#she is my mvp

[loosethreadsofyoursoul]

i miss maeve :/

[strangersteddierthings]

Beg You to Love Me

"I'm surprised you even remembered, Harrington," Eddie shrugs, hoping he comes off as aloof as he wants to, instead of shaky and unsure like he feels. He was sitting atop the picnic table, arms behind him trying to look as unaffected by Steve's presence as he can, but he's been thrown for a loop ever since Steve emerged from the woods instead of Robin Buckley, like he was expecting.

"Of course, I remember. I- I've never forgotten," Steve whispers, head down and fists clenched at his sides. He looks more like a child being wrongfully scolded than a man defending himself.

The words pull a scoff from Eddie, though. Never forgotten? What the fuck ever. "Right. Something to hold over me, then, if I'd stepped too far out of line? Mutually assured destruction?"

Steve's head snaps up and he looks horrified, which Eddie will admit to almost believing. Steve doesn't seem like the type to join the drama club but his acting's pretty fucking good. "What? No! I would have never- I would never have said anything about us to anyone."

"Right. Sure. Of course. Your own reputation to think about there."

Something like hurt flashes across Steve's face before it frosts over. This is the face he's used to see on Steve. Cold and distant. "I- whatever, man. I don't even know why I thought..." but Steve doesn't finish his sentence. He just shakes his head and turns his back on Eddie, heading back the way he came.

He doesn't know why that sparks a rage from deep within him. "Yeah, that's right. Tuck tail and runaway again!"

"I ran away?" Steve shouts back, turning sharply on his heel to glare at Eddie. "You think that I ran away?"

Eddie just spreads his hands to the empty clearing as if to say 'look at all this room around me you've never occupied'. "You weren't here, were you?"

"Because you told me to not be!" Steve stomps back to Eddie but stops a couple yards away.

"Like fuck I did," Eddie argues back, because he didn't tell Steve to go away. He'd told him-

"'If this isn't good enough for you, there's the fucking door.' That's what you told me," Steve quotes, "I thought it was pretty fucking clear what you wanted."

"Yeah, I fucking thought it was clear what I wanted," Eddie snarls, lunging from the picnic table, closing those last few feet to get into Steve's face. "Yet here we are!"

"Don't act like this is my fucking fault. Like you weren't the one who forced it to be my fault. My decision-"

"Yeah, it had to be your damn decision! You were dragging it out-"

"-because you were too much of a coward to do it your-fucking-self-"

"-acting like you were. Acting too good to actually slum it with the trailer trash-"

"-so of course I made the choice that was best for me. Because I deserved more-"

"-like what I had to offer you would never be good enough for the goddman King-"

"-than just being your hookup when I wanted to be-"

"-like I wasn't good enough to be your friend, much less-"

"-your fucking boyfriend!"

"-your fucking boyfriend!"

The contrast of this sudden silence that falls following their screaming match that ends with identical sentiments is jarring. Eddie feels wrong-footed and lost. Confusion and hurt mixing in him that he can see reflected on Steve's face.

"What?" Steve is the first to break the silence, drawing into himself. Arms crossing to hold himself at the elbows as he takes several steps back, as if to be able to see all of Eddie will clear the confusion he's feeling.

Eddie just stares back, slack jawed for a moment. That's. What. No, wait. Really, what? "What what?"

"You- you said 'if this isn't good enough for you, there's the fucking door'. How was I- I thought you- you were breaking up with me!" Steve cries, "you. You said that to make me pick, because you knew I wanted more and you didn't. That's- you were breaking up with me!"

Eddie's in just as much disbelief. "No, you broke up with me! I said if this isn't good enough but, like, I meant if I wasn't good enough. And you left! You walked out because I wasn't good enough to be with you!"

Steve looks stricken and he claws harder at himself, sort of folds into himself like he's going to be sick. "No. No no no, that's- then that means I- it's all been my fault. No no no no."

Eddie stares wide-eyed and frozen as Steve talks to himself. Eddie kind of feels nauseous. There's no way that this is possible. That these last two and a half years of heartbreak have been because of miscommunication. That they both thought the other was breaking up with them and neither actually wanted to.

"Why didn't you- Why didn't you say something?" Eddie asks.

Steve laughs at that, sounding a bit hysteric. "Me!? Why didn't you! I wasn't- I wasn't going to beg you to love me like I had with my parents. You were the one who told me I shouldn't have to do that!"

Yeah. He had. When Steve had broken down and cried on his bed, in his arms, wondering what it was he had done to lose his parents' love. Eddie told him it wasn't his fault, never would be, and that he would never need to beg for love from someone who does love him. It was the same advice Wayne had given him when he'd taken Eddie in.

"I already thought you were wanting to break up. You were being so distant, I thought..."

Steve sucks in a deep breath and nods, "Yeah. Yeah I was. I was scared of scaring you away. Of being too much. Because I- what I felt for you was a lot. I was afraid I'd chase you away if I continued to be so clingy. I pulled back, to reign it in but. Fuck. Fuck!"

Eddie drops to a squat. His legs feel like jelly and he can't keep standing. He squats and looks down so his hair becomes a curtain separating him from the reality of the situation, if only for a moment. Fuck is right.

