#oc : Robin gold

[m0onshineart]

found out sticky notes are excellent for concept art

[countrymusiclover]

1 - Life Changing Deal

Princess Red Thief

Part 2

Tag list - just ask to be added @mystrey101 @melvia-ito @kmc1989 @tallrock35

Peaking my head through the treeline I saw the large castle in front of me. I ran straight for the nearest window reaching inside my cloak drawing a sword I stole from the soldiers armor outside my chambers. Swinging it against the glass it shattered when I ducked my head so it didn't get in my eyes. Climbing through the window I dropped down on my knees inside the castle. "Okay, now where's that dagger?"

Heading over to the cabinets filled with objects I began rummaging around for the specific blade in question. I started throwing books and other things on the ground until one of the globs shattered onto the floor and a voice called out behind me. "Looking for something specific are you, dearie?"

"Show yourself, beast." I draw the sword I used on the window holding it out in front of myself for defense.

A Purple cloud of smoke appeared in front of me. "Here I am, dearie." The figure in front of me had curly brown hair and scaly skin. He was dressed in leather and snake skins.

"What are you? Are you the one they call Rumple...Rumplestiltskin?" I questioned tightening my grip on the blade handle.

The figure giggles performing an over the rope bow. "Indeed I am Rumplestilskin. Now who are you and why so foolish to try and steal from the Dark One?"

"My name is Everly. My parents are Princess Abigail and Prince Frederick." I explained to him moving towards the long table that was in the center of the room.

The dark one clicked his tongue putting his fingers together. "Ah yes I recognize the princess's name. She and King George's son are supposed to wed through a deal I help arrange. But that doesn't explain why you've tried to steal from me."

"I am here because I am a threat to my kingdom." Placing my freehand on the table my palm turned red and I could feel the magic running through my fingertips. The cabinet behind me that had seen through glass suddenly shattered into a million pieces at my feet. "I have an uncontrollable amount of power even though neither of my parents were born with magic."

He nodded, waving his fingers at me. "And you needed my dagger to force me to help you control it."

"I do apologize, Rumplestilskin. I wouldn't dare steal from someone who is declared so powerful if I was not so desperate for a solution to this. I wish to help my mother free my father from his golden prison but I can't do that if this ability or curse isn't kept at bay."

"Magic is not always a curse, Red Thief." He stepped closer to me snapping his fingers and a silver dagger appeared in his grasp. He showed me that his name was engraved on the blade. "I will help you if you choose to embrace your power."

I fired back knowing the rumors that members across kingdoms had spread about him. He used only dark magic and was notorious for making deals with the most desperate types of people. "What do you want in return from me? I know you always want something back for a price."

"I'll enchant your cloak given that I do rather like the color red on you. Once it is enchanted you and I will be connected consciously. You will help me with my deals and the customers that are connected with them."

"What do you mean like if someone breaks a deal with you you'll make me kill them?" I questioned hearing the darkness in his voice.

Rumplestilskin smirked. "I'll decide what fate I wish to bestow on them. Now do you accept my offer or not?"

"I don't know if I can go through with this, Dark One. Ahhh!" I screamed bumping into one of the curtain covered windows seeing my palm turn red again but this time the curtain caught on fire.

Rumple snickers at me. "It appears you don't have any other option here, Red Thief."

"My name is Everly." I corrected him even though I probably shouldn't since he could turn me into a bug and kill me easily if he so wished.

He stepped closer where I shifted the hood of my cloak since it was blocking my view. Our eyes met and I could see he had deep brown eyes. "So long as you work for me I can call you whatever I wish. Unless you think you can find help through someone else."

"I suppose I will. So I'll take your deal." Extending my hand I paused unsure if I would hurt him if I touched him.

He grasps my small hand in his larger one. "We have a deal, Red Thief."

Resting my chin in the palm of my hand I kept scanning my eyes over the paperwork that was in front of me. I had been doing the storage inventory for the pawnshop for as long as I could remember. In my opinion every object had a story that needed to be told rather than just sitting in the dusty old store. But that wasn't what my boss believed. He thinks there's a price of money for everything. "Let's see the unicorn chandelier, tea set and red cloak are all accounted for. Wait red cloak, I didn't see that here."

"It has to be here. It has to be here. If it isn't he will dock my pay." I frantically began searching around every cabinet in the shop not finding the piece of clothing anywhere.

The store bell rang making me shriek running back to my desk in the back room trying to play it cool. The curtain got pushed open and Mr. Gold stepped inside the room. "How has the inventory gone tonight?"

"Uh, pretty good. How was your walk?" I asked him tapping my fingers on the desk nervously, hoping he didn't notice.

His brown, almost chocolate eyes focused on my gaze. "You seem nervous, Eve. Any particular reason why?"

"No reason. Just wishing to be done with work for the evening, sir." I lied to him.

He sent me a half smile revealing a bag from behind his back in his other hand that wasn't holding onto the cane he used to walk with since he had a limp. "It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you realized this was missing?" He drew something from the bag and I gasped seeing a red cloak fall down while he held it up in front of me.

"I....I....um. Sir, I am sorry. I thought I had accounted for everything. I don't know how it ever left the shop." I began panicking, running my fingers through my hair that I had left loosely.

Mr. Gold chuckles breaking the intense silence that I was feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Calm down, lass. I saw that it was dirty so I took it to the cleaners. Figured it should look in better shape before I gave it to you."

"Oh god that's a relief." Putting a hand over my forehead I sighed in relief. "Wait a minute. Give it to me, why would you do that?"

Gold moved forward offering me his freehand after he laid it on my desk briefly. Putting my hand in his I allowed him to help me get to my feet. "I saw that it was your size from the looks of it one day. And no one in this town has claimed it so I thought it shouldn't go to waste. May I?" He gestured holding it up and opened it in his hands.

"Sure...thank you this wasn't really necessary." I turned around putting my back to his front feeling him place the fabric on my shoulders.

Gold smiled when I spun around so he could clasp the front pins together. "Perfect fit, dear. Just like I had thought. Now don't you worry about paying me for it. It's on the house."

"Thank you, sir." I smiled looking up to meet his gaze since he was slightly taller than me.

He waved a finger in my face grabbing a hold of his cane prepared to leave to collect the town's rent. "I told you to either call me Adam or just Gold. Now come, we have money to collect."

"Understand, Gold." I nodded wearing the red cloak since it was quite cold outside. I followed after my boss and we drove out to our stops finding leaving the inn as our final one for the evening.

Granny, the owner of the inn, spoke as we walked up the wooden stairs. "Now, what's the name?"

Opening the door, Gold and I came face to face with a blonde woman wearing a bright red jacket that I had never seen before in this town. Meaning she must be someone new which hadn't happened for 28 years if I had done my math correctly. The woman spoke her name, giving me a name to go with the new face. "Swan. Emma Swan."

Gold responds to her squeezing my hand in his and I could have sworn I heard him say something else but in a completely different voice. "Emma. What a lovely name....Red Thief."

"Did you hear someone say Red Thief?" Looking at my boss I raised a brow at him confusedly swearing that I had heard something.

He shrugged his shoulders not saying anything yet I saw some light in his eyes where he had recognized something in this room but just wasn't going to share it with me. He shifted his gaze over to the elderly woman. Granny passes Mr. Gold a roll of bills. "It's all here."

"Yes, yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you. You enjoy your stay...Emma." Gold put it away in his suit pocket touching the door handle, opening it once more calling out to me. "Eve?"

"I'm coming, sorry." I paused standing behind the blonde woman while I ran my freehand over the red fabric that I was holding on my other arm feeling like I had seen it before.

Shaking my head I pulled myself from the trance that I was in following him outside being able to hear the conversation between the girls still inside. "Who's that?" Emma asked.

Ruby peaked out the window seeing me still standing on the front porch. "Mr. Gold. He owns this place."

"The inn?" Emma asked more.

Granny reached down in the drawer pulling out a key. "No, the town. So, how long will you be with us?

"A week. Just a week." She responded.

Granny handed her the key. "Welcome to Storybrooke."

"So who is the woman that is with him if you don't mind me asking?" Emma held the key in her hands heading towards the staircase to go check out her room.

Rudy closed the curtain focusing on the new women. "I don't know if this is true or not. But most people in this town have only seen her with him. She's worked for him for years. I think she was abducted by him or something."

"Rudy!" Granny snapped at her granddaughter. "What makes you think such a thing?"

The girl put a hand on her hip. "Maybe it's the fact that she doesn't talk to anyone else in this town. She's only ever seen with him or doing small jobs for him. That's just strange to me."

"I'm sorry for my granddaughters crazy theories. Enjoy your time here, Ms. Swan." Granny ended the conversation before things went further. Emma went up the stairs and I ran down the stairs meeting Gold at his old car. We drove past the clock tower and I couldn't believe I saw the hands move.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[rayadraws]

OC-tober day 27, prompt: ”wings”

After studying Sorrel’s wings Robin has realized they’re built a lot like arms and is excitedly telling Sorrel this, I don’t think he’s very invested though lol

[spiders-scribbles]

The Starlit Tarnished, holder of 3 great runes and rumoured next Elden Lord.

My lil guy done in a style more based on the Dragon Age Inquisition Multiplayer tarot cards cause I find them gorgeous 

[joshiepopop]

2023 art summary! It's been one hell of a year for me- not just art-wise. I'd like to think 2024 will be a good year, though! (: All of the characters featured belong to me except for Mephiles (February; from Sonic), Gabriel (September; from The Mandela Catalogue), and Larkspur (on the right for July; belongs to plumbeach). Template can be found here!

[lilacmoon83]

A Rat in Storybrooke

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 5: Ratigan's Undoing

Goldie used a compact mirror to primp one more time, before they were about to go live. She rubbed a finger over her teeth to make sure there was no red lipstick on them and closed the compact.

"Mommy…why is she putting so much makeup on?" Eva asked innocently, making David nearly choke, trying to swallow a laugh. Eva had always been fascinated with anything girly and even had her own little playset of fake makeup so she could pretend to put it on while watching Snow. But her mother never used so much.

"Because she'd scare years off us without it," Emma commented, as David couldn't help but chuckle this time. His kids had no filter and he loved it. Goldie glared at the teen.

"Excuse me…but this is standard television makeup. I have to wear it so I won't be washed out by the lighting. With that fair skin, the lot of you are going to look like ghosts," she retorted.

"You'll be lucky if you look half as good as me when you get older, sweetie," she added. Eva's eyes widened in horror and she looked up at Snow.

"That's not true, is it Mommy? I don't wanna look like her," Eva whimpered, as her siblings snickered in amusement. Snow tried not to smile and leaned down to cuddle her daughter close.

"No honey…you're going to be so beautiful and you'll look nothing like her. I promise," Snow said, as Goldie glared at the Mayor.

"LeFou…are you ready or not!?" she snapped, as she picked up her microphone and prepared to make her live report.

"And we're live in five, four, three, two…" he said, trailing off.

"Good Morning Storybrooke! I'm Goldie Phillips coming to you live, on location, from the Mayor and Sheriff's residence with a special, exciting report today," she said, as Ratigan took his place beside her.

"We are witnessing history here in Storybrooke today, as the Mayor and Sheriff have vowed to resign their positions of power and leave our little town behind, all while we usher in the dawn of a new era with Ratigan as our new Mayor," she said, as she put the microphone up to him, but suddenly felt something fall onto her head. She gasped in horror, as she realized a bird had just released its droppings on both of them.

Leo burst out laughing, as some squirrels and rabbits scurried around their feet.

"Owe!" she cried, as she felt one of them bite her.

"You little brat!" she cried, as she started toward him, but David pulled him back.

"Easy…he hasn't done anything," David said. She huffed.

"Oh really? He's not making the animals stir crazy?" she asked.

"No…you two are doing that by creating this crisis in town," David replied.

"ENOUGH!" Ratigan growled, as he pointed his gun at David, who immediately pushed Leo and Emma behind him, while Snow stood in front of Eva.

"I have had enough of your foolish stalling, Sheriff Charming…and your children's antics. Tell the town you are resigning and handing the reins over to me or I'll shoot you in front of your family," he threatened. David glared daggers at him and stepped forward, before turning to Snow, as they spoke to each other with their eyes. They were out of time and she understood exactly what they needed to do now.

"Good…" Ratigan said, as the camera was now on him.

"Your Sheriff has surrendered to me and this town is now under new management…" Ratigan said, as he suddenly choked on his words, as Charming elbowed him in the throat and then grabbed for the gun, pointing it at the sky, as he tried to take it.

"Go…" Snow whispered to the kids, ushering them toward the house.

"Hey!" Goldie said, as she drew her arm back with the intent of hitting Snow with her mic, only to cry out, as Emma shoved her to the ground, right into the mud. She screamed in rage and pulled herself to her feet. She was a mess and she started to stalk toward them, only to be stopped by a growling wolf in her way.

"I hate you…I hate your whole family!" she screamed.

"LeFou…get me out of here!" she cried, like the diva she was, as they scurried back to the news van. David knocked the gun out of his hand and Snow was quick to pick it up. David punched the professor square in the face and shoved him back, as he wobbled, trying to stay on his feet. Snow handed the gun to her husband and he pointed it at the scientist. Ratigan smirked, as his minions encroached upon them and stood in front of him.

"You won't shoot your own citizens…" he said deviously.

"He won't need to," Regina said, as she and Paul arrived and began to immediately spray people with the antidote. Ratigan watched in horror, as his captives came out of their stupor and looked around in confusion.

"No…no…you're ruining everything!" he cried, as he started to run away, but David tackled him to the ground and cuffed him.

"You're under arrest, Professor Ratigan and with the list of charges you've racked up, you'll be lucky if you don't get life," David said, as marched him toward the patrol car and put him in the back. Snow sighed in relief, as she hugged Emma and the twins.

"What's going on?" one of the nurse's asked.

"I'll explain everything back at the hospital. I'd like to do a random blood test on all employees, just to make sure Professor Ratigan's drug has no long term effects," Paul announced, as his employees dispersed. He and David shook hands.

"Thanks for the help…both of you," he said. Paul smiled and Regina nodded curtly.

"Any time…thanks for making sure no one got hurt," the doctor replied, as Snow sided up to him and put her arms around his waist. He slid his arm around hers and kissed her tenderly.

"I'm going to take him to the station and process him, but I should be home soon," he promised.

"Okay…how about we meet at Granny's for dinner?" she suggested, as the twins cheered for that option. He smiled.

"Sounds perfect," he replied, as he kissed her again, before getting into the patrol car and heading for the station.

"Will you and Uncle Robin and Roland come to Granny's too?" Leo asked. Robin smiled, as he joined his wife.

"I think we can do that," Robin answered. Regina smiled.

"Sounds like fun. We can make fun of your parents when they start dancing to one of those cheesy ballads in the jukebox," the former Queen quipped.

"Hey…those are classics," Snow protested.

"I think the word you're looking for is old and cheesy," Regina teased.

"But tried and true, just like us," Snow said and no one could argue with that.

~*~

"This is quite a litany of charges you've leveled at the Professor," George stated, as he looked over the paperwork. David had locked Ratigan up in a holding cell, after processing him and then sent the paperwork off to the District Attorney's office. Unfortunately, George was still in the position and they really had no one else qualified to run against him, except Mitchell Herman, but he was content at the time to run his practice and serve as just about the only defense law firm in town.

"And let me guess, you're going to argue with me," David replied.

"I'm just pointing out that this is Storybrooke and we don't have many with knowledge like Professor Ratigan. Most of our teachers, save for Frollo, aren't actual teachers," George said.

"And most are still stunted by the remaining effects of the curse. My children aren't and we enlist Belle's help to make sure their curriculum is challenging enough. Ratigan isn't fit to be around people, let alone children," David argued.

"Hmm…I suppose you have a point," George said reluctantly.

"What became of the drug paraphernalia?" he asked. David smirked.

"Paul has already disposed of it. We have enough victims and testimony that we don't need the actual drug for evidence. Mind control drugs are much too dangerous to keep around so I guess you won't get to find out if they could work in your favor," the prince replied.

"I don't appreciate your assumptions that I would ever do such a thing, Sheriff," George snapped, as he sighed off on the charges and stormed out.

"Nice seeing you too, as always," he called sarcastically. Thomas shook his head.

"He's always a ray of sunshine," he commented.

"He still craves power and hates that Snow trounces him every time he tries to run against her as Mayor," David replied, as Leroy and Happy arrived for the night shift. He tossed the keys to Leroy and grabbed his leather jacket.

"Hot date?" Thomas teased.

"The hottest. Dinner at Granny's with the most beautiful woman in the world and three adorable, hilarious, and mischievous kids," David replied, as he made his way out for the night.

He made the short drive to the diner and the door opened with a chime.

"Daddy!" the twins called excitedly, as they barreled toward him and he scooped them up.

"That was so awesome when you punched that rat!" Leo said excitedly and David chuckled.

"Daddy, I got bad feelings from that bad man, but Mommy said he's going to jail now?" Eva asked.

"Yeah…he's going to jail for a very long time," David answered, as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. He put them down and let them run back to the table, while he slid into the booth beside Snow.

"Hey handsome," she cooed, as they shared a kiss.

"Hey yourself, beautiful," he replied, as they smiled at each other.

"I'm hungry…" Leo complained, as Ruby approached the table.

"Well, we better fix that," she said, as she took their orders and returned to the counter, as the song changed on the Jukebox and David offered his hand to his wife.

"Might as well work up an appetite while we're waiting," he said, as she took his hand.

"This song is so cheesy," Emma complained.

"Nah…just classic, like us," David said, as they started swaying closely, arms around each other.

"I'm sure you'll have songs with someone special someday, sweetie and then your kids will think they're cheesy too," Snow said.

"Yeah, hopefully when you're thirty," David commented sourly.

"Our baby girl is going to date, honey," she said, earning a grunt from him.

"But they'll always be our babies," she added.

"Yeah…sometimes I wish I could just freeze time for them," he said. She smiled.

"Me too," she agreed, as Regina and her family arrived. Gold and Belle soon followed and once again, the diner was full of family and friends. They ate and enjoyed dinner together, as they did often, and then the kids started a board game, leaving Snow and David to cuddle in the booth behind them. They watched their kids fondly and David pressed a kiss to her hair.

"You know, even though Ratigan was dangerous, I had fun on another adventure with you," she said. He smiled.

"Me too…Storybrooke is never boring, that's for sure," he replied, as he leaned in for a kiss, just as the diner door opened.

"Oh Sheriff…there you are!" Drizella called in full dramatics. Snow huffed.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked.

"Excuse me, Madam Mayor…but this is a public establishment and I run the Storybrooke Mirror, after all. I'm here to interview the Sheriff about his incredibly heroic takedown of the dastardly Professor Ratigan," she said dramatically.

"I'll fax a copy of my report to your office in the morning," David replied.

"But Sheriff…don't you want to recount the details of the event for my article personally?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Not really…and it wasn't all my effort anyway. I could have never done it without my deputy, Dr. Sakura, Regina, Mr. Gold, and of course, my beautiful wife," he replied, as he smiled fondly at her, a gesture which she returned. Drizella huffed.

