#i want to revisit him later he's got a fun face

[koolades-world]

how much begging would it take to let mc play with barbatos’ hair. i just wanna give him two little pig tails

if it's mc, honestly i don't think too much! he's got such a soft spot for this human that basically barreled into his life headfirst haha

With a cherry on top?

"Barb! Please?" You trailed after him, a small container of hair styling tools in hand. He didn't answer, glancing back at you, an amused look on his face. "It's be so cute and fun I promise!" You shook the little box with vigor.

"I've got duties to attend to, Mc. I'm afraid I don't have time." Barbatos look as if he was holding in a laugh.

“If you let me do your hair, I’ll help out for the rest of the day?” You offered. You knew he didn’t need your help, but you really wanted to mess with his hair, and you’d get to spent more time with him.

“Are you sure? I still have a long list of duties to attend to today, and I expect you to put your all into them as well.” He glanced back at you, but didn’t stop walking.

“I promise! Besides, if we work together, it’ll get done faster and we can spend time together.” You gave him the best puppy dog eyes you could muster. He cracked a small smile.

“Very well. You may do as you see fit.” Barbatos led you over to a nearby seating area and sat down.

“Yay! I promise I won’t be long!” You happily knelt beside him on the sofa and began your work.

By the time you were done with him, he looked almost like an uncle who let his niece do whatever she pleased with his hair. You’d pulled up his hair into two little pigtails, each with a different colored hair tie. They were a little lopsided, both because of you and because of his uneven hair length. You had adorned his bangs with multiple, brightly colored barrettes and hair pins. To complete the look, you’d added a small, glittery hair extension that was probably meant to be braided in to both pigtails.

The little D’s that has gathered around you complimented you on your work, all begging you to do them next. “Now, don’t you all have work to be doing as well? We can revisit this later, hmm?” With Barb’s words, they all scattered at being called out, leaving just the two of you.

“We have no time to waste, Mc. Our first task is to grout the tiles in young Master’s bathroom.” The same smile from before still adorned his face, just a little more smug looking.

“Let’s take a picture together first! I want to savor this forever. You look adorable!” You raised your D.D.D. After making sure he was looking at the camera, you snapped a quick photo. He was never going to be able to live this down, but, he’d do anything if it was for you.

[mrsjellymunson]

Hey, Boss

A prequel to Hello, Stranger

Characters: Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley, Jim Hopper, Raymond ‘Red’ Reddington, Mr Kaplan, Dembe Zuma

Pairing: None until the next part (where it becomes Eddie Munson x gn!reader)

AU: Stranger Things AU with elements of The Blacklist

Summary: Eddie falls into a new line of work…

WC: ~3.9k

CW: 18+ MDNI. This miniseries is SFW, depending on your tolerance for dark/violent themes, but most of my blog is 18+ so minors please be aware of this and DNI. Dark humour, black comedy. Allusions to drug use, alcohol consumption, violence, crime and murder. Weapons, bodies and death are discussed. No smut, no reader in this part. This is a Stranger Things AU, the upside down is very briefly alluded to but Eddie doesn’t know about it. No time period mentioned, so if events or technology don’t track that’s why that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. The characters don’t know each other like they do in ST.

A/N: This is the prequel to ‘Hello, Stranger’. The two parts can be read in either order. As in the original part, there are some Easter eggs in here, this time from The Blacklist (obvs), Stargate, and a deliciously niche one from John Wick. Let me know if you spot any!

A/N additional: I would never have believed that I’d be revisiting this story a year after publishing it to add a fun little prologue, but here we are! 😃 The original part was written for a Halloween prompt event last year and was the first lengthy thing I’d shared; I was SO ridiculously nervous about posting it, you have no idea 🫣 Reading it again now, would I change things in the original? Yes. But mainly things like punctuation and formatting, because I think over the last year my writing has become clearer, so I’m kinda pleased that I’d leave the story exactly how it is. For anyone discovering this for the first time, I hope you enjoy!! Please let me know with a comment/reblog/feral spewings in my inbox, I’d love it, srsly 😉🖤

I have an Easter egg reveal post planned for this miniseries, if you’d like to hear about it just ask to be added to my general taglist where you can get notified about all my writing posts ☺️🖤

My masterlist

It’s a chilly October night, close to Halloween, and Eddie’s blasted out of his mind. Gareth got hold of some super strong skunk from a cousin who was visiting from out of state, and that combined with a few cool beers has left him even more buzzed than usual.

Forgoing his van on the insistence of his friends, and wanting to get home to the relative warmth of the trailer sooner rather than later, he’s decided to take a shortcut across Merrill Wright’s fields.

High as all hell, he's staggering as he navigates the pumpkins, managing to avoid most of the obvious orange orbs but forgetting that their tendrils need looking out for too.

He’s already tripped a couple of times, and curses out the vines for both being invisible at night and clearly conspiring with each other to sabotage his journey home. He swears that at least twice he’s seen them move...

Pushing through a thin layer of trees separating one field from the next, he stumbles forwards as an impeding branch snaps and gives way. Moving too quickly to stop himself, he totters forwards, hoping to regain his balance once he’s free of the spindly foliage.

But surprisingly, his feet fail to connect with anything at all, the ground disappears, and Eddie falls face first into… nothing.

Though it doesn’t remain nothing for long, swiftly becoming the harsh smack of hard, and very cold, dirt against his knees, torso and face.

Shocked, confused and more than a little winded, Eddie grunts and rolls onto his side, groaning. 

“Oooooohhhhhh fuuuuuuuckk…. What the hell—?”

He spits out a few clods of mud, and possibly part of a worm (sorry, dude), and tries to work out what just happened.

His hair has fallen over his face, and he pushes the waves, now bedecked with a sprinkling of leaves and soil, out of his eyes and looks upwards. 

Instead of the expected expanse of the clear night sky, perhaps even a few constellations if he cared to look carefully, his vision seems to have tunnelled, a significant proportion of it now a deep black. 

Sitting upright, he briefly wonders whether he’s concussed, or worse, but then the sound of someone speaking garners his undivided attention.

A light, high voice cuts through the night. 

“Hey, do you hear something?”

Eddie freezes, eyes wide. He’s not sure whether he’s comforted or more freaked out to discover he’s not the only one in this field at this time of night. This dark, isolated, middle-of-nowhere, nobody-within-screaming-distance field.

Another voice, deeper than the first, replies, 

“Like what?”

“I dunno, a grunt maybe?”

“A grunt? Uhh, no.”

“Why am I asking you anyway? Your ears are shot after one too many sportsball encounters…”

“Hey, shut up.”

Eddie hears some shuffling and a chortle, like two people jostling each other, before the deeper voice speaks again, but it’s in no way comforting.

“Uh, this guy’s definitely dead, right?”

There’s a noise that sounds like thick plastic being prodded with something.

“Yeah, yeah, this guy definitely. But I’m sure I heard something from over there.”

“Are you trying to spook me? You know how much I hate Halloween.”

Eddie hears an overly dramatic brrr and the rustling of clothing, and he imagines the guy shivering, like he’s shaking off a covering of non-existent snow.

Eddie, terrified but with a new sense of urgency, and eyes adjusting to the new level of darkness, glances more fully around his environment, figuring out that he’s definitely below ground level and in some kind of a hole. He spreads his arms wide, moving them around, and notices he can feel the edges on two sides, but not all four, meaning it’s a long hole. Long enough for him to lay down in. A hole, long enough to fit a human being in, but not much else. Okay, so… 

Wait, this is a fucking grave! Fuck, he’s in a goddamn motherfucking grave!!

Eddie stands, wobbling a little, and notices his eyeline is still below ground level. He reaches up, grabbing at the soil at the edge of the hole, but it’s dry and loose and crumbles in his hands. He tries to jump, grabbing at anything he can find on the ground, but to no avail. It’s tilled earth and there are no branches or roots, not even grass, that he can grab to pull himself out. He mentally takes back everything he said about pumpkin vines…

Suddenly he hears a dull thud, the sound of dragging, muttering, and two people grunting. 

Shit, they’re getting closer. And now there’s a large package wrapped in blue plastic at the edge of the hole, and they’ve just dropped two shovels, and—

Feigning nonchalance, Eddie leans a muddy shoulder against the raw earth, one hand on his hip and the other swiping through his hair as two faces, backlit by moonlight, hove into view. His voice cracks with,

“Hee-eeey guys, how’s it goin’?”

What the hell?? He’s literally standing in an open grave, that these two have probably just dug, and that’s the best he can come up with?

The figures regard Eddie, then turn to each other, then look back at Eddie. They both frown and in unison cock their heads sideways in the same direction, and Eddie, stoned and in shock as he is, has to suppress a giggle. 

Fuck, that weed really was strong… Damn you, Gareth’s cousin!

One of the figures, the slighter of the two, gestures into the hole with a muddy, gloved hand, asking, 

“Is he one of yours?”

The other guy looks both startled and mildly offended.

“What? No! Of course not!”

“Well, there was that one time where you, y’know, missed the mark, and we had to spend an hour chasing the guy before we put him down.”

The taller of the two flaps his arms exasperatedly, trying to point an index finger in the air but failing, the heavy duty gloves he’s wearing making him look more like he’s holding up a fist.

“One time! The one time I miss a goddamn artery and you’ve never let me live it down. Jeez man, gimme a goddamn break!”

“Okay, okay, I’m just sayin’”

“Well don’t! I don’t appreciate it when you criticise my abilities and undermine my self esteem.”

The slimmer figure speaks again, resting the knuckles of one gloved hand against their waist.

“Did your therapist tell you to say that?”

“Hey, don’t knock it. She’s helping me process my intergenerational trauma and internalised lack of self-worth.” 

The tall figure says the words like he’s reciting from a book, but he says them with conviction. Eddie briefly wonders whether he should ask the guy for the title. He finishes with, 

“Anyway, I don’t know who the fuck this asshole is.”

Hands now on his hips, he turns his attention back to Eddie, who, whilst they’d been talking, had been surreptitiously clawing at the back edge of the hole, trying desperately to lever himself out.

The figure with the higher voice turns to their compatriot, and with a somewhat sardonic tone to their voice remarks,

“Well, I suppose we’d better try and find out who this asshole is, and where he came from, huh?”

They lean forwards into the hole and brace themselves with their hands against their knees.

The skinnier figure begins the interrogation with,

“Did Andrea send you? Was it Annie?”

The taller guy continues,

“Wait, was it Red? Cuz if it was Red you can tell him it’s not fuckin’ funny…”

Eddie stammers,

“N-n-o, man, no. I don’t know who any of those people are. I’m, uh, I’m nobody, literally! I was just stoned, and walkin’ home and I, uh, just kinda, fell into this… whatever this delightful arrangement is.”

He gestures around him, attempting to convey that he neither knows, nor cares, exactly what this is.

Tall guy regards him down his nose.

“So, if nobody sent you, then nobody knows you’re here. But now you know we’re here. And I’m guessing that you’re guessing what we’re about to do here. So, I’m guessing the best thing all the way around is if you, y’know, stay here…”

Eddie, in his inebriated state, didn’t completely follow what this guy just said, but when the guy reaches behind him into his belt, and Eddie hears the unmistakable metallic clink of a gun being retrieved, he gets the message pretty damn quickly. 

The shovels, the ‘package’, the gun… oh god!

“Nonononono! Waitwaitwait!!”

He extends his arms and frantically waves his filthy hands in front of him in supplication. 

Think, Eddie, think!! What would you encourage the sheep to do in such an impossible campaign situation? Thiiiiiiink!

The guy levels the gun at Eddie’s head. He still can’t see their faces clearly, but he can most certainly make out the end of the barrel as it glints in the moonlight.

Eddie scrunches his eyes up tight, grimacing, every muscle in his body tensing in expectation of the horror to come.

Abruptly, his mind fills with the most bizarre and inspired creative idea that he thinks he’s ever had.

Fuck, that weed really was strong… Thank you, Gareth’s cousin!

“What if I told you I could help make your job easier? Maybe more enjoyable? Or, at the very least, more interesting?”

He sees the barrel of the gun lower ever so slightly. 

Oh good, now it’s not aimed at his head. Just at his chest. Progress?

He presses on.

“Your bosses want you to make people disappear, right? Boring, efficient, sure. But not that interesting. Probably doesn’t pay all that well either, huh?”

The two figures look at each other again, frowning, and Eddie’s pretty sure they're deciding whether they should let the guy in the hole keep talking, or just shut him up for good, drop the other package in and cover them both over.

“How about we give ‘em a little something extra first? Like a show? A demonstration. An exhibition, if you will.”

Eddie’s got into his stride now, and is walking up and down the length of the six foot hole waving his arms in wide arcs, as if he’s delivering one of his lunchtime diatribes on a canteen table.

“Say there’s some guy who’s been messin’ with your patch. Goods are goin’ missing, or his funds are coming up short. Sure, you could just pop a cap in him and stick him in the ground,” 

He glances nervously at the tarp-wrapped bundle, 

“But wouldn’t it be more satisfying to really teach him a lesson. Bury him at the four corners of the state? Spray him all over this field? Dissolve him ‘til there’s nothing left? Now that really sends a message, don’tcha think? Plus, it’d sure be entertaining for your bosses to watch. Must get pretty boring for them. Y’know, pop a guy, wrap a guy, pop a guy, wrap a guy…”

He regards the two heavies carefully, trying to judge whether he’s made any impression on them whatsoever. They’re looking at each other and then back at Eddie.

Eventually the bigger figure speaks.

“Whaddaya think, Rob? Shall we take him back to talk to—“

“Fuckssake Steve, don’t tell him my name! Ah, fuck, Jeez…”

Sighing, the figure turns back towards Eddie.

“Yeah, okay, if this is as revelatory as you say it is, then fine. But it better be. Don’t make us come back out here for a second time tonight.”

Eddie takes this threat very, very seriously. 

