#it's just like. she's so clearly being performative about it like right down to complaining about how hard it is to pronoun-switch

[romijuli]

so like

last night at dinner mom fucked up my pronouns, which is like, yeah whatever okay, but a) she like IMMEDIATELY jumps on dad when he fucks up even though he's more likely to catch himself and b) when me my dad and my fiance corrected her, she....reworded the entire sentence to use second person pronouns instead of they/them????? like what are we doing here. girl.

[singmyaubade]

hi!! i was wondering if you could write a smutty story about sub!james? literally anything, pls🙏🏻

warning: mentions of smut and cursing

sub!james x female!reader

a/n: i did not proofread, i'm sorry if this was not what you were expecting LOL.

james never had any performance issues in his life.

he always managed to be a stallion in bed, giving nothing less and everything more. being a 'sex god,' in his own words, was one of the things he always took pride in.

it was his wings, the only thing that could cheer him up when all else failed.

if quidditch was his first passion, snogging girls was a definite second.

so when ruby weathers, a girl with the best bum in james's year, gives him a chance to sleep with her.

he has no choice but to.

james was ecstatic, practically jumping off of the walls. this was his moment, his opportunity once again to prove himself. there wasn't a single nerve in his body; he never underestimated his more large and not-so-average buddy down there.

before he knew it, he was in his perfect bedroom with weathers, relishing her getting on her knees to suck his cock.

and then, everything came to a halt.

after twenty minutes of her doing that, his buddy refused to get up. he felt the arousal, but his mind and cock were in different places.

after she complained about her jaw locking for the twenty-second time, he decided to get straight to the point. but even when he fucked her, he couldn't get hard.

eventually, ruby just told him awkwardly that it was okay and things clearly weren't working despite him asking her to try a few things. they didn't even exchange last words before she left.

and when she did, he was embarrassed, frustrated, in fact.

he didn't think weathers was the type to tell people's sex business or even gossip for that face.

he knew he was wrong when sirius came urgently yelling, "prongs, your dick is broken?!"

and that was, for sure, the icing on the cake.

he tried everything that didn't involve taking a particular little pill to perform.

he tried spells, teas, and even a massage, but nothing worked. he even thought he was attracted to other things, but it was no point.

eventually, his friends were all sensing his depression. he couldn't even play quidditch properly.

marlene, who felt no sympathy at all, even tried to cheer up james, but it was a loss. he completely lost himself through the entire thing, and yes, it might have been stupid for some people, but it meant a lot to him.

but then dorcas pulled him aside.

"go to the room written here on saturday after lunch," dorcas handed him the card. he looked at her, entirely confused, raising his eyebrow.

"i have a friend who helps with that kind of stuff," she tilted her head, "but don't tell anyone where you are going, and make sure to tell her that i sent you," she instructed to which he nodded and muttered a thank you before dorcas rushed off.

and when saturday after lunch was right there, he didn't know what to do, his fist knocking on your door lightly.

then he saw you, yawning when you opened the door. your hair perfectly laid, wearing a matching pink tank top and shorts that hugged your thighs most comfortably. your nipples were perked up through your tank top, making him swallow.

"eyes are up here, pretty boy." you tased as his face grew red.

"m’sorry," he stuttered, "i was told to uh- i mean, dorcas sent me here."

you looked at him questioningly, "and why did she do that?" you asked, pursing your lips.

"she said you could help me with my uh problem," he whispered, looking around.

"golden boy having a problem that i have to fix?" you tsked, smirking, "interesting." you moved aside to let him, walking to your own bed.

he took that opportunity to look at your ass which was 'bloody fantastic,' he thought. he stood there gawking at you, not knowing if he should come in.

"you coming in or?" you flattered, to which he came in immediately, shutting the door.

he stood there like a scarecrow before you giggled, "come sit with me," you patted the spot next to you on the bed.

he nervously fiddled with his fingers as you placed your hand on his hand to calm him down, "what problems are you having?"

he stayed silent, clearly embarrassed, "james," you grabbed his chin so he looked at you, "i'm here to help you, not judge you,"

he took a deep breath, "i am having trouble during sex."

"what kind of problems?" you asked, using your thumb to brush his fingers.

"i can't get hard," he admitted, looking down.

he was prepared for you to laugh, even mock him for having such a stupid problem, but you still maintained a compassionate face.

"okay," you said, "and when did you start having that problem," you asked.

"two weeks ago," he muttered.

"and have you tried anything new? maybe something new in your sex life?" you suggested.

"i've tried everything i can think of; it's just not happening." he was frustrated.

"okay then let's try everything you haven't thought of." you half-joked.

"like what?" he asked, making eye contact with you.

"hmm," you tapped your chin, "first things first, are you more dominant or submissive?"

"uh," he said, genuinely not knowing.

"okay that's fine, i'll find out," you replied, sounding sure.

"and are you okay with being intimate with me?" you asked.

he could feel his face turning bright red, "y-yeah that's fine, i mean if you are fine with it but if you're not, its okay, i do-"

you kissed him, cutting him off. your tongue entangling his, hand on his thigh. you grabbed his hand, putting it on your breast as his other hand went to your cheek.

you pulled away from him as he whimpered, "what do you want me to do, james?" you asked.

"i don't know," he answered, drunk off your lips.

"can i suck you off, baby?" you asked, your eye contact ripping him into pieces.

"y-yes." he answered nervously as you got onto your knees.

you touched his belt, unbuckling it as you reached up to kiss him one last time. you palmed him through his boxers, not feeling him get hard yet, but you were patient.

you pulled him soft out of his boxers, stroking him fully. he was big even soft which you admit made you dripping in your panties.

your tongue did a long stripe on his cock, making him moan. you sucked on his tip first, putting your hand on his thigh as his hand palmed into a fist.

you put him deeper in your mouth, letting him hit the back of your throat as he whined. you grabbed his hand, unfisting it, interlocking your hand in his.

you continued bobbing your head up and down his length, your other hand stroking whatever you couldn't fit in your mouth.

james continued holding your hand, holding it tighter when you sucked his tip.

"is it good, jamie?" you asked, breathing a bit hard.

"so good," he whimpered.

that's when you finally felt him getting hard, when you talked to him.

"you are doing so well for me," you complimented, "you are being so good."

he groaned at your words as you continued sucking him off, him being fully erect now.

"so big," you managed to say with his cock inside your mouth.

his cock twitched inside your mouth and you knew he was near when he gripped your hand tightly.

"you can do it," you muffled through his cock, the vibrations sending him.

james closed his eyes, leaning his head back before cumming inside of your mouth.

"i wanna kiss you," he whined as you smiled, kissing him with his cum inside of your mouth as it slobbed over both of your chins.

your mouth invaded his as he moaned inside of your mouth. his hands touched your top, tugging at it. you could tell that he wanted it off of you.

"you wanna take off my top for me, jamie?" you asked as he nodded.

you let him take your top off as you straddled his lap, him latching on your nipple as soon as he could which earned a moan from you. his spit all over your chest, your nipples swollen.

you raised off of him for a second to take off your shorts as he looked at you in awe with his big, brown eyes.

you straddled him again, aligning his cock with your hole. he continued sucking on your nipple as you sat down on him and he groaned.

"fuck," you said, "stretching me out."

he was hardening inside of you again, getting drunk off of your pussy.

he whimpered as he hit the spongy spots inside of you. you started a slow speed and once it stopped stinging, you went faster.

he held onto your body tightly, not letting you go. he mewled the faster you went, his cock twitching inside of you due to the immense pleasure.

"so needy baby," you moaned, bouncing up and down.

he hit the perfect spot inside of you as you tried not to grow hazed in pleasure.

"i can't hold it in, mommy." he said, you being a bit surprised at his wording.

"it's okay baby," you soothed, "you can cum." you smoothed the back of his hair.

you kept riding him until he came, not worried about your release. he came with a whimper, sensitive.

"i wanna taste you mommy," he groaned with you still inside of him as he softened inside of you.

"next time jamie, this was for you right now," you grinned, kissing him delicately on his lips.

you tried letting him go but his grip on you was still there, not wanting you to leave.

"i'm not gonna go anywhere," you calmed, him still inside of you.

"i just wanna cuddle for a while," he said.

"okay, we can do that." you gave him a reassuring smile, laying the both of you down, entangled in each other as you gave a peck to his nose.

your eyes fluttered closed as james admired you.

and before he slept, he knew that he definitely owed dorcas his life.

[harleehazbinfics]

Home is where my heart is.

Chapter 5: Happy Hotel Table of Contents | Profile

Word Count: 2032

“—so ladies and gentlemen, I’m opening the first of his kind! A hotel that rehabilitates sinners!”

I give an amused hum looking at the TV then commenting, “Well, isn’t that something, hun?”

“Indeed so. How about we introduce ourselves later, sweetheart?” he mentions somewhat mysteriously holding the small of my back.

“Wow, look at you, perking up all of a sudden,” I said looking at him surprised, but he just raises an eyebrow at me, I shrugged and continued, “Well, you know. You just seem so disinterested in these matters concerning others, especially angels before.”

He laughs and replies, “Well, over the years of toppling overlords, angels seem to be the most troublesome bunch for now. Not to say I’d lose to those pesky flies from heaven.”

I nodded my head finding reason in his explanation. “That’s fair enough. Though, things have changed since you’ve been gone, Al. Even I’m attending those annoying meetings for you,” I complained.

“I apologize, my dear,” he coddled, “I know how fussy you get when you go for long without me.”

I gasped dramatically hand over my chest, “Me? Fussy? Should I mention that you would literally drag down a person that was just talking to me?”

“Oh, please. He was very clearly trying to hit on you, and you’re too nice to even turn them down, sweetheart,” he rebuts rolling his eyes.

“I could’ve handled it myself,” I harrumphed cheekily turning my cheek at him.

“Of course you would have, my darling,” he dismisses me playfully.

I scrunched my face at him which he only responded with a pinch on my nose playfully with a genuine smile on his face. I turn to face some demons who were charging at us, no doubt some of Mammon’s goons who accepted the job for some drugs, I sighed and waved my hand over their figures and watched as water appears and jets them off to the side. Tightening my hands into a fist encasing them in water to drown in, leaving them there.

“See. Very powerful,” I told my husband gesturing at the drowning fools that stopped releasing water bubbles from their mouth.

“Seems like you’ve also been busy for these 7 years apart,” he mentions.

“I’d rather not talk about it,” I glared off the side annoyed.

We appeared on the hill where this hotel that the princess of hell advertised earlier. My heart clenched when I hear her trying to call her mom wondering if Abby did as much when I disappeared so suddenly. She goes inside without noticing us.

Al, being the gentleman he was, knocked on the door first.

“Hel—” slam “—oh” slam

“Pff, you scared the poor thing,” I laughed at him crossing my arms. He pinches my cheek then turns back to the door.

“May I speak now?”

“You may,” she elongates crossing her arms trying to be authoritative making me chuckle at how cute she was.

“Alastor! Pleasure to be meeting you, sweetheart! Quite the pleasure. This is my wife, Miledy,” he introduced the both of us while he walks right in through the door, and continues rapidly, “Excuse our sudden visit but we saw your fiasco at the picture show, and I just couldn’t resist! What a performance! My I haven’t been that entertained since the stock market crash of 1929! Hahaha! So many orphans...”

I raise my eyebrow at him, then realizing he really doesn’t care much for other people’s well-beings if it was our family. I’m pretty sure he misses Abigail to this day.

“Hi, I’m Miledy. Aren’t you the cutest?” I cooed pinching her cheek dotingly. She awkwardly laughs at my actions and waits for me to pull away from which I did, seeing how polite the daughter of hell is. “Sorry about him.”

“Stop. Right. There!” a spear pointed at Alastor making both Charlie and I’s eyes widen at the aggression. “I know your game. I’m not gonna let you hurt anyone here! You pompous, cheesy, talk show shit-lord!”

He laughs drily and moves the spear away, “Dear, I wanted to hurt anyone here... I would have done so already.”

They back away frightened at Alastor’s intimidation the room changing, symbols and shadows flickering in the room while his eyes turned into their infamous stare.

“No! I’m here because I wanted to help!” he exclaimed.

“Say what now?” “Huh?”

“Help!”

I let him do his theatrics while I moved around looking at pictures framed on the wall finding many paintings of the Morningstar family, some probably with their close friends, and many posters of Lilith’s shows.

“So, who’s fish breath over here?”

“I beg your pardon?” I turned to the voice and met eyes with a pink spider sinner adapting a very... voluminous form.

