#she loves rollerblading in them
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tinderbox210 · 1 year ago
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Christina Chong and Ethan Peck + being Barbie and Ken at Dragon Con 2023 (x, x)
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steviesbicrisis · 1 year ago
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A Barbie AU where the Kens decide, in order to get some recognition, to get individual names.
Steve, who’s just a Ken very good with kids, is having an identity crisis after his Barbie, journalist Barbie, broke up with him.
Not even picking a name as unique and special as Steve, so much different than Ken, managed to cheer him up.
Everyone keeps saying he should be happy about the change, and discover who he is outside of Barbie’s orbit, but he can’t see what was so wrong in their relationship. He loved waiting all day for Barbie to look at him, even if it was for a brief second.
As if going through an existential crisis wasn't enough, he has to do it under the constant mocking of his archnemesis, Ke- Eddie.
Eddie, with his long curly and annoyingly gorgeous hair, who has a sense of style he would give all of his rollerblades for, and who's always there to notice whenever Steve makes a mistake.
Eddie even has his Barbie still by his side, cheerleader Barbie, and every time Steve sees them together he gets a sick feeling in his stomach, like a tummy ache. Doctor Barbie visited him a couple of times and found nothing wrong with him, he imagines he's a little jealous of Eddie for being with a Barbie.
Steve talks about this with Polyglot Barbie, his best friend, annoying her to death.
"Why are we talking about Ken, again?" she interrupts Steve's retelling of his last encounter with Eddie.
"It's Eddie" Steve corrects her.
"Right," she nods. She's very supportive of their silly-name-thing (how most Barbies call it), but she still has trouble remembering all the names, "why are we still talking about him?"
They're hanging out at the park, sitting under a tree, Barbie's leg on top of his, and they're holding hands. It's nice. Steve is happy to have a best friend like Barbie.
Steve looks up, meeting Eddie's gaze. He's sitting at one of the picnic tables not far away from them, doing nothing besides glaring at Steve.
Barbie squeezes his hand to get his attention back, and Steve looks away.
"Because he keeps tormenting me! he's even glaring at me right now, I'm gonna get stress wrinkles!" Steve finally replies, in a distressed tone.
"You're being dramatic," she says, matter-of-factly, "Eddie isn't so bad with you. You know, he kinda treats you like his Barbie."
If Steve had a beating heart, it probably would've stopped right at this second.
"What?"
"You know, he's always looking for you, he is always giddy whenever you give him a crumble of attention. He hangs out where you hang out... why do you think he's sitting all alone at a picnic table, just staring at you?"
"Maybe he's waiting for his girlfriend" he suggests.
"Are you talking about Cheerleader Barbie?" she giggles, "she's not his girlfriend, trust me."
"But he picks on me! all the time! Like this morning, I tripped and he made a comment about my legs!" He gestures at his legs with his free hand.
Barbie tilts her head to the side "you mean this morning at the beach when he held you in his arms for ten minutes to prevent you from falling and Barbie had to tell him to let you go?"
"… yeah” he manages to say. He hadn’t realized how long Eddie held him in his arms, he was upset about almost falling in front of him, but he also liked the feeling of his arms around him.
Everything feels different now.
Barbie's look softens "How does this make you feel?"
"I don't know" he answers, honestly "I just can't stop thinking about him."
A loud noise at their right startles them off of their conversation. They turn around to see Eddie lying on the floor, a trash can at his feet.
Steve doesn't give himself the time to realize that Eddie has probably heard their entire conversation and has tripped on that trash can because of it, he just rushes to Eddie's side to help him out.
Eddie stammers while Steve pulls him back up, not making much sense.
Steve is used to see Eddie as an intimidating guy, someone to compete with for Barbie’s attention. He never realized how much he liked to have Eddie’s attention instead, nor how he loved to give that attention back in equal amount.
“Nice legs” he tells him, repeating the same words Eddie told him that morning.
Eddie stops his incoherent stream of words when he hears him “what?”
“You heard me” Steve says.
“I did” Eddie admits. He pulls the trash can back up, to have an excuse to not look at Steve when he asks “you can’t stop thinking about me?”
For some reason, that’s the easiest question Steve has ever had to answer to “yes, I can’t.”
