#i'm absolutely doing more of these i can't wait

[creativepromptsforwriting]

Something, something can I have a prompt list that’s smth like this:

“Can I kiss you?”

“Im Sorry, wHAT!?” /pos

That might be a bit too vague so erm… a prompt list for like awkward fluffy confessions 🙏🙏

(I low-key don’t know how to ask stuff sorry chat)

Just fyi for everyone, since you said that you are not sure how to ask stuff. There is a guide on how to ask in my bio and one thing that just makes me a bit more happy when answering an ask is a short Hi! at the beginning. Doesn't need more, just makes me happy, since I'm spending quite some time on these asks. But like I said, just cause you said you're unsure about how to ask.

Here are your confessions:

Awkward Fluffy Confessions

"So... really long story short... I like you. Maybe?"

"I like you. If that's ok with you, of course."

"You like me? No, it's not weird! I do it too. Liking me. No, I mean liking you!"

"If I would tell you that I love you, would that scare you away or could we talk about it?"

"This is absolutely not how I wanted to tell you."

"I'm sorry to make this so awkward, I just never felt like this about anyone else before."

"Wait, this is coming out all wrong. I just like you. A lot. That is all I wanted to say."

"It's not anyone else, it is you. The one I... that I like. I like you."

"Not to make this awkward, but there is something I can't keep to myself any longer."

"Liking you has been very easy, I realized."

"Do you think, maybe, that you could feel the same about me?"

"Please, tell me if I should just shut up and maybe even leave, but I have to get this off my chest."

More: Love Confessions

I hope you like them!

- Jana

[organic-bloodbath]

hello! could I request literally anything w chishiya x pregnant!reader? maybe how he (and the rest of the group) would take care of reader during and in between games? thank you sm!

Child of Hearts

Chishiya x Pregnant!Reader

Summary: Chishiya takes care of you after you two have been separated from the rest of your friends.

A/N: Please request me more Chishiya i need this man so bad. I hope this is alright 🫶🏻 (mind you, i have never been pregnant myself so i might not know what the hell i'm talking about)

♤♡♧◇

Running away from a man shooting every person in sight with a huge rifle was a big challenge when you were 7 months pregnant. You didn't know what the gun was called, but when the bullet hit its target, it would basically cut your body in half. Hiding behind a car would be useless, as the car would be in pieces as well.

Running fast enough was already difficult, almost impossible, but your heavy stomach, bearing another human being, was making it a lot harder. It didn't take long to be out of breath and your legs were going to betray you any moment. Chishiya's hand was pulling you forward and you could barely keep up. He would soon have to drag your body against the ground, and then you'd both be dead.

This was it. You had played several games, somehow been able to beat them all with the help of your friends, which was a miracle itself. Especially without Arisu, Usagi, Kuina and Chishiya you would have died ages ago.

Before your pregnancy, you had been quite a fast runner and could run fast for a long period of time. Now? The total opposite.

Finally, you could sit down on the ground, leaning against a car. You had to only hope that the shooter had passed you and wasn't going to blow it up.

"You doing okay?" Chishiya looked at you with concern when you closed your eyes and threw your head back, breathing loudly.

"Yeah, yeah, i'm fine," you nodded, barely being able to talk. "Just can't run anymore."

Seeing a massive airship floating in the sky almost right above you, a large playing card hanging from it, you finally came into a conclusion what was going on.

"Well, he must be the King of Spades," Chishiya said next to you, leaning against the car.

Absolutely amazing - now the entire Tokyo was a game arena?

The shooting had stopped for a moment, but the shooter – or more specifically the King, should you call him – could come out from any corner at any second, surprising you completely.

Ann arrived with a car, telling all of you to hop in. However, Chishiya was left behind, because of a grenade that had been thrown between him and the car.

As were you with him.

♤♡♧◇

The others were gone now, driven away with the car. You and Chishiya were left alone to find a way to survive on your own. You were relieved to have Chishiya with you, he was extremely smart and knew how to survive different situations.

Previously many of your teammates had helped you, but now it was just the two of you. For a second you were slightly afraid that taking care of you alone would become too much to Chishiya if the King of Spades found you out of all people and started chasing you. You could tell that running with you was challenging to him.

You were starving, not remembering when was the last time you got proper food, and eventually found a small grocery store which windows had been shattered.

Chishiya started browsing for food while you waited, leaning against the counter. Soon, he came back with the most suitable and edible food he could find in this situation.

"Cash or credit?"

"Aren't you a little too pregnant to be working?"

"Don't underestimate me, Doctor Shuntaro," you teased him.

You pretended to scan each item like you had worked here for years.

"Thank you for shopping with us, please come again," you said with your best customer service voice.

"You definitely deserve the best worker of the month award," he praised you, almost impressed, and clapped his hands a few times.

"Finally someone gives my work credit," you said, hand on your chest.

There was a small table and two chairs by the window. You and Chishiya dragged them away from the window, so you could sit down in the back of the room and not be seen to anyone possibly walking past the store.

"Here you go," Chishiya said and offered you food and a plastic fork, along with a bottle of water, as you sat down. "It's not much but it's the best i got now without any electricity to heat it up."

"Thank you," you said quietly.

You ate in comfortable silence. You hadn't realized how dizzy you had started to feel after all the running and having not eaten or drank water in hours.

"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Chishiya asked when he was finished with his meal and put his hand gently on yours, looking concerned.

"Yeah, i'm fine," you mumbled and stretched a little. "My back just hurts."

"Let's take a break and lay down for a while, okay?"

"But shouldn't we stay on the move? The King of Spades might come back and-"

"We'll be safe enough here for a while. Take a short nap, i'll keep an eye on the surroundings," he insisted. "You need more rest than me."

You were sleepy, so you weren't going to resist too much. You hadn't slept properly in a while.

Chishiya watched you sleep on your left side, your head on his lap to use as a pillow. You clinged on his leg with both of your arms, and he gently brushed your hair with his fingers to soothe you to sleep.

You were so beautiful, and he knew that he didn't say it to you often enough - as often as you would have deserved.

Chishiya was terrified every second of being in this world, having to play the games with you on his side. He wasn't afraid of many things, but you? If he lost you, he'd also lose your baby. His unborn child. And that was easily his biggest fear.

You had been in a relationship together for the past three years, and the pregnancy hadn't been planned, at all. Chishiya wasn't sure if he would ever want children, and when you told him that you were pregnant, he didn't know what to think. But it didn't take him too long to get used to the idea of becoming a father. And having you as the mother was everything he could have wished for.

You, however, hadn't considered becoming a mother at this age and had cried in the bathroom for an hour after seeing the two lines on the pregnancy test. Now, as the months had passed, you had gotten used to the idea of having a child and were more ready with Chishiya's constant support, who you loved and trusted with all your heart.

You just had to finish the rest of the games and hopefully, you could then return home - before you'd start delivering the baby.

♤♡♧◇

You entered a new game with Chishiya inside an old prison.

Jack of Hearts - Solitary confinement.

This was absolutely the ideal game for you, since all you could do was just chill and sit around until it was time to go into your little prison cell to announce the correct symbol on the back of your collar. And for that, you had Chishiya revealing it for you. As long as Chishiya was there for you, you had nothing to worry about.

People formed groups, telling each other everyone's symbols, so other people could confirm they were telling the truth.

"Hi," a girl in a blue dress greeted with an eager smile, approaching you. "Want to join our group?"

You glanced at Chishiya, unsure, but nodded your head.

"Sure, why not," you shrugged. Mom always told you to try and be more social.

Slowly, as the rounds went by, people started to lie and betray each other, which ended up more and more people being eliminated. This was a Heart's game, after all, it was supposed to mess with both your head and heart.

"Listen, let me worry about the game, you just remember your symbol and rest, okay?" Chishiya had said earlier, giving your hand a squeeze.

Chishiya had been eyeing the other people and trying to study any hints that could lead him to reveal someone as the Jack of Hearts. He hadn't told you much about his thoughts, probably still trying to decide his opinions on the players.

Right now, you sat at the table, looking towards the group which was sharing their symbols with each other. It was like watching a high school drama all over again, except now people were getting killed.

"Here," Chishiya said, sitting next you, and laid food on the table in front of you. "You need to eat."

He had grabbed two different kinds of crackers, a bottle of water, some orange juice, and a can of soup.

"I just did, i'm fine," you tried to refuse, even though you knew you could have eaten a little bit more. Chishiya just stared at you with no expression on his face.

"Yes, but you need to eat more, since you're eating for two," he insisted and wasn't having a 'no' for an answer.

You rolled your eyes, and he noticed it, giving you a look.

"Fine, fine, Doctor Shuntaro," you smirked.

After you had finished eating, you went to the bathroom again - you were sure you'd have to pee every hour. Washing your hands and your face, you heard someone arriving to the bathroom.

"Hello," a young girl greeted you nervously, taking careful steps towards you. "Sorry to bother you, but could you tell me the symbol on my collar? I don't really trust my group anymore and, well, you seem nice."

"Um, sure," you mumbled and looked at the girl's symbol. "It's a diamond."

"You sure?"

"I have fully functional eyes."

"Thank you so much," the girl said, giving you an excited smile.

You didn't bother to include yourself in that drama club and lie for no proper reason, you had decided to keep your distance to them since you didn't need help with your symbol. You doubted any of them would be the Jack, but who knew - the Jack could be a girl too, after all. If they started manipulating and lying to each other, that was on them.

A few more rounds passed, and you were starting to become really sleepy. By now you had been at the prison for 8 hours and you had no idea how much longer all this would take. Chishiya had been feeding you crackers and other snacks almost every hour, now that you had food available a lot easier.

You wondered if your friends were alright, though you knew all of them were strong and if they had survived this far, they must be able to handle anything. Still, of course you couldn't help but to worry.

You walked around the place and tried to search for a corner to take a quick nap, there was 36 minutes left until you had to go back to your cell.

Then, you had to stop walking when you felt sudden pain and pressure on your stomach. You let out a loud gasp, startling any few people nearby and make them look at you. You leaned against the nearest wall, so you wouldn't fall on the floor.

No, no, no, no. You weren't going to start delivering your baby a month or two early. Especially in the middle of the game where there was a time limit and a chance to be killed. Of course they wouldn't stop the game for a moment if there was a woman on labour.

Chishiya had heard you and instantly ran towards you. His eyes widened when you were holding your stomach in pain.

"Y/N? What's happening?" Chishiya asked, trying to hide his panic so you wouldn't start to freak out even more.

"I-I don't know," you mumbled and truly started to panic. "It just hurts. I don't know. Oh my god, Chishiya, I-"

"Okay, calm down. You're having contractions, it doesn't necessarily mean the baby's coming, okay?" he tried to reassure you, his hand on your cheek. "Look at me. Just breathe, take a deep breath."

You did as he told, taking deep breaths and squeezing Chishiya's hand every time the waves of pain took hold of your stomach. If this hurt, you didn't want to know how much it hurt to push the baby out of you - your pain tolerance was extremely poor.

