#joyce handy

[undreaming-fanfiction]

Imagine pretty boy Steve trapped in a mirror for his vanity.

Except he grows as a person so much that his sole purpose becomes boosting self-esteem of everyone looking into the mirror (unless they're being an asshole in which case, bye any semblance of personal worth).

"Looking great, Dustin, go and get them! Oh wait, move your tie slightly to the left, that's it, good job buddy, go go go!"

"Seriously Robin, there's no way your lady isn't all over you the moment you step in that restaurant. Did you wear smudge-proof lipstick? Time to test it."

"No, Nance, it's not weird to ask your ex-boyfriend if you look presentable, I mean, who else is better qualified? Good choice of dress for the interview, you're going to ace it."

"El, it doesn't matter how long your hair is. Yeah, it was so pretty, but it will grow back. But you know what else? You have gorgeous eyes, a wonderful smile and the way you say "mouth-breather" is everything. As long as you have that smile you'll be the prettiest girl around, so don't you dare worry about it."

"Mike, stop looking like someone stepped in your birthday cake, you're a handsome young man and Will is going to love the new haircut. If I'm wrong, feel free to come back and spread mustard all over my frame, but I've yet to be wrong. Yeah, you're a bit of an asshole too, now go and get your boy!"

"Joyce, you're as beautiful as always, but from what I know about Hopper, he'd think you're the most beautiful person alive if you were wearing a potato sack. But this dress is perfect and you look so happy. I wish you all the best on your date!"

"Yeah Jason, looks aren't the issue here...nothing I can do to help you all the ugly stuff on the inside buddy. Sure, smash the mirror if you want - good luck by the way, it's fucking cursed for a reason - but that won't make the truth hurt less, huh?"

And then Eddie accidentally steps in front of him and Steve has never seen anyone so unaware of his own beauty. And Eddie seems to be the only one apart from Robin who realizes how lonely he sometimes gets so he often takes Steve with him no matter where he goes (the big van is handy) and Steve makes sure to shower him with compliments, gradually finding exactly the right doses and right words to make Eddie understand how special he is, how radiant his smile looks, how he's so animated when he talks about things he loves-

And on the day when Eddie looks into the mirror and finally sees himself just as Steve sees him, the mirror cracks and Steve falls out, disoriented and kind of terrified, what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck-?!

But Eddie just smiles at him and hugs him, the first human touch in such a long time it makes Steve tear up. "Finally!" exclaims Eddie and pulls him even closer. "No shame at all Stevie, but that frame was fucking heavy!"

[santaasi]

VIOLENCE

pairing: boxer!jj maybank x gf!reader

summary: jj maybank wants to put the whole world at her feet, but the only way he knows in this life is violence

warnings: angst, a lil bit of fluff, (kinda) violent behavior, some language, no use of y/n, jj calls reader kitten, english isn’t my first language

word count: 4.7k

a/n: this work was originally conceived as a small drabble with a maximum of 1.5k words but it became a full one-shot. i guess i can't be brief. as always, I recommend you to listen to this amazing song while reading: Eden - Suffering for Love. Have a good time <з

She hated what he was doing. She hated this little ring, which looked like a cage when even animals could not be kept. She hated being in a crowd of sweaty men drinking beer and shouting his name. She hated watching his face, which she loved to cover with kisses, get hit after hit. And she hated that she felt a vague pleasure when his fist flew into his opponent's face.

All in all, she hated violence. And JJ Maybank's lifestyle was full of this violence.

But more than that, she hated the fact that she was the cause of this violence in JJ's life. Everything he did was for her and because of her. He kissed the ground she walked on.

Therefore, he was ready to do anything just to give her a bouquet of her favorite flowers. Or to arrange the most unforgettable date for her on the beach. Or to give her that rare and outrageously expensive book for her birthday that she had dreamed of for so long. And for all of this, money was needed, which JJ did not have. But there was hatered and violence in his veins, which for the first time in his life came in handy.

At first, these illegal fights were just additional earnings for him, when he had to make ends meet, to repay debts, or when he just wanted to pamper his princess (always). But then... the high-stakes, wins, the big money, her smiling face - pulled him into a place he didn't want to get out of. And JJ Maybank knew perfectly well that if she found out about his new little part-time ‘job’, she wouldn't like it. So, he kept it a secret. Violence was his little secret.

But she was never stupid. She found all these little gestures on his part sweet and innocent. She didn't wonder where he got the money from, because he had a job. In this godforsaken car repair shop. But when Mr. Joyce, his boss, called out to her on the street, asking her to send her ‘errand boy’ to take his share after he was fired, she began to suspect something was wrong.

With his first big win in boxing, he rented them a small cozy house on the outskirts of the cut. It was a gift for their second anniversary. And she moved from her parents' huge mansion on Figure 8 to this small house to be near him, to love him and to spent her whole life with him.

They never talked about JJ's new job, she didn't ask where his money came from, or where he got new beatings every week right after the previous ones had just healed. She didn't want to get into his soul with questions, having already understood perfectly well for two years that if he wanted to, he would have told everything himself. But all this bothered her, because of which she did not sleep well, she always walked around sullen and gloomy. And at some point she just couldn't stand it.

She remembered this day as if it were yesterday. She going down the dark stairs to the basement, standing in the crowd, looking around for the top of his blond hair, and how her heart stopped for a moment when she saw him in that cage. She stood frozen with horror and fear for him, unable to say even a word. She saw how he struck blow after blow, how his eyes burned with determination and how he grinned triumphantly into the crowd, enjoying himself after winning.

He always enjoyed the taste of victory and the roar of the crowd shouting his name at such moments, because it made him feel needed, noticed and appreciated. But as soon as he saw her frightened look at him, everything inside him turned upside down. She was standing there, looking at him with her big, frightened eyes, like a little deer that had met with a gun pointed at her in the woods. And the air was knocked out of his lungs in a second just from one of her looks, which stabbed into his heart like a knife. He watched her slowly squeeze through the crowd, trying to get out, trying to escape from what she saw.

For the first time in his life, JJ Maybank didn't know what to do. He understood that she needed time to make sense of everything, but he didn't want her to make some hasty decision without him.

So, he quickly took his salary and things and left the basement, meeting with the cold wind and with her. She stood hugging herself, trying to warm her body, which was shaking either from cold or shock. JJ draped his jacket over her shoulders and lit a cigarette, waiting for her to speak first.

Everything inside him was shaking with fear that she would leave, that she would not want to be with him anymore. And this thought terrified him more than anything else in the world.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" she asked in a barely audible voice, concentrating all her attention on the flashing light at the end of the road. A tiny cloud of steam escaped from her lips.

"It didn't matter, kitten," the guy croaked, looking at her. JJ had never seen her so seriously cold before. There was a lump in his throat. "You never cared where I took the money so I..."

"It didn't matter? Doesn't it matter to you, JJ?!" her voice rose and she turned to him, looking at him in rage with tears in her eyes.

"’Cause it does metter to me! ‘S metter to me where you are, if you're okay, how y’feel.… And after everything we've been through, did you jus’ decide to hide that you're engaged in illegal fighting now?" her chest heaved and her fists clenched. She did not understand at what point she stumbled, that he no longer trusted her. What did she do wrong?

"Why don't you trust me, Jay? I thought... we..." her lips trembled and her voice cracked. All the rage seemed to have disappeared in a moment, leaving only pain and resentment. Resentment against the person she loved most, for whom she fought for so many years and went against everyone, even against her parents. And for what?

JJ stood next to her in a daze. He watched her body shudder from the cold and saw tears begin to shine in her eyes in the light of the lanterns. She looked like a little kitten who had been kicked out of a warm and cozy house onto the street, where she was surrounded only by a big world filled with fear and horror. And to tell the truth, that's how she felt. All those relationships filled with love and trust that she had tried to build brick by brick between them were now slowly crumbling before her eyes. She never asked questions. And maybe that was her mistake. Maybe that's why her JJ decided she couldn't be trusted. Maybe that's why he decided to hide part of his life from her?

But that wasn't the case for JJ. He has always trusted her and will trust her no matter what happens, because she is the one for him. She was always there for him in the most difficult moments of his life. She pulled him out of the swamp of darkness and pain that he had been immersed in all these years. She took him under her wing, took care of him and loved him. JJ always believed that she was his guardian angel. That at some point in his miserable life, God, if he really existed, sent her to save his, JJ Maybank's, worthless life and give him a reason to stay.