Eddie jolts back up startling Steve, the trash can falling out of his hands and hitting the ground once again.
“Cool” he says, using all of his willpower to hide his excitement by keeping a relaxed face, failing miserably.
“I guess” Steve grins. Knowing he has that effect on Eddie is making him the most confident he has ever felt in his life.
“So, since you can’t stop thinking about me…” Eddie repeats, in a tone that Steve would’ve mistaken for a mocking one until few hours ago “…we could hang out on the beach later. I’ll bring my guitar.”
“I’ll bring mine too then” Steve replies immediately.
Eddie panics “We can’t both have a guitar!”
Steve crosses his arms on his chest “who says that?”
Eddie opens and closes his mouth a couple of times then mutters, defeated, “fine.”
“Great!” Steve takes a step forward and gives Eddie a peck on his cheek “I’ll see you later.”
Eddie, who makes a face again trying to hide his excitement, nods and turns away “cool.”
He walks away slowly, towards the park’s exit. Right by the gate, he throws himself into an hedge. Steve can clearly hear him when he screams words along the lines of “FINALLY”, “I HAVE A DATE” and “SUBLIME”.
Steve turns to Robin who has witnessed the whole thing, while Eddie is still screaming random words from the bushes.
“I think I’m in love.”
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eyesthatroll · 1 year ago
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NOBODY PUTS BABY IN A CORNER!
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pairing: jack hughes x fem!reader
request: could u pls write something with jack teaching the reader how to skate? maybe she’s just awful but he finds it so cute and he’s so proud when she manages to something he taught her 😭
warning(s): kissing, fluff, established relationship, barely edited (only skimmed i think twice?), ending is kind of random as i wasn’t sure how i wanted to end it !
word count: 1.6k
author’s note: to whomever requested this, i hope it is to your liking!! i think i may have changed your request a bit, but i still hope you enjoy it <33 feel free to send any requests you have, i’m finally going through them :) —mari
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"Are we the only ones here?" Your voice echoes faintly in the empty expanse of the skating rink, as you and Jack stroll into the serene emptiness. One of his hands is warmly ensconced in yours, while the other deftly balances both pairs of skates, as well as a helmet wedged underneath his arm. You make an impish attempt to reach over and grab your skates, but he swiftly moves them just out of your reach.
"Wait," he warns, a mischievous smile playing on his lips as he teases you, playful anticipation radiating his aura.
Jack leads you to a seat on one of the weathered wooden benches that encircles the perimeter of the ice rink. With a graceful flourish, he drops to one knee before you, his skilled fingers deftly undoing the laces of your shoes. As he slips your skates onto your feet, his strong hands envelop your ankles, firmly but not uncomfortably, ensuring they are snugly secured. He ties your laces with ease, occasionally glancing up at you to gauge your reaction and make sure everything felt just right.
You can't contain your excitement, practically beaming with elation as you lean affectionately into Jack's shoulder, when he settles next to you to begin lacing up his own skates.
Today marked your inaugural foray into the world of ice skating. You had plenty of experience with rollerblading, and although ice skating presented a distinct challenge, being on ice rather than pavement, you held a strong confidence that not only would you adapt quickly, but you would excel at it.
Jack shifts his body to face you, his attention drawn to the hockey helmet resting on his left side. He reaches for it, intending to place it securely on your head, but your hand swiftly intercepts his, smacking it away with an assertive motion. You shake your head in disagreement, a hint of stubbornness in your expression.
"I don't need that!" You whine, and your lower lip pokes out in a pouty display of defiance.
Jack's laughter escapes in a throaty chuckle at your protests, but he ignores your whims by gently positioning the helmet on your head. With practiced ease, he tightens the bottom latch to ensure a snug and secure fit. "Better safe than sorry," he remarks with a playful grin, his actions reflecting a caring concern for your well-being.
Something about witnessing you in his element, swathed in his oversized sweater and donning his helmet adorned with the number 86 on the front, ignited a fresh wave of desire within Jack. It was as if this very moment was tailor-made to rekindle his love for you, to remind him of the innate perfection of your relationship. The idea of teaching you to skate at a local rink in Michigan, so close to your shared hometowns, felt like a picture-perfect scenario, filled with nostalgia and an honest promise of new memories.