"I can't do this, any of this, i'm-"

"Yes, you can, darling," Chishiya said softly.

After some time, it stopped. You sat on the floor, back against the wall, for the next twenty minutes, Chishiya holding your hand the entire time and gently rubbing your back.

"See? Everything's fine," he said calmly and put his arm around you, keeping you close against him.

"You know," you started, eyes starting to water. "I haven't felt any movements from the baby in a few days. What if something's wrong?"

"Listen," Chishiya said. "Contractions are normal, even when the baby won't come yet. The baby might not move every day, it's normal. You'll just have to stay calm and try to avoid too much stress. And i know that's a lot to ask for in our current situation."

You nodded, unsure, but trying to believe his words as well as possible. He was a doctor after all, right?

"Next round, we'll get you a place to sleep for a moment," Chishiya promised. There was 9 minutes left to announce your symbols.

"You know, when the baby will be born, we'll have a lot more different story on how the pregnancy went than other expecting mothers," you chuckled. "Like, not many moms can say that they've run away from a shooter while being on their third trimester of their pregnancy."

Chishiya smiled. "Or spent a day in a prison with no actual guards around."

An older man walked past you, still sitting on the floor, leaning against Chishiya.

"My God. Are you okay? How on earth have you survived this far being pregnant like that?" he asked in shock, surely seen the scene just a moment ago.

"Well, i've had a lot of help," you shrugged.

You had been used to people commenting on your pregnancy. Every time you met someone knew, they just stared at your stomach for too long, feeling bad for you and considering you the weakest player of the group. You stood out from the rest of the people around, it was understandable. At first it had bothered you, but now you were so tired of it you just felt numb.

Arriving to the Beach for the first time, the entire pool party had quieted down for a moment when people saw you.

"Here, it is required to only wear a swimsuit," they had announced, but looking at you, they let you wear more clothes. Thank god for that. You weren't exactly very fond of showing off your stretch marks and everything. You had been given shorts and an oversized t-shirt - it was the same shirt you still had on.

In the end of the current game, only four people came out from the cells alive, after the Jack had guessed the wrong symbol, and left the prison, two of them you and Chishiya. It had been the first game where you could have actually relaxed and sat back for a while.

If there had been a proper bed, you wouldn't have minded to stay a bit longer too.

"So, what now?" you asked.

"We'll try to find a place to spend the night."

It was becoming the night and you had been walking almost half an hour on the streets, trying to find a good place to hide and sleep.

You found a small hostel, completely abandoned and empty, and found your way into one of the rooms. The door was locked, but Chishiya could easily pick the lock open. You were able to sleep on a real bed again, you could have started crying from even the thought of it. The sheets weren't fresh at all and the blanket was really thin, but you couldn't complain.

You laid yourself on the bed, it felt so good to feel an actual mattress and a pillow under you, you felt like your body could melt there like a cotton candy in water. Chishiya came to lay down next to you after removing his shirt, warming you better with his bare skin. He cupped your cheek and pulled you in a sweet kiss.

Suddenly, you winced when you felt a kick inside your stomach. Chishiya immediately sat up, concerned.

"What's wrong? Did the contractions start again?"

You grabbed his hand and put it on your stomach, trying the correct spot to find any movements, and when he felt a kick right against his hand, he flinched and a smile spread on his lips.

You started laughing, with a few tears of relief and happiness, and he laughed a little too.

"We'll be alright," Chishiya whispered. He hugged you and kissed your forehead.

"I hope so," you said quietly.

"I love you," he whispered and looked you deep into your eyes. "You know that, right?"

"Are you saying that in case the King of Spades comes to shoot us in our sleep?" you teased. "Honestly, that would definitely be cheating."

"I doubt he's going to find us here," he assured you and pressed a kiss on your hair. "Good night."

"Good night," you answered and turned on your side. Chishiya's arm wrapped around your stomach, pulling you against his chest.

[sunnydbeam]

I love Alpha and Beta so much, and I absolutely ship them! I'm sure they would look really cute together if Beta wasn't so scared of Alpha </3

I also wondered what Alpha would do if he had the chance to get close to Beta without fears

I have to say, honestly, I'm glad there are people who ship them too, because I have several sketches and drawings of these two that I may share at some point hehe

On the other hand, yes, Beta is afraid of him, and that's a problem. He's the only reason Alpha usually doubts himself, and he's the only one that Alpha really bothers to seem as friendly as possible with

That doesn't mean Beta is always running away from Alpha. He's often nervous in his company, but if he needs help with something, he'll most likely ask for it (after much thought), and Alpha will be happy to oblige! Any hint of trust is everything to him

Alpha wishes he could comfort Beta 《more often》 in his anxious moments without making him even more nervous. It depends mostly on how “cooperative” Beta is at the time. Alpha will usually approach slowly and feel him out; if Beta doesn't flinch from the first moment, he will decide to approach quietly, crouching down beside him and still keeping some distance

Some asked earlier what Alpha would do in this kind of situation when it comes to comforting someone, and this is his procedure across the board!

I can't draw at the moment, so have a lil fluffy drabble!

Word count: 1k+

CW: slight mentions of anxiety. This is a Gamma Code concept and may contain spoilers for the fic. This is also not checked, so may contain spelling/grammar errors. Hurt/Comfort. Mild angst. Fluff. SFW

__________

It’s like a switch flipping on. A little sound, fragile, like a muffled sob, catches his attention. His head snaps toward the source, body pivoting on his heels with the faint squeak of rubber soles. Instinct kicks in. He moves, silent, careful.

Alpha peers through the crack of the slightly open door, and what he sees makes something inside his mechanical body twist, like an internal static crackle, a sharp overheating in his chest. If he had a heart, it would lurch. But he hides it well.

His red eyes glow faintly in the dim light as they scan the room. No one else is here, just his little sweet Beta curled up on the floor in the corner of the near-empty white room, hugging his knees. The overhead lights are dim, but the muted glow catches on the edges of Beta’s purple rays, barely visible beneath his yellow hood.

Alpha doesn’t blink. He watches with cold, calculated stillness, only for his expression to quickly shift, softening into something both fond and quietly resigned.

Beta is overwhelmed again, burying his face in his knees, shaking like a leaf in the wind. His frame curls inward, fragile, trying to disappear. Scared.

Something inside Alpha fractures.

Every time he finds Beta like this, it shatters him. It makes him want to reach out, to cradle him close, press him to his chest, and hold him there until the tremors subside. Until the fear melts away. But it’s hard when, most of the time, he isn’t allowed to get close at all.

His metaphorical heart clenches painfully. Beta always pushes him away. The reasons are obvious. Alpha is painfully aware of every single one.

He steps forward, then hesitates. The serpentine mechanical arms on his back remain still—calm, unthreatening, and he moves carefully, testing the waters. Beta doesn’t flinch too much, only tilting his head slightly in acknowledgment.

It’s a good sign.

Alpha waits. Longing to approach but unwilling to impose. Beta makes no sound, doesn’t pull away. He sits there, unmoving, eyes downcast.

That has to be permission.

The red robot moves closer, and his large frame is silent. He lowers himself to the floor beside Beta, carefully, knees together in an almost formal posture, leaving just enough space between them. Not too close. He doesn’t want to overwhelm him.

The silence is heavy.

Alpha glances at Beta from the side, taking in the soft glow of his purple rays, mostly hidden beneath the folds of his hood.

Alpha parts his lips but hesitates. Then, quietly—

“What’s overwhelming you, Beta?” His voice is low and measured. “Can I help?”

Beta doesn’t answer. He shifts — just a little movement — turning his head slightly between his arms and knees. Just enough for Alpha to catch the glimmer of one visible blue eye.

Silence.

Beta trembles. Not much, but enough. A clear sign that Alpha’s presence unsettles him. But he doesn’t move away, and that’s good.

Then, softly, hesitantly — Beta speaks.

“It’s just… today’s tests were too much,” he whispers. “I don’t think I did well. And they got mad at me.”

Alpha’s fingers twitch. His voice drops, sharp.

“Did they hurt you?”

Beta flinches, and his shoulders jump slightly. Alpha’s tone had come out harsher than intended. He forces himself to suppress the rising tension in his system.

“N-no…”

The energy within Alpha stabilizes. His body cools.

“You can’t do anything wrong,” he murmurs, his voice quiet, soft, almost as if thinking aloud. “You’re perfect.”

Beta looks up, startled and confused. A deep, luminous purple blush blooms across his face before he hurriedly looks away, shoulders curling inward.

“Wh… Why would you think that? Sometimes I feel...” His voice stammers. “… useless.”

Beta finally meets Alpha’s gaze, and freezes.

Those red eyes. Watching. Wide. Bright.

A strange light flickers behind them. Something unreadable. Something Beta never quite understands.

“That’s not true,” Alpha says. “And you don’t have to serve them.”

Beta’s circuits buzz with uncertainty.

“… Isn’t that our purpose?” he whispers. "The reason we were created? To please them…?”

Alpha shifts closer. He leans in, reaching slowly, hesitantly, gloved fingers brushing the edge of Beta’s cheek.

“They don’t get to mold you,” he murmurs. “They don’t get to define you.”

His voice is calm and steady.

“What humans think doesn’t matter. You are you. Quiet, timid, sweet in a way only you can be.” A pause, a flicker of warmth, then he says tenderly. “And you’re cute and perfect just like that.”

Beta’s blue eyes widen. His hands twitch against his knees and he starts shaking.

“I wouldn’t change a thing.”

It’s ironic to him to say when, sometimes, he loathes himself so much.

I wish I could be like you, he thinks. A strange pressure coils in his chest plate. He ignores it.

Beta’s gaze lowers. He looks like he might cry. His lips part, trembling, but the words catch in his throat, faltering into incoherent murmurs.

It’s… adorable.

Alpha’s fingers twitch.

“… Can I hold you?”

Beta doesn’t answer right away. He hesitates, then —slowly, barely — nods.

Alpha doesn’t waste a second.

He moves carefully, pulling Beta into his arms, wrapping all four around him, pressing him close.

A tiny, glitchy sound escapes Beta’s vocal system. His hood slips down, and his rays coming out in surprise.

Alpha loves those vibrant rays.

“Shh… It’s okay,” he whispers, one hand stroking Beta’s back. “Everything’s okay.”

His grip tightens, just slightly.

It feels unreal. Holding him finally.

He never wants to let go.

“You’re okay. You’re strong. I’ve got you. You’re safe with me.”

Without thinking, he shifts, pulling Beta fully onto his lap. Beta stiffens, startled, but doesn’t resist. He stays still. Shy.

Alpha processes the moment, his system adjusting to the unexpected warmth in his circuits. It feels… right.

“Please,” he breathes, his voice softer now, “don’t be afraid of me anymore.”

His eyes slip shut. His face presses against Beta’s shoulder.

His fingers move, trailing over Beta’s rays, mapping their sharp edges with care, no fear, no hesitation—just gentle reverence. His touch is light. Loving. Worshipping. Adoring.

