#i love the carmichael references

[ghostnotoast]

The music that played at the end of part 43 after Arthur full throat screams is 'come easy go easy love' by HOAGY CARMICHAEL THATS SO FUNNY

[fountainpenguin]

The fact that Chloe and Foop are both friends and pathological liars is still SO funny to me... Foop admits he's one (after apparently lying to claim he's not, so who knows) in "Two and a Half Babies," but what is UP with Chloe...

She straight-up lies to us and authority figures about things that are blatantly untrue, like biking to Fiji, claiming she's a vegetarian despite eating meat when her parents aren't around, or completing a course of study that she acknowledges takes years in 2 seconds while on a diving board. We were literally there. Why did she even say that.

She also just ?? commits crimes?? Fraud, implied insider trading, multiple B&E cases, whatever you call sneaking into Fairy Con without a ticket, theft, property damage, whatever nailing Crocker's bed to the ceiling counts as... on top of blatantly sabotaging people and pushing Timmy to disobey Cosmo and Wanda.

Her canon fate if she didn't get assigned godparents is joining a gang and becoming a supervillain. Fascinating...

Literally Chloe after wishing to be an adult: I'm a parent, and I get to do what I want!! /slams the gas pedal and plows into 2 separate fences and a bunch of garbage cans with 3 kids in her back seat

She also just ?? went into a dark and creepy alley with three children she was responsible for? And drove directly into the wall of her own house and happily stepped out of her car? Why is she like that.

[thereoncewasagirlnamedjane]

you’re a mean one.

‣ pairing — lloyd hansen x doctor f!reader

‣ contents — oneshot, coarse language, rom-com vibes??? dark but soft??? new year special, allusions to violence, blood/injury, fluff, and i would say morally grey protagonists but tbh there’s really nothing grey about them.

‣ summary — they say that there’s nothing more frightening than a pissed off, gun-wielding, profusely-bleeding lloyd hansen who’s trying to be nice… except, maybe, for his equally unstable doctor.

‣ word count — 1.8k (omg finally a short one!!)

‣ notes — this is my first time writing for lloyd and it was so much fun, even if writing a rom-com style piece for a couple of psychopaths is still extremely hard lmao. i might make this AU a ~thing~ later, although i’m still a bit unsure 👀 anyway, happy new year, my loves! bonus points if you can pinpoint my pushing daisies reference 🤭

✩ read on ao3 ✩ janie’s masterlist ✩ library blog

Lloyd stares down at the brown file folder lying open on the kitchen counter, your picture pinned to the inside flap, pondering how quickly even the most carefully laid plans can change. 

Because you were supposed to be the means to an end. He’s been doing this a very long time and he’s since learned, that for men like Sierra Six, it always comes down to sentiment. According to Carmichael’s intel, before you left the CIA for the private sector in search of more, let’s say, lucrative work, you and Court Gentry had quite the history—the sordid romantic kind, the kind that’s the easiest to exploit. 

Lloyd scoffs, his hand tightening around his wine glass. The thought of you in bed with that rogue CIA shitbag makes him physically ill, and he quickly throws back the remainder of his drink to push down the bile that’s rising in his throat. 

You were supposed to be bait. Lloyd was to kidnap you and hold you hostage, use you to lure Gentry out into the open. It’s a classic move; it had worked so swimmingly—er, for the most part—with Fitzroy and his niece, after all. 

But he’s made a devastating miscalculation. 

He failed to consider how different you’d be compared to what was written about you on paper. He already knew you were probably decent, if not outright good, at your job, but to be singlehandedly the most talented surgeon he’s ever met? And he’s met a lot of them, given his line of work. At the very least, you are a million leagues ahead of his previous physician; casualties have gone down drastically since you came around. 

And even though he’s been shot, stabbed, and shivved more times than he can count, he can barely even see the scars those wounds left behind. Your sutures are impeccable, each stitch immaculate and uniform, like a work of fucking art—and he’s not exactly the kind of man who’s known for appreciating art. 

Not to mention you are absolutely fearless. The day you met, when he’d slapped those handcuffs on you and pressed the barrel of his gun to your temple, demanding your cooperation or else he’d splatter the walls with your pretty little brains, you simply smirked and said, “I don’t know, Mr… Hansen, was it? I only bow down to one master.” 

He almost swore. 

“Talk dirty to me then, sweetheart,” he quipped back, his lips brushing over the shell of your ear, not expecting you to lean in closer and press yourself to places you had no business touching. 

“The almighty dollar,” you whispered, your beautiful face then splitting into a wide and menacing grin that matched his own. He felt a shiver shoot up his spine and almost ruined his favourite pair of pants on the spot. Lloyd took a deep whiff then, his nose buried in your hair, the sweet smell of your shampoo mixing with the distinct scent of batshit crazy. It made him a little lightheaded, to be honest. 

To a mercenary like himself who’s loyalty also only ever lay with the highest bidder—and he uses the term “loyalty” with a very large grain of salt, the kind that’s less like a grain and more like those blocks they give cows to lick—you were a woman after his own damn heart. 

He really had no choice then, did he, but to place you under his employ. Not only was he already in the market for a new doctor, he needed someone exactly like you—someone who showed no fear whenever Lloyd lost his temper and threw one of his infamous tantrums. Even Brewer would have to leave the room with a roll of her eyes, but the way her shoulders tensed up belying her discomfort… but you? 

“Calm down and shut the fuck up already,” you’d tell him, looking bored as you carefully inspected your perfectly manicured nails, “or else I’ll pump you so full of ketamine your pathetic little heart explodes.” 

You’d then bat away the barrel of his gun that he points at you in anger, calling him a goddamn drama queen. You never bat an eyelash whenever he returns to the base with someone else’s blood splattered all over his clothes, some of it even dripping from the ends of his hair. 

And on occasions when he does return all banged up and cut open, you’d giggle manically as you unravelled a roll of gauze, bundling the strands together in a tight wad before unceremoniously jamming it into his wounds. He’d scream in surprise and agony, a litany of curses bouncing off the walls while you ordered some nearby men to hold him down by the shoulders. Once it was over, with Lloyd panting through the pain and sweat dotting his hairline, you’d unabashedly boop him on the nose with a proud grin. 

“Here you go, Boss Man,” you’d cackle, pulling off the plastic off a lollipop and shoving the candy into his mouth, sugar mixing with iron on his tongue. “For being such a good boy.” 

If anyone else spoke to him the way you do, they would already be sinking to the bottom of the harbour. Whenever he threatens to end your insolent, insignificant life with a simple wave of his hand—because what exactly did you think happened to his old doctor?—you’d laugh right in his face as though you don’t believe him. 

You really are fucking insane, aren’t you? 

Lloyd rules over his criminal syndicate with an iron fist, a notoriously short fuse of a temper, and a penchant for holding grudges for as long as it suits him. It’s why, even though it’s been weeks now since he last saw signs of Sierra Six in the vicinity, he should still be more than determined to use you to get even. 

All good things to those who wait, after all, and Lloyd definitely knows how to savour a meal. 

He’s killed countless times before and slept soundly afterward, sometimes pulling the trigger so casually he didn’t even bother looking at his target. He’s never had any moral qualms about using people to get what he wants, then disposing of them once they were no longer useful. You wouldn’t be the first, and you certainly would not be the last. He can make it so that nobody even knows you’re missing, and he should, by all means, enjoy every last delicious second of it. 

So, why?

Why, if he is all those things and more, are you somehow the dangerous one? 

Because, a voice taunts him, a voice he’s both thrilled and loathed to realize is none other than his own… wait, what’s the opposite of a conscience? 

You won’t do a damned thing. Not now, and not ever. Lloyd picks up your file and, after a few more seconds of meaningless contemplation, he tosses it into the nearby fireplace. He watches, growing more satisfied by the second, as the flames lick at and curl the edges of the pages, the logs popping and crackling until there’s nothing left but cinders and ashes. 

Because you and everyone else in this godforsaken place is wrapped around her tiny little finger. Everyone at the mansion straightens and practically salutes when you pass, some of them staring after you longingly as you walk by. Men hardened by years of service, disillusioned by a government that was more than happy to use them for their own means and then leave them to fend for themselves once they were back on home soil, simper and whine just for a few seconds of your attention. 

It makes him fucking seethe, so much so that he’s made sure to threaten every single one of them with acid poured into the empty eye sockets—oh, because they will be empty once he’s scooped the eyeballs out of their heads with a dull and rusty melon baller—of the next person who makes heart eyes at you. 

After all, while they say that near death experiences can change a man, it can’t change him that much. 

“You’re not supposed to be drinking yet,” your voice drifts into the kitchen, prompting him to turn around and smirk when he sees you leaning against the doorway, that blasted white coat doing things to him it shouldn’t be. You glance around, noting the lit candles and chilled champagne, smile growing wider when you smell a roast cooking in the oven. “And here I was thinking you only ever call on me when you’re bleeding or dying.” 

“You’re my doctor, that’s kind of how it works,” Lloyd snarks, knowing that, if he’s lucky, you’ll make him pay for that comment later. “And I’m not dyin’ anytime soon, cupcake.” 

“Is that right,” you chortle, striding closer to pour yourself a glass of wine. The movement jostles your coat open enough that he can see your outfit underneath, the same one you’d been wearing when you stitched him up the other night. “So, this isn’t your blood that came out of a giant hole someone cut into your body, staining all of my nice clothes?” 

“Occupational hazard, but if it makes you feel better—” and since when did he care about what made people feel better? “—I’ll buy you a whole new wardrobe,” he offers, eyes trailing up the shape of your thighs, the mouthwatering curve of your hips, his hand finding its way into the delicious dip of your waist. For the first time in his life, Lloyd is seriously considering honouring a promise. 

“You certainly know the way to my heart,” you turn around in his arms and loop one arm around his waist. He yelps when you press at his wound, the skin healing well but still tender. God damn, he thinks as he watches your gaze darken; it actually gets your rocks off when he’s in pain, doesn’t it? “Looks like you’ll live another day, at least.” 

