#of course i don't mind them all being stored here for now but sometimes i worry abt like. him not getting full credit for his ocs? if that-

[wyldblunt]

wait u know what im SUPPOSED to be drawing??? glynalan!!!! glynalan won the ship poll a while back!!!! plus it's just nuts that i don't have more art of alan in general, with glyn or otherwise. he's literally more of The Commander than glyn is and also i am obsessed with him

[letstrip13]

୨୧ - cramps

summary: your boyfriend comes over to take care of you when you get your period

warnings: none, just enjoy cutesy bf!chris. not proofread!

word count: 819

author's note: day 3 of posting blurbs!! send requests for blurbs or fics!! also over 600 likes on my last blurb is insane, i haven’t gotten that many in so long tysm!! 𖹭

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you're laying on the couch in your apartment's living room, all curled up in the only position that can provide some relief from the pain. your period came this morning and by this evening, the horrible day one cramps had hit.

about ten minutes ago, you had texted your boyfriend, chris, to come over to cuddle and watch a movie. he wasn’t too far so he’d be showing up any minute now.

another few minutes tick by when the door you left unlocked for him comes flying open. chris bursts through the door holding an overflowing grocery bag in each hand as he calls out to you, sounding urgent, “baby?!” you sit up in a panic, worried by the tone of his voice. “i'm in here!”

he rushes into the living room and drops the bags on the coffee table, almost knocking over the scented candle you had burning in the process. a giggle slips out of your lips, the panic quickly replaced by confusion and amusement. “what's all this, my love?”

he looks up at you, an expression so nervous that you just want to run your fingers through his hair and give him a squeeze, but you let him speak.

“i- umm.. it's everything you need for your period. i know it's hard for you sometimes.. so i wanted to make it better.” the confusion courses through your mind again. you hadn't mentioned it when you texted him. “wha- how'd you know?” a soft chuckle escapes him. “you always ask me to come cuddle when you're on it.. and we've been together over a year, princess, i know you.”

“you're so sweet, i don't know what i’d do without you, chris.” his face breaks into his usual charming grin. “wanna see what i got?” he kneels in front of the couch where you're sitting and he places the bags in front of him.

first, he pulls a box of pads and a box of tampons, placing them next to him. “just in case you needed more,” he adds with a sheepish smile, “i hope i got the right ones.” “you did great, baby.” a relieved smile crosses his lips and he continues digging through the bags.

he pulls out a hot water bottle complete with a cute cover, pink with little red strawberries scattered around it. then he follows it up with a bottle of generic painkillers. “the lady at the store says these will be good for your cramps,” he tells you with a proud little smirk.

he takes out a pair of black fresh love sweatpants and the zip-up hoodie to match. “these because i know you forgot to get some last time you were over,” he pauses and digs around in the bottom of the bag and pulls out a pair of purple fuzzy socks with black cats on them, “..and these because i know you love halloween, even if it is a little early.”

you watch him carefully, hanging on to every word he says but you remain silent, words having left you for the time being. he takes a different approach with emptying the second bag, opting to just dump everything out in front of you. out tumbles a pile of your favourite snacks, chocolate, and candy, as well as six bags of honey bbq fritos which chris starts to ramble on about, “i was looking for these for so long. i went to so many different stores and gas stations this week but they were sold out every time. i saw them today and thought might as well buy them all-”

he's interrupted with a choked sob escaping your lips as hot tears roll down your cheeks. the thoughtfulness of your boyfriend's loving gesture gave you such an overwhelming feeling of adoration. but mixed with the heightened emotions as a side effect of your period, you can't help but cry.

chris quickly notices and rushes to pull you into his arms, doing his best to soothe your sobs. “is something wrong? did i buy the wrong thing?” a few slightly louder cries come out of you before you can hold it together enough to speak. “no, it's all perfect. you're-” you manage to gasp out between sobs, “perfect. i love you so much. thank you.”

you can feel a rush of air leave chris at his relief. “oh good. i thought it was about the fritos. they're not all for me, you know.” you laugh, the tears quickly being forgotten as he wipes away the traces of them on your cheeks.

“how about we cuddle and watch a movie?” you nod, getting comfortable on the couch and grabbing a blanket for the both of you to share. “sounds good to me.” you rest your head on his shoulder and pick a movie. he gently tilts your chin up to place a soft kiss on your lips just as the movie begins.

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check out my masterlist!!

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requests are: open :) feel free to send some in!!

[etherfabric]

How to grow from your roots

Choose a pile by which picture you resonate with the most.

If your mind is too busy to clearly decide, take a few deep breaths, and use the finger of your non-dominant hand to hover over the images. One will give off the most subtle yet prominent signals, like tingles, a magnetic pull, or temperature. This is your pile. Multiples are also possible.

You are the ultimate authority over your life. I merely provide my perspective. Sometimes the Universe lines you up with something that doesn’t resonate with your truth, so you have contrast to find out what does. Never give away your power.

Pile 1

Judgment, The Devil

Be honest about what you really need - not what you could make do with if forced to by your fear of causing a commotion. You need to speak up about what makes your heart sing, what makes your belly full, your day a bright one instead of a dull one, your relationships something you cherish instead of feeling suffocated by them. No matter how big. But you can start small. "You want something to drink with that?" No, actually, I don't. Thank you. "Need anything from the store?" Yes, actually, this kind of tea, last time you brought the wrong one. I like the chamomile, not the nettle one. "Can I call you back?" Yes, but after 8PM I won't answer. I want to watch the new episode. "Can I borrow that?" No, I get scared when other people have it. Sorry.

It might feel like being a diva the first times around, and the anxiety about what people might think will tank the emotional gain initially - but wait until the smoke settles, and nothing dreadful actually happened. Plus - you got your thing! Yay! That's the stuff. Whoever shames you for that is just too accustomed to your placation, and will surely find another comfort soon enough.

Pile 2

The Sun, 6 of Swords

Believe that you deserve what you already have, then you will have no qualms expecting the next blessings. What seemed presumptuous in your old mindset is suddenly the only logical turn of events. Of course I will meet someone. Of course they will like me. Of course I will get what I need. Of course I will accomplish my version of health. If you feel comfortable with the idea, imagine roots or lightbeams shooting down from you into the core of the Earth. You belong here. Life gave you what you have. Of course you deserve it. You are part of all of us, and we want you to be content and fulfilled. It's safe to continue. It's safe to want more. Because there IS more for you. Just like you got everything you already have. It's yours to enjoy. Not your foundation is shaky - your knees are trembling. Find comfort, find relief, and see how it carries you like it always has.

Pile 3

7 of Wands, 6 of Swords

You have forgotten what you are actually capable of. The last season asked different things of you than what you need to bring to the table now. But it's nothing new, or necessarily complicated - you already got it in you. It's like you are not even looking in your closet for something appropriate to wear, because you just decided it's all shit anyways, so don't bother opening it. You got your defenses up, because being small was safe so far. But now, the old skin starts itching. Tear it apart! It's not as fragile as the fresh pink one you had to grow tenderly after the wound. This one is dry and flaky, and begs to be shed by movements you didn't dare to do for a long time. Find a situation where you can prove yourself to yourself. See it with your own eyes that you are a new version of your old self, and capable of everything former and beyond.

Pile 4

5 of Pentacles, Ace of Pentacles

Your darkest times are begging to be included in your story. Not to drag you down - to elevate you! Look at what you survived! What you came back from! You don't celebrate this enough. You live the life of someone else, someone ordinary, someone with only happy days. You should carry yourself like the force you are. You should command the respect you always had for yourself to keep fighting, trying again, getting up sooner or later, and be it just to go to the toilet. You don't know the weight of your life because you always carry it, but it would crush others. That is something to be proud of. That is something giving you the vigor you are looking for to get what you want, become who you see before your inner eye, and live the life that calls to you. You are not daydreaming - you are finally coming to your senses.

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

[idontknow-andyoudonteither]

Toji the softie

What if Toji actually wasn’t so brutal in bed? What if he was tired of being a big meanie all day and just wanted some softness in his life? And you were the softest person he knew.

“Tojiiiiii! Get off I gotta pee!” You whined, as you tried to push the giant teddy bear off your lap. “Fiiine,” he groaned sitting up slowly, “but I’m cuddling you as soon as you get back!!” You giggled as you got up to go to the restroom. As you walked down the hall you could feel him pouting behind you. “I’ll be quick I promise!” you called as you pulled your pants down. You felt yourself in a good mood, soothed by the cuddle therapy session. You finished up washing your hands just as Toji started grumbling again.

He pulled back the blanket as you tucked yourself back into your little love pouch on the couch. He smiles as you wiggle into place beneath him on the couch. “I’d go crazy without you, you know that?” Toji says as he wraps himself around you and lays his head on your chest. You meet his gaze, and believe every word despite the lack of vulnerability in his eyes. “Well it’s a good thing I’ll always be here.” You say pulling him closer to you and stroking his scar softly with your fingers.

You had been doing this for three weeks now. He wouldn't come over every day, but at least half the week he was there. Cuddling up on the couch with Toji had quickly become a favorite activity for you. You had been hanging out and fell asleep during a shitty movie. Toji was so tired himself, he didn’t mind and decided to join your nap. Ever since he’d text you a couch emoji and you’d hear a knock at the door a couple minutes later. You worked from home so you didn’t mind your downstairs neighbor popping by. Sometimes you would just work and eat snacks while he laid in your lap. He loved head scratches and neck rubs. This of course made your cat jealous, until he too discovered how great Toji was to cuddle with. It was so cute seeing the big scary man cuddled up with a little kitty purring on his chest or lap.

You enjoyed your time together, and it never felt rushed. There was never any pressure to be more than what you were. Just two beings showing each other kindness. “You’re so little and warm.” Toji cooed squishing you harder. “And you’re so big and heavy” you cooed back, squeezing him tighter. Toji reaches for some grapes, and pops one in his mouth. You were watching some comedy, and they were out for a night on the town. As he chews you can feel his muscular jaw moving against your chest. He pops another grape in his mouth and leans up with it between his lips. You look at him and see the first flames of excitement burning in his eyes, as he leans closer touching the grape to your lips.

You touch your lips to his around the grape and he kisses you around it holding it place with his tongue, as his lips rub against yours. He's caught you so off guard you don't even think to reject him, lips softly molding to fit his, as they dance around the sweet grape. While you kiss him back, he pushes the grape further into your mouth, as if paying you for your affection. Once it's all the way in he lays back onto your chest, and you try and calm your heart, because it must be punching him in the head right now.