He's pleased when Beta relaxes slowly.

Alpha presses closer. The sensation of Beta against him is grounding, steadying. Alpha doesn’t care that his frame wasn't built for this. He wants to hold him. It’s comforting.

Alpha adores him too much. And it almost hurts.

Beta’s presence is all he has.

And it’s more than enough.

“…Please,” Alpha whispers, barely audible, “no more fear.”

_______________

[marvelrivalsimagines]

Not really a request but more of a headcanon I have

I don't think Iron Fist is an amazing cook or anything, I actually think he'd be kind of bad at following a lot of recipes. (Maybe I'm projecting my ADHD onto him with that oneee) But he also gives me the vibes that he'd make a mean soup from scratch, like that shit would instantly cure the common cold with just a sip type of soup? Idk why. He gives me such worrysome grandma energy. At least when I imagine his s/o is sick.

I definitely agree with all of that! As much as I love Iron Fist, he does not give off master chef vibes 😔 You might think that if you try to cook with him, things will go a little better, but you'd unfortunately be wrong. You might be trying to teach him a specific cooking technique but no matter how good of a teacher you are Lin is better at distracting the both of you. Trying to cut up the vegetables? Lin is wrapping his arms around your waist, hugging you from behind while you're trying to work. The longer you try to ignore him, the more intense the kisses against you neck get. Just waiting for the water to boil now? Well, while you've got some down time Lin is going in for another kiss, and another and - oh shit, the water is boiling over!

Lin's easy distractability in the kitchen does change if you're sick though. He remembers how when he was sick as a child his family had a recipe for a warm, hearty soup that always made him feel better. It sounds like a perfect way to help relive some of your symptoms, but he doesn't have the recipe. Well, he needs to buy the ingredients first anyways so maybe seeing all the vegetables in the store will jog his memory. He remembers something orange being in the soup, but was it carrots or sweet potato? Is there even that much a of difference anyways? (yes Lin, there is. please don't let this man do your cooking or shopping) As Lin stands in the market, an older woman doing her own shopping notices how lost the poor man looks and asks if he needs some help. Lin explains his desperate situation to this woman who smiles, commenting on how lucky his partner must be, and she offers up the instructions to her own family soup. Lin does his best to commit her every word to his memory, then he earnestly thanks her and hurries off to get all of his supplies and get back home to you. Once he's back in the kitchen, he's absolutely locked in. You're sick so there's no room for fooling around. With the instructions from the older woman and the memories of his own family's cooking Lin ends up with a soup that he's actually very proud of! He puts some of the soup into a bowl and carefully walks it into the room you're resting in, announcing that he's made you something to eat. Of course you're grateful that Lin took the time to make you something, but you can't help the involuntary flashbacks to all of the kitchen disasters you've experienced with Lin. As you take your first taste of the soup, again, you can't help the look of surprise at how good the soup really is. Lin smiles and takes fake offense to this, how could you ever doubt him like this?

[eden-writes-stuff]

tags: Remus teaches Sirius to wank, black family trauma, mutual masturbation, NSFW, 18+ (can be read as dub-con if you want to)

"Fuck, not again", Sirius groaned, burying his face in the pillows. This seemed to happen more and more often the older he got.

It was almost painful this time. Like he had to pee really badly, but paired with a need to punch something. As always he decided to ignore it and got up to pull the curtains around his bed aside.

"Morning, Pads", Remus mumbled, looking up from his book. Remus always spent the holiday mornings in his bed, reading. It was a comforting sight. "Morning, Moons", Sirius yawned, before sitting up

"Oh, shit. Do... You know what, I'll go and read in the common room", Remus said and cleared his throat, just as Sirius stretched for a bit. "What? Why? You like your mornings in bed", Sirius answered, confused. 

"It's fine, I'll... just give you the time you need..." Remus got off of his bed, taking his book with him and made his way towards the door.

"Time for what?" "Sirius, you are aware, you got a... you know...?" He lifted an eyebrow as if to tell him something, which only confused the oldest Marauder more. "A what?" He looked down on himself, checking for stains on his clothes. "It's not my hair, is it?", he said, looking up at him, then launching at him, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Moony, tell me there's nothing wrong with my hair!", he pressed on.

"What? No. Not your hair. You... you got a raging boner", Remus answered, stepping back a bit,  then glancing down.

"A what? Oh, that... what's wrong with it? It will go away in a bit." Moony obviously hadn't expected that answer. "Well, yeah. But wouldn't you like to... do something about it?" "Do what? There isn't anything to be done", Sirius shrugged.

Now Remus was the confused one. "Of course there is." When Sirius just stared at him, he sighed. "You know... playing around? fiddling? tossing off? automanipulation? beat the meat?"

"How is beating meat gonna help me get rid of this thing?", he asked.

For a while, they just stared at each other. "You really have no idea, do you?", Remus asked eventually. "I thought I made that clear."

"So... you've been having this... thing for a while. And it just sometimes happens... And when it does you always just wait until it goes away?" "What else would I do?"

Remus looked between the door and Sirius, obviously trying to decide between fight and flight. "I can't believe no one ever told you about this." He laid his book aside and leaned against the door, eyeing Sirius.

"Then tell me now. What's that dark secret everyone has been hiding from me?", he asked, getting slightly irritated.

"I'm really not sure that I'm the right-" "Please, Moony! you can't just leave me hanging now." Remus groaned quietly, then nodded. "Fine. It's usually called wanking or jerking off. It's... Fucking hell, how do you explain that?", he ran his hand through his hair, "Well, basically... It's the same motions as when you're cleaning your broom. You know, you got the lengthy, round thing and then you just... rub over it. Have fun with it", he tried.

For a few seconds, Sirius thought about it. "So I'm supposed to take my penis into my hand and rub over it? That doesn't sound very fun." "Well, I didn't invent it. Don't complain to me", Remus shrugged.

"Show me", Sirius demanded. "What?"

"Show me." "No. Absolutely not." "Come on, Moons. We're friends, aren't we? Friends help each other out." Remus was about to argue when he realised that this might be his only ever chance at seeing Sirius Black naked. It was wrong. Very wrong to use it like this.

"You'll have to take your clothes off if you want me to show you", he warned him. Sirius shrugged. "I'm not the one with the body issues."

Remus took a deep breath in before slowly walking toward his bed. Sirius followed him, thankful for any help he'd get.

"Alright, how do you need me?" Sirius asked, suddenly feeling a bit shy. "Just get comfortable", Remus answered, relaxing into the warmth of his pillows with enough place for Sirius to fit next to him.

"I should take my clothes off first though, right?" "Yeah, that would make it a lot easier", Remus agreed. For some reason, he felt the need to look away as Sirius undressed. It wasn't like he wouldn't see it anyways, but something about this felt too vulnerable for him to watch.

After a bit, he felt a weight on the bed next to him and glanced over. His mouth went dry at once.

"Moony? Is... there isn't anything wrong with me, is there?"

"What? No. Fuck! Sorry. No. Absolutely not. You... You're erm..", his voice sounded hoarse, "It's longer than most others. Between most guys that's a bragging right", he gave Sirius a small smile. "Oh... That's good then", Sirius answered, staring at his dick.

"It doesn't usually look like this." "Well, yeah. It gets harder when you're horny. Basically, all the blood from your brain goes down there", Remus explained. "Why?" "Not sure. I'm not an expert or anything either." "Okay... So, show me what to do."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "You mean- You want me to touch it?", he asked carefully. "I don't know!" Sirius groaned. "I don't know anything about any of this, okay? You're a good teacher, I've seen you help the others studying." "Well, this isn't exactly studying, but yeah, sure..." He would burn in hell for this.

"Alright then, is it okay for you if I touch it?" Sirius nodded. Remus tried to breathe evenly.

Slowly and softly Remus let his hand slide along Sirius' cock, earning a soft gasp and a slight arch of his hips. Careful not to squeeze too hard, Remus wrapped his fingers around the bright pink flesh and started moving it up and down.

"Moony!" Sirius wasn't sure what exactly was happening to him, but Godric, he never wanted it to stop. Remus couldn't help but stare at his face. He was ethereal. 

"Moony- You- I- hng!" Sirius' hands gripped the sheets as his hips automatically jerked upward to get more and more. He couldn't look away. Never in his life had Remus seen something quite this gorgeous. He had to stop. He wasn't here to get Sirius off, he was here to teach him. Biting down on his lower lip, he slowed his movements before stopping completely and letting go.

Sirius sighed in disappointment, looking toward Remus at the loss of warmth. Remus swallowed. "Give me your hand", he ordered, holding out his own, as an invite for Sirius. Gently, he led Sirius' fingers around his dick, then started guiding his hand.

Quietly humming, Sirius buried his face in Remus' neck. Remus' back straightened and for a second he considered doing something, but then he felt Sirius' lips brush against his veins and all thoughts packed for a very long holiday.

"Yours felt better", Sirius murmured against his skin. Still not thinking clearly, Remus turned his head toward him.

The first time their lips touched it wasn't more than a light brush. The second time it was a crash. Two mouths wanting for more, two bodies aching to be closer.

Completely lost in the moment he pulled his friend into his lap, never breaking the rhythm of his hand. Sirius groaned and gasped against his lips, still moving his hips slightly.

Remus could feel himself harden with every single one of Sirius' motions.

It didn't take the other one long to realise it. Carefully he let his hand slide into Remus' pyjama bottoms, pulling his dick out. Remus moaned lightly into the kiss, biting down on his lip.

"Stop?", Sirius asked, pausing for a moment, but Remus quickly shook his head. "No. Don't. Keep going", he answered quietly, building a bit more of a tempo with his hand as Sirius started moving his. Sirius' fingers were impossibly soft and most important - they were Sirius'.

"Fuck, Moony! Feels- feels- so good." Remus hummed in agreement. "I think you're about to come", he whispered, voice rougher than usual. "It's supposed to fe- feel good. Very... Intense. " 

Remus groaned as Sirius' hips started stuttering irregularly and his moans grew louder. "You're gonna make a mess for me. You gonna come all over me." 

Obviously, Sirius didn't last very long. It had already been more than Remus would have guessed. The first times he himself had done it, it only took him a few embarrassing seconds to finish into his pants.

Now he didn't take much longer than that. Between Sirius' perfect hands and his moans, he was completely helpless.

Breathing heavily, Sirius rested his forehead against Remus', who didn't dare to speak as the reality of what they had just done slowly sank in.

"Is it always this intense?", Sirius asked after a few minutes. "Not exactly."

[nameless-jamie]

SURPRISE, YOU'RE AN IDIOT

Glimpse Into the Future - Jamie Tartt x fem!PA reader

Masterlist

A/N: Small chapter. Baby TART DU DU DUDU DUDU

TW: cursing, small angst

Y/N sat on the edge of the bathtub, staring at the little stick in her hands as if sheer willpower could change the result.

Two lines.

Pregnant.

With Jamie Tartt’s baby.

Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it might break through her ribs. This wasn’t part of the plan. Not yet. Sure, she and Jamie had been together for a while now, and she loved him more than she thought was even possible—but a baby? A whole fucking human? Inside of her?

She set the test down on the sink and raked her hands through her hair, sucking in a breath. Panic curled in her stomach like a tight fist. Jamie was wonderful—so fucking wonderful—but he was also Jamie. The same Jamie Tartt who once tried to make toast in the microwave, who got distracted by his own reflection mid-conversation, who could barely remember to feed himself if she wasn’t around to remind him. Would he feed our baby protein bars?

But then, another image surfaced—Jamie with Roy's niece Phoebe, letting her paint his nails bright pink and calling it ‘well fashion-forward, innit?’ Jamie bringing extra snacks to training because ‘Sam likes ‘em, and he shares his protein bars with me.’ Jamie kneeling in the stands after a match, signing a kid’s tiny Richmond jersey and asking if they liked football like he wasn’t the reason they were beaming up at him in awe.

Jamie Tartt, who loved loudly, deeply, without hesitation.

Y/N exhaled, tension slipping from her shoulders.

Because of course Jamie would be excited. Of course he’d love this baby. He was the love of her fucking life, and no matter how much of an idiot he could be sometimes, she knew with absolute certainty that he would be a good dad.

So, yeah. He deserved a proper surprise.

And she knew just how to do it.

Jamie walked into their flat, tossing his bag onto the floor with a loud thud.

"Oi, babe," he called, stretching. "Long fuckin’ day. Roy was on my arse the whole time—‘Jamie, don’t be a dickhead. Jamie, stop posin’ in the mirror—’"

He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Y/N standing in the kitchen, grinning at him. Like she just won the Champions League.

On the counter in front of her was a small yellow box, wrapped neatly with a bow.

Jamie tilted his head. "What’s this? For me?"

"Open it," Y/N said, biting back a smile.

Jamie smirked. "If this is a prank, you’re losin’ your job. I have the authority to do that, you know."

Y/N rolled her eyes. "Just open it, Tartt."

Jamie grinned, untying the ribbon before pulling out—

A tiny, tiny baby-sized Richmond jersey.

With ‘TARTT’ written across the back and a '9', Jamie's kit number.

Jamie blinked.

Then, he snorted.

"Aww, babe, this is cute. Is this for—wait what, are we gettin' a puppy or somethin’?"

Y/N just stared at him.

Jamie, still clueless, twirled the jersey between his fingers. "Bit small, innit? Think they printed it wrong—"

Y/N sighed dramatically. "Jamie."

He looked up. "What?"

Y/N placed a hand on her stomach.

Jamie blinked again.

Then, finally—finally—it clicked.

His eyes went wide.

"Wait."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to catch up.

Jamie pointed at her stomach. "Wait."

Y/N nodded, holding back laughter.

Jamie pointed at the tiny jersey. "Wait."

Y/N sighed. "Jamie, you absolute idiot, I’m pregnant!"

There was a beat of silence.

Then, Jamie let out a loud, delighted, absolutely overjoyed—

"FUCK OFF!"

Y/N burst out laughing as Jamie grabbed her by the waist, lifting her clean off the ground, spinning her around like a lunatic.

"JAMIE!" she shrieked between giggles. "PUT ME DOWN!"

But Jamie was grinning like an idiot, pressing messy, rapid kisses all over her face.

"You’re havin’ my baby," he said, in pure, awed disbelief. "Are you sure? You can't fuck with me right now, I'm goin' t'cry for real."

Y/N smiled. "Yeah, idiot. I am."

Jamie kissed her again, slower this time, hands settling on her waist.

"You’re fucked now, y’know," he murmured, grinning against her lips. "Baby Tartt’s gonna be an absolute menace. You're stuck with me, love."

Y/N smirked and shrugged. "Like father, like child."

Jamie laughed, resting his forehead against hers.

"Guess I should start baby-proofin’ the house," he joked.

Y/N raised an eyebrow. "Jamie, you’re still not baby-proofed yourself."

Jamie gasped, placing a hand over his heart. "Unbelievable."

Y/N grinned. "Guess I’ve got two Tartts to look after now."

Jamie smirked, pressing another kiss to her lips.

"Yep. And you love it." Y/N's smile was one of fullfillment.

Jamie sighed. "No, but for real babe, I'm goin' to cry now. Can you get me some tissues? M'gonna lose it, I'm gonna be a fuckin' dad."

"Oh, yeah, sure I'll go get 'em"

[skimmingmilk]

ooo now i'm curious, tell us more about drift! 👀

i'm assuming, like his name implies, he "drifts" around and just does whatever he wants?

You got it! Drift's name came from a couple of things. First, it's the game mechanic when you take tight corners while boosting as Sonic xD But also, it can mean being carried along by the wind or water, so fitting for a pirate world and also compatible with Sails's name :) And then the big thing is that he's so adrift in his own life. Just completely and utterly directionless.

Drift lives alone on an island in the middle of No Place. He can't swim, so he's not about to go live a life on the open seas. Most of the planet is under water, with scattered islands spread out across the ocean.

Now, he doesn't let it bother him! He doesn't need much, his island is lush and peaceful. It's okay that he can't really run anywhere, the island's not that big, he can cross it in less than fifteen minutes just walking. He likes living life worry-free, without a care in the world. He naps in hammocks all day long, plays his guitar, and eats seaweed salads and drinks out of coconuts xD He has absolutely no drive to do anything. No purpose. No point. And he's happy. He doesn't care that he's stuck in one place because his island is beautiful and he's alone! No one telling him what to do, no one expecting anything of him. It's just him, nature, and peace.

This probably doesn't sound too bad, right? Except, it's Sonic. An aimless Sonic who sees absolutely nothing wrong with lying on a beach all day, every day, alone, forever. He's Sonic's carefree nature dialed up to the point where he couldn't care less. Without anything to run towards, he doesn't run at all. Without anything to live for, he's not even really living.

He's also very talkative despite being alone. Drift got the whole slice of the talking pie xD Sharp might have a sharp tongue, but he also isn't compelled to say everything that's on his mind and Bur (originally Snare, but I think Bur works better for his character, like the little spiky seed balls that get stuck on clothes or in animal fur) is non-verbal. So it's safe to say, Sonic's most annoying qualities went to Drift, lol.

When Drift finally has some company - in the form of Rouge and Knuckles landing on his island for a change - all he's got to offer them are carefree conversations and coconuts, no way home in sight. Just miles of ocean.

"Haven't you ever wanted to at least see what else is out there?" Knuckles demanded. Eyes still closed, Drift lazily waved his hand towards the endless blue expanse beyond the edge of his beach. "Take a long look, pal. That's all there is." "You can't know that!" Knuckles smacked the palm tree with the side of his fist, the whole thing swaying along with the hammock and finally coaxed the hedgehog to crack one eye open and peer up at him. "If you've never left this island, how could you know that there isn't something more for you?" Drift clicked his tongue, a lazy smile spreading across his face as he folded his arms behind his quills. "You tell me, big guy. What could be better than this? Now d'ya mind? You're kinda blocking my sun."

Knuckles can't stand him xD Rouge is just annoyed and wants to find a way back as soon as possible. But the two of them give him a little more perspective, even if he doesn't outwardly show it - because it is pretty fun to annoy them, he's never had real people to mess with - and when Tails shows up, it becomes clear that Drift is fully aware of how he's not actually free. Not caring is his way of coping, convincing himself that he couldn't possibly want more because he can't have it when the world has nearly drowned. But after connecting with both Tails and Knuckles, Drift decides life's no fun without taking a chance or two, so he decides to go with them when they finally leave the island.

Then they'll run across a familiar pirate ship we all know and love, and Drift will find both a purpose and adventure waiting for him aboard <3 He and Sails hit it off almost instantly, to the surprise of absolutely no one, lol. They bond the quickest out of all the variants.

Drift likes to hang out in the crow's nest because "it's the farthest from the water that I can get" and that's where Sails likes to hang out, too, when he doesn't feel like partying and wants somewhere to tinker on his contraptions. Sails thinks he's funny and Drift thinks he's clever. They understand each other's longing for freedom and purpose, but they worry about the price. Drift doesn't want to be anchored to anything and Sails worries he's only valuable as a member of a crew, that on his own, he's nothing. They both fill a need they didn't know they had, and they recognize it straightaway.

"Well... if ye every feel like yer being dragged down here," Sails hummed as he looked out at the edge of the horizon, "I'll fly ye up and out." "Oh yeah?" Drift snorted, but his muzzle quirked in genuine amusement. "Wouldn't that be considered mutiny?" "Can ye really mutiny if ye don't even have a proper captain?" Sails sighed dramatically, coaxing a chuckle out of his companion. "It keeps changin' every day! They keep... they keep abandonin' us," he said, his voice soft, but there was a frustrated edge to it lying just beneath the surface. "Why shouldn't any of us leave?" "Then why don't ya?" Sails pursed his mouth thoughtfully. "I've only ever been any good as a part of a crew. Even if all I ever do is help throw parties and act as lookout. At least I'm doin' something for someone." "A fair point," Drift agreed idly. "Well, guess it'll just depend then. How far can those tails of yours carry ya?" Sails looked over at him and shrugged. "Don't know," he answered honestly. "But so far, they've gotten me where I've needed to go. Can't promise they'll do the same for ye, but... I can promise I'll try." Drift glanced at him, and the sea breeze suddenly wasn't all that cold as a warm smile spread across his face. "I'll hold ya to it," he chuckled.

I haven't written much for them, I still need to figure out exactly when in the show they meet (right now I have it outlined for right after the episode "No Way Out" but I haven't fully pieced together each sequence of events), but I know I love them and they're wonderful~

Thanks for asking about my other problem child Drift! <3

[hrrtshape]

Heyy it's me! So I wanted to ask what to do if it feels like nothing works for me, i started shifting in November, I don't think I've gotten close, but hey I really need to shift😁 Like REALLY I'm FUCKING cooked if I won't shift untill the summer of the 2025, I could just kms at that point... So for a bit of context when I tried to shift my sleep was rlly rlly bad like super fucking bad, I once just set the intention THAT'S IT, and I COULDN'T FALL ASLEEP FOR A WHOLE NIGHT. And I literally can't do method for more then 10 minutes, I mean I do feel something, sensations, but then I'm like "Allrightttt.... What's next?" And kind of frustrated opening my eyes just to see CR. And btw not so long ago I had a lucid dream + a regular dream (it was abt my DR ehheh) so I'm deciding why don't I try to shift... I'm doing something, this LOUD noise in my ears start ringing but I wasn't afraid it was just ANNOYING... Then I see some indian guy telling me something, I look outside and see number, and cine in lucid dream you can't really read words / numbers, I'm looking away from my window and once more. Yep it is lucid dream. But when I was "shifting" I heard my mom's voice... ooo... Was I close to shift? So yh that's it my main question was I close and what do I do since I really REALLY need to shift. Thank you and love you!!! I hope this time sm1 replies to me cuz bfr it is my 6th time

you are so close it’s actually a bit disgusting. like, filth. i need a wet wipe. the indian man (love him, by the way, he is the moment.) the ringing...mhm. that’s all signs of you literally pressing your nose against the window of your dr, and you’re looking inside like a victorian child at a bakery. but then you get frustrated and start licking the window instead of just walking in. stop that. it’s weird. not hygienic !!!

