#like they don't understand the show at all

[papirouge]

"Jesus also didn't say that we should give money to the government"

Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, literally told us to pay our taxes aka "give money to the government" Romans 13:6-10

How are you all so fricking dense about it??

Anyone who thinks Jesus would be picking a political side if he showed up today has forgotten that his core followers included an anti-Rome zealot and a guy who was until then a tax collector for said Roman rulers. And he expected them to play nice and work together.

[featherstorm2004]

I understand why people think the Jayce and Viktor breakup was rushed because well, it was but I do think people are ignoring why Viktor chose to leave.

It's been repeatedly shown in season 1 that Jayce had, and still has a nasty habit of ignoring what Viktor wants for what he believes to be best. And this has been shown to be a large strain on their relationship, which got much worse when Jayce became a chairmen and Viktor got sick. After all, despite Viktor's warnings Jayce chose to turn Hextech into weapons, which backfired. Then Viktor warned Jayce about treating the people of Zaun like monsters, but Jayce ignored that which ended in him murdering a child whose mother went to claim her revenge in a terrorist act.

And the straw that broke the camels back was after everything, Viktor still confided in Jayce about Sky's death and made him promise to destroy the Hexcore. Which Jayce didn't do instead fusing it into Viktor, which must have felt like the ultimate betrayal. I'm not saying that I don't understand why Jayce did it, I probably would've done the same thing. But the end result to Viktor was another showing of Jayce ignoring his wishes for what he wants so, I completely understand why he left.

But I do wish Arcane had taken a little more time to show that, but episode constraints and all that.

[sage-nebula]

This has been spinning around in my head since I watched season 2 arc 1, and I can't refrain from putting it down to post anymore.

In season 1, Jayce and Viktor get into a fight when Viktor evades the blockade to go speak to Singed in Zaun. During their fight, Jayce snaps at Viktor that he didn't know that Viktor's friend was from the undercity, and when Viktor asks why that matters, Jayce says the above: [people from the undercity] are dangerous (earlier he had also said, "there are people down there who seem hell-bent on destroying us!"). That's when Viktor grows cold, reminding Jayce that he is from the undercity, and even after Jayce apologizes, Viktor knocks his hand away, choosing to stand up on his own.

In season 2, chembarons hired by Ambessa (though no one knows that at the time) attack the memorial for the dead council members. In the aftermath, Caitlyn calls them animals. Notably, Vi shows no reaction at all to this; she doesn't so much as flinch at Caitlyn's word choice. Instead, while she does downplay what happened to an extent ("they wanted the spectacle, they're trying to scare you"), what's notable is that she separates herself from the people of Zaun. This is especially notable when she tells Caitlyn to call off the invasion, because of the risk it poses for those not from Zaun:

"Down there, you'll be on their terms."

Viktor seems to have pride in the fact that he is from Zaun. He has love for his home. As difficult as life was there, as much as the pollution led to his illness and disability, he has no shame that he's from Zaun and he still sees value and has love for the people there. This is why, when Jayce writes the Zaunites off as "dangerous", Viktor grows cold. He is no different from them, in his mind; if they're dangerous, then so is he.

Vi is . . . different.

In season 1 arc 1, Vi expresses to Vander that she has bought into and believes that those in Piltover are more than those in Zaun:

Now, here, Vi is still grouping herself in with the rest of Zaun. But there is a level of self-hatred (and hatred for one's home) that we don't see in Viktor. Viktor doesn't see himself as lesser than those in Piltover. He doesn't see the Zaunites as lesser than those in Piltover. Vi, however, does. She states this as if it is a fact. And while she loved her family, and has parts of Zaun that she likes (e.g. Jericho's food), it's worth noting that at the end of season 1 episode 1, she isn't telling Powder that they'll liberate Zaun, or fight for Zaun, or anything like that. Instead?

"This city's gonna respect us." This city. Not our city. Here is the first moment we see in which Vi puts some separation between herself and the rest of Zaun. She wants to make them respect her (and Powder). Even if she's less than those in Piltover, she still sees an opportunity for herself to be above those in Zaun.

All of this is to say that, when she has no reaction to Caitlyn calling Zaunites "animals", when she refers to them as "they," when she refers to Zaun as "their terms" . . . ultimately, it isn't too surprising. Vi represents a type of person who does exist in marginalized groups: the self-hating type, who hate others in their group for "drawing aggression" or "negative attention."

Think about queer people, for instance, who hate those who are flamboyant or open about who they are and who they love. The ones who think, "If we just assimilate more, be less of a bother, be less obnoxious, then the queerphobes will accept us." Obviously, other queer people find this type of person extremely frustrating, sometimes even infuriating, because we know that it doesn't matter what we do or how we act; bigots will never accept us.

But what we should understand, and extend compassion for, is that self-hating marginalized people are that way because it's a defense mechanism -- a survival mechanism, really. They can't square why bigots hate them, so they reach for any kind of explanation they can find, even if that explanation ultimately blames others in their own group and does more harm than good. Not to mention that hating yourself for who you are is often a result of long-term, systemic abuse -- the exact same kind of abuse that comes from living under an oppressive regime that murdered your parents and will assault you at any given opportunity, even for something as petty as your little sister miming shooting them with finger guns.

Vi says that she, "grew up knowing [she] was less than them." This is extraordinarily damaging to the psyche, and Vi's self-hatred -- and the extension of that hatred toward Zaun, not wanting to save them but wanting to make them respect her -- is a trauma response to that. One that Viktor, obviously, doesn't share (and neither does Ekko, or Jinx) -- but everyone reacts to trauma differently.

The point is, we saw shades of this already in Vi's childhood; her statement that she's less than topsiders, but that she wants those in the undercity to respect her. So when Caitlyn calls the Zaunites animals, Vi doesn't flinch. She agrees. And she speaks of them as separate from her, because Caitlyn has already designated her as one of the good ones (reinforced to her by what Maddie told her Caitlyn said right before the memorial), and because, well, those who attacked the memorial did do something horrible. And maybe if they wouldn't do that, and maybe if Jinx hadn't blown up the council building -- maybe if they were better behaved -- then the enforcers wouldn't have to invade and do what they were about to do, now would they? Those in Zaun -- or at least those in Zaun who decided to strike against Piltover -- brought it on themselves, so Vi isn't with them. She's with Caitlyn, and is okay with referring to them as animals.

It's interesting to think about.

[moonstruckme]

Hey angel!! hope ur doing well!!

i was wondering if I could request roommate!marauders where they have crushes on reader buttt she already has a bf but he's just a total jerk.... and u sorta get the idea?? (if u haven't done one like this already)

much love!!! <3333

Thank you for requesting lovely <3

cw: douchebag boyfriend, marauders fancy reader but don't genuinely want her to cheat or end her relationship for them

(poly)roommate!marauders x fem!reader ♡ 1.1k words

It’s heartbreaking how lovely you look first thing in the morning. Sweet, rumpled pajamas, plodding gait, sunlight stretching over features still soft with sleep. You raise your hand to cover a yawn as you enter the kitchen, eyelashes still drooping like they’ve weights sewn into them. 

“Morning,” you say on the tail end. 

“Morning.” James opens one arm to you. You step into the hug automatically, and he drops a kiss to your head, his own private indulgence. You’re eyeing the omelet he’s frying up with his other hand. “Want one?” 

“Mm, wish I could,” your voice is a somnolent mumble, “but Dale’s taking me to breakfast in a bit.” 

James tries not to react, but his hold on you stiffens some. From the living room, he hears Sirius scoff. “Oh.” 

“I’m sure your omelet would be better.” You pat his side, moving out from under his arm to go to the coffee pot. “We’re going to this cafe he likes, and they never have anything I want. Still, I can hardly show up full.” 

James feels himself frown. Typical of your boyfriend to take you somewhere you don’t even like. Perhaps he’s a tad biased, but James thinks you should eat one of his omelets and show up full just to teach him a lesson. 

He plates up the one he’s just finished. You tail him into the living room as he delivers it to Sirius, curling your feet up underneath you on the couch. Remus is sitting in the armchair reading the paper. He and James have already had their breakfasts, but you and Sirius are always the last up on weekends.

“Are you finished with the funnies?” you ask Remus. 

He looks up at you with a tenderness James doesn’t know how you can’t see. “Yeah,” he says, shaking out a page. “Here.” 

Sirius snickers at your choice of reading material as you reach across him for it. You nudge his thigh with your knee. “Bite me.” 

“Anywhere you’d like me to, babe.” He winks. 

You roll your eyes and fold the page to read, well used to Sirius’ flirting. Similarly to how he’d done with Remus, Sirius’ ill-advised tactic for winning you over involves alternating between taunting you relentlessly and acting like his affection for you is all one big joke. It only barely worked on Remus—James’ interference had been required there, and that was before he’d admitted to himself his own feelings for either of the two boys—so James doesn’t understand why Sirius would give it another go with you. 

“Oh.” Remus closes his paper, seeming to remember something. “I was wondering if you might have time to go with me to the farmer’s market this morning. We’re out of eggs, but I can’t haggle with the woman like you do.” 

You give him a sorry sort of smile. “I would, but Dale’s meant to pick me up at ten.”

“Oh, well.” Sirius rolls his eyes, chewing malignantly on a bite of omelet. “If Dale said he’ll be here at ten, then surely that’s what’s happening.” 

You bump his thigh again good naturedly. “Be nice.” 

James bites his tongue, and even Remus reopens his newspaper with a tad more vigor than necessary. Sirius is by far the most vocal with you about your boyfriend’s flaws, but your roommates all hate him. The guy’s a prick. James would never in a million years try to convince you to leave your partner for them—and despite Sirius’ joking, he knows neither of the other boys would want that either—but if you broke up with Dale, he would be very tempted to throw a party. 

James really doesn’t understand how someone like you could end up with someone so holistically unpleasant as your boyfriend. He’s rude, inconsiderate, he doesn’t express any gratitude for the sweet things you do for him, and he is never where he says he’s going to be when he says he’s going to be there. He shows so little regard for anyone but himself. If he told you he was going to pick you up at ten in the morning, he’s just as likely to arrive at three in the afternoon. Even for your half-hearted defense of him, it’s nearly ten and you’ve made no move to change out of your pajamas or get ready, because you know he won’t be here on time. It irks your roommates to no end to see you tolerate such poor treatment. 

“Maybe you can go with Remus to the farmer’s market,” you tell Sirius. “You seem like you could negotiate.” 

“Sirius doesn’t know how much eggs are supposed to cost,” Remus says idly. 

“Oi!” Sirius objects through a mouthful of omelet. “I do so.” 

James smiles at him. “Really. How much do you think eggs cost, love?” 

Sirius manages to take another bite while James is asking, so his mouth is conveniently too full to answer. 

“I can manage it on my own,” Remus says with indulgent fondness. “Dove, do me one favor, though?” 

You lift your coffee. “Sure.” 

“Don’t let him summon you outside with his horn again.” 

There’s a brief but thick silence while you finish swallowing your coffee and all three boys try not to look too obviously judgmental (Sirius trying the least, naturally). The purse of your lips reveals some embarrassment. 

Still, your voice comes out unconcerned. “It’s not a big deal to me. It’s not like we’re in school and I need him to come to the door and meet my parents. It’s a time saver.” 

“It’s rude,” says Remus gently. “You deserve someone who will come to the door for you.” 

James’ thoughts exactly. 

“Sure you don’t want some toast or something while you wait?” James asks, partly to dispel the tension and partly because he really does think you should eat something if Dale isn’t likely to be here until the afternoon. “You could call it an appetizer.” 

You stand with your emptied coffee mug, passing an affectionate hand over James’ hair as you move between his legs and the coffee table. “Thanks,” you say genuinely, “but I’m alright. I’m going to go get ready.” 

However eager James is to avoid the tension that comes from insulting (or, really, just speaking frankly about) your boyfriend, Sirius has no such concerns. “While we’re telling Dale things,” he says after you, “be sure to remind him that our flat has a three-strike roommate tears policy. Next time you come home crying, Jamie and I get to make a house call.” 

Your laughter echoes down the hallway. “Sure, I’ll let him know.” 

Sirius looks at James, perplexed. “Did I sound like I was joking? I was not using my joking voice.” 

James pats his leg consolingly.

[cazort]

Learning words is great but one additional tip I would have for learning a new language is to learn every word in the context of a sentence that has been written or spoken by a native speaker.

Languages are idiomatic and words don't have one-to-one correspondences, but rather, complex, partly-overlapping meanings.

For example, in Spanish, "bomba" can mean "bomb" like an explosive, but it can also mean "pump", like a gas station pump or bike pump, or it can be slang for a sexy woman. And "Bomba" is also a genre of music and dance. And think about how in English, you can say something is "the bomb" and it means it is really awesome, but if you say something "bombed" it means that it was really bad and failed to achieve its goals (like bombing a test = failing or flunking, or a movie that bombs means it was unpopular and made very little money.)

So basically, understanding the literal / core meaning of a word is important, but you need to expose yourself to a lot of different sentences involving that word to pick up the different idiomatic uses. A great way to get this meaning when you look something up is to type the word into google image search when having the settings set for the language in question. This often captures alternate meanings or connotation differences that you might not catch from a dictionary translation.

It's not just the meaning too, it's a connotation of who would say it and where / when you would say it. For example, "poop", "take a shit", and "defecate" all mean the same thing. But say "poop" and you sound like a little kid, "take a shit" and you are being more vulgar, so something an adult or older teen would say only amongst friends in a casual setting, whereas "defecate" sounds formal and stodgy like you would see in a medical textbook or legal proceedings.

When you learn a word, don't just learn the meaning, learn the cultural context.

A lot of Americans find Japanese hard and I think a huge part of it is that Japanese carries relatively more meaning in connotation of "who is speaking" and "what context am I speaking in" and this context includes more information about your relationship to the listener. So for example you can humble yourself or alternatively, insult someone, by using different word choice. We do it in English too, but different languages vary in the degree to which we are able to do this and Japanese for instance does it more. So be aware of the different ways the languages use words differently from each other, and keep this in mind when learning the words. Learn the words in a cultural context, and expose yourself to a variety of contexts. For example, try to converse casually with peers in the language, but also listen to news broadcasts, a children's TV show, and a regular TV drama. Interact on social media in the language, but also take a book out that is on a more dry, nonfiction topic so you can span the range of reading casual, slang-rich text, with formal, precisely-written text.

If you pick material you already know a lot about, it will be easier to read or listen to, because your brain will fill in a lot of things from context. For example, because I know a lot about plants and birds, I can pick up field guides to plants and birds in other languages I only know some of (like Spanish, German, and Portuguese) and read them just fine, only having to look up an occasional word here or there, but I don't know these languages well enough to read a novel written for a typical adult audience of native speakers. If you start by exposing yourself to the material more accessible to you, it gives you a "way in" to the language that is easier and then you can start filling in the gaps and exploring the more general aspects of the language from there.

Tips to learn a new language

The 75 most common words make up 40% of occurrences The 200 most common words make up 50% of occurrences The 524 most common words make up 60% of occurrences The 1257 most common words make up 70% of occurrences The 2925 most common words make up 80% of occurrences The 7444 most common words make up 90% of occurrences The 13374 most common words make up 95% of occurrences The 25508 most common words make up 99% of occurrences

(Source: 5 Steps to Speak a New Language by Hung Quang Pham)

This article has an excellent summary on how to rapidly learn a new language within 90 days.

We can begin with studying the first 600 words. Of course chucking is an effective way to memorize words readily. Here’s a list to translate into the language you desire to learn that Derek Roger suggested! :)

EXPRESSIONS OF POLITENESS (about 50 expressions)      

‘Yes’ and ‘no’: yes, no, absolutely, no way, exactly.    

Question words: when? where? how? how much? how many? why? what? who? which? whose?    

Apologizing: excuse me, sorry to interrupt, well now, I’m afraid so, I’m afraid not.    

Meeting and parting: good morning, good afternoon, good evening, hello, goodbye, cheers, see you later, pleased to meet you, nice to have met.    

Interjections: please, thank you, don’t mention it, sorry, it’ll be done, I agree, congratulations, thank heavens, nonsense.    

NOUNS (about 120 words)

Time: morning, afternoon, evening, night; Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday; spring, summer, autumn, winter; time, occasion, minute, half-hour, hour, day, week, month, year.    

People: family, relative, mother, father, son, daughter, sister, brother, husband, wife; colleague, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend; people, person, human being, man, woman, lady, gentleman, boy, girl, child.    

Objects: address, bag, book, car, clothes, key, letter (=to post), light (=lamp), money, name, newspaper, pen, pencil, picture, suitcase, thing, ticket.    

Places: place, world, country, town, street, road, school, shop, house, apartment, room, ground; Britain, name of the foreign country, British town-names, foreign town-names.    

Abstract: accident, beginning, change, color, damage, fun, half, help, joke, journey, language, English, name of the foreign language, letter (of alphabet), life, love, mistake, news, page, pain, part, question, reason, sort, surprise, way (=method), weather, work.    

Other: hand, foot, head, eye, mouth, voice; the left, the right; the top, the bottom, the side; air, water, sun, bread, food, paper, noise.    

PREPOSITIONS (about 40 words)    

General: of, to, at, for, from, in, on.    

Logical: about, according-to, except, like, against, with, without, by, despite, instead of.    

Space: into, out of, outside, towards, away from, behind, in front of, beside, next to, between, above, on top of, below, under, underneath, near to, a long way from, through.    

Time: after, ago, before, during, since, until.    

DETERMINERS (about 80 words)  

Articles and numbers: a, the; nos. 0–20; nos. 30–100; nos. 200–1000; last, next, 1st–12th.    

Demonstrative: this, that.    

Possessive: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.    

Quantifiers: all, some, no, any, many, much, more, less, a few, several, whole, a little, a lot of.    

Comparators: both, neither, each, every, other, another, same, different, such.    

ADJECTIVES (about 80 words)    

Color: black, blue, green, red, white, yellow.    

Evaluative: bad, good, terrible; important, urgent, necessary; possible, impossible; right, wrong, true.    

General: big, little, small, heavy; high, low; hot, cold, warm; easy, difficult; cheap, expensive; clean, dirty; beautiful, funny (=comical), funny (=odd), usual, common (=shared), nice, pretty, wonderful; boring, interesting, dangerous, safe; short, tall, long; new, old; calm, clear, dry; fast, slow; finished, free, full, light (=not dark), open, quiet, ready, strong.    

Personal: afraid, alone, angry, certain, cheerful, dead, famous, glad, happy, ill, kind, married, pleased, sorry, stupid, surprised, tired, well, worried, young.    

VERBS (about 100 words)    

arrive, ask, be, be able to, become, begin, believe, borrow, bring, buy, can, change, check, collect, come, continue, cry, do, drop, eat, fall, feel, find, finish, forget, give, going to, have, have to, hear, help, hold, hope, hurt (oneself), hurt (someone else), keep, know, laugh, learn, leave, lend, let (=allow), lie down, like, listen, live (=be alive), live (=reside), look (at), look for, lose, love, make, may (=permission), may (=possibility), mean, meet, must, need, obtain, open, ought to, pay, play, put, read, remember, say, see, sell, send, should, show, shut, sing, sleep, speak, stand, stay, stop, suggest, take, talk, teach, think, travel, try, understand, use, used to, wait for, walk, want, watch, will, work (=operate), work (=toil), worry, would, write.    

PRONOUNS (about 40 words)

Personal: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, one; myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.    

Possessive: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs.    

Demonstrative: this, that.    

Universal: everyone, everybody, everything, each, both, all, one, another.

Indefinite: someone, somebody, something, some, a few, a little, more, less; anyone, anybody, anything, any, either, much, many.    

Negative: no-one, nobody, nothing, none, neither.    

ADVERBS (about 60 words)

Place: here, there, above, over, below, in front, behind, nearby, a long way away, inside, outside, to the right, to the left, somewhere, anywhere, everywhere, nowhere, home, upstairs, downstairs.    

Time: now, soon, immediately, quickly, finally, again, once, for a long time, today, generally, sometimes, always, often, before, after, early, late, never, not yet, still, already, then (=at that time), then (=next), yesterday, tomorrow, tonight.    

Quantifiers: a little, about (=approximately), almost, at least, completely, very, enough, exactly, just, not, too much, more, less.    

Manner: also, especially, gradually, of course, only, otherwise, perhaps, probably, quite, so, then (=therefore), too (=also), unfortunately, very much, well.    

CONJUNCTIONS (about 30 words)

Coordinating: and, but, or; as, than, like.    

Time & Place: when, while, before, after, since (=time), until; where.    