Voices carried from the TV and Toji laughed with them, but you had no clue what was even on. Toji popped another grape in his mouth and winked at you. He continued to eat, and cuddle you while your mind tried to catch up to what was going on. By the time the movie was finished the grapes were too. Toji squeezed you tight again. "Well I'll be back to bother you tomorrow, I've gotta go work out." He said as he sat up and stretched. "Of course, I'm going to the store in the morning, but afterwards I'll be here." You said as you walked him to the door. Once he left you felt so conflicted. What was that kiss about? Did he really like you? Maybe he just wanted a hook-up? Toji was too tempting for you to ever survive just a "hook- up" with him. UGHH it was only a kiss maybe he didn't even mean it? Maybe he'd never even do it again? Maybe you weren't what he thought you would be?

The next day while grocery shopping you get a text:

Hey you still out at the market?

Yeah what's up?

Grab some more of those grapes :)

Will you eat them all again?

You can have some......... if I can feed them to you.

Suddenly you realized grapes were your new favorite fruit.

*I wanted to write something cute for Toji where he isn't abusing/ assaulting someone, because he fine af and deserves love. Also I think I wanna write things that make people horny, but I don't wanna straight up write porn*

[braindeathaoe]

Brain Death - An Oracle's End

“Welcome back, Oracle.”

Upcoming content may include but won’t be limited to: - Descriptions of intense violence, g*re - S*bstance abuse - Ab*sive/Neglectful parenting - S**cidal/Homicidal thoughts and tendencies - Complete loss of self - Brain death This IF is not for children nor the faint of heart. However, I’ll do my best to integrate warnings preceding potentially triggering material. Proceed at your own discretion.

~In continuing, I hereby acknowledge that any exposure to that which I cannot handle is to the fault of none other than my own.~

——————————————————————————————————

Synopsis

Paradise is a beautiful city.

Encapsulating the very definition of Utopia, it is revered as the shining beacon of North Amerikas. And in 2 hours, it'll be destroyed—along with you and its citizens. But for reasons unknown, death will not take you.

You are an Oracle. A cursed soul doomed to live, perish and repeat your miserable existence in an eternal limbo. Alone, forgotten, disregarded. You've witnessed the carnage countless times; explored as many avenues as humanly possible. You have yet to conquer fate.

It's only going to get worse from here.

Being trapped in this loop for so long has had horrifying consequences on your mind. How many years of memories can the brain truly store?  That question may be answered soon.

Such a shame that nobody will be around to hear it.

——————————————————————————————————

Features

Create and customize your Oracle, developing their personality through dozens of choices!

Be AFAB or AMAB, decide your gender, appearance and pronouns!

Explore the city of Paradise, meet new people and utilize your knowledge of past lives.

Eat a burger.

Uncover lost memories, and maybe find a way to influence them?

Solve the mystery keeping you trapped in this endless loop, or choose to enjoy the time you have left.

Succumb to brain death.

——————————————————————————————————

Demo: TBD

——————————————————————————————————

Author's Note

Hello!

My name is Ricey! I'm the one writing this thing.

This is a passion project that I started out of discontent. In my personal opinion, there are a lot of interactive fictions out there that share similar problems.

Whether it be deciding for you how your character feels, what they say and do, or punishing players for not having the correct stats... It all feels so hollow and sometimes even immersion breaking.

(Don't get me wrong, sometimes there are plenty of upsides to a story to justify these "flaws". But the execution can be lacking, and unsatisfying. No hate!)

The goal of this IF is to give you, my dear reader, full creative control on how your character reacts, what they do with the information provided, and MOST IMPORTANTLY! To not tell you how they're feeling. That should be up to you to decide.

Of course, there will be exceptions to this rule. Some choices will trigger what I'm calling "Emotional States". And for narration purposes there may also be times that your Oracle feels frustration over something. But I will do my best to limit that.

Anyway, I'm done yapping for now. Stay hydrated! And stay tuned!

[znitsamluv]

Hello! Could you do a Chifuyu x reader, they met a bookstore in the manga section. Chifu saw them reading the same manga as him and decided to strike up a conversation. They exchanged numbers and they plan a date. Takemichi and the others are wondering why he is distracted. Few days later they follow him and see the reader in the classic white dress and sun hat waving at Chifuyu. Lucky guy has a date with a total cutie!

Lucky bastard

Pairing: Chifuyu x FEM!reader

Warnings : none just fluff unless you are allergic to happiness

Note : sorry for making you wait anonie 🫶

" Excuse me, Do you have this volume?" Chifuyu asked the counter lady at the manga store showing her the picture of the manga cover , he spent 20 minutes looking around for the new released volume but he had no luck at finding it .

" Sorry it's sold out" The counter lady said without evening sparing Chifuyu a glance making him frown , it was just released yesterday! How can it be sold out already.

" Excuse me " chifuyu was about to complain and tell whoever talked to wait in line but he stopped once his eyes fell on you, it was ironic how he felt like how the Main leads in the romance manga he reads feel when they see their love of their life for the first time , words getting stuck in his throat and his heart pumping faster the more he looked at you.

" Oh did I interrupt you? " Chifuyu couldn't help but let out a chuckle at your adorable panicked state.

"it is fine " Chifuyu gave you one of his bright smiles , he was handsome you can't deny that ... And polite , you expected a rude response but the warm answer made you smile in relief.

" I was looking for the newest volume of (manga name) , do you have it here ?"

Chifuyu almost got a whiplash from how fast he turned his head once he heard you ask about the volume he was just asking about.

" No " the lady said again and continued to type on her computer, chifuyu felt his heart tighten seeing the beautiful smile you wore since getting in fading into a frown .

" I know a place that has it ! " Chifuyu said without thinking, he doesn't know another place but all he cared about right now was not letting you leave , not now.

" Really?!" The sparkle in your eyes was everything Chifuyu needed he might be dumb for saying something he wasn't sure of but what is the harm in making a beautiful lady happy?!

" yeah .... I can show you if you want it is around the corner"

You are not dumb of course , you know that trusting a total stranger and following them somewhere else might end up bad but you can't deny that from the moment you went inside the shop you had your eyes following Chifuyu around, it was as if the universe finally decided to be on your side and have that fine man talk to you and suggest showing you another shop , it can't be bad !

" if you don't mind then I'm ok "

Chifuyu had to hold himself from doing a victory pose now , he needs to seem cool , he wants to impress you.

He held the door open for you , he made you stand on the left side so you aren't close to the road and cars , he listened to you attentively like you were his favorite song , he looked at you like you hung up the stars and laughed whenever you laughed, it was like you wiggled deeper in his heart the more time you spent together.

And you better believe that you found the volume you were looking for, but it didn't stop here , you both exchanged numbers and from that day you hung out regularly , Chifuyu would sometimes ditch toman meetings and hangouts to go hang out with you .

And after a month of talking and being casual chifuyu had the courage to ask you out on a date and almost passed out when you agreed.

" you look... Stunning" chifuyu felt like he forgot how to talk , just seeing you in that beautiful white dress and sunhat once he met you at the park was like seeing an angel sent from heaven, you both spent the evening together laughing and having a cute picnic.... Until a certain group of chaos noticed you both.

" so this is who you have been ditching us for ? "

Chifuyu froze upon hearing the familiar voice and looked at Baji and Takemitchi , Baji looked at you then at Chifuyu and let out a toothy smile.

" fair enough"

" I can explain! " Chifuyu panicked slightly as you looked confused at the whole situation.

" no need to..... What am I doing wrong god "

Baji said loudly as he looked at you then at Chifuyu, then at Takemitchi who has Hina .

" Let's go Takemitchi, chifuyu is busy with his girlfriend"

Without even letting chifuyu explain himself they left and he looked at you with rosy cheeks.

" I apologize-"

"I like the idea of that "

" huh ? " Chifuyu looked at you with a tilted head when you cut him off .

" I like the idea of being your girlfriend"

Chifuyu had to pinch himself to know he wasn't dreaming, looking at you with a wide grin like a lovesick fool

" I like the idea of that too "

[jo-harrington]

Standard Operating Procedures 1.01 (Eddie Munson x Store Manager!Reader)

Previous Part: Sales Pitch

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Summary: Eddie Munson's Official Comprehensive Pizza Tour of Hawkins

Warnings/Themes: Reader works at the Claire's at StarCourt. Eddie works at TapeWorld. Fluffy and awkward and a little bit emotional. Slowish Burnish because of reasons. AU where the Upside Down doesn't terrorize Hawkins.

Note: Don't know if this should become a series of Standard Operating Procedures that specifically feature their hang outs/not-a-date nights? Because I have other ideas that are not their Sunday nights that I am also interested in writing. I JUST LOVE THEM OK?

Also minor disclaimer that Reader mentions being from Chicago in this, but has mentioned knowing small town mentality in Sales Pitch. She's from the suburbs, she's saying Chicago but she's from the suburbs. It's just what we do. (And if you're in the know but are suspish, she is not, I repeat, is not from Naperville.)

You can find my masterlist here for more featuring Eddie and his favorite Store Manager, and all of my other random Eddie Headcanons.

Please do not interact if you are not 18+.

Enjoy!

---

"Tonight’s the night!"

"Yep."

"You going to meet her upstairs?"

"Uh huh."

"You seem nervous...you nervous Ed?”

"Really trying to keep my mind off it, man," Eddie grumbled and went back to counting down the registers and ignoring his boss' teasing.

Kyle was like the older brother Eddie never realized he wanted and now, after working together for a few weeks, was kind of glad he didn't actually have.

Eddie had been shitting bricks at his interview. This job was something he really wanted and he truly thought that he would be rejected immediately, knowing his reputation around town. But Kyle was not from Hawkins. He had been the manager at the Tape World at the Muncie Mall and then transferred when he heard that a new store at StarCourt was opening.

And in what was either the dumbest or smartest move ever, when Kyle asked if Eddie had any questions at the end of the interview, Eddie asked why he chose to move to the desolate pit that was Hawkins, instead of literally anywhere else.

"For some people, escape is a thousand miles away," Kyle explained. "And for others, it's like...an hour up highway 65."

Then Kyle offered him a job as a key holder, saying that had been the most insightful question he had gotten all day. (With the added bonus that Eddie was also over 18.)

Even after the official paperwork was filled out, after Eddie got his keys, after the first paycheck was cashed, after Kyle literally asked him one night after closing if he knew of any dealers in town that could hook him up, Eddie still felt like it was the biggest prank being played on him.