He's spent his junior and first senior year being pissed at Steve. Hurt by him and what he thought happened. And it's- if Steve's being honest, it's all been for nothing. If they both wanted a deeper relationship, they could have had it. They might still be boyfriends if Eddie hadn't been so wrapped up in his Munson Doctrine. He'd been convincing himself Steve was embarrassed of him, and was working on breaking off their- whatever they were. But he hadn't been.

He's thought such terrible things about Steve over the years. God, what has Steve thought of him over the years? No. He doesn't want to know, actually. That's not what he cares about right now.

He lifts his head to see that Steve's plopped himself onto the ground, sitting cross legged, elbows on his knees and head in his hands.

"Steve. Steve!" He calls Steve's name out until he looks up, looks at him, "why'd you come out here?"

He laughs again, slightly less hysterically, and he's shaking his head like he can't believe what he's about to say. "I. Fuck, I was coming out here to beg you to love me."

"No you fucking weren't!" his tone is filled with disbelief.

"I was," Steve repeats, sounding amused and heartbroken at the same time. "I really, really was. Graduation's coming and I know you want to get out of Hawkins the second that happens and I'm. I was running out of time trying to get you to notice me again, so I was going to beg."

Notice him again? As if Steve doesn't haunt his every waking thought. As if he doesn't dream of Steve every night while his eyes seek him across the halls and in their few shared classes like he's the goddamn night sky and Eddie is a sailor lost at sea needing the north star to guide him home. Eddie's never not noticed him, and he thinks he has to come out here and beg? "When someone loves you, you don't have to beg."

"Yeah, I know," Steve sighs, defeated, which lets Eddie know that Steve does not, in fact, know. He looks away from Eddie, down to his lap.

Fuck, it's like every fantasy Eddie's had of them making up and then making out has been handed to him on a silver platter and he's blowing it. His words are too vague, too easily misinterpreted. Again. He falls forward on to his knees, hands catching him so he's on all fours like an animal. "Steve. I mean it. You don't have to beg."

"I get it, Eddie," Steve huffs, not looking at him. Not actually understanding.

Eddie starts to crawl the distance between them. Steve looks up then, probably to see what the fuck Eddie was doing with the shuffling sounds and the chain on his belt clacking. Eddie watches Steve's eyes go wide, mouth dropping open to a small 'o'. "See, the thing is, Steve," Eddie says, pulling himself up to be just on his knees to shuffle the last few inches closer. Steve leans back to keep his eyes on Eddie's face, which opens his lap up. "You said you know, but I don't think you do." Eddie brings his hands to rest on Steve's shoulders and Steve lets him. "You don't have to beg." He uses his hold on Steve's shoulders to balance himself as he swings a leg wide, to straddle Steve, then shifts his weight to repeat the process with his other leg before settling himself into Steve's lap. Steve's hands land on his hips and Eddie isn't sure if it's intentional or a reaction to Eddie plopping himself in his laps but he's going to believe it's the first one. "You've never had to beg with me."

Steve sucks in a sharp breath and then he collapses into Eddie. Steve's hands on his hips slide up and pull him into a hug, as close to Steve's body as he can get, while Steve shoves his head under Eddie's chin, into the junction of his neck and shoulder and breaths him in like it's the last breath Steve will ever take. "We're so stupid."

"Yeah," Eddie agrees, as he lifts one hand to hold the back of Steve's head while the other drops to rub soothingly at his back. "Yeah, we are."

They sit in the dirt, the closest they've been since that summer between '81 and '82. They should probably talk about. They're going to have to, if they want this to work. Full sentences with no hidden meanings, even though the thought of that kind of vulnerability makes Eddie skittish. It's going to be difficult, but it'll be worth it. Steve has always been worth it.

Eddie wants to say 'I love you', just to get it out, in the open, and not just implied, but there's a different first step to take. One that's actually a little easier. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Me too," Steve whispers, "I'm sorry. I should have-"

"Shut up," Eddie cuts him off, voice quiet and soft as he can be. "This is, and I cannot stress it enough, a we situation."

The huff of laughter on his skin from Steve feels like the start of something. A new beginning, a start over. A re-do.

A goddamn miracle.

Later, they'll drag themselves apart and up. Make it to the back of Eddie's van in the school parking lot to talk. Going to either's house feel too much, too soon. Their big fight happened at Eddie's home, and Steve's house isn't warm enough for the kind of comfort they want to share.

They'll have a talk. Filled with long pauses, stumbling over words and fears and insecurities because this is the hard part of a relationship. Getting it all out in the open so they can learn if they'll even work. The fear that they aren't going to be compatible anymore looms but doesn't deter. They both want a second chance, to give it a real shot, by the end of that first talk. But taking it slow.

They'll discuss what went wrong the first time (diving in without talking about anything certainly played a big part) and how to avoid that.

But that's later. Right now, Eddie just holds Steve, and Steve holds him back, and it certainly feels like the beginning of something good.

-

@i-less-than-three-you @nburkhardt @afewproblems

[benevolenterrancy]

@achilleasfury Xue Yang thinks this meeting could have been an email

for anyone that actually wants to see the very professional and carefully thought out powerpoint

the "dad's approval" graph i think was an excellent touch on her part

[treahollow]

Finally decided to make a bit of a ref sheet for the riptide goobers bc I keep changing their designs every time I draw them. These are for post ep 87 btw, designs for before then will come in the near future (maybe).

