#have never liked being a girl. but that's not really out of like. any kind of desperation to be anything else.

[vifilms]

THE FIRST BITE!

pairing. rugby player!abby x fem!reader x rugby player!vi

the introduction. abby anderson, the co-captain of the legends. the thickest, strongest girl around and she sure does pull like it. then there’s vi, tragically pathetic unable to get a girlfriend vi, a co-captain with some of the past game in the pitch but can’t find any to save her life off the field. or will misfortune of missing keys bring the luck directly to her?

the two have done nothing but compete against each other from the day they were born. abby has been a big girl from a young age, taller than most, it didn’t take much for her to bulk up. her biceps bigger than the largest dumbells in the gym, thighs and legs strong enough to kill a man. it’s what made her a dominant force on the field. she’s a bull you’ll try like hell to doze over, but the task is nearly impossible.

then there’s violet.

she’s not as big or strong, but she’s quick. she relies on it for every match. gliding on the pitch like a leopard. it’s because of her sheer speed that the team has won so frequently. violet is also the painful thorn in abby’s side, why she isn’t the sole captain but co-captains. the best of the best coach sev says, the yin and yang of professional rugby.

abby isn’t too sure of it but she’s in it to win and for that it’s the only reason why a bond is forged between them. the hatred they have for each other becomes kinship, hours on the field bringing out the best in each other only makes them win and win, and fucking win. the surrounding districts wanting to know coach sev’s secret.

it’s friendship.

two weeks from the quarter finals, the pair decides to blow off steam and that’s when the real competition between them thrives. until recently, abby had been happily taken, violet didn’t have to compete with the beefcake. even if she’d never admit it, abby makes her feel insecure. she’s smart, kind, and seriously ripped.

the amount of girls she turns town in one night at the local bar, seraphites, makes her wanna shrivel into a ball until all she feels is the a black hole swallowing her essence whole.

but now abby is single and god, vi will cry into her pillow if another girl she thinks is pretty leaves home with abby.

“don’t feel so bad. most wouldn’t last this long with me around.”

“yeah, i feel so grateful to still be here.”

abby chuckles as she playfully punches at vi’s shoulder.

“i’ll throw you a solid tonight then, the after party after quarter finals, i won’t munch all night and you know how hard that is for me.” abby playfully pouts.

“oh, really? how pitiful. that’s actually worse than competing with you. a sympathy thrown one night stand.”

abby harmlessly puts her hands up, taking a sip from her chilled beer. immediately, the bartender starts chatting up with her and abby starts being abby. it infuriates her how little the broad blonde has to try. she slips into this girl every damn gay girl in town eats up like a midnight snack.

each time, she starts it off slow. easy. throwing a compliment your way, if that bite into the bait, they always touch her hand, her arm, or stroke the vein protruding from her bicep. abby shamelessly flirts until they’re giggling, nearly putty in her hands.

a couple hours later, the two of them are leaving but vi is walking home alone while abby is entering a cab with the breathtaking bartender who’s shift has just conveniently ended.

it’s the only night she’s thankful abby left. it’s then she realizes as she attempts to get in her shared apartment with blondie that she’s keyless and no way to get into her apartment. the office is closed and she is so severely fucked.

vi doesn’t realize that’s she just sitting there like an idiot staring until a stranger’s voice pulls her out of it.

“any luck with your mind warping powers or are you keyless?”

vi jumps at the voice, locking eyes with the most gorgeous person she’s ever seen in her life. it doesn’t help you are wearing the shortest skirt she’s ever seen, cleavage spilling out of your top and she admires the white sheer top you’re wearing.

she feels a tad breathless.

that has nothing to with you.

just her predicament.

totally.

“do you have a roommate to call?”

vi comes to it and she murmurs and soft yeah, trying to not make eye contact with the goddess she somehow has managed to embarrass herself over.

quickly, she dials abby’s number, waiting for her to pick up not, once, not twice, but three times. damn fucker is munching right now, vi swears to herself.

but she didn’t say it to herself, she said it out loud where the girl of dreams is giggling as she speed texts abby, trying to evoke a response from her.

���indisposed and munching?” you ask, you’re smirking and vi is blushing.

“yeah, her favorite extra curricular activity and she does it exceedingly fast.”

“is it yours too?”

shit.

oh my fucking shit.

are you hitting on her?

no. that’s not humanly possible for someone like you to be hitting on someone as tragic as her. vi’s convinced it’s just because abby isn’t here. that’s all. her cockblocking stunner of a best friend isn’t here to make her life sufferable but the way you’re eyeing her up like a hot piece of meat should make her feel slightly objectified if you she wasn’t doing the exact same thing.

“right girl, right munch.”

it’s the dumbest thing vi’s ever said but you laugh. offering her a spot on your couch and she’s eternally grateful for. you even have a pair of shorts and a spare t-shirt that she can sleep in. she’s eternally grateful she doesn’t have to sit outside her apartment alone for god knows how long waiting for abby to be done with her seven course meal.

violet planned to actually sleep but then you play a vinyl record on the turntable and it just so happens to be vi’s favorite and she can’t stop telling about every song on the record. she’s so animated as she talks, her powder hues vibrant as she goes into the lyrics she loves the most, what songs made her cry first listen and the songs that still make her cry to this day.

you’re looking at her the way vi’s always wanted to be look at. before either of you know it, four albums later, it’s nearly four in the morning and you’re leaning in close to her, so much so vi isn’t sure she can even breath. a vibrant pink strand gets twirled around your finger.

“know about all your favorite albums but not a name to the pretty face.”

“violet. or vi. whatever you prefer.” vi struggles to breathe even further as your lips ghost over hers.

“what do you prefer?”

“violet.”

you take a pause, licking your lips, slightly crazing violet’s lips. she looks a like a deer in headlight, terrified to make the first move but you like how shy she is, how she voices the thoughts she isn’t meant to. there’s a sweetness you want to sink your teeth into like cotton candy.

“violet it is then.”

putting her out of her own misery, your soft lips mold with hers and you’re dominant from the start. placing a delicate hand on her throat, claiming her with your tongue as you devour her whole. it’s hot and heavy. the clashing of teeth, the pulls at her pink hair, and violet can’t help but bring you closer to her.

still wearing this insufferably short skirt, vi smooths her touch over your soft thighs beneath the fabric. the two of you getting lost in each other until it’s all abruptly stops. she’s funneling her under the hem of your shirt, playing with the buttons until she absentmindedly plucks one open.

“fuck—” you curse, trying to maintain your compose but violet plucks another button and your perfect tits spill out of the material.

“yeah?” violet smirks, not being nearly as innocent as she appears.

“time to put that extra curricular to use then. let’s see how munch of a munch you can be.”

rayray’s nonsense. UM HI IDEK KNOW WHAT THE FUCK THIS IS. um. yeah. abby x vi are my favs and i'm forcing this on everyone but i also fuck with it??? idek. this is a crazy midnight kinda post, spur of the moment if you will. gonna try not to get tew in my head 'bout this. that's for future me to deal with BUT ALSO DO WE FUCK WITH IT???? only time will tell. ALRIGHT. let me work on this mega long vi fic i got going on .... byeeeeee ♡

[1980shorrorfilm]

eyes without a face

please click! happy 2025 :]!! may this year bring u so much joy i love you

pairing…ellie williams x fem!reader x abby anderson

in which…your relationship with abby doesn’t stop ellie from liking you.

before you read…angst. modern au. pathetic losertron 5000 ellie :[ this is just me really wanting to write #that scene from tpobaw which is a warning within itself. truth or dare trope. established messy relationship with abby. dina gets mistreated by ellie </3 did i mention ellie is a loser

it’s not hard to make ellie uncomfortable.

throw her in a crowded party or put her in a room where you’re clinging to abby, and it’s done. easy. like now. her eyes are betraying her, not daring to blink or look away, while abby’s whispering shit in your ear that has you giggling sweetly.

she can’t hear you, the music and chatter are way too loud, but she already knows what the noise sounds like. it’s when she makes a stupid geeky pun as you’re studying in her dorm, that the light laughter turns her face beet red— another thing that’s not hard to earn from ellie.

not from you, at least.

when your fingertips trace her fern tattoo, leaf to leaf, ellie holding her breath and arm in place. showing up to hang out in one of her hoodies you have assumed are yours by now, she’ll let you believe it, because she doesn’t want to change it.

telling her how smart she is. how funny she is. and some vulnerable, teary-eyed, post-argument with your girlfriend nights, how you wish abby were more like her.

compassionate...understanding...kind. things your girlfriend lacks, you had told her. it was one of the more severe arguments and surely said out of resentment, but ellie secretly and happily took it as a win.

if she was blunt, free from nerves that taunt her regularly, ellie would agree. maybe free you from her. become a villain to abby and her friends, the loved group that already despises ellie and her too close proximity to you, and her entire ‘no good’ existence.

but she would be your hero. that’s how she would like to think of herself— but ellie is very self-aware and knows that’s not a reality in any universe. her confidence is nonexistent, and reaching out to you would be reaching for the stars. two things she will only dream of.

you’re with her, that ellie cannot change that. she shouldn’t even be so fucking invested in you or your relationship.

she almost has her own, after all. sort of. it’s complicated, her and dina never put a label on what they were. she couldn’t use the term ‘distraction’ without seeming like the biggest jackass in history, but that is what she is.

searching for the qualities that you beautifully possess, in an entirely different person, and being disappointed she cannot find them. ellie feels bad about it, but somewhere in between those guilty thoughts, she wonders if it’s the same for you.

if you looked at abby and tried to find her in there somewhere, if the same sad realization that they were nothing alike, and you're with the wrong person, hits you as it does her.

shamefully, the idea makes ellie happy.

watching abby lead you away, out of her eyesight, did not make her happy.

“got us drinks,” dina chirps, plopping down onto the couch beside ellie, the auburn-haired girl honestly not noticing dina had ever left in the first place. she hasn't been paying attention to much besides you.

“thanks,” ellie makes sure to tell her, taking the red solo cup, sniffing it, and scrunching her face. the fuck is in that punch? she doesn’t know, but the brunette doesn’t seem to mind, sipping while nodding her head to the beat of the music playing throughout the house.

ellie, trying to be normal, shows a smile and brings the cup to her lips, gulping down the harsh alcohol all at once. she hates it, and she’s surprised she doesn’t throw it up immediately.

“thirsty?” dina jokes, earning an awkward chuckle from ellie, who is still eyeing the crowd before her, waiting for your reappearance.

maybe it will be without her, and she can finally talk to you alone, free from the prying and judgmental eyes of your damn girlfriend. she could barely even greet you when she arrived, the blonde's arm wrapped around your shoulder, subtly pulling you away after ellie got a ‘hi,’ in. asshole.

she will never know what you see in her. why you complain about her one night and then fuck her the next. she understands you with everything, besides your relations with her— unless she is your distraction. she’s hot and everyone with working eyes can tell. you two look great together, but you don’t work great together. not in ellie’s opinion, anyway.

ellie starts to drift now, the muffled noise of whatever story dina was telling and the noisy crowd blending, a headache of a symphony. or perhaps it’s the vile drink already hurting her head. or both and she should just ask dina if they could leave this stupid fucking party.

then she sees you. alone, visibly upset, locking eyes with her for a split second, but that’s all she needs. you don’t stay still, you’re walking away once more, but ellie thinks of it as an invitation. you liked to be with her when you were sad, even if ellie sucked at processing emotions, or giving any sort of advice regarding them.

you noticed this when she kept her mouth shut after ranting about something wrong abby had done, and poor ellie just didn’t know what to say. she never seemed to. you didn’t take issue with it, because the most important thing was, that she listened to you. she let you sob and held you in her always welcoming arms. it was enough for you, and why you’ll always appreciate ellie’s friendship.

you find yourself in the snowy backyard, colorful lights thrown messily on a large tree that young adults stand beneath, smoking a joint. you’d join them if you had the energy to be around people, but your previously high spirits had now gone. it was something little-- but the little nitpicky things somehow always led to a dramatic feud with your girlfriend.

you let out a deep sigh, taking a few steps away from the door and leaning on the house, everything a bit more quiet. your thoughts aren’t, though, not until you see her from your perpetual vision, making her way toward you. her gaze is heavy, examining you and keeping a small distance as she also leans against the brick exterior.

“something happen?” ellie asks, knowing both the answer and the cause.

“what do you think?”

“right…” ellie nods, face flushing red at your bitter sarcasm, which you regret immediately. all she’s trying to do is help. ellie doesn’t take it to heart, though, recovering quickly with a joke. half joke. “want me to beat her up?”

it earns a light chuckle from you, ellie smiling to herself as result.

“no…no…she just…never mind.”

she chews her lip, keeping her focus on her scribbled converse, wishing you would elaborate. not because she specifically wants to hear about what happened, but so you would. you would say the words aloud, rehashing it, rethinking where your relationship stands with her. that’s what ellie wants most.

“i understand,” ellie says, a safe response. much safer than where she’s about to lead this conversation.

“where is she?”

“hm? i don’t know?” you ask back, confused about abby’s whereabouts being relevant to right now. you don’t even care, you don’t want to see her. you turn to ellie, “why?”

she opens her mouth, then shuts it, and opens it again.

“i mean…if my girlfriend and i fought at some stupid party…i wouldn’t leave her alone…” ellie speaks quietly, nervously, fiddling with her fingers, “especially you…”

you don’t get the last part. not how ellie wants you to, green eyes parting from her shoes and to your face, waiting for a reaction— for the realization that you’re standing out in the cold with her, not your girlfriend, who is seemingly pretending nothing happened while mingling with her group of ghouls.

but after letting her comment linger, you laugh slightly. “isn’t your girlfriend alone in there right now?”

“she’s not my—” ellie corrects you too damn fast, gulping, “we’re just friends.”

just friends. dina would probably wear that desolated frown if she heard ellie say that, the brunette was more interested in ellie than ellie to her, it makes sense ellie could never really help you with your relationship.

she was struggling with hers, or whatever she had going on with dina. you just hope she’s happy, and being taken care of, and feeling loved. you wouldn’t know, she doesn’t talk to you about any of that. like it’s too personal, but nothing was ever too personal between you and ellie. you hadn’t thought so.

