#i thought I was going to lose it in the theatre and get kicked out for laughing too hard when Michael got his ass jumped by Corey

[justarandombrit]

Okay, so in case anyone couldn't make it to the livestream (and just because I wanted to), I wrote down some notes while watching it, so if anyone wants to read them, they're below the cut. (Also sorry ANI fans, my dad came in to borrow a pencil while the ANI segment was happening, so I missed a lot of it)

. There was a 4 minute long intro voice over before AVPM

. James watched AVPM

. 600,000 and Lauren plays the green screen piano

. 700,000 and Lauren does an architectural digest on the green screen house

. Jon really loves Ready To Go

. Darren keeps letting Joey know he sounds like shit on old recordings

. Pinball Pete’s burnt down 🙏🙏

. MAMD was the first student produced album to make the charts

. A Very Potter Sequel’s name came before A Very Potter Musical

. They accidentally wrote Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

. James gave Julia Albain leg splints

. During Starship the entire cast was breathing fibreglass

. Starship was called “knowingly amateurish”

. Darren was supposed to write 15 songs for Starship, but he got cast on GLEE

. Darren flew in to join a rehearsal as a surprise, ran in singing Beauty and everyone was so pissed

. Everyone still loves Kick It Up A Notch

. Nick: “Which was Holy Musical B@man-

Lauren: “Fuck yeah”

. They made up Sweet Tooth, and then found out he was an actual Batman villain

. Matt came up with “Calendar Man, your days are numbered” in his dream, and it was so good it forced him awake to instantly call Nick

. Everyone thought the flying machine joke was the best AVPM joke

. Goin' Back To Hogwarts Reprise made everyone cry

. AVPSY was five hours long

. Curt saw AVPSY

. Darren arrived 2 hours before the show and didn't get a chance to read through a lot of the script

. Darren came up with “I hope you find that swimming pool”

. Joey ate one banana on the day of AVPSY and during Sidekick went “I'm losing my vision”

. They had to pay the hotel union $11,000 to use THEIR OWN microphones, and Darren's STILL BROKE

. Jeff accidentally washed out his Aladdin hair dye

. A.J. Holmes had the same agent as Jafar's original VA, and they got him to do the intro and say “pee” and “poop” in Jafar's voice

. ANI was, as we know, expected to be a hit, and, as we know, it was not

. TTO was, as we know, expected to fail, and, as we know, did not

. TTO had a batshit cast party

. Pierce used to ask Matt insanely complicated questions before bed, e.g, “How did WWII happen?”

. Firebringer was a really old concept

. Literally no one questioned why the “I don't really wanna do the work today” clip had loads of people dressed as cavewomen + cavemen

. Firebringer was the first show Jon saw live

. They made up all the Hatchetfield shows at the same time

. Nick kept making sure Paul was having fun

. The song from the Pirate Show, “Born To Be Wretched goes so fucking hard. Like if a sea shanty was a musical theatre song essentially

. Mariah: “Rich gays, please give”

. Lauren choreographed Show Stoppin' Number

. People actually gave Lauren their phones when she asked in Inevitable, and they would take them backstage and take selfies before giving them back. One time it was locked and she shouted “WHAT'S THE PASSCODE?!?!?”

. Joey: “I'm in the middle of Wiggle”

. Everyone was ill during Black Friday

. Bryce saw Black Friday

. BRYCE GOT THE APPLE

. Nick told her “Interesting things happen here” when showing her to the seat

. Ahhh when Jeff played Tom…

. Angela was in Jaime’s improv class

. Angela is no longer on vocal rest

. Angela had to kill Sherman with a finger gun one night

. Will was 100% ready for NPMD

. Will was at a party they went to during A Very Starkid Reunion

. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR STARKID

. Rip Kim

. The Docks of Troutspear is sung by Matt’s favourite character (it also slaps)

. The Pit Stop in Hatchetfield livestream is going to be a tag team deathmatch

. I love Starkid so much

[ye4gerism]

𝑵𝑶𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑴𝑶𝑹𝑬 - 𝐋𝐄𝐎𝐍 𝐒 𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐃𝐘 𝐗 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑

word count 2.22k

content black reader friendly, pre-law reader, slight college party, shifting povs, inspired by the ‘jane the virgin’ scene when jane meets micheal, first date, and ofc a break-up! i also don’t know anything about the law, so forgive me if anything seems wrong - i’m literally a theatre major

author’s note hi! my feed has been a little quiet as i have been working as i’ve been working on the ‘love is blind’ series (it’s coming guys! i’m almost done with chapter one😭). i haven’t posted anything for resident evil in a LONG time so please take this leon x reader story. i’ve been debating on making this a series, so let me know if you want more

synopsis my take on leon and the girlfriend that we always hear about before he left for raccoon city.

Well respected recently graduated and now a rookie cop for the San Francisco Police Department, Leon Kennedy had been asked to tag along with another officer, Ross, to look into a noise complaint.

"So pretty much when you get there-"

"When I get there?" Leon gawked. "I thought it was going to be a you and I thing?"

"Listen to me. I'm the vet, you're the rookie," Ross countered. "You're gonna knock on the door, be nice, make 'em feel comfortable. Then you're gonna find who's in charge and search around a bit to see if there's any illegal activity: drug dealing, underage folk in there, you know? If everything seems peachy, you ask them to keep the noise down and wish them a good night. If not, I'm right here."

Leon bit his lip as they pulled up to the neighborhood awaiting their assistance. There's no way I'm losing my shit right now, he thought to himself, I was top of my class. I can do this. Once Ross has settled by the sidewalk, Leon immediately gets out of the car so that A) his nervousness can't be seen and B) to get some air. As he gets out of the car, he notices an older woman coming his way. "Thank God you're here. I can't do it with these college students. I can't put my kids to sleep! You'll take care of it right?" she exasperates. Leon gives her a small smile. "Of course, ma'am, I'm here to help." Leon leaves the older woman where she is and confidently walks up to the front door which couldn't contain the noise escaping the house. He rings the doorbell and waits a few moments before ringing again. Again turns into about ten times.

The door swings open. "I'm here! Geez." In front of him is a girl in a pink babydoll dress lined with pink fur. On her head, she has a set of white bunny ears, and her hands are lined with satin gloves. She doesn't look like someone who would hold a rager. She looks Leon over. "Nice costume. It almost looks like the real thing," she says with admiration. She places a hand on his chest and rubs some of the buttons on his blue uniform button down.

Leon is losing his absolute mind. He truly wasn't expecting her to open the door. And her outfit? How could he not lose his mind? He loved the way it settled on her body. The thought of Ross kicking his ass snapped him out of his daze. He stood tall and swatted her delicate fingers off of his uniform.

"It is the real thing, ma'am." He watches as the pretty bunny-eared girl steps back slightly. "O-Oh my gosh. You're an officer." She looks down sheepishly. "What can I help you with sir?" She steps out of the house and Leon steps back. She closes the door behind her in the process. "Why are you closing the door? You know, I'll have to take a look in there, right?" Leon stated. "Oh, well." She tilts her head to the side and gives him a shy smile. "It's too loud in there. I think I want to hear every word you have to say, Officer...Kennedy. And don't you need a search warrant?"

Leon hesitated before answering. Then he makes a mistake; he looks back at Ross, who's looking straight at him through the car window.

"Oh, so you don't even know what you're doing? Aren't you glad that one of us is pursuing law instead of the law?" His head snaps back at the girl. "You're pursuing law?" he asks. "Mhm. Nothing crazy though. I want to go into family law," the girl states ecstatically. "Hmm, well then, maybe you'll be mindful of the family next door? The mom doesn't look too happy with the party," Leon points out. The girl's smile drops slowly. "I trust you'll bring the noise level down. I'll let you off the hook. If there's another call, it won't be me they'll send next time. They'll send a professional who wouldn't mind busting the doors down."

"Alright, well...you win, Officer. Have a good night." She begins to close the door slightly but then stops halfway remembering something. "Could you wait here for just a second?" Leon doesn't have a chance to respond because she quickly re-enters the house. The music lowers significantly and within a few minutes, she reappears. There's a folded paper between her pointer and middle fingers. "Here you go!" she says sweetly as she hands it over to him. "Good night, Officer." Before Leon could respond, she closes the door. "That was a lot," he muttered to himself. Her note was still in the palm of his hand. He shoves it in his pocket to read after work.

Leon approaches Ross in the vehicle. The vet rolls down his window. "Well, rookie?"

Leon pauses for a moment thinking of how to describe the situation. "The homeowner thought I was a guest until further clarification. I tried searching the home but she pulled the "don't you need a search warrant?" thing on me. She's a potential law student I guess. But she ended up lowering the volume and came back outside to wish me a good night." 

Ross rolls his eyes and sighs. "You approach everything with a heart of gold, don't ya? Ever so trusting. You can't be a cop if you're going to be all soft with a pretty girl. I saw you up there, rookie! I may have not been able to see your face but I know you melted at the sight of her."

Leon doesn't respond and walks around the car to sit on the passenger seat. "Leon, all I'm saying is that you need a grip, alright? I'm not too mad at you but come on," Ross continues. The rookie nods, acknowledging the advice.

After his shift, Leon started his venture to his apartment. The note was in his jeans; he avoided opening it at work to avoid commotion. Everyone seemed to baby him because of his young and good-hearted nature (but it was nice to know that his coworkers thought highly of his kindness). Pulling out a note in the locker room would cause his vets to tease him about his lack of a girlfriend, which was already an inside joke.

On the way home, he ordered some Chinese takeout. He wasn't scheduled to work tomorrow, so he planned to stay up late. He finally arrived home after thirty minutes of traveling all over San Francisco. Immediately, Leon flopped on his couch. He pulls out the note from today's suspect and opens it up.

'415 - *** - ****. call me. you're cute ;p'

Leon chuckled to himself. He had gone his entire life with old ladies telling him that he was adorable but this was the first time someone around his age had ever called him cute.

It was close to eleven at night but Leon had an urge to call; after all that girl was hosting a party. No way she was asleep.

He dials her number on his Nokia and lets the phone ring.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"I'll give you three guesses," Leon answers.

The girl chuckles. "Is this the really cute officer who came to my party today? The one that tried to search my house?"

Leon rolls his eyes at her reply. "Well, it's my job ma'am."

The girl laughs again before opening his mouth. "Is your party still going?" Leon asks.

She hums, "Well, wouldn't you like to know? I shut it down an hour after you left and just hung out with some close friends that stayed behind."

"You know, I never got your name. I'm Leon."

She tests his name out. "Leon...I like it. I'm Y/N."

"I like yours too," he pauses, "Listen, I know I just met you like five hours ago but you didn't just give me your number to give it to me...are you available on Saturday? Do you wanna do something?"

There is a slight silence on the other side and Leon starts to worry that he's come on too strong. "On second thought, that was inn-"

"No, no...I'm just looking at my calendar. I'm available. You know where I live. Surprise me...oh! But tell me what to wear if you're thinking of taking me to the beach or something...which I doubt you'll do for a first date."

Leon can't help but smile. "Well then...good night, Y/N."

"Good night, Leon."

"I really had fun, officer. You should ask me out again." You pull him closer to you by his jacket. "Thank you for walking me to my apartment."

"My pleasure. Thank you for letting me take you out - I didn't take you as a movie and fast food girl. I'm happy you're satisfied." Leon's hands find your waist.

You hum teasingly. "But as much as I love a $2.99 McChicken Meal, when I'm a lawyer and you're a chief or whatever, I'm expecting you to take me to some expensive places. We ought to know the good restaurants if we're going to meet with judges or even Presidents." The two of you are even closer.

"Yeah, yeah. I just hope you're up to a McChicken Meal after those fancy political dinners." He looks at you lovingly for a moment. "Can I kiss you?" he asks quietly.

Instead of answering, you go in for the kiss. Normally, you'd wait; living in California, you can across so many weird individuals with weird interests and even weirder intentions. However, on your first date with Leon, you were immediately met by his kindness and his want to help others. When you were both comfortable, he told you about his parents who had passed away due to their involvement in crime, and how that led him to someone showing him genuine affection, even when they didn't have to.

You pull away first and can't stop a smile from forming on your face. His hands move from your waist and hold your hands. "Sleep tight, princess. Call me, alright?"

You smile and nod as you open your apartment door. You get one more glance at him. "Good night, Leon."

"Are you pulling my leg right now? You're still planning to go out to the fucking Arklay Mountains?! Leon, are the lights not on up there?"

His apartment had pretty much been packed up; you were standing in a sea of boxes flabbergasted by Leon's motivation.

"No, I'm going to work at the Raccoon City Police Department. As I've already explained to you, they've accepted my application and I'm being transferred."

"I don't see what's wrong with here - in San Francisco-"

"Y/N, have you heard me try to stop you from going to New York for law school? You're moving to one of the busiest cities to go to school." Leon cuts another long piece of packing tape.

He had a point but your worry was his reason to go to Raccoon City. You worried about his safety. "I...I just don't want you to go. I know you’re interested in what happened over there but Leon…”

“Why is this a big deal, Y/N? I met you like what? Four, five, six months ago? I don’t understand why you think you have a say in what I want to do with my career. It’s not like you’re my girlfriend or anything more!” Leon snaps. His eyes widen realizing what he just said.

“Nothing more?” You respond. You start to wonder why you’re upset anyway. If you were “nothing more”, why the hell were you fighting for this jerk? “Ok, Leon, go to Raccoon City. Go up to those fucking mountains.” You step over the boxes to reach the front door. Leon drops his tape to go after you.

“Y/N, listen wait. I didn’t mean that.” He reaches the door before you do, placing his hand on it in an attempt to stop you.

“Nothing more. Your words, Leon.” You look him straight in the eye. He moves his hand from the door, sensing your seriousness through your eyes. Leon lets you go; he’s unable to find the words to make you stay. You don’t look at him as you step past him and out of his life.

You felt like you had made a big mistake. As you unpacked in your new East Coast apartment, the news kept replaying a report on Raccoon City and the Umbrella Corporation; something about the company going bankrupt and the entire city being destroyed. You had phoned Leon multiple times and it always went straight to voicemail.

The stress of “is he dead or ignoring me?” had you in tears the entire day. He was probably alone with it happened, unsure of how to get out of the city or even unaware of what was going to happen next.

You felt so much guilt. Was it right to be so upset with him? Was it even worth it?

You pick up your phone and dial his number once more.

“Hey! You’re calling Leon S Kennedy. I’m busy right now so feel free to leave a message or call later. Bye!”

ok! let me know if you guys would like more out of this series :) bye!

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV Trailer (me losing my freaking marbles - YOLO) Pt2

I'm just going frame by frame thru AMC'S BEAUTIFUL new IWTV trailer. But I had to split this into 2 parts cuz Tumblr won't let me post 30+ pics. 🙄

They transition from Louis telling Claudia "It's you and me," to BB!Dan being "disrespectful"--yelling at Louis wanting him to make him a vamp, like we heard in S01E01.

And they immediately cut to the clip we've seen before of Louis crying & being dragged off by some old dude (if that's a vampire I feel bad for him, LOL). This might be Claudia/Madeleine's execution, rather than the Trial itself, cuz Louis was wearing a different outfit. (And Claudia's wearing the YELLOW DRESS! Imma be sick! 😭)

So I wonder when the "best outfit" Jam Reiderson said Claudia wears is gonna take place--which I'm assuming is the red Flamenco dress from the posters.

It is SO incredible that we're actually gonna see The Trial, and LESTAT BEING THERE, and seeing Madeleine & Armand & Santiago.

It's interesting that they cut from Armand saying it wasn't SanFran where he failed Louis but Paris, and jump to hallucination!Lestat mocking Armand, yelling "HA!" Is Louis' outfit the same as the one where the old dude dragged him out crying? It kinda looks the same. So is Louis imagining Lestat being FURIOUS with Armand for what's about to happen to Claudia? I wonder why Les is in THAT suit, cuz it looks like the same one he wore in S1E03 the night he kicked Jelly Roll Morton out of town & ragged on Louis about not wanting to kill humans.

Good lord, here we go. #GoneTooSoonMadeleine. U_U And I LIKE THE IMAGERY of the joint/shared transformation, nodding to Claudia desperately wanting Louis to be her (blood) spouse, as they make Madeleine together.

Jfc Louis really did almost kill BB!Daniel. O_O He shattered all that plaster--that's brain damage for sure--no wonder he can't remember the interview, LOL. (I still think Armand used the Mind Gift to make him forget everything.)

A lot of paintings and canvases--art heist Armand?! Are we finally gonna see how he made all that money, going around stealing priceless treasures!? (You can see Armand's feet floating, LOL.) Or is the inside of that chateau his coven raided, "we own dominion!"?

Daniel asking Louis: "YOU BUY THAT?"

AMC thinks they're FUNNY! Cuz they cut right from Armand stealing art he didn't BUY, to lovebomber!Lestat laughing in the townhouse and Louis yelling in what looks like a train station? So he's freaking TF out in public (just like Paul).

Ooooo--then they have Lelio!WolfKiller!Lestat about to attack someone (Magnus? Nope, I double-checked it's Armand cuz ofc it is), looking like the freaking BEAST in his red cape--

--right before we get Lestat's POV of Louis and him fighting in Ep5.

Cuz yeah, Lestat had snapped, and was beating Louis like he was a DOG, like he wasn't even seeing a PERSON, let alone someone he was supposed to be protecting from vampires/monsters LIKE HIM--and OMFG Louis was in blue just like Belle was during the wolf attack--I hate this show.

And they immediately jump from Louis getting beat by Lestat to what I assume is Louis getting jumped by the Theatre--trapped in the coffin they were gonna bury him alive in.

What on earth is Claudia throwing? I swear I think these are bombed/blown-up body parts--pieces of someone's life gone cuz of the WAR. (And immediately cut to Loustat fighting.)

"Who are you, Louis? If there was no ME, if there was no HIM." So yes, the fan theory that Louis WANTS those pieces gone are correct. Or rather--Louis THOUGHT that having those pieces removed would help him. He thought he could recover the lost parts of himself if he wiped his mind of the painful memories. But something must've triggered him--likely finding Claudia's diaries after the 1970s--we are SOOOOO deep in Merrick territory. Cuz Louis wants those memories BACK now--with a vengeance.

*squints* Are they really GOING THERE with Lesmand!? O_O That's not Nickistat, right? Cuz the very next clip is Armand--using telekinesis on Louis (or Daniel?) WTF?!

And then we see the familiar clip of Armand using the Fire Gift when he first meets Louis. Just paralleling how much Armand openly flaunts his many gifts in front of Louis, while Lestat tried to hide everything he could do to not scare Louis away--until Ep5 ofc.

Doomed "happy" "family." YELLOW DRESS ALERT ☝️. The calm b4 ish hits the fan. They immediately cut to Claudia being "welcomed" by the Theatre and Santiago zooming thru the tunnel--

--DEATH to all of them! "F**k these vampires"--Claudia never lied!

Louis, you are just too dang pretty--GTFO off my dang screen. 😍

Another YELLOW dress--these images are cursed.

Loustat reunion at the Trial, if that's the same outfit Lestat wore here.

Give him hell, Armand! 😈 He wanted to be the Devil's Minion so bad--here you go! Look at all that glass shattering around him; no wonder Daniel's scared for his life, LOL! (If this is actually Louis throwing a fit I will DIE.)

Louis finna GO OFF on this BUFFOON! So THAT'S why Armand was mad! XD Louis (or Claudia?) was about to rip Santiago's whole jaw off! XDDDD

The sound of Louis just crying has me in a STATE. AMC is doing something SO freaking different from the film & the books. Louis is actively trying to make sense of things, as we see this poor man just suffering with PTSD and mental illness; with no one to HELP him but some crotchety old man who borderline hates him, and an old AF vampire who'd loves him so much that he'd rather have Louis forget everything cuz ignorance is bliss. 😩

Louis WANTS to remember everything. Armand does NOT want the interview. And Daniel is scared.

Holy freaking goodness, what an incredible trailer. 👏 May 12th can't get here fast enough!

[simpywriter]

Flames (Bonus Chapter - 2)

Hot fire

Pairing: Zuko x Reader Universe: Canon Words: 3.2k

Flames - Main

Summary: With his new position of Fire Lord, Zuko is so stressed that not even you can calm him. After a big fight with him you both need to reconcile, what a perfect opportunity to finally take that step. (This is a bonus chapter for my three-chapters fic ‘Flames’, but you can also read it separatly)

Warnings: emotional sex, kinda bossy Zuko, 18+, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

‘I’ll kick his ass’ You kept thinking as your clenched fists were surrounded by flames, crankling your toes to get rid of the sand between them caused you to constantly lose balance, losing control over every technique you tried. Frustration and anger stiffened your arms, making your movements clumsy and unsuccessful.

This all started a little less than a week ago, when you and Zuko moved to Ember Island together with Katara and Aang, in order to have a quiet and calm place to discuss some matters about the four nations; Sokka and Suki caught up with you a day later, Toph shortly following. The first days were peaceful, you spent your mornings on the beach, writing down ideas you discussed over lunch and in the afternoon, while the evenings passed while sitting in front of a bonfire, telling each other about your lives now that you weren’t all together anymore.

But then the topics became heavier and more complicated. And Zuko started to freak out. Every word, every doubt you tried to bring into conversation was an excuse to get mad and lash out on you or the others; his role was difficult and his father left on his shoulder a big burden, but it couldn’t be an excuse to treat poorly the friends trying to help him. So, you decided to hang out more with Katara and Suki, train your bending on the beach and ask Sokka for help in hand-to-hand combat. But avoiding him seemed to make the situation worse, Zuko started sending you digs whenever he could, the little gestures he usually reserved for you, like pouring your tea first or intertwining your fingers under the table, were gone, replaced by huffs and clenched fists when you stood up to get away from a discussion.

«You know what? Tonight you stay alone», you once bust out during dinner after yet another contemptuous comment about your laziness. «I’m done with you for the next twelve hours» «Oh yeah? And where would you like to sleep?», the others were looking between you two without a word, their eyes scanning rapidly your expressions in turn. You were almost embarrassed to be fighting with your boyfriend in front of all your friends. Almost. «It’s not of your business. And you made clear that you don’t care about me. That wouldn’t be the first time either», you could see a glimpse of pain in his eyes and immediately regret saying those words. However, you didn’t had time to go back on what you said because Zuko quickly got up, sending you and icy glare. «Then I won’t care» He stormed out of the door without a second thought.

«So… are we still going to the theatre tomorrow?». Katara quickly summoned a wave from her cup, showering her brother’s head.

You tried to convince Toph to let you stay with her since she was the only one with a free spot in her room, but the little girl was strict about sleeping alone; after nearly an hour of prayers and promises, you found yourself forced to knock on the door of your and Zuko’s shared room. ‘Spirits, that girl is so bossy. Ugh.’ «I don’t want to talk Aang. Just leave me alo-» «It’s me».