Back sketches and alternative versions of the designs under cut (contains spoilers up to ep 115)

I also give you badly drawn Pretzel

[storge]

Why were you with the witch? She saved my life.

Mei Chaofeng & Guo Jing The Legend of Heroes (2024)

[vaguely-concerned]

lucanis truly has a near terminal case of burned out golden child syndrome. caterina fucked both of these kids over so incredibly bad with the dynamic she enforced there, with illario being labled the perpetual fuckup kid where lucanis 'could do no (would never be allowed to do) wrong'. the way he admits in the first coffee date scene that the only thing that happened when he showed he could carry the weight of expectation was that more weight was added makes me so sad. you can hear it in caterina's voice in his intro mission that she's incredibly proud of him, but this is clearly a leandra and hawke situation where that pride never translates into relief or resolution or unconditional warmth or understanding or anything that really helps.

[sigtheta]

An eye for an eye makes justice blind

(25/11/2023)

[jtl-fics]

Fluent Freshman - 38

PREV

If it weren’t for the fact that he and Riko had stumbled across a truly traumatizing video of his birth that they had watched secretly in Tetsuji’s office when he was away on a business trip one weekend Kevin would believe that he was born with an Exy racquet in his hand. But the image that is seared into his retinas to this day has proven that he came into this world empty handed.

That doesn’t change the fact that Kevin has spent the majority of his life utterly and completely submersed in Exy. He was trained as a Raven, he was court, he was a champion as both a Raven as a Fox and if he had his way he’d leave college with more Championships under the orange and white than the black and red.

Exy was everything in the world to him.

He could overlook many personality defects if someone brought something to the Court.

Apathetic five foot nothing who was more likely to stab him than shake his hand? Well, he’s the best goalie that Kevin had ever seen in his entire life (and that was saying something).

Tight ass who has anger management issues and will not shut the fuck up about his girlfriend now that he’s not even allowed to have? Well, he is a very solid backliner who has excellent ball handling skills (even if Aaron keeps telling him to stop saying it like that or why he keeps yelling that he’s straight).

Overly touchy, too emotional, will not shut the fuck up about his fiancé in Germany? Well, he is a very solid backliner who is great at rebounds (Kevin doesn’t get why Nicky gets mad when he says that or why he brings up Erik).

Guy who actively dislikes him and is dying for any chance to punch him and also being overly attached to his friends? He’s a great enforcer on the court and had the stamina to play far longer than the other two backliners (Why Dan always said “yeah he does” whenever Kevin commented on Matt’s stamina he will never understand, and he also doesn’t want to.)

Suspicious kid from Millport with a mouth that could strip paint and a past so shrouded in mystery that it even had Andrew perking up in interest? Well, he’s the fastest Striker in the game and the only person that has ever kept up with Kevin’s obsession with the sport. (There was the minor downside that he was the son of the Butcher and almost died before the championships, but Neil pulled through.)

He tolerated all of them and now they��re his best friends.

There are some who he does find personally objectionable but so long as Jack and Sheena manage to continue to be good on the court he doesn’t care about the many many faults in their personalities. They’re his teammates, they aren’t his friends.

He accepted that he might not like any of the others that came onto the team. For the most part he had never given a shit about before the Foxes, content with his brotherhood with Riko even if it wasn’t…perfect. Then he became friends with FF and FF had done him a truly large favor and Kevin wanted to pay that back the best way he knew how. Through his truly infallible health advice and through perfectly crafted smoothies.

Then Daniel appeared with the truth that FF truly met all requirements to be a Fox and Kevin tasted his own smoothie for the first time.

He considered both revelations to be equally upsetting.

Still…

FF was one of the best dealers Kevin had ever had the pleasure to be on Court with. The man knew his position well and interrupted offensives with an enviable ease that made Kevin wish to possibly strap some sort of device onto him and figure out how he did certain things.

It wasn’t that far off to believe that a man raised in the same environment as FF could possibly have similar talents and since Lisa fucked off back to some small town cult they really did need a good sub. Sheena was a good offensive dealer but they had games coming up where defense would be imperative and FF did not have the stamina for a full game and likely would not for quite some time considering he’d be recovering from being stabbed.

So, he’d defended Daniel’s right to try out.

At first, he had felt vindicated. Daniel kept up quite well during the initial warm-ups. Kept pace with Jack, Sheena, Aaron, Andrew, and Nicky. Kevin had been bringing up the rear mostly to make sure that Andrew didn’t stab the guy during warm-ups.

Then it was time for the first precision drill.

The other thing about how Kevin was raised is that he was raised surrounded only by the best of the best. The Ravens were at the top of the Collegiate hierarchy. The National Court used their stadium for practice.

The worst Exy that Kevin had ever seen in his entire life up until the moment that Daniel took hold of an Exy racquet was still only the worst team in Collegiate Division 1 Exy.

Then Kevin watched the ball go so wide that the entire court went silent.

All of the drills that followed were as bad, if not worse.

Kevin felt himself start to vibrate with anger the longer it went on. He started to shout corrections at Daniel but the younger man merely rolled his eyes, “I think I know what I’m doing.” He would say before pointedly proving that he did not.