(Eddie gave him Rick's address because there was no way in hell he was going to sell weed to his own boss. He might be stupid but he wasn't dumb.)

And sure, Kyle could be a hardass sometimes, like any boss could be. He cared about his business. But he was so easygoing and took care of everyone. Made sure everyone was able to have the hours they wanted. He knew a lot about music and really challenged Eddie to be open minded about his personal music preferences.

He also ribbed Eddie to no end after you, "the cute chick from that jewelry place," brought him cookies during opening week.

"She thinks you're cute too by the way," Kyle insisted.

"That's hilarious," Eddie snorted. "She was super rude when she came in."

"Food beats rude, Ed. She likes you."

Eddie, of course, refused to believe it. He had seen his fair share of stuck up, fake, cheerleader types yanking his chain only to laugh in his face when he made a fool of himself.

So he stuck to the Munson Doctrine. And vowed never again.

When he told Kyle as much, Kyle just shrugged and ate the cookies himself. "Your loss man."

But Eddie kept seeing you around and you kept smiling at him. And then...well, he didn't really know what to make of you. One plus one was not adding up to two. And when you didn’t give up whatever game he was convinced you were playing, Kyle was inevitably there to play Devil’s Advocate.

“Just go and say hi. Or at least smile dude. God, no wonder people think you’re some evil brooding asshole. Kidding. I’m kidding. She’s new in town. Maybe she needs a weed dealer too. Or maybe she likes metal. Just go talk to her. Fuck it, ask her to hang out. What’s there to lose?”

So he took Kyle's advice, and that was probably the last thing he should have done because now he had a date. Was it a date? Neither of you had really specified. Eddie kicked himself when he got back to the store and realized that aside from the agreed upon Sunday after close and Pizza, no actual commitment to a date had been made.

All Eddie knew was, Kyle wouldn't get off his fucking ass about it.

"Ok so here's what you're gonna do," Kyle clapped him on the shoulder after they locked up and Eddie was about to head up to meet you. "You're gonna be really respectful--"

"I've got it."

"--and really cool, because you can kind of be a nerd sometimes--"

"I've gone on a date before, fuck."

"Did you or did you just fool around with someone at the back of a dark movie theater?" Eddie refused to look him in the eye and Kyle snorted. "I knew it."

He proceeded to give him some halfway decent advice before sending Eddie on his way. The advice was now bouncing around Eddie's head, along with every single shred of self-doubt he'd ever had, as he waited outside of your store.

You had smiled and waved when you saw him through the gate, and he was really trying not to stare as you wrapped up your own closing tasks. He fidgeted with his rings, he nodded as other mall employees he knew passed by on the way to the exit, he wondered if he would survive the fall if he just fell backwards over the railing overlooking the food court.

Surely a cracked skull would be better than everything he was feeling right now.

When you disappeared into the back for several minutes, Eddie let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. There really was no turning back now. He was going to be spending the rest of his Sunday with you.

He tried not to smile like an idiot, but he honestly couldn’t help it.

Finally, you made your return and ducked under the gate before locking it. When you turned to face him, Eddie stared and that smile disappeared as he went from giddy to utterly dumbstruck.

No neon, no scrunchies, no stacks of jingling bracelets. Your hair was down and the obnoxiously bright eyeshadow you were just wearing--that he could clearly see, even from outside of the store--had been wiped away.

"Hey, so I obviously drove to work," you closed the distance between the two of you, breaking Eddie from his reverie with a long string of words that, were he in his right mind, Eddie would have wondered whether you had practiced beforehand. "But I didn't know if you wanted to maybe drive and I'll pay for the pizza because I really don't know my way around yet except for home, work, and the grocery store. And if I just follow you and we get separated or something, you're probably gonna have to send a search party.

"Unless it’s kind of near Main Street then I’ll be…well if—what?" You raised your eyebrows when you noticed he was staring.

"What?" Eddie parroted, processing...well, just processing. Trying to figure you out once again.

You looked down at yourself and fidgeted where you stood.

Shit.

"Yeah I know, it's different," you shrugged down at your perfectly normal outfit. A Cherry Coke t-shirt, jean shorts, and a baggy sweater. "I thought...well it's just pizza…so I figured casual—”

"No, it's totally fine, I'm sorry. You look..." Eddie suddenly couldn't remember any of Kyle's advice.

He had been practicing the whole you look nice compliment with the picture of you that existed in his mind: The trendy store manager. Which, yeah did look nice on you, but was also a little intimidating, if Eddie was honest with himself. Those clothes were the same clothes as the girls who lived in Loch Nora who teased him because he lived in a trailer park. The high ponytail and scrunchies were the cheerleaders who laughed when the jocks pushed him and his friends around. All of it tied back to people he hated, people who hated him.

And now suddenly, that wasn’t you. It was a relief. He could look at you and not worry that some sharp, pain-inflicting words would be directed at him.

But the look on your face, the fidgeting, the stammering and backtracking. Eddie realized you were just as nervous as he was.

How many times had Wayne--or even Rick once or twice--said the kind of people who judged someone’s looks before their character were not worth having around anyway? Now here he was, doing just that.

Shit.

"I just wasn't expecting you to look--"

"Yeah," you laughed nervously, interrupting him. "I really only wear that stuff for work. It's a lot. And you kind of have to look the part. I think I mentioned that…before right?”

"It's fine, you look great," Eddie offered, gaining enough courage to stop you from feeling bad because of his stupid nerves and big mouth. "Really. I just...have never not seen you like that. And now—”

"It's silly. I feel silly wearing that stuff sometimes," you admitted, playing with the hem of your sweater. "And I do like some of it. The jewelry, for sure. But altogether...well it's still me. It’s just the me who also answers the phone in a different voice, and comforts kids when they're scared to get their ears pierced, and tells people what's on sale. And this is me when I'm not that."

You shrugged and held your arms out, and Eddie could clearly understand the unspoken "so take it or leave it."

Eddie took a second to process and then smiled again. Of course he would take it. He would be stupid not to.

"I get it," he nodded.

"Really?" you smiled. “Cool.”

"Cool." There was a beat. "So back to the original topic of conversation, I can definitely drive us around but there is no way I'm letting you pay for pizza. I'm the one who asked you to hang out, after all."

He started walking away, leaving you to protest as you followed.

---

There were only 3 really good pizza places in Hawkins, in Eddie's professional opinion: Lou's on 8th street, Pizzeria Uno which was conveniently in the same strip mall as the arcade and the video store, and Domino's. None of which had any indoor seating, which meant the two of you could sit in the back of Eddie's van with the doors open so you could enjoy the nice weather and talk.

Eddie, of course, had cleaned the van beforehand. All of the shit his friends left after gigs or when they stopped for food when he drove them home from Hellfire during the school year. Random empty baggies, magazines he really didn’t want you to see (yet…or maybe ever), and some other questionable things. It all needed to go.

And although you seemed a little hesitant when Eddie led you to his trusty chariot, you happily agreed to Eddie’s plans for the night.

“Sorry, I’m sure you get that reaction a lot,” you said as he helped you into the passenger’s side. “I dunno, van…suspicious.”

“Either that or they’re calling it a rusty old shitbox,” Eddie laughed it off, happy that you still seemed to trust him. “Which is even more offensive. Especially when it comes from my friends.”

“Listen, as the owner of my own rusty old shitbox, I can totally relate. And it’s not even that bad. No holes in the floor.”

The drive back into town was filled with Eddie’s own personal rubric for good pizza along with your comments.

“Pepperoni pizza.”

“Why pepperoni? Why not just cheese?"

"With a coke."

"Do you guys not drink RC here?"

"And ranch. I usually just pour it on, but I'll leave it on the side. For you. In case you like to dip your slice in."

"Of course you're a ranch guy," you scoffed.

"Of course you're not," Eddie challenged. "What's your perfect slice then?" And you went into a tirade that he, quite honestly, enjoyed watching.

Eddie honestly never thought he had ever had such an in-depth discussion about pizza with anyone (except when he got high at Rick’s, but that was mostly one-sided anyway). It really said a lot about you. Incredibly opinionated, but willing to stop every so often and hear his side of things. Willing to let yourself be convinced, let yourself be wrong.

Which he found out as he pulled into the Domino's parking lot on the first stop of the Pizza Tour and you finished off a passionate speech about red pepper flakes and "good parmesan" only to give him the most skeptical look.

"Eddie," you began. "When you said pizza--"

"This is pizza," he assured you.

"I'm from Chicago for one thing," you explained. "And besides that, I used to help my grandma cook as a kid, every Sunday, in her basement kitchen."

"Then you've never had Domino's before?" he assumed, correctly if your sudden fidgeting was any indicator.

So it wasn't gonna take much to make you nervous...noted.

"Just trust me--for today--ok? If you hate everything, you never have to see me again."

"Eddie! I--"

"But if you like it, then one day I'll let you make your grandma's pizza recipe for me.  And I'll trust you not to poison me."

It was a risky bet to make, on Eddie's part at least, because he really hoped this wouldn't be a one time thing. But you nodded and he grinned and left you in the van to choose something from his little box of cassettes while he ran inside to place the order.

When he got back he teased you and grilled you on other delicacies you might have missed out on thanks to the "gourmet cuisine" of your obviously superior upbringing. No Swanson TV dinners, no snack pack chocolate pudding, no sloppy joes, no chocolate milk.

"That's it," he threw his hands up in the air, looking to the heavens for guidance. "I'm going to have to teach you everything."

"Stop it, oh my god, Eddie!"

He grabbed your shoulders.

"Have you ever experienced the sweet taste of Mountain Dew," Eddie begged. "A Twinkie! Please tell me the truth; have you ever eaten a Hostess Cupcake?"

"Yes," you laughed as he shook you. "Yes I have. Stop!"

"Maybe you're not hopeless after all," he sighed in feigned relief. "There's still time to undo all that's been done to you." As though homemade dinners were some sort of torture.

When the order was ready, you toasted with your cans of coke and Eddie watched with great anticipation as you took your first bite of a Domino's pizza. You even dipped a little in the ranch dressing--just for him, you explained. You chewed thoughtfully and then took a second bite, this time from the crust.

Watching and waiting was torture for Eddie, sure, but he got to see you scrunch your nose in thought, bob your head side to side along with Blue Oyster Cult as it played lightly from the stereo, stare right back at him and enjoy the torture you were putting him through.