“well, your friend is probably wondering where you are…you should go back in.”

“i want to be with you.”

again, she speaks too fast. you’re looking at her with unreadable eyes, and it makes her feel weird.

“i-i want to make sure you’re okay,” ellie adds, your lips curling into a soft smile that turns her pupils heart-shaped. always so selfless, putting you before her or anyone else.

you're not surrounded with many people like that, like ellie, making you feel like a priority instead of a burden. wanting to be with you, instead of feeling like she needs to simply because you're not okay. she's the sweetest girl you know.

“you’re my favorite friend, you know that?” ouch.

ouch ouch ouch. yeah, that’s what she is, but when you say it it sounds wrong. as if it’s diminishing what she truly is to you, which is so much more than that cursed f word. and still, she smiles, only half fake. at least she’s your favorite something, she thinks.

“dina is a lucky girl.”

the words take ellie back for a moment, mouth parting slightly despite not having a thing to say. it’s almost teasing her, surely not intentionally, but ellie would forget about dina— or any single person if you had wanted her to. if you wanted her. do you?

there’s a comfortable beat of silence between you two, the snow now beginning to fall lightly. it doesn’t bother you, but you do shiver, and ellie takes notice. she’s already peeling her brown trucker jacket off before you could protest, knowing if abby had seen it, it would start another fight.

abby thinks you’re closer than you should be, and if you truly believed it was solely a concern because of your relationship, you’d be a respectful partner and listen to her complaints. but it’s not.

it’s personal, a vendetta against ellie and everything that she was that you admired. a loser with hardly any friends, a nerd that doesn’t even belong to this party tonight, a freak that’s obsessed with you...abby wasn’t kind to her.

you defend her, but usually, it makes it worse. you couldn’t fix that— them. especially because it’s mutual, though ellie never flat-out said anything cruel about abby. she just never said anything nice either.

“thank you,” you tell ellie as her jacket engulfs you with warmth, and the spicy scent of sandalwood that you only associate with her. it makes you feel like you’re being hugged tightly by her.

it’s the perfect moment. the party is dying down, and the muffled chatter is even quieter. everything is hushed currently, the blanket of snow coating the ground making sure of it. it’s so peaceful— and intimate. maybe even romantic, ellie mesmerized by how beautiful you appear next to her.

she was always amazed by winter images, how the pale snow has a magical contrast to whatever object is in focus. and right now you look like an angel, one she'll be sure to draw in her journal when she gets the chance. immortalizing a nice memory while also impressing you. a win-win.

and the moment is interrupted. “there you are!”

both of your heads turn to dina, an enthusiastic smile on her face as she approaches you both. she notices ellie’s jacket on you, but unlike abby, dina doesn’t care. she had started messing with ellie well aware of her close relationship with you, actually finding it adorable how much ellie cared for you. dina thinks she’s a great friend; that’s it.

“here i am,” ellie responds, showing a tight-lipped smile. a cup is given to her from dina, the brunette then looking to you. “do you want mine?” she motions to the drink in her hands, “i would’ve brought another but—”

“oh— no, designated driver,” you inform her, dina letting out a quiet ‘oh,’ in return.

“okay, well,” dina redirects the topic, eyes drifting to ellie, “they are playing truth or dare and i want you to play with me.”

“i don’t—” “c’monnn.”

dina places her hand on the sleeve of ellie’s flannel, a gentle grip on her forearm as she attempts to pull her away. from you. ellie really doesn’t want to leave, especially to play a stupid fucking no-good game with people she barely knew, but her feet are already moving with dina.

“have fun,” you tease ellie, catching the rolling of her eyes.

then you’re lonely, again, and you despise it.

you accept the defeat of who will apologize first, pushing yourself off the wall and going inside the house. the music is turned off, a few people talking from the living room, and you scan the area hoping to see her.

you don’t— it’s her friends, a few faces you’re not too familiar with, plus ellie and dina. your eyes meet with ellie’s first, sitting on the wooden floor crisscrossed like a child. then her eyes drift behind you.

“hey.”

abby’s voice nearly makes you jump, hip brushing against yours as she stands next to you. she takes in the same sight, people giggling in a circle on the ground, while ellie williams is staring at her lap, appearing so out of place. abby snorts quietly to herself— you pay no mind to it.

“hey,” you copy, shifting out of the doorway and slipping into the kitchen, not wanting this conversation to be held in front of everyone, and ellie. she follows, somehow only now noticing the jacket that doesn’t belong to you clinging to your body. she forces herself to drop it for the time being.

“i didn’t mean to cause a fight. was stupid,” she apologizes without apologizing, folding her arms, bomber jacket tightening around her biceps. she’s right, it was stupid, so stupid you don’t even remember the exact reasoning, as it was so insignificant— a reason to just let it go.

“it’s fine, baby,” you reassure both her and subconsciously yourself, closing the gap between you two. her head is lowered, still feeling unsure about it, not looking you in the eye.

your soft hand cradled her jaw, tilting it upward, finally meeting those stormy irises of hers. they seem so distant, like you cannot look through her and understand anything she is feeling— or thinking. you can’t help but wonder if it’s due to the slowly fleeting tension, or something more. something too much to unpack in a house party.

your lip twitches, “we’re okay.”

abby accepts that, as do you.

the room over is suddenly and loudly in an uproar, abby and you sharing an exchanged look, knowing it was probably something very stupid— and probably abby’s friends. your friends.

“they’re having fun,” abby points on the obvious, a switch in her demeanor that you recognize. she’s tipsy and hungry for you.

you sigh her name when her hands find your sides, dipping her head into your neck to kiss the area. she's taking advantage of the empty kitchen, subtly walking you into the nearest counter, still devoted to the soft flesh of your throat.

you give in, shutting your eyes in bliss for a split moment, before the room over is once again in a loud fit of laughter. it’s too distracting for a make out session.

“let's just—” you gently push her away, ignoring the groan that came with it, “—join them.”

“wha—”

you pull her with you to the other room, dragging her to where ellie sits, and inserting yourselves in the game of truth or dare.

you, of course, next to her, knees nearly brushing, while abby is on the other side of you, a gap between you. the women meet eyes briefly, but leave it at that.

ellie is agitated— she feels hot, not in a good way. maybe it’s the mysterious alcohol, or maybe it’s the fact abby is by your side again. a sight she already dreads, but now, after you made it abundantly clear she had upset you, and you just move on from it. it was easy, and so hard for ellie to witness again and again and again.

dina puts her hand on her thigh, squeezing as she chuckles, bringing ellie back from her dire mind. she tries to mirror everyone else in the room, a bleak smile that doesn't make it obvious she's not enjoying her time here.

this is boring. she doesn't care about someone being dared to suck the toe of another or having to reveal some dumb secret from a truth. she cares about you— yet looking in your direction only bothers her; the girl next to you bothers her.

ellie hates this.

“earth to ellie,” her head snaps to the direction of the voice, recognizing it as one of your better friends made through abby, nora. “truth or dare?”

“i— uh,” she wants to say truth, but she means to say truth, but it doesn’t leave her lips. “d-dare.”

you’re surprised. she's surprised. ellie is often shy in settings like these, especially around your friends where she feels the need to watch everything she says and does. luckily, she's cheered on, everyone expecting her to play it safe, or in meaner terms, be a pussy.

you’re also glad ellie’s fate is in the hands of someone you trust, someone who wasn’t harsh on ellie or your friendship with her. it’s an easy dare, something that doesn’t embarrass her at all, and make her the laughing stock.

“i dare you to…” nora speaks, looking between ellie and dina, “kiss the prettiest girl in the room.”

such an easy dare, it’s almost lame, those aware of ellie and dina being a duo now, groaning to themselves.

but ellie doesn’t do anything.

she’s frozen, not even looking in dina’s direction, but rather yours. you think she’s searching your eyes for courage, but you don’t know what for. this shouldn’t be difficult. seconds are passing, everyone waiting for her to get it over with so they can continue the game.

just kiss her.

ellie can’t. she can’t break eye contact with you. and it’s not hard to understand why that is, your cheeks burning up while the rest of the room seems to go dead silent; also realizing what was playing out before them.

“i’m…i’m sorry,” she speaks hardly above a whisper, low mumblings from around her that embarrass her even more. judgement. it is possibly the worst thing she could’ve done, an awkward tension now between her and dina, and you and her. ellie wasn’t working up the courage to kiss dina in the first place. it was you.

but she wouldn’t do that— only in her head, watching the scene play out while everyone is watching her.

ellie quickly gets up, muttering something you don’t catch, and swiftly walks away. she heads to the front door, everyone’s short attention span already moving on, continuing the game. you cannot.

you stand up, a hand on yours holding you in place, preventing you from moving. you look down at abby and her pleading eyes, letting them do the talking. don’t follow her. stay.

you don’t. you retreat your hand, glancing at a distracted dina who was sipping on her drink, probably trying to ignore what ellie had just done, and you leave the living room.

you too exit the house, spotting ellie approach her truck across the street. you call her name out, the woman hardly turning her head over her shoulder, continuing to get inside the red vehicle. you understand she doesn’t want to show her face now, but she cannot hide from you. no, this has to be addressed.

even if you don’t really know what to say, or how to say it. you jog to her car, welcoming yourself inside, boring your eyes into her, while hers are on the windshield, snowflakes coating the glass.

“what was that, ellie?” you ask her, a soft tone as if you’re trying to understand her, rather than pass judgment. she’s sensitive, and she’s also shown empathy to you in times you’ve made mistakes. but that’s the problem— it wasn’t a mistake. she wanted to kiss you. there was no doubt about it.

“i’m with abby,” you continue when she stays quiet, “and you’re with—”

“no, i’m fucking not,” ellie cuts you off before her name leaves your lips, finally finding the strength to look at you. her brows are lowered, shaking her head, visibly irritated. “we aren’t— i don’t want —i want you.”

there it is. you mentally flinch at the confession, a confirmation on her feelings for you; something that cannot be undone and now will haunt you moving forward. it’s not like you can say the words back, because what you said is true. you are with abby.

your friendship with ellie is a friendship. you sigh her name, lowering your head. for some reason, ellie had hoped this moment would come and it would be different. something out of a coming-of-age film, you coming to terms with feelings she’d like to pretend you had for her. abandoning your girlfriend for her.

but you’re too sweet, and that simply is not happening.

“you...you know that i love you.”

she makes it worse. it has been said between you several times, but not like this. she means it in an entirely different, much deeper, meaning.

you don’t reply.

her brows tilt down, tears beginning to form as her body feels on fire. she’s not overcome with pure sadness, she’s frustrated. really fucking frustrated and confused and feeling alone with the feelings, wondering why you’re so calm— like you don’t care.

she thought you did, but she thinks lots of things about you. the idea that maybe, just maybe, it was mutual. you treated her like it was, you made her feel the most loved compared to everyone else in her life, because you knew the most.

the things that brought her joy, that you went out of your way to fill her life with.

a trading card from ebay. a vinyl she spoke about once. her gas station order after getting high together. the kindest things done with the purest intentions, and nothing more. she’s not ungrateful— she just doesn’t get it. she doesn’t want to.

“y-you can’t not feel something,” ellie sounds like she’s trying to convince you, stages of grief already settling inside her. denial, lots of it.

“ellie—” “you can’t.”

“i don’t,” you rush the words out, voice raising an almost unnoticeable level, but still makes ellie sink into her seat. those building tears are now free, a silent cry while she watches you, avoiding to look at her.

“i’m with abby,” you repeat, wondering why it feels like more of a reminder to yourself, than ellie. why it seems like a shield, protecting some sort of lie, or a truth. you take it further, “there was…never…anything between us…”

she talks beneath her breath, “fucking bullshit.”

“ellie.”

“you’re a liar,” ellie doesn’t care for the stern tone in which you spoke her name, a dark cloud of negative emotions hanging over her head. “she’s not fucking here and you’re trying to spare her feelings…what about me?”

you finally look at her, her glossy green eyes appearing so desperate. like you’re her life line. her heart in your hands. but you can’t give in, or give her what she’s yearning for. you cannot give yourself to ellie.

“you’re my best friend, ellie,” you say, watching whatever light leave her eyes at the comment, “and i love you…just not…”

you stop.

ellie holds her breath. a car honks in the distance. an intoxicated person shouts something inaudible. a chill from the cool wind seeps into her truck. the world is moving quickly while everything feels in slow motion for you. then she swallows thickly, “right.”

she wipes her tears, and you take off her jacket that was still on your body, holding it in your lap momentarily. your fingers trace the fabric, a small gulp before you speak in the quietest voice, “you should go…i need to get back before she gets mad.”

there’s a short, dry, scoff laugh from the girl beside you. “wouldn’t want that,” she mutters, “who would you run and cry to?”

there’s venom on her tongue that you’re not familiar with, hell, ellie doesn’t even know where it came from, biting her lip when you look at her with wide eyes; a cold stare that is equivalent to spitting in her face.

“i’m sorry—”

“i’ll tell them you were being stupid. they’ll forget about it next week.”

you had cut her off, a monotone voice that she despises. you open the car door, exiting despite ellie using your name, not wanting the night to end like this. the winter air sends chills down your spine, and yet it’s more comfortable than sharing the same space as ellie in her truck.

“y/n—”

“drive safe.”

her mouth hangs open, watching you shut the car door and walk away, no hesitation or looking back.

you return to the house, to your girlfriend, while she sits lonely in her pickup truck, not being able to turn on the engine. she can’t move. all she can do is cry; but she’s freezing and the tears feel like frost.

she wishes she had you to wipe them away, as she did for you.

[madaboutmunson]

Fluff

For @strangerthingswritersguild prompt : ‘Fluff’

Word count: 3824

——————————————————-

Eddie parked up and took a few grounding breaths before leaving his vehicle.

He knew he, Steve, was gonna be here today, and today he was gonna ask him out. It had been ten years and times had changed a little, and he now knew Steve wasn’t the kind of guy to knock him out if he found out he was gay. After Robin revealing her coming out to Steve story.