“What’s the deal between you and smiles over there?” he asked jabbing his thumb at Al’s direction.

I just smiled at him and said nothing while the little lady asks, “Wait, you’ve never heard of them before? You’ve been here longer than me.” He shrugs making her continue, “The Radio Demon, The Siren? Two of the most powerful being’s hell has ever seen?”

“Eh, not big on politics,” he gives up slumping back on the couch where I sat next to him, much to his comfort.

“Hmm, I’d like to know how the masses see us,” I mused placing my chin on my hand curiously.

She bites back a groan and explains, “Decades ago, Alastor manifested in Hell, seemingly overnight. He began to topple Overlords who have been dominant for centuries. He and the Siren always worked together, always one without the other. She had the voice that only second to Lilith herself. That kind of raw power had never been harnessed by a mortal soul before. Then, he broadcast their carnage all throughout Hell just so everyone could witness their ability. Sinners started calling him "The Radio Demon" (as lazy as that is). Many have speculated what unimaginable force enabled him to rival our world's most ancient and destructive evils. But one thing's for sure: They’re an unpredictable source of danger, a wicked spirit of mystery, and a violent monster of chaos, the likes of which we can't risk getting involved with unless we want to end up erased!”

“Interesting,” I commented with a grin grazing my eyes over at Alastor.

“You done? He looks like a strawberry pimp,” he laughs looking back the pair.

She huffs then crosses her arms and answers, “Well, I don’t trust him!”

“To be fair, do you trust any man? Any men? Men?” he chides then laughing making the woman glare at her while I just stared at the both of them, my head resting on both my hands now finding their exchange fun.

I appeared beside Al as he waited for Charlie to decide, “Why are you suddenly invested in the princess?”

He shrugs and gives me a lazy grin and answers, “Well, it seems like fun.”

“Rightt,” I drawled out not asking him further, he may be like this in public, but I know he doesn’t do anything unless it favors him.

“Okay, so, Al. You're sketchy as fuck and you clearly see what I'm trying to do here as a joke.” She pauses, “But, I don't. I think everyone deserves a chance to prove they can be better. So, I'm taking your offer to help. On the condition that there be no... tricks or voodoo strings attached.”

“So, it's a deal, then?” he offers holding out his hand to take as the room glowed green and wind blowing past us.

“Nope! No shaking! No deals! I... hmm... As princess of Hell and heir to the throne, I, uh, hereby order that you help with this hotel. For as long as you desire,” she orders politely as Alastor fixes up his hair, “Sound fair?”

“Hmm...  Fair enough!” He hums as he inspects the room.

 “Smile, my dear! You know you're never fully dressed without one!” he teases Vaggie wiggling his finger under her chin to annoy her. “So where is your hotel staff?”

“Uh, well-.”

“Ohohoho, you're going to need more than that,” he remarks walking towards the pink spider,  “And what can you do, my effeminate fellow?”

“I can suck your dick!” he offers enthusiastically.

“HAH! No,” Al denies immediately while I gave the spider a harsh glare, a few of my water demons popping out of the ground menacingly making him whimper.

“You know what? I changed my mind!” he states awkwardly trying to save his skin.

“Well, this just won't do!” Al yells summoning his staff, “I suppose I can cash in a few favors to liven things up.”

He conjures up a nice fireplace and lifts up a black blob with a big eye, dropping it to the ground.

“Hi, I'm Niffty! It's nice to meet you! It's been a while since I've made new friends!” he introduces, “Why're you all women? Are there any men here?!  I'm sorry, that's rude. Oooh, man! This place is filthy! It really needs a lady's touch! Which is weird because you're all ladies, no offense.  Oh, my gosh! This is awful!  Nope! Nope! Nope! Nope! Nope!”

When Nifty walks past me I give her a pet on the head with a smile which she enjoyed, as Husker arrives along with a casino table.

“Ah, Husker, my good friend! Glad you could make it!”

“Don't you "Husker" me, you son of a bitch! I was about to win the whole damn pot!” he yells and facepalms when the money disappears.

“Good to see you too!” he replies clearly enjoying annoying Husk.

“What the hell do you want with me this time...?” he sighs defeated.

“My friend, I am doing some charity work, so I took it upon myself to volunteer your services! I hope that's okay!”

“Are you shittin' me?!”

“Hmm... No, I don't think so!”

“You thought it'd be some kind of big fucking riot just to pull me out of nowhere?! You think I'm some kind of fucking clown?!”

“Maybe!”

“I ain't doing no fucking charity job.”

“Well, I figured you would be the perfect face to man the front desk of this fine establishment!” he says summoning a bar, “With your charming smile and welcoming energy, this job was made for you! Don't worry my friend. I can make this more welcoming! ...If you wish.”

Husk stares at the bottle of cheap booze that Al summoned for him and exclaims, “What? You think you can buy me with a wink and some cheap booze?! ...Well, you can!”

Vaggie starts yelling while gesturing at the bar, “Hey, hey! Hey, hey, hey! No! No bar, no alcohol! This is supposed to be a place that discourages sin! Not some kind of mouth…brothel…man cave!”

Angel lunges at her effectively cutting her of and yells “SHUT UP! SHUT! UP! We are keeping this!”

“So, whaddaya think?” Al asks Charlie.

“This is amazing!” she answers happily rubbing her cheeks.

“It's... okay,” vaggie answers less enthusiastically while her arms crossed.

“Hahaha! This is going to be very entertaining!” Al pulls the three of us in and starts his little parody of the song Charlie sang that we listened to earlier.

“Hah! Well, well, well. Look who it is harboring the striped freak! We meet yet again, Alastor!” Sir Pentious greets valiantly making me smile.

Alastor only responds with, “Do I know you?”

He visibly deflates like a balloon and retaliates, “Oh, yes you do! And this time, I have the element of- SURPRISE! Ahaha! I'm so evil!”

With the power in Alastor’s hand he immediately shuts down Sir Pentious’ little parade. Summoning a portal of his black tendrils and smashing the blimp into bits. We watched as it was broken apart and him being thrashed around, making me feel bad for the poor guy.

“...Well, I'm starved! Who wants some Jambalaya? My mother once showed me a wonderful recipe for Jambalaya. In fact, it nearly killed her! Hahaha! You could say the kick was right out of Hell! Ohoho, I'm on a roll! Yes, sir! This is the start of some real changes down here! The game is set! Now... Stay tuned…”

[hirik0]

Bad Reputation

Ghost/Soap

Soap has a reputation, hes seen as a womaniser. Everytime hes in a bar he leaves it with a woman, often just to make sure she gets save in her car before he returns to base alone. Ghost is unsure when Price wants to get Sergeant John 'Soap' MacTavish in the 141, not wanting someone like this endanger the taskforce because he told a woman to much to get in her pants. Even Gaz has mixed feelings about the potential new addition to the team. What they don't know Soap is just pretending, covering his bisexuality because he's in extremely homophobic environment, knowing he would get a lot of shit for being 'half-gay' so he performs heterosexuality to an extrem. Telling his squad mates he has a high libido and and is always down for, when in reality he just avoits sex at this moment, feeling sick to pretending. "Just 5 missions and if he don't fit he goes back to his old squad", Price promised them and they agreed 5 missions. When Soap arrives at base hes friendly, but Ghost is unimpressed thinking its probably just a facade for new teams. The think is his work is perfect, he fits right in, his skills a great addition to the 141, but his reputation makes it hard to trust him. "What do you think of the FNG?", Ghost ask Gaz after training. "Hes nice and I didn't see him chatting up one of the female personal. Yet", Gaz answers having a uncharacteristically dark expression on his face. "Sisters?", Ghost ask and Gaz holts up 3 fingers. "Only boy of 4, 1 older 2 younger." "Yeah would also not want a player around my sisters, if I had any", Ghost agrees. Gaz nods while watching Soap talking to one of the femal privates. Gaz has a reputation on base as the one you can complain about male recruites to if they act inappropriate. "Maybe he knows you will make his life to hell if he steps out of line", Ghost snickers darkly. "Probably helps that you would help me hide the body", Gaz jokes before Soap moves towards them.

"Ah Gaz I should tell you that a Private Jackson is being a problem again", Sopa says when he reaches his teammates. "Fucking Jackson, still didn't learn daddy's money will not help him here", Gaz curses Ghost also make a annoyed sound having written up the Private way to often already. "I think we have enough complains to get him finally get kicked out or atlest to another base", Ghost says. "Thank fuck, can't believe they didn't kick him out in basic." "He's skills are good on the paper.. if they sadly would not be attached to such a idiot", Ghost sighs, Jackson thinks to much with his dick instead of his brain. "So bad?", Soap asks unsure where this conversation is going. "Don't known a time they didn't complain about him. You don't share tips to pick up woman with him?", Gaz ask Soap confused, clearly thinking that Soap and Jackson would go along great clearly having the same views on woman. "I only to civilians", Soap says his smile not reaching his eyes anymore, mouth forced to stay a smile. Great his reputation is ruining his chance of a place in the 141, but they would not believe him if he tells them he didn't end up in the sheets with all this women. Its to late for that now, he has to show he's not what everyone thinks he is. The other problem he has is his Lieutenant, ticking all his fuked up boxes for man. Dark, mysterious, brooding, fuck off aura, build like a wall, all thinks Soap finds extremely attrative. Its not his first crush on a squadmate and it will not be his last. This will be just like the other times, one homophobic coment and his feelings just turn in to dust on the spot.

The one coment never comes, he's a full member of the 141 now. His crush exploded in something he can barely handel right after Las Almas and Chicago. Seeing Ghost face, melted parts of his brain, there is no way that Ghost, that Simon is such a bonnie, clearly thinking that Ghost lied when he told hom qiuete the opposite. He even saw Gaz punishing privates for homophobic behaivor, it apears that not beeing straight was atleast tolared here, but he thought that before and it was only okey as long its not the own squad. Ghost still tells him his awfull colection of teribel jokes, non of them indicating any anti gay tendencis. Price telling some female sergants he found in a suply closet to keep it at aproietet places. It looks like he maybe found a team that would not give a fuck hes bi, but this also is maybe delusional thinking, because hes getting sick and is horny for Ghost. He knows he should rest and not go for drinks, but hes a lovesick idiot and wants to spend as much time as possibel with Ghost. Just 2 glasses what bad think can happen, he ask himself.

Hes openly flirting with Ghost right in front of Price and Gaz thats whats happening. If he was fully aware of anything and not sick and drunk he would just crawl in some dark conor or and never come back out, filling his papers to get moved to a new team or back to his old squad. Price and Gaz are clearly amused by the scene in front of them, thinking Soap is just using all his shitty pick up lines for Ghost as a joke maybeas revenge for Ghost terrible jokes. "You really get woman with this afwull lines, Sergeant?", Ghost ask getting annoyed. "Aye, i usally just need one of them and then i have a lovely chat with them", Soap answers, taking a sip of his 5th drink of the night. "How many tell you to fuck of, because your lines are bad", Ghost ask further his blush hidden under a surgical mask. "Sometimes, we laught about them", Soap atmids with a sheepish grin on his face, making Ghost heart beat faster. "I think they laugh at you", Gaz jokes, cringing hard at some of the lines he had heared. "Fuck of Gaz, they are not." "What ever lets you sleep at night Soap." Ghost knows most of his face is hidden in the shadow of his hood and the surgical mask, but his ears are burning, being a telling shade of red. He's sure Price can see them glowing red, if he just take a closer look hes tensing up. Ghost understands why Soap is so liked by woman, hes funny, charming, easy going and knows when hes fighting a lost fight and its also working on him. Simon is basking like a cat in the sun from all attention Soap is giving him and its dangerous. Simon Riley dont exist anymore only the husk of Ghost remains and still Soap found the pieces of Simons remains, slowly putting them back together. Fucking hell. He's falling for pick up lines as worse as his shitty jokes, but the big smile on Soap face how's he looking at him with his big puppy eyes, how can he not? Shit!