“Oh, fuck off,” he can’t help but quip. The oven timer goes off suddenly, at the exact same time the clock strikes twelve. “Now get your claws off me, you sick freak, or the food’s gonna burn.” 

Despite the colourful nicknames, you seat yourself at the table and softly hum your approval, sounding much more pleased than offended. And Lloyd knows he’s just as crazy as you are, even though there really hadn’t been much doubt, because he proceeds to serve you dinner in full view of his henchmen. He doesn’t think they’ve ever seen him set foot in the kitchen once since he started this little business of his, but tonight they will learn. 

You are his, the Harley to his Joker, a tenacious but not so delicate flower blooming in the concrete. Tonight, he finally makes that clear to everyone who’s around to see, and they all have no choice but to bow down to the newly minted queen of his castle. 

“Happy new year, Boss Man,” you grin, “think we’ll make it to the next one?” 

“Maybe,” he considers before clinking his wine glass against yours, leaning in close enough to taste the dessert off your lips, “no thanks to you, sunshine.” 

It earns him another pinch, but damn it all if he doesn’t like it.

fin.

afterword — not me finding new ways to incorporate food as a love language in my stories 🙈 i can’t help it, okay???

[aziraphales-library]

Hello and thank you for being a great source of fics! I read a super sweet outsider AU that included Crowley singing Abba songs and I need more! Are there any Abba themed fics you would recommend to us?

Hi! Here are some fics featuring ABBA songs/references, and a couple of Mamma Mia! fics...

The Stars Were Bright, My Dear Boy by not_joeys_secret_account (T)

It’s 1977 and Aziraphale and Crowley go to see Star Wars in the theatre, and, surprisingly, Aziraphale has never heard of ABBA

And Everything Is You by acetonitril (T)

Once a week, Crowley joins the local pub's karaoke night to sing an ABBA song. Aziraphale doesn't know about this. This is the story of Aziraphale finding out. Also, there's a bunch of students who might or might not be involved.

How You Thrill Me by ingafterdark (E)

There were three things Crowley would remember about this movie. The deception-driven chaos, the blastedly delightful musical numbers, and the idle weight of Aziraphale’s hand on Crowley’s thigh, which grew ever-more insistent from about the half-hour mark. Or: The night in the South Downs when a certain Angel debauched a certain Demon as Mamma Mia! played in the background.

I Believe In Angels by Raphaela Crowley (T)

Crowley and Aziraphale travel to a Greek island under false pretenses. Aziraphale's a bit worried about the morality of the situation, while Crowley just wants that blasted ABBA song to not be stuck in his head any more. Sophie S. wonders if the father she's never known is Sam Carmichael or just some guy in sunglasses named Anthony Cowwley.

One Look And You're Hypnotized by quiltedspacemittens (T)

“What are you doing in Greece?” Aziraphale asks, with distanced politeness, as the silence between them stretches a moment too long. Crowley ambles, one step behind him. “’M here on business. Supposed to tempt some poor woman to engineer a decades-long inheritance and property tax evasion scheme. Something about her ex-boyfriends.” “I see. And she’s on Kalokairi?” Kalokairi, Greece, 1977. One moustachioed demon on business, one clean-shaven principality on holiday, and one island in need of a little divine intervention. A Mamma Mia!-themed Tony fic written for Stayin' Julive aka Tony Month. Hypothetically updates every Wednesday in July. Title from "Angeleyes" by ABBA.

dancing queen (guaranteed to blow your mind) by Quilly (T)

Warlock has a secret, and it's that he invited three former staff members from his estranged parents' household to his wedding in the hopes that one of them is the one Nanny is still in love with. Crowley is just wondering what entity he pissed off to make three of his old flames show up the day before his adopted kid's wedding.

Do You Like ABBA? by Matcha_Tea_and_Other_Delights (T)

“I heard there’s going to be a meteor shower tonight.” The boy tells Aunt Lilith. “Oh?” She says in response, still a little unfamiliar with some of the earthly phrases and customs. “Yeah, stars falling from the sky and you get to make a wish, it’s great. Might stay up in my room watching them for a while.” Aunt Lilith looks up at the sky too, this time with an odd sense of woe coloring her features. “Falling stars, huh?” Or: Seven years after the events of Not-mageddon, things start to gear up for the Second Coming: Supreme Archangel Raphael would sound the alarms, a flight is boarded, as a swarm of locusts envelope the Earth. Everything is destroyed, with nothing left standing. The End. …yeah that’s not gonna happen. For starters, Satan is missing. Or or: Like the ones before them, it’s up to an angel and a demon to try and stop the world from ending. Third time’s the charm isn’t it? (Basically, what if Good Omens 3 went like this?)

- Mod D

[janeiscompletelyfine]

Characters

Hey folks, I had an idea. So I'm writing a fic called Once More, With Feeling, and I am about ready to put another chapter out, but at the same time I have also finished the character sheet of every character in my fic who goes to school at the same time as Harry (whew.)

So my idea was that I would release said character sheet and people could do asks pairing a character with a subject they liked (for example, Keiko Tanaka with older lesbian awakening) and I write them a chapter if I could, because 1. motivation and 2. it would be fun!

One note: please don't use any original characters without asking. I know there's still a chance that it will happen and maybe it's not fair to ask, and if so lmk, but if at all possible, if you are reading this, inherent creative copyright is the basis of all fanfiction and if we can't agree on that, so much of what we love wouldn't exist. If you ask I'm 100% amenable to the characters being used, but please ask.

Okay, without further ado, here is the list as of right now, with Harry as a first year. When I get to the next year I'll reblog with the new kids and without the seventh years. The * refers to an original character, and the (a) refers to a character that has already been introduced in the story, which doesn't mean they can't get a chapter written but means they may already have a bit of a personality.

Once More, With Feeling Characters!

First Year:

Gryffindor:

Hermione Granger (a)

Ron Weasley (a)

Harry Potter (a)

Neville Longbottom

Seamus Finnigan (a)

Parvati Patil (a)

Lavender Brown (a)

Dean Thomas (a)

Ravenclaw:

Cho Chang

 Anthony Goldstein

Padma Patil (a)

Michael Corner

Lisa Turpin

Mandy Brocklehurst

Terry Boot

Morag MacDougal

Hufflepuff:

Ernie Macmillan

Hannah Abbott

Justin Finch-Fletchley

Wayne Hopkins

Sally-Anne Perks

Susan Bones

Lily Moon

Slytherin:

Draco Malfoy (a)

Pansy Parkinson (a)

Daphne Greengrass (a)

Tracey Davis (a)

Vincent Crabbe (a)

Gregory Goyle (a)

Theodore Nott (a)

Millicent Bulstrode (a)

Second Year:

Gryffindor:

Cormac McLaggen

Katie Bell

Poppy Lassers*

Juliet Torley*

Abraham Kent*

Callie Zeller*

 Alfie McTuckett*

Ravenclaw:

Marcus Belby

Eddie Carmichael

Marietta Edgecombe

April Whiteflower*

Lila Webster*

Bellamy Schon*

Isabela Martin*

Hufflepuff:

Rob Summerby

Leanne Nott

Kenneth Towler

Tara Moon*

Jasper Davis*

Louie Nabbit*

Oscar Cross*

Slytherin:

Billy Harper

Hakim Urquhart

Emmeline Denkel*

Lola DeLuma* (a)

Ezra Fawley*

Finch Rowle*

Leopold McManus*

Third Year:

Gryffindor:

Fred Weasley

George Weasley

Angelina Johnson (a)

Alicia Spinnet (a)

Lee Jordan

Arthur Marrigan*

Ines Cardoso*

Scott Nunez*

Ravenclaw:

Roger Davies

Patricia Stimpson

Oona Sianche*

Asa Merrythought*

Molly Moon*

Catherine Prewett*

Fabler Murray*

Hufflepuff:

Cedric Diggory

Holly Hopkins*

Henrietta Noot* (a)

Maria Jimenez*

Teddy Torley* (a)

Phineas Borde*

Alabaster Borde*

Slytherin:

Miles Botchley

Graham Montague

Paula Cardoso*

Millie Wanewright*

Warwick Yarrow*

Barry Costman*

Madeline Morrisey*

Fourth Year:

Gryffindor:

Abelia Scott*

Keiko Tanaka* (a)

Fabian Cross* (a)

Elizabeth Benson*

Benjamin Denkel*

Peter Morebb* (a)

Steve Baumgarten*

Ravenclaw:

Sylvia Fawcett

Isobel Barclay*

Callum Marrigan*

Knox Wilson* (a)

Jacob Benowitz*

Mia Solendska*

Hufflepuff:

Juno Summers

Jameson Snock*

Johnny Ahmed* (a)

Amelia Wanewright*

Lauren Zeller*

Lizzy Beckett*

Slytherin:

Lucian Bole

Cassius Warrington

Adrian Pucey

Peregrine Derrick

Maryam DeLuma*

Seraphina O’Wane*

Zuzu Clapton*

Fifth Years:

Gryffindor:

Percy Weasley (a)

Oliver Wood (a)

Hank Murray*

Rachel Flick*

Mary (Matey) Nicks*

Bill Walters*

Zoey Lost*

Ravenclaw:

Penelope Clearwater

Claude Sollens*

Abigail Beck*

Robert Wailing*

Josh Browson*

Arabella Gardens*

Hufflepuff:

Michael McManus

Mabel Macmillan* (a)

Jenny Rosier* (a)

Wallen Exeber* (a)

Maya Ahmed* (a)

Odwulf Hausmann*

Sylvester Blink*

Slytherin:

Marcus Flint

Joey Markington* (a)

Philippa Morn*

Magdalena Fawcett*

Sebastian Swann*

Winter Barking*

Sixth Year:

Gryffindor:

Sophia Ferrate*

Romina Murray* (a)

Betty Sloper* (a)

Joe Spinnet* (a)

Thomas Denkel*

Darren Cross*

Yara Fawcett*

Ravenclaw:

Fergus FInnigan

Philip Baffler* (a)

Caroline Morian*

Diana Bow* (a)

Wesley Marrigan*

Dalia Ahmed*

Lucy Torley* (a)

Petrovna Berezkina* (a)

Hufflepuff:

Cara Smith*

Bennett Hopkins*

Hugh Madley*

Bruxo Castelan*

Finn Shamble*

Stella DuLuma*

Charlotte Pack*

Slytherin:

Cecilia DeTona* (a)

Faye Winger*

Astelan Smitt*

Robin Cospen* (a)

Terence Tackman*

Berto Conti*

Walter Mane*

Lea Shallan*

Seventh Year:

Gryffindor:

Reed Dennaghue*

Dorothea Bow*

Ernest Fluckster*

Wulfric Shee*

Kirk Dunbroch*

Sarah Fawcett*

Calliope Burns*

Patrick Torley*

Ravenclaw:

Gerald Biggs*

Tony Walden*

Zelda O’Heran*

Reginald Battes*

Morgana Abbott* (a)

Aurelian Dane*

Olivia Shee*

Hufflepuff:

Jada Shafiq*

 Aster Rosier*

Norbert Caster*

Posy Kettleburn*

Helen McManus*

Tate Fawley*

Slytherin:

Terence Higgs

Clare Jameson*

Bettina Magorian*

Layla Ahmed*

Torey Denkel*

Timothy Starling*

Wander Fyke*

Sienna DeTona*

And that's it! Thank you!