Rising to his feet, Jack extends his arm toward you, and you eagerly seize his hand. As you arrive at your feet, the transition happens a bit too quickly, causing your legs to wobble within the confines of the skates. This sudden imbalance leads you to stumble, and you instinctively brace yourself against the reassuring solidity of the wooden bench. Jack can’t help but burst into laughter at your momentary mishap, his head shaking in amusement at your initial stumble, marking it as the first of many moments to come on this eventful day.
Approaching you with an amused smile, Jack uses both of his hands to assist you back onto your feet. Once you are standing again, he casually drapes an arm over your shoulder, drawing you closer. Together, the two of you take tentative steps onto the ice's smooth expanse. "C'mon, sweet girl," he encourages, "we've only got an hour."
As you cautiously glide along the ice in your skates, it becomes abundantly clear within moments that this endeavor was going to be exponentially more challenging than roller skating had ever been. The initial confidence you had regarding ice skating had quickly dissipated, replaced by a sense of unease and uncertainty.
"Don't let go." You caution, still taking a provisionary moment to acclimate to the unfamiliar terrain beneath your skates.
Jack flashes a reassuring smile, his grip on your hands unwavering as he essentially guides you around the rink. "It's just like riding a bike."
You cast him an incredulous glance, and his expression turns momentarily blank. "You do know how to ride a bike, right?" he asks.
Smacking him on the shoulder, you shake your head, a slight grin breaking across your lips. "Of course I know how to ride a bike, Jack. It's just a bad analogy," you quip, punctuating your words with a playful eye roll.
It's a few more minutes of the two of you gliding around the ice, Jack remaining vigilant, ensuring you don't lose your balance, before a progressive, newfound sense of confidence wells up within you, allowing you to feel secure enough to venture out of his protective embrace. "I'm ready to go solo now," you declare.
Jack slows to a halt, his hands gently releasing yours. Hesitantly, your legs propel you forward, gliding across the ice with increasing assurance. Your hands extend out in front of you as you gradually pick up speed, and with infectious enthusiasm, you call out to your boyfriend, "Jack, look! Look at me!"
He breaks into laughter, a heartfelt and infectious sound that reverberates from deep within his belly. "That's my girl!" he cheers, his eyes filled with pride and adoration as he watches you on the ice.
"This is so ea—" You start to twist around to glance back at him, your excitement almost tangible, but as you make an attempt to turn, your skates get tangled, and you comedically tumble onto the ice with a resounding thud.
Jack gasps, his face a mask of shock that valiantly tries to suppress another bout of laughter. Quickly, he glides over to you, bending down to offer his hand to help you up. "Are you okay?"
You don't intend to turn this humorous moment into something more profound, but as you stand in Jack's warm embrace, gazing up at the joyful grin on his face and the rosy flush in his cheeks from the chilly air, you can't help but feel a rush of emotion. "I'm really happy to be here with you," you admit, sincerely.
After your slight mishap, you and Jack continue to glide across the ice, enjoying the remainder of your time together. Laughter fills the air as you goof off, and you manage to keep your balance, thankfully avoiding any more falls. However, as the clock ticks down to the last ten minutes, you skate over to Jack with a hopeful expression. "Can we please try the jump from Dirty Dancing?"
It's Jack's turn to shoot you an incredulous look. "That seems dangerous."
"You don't feel comfortable lifting me on the ice?" An exaggerated frown graces your lips.
"I do, but I'm not entirely sure you'll be able to skate over to me and jump." He's teasing now, subtly mentioning your last fall without mentioning it.
You gracefully fold your arms like a ballerina twirling in her ballet shoes, effortlessly gliding in a small circle. "See? I've improved. Can we please give it a try?"
Jack stares at your pleading expression, shaking his head in surrender.
"Okay fine, but if this goes south, and you injure me, then the entire state of New Jersey will have your head."
You skate to the opposite end of the rink as him. "What about me, huh? What if I get injured?"
"This was your idea!" You can't help but laugh at his statement, unable to control your amusement.