Ghost is helping Soap back to his room the scot beeing unusual drunk. He saw Soap drink a lot more and being less drunk then now. "You're solid, Soap?", he asks concerned something must be wrong. "Aye, just getting a cold or something", Soap answers. "And then you go out drinking instead of resting?" "Aye, like spending time with ya LT." Ghost just raises an eyebrow not saying anything, Soap is puring gas on the emotional chaos burning in him. "You're such a bonnie, ya know", Soap babbles further. "Want to flirt with ya all the time. Best squad mate crush I ever had, a bonnie and not homophobic." Ghost is tensing clearly Soap would not tell him this is he was not drunk out of his mind. Inside of Ghost Simon Riley is rising from his coffin like a vampire in the old horror movies. Instead of blood he graves Soap attention. In one night Soap flirted himself in to Simons heart. Worst fucking scenario, because Soap is into woman right, right? "What does bonnie mean?", Ghost ask. "That ya pretty, handsome, nice to look at", Soap answers unaware of who he's talking to. "Yeah? Saw my face only for ones for less then 5 minutes", deflecting he needs to deflect. "Would see it more when you would take your bloody mask of, it's mean of you to hide your bonnie face from me all the time", Soap is complaining pouting at his CO. "You're really drunk aren't you?", Ghost ask, big smile creeping on his face, thinking Soaps behavior is adorable. "Don't change how I feel when I'm sober", Soap deadpans. Shit, shit why did he ask, thank fuck they are at Soaps room. Soap needs sometime to find his keycard and when it's finally out Ghost just opens the door with it. "Thanks LT", Soap says with a big smile on his face. Ghost to busy with getting Soap in the room and then himself out of the room stiffens when Soap very sloppy kisses his cheek. "See you tomorrow aye", Soap just says before falling on the bed and passing out. Ghost turn on the spot, he would denial it but hes running out of the room, closing the door silently. When Ghost is in his own room he slits down the door. Throwing his mask in the dark room his face burning. His heart is racing while Simon Riley takes the first breath in ages bringing a bunch of feeling with him. He stumbles on to his own bed putting a arm over his eyes. "Fucking hell MacTavish", he says in the room, the blush creeping over his shoulders to his chest. A bonnie and not homophobic Soap said to him, does this mean Soap is intrestet in men? But his reputation? Shit he can't get these feelings for a player someone that talks woman out of their cloths. But is he really? They never saw Soap pick up a woman ones since he joined the 141. Soap also said in his drunkenness that he had crushes on squad mates before, so that means he must be attracted to man to some degree. He needs to stop thinking about this Soap told him anything drunk, don't have to mean a thing in the end.

Soap wakes up the next morning with a big hungover. It's also him getting sick making everything 10 times worse. How did he even got back to his room yesterday. Some wired memories that make no sense are coming up. But if his memories are correct then Ghost got him back. He for sure didn't make it back by himself. So he needs to apologise to Ghost, great he can do this. He looks at his phone with a text from Price. My office it just says, fuck what happend yesterday? He text Price he will be there in 30 minutes. Maybe he's a bit to optimistic about the 30 minutes but he somehow is able to look not like he's dieing from a hungover, when he enters Price office. "Close the door Soap", Price says and alarm bells are going off, oh god did he fuck up yesterday? He sits down on the chair the nausia is now not only from having to much to drink. "How much do you remeber of yesterday?" "Not that much, Sir." "You used your pick up lines on Ghost." All color is draining from Soap face, poor horror in his eyes. Oh no, no he did not, right? RIGHT??? "Did I?", Soap ask some pieces of memories popping up in his head. "Yes, it was all in good humor, but I still want you to apologise to Ghost for making him uncomfortable." "I was he?", Soap ask voice barely over wisper, while dread is spreading through his body. "He was really tense the hole time." "Oh, I of course, Captain. Is there anything else, because if not I'm of to look for Ghost." The only hope he has is that Ghost will not kill him but he would have done so when he made sure Soap gets in his bed. "Your dismissed oh and Soap maybe don't drink so much that you do this again." "Yes Sir." That Ghost is reading a file in his office is the luckiest and unluckiest think happening to Soao in along time. He knocks at the door frame to get Ghost attention. "Soap", Ghost just shortly acknowledges him before returning to the file again. "I'm here to apologise for yesterday, Sir", Soap forces the words out. "Soap your not the first follow soilder i had to help back to there room after a trip to the bar. Bonus points for not puking all over the hallway", Ghost sounds dismissive. "Aye, thanks for that, but that's not what I'm apologising for." Ghost looks up again looking over Soaps tesne face being confused. "What do you mean?" "Price told me I made you uncomfortable, with me trying to pick you up." Soaps is kneading his hands looking at the floor. "I was not uncomfortable." "But Price said .." "He's wrong Johnny." "Ah, okay. Did I say anything else on the way back to my room", Soap ask nervous. Ghost takes a millisecond to long for his answer. "Just some drunk rambling." Soap knows he said something, he must have the answer feeling to prepared, to calculated. "Something else, I have to prepare for a solo mission." "That's everything, see you around", Soap says before walking out of the room at a forced normal speed. Oh shit what did he tell Ghost while drunk, atleast it's not bad enough to get murdered, yet. Maybe it really was just drunk rambling and he interpreted to much in Ghost answer.

[kittythelitter]

Thinking about a hypothetical episode of Community with the original 7 where Shirley brings one of her friends from church to Greendale, let's call her Mariah

This friend is a trans woman who is a devout Christian and because she's Christian Shirley listened to her about trans issues and stuff and decided if this nice Christian person wants to be addressed as a woman the Christian thing to do is to treat her like a woman and be respectful of how she wants to be addressed. Whether Shirley personally views Mariah as a woman is ambiguous.

Pierce doesn't clock her or even understand what's going on when the group discusses that she's trans, he just sees a hot new lady and is constantly sexually harassing her and she calls him a chaser which he decides is a new word for like a pick up artist and starts self identifying with it and ends up having his own mostly off screen adventure about it.

Britta immediately outs herself as a terf but gets all her terf talking points slightly wrong. Her whole arc is just her talking herself in circles until she sees Mariah experience transmisogyny and is like. Actually what defines a woman is suffering in society as a result of your gender which means trans women are women. But at the end of the episode she meets Mariah's boyfriend who is also trans and sees someone be transphobic to him and is like. But if you're suffering aren't you also a woman? And that's the very end of the episode so instead of a resolution about it we just leave Britta to whatever she's debating with herself and move on.

Jeff doesn't have an opinion of trans people going in but defends trans people just to disagree with Britta, but as he argues in defense of trans people he manages to get really into what he's saying and ends up doing some public speaking for a trans rights group on campus. (The Dean is there just because Jeffrey is there being all eloquent and manly, half learns terminology and starts referring to himself as "Dean-der Fluid" and "non-dean-ery".) A trans guy talks to Jeff about his hair and his workout routine and Jeff realizes he and the trans guys at the event have a lot in common in terms of how they perform masculinity in order to get others to see them the way they see themselves/want to be seen.

Abed similarly spends time talking with the trans group about performing gender among other things and knowing yourself even when others don't understand you or want to change you. They complain about transphobia in tv and he admits that community has had some transphobic bits and talks with them about better representation and problematic stereotypes and tries to get one of them to stay on as a series regular in order to make community a better more representative show.

Troy and Annie both try to figure out if being attracted to Mariah makes them gay. They both come to the conclusion that Mariah is a woman so Annie is probably some kind of queer and Troy is still not gay for being attracted to her. They both go to the event with Jeff and Abed.

Troy meets a really hot trans guy and is like. Okay i am attracted to men. And then we see flashbacks of him clearly flirting with and/or going on dates with guys since he got to Greendale and just not realizing it. He, rather than having a bi crisis has a "I had a chance with all those hotties and i blew it" crisis before hitting on the trans guy who he thought was flirting with him but who was actually under the impression that troy and abed were a couple and was trying to figure out if they'd be down for a 3-way.

Meanwhile Annie starts doing research with the pamphlets laid out at the events to figure out what kind of queer she is and every time it cuts back to her theres more and more queers around her flirting with her. Including some butch lesbians, some nonbinary people, and some trans guys who are all enamoured with her sweet femme charm. (We get snippets of conversations that have things like compulsory heterosexuality, different flavors of bi, asexuality etc) she turns up at the end with a lesbian pride pin on her backpack and her hair and lip gloss very mussed.

[nanabansama]

who was talking to nene in chapter 101? The one who asked her what she thought would happen with the play because of the accident. Do we know what they were talking about yet? I thought it was tsukasa because he appears randomly in 102, but looking at the hand I'm not sure.

The hand was also drawn feminine and did not look at all like how AidaIro draws any of the boy's hands. Honestly it looked like nene's hand.

Oooh, this is a fun time to bring this up again! Your comment about the hand looking like Nene's made me think of doppelgangers. Like what happened in the recent After-school Hanako-kun chapter.

Veeery interesting... And as you say, the hand that taps Nene's shoulder is feminine. When compared to Nene's, it's not all that far off, either...

I have no doubt that the apparition here takes on the form of a girl! But even though I just brought this up myself, I have my doubts about them taking Nene's form... there just isn't much to support this idea, y'know? Nene has pretty generic girly hands. And I personally don't think the new After-School is anything more than a bit of fun. I think AidaIro wouldn't want to ruin the surprise of there being a whole other Nene in a little spin-off chapter, do you?

Some kind of Evil Yashiro would be so fun to see though!! So I wouldn't complain. ♡

Out of curiosity, I also decided to poke around the internet for some urban legends told in schools (school mysteries) and I couldn't find anything that quite matched the encounter Nene had. There were mysterious hands with no visible owner, sure, but tales involving those seem to have them coming out of swimming pools or toilets and grabbing people. But maybe I just overlooked one, who knows!

Anyway, I have no idea who they were or what they were talking about. (∀｀*ゞ) Sorry....

They're clearly talking about the play, though! It's just that what they're saying is so vague, it could mean anything. Basically, what this whole interaction is supposed to do is give us and Nene apprehension about the school play. The word "accident" just sends shivers down your spine, doesn't it!? Makes you wonder what accident happened prior, and how it concerns us in the present day...

But how does this apparition know, and when did this other accident occur? It's hard to say, but considering we haven't seen the play put on in 1968 yet, I have my suspicions it happened in that one. Not only was it also a performance of The Wizard of Oz, but our favorite local troublemaker Tsukasa Yugi had a hand in its production.

Curious, right? That Tsukasa helped prepare the play, but is content to just wait here with Amane? This isn't just Tsukasa being attached to Amane either, mind you... Amane didn't help. Amane cut class. When Tsukasa was helping his class prepare, he did not cut class with him. Maybe it doesn't mean anything, and Tsukasa was just having fun doing arts and crafts and what-not, but there's decent reason to believe that Tsukasa could have sabotaged the play somehow.

Remember, Tsukasa during this period in time has already been proven to have destructive tendencies. He wanted to destroy the Big Clock.

It's not completely out of the question!

This all still doesn't answer who the hand is, of course, but perhaps if the accident the hand is talking about is related to the 1968 production, then the hand has some relation to Tsukasa...? A former classmate, perhaps? Or maybe it's just some nobody ghost that lurked around the Closed Auditorium. Hard to say.

Anyway, that was a whole lotta talking to basically say nothing, huh? But I hope this helped get your brain juices flowing! And I really hope this apparition comes back, too. We desperately need more female characters in the cast, especially after the tragedy of Sumire-chan... (RIP...)

[ratsoh-writes]

With every claim and demonstration of Mermaid's skilled abilities, Briar seems shocked into yet another double-take. Does this dog also drive the boat and perform CPR??? She is truly. The goodest girl.

For a moment, she was surprised they were technically at his house.... It MADE SENSE but like, it's his HOUSE. She felt like maybe they should have brought a cake or something?? They don't get invited to houses often. Or maybe she needs to calm down about hanging out at a friend's house. That also happens to be a date. Woah, maybe they need to sit down.

Slowly sitting down, Briar agrees to Finn's suggestion. The coastline sounds nice. They could look to see how the South Western shore was doing after the scouts had their beach clean up last week.

Bracing themselves against the waves as the boat left the shore, Briar found themselves closing their eyes to get their bearings as they held tightly on the chair. Once open, Mermaid was there. She reached out again. She pet. Mermaid was pet.

This amazing, smart and sweet dog could practically be a caretaker and probably famous on that tikgram thing Aspen uses, but here she is, asking BRIAR for pets?? More pets. Pets on the neck pets on the beach pets on the ears it didn't matter, Mermaid wanted more and did not complain. Oh no.

As Finn came back from checking the initial boat vitals to ask how she was doing, he could potentially see Briar's tail swishing shortly back and forth before shooting back up at attention at heading him approach.

"Mermaid is.... So sweEt?" THEIR VOICE CRACKED. NO. Briar held her hand against her mouth and throat for a moment. That was just a weird cough from like the ocean air it something not emotional over a dog they just meet.

They stood up again, now a little more used to the waves before quickly pointing at a distraction, "Hey is that the Navy lighthouse?"