She was always perfect in his eyes. Innocent and pure. He couldn't let all the dirt and violence he was dealing with show on her. But even more, he couldn't bear the thought that after recognizing him as so evil and cruel, she would abandon him. That's why he's hiding it. That's why he didn't tell her anything.

"Jay, please say somethin’.… this silence is drivin’ me crazy," her voice was hoarse and helpless. She looked at him with her big tearful eyes and JJ felt his heart breaking. Did he really do this to her? "What did I do wrong?"

Maybank could have sworn he barely heard her last words. The phrase swept past him like a cold wind, leaving behind a wave of goosebumps. He wished he hadn't heard them. He wished he didn't feel that stabbing feeling in his chest that they caused. But JJ heard that soft voice, broken for a second, which, like a blow to the gut, forced the air out of his lungs.

JJ Maybank had done the most terrible thing to her. He made her doubt herself. And he hated himself for it. The guy frowned, trying a couple of times to open his mouth and say at least something ... at least something so that she would understand him.

"That's what I thought," Dana whispered softly, nodding and turning around and walking in the same direction from where she came.

The sound of her footsteps echoing down the empty street brought JJ out of shock and he immediately started running after her. He couldn't let her go. She was his world. His everything.

"Kitten, wait! Stop! I'll explain everythin’, okay?" catching her hand, he gently turned her around.

The girl's face was pale and lifeless. For the first time in all this weeks, JJ noticed blue circles under her eyes, and a lack of shine in her pupils. She didn't say anything, just stood there waiting for his explanation. The girl knew that she would never be able to leave him without listening. No matter how many times JJ Maybank messed up, she would always accept and listen to him.

"I jus’ wanted to give you better life, kitten. I- I-... ‘n that was the only way," JJ whispered, taking her hands in his. His fingers moved slowly and soothingly over her palms.

"I know you don't like... all this. I know ‘s too much. But ‘s worth it to see y’smile..." JJ looked at their joined hands and let go of one, reaching into his pocket and showing her a stack of greenbacks.

"There's a thousand bucks here. I got a thousand dollars for jus’ one fight, kitten. ‘S enough to cover all our expenses and there will still be..." Maybank looked up at his girl, smiling, but when he met her sad expression, his smile immediately faded.

Her name came out of his mouth, but she just shook her head as she came closer. Her hands gently touched his face, tracing each wound with her finger. A split eyebrow. A bruise on the cheekbone. A bleeding scar on the bridge of his nose. A split lip. She flinched a little every time her finger touched a particularly badly bleeding wound, as if all these wounds were hers.

"Do you really think that this money is more important to me than you are? Do you really think that this money is worth all your injuries to me?" Dana whispered softly, frowning slightly. Her voice was soft and soothing, but her eyes were shining.

JJ saw her bite her lower lip to keep from crying. His heart ached. JJ saw her pain. He said her name again, but she shook her head, taking a deep breath.

"You still haven't realized in all these years that I don't care about money, Jay?" She cupped his face with her hands and looked him straight in the eyes. "I left my parents, I left my life behind to be with you. I don't need money, I need you."

JJ's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her to him. He needed to feel her next to him. To feel that she would never leave. JJ rested his chin on her hair, inhaling the scent of floral perfume.

"I know, but I don't want you to live in need, kitten. I promise it for a while.… I'll figure something out"

JJ kissed the top of her head, holding her close. And she believed all his words again, hoping that he would really end it soon. She had no desire to watch him torture himself because of her.

"I can't do this anymore, Jay," the girl confessed months after their first encounter. This time his ‘performance’ went worse than expected.

She stood behind him with her arms crossed over her chest, looking at him through the mirror. JJ slowly treated his wounds on his face, sometimes spitting blood clots into the snow-white sink. He looked terrible. His entire torso was dotted with red bruises, and there was no living place on his face. Even after the worst fights with his father a couple of years ago, he didn't look that bad.

She watched as he slowly applied the alcohol-soaked cotton wool to his bruised eyebrow, pressing it too hard, which made him cringe in pain. She suppresses the urge to reach out to him and take everything from him, treat his wounds properly and kiss every bruise on his face, as she has done since the very beginning of their relationship. First because of Luke, and then because of his... his job. But she remained standing behind him, leaning her head back against the cold tiles on the wall. It seemed to calm her down a little. But all these thoughts about JJ, about these illegal fights, about what their relationship had become because of it, did not give her peace of mind. She didn't want to support this violence anymore. She doesn't want to see him suffer.

"You know 'm doin’ this for ya. For us, kitten," JJ said wearily, putting down the cotton wool and turning to the girl. Her gaze swept over his features again, which she did not recognize because of the swelling and bruises, and the girl frowned even despite his soft smile. "'m doin’ this so that we have the money to pay for this house. And for the bills. And for the food and all other stuff that ya need"

"If I get a job too, then you won't have to fight..."

“No! I have everything under control. You're not gonna work in some diner just ‘cause I..." the guy swallowed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Just ‘cause I can't provide for the life you had before me."

She shook her head and frowned. That was the whole damn problem. The fact that before her relationship with him, she was a kook, lived in a large mansion with a cook, a maid and a gardener, had an unlimited golden card and could do anything. And JJ was a pogue. And he didn't care about it until they decided to move in together a year ago, and since then he has set himself the goal of doing everything possible so that his kook princess doesn't lift her finger a day in her life. Although she didn't mind, she was never one to be afraid of getting her hands dirty. She was willing to work in the most God-forsaken eateries twenty-four hours a day just so that JJ wouldn't enter this fighting ring anymore. Because to see him like this almost every night…

"I'll figure it out, kitten. It's okay," she felt JJ's hands wrap around her cheeks, wiping away the tears with his thumbs, which she didn't even notice how they flowed. She focused her gaze on him and shook her head, biting her lip, suppressing a sniffle.

And again she hears "I'll figure it out." Sometimes it seems to her that she has heard this phrase from him every day throughout the year. Although it probably is, because all they've been doing this year is fighting. Then make up. And after that they quarrel again. So in a circle.

Her whole life over the past year has become like trash day, from which she can not get out.

"No, Jay. Nothing's gonna be okay as long as you go there," she couldn't even bring herself to say out loud the place where her boyfriend went almost every night. She swallowed the lump in her throat and put her palms on top of his. "With each new time you come in a worse and worse state… 'm afraid... one day… 'm afraid..." her voice trembled and she had to take a couple of breaths before speaking again. "I'm afraid that one day you won't come home, Jay. And I don’t wanna know... I don’t wanna know how I will live after that"

She felt a new wave of tears roll down her cheeks, and Jay cursed softly to himself before moving away from her. Over the past two months, these conversations have become more frequent and it annoyed the guy. None of these talks ended well. And JJ Maybank hated fighting with his girlfriend because she was the only one he lived and did everything for in this world. There was no point in his life without her. But despite this, he said what he considered necessary at that moment. Pause. They needed a pause.

The girl's eyes widened and she stared at the guy in shock. He couldn't offer it. Couldn't he?

"I'll stay with John B. until... until you calm down," the guy came out of the bathroom, opening the closet, taking out a pre-packed bag of things. She followed him out, watching him pull on his hoodie.

"What the hell, Jay? Are you leavin’ me?" her voice broke into a scream, and her heart began to beat at breakneck speed. He couldn't leave her. He won't leave her.

"This is a pause. ‘S just a pause for a few days. I'm tired of fighting’ with ya," JJ breathed wearily, without even turning to her.

"If you stopped goin’ to that damn basement, all the quarrels would be over!" the girl shouted, watching him leave.

"I'll text you" was the last phrase he threw before the front door slammed shut and she fell to the floor sobbing.

She didn't understand at what point everything had changed so much. At what point did all their lovely quiet evenings turn into this? At what point did their I love you’s and happy morning cuddling turn into JJ deciding to leave her?

It all looked like a terrible nightmare and she didn't know how to deal with it anymore.

Two weeks have passed since their last fight. It was the most difficult and terrible two weeks of her life. After almost three years of a relationship, she had to relearn how to be on her own and live alone.