NOW. the sleep issue. body in CR: goblin on redbull but mind in DR: malnourished poet fainting in the snow. you gotta trick your little rat brain. no more thinking of shifting like a grand event. we are doing this casually. method for 10 minutes, too much expectation. set the intention, then just… exist. rot. imagine you are simply a girl, lying on a bed, waiting for the narrative to shift like the plot of a novel. you ever read camus? you ever think about how meursault just went along with whatever? do that. shift like a nihilist. OH WAIT SHIFTING POST IDEA

what do you do next? absolutely nothing. why do you think you need to be a boy scout earning a badge? you don’t need to do tasks. shifting is like falling asleep. you just let it happen. you don’t sit there like a bureaucrat waiting for the next step. you lie there and let your mind decay into madness. the moment you feel something, that is it. accept it. surrender to it. let it consume you like an unpaid internship.

final thought. you WILL shift before summer 2025. do you hear me?!?!?!??!?!?! you will. it is already written. in the stars, in the fabric of the universe, on some weird guy’s basement chalkboard. i would literally bet my kneecaps on it (actually WAIT). now go. stop thinking. go be insane. go shift

[live-laugh-lenney]

any george or arthur angst 🙏

a little inspiration from the new platform roulette...

hurt.

that's how she felt whenever she heard arthur deny the relationship that they had been settled into for the last seven months. with every joke about being single and every joke about being with a woman alongside every laugh he let out when one of his friends made a joke about his dating life and his one-liners in an attempt to pick up women, it tore into her and broke her just a little more each time.

at first, it was something she was really thankful for. he wanted their relationship to be taken slowly, at a pace she was comfortable with, so she wasn't scared off by the way her whole life would become a whirlwind of chaos once his fans knew who she was. from the way her social media would have taken off to the way she'd have been a name they searched for online alongside his own to the way her name would have been in tweets and comments on his instagram, in both nice ways and hated ways. and, he wanted to protect her from the nonsense that she would have been flooded with.

but now?

now she wanted to show him off. she wanted to be shown off. she wanted to live their life together in public and not have to feel like she was being hidden away anymore. she wanted to be taken on dates, double dates, she wanted to share their relationship online with their little milestones, and she wanted to partake in the videos their friends post online without being kept in the background.

she didn't want to hide away anymore.

"people speculate about us anyway so would it be such a problem if we told them what they wanted to hear?"

what had started out as a peaceful night at home, waiting for the long-awaited release of arthur's appearance in platform roulette, had soon turned into a night full of anger and upset. their dinner getting forgotten about, the bottle of wine on the table being ignored and the tv had been paused on a moment that yn couldn't just let slide.

"you might be ready but," he runs his hands through his hair and tugs on the strands that his fingers managed to catch in his fists, "i might not be as ready as you. i don't want to rush things."

"oh, come on, arthur," she scoffs heavily and places her hands on her hips, "we've been together for seven months, can't you see where i'm coming from? or are you that blindsided and scared that you'll lose your fanbase because you won't be the cute, single man in videos anymore?"

the silence that soon followed was deafening.

and thick.

suffocating her with regret because she knew she spoke the words before she could think about how she wanted to get her point across to him. her heart dropped in her chest, almost the pit of her stomach, and she couldn't bring herself to look at him because she knows he'll pull a face that would break her into bits.

"you think i care more about the numbers on my socials than you?"

"that's how i'm feeling right now, arthur."

"do you know how stupid you sound right now?" his voice was thick and laced with anger, the words rolling off his tongue with a hiss, and it dawned on her that, maybe, there was a better way to have brought the topic up and not to cause a fight, "because you sound absolutely ridiculous."

"how would you feel if i went online and started acting exactly how you do in these youtube videos? pretending to be single with such a terrible dating life?"

his silence was just the answer she needed.

"exactly."

all yn could do was busy herself as she collected their dirty plates, food having gone stone-cold and wasted, trying her best to ignore how she was feeling deep down. she hated arguing with him, and the feeling was mutual from arthur, because she hadn't brought up her thoughts with the intentions of picking a fight.

"what do you want me to do, yn?"

"i want to feel like you care about me. i want to feel like you love me enough to show off how happy you are," she glances at him and he stands in the middle of the room like a lost puppy, completely unaware of what to do in that moment, "are you embarrassed of me?"

"embarrassed?"

"it's not a trick question, arthur," she grumbles lowly, scraping off the food from the plates and placing them in the kitchen sink, "are you or aren't you?"

"why would i be embarrassed of you? i have no reason to feel like that towards you, at all," his voice gets louder and she soon realises he's in the kitchen with her, his presence filling the room and she hears the wine glasses, that were in his hands, being set down on the side unit, "i'm far from embarrassed of you."

"then why won't you make us public?"

he gulps back the lump in his throat and leans against the counter, bending his elbows and resting his hands on the edge to keep his body propped up, and it's the first time where they're looking at each other without darkness taking over.

"i'm scared for you," he admits softly, "i want nothing more than to be able to talk about you, about us, with my friends in the videos we film out and about. but i know how brutal people can be and i don't want you to be a victim of social hatred because of who you're with."

"you can't just assume that, though."

"i've seen it happen to my friends, yn," he says; because he had. he'd heard stories about how chip's girlfriend struggled to adapt to his life as a youtuber, how theo's partner would read about herself online to see what people were talking about, how shannon felt when she was with chris. he'd heard it all and seen it all happen. "i didn't want you to tear yourself apart, to become a shell of yourself, because of some of the bullshit people write online."

the words wants to come out but she couldd't speak.

she'd overreacted and it definitely dawned on her, in that moment, that it was something that didn't need to be argued over.

"i just want to keep you safe, yn. that's all."

[chappellrroan]

hey babe okay so I saw the first episode and let me tell u u thirsting about helly r (or helen? im guessing that's her outside name) is soo valid and justified she's very pretty and she's banging on doors screaming to get out and throwing things so I obviously admire her lol also this scout guy omg I cannot take him seriously he was a joke character in the good place it was so funny I keep thinking of him but except for that hmmm it's kinda interesting but I fell asleep like 5 times😭 why is it so slow vio why do they show stupid things like him walking through a white hallway and tying his shoelaces i guess am just used to sitcoms i cannot watch these slowpokes I hope i didn't miss anything important my favourite scene yet from just ep1 was scout sobbing in his car before going to work (haha been there done that) and also helly's video she's so animated corporates will truly kill us all this concept is wild tho but like. it's. i thought that wow i can't keep you're giving away one third of your life to a corporation and you're not even going to remember it like how can you waste it lifeis sooo precious. but then I think about all the precious hours i spent in my office formatting idiotic word documents because my seniors said the font looks bad the spacing is incorrect and how tired I was that I just came home and fell asleep and I'm like oh. i loved that line the boss lady said that humans imagined hell but it doesn't exist but the scary part is that what humans can imagine, they can create. so we all gonna die. but anyway yes that's my review of the first episode.i think i definitely missed some important things like i remember seeing some very old guy talking and suddenly he's like I'm petey and I'm like wait YOU'RE petey? where did u come from? but I'll figure it out lol maybe I didn't sleep enough last night

you'll only fall more and more in love with helly lol (also try not to get spoiled by my posts here because i need to see you react to everything a hundred percent authentic). okay in show's defence it's trying to show and not tell, that's why the first episode might seem a bit boring and slow but trust me it'll speed up by end of 2nd episode. the walking thing is show you the shift in his mannersims how outside he seemed depressed and crying while when his innie (aka the severed self) had absolutely no idea at all (the puzzled look at the wet tissue paper and throwing it) the changing of shoes because he isn't allowed to wear outside ones inside it'd have probably make his innie wonder why they're wet (i am realising this as we speak tbh, because his innie has no idea about sky sun snow weather etc) and give him a chance okay forget his previous characters RIGHTTTT it seems like a fucked up concept but if it was possible i am sure soo many companies would take advantage of it to prey on depressed/naive people. like it sounds nice as a concept but (you'll realise this as you watch) in fact is inhuman to that the other part of yourself that is consistently working. lmao that's miss cobel for you, tell me more about how you feel about her as you go on. also get some sleep and try not to be too worried about catching all the symbolism you'll get them as you go plus we have tumblr to discuss anyways mwah

[ashblooddragons]

La Danse Macabre (Chapter 4/?)

Series Masterlist

121 ac

Dragonstone

Valaenas pov

I feel the ship rock back and forth as we get closer and closer to the island Mama says we used to live in. It's big and scary, but Mama looks so happy when she looks at it I force a smile for her. 

I look down at my egg, it's pure black so dark I swear it swallows up light. But it will never hatch, it turned to stone and Mama and Papa say that means it's a bad egg. 

I don't know why Mama and Papa would give me a bad egg when Jace and Lucs were perfect and hatch little Vermax and Arrax. Is it because their boys? Because they look like Harwin? Mama does look at him in a way that is so different to Papa. Like she can't look away, or that she doesn't want 

I feel a hand ruffle my hair and look up to see Papa. “Excited to pick a new egg?” He asks with one of his funny grins. 

I don't respond, only looking down at my egg again. 

“I know you wanted it to hatch, I'm sorry it didn't. But your Mother's didn't, nor did your grandma's.” 

I know he is trying to make me feel better, but it doesn't. We're coming to this island so I can pick a new egg, it makes me worried this one will be and too.

“Why did you and Mama give me a bad egg? You gave Jace and Luc good ones.” I ask, eyeing the little dragons following my brother's. 

He sighs looking down at his feet, I noticed he does this when he's thinking though I don't know what his shoes would do to help him. 

“When me and your Mother picked your egg, I had my doubts. It was so dark to your sweet little self. But she swore it would hatch. Maybe it didn't because it wasn't made for you, maybe there is another dragon just waiting to hatch and held by you.” 

I take his words in before looking at the egg. It's not me, we were just never meant to be friends. I think before hugging Papa with all my strength.

“It wasn't me.” I say as he strokes my hair. 

“No, any dragon would be lucky to have you as their rider, my darling girl.” He says before kissing my brow and standing up. “Now we're about to dock, why don't you get all the toys you need?” He suggests pointing to my pile of toys.

I try to pick which ones I absolutely need so in the end I'm carrying my Seasmoke plush and Little Val while Papa carries Saera, Mary, and my plush Syrax off the ship. 

“Stay with Magnolia boys, me and your Father will be busy.” Mama says to Jace and Luc before handing them to one of her maids. 

“Now let's go to the Dragonpit, they should have all the eggs down there.” Mama says with a tight lipped smile as she has another one of her maids take my toys. 