"Okay, on three," you initiate a countdown, your voice laced with anticipation. As each number passes, your excitement builds, and when you reach one, you explode into a spirited sprint toward the opposite end of the ice rink. Jack stands there, prepared and determined, waiting for your arrival.
You launch yourself into a full-fledged jump, the cold air whipping past you as your body takes flight. Jack effortlessly catches you, his strong hands securely gripping your waist as he attempts to lift you over his head. However, a sudden wave of nervousness washes over you, and you instinctively wrap your legs around his waist as best you can with your skates on, drawing yourself closer to him.
Jack's lips curl into a smile as he playfully questions, "What was that?"
You confess with a hint of embarrassment, "I got scared." And despite your initial hesitation, being in Jack's arms makes you feel safe and exhilarated all at once.
Jack's lips find yours almost instantly, and as they meld together, it feels as if your mouths were designed to fit together seamlessly. Your fingers delicately tug at his hair, provoking a soft gasp that grants your tongue access to his mouth. Your tongues engage in a sensuous dance, their movements intricate and synchronized, creating a passionate connection that's almost like a meticulously woven tapestry of desire and longing.
Jack withdraws from your lips, his forehead coming to rest against yours as you both gasp for breath. "I'm so obsessed with you," he confesses, his words laden with desire.
Arching an eyebrow, you tease, "I'm telling the boys you said that so they can make fun of you."
He buries his head in the crook of your neck, a deep groan escaping his lips. "Please don't."
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schoopsahoy · 2 years ago
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whip it!
steve harrington x roller-rink!reader {4.5k} steve gets forced into taking the kids to the new roller rink, but he doesn’t mind so much once he meets you. basically just steve being a massive simp for reader. no use of y/n, reader uses she/her pronouns.
“Can you all slow down? You’re gonna end up on the floor before you even get inside.” Steve watches as the group of kids he’s somehow been roped into looking after clamber out of his car, legs over arms and feet hitting one another as they rush towards the door of the roller rink.
It’d opened up in the next town over a couple of weeks back, and since then all he’s heard is “please Steve we’ll pay for the gas” and “don’t you want us to have fun? after all the shit we’ve been through?” The guilt tripping worked, of course, and that’s how he ended up carting 4 kids out of town to spend an hour throwing themselves around on roller skates.
“Pick up the pace, Steve!” Dustin shouts back as the older boy drags his feet behind the group, the younger teenagers already at the door itching to get inside.
“Yeah, come on, hurry up.” Max and Lucas join in the heckling, whilst Mike just stands with his arms crossed giving Steve that infamous unimpressed stare.
“Alright, alright!” Steve huffs as he quickens his step a little, following his friends - though today they were better described as nuisances- inside the building.
“Wow Steve, real nice, I forget how generous you are.” Dustin quips, always the one to bite back to Steve’s remarks. It was why he was Steve’s favourite.
Steve just flips him off, shooing the group towards the counter so they can actually get on the rink, and then in turn get out. The place was already giving him a headache, and it’d been what? Two minutes?
Steve just flips him off, shooing the group towards the counter so they can actually get on the rink, and then in turn get out. The place was already giving him a headache, and it’d been what? Two minutes?
“Hey!” You grin up at the group of teens from your barstool behind the counter, hands braced on the counter so you can push and twist iit from side to side. “How many’s it for?”
“Four, please.” Dustin pushes his pile of quarters and a few crumpled dollars across the counter towards you, a toothy grin on his face.
“Awesome, you guys rollerbladed before?” You look along the line of teenagers who all shake their heads at you, minus the red haired girl who gives you a small, barely there nod. “It’s easy, you’ll get the hang of it in no time.”
Your voice is sweet, like it could be coated with honey or molasses, and is probably the last thing he expected to hear at a roller rink full of grotty kids and their unimpressed parents. When he finally gets a glimpse of you he thinks you somehow look sweeter than your voice, if that was possible. Your hair pulled up high but a little messy as your bangs fall out the front and frame your face, lips coated a cherry red that matches your works logo printed across your shirt and the red hot pants you’re wearing. You’re all long legs and saccharine smiles, and Steve thinks he might be in love.
“Stop gawking, Harrington.” Lucas turns and smacks a backhand to Steve’s chest, pulling him out of whatever trance you seem to have him in.