You could sense him freezing just from the soft gasp he let out. You impatiently waited for him to open the door, dreading the thought of sleeping on the little couch in the living room. Just as you were preparing yourself to relight the fireplace, Zuko opened the door, leaning against the frame with a tired expression. You regretted your previous words even more: his hair was a tousled mess, the robe asymmetrically tied on his waist. «I…», you couldn’t look at him in the eyes «Toph wouldn’t let me stay…». Without a word he moved away, letting you in. You nodded in gratitude and quickly found yourself climbing into the bed next to him, facing the other side. At first both of you remained silent, listening to the waves shattering on the beach; then, you sensed him moving on the mattress, leaning closer to you «Y/N… Can we talk?», he brought his arm around your side, squeezing you lightly against him, but you moved away, standing up quickly to prevent him from trying again (also because you knew you would give in easily, especially when he was giving you the puppy eyes… Focus).

«I’m still mad, Zuko. You’ve been awful to me these days» «Excuse me??» He got up, harshly throwing the blankets away «I may have treated you badly, but you told me that I don’t give a damn about you. Even though you know how bad I feel about everything that happened!» «Don’t scream» «I know», he took long steps in your direction «And then it’s you who is… well…». «I what?» «You know it…» «No, I don’t», you said, crossing arms against your chest.

You could see his cheeks flush even with just the little light coming from outside «It’s not important» «Evidently it is!» «Don’t scream» «I know», you sighed «Tell me» «No» «Zuko» «You’re… You’re always clinging to Sokka» «It’s not… huh?»

You blinked, replaying his words in your mind two or three times more before you really understood what he was saying. And when you did you had to turn to all your self-control to not start laughing right there in front of him, Sokka came here with Suki, they were like glue and the water tribe boy always looked at her with heart-shaped eyes. You couldn’t believe what your boyfriend just said. «Oh Spirits… you’re jealous». Zuko felt even more ashamed hearing the amusement in your voice «I’m not jealous! It’s just… you’re mine», he muttered the last part, face twisted in a pouting frown.

«You just… always ran to him and… ask to practice together, on the beach. And that happen every single time I can’t stay with you because of the work or after a fight, a-and… maybe you think I’m not enough and-» The words died in his throat as you took his face in your head, delicately holding his gaze «Just calm down». His golden eyes stared into yours, the pupils were shaking in a whirlwind of self-doubt. When he saw the corners of your lips curl up, his ragged breath calmed. «I’m not going anywhere», thumbs traced gentle circles on his cheekbones «I know it’s hard for you, but don’t you ever think that you might not be enough. Okay?», Zuko nodded shyly, never making a move to distance himself from your grip. «Even if sometimes you piss me off a lot», you stifled your laughter as you saw his skin turning crimson, from neck to ears. «You’re so cute~», you teased him, giggling even louder when his eyes widened and he hurriedly hid his face sinking it into your neck, muttering a ‘Stop’ against your skin. The boy felt the vibrations of your laughter across his chest, making his heartbeat even faster; but along with that familiar feeling that came over him when he heard you laugh he felt something else, something heavier.

«I’m sorry», he whispered, and you closed your eyes as he wrapped his arms around your sides. «I’m really sorry for everything I said to you», his voice trembled and you could feel him seeking refuge in the warmth of your body, just like you had done with him years before, when your family abandoned you: «It’s ok», you reassured him «I’m sorry too, I know you care.». His hands moved from your hips to both your cheeks as he rested his forehead against yours with shaky breaths. He gave you a little peck and you couldn’t contain a soft smile, «I love you», he whispered before kissing you again, and again, and again until your lips were glued together; you could feel the passion Zuko was conveying in his kiss, the previous softness left space for something warmer. His hands moved from your cheeks down your neck, caressing you back until encircling your waist. His naked forearms were hot against the soft fabric of your nightgown.

Before you knew it you were pressed against a wall, Zuko’s finger kneading the skin of your hips, moving awfully close to your butt. You ran your nails through his hair, shivering at the sound the boy made when you scratched his nape. He muttered your name, being quickly silenced by your tongue on his. A leg found its way between yours and you let out a trembling moan, a warmth in the pit of your stomach, forcing you to clasp a hand on his shoulder. «Are you alright?», he slightly pulled away, just enough to leave your lips touching. Your mind took a bit to regain control over your body, the way his breath grazed your skin didn’t help. At all. «More than okay». Your hand traveled across his robe, moving the hem to expose his skin, the soft light from outside highlighted the muscles of the chest, tensing under your lingering touch. Zuko had to summon all his willpower to hold your gaze; he was sure he was red all the way to the tips of his ears but at least your cheeks looked flushed too (he just didn’t know it was because of his sudden exposure).

He was gathering his thoughts when you spoke, fingers timidly going their way through his hair. «You know all those times we… we kiss» «Yes» «And we kind of… kiss really…», you moved a hand between your two bodies, trying to push the concept out of you without words. But you just got a quizzical look from your boyfriend, making you let out an exasperated sigh «We kiss hard, Zuko» To this the Fire Lord’s face burst out in flames «O-Oh yes. Yes! We kiss h-hard», the way his stuttering was interrupted by an embarrassed cough was nearly enough to make you forget your own uneasiness. Nearly.

«We’ve never gone further than… your hands» «M-my…», he gulped «Hands» «On my body» «On your body» «Over the clothes» «Over your clothes» «I think I might want them under» «You think you might want th- what?! Oh Spirits». He tried to escape, turning his head toward the wall, the bed, the window, anywhere but you. At this point you wouldn’t be surprised if you saw smoke coming out of his ears; his lips moved hysterically, but you couldn’t really get what he was trying to say. With a small chuckle you cupped his face. 

«Is it because of Mai?», you asked, as gently as you could. Zuko opened the mouth to contradict you but was quickly silenced by your soft look, he just couldn’t lie to your sweet gaze. With a sigh he leaned forward, pecking your lips, and caressing your cheekbone he whispered «Yes. I know you’ve never done anything and I don’t want you to feel forced by the fact that Mai and I…» «I don’t feel forced», it was your turn to kiss him «I appreciate your caring and I love how thoughtful you are. But if I’m telling you this it’s because I want this». It was as his golden eyes lit up for a second, the warmth from his body completely overwhelming yours. «Are you sure?», he asked, lips grazing yours with every word. «Yes»

And the same heat from before was back in a second. It was back in his kisses, in his touches around your body, in the feeling of his tongue exploring your mouth. It was back in the way you two stumbled across the room, trying to find the bed without distancing from one another, as both of you pulled on your night clothes. When you finally felt the blankets under your back Zuko’s robe was completely off, the hem of your gown rose as the boy moved his leg between yours, straps sliding down your shoulders. Both your hands explored his body, drawing imaginary patterns on his exposed skin; the goosebumps raised with your touch made him shiver with a sigh, hot fingers tracing your sides, playing with the silky fabric, lifting it until you helped him taking the piece of clothing off. You always thought that on this occasion you would’ve been ashamed as hell, that you would’ve wanted to grab the sheets and hide from every gaze. But you were proved wrong. You didn’t feel the need to cover yourself, you let his eyes scan every inch of you that was uncovered.

«You are beautiful», Zuko wasted no time before kissing you again, taking your breath away before trailing his lips down your neck; a surprised moan left your lips as his teeth and tongue played with your skin and his hand kneaded your left breast. The lower part of both your bodies began to move in unison, making the desire of both of you evident, «Can you feel what you’re doing to me?», you heard the boy whisper and you couldn’t respond with anything other than another moan. You could feel how much he needed you against your thigh, his erection pressing to be freed from the boxers; your skin was on fire, you could feel the heat that spread from his hand as it traveled down the valley between your breasts, tracing the curve of your abdomen until he hooked two fingers inside the hem of your panties.

You could feel only the warm and pleasure he was giving to you, trying to let out only whimpers and soft moans, not willing to risk the others hearing you. «You’re so wet…», Zuko’s fingers traced your slit under the panties, his mouth glued to your neck. The others might not even hear you but certainly the marks the boy was intent on leaving on you would be very visible the next day. It would’ve been difficult to hide even those on your chest, considering the hunger with which the boy sucked the skin of your breasts. He inserted two fingers inside you and another moan, higher than the others, left your lips. «Zuko…», you whimpered, hips moving on their own to follow his pace «I need you» «I know». He shifted, propping himself up on one elbow and giggling breathlessly when he saw the look of frustration on your face when he pulled his fingers out.

You kicked off your underwear as he slipped off his boxers, stroking his shaft before aligning it to your entrance.

Zuko bent down to kiss your neck, moving up your cheek, towards your temple, the heated passion temporarily replaced by his usual sweetness as he intertwined the fingers of one hand with yours «It'll hurt a little… tell me if you want me to stop, okay?”, he whispered against your skin. You nodded, bringing a hand to stroke his hair, grazing the back of his neck with your nails «I trust you Zuko». He pulled away just enough to peer into your eyes, leaving his body on yours, careful not to weigh on you but close enough for you to feel all the comfort that the warmth of his body gave you. He smiled and immediately entered you, leaning in to kiss your temple as you let out a pained moan. He continued to enter, slowly, feeling your walls tighten around him with every inch.

«Zuko…!» you breathed out, clawing at his back almost in panic, torn between pleasure and pain. The boy squinted, cursing «Fuck, Y/N… you’re tight» The way his expression changed made your cheeks heat up. His mouth was half open, neck muscles tense and eyebrows furrowed in a pleasured expression, your whole body reacted to the idea of being the cause of what he felt and you immediately warmed up. The burning you felt between your legs began to ease and when Zuko narrowed his eyes to look at you, his breath caught in his throat. «You’re beautiful», he whispered. His lips assaulted your neck, leaving a trail of rosy hickeys up to the front. «Zuko…», you moaned, scratching his shoulders with your nails «Move». «Yes», he smirked before starting to rock into you.

It was like something exploded into your chest, the pain disappeared almost completely, just a small hint that made the pleasure stronger. You were overwhelmed by him, by Zuko. He was on top of you, inside you, all over you… His hands were grabbing the pillow next to your head, tightening at each thrust of his hips inside of you. He moaned against your ear, making the tightness you felt in the pit of your stomach even tighter; you felt the need to feel him deeper and before you knew it you had wrapped your legs around his waist, pushing him with your heels to go deeper. Zuko let out a surprised noise, immediately broken by a more pleasured one, his knuckles turning white as he bent down to take a nipple between his lips. «F-Fuck! You’re… mh… good», you murmured, causing a chuckle from him that vibrated against your skin. «Thanks, love», he whispered flicking his tongue and making your walls tighten around him.

His hands left the pillow to grip you thighs in a way that would surely leave visible bruises the next day, but you would worry tomorrow about which bathing suit to wear to cover them, what was occupying your mind at the moment was the way Zuko spread your legs, holding your pelvis up and starting to rock again leaving you to appreciate the new angle. His thrusts hand become erratic, his labored breaths sent shivers across your skin. He leant into your neck again, hiding in the crook of your shoulder. «I’m close» he whispered trembling against you, his tone was enough for your entire body to shake with a jolt of pleasure. «Me too», you panted «Please Zuko, I need you.. ah!» You were interrupted buy your own moan when he brought two fingers between your bodies, rubbing against your clit. The combination of his thrusts and fingers sent you over the edge, soon followed by Zuko, who moaned your name before pulling out and coming right away.

You fell into bed next to each other after cleaning yourself up, letting each other’s bodies warm you. You had a happy smile as you absentmindedly caressed Zuko’s chest, cheek resting on his collarbone. He had an arm embracing your waist, two fingers grazing your skin. «How was it?», he asked in a whisper and you felt yourself blush, instinctively snuggling into him. «Perfect. I didn’t think you had such a dominant side inside. You’re usually so shy…» This time it was his turn tu blush, you could tell simply by how he held his breath for just an instant, it wasn’t necessary for you to look at him. After a few more seconds of silence Zuko called your name, softly, his grip on your hip tightening almost imperceptibly. «What» «Let’s not fight anymore for these things»

You turned slowly, lifting your head to get a good look at him. The boy had a few strands stuck to his forehead and reddish cheeks. But you stopped with your gaze on his eyes, shiny and insecure. You immediately leaned towards him, kissing him slowly but deeply; he kissed you back, flicking his tongue against yours and stroking your cheek with his free hand. When you pulled away it was only a few inches. «Let’s not fight anymore for these things »

| The End |

Heyyy, so sorry for the late late late late so-much-late update but you know... things. Hope you liked this juicy bonus chapter! See you next fic!

[t0ast-ghost]

S2 Episode 16 (The Gamesters Of Triskelion) is supposedly a very good episode.

Time to find out why:

- “Star date thirty two eleven point seven.” Good ass star date

- “astrogation station.” This man is just rhyming today

- OH DAMN THEY JUST GOT YOINKED

- This is a really intriguing hook, also interesting that they have Uhura, Chekov, and Kirk as the main pairing this episode

- oh wait a minute. Is this the one where Kirk gets collared? This that why you guys like it? C’mon…

- This man is weird

- Chekov like “no one’s hurt… yet” WHATRE YOU GONNA DO? He’s like an angry small dog

- They just switched the shot to him being collared. I was. Not prepared.

- Damn this is a scary episode for Kirk

- “Hope? I always thought that was a human failing, Mr Spock.” “True, Doctor. Constant exposure does result in a certain degree of contamination.” Guys. Guys, this isn’t the time to be flirting. Can you please stop. Just.

- “Don’t quote odds and don’t give me anymore dispassionate logic, Mr. Spock. Just keep looking for them.” “I would welcome a suggestion, Doctor, even an emotional one, as to where to look.” “First time you ask me for anything and it has to be an occasion like this.” They both care so much. Spock is so worried, he just cannot actually do anything. McCoy is upset and he wants to be upset at Spock or at least see it reflected back by him. Spock asking for advice shows him just the position Spock is in

- WHAT THE FUCKWHAT THE FUCK THEY DID NOT

- oh okay what what what what

- This is reminding me of the pilot

- THEYRE HARNESSING HIM?!

- I like when they switch back to the enterprise where we get anger (McCoy), confusion (Scotty), and panic (Spock)

- The weapons training scene makes them look like a bunch of theatre kids

- Kirk being put in the situation of having to protect his people in these impossible circumstances

- Get him Kirk! He got in a little kick

- His little kick with the roll

- “Hold.” God? You there? It’s me Margaret Armen

- Kirk’s little curl <3

- He’s got his tits out now

- Curiousity killed the cat, Kirk.

- ew Kirk, ew

- Spock asserting dominance. McCoy does not like to lose in their arguments

- WOAH KIRK TF! You just knocked her out! Okay fair enough for escape and all

- McCoy and Spock ready to go save their idiot boyfriend yippee :))

- Hearing McCoy’s “what the devils going on?” Over the god comm is so funny

- They’re little coloured brains. I’d like to play with them like a chew toy.

- Kirk wagering all of the enterprise is crazy.

- ‘Mr. Spock, look! It’s Jim in a harness.’

- I like Spock’s sitting position

- She got his ass. He would not survive.

I like her final words they’re beautifully said and hopeful but sad. OMG SHE LOOKS LIKE AN OOMPA LOOMPA

Masterpost

Episode written by Margaret Armen

[hellfireclubmember]

Secret Nerd PT 2

Someone requested this and I can't find the ask so I am sorry. I'm also sorry for literally taking forever to get to it.

part 1

Summary: Eddie, who may or may not be in love with you, finds out you like LOTR.

Warning(s): lots of steve fluff but eddie angst, unrequited love, not proof read

pairing(s): boyfriend!steve harrington x fem!reader, platonic!in love!eddie munson x fem!reader

w/c: 1.6k

Siouxsie and the Banshees was softly playing through the dimly lit shop. The stacks of new records were beginning to lose their height as you sorted them out into their appropriate bins. There was dust in the air from the number of bins you were kicking out of the way. Usually there was someone to help you with the heavy lifting, but it was 10 AM on a Tuesday. A time void of customers.

“(Y/N)!!” Eddie’s voice boomed through the store.

There was something almost pathetic about how fast a smile appeared on your face when you heard him. You loved it when Eddie visited you at work. He always made your shift go by at Mach speeds. He helped you on inventory days, walking around holding piles of records all whilst giving you free music advice. Which was really just him complaining about anything you put on the loudspeaker. Because according to the dramatic mop of hair, ‘your music taste would be perfect if you just cut out all the moody, creepy whining.’

“I know you’re in here, short stack! Only you would be playing Siouxsie.” You could hear the eyeroll from across the store.

“Yeah, whatever, act like I haven’t seen you nod your head to Happy House.” You walked onto the main floor where Eddie was sitting on the counter, next to the Madonna cassettes. “Nice of you to come see me, Edward.”

“No need to continue the act, (Y/L/N).” His face was stone cold, eyes blank. Last time he looked that severe, he was being told that Hellfire couldn’t use the theatre room because the basketball team had booked it last second. Not a good day to be around Hellfire’s dungeon master. Mike, Dustin and Lucas avoided him for two days, just to be safe.

“You don’t have to pretend to be friends with me any longer; for I have been told the truth.” He hopped off the counter and crossed his arms over his chest, covering the Megadeth graphic plastered on his black tee. “The lady lies.”

“Me lady?” You pointed your finger to your chest, confused as you could be. “I lie?” Brows furrowed as you thought of any fib you might’ve muttered out lately.

“You lie! If we were friends, you would’ve never kept your love for Lord of the Rings from me!” he exclaimed, hand on his forehead. In that moment, the appreciation you had for Eddie’s dramatics had been replaced with a strong urge to kill. You should’ve guessed it though; it had been exactly one day and one night since you had admitted it to Dustin. And Dustin is a HUGE blabber mouth. The boy did not stop.

“Ah, heard about that huh?”

“Yeah, I heard about that.” He rudely mimicked your voice and glared at you. “This entire time, when I was holding stacks of Duran Duran for you, we could’ve been talking about Boromir’s heroic sacrifice.” It was taking everything in Eddie not to crack. He couldn’t stop thinking about how cute you look all pouty. You were all frown lines and crossed arms.

The small crush Eddie had on you seemed to grow at speeds that would leave NASA’s head spinning. When you were first introduced, he didn’t think much of you. Some chick he saw at school occasionally, walking with Nancy or laughing with faceless losers. You were one of the rare people that didn’t move to the other side of the hallway when he walked by, so he definitely remembered you when Dustin was pushing him toward the group. He already knew you were dating Steve, how could he not? ‘Steve’s girlfriend’ was your identifier. And back then, there was nothing he cared less about. Currently it’s something that didn’t let him sleep at night.

Eddie was never sure what love would feel like; and now he knew what both love and heartbreak felt like. Even so, he was never truly sad, not when he could spend time with you like this. The faux vexed look you were forcing onto your face was enough to crush any self-pity swelling in his chest. Besides, he knew that there was no way he had a chance. You loved Steve, and Eddie knew there was no one else you would rather love.

“You would be a Boromir kind of guy.”

Eddie held his hand over his chest as if he were hit with an arrow. “A woman after my own heart.” He fell onto the counter he was previously sitting on.

“Where’s my pretty girl?” The voice of the sandy haired man was heard before he was seen. Eddie watched your eyes light up before you walked around the counter toward the door.

“Hi, Stevie.” You wrapped your arms around his waist, resting your head on his chest. Steve was like a giant, human Xanax. He made every muscle in your body relax, every racing thought slow down. You squeezed him tight and took a deep breath. Steve loved your hugs. You hugged him as if he had gone away for years at a time.

Steve’s arms wrapped around your shoulders, and he kissed the top of your head. “I missed you.”

“Aw I missed you more, Harrington.” Eddie stood behind you. His arms were crossed over his chest. He was trying his best to look as big as possible. Even if he did know you loved Steve, it did not keep him from messing with him as often as he could.

There was really very little things Eddie could do about the pesky feelings that clawed at his chest when your eyes reached his. He knew that at some point they would slowly fizzle out, like the bubbles in his favorite beer. But for now, he was going to enjoy them. Enjoy looking at you smile, hearing you laugh, rolling your eyes, even putting away those annoying records and cassettes. Even if the image of you stuck to Harrington chunked away at his health. He was used to piecing his heart back together with the scraps of time he could spend with you. Eddie knew what his role was in life and getting the girl wasn’t part of it. It was devastating but his songs had never been better.

You felt Steve’s body tense up. “Man, you’re in here a lot.” He kept a possessive arm around your shoulders. “You wouldn’t want my girl or anything, would you?”

Your head snapped up to look at your boyfriend. That was a really jerky thing to say. Something King Steve would say. Which is what was the most surprising bit, with all the effort Steve put in to distance himself with his asshole high school self. All his other moments of jealousy were pretty tame, cute even. But he was being a jerk to your friend, and it was very upsetting.

Eddie scoffed. “I could never. That would be really dumb of me, right?” He grabbed your hand and pulled you toward him, his lips placed a soft kiss on your knuckles. “I bid your farewell, fair maiden. I have dragons to slay and whatnot.”  

The sunlight from outside painted the walls of the record store once Eddie opened the door. The second he was out of ear shot you finally spoke to Steve.

“I hate it when you’re like that.” Steve looked over at you when he heard your voice, and your frown was like a shot to the heart. He was no stranger to your cute angry face, but he knew when you were really upset. That frown looks nothing like the one you shoot him when he steals some of your fries. And he knew why you were upset. He was being a douche bag. As he was saying the words, he knew they were very asshole things to say but he couldn’t stop it. Steve couldn’t help how angry Eddie’s heart eyes made him.

“C’mon baby. He was flirting with you.” He tried to reason with you, walking around the counter to where you were counting some cassettes. “He has to know he can’t have you. Even if you’re all nerdy too.”

“Steve, Eddie isn’t a threat to you.” You turned around to face him. “Just cuz we both like..”

“I know. God, I know he’s not. I’m not insecure, sweets.” He put his hand on your right hip. Looking down at you. “I know I was made for you ‘cus there’s no one out there that loves you like I do.” He let go of your hip and found your hand. A perfect fit, but he already knew that. If that thing about an invisible string was true, he knew you were both knotted up together. Like those impossible knots on your necklaces, the ones you have Steve work out for you.

The anger that you felt for Steve dissipated and turned to another familiar feeling. Adoration. Love. Loving Steve has been the easiest thing you have ever done. He made it so easy. With his honey coated words and his pretty pink lips that kiss away all your worries.

“I just wish you would be nice to Eddie. He’s done nothing but be good friend to me.” There was a part of Steve that knew you were right. He was a good friend, not just to you but to multiple of his own friends. But the part of him that knew he was in love with you made him want to pummel Eddie.

“I just hate that he thinks about you the way I do.” He placed a gentle kiss on your lips. “It should be illegal. I should put in a word with Hop, get him arrested or something.” Another kiss on the tip of your nose. “In fact, get every loser that thinks they have a chance with you and through ‘em in jail.” Another kiss to your forehead. He saw the way you were biting back a smile when he pulled away.

“Just please stop being an asshole okay?” His finger found your sides and he started to poke, making you giggle and squirm away.

