#for reference his parents music taste is shit

[heavenknowsffs]

Is is bad to make a baby a playlist? He's my nephew and i want him to have good music taste in the future

[triptychgardener]

What does becoming a furry in Homestuck mean? (In reference to your recent Nepeta post)

Okay so the thing is the way that Homestuck treats furries is honestly kind of equivalent to how it treats queerness. As in, Homestuck initially treats it like a joke or a thing to mostly sneer at. Homestuck was very much part of the wave of disaffected ironic assholes of the Newgrounds and Something Awful type, especially to start with, and that sort of relied on shitting on demographics that were seen as weird and permissible to find cringe and make fun of.

Jade comes onto the scene, and a lot of people sort of groan at her whole furry shtick. Jade is largely, however, just a pretty sincere character, and even though she feels some embarassment over the idea of BEING a furry (i.e. her distaste for the idea of actually wearing a fursuit) she nonetheless begins the admirable refrain of combining the finest qualities of humanity with the elegance and nobility of the animal kingdom.

Her earnest affection for all things anthropomorphic sets up more than just her excellent taste. And as much as she is a bit of a pattern-breaker, one pattern she doesn't break is that of having a Signature Animal.

The four beta kids have a bunch of different things associated with them: the four elements, four items, four musical instruments. But the animals are practically integral to who they are as people and characters.

John's attachment to the bunny is obvious, and helps to spur on one of the most emotional scenes in the comic. (For him. Him specifically.)

It's also something deeply precious to him, as it's a gift from every single one of his friends in a very roundabout fashion!

For Rose, Jaspers is half the reason she decided to play the game in the first place. She missed her dead cat so dearly she was willing to play a game that might end the world for it.

(Pictured above, Rose lying about her feelings, water is wet.)

Dave seems to at least feel some affection for crows, or at least shame when he kills them.

And his fusing to become Davesprite is what allows him to survive as a "copy" of the original Dave. Once again, Dave's disaffected irony giving way to the necessity of becoming a furry to save the world.

And for Jade, of course, Bec.

And it's notable that, by the end of the comic, at least THREE of our main beta kids have merged with their animals, and, in a way, become the best versions of themselves.

Jade obviously gets to achieve her dream of becoming a furry, and in doing so gaining power and agency that she was always denied due to her position in the story.

Davepeta, as I stated in a previous post, is the true Final Form of Dave, the pawn that made it to the end of the board, the only surviving character from Homestuck's "original" timeline, and is truly happy with themselves.

And Jasprose appears to have fully hurled herself through the walls Rose put up around herself to protect her image, and thus absolutely mortifies Rose. She just seems to be having a great time.

Homestuck evolved from a story that was deeply cynical and mean-spirited about furrydom, to a story where three of our four starting protagonists, in their truest most powerful forms, combine the qualities of man and beast to achieve self-actualization. And to bring this back around to queerness, these three characters also happen to be canonically queer. So there's that.

This isn't even to get into how this might relate to Troll Lusii and the concept of "growing up" to be more like one's parent on a planet raised by animals, but that's for another day.

[florenceafternoon]

━。゜✿ jily fic recommendations ✿ ゜。━

You know when you read a fic and love it so much that you want to find one exactly like it but different. Anyways, more Alternate Universe fics.

For reference, anything in italics is taken from the summaries on ao3.

These first few fics are all by elanev91 on ao3 (ao3 account required).

Force of Habit

Lily's been riding the same train back and forth to work for the last two and a half years and lowkey fancies the guy who sits one row up from her usual seat.

TW: parent death discussed

The fic that inspired the intro (I love it so much you don't understand)

Waffle Wars

There's only one waffle maker in the dining hall and it literally always breaks. So, naturally, the only reasonable course of action is to meticulously map out when it's working and, ultimately, do a heist.

every day I like you a little mower

Lily was JUST trying to be a good daughter and help her father with his yard work. Too bad the bloke next door is always outside and also the most annoyingly talkative person on the planet.

we could be gigantic series

Lily and James have been best friends since they were kids. Uni, a band, a trip abroad, a few tours and a couple of albums later, things start to change. Half an email fic, half a regular ol' narrative.

it wasn't a pity invite

Prompt: my family invites you to join our holiday meal as an obvious setup and omg i’m so sorry

The one where they’re both doctors - also Northern Irish Lily.

One Direction on the A4

James and Lily are having quite the morning. James thinks a little nonsense might fix it. Or James is a dork and Lily loves it.

Ye Olde Smut Fic

Student recruitment fairs suck, but never fear -- Professor Evans and Professor Potter have figured out how to make it a little less annoying.

Professor AU, Modern AU, Muggle AU. Smutty ridiculousness. Plot questionable.

The tragedy is that they live in America

The Yeast I Can Do

Dr Lily Evans had an absolute shit day at work. Luckily, there's a bakery nearby that offers a course that she hopes will take her mind off of things.

For my fellow jily & wolfstar enjoyers, go do yourself a favour and check out their other works on ao3.

Teenage Kicks by @arianatwycross

It all starts with Lily being hired to be the bands tour photographer, then she actually meets the band and she quickly becomes absorbed by their fast lifestyle, their pranks and the hot lead singer. But its not exactly simple to be crushing on a famous Rockstar, is it?

Foam Hearts by Sleepinghookah (on ao3)

Coffee shop AU. A story in which James and Lily are blind - both in entirely different ways.

I promise he's not a bad person. You've got to read till the end and it'll make sense

When The Skies Are Gray by @athenasparrow

“Carry me?” Lily scoffed, biting her lip so she wouldn’t laugh in his face. Because he was about to do something nice for her. “I’m not some damsel in distress who can’t walk! I just need a bit of cover to make it to the tube.”

OR: two strangers, one umbrella, and a little bit of fate.

Tranquil Solitude (Until You Came Along) by @thelighthousestale

Prompt: I thought I went skinny dipping alone but oh my god this beautiful human is also here naked and I am a fool

All Lily wanted to do was take a nice, quiet swim on a hot day. And then James Potter showed up. And Lily had already removed her clothes for the private swim.

it would have been sweet by @firefeufuego

‘Lily,’ he says in her ear, voice slurred and barely audible above the pulsing bass of the music, ‘is there a reason I shouldn’t marry her?’

She can taste the truth bittersweet on her tongue: Yes of course there is, you colossal, darling idiot, you’re meant to be mine. But there’s the ring on Charlotte’s finger and there’s the one Lily found in Eddie’s sock drawer, and how can she be this person? The one who steals someone’s fiancé on his stag night? That’s not who she is, that won’t be who she is. ‘Of course not, James. You’ll make each other so happy.’ She nearly chokes on the lie as it leaves her mouth, all the more so because most of it isn’t even a lie at all.

For my second chance romance girls

This Hope is Treacherous by @tinyluminaryzombie

Lily Evans and James Potter: Aquentiences, Academic rivals, and now, Friends.

Except "friends" doesn't exactly feel right but Lily's too scared to do anything about it. But as James and her keep acting like more-than-friends she's unraveling with the uncertainty of it all.

OR: Choosing to fall in love can be just as thrilling and terrifying as love at first sight.

The Viscount's Daughter by @ghostofbambifanfiction

The beautiful, vivacious, and decidedly redheaded daughter of the 16th Viscount of Rowena has stolen the heart of young Prince James. Trouble is, she couldn't be less interested in him.

Thought it was abandoned but the author posted a snippet recently so maybe not?

The Queen of the Quills - Jily Edition by @elliemarchetti 

Lily and Petunia read the Queen of the Quills' latest column on James Potter, while the bachelor announces to his friends that he intends to get married.

Quest for Camelot by the incredible @petalsthefish

After the legendary Excalibur sword is stolen, Lily and James embark on a quest to retrieve the lost weapon. Lily searches for the sword to prove she is capable of being a knight despite being a girl. James searches because his falcon, Marlene, is desperate to find it for her master, Merlin. Along the way, they attempt to outwit the sinister Ruber, navigate through magical obstacles, decode puzzling prophecies, and uncover surprising similarities between themselves.

As their journey progresses, they both cannot deny the feelings growing between them with each passing day. Will they make it out of the quest alive, or will one of them perish in the ever-growing darkness that threatens to swallow the entire realm if Ruber gets his hands on the sword?

Based on the 1998 movie Quest for Camelot, but with more plot and less singing

Fearlessly Red also by @ /petalsthefish

Red. It was such an interesting color to correlate with emotion because it was on both ends of the spectrum. On one end there was happiness, falling in love, passion, all that. On the other end was jealousy, fear and frustration. Maybe that's why James thought the nickname fit Lily so well.

or Bodyguard!James/Celebrity!Lily

Get A Room bt @chierafied

The long-awaited trip to London goes awry when Marlene chooses to spend time with her boyfriend - forcing Lily to share their room with none other than James Potter.

you don't know me (but I know you) by @emeralddoeadeer

Lily has a crush, she knows his face well but can only imagine his name; until they meet that is.

About Time by heartablaze (on ao3)

Before his final year started, James Potter offered to be a resident advisor for a first-year dorm. What he didn’t count on was dealing with a confusing redhead across the hall, hospital visits, hallway parties and writing his thesis the night before it was due. Blimey. (Muggle Uni AU)

Unexpectedly in Love by jamespotters_exgirlfriend (on ao3)

When Lily Evans entered her final year of uni, she certainly didn’t expect to fall in love with James Potter. And well, let’s just say love isn’t the only unexpected thing to come out of their relationship.

Far Post by @eastwindmlk

James Potter and his friends are very serious about their pub football league. So, when the new roster comes out and there is a new team on there, an all women's team, he and Sirius set out to investigate.

You Know How To Ball, I Know Aristotle by @wearingaberetinparis

Now that the global superstar, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lily Evans and professional football player James Potter are together, they have to juggle the difficulties of a relationship in the public eye. Fresh off her World Tour, Lily Evans arrives at Wembley Stadium one year after James Potter first attended her show, to perform there for one final weekend before heading to the studio to record her next album. Her boyfriend, in the meantime, is off to Germany to play at the Euros for England. How will they ever make their relationship work when Lily is - so the press loves to imply - the least supportive WAG of the tournament?

sequal to And You Heard About Me (Ooh, We’ve Got Some Big Enemies!)

It's been a long time coming and it did not disappoint

I've recommended Three Swipes, You're Out by @naireides before, but I recently came across it's sequel making spirits bright

Sports star James Potter tries to pick Lily up on tinder. Lily Evans, a dedicated not sports fan is offended by the idea that someone thinks she wouldn't recognize James Potter's face. She laughs about it with her friends at a bar, until James Potter, who also frequents that bar, comes over to clarify that nope, he's on tinder, and he's definitely hitting on her.

...

She should have expected it to be hard, dating a celebrity, but somehow she and James make it work.

[acetypeface]

Random TUA Headcanons, Pt. 1

I was thinking about what sort of uncles (and aunt) the Hargreeves siblings would be. Since we may get to see those dynamics in s4 (the Klaus and Claire pic has got me hyped) it's time to share my silly thoughts.

This isn't speculation; I don't really do that. These are merely random ideas of mine (and all very soft because I can't be an angst writer all the time). Enjoy! ^.^

Below the break.

LUTHER

Helps teach them how to drive, and really enjoys it, too.

Has karaoke sessions in the car with his nieces when he drives them around. He tries to sing all the parts and makes them laugh.

Takes them to planetariums, rocket launches, and shows them how to work a telescope; he'll map the night skies with them for hours.

Was always the favorite when it came to playing hide-n-seek or tag; he invented a game called "crazy monk" where he makes scary faces and chases them around the house.

Could carry one niece on each shoulder easily; they loved it.

DIEGO

Is there for them after their first break-up. He takes them to a rage room and they have a grand time smashing things to bits.

Teaches them self-defense, as well as how to properly throw a knife. He may have gifted them their first knife a little too early, though.

Attends all of their sports games and track meets, and is there to scream and cheer from the sidelines (or shout at the ref if needed).

Learned how to style hair so he could give his daughter and niece all sorts of fun and dramatic hairdos; on speed dial for "crazy hair day" at school.

ALLISON

The one who takes them out for their first drink when they turn 21.

Likes to buy a lot of little presents for them, although they'll occasionally get jump-scared by something huge, like a new car.

Loves to go on trips with them; was definitely their travel companion for their senior graduation trip.

Helped them get ready before prom and took way too many pictures, all of which she cherishes greatly.

Would absolutely be the one to give "the Talk", because all of her brothers were too awkward to do it for their own children. Is excellent at giving a quick and concise sex ed course.

KLAUS

Would love to take his nieces to get their nails done (he'd get his done, too).

Loves to go get ice cream, boba, and other little treats with his nieces.