“Okay, okay, whatever you say. I’ll do whatever you need me to do, I swear.”

The figure pauses for a moment, contemplative, before puffing out a long breath from between their lips.

“Well, for a start you can help us finish up with this guy. Steve, get him out of that hole and pass him my shovel...”

Eddie’s only thought is, great, I’m not gonna die! At least, not right now…

———

An hour later, freezing, muddy, exhausted, still terrified and, incongruously, still a little stoned, Eddie walks between Rob and Steve back to their vehicle, an SUV that he notices has “Buckley & Harrington, Landscaping Services & Specialised Waste Disposal” emblazoned on the side. 

‘Specialised waste disposal’ indeed… 

They bundle Eddie into the back, Rob grousing the whole way, and make him lie under yet another blue tarp so he can’t see where they’re going. He doesn’t much like being on this side of the plastic, and dearly hopes it’s the only time he has to experience it.

After some time, and a number of bruises acquired from sliding around the truck bed, the truck stops and the two figures start to bundle Eddie out of the back.

Still partially under the tarp, Eddie sees the lower half of a large, heavy set man in military fatigues and combat boots join them outside. Still shaken from the evening’s events and disoriented from the uncomfortable journey, Eddie can’t quite make out their entire conversation. He does hear what the hell and let me explain, plus a lot of grumbling in what could be a West African accent.

Finally freed from the tarp, Eddie is grabbed by the shoulders from behind by a pair of very strong hands, dragged off the truck bed and shoved, stumbling, forwards.

The three figures walk him into an old warehouse, the huge shutters open to the night and the entire place brightly lit and remarkably active given the hour. It’s crammed with pallets, shelves, crates, people and machinery. There are forklifts lifting things in and out of trucks and people carrying paperwork and speaking on phones. Many seem to have ominous-looking bulges in their waistbands and jackets that Eddie really doesn’t want to become any more closely acquainted with.

A large man is barking orders and holding a mug that says coffee and contemplation on the side, but judging by the subtle wince that happens each time he takes a swig, Eddie suspects it contains something stronger than his favourite Java. His voice is gruff, and to his great surprise, Eddie recognises it. 

“Uh, Hopper, is that you?”

The man turns, frowning at first, but as he clocks Eddie his free hand flaps dejectedly at his side and his eyes roll up into his skull. 

“Oh Jeez. What the hell is he doing here? What have you two idiots done now?”

Eddie's new acquaintances look sheepishly at each other. The one named Rob ventures,

“Uh, he has a proposal for Red, something about a novel business idea?”

“Goddamnit, I know this guy! And now, thanks to you two bozos, he knows me too!”

Steve interjects this time,

“Just give him five minutes with Mr Kaplan, boss! Honestly, I think Red’s gonna love this.”

Hopper doesn’t look convinced, but he grabs a guy with a clipboard as he scurries past and asks him to find whoever Mr Kaplan is. Eddie doesn’t like the sound of this. The dude sounds pretty scary.

After no more than a minute, a small, tweed-clad lady appears. She’s older than everyone here, and her face is pinched, but somehow also looks kind. Eddie imagines she’d look far more at home in a library than… whateverthisis. He wonders if she’s Mr Kaplan’s secretary, or something.

“Come on then you two, spit it out. I don’t have all day.”

The two stammer and splutter their way through an explanation, trying to justify why they not only spared this guy, but also brought him back to their base of operations. Eddie finally comprehends that this is Mr Kaplan. He doesn’t know whether to be relieved, or even more terrified.

At various points Mr Kaplan sucks in her cheeks, tilts her head and folds her arms, reminding Eddie of every disapproving teacher he ever had, and more than once he considers how far he might get if he hightailed it through those large doors and made off into the night. But then he remembers how he got here, who he’s with, the amount of hardware everyone appears to be carrying, how often he skipped PT at school, how much he’s smoked this evening (not to mention over the last however many years), and, not least, the fact that he has less than no clue about where he actually is. 

Finally, the two cronies stop talking, and Mr Kaplan’s focus turns entirely to Eddie. Despite being significantly taller than she is, he feels about two feet high under her gaze, and that this moment could be about to define his future, his fate.

“Well, dearie, it’s certainly a unique proposition. And one I’m intrigued to see if you can pull off. But ultimately, it’s not my decision. All I can do is get you a meeting with Red, and then you’re on your own.”

Steve seems thrilled by this outcome, his eyes wide and a grin on his lips. He shifts in place excitedly and jovially taps his elbow against Eddie’s upper arm. Eddie side-eyes him, guessing the guy is pleased that he isn’t going to suffer any repercussions for going ‘off script’ by bringing Eddie here like this, but he does wonder what on earth makes him think they’re ever going to be friends.

Mr Kaplan nods to Hopper, who takes this as his cue and disappears out of sight. Mr Kaplan doesn’t see it, but Eddie notices his weary-looking eye roll.

Eddie finally gets a good look at the guy who ‘helped’ him off the truck and brought him inside. He’s tall, huge, shaven-headed and intimidating. Eddie doesn’t look for long.

After a few minutes, the shaven-headed heavy motions for Eddie to step into a somewhat more private area of the warehouse, sectioned off by some disturbing-looking medical curtains on rusting rails that offer visual, if not much auditory, privacy. Eddie figures the noise of vehicles and machinery elsewhere likely drown out any talking that goes on in here anyway.

There’s a screen set up that’s displaying a fuzzy, low quality image of a man sitting in what appears to be a lavish sitting room. There’s a picture of a landscape, or maybe sky, hanging to his left, and the audio quality is marred by a low rumble. Eventually, Eddie’s brain catches up and he realises it’s not a picture at all but a window, and what Eddie can see is clouds and what he can hear is the roar of an engine - the guy’s on a plane. All he can think is, Jeezus, this guy must be loaded.

As the image comes into better focus the figure looks oddly familiar. Eddie’s vaguely reminded of a sci-fi film he saw that had Kirt Russell in it and something about pyramids, but he brushes it aside, more important things on his mind. 

The man is clad in a fedora and an exquisitely tailored suit, and as Eddie is positioned in front of what he presumes is a camera the figure removes his hat and lifts a crystal tumbler containing a deep brown liquid to his lips.

Hopper fills Eddie in.

“This is Mr Reddington. You can speak when he says you can.”

The well-dressed man speaks first, in a voice that’s even more imposing than that of the tall heavy who brought Eddie in here. 

“I understand you have a business proposition for me, young man. I’d like to hear it directly from you, if I may?”

Eddie thinks quickly, describing possible scenarios that he’s come up with. He reiterates the ideas he had earlier, and adds a few more, getting inspiration from horror movies, comics, and even some of his D&D campaigns.

“That does all sound very interesting. And heaven knows we need some levity in this business. But I do need to confer with my colleagues. Chief, what do you think? Does this kid’s idea have legs?”

Hopper and Red have a moment of eye contact, before Hopper sighs loudly and admits, reluctantly,

“It is kinda novel. And he’s basically a good kid, don’t kill him yet, huh? He can be annoying as fuck, but goddamnit if he goes missing we’d have to do at least some kind of an investigation. The amount of people I’d have to interview, the press… The paperwork alone would be hell…”

He pinches the top of his nose, and Red purses his lips, apparently conceding that Hopper’s time would be much better spent doing whatever it is that he does for him rather than wasting it on unimportant matters such as police work. His expression suddenly brightens, and the formerly imposing figure on the screen turns disconcertingly jovial.

“Well, I think it sounds like fun. I’ll tell you what, we’ll try him out for a couple of months and see how he does.”

Hopper turns to look at Eddie.

“Okay, Munson, we’re gonna give you a try. You’d better keep it interesting though, or so help me…”

He makes a small but unsubtle slicing motion across his neck with his thumb. Eddie takes it at face value, knowing he means it.

Red addresses the whole group now.

“You know, this reminds me of the time I was playing miniature golf in Andalucia with the Sultan of Brunei and Jimmy Hoffer. Richard Pryor walked up and asked if any of us knew anything about llama farming. We all looked at him askance, I mean, do any of us look like we did? But then, to my great surprise and delight, the Sultan said…”

The burly dude holds Eddie around the shoulders again, but more gently than before. At least, Eddie assumes it’s gentle. The guy’s stature suggests significantly more physical ‘prowess’, which Eddie’s grateful he's not been on the receiving end of. He’s steered away from the screen and back towards the main area of the warehouse.

Nervously, just before they leave the curtained off area and afraid this might be seen as an offense, Eddie stammers,

“Where’re we- Shouldn’t I…?”

The man’s deep, caramel voice carries easily to Eddie’s ears, as he remarks,

“Trust me, you don’t want to be on the receiving end of any more of Raymond’s epic tales than you absolutely have to be. You can thank me later.”

Eddie looks back over his shoulder, just in time to see Chief Hopper’s brow crinkle and raise in what looks to be a poor facsimile of engagement, and he takes another, deep, swig from his coffee mug. He, apparently, knew he was in it for the duration.

They reach the area where Steve and Rob are still standing, apparently playing some kind of thumb war game. The big guy extends a powerful-looking hand towards Eddie, clasping his own in an iron grip. There’s a soft smile on his face as he looks down and says,

“Welcome to the team. I’m Dembe, by the way.”

Mr Kaplan finishes up a conversation she’s having nearby with another pair of guys with clipboards and conspicuous gun holsters, and as she’s making her way out, she remarks to Eddie,

“You’re in luck, you can start tonight. We’re expecting another package, so you can help these two clowns. God knows they need it.”

Steve frowns, and Rob emits a quiet,

“Hey—”

Mr Kaplan continues,

“No need for anything elaborate right now dearie, save that for next time. But we do need some supplies. Dembe, get him some cash from the office.”

Eddie’s conflicted. He’s confused, excited, relieved, and, yep, still a little wasted.

He does have his typical nervousness about how well he’s actually gonna be able to “perform”, and how long he can keep up the interest in what he’s suggested. Following a brief discussion with Steve and Rob, a few crumpled bills are shoved into his overly-sweaty palm.

Of course, his main thought is, great, I’m not gonna die! At least, not tonight… 

But his overriding concern soon becomes:

Where the hell is he going to find rope, duct tape and a shovel at this time of night??

Next part, ‘Hello, Stranger’

My masterlist

I really hope you enjoyed this little prologue! Please reblog and leave comments, your support means everything to writers 🖤🙏

Tagging my ‘everything�� list, ILY @joejoequinnquinn @jamdoughnutmagician @guiltyasquinn @madaboutmunson @airen256 @sunshinepeachx @the-unforgivenn @skrzydlak @comeonatmebruh @jamiecb66 @80s-addict @abellmunsonmovie @definitionwanderlust @sheneedsrocknroll92 @munson-blurbs @wonderlanddreamer @daisy-munson @maedesculpaeusoubi @kurdtbean @mediocredreams @in2tswft @micheledawn1975 @littlebebebunny @12thatsanumber @alastorssimp @the-baby-angel @eddie-is-a-god @wolfqueenxxx @sassidykassidy @richter-raccoon @1deverland

Also tagging those who commented on/reblogged the first one, just lemme know if you’d rather not be! @bakusquadobsessed @mewchiili @bettyfrommars @pedroschka @transparent-enemy @ali-r3n @fracturedarkness @tinytyphooncloud @alverdekote @elegantkoalapaper @ddaydreamdelusionss @ramona-thorns @vitzi9 @lurkingprincess @cherrysabbath @pullingattheroots

[valjeancrazylover2]

Javert's Inspirations

So, neither option won that poll, so I'm making this post first. This is probably going to be me ranting more about Javerts I like than actually talking about my own Javert.

The characterisations of other characters have been taken from either one primary source, musical actor, or my own personal take. For example, Cosette is mainly inspired by the 1982 film, but has some influence from musical actresses such as Beatrice Penny-Touré.

Exeptions to this is the versions of the characters post-barricade, as from there is where my story mainly diverges, as most Javert & Valjean Live AUs do. Most of that is my own interpretation, since they are no longer in "normal" circumstances.

As such, Javert has been very fun to work on, because there have been many different characterisations that I find VERY entertaining. They all seem to lean into one aspect of his character more than the others, which makes him... strangely versatile, for such a rigid character?

So... what does this mean for my favourite baldie?

-

Let's start with the guy who started it all, and my blog icon: Todd Alan Johnson. There will be several musical Javerts listed here, but nobody was doing it like TAJavert. I blame him in part for getting me into Les Mis, as I had been a fan of TAJ for a while, when I stumbled across him in 2021 in Little Shop of Horrors as Orin Scrivello (my favourite character - can you tell I like villains). After being introduced to Les Mis through the work experience I was doing in Feb 2024, i revisited TAJ, finding out he had in fact played Javert - first in the third national US tour, and a few other times in smaller productions.

Thats when I found the pictures from Surflight's 2013 production.

And thus Chauvert was cemented in the brain. simply couldnt have it any other way. he just HAD to be bald. Because of this, and at the time I began designing him I didn't know anybody else who played Javert (this would later be changed when I saw stewart clarke live, but nothing really changed after that except for the javert bug eye truth to be solidified)

I really wish there was more footage of this production past these photos, because I NEED more of his bald head as Javert. And look at those sideburns! They're all-natural! Plus, i thought his face was a good fit in general for Javert. It's less obvious with his sideburns, but he's got that big jaw, talks with his bottom teeth showing, intense eyebrows, big buggy eyes when he wants them to be.

Pic from him as Sweeney Todd. My Javert's face is just a heavily cariacaturised version of his.

Additionally, I'm sure you're all familiar with jadenvargen/melancholyarchivist's art. I was a fan before, so finding out there was les mis art too was huge. My Javert was always a bit on the larger side, but that one drawing with Javert and Valjean labelled something like "tremendously large man" and "bigger even huger man" or whatever, cant find the piece right now. anyway that definitely confirmed for me that they were BOTH gonna be built and fat, rather than the lanky javert that I see most people draw.