---

Aspen provides receive during his story, interested in the drama. She sips her soda but clearly pays attention. Upon Star showing off his bruise, though, she has to cover her mouth to avoid spitting out the drink all over the bruise and mention of the scar.

"Holy SHIT!"

Her face had mixed emotions. Bruises and scars were cool and all but like... From like flights where both monsters want to fight. Like he's a cop but could he have died? From another monster? He was doing paperwork all last week! Augh... She looked stressed. She shook it off and tried to play cool again. She wasn't here to be stressed.

"That is messed up! I'm glad you and your buddy are okay. Do you want a drink?" The alley had beers. She was also already plugging in their names into the game board, looking for a distraction. "You gonna be good to play?" Friendly flights are better.

Mermaid is such a sweet lady as she calmly sits at briars side enjoying the attention. Briar is glad to sit as finn sets the boat to move. He gets it a ways away from shore. Close enough to totally see the shoreline, but far enough that it won’t really be in the way of any close play boats. He has the boat turned in the right direction. It’s only a slight breeze today. So as he gets out, he can turn the motor off and let up the sails to let the boat slowly drift along the shore.

Finn: EVEN BEFORE SAILS TRAINED HER SHES BEEN A GOOD GIRL. I PAYED A LOT TO THE BREEDER TO ENSURE A DOG WITH A CALM TEMPERAMENT!

Oh yea, with a small boat home, a crazy dog is not recommended lol

Finn looks towards where briar is pointing

Finn: NO THATS SAINT PLYWOODS LIGHTHOUSE! THE NAVY ONE HAS THE PURPLE TOP AND THE ROYALS ENSEMBLE!

Happy for something to talk about, he shares the story of Saint plywood, a seatale monster from some folk legend. He seems a little nervous too. Strange since he was always quite naturally cheery around briar normally. She gets the sense that this being a date is getting to him too lol

—————-

Star laughs and shakes his head no to the offer of drinks

Star: HAH! NO WAY! IM A TOTAL LIGHTWEIGHT AND I NEED TO DRIVE TONIGHT! CANT LEAVE THE COP CYCLE HERE!

Mmmm responsibility is sexy~ gotta love a man who knows his limits

Star does accept the offer of a soda right after though! Perfect. He winks at Aspen when she fusses over him

Star: MWEHEHE OF COURSE! DONT THINK SOME BRUISE WILL MAKE ME GO EASY ON YOU!

[aroacephotographer]

Unwatchable Voyager episode

TL;DR I'm complaining about a Star Trek: Voyager episode. I love the show, and going out how S5 E22 is a dud.

I've been watching Star Trek: Voyager and have been enjoying it quite a bit. It's one of those shows that deals with problems while lost in space. For the most part it's been really interesting.

Until the 5th season.

Episode 22 "Someone to Watch Over" is completely unwatchable for me. The description states: The Doctor tries to introduce Seven of Nine to the concept of dating.

Which, like, it's clear they were doing a My Fair Lady episode. I couldn't make it halfway through. It just hasn't aged well at all.

Seven has traits that by today's standards would be considered neurodivergent in some way. Or it's possible that she's asexual, maybe even aromantic. I don't want to verge into head-canons or speculate too much, because these terms weren't well-known where I lived in 1999. But it's established that she is a human who doesn't know much about her own species. And she doesn't care to date anyone.

And yet The Doctor (a medical hologram that's gone through his own characterization) decides he wants to introduce dating to Seven. Ok, fine, fair enough. And then he... gets feelings for her?

She narrows down a list of "potential suitors," which I've only heard of other Aces doing. So that was a nice comical touch at least. But I couldn't make it past a scene where The Doctor tells her how to look for her date.

Many shows in the 90s had their fair share of issues, and I knew I'd find a Voyager episode that just didn't cut it. But wow, I didn't think I'd find one where it felt like an AroAce character was essentially being told "it's what society expects, so go do it." She clearly doesn't care about dating past researching the concept! I think what bothers me is that in previous episodes they've explored agency for many different characters, but Seven doesn't get any agency in this episode.

To end on a good note: I've loved how they explore individuality on this show through Seven. How she's learned how to become her own person, with her own personality, and yes even agency. There's been an amazing episode about medical ethics and the right to perform surgery with questionable techniques. But it was apparently ok to force a former Borg to go through with dating practices that she clearly had no interest in.

[celloccino]

Violinist Courtney.

𝙾𝚛 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛: 𝙸 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊 𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚎𝚛. 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤, 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝.

This isn't my first Orchestra!Courtney post, but I figured I'd go deeper into it.

Base context- I see a lot of reunion/endgame fics where Courtney becomes a lawyer, but I really REALLY want to see more where she's an orchestra nerd since I think it's a really unexplored part of her character.

First of all, she's definitely not just restricted to violin- (she's totally a first, by the way. Just look at her.) She probably plays piano and viola too. Piano since I personally know a lot of overachiever violin kids who also play violin, and viola as aside from the clef, the instrument is similar to violin in regards to its playing style- it's not uncommon for violins to learn viola fairly easily.

A small rant, by the way: I always see people complain about Courtney's reaction to her violin breaking being a bratty/overreaction response and I get so ticked off at them! First of all, violins- especially well taken care of ones like Courtney's- are incredibly expensive, at least $3,000. Courtney DEFINITELY bought hers and didn't rent it because TDI is filmed during the summer. Even if it WAS rented, she had to be playing it consistently enough to justify renting it after the school year is over.

Anyways;

I want to see a Courtney who's passion is music, because we can clearly see that it's something she ENJOYS from both her attachment to her violin and also her singing in Action and World Tour.

I want to see a Courtney who wants to play in an orchestra, but due to influences from her parents, sees it as something better off as a hobby despite her obvious talent.

I want to see a Courtney who yearns to play, who absentmindedly practices fingerings on a pencil during classes, who shoves her passion down for society's perception of a 'real job'- a lawyer.

I want to see a Courtney who looks at Trent and scoffs on the outside, but envies him so much for being able to be so open.

I want to see a Courtney who swears Trent to secrecy and practices duets with him on the guitar. They sneak out during the gap between Trent being eliminated and Courtney joining Action into the filming lot's practice rooms and play. Sometimes they improvise, other times Courtney draws up sheet music, other times they just practice their own things together.

I want to see a Courtney who swears Duncan to secrecy and tells him about how she doesn't want to be a lawyer, that winning Total Drama would mean a jumpstart regarding her breaking away from her parents and their expectations.

That she hoped her Talent Show performance might be watched by a talented classical musician, or even better, scouts of some sorts that would be willing to help her.

I want to see a Duncan that supports her, albeit in that brash way that he has. Who realizes that she deep down is a rebel- just in a quieter way.

I want to see a Duncan that attends her performances and concerts when her parents don't deem it important enough since it's just another extracurricular for the college applications.

I want to see a Duncan that insists that all he'll do is watch but shows up with flowers and cheers the loudest when she steps out on the stage as her High School Orchestra's concertmaster, sat right in the front row where he can see Courtney.

I want to see a Duncan who doesn't understand what Courtney means when she rambles on about bowings and dynamics and complains when a particularly annoying shift happens in a piece but listens anyways.

Just,, Orchestra Courtney.

[snow-system-wol]

A set of (six) small tales covering from after S'ria and Thancred's argument until the end of the Rak'tika Greatwood arc.

Ao3

S'ria had known to expect this sort of thing, with Urianger muttering to himself and Y'shtola giving him that wary look. He hadn't quite expected it to be so soon, though, or quite so easy to overhear.

“I tire of these games, Urianger. Why do you pretend you cannot see it?!”

Oh, to have heard whatever preceded that. For someone who very clearly seemed to be aware of the Warrior of Light situation, S'ria would've liked to have known how dubiously Urianger had responded to Y'shtola’s questioning.

S'ria stifled a laugh. He shouldn't be standing here listening, not really – but Y'shtola should not be talking about him, behind his back, at such a raised volume either.

It was nothing S'ria couldn't guess. Y'shtola had not mistaken his aether for that of a Lightwarden purely by accident – and yet, was there really such a problem? He'd felt sick for a moment or two both times, but then he was fine. She spoke as if there was something horrible happening to him, and he couldn't decide whether he was more angry that she was privately debating his fate or whether he was more… scared. 

S'ria didn't know which of the two frightened him more. Y'shtola, who spoke as though it was already likely too late for him. Or Urianger, who refused to tell even her what his assessment was.

The rational part of his brain, in that unclear way where he could not even tell if it was his own thought or distantly Menphina's, reminded him to calm down. That he should listen to the actual way Y'shtola spoke about him – she cared, she didn't accept this as an inevitable loss.

S'ria felt that it was a sweet sentiment – sweeter still if said to his face, though.

 ----------

S'ria did not intend to trust Emet-Selch, and that would likely remain the case for the foreseeable future. If anything, he'd be more inclined to give him a chance if he would stop transparently complaining about their lack of goodwill towards him. It felt like… well, S'ria wasn't even sure what to make of it, aside from an attempt to be a nuisance. He'd think that the performative complaints of how – oh, he'd done this kind thing for the Scions and they still would not accept him – were something for Emet-Selch to internalize as a reason to sabotage collaboration. He'd think that, if it were not obvious that Emet-Selch didn't much believe what he was saying either, nor was he really pretending to.

S'ria was still grateful for his promise to return Y'shtola, even if he could not fathom why Emet-Selch would offer. There was no reason to refuse, with Y'shtola already lost to them without his aid. Any little tricks would hardly leave them worse off.

Despite his…recently re-worsened feelings towards Y'shtola, he missed her. If anything, today had been a reminder of how deeply she cared for people. The look in her eyes and completely lack of hesitation while diving after the antidote... S'ria felt that his misgivings may have been unfair, even if being spoken about in secret was unpleasant.

It was with no complaints that S'ria roamed the Greatwoods looking for just the right spot for Emet-Selch’s needs. He wondered if other people could feel the ebb and flow of aether, where it is stronger and weaker – those that were used to using it and casting spells. S'ria could… not feel any difference between the spots where the lantern was dim or bright.

The Ascian likely would have been able to feel the slightest of changes. S'ria wondered how he even saw the world – right before he started his work, he'd muttered to himself to ask what color her soul had been, and S'ria could not help but be immensely curious for a moment. What color was it? Or what were any of theirs, for that matter? Was it even a normal color that could be seen by his very mortal eyes?

S'ria sighed in relief as his attempts at collecting Y'shtola seemed to find purchase. As the aether coalesced into the rough shape of a human form, a body beginning to knit itself back together, S'ria averted his eyes some few fulms to the side. He'd seen this once before, and that already felt like enough of a discourtesy to her.

S'ria had been slightly concerned that Emet-Selch would say something, anything, about Y'shtola’s inevitable state of undress. S'ria could not help but be grateful that he simply snapped his fingers and summoned her clothes onto her body with nary a stray comment on the matter.

Perhaps he didn't feel the need to try to antagonize them at every turn. S'ria would not spurn small mercies.

When the others escorted Y'shtola back to Fanow for her to rest a few hours and be checked over, S'ria hovered behind for a few moments. He thanked Emet-Selch again, for saving her (and for showing basic decency, though he did not add that part out loud.) With just the two of them, Emet-Selch quiet for the moment and S'ria speaking without hostility, it felt like a normal conversation for a brief second. He fixed S'ria with a look that was… indiscernible, but somehow pained.

And then the moment passed, with Emet-Selch rather brusquely informing him that he didn't actually need the gratitude and would rather S'ria stop with the heroic platitudes.

 ----------

S'ria had agreed to be hands-off with regards to Thancred's decisions, to best keep the peace (even if the delivery of said agreement had really bordered on mocking.) That agreement proved difficult within the next sun.

It was difficult to hold his tongue. Surely the conversation happening a few fulms to his left was rather related to the last few days, and he felt guilty for any role he played in that.

Minfilia had fought alongside them before, with the Fuath. They made a good group – she seemed extremely comfortable with Thancred's fighting style, fairly comfortable with interacting with Urianger on the battlefield, and settled in easily alongside himself as a fellow Rogue. There wasn't even an issue with her getting particularly hurt or endangered, no more so than the usual.

By all measures, it would have been fine for Minfilia to enter The Qitana Ravel with them.

But here Thancred was, insisting she return to Fanow to wait for their return – to her obvious dismay. She only protested briefly before falling silent, and S'ria could feel her eyes on his back – wondering if he was hearing, and if so, why he wouldn't be vouching for her. S'ria busied himself checking the cutting edge of his daggers for any severe knicks or damage, something that could at least pass as focused preparations before the upcoming fight.