“If you insist, angel.” His lips pressed to yours for a long kiss.  

taglist: @slashersluttt @slurmp69 @sadbitchfangirl @actual-mom-steve-harrington @stylesyourmine @pennyllanne @johnricharddeacy

[angiefsutton]

Quantum Leap (1989) Re-watch - S1, E7

As previously mentioned, I'm doing a re-watch of Quantum Leap (1989) now that I've fallen back into writing slash for it. And as I watched, decided to write up my off-the-cuff/stream of consciousness thoughts as I watch them. (I'm also doing this on my Dreamwidth.)

Season 1, Episode 7: "The Color of Truth" Date of Leap: August 8, 1955 Written by: Deborah Pratt

Ah, yes. One of the episodes I wanted to talk about when people in the QL Facebook group I was in started bitching about the reboot being 'woke' for having a nonbinary character in it. FIRST SEASON they tackled social issues.

Sam's recap implies there were no 'missing' leaps between episodes. Huh.

No 'oh boy' still.

Sam's 'improv' skills seem to be getting better!

Ah, yes. 'Homage' to "Driving Miss Daisy".

And more awful ADR.

"It's hard, losing someone you love." Aw, Sam.

The look on Sam's face when Miz Melny says the word 'negro'. Well done, Scott!

Sam seems so happy that he's black!

"I've seen things that will curl your hair." OH - SELMA background from Al.

"Ziggy's 86.7% certain that you're here to save Scarlett O'Hara there from getting … squished by a choo-choo." Love your language choice, Al.

"Went on the marches, got arrested - beaten. Powerful day." - Dean is so good here.

And then Sam's reaction when Clayton uses the OTHER 'n' word. God, Clayton is lucky Sam doesn't know the flying noodle kick yet! ;-)

Also - didn't realize/remember you could say that in primetime in '89.

Also also: I was in a community theatre production of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' many MANY years ago, and I was one of the townspeople. I had to say the 'n' word, and I wanted to wash my mouth out with soap. It actually felt WRONG to say it.

The look on Sam's face when he hears that he has to cook that night. Adds to the fanon that Sam can't cook worth a damn. And that Al CAN cook.

Yay - first 'yummola'!

"Don't worry, pal: I've got a KILLER recipe for chitlins." Sam wants to kill Al SO. BAD.

oh my God: HORRIBLE ADR - they didn't even TRY to line it up with what Al is saying.

Ooh - SCOTT had to say the n word.

Al in that red vest and black / white tie: talk about yummola!

"Al: you're gettin' a little paranoid." / "Sam: how do you think I lived this long?" Oh, Al. {gives him a hug}

"I've got a bad feeling about this one." / "You always have a bad feeling." (ADR'd) Glad to know Al's superstitions came in early canon.

Al panicking is sort of cute in a weird way.

The first time someone 'sees' Al. Sort of.

Oooh - the yellow suit. I just put him in that in the Traditions story I'm doing.

"Just think of the possibilities. I mean, if I could reach Mz. Melny, then maybe … just maybe … I can reach OTHER women. … YOUNGER women." Have I mentioned lately how much I love Al Calavicci? I know if this was real, I'd be pissed at him - but Dean does SUCH a good job of making him loveable.

"Is sex all you ever think about?" / "Well, except when I'm pulling YOU out of the fire, YES." - oh, Al - we all know you think about sex when you're pulling Sam out of the fire, TOO. ;-)

Al singing "We Shall Overcome". I love you, Dean Stockwell - but you can't carry a tune in a bucket.

The end musical version of "We Shall Overcome" actually gave me chills.

We get an 'Oh boy' in the teaser leap in!

Final thoughts: For the time it was written in, this still holds up fairly well. Is it technically blackface if it's Sam leaping into a black man? Pratt is one of my favorite writers, and this is one of the many reasons why. (It's also why I was willing to give the reboot a chance: I saw she was going to be connected to it.) Despite it just being 'QL Driving Miss Daisy', Pratt manages to get the moral across without being TOO preachy, as well as keeping it personal. The big moral is basically that change happens individually and in small increments. Having grown up in a sundown town, I know what it was STILL like in the '80s for black people. (Not that I can relate, if that makes sense. I just know I never saw my first 'live' black person until I went to college.) We get some of Al's background as well. The acting is excellent, as expected. Good episode. Didn't it win some sort of award for how it dealt with race?

[spewagepipe]

Plumbing the Depths: Low Trust "Traditional", Part 3: What is Trust?

Hamilton says that blorb is a "low trust" style, and FKR is a "high trust" style. He also clearly thinks that one is bad and the other good, respectively, but when he attempts to explain why he thinks this, it's as if he loses all capacity for rational thought. His sentences become incoherent, and he derails into an oblique reference to an OSR-versus-Forge beef that hasn’t been relevant to anyone in over a decade. So let's lend him a hand with this.

As a game design concept, Trust encompasses both it's normal vernacular meaning, and also a specifically game-related meaning: Trust is the extent to which everyone at the table is "on the same page" – we're interested in telling the same sort of story, we're cognizant of what one another are hoping to get out of the game, and we're going to try to make decisions that help one another achieve those hopes. This all sounds great, right? A recipe for a fantastic time.

So, of course, here's the problem: a "high trust game" refers to a system that can only be played in a high trust environment. If we have differing expectations, if we miscommunicate, if someone happens to be in a bad mood – the game falls apart around us.

A low-trust game, by contrast, is a game for which "trust" is basically irrelevant. The game states its own expectations, it outlines the procedures of play, it provides incentives to reward the desired player behaviours – you can play it with complete strangers or even with people you don't especially like, and it will still function (and, if it's a good game, it might even be fun). You can also, of course, play it in a high-trust environment, and that might enhance the experience considerably – but that's not a prerequisite.

Almost (almost) every game that has ever been designed by humans is a low-trust game. Chess, poker, pick-up sticks, kick the can, celebrity, tennis... any game with clear rules and clear objectives is low-trust. High-trust games do exist though! Captain May I?, Simon Says, Dungeons & Dragons, and countless theatre/improv games depend heavily on trust, and can strain or erode the trust of participants if not played carefully. One common feature of many (but not all) of these games is the fact that they involve placing one participant in a role of authority over the others. The risk that this "game master" could abuse that authority creates an inherently trust-testing situation.

FKR and OSR theorists will almost always treat "low trust" as a kind of disparaging remark, but it's a bit like someone who lives in a lean-to being snobby toward someone living in a brick house. Low-trust games are harder to build, but ultimately way less fragile.

And good news! Nowadays, RPG communities have developed folk rituals like "session zero" and safety/communication tools to shore up the weaknesses of high-trust games. It's not a silver bullet, but sometimes, all you need to do to convert a high-trust game into a low-trust game is to write these techniques and procedures into the rulebook.

[partiallypearl]

more of kat/terra in the theatre au? maybe with terra having to go onstage for an actor and kat has to calm her down?

“Are you shitting my dick???” Terra yelled, her face bright red as Stella grimaced. “I’m sorry this is so short notice but with Aisha and Roxy out due to the flu, someone needs to fill in for Mrs. Philadelphia. And well.. you know her lines the best.”

Mostly because Roxy never learned them, Terra thought bitterly before shaking her head and sighing deeply.

“Okay fine. I’ll do it. Fuck.” Stella gave her a apologetic smile and it was only because they were such good friends that Terra didn’t lose her mind on her.

The dirty blonde haired girl took a deep breath as she left the green room, making her way into the warehouse. She sat down on one of the various chairs that was laying around, her heart pounding in her ears.

She was a technician for a reason, so she didn’t get dragged into situations like this. She was shy and not a actor in any way!

“Baby?” She heard, and she looked up to see Kat standing in the doorway, a concerned look on her face. “Hi.” Terra mumbled and Kat walked closer until she right beside her.

“Hi. I heard you’re panicking a bit.” Which okay, was true but Jesus did Stella have to send her girlfriend after her like a child wrangler?

But then again, she was sulking in the warehouse like a child because she was being asked to go onstage rather than staying in her safe spot.

“I’m not panicking.” Terra said quietly and Kat raised an eyebrow. “You are literally rubbing your knuckles together right now. You only do that when you’re panicking love.”

Why on earth, did Kat have to know her so well, Terra thought to herself.

Terra grimaced as she looked down at the ground, her cheeks heating up in embarrassment. “Okay maybe I’m panicking a bit. I’m a techie. Not an actor. I’m not a stage person. I do backstage stuff for a reason.”

Kat rolled her eyes affectionately. “You, my pretty girl,” she said, cupping Terra’s cheeks before leaning in and kissing her chastely, “are an amazing member of the running crew, a wonderful lighting technician and amazing human who is going to kick ass as an actor tonight.”

Terra sighed, her green eyes meeting Kat’s blue ones. Her girlfriend smiled at her, all soft and proud and almost immediately Terra felt like maybe she actually could do this.

“You’re going to do great sweetheart.” Kat said, kissing Terra again, this time longer. Terra pouted when they pulled apart, before blushing. “Thank you.” She murmured and Kat grinned at her.

“No problem. Besides I hear Mrs. Philadelphia has quite the sexy costume hm? Something about a corset top?” Terra gaped at Kat, her cheeks heating up again, as Kat began to laugh.

“I’m going to kill Stella-”

[silvesi]

I gotta toss you Morred. I think that there's a lot of untapped potential between "curious-to-a-fault Chaotic Little Guy artificer" and "curious-to-a-fault Chaotic Little Guy alchemist", and I want to watch the world burn -@alma-draws

OK. THIS IS AN INTERESTING ONE.  

They'd be great friends if not for Morreds past. Anything more? God FORBID. Feds needs calming the heck down not hyping up MORE!! 

I gotta start adding readmores to my walls, bear with me.

There's some hangups here, so this is probably not what you are expecting from my beloved boy at all - I said in another ask but Fedsy has MASSIVE issues with the nightmare court and their experiments, considering that's why he's a little messed up himself. 

If he found out about Morreds background, (Which he most likely would due to his reputation and also activating a rant by asking him about the dream) your guy would be getting 50 types of sarcastic bastard instead of the fun "ooh, what does this do" type.

Morred would proooobably be able to see him lose that enthusiasm and put that barrier up halfway through a conversation if he's astute enough. Can't say Feds recognises it himself since, well, obviously it’s just part of who he is. You are going to have to build his trust and it is going to take a WHILE but he’ll linger anyway because he just wants to know things. Is he your friend? no. maybe. He’s stood 5ft away scowling at you and watching you work but cannot resist pointing out any mistakes you are making or asking about something he finds interesting. He's sulky about this and his apparent lack of self control in terms of just ignoring the guy. He can approach you but you can't approach him or he will THROW KNIVES AT YOU. He needs to pretend he has control here and isn't following an impulse and dealing with so many thoughts inside his brain at once. Shelter cat energy.

There are many sides to Feds; he can be a little volatile, mostly as the story progresses. Sorry Morred. You have to prove yourself. Cause some problems for the right people. I think, eventually, Feds would just start testing him with increasingly chaotic suggestions as for how to enhance his work alongside Feds abilities. He could be tempted to say he’s okay with certain things if he sees the person or their abilities would be of use or interesting to him, but. He’s not. He’s grumping inside his head. maybe plotting. Befriend him fast before he decides he's had/learnt enough and tries something against you. um. If he saw One Thing that just GOT him he would flip, despite potentially treading the line before. He would go feral. Idk, not a Morred example since I'm unsure what exactly he'd do, but if you kicked a dog. you are literally going to die now. He’s on a case by case basis and very emotionally driven.

To be honest even if they were enemies I think it would be funny as hell. like. Feds is attacking him (again, does this once a month). They both see something cool. Stop fighting for a moment, or see something worse than them. both kill that together in SECONDS. Ok cool. Start fighting each other again. everyone is terrified of them. I think they’d have a really volatile friends/enemies/friends again/ work colleagues now/ DIE/ hey nice outfit where did u get that/  relationship. Nobody gets involved they're just like no yeah this is how mesmers make friends its fine its normal. 

I like to think they’d eventually end up as friends. feds gets over some stuff. They both do. Maybe. They band together. I dunno, I feel they'd lend themselves well against the mordrem- Feds would happily spend so much time trying to figure out how to turn everything in that jungle against its own, but he really needs someone to help utilise that research. One time they accidentally made a dagger that heals people as soon as you stab them.    

Also. 

There's no way Fedsy doesn't admire his flair for the dramatic at least a little. He'd bounce off that. 2 theatre kids doing science what will they do. 

[hollenka99]

Highlights of my time getting surgery under general anaesthetic because yesterday was A Day for me:

There was just something inherently funny about my nurse, anaesthetist and surgeon all trying to speak to me one after the other then getting abandoned by everyone for 3 hours.

Won't say the day surgery name for privacy reasons but it sounds like 'half 11' so when I tried to tell my mum on Wednesday that 'oh btw we are now going to [Day Centre] for 8' it started an impromptu comedy routine that Abbott and Costello would be proud of.

While waiting to be called onto the ward, Mum kept trying to tell me all the gory details about getting the anaesthetic since she's seen it countless times as an interpreter, at which point I told her 'can you Not?'

Like obviously there were other patients to tend to and the doctors have their jobs to do but the '15 minutes of activity vs hours of nothing' is kinda funny in retrospect.

My mum complimented the anaesthetist on his prominent hand veins.

The nurse and I were talking about being certain about those mandatory pregnancy tests coming back negative and she told me about how one of her patients had just finished her period, therefore understandably believing there was no way she'd conceived, yet happened to get a positive test back. So uh congratulations to that woman then? Or my condolences idk.

Compression socks. Just compression socks. Bastards to put on but I now want more of my socks to have grips on the soles.

That high stakes pee because you don't want to get a bad grade in being a patient.

There was an amendment to my procedure because my condition deteriorated since my pre-assessment 10 months ago. As such, I was made to sign consent on these changes.

This in itself wouldn't be an issue if my surgeon didn't make me sign in a cluttered patch of his notes on the side of the page. This unconventional location would have Consequences multiple times throughout the day because none of my other care providers could find my signature.

When I finally got wheeled to the operating theatre, my porter got chatting with another porter about a recent match our local team played while I lay there like🧍‍♀️or I guess more like 🛌.

To be fair to him, it only lasted a couple minutes and he apologised as soon as we got moving again but I was still going 'uhhh...' in my head.

I know it's standard procedure but it will never not be funny to me that to find a vein, you have to slap the shit out of someone's hand while another person has a death grip on the arm.

Two things I remember from this part is being told what the scientific name for the elbow pit is (immediately forgot it) and being told I should take up powerlifting for a couple years so my veins wouldn't stay hidden.

I was kinda hoping that I'd recall passing out/feeling the drugs kick in but all I do remember is wishing someone would fix the oxygen mask that had moved up my face to an awkward position then gradually waking up elsewhere.

I never thought a presumably plastic tube would leave a woody aftertaste.

They also put a towel around my head in the recovery room for some reason? I don't think I was at risk of losing a ton of body heat through my head so who knows what that was about because I can't think of any other potential reason.

My body started acting like it wanted to kin a Victorian who dramatically realises they have tuberculosis as soon as I fully regained consciousness which was Fun. Thankfully no blood was involved, just tons of coughing.

"Why do you keep saying 24? It's the 11th today." "You're 24, aren't you?" "...Oh."

I sat there for an hour, not because of any issues I had but instead because literally every computer was capable of showing my discharge papers except the one by my bed.

And then when the lady looking after me finally tried another computer, my already prolonged stay was delayed further by there seemingly being no porters available for nearly 30 minutes.

Spent the hour fidgeting with my pulse monitor in a way that wouldn't get me in trouble and getting constantly annoyed at them activating my blood pressure cuff every few minutes.

I was completely useless at drinking water through a straw because my lips were swollen. How I managed to actually drink anything during that first hour of being awake is a miracle.

Not much happened after I finally got brought back to my mum downstairs. It was mostly hanging around, wishing they'd let me start the process of preparing to go home already.

Mum expressed surprise at how quickly I ate my yoghurt but my response was along the lines of "Shh, just because I can't feel the hunger at the moment doesn't mean I haven't eaten in around 20 hours. Let me have this."

If I had a nickel for every time I got complimented on how my blood was clotting-

When it came to removing the cannula, I was expecting it to hurt but honestly, I didn't feel the needle leave which was a nice surprise.

Also sidenote but, while I'm certainly not disputing that dehydration was one of the main causes of my borderline headache, you sure can't rule out 'getting bright lights shone in my face' playing its part in that.

What did hurt though was all the tape getting peeled off. Because ouch. At least when Mum ripped off my shoulder nodes as I got changed into my regular clothes, it was instant and only lasted a second.

Speaking of nodes, we both missed the one on the side of my torso which I didn't discover until about 5 hours after returning home. Didn't feel it at all until my hand happened to brush past it.

Got worried some kind of liquid was leaking from it because I couldn't figure out whether the glue just felt weird or not.

Generally just chilled for the evening then stayed awake way past what I would normally call a night.

Oh yeah and I learnt about OJ Simpson's death on the ride home which was Something.

[mybloodyfamousprophets]

see a show, go inside, fountains running hot tonight, stare at the water from the deck, wondering if im ready yet,

you’re in my castle on the hill, looking at the edge of the world, my face looks like the waterfall, take my mind for a whirl, i’ll show you to the cable car, we’ll have a good time and not go too far, fly over the water into the breeze and come into my house of memories

let’s take the train to Niagara, falls in love some time, i need a friend for my adventure, take you for a ride

this was my hideaway in my spring flower days, running down the halls, but I’m a little older now and the leaves are red as fall, fall like the old theatre and that shitty hotel, kicked out over a call, left to walk the streets and think about it all

this road is a vein on the back of my hand, i follow it home, or at least to a feeling of where i could belong, longing in front of those red winter lights, feeling the air on november nights, in the first place i was truly free, i had to lose myself just to know me, battles were fought on this ground, and im not the warrior you thought you found, losing battle in my own mind, keep it in while i stay outside, take another drag to calm the nerves, i got what i want and i got what i deserve,

so i walk up the hill past that old arcade, but i don’t play games anymore, life is strange and the butterfly effect punches me in the face, you saw me here on the day i was hiding, that text made my heart race, on the go karts to the go train, you can’t be leaving me yet,

i can pick a building on this street and tell you it’s story, or what’s left of it anyways, a city so lost and left without glory,

a crumbling remain stands left of my youth, one of the places where ill talk the truth, or lie on the grass, stare at the falls and have a good laugh, ca-mera shutter will click on tune, three, cheese, smile,

i apologize, i got lost in your eyes, you add another page to this journal, line by line, write the thoughts off my mind, that i sing to myself from time to time, shooting a star to wish you were mine, i know that i'm wasting my damn time, but damn mind, my heart's racing, the thought of you sends my body pacing, and your touch would send my mind ablazing, last line fifth word autocorrected your last name in, write my songs you're taunting me, haunt my spirit it's past halloween, wonderland haunt don't go with me, behemoth coaster made me scream, ex didn't care won't listen to me, he don't care he's not for me, cut him out so sharply, sing a dumb song do re mi, dont have the time to be angry, can't let you see the worst in me,

i'm sorry, i got a little worked up, i hope i wasn't too emotional, hope you won't let me go if i'm about to fall, hope you won't go leave me alone, falling water so loud calms the soul, look back to my life and the things i know,

you’re always so pretty, and you add another page to this journal entry, the lines on this page take the thoughts off my mind, but i sing them myself from time to time, wishful thinking for a star that you’re mine, and i know that I’m wasting my damn time but damn mind, hearts racing, your thought sends my body pacing, and your touch would send my mind blazing, my phone changed that word to your last name, even when i write you’re taunting me, haunt my spirit but it’s not halloween, wonderland haunt don’t go with me, behemoth would make me scream, i told him don’t take me, ignored me, saw that text on his phone he didn’t really care about me, told him he’s not for me, out of my life do re mi, leave me to sing a song so angry, how did we get angry, we were having fun…

so i sit on the bench looking over the water, falling like the passing time, falling like me in my own mind, in love, in despair, but i hold no hate in my heart, there’s just some people i’ll never want to talk to again

this old desolate tourist trap of a city has a piece of my heart, a piece of my heart was in that torn down hotel, even if they kicked me out, a piece of my heart is in the water, i dropped it off the Lady, i dropped it to take a photo of you, but it was overexposed, you were just a flash of light

[teecupangel]

From @knine-nights-loves-ac

OHHHHHH EZIO HAS ENTERED THE CHAT BOYS AND GIRLS

From @thewolfprince

Ezio!!! Also I want to know more about the religion of Desmond hehe- Altaïr is functionally immortal now. Also EMBRACE THE CHAOS DESMOND! YOU’RE A GOD NOW! DO GOD SHIT!

From @thecosmickight

I am in love with all of this!!!! Poor Ezio tho. He's about to become very religious soon, XD.

From @zero-saito

Altair was waiting for Ezio!! Ezio is gonna hear Desmond and its gonna start with apologies of getting him dragged into this. Ezio’s god isnt as wrathful as he thought, Altair on the other hand… Alty has been waiting to hear from his patron again 😂 Desmond wont be able to hide forever

From @crushednox

*screaming in glee at all of this*

Tags from @allegedlyrainy

#assassin's creed #ezio joins the party!! with altaïr's guidance they're going to be fucking unstoppable (which is probably good for altaïr's impatience lmao) #how long after hearing desmond for the first time does it take ezio to become genuinely devoted to him as well? #whatever he might've thought about his god is absolutely not going to line up with the reality #but there's still just something about him that draws people in...

Tags from @dangerousgolemkitty

#these are all amazing#but I am absolutely laughing at the idea of Edward beating his son's ass #haytham you better pray your father never finds you #put Edward behind the Aquila's wheel guys #we can end this revolution real quick #Ezio seems par for the course #Altair is just kicking ass left and right

“How’s the Timeline Theatre Project?”

“Do not call it that.” Altaïr snapped before taking a deep breath.

Ezio Auditore’s grin showed that he was doing this on purpose.

He had always enjoyed getting Altaïr to lose his cool and nothing could dissuade the child from doing just that.

“But that’s what it is, right? You want to see the other timelines.” Ezio waved his hand at Altaïr’s hidden blade.

Calling it a hidden blade was misleading.

It was more of a multiple purpose gauntlet that had a hidden blade in it.

It also housed a database larger than what the Apple had access to that only Altaïr could access.

Instead of continuing their conversation, Altaïr asked, “How was Firenze?”

Ezio sighed before answering, “Still suffering from a power struggle between the three largest religions in all of Italia.”

Ezio frowned as he added, “The worshippers of Isus are planning something big. La Volpe is still trying to figure out what this something ‘big’ is but I would advise we send a few of our brothers to assist his cause.”

“Present a proposal-” Altaïr ignored Ezio’s complaining groan and continued, “-with a clear goal and contingencies. You will be leading the team.”

Ezio blinked as he asked, “You’ll let me lead a team?”

Altaïr turned to stare at him as he said, “I believe you have grown well enough this past year for such a task.”

Ezio’s lips curved into a grin and his eyes shone brightly so Altaïr added, “This is also a test to see how you carry yourself on the field without someone bossing you around as you like to say. Your performance in this mission will serve as your rank promotion test as well.”

