#i very much wish that will could have met eddie and had a cool older guy help him feel good about being a nerd

[mojowitchcraft]

Justice for Will The Wise

[hawkins-losers]

Dungeon Master, I’m pulling your strings | Eddie Munson x Henderson!Reader

Summary: You show interest in D&D and Hawkins’ Dungeon Master offers to teach you in the privacy of his trailer. At some point during the lessons, D&D is forgotten 

Word count: 3k

Warnings: smut, oral (f receiving), fingering, dirty talk (light),  

Request: Eddie fluff where he is teaching reader how to play dnd please 

A/N: This fic was long awaited and it took me so long to finish. I really hope you’ll like it!

-

When Dustin's older sister expressed her interests for her brother's fantasy role-play game, his eyes turned into hearts and his mouth broke into an ear to ear grin.

The next day, Dustin had talked to his club leader about teaching you – and he accepted.

''Thank you for accepting to teach me,'' you said as you stepped into Eddie Munson's trailer.

You had met him a couple of times through Dustin, but you didn't know much about him besides that he was quite eccentric and dramatic. Oh, and people called him 'the freak' which you thought was offensive and derogatory. Just because someone is different it doesn't make them freaks.

''When I heard Henderson's sister was interested in playing, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to have her in my club. If you're anything like your brother, the campaigns will take an interesting turn.''

''Club? As in Hellfire?'' Eddie hummed. ''Does that mean I get a cool tee shirt?'' You tried to hide your enthusiasm by biting your lip.

''All members get a tee shirt. But we'll get to that later. If you want to be part of the next campaign, we better get to work.''

''Isn't the next campaign in like...five days?''

You recalled your brother talking about this campaign during breakfast and how it was going to be epic with a capital 'e'.

He hummed again. ''Now, please follow the Dungeon Master.''

You followed the tall brunet to his bedroom where everything was already laid out on the bed. He motioned for you to sit, ready to teach you the basic grasp of the game.

It was very kind of Eddie to take time to sit down with you to guide you through every aspect of the game. Dustin's impatient little ass would've never.

''I'm not gonna ask you to read the rule-books and shit, so I'll walk you through the basic game loop. The Dungeon Master describes the situation, the players say what their characters try to do, and the Dungeon Master describes the outcome. Easy, right?''

''Just that? I thought there were a bunch of rules? Dustin said-''

Eddie tilted his head left and right. ''Yeah yeah, but you don't really need to know all the game rules. You'll learn everything as you play. I wouldn't want to overwhelm you with hundreds of rules with terms you don't even know. Your mind will short-circuit.'' A low chuckle left his throat.

When Dustin told you about the many rules, you got a little scared. Having to learn and understand everything sounded stressful to you and it's one of the reasons you had been hesitant to learn the game.

''Should we get to character creation? Without a character, there is no playing.''

You nodded. ''Sure.''

For the next hour, you and Eddie worked on your character. Well, he basically created it for you. All you had to do was roll the dices. He explained a few combat mechanics - what your character can and can't do on its turn – like moving, attacking and the one combat-related class feature your character has at level 1. There were more advanced actions, but these could wait for another time.

At some point, it began getting stuffy in Eddie's room so you removed your sweatshirt, peeling it over your head. During your movement, your cami had ridden up, exposing a part of your stomach. Being a guy, Eddie's eyes darted there instinctively, noticing at the same time the absence of a bra underneath your cami. The fabric was dark, but you could see the imprint of your nipples.

''What does that mean?'' you asked, pointing at the abilities and the numbers he had written on your character chart.

But Eddie's attention – as well as his thoughts – was elsewhere. He was respectively looking. Admiring. He wished he could touch, graze his thumb over the peaked bud before wrapping his lips around it and-

''Eddie?''

The Dungeon Master snapped out of his staring, shaking his head. ''Sorry. My mind went a little wild for a minute.'' He laughed nervously, flicking his eyes up and away from your chest. ''What were you saying, sweetheart?''

''I'm not sure I understand that part of the chart,'' you repeated, pointing to the sheet.

Eddie took a look at the sheet, then went over your abilities as a sorceress.

After a few minutes, your brain was feeling tired from all the new information so you and Eddie decided on taking a break.

''Do you want something to drink? I got beer and...orange juice, but I don't know if the orange juice is good to drink.'' Eddie grimaced, not remembering for how long it's been in the fridge for.

You didn't take a chance and told him to get you a beer. Eddie nodded, telling you he'll be right back as he jogged to his kitchen.

While he was gone, you took a moment to look at your surroundings. Eddie's bedroom was an utter clutter. There were clothes everywhere on the floor and spilling from the closet and drawers, tons of posters on his walls of bands and drawings you assumed he had done. You didn't recognize any of the characters or monsters he had drawn, but you were pleasantly surprised by his sense of details.

On the window edge at your right was a series of figurines that seemed to be hand-painted. You picked one up, careful to not break it. It had big blue wings and a long spear, looking ready to battle.

''Did you paint these?'' you asked when Eddie returned.

Eddie could only nod, the sight of you sitting in the middle of his bed, examining with fascination one of his hand-painted figurines making his stomach ache in all the good ways.

He handed you your beer, already opened, and sat down. ''They're miniatures to play D&D. The one you're holding is for a future campaign.''

''That's so cool.'' You put the figurine back on the edge of the window and took a sip of your beer. ''I like the drawing on your walls too. I didn't know you were an artist.''

''I'm a man of multiple talents.'' Eddie laughed around the opening of his beer. ''Do you have any talents? I heard from a little shitbird that you took ballet lessons as a kid.'' He smirked, imagining you in a tutu and tights.

Dustin. You wanted to strangle your brother. He was the only one who knew about the ballet lessons, the only one who could've told Eddie.

''I don't dance anymore. I was forced to put my pointe shoes on a hook six years ago when I fell during a performance and split my chin.'' You lifted your chin in Eddie's direction, the scar still visible after all these years.

Eddie nodded. ''Impressive. But, you can't beat me in the scar department. I got fifteen stitches when I fell from the trailer's rooftop as a kid. They had to stick a needle in my knee and the whole thing made a huge dent in my uncle's wallet.''

You gasped in horror. A needle in the knee sounded painful. ''Oh my god! What were you doing up there?''

He shrugged. ''Reading? Self-loathing?''

A smile twisted on his lips and you kicked his leg, making him chuckle.

Now you're starting to get why Dustin loves Eddie so much. It's not only about D&D, it's his personality and the way he just makes you comfortable. He's funny without trying and strangely endearing.

And, he's quite handsome too.

You took a few sips of your beer as you kept talking about everything and anything, catching Eddie stealing glances at you every time you would laugh or smile.

''You know, you aren't as sleek and subtle as you think.''

Eddie frowned, then waited for you to pursue.

''I see you looking at me. And, I saw you staring at my tits earlier.''

Eddie played coy, cocking an eyebrow. ''Was I?'' He chuckled, then lowered his eyes, plunging his gaze down to your chest. ''Very nice tits you got there, by the way.''

You put your half empty beer on the nightstand, feeling like making a move. ''I know,'' you said, then reached the bottom of your cami and pulled it off, taking Eddie by surprise.

He sucked in a breath, suddenly feeling hot all over. ''Jesus Christ.''

A part of Eddie was telling him he shouldn't be looking at his friend's sister that way. Dustin would be livid to know teaching his sister D&D turned into wherever this was leading to. But, on another hand, you weren't Dustin's property – and Eddie hadn't forced you to do anything. You had taken off your clothes on your own will. Eddie was just looking.

Damn right he was looking. If you looked closely at him, you could see drool at the corner of his mouth.

''May I..?'' he asked, polite despite the turn of the situation.

You nodded.

Eddie scooted forward on the bed, then cupped your breasts, igniting pleasure inside of you. He swept his thumbs over your nipples, and groaned softly. ''Perfect handful.'' He squeezed both breasts, his thumbs dancing along the underside of each one. ''And these nipples. Fuck, sweetheart.''

You smiled at his compliment. ''You like my nipples, Munson?'' you asked with a half chuckle.

In response, Eddie dipped his head, and you sucked a breath when he flicked his tongue over your right nipple. ''I could suck on these sweet little nipples all night long.''

''What about D&D? You said you wanted me to play in the next campaign-'' You didn't finish your sentence, gasping as Eddie closed his lips around the hard bud and drew it into his hot, wet mouth. "Oh fuck."

Your hand went to Eddie's hair, fingers snaking through his mess of curls as he kept sucking on your breasts like a baby hungry for milk.

"Feels good?" His breath tickled your breasts as he kissed his way to your other nipple. "Is it making you wet?"

You mumbled something unintelligible, no longer remembering how to create words with your mouth as he was licking playful circles around your nipple. God, you hadn't gotten to the sex part yet and you were already fucked-dumb...

Releasing your nipple from his mouth, Eddie began trailing his kissed up your collarbones and neck, then your jaw and finally capturing your lips with his. He tasted the beer he had been sipping on – and you probably did too.

You rose on your knees, gaining some height but not enough to tower over him. Hendersons weren't blessed in the height department. You snaked your arms around Eddie's neck and shoulders and felt his hands go to the back of your thighs, pulling you closer as he slid his tongue past your lips.

There was no urgency in the kiss despite your tongues mingling. Only languid sweetness as your hands roamed each other's bodies, exploring and discovering.

You pulled back after a moment, needing to catch your breath. A smile twisted on your lips, taking in what you and Eddie were doing. This was out of character for you; kissing and baring yourself – literally – to someone you barely know.

''You okay?'' Eddie asked, brushing his thumb over your cheek.

Your smile broadened and you nodded. You had never felt better.

Then, you were kissing again.

The kisses were searing this time, Eddie's tongue thrusting into your mouth in a deep, punishing stroke. You heard yourself moan, but Eddie swallowed the desperate sound with another greedy kiss, his warm hands clamping on your hips as he lowered you on the mattress. He wanted to kiss you longer, but he had other plans.

You let out a little whine as his mouth left yours.

''Pull your pants down and lay back, sweetheart,'' Eddie whispered in your ear, his velvety voice tickling your eardrum.

Your core clenched at his words.

You did as told, pushing down your jeans and revealing a simple black thong. If your mother ever saw those, she'd throw them in the fireplace and get you a jumbo pack of granny-panties that would last your whole life.

Eddie marveled at the sight, taking it in for a few seconds. He stuck his tongue out, catching the wet patch on your underwear. ''Look at that, you're already wet for me.''

If you hadn't been so horny, you would have blushed, but right now all you could think about was Eddie's fingers. They were so long, and dexterous according to the guitar on his wall, they must feel really good.

''Tell me what you want me to do.'' Eddie looked up at you, trailing his finger over your stomach and awakening goosebumps in his wake. ''Do you want my fingers?'' He ran his finger-tips down your slit over your underwear, his teasing touch tickling and making your breath hitch. ''Tell me you want my fingers inside of you.''

An involuntary moan spilled from your lips. ''Yes. Fingers- Want your fingers.''

''I'll just take these off,'' Eddie said as he hooked his fingers under the waistband and removed your underwear. ''And then we can play.'' He threw them aside, the delicate landing on the planchette and knocking over some pieces.

If you hadn't been so turned on, you would've laughed. There's slim chances Eddie had done on purpose, so how fitting was it that your panties had landed on the D&D planchette?

The wet sound of Eddie's fingers sliding in and out of you filled the room, the calloused palm scraping your pussy on its descent, combined with your little mewls. His fingers felt so much better than your own – colder too, because of his rings touching your hot skin. You pushed yourself on his fingers in response, trying to get him to go deeper, but Eddie was a little shit and not giving you what you wanted.

''You like that?''

You didn't have time to say anything, a strangled sound spilling from you as he unexpectedly sucked on your clit, your hips rising from the bed. Eddie laughed, sending vibration to your core. He pulled out his fingers and licked them. ''So wet for me, aren't you, my little sorceress?''

Before tonight, you would've never thought nerdy dirty talk would turn you on, but here you were, whining and pushing yourself toward Eddie's mouth as he called you by your D&D character's class, desperate for another touch of his tongue.

''Eddie, please. I- I need your mouth.''

He answered to your demand and did a first swipe of his tongue between your folds' entrance, sucking some of your moisture and teasing. ''Is that what you want, sweetheart?''

You mumbled some appreciative sounds and he did it again, this time grabbing your thighs firmly to keep you from squirming so much under his tongue. His grip was without a doubt going to leave bruised-colored mementos behind – which you will stupidly smile at when you get home later, thinking back about the crazy turnure of events.

Eddie slipped in deeper between your folds, eliciting a loud moan from you. He continued with the teasing. going deeper and deeper with every swipe of tongue, releasing a variety of slurping sounds in the room as he eagerly and messily sucked.

Lost in your sexual pleasure, you had absentmindedly grabbed at his hair, pulling at the roots of Eddie's messy mane and forcefully keeping his mouth on you. You almost released your grip, but the pleasured groans he made in response told you he didn't mind – in fact, he loved it.

''God, you taste so good,'' Eddie praised, making explicit slurping and humming noises, as if he was tasting the best ice cream ever created. ''It's getting all over my face with how wet you are.''

You made the mistake and glanced down just as Eddie raised his head, giving you a good visual of your wetness glistening from his lips down to his chin. It was pornographic. The type of image you'd get in those adult movies at Family Videos – not that you had ever rented one.

He flashed you a devilish grin, one of the corners curling higher. ''Look at the mess you made on me. It's dripping down my chin,'' he said, beginning to rub his thumb on your swollen clit, watching you roll out a series of needy little cries, desperate for more attention to your clit.

You pushed his head back down, needing him there. Eddie laughed and happily obliged.

''Are you getting close? Good girl is getting close,'' he asked, lapping at your insides while keeping his thumb on your clit, stimulating both zones.

You nodded, feeling the knot in your core getting tighter and tighter as your climax got closer. ''Close. So close,'' you replied, pushing your hips down and using your free hand to clutch at the sheets.

If the air was stuffy and hot earlier, it must've gotten up twenty degrees by now.

''Beg. Beg me to come.''

If it had been with anyone else, you would've been embarrassed –begging was embarrassing –, but Eddie made it sound like a game and you were happy to partake and play along.

''Please, let me come. Please, please.'' You felt your walls clench and toes curling – so close.

''Why should I let you come? Why should I give you this pleasure?''

''Let me come, please,'' you mewled.

''Is that what you want? To come all over me? To come all over your Dungeon Master?''

You bit down your lip, not thrusting yourself to not moan so loud Eddie's trailer neighbors would hear.

''Come for me,'' he whispered against you. ''Come on my tongue.''

Three flicks of tongue later, you clenched your legs around Eddie's head, choking him with your thighs as a loud moan ripped from your throat, coming apart and climaxing. You repeated Eddie's name over and over like a chant, feeling him hum in delight and slurp all of your juices.

Once he was finished, Eddie pressed gentle kisses on your overstimulated pussy, making you hiss in sensitivity.

''Eddie?'' You pushed him off of you. ''I think I'm gonna need another lessons.''

Still between your legs, Eddie threw his head back laughing. ''You really are a naughty little girl, Henderson. I bet no one knows that about you, uh?''

-

Taglist: @broadway-or-noway @violetsleftfist @thelaststraw3  @cursedandromedablack  @Slashersimpfor  @savagejane1   @wh0reforbucknasty   @eddiemunson-slut   @slvdsjjk  @hehehehannahthings  @dreamdancers-world  @eddiemunsonbby  @notbeforelong  @lexi-2004 @violetrainbow412-blog  @tatespillows  @alwayslexii  @lilygreennn   @milkiane  @imahomeslice  @bunnygrl16 @cwritesforfun @marauders3rawh0re  @your-mom21 @parkersmyth @voguesir @milkiane @andrewgarfields-girlfriend @lilygreennn @alexxavicry @charlie-chick  @wandamaximoffs-deadchild  @horrorstreet  @rmeddar123  @pastel-abyss-x @lil-tracys  @luvmybbies  @chloepricesgrafitimarker  @inluvweddiemunson @i-like-trains @kittenfrostt @simp-for-slasher @m-rae23 @kenzi-woycehoski

Eddie Munson taglist: @nighttwingg @yourfavoriteakutagawakinnie @heizenka @eddiemvunsongf @Eddie_munsons_girlfriend @magicalchocolatecheesecake @eddiemunsonistheloveofmylife @avril-reblog-cave @Fandomfaeryreads @harrys-tittie @straycatarang @fourlokiss  @eddiemattress  @ghoulishlygrey   @paola-carter @bubsonnobx @pauldanoswifereal @ofherscarlettwitchways @kiszkathecook  @truewdw1 @bubsonnobx @ohhrexella @Dreamtiara @pastelbabygirl19  @steves-robin @eddiemunsonbby @jenlouvre @bonked-beyond-belief2  @tvserie-s-world @bootlegmothman420 @courtmr @chrisxevans-seb @satinselenite @thikkiesixx  @jennilynn63  @nia-um  @welcometohellfirw @strangermarvelgirl @sugar-simz @fandomloversvaries @miakatharinaa  @julsss321 @m1rkw00dpr1ncess  @Minksblog @soph69420world  @ameliakf13 @nancewheelersworld @parasadic-blog @nluvwitheddiemunson @veniceb1tch88 @ali-r3n @Luv.eddie @stephylovesmayahawke @ruinedbythehobbit @sweetheart-im-the-boss @jusstdreaaming @hoeformunsonandhargrove @buckyswhxre @tomspidertingle @stormyparker @thechoiceslookgrimm @ilikechocolatemilkh @bbylyneth @bobafettsleftglove @princesseddie @yourfavdummy @xbreezymeadowsmunsonx

[titlemewickedwonderland]

Blind by Love (Part 4)

Summary: A once condemned man now free of charge but living the life of someone who's been through hell Eddie Munson believed he is incapable of being loved after what happens in the Upside Down that nearly takes his life. What happens though when he meets an unexpected girl who is thrown into his life and teaches him that one doesn't need to ability to see what's right in front of you to know love is never out of reach?

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Blind!OC

Story Contains: Set after S4. Story mention of Past trauma, PTSD, and mention of gore/blood; if you are sensitive to any of these topics please refrain from reading for your own mental safety. I don't want to accidentally trigger you, darling! Stay safe!

Chapter Warning: PTSD/slight gore

<< Previous Chapter or Next Chapter >>

"First day of school sounds like it was exhausting!" Nancy's voice sounded from the bathroom as she got ready for bed and Nicole sat waiting for her cousin to finish up her nightly routine.

A small smile graced the blonde's features as she thought over the very eventful first day from the bullying, the new people she met, to maybe…maybe making a new friend in a certain broody teen. Biting her lip the younger female idly stroked her hand against the cool sheets as she replied in a thoughtful tone

"Very eventful yes I'd say so. But it wasn't bad per se. As much stress as I imagined my first day would be but you know Mikey, he was very attentive; so was Dusty. It helps that they were around. I met some new people too through them so that's good. What about you though? Mikey commented about you and Steve…What happened to Jonathan? I heard you guys were dating and suddenly it's you and Steve again?" a delicate brow raised even when she knew Nancy couldn't see it.

Her older cousin was quite a few moments before her voice sounded getting closer as she walked into the bedroom from the en-suite bathroom she was in. "It's…complicated. I mean. Steve and I aren't together. We broke up a long time ago…things between me and Jonathan are a little stressed due to the whole long distance thing so it's probably just nothing Mike talks about." she didn't believe her but Nicole didn't say so and instead tilted her head with an encouraging smile.

"I'm sure you'll figure something out. I know Mikey misses his girlfriend in Cali as much as you do Jonathan. I wish I could have met them both. I feel as if you guys are growing up too fast for me to keep up; I have so many people to meet that I have heard about that I feel like I already know them personally." she joked feeling Nancy's weight sink into the bed beside her.

Her hands were taken into her cousins and the gentle caress of her thumbs along Nicole's knuckles was soothing as they sat there a moment. When Nancy eventually did speak up her words were carefully measured as she traced the other girl's fingers absently.

"Nikki. Have…have you been doing okay? I mean, not because of today. I mean because of…what happened. It's different being back home in your conditions and I know…god trust me I know it's hard to move past something like losing one of your senses and losing parents at the same time…I-I guess what I'm trying to ask is how you're coping."

Nicole should have known that question would pop up eventually. Mike never dare to ask because he didn't know how to confront her. He was too soft to speak of such things and wasn't ever good with words but Nancy always seemed to push Nicole to her limits and force the answers from her because she simply cared for the younger girl much like an older sister that she was. The only problem was Nicole couldn't tell her what happened without sounding crazy. Little did Nicole know though, was Nancy had dealt with was far worse and then some. Even faced down the very thing that attacked her cousin when she was younger. The problem is the girls didn't know it because they were scared of telling the other what happened.

"I'm okay…" Nicole's lips twisted into a hard smile that was forced beyond belief. "I still struggle…but I'm doing better. It's only a matter of time and living in the real world can do me some good I think. All I ask is that you just…trust me." she swallowed when Nancy squeezed her hand reassuringly before letting go.