And, he’d totally wait until one of them was leaving so it didn’t have to be awkward.

But this was Eddie, and never mind the path of true love, none of his paths ran smooth and if it looked like it was, he’d better watch out for the sudden long drop to sink hole he was about to plummet into.

So when Eddie checked himself over in the mirror one last time, and was giving himself a pretty intense pep talk in it, he didn’t catch the dark green Jeep Cherokee pull up next to him.

He also didn’t see 1996 Steve Harrington hurry in to the building arms laden with things.

Eddie grabbed the card with wad of cash in it, for the new happy couple. He’d been doing pretty well for himself lately, and Dustin and Suzie were only just reemerging into the world after being in the academic world for so long. He wasn’t even sure if they had any intention of leaving it.

He hopped down out of the van and smoothed over his suit which he had to compromise on, suit he could do, but tie and buttoned up the collar? Absolutely not!

But as he slammed the door shut and locked up, he heard a way too close.

“What’s up, nerd?” Followed by a sweet laugh Eddie would know anywhere, and he knew full well that laugh continued because Eddie had jumped out of his skin.

“Steve!” Eddie can’t help the way his face lit up at the sure and happy smile directed his way, “Good to see ya man,” he beamed and stuck out his hand.

Steve looked down at the ringed hand between them, pulled a face as he scoffed a laugh, grabbed Eddie’s hand and pulled him in for a hug.

“Good to see you again, man. Sorry I hadn’t been in touch more,” He said squeezing Eddie tight and releasing him to step back and look him over, “Wow, you haven’t aged a day. Oddly strange to see your forehead,” Steve chuckled.

Eddie touched his forehead at the mention of it, “Couldn’t keep the bangs if not even Hetfield and Dickenson could keep ‘em,” he mumbled with an irrepressible smirk, “Glad to see a decade hasn’t flattened yours,” Eddie looked up at Steve’s much shorter at the back, but still elegantly swooped over hair.

“Yeah, at least I held onto all the good things from back then,” Steve smiled, “Well most of them. Where’s your date?”

“Ah, yeah, no date for me, for the wedding I mean, I can get dates, lots of them in fact when I’m not all caught up with work,” Eddie cringes internally, and tries to make a save, “Yours?”

“Inside,” Steve chuckled, and Eddie’s heart shattered.

“Cute is she?” Eddie tried to pull a distraction with conversation, whilst his inner minions swept to the shards in his chest cavity.

“The cutest!” Steve beamed, his smile was wide and bright, making his eyes narrow and sparkle. Eddie didn’t think he’d ever seen someone more happy. Maybe his uncle when Steve arranged a secret Eddie trade, after all the upside down business, to get him out of Hawkins and its pitchfork wielding residents.

Eddie nodded as they entered the main building, “I’m happy for you, man,” he said sincerely, because though he wished it was him, Steve really did deserve a happy ending.

“Hey I’m just gonna hit the bathroom before I get into the festivities,” Eddie juts a thumb at the sign in the wall, figuring he can use it as an excuse to reset and start the night over with a different ambition, “I’ll catch you inside, man. You can introduce me to your girl,” he said fondly.

“Yeah! We’d love that. I’ll save you a seat with us. Oh wait a second-“ Steve says back with way too much excitement. He must really like this chick, or maybe everyone else here hates her? But before Eddie can escape Steve is way too close. So close he’s inhaling his cologne, and obviously it’s exquisite.

“You had some fluff in your hair,” Steve smiled and handed Eddie the offending debris.

Eddie chuckled genuinely this time, “Ah, perks of the job free fluff with every stuff.”

Steve wrinkled his nose up adorably in confusion.

“I make toys, teddy bears, Eddies’s-“ Eddie starts to explain, but Steve’s eyes are wide with excitement and he’s pointing and talking over him.

“Eddie’s Teddies! That’s you? Oh my god! Oh my god . My baby loves those. I must have gotten her at least four from the fairytale collection. No more than that. We got some of the professionals' collections too. We’ve got the sailor, the baseball player, the stunt driver, the movie star, and the,” Steve pauses and his words slow down, “and the ice cream man.”

Steve is just staring like he wants to say something but the words won’t come out. Eddie swallows and quickly breaks the tension, “Yeah that’s me. listen I gotta go take a leak, I’ll be right with ya.”

Eddie’s hurries inside the cubicle, screws up his eyes and thumps himself against his head a few times. Idiot. Now Steve is gonna feel fucking awkward all night knowing Eddie had a decade long crush on him.

No. He could save this. Eddie could save this. He’d say it was a thank you. Yeah, a thank you for saving his life. Ok, cool. He was gonna go with that, and meet the love of Steve’s life and then get lost in the party, so he can avoid them for the rest of the evening.

With an emptied bladder, washed hands and an extra fluff check, Eddie entered the main room.

He is mobbed by a large section of the guests, leaving the other seventy percent of the room wondering who the hell he was and maybe he was famous or something. He catches up and then finally gets to congratulate the happy couple and heads to the bar to grab a soda.

He felt a tug on his bracelet.

“Gee mister, that’s pretty shiny. Where’d ya get it?”

Eddie looks down to follow the voice and is met with two huge blinking hazel eyes in a flurry of brown hair.

“I made it, when I was a kid,” he smiled.

“You made it?” the kid asked in awe, pushing the mass of brown bangs out of her eyes for a closer look.

“Sure did. Bit of chain, bit of leather, some snaps and Sabbra Cadabra a bracelet,” he smiled.

She giggled, “It abracadabra, silly!”

“Oh is it now? My mistake. I better go call up Ozzy and tell him.” Eddie played along with a sad sigh.

“Who’s Ozzy?”

“Only one of the greatest heavy metal singers of all time!” Eddie enthused and threw up the horns and made a silly face, which only further plunged the little girl further into the giggles.

“You’re silly. Like daddy, but you’ve got long hair like, uh, elif cub,” she smiled up at him.

Eddie looked around the immediate area and there did not seem to be anyone he would label as a Daddy in the vicinity.

He knelt down to her level, “Speaking of Daddy, shall we go find him?”

“Yah!” She said stretching her arms up to Eddie, which he took as a queue to pick her up, “I’ll show you him.”

And when this little girl points directly at a sweating, out of breath, clearly distressed Steve who was hurtling their way. Eddie’s heart couldn’t decide to soar for his friend being a parent or sink for himself as a kid meant this was serious.

“Honey, you can’t run off like that, ok?” Steve says softly though he was clearly very worried.

Eddie handed over Little Miss Harrington, to Steve, and he immediately relaxes with her in his arms, “Thanks Eddie, I had a bottle mishap and turned away for a few seconds and she was gone.”

He can see the way his brow creased that Steve felt like he really fucked up.

“Hey, it could happen to anyone, man. Kids are so fast, and if I’m anything to go by, very sneaky and creative,”Eddie offered him a friendly smile, and he watched as Steve’s shoulders relaxed one more setting, “How about I come over and meet your date and I can sit with the kid whilst you go get cleaned up and the bottle done, yeah?”

Steve looks confused, but walks towards a table in the corner which it’s strewn with toys, books, pacifiers, an open jar of applesauce with a spoon sticking out of it, a bag full of diapers and wipes and creams, and a spilled baby bottle.

But no one else was there.

Eddie sees the deep blush hit Steve’s face as he places his little girl in a high chair, and quickly tries to tidy up so Eddie can sit down.

But he can’t have that.

Eddie pushes Steve firmly into a seat, then cracks open and puts a soda in his hand as he begins to tidy up his own space. Making it all a show by pretending to sample the bottle and applesauce and finding them disgusting, much to the amusement of the little girl. Even reading passages from the books as if performing on stage. ‘A is for apple’ is performed with such dramatics, with Eddie propping on foot up on a chair, flailing his arms around, even Steve started to laugh.

Once he has two Harrington’s giggling he sits down with a big ‘mission accomplished’ smile. As he raised his eyes, they meet Steve’s sparkling ones, but this time maybe they’re a little for him too.

“Eddie, let me introduce you to my date for the evening. My daughter, Georgina,” Steve gestured to the little girl in the high chair currently chewing on the corner of a book.

“Hey sweetie, This is Eddie. He makes the teddy bears you like,” Steve beamed, but Georgina couldn’t be less interested, in Eddie right now, because the main lights had dimmed to make way for more colourful ones moving around the dance floor.

Eddie wants to leave it there. Accept the facts Steve is a family man now. Move on. But the way he’s looking at him, making him feel like a knight in shining armor, Eddie can’t help himself, and he has to know for sure.

“So-“

“There is no one,” Steve shouts quickly over the music and immediately shrinks back in volume, “I mean, I’m not dating anyone or married or anything. I really wanted to be a dad, and relationships just were not working out, you know,” he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, “So I got a surrogate,” he beams at Georgina, who is clapping her hands and kicking her feet to the music, but quickly casts his eyes down, “But being a parent is a lot harder than I thought.”

“Hardest job you’ll ever do, if you believe my uncle, who technically didn’t sign up for it,” Eddie smiled and Steve mirrored it, “But she’s happy and confident, you’re doing great.”

“Thanks,” Steve says quietly, and Eddie can tell he doesn’t believe him, so he opts for a change of subject.

“Who is Elif Cub?”

Steve’s eyebrows spring up, “Uh, well,”

“Hey man, you don’t gotta say, Gina, said I had long hair like them. I was just being nosy,” Eddie waves the question away, “You want me to grab you another drink or something to eat?” Eddie says standing up.

“It’s you,” Steve blurts out and in response to Eddie’s confusion, “Elif Cub. Has long hair like you because they are you. In a photo on my wall. From the hospital when we snuck people in to play d&d for a few hours.”

Eddie smiles in realisation, “Elif Cub. Hellfire Club.” He puts his hands on his hips and leans into Steve’s space with a smirk, “You have a lot of pictures of me on your walls, Steve?”

Steve’s Adam’s apple bobs in his throat, “Just the one,” he confirms, and Eddie leans back, “But-but I’d like more. I mean we should hang out more.”

Eddie raised his eyebrows in surprise, and slowly sat back down. He looks between Steve and the table a few times and taps on it, before asking, “Is this a pity thing because of the bears?”

A gorgeous smile erupted across Steve’s face and he laughed, “No, but I can’t believe I didn’t realise until today. Robin’s right I am a dingus.”

Eddie’s freshly glued back together heart is pounding ferociously in his chest, “So, by, more photos and hanging out. Do you mean, like, friendly hanging out?” He asked cautiously.

“Well of course it would be friendly we’re friends aren’t we?” Steve said with a furrowed brow.

Eddie was struggling with words, which was extremely rare. He wanted to know if there could be something more but also didn’t want to make Steve feel awkward, if it was a no.

“Ok let me preface this by saying I really love the idea of being closer friends, that is a definite thumbs up from me. Big fat yes,” Eddie laughed a little nervously mostly talking to the table, “But I wanna be transparent about something.”

He raised his eyes and Steve looked like he was hanging on Eddie’s every word, until-

“Daddy? I’m hungry,” Georgina asked sweetly.

“Oh my gosh. Yes. Yes! I’ll be right on it sweetheart, just let me find the… Damn I need to heat it up. I mean darn,” Eddie watched Steve deflate opposite him, and he reached across the table and took his hand.

“Hey, that was my fault, talking your ear off, ok? I’ll entertain Gina the best I can. You sort out whatever you need to ok? You’re doing great,” Eddie smiled at him.

“It was just. I’d just got used to the bottles and jars and now she’s on, like real food, which should be way easier right?” Steve shook his head as he searched through the bag retrieving a few Tupperware boxes, “I won’t be long youre a lifesaver Eddie, thank you. There is some fruit here, honey, ok? Steve said setting the tub of chopped up fruit and vegetables on the high chair, which her little hands plunge straight into, and she starts munching away.

Eddie watches her shovel the beautifully carved fruit into her mouth. Each piece perfectly sized, cut into stars, hearts, rainbows, even some melon balls carved to have a rose like texture.

Steve hurried back from the kitchen area wafting a small meal on a plate, trying to cool it down.

“Ah those Dino chicken nuggets never go out of style,” he smiled at Steve, who gave he a sweet sigh of defeat.

“I honestly tried to avoid them but she really likes them,” Steve shrugged.

“Steve, I see what you’re doing, and you're wearing yourself out doing it,” Eddie says gently. He wants Steve to know he’s not judging him, but he does care about how stressed he seems.

Steve turned his eyes up to his, “Is it that obvious?” He said a little defeated.

“Listen, all these cute things you do for her are great and they are special but make sure you’re in a space to enjoy them too, you know? That beautiful melon ball got chomped on just like the carrot stick in her fist.” Eddie pointed out, “And yeah sometimes I guess you gotta make food fun for kids to get into it, but it doesn’t have to Michelin star carvings every meal.”

Steve scoffs, “Come on it’s hardly-“

“You know what I’m getting at, Steve, and I think I know why,” Eddie said gently reaching over the table, “Your making two childhoods here, right?”

Steve looks at him a little guilty, but Eddie only smiles in response, “Nothing wrong with wanting to give your kid all the things you wanted as a kid, but not at detriment to your stress levels. Kids are emotion sponges. You get anxious, they might get anxious. So try to relax. You’re doing a great job, Steve. Maybe you don’t hear that enough.” Eddie turns his hand reaching across the table palm up.

He watches Steve carefully. Watches him stare at his hand the breath catch in his chest and suddenly how his hand tentatively reaches out and takes his.

He looks up at him, and Eddie knows he’s searching for what it all means, but Eddie just holds his hand, soothingly rubs his thumb on the back of it.

“It’s why I make the bears.” He smiled over at him, and looked out at the dance floor as he continued to talk leaning over the table so Steve could hear him, whilst Gina dunked her Dino’s in their ketchupy demise.