So, that was the foundation.

From here I'm not really sure in what order inspirations came, but next was probably Anthony Perkins in LM1978, because you just dont get more diva that that. We all know how much of a drama queen Javert is, and in fact Perkins was so good at this that the first thing I did after watching this film was go downstairs and ask my mother if Perkins was gay (to which she replied "Oh, absolutely flaming")

My inspiration for Javert usually comes from small, inconsequential little actions or demeanour that catch my eye... Perkins had plenty, as well as a ring on his finger, which I always forget to draw, but my Javert is supposed to have.

Here's a select few bits I like of his, that have directly influenced my Javert. There's probably more, but I can't remember off the top of my head.

1) the walk. 2) the way he hold's the cane??

3) this whole scene, but specifically the there is no monsieur in this room! there is only a scoundrel! line. 4) the way he reacts to finding out valjean is still alive. VERY similar to how it goes down in my canon, just in a different setting/scenario.

outside of 1978, there havent really been any non-musical adaptation Javerts that have particularly stood out to me. I havent watched 1998 but he doesnt look like he'd be like my Javert, and 1982 despite being my favourite adaptation ... did not have the most memorable Javert.

Even in the radio dramas, which i love to death, don't really have much influence over my Javert, since I already have a very clear idea in my head of his speech, and most inspiration comes from visuals. the CBS radio drama probably comes the closest to the way he speaks, though. (his voiceclaims are either roger allam, todd alan johnson, or some random french guy with a really deep voice who came up on my instagram feed once. yes, I'm serious, my javert sounds like that.)

My javert is not exactly expressive, or outwardly "sassy", per se? I think he's more subtly camp, perhaps with the way he stands sometimes. Don't worry, he's still the absolute drama queen he is in the brick, with "would you like my hat?" and all, but he delivers it in a much more flat way. that's why I don't exactly look at the way perkins delivers "monsieur, monsieur le inspector now!" for my javert. yes, he'd say that, but with a little less visible sass, if that makes sense.

Pre-seine, he's expressive in his own way. whenever he loses control a little he's prone to getting visibly angry; distressed (see: losing valjean when chasing him through paris); when you can see him setting his jaw with a visible vein in his head, short-tempered and curt; or that sort of sinister glee with his "bark" of a laugh or patronising sneer. But other than that... you've gotta hear it in his voice. Sorry to all the cuntvert fans out there, my Javert tries to keep it professional when he can, but he's still trying to out-diva everyone at any given opportunity!

So we return to musical Javerts, then.

I've seen a few, so it's hard to gauge who's had an actual effect and who hasn't. There are a few I do know for a fact I have taken little bits from:

Terrence Mann is familiar to everyone I'm sure. sass-central, which contradicts the above paragraph, but he does it in a wonderfully weird and kind of menacing way which i LOVE. My javert leans more into that menacing side of things. He's always JUST in the shadows, just so that you might not notice him, but if you were wary of authority, you'd see him lurking. his stature, you might think would make him a bit lumbering, but he's shockingly agile and snakelike. Think of a tiger. (oh yeah, shere khan from the jungle book is another inspiration i guess, but I won't include him here - we know.) Terrence Mann is delightfully snide and insane and I love it.

Gifs of small bits of his performance I like.

And his soliloquy? oof.. believably absolutely losing his mind.

The Javert who has probably influenced mine the most is Hartwig Rudolz, from the german Duisburg production in the 90s. He's commanding, he's dignified and haughty, he's even got the sinister chipperness about him from time to time (he's chummy with Madeleine in the cart scene, even laughing and smiling with him. While not really my Javert, it's worth a mention. Also does a condescending chuckle when Thenardier asks to be let go before Stars.)

More gifs of bits I like!

Bonus gif, cus that wig is loooong!

Three more would be Nic Greenshields, Jordan Simon Pollard and Michael Ball. They are all great Javerts (which might be a hot take, I'm not sure if ballvert is popular but I've been a fan of his for 5 years so maybe i'm biased.) I can't say TOO much on Nic and Michael acting-wise, because Michael Ball has only been in the arena tours, and the footage ive seen of Nic Greenshields is not the GREATEST quality - but they all have an air of haughty dignity about them, which obviously i try to give my Javert.

Jordan I've had the pleasure of seeing in person, twice, as well as meeting the guy. He's been the understudy for a while. He takes quite an expressive approach to Javert, using mainly his eyebrows, which i definitely think makes up most of my Javert's expressiveness. He really knows how to use his face to act - seriously, I can barely believe it's the same guy ! He usually has quite a furrowed brow, with his chin jutting out a little, standing with his chest puffed out. He's 6'3, and quite broad-chested (seeing as he works out) so you can imagine what kind of a presence that creates.

Both Nic and Jordan, being in the same production (Jordan was Nic's u/s in the UK tour, is now Stewart Clarke's on the West End) had this moment, but after Thenardier asks to be let go, on "it was me what told you so!", they turn and step forward so that Javert is basically chest-to-face with Thenardier (and the guy playing him at the time was like, a foot shorter than the both of them). I liked that a lot. Absolutely something my Javert is doing. He's got the height and the tits for it, there's no way he isn't, cmon

Also, both Nic and Michael also have the benefit of being broader than most Javerts, Nic especially, as he stands at a whopping 6'6, so he's a SERIOUS presence onstage. My javert is around that margin at 6'6-6'7, so that checks.

I know a lot of people say Ballvert is "too cute" or whatever, and i'd totally agree as a michael ball fan, but if you ignore the fact it's Michael Ball, i think he seems a bit more "unsuspectingly cruel" than outwardly intimidating. While this doesn't exactly reflect my Javert, he DOES have some good bits. From my notes when I saw him in the arena tour:

the wway he takes off his gloves in the confrontation was not only kinda sexy (sorry) but a bit foreboding. he has a nice amount of sass, which of course is always appreciated. his general attitude in Stars, too, like he's truly earnest, and someone mentioned how he sings it like a love song - yuuup. His soliloquy is also amazing, the way he portrays Javert as being just so scared of what's happening, but lapsing into anger... ouuh.

I have not fully planned out my Javert's suicide (attempt) yet, how he would be responding, but I've been leaning into the more fearful approach. I mean, his entire worldview has been shattered like that, the entire structure of which he built his life on has just crumbled in front of him, i'd be frightened too.

Anyway, random detail - if you were interested in the origin of Javert's scar, like, from a meta perspective:

Adam Robert Lewis, of course, with his cool nose scar.

My javert had a scar anyway, just a small cut on the lip, probably from a nasty hit to the face which never quite healed right and scarred, but something about ARL's scar really worked... so the scar extended a few inches up the face. It's changed places since then, originally going from the lip to the nose, then from the lip to below the eye, but now it's branched off to both. I still don't have a specific origin for the scar in canon, so you can make one up yourself.

Linking to that scar, and also linking back to Michael Ball - i mistook a shadow on his eye for a burst blood vessel, and thought it would be an interesting look for my Javert. I'm a sucker for temporary details (Javert's moustache post-msurm, for one), so I've given him a bad eye for early M-sur-M. Very recent development.

HONORABLE JAVERT MENTIONS, THAT INSPIRED ME SLIGHTLY OR CEMENTED A SPECIFIC IDEA:

Stewart Clarke. He was the first I physically SAW, and also the one I've seen the most, since he's the current West End Javert. Very good javert, unsettling with those eyeballs, very spitty, which I totally forgot to mention is also an integral part to my Javert. So, thanks Stew! His soliloquy is also just out-of-this-world, seriously. Seek out a recent audio of his if you haven't heard him. He's nuts.

Jeremy Secomb. Sir Eyeballs Supreme. If you want a Javert with an unsettling stare, he's your guy. And he's currently the Bishop in the arena tour! What a way to convince Valjean to be a good guy, just staring him down with your evil fucking peepers. When partnered with Peter Lockyer, they form THE valvert duo, they kissed on video in costume, so many cute photos of them together, and they LOOK the parts. Jeremy looking like those toys you sqeeze and their eyes pop out vs Peter's soft face and kind smile like a golden retriever or something. Seriously perfect.

Nick Rehberger. Current US Javert. Great at really minor acting choices, sassy man apocalypse. Very dignified. VERY handsome. Bit gay. Amazing voice. What more could you want?

Roger Allam. Now, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here. I've already mentioned he's one of the 3 people I cycle through for my Javert's voiceclaim, and there's like NO (publically available) footage of him. I am planning on viewing the footage they do have, but that's some time in the future. The OLCR is my personal listening choice when I'm listening to the musical soundtrack, so Allam is kind of burned into my brain. I know it probably sounds crazy but the way his voice sounds really influenced the way I have Javert physically speak, with his heavy jaw. Anything about his specific physicality is completely imagined - but hopefully not for long.

Chris Murray. Another german Javert I really like, from a 2007 nonrep production. If you like unhinged Javerts with eyeballs for days, he's your man. He's also just greatly unsettling. He almost made the cut with gifs, but unfortunately Terrence Mann won out. He was just a little TOO chipper about things. But i do love how his amiability is very obviously a ruse, with the way he holds a stiff smile in The Robbery on "But where's the gentleman gone / And why on Earth did he run?" (or, the German lyrics, whatever. It's that part of the song.)

Preston Truman Boyd. One part only. He's the reason I gave Javert a moustache and weird little chin beard thing post-msurm. I just thought that was important enough to get a mention, other than that I haven't really seen much of him enough to say.

ANYWAY, that's about it !!

There's probably more i've missed, but it's 5.30am right now, and I'm flagging. Plus, the post is long enough as is.

If you've read this far, I gotta know - who's your favourite Javert, or at least top 5? Have they influenced the way you view Javert in any way?

If you're like me and like taking tidbits from different sources, what are yours? Im curious to know !!! PLEASE tell me!!!!!!

Much love to my favourite bald freak <3

[vladdyissues]

thinking about hurt/comfort, there's a musical that made me kinda. remember. an old AU idea i had that i keep revisiting and only keep putting off because there's some research i gotta do for allusion's sake

-Danny Phantom style Descent of Orpheus (before anyone says it, yes, the musical was Hadestown)

-Vlad dies during Phantom Planet and ends up in his ghost lair, against all expectation. rather than return to his life, which he thoroughly fucked up, he holes up there and begins making it the kind of world where he has no regrets

-meanwhile, in the living world, Danny inherited all his remaining possessions and cat. he is not impressed by this. he is even less impressed when, a few years later, he discovers the VAULT OF STOLEN ARTIFACTS that are FREAKING OUT because the will wasn't enough to actually transfer ownership to Danny and now they're triggering some Poltergeist shit in Vlad's old home. it would only work if Vlad was fully dead

-well... what the fuck? he's not fully dead?! where IS he then?!

-cue Danny tracking down Vlad's lair with Clockwork's help so he can pry the man out of there

that part is about as far as i usually got consistently (lots of ideas, nothing firm) before hearing Hadestown and realizing where i could go from there. once I did, Vlad became a combo of Eurydice and Hades, and Danny a combo of Orpheus and Persephone. at which point:

-Plasmius basically made himself an anachronistic mish mash of everything he associates with power and glory. including a lot of roman empire, because clearly he was having fun there before Danny showed up.

-lots of little indicators he's still full of regrets, familiar faces on background characters, familiar motifs, lots of sad

-Plasmius reveals he can still become human. there's just nothing left for him up there. he is a king here, there he will be the most hated man on Earth. his life is over, just like it will be for Danny one day, and he will not force himself outside of his refuge just to be discarded once again

-that actually does get to Danny. sure, it's because of Vlad's own actions but... there really isn't anything in this for Vlad. and he had been planning to just offer a simple out, in, back to being sad in his lair forever and holy shit that does not feel right

-so he... stays. until he can find something to offer Vlad on the outside

-he fails. he leaves. he returns. more than once. he has to get Vlad to finally transfer those artifacts, but his need to protect is telling him he needs to give Vlad something that's worth leaving

-still have a lot of the third act to plan, but Danny eventually becomes that thing worth leaving for after a lot of getting to know Vlad's many wounds and regrets. and Vlad decides rather than be king of his personal underworld, he'd rather be a kingmaker. it's why he stole the crown of fire and ring of rage without using them in the first place

-and he's sure he knows who he wants to have them some day

-(there would also be a lot of implications that would roll into a possible AGIT based sequel that the half-ghost status is a lot more mystically significant than just an ability to change back and forth)

-featuring a lot of hot king Vlad and a Danny who's so stubborn he doesn't even realize he's catching feelings until it sneaks up on him

I love this I love this. It's extremely cinematic and has so many great visuals (like Hot King Vlad). When do tickets go on sale? I want to book the entire theater, please. ∠( ᐛ 」∠)_

Also, feel free to ignore this if you're not taking suggestions, but that third act? The impetus that finally gets Vlad to return to the human world?

Danny gets captured. And the only person who can save him is Vlad.

Maybe Danny's newly-acquired wealth attracted attention from some unsavory people (GIW, whoever), and because he was so preoccupied visiting Vlad and trying to figure out how to get him to come back to the living world, he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. (Of course he wasn't; he's young and inexperienced and there are things he doesn't know to watch out for. Vlad obviously did, which was how he managed to be such a high-profile individual and yet keep his ghost identity a secret for 20+ years.)

And maybe Vlad began to bond with Danny through his regular visits. Nothing could get him to return to the human world, but he was beginning to enjoy Danny's company. And then suddenly Frostbite or another ghost bursts into Vlad's lair and utters three words: "They got Danny."

Oh shit.

Cue an epic rescue. King Vlad at his hottest and deadliest. Michael Bay explosions. John Williams score. Blood, fire, vengeance, the artifacts firing up at their master's presence, the boss of all boss battles, Duel of the Fates cranked to 11—

[nnnn99999]

I finished watching ep 1 and 2 of bad buddy series and I love it already. I really want to watch more but it's already super late and I need to go sleep. Here are my thoughts on this series so far.