[zarry-ot5]

Stardust - Zayn, Willie, and Ringo

Both these albums contain the song Stardust. "Stardust" is a 1927 song composed by Hoagy Carmichael, with lyrics later added by Mitchell Parish. It has been recorded as an instrumental or vocal track over 1,500 times, and has been translated into over 40 languages.

Originally written as a jazz instrumental, however when Carmichael began working for Mills Music in 1928, they assigned Mitchell Parish to write lyrics for the song. Don Redman was the first to play the song, and it became a regular song at the Cotton Club NYC nightclub.

It's interesting to note that during this time segregation was in full effect. People of Color were not allowed to attend performances as patrons of the Cotton Night Club, however, they could perform there. This nightclub quickly became a regular haunt for celebrities of the time.

Carmichael went on to say that he wrote the music for Stardust during the end of his love affair with Kathryn Moore, who would go on to marry Art Baker, a trumpet player in Carmichael's group Carmichael's Collegians.

This song is considered part of the Great American Songbook. The original composition being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1995.

The reason this song becomes important is because of the Willie Nelson references that Zayn has used in his roll out of his latest album Room Under the Stairs.

March 6, 2024 Zayn began the roll out and introduction of Room Under the Stairs. Part of this rollout consisted of photographs. One of the photographs was notably, Zayn sitting at a drum set wearing a Willie Nelson 4th of July T-Shirt.

In many interviews, including Nylon Magazine, Zayn mentions the influence Willie Nelson had on this album.

That's when I discovered that Willi also recorded a song with the same name, Stardust. It was after listening to Ringo's version of the same song that I found the sonic references.

Why does any of this matter...

Zayn is leaning into this reference indirectly.

When looking at the Beatles history, I discovered a couple of things.

John Lennon announced his intention to leave the Beatles in 1969. Ringo Starr was the first to release a solo album in March of 1970, and McCartney released his own album on April 27, 1970. McCartney actually arranged Ringo's version of Stardust on his album Sentimental Journey. There was zero animosity between McCartney and Starr.

Leaning into how much Harry has not only visually assimilated himself to Paul McCartney in his Fine Line era, but also acknowledged the influence of Paul McCartney solo music in the writing of that album, leads me down the road of there was no animosity between him and Zayn. I don't believe that use of Ringo Starr's name on Saturday Night Live instead of Zayn's name was a slam or a dig.

[simplylove101]

2023 Horror Challenge: [64/?]

↳“What's on their videos are things that can't be unseen.” Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (2023) dir. Stephen Cognetti

Plot: A group of cold case investigators stay at the Carmichael Manor. After four nights, the group was never heard from again. What is discovered on their footage is even more disturbing than anything found on the Hell House tapes.

Starring: Bridget Rose Perrotta, Destiny Leilani Brown, James Liddell & Gideon Berge

So, this actually became a last minute addition to the Halloween watches just because it being released yesterday made it so it arrived just in time for this year's challenge. Why put it off, right? Considering I actually appreciated the first movie for what it was and have been hearing it may be considered an improvement for the franchise, I was curious. Yes, I haven't seen the second or third one yet but it's probably true, and since these stories are one-offs (while they clearly take place in the same universe), I figured it was okay to skip around a bit. In terms of acting and visuals and things of that sort, it is a bit of an improvement from at least the original because they kept that cast tight enough that we can focus on who's who more. Now with it being filmed the way it is, it does lose some of that rawness from the original but it's just more visually pleasing to watch so I can't really complain to be honest. It's still found footage so format-wise it's gonna be a mixed bag for people regardless if they hate that subgenre. lol Like I said, the acting and chemistry within the group is better but I wouldn't say that makes it any less frustrating when you see the characters make poor decisions. Bridget Rose Perrotta brings a lot of energy to her role as Margot, which I commend her for, but sometimes in the beginning at times I wanted to be like, can she chill out a bit? XD Not gonna lie, I was very confused how this was gonna be a prequel since it's present-day and still am but they did reference the second movie plenty so at the very least I know it was tied to something in the franchise. Love how I went from funny clowns to scarier clowns this morning but that was definitely a coincidence. The creepy vibes managed to get me again at certain parts so I gotta give the creators kudos for that. I decided to be a chicken and save this for a morning watch cuz I was counting on that. lol I think I got what I expected from this, despite any flaws, so overall, it was worth the watch in my book. I'm open to them doing another movie if that post-credits scene is any indication.

[thesarahshay]

A Dorothy Sayers Primer

I initially wrote this for any Shipwrecked fans who loved Honeymoon Homicide and are now curious about Dorothy L. Sayers (the author Sinead named Tracey's fictional detective after) or Busman's Honeymoon (the Sayers novel that the script was inspired by), but it works for anyone who's curious about the Lord Peter Wimsey series! Here's some info to get you started.

For Shipwrecked fans: Busman's Honeymoon is the final book Sayers wrote in the Lord Peter Wimsey series, so unfortunately you can't start there (trust me, it'd be like watching the musical episode of Buffy first). Lucky for you, the whole series is delightful!

The elevator pitch: Lord Peter Wimsey, a wealthy and amusing English aristocrat, solves murders in 1920s and '30s London with his friend Chief Inspector Parker of Scotland Yard and his faithful valet Bunter. Why you should read it: Highlights of the series include Lord Peter's nonstop literary references (guy was basically an old-timey meme factory) and the fact that, more often than not, the books are about some bigger concept in addition to having a nice tricky mystery to solve. Topics Sayers tackled include everything from the place of women in society to the way countries fail their veterans.

There are three possible ways to read them, depending on your preference.

Read the series in chronological order. The best way, IMO! The first book is Whose Body and it's delightful, but I have heard some people say they found the earlier books harder to get into until after they had read the Harriet books, hence method #2. Admittedly, she develops Peter's character a lot over the course of the series, so the Peter we initially meet has a lot of growing to do.

Read the Harriet Vane books first. About a third of the way through the series, Lord Peter meets a mystery novelist named Harriet Vane, and their relationship is covered over four of the seven books that follow: Strong Poison (book 5), Have His Carcase (book 7), Gaudy Night (book 10), and Busman's Honeymoon (book 11). It is entirely possible to read just these four and feel you've gotten a complete arc.

Read the first book, and if you're not entirely sold, skip ahead to Strong Poison. I was talked into method #2 so I can't knock it, but I usually recommend #3 for people who aren't totally sold on the premise. At least give Whose Body a try, but if you're not feeling it and/or just want to get to the relationship stuff, read the Harriet books and then go back and fill in the gaps as you like.

There you go, more information than you possibly could have wanted! Now you can choose your method and get over to your local library to get started (btw, If you plan to go the audiobook route, I recommend seeking out the versions read by Ian Carmichael). EXTRA INFORMATION (aka I'm sorry I'm like this)

Content warning: It's the 1920s, so there's gonna be some racism, classism, fatphobia, and sexism. But if you've read Agatha Christie, this is mild by comparison. There are a few slurs and references to stereotypes, but when Sayers writes an actual minority character they're complex, sympathetic human beings. For my fellow Jews, be warned that the victim in Whose Body is Jewish, but it's not a hate crime and the Jewish characters are all cool.

Other works by Sayers: This primer is focused on the Wimsey books because they were her main writing output, and everything else she did kind of requires a caveat or is in a very different vein: she wrote some plays and nonfiction, primarily about Christianity, and a translation of Dante's The Divine Comedy which I understand is very well regarded. Her only other novels were all co-written with other authors, and in my opinion don't feel particularly Sayersesque. If you read all the Wimsey books and collections and want more, The Documents in the Case is decent. I haven't read most of the rest: I am a fan, not an expert!

A full list of the novels and short story collections in order (because I'm a completist, sorry not sorry):

Whose Body (1923) Clouds of Witness (1926) Unnatural Death (1927) * Lord Peter Views the Body (1928) [collection] The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (1928) Strong Poison (1930) Five Red Herrings (1931) Have His Carcase (1932) Murder Must Advertise (1933) * Hangman's Holiday (1933) [collection] The Nine Tailors (1934) Gaudy Night (1935) Busman's Honeymoon (1937) * In the Teeth of the Evidence (1939) [collection] Posthumous: Lord Peter (1972) [collection of all* Lord Peter short stories] Striding Folly (1973) [collection of three stories, including one never before published (later editions of Lord Peter included this 'new' story)] Thrones, Dominations (1998) [novel by Jill Paton-Walsh**, using an incomplete manuscript Sayers started for a twelfth Lord Peter book; questionably canon, but worth reading] The Complete Stories (2002) [collection of all Sayers' short stories]

*The collections are listed in publication order, but the stories therein happen at different periods of Peter's life and can be read any time.

**Paton-Walsh wrote three more Wimsey novels after completing Thrones, Dominations, but they should be viewed purely as fanfic (I personally do not care for them).

[adamsvanrhijn]

Something interesting came up in regard to the age question. Do you think Oscar believes that he is unattractive? Or atleast unattractive in comparison to John.