"What's the verdict, sweetheart," he asked. "I don't think my heart can take it anymore. I can drive us back to StarCourt right now."

"It's...good," you agreed and he whooped, punching the air in victory, before he took a slice for himself. "I'm still not a fan of the ranch though."

"That's fine. Different strokes for different folks," Eddie shrugged. "My uncle always says that."

---

Pizzeria Uno was next and Eddie mocked your look of relief as he pulled into the lot.

"You act like spending time with me is some kind of torture," he teased, secretly voicing some of the anxieties that he had been pushing down since you had agreed to hang out with him. He knew, even with a short amount of time in your company, that you were enjoying yourself, that you seemed to like being around him.

Historically, that hadn't stopped things from going south for Eddie though. There was still time to screw it up, if he hadn't already.

"I'm just happy that it looks like they use oregano in their sauce," you explained. "Maybe you do know your stuff after all."

"Hey, don't speak too soon," he teased. "There's a Chuck E. Cheese down the road; we could be headed there next."

He left you in charge of the music again, really interested in what you would pick this time, since you had started with--what he believed to be--the most mainstream tape he had in the van.

"Alright," he cheered as he stepped out of the shop and heard the shredding of Quiet Riot over the sounds of kids running around as they got dropped off at the arcade. "This is what I'm talking about."

"You didn't like The Cult?" you asked, still digging through the box as you kicked your legs out of the back of the van. "These are your tapes, right?"

"What you don't know is that this is all a test," Eddie began. "To see if you have taste."

"It's all metal," you emphasized. "Taste means variety. You're lucky I don't grab a tape out of my bag."

"Am I going to need to start you on music lessons too? Seems like it, since you don't think metal is variety." He jumped into the back and snatched the box from your hands. "Gimme that, it's quiz time.

"Metallica?"

“They’re good,” you nodded.

“Good?! Just good?!” Eddie knew it was better than he was gonna get from mostly anyone else in town, but he was still gonna give you shit for it. “You’re wounding me here, sweetheart.”

“Oh please!”

"My band's gonna be touring with them someday, so if you want to be on that VIP list, you're gonna need to do better than just good. Here," he passed his copy of Ride the Lightning off to you. "For tonight's homework."

“Homework!?” you laughed.

��Yeah,” he shook the tape in your direction and you reluctantly grabbed it. "I expect you to listen to that at the highest volume you can, til your ears bleed. There will be an essay due next Sunday." You rolled your eyes at him but smiled cutely and Eddie felt incredibly smug.

"Fine. I guess if I want to be on that VIP list," you said mockingly. "Tell me more about this band though. Are you any good?"

"You'll have to come to one of our shows and find that out for yourself. But yeah, the best you're gonna find in Bumfuck, Indiana." He puffed his chest out a little bit. "We play at the Hideout every Tuesday night. Not a big crowd or anything. It's just this little place anyway."

Eddie goes into detail about the bar, the makeshift little stage and the single spotlight, and the handful of regulars who probably don't even notice the music as they drink their troubles away anyway.

He doesn't notice the guilty look on your face for a few minutes.

"I close on Tuesdays," you mutter. "I'm sorry. It's one of those things when you work retail long enough, you get kind of set in your schedule."

"That's ok," he tried not to sound too disappointed.

"I could try trading with my ASM," you offered quickly. "Or maybe..."

"I-it's totally fine," he held his hands out. "Jeff's trying to get us on the schedule for the Hawkins 4th of July carnival in a few weeks anyway. So you might even see us there. Don't sweat it."

"Ok. Sounds like a plan. I'm sorry," you reached across and placed your hand on his.

"No worries." Eddie really doesn't want to pull his hand away from yours, but he needs to go back in and grab the food. It's been long enough, right?

When he returns, he basks in your cheers as you find the thin crust, party cut pizza, pre-sprinkled with red pepper flakes and no ranch in sight.

"Ok so Jeff," you recall after shoving the crunchy corner piece into your mouth. "You mentioned him before. Working on his confidence, right?"

"Yeah, not everyone can be as naturally charismatic as yours truly," he brags.

"Uh huh," you deadpanned. "Charismatic."

"You wound me, my lady. But yeah, Jeff used to jam with us...with the band from time to time. He's part of this club at school with me, and then..." Eddie pauses. "Well, then the band pretty much broke up last summer. I mean...we did break up. And it sucked because we'd been playing together for years.

"I was...kind of in a bad place. But Jeff said he could take over rhythmic guitar. Thus Corroded Coffin 2.0 was born. And I noticed he needed to build up his confidence more so I let him front every now and again. And he got his friend Dave on Bass, but it wasn't that hard to convince him, he's been worshiping Geddy Lee for years. And then Gareth on drums, which he said he could play pretty good, but the little shit was actually in an orchestra and played timpani.

"Can you believe it? What the fuck even is a timpani? Had us all fooled too, until we started practicing Hot for Teacher and he could barely keep up. But he's a lot better now, and like...he's stupidly good. Better than Mick ever was."

Eddie gets caught up for a second as he says a name he hasn't uttered for an entire year, after he told his childhood best friend he could go fuck himself.

Grow the fuck up Ed. This band was just some fun, it was never gonna get us out of Hawkins.

It wasn't gonna get Mickey out of Hawkins, because he already left. But it was gonna get Eddie out. It had to.

You clear your throat awkwardly, and Eddie appreciates you not bringing up the pain that he couldn't hide very well yet, the wound obviously too fresh.

"So, your club at school," you began instead. "Do you take classes nearby?"

Fuck. Well...if he hadn't scared you away yet, this might do it.

"You...could say that," Eddie hesitated. "I, um, am still at Hawkins High."

He watched all of the thoughts run clearly behind your eyes like they did when nearly everyone else found out he had failed senior year again. He had heard all of the whispers, the fake politeness. Some people weren't as polite and just said it out loud.

Eddie the Failure. Eddie the Idiot. Eddie the Freak.

"Oh, well shit, if I knew you were still in high school." Eddie looked away from you, unable to deal with seeing the disgust in your eyes. "I mean, Tape World is your first job right? Duh. I mean...Jimmy just got his first job too, god...how did I not...Ok. I should have asked. You do look a lot older than 16 though."

Eddie's head immediately snapped back to yours. You thought--

"I'm not...not 16," Eddie coughed awkwardly. "I'm 19. 20 in October."

"Wh--"

"I'm repeating senior year," he explained, still waiting for the penny to drop, for you to start laughing at him. "For a second time, actually."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Hey listen." Eddie steeled himself for the words he knew were coming. This has been fun but I'm a serious adult and don't want to hang out with someone who failed high school twice. Let alone date them. "Everyone learns at their own pace and yeah school sucks."

What?

"Is that like...any different than the kids who repeat kindergarten though?" You laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "My cousin Doug actually had to repeat kindergarten twice because he couldn't handle it and now he's running for Mayor back home. It's all relative."

Eddie was looking at you like you were the freak now.

"You don't care?" he asked.

"Not...particularly," you shrugged. "Do you...mind that I don't care? Is that weird?"

No one else wanted him around after he failed the first time. He believed. Let alone this second time.

Aside from his buddies who were still in high school. Wayne and Rick told him he could take the time he needed to finish up school...or get his GED, whichever made him happy. It didn't matter to them. And Kyle didn't really seem to mind either.

Would Eddie care if the tables were turned? Probably not. So why should it be weird if you didn't care.

"No," he finally answered. "It's...thank you for saying that. Everyone...is kind of shitty when they find out."

"Are they shitty because they find out?" you ask sagely. "Or are they just shitty to begin with? You don't want people like that around anyway."

No, he definitely did not.

---

It was dark by the time you got to Lou's. The dinner rush in full swing. Eddie suggested going somewhere else since the lot was small and already pretty full. You agreed but hopped out of the van before he could, insisting on paying.

"I'm trying to be a gentleman," Eddie protested, grabbing onto your arm before you could leave, trying to at least grab your wallet out of your hand if not stop you altogether. "My uncle would kill me if he knew I let you pay for dinner."

"You already paid for two pizzas, let me get this one!" You quickly pinched the skin on his wrist and he let you go, looking shocked and betrayed that you would stoop so low. "With two brothers and a bunch of cousins, you gotta think on your feet. Pick out some music. I have tapes in my bag too. You can snoop, I don't care."

The passenger door slammed shut and Eddie at least waited until you got into the shop before he grabbed your purse, unable to help himself since you gave him permission.

Rush, Moving Pictures. Dave would love you. Styx, Paradise Theater. Not really his thing but passable. The Smiths. Billy Joel. The 5th Dimension? Pass. Pass. Pass.

Ok so this is what you meant by variety.

He popped the tape out of your walkman. Boston. Ok he could get behind it.

He popped it into the stereo and winced as it skipped and dropped out, Brad Delp's voice warping every now and again. He wondered if "Hitch a Ride" was your favorite--interesting--or if the wear and tear was just bad on the whole tape. Very interesting.

Eddie ejected the tape and put it back into your walkman. Maybe something lighter, something with more meaning.

He twiddled his fingers for a second, about to reach for the box of tapes, before turning his attention to the glovebox and popping it open.

It honestly was the one spot he didn't worry about cleaning. The guys knew the glove box was off-limits. It was filled with the usual shit: napkins, vehicle registration, condoms, a forgotten joint that was hastily put out and thrown in that one time Callahan caught him and the guys parked up by the quarry. And then at the very back, rubber banded together, a couple of cassettes. 

The Monkee's Greatest Hits and More Greatest Hits.

You had inadvertently shared something with Eddie by letting him see your tapes, and now Eddie could share something with you.

Besides, you had both been sharing all night, whether you had planned to or not.

Was this a good idea though? It was a heavy topic, these tapes were something he typically would listen to on his own when he couldn't make it over to Rick's to listen to the records he had stashed there, no room for them in the trailer with all of his amps and other shit. He had gotten the tapes last year, after his falling out with Mick and the guys and...

Ugh don't think about that.

Well, if you hadn't been scared away yet, you probably would be now. No better way to end a first date than with some tears right?

"Edward I-dont-know-your-middle-name Munson," you exclaimed as you pulled the door open. "Why didn't we start here? Pizza by the slice and cannoli? I would say that I get to choose where we go next time, but I don't know what else there is, so I guess I have to trust you." You shoved the boxes at him as you climbed in.

"Gotta end the night on a high note sweetheart," he explained. "And next time?" He grinned cheekily.