The production is really good so far.

The music really stands out to me. It is used a lot but doesn't feel overdone. I need to rewatch to be sure if it's as intentional as I think it is, but the music adds context to the scenes which is fun.

This show is so funny. Not in a cringey way either. More like a lighthearted and natural way. Like I found myself genuinely laughing out loud at times.

Pat, Pran and Pa are so adorable.

The baby versions of the characters are so cute oh my motherly heart.

I am really digging the PatPran frenemy dynamics. I need to see more before I elaborate why I like their dynamics so much. I just adore them already.

When I look at Pat I just see a husky.

Pran seems to be the most self aware character so far. I want to see if he will be the first one to notice the dynamic shift as their relationship changes.

Seeing the PatPa sibling dynamic made me appreciate my sister so much. Sure, she often uses the older sister card to make me do stuff, but at least she is not gross. Also she gives me tasks, not chores. Yes Pat I am telling you to stop making Pa do your chores. Justice for younger siblings who have to do chores for their older siblings!

The PatPran fake fighting is so funny. Baby PatPran falling over when their hands are a mile away from each other was so hilarious. The adult version of the fake fighting is actually one of my favorite scenes so far. I need to revisit this when I am done watching the whole thing because I know there's a lot I missed here.

I hate when parents try to indoctrinate their children. Just let them breathe okay? Have your feuds and friends and whatever without dragging your children into it. Also stop putting pressure on your children and let them do what they want. Just give them the freedom to grow. They are their own person, so let them explore themselves on their own. Ugh I'll leave it at that for now but I already have so much more to say about both sets of parents and I can tell its probably going to get worse. Like I know they love their children a lot but ugh. I just know these parents are going to piss me off later on in this show. I just know it.

That one scene where Pat touches Pran's face without washing his hands after peeing was so gross. I know Pat is gross in general but that was too much.

The number of times I went 'boys being idiots' in just 2 eps is astounding. This is the brand of idiocy I have only ever seen within a group of boys. These boys sent me back to my school days. I have seen these exact scenes and conversations happen. Especially the one where Pran's friends tease him about being hit on. I will never forget that tone of voice. Even the getting ready to fight at the drop of a hat is so familiar. The number of times I have seen boys getting all up in each others' faces for the stupidest reasons imaginable are countless. I have never seen boys actually fight in school but I had a guy friend tell me all about their fights outside of school. Then these same boys who were punching each other because one hit the other with a paper bullet launched from a rubber band slingshot(they were having a war in class and I almost got hit multiple times) would hug each other and jump around when the school team won a sports match. Also, their collective IQ seems to magically disappear when they are together and they are left with half a braincell to be shared by the whole group. That's why they become boys being idiots.

OhmNanon are undoubtedly the stars of this show and not just because they are the main characters. They are doing such a great job of selling me their characters. Their scenes together are so fun to watch.

I am going to write a separate post about Ohm Pawat specifically because I already have so much to say about him.

Yeah I think that's about it. Actually there is more but I want to see how some things develop before I comment on those. @airenyah I am so glad I can share this with you. I love it so much already. I totally understand the obsession, I am quickly getting there too. Like I want to rewatch it already. I knew I was going to like bbs considering our mutual love for simm and ha but I really didn't expect to like it so much already. I didn't even watch the trailer, I just jumped into the 1st ep directly. And well I am having a blast!

[jeridandridge]

Hello!

If your requests are still open I would like to request a Mel x reader when they went to college together but after Mel came back to Philly and the reader to California. They never lost touch but now the reader is coming to work in Philly and Mel revisits old feelings. Can you make it with a happy ending? Thank you!

This is long, I hope you dig it as much as I had fun writing it. 🩷

All I Wanted

It started decades ago in a dorm room. You and Melissa were inseparable and were part of a friend group dubbed the ‘brat pack.’ All these years later you still had those same feelings for the red head.

“I dunno, Red. He was kinda boring.” You hum from your spot on the floor. You went on a date earlier in the night, and of course it didn’t go well. A date can’t go well when you’re in love with someone else.

“Maybe the next one will be it.” She gives you a half hearted smile. She felt relief hearing it hadn’t gone well, a burning feeling in her stomach arose whenever you had a date. She knows she’s selfish. She’s with Joe after all. She shouldn’t have these feelings.

“What about you?” You question looking up from the magazine you were thoughtlessly flipping through. “Is Joe the one?”

Melissa bites her lip not meeting your eyes right away. She wanted to wait until after graduation. She wanted just a little bit more time with you.

“He asked me to marry him.”

You’re certain the pain in your chest is your heart breaking. Never the less, you school your features and plaster the best fake smile on your face.

“I’m happy for you, Mel.”

Today you walk around your studio in California instructing movers where to put things as you hold your phone to your ear.

“Hey, Red. Miss me?” You grin into the phone when Melissa answers.

“Where the hell you been? I’ve called and texted you a thousand times. You’re lucky I didn’t get on a plane and come out there.” Melissa smiles into the phone.

She loved the almost daily phone calls you two shared, never missing a day no matter what time zone you were in or what was going on in your lives.

“That’s why I’m calling you.” You laugh. “I’m moving back to Philly.”

Melissa lights up nearly dropping the bottle of wine she’s holding. “You better not be playing with me, y/n.” She scolds and she leans against the kitchen counter.

“I’m serious. I’m the new director of the Philadelphia museum of art. You’re gonna be stuck with me for a while, Red.”

Melissa’s eyes are watering at the knowledge of you coming back. She’d missed you the last four years that you were in California and now, she feels like she’s getting a second chance with you.

A week later you’re grinning like an idiot when you see Melissa pull up to the curb to pick you up. She immediately gets out of the truck running over and barreling into you.

Your entire body relaxes when your arms wrap around her and the scent of her perfume hits your nose.

“I can’t believe you’re here.” She squeezes you.

“You can’t get rid of me for too long, Mel.” You beam rubbing her back before you pull away.

With your bags loaded up you can’t take your eyes off of her as you two talk, catching up about the last few days.

“You got a place already or what? You’re coming back to my house anyway.” She smiles not leaving you room to argue.

“I have an apartment downtown. Right down the street from the Eagles Stadium.” You grin.

When you get to Melissa’s you look at the house realizing joe lived here before their divorce. You never came back to Philly after they were married. Your friendship with Melissa had been full of phone calls and post cards sent from wherever you were working at the time, and her coming to visit you.

“Dang, Schmmenti. This is nice.” You smile as you wheel your bags in.

“Not bad for a teachers salary, eh?” She teases.

“Hey, you know I was about two seconds away from being a teacher too.” You remind her.

Melissa can’t help but shake her head with a smile. After all this time you were standing in her house, your bags by the door.

“Cmon, make yourself at home, I have a fresh bottle of wine for us.”

Kicking off your shoes and hanging your jacket up you follow her into the kitchen, smiling sadly when you see a photo of you two from graduation day on her wall. The smile hadn’t really reached your eyes even though Melissa was clinging to you. You knew by then that she was marrying joe and you would be going to Portland for a job.

“Hey, we have to drink before we go down memory lane.” She smiles handing you a glass.

You laugh happily taking it.

“I was admiring the layout. This place is very you.”

“Yeah, I’ve had a while to make it my own.” She nods before she takes your hand to drag you to the couch. When you two plop down you two are so close you rest your hand on her thigh as you sip your wine.

“I’m so glad you’re back. I couldn’t take another trip around all those hippies.”

You laugh gently squeezing her thigh. “Everyone in Californias a hippie?”

“The ones you worked around? Duh.”

You’ve missed this so much. Over the phone it’s just not the same. You were ready to settle into life in Philly again.

Almost a week later you’ve gotten into the swing of things again, happy to be in familiar territory. You fall into work easily making friends with your new colleagues and finding the work fascinating. On top of all of this, you go to Melissa’s almost every night for dinner and tonight would be no different except you’re meeting Melissa’s friend Barb.

When you get to Melissa’s you walk upto the door stopping in your tracks when you hear the two women through the screen door.

“Melissa it’s been long enough, don’t you think you deserve a chance at being happy? I haven’t even met the woman and I know she loves you more than joe ever did.”

Your breath hitches in your throat. You take a deep breath to calm yourself before you knock on the screen door and go in. When you do Melissa shoots up from the couch with a smile. “Hi, hon.”

“Hey, Red.” You beam holding up a bottle of wine. “I brought the good stuff.” You joke, “You must be Barbara, it’s so great to finally meet you.”

“Likewise, y/n. I feel like I know you already from what Melissa’s told me about you.”

“Oh no,” you laugh. “I hope she hasn’t talked your ear off. I’m pretty boring.”

Melissa scoffs as she takes the wine from you. “You’re not boring. Come sit down, I’ll get the food out.”

“Let me help you,” you follow her resting your hand on the small of her back.

Dinner goes just as amazing as you thought it would, although thanks to some of Barbara’s comments you have questions.

“I swear I’ve gained five pounds this week just from all the home cooked meals.” You laugh before taking another bite of Melissa’s freshly made garlic bread.

“You need it, all that kale and green juice crap out there.” She rolls her eyes. You can’t help but laugh and smile at her adoringly.

When the night wraps up, you start on the dishes and miss the look Barb gives her friend before she leaves.

“You’re Barb approved.” Melissa grins coming up beside you.

“I’m glad. I’ve been wanting to meet her for years.” You beam. “I was happy knowing you had someone here for you while I couldn’t be.” You try to make it sound as casual as possible, but the guilt you’ve felt all these years is bubbling to the surface. You want her to admit to what you heard.

“But you were there for me, hon. I had the phone bills to prove it.” She smiles reaching over to take the plate from your hands.

“I was cleaning that.” You chuckle.

“Leave it, c’mere. I wanna talk to you.”

She’s turned around and over by the couch before you can say anything. As you dry your hands you take a deep breath. Everything would be fine you told yourself.

Sitting down you curl your legs under you and eye your friend. “What’s up?”

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, ya know?” She hums playing with one of the gold rings on her finger.

“Uh oh.” You tease wanting her to relax a bit.

“Shut up.” She laughs. You reach over entangling your fingers together when she meets your eyes. God she was beautiful.

“Do you remember when I was angry at you for not coming to my wedding?”

The question hits you like a brick. Your mind snaps back to that time over twenty years ago. Instead of going back to the Philadelphia area you hopped on a plane to London, drinking and fucking your feelings for the red head away.

“I do.” It comes out hoarse and almost scared.

You’d never seen Melissa so nervous before in your entire friendship.

“I wanted you there to talk me outta doing it.” She admits with a soft look.

“Does this admission have to do with what Barbara said before I came in?”

“You heard that?” She nods like she knew. You smile squeezing her hand.

“I’d like to make you happy, Mel. It’s all I’ve wanted to do since we were in that shoe box of a room. I couldn’t watch you marry Joe. I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t have been able to interrupt it either. If I walked in there I would’ve been brought out in handcuffs.”

Melissa’s eyes are glossed over, a tear slides down her cheek.

“All I wanted was you.”

You can’t take the sight of her crying. Scooting closer you practically pull her onto your lap and brush the tear away with your thumb.

“You’ve always had me, Red. I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember.”

Melissa doesn’t waste any more time. Cupping your cheeks she leans in meeting your lips in a kiss she’s wanted to share for a long time.

[justmeinadaze]

We're A Family Part 8 (Steddie X You)

A/N: This chapter is kind of more Eddie based than Steddie but both are still present and cute with Aurora and Dylan. I know in past chapters Eddie has always been very good with Dylan and kind of comes off more as like the fun dad so I wanted to write a chapter that explores more of the protective side of him when it comes to the reader's son. He's shown it of course with the reader and Aurora when he found out she was pregnant so :)

Warnings: This is more of an angsty chapter with fluff and some smut. There is mediation again between the reader and Charlie with lawyers and he degrades her (calls her a slut/whore). He does something extremely stupid when it comes to Dylan (Hopper has to get involved) so her son calls Eddie to help him. Eddie alludes to certain details when it comes to life before Wayne.

Word Count: 3261

“Are you kidding me?! She’s fucking two men, changed her name like that makes her fantasy scenario real, and she got pregnant! I haven’t even gotten remarried and yet she’s the better influence on my son?!”

“I think it’s convenient that you left out how you were fucking other women WHILE we were married.”

You and Charlie glare at each other across the mediation table. You really did have every intention of giving visitation back to your ex but right now he wasn’t make a great case for himself. You weren’t going to allow Dylan to be alone with him if he was going to continue to act like this and, honestly, your son still hadn’t expressed any interest to visit with his dad. 

“Last time I spent time with my son was almost a year ago. I think it’s been more than enough time to revisit visitation!”

Glancing at your lawyer you allowed her to speak for you. “We absolutely can but that’s not what this is. I mean you’re claiming that her environment is unfit but all you want is visitation?”

“My son needs a good influence in his life.”

“Yeah and he has three in the house.”

He starts to speak but his lawyer shooshes him. “Lidia, we can talk about visitation at least and go from there.”

“We can talk about it but the fact of the matter is, Dylan doesn’t seem to want to go over and Y/N doesn’t feel comfortable with him being alone in his care. Apparently, we tried that 10 months ago and it didn’t work out so well.”

“Just because I found out she was a whore and having my son call other men ‘daddy’.”

“Ok, we’re done here. If that’s how he wants to be then we’ll see you in court.”

#################

“He said what?!”

“Eddie, calm down.”

“Baby, DON’T…don’t tell me to calm down.”, he sighed as he leaned back in his chair. “He has no right to talk to you that way.”

“There’s nothing I can do.”, you shrug. Steve’s eyes shift between you both as he bounces Aurora in his arms. “I mean everyone else is calling me that.”