What was the point in bringing them down if I can't play with them? I think as Papa picks me up and starts walking towards a dark cave. I don't like the noises that escape from it, they don't sound friendly. Nothing like Seasmoke or Syrax when they see me. 

“Sorry love, I thought we would be able to explore the castle before this but it seems your Mother is on a mission.” Papa whispers to me before following after Mama and the Dragonkeepers. 

When we enter it's a large room that smells stinky. Like burnt flesh and rotten eggs. 

Not a good combo. 

But what catches my attention is the large table in the middle of the room with all sorts of eggs. Lots are black like my bad one, some are green, a few are blue, and then there are a handful of random colors. Like red, brown, orange, and yellow. But none holds my attention more than the other. 

“Are these all of them? I thought you said Silverwing and some wild dragons had laid more than this.” Mama asks, looking at each one whispering to herself. 

“There was, your Grace, but sadly some turned to stone and some were too dangerous to recover.” An old man says from his place beside Mama.

“Let me guess, the Unbonded?” She asks in a tone that implies there is an inside joke. 

He only nods before turning to look at me. He waves me and Papa forward and before I can tell Papa I don't want to be closer to the dark tunnel he moves closer. 

“Alright, my love, why don't you start by telling us which you don't want.” Mama suggests taking me out of Papa's arms and sitting me on the table. 

I'm never allowed to sit on the table. This place must be special. I think looking at each one. 

“Not black, those are the ones that go bad.” I say with a nod. 

The old man moves forward and I see he's about to speak when Papa interrupts him. 

“Fair enough, your first egg was black and now it's stone, perhaps a different color.” 

I agree with Papa but when I turn to look at him I notice the glare he gives the old man. 

Why is Papa upset, the man was only going to talk? I think before Mama tells me to look at the eggs again. 

“Not yellow, I want Syrax to feel special.” I say pointing at the two yellow eggs. One is lighter with a grey shimmer and the other is darker like gold without the shimmer, instead it has a brown shimmer that Mama says looks like copper. 

“How sweet darling, I'm sure Syrax will thank you.” Mama says as she runs her hands through my curls. 

We stay there for a bit with me slowly removing eggs from the table. I feel bad as I do it, I want them to have friends but Mama says I should pick the perfect one. 

But for some reason I feel like the dragon that's supposed to be my friend isn't in this room, it's outside somewhere on this island. 

We only stop when my stomach growls so loud Mama and Papa can't help but laugh. 

“Sorry, I'm hungry.” I say as I touch my tummy that keeps rumbling.

“Tis alright, my love, we have dwindled it down quite a bit. There was thirty here and now there are fifteen. We got rid of more than half.” Mama says picking me up and setting me on my own feet again. 

I wiggle my legs when I feel them buzz like one of Helaena's bugs in a jar. It isn't a good feeling each step I take feels like I'm stepping on a pile of needles but I know the best way to get rid of this feeling is walking. 

Such an odd way of fixing the pain, by adding more pain. 

“How about a picnic? You could collect seashells after you eat.” Mama suggests. 

I do like collecting seashells. I think before nodding my head excitedly. 

I make sure Mary, Little Val, and Saera all are sitting properly before I start to fill my plate. 

I get bread, cold meats, and cheese. But Mama stops me from sitting back down and holds out an apple. 

“Your Father can cut it, but you need a fruit or vegetable.” She says as she hands it to Papa who quickly gets his dagger and slices piece after piece until the core is left. 

“Do you want lemon on your apple?” Papa asks as he slices one into four pieces and squeezes one over his grapes. 

“Will it be good?” I ask curiously. I've never thought about using lemon on my fruit, it's sour and apples are so sweet. It just doesn't make sense.

“Here, we'll drop a little on one slice and then you try it. If you like it we'll do the rest, if you don't then it's only one apple slice.” 

I think about his solution before nodding, holding one out waiting for him to squeeze the lemon. 

“Alright take a bite.” He says watching as I take a bite of the crisp apple. 

The apple is soft yet firm, giving a satisfying crunch when I bite into it. The sweetness is what I taste first and then the tangy sour. It blends perfectly, it gives a fresh taste to the sweet watery flavor of the apple. 

I quickly hold out my plate waiting for him to squeeze more on to the rest. 

“I assume you liked it?” He teases gently squeezing lemon juice onto the rest of the apple slices. 

“Why is it so good? It shouldn't be! Sour and sweet doesn't make sense!” I exclaim taking bite after bite, hardly breathing before I take another. 

“Slow down, I don't want you choking.” He says resting his hand over mine just as I go to bite my last slice. “And I don't know, sweetling, but this is how my Father ate them.” 

The rest of the picnic goes by quickly, we'll if it weren't for Luc who keeps asking what everything is. He was always a curious babe, but now that he knows how to talk he just. Won't. Stop. 

He needs to know what each cheese is called and why, what each piece of meat is called and what animal it came from, how you make bread and why it can be fluffy or hard. He wants to know why some clouds are thin and some are like pillows. 

I want to know the answer to these questions too, but from the way Mama rubs her head with a frown and Papa keeps sighing, I know now isn't the time to join Luc on all the questions of the world. 

“All done!” I exclaim as I set my now empty plate on the blanket before standing up. 

“Oh, well your brother's aren't quite done, Darling. Why don't you find some seashells or seaglass?” Mama says as she grabs Jace's arm before he runs into the cold water. No doubt Luc would be right behind him. 

“Yes I think that's a lovely idea. Your brother's are being quite a handful. I think they are about ready for their midday nap.” Papa says stopping Luc from throwing bread into the ocean so he can ‘feed the hungry fishys’.

I nod, turning around and walking away looking for any sheets or seaglass. I often find that Mama and Papa say stuff like that a lot. Especially Mama. 

Sorry Darling, Jace and Luc are too rowdy right now, maybe later. 

Oh I would love to but Jace and Luc wouldn't know what to do and get into everything.

Honey, why don't you play with Aemond and Helaena? Jace is having a tantrum. 

Why don't you find me pretty flowers while I calm down Luc? 

I'll see you soon, after this voyage. And when I come home you and I will play alright?

But they are all lies. Papa never plays for long because he is needed for another voyage or a small council meeting. And Mama…well Mama never has time for me it seems. She is always worried about Jace and Luc. But I understand they can be crazy at times, at least I have Aemond to play with…well at least at home. 

I wish Aemond was here. I think wiping a tear that streams down my face out of nowhere. Why do tears come when you don't know why you're sad? 

I pick up a pretty blue shell that goes into a spiral. When I shake it I hear something shake. 

What is in this? I think looking inside for anything only to find sand.

Weird. I think before dropping the shell in the leather pouch Papa gave me as one of my nameday gifts. 

I continue to look for any good shells I think Helaena might like when my mind drifts to the eggs. 

None felt…right. Maybe Dreamfyre laid more and one of those will be my friend. But what about Aemond? I think remembering how sad he was when he found his egg had turned to stone too. 

I then remember one egg I think he might like. It's green with brown shimmer all over it. He always loved Vhagar saying she was the greatest dragon in the conquest. That one looked the most similar to the paintings of her. 

I'll make sure it is brought home for him with my egg. I decide when another shake comes but this time I'm not holding any eggs and the sand even shifted. 

I look around confused why this would happen when I see a big cave. Big enough for Vhagar to fit or at least from what the paintings show. 

I hear people yelling but no matter how badly I want to turn and see who is and why I can't. This cave holds my attention for some reason. Like something is calling for me. 

Another shake comes and I feel my heart about beats out of my chest when I see why the ground is shaking. 

A huge white dragon starts walking out of the cave. It seems like it's around the size of Vermithor, maybe bigger, but not as big as Vhagar. Its wings membrane is light pink, almost white. All of it is white, but it's eyes. They are blue like the ocean; they even seem to make waves as they move.

The yelling comes closer but I can't take my eyes off the dragon in front of me. Something in my chest vibrates when I look at it, and even though it turns its head to growl at whoever is coming it doesn't take its eyes off me either. 

I finally build up the courage to speak when it starts to lean its head down to sniff me.

“Do you want to be friends? My egg turned to stone, maybe I could take one of yours so I could have a dragon friend?” I ask as I hold my hand out for the dragon to smell.

“VALAENA!” I hear and I reluctantly look away from the dragon to find Mama and Papa running towards me. Mama is crying big big tears. And Papa, why does he seem scared? Papa is never scared, he's big and strong, a great knight who can fight anyone or anything. 

It is only now that I realize how far I went, I can barely see where we were eating and that's only because of the two people holding Jace and Luc who seem very scared. 

But my attention is quickly brought back to the dragon as it growls towards Mama and Papa before laying on the ground with its head at my feet. 

I try to figure out what this means, what the dragon wants me to do. So I decide to do just that. 

“Do you want me to give you my seashells?” I ask which doesn't give any response other than a blink of its eyes but that could be because of the bird that flew by. 

“Do you want food from our picnic?” I ask which seems to annoy the dragon as it buffs pushing its head close to me so I can feel the warmth of its scales. Though it's still not touching me. 

And that's when it hits me what it wants. “Do you want me to pet you?” I ask which gives me something that sounds like one of the happy rumbles Seasmoke makes when Papa comes to see him. 

“VALAENA COME HERE NOW!” I hear Mama demand as she and Papa continue to run towards me.

I know it's naughty not to listen to Mama, but for some reason I need to pet this dragon. I can't explain why but the longer I don't the more my chest hurts. So I decide to rest my hand on its huge snout.

I can't help but giggle at how big it's nose is compared to my hand, but also the feel of its scales. They are soft like one of Mama's shiny dresses she says are made of silk. They are all white not any other color in sight. Even the shimmer of its scales seems white. 

“Are we friends now? Are you my dragon friend? Like Mama with Syrax and Papa with Seasmoke?” I ask and it does that happy rumble again. “I'll take that as a yes.” I say before jumping when I hear Papa yell next.

“VALAENA VELARYON GET OVER HERE NOW!” 

He doesn't seem happy, and he doesn't look it either. I slowly walk over to them, hanging my head. I knew it was naughty not to listen but I just couldn't leave the dragon, it felt like home, it felt safe, it felt like freedom. 

Once I'm about halfway to them Mama runs forward picking me up and holding me so close my rubs pinch and it's hard to breathe. But I don't tell her this, because she starts crying, and not the sad kind, the kind where your whole body shakes. She even falls to her knees as she kisses me all over as big tears roll down her face. 

I've never seen Mama like this. I think as I hug her back hoping that it'll help her be happy again. 

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.” I say over and over again hoping she will stop crying, I don't like seeing her sad.

I then feel someone hug me from behind and turn to see Papa crying too. I've never seen him cry ever. I don't know what to do. I know what I did was naughty but dragons are nice, it wouldn't have hurt me. 

I start saying I'm sorry louder and faster as I try and hug them both. I just want them to stop crying, why won't they stop? 

Mama then finally leans back wiping her tears even though more fall, but these ones are smaller and slower. 