“Shut up.” Steve hisses at the boy, eyebrows raising in some sort of warning that holds no real power and he knows it.
You think it’s cute, and try to quell the smile that wants to work its way across your lips. You busy yourself with counting up the mounds of change the teenagers had placed on the counter, overhearing the group bicker under their breaths with the older boy.
“Well you’re all paid up, you get an hour on the rink, we’ll call your wristband colour when it’s time for you to scoot.” You wave the paper wristbands at the teens, them all eagerly putting their arms onto the counter so you can affix them.
“And you’re their guardian I’m guessing?” Your eyes are still focused on sticking the wristbands carefully together, but the question is clearly posed at Steve, who’s still cursing Lucas for as good as ruining any chance he had at even speaking with you.
“I guess, technically, I’m just the babysitter.” Steve shrugs, ruffling Dustin’s curls much to the boys dismay.
“Cute.” You finish attaching the last wristband and finally look up at Steve, your eyes glistening like they’ve got stars inside them that flicker and glow with each blink. “I just need you to sign in, essentially says if anything happens you’re in charge of taking them to their parents or the ER or wherever they need to go.” You slide a clipboard across the counter, a slip of paper already half filled with phone numbers and signatures. “You guys can go collect your skates from the desk just down there.” You smile at the group who quickly scurry off, hands grabbing at arms to drag one another over to the desk a few meters away.
“Does that happen a lot?” Steve scribbles down his name and phone number, now starting to really regret agreeing to be the chaperone for the outing if it has a high potential to end in an emergency room visit. He passes the clipboard back over to you and you look over the details to check everything’s okay before tucking it back under the counter.
“Nah, not really. Kids are pretty resilient, they’d have to really go down to do any actual damage.” You shrug, tapping your pen against the hard surface in front of you as you lean your other elbow there, chin resting against the palm of your hand. “You sure you don’t wanna go for a spin?” There’s a little teasing in your voice, not quite mean but just confident enough to have Steve choking on his words.
“Yeah, I - I’m sure. Someone’s gotta be responsible, right?” Steve chuckles, hand going to the back of his neck to rub at the skin there. It’s way too hot in this place, he thinks. That’s definitely the only reason he’s feeling flustered.
“Well if you change your mind, you know where I am.” You blink up at him through thick lashes, corners of your mouth curling into a smile and Steve thinks he might actually faint or maybe even drop dead if he doesn’t catch his breath in the next few seconds.
“Steve! Stop flirting and get over here!” Dustin cups his hands around his mouth as he shouts just to make sure his voice travels far enough, it definitely would’ve reached Steve without the added amplification.
Steve thinks he’s definitely going to drop dead now. “I better go. Duty calls.” He chuckles nervously and juts his head towards the kids who were now all standing watch.
“See y’around, Steve Harrington.” The way you say his name makes his stomach twist into a knot, he didn’t know it could sound so pretty considering he’s heard it every day of his life but here he is, hoping he gets to hear you say it again.
You wave him off as he goes to join the group of teens, all clutching their new roller blades and giggling amongst themselves as Steve chastises them for ‘making him look like a dickhead’. You press your lips together and sit back on your seat slightly, pulling your eyes away from Steve so that you don’t look like a complete weirdo staring at him.
You’ve always been confident, walking tall and smiling your way through life. It came pretty easy to you, not in a big headed way but more just self assured. It wasn’t the first time a guy had gotten shy around you, but there was something about Steve that piqued your interest. Besides the fact that he was undeniably the prettiest guy you’d seen in a long time. It also made a nice change to have someone your own age in the building other than your co-workers, normally you dealt with grumpy parents or exhausted teachers and sure you were nice to them but you didn’t actually want to talk to them, get to know them more than just a name and number.
You don’t have much time to think about it though, because more kids are piling through the door and you’ve got wristbands to give out, now’s not the time to start daydreaming about a guy you met for all of five minutes.
After about half an hour of sitting on the sidelines and watching the kids loop around and around the wooden rink to obnoxiously loud music, Steve has well and truly had enough. The coke he bought was too sweet and hurt his teeth and was definitely making his headache worse.