Kevin only realized nearly an hour in that he had wasted his entire practice shouting himself hoarse at the actual waste of human life that was Daniel Stanton.

Kevin could accept being bad at Exy and having an inoffensive personality. Kevin could accept being good at Exy and having a bad personality.

Kevin could not accept being bad at Exy and having a bad personality.

Coach Wymack called the practice to an end and Kevin thought that he’d manage to keep his anger mostly inside (he is ignoring the near hour of practice he spent screaming directions) when Daniel decided to deliver the Coup de Grace.

Sweat soaking his bangs, panting, and without a single thing done correctly (even the way he was currently holding his borrowed Exy racquet set Kevin’s teeth on edge) the man had the gall, the gumption, and the absolute AUDACITY to come up to the coach.

“So, where do I sign?” he asks.

Kevin sees red and unleashes hell.

***

This was the most fun Andrew has had at a practice since he started having to come to them.

The look of embarrassment on Daniel’s face as Kevin accurately tore into everything he did wrong on the Court and every personal failing that Kevin could home in on. His attention shifted away to FF sitting in the stands near the University official who was shaking her head at the obvious poor showing. The University may have wanted Daniel around to spruce up the Fox’s marketability but even they couldn’t let someone so obviously awful onto one of their few Division 1 teams.

FF was sat sipping one of Kevin’s god awful smoothies looking completely unshocked by Daniel’s showing.

Kevin turned his attention to FF, “You said he was good!” Kevin points at the freshman as he continues to sip the drink.

Andrew interrupts, “He never said he was good.” He remembers the conversation so exactly and there are few things he loves more than having the opportunity to rub it in Kevin’s face when the man is wrong, “He said ‘Daniel has always been athletic’ never anything about him being good.” Andrew reminds.

Kevin whips back around to Daniel, “Have you ever even played Exy?” Kevin demands.

“I didn’t think it’d be hard to pick up.” Daniel argues crossing his arms defensively.

It sets Kevin off on another furious rant.

Andrew had thought that FF didn’t have a mean bone in his body and he’s quite pleased to have been proven wrong. The thought that FF had let Daniel get all the way into embarrassing himself in such a way?

Andrew had to give him props.

“How does it feel getting to watch this idiot crash and burn?” he asks coming to the glass.

“Really thought he could manage it if I could.” FF says with a shrug that has Aaron bark out a laugh.

“You really figured?” Aaron asks coming to stand next to Andrew.

FF just shrugs again, “I mean I also started not knowing how to play and now I’m on a pretty good team.” He says as if FF starting as a child not knowing how to play is the same as someone walking in demanding a spot on a college team.

Nicky lets out a laugh.

“Oh, Smithy I could kiss you.” Nicky laughs and makes his way towards the Court entrance to likely do exactly that moving past a Daniel who was so red in the face with embarrassment and anger that he looked as if he was about to turn purple.

Andrew tuned in.

“…small pond. The only reason you ever felt like you were worth anything is that Smiths was too nice to put you in your place before now!” Kevin was probably talking about medium-sized fish in a small pond but Andrew didn’t really care to know.

“Are you going to let him talk to me like this?!” Daniel finally turned to Wymack.

“Kevin, you shouldn’t talk to the public like that.” Wymack says without a hint of chastisement in his voice.

Kevin still straightened at the reminder, “You’re right. Sorry coach.” Kevin sneered at Daniel, “Get off the court before you taint it.” He hisses.

“You’re really not going to sign me?!” Daniel demands.

“Why would I?” Wymack asks with a raised brow.

“You took a chance on John!” Daniel points towards FF.

Andrew watches as Wymack’s face does something he’d rarely seen it do, it goes utterly and completely cold. “I don’t take chances with my kids.” He spat, “I give my kids a second chance. Get the hell off of my court.” He hisses.

Daniel’s face purples further before he stomped off of the Court.

“Don’t you dare walk off with that racquet! It’s worth more than you!” Kevin shouts after him and Andrew in that moment realizes that Daniel is going to do something stupid.

And FF is on the other side of the Plexiglass with only Nicky at his side.

It’s like watching a train crash.

Daniel might say something, but Andrew doesn’t know. He sees Neil rushing as well, his sense of danger always well-honed but Neil had been in Captain mode in the moments before walking some of the sophomore and freshmen through what they had done wrong.

Neither of them will make it in time.

Daniel throws his racquet, and he throws it right at FF barely 5 feet away in the stands.

The Racquet blows past FF’s head and Andrew lets out a breath.

Then before it could crash into the seats behind him and break FF’s hand wrapped around the shaft of the stick and stopped it’s trajectory.

“Your aim really isn’t getting any better by not listening to Kevin’s advice.” Smith says as he twirls the racquet in his hand so that the net was on the ground. “Also, don’t break the equipment, like Kevin said it’s pretty expensive.” He says.

Daniel let out a primal scream but where Andrew had stalled out to watch the miraculous catch Matt Boyd had not. Daniel was tackled to the ground by the backliner, “Absolutely not.” Matt said with a scowl.

“Smithy are you okay?” Andrew hears Nicky ask.