“I see.” Ezio dropped his smile as he thought about it. He nodded as his eyes shone with both excitement and determination, “I won’t let you down, mentore.”

Altaïr turned to face the full body mirror in front of him once more as he said, “I know you won’t. You have until dinner to present me with your proposal.”

“Dinner!” Ezio spluttered. He had just finished lunch before coming to report to Altaïr.

“Sunlight is burning, Ezio.” Altaïr reminded him without looking back at him.

“Oh you are such a-” Ezio words turned into a frustrated growl before he briskly walked out of Altaïr’s research lab. Altaïr’s lips curved into a small smile when he heard Ezio close the door loudly to show his displeasure.

His expression turned blank as he placed his left hand on the mirror. The mirror turned grey that swirled and shimmered under Altaïr’s touch.

The shapes were barely noticeable against the shimmering ever moving grey but he could see Ezio.

Another Ezio.

One that heard their patron god’s voice and changed Altaïr’s life.

No.

It was another him. An ‘Altaïr’ who wasn’t abandoned by his patron god.

It won’t be long until that Ezio will be abandoned as well.

Because there were more of them.

From what he saw, at least 3 more were blessed by Desmond. One of which involved ships and a complicated family situation that Altaïr had no desire to watch.

And, considering Desmond’s personality, Altaïr highly doubted their god abandoned him out of malice or boredom.

Desmond probably believed that Altaïr would be ‘alright’ now even without his guidance.

Not knowing his order for death to never gaze upon Altaïr was still in effect.

But that was alright.

All Altaïr needed to do was make Desmond see him once more.

Even if it means stepping into another timeline.

What he was building was not a theatre.

But a train.

Normally, Desmond is sent back in time to mess with things.

But what if it wasn't him?

Like, maybe Desmond couldn't go back in time himself but he could, in the split second he touched the apple, send someone else.

What if one of his ancestors went back in time? (Upon their deaths or something.)

I imagine a young Altair (who might be using a fake name) running around Italy with a tired Ezio following like a worried mother hen. (No, Claudia, he is not hovering he is just concerned) He ends up taking Altair under his wing (No, Claudia, it is not adoption.)

Or maybe Altair ends up in Bayek's time, Oh! Or Connor in Ezio's time. (Edward and Ezio would either get along badly or be too powerful if they were together in the same time period.)

These boys ruin the timeline and somehow save the world/future by simply stumbling through everything with no clue what's going on. and of course the power of friendship and really sharp blades.

Desmond and Clay are laughing their asses off in the afterlife as their ancestors destroy centuries worth of carefully calculated plans. (They might also manipulate things a little to help.)

And the time traveling ancestors for the most part, are doing the best they can in their current situation.

They are freaking the fuck out the whole time but are excellent at hiding it.

Poor Ezio.

(No, Altair, you can't kill that person because that have information we need, yes, I'm sure, Claudia don't encourage him.)

Well… How about we add some… ‘order’ to the chaos?

Desmond only had a fraction of a second to send his ancestor back in time.

And he hesitated.

He didn’t know which one to send.

Should it be Altaïr? Altaïr always felt like he would find out what to do even if he was given only minimal clues.

But Ezio was his prophet, the one he had been with the longest…

Ratonhnhaké:ton though… he deserves answers. He deserves the truth.

And when he woke up…

In that endless sea of gray…

The first word he heard were…

“’Morning. Which fucked up timeline do you want to hear first?”

Desmond sat and blinked as Clay stood before him, arms crossed with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Uuuhh…”

“Do you want to hear about how Edward Kenway managed to save his grandson and his grandson’s mother from the fires that should have killed her?” Clay asked before adding, “Oh… and he’s learned that his son’s a Templar by the way. At least, one of his old friends believe he’s actually Edward Kenway. If you think the Kenway Family Drama is bad when you were reliving Connor’s memories, then you gotta see the top tier drama that’s happening with Edward and Haytham right now.”

“Or maybe you want to hear about how Connor got kicked into Ezio’s time? He has no idea what’s happening but he got appointed as Federico’s combat instructor. He knows jackshit, by the way, about the tragedy that’s about to happen but, hey, at least Giovanni believes he’s an Assassin from another country or something. Oh.” Clay rubbed his chin as he added, “Connor doesn’t like how close Giovanni is with the Medici by the way. Lorenzo reminds him a bit of Washington or maybe he’s projecting, who knows?”

“Maybe you’ll like to know how your dear prophet is doing? Well, he’s doing badly in preserving the damn timeline that’s for sure. Let’s see… he got in touch with Alamut and managed to bluff his way into making them believe he’s the mentor of a destroyed Assassin branch from the crusader lands, he got the mentor’s permission to make his own branch in Levant, made a deal with said mentor to become a thorn in Al Mualim’s side and find out what he’s hiding, adopted Altaïr and even went as far as adopt Abbas because he believed he could ‘change’ things.” Clay was quiet for a moment before he added, “Oh and his branch is in the underground temple in Jerusalem so he has the Apple with him already.”

“Then there’s Altaïr.” Clay said with such… annoyance Desmond was actually afraid of what Altaïr had done. Clay rubbed the side of his forehead as he started, “See, they can only be transported into what counts as their past so we can’t have something like Altaïr being pushed into his future in Ezio’s time or something. And, since your only instruction to the Moraes was to ‘change the past’, they had to improvise with Altaïr considering he’s more or less the starting point. They had to pick another one of your ancestors who was important to your past and this world’s future so…”

“Altaïr’s been sent to the time of the Isu-Human war and his knowledge of the POEs and getting unconstrained access to the POEs at their full power… well… let’s just say…” Clay’s tone was drier than the desert as he said, “The Isus didn’t know what hit them.”

Desmond could only stare at Clay as he said.

“Soooo… which one do you want to contact first as their ‘patron’?”

[chubbyheadquarters]

Getting with Macaque

Genre: Romantic, slight Angst

Pronouns: Gender-Neutral

TW/CW: None

Character(s): 6-Eared Macaque-Liu Er Mihou

It'd be interesting, to say the least.

As we all know, Macaque's not one to trust easily. He's gotta ease his way into trusting you, so you'll have to be patient. He'll be a little coy and purposely confusing, but if you stick around, then his opinion on you will change a little bit.

When you met him and act all nice, he'll see it as a trick. He's been betrayed before and people have gone a great distance to fool him. He's not about to let that happen again. But he'll lower his guard just a little when he realizes that, yeah, you're just a nice person.

If you know Wukong, he's gonna use that to his advantage and use you as secret intel. If you don't, he can still use you to get to know Mk, which he proposes as meeting a new friend.

You, totally unaware of his secret plans, continue supporting him and cheering him on, giving him advice and are always willing to be there if he ever wants to vent or rant. He slowly starts to feel a bit bad. Here you are, being used by him, and you don't even notice.

He appreciates how patient you are with him, especially when it comes to him not talking about his past or motives. It's a sensitive topic, and though he won't say now, he knows he'll be able to tell you one day. Talking about his revenge on Wukong gets you curious, but you let him do his thing.

If you're into art and/or theatre, he's honestly really happy about it, though he tries not to show it. He's got a bad boy reputation to keep. Although, if you offer to help in any way, bad boy energy is gone and you two are planning and making stuff for his next play.

He's gonna train you. Part of the package deal. He says it's for safety reasons, and y'know what, he's partially telling the truth. He might need your help in battle afterall. Even if you're not strong, you can still act as a distraction. But part of him truly doesn't want you to get hurt, so he's gonna teach you how to kick some ass. He'll be a tease, but he'll always praise you when you do well.

Don't push yourself. He'd rather you take your time with training and get it as perfect as you can. After training with him, you would unconsciously look to him when you did well, waiting for his praise. It makes him feel warm inside, knowing how much you treasure his words.

When you talk to him about weight, maybe even wanting to lose it, he'll help you out if that's what you really want-But he's-So confused? Why? You're so soft and plush and everytime he holds you it's like he's in heaven. I'd like to think that he's open to every body type, but he tends to prefer a fuller/chubby partner.

If anyone messes with you, especially if it's because of your weight, they'll get what's coming to them. He'll embarrass them, scare them for a bit, make sure they learn their lesson. He'll comfort you, telling you that you're fine just the way you are. "Those idiots don't seem to know perfection...""Huh?"" Those guys are just a bunch of idiots." Cue blushing monkey.

At one point, he starts questioning if he really wants to keep doing this. He realizes he doesn't want to hurt you, but he had been planning his revenge for so long. He can't lose this chance. It was...REALLY conflicting for him. But he went through with it and it crushed you when everything came to light.

When you do find out, your conflicted and hurt expression makes him realize HOW MUCH he fucked up. He kept telling himself that his revenge was what mattered the most. He didn't need you. You'd leave him anyways. Everyone always does. But your words hurt him so much more than he thought they would.

"Everything we went through...was all a lie? I didn't mean anything to you? Was I just going to be another puppet? Y'know, I'm so used to being used by others, but... I never expected it from YOU..."

When you leave and don't come back, he's devastated. He tries to get over it with his bad old coping habits, but he just can't. Nothing's the same without you. He wants you back, but he knows it's not that simple, and it's not gonna be easy. He broke your trust, and you told him that was the most important thing in y'all's friendship.

He quickly notices how you linger at the entrance of the building when passing by during a walk or if you're heading somewhere else, as if you're pondering on going in, but you never do, always leaving with a look of sadness and betrayal. It takes a little while, but he finds a way to get you to come back, and he makes a play of the events that happened that day. It felt like a cruel joke, like he wanted you to relive that that day. It made you want to leave, but the ending was different.

"The warrior, heartbroken by the loss of his one true friend, decided to change for the better. And after time had passed, he went to them, and apologized with the hope of gaining their trust again."

You stayed behind when the show ended, conflicted about the play. You knew it was his message to you. An apology in the Macaque way. But this wasn't something he could simply apologize for- "Got room for one more?"

The two of you talk it out, him letting you vent about your feelings and how trust was a hard thing to earn back when it was broken. He apologized and admited that he had truly begun to see you as a friend. Someone he started to, in a sense, cherish.

Seeing him so vulnerable and open made you think about everything, and with a conflicted heart, you decided to give him one last chance, and that if he we're to blow it, he'd never see you again. And goodness he's so willing to make it up to you.

Slowly but surely, he starts gaining your trust back. He became a bit more open, emotional wise, but past wise still guarded. He took your feelings way more into consideration. In due time, you began to laugh with him, joke with him, even smile at him. Yeah, he's not going to lose your trust again. He doesn't ever want to let go of this warm feeling.

He'll see the confliction on your face when you happen to hear him talking about Wukong. You never butt in or try to stop him, knowing it's not your fight, but it still reminds you of that day.... He tries his best not to bring it up around you.

Before you're together, he'll flirt and say it's a joke, but he's testing the waters to see how you'll react. If it's positive, he'll continue. If it makes you uncomfortable, then he'll stop.

His tail will unconsciously move towards you, wrapping around you. When you mention it, he denies it with all sorts of excuses. You find it cute, but you usually keep it to yourself. Last time you called him cute, he went on a small rant on why he wasn't cute. Okay whatever Macaque ┐(￣ー￣)┌

When he's tired or just wants to be closer to you, he'll lean on you, just wanting to feel your warmth and comfort to get him through the rest of the day. Head on your shoulder, eyes closed and muscles relaxed.

This bitch fucking cuddles you to oblivion. He's not letting go. Once he's got you in his grasp, you better hope you won't have to be anywhere important anytime soon. And that you have snacks. You're his personal pillow now. I don't make the rules.

👏🏽Pet👏🏽the👏🏽monkey👏🏽Please do so. Brush his hair and hum a little song. That'll put him at peace. But better yet, simply run your hands through his hair, massage his head, and he's in heaven. He'll never get tired of your touch. It's so soft and he knows he's safe with you.

At one point, he will turn his glamour off around you. He's fucking scared of what you'll think, scared that you'll run off and hate him all over again-But when he feels your hands softly cup his cheeks and you give him a soft smile-He knows that you're the one. You two will cuddle that day, not leaving the room and enjoying each other's presence.

When you do get together, not much changes other than the fact that he's a bit more open with his affections. You guys we're already cuddling it up before. Still not super into PDA, but he'll show off every once in a while. Arm and tail around you more often and nicknames thrown out there. If anyone even dares to flirt with you, they'll get a harsh glare as a warning.

His nicknames for you are so sweet. "Moonlight", "Sweetheart ", "Sugar", " Beautiful/Handsome." Take your pick. Your nicknames for him consist of "Plum", "Honey", "Dear"-Maquack. God he was so surprised that you actually called him that. But that's usually reserved for when he's spacing out or angry. Snaps him back into reality.

Sorry if there's any spelling errors or if I missed something, I just wanted or make sure there was good enough context/flow to reading it and not randomly thrown out there. I hope the writings alright and that y'all enjoy. Wukong's up next!

[boogiewrites]

Seeing Stars Part 13 | Eddie Munson

Summary: The one where Eddie realizes he's in love. Star's birthday leads to a night Eddie will never forget. Star feels something growing between them, but her conscious self isn't ready to unpack that yet. Fluff, banter, gifts, guitar, and two goobers healing each other.

Part 1 if you missed it!

NSFW - CW: use of gay slur in reference to being called that,  conversations about sexuality, p in v sex, use of pet names, mentions of past abuse/trauma from a bad relationship (not in detail), drug use.

The cold was starting to steadily set in, moving into November. The days were short and the general energy was that of a post-Halloween lull. The group in their hoodies and sweaters were eating the last of the clearance Halloween candy they’d all nabbed around the lunch table.

“Is there anything going on this weekend?”

“No. Nothing until after Thanksgiving.”

“Any movies come out?”

“I don’t know if I can watch Nightmare on Elm Street 2 again, I’ve seen it twice in a week.”

“There’s that Transylvania one coming out I think?”

“You wanna go see that?”

“Is there anything besides going to the movies? I’m broke.”

“I miss when Steve worked at the mall.” Dustin sighed.

“I miss never paying to see a movie,” Mike added.

“And getting into the rated R ones.”

“He worked at the movie theatre? And now family video? Does he have a thing for film?” Star asked.

“No, he worked at the ice cream place in the food court.”

“Scoops? With the boats and the sailor uniforms?” Star pouted at the cuteness of the mental image.

“I miss the free ice cream too.” Mike groaned.

“That is too cute.” She cooed. “Steve in that little sailor get up? Ugh, I’d pay to see that.” she giggled.

“You’ve been to the mall?” Eddie asked, quickly side-lining her thoughts of how Steve’s body might look in tight polyester.

“Uh yeah duh.” She said obviously.

“You’ve never told me you’d been to the mall.”

“I’m not going to take you with me when I go buy underwear, Eddie.” She chuckled and the group mirrored her response. “Or talk to you about it.”

“You should. I’ll go. Happily.” He flirted shamelessly and she snorted.

“Guys are bored to tears waiting on girls when they shop.”

“Nothing is boring about the combination of girls and underwear,” Jeff added in with a laugh.

“Really?” Star turned with genuine confusion on her face.

“You sound surprised?”

“Well,… an ex did nothing but gripe and complain the whole time. Even in Victoria's Secret.”

“If you ever want a guy around that would NOT be bored by that, I volunteer.” Garrett grinned. Eddie shot him a glare and Star rolled her eyes.

“I think Eddie called dibs,” Star smirked at him, snapping his head her way with the mildest flush to his cheeks.

“I did?” He rapidly blinked “ I did.” He agreed. The range of emotions quickly passed over his face and everyone at the table watched him lose his cool and fumble the opportunity to flirt. “I would but there is something already happening this weekend.” Star looked at him with a raised brow. “I know I’ll be busy because it’s someone's birthday.” He leaned in with a cheesy grin.

“Yeah! It’s Robbie’s birthday!” Star quickly said, lightly kicking Eddie’s leg under the table. He swished his head towards her, confused.

“You’re… hanging out with Star’s older brother for his birthday?” the guys were suspicious.

“Robbie got a… old junker he wants to fix up and he thought it’d be a good opportunity to teach Eddie some stuff. Right?” Star leaned towards him, staring intensely into his eyes.

“Y-yeah. Right. I needed some uh, experience working on something besides my van and Uncle Wayne’s truck ya know?”

“Your brother wants to hang out with Eddie? On his birthday?” A flat question.

“It’s just any other day for him. He’s never been big on birthdays.”

“Must run in the family,” Eddie muttered.

-

“Why wouldn’t you tell them it’s your birthday?” Eddie hissed to Star in the hallway.

“I don’t like it when people make a big deal about it.”

“Bullshit.” Eddie scoffed.

“I don’t! I didn’t want to entertain or anything on my birthday, I wanted to enjoy myself and my few precious days off of work and school.”

“Oh.” he didn’t do a good job at hiding his disappointment. “I uh… thought we’d do something together actually.” he sheepishly added, looking to the ground as they walked through the hall.

“We can do something,” she stated evidently.

“But you said-?”

“I meant the whole group or having to play hostess, you know? I don’t feel like I have to keep you entertained when you’re around. It’s not work.” she explained with an animated hand.

“Weird way to call me easy.” he quipped with a smile.

“I can always jingle some keys in front of your face if you get bored. Or throw a cat toy across the floor. That’ll keep you going for a good half hour.” she smirked.

“You’re lucky it’s almost your birthday or I’d make you pay for that remark.” -

Eddie awoke with a moan leaving his throat he wasn’t sure he’d ever heard from himself before. It reminded him of a sound Star might make. His thoughts turned to her as they often did nowadays. He quickly recalled the dream he’d been having, lifting his covers to find himself painfully hard and tacky under his sheets. He looked at the dim light coming through the window covered by his band’s show banner. He frowned at the car that was now running whose backfiring had woken him up from one of the best dreams he’d had all year. In the daze of half sleep, he felt like he could still smell her, some intoxicating mix of patchouli and vanilla. Instead of laying on top of her, face buried in her tits and her limbs wrapped around him like a snake he was face first in his pillow, his hand with her panties still tangled in his fingers the same way he’d fallen asleep after jerking off.

It was early for Eddie to be awake and even earlier for a Saturday. But he had things to do today. He peeled himself out of bed, the well-loved pair of Star's panties going back into their hiding place of shoved into the back of his nightstand drawer. His dick taunts him with its proud sway as he sits on the edge of his bed and rubs his face. He let out a wail and smacked his cheeks.

“Guess I gotta kill you before I can get anything done.” He said to the pulsing attention whore between his legs. He needed to behave today, it wasn’t about him or what his cock wanted. He’d jerk off in the shower. At least he wouldn’t have to clean anything up that way.

-

Star awoke to Moon meowing in her face, perched on her chest. She opened one eye and then glared before shutting them tightly again.

“I was having a good dream.” She complained.

“Mrow.”

“What do you care what it was about?”

“Mrow.”

“Maybe it was about him.”

“Mrrrrl.”

“Yeah again,” Star answered defiantly, finally opening her eyes and giving up her fight against slipping back into the steamy dream.

“Merp.” Ozzy chirped in from the floor, big eyes looking up at his adopted mother.

“Don’t you start. I thought you liked him.”

Moon purred, leaning her head to bonk it again Star's face.

“Yeah, you’re cute. I know. I’ve left you inside with uncle Robbie a lot.” Star sighed and pet the cat to return the affection. “It’s cold out here and I don’t want you alone without heat for too long.”

“Mrow. Awow.” Moon sassed back.

“What? I can’t cuddle up naked with a man and keep warm? You’ve got Ozzy.” The black cat with a chip in its ear let out a loud meow and walked back and forth next to her bed. “You don’t get to judge me for keeping warm by my own methods out here while you’re in there with a damn fireplace getting your butthole licked. ” Star talked to the fat white fluff of a cat in her hands, her paws dangling.

“Mrrrrrr.” She swished her tail but made no attempts to move.

“Maybe I am jealous.” Star laughed. “Speaking of.” Star plopped the cat into the floor. “I guess I need to get this birthday started right.”

“Mew.” Ozzy kindly requested.

“Yes, your food first then the manifestation orgasm. I know.”

-

Eddie was greeted with a friendly scent of nag champa, one he could recognize because of Star. A jingle of bells announced his presence.

“Hello again, Eddie.” The woman with a warm demeanor and motherly smile said from across the shop, looking up from her book. “How’s that lapis working out for you?” He walked among the imports, the pipes, and stones to the small worn counter in the back where a register older than him sat.

“How do you remember that?”

“Not many guys that look like you come in for crystals. They mainly want pipes.” She grinned.

“I’ve bought both.” He chuckled.

“And you’re a good customer so of course, I’d remember you.” She reassured him.

“I wanted to get both today actually.”

“Sure I didn’t give you pyrite on accident?” She asked with a wink. “Big spender today, huh?”

“Pyrite.” He stopped to think, his eyes wandered as he thought. “Pyrite. Pyro. Fire. Shiney. That’s the gold-looking one for money.” He finally finds his answer. “Oh, I get the joke now.” He nods in understanding.

“You’ve been studying?”

“Kinda. I’ve mostly looked at Star’s collection. She’s got one in her money bowl. So it’s easy to remember.”

“Tell her to buy one from me and it’ll work better.” She joked.

“I’m seeing her today. I will.” He gave one of those soft genuine smiles she liked seeing on anyone. Eddie had deep, good energy. “This is my first stop because I know it'll be my most expensive.”

“What are we thinking? Is the lapis working out? Need any more selenite? I’ve got some full moon water if you’re interested.” He could tell she was excited to be talking about her work, Star did the same thing when he’d listen to her.

“I'm just a baby here I’m not ready for all that.” He chuckled. “I’m here, trusting my choice of what to buy Star for her birthday. I finally figured out what to get her so I guess that’s a good sign.

“I’d say so. I always struggle with figuring out what to get people.”

“I’m starting with a pipe. I already know which, the sunflower one.”

“The lapis is certainly working.” She declared happily and moved to pull the glass yellow sunflower-tipped smoking pipe from the case. “She’s mentioned this one being cute before.”

“That or I’m around her so much I just know her now.”

“Either way it’s intuition. What else?”

“Rose quartz. For sure.” He nodded.

“Lovely love stone.” She lilted and grinned.

“She mentioned something the other day and it was…. Well, it was something bad about herself. So I wanted to get something to help her with that. She gets too hard on herself.”

“That would definitely help.” She almost floated across the divider and went to a very pink section of the wall. “Are we thinking statue? For the altar? We’ve got jewelry of course. Rings?” She perked up. “Or is that a little too on the nose?” She winked. “Lots of choices.” She stood proudly in front of the selection and watched Eddie’s borderline pout appear.

“Guess this is the real test of intuition.” He sighed.

-

Eddie smelled his cologne as he hopped out of the van. He stopped to look at his shirt and wonder if he’d put on too much. Maybe the entire outfit of freshly washed clothes was weak compared to the built-in cigarette smell of his usual jeans. He couldn’t exactly pinpoint his motive for cleaning up today. He figured it was better safe than sorry. After all, his current jerk-off fantasy where Star asked him to do nasty shit in bed as a birthday favor could happen. Right?