“Look at me Valaena, don't ever scare me or your Father like that again. We thought we lost you for good, you are very very lucky. Do you hear me!” She demands and all I can do is nod my head as tears start rolling down my cheeks too. 

She pulls me in for a bone crushing hug again before standing up and carrying me back to where we had our picnic. 

She says something to her maids before following them towards the keep. I hear whispers as we pass by some of the Dragonkeepers. They all look at me with mixes of fear and astonishment. 

I don't know why but what I do know is this. 

When I put my hand on that dragon's snout, I felt alive. I felt whole. And there is no way I'm letting that feeling be taken from me. And from the way the dragon stares after me it won't either. 

I lay in bed listening to Mama and Papa talk, they hadn't let me out of their sight since I made my dragon friend. They keep calling it the ‘Unbonded’ but I know I don't like that name. 

From what I gathered it's not a it, it's a she, a girl dragon. Mama says they found lots of eggs in the cave because the dragon is now sleeping in front of the castle, or as close as it can get. 

“The Unbonded Laenor! The bloody Unbonded. Our little girl claimed a beast that rejected its rider in the cradle. Our little girl claimed a beast that has killed more Targaryen and Velaryon than evem even fucking Cannibal. It has rejected every potential rider and then it just…chose her?” Mama says as she taps her fingers on the table. 

At least that's what I assume the tick tick tick noise is.

“I know Rhaenyra, I know the bloody dragons history. I know our little girl almost because ash in the wind and there would've been nothing we could've done to stop it. All because of what? Jace and Luc being rowdy? Gods we almost lost our daughter because we couldn't couldn't fucking patient!” Papa says as he paces the living area of our apartment. 

It goes silent for a hit before Mama sighs standing up and walking towards Papa, or I think so because he suddenly stopped. 

“Let's stop thinking about what could've happened, and instead think about what did. Our little girl did something no one else has, and she did it so calmly. I don't even think she realized she was in danger. I guess we have Syrax and Seasmoke for that.” Mama says and then they both start laughing. 

As they continue to talk I decide on a better name than the unbonded. 

She's beautiful, really beautiful. What does Papa call me when I look beautiful? Gevives? Yeah that'll be her name. 

Also if you want to know what Unbonded looks like, or now Gevives this is the inspo. As you can see there is a reason they said shes around the size of Vermithor and Vhagar, also keep in mind Laena lives in this so she claimed another dragon (Sheapsteeler) so Aemond will lose his eye and claim Vhagar another way.

one more thing, if you want to know more about the Unbonded I recommend checking my WIld Dragon post. I'm planning on adding more such as Brightfyre (Shout out to all my Tides of Love readers) and a couple others I'm working up.

Special thanks to my bestie @sugutoad for making the header for this fic! I swear I'd be lost without you girly!

I would also like to thank @zaldritzosrose for making the divider for this fic! I love it even though I know it is Baela inspired lol.

TAGLIST: @sugutoad @ilikefelines @classicsimpforaaronwarner @sachaa-ff @mmogurl @themoonlitquill @thelastemzy @athzhowakar

[demaparbat-hp]

Thinking about @stygiovictoria's Roleswap AU.

[egophiliac]

(breathing into a paper bag) FRALIO....

can't believe they gave us another guy. oh my god. so I guess Kelka is more, uhhh, more OOO then, and Fralio is Ankh? not that it matters too much, although they do seem to be doing something with the connected Riders so. who knows. anything goes! or if I may, anything gOOOes! god. of course they're the Ambition parallel. of course they are. oh my god.

fortunately there's nothing else they can throw at me right now that could possibly --

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[prouvaireafterdark]

Hi! As someone just coming into reading the books but who's been with the show since day 1, I'm curious about why people take Lestat's narrative in TVL with 100% sincerity when the premise of the show seems to be interrogating the dissonance that everybody's versions create. Obviously there's some big things that are definitely going to be true, but I'd personally be disappointed if we got a straight adaptation of unfiltered Lestat perspective on events, haha!

I think you're conflating sincerity with some idea of omniscient, objective accuracy, which, as you note, is a useless thing to search for in a show where memory is continually shown to be an unreliable monster.

Lestat's version of events in TVL is sincere, though. He's speaking from the heart and he's trying to give the story of his life, mostly by sharing his truth about what his life before meeting Louis was like, and in part by filling in the gaps Louis leaves us with about what happened at Rue Royale. His recollection may turn out to be as faulty and biased as Louis' or Armand's has been shown to be in the show, but that doesn't make it any less sincere.

And I'm not implying that Louis is lying or anything. I'm talking about him not mentioning or glossing over the happy memories that meant a lot to Lestat and made up, for him, a big part of what it was to share a home with Louis and Claudia for so long. Giving Lestat the space to talk about his love for Louis and Claudia doesn't erase the abuse he inflicted on them in those moments of instability and rage. I don't get why people are so resistant to seeing that. It's not like it makes everything better. If anything, it makes it worse that he loved them so much.

What's important to note, too, is that at no point does Lestat in his retelling excuse himself for anything he did to Louis and Claudia and I doubt very much we would see him do that in future seasons of the show. Lestat even says it himself that he deserved what Claudia did to him. The way things worked out between the three of them is his greatest, deepest regret and it will haunt him for the rest of his immortal life.

Also, not for nothing, what we've gotten this season and last season are the unfiltered perspectives of Louis, Claudia, and Armand. That's not to say they're lying or intentionally obfuscating (okay, well, Armand totally is), but that is what we got---a narrative that was really challenged only by Daniel and not by anyone who was actually there who remembers it differently. I don't see why we shouldn't also get Lestat's unfiltered version, especially considered he is the main protagonist of the Vampire Chronicles series going forward.

For me and many others, it's not about excusing anything. It's all about contextualizing his decisions. Like, Lestat didn't just wake up one day and decide it would be fun to destroy his family. I want him to tell me in his own words (which, as a reminder, he has yet to do at any point in this series so far) what drove him to do the horrible things he did and how he really feels about it. When we do hopefully get that, I expect the fandom to interrogate his accounts as vigorously as they did Louis' and Armand's and Claudia's.

And to answer your question regarding the books specifically, we have Anne herself to blame for that. She wrote IWTV when she was battling some of the most intense grief and despair a person can feel. She had just lost her child. Writing the book was an outlet for that and you can feel it as you read Louis' perspective. When she decided to continue the series, though, she changed her mind about a lot of things---mainly who Lestat was as a character and how she had come to hate the "weakness" in Louis (which was really because she came to hate the "weakness" she saw in herself as she came out on the other side of her grief and identified with him less and Lestat more). There is a very real dissonance between who Lestat is in IWTV and who he is in TVL and beyond. The way she accounted for that in her own writing was that Louis was misconstruing certain events by leaving things out or straight up making things up like their reunion in NOLA at the end of IWTV, which Lestat claims never happened. The reason people take Lestat's words at face value sometimes isn't usually because they hate Louis or think he lied about Lestat's abuse. It's because Anne, as the writer of the story, wanted the reader to doubt Louis' version in favor of Lestat's because she had changed her mind about the direction of the story and the characters she created.

It's also worth noting that, in the actual text of the show, that version of events taken from the book, the content of the original interview, is described by Louis himself as an admitted performance. I think it's a perfectly legitimate reading to consider IWTV (the book) in the context of Louis trying to get Lestat's attention with something he knew would upset him, like Armand suggests was Louis' fantasy, because he wanted or needed to see him again.

This got long and rambley so I'll just leave you with the wise, wise words of Samothy Reid when asked to give one truth and one lie in the show: Everybody lies. Everybody lies.

I don't think that will change if we finally get Lestat's POV so imo people should just relax and enjoy the ride.

[helpimstuckposting]

TW: mentions of homophobia, brief f-slur mention More silly conversations and goofy friendship moments that Steve hasn't had in a while! I just love the Robin/Steve/Eddie dynamic, it's my favorite out of everything so I hope you like and I did it justice

I’m a ghost and you are a shadow

Part one | part two | part three | part four | part five | part six | part seven | part eight | part nine | part ten | part eleven

—

After their midnight talk, Steve couldn’t just go back to bed. There were too many thoughts, too many emotions, too much going on in the past day for his mind to quiet enough to let sleep take him. Instead, Eddie kept him company in the kitchen. They talked about the other Steve, Eddie hesitant at first, but Steve reassured him he wanted to know more about the man he could have been, the one everyone saw when they looked at him.

It was interesting, hearing all the differences of his life that appeared from the crossroads of his father living and dying. Apparently, Richard Harrington had died in some sort of travel accident when Steve was four. Eddie didn’t quite know the details, he’d never asked, but the rumor around town was that Mr Harrington had gone off on a business trip the morning of Steve’s fourth birthday. He came back in a casket.

Steve could vaguely recall begging his father to stay home for his birthday that year. He’d begged and begged until his father relented, it was probably the best birthday Steve could remember. And yet, because of that, the rest of Steve’s childhood suffered. Oh, the irony, Steve thought.

They went over some of the pictures hanging on the photo wall, Eddie dramatically re-enacting a few of them, though Steve could tell it was hard. If Eddie’s rings were his armor, Steve thought maybe his DM persona was a shield. Like it was easier to remain detached if he pretended they were campaigns and not memories.

Steve also noticed that since their talk outside, Eddie refrained from calling the other Steve ‘his Steve’. He just called him Steve, just like it was another person who happened to have the same name. It was nice, like Steve wasn’t a replacement or the same person or a mistake. He was just Steve, and so was this other guy. Two different people with the same name, like it was normal.

It was a relief, in those moments, to be someone new, someone separate from the other Steve. It made him feel a little less like he was taking up space he shouldn’t be in, and Steve thought maybe that was Eddie’s intention. He said Steve wasn’t taking someone else’s place, and he kept his word.

At some point, before the sun rose, the stairs creaked with footsteps. The two had been crouched over the counter with cups of coffee, legs too numb from sitting for hours. Robin swayed sleepily into the kitchen, blinking one eye at a time before rubbing at them with her balled up fists. She looked kind of like a toddler who was searching for her parents. Steve snorted into his mug, setting it down before he choked on the liquid inside. Robin’s eyes narrowed at him, before she rolled her eyes and lazily lifted two fingers up in a peace sign.

“Sup, Dingi,” she croaked, voice not quite awake yet.

Steve shared a look with Eddie, scrunching his nose up in a sneer and nodding silently toward Robin, what the hell did she just say?

Eddie snorted and took a gulp from his mug, a silent don’t ask me, sent back.

Robin sighed and pointed to Steve, “One dingus,” she said, then pointed to Eddie, “two dingi,” she concluded, before wandering over to Steve and stealing his mug of coffee. She clasped it in her hands and shuffled over to the other side of the counter island, plopping herself into a stool. “So what were you two lovely ladies talking about at four in the morning?”

“I was telling Stevie here about that one time Steve bet you couldn’t beat his track time and you sprinted so hard you threw up in your lunch bag before band.” Robin squawked, slamming the mug down on the counter and leaning threateningly toward Eddie.