"Yeah we're having a great time," you shrugged and took the boxes back once you were situated. "I'm having a great time, at least. Except for the part where you made me think I was spending the day with a literal child and gave me a stroke--"

"You did that to yourself," he chuckled and started driving. "But yes, I'm having a great time too. Except when you told me you've never had Chef Boyardee. I took that kind of personally."

"So did you snoop or what?" you asked as you spotted the tapes in his lap. "What are we listening to?"

He passed them over to you and took a breath.

"Oh cool, I love Daydream Believer," you nod and put the cassette in the stereo only for that exact song to start playing. You looked at Eddie in shock. "Shut up."

"It was my mom's favorite song," he explained. "I listen to it whenever...I need her with me. The whole album actually."

"Oh shit," you muttered. "Eddie, I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry? I'm the one bringing up heavy shit when we're supposed to be having a good time." He scratched at the back of his neck. "I've kind of been stepping in it all night, haven't I?"

"No," you shook your head. "No, you've been sharing things with a friend. Important things."

"Right."

"And here I thought I was the one stepping in it," you admitted. "Maybe I have been if you need your mom's strength to finish this night out with me."

"Absolutely not," Eddie disagreed, laughing. "Listen, if anything, this is her stamp of approval. If you love Daydream Believer, she would have loved you. Dumped me off on the side of the road and you two would have driven down Highway 77 singing it at the top of your lungs together."

"Not you too?"

"I mean, yeah, but she used to drive this two-door car, and I would be too tall for the backseat now, but she wouldn't let a guest sit in back, so I would just be stranded."

Eddie started telling you about her as he drove. How she taught him how to play guitar, how she was an absolute sweetheart, how she did everything she could to protect him and take care of him, both when his dad was around and then once he was--thankfully--sent away. How she was hesitant to start dating Rick, and then hesitant again to let Rick meet him.

He got around to talking about Wayne and Rick a bit too, how they did their best to raise him once she was gone. How he knows it wasn't easy--it still isn't--but he did what he could now to make it up to them.

"Except finish school, apparently," he said in a self-deprecating way that had you tutting at him.

He finished his story by the time he made it to the destination, which just so happened to be Lover's Lake--Rick's house, more specifically, although the house was dark and locked up as Rick was out on business. Eddie backed the van up Rick's driveway so you could have a view of the lake from the back as you ate.

"Well thank you for sharing that with me, Eddie," you began as you settled into the back of the van. "That's...yeah that isn't easy to share with someone new. And it all sucks; it sucks, and you don't deserve that, but I'm sure your mom is still here with you."

"Yeah she is," he agreed. He's proud that he made it through without crying. "She's my angel."

He didn't believe in the divine. But he believed in his mom.

"She is," you smiled brightly and stared at him for a moment. You then turned and surveyed your surroundings. "This is nice, where are we?"

"Lover's Lake," Eddie answers offhandedly, then realizes his mistake as your head pops back and you look at him with wide eyes. "Not that I...that's just what it's called because it's shaped like a heart!

"Not that I wouldn't, because you look...but not that I would because this is just...we're just hanging out. This isn't a date or anything. Right?"

Fuck.

Kyle was not gonna let him hear the end of this.

Eddie was so caught up in his own misery that he missed the disappointed fall of your expression.

"No, that's fine, I get it," you chuckled lightly. "It's still really nice. We don't really have something like this back home. Well, the lake lake, and there are like...forest preserves, but it's not...nature, you know? Not like this."

"Furthest out of Hawkins I've ever been is Indianapolis," Eddie admitted. "So no, I guess I don't."

"Well I've never even been to Indianapolis and never left Illinois before coming here," you explained. "So I guess we're in the same boat. Maybe I'll get to show you where I'm from some day. Show you a real pizza tour."

"Hey, don't knock Lou's 'til you try it," Eddie teased.

"Thank you Eddie, tonight's been really great," you said sincerely.

"It has, hasn't it," he agreed. "So next Sunday?"

"Yeah?" you laugh. "What do you have in mind?"

You started eating as you discussed plans for the next weekend, and more talk of music as it's now Eddie's turn to give you shit for the tapes you had with you. You mentioned a few things about your own family, not going nearly as in-depth as Eddie did about his mother, but enough for him to get the gist.

And then Eddie opened the box of cannoli you had gotten and handed one to you, before taking one of his own.

"To new friends and Sunday nights," he offered as a toast.

"New friends and Sunday nights," you repeated.

---

Next Part: Standard Operating Procedures 1.02

Should I do a tag list? Does anyone want that? DM me or send me an ask if you wanna be tagged...idk.

[thisismeracing]

Mick + shopping + fluff 🤍

-🌻

Shopping | MS47

⸺ the one where you go shopping together. ✓ no warnings.

⁕ one word, a thousand stories blurb night (closed) ⁕ my masterlist and my taglist

Yn makes a U-turn going straight into the lingerie store.

"Babe, I'm shopping for lingeries now, you can...I dunno, go see some shoes or eat something while I dive in here. You can leave all these bags with me too. Are you sure they aren't too heavy?" She blurted, looking at all the shopping bags Mick was carrying.

Earlier that day when she was getting ready to go out and he was lying in bed, Mick asked where she was going and if he could tag along. And when Yn told him she needed some new clothes and shoes, she thought he would dismiss her and choose something fun to do by himself, but he got up and started getting dressed to go with her. Granted, he wasn't having the best time of his life, but he was sure having fun. Being around Yn was enough for him, and plus he got himself some new shirts and pants too.

And of course, Mick is a gentleman, so he was carrying all her bags and following her around like a lost -but happy- puppy. Yn would try every piece and parade them for Mick who would give his honest opinion and even clap and whistle sometimes. They were having fun together, doing something that Yn never thought would be fun for a male partner -that considering all her's and her friends' experiences. However, Mick was different. Mick showed her how love could be. He gave her all his patience, love, affection, and attention. He was honest, and he would make a point of spending time together whenever they could. And now, he wanted to lingerie shop with her.

"I'm coming. Can I come?" he asked, eyebrows creasing in confusion as to why she was being quick to instruct him to leave.

"Yeah- do you really wanna tag along? Aren't you tired of running around the mall?"

Mick chuckled, "Yn, I'm an athlete. Do you really think walking for a bit will take all my energy away?" he questioned and when she opened her mouth he added, "Don't even mention the bags, they lightweight for me."

"Oh- ok, then," she couldn't help but grin, and grab his arm entering the store.

Not only did he watch her, but he helped Yn find her size when she liked on display, he did all the whistling and clapping too, though he had to charm the saleswoman with an autograph so she would let him into the fitting room with Yn. And though Mick saw everything, helped her choose, and paid for it without her noticing -something he had been doing all day-, he still asked for a private show at home just to hype her up.

― ⋆🪩 VOICEMAIL: Mick will go shopping with you and not only will he like it, but he'll end up getting stuff for him too. change my mind lol I hope you guys like it! Don't forget to reblog and leave me a comment *mwah*

[italianhomosexuality]

rant to me (i like the sound, i like your voice) on ao3

“Nico! You're finally here!”

The ever too-chipper voice took Nico out of his thoughts. He had plans that consisted of brooding and staring, but it seems like Will Solace didn't think that behavior is appropriate for a party.

If whatever it is that's happening can even be considered a party; the Apollo cabin and some other campers decided to get together near the lake, with some soda cans, Doritos bags, and sour gummy worms. There's some music playing and chatter going around, but Nico's foam earplugs do a great job at keeping the volume low enough so that it's not overwhelming. He plays with his fingers, practicing the alphabet in sign language. Tatiana, a daughter of Nemesis, was hard of hearing. Nico became close to her since both of them would usually sit in the shadows, a few feet away from the crowds. It was easy to be around her, and he was making an effort to learn sign.

Will's voice was a little muffled by the earplugs, but taking them out would be much worse. Nico just gestured towards him, pointing in a general direction that is a little further from the noise and confusion. Will understood, because of course he did. They walked a few steps in silence, and Nico didn't bother correcting Will that he'd been here for a few good minutes now, he just didn't want to interrupt Will's conversation with Connor.

He wasn't wearing his usual orange shirt; the blue fabric suits his eyes and looks nice under the moonlight. Nico knew he's clad in cargo shorts and flip-flops without even having to look down—that's what he wears all the time, even when Nico thinks about him before going to sleep, when he thinks of the two of them under the soft orange of a sunset, sharing McDonald's fries, maybe making jokes, hands just one or two millimeters away from each other, itching to touch, aching to be intertwined…

He couldn't afford to think about that right now.

As they reached a tree, Nico offered Will a sweet smile. They were far from the crowd, watching from a distance so that they could hold a conversation even with the earplugs. It's the little things Will does; the accommodations, the giving, the gifting, the understanding, the treating him as an equal that makes Nico have some thoughts that he'd rather keep to himself.

(“Nico, I've noticed you wince and flinch when it gets too loud. What do you think of trying some earplugs? They might help. I wear them sometimes.”)

(“Nico, can you come body double me? I need to clean the infirmary and I can't do it if I'm just there by myself.”)

(“Nico, I have bad days too.”)

(“Nico, would you mind hanging around for just a little longer? I had to treat a head injury today. I don't think I'll ever get over it.”)

“Have you been having fun?” Nico asked, feeling the deep rumble of his voice in his chest. He only now noticed how Will's eyelids and cheekbones seemed to sparkle and glimmer under the moonlight. Lou Ellen must have been experimenting with makeup again.

“Yes! It's been good.” Will raised his voice just enough so Nico could still hear him through the earplugs. It's the little things, Nico's brain supplied.

“How was your day?”

After a lot of practicing with other campers, Nico realized that he enjoyed asking questions. They were an easy way of navigating a conversation and he had a premade list of questions to use in any social setting. For the most part, he asked and listened, keeping only a few bits of information, glancing at the other person's forehead and nose bridge occasionally to mimic eye contact. With Will, however, he didn't have to overthink. He'd ask, but because he actually wanted to know. He'd look at the ground while paying the most attention he's ever paid. He'd fidget and fiddle with his necklace, humming and nodding, while storing every single bit of Will's stories, stitching guides, camp rules, and so much more.

“It wasn't that great, if I'm being honest,” Will said, picking at his fingernails, “but I've been managing. It was just… hard. At the infirmary. Being by myself.”

“You could have asked me for help,” Nico said, swinging back and forth on his ankles. “I didn't do much today. I could have at least been around. Make you feel less lonely.”