He runs a hand over his face, slouched over so his arms can rest on his knees because the bench he was sitting on wasn’t exactly the comfiest and sitting up straight against the hard backboard was hurting his spine.
“Looks like you’re having fun.” You sit yourself down next to him on the bench, a cherry slush in your hands and a teasing smile on your face. You smell just as sweet as the rest of you, vanilla and cherry and just a hint of something floral underneath the rest of the candied notes.
Steve instantly sits up straighter, a little wide eyed at the fact you’re actually sitting next to him. “S’that obvious?” He gives you a sort of apologetic smile, as if you’re going to be mad he’s not having the time of his life at your work.
“Just a little.” You sip your slush, lipstick leaving a red stain around the white straw. “Y’know we run an over 18s night the first thursday of every month, you should come. I promise it’s more fun, plus you can bring some friends your own age.”
“Are you asking because you need to get numbers up? You got, like, a referral scheme going on or something?” Steve jokes, though he does genuinely want to know, it’s just easier to pose the question this way.
You laugh a little and shake your head. “No, I’m asking because you’re cute and it’s an easy way to see you again.” You’re nonchalant with your words, but they make Steve’s breath catch in his throat.
“You won’t be working?”
“I‘m sure I can swing an evening off if I’ve got a reason to.” You stand up from your spot next to Steve and stretch out your back a little. “Just think about it.”
“Do I at least get your name? Might help my friends believe that the pretty girl actually invited me.” Steve was staring up at you, the dim overhead lights casting shadows over his face and accentuating his features. His eyes almost looked black, his irises deep brown with large pupils in the low light. You really do think he’s pretty.
“Sorry handsome, just assumed you could read.” You tap a red lacquered nail against the name tag on your shirt, Steve’s eyes following your pointer and a small ‘oh’ falling from his lips. “I’ll see you Thursday.” You say it more as a statement than a question, eyebrows raised a little but a playful smile on your lips as you walk back to your desk.
Steve doesn’t mind sitting around as much after that, the next half hour passes much quicker than the last because his mind is reeling over the fact that you want to see him again. He’d pinch himself but he might look a little insane and he doesn’t want you to revoke the invite.
By the time the kids make their way over to him, skates returned and sufficient energy burned, he’s still in a world of his own.
“Earth to Steve, hello!” Dustin waves his hand in front of Steve’s face, the older boy flinching back from the palm that’s dangerously close to his face.
“Chill out, idiot, I can see you.” Steve huffs, standing up from his spot on the bench that never did get more comfortable.
“You gonna stay and gawk all night or actually take us home?”
“You’re all assholes, you know that?” Steve pushes the curly haired boy in front of him, the group all heading towards the door to the parking lot.
“She’s too cool for you, dude.” Dustin calls back, making sure to be a few feet in front to prevent another shove.
Steve groans. “I will literally leave you all here.”
—-
Your shift had finished half an hour ago, and changing out of your uniform had taken you all of five minutes as you swapped your staff t-shirt for a black turtleneck of your own and tucked it into the pleated red skirt you’d worn on shift, which means you’ve spent about 25 minutes lingering at the bar and making small talk with your colleagues.
You’d promised to hang around for a little while anyway, some of your friends finishing work at the same time so it meant you could all properly catch up, but mainly you were hoping that Steve would actually show up.
Thinking back, maybe you were too casual with your invite. Not specific enough that you wanted him to come to see you, not just because you think he’d have fun. You hope that’s not the case.
Steve, on the other hand, is getting an earful from his friends on the drive over. He tried to bring it up subtly, that they should try something new for a change and there was definitely no other reason that he had a sudden interest in roller skating. But apparently Dustin had already snitched to Eddie, outed him as having a big teenage crush on the pretty girl who works at the rink, so he had no choice but to own up and beg his friends to just do this one thing for him, please, just this once.
To his surprise, they’d agreed. Albeit reluctantly, mostly just to see him fumble over his words and attempt to flirt, but that was good enough for him.
Your skates are slung over your shoulder, laces tied together so they can hang there without you needing to keep a hold on them. You lean against the bar, facing out across the rink that is a lot calmer than usual, making small talk with your friends but not really paying attention. They know why you’re distracted, so you don’t feel as guilty for being a little out of it.