Is definitely the one bringing home puppies, kittens, hamsters, etc. as birthday presents.

If any of his nieces/nephews were to come out as queer, he'd be wildly supportive. He'd go with them to get their hair cut and buy new clothes if they were trans, or support them at Pride, or just overall be the coolest uncle ever.

FIVE

Acts like he could care less, but remembers all of the tiny, insignificant details such as their favorite color or favorite flavor of ice cream.

Will pick them up from anywhere, no lectures, no questions asked. Also won't tell their parents if they don't want him to.

Became very distressed the first time one of his nieces was bullied; his siblings had to remind him that he was not allowed to murder a kindergartner.

Unironically refers to them as his siblings' "spawn" and "offspring".

Asks his nieces for help when it comes to using his phone.

Would take his nieces to Starbucks or Dutch Bros (is this too niche to my area?), even if he thinks their coffee tastes like shit, because he likes to see them smile when they drink their overly sugary drinks.

(UMBRELLA) BEN

The absolute best at reading bedtime stories. He'd do goofy voices and end up keeping his nieces awake because they'd be too busy giggling.

Helps them study for tests and exams (they always get the best grades when Uncle Ben helps them).

Is an extremely good listener and gives some of the best advice. He never judges them for their mistakes, but always suggests how they might grow and move forward.

Happy to help his nieces on their curiosity voyages; likes to take them to museums and other places of learning.

VIKTOR

Would attend every musical, dance recital, talent show, and performance his nieces were in. He'd be in the back with big bouquets of roses and whistle and cheer at all the right moments.

Likes to take them to do the ordinary, menial things he wished he could do as a kid, such as going to the zoo or an amusement park.

Loves to talk and FaceTime with his nieces; he never misses a single call.

Is happy to pay for any artistic hobbies his nieces want to pursue, such as music lessons or drama camps.

Have any other headcanons about the Hargreeves as aunt and uncles? Lemme know in the replies or the reblogs!

[dearfae]

୨🌸୧ - dating headcanons!

the seven : heroes of olympus

girlfriend version.

4.8.24

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

percy jackson :

lots and lots of kisses

hand holding

loves your cooking/baking (especially blue waffles *wink wink*)

every time you go on a date it’s water related - the beach, aquarium, underwater restaurant etc.*

*sometimes you go to the movies or amusement parks too tho

constant compliments

lets you choose what he wears sometimes

cute nicknames

very protective and loyal (ofc)

teaches you how to fight (if you don’t already know)

swimming competitions but he goes really easy on you

pegasus racing

braids flowers into your hair

sarcastic and funny jokes to cheer you up

would literally die for you

his mom and step-dad paul LOVE YOU

takes you shopping

buys all your favourite foods when you’re on your period

needs comfort after his nightmares

annabeth chase :

teaches you a lot

hours long talks about each other’s interests

reading and museum dates !!

forehead, nose, cheek kisses

wakes up really early so you’re always awake before everyone else too

spends lots of her time thinking of ways she can make you smile

would do anything for you

picnics :)

takes great joy in annoying you by correcting your grammar or spelling

will make you do a hundred pushups if you insult any author ever

will also make you quote shakespeare

sneaks into your room at night by picking locks instead of just knocking (chalice of the gods reference)

hesitant to let you meet her parents at first

but when you do she’s really happy because you get along with them really well

you always help her win capture the flag (she protects you 99.9% of the time)

death glares/will fight anyone whose mean to you

you never have to google anything because she’s right by your side

needs constant reminders that you’ll never leave or she needs to take a break

hates surprises

jason grace :

literally the sweetest

is only relaxed/vulnerable with you

learnt how to break a few rules *wink wink again*

always cleaning his glasses

the person who dares to be mean to you better count their days

surprisingly smart

deep conversations

doesn’t really know what to do when it comes to dates or anything romantic

forgets things sometimes

keeps a little notebook in which he writes everything he loves about you

makes your birthday cake from scratch

physical touch for reassurance

teaching you about roman history is his love language

pretends to hate the nicknames you give him but secretly loves them

keeps a picture of you with him at all times

quiet around others

never raises his voice at you

sometimes you act like his mother figure (is that what it’s called?)

winks or smiles at you when others aren’t looking

leo valdez :

shit music taste (I’M SORRY)

treats you like the queen that you are

holds doors open for you

points at you and says really loudly to everyone else, “HAVE YOU SEEN MY BEAUTIFUL AMAZING WONDERFUL GIRLFRIEND??”

inside jokes

you gave him a bracelet and now he never takes it off

gives you flowers!

sleeps in

cuddles, kisses and his arms are practically glued to your waist

teaches you spanish (especially the swear words)

he COOKS

there’s never anything broken because he fixes them immediately

always makes you laugh

does skincare with you<3

shows you off to anyone that’ll listen (even if they won’t)

the kindest, most golden retriever boy ever

he’s still wary about opening up to his trauma

his severe adhd makes it hard for him to calm down so you always sing to him or play with his hair

excessive use of the words bro and dude

frank zhang :

picks you up bridal style whenever you get tired (he likes to impress you by showing off his strength)

gentle and caring

if you’re out eating together and you buy different things, he’ll let you taste both of them so you can have the one you like the most

gets flustered really easily

cheesy pick up lines (that you secretly love)

LOVES TO EAT

uses his title of praetor to take the mick out of you (as a joke)

cautious about trying new things

very punctual with time and chores

whenever there’s a praetor meeting he lets you sit next to him

you make sure that there isn’t any dairy in the food you make him

he was so happy when you learnt canadian for him

you let him teach you about his family tree

if you’re feeling sad he’ll shapeshift into a puppy or something to cheer you up

he can actually be pretty snarky when he wants to

you’re literally the safest girl on earth when he’s around

the poor boy gets really shy when you flirt with him

really good at making different accents

his writing is SO hard to read😭

piper mclean :

likes to make you blush

let’s you taste the lipstick she uses by kissing her

swears

candlelit dates, stargazing, mall shopping

buys you perfume and clothes

definitely asks for you to rate her outfits

she thinks you’re prettier than anyone else in the world, so much so that’s she’d straight up call her mother ugly

really excited for you to meet her dad

she’s your BIGGEST supporter!

you have to stop her from slitting peoples’ throats when they say anything remotely harsh to you

plays with your hair and brushes/styles it for you (she lets you do the same for her)

SKINCARE NIGHTS<3

binge watches 2000s movies - bratz, mean girls, the devil wears prada etc

you call her lots of playful names

rips down any posters of her father she sees, makes it her personal mission to burn every single one of them (you laugh every time)

loves flipping people off

she’s actually really sweet and caring

loves when you hold her hand

paints your nails :3

hazel levesque :

loves exploring abandoned underground tunnels

she made a bracelet for you out of the gems she pulled from the ground

every time you swear she chases you with a bar of soap

you help her with her curly hair

she’s so innocent (unless she’s angry, hungry or tired; then she goes ballistic)

you tease her when she gets flustered

she takes you for midnight rides on arion

she always smells like fresh rain

calls you ‘miss your surname’ whenever she scolds you

she sleeps with extra pillows

if you pass a graveyard she’ll wave to the ghosts

graceful and kind

loves nature

really good with kids

bakes you cookies on national girlfriend day

if there’s one thing she hates, it’s when people misquote the bible

sometimes she’d have major deja vu moments from her past life if you go somewhere she did the first time she was alive

gets really excited when it’s date night!

she can be so incredibly fierce and powerful but if a butterfly or something dies she’ll literally start bawling her eyes out

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

that’s all i can think of lol

let me know if i missed anything or you disagree with what i’ve put! i’m open to any criticism :)

hope you enjoyed! i might do another one with different characters!

©dearfae

[wolfjackle-creates]

Bring Me Home Arc 2 Part 14

WIP Wednesday is happening this week! I would've had it up an hour or two ago, but I ended up having to run an emergency errand for my mom to keep her friend's car from being towed. But it's all been taken care of!

Story Summary: Tim and Danny are both neglected by parents who care more about their work than their families. They deal with this by spending too much time online and find each other playing MMORPGs. They keep up their friendship as Tim becomes Robin and Danny becomes Phantom and don't bother keeping secrets from each other.

Note: Anyone who still doesn't know which episode I'm basing this arc on should know by the end of this segment. I did realize I made a mistake, though. The invading ghosts are Walker's guards. In the episode, up to this point the trio never refer to them as such. The audience, however, sees Walker send them in. I took that as Danny and co didn't realize they were Walker's people. But as I was going through minute-by-minute while writing, Danny does call them Walker's goons. So he knew the entire time. I'm adjusting that going forward and I'll retroactively make the edits before posting to AO3.

First, Previous

Word Count: 1.7k

-----

Everyone left Sam’s house at the same time. The Amity crowd had to get to school and no one felt comfortable staying at Sam’s house while she wasn’t home. As they ate a quick breakfast, Tim noticed Conner’s fingernails were painted.

“Looks good, Kon,” he commented.

“Thanks,” said Sam. “I did them last night while you and Danny were sleeping. Introduced him to actual music, too.”

Conner grinned. “She’s promised to burn me some CDs before we go.”

“A mixed tape is the only valid way to share music,” Sam agreed. “And if he’s gonna rock the punk look, he should know the punk culture, too.”

Tim laughed. “Well, looks like we know what we’ll be listening to on the way home. Will you need a CD player, Kon?”

“Is my laptop not good enough?”

Tim clicked his tongue. “Come to Gotham with me. I know I have an old one lying around. Nothing like listening to a CD while lying somewhere, wired headphones tangling up as you shift position. If you want the authentic experience, that’s the only way to go.”

Conner shrugged, clearly unsure. “If you say so.”

Danny yawned. “You’re giving him Dumpty Humpty, right?”

Sam snorted. “Am I giving him Dumpty Humpty? Who do you think I am? Of course I am!”

“Good. You can’t introduce someone to good music and leave out Dumpty Humpty.”

Tim nodded. “Yeah, you’ve gotten me into them. They’re fun. You’ll like them, Kon.”

“You played a song or two by them last night, right?” Conner asked.

Cassie nodded. “Yep. That’s who she was playing when Tucker, Bart, and I left to get some sleep in the other room.”

“Ah, yeah. That’s right. I liked them.”

“Of course you did,” said Sam as she flicked her hair. “I have excellent taste.”

Tucker was typing away on his PDA. “So what’ll you be doing while we’re in school?”

Tim grimaced. “I was thinking of hitting up the local library. We want to learn more about the ghosts. But also B has said that a condition of allowing me to extend my trip is that I keep up with my own schoolwork. So I have some catch up to do.”

Danny waved his spoon at him. “And you get on me for not doing my work.”

“Yeah, but you want to graduate and, like, go to college and shit. The stuff I want to do doesn’t require a diploma of any kind. B’s just making me do it because he society has convinced him it’s important.”

Tucker’s PDA alarm went off. “And that alarm means if we’re not out the door in five minutes, we’re gonna be late.”

Everyone groaned as they pushed away from the table and collected their belongings. The walk into town was filled with music discussion. Bart and Conner mostly listened and took note of recommended bands and musicians. Sam tended to know the most obscure stuff, but Tim knew some foreign bands from his time in Europe that no one else had heard of.

The walk was, thankfully, not disturbed by ghosts, but Danny’s ghost sense did go off several times.

“Didn’t your parents make a device that can track ghosts?” asked Tim the third time he complained. “Would that help you locate them?”

Danny hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe, I’ll have to see if I can find it. My parents stopped using it when it kept zeroing in on me. It was too loud for stealth use, though, and loudly went off anytime I was in range. And it didn’t work great for a 3D environment. So Tucker and I would have to develop a new display that can tell me if one is above or below me.”

“I should be able to help, too. You know how good I am with computers.”

“If I can find the device or blueprints, I’ll take you up on that.”

Not long after, they had to say goodbye at the entrance to Caspar High. Dash and his friends also arrived at about the same time. The group stared at Danny, but didn’t move to interact.

“Think they’re still overshadowed?” asked Conner, mirroring Tim’s thoughts.

“God, I hope not,” said Danny.

“But knowing our luck…” Sam trailed off.

Tim sighed. “Keep your distance as much as possible.”

“I know, mom.” Danny rolled his eyes. The school bell rang and he adjusted his backpack strap. “Gotta go. Have fun at the library.” His sarcasm was very evident and he hugged Tim.

The gesture surprised him and his return hug was slightly delayed. “I think I’ll find more than enough to amuse me there.”

With a quick goodbye, the trio rushed off before they could be late.

“So,” said Cassie, “Sam and Tucker seem to have a ton of ideas about you and Danny.”

Tim rolled his eyes. “Danny and I only met in person less than forty-eight hours ago.”