"Sheriff…" she started to argue, when she felt something pelt her in the back of the head. Her face scrunched in confusion, as she reached back and pulled an earthworm out of her hair. She shrieked at the top of her lungs and flung the worm toward the ceiling where it stuck.

"Which one of you little cretins did that!?" she growled, as she approached the Charming children.

"I did," Leo said, as she snarled at him, only for Emma to squirt her in the face with the mustard bottle.

"Whoa…direct hit!" Leo declared and Eva giggled.

"Why you…you little…" Drizella stammered, as she tried to wipe the mustard out of her eyes.

"Oooohhh…" Lucifer winced, as he rushed to her and handed her a single napkin.

"You idiot! How is this going to help?" she shouted. Snow walked up to the bar and Ruby handed her the nozzle from the soda wand behind the bar.

"Let me help," she said in a sweet voice, as she sprayed the crazy woman with soda.

"You…you monster! Mother was right…you're the real monster!" Drizella bawled, as she fled the diner with her assistant chasing after her.

"I guess that was kind of mean," Snow said, as she returned to her laughing husband.

"Nah…you're just protecting what's yours," he replied, as she gave him a coy smile and gently cupped his face in her hand.

"Mmm…you are so right," she replied, as they shared another kiss.

"Mom…that was awesome," Emma said.

"You too sweetie, but remember, we never do that to people, unless it's Drizella Tremaine, no matter what," Snow said. The kids nodded, knowing that their Dad's crazy stalker was the only exception for that kind of behavior.

"Guess we better head home," he mentioned.

"In a hurry, handsome?" she asked.

"I'm so turned on right now," he whispered to her. She smiled and bit her bottom lip.

"Ruby…check please," she called, as they paid the check and said their goodbyes and with that, the Charming family headed home. Storybrooke was safe and normal once again. Or as normal as Storybrooke could ever be. In a town full of characters the world considered to just be fairy tales…they weren't simply just anything. In their little corner of the world, belief, hope, and true love were everything and the cornerstone of a happily ever after that was really just the beginning and middle of their lives. And true love would never fail this family…

The End.

[yall-batman-fanfic]

The Billionaire's Wife | Bruce Wayne/Batman x  Magician!OC

Synopsis: After seeing an article that reduces her to some typical “billionaire’s wife” with a lot of sexism, offensive gender roles, and instigations of a gold-digger, Vivian finds her footing in the complex world of Gotham's elite and realizes that she doesn't always have to be the demure wife who smiles a lot, and she will show them that no one messes with her, especially in her own house.

Vivian sighed as she read the headline on the online article that greeted her on her browser-news. MRS. VIVIAN PRYOR WAYNE, A LIVING RAGS TO RICHES STORY by some contributor to Gotham Gazette's online articles. She's been reading the article for some time now and has memorized every line with how much she's scrolled through it. At some point she just slammed her laptop shut because she felt like she was adding to the page's traffic which only boosts the press to write such stuff. 

God, she didn't understand why this was happening again. The first time it happened was when she was just dating Bruce. People started writing how chummy they were during the second take of her book launch, and how Bruce was spoiling her with gifts that she was living every woman's dream by going on yacht trips, michelin star restaurants, luxury brand gifts, and a handsome man that had a reputation for being a playboy. 

Opening her laptop again, Vivian groaned and read through the article to figure out how they even got that shot and how they thought that her day going shopping with Bruce and Tim, and having the man carry majority of the shopping bags full of clothes and school things for the new addition of Tim to their home became “Mrs. Vivian Wayne dragging billionaire Bruce Wayne and his credit card through Gotham's shopping district.”

First of all: She was Vivian Pryor-Wayne. She just sticks to “Vivian Pryor” for her books and her teaching, and other things but since marrying she was legally Vivian Pryor Wayne. She just uses Vivian Pryor for her professional name and for her books. She willingly added the name Wayne to her name to show her love. As a joke she would call Bruce “Mr. Pryor” which he doesn't mind at all.

Second: she does not drag Bruce and his credit cards around the shopping district. She has her own black credit cards, all of which she pays on her own hard-earned cash. 

Third: How did they not see Tim in that photo? The kid was right there with here. She was holding his hand! And they really should have blurred his face since he was a minor. She'll be talking to their lawyers about this later.

“Everything alright, Viv?” Tim came down, all dressed up for school.

“Yes!” Vivian slammed her laptop to hide the article. “Everything is fine. Why wouldn't it be fine?”

She didn't seem fine. Tim and Alfred exchanged looks before he took his place across from her and Alfred placed breakfast on the table. 

“Okay,” Tim took a bite of his toast. He watched her for a while, noticing how she drummed her fingers on the surface of her laptop and the contemplative look on her face, that looked like she was planning a murder. Tim would know. He's been working with Batman for a while now as Robin, and before that he's been a really good detective with learning who Batman and Robin really were. “Is it about the thing?”

“What thing?”

Tim gave her a sympathetic look. “We all know that's not real… it's just the press making gossip to give people to talk about.”

“I don't even know what you're talking about,” Vivian drank her coffee.

Tim sighed. What is it with the people in Wayne Manor? It seems stubbornness and pride were a common denominator with all of them. “I saw the article, Viv.”

Vivian was quiet for a time, eating her jam on toast before asking, “Does Bruce, know?”

“The fact that you asked, and the fact that he's not here telling this yourself means he doesn't.”

Vivian sighed and looked at him with a small smile, “Save the detective work after school, okay?”

Tim grinned and shrugged. “It's second nature by now. But seriously, Viv, we all know it's not true. I was there, remember? And I've been living here for a while now to know that what you and Bruce have is real and special.”

Vivian got up and walked around the table and embraced him from behind, “Thanks, Timmy.”

“Anytime, Vivian,” Tim smiled.

“You're heading to work now?” Bruce entered the room all dressed for work.

“I am,” Vivian squeezed Tim's shoulder, a message to not mention anything to Bruce. 

“This early?” Bruce slightly frowned. He got up quite late and wasn't able to have breakfast with her.

“We already spent enough time earlier before I got out of bed to get ready,” she kissed his cheek. “I'll make it up to you when I drop by your office after work for our three-o'clock meeting for the Wayne Foundation event.”

“Alright,” Bruce took her hand just as she was going to leave with her bag, and pulled her down for a kiss. Tim rolled his eyes and focused on his breakfast, while Alfred just focused on packing her lunch and extra coffee. After tasting the coffee that Gotham University had in their campus lounge, he started packing her a thermos of coffee that would satisfy her for the day. “Have fun at work.”

“I will! You too – and Tim, have fun at school!”

After thanking Alfred for the packed lunch and coffee, and the discreet way of saying, “all will be well,”, Vivian left. It was only when they were sure she won't be coming back for something that Bruce spoke, asking, “What's wrong?”

“As always, Sir, nothing gets past you,” said Alfred.

“What's wrong? Vivian didn't even finish her breakfast,” Bruce pointed out. She always cleans her plate before leaving. 

“Nor did she steal from the cookie jar before leaving,” Tim added.

“Nor did she give you as much attention as you required before going to the office,” Alfred jests.

Bruce only looked at the two, waiting for an answer. Alfred was a tough nut to crack, but Tim…

While Tim would put the mission first and Bruce trusts him with Batman's identity – he is Robin now after all – he can't always hide something from Bruce when it comes to Vivian. Especially when placed in a hotseat. But later, as he grows older and becomes more independent, he starts to learn how to keep things from Bruce regarding Vivian. As long as it wasn't life threatening. 

“There was an article online,” Tim sighed. “Sorry, Alfred, I know I wasn't supposed to but…”

“Not to worry, Master Timothy. It takes more than just fighting crime in a bird costume to stand up to your commanding officer. You'll one day learn that sometimes it's alright to give them a good smack.”

“Is that what you did when you served?”

“Tim,” Bruce told him to continue. 

“It's an article on Gotham Gazette – you know those anonymous writers they have to write some tabloid bullsh –”

“Master Timothy!”

“Sorry, Alfred — but you get the point.”

“What's this article about?” Bruce opened his laptop that he had beside him to check. 

“You'll know when you see it.”

And he did. The moment Bruce opened the Gotham Gazette's website. While it was for supposed to be showing current news on Gotham, such as the latest bank robbery by Two-Face which Batman and Robin stopped, or some new thing the new District Attorney was going on about, the headlining article on the homepage was the photo of them three with the photo's caption making him frown. 

Is that what Gotham was painting a picture of his wife? Some gold digger? Bruce thought as he read the article. It infuriated him that they were making such stories based off of stone shots, especially when Vivian has proven so many times that she was a hard working woman, that she was more than just a “billionaire's wife”. The title itself was offensive since she was more than just Bruce Wayne's wife. Before they married — hell, before they dated she was already building her name in her profession. She got a couple of Doctorates under her belt, wrote books and studies, and has contributed works into Gotham City's historical archives. She was awarded by the mayor for her works that depict Gothams City's history! Aside from that she's been an active contributor to Wayne Foundation charities, both the Thomas Wayne Foundation and the Martha Wayne Foundation. A part of her profit from the books she gives to charities to help Gotham City.

“I'm heading to work. Alfred, I'll leave Tim with you,” said Bruce as he got up.

“Very well, Sir,” Alfred sighed as Bruce left with his things and drove off. “I know now who I'm not telling where I hid the biscuit jar next time nor the shotgun.”

Tim sighed. “Oh brother.”

~*~

Walking through Wayne Enterprises’ building, Vivian tried her hardest to ignore the looks she was getting from some of the staff walking about. She would still greet them with a smile and a “hello”, but after that she would try not to notice the look on their faces that says they saw the article. Maybe she should have just taken the stairs than go through the long walk to the elevator. She'd gladly just open a portal to the floor itself then go through this long walk. But it would be too suspicious if she were found to be on the floor so suddenly. 

“Mrs. Wayne!” One of the members of the board appeared. “Vivian, heading up?”

Vivian kept the smile, “Hi William. Yes, I'm going to see Bruce.”

“Special visit?” He gave a suggestive look.

“No. We have a meeting with the Wayne Foundation for the charity event this coming Friday.”

“Is that so?”

She hoped that was the end of it or that the elevator would end their talk but William hopped into the elevator just as she was going to press the doors to close. William Earle was one of the people Vivian didn't like that much that was part of Wayne Enterprises’ board. Since she started coming over he would always make rude comments, such as, “you should come over more and loosen up Bruce. I'll be sure to fill in on some of his meetings.” She hasn't told Bruce about William Earle's little conversation starters but Bruce was well aware of Vivian's dislike towards the man.

“By the way, I saw the article on the Gazette,” said William.

“Did you now?”

“I don't really see the problem, I mean come on. Every married man knows this – happy wife, happy life.” He laughed.

Vivian didn't laugh. Is that what they all think of her in Wayne Enterprise?

“Professor Pryor!” Lucius entered the elevator and stood between her and William, to her delight.

“Lucius, wonderful to see you,” Vivian greeted him sincerely.

“Heading to the Wayne Foundation meeting?”

“I am.”

The elevator finally closed and they were heading up. 

“Then I guess we're heading the same way then,” Lucius offered his arm to her.

Vivian laughed lightly and wrapped her arm with the man's. “Good thing you are, I don't think I'll have much patience in these things. I’m all in for doing but planning the whole thing, I just get lost.”

“That's what we're here for, Professor Pryor. You and Mr. Wayne dream it, and we'll do the grunt work on making it happen.”

“I promise to help out as much as I can, Lucius.”

“Your expertise and your presence alone in those events are more than enough. And I believe you've provided the list of collectors who are looking to sell — I never knew you were well acquainted with Rossi.”

“Rossi?” William tried to chime in.

“Sebastian Rossi – he's an Italian artist whose paintings have agreed to put some of his private works to auction. A fixed portion, of course, will go to him, but the rest will be put in the Wayne Foundation.”

“It just so happens Sebastian Rossi is a professor in art history as well, and I went to his lectures when I was still in uni.”

“Did you now?” Lucius said. “Well, Mr. Wayne does have his network in Gotham's elite and powerful, and sciences, but you Professor brings the classics to our doorstep.”

“Somebody has to keep Wayne Enterprise from becoming some robotic corporation.”

They arrived at their floor, and Vivian and Lucius said goodbye to William as they went to Bruce's office.

“Saved your behind from an awkward elevator ride, didn't I Professor?” Lucius teased.

“Yes, and you are my hero today, Lucius,” Vivian sighed. “I'm sure you've seen the article on the Gazette?”

“Everyone has. It's probably one of the reasons why Bruce is a little distracted today at our nine-o'clock. Don't worry, your husband might have his mind preoccupied but he still manages to operate well.”

Vivian sighed. “I am trying to keep an upbeat attitude.”

“I'm sure the charity event will change some perspectives in the coming future.”

“I hope so.”

Entering Bruce's office, they saw the man deep in work while taking a call on his bluetooth earpiece. The moment they opened the door, he told the person at the other line that he'll call them back later then stood to greet Lucius and Vivian.

“Lucius,” Bruce said to the man and then turned to Vivian and kissed her cheek, “Viv, I guess it's time for the meeting.”

“Yes, it is,” Vivian told him.

“But Marge usually takes her time with preparing our coffee. I'll head over to make sure everything is alright. You can come after ten minutes, Mr. Wayne, Professor Pryor,” Lucius said and left the room.

As soon as the door closed, Vivian turned to Bruce and said, “Marge doesn’t take too much time with preparing coffee.”

“No, she does not. But I appreciate Lucius’ efforts in giving us some time alone. It's been a busy week.”

“Both in your day job and night job,” Vivian placed her bag on the seat and leaned back on his desk. Bruce stood before her and removed the tie that's keeping her hair to a bun, then massaged her scalp.

“That feels nice,” she hummed. “How's your day?”

“I should be asking you that.”

“You saw.”

“You should have told me.”

“I just don't want to think more about it. But going through that procession just to get to the elevator didn't help. William Earle didn't help either. Is that what I'm reduced to? A wife you got to please so I'd drop by your office to give you head before a meeting?”

Bruce frowned. “And you said you weren't thinking about it too much,” he leaned down and placed each of his hands on the table to cage her there. “Hey… for better and for worse, remember?” Vivian smiled and pressed her forehead on his. “And your shit is my shit too.” She laughed. 

“Why did we even add that to our vows?”

“It was your idea, and I think it's romantic. But you get the gist.”

“Of course, it was my idea,” Vivian brushed her nose against his and closed her eyes. “I miss the times we sneak around and act like we're good at it.”

“You're not just my wife Vivian, and nor are you just someone I please to get a good fuck. You're my partner in everything. Your achievements are your own and you’ve made a name for yourself in your field, and I am proud of you for it. And you put up with me and the demands of my other life.”

Vivian smiled, she slung her arms around his neck and enjoyed his company. “I should get an award for that. You don't see anyone else who supports their husband and their nightly hobbies of running around in a costume. Let alone a bat costume. And also consulting him and his friends on their Dungeons and Dragons campaigns.”

Bruce chuckled. “I'll get you a plaque for it.”

The door of his office opened and Bruce had to remove himself from his wife, displeased, to face them. It was William Earle. 

“Whoah, didn't mean to walk-in on you both like that,” he joked.

Vivian rolled her eyes, luckily Bruce was big enough to hide her from William's view.

“Will, what brings you here?” Bruce asked.

“Lucius has everyone in the conference room now.”

“But you're not in that meeting.”

He wasn't, but William Earle has always been a suckup.

William shrugged, “Saw them ready for you and thought why not save Marge the hassle of walking all the way here to tell you, you know.”

“Thanks, William,” Vivian got off the table and took her bag. “We'll head there now.”

Taking Bruce's offer of his arm, Vivian and him left the office and went straight to the meeting.

~*~

Veronica Vreeland was one of the few people that Vivian would call a real friend of Bruce Wayne. She remembered meeting the woman after Bruce said his friend demanded they have a double date with her now ex-husband. It was fun getting to know Veronica, and while the two of them were complete opposites, they found some common ground that became the foundation of their friendship. 

Which was dress shopping.

Vivian always loved clothes. She remembered going to the shopping district in Liverpool with her mother and going through the thrift shops to find clothes she liked for a cheap price, then Madeline would fix them up or alter them to fit her preference. For a time she learned how to use a sewing machine just to alter her existing clothes to styles she always wanted, and she did the same for her siblings when they started to become picky with their clothes. 

Oliver was more of the tweed jackets and white shirts and trousers.

Olivia liked rock and roll.

Vivian preferred to sew Olivia's clothes since it was more ripped than actually attached. 

When she got a job, the first paycheck she got, Vivian bought a really nice blazer – not from a thrift shop but a new one that fits her perfectly. It served her for years into her profession until it no longer fits. Later, she started buying clothes that would fit her profession and have that Dan Brown's Robert Langdon aesthetic.

Then she started seeing Bruce Wayne who invited her to galas and fancy dinners, and charity events, and press runways, and she had to look into more appropriate clothes. Luckily, her first gala event as Bruce’s date happened after she met Veronica Vreeland, and the woman invited her to go dress shopping before the event, and got a really nice dress that – in her words – “would have Bruce begging they head home before they even get to the venue.”

Now, here they were again, looking through luxury brand stores for a dress for the upcoming charity auction they were hosting at Wayne Manor. It was a Saturday which meant Tim had time to go through cases in the cave than be a kid, which had Vivian dragging him through their shopping with a video game to play with. 

“You are probably the only kid who I will ever enable to play video games instead of studying,” she told him as she handed him a video game and told him to sit at the bench.

“Or I could just play video games at home,” Tim said.

“Yeah, with Alfred coordinating with the caterer, Bruce at work, and me here, so you're unsupervised and can go to the basement to study? No.”

Tim groaned and took the game. 

Now standing before the mirrors trying out the dress that Veronica picked out, she did a good turn to see how it looked on her. Before she could give her opinion, Veronica told their assistant for the day, “No. She's a world renowned professor in symbology and iconography – in basic terms she's damn smart. Not eye-candy. She's the host for the event, not the hubby's accessory.”

“Of course, we'll find something that might interest us.”

After changing out of the dress and back to the robe that was provided, Vivian laid on the couch beside Veronica and sighed. On cue, the woman handed her a glass of champagne and a slice of cake. 

“Thanks for that,” Vivian said.

“No problem,” Veronica took Vivian's legs and had them on her lap, making the latter laugh. “I hate it when they always choose the dresses my grandmother would wear or whatever Rebecca Fallbrook as in her closet.”

“Which is?”

“The most clothing you'll see on her is probably the Princess Jasmine costume she wore on that New Year's Eve party. And I mean the red Princess Jasmine costume.”

They both laughed at the memory and drank their champagne. 

“I miss shopping with you, Ronie,” Vivian sighed. 

“Well, you've been busy.”

“And you've been on so many honeymoons now that I rarely see you in the country.”

Veronica smirked. “Those honeymoons got you that fantastic fur coat from St. Petersburg and that beautiful coat from Italy, mind you. So, what's up, Vivian Pryor-Wayne? Four years into the marriage… how's living with Gotham's snobs?”

A long and dragging sight. “I miss not being labeled an alcoholic whenever I order beer at ten in the morning. I also miss not seeing my face on the headlines of some tabloid being called as a gold digger.”