Manner & Logic: how, why, because, since (=because), although, if; what, who, whom, whose, which, that.   

[sweetpupii]

Hi! Do you take requests?

If so, I think a fic bases on this excerpt:

"she can't have her parents walking in again. poor cassandra…finding your daughter with her whole face buried in between a girl's thighs is not the most ideal situation"

of your cailtyn story would be phenomenal 🙏

If you don't, feel free to ignore this! :)

Let's start by saying Caitlyn knows how to eat pussy and loves doing it :3 babe could have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert. she wouldn't call herself an expert per se, but she's quite proud of her talent.

sure, receiving it feels good—but what's better than knowing you're making a girl cum with just your mouth? to cait, absolutely nothing. the moans, the hair-pulling, the thighs clenching against her head ♡ ugh chef's kiss.

( she came untouched a few times from it but you did not hear it from me ok? )

it's usually one the first things she does when you successfully sneak into her room. like a reward for getting through massive place she calls home without anyone noticing.

your back against the bed and legs immediately spread to expose the sight she absolutely adores. god, she could just stare at it forever and it'd still have the same effect in between her own legs. new panties are needed.

she doesn't dive in face-first like an animal the second your clothes are off, even if she does feel like a starved woman. she starts by slowly kissing your thighs and caressing any bit of skin she can, hand sneaking up your abdomen and ribs to massage your breasts a little—don't mind it.

“Should I continue?” cocky because she already knows the answer is a breathy ���yes, please’.

oh and she gets way more cocky once she finally starts working on you, soft and slow stripes and twirls with her tongue. nothing fancy yet; she wants to tease a little more.

the second your hips start bucking into her mouth though? girl, grab onto something because she takes the signs IMMEDIATELY.

legs propped up on her shoulder while her hands hold your hips down to keep control of them. the slurping sounds are almost pornographic with how sloppy she's being. no whine coming from you is gonna make her stop any time soon. she's enjoying it waaaay to much already.

if she's feeling nice she will add a finger or two while sucking ๋࣭⭑ curling them just right inside you, not in-and-out like crazy. her tongue’s already lapping at you pretty fast so no need to overwhelm you…yet.

she wishes you would look down at her for a sec to see that pretty expression better, but she also understands it's her own fault that your head is thrown back against the bed, clenching around her fingers while pulling at her hair. what a curse to be so good at pleasing girls.

she knew speeding up her movements wasn't a smart thing to do so late at night as soon as the loud whine that escaped your lips reached her ears. obviously louder than the previous ones.

the heavy thump on the door when it opened proved her right.

“Caitlyn.”

of course it had to be her mother out of all people.

cassandra's eyebrows furrowed as she looked away with a small huff, trying to erase the sight from her mind by blinking and observing every detail on the window. she thought caitlyn was trying to sneak out and get involved with stuff she shouldn't like she had done in the past with serious cases or something, not this!

“It is 3 am; please take your… friend out of here.” a dismissive wave of her hand showed that there wasn't much room for arguing—none really because she's already out the door with a low mumble to herself before her daughter could say anything. tomorrow's talk is gonna be awful, that's for sure.

“just keep quiet some more, then you can go home, alright?” the blue haired girl softly whispered, leaning up and kissing the soft skin on your shoulder to reassure that you're not leaving until you get a few well deserved orgasms, her fingers already going back to rubbing small circles.

she's not gonna let a pretty girl leave her bedroom unsatisfied even if it means getting caught again.

[maxanor]

i'm not saying this to be callous or rude, but i think what's hitting a lot of buckt*mmys hard is that they're truly just unable to admit that they aren't very good at media analysis. the term 'media literacy' has become so overused in fandom that i genuinely think people forget what it means- it's a learned skill, something you have to study, something you can educate yourself on by reading papers and books and watching all sorts of movies and tv. they're all so convinced that the breakup came out of nowhere when it could not have been written more clearly; tommy has consistently been shown as an outsider in buck's life.

to claim that "everything was perfect" in 8x05 is so ridiculous i almost don't even know where to start. they had two scenes without eddie: in the first, tommy was incredibly condescending towards buck and and his interests (it's time to put away the screen, you already had your five minutes, lights out evan), and in the second scene buck literally says "my boyfriend won't even kiss me" and tommy responds with "that's not true" but they pointedly do NOT show them kissing. if the audience is meant to believe that buckt*mmy are endgame, it would have made perfect narrative sense to have them kiss right then to show (not just tell) us that tommy cares about buck, boils and all, and they did not do that.

moving onto 8x06, the only clue needed to show us they were going to break up was tommy buying buck lakers tickets. that's all it took. in 7x04 it's made so clear that buck does not like basketball. if tommy genuinely knew buck, he would not have bought him tickets to a sport the show dedicated an entire episode to telling us buck does not like! if their relationship was meant to last, tommy could have bought buck tickets to a fight in vegas like he did with eddie. this would have been a great callback, because it's supposedly the first moment buck got jealous of tommy and eddie hanging out. it would remind the audience that even though buck was jealous, he got tommy in the end and they're now doing the activities he wanted to do with tommy before.

once again, media analysis is a skill. no one is perfect at it, and ofc shows can throw away the book and make decisions that don't make sense. but to claim this came out of nowhere shows a severe lack of knowledge and understanding of how stories are written. the shippers were seeing what they wanted to see and they missed all the signs the show was sending them, and now they're claiming the rug was pulled out from under them.

[seraph5]

Now that I've listened to Re: Dracula I feel like I've been weirdly spoiled for a lot of other Draculas. Like don't get me wrong there's a lot of Dracula's out there to like but there was something really beguiling about:

a) Mina and Lucy's quite modern musings about their place in the world, the beginnings of wonderings about what they might like or could like as people not just as what society demands

b) Mina and Lucy's relationship. I just adore that they are surprisingly different characters and interact in a very realistic interesting way that you don't see a lot in media that depicts this time period. I also love how intelligent Mina is.

c) The absolute intensity of the bond and duty our heroes find themselves drawn into when put in this horrific situation. It really surprised and struck me the way that all these people with not extremely deep connections in a lot of cases closed ranks together in a silent fight to protect not just themselves but to break the cycle of evil. They, all of them, really showed a tremendous amount of care and kindness towards each other in this insane mission. Obviously it would have been nice if the boys had been less dumb about including Mina in things but their follies in that area were clearly a result of the time they lived in and not a fundamental personal lack of respect for mina.

d) I know everyone does not see this interpretation but I like that there is a quasi-homoeric undertone to Dracula and Johnathan's whole thing. Of course Johnathan is there under duress and I'm certainly not saying that there is something consensual or reciprocal going on but Dracula being so possessive of him especially with the brides gives an interesting undertone to some of the earlier parts of the book. There is a real sort of fascination Dracula seems to have for him as a conduit for information about his next conquest and he really tries to connect with him through the guise of society.

I haven't really ever seen all these points illustrated very strongly in other retellings or if it's there it doesn't communicate that feeling that makes these missed points so special. Worse it seems like a lot of the time they make really weird choices like merging characters or swapping characters or cutting characters for brevity or excitement. Which on one hand I kind of understand but when given the space the characters all have their own interesting points and perspectives and are interesting to experience.

I'd love to see a retelling that balanced all these things a little more and cut less. Maybe even have it be a mini series rather than a movie.

[mitigatedchaos]

Sigh.

If your definition of "alt right" includes Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan, then your definition is too broad. You can disagree with both of these men without them being "alt right."

"Race conscious" policy is contrary to the interests of the vast majority of Americans and also the liberal project. Racial issues need to be handled with care, and flat "corrective" discrimination against particular racial groups is not that. There's no evidence it would work, so voters were right to reject it.

Being able to censor, limit, or restrict social media depends on trust, because it's "letting politicians and interest groups decide what you're allowed to say," and due to Democrats' low-quality identitarian turn, people don't trust them. You need to learn to let go and let people make decisions for themselves.

Not noticing that racial "privilege" theory sounds an awful lot like what antisemites say about Jewish people is both intellectually lazy and shows a lack of empathy. There's also a lack of understanding of men and masculinity that views all men as oppressors unless they are subservient as well, the correction for which is too lengthy to get into here.

One solution for Russian operatives trying to stir up trouble is to adopt higher epistemic standards. This is a nothingburger.

AI was not a notable or significant factor in this election. It destroyed search results for how-to projects - it did not tilt the board for one side or the other. There will be further problems in the future, but the answer is to earn voters' trust, and that means not pulling stunts like "Kamala is the border czar / Kamala was never the border czar," and not promoting theories of collective identity guilt and associated policies.

The idea that you could lose something by trying to exercise more control over it may seem counter-intuitive, but it's the kind of thinking documented in the Dao Dejing, which was written over 2,000 years ago in ancient China.

You must learn to think at a higher level of abstraction, and consider second and third order effects.

Did voters reject racial minorities, or did they reject racial discrimination?

Did voters think they were rejecting the existence of transgender people, or did they think they were rejecting the imposition of a flat binary on confused young people by unaccountable state bureaucracy? If you disagree with their perception, how could you reach them?

Did voters reject all immigration, or did they reject having so much unfiltered immigration that it overwhelmed government capacity even in New York City?

Did voters reject dialogue, or did they reject censorship?

America will soon have its 250th birthday party, which will be headed by the famous celebrity Donald Trump. America is the greatest force for liberalism that the world has ever known, and possibly will ever know. Under Democrats as they are now, it would be a national day of penance, of apology for the existence of the country. Under Donald Trump it will be a great celebration, and one of optimism, to the point that (at this rate) it might be capped off by a replay of America's signature achievement - the Moon landing.

What would Democrats have had to change to be the party that could lovingly celebrate America's 250th birthday with a tremendous smile, a party that could acknowledge both the benefits and the contradictions of America and act as a proper steward for the country's people and its mission?

things we need to address:

gen z men getting pulled into alt-right pipelines through andrew tate, joe rogan, elon musk, jordan peterson etc

the gullibility and stupidity of half the country voting against our collective best interests

the broad effect social media has on public and common good

lazy minds and lack of empathy

outside-country interference (trump and elon’s connections to russia and the amount of bots from other countries spreading misinformation)

the long-term effects of AI and rampant disinformation

[a-substantial-trash-pile]

Catalyst

so in my au which i'm totally not using to cope or anything haha, after realizing that curly isn't going to do anything about jimmy, anya confides in swansea and he goes Protective Dad Mode. i'm calling this the "Responsibility AU." ramble below cut.

swansea doesn't immediately go after jimmy with an axe or anything because 1. they're not in a high stress life/death crash situation and 2. anya specifically requests that swansea not enact violence upon jimmy after swansea says, and i quote, "i'm gonna beat his ass." anya just wants to feel safer and more supported on the ship—she doesn't want swansea to get in trouble even if jimmy does deserve to get destroyed by 10000 punches.

what swansea can do is watch out for anya and make sure she's never alone in a room with jimmy. if there's a situation where she has to be alone with jimmy (like the psych evals), she and swansea have a system where she can signal for help. with anya's permission, swansea asks daisuke to help look out for her too (without telling him the details as to why since that's anya's right to share or not). daisuke has already picked up at this point that something is wrong based on how much more hostile swansea's become towards jimmy, and he trusts his boss, so he agrees without much question.

anya, feeling less alone now that she has people watching her back, gains more confidence to stand up to jimmy. which makes him angry because his unwanted advances are being denied and swansea and daisuke keep getting in his way. he just can't understand why he's being treated as the bad guy here (this is because he is a delusional asshole).

meanwhile curly is slowly realizing that he needs to actually do something here because the tension in the crew is palpable and increasing by the day. also swansea is being mighty passive aggressive to him and talking about "responsibility" a lot. curly keeps trying to talk to jimmy about it but the guy just keeps downplaying it and blaming everyone else but himself. and curly is realizing that his friend isn't who he thought he was.

it all comes to a head one day when an angry jimmy tries to confront anya alone and swansea steps in. things get heated, people start yelling. curly show up to see swansea and jimmy on the verge of fighting with anya and daisuke trying to hold them back respectively. curly breaks up the fight. jimmy storms off. curly follows him and finds him trying to get the gun from the case in the cockpit. curly asks him why he's doing this and jimmy claims it's for his own protection because he feels "threatened by swansea." he tells curly to give him the code. curly, the sheer wrongness of the whole situation hitting him, finally calls jimmy out on all his bs. jimmy just laughs in his face, still believing that he's not in the wrong and curly doesn't have the guts to do anything anyway. so the captain fires him on the spot. jimmy snaps and he and curly get into a fight in the cockpit. jimmy is trying to crash the ship and curly is trying to stop him. then the rest of the crew show up and anya knocks jimmy's ass out with the gun case. swansea is so proud.

they throw jimmy in the cryopod so they don't have to worry about him pulling anything else and he can be properly dealt with once the stupid delivery is over. everyone's like, "wow that was a close one—could you imagine how messed up it would be if we ended up in a crash because of jimmy? thank god that didn't happen." curly makes swansea the copilot until they can get a replacement and swansea's like, "goddammit as if i don't already do enough shit around here."

anyway my whole goal here was to get rid of jimmy early so i can have beautiful Found Family shenanigans in space with the rest of the crew. apologies and healing and happy times will happen. no the whole getting laid off thing doesn't happen. no i don't have an explanation for it. sorry for the essay.

[hippiegoth97]

I Wanna Be Your Lover: Eddie Munson x Reader

Collage by me :)

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Description: You, Eddie, and the rest of the Hellfire Club go on a camping trip in the summer. You've been in said club for years, and harbor strong feelings for your handsome leader. You want him to like you back, especially now that you're 18 and have finished school. Will Eddie reciprocate these feelings? Or are you just 'one of the guys' to him?

Content Warning 18+ Only, Minors DNI: smut, female reader, smoking, mentions of vomit, alcohol use, teasing, grinding, mutual masturbation, fingering, oral sex, unprotected sex, praise, light degradation, semi-public sex, talk of sexual history, dirty talk

Word Count: 22.7k

divider by @firefly-graphics

I Wanna Be Your Lover

"Will you guys stop fighting please? I don't wanna get lost." Eddie calls to the back of the van, where Dustin and Erica are arguing over which horse from My Little Pony is best. Erica claims it's Applejack, whereas Dustin insists it's Bubbles. You can't help finding their little squabble entertaining, Dustin doesn't seem the type to enjoy such a childish show.

"Yeah, I'm trying to help navigate here." You chime in through a giggle, a large map from the last rest stop splayed out on your lap in the passenger seat. You agreed to assist Eddie in finding the campsite on your little trip, one you've all been planning since a little bit before graduation. A trip exclusively for Hellfire Club members.

You've been in the club since your sophomore year at Hawkins High. Eddie picked you out as a little lost sheep stranded in a sea of ruthless tigers. You were apprehensive to join at first, especially given Eddie's rather forward nature. You'd heard of Dungeons and Dragons before, it even sounded a little intriguing. But your parents thought things like that were a gateway into dangerous behavior and sexual deviance. Eddie insisted on your membership, however, going so far as to say he could see how lonely and sad you were. You didn't take offense, it was certainly true. You've never been one to have a lot of friends, if any at all.

Eddie took you under his wing, making his first attempt at senior year at the time. He showed you the ropes, and helped you build your first character. But he made it clear that he had no intention of taking it easy on you, and you wouldn't have expected it. Your first game didn't go super well, the dice and turns were confusing for you and you died pretty quickly. But no one in the group made you feel bad about it, especially not Eddie. He gave a sympathetic smile after the campaign concluded, telling you your skills will improve over time. You appreciated his patience, as the next few games afterwards slowly got easier to understand.

By the time you'd entered your final year of school, you became Eddie's second in command. You're a certified master in the game now, skillfully thinking quick on your feet and giving your DM a run for his money. Your fearless leader is notorious for making the campaigns as sadistic as humanly possible. But you never relent, and you never give up. Gathering with this band of misfits is ultimately one of the best things you've ever had in life. The feeling of holding your own and even occasionally winning is borderline euphoric.

"Turn left up here, Eds. Just twenty more miles until we reach the campground, guys!" You announce, gaining cheers from everyone sandwiched into the back of the van. Erica, Dustin, Lucas, Mike, Jeff, Gareth, and Alex have been stuffed uncomfortably together for the last six hours. A pile of coolers, tents, and duffle bags are shoved into the corner of their seating area, threatening to topple over with one ill-timed bump in the road. The stereo quietly plays one of Eddie's many mixtapes, and all you can see out the windows is a large expanse of lush green trees on either side of the gravel road you're riding along. The sky is bright and blue overhead, and it's a cool ninety-seven degrees on this July morning as the sun beats down on the world.

"Thank fuck, we're boiling back here!" Jeff complains, wiping sweat from his brow. It definitely hasn't been an easy ride, as the van's A/C is nonexistent. You've told Eddie many times to take it in to get it fixed, but he swears up and down that it's fine.

"I can always stop and let you all walk the rest of the way." Eddie warns teasingly, a smart smile playing about his face.

"NO!" Everyone shouts, knowing that walking in this heat would be even worse.

"Good. Then shut the hell up!" Eddie barks, he's finding himself feeling rather peeved today. The heat, and the long drive, along with everyone bitching is really getting on his nerves. "You mind lighting a smoke for me, Y/N?" He asks, glancing at you. His voice has calmed at seeing your pretty face, which makes you smile beyond your control. You've always had a crush on Eddie, finding him sweet and charming. Well, most of the time. You'd never tell him though, you don't think he likes you like that. He treats you like one of the guys. You don't mind it, but you can't help wishing for him to see you as the blossoming young woman you are. You're all done with school now, and well into your eighteenth year of existence. But he hasn't seemed to notice, or at least he acts like he doesn't.

"Sure thing." You reply, trying not to blush at his big brown eyes staying on you a little longer than usual. You reach for the pack, slipping one of the paper tubes from it. "You mind if I have one too?" You ask without even thinking about it. Eddie's eyes widen at your question. You're not one to smoke, or drink, or do much of anything like that at all. Hell, you blush redder than a tomato at the tame side of his dirty jokes.

"Since when do you smoke?" He inquires with a raised eyebrow, wondering what's up with you.

"I dunno, figured I'd try it. You seem to enjoy it." You say sheepishly, looking away. You feel dumb for even asking now.

He scoffs, rolling his eyes. "Okay, jeez. Knock yourself out, princess. Just don't waste it, alright?" Concern blooms inside his head, he'll try to figure out what your deal is later.

"Okay. I won't." You pull another cig from the box, putting it in your mouth. You give Eddie his, placing it between his plush lips. You flick the lighter, reaching it over to light his tip, and then bringing the flame to your own. You inhale, a little too deeply. The smoke is bitter and cloying, making you cough.

"Jesus, you alright?" Eddie asks, bringing a hand to pat your back gently. The touch of his calloused fingers through your tank top makes you stiffen, and you feel even hotter than before.

"Yeah, I'm fine." You gasp out the words, annoyed at yourself for being so stupid. You calm down after a minute, shooing away the worried faces on the kids packed in the backseat. You take another drag like nothing happened, ignoring the sudden urge to cry in embarrassment. You inhale and exhale just fine the second time around, although you don't enjoy the taste very much. But you want Eddie to see you're all grown up now, ripe for the taking. All he has to do is reach out and pluck you.

"'Kay, just take it easy. Can't have my right hand girl dyin' on me, right?" He chuckles, shaking his head. He's confused as to why you're acting like this, suddenly so eager to prove your maturity to him. Sure, he knows you're grown up now. Transforming from the little lost lamb he found in the cafeteria, into a beautiful gazelle frolicking enthusiastically into adulthood. He's been attracted to you for quite some time, you're the girl of his dreams. But he's worried that you're not ready for him, that maybe you're still too green. Age isn't the issue for him, you're eighteen now and you're both done with school. Although, your perceived lack of experience makes him wonder if he'd somehow be taking advantage in pursuing you.

"Right." You say shortly, returning your attention to the map as you continue to smoke. You can feel his eyes sweeping to you every so often, but you avoid his gaze. You flick the ash when it threatens to fall and burn a hole through the thin paper below, looking for the next indication of when Eddie should turn.

Thirty minutes and a few more turns later, and you've finally made it to Piney Ridge Campground and Nature Reserve. Eddie pulls the van up to the kiosk at the entrance. The park ranger inside asks for the confirmation of your reservation, and hands Eddie a pamphlet with a map that shows your spot, along with trails to the lake, supply shop, bathrooms/shower shack, and hiking areas. He hands it off to you, pulling away from the gruff man in the kiosk after listening to his spiel about not leaving food out as the wildlife will surely steal it.