Bart nudged him. “And yet you’re already sleeping in the same bed and giving each other goodbye hugs.”

“I do the same with you guys.” He pulled out his phone to check the location of the library. “Come on, let’s just get to the library. I want to see if they have a digital subscription to the local paper we can use.”

Tim didn’t get much schoolwork done that morning, but he did find out Danny was originally named Inviso-Bill by the press and immediately began planning ways to prank him with that knowledge.

For the rest, he compared what was reported vs what had actually happened with past ghost attacks. One thing was clear, Danny needed much better PR. Hopefully being seen working with the Young Justice would help. And maybe Sam would actually listen if he tried to give pointers on how to manage public perception.

Shortly after noon and before Tim could even pretend he was about to switch over to school work, his phone rang.

“Hey, Danny. What’s up?”

“Tim! Do any of you speak Esperanto?”

“Uh… I don’t. Let me ask Bart.” He lowered the phone to ask.

“Esperanto? What’s that?” asked Bart.

“I’ll explain later,” said Tim. Back into the phone, he added, “Doesn’t look like it. Why? What’s going on?”

“So… You remember that wolf ghost with the collar? Walker’s goons are after him, too. I’m not sure why since he only speaks Esperanto. I got him away from both them and my parents. Think you can keep him safe until school is out? If I miss any more class I’ll be grounded until graduation. Senior graduation.”

Tim gestured to his friends to pack everything up. “Yeah, sure. Where are you right now? I’ll have Bart meet you first and the rest of us will follow.”

Danny gave him directions to a forested area behind the school which Tim relayed to Bart. As soon as the group was out of the library, Bart rushed ahead to Danny.

Over the phone, Danny let him know Bart had arrived. “Oh, and Tucker just got here, too. Excellent. He can speak Esperanto as well. Looks like he’s explaining things to big and hairy over here.”

“Great. We’ll be there soon as we can.”

“Can we fly there?” asked Conner.

Cassie nodded. “People would just think we’re more ghosts.”

Tim rolled his eyes. “Superboy and Wonder Girl were seen in town just last night. No.”

Conner stuck his tongue out at him. “Spoilsport.”

“Relax. It’s not far. GPS has us in the general location in, like, ten minutes.”

“Fine, fine,” sighed Cassie. “We’ll be good.”

Tim elbowed her with a grin. “Now, I never said you had to do that.”

Conner laughed. “So, what is this Esperanto language, anyway? I haven’t heard of it.”

“It’s a conlang based on European languages that’s supposed to be easy to learn. The idea was to make a sort of common language for Earth without promoting a single language like English. It hasn’t gained a lot of traction, though. And if Bart doesn’t know it, then it likely won’t.”

“Huh, weird. Why do you think a werewolf ghost know an Earth-based conlang?”

“Oooh! I bet it’s because he’s the manifestation of some teenage girl’s OC,” offered Cassie.

Tim laughed. “Or maybe the OC of one of the people to create Esperanto.”

Conner shook his head. “You’ve got this all wrong. He’s from an alternate future where Esperanto did take off and a werewolf virus spread among humans.”

The ten minute walk was filled with more and more outlandish theories ending with the wolf being the reincarnation of Jesus who was trying to bring humanity together through the reinstitution of a common language like in the pre-Tower-of-Babel days.

At the edge of the woods, Tim nudged Conner. “Can you hear where they are?”

“Yep. Follow me.”

And then it was less than two minutes before Tim could see them. “Oi! Danny!” he called out with a wave.

Danny flew over to them and hugged him. “Thank you so much! You’re gonna save me so many detentions.” He grabbed Tim’s hand and pulled him towards Tucker and the ghost. “Tim, this is Wulf. Wulf,” Danny said while making eye contact, “Friends.” Then he slowly pointed to each person and said their name.

Tucker rolled his eyes and repeated the information in Esperanto. Tim recognized his and his teammates names and many of the words felt familiar. Likely since he knew or was learning a few European languages.

“So, will we just hang out here for the next few hours until you get out of school?” asked Tim.

“Yeah. It’ll only be about two and a half hours. That okay? Then we’ll go back to Sam’s place. We can hide in her basement.”

“We’ve hung out in worse places for longer,” said Bart. “This is practically cozy. And me or one of the others can run into town for food and supplies. Anything you want from your parent’s place? Food? Snacks?”

Tucker grinned. “If you could get some jerky, that’d be great. No meat at Sam’s.”

Danny laughed. “If we think of anything else, one of us will text it to the group chat.”

An alarm buzzed on Tucker’s PDA. “We’ve got to get back now.”

“Shit. Okay. I’ll fly us back. Bye Tim, everyone!” Danny picked up Tucker and flew away, turning invisible before he was more than a few yards away.

-----

Next

So, more banter and more plot! We're almost starting to get somewhere! This marks roughly the halfway point of the episode. And the arc is almost 25k words. This is why I take forever to publish anything. It always spirals out of my control. Even this section, I originally opened with them in the library. But then I remembered I wanted to have Sam paint Conner's nails and that led to me adding over 900 words to the beginning.

I no longer do tag lists for this fic, but if you make your way to the subscription post, you can set it up so you get notified when this updates.

[stoutguts]

Price I bet would be such a great dad. Like, so many headcanon him as being a father figure to the 1-4-1, I don’t think it’s far-fetched for him to have some kids at home. Adopted, cause NikPrice, but even though they’re adopted, Nikolai and John love them as if they were their own blood. Of course.

They try to be there for their kids as much as they possibly can. Spends about every damn second of their leaves with them. Always incredibly excited to see them when they come home, always thinking about them, calling, texting, and facetiming when they can. When the kids were younger and they weren’t around, Laswell’s wife would volunteer to watch them and take care of them while they were gone. Since she loves kids.

Like just imagine:

Price putting his signature hat on the kids as babies, and the hat being way too big for them of course, so it leads lots of goofy pictures and shenanigans. It does something to John to see his kids in his hat, gets him emotional.

Both Nik and Price being hella supportive and passionate about their kids being into sports. Showing up to about every damn game or practice if possible. Known as the dads who cuss other kids out and yell obscenities. Leading to a crying something-year-old and angry parents on more than one occasion.

Nikolai getting their kids into metal and hard rock, and him bonding with them over music taste. (In reference to that one scene where he's doing some mechanic shit, when Laswell approaches him. (There's a Russian metal band playing on his radio or whatever in the background). (The name of said band is Slaughter To Prevail, and the song is "Bonebreaker"). (Thanks to @the-gentle-art-to-going-insane for informing on the band/song that's Nik's listening to in the comments!)

Both Nik and John bringing their kids home souvenirs and knick-knacks whether that be from the field, or if they find the time to shop where they're deployed.

The couple telling all kinds of crazy ass stories to their kids, from Price's time in the Russian gulag, to tales of when Nik was in the army. Then once the kids are grown, they end up passing down those stories to their own children. 💖

PARENTS!NIKPRICE MY BELOVED

CAN I GET A HELL YEAH 🔥

ALSO

apologies for being so inactive latelyyy

mental health is hard, and keeping up with my social medias has been exhausting

Also ALSO

this had been sitting in my drafts for at least a month 💀

[gunnrblze]

Alex V. “Ajax” Johnson moodboard + random headcannons

-his middle name is Vance

-from southwest USA area (Arizona/New Mexico/Nevada/Texas)

-middle child, had two sisters that he loved so so dearly (“my girls” is how he’d refer to them. everyone that really knew him knew about his girls back at home)

-had the best sense of humor amongst the Ghosts, next to Kick and Rorke (and Merrick, believe it or not)

-epitome of stubborn, absolutely didn’t give a fuck (view: him flipping the Feds off while being tortured). was both a gift and a curse for him

-knew Keegan since they were teens (canon bc of Sand Viper, but I like to think they go back a little further than that)

-blues/punk/rock/industrial/hip hop/classical/alternative listener. 70s music lover

-first in his family to join the military. his mother nearly had a heart attack

-favorite Ghost aside from Keegan was Rorke, big mentor for him. made the betrayal sting even more, watching the man abandon the values he helped instill in him

-had the gene that makes cilantro taste like soap

-Sand Viper felt like a fever dream to him, and it took a while to even remotely calm his nervous system down. he had nightmares for a while, like most of them did, and would sleep near Keegan whenever possible

-^he considered it what made him a man rather than a boy

-used to prank Rorke and Elias on base with the other guys. if anyone got caught, it was usually him (you could always hear him snickering off in the background somewhere)

-was pretty close with Torch before he went missing

-being the youngest/least experienced member during the Legends Never Die mission was daunting to him. Keegan, although only by a year, was always the youngest, so he felt a ton of pressure for that reason

-mediocre dancer, except for classic ballroom type dances actually. grew up watching his parents do the foxtrot and waltz, so his tango skills were swoon worthy

-^which was a weapon because he’s also very very charming. flirted in an either lighthearted and jokey way or an absolutely bewitching and alluring way. typa guy to quite literally charm his way into your pants

-very ironically used to dress up as a ghost for Halloween when he was a kid a lot. he wondered if maybe he was always destined to be one, either as a part of the task force or his inevitable demise

-had a wide and pretty smile, naturally straight teeth that lit his face up when he grinned (like I imagine Hesh would have too)

-looked the best of all the Ghosts with the standard military issue buzz cut. could pull off any hairstyle he was given (cus he was handsome lmfao, that’s it)

-did band in middle school. his sisters teased him for being a flute player instead of doing sports but bless his heart he was good at it!

-was a littleeee bit of a nerd. Could bond with Kick over techy stuff sometimes

-would dream about the sunsets from his hometown when shit got particularly rough, especially during his early marine days. the desert skies brought him peace

[cosmogify]

Friday Night Fightin - BF Reference Sheet!

Been going back and forth of adding this silly guy into the rgbfverse and just decided "fuck it". I throw you Mikey, the angel singer combatant.

Friday Night Fightin GF Ref Sheet

Friday Night Fightin Pico Ref Sheet

Name: Mikey Angel

Nickname: Mic, Chichi (like, chihuahua)

Birthday: 2nd April (so close)

Age: 25 (the midget's 25???)

Orientation: Panromantic asexual

Species: Angel creature thing

Height: 5'0 ft (SHORT AHH me who's 4'11)

Weight: 80 lbs (due to having anorexia) (body envy is scary)

Voice: Just normal BF chromatics but with statics here and there from vocal straining. Screams similar to Whitty.

Relationship Status: Dating

Family: Garrett Angel (father), Medana Anděl (mother, they have a picture frame of her with a small vase of flowers and had passed away early in his years)

Partner(s): Stacie Daemon (fightin!GF), Derrick Dino (fightin!Pico) (Stacie's boyfriend)

Friends: Neena Arachnes (fightin!Nene), Darnell Phoenix (fightin!Darnell), Skid Skelly and Pump Pumpkin (fightin!SkidandPump)

Acquaintances: John Dino (fightin!Tankman), Marco Daemon (fightin!DaddyDearest), Janice Daemon (fightin!MommyMearest)

Enemies/Rivals: Derrick Dino (they clash in playfighting a lot), Ayumu Obake (fightin!Senpai)

Personality: A hyperactive individual, even when alone. Constantly on his feet, he will never go a day without singing his lungs out or initiating a battle (purposeful and accidental), whether that's with his fists, rap skills or a silly game of rock paper scissors. If you beat him in Rock, Paper, Scissors he will instantly see ya as a homie. Although he's positive in almost every situation, he's also heavily blunt with his words and says shit in front of his challenger's face to taunt them. He thinks and knows he's the shit when fighting someone, so he tends to come out very prideful or standoff-ish whenever he wins. Despite this, he takes his losses with high spirits, cheering for his challenger and hypes the both of them for a future battle. Despite dating GF and Pico in extension to her, he never cared much nor did he understand the concepts of romance, however he does deeply care for the two of them like he does with his parents, and thinks of the two as family and will show just as much affection. Oh, and people compared him to a chihuahua a lot. Despite his hyperactiveness, he cares a lot about boundaries and would usually talk a few feet away from someone (knowing how loud he is himself, people can hear him just fine). He can be mature when he needs to, but is extremely difficult to stay that way without immense fidgeting on his arm bands, halo and tail. He cannot sit still for his life.

Personality flaw: He rarely thinks before he acts, but whenever he does it's usually when a person he cares was in distress or from seeing his reflection. He's extremely stubborn to not acknowledge his eating disorder and body envy towards the people around him. He would comment of how ugly his figure is without thinking at times, which makes his friends and loved ones worry about him by accident. His hyperactive body also detriments him, being extremely fidgety and no matter how much energy he used up through the day he would still be too restless to sleep and ends up sleep deprived the next day, which is why it is one of the main reasons he thinks that food was a problem, despite having nothing but water half the time. He has been trying to calm his hyperactivity down by participating in slow hobbies but no luck so far.