Veronica gave her a sympathetic look. “Gotham press and Gotham's socialite are not that welcoming to new money – or those who marry into its circle. They know they can't do anything to you because of Bruce, so they pay the media to do the shaming.”

“I miss Liverpool. There people can call each other wankers and get on with their day. None of this backstabbing shit.”

“Did you stab them when they're looking?”

“Usually.”

Veronica laughed. “If only Gotham is like your little neighborhood in Liverpool… but I hope this doesn't get between you and Bruce though.”

“It doesn't. He has been extra loving lately, and while I enjoy his morning greetings,” Tim mimicked someone vomiting, “I just want this to die down. I mean, I enjoy the gesture but he can't always go on his knees just to cheer me up, right?”

“VIVIAN!” Tim covered his ears with pillows.

“What do you expect? It's Bruce, he likes to please people. But seriously, Viv. Anything you need, I'm here — even if it means trashing someone's car to let out some steam… say Rebecca Fallbrook? Listen, I think this is just going out because you're hosting this event for the Wayne Foundation, and people are not happy that you've been getting good media publicity from the Daily Planet and the press in general. I can smell a rich-man's bribe anywhere.”

Vivian sighed and pulled Tim so she could mess with his hair. It always calms her to do that with her boys. And Tim doesn't mind, it was a free head-massage.

Before Vivian could say anything, the store assistants came back with some outfits that she would like. On in particular caught her eye, and both her and Veronica pointed at it and said, “that one.”

Later that day, a photo went around Gotham Gazette’s page and social platforms with an article that highlights her and Veronica, mentioning that she was once again cashing in Bruce's money with luxury clothes. Vivian slammed her laptop shut and counted the days until the auction. Once that's done all of this would be over… until the next event.

~*~

The grand hall was packed with Gotham's socialite, the press, and guests who show expertise on the pieces that Sebastian has finally opened up to sell. As everyone was socializing downstairs, Vivian watched from the railing as she tried to look for someone she knew so she could run to them immediately and not get caught in all the whole small talk. She saw Veronica there but she was conversing with Suzie Vanaver and Heather Earle, who were not the most welcoming in their little circle. Veronica called them snobs and would rather have champagne at the corner but she was forced by her father to interact with them and be a “good girl” for the evening. And not hunting for husband #4.

“You look like you're playing that crane game we went to with Ms. Vreeland the other day,” Tim said to her as he came out with Bruce. Both wearing matching tuxes that complimented her white jumpsuit. 

“Don't you look handsome,” she told Tim. “I saw Bernard down there, why don't you save him from getting his cheeks pinched by old ladies.”

“You don’t have to bribe a friend so I can give you both some alone time you know,” Tim snickered and left.

Alone, Bruce took Vivian's hand that's been fiddling with Jason's locket and smiled sadly. Even in death, Vivian still finds comfort with Jason's memory. He took her hand and kissed the wedding band and her engagement ring before kissing her lips. 

“You look fantastic,” he told her.

“I’m a complete mess,” she sighed. “It's weird how I know everyone in this room, I can smile and talk to them but I feel utterly alone.”

“But you're not,” Bruce told her. His eyes glanced over her should an the crowd as he said, “and I think you'll be happy to see someone in this crowd right now.” He had her turn around to see.

Waving frantically from below, where he gained looks from the other guests, Sebastian Rossi called out to Vivian with a grin, “Bella! Vivian!” Rossi called for her with his thick Italian accent.

Vivian laughed and waved at him, “Professore Rossi!”

Sebastian Rossi gestured for her to come down. Taking Bruce's hand, they both went to greet the artist who was accompanied by some of her colleagues who were apologizing to the others he surprised with his loud entrance.

“Professore Rossi,” Vivian greeted him with a kiss on both cheeks. “How was the flight?” She asked in Italian.

“Professor Vivian Pryor – eh!” Sebastian caught himself, “Professor Vivian Pryor-Wayne, I hear now.”

“Yes,” she then switched to English as she introduced Bruce. “My husband, Bruce Wayne.”

“The lucky man,” Rossi laughed as she shook Bruce's hand.

“Indeed. It's nice to meet you as an artist and as Vivian's good friends. How was the flight?”

“Very appreciated – I think I enjoyed it too much in first class. Now, I heard you have adopted a few boys. I brought presents,” he took out three wrapped boxes from his bag. “I remember reading about it in our emails. The youngest, where is he?”

Bruce called for Tim from the snackbar and had him come over. 

“Ah, you are Tim. Yes?”

“Yeah,” Tim said.

“For you. Vivian said that you liked puzzles, so I got you something to get you off the video games.”

Tim snickered and turned to Vivian. “Look at that, an intellectual game that a normal kid could play that’s not a video game. Thank you, Professor Rossi.”

Rossi patted him on the head – messing up his hair – and had him returning to where he was finishing all the snacks with Bernard. “Now, Richard?”

“Dick's not –”

“Here, I am,” Dick crossed the crowd, all dressed up for the night. “Bruce said it was your event, I can't miss that.”

Vivian smiled and thanked him. “I'm glad you're here, kiddo.”

“Here, my boy. I did the math – mind you I am not a mathematician so I made a good guess on your age. So, here. From Tuscany – Italy's wine region.”

“Thank you… hold on, when you said bad in math, how old did you think I was?”

Rossi shrugged. “Sixteen?”

“He'd be underage. He won't be allowed to drink then,” said Bruce.

Rossi scoffed. “I've been drinking wine since I was Timothy's age.”

“An exaggeration,” Vivian reassured the people around them.

“But thanks,” Dick said. 

“Now. I know that Jason is gone, but he will always be here with you. Here, for you and Mr. Wayne. It is a replica of the Argo — you know, Jason and the Argonauts.”

“Thank you, Professor. This means so much…” she gestured for Alfred to come and the butler approached them and held out his hand to take the gift.

“I'll put this in his old room,” he told her.

“Thank you, Alfred,” Vivian said before he left. “This means so much, Professor –”

“There is more.”

“Please, no more. You have already given so much.”

“No, no! For my favorite student – do not tell the others that –”

“We're right here,” said Kirk. “We were also your students during our semester in Italy.”

“— I made you something for your wedding. I was supposed to give it to you during the celebration but I ran out of time. I can't give it to you now but I had it transported here along with my other works.”

“Please don't tell me Sebastian Rossi just made us a painting as a wedding gift,” whispered Bruce.

“I think he did.”

“And you do know that a Rossi costs about at least six million dollars in the market, right?”

“I know,” Vivian whispered. “And I thought getting him to pour me wine is an honor enough.”

“Here,” Rossi showed the catalog, specifically at the painting. “For your personal collection.”

“Thank you, Professor Rossi,” Vivian said. “This means so much.”

“Specifically around six million dollars,” Dick whispered to Bruce. “Did this add another zero into your joint account?”

“It did,” Bruce answered.

“Now, I shall leave you to your event,” Rossi said.

“No, you are the guest of honor, I would be a rude host to leave you just like that,” Vivian had her arm around her old friend and brought him around to meet Lucius Fox and the others.

The auction went smoothly with Vivian giving an opening speech to discuss more about Rossi's works, and a few words from the artist himself, then everyone was bidding to get a hold on one of Italy's rising artists whose paintings cost just keeps getting bigger and bigger. It ended when Bruce himself purchased a painting called Aphrodite Urania Seducing Ares where the goddess is depicted to be having red hair and is naked as she bathed in sea water, and at the side the god of war was watching with lustful eyes.

“I think we both know why Bruce bought that painting,” Dick said as he removed his hand off of Tim and Bernard's eyes when the photo of the painting was no longer on display.

“You don't say? You think he'll put it in their bedroom?” Tim muttered.

“I know he will.”

With the auction finished, people enjoyed the afterparty and got to know the artist who they just made very rich. As Rossi spoke with Bruce and the others, Vivian was whisked away by Veronica who teased her about the last painting which Bruce bought.

“That wasn't me,” Vivian told her. “Okay, technically that wasn't me, it was a model, but Rossi admitted he made the hair red on purpose because he really liked my red hair.”

Veronica laughed. “Tell me where Bruce is going to put it, alright?”

“Please don't tease him about it.”

“Viv, that's what friends are for. We tease you but with good intentions. It keeps you grounded.”

“Thank you for coming tonight, Ronnie. And for buying that piece,” Vivian sighed. “I don't know how I would have gotten through this night without you.”

“You would have. I barely talked to you, Viv.”

“Well, you kept the hoard from getting me tonight.”

Veronica laughed. “That's what I do… congratulations, Vivian. Now, go and mingle with the other rich people in Gotham. Remember, it's the connections that give you power.”

“I will,” Vivian said and went to the direction of some of the families who bought a piece from tonight. “Mr. Vanaver, Mr. Fallbrook, I'm glad that you're enjoying the evening.”

“Mrs. Wayne, good to see you,” Patrick Vanaver said.

“I hope you're happy with your purchases for tonight.”

“Not as happy as Wayne, though,” Oscar Lawford snickered. “He got the best one there is. Right, Viv?”

Vivian breathed through her nose and reminded herself about the network and the image she needed to keep. “I remember when Professor Rossi was still halfway through painting it – he was having trouble on Aphrodite's hair and then one day he just made it red to make her stand out.”

“Is that right? He just suddenly decided to make the goddess of love and sex have red-hair, huh?” Said Patrick. Vivian frowned. “You know, Professor, we really thought you were one of those quiet type of girls. We never thought you to be well acquainted with big people.”

Vivian forced a smile. “It's part of the job. Traveling, meeting people.”

“You know, I'm a painter myself, not as good as Professor Mario over there, but I can do a decent piece. How about you model for me on a piece” said Patrick.

“Excuse me?” Vivian's brows furrowed. 

“Come on now, Viv. It's just a joke,” said Oscar Lawford.

“You know, I can understand why Bruce wanted that painting. I can see it now.”

Vivian looked at him for a moment then did something that certainly would stick to every Gothamite in this event. She took Patrick Vanaver and Oscar Lawford's drinks and handed them to the nearest server on sight. Before they could question what she was doing, she asked the same man to tell the person at the coats and the valet to get Mr. Vanaver and Mr. Lawford's coats.

“What the hell, Viv?” Oscar told her.

“Don't Viv me. It's either Pryor or Mrs. Pryor-Wayne. While I do appreciate your attendance and we appreciate your donation to the cause, I would humbly ask for you to get out of my house.”

Silence came to the room and everyone was looking Vivian.

“Viv, come on it's a joke!” Oscar scoffed.

“Professor Pryor, the valet are now bringing Mr. Lawford and Mr. Vanaver's vehicles to the front, Ma'am,” Alfred came to her side. “Your coats will be waiting for you at the front,” he told the two men.

“What the – Wayne, are you hearing this right now?” Patrick turned to Bruce who was marching up to their space.

Bruce went to Vivian's side and only looked at the two men, joining him were Dick and Tim who looked at them with menacing glares. “Vivian is the Mistress of Wayne Manor, Patrick. She runs this house. What she says goes. I'm sure the valet already has your cars at the front. And don't worry about Suzie and Heather, they can stay. We'll personally secure their mode of transportation home.”

“Bruce, you can't be serious!” Oscar scoffed.

“Trust me. I am. And Oscar, Patrick,” Bruce towered over them and said in a threatening tone, “Insult my wife again and I swear… it will be the last. Don't think I didn't hear what you said to her along with the anonymous writer you have contacted in the Gazette.”

Vivian smirked. “We thank you for your donation to the Wayne Foundation, gentlemen. And we'll make sure that your paintings will reach your homes securely.”

“Now,” Dick spoke. “Get out.”

The two men turned to their wives and told them to come along, and they did, both embarrassed with what had happened. As soon as they were in their cars, Tim and Bernard ran up to the front with a couple of tomatoes – which Vivian magically conjured discreetly from the kitchen and handed to the boys – and threw it at the two men's windshields. The boys laughed and high-fived as the men started cursing and wiping the tomatoes using their expensive scarves.

“Are you alright, my love?” Bruce asked Vivian.

“Yes,” Vivian sighed. “I am now – a lot better since last week.” Since that article she saw.

“Scotch, neat, Ma'am,” Alfred handed Vivian her favorite drink.

“Thank you, Alfred. I can always count on you for this. And,” she turned to Bruce, smiling, “I can always count on you to have my back.”

“Partners, remember?” Bruce leaned down and kissed her softly.

“Well,” Veronica approached them. “Demure and commanding, I am proud of you, Vivian. The hulking husband is a nice touch, too, Bruce.”

“Ronnie,” Bruce greeted her. 

“What do you think is going to happen after that?” Vivian asked them. 

“Public shaming, give the Vanavers and the Lawfords a couple of days out of the sun – maybe a vacation to their villas – and they'll be back. Scarred and won't dare to come near you, but still close enough to be in the inner circles of Gotham's socialite,” Veronica answered.

“That's nice to hear,” said Vivian.

“Congratulations, Professor Pryor, you now know the ways on how to say ‘fuck you’ like a snobbish Gotham elite,” Veronica clinked her wine glass with Vivian's scotch. 

Tim and Bernard returned, both grinning from ear to ear.

“We got them good,” Tim said.

Vivian knelt down and kiss his cheek. “Thanks, detective.”

“Vivian!” Tim groaned and tried to push her away but couldn't as she had a good hold, making Bernard laugh at him.

[theweebnextdoor]

Robin🌙✨️

Meet my KND oc, Robin Penelope Hughes! Isn't she just the cutest? Her sweater was inspired by Mable Pines but with different colors and the gold clips I took from Ginger from As Told By Ginger. That is a G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A that she is holding but she has it filled with paintballs instead. Here are just a few things about Robin:

Robin is not yet an operative in the story she's in so her future Numbuh is still classified

Robin is lactose intolerant

Her father is an adult villain who I still need to flesh out and her mother passed sometime before the events of the story

Her family owned a bakery called 'Whimsy's Delights' that was started by her grandma on her mother's side

Robin used to live somewhere in the UK before moving to the US

Robin is bi-curious now but she definitely will be bisexual. The colors of the rainbow on her sweater represent that

Her favorite band is the Uppercrust and plays a little bit of violin

She is a Yipper fan

Personality: A free spirited child who just wants to make the best out of a hard situation. Will do anything for those she truly cares about but when someone tries to do something for her, she feels she is undeserving of it. Has a tendency to let things bottle up until it becomes too overwhelming for her and she starts making noticable mistakes.

This was just a few minor things to make this post somewhat interesting. I will post more art of her and will introduce another oc when I can. Hope you'll enjoy meeting Robin. 💖

[battalez]

Hiii here's @random8tor and I's EAH oc Pierce Lionheart, daughter of Prince John! She's the resident popular mean girl of EAH since we found there was a void.* Pierce is the leader of a bedroom-pop band named the Villains of Nottingham. They're the rivals of Sparrow Hood's band.

Feel free to send any asks! We love talking about Pierce interacting with other people's OCs.

Short bio after “Keep Reading”

Full name: Prince Pierce Miserly Lionheart of Nottingham Story: The Robin Hood Ballads Role: Prince John Alignment: Royal turning/turned Rebel

Powerful Qualities: Attentive, Arrogant, Assertive

Roommate: It’s been tradition for the destined Prince John and Sheriff of Nottingham to room together. It only makes sense! Justice wards off yucky merry men from trying to steal from me on campus.

Secret Hearts Desire: My parents disagree with how close I am to my evil minions, but I wish more than gold for their names to be inseparable from mine in the storybooks.

Magic Touch: My girls and I keep a catalog of everyone’s secrets in a notebook we call the Tax Records. It comes in handy when we gossip, spread rumors, blackmail… You know, the usual teen girl stuff.

Romance Status: Going on a date would be pretty awkward with how seriously Justice Nottingham takes being my royal guard. But if someone were to sneak into my castle past all the knights, we could get some alone time.

Oh, Curses! Moment: Every time I go crown shopping it’s a total fairy-fail! No crown ever fits right on my head. My dad says it’s a family curse, but my cousin Rich can wear crowns just fine!

Favorite Subject: Advance Villainy. My BFFAs and I have the best seats, in the back! We can see everyone and make fun of them. Mr. Badwolf ran out of detention scrolls a long time ago.

Least Favorite Subject: Throne Economics. Raising taxes as a response to everything “doesn’t work,” but it always works out for my parents! Ugh.

Best Friends Forever After: Gaia Gisborne and Justice Nottingham hate the Merry Men. I hate the Merry Men. It’s a match made in Nottingham!

Raven Queen: Ex-childhood best friends. They were best friends from nursery-rhyme school but drifted apart in spellementary. Now in EAH, Pierce and her BFFAs revere her for being the “Princess of Evil" and have made many attempts at befriending her to reveal her more villainous side. The Evil Queen approves of their friendship. Pierce fully believes the "rebel movement" is part of a bigger eviler scheme Raven is planning.

Faybelle Thorn: Childhood friends. They became friends through their parents who were best friends at Ever After High and stayed in touch after graduation. The two used to be inseparable before Pierce was gifted her first evil minion. The two are still friends, but not as close as they used to be. Although, Faybelle hasn't realized this.

Sparrow Hood: While being destined enemies, Pierce doesn't actually hate Sparrow. She finds hating him and his band of Merry Men as just another part of her destiny. In all honesty, she doesn't care about him at all. But, she still finds the time to mess with them, her heart's just not truly in it.

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*Duchess is mean, but not popular. Faybelle is popular and mean, but she's canonically way too busy as both the leader of the cheerhexers and the Villains Club to do any actual bullying. Thus leaving a void for a popular mean girl who actually has the time to actively bully other students.

[raya-hunter01]

Cruising Love Pt. 2.3 Final

Two Shot Request

Jey Uso x Black Female OC! (Kayla)

Jimmy Uso x Trin

Roman x Black Female OC! (Robin)

Sefa x Black Female OC! (Cameron)

Montez Ford x Bianca Belair

Rating: 18+

Warning: Smut,

Thank you for the requesting and trusting me once again @royalkay23 and sorry this last chapter took so long.

Jey has planned a five-day cruise to the Bahamas and Puerto Rico for his girlfriend Kayla’s birthday. Jey is determined to make sure the trip goes smoothly as he’s enlisted his family and friends to help him plan the perfect wedding proposal.

-----

Puerto Rico

Joe’s POV

“So, you ain’t got time for an old friend Joe?” Dainelle’s sister Regina asked as I sighed.

“I ain’t got time for this, I got somewhere to be,” I said as Danielle and her sister tried to block my path.

“So, you just gonna ignore me, Joe,” Danielle said as I paused truly not in the mood. My meds had me feeling a little bad this morning.

I slept in a little longer this morning while everyone else went to get things ready for Kayla’s birthday dinner.

“Yes, I am 'cause you have been out of pocket this whole damn trip,” I said as her sister Regina rolled her eyes.

“Nah, I’m serious Regina, you sister been trippin’” I said as Danielle looked guilty.

“Why don’t you fill me in Joe,” Regina said looking confused at her sister.

“Let’s just go, I ain’t worried about it anymore,” Danielle said as I shook my head.