This is not a dig at the actor or anything just in universe of the show kind of how Downton sometimes referred to Edith.

oh what an interesting question...

i would say. i think oscar is vain and can appreciate his own appearance. & blake ritson is nice looking, and oscar is framed as handsome from the very beginning. so it isn't quite the same as the edith thing where everyone in the real world knows laura carmichael is beautiful and everyone in the show thinks edith is plain and unappealing.

so. oscar handsome = yes. oscar Attractive...

there's a different connotation there. in some ways.

because i think the context in which oscar has wanted to appear Desirable / has most cared about appearing desirable is most likely, To Other Men, to whom no doubt he is a catch (regardless of age), and for whom he is also a Type. of course he also is good looking and wants to show off in mixed company and be regarded as handsome and whatever, i'm sure all of that is true, but oscar has not been living his life, i do not think, with a legitimate air of I Hope Women Want To Have Sex With Me, until VERY recently.

and we see the glimpses of this in season 1, particularly 1.08, where john is pleasant and charming and makes gladys laugh and when he does it he has a way with young women, How Nice. oscar does not.

and then in 2.01 oscar has his attention very abruptly and violently drawn to the fact that yeah, actually he is a Type, in a way that makes him a target, and is threatening to him. and it is decidedly not a type that would aid him in finding a wife. oscar is the type of man that a violent person in a bar thinks is easily duped into going with a man alone to a place where he can be made a victim, and turns out to be right about that. which has to do with a whole host of things, not only appearances - i doubt for example that oscar would be giving off that precise vibe if he and john were together and oscar was still manifesting his own reality about how perfect his life is. (i could write at least one additional paragraph here about where oscar being john's type specifically comes in but i won't. because i love you all and nobody needs to read that) but appearances and his dress and his manner... all a factor.

so.

in the real world, when the girl oscar is hoping to marry is out, and oscar has competition... he knows what the competition is (younger-by-extension-more-attractive-to-a-young-woman or richer or both) and he knows that there are certain axes where he pales in comparison and he has just been very brutally and traumatically made aware of what that could mean for him...

of course he's going to be insecure about how he looks to others.

[medeasgalpal]

oh i’ve been looking into connections between Scottish and Appalachian folklore and I just found a fun one.

***

the story told in northeastern Tennessee goes like this: one day, a young man goes out to the field to see after his family’s cows. in the midst of the cows is a young woman he’s never seen before. the cows seem to like her, and of course, she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. he invites her home and she’s fed and given a place to stay at the farm. she offers to take care of the cows in return, an offer that is gratefully accepted. the mysterious woman becomes a beloved member of the household and eventually the larger community. she becomes known for her lively dancing. 

meanwhile, the young farmer is hyping himself up to ask her to marry him. once he finally works up the courage, he runs out to the field, looking for the girl. strangely, he doesn’t find her with the cows. he wanders further through the fields until they give way to forest. from the edge of the woods, he spots her. he calls out, but she doesn’t seem to notice him. there’s something strange about her. though her lips don’t move, there’s a song on the air. shadows are cast in a strange way, as if light was coming from further in the forest. her eyes are fixed in that direction. afraid, the young man leaps into the woods and grabs her shoulder. as he pulls her away, he catches a glimpse of her eyes, gone cold white. the music stops, the light fades. they return to the house.

the young woman never danced again after that day. she rarely spoke or smiled. no one ever found her in the woods again, but she would look off blankly towards the mountains. the young man got a job with the railroad and got married to a girl in town. once his parents passed away, the strange young woman kept the farm and the cows by herself.

***

I love this story for many reasons. it reminds me of Cowboy from Old Gods of Appalachia and the stories I grew up hearing about ghostly women hitchhiking who would disappear after you pick them up. but while I was reading about the more unusual Good Folks, I was surprised to hear that our cow loving spooky lady has a counterpart back in Scotland. 

“The gruagach haunts the fields and pastures, and is usually seen as female, with the exception of Skye where the gruagach there is described as male. Either way, the name ‘gruagach‘ comes from the long hair, whether referring to male or female – the term itself means ‘long-haired one.’ In terms of referring to men, it was common at one time for those who were of free or high rank in Scotland to have long hair, and on Skye he is referred to as being tall, wearing the dress of a ‘bygone period’ and having long yellow hair.124

The sole remit of the gruagach is in looking after the herds of cattle. If offerings of milk are faithfully made to her (or him, if we’re talking about Skye), she will happily look after the cattle at night and ensure that no harm comes to them. The milk should be given to to the clach na gruagaich, ‘the gruagach stone’, which is often described as a stone with a hole of depression in it. 

Carmichael tells us: “In making the oblation the woman intoned a rune:

A ghruagach, a ghruagach,

Cum suas mo spreidhe,

Cum sios an Guaigean,

Cum uap an Geige.Brownie/ 

Brownie,

Uphold my herds,

Keep down the ‘Guaigean,

’Keep from them the ‘Geige’.”125

This was done by the dairymaid on a weekly basis according to Reverend MacQueen, writing in 1774, every Sunday,126 and failure to do so would lead to disaster. On Skye, where the gruagach was seen as male, he was often blamed for the unfortunate circumstances of many an unwed mother, up until the late seventeenth century, at least.127″

it’s well known that the folklore of Appalachia is influenced by the Irish and Scottish settlers who wound up here, but I feel like it’s hard to find stories where that connection is as clearly seen as this one. I’m also obsessed with the idea of an Otherworldly being who just wants to take care of your cows. I was only really aware of the under-the-hill courtly sorts of Good Folk, but there’s many more. highly recommend checking out the Tairis site linked above, it’s got some really well-researched information about Scottish folk practices.

[papermoonloveslucy]

THE FACE IS FAMILIAR… BUT I CAN’T PLACE THE NAME!

Same Actor / Different Character ~ Part 2: “The Lucy Show"

It used to be quite common for actors to be cast in multiple roles on the same series. Not in principal parts, certainly, but in supporting and minor characters. Lucycoms were no exception. Although the world created by these shows was representative of reality, the characters who populated them often gave viewers Deja vu.

For the purposes of this discussion, we won’t include background performers (aka extras) as they were nearly always drawn from the same pool of actors. Also, those who played multiple characters need to have at least one of them identified by name.

MARY JANE CROFT

Croft (a veteran of "I Love Lucy") was introduced to viewers as Audrey Simmons in 8 episodes from episode 8 in 1962. When the show's location was changed to Los Angeles, Croft also changed - into Mary Jane Lewis, which was her legal name during her marriage to producer / director Elliott Lewis. When Vivian Vance left the cast, and Lucy failed to fill her 'second banana' spot, Croft's role became increasingly more integral to the show. The second MJ was seen in 31 episode, including the series finale.

CAROLE COOK

A protege of Ball's from the Desilu Playhouse, Cook was introduced as Thelma Green in five episodes set in Danfield. Unusually, during that time she also played Betty Jo Hanson at "Lucy's College Reunion" (1963). Perhaps the episodes were aired out of filming sequence. When the show moved West, she played socialite Mrs. Valance for three episodes, and a variety of other characters (large and small) in 11 more.

ROY ROBERTS

Roberts was best known as Bank President Mr. Cheever, a role he played in 14 episodes starting halfway through season five and including the series finale. But he first appeared as the Admiral in "Lucy and the Submarine" (1966). Roberts was likely typecast as Mr. Cheever after playing a similar role on "The Beverly Hillbillies" from 1965 to 1967.

MARY WICKES

Wickes was a great friend of Lucille Ball's. While she only made one appearance on "I Love Lucy", she was seen much more frequently on "The Lucy Show". In her first appearance she played a character named Mary Wickenhauser, Wickes' birth name. It wasn't long before she was back as Fran, one of the Danfield volunteer firefighters, in three episodes. When the series went to LA, she was Lucy's Aunt Gussie in two episodes, followed by one-offs Miss Winslow, Miss Hurlow, and Aunt Agatha. In total, she played 6 characters in 9 episodes over 6 seasons! And that's just on one series!

LUCIE ARNAZ

Before she joined the cast of "Here's Lucy" as a series regular in 1968, Lucy's daughter was given opportunities to perform on "The Lucy Show", although in small roles. In Danfield she was seen as Chris's friend Cynthia in several episodes. In LA, she played several different teenagers in five episodes.

HERB VIGRAN

Vigran started out as Dr. Jacoby, the umpire of Danfield's softball team, in two episodes. He went on to play a variety of others: a doctor, a vet, a postman, and a computer salesman that was referred to as "Mr. Vigran"!

DOROTHY KONRAD

Konrad used her own first name as a member of the Danfield Volunteer Fire Brigade in two episodes, then used her last name as one of Lucy's college alumni in another. She also played bank secretary Mrs. Hutton, and babysitter Mrs. Fletcher.

JOAN SWIFT

Swift was most often seen using her own first name as a Los Angles co-worker of Mrs. Carmichael's. She also played an airline passenger, a French maid, and characters named Laurie and Dottie.

KAREN NORRIS

Norris was seen in six episodes, each time as a different character, but all with dialogue. Her most significant role was as Babette Edwards, a woman about to have her sixth child in "Lucy and Viv Play Softball" (1963).

LEW PARKER

Parker played Joan Crawford's agent, a movie producer scouting Frankie Avalon, Phil Harris' music producer, Mr. Mooney's lawyer AND his psychiatrist! In some episodes he used his own first name, in others he used his own last name.

PARLEY BAER

Baer Started his "Lucy Show" life playing the man who sells Lucy Clementine the sheep. He went to be seen as two judges, an army colonel, and a doctor. Is it any wonder he was one of the most familiar faces on television?

KATHLEEN FREEMAN

1964 was a big year for Freeman, who appeared on "The Lucy Show" five times in four different characters. She was known by her own first name in two episodes, but also played Olga the cook, Mrs. Putnam the maid, and Mrs. Blake the nurse.