Ever since Will started opening up about his mental health and struggles with himself, Nico found it easier to do so, too. Some campers thought of the Head Counselor of the Apollo cabin as this perfect, do-no-wrong, ever-happy, feel-good Care Bear. Will played the part really well, having fooled Nico at the start, but then he understood. He saw the insecurities, the blood—Will's own—pooling and drying around his fingernails, the teeth marks on the bottom lip, the nervous ticks that would come out after an especially long day. Sometimes, though their wounds were far from equal, Nico felt as if he was looking into a mirror. Maybe not a mirror, but a murky reflection on a lake. A resemblance, something similar enough to his own, but with different shapes and jagged edges.

So, as Will listed his fears and how he wished so, so badly he could be someone else, Nico felt comfortable enough, for the first time in his life, to revisit his self-hatred and coax it out for a walk. Will took it and acknowledged it, but didn't yell at it or scare it away. It was almost as if he said, “Hey, I have that, too,” and Nico finally understood the many meanings of the word gratitude.

Nico never thought he'd be able to help someone feel less lonely. He'd also never thought he'd withstand a party—a get-together—just to catch a glimpse of blonde, defined curls and butterfly-blue eyes.

It's the little things.

“I know what you will say, but…” Will caught himself, stopping mid-sentence. “I didn't want to be a bother. A hypocrite, I know, but this happens sometimes. I'll try to not let it happen again.”

“Good.” Nico smiled, feeling the warmth from inside.

It was warm enough that he'd ditched the aviator jacket, but he still kept the jeans. The breeze coming from the lake was a nice touch to the night. He looked down, finding a spot dry enough for both of them to sit, and reached out to tug at Will's hand.

He couldn't pinpoint when he had gotten so… used to physical contact. When he had started to initiate it, even. But then again, he couldn't pinpoint when Will had become Will.

Will took the hint and sat down right beside Nico, scooting closer to him so that the skin on his calf touched the black denim. It was a common position to them. Comfortable. Nico's back didn't hurt as much and he didn't feel pressured to maintain eye contact. Will got to relax his posture and relax his legs from standing all day.

“Do you want to talk about what happened today?” Nico initiated, fingers tapping on his knee. “About what made you not have such a great day.”

No one had ever ranted to Nico. They were always afraid he wouldn't care or that they would be putting too much on him, as if he were a thin, fragile table, built to break at any point. Will didn't.

So Will said, “Yeah, I think that will help,” and started.

Nico listened.

He made sure to store every tidbit of information in his Will Solace-shaped mental drawer. He would remember, in the future, that the infirmary had a shortage of darker-colored band-aids, and he would point it out next time he and Will went supply shopping. He would remember, in the future, that Kayla had offered Will coffee with hazelnut creamer and he drank it all so as to not dismiss her, but he actually hated that flavor.

(Nico already knew that. If he wasn't having his coffee black, french vanilla was the go-to.)

He would remember how Will's fingers flexed as he told Nico how he had to patch up this new camper, almost as if he was going through the motions again. He would remember how Cecil's comment about his off-tune singing while washing his hands post-procedure made Will's heart sting, though he was used to the mockery, but it just hadn't been a good day. He would remember that Will hadn't slept well that day because the sheets had been recently washed and someone had used fabric softener on them, causing the texture to be plastic-like and that it made Will's skin itch. He would remember, and he would fight against every part of his brain that forced him to forget.

Once Will deemed his rant finished, Nico finally looked at him. He looked… pretty. The golden hue that came from the sun was perfect for Will's features, but the silver complimented him. It was the missing part. It hit his skin and bounced right back, catching on the glitter on his eyelids, cheekbones, and cupid's bow, making the chapstick on his lips shine a little more, exposing the chipped pink nail polish on his fingernails.

Nico didn't think boys were supposed to be considered pretty, but most common rules made no sense to him, anyway. Will was pretty. Accepting that fact had been complicated enough. He would not put up a fight against his thoughts.

“I like hearing you talk,” Nico confessed, straightforward as always. “The sound of your voice is very calming, like a stream of water. Constant.”

“That was a very sweet compliment, Nico,” Will replied, smiling wide. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

In the background, the party was still happening. Nico could hear laughter, cans being opened, fire crackling, stomping, soft tones and chords. But Will was next to him, seemingly not wanting to go back to the crowd, so he just settled into his makeshift seat a little more.

Maybe, in the future, Nico could ask Will if he liked him back. For now, he'd rather keep making a list of the little things. Little by little, he could have Will. He just needed some time to build up courage. Maybe, in the future, Will would slip out his ideal love confession or first date.

Nico would remember.

[satureja13]

After Jeb and Kiyoshi finally came back to consciousness, the Boys went to Porto Luminoso. Since they're already here and the members of the Council scattered to the four winds, the Boys could as well cherish their time here before their meeting with athena and Ms Coombes tomorrow afternoon.

And since the Bond wasn't able to join Ji Ho and Vlad beyond the Veil and it's finally, finally allowed to run free (No curse! No spell! Nothing to hold it back anymore!) it's grimly determined to get its share! It's feeding off of the love shared between Ji Ho and Vlad and it's been starving all these years! Ji Ho and Vlad felt the pull from their Bond. It wants them alone. And close to each other! And they decided not to act up, since the Bond already hates Vlad (for trying to kill it - twice!) and they are afraid it would punish him again, should they not obey ö.ö' Vlad: "Eh, Ji Ho and I..." Jack laughed: "Got it! See you later for dinner at Porto Azzurro! And: don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

The others went over to Porto Azzurro. Sai and Jeb fell behind because Sai was drawn towards 'Moda Capoliveri', the fashion store. To give Jeb and Sai some alone time too, Kiyoshi said: "Jack and I are going jet skiing. See you later!" Jeb was flustered, being alone with Sai after all those months apart is still a mine field, but answered: "Uhm, ok..." Jack was proud of Kiyoshi making a bold move like this: "You're totally my kind of scum. Fearless and inventive." And off they went.

It still feels awkward between Jeb and Sai. They agreed to start over again but Jeb is afraid if he says the wrong thing, it would all go downhill again... But Jeb didn't need to talk. Like the Bond, Sai is grimly determined to make it work this time. Sai: "Do you remember our first date? Tomorrow it's two years ago. You also took me to a fashion shop." Jeb laughed: "It was just the Thriftea ^^' But of course I remember." They didn't have money to buy anything since they're already deep in dept for their tutoring, but Sai loves it to browse for new ideas for Noxee and his fashion store Strawberry Cake Fashion.

Jeb sensed how tense Sai is and how much he dreads their meeting with athena and Ms Coombes tomorrow. Jeb: "We will be able to pay back the school fees and of course Ms Coombes will give us a loan. Vlad, Kiyoshi and I worked hard over the weeks you've spent at the beach house and we even payed back Rubyn and the others and were able to put some money at the side. Don't worry, hm?" Sai: "Gods, while we wasted our time with that stupid game and the tin can!" Jeb: "Don't say that. This game helped us a lot and it is going to help others too (Jeb sensed that Sai wanted to scream and disagree, but he kept on talking). Sai, the Therapy Game was worth the trouble. And our stay at Verdantis was worth it too. Look on the bright side, hm? We got amazing tutoring and improved a lot and the game helped us to overcome some of our hardships. I feel we're able to face anything now. You did a great job keeping us together and making us stronger." Sai smiled at Jeb, he always knows to say the right things to him. Then what Jack said earlier came to his mind (about Jeb trying to avoid woohooing with Sai) and so he tried to nudge Jeb in a different direction... Sai: "Since we improved a lot, will we also be be able to put our relationship to the next level? We could ask the owner of Hotel Elvis for a free room, since we chased the Council away from Tartosa again ;) We've spent our second date here, do you remember?" The Little Goats: 'Yes, yes, YES!'

But Jeb didn't find it fair to the others (they are supposed to sleep at the campsite tonight to keep their money together) and does not want to exploit the hotel owner, so he declined Sai's offer... Or maybe he really tries to avoid getting physical because he does not want to hurt Sai should he want more...

'She: You know, sometimes I ask myself: What is this a kind of fear to lose you? What is inside of you that makes you unique And makes me fall in love with you?

He: I like to spend days teasing you With phrases that I get old And, perhaps, your impossible character Makes me fall in love with you

Cosa Sei - Ricchi e Poveri

'A volte, sai, non so perché, mi trovo a chiedermi cosa sarà questa paura che ho di perderti. Che cosa c'è dentro di te che ti fa unico e mi fa innamorare di te?

Mi piaci sempre e passo i giorni stuzzicandoti con frasi come «Sto invecchiando sopportandoti» e forse è proprio il tuo carattere impossibile che mi fa innamorare di te.'

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter: 'Here comes the Sun' from the beginning ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Who killed Jack?' from the beginning ▶️ here

📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 23-28

[florashifting]

Marvel dr incorrect quotes (eternals edition)

-

Makkari: I dare you to kiss the next person who walks into this room.

Jaz: Screw that, I’m not kissing any of you.

*Thena walks in*

Jaz: Fine, I’ll do it. Rules are rules you know.

-

Jaz: So according to the cease and desist order I got, apparently you can’t ‘legally’ be a lawyer if your license is ‘cut out of a cereal box’.

-

Sersi : Are you a masochist or a sadist?

Druig, deadpan: I’m a Taurus.

-

Sersi : Do you even know what an amulet is?

Jaz: Of course I do! I eat amulets sometimes. I like the ones with cheese and onions!

Sersi : Jaz, those are omelettes.

Jaz: Oh. Then I’ve got nothing.

-

Jaz: You know, when I first met you I thought you were a real bitch.

Ikaris : What changed your mind?

Jaz: Oh, now I know that you’re a fake bitch. Why do you ask?

-

Jaz: You can address me as Eagle One.

Jaz: From now on we will be using code names.

Jaz: Druig is “been there done that”.

Jaz: Ikaris is “currently doing that”.

Jaz: Gilgamesh is “it happened once in a dream”.

Jaz: Ajak is “if I had to pick a dude/gal/enby”.

Jaz: And Sersi is..

Jaz: Eagle Two

Sersi : Oh thank god.

-

Jaz: Why do you think I don’t like you? I do. I would kill for you.

Jaz: Ask me to kill for you.

Thena: ...First of all, calm down-

-

Jaz: I may be antisocial and unattractive.

Sersi : ...but?

Jaz: That's all.

-

*The Squad is gathered in the living room for a meeting*

Jaz: *walks in and sits on Thena’s lap*

The Squad: …

Kingo: Why are you sitting there?