“Did she tell you the first night on the ship she tried to push up on Jey. Like even after he told her that he had someone?”

“Wait, you told me he found you that night and begged for a second chance. Then his girlfriend got jealous and tried to attack you,” Regina said frowning at her sister.

“More like she tried to break up his relationship, she even showed up at Kayla’s birthday dinner in the Bahamas being messy as fuck. That’s why Kayla beat her ass,” I said as Regina looked disgusted.

“You lied to me and got me out here about to confront people about shit that didn’t even happen,” she hissed as Danielle sighed.

“She did threaten me!” Danielle said trying to plead her case as Regina scoffed.

 “You interrupted her birthday dinner with bullshit, and you tried to come on to her man. I woulda beat yo’ ass too, you are lucky that’s all she did,” Regina said as I nodded in agreement as Danielle wiped her tears.

“Look, Jey has moved on, and Danielle needs to do the same. Things could have gone way worse than it did the other day,” I said as Regina nodded.

“I’m really sorry about this Joe. Tell Jey I wish them well, and he won’t have to worry about my sister anymore, I guarantee it,” Regina said as I nodded leaving them alone.

“I already told you I ain’t going to bother them anymore!” I heard Danielle yell in the distance as I made my getaway.

“Yeah, you better, before I tell your little rich boyfriend and he cuts you off,” Regina said as I shook my head. Damn, she's really up to the same shit.

Looking for someone rich to sink her claws into. I swear I’m so glad Jey let that shit go all those years ago.

I went around the block so they couldn’t see where I was originally going. When the coast was clear I ducked into the restaurant.

“Bianca doing the damn thang,” I muttered watching her put the final touches on Kayla’s 40th birthday backdrop.

“Damn girl, you snapped on that,” I said admiring it but paused seeing her nervousness.

“Are you sure?” she asked looking over her work and gazing back at the crew from the venue putting the finishing touches on their own decorations.

“I think it’s awesome Bee, you’re really talented, sis,” I said as she smiled.

 “I really like it too, I just hate the restaurant did more gold in their decorations and only like a little speck of silver,” Bianca sighed running her finger over her tired face as I gave her a hug.

“It matches Bee, now stop stressing. Plus, I know Kayla is going to love it all,” I said, reassuring her as Montez walked in shaking his head.

“Did you tell her to stop stressing, I know I did” he said as she rolled her eyes, as shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m just sayin’ you’re being critical of yourself, and everything is amazing. It’s amazing because you made it Bee,” Montez said as she cracked a smile.

“Thanks baby, it means a lot coming from you,” she said taking a deep breath as he came over to comfort her.

“Let’s finish strong, the girls are out back with Sefa and Jimmy. We almost got everything done out there,” he said taking her in his arms as she smiled.

“I can if you wit me,” she whispered as he gently kissed her lips. “Girl, “I’m always wit you,” he whispered as I took the hint and left them alone.

Robin’s POV

“This looks so beautiful, I just can’t wait,” Trin said as we moved in sync finishing up as I spotted Joe.

“Hey you! How are you feeling?” I asked as he wrapped me up in his arms. “Never better, I told you I would help ya’ll,” he whispered as I shook my head.

“Nope, your doctor said rest, and you did enough the other day,” I said caressing his back. “I feel fine baby, and the nausea has finally passed,” he reassured me as I caressed his beard. “I’m glad, but we’re almost done so just take a seat,” I said as he sighed but complied with my wishes as we finished up.

“Just chill Uce, we got it,” Sefa said as Joe relaxed in his chair. Days like these the start of the day is rough but thank God he feels better as the day goes on.

“Yea, you gotta be on security detail tonight,” Jimmy said as Joe rolled his eyes. “No, I’m actually making sure the proposal entertainment gets here,” he said as I smiled.

“Wait, he said yes?” I asked as Joe smiled. “Oh! Jey and Kayla are gonna flip,” I squealed as Trin and Jimmy looked confused, then it clicked for Jimmy.

“Oh, shit Case gon’ come through and sing,” Jimmy said as Trin smiled.

“Glad you figured it out Jurdy cause’ when we were planning this trip, ya’ll was throwing so many ideas out I honestly forgot,” she said as we laughed.

“We almost there ya’ll, in a couple hours Jey and Kayla are going to be engaged,” Cameron said looking around taking everything in as we all tried to contain our excitement but, in the end, it was all going to be worth it.

-----

Regen Seven Seas Cruises

Jey and Kayla’s Suite

Kayla’s POV

“Jey, wait a minute” I moaned, pushing against his head and sliding back slightly trying to create some distance as he worked my body into a frenzy with his talented tongue.

“You think I’m playin’ don’t you? I told you to stop runnin’.” The pure hunger in his voice made my heart race as he moved to the foot of the bed.

“Jey! Oh, fuckI” I gasped, unable to think as Jey possessively pulled me to the end of the bed, bending my trembling legs to my chest as he kneeled before me.

“Mmhm, I told you it was breakfast time,” he moaned as I squealed in surprise as he glided his flat long tongue along my slit over and over taking his time as I writhed helplessly on the bed.

“Happy birthday baby,” he whispered as I gasped trying to catch my breath as his tongue swirled and stroked my pussy.

“Thank you!” I squealed in gratitude as he moaned, concentrating on the task at hand.

“Hold dem legs, Daddy’s hungry,” he whispered as his masterful tongue dipped inside my wet hot center, never stopping as he added a finger, then two, curving it against my G-spot over and over.

 “Yes! Eat Daddy, eat your pussy!” I screamed, trying to hold my legs as they started to shake.

“Mmm, Daddy love how wet his pussy gets for him,” he moaned, his tongue sensually flickering over my slit over and over.

“Just for you! Mmm, just for you,” I panted truly at his mercy as his long tongue devoured me.

“You gon’ cum for me birthday girl?........ Go ahead and cum for me,” Jey moaned, just as turned on as I was.

 How could I deny him, as his mouth and primal groans of encouragement brought me even closer to my release?  

My legs were now pure jello as that beautiful intense fire burning deep within me, exploded.

“Yes! Yes, I’m cummin’, oh!” I cried as Jey growled, releasing my clit, licking his lips in anticipation, and continuing to thrust his fingers against my g-spot hard and fast as I came undone for him.

My essence spilling from my body as he moaned truly pleased with himself.

“Oouu, fuck….You squirtin’ for Daddy, hell yea,” he praised as my essence continued to soak the bed.

“Jey, shit! Yes!” I screamed as his mouth once again engulfing my wet center as he quenched his thirst. My shaking legs falling on top of his shoulders as he caressed them.

My breath coming in short pants as he sensually cleaned me up with his tongue as I moaned. Damn, that was unexpected.

“Mmm, happy birthday baby,” he whispered as I weakly ran my fingers through his hair.

“Thank you,” I moaned trying to catch my breath as he reveled in my pleasure.

“Oh, trust me, it was my pleasure,” he said caressing my hips before getting up to start the shower.

“What about you?” I asked still trying to gather my bearings as he came back and scooped me up in his arms.

“That was for you, now let’s get you cleaned up so I can see you in that dress,” he whispered carrying me into the bathroom to shower.

Damn, my birthday is already starting off with a bang, literally. I wonder what he has in store for me tonight.

-----

The Experience

Kayla’s Birthday Dinner

Kayla’s POV

“Oh my god! This is too much,” I cried as we walked through into the venue.

“No, it isn’t,” Jey whispered gently kissing my neck as I tried to control my tears. “Oh, no ma’am don't ruin your makeup….Well at least not just yet,” Cameron said pulling me by the arm to show me around.

Everything was beautiful and I just felt overwhelmed and thankful for them all.

“Bee this has you written all over it and I love it,” I said looking at the beautiful backdrop as she smiled.

“See I told you she wouldn’t care that you put her real age up there,” Montez said as Sefa nudged him on the arm.

“Aye, never talk about women’s age man,” he said as I rolled my eyes at him.

“Just come get in the picture ya’ll,” I said pointing at Montez and Sefa as the photographer snapped a few shots.

The night was truly amazing, I mean it’s nothing like family, good food, good vibes and gifts. But out of all of that my most favorite and happiest time has been on the dance floor wrapped up in Jey’s arms.

“I can’t believe you found that dress I wanted, and you got them to do all my favorite dishes,” I whispered as we continued to dance.

“I told you I wanted you to have the best birthday ever,” he said as I smiled brightly at him. “I really have babe, and I don’t know how to thank you,” I said as our lips met in a loving kiss.

“I know how,” he said as I raised my eyebrows at him curiously. “How can I thank you?” I asked as he spun me around.

“Go put on the dress I got you,” he said as I laughed.

“You wanted me to wear this one, and now you want me to change into the other one,” I said trying to make sure I was understanding his request.

“Yes, go change because the night is just getting started,” he said as I smiled stealing a kiss before going back to the table and getting the dress out of the box.

“I’ll help you change,” Trin said as Cameron smiled. “Yea, I’ll help you too,” she said as they led me to the bathroom.

What the hell is going on?

Jey’s POV

“Are you Ready?” Bianca asked as I nodded, trying to calm my nerves. “Yeah, I’m more than ready,” I said as she gave me a hug before leading me outside as I felt my heart stop.  “Pick your jaw up Uce........ Yeah, we did that,” Montez said as I looked at them in disbelief.

“Holy shit! Are you serious, sis!” I exclaimed looking at her creation as she blushed. “Yes, we all worked together to make it happen, now enough talkin’ let’s get engaged. You can thank us later,” she said as Joe and Robin came up. “Alright all systems are a go,” Joe said as I nodded. “What are you up to? Where did ya’ll go?” I asked as he waved me off.

 “Don’t worry about that right now, we got you,” he said as Bianca fixed my tie.

“Go get engaged bro,” Sefa said as I smiled, my heart feeling so full as I walked down the pathway.

Kayla’s POV

“Ya’ll are up to something,” I said hearing Trin and Cameron laughing as Jimmy was guiding me around by the arm.  “Just go with it,” I heard Jimmy say as I laughed.

“You would say that, you and Trin into that kinky shit,” I said as Trin laughed. “So are you and Jey don’t even front,” Cameron said I smiled.

“I’ll never kiss and tell,” I said as Trin snickered. “Hell, you ain’t gotta tell, we heard ya’ll last night when we were heading our room ma’am,” Trin said as I blushed.

“Ok, we’re moving two steps to the left wit yo blushin’ ass,” Jimmy said as I laughed holding on to his arm.

“Oh, it smells nice out here,” I said feeling a small breeze.

Nervously, I braced myself as I felt the blindfold being taken off. I shook away my blurry vision trying to focus on what was before me.

“Oh, my god,” I gasped in shock as I saw Jey standing in a the center of a heart, made of rose petals, in front of the words “Marry Me” Instantly my heart began to beat wildly against my chest as he smiled brightly and at me holding a single rose in his hand.

Guess what I did today

Those were the words I said to you

It was last may, dont know the exact day

In my hand there was a ring

“Oh my god,” I whispered overwhelmed as I looked over to the side and saw Case singing standing beside Joe and Robin.

“Surprise,” Joe whispered smiling at me as shook my head in disbelief. They really did all this.

“What you waitin’ on sis, go to him,” Robin whispered as I nodded moving in a daze down the beautiful path.

Then you told me that you loved me

More than anything in your life

So I asked you would you do me

The honor of being my wife

Jey’s POV

My heart skipping a beat as Kayla came closer, I knew this was what I wanted more than anything in life. “Bout time you got down here,” I whispered taking her hand in mine, pulling her close as she tried to hide her tears.

“I know right, sorry to keep you waiting,” she laughed lightening the mood as I nodded wiped her tears truly entranced by her beauty.  

“I’d wait forever if I had to.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s you and you’re the one for me,” I answered honestly as she smiled accepting the rose. Now all I needed her to do was to accept my proposal.

Yes I will

I will be your man

Your protector, your best friend

Till my humble life is ended

And time begins again, couldn't we be happily ever after?

“Are you sure?” she whimpered as I slowly kneeled before her. “Never been more sure of anything in my life, Kay. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Yea?” She asked still in shock, as I nodded, my own unshed tears beginning to fall as Kayla caressed my face. The loving action alone calmed my racing heart even as I melted into her touch.

“Yes, I want you to be my wife.”

“Then ask me, Joshua” she whispered wiping my tears. God, I love when my name from her beautiful lips.

Take you for my wife

The center of my life

And I will never, ever fade

From this choice I made, oh

Couldn't we be happily ever after?

“Three years ago, you found me, and you healed me from the inside out, Kay.  You taught me how to love, and every day with you is another chance for me to show you just how much I love you. I know one that I don’t want to do this thing called life without you by my side.”

“I don’t either,” Kayla cried as I released the breath I was holding, pulling the ring box out of my pocket, and opening it.

 Couldn't we be happily ever after

See today, I wanna make you my wife...

We could be strong together for so long

“I love you so much Kayla, will you marry me?” I asked as she nodded.

“Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you. I love you so much,” she gasped, leaning down brushing her lips across mine as I felt the world melt away. My arms enclosing around her waist cherishing the moment.

“Am I gettin’ a new sister-in law or what?! I ain’t seen you put no ring on her finger,” Jimmy yelled as we laughed.

“She said yes!” I shouted, finally sliding the tear cut diamond on her finger. Kayla never once looked at her ring, her eyes never left mine.

Smiling brightly, I stood up as she jumped into my arms, our lips once again found each other as we shared a deep kiss. The thunderous applause and cheering seemed so far away as we got lost in each other.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Couldn't we be happily ever after

“You didn’t even look at your ring, babe,” I whispered caressing her face, as I placed her back on the ground as she smiled, finally looking down at her ring.

“Babe,it’s perfect babe, I love it,” she whispered as I smiled.

“I know you don’t like big and flashy so I went with the tear cut, I was hoping I got it right,” I said nervously as she grasped my hands.

Kayla’s POV

“I didn’t mean to not look at the ring, I just couldn’t stop lookin’ at you. I didn’t want to miss it,” I whispered as Jey caressed my hands. “Miss what baby?” he asked as I smiled trying to find the right words to say.

“How you looked at me like I was the only girl in the world…… Everything you said to me, I wanted to remember it all,” I said trying to keep my emotions in check but failing once again.

“You are the only girl in the world for me,” he whispered wiping my tears.

“Josh, I’m not marrying a ring; I’m marrying you-” My world a mere whisper as he nods, tasting my lips once again.

The cheering of our family and friends long forgotten as it seemed and felt like we were the only two people in the world. Truthfully, I was so happy they allowed us to be just that in this moment.

I was engaged…Holy shit…

Danielle’s POV

I knew what I said, and I didn’t mean to pry but I had called the restaurant while Regina and I were nearby to see if they had a reservation available. I got no answer at first but as we arrived at the restaurant someone finally answered.

They told me that the whole restaurant was closed for a private party, and they would reopen tomorrow night at their regular time.

As Regina and I were trying to look up another place to eat at out of my peripheral I saw Joe and Robin come outside. They met someone and instead of going back through the front they all ducked around back. As my sister called her husband back, I quietly followed them.

Imagine my surprise to see this lavish set up, realizing Jey was proposing to Kayla. I stayed quietly tucked away in a huge bush watching everything unfold.

“What the hell is you doin’?” Regina whispered, peaking over my shoulder as I shushed her. My heart dropping with each confession of love Jey bestowed upon Kayla.

“You really out here hidin’ in bushes…Bitch you done lost it,” she said as I put my hand over her mouth.

“Damn, do you want them to know we’re here,” I sighed removing my hand as we quietly watched Jey propose.

Watching everyone so happy for them gutted me. Alright, enough of this we shouldn’t be here let’s go Regina snapped leading me away from the happy scene.  The silence killing me as she dragged me down the street.

“You can let me go now,” I said as we got closer to the ship.

Can I really Danielle, I mean you out here followin’ people and hidin’ in fuckin bushes,” she said finally letting my hand go, continuing to walk as I stopped.

“What you gotta say?” I asked, seeing her head shake as she continued to walk, pissing me off even more. Always so judgmental.

“Stop fuckin’ walking and talk to me! I yelled as she stopped and turned to face me.

"Fine, we can talk, but I’m done with talkin’ to you with the kid gloves.”

"What the fuck does that mean?”

“Danielle, after all of that you just saw, do you still think you have a chance with Jey? Like how do you not see how much Jey loves that girl,” she said as her words hit me like a ton of bricks.

“I know that,” I whispered defeatedly, really shocking myself that I said it. Regina’s face softened as her phone rang but she sighed, hitting ignore.

“I ain’t in the mood Joe” she whispered as I scoffed watching her text him. “You judging me, but Joe is calling you? Wouldn’t surprise me if ya’ll are still fuckin’” I said as she slapped me.

“First off Joe is happily married, and I don’t play that shit of sleeping with men that are taken. We’re friends and have been friends since college, don’t play with me Danielle” she hissed as I rubbed my face.

“I know and I’m sorry-” I started as her phone ranging interrupted us once again.

“Hey….Joe, I already told you that I took care of it. We’re almost back at the ship, ya’ll just enjoy your night and tell Robin I said hello,” she said before hanging up.

“So, he saw us?”

“Girl, Joe clocked you the minute you followed him and Robin. He ain’t dumb, that’s why he was near the bush.”

“There really is no hope, is it?” I whispered as Regina shook her head. “No there isn’t,” she said as I broke down.

I was so wrapped in the money, that I never took the time to really love him,” I started as Regina cut me off.

“Look, I don’t mean to hurt you, but all of that is water under the bridge now. You’re beating a dead horse, Jey has moved on and you should do the same,” she said as we stood in silence.

I knew she was right, and I knew what I had to do.

I had to let him go……I played myself, and I had nobody to blame but myself.  I hate to admit it but I’m happy Jey found someone to love him.  He deserved it…We all did.

---

Later that night

Jey and Kayla’s Suite

Kayla’s POV

“Mmm, babe, where are we going,” I gasped feeling him throbbing even harder inside me as he carried me to the shower on the balcony.

I know the neighbors are tired of us, because it’s been on and poppin’ ever since we arrived back.

We couldn’t get enough of each other; clothes were scattered everywhere and the bed a mess as he made me cum again and again bending to his will as.

I ain't afraid to drown

If that means I'm deep up in your ocean, yeah

Girl, I'll drink you down

Sipping on your body all night

“Fuck!” I moaned, my back pressed against the shower wall, legs wrapped around Jey’s waist and my fingers entangled in his hair. His primal thrusts and growls set my body ablaze as he sucked on my neck.

 I just wanna take your legs and wrap 'em 'round

Girl, you coming right now

My head to your chest feeling your heartbeat, girl

Swimming all in your sea, and you sweating all over me

Bring it forward, don't you run, run

“Mmhm, I didn't forget, I always keep my promises. Now tell me again, what’s today?” he moaned as his back took the brunt of the steaming hot water as it cascaded over us, our cries of pleasure filled the still of the night as he went deeper.

“It’s my birthday!” I exclaimed as Jey grasped my throat, taking me in a scorching kiss as my vision began to blur, fuck, I was close.