Likes: Rock and punk music, singing, battles, rock paper scissors, winning, his family, his homies, playing guitar, side hugs, high energy activities, running in the rain, words of affirmation.

Dislikes: Food, flavoured drinks (he would vomit due to tasting like fruit), coffee (used to be a coffee addict when he was younger, now despises it with every fiber of his being), being reminded of his body and weight, mirrors.

Powers: Mic whip and stand melee (basic combo attacks), Mic stand sweep and dash (heavy combo attacks), Wing jump (uses his wings to jump high and fly in the air), Arrow soundwaves (screams into his mic tail to create a piercing soundwave at a certain direction), Mic ground pound (bashes his mic to the ground to create a shockwave around him when dashing down), Telekinesis (only uses it on his mic stand and other small items), Guitar manifest (His mic stand shapeshifts into an electric guitar and shreds the arena stage with a sick tune, knocking back enemies and does small continuous damage), Teleportation (Uses his halo to open a portal, he cannot jump through AUs with it).

Backstory:

Ares, the world where myths, folklore and tales overpopulate the planet. Harpies and dragons soaring through the air, giants roam the mountains as people of the deep sea rule the waters. Human was never a concept in this universe, and yet they're often quite emotional for such mystical beings. Their beliefs in plain sight through their entire existence.

Mikey and his family were no different. Throughout his younger years he was very much known to be a shy kid. His father didn't bother to take note of that, too busy protecting him from any type of harm after his late mother passed away. Of course, since he was an angel, his thoughts had reasoned him that he was the reason she passed. She had given her life to him, and he must repent in unconditional love to his family. It wasn't out of pessimism, it was only a matter of fact. Through this, he would idolise his father, wanting to follow his examples and become a great guardian angel just like him.

7 years old

As he walked to his school and past the university, he couldn't help but indulge in the sin of envy as he watched the older students walking along the pavement and from the crossroads. They were all adorned in handsome or gorgeous clothing, accessories, makeup, whatever fashion style you can think of, and above all else were their body physiques. He can't help but envy them. Heavens, even looking through his own family photos he was envious of how well dressed they were.

Unconsciously, he hugged himself by the sides, standing next to the stop sign as traffic continued in front of him. All he was wearing was a plain polo shirt with shorts and clean blue hair. He shouldn't be thinking something so sinful like this but here he is, jealous of the people around him. He…he needs to do something about this. He remembers his dad always drinking coffee whenever he worked in his office room, it seemed to be what had helped him to get through the day, maybe it would help him as well…

13 years old

He had been drinking the beverage almost daily, for all 3 meals. The caffeine had helped him exponentially, it had made him more energetic, more outgoing, more social. It made him curious of multiple hobbies he had never considered trying. He had made many friends with his classmates and people outside of school, he even made his dad pay attention to him and smile for longer than 1 second.

He had been riding this high for so long he never noticed the side effects at first, his mind obsessed in the world of dueling, a well known and beloved sport amongst various creatures. He would take any opportunity to participate in one, every match being different than the last. He felt accepted in a way, he wouldn't trade this feeling for the world.

15 years old

He felt awful.

Everywhere on his body felt awful, it felt like he had puked everything and his stomach out of him. He had tears fall uncontrollably from his eyes, had he hurt someone? Of course he did, why would someone hate him if he hadn't hurt them. He didn't even know who he had hurt. But right now he felt too weak in the little bathroom he'll be occupying for the rest of the night, he felt his growing tail curling behind him.

This was his punishment, wasn't it. He had engulfed himself in the sins of gluttony, envy and pride, and now he's paying for them immensely. His father looked so ashamed of raising such a child, he should've let nature take its course, he should've just gone with the flow like the other angels. If he did, he wouldn't be in such a state right now.

He needed to go for a run, he can't…bear staying still like this. But he deserved it. He knew this.

19 years old

A duel ring tournament had started again this New Year. His halo hummed as it reflects the summer rays, his tail swaying behind him with an overwhelming excitement to each swing. Right! New year, new him! He fiddles with the spiked bracelets on his wrists as he waits in line to enter the tournament.

"Mikey?"

A familiar voice had perked his ears up as his entire body practically spun towards the direction he heard it from.

"St-Stacie?"

The New Year tournament was being held at his college sports field, and only the students attending it can participate.

"Oh my gosh, Mic! It really is you!"

"W-Wait a minute-!"

She would pace herself into a girly jog, with Mikey unable to react fast enough he was quickly swept off his feet into a tight bear hug, causing a scene in the line. If Stacie's here doesn't that mean-.

"Oi we're in public, Stace. We are not getting fucking kicked out the moment we got here, for fuck's sake."

As expected, Derrick was right behind her as he picked up the both of them from the 1v1 participation line. Once they were in an unoccupied spot, the dino finally sets his partner and old friend down.

"Oh come on dearie, aren't you also excited to see him?"

To prove her point, she softly pinched the bewildered angel's cheeks pulled them gently, accentuating his adorableness.

"H-Hey! Cut it out man, it hurts!"

He patted the pinching hands away from his face but couldn't hold in the giggle from his initial shock. Honestly, he didn't expect his two old friends to be his seniors, but at the same time relieved to see them again after 4…5 years? But the most unexpected was they were now chatting with each other as if his sudden absence had never happened, talking about each other's subspecies and online gossip (mostly from Stacie) on social media. Of course, their light hearted reunion had to end soon.

"I'm probably not the best person to be sayin' this and all, but ya look…ugh, fuck it, ya look like you'll snap in half in a second. Is…everythin' alright back home, Mic?"

Ouch, that…slightly stung, Mikey had to admit. Sure he was blunt himself, but Dee takes the whole cigarette and drags it like it's honey to his lungs. However, it was obvious that the reptilian meant well. He can't blame him for mentioning the obvious.

"Derrick, that was rude!"

"I'm sorry sweets but I had to say it out."

"At least frame it nicely.."

"H-Hey guys! It's fine, really!"

His two close friends looked back at him with both concern and wariness. Mikey never really talked much about his family to them, only hearing the obvious admiration he has to his father. Despite the many good things he had spouted about his old man, they didn't exactly bought it, even if they were genuine. Almost out of habit, he rubbed the back of his neck, fiddling with his choker nervously.

"Uhm, so you guys are also taking part in the tournament?"

He was deflecting them, making the two all the more worried of their close friend and crush. As much as they want to push on the sensitive matter, today is supposed to be a joyful occasion for the New Year. With reluctant looks between the dating couple, they decided to go along instead, lest they'd lose him again like before.

"Oh, yea. We were just about to head over to the 3v3 line and planned to find our last teammate after booking!"

"Wait, don't they usually asked for names first before booking?"

"Well, yes..! Oh! Buuut if you join us then we'll have a full team again to take part! Don't you agree, Dee?"

It was surprisingly good luck in disguise when they received that sudden text from their missing teammate being unable to join. She lightly fluttered her lashes at her partner in a mocking plea, to which she was given with an eye roll and a small smile (ignore the slight blush to his cheeks).

"Yea, yea I do. You'd bring em along anyway without me needing to say shit really."

"Hehe, oh you know me too well hun!"

"Uh, hellooo?! Don't I get a say in this?"

Out of exaggeration, Mikey pointed at himself with an offended look of being ignored by the couple. Stacie couldn't help but giggle and grabbed his hand gently, their fingers intertwining perfectly together. With a bright smile on her face, you'd almost forget she's a demon.

"Nope!"

Almost.

Although he wouldn't admit it right now, it was nice to see these two again, glad even. Hopefully he doesn't mess up their friendship again like before. He'll need to try at least.

Additional notes:

You can add different piercings and face accessories on him if ya like.

His other eye is there, it's just under his halo.

The scars are optional since they're only battle scars

His wire tail can extend pretty far hehe

I actually don't listen to heavy metal WHEEZE

[steviewashere]

We need to make Steve Harrington less like cardboard. I am going to ramble, please bear with me. Listen if you want.

He had weird jock habits before. Wakes up at the ass-crack of dawn, goes on a three mile jog, lifts weights in his bedroom. Eats his "normal" breakfast which is like crazy: like four eggs, six pieces of bacon, some raspberries, maybe carrots, a full glass of milk, black coffee, four pieces of toast. He's gotta keep his energy up, y'know. Goes to school with a huge fucking backpack, a gallon sized jug of water, he carries around all of his textbooks because it's like a mini workout for him. Sometimes in lulls of classes or between periods, you'll find him talking to his group of friends, but he's actively stretching/doing yoga—his friends don't even acknowledge it because it just always happens. He eats the exact same lunch everyday: rice, chicken, broccoli, a banana, and a milk from the school. (Dude would love milk. Trust.) He'll do like two more workouts in his day: once in gym, and then whatever sport practice he has (basketball in the winter, swim in the spring, maybe a bit of football/soccer and baseball right before summer hits).

His music taste isn't crazy eclectic, but it's still tasteful. He loves Queen, loves Bruce Springsteen, loves TOTO. He's into the radio hits rock (which is classic now), but his favorite song (so I've heard in relation to the show) is "Hammer To Fall" by Queen—a song that wasn't widely popular on the radio. Yeah, he also likes Elvis; can make a reference when he needs to. But he does enjoy music. And, sure, yeah—he does like pop music; maybe that does include Madonna. And—listen to me—my stepdad, a guy who loves punk and metal and shit like that, he loves Madonna and Wham and George Michael on his own; because that's what was on the radio, he even owned some of these artists albums; it's not that strange for somebody like Steve to also like these artists. Though, they may not be his immediate go-to.

He takes good care of himself; appearance wise. His hairspray is Farrah Fawcett, but it's a product he picked up most likely from his mother. He styles it on his own, right after he works out in the morning. He probably knows how to iron his clothes; considering he wears things like chinos and polos, those things need to look nice and crisp for the babes (and non-babes alike). I wouldn't be surprised if he has a signature scent—like maybe...Calvin Klein's Obsession? Considering his family's tax bracket (that house is insane), he'd probably use high-end salon level hair products. He's using name brand detergents on his clothes.

And, yeah, I'm not sure if he's still living with his parents post season 3, but I think it's safe to maybe assume so—I feel like his parents are more caring about their only son than we give them credit for; his mom seems like a caring mother, as evident with the call she shares with Karen Wheeler, it seems like she'd usually be somebody to know Steve's whereabouts, that sort of thing. His dad is probably the most strict of his parents and has high expectations that Steve fails to meet. Because the high expectations are high. And maybe Steve didn't care too much about school, maybe enough to pass and still make all the teams he wants, but not enough to get him a scholarship. And, honestly, he was probably not a top-tier athlete at Hawkins High; maybe great, but not pristine. Hence why he had to actually try to make it into college, his entry wasn't guaranteed. And when he got rejection letters, probably including rejections for scholarships, his parents most likely denied to pay for him to go through schooling. And if he really wanted to go, he'd have to take out loans or something.

He probably gets Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone magazines in his mailbox. He smokes Marlboros, the high-end cigarette. He keeps his pantry stocked with name brand snacks; Pringles, for example. Probably tries to cater to those around him, as that's what he saw his parents do for guests. He's not a terribly selfish person at all, despite having douchebag attached to his name. He probably was very flippant about the way he cared about things, he laughed at bad jokes, and snarked his way through Hawkins High. He very rarely threatened violence—my guess, considering he's a shit fist fighter.

The way his parents' marriage is going probably affects his view on love, too. He wants something better than what his parents offer to each other. He wants a true love, fairytale sort of thing. Steve probably thinks that he'll sense some amount of clarity with whoever he gets along with. He's probably a big dreamer. Probably lonely. Wants six kids, a wide and sprawling family because then, at least, he'll have people to always take care of (to prove he is not his parents), and people who (hopefully) will always care about him. He wants a lot with whoever he falls in love with (Nancy or somebody else). But not a lot in material terms; he wants a lot of love, he wants warmth, he wants constant and sweet attention. He wants love. Not whatever bullshit his parents had; and he tries really hard to not be that bullshit, but knows he still fails anyway. He doesn't want quick things, despite constantly dating or hooking up, he wants something to last—though, nothing lasts. That's why he probably leans a lot on Robin, she has a sort of platonic love to him that he shares for her; that platonic love is probably the first time he felt like he had something to cling onto because it wasn't going to just leave or find fault. He didn't lose with Robin because they just got each other in a way he doesn't know how to replicate with anybody else.