Jaz: There’s no free seats!

Kingo: But we made sure there was enough room for-

Thena: *hugs Jaz tightly* There are no free seats.

-

Jaz: I never tell people off the bat that I'm queer. I wait. I wait until they say some homophobic shit and then I laugh and am like "you know I'm queer right?" and watch the look of terror on their face.

Ikaris :

Ikaris : I like you.

-

Jaz: Onion rings are vegetable donuts.

Gilgamesh, used to Jaz being dumb: Sure...

Jaz: Your stomach thinks all potatoes are mashed.

Gilgamesh: Okay?

Jaz: Lasagna is spaghetti flavored cake.

Gilgamesh:

Jaz: Lobsters are mermaid scorpio-

Gilgamesh: Jesus, that one is a little-

Makkari, interested: No, no, Jaz, keep going.

-

Jaz: We need to open this locked door. Druig, give me your credit card.

Druig: Here.

Jaz, pocketing it: Thanks. Thena, break down the door.

-

Makkari: Are you an ‘arr’ pirate or a ‘yo ho ho’ pirate?

Ikaris : I’m a ‘I’m not paying $600 for photoshop’ pirate.

-

Jaz: Surgery is basically just stabbing someone to life.

Sersi : Please never become a surgeon.

-

Sersi : Treat spiders the way you want to be treated!

Jaz: Killed without hesitation.

-

Jaz: But that place is haunted.

Sersi : Ghosts prey on fear. Just be confident!

Jaz, marching into the haunted house: I AM NOT SCARED! I AM NOT A PUSSY!

-

Jaz: You... you said I could trust you!!

Jaz: You said you were a GAMER!!!

Sersi : Jaz... I only play mobile games.

Jaz: NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

-

Ajak: Don't joke about murder. I was murdered once and it offends me.

-

Jaz, wiping tears from their eyes: If you love someone, set them free. If they come back, it’s meant to be…

Ikaris : I’m literally just going to the store.

-

Druig: *Gets down on one knee*

Jaz: Oh my god! It’s finally happening! Druig: *Collapses* Jaz: The poison’s kicking in!

-

Jaz: I got grounded for a whole week just because I came home late.

Ikaris : Well, you deserved it. I mean, getting everyone's hopes up like that and then showing up again.

-

Ikaris : Life could be worse, Jaz.

Jaz: Life could be a lot better too!

-

[yourpalmickeymouse]

Mickey helllo!! ☀️ how long has it been since I was here the last time? (The last time I asked you was… months ago haha!) I’ve been busy with my life and well, let’s just say a lot has happened to me! 😄

Okay enough about me, I wanna ask you something, it’s actually have to do about well. Your height (if that’s okay for me to ask!),

Do you get tired of being small? I can feel not many people would take you seriously for your size or would make fun of you height for laughs… (is it also a genetic thing in your family where your relatives are also the same height as you?)

But to me, I don’t think you’re small at all. Physically yes but I know deep down you have a big heart that would never stop trying to help the people they care and cherish the most! :D (that’s all I got Mickey, it’s great to be back here once again! I’ll be sure to stop by again pal!)☀️

Hiya Sunny,

It's swell to hear back from you again. It has been quite a while, hasn't it? Though to be honest, I've also been pretty busy with all these crooks runnin' around Mouseton. Sometimes it feels like they're tryin' to break a world record on the most amount of crime they can commit within a couple of months. It's real annoyin'.

As for your question... ha... I was wonderin' when this would pop up. Don't worry 'bout askin'. I love answerin' 'em all. 😊

When it comes to my height, I guess I could see why someone would see it as a flaw. To be honest, the world I live in doesn't always seem to have people of my height in mind. Outside of havin' a heck of a time gettin' a car where I can reach the pedals, I have to bring my own stool whenever I go to the market since whatever I want is always, always, on the highest shelves. It's real annoyin' at times. But there are benefits too. If anythin' I think it offers me a bit of unique perspective that not a lot of people get. Sometimes I feel like I can be a bit more agile and fit into places most others can't. Also if I can't find something I like in the men's section of the clothing store I can always go to the kid's section and find somethin' there, ha ha. The clothes are usually cooler there anyway.😉

I think with the right mindset, you can do anything no matter what size you are.

As for where it comes from, it's definitely genetic but also very random. My Uncle Jeremy is short like me and yet my sister and Aunt Melinda are tall. I guess it would seem only the men in my family seem to be short, but based on past family reunions, that doesn't always hold up. To be honest it seems to vary wildly in mice in general. Even Minnie's family can be all over the place. It kinda makes me wonder if there's a size fairy that goes around to all the baby mice, randomly decidin' whether to make them short or tall🧚. Ha ha, Wouldn't that be funny? Maybe I should see if they can make a last-minute change.

Though seriously, as I said before, my height doesn't really bother me. Or at least it doesn't now. I'd like to say that it hasn't caused me any problems outside of high shelves... but that would be a lie. As you mentioned, I've definitely been ridiculed or not taken seriously for my height sometimes. I feel like I'm constantly havin' to prove myself and show that I'm more than capable of doin' what someone a little taller can.

Sometimes there's an advantage in people's underestimatin' ya, at least when I'm fightin' bad guys. But when I was younger and had lower confidence, it would really get to me. I remember readin' or hearin' somwhere 'bout how you could grow real tall if you eat a bunch of yams. So I used my allowance to buy a ton of yams and started eatin' 'em all in one sittin'. Of course, it didn't work and all I got was really sick. But after a nice talk with my sister and my aunt, I learned that nothin' was wrong with my size and I'm fine just the way I am. A bit cliché, but a much-needed message I still keep close to my heart.

Talkin' 'bout hearts, I appreciate you sayin' I have a big one. I definitely do try my best when it comes to carin' about others and makin' the world a better place. And ya know what, I think that's what really matters. We can't pick our own size, but we can pick the size of the positive impact we make on the world.

Thanks a bunch for the questions. I hope to see ya real soon.

- M.M.

[666writingcafe]

So, tomorrow is my birthday, and I'm trying really hard to calm my anxiety about the US Presidential Election, so I've picked a prompt from my Fall Menu and I'm gonna write it for myself. At least for a little while, it should distract me from the impending sense of doom I'm currently feeling.

Order #11

“I’ll be honest: I get off to the thought of you.” Lucifer x GN!MC

It started with a bottle of Demonus and a writing assignment.

This semester, I'm taking a theater class to improve my acting skills for RAD's Improv Club. I've done okay so far, but I've been told multiple times that I have a stick up my ass and need to relax. Maybe not in those exact words, but I'm pretty good at reading between the lines.

I suppose in this way, my pride is a detriment to my performance. I'm afraid of looking stupid in front of other people, especially when they're much more knowledgeable about a subject than I am. I feel rather nervous whenever I'm standing in front of the class, reading lines out loud. If I mess up, I feel like they'd all start mocking me. Word would spread across campus about how the Avatar of Pride isn't good at something, and everyone would stop taking me seriously.

Insecurity is a bitch sometimes.

Tonight's assignment is to write a monologue that starts with the line, I'll be honest: I get off to the thought of you. The professor will read through all of them and select a couple that he wants read out loud in class. Of course, being the prideful and competitive man I am, I want to be among that group. It would be nice to excel at this and essentially prove everyone wrong.

That's where the Demonus comes in.

I honestly tried my best to attack this sober, but the only thing I've successfully written in the past hour is the prompt itself. Nothing else has looked or sounded right. I figured the wine would help calm my frustration and somehow inspire me.

Two glasses should do it, at least as a start.

A gentle knock on the door interrupts me as soon as I've finished pouring glass number one. There's only one person in this entire House that has the decency to knock quietly.

"Come in," I call out, taking a sip of Demonus. The door slowly creaks open and closed as they enter the room.

"I brought you dinner." A plate soon gets set on a clean spot on my desk, away from any paperwork. "I figured you were in for a busy night when you rushed in here as soon as we returned from class, and I didn't want you to go hungry."

"Thanks." I quickly glance up at MC to acknowledge their presence before returning to the assignment at hand. However, I inadvertently meet their gaze, and I'm suddenly unable to look away.

Perhaps it's the lighting that makes them alluring in a t-shirt and sweatpants, or maybe I accidentally grabbed a stronger bottle than usual when I was at the store. In any case, seeing them causes ideas to begin pour into my head.

"Do you need to do anything else this evening?" I ask, my voice sounding oddly desperate.

"Not necessarily," they answer. "I mean, I was wanting to get a jump start on a project, but it can wait until tomorrow."

"Good. Would you mind taking a seat? I need you for something."

"Of course. What do you need me to do?"

"Just be here with me. I'll explain once I'm done writing." MC dutifully sits in one of the chairs across from me and pulls out their DDD as I begin scribbling furiously in my notebook. I can always rewrite this to look neater later, but if I don't get these ideas out of my head now, I'm afraid they're not going to appear again, and I really need to prove a point.