I don't want to be a minute man

Baby, you're just like a storm raining on me

Girl, you're soaking wet, whoa-whoa

“Yes, it is, and you deserve the world,” Jey moaned against my lips as his pace begins to quicken even more as I pulsed around him, clawing at his back as he growled going even deeper as my legs began to quiver.

“Fuck, my birthday girl about to cum, ain’t you beautiful?”  He groaned as I nodded, unable to speak.

“Tell me Kay, how does my birthday girl want to cum?” he moaned as I groaned at his question, now meeting his thrusts with equal desperation.

I'ma kiss it right, yeah, yeah

I'm gon' lick all night, yeah, yeah

Girl, when I'm inside, yeah, yeah

Yeah girl, you heard what I said

I'm gonna make you wet the bed (bed), bed (bed), bed (oh)

“Mmmhm, that’s it, you can do it baby.”

“Baby! Oh, baby! I screamed as Jey soothed me, caressing my face as we chased our end together, his eyes never leaving mine as we moved in sync.

“Mmm, shit!” I gasped as I braced one of my arms against the tile for leverage, the other holding on to his neck for dear life as I began bouncing harder on his dick.

 “Yeeaa, get dat dick,” he gasped, grasping my hips, beginning to thrust harder as I screamed. Intense sharp tingles shot through my body overwhelming me as he swallowed my cries with his lips.  Our kisses igniting an even deeper passion.

You don't know what you're in for

'Bout to get inside your mental, huh

Bend ya back like it's limbo

I'ma make you feel like a nympho

Tonight, oh-whoa, you're mine, baby girl, oh

 “Mmhm, dats it......Ride dat shit… Fuuuckk…. You my lil rider ain’t you?” he asked, his words making me even wetter.

“Yes! I’m your lil rider!” I cried as he growled in appreciation.

“Mmhm, I know you are baby......... Now tell Daddy, do you wanna cum on his dick….. Or in his mouth,” he whispered against my lips as I pulsed tighter around him.

I was turned on beyond belief as Jey himself was vying very hard to keep his eyes open as we climbed our mountain of pleasure together.

As the minutes passed we became even more lost in each other. “Answer me, Kayla, how do you want Daddy to please you?” Jey rasped as I moaned in appreciation at his eagerness.

“Oouu, fuck! I want to cum on both, Daddy!” I cried, his eyes snapping open in shock at my request. A primal growl escaped his lips as he swiftly gripped me under my thighs bouncing me with ease on his dick as I screamed in ecstasy.

“Who am I to deny the birthday girl,” he whispered, his strokes powerful and deliberate as I clawed at his neck, our lips meeting once again in a deep kiss.

“Mmm, cum for me,” he moaned releasing my lips as I fell apart in his arm as he held me tight.

“I’m cummin! Jey, fuck!” I gasped as my orgasm overtook me. “Fuck yea, squirt on dat dick……… It feels good don’t it?” he groaned as I whined against his lips.

“Yes! Ohhh, fuck yes! Mmm,” I moaned as I felt Jey’s hands grip my hips tighter.

“Fuck, I love you,” he groaned as he met his end, stilling inside me as his body trembling against mine.  

 “Mmm,I love you too,” I whispered collapsing against his shoulders totally spent as Jey reached over and turned off the shower.

My second request far from my brain as I tried to gather myself and recover, but it wasn’t lost upon Jey. 

Jey’s POV

 “One more to go birthday girl,” I whispered lifting her up further, wrapping her legs around my shoulders as she gasped in shock. “One more?” she gasped as I smirked.

 “Uh-huh, I’m givin’ my birthday girl what she asked for, now keep dem eyes on me,” I whispered, slowly and teasingly tasting her soaking wet lips, savoring her addictive taste. 

Any time you want it, I'm ready and willing, girl, to give it

I start to lick your body, you go to trembling

Flip it around, girl, lemme get it from the side

And can I visit all those spots you like?

Your neck, your back, your sexy lips, booty and thighs

“Jey!” She moaned grabbing the shower head above us as I pleased her. “I owe you one, cum for Daddy one more time baby,” I moaned as her hungry lust-filled eyes rolled back in her head.

“Shit!.....Hmm, happy birthday to me,” she gasped moving her hips against my tongue as I held her in place. Her pussy trembling against my mouth as I lapped up her juices, making sure to leave no part of her untouched as she rode my face, chasing her next nut.

I had never seen a more beautiful sight than what was before me. Kayla’s legs trembling, her head thrown back in pleasure as she gripped the shower head, rocking her hips against my mouth.

 “Mmhm, use me baby,” I moaned as I nipped at her clit, her gasps anxious and needy as I was relentless devoured her pussy with my mouth.

“Oh my God!” She gasped as I stilled her hips, swirling my tongue around her clit. “Jey, I’m....Again," her voice fading as her whole body began to shake as her orgasm hit her strong.

“I know, and I want it all.…. And.. I… Mean… Every….Single… Drop,” I groaned welcoming her essence.

 “Mmm, drink it all, Daddy! Fuck!”She cried, her hips continuing to writhe against my mouth as her orgasm washed over her for the third time tonight.

The sounds of her heavy breathing and moans were music to my ears as she smiled shyly down at me trying to catch her breath.

I'ma kiss it right (oh-oh), yeah, yeah

I'm gon' lick all night (oh-oh), yeah, yeah (girl, when I'm inside and I get to ya)

Girl, when I'm inside, yeah, yeah

Yeah girl, you heard what I said

'Cause I'm gonna make you wet the bed (bed), bed (bed), bed (oh)

I'm gonna make you wet the bed (bed), bed (bed), bed (oh)

“Thank you for your cooperation, you tasted so good,” I moaned kissing her thigh as she ran her fingers through my wet hair.

“No, thank you.” she whispered as I reluctantly I placed her back on the ground as she held the wall to steady herself.

I couldn’t help but smirk at my handy work.

“You think anybody heard us?” she asked as I chuckled. “I don’t care if they did.  I told you the first day what was gon’ happen on this balcony before this trip was over and I meant that shit,” I said as she blushed.

“Are we really engaged?” she whispered, still in somewhat disbelief looking at her finger as I smiled brightly at her. “Yes, we are engaged baby, and I can’t wait to make you my wife, “I whispered gently kissing her on the lips.

 “I can’t wait either…….Thank you for making my birthday special,” she said caressing my beard as I smiled.

 “Thanks for lovin’ me,” I said truthfully honored to have her in my life.

I knew it wasn’t going to be sunshine and rainbows every day, but I knew I couldn’t wait to do this thing called life with Kayla by my side.

 I knew we could make it through anything as long as we had each other, and I couldn’t wait for the next chapter in our lives.

The end

@reci24 @southerngirl41 @vebner37 @jeyusos-girl

@melaninsugababy @romanreignkisser @bebesobrielo

@arination99 @2-muchsauce @bakugoumarianawrites

@empressdede @alyyaanna @christinabae @anonandwannakeepitthatway @venusesworld @jeyusosgirl  @theninthwonder @mya2real  @justazzi @whatdoeseverybodywant @reignsboy19 wooahmiri alichesmi pytbgeezy @ superpietom 

@truefant4sy

[m0onshineart]

litwtc ocs???? :O

this is robin and linda, they're freelance raiders and WILL steal your gold

might make a short film about the one day who knows, it's on the mind

(robin's the half possum lady and linda's the guy with the fucked up eye and wings)

[countrymusiclover]

Princess Red Thief - Rumplestilskin

"She stole from the Dark One"

Everly, referred to as the "Red Theif" and who is also the daughter of Princess Abigail and Knight Frederick has been keeping a secret from her parents as long as she could. She seeks help from the one man who knew everything about magic, but was anything but good. Will her secret finally be revealed when the evil queen casts her curse???

1 - Life Changing Deal

2 - Cinderella's Prince

3 - Confusing Conversations

4 - Must Be Fought For

5 - Definition of Justice

6 - Directions of Truth

7 - Playing with Fire

8 - Getting Closer to the Truth

9 - A Man Named Jefferson

10 - Closest to His Heart

11 - Finally Awake

12 -Thief History

13 - We're in Trouble

14 - The Golden Newborns

15 - True Rumplestilskin Fashion

16 - Meeting the Parents

17 - Not His First Witch Lover

18 - The Pirates Crocodile

19 - The Pirates Crocodile pt 2

20 - "Tiny" the Giant

21 - Through the Looking Glass

22 - The Crocodiles Heart

???

Comments really appreciated ❤️

Tag list - just ask to be added @mystrey101 @melvia-ito @kmc1989 @tallrock35 @onentaien-kwara

[missybee-writes]

Shadow in the Dark: Chapter Five - Sleepover

Genre: Sci-fi; Romance; Horror

Warnings: (eventual) sexual content; violence; gore; swearing; alcohol and drug use.

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!OC

Summary

In July ‘85, an ambitious realtor sells the crumbling Creel house to a family looking for a new start.

Rose McAllister may be living in a grand and gothic murder house in a small Midwest town, but senior year in high school is the stuff of her nightmares: a last chance at a normal school year without being the odd one out, the sick girl, the weirdo from across the pond. Blend in, make it through the year, and make some friends. Stay unnoticed at all costs.

Hawkins, and one seriously loud-mouthed metalhead, is about to flip that carefully laid plan Upside Down.

Chapter one: Cursed

Chapter two: Munson Magic

Chapter three: Fearless

Chapter Four: Code Name, Farrah Fawcett

Ao3 link

---

Rose

Hawkins was pretty in the autumn. Maybe it was the burnt orange leaves that crunched underneath her boots, or the slight chill in the air that felt crisp and tingled in her lungs as she breathed deeply. Maybe it was the freedom of walking into town on a Saturday afternoon by herself, fresh from a morning of American History homework and completing all her week’s assignments. She might not have a driver's license, but when the red-gold tree-lined streets were this picturesque, who minded walking?

Main Street was busy on a Saturday afternoon, a dozen bikes chained up outside the stores, older folks sat on a bench outside the library, watching the world go by. A girl with red hair a little lighter than Rose’s swung open the door of the arcade, and a loud wave of bleeping machines and electronic music blasted out the open door. She slapped a skateboard on the sidewalk, jumping on it and balancing easily, weaving between a couple leaving Melvald’s General Store with big brown paper bags and ignoring their protests as she passed. The girl raised her middle finger over her head as she disappeared in the distance, attitude stone cold.

Rose peered into the arcade window, and saw a familiar gangly figure inside. Mike was hunched over one of the arcade games, bashing buttons and manhandling a joystick, whilst Lucas leaned against it, slumped and looking longingly at the door.

She thought about waving or saying hello, but they were both absorbed by the shiny metal machine with its bright screen, with a great big donkey plastered on the side. Fixated, like it was life and death. She’d never understood the appeal herself; being wound up like a jack-in-the-box and raging with anger, desperate to beat some high score and placing coin after coin into the game...all for what? To end up on a leaderboard on a tiny screen?

After a few seconds at the window someone her age with brown hair and a name badge popped up on the other side with a weird look on his face, staring at her with his mouth wide open; she backed away slowly, then quickly paced along the sidewalk, almost missing her destination.

Family Video was attached to the arcade, with a neon store sign and glass windows covered in posters of The Breakfast Club and Scarface , along with other movies she hadn’t seen. Her nerves came back in full force as she pushed open the door, not sure if Robin would be up front. 

It wasn’t busy inside, with only a couple of families browsing the rows and rows of tapes, and stands of popcorn and candy. A guy leaned casually on the counter, in a white shirt and green waistcoat, kind of like Han Solo. He was glued to a TV behind the counter, with his back to Rose, and a hell of a head of hair.

“Welcome to Family Video,” he said in a monotone voice, like he wanted to be anywhere else. “We bring the stars of Hollywood to your living room for low, low prices.”

No sign of Robin, not lingering in the rows of tapes or behind the counter with the guy.

“Hello,” she approached the counter with a tentative wave, one slow step at a time. “Hi. Sorry, i’m looking for Robin, and I don’t know if i’m in the right place.”

He noticed her slowly, head turning, straightening himself up and looking at her eagerly. Floppy hair. Confident. 

She fidgeted with her hands, squirming internally at being the centre of someone’s full attention. “Well, I know I must be in the right place, there can’t be two video stores in a town this size, can there? I mean, there are only so many times you can watch The Breakfast Club before you start to lose the will to live. Oh...sorry, that’s probably your favourite, isn’t it. I have a unique talent of putting my foot in my mouth within three seconds of meeting someone.”

The guy’s answering smile was kind of dreamy, which threw her for a loop. He leaned on the counter, speaking low, like he was letting her in on a secret. “Actually, between you and me, I hate The Breakfast Club. I feel like i’m there, taking detention on a Saturday, wasting my life in a school library instead of being outside with my friends. Libraries are kind of dull, aren’t they?”

“Some people would say that,” she mumbled. Not her , but she didn’t want to argue about it. “I’ve never had detention though.”

“Not once?”

“Nope. Cross my heart.”

He found that amusing, his smile growing wider. “Really? You know what, you kind of remind me of the girl from that movie. Molly Ringwald. Mostly the hair, maybe not the face.”

“I don’t know, I can’t see it myself.” Rose’s hand raked through her hair; it was much longer, but perhaps it was a similar shade of red. Though Molly Ringwald had a perfectly styled head of hair in the movie, and Rose’s long waves were more untameable. She’d left it in its natural state this morning as she couldn’t face a can of hairspray or a mirror, still brooding after last night’s disaster when Eddie drove her home and all but confessed he had someone special already. And she was admittedly a little taller and rounder than Molly, never running particularly thin like some of the girls at school.

“Actually, I’ve been told i’m like the jock, what’s his name...” he clicked his fingers repeatedly.

“Emilio Estevez?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. But come on, Emilio Estevez wishes he had my hair.”

She snorted with laughter, covering her mouth with her hand in embarrassment. “It is a good head of hair. I wish I could keep mine that bouncy.”

“You think so? It’s all natural, just born with good genetics, I guess. Hey, how have I not seen you around before? I mean-”

“Oh no, this is not happening, Steve! ” A screeching Robin burst through the office doorway behind the desk, an angry whirlwind in a green waistcoat, hair tied up in a messy half-pony. “My friends are off limits. Keep your sucky flirting skills in your holster.”

Rose cringed hard, half tempted to hide behind a row of tapes or a cardboard cutout of Indiana Jones she’d just spotted in the corner. Refuge behind her beloved Indy.

“ Jesus , Rob,” Steve whined, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Can’t I have a conversation with a girl without you bursting out and mocking me? Do you have to do this every time?”

That was flirting? Rose glanced at him out the corner of her eye...she supposed he did have a kind of Simon Le Bon look...but not even a resemblance to her favourite musician could detract from the fact that when she saw this guy’s perfectly nice brown eyes, all she could think of was they’re not Eddie’s . Eddie’s were unfathomably dark, except in the bright sunlight, when the sun’s rays lit them whiskey-brown. Oh god, She was well and truly fucked, wasn’t she?

Robin leapt onto the counter and knocked over a tape, sitting cross legged on the top and prodding him in the chest.

“Ow,” he rubbed the offending spot.

“You should be thanking me for retiring the ‘you suck’ scoreboard, dingus. I finally have a cool, cultured, European friend, and you’re not taking her from me with your Farrah Fawcett hair and your King Harrington routine. She speaks French, Steve. French. She’s been to Paris. Whatever this is,” Robin waved her hand at him disdainfully, “she’s not interested.”

“Hello? I’m right here,” Rose said. The odd duo didn’t even stop to take a breath, they kept right on bickering.

“Alright, alright, cool it,” Steve held up his hands, de-escalating the situation. “I’m not sure if I can just turn off my innate natural charm like a light switch, but I get it. Off limits.”

“Steve?” Rose said, cogs turning slowly in her head. “As in, walkie talkie Steve?”

They both snapped to her, like they only just remembered she was there, wearing twin expressions of confusion. 

“How do you know about the walkie-talkies?” Robin asked suspiciously. “Our frequency is supposed to be highly secret.”

Steve leaned into Robin, their heads almost pressed together. “You said she speaks other languages , right?”

Robin thought about it for a while, and shrugged. “Nah, she’s too odd to be a...uh...one of the workers in the mall. She’s organically odd. No one in a position of power would dream this cover story up.”

“Odd, you say. How?” Steve asked.

“Well, for one, she made a total ass of herself in front of O’Donnell’s class by insulting the jocks and their macho need to throw balls in hoops. No desire to fit in with that team of idiots and their slack-jawed followers, at all.”

Steve frowned. “I was the captain of that team of idiots until like three months ago...you do remember that, don’t you?”

“That’s why her speech was so brilliant, it was insightful...scathing...tearing down the fragile male ego,” Robin sighed. “But she also lives in the murder house on Morehead, and that’s just too weird a backstory to make up.”

“Maybe,” Steve agreed. “Or maybe that’s what the Russians want you to think. Or maybe - ”

“Fucking hell,” Rose snapped. “This is ridiculous. I don’t know half of what you’re talking about, but you seem to be implying i’m some kind of spy, when actually i’m just friends with Dustin. I overheard your conversation on the walkies. Spinal Tap? Remember?”

“Oh shit,” Steve said, the memory clearly coming back to him. “ You’re Dustin’s lady friend.”

“Ew, don’t phrase it like that.” Robin pulled a face. But she slumped with relief, resting her elbows on her cross-legged knees. “I’m sorry, Rose, we may get a little carried away sometimes. You’re good, in fact, you’re great. Most interesting newcomer to Hawkins in like, ever. Are we good? You’re not gonna ban me from our murder-house movie night sleepover are you?”

Rose kicked the fluorescent carpet with her shoe, looking at the floor. “Of course not. Who am I to judge someone else with verbal diarrhoea? If anything, it makes me feel less anxious. And I could do with some cheering up, actually.”

“Oh,” Robin drew out the word, scooching along the counter and dropping her legs off the front, coming closer to Rose. “Is it to do with that whole thing going on at school, the extreme sexual tension with...uh...the guy in our English class.”

“Guy?” Steve asked, looking slightly dejected. “Of course, all the beautiful girls are spoken for.”

Rose was reeling with the implication that anyone would think her beautiful, let alone this admittedly handsome and confident young man, when a customer shattered their illusion of privacy.

“Excuse me?” A middle aged lady in a pea coat, clutching a tape, approached the counter. “Is anyone actually working in this place?”

Steve’s ‘innate natural charm’ turned straight back on, smiling sweetly at the lady. “I am so sorry, ma’am, we were just helping this customer with a video-related dilemma. But let me help you right out with that....Love Story, huh? What a classic movie. Gosh, it just makes me cry every time.”

“Oh, it’s wonderful,” the lady said, looking starry-eyed at him. “I’ve watched it a dozen times, at least.”

Steve stifled a laugh. “Is that so? Well that must make you our most loyal customer.”

Robin hopped off the counter, leaving Steve to serve the lady, ushering Rose to one side, standing underneath the TV. She slung her arm around her. “I’m the last person to think the world revolves around guy drama, but this is about him, isn’t it?”

Rose could feel a curious mix of anger and tenderness at the very implication of it. She hadn’t had the chance to speak to Robin about it, Robin only twigged on her crush yesterday, seeing her and Eddie together up close for the first time.