“I had a teddy bear when I was a kid. I took that thing everywhere. It used to make my mom laugh. She called me her Eddie-bear. When I lost her. All I had left was my bear. I couldn’t hug her anymore, so it was all I had,” he swallowed thickly, “You can imagine it got a little grubby and torn, but my Dad didn’t fix him up or wash him. He picked him up and threw him in the trash one day when I was at school. I cried my eyes out. Couldn’t find the thing. He got me a plastic truck to say sorry. Which wasn’t the same, but if you knew my Dad, you’d know that was him trying his best.” Eddie laughed and shook his head as he turned back to Steve, “So that’s why I make the bears, and every bear we make, I keep the instructions to make it. So if my business ever failed, or when I’m not around anymore. No one has to be without their bear. They can get an exact replacement. So I guess we’re both trying to heal our childhoods in different ways.”

Steve nodded, “And the outfits?” He said with a light smirk and a slight sparkle to his eyes.

“Hmmm, let’s just say when I got a little older, I found a different Teddy Bear I wanted for myself, but I wasn’t exactly sure if he would want me back,” Eddie shifted his glance between Steve’s eyes and the table, “And it’s absolutely fine if he doesn’t because-“

“The thing you should know about that Teddy Bear is, they don’t make them like him anymore. He’s a little fragile, and frazzled. A lot of wear and tear. Especially here,” Steve gestured to the centre of his chest, and looked at Eddie with a nervousness he had never seen before.

“So if you want him he’s yours, on the understanding that, he’s a pretty busy bear, and he’s looking for someone to care for, long term. He can’t have any more casual owners, especially not one like you.”

The air got heavy between them. Eddie hadn’t counted on making big promises so fast. He hadn’t counted on Steve singling Eddie specifically out as someone special. What if he screwed up or it turned out they didn’t like one another as much as he thought they might?

It was almost like Steve could sort of read his mind, “But if you’re not looking to keep him for a long time, maybe if he’s still alone in a few years, and gets fixed up a little. Maybe he could handle a play date?” Steve’s eyes had not moved from Eddie’s.

“No. He’s perfect right now. He always has been. I guess I’m just worried because he’s so rare and valuable to so many. To me. What if I accidently damaged him, or wasn’t the good owner I thought I’d be?”

Steve’s face relaxed at Eddie’s concern, “it’s not about predicting the future. It’s about intention.” Steve smiled, and released his hand.

Eddie sipped his drink and mulled it over. Half sort of impressed with the grace Steve is giving him to think about it. If it were the other way around he’d be gnawing on the table between them, in anticipation. Instead Steve cleaned up Gina and her plate.

Then as he looked around the room and his eyes fell back to Steve the answer was so clear, he couldn't believe he took a few minutes to think about it.

He got up out of his seat and walked towards the bar.

Eddie saw Steve’s face and shoulders drop for a second as he walked away, but his smile at his daughter didn’t falter.

As he pushed through the crowd he found Robin, “Hey, how well do you know Steve’s little girl?” He asked, unsure of the situation.

“Uh pretty well, you could say. I designed her last Halloween outfit. I had a ticket to her nativity. Basically co-parented when I watched Steve put a spoon of salt in his coffee and then drink it!” She responded with such affronted sarcasm that Eddie knew he had asked the correct person.

“I wanna ask Steve to dance. Would you watch her for him?” Eddie asked hopefully.

Robin’s eyes went wide, “Finally!” She added with a wide smile and yanked Eddie back towards Steve's table and basically shoved him into him.

“Uh, Steve, do you maybe wanna dance?” Eddie extended his hand out towards his dream guy.

Steve looked at Eddie’s hand and then at Robin snuggling Georgina tightly to her as she shooed him away with her hand like she was annoyed they were still there.

Steve nodded and took his hand.

It wasn’t exactly the slow dance Eddie was hoping for but it was close enough for him to hold Steve like it was.

“I’d really like to give it a shot if you haven’t changed your mind. I mean I’m not perfect, there will be challenges, but I promise,” he said holding their joined hands to his chest, “I will work hard at every single one to keep you safe, happy and in my arms.”

Steve smiled softly, “I haven’t changed my mind,” he said gazing at Eddie.

“I hope you realise this is going to cost me a small fortune now though?” Eddie teased lightly as Steve’s chest pressed against his own.

“What do you mean?” Steve laughed a little confused.

“Well now I’m going to have to make a new bear to look after the original model.” Eddie grinned as Steve rolled his eyes and they swayed to the music.

[clarii]

Pretty Girl

Summary: After months of teasing and playful banter, Eddie Munson finally reveals his true feelings for the reader. What starts as typical teasing with his affectionate nickname, “pretty girl,” soon turns into something much deeper. Everything gets revealed on New Year’s Eve.

Pairings: Eddie Munson x Reader

Warnings: Fluff

Author’s Note: I wanted to thank you guys for the love by publishing a story connecting with New Year’s Eve in a way. Also, the last phrase had me thinking about High School Musical (if you know, you know).

It was just another regular day at Family Video, the hum of the fluorescent lights and the smell of popcorn from the break room filling the space. You were shelving some newly returned movies when you heard the door’s familiar jingle. You didn’t even have to look up to know who it was.

Eddie Munson.

You had worked here for months, and every time Eddie came in, it was the same routine. He’d walk in with his usual dramatic flair—his leather jacket hanging loosely around his shoulders, his wild hair a little more out of place than usual—and head straight for the counter, grinning like he had a secret.

You didn’t mind, though. Eddie was a good friend, and you’d grown used to his antics. That’s why you couldn’t help but smirk when he called out to you across the store.

“Hey, pretty girl!” His voice rang through the aisles as he casually walked toward you, his eyes locking with yours.

You rolled your eyes, trying not to smile. “Hey, Munson,” you called back, continuing your work. “What’s the deal? Come to rent the latest slasher flick again?”

Eddie leaned against the counter, his eyes not leaving you for a second. “Nah, I’m here for more than just the movies.” He gave a little wink. “But I’ll take something to pass the time.”

You raised an eyebrow, holding back a chuckle. “You’re always here for something else,” you teased, your voice light. “Got any new drama to share?”

Eddie pushed himself off the counter and walked over to one of the shelves, pretending to browse the titles, though you could tell he wasn’t really looking for anything. “Just the usual chaos. You know, the kind that makes life a lot more interesting.”

His tone was playful, but there was a hint of something else in his voice. Something softer. You caught it but brushed it off. It was Eddie, after all—always a little too loud, always joking, always teasing.

He paused in front of a horror movie box, turning to face you, a grin on his face. “By the way, you look extra cute today. What’s the occasion?”

You froze, your fingers momentarily pausing in the middle of organizing. “What, now you’re complimenting me?” you asked, your tone light but trying to cover up the flutter of nerves in your stomach.

Eddie just leaned in a little, his voice quieter, his eyes softer than before. “I mean it, pretty girl. You always look good, but today… damn, you’re really shining.”

You couldn’t help the heat that rose to your cheeks, and you quickly shifted the conversation. “Just doing my job, Eddie,” you said, shuffling some DVDs around to distract yourself.

Eddie chuckled, walking away to grab a movie. “Whatever you say, pretty girl.” He shot you one last grin before heading to the counter to check out.

Steve and Robin, who were manning the counter together, exchanged a knowing glance as Eddie left. You could tell they were waiting for you to say something, but you just shrugged it off.

“Don’t even start,” you said, rolling your eyes.

Steve leaned on the counter, his smirk not even trying to hide itself. “What’s up with him calling you that? He never calls anyone ‘pretty girl.’”

Robin chimed in, her voice teasing. “Yeah, what’s going on? Is there something you two aren’t telling us?”

You could feel your cheeks burning, but you laughed it off. “It’s nothing. It’s just Eddie being Eddie. He calls everyone weird pet names. He’s harmless, trust me.”

Steve didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t press the issue. Robin, however, was eyeing you carefully, clearly still a little skeptical.

“Whatever you say,” she said, but there was an underlying tone of curiosity in her voice.

The next day at school, you tried to shake off the awkwardness from last night. But it didn’t help that every time you saw Eddie, your heart skipped a beat. As you walked through the halls of Hawkins High, you heard that familiar voice call your name.

“Hey, pretty girl!”

You turned around, and there he was again—Eddie, standing a few feet away, leaning against the lockers with that same devil-may-care grin on his face. Your stomach flipped.

“Can’t you just call me my name like a normal person?” you joked, trying to mask the warmth creeping up your neck.

Eddie laughed, pushing off the lockers and walking toward you, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. “Where’s the fun in that?” His voice was light and teasing, but you noticed the slight softness in his expression as he reached you.

“You doing anything fun after school?” he asked casually, his gaze lingering on you a little longer than usual.

You shrugged, trying to ignore the way your heart was beating faster than usual. “I don’t know. Probably just hang out, catch up on homework.” You tried to keep your tone casual, but something in Eddie’s smile made you feel like he could see right through you.

He took a step closer, his grin widening. “Well, I was thinking of hitting up the arcade with the gang later. You should come.”

You hesitated, a part of you wanting to brush it off, but another part of you—one that you tried to ignore—wanted to say yes.

“Maybe,” you said with a shrug. “I’ll think about it.”

Eddie’s grin softened, and he leaned down a little, his voice lowering. “Alright, pretty girl. Just know the invitation’s always open.”

That night, the gang—Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Erica, Steve, Robin, Eddie, and you—were all at the arcade, the familiar noise of flashing lights and game sounds filling the air. You were having fun, laughing with everyone, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that Eddie was paying a little extra attention to you. He kept leaning in close, making sure his hand brushed against yours when he passed you the soda, shooting you that same playful grin.

“Hey, pretty girl, you wanna go for the high score on this one?” Eddie called over to you as he stepped up to the pinball machine, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

You rolled your eyes, a grin tugging at the corners of your mouth. “You know I’ll beat you, right?”

He laughed, shaking his head. “We’ll see about that.”

You were starting to feel the weight of those words. The teasing, the smiles, the way he would call you “pretty girl” so casually—it wasn’t just joking anymore. You could tell he meant it, but you still weren’t sure what that meant.

Just before midnight, everyone gathered at the Wheeler’s house to get ready for the New Year. Music was playing, everyone chatting about the year gone by, but your mind kept drifting back to Eddie. He was sitting next to you, his knee brushing against yours, his usual teasing smile softened into something warmer.

“Hey, pretty girl,” Eddie murmured quietly, his voice low and almost shy as he leaned in close, his breath warm against your ear. “May I have a kiss?”

Your heart stopped. You froze, unsure of how to respond. This wasn’t like the usual teasing. This wasn’t just Eddie being Eddie. There was sincerity in his voice, a softness that you couldn’t ignore.

You swallowed hard, your nerves kicking into high gear. “I thought you were just messing with me,” you whispered, your voice shaky.

Eddie smiled gently, brushing a stray lock of hair behind your ear. “I’m not. I’ve meant it for a while now.”

Your breath hitched as the realization sank in. All those times he had called you “pretty girl,” the teasing, the little moments of closeness—it wasn’t just a joke. Eddie had been serious, and you had missed it.

Without saying another word, you leaned in, your lips meeting his in a soft kiss, the world around you fading away.

The kiss had left you breathless, your heart racing as you pulled away, trying to comprehend the sudden shift in everything. Eddie’s gaze never left you, his expression soft and filled with that same warmth you hadn’t noticed before. His hand, still lingering near your cheek, brushed your hair back as though it were a natural thing to do. But the world around you felt like it had gone still, leaving just the two of you in this quiet, suspended moment.

“Pretty girl,” Eddie whispered again, his voice a little more hushed now. “I’ve been waiting to do that for so long.”

You blinked, trying to find the words to respond, but they got stuck in your throat.

You felt a gentle pressure on your hand as Eddie, sensing your hesitation, took your fingers in his, his grip firm but not forceful. His thumb brushed over your knuckles, a silent reassurance.

“Are you okay?” Eddie asked softly, his eyes searching yours, as though he were afraid that maybe he’d made a mistake.

You nodded slowly, still processing everything. 

Before you could speak, the sound of voices from the rest of the group interrupted, pulling you both back to the present. The kids were huddled together near the TV, Steve and Robin not far off, watching the countdown to the new year.

“Well, looks like everyone’s about to make their New Year’s resolutions,” you said with a small smile, trying to shift your focus. But Eddie’s gaze didn’t leave yours.

“Pretty girl,” he murmured again, his voice filled with affection, “you’ve already got me making my resolution. Just you.”

You chuckled, feeling the warmth spread through you again. “You’re hopeless, you know that?”

Eddie grinned, leaning in just a bit closer, his lips brushing your ear. “Hopelessly in love with you, pretty girl.”

Your heart skipped at the words, but before you could respond, the countdown began, and everyone around you started to cheer. The noise around you rose as the ball dropped, the sound of “Happy New Year!” ringing in your ears.

“Three… two… one!”

And just as the clock struck midnight, you found yourself pulled into another kiss—this time, longer, more confident, and filled with something deeper than just the spark of the new year. You could feel Eddie’s heart beating against yours, his hand resting gently on your waist as you kissed him back, your nerves dissipating with every passing second.

When you pulled back, your foreheads touched, both of you breathing heavily from the kiss, but smiling widely. “Happy New Year, pretty girl,” Eddie whispered, his voice low and filled with meaning.

“I love you too. Happy New Year, Eddie,” you replied softly, the words carrying a weight you hadn’t expected, a promise that maybe this was more than just a new year—it was the start of something new.