You open the pamphlet, directing Eddie down the path to find your designated campsite, number 106. The space is quite large, perfect for your group. There's a weather-beaten picnic table and ashy fire pit included in the area, with plenty of shade from the large trees outstretching overhead. Eddie pulls into the parking space beside the site, killing the engine. "Alright, here it is. Our home sweet home for the next three days." He grins, glancing at you again as you struggle to fold up all the papers in your lap.

"Hell yeah!" Mike cheers, opening the back doors to let everyone hop out and start setting up tents. The sleeping arrangements are pretty simple. You and Erica will share a smaller tent since you're the only girls. Then there's Mike, Dustin, and Lucas in another. And the final one will house Alex, Jeff, and Gareth. Eddie insists on staying in his van, as he hates sleeping on the ground. You find this a bit silly, since this trip was initially his idea. But you don't find any reason to argue, he usually wins anyway.

Everyone pitches in with setting up the tents and rolling out the sleeping bags, getting everything ready for your first night out in the wilderness. You're all sweaty by the end of it, sitting around and panting lazily in the humid air around 1pm. "Who's hungry for lunch?" You ask, going back into the van to retrieve the cooler containing the sandwich supplies. Ham, American cheese, turkey, mayo, mustard, and Wonder Bread from the bag of dry goods. You set to work making everyone's plates, planning on serving up the sandwiches with potato chips and canned soda.

"Ya know, you don't have to baby us, Y/N. We're perfectly capable of feeding ourselves." Eddie says, sitting next to you with his feet facing outward from the table. You're spreading mayo on Dustin's ham and cheese, letting your eyes meet Eddie's for the first time in a good while.

You smile kindly. "I know, but I don't mind it. You're all my boys, and girl." You say, nudging your head at Erica. "I like taking care of you guys." You speak sweetly, you cherish the connection you have with your friends. You had wanted a group to call your own for so long, and now you have the best one you could ever ask for.

"Whatever you say, princess." Eddie chuckles, looking you up and down. You suddenly feel self-conscious in your tank top and shorts, exposed under his curious examination. You take a chance of your own to drink in his appearance. He's in rare form today, wearing cut-off jean shorts and a cropped Metallica muscle tee. His hair is tied up, keeping it out of his face in the dreadful heat. He looks really good like this, showing off his tattoos and lightly toned arms and stomach. He winks when he catches you staring a little too long, making your cheeks flare beet red.

You return your attention to the sandwich, realizing you've been putting on a borderline pile of mayonnaise on it. "Shit." You mutter, cursing your spaced-out spell.

"Need some help?" Eddie asks, extending a hand for a knife to assist you in spreading condiments on the bread. You nod apprehensively, glancing around to see everyone else preoccupied with other activities to notice your interaction. Most are relaxing in their tents, poking their heads out to talk to one another, and Erica is reading a book on the other side of the bench. You hand Eddie a plastic knife, and he turns around in his seat to be level with you. "You doin' alright today? You've been acting weird since the drive over here." He almost mumbles, making you think you imagined it at first. But when you turn to look at his face, he's expectantly waiting for an answer.

You swallow hard, realizing his shoulder is just barely brushing against your own. "Um...yeah. It's just my first trip away from home without my family, that's all." You lie, pushing away the idea that the handsome young man beside you is the reason for your change in behavior.

"Oh, okay. You're not gonna get homesick on me, are ya?" He asks, giving you a playful nudge. You giggle at the tickle of his elbow against your ribs.

"No, I'm not." You shake your head. You want to loosen up, to not be so goddamn stiff. You'll only give yourself away.

"Good, because I really want you to enjoy yourself." He replies, leaning closer to say the words into your ear. His breath fanning over you sends a chill up your spine, making you shiver outside of your control. He half-laughs at your reaction, finding it absolutely adorable. Shit, this trip is gonna be interesting to say the least. You're about to ask what he means, when you realize the food is ready. He moves away from you without another word, taking the plates to dish them out to everyone. "Eat up, shitheads! I wanna get a good hike in today."

Everyone gathers round, sitting at the table or in fold-up chairs you brought while you munch down your pre-hike fuel. The group keeps up light conversation, cracking jokes and busting each others' balls as usual. Eddie has another cigarette, gesturing the box at you from across the makeshift circle you've formed. You nod, and he approaches you. You clumsily pull a cig from the pack, almost missing as you try to put it in your mouth. He flicks the lighter, bending down real close to start the burn on the end. His large eyes bore into yours, and time stands still for a second before he backs away again. "Thanks." You say simply, and he just nods.

You take a deep, long drag, savoring how light and fuzzy your head feels as the nicotine works its way through your body. You exhale, barely holding back a satisfied moan. You're starting to like smoking now, and the taste isn't bothering you as much this time. "Taking a liking to it, I see." Eddie says, bringing everyone's attention to you. You sense he's testing you, trying to get you to fold under pressure. But for what purpose?

"I guess." You shrug nonchalantly, bringing the filtered end to your lips again. Act natural, you tell yourself. It's best to hold one's own and ride it out when it comes to Eddie finding reason to 'challenge' someone. Everyone else watches closely, always eager to see where something like this goes.

"Looks like our girl is all grown up then." He says, exhaling a large puff of white into the air.

"You could say that. What's it to you, anyway?" You retort defensively, crossing your arms. He's really puzzling you today. Earlier it seemed like he was flirting with you, and now he's acting like nothing happened.

He grins, and you see now that he's got you right where he wants you. "Well, last I checked you used to lecture me about how smoking kills, Y/N. That my lungs will turn black and I'll end up with a hole in my throat." He gestures dramatically at his chest and neck as he speaks, working his way back over to you with every word. The other members snicker at his display. "And now you're picking up the habit yourself? It must not be so bad if you're gonna go back on your own principles. So which is it, Y/N? Are you a liar, or a hypocrite?" He asks snarkily, standing just beside the table now as he looks down at you.

You don't say anything for a moment. Your mouth opens and closes as you think of what to come back at him with. You sense the others staring, waiting for you to accept defeat. But you know better than to yield so easily. "Neither. I've just changed my mind on the subject. People are capable of maturing, Eds. Not that you'd know anything about it." You reply with a smirk, continuing to enjoy your cigarette. You blow a cloud of smoke up into his face to emphasize your point. The others laugh at your comment, which would usually earn them a glare from Eddie. But not this time, he's too busy admiring the mischievous sparkle in your eyes.

"If you say so, sweetheart." He smiles in reply, telepathically congratulating you on standing your ground. Eddie sure likes to tease, but he means it all in good fun. Most of the time. Everyone gathers up the trash and puts the food back in the coolers, changing shoes to set off on your journey. "So, is everyone ready?" He asks, bestowing Dustin with a backpack to carry the supplies your group might need on the hike. Sunscreen, trail mix, bug spray, bottled water, and so on.

"And why do I have to carry this?" Dustin asks, annoyed at being stuck with the weight to carry.

"Because I said so, dingus. And I trust you not to lose it, unlike these knuckleheads." Eddie explains, gesturing at the others. You don't take offense to this comment, you know he's not talking about you. And you sure as shit don't wanna carry all that stuff.

"Fine, it's not like I'm missing collarbones or anything." Dustin replies snarkily, slinging the bag on his shoulders.

"Alright, everyone. We're gonna have Jeff and Gareth leading the charge with the map, then Alex and Mike, Dustin in the middle with the pack, Erica and Lucas, and then me and Y/N in back to make sure nobody is left behind. Sound good?" Eddie speaks decisively to the group, and you can't help being mesmerized by his leadership. He's such a natural at it, so sure of himself with every word. Everyone nods in agreement to the arrangement, lining up in the assigned pairs with Dustin in the center. "Cool! Let's go!" He claps his hands together, and Jeff and Gareth begin to walk down the set path to find the hiking trail. The line spreads out a little, giving allowance for anyone wanting to speed up or slow down periodically throughout your adventure.

"I never took you for such an outdoorsman, Eds." You say to Eddie with a giggle as you walk beside him. The others are pretty quiet, focused on taking in the lush surroundings and not getting lost.

"Oh, well, ya know...it was something Wayne and I used to do a lot. It's pretty cheap, and you can just get away from everything for a while." He speaks cheerily of those fond memories, but you can sense a slight tinge of sadness there too.

"You don't camp with him anymore?" You ask, always curious to know more about this young man you're hopelessly crushing on.

He shakes his head. "Nah, he's always too busy now. And I guess I am too, working at the hardware store and shit. I consider myself lucky to have gotten these couple days off. So I wanna make the most of it." He fixes his smile, trying not to bum you out.

"I'll make damn sure we do, then!" You exclaim, leaning over to brush his shoulder with yours. "I wish your uncle could've come with, though. I bet he's got some good campfire stories." You're really enjoying this conversation, it's not often that Eddie talks about his home life. You think he probably hides it so people don't feel sorry for him, so you're gonna do everything in your power to not give him that impression.

"You bet your ass he does. I know them all by heart, actually. I can tell a few tonight if you want." He offers, looking at you with kind eyes. He really appreciates you being so sweet to him. He's not one to trust others with personal information so easily. But you're different, special. He feels like he can tell you anything. And not only do you refrain from judging him, you make him feel like everything is fine, normal. He's never had a whole lot of that in his life, so your presence is certainly a welcome one.

"I'd love that! He can be with us in spirit, I imagine he'd appreciate it." You reply, stopping for a moment to admire some purple wildflowers on the side of the trail. You crouch beside them, gazing at their lush petals and stalk-like stems that house multiple blossoms at once. They're quite breathtaking, though you're not sure what kind they are. Eddie joins you, checking to make sure you won't fall behind the rest of the group. Satisfied with his findings, he reaches into the little clump of flowers, picking the very best one from the largest stalk. You turn to look at him, and he's much closer than you originally thought. Your heartbeat picks up slightly, wondering what he's up to. He brings the hand holding the flower towards your temple, tucking the tiny nub of stem in your hair so the blossom is displayed beside your face. He smiles at how cute you look, eyes flicking to your lips.

"A pretty flower, for a beautiful girl." He says quietly, letting his outstretched hand rest on your cheek. You're frozen in place, unable to stop staring into those huge doe eyes of his. You swear he's just about to lean in and kiss you, when-

"Hey guys! Mike found a family of toads! Come check it out!" Lucas calls to you, interrupting your romantic(?) moment. Eddie's hand falls from your face, causing your heart to fracture like a smashed mirror. He stands up, and you follow. You both pretend nothing happened here, jogging to catch up with the others. You see them huddled around Mike holding up a large rock. Thick mud and dead leaves stick to the bottom of it, and in the moist gap left behind is a plump mama toad, with five little baby toads sitting on and around her.

"Aw, they're so cute!" You coo. Your heart mends a little the wholesome display of wonder on all the club members' faces.

"Where'd you get the flower?" Erica asks as the others take turns naming the little amphibians.

You meet her gaze, and you can tell she knows something's up. You look at Eddie a moment, seeing him preoccupied with assisting the boys in their little game. "Oh, um...I found some on the trail. I just thought it was pretty." You say unconvincingly, unable to hold back the blush darkening your cheeks.

"Mmhmm, sure." Is all she says in reply. She knows damn well that Eddie put that flower in your hair, but she can tell you don't want to talk to an eleven-year-old child about it. The blatantly obvious attraction between you and Eddie has been a very hot topic as of late with the other members. You're not exactly subtle, exchanging longing glances and getting extra touchy with each other. They honestly wish you two would just hook up already and stop dancing around your feelings. It's almost painful to watch you ping-pong off one another when you could just be on the same damn team.

"Alright, guys. Let's keep it moving. Princess Snugglebutt and her legion of offspring have better things to do than be gawked at by a bunch of nerds." Eddie interjects, wanting to finish the hike and make it back to camp before it gets too late. Everyone falls in line once again, and you can't help curtsying at the mother toad as you walk by. She is royalty, after all.

"'Princess Snugglebutt', huh?" You ask, finding the name quite silly.

"They insisted on naming her that, and it's kinda cute." He chuckles, eyes flicking to you. He brightens a smidge when he sees the flower still in your hair where he left it. He was worried the interruption might have spoiled the moment for you. "Jesus, and I wonder why I didn't get laid more in high school!" He jokes, making both of you laugh heartily.

"Oh, please! You know you're hot, you can have anyone you want." You say without thinking, the realization of your actual words hitting you a second later.

Eddie's eyes widen, and he scoffs in disbelief. "Hot, you say? Good to know." He teases, his cheeks turning pink at you calling him that.

You splutter, trying to come up with a way to cover your tracks. "I just mean- in a general sense. It doesn't take a genius to know you're attractive. Not that I find you-" You're babbling, which is definitely not helping your case.

"Y/N, relax." He cuts in, sweeping a hand against your arm to calm you down. Your breath catches at the contact, and you swallow hard as your throat dries up. "You're hot too, by the way. Ya know, in a general sense." He parrots your words back to you, nice and low into your ear. You're really starting to like it when he does that, perhaps a little too much. It takes everything in you to hold back a desperate little noise at him being so fucking attractive right now. You're not sure what it would be. A whimper? A moan? An equally undignified sound that would no doubt be just as embarrassing? Either way, you choke it back down to save face. "You good?" He asks, noticing you've clammed up at his flirting.

"Yeah, I just need some water." You reply, excusing yourself to catch up with Dustin to retrieve a bottle. You feel your lungs refill with the amount of air required to breathe as you distance yourself from the sexy metalhead.

"Hey, Y/N. Everything good back there?" Dustin asks as you sidle up to him.

"Yeah, just need some water if you don't mind." You unzip the backpack, locating a bottle as you both continue to walk.

"Where'd you get the flower?" This again? You're getting a little tired of the third degree you've been subjected to today.

"I saw a little cluster of them on the trail and thought they were pretty. Purple is my favorite." You say, hoping he buys it. He inspects it curiously, before speaking again.

"Well, it's very nice. It looks like a...Gladiolus. It symbolizes the confession of love to a friend. It's also said to motivate one to pursue their desires." He says matter-of-factly. You wonder if Eddie knows this, though you doubt he's the type to care about flowers and their potential meaning. It would be a nice coincidence, though.

"Since when are you the encyclopedia on flora and fauna?" You tease, opening your water to take a sip.

"It's one of my many interests, Y/N. And my mom likes to garden during the warm months, so a lot of it comes from her." He says with a sunshiny smile.

"That's so sweet! Well, I'm gonna get back to my spot." You turn to leave, giving Dustin a gentle noogie.

"Sure thing, Y/N." He calls as you jog back with your bottle in hand.

"Better?" Eddie asks as you rejoin him at the back of the pack.

"Much." You say with a small smile.

"Mind if I have some, sweetheart? The heat's killin' me."

"Oh, sure!" You hand the bottle over, and he takes a long drink from it. You can't help staring as a small drip of water rolls down the side of his mouth to his chin. You're oddly tempted to lean over and lick it off, biting your lip to hold yourself back. His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows, and he lets out a satisfied sound as the liquid cools him down from the inside out.

"Thanks, princess." Eddie hands back the bottle, only half full now. You don't mind, there's plenty more. You were distracted by watching his lips and throat move in a strangely beautiful way anyways. You take another sip yourself, finding your mouth has lost all moisture once again.

The remainder of the hike is pretty uneventful. Eddie collects a few rocks, and you keep the conversation casual. The others do similar things, pointing out birds and squirrels. The trail takes you in a large circle, eventually leading back to the main road. You plop down at the picnic table with a long sigh once you return to the campsite. "My feet have officially died." You say dramatically, laying your head on the tabletop.

"I second that." Gareth says, opting to flop onto the grass. The others grumble and whine in agreement, falling into chairs and on the ground in defeat.

"Aw, come on. Don't be a buncha babies. We had fun, didn't we?" Eddie asks, sitting next to you. He's been hanging around you a lot today. It's not necessarily weird, but given the little moment with the flowers earlier, his continued presence in your space feels significant.

"Of course, Eds. But we're also exhausted. I don't know why you're not, though. You truly are a freak of nature." You joke, groaning as you reach down to take your shoes off.

He scoffs, pulling out his cigarettes again. "What can I say? Nature feeds my soul. I'd live out here if I could."

"That's odd. I thought you said you didn't have a soul!" Mike retorts, drawing a laugh from everyone else.

"Whatever." Eddie huffs, lighting his cig grumpily. He sets the pack and his lighter on the table, which you snatch up once your bare feet touch the cool grass beneath the bench. "Hey!" He tries to get them back from you, but you don't let him.

"Relax, I'll buy a whole damn carton for you on the way home." You take another smoke for yourself, igniting the end like it's nothing. You put his belongings back on the table, letting him slip them into his pockets.

"I'll make sure to hold you to that." Eddie replies as he takes a long drag. He scoots a little closer down the splintered seat, further invading your personal space. His knee sits against yours, making your skin tingle at the contact. He skims his eyes over your face, smirking at the little purple flower still sitting above your ear. "You really like it?" He asks, pointing to it. You reach up in that direction, fingertips brushing over the soft petals.

"Oh, yeah! Purple's my favorite." You blush as you speak, his continued gaze always throws you off. It makes you talk like a foolish child.

"I know, Y/N. I'd hope you wouldn't think I've known you for three years and not learned anything." He smirks, leaning into you so his shoulder grazes yours. "What kinda man do you take me for?"

You snort, blushing harder at the sound. "I don't think you want the answer to that question, Eds." You look away, exhaling a large cloud of smoke across the table. Lucas just so happens to be sitting there, so it smacks him right in the face.

"Jesus, Y/N! Could you blow your smoke somewhere else, please?" He exclaims, coughing in an exaggerated fashion.

"Oh, shit. Sorry, dude." You apologize, shifting your head to Eddie's direction again. You know he won't mind you blowing smoke in his face. In some strange way, you get the feeling that he likes it. Maybe it's because he gets to see you, sweet little Y/N, being a 'bad girl' for once. You'd like to think so, anyway.

"I dunno, sweetheart. I might just surprise you." Eddie says in a sing-song voice, patting your thigh with his hand before getting up to retrieve something from the van. You almost choke on your drag when he touches you, and he holds back a snicker at your expense.

"God, you two seriously need to get a room." Mike says, loud enough for everyone to hear. Lucas smacks his hand across Mike's chest, gesturing at him to shut the fuck up. "Ouch! What? It's true!" Mike carries on, and the campsite falls silent. You look at Eddie out of instinct, and he instantly meets your gaze. You both quickly avert your eyes, but you know you've already been caught. "That! That right there! You keep looking at each other like lovesick little puppies, and yet neither of you make a move! It's excruciating!" Mike continues to rant and rave, disregarding all the disapproving looks he's getting from the other club members.

Nobody says anything for a moment. The occasional chirping of birds, and rustling of trees in the summer breeze is all you can hear. You force out a laugh, trying to save face. Not just for your sake, but for Eddie's too. "I have no idea what you're talking about, kiddo. I think you've been watching too many movies." Yeah, that'll throw them off the scent, you think to yourself as you roll your eyes at how lame of an excuse that was. "And even if you're right, it's honestly none of your goddamn business." You're getting irritated, not appreciating being put on the spot like this.

"There's no need to get so defensive, Y/N. You guys would be really good together." Lucas chimes in gently, fixing Mike with a glare for being so nosey.

"That's enough, guys. We don't need a bunch of kids meddling in our love lives, alright? And you're making Y/N uncomfortable, so knock it off." Eddie interjects, swooping in to save the day.

"Thanks, Eds." You reply, giving him a kind look. He happily returns it, nodding his head. You stub out your smoke, standing up from the table. You locate your flip-flops in your tent, sliding them on after putting your hiking shoes away. "Who's got the map?" You ask, needing to find the bathroom after all that water on your hike.

"Here. Where are you off to?" Gareth asks as he hands you the paper.

"The bathroom, if you must know. Anyone else need to go?" You glance around your group, met with no response. "Great. I'll be right back, then." You turn on your heels, taking your little trip all alone. The trail is quiet, there aren't a whole lot of other campers here. Your shoes make their little slaps as you walk, twigs and rocks crunching underfoot.

You contemplate the many conversations you've had today. Eddie telling you about his uncle, calling you hot, being otherwise flirty with you. And then Mike calling you out, as if the group thinks it's obvious that you and Eddie like each other. You'd love for him to make a definitive move, everything else has been too up in the air for your liking. Even during the hike, you could have easily imagined him about to kiss you because you want it so badly. You could theoretically take a risk of your own. But there's always the chance of Eddie rejecting you, and you can't live with that. Especially not when you're hours away from home, with no escape if he broke your heart. You sigh loudly, wrongfully assuming no one's around to hear it. "You okay, Y/N?" You hear Eddie's voice from behind you, making you shriek in surprise.