“Yeah, why?” FF asks as if he hadn’t just been attacked but considering everything that Andrew had seen it wouldn’t shock him if Daniel’s attacks were just par for the course back home for FF. “The racquet looks okay too.” He adds.

“Coach Wymack,” The University representative made their way down looking flustered at the outburst of violence.

Obviously not someone who regularly watched Exy or paid attention to their team.

“This is why I wanted absolute control over who does and who doesn’t get a shot here.” Wymack hisses pointing at Daniel as he struggled under Matt.

“You have our sincere apologies for this.” She says looking at Daniel, “He didn’t… we thought he’d be good for the team’s culture but it seems like we may have misjudged-“

“That guy just tried to take Smithy out!” Nicky interrupts.

“I told you he was dangerous.” Neil adds.

“Can someone call campus security?” Matt asks from the ground, “This jackass keeps aiming for kidney punches and I would like to not be pissing blood during winter break.” Matt requests.

“O-of course!” the University representative says fumbling for her cell phone.

Andrew looked at Matt and figured that the backliner had a handle on that particular mess at the moment.

He made his way over to FF and Nicky who was checking over the freshman.

“Nice catch.” He says.

FF shrugs, “It’s my racquet he was borrowing.” He says, “I didn’t want to get a new one.” He adds.

***

FF watches as campus security took custody of Daniel as he continued to spit and scream. There are talks about pressing charges, but FF just wants Daniel off of the campus and away from him. It’s Jack of all people who says that getting a restraining order is a great way to make sure Daniel stays the hell away from him and FF nods consideringly.

Honestly, he’s still mostly in shock he managed to catch his racquet the way he had. His reflexes weren’t quite up to snuff since he’d been trying to catch the netting, but his hand only closed around the shaft.

Embarrassing.

He really hopes no one teases him about his slower reflexes.

“He needs to be charged for assault at least.” Kevin hisses as they watch the security officers take Daniel away.

“It’d be attempted assault.” Aaron corrects.

“He assaulted my eyes with his Exy.” Kevin insists.

“If that counted as assault, don’t you think I would have pressed charges for all the times I have had to see you dance at Eden’s?” Neil asks. “Also, you’re the one that insisted he try-out.” He reminds.

“Smiths told me he was good!” Kevin screeches.

“No, we’ve been over this Day. Smithy said he was athletic.” Nicky reminds. “Are you going to do what Jack suggested?” he asks turning to FF.

“I’d like to see significantly less of Daniel.” FF admits.

“You know he did actually commit assault, if I pee blood I’m making Kevin go buy me pads.” Matt says.

“Whatever.” Kevin says as they continued to make their way back to the dorm to get ready for the day.

MASTERPOST FOR ALL PARTS OF FLUENT FRESHMAN AU

NEXT

[leverage-ot3]

hozier starting to sing take me to church and then unfurling a pride flag healed something in me actually

if you listen closely you can hear me yell ‘oh my god’ when he does it

[glo-shroom]

just finished edge of sleep, genuinely recommend it I rly enjoyed that

[littleplantfreak]

Hiragi & an S/O with stomach issues

(I made the stomach issues vaguish because...the stomach is insane and many things can happen to make you feel like crap lmao personally mine makes waaay to much acid so im just constantly feeling spicy and..not in a good way, so here's to all you reflux, gerd, ibs, peptic ulcers, and other stomach issues people Hiragi and I feel your pain.)

Hiragi Toma

-One of the first times you met up with Toma, you saw one of his flare-ups. Stomach clenched, hunched over, popping pills out of a small package, only to start chewing them whole had you stressing yourself. At lease he didn't try to dry swallow them, but still it's gotta be bitter. Handing him, your unopened green tea, he grabs it and twists the top. Only to give it back to you with a soft here you go even though he's literally gritting his teeth right now.

"Huh? I was giving it to you! To get the medicine taste outta your mouth." But he just smiles at you, a rough chuckle rumbling in his chest, telling you he's used to it, and that it doesn't bother him. You start carrying candies in your pocket for the next time he does that, insisting he takes one as a palate cleanser if he's not gonna get a drink. Gas-kun 10 is able to be taken without water but that doesn't mean anyone should have to!

____

The first time he sees you have a stomach thing, he's full of concern, though you tell him you're totally fine. A drink and the medicine from your bag will have you semi-decent, but he's insistent on taking you home earlier from your date which has you so upset it makes your stomach worse. He ends up having to calm you down, saying once you're feeling up to it, you can put on a movie and cuddle instead. From that point on, he starts paying attention to what triggers it (if anything, sometimes the universe just decides to give you a shitty hand no pun intended) and your tolerance for certain foods and drinks.

____

If you have bad impulse control, you really don't have to worry with him since he'll grab the coffee you got from the vending machine right out of your hands before lecturing you about it. If you absolutely insist, he'll give it back, just grumbling about how reckless you are with your body, but you shoot back that you don't wanna hear it from a guy who regularly comes back bruised and bloody from fights and he shuts up real quick. Later as he's holding you in bed, you're sobbing and sulking because the coffee WAS a bad idea, and you're so sick and he's saying told you so in his head.

____

If you're stuck in the bathroom and absolutely don't want him to come in? He's outside the door, phone in hand texting you and asking if you need anything. No he doesn't care if you clog the toilet, and yes he'll hold your hair back if you puke. There's not a thing he won't do for you, all you gotta do is say the word because he knows when he's on the other end of it, you're just as attentive and caring.