For the first few days, she woke up in the morning in the complete silence of their small house in a cold bed, remembering how the door slammed after he left. She walked from room to room like a zombie, trying to occupy herself with something just to avoid thinking about him, but every time she was distracted by something, her thoughts returned to JJ. When she brushed her teeth in the morning, she looked in the mirror, hoping to see him in the reflection and laugh at the mean faces that he made to make her smile. When she was cooking in the kitchen, she remembered JJ quietly whistling some silly tune from an ads, which annoyed her. Even when she was lying on the couch reading a book, she always remembered how JJ would lie down next to her, wrapping her in his strong arms and asking her to read aloud. Maybank didn't give a damn what kind of book it was or what it was about, he just liked listening to her voice and heartbeat.

In those two weeks he wrote to her only a couple of times. She couldn't find a place for herself, only occasionally asked Sarah how JJ, who lived in her and John B.'s house, was doing. From her, she learned that today was his another fight with a man who was famous for his special cruelty. And that scared the hell out of her.

That was exactly the reason why she was standing now among shouting and jostling men, as she had been a few weeks ago. Beer and drool flew in all directions while some young boys were fighting in the boxing ring, who were put on the "warm-up" before the main fight. The fight between her JJ and Broady Harington aka killing machine. And her heart leapt in her chest at the very thought of it.

She wanted to see him before the fights. To apologize. To say that they can solve everything. That her life doesn't make sense without him. And that he doesn't need to participate in this fight. But the bully guard at the service entrance wouldn't let her in. He pushed her out of the room, forcing her to wait for the end of the fight. So she stood in the crowd, fiddling with the hem of her white dress that Jay had bought her for their first anniversary. She thought it would reduce the degree of tension between them.

The girl in the red swimsuit and the referee entered the ring, announcing the start of the fight and then the world around her stopped. It was the first time she had seen him in two weeks. All the wounds on his body and face had almost healed and he looked so young but determined that she didn't even recognize him at first. There was something wrong with him... something was definitely wrong. His gaze focused on the mat under his feet, the way he put on gloves with special slowness, and how the muscles in his jaw moved and tensed. He didn't even look into the crowd, as he did before every fight, to see her and get an encouraging smile. JJ Maybank was completely focused on his goal and in some way it scared her.

When Sarah told her on the phone that JJ had been preparing for one main fight of the season for a month. She didn't believe it. He usually chose small daytime fights that earned him a good income. But over the past month, he began to disappear in the evenings, and he began to bring more money, even began to offer her to look for a real house. Not a rented one that they had now, but their personal home. And she was surprised by that, but she did not attach any importance to it. But now... now she realized that all his evening absences and visits with particularly severe beatings, and all this talk about a private home…

A loud roar knocked her out of her thoughts and she turned her gaze back to the ring. JJ lay on his back, covering his face with gloves, while his opponent delivered a series of strong punches, trying to break through the defense. The air seemed to be knocked out of her lungs and she leaned forward, clinging to the bars, breathing heavily.

"JJ!" she screamed before one of the guards forced her to move away.

The guy's whole body tensed up when he heard her voice for the first time in two weeks. And as if at the behest of some force unknown to him before, he turned the man sitting on him over, making a blow. The girl exhaled in surprise, looking at her boyfriend's bloody face. At the rage that distorted his beautiful features, and a wave of goosebumps went through her body. She missed the whole fight, wandering in her thoughts. But now she was watching JJ snatch his victory from the hands of a man who was famous for his violence. And she was even a little proud.

The referee's voice starts counting down to the end. JJ continues to strike without noticing anything around him. The man lies exhausted under him.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

JJ Maybank wins. The crowd is shouting and rejoicing. Drops of beer break and soak into the fabric of her white dress, but she doesn't care. She pushes through the crowd, heading out of the ring to meet him. Her winner and the beloved guy she missed so much.

His arms close around her waist, pulling her to him. She feels the metallic taste of blood in her mouth when he covers her lips with a forceful kiss and for the first time she does not resent it. Her heart beats in time with his as he holds her in his arms and looks into her eyes.

"The last one," he whispers into her hair, kissing the top of her head. She raises her head uncomprehendingly, frowning slightly. "It was the last fight. I... I won't participate anymore."

"Why?" she asks softly and naively, childishly, fluttering her long eyelashes.

The guy grins. She sees his eyes glisten and feels her heart begin to beat faster. Just like that first day when she bumped into him on Midsummer and he spilled the entire champagne tray on her expensive dress. Even then, she somehow realized that she had found the very love here that they write about in books and make films. And it was at that very moment that she already realized that JJ Maybank was her man.

"I don't wanna see y’worry and cry ‘cause of me. I don't wanna see you on the other side of the cage among these nasty men, ‘cause you came to support me. I don't wanna quarrel with you anymore, kitten" His voice was soft and gentle, and so soothing that she felt a rush of butterflies in her stomach again.

"So I found a regular job ‘n I'm gonna be the most ordinary person with the most ordinary life, but with the most fuckingly perfect girl in the whole damn world."

She giggles through her tears and pulls him closer to her, dragging him into another kiss. He doesn't resist. When had he ever refused to kiss her? JJ Maybank was created to kiss and please her. Therefore, at this very moment, he couldn't care about anything more than her in his arms and his lips on his lips.

"Hm! Maybank, I don't want to distract you from your entertainment, but come into my office and pick up your check. Unless, of course, you want to leave me 600 thousand dollars," the head of the bookmaker's office in which Maybank worked chuckled, which made him take his mind off his girlfriend.

He lets go of her waist, and is about to follow the boss. But before that, he turns back to her, pulls her to him, kissing her on the cheek.

"I hope you chose the house, kitten, ‘cause tomorrow we are gonna buy it. Now you definitely won't get rid of me, princess," the guy whispers in her ear, and then disappears into the crowd.

She stands there for a couple more minutes, trying to understand everything he said to her, before breaking into a loving smile and heading for the exit from this evil place, to which she hopes never to return. JJ finds her sitting on a bench outside a couple of minutes later, and they return home, where for the last time, she will heal his wounds and kiss each scar so that they don’t sting so much.

And when the next evening, or a week, or even a month later, JJ Maybank does not go to the basement for another fight, but stays with her in their own house to watch a movie, she can do nothing more, but only enjoy life. And to love a guy who now represents only gentelness, not violence.

JJ Maybank was her gentleness, and she would never let him go.

thankx for reading <3

i'm a little dissatisfied with this work, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway! you can always share your opinion in comments or my inbox :3

- your santi 🪐

masterlist

[sourw0lfs]

dance with the devil - part eighteen

Words: 518 | Rating: E | CW: mentions of blood, panic attacks | AO3

one || seventeen

Between cleaning up Steve’s crime scenes again and then chasing Steve through town, Eddie feels exhausted in a bone-deep way he hasn’t experienced in years. He just wants to lay down and sleep for the next three days, but while he can feel exhaustion, sleeping it off is apparently a perk his new form doesn’t get. Instead he finds himself achy and wide awake while he keeps an eye on Steve as he sleeps.

He files the discovery away to complain to Joyce about if he gets back to her sometime in the near future.

At least the night feels pretty calm, so Eddie lets himself rest by laying out on the floor next to the couch, within earshot of both Steve and the little redhead currently snoring away on the freshly cleaned couch next to him. While Steve had seemed torn about letting her stay, with the only other option being for her to go home, he’d given in pretty quickly. At least until they could regroup in the morning. Robin had also insisted on staying, but after Steve pulled her aside for a conversation Eddie did his best to not eavesdrop on, she’d finally headed back home.

Sighing heavily, Eddie forces his eyes to close before shoving every ounce of concentration he’s got on communicating with Joyce. It feels silly. It feels stupid. It feels like it’s not going to work, because while he’s got some super handy magic now, telepathy across planes of existence probably isn’t one of them.

To Eddie’s surprise, after just a few moments of pushing his thoughts into the void, his whole world starts to tilt, leaving him stumbling over nothing. Where he finds himself looks nothing like where he’d found Joyce before, empty darkness stretching out as far as he can see, but she’s standing in front of him all the same, so Eddie takes what he can get.

Ignoring that Joyce looks just as unimpressed with him as she did earlier, Eddie grins, looking around like he’s in awe of the place. “Why didn’t you tell me I could do this instead of taking my entire body with me?” he asks.

“Because then you’d abuse it,” she replies with an eyebrow raising in Eddie’s direction.

And, wow, she’s not wrong, but Eddie’s insulted all the same. Maybe if he’d gotten any sort of information about his abilities before being thrown into the deep end he’d feel differently. That’s probably part of the point, but he’s choosing to ignore that thought. There are bigger fish to fry or whatever the phrase is.