"Okay. I do trust you, Nikki. That's why I was asking. Come on then; let's get to bed. It's late and we have school in the morning." Nicole nodded and lowered herself to the mattress and closed her eyes as Nancy clicked her light off and came up behind her cousin beneath the covers to get some sleep.

~

She was back there. Back there standing in the middle of the road in the middle of nowhere. The sky was dim and the thunder rolled with flashes of lightning above her head. She could see her parent's old car tossed and on its roof up in flames to one side of her vision while the other was of that grey humanoid…thing was its face split open like a five-petaled flower; its rows of hundreds of tiny yellow teeth on each fleshy petal of its face was sunk into a lump of red mass on the ground vaguely in the shape of a human. She knew it could only be her father. The fucking dream repeated itself every night over and over again. She'd start far away, just barely able to see the destruction but every night she'd be an inch closer. Tonight was no different but now the sound of crunching and the tearing of bloody flesh made her want to go vomit. Her stomach churned and she felt the scorch of hot tears tracking down her cheeks as she could do nothing but stand there; she couldn't move even if she tried, or at least that's how it happened every other night. But tonight was different. Her limbs were able to move freely. She'd taken one step and that's all it took for that monster to spin around and screech at her. Sweat broke out on her skin as fear raced through her veins and she twisted on her heels to run. The darkness of the world around her was nothing but a black void around her now that the scene of the crash was no longer in her line of vision. She could feel the thundering steps behind her a quadruped beat clipped with sharp scrapes as nails sank into the concrete to gain momentum. That thing was chasing her and her lungs burned for air. It happened then, like something straight out of a horror movie as the tip of her shoe caught on something and she tripped; falling flat on her front. She rolled onto her back just to be met with the hideous vision of that gray monster looming over her. Its clawed hand rose in the air and swung down in an arch to pierce her side. Her mouth opened in a shriek.

Hands. Hands were grasping her shoulders and she flailed. Crying out into the night as she sat upright trying in vain to get those phantom hands off of her. But they weren't phantom and she wasn't been pinned down. Instead, there was a pair of gentle hands trying to keep her still while the feminine voice spoke over the sound of her cries.

"Nikki! Nikki! Hey, it's okay! Nicole, it's okay! You're safe! It's me, Nancy, wake up! You're okay."

Nancy's bedroom door barged open as Mike came barreling through in a panic at hearing her cries in her sleep. At seeing the blonde half curled into his older sister's shoulder trembling as if she'd just taken a dip into the lake in winter made the 15-year-old boy's blood run cold as he saw her in such a state. He quickly came over and crawled into bed with them; his hands gently stroking at her hair listening to her mumbles through the sobs.

"Don't leave me! Please don't leave me! I don't want to be alone, I can't do this again." her breath was ragged as she trembled like a leaf; her tears soaking into Nancy's sleep shirt.

Mike couldn't help the mist that gathered at his waterline as he looked over his cousin's frame to his sister who looked like she was ready to break down too as she held Nicole close; looking so lost on how to help the girl. The boy sidled up behind Nicole and wrapped his arms around both the girls in a group hug as he gave the girl a light kiss on her temple.

"It's okay Nikki. We got you. You're safe." he said trying to comfort her

"Please don't let it get me, Mikey. Please don't let it get me." those words spoke through broken sobs making the fear run through him as he met Nancy's eyes again. The unspoken question lingering between them 'don't let what get her?'

Clear to say when morning came the trio had all passed out due to exhaustion having stayed up most of the night trying to keep Nicole calm. She would not speak about what she dreamt about and they did not want to pressure her as those blue eyes were red-rimmed from hours of tears and her face showed the exhaustion she felt mentally and physically when sleep managed to finally take her again; this time without another nightmare. When they eventually did wake up they went about silently getting ready for school while glancing at her whenever she was nearby. Mike was full of tension by the time he and Nicole got to the school and the air around him seemed to vibrate with it. He was zoned out a lot more than Dustin was starting to get nervous whenever he'd glance between the cousins. Hell, even the Hellfire club members seemed to notice and their chattering was rather low and not so full of life as it normally was. Eddie noticed the change right away and he didn't like the look on the pretty girl's face.

Nicole was so withdrawn; a lot more than usual today and Eddie was going to get to the bottom of it. So when school ended he'd commented to Mikey about someone trying to snag his bike from outside which made the boy rush out. Of course, that was a lie but it was what managed to get Eddie and Nicole alone for a few moments.

"Hey hey. Hold on a second sweetheart." his hands grasped her shoulder turn her to him as they stood at her locker. "Talk to me, what's going on? You don't look like yourself," he commented peering at her face. She looked like hell.

"I'm fine Eddie…just didn't sleep well last night. No biggy." she brushed it off and turned to go but his next words stopped her in her tracks.

"I normally wouldn't consider it but I have something that could help with that…if you're interested."

She wavered a moment; she wasn't stupid. She knew what he meant. She didn't realize Eddie was someone who dealt stuff to students but yet again. If he was considered an outcast she shouldn't be surprised. Blinking her blue eyes she half turned towards where she'd heard his voice.

"It'll help me sleep?…without any dreams?" or nightmares she wanted to add.

"Sleep like a baby. Just don't tell Mike or he'll have my balls on a silver platter." Eddie's voice sounded joking as if he didn't want the air to be so thick with tension.

"Okay…d-do you have it on you now?" she asked hesitantly hoping her voice was soft enough that she didn't have eavesdroppers.

"Nah, not on me but I have it at my place…if you want I can take you there…Or I can bring it tomorrow-" the older boy began but she cut him off with a quick nod when she heard Mike's voice coming down the hall complaining to Dustin about something to do with his bike.

"Today. I need it before tonight."

That's all Eddie needed to know before his hand was closing her closer and an arm dropped over her shoulders. "Aye Wheeler. Your lovely cousin needs some help with a project we're doing together so I'll be taking her to my place for a few hours. I'll drop her off by tonight no worries!"

"But-" the younger male began to protest but Nicole flashed him a smile and waved in his direction.

"Don't sweat it, Mike. It's just studying. You know how hard projects can be for me without my eyes." she kept her voice light and teasing.

"But!" Mike protested again but Eddie was already walking away with the pretty girl under his arm.

[bywhatilove]

HOA characters as songs off of “SOUR”

(I don’t think this has been done yet and i’m sorry if it has)

1. Brutal

Pretty much the entire house but specifically sibuna. God, it was brutal out there for them- facing off against ancient egyptian curses and gods and all that jazz. 😔✋🏻

“All I did was try my best

This the kind of thanks I get?

Unrelentlessly upset (ah, ah, ah)

They say these are the golden years

But I wish I could disappear

Ego crush is so severe

God, it's brutal out here”

2. Traitor

It took me FOREVER to decide who to give this song to but I thinkkk it goes to Fabian’s feelings towards Nina after she abruptly fell off the face of the earth with nothing but a letter to explain everything. And maybe that’s just because fabina is my favorite hoa couple and this is my favorite song off of the album….BUT i really do think the angst level of this song matches Fabian’s angst towards Nina in season three. I mean home girl really broke up with him over a letter and didn’t even tell him before hand that she wasn’t coming back.👀👀👀 I came this 🤏🏻 close to giving this song to Joy because it’s pretty obvious why. But I saved this one for last and there are already so many other Joy songs on this list so I needed to share the rounds ya know.

“God, I wish that you had thought this through

Before I went and fell in love with you”

“You betrayed me

'Cause I know that you'll never feel sorry

For the way I hurt, yeah”

“Guess you didn't cheat

But you're still a traitor to me”

3. Drivers’ License

Bucks up for the amount of Joy angst that is about to be on this list because whew it’s alottt. This would’ve been joy’s anthem after she had came back in season two and found Fabian in a new relationship with a girl she had never even met before.

“And you're probably with that blonde girl

Who always made me doubt

She's so much older than me

She's everything I'm insecure about

Yeah, today I drove through the suburbs

'Cause how could I ever love someone else?”

4. 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back

Again, this one took me a hot minute. But, I’m gonna go ahead and give it to Mara and Jerome just for all they went through in season two and the beginning of season three.

“Instead it's one step forward and three steps back

And I'd leave you, but the roller coaster is all I've ever had

Yeah, it's one step forward and three steps back

Do you love me, want me, hate me? Boy

I don't understand”

5. Deja Vu

Don’t act like you don’t know who this is gonna go to. It’s pretty obvious @ joy being jealous of nina and fabian being so close in season two 🗣

“So when you gonna tell her

That we did that too?

She thinks it's special

But it's all reused

That was the show we talked about

Played you the song she's singing now when she's with you”

6. Good 4 You

This song. This musical video. The angst. Everything about it screams Patricia Williamson when her and eddie were broken up at the beginning of season 3 and she was jealous of KT. Tell me that she wouldn’t had this on blast in her dorm with her headphones on.

“Well, good for you, you look happy and healthy, not me

If you ever cared to ask

Good for you, you're doin' great out there without me, baby

God, I wish that I could do that”

7. Enough For You

Alfie pinned over Amber for years only for her to give him a huge list of demands that he must meet before they could be a couple. Talk about hard to get. So this one has gotta go to my amfie babes. RIP 🥲

“But God, you couldn't have cared less

About someone who loved you more

I'd say you broke my heart

But you broke much more than that

Now I don't want your sympathy

I just want myself back”

8. Happier

This one is 100% going to my Fabina soft beans. Look at me in the eyes and tell me this isn’t Nina’s anthem after leaving Anubis House especially once she found out fabian and mara.

“I hope you're happy, just not like how you were with me

I'm selfish, I know, can't let you go

So find someone great, don't find no one better

I hope you're happy, but don't be happier”

9. Jealousy, Jealousy

@ JOY MERCER THIS ONE IS MADE FOR YOU GIRLIE. Literally her national anthem when she came back in season two and noticed how everything changed.

“All your friends are so cool, you go out every night

In your daddy's nice car, yeah, you're livin' the life

Got a pretty face, pretty boyfriend, too

I wanna be you so bad, and I don't even know you”

10. Favorite Crime

This one is a tie either between Fabian and Nina (since those two did actually low key commit some very questionable actions) or Joy and Jerome and season three with the whole cheating and revenge plot. Fabian and Nina are a couple of adrenaline junkies who would honestly pay no attention to committing a crime as long as no one got hurt and it was called for. 👀

“It's bittersweet to think about the damage that we do

'Cause I was going down, but I was doing it with you

Yeah, everything we broke, and all the trouble that we made

But I say that I hate you with a smile on my face”

11. Hope ur okay

This is Nina reminiscing on all the people she left behind at Anubis. No debate. Don’t listen to this thinking of Nina thinking of the people she left behind- especially not sibuna. It. will. HURT.

“Well, I hope you know how proud I am you were created

With the courage to unlearn all of their hatred

God, I hope that you're happier today

'Cause I love you, and I hope that you're okay”

[specterchasing-a]

Brainberry Picking || Morgan & Eddie

TIMING: Current-ish

LOCATION: Jericho Hill Cemetery

PARTIES: @mor-beck-more-problems​ & @specterchasing​

SUMMARY: A zombie and a medium meet in a graveyard, one of them might have a foot fetish.

CONTENT: Aside from the foot fetish, all is well.

“I just don’t see how you can have a whole existence that relies on human systems and communities--well people systems and communities and not give a crap just because you’ve been doing it for a long time,” Morgan complained, swilling her chopsticks around her brains and rice. “Aren’t we responsible for each other even if we’re three hundred and some baby normie is twenty? How can apathy be a good thing?” 

It was her off day from work, and rather than worry her family by spending the day cooped up inside, she opted to spend as much time outside as possible, even if being in hunting range made her nervous. But Jericho Hill was more ghostly than anything else, and the trusted the soldier to signal if he saw anything dangerous looking, even if he did talk a big game about being specater in the game of humanity, and the effects of longevity. He’d saved her and Erin. He had more of a heart than he wanted to admit, even for a centuries-old kid.

The colonial soldier shrugged and said that she should wait and see until she was older. 

“Okay, teen grandpa,” Morgan deadpanned.

The colonial soldier changed the subject by way of nodding toward her foot. Did she require assistance or was she really just that bad at noticing grievous injuries?

Morgan looked down at the chunks of broken bottle protruding from her toes. “Fucking--” She hissed and propped up her foot, starting to yank out the pieces one by one and wipe the black blood on her skirt so there wouldn’t be anything for hunters to find when they prowled at night. Her wounds would close up soon enough. As much as she wanted to sport as much extra strength as possible, she hadn’t figured out how to negotiate her fear of being caught off guard by some junior college murderer and the fear of not being herself. 

In the distance, stone scattered across the tall grass. Morgan stopped, mid tug, and looked around. “Hello?”

Jericho Hill, one of Eddie’s most beloved places to visit. The other cemeteries in town had their charm, but meandering among the derelict headstones of White Crest’s oldest burial ground came second to none. As per usual, he arrived with a camera—just in case. 

Eddie minded the graves as he wandered, making sure not to intrude on anyone’s final resting place. Midway through the graveyard, he spotted two figures with their backs to him in the midst of conversation. Considering Jericho Hill was open to the public, that would’ve been a perfectly ordinary occurrence, except one of the figures happened to be a colonial soldier far beyond his expiration date. Eddie’s heart skipped a beat at the possibility of encountering another medium but, as he grew closer, he noticed the potential medium doing something with her foot.

Raising his camera, Eddie slowed his pace and zoomed in on the woman’s feet for a better look. “Oh, what the fu—” He stumbled over a semi-interred rock, nearly losing his balance and dislodging the rock in one fell swoop.

“Hello?” said the woman. 

Eddie froze in place as if staying perfectly still made him invisible. Realizing she likely had very little in common with Spielbergian dinosaurs, he cleared his throat and waved sheepishly. “Beautiful day, huh? Hey—is your foot okay?”

Morgan stiffened at the sound of a voice nearby. She ran a dozen or so scenarios Mina had drilled into her. She was better at defense on account of nine more months of practice, but that didn’t mean she relished the thought of having to throw anyone to the ground or break any bones. 

But it was just some kid, looking like a peeping tom who’d been found out. 

“Is it a beautiful day?” She challenged. “Because being spied on doesn’t usually fall under my ‘beautiful day’ umbrella.” At the mention of her foot, she put hers back down and yanked as many pieces out under the cover of the grass as she could. “I’m fine. Why are you looking at my feet in the first place?”

“Hold on, don’t do that,” Eddie said with a shake of his head. “Don’t make me sound like some kind of graveyard-foot-pervert. Look at it.” He gestured towards the foot in question. “That’s not natural and neither is talking to ghosts—hey, by the way, nice to see you again, Terry.” The second half of his statement was directed at the colonial soldier and paired with another short wave.

“Hi, Eddie,” the ghost responded.

 “Y’know, I was just excited to meet someone else who could see them, but the whole black goo thing kind of threw me off my game.” Eddie’s attention reverted back to the woman currently picking at her foot. “Also, who eats in cemeteries? I’m just saying, let he who is not being super weird in public cast the first stone.”

Morgan didn’t know what to process first, having her injuries spotted by a Gen-Z wunderkind with a camera, the “not natural” thing, him seeing the ghost, or-- 

“Terry? Really? You tell him your name, but not me?” Morgan reached over and elbowed the soldier through his arm.

“A man has to keep some mystery with a pretty lady,” he replied, smirking through the gash in his face.

 “Now you’re just trying to clean it up. Did you see him coming too?” She turned back to the kid, Eddie apparently, and  tucked her feet under her skirt. “Whatever you are, you aren’t the only kind of person who can make friends with ghosts,” she said, miffed but starting to deflate. He had said he was excited. Excited people usually didn’t try to lop off your head. “And for your information, cemetery picnics have been a time honored tradition for centuries. The Victorians designed some of their cemeteries to be enjoyed like parks. And there’s a lot less---” Kids. Couples picnicking. Burger wrappers and empty slushie cups. Life. “Crowds, in a cemetery. I like the quiet. And the company. Sometimes.” She side-eyed Terry, who clutched his chest like he was wounded.

The conversation unfolding before Eddie left him feeling like a child seeing their parents get into an argument. He casually averted his gaze in an attempt to give them some semblance of privacy while they worked through their dispute. Before he knew it, the irate woman’s attention was back on him and he found himself wishing their argument would have gone on longer.

“That’s… actually very cool,” Eddie admitted, his brows raising in approval. “But, um, circling back to what you said about seeing ghosts—I’m a medium, I thought we were only ones with that specific privilege.” He couldn’t help feeling inadequate as he confessed his ignorance. Eddie dedicated his life to knowing about the supernatural, but he barely knew anything for certain. “Who else made the cut? Obviously, you don’t have to, like, tell me what you are, or anything. Not unless you want to, which would be stellar, but… I feel like I should know that kind of thing.”

 “Medium, huh?” Morgan said, sizing the kid up again. “I’ve met a few of you. Exorcists, mostly, but still. But, since you asked so nicely, all of the undead I’m aware of and some fae can see and hear ghosts. It seems to be a proximity to death sort of thing, but I don’t know how the metaphysics works.” She set her lunch aside and dropped her hand under her foot to finish picking out the glass, away from view. She was mostly sure he didn’t actually have some voyeuristic foot fetish, but that didn’t do much for her self-consciousness. It was one thing to patch herself up at home, or with dead people who didn’t care, but with strangers, she felt the wrongness of her body. It wasn’t neutral, it was batshit. “You must be some kind of death enthusiast too, though. Coming out here by yourself in the middle of the day? It’s not exactly the nicest cemetery in town. I hardly see anyone alive out here on my visits. Shouldn’t you be hustling or studying or having fun somewhere?”

Eddie’s eyes glistened with rabid enthusiasm at the mention of the undead and fae. He’d only recently learned about the existence of zombies, and his fae-knowledge severely lacked depth. And here this woman was, sounding like she knew a great deal about both.

“Hustling?” he repeated the word with bashful incredulity. “I mean, this is fun for me. Not to sound edgy, but I love the dead. The living are cool too, but… they’ve never felt like home, y’know? All my life, I’ve been surrounded by dead people that either needed my help, or who helped me. I like spending as much time with them as I can.” He tried not to watch as she covertly plucked at her foot. Curious as he was, he could do without further insinuation that he harbored some sort of affinity for feet. “Is that how you are?”

With the last of the glass picked out, Morgan went still and regarded Eddie more carefully. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d met a human who spoke so affectionately about the dead, and she wasn’t sure whether to be thrilled or concerned. “You talk about the living like you aren’t one of them,” she said. “I don’t meet too many humans that apathetic about who they are. But your ghosts--they were good to you? You weren’t ever scared?” But one revelation deserved a little something in return, and anyone that fond of the dead probably wouldn’t sell her out. Morgan pursed her lips as she thought her answer over. “I am recently un-humaned, yes,” she said. “A little over a year now. You could say making friends with death saved my un-life, but I had lots of other help too. Living-people-help.”

The stranger had a point—Eddie never felt like he belonged among the living—but never had the dissonance he felt been stated so bluntly. “I guess, yeah. The living are assholes, for the most part.” There were, of course, exceptions to that rule, but they were few and far between. “Most have been good to me, except…” Eddie shook his head gently. “They’re individuals too, can’t expect them to all be winners.” As she admitted to being undead, he looked at her with enraptured awe. “That’s… wow. I mean, first of all, I’m sorry for your loss. You’ve probably got a handle on things by now, but I’m sure that’s a pretty wild transition. And, I’m glad you had people to help you adjust, support systems are so important.” Eddie took a moment to center himself. “What’s the, uh, preferred terminology for your… condition? Also, wow, I should probably ask your name, huh? Like Terry said, I’m Eddie. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He bowed his head slightly to punctuate his sentence.

“The living are individuals too, Eddie,” Morgan said. “And if you didn’t know about undead and fae seeing ghosts, I’m guessing you haven’t met many of the other living species of people out there. It doesn’t seem like a good idea to dismiss all of them out of hand. Or especially kind. Your ghosts were living once too, you know.” But Eddie’s vagueness piqued a troubling sense of familiarity in Morgan. Children didn’t tend to rely on ghosts if they had live people to take good care of them. “Those must have been some pretty shitty assholes to make you give up on everyone alive, human or not. I’m sorry for that, Eddie. Whatever happened to you, whoever was that cruel--I know how it can feel safer to just pull away and not risk yourself again, when you’ve suffered enough in a certain way. And I’m sorry.” She sighed and held out her hand to the kid, smiling sadly for both of them. “I’m Morgan Beck. You can refer to my ‘condition’ as zombie. But that’s classified. I don’t really enjoy having to fight for my existence. Not that a slayer won’t already know what I am on sight, but I’d rather they not get any extra help you know?” Her smile curled bitterly and she turned her eyes to the rest of the cemetery. “Are you really out here because it’s fun, Eddie…?” She asked quietly. “Or is it something else, too?”

When Eddie set out for Jericho Hill earlier in the day, he hadn’t expected a lecture. “Death changes a person,” he said softly after she reminded him that ghosts weren’t always memories. It didn’t take him long to realize the issue with his statement. “Preacher, choir.” He gestured first to himself, then Morgan as he assigned the labels. “You probably have a point.”