[wikitpowers]

SORRY I HAVE TO FLEX ON THIS QOAAD MY SISTER FOUND IN A CHARITY SHOP TODAY FOR £2 WHAT THE FUCK IT HAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK BY ALICE DUKE :’)))

(i’m so in love stop🥹)

[huntingrays]

Leo and Jason had been friends for ages. They had been childhood friends and grew up together.

Due to their closeness, Leo thought it was only natural that his thoughts around him strayed. He was so comfortable in his sexuality that he entertained funny thoughts about what it would be like to date his best friend. He specifically wondered what it would feel like to kiss him.

However, it wasn’t weird. They had such a close, unbreakable bond that he felt comfortable with the idea. They were both straight, so they’d never come to fruition, but they were amusing to think about. It was natural. Anyone would think about it if their best friend was as attractive and sweet as Jason.

Everyone thought that way. Right?

__

or, the five times Leo thinks it's normal to want to kiss his best friend, the one time he realizes it isn't, and the one time he gets kissed.

[riacte]

so hey guys i finished dungeon meshi yesterday and i'm still thinking about it

[blu-ish]

PROJECT SELENE AU ESSAY SHJSHSJ

[PRESS START]

It was Eggman's most ingenious plan yet. And it didn't even require breaking the world apart! Everything was set into place. All under the watchful eye of his old colleague, Agent Stone.

Dr. Eggman was--to put it lightly, old. His creations, zany, more than usual. His mind... t h e r e.

But his plan would work, it HAD to work... because if it didn't, he knew he wouldn't have it in him to try again. "It's been too long..." Sage would whisper, "Please, rest."

Stone never told him to quit, Stone continued to encourage him. Stone... wanted him to succeed.

So where did it all go wrong?

.

.

.

.

.

This AU takes place in the somewhat distant future; around 20 years.

Sonic is now in his "prime times" as he likes to call them. After his last scrap with the egghead left him... well, without a leg. He really took a "step" back to revaluate his life choices. And figure out more leg puns to cope--

You see, Eggman was.. losing it, everyone noticed; and to the surprise of some, Sonic wanted to help him. To let him down easy, to offer him help to live the rest of his life honestly...

He didn't want--

He was so sure he would've never needed too... but--

He killed him.

It was an accident. He killed him. He killed someone. He didn't mean too, please, please, please.

The world cheered. He promised, he promised, he promised, HE PROMISED H E R.

Sonic was no tech wizz, but he faintly remembers Tails mentioning something about the whole egg network shutting down not soon after his defeat, DEATH. All the badniks he grew up scrapping shut down. Every single one. I'm so sorry Omega, Tails will think of something.

Eggman saw how the chaos emeralds teleported the Ark away from the Earth all those years ago. So he planned to do it again, this time, he would teleport the Earth itself, from the safety of his egg fleet, from the ARK. If any of the world leaders refused his rule, then the Earth would simply blip away.

It was insane.

Sonic should've known it was a trap.

But it was too late.

He was trapped. He was scared.

He couldn't let the chaos emeralds fall into his hands. his cold hands.

So Sonic shattered them.

And he fell. Along with the airship above him, along with the cannon, along with pieces of the ARK. Along with the feeling in his left leg. Everything was gone.

Shadow was there, holding Sonic after he fell from space, like if he let go Sonic would vanish. He'd never seen his rival so, s c a r e d. Asking why, how he could be so foolish.

There were a lot of things left unsaid that day.

He felt lost.

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The chaos emeralds were destroyed, with no temples to revive them, they were drained of all their energy and thrown away like worthless pebbles by anyone who were too naive to know what they truly hold.

Agent Stone knew better though.

Like the doctor, he wasn't too good with... biological engineering.

Trust him when he says he's looked, endlessly for any other option.

But alas, the Gaia manuscripts... the Echidnas... Chaos...

All sing the same tune.

The emeralds needed a living vessel to survive.

How bothersome.

With the network shut down and no time to revive her it right now, he looked for a more suitable option.

Luckily G.U.N had some spare scientists he could, "borrow".

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Dr. Sunniside was more than eager to assist, not like her life was on the line or anything. She found the project fascinating, as well as terrifying.

When word got out that she had collected a singular emerald that still contained whatever little chaos power was left. The last thing she thought was a well dressed "gentleman" kidnapping her and her team; forcing them to stay in their own forsaken lab in the middle of nowhere-- to create a biological creature that could potentially restore the other 6... wherever they were.

Why did he need them?

She wasn't getting paid to ask, not like she was getting paid at all. Besides getting to live she supposed.

G.U.N had disbanded prior to whatever mess the world had found itself in yet again, her skills and intellect were "going to waste" as her new boss said it. Was anyone looking for them? Too many questions, not enough answers. Too little time...

They had no idea where to start, she knew Mobians themselves had a somewhat natural pull towards chaos energy. So they would start from there. And hope for the best results.

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Six...

Six failed attempts, and they were running out of supplies; out of whatever DNA they were given.

The semantics they were able to "borrow" from within what little worked of G.U.N's internal database, held familiar blueprints for a similar experiment.. ironically enough. Though old and unclear, it did hold a lot of research into something called chaos drives.