“So sorry that I’m a little out of my depth here,” Eddie complains. “Between not knowing what the fuck I’m doing and having to clean up two different murders now, I’d kind of love some answers, you know?”

For all that Joyce seems all-knowing, the news that Eddie’s dealt with two separate murders makes her eyes go wide. She takes a moment to collect herself before responding, and Eddie finds himself wanting to fidget under her stare. “What do you mean you’re cleaning up murders?” she demands finally.

Tag list below the cut! (Open)

@chaosgremlinmunson @soaringornithopter @hbyrde36 @shares-a-vest @dreamwatch

@quevadilla @puppy-steve @penny00dreadful @momotonescreaming @stevesbipanic

@dawners @little-birch-boy @steddiejudas @just-my-latest-hyperfixation @estrellami-1

@vthx @lolawonsstuff @gleek4twd @littlebluejane @swimmingbirdrunningrock

@lawrencebshaggoth @sadisticaltarts @queenie-ofthe-void @r0binscript @anaibis

@hairdressersdoitwithstyle @goodolefashionedloverboi @blasvemous @anne-bennett-cosplayer @flustratedcas

@mugloversonly @ellietheasexylibrarian @damnpotatoe @awkwardgravity1

[spiribia]

Klaasjes companion Pokémon would be milotic. Ruby’s would be stoutland or some little and handy electric type mouse. Liliennes would be jolteon. Joyce’s would be this regal pampered pedigreed ninetales and joyce is like he’s awful really. Hardly listens and sheds everywhere. But she’s clearly proud of her like 5 billion pokedollars animal and will correct you if you try to agree he’s awful. Soona has this little pansear that sits on her shoulder and does experiments with her. Titus is raising an orphaned poochyena (its mightyena mom got killed; “what a waste…real sordid shit”) that he named Killer and intends to train into a big evolved guard dog and he keeps hyping up its killer spirit although it’s kinda just a puppy. Cuno has a keldeo and you’re like cuno this is a legendary Pokémon how did you get this and he’s like cuno does whatever cuno wants pig. And cunoesse is like cuuuuno I told you it was lame, ponies are for GIRLS! prancing around all majestically and shit! (secretly bugged by it because they used to both have raticates but cuno released his when he found the keldeo, after a grand long winded spiel to c about how Now THIS is cunos beast, makes the other one look lame, it’s got a sword coming out of its head and everything, just look at it, real herald of the apocalypse shit, four riders shit, cunos going to take over the world with it) but because you thought it was impressive he straight up releases it too and the next time you see him he doesn’t have any Pokémon and he’s like cuno doesn’t need anybody and cunoesse is like Cuno don’t say that. Oh and Harry has a giant garbodor and he won’t stop griping about how nobody likes it or him. Oh and plaisance has a bewear and Annette has a stufful (she does consider it her best friend but it was definitely her moms choice of Pokémon to match hers). Cindy the skulls is obviously the new graffiti aye aye one. Ask me anything.

[unitedbydevils]

Match Review: Manchester United Women 1-1 Arsenal Women

Well done, Skinner. You woke Arsenal back up. For fuck sake.

Arsenal with Jonas were shit. Arsenal post-Jonas have looked a little lost. You always step up against bigger opposition due to the fear of getting humbled, but Arsenal looked really sharp today.

Their passing was better, more inventive, of greater accuracy. Their movement was sharper, their duelling was better timed and more productive.

Their diligence and quality was rewarded with a goal by no other than ex-United forward Alessia Russo, with a cute finish that surprised Phallon Tullis-Joyce to give Arsenal the lead in the 63rd minute.

PTJ did have a very good game though, as did Maya Le Tissier and Millie Turner at CB. Gabby George and Aoife Mannion were solid enough, but United did look better with sub Jayde Riviere on.

Janssen was assured as ever in CDM, whilst Lisa Naalsund was a little off-the-boil today. Simi Awujo was an upgrade at half time when Naalsund went off injured, but it begged the question why no start when Arsenal are known for being a little more athletic and pressing than United. The same can be said for the usage or lack of re: Hayley Ladd - another solid DM.

United's issue was in attack though. Celin Bizet looked sharp and had a lot of the ball, but that made her an obvious double-up target and limited her impact. Grace Clinton was wasteful in CAM but also keenly pressed, and Ella Toone ineffective at LW.

A second-half positional swap for the two didn't achieve a lot, but the subs of Malard for Toone, Geyse for Bizet, and Williams for Terland did. Good decisions. Skinner isn't entirely useless, and Malard/Geyse were exceptional from when they came on. Very active, driving at Arsenal with intent... it was nice to see the fear flipped.

The problem is that things like Malard on the left... they're obvious. She's far more comfortable on the left, like the injured Leah Galton, than Toone/Clinton. This comfort makes a player a threat, and that makes Arsenal respect the player and press them. That buys others time and space. Clinton and Bizet are in great form, yet today they looked tame.

Based on the Arsenal press, it was incredibly stupid not to utilise Hinata Miyazawa also. Personally I'd have started her over Tooney, who I feel has been okay but not great, and given her recent bereavement... I get wanting to play and to keep busy, but form comes first. Miyazawa has looked great whenever she has featured this season. We cannot waste her like Irene Guerrero, and she's INCREDIBLY PRESS-RESISTANT. Handy versus notorious pressers Arsenal...

All of the above also limited the impact of Elisabeth Terland too, but luckily we have the guile of Rachel Williams on the bench, and the central preference of Melvine Malard that helps her be a double threat from LW and going beyond Rach.

Speaking of Millie, she won both the Player of the Match award for her stoic defending and was given a commemorative shirt for her 150th United appearance - seen here with partner Lisa Naalsund and the rest of her family.

Both teams will feel hard done by with just a point, but oh well. Better than a defeat.

Next up is a lovely 6:45pm SUNDAY fixture against Aston Villa at the LSV. A very winnable game, but wtf is that timing? Ew.

[keinbutterdieb]

Folge 1032 Aw, Reena. Sie kann Gustav nicht erreichen. Aw, Frau Schillers Reaktion, als sie die Puppe sieht. "Ich hab's nicht so mit Puppen." Reena hat miese Laune wegen Gustav. Joel macht wieder Yoga, Noah ist genervt. Kurz bin ich bei Whatever innerlich zusammengezuckt ... "Dann können wir ihr ja sagen, dass du das mit deinem Köter nicht hinkriegst." Mutig (und ein bisschen böse) von Joel, dass er Freddy vor Noah Köter nennt. "Leute, ganz cool, ja? Du gehst zu deinem Hund und von uns erfährt keiner was, okay?" Colin hat alle(s) im Griff. 😁❤️ Es macht mich ziemlich fertig, wie Colin Noah einfach sofort wieder beruhigen kann, und dass Noah während Colin ihn berührt, tatsächlich ein kleines Stück zurückgeht, hi4hriu3kzehrjdiklerjd. Oh no, Leon tritt bei Io versehentlich ins Fettnäpfchen. "Im Kino komm' ich nie zu spät, da würde ich ja was Spannendes verpassen." 😂😂 Joels Blick!! Oh, Noah, why?? Soo schlau war das jetzt nicht. "Und wenn ich Freddy übernehme?" "Du? Kennst du dich überhaupt aus?" "Bisschen." "'Bisschen reicht nicht für Freddy." "Wieso? Ist der noch sturer als sein Herrchen?" oejdirlekjrdrieklwjdik. Noahs Reaktion:

"Weil Zimmernachbarn zusammenhalten." Soziale Erpressung. Reena mit Gustavs Schal. Aw, jetzt flechtet Chiara den Schal in Reenas Haare. 🥺 Ich find' das ja süß mit den ganzen Nachrichten, die Noah Colin wegen Freddy schickt. "Wieso mache ich das hier eigentlich?" "Weil du Schiss hast. Und weißt du auch womit? Mit Recht." 😁 "Ja ja." Colin steckt das Handy weg. 😁 Joel im Schrank. Ava macht Fotos. "Total misstrauisch!" "Ach, das war ganz easy. Ich hab' einfach deine Hundesitter-Regeln ignoriert, und dann lief's prima." "Hast du dich eigentlich schonmal im Krankenhaus beworben? Als Brechreiz?" Boah, Joyce!! Reena, Chiara und Ava. ❤️ Aw, no, Reena drückt Gustavs Anruf weg.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Sunday, December 15th

SHARK DEMON: You're an odd duck, Mister Spike. Fighting your own kind ... palling around with a Slayer. (Spike turns to face him) And whoa, that suit! Chutzpah must be your middle name. (chuckles weakly) Uh, hey, look, um ... about our little debt problem, it's okay, I don't need the kittens.