S'ria hated to deny her what she'd likely hoped for from him, but when Thancred turned back towards him with nothing but tiredness and faint relief in his eyes, S'ria knew he'd made the right choice. He'd promised not to undermine, after all. Whatever fragile peace this was would likely not have survived immediately arguing with this decision.

S'ria could not truly disagree. With the Eulmorrans having already retreated from the vicinity of Fanow, he did not wholly mind the idea of her not needing to fight a Lightwarden for the first time.

(And, if it had some sort of visible negative effect on S'ria to slay another, she didn't need to watch that.)

 ----------

S'ria braced for it, as though that'd help. For a moment it was gentle, the light ebbing into him slowly. And then it was not, hitting him with the same inevitability of accidentally swallowing something scalding hot and knowing there was not a single thing left to do but endure the mistake.

It was not agonizing so much as it was just overwhelming.

The brief dizziness and nausea was not quite as bad as the temperature experience was. His body was clearly fighting it, spiking fever hot under duress. His preferred coat suddenly felt far too warm for the moment. And yet, even as the heat lingered, there was a chill that seeped into his bones. His fingertips were entirely numb and shoving them into his pockets did little to help. If he was too warm, how was he also so cold?

There were eyes on him, though, he had to remember. It was easy to remember. His skin crawled with it, the very knowledge that someone was looking at him made him want to snap.

Despite the feeling, the observation itself meant he could not do that. He suppressed the shivering of his body, too, to the best of his ability.

With the physical effects starting to abate, there was simply a strange aimless fear left in him – but being able to look up at the night sky made it settle just slightly.

 ----------

S'ria stood in “Master Matoya’s” room, the dim light of the room a balm on a fresh headache. He was still faintly shivering – but perhaps she would not be able to tell, really.

“Thank you for coming”. Y'shtola’s voice was solemn. “I thought to keep my suspicions to myself, but after witnessing your victory at Rak’tika Falls, I fear they prove true, and so I must share them with you.”

S'ria smiled crookedly. “I appreciate that you decided not to follow through with your first idea. It was unnerving for you to be hiding something so blatantly. Well, then?”

Y'shtola winced briefly before she settled into something neutral. “From the first when we met at Fort Gohn, your aether has appeared…tainted. Suffused with an overabundance of light not unlike the sin eaters.” She tilted her head in consideration. “When you defeated the Lightwarden, I fear the light which poured forth from it was not negated by Hydaelyn’s blessing. Rather, it was absorbed into your being.”

A confused frown settled onto S'ria's face. Was this meant to be new information? ���I… had already known that much, with the way you nearly had me killed before you heard my voice. And the second part – is that an important difference? As long as I can handle it, it doesn't matter exactly what's happening to the light, right?”

Y'shtola’s grip on her staff tightened, the wood just slightly creaking. “I believe it does matter. Urianger also suspects as much, though he is unwilling to share his thoughts on the matter.”

It was a relief for Y'shtola to be so open with him, surprisingly quick and surprisingly frank about it all. Nothing she said sounded worth keeping a secret, really. If they'd actually asked whether the light felt destroyed or still a part of him, he'd have been able to easily answer that question. But he did not need to resent that, now that this was open.

Something pivoted a bit in S'ria's mind then, at fully processing her words. If Y'shtola’s conjectures were simply that something seemed wrong and he was likely in some vague danger, why would Urianger be so unwilling to so much as discuss the prospect? Y'shtola and Urianger often kept things to themself for a bit, but for her to deem it time for S'ria to be informed while Urianger refused to speak on it…

If Y'shtola was trying to turn S'ria against Urianger, to loop him in alongside her own doubts and suspicions, it was working. He'd always been cagey, but Y'shtola was dropped secrecy because she felt it was best for S'ria's safety. So what, then, was Urianger’s aim?

S'ria had felt aimlessly anxious, unable to settle down, skin crawling, but the thought of Urianger betraying his trust made him want to bite first and ask questions later.

No, he was fine. Urianger was the one keeping him alive the whole ordeal that evening, there was…nothing to…worry about. He swore, if Urianger meant him harm, he should be well aware of that by now.

It didn't help much, to try to convince himself, but it was at least enough to keep the veneer of normalcy in place.

S'ria realized Y'shtola was talking, having briefly dissociated out of the conversation.

“ –every Warden you defeat, the danger to you grows greater. Greater perhaps than we can imagine. If you begin to feel anything strange – anything at all – pray inform me at once.”

Anything? That ship had long since sailed.

S'ria would have difficulty describing why he did what he did next. It was the lingering fear, the sense that Y'shtola trusted him now but would not if he told her what'd been happening the whole time – that she'd hear him describe how it felt and she'd brand him on the verge of becoming a monster – the paranoia that no one could know it already was affecting him since the beginning.

With not a moment's thought or hesitation, S'ria opened his mouth and lied.

 ----------

After S'ria had returned from Eulmore, he'd found sleeping in his bed intolerable. It made memories bubble up too easily and made them feel more real when they did. He'd turned to his tried and true solution for sleeping easier after nightmares – moving to the floor.

It was far less comfortable than home though, with only a single pillow and blanket pulled from the bed – and lying half on rug and half on tile.

S'ria had sheepishly gone downstairs to ask for an extra pillow or two. It was still quite terrible, really, and he'd even more hesitantly asked for another the following night. He told himself very firmly that he would not ask for more after that, with his actions surely already being worthy of judgment (or, if nothing else, he was being a nuisance.)

Even if he was still waking up sore, it was at least slightly better than before – and most importantly, he was getting decent sleep at all.

Now, as S'ria trudged up the stairs after returning from the Greatwoods while feeling exhausted in delightful new ways, he was somewhat dreading how the floor may treat his battle-weary body.

Perhaps if he'd considered a certain someone's insistence on asking after his needs and tending to his well-being after his ordeals, it would not have been such a surprise. As was, though, S'ria was absolutely not expecting there to be around a dozen spare pillows stacked on his bed, and an extra blanket added besides.

He smiled to himself as he arranged his little floor nest into somewhere he was excited to sleep. Many of the pillows did not match each other and none of them matched the basic ones provided by the Pendants – no, even if he didn't already have suspicions about who to thank, the distinctly Allagan patterning of some of them suggested exactly what sort of location they may have been sourced from.

[helldustedstories]

Stolas is very used to having to put on some sort of mask with pretty much everyone.

With his father, he learned to become the dutiful son who was obedient and never showed his emotions beyond what was "respectable" for the situation. He knew he meant little to Paimon beyond the fact that he was to carry on the Ars Goetia name (his birthday certainly wasn't the only time his father forgot his name), and he played that part to perfection. Stolas married Stella, despite having absolutely zero interest in any sort of relationship with her, he didn't complain about …. basically anything.

Because if he ever did, he would be belittled and put down. He was excited about getting his grimoire and learning what his job was going to be, only for that to be immediately followed up with "Also, you're going to marry this person you don't know and the picture I'm showing you is of her actively hurting her pets." And when Stolas understandably reacted to that, he was told "that's an ugly noise" and to "cease this bitch crying."

It certainly wasn't the first time his father told him something like that, and it wouldn't be the last.

He's so drawn to Blitzo at the circus because the performer was clearly excited about what he was doing, and he didn't let his failure to make a balloon horse right away get him down. Instead, he kept trying and when he made a horse without legs, he made a joke about it instead. And when Stolas laughed, he responded to him and appreciated the fact he'd gotten a response, which was also a first for Stolas.

He was already starry-eyed about Blitzo before the latter came to the house because of that tiny interaction, and then suddenly, Blitzo was there, in his house. He had liked that Stolas had laughed at his joke; maybe he could share some things of his own, share any of himself without being scolded for it! Sure, Blitzo wasn't that interested in his books, but he showed Stolas something he'd never had before: how to play games. Stolas was able to have fun and be himself without fear for the first time.

He truly considered Blitzo to be his friend, and if he'd had any way of keeping in touch, he would have.

But that was the last time he was really allowed to behave in any way childishly. Because after that point, he had to become the dutiful son again, focus on his studies. No more carefree days of playing with other children.

And when he came of age, he married Stella. He certainly wasn't interested in their marriage, but he tried very hard to be, hoping that if he put in the effort, it would change how he felt.

But once they had Octavia (when he was only nineteen), it quickly became clear that his marriage to Stella was going to continue to be one of convenience and nothing more. Stolas still tried to be a good husband, so that he could also be a better father than his had been, but even then, he couldn't really let his himself just be.

Stella continued to put him down, insulting him in pretty much any way she could think of, and he couldn't show how much it got to him. Because if he did, then that would only give her something else to throw back at him.

He tried to shield Via from the worst of it, but every year that went by, it got harder and harder to do.

Other than his daughter, he was incredibly lonely, sequestered for much of his life, and controlled in some aspect for so much of it.

It's part of the reason why, when his first friend returned, and showed interest in him, Stolas was so intrigued. He'd never felt wanted before that point, never had anyone express any sort of desire for him, and for it to be this person he'd been himself with, even if it had been twenty five years previous, is so foreign to him.

And so when Blitz is flirting and forward, even then, because he has no idea how to act in this situation because he's never been in this sort of situation before, he tries to match Blitz's energy because that's what he wants, right? And Stolas is used to putting other people's wants before his own.

But as he spends more time with Blitz, especially when they're not just sleeping together, he starts to show more of himself, starts to actually let someone see who he really is. And that's how he has the courage to stand up to Stella, to finally initiate a divorce. Because if someone like Blitz, this bold, courageous, funny, amazing person can see him for who he is and doesn't immediately push him away or hate him, then maybe he can do something for himself for once. Maybe he can make his own life better.

Because now he knows there is a better. He had been trying to stick it out and stay in the marriage, to try to provide Octavia some form of stability, but that hasn't been working, and is, in fact, actively harming his daughter. Which is even more important than his own well-being. He's going to do better so that he can also be better for Octavia, if it's not too late. The status quo hasn't been working, and Stolas is finally figuring out a way to take off his masks, even the ones he wears for himself.

[scarletwritesshit]

🐕 Luocha x Sushang 🐕 A Merchant's Loyal Dog by the Name of Sushang

Luocha glanced at the hyper brown-haired girl that he had begrudgingly allowed to accompany him on his mission.

That girl has far too much energy, he thought.

Luocha did not have to worry about being unable to quell the inexperienced knight in the event of a conflict, but rather, she just talked so damned much for his own sanity. It was an onslaught of never-ending yap inquiring about his cargo or pointless small talk that he could care less to hear.

Sushang’s claims were that she was making absolutely sure that he didn’t feel lonely on his journey. That problem was already addressed by what, or rather, who, was sealed within the coffin he carried on his back. He couldn’t explain that to her, though. One answer will lead to twenty more questions that he would never hear the end of, and the truth of that coffin was his business and his business alone.

To her, apparently, whatever was Luocha’s business was also her business, and he would on numerous occasions catch her in the middle of an attempt at prying into the coffin. He would scold her all the same, gently at first, until he was forced to resort to a sharp, stern tone. With how persistent she was, despite the fear Luocha would momentarily strike into her, he couldn’t help but wonder if she actually enjoyed receiving such a scolding from him.

While the mystery remained unsolved, Sushang was all too happy to hound him with question after question, time and again. And even a vague answer bought her more joy.

So, what do you REALLY do for a living?

I am merely a traveling merchant and nothing more.

But you haven’t sold anything!

Why, my wares are reserved for exclusive customers alone.

Am I one of your exclusive customers?

More like, an exclusive assistant, in a way.

His responses bought her joy. Always. Curiosity, was it, inspiring such enthusiasm for mundane responses? It seemed more of a strange obsession with Luocha himself, as every little glance or word directed at her sent Sushang into a clearly repressed internal frenzy.

He wasn’t born yesterday. Luocha knew precisely what was going through Sushang’s head. And he wasn’t afraid to exploit this weakness to encourage Sushang to do him favors.

Mara-struck soldiers were fairly common on the Xianzhou Luofu. Luocha struck down a few personally during their initial encounters, but with how little of a fight they put up against him, it was hardly worth the exercise. And why should he go through the effort of sitting up the coffin and drawing his blade when a young lady would be all too happy to show off for him?

The mara-struck desperately snarled at Luocha in its best attempt to strike some sort of fear into him. It was going to take a little more than a mossy corpse to bring the embodiment of an apocalypse to his knees, and so he sighed in a graceful, pleading manner to bring the attention of Sushang.

“Not another one,” he complained, despite knowing damn well that he could end its stubborn life with one fell swoop.

“Luocha, is that your way of asking me to cut it down for youuuuuu?” Sushang asked.