He looked at himself in his rearview mirror, sighing when he wasn’t sure what he was trying to fix precisely as he fussed with his hair. He threw his backpack over his shoulder, fetched his guitar, and headed towards the vibrating air stream trailer.

The small window provided a clear view from the right angle. It wasn’t the first time Eddie had been sneaky and watched Star before knocking. The bass was unmistakable, Sunshine Of Your Love, one that even he’d learned on the bass. He watched Star turn into view, singing and dancing as she always was it seemed. She checked her earrings, her hair teased up and fluffy. She tossed it behind her shoulders in time with the music, leaning one toward her mirror and then the other to the beat. Her collar bones flexed, and Eddie’s eyes quickly moved down to see the black dress she was wearing. He wanted to press his face to the glass to see how it looked past her hips. She moved sultry to the psychedelic groove, hips moving like a pendulum, and Eddie was enchanted. That was until the song winded down and she shook her head back and forth to the beat of the drum. She laughed and smoothed her hair, lighting what was either a cigarette or a joint. She smoked and sighed, hips wavering to a keyboard-heavy witchy-sounding song Eddie didn’t know.

He knocked and heard her call him in.

“It’s unlocked!” She smoothed the front of her dress down, wondering how she should stand, and promptly forgot how she would normally. She scrambled until the last second when his eyes landed on her and she’d chosen a hand to her hip and a joint to her shining lips.

“Hey.” He stuttered out, looking at everything but her face. His word was short and cut off. Her heart raced as she waited for more but it didn’t arrive. She couldn’t read his expression and the lingering quiet as she’d turned down the stereo made her feel nervous. “Uhm.” Eddie rubbed the back of his neck, his face contorted into what she thought was a disappointing wince. “You-uh that dress is…” his eyebrows went high and she felt so small.

“It’s too much isn’t it?” She looked down and he saw her face sink as much as his heart did as he watched her confidence drain from her lightly painted face. “I like to get dressed up on my birthday and I thought it looked so good on Madonna when I saw it.” she spoke so fast her words fell on top of one another, rubbing together as she swallowed audibly and took a little gasp of breath. “-so I tried to find one like it as a present to myself, you know, and I thought it’d look good on me. But it looks dumb, doesn’t it? It’s not me. I knew black and lace were too hard. I’m not edgy I shouldn't be such a try-hard.“

“WOAH Woah.” Eddie approached her with open palms, lowering his bag and sitting his guitar in the kitchen booth. “Slow down sweetheart.” He put his hands on her bare arms. “You look amazing.” He said with a hard brow.

“Oh.” She blinked with wide eyes and Eddie tried to look into the depth of them to understand why she switched modes so quickly. “You looked like you didn’t like it or something.”

“Why do you give a shit if I like it? You like it right?”

“Yeah. I was - AM a little nervous about it. I don’t usually wear all black and anything lacey and silky except my nightgowns.”

“If you like it it doesn’t matter what I think.” He reminded her. He saw the recognition come across her eyes and she nodded, chewing her lip.

“You’re right.” She frowned and looked down at herself. “Sorry, I-“ she shook her head, trying to pinpoint where the trigger had come from. She quickly realized it came from the same place most of them did. “It’s… an old habit.” She sighed. “I used to get dressed up a lot. For no reason. And I loved it. I still do.” She admitted. “But then I had it used against me and it turned into me feeling bad every time and I stopped.” Eddie let his hands leave her arms as he nodded knowingly. “I think I’m doing so well and then something like this happens. Also, my birthday is an emotional day in general so maybe I’m just… wound tight?” She looked to the joint in her hand. “That’s why I’ve got this.” She chuckled and took a drag.

“You look great. You always do.” He quietly comforted her. “And this year you don’t have to feel bad on your birthday. Happy Birthday, by the way.”

“Thanks.” She gave him a soft smile and he saw her shoulders start to relax. “We’re the same age for a few months.”

“Getting old on me.” He grinned and she playfully shoved him. “Getting wiser.” He bobbed. “Which is what’s really important.”

“When you’re my voice of reason I don’t know how I feel about it.” She kidded.

“Ah but I am also an enabler!” He grinned and moved back to his backpack, sitting it on the kitchen table. “Of bad decisions!” He beamed as he held out a baggy of weed and dropped it onto her kitchen counter. “That’s some good shit from California.” He pointed to the baggie.

“I’m waiting to see the bad decision?” She picked up the baggie to look at the bright nuggets inside.

“You want your presents now?” He asked with an eager gleam in his eye.

“You got me presents?” She pouted adoringly.

“Of course I did!” He sounded slightly offended.

“I’m so impatient. You know this.” She held out grabby hands.

“Okay so- first.” He held out a tube-shaped wrapper. It was painted newspaper, she’d seen it before. A yellow ribbon wrapped around it. A bow with tendrils tickled her fingers as she unveiled the mostly yellow sunflower bowl.

“This is from town!” She said excitedly. “This one is so cute! Is this for me?”

“If you’re the birthday girl it is.”

“I am!” She cheered. “Thank you, you didn’t have to. Really.” She cooed and moved to wrap her arms around him. He smelled good. She pressed her nose into the soft flannel of his shirt.

“You’re welcome but I’m not done yet.”

“Is the next present telling me what you’re wearing because it’s very nice.” She said distracted, looking at the place on his shoulder she’d just left.

“It’s uh some black bottle. And some of that oil you gave me.”

“I’m a genius.” She smiled and he returned the expression as he saw she was back to feeling like herself. “You might smell as good as I look.”

“Never.” He choked out a laugh. “Not possible.”

“Go on.” She rolled her eyes and flung a hand at him.

“I also got you- US wine.” He held out a glass bottle like pulling a rabbit out of a hat. “I don’t know shit about it. I got this one because it had a yellow label and you like yellow.”

“I do like yellow. And wine. I haven’t had any since I moved.”

“I don’t know if you remember it but you talked about at-“

“Our Halloween party yeah.” She smiled warmly, holding the bottle and looking it over. He paused for a moment to sit in the odd fuzzy feeling he got from her referring to the party as “our”.

“I’ve never had it. I don’t know how old grapes could be good so I also got a 40.” He yanked the familiar cheap bottle out and moved to the fridge.

“Oh my god, Eddie you spent too much. You didn’t need to get all this stuff.” She whined as he took the bottle from her hands to place it in her small refrigerator.

“Save it you martyr, it’s your birthday. I get to spoil you for once. You’re the working girl and always feeding me and funding our bullshit and it takes a hit out of my masculinity so let me do something nice for you.” he walked past her and tapped the button of her nose and she demurely smiled.

She liked the idea of someone spoiling her.

“Besides- the next few things-“

“Few? As in multiple? EDDIE!” She quickly shifted back to scolding.

“If you’d let me finish I was going to say the next few things didn’t cost anything.”

“Good save.” She muttered with a faux judgemental smirk.

“First. A new mixtape.” He smacked it into her hands in its decorated case. ‘Nov. 84-85’ it read with flowers and stars doodled. A tiny rendition of her D and D characters' great club and face adorned the inside jacket. “I know we didn’t meet until July but, I put my favorite songs that came out from your birthday last year to today. Since you didn’t have me around to show you good music for the first half of the year I figured I’d make you a tape with all the stuff you would have loved if you’d moved here sooner.”

Star felt a flip in her stomach. Eddie felt the same as he saw the way she looked the tape over, smiling at his drawings and being so gentle as she touched it. He then felt the same thing she had earlier, a concern he’d fucked up when she looked like she might cry for a split second.

“You know…” she let out a noisy exhale. “Sometimes I wish I’d moved here sooner.” She confessed. She kept her eyes on the cassette and its scribbled tracklist. She didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t used to someone being so thoughtful when it came to her. Not someone like Eddie. Not someone she cared about like she did him. She didn’t want to say aloud she wished she’d met him sooner. Or wished she’d not had to have gone through the last year of her life. Everything felt so much harder before Eddie came along. She realized she’d been quiet for too long.

Eddie hadn’t noticed the lingering silence. He was too busy having his own rivaling inner crisis to the situation he’d introduced. If they weren’t avoiding eye contact with one another they’d have seen the mutual expressions of fear and curiosity. Eddie was sweating, his mind falling down a rabbit hole. Where would they be if she had been here a year earlier? What would she be like if she hadn’t gone through… whatever her ex had done? Would she even like him if she hadn’t gone through that? Was it for the best things worked out this way? Would he have graduated? Would they even be friends? Would they have dated? Would it have been a mistake that ended in flames? Were they better off as friends? Could they have been the exception to The Munson Doctrine which states no relationship can end well? Was he even thinking about this in the past tense anymore?

“I feel like I missed out on a lot.” She held up the tape. “You know, without your divine guidance and all.” She smiled, avoiding eye contact.

“Yeah.” He huffed out, his spiraling stream of thought forced into stability again. “That was the idea behind it.” He bobbed and looked to the floor. “Next year the whole playlist can be our favorites instead of just mine.” The sentiment was felt and appreciated. But unfortunately not explored.

“I’m already looking forward to it.” She said without even the slightest allusion to sarcasm. Their eyes finally met, neither was brave enough to hold it for too long. She tucked a hair behind her ear and looked away. “You mind if I put it in now?”

“No, please do.” He shooed her in the direction of her stereo with his hands. He took a deep breath, rubbing his face. A smack to the forehead told his brain to get its shit together while she had her back turned.

“Metallica. Nice” she bounced in approval, moving back to the kitchenette booth, her hands in front of her as she picked her nails.

“Creeping death ep was released in November last year. Their new album comes out early next year. I’m so fucking stoked about it.” He was immediately distracted by a musical hyper fixation from his emotions.

“I know. It’s only the 100th time you’ve mentioned it.” She gave him a gentle smile, seeing his eyes widen and his posture perk up.

“I’m doing that thing again aren’t I? Shit,” he muttered. The thing in question was not being able to shut up about his interests when he was excited. They were both guilty of it from time to time so both understood the compulsion.

“You know I don’t mind. It’s cute when you’re excited about something.” she shook her head, dismissing his concern he was annoying. Her eyes grew a bit more half-lidded, the joint almost half gone working away at it on her own. The high was fuzzing around her and he could tell.

“Maybe I’m not annoying you because you’re high,” he suggested.

“It helps.” she shrugged, a face not giving her playfulness until it finally broke with a giggle. “You’re also bestowing gifts upon me. What am I gonna do? Be a dick? No.” she leaned against the booth’s edge. “Like I said. It’s cute. I like it. Please continue.” she bowed forward, a hand sweeping out. He couldn't help but smile, as he noticed her picking up on his mannerisms and using them for herself. She put him at ease, a rustling in his stomach he still felt afraid of, but the smile on her face distracted him enough to continue without feeling like an awkward nerd.

“You like me being awkward or the gifts?” he leaned forward to clarify but a smile twitched in the corner of his mouth breaking his attempted seriousness.

“Both.” she nodded after a pause of consideration.

“Okay because this next one is a combination of both.” he gave a forced smile and wide eyes. She observed him pull his wallet out, her brow lowered with curiosity. Her expression only deepened as he pulled out an orange card. He held it between his teeth as he put his wallet back up before holding it up on display. She recognized it as a monopoly card.

“Get out of jail free card? You know those don’t work in real life, right?” she started to giggle.

“No shit.” Eddie gasped. “Wayne and I started this thing when I was younger. It’s a favor. Whoever has the card, gets to ask a favor of the other person, and they can’t say no. But you have to give over the card when you ask for the favor.”

“That’s the cutest shit I’ve ever heard.” she pouted as if mocking him but she was entirely serious. “I get my own card?”

“Yeah, this is a new one.”

“Where’d you get it?”

“I stole it.” he grinned.

“From where?”

“A monopoly set.” She put her hands to her hips.

“No shit.”

“From school. Don’t worry about it.” he flicked her nose with the card.

“Do you have the one you use with Wayne?”

“He’s got it right now.”

“Oh! What was the favor you asked?” her eyes lit up.

“Jesus, so many questions. None of your beeswax, Ramona.” he laughed.

“Who the hell is Ramona?”

“Did you not read as a kid?” it was his turn to put his hand to his hips.

“Not especially.” she shrugged.

“It’s from a book, don’t worry about it.”

“I feel like I hear that a lot from you.” She pursed her lips.

“Focus Star!” he laughed, shaking the card in her face.

“Right. This adorable, wholesome, heartfelt PBS level shit.” she attempted to snatch it from his hand and he yanked it away, a teasing smile on his face when she scowled. She put the joint out and held out her hand. “I’m glad I’m super high because I would be emotional otherwise. This is… honestly adorable doesn’t do it justice. Thank you. I feel like I’m a member of the Munson family now or something.” There was no sarcasm to be found when she took it and looked it over.

“Not quite.” a quick nervous huff escaped him at the embarrassing thought that popped into his head as he heard her words. “I’m sure I’ll regret it. But when you don’t have a lot of money you get creative.”

“You probably will.” another giggle, her tongue peeping out of her mouth as she smiled. She tucked it away into her wallet and returned to Eddie. “It’s perfect. I can’t deal with you when you’re so… fuckin’....sweet like this. I don’t know what to do with you.” She walked up to him, putting her hands to the sides of his face in a fluid motion, with no hesitation. “I love it when you let that big brain of yours get creative.” she shook his head and he openly swooned, a happy sigh as he leaned into her hands.

“You’re so nice when you’re high.” he dopily smiled.

“I’m always nice.” she scrunched her nose then leaned in to bite his.

“You’re always weird.” he laughed and rubbed his nose. “You feral child.”

“You love it, shut up.” she smiled and pulled the zipper of his backpack to look inside it.

Eddie opened his mouth to speak, he did love it.

“What else is in your bag of tricks Mary Poppins?” her eyes dilated dark when she looked up at him. The red from being stoned in the whites somehow made the green in her eyes even brighter. He shut his slack jaw before proving himself more awkward.

“I might’ve got Steve to look up your most rented movies for me, so I have those to watch.”

“Invading a girl's privacy.” She chuckled as he dug to pull them out. “What if I’d had some nasty pornos on there? I might not want you to know what I’m into in secret.” Her tone was entirely not serious.

“They don’t have pornos at Family Video” Eddie snorted. “Besides you “borrow” mine so I know exactly what you’re into.” He leaned down into her face to give her a goofy smile.

“I don’t know. I might have some things you don’t know about.” She piped.

“You expect me to believe a girl who rented The Muppet Movie SIX times is into some dark immoral kinky shit? I don’t think so.” He held up the video to mock her.

“It’s my comfort movie! I loved it as a kid.” She grabbed it away and hugged it to her chest. “I do feel a bit exposed now. For real!”

“At least Spinal Tap and the Dark Crystal are cool.”

“I like Jim Henson.” She sulked. “The way they make the puppets is amazing!” She declared defensively.

“I’m not shitting on Jim Henson, I like the Dark Crystal too, you won’t hear any complaints from me about it.”

“Don’t you have comfort movies from when you were a kid?”

“Of course.”

“Like what?”

“The Hobbit.”

“That feels obvious.” She giggled.

“I read more than watched stuff as a kid.”

“I do know you like Disney movies.” She teased.

“Yeah, it turns out I have a heart and animated animals make me cry. And you like puppets and anything Don Bluth has touched makes you cry. Turns out we’re both human after all.”

“He’s a genius.” She said with conviction and wide eyes. “We should watch-“

“No. I’m not watching The Secret of Nimh again Star, you’ve bribed me into watching it 4 times already.”

“But it’s my birthday!” She moped.

“Fuck.” He groaned. “I am willing to watch The Muppet Movie.” He said with a chop of his hand. “I know you’ve watched Nimh recently. Would you really rather watch it?”

“Since Nimh would annoy you more I kinda want it.” She scrunched her nose and laughed like a goblin.

“I have to bend to your whims today. That’s how it works for you, right? I’ll watch the damn movie again.”

“I’m just fucking with you.” She poked his stomach. “You’re fun when you’re all flustered.”

“Fun for who?” He laughed with bewildered eyes.

“Me.” A swift response. “Your cheeks get all pink and your hair moves around a lot and gets those fuzzy flyaways.” She reached up to straighten one out and he smacked her hand away which made her laugh. “And your voice cracks like you’re going through puberty. I find it very amusing.”

“You’re the devil.” He said bluntly and she fell into a fit of giggles.

“Good thing you’re a satanist then huh?” She came back with a wink. “Since it’s my birthday you’re worshipping me today too so bow down mother fucker!” She cackled.

“I won’t waste my time pointing out the inaccuracies of what you just said because I KNOW you know you’re wrong.” His cheeks were warm as they fell into their playful banter of fake anger. “And you’re fucking with me because you want to get a rise out of me!” He grabbed her sides to tickle her and she screamed and bolted for her bed. “You find it amusing when I’m annoyed? What if I find it amusing to tickle you until you piss yourself?”

“And I thought I had the secret kinks.” She wiggled her eyebrows and stuck out her tongue, her soft body still bouncing from her leap onto her bed on her knees.

“That’s not-! Star!” He griped and she started another round of stoned laughter. “You’re so god damn ridiculous.” He declared as he laughed.

“I know.” She sighed, wiping the corner of her eye. “It’s one of my favorite things about myself now.”

“Mine too.” He replied warmly, still chuckling as he dug through his bag for what he wanted to show her next.

She hummed contently, sitting on her knees. Eddie made her feel so pleased when she was high. She wanted to pinch his cheeks for being so sweet. She felt a new compulsion to squeeze him until he popped when he would compliment her. She didn’t quite understand it.

“This. This isn’t a birthday present for you. But it is important and exciting all the same because it’s how I planned to start our evening. Smoke while we order some pizza, then eat ourselves stupid and drink and watch puppets. Or whatever you wanna do because it’s your birthday but- that was the loose plan.” He saw her tilt her head as he spoke. “The record store FINALLY got my order in!” He held out the cassette like he was shoving a sword. “Iron Maiden. Live After Death. Recorded during their World Slavery tour in California and London. Over an hour and a half of pure face melting metal!” He was so excited it took him a moment to register Star's expression.

“Oh!” It sounded as forced as it felt in the moment. A knee-jerk reaction she immediately regretted. “That’s what we’re doing tonight?” She asked, brows high and hiding her disappointment. Not as well as she thought. She tried to cover. “That's… finally came in, huh?” She said with a bounce and a smile.

She watched Eddie falter, the pure joy fading as he witnessed her reaction. She felt her stomach drop.

“You’re disappointed.” He said without meaning to be so blunt about it.

“No! I’m just… surprised.”

“You don’t want to listen to this do you?” his voice deepened and his face fell expressionless.

“Of course I do.” That was a genuine answer. He interrupted her and she closed her mouth before continuing.

“Shit.” He muttered, looking at the cassette and she rose to stand again, not being able to handle Eddie’s dejected face.

“Eddie I really don’t mind.” It was true. She didn’t.

“I’m so stupid.” He sighed, his hands falling to his side.

“What? No, you’re not.” She squeaked in offense.

“It’s your birthday. Look at you for Christ's sake. You’re all dressed up. I’m so stupid I should’ve known you’d wanna go OUT or something.” He was frustrated for real this time, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I got so excited about getting this in and getting to listen to it I didn’t even-“ he took a deep breath and noisily exhaled. “You don’t want to spend your 19th birthday holed up with me listening to one of MY favorite bands while you look like a fucking movie star and should be out getting shown off and spoiled.” Star's chest ached at his words, the way his shoulders fell and his back hunched. “You said you wanted to do nothing for your birthday. You didn’t want to host and wanted to enjoy your time off but I took that too literally didn’t I? You like to get out and party and I’m not used to thinking like that. I’m sorry, Star. I fucked it all up.”

“Eddie, honey. You are being entirely too hard on yourself. As usual.” She voiced before reaching him and taking his hands into hers. “Now listen to me. The only thing I’m upset about right now is that you’re so upset. “ she squoze his hands. “I did think we’d go out and do something.” She frowned slightly but it was quickly covered with conviction. “Nothing significant though. Like… Maybe ice cream or a movie or the thrift shop. Eddie, you get so hung up on thinking buying me things or experiences is what I want.” He met her eyes then. She saw right through him. “ But it’s not. I get it, I do. You don’t think all I want is to buy you the things that make you excited too? Guitars and cars and concert tickets?” She smiled and took his face into her hands. “But I can’t. We can’t. Because that’s not our life. And that’s okay. We know the value in other things don’t we?” He fluttered his lashes and felt his cheeks burn. He nodded ever so slightly. “I get dressed up every birthday now. It’s a… sort of ritual I do to celebrate myself. Whether I knew we were going out or not I’d be dressed like this, okay?” She waited for another nod as his glassy eyes stayed to hers. “And you’re wrong about another thing.” She smiled and mushed his cheeks. “There’s not much I’d rather do than be holed up with you. I don’t need to go out to have fun anymore. Not since I met you.” His stressed-out expression faded with every delicate word she spoke. Her bright eyes bore into his dark ones, asserting herself. “I didn’t know you could have fun doing nothing until I met you. Then all of a sudden I understood why people wanted to stay in and hang out. Why people enjoyed others' company so much. I’ve never had someone like you before. I’ve never had someone who just fucking GETS me, you know? And I don’t want you to think that I would EVER prefer the life I used to have of partying, fake friends, and bad decisions over doing anything with you.” Star's words hit them both hard. Poor Star had realized she’d never had a real friend before.

And Eddie, he felt so seen it was like he was stripped bare. She was right. They’d never had someone before that felt like they truly understood them. She saw his shame of being poor, and she didn’t pretend like it didn’t exist or give him the bullshit of oh one day you’ll not be poor anymore. There was plenty magical and whimsical about Star, but her outlook on what the world was and the place people like them had in it wasn’t one of them. And he loved her cynicism for such things. Her dark humor and her ability to be uncomfortably real with him. Just like she was right now.

Star was compelled to take Eddie with his big sad cow eyes into her arms. She wrapped around his neck and pulled him close. She could feel something in the way Eddie's hands gripped across her body before wrapping her up against him and raising her to her tiptoes. He'd needed the validation.

“I’m not upset. I promise.” She kissed the side of his head and squeezed her arms tight. “I assumed something and I made an ass of u and me.” She chuckled. She felt him weakly smile against her. She let him go and he released her, leaving his hands on her hips as she left hers on his chest. “And don’t ever let me hear you call yourself stupid again.” She pinched his chin. “Got it?”

“Yes ma’am.” He nodded as she held his chin. “I didn’t mean to be so dramatic.” He muttered. “I just get so… my mood shifts so fast sometimes. I thought I’d fucked up your birthday. You trusted me with spending it with you and figuring out what to do and I just-.” He blew a raspberry with his tongue.

“I know, hun. You've just been around my dramatic ass too long.” She gave him a quick soft kiss that made him sigh and close his eyes. “If you’re involved it can’t be that fucked up.” She reassured him. Despite the draft from around the door he stood close to, he felt warm all over when she looked at him. “Let's start the evening by getting you good and stoned so we can both be chill and happy again and we’ll listen to Iron Maiden and do fuck all. Sound good to you? Because it sounds great to me.“

“Sounds perfect.”