~~Tabula Rasa~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

One Girl by apachefirecat (Spike/Buffy, OCs, PG/K+)

Two new BtVS works in the Mind The Gap Flash Exchange 2024 (Buffy/Maggie Walsh, Buffy/Drusilla, rated E and T)

that soul thingie by farewellswords (Buffy x Cordelia, T)

Pausing at the Bus Stop on a Snowy Day by spikesgirl58 (NCIS crossover, Buffy/Spike, G)

Mating heat by Fanlifemiracle (Xander/Oz, Explicit with multiple archive warnings)

My, what big teeth you have... by BloodyEll42 (Spike/Teeth the loan shark, G)

Your Blood by EnInkahootz (Spike/reader, T)

Let's Just Breathe by scratchmeout (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Tangled Up by veronyxk84 (Buffy/Spike, T)

No Secrets by AbbyWatson4 (Buffy & Dawn, not rated)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Incarnate, Ch. 26 by Sigyn (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Be Back Before Dawn, Ch. 20 by Blissymbolics (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Comin’ to Town, Ch. 5 by Melme1325 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

This Is How We Say Goodbye (it's how we say goodnight) Ch. 1-2 by bunniesarebad (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only)

Oh, Christmas Tree, Ch. 1 by feedingthefire (Buffy/Spike, Spike & Dawn, Clem, G)

Heavy Truth by Rea (Buffy/Spike, PG)

The Slayer That Got Away - Chapter 2 by asylumina (Spike X OC, not rated)

Buffy & Yu-Gi-Oh 2 - chapter 3 by AbbyWatson4 (crossover, Giles, not rated)

Buffy and The Demon Council - Part 20 by Saltandpepper22 (Buffy, Slayers, ensemble, not rated)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Gifset: Buffy and Spike in season 6 by clarkgriffon (Buffy/Spike, includes canon sexual situations)

Moodboard: BUFFY BROKE UP THE COVEN (but make it gay) by tenderjock (Darla, Drusilla, some blood, sexual Christian imagery)

Collage #270 (drop everything now / meet me in the pouring rain) by thedecadentraven (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Collage 271 (We walk with death and crash towards each other in a legion of sparks) by thedecadentraven (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Vid: Ma meilleure ennemie by willnotacceptalifeundeserved (Faith Victoria) (Buffy/Spike)

Comic: All We've Ever Done by cd85 (Buffy/Spike, G)

Lego Buffy pt. 2 (extras) by mu.d_brick (Buffy, Giles, Xander, Willow, Spike, Joyce, Dracula, Ben, other characters, worksafe)

[Reviews & Recaps]

Welcome to the Hellmouth by maylilithreign

Watching Buffy and Angel concurrently…. Crying. [BtVS s7, AtS s4] by rock-and-compass

My Favorite Episodes! by Quiet_Share7125

Lies My Parents Told Me S7 E17 (Buffy and the Art of Story Podcast

[Recs & In Search Of]

Multifandom: Fandom Recs by apachefirecat (stories and art: Buffy/Spike, Xander/Cordelia, Buffy)

Buffy season 4 fan fiction (Assassins Creed crossover that rewrites the Initiative arc) recced by Bukowski1234

David Graeber's paper Rebel Without A God: The Anti-Authoritarian Attitudes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer recced by crumbchunks

SparkGri seeks to identify a song in S4 E14 Goodbye Iowa

[Community Announcements]

I Will Remember You Marathon 2024 fic superlatives winners

[Fandom Discussions]

I love the fact that Buffy gets the training room in the back of the magic box right at the same time she moves back home by 5bi5

I was thinking that a breastplate would be a handy vampire accessory... by aphony-cree

Buffy herself acts in a way that is [inconsistent].... with recent memories of being sent off to "a clinic" for talking about vampires by coraniaid

Buffy - severe abandonment wounds - Summers gets to have her boyfriend chained up - by raisedbythetv89

Spike’s automatic assumption when Buffy points out the Trio’s van by thequeenofsastiel

Cannibal Faith is my ultimate headcanon by popeisahotsoup

Spike is the most unreliable narrator in the Buffyverse (in School Hard) by targaryenvampireslayer

Who would win in a fight, Marcus or Caleb? by Prior-Assumption-245

Buffy and Riley (If the roles were reversed, I believe the man would not be framed as responsible...) by brwitch

Is Buffy pretty much sleep deprived for the whole show? by VictoryResponsible36

Willow and Google by fabe1haft

SMG in Person by TheGlaze86

Another vague af description from Freevee. via GHBoyette

Cordelia Chase is the realest, most relatable AND best written... by southernfirefly13

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

Want to know where James Marsters will be in 2025? Then check out this handy pic! by jamie_marsters

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[nerditudes]

Oh bless the Libby app. This is the only book available (the rest are audiobooks) but it’s the only one I haven’t read, so that’s handy.

Jack speaks fucking squirrel and now I need an excuse for him to use this. He also has daggers made of Nightlight’s old spear. Gosh Joyce knows how to write.

[ihni]

The talk of the town

For the Fall of Neil Hargrove day 3, "don't make enemies of the local knitting club"

~~~

“Your yard is so pretty” “Oh thanks, I had help” “By who?” “Billy Hargrove” “That Neil Hargrove’s whelp?”

“Who’s that?” “Oh the Hargroves, they’re new to this town” “From California, moved here, settled down”

“Oh right! I know Susan, is that Billy’s mother?” “Step-mom, I think, he is Max’s step-brother”

“Max, who is that?” “It is Dusty’s new friend, I pointed her out at the fair, last weekend?”

“The red-headed girl? Oh yes, I remember!” “They moved here, what was it? October? November?”

“November I think, it was just before snow” “No matter” “Well if you have lawns to mow

I recommend Billy, his prices are fair” “He’s good-looking too, have you seen that boy’s hair?”

“Karen!” “What?” “He is the same age as Nancy!” “Just SAYING, the way that he dresses is fancy”

“Oh shut it” “Joyce!” “What? I said what you were thinking” “This is why we don’t mix knitting with drinking …”

“THE YARD THOUGH” “Oh yes” “Back to that?” “It looks great” “He also cleans pools, which you know that I hate”

“He fixed up my car too” “The new one?” “The van” “He’s really a handy, well-mannered young man”

“Well I’m sure he didn’t get that from his dad” “What do you mean?” “You know Fredrickson’s lad?”

“Paulie? Yeah, why?” “Well I was at the store And Paulie was waiting for Jill at the door

And then Mr Hargrove saw him standing there And yelled at him, gave everyone quite a scare”

“What? What did he say?” “I’ll tell you, my dear; He called our Paulie a FAG and a QUEER”

“But he is engaged!” “To JILL!” “But, but – why?” “I don’t know, but it made dear Jill start to cry”

“I’ve heard that man use words like that once before” “Oh, really?” “When?” “When he called his ex-wife a whore”

“He did what?” “Such language!” “I feel for his wife who has to have that kind of man in her life”

“You know Mrs Rumfeld, on Old Cherry Road?” “The lady whose wheelchair ran over a toad?”

“The very same! She might be old, but she’s bright And do you know what she heard there one night?”

“Where?” “From the Hargroves, they’re living next door Well first she heard voices, then someone who swore

And then someone screamed, and she looked through the glass And saw Billy Hargrove, right there on the grass

His father was standing there, with his fist raised And old Mrs Rumfeld said he looked quite crazed!”

“What does that mean?” “Did he HIT him?” “Oh my” “That just isn’t right” “Ladies, this doesn’t fly”

“Billy’s so sweet” “Yeah, he doesn’t deserve it” “I think, that we should –“ “Oh we HAVE to!” “– observe it”

“In Hawkins, there’s standards” “And morals” “And views” “There’s no room for violent men or abuse”

“I think that we have a new project, my friends” “More than our knitting, and other odds and ends”

“Sharpen your needles, and gather around For we have a bad man to run out of town”

~~~

@fallofneilhargrove

[heavencasteel420]

I have a couple of incidentally no-UD AU ideas (the Stonathan college one, the teen film noir one), but there’s one where that’s the main idea (i.e., what would have happened with the characters if there’d been no Upside Down or shady psychic experiments). And one of the things that happens is that Will becomes Yearbook Popular in high school (i.e., not a jock and not one of the rich kids who parties, but the respectable tier after that). It comes about because:

The most obvious, violent bullies of his age (the Troys and Jameses) become less popular in high school and are just regarded as kind of pathetic, even if nobody questions the attitudes behind the bullying.