You whip around to face him. Your heart pounds at him startling you, along with your own thoughts plaguing you with churned up feelings. "Jesus christ, Eddie! You scared the shit outta me!" You shout, slapping his chest when he approaches you.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. I just wanted to check on you. I felt bad that Mike made a scene like that." He speaks apologetically, putting an arm around your shoulders as you turn back around to keep moving. He would hold your hand, but you're a little busy using the map. He's so close to you now, closer than all the other times today. He smells like tobacco, bug spray, and the cheap cologne he always wears. The scent is intoxicating, dizzying your head as your heart races even more at his touch.

"It's fine, he's a total dumbass." You say with a laugh, drawing a breathy chuckle from Eddie too. Neither of you say anything else, noticing a tense energy building between you. "Eddie?" You say, squeaking out his name while keeping your eyes trained on the map.

"Yes, princess?" He asks, his breath fanning against your neck in your proximity. He really hopes you're going to address what Mike said in some way. To tell him outright that you like him, that you want him.

"After you put the flower in my hair...were you gonna...kiss me?" You speak slowly, hesitating at every crucial part of your question. Your stomach is doing flips, and you really want him to say 'yes'.

"Would you have let me?" You usually hate it when he answers a question with another question. But in this case, it's more than welcome.

"Yes." You reply, practically holding your breath at this point. Eddie stops walking, forcing you to do so as well with his weight on you. He pulls his arm away, and you almost whine at the loss. You face each other, and he gently takes the map from you and folds it back up. He slips it into his back pocket, and brings his hands to your waist. You move closer instinctively, your own hands resting on his shoulders. Is this it? Is this the moment you've been waiting for?

Eddie gazes deep into your eyes, licking his lips to moisten them. "I hope I don't sound cheesy when I say this. But I have very strong feelings for you, Y/N. You're sweet, kind, and absolutely gorgeous. I think about you all the time, I can't get you outta my head." He inches his face a bit closer to yours, allowing you to speak before meeting him in the middle.

"I really like you too, Eds. You're so handsome, funny, and smart. And you saved me. You brought me into your group when I had no one, when I needed it most. You mean so much to me, and I'd be totally lost without you." You press your lips to his without a second thought, and you instantly melt at how soft they are. You've always admired them, how full and plump they look has been so very tempting for you. Eddie pulls you closer so your bodies are pressed together, but his hands stay respectfully at your hips.

He bites your bottom lip, making you gasp. His tongue slips into your mouth to toy around with yours. You're getting really warm, and arousal spreads in your panties. Your heads twist and move languidly as you savor the taste of each other's mouths. You let out a quiet moan, making Eddie's cock twitch in his shorts. The kiss seems to last forever, and you only pull away when you're finding it hard to breathe. "Damn, you're really good at that." Eddie pants, smiling while he rests his forehead against yours.

"So are you, that's gotta be the hottest kiss I've ever had." You reply just as breathlessly. "On another note, I actually do need the bathroom. I wasn't just running away from that awkward conversation."

"Shit, okay. Here." He says, abruptly handing you the map from his pocket again. You loosen from your embrace, finishing the task you originally set out to do. You walk the rest of the way together, and Eddie waits for you outside the little shack. You try to be fast, and hastily wash your hands so you can return to him. "All good?" He asks with a smile.

"Yep! We better get back, before the kids suspect more than they already do." You giggle. "Hey, um, can we...play it cool when we get back to camp?" You ask nervously, you really don't want to put a damper on this before it even gets started.

"Oh, yeah. That's fine." Eddie replies, and his face falls slightly.

"I don't mean it like that, Eddie. I promise. I want to be with you, so much. I just don't want us to be the focus of the entire trip, you know? The others are already nosey enough. Plus...it's kinda thrilling to sneak around...keep it to ourselves for a while." You explain with a sly smile, and he perks right back up when he understands what you're saying.

"I like the sound of that, angel. I gotta warn you though, it's gonna be very difficult to keep my hands to myself." He says seductively, the words flowing into your ear again. His palm slips behind you, grabbing your ass to give you just a taste of what he wants to do to you.

"Oh, I'm counting on it." You say through a quiet moan, earning a chuckle from Eddie. He keeps his hand on you the entire way back to camp, massaging the flesh of your butt to draw little noises from you. He also brings his mouth to your throat every so often, nipping your skin without leaving any marks. At every single sound, he praises you in some way. He tells you how pretty you look, or how sexy you are when you whimper and moan for him. He drops an occasional 'good girl' in the mix, which turns you on more than you thought it would. By the time you meet up with the others again, you're absolutely soaked for him. But his hand leaves your ass before anyone sees, and you have to pretend you're not extremely horny now.

"Took you long enough! We were worried that maybe you two got lost." Gareth says snarkily, but you just ignore him.

"I'll make you get lost if you don't cut it out, Gareth!" Eddie snaps back, sitting at the picnic table to subtly adjust his erection to hide it. Kissing you and groping your ass has riled him up significantly. It's safe to say he can't wait to take things even further.

"Okay, okay. Sorry." Gareth says, wanting more than anything to get Eddie's death glare off of him. He's downright scary when he really puts his mind to it.

"That goes for the rest of you guys, too. I don't wanna hear another word about crushes or hidden feelings, or anything like that. Got it?" Eddie warns, and everyone nods in fearful agreement. They know better than to continually piss him off. "Good. Now, everyone go find a stick for roasting the hot dogs." He orders, which sends all of you on a mission while he goes to the supply shop for some firewood and more ice for the coolers.

When Eddie returns, you present him with the sticks you all gathered. You yourself found one for him along with your own, you figure he'd appreciate that. He does, and pulls out his pocketknife for you to carve off the ends so they're clean. You set to work, scraping the layers of dirt and mossy bark away with the sharp blade. Each stick is set on the picnic table once you're finished.

You look at Eddie as he's crouched over the fire pit, adoring the way the muscles in his back flex beneath his shirt, and the waistband of his boxers poking out from his shorts. He's so attractive without even trying, it's something you've always loved about him. His charm is so effortless, carefree even. He can lure you in with a single word, a passing glance. But to have him truly focus his romantic attention on you now, it's like you've tasted blood and you want more. He starts the fire in a couple minutes flat, he's clearly an expert in that area. You walk over to him when he stands up, a pleased expression on his face. You get real close when nobody's watching, angling strategically to speak in his ear. "Nice work, Eds. It's good to know you have such nimble fingers. I can't wait to see how well you can use them on me."

He stiffens at your words, in more ways than one. He's so glad that you're proving to be his perfect match, playing little games with him under everybody's noses. He turns his head slightly to find a lustful grin spread across your mouth, and it takes everything in him to refrain from kissing you. "Play your cards right, and I'll use them anywhere you like, sweetheart." He winks, mirroring your filthy smirk.

"I'll make sure to hold you to that." You reply, mimicking his words from earlier. You reach down and squeeze his ass, walking away a second later. Eddie holds back a groan, watching you slink haunches-up into your tent until it's time for dinner. You lay back on your sleeping bag, releasing a satisfied sigh. You want so badly to squeal in excitement, all this tantalization is just too much fun. Meanwhile, Eddie stands in shock at your antics for a moment. He can't stop thinking about all the ways he's going to claim you as his, and it's becoming very difficult to stop himself from getting noticeably hard.

When the sun begins to set on the first day of your trip, everyone takes their places around the campfire. The song of crickets and frogs starts to fill the air. The nocturnal creatures are slowly claiming their territory, and your group are but humble guests in their presence. You're loading up the sticks you cleaned earlier with cold weenies, passing them out to each member of your club, saving yours and Eddie's for last. The others take turns in groups of three to roast the hotdogs. "Shit." Alex exclaims as his weiner falls into the ashes beside the fire. It's like an unspoken rule that at least one person accidentally sacrifices their hotdog to the campfire gods.

"Nice job, buddy!" Gareth says with a smirk while he claps Alex's shoulder. Alex scowls at him, muttering swears under his breath. You happily supply him with a new frankfurter, spearing it firmly on the stick so it won't fall off this time.

"I'll try not to drop this one." Alex says bashfully as a harsh blush colors his cheeks. He positions the stick above the orange flames, watching closely in hopes to save this sausage if it attempts an escape.

"It's fine, dude. We've got plenty more." You say kindly, tapping the cooler containing packs on packs of the processed meat product. Eddie's sat beside you at the picnic table once again, smoking as he waits for his turn at the fire. He'd offered you one too, but you've had enough nicotine for the time being. What you really want is some food, and more kisses from Eddie for dessert.

The daylight continually fades away, going from a warm mix of oranges and pinks, to a deep navy blue that's just a shade or two away from pitch black. "We're up, princess." Eddie nudges your shoulder, the fire casting dramatic highlights and shadows on his handsome face. You nod, following him over to the pit with your skewers. You hand him his, and he purposely touches as much of your hand as possible before taking the stick from your grasp. You gaze at him a little too long, snapping your eyes away before anyone notices.

You focus your attention on the fire, and your weenie roasting above it. The flames flick and lap at the bottom of the sausage playfully, cooking it just the way you like. The heat from the fire is so inviting, the crackling of the wood is such a comforting sound. However, there's a different fire roaring inside you. One that longs to know what might happen between you and Eddie once the others are asleep. You'll take anything at this point, he could make out with your elbow for all you care. You suppress a needy sigh, you just have to be patient.

"You alright, Y/N? You look like you're constipated." Jeff asks, inspecting your face curiously.

"I'm fine, jerkoff. I'm just hungry, I didn't eat enough today." You lie, fixing a smile across your lips to get him off your back.

"You sure you're not on the rag, too?" He retorts with a laugh, drawing snickers from Alex and Gareth as well.

"I think, for your sake, we ought to pretend you didn't just say that." You say in a warning tone, narrowing your eyes. Everyone's really getting at you today, not-so-slyly attempting to draw the truth out of you. Playful teasing is one thing, but it's becoming rather ridiculous now.

"I second that. I'd hate for my stick to accidentally end up in your eye, Jeff." Eddie chimes in, coming to your aid once again. He realizes this won't quell anyone's suspicions, but somebody should be on your side here.

"Okay, okay. Jeez, touchy much?" Jeff scoffs, rolling his eyes. You and Eddie finish roasting your hotdogs, bringing them over to the table to put into buns and slather with ketchup and mustard. You open the drink cooler, pulling out two beers from the slightly melted ice. You hand one off to Eddie, and he gives you an odd look.

"Go easy with that, sweetheart. I'd hate for you to be too drunk to have fun with me later." He says in that silky smooth voice only you get to hear.

"I have had a beer before, Eddie." You playfully roll your eyes at him, locating the bottle/can opener from the bag of utensils. You flick off the top with ease, reaching over to open his too. He watches you like a hawk all the while, his mind going to all the wrong places as you flip the little metal cap off his bottle with a small pop.

"What? When?" He asks, completely surprised at you. He can't even count the amount of times he's offered you one at your D&D sessions or casual hangouts. You've always said no, giving the excuse that your parents check your breath whenever you go home.

"At home...alone, and at a couple parties. I know, it's kinda lame. To be honest, I thought I'd make a fool of myself if I drank around you. But now I don't have to worry about that." You set the opener on the table, taking your previous spot again. He joins you, eyes widening slightly when you take a swig of your beer. You chuckle at his shocked expression, it's so damn cute. "It's not like I've grown a third eye or something. Relax, I'm far from a lightweight. It's one beer, I'll be fine." You pat his thigh to reassure him, shifting your gaze to watch the others munching down their food and poking one another with their sticks.

"Sorry, you're just- like...a whole new person today." He says, fumbling over his words.

"Is that a bad thing?" You ask, looking at him again. Your tone isn't accusatory, more like you're playing another little game.

"Not at all, princess. In fact, I'm really digging this new version of you." He replies, his voice even darker than before. You're just so full of surprises to him, and he wants nothing more than to take you right now on the table. Or in the grass, or in his van.

"Me too. I'm really enjoying seeing this side of you, I've always wanted to." You lean over real close, checking to make sure nobody is looking. Everyone else is too busy rough-housing to pay attention to you, so you take your chance. You bring your face centimeters away from Eddie's, staring deep into his eyes. "And I gotta say, I can't wait to get you alone to see even more." You grin, sneakily palming his dick over his shorts.

"Fuck, Y/N. You're playing with fire here. Anyone could see what a dirty girl you're being if they looked our way." His words come out strained into a whisper, holding back a moan. He's absolutely loving this, he just hopes nobody sees.

"Oh, but that just adds to the fun, Eds." You squeeze him just a little bit harder, watching the pleasure display plainly on his face. He gasps slightly, his mouth sitting open as he breathes heavily. His eyes bore into yours, dilated with lust. "Let's eat, I'd hate for the food to get cold." You let go of his cock, pulling your face away as well to pick up your hotdog. The fact that nobody caught you gives you a massive thrill. You're extremely wet again, and Eddie didn't even touch you this time. You basically made all the moves, and you'll be damned if it doesn't make you feel powerful. You take a large bite of food, realizing you're very hungry all of a sudden.

"You're gonna be the death of me, sweetheart." Eddie says once his brain fully processes what just happened. He grabs hold of his beer, downing almost all of it in one go.

You and Eddie play it cool for the next few hours, focusing on being a part of the campfire conversation instead of isolating yourselves. You didn't plan this trip to confess your feelings and cling to one another, you really want to spend some quality time with your friends. You make tons of s'mores, and Eddie tells spooky stories to scare everyone shitless. You watch with adoring eyes as he weaves gory tales of killers with hooks for hands and families of cannibals. You have to admit the stories aren't exactly original, but the way he builds anticipation and genuinely startles everyone makes them sound entirely brand new. He breaks the fearful tension with some more lighthearted fables, and by the end of the third one, everyone else's eyes are drooping significantly as they fight against sleep.

One by one, your fellow club members take their leave to climb into their tents for the night. Alex and Jeff are first to go, saying goodnight to everyone as they fail to stifle loud yawns. Next goes Mike, Lucas, Gareth, and Dustin after taking a group trip to the bathroom. Erica holds out longer than you thought she would, but she ultimately falls asleep in her chair. Eddie tries to wake her up, but she's stubborn when it comes to sleep. So, he carefully lifts her out of the chair and puts her on top of her sleeping bag in the tent. He takes off her shoes so they don't hurt her feet all night, before rejoining you on the bench. "Well, looks like it's just us now, baby." Eddie says quietly, stroking your arm in a suggestive way.

"Took them long enough, I thought we'd have to wait all damn night." You reply, sharing a light laugh. The fire has winnowed down significantly, just barely illuminating you two in the dark. The croaks and chirps of the forest critters have only gotten louder, serenading you with their native song. The moon shines bright above the trees, peeking through the canopy of branches far above your heads. Twinkling stars can be made out too, if you squint hard enough. It's a beautiful night, which sets the stage for anything romantic that might happen between you and your kinda-sorta boyfriend.

"Yeah, Erica definitely had me worried there. She also likes to kick in her sleep, so watch out for that later." Eddie winces as he rubs the part of his ribs where he got a good hit from Erica once he laid her down.

"Oh, you poor thing. Should I kiss it better?" You say teasingly.

"Yes, please!" He says, a little too excited to taste your pretty lips again.

"Well...since you said the magic word." You giggle, leaning in to press your mouth onto his. He tastes like chocolate and marshmallow, with a little hint of beer. It's delicious, and you can't help scrambling to straddle his lap. You shove your tongue in his mouth, moaning at his erection rising beneath you. Eddie's hands grab the swells of your ass, leading you to grind against his dick. You moan again, a little too loud.

"Shh, baby. You gotta be quiet if you don't wanna get caught." Eddie says lowly after breaking your kiss. You nod silently, letting him bring his lips to your neck. He starts with little pecks, soft and gentle. You continue to grind on him, making a small wet spot on Eddie's shorts as your arousal soaks through your clothes. You try to keep your volume down, and luckily the sounds of the woods help muffle your whimpers and whines.

"I want you, Eddie. I'm so wet for you." You say directly into his ear, and he groans against your flesh. He tests your limits, biting down on your throat to see your reaction. "Fuck." The sting of his teeth on you feels so fucking good, you really want him to do it again. But then you realize it might leave marks, and you don't want anyone finding you out just yet. "That felt so good, baby. But the others might suspect something if I'm covered in hickeys tomorrow."

"Sorry, princess. I'll save that for after we go public." He licks a long stripe up the length of your neck, before capturing your lips once again. Your hands are tangled in his hair, you'd pulled his ponytail out shortly after climbing on top of him. You gently tug on his curly locks, drawing more lustful noises from him. Eddie's dick is unbearably hard, and the feeling of you grinding against it is driving him insane. You decide to give him a taste of his own medicine, breaking away from his mouth to kiss his neck instead. "Y/N." He groans when you find his sweet spot almost immediately.

His grip on your ass tightens, leading you to roll your hips even faster. "Eddie, you're gonna make me cum if you keep doing that." You whimper between kisses on his skin.

"That's kinda the point, sweetheart." He chuckles darkly. You're practically putty in his hands, whining and moaning his name as quietly as you can. He's got you right on the edge, and he wants more than anything to see you come undone. "You gonna be a good girl for me? Gonna make a mess in those cute little shorts you have on?" Eddie eggs you on, his words pushing you closer and closer.

"Uh-huh. I'm so close, Eds." You say breathily, reaching down to bring his hands away from your ass and up to your chest instead. He immediately squeezes your tits over your shirt, and you grip his shoulders to maintain your rhythm. He slips under your tank top and bra to feel you completely, making you gasp when his thumbs brush over your hardened nipples. "Fuck, I'm gonna-" You're cut off by your words catching in your throat, and you clap your hand over your mouth to muffle to obscenely loud sound that threatens to wake everybody up. Your thighs shake as your orgasm washes over you, every inch of you tingling with pleasure. You shove your head into Eddie's shoulder as you ride it out, and his hands go to your sides to stroke you gently.

"You did so well, princess. You're so fuckin' sexy." You blush at his praise, lifting your head to crush his lips with yours. You stay like this for what feels like hours, just kissing and basking in your afterglow. You definitely want more, especially since Eddie hasn't had a turn yet. He doesn't mind taking his time though, it's reward enough for him to make you feel good. You're so caught up in the moment, and just about to strip each other's shirts off, when a flashlight shines into your faces from your right. You freeze, lips and wandering hands stilling in place as you look to see who's caught you.

"Well, what a surprise." Erica says sarcastically. You see she's alone in her discovery, and you immediately separate from one another. You're not sure what to say, but Erica saves your breath. She looks at you with a sly grin, crossing her arms with attitude. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about this. I'd sooner bleach my eyeballs before reliving this moment."

"Thank you, E-" Eddie begins to speak, but she cuts him off.

"I wasn't finished, freak. My silence comes at a price." You and Eddie roll your eyes, there's always a catch when one needs a favor from Erica goddamn Sinclair.

"What do you want?" You ask, already regretting it. It's like striking a deal with the devil in a way, though you imagine even Satan himself fears Erica's wrath.

"I want to be the DM for our next three campaigns." She says simply, and you have no objection. Eddie, on the other hand, is a different story.

"No way, kid! I'm not gonna play your kiddie My Little Pony shit." Eddie says, he's not one to relinquish control so easily. And certainly not when it comes to D&D.

"Fine! I'll just wake everybody up and tell them I found you two macking on each other like a couple of perverts!" She retorts, dramatically gearing up to shout for the others.

"Wait!" You whisper-yell to her, wanting a chance to convince Eddie to go through with her request. You turn to him, taking his hands in yours as you begin to plead. "Eddie, come on! You know she won't make the campaigns lame and kiddish. You've seen her play, she's a borderline sociopath!"

"I choose to take that as a compliment." Erica interjects, before you continue.

"It's just three games, that's not so bad. Please, Eddie? Save us both the embarrassment? I promise we can tell everyone on the way back or something. And I'll make it two cartons of smokes instead of one." You give your best show of puppy eyes as you speak, watching his expression change gradually while you do so. He has to admit, you sure know how to convince him to do anything you want. And the begging is most definitely a turn-on.

He lets out an exaggerated sigh, and you know that you've gotten your way. "Alright! Fine! But no kiddie shit! If you wanna DM, you gotta be ruthless, 'kay?"

"Have you met me? I bet I could be even more sadistic than you. Now, where's the map? I didn't get a chance to pee before bed."

"You sure you're okay to go on your own?" You ask, worried about such a young child wandering down the pitch dark trail all alone.