-

Full of wine and pizza Star was sat on a blanket and pillows on the floor with crossed legs. With a full stomach, she’d forgone the dress sooner than she’d wanted to. But the stomach wants what the stomach wants. And being extended from pizza and alcohol was what she wanted tonight. She’d compromised with a black silky nightgown that looked similar enough to the dress but was loose and soft. Stars priority now lay with being comfortable. A smoking ashtray sat between her and Eddie, the bowl he’d gifted her being used already. He’d taken the bed, sat on the edge, guitar on his legs. He was rewinding the Iron Maiden cassette they’d just listened to and he’d picked away on his guitar the whole time. Star had enjoyed watching him and getting drunk.

“I wanna do somethin’.” Her half-baked thought tumbled out of her mouth. Eddie stopped and his hand naturally returned to his guitar. He blinked slowly, waiting for her to continue.

“I can’t read minds. I wish I could. Or wait no, Ew, I take that back.” The flow of thought from being high and sipping away at a 40 made an unfiltered appearance.

“It’s my birthday you have to say yes.” She wore a mischievous smile, and leaned back on her hands, holding herself up with locked elbows.

“I can’t agree if I don’t know what to.”

“That’s the catch.”

“Or you could tell me?”

“Say yes and I’ll show you instead.” She wiggled her brows at him, sticking her tongue out ever so slightly.

“Mmm.” A deep chesty hum. “This feels like a trap.”

“Move your guitar to the side for a second.” She wiggled to her knees and scooted towards him.

“One second? That’s the faith you have in me?” He smirked.

“I’m not fucking you, silly.” She shook her head and stopped between his legs.

“Does it rhyme with fucking?” His brows went high as her hands rest on his thighs.

“No.” She shortly answered before reaching up to touch his hair.

“If you’re gonna touch the merchandise you gotta pay sweetheart.” He held his hands up.

“I want to see your hair pulled back.” she took a spare scrunchie off her nightstand.

“Why?” His chin pushed back into his neck and he made a disgusted face that unintentionally made Star laugh.

“Because I’ve never seen it!” She raised her voice slightly.

“You can see my face. There’s nothing special going on under there.”

“C’mon.”

“Let me see you with your hair pulled back then!”

“You have seen my hair styled every sort of way, Eddie. Don’t you want it out of your face while you play?”

“Doesn’t bother me.” He shrugged. “You don’t gotta mess with it.”

“You love it when I play with your hair.”

“Playing with it and putting it up are very different.” She leaned in and put her lips to Eddie’s with no pressure.

“Lemme do it.” She demanded with a playful growl.

“Ugh fine. Happy Birthday. You don’t get any of the other stuff I had planned for you.”

“You’re a dirty bitch pulling that on me.” She said sassily as she began gently pulling his hair back. Her response made Eddie laugh hard and it quickly turned into a cough.

“Views nice I gotta admit.” He grinned with his face directly in Star's chest as she raised her arms to pull his hair up into a messy bun on his head.

“I’ll whip 'em out and distract you next time so you won’t be such a baby about it. I’m already done!” She leaned back and Eddie snapped at her chest with his teeth as she pulled away.

“Should’ve asked for tits in return.” He tsked.

“Next time. I get a freebie on birthdays.” She sat back on her feet and looked him over. He blankly stared back. “Ugh.” She finally said, shaking her head.

“I don’t have to let you be mean because it’s your birthday.” His brow furrowed as his hand moved to tear the bun out.

“No!” She grabbed his wrist. “I wasn’t insulting you! I’m annoyed at how good you look. I wish I looked that good with my hair pulled back.” He blinked in surprise with a look of suspicion on his face. “I’m serious!” She pulled down a few stands and ruffled his bangs. “You’ve got a nice long neck and flat ears. Solid jawline. You’re pretty, pretty boy.” She smiled looking into his eyes after pulling curls down around his hairline.

“You’re drunk.” He grinned.

“So?” She started giggling. “I’m high too what about it?” She challenged back with her nose to his before laughing and pulling away. “I wish my neck was that long and my ears were nice and flat. Mine stick out.” She tucked her teased hair behind her ears and he’d never noticed them being prominent before. “I’m jealous.” She admitted.

“Fuck off.” He grinned and rolled his eyes.

“I am!”

“Have you SEEN you?” He leaned forward and barked back at her.

“Every day of my life! And I’ve always thought pretty men were just so, ugh I don’t know. I just want to BE like that, ya know?” She moaned. “If I were pretty like you I’d be dropping panties left and right.”

“I am historically documented to be not good at getting women.” He laughed.

“What’s your reject rate for girls? Like 50/50 at the worst?”

“0 for 0.” He grinned. “You can’t lose if you don’t play.” He tapped his temple.

“You’re full of shit.” She groaned loudly.

“What about you?” He quickly talks over her.

“My rate? For girls?” She wiggled and bat her lashes.

“Oh yeah tell me about all the girls you’ve been with.” He joked.

“Only a few have said no, actually.”

“Well, no shit look at you. What guy would say no to you?”

“No.” She shook her head. “With girls.” he leaned her head forward to emphasize what she meant.

Eddie rapidly blinked and made sure he was not more inebriated than he thought.

“With… girls. Like with girls?” He stumbles around his words.

“Yeah? Girls are nice. At a bar, you usually know you’re there to fuck anyway.” She said it so casually his face contorted in confusion.

“You’ve… fucked… girls?”

“Yeah haven’t you?” She mocked.

“You’d know.” He nervously laughed. “But seriously?”

“Why is that so hard to believe? I know there’s more out gay people in Chicago than here but you aren’t small-minded you know girls fuck girls and guys fuck guys.”

“I just didn’t…. Think about it I guess.” His thousand-yard stare went past her as his mind swirled around behind his eyes.

“You’re gonna now though aren’t you?” She smirked and a bright smile lit his face back up.

“Yeah probably.” A deep dumb laugh escaped him. “So you're at a what-? 80% yes rate with girls.”

“I’d say more like over 90%.” She nodded.

“Christ. You got me beat.” He admitted. “What about guys? It has to be-“

“Does it count if the guy was gay and I didn’t know?” She interrupted.

“Nope.”

“Then like 99.9999%.” She nodded enthusiastically. “What about you?”

“I can’t compete with that. You’ll know what a loser Virgin I am if I tell you.”

“I already know what a loser Virgin you are Eddie.” She chortled with an adorable scrunched nose.

“That’s what you wanna hear from the girl you’re fucking.” He said in a self-deprecating, sarcastic tone.

“You KNOW I’m joking. I hope. You get all squirmy if I talk about how sexy I think you are or say nice things about you. Figured you’d prefer I call you a loser Virgin since it’s the opposite of what you are.”

“I am a loser but not a virgin. I’ve not slept with that many people though.” He admitted shyly.

“Nothing wrong with that. I guess it’d be higher if you didn’t get rejected as much?”

“Ouch.” He grabbed his chest.

“You said it!” She laughed.

“I know but I can say that! You can’t!”

“What is it then? Do you have a 1% success rate? How bad could it be? You don’t ask a bunch of people out so you’re picky I guess. Couldn’t be that many.” She tried to stroke his ego a bit.

“Okay like 50/50. Well… maybe more? Some came onto me so how do I count that?”

“As a win, you whore.” She laughed.

“Okay then like 70%?”

“SEE! Told you!”

“You’re only right because it’s your birthday. Shut it.” He palmed her face and pushed her back gently.

“What about your rate with guys then?” She again said things so casually he barely even thought silently to himself. If he’d been drinking he would’ve choked.

“W-me? Guys?”

“Yeah?” She tilted her head like a puppy. “I told you both my girl and guy scores.”

“I uh-“ he looked down and his cheeks turned bright red. The smile on Star's face grew painfully large.

“You HAVE been with a guy!” She jolted up in posture with her eureka moment.

“I- I said nothing.” He shook his head defensively.

“Are you embarrassed? Oh, you sweet boy don’t be embarrassed!” She cooed and held his face to make him look at her. “Is it a secret? I guess it has to be. Oh my god, do I know him? Is it one of the Hellfire guys? I mean Gareth would be pretty cute if he wasn’t such a little shit.”

“No! No not any of them.” He quickly shook his head. “But I don’t… nobody talks about this stuff as openly as you do. I don’t want anyone to know. I guess I didn’t want you to know either. I didn’t want you to think of me differently or think I was gay or something?” He looked so confused she couldn’t help but kiss him right on the lips.

“It only makes me think more highly of you to be perfectly honest. I know what it’s like being attracted to both. I like that you know that too. And I never thought you were gay… not with how you fuck me.” She laughed with her chest and put her forehead to his. “But I’ll keep your secret. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you. I don’t talk about it. I get called a fag enough as it is ya know?”

“I thought you liking Accept so much was suspicious, to be honest.” A nervous laugh left Eddie and he blushed again.

“I mean I like the music. It’s not just about-“

“Leather daddies?” She smirked.

“Yeah, that feels a bit on the nose doesn’t it?”

“Just a bit.” She taunted. “I’m glad you got to experience that. I think more people should. Don’t knock it til you try it.”

“I mean I didn’t… do IT.” He hunched over and lowered his voice.

“Even though it’s my birthday you can say no... but can I ask about it? Was it one time? Aw did you have a boyfriend that'd be so fuckin cute."

“No.” He huffed out a laugh and looked away, cheeks pink again. “A guy at show up north. Eyeballing me and it just sorta happened. He looked at me like he knew. He was older. We got in the back of his band's van while they partied and we… fooled around.”

“That’s hot.” Star nodded.

“Hot?” His voice cracked.

“You being the blushing bride and having some- I’m assuming an attractive guy feeling you up in the back of a van all lusty and horned up with adrenaline after a show.”

“When you say it like that yeah. I guess it was… hot.”

“I mean I know I wanna fuck you after watching you play. I swear your guitar neck is connected to my pussy sometimes.” Eddie’s eyes grew wide watching Star speak without a filter. The wine and California weed were working. "And you look so mean and bad and focused and ugh your focused face is so sexy. Have I told you that? I should. And your fingers are just straight up fucking that guitar and Christ.” She fanned herself. “And you’re all sweaty after and your hair gets curlier and black and ugh, you’re so happy. And I just wanna tear you to pieces! Drag you somewhere dark and secluded like some cheetah and sink my teeth into you.” Eddies eyes go black as he watched her sigh and flutter her lashes while she openly fantasized about him, to him.

“You should.” His dry mouth blurts out.

“I should, shouldn't I? I should probably do a lot of things I don't. I’m wasted enough to say this all out loud. Whoops.” She sat back and had a fit of giggles. “Holy fuck this weed is good.” She panted and fanned her nightgown. “Is it hot in here? Or is it just me?” She snorted. “It’d be both of us to be fair.” She turned to lower the space heaters output. “I’m here talking about my wet dreams and you were being serious I’m so sorry. I know it’s bullshit when someone says sorry I’m just drunk but fuck I’m a bit- a lot very much not sober.” She nodded and blinked with a blank stare at nothing in particular. “But I’m having a great time!” She perked right back up.

“You could tell me any wet dream, fantasy whatever the hell you wanna call it anytime sweetheart. I’ll never complain.”

“Getting me wine is the way to do it. I’m a whore on the wine. The W stands for whore.”

“Wouldn’t that just be alcohol in general? He smirked.

“Nope. I can get sad or cry or fight or get horny or sleepy too.” she counted off on her fingers.

“Fair point, I think I’ve seen all those sides.”

“Bet horny is your favorite.” She wiggled her tongue at him.

“I like this right now actually. You just… saying things you normally don’t.”

“Talking about sex is fun isn’t it?” She wrinkled her nose as if she was being naughty. “What about you? You got any juicy fantasies to share? Anything you wanna get off your chest big boy?”

“I don’t know if I like you calling me that or if I think it’s funny.”

“I could call you horse cock instead if you like.” They both cackled and fell on each a bit, her arm and face on his leg and him hunched over her.

“Big boy is fine.”

“Good. I like it. And pretty boy. Ohhhh and puppy. Oh! Speaking of, how do you feel about collars?”

“Collars?”

“You know, leather and a buckle. Around your neck? I saw those handcuffs in your room you bad boy don’t act like you don’t know what a collar is.”

“When did you find those?” He smirked.

“When I was looking for some cassettes.” She shrugged

“Sneaky girl.”

“A little.” She smiled broadly with a hum.

“I’m cool with collars. Are you?”

“Never tried it but I want to.”

“Noted.” He smirked. “What else are you into?”

“I think it’s your turn to answer. I’ve blabbed enough. Your turn.”

“I would like to use the handcuffs on you.”

“I’d like that too.” she giggled and bit the end of her finger.

“Have you before?”

“Nope.” she popped the word out of her lips.

“Blindfold?” He inquired with a raised brow.

“Haven’t done it before but wholeheartedly a yes.”

“You done any bondage?”

“Not really no.”

“That’s surprising.”

“Why?” She tilted her head curiously.

“You come off so confident and experienced I guess I assumed you had done more than I had.”

“I do that on purpose.” She nodded. “Apart from the more basic BDSM like - we know I like the spanking and light choking and general roughness. But no tied up or uh the power play stuff? I knew people who went to the BDSM clubs but I was too chicken shit. Gimp suits are scary.” Eddie laughed at how her eyes were wide and large.

“Yeah, that’s a lot. I like a good power struggle. Either way.”

“Is there anything you haven’t done?”

“Oh tons. I’ve only dipped a toe in BDSM. Mostly as the person being tied up. Had a few girls that wanted to be tied to the bedpost, that whole thing ya know? And it’s fun. Turns out I like inflicting pain.”

“And I love having a red welted ass the next day.”

“I won’t lie I was so god damn happy when you asked me to hit you- spank you like that.”

“Thank you for obliging.” She winked and pouted her lips with a kiss sound. “I’d be down to play sometime. With the spanking or any of the other stuff. I’d love to try it.” She sounded like someone talking about going out to try a new restaurant. He was again fascinated by how she openly discussed things that he hadn’t known he felt internalized shame about.

“Then we will. You seem to like to be hurt and I like to give you what you want.” He smiled in an oddly wholesome way. She immediately returned it.

“Tell me a secret, Eddie. A sexy one. Call it another present.”

“Trying to get the good stuff huh? BDSM not enough for you?”

“It’s plenty but I’m curious. I wanna know everything about you. I find you fascinating.” She said earnestly.

“You want a real secret? As in something I’m ashamed of or-?”

“Oh god please yes I would love that.” He chuckled at her exaggerated reaction. “I’ll share one of mine if you share one of yours. Make it even. But it has to be a GOOD one! I’m not saying my thing without something good from you.” She insisted with a pointed finger.

“Okay. I can do that. Deal.”

“On the count of three?”

“At the same time? We’ll just talk over each other.” He laughed.

“We say it then discuss. Get it out there first.”

“Okay deal.” Star proceeds to do a Rock Paper Scissors style count down with her hand.

Eddie blurted out with a wince, “I use a pair of your panties to jerk off.”

Star hid her face and quickly said.

“I like anal.”

“WHAT?!” They both shouted.

“You WHAT?” Eddie’s smile was so big.

“You took my-!!” Star was both elated and annoyed. She gasped and got in Eddie's face. “You pervert.” Her tone was not that of someone mad at the news.

“Me?” He held his hand to his chest. “Little miss butt stuff over here.”

“When you cum so hard your eyes cross from me fingering your asshole I’ll remind you of that!” She laughed, her eyes bright and her voice loud. “Take a thumb in the ass while you’re getting railed and then judge me, bitch.” She said inches from his face and he dissolved into laughter. “You panty raiding sonofabitch. I was wondering where they went! And you’ve been…” she smirked. “Oh, you’re naughty!” She tsked and tapped his nose.

“You’re not mad?”

“No.” She lilted. “You see the thing is, I’m also a dirty little pervert so thinking about you jerking off with my panties strangled around your dick is doing it for me. Dirty birdy.” She cooed and wiggled her hips. “That suits you so well. Squirreling away with my panties and hiding them.” He’d blushed more tonight than he had the whole time he’d known her. “Do you wrap them around your dick or do you like to smell them and jerk off?” She leaned into his personal space, something Eddie was usually guilty of.

“It started with just taking them to be bad. If you found them I thought you’d be really cute, all mad about it. But yeah, I smelled them at first and jerked off. Cause fuck, you smell so good to me Star. Then they stopped smelling like you and I started cumming in them.” Star eyes drifted dreamily across his face as he spoke.

“You are making me discover all sorts of new things about myself, Eddie.” Her voice was breathy as she watched him lick his lips.

“I-I liked cumming inside them at first because it was like I’d finished inside you and I’d seeped out of you while you wore the panties. Like you’d taken them off and given them to me to show me how much I’d filled you up.” Star's mouth hung open and she gawked. Her bloodshot half-lidded eyes watched Eddie's plush lips say the most erotic things she’d ever heard a man say to her. This was more intimate than dirty talk and she was floored. She eventually blinked out of her trance as Eddie gazed at her lustful face.

“Holy shit.” She leaned away and took a deep breath. “The more you let me inside that big brain of yours the more I like it.” She whispered. “I think that’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard. I’ve never thought of that before.”

“Really?” He quietly asked. Still feeling a hint of uncertainty about how honest he was being.

“You liking my smell that much. I love the way you smell.” Eddie saw her eyes involuntarily roll back when she spoke. “I’ve whiffed your shirts while you’re not around. Right in the armpits. I don’t even care. You smell like a man and I can’t explain it but it makes me feral and knowing you’re just as nasty as I am is….” She let out a tiny whimper as she sighed. “Fuck it’s good. You could’ve only told me this for my birthday and I would’ve been happy, to be honest.”

“You’re a cheap date.” He smirked and she smiled something more wholesome.

“I never claimed not to be.”

“I can stop here. And not give you any of the other things I had planned.”

“More? Maybe an orgasm? From a thumb in my ass while you fuck me from behind?” She smirked.

“We are both too wasted for that right now.” He snorted. “Remember the last time I tried to make you cum after you’d drank too much? You fell asleep before it happened and my hand and jaw were sore for two days.” He grinned and she again bent over with giggles.

“I do vaguely recall that.” She nodded. She sighed, composing herself as she smiled softly up at Eddie.

“This would be a good time to drink water.” He nodded and slapped his thighs with his hands. “Have a cigarette. Smoke some more and then I’ll finish you off.”

“Hmm?” She perked up.

“Finish you off with your present for tonight?” He cheesed as he stood and she pouted. He took a large step past her and she bit his calf through his denim. “Feral woman! Found in the woods! Raised by raccoons!” He declared loudly as he cackled, she held his leg and kept her mouth on him as he shook his leg, holding onto her counter. “Release me, foul beast!” He boomed between laughter. “Back! Back I say!” She growled and made a high-pitched sound much like an angry cat. She took her mouth off him but promptly wrapped her arms and legs around his one leg. He drug her across the trailer floor as they laughed until happy tears fell down their cheeks.

-

Two movies and the rest of the pizza later the night was growing old and it was hours past Star's birthday. She sat on the floor again, her little nest now filled with pillows and blankets. She sat at Eddie’s feet with her hands around a steaming mug of tea, her eyes closed with a peaceful smile as music played. They were winding down, Eddie with the biggest glass Star had full of water as he watched her sway away back and forth. He had one move left for tonight. He wasn’t going to tire her out the usual way.

“I had one more thing for your birthday tonight.”

“Mm?” She fluttered her eyes open from enjoying herself.

“I know you fall asleep to Fleetwood Mac a lot.”

“You do?”

“I can hear it in the background when we’re on the phone.” He grins. “So how about I play it for you instead tonight?” She sat her mug down after a big sip, out of the way on a table.

“You learned a Fleetwood Mac song?”

“Yes.” He nodded once hard. “For you, for your birthday. More than one song actually.”

“Eddie.” She pouted but it was full of admiration.

“Uncle Wayne didn’t know what the hell was going on.” He chuckled. “He eventually asked me why the hell I was playing this kind of music. He had to have heard me playing it for hours the poor guy.” He chuckled. “What do you want to hear? I’ve got all your favs off of Rumors.”

“I thought you hated them.”

“Hate is such a strong word isn’t it?” He asked dramatically. “At first they annoyed me for some reason then you loved them so I had to give you shit about it because you got so worked up over it every time. Then I listened to them and they aren't bad. The Chain, all things considered, goes pretty hard.”

“It would seem getting a rise out of me is your motive for most of your behavior.”

“I’m an asshole what can I say?”

“An asshole who learns the songs off my favorite album for my birthday.” She said it so softly she didn’t have to further explain the sentiment behind it.

“One in the same.” He bowed with his upper body behind his guitar. “How about I’ll start with this one? You do that dumb little dance to this one. You might as well stand.” He holds out his hand and tugs her to her feet. “Because I know you’re gonna dance.” She beamed at him, feet hopped up to land on the floor. The beginning of You Make Loving Fun began and her hand went to her chest. Her shoulders moved as they always did, hearing the funky best in her head. She bobbed her head back and forth, moving somewhat like a chicken to the beat.

“Sweet, wonderful you.” She sang like a bird on her tiptoes and hands open wide. “You make me happy with the things you do.” She tapped Eddie's nose and if she’d been any less high or drunk, or not so caught up in her own emotions at the moment she’d have seen the way Eddie looked at her went a little deeper than usual. She grabbed her shawl off the coat hanger and put it on, arms out and spinning, the fringe tickling her body as she bounced. She was still mostly hip as that was the way she was put together, but she hopped and tapped her toes and swayed instead of the more suggestive moves she usually did. This was her dancing for herself. It was the root of what made her happy about moving her body to music. Eddie could swear she glowed in the low light of her altar candles and incense. He could see enough to find his chords but he knew them from memory by now. He’d been practicing for weeks. “I never did believe in miracles. But I have a feeling it’s time to try.” With her hands to her chest clutching the dark silk in her grip as she sang he wondered if she ever felt like this about him when she listened to the words.

Star didn’t think much about her voice. IT hit where she wanted it but she had no aspirations like Eddie. He however loved to hear Star sing. He’d crack jokes with Robbie about her hit-and-miss high or low notes but he didn’t mean it. “I never did believe in the ways of magic. But I’m beginning to wonder why.” The song would be better suited for him to be singing to her. But he knew she wouldn’t be able to help herself. He was happily her audience as much as she was for him with his guitar. “It would be different and you know it will.” It felt different, he’d thought when he learned the words. Maybe he hadn’t been far enough in when he first listened to this music. Maybe he hadn’t been deep enough into this magic and miracles that they spoke of. “You. You make loving fun.” They seemed to know what they were talking about. He thought feeling like this for someone would be hard. He thought it would hurt and feel like work. But it was fun. Star spun, a tambourine now in her hand keeping beat to her hip. Her eyes were closed and she was lost in it. Exactly what he’d wanted. He wanted to make her happy. He did it without having to try. If she wasn’t he felt like he failed somehow. It wasn’t a burden or a responsibility to him to do it. He’d played the role of protector so many times but it never felt like this. He’d realized that wasn’t what their relationship was like he'd originally thought. He knew she was capable of taking care of herself. He didn’t think she needed him. But god, did he need her. “And I don’t have to tell you but you’re the only one.” He smiled as he watched her spin and sing, the flare of her nightgown twirling out and rising.