[bbearthyy]

JJ and John B have shared everything since they were 8

~~~

this is just a lil something i was thinking about this morning and figured i could write to ring in the new year. it’s kinda short sorry😭

Smut!!! MDNI

they’d figured it out very quickly - how to share things. john b shared with jj because he could, jj shared with john b because he had to. they both knew this and were perfectly fine with it.

the first time jj slept over at the chateau they shared the bed. jj was supposed to sleep on the couch but there was a thunderstorm roaring outside, and the noise terrified him. jj poked his head into john b’s room seeking comfort and before he knew it he was waking up, cuddled so closely to john b in his small twin bed that it was hard for them to decipher where one ended and the other began. it became instinct at that point. every morning that they woke up together (which was almost every morning, as long as jj snuck back into his home before his dad awoke) john b would give jj his clothes to wear, and jj would give john b a hat to borrow. they shared a plate at breakfast when food was low, shared toothpaste, and of course all of john bs toys were jjs as well. and as they grew older they shared bigger things, such as their vehicles, beers, their surf boards, girls.

so it should come as no surprise that they had to share you. john b never understood how jj bagged a girl as pretty as you, but he couldn’t think too much on it right now. couldn’t think at all really. your back was pressed against his chest, arm reached behind you to jerk him off. your legs were spread wide, jj’s strong hands pinning your thighs to the bed as he ate you like a man starved. you didn’t think he could get any deeper, but john b reached out anyways, placing a firm hand on the back of jjs head and pushing, forcing jj to press even further into you. you wanted to pull away, worried that the blonde couldn’t breathe, but by the time you could grasp a coherent thought you were cumming. your juices spilled all over jjs face, meanwhile john bs hand kept him pressed into you, giving the blonde no where to go, not that he would’ve pulled away if he could. your hand kept stroking john bs thick cock even as your orgasm rushed through you, and he soon was cumming too, release spilling over your back. it was lucky your long hair was pulled up into an updo, otherwise it would’ve been ruined by john bs massive load.

you were still awake, fighting the aftershocks of your orgasm, but your eyes were fluttering shut. jj took note of this once he was able to pull back from your center, reaching a hand up to swiftly but gently tap the side of your face. “hey,” he mumbled, “don’t forget about me sweet girl. papa j needs some loving too.” he sealed the deal with a kiss, allowing you to taste yourself on his tongue before he pulled away. you giggled at his words, body going lax as he picked you up, laying you back onto the bed on your stomach beside john b. jj spread your legs, squeezing your thighs as a silent way of saying keep them open. john b laid down beside you, hand gently caressing your cheek and murmuring words of praise as jj stripped out of his shorts. your eyes had closed once more, relaxing under john bs gentle touch and kind words, but abruptly snapped right back open. jj has his thick cock in his hand, smacking the heavy tip against your clit. you moaned out, making the blonde chuckle. “oh baby,” he began, “i haven’t even done anything yet.” but it didn’t matter. because then he was reaching up with his other hand to grab your hip, the hand on his cock pushing it forward, forcing his way into your gummy walls. “fuck mama,” jj panted out, clearly wanting to say more but being unable to after feeling your wetness around him. the blonde began moving immediately, heavy sack smacking against your clit with every thrust. you were soaked, arousal spilling out all over jjs cock. his eyes rolled back into his head, hips slamming harder into yours. john b reached out, grabbing onto jjs hand to pull the boy back into reality. the blonde smiled gratefully, looking at his best friend, before his head turned towards yours. “‘m gonna fucking ruin you.”

[atleastpleasetelephone]

Walter hale 50 covering their mouth to shut them up. 😏

Hungry

A/N: Well this was fun. Any excuse to get dirty with Walter.

Pairing: Walter Hale x reader

Word count: Just a smidge over 1K

TWs: This is a smutfest. Walter is a soft dom, praise kink and some really dirty stuff with panties. Maybe the tiniest hint of orgasm denial.

You're the piano lady at the Chautauqua - you do all the accompaniment for the children’s singing during the daytime. You have no idea what Walter sees in you, when he has his pick of all the singers and dancers in every town. Not that you're under any illusion that you're the only woman he's sleeping with, that would be ridiculous. But he has been spending a lot of time with you lately. You run your fingers over the piano keys, doing a few scales absent-mindedly as you wait for the next kid. It's almost lunchtime. You can't wait for a break from this. 

Walter wanders into the tent where you're playing, eyes roving until they finally land on your figure, sitting behind the piano, just as he expected. He likes you a lot. You've got a little extra padding, in that kind of mid-thirties way, and he’s really been enjoying the effect it has on you. There’s a point that women hit at that age where they stop caring about what other people think of them and start caring about having a good time instead. He can’t understand why you haven’t been snapped up by someone already, but then maybe you’d never have got to this stage. You love sex, and he loves doing it with you.

He stands at the side of the stage until someone shouts something about lunch, and then you feel his presence behind you. 

“Hungry, honey?”

You somehow find yourselves in a walk-in linen closet, which would be spacious if it wasn’t for the shelves of linen, you and Walter all being in there. The shelves dig into your back and Walter, pressed against you, digs into your front. Your arms are around his neck and he’s kissing you passionately, grinding against you just a little. You let out a little pleasured noise as he moves from your mouth to your neck. 

“Still hungry?” He asks, with a raised eyebrow and a smile playing on his lips. 

You don’t need to be asked twice, nodding and getting onto your knees as best you can in the cramped space. Freeing his dick from the confines of his pants, you set to work licking and sucking, and he bites his fist to stay quiet. It’s hard not to make a noise when you’re so good at this, but he doesn’t want to be found. Eventually he decides you’re getting him dangerously close with your mouth and he wants to finish somewhere else. He taps your cheek and you let him slide out again, and stand up, obediently. He pulls your long skirt up around your waist and your panties to one side, and then he’s inside you in one quick movement. Grunting, his cheek pressed against yours as he rolls his hips into you again and again. 

“Oh, Walter! It feels so good.” You can’t help yourself, something just makes you want to tell him how his dick makes you feel. How much you love it. 

He moves his head just enough so you can see the smirk spreading across his face. 

“Is that so, honey?”

You nod quickly, and then the moaning starts. You don’t mean to moan, but every time he fucks you it drives you crazy and the noises just pour out of you. He’s still smirking, because he can’t help loving hearing you like this, but he starts to shake his head just a little too. 

“Uh-uh. You’ve gotta be quiet, honey.”

“Mmmm. I… I c-can’t…” you stumble over the words, brain feeling like mush. “...’s too good…”

He’s still slowly rolling himself into you, and he shakes his head a little more as he presses his hand over your mouth. 

“Gotta be quiet,” he says again, and then he starts to really fuck you. 

Your eyes roll back in your head as he thrusts harder and faster, his fingers pressing against your soft lips, fingertips digging into your cheek. 

“Good girl,” he mumbles, knowing he’s getting close and thinking you probably are too. But he doesn’t want you squeezing him and tipping him over the edge right now. 

Keeping his hand over your mouth, he slows down and pulls out, and you stare at him in gasping surprise. Not that it’s very easy to gasp with your mouth clamped shut, a snort of air rushing out of your nose instead. 

“Shhh,” he reiterates, before moving his hand. He needs both of them for this. 

Jerking himself with one hand, he pulls the top of your panties down with the other and rubs his dick through your folds, struggling to hold back a moan as he feels his release growing closer and closer. You look down at what he’s doing, dazed, and gasp as he cums all over your pussy and in your panties, making a mess in your underwear. Putting your own hand over your mouth instinctively, you watch as he moves back, letting your skirt fall back down to hide what he’s just done. Taking a few steadying breaths, he puts himself away again and then looks at you. You’re completely dumbfounded, and really, really horny. 

The smirk is back when he sees the look on your face. He puts his hand back over your mouth, and his lips to your ear. 

“Want ya to sit and think about me for the rest of the day now, honey.”

You groan into his palm. As if you were going to do anything else after that. 

“Then tonight I might give ya what ya want.”

He moves his hand and looks at you. 

“Yes, Walter,” you breathe. 

Another little smirk. “But no takin’ those panties off. Want you in ‘em all day.”

You accidentally moan out loud again and he tuts, clamping his hand back over your mouth. 

“What did I tell ya? Shhh.” He softens then, smiling down at you. “Not that I don’t love those pretty little noises of yours. But save them for tonight, hm?”

“Yes, Mr Hale,” you tell him, when he moves his hand again. 

He hums approvingly. “Good girl. And keep those panties on. I’ll be checking.”

***

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[loolilyumm]

WAITER! Can I please order a plate of Margot lore? /pos

YES OF COURSE, COMING RIGHT UP!!

INTRODUCING…MARGOT! She is a sleepy girl. She’s worked too many salmon run shifts. She mains the tri-stringer!

She’s quiet and introverted and doesn’t really care what others think of her. She also never had a lot of friends. This leads to her being a little blunt and off putting….but she’s working on it!!!

She started working salmon run shifts around splatoon 2 when she was only 14 years old. She lied about her age and Grizz didn’t really care. She started working at Grizzco for 2 reasons:

1: she wanted to make some money for herself. She lived in foster care / jumped around foster homes and orphanages most of her life and wanted to save up enough money so she could buy her own apartment and live by herself.

2: She is absolutely FASCINATED by salmonids. She can’t get enough of learning about them. And fighting them. It’s a chaotic fascination.

She does so much salmon run and doesn’t sleep enough or take very good care of herself. But she’s making good money and improving her skills and learning a lot about salmonids. She even found a little buddy that seems to really like her! She named him Socks.

She also made a friend named Millie who works salmon run shifts with her! (She’s the inkling pictured with Margot in the first image!) She’s a little clingy and weird, but..Margot likes her. She’d never admit it! (Millie belongs to the amazing @paninipanem)

She turned 17 during splatoon 3, and got recruited by Cuttlefish while walking home after a Grizzco shift. She thought he was kind of weird but went along with whatever he wanted. She may not care what others think, but she does have morals.

And then they FREAKING FELL DOWN A HOLE INTO ALTERNA AND WENT MISSING FOR MONTHS. Oops. Thanks cuttlefish.

Alterna was really confusing and…exciting for Margot. She didn’t want to show it, but she was super happy to form such deep relationships with Callie, Marie, and Reese (Captain 3.) Although the four of them were hopelessly lost in a scary place, they made it really fun.

She began to come out of her shell and feel comfortable around them. When she was in the foster care system, she never stayed with any families for very long, so she never opened up to anyone or made any friends. She didn’t even have bullies because they didn’t know she existed. She was invisible her whole life.

The NSS made her feel seen. She became emotionally attached to them. She’d never admit it, but she totally did! They treated her like a little sister.

But all things considered…Alterna was pretty terrifying. She had some close calls with the fuzzy ink. And when the final boss fight happened and she got LAUNCHED INTO SPACE? WTTFF????

The fact that MR. GRIZZ - HER BOSS. ENDED UP BEING THE VILLAIN. Her whole world got turned upside down.

She managed to beat him with the help of the NSS and even Octavio. She was injured on both her legs where fuzzy ink had struck her on the spaceship. When they returned to the surface, she wasn’t sure what to do. She was injured, she wasn’t ready to go back to grizzco, and her Foster family seemed to have forgotten about her.

Callie and Marie seemed to realize this and took her in. YAY!

Fast forward a few months…everyone is recovered and happy and the NSS is currently working to rescue octolings and keep salmonids from coming too close to Inkopolis!

And two of the old agents came back after being MIA for months. They were in the weird hell dimension. Whatever that’s about. (Side order)

Margot is back at Grizzco. She couldn’t leave her friend Millie hanging! (Millie was so worried those months that Margot was in Alterna. She stuck missing posters all around the place and could barely complete a single Grizzco shift without her amazing partner!)

But yeah! That’s the basic gist of it. I feel like Margot has a lot more I could say about her (lore and personality wise) but I’ll save that for another time!

Thank you SUPER MUCH for reading! I love my little guys and I hope you do too :D

[velvetvexations]

My commentary on the whole "if dipper is transmasc mable is a terf" thing is that dipper and Mabel are 12 years old and exist in a cartoon set in 2012. Mable does not know what a terf is. Mabel is 12 years old, 12 year Olds can't be terfs. If her actions persisted into adulthood yeah she'd be transphobic but she is a cartoon character who can never age. I don't look at a real life 12 year old saying transphobic things and think they're a terf, because that's stupid. I'm sure if this character could have the intricacies of transphobia explained to her she'd understand her actions were wrong, but she can't, because she's a twelve year old from a cartoon that stopped airing in 2016.

the anon who pointed out it's exactly the same with Chihiro is so gigabrained

cannot get over how much some transfems get mad at transmascs for doing the same shit transfems do. "transmascs are obsessed with headcanoning characters as transmasc even when it makes no sense" coming from the "estrogen would save her" crowd is, maddening

well thanks to epistemological standpoint trans women will always have a deeper and more complex relationship to gender

Its literally nauseating and disgusting listening to - say that trans mascs don't face the same rate of SA as trans fems or that we're lying about the statistics of the violence against us

I know anon <3

whats really funny about the whole "mabel would be transphobic" thing is that she would be transphobic regardless. saying that someone isn't a man cuz they're too girly is transphobic. like just straight up. it's not like. the worst form of transphobia ever. but it's like how telling a guy that he throws like a girl is still sexist regardless. and you know what? mabel is 12. she's a child. so what if she's a little bit mean? the whole thing is just so stupid because it's trying to make a headcanon thats relatively completely innocent seem problematic. and idk if i really want that sort of precedent to be set around trans headcanons. anyways i hope ur having a good day ^^

I keep saying this but it's wild how the "trans men are so comfortable with being girls and calling themselves girls" crowd is dogmatic that a twelve year old girl misgendering a twelve year old trans boy is committing the worst possible crime against him.

- i'm sorry but is this person implying that in order to not be discriminated against trans men should stop being men or is it something out of my fucked-up head?

Unintentionally, yes.

Idk if you saw the Twitter blahaj drama but like, some trf’s loose their minds if trans men also like a stuffed animal but god fucking forbid we also have transmasc headcanons like idk it’s always the same people doing this shit too at this point I think they just hate any other kind of trans person and just post-hoc rationalize it whenever there’s a “”tme”” being happy

Correct! And then transmasc TRFs are like "so true queen, don't these sissies know that being a man is all about suffering."