I can be vulnerable. I just need to be around the right person in order for that to happen, and if I can channel that into this monologue, then surely I'll get chosen to read it out loud, right?

~~~

"There. All done."

"I'm pleasantly surprised, Lucifer. You've managed to finish before I began nodding off." I playfully glare at MC, who reacts by sticking their tongue out at me.

Fuck, they're adorable.

I briefly explain the assignment to them, and they're astute enough to know that I want to read what I've written to them. Mostly so that they can help me edit, but this little exercise ended up morphing into a confession of sorts.

They need to hear these words come out of my mouth exactly as I've written them.

"Whenever you're ready, I'm all ears," they tell me. Clearing my throat, I begin reciting my monologue.

I'll be honest, I get off to the thought of you. Your smile, your scent, your sense of humor...everything about you turns me on. You have me wrapped around your finger in a way that no one else has before. I want to please you, and I'll do anything for your approval. Just the thought of you makes my heart skip a beat, and my pulse quicken. I want you more than words can describe. So, let me show you just how much I adore you. I'll do whatever you say, be whatever you want me to be, and give you all the pleasure in the world. Just the thought of holding you in my arms is enough to drive me wild. I crave you.

I want to feel your lips pressed against mine. To feel your warm breath against my skin. To hear the sound of your voice as you whisper sweet nothings into my ear. To touch every inch of your body and memorize every curve. To be yours, and for you to be mine. I want to hear the sound of your voice as you moan my name. To know that it's me making you experience true ecstasy would make me the happiest man in the world.

I love you, body and soul. Just let me prove it to you. I promise you won't regret it.

Looking up from my notebook reveals a blushing MC fiddling with the hem of their shirt.

"That was well-done," they mumble. "I'm sure you'll get high marks." They momentarily pause, swallowing nervously. "Can I ask you something?"

I nod my head, closing the notebook so they have my undivided attention.

"Did you have any other plans this evening?" They sound fearful. Are they afraid I'll reject their request?

"None that don't involve you." They initially open their mouth to respond, but quickly close it as my words fully register in their head.

"I see." Another swallow. "I haven't exactly been in this position before. Usually I'm the one submitting to other people. Are you sure you want me to do this?" I walk around my desk and stand in front of them, reaching down to touch the side of their face.

"My dear, silly little lamb, I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. Besides, most of the hard work has been done already. All you have to do is give me an order. You don't even have to use the pact to get me to obey. I'll do whatever you say."

"Within reason?" I chuckle.

"I trust your judgement." MC closes their eyes and takes a deep breath.

"I want you in my bed. I know it's much smaller than yours, but--"

"Done. What else?" My interruption catches them off guard.

"Well...um..."

"Breathe." After MC takes another moment to compose themselves, they whisper,

"I wanna ride you."

Taglist: @lost-in-time-wanderer, @fuzztacular, @dianedancer18, @sweetbrier2908, @flare-love, @completelyshatteredbrokenmschf, @thunderlightning351, @l3v1chan, @anxious-chick, @5mary5, @expressionless-fr, @tenkobitch, @budbuddnbuddy

[deadmomjokes]

as a teacher, hearing about the way you communicate so clearly and thoroughly with your child is so inspiring. I wish more people had resources on how to communicate with kids like you do.

I'm very bad at taking compliments, so I'll just say "Thank you" and also qualify that she makes it pretty easy. She's very smart and has always, from day one basically, needed to know the reasons behind everything. In other circumstances, she would probably be called "stubborn" or "defiant." But the thing is, I remember my own "stubbornness" growing up, and it was almost always the result of me not understanding why things were the way they were. From a young age, I hated with a burning passion the "Because I said so" thing. So I determined that I didn't want to do that when/if I had kids of my own.

My daughter is very bright and curious and makes that easy for me. Her "why" phase was/is pretty specific, which is helpful in keeping ahead of the frustration-induced rage-meltdowns. (Not all of them, of course, because some concepts are really hard to grasp even as an adult, let alone when you're 4 years old and everything Feels Too Big.)

But I also made a conscious effort to start practicing early, before she could talk or push back on a lot of stuff. It felt so weird and silly at first, but I basically narrated everything I did with/around her, and put a reason for it. So a trip to the store sounded like this:

"We made it to the store to get our groceries, so we have yummy food to eat. Let's go inside and get a buggy--that's where we'll put all the things we get, because we can't carry them all in just our hands. I'm going to put you in the buggy, too, right here in this seat, that way you can see what's going on but I have both my hands to push the buggy and grab the things we need. Here, look, some bananas! Let's get some of those because you love to eat them. Oh, no, sorry baby, we can't eat them right now. This stuff isn't ours until we pay for it at the very end-- that's the part with the beep-beeper and the bags. When we get home we can have some of the bananas, because then they are our bananas." Etc, etc, on and on.

People looked at me like I was nuts. It felt a little nuts at times, especially before she could respond verbally. But it worked. It built a habit for me to give a reason for why I'm doing things, or making her do things. More importantly, I feel like, it made me stop and question when I didn't have a good reason for my answers or behaviors. Like if she comes up and asks to blow bubbles outside, and I go, "No baby, not right now," she can be like "why not?" And I have to look at myself and my reasoning. Is it because I'm actually busy or we're genuinely about to do something else that precludes the 5 minutes it'd take to do bubbles? Or is it because I just don't feel like it? It's not fair for "I don't feel like it" to supersede her desires for connection and entertainment all the time. (Sometimes you're just worn out and don't have the bandwidth for it, and that's valid. Parents are people too! But it can't be all the time, yk?) So if I don't have a good reason why not, I let her know that I thought about it more and changed my mind, and off we go to blow bubbles.

I also heard the advice, idk where or when, that you need to practice on your children what you want from them. So if I want my child to be kind, I have to be kind to her, in ways that she can see and appreciate. If I want her to know it's okay to change your mind, I have to point out when that happens for me, like in the above bubbles example. If I want her to be a decent human being who respects others, is empathetic, appreciates the efforts of others, speaks kindly, thinks about how her actions impact those around her, etc... You get the idea. It starts with me. And I try to consciously remind myself of that fact.

It's not always easy, because kids aren't always rational (but to be fair, neither are adults lol). And what is rational to a 4 year old is not always the same as what is rational to me, the adult with almost 3 decades of experience more than her. So sometimes it's like explaining to the wind why it ought to blow in a different direction. But the longer I get to know her, the more I'm able to pick up on the way she sees things, her personal defaults, the way she talks around concepts she's not sure about, etc. It's part of what's cool about getting to be her parent. I get such a close-up view of this little person becoming a little person, and it makes me stop and think about things I have taken for granted for a long time.

I'm rambling again, but I have developed a lot of Strong Feelings about the way kids are treated and looked at in general, and a lot of determination to do better for the kids I get the privilege of loving.

[morurui]

Just opened my mind and imagined a JWCC/JWCT night in the woods au. (If you know night in the woods and you're a fan of JWCC/JWCT, marry me.)

If you don't know night in the woods it follows Mae, who drops out of college due to circumstances out of her control and how she navigates her changing dynamics with her friends, uncovers a huge town mystery, and deals with her own inner issues. It's an amazing game that I highly recommended, but here's who l see everyone being! (Also in this au they all live in the same small town)

Darius as Mae

Returns back to his home town after some time away working at the DPW (in this au DPW stands for Department of Park Wildlife), wont really talk about what brought him back home, but just wants to live a normal life now. He acts like everything's cool, but deep down somethings wrong with him and he can't figure it out.

Ben as Bea

College wasn't exactly something Ben was able to go to, forcing him to work at his parents shop that has been passed down through generations. He's pretty frustrated at his current situation, but it's not like it's something he can easily get out of. This in turn causes him to build some resentment towards Darius for returning to a town he feels trapped in, which Darius was able to get out of. Him and Darius were close as kids but drifted away, eventually not talking until Darius returns home.

Sammy as Gregg

One of two close friends Darius made during high school, Sammy works at the town convenience store by the time Darius returns home. She’s working on saving up enough money to move out of town with her long term girlfriend, but is not only nervous of what Darius’s reaction would be to the news but is also scared of entering a new phase in her life. Due to this she reverts to pulling the same shenanigans (minor crimes that just serve as an annoyance rather than a huge issue) with Darius like they used to back in high school.

Yaz as Angus

Sammy’s long term girlfriend, as well as a new friend of Darius’s. In addition to also working to save up enough money to move out she is worried that Sammy and Darius might be slipping into old bad habits, which would only prolong their moving process. She cares deeply for Sammy, seeing her as one of the few constants in her life, making her worried that one of these “shenanigans” that the two pull could take Sammy away from her. She’s also been a good friend of Ben’s since middle school.

Kenji as Germ (I could not find any character other than Germ for Kenji bare with me)

Once Darius returns from his time away he becomes close friends with Kenji. They were acquainted back in high school due to him dating Brooklynn, but it’s only when Darius comes back that they form a strong bond, with them relating and understanding each others problems.

Brooklynn as Casey

The other one of Darius’s close friends made during high school as well as Kenji’s girlfriend. She, Darius, and Sammy would commit their “shenanigans” together back in the day and formed a close trio. She also dreamed of one day packing up and leaving the town, but these dreams were never realized. When Darius comes back from his time away he finds out that Brooklynn’s been missing for sometime after he left.

Also if you’re wondering if they are still in a band…of course they are! Darius plays the bass, Sammy plays the guitar, Brooklynn played the drum until she went missing and the role was filled by Ben, Yaz does vocals as well as bass for the time that Darius was gone, and Kenji’s there for moral support acting as their number one (and only) fan.

[lakesparkles]

Thinking about... Goosepowers. As I don't really think we'll get a season 2, here are some headcanons:

- Something I love about them is how their relationship is actually... Very health lol. It's that thing about them canceling each other's negativity. Do you remember how soft Julie's smile is when she's around him? She doesn't do this with anybody else, I think. So, while they make everybody else's lives hell (for no reason), they're still quite sweet to each other, with all the pet names and stuff like this. It just makes everybody else hate them more.

- But do I think their relationship is perfect? Of course not. They're still Gideon and Julie, nothing would change that. And Julie truly, truly loves Gideon, but she would be lying if she said she could fully trust him. Gideon is unpredictable, and she pretty much dislikes how she's never sure if he's being nice because he cares about her or because he wants something *from her.*

(more below)

- Let's pretend for a second that the Glow exists in the anime. I imagine Gideon happily telling her about it. At first, Julie would be "yeah, that is very sexy of you, baby", a little proud of his mind. After thinking more about that, she would notice it was not good news. I mean, Gordon would never hurt her, she know this. He would never use that Glow thing on her, right? Most times, she believes on him. When she's upset about anything else, however, her mind goes back to the doubt stage. What if he already did it and her feelings and memories aren't her own? What if this dude sleeping next to her was never that nerd teen she once met in high school? She hates this feeling and how her stupid mind doesn't let her trust him.

- Gideon has his own issues to deal with, of course, and he's not good at this. Sometimes he feels bitter about the way Julie makes him different - in many ways. The fact he can never truly controls her is what makes her so interesting to him, but he's not used to that feeling at all. He's not used to even liking someone at all. Gideon realized things with Julie are very different from Ramona, but he always suspects the ending will be the same. That he'll wake up and she'll be gone. He doesn't only *think* that. He's sure. So he doesn't like when they fight. I can see him gently holding her arm, smiling while saying they should talk instead. The "okay, just don't leave" every single time that only ends up making Julie even more upset.

- Okay, now something more wholesome: after getting his money back - and fixing all the mess Matthew caused -, Gideon will be very excited to give Julie many gifts. He'll make sure that she knows she can get anything she wants at any store she wants. If it makes her happy, he'll give it, no matter what. Julie accepts it, why wouldn't she lol

- But she isn't dependent on Gideon, of course. She likes having her own space and her own better job. I still didn't decide what exactly she would work with, but it would be related to hosting parties or big events, I guess.