"Please, I'll be fine. I can't imagine it's all that difficult to find." She insists, extending her hand for you to hand her the map.

"Okay, we'll wait up for you to come back though, alright?" You offer as you give her the bundle of paper.

"Okay. Thanks, Y/N." She says with a smile, before heading on her merry way.

"Well, that was a close one. I guess we'll have to be more careful." You say with an awkward chuckle.

"Yeah, guess so." Eddie replies, looking at the ground. He seems upset, and it makes your stomach flip. You really hope you haven't ruined this.

"What's wrong, Eds?" You ask, but you have a feeling you already know what he's gonna say.

"Nothing, I..." He sighs, contemplating how to put this without causing an argument. "I just feel like you're putting so much effort into hiding us. Like you're embarrassed to be seen with me or something." The hurt in his voice makes your heart ache, that wasn't your intention one bit.

"Eddie, I swear that I'm not. I would never be ashamed of being with you, especially not when it comes to the freaks we call our friends." You reassure him, even making him laugh lightly. "I just know that we'll never hear the end of it, when we're supposed to be having fun as a group this weekend. They've already been getting at us constantly, and they don't actually know we're together yet! I really like you, Eddie. Fuck it, I love you. It's just a little longer, and we'll have to be more discreet if we wanna fool around. But if it really bothers you, we can tell everyone first thing in the morning."

"You...love me?" Eddie asks, his eyes wide in utter shock. You curse yourself for blurting the words out, fearing that you've scared him away now.

"Um...yeah. You don't have to say it ba-"

"I love you too, princess." He cuts you off again, smiling bright like the sun. "And I suppose you're right, the kids will be making jokes and obnoxious noises at us all weekend. We can wait to tell them, otherwise we'll be going home with a van full of dead children." He jokes, giving you a gentle kiss afterwards.

"Thank you, Eddie. You're the best, you know that?" You say sweetly, rubbing your nose against his. He smirks at your affections, you're just too damn adorable.

"Oh, I know, baby. Why else would you be so helplessly in love with me?" He replies with a dramatic swoon, the back of his hand going to his forehead as he teases you.

"Don't make me regret telling you that, Munson." You warn, though the quiver of your frowning lips gives you away.

"Hey now, I said it back, didn't I? Plus, how could I possibly resist you, sweetheart? You've gotta be the most amazing woman I've ever known." He pulls you back onto his lap, sitting sideways this time.

"Do you even know any other women?" You joke, and he just scoffs at you.

"Ouch! Since when are you so feisty?" He finishes the sentence with gritted teeth, raising his hands to tickle you. You gasp as his fingers wiggle erratically across your stomach and sides.

"Eddie, quit it! You're gonna make me scream!" You whisper-yell as you fight back every urge to squeal and laugh loud enough for the others to hear you.

"Don't threaten me with a good time, baby!" He replies with a low chuckle, refusing to let up.

"Eddie, please! I was just kidding! I'm sorry!" You plead, attempting to flail away from him. But it's no use, he's got you trapped firmly in his grip.

"Then tell me I'm the sexiest man alive, angel." He taunts, speaking seductively in your ear to give you a way out.

"You're the sexiest man alive, Eddie! Now let me go!" You don't mind stroking his ego, you find the statement to be very true in your eyes.

"Good girl." He grins, ceasing his tickling and planting a gentle kiss on your neck.

"God, I love it when you call me that." You let out a satisfied sigh, laying your head on Eddie's shoulder. You realize Erica has been gone for a while, raising your head again to peek down the trail. You don't see any trace of her flashlight, and you're getting worried that she's lost.

"What are we looking at, Y/N?" Eddie asks, leaning forward to join you in staring at the darkness.

"Erica's been gone too long. We should go look for her." You say in a serious tone, getting out of his embrace. Eddie stands with you, retrieving two flashlights from the table. "Do you remember if she took her walkie or not?" You ask, unable to recall anything outside of her catching you together.

"No, we can always try it anyways." He replies, taking one from the table. He flicks it on, extending the antenna. He presses the button to speak. "Erica, do you copy?" He releases the button for a moment, only hearing static as he waits for a reply. "Erica, do you copy?" He sounds a little more panicked this time, giving a longer pause. "Shit. I don't think she took it with her. We'll just have to find her the old-fashioned way." He puts the walkie in his pocket, in case anyone wakes up and wonders where you went off to. You flick on your lights, the bright white hitting harshly against the beaten path. He takes hold of your hand, giving a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry, we'll find her." He says calmly, though his face reads equally as worried as your own.

"Okay." You nod, and you set off on your journey to find the missing Sinclair sibling. You find the bathroom shack easily, it's not difficult to locate once you've gone down the trail before. "I'll see if she's in here." You say, letting go of his hand. He nods his head at you, and you go to the entrance of the women's room. You push the door open, calling out to Erica. "Erica? Are you in here?" You ask, hoping you get a reply. She's so young, it must be terrifying to be out here in the dark all alone. Sure, she gives the impression of being tough as nails, but even the bravest of men can easily become scared in the deep dark woods.

"Yeah, I'm in here. I'm not feeling so good, though." Erica groans, and you hear the sounds of her vomiting into a toilet in one of the stalls.

"Oh, Erica. I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?" You ask, though you can't imagine you can do much for her.

"Ugh, no. I think I had too many s'mores." She whimpers before puking again. Your own stomach turns slightly at the sounds, you've always been squeamish around sick people.

"Okay, well, take your time. I'm just gonna let Eddie know and we'll see what we can do." You leave the bathroom, finding Eddie looking all around the woods to find Erica. "She's in there, but she's very sick. She ate too many s'mores."

"Shit. Well, I'm glad we found her at least. Not sure what we're gonna do about her being so sick. If it's actually the flu, it could get bad fast with her out in this heat." He says, the gears in his brain working as he tries to figure out what to do. "We probably have to take her and Lucas to the Ranger building. They should have a phone there for Lucas to call their parents to pick them up."

"Yeah, that's probably best. I hate for them to miss out on the rest of the trip, but it's the right thing to do. Let's wait for her to be empty, and then we'll get her and Lucas packed up." A little while later, Erica walks out of the shack. Her face is pale, and she's covered in sweat. "Hey, Erica. So, we've decided it would be best for you and Lucas to go home. If this is the flu or something, it's not safe for you out here. I'm really sorry, kiddo." You speak as apologetically as you can, and she just nods.

"Okay. I was gonna ask to go home anyways. I know a tummy ache when I see one, and this isn't it." She speaks weakly, which freaks you out as she's usually pretty spunky. She looks so miserable, you wish you could magically make her all better. You and Eddie lead her back to camp, giving her some water while you gather her things. Luckily for you, all you need to do is roll up her sleeping bag and zip up her backpack.

Eddie opens the tent where Lucas is sleeping, gently shaking him awake. "Hey, Lucas. Get up, buddy." He whispers so as not to wake Mike and Dustin.

"W-What's going on?" Lucas asks as he rubs his eyes.

"Erica's sick, so we have to take you guys to the Ranger station and have you call your parents. I'm really sorry, man."

"Oh, man. That sucks. But I understand, just let me get my stuff." Lucas replies, forcing himself awake.

"Take it slow, kiddo." You warn Erica as she sips down her water. Eddie loads up hers and Lucas' belongings in the meantime, and then you all get into the van to drive to the large building at the entrance of the campground. You and Eddie walk the kids inside, finding the same burly man from the kiosk sitting at the night desk. Eddie explains the situation, and the ranger allows Lucas to use the phone. He also lets Erica get comfortable on the couch in the rec area, setting a trash can beside her in case she throws up again. The Sinclairs insist you should return to camp and get some rest since their parents are already on the way. But you refuse to leave them alone, sitting beside each other on some not-so-comfortable chairs.

About two hours into waiting, Erica is sleeping soundly again. Lucas is repeatedly dozing off, but startling himself awake when his head begins to fall forwards. You yourself are finding it hard to stay awake, so you curl up as comfortably as you can in your seat, leaning your head on Eddie's shoulder. You don't even care if Lucas sees, you just want to be close to the man you love. "You tired, princess? You can sleep in the van if you want." Eddie offers, though he thinks your sleepy display is rather cute.

"No, I'm gonna stay here with you. Gotta make sure the kids are safe." You say lazily, already halfway to dreamland.

"Okay, baby. Sleep well." He presses a light kiss to the top of your head, once he sees that Lucas has fully passed out now.

By the time Lucas and Erica's parents show up, the sun is starting to rise. It shines through the windows of the Ranger building, going directly into your eyes. "Mmm." You groan as you readjust to block out the light. Until now, you’ve slept surprisingly well with Eddie as your pillow.

"Sweetheart, wake up. The kids are getting ready to leave." Eddie nudges you, speaking softly. You try to cling even harder to him, which makes Lucas raise an eyebrow in your direction. "C'mon, darling. We gotta get up and get back to camp." He shakes your shoulder, and you open your eyes.

"Ugh, fine." You whine, slowly standing up from your chair.

"So....are you two...ya know?" Lucas gestures awkwardly at you and Eddie, putting the pieces together.

"Yes, Lucas. But keep your mouth shut! We plan to tell everyone after the trip." You say with a sleepy scowl, and he nods in agreement. You lead him and Erica outside, helping them into their parents' car.

"Thanks for staying here with them all night, I'm sorry they can't stay for the rest of the weekend." Mrs. Sinclair says through her rolled-down window.

"It's no trouble at all, ma'am. I hope Erica feels better soon." Eddie says kindly, taking hold of your hand. You smile at the contact, and the two of you wave goodbye as the Sinclairs pull out of the parking lot and drive out of the campground.

You sigh in relief, glad that Erica will get the love and care she needs at home. "Did you sleep at all, Eds?" You ask, noticing slight bags under his eyes.

"A little, somebody kept snoring though." He teases, giving you a nudge.

"I did not!" You exclaim, insisting you do no such thing.

"I know! I was talking about Lucas!" He says, and you smack his chest playfully.

"You ass!" You laugh. "C'mon, let's go back before the others wake up." You get back in the van, driving down the trail to Lot 106. But as you pull into the parking space, you realize everyone is already out of bed, sitting around with concerned expressions on their faces.

"Where the fuck were you guys all night? And where are Erica and Lucas?" Jeff asks as you hop out into the humid morning air.

"Erica got sick last night, so we took her and Lucas to the Ranger station. We called their parents, and waited all night for them to be picked up. We're sorry we didn't tell you, but it was the middle of the night and we didn't want to disturb you. We did bring a walkie though in case you guys wondered where we were, though." The others slowly relax as you explain the situation, their hardened expressions loosening with every word.

"Is Erica gonna be okay?" Dustin asks, worried about his unlikely friend.

"Yes, it's probably just a stomach bug. Now, who's hungry?" You reply, watching as everyone's hand raises into the air. You chuckle quietly, going to the table to make PB&J sandwiches for breakfast. Eddie assists you, and you hand them out to everyone along with some orange slices from the cooler. "So, what's on the agenda for today, Eds?" You ask loud enough for the others to hear.

"Well, I was thinking we could have a beach day, and hang out at the lake. It's supposed to have crystal clear waters, and it's covered in colorful rocks on the bottom." Eddie says, munching on an orange slice afterwards.

"Sounds great! I love reading a good book on the beach." You speak cheerily as you finish your food.

"Reading? You're not gonna swim?" Eddie asks, barely hiding his disappointment.

"I didn't say that, I just really like sunbathing, that's all." You giggle, you imagine Eddie wants so badly to see you in your bathing suit. You did force your mom to give you a ride to the mall to find something cute...and sexy, in hopes of enticing him. You're excited for him to see it, but you're gonna wait for your perfect moment to reveal it to him.

"Sounds like somebody just wants to see Y/N in her swimsuit." Gareth jokes, and Eddie's cheeks turn bright red.

"Shut up, dickweed! I never said that!" Eddie shouts, which doesn't help dissuade anyone's assumptions.

"I don't know, it sounds like thou doth protest too much, Eddie." Alex joins in, drawing laughs from everyone but you.

"You guys are perverted. He's just making conversation." You say plainly, hoping your friends will shut the hell up.

"If you say so..." Mike replies in a sing-song voice.

"Alright! I'm done, and I need a goddamn shower after staying in these clothes all night. You wanna come with, Y/N?" Eddie stands, tossing his empty paper plate into the trash bag you have sitting on the table.

"Sure. I guess I'm in the same boat, grunge-wise." You leave your seat on the bench, going to your tent to pull out your toiletry bag and towel.

"And now you're gonna shower together? Interesting." Dustin chimes in, and you just roll your eyes as they all laugh at your expense again.

"We're obviously showering separately, you assholes! I thought we agreed to stop the teasing!" You shout, glaring at everyone individually. But you strike no fear into them, they only laugh harder. "Whatever, I'm over this shit." You're genuinely getting angry, you just wish they'd knock it off. It wasn't so bad at first, but now it's getting out of hand. You storm off, heading down the trail as a couple tears fall from your eyes.

"Dammit, guys!" Eddie groans, shaking his head and snatching up his own things before turning to follow you. He jogs to catch up, and he notices you crying. "Are you okay, Y/N?" He asks, reaching for your hand.

"Do you see why I didn't want to tell them now? I know it shouldn't bother me so much, but they're really getting on my nerves." You say through a sniffle. You feel silly crying over this, but it isn't often that you're the constant target of jokes and comments.

"I'm sorry, princess. I don't know what to do about them, they're being real jerks today." He's not sure how to handle this, the fuckers just won't let up. He supposes it's because they highly suspect you're into each other. But regardless of that, they should know when to quit.

"I don't either. The more we say, the worse it gets. I'm just gonna ignore them, I'm tired of going back and forth all day." You decide the only way to get them to quit is if you freeze them out, to act like they don't exist.

"That's probably a good idea. Maybe if they see how upset they've made you, they'll finally knock it off and apologize. But in the meantime...you wanna shower with me?" He suggests, wanting to help you feel better.

"I dunno, Eds. What if they try to spy on us?" You ask, looking behind you to see if you're being followed. You don't see anyone, so maybe you're being paranoid.

"You don't have to if you're not comfortable, angel. I just want to make you feel good. But it's up to you." He speaks lowly, tempting you with the promise of getting you off.

"Shit, you're impossible to resist, you know that?" You say cheekily as you finally reach the shower shack. "How about you turn on one of the showers in the men's room, just in case they come to see if you're in there. They wouldn't dare go in the women's." You suggest, a mischievous grin spreading across your face.

"I like the way you think, baby. I'll be right back." He leaves you for a moment, and you feel your heart racing as the anticipation builds. He comes back out a moment later, and you lead him into the women's room. You check to make sure no one else is in here, and the coast is clear. You pick the shower stall farthest from the entrance, secluded in the corner. You both put your stuff down on the little shelf so it stays dry. Eddie immediately pins you against the wall, smashing his mouth on yours. You moan against his lips, letting him slip his tongue in. You put your arms around his shoulders, holding him close. His mouth moves on to your neck, meeting your sweet spot shortly after.

"Eddie." You whimper, wanting him to go further.

"How far have you gone before, baby?" Eddie asks against your skin, curious to know if you have much experience.

"You really think I'm that innocent, Eds?" You reply, reaching down to grip his erection. He groans in your grasp, resisting the urge to bite you again.

"I guess you're right. You've been surprising me again and again the last couple days. But have you...gone all the way, Y/N?" You can't help giggling at his phrasing, it sounds a bit childish.

"You really wanna know?" You tease, palming him harder and rougher than before. You look deep into his eyes, eating up the little moans he's emitting just for you. He just nods, unable to form words. "Yes, I have."

"Who with?" He pushes the question out.

"Is this really that important to you? Trying to see who you're competing with?" You chuckle, unable to help rolling your eyes.

"Maybe a little. You just always blush like crazy at my dirty jokes, so I assumed..."

"That I'm a virgin?" You finish the sentence for him. He affirms your statement, and you just shake your head. "Did it ever occur to you that I blushed like that because it was you telling the jokes? Ya know, because I'm head over heels for you?"

"Well, it does now." He says with a bashful laugh. "But you didn't answer my question." He finds his cool once more, lowering his own hand to undo the button of your shorts. He slides your zipper down its track, and slips his hand inside your panties. His fingers brush against your slick folds, making you moan loudly. "God, you're absolutely soaked, sweetheart." He's just about to push two digits into your pussy, when he stills his movements entirely. "Tell me who, Y/N." He says darkly, giving your clit half-flicks to drive you wild.

"There's been a couple." You say, hoping that's enough for him. But you can already see that it isn't.

"I'm not gonna judge you, princess. I just wanna know." He politely insists. You can see where he's going, he'll reward you if you do as he asks.

"Alright, since you asked nicely. My first...was Steve Harrington." You admit, as embarrassing as it is.

"King Steve, huh? And when was this?" Eddie puts his fingers inside you finally, curving them slowly to press on your g spot.

"Fuck. It was a little while after he broke up with Nancy Wheeler. We were drunk at a party." It's insane how easily he's able to draw the words out of you. But looking into his lust-filled eyes makes it impossible not to obey him.

"How was it, angel?" He continues.

"Well, it was pretty clumsy since we were wasted. And let's just say he didn't last very long." You say with a giggle, recalling how you barely got anywhere without Steve blowing his load.

"He didn't make you cum?" He laughs, this little game is very amusing for him. The confessions he's pulling from you, along with your hands working his belt open are turning him on immensely. You open up his own shorts, reaching inside his boxers to jerk him off in your hand. "Shit, Y/N."

"Not. Even. Close. No fingers, no tongue, just a few pumps of his cock and that was all she wrote. I pity Nancy, if anything." You reply, gasping as Eddie's pace increases. You stroke his dick a little faster in response.

"Well, sounds like I've already got one up on Harrington after last night." Your breath fans in each other's faces, hearts beating rapidly as you get each other off with your hands.

"You certainly do, and you'll have another one if you go faster." You whimper, feeling a knot balling up inside you, just waiting to release.

"Anything for you, baby." He pounds his fingers into your cunt, wet noises filling the room along with your moans. You hold onto his shoulder to keep yourself from falling over. And you jerk him off even faster, wanting him to lose it with you. "Who else? Please tell me." He almost begs, finding himself nearing the edge.

"Jason Carver, a little bit before he got with Chrissy. Another drunken mistake." You answer, and his eyes tell you he wants more details. It's so strange, you didn't think Eddie would ever want to hear about the guys that came before him. But you assume he wants to be better than them, and it won't take much if you're being honest. "He was very similar to Steve, only more aggressive. He didn't even kiss me."

"That's terrible, sweetheart. Sounds like you have a habit of collecting the popular boys, though." Eddie can't help feeling a little jealous, even though these other young men didn't perform very well. He brings his lips to your neck again, wanting to bring you down with him as his high quickly approaches.

"It's called having low self-esteem, Eds. The popular kid gives you the time of day, and it makes you feel special. I've learned that it's far from worth it, though." You reply through a whimper. "You're so much better than they are, and it's not just because you actually know what you're doing." You speak against his ear, fueling his fire.

"Was there anyone else?" He asks as his stomach tenses.

"A couple, I don't remember their names. Those were a little better, they tried at least. But I still didn't cum." You say breathily, your walls fluttering around Eddie's fingers. "I'm about to right now, though. Fuck- Eddie!" You cry out, your legs trembling as you cum hard around his hand. Your mouth falls open and your eyebrows scrunch as you moan so loud.

"Y/N." Eddie groans, staring at your fuck-struck face as his load spills onto your hollowed fist. He falls forward against you slightly, clumsily kissing you as your orgasms run their course. Your hands go still in each other's shorts, before you pull away entirely. Eddie leans against the wall beside you, bringing his sticky fingers up to his lips to taste you. He moans at the taste, so musky and sweet. "You're so delicious, sweetheart." He says as his chest heaves to pull air into his lungs.

You decide to taste him too, it's so hot to see him swallow your cum like that. You lick the sticky white fluid off of your hand, keeping your eyes glued to his the whole time. He's the perfect balance between sweet and salty, the flavor makes your eyes roll to the back of your head. "So are you, Eds." You reply once you clean up every last drop.

"Do you want more, angel? Or are you tapped out for the time being?" Eddie asks sweetly, noting the tired expression on your face. He strokes your arm lightly, gazing at you for an answer.

"I think I might be, it was very...intense." You say with a smile, leaning in to give him a gentle kiss. "But we've got all day, and I'm guessing the others are counting down the minutes until we get back."