So when you see Steve, and who you assume are his friends, walk in, none of them are shocked as you excuse yourself from the group and walk over to the boy with a big grin on your face.
“Steve Harrington, you came.” You meet him midway across the room, staring up once you’re in front of him with big eyes and sickly sweet smile. “And you brought grown ups.” You look at the three people Steve was with, who all look between you and Steve a little bewildered.
“Yeah, well, you know how much I loved it here last time.” Steve chuckles, hands shoved into his back pockets. Robin coughs behind him, looking at him with raised brows when he turns around. “Uh, this is Robin, Eddie and Nancy. All grown ups.”
You introduce yourself to them all, polite ‘hello’s’ and ‘nice to meet you’s’ exchanged before you turn your attention back to Steve. “You want a drink? I can definitely get us free soda but they know I’m not 21 yet so I can’t get much else.” You hold your hand out to Steve, and his brain short circuits a little bit before he actually takes it so you can guide him over to the bar.
“He wasn’t lying.” Eddie looks between Nancy and Robin, who both look back at him with the same shocked expression. Not to be cruel, but it did sound too good to be true.
“Huh, can’t believe all it took for Steve to get back in the game was to get out of Hawkins.” Robin nodded, watching you and Steve make your way across the floor.
You walk backwards so you can keep looking at Steve as you move, he looks even better than you remember. “Y’know, you had me worried you were gonna stand me up for a minute there.” You smile at him, tongue pressed to the roof of your mouth and a playful look in your eyes.
“I’d have to be real stupid to do that.” Steve can barely focus because all he can feel is how soft your hand is in his, the tips of your nails pressing gently against his skin. It’s barely there, a minuscule pressure that is somehow all he can feel.
You giggle and shake your head at him before turning to actually look where you’re going. Steve breathes and realises he’s been holding his breath since you held his hand.
You get to the bar and ask Steve what he wants, but he just says to get him whatever you’re having, so you end up with two cherry slushes. “I swear this place is gonna make my teeth rot, I drink so many of these.” You hand Steve his drink and sip your own.
Steve takes a sip and wonders if that means you’d taste of cherries if he kissed you. “They’re pretty good though.”
“Ugh, I know.” You sigh. “D’you think your friends will want anything? I kinda dragged you away there.”
“Think they’ll definitely forgive you if you get ‘em slushes, especially Eddie.”
“That’s good, gotta make a good first impression.” You order 3 more of the same bright red drink, carefully placing them into your hand so they’re balancing against each other. “Okay, got the apology slush, let’s go.”
You move so smoothly, like the entire world bends itself around you. Steve thinks that maybe it does, you’re none the wiser.
You sit with Steve’s friends for a little while, crammed into one of the booths so you’re pressed close to Steve’s side. You lean into him a little, head almost resting against his shoulder as you answer their questions about you.
“You go to college?” Robin asks, her words muffled by the straw that she’s trying to sip from at the same time as speaking.
“Mhm.” You nod, fingers playing with the silver pendant that hangs around your neck. “Just community college though, nothing crazy.”
“What d’you study?”
“Oh it’s so boring, you’ll think I’m so lame.” You look up at Steve for the last part, doe eyed through your lashes.
Steve has to stop himself laughing at the thought of him ever thinking you’re lame, or anything even close. “I definitely won’t.”
“Yeah, you’re way cooler than Steve.” Robin agrees, instantly following up with a “no offense” as her friend shoots her a glare.
“I study finance, I always just sorta got math y’know? So it just made sense. Total snooze fest, I know.” You roll your eyes dramatically, leaning back so you’re tucked further into Steve’s side.
“So you’re, like, super smart then?”
“I’d say averagely smart.” You shrug, dropping the pendant from your fingers and placing your hand on Steve’s knee. “Right, I think it’s time we skate, don’t you?” You shuffle in your seat to nudge Steve along the booth. “C’mon, up and out.”
Steve wouldn’t even know how to begin to say no to you. He stands up out the booth, waving bye to his friends who all look at him like he’s a goner, absolutely done for. He probably is. “This is hardly fair, you’re basically a professional.”