GARY MORTON

Morton was Lucille Ball's real-life husband, and also a producer on "The Lucy Show". His first role (not surprisingly) was as Lucy's boyfriend, named Gary Stewart. As a stand-up comedian, he was able to handle dialogue and was cast in three more small roles, one time using his real surname. In the end credits, he used his birth name Morton Goldaper. Speaking of Lucy's boyfriend...

KEITH ANDES

Andes had played Lucy's love interest on Broadway in Wildcat (1960), so it wasn't a reach for him to do it again on "The Lucy Show." He played Bill King on two episodes set in Danfield. In Los Angeles he was back as Lucy's love interest, but this time named Brad Collins. Collins is an airline pilot, just like Lucy's boyfriend in Danfield, Harry Connors (Dick Martin).  Collins was also the surname of Viv's steady boyfriend, Eddie (Don Briggs), back in Danfield.

LOU KRUGMAN

Krugman was one of Lucille Ball's favorite performers. He was instantly recognizable as the film director coping with Lucy Ricardo and her ungainly headpiece. On "The Lucy Show" his first appearance was as a Chemistry teacher named Dr. Adrian Vance (after Vivian, of course). He played a music producer named Barney Miller (no relation to the TV detective), and finally returned to playing a film director, again coping with Lucy as she watches John Wayne film a western.

JONATHAN HOLE

Hole made his first appearance with Lucille Ball in 1966, playing a department store manager named Mr. Collins. That same year he was Mr. Haskell, a Palm Springs hotel manager where Lucy and Carol sing. Finally, he used his first name to play Jonathan Winslow, father of three rambunctious chimps babysat by Lucy.

RETA SHAW

Shaw was a popular character actress from film (Mary Poppins), stage (The Pajama Game), and television ("The Ghost and Mrs. Muir"). She was seen as 3 different characters on "The Lucy Show" starting as a girthy granny at the fairgrounds when "Lucy Misplaces $2,000" (1962). In "My Fair Lucy" (1964) she was dominating Dora Dunbar, wealthy socialite. Finally, she played Mrs. Foley, owner of a roadside stand selling maps to the stars homes when "Lucy Goes to a Hollywood Premiere" (1966).

HARVEY KORMAN

Korman is best remembered from his hilarious work on "The Carol Burnett Show", but he was also worked with Carol's mentor, Lucille Ball, playing 3 roles on "The Lucy Show." First he was Mr. Slater, manager of a day camp where "Lucy and Viv are Camp Cooks" (1964). The next year he was twitchy stockbroker Mr. Phillips. During the series' first LA episode, Korman played Major Grayson, who is in charge of a military academy.

PAUL WINCHELL

Paul Winchell was best known as a ventriloquist and the inventor of an artificial heart (seriously). In 1966 he played himself on "Here's Lucy," also showcasing some of his most famous creations. The following year he was cast as Doc Putnam, a little old man, in a two part musical episode "Main Street USA". He was barely recognizable. The role required him to sing and dance, which led to a falling out between his daughter and Lucy. She felt that Lucy was working him too hard and being exceptionally cruel.

KASEY ROGERS

Rogers is best remembered for playing Louise Tate on “Bewitched” from 1966 to 1972.  For Lucy, she played Miss Cavanaugh, manager of a flight attendant training school attended by Lucy and Carol (Burnett). In the final season, she played Miss Carroll, secretary to Phil Harris.

LLOYD CORRIGAN

Corrigan appeared in two films with Lucille Ball before joining her on the small screen as Mr. Holly of Holly Cleaners on the first season of "The Lucy Show". He returned to play gentleman crook Carter Harrison (a name that when reversed is given to Gale Gordon's character on "Here's Lucy" and the unnamed proprietor of a Los Angeles Christmas Tree stand.

TED ECCLES

Teddy Eccles was the second child actor to play Arnold Mooney. When Mr. Mooney and Lucy moved to Los Angeles, their children were hardly ever discussed. So Eccles was given the roles of cadet Harold, and Barry the choirboy.

HAL SMITH

Smith was best known as Otis the drunk on "The Andy Griffith Show," filmed at Desilu. For "Lucy" he played Mr. Wilson, one of the dads on an all-dad (plus Lucy) camping trip, and tuba-toting Mr. Weber in the two episodes set on "Main Street" of Bancroft.

WILLARD WATERMAN

Former "Great Gildersleeve" on radio, Waterman played TV host Greg Gregory in “Lucy and the Plumber” (1964), followed by Tex Critter at the dude ranch in "Lucy the Rain Goddess" (1966).

DICK PATTERSON

Patterson was a Broadway performer who played the "doctor" in "Lucy and the Beauty Doctor" (1966). The "doctor" was actually a TV host for a hidden camera show. He returned seven months later to play Marty King, director of Danny Thomas’s television show. 

DORIS SINGLETON

Doris had originated the role of Carolyn Appleby on "I Love Lucy". On "The Lucy Show" she first played Ruth Cosgrove in "Lucy and Art Linkletter" (1966). Her character name was the real-life name of Milton Berle's wife, who would actually appear in season five as herself! Singleton returned to the series when "Lucy Gets Her Diploma" (1967) using her own first name. Doris (the character) has very little to do with the plot.  Her scene might have been originally meant for Mary Jane but reassigned to Singleton due the indisposition of Croft.

RUTA LEE

Lee made her big screen debut in MGM’s Seven Bride for Seven Brothers in 1954. She was seen in many Desilu shows, finally acting opposite Lucille Ball on “The Lucy Show” as “Lucy’s Substitute Secretary” (1967). That same year she played herself opposite the aforementioned Ruth Cosgrove-Berle!

JACKIE COOGAN

One of the first child actors in Hollywood, Coogan is best remembered as Uncle Fester on "The Addams Family." He was mentioned on "I Love Lucy," but finally meets her face to face as Lieutenant Ruggles in "Lucy and the Military Academy" (1963). Five years later he was back as Mr. Burton, manager of a drive-in hamburger stand when "Lucy Gets Involved" (1968).

JAY NOVELLO

Novello started acting with Lucy on her radio show and was also seen on "I Love Lucy." In this series he plays Mr. Bundy, candy shop owner and safe cracker , and (1963) Tony DiBello, owner of an Italian Restaurant (1964) where Lucy takes her millionaire date.

OTHERS WHO HIT A DOUBLE

Jack Benny (Harry Tuttle / Himself)

Lyle Talbot (Mr. Stanford / Howard Wilcox)

Dan Rowan (Colin Grant / Dan McGowan)

Barbara Morrison (Mrs. Walker / Mrs. Winkler)

Cliff Norton (Mr. Bentley / Ike)

Tommy Farrell (Pete Murdock / Harry)

Jack Collins (Rocky / Ernie)

Howard Caine (Harold / Paul Roney)

Byron Foulger (Fred Dunbar / Mr. Trindle)

Eddie Quillan (Mr. Vincent / Briggs)

Elliott Reid (Ross Dowd / Dr. Oscar Kurtzman)

Phil Vandervoort (Alan / Tommy Watkins)

[training4theapocalypse]

Also, before I forget I love how you wrote/write Una. She is THAT bitch. And like the way Carmichael was talking about how she's "more dangerous" because she's unpredictable, I'm eating that shit up. I love the unpredictable babes who can also be soft (to her lil bro🥺)

How was coming up with an OC for this fic go for you and did you have any inspo or references? Also, is she the same character you were referring to in the drabble you wrote not long ago or was that a completely different character?

Anyway, as always I love your stuff and sorry if I keep bombarding you

Thank you so much 😭 and don’t worry about bombarding me - it literally brings me so much joy that someone is enjoying this fic. And if there’s one thing I love it’s talking about my writing lmaoooooo.

Una was loosely based on the character in the drabble (the Finders Keepers character just sorted into Slytherin) but for A Nest of Vipers I decided to make her a different person with an established canon family.

As far as references go - nobody immediately springs to mind for Una. Sabine and Meredith are basically Regina George and Gretchen Weiners from Mean Girls, respectively. Una is an incredibly perceptive addition to that group who usually does a good job at hiding just how much she knows 👀

I sort of think Una is how I’d like to have acted when I was single and dating. Anyone on here who knows me knows I am very ‘teehee 🥰🤪💖’ unmysterious, heart on my sleeve person but I love writing someone that is like ‘😒🖤🐍’.

I think Una is also secretly insecure but loves that everyone thinks she’s ‘that bitch’. So when Cormac finds out something about her in Ch 3 that makes him realise maybe she isn’t what he originally thought, she’s gonna be really annoyed when he starts treating her differently. 👀

I’m having so much fun writing an OC for the first time in fanfic - I think it gives you a lot more creative freedom than writing a reader character. I’m enjoying making sure she has all those Slytherin traits but showing her reasoning behind everything so she isn’t just plain evil (women’s wrongs activists rise up).

Thank you for the ask!! 🥰🥹

[driftwooddestiel]

we love you sally carmichael was predictably bad n cheesy but also honestly so fun. the only thing i actively disliked was the random unnecessary mormonism references

[saturngalore]

GINA’S HAIR 💇🏾‍♀️

one - adonis, two - paula by @sheabuttyr, three - tahliah, four - fae by @greenllamas, five - sydney, six - nebula, seven - avalon, eight - fuchsia, nine - akasha by @ebonixsims, ten - bea, eleven - daya by @simtric, and twelve - najlaa (tysm to the creators! i highlighted the ones that i know are black so <3)

[babyrunsforfanfic]

Old Money — 1 of ?

summary: when you meet steve harrington at the country club your parents insist you attend each year for the holiday season, you are slightly surprised at how you and him just immediately click. it only takes two more meetings for him to convince you to uproot your life and move to hawkins with him. however, when you get there, you realize he’s been keeping something from you, a someone— his boyfriend; eddie munson.

steve harrington x fem!reader, steve harrington x eddie munson, eventual!steddie x reader

warnings/tags: sfw, fluff with pockets of angst, miscommunication but it’s resolved, reader has hair long enough to tie back and tuck behind her ears, reader wears skirts and dresses, reader never called y/n, reader referred to by petnames (princess mainly), reader is old-money rich, steve and reader’s parents suck, reader’s last name is carmichael for the plot ok, infidelity but it’s due to miscommunication you’ll understand when you read it it’s cleared up fast, robin x nancy, making out, allusions to sex, discussions of polyamory, reader realizing her feelings for eddie at the very end, honestly it ends on a cliffhanger i’m so sorry

wc: 6300ish

•••

you kept a glass of wine pressed to your lips as you continued to survey the crowd around you. you loved the holiday season, truly you did. however, as much as you enjoyed the time of year it was— the festivities and the place was lacking.

your parents always demanded you attend the country club in upstate new york, saying it showed a more "unionized front", if you went. your grandmother when she was alive, always laughed it off and didn't make you attend every year. your grandfather was more subdued, thought he loved your grandmother dearly- and when she didn't want to go, neither of you had to go either.

however, this year you didn't have your grandmother's coat tails to hide behind. instead, you just nodded and agreed when you were asked to attend, lying from behind clenched teeth about how excited you were to attend. 