“Why, that would be lovely, my dear.”

It was as if Sushang had a thousand fireworks set off inside of her, as her face lit up with determination and she spoke not a single word more before taking off.

All too easy, he thought. Sushang was still far too young to fully grasp the extent of her feelings, and so she was quite eager to do practically anything he wanted with the bribery of a sweet little smirk.

She was the perfect accomplice for his business. Having a loyal Cloud Knight by his side helped lower the natives’ suspicion of him greatly. And if he played his cards right, he could get her to do his bidding with not a single question in return. Dirty work, performed under the nose of the Cloud Knights, to help him slide right through the cracks of the ever-present security.

And if Luocha maintains her undying loyalty, perhaps an even greater reward would be in store for him.

Tch…he was getting himself far too worked up at these thoughts, though it was likely something that Sushang would be far too happy to oblige even now. The headache of her yapping was a small price to pay for the convenience of a master key to the Xianzhou Luofu.

He had been so preoccupied with his thoughts that he had not realized that Sushang had finish clumsily knocking down the mara-struck that was in their way. Prying her sword out of the ground, she almost fell backwards, but attempted to hold it gallantly to show off for Luocha. Thinking that he was intently watching, she smiled and presented the cleared path before them.

He still could’ve done it faster.

But every strike would be another chip in his sword.

He picked up the coffin and walked past the remains and an enthusiastic Sushang, paying absolutely no mind to either. Sushang was quite displeased with his negligence, and so she made it her duty to get Luocha to compliment her absolutely flawless skills in battle.

“So,” she said, running up to his side, “what did you think? Pretty great, huh?”

“You got the job done,” Luocha said, keeping his eyes fixated on the path ahead of him.

Sushang ran out in front of him and stomped her feet down, staring at him in the eyes and pouting. “You weren’t paying any attention, now were you?”

“Why would I need to observe? You did what was needed, and I care not about the execution,” he said, walking around her.

Still not satisfied, Sushang kept speeding up ever so slightly to stay ahead of him while continuously whining for attention.

“It HAD to have been faster than last time, at least!”

“Wasn’t paying attention.”

Sushang now decided that the best tactic for getting Luocha’s attention would be to pay him no mind at all. Instead of furthering his argument, she silenced herself and crossed her arms, dragging her feet. Luocha failed to take notice of her scowl, let alone her displeasure.

Awfully quiet she’s being, he thought after some time. Peaceful, yet suspicious, but I worry not as I still hear the sound of her footsteps dragging behind me. Angry or not, that girl would dare not leave my side, and I have full confidence in that.

He was long overdue for another inconvenient mara-struck obstruction when at the turn of a corner, two soldiers sent him and Sushang back a stride. No worries; Luocha’s dainty hands and precious cargo would not have to be soiled with his faithful servant by his side.

“You know the drill, my lovely Li Sushang~,” he beckoned.

Only this time, she wasn’t falling for his sweet words. Er, perhaps obeying was the proper term here, as she was powerless against the blush that overcame her face, but she crossed her arms and huffed away.

“I said, you know the drill Li Sushang,” he said once more.

Sushang held her ground, refusing his demands. Certainly, that was one method of getting Luocha’s attention whether or not it was her greatest idea. Secretly, she was basking in the amount of focus Luocha had on her, though she hadn’t considered the possibility of this backfiring.

Now that she was suddenly refusing his demands in some sort of unexplainable act of rebellion, Luocha would have resort to more forceful means of obedience, as he cannot be losing his grasp on his precious companion over something so minor. He had to show her that he wasn’t allowing anything of the sort to fly, even if it was all for a little bit of his attention. And so, sometimes a little force was necessary for him to make his stance clear.

Luocha grabbed Sushang by the shoulder and spun her around to face him. Her proud, rebellious expression was immediately wiped off of her face as Luocha pinned her against the railing. To get closer to eye level with her, he bent down and glared directly in her eyes.

“What did I say? You are to do what I ask of you if you even want the slightest chance of staying with me,” he barked, knowing that Sushang wouldn’t allow her love to slip away from her so easily.

“I…I…” she spat out, words unable to form.

“Do I make myself clear?~” he said, releasing one of her shoulders to gently caress the side of her face.

Sushang nervously nodded her head, flustered, yet fearful.

“Which means, if I tell you to bark like my obedient puppy, you are to speak on demand.”

“B-bark?”

“Louder.”

“Er…bark, bark bark!”

Please with her cooperation, Luocha released his grasp and gently patted her on the back.

“Ah, that’s my good girl. Now, what was it that I asked of you again?”

Sighing, Sushang charged ahead and started flailing her oversized sword at the mara-struck, battling exhaustion to please Luocha before his dissatisfactions drives him to request other forms of pleasure.

Glancing once to assure that she was doing what was asked of her, Luocha leaned against his coffin and began stroking it, pressing the side of his face to it longingly.  

I have confidence, that this little puppy will lead us to our destination unscathed. And if not, she could always serve her purpose in other ways, for the time being. Wouldn’t you agree, that she is an ever so lovely lady?

I know a useful catch when I see one.

🐕 Notes:

i feel like i should clarify that i love luocha and sushang but lets be real here

Mr. Totally Not Otto Apocalypse's moral compass is as backasswards as it gets and god damn is that sexy of him

[bellaaldamas]

I wish I was as open minded as the OP and was able to accept Atreus/Sigyn ship at least in theory but I don't. As discussed before, she's neither foreshadowed nor would contribute to any character/story development because Gow is only loosely based on myths. It references mythology to an extent it needs to in order to explain psychological (or in some cases physical) metamorphoses of the characters and give them extra challenges and bonding points (like Angrboda and Atreus "creating" the World Serpent through performing a ritual together, with Angrboda guiding Atreus despite complete lack of guidance in her own life, just moments before her only surviving family would once again brutally denounce her; it's an unique to the in game world psychological context despite also being a reference to mythology where the Serpent is one of Loki and Angrboda's children).

The writers clearly placed extra value on Angrboda and her interactions with Atreus (down to intertwining their musical themes) to backpedal on it in a way that would be organic. Or reduce his and Angrboda's relationship to a fleeting teenage crush and "two young people who affected each other along the way but then went separate routes" trope.

Trolls using manipulation when they first complain about the lack of mythological accuracy and then in the same breath ship Atreus with a stereotypical girlboss Thrud (despite the utter lack of basis for that in either myths OR GowR context) because "Gow never stuck to myths anyway and anything can happen" is transparently ridiculous and hypocritical. Thus, I'm not one bit concerned the developers would actually give those comments a second thought. Here comes the "but".

But I've always been cautious with popular media and try not to make a cult out of a creator/studio, even if I enjoy their work a lot (we all know how "well" making a cult out of Whedon went for everyone - though I wasn't necessary in that boat as I've been considering him an overrated simpleton for years - from the consumers of his content to the long suffering cast he mercilessly terrorized and exploited).

I appreciate SMS for going a revolutionary route with Angrboda's characterization - she has to be the first female character in about 10-15 years who was allowed the full measure of agency in every aspect, including potential romance. Instead of being a yet another "girlboss" (for all my infinite love and adoration of Freya I admit she is not as revolutionary as Angrboda because she does fall under the stereotypical "strong independent woman broken by a man in the past" cliche), the writers let her openly show Atreus how comfortable she was with him. How much she didn't want for them to part (even though she let him go both times because she'd never manipulate or pressure him) as well as how much she needed him around. And it was not presented as her being "weak, pathetic or dependent" as it would have in any other modern pseudo-"feminist" media (because these days media has completely lost the sight of what feminism and empowerment actually are; as such, it romanticizes woman's brokenness and emotional reservedness as to build woman's character through pain and loss - the most ancient patriarchal type of storytelling).

However, SMS is still a producer of mainstream content and as such are not immune to bending to mainstream trends. I'm not going to discuss the matter of racial representation and stereotypes as I have no moral right to do so and it is not my place at all, my being white. But speaking strictly of the aforementioned tropes and trends, one of the common ones is throwing loving and vulnerable girls and women under the proverbial or literal bus in order to A) prop up a girlboss character type (hence the Atreus/Thrud ship some are hoping for) or B) make women/female characters interchangeable in man's story (which is how it's going to look like if Sigyn is introduced in the next game as Loki's love interest whereas Angrboda is forgotten). Whenever media does not settle for those stereotypes they get backlash and "unacceptable" female characters get more hate.

When "Uncharted" series' narrative made it clear it was going for Nathan and Elena as an endgame ship rather than Nathan and "girlboss" Chloe, Elena started getting extra hate because she wasn't "girlboss enough". Even though out of the two of them it was precisely Elena who self-made herself and didn't need men for validation. Whereas Chloe, much like Thrud, was repeatedly reduced to a filler/plot device in the arc of Nathan and the male villain and her entire storyline revolved around her role in male characters' lives.

Now, the chance for Atreus/Thrud "ship" to happen is less than zero (especially with Thrud and Skjöldr being clearly foreshadowed as a potential couple). However, SMS might play it safe by bringing in Sigyn because they would have a convenient "mythological reference but with a twist" excuse with her. This way they can get away with the lack of foreshadowing while also adhering to mainstream cliches because Angrboda's characterization and her relationship with Atreus, as mentioned above, are in itself a deconstruction of cliches; which might be too risky for popular media creators.

Which is why cautious optimism is the only way to go, from where I'm standing.

Honestly- I don't mind Sigyn and the Logyn ship itself. I just found it eye-rolling whenever I see her as a typical white woman while she's paired up with Atreus in this fandom. Understandable, since Sigyn is usually shown as a white woman throughout the media in Norse retellings.

Just feels like they preferred Atreus with a white girl instead of Angrboða, and overall made it difficult for me to like Sigyn as a additional character. Even if they made them as a throuple to add into possible poly ships in GOW, Angrboða would still be written off considering that Giants aren't entirely immortal to begin with.

And due to my experience with this fanbase, I know for sure if Sigyn were included in GOWR, those kinds of fans would have relished the romantic pairing between Atreus and Sigyn just as they did with him and Thrúd (and not to mention it would put Angrboða as the "Disposable Black GF" trope in the narrative).

It sounds like it doesn't matter if it was accurate to canon mythology or even to Sigyn, when it's hard not to feel like it mattered more for them see Atreus have a white love interest be there for him like arm candy. Funnily enough- It feels like they forgotten that Atreus isn't entirely white, but biracial/multiracial who passes off as white from the start. So their bias against Angrboða being Atreus' love interest made no sense whatsoever.

[cassiopeiaemiliagaunt]

Girlfriend | E.M.

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!reader

Summary: Your boyfriend is very drunk, doesn’t recognize you and tells you he has a girlfriend. 

Word count: 1k

Warnings: this is literally just 1k of fluff. There is a tiny bit of angst about the upside down, but not really. A lot of mentions of Eddie being drunk

Author’s note: Canon divergence, it’s not really ST4 Vol. 2 compliant. Also, established relationship! :))

Disclaimer: GIF isn’t mine ;))

Eddie Munson, the notorious drug dealer of Hawkins High and more importantly your loving boyfriend, never drank very much. Sure, he’d have the occasional beer during Corroded Coffin band rehearsals or after their performances in the Hide Out, but he almost never got hammered. He much preferred the high of a – or several – joints, relishing in the fact that the hangovers weren’t nearly as bad.

Which is why you’re very surprised to see your leather clad boyfriend quite drunk during Steve’s party at Harrington Manor, as you liked to call it. It is the first time you’ve ever seen him like this.

It is a few months after the downfall of Vecna and the (hopefully permanent) closing of the Upside Down. Eleven expertly managed to defeat him and everyone’s wounds (albeit the physical ones) finally managed to heal. Emotionally though, you’d never forget seeing Eddie’s seemingly lifeless body getting dragged out of the Upside Down by Steve, mad at yourself that you couldn’t protect him better from those godforsaken demobats.

The weeks that followed were a blur of hospital stays, refusing to leave Eddie’s side, whispered love confessions in the dark and the newly reappointed Chief of Police Hopper clearing Eddie’s name. Once Eddie was cleared to leave the hospital, you went on your first date with him and you can’t imagine your life without him ever since.

Steve had decided to throw a huge graduation party. Everyone from the self-proclaimed Babysitters’ Club has finally graduated – including Eddie, you think proudly. For this occasion, Steve had decided to open his house to the Class of ’86. Though, you also think he needed an excuse to throw a party to escape from the everlasting trauma of the Upside Down. But you weren’t one to complain, ready to jump at the opportunity to forget everything supernatural for a second.