Eddie found himself nodding along with her condemnation of ‘shitty assholes’ initially, but he stilled when he heard her apology. His expression fell into unsure neutrality; he didn’t know how to respond. Strangers weren’t usually that kind, and they never read him like a book. It took him a moment to register her outstretched hand before he grasped it with his.

“Pleasure to meet you, Morgan Beck,” Eddie said, mirroring her sad smile. “Your secret’s safe with me. People like you shouldn’t be hunted, anyway.” Her question took some mulling over. Eddie didn’t particularly like being open and honest on that front. “Well, I mean, it is fun, but…” He trailed off with a sigh before shrugging. “Actually, that’s kind of bullshit. I can’t remember the last time I had fun—maybe with Bex or Alfie, but that’s different. Having fun with friends is easy but, when I’m alone…” Eddie shook his head and let out a terse sigh. “Are you, like, a psychiatrist or something? Analyzing brains by day, eating them by night.”

“What? Death changes you? No kidding,” Morgan deadpanned. “You can consider me an expert on both sides of the curtain,” she added more kindly. “Thank you. For your...Human-Plus allyship?” She wasn’t sure what to call it. She confided in so few humans these days. She had enough on her plate with her family as it was. 

She kept looking at Eddie, his battered hollowness and his resilient vitality. There was more than one way to be alive and dead, she supposed. “I’m an adjunct professor in the English department at the university,” she said. “But I spent my alive-time on earth literally cursed with suffering, and consequently spent a lot of time desperately wanting to get to know people and being afraid of getting too close, in case they got sucked into my magic bullshit. So I’m good at noticing things and I understand a lot. Like that feeling where you can be mostly okay when you’re with people, especially the ones you care about, but when it’s just you that feeling you’re running from is still there and it settles in. But we don’t have to talk about that, if it makes you uncomfortable. Also, I resent the suggestion that I eat people. I’m actually trying to hurt as few people as possible right now for reasons that have nothing to do with my appetite, which I monitor and manage very carefully. So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t do that again. You can tell me about how you know Bex, if you really want a change of subject.” Beaming at Eddie, she brought up her knees and let her head fall to rest on them and settled in. She’d given him a lot, but if he was friends with Bex, it was probably best he got used to the ride.

Eddie deserved her snark, even he could admit that. Despite his theorizing, fantasizing, and romanticizing—he didn’t know what it meant to be dead. Against better judgement, he envied Morgan and the way she straddled the line between life and death. It sounded ideal, at least on paper. “I strive to be a friend of the dead,” he said with a mild shrug. “Clearly, that doesn’t absolve me of insensitivity though, sorry about that.”

As she caught him up to speed on the source of her empathy, he listened with enraptured fascination. Eddie didn’t know the first thing about curses, but he liked to think he understood the loneliness she alluded to. “Sounds like you got saddled with a spectator role, that sucks. Most people aren’t built for that.” He hoped he wasn’t projecting, but he wouldn’t be surprised if that turned out to be the case.

“Shit—thanks for correcting me. I shouldn’t have made an assumption like that,” he admitted timidly when she kindly scolded him for his comment about brain-eating. His face lit up at the mention of Bex. “You know ‘er?” he asked, taking a seat in front of Morgan. Knowing she was familiar with someone like Bex instantly eased whatever lingering uncertainty he still felt. “We met pretty recently, I guess, but she’s the kind of person I feel like I’ve known a lot longer than I actually have, y’know?” 

Eddie wondered how much information was safe to bring-up, ultimately deciding to play it safe. “It was after… well, she’d just gone through something pretty awful, and I think I made things a little harder on her. Not on purpose, of course, I didn’t know, but… she was really kind to me, anyway. I think that goes to show how special she is.” He neglected to mention the magical mishap; maybe Morgan didn’t know that side of Bex. “How do you know her? If that’s alright to ask, I mean.”

“You weren’t built to be a spectator in your life either, Eddie,” Morgan said. “No one is. We are here to learn, to connect, to experience. What’s the point of being stuck in a body if not to feel? What’s the point of being surrounded by so much mess and beauty if not to learn as much as you can from it? It’s cruel to take it for granted. And it’s cruel to hurt someone in a way that they cut themself off from anything good they might find in their tiny little existence.” 

She fingered the tall, young grass as she spoke. She could never settle on a memory to give its strange, invisible touch more substance. When she was a child in Houston and her mother would send her into the yard to practice her alchemy, the grass was thick and sharp. It prickled her feet so badly she’d check her heels to see if they had cut her. They never did. So maybe the grass was like dull needles, or like tiptoeing around the rules, since she would often do her exercises slowly or skip steps on purpose so she could do them over again and make her time out last longer. Long enough to see the stars appear, but before the mosquitoes ate her up.

“But yes, I was really bad at keeping my distance,” she went on. “Which made for a lot of good experiences and a lot of hurt. Honestly, I wish I’d taken more risks, made more kinds of alive-memories to hold onto.”

She couldn’t help but beam at hearing the boy talk about Bex. Nothing he said was news to her, but it was nice to see her kindness reflected in someone else’s eyes. “Bex is staying with me right now. Has been for a while. Well, me and my girlfriend. We care for her as if she was ours, as best as we know how, anyway. So I know,” she grinned. “You’re not breaking supernatural club rules if you want to talk about her.”

Eddie wanted to agree with Morgan, to say that life was something precious and cherishable, but he couldn’t bring himself to lie. Death looked a lot more appealing to him whether or not he made a triumphant return as something a little less human. “Cruel or not, people do it anyway,” he said with a shrug. “I’m coping with it the only way I know how.” Granted, his coping looked a lot more like sabotaging. 

Eddie didn’t think much of the grass, it was just grass; everywhere and unextraordinary. All it had to offer him were stains, the thought of which made him shift uncomfortably. He felt that way about a lot of everyday life’s mundanities. They didn’t exist unless they caused a problem. Morgan had a point when she warned him against taking things for granted, but Eddie didn’t realize it. How could he?

“I bet that’s weird,” he said. “Everything changing, but also not. I don’t know much about zombies, obviously, but I know coming back is rough for a lot of ghosts. I’d tell you that there’s still time to take those risks, but I get the sense you didn’t come to Jericho Hill looking for silver linings. At least, not ones given to you by some random guy with a foot fetish.” He ended on a joke in the hopes that it might lighten the mood, praying she didn’t think he was serious.

A sigh of relief passed Eddie’s lips. “Beamed a heaping helping of trauma right into my head,” he explained. “She didn’t mean to, of course, and I’m not exactly mad about it, anyway. Knowing her is worth a little muss and fuss. That said, I learned my lesson. No more alleyways for Bex.”

“Eddie, and I mean this kindly, with the kind of empathy that comes from experience--” Morgan prefaced her words softly, giving Eddie a look that pitied and understood too well. “Putting all your attention on other people’s problems so you don’t have to look at your own doesn’t make them go away, or get smaller. A lot of the time it just makes them grow heavier and sink their roots deeper into you.” 

She reached out and gently flicked some of his long hair out of his eyes. “Worrying about me isn’t coping. What’s so bad about turning all this nice attention on yourself? I know people haven’t been kind, but whatever they said or did, they weren’t right about you. You deserve kindness. And love. Being here is hard enough without being cruel to yourself too. But--” She grinned wryly. “You didn’t come to Jericho Hill for a pep talk from a walking dead lady.” 

She picked up her Pyrex and ate the last bit of lunch and dusted herself off. “I’m going to go home and prep some raccoon bones for my next art project, if you want to come. Bex has some really great pieces she’s made too. But we know each other now, so I hope you won’t try and disappear just because I know what song you’re playing.”

Eddie listened as Morgan spoke. Meanwhile, his stomach twisted into anxious knots. He didn’t want to hear that putting others first wasn’t the answer. Tackling his problems head-on hurt too much, especially considering he rarely had help. “Yeah, so I’ve noticed.” His gaze fell to the ground. Eddie couldn’t bring himself to say more, it might inspire her to confront him with even more difficult truths. It was nice feeling like she cared, he didn’t expect that from someone he just met, but it was also heavy. 

Eddie let out a soft huff of laughter when she flicked a strand of his hair. Such a simple gesture, but the familiarity of it inspired a gush of affection. “Maybe not, but I’m glad that didn’t stop her from giving it to me anyway.”

“Are you kidding?” Eddie asked in disbelief, rising to his feet. “You’re a bone-art making, pep talk giving zombie with a weirdly comforting southern accent. Good luck getting rid of me, you’ll need it.”

[throwaninkpot]

RotT reactions part 2!

costis, what are you doing here, shouldn't you be in roa? shouldn't you be with kamet? costis, where's kamet? what happened to him? tell me!

"who really owns anything?" eugenides, you utter meme.

if tattoos a custom in eddis, does. .....does helen have tattoos? oh my word, please tell me helen has tattoos, she would look so cool.

so, so, so, horrible invasion, giant army, logistics of war. it's very terrible and interesting, but where kamet? where my boy? is he okay? costis just LEFT him behind, bc he had to get word back to attolia, I don't blame him, I love him. but is kamet okay????????????????????

rip to all the cottage fic people probably wrote about the two having a chill time in roa. (idk, I haven't checked.) megan said we can't have nice things.

"find yourselves another king" uhhhhhhh, gen?

gen said no more king, now only Thief and Hot Consort To The Sexy Queen.

awww, sophos gave him a book of poetry for his birthday. I love sophos.

"attolia says she leaves with you" *spends several long minutes clutching at my chest repeatedly as I am Overwhelmed*

you know the quote in koa about a careful dance of shafow and unsubstance but under it all, a real marriage of two people? that's literally this. the queen is surely calculated her possible responses to gen, amd this is either a Pointed Message to gen or to the barons, and I'm still not sure what gen is up to actually, but also. she loves him, guys. they're in love. "she leaves with you". they're in love.

"I asked her to leave with me on our wedding night" of course he did.

"except me, I can do anything I want" :'D

they're too soft. I cannot.

go, costis! save your boy!

..........is this where I formally apologize for rolling my eyes back in 2016 when people shipped teleus/relius? I genuinely did not see this coming.

megan said okay, we've been on our best behavior, it's been 25 years, she will sprinkle in a little canon queerness. and then upended a flour sack of it on us.

"he had to bend to keep his lips on hers until she reached the ground" they're too cute, this is illegal.

oh, now THAT'S some soap opera level nonsense. how awkward was it for gen and helen knowing his father was a spurned lover of her mother

sometimes soldiers. I am eating this stuff up.

they get no apology. h*ck the pents. maybe they should have chosen an ambassador that didn't force himself upon women.

"where sounis's father positively beamed with approval at his son, eddis's minister of war glowered. the high king, slumped in his seat, catching his father's glare, slumped even further." it be like that.

ten to one. oof, oof, oof.

okay, the solution is, one of gen's sisters should beat up cleon and therespides.

gen. you were the one paying him. I don't know why I'm ever surprised by the tangled schemes you wrap yourself up in.

every scene that the four monarchs are together, just having a good time and loving each other and sounding so much like the young people they are, every time, it makes me happy.

the fandom tried to figure out at what age boys left the dorms in Eddis, didn't we? I think we settled on 12 or 13. gen killed someone before he was 13. hachi machi.

he called him "my brother sounis". awww.

"without cheating" is that what we're calling godly visits now

eugenides will give me a heart attack, I swear.

they call it return of the thief bc this is the most like himself gen has acted since the crenellations in KoA.

(fitting that this is the book with a neuroduvergent pov, bc I have never happy stimmed more in my life than during the chase scene.)

when he starts windmilling, now I am afraid. oh please, megan, don't let him be hurt.

thank the gods.

helen wearing an eddisian uniform. heck yeah! gnc helen rights continue!

"it was the last lighthearted moment for a long time" :(

they're leaving the city, and I'm suddenly remember the comment from back in book of pheris 1 about an attack by a tomb. am afraid.

it's loving the magus o' clock. he treats pheris so well.

irenides baby......2!!!!

"I don't understand" you and me both, sophos.

"I think they have to show their worst selves sometimes in order to be sure that even at their worst they are loved" I need a minute.

I love tactics and logistics, but I wish I could picture this my head. the map doesn't actually help me figure out where the forces are in perspective.

megan really wasn't exaggerating when she said eugenides's first reaction to seeing an elephant is "I want to steal one."

"he muscled up his other arm and said he would destroy the Medes single-handed" these books are giving me a stroke. megan, that pun was beautiful.

"I have found Kamet!" I'm going to be sick. he had better be okay. he was supposed to be free of nahuseresh.

nasty man had better be lying. my kamet had better be okay.

oh, costis. okay, okay, alright.

why is cleon's death so sombering. I think it's bc I just reread "Thief!", and met him as a teenager in that. I think it's bc it says he's one of three cousins that died that day, and gen already lost so many cousins during the war in QoA. I loved the country of eddis when I was first reading these books and forever after that, bc it's so full. there's a very communal child-rearing system and gen has these packs of cousins, even if most of them spent their childhood bullying him, I loved the idea of having so much family around you. he's running out of family.

oh. I went back to reading from writing that, and. stenides. oh.

I said I wanted gen's siblings, but not like this.

well, here's some cairns. presumably the tombs pheris's foreshadowed earlier. here we go, something bad is going to happen.

Something Bad Happened.

oh, no, Hilarion. D:

*tiffany haddish voice* NOMENUS??? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS. I PUT YOU ON MY BINGO.

the man at the cairn. the god on the battlefield that megan referenced? but eugenides called him a dead man. so not a god. so, did he recognize him as someone he knew to be dead?

"my cousins know not to trust my tears" once again, gen's hail mary is the fact he's a little snipe.

he says he needs a heavier rain, and the gods deliver.

f in chat for nomenus. he was a snake, but still.

"and by my oath to my god, now and for my life, Thief of Eddis." YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, Philo. :(

rip to Legarus and his Awesome Beauty.

they want to kill gen in The Thief? eddis's council wanted to kill him? I'm reeling from all the backstory this book is revealing.

not quite how I had the apotheosis pictured, and yet. *sufjan steven's ascension plays in the background*

"I say it three times, Fordad. It will be so. It will be so. It will be so." holy heck.

someone get in here and analyze that for biblical symbolism.

HE CALLED DOWN LIGHTNING. HOLY

narration only calls him eugenides in that scene with the lightning. significant.

"feeling the tremor in it, he opened his arms to catch the king as he fell." he has fallen and been caught by his god and fallen and been caught by his dad.

I think we'll call the interregnum an interlude into the underworld, if not a journey into.

oh, gods, relius.

for a former spymaster, he sure trusted too easily.

he could have had his farm in the gede valley, but he stayed to help irene and gen. oh, relius, relius.

sejanus has a saving grace afterall.

dite and sejanus protecting each other, and pretending to hate each other so that sejanus at least can be on good terms with their father, that all clicks into place when you know about their older brother who they probably loved just as much.

crying crying crying over Sejanus and Pheris.

the minster of war. D:

at least nahuseresh is dead.

gen lay down to sleep by his father's corpse.

the patrimony divided in three. a triangle.

sophos/helen baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love that gen, knowing his cousin and also being a little sneak who notices everything, figured out helen was pregnant before sophos even did.

f for sejanus. he wasn't as bad as he seemed, and not nearly as bad as he almost was.

oh, xenophon died, too. he of the wooden cannons and receiver of the infamous "I love stupid plans" line.

why is everyone dead. :(

"they're at the pickets, both of them" oh, thank you, jesus. TWO PEOPLE WHO AREN'T DEAD. MY BOYS.

she dreams of Eddis empty. there's no words for the relief I feel.

twinssss!!

and yet they don't tell us the name!!!!! what was the MoW's name??? what is their son's name??? megan!!!!!!

gen holding his daughter for the first time and offering to pitch her off a roof. I don't even have words.

hector. hector. hector hector hector.

rooftop dance!!!!!!!!!!!

HE'S OKAY. RELIUS IS OKAY.

(you couldn't give us one costis and kamet dance? no, it's fine.)

peace. peace. peace.

crying.

[ardent-musings]

The Girl Who Vanished (Part 1)

Chapter 2: Ms. Malfoy

If Ana thought the castle was beautiful while she was on the train, seeing it up close was a whole new feeling of amazement. Never before had she experienced such a stunning sight and her face glowed. Hagrid accompanied the first years as they were situated into small boats, her path diverging from the Gryffindor quad. Of course, she was upset that she couldn't be sharing this moment with them, but she had yet to be sorted. Before her conversation on the train, she never once questioned whether or not she wanted to be in Slytherin. Her father always made it clear that Slytherin was the only acceptable house for a wizard, at least a wizard that respected themselves. But now, her impression of Gryffindor was not all that bad; at least not as bad as her father made it seem.

Despite being tired, not only from getting no sleep, but also from rowing across a giant lake, Ana couldn't help but buzz with energy. And the closer the boat got to the school grounds, the more intense it got. She could hear Hagrid shouting from a few boats behind, but her brain could not even begin to process what he had said.

It only took a few more rows until her little boat met the dock at the edge of the school. She and the two quiet boys that were rowing with her stumbled out of the rocky boat, not waiting for her to catch up with them. Once again, she was aware of how alone she was; the laughter she had grown to enjoy was gone as night had fallen over the castle. The cool air began to pierce her skin, making her wrap her arms around herself, hoping to get inside soon. She kept her head down, focusing on her footing, and followed the direction of her fellow first years.

Once they entered the school, she was met with a grand staircase which seemed to never end. She stomped up the stone steps and was halted in front of a large door; behind it was filled with loud chatter and yells of excitement. At the top of the stairs was a witch, her slender frame covered in ornate emerald robes and a giant hat was perched on her head.

"Greetings, first years," the witch greeted, her Scottish accent strong. "I am Professor McGonagall, your new Transfiguration teacher and the Head of Gryffindor House. Beyond these doors is where your time at Hogwarts begins. But before that happens you will be placed into your house."

Not a peep could be heard from the first years, everyone hanging on to whatever the witch said. "Your house will be like your family; do well in your work and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so, and it will cost your house dearly. Now I want everyone to follow me," she said, turning quick on her heel. She stopped at the giant doors until they swung open before her, revealing the rest of the students and the professors. Ana looked around her, trying to find the only other faces she was familiar with, finding them to the right. She smiled at the group, all of them grinning up at her with hopeful eyes. Angelina made it a point to smack the space next to her on the wooden bench, them anticipating a spot for her.

Professor McGonagall began, "Bell, Katie!"

A girl came out of the crowd of students, her brown hair pulled high into a ponytail that seemed to be tugging at her forehead. She wobbled up the steps with shaky knees as she sat on the stool. Professor McGonagall than placed a dingy hat on top of her head. A voice blaring from the wrinkles of fabric.

"Ah ha! I see a lot of goodness in you, quite a lot of spunk!" the hat bellowed, everyone in the hall now silent. "I have a pretty good idea where you belong. GRYFFINDOR!"

The long table beside her cheered, the spot that was once available for Ana, now replaced with another student. One by one, each student would sit and get placed. And every time the alphabet got closer to her name, Ana's heart fluttered in her chest. She could hardly pay attention, but she caught a few sortings.

"Bole, Alexandra!" Slytherin gained its first student and the list continued.

"Carmichael, Eddie!" Was sorted into Ravenclaw.

"Chang, Cho!" Ravenclaw, too. A few more students passed.

"Kane, Calista!" Slytherin again.

The anticipation was enough to make any person faint. The unknown wasn't something Ana enjoyed. She forced herself to take deep breaths, focusing not on what was in front of her, but only the rise and fall of her lungs.

"Malfoy, Bibiana!" Professor McGonagall called. Hushed whispers began to fill the room, many students sitting up higher to take a look at the girl, who wanted nothing more than to be swallowed into the floor beneath her. Slowly, her feet moved on their own accord, knowing that standing there motionlessly would only make her look even stranger. Staring at her with shocked expressions were the twins, Lee, and Angelina. But they weren't the only ones staring in anticipation; the rest of the student body were equally as invested. Bibiana closed her eyes, waiting for the moment to end.

"A Malfoy, eh?" the hat commented. "This is an interesting case, you see. Every Malfoy before you all went to the same house. You've got wit and you've got charm, but that all depends on what you use it for." The longer the hat deliberated the harder it was for her to breath. "Nonetheless, it seems quite clear where you will succeed."

"SLYTHERIN!"

Ana opened her eyes once the decision was made. Slytherin always seemed like a good fit for her, and from hearing what the house valued, she felt comfortable with it. The uneasy feeling in her stomach must be from not having eaten enough that day.

The hat was removed from her head, and Ana was unable to stop herself from looking at the Gryffindor table. As expected the expressions on the twins', Lee's and Angelina's faces were what she was afraid they'd be. They all glared at her with strained brows and tight lips as she made her way to the Slytherin table. There she was greeted with cheers, the older Slytherins watching her and clapping until she sat down at the opposite end of the long table. Although a smaller reaction would have been better for her nerves, seeing a few smiles at her expense was nice to see. Soon, all the first years were sorted into their houses and a wizard in deep plum robes approached the lectern at the head of the hall.