“That doesn’t make it ok and thankfully no one has had the balls to say it around us including your ex because they know we’ll beat the shit out of them.”

“Oh really, freak?” You playfully wink as he makes a face at you. 

Dylan slides into the kitchen and climbs on to a chair at the table as he places his homework in front of you. “Mom, I need help.”

“Good thing you came to me because I don’t think these two can handle eight-year-old math.”

“Did you hear that, Ro? Mommy thinks she’s so funny. Yes, she does.” The baby coos and smiles at Steve as he mocks you.

Later that night as Eddie put Dylan to bed, you and Steve sat together in your room playing with Aurora.

“Dada. Can you say Dada?”, he grins up at her as she leans back against his knees. Steve cranes his neck to try and look at you as you lay on your back beside him. “What was Dylan’s first word?”

“Mama.”, you smile as you reach out to pinch her cheeks. “Mama? Do you think we should give you both your own name?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean Neil Patrick Harris’s kids call their dads ‘Dad and Papa’. Should we do something like that?”

“I think it would be more confusing for her. I mean Dylan says ‘Dad’ to us both. It’s already going to be interesting enough explaining why he calls us ‘Eddie and Steve’.”

“Yeah…THAT will be the interesting part.”, you giggle. “I told him I changed my name and he said that was cool.”

“Good. I’m glad he likes that. Yeah? You like that to, honey?” His grin grows with Aurora’s. “Mommy’s last name is the same as yours.”

“What did mommy do now?” Eddie sighs as he jumps into bed beside Steve, leaning in to give the baby sloppy kisses on her cheek as she laughs and reaches for him. He places her on his stomach, laying her back against his knees. 

“Dylan also mentioned something to me but you can’t tell him I told you. I think he should talk to you himself but I think you guys should be prepared.” You sit up and cross your legs as you face them. “He said…he’s been wanting to call you dad full time…as in no more ‘Eddie and Steve’. He’s just nervous because of everything with Charlie and he knows it will make his dad angry.”

“What did you say to that?”

“I told him it was his choice. If he feels comfortable then he should be able to.” Your eyes flick between them. “What are we thinking?”

“Can I ask you something?” Eddie continues when you nod. “If he wanted to call Vivian ‘mom’, would you be ok with it?”

“I…would be ok with it in the sense of…that’s how he feels and what he wants. It would still hurt a bit that he would be saying it to the woman Charlie hurt me with me but…” Steve reached out to run his thumb along your face. “I told Dylan whenever he was ready, he should talk with you both so you can tell him how you feel.”

###########

“Hawkins Auto Repair. This is Eddie.”

“Eddie?”

“Dylan? What’s going on, kid?” The metalhead glances at the caller id, noticing it’s not the elementary schools or your cell phone number. “Are you ok?”

“My dad picked me up from school. I told him I needed to call mom to let her know but he said I shouldn’t. Eddie, I want to go home.”

Eddie’s cell phone starting buzzing in his pocket, realizing he had a few missed calls from you and Steve. 

“Ok, kid. Sit tight. I’m on my way.”

****

Eddie’s van skidded down the street just as he pulled up to Charlie’s house. 

He quickly got out, banging on the front door until it swung open and to his surprise Vivian was standing on the other side.

“I told him this was a bad idea.”

“Where’s Dylan?”

She points towards the back of the house but as the metalhead walks down the hallway, Charlie exits a room, meeting him halfway. 

“You’re not taking my son. He’s safer with me than with you freaks.”

“Said the man who just basically kidnapped him. How fucking stupid are you? Do you really think Y/N’s going to ever let you see him now?”

“I don’t care what that slut thinks or does—”

Eddie stepped forward till he was right in Charlie’s face. Both men were about the same height but Eddie’s fury made him seem so much taller.

“Watch your fucking mouth. The only reason I haven’t hit you yet is because Dylan is around somewhere and is scared enough but if you insult his mother one more fucking time…I swear to God, Charlie.”

“My son isn’t scared.”

“Oh yeah? Then why did he call me begging for me to come pick him up?”

“Dad?”

Dylan’s head poked out of a room with his backpack on his shoulders. 

“Dil, keep playing your video games and I’ll be right there…”

Both men watched as your son carefully slid around Charlie’s angry, intimidating frame into Eddie’s arms who immediately picked him up and held him protectively.

“Dad, I want to go home.”

Your ex exhaled, closing his eyes as he realized his son wasn’t referring to him but the man holding him. Eddie took the opportunity, turning around and heading out the front door with his son in his embrace.

#################

You were pacing in the living room as Steve spoke with Chief Hopper in the kitchen. As soon as the front door swung open, Dylan ran through searching for you. 

He tackled your body and you picked him up into your arms, not caring that he was much heavier and harder to lift now that he was older. 

“Are you ok?! Where were you?! What happened?!”

“Charlie picked him from school and took him back to his house.” 

Both you and Steve looked at Eddie, your eyes filled with more fury than they had ever seen. “I’m gonna fucking kill him.” As you started to head for the door, the chief cut you off and pulled you back into the kitchen.

“Ah, no. No killing. At least hatch your plan when a police officer isn’t here. What…what do you want to do now, Y/N? Do you want us to go get him and bring him in?”

You glanced at Dylan who was still hugging your waist as you ran your fingers through his hair. You looked over at Eddie, who’s arms were folded as his concerned eyes kept scanning over your son. 

“We never had a mom who cared about us the way you do with your son…”

“Yeah…let’s, um, let’s do that.”

#################

“Hey, princess.” Eddie slid down next to you on the steps leading into the backyard, lighting a cigarette before offering you one that you gladly accept. “What’s running through your mind, baby?”

“Was he scared? When you picked Dylan up, did he seem terrified?”

“I wouldn’t say scared. Confused. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t call you and tell you where he was.”

“I’m glad he was able to reach you…”

Eddie blows a cloud of smoke from his lips as he wraps his arm around your shoulders. “Hey. He’s ok. He’s a smart kid and knew exactly what to do. You did the right thing to by telling Hop to arrest him. This wasn’t ok, sweetheart. He needs to understand that he can’t do things like this.”

“I didn’t want this for my son. I… I don’t want him to go through what you went through.”

Eddie took the cigarette out of your hand, squishing it with his in the ashtray, and promptly tugged you into his chest as he held you to him. 

“Y/N, he won’t. He has so many people that love him and are there for him including the man that was there for me. He’s going to be alright, baby.” You pulled back and gently kissed his lips. “I think it’s worth noting… Vivian is on his side to. She’s the one who let me in and said she tried to talk Charlie into bringing Dylan back to you.”

You nod as you wipe your eyes and head back into the house. Steve was on the floor scrolling through his phone as Dylan laid next to Aurora as she played. As you sat next to him, Steve flashed you his phone showing you text messages from Hopper. He had arrested Charlie, processed him, and whenever you, Eddie, and Dylan were ready to come down and fill out some forms. 

You leaned against the man’s shoulder as he kissed your forehead. 

“Eddie? Steve?”, Dylan called their names without looking in their direction as he reached out to tickle his sister who cooed. 

“Sup, little man.”

“Can I call you dad now like Ro will? All the time?” He was still looking away from them, almost as if he was afraid of their answer.

“Of course, kid.”, Eddie smiled.

“Of course. As long as you’re comfortable.”, Steve follows.

“Cool… and you’ll call me your son?”

“We already do.”

His little face finally looked up to meet the three of yours, grinning. As he began to stand to head upstairs, Steve reached for his shirt and pulled him back to give him a hug. Dylan let him go to hug Eddie before giving you a kiss on the cheek and running up the stairs. 

#############

You had so much trouble sleeping that night, thinking about the day’s events and everything that happened. You thought about little Eddie seeing his dad arrested and behind bars, picturing him feeling so confused and alone. You imagined that’s why he knew what to do and kicked into protective dad mode to get his son back where he knew he was safe. 

Then, you couldn’t help but think about Charlie. When you met him, you knew he had problems with his stepdad. He always told you he would never do anything to hurt Dylan or make him feel like he was unloved. Retracing the memories of your marriage, you wondered how he got from there to here. He probably felt like this was the best option to getting his son back after feeling like he was slowly slipping away. Charlie was desperate. What he went through didn’t excuse the behavior but you couldn’t help but sympathize with him. 

Your hand reached out caress Eddie’s cheek when you saw him sigh in his sleep. Scooting closer to him, you pressed your forehead to his as you wrapped your arms around his neck. His palm slid down your lower back, pulling your hips to his as you wrapped your leg around his waist. 

You marveled at the impulse; the fact that for him that was an automatic reaction as he still slept soundly. 

“Eddie?” You gently pecked at his lips as you whispered his name. “Eddie.” 

He softly exhaled before slowly reciprocating your kisses. “Hm… what’s going on, babe?”, he grumbled in a sleepy tone. 

“Nothing. I just…can you make love to me?” 

Without hesitation, Eddie rolled you on to your back, kissing your cheek and neck, down your body until his head disappeared under the covers. On the other side of you, you felt a warm chest press against your side as Steve’s hand grazed your stomach. His eyes were still closed as his breath warmed your ear. 

“Do you just need Eddie, honey?”

You moaned when you felt the metalhead’s tongue play with your clit. “Please…I always need you both. Fuck.”

One of your hands reached down to rub the bulge in Steve’s boxers as your other pressed Eddie closer to you. Steve’s own palm ran over your smooth skin and along your breasts as he delicately kissed your neck. 

Eddie always had a way of knowing what you needed when it came his lips between your legs. His mouth and tongue devoured you in all the right ways until you felt your legs shake and you came, him licking you clean before tenderly kissing your thighs.

After gradually climbing back up your body, you opened your legs and wrapped them around his waist as he guided himself into your entrance. You both moaned as his head fell into the nook of your neck, thrusting his hips at a steady pace as your fingers tangled in his hair. 

“Thank you, Eddie. Mmm—not just for today but—mmm—for everything. I love you both so much.”

The metalhead’s movements stopped as he lifted his head to look down at your face, his eyes much more coherent. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“Nothing—”

“No, not nothing.”

Your eyes turn towards Steve who also seems more awake as he waits for your answer. 

“You don’t talk about your life in detail before Wayne. I understand that and you know I would never push you.” Your palm reaches up to caress his cheek. “I just…after today and everything you did for him…I keep picturing little Eddie being alone and scared…”

Eddie gently smiles as he begins thrusting into you again, leaning down to kiss your lips. “Sweetheart, little Edward Munson went through some shit. That’s why you four —mmm—are safe with me. I get it and like—mmm—Steve said Aurora and Dylan are going to have a better life.”

You whimper as he pumps into you faster, hitting those spots that make your toes curl. “I love you, baby. Cum for me, princess.”

As his forehead falls on yours, you pant soft moans against his lips as you cum, your pussy clinging to him as he follows after, spilling his seed inside you. 

While Eddie places tiny pecks down your neck, you glance at Steve as he curls into his frame, stroking his cock as he cums. 

“Steve…I could have—”

“No. You and Eddie needed this. I’m fine, baby, trust me.” He rises from the bed, heading for the bathroom to get a rag as Eddie pulls himself out of you and rolls to his side. 

“Unlike my dad, Y/N, I genuinely believe… Charlie wasn’t being malicious. I think he felt trapped. It’s no excuse though. For Dylan’s sake, hopefully, he’ll really shape up now.”

Steve returned quickly taking care of you before bouncing back into bed and pressing himself to your side. A breathy laugh escapes his chest as the baby monitor lights up, Aurora’s gentle cries filling the room. 

“I got her. You two try and get some more sleep. You have an interesting day ahead of you.”

############

Eddie sat with Dylan in Hopper’s office as they filled out their statements of the events that had unfolded. You had already completed yours since there wasn’t much to tell besides what your court order states and the panic you felt when you went to pick up your son and he wasn’t there. 

As you sat just outside waiting for them, a tiny figure took a seat beside you on the bench you were sitting at. Vivian’s sympathetic eyes met yours as she turned to give you here full attention. 

“I’m sorry for what he did. I had no idea he was even planning to do that. When he came home with Dylan, I thought…I thought you had said it was okay. But then he asked to call you and Charlie said no and…”, she exhales as she tries to form her next words. “I know… you hate me and you have every right to but I hope you know that I love your son very much. I want Charlie to be in his life but he needs to do this the right way and this”, Vivian gestures absently around the police station. “This wasn’t it.”

You nod as she speaks, absorbing her words. It comforted you to know that she cared for your son that way and should he ever go back to that house in the future she had his best interest at heart. Just like with Eddie and Steve, Dylan was safe with her. 

“I don’t hate you. Not anymore anyway.” You flash he a tiny smile. “I hate that—”

“No, no, Y/N. You don’t have to… I get it.”, she cut you off. 

“Hey, Vivi.”, Dylan grinned as he walked over to give her a hug. 

“Everything ok?”, Eddie asked.

“Yeah. We were just talking.” You smile reassuringly as you rise to your feet. 

“You made the payment, Vivian?” She nods at Hopper’s question. “Alright, let me make a quick call and they’ll bring him down here. Y/N, I’ll finish typing all this up and send it to you later to get to Lidia.”

It’s your turn to look at Vivian with sympathy as she shrugs. “My father owns that hardware store in town. He took out another mortgage so we could bail him out.”

Eddie sat beside her and without warning yanked her into his arms. Dylan watched them with wide eyes trying to understand. You on the other hand, understood exactly what was happening and the metalhead affirmed it as he pulled away.

“My mother did this dance a lot. So many times in fact that we lost our house and she lost her job. Make sure he understands, Vivian, you’re only going to do it once.” ################ @adequate-superstar @kalinaselennespeaks @luna-munson83

@notasimp4joey @manda-panda-monium @decadentwombatmiracle

@katie-tibo @marsupiooo @local-stoner-bitch @steamystrangerfics

@lunatictardis @adaydreamaway08 @hazydespair

@actuallyspencerreid @moviefreak1205

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@strngrlytn @idkidknemore @damon-loves-pie @k-k0129

@micheledawn1975 @eddie86baby

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@chelebelletx @big-ope-vibes @munsonzzgf

[gabessquishytum]

I was revisiting the old "Dream has only had bad sex" prompts, and now I'm making everyone else revisit it too.