With work, he's not sure what he wants. He wants something that keeps his interest, but nothing really has. He seems really in tune with sports, history, and literature—as there have been several attempts of his to make connections to these topics showcased on screen. (Although, admittedly, those references kind of fall short.) He doesn't enjoy work like Family Video, but he finds it easy enough that it becomes a mechanical, mundane task that he can complete without thought. I think, also, due to his interest in sports, he most likely has a vague interest in statistics or math—I think he's accidentally really good with math, but refuses to acknowledge that because he hated math in school. But he has a knack for it, no matter how hard he denies. He's probably also wicked good at working on cars. His Beemer has been through a lot and I think he doesn't trust anybody else to work on his car, so he learns to do it himself, and with the guidance of his dad.

Despite complaining about being the party's babysitter, he quite likes it. Likes being the nurturing older brother that he never had. I feel like he'd maybe get a little bit insecure about it from time to time, though. Maybe he'd feel like he's not doing enough for them to consider him that way. Maybe he'd feel like he's doing too much and forcing his way into their lives. I think, if Max's letter ever comes up again, he'd let those insecurities fall away—I truly feel like she considers him an older brother figure, a real one, a good one. I think he'd cry over it, honestly.

I think he does cry quite a bit. Just not around other people. So it seems like he's sort of constipated in his emotions. But, realistically, he doesn't allow himself that chance to crack until he's in the safety of his bedroom. Because, honestly, I feel like despite the "ugliness" to his oddball room, he finds a sort of sanctuary in it. That's where his things are. That's where his smell is. That's his safe space.

And on the topic of his room, I think he definitely helped pick out 90% of the stuff he has. His wallpaper and curtains match because he looked inside the catalog his mom presented to him one day, and he likes things to match—so that's what he picked. (His mom bit back a sigh and tried to keep her expression neutral. She thinks it was an awful pick, but whatever her baby wants.) His dad sometimes takes him on day trips, and once when he was a kid (maybe middle school age, maybe even as a freshman), they went into some interior decorating store or something and he saw the car picture and knew he had to have it, so his dad bought it. (It jumpstarted one of a few interests they share: Cars.) The bedding was his choice. The mattress and bed frame were not. Everything else in his room was his pick. The bowling pin came from a birthday party when he was a kid, he won it at the prize counter in the little arcade area of their local bowling alley.

He's friends with whoever will spare him the attention he craves. Whoever will laugh at his jokes. Whoever will agree with the stupid shit he wants to do. Whoever will chant as he shotguns another beer.

He drinks and smokes because of Tommy. Steve and his dad had a big argument or something before his dad left for some business conference. So Tommy says they should get into his dad's alcohol and find somebody to sell them cigarettes as a way to rebel. Steve thinks he's being soooo cool (he's being lame). Next thing he knows, he's got a cigarette craving and knows how to shotgun a beer a little too well.

The pocket knife he uses on the beer cans is a gift he got from his dad, probably. One that he received as a birthday present for his 15th or something. His dad probably said something stupid like, "Every man needs a good knife. Never know when you'll need one." It's got Steve's initials carved into it and everything. In hindsight, it's pretty cool and it's custom to him—it's one of the only significant and caring gifts his dad ever gave him.

He doesn't cook like amazingly, but well enough that he could survive living on his own in an apartment. He likes spaghetti bolognese. And macaroni and cheese. He knows how to make a fire meatloaf. Could probably perfect rice and chicken in a heartbeat. But he does sort of rotate the same meals over and over because he procrastinates learning new things sometimes.

He's not stupid, he just takes a little longer to process all the information he's given. And on top of that, he needs the opportunity to ask questions so he can fully understand. He only feels stupid when he's denied the chance. And denied the opportunity to explain or connect. (Connecting like you would when taking margin notes in an article—Cornell style if you know what I mean. Like maybe some of the text reminds you of something in your real life, so you understand the text better by making that connection. That's how Steve connects to things.) So, yeah, I think he's probably a little bruised whenever somebody—yes, even his close buddy Dustin—walks all over him and treats him like a child when it comes to things unknown to him; especially shit that's D&D or Upside Down related, he doesn't know what's happening, but he'd like to know.

Lastly, and then I'll stop talking in your face, I think he would have the most off-putting, morbid sense of humor after surviving the Upside Down. Like sometimes he makes too strong eye contact and makes some crazy fucked up joke at you and then you just shut down. Like it's hard for him to get laughter sometimes because he'll just say odd shit. And then eventually, when people are done being stunned around him, they're like nervous giggling. All the while thinking, "Jesus fucking Christ, Steve. What the hell." He still feels accomplished even when the laugh is barely a sound, he laughs the hardest at his own morbid jokes. Robin, Nancy, Eddie, and even Jonathan think he needs some serious therapy; clock's ticking, might be time to get on that.

But uhhh, yeah. Steve needs to be more than a stiff board of cardboard, we need to do him justice because the duffers sure as hell won't.

[lasquadrasfuckhouse]

i LOOOVE the concept of la squadra hanging out with trish, whether they got to her before bucci gang or not, i think they help protect her from the boss and plot to take him down together so everyone wins and she gets lots of dads/uncles/big brothers like she deserves

so here's how trish spends time with la squadra!!!

risotto honestly feels awkward cause he doesn't know the first thing about teenage girls, but he's pretty good at maintaining his demeanor so trish can't tell at first. she's figures it out tho and she thinks it's kind of funny. he's always honest with her about shit which she appreciates. he acknowledges the loss of her mother and offers his understanding; he doesn't tell her all about his cousin, at least not right away, but he gets across that he's dealt with grief at her age too and it honestly helps her a lot that there's someone who gets what she's going through. she comes to trust him a lot and it tickles his heart!!!!! he may not know what he's doing but he knows thats HIS daughter now thank u

prosciutto is always barking at everyone to behave because he will not tolerate their usual rowdiness and dumbassery with trish around. he's stern but doesn't act like he can boss her around, polite and gives her space. his nurturing instincts kick in so she finds that he's often the one checking in on her and encouraging her to eat. have u brushed ur teeth? u hydrated? he might fuss more if he thought it might help her but her distant attitude gives him the sense that a hands-off approach might be better. she appreciates the care while acknowledging her independence.

pesci is just nervous cause he's a nervous guy but trish is also intimidating in her own way. he has no idea what to do cause not only does he also not know shit about teenage girls, but he's always been the youngest so he's fumbling with not being in that position anymore. is always offering things like '.... you want my snack?' he's trying. she thinks he's kind of a dork. he has his own daddy issues tho so trish is surprised when pesci becomes very defensive and protective in his own right cause he understands the feeling of being unwanted and it sucks. he doesn't want her to feel that way. she warms up to him a lot more then.

formaggio often just makes her scoff or roll her eyes or look in that way that u kno she's judging u cause he's a rowdy man. he takes it in stride tho and laughs it off which improves her opinion. because she's pretty closed off at first he might try to find ways to make her laugh, especially cause she's going through some shit y'know. he considers it a victory when she cracks a smile. she warms up to his dumbassery and laughs more often. she's pleasantly surprised when he takes her seriously cause he knows what it's like to be underestimated. he picks up on her speech patterns and will often also tell everyone 'get it girl'

illuso and trish are honestly like two peas in a pod. they immediately click because they have the same attitude, and similar tastes to boot (her, illuso, and melone end up bonding over music). she likes that illuso won't be overbearing and he's a bitch on her level. they bond over vogue and he promises to do her nails when they're out of this mess. if one of the other squadmates teases them about it he'll immediately be like ARE YOU INVALIDATING OUR GIRL'S INTERESTS. DO U THINK U CAN DISRESPECT HER HUH. he fondly calls her girlie, she calls him lulu. the squad starts referring to them as long lost siblings cause they have the same expressions.

melone is polite, patient, and shows his concern in subtle ways so as not to overwhelm her. trish likes being around him cause he levels with her and he's pretty chill, which is a conscious effort on his part to offer her normalcy and security; he knows shit abt developmental psychology and a chaotic environment in the wake of losing a parent is just awful for a kid. he checks in on her feelings and allows her to talk about whatever she wants at her own pace, and she needs time, but she might eventually open up about stuff like her grief, and the feelings of helplessness and guilt that others are getting hurt protecting her. when spice girl manifests, melone is the first to catch on that she represents trish's adaptability and confidence in taking charge of her fate, and he tells her he's very proud of her, which makes her smile!!!!

ghiaccio is, you guessed it! awkward cause he doesn't know a thing about teenage girls. but the difference with him is he's brash and gets frustrated by his awkwardness; trish just kind of tunes him out as another clown in the circus she got stuck with. they kind of just avoid each other at first. the first attempt at an icebreaker (lol) is ghiaccio offering her like a pastry or smth and being like 'sorry your dad is trying to kill you.' '...... thanks?' this man does not know how to be normal. eventually they bond over their shared love of cats and purim. she thinks it's funny when he yells at people on her behalf.

sorbet and gelato being middle aged gay men already act sort of dadly to the younger gays of the squad so they are THRILLED to dote on this little lesbian, they LOVE this girl and she is insta-adopted, and trish actually does not mind at all because she simultaneously thinks they're cool, fun, affectionate, hilarious to see in action, and occasionally endearingly cringe. they constantly applaud trish's sass and audacity. sorbet is really fucking funny in a deadpan way and it gets her smiling even at first when she's more closed off, and she finds gelato's antics entertaining. they're both extremely impressed with how confidently she pulls a switchblade and will offer to help her hone her knife skills; she becomes absolutely lethal under their care. but their outpouring of love also encourages her softer and more caring side, which neither want her to lose. they're very proud of her for still being sweet even when she has every right to be jaded.

[fizzywashere87]

If we were friends irl:

We would be baking a lot

But like absolutely chaos baking ykwim

Halfway through baking brownies we get into a food fight and lose most of the batter to the floor

But we don't care because we're having fun laughing

I'll pretend to scold you for sneaking a taste of the cookie dough but then i'll smile and sneak some too

Decorating competitions

Who can decorate a cupcake better? And we ask whoever is nearby to judge us on it

Overall we just have a lot of fun baking little treats

Especially if it's a sleepover and we just wake up at 2 in the morning to make a cake

Trying to suppress our giggles so we don't wake our parents

Yes is this because of what you told me earlier? Maybe

Anyway, we would totally do some crazy shit to our hair even though we definitely shouldn't be

Late night run to the store to grab some shitty box dye and we are on our way

Whether it's my hair getting changed or yours, somebody's is changing

We probably gossip a ton while this happens

you would tell me about your crushes and your boyfriends and your drama

And i would be there giving you hilarious and pretty mean roasts

I would tell you about my drama and give you some advice that isn't actually that good

hi :)

OML OML OML YESSSS OMGIEEE

i can't cook for shit but i'll gladly steal ingredients :)

yes, i'll eat brownie batter off the floor five second rule, time me

arts and crafts will consist of me drawing something inappropriate to make you laugh but i can't even finish the drawing because im laughing too hard it probably wasn't even funny but here we go

you'll record me going up to random strangers and asking them if a dill pickle and a crayola crayon had a baby and named it felipe would the titanic still have sank

how old are you? *deletes blog becuz ur a minor* /reference

being up at 2 am and i drop something/accidentally hit something and we shut up so our parents don't wake up but we're trying not to laugh

heheee i get the joke:)) (my hair was okay!!)

ill fix our hair to make sure it doesn't fall out! but it's gonna change

do u want bangs but too scared to get them? i gotchu

yesss you're gonna know who the school thot is with atm i'll keep you up to date on that shit!!

our sleepovers have to be at least weekly or i get grey hairs

omgieee friendly fire insults <3

i will take your advice and now we're both left overthinking

ill rant to you even if it's just about me dropping a pencil on my foot and it somehow hurt it was a ticonderoga pencil and it's why i only use mechanical pencils now

blasting music together and you'll listen to my gangster playlist

i'll put aluminum foil on my teeth to try and make you laugh

i'll play a recorder i forgot how to play

people will think we're high but its okay

handwritten birthday, and valentines day cards

random brain dumps at 3 am leaving you wondering what i was doing at such an ungodly hour as you see the message in the morning

me doing impulsive shit and roping you into it and i get a minor injury from it

INSIDE JOKESSSSS ILYSMMMM OUR FRIENDSHIP WOULD BE SO WHOLESOME AND CHAOTIC I LOVE ITTTTTTT @amorvincitomnia-14

[rileyh20]

ok more tbp fix it au headcanons….

Finney and Billy r huge Conan gray fans esp finney they both went to his concerts, finneys fav album is superache and Billy’s favs are sunset season and found heaven

they all have a shared playlist and it’s wild it goes from finneys sad music to like rob zombie. Vance constantly complains about the sad music (he’s severely concerned at some of them 💀💀)

robin is still a horror fanatic but griffin surprisingly likes horror too???