“Maybe,” she offered up.

“What a dickhead,” Robin fumed on her behalf. “What did he do? Whatever it is, it’s his fault, I just know it. My offer stands, by the way. I can set a very ferocious middle schooler on him for you. He’ll crumble like a breadstick.”

“It’s not anything he did,” Rose groaned. “It’s what he didn’t do. It’s me, i’m an idiot.”

Steve’s eyes were alert, swivelling between the two girls. The moment the lady at the counter left and the store's door closed, he leaned across the counter. “Who are we talking about here? Do I know the guy? Want me to break out my nail bat?”

Robin shot him a scathing look. The two of them clearly were great friends, for this felt like the real unfiltered Robin, not the slightly more reserved version she’d seen at school. “It’s not my place to tell you, it’s kind of private.”

“Who am I gonna repeat high school gossip to?” He said. “I’m a working man now, with my own place.”

Robin rolled her eyes. “Your parents’ pool house doesn’t count, dingus.”

“Yes it does!”

“Do you pay rent?”

“I help with groceries sometimes.”

She looked over at Rose. “Point proven. He’s a man child.”

“Hey, that is a very adult thing to do, alright?” He objected, crossing his arms and looking between the both of them. “And not even the grocery store. I went to the butchers in Cartersville last week and picked up a rack of lamb for my mom’s dinner party, it cost twenty bucks...how ridiculous is that?”

“Was it crusted in gold?” Rose added. “Never mind. Anyway, there’s no secret to keep because nothing is happening . Eddie and I are merely friends. Platonic friends, who barely know each other. Acquaintances, really. That is all.”

“No, no, no,” Robin interjected. “ Steve and I are platonic friends. Have been ever since we started working together at Scoops Ahoy. I enjoy watching him strike out with girls, because we’re not interested in each other like that. You and Eddie? No way. I thought English class yesterday was gonna end one of two ways: a proposal, or the two of you making out on O’Donnell’s desk in front of the whole class. It was the nerdiest flirting i’ve ever witnessed in my life - and that includes dingus here - but you were both drooling over each other.”

“Eddie.” Steve tapped on the counter as he thought aloud. “Eddie Kowalski, in Junior year? Glasses, mathlete?”

“God, no,” Robin laughed.

“But it has to be, that's the only Eddie below my class at-” Steve paused, and looked back at Rose in total shock. “Oh sweet mother of god, hold on. Are we talking about Eddie the freak Munson?”

Rose snapped. All the emotions of the past week boiled up and rushed out at once, until she was wagging her finger in Steve’s face. “Don’t call him that! What is it with people calling him a freak? He’s the kindest, sweetest person I think I've ever met. He protects his little pack of friends, gathers up all the outcasts who are bullied and abused, and puts himself on the line - literally taking a beating, if what I hear from Dustin is true - to keep them safe and give them a sense of belonging. He’s putting himself through a third senior year, because despite all the insults and the mocking from his classmates and the whole bloody town, he wants to be better than the name Munson . Nothing about that suggests to me that he is a freak.”

Robin and Steve were stunned into silence, and it was too much. Tears started spilling from the corners of her eyes, overwhelmed by all the new things that had happened in her short time in Hawkins High, the new place, new people, and horrible new emotions. “And maybe I thought something would happen between us. But it’s all hopeless, because he already has someone. He said as much last night, when he wouldn’t come into my house. I feel like such a fucking idiot . Sorry, Steve. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

After a long pause, breathing hard, Robin rushed over and gave her a bone-crunching hug, the scent of shampoo and strawberry chapstick overcoming her. It was strangely comforting, not being able to move in her arms.

“Boys are so stupid,” Robin groaned. “But in good news, you’re in the right place for a breakdown. Steve and I are the most pathetic losers in the romance department ever. He’s not over his ex, and I...well, I have a tendency to like people who are unattainable. And beyond that, it’s been kind of a hellish year for us.”

“Yep,” Steve echoed. “We’re doomed. Welcome to the losers club, come and join us.” He opened the hatch to the counter, and she followed Robin into the employees’ domain, the little control centre of the video store.

“Munson though,” Steve mused out loud. “I wouldn’t have guessed it. Though I suppose Molly Ringwald does end up with Judd Nelson in the Breakfast Club. is there a basket case out there searching for me? If she looks like Ally Sheedy, I'll gladly accept.”

“Eddie is nothing like Bender,” Rose scoffed, sitting on a stool by the snacks. “Eddie rants a little bit, but he’s not angry. He’s just anti-establishment, naturally ill-disposed to authority.”

“That’s too many syllables for a Saturday evening,” Robin complained. “But here’s what I don’t get...who the hell is this mystery girl that Eddie is with? I have never seen him with a girl at school, not once. There was a rumour that a girl in the party kid clique - Cass something or other - was seeing him secretly a couple of years ago, but that was never really proved. And she had plenty of boyfriends after. Anyway it’s a moot point, she moved to Wisconsin for College in ‘84.”

Steve shook his head. “I can’t think of a single girl it could be. But we haven’t exactly moved in the same circles. Are you sure he has someone? What happened?”

Rose picked at a loose thread on her dress, going back to the conversation in her driveway last night. “He dropped me off at home last night. I asked if he wanted to come inside, and he said he’d like to, but he made a promise not to do it and he didn’t want to be a cheating, lying scumbag like his dad. Or words to that effect.”

Steve sucked in a breath. “Damn. Did he actually mention a girlfriend by name?”

“Nope.”

“And you’re sure he likes you?” He asked. “I don’t want to upset anyone, but he could have used a fake girlfriend as an excuse. What kind of signs are we talking about here? And not this girlie magazine stuff, like he opened a door for me once, he must be dreaming of our marriage ?”

“I don’t have much experience in this area, but let’s see,” Rose said, so firmly down the rabbit hole with Robin and Steve that she couldn’t stop if she wanted to. “He made me a mixtape. He called me fairer than the sunrise over  mountains. He kissed my hand once, though that was kind of acting during a Hellfire session. We did almost properly kiss a couple of times.”

“Wait, what?” Robin interrupted. “You never told me this? Explain, stat.”

Rose’s skin flushed warm. “We were in the woods behind the school on Monday, and we ended up holding hands. He sort of held my face and pulled me closer, but his rings got stuck in my hair and took out a small chunk of it. Oh, and then we were pressed against the lockers yesterday but Jeff came into the hall, and even Jeff noticed something, he called it a weird, alien mating ritual. So I don’t think it’s just me misunderstanding things.”

“Oh yeah,” Steve affirmed, arms crossed over his Family Video waistcoat. “That is not platonic behaviour. He’s down bad.”

“But I don’t think i’m his type. Dustin said he has a thing for cheerleaders.”

Steve made a funny face. “Pfft. So he’s a red blooded male? Doesn’t mean he only likes cheerleaders.”

Robin cracked her knuckles and stood up, pacing around the desk area. “We need to solve this mystery, I just can’t take it. Is there an unknown girlfriend? What is going on? I would say we could ask Dustin and Mike, but they’re little snitches, I can sense it. They’ll tell Eddie or the older guys and it will all come out.”

It was oddly comforting, sitting with an action movie blaring in the background as the last few customers of the day browsed the tapes, sharing her confusion with Steve and Robin behind the counter. At least she wasn’t brooding in her room, looking out over the treetops like a heroine from an Austen novel.

“Hold on a minute,” Steve sounded excited. “I may not have moved in the same circles as Eddie, but I know someone who does. I dated Jackie Teague in Junior year.”

He looked at them like that should mean something, tutting when their faces were blank. “Her older brother Dougie was one of his best friends, before he failed senior year the first time. And he used to be in that satanic little club with Eddie, the stupid hell and brimstone thing.”

“Hellfire,” Rose corrected. “Which i’ve joined, by the way.”

Steve stood with his hands on his hips, like he was utterly fed up. “Eddie Munson is suddenly a crushable figure and pretty girls are joining the satan club? It’s like the order of things changed as soon as I graduated. But I might be able to get to Dougie through Jackie and get the dirt on your guy.”

“You would do that?” Rose said gratefully. 

“Any friend of Robin’s is a friend of mine. Plus, us romantic losers need a helping hand now and then, right?” He ran over to a jacket on the back of his chair, and pulled a little book out of his pocket, wetting his thumb and flipping through the pages.

Robin pumped her fist and hopped back up on the table, sitting cross-legged again. “Steve, I knew your slutty little black book would come in handy one day. I am so here for this investigation. Harrington, Buckley and McAllister, detectives extraordinaire. You know what? All this tension makes me hungry. This calls for snacks,” she reached out for a pack of candy, something labelled Chewy Lemonheads Rose had never seen before. She broke open the box and popped one in her mouth, holding out the box. “What? I’ll ring this up on the register before I leave, i’m not just stealing.”

“Thanks,” Rose took one, pulling off the plastic wrapper as Steve balanced the earpiece of the phone between his ear and shoulder, dialling a number.

There was a long pause. “Jackie, it's Steve. Yeah, that Steve...” he grimaced at Robin and Rose, and a tinny voice from the phone got louder. “No Jackie, I am not crawling back to...hold on a minute, will you just let me speak? I’m sorry about the whole thing, alright? Tommy H was a prick. No, we don’t hang out together any more, I wised up eventually...yeah, you were right about me. I wasn’t in the best place, but i’m doing better now.”

Steve slumped over, shaking his head. “Actually, i’m not at college, i’m a working man now. Wait, that’s not the point. I kind of need to speak to your brother about something, I was hoping you could give me his number. Why?” He looked over at Rose, scrambling for something to say. “He was in a band, and i’m looking to get into the music sales business. I could do with some insider intel on what kind of items to stock. Uh...amps...guitars, you know, the usual.”

His smile must have meant it worked. He grabbed the little book, and looked around desperately for a pen; Rose leapt off her stool and passed him one from the counter, so he could scribble down a number. “Thanks. Seriously, i’m glad you’re doing well. Bye Jackie.”

Robin began to laugh, her shoulders shaking. “She was mad, wasn’t she. What happened between you two?”

Steve raised a brow. “A lady doesn’t kiss and tell.”

Rose’s mouth dropped open. “Are you the lady in this scenario?”

“He’s one of the girls, don’t let him fool you into thinking he’s a jock,” Robin agreed.

“Haven’t I done enough?” Steve waved the number in the air. 

“You’re right,” Rose said, contrite. “Please, please work your mysterious magic and see what you can find out. I’ll owe you one.”

He was smug, still craned to one side to hold the receiver to his ear. He dialled the second number, whistling as he waited for the phone to ring out.

“Where even is Dougie Teague?” Robin asked, voice muffled as she chewed on a lemonhead. 

“Terre Haute, his old man has a construction firm up there,” Steve replied. “Oh hi , man. Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Sorry, that wasn’t a joke about the Hellflame club.”

They waited whilst Steve greeted this Dougie guy, a faint voice coming from the other end of the phone.

“Yeah, I have a favour to ask,” Steve admitted, twirling the phone cord around his finger. “But before I say anything, I need you to promise that word doesn’t reach anyone about what i’m asking, including the person this relates to. It’s part of the favour. Why should you do that? Do you not remember the number of times I distracted your parents at dinner while you climbed in the window stoned off your ass? And the time that I took the blame for that box of condoms? Your dad gave me ‘the talk’ with a shotgun casually laid out on the coffee table. I could have died, man. Or, I could go and visit your Mom right now and...”

Rose was kind of engrossed, finding out about the inner workings of this Steve, the friend to so many people in her new social circle. From his easy going demeanour, and the way he so casually called in a whole bunch of favours to help a relative stranger, she could tell he was a good egg. 

“Thank you,” Steve sighed. “That’s the spirit. So I need to know everything about the romantic history of Eddie Munson.”

He held the receiver away from his head as laughter rang out. “Yeah man, i’m serious. Remember the deal. Jeez, I don’t care if you think he’s an overdramatic dungeon master...wait, that’s not something sexual is it? Oh, thank god. Now spill. Any girlfriends, crushes, preferences?”

Five minutes stretched out with Steve adding the occasional uh huh, okay , or anything else? , and it felt like the longest five minutes of Rose’s life. Robin had to serve a couple of customers in the interim, ushering them out of the store as quickly as she could without being rude. Between them they went through the box of candy, until she could feel the beginnings of a stomach ache coming on. Though it could be the tension as much as the chewy lemonheads, tangy and sugar-sweet in her mouth.

By the time Steve hung up the phone with a shrill ring, it was closing time. Robin sprinted over to the door and flipped over the sign from open to closed and they waited with baited breath.

“Do you want the good news or the bad first?” Steve asked, running his hand through his floppy hair, almost making it stand on end. 

“Bad,” Rose said. “Wait, good then bad. I’m fragile today, build me up to it.”

“Okay. Good news, he doesn’t have a girlfriend that Dougie knows of, and saw Eddie only last month for a rock concert in Terre Haute.”

“That’s great!” Robin looked joyful. “No girlfriend!”

“That we know of,” Rose reminded her.

Steve cleared his throat and continued. “He’s not really had girlfriends in school, Dougie thinks he was seeing that Cass girl. He may have had a thing with a girl from a bar in town, but that was a while back. And his last girlfriend was a music label executive from California, who was a few years older. She apparently wanted Eddie to move out there and pursue a record deal, but something happened to throw it off. He wouldn’t say what it was.”

What? How was she supposed to compete with older women, bloody record executives with a vast array of experience - life, career, sexual - that she wouldn’t have? And she would bet the California girl didn't need to be given a mixtape to learn what metal music is. God, it made her feel like a kid.

“There’s more,” he said carefully. “Dougie thinks he has a thing for Chrissy Cunningham, though Eddie hadn’t mentioned it in a while. Said he’d had a crush on her since middle school.”

At this point, Rose just hummed and nodded, her worst fears oconfirmed. “I see. So he’s either not into me at all, and using some imaginary girl to spare my feelings as he’s changed his mind about me. Or, he’s in love with Chrissy, maybe even carrying on some kind of fling behind her boyfriend Jason’s back.”

“That’s just a theory,” Robin added, her energy wild. “If anything, this has opened up even more questions. We need more leads. Maybe Chrissy herself; she looks fragile. I can get that nut to crack. Let’s get her in the girls’ bathroom on Monday. Or wait...where does she live?

“Woah,” Steve held up his hands. “I hate to douse water on this fire, but have you thought about sitting down with the guy and actually asking him what’s going on? Like a proper, adult conversation?”

Rose and Robin looked at each other, and burst out laughing. “Are you mad?” Rose said between gulps of air. “What am I going to say? Eddie, I may have known you for less than two weeks but i’ve developed a raging crush on you, and after secretly interrogating your old friends using very shady contacts outside of school-”

“Hey, i’m not shady!”

“Correction, using very unorthodox contacts outside of school, i’ve compiled a history of your love life, and think you might be carrying on an affair with your middle school crush. Can you confirm or deny?”

Steve rubbed his face with his hand. “Okay, when you put it like that, it sounds insane. Maybe you could just say: I like you, I think you might like me, do you wanna go out sometime? That’s how I've always asked girls out. Maybe with a little embellishment, but it’s not difficult.”

“He already declined coming into my house and said he didn’t want to be a lying cheat, what am I supposed to do, beg?” She argued. “Oh god, i’ve accidentally willed this into being, haven’t I...i’ve always wanted to be Eowyn, Lady of Rohan. And now I am.”

She looked at their blank faces, and missed Hellfire and Eddie deeply. They would have put the metaphor together straight away, and known exactly what she meant. “It’s a character from Lord of the Rings. She falls in love with the hero, Aragorn, future King of Gondor, pining away for him as they battle the forces of evil. But he’s in love with an Elvish princess, Arwen Evenstar. Okay, there’s a little more to it, but it’s a tragic love triangle with swords and elf ears and stuff.”

“Back up,” Steve said. “We’re in a world where Eddie Munson is a fantasy hero with not one, but two beautiful women lusting after him, and I can’t even get a date? What did I do in a past life to deserve this?”

Robin was eager to leap in. “Do you want the cliffnotes, or the full thesis?”

“Ha ha,” he said sarcastically. 

“Fuck it,” Rose stood up. “I’m not going to talk about Eddie Munson any more. We’re going to rent a movie, and consume so much sugar that we can’t see straight. Also, I don’t know if you drink, but I may have a sizeable stash of alcohol and a mother who always forgets the drinking age is twenty-one here, and not eighteen.”

Robin’s eyes lit up. “Ooh, that sounds good. My brain is fuzzy enough today, let’s double it up with booze.”

“I like that energy, Buckley,” she replied. “What movie do you want to watch?” Something high brow and intellectual? Foreign language?”

Robin laid back on the counter, knocking over the candy display. “I can’t take it tonight. Give me something trashy and brainless.”

Rose went out into the rows of tapes, scouting the shelves, fingers trailing over the VHS tapes. She left behind the documentaries and dramas, heading for the new and popular releases. She passed right over The Breakfast Club, stopping at some of the other tapes, grabbing a couple and coming back to a reclining Robin holding two aloft.

“Footloose, and Risky Business. What do you think?”

Robin gave her a big thumbs up.

Steve watched her with a strange look. “Dancing and hookers. Sounds like a good night. I was always kind of jealous of girl sleepovers...boys don’t get that.”

“You never had a sleepover?” Rose asked. “I haven’t had one in a long time. Unless you count sleeping with five other girls on a hospital ward. There was much less chance for booze and gossip, and the bleeping machines killed the vibe.”

“Not really,” Steve confessed. “Not outside of people crashing after a party, but then we’d all be hooking up. My parents weren’t big on hosting when I was a kid.”

“Come with us!” Rose said, spur of the moment. She’d had such a nice time in the video store, that she knew she didn’t want him to feel left out. It would be nice to bond with them over something other than her doomed love life, and she wouldn’t get to see him at school like she would Robin.

“Ooh, yeah!” Robin sat up quickly, grabbing the back of her head as if she were dizzy. “Come on, it will be fun! Haven’t you wanted to see inside Creel House?”

Steve shuffled from foot to foot, like he couldn’t make up his mind. “You’re parents won’t mind?” 

“Not at all,” Rose reassured him. “The house is as big as the high school, so you can have a room to yourself. My mum would love to meet some of my friends, and my stepdad is as threatening as a puppy. He’ll keep out of the way. It’s the least I can do, after you went to all that trouble with your ex.”

He chewed it over, and broke out into a big smile. “Girls night it is! Give me an hour to lock up and grab some clothes from home, and I can come to your place.”

“Great,” she beamed. “It’s near the corner of Morehead and Cornwallis, opposite the abandoned playground.”

He grabbed the keys, tossing them into the air and catching them deftly. “Oh, everyone knows where that house is. I’ll see you there.”

Robin patted him on the cheek as they left the store. “What did I say, Stevie? You’re just one of the girls.”

---

The walk from Family Video back to Rose’s house was slow. Rose and Robin talked nonstop, pausing every few minutes to laugh until tears came to their eyes, Robin filling her in on all funny or boring facts she could summon on Hawkins and the townsfolk. 

“There,” Robin said, pointing at a dilapidated, rusty-roofed bus stop on Morehead, just a few minutes from home. “That’s where an owl attacked old Mrs Gillespie’s head, and tried to nest in her perm.”