Which is how you end up with a very drunk Eddie in Steve’s well-equipped and fully alcohol-stocked kitchen. During the party itself he mainly hung out with the older guys from Hellfire, excitedly talking about the summer campaign they were planning. You on the other hand mostly hung out with Robin and Steve. You had done a few shots with them, but not too many. You could feel the buzz of alcohol, but you’re far from drunk.

“Hey hot stuff, how you enjoying the party?” you ask Eddie, grinning up at him.

“Yeah, sure,” he says, eyeing you warily. You wonder what is up with that.

“Maybe it’s time to go to bed,” you suggest. Steve had very kindly offered you and Eddie one of the guest rooms to share. That way you could enjoy the party to the fullest. Robin and Nancy would take his parents’ room to spend the night in and if other people wanted to crash, there was always the basement with the pull-out sofa and the couch in the living room.

“No, thank you,” Eddie mutters dryly at you.

You grow concerned. What could be wrong? Maybe he’s mad at you for something, but for what? You stand right in front of him and wrap your arms around his neck, gazing deeply into his eyes, hoping to maybe find and answer there.

“What’s wrong, babe?” you ask, growing a little insecure.

He quickly ducks out of your arms, keeping you at a distance. Your face falls.

“I have a girlfriend. She’s very pretty and I love ‘er very much so leave me ‘lone, please,” he says seriously, interrupted by a lone hiccup. This has your frown morphing into a smile. He clearly is very drunk. You can’t help but giggle.

“Oh, really? That’s nice. What is her name?” you tease him.

“Y/N,” he says proudly.

“What a coincidence, that’s my name too,” you wink at him.

He narrows his eyes at you, clearly not believing you. God, he’s long gone and has to get to bed very soon. A plan forms in your head.

“I know where your girlfriend is, follow me, ‘kay?” you tell him. He nods his head excitedly at the mention of his girlfriend, eager to follow you along now. He’s like a puppy sometimes, you think fondly.

You grab his arm and maneuver the both of you through the heaps of dancing bodies in the living room and up the stairs to the guest bedroom. Once you’re inside he looks at you expectantly.

“Let’s get you in bed, shall we? You need to sleep,” you tell him.

“But-” he starts, but you interrupt him. “If you go to sleep now, you can see your girlfriend tomorrow, okay?” you try to compromise with him.

“Yeah, ‘kay,” he mutters tiredly, the fatigue clearly kicking in. You watch as he takes of his tight jeans and leather jacket, getting into the bed in his shirt and underpants. You go into the guest bathroom and fill two glasses that you find there with water. You put one on the bedside table next to Eddie, the other one you place on the other side of the bed.

“I’m gonna sleep on the other side of the bed, is that okay?” you ask him, tentatively. You really don’t want to leave him alone in the room in this state. He gazes up at you tiredly and mutters something along the lines of “Only if there’s pillows between”. So you obediently make a wall of pillows in the middle of the bed, seeing him doze off. Then you quickly take off your pants and bra, leaving you in a t-shirt and your panties. You flick of the lights in the room and get comfortable in the bed. Luckily, sleep finds you soon.

---

The next morning you’re awoken by a whiny groan from the other side of the bed. You turn around to see him rubbing his eyes and gazing around confusedly. He looks at the pile of pillows between the two of you and looks up at you questioningly. You giggle, last night’s memories quickly flooding back.

“You didn’t want to sleep in the same bed as me, because you had a girlfriend named Y/N,” you tease him. He groans again his head falling back into the pillow he slept on. You only begin to laugh harder. He then looks up at you with a small smile and throws all the pillows somewhere in the room. He wiggles to lay next to you and wraps you in his arms, muttering “C’mere, girlfriend.”

You smile and let yourself be cuddled.

[erodasfishtacos]

Okay but a little hslot blurb.

If you’re in my time zone - a blurb to start your day 😚😚😚

-

They’ve been together since ninth grade, right? So the only person who can really comfort him when he’s stressed out or upset is his wife.

People will go hunt down YN when Harry’s being a drama queen or has a meltdown because they know he will calm down for her.

Harry Lambert had wandered off to find her after Harry started to freak out over whether the outfit was really the best outfit for the show.

YN had been snacking at Sarah’s Kitchen with NyOh when she’d been pulled away to fix her husband’s attitude and dilemma.

“No, m’not sayin’ I don’t like this outfit! I just said I don’t think it fits with the styles we’re going for,” Harry huffs in aggravation, pushing his hand through his curls - was stood in just a pair of nike running shorts as Harry Lambert glared him down by a clothing rack.

“We’ve had this outfit plan since last year, Harry!” His stylist argues back, clearly frustrated with the rockstar who’s normally not a pain in the arse like this.

YN sneaks up behind her husband, arms coming to wrap around his narrow bare waist with her hands resting on his taut stomach.

“What’s going on, bunny?” She hums into his strong back, smiling secretively when his muscles automatically relax a little bit in her grip.

“S’just, I started out with tha’ pink sequined outfit and this just doesn’t make sense right after tha’ one,” Harry complains, leaning back into her a bit.

Lambert looks relieved that YN showed up, he repeats to her husband, “But this will throw off the whole plan if we change it tonight, Harry.”

“How is tha’ my bloody fault!” He rebukes, glaring down Harry Lambert who’s holding the red suspenders and trousers.

“Will you give us a minute?” YN peeks around to ask the crew before tugging her husband by the hand away from the crowd and into an empty hallway.

Harry gives her a pouty grumble with unhappy eyes but doesn’t say anything.

“You need to be nice and cut out the diva attitude,” YN scolds, unbothered by his glare as she continues, “All these people are here to help you. You’re being unreasonable.”

“M’not, I just don’t want t’wear tha’ bloody outfit tonight,” He rasps, puffing his chest out.

YN pinches his nipple, “Why are you being so crabby?”

“M’not,” He repeats lowly, voice deep and rough as he allows himself to be cornered by his wife.

She pauses, wracking her brain for a reason he’d be so upset today and it hits her after a moment, “You’re going to sound fine.”

“I hate when y’do tha’. Get out of m’head,” He complains, shoulders still tense, “I don’t want t’talk about it.”

“Fine, then don’t. But when you act like a spoiled rockstar, it looks bad on me too. Just because you’re worried about how you’ll sound tonight doesn’t mean you can take it out on others,” YN reminds firmly but when she turns to leave - his large hand grips her wrist.

“I hate performing at these high altitude stadiums, I run outta breath so much quicker,” Harry sighs, sheepish and a bit pink with embarrassment.

“Why do you act like I don’t know you like the back of my hand?” She replies, allowing him to tug her into his chest.

“I know y’do, s’just embarrassing to be nervous ‘bout that,” He mumbles into her hair, ignoring the glances from passing crew members.

“That’s not anything to be embarrassed about,” YN titters, deciding she needs to brighten up the mood as the show was close to starting.

She can’t help herself, “What’s embarrassing is, remember that one time? When we were like seventeen and we were making out on that farris wheel and you came in your pants and -“

“Heyyy!” He whines affronted, cutting her off with a nip to her chin and a pinch to the hip.

YN giggles as she splutters out the rest, “An-And thos-those fans asked what was on you-your jeans -“

“M’ warning you,” Harry growls, flipping them so that he’s cornering her into the wall and unable to escape his jabbing prods at her plush hips.

“And y-you told them it was ic-ice cream!” She finishes, teary-eyed from laughter at the fond memory.

Harry finds himself laughing too, his wife’s giggles were contagious and looking back on the memory now was pretty funny.

“S’not a secret I’ve been easy for you since we were sixteen. Y’can still make m’come like tha’,” Harry chuckles, pressing a soft kiss to his wife’s lips.

She returns it but then pulls back, “You’ve preformed here before and done great. You’ve preformed at other high altitudes and had amazing shows.”

Harry whimpers a bit, curling in on her, it looks funny to passerby’s - Harry having to lean down a bit and nuzzle into her neck, he was so soft for his love.

“I have t’go apologize,” Harry says into her skin, goosebumps rising when his wife’s hands rub softly at his sides.

“And afterwards, I’ll go make sure the medics put your inhaler and oxygen on the stage,” YN assures him, letting him intertwine their hands and lead them back to the others.

Harry Lambert, Jeff, and all of his other wardrobe crew were standing around, waiting for him to get over himself.

“M’sorry I was being difficult, just stressed out,” Harry tells them sheepishly, shimmying out of his shorts and down to his briefs to get changed.

The stylist looks over gratefully at YN, winks, and mouths, “Thank you.”

“Just let me know if he gives you anymore trouble,” She tells them, giving Harry a pinch in the bum that makes him squeak.

-

[disasterman-snz]

If you’re looking for prompts at all, what about steddie where poor sweet steve has a terrible cold, but he promised Eddie, Robin, and nancy they could use his pool for a fun little pool party since the weather is starting to get cold and it’s probably the last weekend they can. He doesn’t want to ruin their fun, but he’s clearly feeling well, so Eddie (and probably rob and nance to an extent) spends the whole time trying to take care of Steve.

Omg! Sorry that it took me literally like 75 years to get this out! I hope it was worth the wait O_O

It's been a busy semester between work and school, but I'm still alive you guys <33

DO NOT REBLOG TO NON-KINK BLOGS AND MINORS DNI 

_____

“Babe, come on in, the water’s fine,” Eddie badgers Steve, who is tanning on a reclining chair. 

  All afternoon he’s been strangely quiet and distant, but Eddie can’t pin why. Nancy and Robin seem equally confused, but none of them are sure how to voice their concern. 

  The problem is, Steve hasn’t exactly done anything to indicate something is wrong. They just know him well enough to tell that something is off. 

  He’s been sticking to the sidelines all day, and he hasn’t even gotten in the pool once. He just dipped his toes in before he went off to ‘tan.’ He’s hardly teased Robin or flirted with Eddie or really spoken at all. 

  It’s just not like him. 

  They’ve all been looking forward to their little adults-only pool ‘party’ for weeks now. It’s pretty much the last weekend that’s warm enough for swimming, but they were all free and it worked out perfectly. 

  They’d been worried it would be too cool, but it’s a perfect day. Warm enough to swim, but a slight fall breeze keeps it from getting too hot. 

  Eddie just wishes his boyfriend would come join them. 

  “I’ll get in in a little bit Eds,” Steve calls, and Eddie frowns, wading over to the edge of the pool. 

  He splashes playfully at where Steve is sitting. Not enough to really get him wet if he doesn’t want to, but enough to make him sit up and raise an eyebrow at him above his sunglasses. 

  “Boo,” Robin agrees, “Come get in with us dingus, you’re being boring.” 

  Steve seems to deflate a little at that, and Eddie sees Robin wince a little at the strange response. 

  “Alright alright,” Steve concedes, standing from the lounge chair he’d pulled up by the pool. 

  Eddie expects him to run forward and jump in the pool to splash them all, but instead Steve just walks over and slips in with them. 

  It shouldn’t be a big deal, but it sends alarm bells ringing. It’s just so unlike Steve to be so subdued. 

  He tries to push the worry aside for now though, because he really has no way to explain it. 

  “There he is,” Eddie grins, going over to Steve, who is standing waist deep in the shallow part of the pool. He slings an arm over his boyfriend's shoulder and presses a kiss to his cheek, but Steve seems to shiver a little under his touch. 

  “Eugh, get off, you’re all wet,” Steve complains, shoving at him lightly. 

  Eddie allows himself to be knocked off, throwing himself into the water dramatically, purposefully using his weight to splash water on Steve, “Oh how you wound me, my own love and he pushes me to the side like I’m nothing?” 

  Robin snickers at his theatrics, and Nancy laughs a little. 

Eddie can’t help but notice how Steve seems to shiver again as the water splashes his chest. 

  Before he can make sure he’s okay though, Steve gives him a mischievous look, “I’ll do worse than that Munson,” and then he splashes him right in the face. 

  Eddie laughs loudly, “Oh! That’s how it is?” and he forgets his earlier concern, splashing Steve, who splashes back. 

  Robin eventually jumps in too, because she likes chaos, and drags Nancy in with her, and before they know it, they’re all completely soaked and grinning. 

  As they finally wind down, Nancy and Robin go off to the deep side of the pool. 

  Eddie grins at Steve and goes up to him, ready to tease him for his lackluster performance in their splash war. 

  As he approaches, he notices a far away look in his eyes, and his earlier concern comes rushing back. 

  “Hey, you okay?” he asks quietly, but Steve just blinks at him and holds up one hand in a ‘hold on’ gesture, turning away to bury his face in the crook of his damp elbow. 