Having never suffered the horrors of the UD and in large part robbed of the last part of his childhood pre-adolescence, Will is both more ready to put aside “immature” interests to make things easier and less cognizant of life being too short/unstable to cut out a source of joy.

Will also doesn’t have to deal with the social fallout of essentially being the victim of a lurid true crime story.

Girls, especially Nice Girls who do Yearbook and Student Government, like Will, because he’s good-looking and pleasant company and handy whenever a poster needs to be made. He doesn’t make a lot of new guy friends in high school (it is still rumored that he’s gay and people suck) but the approval of the girls means he has a crowd.

Joyce still starts dating Bob when he’s in eighth grade, which papers over some gossip about the family and leads to more stability (and, because of how the family works, Will is always going to be the first beneficiary of any increased stability). So he’s coming from a less obviously poor, dysfunctional family.

He gets a girlfriend, because, while he knows he doesn’t want that and Joyce and Jonathan and Bob are always saying he should be himself, he still lives in a Society. He’s also aware that Joyce and Jonathan are both really anxious that things be good for him, partly because they feel bad about him being bullied previously and rejected by Lonnie, and partly because they don’t want him to go through the stuff they went through. Also, there’s tension in the family because Jonathan’s having a hard time (read: a long-overdue anxiety disorder) and both Joyce and Bob are well-meaning but unhelpful about it for a while because they don’t get what’s going on. So there’s a lot of pressure not to be any trouble.

The Party are all still friendly with each other, but (much like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) they’re moving in different directions. Lucas still joins the basketball team, Dustin falls in with the super-competitive nerds, and Mike goes the Hellfire route. Will is neither the first nor last to find his own thing, but he sees which way the wind is blowing.

[flowerfan2]

Now complete!  A story about what makes a home, and how Steve and Eddie fell in love in theirs.

Read the last/latest chapter here, or read from the beginning on A03.

Chapter 6

Hawkins’ civic-minded citizens have a tradition of gathering together on its townwide election day to watch the results from each precinct come in.  It’s supposed to be a celebration of democracy, of the town’s ability to work together, to support each other, win or lose.  But Eddie looks less celebratory and more like he’s about to be tried for ritual murder.

“Whose idea was this anyway?” Eddie grumbles, seated on a folding chair in the crowded lobby of town hall.

“Pretty sure it was yours,” Steve replies, sitting down next to him and balancing a paper plate filled with store-bought cookies on his lap.  The snacks are definitely not tonight’s main attraction, but Steve has a bottle of champagne in his backpack that he’s hoping will come in handy later.

“This is agony,” Eddie mutters into Steve’s good ear.  “What if I lose?  Everyone will know.”

“Hate to break it to you, but that’s kind of how elections work,” Steve says softly, putting the plate of cookies down on the floor and scooting closer to Eddie.  “You’ll be okay.”

“I should have listened to Wayne,” Eddie moans despairingly.  Wayne had laughed out loud when he heard that Eddie was running for Town Meeting, although since then he’s spent more hours holding Eddie’s campaign signs on street corners than any of them.  

Nancy and Robin join them, Robin wearing half a dozen “Eddie For Town Meeting” pins on her suspenders, and holding a basket with about three dozen more.  Eddie had insisted on having pins, claiming they made it all worthwhile, although at the moment even the eye-catching buttons with his name on them don’t cheer him up.

“Any news?” Steve asks Robin, as Eddie hides his face behind his hair.  Steve is dying to fix it, he’s got a hair tie on his wrist that is calling Eddie’s name, but Eddie seems to need to chew on it more than he needs the style points.

“Jonathan and Argyle say lots of people from Forest Hills came out to vote, and they remember a lot of them from Eddie’s coffees last month, so hopefully they’re voting for him and not against him,” Robin says.  Jonathan and Argyle were volunteering at the polls for Precinct 2, where Eddie lives, and have been feeding them tidbits of news all day.  

“That’s encouraging,” Steve says, shuffling his chair closer to Eddie’s and putting his arm around his shoulders.  “You did great at those coffees.  Everyone loved talking to you.”  Eddie just shakes his head behind his curtain of hair.

“It’s true,” Nancy says.  “You were well-spoken, and endearingly charming, and chatted intelligently about all the issues of importance to the residents of Hawkins.  You even talked with Martha about her garden and the evils of light pollution.”  She pokes him in the arm until he looks up.  “Sit up and relax, no one’s out to get you.”

Eddie complies, sighing and pushing his hair out of his face.  “I just don’t know how I got here, that’s all.  When I was a teenager everyone hated me, and now – now the police chief is hosting coffees for me at his house.”

“Okay, first, it’s not true that everyone hated you,” Steve says.

“Hopper definitely did.”

“You were selling drugs-”

“<i>Allegedly</i>.”

“And to be fair,” Nancy adds, “Joyce Byers hosted the coffee, not Chief Hopper.  That would be a conflict of interest.”

Steve snorts.  “Did you read that in a rule book somewhere?”

“I am the treasurer for this campaign, do you think I didn’t read the regs?”

Robin laughs.  “It’s like you don’t even know her, Steve.”

Dustin and his friends come over and surround Eddie, shoving each other out of the way for a chance to talk to him.  Introducing Eddie to Steve’s middle school gremlins had been a huge success, and they had all taken to him like ducklings to water.  Except noisier.  The weekly D&D game had become a regular thing, although now they held it on a weeknight so that Eddie didn’t have to take time away from work.  Steve knows how much Eddie has enjoyed it, seeing all these kids – including Max – take such pleasure in something that always gave him joy.  In a world that doesn’t treat unusual kids kindly, it feels good to help this group find a place where they belong.

Eddie’s decision to run for Town Meeting didn’t surprise Steve at all.  Even after Eddie was done with his presentation, he came to most of the Centerscape committee meetings, sitting through debates on lighting, and the placement of benches, and the shape of bike racks.  He listened patiently as the final plan was approved in committee, and showed up at the meeting where all of the members approved it.

Now the project is entering its next phase, which involves figuring out exactly how and when construction will take place, and Eddie’s still there at almost every meeting.

“I guess I’m invested in it now,” Eddie told Steve after one particularly combative session where Mr. Melvald and other business owners argued for hours about how construction was going to impede the flow of tourists and residents to their stores and restaurants and therefore should be put off until the economy improved.  The mood was finally lightened (at least for Steve and Eddie) when one speaker made the plainly ridiculous suggestion that the usual bright orange safety cones should be replaced with ones in brown or green so that they wouldn’t clash with the look of the town, and Mr. Hagen promptly called for the end to the night’s meeting.

Bizarrely, Steve even got a little jealous when he found out that Eddie was sitting in on other committee meetings.  He understood Eddie’s interest in the Commission on Disability, but had not anticipated that he’d want to go to the bicycle advisory committee meetings with Jonathan… even riding his bike with Jonathan and Argyle on weekends to scope out proposed changes to the ever-debated bike lanes.  It hadn’t taken Eddie long to realize why Steve was grumpy about it, however, and Eddie quickly put any fears Steve had of losing someone else to Jonathan to rest (over a long evening date which included a romantic dinner and Eddie demonstrating just how much he <i>appreciated</i> Steve).

There’s a rumble of noise from the front of the room, and Steve looks up to see that Precinct 2’s results have come in.  One of the election monitors is typing quickly into her laptop, and the results are displayed on a screen on the wall for everyone to see.

Eddie grabs Steve’s arm hard enough to bruise and head butts his shoulder.  “I can’t look.”

Steve scans the results, and doesn’t have to get to the number of votes listed next to Eddie’s name to know he made it in, because Nancy and Robin break into a loud cheer.

“You did it, Munson,” Steve says, pulling Eddie into a hug.  “Congrats.  You did it.”

Nancy and Robin join in, and Dustin and some of the other kids pile on too, until the whole group of them is about to knock Eddie off of his chair.

“All right, all right, I get it, thanks.”  Eddie is blushing furiously, and it intensifies as Wayne comes over and gives him a hug of his own.

“Well done, kid.”

“I can’t believe it,” Eddie says.  He’s smiling like crazy, and Steve just wants to eat him up.