"Wonderful, everyone! Quite wonderful," the man mused. "It seems that everything is in order! And while we are here, it is my duty to remind all students of the school's restrictions. No one is allowed into the third floor corridor or the Dark Forest, unless an early death is what you wish."

Ana found that to be a bit dramatic, but it did get the point across. The man quickly wrapped up his speech and with a clap of his hands mounds of food appeared in front of them. Every inch of the table was filled with fruits and breads and meats, whatever a person could want. Ana found herself gravitating towards the fruits, strawberries being her absolute favorite. She also helped herself to a serving of potatoes that would be even too much for that tall man, Hagrid, to handle. Yet she felt up to the challenge after rowing across a whole lake.

"You gonna share the potatoes there, Malfoy?" the boy next to her asked with a smirk. She handed him the bowl and he took them quickly. "I'm Aeron Wright by the way," he proudly announced.

The boy scooped spoonful after spoonful of the potatoes, clearly not caring that he was emptying the bowl. Although you would never tell he could eat so much, his thin frame huddled over the plate which he kept piling high with food.

"Save the table some food will you?"

"What? Alexandra was it?" He snapped back, "I'm hungry so I'm going to take what I need."

"Yeah, because you definitely look like you need to eat as much as a mountain troll," mocked the girl. She played with the spaghetti and meatballs on her plate, trying desperately to get it to stay on her fork. "Don't worry about him," she assured, "he's just very passionate about his food, it seems."

The boy feigned hurt as he dug into his food, picking up a dinner roll and chucking it at Alexandra's head. She swatted the food away, it landing a few feet down in front of the more stern looking Slytherins, all of them staring back at Ana. That surely did not help the pit in her stomach at all.

"This is my brother by the way," the girl said, a smile gracing her olive toned skin. She pulled on the sleeve of the boy next to her, nearly knocking him over with her strength. He grabbed at his collar, trying to release himself from her grip as he turned towards them.

"Loosen up, Alex," he chuckled at his sister.

His eyes were such a light blue that they almost looked clear if you weren't looking hard enough. The contrast was stark between them and his skin. He was, in no other way of stating it, wonderful to look at. "Hey! I'm Lucian," he offered a gentle smile, nibbling on a piece of broccoli.

"I'm Bibiana Malfoy, but I prefer Ana," she replied. "That's what everyone calls me anyways."

"You have a good time on the train then, Ana?"

She smiled at his interest, picking up more strawberries. "I did. I was seated with a few second year Gryffindors, the red headed twins."

Lucian's expression immediately shifted from curious to irked, "You mean those two gits who are staring at you?" He motioned to the Gryffindor table with his fork. Ana turned around to see the two of them dart their heads down, nudging each other's arms and whispering. Ana would be lying if she pretended like their reactions didn't hurt, but the nagging feeling in her chest told her that whatever they had on the train was over.

"Yeah, I wouldn't be seeking them out anytime soon," the older boy continued, noticing her sudden somber look. "Last year they let off multiple dungbombs into the Slytherin Quidditch dressing rooms. They even convinced Peeves, the poltergeist, to terrorize Professor Snape any chance he could get. The two really have it out for the Slytherins."

Ana had a feeling that the Gryffindors didn't take kindly to Slytherins when they were on the train, but she never figured that the people who were so nice to her could also be so mean. Sure they were young boys and they had some energy, but hearing them acting out against Slytherins was new information to her. Still, she hoped for different.

"But, they were nice to me on the train. You think they would just turn like that?"

"I hope for your sake they don't," he sighed, giving her a half smile.

Ana once again peered over at the Gryffindor table, meeting the eyes of no one.

"Well, who needs the stinky twins?" Alex stabbed her meatball. "Who cares if they don't like you anymore? You don't need them anyways."

"Or, you could try talking to them like nothing bad happened. Just because you're in another house that doesn't mean they're necessarily going to ignore you," a voice chimed in. The airy sound came from a girl whose hip-length black hair hung from the sides of her head in two long braids. "Sure, they may be a bit confused right now, but who's to say they're going to treat you any different?"

"Oh first year, there is a lot for you to learn," Lucian leaned in closely. "For starters, Slytherins and Gryffindors have a sort of rivalry. It's been going on for years. It'd just be smart to move on." He directed the end of his statement back at Ana, giving her a pointed look.

"Especially with you being a Malfoy and all," Alex added on, her brother enthusiastically waving his fork in agreement.

"Oh fantastic," Ana snickered, "my very first friends are now my enemies."

"Well maybe not," squeaked the dark haired girl again.

"Who are you again?" Aeron took a moment to tear away from his food to ask.

"Calista Kane."

Aeron took a deep swallow, pushing down whatever he had stuffed in his cheeks, taking a few deep breaths. "Look, Calista. That's just how things work. My uncle even had issues with Gryffindors when he went to school here and that was years ago. I wouldn't expect this feud to end simply because little Miss Malfoy over here," he gestured to Ana, "is upset she got ditched by some dumb twins."

"Well aren't you a joy," Calista laughed, returning her attention back to Ana, who seemed to lose interest in her dinner. "Everything will be fine. Whether you talk to them again or not. So what's the worst that could happen? You just don't talk to them. That's not such a loss."

Ana found herself comforted by Calista's words. The girl's hair might be halfway in her bowl of soup, but that didn't stop her from focusing on helping Ana feel better. Calista looked at her with warm eyes and a soft smile. Somehow, Ana felt like she had to agree with her.

"No, I guess you're right," Ana reasoned. "Besides I wanted to be in Slytherin anyways. I can't imagine what my father would say had I been sorted into another house."

Alex nodded, plopping a meatball into her mouth, "That's the kind of attitude you need. Forget them. You've got us now."

Ana smiled at the girl, swallowing her hurt and finding comfort in the people surrounding her now. She once again started eating her food, finding no point in pouting over the loss of people she only knew for a few hours. The Slytherins would be with her for the next seven years, it made sense to start caring about them instead of worrying over the Gryffindors.

Finding herself feeling better, Ana and Lucian began talking about the ins and outs of Hogwarts, learning about the various professors and the squib, Filch, who had a seemingly very unusual relationship with his cat. She made a note to try and interact with him as little as possible. She found Alex to be the louder Bole sibling, bouncing in her seat and blurting out whenever something excited her or if she felt like poking fun at someone. Her energy was definitely needed given how exhausted Ana started to feel. Calista was quieter, providing very animated faces to what was going on, but not speaking for the most part. Once again, Aeron was lost in his food but would sometimes talk to Elliot Wolter and Malachy Allard, two other boys who were sorted into Slytherin.

As dinner rolled on, Ana's smile returned, finding her House to offer her the same feelings the Gryffindors stirred within her. She felt airy and full of warmth, especially now that she was having her fill of pumpkin pasties and apple cider. All the nervousness and judgement that coursed through her brain earlier were gone.

Slowly students began to leave the hall and a Slytherin a few years older than them directed the first years to the grand staircase. After taking a turn to the right and leading them down a flight of stairs into the dungeons, she came to a barren wall that stretched for a good twenty feet. The older girl whispered, "Wolfsbane" and a large iron door revealed itself to the students.

When they passed through, they descended into a dark room that was sunken into the floor. The walls weren't exactly walls, but glass that looked out into what Ana assumed was the lake they had just been over a few hours ago. If she looked close enough she could see various creatures swimming from window to window. The whole area was tinted green from the murky lake. The room was huge and had silver and green accents everywhere, whether it was the leather sofas or the curtains that hung to the ground. A blazing fire roared in the large stone fireplace that was situated at the center of the space in front of loveseats and armchairs and throw pillows, making the area surprisingly cozy considering they were literally underwater.

"This is the- " the poor student couldn't even finish her tour as Alex ran past her and threw her body at one of the sofas, "This is the common room."

The rest of the first years paid attention to the girl who explained that this was where they were going to live for the next seven years. Passwords would alternate so that it was better protected but the updated password would be posted by Merlin. And by a portrait of Merlin was a board of announcements that they would have to keep up with. The girl showed Ana and Calista to their dormitory, while Alex decided to stay behind to talk to her brother in the common room.

The dorms were simple; all the furniture lined up along a wall with storage and a chest at the foot of each four poster bed. The green canopies matched the glow of green that emanated from the two giant panes of glass that looked out to the black lake. Between the panes was a stone insert where a fireplace was already warming up the room. A gorgeous mantel piece, a two foot long serpent with red eyes, was perched on top of the stone ledge.

After telling the girls about how their following day would play out, the older girl left her and Calista to get some sleep. The two scrambled to their beds, Ana's items were placed at the bed furthest from the door, so she slumped down on the mattress, relieved at how it seemed to ease her tired body. Calista's bed was next to hers, leaving Alex's bed the one closest to the door.

Ana stayed staring at the ceiling, reliving the events of the day. King's Cross seemed like forever ago and she could only imagine how much Draco missed her. She couldn't help but think about him roaming through the manor all alone. Maybe he would get desperate and hang around Dobby, their house elf. Ana quite liked the little guy. Of course he was always nervous around Lucius, but even she was nervous around her own father. Still, the elf was great company for her when Draco wasn't around.

"Do you think we should find Alex?" Calista asked quietly, pulling out a few items from her trunk and placing them on her nightstand.

Ana took a moment to answer. "No," she said, "I have a feeling Lucian will tell her where her dorm is."

"It must be nice having a sibling already at Hogwarts. It'd make the transition easier, I think," she pulled out a rabbit plushie from her bag, making Ana smile as she grabbed for it. She played with the flopping ears, bouncing the animal on her lap. "I had a rabbit when I was five. Her name was Minnie."

"What happened to Minnie?"

Calista continued to pull little trinkets out of her bag, unravelling a large shiny sheet of parchment. The girl was having trouble holding the parchment up against the wall, so Ana jumped up to hold the sides up for her. "Thanks," Calista smiled, "and uh, Minnie was attacked by a wolf and didn't make it past the night. I was devastated. But in the morning, I woke up to that plushie on my bed."

"I'm sorry about your rabbit," Ana sighed as the girl pulled out her wand. She pointed it to the parchment and chanted. "Viscosi!" The parchment stayed up on the wall needing no one to hold it up any longer. Ana took a step away from the parchment to see that it was a picture of five people, and in small text read "The Breakfast Club".

"It's a movie!" Calista's eyes twinkled with excitement. The girl was far more talkative than when she was at dinner, and Ana was in no state to kill the mood. Humoring the girl, Ana asked her to tell her all about what a movie was, and then what happened in it.

Any plans they had to go to bed early were squashed once Calista started talking about the ins and outs of the movie. The characters all seemed very different from each other and Ana couldn't help but wonder which of the group she would be: the jock, the princess, the nerd, the criminal, or the outcast. None of them sounded like her and yet she figured she could become any of them at the end of the day.

"I also just think that Molly Ringwald is really pretty," Calista pointed at the red headed girl in all pink, a red blush settled on her golden brown cheeks.

"Molly is pretty but have you see Bender and Allison? Now, they're pretty."

Alex had finally joined the girls after returning from the common room. She jumped on Calista's bed, sitting beside the girl who had just been gushing over her favorite movie star.

"I mean, maybe in a dark, sinister way, sure," Calista replied crossing her arms over her chest. Alex made a face at the Calista, giggling at how serious she had just become.

"I'm only joking, Kane. Molly is super cute."

The three of them settled into an easy conversation; Ana and Alex talked about the Weird Sisters which was both their favorite band while Calista talked about her favorite films, most of which the other two hadn't seen. They talked so long, that the room that was once a dark forest green was turning brighter by the second. Once they realized how long they stayed up, the three forced themselves to bed, hoping to get enough sleep to get them through the next day.

But before Ana fell asleep, she couldn't help but find the warm glow of the fireplace bittersweet. The fiery red of it pricked her skin and made her warm, but red wasn't turning out to be a welcoming color anymore.

[dilfdoctordoom]

What would Bette’s first impressions of the Robins be? (Steph included)

Yet another lengthy one, so under the cut we go.

Dick:

Okay, hottest of takes here, but we’re gonna follow the original Bat-Girl origin for Bette (ie. she didn’t become a hero because of Robin)

She does have a crush on Robin, mainly because like... I think she feels that she has to??? If that makes sense???

Bette will do whatever it takes to fit in and she assumes that to fit in, she has to be with Robin. It’s a mess born of extreme insecurities & I don’t think it’d happen is somebody had sat her down and explained... she doesn’t need to

But yeah!!! She does genuinely think she’s cool

Technically her first impression of him is made when she saves him, Batwoman & Batman... she keeps on calling him Damsel after that

He hates it but she thinks it’s funny

As for Dick Grayson...

She thinks Dick Grayson is a dork, but he can do cool flips so maybe he isn’t all bad

Probably one of his first friends in Gotham, if we’re being honest? I think Bruce would’ve wanted someone Dick’s age around him, so Bette got invited over a lot & they became friends eventually

Bette and Dick get along far better than Bat-Girl and Robin, okay, I don’t make the rules. They’re just dumbasses together... absolutely no brain cells... the chaos they unleashed, utterly unparalleled

Jason:

So Bette actually knows he’s Robin, so no weird two first meetings

Bette arrives the second she reads on the Gotham Gazette that Bruce got a kid. How could he not tell her? They’re supposed to be family, she should be informed if she has new family, did you know the kid’s birthday is soon? He’s left her in an awkward position on getting a gift but this is Bette Kane. She is inhumanly persistent

Jason is quizzed on his interests the second she arrives at Wayne Manor. And her arrival is... wow. He didn’t know people could drop glitter with every step but apparently, that’s a superpower beauty pageants give you. Weird.

Oh, you like books? What kind of books? Classical, huh... thank god Bette knows Bruce’s library inside and out, she might actually be able to get him something that isn’t already there

Bette’s general impression of Jason is holy shit, this kid is adorable? Literally so cute? She wants to pinch his lil cheeks. 10/10 excellent decision on Bruce’s part, she will support this

Jason thinks Bette is... a lot. Which she is, to be fair. Not, like, the worst person he’s ever met, but he seriously doubts he’d be able to handle her in large bouts

Tim:

This one is actually kinda fun because I’m headcanoning that they meet before he ever becomes a hero! They’re both a part of Gotham’s elite, they meet before he starts kicking people’s heads in

They’re very formal with each other. The Kanes & the Drakes aren’t exactly close so...yeah

Bette always does kinda try to help him out when she can

She actually ends up being hired as his tutor for a few subjects. It’s a case of unstoppable force, immovable object; Tim Drake’s hatred of school vs Bette Kane’s inability to give up on anything

He does actually end up learning stuff. He places it down to the fear

Bette thinks he’s just a sweet little kid

Tim doesn’t actually find out she was the original Bat-Girl, or that she’s Flamebird until he becomes Robin. He was too focused on Batman and he just... loses his mind when he realizes it. It makes so much sense but also what? What? Bruce explain it huts his head make it make sense but also make it make less sense

Steph:

They first meet when Steph is Spoiler. Bette is Flamebird at the time & they team up to take on the Joker & insult Batman

It is pure unadulterated chaos

Who let this happen? Unclear, but Batman’s already got a migraine & Eddie wishes that this never occurred. He wants to go back to a time before they knew each other

Steph throws bricks, Bette is surprisingly good at riddles, this was a disaster in the making. Have you met them? Can you imagine them working together? God. I fear for Gotham

Bette thinks Steph is super cool... and like, hey, maybe she does relate a little to the whole ‘Batman and Robin disapprove’ thing...

She kinda breaks a lot of rules & tells Steph her identity that night because look. Bette gets how important a proper support system is. If Bruce had been a little more honest with her a little earlier, things in her Bat-Girl era probably would’ve gone better

So Flamebird lets Spoiler know her secret identity. She hasn’t said anything that links her to Bruce or anybody else so it’s probably fine and even if it isn’t... Bette doesn’t see it as a bad thing if a kid that wants to do good knows where to find more help

The next morning, Stephanie Brown meets up with Bette Kane for waffles and is taught the importance of being underestimated, how to weaponize it

Damian:

Bruce is dead. They both go to his funeral but they don’t meet then

Bette goes completely silent for a week after his death and then she shows up at Wayne Manor, the entirety of the Gray Ghost in hand

As far as she knows, Bruce is never gonna get to show his son this and that’s... not fair, in her mind

So they watch it together. Sometimes Damian paints, sometimes one of his pets is there, but most of the time, it’s just the two of them

It takes him a while to start talking to her. His information on Bette Kane doesn’t paint an overly flattering picture and he’s extremely dismissive of her, but also, Dick’s been changing how he sees things and she’s actually trying to let him know Bruce, not Batman

Sometimes, completely unprompted, she’ll tell him stories about his father. It’s never about Batman (because that wasn’t all her cousin was and his son deserves to know that), always Bruce Wayne. The Bruce that she knew, not the playboy facade

He... he isn’t mad about it. It’s different from anything that Dick or Talia has ever told him

Robin V & Flamebird don’t ever work together but. The second he’s in danger, in genuine danger, and Dick has sent out the call... she’s there

I wouldn’t say Bette is in the best place when Damian arrives (her cousin is dead, like, that’s gonna hurt) but she sees a kid that needs help and that overrides everything else. Besides, Bruce would be disappointed in her if she didn’t give Dick a little assistance

She sees a lot of her cousin in him and it takes her a while not to be awkward about it

It takes a lot of time, but eventually, they do get along much better and aren’t always so silent around each other

Duke:

Duke is Bette’s favourite Robin, even if she first meets him when he’s the Signal

Like, sorry, there’s absolutely no doubt about this. He’s got cool light powers, she loves that he doesn’t take Bruce’s shit and she just... she thinks he’s awesome, you know?

Sometimes she’ll help him patrol during the day. It’s actually what gets her back into the Flamebird costume, it’s a lot of fun

They have a different dynamic than any of the ones she has with the other Robins for a lot of reasons. Like, it’s never gonna be how it is with the first three, because Bette is so much older now. It’s not gonna be how it was with Steph, because she & Steph bonded over how Batman and Robin shoved them aside. Damian is Bruce’s kid and that added a different element to their dynamic

But Duke. Duke’s got this light in him and Bette is fiercely protective of him. They have a different dynamic -- because Bette has seen what usually happens to Robins, to anyone that wore that mantle. She won’t see it happen again

[heyyyharry]

Chapter 2: Castles In The Air

(from the My Girl Trilogy: Be My Only)

…in which Y/N can’t stop worrying about Harry, but she isn’t the only one.

AU: actor!Harry, older!Harry, younger!Y/N, (4-year age gap).

Word count: 5k

Wattpad link

Chapter 1: Fire And Rain - Harry and Y/N go back to where it ended.

A/N: Welcome back to emotional hell. Listen to What If I Never Get Over Your? by Lady Antebellum for full experience. - Allie.

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Isaac thought he had done a great job. Y/N had trusted him enough to reveal why she'd gone back to Holmes Chapel last year, not because of her father's wedding, but because of Harry. He knew everything, from how they'd got together to how they'd ended. Though the truth was evidently unpleasant, it also made him sigh in relief, for he was sure she had officially moved on.

But last night he'd seen for himself, how she had freaked out at the party and later broken down in the hospital. He'd seen the way she'd held Harry, how she'd cried, thinking something bad had happened to him. She was usually talkative when they were alone, but had been awfully quiet on the drive back to her place. It didn't take a mind-reader to figure out what was bothering her. It was that hug they had shared, what he had whispered into her ear that nobody else would ever know. And in that moment Isaac realized, there was a place in her heart that he could never reach.

It'd been a rough night, and his loud thoughts had kept him awake until 3AM, with fear that the girl in his arms could leave him any minute. But when the morning came, everything seemed to have fallen back into place. Stepping into the kitchen with sleep in his eyes, he was greeted by his girlfriend's gleeful "good morning!" and the delicious smell of sizzling bacon and eggs. Maybe he had over-exaggerated the situation yesterday, because Y/N was still here, and she was...making breakfast?

"Y/N! The eggs!"

"Shit!" The girl nearly knocked everything off the table as she fled across the room to turn off the stove. Clouds of dark smoke erupted from the frying pan, causing the couple to start coughing uncontrollably.

"My eggs..." She mumbled with a frown when he stroked her head and burst out laughing.

"I thought my girl was possessed, but I'm glad she's still herself." His joke made her snort as she tossed the burnt egg into the bin and told him she would try again. But after what he had just witnessed, he thought he should do all the cooking from now on, for their own safety.

"Step aside. I'll manage," he said with a smirk, nudging her with his hip to steal her spot as they both giggled together.

"Okay, so you take care of our breakfast. I'm gonna finish this."

Curious, Isaac stole a glance at his girlfriend, and saw her put the tuna salad she'd made into a lunch box. It wasn't like her to wake up early, make breakfast and lunch for herself. She hated cooking more than she hated children crying on the bus, and she'd rather starve than turn on her stove.

"Hey," she spoke before he could ask. "Can you bring this to Harry later?"

"Did he ask you to cook for him?"

"No." Y/N shook her head. "Niall said he wasn't allowed to go anywhere, so I decided to make him food."