It took a couple years to perfect, but Dr. Sunniside and her team were able to mimic these drives to power whatever was left of the lab. And hopefully used on the project.

He was getting impatient.

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She wasn't sure what to do with what she was given.

A broken, robot?

She remembered seeing the wreckage live, the colossal pieces of advanced technology falling to the ground.

Nothing should have survived that explosion, much less be minorly intact.

Yet here it was, a oddly mobian shaped robot with blue chipped paint. Complete with a missing left leg. Must've been whatever was left of Robotnik's tech. Of course by now she had already pieced together Agent Stones her boss is involvement, as well as the metal robot.

She just wanted to go home.

It was almost impossible to turn it on, the metal mobian seemed to run on a very specific network; one that was strictly turned off.

With whatever little power they were able to divert to force its databank to work, Dr.Sunniside and her team had finally found the answer to all their problems.

Encrypted Biodata.

There were two instances, from what they could tell, where this machine copied living creatures biodata. Mobian biodata. Complete with the biological overlay they could use to create a stable lifeform.

The amount of chaos energy the machine had previously been able to withstand with the biodata was incredible.

No DNA required, it would be a copy.

This was their key out of here.

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The 7th experiment was a success.

It survived. When the infant was introduced to long exposure to the chaos emerald, it was able to handle the power extremely well; just like she predicted.

They deemed the lifeform, Selene. Regular updates were given to Stone as requested.

It took 5 years for Selene's development, the child was hedgehog in appearance, taking on the same green hue that the emerald gave off. The emerald used whatever was left of its energy to give its life to Selene.

The infant was given ring like bracelets that would work as cuffs in case of a emergency. They were magnetic in design, and when activated would stick its wearer to the metal walls that made up the lab. It was for her own good.

Next, she was handed her first sets of chaos drives.

She was told to absorb the chaos drives energy, and then redistribute it back. Selene had minor difficultly understanding, but adapted fast. As the years went on, she grew only more curious, asked more questions.. endless questions.

Where did she come from? Here, at home.

Why? Because she would do amazing things of course.

Like a superhero? Yes, exactly.

Dr. Sunniside didn't want to admit it, but she grew fond of the child. She missed her own. Her team grew tired, anxious, and Selene seemed to take notice. Dr. Sunniside knew the little one meant well, but the others didn't see her that way. They were trapped because of her.

It was the 8th year, that Stone finally requested a final update before he would come and arrange for everyone's release after he was handed the experiment. They silently cheered, they would not say a word, they wouldn't say a word.

Dr. Sunniside knew better.

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Selene wanted to be just like the superhero's she watched on her tablet. The tablet she totally didn't take from the storage room and wasn't secretly using to watch videos of things outside her home. Her tablet was only able to show nature documentary's and the News for some reason, but she thought it was awesome!

Her favorite one was the blue hedgehog, like her! He was so cool. He would travel around the world meeting all sorts of people, he put a smile on everyone's faces!

She just wished she could do the same with her friends here. They didn't seem happy. They didn't like her. She wanted to be liked. It's not fair.

Every day was the same, chaos drive this and testing that. It was so.. repetitive. I mean, she thought she would always want to help the doctor, and she did! Doctor Sunniside said she was helping people, she wanted to help, like him!

She just wished she could go outside, it looked nice.

Her pretty bracelets itched constantly, but she couldn't take them off, because Doctor Sunniside said that would be naughty. Selene was a good girl, good girls listened. She knew that.

But she didn't always listen.. so she continued watching all these videos, learning all these cool things. Because what else could she do.

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Each chaos drive gave Selene a boost of energy, just think what her reaction could be to restoring the chaos emeralds themselves?

Red chaos drives would improve her strength. It was given to her in moderation.

Yellow would improve her swimming ability. She didn't like to go too deep though..

Purple would increase her jump height, and distance.

Green was the most reactive, that would increase her speed. She was incredibly fast, she couldn't control it.

Each time she absorbed these drives, she wasn't always able to return the power, she struggled to restore them. She said it made her cuffs bracelets itch.

Her quills themselves would also react strangely to the chaos drives, they were naturally green because of the chaos emerald. But would momentarily change color given the specific chaos drive absorbed, fascinating.

It wouldn't be long now.

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The fools.

Stone sneered, staring at the wreckage of the lab. When he asked those goons to destroy the evidence everyone included he SPECIFICALLY said AFTER he had collected the project.

Now look at this mess.

He just hoped they hadn't damaged a certain part of the lab too much. He would need it to track down his investment. It better be alive.

Whatever was left of the Metal Sonic would have to do, he should've never left him here with these animals. But, beggars can't be choosers he supposed... once his years of work restoring the network was completed, and retrieving his missing piece, everything would be set into Stone.

For the return of the empire.

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Sonic wasn't expecting to find a kid out in the middle of the forest. But yet here we are.

She looked pretty rough, heck, it was like if the kid just escaped an explosion. He couldn't see any sign of one though..

The kid had stars in her eyes looking at him, nothing he wasn't already used to. The kiddos tended to be that way around him.

After a lot of head nods of yes's and no's.. Sonic put together that she was most definitely alone out here. Go figure.