"you're a sight for sore eyes." your grandfather huffed from next to you, and you stifled a laugh by sipping down a mouthful of wine. your grandfather chuckled lowly himself, and you leaned up on your toes to press a soft kiss to the apple of his cheek.

"papa," you kept your voice soft, and you caught the light twinkle in your grandfathers eyes as you pulled back. "and what are you plotting?"

"well," your grandfather hummed primly, righting the sleeves of his suit jacket, causing you to roll your eyes fondly at the tone that flooded his voice. "i've successfully thwarted your parents from trying to marry you off, and i successfully stopped the tyner's children from drinking from the waterfall."

you were barely able to stifle your laugh, using the back of your hand to press against your mouth. your grandfather was smiling, eyes crinkled and mouth twisted in a grin as he watched you.

"oh, aren't you the overachiever." you teased softly, and your grandfather tipped his glass of bourbon to you, before he took a swig. "is there anyone worth actually talking to tonight?"

"well..." your grandfather trailed off, eyes darting to glance around the crowd- before it seemed he ultimately found whoever he was searching for. "would you like me to introduce you to someone? i believe, well, i believe your grandmother would have wanted you to meet him."

you swallowed harshly, fingers of your free hand ghosting the pearls you had around your neck. your grandmother had given them to you in her will, the heirloom ones that she had worn from the time she was your age, ultimately until her death.

"i... yeah, alright." you nodded taking the last sip of your wine, before you sat it on a waitstaff's tray as they walked past you both. "let's go then."

your grandfather followed your lead, abandoning his glass on the same tray, before he held his arm out to you. you carefully twisted yours into his, folding your arms smoothly as the two of you walked. you tried to not pay attention to the way people seemed to part as you followed your grandfather, and instead focused on counting your breathing.

it took twenty breaths to cross the room to where your grandfather had been looking, and you allowed a smile to spread across your face as the two of you came to a stop.

"mr. and mrs. harrington," your grandfather hummed, and you stifled a smile as the couple seemed to rush to turn around. "i saw you from across the room, and remembered i just had to introduce you to my granddaughter."

you murmured your name as you shook both of their hands, smiling and nodding when they repeated your name back to you.

"oh well you must meet our son!" mrs. harrington grinned, and you sent a side-eyed look to your grandfather, who very pointedly avoided your gaze. "steven! dear, come here for a moment- will you?"

"it's just steve, mother-" steve harrington had started before he fully turned around, though he immediately stopped as soon as his eyes met your own. "oh, uh, hello."

"hello." you greeted back, feeling heat rapidly rushing to your cheeks as you smiled. mr. harrington was quick to give your name to steve, and you felt butterflies roll in your stomach as steve mouthed it to himself- before his eyes were back on your own. "it is lovely to meet you."

"likewise, uh-" steve was blushing, heat rapidly swelling on his cheeks, and you couldn't help but furrow your brow as he pointedly ignored his own parents. "would you like to accompany me for a drink?"

you turned to your grandfather who was beaming, before you glanced back to steve, and nodded slowly.

"alright then." at your words, steve gestured for you to follow him- and you hummed as he pressed a soft hand to the middle of your back. he used this hand to guide you toward the bar, and when you were far enough from both of your relatives, you let out a soft laugh. "i believe my grandfather is trying his hand at meddling, i apologize."

"no need, really." steve grinned, you shrugged your shoulders slightly as you cast him a look. "i was waiting for someone to save me, to tell you the truth."

"so i'm your knight in shining armor?" you teased lowly as steve and you approached the bar, and the man easily tugged out a barstool for you. you slid down, eyes still on his, and you felt heat rush to your stomach as he playfully tugged on a strand of your hair as he kept eye contact with you.

"seems so, princess."

you let out a soft laugh, ordering another glass of wine as you turned to steve, who ordered a glass of some form of hard alcohol that made you scrunch your nose. he watched you as well, eyes trailing over your body, before he made eye contact with you once more.

"so, what's a guy like you doing here?" you questioned, head cocked as your brow scrunched together.

"a guy like me?" steve laughed, and you hummed playfully as you nodded. "and what do that mean?"

"you didn't grow up in this." you pointed out easily, and steve nodded slowly. "you're newer money, my guess is your father? he was just recently promoted and offered an invitation?"

"oh so you're good at guessing this then?" steve joked and you shrugged again, smiling when the bartender slid you your glass. "and what about you?"

"oh, old money." you shrugged, and steve's hum prompted you to continue. "couple generations of oil, that type. my grandfather, the one you were introduced to, is my head of house."

"huh." steve cocked his head, eyeing you as his drink was dropped off within his reach. he made no move to touch it, and you mimicked his movement as you cocked your own head.

"hm?" you made a questioning hum from the back of your throat, and steve shrugged as he plucked his glass up, swirling the alcohol around inside of it.

"you seem miserable." steve's sharp words caused you to let out a laugh, and you held your wine glass by the stem as you nodded. "you admit it?"

"let me let you in on something, steve." you murmured, and you leaned forward so you could drop your voice an octave. you tried not to breath in steve's scent, a deep cologne that you truly wanted to never stop smelling. "you'll find that here? oh we're all terribly miserable."

steve let out a guffaw as you pulled back, and you stifled down a laugh as his eyes brightened as he smiled at you. you smiled shyly as he tipped his glass in our direction, and you slowly mimicked the movement.

"to being terribly miserable." steve teasingly toasted, and you tapped your glass against his as you giggled.

"to being terribly miserable."

•••

"and how are you enjoying tonight's festivities, miss carmichael?" the man in front of you, christopher something, asked, and you smiled slightly.

"it's beautiful, of course." you glanced around you, taking in the lights, before you offered another smile to christopher. "it is a lovely time of year, and i am blessed to be here."

"and you're still-"

a warm hand pressed against your back, and you turned as you caught the light brown colored eyes of steve harrington. he offered you a wide grin as he passed you a glass of sparkling wine, before you offered your own smile back.

"there you are!" steve theatrically greeted you, and you pressed the rim of the wine glass to your mouth to stifle a laugh. "your grandfather is looking everywhere for you! he said it's incredibly urgent."

"oh, is he?" you hummed after swallowing your mouthful of wine, before you sent an apologetic look toward christopher, whose jaw was set. "i am so sorry, we must continue this another time!"

"yes, we must." christopher nodded toward you, and you allowed steve to sweep you away, who managed to hold his own laugh until you were far enough away.

"oh you are terrible!" you hissed playfully, batting at steve's arm as the two of you came to stand slightly hidden behind a pillar.

"you looked like you were drowning." steve teased back, grin wide and eyes sparkling as he took a drink from his own wine glass. "in my defense, it was your grandfather's idea for me to be the one to go save you."

"that doesn't surprise me," you shook your head as you laughed to yourself, and you felt heat roll in your stomach as you looked up at steve. he was watching you again, slowly eyeing you from head to toe, before an easy smile spread across his mouth. "what?"

"you love pretty tonight," steve shrugged, and you shook your head with a fond roll of your eyes. "you do!"

"i'm sure you tell your girlfriend that all the time." you rose an eyebrow, and steve's grin widened. "don't look at me like that!"

"so, you've been wondering if i have a girlfriend?" steve hummed, and you let out a small scoff as you rolled your eyes again.

"oh hush," you waved him off, taking a sip of your wine as you tried to cool your all of a sudden parched mouth and throat. "have you been having a good time tonight?"

"yeah." steve admitted, and you nodded as you swirled the wine around in your glass, looking around the room for your grandfather. "do you like it here? in... society i guess i mean."

"i've been here since i was born." you answered, smoothing a hand over the pearls around your neck in an attempt to comfort yourself. "it's all i've ever known."

"that wasn't my question, princess." steve was closer, and you swallowed as you took a shaky step back. "i asked if you liked it here, not how long you'd been here."

"i like it well enough, i think." you murmured, eyes still set around the room- refusing to look at the man in front of you. his cologne cloyed at your senses, and you drew a short breath in as you huffed a sigh. "i envy you, you know. i heard you live in a small town and have a much quieter life than i do."

"and that's something you'd want?" steve questioned as he moved another step forward, and you blinked shyly up at the man as he stood in front of you. "is it?"

"yeah," you shrugged, and steve shook his head as he just watched you with a furrowed brow. "why are you looking at me like that?"

"for one, i enjoy looking at beautiful things." steve's voice was soft, and he tucked a small curl behind your ear as he kept his eyes on your own. "secondly, i'm trying to figure you out."

"oh?" you giggled, rolling your eyes as steve made a hum noise from the back of his throat. "and what are you trying to come to a conclusion about?"

"i think you'd do well in my town." steve instead hummed, and you held back a shiver as you watched the man take a slow sip of his wine instead. "it's small, but hawkins is home, that and my friends are there. i think you'd get alone well with them."

"maybe so." you kept your voice soft, and you dropped your eyes from his to glance at how close you were to each other. the tips of his well-polished dress shoes were barely an inch from your heels, and you glanced up at him again, before you looked over his shoulder. you could see your grandfather discussing something with your parents, and he caught your eye before sending you a pleading look. "i need to go attend to my grandfather, excuse me, steve."

you moved around him quickly, head and eyes still facing away, though you let out a soft gasp as his hand curled itself around your wrist. your eyes met his as he held you back, and you caught the look in his eyes he sent you as he stared down at you.