“It’s not that weird,” Dustin says.  “I mean, five out of the seven of you were going to get in.  The statistics were way in your favor.”

“Yeah, and that old guy with the straggly beard never had a chance,” Max says, always eager to rile Eddie up.  “Even you’re better looking than he is.  So really, you just had to beat one other person-”

“Okay, okay, that’s enough,” Steve says, taking Eddie’s hand and swinging it between them.  “He won ‘cause he deserves it, and you all know it.”

“Is it time for the party yet?”  Max responds, undaunted.  “Because these cookies suck.”

Eddie exchanges a quick glance with Steve, his smile stretching his cheeks.  “This <i>is</i> the party, sorry about that.”

“Whatever.”

Eddie gives Steve’s hand a squeeze and goes off to talk to the other Precinct 2 Town Meeting members, old and new, and shake hands with the guy with the straggly beard and the other candidate who didn’t make it, a friendly woman who doesn’t seem particularly upset about the results.

Steve watches Eddie make small talk with townies and newcomers alike, his wayward curls dancing as he waves his arms to make a point, probably already getting excited about new ways to make Hawkins an even better place to live.  Once all the results have come in and the excitement has died down, Steve is going to take Eddie home and show him just how impressed he is by his boyfriend.  

Eddie has brought a light into Steve’s life that he never though he’d find, a love so strong that Steve knows it’s real.  He can feel it in his very bones, on good days and bad, and it fills him with an almost overwhelming joy to know Eddie feels it too.  It’s kind of strange that it all happened because Steve decided to join Town Meeting, but whether it was meant to be or they just got really lucky, Steve’s not going to question it.  Instead he’s going to make sure Eddie knows how much he’s loved, and work together every day to build a home they can be proud of.

[servants-hall]

Radio Times:

Two new midwives are set to join the new series of beloved BBC drama, Call the Midwife.

While we can expect to return to Poplar in the upcoming Christmas special this December, the new 13th series will air next year – with some brand new faces joining the cast.

As revealed in this week's issue of Radio Times magazine, the series will welcome student midwives and roommates, Joyce and Rosalind.

Renee Bailey plays Joyce Highland, a Trinidadian pupil midwife described as “hardworking, fiercely bright and deeply kind”. But as is often the case with any new arrival at Nonnatus House, Joyce is hiding a secret traumatic past of her own.

Bailey has previously appeared in BBC Three's Mood as Paris, Netflix's Rebel Cheer Squad as Leila and is set to also star in Channel 4's upcoming detective series, Get Millie Black.

Natalie Quarry, who has appeared in Atlanta and BBC long-running medical soap Doctors, will star as fellow pupil Rosalind Clifford in Call the Midwife.

Rosalind is described as “naive at times, but with an inner steeliness”. Her demeanour could very well come in handy as season 13 will pick up in 1969 when the midwives have to face maternity bed pressures, deadly diseases and further personal turmoil.

Speaking to Radio Times magazine, series creator and writer Heidi Thomas said: “Newcomers Joyce and Rosalind arrive with much to learn. As 1969 unfolds, we’ll see change and challenge rock the world of our beloved nuns, nurses, medics and midwives.

“Even as man prepares to walk on the Moon, we see them grappling with life’s eternal questions. Who are we?What is love? And where do we belong?”

“They’re a wonderful addition to the show,” adds executive producer Dame Pippa Harris. “I can’t wait for the audience to meet Joyce and Rosalind and to follow their journeys, by bicycle, through the streets and lives of Poplar’s residents.”

[unscharf-an-den-raendern]

Schloss Einstein Folge 1039

Danke Tumblr, ich darf diesen Eintrag jetzt zum zweiten Mal schreiben, weil ich versehentlich ne falsche Taste gedrückt habe und Tumblr sich dachte, dass es ne gute Idee wäre, den Großteil davon wieder zu löschen.

Also fangen wie nochmal an: Es ist der Tag der Prototypen-Präsentation und Colin und Joel dürfen als erstes präsentieren.

Natürlich ist Colins Knie ganz zufällig so nah an Noahs.

Und er legt seinen Arm auch nur um ihn, um nochmal zu betonen, dass es Noahs Film ist.

Ich bin zwar ein großer Fan davon, zärtliche Berührungen in platonischen Beziehungen zu normalisieren und die Grenzen zwischen platonischen und romantischen Beziehungen einzureißen, aber das ist nicht platonisch, die sind einfach nur hart verknallt.

Bei den anderen Teams läuft es dagegen nicht so glatt: Io muss alleine präsentieren, weil Joyce Magen-Darm-Probleme hat und bei Reena und Chiara ist das Test-Handy mit der App abhandengekommen.

Reena hat erneut mit ihren Beziehungsproblemen zu kämpfen: Gustav hat sich mal wieder nicht gemeldet und ihr nicht mal Viel Erfolg gewünscht.

Leon erfährt, dass Charlotte und Joyce beide von den fleischfreien Patties gegessen haben und es danach beiden nicht gut ging. Er muss Io warnen, bevor es zu spät ist.

Reena sucht im Internat verzweifelt nach dem Test-Handy, wird dann jedoch von ihren Gefühlen überwältigt und ruft Gustav an. Als nur die Mailbox drangeht, hinterlässt sie ihm eine Nachricht, in der sie mit ihm Schluss macht.

Reena findet in der Post einen Brief von Gustav. Er besucht jetzt ein Sport & Tanzinternat in Freiburg im Breisgau - was auf dem Brief fälschlicherweise "Freiburg am Breisgau" geschrieben wurde. Gustav hat ihr extra eine Karte samt Armband geschickt, in der er ihr viel Glück für die Präsentation wünscht.

Joel ist neidisch, dass alle Noahs Film so toll finden und sich gar nicht für den Stuhl interessieren. Als bei seinen Testvorstellungen mit dem Film über Steuerberater aber erst Annika und dann er selbst einschläft, kommt ihm eine Idee: Was, wenn Noah einen zweiten Film dreht, um zu demonstrieren, dass der Stuhl auch als Einschlafhilfe taugt?

Casper scheint ein perfides Spiel zu spielen. Das Test-Handy von Reena und Chiara hat einen Einhorn-Anhänger und genau so einer schaut aus seinem Rucksack. Und natürlich lässt er ihn prompt verschwinden, als Reena auftaucht. Haben er und Mikka den Wettbewerb in Österreich etwa auch nur durch Sabotage gewonnen?

Io und Joyce sind dank den ungenießbaren Patties zwar beim Projekt rausgeflogen, aber weil Io ehrlich war, darf sie sich ein neues Team aussuchen. Sie entscheidet sich natürlich für Leon.

Da Ava es geschafft hat, die App auch auf einem anderen Gerät zum laufen zu bringen, können Reena und Chiara doch noch erfolgreich ihre Präsentation halten. Doch dann taucht plötzlich Gustav auf und Reena stürmt auf ihn zu.

Falls ihr euch jetzt fragt: "Hat Gustav nicht eigenlich Schule?". Es gibt eine plausible Erklärung dafür: In Baden-Württemberg gibt es Pfingstferien, in Thüringen dagegen nicht. Das sind, neben den Sommerferien und Winter/Faschingsferien, die einzigen Ferien der beiden Bundesländer, die sich nicht überlappen. Oder Gustav ist einfach abgehauen und schwänzt die Schule.

[disengagedspirit]

Time: Early March, in the year 2024 Content Warnings: None

“She was a poetry book with the wrong dust jacket, shelved in the Reference section.” ― Joyce Rachelle

The growl had pulled Mercy from her room, but with caution and the closer she came, the more she could feel the floor shake. What was this massive beast that lived within the confines of Caleb's home that rattled the walls and shook the floor trying to get out?

She had heard no screams. Whatever this thing was had been well contained. And it also meant, as she crept closer and closer, that there was no way it was going to come after her. If it had, it probably would have picked up on the rotted scent that lingered around her now; only slightly made better by the magic that came from the walls in, what Caleb called, the bathroom. 21st Century, though it seemed to claim no witches, was full of the devil's handy work everywhere she turned.

"I am not afraid of thee, Beast! Show thyself!" Her words rang out down the hall of the quiet house, all except from the growling and rattling that lay just within the doorway at the end. And though the house was dark, except for what little sunlight poked through the cracks and crevices of the covered windows and doors, it was just light enough for her to lay eyes on its movement.