I'm imagining a human au with trans Dream, where all the guys he's been with have more or less ignored his pleasure in favor of their own, and they make stupid, transphobic excuses about how "girls" just don't come from sex like guys do, or how it's "supposed" to hurt sometimes, or that it's probably the testosterone making it so it doesn't feel good. And Dream is Tired and so he ends up believing them.

Enter Hob, gentleman service top extraordinaire.

Hob is HORRIFIED to learn that no one has ever gone down on Dream before!! And that he thinks sex is always uncomfortable for the receiver!

Later he'll get the names of Dream's past hookups so he can run them down with his car, but for now it's more important to get Dream writhing and moaning with pleasure he didn't even know was possible (Hob definitely cums in his pants with his face between Dream's legs and Dream learns that apparently he's a squirter)

🦇

Absolutely delicious!!! I absolutely adore trans Dream, and I can quite easily imagine that he would have had some... interesting sexual experiences. He's had some okay times but mostly it's been been pretty "eh". He enjoys the intimacy of it all, but he's kinda given up on the whole idea of being able to cum during a sexual encounter.

And then he meets Hob, who never ever treats him with anything other than great respect. He's very interested in Dream’s pretty pussy (who wouldn't be) but he never pushes, and never treats Dream as anything other than a (very pretty) boy. Dream is absolutely enamoured with Hob and is very much looking forward to having sex with him - but his expectations are basically quite low.

Hob starts asking him what he likes, how he'd like to be touched, what's the best way to make him feel good? And Dream doesn't really know what to say. So he just tells Hob to fuck him.

Hob is only too happy to do that, but of course he's got to make Dream feel good first! He keeps it basic as he's not sure what Dream will enjoy but he employs his best techniques of foreplay. Kissing, touching, nuzzling up to Dream’s cunt and eventually suckling on his beautiful clit.

It's far from uncomfortable for Dream. In fact, he has a lot of trouble stopping himself from making very embarrassing sounds. He squirms and shakes and he even manages to cum! He grinds his pussy onto Hob’s face and he's absolutely mortified afterwards but Hob is loving it!!! He's so happy that Dream is having fun!!! He's absolutely just cum all over his own underwear!!!!

Afterwards Hob snuggles up to Dream and presses kisses all over the surgery scars on his chest, and he gently asks if he did ok? Did he make it good for him? And Dream is just like. Trying to remember how to breathe. He softly admits that it was very much the best he's ever had (Hob wants to dance around the room at that point). He would really, really like Hob to fuck him properly, please.

And of course Hob agrees..... he just needs a minute to get it up again. He's still recovering from coming all over himself. Somehow he doesn't think it'll take long before he's ready to go again. He can still taste and smell Dream’s essence on his lips. Although it's obviously terrible that Dream has had so many terrible sexual experiences, Hob can't help but feel very smug that he's the only one who's ever tasted that delicious cum <333

And it's fair to say that Dream is now addicted to Hob ;D

[chuckle-lore]

Episode 2- February 6 2021- Holy shit we got lore

Lore-

To make things clear: whenever I mention someone in the lore section, I am strictly referring to their CS! character. (Also, sorry for being inconstant with time stamps but I was watching with my mom and I didn’t want to annoy her by rewinding every two minutes)

4:31 Schlatt says that Ted tried to snipe him for being absent

Ted both ogles Charlie and talks shit about his appearance (specifically his nose)

Charlie mentions how he can easily throw Ted off a roof and catch him before he falls on the ground and this is considered one rep. This implies that Charlie is much faster than the average human and is stronger than one as well even if it’s slightly.

20:10ish we get to know about “Two-Faced Teddy” which is the nickname Schlatt and Charlie use for Ted

Charlie mentions that Ted cries black tears which are later to be confirmed to be tar

Ted admits he is a demon and talks to voices in his head. He tells one of said voices that he refuses to kill Charlie and Schlatt. Wether these are voices in his head or of a higher power is unclear but they do seem to have at least some influence over Ted.

“There’s a lot of gray in the black and white” this quote from Schlatt that 1) goes hard and 2)implies his morally dubious nature

Schlatt gives rabies to animals and shoots them. The ability to give rabies is called the “rabies radar”

These three are messy bitches that ruin each other’s merch/photos for the drama

33:20 Schlatt “went back” and changed the three’s contracts so he can have 50% of the profits. I am interpreting this to be either the works of time travel or reality bending, but with the phrasing of “went back” I am personally leaning towards time travel.

The current profit split is Schlatt 50%, Charlie 30%, and Ted 20%, neither Ted or Charlie seem satisfied with this cut

Some time in the Charlie’s youth, he almost was dragged into a foam pit to drown by Ted, Charlie ends up escaping just to find out Ted was now his coach. The only ways I can think of this working is if Ted has the ability to either teleport, extreme speed, some type of time manipulation, reality bending or a mix of multiple options. Either way Ted is op.

Originally the bottom of foam pits were portals that take you to the end in Minecraft but this was quickly changed to be diseased ridden areas that creatures and Ted lurked in

To summarize the lore: Ted is a demon, Schlatt and Charlie are have some type of abilities and are possibly not human, and all three of them are petty

Thoughts: This episode was just so much fun, everyone was goofing around and I’m surprised that I never revisited this episode before starting this project but I had such a good time. If I had to recommend an episode to a new watcher, it would be this one 9/10 go watch it if you haven’t.

Things I noted:

I love seeing the fanart in the beginning and I wish they bring it back

There’s a frame that made it look like Schlatt was giving birth and I did NOT needed to see that (this docked a point from my score

The lighting in Ted’s room improved

My attention was distributed more evenly in here compared to the first episode where it felt like Charlie and Schlatt took up most of it

We see that one picture of roided up Charlie which I think is pretty iconic and am conflicted about it being considered lore. They all confirm that’s what Charlie looks like but the photo originated from twitter which violates the first requirement to becoming lore (content must’ve originated from chuckle sandwich) I am debating with myself whether or not I can consider this the official cs!Charlie designed.

(Original notes and roided Charlie under the cut)

[lavampira]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love💗(hello dani i'm ready for you to rip my heart out)

ty beloved this is so sweet and fun to revisit my writing!! 🥺💚

a solemn vow | d’alia/sidurgu

“I wanted to let you know I will be gone awhile,” D’alia says quietly, low enough for only him to hear, with her hand still on the unopened door. “I’m not yet sure when I’ll return.”

“Oh?”

Sidurgu shifts in her peripheral, curiosity laced with trepidation leaking from his voice in one simple word, but he doesn’t ask the burning question that she knows must be on the tip of his tongue. She risks a glance at him, tilting her head up to see him better in the dim lighting of the small room. His gaze remains sharp and unreadable with limbal rings aglow, half-hidden behind the silvery hair flopped over his forehead, all but pinning her in place as he observes her in turn.

D’alia isn’t quite sure what brings it to mind right then, but she finds herself struck by the fleeting thought that he must have watched Fray walk out that door, too, only to never return, leaving Sidurgu alone with their pact to protect that small child from the Temple Knights hunting her. Now here she is in Fray’s place, having made the same oath to keep Rielle safe so that he isn’t alone though her duty summons her away from the city. Guilt claws up her chest until it lodges itself in her throat.

lazy kisses in bed | d’alia/sidurgu

A twitch of a smile tugs at his lips. “I can’t shut the window from here.”

“I— That wasn’t entirely what I meant.”

Sidurgu stares at her for several painfully long seconds with a pinched brow, long enough that warmth spreads up her neck and settles in her cheeks. Realization crosses his face only moments later, and though he glances away from her with a quiet oh slipping past his lips, his motion resumes to settle instead with his back to the headboard, and holds out his arm in silent invitation.

The blankets pool around her waist as D’alia sits up enough to move, gooseflesh rippling over her exposed limbs, but she sinks into the warmth of his side. Impulsively, she presses her lips to the pale, scarred skin of his broad shoulder. And again, as she shifts sluggish and slow, to a patch of dark scales above his heart. But then he leans down to meet her, winding his hand into her rosy hair as she braces a hand on his chest for purchase, and kisses her lazily but long, absorbed in the throes of the early morning.

a night in paris | lon/ethan

A low laugh bubbled out of him as Ethan nudged him, taking the spare glass as he shifted closer to his side, enough to touch, the warmth of him seeping through that singular point of contact. Lon’s breath hitched in his throat, hiding it behind his glass while he took a sip. And then it released in a slow exhale with the reminder of the others like them around them, and he eased against his side, too.

Ethan glanced up at him again after a time, flashing him a shyer smile than he’d ever seen from him. “What’s a fella got to do for a dance with you?”

“Weren’t you just out there?”

“Not with you.” Tossing back the remainder of his drink, Ethan set aside his glass, and then motioned for Lon’s nearly empty one as well. “And now our hands are free.” His stubbled lips tilted into more of a smirk again as Lon huffed a laugh. “C’mon, Lonnie. Didn’t come all this way to stand in the corner, did we?”

catalyst | cadrien/minaiph (min belongs to @hythlodaes)

Foolish.

He knows that it had been an undeniably stupid risk, that he had been too caught up in the momentary panic that the loss of Min would’ve been far more devastating than any possible injury to himself. It goes against everything he knows, everything that he’s been taught, and yet he’s also aware that he would suffer the same consequences again and again and again, regardless of what is expected of him. The why of it is something he’s trying not to think about, but it’s been running through his mind against his will.

He’s in love with Min.

The man who’d survived the red sands of Korriban alongside him. The Sith whom he’s meant to trust, whom he actually does, to work together in the Empire’s interests. His best friend who’d dragged his broken, unconscious body across Corellia, and now lingers at his side, caring for him in a way that he’s not sure that he should want or even deserves. But desire has long since clawed a hollow space in his chest and made itself a home.

stay the course | malena/kaidan

“Hey, there you are,” Kaidan calls softly. She doesn’t know exactly what her face shows when she finally glances up, but it must be a doozy because his thick brows furrow, and he adds, “You okay?”

I’m fine, Malena wants to say. How many times does she say it in a day? Fine, fine, fine. Chin up, back straight. It’s a necessity on a ship—if others see their commanding officer lose her shit, morale goes right out the airlock. And so Commander Shepard has the situation under control, and if she doesn’t, then she’ll get it there.

She opens her mouth to speak, but her voice breaks before she can form a word.

[twstinginthewind]

@twst-the-night-away my beloved posted an amazing idea in a chat today

And I had so much fun answering I want to share it here, too.

Deuce seeing Joker for the first time:

There were an awful lot of first-years being sorted through at the commencement ceremony, and Deuce was trying so hard to concentrate, he found himself not paying much attention to many of his fellow classmates at all, and was only vaguely aware of the other new students that shuffled along with him back to Heartslabyul. The next few days, too, were a bit chaotic, with everything that was happening with that new Ramshackle student, that pain in the butt roommate of his, and, oh yeah, that thing happening with Riddle. Plus in classes, he was keeping his head down a lot and trying so hard to focus!! So it took him until the second unbirthday party to notice her.

And he had no idea what took him so long. She had a laugh that he could hear clear across the rose maze, and when she came up to see if she could sample the housewarden's baking, he could barely form a reply, and just shoved a plate at her awkwardly. And she giggled at that, making his heart start feeling funny. And then the little nose wrinkle when she tasted the salty oyster sauce in the tart...

Unfortunately, Deuce was already down bad.

When she leaned over to whisper "You know, Deuce, I think perhaps housewarden Rosehearts should stick to his day job," Deuce replied with a devastatingly clever "kagsgsisjsv". Smooth. As. Silk.

And THEN he had NO idea how she knew his NAME and oh haha ok it turns out she sits behind him in like every class what the hell Deuce why have you not paid attention?

Epel seeing Punch for the first time:

Epel, he notices the big guy during club recruitment. Punch is unsubtly being approached by several of the athletics clubs, and is awkwardly and politely *turning them down*. The heck?? Look at that idjit's *shoulders*! Why's that big lug lettin' all that go to *waste*?! Why is he talkin' to that durned Ashengrotto?? Board games???? What??????

A discussion later (it turns out they share a class or three), and Epel finds out that Punch was just holding out for a hockey club, then saw his dorm leader's floating tablet and wound up getting talked into joining. For the love of lil' green apples, what is WITH this guy? Anyway, they become workout buddies as a result bc Punch doesn't want to fall out of practice just because he's not actively playing.

Epel occasionally tries (unsuccessfully) to get Punch to switch to spelldrive. Maybe one day he'll get a game with him.

More under the cut!

Trey seeing Joker for the first time:

So as we know (as per one of their ceremonial robes vignettes, i forget which), Cater and Trey got a good look at the incoming freshmen as they received their dorm assignments, and tried to guess where each of them would go. Cater commented to Trey about the long-haired girl with the red lipstick, and Trey got a good look at her just as the mirror announced her Heartslabyul assignment. She gave a huge, happy, relieved smile, and he, of course, noticed immediately that her teeth were just perfect. I mean, yes, cute face nice hair and this and that but that smile, huh. This girl flosses.

Rook seeing Bobby for the first time:

Rook periodically revisits his original dorm; he's still quite attached to Savanaclaw, and is very much an admirer of the wild beauty on display within the dorm. He first sees Bobby during one of his clandestine visits - he wasn't expecting to see anyone else using one of his rooftop hiding places, let alone with a bow and arrow! Ah, quelle surprise! And the lad seems to be a good shot, as well. How intriguing! Perhaps he should subtly leave a message regarding the upcoming archery competition in the courtyard...