"i don't," steve murmured lowly, and you ignored the satisfying tremble that licked up your spine as you blinked up at him.

"you don't what?" your brow furrowed, and steve just grinned at you as he twisted your hand- before he planted a kiss onto the back of your knuckles. he kept eye contact, even as he let your hand slip out of his fingers.

"i don't have a girlfriend, princess."

at his words you felt your heart ache, and instead of responding, you turned on your heel- and continued to walk toward your grandfather. when you met your family, you all exchanged greetings, though they all left you to your own devices as you focused on drinking from your glass. once the trembling in your fingers stopped, you searched the crowd for steve again.

you found him, much too easily, as he stood with his own family— his eyes already on you. he tipped his glass in your direction, before he took his own sip of his wine. your grandfather bent his head down to your ear, and you turned your head slightly- though your eyes remained on steve's light brown.

"everything alright with him, buggy?" your childhood nickname didn't even annoy you as much as it usually would, and you let out a hum as you took a sip of your wine. "what's on that mind of yours, child?"

"i think i've decided something," you murmured, and you kept your eyes on steve as he had turned to slightly address his parents, though his eyes still stayed mainly on you.

"and what is that?" your grandfather hummed, and you shrugged as you tipped your glass toward steve.

your grandfather and steve both followed your movement, with the former just watching knowingly as the latter raised his own glass toward you for an across the room toast.

"i'm pretty sure steve harrington is going to break my heart."

and with those words, you drank.

•••

"come to hawkins with me." steve kept his voice low, as the two of you were sat facing each other on a window seat. it was the thirty-first of december, and the clock continued to creep toward midnight. "please."

"and do what?" you murmured, letting steve rub his thumb along your cheekbone as his large hand cradled your cheek. "my parents would disown me."

"would they?" steve questioned, and you shrugged. "my parents have threatened to disown me countless of times, and they haven't yet. my dad might be upset i work at-"

"family video with robin, i know." your own voice was soft, and you let out a low sigh as you turned, blinking up at the sky.

steve and you had spent the entire time at the country club together, growing closer. he'd filled you in on his life, his friends, the children he babysat. you'd filled him in on your own life, though in comparison... it felt rather boring. but, nonetheless, you told him stories of your grandparents. of horseback riding, traveling to foreign countries, learning new languages. and he listened, which was more than the majority of your social circle did.

"come to hawkins." steve repeated, using the grip he had on your face to turn your head so your eyes were on his. "i can't leave you here to waste away."

"is that what i would be doing?" you question lowly, feeling a flutter roll in your lower belly. "wasting away?"

"come to hawkins with me." steve repeated again, though this time, his nose is brushing against yours. you gasped quietly, lower lip trembling, and steve used his fingers to tilt your chin up. in the background, you can hear the countdown begin, and you huff out a sigh. "come home with me."

10

"why?" you murmured, and steve smiled as he raised his free hand to cradle your other cheek. "why?"

9

"tell me you don't feel anything between us." steve demanded lowly, and steve grinned when you balked. "tell me you don't, princess, and i'll stop asking."

8

"i-" you flicked your tongue out to wet the corners of your mouth, and you caught the way steve's eyes followed it. "steve..."

7

"come home with me." steve pleaded, and you swallowed as his thumbs rubbed along your cheekbones again. "princess..."

6

you blinked up at steve, your eyes meeting his glossed over ones, unshed tears wetting his top lashes.

5

"princess..." steve swept his thumb up to catch a tear that fell from your eye, and you swallowed sharply.

4

steve leaned up and pressed his lips to your forehead, right in between your brows. you scrunched them, and he nosed at your forehead before he pulled away.

3

"come home with me, princess." steve asked again, and you swallowed as you scanned his eyes for any reason to not go. you didn't see anything, instead just the absolute yearning, he seemed to have for you. "please."

2

you nodded, a nervous tilt to your smile that caused steve to draw in his own breath.

1

"i'll come home with you." you murmured, and steve grinned wide at you, before he pulled you close just as he leaned in.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

you'd kissed plenty of people. guys and girls alike. countless of times, but this... oh this.

steve harrington could fucking kiss.

you whined into steve's mouth as you leaned forward, pressing yourself closer to him- your hands lifting to cradle his face back. your lips moved against his softly, mimicking the way his bottom lip slotted in between your own lips. he pulled back, a smile on his mouth, all teeth- and you grinned back, before he connected your mouth back to his.

steve pulled back for a moment, tracing your bottom lip with his finger, as he sent you a smile.

"happy new years, princess." steve murmured, before he leaned forward and connected your lips in another kiss. you giggled into this one, especially as one of steve's hands left your face to slide down your back and press you farther into him. "god i fucking love kissing you."

"take me to your room." you murmured against his mouth, letting steve bow you to his body as he shifted the both of you. "stevie, take me to your room."

steve nodded as you hummed against your mouth, before he pulled away so he could catch your eyes as he spoke.

"okay, okay, we'll go up."

•••

"so you want to throw away everything for a boy you don't know?" your mother hissed and you didn't make eye contact as you kept your eyes trained on the plate in front of you.

steve and you had spent the night together, learning each others bodies well into the morning, before he'd escorted you back to your room. the two of you kissed whenever there was a lull in conversation, openly giggling into each other's mouths. he left you tucked in bed in a shirt of his, well worn with the black sabbath logo across your chest, before he excused himself.

you blinked up toward your mom when she cleared her throat, an expectant look on her face. you shrugged, clearing your own throat as you took a sip of your orange juice, hoping the sharp taste would stop the trembling of your hands.

it didn't.

"i like him." was all you responded with, and you winced at the dry laugh your mother gave.

"you like him?" your mother mocked, and you diverted your eyes toward the bar- where your grandfather and father were talking, the former looking toward you with a protective look in his eyes. "oh! so that makes it so much better."

"what do you want me to say?" you instead hissed back, and you turned back to your mother- eyebrows arched high. she rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her champagne as she waved her hand in the air. the bracelets on her wrist clacked, and you held your tongue to not scoff.

"marry one of the good boys i've been trying to set you up with!" your mother ordered, jabbing her pointer finger into the tablecloth. "not this... this random boy! marry someone from a good family."

"i'm not talking about marriage." you ground out, eyes narrowed as you ignored your grandfather and father as they came back to the table. "i'm talking about my life! mine!"

"you are my daughter." your mother bit out and you shrugged as your grandfather folded his hand against the back of your trembling one. you sighed lowly as your father cleared his own throat, and you looked up to catch the disappointment look that had flooded into his eyes.

"so you want to move to somewhere like indiana?" your father scoffed lowly, and you sighed as he took a sip of whatever alcohol he had in his glass. "if you do we will disown you and cut you off-"

"you will do no such fucking thing." your grandfather cut your father off, slamming his palm down to quiet the table. you flinched, eyes wide as you turned to your grandfather- who was watching you knowingly. "you will do absolutely no such thing."

"she is our daughter, unless you forget." your mother hissed back, and you held back a smile at the dry laugh that escaped your grandfather.

"and she is my fucking heir." your grandfather's voice was clipped, even at the wide-eyed look your father sent your mother. "my wife, may she rest in peace, decided that when she was but a toddler."

"you can't do that!" your father hissed, and your grandfather let out another dry laugh as he wrapped his hand around your arm, successfully tugging you away from the table. "you can't!"

"you will find, son, that i most certainly can." your grandfather shook his head again, before he leveled his gaze at your parents. "i need to go have a conversation with my granddaughter about her happiness and future... something i am unsure if i want either of you to be apart of any goddamn longer."

you let your grandfather pull you away.

when it was just the two of you, you then allowed him to cup your cheeks in his time weathered palms, and you felt the tears being wiped away before you even knew they'd been shed in the first place.

"do you want to go to indiana with steve?" your grandfather's voice was soft, coaxing, as if you were a wild animal he was cradling in his hands.

your grandfather was the first to refer to steve by his name. not "that boy", not some allusion to steve being below you. he called him his name like he was a person, like you were a normal girl bringing home a date for the first time.

"please." was all you murmured, and you held back a sob when your grandfather nodded, before he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to your brow.

"then, buggy, that is what you will do."

it went quick, the squaring away of plans.

your grandfather booked both you and steve plane tickets, first class because why would it be anything different, to the closest airport to steve's hometown. he filled you in on being his heir; the money, the investments, everything that would be transferred to your name when he passed.

he cut your parents off too. enough money being put into an account that while they would be able to live, they'd never live as extravagantly as they had been previously. he talked to steve, made him promise to keep you safe, to keep a smile on your mouth. the two of them laughed together and conspired together as if they had known each other for years.

when your grandfather dropped you both off at the airport, he cradled your cheeks in his hands once more. tears in his eyes, as he pressed a kiss to your forehead, before he whispered against your skin.

"live your life, buggy. enjoy everything it has to offer you."

•••

you loved hawkins as soon as steve drove into the town.

his bmw had been waiting for the two of you at the airport, courtesy of your grandfather, and steve kept his hand in yours as he drove. he pointed out different places, ones he'd already told you countless of stories about on the plane; the hideout, the video store, the arcade, the diner with 'overpriced fries and milkshakes but apparently they're worth it anyways'.

his house was nice, the largest in the cul-de-sac, and you scrunched as you surveyed the two cars that were waiting in the driveway.

"that would be nancy-" steve gestured to a station wagon, and you nodded. "and that would be eddie's." steve gestured to the older van parked in front of the station wagon, but the way steve said his name is what caught your attention.

it had meaning in it, the way it rolled off his tongue. steve talked of eddie, sure, but it always in passing— never fully going in depth to whoever the man was. you knew he was important to steve, that was abundantly obvious, but... you felt something akin to unease roll in your belly, and you just nodded as the man next to you shifted his car into park.

"do you..." steve licked his lips, and you nodded fondly, stepping out of his car as he did. he fumbled with his keys, nervous, and you smiled before you gestures toward his house.