Inching forward, and tightly ringing the handle of the broomstick she picked up along the way in her determination to find out what lay in the darkness, Mercy stopped and inhaled deeply, before finally taking a lunge forward into the room - her hand quickly hitting the wall feeling for what was known as a light switch before ramming her weapon forward like a sword, into the white steel armor of the monster. But the pushback and inability for the square boxed beast to move to relieve the tension in the forward joust object, went into Mercy's chest, sending her backwards onto the floor.

With her weapon now useless, she scurried away quickly to regain her composure as she leaned back against the wall in the hallway, "What sorcery hath shield this monster?" Her brows were furrowed as she watched carefully for the steel beast to come charging out of the room, but it never did; only continuing to shake and growl in place.

Finally, once again gathering up her courage, Mercy slowly crawled forward and poked her head inside the door. With narrowed eyes, she inspected the large animal that had sent her backwards, but as her bright blue and golden rimmed eyes focused inward to what had scared her so greatly, she realized that the beast was not actually alive - but instead another one of Caleb's magic contraptions. Yet, this time she didn't know what its purpose had been.

Climbing back to her feet, she moved forward slowly, until she noticed the top was see through and inside was the source of it's agitation and as it was starting to slow down, she could see what appeared to be a familiar object - her dress that had once been stained with blood and dirt; only to appear almost as it once had many centuries ago, when she had still walked the Earth.

"Tis not a monster, but a means of washing thy clothing..." And instead of shunning the item that had scared her so greatly, Mercy instead ran her hands slowly over it's cool metal and glass surface, until the machine stopped allowing her to lift the lid and to pull the garment out; soaked and cleaner, but still full of the memories it held as she sat with her daughter Sarah, teaching her to sew each piece stitch by stitch, leaving Mercy to sink back to the floor clinging to the dress as if it were her daughter she was holding closely. Silence once again filling the house, except for the soft cries of a woman who did not belong in the 21st century.

[aromancy]

Working at a Walgreens Pharmacy has taught me that it can be hard sometimes to properly hear a name and how it's spelled. I often have to defer to last names, phone numbers, and dates of birth to make sure I have the right person, because I can't make out what the customer is saying their name is. As a result of this, I've given some thought as to what I want to name my kid to prevent as much confusion as possible. I've devised a few rules to this effect, which I would like to take this time to list for parents-to-be.

1: Do NOT give your kid a name that is frequently spelled in two different ways. Kristen/Christian, Brian/Bryan, and Steven/Stephen are right out.

1a: As a corollary to this, do NOT give your child a common name but spelled weirdly for "uniqueness." No "Aimee"s, no "Ryleigh"s, no "Krystal"s, none of that.

2: Avoid letters that sound like other letters if it needs to be spelled out. 'M' and 'N' can cause SO much confusion over the phone; same with 'B' and 'P'.

2a: There are certain letters which SOUND like other letters in certain contexts; 'HA' sounds an awful lot like 'AJ' when you spell them out. Confusion about which of these you mean will be few and far between, but it's generally safer to avoid these sorts of patterns when possible.

2b: A list of 'safe' letters (letters which don't sound like others in the alphabet, and which it would probably be a good idea to include several of): ILORWY

2c: While the letters above are safe, they don't have many distinctive sounds that one could use as an "anchor" to orient around when parsing a name over bad audio. Try and include at least one hard consonant sound to help the name pop.

2d: Letters with a hard consonant sound: CDGJKPQTXZ. Some are better than others; 'P' and 'Z' can be hard to parse in spelling if they don't come across in the name itself, and 'C' and 'G' only make their hard consonant sounds in certain contexts. Exercise caution.

3: Make the name something fairly common. It should be expected that the person you are speaking to is aware of at least one other person whose name you share.

3a: The Celebrity Corollary. Naming your child after famous characters and celebrities can be a handy way to give your child a unique name, since most of the people they meet can be relied upon to have at least heard the name before. 'Keanu' isn't very common stateside, but we all know our boy Keanu Reeves. Exercise caution, though, as it's entirely possible that said celebrity could get canceled for something. I don't think we have anything to worry about with Keanu, but I've been wrong before.

So, what are some good names with these guidelines? Well fortunately, it's actually a pretty good list. Here's a list of common American names which fit the criteria listed above:

Boy Names:

Alex, Arthur, Edward, Eli, Doug, Carl, Gerald/Gary, Gregory, Jack, Joe, Keith, Kyle, Lawrence/Larry, Rick, Ray, Roger, Roy, Terry, Todd, Tyler, Walt, Will, Zack

Girl Names:

Abigail/Abby, Carolyn/Carol, Gloria, Grace, Jaqueline/Jackie, Joyce, Judy, Kate, Kayla, Kelly, Laura, Liz, Vicky

So if for whatever reason, you want to name your kid according to what's most convenient for the pharmacist to record over the phone, may I suggest using one of these!

[keinbutterdieb]

Folge 1030 und Folge 1031 Ah, Leon hat Diabetes. Awww, Frau Schiller. 😍 Das Selfie!! Io und Leon. "Joyce würde nie zulassen, dass mir was Schlimmes passiert. Und ich kann ihr alles erzählen." ❤️ "Du hast Frau Schiller gehackt?" "Eine meiner leichtesten Übungen." "Das Rezept hat mir Pawel gegeben, als Abschiedsgeschenk." "Das ist mein neuer Putzplan und den kannst du nicht hacken." 4irjd4uirdjredj, Frau Schiller. I'm so normal about her. Nein, ich bin nicht darüber hinweg, dass Folge 1031 Noahs Geheimnis heißt. Joel mit Noahs Handy. "Ich hab's doch nicht geklaut, ich will nur gucken, was er da so macht." "Nochmal: Spinnst du?" 😁 "Also, ich geh' auf jeden Fall nicht für Noah ins Gefängnis." "Manchmal muss man was Verbotenes tun, um was Gutes zu tun." "Ja, das steht da aber nicht, ne?" Colin "rettet" Joel, indem er behauptet, dass das Handy auf dem Schreibtisch lag. Ich möchte mir lieber nicht Noahs Reaktion vorstellen, wenn er Joel mit seinem Handy in der Hand erwischt hätte. Ich liebe alles an diesen Szenen, ich liebe alles!!! "Willst du Noah jetzt echt stalken?" "Nein! Ich will ihm nachspionieren." "Das ist ja viel besser." "Hast du Angst?" Gar nicht. 😁 Colin und Julia und die Challenge mit den Schnürsenkeln. Ich mag's, wie sie das mit den Challenges immer fortführen, das ist einfach so die beiden, finde ich. Julia und Ava, oje. JOEL!!! Ich kann nicht mehr!! Der Schuh! Der Knochen!! Das Handy, das er liegen lässt! "Gib mir dein Handy." "Warum?" "Weil wir die Polizei anrufen müssen." Colin lacht. "Noah ist gefährlich." ICH KANN NICHT MEHR!! 🤣 "Wir könnten ja mit Noah reden." "Spinnst du? Am Ende sind wir die Nächsten." "Wie, die Nächsten?" "Opfer!" Colin lacht wieder. "Ich hab' dich jedenfalls gewarnt." 🤣🤣 Colin hat die Challenge gewonnen. "Ich kenn' dich und weiß, dass du sowas nicht machen würdest, aber Ava halt nicht." Julias Kopf an Colins Schulter!! 🥺❤️ "Partnerarbeit!" JOELS GESICHT! "Du zitterst." "Ja, bisschen kalt hier drin." "Bist du nervös?" "Nein, ich hab' ja nichts gesehen." jiorh4urhd4khrdjuk. 🤣🤣 Julia und Ava lieben beide Lakritz. Aw, no, sie streiten. "Blöde Kuh." Ui. "Das nennt sich Digital Detox. Das machen alle erfolgreichen Manager*innen manchmal." Julia und Ava!! ❤️ Die unterstützenden Worte der anderen. "Das Ding ist aber nicht echt, oder?" "Lass dich überraschen." Joel hat sein Handy zurück. "Ich hab' dich schon so vermisst." Julia entschuldigt sich bei Ava. Und Ava glaubt ihr jetzt wegen Frau Schiller. FREDDY!! Colin, der lächelt, als er sieht, wie liebevoll Noah mit Freddy umgeht. 🥺 Ich glaube nicht, dass ich je darüber hinwegkommen werde, oder darüber, dass das die letzte Szene dieser Folge ist.

Eine meiner Lieblingsfolgen.