Her naive response made Isaac cackle. He told her not to worry, that Harry's team would make sure he had the healthiest, and most expensive meals, while laying in bed. But that didn't ease the wrinkles between her brows.

"These foods will help his wounds heal faster." She met his thoughtful stare. "Besides, you two have to talk to each other at one point. This is your chance to make up."

"We're fine."

"How 'fine' exactly?" She arched an eyebrow at him. "I know everything is my fault, and I'm trying to—"

Isaac didn't let her finish. He grabbed her chin, kissing her full on the mouth, and slightly pushing her backward until her back bumped into the desk. His kiss became more urgent as his hands moved to hold her cheeks. She kissed him back, fingertips resting on his face. Neither of them knew what had gotten into him, yet both went with it because, what else would they do?

Reassurance. He needed reassurance.

But this kiss wasn't it.

Slowly, he pulled away, tucking a loose strand behind her ear as his heart started racing faster. With a smile to cover up the fact that he was on tenterhooks, he said in hushed tones, "why don't you ask Niall to bring him the food? They live very near each other."

The truth dawned on Y/N as her eyes shifted away from his. She thought for a couple seconds before nodding her head, and Isaac hoped she didn't think he hated Harry. How could he? He loved Harry like his own brother, and had sacrificed a lot for him since they became friends; like his top bunk in the dorm because Harry wanted it, his 20th birthday party because Harry had failed a movie audition that same day, his first magazine cover deal because Harry's hateful ex was the model, and many other times he couldn't recall. He'd done everything, no questions asked, because he believed Harry would do the same for him.

But Y/N wasn't something they could take and give whenever they wanted. She was a person, someone Isaac truly cared about. And he'd known from the start once he'd fallen for her he could never step back, which was why he'd asked Harry if he'd had feelings for her too. If only the answer had been 'yes' since the beginning, he would've walked away for them to be together. Would Harry have done the same? Would Harry have respected Isaac's feelings for Y/N and stepped aside, instead of going after her while Isaac was in Rome? No. Harry had done the opposite. And even so, even now, Isaac would still walk away. But things weren't as simple as it used to be. He was in too deep to undo how he felt about her for someone who'd broken her heart again and again.

There were certain things in his life that he was always in control of. Feelings, just weren't one of them.

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"What do you mean you're in LA?!"

"I got on the plane as soon as I dropped Harry off last night." Niall sounded so casual, as if it wasn't a big deal to fly to a different country every time he was bored. A normal person like Y/N could never relate to it, though she guessed nothing could be too much for someone with excessive fame and fortune like Niall Horan.

As Niall rambled on about his second birthday party in LA, Y/N had missed most of it while busy sorting the books on the shelves. She would get in so much trouble if her manager caught her on the phone while at work again.

"That sounds super cool, Niall. But I really gotta go," she told him, holding the phone between her ear and shoulder. "Have fun at your party."

"Thanks! Have a nice day, Y/N!"

I wish, Y/N thought, as she hung up and headed back to the reception counter. There hadn't been a single customer that morning, so her friend and co-worker Alice was sitting behind the counter, filing her nails instead of doing whatever she was supposed to do. Sometimes Y/N truly felt bad for their boss. He had only two employees, but neither one was hardworking or at least responsible.

Alice actually got fired from her job in their university library for never showing up on time, and Y/N couldn't stay there either. Without Alice, no one would make sure she got to read as much as she wanted without getting caught. So the girls ended up finding this new job, and apparently hadn't learnt any lesson from their previous one.

"Al, I need back up," said Y/N as she threw on her jacket and grabbed her bag and lunchbox. "If Eddie comes back before me, tell him I've got some 'lady issues' and had to leave, yeah?"

"Lady issues? Wow, we've really run out of excuses, haven't we?" Alice seemed quite amused.

"He'll believe anything." Y/N rolled her eyes as she scoffed. "Once I told him my cat was sick, and he gave me a weekend off."

"You have a cat?"

"No, but he has three."

Alice giggled as she gave the older girl a high-five. They could only be mean to Eddie when he wasn't around. After all, he was the one who paid them, so the least they could do was treat him with respect...when he was around.

"You're meeting up with Isaac?" Alice asked with a massive grin, but Y/N only shook her head and said, "a friend."

Waving Alice goodbye, she left the store and walked to her car which she'd recently bought from a man living in the same building. Though it ran out of fuel pretty fast, and once left her stuck on an empty highway in the middle of the night, it was still good for a used Vauxhall. To be honest, she'd made a lot of questionable buying decisions ever since she moved to London, but that car wasn't one of them.

As Y/N buckled up her seat belt and started the engine, she only had one thing on her mind. Maybe she should leave the lunchbox at his door, ring the bells, and run away before he saw her. That way she wouldn't have to talk to him and still make sure he got her food. But on second thought, wouldn't it make her a coward? If she was so sure that she was completely over him, she should act like an adult and face him at some point. Besides, she'd said it herself, Harry was mentally and physically unwell. What he needed most at this point was someone to look after him. If not Niall or Isaac, that someone had to be her.

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When the doorbell rang, Harry didn't expect it to be Y/N.

He had too many 'friends' here in London. But ever since his accident made the news, the only person who'd come to visit him was his manager Jeff, which said a lot about working in this industry. The cameras might stop rolling but the people never stopped acting. His Bambi, however, was different from all the others. She showed up here because she genuinely cared about him, and even though he didn't deserve that kindness, he was very thankful she'd decided to come.

"I brought you lunch." Y/N showed Harry the pink lunchbox and a wide grin that made his heart leap in content. 

As she walked in and politely asked to use the bathroom, he played along, saying "you're welcome" in response to her humble "thank you". They thought it would be less awkward if they pretended that she was a stranger to this place. Pretending was easy, forgetting was hard. The memories of their last night together were still vivid as if it was yesterday. She had stood right there in the middle of his living room, in his shirt, with tears running down her red cheeks. The look she'd given him was utterly heartbreaking. And if he could go back in time, he would tell her those three words again and again until she agreed to stay.

"I guess I'm leaving now."

But he couldn't go back in time. And this was reality. He watched the smile fade from her lips as she walked right past him, straight towards the door. On spur of the moment, he said aloud what he should've said a year ago.

"Stay."

She stopped dead in her track, turning to look at him like he'd committed a crime. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel uncomfortable, so he plastered a smile on his face. "Stay for a cup of tea?"

"I have to get back to work," she replied with a sense of reluctance.

"Since when do you care about work?"

"Excuse me! I'm very responsible, alright?" She pointed to herself as they both cracked up in unison.

Harry guessed he must've looked like a fool for smiling this much, still he couldn't help it. Her presence made him feel alive. He shouldn't have spent a fortune on a therapist while he could've just gone to her instead.

"It won't take long," he insisted, this time giving her a pout. Y/N tossed her head back as she rolled her eyes, knowing for sure there was no way to deny him when he looked at her like that. So she shrugged off her jacket and hung it up by the door, making him sigh in relief.

"Only for a cup of tea," she emphasized the word, more like a reminder for herself than for him. But even so, once they had finished their tea and the discussion about how those doctors had stitched up Harry's wounds, they switched on Netflix. And that was how hours had gone to waste, only for a cup of tea. Well, it wasn't actually a waste, at least for Harry, who needed an excuse to spend as much time with his Bambi as possible. He was like a teenager on his first date, stealing glances at the girl he fancied, hoping she wouldn't notice, though he wouldn't mind if she did.

Judging by her many different facial expressions, Harry believed he might've missed a whole lot of what was happening on the screen. But he was too far gone to keep on watching while she was right here. When the last episode ended, they sat in silence, staring at the rolling credits. He was waiting for her to suggest watching something else so they didn't have to talk. But apparently, she also felt like a conversation was necessary. She turned to him, both of them parted their lips and quickly looked away at the same time. He caught a glimpse of her hands rubbing onto her thighs. She was nervous. And he was too.

"You've...changed your wallpapers." Her little discovery made him laugh a little bit. As it turned out, he wasn't the only who sucked at starting a conversation.

"I did. Thank you for noticing."

She met his eyes and they were beaming at one another. Now that the unwelcoming awkwardness had passed, Harry thought he should say something. Tell a joke, maybe. No, that poor attempt would be suicide. But what should he say? Everything that he wanted to say was all wrong. He couldn't tell her that he'd been thinking about kissing her since she walked in. That he missed her so much his body ached. That he could still feel her in his arms after last night, and now he began to wonder if she could feel it as well. Most of all, he couldn't tell her he loved her. He thought he might've missed the only chance to say it, and now his life sentence was to live with it as a secret until the day he died.

As he kept on fidgeting, Y/N's eyes wandered around the room, and spotted his new movie script lying on the desk opposite from them. "Castles In The Air," she read the title aloud, catching his full attention.

"That's not for you! It's confidential," he said quickly as she attempted to go get it.

Y/N breathed out a laugh, rolling her eyes. "What's the point of having an actor as a friend, if you still have to wait for the movie to come out like everyone else?"

Harry didn't know why he started beaming at the word 'friend'. Just yesterday they were nothing, and now she called him a friend, which meant he was gradually gaining back her trust. And that was enough to keep him happy for the rest of the day.

"You know," she began, resting her chin on her palm. "When I was little I used to think that 'castles in the air' were actual castles floating in the air. I got so fed up when I learnt the real meaning of it. Desires, ideas, or plans that are unlikely to be realized. How disappointing is that?"

He nodded to agree. "It sucks to grow up and find out not everything is possible."

His remark made her chuckle. Her eyebrows knitted together as she told him, "our 'castles in the air' are all built out of fear. They're like...our coping mechanism."

"How so?" He asked, smiling while studying her expression. He loved the way her eyes twinkled when she came up with something smart, which was almost everything that she said. The way she observed the world was different from everyone else, and he adored her for that, he could listen to her talk forever.

She began with a little smile. "We create these unrealistic ideas and believe in them to distract ourselves from our disappointing reality. For example, we talk about inhabiting on Mars, so we don't have to worry about our planet dying. We tell ourselves that something big is gonna happen to us tomorrow, because we don't wanna roll out of bed and repeat the same boring day. We believe the person we love will also love us back, because we can't stand the fear of rejection."

Harry knew she didn't include the last example on purpose, and only realized how ironic it sounded until after. As she paused to make sure he wasn't upset, he gave her a reassuring smile. "So...tell me yours?"

Y/N held his eye contact as she spent some time thinking before answering his question. "Don't have one. I already have everything I need."

Even herself didn't fully believe in those words. How could he? But he wasn't going to force her to give him the truth. He accepted that answer, and let it go, allowing the silence to sink back in. This time it only lasted for about five seconds.

"Give me your motorcycle key," Y/N said as she opened her right hand, looking dead serious at him.

"Why?" He lifted one eyebrow in confusion, at the same time, slightly amused.

"Because I don't trust you with it after last night. Come on, hand it over."

Sighing, Harry grabbed his coat on the backrest of the couch. He pulled out the key from the pocket then put it in her hand. She gave him a questioning look, chuckling nervously.

"I was only kidding."

"I wasn't," he answered to her surprise. "I already told you, I don't want you to worry again. So you can have the key."

She stared at him as if he'd said something wrong. He watched her lips tremble, not knowing what to expect while the look in her eyes was eating away at him.

"At the hospital..." His entire body stiffened once he heard those words. "You said something about...the fireplace. What did you mean by that?"

"You know what I meant..." Harry said under his breath.

"I don't. That's why I'm asking." Her voice was soft, yet stern and direct, letting him know she wasn't going to let him off that easily.

But he didn't believe her. Y/N would never forget her mother's words. She must've had figured out what he meant right when he said it. Thus there was only one good explanation.

Fear.

She was fearful of hearing those three words now that she'd moved on. So she hoped he had misunderstood the metaphor, or at least remembered it differently. It'd be easier for her if he didn't love her. Then they could pretend like nothing had ever happened. And she wouldn't have to feel guilty for being with Isaac. Harry wouldn't know for sure, but it didn't matter. Right now, he must make up his mind. He could either tell her what she wanted to hear, which would make him a liar; or tell her what he wanted her to hear, and never spoke to her again. Either way he would lose.

The sound of doorbell shot Harry right out of his seat as he took it as the universe throwing him a lifeline. Despite his injured knee, he dashed towards the front door, praying it was Niall, or Jeff, Gemma or even Isaac. Nevertheless, he was out of luck.

"Rubes..."

His gruff voice immediately washed off the beam on the woman's face. She released a faint gasp, cupping his cheeks and observing the scratches from the accident.

"I wish you'd called me," she uttered before pulling him in.

Harry didn't expect that hug. His first instinct was to push her away and turn to his Bambi, whose eyes widened in shock as she rose up from the couch. The way Ruby looked at her was far from courteous, so Harry guessed she had assumed only the worst about them. There was no possible way this encounter could end with smiles and handshakes.

"This is Ruby," he spoke, unable to look into those eyes when he was introducing her to the cause of their last goodbye. "Ruby, this is—"

"Y/N, Harry and I were neighbors in Holmes Chapel," she said, stepping forward to shake the woman's hand. 

"How long are you gonna be in London?" Ruby asked, throwing on a grin. It was scary for most people how fast she could switch from one emotion to another, but Harry had grown used to it. It was only with him that she showed how she really felt.

"Actually...I live here in London. Harry and I knew each other when we were kids, then we separated for a long time," Y/N said, still Ruby wouldn't leave her alone.

"And how did you meet again? He's never mentioned you, not even once."

"Rubes," Harry cautiously lowered his voice as a warning, but neither of the girls paid attention to him.

"It's a long story, Harry can tell you later," Y/N calmly said before picking up her handbag and placing Harry's key on the glass table. He thought she would just head out of the door without turning back, but instead she stopped right in front of him. She was expecting something, and he knew exactly what it was.

He ignored the look Ruby was giving them and pulled Y/N into his arms like he'd done the previous night. He made sure no space was left between them, and that she would have something to remember when she walked out of here. But Y/N knew Ruby was watching, so she just put her hands on his back, barely touching him though it was all she wanted to do.

"Text me when you get home safe, alright?" He whispered.

Without another word, she gave him a nod before pulling away. Then she was gone, leaving so fast he could barely finished the word "goodbye". And now he was scared to guess what she might think of him after today. The man who kept running back to the ex he said he didn't love anymore, the same man who'd broken her heart and let her run out in the pouring rain, not the man who had changed and deserved a second chance to make her happy. So much for closure and sincerity, he thought.

With a heavy heart, he shut the door and turned back to Ruby, who was waiting for him, lips slightly parted.

"Have you been sleeping with her?" She asked immediately.

"No," was his answer as he walked back to the couch. Her big cat eyes observed his every move, like she was the predator and he was her prey. In silence, she came to sit by his side and watched him open Y/N's lunchbox while acting like she didn't exist. Now she couldn't take it anymore. She pulled the lunchbox away from Harry, leaving him flabbergasted. If only he would snarl at her, or at least show any kind of emotion to prove that he cared, but all that she got in return was silence. And Ruby hated meaningless silence more than anything in the world.

"She wasn't just a friend, was she?" That wasn't a question, this was, "are you in love with her?"

"She's got a boyfriend. Are you happy to hear that?"

"No." She bit her bottom lip. "If you don't look happy to say it."

"Fuck, Rubes." Harry exhaled, causing the older woman to flinch in surprise. "What else do you want me to say? She's dating Isaac. My best friend. Can you just give me a break?"

Not a single part of that answer stated that he wasn't in love with Y/N, but that was the last thing Ruby cared about at this point. She was so hopeless that she would accept any answer showing a possibility for her to win him back. Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile, forgetting he could always tell when her happiness was fake.

"I'm sorry...I overreacted." She said quietly. He hoped she would stop there, but he knew her well enough to be sure that she wouldn't.

"I have every right to worry though," she began as expected. "You promised to give me a chance, but stopped talking to me since you came back from Holmes Chapel. Then this girl was in your house, and you started acting weird towards me. How am I supposed to feel?"

"I'm sorry...I've had a terrible week." He sighed, turning back to her. There was no reason for him to be sorry, but if it could stop Ruby from giving him a hard time, he didn't mind saying it.

"I forgive you," she whispered, laying her head on his shoulder. Harry swallowed hard when he felt her lips at his ear and soon on his neck. They used their mouths a lot when they were together alone, just never for talking. This was the only way for her to get close to him, and Harry knew exactly how this would end. The only thing on his mind when he kissed her lips, was the look of disappointment Y/N had given him before she walked out. He was also disappointed in himself, yet did nothing to stop Ruby from getting down on her knees and undoing his pants. His head tossed back, and his eyes fell shut. He just wanted to feel something other than a heartache, anything.

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The tension in the room had escalated to the point of no return. Something had gone wrong, and Y/N could only wish she knew what it was.

It was probably a bad idea to tell Isaac about her going to Harry's place, but from her own experience, every failed relationship began with a secret, no matter how small. And they were doing so well, she didn't want to mess this up by keeping a secret from him. However, his reaction left her confused. His smile dimmed slowly before fading out, and the blue in his eyes turned ice cold.

"I thought Niall was gonna bring him the food?" He mumbled, not looking at her, even though she was sitting right by his side on the bed.

"Niall was in LA. I called him," she tried to explain, tugging harder at his sleeve to gain back his attention. "But does it matter? I was trying to tell you about—"

"Ruby. I get it." He breathed.

No, he doesn't get it, not at all. "Harry is in a bad place right now, and the last thing he needs is going back to her. I'm worried about him."

"Aren't you always?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" She asked, withdrawing her hands at once.

Isaac rose up and started pacing back and forth, until he was calm enough to stop and point a finger at her. "You're worried about him and Ruby, not because Ruby is toxic for him. But because you cannot accept that he's still the same person who hurt you before."

"No—"

"Don't." He took a step back when she got up and reached for him. Her heart was pounding, and her eyes watered in a second.

"You still love him, right?" Isaac's breathy voice was mixed with a tired laugh that made his body shake slightly.

Without a second thought, she surged forward to seize his arm. "I don't. I'm with you now," she whispered, sounding so desperate, but it wasn't enough to convince him to stay. He took her hands and pinned them to her chest. In that instant, her heart wrenched as the lump in her throat grew bigger.

"Lie to yourself all you want, but don't lie to me." His voice was dangerously low, as if even himself couldn't believe he was saying those words. "You cannot love me, or anyone else for that matter, at least not as much as you love him. But wake up, Y/N. He loves Ruby. He's always gonna love Ruby, he's not gonna change for you. I wish you could just see that...Why can't you see that?" Isaac voice went weaker towards the end, until he had nothing left to say to her, so he reached for the door handle. He told her they could continue their talk in the morning, when they were in their right mind to think this through. However, Y/N had a feeling that nothing was going to change.

Once he had left, she sat alone on her bedroom floor, contemplating his last words over and over again until her mind became numb and she couldn't continue. That was when a text lit up her phone.

⌲ H: Are you home yet?

She almost ignored him. Almost.

⌲ I am. Sorry, forgot to let you know.

⌲ H: It's okay :)

Three dots popped up to show that he was typing, only to disappear right afterwards, leaving Y/N heartbroken. She wasn't thinking straight when she wrote 'Had a fight with Isaac. I don't know what to do.' But right before pressing send, it occurred to her that having him involved might be a bad idea, so she deleted it all and put her phone on airplane mode.

At that same moment, Harry was sitting fully-naked on his bed, patiently waiting for those three dots to reappear. One minute. Two minutes. Now it'd been five, and his heart slowed down for he knew it was not going to happen. He put his device back on the nightstand, just as Ruby pulled him back under the covers. He let her snuggle into his bare chest, while all he wanted was to get out of this room because it didn't feel right. In the darkness, he imagined the girl he loved lying in the arms of his best friend, and his heart wilted to the unpleasant thought.

Little did he knew, Y/N was on her own, trying to fall asleep so she would wake up to a message from Isaac that said everything was fine. But was it really? Or was it just another one of those unrealistic fantasies she'd created for herself — her coping mechanism? Building castles in the air was easier than accepting reality. Having a perfect relationship, a perfect boyfriend, a perfect life, were certainly better than facing the same ending twice.

[venomous--fics]

In the Dark Ch.1

Inspired by/Mood music: Losing Interest by Shiloh // I’ll Keep You Safe by Shiloh // Slow Dancing in the Dark by Joji (so the lyrics in this song kinda related to Eddie. imsosorry.)

Pairings: Carlton Drake x Reader, Eddie Brock/Venom x Reader (eventually?)

Summary: Your lifelong friend, Eddie Brock, has come into your life and you two plan to catch up. Nothing ever goes as planned, though. 

Pearlie: AAAWWW YISS here’s that drama fic, guys. omg I am so glad I can finally get this thing out of my crusty documents. Enjoy this garbage! also, p.s. Anne is referenced, but at this point, in my story, they have already broken up.

STORY: 

You leaned over the counter, peering at the small tv. The Eddie Brock report was on, and you always tried to watch it, as you promised Eddie you would never miss an episode. Sometimes it was the only way you got to see him. You two had hardly spoken since he became a journalist. You weren’t upset that he was following his dream, no, you just wish he still had some spare time for you. 