Floyd seeing Joker for the first time:

What. Was. That. Sound??

Floyd poked his head out of the Mostro lounge kitchen. That music was different~! That wasn't a piano or a guitar or a saxamophone at all! That was chords and melody all at the same time, and a rhythm too! Ohhhhh man. He was itching to dance already. He pushed aside some other students, approaching the little stage where the lounge staged its live performers.

Okay, there was a bassist, boring. Some guy on drums, whatever, anyone can do a drum. Some singer. Okay. What was making that sound though??

Then he saw the last performer. And oh, she was cute. All squishy and adorable, with a big cheery grin. Long swirly hair that bounced with the beat of the music. And that INSTRUMENT! A keyboard on one side, an array of buttons on the other, and a big ol' whatsit. A bellows? Maybe? In between the two big panels, and it squished and stretched in and out while she played.

Floyd was poised to pounce. He wanted to try that, too! It looked so fun!! He was ready to clamber onto the stage when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He whipped his head around, glaring daggers that quickly retracted. He wasn't gonna be too mad at Azul, even if he was chewing him out for leaving a pan burning on the stove.

After all, he had to ask Azul who this girl was, and then he was gonna wanna try her weird instrument. Maybe he could squeeze it and her at the same time. That'd be fun.

Lilia seeing Sia for the first time:

Sia transferred into NRC as a third year student, and found herself in a slightly awkward position on her first day of classes. Everyone else already knew one another, and eyed the new girl with a hint of suspicion. She wound up taking a seat towards the back of the room, without wondering why there were so many available seats. Lilia was immediately curious. Who was this girl, who was willing to sit in the periphery of Malleus's overwhelming aura? Oh, and is that an oatmilk latte she has, too? He's never seen this kitty before. He'd have to say hello; it wasn't often that he was willing to acknowledge that he was the second-cutest in the room, but he would admit defeat this time, soon as he found out her name.

Sebek seeing Joker for the first time:

Sebek was absolutely aghast. He was glad that Coach Vargas had acknowledged that he was one of the top students in the class - as he SHOULD! Sebek was proud of the results of his training! - but because of that? He was selected as a peer coach to help out some of the human students that haven't quite got the knack of using their physical prowess and magic to fly. Honestly. They're human, he's fae, there's no way to teach that!! If Malleus hadn't made such a deal of how it would reflect well on him and the dorm, Sebek would have refused to do it outright!!

And what a pathetic human they gave him, too. Soft and overfed, sturdy enough on land but fell apart when a mere ten feet above the ground. And the yelling! He would firmly give his instructions, and she would practically scream back at him to stop being so loud and pompous! Ridiculous!! But he had to get her to do well, or his failure would reflect poorly on Malleus-sama.

So he tried. And tried. And shadowed her, giving constant directions, and just getting human attitude back. And just as she finally reached an adequate minimum height for their flight requirements, she whirled on the broom to scream at him again, went pale, and dropped like a stone.

So of course Sebek had to dive after her. And pluck her from the air to keep her from crash landing. And... huh. She's certainly clingy. And why does he smell roses??

He lowers his broom to the ground, holding onto her with one arm, and a red ribbon flutters to the ground after them. He looks down at her, her hair loose and windblown instead of the tight bun he'd been tapping impatiently all day.

And for the first time, he sees a smile cross those ridiculous red lips.

It wasn't unpleasant.

[ghostkingart]

OC tober 2024 - day 19 - prompt "your OC revisiting past bad memories"

word count: ~200 each

fandom: Baldur's Gate 3/original works

author's note: prompt list and full post below the cut

Veles

Veles knew that this topic would come up. Astarion had said it in passing, simply curious, but it got Veles thinking.

“You must have had other lovers,” Astarion had said.

Veles was now deep in thought, staring ahead.

“Oh. I apologize, I didn’t realize—”

“It’s alright,” Veles said. “I was engaged, actually.” He smiled bitterly. “I was to be married off to a more powerful house so that our two houses could merge. I must have really foiled those plans when I escaped…”

“You don’t have to talk about this,” Astarion said softly.

Veles glanced at him thankfully. But the snowball started rolling down the hill already and there was really no stopping it. He thought back to his first night with Imrae. She was ruthless. She had much more fun hurting Veles than having sex with him. He shuddered and hugged his knees, digging his nails into his skin.

“Hey.”

Astarion’s thoughts snapped him back into reality. Veles looked at him wide-eyed.

“You’re alright. You’re here. You’re safe.”

Veles nodded. He knew this, however it was difficult to internalize. It got a bit easier when Astarion leaned his head on Veles’s shoulder.

Valeriy

The guardsman was giving his report on the successful closing down of the last brothel in the city center, but Valeriy wasn’t listening. As soon as that place, that name, got mentioned, his mind trailed off into the past.

The time when he was still just a worker in one of those brothels. If you’d told him back then that he would be one of the people running the city in several decades’ time, he wouldn’t have believed you. That was before he had fully transitioned too. When anyone laying their hands on him could hurt him. When he didn’t know how, nor was allowed, to protect himself.

Those days were behind him. But the scars ran deep.

“Sir?”

“Yes?”

“That’s the end of the report, sir.”

“Yes, good. Excellent. Dismissed.”

Valeriy sank into his desk chair and rubbed his temples, a headache creeping upon him.

Nesim

Nesim stood in a spacious field that stretched out in all directions, lined with a thick forest. The air smelled of iron. There was a metallic taste in his mouth. The grass was soaked and sticky. Poor, blue rattleweed flowers, now stained red, struggled to spring up beneath the rivers of blood.

He gingerly stepped over the bodies, trying to find his way around them, but there were so many, piling up on top of one another, that it was impossible to avoid them all. He ran, tripping over the bodies, he fell forward and found himself face to face with a fallen soldier.

Nesim was nauseous. He stood up and kept running, towards the sanctity of the forest.

Once he finally reached it, he realized that he would find no sanctuary there. Everywhere he looked, bodies hung by the neck from the tree branches, so dense that if he wanted to walk ahead, he would have to move the bodies himself.

Not wanting to do so, he stood in place as the bodies seemed to begin moving, writhing in pain as they suffocated. Watching them all, Nesim was increasingly more sick to the stomach.

He screamed.

Nesim woke up with a start.

Tye

Tye knew the question was coming, it was unavoidable. He was already pissed that the interviewer seemed more interested in interviewing him rather than Seth, and now this…

“How do you feel about your acting career all these years later?”

Tye laughed warmly, just to keep things moving, to prevent an awkward silence. “I think I‘ve answered this question quite a few times, Helen,” He said teasingly, only trying to buy more time before he thought of at least a semi-appropriate answer.

“Has your perspective changed at all, after such a long hiatus?”

“My acting career gives me no pleasant memories,” Tye said, still smiling, but with none of his previous amiability. “You know what my parents were like, Helen, you’ve interviewed me some time after I terminated the contract with their management company.”

“And nothing’s changed at all?”

“Well, unless there’s a way to change the past, I don’t know, for my parents to take back their abuse, neglect and exploitation…”

Helen was no visibility uncomfortable, but Tye didn’t care. He was made to feel uncomfortable first.

Seth placed a hand on his shoulder. That was the least suspicious kind of contact he could initiate and Tye knew this. If he could, Seth probably would have done more.

“Maybe a different question, Helen,” Seth said. He, on the other hand, was able to keep up his friendliness.

“Yes,” Helen said, relieved. “Here’s one for you…”

While Seth answered his question, Tye was trapped in memories. He only snapped back into reality when Helen addressed him again.

[merigoldaround]

Okay, finally properly watching the documentary and I have a few thoughts. (I guess this is bit of a summary too, so spoiler warning maybe? And this is just how I experienced the documentary, if someone sees it differently, that's fine too). It got long so I put it under the cut.

Face off: I just love how they build the melody, how Jimin is part of it so fully, it starts with the tune Jimin plays and builds from there. He hums the melody while walking around the table and PDogg has to remind him to record everything, because it sounds good. Honestly this part had me in tears a bit, I don't know why, just watching them build the song and being proud of Jimin's effort in it. They then work on the lyrics, Jimin says there's a story behind them, a story about betrayal (the song tells about a "rebellious spirit due to betrayal"). It's a story about making a mistake and trusting the wrong people, but also him being better without those people, that it's their loss. (This is me paraphrasing what he said in the documentary.)

Like Crazy: PDogg says "it's sort of sorrowful dance party... It's like getting drunk" when they work on the first beats and melodies. And again Jimin just starts humming the melody that later is part of the song and PDogg catches it even though he's doing it so quietly. I love how they've captured these little moments, where Jimin is quietly humming the melody and PDogg goes "that's good!". PDogg is the one saying a conversation between a man and a woman would sound good at the beginning if Jimin would find a movie that suits best. And then Jimin immediately thinks about the movie Like Crazy and that's how they even end up naming the song. As they're writing the lyrics Namjoon says he'll help with them after Jimin gets the story he wants to tell out first. I think it's the post production phase where Jimin says Like Crazy is the song everyone likes the most whenever he plays the songs to people, while Set me free pt2 is Jimin and the team's favourite.

A side note: I love how Jimin erupts in little dances along the whole documentary, whether it's something cute or maybe a few ballet-like steps or just having fun. The dancer he his.

Alone: Jimin says it was the most difficult of the songs. It's interesting, Jimin says that the lielielielielielielie part sounds to him a bit like people laughing at him and pointing at him and how he wanted to write about it. I love how Jimin says he's having fun working on the song. And I think it's Ghstloop (sorry if I got that wrong), who says the whole album is so unpredictable (and yes it kind of is, in the best way possible). I love watching Jimin slowly finding the melody for the song, he's so good at it and the way the team cheers him on in the process is so nice to see. And the way it's Jimin's idea to put the sound effects for the "falling" part, he really is an idea bank like he said in his live. While writing the lyrics Jimin says "I keep melting into these moments, it has so much emotional labor." And he really worked so hard, revisiting old painful memories isn't easy. The way he says he once thought the way he wrote in the lyrics is painful to hear, but we all have those times, don't we (if someone doesn't then they should consider themselves really lucky). Him talking about how he had a difficult time facing the emotions, hiding them, trying to say it's all okay. I'm glad to see him in a better place during the song making process though, seeing that he's past the emotions Alone is about.

Another side note: I found his face planting onto the couch in despair because of the lyrics very relatable as a creative person. Sometimes creating is just that.

Letter (Dear.Army): About Letter Jimin says how he wanted to make a song where he could express his feelings to the fans in a better and more genuine way compared to always writing thank yous to weverse. I love that it's Jimin playing the guitar and coming up with the chords and again the teamwork with the producers and how they support Jimin. The way Jimin knows from the beginning it's going to be an emotional song once he gets the lyrics right and he does. I wonder how the Dear.Army title came about since Jimin seems happy about the Letter (in Korean) title, they could've easily just translated it directly too. Jimin says the title Letter is like him, nothing pretentious. He looks so happy when he has Jungkook recording background vocals to it, and Jk does beautiful harmonies. To me it sounded like Jungkook was a bit worried his contribution was too much, but Jimin seemed just happy to have him there singing as much as he could.

Set me free pt2: First of all it's clear they all love this one, they seem to have so much fun creating it. Jimin is adorable when he meets the choir in LA. And just watching the whole process of how this song develops, the way he plays with his voice, the way he lets it all out while recording, the way they're all jumping around while listening to it, it gives me the feeling that it's such an empowering song for Jimin.

His ending words are touching. Him telling about how he contacted PDogg after coming home from Las Vegas, wanting to tell his story, feeling worn out, having to go through a deep emotional journey, facing the feelings he's had, hating it, but also having fun doing it. He mentions talking to Hobi, how when trying once you can see where you can try your best the next time.

I wrote too much I think, but I just loved seeing how the songs got their start, how they built them, how involved Jimin was in all of the parts of the process, how much of it was his work. It was definitely a collaborative effort too, I think Jimin was lucky to have such an encouraging team with him working on the album.

If you got this far then I hope what I said made sense. I just really enjoyed watching this, getting insight to how Jimin functions in a way.

[lovewriting-5]

*Photo is not mine*

We arrived in our room at the Austin Motel. Taron and I have one room with an adjoining one for Nate and Jack. Our luggage was laying on the single bed and we began unpacking when there was a knock on the door.

Taron goes to it and asks, jokingly “Who is it?” The voice on the other side, says “Stripper gram.” Taron tells me “It’s for you.” I walk to the door, open it and say “They’re yours.” Nate and Jack begin dancing on Taron. We all laugh.

“Alright, let’s go explore.” Nate says. I grab my purse while the guys grab their wallets and phones. We also all grab a room key for our rooms. We head out.

*

*

*

*

The first area, we check out is the pool. It was a small area with not much deck space. There were white, cushioned lounge chairs with black and white umbrellas and on the deep end of the pool there were red, neon letters that spell SOUL.

Taron says “Take a picture.” He hands Jack his phone. Taron then goes to about the middle of the pool, places his hands in his black, drawstring sweatpants and does a sort of smile. Jack takes the picture.

Nate tells me “(Y/N), get in there with him.” I hesitate. Jack says “It will be fun.” Taron says with his arms wide open, “Come on, babe. Don’t be shy.” I give in and walk to him. He places his hands on my lower back. I wrap my arms around his waist and lay my head in the crook of his neck. Taron interlocks his fingers on my left hip. We smile as Jack takes the picture.

Taron places his hands on both sides of my waist. He gives a slight squeeze. I tell him through chuckles, “Babe, don’t.” He says against my left ear, “What?” He squeezes again. I laugh and push his chest a little. I hide my face against his left cheek as he squeezes again and makes me laugh. What we didn’t know until later was that Jack got a picture of us.

I cross my arms on my stomach and lean against Taron as his left arm is wrapped back around my waist. The four of us stood there and talked. After a little while, we decided to walk along the sidewalk. We scoped out where we want to revisit. We stopped at a small grocery store, bought some food and drinks.