No parents, no family, she seemed out of it. But whatever it was would have to wait, he wasn't just gonna leave a kid out here alone. He knew what that felt like all too well growing up.. man, she had to be around the same age Tails was all those years ago.

Sonic knew he and Shadow never talked about kids.. but its not like he was gonna keep her or anything. Yep nope totally not, he has never once gotten attached to a kid and raised them. Besides, Shads was out doing whatever, he hasn't seen his husband in a few months and it's not like they had a house.

They might've been legally married, but hell they weren't anything close to your average married couple. He loved it though, it worked for them both, with Shadow and Sonic out free to do whatever. He couldn't wait to see him again though.. he guessed he could always explain the random kid later. Oh well!

After taking the kid, who said her name was Selene, to Tails workshop. It took one explanation later for his lil brother genius to take a look at her, they needed to make sure she was alright after all.

Selene stayed relatively quiet for the most part, but slowly started asking all these questions, Tails happily giving her the answers.

The fox had labs almost everywhere around the globe, and traveled just as much as Sonic does.. it took some getting used to, but no matter how far away or tall the fox got, he would always be his kid. As he reminds him constantly for the hedgehogs own amusement.

After Eggman... vanished. His eggtech was left scattered wherever they were last placed or used, Tails had started a movement with some of his fellow "brainiacs" to reuse the badniks for helpful purposes and to reduce less waste. I mean they did see how self sufficient egg tech could be when freed from eggmans clutches.. like all those years ago on scrapnik island when they were kids. It took a while to earn public trust, but everything stayed smooth so far.

After a through check up, Tails said Selene suffered some minor cuts, bruises and burns but nothing serious. When asked again about what had happened.. Selene refused to answer, so they didn't pry. As long as the kids alright.

Tails had asked Sonic while Selene explored outside, what he planned to do. Sonic wasn't sure himself, it's not like the world was being constantly threated by some super evil weirdo anymore, besides the less super genius evil ones he's stopped now and again.

He guess it wouldn't hurt to take the lil one under his wing, until they found her a good home of course. It's not like he had no experience with taking care of a kid before. And he turned out pretty great in his professional opinion!

Tails agreed, while he didn't find anything wrong with Selene at first, he did have a funny feeling that there was more to her than she was letting on. Better to keep an eye just to be safe.

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Shadow was not expecting his meet up with Sonic to include a child. Yet here we are.

He had quit working for G.U.N years ago, soon after they disbanded. A small force was still allowed to operate under certain conditions, but it seemed like a lost cause to the hybrid.

Rouge still worked for them, he couldn't figure out why, she always complained back when they were younger how annoying she found them. Not to mention the history..

It was none of his business he supposed.

He does favors here and there for her, its the least he could do for, who he considers.. family. It took him a long time to consider anyone that.

He guessed time did change him.

Sonic and him had tied the knot years ago, they honestly didn't feel like ever getting married. Not due to anything specifically, but Shadow felt like they would just be repeating what they had already felt for each other.. why did everyone have to see it?

But, alas.. they were convinced, Sonic thought it would be funny to get married. Their family was overjoyed to attend, and it wasn't like Shadow got super into it and planned everything; the seating, venue, food, pictures, and--

Okay whatever it was fun he guessed.

He loved that idiot, more than his younger self ever imagined he would've..

He didn't want to leave his side after that incident.. Sonic was bedridden for what seemed like years to the blue blur. Shadow was devastated to see his husband so.. helpless. He should've been there, he should've been faster, why...

The couple always had endless hours of catching up to do when they finally met up, little did he know that came with a kid.

Shadow gave Sonic a firm brow, and after a hasty explanation of the situation. The hybrid was, confused.

The child, Selene. Gave off a strange energy, he wasn't sure if Sonic had felt it too. But something seemed.. off.

After a few days of private discussion, after camping out with her. They decided it was for the best they kept her, for now of course.

Shadow would only stay for the next month or so, G.U.N was going crazy with some accident that happened. Wouldn't be the first time he supposed.. but it sounded bad. Real bad, and he couldn't shake that feeling that it was more, way more than he realized.

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Selene couldn't believe it. She was outside, and it was even better than on the screen.

The grass was greener, the air was fresher, the ground was softer-- in some areas at least with.. what was it called? DIRT! Yeah! Dirt.

The next thing she couldn't believe was her luck, her role model had found her! He knew everything. He'd be able to help her! But...

she did something bad.. very bad, and now they were gone.. she hoped they were okay.. She tried to help, why couldn't she move, why was she stuck, who were those people...--

It wasn't very hero like...

His name was Sonic, and he was even cooler in person. She had already met all sorts of people, she couldn't wait to tell the doctor all about it when she finds her again.

Sonic had a super special partner too, named Shadow. She liked his stripes. They offered to take care of her for the time being, it was like she was dreaming.

But she needed to focus, she needed to find out what happened. She would need to tell them.. but, maybe not right now..

For now though, she wanted to see everything! Experience it all! She never felt more free, even more than when her bracelets fell off when she ran away from the rubble.

This was only the beginning.

[kastillia]

Hi Kas, I'd love to see you draw Alisa from God Eater or Fuuka from Persona 3 (or both). Moving is a Big Deal(tm), hope you feel better soon!