You and Eddie go way back. You two had met during your first years of preschool. Some bigger kids were picking on you and taking your things and Eddie tried to be the hero, only for him to get picked on as well. You two just stuck together, and as you both got older, Eddie got braver (even if it meant getting into serious trouble) while you stuck to focusing on work. 

You and Eddie had planned to go to the same university and everything, and you worked extra hard to make sure you would make it. But after graduation, money became and issue, so you had to stay behind to work a job or two to save spare change. Eddie was way more broken up about it than he would admit, but he promised he would come back and they’d buy a big house and nice car, dogs, cats, the works. 

You hate to admit it, but you dreamed about that all the time. You wanted to have a life with Eddie more than anything in the world. You’ve been in love with him since middle school. You always got jealous when he got a new girlfriend, but you never said a word because you wanted him to be happy.

“Y/n/n.”

Your chin was resting on the palm of your hand as you stared at the tv, losing yourself in a daydream. You felt like a lost puppy, and you were waiting for the day for Eddie to just come around, even if it was just for a couple of minutes. 

“Y/n/n? Hello?” 

You snapped back to reality and moved back from the counter, “What?” 

You eyes landed on a familiar face, a crooked grin was plastered onto it. It took you a minute to register that Eddie was actually in front of you. You let out a noise of excitement as you ran around the counter and put your arms around him. He returned the hug, chuckling, “You seem a little too excited to see him.” 

You move back and look at him, “Of course. I’m overjoyed, gosh, it’s been-”

“A year.” 

“Yeah. A year..”

Eddie took a seat on one of the stools and you sat next to him, “So, how are things?” 

You cleared your throat and twiddled your thumbs, “Oh... You know. Uhm. The same. Boring.” 

“Same.”

“What do you mean same?” you playfully tap his shoulder, “You’re doing so many amazing things, Eddie. How is that boring?”

Eddie took a moment to respond because he forgot what his name sounded like coming out of your mouth, or how happy it made him feel. He looked you over, noting how your hair looked in the afternoon sun, and how confused you looked that he stopped talking.

“Eddie?”

“Oh!” Eddie stammered, “Oh, right. Well- uh- I guess it’s boring because I just don’t do much.. I suppose.” 

Eddie began rambling about how the show made it all seem so exciting and cool. That went on for awhile, as Eddie had to talk about every person he ever interviewed, and you didn’t mind. It felt like an eternity of you two talking about nothing. You hadn’t even noticed the day was fading into evening until Eddie mentioned the time.

He got up from his stool, “I got somewhere to be, but I am not done with you.” 

“Maybe over dinner.” 

Eddie backed up to the door, “Why not. How about that weird, pretentious gourmet place just down the block?” 

“Sure, I would love to go to that weird, pretentious gourmet place.” 

Eddie bumped into the door, “Oh, sorry.”

You sarcastically rolled your eyes as you rose from your seat and walked behind the counter. He was so clumsy when he got flustered. It was always cute to you, if you were honest. 

“What about Friday at 7?”

You stared at him, pretending to think about it, “I suppose I can rearrange my schedule.” 

“Awesome.” Eddie replied, clumsily pushing open the door, “Friday at 7. Don’t forget.” 

“I won’t forget. You should write yourself a sticky note, though.”

“Oh.. Haha, very funny, Y/n.” 

You giggled as you leaned on the counter once more, “See you, Eddie.” 

“See you.” 

You watched as the diner door closed and Eddie walked down the sidewalk, celebrating a little. You shook your head, he’s never gonna change, is he?

 The rest of the week went by quickly, probably because it was so dull. It was now Friday, and you were waiting for your shift to end. You got off early, so you had planned to go home and get ready. You your outfit picked out and everything, only because you wanted to look nice. You never went out much, seeing as you really didn’t have friends and for the fact that you never actively went out looking for dates. 

Your shift ended and you made your way home. You were so ecstatic to spend an evening out with Eddie. You’ve only been dreaming of this moment for a few years. What if Eddie said he liked you? What if he was super honest about how he felt? 

Eddie was never one to get all mushy or romantic, but if he really meant it, you were sure he would at least give it a shot. Maybe not like those weird romance movies where they fly to a different country or anything like that.. But maybe he’d buy a ring pop. That counts as romance, right? You thought it did.

You opened the door to your apartment, sighing happily as you dropped your keys on the counter and made your way towards the shower.

Eddie left his boss’ office fuming. Interview Carlton Drake? That creep? Yeah, right. He let the mere existence of that guy consume his thoughts. There was no way in Hell Eddie would interview that murderous prick. He knew he had to, one way or the other, but he didn’t have to be happy about it. 

He made it home, and he sat on the couch, still thinking about that Drake guy. He would rather beat that guy to a pulp that even spit in his direction. He closed his eyes for a moment before he heard a ping. He turned his attention to Anne’s laptop on the coffee table.

She was in the process of moving her things out. She broke things off after a bit of an argument about Eddie’s maturity and how she wanted different things than what he did. He thought he’d be a little more upset about it, but she was right, Eddie was very immature. But in Eddie fashion, he wasn’t going to change that.

He set the laptop on his lap and opened the source of the noise: Anne’s work emails. He felt a bit gross about going through her things, but the email was from the Life Foundation, and it had all this information about people who had died during some weird trials.

Eddie lost himself entirely trying to research this, hoping to find something he could use to bring Drake down. He wouldn’t stop until he had everything he needed. 

You flipped your phone over and checked the time. Again. It was 7:45. You knew Eddie was going to be late, but not this late. You sighed quietly as you set your phone back on the table and rested your hands on your lap. He would be here soon, you told yourself. 

“Can I get you anything?” a waiter asked politely.

“I’m okay. Thank you.” 

The waiter left and you looked down at the table, glancing over the neatly folded napkins and perfectly placed dishware. Maybe you should just leave. You looked towards the front, hoping to see him coming through the doors, but to no avail.

You were growing tired and angry and you rested your cheek on your hand and got back onto your phone. You opened your messages and opened Eddie’s conversation. 

You began typing: Eddie, what the Hell? I’ve been waiting for almost an hour. If you didn’t want to come, you should’ve called. You stood me up.

As you were about to hit send, a voice caught you off guard, “Is this seat taken?” 

You look away from your phone and saw none other than Carlton Drake. You awkwardly set your phone down and shook your head, “Uh, no, go ahead.”

Drake politely sat down, “Sorry, I don’t mean to intrude. I come here every once in awhile- ...I saw you sitting by yourself. You seem upset.”

“Oh. It’s nothing. Some jerk just stood me up.” 

“That’s his loss.” Drake smiled warmly at you.

The waiter came over, “Are you ready to order?” 

“I believe we are.” Drake replied.

Before you knew it, you and Drake were talking about his business and it all sounded so cool. The two of you enjoyed a wonderful dinner, which he insisted he pay for. He also insisted that he walked you home, and he gave you his number, just in case you wanted to go out again. 

You had a surprisingly good time. Drake was actually quite funny, and charming, and talented. Spending time with him made you realize just how much your world used to revolve around Eddie. He obviously doesn’t care that much about you anymore, so maybe it was time for you to move on.

You got to your apartment building and wished Drake a good night, even giving him a small kiss on the cheek. You watched him walk off before you went in, and as you got to your apartment, you got your phone out again and saw the message you were going to send Eddie. You erased it and typed something new. 

We need to talk. Call me when you get the chance.

You crashed on your couch and shut your eyes, too tired to get into pjs or to even get into your actual bed. You had a lot to think about and to take in. Maybe that Drake guy isn’t so bad, maybe you should see him again. He was pretty fun to hang out with.

A few weeks have gone by, and you found yourself spending more and more time with Drake. He was a delight to be around, mainly because he made you feel special. He liked hearing your stories and often times remembered little details from them, like your favorite colours or flowers. It was nice being around someone who actually appreciated you. 

At least he wasn’t like Eddie, who has gone radio silent. You’ve tried to call him several times, but every time it went to his voice mail, so you gave up. He didn’t want to talk to you. He’s made that clear.

You got off work and left the diner, only to be surprised by Drake, who, surprisingly, invited you to a movie. He said it’s been years since he’s been inside a theater, and he wanted to go see this new sci-fi flick. You said sure and took his arm and you two began strolling down the sidewalk. He began asking about your day, and of course, you told him. 

You were lost in conversation with him, and even though you were happy, you couldn’t help but think of Eddie. Sometimes you imagined that Drake was Eddie, and that he was telling you all these things, and buying you these gifts.. But the reality is that, Eddie isn’t around again. It’s only Drake.

What’s so wrong with that.. You kept telling yourself it was all going to work out, with or without Eddie. Drake was a good guy, what could go wrong?

On the other side of the coin, Eddie was in the middle of a crisis. In the midst of everything, it seems he has gotten in the middle of something much bigger than him. His world was in shambles a the moment and he had nobody to lean on.

It all started with those damn emails. He shouldn’t have opened them, he understands that now. He should’ve just gone to dinner with you. He’s felt awful about missing it, but it’s way too late now. But after reading the emails, he decided he would be a smart ass and bring them up in the interview, to which Drake got irritated and kicked Eddie out.

That led to Eddie getting fired, which then led to Eddie getting drunk at about 3 in the afternoon. He just decided to forget about it all and found himself in Ms. Chen’s shop, where he was getting his “dinner.” And that’s where he found out that some lady named Dora was following him. 

She said that Eddie was absolutely right about everything: The deaths, the aliens, Drake’s insane plan to bond human and symbiotes. Eddie told here where to stick it, but he wound up caving, as he just wanted to wipe Drake off the face of the planet.

Other stuff happened that Eddie can’t really remember, but here he is now. He looked like Death is constantly knocking on his door and there’s this voice in his head that won’t shut up. Kept saying it’s name was Venom.

He groggily got out his phone and finally went through every missed called and unread text message from you. He groaned a little as the voice in his head kept asking who you were, because Eddie wouldn’t stop thinking about you. 

“Shut up.” Eddie snapped, “I’m trying to call.”

“Who are they, Eddie.”

“Shut up for the love of god.”

His call went to voicemail, and he shakily began saying how sorry he was, but quickly changed to a frantic tone, saying he really really needed to see you. Venom kept butting in, to which Eddie would snap at him, but then apologize to your voicemail. He kept saying incoherent sentences until the machine cut him off.

He began leaving messages, hoping that you would answer one of these times. When he got cut off once again, he decided to leave just one last message.

“Hi, machine cut me off again.. Look, I really am sorry, please just give me a chance and I-No, not you, just me- Shut up- No, not you- Sorry. Please, it’s important. That Drake guy is really bad news, Y/n. He needs to be stopped. Please just call me back.” 

He hung up and stuffed his phone back into his pocket. He feels like he’s losing his mind, which he probably is, but he’s trying to think things over, when Venom speaks up.

“Don’t answer the door.”

[singledarkshade]

Waverider Detective Agency

Part Four

Rip let out a long sigh of relief as he leaned back against the cool bathroom wall, his stomach finally empty. Drinking helped him forget for a little while, it made the long nights alone easier but the morning after was always hellish and it never seemed to get any better.

He hated everyone right now, up to and including himself. All he wanted was to go back to the home he’d made with Miranda and Jonas.

It hadn’t been a big house, but it was theirs and it had been his sanctuary after a long day with the two people he lived for. Until the night it had become the scene of his biggest nightmare.

By the time he’d been released from the hospital, his mother had the house cleaned out, sold and had moved him into an apartment in the centre of the city.

Rip loved his mother, she had become his family when he thought he’d never get one. Mary partly knew what he was going through, her husband and daughter had been killed in a car crash a few years before she’d taken him in. She knew how painful seeing reminders of those that had been taken from you could be but Rip knew the death of the people he loved had been his fault.

He knew that she’d given him the Agency to give him something to focus on but also it was a way to hide him in case Druce decided to come after him again. Rip didn’t expect him to because, there was nothing more the man could do to him but also Druce was so well known he’d want to get somewhere he could hide.

The alarm on his phone began to buzz and Rip sighed, this meant he had to get ready to go to his new job. His mother wanted him to feel better but right now getting up each morning was all he was able to do.

He needed a shower and coffee…a lot of coffee.

 Gideon twisted her hair up out of her face before she grabbed her jacket and bag heading out the door.

“Good morning,” a familiar voice made her jump when she reached the stairs, surprised to see Rip walking down from the floor above her.

“Good morning, Rip,” she greeted him softly, “How are you?”

She saw something flicker in his eyes but it was gone too quickly as the genial expression he had reappeared.

“Still getting my bearings,” he shrugged, “You?”

Gideon smiled, “Needing coffee. I’m hoping John will be open and selling it this morning but you never know.” His confused expression made her laugh and she started walking down the stairs, Rip at her side, “John is a little eccentric and what his café sells changes on an almost daily basis but for some reason he’s running a really successful business.”

To her amazement Rip gave a very slight smile and Gideon was surprised how handsome it made him. Just for that brief second, she got to see the man before he’d lost his family and Gideon wished she had known him then.

“Well, Kendra called me last night and we have a client first thing this morning,” Gideon told him, “Hopefully it will be something other than a cheating spouse.”

Rip nodded, “That would be nice.”

He opened the front door, holding it open making Gideon smile and they talked generally about the agency as they walked. Gideon told him about her first few months in charge and some of the cases she’d worked on. Finally reaching John’s which was, to her relief, selling coffee.

“Morning, love,” John greeted her the moment she walked in, “And I’m going to assume this is the new partner.”

“Rip Hunter meet John Constantine,” Gideon introduced them, “Don’t pay attention to him, Rip. John is very protective of me and Kendra since we’re his best customers.”

John nodded, “That and they found out one of my ex-employees was stealing from me. They’re my girls, more precious to me than my own sisters…”

“You don’t have any sisters,” Gideon interrupted him

 “So I like to make sure no one does anything that could hurt them,” John continued ignoring her.

Rip glanced over at Gideon, “I would never allow that either,” he gave another very slight smile adding, “My mother would kill me and she is much more terrifying than you.”

John laughed, “You’re damn right about that. What can I get you this morning?”

“My usual coffee order,” Gideon smiled.

“And I’ll just take a black coffee,” Rip added.

John nodded, “Coming right up.”

  Rip watched Gideon’s look of bliss as she took a long drink and frowned slightly, “That is a lot of sugar and caffeine.”

She gave a shrug, “It keeps me going.”

“I’m sure,” he noted, reaching the office he opened the door for her again.

They found Kendra already in, at her desk on the computer working, “Morning,” she greeted them, “Your appointment is in twenty minutes.”

“Thank you,” Rip gave Kendra quick nod heading into his office and closing the door. He sat and drank his coffee, relieved that his headache had disappeared.

He was beginning to truly like the two women he was now working with despite not wanting to. Getting attached to anyone was not something he could ever do again. It didn’t matter how sweet Kendra was or Gideon’s brilliance, optimistic nature and energy, something he was beginning to suspect had a lot to do with the amount of caffeine and sugar she ingested on what appeared to be a daily basis.

Rip knew he had to keep himself apart from them as much as possible. It was only a year and then he could go back to work properly.

Twenty minutes passed quickly and the sound of the door opening alerted him to the fact their client had arrived. Taking a deep breath, focussing himself Rip stepped out of his office finding Kendra talking to a woman who appeared to be in her late thirties, possibly early forties.

“Mrs Hillier,” Kendra said softly, “This is Rip Hunter and Gideon Ryder.”

Rip took the woman’s hand and shook it politely but allowed Gideon to take the lead as they guided the woman into her office.

“What can we do for you, Mrs Hillier?” Gideon asked.

                                  *********************************************

  “Where are we going?” Rip asked as he followed Gideon through the streets of Central City.

“Since we’ve been hired to find a missing person, I’m making sure that the person is truly missing,” Gideon told him before explaining, “I made the mistake in my early career of almost letting a man know where his abused ex-wife was hiding from him. Because I bought his sob-story.”

Rip nodded, “Okay. So where are we going?”

“I have made a few friends in the past year,” she smiled turning the corner and motioning to the police precinct before them.

Rip stalled, he took a quick breath to steel himself before continuing to walk with her. This wasn’t his own precinct, it was likely no one would know who he was. Walking in he felt a pang at the fact he’d been forced to leave effectively his second home, even though all the good memories of it had been tainted by the man who Rip had trusted so much.

“Miss Ryder,” a male voice brought Rip back to the present finding an older man walking towards them with an amused smile on his face, “I thought we agreed you’d warn us before you came visiting so we had time to protect ourselves after last time.”

Gideon frowned folding her arms across her chest, “That was not even remotely my fault, Detective West.”

“Tell that to Eddie,” West teased before motioning over to the other side of the room, “He’s back by the way. Leg is all healed.”

Gideon smiled, “That’s good. I will make sure to say hello before we leave.”

“We?”

“Detective Joe West this is my new partner, Rip Hunter,” Gideon introduced them.

Rip offered his hand, West gave him a quick puzzled look before shaking it.

“Nice to meet you, Detective,” Rip said.

“You too,” West replied, “So are you here to keep her out of trouble or help her get into more?”

Gideon let out an indignant snort making Rip smile slightly.

“Just following on at the moment,” he replied, “Learning the ropes.”

“Which is why we’re here,” Gideon said, “I’ve…We’ve been hired to find a young woman and I want to make sure she’s missing first.”

West smiled again and motioned her to follow him, “Has she told you the story of Halloween?”

“Detective,” Gideon said sweetly but steel in her voice, “Please do not try to scare off my new business partner.”

“I’m sure you’ll be able to do that yourself,” West patted her shoulder as he took his seat and accessed his computer, “Name?”

“Maria Hillier,” Rip stated.

West quickly typed and brought up a file, “Maria Hillier, seventeen. Last seen six weeks ago after a night out with her boyfriend in Keystone. Mother filed a missing person’s report but there have been no sightings of her since.”

“Mrs Hillier claims her daughter called two nights ago and all she said was Central City,” Gideon explained, “And Paradise before hanging up.”

“Yeah, the police tried to trace the call but got nothing,” West mused, “It looks genuine.”

Smiling Gideon gave the detective a small brown paper bag, “From John’s.”

“That’s my girl,” West winked at her, “Make sure you say hi to Eddie.”

  Rip followed Gideon through the bullpen to where a blond man sat going through several files. He stood back out of the way as Gideon headed over to speak with the man. When his mother had spoken of Gideon over the past year it was always with fondness, talking about her as someone who had a light in them. Someone who seemed to make friends with basically everyone she met. Watching her interact with the cops it was clear to see what Mary had been talking about. She was one of the most personable people he had ever met and he found he was looking forward to seeing her working properly on a case.

“Rip Hunter,” Gideon spoke up motioning him over, “This is Detective Eddie Thawne. He saved my life a few months ago.”

“That might be a bit overdramatic,” Eddie chuckled, “But I did get stabbed in the leg for her.”

Rip nodded, “It’s good to meet you.”

“We have to go,” Gideon said, “Eddie, we will catch up soon?”

Eddie gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek, “Definitely.”

Gideon gave the other man a smile before she started out with Rip following on behind her.

“So, Eddie seems like a nice guy,” Rip noted as they left the building.

Gideon nodded, “Oh, he is. One of the best. I introduced him to his girlfriend.”

“Was that something to do with a case?” Rip asked amused.

Rolling her eyes at him, Gideon replied, “Actually she’s a regular at John’s. Now we have work to do for your first proper case.”

Following on Rip sighed at thought of his first proper case reminding himself it was only one year.

  “Okay, I have a Paradise Hairdressers, Paradise Island Arcade,” Kendra noted continuing, “Paradise Gardens Tea Rooms then finally the Paradise Hotel and Spa.”

Rip frowned, at least it wasn’t too long a list, “Then we need to check all of them.”

“I can take the Hairdressers and Arcade,” Kendra told them, “They’re on my way home. The Tea Gardens are closed and have been for the past three months for refurbishment so that is a possibility.”

“What about the hotel and spa?” Gideon asked.

Kendra shrugged, “It’s only been opened a few months, but it has fantastic reviews. I hope it isn’t a front for anything because some of these treatments look fantastic.”

Gideon chuckled, “I will check out the spa then.

“Alone?” Rip demanded concerned.

She shrugged, “It’s nothing I’ve not done before. Besides I will be there for a treatment if I can find a booking soon.”

“You’ve got a facial in an hour,” Kendra spoke up from the computer with a smile.

“I don’t like it,” Rip told, “If this is the front for something then you snooping around could get you hurt.”

Giving him a slightly smug smile, she patted his arm, “You forget how long I have been doing this, Rip. I know what I’m getting myself into.”

“But…” he trailed off for a second trying to find an argument before noting, “What about teaching me the ropes.”

Gideon rolled her eyes at him, “You were a cop. Did you not do any undercover work?”

“Not really,” Rip shrugged, “I’m yours to teach.”

She stared at him for several moments before giving in, “Fine but you do exactly what I tell you.”

Rip nodded, “Of course.”

Grabbing her bag and jacket she motioned him to follow her, “Come on. We have work to do.”