It was getting kind of late so we made our way back to the motel. Taron and I went back to our room while Nate and Jack went back to theirs. I set my purse on the wooden dresser when I feel my hair get pushed to the left side. Lips are placed on my neck. I smile then say, “Babe, the door is open.” He says “They don’t care.”

Taron keeps kissing my neck and then moves my hair to the right to give some attention to the other side. His hands move up and down my arms slowly. We then hear a knock on the open adjoining door. A voice asks “Are you two decent?” Taron stops. I think he saw the little bit of disappointment on my face cause in my ear he whispers, “We’ll finish this later.”

We walk into the other room and were handed alcohol in the motel plastic cups. I sit on the bed next to Jack and Taron stands at the dresser. I ask “What are we celebrating?” Taron says as he raises his glass, “The release of Tetris.” The three of us raise our glasses. I say “Yay, no more stache.” Taron asks “Wait, you didn’t like the stache?” I tell him, jokingly “It looked like a porno stache.” He gives me a confused look then says slyly “It did not.” I tell him “I felt like I was making out with a caterpillar.” Jack says while laughing “Ew, the image.” He turns to the guys, asks “What about you guys? Did you like it?” They tell him “Yeeesss.” He tells us “You guys suck.” We all laugh and take a sip.

After a little while, Taron was sitting in one of the chairs. I stood behind his chair and run my fingers up and down his shoulders and the back of his neck. He eventually stands up and wraps his left arm around my waist. I lay my head in the crook of his neck and wrap my arms around him. My eyes were beginning to feel heavy. I look up at him, say “Babe, I’m gonna go to bed.” He asks while running his hand up and down my back, “You sure?” I say with heavy eyelids, “Yeah, I’m getting tired.” He says “Alright, I’ll be there in a little bit.” I give him a quick kiss then I say good night to Jack and Nate.

I head into our room and get ready for bed. I crawl under the covers and close my eyes. After a little while, the mattress behind me sank and an arm wraps around my middle. I scoot back to be closer to the figure behind me.

*

*

*

*

The next morning, the sun peaks through the motel curtains. I lift my head a little from Taron’s chest, look around the room and wrap my arms around his neck and nuzzle. Taron wraps his arms around the middle of my back and pull me onto him. We lay like that for a few more minutes until his phone goes off on the side table.

I sit up and straddle him. He rests his right hand on my left upper thigh and picks up his phone. Taron says “It’s a text from Jack. He says to meet them in the lobby in 15 minutes.” I give him a sly smile and he got the reason. We both brush our teeth and then make our way back to the bed.

I ask “Where were we?” Taron gets back in bed and holds up the covers. I crawl back under them and place my lips against his. He wraps his arms around me and we have a morning quickie. I got in the shower and then he did. We both got ready. We meet Nate and Jack in the lobby.

We stroll around Austin a little while and then decide to get some lunch. After lunch, Taron had an idea. I ask “What is it?” He suggests “Let’s look at apartments for fun.” I say “Why not.” Jack bought us a newspaper that showed ones for sale. The four of us each picked out apartments that looked nice and got a car to go look at them. The realtors looked surprised when we showed up to tour the places.

Hours passed and it was time to get ready for SXSW. The Glam team came by the motel and started working on us. They had me change into a white terry cloth robe and then sit in a director’s looking chair. They did my makeup and styled my hair.

The team decided to leave my hair down and added beach waves. They then had us get dress. Taron wore a jacket and pants with a stitch design, a black t-shirt and white shoes. Nate and Jack were put in similar outfits. They had me wear a black Blazer dress with black heels and a purse to match.

I put the dress on and they attached adhesive to the lining of the lapels which attached to my skin so it would stay in place. I stepped out of the room and Taron’s face lit up. He tells me “Whoa! You look gorgeous!” I tell him “You look very handsome!” Nate and Jack step out in their outfits and I say “Whoo, look at you two.” They posed with smug looks on their faces.

The Glam team wanted to get some pictures of us. They led us to an area of the room. They got a few of Taron by himself. They also took some pictures of the three guys and of me by myself. They also got some pictures of me and Taron. The team suggests “Let’s get one where Taron picks you up.” I pull my dress down a little by the hem and then I wrap my right arm around his shoulders. He whispers in my ear, “I got you.” Taron places his right arm around the back of my thighs just above the hem and his left arm underneath my arms and then lifts. Once off the ground, I hold the hem in place. The team takes the pictures. Taron sets me down then they get a picture of the four of us then us in pairs of twos.

It was time for us to head to the event. Once in the car and heading in the direction, I post the picture of the four of us with the caption ‘I am one lucky woman 😏’ We get to the event, step out of the car onto the red carpet and cameras begin flashing.

Taron intertwines his fingers with mine as we begin walking the carpet. Nate and Jack are close behind us. We stop at a spot. Taron wraps his right arm around my waist and pulls me close against him. We both smile. We move down a little and he replaces his right arm around my waist but I place my left hand on his chest and smile.

Next spot down the carpet, I step aside so Taron can get some pictures with Nate and Jack. The guys were having a blast. A couple of the pictures, they did silly poses. The next set of pictures was of Taron by himself. Nate and Jack stood on either side of me, when Taron wasn’t around they acted like my bodyguards. The three of us were watching him and I was enjoying seeing him on the carpet. Jack says something funny and we started laughing. Taron walks back over, asks “What’s so funny?” As he wraps his arms around my shoulders. I wrap my arms around his waist. I say inches from his lips “Nothing.” and give him a kiss.

He pulls away as he places his hands on mine. He leans down and kisses me again. Taron spins so his back is facing me and intertwines his fingers with mine as we make our way down the red carpet. We do some pictures with the four of us.

Once we get through the carpet portion, it was time for the event to start. The event went on for hours and it ended with an after-party. We didn’t get back to the motel until the next morning.

[boredwritergirl]

Day 30 - A Tale of Two Stars part 2

As much of a dumb joke as this is, I might revisit this later. IDK, something about Pearl interacting with ww1 versions of DC characters sounds kinda fun and i might want to explore that in more detail later

A Few Days after Pearl and Clark Kent parted ways, Pearl returned to the city to meet with her projectionist, who was about to drive his way out of town. But, Pearl managed to convince him to swing by her farm to pick up her things first.

As they drove past seemingly endless fields of wheat, Pearl noticed a wandering soldier along the road. As they tore through the dirt beside him, she tried to get a look at his face, his mask obscuring it. 

Pearl took a deep breath as she sat back, her heart sinking with grief, thinking about the possibility of her husband being on his way back home.

Clark noticed her irregular heart beat and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Pearl smiled, “Oh, it’s nothin.” she said halfheartedly, her mind still on that soldier.

As they arrived at her farm, Clark immediately got the impression that something was wrong, his super-senses immediately hearing the faint sound of something moving slightly in the basement. 

As Pearl ran inside, she commanded Clark to stay outside, much to his annoyance. But he decided to play along for now and used his x-ray vision to get a better look into the area. He could see the intense heartbeat of someone struggling downstairs, he could tell that it wasn't the struggle to indicate Immediate death or danger, so he decided to survey the rest of the house first. He noticed a normal heartbeat up on the top floor and the animals Appeared to be healthy enough on the top floor.

  As he noticed pearl walk up those steps, he used his super speed to dash all the way down stairs, where he found Pearl's mother barely alive. She had serious burn marks, some from fire, some from boiling water, both not enough to obscure the bruises she sustained from falling down the stairs. He knew he needed to get her to a doctor soon.

He picked her up and placed her gently onto a chair in the room. Clark looked directly into her eyes, calmly telling her, “I'm here to help. I'll take you to the hospital.”

But then as he looked up again, he could see the steady heart beat start to decline, he could tell that someone was dying and immediately rushed up the stairs to save him in less than an instant.

Seeing Pearl as she was in the middle of strangling her father to death, he immediately snatched the pillow out of her hand. He yelled at Pearl, “What are you doing?!”

There was a pause as Pearl was so shocked by his Sudden appearance that she struggled finding the right words at first. Her father, unable to speak or move on his own just sat there, fear in his eyes as he kept staring at his daughter.

“I-I… I couldn't just leave him there to die! I know he doesn't deserve this! But I don't deserve to be cooped up here neither!” Pearl cried, thick, ugly tears flowing down her cheeks.

“And what about your mother?” Clark asked with a Stern tone of voice. 

“That was an accident!” Pearl blurted out. “I didn't mean to! I never wanted nothing bad to happen to her, I just wanted to leave!!!”

Pearl kept crying and crying, running down the stairs and straight out her home, of course Clark had no issue keeping up with her.

“Pearl, you can't run away from something like this. Your parents need help, and if you can't take care of them yourself then you need to leave them with someone who can.”

“Then why don't you take care of them! You don't know what it's like! Having to slave away caring for two people who can never understand you, people that are either capable of shutting me down if they talk to me at all! I lived my whole life according to them, never being allowed to live my life! This dream was the only thing I had and I won't let anyone take that from me!” Pearl yelled as she was walking over to the barn, picking up the big, two handed ax by the barn doors.

Clark shrugged as he looked at her approaching him with that weapon. “Peal, put the ax down. Your parents need help… you need help.”

Pearl snarled at him as she raised the ax high above her head, “The only help I need is a ticket to Hollywood! And I won't let you tell a soul about any of this!”

Pearl swung her ax, her face scrunching up as she prepared to strike. But, Clark didn’t move a muscle, he let the blade hit him, cutting through his clothes, but the iron of the blade bent against his pecks, not leaving a scratch on him.

Pearl's eyes widened as she tried to process what just happened, her eyes glued to the bent, misshapen ax.

Clark grabbed the ax out of her hand, planting the hilt right into the ground before grabbing her. “I think I know someplace that might be able to help you. It’s pretty far away, but I’ve heard about an Asylum over in Gotham… maybe they’ll be able to help you, after we put your parents in a real hospital like they belong… I’m not sure where we’re going to get the money for all that, but we have to try."

[justabooknerdposts]

just an idea but awkwardly timed IMs lol, those fics always make me laugh and you are very good at capturing humor

*NOTE: I’m still closed to prompts for now, probably until at least the end of the year, as life is quite busy at the moment.  But I’m trying to catch up on some backlogged requests that have been sitting there for a few months since before I closed.  So, I’ll have a few up over the next couple of weeks—my goal is to have them all posted before Chalice of the Gods comes along and expands canon again, ha.  Again, not accepting any new prompt requests at this time—I’ll see how my schedule looks in January and revisit the idea then 😊  In the meantime, enjoy the four or five coming up. 

Oh, also, chapters 2 through 4 of my AHS senior year Percy and Annabeth story have also been posted.  This story is written under my TraitorousHearts8 pseud, so it’s a little more YA than middle-grade, but it’s available to read on Fanfiction and AO3 if you’re interested!  The last two chapters should be up over the next week or two. 

Alright, back to the prompt response!*

Okay, I kind of loved this one and it was fun to do some semi-awkward IMs.  Hope you enjoy!

PERCY:  The Greek gods have terrible timing.  For example, one once interrupted me in the shower.  Long story.  I’m not discussing it right now.  Demigods do a little better.  But sometimes, they have bad timing, too.  For example, during my freshman year of high school, I was in the bathroom at my mom’s apartment, going…well, doing what you do in the bathroom, when, suddenly, the air in front of me shimmered.  Charles Beckendorf’s face appeared a moment later.  “Hey, Percy, got a question for—” he said before his eyes widened.

I yelped and swiped through the I-M.

Once I was out of the bathroom and standing near the kitchen sink, using its water to make a misty rainbow, I messaged him back.

“Uh, hey, dude,” Beckendorf said sheepishly.  “My bad.”

“It’s okay,” I said, even though I still kind of wanted to curl up and die from embarrassment.  “You didn’t know.  But, uh, let’s not mention it again.  Ever.”

He nodded gravely.  “Anyway, the reason I was calling…” and he launched into a Titan War-related question about an explosive device he was working on that could be added to the tour bus of monsters we’d received reports on.

Later, I learned that he’d rigged this device in the bus’s toilet.  I tried not to take that too personally.  And I definitely did not ask him what had inspired the idea.

ANNABETH:  Usually, I have way better luck than Percy.  Which isn’t actually saying much because he has absolutely terrible luck.  Which probably explains why this happened.  It was during the fall of my freshman year of high school, during the Titan War.  I was at my dad’s in San Francisco, and Percy and I hadn’t caught up for a few weeks.  Things had been weird between us ever since our quest in the Labyrinth that summer.  But we were trying.  Unfortunately, Percy chose to reach out via Iris-message…while I was in the shower.

I was washing my hair when suddenly, from behind me, I heard, “Hey, Annabeth—aagh!”  I turned, hands already up over my chest, to see Percy, bright strawberry red, covering his eyes and swiping through an I-M.

I called him back ten minutes later from my bedroom, fully dressed, though my hair was still wet and tangled.

As soon as his face appeared, Percy sputtered, “Annabeth, I am so sorry—”

I held up a hand.  “We will never speak of this again.”

“Agreed.”

***

A couple years later, on the Argo II, Hazel was talking about I-Ms.

“They’re great,” she said.  “But it seems a little risky.  I mean, we surprised Reyna in the baths.”

The corner of Percy’s mouth quirked up.  “Yeah, this one time, I called Annabeth and—”

“I thought we were never speaking of it?”

“Oh yeah.  So, anyway, is that a flock of harpies closing in again?  I’d better go check.”

After he ran off, Hazel raised her eyebrows at me.  I sighed.  “He called me once while I was in the shower.”

“Oh.”  She fanned herself, an old-fashioned gesture that somehow seemed natural on her.  “See?  Risky.”

I nodded.  “For sure.  Oh crap, those actually are harpies.  We’d better go help him.”

And that was the end of that conversation.