Potentially hot take but if you really REALLY can't find a trans actor to play your trans character I would VASTLY prefer a cis actor of the character's actual gender not their ASAB. "But anon, what if they're early transition?" Plenty of cis people are clocky, that's a very common pushback against TERF bullshit; that they're applying such a narrow standard of gender presentation that even cis people get caught up in it. Makeup exists. Prosthetics exist. Good actors who can make you believe they're fucking trans exist.

Yeah! Just look at the fantastic job Demi Bennett does playing Rhea Ripley!

'transandro dudes are stupid cause they say androphobia is bad but they're too scared to go up to the buffest gym dude and ask for his testosterone supply' are you stupid on purpose. it's not because he's a man it's because he's cis and a lot of cis people are SO down to beat up anyone they suspect might be a trans person. and a pre t trans dude asking for testosterone when the gym guy perceives said trans dude as a woman is DEFINITELY gonna get clocked and then be at risk of getting injured. can we please bring back thinking with our brains

transmasc and transfem TRFs are both so desperate to see themselves as having places in society identical to cis men and cis women and it's not going to fucking work out any time soon

Now personally I adore all the aesthetic posts and they give me a ton of material for my technology tag sooo thank you 4 reblogging so many dope gifs ^^

Thank you!

Maybe one day a week where the only messages people are allowed to send are fawning/simping/lusting after you idk lmao

that IS half my inbox already lol

weird thing but as a kid i was labeled tomboy so often i would consider my gender as a kid to BE tomboy. but when i decided to start being just a boy (trans boy) instead everyone acted like it was something out of left field and that there was "no proof" that i was trans (keep in mind this is like 2014-ish. i am still 99.9% sure i was the first ever person to come out as not cis at my school). like... what the hell do you mean "no proof"?? you literally spent my childhood calling me a tomboy and, after my sister started walking and talking, pointing out how much of a girly girl i WASNT compared to her.

the idea of cis people wanting "proof" is so weird

i like ur aesthetic posts tho, they make me happy also why tf r they complaining about aesthetic posts on tumblr of all places lol

literallyyyyy

Now personally I adore all the aesthetic posts and they give me a ton of material for my technology tag sooo thank you 4 reblogging so many dope gifs ^^

You're welcome!

[taldigi]

Ur post about yui going to face adachi alone also adds a lot to yosuke being there when she comes back out, cause like it’s now as much as the canon explanation as it is fear that he might try something (she might be his reliable partner but she’s also still a girl going to face a creep)

I can just as easily see adachi forgoing the gun scare and just approaching her instead

It's good old fashioned misogyny. He thinks girls are weaker, stupider (yet somehow more cunning), lazier, and inherently more evil then even the most brick headed of guys. Girls are for cooking dinners and not much else. He thought that he deserved a relationship of any kind with Yamano and became personally infuriated when she had the affair.

"If only they did what I wanted, I wouldn't have to have killed them." and- he expects his worldview (at least in this particular scenario) is something that "everyone understands, at least on a subconscious level". Heck, even Kanji admits to brushing off info about Adachi calling out to high school girls because "thats how cops are, y'know?"

It's a card he plays on Yu constantly. A large amount of his social link is him expressing this on some level and asking you to agree. If the "right answers" are ones that net you social points, then you are playing (or possibly even letting Yu be groomed) into being a person just like him.

even some of the non-social pointed options are... very very not Yu-like at all. Yu is blunt. But he's not cruel.

I just wish the game didn't punish you (locking you out of achievements and persona) for rejecting these ideas or not desiring to finish it (like the game locks at 8 if you don't go in after him alone or taking the accomplice route- as well as making Yu have flashbacks of good moments as a justification for chasing him down) You can't even talk to your friends about it, or ask them to back you up, or at least have a scene that lets you rank up the link without betraying your friends trust in you/yu.

But, I guess that's the point.

IMO IT should be furious- Yosuke should be furious-- if you want a reversed magician event, then here it is (and even tho the game does do an event where he confronts you, he forgives you way too easily). But the game doesn't dole out consequences for this & Golden tries really hard to sell Yu and Adachi as a fated set of opposites (when, cough, Yosuke is a better opposite to Adachi than Yu, I think.) as if they aren't supposed to be a trio with Namatame or at least acting as an antithesis to the IT as a whole. It's a dynamic that is done so much better with Ren and Akechi it's almost comical.

So Yui approaching him alone is thrice as stupid and thrice as dangerous. Even in the scenario where Yui is a stronger person than Yu- in which she COULD single-handedly whoop his ass multiple times over- Adachi can never and would never consider her a threat or something remotely meaningful on the same level as he would Yu.

.. and I'm sure that Yui being Dojima's niece is the only thing keeping him from doing the same things he did to those other girls to her. And who knows, hopped up on enough power- he could do it to Nanako too. That's usually how things like that go.

in NG+: Girl Edition, she does not follow after him. Adachi gives her really bad vibes because he treats her differently too. He treats her like she's kinda stupid, and exacerbates her anxieties about the roles she chooses to fill. Instead, I like to think instead of Yosuke confronting her after the encounter, he catches her at the TV and they just talk for a bit about it. (the au is a vehicle for Yuiske after all lmaooo)

I think there are people with heavier Adachi brainrot than I ever will who can dissect this better than I. In the end, I think he's an excellent villian for P4, but I really am not a fan of the woobification Golden gave him LMAO.

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

“Mai deserves so so much better from the fandom. She barely did anything wrong, especially compared to Zuko. "She's mean!" No, she's sarcastic. You just only see her with a girl she fears and a peppy bubblegum girl. Also it's implied to be a front because of her fear and probable hate of Azula. Also, while it doesn't excuse the fact she supported the FN in her actions, she never did ideologically, only going along with Azula because she was afraid”

What do you think of this? I agree that Mai is overhated but I disagree about her secretly hating Azula (at least show wise. Comics are different from what I’ve heard.)

I think this is the worst kind of "In defense of..." type of meta: the kind that refuses to engage with the character's canonical flaws, including the ones that are a core part of their arc.

While fear and control is absolutely an element in nearly every single dynamic that involves Azula, and Mai did grow to resent her for it and it led to their falling out, the simple fact is that Mai, for a long time, genuinely liked Azula and joined her in book 2 WILLINGLY. She always goes wherever she believes she'll have the most agency, and her parents were so awful that a control-freak Azula actually was an improvement.

Now, don't get me wrong, Mai was well-aware that, from the moment Azula showed up, she'd try to do something to force her hand if she had said no - hence the show making her question what the hell Ty Lee was doing there when she had been much happier at the circus, and also jokingly asking Azula is she was there to kill her.

But that doesn't change the fact that Mai was raised under the same tyranical rulers as both Zuko and Azula, and while she wasn't really a patriot that would set herself on fire if it made the Fire Lord happy like they were, she was still fed enough propaganda that she saw nothing wrong with the war and believed the Fire Nation had every right to just kill anyone that got in the way of their goal of world domination.

Much like Zuko, she was hunting down the last survivor of a genocide, constantly attacked the Gaang (and taunted them when she thought she won), and helped Azula take Ba Sing Se because she saw nothing wrong with any of it. She just didn't feel as strongly about it being her "duty" or tied to her "honor" like he did

(Hell, she refuses to obey Azula in "The Drill" because she doesn't want to be covered in mud, and is fully ready to face the potential consequences for it. If she had literally ANY genuine objection to all the racist/imperialist things Azula was doing, she would not have participated in it, no matter how scared she was of being hurt or killed)

But it's exactly because she knows Zuko and how strongly he feels about their nation that it shocks her when he changes side, especially when he says he did it to SAVE the Fire Nation. She doesn't truly understand what the hell he means at that point, but she trusts him enough to know that, if he of all people turned against the current system, he had damn good reason to do so, and thus she takes a leap of faith - and once again, follows the person that gives her more agency.

Mai doesn't care much for any ideology, but she WAS fed one from birth and it affected how she viewed the world. And because of her very strong attachment to PEOPLE and a desire to connect to something for once, she allowed herself to actually think about what she was contribuiting to. And while she still wasn't at a point where the harm the war did to the other nations would register to her, she saw first-hand the damage it did to the person she loved the most, and how her own parents were terrible to her because that system allowed them to get away with it, encouraged it even.

Much like Iroh and Zuko starting to question everything only after Lu Ten's death and the disastrous Agni Kai with Ozai, Mai's change of heart about imperialism could ONLY come after some kind of personal tragedy because that's how war propaganda works - it dehumanizes anyone that fits into the category of "other", to the point that you don't see their pain even when you're the one causing it. Once they had doubts about all the happiness and glory they were promised, they could see the role they played in other people's misery and actually feel any guilt over it.

The whole fandom loves Iroh and Zuko despite their past (that they felt WAY more "righteous" about than Mai ever did), it makes no sense to act like Mai going along with the exact same shit somehow makes her a fundamentally garbage person. We don't need to erase that flaw in her character to defend her from dumb people that are just bitter she's the one who made out with Zuko instead of their fave, we just need to point out the clear double-standard of them forgiving Zuko but not her, even though she changed sides almost IMMEDIATELY instead of rejecting chance after chance like he did for nearly three seasons (once again, propaganda is not that easy to get over).

As for her being "mean" - yeah, she is mean sometimes, much like Zuko could be a real asshole and downright verbally abusive before his redemption.

Now, do people exagerate how mean Mai tended to be in order to make her look worse? Absolutely (and they also exagerate how strong of a reaction other people had to it, see zutara fans acting like Zuko was deeply hurt by her "I just asked if you were cold" comment in The Awakening, even though he doesn't get mad at all AND actually turns to her for support again in Nightmares and Daydreams)

But there were moments where she DID cross the line from simply sarcastic teenager into "You're just being a bitch right now" (joining in on the trashing of Chan's house comes to mind), and that's okay, because it was the point. It was a flaw that she got better at handling as she opened herself up to loving and being loved, to not mistreating people just because she could/was ordered to, and that's why she was an engaging character who earned her happy ending. She learned from her mistakes.

[theshypinkflower]

Frothing from the mouth over your derek headcanons If you have any abt him youve been wanting to share I would LOVE to hear them

- In highschool Derek got his ears pierced (simple diamond studs to make himself look cool and Sal ripped one of the stud out of his ear because it “made him look like a fag.” Derek’s left ear lobe now has a little scar.

- Derek bullies mentally ill girls on twt, either because he thinks they’re cringe or because he wants to be a dick. He loves mentally ill girls cause they’re so easy to manipulate and force to send him nudes and SH pics (because of course Derek wants to see that).

- Sal made Derek do football in highschool. Needless to say, Derek was a bench warmer while Matt was the star player. Didn’t matter cause Derek still got to put a football patch on his letterman.

- Derek is TERRIBLE with animals. They don’t really like him. The only animal who actually liked him was a puma Sal adopted for awhile.

- His favorite food is sushi, sadly he ruins any quality expensive sushi by dousing it in soy sauce. His spice tolerance is shit btw, so he doesn’t even touch the wasabi. In general he really likes seafood, which is a stark contrast to Sal and Matt who are meat and potatoes kinds guys.

- Every Fourth of July, Derek goes to some “red neck” (literally just a more rural city) and buys so many fireworks for cheap. He doesn’t care if some are duds or dangerous, most of them are gonna go up and make a show. He’ll grab a paper towel roll and fill it with a bunch of smaller fireworks and light it on the dock of the lake house his family goes to during holidays. It makes a huge explosion and scares the crap of everyone.

- Derek only has one band he really likes and its MSI. He saw a bunch of "edgy" people online reposting their songs and he likes em! Everything else in his liked playlist is shit other people listen to. Likes his friend's rap favorites or his dad's 80s favorites. It's one of those bands he listens to whenever hes alone.

- Derek once dressed like an e-boy to garner some attention from girls. Needless to say it worked.

- Every couple of weeks he gets a touch up on his hair. Bleaches the roots, toner, trim, the works. He has an amazing barber who helped Derek fix his hair when he once tried using box dye bleach. It was a nightmare.

- When some of his younger siblings were born he tried giving them away. Like he put Matt in a box and sloppily wrote “FREE BABY” in big letters. It wasn’t until a neighbor knocked on the door with Matt in hands that Sal realized his baby was missing. Needless to say Derek got an ass whopping.

- Derek loves the water! I imagine he’s a really good swimmer (he learned to swim by getting thrown in the pool by Sal).

- Derek sucks at golf, but is decent at tennis. Although the hates doing doubles since Matt and Sal always get onto him for his serves. He use to play tennis a lot with his younger sister, Rochelle, but now all she does is tan by the pool whenever they go to the country club.

- Derek has been in a car accident. He was drunk driving and crashed into someone else. He was arrested for it and Sal had to bail him out. Again, Derek was beaten severely for this. Along with other crimes such as: shoplifting, vandalism, destruction of public property, disorderly conduct, and public nudity (he snuck out to go skinny dipping with friends).

- Derek is a reckless driver whenever his dad or Matt isn’t in the car with him. Like he has at least five speeding tickets in his glovebox. (How does this man even have a driver’s license)

- He absolutely hates weddings. Mostly cause of how many he’s had to sit through thanks to his dad. The only good thing about a wedding is the bar they usually have. Unless they don’t, then he’ll opt for being a menace and catching the bouqet during the bouqet toss (who the hell would marry Derek).

- For the longest time Derek said his favorite cocktail was an Old Fashioned (cause thats what rich people drink I guess) yet he never actually had one. It wasn’t until he ordered on while out clubbing and had to try so hard to keep a straight face. He will never talk about how he chugged down his friend’s fruit and sweet sangria cocktail (because he’s MAN HE SHOULNDT NEED FRUITY SISSY SHIT RAAAAAAH).

[throatgoat4u]

hold me again

part one

word count: 3.7k

summary: it's been a year since the break up—a year since matt cheated on you. you hadn't seen each other at all, not even on the streets or anything. that is, until one faithful day when you're at a picnic with your friends.

warnings: angst, super long, mentions of cheating, use of profanity (not a lot i don't think), not proofread.

a/n: ya'll i've stayed up too damn long writing this i'm so tired!!! it's probably really slacky toward the ending because like i said. i'm tired. there will also be two more parts after this.

it had been a year now since you and matt had broken up—two years since he cheated. you started focusing more on studies, but still letting yourself go to parties and anything of that sort. the only thing you stopped doing was dating. right now, it was about you, not some other man, you.