Finneys like really good at fighting after the first kidnapping time, and like it shocks everybody when he finally fights back. He has no way to know if his life is in danger or not because of obvious trauma so he just goes all out while fighting 💀 beat tf outta Matty and buzz one time

bro Bruce has a varsity jacket for baseball FOR SUREE 🙏🙏🙏🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

griffin is the youngest in the group obviously they make fun of him “oh you’re like 12” “IM 15?????????!!?!!!?!!” (This is obviously when they’re older lmfao he’s like 12 in canon)

billy watched a dogs purpose and cried about it. Also if he’s anything like me he read the book 5 times over and over again, the spinoff books and watched the movie so much his parents just decided to buy it instead of renting it over and over

billys dogs name is sailor

billy has the best music taste of the group 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ go to him for recs. Finney just likes sad shit and old 2014 pop, Robin is kinda a mix of hip hop and metal, Vance likes good metal but he’s basic about what metal he likes(he looks like one of those ppl that would see a nirvana shirt and tell you to name 5 songs), um griffin js listens to rlly anyrhing tbh? Bruce is one of those secret swifties and they make fun of him for it, but he likes hip hop too

finney has an OLD phone. I mean like an iPhone NINE. THING IS BARELY WORKING ANYMKRW 😭😭😭😭 when simon got the papers signed for his adoption (referring to the make the most of ur life fic…) he got him a new one bc the thing is actually so cracked and it looks so bad

Vance has airpod dupes and they make fun of him for it. The sound quality on them r so shit too it’s like putting your phone into water

I love <3

(Also, sorry I haven't answered your song ask yet, I've been in school and can't answer it-)

[tractorbeamofwoe]

All That Glitters (Is Not Gold)

The Rise and Fall of The Zeros

🪩🎸Chapter 1💿💋

Here I sit in a rehearsal room above Café Indigo with five young talents in front of me; Emma, Cole, Danny, Lexi and Kyle, who go by the collective name of Bastard Tendencies. Singer Tommy did not wish to participate in this interview. The time is 9:58am, an early start for all of us which is clear by the coffee cups and energy drink cans resting at our feet. We briefly exchange a few words, mainly expressing our disappointment in the weather as the girls mourn the loss of their skilfully styled hair to the rain. Tomorrow night they play a gig at The Skunk and Badger pub, where audiences can expect what they describe as ‘Nirvana with synths’. When asked what their individual musical influences are, here’s what they had to say:

Emma (guitar and backing vocals): ‘The one thing we all have in common is we all like at least one guitar band that we draw influences from. There are some outliers of course, for example Kyle really likes electronic music like The Prodigy and Basement Jaxx.’

Lexi (keys/synths): ‘We kind of owe our synthy sound to Kyle’s love of Tame Impala and Gorillaz actually. My music taste crosses over more with Cole’s I think, because he’s really into 00’s indie sleaze and I really love The Strokes. That’s something we really bond over.’

Cole (guitar): ‘Well my dad was really into Jimi Hendrix and he kind of forced me to learn guitar so I could be the kind of reincarnation of Hendrix but…I mean yeah I like Bloc Party, The Libertines, some early Arctic Monkeys stuff is quite good. But then I also like more classic stuff like Queen and [David] Bowie. That’s where my more eccentric side comes from.’

Kyle chuckles from the other end of the sofa, reciting a story from childhood. He and Cole are twin brothers, yet their personalities seem to be polar opposites. Kyle is more introverted and withdrawn, a man of very few words, while Cole is eager and outgoing. I do my best to steer the conversation back to the question.

Emma: ‘I really love the 90s. Women who fucking rock. I don’t think Tommy was too thrilled when we first met and I told him I’m an avid lover of Hole and Courtney Love. I think my influences are kind of a spectrum though. Right in the middle is Elastica. I always thought Justine was so cool. Then on the other end is Stevie Nicks. I adore her. Not quite the 90s but…what can I say? She’s timeless. I’d like to meet her someday.’

Danny (drums): ‘I love punk. Live for it, even. Always thought it was so cool. I was really in the skating scene growing up so the older kids put me on to their music and I never looked back since. I got my first drum kit at 14 after begging my parents but never really envisioned myself in a band as it was more of a side hobby. Skating came first for me always. Then I met Tommy at a PDA concert [he is referring to fellow local punk band Public Displays of Aggression] and he told me about his dream of starting a band while we smoked together. He played me some grungey stuff he was working on and I was sold.’

What songs can we expect on the setlist tomorrow night?

Danny: ‘Tommy might shoot us if we say too much but we’re playing the usuals like As Seen on TV, Fences, Sub-Zero, The Long Run, Guest List. We’re playing a new one too, one that Tommy is very passionate about so that’s bound to go off.’

Are there any plans to officially release these songs in the near future? Or are you focusing on perfecting your craft first?

Kyle (bassist): ‘We just want to play live as much as possible. We’d take the atmosphere of playing on a stage to an audience any day over being in a studio, even if the audience is shit and unresponsive. A studio feels too much like work, whereas being on stage feels almost freeing. For me, at least.’

The others nod in agreement, some providing thoughtful hums of acknowledgement.

Emma: ‘We also don’t have management, and we’re unsigned. So getting into a studio when we already have so little budget is quite difficult at the moment.’

What about an album? I ask, though I quickly learn it is a futile question to ask as they all either shake their heads or shrug. Why is that?

Danny: ‘Just don’t have enough songs yet.’

The drummer smirks, pulling at the threads of his ripped jeans. The band in general seem to be very relaxed, whether that’s due to tiredness and boredom or just feeling comfortable being interviewed, I’m unsure. What I am sure of though, is the coolness radiating off of Danny; a nonchalantness that is charming to anyone meeting the band for the first time.

Lexi: ‘It just feels really far out of our reach at the moment. If our time in the band could be viewed in the form of a loading bar, we’re still at the very beginning. An album wouldn’t even come until maybe a third of the way along that bar. That’s not to say an album isn’t on the table, or it isn’t an obtainable goal, we just feel it’s not a priority right now.’

Do you think you’ll always stick to the sound you have now? Or can you see your tastes changing and the music you make evolving along with that?

Cole: ‘I think the music we make now is the right balance and blend of everything we all like. It also accommodates for the fact that there’s six of us. I mean, if we moved away from the synthy aspects and were just guitar based what would Lexi do? If we made pop music that needed a more melodic vocal, what would Tommy do? You know?’

Emma: ‘Bottom line is we’re stubborn. I don’t think we’re going to be easily swayed by anyone, it would take a LOT of convincing. We just want to make what we like, we’re not fussed about whether audiences like it or not. I’m sure as hell most of the pubs we’ve played didn’t like us but we don’t let that get to us. A gig is a gig at the end of the day no matter who is in the room.’

“They should be grateful they got to see Bastard Tendencies in their prime, before they sold their souls to the top 40 and turned pop” I joke, which is swiftly followed by laughter echoing around the whole room. An unhooked snare drum rattles in the corner.

Emma: ‘Speaking of genre shifts though, I always thought we could do a really cool, sinister Fleetwood Mac cover.’

In a live lounge sort of setting?

Emma: ‘Maybe…one day.’

Well you’re playing The Skunk and Badger tomorrow, what’s next for Bastard Tendencies after that? What are your dream venues?

Danny: ‘Manchester punk festival for me. But I think we’ve got a few more small town pub crawls left in us before we get to the real world.’

Emma: ‘I’d love to tour America. Specifically The Rave in Milwaukee. It’s haunted apparently and every artist that plays there writes their name in the abandoned swimming pool in the basement. I want our names there forever.’

Lexi: ‘Festivals in Europe, in the sun. So much free alcohol.’

Emma: ‘You can get away with having your top off too’

Cole: ‘Buckingham Palace for me I think.’

Kyle: ‘SNL.’

Danny: ‘Actually The Skunk and Badger is my dream venue. Ever since five minutes ago. It doesn’t get better than this. We’ve peaked now and we should just retire. It’s gonna be a special one, I’ve got all my friends and family coming out including my long lost Uncle Fred who I haven’t seen in 25 years, which is monumental because I’m only 21!’

They struggle to contain their laughter as their answers grow more and more absurd. It is clear they’ve now woken up and are itching to get rehearsing, and who am I to keep them confined to the sofa? There are whispers that Tommy will be arriving soon, still stoned from the party he attended the night before. This seems to be a common occurrence, according to Danny. ‘Thank you Mina’ they all chime one after the other, as I get up from my seat and wish them luck for their upcoming gig.

You can catch Bastard Tendencies at the Skunk and Badger from 7pm tomorrow (7th of June), followed by Over 40’s Bingo at 8pm and DJ Carlos ending the night from 9pm-1am.

Written by Mina Griffith

***

𝔈𝔪𝔪𝔞

Another dingey pub gig, crammed onto a slab of wood that could barely fit the six of us on that we were supposed to believe was a stage. Lexi ended up sitting at a table off to the side amongst the patrons because we couldn’t get her keyboard onstage. We assigned her to be our photographer for the night instead, just to keep her occupied. I spent most of that gig pulling faces and showing off for the camera, so even if we sounded shit at least we looked good. The place was fairly busy, people there not necessarily to see us but as we started playing we racked up an audience. The room seemed to have a distinct smell, one of damp old carpet and chip grease that swirled around us for the duration of our time there.

Danny, ever the flirt, kept blowing kisses and winking at various girls in the crowd (all of whom he had personally invited in an attempt to win them over), while Tommy threw angry glances in his direction. Due to the venue’s lack of facilities, we had no one to monitor our sound for us, which resulted in Tommy being drowned out for the most part by Danny’s enthusiastic drumming. If the footage still existed, there'd be a video of me reassuringly patting Tommy on the shoulder, and him coldly swatting my hand away.

Tommy didn't like being touched, or showing much emotion really. He likes to be in control. He has a vision of how he wants to be perceived, and he makes sure we never forget it. The vision in question? The second-coming of Kurt Cobain. Except he can't grow a beard, and refuses to grow his hair out. Despite his closed off personality and nonchalantness, I'd like to think we're friends, that maybe if it came to life or death he would in fact save us. He'd never admit it though. Just like he'd never admit that he secretly really likes Radiohead.

The set seemed to drag on. We didn't have that many songs and so we filled time with ridiculously extended instrumentals and solos. There were two drunk men, much older than any of us, sat at the back of the bar who would whistle and cat call me in between songs. It didn't really bother me, but I could tell it was bothering the boys.

Just before our last song Tommy finally spoke out. "If you wanna keep harassing my guitarist you can meet me round the back after our set and I'll fuck you up," He grumbled into the mic, an expression of disapproval concealed under his blonde mop. "this is our last song and it's called Violet."

Tommy and Cole strummed out the chords while I played the lead lines, shaking my hips to the beat and flicking my hair around. I flashed Danny a smile over my shoulder, unaware of what was unfolding in the crowd. We actually started to work up a sweat despite the drought floating in from the front door.

Underneath our joyful exteriors though, we were secretly under immense pressure to get the song perfect. This was a new song Tommy had written about his ex girlfriend that he was very insistent on us not messing up. It was rare a song meant this much to him, but we could all hear it in his voice as he groaned the lyrics almost painfully down the microphone. He poured all his anguish and bitterness into this song, which we had to admit provided a nice contrast on the setlist to our other more groove driven songs. He finished the set by kicking over the mic stand and storming outside for a cigarette, a detail not missed by Lexi and her camera.

Once we’d packed all our gear down, we retired to the sticky mahogany counter of the bar for post show drinks. For several minutes we chatted amongst ourselves, thinking we’d already been forgotten about by the patrons, until I felt a figure lean over my shoulder and breathe on my neck as they inserted themself into our conversation.

“That singer of yours has quite the attitude.” A male voice comments. I could hear his smirk and thought at first he was being hostile, until he chuckled and gave me back my personal space. I span on my barstool to look at him. The first thing I noticed was his Nirvana tshirt. Then it was his ripped jeans, then finally his face. He was definitely older than us, at least by a decade, his blonde hair tousled under a pair of Ray bans perched on his head. He spoke again.

“Whoever’s in charge of you lot ought to smack some sense into him. You’ll never win a crowd over by acting like that.” He raises a bottle of Corona to his lips.

“Don’t let Tommy hear you say that, he’ll have you.” Danny chimes in from behind me now, also drinking beer from a glass of his own. The stranger raised an eyebrow.

“Oh he’ll have me will he? I thought his threats were only reserved for the two creeps that were harassing you.”

I shake my head “He’ll go for anyone, really.”

“Interesting. Sorry about those guys by the way, we went and had a word with them. You won’t have to see them at any of your shows again.”

By ‘we’ he was referring to himself and his friend, a taller dark haired man sat behind him. My eyes widen in surprise. It felt rare to come across selfless strangers like this.