The song dies down and she stops to catch her breath, panting but radiating with joy he caused.

“How about one more before bed?” She bit her lip and nodded enthusiastically.

“Please.” She requested with her hands on her knees.

“Okay, keep this beat for me.” He tapped his foot and she quickly followed. Within the first few plucks she screamed and jumped up and down.

“EDDIE!” She squealed with her hands flailing, her pink painted toenails gripping into the blankets on the floor to jump up and down. He looked at the guitar, his smile hurt with the force in which it took over his face.

“Listen to the wind blow. Watch the sun rise.” Her hair was soft as she shook her head back and forth. Her whole body moved to the steady beat. Half bent she slapped her thigh, the tambourine on her hip, and stomped with one foot on the floor. She looked like she was head-banging but somehow made it her own. “And if you don’t love me now. You’ll never love me again”. She shouted so loudly it competed with the amp. Her face wrinkled with force, her hair over her face. Chorus after chorus ended, she stood gasping in front of him, hearing the bass in her head, a wicked smile that he stared right back into her fearlessly as his fingers moved quicker and quicker into the solo. She was so excited for him, shouting YES, nods turning into headbangs. She shouted the repeated lyrics and he couldn’t help but sing with her. “Chain, keep us together.” End ended with the satisfying hum of his fingers dragging across the strings through his amp. She let herself fall to the floor, chest heaving and laughing in the feedback of the amp. “I didn’t know how much I loved that solo until I heard you play it.” She panted with her arm over her head, having just pushed her hair out of her face. She lay crumpled and gazing up at him as he stood to secure his guitar and turn off the amp. His stomach flipped at her words.

“And that.” He said definitively as he stood over her. “Is the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.” He bent over and put his hands on his knees, looking down at her.

“I am nice.” She smiled with flushed cheeks. “To you.” She added with a wrinkle of her nose. “How can I not be when you do things like this for me?” She moved to sit up on her hip. “You’re so good, Eddie. Who needs concert tickets when I’ve got you?”

“That’s… foreplay for a guitar player.” He wagged his finger at her and she grinned.

“It would get your fingers all warmed up.” He reached down his hand as he stood to yank her up into his chest. “I like it when you play me like one of your guitars. Especially if it’s your favorite. I know I could never get handled the way you handle her. That’s your wife.” She giggled. “I’m just your mistress.”

“You jealous of a guitar?” He asked with a tease in his deep, comforting tone. He brushed Star's hair back out of her face as he looked her over. Her eyes were glassy and bloodshot, cheeks and chest flushed with pink splotches. She had a sheen of sweat on her skin, glistening with joy as she spoke animatedly.

“Nah.” She shook her head. “I don’t really wanna be hung up and then only brought down when you wanna finger me.” They both let out their unique corny laughs. She snorted and giggled, he let out long exhales of sound deep from his chest.

“Yeah I don’t tuck her into bed do I?” He cooed and turned them, her feet following wherever he lead.

“You’re staying right?” He saw it. A flash of horror in her eyes at the thought he might not be staying. He craved that. Nothing felt better than seeing proof that she wanted him. He might even be bold enough tonight to say she needed him there.

“I’d course I am, sweetie.” He kissed her forehead. “I was gonna say I tuck you in instead of her.”

“Can’t tuck me in if you’re in the bed with me.” She tiptoed up on unsteady feet and kissed his cheek as he threw some pillows off the bed. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she looked at him from only a few inches away, studying him.

“Sure you can.”

“How? You gotta be out to tuck in.” She asked genuinely, watching his hands as if he was doing a magic trick she might be able to figure out.

“I’ll show you.” He bumped his forehead lightly to hers. “You get comfy, get into whatever you’re gonna sleep in.” She steadied her before he left her side. He locked the door, cracked a window, and turned down the heater. With the candles all out it was so quiet you could hear yourself breathe. “Drink your water.” He loosely motioned as she wiggled into the bed.

“Yes sir.” She mumbled and grabbed it with two hands like a child.

Eddie stripped down, chuckling when Star whistled at him as he took off his pants.

“Hubba hubba awooga.” She said as they were spelled and not as the sounds they represented. He winked and tucked the loose hairs behind his ears. He’d kept his hair loosely pulled back. “Oh don’t you wink you, dirty bastard.” She giggled as he jumped into bed on top of her, a threat to squish her before sliding beside her, his back to the wall.

“You good? Am I tucking you in now?”

“Can I ask one last birthday favor?” She looked at him with big eyes.

“Anything you want.” He answered.

“I wanna be little spoon.” Her chin nodded upward with excitement.

“Get in here.” He growled and yanked her in with a tiny oomph.

“I like holding you and having your head in my tits but I think I wanna be held tonight.”

“Sweet soft baby girl.” He teased, rubbing his nose into her crown.

“Shush.” She giggled and wrapped her arms around him, her face to his chest.

“Just have to get you situated. Are your feet covered? Not gonna lose them to frostbite? Or monsters?” She answered by bringing her freezing feet against his fuzzy calves and he made a growling sound she’d never heard before. “Jesus Christ your feet are like ice!” His voice cracked as he tried not to jerk away. “You are from the center of the rings of hell. Are you sure you don’t want socks? I was joking about frostbite earlier but now…”

“Nope. I’ve got you.” She interrupted him. “And your fuzzy legs.” She hummed happily and snuggled up, sliding a thigh between his legs. “You can keep me warm.” She murmured and he couldn’t bring himself to care about the icy talons currently rubbing his own feet and legs like a cricket. “I like it when you keep me warm.” She said tenderly.

“I like when I keep you warm too.” He said in a exhale as he started to settle, making sure she was tucked in before finally getting his arm around her body curled up to his. She was being very affectionate. Nuzzling her nose into the almost there chest hair, her hand held him in a grip he could feel. He felt her soft hand hot to his back, almost clutching him. Her other, tucked up and by her face. He slid his arm under her head and with the other felt the silk of her nightgown against his rough fingertips. only A muffled howl of the wind, a rustle of leaves heard from the outside. Inside a quiet buzzed, breathing growing slower and quieter.

“Did you have a good birthday, Star?” He asked, his face buried in her pungent hair.

“Best birthday ever.” She hummed and smiled, pressing a kiss to his chest. “Thanks to you.”

“I’m glad you liked it.” He kissed her head.

“I like this.” She mumbled.

“I like this too.” He whispered, his hand rubbing strands of her hair between his fingers as it fell down her back. She was already so still, she always shut right down when he’d hold her like this. She was out quick. Eddie stayed awake for a little while, he wanted to soak in this feeling, not willing to let it leave as he slept. The warmth of her against him, her steady breathing, and the softest small sounds he’d ever heard from her as she dreamt lulled him into the safety of sleep where he was met with dreams that for once, had a hard time rivaling how good he had it when he was awake.

-

Eddie had his turn waking up to have to pee in the middle of the night. He heard Star whine in her sleep once he removed his body from hers. He leaned down and kissed the sleeping cherub on her pouted lips. When he returned she somehow managed to keep repeating the sweetest sounds he’d ever heard. They floated in a haze of sleep, bodies heavy from it and still seeking comfort without the burdensome worry consciousness brought.

Star moaned his name softly, a plea for him in her sleep. He answered her by pulling her against his chest, his hand soaking up the warmth of her skin, not having been drained by the cold crisp air outside their sanctuary of blankets.

“M’here babe.” He answered her, again wrapping their bodies together. He kissed her neck and shoulder, burying his face there with a heavy sigh. He got to fall asleep with barely a barrier between their skin. Their dreams were deliciously indulgent and not hindered by the boundaries being awake put on them.

The rose quartz Eddie brought her was still in his pocket waiting for its moment to be shared. That didn’t stop it from influencing them. Eddie had kept it on him all day before. Thinking about it, rubbing it in his hands, worrying at it with his mouth. It was in tune with him and what he needed. And by proxy, it also assured Star was feeling its influence. It made sure they had some of the most loving, peaceful, and gentle dreams either had ever had. It gave them what they needed as they slept. It gave them each other.

Stars' dreams grew more intense as the morning settled in. Her sleep talking and moans only added to Eddie’s dreams until a cry awoke him. He’d happily incorporated the sounds of her moans and his name but even asleep Eddie came when Star called.

A gasp that turned into a deep inhale pulled Eddie from unconsciousness. He could feel Star in his arms, her body subtly moving in response to her dreams. The first thing he heard was a soft mewl from Star. What a perfect way to wake up, he thought. His arm that was tucked under the pillow she rest on bent up to join his other to envelop her. His tattooed forearm against her collar bones, the partially asleep hand clasping over her shoulder to pull her close. His other snaked under her extended arm which was straight out and grasping for something with little twitches of her fingers. Words that didn’t make it past her lips hummed in her mouth as he squeezed her, curling his body fully against hers. He pushed his face into the warm soft skin of her back and shoulder. A cuddle and a nuzzle of his nose as he breathed her in. He kissed without looking where his lips landed. Small, lingering kisses that left his lips sticking to her body, the skin seemingly caching against the fuzz of her and refusing to let go. His nose led the way as he traveled up her shoulder to her nape and buried his face with a grunt. The arm Star was laying on sought Eddie out, her dream self demanding more of him as her awake hand clasped itself around his forearm. In her dream, it was clutching with nails and desperate. But in reality, it was a soft caress.

“Eddie.” It was barely legible, only escaping from the strength of her exhale, parting her lips.

“Mmm.” He kissed her neck, his nose mashed against her as he stayed in a sleepy haze, soaking her in.

“I du-“

“What is it, baby?” His voice was gritty from sleep. He walked a trail of 3 kisses to the side of her neck, his body slowly waking up.

Her reply was a whimper that stuck in her throat.

“Sugar.” He whispered against her neck. He kissed her again, then one to her ear. “Use your words.” He felt her body shiver in his arms. He blinked his eyes open, he lifted his head to see Star's eyes moving behind their lids. He smiled, closed-lipped and deepening the lines on his face. Her face never looked softer than it did in the mornings. There were no worry lines between her brows or tension around her mouth. He saw how her cheeks rounded out and the natural shape of her lips. The late morning light seeped through the faded curtains. She looked golden with her warm-toned hair and skin. Her lips twitched and her lashes fluttered the longer he watched her. A round-tipped nose wiggled like a bunny as she huffed out sounds and almost words. He used the arm under her chin to brush back her hair off her face and neck so he could see all of her. He kissed her cheek and a sort of happy sound escaped her.

“Eddie.” She felt the warmth from the kiss in her dream.

“I’m here, sweetheart.” He exhaled onto her peach fuzzy soft cheek.

“Eddie.” She exhaled, her body losing its tension. He felt a warm fuzzy feeling in his chest when she relaxed at the sound of him.

“What is it, beautiful?” He asked her, kissing her temple.

“Fren.” Eddie smiled and looked down at her face now frowning. Just looking at her made his face hurt from smiling. Watching her like this made his chest hurt more. He didn’t recall a time before his face hurt so much as it had after she’d shown up.

“You’re dreaming baby. You’re fine. I’m here.” He quietly reassured her in her ear. Another kiss on her cheek. “Sleep.” He lightly dragged his lips up to her temple where several kisses were planted around her hairline. He savored the freedom he felt with her asleep in his arms. He was free to smooch and caress, to call her the things he longed to when she was awake. He shut his eyes, his brow creased as she whined his name. He pressed his face into her hair, feeling pain in his chest now.

“Ed.” She sighed, her face nuzzling into her pillow. “Don’t go.”

He made an involuntary sound. One light and painful.

“I need y-...” Her chest rose and fell at a slowly rising pace. “Don’t you...” she paused and a “...please.” Wrenched his heart in his chest.

“Star.” He clutched her tightly, pushing his face against her head. The presentation of the idea of her dreaming of him was enough to make him swoon. The idea she would have dreams where she begged him not to go. That she told him she needed him? It made the oddest feeling grow in Eddie’s head. He wanted to cry. Even asleep she somehow cut him down to his most vulnerable. The idea that she could need him as much as he knew that he needed her was like a punch to the gut. Eddie knew how to handle negative emotions. He could handle anger like the veteran he was of the emotion. But good feelings? Wholesome ones with pure intentions like joy and belonging he couldn’t process as well. He struggled to know how to communicate them. But he could. He had before. But love? Romantic love? The big IN love? That was a new one. It made him nauseous. That intimidating emotion he didn’t know what to do about. “Star, baby I’m here.” He kissed her ear. “I’m not going anywhere.” He shook his head, concerned that the pressure with which he pushed himself against her might hurt her. He felt like he might burst out of his skin. “Ever.” He promised.

“Friends.” She sounded as upset as he felt. “We don-“ She shook her head, her breathing picking up. “Not like that.” She insisted in broken words.

“Shhh.” He hushed her, kissing her temple. “You’re alright baby, calm down.” He cradled her and tried to learn how to deal with the emotional weight of having the girl he was in love with in his arms and upset.

“They don’t say it.” Her words came clearer. “Look!” She whimpered. “Not like that. Friends don’t. Not like that.” She blubbered and he sat up, looking down at her now distraught face.

“You’re having a bad dream, sweetheart that’s all.” He spoke so softly into her ear. “Eddie’s here baby. Calm down. It’s okay.”

“I’ll f-“ he felt her hand squeeze him back. Her other was clutching a pillow. “I’ll fuck it up.” A sob broke from her throat and Eddie’s heart dropped.

“Star? Baby wake up.” He tapped her cheek.

“Leave.” Her bottom lip quivered like a child’s about to cry. “Don’t. Too good.” She shook her head.

“Star.” He didn’t want to jar her awake. “It’s your Eddie. Come back now. I can’t take you being upset. Stop it.”

“No. Not until she listens.” She answered with an eerily sober-sounding voice.

“What the fuck? Star?” He raised his voice and she gasped awake. Her hands found his arm immediately and latched on. Wide confused eyes rapidly blinked, adjusting to her consciousness. “Are you okay?” She focused on Eddie’s face hovering over hers. He watched the fear disappear from her eyes as they met his.

Star looked up through blurry eyes to see Eddies handsome face surrounded by a halo of hair. Then she noticed he was looking at her, touching her face, his thumb rubbing her cheek.

“Mmm.” A soft smile, the opposite of a few moments ago appeared as she took a deep breath. “Eddie.” The word shaped her lips into a smile. “You look pretty.” She closed her eyes and smacked her lips, nuzzling into his hand.

“Star, are you awake?” He asked with a nervous laugh in his voice.

“Yeah?”

“You don’t sound so sure.” He let out a nervous chuckle and kissed her forehead.

“Sleeby.” She mumbled. He opened his mouth to ask what the hell kind of dream she was having to be crying upset and writhing against him and now she was a little lamb without a care in the world.

“You were talking in your sleep.”

“Oh. Sorry.” She grumped.

“Nah, it’s okay.” He quickly comforted her with a tone that was far sweeter than it had to be. “You feel okay?”

“Not bad.” She reached up to touch his face with her fingertips

“You wanna go back to sleep?” He asked her, brushing the hair that had become unruly during her struggle away from her face.

“Mmm.” She hummed again at the feeling of him kissing her fingertips as they moved across his lips. “No.” She was quiet for a moment as they both looked each other over. She made a small grunt of sound, as she leaned forward to kiss him. Her thoughts weren’t fully back to this plane of existence yet and she did it without thinking. “I had a dream about you.” She sighed as she let her head hit the pillow again.

“I had one about you too,” he admitted. The sun glinted in his big brown eyes, and his smile sparkled down at her as he watched her stretch and smile.

“Good dream?”

“The best.” He leaned down to kiss her while her eyes were closed a noise of surprise escaped her. “You have a good dream about me?”

“Very.” a mischievous lilt to her giggle forced him to kiss her cheek. She had flashes of an earlier dream, Eddie on top of her and her not having a care in the world about it. “We were back home. In Chicago. And we were in bed. Like this. And you were…” she grinned and her cheeks pinked. Eddie leaned down to kiss her lips this time.

“We were doing that in my dream too.” He confessed as they lightly, lazily pecked away at one another’s mouths.

“It was…” she took an indulgent sigh and let out a moan. “Warm.” Her head turned back to forward, laying back on the pillow as she lay on her side against Eddie.

“Like we are now?” He asked, snuggling back in behind her, a kiss on her head.

“Yeah.” She snuggled against him. “And very nice. Slow. I’ve never had it slow before.” She shook her head.

An odd mix of pity and triumph ran through Eddie. In a single sleepy sentence, he knew no one had treated her gently. He felt the rush of superiority knowing that not only could he give it to her, but he’d also be her first. He wasn’t the type to relish in the construct of virginity but his jealousy bask in the thought that he’d be the one to show her something first. That no matter what happened between them, she’d always remember the guy that touched her gently for the first time.

“Do you… want it slow?” A simple question. She batted open her eyes and he watched her think. She looked around in thought, brows and mouth giving away just how fully she was considering his question. He appreciated the rather adorable effort.

“I’ve never had it before.” She repeated. “I don’t know.”

“You liked it in your dream. What was good about it?” He was rather not sneakily trying to figure out what she dreamed about.

Star didn’t know where to begin unpacking the significance of the dream. She attempted to simplify the answer as much as she could with her not fully functional brain.

“Because it was us.” Eddie felt the pang in his chest again. “And you always make me feel good.” She turned her face to say it more directly to him despite them not facing each other.

“Do you want me to make you feel good?.” His thinly veiled attempt to have an outlet for his demanding affections wasn’t noticed by Star. She felt his hand that had been idle around her stir, moving to her chest.

“Do you want to right now?”

“I always want to.” He blurted. “But you know I’ve wanted morning sex. You’re always running away to work on me. But I’ve got you for 2 more days.” He gave a loud kiss on her cheek and squeezed her. She hummed and smiled.

“Yes, you do.” She happily let him hold her against him.

“I’ve got you all to myself.” He said with a nuzzle of his nose into her warm vanilla-smelling skin. He tensed and tried to hide it as soon as he remembered she was no longer sleep talking and heard what he was saying. He had to pull back on his honesty. He looked down to see no worry on Star's face. She hadn’t cared he said it, she found it cute. She wasn't overthinking everything like he was. “I think I might keep you in this bed with me for the next two days.” He lightly bit the shell of her ear.

“Mmm sounds good.”

“We would have plenty of time for me to take it slow.” He promised in her ear with a quiet voice.

“Do YOU want it slow?”

“I want you.” An honest that was simple as it was complicated now. “Any way I can have you.”

“You’re being cute this morning.” She pat his forearm around her chest.

“So are you.” Another kiss on her head. “Every morning.” Another.

“You’re being too nice,” she mumbled with a smile.

“I can always be nicer.” he nuzzled into her neck and let his hand seek out her breast.

“Mmm.” she hummed happily and let out a single huff of a laugh. “I bet you can, pretty boy.” Her voice was back to how it was when she was awake and at ease. A deeper feminine sound that he enjoyed getting to hear no matter what she was saying. “If you were wanting that morning sex, you’re going the right way about it.” a smug smile sat on her face as his lips started kissing her neck. His hand grasped her chest with intention. She moved her arm up giving him free access.

“I do want it,” he says right into her ear. His voice was deep and needy. “Can I fuck you slow, sweetheart? Like in your dream?” She answered with a nod and a push back of her ass against him. He dipped his hips just under her ass, letting his half-hard cock nuzzle right between her plush cheeks. He raised the hem of her nightgown, knowing nothing was under it. He let his hand rest on her jaw, his thumb gentle against her lips as his free arm, not under her, was allowed to roam. Still under the protection of covers, both their skin was pliant and warm. Her feet unconsciously rubbed together as she let herself relax and feel good, knowing she was well taken care of in his arms. She let the intense emotional repercussions of her dream fade out of memory, and tuned into the present.

His hand groped at her chest, not only her breasts but squeezing her ribs when he’d latch onto a spot on her neck and kiss, feeling her hips undulate against him. Every pinch of her nipples made her lightly buck back on him, eliciting a moan from them both. Eddie took only a heartbeat's time to pull down his boxers and free himself, his hand back under her nightgown and targeting her now hard and ever-growing sensitive nipples.

With the velvet skin of his cock slowly pushing its way between her cheeks he became increasingly desperate. He mirrored every sound she made, every closed mouth moan to the needful exhales of ‘yes’. She felt her body ache as he teased pressure, his precum easing his way between her legs. They found a rhythm, a smooth back and forth as he inches closer to breaking through to her pink center.

“You feel so good and I’m not even inside you.” He said through a delicate kiss to her ear. Star held his thumb between her teeth, her tongue lapping at the pad when she had the urge to kiss him.

“You’re so close.” She sighed. “I can almost feel you.” Eddie kept worrying away at her nipples, breathing into her ear and kissing her shoulder.

“You’re so soft.” He moaned, his forehead pressing into her shoulder as his hand moved to grope her chest again. His hips pushed forward harder, not faster. They kept a tantalizingly slow slide against one another.

“You’re so hard.” A deep sultry chuckle left her throat and Eddie moaned, his tongue lapping at her shoulder. She arched her back as sharply as she could manage. She trailed her hand down her body, over his veined hands that grasped at her desperately. She reached her hip and lifted her gown. With a spread hand she lifted the weight of her cheek, and Eddie slid past the barrier of external skin and into the hot wet center of her pussy lips. He stuttered and groaned. A helpless sound before she felt him start kissing her neck again. She swung her hips back and forth, covering him in her essence and making him whimper.

“Star.” He whispered, his lean hip muscles tensing as his body sought out her insides. She sucked his thumb into her mouth before she spoke.

“I’m wet from my dream about you.”

He grunted and bucked, his tongue out of his mouth as he lapped at her neck.

“I want you so bad it hurts.” Her brow creased at the throb and ache of her pussy as he teased it.

“You want me?” He asked, mashing against her ear. She reached back to take a handful of soft curls into her hand.

“Of course, I want you, Eddie.” She indulged him. He was being so loving and desperate and embodied the puppy energy she loved from him.

“Tell me?” He softly requested.

“I need you, Eddie. So bad. I’m so wet because of you. Please.”

He shuddered, pushing another finger into her mouth before his other hand slid to her hip to adjust himself to push into her. He looked down to greedily take in the sight of shining on her ass and thighs from slick. With a grunt, he grabbed himself and pressed forward. He entered her with a pleasant pop.

Star fully exhaled, her body slumping as she felt him fill her. He wasted no time pulling his fingers from her hungry mouth and pulling her tight with his pinned arm. He settled on her chest, fingers attached to a nipple again. He concealed his whole face into the bend of her neck. He kissed without any thought behind it, wet and breathy he covers her hairline and cheek with needful presses.