“What?” Rose barked out. “How big was that woman’s hair?”

“That’s not even the best bit, it turned out she’d been wearing a hairpiece since the late 60s, and the goddamn owl clutched it in its talons and flew away with it.”

Rose covered her mouth with her hands. “No way.”

“Yes way, she even called the police station to report a theft!”

She doubled up and clutched her sides, laughing so hard it hurt her ribs. “Stop.”

“Chief Hopper, or Officer Hopper back then, asked if she wanted it reported for theft or actual bodily harm.”

Rose buckled over, laughing until she couldn’t breathe. “I think I might pee.”

That launched Robin into another fit of giggles, and the two of them clutched each other, stumbling the street like drunks, laughing even harder when a passing car swerved away and the driver looked like he should be calling the doctors at Pennhurst Mental Hospital. 

The girls arrived like that, swaying up the driveway and scaring away the birds from the trees, which of course made it even worse. As they stepped up on the porch, Robin craned her neck and whistled, looking up at the house.

“What are you, part of the Addams Family? Is Lurch gonna answer the door and offer me a cup of tea?”

“Yep, Uncle Fester will be along any minute.”

Robin snickered. “If you mean Steve, with all that hair he’s more like Cousin It.”

Rose fiddled with her bag and tried to find her keys, when the door clicked open and swung inward. Jerry stood in the doorway, in a striped shirt and a cardigan, smiling merrily at them.

“Welcome, come on in,” he said, arms beckoning inward. “Now the first thing we do in this house when we have visitors is put the kettle on. Would you like a cup of tea?”

Robin screeched like Mrs Gillespie’s criminal owl, and her face was so red she looked like she would burst a blood vessel any minute. All the tension Rose had accumulated dropped, and she was filled with mirth and happiness, unable to keep herself serious, laughing alongside her yet again.

Jerry scratched his greying head, and looked kind of worried. “Uh...Shirley? I think I might need your help. I don’t know what to do!”

A set of footsteps bounded down the stairs, and her mother’s panicked face came into view, softening as soon as she saw Robin and Rose gasping for breath and wiping tears from their eyes.

“Oh, don’t worry, Jerry,” her mum said. “This is what teenagers are like when they gather in packs. They’re like Gremlins fed after midnight. You girls haven’t been drinking already, have you?”

“Nope,” Rose asserted. “Just high on life.”

Mum’s blue eyes - same as Rose’s, one of the only features they had in common - narrowed. “Hmm. Well come on in, let me put the kettle on.”

The hilarity began again, until the adults in the house went from amused to slightly irritated. They made it inside eventually, Robin cooing over the period features in the house, the sweeping stair and fireplace, high ceilings and turn of the century architecture. 

“I’m sorry, Mrs Gruber,” she said, gathering herself together. “I’m Robin Buckley. Rose’s friend from English class. You’re house is amazing. It’s so gothic and bohemian at the same time, I love it.”

Mum looked so genuinely pleased she almost vibrated with happiness. “Thank you, Robin. You’re welcome any time. God knows we can barely find each other in this house as it is, we probably wouldn’t even notice you!”

Rose stepped in, patting her mother on the back, trying to butter her up. “On that note, I may have promised that another friend can stay over too. Is that alright?”

Mum nodded, blonde hair bobbing about her face. “Of course. WIll she want to stay in the attic room too?”

“ He , actually.” Rose said confidently. “Steve is Robin’s best friend, they work at the Family Video together.”

Jerry clutched his chest in the background, like he might have a stroke, but her mother was totally unfazed. “It isn’t some sort of menage a trois, is it?”

“Bloody hell, no,” Rose said loudly. “He’s more like one of the girls. Honestly, it's mortifying that you would ask me that.”

Her mother merely smiled. “Oh, stop. You’re nineteen in a few weeks, not a little child. If this Steve wants to stay, he can stay. We can make up the guest room at the back of the house, can’t we, Jerry.”

He’d gone pale, but nodded dutifully. “Yes, Shirley. What a...great idea.”

Mum ordered a pizza while Rose gave her friend the tour, pointing out all doors that shouldn’t be opened, bits and pieces of the house that might snap or fall off at any minute, or wobbly floorboards, as they were still in the middle of restoring the long-abandoned place to its former glory.

When Steve pulled into the driveway an hour later, Rose ran out onto the porch to greet him, a bottle of Jerry’s beer in hand. Steve came into the house to a round of cheers; he seemed to love being greeted by a bunch of adults and teenagers eating pizza in front of a tiny TV in a huge sitting room, the music from Footloose blaring on the little speaker. Another hour and another drink - or two - later, and they all hung out in Rose’s room in the attic.. 

“No way!” Robin cried out from her spot on the end of Rose’s bed. “I’m an only child too! All three of us, that’s weird.”

Steve was laid out on a beanbag, with a girly peach-schnapps based cocktail made by her mother in his hand, sipping loudly and trying not to poke out his eye with a little yellow cocktail umbrella. “Mmm...but...would you actually want a sibling? Aren’t they kind of annoying?”

“Maybe,” Rose said, laying on the head of the bed, her feet propped up against the wall and covering the poster-face of Indiana Jones. “But i’m just glad to be here, eating pizza and drinking Tia Maria with you guys. Just happy to be alive, you know? Heart still beating. Life still moving forward. Living in a place so quiet and unremarkable that I know I can just...rest for a bit. You know what I mean?”

“Oh boy,” Robin groaned. “Sure is normal in Hawkins. Nothing ever happens here.”

Steve giggled, high pitched. “She’s right. But you live in a murder house...how can you say nothing happens here?”

Rose rolled right-side up without spilling a drop of her coffee liqueur-martini concoction. “Oh. I forgot. I don’t really know about the murder. Didn’t want to ask.”

“Really? Robin screeched. “I’d have to know.”

Rose hummed. “Maybe someone was pushed down the stairs? Stabbed in the kitchen, with a knife? Or maybe just whacked over the head in this attic with a lead pipe? Yep, that’s right, I live inside a real-life Cluedo. Just wonderful .”

“The Creel murder was brutal,” Steve explained. “It...woah, what the heck is happening with the lights?”

Rose opened her eyes. The bulbs in her room were malfunctioning one by one, the lamps and ceiling light blinking on and off. “Oh, it happens all the time. Dodgy electrics, you see.”

“That makes sense,” Robin reasoned. “This place is ancient.”

Steve wasn’t convinced. He took another sip of his cocktail, watching the lights, pointing at them. “They’re flickering in a line..see? One, two, three. It’s a sequence...like something’s moving across the room!”

“Oooh,” Robin made a creepy noise. “It’s a gh...a, a ghost."

“Hold on.” Rose slurred. “J’accuse! You are drunk. There’s no such thing as ghosts."

Steve was in his own world, watching the lights. “It reminds me of...of something...can’t remember what though. But it’s important. Very important.”

Robin sat up, out of the blue, wild-eyed from the schnapps. “I can’t take it anymore! I’m gay, alright? Stop with the questioning. I like girls. Are you happy now?”

The silence was thick, punctuated by the faint, pulsing hum of the flickering lights. 

“Uhh...Rob, I know that already,” Steve said. “Did you know that Rose?”

“Nope,” she replied casually. “But it’s all good. More boys for me that way, aren’t there?” She peered up at her wall of posters. “But Simon Le Bon will always be first and foremost in my heart. In fact, I swear off all men, be they international rockstar or high school guitarist. But Robin, are you good? Did you want to talk about it?”

Her friend slumped back down on the bed. “Huh. Maybe I just had that argument in my own head. Bloody hell, i’m drunk.”

Steve giggled yet again. “ Bloody hell. You sounded like Rose. English cursing is weird. Go on, go on, say something.”

Rose pointed at the posters and thought about it deeply. “I’m not a bloody circus freak, you wanker.”

“Hah!” Robin laughed. “That’s like a jerk-off.”

“Hey, you’re just taking the piss now, aren’t you.”

“I know that one!” Steve added. “More!”

Rose grumbled. “I’m too bereft and miserable to think of anything else. You twat.”

“Wait,” Robin called out. “You said twat pronounced like cat , not twat like what .”

“That’s what it is, love.” Rose downed the bitter dregs of her martini and put the cup on her bedside table. “I wish that ghost would bloody keep still, the lights are hurting my eyes.”

Steve sighed and closed his eyes. “It’s coming toward my beanbag chair. Hey, is the ghost single? This may be the closest I've been to being touched since Nance dumped me for Jonathan freaking Byers.”

“We’re so pathetic,” Robin agreed. “Also, I think I might like a girl in band. But I haven’t spoken to her yet.”

“Details please,” Rose requested. “But I think I might need some fresh air, should we open a window?”

Robin crawled off the bed and over to the stained glass dormer, pulling herself up with her fingers on the pane. “Wait a minute, there’s a playground twenty yards away, right? Let’s go on the swings! I always want to play on the swings. Why is it that you get to a certain age and you're told that all delight and whimsy must die, and you can’t play anymore? They should make playgrounds for adults.”

“Robin,” Steve chipped in. “It’s midnight, it’s cold, and we’re wasted. Oh, and we’re also in our PJs. So that’s a brilliant idea, let’s do it!”

Their midnight excursion was a disaster, crashing down two flights of stairs with bottles of alcohol in hand and slippers on their feet, whispering so loud they would wake the dead, let alone Rose’s mother and stepfather. But they made it out into the moonlight, laughing like idiots and running across the deserted street, making for the rusty swings.

And if Rose felt the wilting stems of cut flowers crunch under her slippered feet, and noticed blotches of shadow-dark petals on the sidewalk, then by Sunday morning it had completely slipped from her drink-addled memory, along with Steve’s recollection of the flickering lights.

---

Eddie

Eddie was a good musician, and he knew it. It wasn’t false modesty, he’d spent years learning to play and practising all hours of the night and at weekends, an outlet for his restless energy and creative brain. Music kept the buzzing in his head away, and calmed him down in a way nothing else could, except maybe weed. But nearly as important as hours of practice, he had that something people often searched for but couldn’t describe, the thing that drew the eye and kept an audience hooked. The rest of Corroded Coffin were good too, and Gareth was a demon on the drumset, but they were still a garage band. Decent, on time, in tune, and doing a damn good job of covering their favourite songs. 

But today? Practice was doomed from the start. Whatever magic he usually summoned to give him skill and stage presence when he played was completely fucking absent.

“Get it together,” Gareth cried out, his drumbeat faltering and the whole band trailing off into silence. “Your timing is so off. It’s like your racing to the end of the song, and this is goddamn Fade to Black , a fucking ballad. It might be Metallica, but it’s not thrash metal.”

“Alright, no need to be a dick,” Eddie snapped, looking down at the lump of plastic in his hand. “Jesus H Christ. I’ve broken another pick.”

Chris scoffed. “What is that, three? I’ve got a spare, but it's my last one.”

He reached into his back pocket, fishing out a black pick and pressing it into Eddie’s hands. Eddie took it gratefully, eyes directed at the chipped concrete floor of Gareth’s garage. “Thanks, man.”

“You’d better not be this bad at the Hideout on Tuesday,” Gareth warned, pointing at him with his drumstick, making the wooden implement look threatening. “If we’re gonna do a new slower set, we have to nail it. Bev won’t let us keep playing forever, not unless we actually bring in some customers. Or at least, not drive the existing ones away.”

Eddie clicked his tongue. “Sorry, alright? I promise i’ll bring the good stuff on Tuesday. You know me, Gare. I’m usually on this. Today, i’m just...off.”

His friend raised a sarcastic brow, a smug expression plastered over his face. “Off. Is that what they call it now? Dude, just forget about the girl for a weekend. Obsession is not a good look when trying to score.”

Eddie looked up, pacing Gareth’s garage with its fluorescent overhead light, nearly tripping on an amp cable. “Don’t say it like that. I am not just looking to score , man. You sound so sordid.”

“ Oh ,” Gareth taunted. “So you don’t want to bone her, just go to a tea party together. In that case, can I take a shot?”

Eddie advanced on him, teeth clenched together. “I'm one second away from smashing this guitar over your head, Emerson. If your mom wasn't so nice about us using the garage, i’d have done it already.”

Jeff stepped in to view, putting a hand to Eddie’s chest. “Easy. Easy, dude. He’s just making a point, though it was kind of a gross one.”

“Yeah,” Gareth chipped in again, sat comfy behind the shield of his drum set. “Point made. Why don’t you invite her to see us play on Tuesday? That way you’re actually making progress , and asking her out. And maybe if you think she’s going to be at the shoe, you might actually put in some practice and try not to suck.”

Chris sucked in a breath, watching the guys’ drama unfold, rhythm guitar poised in his hands. 

“Maybe that’s a good idea,” Jeff added.

After a week of intense longing and subtle flirting, Eddie was a goner. Rose McAllister was not just the pretty face that appeared in Hellfire from nowhere, she radiated goodness. Observant, accepting, warm and thoughtful. Starkly different from the girls he’d usually fallen for. And on top of that, she was a fantasy nerd with a voracious taste in exploring other worlds through the written word, and had the soul of a poet. He’d been himself around her, and somehow he’d not scared her off yet, and that was a rare thing...non-existent, actually. She knew about his trailer, his criminal dad, and his dealing, and she still wanted to be around him. But last night when he dropped Rose off at home, things got...weird.

She’d listened to W.A.S.P and Sabbath and Metallica, not put off by his kind of music, and they’d talked and smiled and flirted, until he got to her driveway and she invited him inside. His heart fucking jump-started and sparks fizzled in his fingertips at that, but he’d made a promise to Uncle Wayne not to go in that house, and he intended to keep it. Eddie had made a mess of explaining it, and she ran off. He had to course-correct with Rose, before he veered off a cliff and she never talked to him again. Eddie had lost out on so much - his mom, an opportunity to be a rockstar, his father’s love, a normal graduation - he’d be damned if he let the girl slip through his fingers.

“Okay,” he said, making up his mind. “I’ll ask her to the show. Like...a date. Maybe go out after.”

Jeff clapped him on the shoulder. “Live long and prosper, my friend. Good luck.”

“What if she says no?”

“Then at least you know.”

“I don’t think i’m gonna be able to concentrate right now,” he said. “I need a cigarette. Maybe a joint.”

“Hey,” Gareth shouted, “Mom has a no-tolerance policy, remember? Don’t light up til you get home.”

Eddie groaned. “Fine. Oh god...what if she says yes ?”

Gareth gave him a strange look again. “Then you fucking celebrate having a girlfriend, and start going out on dates and shit. That’s not exactly a problem, man.”

Eddie turned his frazzled mind to his Warlock guitar. He struck the opening few chords of Wild Child , the first metal song he’d introduced to Rose. Maybe he could play it for her on Tuesday.

“You’ll need money,” Chris piped up out of nowhere. “My sister’s boyfriend is always paying for her movie tickets, and burgers and shakes, and a corsage at Homecoming. Being a boyfriend is expensive.”

“Shit, I think you’re right, man.”

Eddie had the means to earn, even if it was a little less than legal. But when he had money, it tended to drain away pretty quickly: guitars, clothes, concert tickets, running his monster of a van and helping Wayne with the bills. 

Rose had never given off the impression of wealth, but he hadn’t forgotten that she lived in literally the biggest mansion in town, and had seen far more of the world than Eddie ever had. If he was going to do this right, he’d have to put some money together. And if he needed more cash, there was only one place to get it.

---

Lovers Lake glistened through the treeline as Eddie’s van sailed down the road, getting closer with each minute, until he emerged in a clearing. A decent-sized white lakehouse sat on the northern shore, with a separate boat house and a little jetty stretching out into the lake. He had to admit this part of Hawkins was pretty, surrounded by nature and autumn coloured trees. 

He killed the engine and the blaring noise of Judas Priest faded into nothing, leaping from the van and slamming the door. By the time he walked up the front steps, a face had already appeared in the doorway.

“Eddie, my good friend.” Reefer Rick bumped his fist and clapped him on the back, ushering him into the tidy, plainly decorated home. “Wasn’t expecting you till next week. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Rick Lipton was six three at a slouch, with the physique of a football player who’d let himself go. His long hair and beard gave him a hippy kind of air, only heightened by the cloud of weed that floated out the kitchen door, a joint lit and perched on the kitchen table’s ashtray.

“Hey, Rick. Good to see you,” Eddie began. “I know i’m not usually back within a couple of weeks, but I was hoping to shift more product.”

The great big hippy pulled at his beard, head cocked to the side. “Munson Junior, scaling up. Given up on high school yet, ready to earn something more than pin money from selling football stars and prom queens weed?”

Rick passed over the joint; Eddie took a drag gratefully, twitching and waiting for the calm to settle into his bones. They sat in silence for a moment, looking out the big window toward the lake, with a little row boat bobbing up and down on the jetty. 

“Nah, still in school,” he said, blowing out smoke and handing it back. “Not looking to get myself in more trouble, I just need to shift a little more this month, make a few extra bucks.”

“So not just here for pleasure. You should drop by sometime just to play pool and have a few beers. Maybe sit out by the lake. It’s nice here in the summer, real pretty.”

Eddie gave him a deadpan look. “It’s October, man. It’s cold out. And besides, what is it that you always say? Pleasure is the business.”

Rick grinned around the joint, smoke spilling from his lips. “Right on. Listen, i’m a little lower than usual. You can have another five ounces, but it’s bennies that i’m sitting on right now. Ket too.”

He kept a smile on his face, trying not to let his disappointment show. Rick had been distributing to him for a year or two. He was a contact of his dad’s before dad split town after fucking up a robbery and getting involved in a shooting. When shit hit the fan for Eddie and he needed cash, no reputable business in Hawkins wanted to employ a brash metalhead with a criminal family and no high school diploma. He’d caved and come to Rick for work. Dealing paid well, but he was this fucking close to being busted by the cops, on more than one occasion. And being a drug dealer with a moral compass absolutely sucked . Not to mention that the punishment for pushing hard drugs like ketamine and bennies was greater than possession of a little weed. 

“I’m not sure, Rick,” he said, grabbing the back of his neck. “Weed for high school kids is one thing, but I don’t want to be responsible for a bunch of strung out kids getting hooked on ket.”

“Ket and bennies have a greater profit margin,” Rick said, with a shrug. “More cash for less effort. Smart business.”

“I could take a little more, but not much. With Hopper gone, Chief Powell is on my ass. I can’t risk getting cautioned again, man.”

“So be it, Junior. Six ounces of weed, six bottles of bennies, six of ket. Six, six, six, the devil’s number...you’re into that Iron Maiden shit, right? That’s a pretty metal deal, endorsed by Satan himself.”

Eddie laughed. “Coming from you, that’s funny. Nothin’ but sixties rock, like you’re a Vietnam vet something. Weren’t you like ten in the sixties?”

“Shit, you sound more like your old man every day, Junior.”

Eddie’s jaw twitched, and his foot tapped against the pale lino of Rick’s orderly kitchen. “Just a chip off the old block, huh. Another piece of shit Munson, cheating and stealing his way through life with a smile on his face and a string of casualties in the rearview mirror.”