Part Five

[eenefangirlanalysis]

Instead the Eds are met with a completely different turn of events!

Eddy is thrown up into the air.

They’re cheering for him??

The Eds faces and reactions are priceless! Especially Ed and Edd.

Ed has always gone along with the crowd. Has he ever understood why the cul-de-sac kids dislike he and his friends? The same question goes along with the scams. Ed liked doing the scams so he could hang out with his friends. Through the scams they developed a close bond. The scams have also helped Ed to think more strategically.

Theory: Maybe, this is a reason why he acts dumber in season 5 because they’re not doing enough scams. That may not be the case, but Ed’s mind still grows because he is able to explore himself more like we see in the two season 6 episodes.

The constant debate from this movie is if the kids actually forgive the Eds or not. 

Firstly, they’re giving all the attention and credit to Eddy. Edd faced Eddy’s brother and Ed was the one to defeat him.

To be fair, Eddy was abused in front of everyone and confessed something very personal.

I’ve always felt that the kids take things too fast. They don’t give the Eds a second to breathe before congratulating them and immediately accepting them as friends.

I’ve always felt that the kids were jealous of the Eds friendship. The kids never shared a close bond like the Eds. It took the kids YEARS to realize that all the Eds ever wanted was their friendship. They think the Eds will forget every awful thing they have done to torment, degrade and jeopardize their friendship with one another?. They’re still being inconsiderate.

Clearly, they don’t know the Eds like the audience knows them.

My most favorite moment in this scene is Sarah running over to Ed and hugging him. Precious!

Ed jumps in surprise when he sees his sister coming towards him. Why would he jump? He’s used to her abuse. Unless that’s all a mask. Ed constantly masks his fears and worries. Nobody knows what he’s going through besides Edd and Eddy... and Sarah.

Seeing Bro has redeemed Sarah. She saw what she may have become if she kept being the exact mirror image of her mom. Sarah, instead will take her own path because Ed has never done anything to hurt her. He has always been her caring older brother and she never respected him.

Sarah went through her own journey of growth throughout the movie. I really wish we could have gotten to see it because I love when we see moments of Sarah’s true colors. She really does love her brother and fears her mom. This is evident when she acts unsure of herself.

Sarah starts her new journey by giving Ed the hug he always wanted.

I feel like I didn’t screenshot enough smears.

Again, the kids are being rather rough with Eddy. He just came out from this abuseful beating. The kids have never thought about the Eds needs.

As Rolf pulls Eddy over, for some reason, Jimmy is running in the opposite direction he was looking in the previous screenshot. I thought he was going to run over to join Ed and Sarah, but he runs off to the other side for no apparent reason.

“Let Rolf rub the pit of victory, Ed boy!”

Eddy is so unsure.

Remember this callback?

This goes all the way back to a season 2 episode where Rolf congratulates Kevin in the exact same fashion.

Eddy cautiously starts to come around to the sudden kindness. I would have trust issues too after growing up in neighborhood where kids don’t keep promises and tell others what you’re middle name is.

Eddy has never understood kindness. When he was dressed up as Carl he was about to have an anxiety attack because of how nice everyone was being nice.

Barely anyone has ever been nice to Eddy. He has learned from Bro that being nice never mattered. Eddy knew that wasn’t true, but he stuck with the advice anyway. He never had the best understanding for social norms. He did, however, in season 1 as he was the one telling Ed and Edd how to act. Once Bro took over his life Eddy forgets about himself.

“I’m so glad you’re okay, dude!”

Aw, this a precious Nazz and Rolf moment?

Hey, has anyone ever shipped them together?

Rolf is the only guy who has payed no attention to Nazz. He hasn’t payed much attention to any of the girls on the show. Fans have speculated that Rolf might be gay, but I believe it is due to his culture. He has different customs and is always busy at work.

Aside from that Rolf and Nazz are close friends. She, Rolf and Kevin all are. They’re not like the Eds though. They don’t have a complete understanding for one another. This is what the cul-de-sac wants to learn from the Eds.

“You’re awesome!”

As you all know I am a HUGE EddEddy shipper. I do ship EddyNazz though. They make a cute pairing. I can see them going out in the future.

I remember being ‘aww, Nazz kissed Eddy!’ when I first watched this scene.

I guess Nazz has broken up with Kevin and immediately moved on.

She still hasn’t taken her own pathway yet. Nazz is still going along with the kids. Knowing what Eddy has just gone through she wastes no time flinging herself into Eddy’s arms, rather roughly, and kissing him.

Everyone remembers when Nazz laughed in Eddy’s face when he thought they were dating, right? Nazz has very poor judgement. She is testing out different personalities through the series. Nazz is nice, but what else? We know that she suppresses anger. Is she mean at all? Did she really mean to make fun of or laugh in the Eds faces?

Eddy is quite taken aback by Nazz kissing him. I don’t blame him, everything is going so fast. He is still pretty beat up.

Thumbs up to AKA for keeping continuity going. This is a very life like situation where bruises can’t disappear in the blink of an eye whether you want them to or not. Especially in the cartoon world. Eddy has just faced reality. 

Eddy had a crush on Nazz in the beginning of the series but then loses interest for Nazz halfway through season 4. He pays more attention to Edd. 

I remember how Old Man Eddy, from Take This Ed and Shove It, didn’t show any interest in Old Nazz in his dream. He has no idea what Jonny refers to when he says that Nazz still has it.

“I am?” Eddy asks in response to Nazz’s compliment.

It’s sad how Eddy doesn’t think highly of himself. He doesn’t know whether to believe other characters when they compliment him. This is mainly his troubles from Bro who terrorized his mind.

It’s going to take a while for Eddy to be able to think straight again.

“I gotta admit, pal. That was so choice.”

This has to my favorite Eddy and Kevin interaction of all time.

I honestly feel that Kevin is speaking the truth.

Eddy and Kevin relate to each other in many ways. They hide themselves behind ‘cool masks’ and want to impress everyone. They’re both unsure of themselves. Both tend to come off as antagonist. The reason Eddy and Kevin tease or get revenge off one another is because they both fear that someone will find out their true selves. This has given them anxiety and paranoia.

Eddy opened the door for Kevin to be more of himself.

So, will they be friends?

Not close, but, I like to see a friendship coming out.

When Eddy was dressed as Carl, Kevin acted really nice to him letting his true self come out. Kevin was a different person around Carl. He was nice and accepting. 

Kevin showed a different persona around Carl. He’s not the tough kid who the audience sees. Kevin is just a kid trying to understand life. Kevin wants to show his true self to someone and when Carl showed up, he felt as if he had a real friend.

Whether or not Kevin figured out that Carl was really Eddy, Kevin may befriend Eddy so they can become better acquainted.

“IT WAS?!”

Can this boy get any cuter?

He is genuinely happy that his confession turned things around. He has learned!

For the first time, Eddy is happy with himself.

The real Eddy is a shy,timid and goofy kid. He wants to have fun.

There are so many interesting background moments happening when the Kankers come to inspect Bro.

Sarah and Jimmy hug Ed. They’re both grateful to him.

Rolf is picking up Edd. He must be very proud of him for being the first to step up against Eddy’s Brother. I feel like he’s wanted to see Edd finally stick up for himself for a long time.

Nazz is hugging Eddy while he and Kevin are shaking hands. They’re reconciling about what has been done over the years.

What’s interesting is that if you look very closely in the second image, Eddy turns and looks at Nazz. He is smiling at her. He’s happy that Nazz finally accepts him.

The Kankers don’t want any part in the kids story. They have always stayed out from their lives. They only took part in their stories when they wanted to terrorize them.

Lee remarks, “What a deadbeat this guy turned out to be.”

And then Marie states; “He don’t look so tough.”

Again, May does not have any lines. Don’t you find that strange?

They’re insulting Bro at how he could fall pray to a door. Eddy has gone through a lot more slapstick injury then Bro.

Despite their actions, the Kankers seem more level headed in the movie. They want to help the Eds and they do. We see how the Kankers are people with human emotions. A big difference from Bro. Though they had their share of being the unlikeable antagonists, the audience saw more into what they go through in their lives to make them who they are.

[rosetlntsmyworld]

rules:: answer these 85 questions and tag 20 people

Thanks to my good judy @veronicasanders for tagging me! <3

— what was your last…

1. drink:: water

2. phone call:: my boss bc i’m bad at mopping floors and she wanted to yell at me for it

3. text message:: ‘where tf are you xoxo’ to my mother (she forgot to pick me up from my train)

4. song you listened to:: “Papa Don’t Preach” by Madonna

5. time you cried:: like literally yesterday bc I was listening to cute music w my gf and im a bit hormonal and got all mushy about how much i love her

— have you ever…

6. dated someone twice:: nah

7. kissed someone and regretted it:: yes

8. been cheated on:: no

9. lost someone special:: yes

10. been depressed:: no

11. gotten drunk and thrown up:: first bit yes, second bit no. i was just drunk from 11pm to 4pm the next day and had to walk around a supermarket with my mum hung over to buggery and pretending everything was fine (supermarkets are the W O R S T places you could realise youre hung over bc screaming children and also very bright light)

— fave colours

12. black

13. grey

14. burgundy

— in the last year have you…

15. made new friends:: yes

16. fallen out of love:: no

17. laughed until you cried:: yes

18. found out someone was talking about you:: yes

19. met someone who changed you::  yes

20. found out who your friends are:: ya

21. kissed someone on your facebook friends list:: yes

— general

22. how many your facebook friends do you know irl:: legit all

23. do you have any pets:: yes, one dog

24. do you want to change your name:: yeah, i wanna get rid of my boy middle name (it was gonna be mary and my parents realised my initials would spell ‘emu’ and didn’t want me to get bullied. So they made my middle name duncan. D U N C A N. How is that an improvement??)

25. what did you do for your last birthday:: went to school during the day which sucked ass and then had the opening night of my first exhibit at a gallery which sucked a lot less ass. And then went and had dinner. And a hedgehog cake. Because im a mature grown up adult.

26. what time did you wake up today:: I went and delivered newspapers at like eight oclock and then went back to bed at like 10. Woke up again at midday, had a slice of toast and watched still game, and then had another nap. I am a garbage person.

27. what were you doing at midnight last night:: sleeping

28. what is something you can’t wait for:: finding out whether I got accepted to university (stole this answer from v but it’s true)

29. what is your favourite animal:: thats a horrendous question omfg i love tapirs a lot and also pigeons and seals and sharks

30. what are you listening to right now:: i’m watching gordon ramsay’s hotel hell

31. have you ever talked to a person named tom:: yeah i went to primary school with a guy called tom and he was a fucking asshole

32. something that’s getting on your nerves:: the fact that fullyi can’t . breathe through my left nostril rn

33. most visited website:: google

34. hair colour:: dirty blonde

35. long or short hair:: short-ish. Mine is like bob length w a dramatic undercut. Basically i stole dela’s boy hair

36. do you have a crush on someone:: ya

37. what do you like about yourself:: i have a nice bum

38. want any piercings:: ya

39. blood type:: oh fuck knows

40. nicknames:: edna, edina, gay puddle, mitzi, shortshank redemption, eddie, edie mcredie

41. relationship status:: dating a v cool gal

42. sign:: scorpio

43. pronouns:: she/her

44. fave tv show:: rpdr, brooklyn 99, orange is the new black, derry girls, still game, chewin the fat, the great british bake off, bobs burgers, tracey ullman show

45. tattoos:: nada as of yet but i want a good few

46. right or left handed:: right

47. ever had surgery:: nope

48. piercings:: ears x2

49. sport:: i play rugby and i wish i could dance or skate or some shit but alas i am a graceless bulldyke

50. vacation:: im going to australia for like six weeks in june aaaaaaaaa

51. trainers:: never wear em lmao im too goth for that shit

— more general

52. eating:: i went out for dinner earlier and had pizza and sweet potato fries and now im halfway to a food coma yay

53. drinking:: water or cherry coke. I also discovered lemon and mint sanpellegrino the other day and frankly id happily drown in that stuff its amazing

54. i’m about watch:: new ep of drag race

55. waiting for:: news from school

56. want:: to move out bc my room is a shittip and im done with it

57. get married:: i dont believe in marriage so probs no

58. career:: i work in a baby shop but i wanna be a tattoo artist or set designer/stage manager

— which is better

59. hugs or kisses:: hugs

60. lips or eyes:: lips

61. taller or shorter:: everyone is taller than me

62. older or younger:: older. Im a bit autistic so im kinda drawn more to people older than me bc i find them easier to talk to

63. nice arms or stomach:: stomach

64. hookups or relationships:: relationship

65. troublemaker or hesitant:: troublemaker

— have you ever

66. kissed a stranger:: no

67. drank hard liquor:: yes

68. turned someone down:: yes

69. sex on first date:: no

70. broken someone’s heart:: i dont fuckin know

71. had your heart broken:: not really

72. been arrested:: no, lol

73. cried when someone died:: yes

74. fallen for a friend:: nah im fuckin heartless lmao

— do you believe in

75. yourself:: yes

76. miracles:: no

77. love at first sight:: no

78. santa claus:: i’m not fucking five (lol, keeping Wednesday’s answer here) (lol im also keeping V’s answer which she stole from v)

79. angels:: not really

— misc

80. eye colour:: grey

81. best friend’s name:: charlie aka charles aka charlize theron aka streak of piss aka pizzle aka piz (they have a v long series of affectionate nicknames lmao)

82. favourite movie:: priscilla queen of the desert, rocky horror, evita, muriels wedding, silence of the lambs, zootopia, misery

83. favourite actor:: Terence stamp

84. favourite cartoon:: bobs burgers, family guy, star wars: clone wars

85. favourite teacher’s name:: she’s known usually as ms gallagher but ive been on first name terms w her since i was like 14 so i call her sheila lmao

legit everyone I know has already been tagged lmao

[xswestallen]

She’s Not my Girlfriend

Part of my Westallen trope series.

Barry's said that sentence a lot over the years.

The first time it happens is in fourth grade. Barry and Iris sat together everyday at lunch and played together everyday during recess. Iris made some other friends in the class, but Barry really only hung out with Iris. Their peers were growing out of the 'boy/girls have cooties' phase. So thankfully, Barry and Iris were being teased less for their friendship. Little did they know, they were about to start being teased about being more than friends.

One day, when their teacher told the class they could pick their own partners for their project, Barry and Iris immediately teamed up. Barry noticed the other kids snickering.

"Of course you two are partners." Katie Thompson said with giggles.

"The lovebirds!" Billy Peirce joked.

"Barry is always with his girlfriend!" Eric Nelson teased.

Barry was embarrassed. "She's not my girlfriend." he muttered.

"You spend all your time with her. You're alway looking at her. You like her." Katie said. "If she's not your girlfriend, you should ask her to be."

That was the day Barry started thinking about relationships and dating. He was only 9 and had never thought about asking out a girl, or kissing, or having a girlfriend. He knew he wasn't ready for all that yet. But, he began wondering what it might be like one day. Would Iris still want to hang out with him as they got older? What would kissing her feel like? Would she want to be his girlfriend? Iris was his best friend and needless to say, the best girl he'd ever met. If he was going to have a girlfriend, it made sense for it to be Iris.

It happened a lot in high school, mostly it was other students who assumed Barry and Iris were dating. Once, it was a teacher. Barry sighed as Mrs. Braden handed him his test with a large, red 'C'.

"If you spent more time studying and less time with your girlfriend you would've done better." Mrs. Braden said.

Barry was confused. He wasn't dating anyone.

Mrs. Braden looked over to Iris, then back to Barry. "I know she's very pretty."

Barry laughed. "No, um we're- Iris, she's not my girlfriend." he clarified. "We're just best friends."

Mrs. Braden raised an eyebrow before passing out the rest of the test results.

It happened once on Valentine's Day. Barry and Iris were both dateless and decided to go get ice cream together. He'd almost forgotten about the holiday since he never did anything to celebrate it. Iris tapped a finger against her cheek as she considered which flavor to order. She usually got mint chocolate chip, but claimed she was going to "be different" this time.

"I'll have rocky road, please." Barry told the cashier.

"And for you, Miss?" The cashier asked Iris.

"Um, I'll have a double scoop of mint chocolate chip." she replied.

Barry smirked. "I knew you'd end up choosing it in the end."

"It's just my favorite." Iris shrugged.

They paid the cashier and took to their ice cream to a table.

"Bear," Iris said, pointing to her own lips. "You got a little rocky road there."

Barry wiped it off with a napkin. "Oh wait, you have a little something on your face too." he said.

Iris took a napkin and wiped but nothing came off. "Did I get it?" she asked.

Barry shook his head.

She tried again. "How about now?"

"No." Barry learned across the table. "It's right," he pushed the cone of mint chocolate chip into her face. Iris's lips, nose, and part of her cheek were now covered in ice cream. "There!" Barry finished with a laugh.

"Oh you're gonna pay for that one!" Iris threatened.

Barry smiled and folded his arms in triumph. "Hit me with your best shot."

Iris kicked his shin, a little harder than necessary.

"Oww!" Barry cried.

They both burst out laughing. Barry loved watching Iris laugh. Her eyes creased and nose scrunched up. She thought her laugh was goofy, but Barry thought it was adorable.

The cashier approached their table carrying a banana split. "You two are just so cute!" She put the banana split down on the table and handed them each a spoon. "Enjoy a Valentine's Day treat, one the house!"

Barry's face turned scarlet. "Oh, we're not a cou-"

Iris kicked his shin again, thankfully with less force this time. "Thank you so much!" Iris smiled.

"How long have you two been together?" The cashier asked.

"Oh we've liked each other for forever." Iris said, already digging into the dessert.

Barry's insides turned to jelly and his eyes bulged.

"Well, you're the cutest couple I've seen all day." The cashier said.

Barry smiled. "It's easy to be cute when I'm sitting next to her." he said.

Iris faked a laugh. "He's the sweetest."

The cashier walked away and Barry glared at Iris.

"What?" Iris asked with a mouth full of ice cream.

"We've liked each other for forever." Barry quoted Iris's earlier comment.

"Oh" Iris giggled, "Well, it's not technically a lie! We may not be dating but we do like each other, right?"

Oh, she didn't know how right she was.

"And you are the sweetest." Iris smiled.

Barry laughed uncomfortably. He knew Iris was trying to justify her little fib, but he couldn't help the way his heart soared when she complemented him. He was giddy at the fact that a person assuming they were in a relationship was so easy for her to play along with. Plus, for people to assume they were together meant they thought Iris liked him.

Of course, if they were dating, Barry would've taken her somewhere nice for Valentine's Day, not some little ice cream shop. He would've brought her flowers. She would probably wear that pair of boots she liked so much (and he pretended not to like so much). Maybe he'd have enough courage to lean over and kiss her.

Then, reality hit Barry like a punch in the gut. He looked down at the melting ice cream.

"You're not my girlfriend." Barry reminded himself aloud.

"So? Nobody needs to know that." Iris told him.

Barry faked a smile and finished the banana split with her.

It happened once in Jitters. Barry would often come into Jitters and wait for Iris's shift to end so they could have a coffee together. One day, he didn't see Iris. He was sure she was working that afternoon, so he asked one of the baristas, Kelly, where Iris was.

"She's doing inventory in the back. But, she'll get off at the same time." Kelly said as she handed Barry his coffee.

"Thanks." Barry said.

"No problem." Kelly looked Barry up and down. "Iris is a lucky girl."

Barry didn't understand what Kelly meant. "Why do you say that?"

"She has a sweet boyfriend who comes to talk to her and walk home with her everyday after work."

It took a second before it dawned on Barry that Kelly thought he was Iris's boyfriend. "Oh, Iris isn't my girlfriend." Barry said, regretfully.

Kelly pursed her lips. "Could've fooled me. You act like you're in love."

Barry felt his body tense up. Was he being that obvious?

It happened at S.T.A.R. Labs a few days after Barry awoke from his coma. He was eating lunch with Cisco and asking about what he missed while in the coma. Cisco told him about current events, spoiled a few episodes of Breaking Bad, and told him that Iris spent a lot of time at Barry's beside.

"So, what's the deal with you and Iris anyway?" Cisco asked. "Are you like, together or..."

Barry couldn't meet Cisco's eye. "Um no, no. Not like that. She's not my girlfriend or anything. We're just.....friends. Best friends."

"So would it be cool if I ask her out?"

"NO!" Barry said way too quickly and way too loud. It was a reflex.

Cisco held up his hands in surrender. "Alright. Chill, I was justing asking."

Barry rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry. I just meant um, she has a boyfriend."

"You?"

"No, not me. Some other guy, Eddie Thawne. He's a cop."

"You don't seemed too thrilled about that."

Barry felt his stomach drop. "What do you mean?"

"Dude, you like her. Everyone can see it." Cisco laughed.

"Everyone?" Barry squeaked.

"Well, I guess she can't. Otherwise, she'd probably dump that Eddie dude and get with you. She was real upset when you were in your coma. She talked to you for hours and kept saying how much she missed you. I think she's into you."

Hope filled Barry's heart. "You think so?"

Cisco nodded. "And that you seem excited about."