“That’s what I needed.” She whispered, her face turning to hide in her pillow. He let her move on her own, taking him as she pleased. He felt her relax, his pussy sucking him inside and welcoming him. He held out until she moaned, then his hips started moving on their own. Her breathing started to pick up as she focused on the feeling on his body of lean muscle flexing against her own. He pulled out as far as he could without leaving the comfort of her then slowly filled her again. He was steady and strong and it was making her weaker by the second. He came up for air, gasping as his face contorted and he let out a gritty moan. He felt Star tighten around him, a bounce back of her ass onto him, encouraging the sound. She buried her face, encouraged to indulge by her tightly gripped hand bringing him back down to her. He moved his hand to her lower stomach, holding her as he pumped his hips. “A little lower.” She giggled, raising her leg to give him access.

“Yes.” He moaned, throwing her leg behind him as his fingers dove between her legs to circle four fingers on her soaked clit. Star arched and far bed and cried out.

“Yes!” She mewled, her head arched back. He put his fingers back into her mouth and she moaned deep from her stomach as she suckled away at them. “So deep.” He kept his steady pace, he filled her slowly and purposefully. She tried turning her head to face him and she cried for more after a brief neck-stretching kiss. She wanted more.

“I can’t reach you and stay inside you.”

“Kiss me.” She pleaded, her eyes screwing shut as she felt a new kind of build of pleasure inside her. “I don’t care where just put your mouth on me.” He latched to her neck and she moaned and shuddered.

“I don’t wanna leave a mark.” He painted out, sweating from intensity but not exertion.

“I don’t care.” She cried.

“You want-?”

“Mark me up I don’t fucking care, Eddie.” She cried out and he whined into the muscle of her neck. He’d wanted to sneakily lay claim to her before. Leave a hickey, and let anyone else know she was with someone who wasn’t them. But now? He felt like an animal, some beast marking his territory as he felt his emotion surge. She sucked hard on his fingers, the tips red and spit pooling into his hand. He lapped at her like the puppy that he was, he bit and sucked and she yearned for more. “Harder.” She demanded.

“You’re gonna cum from me giving you this dick nice and slow.” He instructed in her ear. She bucked her hips with a whine of distress. He kissed her cheek before latching to her shoulder and sucking, his eyes rolling back in his head. “Loosen up for me. Take all of me. You’re so tense, sweetheart.” She took a few deep breaths, disappointed he didn’t give in but still enamored with the pain his mouth caused on her skin. “That’s a good girl.” His finger kept swiping and swirling in the mess of wetness, not even feeling friction from her soft bush of hair anymore. “Relax and get fucked how you need it. I’ll make you cum, don’t worry.” She shook again, her hand white-knuckled from the grip in his hair of her awkwardly bent arm. Her legs were spread as wide as they could, he could feel her strong hip muscle quivering from force. Her feet kneaded the bed, trying to find purchase to move, to demand a different pace but she couldn’t find it. “Stop struggling, Star. I’m not going to stop. Relax.” He said again. She caved in with a pout, letting her muscles loosen. “You’re so tight around me Star. You feel so good but I need you to open up that perfect pussy for me okay? Open up your pussy and take me, Star. Let me make you cum like this.” None of his words felt like orders but wishes he was asking her to grant.

“Ugh!” It was half cry of frustration and half of pleasure. She stopped moving, let her muscle settle, and as soon as she felt how deep he could go when she let her pussy open up. Instead of trying to stay so tight, he had to fight to get inside her, she moaned from her stomach in a new way.

“Fuck that’s it, fucking perfect. Focus on how good it feels. I’m filling you up so well, you feel it? My cock bottoming out inside you? You take my cock like you were made to, you feel it?”

“Holy shit.” She managed to get out.

“That’s my good girl, open that sweet pussy up.”

“Yes.” She wept, a tear promising to fall from her eyes. She moaned another deep unique moan.

“Open it up and take me, Star. God damn it you feel so fucking good.” He groaned out between clenched teeth.

“I am. Fuck, I am.” She pleaded, looking down to see his hand soaked and focusing on the obscene sounds her body made as he pushed into her. She pulled her hand free from his hair, slapping to her thigh to hold up and open her legs to take him even deeper.

“That’s it. You want it so bad don’t you? Tell me.”

“I wanna cum so bad.” She let out a broken sob. “It feels so good. I’m right there but I just… can’t…” he shushed her and kisses her cheek. “I need it. I wanna cum on your cock.” She squealed.

“Relax and you will.” He whispered in her ear. “Just let it feel good, it’s not about cumming. Just enjoy it feeling good.”

“Just enjoy it.” She whispered back, her brow low and again calming her body. She was so used to fast and hard and cumming being the entire point. Now she was wrapped in his arms, he pulled her onto her back more to be able to kiss her. Her leg was high and bouncing as he was deep inside her. A push in, a drag out. Two separate motions instead of the blur of movement they’d done together before. She let herself focus on the kiss. Deep and slow like his cock, their tongues explored and probed. She held his face and he helped her reach her peak by focusing on her nipples again. Soon she was floating, her body being rocked and held, kissed and caressed with care. “Oh my.” Left her mouth without her putting forth the effort. Her body felt heavy, her eyes began to rapidly blink.

“That’s a good girl. I feel you, Star. You’re doing so good. So good.” He buried his face into her neck again, he felt her startle, a hand slapped his arm as she gasped.

“Eddie?” She sounded like she didn’t know what was happening so he rose to look at her. With teary eyes, her lips trembled as she begged him for something he couldn’t place with her eyes. She nodded.

“Yeah?” He nuzzled his nose to hers, feeling the deep muscle spasms beginning in her stomach.

She nodded again and a tear fell from her eyes as she screwed them shut. She seized up, her head lifting, her forehead to his lips. Her legs came to her chest, her stomach a rock-hard muscle as she didn’t make a sound for a moment. All that could be heard was the wet squelch of her body wrenching his cock. Eddie’s mouth fell open, his eyes rolling in their sockets. It was more intense than the usual pulse and grip. He could feel her whole body as it washed over her in waves. The usual quick pulses into calm was nowhere to be found. She managed a strangled gasp, her eyes rolled back to white. She drowned in wave after wave of her whole body tingling and feeling the pleasure. Her nipples were screamingly sensitive, and her clit felt like a blood-filled beacon with how every pulse made it jolt her with pleasure.

She gasped exhaustively, her eyes moving to meet his. She was surprised and lost, he saw it in a second.

“Don’t stop.” She creaked out, her lips pouting exaggeratedly. “I’m… it’s…” she choked out a sob.

“I’m not gonna stop. You’re doing so good. Keep cumming baby.” He pumped her at the same rhythm, fighting to stay inside her as she squeezed. His fingers zeroed in and caressed her throbbing clit. He could feel her pulse under his hands. She let out a loud growl from her red face. Eddie knew enough to understand that the really good orgasms weren’t some flowery moaning lovely thing. They could hurt. They were grunts and groans and drool and tears. He watched her in awe as she struggled, he was thrilled to be the one to give her this.

She stayed there for a short while, until she cried out again, her back arching and her head hitting the pillow. With a rush she came around him again, her body tensing and pushing and it proved too much. Eddie didn’t dare ruin her moment, as he came with the same unattractive sound as she did. A stern brow was pressed to her head as she wheezed. She whimpered and whined, arms shaking and grabbing for him. He clamored gracelessly, his hips moving on their accord as they kissed filthily. Tears and spit traveled over their faces, lips sucked and tongues tasted the salt from their skin. They panted into each other mouths, as Star tapped Eddie’s arm to beg for mercy.

His hand left her puffy pussy and grabbed her face. They collided, her turning to him to wrap her leg around him and he quickly smacked her ass before sinking his nails into her smooth skin. A makeout -as rough as the sex had been slow- followed. Neither recalled having kissed someone like this, certainly not sober. Some desperation they’d both been denying bubbled to the surface.

In the haze of post orgasm, there was a clarity that hit Star. She remembered something from her dream. Something she felt in her gut as they gasped and bit and scratched and cried into each other’s mouths. Friends, she remembered hearing. Friends don’t do this. Not like this.

-

“Honey, I’m home!” Eddie announced loudly, kicking her trailer door open with arm fulls of groceries.

“Eddie!” She scolded and jumped at the intrusion. “You’ll break my door!”

“I appreciate your faith in my muscle strength but these spaghetti noodles aren’t gonna break your door.”

“Your legs are not spaghetti noodles.” She corrected with a roll of her eyes, hopping up to shut the door behind him. “Did someone say something about your legs? Is it because your jeans are tight?” She walked up to him and stood by her kitchen counter, her face looking particularly adorable to Eddie as her face frowned. “I will fight someone if they made you feel bad about wearing those jeans. You look so good in those.” She so diligently insists, looking up to see Eddie smug. He leaned in to kiss her and her face softened.

“I know you would, badass.” His tone has the same effect as if he’s ruffled her hair.

“I would!”

“I know. That’s why I said it!” He laughed.

“Good!” She nodded and looked at the things left on the counter. “We cooking now?”

“I am cooking now yes.”

“Are you sure? I can help. I’m a good cook.”

“I know you are and I’m going to prove that I can make something besides cereal for you.”

“I don’t know if the insurance is up to date on this thing so please don’t burn down my house.”

“Oh, ye of little faith. I am a one-trick pony when it comes to cooking. I can one thing really well.”

“With a block of fake cheese?” She picked up the dropped the heavy brick on the counter.

“Trust the process! Shoo!”

-

Star sat on her bed which still smelled like sex from that morning. She was still feeling pleasantly tired and Eddie had been in a great mood the whole day. He’d run out to get groceries after an argument about him being able to cook while Star had made them breakfast.

He’d barreled off in his lumbering van and picked up a bag of clothes and other things to hold him over for a few days. He hadn’t been joking about staying with her the entire time she was off. And now he especially didn’t want to leave her. He felt different. Conflicted, sure but lighter too. The truth was heavy but knowing it made it easier to carry. He was in love with his best friend. Not ideal by any stretch but with their non-traditional sort of relationship it also was a whole hell of a lot better than it could be. He knew better than to tell her. Not now anyway. Maybe soon. Maybe one day. When she didn’t seem to be so haunted by her past. He felt cautiously optimistic.

In a lame attempt to prove his worth of being relationship material he had agreed to make dinner. Eddie's confidence in the kitchen was not high. But he was capable if he could focus long enough. He’d made this meal, 100s? Thousands of times? It got him through his time alone when he was younger. It served him well now. And he proudly presented it to her steaming hot out of the pot.

“Munson Mac.” He cheerfully proclaimed as a very ooey, gooey, melty greasy bowl of bright orange noodles were poured in front of Star. Your fork, Milady.” He bowed and held it out to her to take.

“It smells good.” She waited for him to settle into the opposite side of the kitchenette booth. He stared at her for a moment. “You’re excited about this aren’t you?”

“Yes. Put me out of my misery and try it!” He scooted the bowl closer to her.

Star seriously considered acting like it was bad then psyche!-ing him. She wasn’t cruel enough to make those big brown eyes look sad on purpose. The fact that it was surprisingly good made it hard to act like she didn’t like it with how hungry she was.

“Verdict?”

“I will admit I am surprised at how good it is.”

“YES!” He hit the table with both hands. “Fuck yeah.” He nodded enthusiastically before shoveling it into his mouth.

“You even seasoned it.”

“Of course I did.” He looked offended.

“I mean, white people usually don’t.” She laughed.

“Poor people do!” He corrected with a shake of his spoon. “We can’t afford the good shit so we have to flavor the cheap stuff to make it edible.”

“That explains the block of cheese.”

“Exactly.”

He continued about how many cheeses were in it and how he used a whole stick of butter. Stars eyes got wide at the confession. That would explain why it was tasty. Eddie suspected the cheap and easy-to-get ingredients had kept him from starving sometimes as a kid. You need the calories from a whole stick of butter when it’s the only thing you’ll eat all day.

She went back for another bowl and not just because she knew it’d make him happy. He took her second empty bowl and started washing up. She sat with her extended stomach and watched him curiously.

“You do dishes too?”

“Yeah? If you don’t you get ants. Or gnats. I hate those fuckers. Oh hell, I sound like Wayne.” He laughed.

“I don’t know if… apart from Robbie I don’t know that I’ve witnessed any of my- any guys I knew do dishes without being asked. Or begged.”

“Grow up alone. Or see your mom have a breakdown or an argument over the dishes not being done as a kid. You’ll start doing it yourself to keep the peace.” He said it too casually. Star frowned at his explanation. She rolled up her sleeves and stood next to him, she took them to dry.

“You don’t have to do it alone.” She offered, using an embroidered tea towel to help.

“I know.” He looked down at her bright eyes that showed she felt bad for him “That's what I’ve got you for now right?” He nodded his chin up and the sentiment made her smile.

“I’d rather vacuum actually.”

“I’ll take out the garbage if you do laundry.” He grinned.

“I’ll wash it if you put your own up.”

“Deal.” She smiled back and they finish the dishes in silence. “You know what? There is something you can help me out with.” He said as he leaned against the table.

“Shoot.” She said, mirroring him against the counter. He ignored his compulsion to stare at the multiple hickeys he’d left on her neck and shoulder. With her hair up it was like she was teasing him. He shook his head to force out the distraction.

“I was wondering. About these crystals?” He took the ones she’d left in his van out of his pocket and held them out in his open hand. He saw her eyes go wide.

“Looks like, some black tourmaline and selenite, a rose quartz.” She said fingering the stones. “Good protection stones.”

“You wanna know where I found them?” He smirked.

“I’m sorry.” She blurted out. “I should’ve asked first but I wanted to put protection stones in your van because you drive like a maniac and I worry about you.” the words all came out fast. His smile was obnoxiously cocky. He moved over to her, put the stones in his pocket, and kissed her. A hand to her waist and another to her face before landing it.

“I know.” He whispered and grinned.

“You just wanted a confession?”

“I knew it had to be you.” He shook his head. “But when I took them to the shop downtown I asked the lady what they were and I learned a lot.”

“You did?”

“I was… I don’t know. flattered? Glad they weren't out there to kill me?”

“You aren’t mad at me?”

“Psh, no. It’s sweet really. I can use all the help I can get. We both know this.” He admits. “I learned about the stones and I mean, it was easy to get you to talk about them. So I looked into it for myself. So I figured, why not return the favor?”

“You… you’ve been learning about crystals?” Her voice cracked in her throat in a well-timed crack of honesty in her voice.

“I have.” He nodded, his hands back in his pockets. “And the moon.” Her eyes went wide as her head tilted.

“Why?” She couldn’t think of a better way to ask.

“Because you love it. Because I think you’re into something. I’m not one to follow any tenets blindly, but the magic part of LeVayan beliefs was always a little… unattainable. With the drama and the robes and the ritualistic orgies. But the way you talk about it, and do it? It makes sense to me. It’s not loud and big and showy. It’s quiet and consistent and intimate. Without the need for orgies. But if you ever need someone for sex magic, I’m your guy.” He added quickly and winked making her laugh.

“I’ll ask you first.” She nodded.

“Good. I see things happen that you talk about. The coincidence and serendipity of it all. And I thought this girl knows what’s up. This feels… for lack of a better word, it feels real when you do it.”

Star fluttered her lashes unintentionally. She fiddled with the stone around her neck nervously. She was feeling emotional at his observations and openness. Her work was sacred to her, and feeling so seen and heard was making her feel things she hadn’t expected.

“Thank you.” She quietly answered.

“Which is why I started reading, talking to the people at the shop. And I decided that if you were so thoughtful as to want to help me, protect me in some way. That I should do the same for you, you know?” He shrugged. He was pulling off the casual approach well even though his palms were sweating. “So I thought about what I thought you needed help with the most. And I don’t think I’m being… impolite when I say I noticed that sometimes you get… well, scared. You flinch at any sound or interruption. You get mad or sad over things that seem like they’re normal.” He softened his voice. “Wayne was in the war ya know? And I know what PTSD is and I know that means bad things happened to you in the past. Things so bad that they stay with you even after they’re over. And they haunt you and make things harder. They make you mean to yourself and believe things that aren’t true. And I see you get upset, or down on yourself. I know it’s something you have to heal. And I can’t do that for you, I can’t make the things that already happened to you go away. I would if I could but- I can’t.” He sighed and reached out and took her hand. She had tears in her eyes. “So I found what crystal I thought would work best for that. I know you love rose quartz but it makes so much sense to me now that I know what it does and why you have so many of them. And I know you probably don’t need another or another necklace in general but you tell me all the time that intention is everything. So I thought that if my intention with this was for you to be able to heal then I should get it for you anyway. And once I saw this one. I had to.” He held up a star-shaped rose quartz. A soft leather cord looped through a hole to make it a necklace. Star's chest heaved for a moment, holding in a sob. “Oh my god babe did I totally fuck up? I’m SO sorry!” He grabbed her face, the necklace dangling from his hand and she put her hands over his.

“You did the opposite of fuck up.” She smiled and it made tears run down her cheeks. “You’re so good to me.” The dam broke and she started crying and he pulled her against him. He fought tears of his own as she quietly cried in his arms. “I don’t deserve you.” She wept into his shirt, her arms too tight around his middle.

“You- you deserve better than me.” He rasped out. “This is what I want to help you with. You deserve the world, Star. I want you to see that.” It only made her cry harder.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. There’s nothing to be sorry for.” He rubbed her back and kissed her head. “I didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m the one that should be sorry.”

“It’s good. I think I needed to. It’s been a while.” he rubbed her back as she settled. She sounded less strained as she pulled away, wiping her face with her too long sleeves. “I'm sorry. That was just… the nicest thing anyone's said or done for me. You’re such a lovely person. I can’t even begin to explain how much what you said and what-“ she looked at the necklace in his hand. “-That means to me.”

“It’s all true.” He said softly, wiping her face before holding up the necklace. “You wanna wear it?” She nodded with a sniffle. She looked down to toy with it.

“I'm never gonna take it off.” She promised, braving to look into his eyes that she found were also wet. “Oh no, honey.” She chuckled, wiping his eyes for him.

“I don’t like it when you’re upset.” He whispered bashfully.

“I don’t like it when you’re upset either. I hate it. It hurts.”

“It does doesn’t it?” He winced with realization. “We’re a mess aren't we?” He huffed out a soft laugh. She nodded and he put his hand to her face, thumbs wiping away the remaining tears.

“We are.” She laughed and nodded before he leaned in to kiss her. “At least we can be a mess together.”

“One big mess instead of two slightly smaller ones.” He mused against her lips and her laugh eased any ache he’d had in his chest. “You like it right?” He touched the pendant on her chest.

“I love it.” She said happily with the fading stuffiness of her nose passing. She held his hands and hopped to kiss him to emphasize her point.

“So do I.” He exhaled before wrapping his arms around her waist to bring her close. Her hands clasped to his jaw as they shared a slow kiss, feet raised with the force he pulled her toward him. Her toes balanced on the floor and one foot popped out as he took her breath away for the second time that day. Perhaps he’d go for a third before the night was over.

PART 14

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[chameleon-madrigal]

PREVIEW OF

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓢𝓾𝓷 𝓒𝓪𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓜𝓸𝓸𝓷

☀️𝔄 ℭ𝔞𝔪𝔦𝔩𝔬 𝔐𝔞𝔡𝔯𝔦𝔤𝔞𝔩 𝔰𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰🌙

"Do you really think we can be together?"

"Yes, ofcourse and I'm gonna prove it to you love"

Camilo started leaning in as you both closed your eyes, his hands tighten its hold unto you.

"—AND CUT!!" Your theatre coach said and dramatically clapped their hands, as bright lights filled the insides of the theatre.

You suddenly pushed Camilo's hands away and turned to look at your coach, crossing your arms scoffing at Camilo, who's just chuckling.

Your coach keeps on ranting how great the one act play would be, as you two were the main characters in love. You have no problem acting inlove, its just that you were partnered with Camilo. And you hated his guts, your thoughts were interrupted as he leaned closer into your ears.

"Imagine if coach forgot to said cut at the right time, we would end up kissing" He said as he smugly looked at you.

"Nice try, but you'll end up on the ground coz I won't let that happen"

"Nice try too but that's a theatre rule. No one's allowed to break character unless coach says cut" He said smirking as you make faces leaving him alone in the stage, as he teasingly called out your name.

"Hello there, hermosa" Carlos said as he took a seat beside you, way too close to your liking since you two aren't close but you shrugged it off.

"What do you want?"

"I heard that you hate Camilo" He said which got your attention and looked at him raising one of your eyebrows.

"Where did you get that info?"

"Y/N words gets around so fast, and its obvious" He said as he took a strand of your hair, which you pushed his hand away to stop.

"Okay and so what if I hate him"

"Well, I guess thats what makes the two of us then" You looked at him as he was smirking, feeling proud knowing someone hates Camilo as much as he do.

"Carlos, this is way too much" You said trying to back away a little from him.

"I THOUGHT YOU HATED CAMILO? Isn't this what you always wanted??!"

"What? No, I may hate him but this plan of yours is way too evil"

You said not wanting to hear anything from him anymore, as you started to turn your back at him.

"You're gonna regret this Y/N. I'll make sure you'll just end up being miserable like him" He threatening you as you glared at him and walked away, stopping your feet through the hallways.

You are outside a store, feeling the cold breeze hit your face. As a man was standing in a dark spot, staring at you. You felt danger as you started to walk away faster not being obvious, but the man seem to be following you.

You subtely turned around and thats when you started losing your mind as he held a knife in his hands, causing you to run away. But because of your small feet, he caught you in no time. Holding both your wrist as you started getting out of his grip, kicking him but to your luck he quickly would dodge it.

"LET ME GO YOUR CREEP!! HELP MEEE—" You said but your words were muffled as he put his hands on your mouth. And the next thing you knew he was on the ground, as someone dragged you away from that man.

You both run until you stopped at another store getting inside for safety. You were panting for air because of the running but as soon as you looked up, you saw Camilo.

Camilo saved you.

"Camilo?? Are you okay??"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" He said and turned to look at you, when you noticed him all bruised up.

"Wait, were did you get these scars?? " You said cupping his face, as you looked for any injuries.

"Some group of boys suddenly attacked me for no reason, I was running away from them. And until I saw you" He said as you gently touched the scar from his hand which he flinched.

"Carlos..I swear" You whispered as you bought some band aids and stuffs inside the store for Camilo.

"Its so funny how you used to hate me but now we're friends" Camilo said taking a bite from your cookie, to which you smack him for being so silly.

"I still hate you"

"C'mon, there is no point for hiding it. Just tell me if you're starting to fall inlove with me coz I'll—" Camilo was cutted off by a sound of clap from someone, you both looked up to see..

Carlos

"Well, well, well. Isn't this fun? You're letting me hit two birds in one stone, how lovely." He said completly losing his mind, as he pick something in his pocket aiming at you.

Camilo was quick to go infront and shield you from any harm to Carlos.

"Do you seriously have to take everything away from me, huh Camilo?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You are ruining my life and to be fair. I'll ruin yours too" He said as a loud sound echoed through the room which caused you to squat down and closed your eyes. Scared to see where the sound came from.

You slowly opened your eyes after gaining strength to do so, but you couldn't believe your eyes at what you saw that left you shocked....