"i'll be with you in a minute, i'm sure your friends miss you, i've had you all to myself for almost two weeks." you waved him off, and steve nodded as he curled his arm around your waist- before he pressed a soft kiss to your mouth.

you pretended to not notice the rustle of the downstairs blinds from over his shoulder.

when steve leaves you leaned up against his hood, you let your head fall into your hands, palms rubbing harsh circles into your clenched shut eyes. you feel stupid, you can’t help it. and maybe while steve is trying to hide it, you could tell. he had feelings for whoever this eddie person was, and here you were— getting thrown smack in the middle of it all.

you count your breathing again, fingers smoothing over the pearls around your neck, before you decidedly walk up the path to steve’s front door. the door is unlocked, and you aren’t even surprised at what you walked in on.

steve harrington is pressed against the wall, by who you assume to be eddie- their mouths connected in a brutal kiss.

the two men part as if they’ve been electrocuted, and you offer the two a faint half-smile as you scan your eyes over eddie. he’s hot, you can’t deny, the almost complete opposite of steve— who is looking at you with his mouth slightly agape. you say nothing, and instead scan the entryway of the home, before you nod your chin up the stairs.

“can we go talk?” your voice is soft, and when steve tries to step forward and touch you- you turn away. steve freezes immediately, and when you cast your eyes to him again, he has his hands by his side.

“c’mon, sweetheart.” it’s eddie who finally speaks, voice low, ragged from having his breath stolen by steve. you meet the almost puppy-like look his dark eyes have, and he smiles at you as he gestures up the stairs. “let’s all go talk.”

steve harrington’s room is bare.

it looks like it’s barely been lived in, the only decoration being that of a few polaroid photos taped to the mirror of his dresser. you say nothing to either of the men, instead leaning against a wall- head cast toward your feet.

“we’re in an open relationship,” eddie is the first to explain, and that releases the weighed down pain you had in your chest. it’s enough for you to raise your chin slightly, and eddie continues on after seeing the movement. “i’ve known about you since steve first saw you, but he should’ve told you about me.”

“i didn’t because i’m an idiot, a big dumb idiot.” steve cut in, and you swallowed back a laugh as you nodded slowly.

“we’re poly, uh-” steve floundered, eyes wide as he blinked toward eddie, who took over again.

“we see each other and other people, you don’t even have to interact with me.” eddie soothed, and you nodded again as you fiddling with your fingers. “yeah?”

“so… you guys see each other, and other people separate? but not, not together?” your brow is furrowed as eddie and steve both nod. “does that not, does that not get weird?”

“oh i live off compersion, sweetheart.” eddie teased, and you let out a laugh- shaking your head slowly. you don’t miss the hopeful look that washed over both faces of the men across from you. “but seriously, you don’t have to interact with me romantically at all. we can be platonic with a capital p, like how stevie here is with buckley.”

you can’t help but laugh, not fully knowing the story behind the phrase, but finding it humorous nonetheless.

“i…” you nod slowly, a soft sigh falling from your lips. you knew about polyamorous relationships before— you hadn’t been under a rock. “i wish you would’ve told me about it, stevie.”

“i know princess, i know.” steve kept his voice soft, and you don’t pull away when steve is in front of you. “I wasn’t lying about anything else, okay? i… there is something between us, and i know you feel it too.” you nod, and you don’t pull away when steve’s hands raise to cradle your cheeks in his palms. “i would really like to kiss you, can i do that?”

you nod again, and when your lips meet his- you allow yourself to fall. steve crowded you to his front, arm dropping to loop around your hips to pull you flush to his front. you barely hear the bedroom door open and close, and when you pull away to catch your breath- steve planted soft kisses down your jawline and throat. his teeth graze teasingly at your pulse point, and you use that to grapple at his shoulders so you can push him back slightly.

“we need to talk, all of us, later.” you say into the space between the two of you, and steve nodded in quickly as he kept his eyes on yours. “all of us and no lies. i, i’m still really mad. okay?”

“okay.” steve pressed another kiss to your mouth, and when you pull away- he doesn’t plant kisses down your throat. “do you want to go meet nance and robin? they really want to meet you.”

you nod and let steve to pull you from his room.

•••

it took nearly two weeks for you to fully forgive steve for what he kept from you. after you, eddie, and him sat down- he explained why exactly he’d hidden it. to divulge his secret, he’d have to tell eddie’s. and while eddie had given his complete consent, steve felt off about outing eddie. which, you knew to be true, since the brunette hadn’t even spoken about the fact that nancy and robin were together.

like, together together.

which, led to today.

nearly a full month after you came to hawkins, you’re tucked on steve’s bed as you waited for him to get home. a fantasy book, one of eddie’s you think, is propped on your legs as you sit with them crossed in front of you. you heard the stomp up the stairs before you saw him, but you smiled at eddie when he burst into the room nonetheless.

his hair is more tamed than you’ve seen it, tied in a half ponytail, though it’s starting to frizz around the crown of his head. his eyes are wide and theatrical, and you cocked your head slightly as eddie frantically looked around the room.

“his shift is running late at the video store, keith’s apparently having car issues.” you explained, and eddie sighed as he started to deflate- clearly having intended on ranting to steve.“did your date go bad?” you kept your voice soft, and eddie let out a loud huff.

“go bad?” eddie shook his head, and you watched with a furrowed brow as the curly-headed man pulled his ponytail out, shaking his curls loose. “sweetheart, it was a fucking nightmare.”

you swallowed at the nickname, mouth dry and you nodded slowly. eddie kicked his boots off, dropping them into a pile near your carefully placed ballet flats. his chain wallet was unclipped next, and the brunette tossed it onto steve’s dresser with a groan.

“i’m going to go outside and smoke and uh, wait for steve.” eddie murmured, an apologetic look and tone in his eyes and voice. “sorry for barging in here-”

“you could stay.” you don’t know why you said it. you really don’t. but the wide-eyed excited look that spread across eddie’s face made it worth it. “um, i was reading but- we uh, we could talk? i…” you can’t help but furrow your brow, before you tucked your bottom lip in between your teeth. “are we allowed to cuddle?”

eddie laughed. like full on, tipped his head back laughed. and he was still laughing to himself when he answered you. “i think so, sweetheart.”

which is how you found yourself tucked into the arms of your… well whatever steve is to you’s, boyfriend. eddie is warm, and when he cuddles- he fucking goes all in. both of his arms are around you, your legs entwined, and you aren’t a hundred percent sure when you wrenched your sweats off… but they’re discarded in a heap by the side of the bed.

eddie let you fully relax against his chest, and he told you stories. stories about growing up in hawkins, going to the middle and high school here. how he had to repeat senior your three times, and how now he was a manager for the one and only little record store in town. how he had a band, and while they weren’t worldwide yet, the played at the small bar on the edge of hawkins every tuesday and thursday night.

he doesn’t talk about his date, short of telling you her name, though he took to referring to her as ‘the bitch’. the only reason he hadn’t fully gone in depth about it was due to the fact he didn’t want to have to repeat the exact same story to steve as soon as he got back home.

eddie let you nudge your nose against his throat, your face tucked carefully into the crook of it, before you let out a yawn.

“stevie’s back, sweetheart.” eddie murmured, and his hand smoothed down your shoulder blade as he tried to pull back. “let me go ahead and pull back, that way you can cuddle him when he comes up, yeah?”

“no.” you indignantly murmured, shaking your head as you kept your nose tucked against his skin. “staying like this, stevie can put up with it.”

you ignore eddie when he laughed at you, just as you didn’t turn when the door to the bedroom opened- and footsteps froze in the doorway.

“hey there, big boy.” eddie greeted, and you hummed at the feeling of his voice as it rumbled through his neck. “you’re uh, girl, turns into a cuddle-bug doesn’t she?”

“you’ve been… oh.” you hear steve chuckle, and the sound of him kicking his shoes off, before he’s at your back. he crowded you closer to eddie, not that you minded, and you aren’t even jealous when you can hear the unmistakable sound of them kissing above you.

instead, you allow yourself to relax even further, and when steve’s cold fingers find your neck to tilt your head- you let him. you have to twist, having been on your side in eddie’s chest- but when you’ve moved enough, steve plants a kiss to your lips.

and his mouth tasted like eddie’s.

as you settle back down, tucked between the two of them, all you can think is one thing.

you’re absolutely fucking screwed.

[torchwood-99]

Downton Spoilers

New little teaser that gives away something that’s been long suspected

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w0nPso7-OM

From the editing, it seems like Mr Movie Director is telling Mary that he is completely mad about her. So that’s another guy who falls in love with her. Mary’s speech about marriage being a novel could be in the lead up, indicating that she isn’t happy with Henry. Or it could be Mary gently letting Mr Movie Director down. I kind of hope this isn’t just another case of ‘man hopelessly desires Mary and she has to refuse him’. That was pretty much her entire plot post series 4, and we don’t need more of it. If there is some reciprocation on Mary’s side, that gives her some conflict, then that would work better at least.

Edith also has a line. At a ball in France (which I suspect is near the end of the movie and their trip) she is talking to someone, telling them that whatever their secret is, might it not be the time to tell it.

So it can either be the lady who welcomes them to the Villa of the Doves, or my better guess, the man who welcomes them, who I am pretty certain is Robert’s half brother. In another trailer, Robert asks the man why he brought them here, and the man had a very emotional look on his face. I bet this is about him wanting to get to know his estranged brother. I also kind of think he looks a bit like Hugh Bonneville, so they might have been looking for someone who could feasibly related to Robert, but I don’t know if it’s just me who sees that. if they are half brothers, it is probably through their mother (as opposed to their father, Violet’s French lover, which would mean that Robert was never the rightful heir all along. Could happen, but I’m not sure the film will have enough time to explore that in depth’.

Laura Carmichael said that the events of the movie brings out Edith’s journalist side, so it looks like she will investigating Violet’s secret past, and I reckon that this talk we see her have with the mysterious figure will have her reference her own secrets and Marigold’s birth. I’m going to theorise that Edith will be debating with telling Marigold about Michael, now that she’s older, and the events of the movie will make her mind up. I also hope that if it did turn out that Violet also had a illegitimate child, then when Edith returns home, she and Violet have a heart to heart about it.