Barry blushed but decided he might as well just tell Cisco. "She's not my girlfriend. But, I really wish she was."

[amongsthewavesff]

One.

I used to live in San Diego, California. I practically lived there all my life. When I was 16 I met my boyfriend Edward, or Eddie as all people use to call him, even now. He was four years older than me but definetly he was my best friend.

We used to spend all day at beach, he loved surf and I tried my best for learn at least the basic  of that sport.  

After 4 years of a pacefully relationship, something big and new came up into our lifes...something for we wasn't ready to, at least not me...

Everything begun that amazing noon at beach, was saturday and I was talking about college, after 3 years working hard at it, I had the  chance for get some job at a music in a magazine. Eddie was kind of quiet, he he seemed kind of distance too...

-Hey, Eddie, are you listening to me?- I finally asked with some confusing smile on my face.

-Sure, babe. It's amazing, I mean it's an amazing opportunity...

-I guess, but the thing is that I'll need to finish the uni first. Annoys me!- I joked  

-Keep chill, babe...- he was too serious.

-Hey, Edd. Look at me. What's wrong, baby?  

-Nothing, I'm just kind of tired. Just that, don't worry Belle, keep talking to me about it...

-Nope. I know you, what's going on?

-It's just...remember when I told you about this band project with this guy on Seattle?

-Sure, keep going...

-Well, dear. It's just maybe I'll have to go over there in a couple weeks..but-

-Eddie! Thats awesome, my love!- I interrupted him

-Yeah, but...

-What?- I looked at him confused.

-Belle, I'll probably have to move to Seattle...

-Oh...Wow!- we stood on silence like for five minutes.

-Tell me something, Belle...

-Well, I think it's pretty amazing. I mean, it's what you want and I know how much you dream with this proyect...

-What about us? You know how much I love you. And I don't wanna leave without you

-Hey, don't put us on this...I mean, we can make it work...- I felt a cold air on my chest.

-Babe, it will take to you another year to finish the school...one entire year...

-I know. It sucks, right?

-I don't know what all this means, Belle...

-Me neither, Edd...- both were kind of sad.

After a long while without talking I tried to figured out that words

-You love me, Belle?- he suddenly spoke.

-I love you more than nothing, honey. Why you ask?- I smiled funny.

-Because I love you more than I love myself and I'm sure we can go through this together...

-Kiss me, please...- I felt his lips on mine, his breath and his touch holding my face.- I really love you, Eddie...

-I know and that makes me the luckiest man on the earth...and please don't cry, dear. We'll be ok, I'm sure about it...

After three weeks, the day that we drifted apart had arrived.

I took him to airport in my old yellow jeep, I promised myself not to cry. After all, we could make it, isn't?  

-Promise that you'll give me a call when you arrive Seattle- I keep holding his hand while we walked into the place.

-I promess, Belle. And you have to promise that you will takke care yourself like I do. Ok?

-Yes. I mean, it's not like if we'll never see us again.- I hugged him

-Take, read it when you're home- he gave me a red envelope- I love you, babe. I'll be back soon with cool news, hope so...

-I know you will. Nice flight! Call me. I miss you already!- we said goodbye...

When I came home, I opened the envelope. Where three paper sheets, written for both sides. I remember how clumsy I felt getting so excited with every word. Some parts put my heart out of my chest and some tears in my eyes, I was totally touched:

"Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, I look at you and you're sleep. I study your face, with all those perfect circles and I can't help feel the way I do. You're the best gift that life ever could give me, Belle. You came deep as any ocean, my heart beats next to yours"

"Thanks, angel, for being so persistent in my ways. Thanks for trust in me, and to care about me. This new adventure will means nothing without you..."  

"...in any other words, I belong to you, Isabelle, always and forever"

"This four years walking next to you seems just like a few days..."

I was totally in love of Eddie, now, for first time we have to be separated for more than one week, more than a month...I had no idea of how hard that would be...for both of us.

Next day, i received his call:

-Belle, hi, honey! How are you?- I loved hear his voice.

-Eddie, I miss you already! I'm cool, you know, school stuff and some paper work, but everythings it's fine. What about you? Tell me everything!- I was so excited.

-Well, I met this guy, Jeff. He's a pretty nice dude, you know. I like him. I'm staying at his place, with another band guy, Stone...

-Stone? What kind of name is that?- I laughed.

-I know, but he's pretty nice guy, too. I mean, I really like him, probably is too soon for say it, but I feel it, you know. Kind of this vibe, make me feel enthusiastic about this proyect.

-I'm glad to hear it! You'll see, Edd, everythig it's gonna be ok. You're so talent, sweetheart, you have to trust hard in you!

-Thanks, baby. I wish you could see all this snow, it's a madness. We're like at -14°, it's pretty cold out here. Remember when we were in Chicago that Christmas? Well, it's a really similar scene.

-Ow, soon! Take pictures for me, do a story for me, please! I miss them a lot!

-I will definetly do it, babe. I'm really excited, you know? It's like if suddenly everything worth it...I'm trying not to have this thought, but, you know? All those missing parts in my life, it's like the life were trying to put them on together. I mean, I made a bet on this and now it's all about me, about my capacity to do this better, to finally reach at some point myself...

-And I know you'll do it, Edd, just don't be so hard with you. You have to understand that sometimes things come so different of that we expected, but doesn't mean they're not good or positives...they're just differents, and you know it, just don't refuse it, babe, don't be such a stubborn.

-So, he listened the tape with Stone, they liked it. They were talking about a band with some other guys that are kind of orphans musicians- he laughed some- I hope meet them this week. Would be nice!

-Hahaha, orphans musicians! Don't ever do it again! Please! Bad joke!-I keep laughed- Cool, buddy! Go for it! Let it be, they gonna like you too!  And how's Jeff's place? You like it?

-Well, it's very ok. I mean, it's clean and safe, I would say perfect. But, you know? I'm thinking already about getting a job...

-Oh, ok...-I was speechless. -Doing what?

-I don't know, whatever. Just with enough time for music.

-Well, someone have to start the hunt inmediatly!

-Just for a little time, I want to have some cash just in case. It's not permanent, babe.

-I know, trust me, and you must get one soon. Need to feed and pay some rent, right?

-Yeah, Jeff said that he can wait until I settle down, then we can talk about money.

-What a nice dude, I'm happy for you, Edd! You're a lucky dude!

-I know...but let's keep on silence.- he laughed.

-Oh, and how it's there? The people? The streets?  

-Nothing to much special, just people wearing long john's and boots. Still blondes and a few brunettes- he laughed again, he was having some fun with my quiestions.- I'm joking, baby. Well, is just different, so different. another world. Many young people. A lot of bars and cigars...Cold and wet.

-You gonna used to it and I'm sure you're gonna love it too. I heard about night life over there, looks really funny and wild, on music topic, I mean.

-Why? I mean, why are you so good with me?

-Ow, Edd...don't say that. "More than friends", remember?

-I could never forget it. I want to make love to you right now!

-Eddie!- I laughed- Shh!!

-What!? I'm talking true

-Are you serious? Someone could be listening to you! Where are you?

-I'm in a phone booth, silly one!- he laughed- It's just in the corner of Jeff's place.

-Ok, ok. So, what you have in mind, huh?- I smiled blushed.

-Well, you know. I want to put my hand under your dress and feel your thighs and...

-And?

-You know, dear? It's not a good moment, someone it's waiting outside now- he laughed- and this boner...you know

-Ow, I wish you were home right  now!

-Soon, Belle, soon. I got to go now, but I'll call you tomorrow.

-Ok, Edd. Take care! I love you, sweetie!

-I love you too, baby. Be a good girl and think of me late night

-Ok! Call me! By-bye!

-Bye, babe!

Four months passed faster than I'd imagined. Finally I'll visit Eddie, got my ticket and enough time to spend out of college. The plan were on wheels. He moved to a new apartment with a guy called Michael and this guy was in the band too.

When I went down of the plane, he was there, with this amazing smile on his face and I felt my heart rasing.  

-Eddie!!- I jumped into his arms

-My love! I really missed you!- he kiss me passionalety

-I missed you too, babe! Look at you! So handsome!- I coulnd't stop to look at him

-You look more beautiful everyday! I such a lucky bastard!- we walked out of airport and took a cab.

Way to his place keep talking about everything, a happy and excited catching up. He told me that he already been meeting some new people and he like them. I was nervous to meet his new friends.

-Stay calm, babe. They're nice people!- he smiled with some tenderly.

-Do I look ok?

-You look beautiful, Belle. As always- he kissed my forehead.

-Thanks, baby! It's just I'm on shock! I'll finally met with your new world, and that make me nervous.

-Can't be my world if you aren't in there...

We arrived to a red building, was 9pm and was really cold and wet. Edd help with my baggage; he put 5th floor on elevator. I was a little more calm at that point. Out of the door with the number 517 he kissed soflty my lips and opened the door.

-Mike, we're here.- he put the suitcase on the floor and close the door behind me.- Come on, darling! Welcome

-Hey!- was a thin guy with long brown hair- Welcome! I'm Mike, nice to meet you, Isabelle! We were excited to know you- he shook my hand

-Oh, the pleasure it's mine!- I smiled- I'm happy to be here after son long without seeing Eddie. How he's doing?

-Well, he's a big boy. He can handdle by his self.- joked.

-I'm glad to hear it- I smiled

-So, Isabelle, are you too tired to hang out tonight?- Mike asked to me.

-Actually no, I'm in a really nice mood!- I smiled

-Are you sure, darling?- Eddie wanted to be sure

-I'm sure! Got something in mind?- I looked Mike

-Well, yeah. A welcome surprise! I'm gonna change this clothes, you can do the same, if you want. By the way, welcome to our crib!- he joked on his way to his bedroom.

-You want to change your clothes?- Eddie asked me.

-Yeah, gonna be quickly. Where I put that?- I pointed my suitcase

-Come here, let's go to my bedrooom- he lifted the big bag

-What a nice place, Eddie! I love it!- I said while I jumped on the bed

-You know what is nicest than this place?

-What?- I put off my coat.

-Having you finally in my bed- he smiled with some lust.

-Really?- I joined the game- Why?

-Yeah. I mean, look at this...- he aproached slowly, touching my waist.

-What I should look at?- smiled

-This amazing face and this amazing body...- he kissed my neck

-And what are you thinking now?

-That I want to throw away all this clothes...

-Go ahead, show me...

We kissed wildy, I missed his hands and his mouth over the me. He put off his clothes too...

-You can't imagine how much I've thinking lately in this moment, babe...

-A lot?

-More than you know, Belle...

We made love like savages, was fast but enough long for beating those cravings of four months without seein' him.

-Guys! I hate to interrupt to you, but it's time to go. You both come, right?- was Mike behind door.

-Sure, one sec, buddy- Eddie answered to him.

-See you downstairs. Hurry up!

We walked around five 6 blocks, Mike was such a nice guy, very funny and kind. Eddie was right. He was a sweet person.

We were outside of a building, seemed desolate. But the noise inside was definetly the noise of a huge party. We came in to!

Was so unreal, a lot of people having fun. We kept walking until Mike stopped.

-Look who's here dickheads!- Mike shouted.

-Mikey!- everyone responded inmediatly.- Eddie!- added few of them.

-Hey guys! She's Isabelle, Eddie's girlfriend- introduced me- Isabelle, the crew- started to pointed at same time of he told me their names- Stone- a long brown hair guy, with a white jean vest- Jeff- blonde guy with a cool and fun outfit- Dave- another long hair guy with a black jacket on-Liz- a curly hair blonde girl, very pretty- Sasha- another blonde girl with a big smile- Debbie- an asian girl with black long straight hair.- Oh! And here's Matt!

Everyone seemed nice, everyone came close to introduced themselfs personally, except one girl, Sasha.

We were a long while chating with the guys, Stone and Matt were really funny and Jeff has a little most clever sense of humor. Dave, by other side, seemed to be kind of busy with a redhead girl.

After a while, this curly blonde hair bacame to us holding a beer in her hand and a cigarrete with the other one.

-So you are Belle, it's really nice to meet you finally. Eddie talks a lot about you- Liz was a nice girl.

-Ow, that's sweet- I smiled looking at Edd.

-I must confess, you're even more beautiful in person than on photos. Look at you, guys! Cheers!

-Thanks, Liz. You're such a beautiful girl too, I really appreciate the gesture.  

-Liz make a lot of quiestions. You definetly gonna like her- Eddie joked.

-But he didn't aswer all. He's kind of too serious.

-Yeah, that's him- I smiled friendly.

-Hey, girls, come!- she invited Debbie and Sasha to join us  .

-Hey, dude! how you doing! Isabelle, are you drinking something already?- Debbie asked smiling.

-Hey, you can call me Belle, it's shortest- i smiled back- Yeah, actually just got a new one- I showed the beer can.

-Sweet! Are you having a good time with this maniac talking head?- she joked about Liz.

-Yeah, girls. Thanks for being so cool with Belle- Eddie said kissing my head.

-So...how long have you been togheter, Belle?- was Debbie.

-Well, 4 years, a little more than...

-And you really are waiting for him in San Diego?- Liz asked

-Well, he got to do what he got to do. I'm working on my own stuff over there...maybe we can met at some point in future. Who knows?- I tried to be nice.

-Ow, you're so perfect together...- Liz hugged both of us at same time, in a clumsy way.

-Sasha, come on! are you mad or somenthing?- Debbie joked.

-No, I'm just kind of bored...

-Come on, dude! Have some fun!- Eddie joked, holding my hand and dancing at same time the music chart changed.

We danced a long while, he was so happy and me too. Then music seemed to be off. His hands were around my waist, his blue eyes on me, and he whispered:

-I could stay right in this moment forever...

Then we kissed like if there were nobody around of us...

[growingupaloser]

Okay but Georgie calling his bump 'Richie' is heartbreakingly adorable. And it got me asking, what would you think an AU where Georgie lives be like? How would middle school Georgie bond with each of the Losers?

Thank you! Honestly, I think that would be SUPER ADORABLE (I’m crying???)!!! I actually almost wish I had kept Georgie alive in Growing Up A Loser, so I could properly write about this, but ah, well. Here are some ‘Georgie is alive’ headcanons for the college Losers’ Club:

BILL

Bill, of course, is still Georgie’s absolute favourite, and he always will be. A lot of the time, as younger siblings grow older, they lose a little of that respect and awe they have for their older siblings, but not Georgie. Bill is Georgie’s ULTIMATE HERO, and he will never see him as anything less. 

Georgie proudly tells all of his middle school friends about his big brother Billy, about how he’s at college all the way in New York City, about how Bill writes scary stories that will make him famous one day, and paints pictures that Georgie is adamant will be hanging in museums and will sell for millions of dollars. 

Georgie keeps EVERYTHING Bill sends him. Pictures, which he hands up on his bedroom wall, that is just FILLED with Bill’s drawings, letters, which he organises into a folder, the way he learned from Stan, postcards, which he pins up on the caulk board in the Denbrough family kitchen.

Bill drives back down to Derry at the end of every month, just to visit Georgie (sometimes Stan goes with him, sometimes Richie does, or sometimes it’s Eddie. And sometimes, they ALL go), even though it’s an eight hour drive and it’s exhausting, and Bill has to fit it around his part-time job, too.

They talk on the phone every evening before Georgie goes to bed. Every conversation ends the same way: ‘Goodnight, Georgie’,‘Goodnight, Billy.’

Georgie starts trying to learn how to draw, because he wants to be able to do it like Bill can. He isn’t very good, but Bill keeps all of Georgie’s drawings, and hangs them up on his wall, too.

BEV

Georgie is literally IN LOVE with Beverly Marsh. He thinks she is possibly the most beautiful being he has ever seen in his life. But Georgie has Bill’s confidence and boldness, without the hindrance of an embarrassing stutter, so he isn’t shy around her. And Bev thinks Georgie is adorable, of course, so the affection is mutual.

Georgie knows Bev is with Ben, and he’s old enough to know, now, that Bev isn’t ever actually going to like him that way, but that doesn’t mean he likes her any less.

They go to the park together to get ice-cream every time Bev comes down to visit, and every time, they sit under the same tree and she makes him a woven bracelet from coloured thread and fastens it around his wrist with a kiss to his forehead. Georgie has kept every one she has ever made him, and he wears them all together, all the time.

Georgie likes hugs from Bev the best, because she is soft and pretty and she always smells like flowers and herbs.

BEN

Georgie loves going to the library with Ben, because there aren’t a lot of other boys Georgie’s age who love to read that much, and Ben always knows the best books, because he has read all of them, and there isn’t a genre he can’t recommend books from.

Georgie loves to read, too, and mostly, he likes fantasy books, but the best part of going to the library is sitting with Ben in the corner where the beanbag chairs are, and coming up with their own stories. Usually, Ben starts the story with a sentence, and Georgie comes up with the next one, and so on and so forth until the story has an end. Sometimes, Bill comes with them, and listens, and writes, and adds bits and pieces here and there, and coloured illustrations, and turns their stories into proper little books, which Georgie keeps in a folder (another one given by Stan.)

Georgie thinks that Ben is the cleverest person he has ever met. He tells all of his friends so, too.

‘My friend Ben knows everything.’

MIKE

Georgie thinks that Mike is the coolest of Bill’s friends, by far. He has an awesome truck, and grew up on a farm (Georgie loves animals), and he knows all of these interesting, weird facts about Derry, and about animals, and about random things like trees and lakes and creepy old buildings. Georgie says he wishes Mike was a teacher at his school, because lessons with him would be super fun.

If Mike is there, they always visit the farm, so that Georgie can pet the sheep and the cows and let the chickens eat out of the palm of his hand, which he loves.

Mike ALWAYS lets Georgie ride shotgun in the truck, no matter who else is there.

Once, Mike showed Georgie how to make walnut cookies, because they’re Bill’s favourite, and Georgie gave them to Bill to take back to college with him before he left. Some of them were a little misshapen, and Georgie wasn’t entirely happy with them, but Bill almost cried.

EDDIE

Eddie doesn’t think he’s cool, at all. But Georgie does. Because Georgie knows better than anyone that Eddie is strong, and brave, and fierce, even if Eddie sometimes doesn’t know it himself. Because Georgie was there when Eddie ran into traffic to stop a stray cat from being hit by a car. And Georgie was there when Eddie ran straight into the middle of a group of tall bullies picking on a little kid, and squared right up to the meanest, scariest one. And Georgie was there when Eddie helped an elderly lady with her shopping in a supermarket parking lot, and he lifted all seven of her bags at once without really struggling. And Georgie wonders why everyone always makes fun of Eddie for being small, when he’s so strong, wonders if they even know that Eddie is strong.

Sometimes Georgie asks Eddie to carry him around on his back, just to prove to Eddie that at least somebody thinks he is strong. He especially does it when Richie is there, because Richie is so tall and seems like the obvious choice for a piggyback (not that Georgie doesn’t like getting piggybacks from Richie, too)

RICHIE

Georgie would like to think he doesn’t pick favourites between Bill’s friends, but he’d be lying, because everyone knows his favourite is Richie. Georgie thinks everything Richie does or says is hilarious, and is the first to laugh at his jokes, and the one who laughs the longest and the hardest.

Richie buys Georgie tonnes of candy, taught him ALL of the curse words he has ever learned, lets him stay up later than he should, and watch scary movies, and generally treats Georgie like he’s just another member of the Losers’ Club, and not like he’s only someone’s little brother.

Richie and Georgie have so many inside jokes that they only share between the two of them, that sometimes it frustrates Bill, because he starts to think Georgie likes Richie more than he likes him. It isn’t true, and Richie and Georgie make sure Bill knows so by making sure they have just as many inside jokes that involve him, too.

Georgie may or may not get disappointed every time he gets his eyes tested and it turns out that he doesn’t need glasses.

He also may or may not have a collection of Hawaiian shirts.

STAN

Stan is the one Georgie goes to whenever he needs help with something, and the one he tells all of his secrets to. Georgie thinks Stan must be magic, because he literally knows how to fix anything, and he can always make you feel better when you’re sad, or stressed, or feeling sick. Georgie tells Stan things he would never even tell Bill about.

Stan is the one of Bill’s friends (well, Georgie knows that Stan is Bill’s boyfriend, too) who is always buying Georgie presents, and they’re usually REALLY GOOD PRESENTS, too. He buys Georgie nice clothes, a new bike, and as much Lego as he could possibly want (Georgie has a thing for Lego) He gets him a really nice camera, as well, when Georgie sees the one Stan has, and decides that he wants one, too. Georgie uses it to take pictures of all of the Losers when they’re out together, and he and Stan compile them into an album. 

Georgie thinks Stan is hilarious, too, especially when he’s making fun of Bill. Sometimes, they make fun of Bill together, because Georgie knows just as many of Bill’s embarrassing secrets. Bill doesn’t find this as funny, but he’s just glad that Stan and Georgie get along so well, so he doesn’t really mind.

Georgie once told Stan that he wanted him to marry Bill, because he knows how happy Stan makes Bill. Stan cried.

If anyone ever asked, Georgie would tell them that he has seven friends, but his brother’s his best best.