"Okay, sweetheart. I'll let you get cleaned up, and I'll meet you right outside." He zips up his jeans, sliding the belt back into place. He checks to make sure he's safe to leave and take his own shower, and there's no one to be found. He slips out the door, it slams lightly on its hinges once he's gone.

You slowly strip off your clothes, still reeling from Eddie fingering you while asking you about who you've slept with. You wouldn't have expected something like that to be so sexy, but doing it with him blew your mind to smithereens. You set the clothes on the shelf, twisting the shower knob to start the water. The temperature is nice and warm, and you sigh in satisfaction as the water soaks your hair and skin. You wash away all the sweat and cum from the last twelve hours, becoming fresh and new again.

You're not sure how long you've been in here, probably too long to not raise further questions from the others. You mentally curse your inability to resist Eddie's charms, rushing to rinse off your soap and shampoo so you can hurry back. You shut the water off, drying your body with your towel. You change into your swimsuit, a matching bandeau top and bikini brief set in a gorgeous deep purple. You've never shown so much skin before, especially not to Eddie and your friends. You put on an almost-sheer black cover-up on top of it, you don't want to give away the surprise just yet. The thin fabric barely reaches your thighs, and you close up the button to hide your body away.

You slip your flip-flops back on, gathering your belongings to rejoin Eddie who's waiting outside for you. He's having another smoke, flicking the ash into the grass. He catches your eye, looking you up and down. "Damn, sweetheart. You look like you're ready for the beach." He says with a smirk, offering you a cigarette. His hair is tied up again, dripping water onto the back of his shirt. You notice he's changed into his trunks, which are a simple solid black that go halfway down his thighs. The drawstrings are tied into a neat bow, holding them securely on his hips.

"I most certainly am." You gladly accept his offer, letting him light the cig for you.

"I can't wait to see what you've got on under there." He says, attempting to peek down the front of your cover-up. You hold the fabric tight to your chest, pushing a hand against his face.

"You'll see soon enough, don't ruin the surprise!" You exclaim, giggling like a schoolgirl.

"Ooh, did you wear it just for me, angel?" He asks as he backs off. He looks at you, watching your cheeks heat up and your eyes dart away.

"I may have bought it to try and seduce you." You say sheepishly, taking a long drag of your cigarette. It's kind of embarrassing when you say it out loud.

"Well, I may not know what it looks like just yet, but I can guarantee it would've worked." He whispers as you approach your campsite once again. "Is everyone ready for the beach?" Eddie addresses the others, once again pretending like nothing happened. It's strange how easy it is for him to switch back and forth like that, but you don't mind it.

"Yeah!" The others cheer in unison. You put your toiletries away and retrieve your book, sunglasses, and beach blanket. You put the glasses over your eyes, carrying a cooler full of drinks in your other hand. Everyone else is carrying towels, snacks, beach balls, and a boombox in their hands. You and Eddie lead the way to the lake, which is a little farther away than you expect. But once you reach it, you can't help but gasp at the beauty before you.

"Holy shit." You say as you take in the scene. The lake is huge, and there's surprisingly no one else around. The water is clear as glass, just like Eddie said it would be, and those colorful rocks really pop as the sun shines down on the wide open space. On the other side of the lake is a thick treeline, with a family of deer drinking from the crystalline waters. Birds fly overhead, cawing their mating calls and swirling in playful circles. You set down your blanket a good twenty feet from the water, laying it on the silky smooth rocks underfoot. You lay on your stomach, opening your book to the earmarked page you left off on.

Eddie puts his stuff next to you, giving you a wink before taking off his sandals. He pulls out his ponytail, slipping the hair tie on his wrist. And then he pulls his shirt over his head, revealing his bare torso to you. You stare up at him as his arms raise above his head, eating up every inch of skin that comes into view. His tattoos are on full display, and you can't resist licking your lips when you see the trail of hair that runs from his chest all the way down until it disappears inside his swim trunks. "See something you like, baby?" He asks, a knowing smile playing on his face. Before you can answer, he runs like the wind into the water. He forces his legs through the resisting surface, until he eventually falls forward into the transparent depths. He pops his head out a moment later, flipping his hair backwards. He catches your eye, standing with the surface of the water resting at his shoulders.

"You comin' in, Y/N?" Dustin asks from the little cluster of towels he formed with Mike and the others. Gareth sets the boombox on a large rock near their spot, pushing play on one of Eddie's mixtapes. "Start Me Up" by The Rolling Stones begins to play, and Gareth turns the volume up.

"In a bit, I just want to read for a while first." You shout, yanking your eyes away from the direction of the water.

"Okay!" He calls back over the music, and the rest of the boys strip off their shirts and shoes to join your leader in the lake. They immediately start roughhousing, splashing around and doing handstands. You giggle at their antics, trying to focus on your novel for a bit. You open the cooler you brought with you, pulling out a beer. You crack it open, and take a nice long drink from it. It's icy cold, which is perfect with the sun beating down on you the way it is. You get through a few chapters of your book without being disturbed, but it doesn't take long for the guys to try to coax you into the water with them.

"C'mon, Y/N! Stop being boring and get in here!" Jeff calls with his hands around his mouth to increase volume.

"The water feels great!" Alex chimes in.

"Don't make us have to come get you, sweetheart!" Eddie shouts, giving you a devilish grin. Your eyes widen beneath your sunglasses. You know perfectly well that they can and will gang up on you to toss you into the lake.

You sigh, marking your place and setting down your book. "Fine! I'm coming!" You yell, standing to remove your cover-up. Just as you're on your own two feet, "Moving in Stereo" by The Cars kicks on. Time seems to slow down, like you're having your very own Phoebe Cates moment. You slide out of your flip-flops, and toss your sunglasses away without a care. You reach for the button of the black garment that's been hiding you away, pushing it through the hole. The fabric parts like the red sea, and you slip it off your shoulders. The thin material pools on your blanket, and your sexy bikini is fully exposed. All the boys are staring at you, eyes going wide as saucers when they see how gorgeous you look.

"Woah." They say in unison, and you can't help taking it as a massive compliment. You smile innocently, and start to dash towards the water. It's cold when it hits your toes, but you don't react at all. You just keep going, running as far as you can until the resistance takes you down the same as it did to the others. You let the cool water surround you for a moment, slowly turning your body around to pop out to the surface. You gasp in a deep breath of air once you breach, flipping your hair back like models do.

"Fuck, that’s cold!" You exclaim, making everyone laugh. Eddie drifts over to you, calmly kicking his feet below the surface. His arm brushes against your ass, making you whip around to look at him.

"Hey there, princess. Lookin' good." He says smoothly, flitting away like a waterbug as soon as the words leave his lips. You blush at his compliment, and you decide to swim in the opposite direction. You have no destination in mind, you just want to enjoy the water. When you stand up straight, the water goes up to your neck, but you can see all the way down. Beautiful stones lie beneath your feet, in bright blues and reds and greens. It's like you're swimming in a giant fishbowl, a little guppy flapping your fins to pass the time. You notice Eddie circling you, almost like a shark. He gets closer and closer with every rotation, his eyes glued to your form the whole time. He even dips his head under to get a better look at you, admiring every curve of your body. The rounds of your ass, and the swells of your tits. Your beautiful legs that he wants to spread so desperately.

You're surprised no one seems to be watching you two, glancing cautiously to find the other boys playing Marco Polo. He comes up behind you again, wrapping his arms around your waist. "Hey there, handsome." You greet him, pushing your ass against him slightly.

"You havin' fun, angel?" He asks lowly in your ear, barely concealing a groan from you backing into him. Despite the coldness of the water, Eddie found himself getting unbearably hard the second he saw how perfect you look in your swimsuit.

"Yes, the water feels amazing." You sigh, letting him pull you a little closer. His chest meets your back, and you can feel his stiff cock poking into you. "Is that a fish in your shorts, or are you just happy to see me?" You ask in a cheesy tone. Small chuckles leave your mouths at the poor joke.

"Oh, I'm very happy to see you, sweetheart. You're so fuckin' pretty in this, baby." Eddie says while feeling you up to emphasize his point. "Although, I have a feeling you look even better out of it." You moan quietly, savoring the feeling of his large hands wandering all over you.

"You're very sexy too, Eds. You look so good without your shirt on. Your tattoos are so hot, I just want to trace them all with my tongue." Your eyes slip closed for a moment, and you can't help letting your head fall back against his shoulder.

"You're lucky I'm keeping a lookout, darling. Gonna get us caught when you do that." He nibbles your earlobe, and squeezes your tits through your top. He's doing everything he can to make you melt, and it's definitely working. The sensations he's giving you are amplified immensely as the heat from your body clashes with the frigid waters surrounding you.

"Sorry, I'm just really enjoying what you're doing to me." You practically whine at him, which only revs him up further.

"So am I, Y/N." He replies, before pulling away from you when he senses someone about to look in your direction. You open your eyes again, fighting off a frown at the loss of Eddie's touch.

"What are you guys up to over there?" Mike asks, raising an eyebrow as he swore he saw you and Eddie getting real cozy a second ago.

"Nothing. Just talking." You lie, swimming over to join the rest of the group.

"Oh, okay. Well, we’re gonna start some chicken fights if you guys want to play." Mike offers.

"Oh, that sounds fun! I'm pretty good, too. Eddie, you wanna hold me on your shoulders?" You ask, pouting your lips to beg.

"Of course, princess. Hop on." Eddie smiles, lowering himself in the water so you can climb onto him. You slip your legs over his shoulders, and he holds you up firmly and safely. "Alright, who's going against us first?" He asks, looking around at the others.

"How about me and Gareth?" Dustin suggests.

"Sure." Gareth replies, mimicking Eddie's position to get Dustin on top of him.

Your two teams stand across from each other in the water, waiting for Jeff to tell you when to begin. "Ready?" He asks, looking to you and then to Dustin. You both nod, staring each other down as you prepare to push the other one over. "Okay, go!" Jeff shouts, and Eddie and Gareth meet in the middle. You hold Dustin's arms, shoving him down with ease. He falls backwards, splashing loudly into the water.

"Nice job, Y/N!" Eddie cheers, his right hand leaving your leg so you can give him a high five. "Alright, who's up next?" Eddie says with glee. You're smiling giddily at his competitiveness, he can't wait to beat every last one of these knuckleheads.

"I'll go with Mike." Alex says, saddling the scrawny kid on his shoulders. You return to position, and Jeff tells you to go again. You grab Mike by the wrists, jerking them around to throw him off balance. He puts up a good fight, but he eventually slips off as he can't keep a firm grip on Alex. Another loud splash signals your second victory.

"Woo! We win again! I told you I was good." You brag, ruffling Eddie's soaked hair.

"No way, they let you win 'cuz you're a girl." Jeff insists.

"Oh, you think so? Why don't you give it a try, Jeff?" You sneer, crossing your arms defiantly.

"Bring it on! I'm not afraid to take down a chick." He says, getting onto Gareth's shoulders. Alex counts you down this time, and your teams charge forward more aggressively than before. Jeff grips your elbows first, but you quickly slip from his grasp. You take hold of his wrists, crossing his arms over one another. He tries to break free, but you refuse to let go. Eddie tightens his grip to help hold you up, he can feel you slipping backwards in your efforts. Finally, you jerk Jeff's arms upwards, which sends him flailing into the water.

"What's that again about 'letting me win'?" You ask once Jeff resurfaces. He scowls at you, but you just smile nice and wide. Suddenly, Eddie tosses you backwards into the lake. You scream as you go down, splashing hard into the water. You pop back out a moment later, coughing as you get some up your nose. "What the hell?" You shout, a little annoyed at him throwing you like that.

"Oh, relax, princess. You got three wins, I figured you'd want a dip too." Eddie replies, reeling you in to give you a hug. You stiffen at first, before relaxing into his embrace. "No hard feelings, right?" He asks as he lets you go.

"Alright. I'm still the champion though." You state plainly, taking a deep breath. You let yourself sink to the bottom of the lake for a moment. You open your eyes, admiring the pretty rocks below as you blow bubbles through your nose. Eddie mirrors you, grinning happily when he sees your face. He looks so gorgeous like this, his thick hair splaying about like a merman, the sun dancing on the water in the most magical way. He swims over to you, capturing you in his arms. He strokes your cheek with a pruney hand, and gives you a gentle kiss. It doesn't last for more than a second or two, as you can't hold your breath very long. But it's very romantic, sending your heart aflutter.

You go back up for air, wondering where Eddie went off to. You don't see him, whipping around to look all around for his mop of hair. "BOO!" Eddie shouts as he springs up right behind you. You don't know how you didn't see him coming, he must be very good at staying right on your back. You scream bloody murder when he scares you, turning around to smack him repeatedly across the chest.

"Dammit, Eddie! You asshole! You scared the shit out of me!" You yell, drawing everyone's attention in your direction. Eddie laughs hysterically, shielding himself from you splashing water at him.

"Man, I got you good, huh?" He cackles, making the others laugh too. You keep shoving water towards him, falling into your own fit of giggles.

"You're lucky I don't kick your ass, Munson!" You squeal, jumping to tackle him into the water. You both go under again, with you on top of him. His hands immediately grab your waist, and you're practically straddling him. You give him a kiss of your own, harsher and hungrier than his. You bite his bottom lip roughly, before pulling away to return to the surface. Eddie follows close behind you, swallowing air in large gulps since you caught him off guard.

"Jesus, you tryin' to drown me?" He asks jokingly.

"Not at all, Eds. Just getting even." You smirk, casually swimming away from him as this little game is over.

"You guys are laying it on a little thick today, don't you think?" Mike asks, noticing how overly playful you're being. It's not the typical 'Y/N is one of the guys' kind of play. This...is flirting.

You ignore his statement, deciding to take a break from the water. You work your way to the shore, slowly fighting against that resistance once more until you can easily jog out to your blanket. You lay down in your spot, reaching for your sunglasses to keep the light out of your eyes. You close your eyes, sighing blissfully in the warmth shining down upon you. A moment later, you feel cold water dripping onto your face. "Mind if I join you?" Eddie asks, and you see him peering at you.

"You really gotta ask?" You chuckle, patting a free spot on your blanket. He lays down beside you, sneakily taking your hand in his. It's such a simple touch, but it makes you want so much more. "Do you have any idea how badly I want you right now?" You say casually, trying to make it look like you're having a normal conversation.

"I think so...I'd bet I want you even more, though." He replies, turning his head to look at you closely. His eyes scan over the little droplets of water on your cheeks and chin, and your damp hair clinging to your head. His pupils wander down your body, memorizing every last inch of you. He lifts himself slightly to see what the kids are up to. He finds they're back to playing Marco Polo, except everyone has their eyes closed instead of just the person who is 'it'. "You wanna sneak off into the woods with me? The idiots seem to be distracted at the moment." You meet his gaze at this suggestion, finding a blazing fire of wanting there.

"I'll repeat myself. Do you really have to ask?" You quip, quickly standing up with him. You slip on your shoes, and he takes your hand as you slink away from the group. You follow the trail at first, before heading into the trees. You're both giggling like mad, finding a decent spot. It's not too far away from the trail so you won't get lost, but back behind it enough so nobody will see you. Eddie's quick to push you against the thick trunk of one of the trees, and he takes your sunglasses off before kissing you roughly. You moan against him, reaching down to stroke his dick through his wet bathing suit.

"Fuck, someone's needy." He groans, moving on to nip on your neck.

"Well, can you blame me?" You chuckle lowly. Eddie's own hands go behind your back, pulling you forward slightly to reach for the clip holding your top together.

"Can I?" He asks, somehow unsure if this is what you really want.

"Yes, please." You whine, squeezing him a little harder to egg him on. He opens the clasp, and the bikini top falls to the ground like it's nothing at all. Your tits are exposed to the air, your nipples hardening in arousal.

Eddie stares at your chest for a moment, slowly bringing his hands to cup your breasts. "You're beautiful, sweetheart." He says, in total awe of you. You whimper at the sensation of his fingers rolling your sensitive buds. "Does that feel good, angel?" He asks while watching your pretty face twist in pleasure with every move he makes.

"Yes, so fucking good. But I want more." You arch your back, reflexively trying to bring your pussy closer to his cock.

"Relax, baby. We'll get to that soon enough." Eddie coos. He presses you against the tree again with just the right amount of pressure, bending down slightly to bring his mouth to your left breast. His tongue swirls around the pebbled flesh, before biting just hard enough to make you moan.

"Eddie." You're about to ask him to stop teasing, when you notice him slowly lowering to his knees. He leaves hot, wet kisses along the way until he reaches the waistband of your bottoms. You step out of your shoes, and he grips the material with both hands to pull it down. You watch wordlessly as he exposes your cunt, kicking the little piece of fabric away.

"You ever had someone go down on you before?" He asks, lifting your right leg to rest over his shoulder. He gets a perfect view of your dripping pussy, his eyes widening in wonderment.

"No, you're my first, Eds." You say with a kind smile, caressing his cheek to show him how much this moment means to you.

"Damn, well, I hope I'm not being cocky when I say you're gonna love it." He says cheekily.

"Since it's you, I'm sure I will." You reply, eagerly waiting to feel his lips and tongue on your most sensitive areas. He nods, a light blush rising in his cheeks at your encouragement. He moves your standing leg further out slightly, and then he brings his face in front of your core. His breath fans against it, making you shiver. He finally puts his mouth on you, licking quick circles around your clit. "Oh my god!" You cry out, you've never felt anything like this before. His mouth is so warm, and his tongue works at the perfect speed. He paints long stripes from your bundle of nerves to your entrance, occasionally dipping inside to stroke your g spot. "I know I don't have anything to compare it to, but you're really good at this."

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, baby." Eddie says briefly before continuing his work. Your hands tangle in his hair, holding him as close to you as humanly possible. Your hips repeatedly buck against him, and you use the tree trunk as leverage to keep from falling over. You can feel your orgasm building up fast, it seems Eddie's very talented at giving head.

"Your tongue is so fuckin' good, Eds. Keep going, you're gonna make me cum." As soon as the words leave your mouth, Eddie pushes two fingers into your pussy to work in tandem with his tongue swirling figure eights around your clit. Your grip tightens on his head, and your nails dig into his scalp. He groans against you at the sting, sending overwhelming vibrations through your lower half. "God, do that again." You plead, and he happily obeys you.

"Mmm." He moans into your folds, louder and rougher than before. Your pelvis jolts at the sensation. He does it again. And again. His cock strains harder in his trunks at the sounds he pulls from you each time. You're just on the precipice, all you need is one more. He anticipates your needs, humming stronger than ever before. That, paired with his digits hitting your sweet spot as his mouth sucks onto your clit, sends you flying over the edge.

"Eddie!" You cry out, letting go of his head to grab helplessly at the tree you're leaning against. He holds your legs steady so you don't fall over, squeezing slightly as your thighs shake. Waves of bliss have overtaken you, and your eyes meet his while you ride out your high. He swallows every last drop of your cum that he can, a dribble of it running down his chin. He drinks in all the fucked-out expressions that cross your face, committing them to memory.

Eddie slowly stands up once your body relaxes, and he kisses you deeply. You moan at the taste of yourself on his lips, holding him as close as you can. "You did so well, sweetheart. And you taste amazing, I could do that all day." He praises once he breaks away.

"I'll have to take you up on that offer sometime." You reply with a smile. "But right now...it's your turn." You carefully spin the two of you around, so Eddie's back is against the tree now. You give him another kiss, letting your hands caress his bare chest. Your mouth moves on to his neck, nipping ever so slightly on his flesh.

"Y/N." He groans at the sensation, his eyes rolling shut. You begin to travel downwards, littering his chest with more kisses and light bites that won't leave a mark. You do as you said you wanted to earlier, tracing the outline of his tattoos with your tongue. First the spider, then the demon-zombie thing, and then you gingerly take his right arm in your hands. The wet muscle in your mouth drags along the wyvern, and the puppet master, ending with all the little bats on his forearm. He makes the sweetest whimpers and moans as you work, forcing his eyes open to observe you worshiping him.

"I love how much noise you make, Eds. It’s really hot." You know it's kind of a thing that most men don't like to make any sound at all, short of the occasional grunt. But to hear this man in particular allow himself to vocally express his pleasure feels so intimate and special. You've learned time and again that Eddie is no ordinary man, and this instance serves as further evidence of that fact.

"It's all for you, angel." He breathes heavily, waiting for you to make your next move. You get onto your knees, leaves and sticks pressing into them. You plant more whispering kisses on his stomach, even going so far as to dip your tongue into his navel. He moans again, making you grin. Your hands reach for the drawstrings of his trunks, quickly undoing the perfect knot he tied earlier. The thin strings lay limp now, and you grip the sides of the fabric to pull the shorts down his legs. His dick springs free, slapping against his stomach. Eddie kicks the shorts away once they reach his ankles, and you place one hand on his thigh while taking hold of his length in the other. "Fuck." He grips the tree behind him as best he can, waiting for you to take him in your mouth.