matt, on the other hand, had moved on to the girl he cheated on you with shortly after the breakup. in truth, he was much happier with victoria. she was… different. she was the kind of girl that you could swear up and down came out of a dream. everyone who looked at her, looked at her in awe. how could something so perfect even exist? her soft, golden curls shimmer in the sunlight, framing a face that seems to have been sculpted by the gods themselves. her eyes are as beautiful as the ocean glimmering on the most perfect sunny day. the small freckles that adorn her nose and cheeks make her look as though the sun had kissed her before sending her down to earth. but just because he was happier, didn’t necessarily mean he felt right.

you were always a thought in the back of his mind, reappearing at the front every so often. he sometimes wondered what you were up to now, who you were seeing, and if you were even seeing anyone—that is, if you still were. he wondered if you were wondering about him too, always hoping that you were.

currently, matt was sitting on a bench at the park—his favorite park—on a clear, sunny day. this was one of matt’s favorite activities: going to the park and watching nature, the people, everything. It put his mind at ease and allowed him to think.

his mind was drifting from one thought to another before eventually landing on the thought of you—he couldn’t help it. he couldn’t help but wonder what you were doing right now. were you with friends, laughing, having fun? or were you with a guy, cuddling, kissing, whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears? the thought of you being with another man physically pained him, even if he was with victoria.

matt let out a dry, frustrated laugh. what was wrong with him? he was dating another woman while thinking about his ex. he tried to focus his mind more on the park: looking at the trees, the beautiful blue sky, and the girls who were having a picnic under a tree. the girls who were having a picnic under a tree? he took a double take at those girls, and there he saw it. that familiar, but unfamiliar face. it was you.

you were at the park for your friend amari’s twenty-first birthday. it had been a picnic that you and your friends had planned out weeks prior to this, surprising amari. you were wearing a dress, but not just any dress, a dress that used to be matt’s favorite.

it was a short, white sundress that danced lightly around your thighs with every step you took. it had a delicate lace trim that traced the hemline, necklace, and made up the thin straps that held the dress up on your body. the fabric was light and airy, clinging to your body in just the right areas before flaring out just enough to catch the light breeze. you always managed to look effortlessly beautiful in this dress which was what made it one of his favorites.

matt couldn’t help but stare at you in awe. it had been a whole entire year since he’s seen you. even in the streets of their small town of somerville, they never crossed paths. and now, now you were here, just about twenty feet away from him, laughing with your friends, and eating whatever goodies you and your friends had made.

you momentarily looked up—as your friends were talking about something you took little interest in. you watched as many couples walked around the park with their hands interlocked, some girls had their heads leaning against the guy’s shoulder, and you just couldn’t help but think back to matt. it used to be like this with you two. you both used to love coming to this very park, walk around, and talk about anything, and everything under the sun. but now, all of that was a distant memory—a painful reminder of what could’ve been.

as you looked around, your mind couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing right now. you had heard from some people he had gotten with some girl named victoria a bit after the breakup. was she the girl he cheated on you with? you had been quick to rush to her instagram when you heard the news, and you remember the strong feeling of jealousy that overcame you. she was so beautiful, she was everything you had longed to be, and the thing that made you most jealous, was she was dating matt.

your eyes kept bouncing around from one couple to another before they landed on a boy sitting alone on a bench. but it wasn’t just some ordinary boy—it was your boy. then again, he’s not yours. not anymore.

they interlocked eyes and for a moment, it was as if everything else had faded away, and it was only them two. every emotion came rushing back. love, anger, sadness, longing, yearning. all of it returned to you.

he couldn’t take his eyes off of you. the sight of you was completely intoxicating and captivating. he hadn’t seen you in person in so long, and yet after all these years, you still looked beautiful, even to him. you were sitting there, with a few people he couldn’t recognize, celebrating a friend’s birthday. matt continued staring at you, even though he knew he shouldn’t. 

you looked back at your friends, then anxiously back at him. should you go talk to him or…? the obvious option was to stay with your friends and not give him a minute of your time. he didn’t even deserve it anyway—especially not after what he had done. but before you could even register what was going on, you had gotten up, mumbling a quick, “i’ll be back” to your friends, and walking over to matt.

matt’s heart was beating at a thousand miles in his chest as he saw you walk up to him. what were you doing? why were you walking over? it scared him. what was he going to say to you? what were you going to say to him? so many thoughts were racing around both your guy’s heads as you continued walking, getting closer, and closer to him.

“umm hi.” you say, finally reaching him.

he looks up at you, swallowing his spit to bring back some sort of moisture to his mouth. “h-hi.”

“can i sit?” you mumble, pointing to the spot next to him on the bench.

he nods and scoots over, making space for you. both of you guys sit in silence, not saying a single word, not even looking at one another. eventually, you decide you should be the one to initiate conversation since you were the one who walked over in the first place. “it’s been a while….” you utter out, not being entirely sure what you should say.

he looks up, and over at you, analyzing you for a moment before speaking up. “yeah… it- it has.”

silence falls upon the two of you again. god was this awkward. neither of you knew what to say, and quite frankly, neither of you were good at small talk. you idiot, you think to yourself, you’re the one who came over to him, so now you have to speak. you muster up all the courage you could find, and swallow the lump in your throat

“so… how umm, how’ve you been doin’?”

he nods his head a bit, “good. i’ve been uh pretty good. what about you? how’ve you been?”

“um, you know, could be better.”

matt’s heart ached at your response—a response which insinuated that you weren't doing as good as you seemed to be. he took a long look at you, noticing the subtle bags underneath your eyes that had been hidden behind the makeup you wore like a mask. “so… what have you been up to?” he asks, trying to distract himself from your answer. 

“well, i’ve started focusin’ mostly on my studies. y’ know? third year of college is kinda hard.”

he nods, taking in her response. “cool, cool, cool, cool, cool.”

you push your hair off of your shoulders and turn your body to face his a bit more. “so, enough about me, what about you? i heard a while ago that you got a girlfriend. victoria, right?” you asked, but you knew damn well. you stalked her instagram all the time like a madwoman. she was just so beautiful—you couldn’t help yourself. it seemed like every time she made a new post, she became even prettier, only adding another new insecurity to the already huge list of insecurities you had accumulated ever since you looked at her instagram for the first time.

his stomach churned as you brought up his girlfriend. “yeah… yeah it’s victoria. and yeah, we’re dating.”

it was as if a knife had pierced through your heart but you masked it with a faux smile you had learned to perfect over the years. “yeah? and how is she?”

he hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering momentarily to the ground beneath him before looking back up at you. “she’s… incredible. she’s got this kinda beauty i can’t even put into words. like she’s so beautiful, but not in an obvious way. she’s got this kinda glow to her—one that almost makes her ethereal.”

he ran his hands through his brown curls, pausing for a moment to collect his thoughts. “she’s really fucking funny too—sharp, quick, always able to catch me off guard. she likes to hide behind things, and when i walk by, she screams, scaring the living shit outta me.” a smile is playing on his lips as he talks about how amazing victoria is, his words only stabbing deeper into your heart.

“and, she’s kind—so kind i feel like it’s almost rare to find a person as kind as her. it’s like she just doesn’t care because she has to. she just… does. she makes me feel like i’m enough. she sees me for me and not my money nor my fame.”

you smile at his words brightly, but there’s bitterness filled up in your stomach. does he know this is how you felt about him? how you cared so deeply about him. how all you wanted was him to be happy. does he know the reason you left so easy was because you didn’t want to make it hard for him? does he not realize that there is no woman who would’ve left as easy as she did just for the sake of his happiness? but instead of saying all that, she just resorts to a congratulations. “that’s so awesome. matt, i’m really happy for you.”

matt’s smile falters a bit, his confidence wavering as he picks up on something unsaid in her tone. she’s… she’s happy for me? “thanks.” he said softly.

“you’ve always been good at that.” he says, causing you to tilt your head in slight confusion—arousing a chuckle from him. “Putting others first is what i mean. even when it’s hard to.” there was a pause, his expression unreadable now. “i just hope… you’re happy, too.” 

you nod, not really wanting to answer his question. truthfully, you weren’t. you wanted to get back together with him so badly—you yearned for it. even if he was a cheating scumbag, you still loved him. “i’m… happier. i’ve moved on in life. found better ways to occupy my time.”

there’s a subtle aching in matt’s heart. your tone was so convincing, but he sensed a hollowness inside of it. he hated hearing that you moved on from him, especially if he can read through your lie.

“don’t lie to me.” he says sternly. after the breakup, he had grown to hate lies—ironic, isn’t it? considering all he did was lie to you for months. to this day, he hadn’t even told you how long he had actually been cheating on you for. partly because you didn’t ask, and partly because he was scared you’d hate him more.

“i… what? w- what are you talking about matt?” you chuckled nervously, fidgeting with the hem of your dress. “i’m not lying, trust.”

“come on doll. you know damn well.” he mutters, his voice tight with irritation.

“i’ve moved on… i have! but that doesn’t necessarily mean i don't love you anymore. and i know, i know it’s selfish of me to say that—especially since you’re in a relationship with someone who’s so… so amazing.” you ramble, exposing yourself a little more than you intended to. “ i love you matt, but you’re not mine.”

you shut your eyes tight as you mutter a curse beneath your breath, burying your head in your palms. “sorry, sorry! i shouldn’t have said that.”

he’s sitting there, wide eyed at your revelation, not saying a word. his mind races as the same thought replays in his head over, and over again . she… she still loves me? she still loves me. she still loves me! “can i ask you something?” he asks, hesitantly, like there was something holding him back. the only response you were able to give is a nod out of sheer embarrassment.

“do you ever regret leaving me?”

"no. i mean well i do. i do because i lost you. but i don't because you're happier. you're happier with her and i can see it. you look the same you did a year ago yet so different. now you look happy. before, when you were with me, you looked trapped."

he clenched his jaw. how could she ever think that? he didn’t speak for a few moments. he was lost in his own conflict and inner turmoil. “you’re wrong.” he mutters.

“am i?”

he was silent for a moment, trying to put his conflicting feelings into order. on one hand, he is so happy with victoria, but on the other hand, something is missing. something that he had when he was with you just wasn’t there anymore. he took one deep, shaky breath before speaking again. “i’m happy with victoria… i am…”

“but…?” you coaxed, your tone gentle but firm.

“but…” he swallowed, “i don’t feel the way i felt with you when i’m with her.” he finally admits, looking anywhere but directly at you. 

"and how was that?”

“alive. i felt alive.”

you sit there for a moment, letting his words sink in before letting out a scoff. “alive? bullshit. why’d you cheat on me then, hm?” you retort, anger consuming you entire mind. he had no right to say that. he had literally told you when you two had broken up that he wasn’t happy with you, and now he wants to say you made him feel alive? “alive my ass.” you mumble, letting out a soft huff.

his chest felt like it was being ripped open when he heard your question. he knew he had no right to say something like this. he knew it was wrong. but he also knew it was the truth. he couldn’t bring himself to look at her as he finally spoke. “i don’t know…. i was stupid…. i was an idiot…..”

she shakes her head as she scoffs. “ya’ think? god you were such a moron.”

moron…back when they were dating, moron was the silly little pet name you had given him. back then you said it with so much silliness and adoration, back then you said it with so much love, back then, it was used as a playful thing. but now… now it was an insult. now, you had meant moron for what it had actually meant. 

a pang of guilt shot through his heart as you called him a moron. he knew he deserved it—he deserved every single insult you had to give him. but it hurt. it hurt seeing a name you had once used so affectionately now being used to insult him. it stung.

“i know… i know i was a moron. and, i know you have every right to hate me”

he was quiet for a moment, before continuing. he felt so guilty, so ashamed. every moment you stayed sitting on this bench with him only worsened his guilt.

“i was a stupid, idiotic moron for cheating on you, and i’ll regret it until the day  i die. you didn’t deserve that. you didn’t deserve to be cheated on. i was an idiot, and a douchebag for doing that.”

he knew he shouldn’t have been saying this stuff to you—his ex—but you deserved an apology. hell, you deserved the world. he swallowed again—a lump slowly starting to form in his throat—as he spoke again, in a soft whisper. “i’ll forever hate myself for what i did to you, and i’m so sorry. i just… i just wish i could take it all back.

you shake your head slightly, your anger subsiding. he really, truly was sorry, and that was what hurt most. “it's good that it happened, for the both of us. you were able to learn how to be better for your next girlfriend and i learned to watch for the warnings. cause god i was blind back then. i mean, it should've been obvious."

he hated hearing you be so certain that what he did was good. it wasn’t. it wasn’t good, especially not for you. he knew the pain he had caused you was most likely terrible, and he hates how you’re trying to find a positive outlook on things. he hated how you said he had learned to be better for his next girlfriend because he wanted to have been better for you, not victoria, and certainly not whoever would come after victoria. he finally looked up at you and spoke, his voice laced with guilt and regret. “fuck… i don’t give two shits if i learned a lesson from it. i don’t care if i’m a better boyfriend now. i wish i had been a better boyfriend for you.”

you give him weak smile, barely managing to keep up your facade of being okay. all you wanted to do was curl up into a ball and cry in his arms, but you couldn’t. you instead pulled yourself together, desperately trying not to sound like you were about to cry, and spoke “i wished that too.”

his heart ached again, and a pit formed in his stomach because of your words—the guilt, and sadness amplifying. he’d cheated on you, broken your heart, and here he was, sitting with you, only being able to think about how he just wanted to embrace you. “and...” he began, “and i’ll never be able to forgive myself for that.”

“i forgive you.” you whisper, your words barely audible. 

he went quiet for a moment due to the sheer shock he was feeling. you had forgiven him. why had you forgiven him? all he did was hurt you and cause you a shit ton of pain. your forgiveness did nothing to ease his pain. he should have never cheated on you. you guys could’ve had a beautiful life together but instead, he ruined it, and he’d forever have to carry that guilt with him. “w- why? i don’t deserve it. i don’t deserve your forgiveness.” 

