we go.

You can read it here on Tumblr

Or you can read it here on AO3

——— “So, you and Eddie, huh?”

Steve startles at the sound of a voice, deep and hushed, from where he's been waiting in Hawkins High’s parking lot. Hellfire was supposed to be out by now—6:50pm if his watch is correct—it’s their first time back since March and it would be cordial. But it seems that only Lucas got that memo.

“Jesus Christ, Sinclair!” He yelps. Holds his right palm flat against his chest, trying his best to rescind the spike of panic that is crawling through him. “I thought I told you to quit doing that,” he harshly whispers, rubbing his palm against his shirt. The scratchy material of his polo a balm against his nerves.

“Sorry,” Lucas sheepishly murmurs. Speaking at a normal volume, he asks again, “So, you and Eddie?”

He rolls his eyes. “What about me and Eddie? Can’t I just hang out with the guy without being pestered?”

Lucas shrugs. “You can do whatever you want,” he states, but Steve can already tell there’s somehow more. “But I didn’t think you two would be…buddies. Considering how he feels about, y’know, sports and whatever.”

For a moment, Steve considers Lucas’s approach. His fidgeting hands and his slightly closed off eyes. The hunch to his shoulders and the general unease that accompanies talking about Eddie. Which, that’s particularly odd. Aren’t they buddies, Steve questions himself. Wrapped up in the Hellfire club, their mutual interest in Dungeons & Dragons, the ragtag group of nerds that they are—all of that is perfect for their oddball friendship, at least Steve thought so.

“What’s wrong with you and Eddie?” Steve asks, beating around the bush. He doesn’t do cryptic. And he especially doesn’t do it with somebody like Lucas, a kid already smarter than him by several margins.

There isn’t an answer right away. But Lucas’s shoulders drop. His eyes go from frustrated to…sad. “Remember my championship game?” He asks, though it seems a bit much of a topic change. What does this have to do with Eddie, Steve has to wonder.

“Well, yeah,” he answers instead, “I was there. Had a pathetic date with a girl I hardly enjoyed being around. Mocked Tammy Thompson with Robin. Watched you get that winning shot. It was a, genuinely, awesome championship game.” And that’s the truth. It’s the best one he’s ever witnessed. Which is saying something, considering he’d played several championship games. All of them, though, were major losses. He’ll take those to the grave with him, with how often his previous basketball teams teased him.

Lucas gives a harsh single nod, a small smile that whisks away as soon as it appears. “Right,” he mutters, “I remember.” He leans against the Beemer’s bumper, shoulder brushing with Steve’s. Looks forlorn towards the high school’s doors, where Eddie and the rest of the Hellfire bunch should be spilling out any moment now. Steve looks on with him. Listens as Lucas’s voice drops low, nearly angry, fully spiteful, “I begged Dustin and Mike to talk to Eddie about my game. To see if the Hellfire campaign—which would be happening the same night—could be moved. And I, look, I understand that D&D means a lot to all of them, it means something to me, too. But I was really hoping to see my friends there. If not my friends, then at least Erica.

“They didn’t move the campaign,” he states so bitter, Steve tastes the words on his own tongue, “apparently a game where you’re shooting ‘balls into laundry baskets’ is too…mainstream and norm-ie for Eddie. He refused to move his precious game. Then, get this, instead of getting some random kid to play, they egged Erica in.” Lucas drags his eyes away from the school, head turning slow to look at Steve. He follows suit, eyeing Lucas back. His stomach churns with the vitriol painting itself unsubtly across Lucas’s face. “Color me surprised, I guess, that he’s going out with a jock,” he states, voice carefully blank of anything.

Steve stares on at him. He didn’t know this was the case at all. Remembers getting the phone call about Dustin wanting him to play, but he figured that had something to do with him bugging Steve for the millionth time. Because that was something Dustin wanted. For Steve to play. And, granted, Steve refused because it was too nerdy—unimportant and embarrassing. Yet, now he’s looking into Lucas’s face. Where hurt etches itself like solid lines of chiseled marble. Being told, instead, that Eddie’s holding his own bias.

Maybe he hasn’t removed his biases towards high school nerds, not completely. But he’s coming undone from that mentality. Considering Nancy and Robin and Eddie—Dustin and Mike and Lucas—even Max, they’re all big nerds. They all have some sort of interest with Dungeons & Dragons or theater or video games and math. And he loves them all. Though, Steve’s never stopped to think about the opposite side of the coin. Tail-side, where balls in laundry baskets is considered taboo.

After a deep silence when Steve finally digests this information, his eyebrows furrow on their own accord. Mouth downturning into a harsh frown, one that he feels to the bottoms of his feet. He stops himself in time from balling his hands into fists, but the urge to do so snarls in him like a newly unmuzzled, wild dog. A dog, he thought, that he trained obedient away from his anger. But it seems like once the teeth are bared, they never truly hide away.

“That ass,” Steve snarks. “What—so I have to reconsider all my biases surrounding nerds, reconstruct how I view everybody around me, and realize how awesome it is. And—what—Eddie can just get away with that…bullshit? That’s…What the hell?” There’s a little bit more of a bite to his words than he had anticipated. But it really isn’t fair. The table turns and he’s better for it, sure, but Eddie just…That’s not fair. The dog growls louder, drool burbling in its chops, a bark forming in the back of its throat.

———