You stroke him lightly, taking a moment to admire the shape of him. He's certainly larger than the others (though it doesn't take much to achieve that), a bit thicker too. He feels so velvety soft in your hand, and you like how he has a slight upward curve. "Your dick is really pretty, Eddie." You observe out loud, drawing a laugh from him.

"Well, that's the first time I've heard that before." He chuckles, looking down at you curiously.

"Is that weird to say?" You ask, feeling your cheeks heat up at the idea of ruining the mood.

"Not at all, princess. It's just...different. But that's what I admire about you. And I appreciate any compliment coming from you, especially about that. Believe it or not, I may have a bit of an ego." He jokes, giving you a kind glance.

"No shit!" You laugh, your embarrassment melting away at his reassuring words. You stop messing around, you're sure Eddie finds your snail's pace a bit torturous at this point. You focus on the task at hand, starting with little swirling licks around his tip.

"Fuck, Y/N. More...please." He begs, needing to feel your hot, wet mouth around him. You grant his request, taking as much of him as you can. You continue to stroke what doesn't fit with your hand, twisting just right while you bob your head back and forth. "Feels so good, baby." He says through a moan, watching his inches disappear behind your pretty lips. He resists the urge to hold your head down to fuck your face, enjoying every lick and bit of suction you're giving him. "I'm not sure how much experience you have, but you're very good at this, sweetheart."

You slip off of him a moment, quickening the pace of your hand to hold him over. Your palm spreads your saliva back and forth while you speak. "Oh, you know how guys are. They love having their cock sucked, it's practically all they talk about." He raises an eyebrow at you, almost offended. "Not you, obviously. But you know what I mean. So I've got a few blowjobs under my belt, and...maybe I practiced on various objects so I could do this...for you." You avert your gaze again, unable to believe you just admitted to such a thing.

"All that effort, just for me?" He asks, like it's the most impossible thing he's ever heard. For you to go to such lengths to please him, he can't help loving you even more than he did previously.

"Of course, Eddie. Because you're worth it." You state matter-of-factly, bringing this conversation to a close by returning your mouth to his dick. You push yourself to fit him all in, gagging slightly when he hits the back of your throat.

"Fucking christ." Eddie mutters. The back of his head thumps against the tree as you continue to gag on him. Your eyes are watering, and you force yourself to breathe through your nose. You want to do everything you can to make the man whimpering above you lose control, to taste his cum spilling into your mouth. "Keep going if you can, baby. I'm getting really close. Such a good girl for me." Eddie pants, reaching down to stroke your hair without forcing you to choke on him. It's a gentle touch, only intended to provide encouragement and praise. His words and sounds and caring hand are making you so wet. Your arousal drips onto the ground below you, forming the tiniest of puddles in the dirt.

"Mmm." You moan around his cock, your insides aching to invite him in. His hips buck forwards at the vibrations, choking you slightly. You look up at him as his stomach begins to tense. He's got one hand in your hair, the other extended as far up the tree as he can reach. His fingers claw helplessly at the bark, and the look on his face is priceless. His brow is furrowed, his eyes screwed shut. But his mouth sits open just enough to let out what you can only describe as beautifully vulgar music. Various curses and expressions of your name make up the lyrics, and if it weren't for his inevitable release, you'd want to hear it for the rest of your days.

"Y/N, I'm gonna...fuck!" He grunts, interrupted within his own thoughts by overwhelming pleasure. His toes curl against the natural debris on the ground, and his knees threaten to give out. He bucks into you once, twice, three times while his load flows down your esophagus. You keep yourself from panicking from the sensation, breathing heavily through your nostrils as you brush against his mound of hair. You swallow every last drop of him, slowly pulling yourself off his length when Eddie's hands fall limply at his sides. You gulp in a few breaths, and gradually get off your knees. They've got indentations from the rocks and sticks you were kneeling on, but you don't mind one bit. Once you're level with him, Eddie pulls you in real close to give you a thankful kiss. "You were amazing, darling." He says with a satisfied smirk.

"Thank you." You blush, failing to swallow a pleased giggle. His arms rest around your lower back, just above your ass. Your own are sitting on his shoulders, and you're both just standing naked in the woods. Bodies pressed together, smiling and sharing more kisses. You stay like this for a while, until you feel Eddie's dick poking into your stomach as he's grown hard again. You bite your lip, a devious look in your eye as you speak nice and low when you pull away from another kiss. "I want you inside me, Eds." You slip your hand between your sandwiched bodies, taking hold of him and dragging his tip along your folds.

"You don't have to tell me twice, sweetheart." Eddie replies in a husky tone, his eyes dilating with lust to match your own. He doesn't move for a moment, savoring the feeling of your soaked pussy lubing him up. His eyes flutter shut, face falling forward. You let out muted moans as his head brushes your clit, it feels so fucking good. But you know this teasing will only push you both further into neediness. He stops your movements, and rotates the pair of you again. He holds his cock in his hand, bending down slightly so he can angle himself into you. "You ready, princess?" He asks, pressing his tip at your entrance while looking to you for confirmation.

"Yes, baby." You reply, barely above a whisper. Without a moment's hesitation, Eddie pushes his length into your velvet walls. You both groan loudly at the sensation. He fills you up perfectly, and your pussy hugs him so deliciously. He takes his time before bottoming out. "You're so big, Eddie." You whine, needing a moment to adjust.

"And your pussy is so tight, Y/N." He murmurs, lifting your legs to wrap around his waist before standing fully upright. His hands hold the bottoms of your thighs, and you instinctively put your arms around him to hold on. You clench around him involuntarily at his movements, making him gasp. "Fuck, you're so wet for me."

"Just for you, baby. You can start moving now." You give him the go ahead now that you've relaxed. He slowly pulls out, before slipping back in easily. He slides against your g spot, and you want him to do it again. "More. I need you, Eds." You beg, digging your heels into his back to bring him closer, if that's even possible. He repeats the action, except he hits your sweet spot harder when he thrusts back in. "Just like that, oh, god. Feels so good." You're making the most pathetic noises you've ever uttered, and of course it's Eddie that is the only one who can pull them from you.

He listens intently to everything you say, maintaining the same speed and force behind his thrusts to meet your expectations. "Who makes you feel this good, angel?" Eddie inquires darkly, his eyes trained on your desperate face.

"You do." You reply, unsure where he's going with this. It's sexy as hell regardless. A knot begins to form within you, growing larger and tighter with every slam of Eddie's dick into your cunt.

"And I'm better than all the other guys?" He asks, though it doesn't come out like a question. More so like a fact, one he wants you to agree with over anything else. His eyes burn intensely into you, expecting an answer as his pace kicks up a notch.

You meet his gaze as fully and honestly as possible, wanting to show him how right he is in his statement. "Yes. You're better than Steve, and Jason, and everyone else. None of them compare to you. Fuck me harder, Eddie. Show me just how much better you are." You moan at all the right words to set him off, and he unleashes the inner beast on you. He hammers his cock upwards into you, the sound of your soaked pussy and the slapping of skin mingling with your grunts and whines. Your tits bounce at the force, making Eddie's eyes boggle. "Yes, just like that, baby." The knot is tangling more and more, gearing up for a monumental snap.

"That's right, sweetheart. I'm the best you've ever had. Got you begging me to pound into this pretty pussy of yours, taking my cock so well like a good girl. I never wanna hear those other names again, Y/N. Only mine, because you're mine." He almost growls as he spouts off the filthiest things you've ever heard. He's claiming you as his, and you have every intention of allowing him to do so any way he pleases.

"All yours." You moan in response, getting closer and closer to an unbelievable climax. The bark of the tree is scratching roughly against your skin, you're sure to have marks on your back once you're finished. But you don't care about your friends finding out anymore. You want to scream your love for Eddie from the mountaintops at this point, telling the world who you belong to. "I'm so close, Eds. Make me cum, I want you to feel it. I want you to see just how fuckin' amazing you are." You plead while holding his stare, so he knows you mean every word with the utmost sincerity.

Eddie eats up all of your confessions with enthusiasm. To hear you match his vulgarity is almost enough to make him lose it right here and now. He could listen to you say X-rated things all damn day, they sound like pure poetry coming from your lips. His rhythm is getting sloppy as he nears the end with you, and the obscene amount of sweat coating your bodies is making it difficult to keep a good grip on each other. "God, I love it when you talk dirty. I'm right there with you, angel. Do you want me to cum inside you? I'd really love to fill you up, and watch my load drip back out of you once we're done."

"Yes, please. That sounds perfect." You reply, digging your nails into what you can reach of Eddie's slick flesh. He groans at the pleasurable sting, and presses his lips to yours as he picks up speed. He's drilling into you, the rough edges of the treebark on your back cutting deeper, drawing blood. You can't be bothered to care, as the knot in your belly finally splinters into a million little threads through your body. You break away from his kiss, gasping as you hit your peak. "Eddie!" You scream, feeling yourself clamping down on Eddie's cock. You're overwhelmed with absolute bliss, it ricochets through you ruthlessly. Your eyes fall shut, your mouth hanging open as you let out pitiful noises through your orgasm.

"Shit, Y/N. I'm gonna cum. Gonna fill your beautiful pussy up so well. Then I'll clean you up with my tongue, taste how good we are together. I'll let you taste it too- FUCK!" He shouts, his pelvis rutting upwards while he paints your insides just like you asked him to. He holds on to your shaking thighs as firmly as he can, one wrong move and you'll both tumble to the ground. His expression twists into the same one from his blowjob earlier, completely helpless for a few moments as you ride out your highs together. You're left breathing heavily in each other's faces, hot and humid. Your hearts pound in your chests, you can feel them exchanging rapid ba-thumps through your ribs.

Eddie pulls out, and sets you down gently. You can already feel your mixed release oozing out of your cunt. He gets on his knees again, his hands gripping your thighs to keep your legs spread apart. He watches as a milky white drip falls from your soaked hole to the ground below. He doesn't want to waste anymore of the sweet nectar, so he brings his starving mouth to your folds. His tongue dips inside you, scooping out as much of your cum as he can into his mouth. He moans at the taste, sending a shock to your core. "Fuck, baby." You whimper, still feeling the aftermath of your high which leaves you overly sensitive. He gathers as much of the sticky substance as he can muster, swallowing some, and holding the rest to give to you.

"Open." He says with his mouth half-full as he stands up straight. You do as he says, and he gives you another kiss to effectively transfer the fluid to your taste buds. It's so sweet, with just a tinge of saltiness. You swallow every last drop he gives to you, moaning at the flavor, and how debauched this act is.

"Damn, we taste good." You comment, sharing a light chuckle. Eddie backs up from you to redress, and it's here that the sting of the scratches all over your back starts to get to you. "Ouch." You whimper, trying to turn around to get a glimpse of the damage.

"Oh my god!" Eddie exclaims when he sees the cuts and scrapes all over your delicate skin. He holds your sides to inspect you further, shaking his head. "Baby, I'm so sorry. I didn't wanna hurt you." Remorse laces his voice, but you whip around to reassure him that it's not his fault.

"Eds, it's fine. It can't be that bad, just needs some bactine and bandages, right?" You say sweetly, smiling to cover up for how sore the bloodied scribbles are.

"I suppose...but they guys are definitely gonna know I fucked your brains out now." He jokes, making you giggle.

"I don't care about that anymore." You say simply, taking hold of his hand for a second while you bask in your naked afterglow.

His eyes widen, unable to believe you actually said that. "Really?"

"Really, Eds. We were gonna tell them anyway, and I'm sure they'll be happy for us."

"I'm so glad you said that, sweetheart. I know it's been fun to sneak around, but it's also kinda stressful." He chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"It really is. Look, let's get dressed and go back to the lake. We can face them and confirm their suspicions. Sound good?" You offer, bending down to pick up the individual pieces of your bikini.

"Sounds great, Y/N.'' He replies, retrieving his swim trunks. He slips them on easily, giving time for him to help you with the clasp on your top.

Once you're dressed, you slip into your shoes and make the trip back to your group. You find them all sitting on their cluster of towels and blankets, waiting for you. "Well, look who it is! The lovebirds have returned after abandoning the party!" Gareth says snarkily, but you and Eddie just smile like dopes at his jabs.

"And don't even try to make up some lame excuse. You guys were gone way too long for any bullshit you're about to say." Jeff adds, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

"Alright, alright! You caught us! We've been sneaking around the last couple days, but only because you guys don't know when to shut the fuck up!" You explain, squeezing Eddie's hand that you've been holding this whole time.

"But if you must know, we're hopelessly, disgustingly in love." Eddie says, fighting off a maddening blush creeping up his cheeks.

"Hell yeah!" Dustin cheers, coming over to give you both a hug. The others join in, crowding your sweaty bodies in a large huddle.

"Okay, okay. Careful, Y/N's got a ton of scratches on her back." Eddie warns when you wince at multiple hands meeting your scraped flesh.

"The hell did you do to her, Munson?" Alex asks, quirking and eyebrow at Eddie.

"He did a lot of things, but this is from a tree...that I may have been pressed up against." You admit, your own cheeks going rosy to match your boyfriend's.

"Oh, ew! I don't wanna hear about that!" Mike says, plugging his ears and making obnoxious noises to block out any further comments.

"Okay, I think we've said enough. Let's go back to camp. We can have lunch, and I'll help Y/N with her injuries." Eddie announces the plan, and everyone gathers up their belongings to go back down the trail to the campsite.

"We're really happy for you guys, by the way." Dustin adds as you walk together in a clump, yours and Eddie's hands still entwined. The others add various expressions of agreement, all of which make your heart soar. To have the overwhelming approval of your friends is so sweet, and you appreciate everyone being so cool about it now. You look over at Eddie, finding his doeish eyes gazing back at you.

"I love you, Eds." You say quietly, smiling harder than you think you've ever done before.

"I love you too, princess." Eddie replies, leaning over to give you a light kiss as you keep walking. Your friends make exaggerated kissy noises with their mouths, flapping their tongues lewdly. But you just laugh it off, their teasing can't bother you anymore. Because you know it's done with love, and that this moment can't be spoiled by any amount of jokes or comments. As long as you have Eddie, nothing else matters.

The end.

[fishnapple]

Food & eating habit - Moon& 2H

The weather is getting colder, it makes me want to talk about food. Since the Moon represents what nourishment we crave and the 2nd house is related to the physical body, the 5 senses, it's easy to find the link between the Moon, the 2nd house and our preference regarding food.

In my observation, the Moon shows the kind of food that you like (what), the 2nd house shows the way we like our food prepared (how).

Disclaimer: all the observations below are from my own subjective experiences, which can be affected by differences between cultures.

Moon in Aries/ in 1st house/ aspecting Mars: like dishes that have strong flavours (if it's fruit, it should be really sweet, really sour or both), a good amount of meat, don't really like carb, fast food, street food, snacks, can eat the same dish repeatedly without getting bored, might not fully understand the word "moderation" when it comes to their favourite dish or drink, loyal to their favourites (like the same thing since childhood), hot, crisp, crunchy

Moon in Taurus/ in 2nd house/ aspecting Venus: foodie, carb (all kinds of breads, noodles), dairy products, rich but pure or simple flavours and ingredients, oddly enough but they like bitter taste and aromatic scent of herbs, natural pleasant smell and colour (colours with artificial feel like blue, black in food is a turn-off), food served in large quantity, make sure that everybody is well-fed, they might be thrifty in other departments but would absolutely splurge on food, loyal to their favourites, hot or warm, freshly cooked, jelly/gummy/glutinous, springy, smooth

Moon in Gemini/ in 3rd house/ aspecting Mercury: they are not very picky about food, open to try all kinds of food, get fulled easily, snacks, like drinking (tea, beer, alcohol etc), attracted to things that have "assorted flavours" on the label, like colourful and cute stuffs, don't like flavours that are too strong or dishes that are too smelly, don't place too much importance on nutritional value of food (wholesome home cooked meals are nice, but they can stuff their belly with junk foods just fine), can be oblivious to their eating schedule, don't like hot dishes, small bites or small portions, all kinds of interesting textures

Moon in Cancer/ in 4th house: like home cooked meals, dairy products, also like drinking beverages similar to Moon in Gemini (can have high alcohol tolerance), noodles, stew and soup, porridge, sea food, can be quite picky, sensitive stomach, loyal to their favourite restaurants and dishes (to a stubborn degree), dishes that remind them of childhood or their childhood favourite dishes will have a special place in their heart, hot or at least warm, soft/airy texture or the opposite, hard/chewy texture

Moon in Leo/ in 5th house/ aspecting Sun: not too picky but they have a certain standard, the atmosphere around them when they are eating is very important (the food, the place, hygiene, manner etc), could naturally have a preference for expensive food, but they also like foods that are interesting (presentation, smell, texture), prefer meat over carb, like snacks and junk foods but with moderation, like nutty flavours, their eating habits and preference might stay the same since they were kids, like to play and experiment, warm and sumptuous meals, crisp, dislike oily dishes, ingredients in a dish should be distinguishable

Moon in Virgo/ in 6th house/ aspecting Mercury: they are picky and selective about their food, either by conscious choice or by natural, their body doesn't tolerate "unhealthy" foods, foods that have negative impacts on their body, could manifest as allergies, if the dishes are not well prepared and safe by their standards, even though they are their favourites, they won't eat them, many are vegetarians, get fulled easily, don't like hot dishes, ingredients should be cut into small pieces, pay attention to the colours of the ingredients (are they fresh or not, were they cooked right or not)

Moon in Libra/ in 7th house/ aspecting Venus: another picky eater, I find them to be even pickier than Virgo moon, and the reason for them not eating something is sometimes not because of health reason but because of aesthetic reason, they don't like food that make them uncomfortable and messy (make them sweat, make them cold, smell too strong, stick to their teeth, dirty their hands etc), can get nauseous by smells easily, sweet tooth, love carb, dislike fatty and oily dishes, like fancy and expensive food, know a lot of good restaurants, good table manner, master utensil user, fussy about the presentation of the dishes

Moon in Scorpio/ in 8th house/ aspecting Pluto: similar to moon in Aries, they like meat, can eat raw meat (sushi), raw food, seafood, they also like drinking all kind of beverages, prefer food and drink with strong flavours, sometimes extreme (salty, sour, bitter, sweet etc), binge eating their favourites, can lean into over-indulgence and excess but can also have great self-control, don't shy away from foreign, exotic dishes, like rich colours in food, sparkling, chewy, crunchy, super cold or super hot food

Moon in Sagittarius/ in 9th house/ aspecting Jupiter: fast eater, like to experiment with food, easy-going with their choices, like to try various kind of dishes, they want to try trendy dishes they heard about, but they don't like to spend too much money on food, they don't place too much importance on food but rather the experience associated with it, travel food diary, like street food, can binge eating their favourites

Moon in Capricorn/ in 10th house/ aspecting Saturn: slow eater, sensitive stomach, food allergies, sometimes they don't seem to enjoy food or the act of eating, don't like to waste food, even if they crave something, they won't binge eating it, restrained, don't like messy food, like seafood, like bite-size dishes, like to snack, like going out to eat but mostly for the opportunities to hang out with people, likely will go to places with good reviews and popular, good etiquette

Moon in Aquarius/ in 11th house/ aspecting Uranus: the most easy-going people when it comes to food, they try everything, doesn't decline food offers and tend to be the one finishes last at a meal because they don't want to waste food, they like to try those popular places with high reviews but doesn't discriminate cheap or expensive restaurants, love food tours, hang out with groups of friends to eat, good at using various types of utensils, like fresh, chewy texture

Moon in Pisces/ in 12th house/ aspecting Neptune: can be pretty stubborn about their preferences, if they like certain places or certain way of cooking, they will stick to those and don't want to try new things (probably because of their sensitive stomach), like eating with groups of friends, light eaters, like tea and coffee in general, high alcohol tolerance but don't drink excessively, don't really like sweets, have strong principles or moral code concerning food

[osakanone]

Adult social skills 101, because the world broke our ability to understand eachother offline:

Belonging is familiarity and acceptance.

You build it by showing up. You can't be familiar to people you don't know. You can never belong any place you don't go. You have to try.

Familiarity is that people become accustomed to eachother.

Over time, people will learn of you, as you do them. People will anticipate your presence, and regret your absence. Creating familiarity means consistent presence.