Rick’s easygoing face fell, like he was troubled. “Didn’t mean nothing by it, kid. I know you’re not like your dad in the ways that count. Anyways, what do you need this extra money for? New guitar, new ride, or something?”

Eddie leaned on the back of a kitchen chair, and chewed on his own hair like a goddamn cat. “Not exactly.”

“I know that face, brother. Seen it many a time. It’s a woman, ain’t it?”

A goofy smile came over his face. “Yeah.”

“Taking her out somewhere nice?”

“I’m hoping to. I haven’t asked her out yet, not properly. But i’m going to next week at school. Just need to find the right time to do it, I guess.”

Rick looked down his nose at Eddie, appraising him in one glance. “So this shit isn’t even in the bag, yet? What have you done so far?”

Eddie looked from left to right, like he was physically searching for an answer. “Do you mean...you know....like, sexually?”

“Hell’s bells, kid. That is not what I meant. Have you wooed the lady yet? Made your intentions known?”

Eddie’s anxiety went from nought to sixty in about three seconds. “I...don’t know. I mean, I think so? We’ve talked, listened to music...oh god. What if she just wants to be my friend? What do I say? What do I do ?”

Rick slammed his elbows on the kitchen table and buried his head in his hands. “I know it’s the eighties, man, but chivalry ain’t dead. What’s this girl like? She a rocker type like you?”

“Rose?” Eddie said with a sigh, picturing her instantly, heart going soft. “No, she’s no type at all, she’s unique. Funny, open-hearted, seriously smart. And beautiful...she doesn’t seem to know how beautiful she really is. I don’t understand why she’s giving me the time of day. I keep expecting something to happen, like some big-shot prom king or college kid is gonna turn up and sweep her off her feet.”

“Here’s what you’re gonna do,” Rick said bluntly. “Shelve all this casual shit. None of this wait til Monday ,or i’ll flirt a little longer and see what happens . Go over there right now, and tell her you’re damn crazy about her. You’ll want to bring her a gift too.”

Eddie sat up straight, feeling a surge of energy course through his veins. “Gift. Right. Wait...what kind of gift?”

“Depends on the girl, my man. But if in doubt, go with flowers.”

“Flowers,” Eddie repeated. “I can do that.”

Rick smiled, taking another drag from his joint, blowing out the smoke with a big grin. “Well what are you waiting for? Drugs aren’t gonna be ready til Monday, so unless you’d rather hang out with your supplier on a Saturday night, go and get the girl.”

Eddie leapt up, tripping over his chair. His jean chain caught on the chair leg as he set it back up, and he crashed about the kitchen like a clumsy foal on wobbly legs. Some mug or teacup smashed in the background and he apologised over and over, making everything worse as he tried to pick it all up.

“Get out, kid.” Rick waved him off.

He stopped long enough at the door to shout at the laughing guy inside. “Thanks Rick, I owe you one!”

---

His rusty old van rattled and roared as he sped down the backroads of Hawkins, foot heavy on the gas pedal; he was a man with a mission, a knight on a quest to win the heart of a fair maiden, and nothing could stop him now. Rick was right, he’d have to pledge his heart to the lady and seek her favour. 

Except he could hardly arrive with four hundred bucks of drugs hidden in the back of his van, reeking of weed. Pit stop necessary, a side quest, if you will. He raced home, sniffed all the clothes in his ‘clean’ heap and changed into the least creased shirt, and stashed the pills and baggies in some drawer in the hallway, under a load of old tins and spare tools, and other junk they’d never use.

Half an hour later he ran into the grocery store, five minutes before closing, sprinting down the aisles seeking the display of cut flowers he knew he’d seen last week. He startled the customers, but right at the end of the aisle he spied his prize, the treasure at the end of the dungeon crawl...or wait, was Rose the treasure? She wasn’t an object , but she was precious. God, he was nervous. 

Only a few bunches of flowers remained, but which ones did he get? There were pink ones and red ones, little ones surrounded with white baby’s breath. The big sunflowers were bright and cheerful, but he wasn’t sure about them...now that he looked at them up close, what was up with sunflowers? How were the heads that big? They were like a baby’s head, and that was a weird image. Fuck it, not the sunflowers. 

An older lady in a store apron walked by, and he seized upon her, running toward her and startling her.

“Jesus, sorry,” he held up his hands. “Help, please help. I need to buy flowers for a girl, and I don’t know which ones to get. Wait...flowers have meanings , right? Like there’s this secret language that Victorian women used to be into? What if I chose pretty flowers and it means sorry your dog died and she hates me forever?”

The lady’s panic slowly evaporated, and she walked him over to the flowers. “Okay, let’s take a look. The roses are pretty. There’s nothing classier than a Rose.”

He smiled. “I couldn’t agree more. Wait, if her name is literally Rose, does that change things? Is it too obvious?”

She shook her head, wrinkles creasing in the corners of her eyes. “I wouldn’t say so.”

“Perfect. Thank you, ma’am,” he shook the woman’s hand, and grabbed the best bunch of red roses he could find. They were still grocery store flowers, one of them slightly wilting, but he could throw that one out.

By the time he’d bought the roses and approached Creel house, the energy that sustained him was seriously flagging, and all kinds of possibilities were swarming in his head. 

What if she wasn’t there? What if her mom, the Balrog, answered the door? He supposed it was only fair that he slew some demons on his way to the fair maiden, but he couldn’t exactly pull out a broadsword and run through her mom. Or the stepdad...what if he was the kind to own a shotgun, and decided buckshot was the best way to get Eddie the freak off his lawn?

Heart pounding, he pulled up within sight of the house, twenty yards down the street. It was fancier than he remembered, an intimidating castle, ready to be sieged. The lights were on, car parked in the driveway; at least someone was home. Maybe he should climb the veranda and deliver them to her window. Shit, he didn’t know which one was hers.

“Time to fight, Munson,” he muttered to himself. “Roll the dice, and pray to Ozzy for a nat 20.”

He grabbed the flowers and went for the door handle, but had to shield his eyes from bright headlights instead. Bright headlights turning into the driveway of the Creel house. The car’s door slammed shut, and Eddie froze like a deer in headlights.

Steve fucking Harrington. The King, The Hair, or whatever dipshit nickname the gullible kids of Hawkins High like to call him, was walking up Rose’s driveway with a goddamn overnight bag in his hand.

No sooner than his face scowled and mouth dropped open, Rose came out the door. She called out, loud and happy, throwing up her arms in the air like she was so pleased to see Harrington she couldn’t contain it. Within the space of exactly six heartbeats, Harrington dragged his bag into the house and Rose closed the door behind him.

What the fuck?

Harrington was a year below him through Middle and High school; enough of a jock enough to be naturally opposed to Eddie and his band of freaks, but not violent or mean enough to be a real enemy. The guy was a bit of an asshole, and when he and Tommy H got into the basketball cult, they’d grown insufferable, pulling pranks on everyone. Come to think of it, they’d shoved Gareth into a girls bathroom stall in his freshman year and locked him in. 

How in the hell did Rose know the guy? And more importantly, what was he doing with an overnight bag in her house? Maybe she’d just hedged her bets and found herself the first prom king that came along. Someone better suited. Rich family, high school diploma, Hollywood hair. 

Eddie waited thirty minutes to be sure, but Steve never came out. With each minute his heart sank lower, until the night was pitch black and he was freezing cold in the van’s cab. Turning on the engine was a little act of defeat, an admission that he’d taken too much damage, killed before the campaign had even begun. And when he rolled out of Morehead, past the creepy old playground, he threw the roses out the driver's window, watching the splash of dark red fade in the rearview mirror.

[the-yandere-arcade]

family information

Yandere Emperor Quentin comes from a long like of emperors and empresses dateing back hundreds of years. His father passed some time ago his name was Tyson His mother is still alive though very old her name is Esme. She is a very sweet women and will give you tips on things her son likes He also has two younger sisters twin girls called Daisy and Delia . They are identical in all ways but Daisy has a beauty mark under her left eyes whilst Delias beauty mark is above her lip

he is very close with his sister's and has been known to let them do his makeup and paint his nails something his darling will never know.

Yandere detective Xavier comes from a poor background he only knew his mother and was an only child. So he doest have much family His mother is a hardworking siren known for being the most successful on their hunts for sailors her name is Heather . She raised Xavier on the coast of Australia a place where she deemed safe enough to raise her young son.

Yandere Model

West doest have any family . He was born to teen parents who gave him up when he was five as they couldn't look after him of course back then he was a girl. He moved from foster home to foster home never being able to settle anywhere. He came out as trans when he was 13 , but that was often ignored by his foster family's. He aged out the system at 18 and has worked hard to get where he is at today.

There is one person he classed as a brother despite them not being related and that's his best friend Ryan (oc). The two of them are very close despite being total opposites West being a famous model whilst Ryan is a professor but despite and the fact they are not related in their eyes they are brothers.

Yandere online friend

Domino is the complete opposite of West. He has a big family, with 2 brothers and 3 sisters.

His father is a hardworking business man by the name of Recce

His papa is a man with a heart of gold names Eric His oldest sister is a force to be reckoned with who is called June. His other sister is very much like there papa she is called April. His oldest brother is a musical loving man by the name of Alexander. His other brother is the typical nerdy kid by the name of Chase. His youngest sister is a sweet ten year old who loves dolls by the name of May.

Yandere Bully

Tyler has a smaller family he lives with his Dad and twin brother. His dad is mostly absent being a pilot means he is away most of the time . His name is George. His twin brother is the opposite of him. He is more of the nature type who is always found in mud looking at different animals . His name is Robin

Yandere serial killer

Angel can't remember his family , he doest know them but he has two 'adopted' brothers. They share the cave together and are all killers Lucifer (oc) is a deer hybrid who befriended Angel around 500 years ago and they have always called themselves brothers. Levi (oc) is the last brother . He is a cat hybrid who was picked up by Lucifer , levi was raised by angel and Lucifer since he was only a toddler when he was found. They all class eachother as brothers and looks after eachother

sorry for the late post I got a throat infection so I am struggling to breath and all that

[studentinpursuitofclouds]

Hi, I was wondering if you could do one for who (other than Lewis) would run in a Pelican Town Mayoral Election, and who each townsfolk would vote for?

Hey hey 👋

I got a little carried away with the answer because it's a pretty interesting topic. 😅Thanks for the question, btw!

So...

Who would be a candidate for the position of Pelican Town Mayor besides Lewis?

_____________________________

The first candidate:

The first person who definitely has a good chance of winning a mayoral election is... us, i.e. our Farmer OC. Because we've been able to do in a couple of years what Lewis (and probably anyone else) couldn't do in decades. We have raised the image of the town as a whole, making it important both economically and touristically. The residents themselves will immediately notice this because we literally won a Stardew Hero Award by rebuilding the Community Centre.

However... when you think about it, our merits may play right into Lewis' favour because all of these improvements to the town happened during his very reign. Plus the fact that according to some residents' comments, no one really knows that we did it all (with Junimos help, but still). "Did you hear that, Farmer? The bus has been restored. It's a miracle!", "Somehow, the old minecart started working again" - key words is "someone" and "somehow", not our Farmer's name. Like... really, "a miracle"? It is a "miracle" that the town is still a town, not an abandoned unknown settlement.

If everyone knows that the building of Pam and Penny's new house, the rebuilt bus, the minecart and the Community Centre are to our credit, then the opinion of Pelican Town residents will be unanimous. Even Marnie and Robin will vote for Farmer. Not because they dislike Lewis, but because they think he deserves a peaceful retirement. Marnie also secretly hopes that after he retires, the two of them can finally stop hiding their relationship from the public.

The second candidate:

The second candidate who can take Mayor's place is Morris, the manager of the powerful and greedy Joja Co., which is the main antagonist in the game. But! This will only happen with the obligatory participation of our Farmer OC.

The situation will be something similar to Lewis, which I described earlier: Morris will simply appropriate all the laurels and honours for himself. Despite the fact that it was Farmer who was the gold wallet the main sponsor, almost all the improvements and fixes in Pelican Town took place under the huge Joja.co logo. And since the town had become a more important part of the Ferngill Republic, the head of the corporation would definitely want near-absolute power here, so they could order Morris to take part in the election. He won't mind, because it will be a good cash flow, fame and recognition of his important persona by his superiors, and the rest of the routine and mayor duties can be dumped on the other workers.

When it comes to the actual voting, the people of Pelican Town are split into two sides - it's going to be a pretty heated debate. Pierre and his family will definitely be against it, because for them - it means the end of Pierre's little shop business. For the others, it also means not very pleasant changes: for Robin and Demetrius - cutting down trees for resources and disturbing the ecosystem; for Linus and Willy - more Joja trash in local waters; for Penny - constant discounts on beer in JojaMart, which her mother can't resist....

The other side will insist that Joja is the future and progress. Jodi will admit that it's very profitable to shop there, Haley will be happy that town will finally have more supermarkets and other delights like in Zuzu City. Shane and Sam will vote for Morris either because they were forced into it by Morris himself as still the current manager or after promises of a salary increase. The others who took a more or less neutral stance will be tried to be bribed by Joja co. As a last resort, Morris and his superiors will start influencing even the Governor, explaining what an perfect candidate Morris is. The decision is still up to the people of Pelican Town, but there will definitely be pressure.

The other candidates:

PS: In "Stardew Valley Expanded" mod, if Farmer chooses Joja path, Morris will just run for mayor, become mayor (with our help again), and settle into a new home in Stardew Valley. Morris himself in the mod appears as a misunderstood character who does want the best for Pelican Town, it's just that his concept of "best" is different. I decided to describe Morris the way I imagined him when I first played Stardew Valley, without mods (and there's no information about him in the vanilla version, so it's our guesses and headcanons).

About the other candidates... Frankly speaking, no one else comes to mind, because the others either lack the appropriate skills for management, or they are full of their own worries, and do not want to stress themselves with mayor's duties. The same Robin gives herself to the construction of farm buildings and houses, Marnie prefers the company of her cows and goats, without Willy there is no one to supply fish and seafood, etc. Even Pierre, who dreams of a successful rich life as owner of his stores, will not want to take such responsibility. All the bachelors and bachelorettes are busy with their hobbies and interests, other residents do not care about all these elections.

So, that's the answer: Farmer, or Morris!

[2d-beefcakes-my-beloveds]

OC Marina Grayson

As a young man, Orm fell in love with a marine researcher. When she didn't return the next year with the pod of dolphins she was studying, he assumed she had been killed over their relationship bc it's something his father would've done. When he finds out it's actually bc he's a father and small children aren't allowed on research vessels, he peacefully abdicates the throne to his brother so he can marry the love of his life and raise his daughter in Gotham. Since he has the wealth of the ocean at his disposal, he purchases the local aquarium so they can still do marine research and start sharing some Atlantean knowledge with the surface world in order to help environmental awareness.

(HC for all Atlanteans) Atlanteans have scales they can display at will, and coloring is indicative of familial line. They also have facial markings when underwater and generally the bolder the better; more fierce and therefore beautiful. Orm inherited a Siren's Voice from his mother, and Marina was able to prove her ancestry with her Royal Gold scales and the incredibly rare Siren's Voice. Her facial markings look similar to a goth egirl, and are considered the height of Atlantean beauty. When she does her makeup on land she mostly just adds back her natural features, though the specific colors and shaping might vary a little. Dick is considered kinda ugly in Atlantis without the domino mask.

Because of her vocal ability, she had to visit Atlantis fairly often for training in control and as a backup heir to the throne. She was trained in traditional combat using a trident, but she's never felt right with the thought of ever needing to use it to take a life. The Atlantean public loves their kind and gentle surface princess, but the other court families think she's too free spirited and want to push their sons on her to keep the Voice within Atlantis.

She was Dick's classmate and acquaintances at the very least until she saved him from drowning in Gotham Harbor when they were 11. She dived in to rescue Robin, and was shocked to hear her classmate's voice thanking her. She paired up with Dick on their next school project so she could have an excuse to visit the Manor. She then confesses to Dick, Bruce, and Alfred to having figured out their secret, and tells them about her being Atlantean to show she's not intentionally a threat.

She and Dick become good friends after this since they can talk about their secret lives, and she joins the original Teen Titans when they form. She wrote the choreography for the team's lip-sync and dance videos for their official YouTube channel since, as younger millennials, they were some of the first heroes to publicly goof off on the internet in costume.

At one point during a school dance, she slapped her own date for calling her best friend a "dirty gypsy." There was a month or so when they were 15 where Dick did date Starfire, but there's no hard feelings or jealousy from it.

In high school, she was a competitive diver and worked at the aquarium as a mermaid in the shark exhibit in her spare time. She picked up air ribbon acrobatics as well because it's the closest thing she can do on land that feels like being underwater.

I'm undecided as of yet how they started dating, but Dick proposed with his mother's necklace. Some Romani vistas (I've heard) use coin necklaces, so I think he'd use his mom's the same way ppl use heirloom rings. It amuses Wally to no end that Circus Boy has a royal title and his favorite teasing nickname is "Your Highness."

Marina quit being a vigilante as they got older because it was getting harder to pull her punches as she got stronger. She recognized that it would be devastating for Surface-Atlantean relations if either the Princess or a representative hero killed someone even on accident, so stepped back to be a more supportive role as Surface Ambassador and post patrol medical assistance. Most of her work as Surface Ambassador involves negotiating ocean cleanup and environmental improvements on a governmental level with the various world powers.

She absolutely does not want to inherit the Atlantean throne. She despised her tenure as Regent while Arthur was dead before he was brought back to life in Darkest Night, and gave the throne back the very next day so she could go home.

While Bruce was stuck in the time stream, she was fully on board with Dick over legally adopting Damian. Sometimes he'll actually call her Ummi since she's more affectionate than Talia, especially when he's overtired. She does eventually adopt him under Atlantean law by challenging Talia for Mother's Rights. Since their fight was underwater due to Atlantean rules and Talia wanting whatever's best for her son, Marina wins and Damian is technically royalty as well now too. She's not even mad that Talia let her win, and gains a new respect for her as a mother who's willing to let her child go for a healthier upbringing than she could give.

When at home or for some semblance of privacy in public, Dick and Marina speak a blend of English and as much Romani as Dick can remember. Sometimes they'll include some Atlantean for extra security in public, but as English is Marina's first language they don't usually bother.

In the public eye on the surface, Dick is considered the trophy husband with a day job as a detective. He kinda loves their visits to Atlantis bc he's actually taken seriously as Dick Grayson without his pretty privilege. He can actually be his fully intelligent self there without the Atlantean public being shocked that he has more than a single brain cell.

Marina fully encourages sibling shenanigans amount the younger Batfam. She and Dick used to prank Bruce after all, and it's good and healthy bonding for them.

Jason is the adorable little brother who was taken too soon and came back angry yet still just as loved. She's kinda neutral about Tim but fully supports his tinkering and pranking shenanigans, and he likes her coffee more than Alfred's. Unfortunately I haven't known about most of the rest of the younger members long enough to have any relationship specifics in mind, but she's kinda like the cool auntie to all of them who will absolutely provide mischief supplies and assistance. No questions asked, just immediate "here you go I didn't see or hear anything."