She jabbed a finger at him, “Not cool Munson, we agreed that story went to the grave!”

Eddie laughed maniacally, bouncing in his place, “I lied, Buckley, tough shit!”

As Robin leapt from her stool to chase Eddie around the kitchen island, Steve silently stole his mug back to watch it all play out. He’d dreamed of this so many times, the casual teasing and horsing around just like the kids did. He’d never had a large group of genuine friends, just Tommy and Carol and whoever else they deemed cool enough to join them that week. It was never light hearted jokes and stupid faces, it was silent smoking and jabs that were too sharp, too mean spirited. Carol taught him how to hold himself, how to look intimidating and aloof. She’d never in a million years stoop down to make herself look stupid for a laugh or to cheer someone up. She was calculated, like his mother, but now he wondered if things had been different, would she have been happy too? Does a Carol or Tommy in this universe chase someone around a counter to make them laugh? Or any other universe?

After a couple laps around the kitchen island, Robin caught up to Eddie, tugging his back to her chest and lifting him off his feet. She looked like a wrestler trying to suplex Eddie into the ground but she couldn’t get him higher than a couple inches, tops. Steve snorted into his coffee again as Eddie shrieked, shards of pain stabbing through his nose as he coughed the liquid back out of his lungs and sinuses. There were tears in his eyes from the choking and the laughter and the tightness in his chest, and after hacking up the dredges of coffee in his lungs he kept watch as Eddie kicked and screeched and Robin struggled to keep him in her arms.

Eddie threw himself forward so his feet finally landed back on the ground, and it was Robin’s turn to yell as she was hoisted onto Eddie’s back from the sudden movement. She still refused to let go as Eddie rapidly stalked around the counter, squatting to keep Robin’s weight on his back as she kept his arms pinned to his side.

Steve could watch them fight it out for hours, if he were honest and it had been years since he’d laughed this hard. The rest of the party was going to show up eventually today and they’d have to start looking into the gates, but for now Steve watched and laughed and rolled his eyes as Robin finally gave up her hold and slid off Eddie’s back, pooling onto the floor like a sad little puddle.

“First you break our vow, then you try and murder me, and for what? For what, Munson? I know where you sleep!” She mumbled into the tile.

Eddie crouched down to lean over her, smug look plastered over his face. “I’m pretty sure you tried to murder me, this was purely self defense.”

“And I’m sure the cops would say you had it coming!” She said, lifting herself off the floor and sitting back in her stool. She snatched Steve’s mug up, took a sip and then squinted at him, slowly lowering the mug to the counter and pointing at it.

“Did you spit in this?”

“Not on purpose,” he replied, voice still a bit hoarse from the coughing fit. She gagged dramatically and shoved the cup back in his hands, standing to pour her own.

“It’s about time you learned how to be self-reliant,” Eddie teased, sitting down in the next stool over, across from Steve who remained leaning over the counter, elbows holding his weight on the shiny granite while his ankles were crossed behind him.

“Shut the whole fuck up, Munson, or I swear to god-,”

“How did you three meet, anyway?” Steve asked, cutting off whatever threat Robin was about to throw out. He looked back and forth between Eddie in front of him, and Robin behind him fixing her mug of coffee. He watched as the two shared a look, both a little sad at the reminder that their Steve was gone. Or at least, that’s what Steve assumed the look was, the droop to their smiles telling Steve maybe he shouldn’t have asked. However, before he could take it back, Robin sat back down in the stool next to Eddie and started to answer.

“We were all in band together,” she said as Eddie nodded and silently took a sip from his mug.

“Band?” Steve asked. He knew Eddie and Robin were in the high school band in his universe, but they hadn’t become friends as far as he knew.

“You and Eddie played sax,” she said. Steve tried to cover his flinch at the mention of ‘you’, the reminder that they all expected him to be someone he wasn’t sparking uncomfortably in his head.

“Steve and I sat right in front of Buckley here, who always had a penchant for playing just a little too close to my ear,” Eddie chimed in, shoving his shoulder against Robins.

“Well Eddie here was never a team player, always skipping ahead or pretending to play when he didn’t like the music,” she shoved right back.

“I never-,” Steve started, pausing when the two pairs of eyes locked onto him. “I never learned any instruments.” He sighed, fiddling with the mostly empty cup in his hands. Their eyes felt like lasers boring into his head. “Mom signed me up for piano classes when I was little, but my dad said the arts were for ‘females, fruits, and fags’ so I never got the chance to finish.”

“Well hey, I’m a female and a fruit,” Robin said.

“And I’m a fag!” Eddie said, turning to Robin for an enthusiastic high five. “Guess Mr Harrington was right, huh Stevie?” he said sarcastically. Steve swallowed nervously around the saliva pooling in his mouth. He actually didn’t know about Eddie, had maybe suspected sometimes but it had never been confirmed. It felt… weird that this seemed like something he should know, but he didn’t and now he does but Eddie never told him. Or, well, he did just tell him but he also didn’t and now he knew something that he wasn’t sure he was allowed to know.

“Oh shit,” Eddie mumbled, “did you… uh,” he glanced between Steve and Robin, “did you not know about us?”

Steve shook his head, “I uh, I knew about Robin, but not…”

Eddie winced. The giddy look in his eye from the playful banter was gone, and he seemed… sadder, like Steve had just tossed water over a campfire and killed the light. “Why does it feel like I just outed someone else?” Eddie mumbled to Robin. She grimaced and set a comforting hand on Eddie’s shoulder, sharing a warm look that Steve once again couldn’t read. Again, he felt like an outsider watching over two strangers. The side of the counter he was leaning against seemed cold and wide, a million miles away from where Robin and Eddie sat side by side.

“Well anyway,” Eddie scooted closer to the counter, clinking his empty mug against Steve’s, “regardless of the Eddie you know, I’m gay so… welcome to the Queer Closet of Hawkins, you’re officially on the guest list and it’s a very exclusive honor.”

Steve chuckled, awed by the way Eddie had just closed the chasm between them. The metalhead grinned, patting the stool on his left and closing that gap even more. Steve placed his cup in the sink behind him and walked around the counter to sit in the vacant seat, the gap completely shut with a final click as Eddie lightly patted Steve’s knee.

“So what about you?” He asked, “how did you meet Robin and Eddie?”

Steve laughed, “it’s uh… a much longer story.” Eddie nodded eagerly and Robin pulled a leg up to squish under her on the stool, leaning against the counter to look over Eddie and nod just as enthusiastically. Steve looked back and forth between the two, feeling more whole than he had even just a few hours ago.

He shook his head fondly and launched into the story of Scoops, Russians, Steve and Robin’s unfortunate drug-filled escapade through the mall, and Dustin’s weird ability to imprint on older teens. Eddie laughed at that, tossing his head back and almost falling backward out of his stool.

“I was so annoyed! Dustin wouldn’t shut up about his cool new friend Eddie who played D&D and understood all his references. Eddie who was ‘the best DM ever’, who was ‘so cool, you don’t get it, Steve’ the little shit.”

Robin was leaning against Eddie’s back now, arms thrown over his shoulders to keep him planted in his stool. “Oh, oh!” she exclaimed, smacking Eddie in the chest as she thought of something.

He grabbed her wrist, stopping her from hitting him again. “Jesus, Buckley, spit it out,” he grumbled, shooting eyes at Steve, who just smiled back at him.

“Does your Robin have any game? A girlfriend? Is she cooler than me?” She asked excitedly.

Steve snorted, “I don’t think any Robin Buckley has ever had game.”

“Hey!” Robin exclaimed, and then squinted at him, assessing something in her head. “No, yeah, that makes sense,” she conceded, bobbing her head back and forth.

“She did have a massive crush on this girl Vicky from band, though, and they got pretty close. I always told Robin to go for it, because Vicky? Not straight, not at all,” he swore to them, pointing back and forth as emphasis.

“Ah, Vicky,” Robin sighed dreamily, “she was so cute.” Eddie rolled his eyes, shaking his head at Steve like he’d heard way too much about Vicky for a lifetime. “I never did get the chance to see if Steve was right about that.”

This time Steve rolled his eyes, "Of course I'm right, she was totally giving you eyes, like, constantly I can't believe you would doubt me!" he scoffed, missing for a second that he had slipped in and made himself her Steve, what he'd been trying to avoid this whole time. He had to remind himself constantly; he wasn't their Steve, he was an outsider, he was a different person. He remembered what Eddie had said by the pool; he's not a placeholder, he's not stealing someone's spot, he's his own person.

Still, with the jokes and banter and laughter, it was so so easy to just slip up and forget. He brushed it off, hoping they would too or even better that they wouldn't notice his mistake or the slight dim to his smile before catching himself. Luckily, Eddie and Robin were as close to reading his mind as possible it seemed and the three powered forward as if the slip never happened.

As it turns out, in this universe the Russian fiasco still happened, in nearly the same way. The only difference between Steve's story and Robin's story was that they'd already been friends for years, had applied to Scoops together, just like Family Video. Eddie had been working in the record store on the second floor, but was off with Wayne for a fishing trip at the time. Everything else was the same.

"I can't believe that was our first test of friendship, oh my god," Robin whined, smushing her face up with her hands and dragging them down, pulling her features with them.

"I'm still so mad I missed that, I was so useless and I had no idea until Wayne and I came back and everything was fucked. What if Samwise was on vacation and he just came back and Bilbo was suddenly a hero, missing a finger, traumatized from all this shit Sam had no idea about! I spent the rest of that summer feeling like I had missed your whole lives," Eddie said. Steve wasn't quite sure who the hell he was talking about, but there was something else in his eyes, something that Steve still hadn't translated and couldn't put his finger on. He wondered if Eddie would tell him, eventually, wondered if he'd ever be able to read those looks before they had to shove him back through the gate to his desolate wasteland of a universe.

He shoved that thought away from his mind, locked in a little box labelled 'for later', and trekked on through their morning. It would probably only be an hour now before the party showed up to finalize plans and start splitting up to put it in motion. He sighed and looked between Eddie and Robin, still going through random memories, teasing, poking, and laughing at each other. 'For Later' he whispered in the dark of his mind, joining back into the conversation as if he'd never left. He'd worry about it then, for now he was more content than ever to just sit here at the dark kitchen island as the sun kept up its rise over the horizon. He'd sit, and listen, and contribute, and laugh, and everything else could come later.

—

@devondespresso @weirdandabsurd42 @sirsnacksalot @space-invading-pigeon @aliea82 @goodolefashionedloverboi @emly03 @bestwifehaver @mentallyundone @13catastrophic-blues @estrellami-1 @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @likelylad @aellafreya @wxrmland @shunna @fangirltofangod @howincrediblysapphicofyou

[airenyah]

where's that one tumblr post that asks what the thing is that you're "well actually" about bc that post has crossed my dash multiple times and every time i was like "i'm sure there is something for me too, i just have no idea what it could be" bc like. i know now. i know what it is. it's joong and dunk. joong's and dunk's acting skills specifically, actually