Acceptance is not free affirmation (that's empty or false affirmation) but an absence of disapproval and the construction of trust of the intrinsic parts of you in a way which is fair

The intrinsic is that which you have no choice or say in The trust is in knowing your intentions and outcomes may not be aligned, but that you are sincerely trying your best Fairness is evaluated with insight You develop insight by feeling about yourself, not just thinking. Over-intellectualization wil rob you of emotional insight. Be mindful of that.

"But where do I go?"

The third places where people connected over hobbies or interests were swallowed up by real-estate prices -- and the internet which let you do a half-assed version of it for free.

The real answer is you need to be less efficient: You need to agree to meet people in physical locations, and to do so safely.

You need to be prepared to be around people who aren't products for your consumption, who have their own problems and might not be like you at all. Sometimes you have to be the person who starts, or even leads a conversation. Anything which lets you enjoy human presence immediately is always superficial and doesn't represent the whole of that person: It takes learning about someone more to truly enjoy the company of people. That learning is where belonging is forged.

Only then can you become familiar with them, and can you accept them -- and in turn, they you.

[baphometsss]

I don't wanna sit here and act like I'm a professional or anything, because I'm not, but as someone who has had to do a lot of work to overcome trauma and reconfigure my brain more or less from the ground up, there's a lot I have to say about Solas's mental state

We know that Solas was essentially used and abused by Mythal for millennia. Even if he wasn't under a geas, he was twisted from his purpose by being made to fight, and then created the Wolf's Fang which was used to make the Titans tranquil and started the Blights. He made those choices himself, but it's important to understand that no choice is ever made in a vacuum. She took advantage of his vulnerability when he was given a body after however long as a spirit semi-existing peacefully in the Fade, and moulded him into a weapon.

He is broken, because Mythal broke him. I'm not incapable of seeing why she did what she did because like I said, no one makes choices in a vacuum and I could write about her for a long time too (in a similar way to how I have had to do myself in my own life in understanding why others abused me). He was so traumatised by everything that happened and he was trauma bonded to Mythal pretty much from the minute he gained a body. Trauma bonds are not about love. He definitely interpreted it that way, as most people do, but that's the weapon abusers use to keep the victim under their control. Abuse abuse abuse show a scrap of love and then abuse some more. If I just take it, I'll get the love/attention I need. I will earn it, because love is suffering, and I have to suffer to earn getting my basic needs met from my family/friends. Mythal, as his creator, was the one who he would've attached to in a similar way to spirit Cole/human Cole.

Trauma bonds are pathological. Mythal made him believe that if he did as she asked, and kept supporting her, then eventually he would gain her favour and they would be able to free all the elves, and he'd be able to live according to his true nature, which is one where he doesn't have to fight. (Remember his personal quest in DAI? He actually kills the rebel mages for corrupting his friend--another Wisdom spirit--into Pride.) In reality, she was just using him. She always kept the bone just out of reach for her lapdog. The line from Rook where they say (paraphrasing here) 'you know, I was actually excited about getting your approval... That's how you do it, isn't it? Keeping giving little scraps of approval to keep someone loyal, and then you turn around and betray them' is so telling too.

Where--or from whom--do you think he learned to do this?

It literally reeks of a pathological trauma bond and honestly, with how isolated, 'grim and fatalistic' Solas is, it is not a surprise that he's so broken.

Solas, essentially, is little more than a lap-dog to Mythal. He followed her like a lost puppy, because especially in his early days, that's kind of what he was. You have to remember that most of the insight we get about Mythal is from Solas's perspective, and he is not a reliable person when it comes to her after so long being repeatedly terrorised and twisted and manipulated. There are several instances where he describes being betrayed by her, and mentions some of the things she did, but he never quite holds her fully accountable and ends up directing his rage elsewhere. (The parallel between Mythal/Solas and the rebel mages/Wisdom is important here.)

This awesome post by @mythalism only reinforces this. He is so messed up in that scene, he is broken, he is holding the Wolf's Fang up, trying to give it to her because it symbolises the burden he has carried for thousands of years trying to avenge her death. He never wanted the Fang, like he never wanted a body. Mythal just stands over him, fully aware of what she did to him, and only getting him to stop because Rook petitioned her successfully, and the reunion with the more benevolent Mythal within Morrigan tempered her anger. She was a goddess, with the unequal power dynamic, right to the end.

As a side note, on the potential romance element between Mythal and Solas, I read an excellent breakdown of it on Reddit a while ago about how out of character it would've been for Solas to keep something like that from a romanced Lavellan, especially in Trespasser when he comes clean about his plan/past. I can't find it now because it was pre-Veilguard release, but it made a lot of sense to me. Solas and Lavellan never have a love scene in DAI because Solas didn't want to 'lay with them under false pretences'. Lying about who you are when sleeping with someone is nonconsensual. You can't consent to sleeping with someone if you don't know their true identity, and someone who knowingly lies about who they are to get into your pants is a sexual predator. For someone who led a slave rebellion (no doubt many of them being sex slaves), and a former spirit of Wisdom, Solas would've been well aware of this. In the unsent letter from Solas to Lavellan he says he came so close to breaking and desperately wanted to stay with them as Solas, with the implication being that that is where he planned to sleep with them once he'd come clean. But because he stops, because he's still unable to forgive himself or release himself from his trauma bond with Mythal, he breaks away, and they never have sex.

Bottom line: Solas would've been honest about it. Especially that. As the Inquisitor says, he can't lie about his heart.

And it's why the Solas/Lavellan romance is so powerful because quote, 'you change everything'. Solas thought he knew what love was, that love was loyalty, devotion, worship, etc. It's not just his plans or worldview that Lavellan changes. Lavellan sees him for who he is, without the mantle of Dread Wolf, and because of that he's able to express his true nature to her, even if he's not being totally honest in Inquisition. Lavellan got much closer to the real him than most, as he says, and changed his understanding of love completely. Unfortunately, he has unfinished business, an unresolved trauma bond, and his crushing sense of duty to the past is what keeps him from taking that final step towards letting go of it entirely. Trick also says Solas doesn't think he deserves love, which tbh is kind of a hallmark trait of people who have survived abuse.

And honestly? Call me a simp but I think he really was trying to get the Inquisitor to stop him. He saw himself being unable to let go because he was so broken and burdened by his guilt, and knew he couldn't save himself--was too proud to admit that he couldn't, because how pathetic does it make him look? And how could he stop now without rendering all the damage he'd wrought pointless? Yet here was someone who had changed him right down to his core, who understood him in a way few people ever had, whom he trusted, whom he loved in a way he hadn't loved anyone else before. It took him 'centuries' to build up rapport with the members of his rebellion. The man doesn't not know how to form attachments without trauma, and suddenly he forms a strong one with someone who loves him completely and without condition. It's a jarring change.

Lavellan says that maybe they're being prideful themselves, refusing to see their own folly. But I think in admitting that they might be wrong, that it might be wishful thinking borne from misguided love to a truly terrible person, they've rendered the point moot. It shows self-awareness, which isn't folly.

If anyone can make Solas understand true love, it's Lavellan. Lavellan loved him when he was being his true self. Lavellan loved him after his betrayal was revealed. Lavellan loved him when his guilty conscience and terrible actions almost destroyed the world. Lavellan loved him because they knew the real him, and knew that his heart and spirit were broken, and knew that their love would endure, that their love would heal him.

And that's exactly where they end up. Healing the past, soothing the Blight, and loving one another completely.

[dudethatsmyundeaduncle]

HERE IS WHY VIKTOR WALKED AWAY FROM JAYCE AFTER HE SAVED HIM AND WHY WE DIDN'T GET A DRAWN OUT DIVORCE!

(spoilers. Duh.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

short answer: It's because Viktor's dead.

Long answer:

So Arcane is all about people changing right? The first season was rife with the idea that if you want to become who you're meant to be you have to kill off your old self. (I'm paraphrasing here, and poorly, just REMEBER jinx's arc throughout the first SZN ok, powder had to die for jinx to live.)

In the show so far, we know arcane takes the idea of this change and charcter "death" very seriously. Ergo in that opening scene of s2e1 when Jayce sees Viktor crushed under the rubble and barely breathing Viktor is, for all the show's intents and purposes, dead.

This is where you may be shouting, NO BUT JAYCE RESSURECTED HIM! and listen I agree with you, Jayce physically resurrected Viktor, yes, but what came out of that cocoon is not Viktor. Lemme explain.

Arcane doesn't do ressurection, period, the show is about dying and changing, nobody stays the same, and if you die you come back different, unrecognizable even. (Jinx, Silco, Vander as Warwick) Singed is the only character who tries to keep things the same, preserve them, and those thing he has preserved have either been changed spectacularly anyway (jinx, Warwick/Vander) or they are Inert (Rio).

So when Jayce lays Viktor down on the lab table and he's all rekt, he is dead, like even if he's breathing Viktor is functionally dead, with no magical or medical intervention he will die/has died. (I have a bone to pick here a bit with the fact that Jayce didn't take him to a hospital. Maybe it was because of the glowy appendages but I doubt it. Which leads me to assume that Viktor's injuries were beyond medical treatment meaning, once again, that he's basically dead. )

Ergo when Jayce explicitly goes against Viktor's wishes to destroy the hexcore and instead fuses it into Viktor. What comes out of that cocoon isn't Viktor anymore.

Viktor says it himself when he walks out of the cocoon he asks " what am I?" And he says something like " I died/I should be dead." While it's subtle I think we, the audience, are meant to take this very LITTERALLY.

Even while Jayce is exclaiming that he" is alive" Viktor is very sure that he isn't, that he's dead and changed. (Hella bummed he didn't get a pretty arc for this change but I guess theyre counting S1 as his arc? Anyway)

There is very important moment I want to draw your attention to here, when Jayce embraces Viktor, in joy, and Viktor slowly returns the embrace one armed and leans into Jayce, he doesn't close his eyes. (I know this sounds crazy bare with me) What I'm positing here is that this is the first inkling that Viktor is gone because he doesn't accept what Jayce is telling/giving him.

Essentially in that reunion scene, imma call it a reunion, Jayce is giving Viktor everything he wanted, their dream, their partnership, Jayce's love and attention. (don't argue with me on this Viktor is s1 wanted both even it was unsaid) And Viktor refuses all of it, he doesn't accept Jayce's affection, he doesn't close his eyes when they embrace! closing his eyes, sinking into that hug would have been acceptance, it would have been the moment that Viktor, actual Viktor, had been waiting for. (and boy had he been waiting).

But what walked/crawled/clawed their way out of that cocoon isn't Viktor. Instead it's Viktor's body and whatever impression of Viktor, or maybe parts of his soul, he gave up/lost to the Hexcore.

I think the hexcore has, very litterally, become Viktor, like Jayce basically sacrificed Viktor's body to give the thing life and now it's wearing Viktor's face and has these remnants of his memories. I believe this because it also has Skye's voice!

The hexcore didn't have a voice before, it was like a weird murmuring hum, and Viktor couldn't understand it. But now whatever parts are left of Viktor and Skye have amalgamated into the hexcore and their good intentions/idealism are functioning to guide this newly born hexcore/machine herald. (That would explain why it leaves Jayce, it has the memories of Viktor's love but not the actual emotion, it would explain why it returns to the undercity, because it has memories of that place as "home" from both Vik and Skye, and it would also explain why the MH will eventually wear a mask, because it's not Viktor, it just has his face.)

So it makes sense when the machine herald leaves Jayce after that confession and offer, because it's not Viktor anymore. Viktor is dead and Jayce failed to save him.

Anyway, hope that cleared it up for you, of course THIS IS JUST A THEORY! AN ARCANE THEORY (I couldn't help myself)

A/N, this explanation isnt meant to, like, invalidate any complaints that the Divorce arc was too rushed/fast/thrown aside. Because in a lot of ways I think it was!

This also isn't to say that this explanation I give above is the perferred way to tell Viktor's story! Because I don't think it was! In many ways by killing Viktor and making him like, the human conduit for the hexcore, they have taken away 99% of Viktor's autonomy as a character. His choices are no longer his own, his actions are tainted by this corrupting force, he (if he is even alive) no longer is himself. This victimizes Viktor in a way I don't love but also draws away from his very valid and real pain and anger.

In the machine herald lore in LoL we have these ideas of transhumanism, self reinvention, and at its core, a guy who, pushed to his limits, turned his back on Pilotover and let his own hubris lead him to committing atrocious acts.

In LoL, Viktor becomes a monster, he chooses to be the machine herald, he meticulously replaces/removes parts of himself so he can become closer and closer to what he views as the " perfect machine". His glorious evolution surrounds this idea, that humanity is inherently weak and that the only way to overcome that weakness is to surrender to the machine, to evolve.

Arcane Viktor is not getting this Arc, whatever way they try to twist the magic they gave him he's not going to get this level of revenge or autonomy, he just isn't. His purpose is likely not going to be anywhere near as strong because like I said up top Viktor's a dead man. And he isn't getting to make choices anymore.

I'll end this post here before it gets unbearably long but feel free to pop off in the reblogs, tags, and comments lads!

Love Arcane too bits and can't wait for Act 2! JAYVIK NATION RISE!

[badasscoffeemug]

okay, so, i tried to pull as many interviews as i could to see if i could parse what the original plan for bucktommy was (or if there even was any), and subsequently, if there had been a pivot of any kind. now, we are not privy to any bts talk, and storylines are never set in stone, even from when they've been teased or promoted (henchim friction? hello?) but interviews are really all we have to go off of. so, idk, i compiled some quotes, all bolded emphasis is mine.

i kinda got the impression that it really was supposed to be a 4-episode arc for tommy, after which he would gracefully bow out and leave buck a newly realized single bisexual. for some reason, that changed and they chose to keep him around and extend that storyline (gelled rather well in the story? opening the door for potential future storylines?). except then they had them break up anyway, leaving buck in much the same place he would have been had they called it quits in 7x06, only much more heartbroken (essentially wasting over half a season's worth of buck storyline, except he's sadder now, i guess). but, judge for yourself.

march 28, 2024, TM: Showrunner Tim Minear also teased future episodes for Tommy. “He’s going to be around for a little bit. He’s not going to be a member of the 118 again, but he is going to be involved in some stories.”

april 4, 2024, TM: “I was kind of bored with the hamster wheel of the relationships [Buck] had been in. His story needed a slap. It needed some something fresh. This felt like it could be important to some people, and it felt like it was right for the character.”

OS: “I’ve always had in my head that I wanted a partner for Buck to be someone where it wasn’t easy”

TM: “That’s what I like about this. He’s not siloed off into some love interest story with a character who has nothing to do with the main characters.”

Minear noted that Tommy is currently an important romantic partner for Buck, largely because “it’s sort of the entry-level relationship.” Yet at the same time, he noted that he doesn’t think “anybody’s making wedding plans.”

“It really is a first fling for Buck right now. What that might amount to, only time can tell. But what I’m interested in is not something that’s fraught. I’m interested in something that’s tender and positive”

april 4, 2024, OS: “The focus was on it being important, but also not wanting it to feel like the bravest episode in television. We just wanted to tell a lighthearted love story that happens to be a queer love story.”

april 5, 2024, TM: “[what] I don't want to do is the mistake that I think we've made with some of the other love interests, which is siloing those characters off into their love life and they have no kind of organic connection to the rest of the characters in the story. [...] Going with Tommy allowed us to start to play a story without just inventing a whole new character just for the purpose of being the bi character or the gay character or the male love interest for Buck.”

april 12, 2024, TM: “that moment at the end of the episode where he sits down with Tommy and says, “You said I wasn’t ready. I don’t know what I’m ready for, but I’m ready for something. I’m just sure what that is yet.” But he feels safe with Tommy. So even though he doesn’t know exactly what road he’s stepping onto, he’s willing to roll the dice.”

april 12, 2024, LFJ: "So, it happens in phases. My manager said 9-1-1 called, and I was like, 'Cool.' And then he is like, 'All right, well, they called for an arc.' And I'm like, 'Four episodes? Cool.'

"Given the circumstances, we just kissed. There's something there. We go on a date, and then Eddie happens to show up because there's only one restaurant, I guess, in L.A., and I would totally understand if he was nervous and whatnot." (this quote has nothing to do with my point really i just think it's so fucking funny. this entire interview is so messy.)

"I have no idea," he explained when asked what the future could hold for the duo. "If the writers do choose to extend this storyline and make it into its own thing [...] I'm just as excited as you are to find out."

april 12, 2024, OS: "I just hope he continues down that path and I think we will see him opening up more and more, and being louder and prouder about it. I want to tell real stories where not everything is going to be straightforward, but I don’t want the angst or the trauma to be in these kind of negative troupes that we’ve seen before. I want them to have real world problems that couples or people who are first dating have, but I don’t want it to be rooted in outside people being homophobic or anything like that. Those are stories we have seen and we’ve told, and sure, of course, happen in the real world, but I want to tell a happy story between these people and a real story. They have issues and they have things to deal with, but I just want them to be real world, everyday relationship issues."

april 18, 2024, OS: "we want to tell it in an honest way where not everything is going to be easy and carefree. There are going to be issues, but we also don't want it to feel like it's down or too heavy. We want to tell this queer love story in a very honest way, but also in a very loving way."

"Tarlos is a beautiful relationship," Stark says. "I'm just honored to get to tell a story that can kind of partner up with that and maybe continue with a similar thread."

"I really want to see Buck continue to explore what it is that really speaks to him, and what he's into," Stark says. "He's obviously going to continue down this path with Tommy for now. I don't know what that story is going to end up being, but I would really like for Tommy to stay a part of Buck's life, regardless. He's obviously opened this door for him, and I think it would be really nice if [Tommy] was able to continue to hold [Buck's] hand and could help guide him through this process. As somebody who's a little older and more experienced, to kind of help shepherd Buck into this new phase of understanding who he is."

april 23, 2024, OS: “I really enjoy [Lou]. I really enjoy working with him. I think he’s been a great addition to the show, and I look forward to — assuming Tommy sticks around for a while — continuing to develop that relationship with him on-screen and off-screen.”

may 2, 2024, JLH: "I’m really excited for Buck, because I think he’s a person that has never quite settled into who he is. And if this is who he is, it’s beautiful,” Hewitt said. “I was so happy Maddie felt that way, because that’s how I would feel. And I’m really happy that she’s there for him. In Season 8, the actor hopes Maddie gets to “understand what all that means, be in that with [Buck], and get to know Tommy better.”

may 3, 2024, KC: “I think it was the brilliance of [co-creator] Tim [Minear]. Even introducing the storyline of Buck and Tommy, he said, "I don't want it to be this very special episode of 9-1-1. I'm going to make this a f---ing romantic comedy, man. You won't see it coming. It'll come out of left field." And I think that's the same thing he did with the revelation. There's no sit down, there's no big discussion or talk about it. It's what it would be. This guy has found love fina…. Well, I think love finally.”

may 3, 2024, KC: "When I heard about the storyline, I was super excited. And on a selfish note, I'm really happy because they brought Lou Ferrigno Jr. back. We've become really good friends, as he was in "Hen Begins," "Bobby Begins Again," and of course "Chimney Begins," and we formed a tight personal bond. I think he's a terrific actor, and I think this new dynamic brings this newfound energy into that storyline and into the show, and I'm excited to see how it blossoms."

not dated? post-7x06, KC: “It’s one of my favorite scenes,” Choi says. “It’s a reveal for most of the characters that Buck has found a love interest he’s actually interested in. It’s adorable, it’s cute, it’s perfect, and the audience is going to love it.”

OS: Stark likens Buck’s journey to “a hamster wheel”: “He’s been taking one step forward and two steps back, as is quite typical of being in your late 20s and early 30s, trying to find yourself,” the actor explains. “As we’ve moved into this seventh season, he’s found a way to really discover who he wants to be.”

july 8, 2024: 7x09 deleted scene released

september 9, 2024, TM: “They’re still getting to know each other a little better”

september 11, 2024, TM: Minear says not much time has passed between the events of the season 7 finale and the season 8 premiere, so there haven't been many developments in Buck and Tommy's relationship. "But we see that they're more comfortable together," he explains. "We'd definitely call them a couple. Obviously they're comfortable hanging out with Eddie, but when you couple with somebody, it takes up some of your time, so that also leaves Eddie a little bit out in the cold. Well, not out in the cold, but Buck doesn't have as much free time as he did before, let's put it that way." (yeah so, this barely happened?)

september 20, 2024, OS: “We don’t really have too much of a time jump moving into this season, so the relationship with Tommy is much where it was left off,” explains Stark. “It is in its early stages. They’re still learning and figuring things out about each other and what a relationship might or could look like.”