“Oh wow, that really wasn’t necessary, but thank you,” I offered my hand to shake his. Without hesitation his cold hand gripped mine, damp with the condensation of his bottle. “Did you enjoy the show?”

“We did. We always come here to check out what local bands are on. Scouting out emerging talent and stuff. Seeing what’s on offer.”

My ears pricked. He had my full attention now. “Wait, scouting? Scouting for what?”

“Oh I manage bands.” The stranger grins. I felt like I’d hit the jackpot.

“Well that’s funny because we happen to be looking for management right now.” I prop my cheek up with my fist, elbow resting on the bar to my right. The man’s demeanour seems to change as he turns around to exchange a knowing look with his friend.

“Who are the other contenders?” He asks, an almost wild look flashing in his eyes as if the thought of competition excited him.

I laugh nervously before admitting “No one actually. You’re first in line.”

“Oh really? Well I’m surprised at that,” He chuckles again “You guys are good, you’ve got lots of potential. You’d fit right in with the other bands I manage, they’re all rebellious youngsters just like you. I can have you booked in for so many gigs, just say the word.”

“Believe me, he works fast.” The other man spoke up. My eyes fall on the moustache above his lip, before skimming over his tattoos. I only tear my gaze away when I notice a deep scar on his left arm, however he didn’t seem bothered.

We hesitate for a moment as we consider their offer.

“I’m in if you are” Danny says lowly, looking at me with an uncharacteristic seriousness.

“I don’t know, I think we should wait for the others and ask them.” I whisper. It seemed like the rational thing to do, to not immediately jump on an opportunity without knowing enough about it, but with the way we were scraping the bottom of the money jar we couldn’t exactly afford to wait around a whole lot longer.

“Can we at least buy you guys some drinks?” The blonde suggests, already pulling his wallet out of his back pocket. I didn’t mean to stare, but I couldn’t help but notice how full it was. Where the hell did he get all this money? He said he’d bring us success and now I believed him.

I brought this detail up to Danny as we played a game of pool, the two men, who we now knew as Joe and Phil, dividing their attention between our game and the conversation they were having with Kyle, Cole and Lexi. We were all a few drinks deep by now too.

“Did you see his wallet? The guy’s loaded!” I said a little too loudly across the pool table to Danny as he lined up his shot, shaking his head to move jet black hair out of his eyes.

“I thought you wanted to wait before making any decisions?” He shoots, the white ball ricocheting off of the side and colliding with a trio of red balls.

“I did but…now I’m sold. I think we should do this.”

Just then, Tommy came back inside, pausing for a moment to take in where each of his bandmates were. He quirked up an eyebrow and moved to approach the two men he didn’t recognise. The frontman cleared his throat, catching the attention of our new acquaintances.

“Ah, there he is! The star of the show!” Joe chuckles.

“And you are?” Tommy eyes them suspiciously

“I’m Joe. This here is my friend and colleague Phil.” Joe holds his hand out to shake Tommy’s but is brushed off by the younger man.

“Right…you’re fans of ours I presume?”

I sigh and place my pool cue down, joining the conversation before things escalate further.

“Not fans, Tommy. They manage bands. They’ve offered to manage us.” I explain gently.

Tommy is silent for a moment, glaring at us from under his fringe before grunting a simple “Cool.”

That was all that needed to be said. We all shook hands and the deal was done. I noticed Joe’s smile out of the corner of my eye, almost predatory while Phil hid his smirk behind the rim of his whiskey glass.

I glance over at Lexi who shoots me a reassuring smile, beckoning me over to look at the photos on her camera.

“Check these out, I made you guys look so cool.” She tilts the screen towards me and I click through the gallery, a smile slowly creeping onto my face.

“Holy shit Lex, these are fucking awesome!” I exclaim. “You should definitely show those to Mina, she’d love to see them.”

Mina is Danny’s younger sister and our self professed biggest fan. Her biggest dream is to be a journalist so we always let her interview us for her college assignments. I think that’s a great thing about having a family member write an article about you, because you can be certain they won’t mischaracterise you. We trust Mina to portray us honestly as we are and in return she always gets the gossip first. Gosh she’ll be ecstatic to hear how tonight went.

We chatted and played pool for a little while longer, sniggering to ourselves during the bingo. Joe and Phil had disappeared outside somewhere, something about needing to take a call. Eventually Cole came and tapped me on the shoulder, letting us know it was time to leave.

“Yeah sure, just let me go grab my jacket.” I reply, finishing my last drink and heading towards the cloakroom. As I pulled my leather jacket around me I caught Joe’s eye outside. We held each others’ gazes for a moment until he hung up the call and beckoned me to him.

“Are you all leaving already?” He asks as I lean in the doorway, though his disappointment sounded almost ingenuine.

“Afraid so.” I cross my arms.

“You can’t leave yet,” He chuckles “I haven’t even given you my number,”

Joe waves his finger, gesturing for me to turn around. I turned my back to him, confused about what he wanted. Then I felt him hold something up against my back; a piece of paper. I felt every shape he drew with the pen as he scrawled out the set of digits that made up his phone number, before stepping back and handing it to me all neatly folded.

“I want everyone to meet here tomorrow morning so we can properly discuss future plans in more detail. Sound good?”

I nod silently, shoving the square into my pocket.

“I can’t wait to see you again.” Joe leans in to speak lowly in my ear before flashing me a toothy smile. His hand came forward to pat my shoulder in a friendly gesture but his touch seemed to linger just a little too long. I just couldn’t open my mouth quick enough to say anything before he disappeared inside again, and my bandmates were calling me away.

[lordofwaffless]

10. Myrtle

Professor Clare was pleasantly surprised to see Wesley at her door again that afternoon. After a hurried exchange relating to an art festival happening that October, Stu manoeuvred Wesley away from the art teacher, and the two boys made their way once more out of the art room and down to the grounds. 

“I usually get picked up or walk home,” Wesley explained, when Stu pointed out that they had to walk down to the parking lot, instead of taking the walking path down to the town. 

“Ezra usually picks me up. In her truck. Which is in the parking lot.” 

“No shit, Stewart.” 

They walked down the hill to the lot; the truck was parked somewhat haphazardly in one of the habitually unclaimed parking spots. As the day was unusually bright, the peeling orange paint and mud-covered tires appeared even more glaringly distressed than they had in the rain the night before. 

“Do you think it’s even more rusted after last night?” Wesley asked, scrutinising the driver’s side door. 

Stu made some noncommittal noise of vague agreement. (Disagreement? Wesley couldn’t tell.) 

“Right. Should probably get going, at any rate.”

This time, the satyr’s response was more easily identified: he nodded his head, his face split in a yawn. The two of them got in the truck, Wesley silently praying that the truck would start, Stu simply wondering how much longer it would be before he could take a nap. 

After they’d been pulled out of the lot (the car had, thankfully, started) and had been driving for a moment, Stu asked, “How far away do you live?” 

Wesley glanced at him. “Not far. On the outskirts of town, closer to the centre. In one of the neighbourhoods with obscenely large houses.” 

“Oh yeah,” Stu nodded. “Aunty Myrtle lives in a castle.” 

Wesley blinked. “Myrtle Vivienne is your aunt?” 

Stu sneezed and rubbed his nose with the edge of his sleeve. “Well, no. She’s my Aunt Alice’s cousin (who I’m also not properly related to), but she is in my mum’s coven. Somehow. I think it’s because she’s so powerful that mum wants to keep an eye on her, but no one except for Aunty Ezra actually likes her.” He sniffed again. “I think they used to date.” He paused, blushing. “Well. Not date, exactly.” 

“Your Aunt Ezra or your mum?” 

“Hmm?” 

Wesley glanced at him again. “You think your Aunt Ezra had an affair with Myrtle, or your mum?” 

Stu’s already rosy cheeks turned a bright, burning red. “Both.” 

“Shit.” 

Stu turned his head to look out the window, staring at the passing scenery with bleary eyes. “Mmm-hmm.” 

A few minutes later, he’d fallen asleep. Wesley continued to glance at him every now and then (there wasn’t much traffic, even on the slow city streets). His thoughts were a bit muddled, overall. On the one hand, he’d wanted to invite Stu over since they’d befriended each other the summer before. (Stu had been volunteering with one of the children’s charities Wesley’s paternal grandparents owned on the same days that Wesley had gotten dragged into helping; they’d bonded over similar music tastes and a shared love of flower petal candy.) On the other hand, he hadn’t been able to get the previous night out of his head. The heavy, tinny sound of the rain pounding against the roof of the truck, the slick red slip of the blood pooling around the body and sliding under their feet, the stench of rotting meat and the mangled, shiny mess of intestines hanging out of the minotaur’s abdomen all circled through his mind as he drove. He was thankful for the sunshine; in the harsh, glaring light of day, the night before almost seemed like it’d been nothing more than one of the many cruel nightmares that plagued him when he slept. 

His increasingly morose musings carried him through the entirety of the drive, which wasn’t very long. Wesley’s parents’ house, known officially as St. Basilton’s Manor and more commonly referred to as the Clarke family manor, was located only twenty or so minutes away from St. Basilton Preparatory school. The house had been in his family since the saint had built it some eighty years ago; Wesley’s great-great grandmother still visited every year for the celebration of the Winter Solstice, which turned both the solemn ritual and the feast that followed into harrowing events for the anxious-to-please townspeople, whose city was named after her late husband. 

“Wesley, we’re here,” Stu whispered, tapping him gently on the arm. 

“Hmm? I- oh, right.” He gave himself a shake. Wesley, without realising it, had pulled through the main gate and into the driveway of what would have been a nice, spooky gothic castle if it weren’t a vivid pink. 

“It’s fuschia,” Stu noted. “I always forget that it’s fuschia. It was meant to be aubergine.”

“How do you screw up aubergine that spectacularly?” Wesley questioned. (Wesley had never screwed up a colour that spectacularly, not even when he’d first been learning about colour theory.) 

The satyr shrugged. “The paint looked darker in the can.” 

Wesley glared at him, incredulous. “How do you paint a neo-gothic castle?” Stu blinked.

“There’s a lot of blank wall.” 

“Well, yeah, but there are so many spires.” 

Stu stared at him, his features scrunched up in bemusement. “What?” 

Wesley chuckled. “Nevermind, you’re right. That’s not really relevant, she didn’t paint the spires.” He paused. “But there are so many windows…” 

Stu bit the corner of his lip. “I don’t think any of this is relevant,” he mumbled; he was still pretty tired, even with the short nap he’d taken on the drive. He opened the door and slid out of the car, a remarkably graceful action halfway between a fall and a leap. 

“Did you know I used to take dance?” he asked Wesley (somewhat randomly) as the older boy stepped out of the truck.

“You’ve mentioned it a few times.” (In actuality, this was only the second time Stu had ever brought it up, but it wasn’t a difficult conclusion to reach.) 

The two boys walked up to the small-ish, ornately carved black door set in the side of the house by the garage (why the castle had been built with a garage to begin with, no one was really sure, though there was a rumour that it’d been built by a seer). There was a bell-pull set by the door (apparently, the seer’s abilities had not extended to modern doorbells); Wesley, being the only one tall enough to reach it, gave it a tug, and a moment later, the garage door began whirring open next to them. 

The space revealed by the opening door was blinding. Faery lights (little vials with miniature pixies and captured will o’ the wisps) hung on brightly colored ribbons on every wall, casting the room in a fascinating magenta light. The far wall was taken over entirely by a workspace that consisted of herb-filled shelves and a long table, which held a number of old books and curious objects. In one corner, there was a cauldron; on another wall, there were rows and rows of live, exotic-looking plants. Part of the room held a cluster of ornate chairs upholstered in a floral, fuschia fabric, gathered around a coffee table bearing an antique silver tea service. In the centre of it all sat a witch, with astonishing violet hair precisely the colour of Ezra’s eyes. 

“Hello, darlings,” Myrtle purred, pouring three cups of tea as she spoke. “Care for a cuppa?” 

“Hello, Aunty Myrtle,” said Stu, shivering a bit at the scene before him. 

“Stewart, darling, just Myrtle is fine,” she chuckled, tossing back her violet curls with one manicured, purple-clawed hand. 

“Those nails look sharp,” Stu noted. “Isn’t it hard to mix potions with your nails that long?” 

“Not at all, Stewart. I simply use my wand. Now, sit,” she commanded. The boys sat on the sofa across from her, gingerly picking up their cups. Stu blew on his to cool it. Wesley simply stared glumly at the witch in front of him, not even bothering; he could smell the fire root infused in the tea. Probably a potion for warmth of feeling, he guessed; it was never a good idea to try and charm customers determined to be cold.