  “Hh… HrdDSChhh!! HGttSSChhh!! Hh..ehh.. HeiDtssCHhh!!... SnnRFfffsnrff,” Steve sniffles thickly and rubs at his nose as he turns back to Eddie. 

  “Sorry, I thindk I must’ve inhaled sombe water,” he says with another sniffle. 

  Eddie gives him an assessing look, but just says “Bless you babe! Those sounded intense.”

  Steve flushes, “S’probably cause of the snrFffsnff…snFff chlorine.”

  Eddie isn’t sure he believes him, but he doesn't want to make a big deal out of a handful of sneezes. 

  So he closes the distance between himself and Steve, pressing him against him and wrapping his hand around his waist, “That’s the worst love,” 

  Steve shrugs, and Eddie takes the hint and changes the subject. 

  “Oh! Did you ask Keith about getting those days off next month when I’m going down to Indianapolis? Because I heard about this really nice comic store down there that sells DnD stuff. I know it’s still early but I’m definitely gonna get Dustin’s Christmas gift there if it’s as impressive as I’ve heard.” He launches into the ramble, trying not to pay too much attention to the way Steve scrubs at his nose and sniffles every few seconds. 

  “Yeah snFfsndfff Keith said I can have the’b as long as.. hh-snfff hhh- as long as Robin doesn’d mi’nd swi..hhihh.. switchinnghh.. hh..” 

  Eddie watches as Steve struggles through the sentence, unsure if he should respond when Steve is so clearly on the brink of another sneezing fit. 

  Steve makes the decision for him when he finally turns away, this time holding his hands up desperately, “Hold on-hh.. hhhH’rrSChHhuhhh hehh’hihh.. hiHhTtScHhhuh- heHhTTZScHhh! Hhsnfff sndfff.. hh.. hmmMPhHZSHhh…”

  Steve snuffles helplessly at the mess. His hands are wet from the pool water and he’s forced to try and wipe them off in the pool. 

  “Bless you again babe!” Eddie exclaims, unable to keep the worry out of his voice. 

  Steve’s flush travels from his cheeks down his neck, “Sorry, it’s just cause snddff I inhaled snRfffsnfffff all that water.” 

  Eddie reaches forward and gives Steve a quick kiss on the cheek, “Maybe if you went in and blew your nose that would help?” 

  He offers the advice hesitantly, and his concern only grows when Steve looks grateful for the out. 

  He only hesitates for a moment before he nods, “Actually, that’s snRRfff probably snffsnDFF a good idea,” he wipes at his running nose, but it doesn’t do much because his hand is wet, “I’ll be back.” 

  Eddie frowns after Steve as he climbs out of the pool, taking an oddly slow time to heave himself up the ladder, and then goes inside. 

  Nancy turns to Eddie once he goes inside, “Hey, is everything okay with him?” 

  “I’m not really sure honestly,” he twists his face up a little, “He seems a little off right?” 

  Robin nods, “Yeah, he’s being super weird… Actually, he was being kinda distant and quiet at work yesterday too. I thought he just seemed tired but…” she shrugs. 

  Eddie’s frown deepens, “He seems kinda tired today too doesn’t he…” 

  Nancy nods, “I didn’t want to overstep, but he looks like he feels… just awful.”

  Robin sighs, “I think he might be sick… that dingus, why wouldn’t he just tell us?”

  Eddie sighs, “I was gonna say the same…”

  He trails off as Steve rejoins them outside, and they all stare at him. 

  Eddie expects him to say something about it, but instead Steve just goes back to his chair, huddling into his towel as if he were freezing. 

  Robin and Nancy are speaking quietly to one another on the other side of the pool, but Eddie just watches Steve for a while. 

  Every time a gust of wind goes by, he tenses up and sniffles. Sometimes it seems like he’s barely restraining himself from shivering non-stop. And even though he knows he just went inside to blow, he keeps reaching up to rub and swipe at his nose. 

  He keeps massages at his temples every so often, as if his head was bothering him. He also sees him turn off to the side and completely smother a few coughs into his towel. 

  Then Steve’s breath starts hitching and he ducks into the towel, and completely silences a few of his harsh sneezes. His shoulders shake roughly, but Eddie can’t hear any sound. If he wasn’t watching, he wouldn’t even know Steve had been coughing and sneezing. 

  When Steve pulls away, he looks breathless and exhausted, and Eddie can’t take it anymore. 

  He climbs out of the pool, “Hey I’m gonna go grab some water, do you guys want anything?” 

  Nancy and Robin ask for water, and Steve goes to, but his voice comes out hoarse and crackly at first. 

  He flushes and turns to the side, clearing his throat, “Sorry, I don’t know what snfFf that was about. I could use a water I guess.” 

  Eddie nods, and dries off before popping inside. 

  He grabs them all water bottles, but he also grabs some pain relief meds for Steve from the bathroom, and a fresh box of tissues from under the counter. 

  He brings everything back out, and pulls a lounge chair up next to Steve, setting their waters and the supplies down on the little table next to them. 

  Steve turns to him blearily, “What’s all snrrff this?” 

  Eddie shrugs innocently, “I was just grabbing a few things is all.” 

  He tosses Robin and Nancy their waters, and they give him a grateful look when they see the tissues and medicine. 

  “I don’t snFF hh.. Need any of this stuff,” Steve protests weakly. 

  Eddie shrugs, “I didn’t say you did,” he presses a kiss to Steve’s temple, and frowns at the slight warmth he can feel radiating off him. 

  He lies down in his own chair, wanting to keep Steve company over here. He regrets bugging him about getting in the water now- it couldn’t have been good for this cold- but Steve is stupidly good at hiding this kind of thing when he wants to. 

  Eddie tries to ignore his guilt and focuses on making Steve as comfortable as his dumb boyfriend will let him. 

  Eddie notices Nancy and Robin are trying to keep the noise down without being too suspicious, and he gives them a thankful smile. 

  “You can.. Hh.. snf.. Go back in Eds,” Steve tells him, “You don’t have to sit out with sndff me.” 

  Eddie rolls his eyes, “What, only big strong jocks like you can work on your tan?” 

  Steve rolls his eyes right back, but leans back again, “Suite yo-hh.. Yourself.” 

  Eddie nudges the tissues over towards him as he watches Steve’s breath start to hitch. 

  He admires how hard he tries to fight it off, but Steve does eventually reach forward, desperately grabbing a handful of tissues. 

  “Hh-Hehh..hHHeiihh.. HeiHhTDSCHHhhhh.. Hh.. HMpTSCHhhh!!” Steve shakes his head a little, and seems to try again at reaisting the urge to sneeze. 

  He blinks up at the sky, his chest heaving dramatically as each breath comes out hitchy and desperate, “hh.. hhHh..hhh-n-no… hh-HeiTSCHHhH! HggTSSHCHHew!!.. Guhh…” 

  Steve sniffles, his expression dazed, and Eddie gives him a sympathetic look. 

  He’s about to search for a trash can for the used tissues, when Robin pops up beside him, “Here,” she passes him a small wastebasket she clearly ran in and grabbed from inside. 

  Eddie takes it and gives her a grateful look. 

  “Here you go Stevie,” he says, setting it down next to him, and Steve throws the tissues in it. 

  “Guys, come on. Stop looking all concerned, it was just snnRfff a few snffsnf sneezes.” 

  Eddie rolls his eyes, “If you say so love,” he passes him a handful of tissues anyways, “Come on, blow your nose.” 

  Steve looks like he’s going to protest, but Nancy shakes her head from over in the pool, “Steve, you used to be on the swim team- surely you know you’re going to get a sinus infection if you don’t get all that out of there now.” 

  Steve blinks at her. 

  “You know? From inhaling all that water?” 

  His eyes widen, “Oh right.. Well… yeah I guess,” he concedes, and turns off to the side a little to blow his nose. 

  He laughs under his breathe at how silly his boyfriend is being. 

  Robin rejoins Nancy in the pool, and Eddie turns to Steve, giving him a soft look. 

  “You know we all know you’re sick right?” 

  Steve sighs, “I know… I just wanted you guys to have a fun day… didn’t wanna sndfff ruin it..” 

  Eddie takes his hand and presses a kiss to it, giving him a serious look, “You’re not ruining anything. We want you to feel comfortable love. Just say the word and we can still have a fun day inside, on the couch.” 

  Steve huffs and shrugs, “Maybe in a little bit.” 

  Eddie sighs, but at least it’s something. 

  Steve does take the medicine at least, and after a while, Eddie looks over and sees his eyes are drooping. 

  He nearly just lets him rest here, but another breeze blows by and Steve shudders, and Eddie shakes his head. 

  “Okay, I’m gonna try and take him in now,” he tells Robin and Nancy, who nod. 

  Steve blinks blearily up at him, “Huh?” 

  Eddie shushes him, “Come on love, we’re going in now. I’m ready to get changed, how about you?” 

  Steve huffs, which makes him have to turn to the side to cough a little, “You don’t have to.” 

  Eddie raises a brow at him, “I hope you didn’t get water in your ears too babe,” he squeezes his hand where he’s still holding it, “I just said I was the one who wanted to get changed.” 

  Steve rolls his eyes, “Aright alright, fine.”

  Eddie grins triumphantly, and Nancy and Robin wave them off. 

  “Night Stevie,” Robin calls, and Steve gives her an odd look. 

  “It’s only like snnffsnf four o’clock in the snff afternoon?” 

  “So it is,” Robin agrees. 

  Eddie rolls his eyes and drags Steve towards the door, “Come on Steve, you know she’s basically right.” 

  Steve slumps a little, “I guess,” he turns back to Nancy, “Hey, make sure that loser doesn’t break my house okay?” He gestures at Robin, “But feel free to keep using the pool.” 

  Nancy gives him a thumbs up, and Robin sputters protests as they head inside. 

  ______

  Once they’re inside, Steve seems to crumple- his resolve to look put together falling apart now that it’s just the two of them. 

  He slumps into Eddie, who guides him upstairs towards the bathroom. 

  “Why’r we in here?”

  Eddie presses a few soft kisses along Steve’s face, “We need to take a shower before we sleep Stevie.”  

  Steve groans a little, and Eddie turns the shower on so it can start warming up. 

  “I know love, but that’s what you get for trying to keep this from me,” he chastised softly, helping Steve out of his clothes before shrugging his own off. 

  “I just snfff wanted you guys to have a snffsnrff good day,” Steve protests again. 

  “I know love,” Eddie runs a hand through Steve’s damp hair, “But we all care about you, we want you to be comfortable and happy more than we want to go swimming or anything else you get in that stubborn head of yours.”

  Eddie guides him into the shower, and they both rinse the chlorine off. 

  Steve starts sniffling almost immediately, and Eddie eventually just pinches him lightly. 

  “Babe, the whole point was to get the chlorine off and clear out some of your congestion. That’s not gonna happen if you don’t let it.” 

  So Steve lets the steam help loosen up his congestion and when they climb out he blows his nose. 

  At first he gives it a tiny, soft blow, but Eddie crosses his arms and gives him a look, and Steve just sighs and blows his nose properly. 

  He’s a little embarrassed about doing it in front of Eddie, but he just leans forward and kisses Steve on the top of his head. 

  Then he’s ushered into bed. 

  “Eddie,” he complains, “It really is only four o’clock.” 

  Eddie rolls his eyes, “One, it’s like five by now, and two, we don’t have to sleep, but I want you resting.” 

  Steve groans, but climbs in bed. 

  When Eddie joins him, he huffs, “You know, you really could snfff rejoin the girls downstairs?” 

  Eddie just lays his head down on Steve’s chest. 

  “Not another word out of you love, not unil you stop saying stupid stuff like that,” he cranes his head up and presses a kiss to Steve’s neck, “I’m right where I wanna be, okay.” 

  Steve huffs, but accepts this. 

  He’s asleep within half an hour. 

  Another fifteen or so minutes pass by, and Nancy sticks her head in the door. 

  She smiles softly at the sight of Steve curled up in bed, snoring softly. 

  She waves, and mouths ‘goodbye’ at him silently. 

  Eddie gives her a wave back and makes a heart with his hands, blowing platonic kisses at her, and then at Robin who is standing in the hall. 

  When Robin pokes her head in, she grins, “Aww, he’s such a dingus,” she says, nearly silently, and Nancy laughs a little. 

  Eddie makes a shooing gesture at them, and they wave one last time before they head out. 

  Eddie rests on Steve’s chest for a while, content to just lay here and know his boyfriend is comfortable and resting finally. He eventually drifts off to sleep as well.