you purse your lips, thinking a moment before responding. “everyone deserves forgiveness if they've shown change. and you? you’ve shown change. the way you talk about victoria, the things people say, the posts i see. you treat her so right, and that’s all that matters matt.”

he continued to quietly curse how gracious and compassionate you were. you were too nice for your own good. you would forgive those who did you harm. you weren’t bitter or resentful. even now, when you were saying you forgave him, it should only be causing him anger. but it wasn’t. instead, it made him want to embrace you even more. 

he looked at you for a moment, taking it all in. part of him wanted to speak up and argue with you. to tell you that he didn’t deserve your kindness, let alone your forgiveness. but a bigger part of him, the part that loved you, was silently thanking you for your graciousness and kindness.

you two sat in silence for what felt like ages. you sat on the bench, next to him, not saying a word, not even looking at him. your eyes bounced around the park before landing back on your friends talking, and laughing over on the picnic blanket. you were suddenly reminded why you were even at this park in the first place, and realized you needed to go—even if you didn’t want to, you had to. your eyes finally met his again, and you couldn’t help but feel your heart sink. you knew you had to go, you had to go before you’d do or say anything stupid. 

you stood up, brushing invisible dust from your dress, your movements deliberate, almost hesitant. “i should get back to them,” you said, nodding toward the group on the picnic blanket. your voice was steady, but your heart felt anything but. he looked up at you, his expression unreadable, and for a moment, you thought he might say something—anything—to make you stay. but he didn’t. you turned before the weight of his silence could anchor you, your steps quick and purposeful as you made your way back. laughter from your friends grew louder as you approached, but it felt distant, like it belonged to another world—a world you weren’t sure you fit into anymore. still, you smiled as you rejoined them, even though the ache in your chest refused to fade.

as matt watched you walk away, he silently cursed himself for letting you walk away like that again. why didn’t he keep letting you leave? he should’ve called out to you—made you stay—but he didn’t. he watched you walk away just like he did a year ago. and as the distance between you grew, he realized too late that some mistakes were never meant to be undone, only to haunt him forever.

[kristanna-days]

Frozen x BATB Yuletide Exchange 2024 Master List

This year, we have 12 fanfics and one piece of fan art for the exchange! You can find the entire collection here. Links to individual fics with descriptions are below.

Frozen

A little expertise @lyricalark (@snowberriesromanoff)

(Anna/Kristoff, T)

Kristoff is a wedding planner who took over his mom Bulda's business when she retired. She's always said she'll come out of retirement to plan his wedding but he's not holding his breath. Anna is a bride-to-be like any other, except she's clearly not happy and her fiancé Hans doesn't see or doesn't care to see. And Kristoff is starting to care. Or, the Kristanna Wedding Planner AU

Fir-needles and Crocuses @be_my_druidess (@true--north)

(Anna & Elsa; Anna/Kristoff, T)

Anna and Elsa invite Kristoff to spend Christmas with them.

How You Kiss an Arendellian Princess @annas-hair-donut

(Anna/Kristoff; Kristoff & the Trolls, M)

The Arendellian princess will die in the eternal winter if she doesn’t stay the night in Kristoff’s cabin. All Kristoff has to do is get through one night without falling for her. It would be easier if there weren’t just one stack of hay, one blanket, and seven rock trolls living in his head who keep trying to fix him up with a woman who’s engaged to someone else. Or, an alternate meet cute where Anna wanders into Kristoff's cabin instead of Oaken's and the rock trolls live in Kristoff’s head instead of the Valley of the Living Rock.

Snowed In With Open Doors @chibiotaku4life

(Anna/Hans, G)

Hans has a special surprise for Anna this year when they are snowed in during her favorite holiday.

Under the Winter Moon @sunflowers-and-sandwiches

(Anna/Kristoff; Anna & Elsa, T)

Christmas can be a wonderful time of celebration and giving, but sometimes gifts aren’t the only things that come unwrapped. Will Elsa and Anna get their hearts’ true Christmas wishes?

Valiant, pungent, Santa baby! @annaorthenorthernlights

(Anna/Kristoff, E)

Kristoff has planned a special Christmas surprise for Anna...

You'll Never be Alone @flowerinherhair (@glassslippers-n-cowboyboots)

(Elsa/Hans, T)

Hans Westergaard is in a friendly little competition with Elsa Arendelle for the top spot in the law school class. Maybe Hans wants more than for things to be friendly between them though.

Beauty & the Beast

Hidden Desires Seeking Satisfaction @biblioscribler (@99goosebumps)

(Belle/Beast, E)

Belle plays a naughty game of hide and seek with Beast.

Something sweet @firawren

(Beast/Belle, M)

Belle challenges her grumpy roommate Adam to take part in her Christmas tradition of doing acts of service for people. He thinks it’s ridiculous. Everyone knows Christmas is just about selling shit and families fighting. But as he starts to give it a try, he discovers that maybe he kind of likes being nice. And maybe he really likes Belle, too.

Stories @flowerinherhair @glassslippers-n-cowboyboots)

(Adam/Belle, T)

Adam is risking being kicked out of his university program if he doesn't get at least a 75% on his final English essay. He needs a tutor and the one person who can help him is the beautiful, smart, intimidating girl who sits in the front row.

Frozen x BATB Crossovers

Behind the Curtain of Snowfall @chibiotaku4life

(Belle/Ryder Nattura, T)

Belle and Ryder have a terrifying run-in with wolves, and find what's really important in the winter woods.

Books of a Flurry @paigebstorey

(Belle & Elsa, G)

Belle works in the local bookstore cafe, a place of wonder and escape from the hustle and bustle of the world outside. This is the story of how she met her favorite customer.

The Icy Roses @magentacravat

(Belle & Elsa, G)

Belle has rose powers or even plant growth powers that, like Elsa's ice powers, are tied to love. The icy goddess finally meets her counterpart with the power of roses of love.

This year's batch is so great! Here's some quick stats from this year's exchange:

We had 3 Frozen x BATB crossover fics, including 2 Belle/Elsa and the very first fic in the Belle/Ryder Nattura tag. We need more of both ships!

We had 11 fanfics created by 9 writers and 1 piece of fan art, with @glassslippers-n-cowboyboots and @chibiotaku4life both writing pinch hits for the exchange! Thank you so much for showing a little extra love so everyone could participate!

@sunflowers-and-sandwiches created the beautiful banner for this year's exchange. Thank you so much for lending your talents!

@paigebstorey served as our co-mod this year. Thank you so much for your help! Hopefully she'll take over one day.

We had 5 NSFW fics and 8 SFW works this year.

I also want to apologize for posting this so late, especially since some of these are Christmas themed. It's 100% my fault so please go and read those fics anyway!

DM me or @glassslippers-n-cowboyboots if you're interested in joining the Frozen/BATB writing server, Frozen Hearts Worth Melting.

[tsandoll]

hmm.... now that you mention it.... what about subby taesan who gets obsessed with you after you let him fuck you once? poor baby who tries so hard to act like he's all that, fucking other girls and having so many flings and one night stands, trying to make himself feel better when actually at his core, he craves and needs you so bad. he really only feels good when he's under you, begging and whining for you to touch him and to let him cum. you'd have to put him in his place for being such a brat (maybe even a little bit of a slut) and he cries so sweetly saying that he'll be good, he'll only fuck you from now on, but you both know that he'll go back on his word, acting out again, just so that you'll punish him and put him back in his place each time <3

ugh i could eat up a whole fic with this kind of plot.. he tries so hard to impress you so he flashes all kinds of things that literally don't matter. he doesn't realize how he's being so obvious and how you literally don't care about any of that. you can see the way you've affected him the moment you fuck him. he's never had an orgasm like that before.. his head was spinning and his body felt like it wasn't even on earth. he had gotten so subby under you and felt so good that he craves that same feeling again. he tries so hard to find that feeling in someone else because he's not willing to admit the way you truly made him feel but it's just never the same. he wouldn't wanna be that submissive under just anyone and would try to go on as usual but he feels his best under you. bratty taesan.. always going back on his word like u said. he wants to get a reaction out of u, he wants u to be upset with him so you'll fuck him till he can't speak anymore. he wants u to get him to where he's begging and crying without any understanding of what his goal even is 😖

[italianbabydaddy]

hey there! question: do u think lulu had a gf at any point? it seems so odd that nothing has come out as of yet of him having one? and i don’t mean like a girl coming out and saying they were bf/gf but i mean like even in photos? i can’t imagine someone like him not having a gf like at least in college?

Hi, fren!

I’m sure, like someone myself who’s become disgustingly eager in learning everything about Luigi—from before the incident and now in the current state of things now, you’ve been wondering the same thing. Especially with how so many of us have been swooning and damn near have fallen in love with the guy over this past month.

I’m not gonna lie, upon the first few days that his name was in the news and more information was coming out about him, you couldn’t presumably not assume and stereotype about the kind of life he’s had: white, Italian, conventionally attractive, evidently socially outgoing personality, intelligent, successful Ivy League education, wealthy family, etc., And of course, with the parasocial infatuation growing as time has gone on, we all wish he was ours, but we also don’t want to think he has been with somebody, as we see in our minds that there is a sense of mutual feeling and want to believe it by knowing he’s experienced relationships. I mean, look at the collective response over that apparent Polaroid of him supposedly kissing that girl. My first reaction was that my Christmas was ruined because of it. (It’s been speculated that it’s fake, so I’m not going to say it’s confirmed.)

However, after reading up on a bunch of things throughout spaces like here and Reddit (the Free L thread, particularly) and diving into really the little bit of information we know about him, I wouldn’t be horrifically surprised if he never has had a girlfriend. And I will explain why:

I’m going to use myself as an example. I’m 23 years old, and admittedly, I’ve never had a boyfriend/significant other. I’ve never even been on a date, no less, had my first kiss nor found myself having true romantic crushes—but once I have a chance with Luigi, everything will change. Anyway. The best answer that I can give you as to why this is happened is because, in all honesty, I’ve never had much of an inkling for dating/romance in my life and there really hasn’t been a time and place where it’s just come along in my life so far. When I tell people this, a lot of them are in disbelief, and argue that since I’m an attractive person to them subjectively, that I have a great personality, and the mystery of that who wouldn’t want to be with me romantically is dumbfounding.

Now, I’ll briefly mention that I’ve wondered if I’m aromantic, but that’s another story, and then there’s times where I don’t think I am, as here I am now, feening down BAD for some Italian Ivy League frat boy from Maryland that I don’t even know and who allegedly shot a CEO and now I am affectionately considering him as my man from a parasocial view?

Maybe, the time for me to be a relationship hasn’t come yet, that is, if it ever will. I’ve just never had the dire urge to seek out romance, despite being in social spaces and environments where I could interact and potentially meet someone (similar to Luigi with Greek life, school, work, etc.,). However, I will affirm strongly that nobody could ever tell me that I have not lead a meaningful life because I’ve never dated anybody; maybe instead, my understanding of a meaningful life varies across other people’s understandings, but I can tell you, with certainty, on my behalf that my life is still meaningful and one worthwhile even if I’ve never dated somebody. I can proudly state that I enjoy my life as a single person.

That being said, I understand where you’re coming from when you say how you can’t imagine someone like him—a 26-year-old conventionally attractive, outgoing, sociable, smart grown man—not ever having a girlfriend while at least in college, as he attended an all-boys high school. It’s based in a phenomenon that we’ve been sort of conditioned to go along with, known as amatonormativity, which leads to the assumption that everyone desires romantic love and that not experiencing it means something is wrong with you, making it hard for people to understand or accept that someone might not feel or have experienced romantic attraction at all. In a sense, there is societal pressure to be in romantic relationships, heterosexual or not. And when somebody doesn’t conform to that pressure, we’re shell-shocked; we are even more bamboolzed to try and actualize this news when we hear about a person that we consider romantically attractive and suitable ourselves that has not been in a relationship.

Now, before I go any further, I am not saying that Luigi is aromantic and/or asexual nor am I alleging it. Perhaps, maybe Luigi has dated someone in the past, but for some reason, we just haven’t seen any photographic evidence of him and a girlfriend for the reason being that maybe she wants to protect their privacy, the general fear/apprehension of having association with his name in the news currently, or whatever the case may be—if there is a case pointing to this. Maybe he’s never dated really at all, but he just has had casual sexual relationships that weren’t significant to either person on an emotional connection.

Or, maybe, he’s never dated at all. I say maybe in each of these scenarios because we really don’t know the truth, and we won’t know until it is known. The only way that I could even conceivably come up with an answer for the last theory it’s because of what he values and considers important in his life, and how he chooses to pursues things in life. This takes me back to his concern about agency that he discussed with Gurwinder Bhogal, and the conversations they had about the lack of free will that Luigi noticed while on his trip to Japan this year. In short, perhaps Luigi has never dated because of all the other things that he has done in his life that makes his life great for him—traveling, reading, playing chess, surfing—and that he’s never found an outstanding reason to ever consider dating since there never really has been a time yet for it happen, for whatever chance may be. He may be just focused more on his career and individuality, and doesn’t have the urge to dive further into that route.

As a whole, to answer your question: I’m not sure if he’s ever had a girlfriend at any point. Would I like to know? Sure, why not. But will we ever know? I’m not so sure. It’s a whole another investigation in understanding this Luigi Lore that we may never get to know completely.

p.s. I did NOT mean to make this into an essay, I’ve just become enraptured when talking about him and it definitely shows. I’m open to hear anybody’s else thoughts on this!!!!

[s0fter-sin]

i need ghoap frantically making out against a door finally taking the leap on their feelings. need ghost grinding against soap, expecting to find him just as hard as him, only to feel nothing

and in all his wisdom and experience, he concludes soap was tortured and never told him

he’s trying to think of a delicate way to say he understands, that he’s been through it and it doesn’t change anything about how he feels (and who the fuck touched him so he can hunt them down and rend them limb from limb)

meanwhile trans!soap’s just trying to find the best angle to grind his cunt on ghost’s thigh

just it never even entering ghost’s head bc he’s never known a trans person but he has met plenty of people who’ve been tortured - himself included - so of course that’s his logical leap

soap takes off his shirt and he sees his top surgery scars and ghost asks if he wants him to kill the one who did it and soap just hums like, “actually, man did pretty good, they healed real well,” and ghost’s just teary-eyes with awe at how well he’s coping, “looking on the bright side, that’s my johnny.”

imagine he thinks johnny was fully castrated but sees he’s determined to still have a sex life with him so he buys packers and straps to help him bc hell yeah healing and soap’s just like, “holy shit i’ve never had such a thoughtful partner before, such a sweet man, lt.”