Myrtle tapped her wand on the table, drawing their attention back to her. She sat with one leg loosely crossed over the other, wand dangling from outstretched fingertips as she surveyed the two boys in front of her. “Now, boys, what brings you to my shop?” 

Wesley turned to Stu, one brow quirked. 

“I-,” Stu began, before pausing to consider. “It's kind of complicated, I guess. Ezra and Edie are on a… 

…mission, I guess? I’m not really sure.” 

“Hmm.” She examined the deep purple of her nails. “What does that have to do with me?” 

“Ezra wanted me to stay with you for a few days, but that’s fine, I can stay with Wesley. Um. Can we store her truck here until she comes back to get it?” Stu asked, though the sudden sharpness which Myrtle was regarding him with gave him the impression that it wouldn’t be that simple. 

“Why is Ezra on a “mission,” as you put it?” she asked. 

Stu glanced at Wesley, eyes wide at the thought of attempting to recount the past night’s events. Wesley sighed and gave the most thorough explanation he could; when he was finished, she stared at them both, as if she’d only just noticed who, exactly, was sitting in front of her. 

“I don’t think your aunts are going to be back anytime soon, Stewart,” she murmured. She raised a finger to quiet Stu’s stuttering attempts to respond. “Let me finish. You may leave the truck here, and you may spend the rest of the week next door with the Clarkes. However, if neither of your aunts return by Sunday morning, you must return here to stay with me until your aunts return. That is more than fair, Stewart.” 

“-but why wouldn’t my aunts return?! It’s just for the night-” 

She sighed. “Stu, what happened last night is absolutely unforgivable. I’m not going to lie to you: if Ezra has gone in search of answers, she and Edie both are in great danger.” She sat back in her chair, haphazardly mussing up her violet locks with the hand not holding her cup. “You have one week, Stewart. Use it wisely.” She waved her wand, and in an instant, she was gone, and the boys were standing on the sidewalk outside the closed gate. 

“See? Powerful,” commented Stu. 

Wesley shook his head and led him away.

[nitewrighter]

Cindy Part 7

Again, to read other chapters, please refer to the masterpost.

Oh hey look Cindy’s back! And Guard Captain Brad’s there, too! Wonder what’s gonna happen?

---

Cindy’s in the market. She likes being in the market more than she’s willing to admit, because it gets her away from the house, and again… the house is all she has left of her parents, so it’s kind of guilty feeling good being away from the house, but the market’s hitting a little different today. After that night, after that taste of freedom, after that sobbing, agonizing realization that her home hasn’t been her home in so long, she likes the smell of the market air more. She’s contentedly swaying like kelp to accommodate the press of the crowd around her. She’s still humming the music she and the prince danced to, goddammit, and she’s running all the decidedly un-glamorous errands the stepfam aren’t willing to do. The stepfam doesn’t like how the soap maker’s hands are all fucked up from years of lye exposure, so Cindy gets the soap. The stepfam doesn’t like how the fishmonger smells, so Cindy gets the fish. The stepfam doesn’t like how the cheesemonger infodumps about goat social hierarchies and tyrosine crystals, so Cindy gets the cheese. The stepfam doesn’t like the tinkerer’s glass eye, so Cindy goes to the tinkerer whenever tinkering needs to be done. She’s always considered them all very pleasant people, oh but today they’re vibing even more. She is walking on air, this girl is still high on the afterglow of the ball. The cheesemonger is in the middle of a fascinating lecture on the impacts of goat diets on cheese fermentation rates when all of a sudden a loud bell rings.

“An announcement from the crown! An announcement from the crown!” The town crier is parading into the market square with a burly guard at one shoulder and a bookish valet clearly from the castle at the other.

The thrum of the market dies down with the ringing of the bell as the town crier hops on the border wall of the fountain, still ringing his bell.

“Hear ye, hear ye! In this, the year of our lord seventeen-or-eighteen-something-something, in our most proud nation of—” The town crier cough-sneezed hard into his elbow, “I bear a message from our most beloved king!”

Cinderella, along with literally everyone else in the market, perks up and moseys towards the crier.

“The prince has found his intended bride!” The crier announces and an excited titter goes through the crowd. Cinderella’s heart sinks a little. Well… whoever she is, I hope she’s nice, she thinks a bit sadly. And like… this is where we get depressing again because like… she likes the prince. Oh boy does she like the prince. By all definitions, she probably loves this guy, because he’s funny and clever and kind and an amazing listener and he talks so passionately about horses and whatever he’s reading and goddamn, he can dance, but ‘love’ is a dangerous thing for her, just like ‘hope’ is a dangerous thing for her. So she’s thinking, ‘Well there was probably a girl from a very politically advantageous family at the ball and probably the matchmaking thing was a whole formality that’s supposed to make whatever this pairing is seem more legit.’ Sure it’s pageantry, but it’s pretty solid pageantry. But the town crier goes on.

“However,” the town crier declares, “Before we were able to identify the young lady in question, she fled the premises!”

‘Oh, hey, I did that, too,’ thinks Cindy. Maybe politically advantageous girl was in a hurry? She’s probably very busy, what with being politically advantageous and all. Even if Cindy felt she really connected with Princey Boy, she’s not… super-strong in the self-esteem department. Y’know, years of being treated like shit will do that to you. So she assumes there has to be someone way cooler who totally has their shit more together and that’s definitely the Prince’s intended bride.

“But not before she left her shoe!” The town crier adds dramatically, “Thus it is declared: Whosoever fits the shoe in question, is the Prince’s intended bride!”

And this is where an abrupt sensation of of ‘Oh shit,’ flares through Cinderella’s body. Because leaving a party early, even abruptly, that’s not that unique, but leaving your shoe? She’s pretty sure that’s not something that would happen twice in one night. A questioning murmur ripples through the crowd. Shoes? Why on earth would the prince only be able to recognize his supposed bride by shoes?

“Fitting shoes… feh!” One villager scoffs next to Cindy and distracts her from her rising panic. He wipes under his nose with his thumb, “Back in my day, you stacked up 20 feather mattresses and stuck a pea somewhere in there and you let a girl sleep on it. If she woke up with bruises, you knew she was a princess. Hemophilia, don’t you know.”

“Hemophilia?” Cinderella stoops a little to hear him more clearly.

“Oh yes, hemophilia. All the royals have it. Bruise like pears, they do.”

“Huh…” Cinderella’s eyes scrunch a little, because she knows the prince mentioned wrestling a couple times when they were hanging out and talking, and that doesn’t seem like a very hemophilia-friendly sport, but then again, maybe this complete rando is an expert on the crown (go easy on her she doesn’t get out all that much). But then she draws herself back up straight as the town crier continues speaking.

“I will now present an artist’s representation of the shoe!” The crier announces, and the king’s valet next to him opens a scroll to reveal a detailed ink drawing of a crystalline shoe. A glass shoe. Her shoe.

The crowd ‘oohs’ at the shoe, because, you know Cindy was right to love the slippers as much as she did, and she was right to ask to make them the only permanent thing about the outfit, because they are fucking beautiful.

‘Oh,’ Cinderella thinks, looking at the drawing, ‘Well isn’t that something.’

And she just… fucking blacks out.

I passed out at the Dickens Fair a couple of years back and like, I was overheating and dehydrated and on my feet for too long, BUT MY POINT IS, even if everyone around you is wearing cute silly period outfits, passing out in public is still embarrassing as fuck.

“Miss? Miss! Miss, are you all right?” The voice comes in muffled in Cinderella’s ears and she flinches hard, throwing up her forearms over her face in a flinch. But a hand is feeling at the back of her head. Gentle pads of the fingers even gently pressing beneath her low bun to feel at the scalp. “Are you concussed?”

“People keep asking me that…” Cindy says distantly, eyes blinking out the sunlight and forearms still crossed. Squinting, she slowly lowers her arms and realizes there’s a hand on her back, propping her upper torso up off of the cobblestones. Her lashes flutter and she realizes the guard who had been standing near the crier is stooped over her, holding her. Several nearby ladies are tittering excitedly because holy shit this guy is a beefcake. Her shoulders bunch up. “Ah…”

“It doesn’t seem like you hit your head too hard…” Brad murmurs.

“I’m fine!” Cindy blurts out. Like she recognizes this guy from the ball (I mean he’s a big guy, he’s kind of hard to miss) and she knows the Fairy Godmother told her a memory charm was stitched into the dress but holy fuck she doesn’t know what’s going to happen if he recognizes her! Like yeah Fairy Godmother said she’d be a white fog but now also the shoe is in royal custody!! What does that mean?? Is she recognizable if she’s seen the shoe after the spell is broken? God, she should have been writing more stuff down the night of the ball.

“You sure?” Brad’s eyebrows raise.

“Mm-hm!” Cindy gives a tight-lipped nod.

“Welp,” Brad rises to his feet, pretty much picking Cinderella up by her shoulders and pulling her upright along with him. Her body goes completely rigid at the combination of physical contact and movement, there’s a brief second where Cindy’s feeling her feet dangle underneath her because holy shit this guy is huge, before he plants her on her feet like one might stick a surfboard upright in the sand at the beach. She wobbles for a second but quickly straightens up. “Er… thank you, sir…?”

“Guard Captain Brad Bradstone, miss,” he gives a shallow bow, “And it was nothing. I am sworn to protect all subjects of the kingdom.” In his bow he notices all of the soot physical contact with her has smeared all over his uniform. It’s all over his sleeves and there’s a significant gray smudge across his torso.

“Oh!” Cindy’s hands go over her mouth, “I’m so sorry!”

“It’s fine, miss,” says Brad, first instinctively moving to brush it off, but deciding not to bother upon seeing his hand now smeared with ash and soot, “And may I just say, I think what you’re doing is very brave.”

“B-brave?”

“It takes a lot of guts for a lady to break into a male-dominated work field like chimney sweeping, and you can bet you have the crown’s support in your endeavor,” says Brad, thumping his fist to his chest in a salute.

“Ah..” Cindy slumps a little, “Yes. Chimney sweeping.” She clears her throat, “Again, I’m sorry for causing such a fuss.”

“Eh, you’re not the first swooner, and you probably won’t be the last,” Brad shrugs, “Really commendable recovery time, though.”

“…so the prince really wants to marry the girl who left the shoe?” Cinderella fidgets with her fingers a little.

“Well, to be honest, all the ‘bride’ talk is embellishment from the king, but the prince did call her the love of his life,” Brad is preoccupied with trying to brush off all the soot on his uniform in a way that doesn’t make it spread more. It’s not working out too well.

“The love of his life?” Cinderella’s breath falls hushed and trails after him as Brad paces away. She quickly shimmies up behind him.

“Mm-hmm,” Brad rinses his sooty hands off in the fountain and then moves to wipe off his sleeve and—oh fuck that made it worse.

“Does he… talk about her?” Cinderella tilts her head.

“Talk about her?” Brad scoffs, and then leans close to Cinderella in a conspiratorial whisper, “He doesn’t shut up about her! Between you and me? He’s a complete wreck.”

“A complete wreck?!” Cindy’s hands clasp over her heart.

“Oh god yeah, he’s barely eating, he’s waking me up at odd hours with new conspiracy theories about what this girl’s whole deal is, and—“ Brad catches himself, “I apologize, miss, I shouldn’t be talking about this. It’s not appropriate. I would ask for your discretion on everything I’ve just said.”

“Of course!” Cinderella salutes, and then doesn’t really know why she saluted. This guy feels like someone you should salute at.

“It was deeply unprofessional of me,” Brad murmurs.

“It’s fine. It... sounds like a very stressful situation,” Cinderella folds her arms.

“Oh if only you knew,” Brad chuckles a little. He clicks his tongue. “look, you seem very nice, and I’d love to talk more but—”

“Brad!” A call comes across the market square and both Brad and Cindy glance up to see Gabe the valet giving a pointed glance to his fancy little agenda journal before glancing sharply back at Brad.

“…as I was saying,” said Brad, “We’ve got like… 10 more villages to hit up with this announcement today, so I can’t stay.  But—hey—would you keep an eye out for me?”

“For what?” Cindy perks up.

“Just… anything suspicious. The prince may be all lovestruck, but if you ask me? There’s a lot of fishiness about this ‘mystery bride of the prince.’”

Cinderella stiffens a little. “I see…”

“I mean, no one being able to remember a single identifying feature of her? At one of the biggest parties of the year? And then rushing off as fast as she can? There’s something wrong there, don’t you think?”

“I… Um…” Cinderella is fidgeting again.

“Brad!” Gabe the Valet calls again.

“I gotta go,” Brad shrugs and then hits her with a quick finger-gun, “Best of luck with your chimney sweeping, miss.”

“…thank…you…” Cinderella says blankly as Brad rushes off.