“I’m giving you the perfect excuse to hold my hand and you’re complaining?” You tease, lips pulled into a pout.
“Yeah, you’re right, I’ll shut up.”
You perch near the edge of the rink to put your skates on, sat alone whilst Steve goes to sort getting some of his own. Your fingers pull the laces tight, they’re pretty worn from how often you use them so you make sure to tie them extra tight. Steve comes and sits next to you with his newly acquired pair, the smell of his cologne hitting you as soon as he’s there. “You smell really nice.”
Steve chuckles, pulling the skates on. “Thanks, so do you.” It feels like a pretty weak response considering how intoxicating your perfume is.
“Oh, that’s good. I was worried I smelled like wood polish and shoes after working.”
“Only a little bit.” Steve smirks at you, only a little bit and it’s so full of affection rather than anything cruel that you think you’d let him insult you all night and it’d be fine.
“You’re a real charmer, Steve Harrington.”
You take the lead heading onto the rink, so used to moving about in your skates that it feels natural at this point. Steve’s a little slower behind you, but he speeds up when you hold your hand out for him for the second time that night.
His hands much bigger than yours, fingers hooking through your own and gripping tight as you step onto the wooden floor of the rink.
Steve let’s you skate a little ahead of him, your arms stretched out but still joined at the hands. He can see you properly now, doused in colourful light that reflect off your skin and leave you looking like you’re in a kaleidoscope as you move. He feels a little embarrassed when you turn around and catch him staring, but you don’t seem to mind. You just smile at him, head tilted to one side as you hold out your other hand for him to take.
“You’re gonna have to tell me if I’m gonna bump into someone.” You’re facing Steve fully now, feet gliding to push you backwards whilst you hold both his hands.
“That’s a lot of responsibility to give to a guy you’ve met once.”
You shrug. “I’ll take the risk.”
You move around the rink slowly, not really focused on your surroundings as you talk about yourselves a little more. There’s a few close calls where you nearly skate into people, barely pulled away in time by Steve who keeps apologising even though it just makes you laugh.
“I’m sorry, I’m being a really bad guide.” Steve pulls you out of the way of another person, inadvertently bringing you closer to him as he does.
“It’s okay, I’ll let it slide. Only ‘cause you’re cute.”
Every time you compliment him, Steve genuinely worries his heart might stop beating. That or beat so hard it pushes its way out his chest.
After a while you end up standing at the edge of the rink, feet still moving a little so you can twist on the spot. Your fingers are playing with the hem of your skirt, nails brushing against the skin of your thighs. Steve tries to stop himself looking, because he doesn’t want to look like a creep. It’s totally not appropriate to stare at a girl's thighs the second time you meet her, he thinks to himself, as much as he might really want to.
You’re completely oblivious to his internal debate, just musing on about how you’d just got the newest Pet Shop Boys album on tape but when you look up from your hands you realise that Steve’s not really paying attention. “You’re totally not listening.” You don’t sound mad, if anything you sound a little amused as Steve seems to snap out of his trance and look down at you with an apologetic smile.
“I’m sorry, it’s just, you’re so pretty and cool and you’re smart, and you’re talking to me and it’s just -“ The words fall out of Steve’s lips quickly and all in one breath, because if he doesn’t say it now he might actually explode. “It’s a bit crazy.”
You giggle at Steve’s rambling, reaching your hand out so your fingers brush against his. “So if I said I wanted to kiss you, that’d completely throw you for a loop?”
Steve swallows hard, trying to keep his cool. “Might kill me on the spot.” He’s only half joking.
“Oh, I better not then.” You bite down on your bottom lip and let out a small sigh for dramatic effect.
“I’ll take the risk.” He repeats what you said to him before, his honey brown eyes focused on you as they flick between your eyes and your mouth.
You move your body closer to his and bring a hand up to the side of his face, running your thumb slowly across his cheek down to his jaw. His skins soft, save for the small specks of stubble that are scattered across his jawline, but they feel nice under the pad of your thumb. Your fingers rest at the nape of his neck, brushing against the curls that gather there and tangling in them.
You pull his face down to you gently, no real pressure applied but more of a guidance. You push up as much as you can on the balls of your feet, closing the gap between you and pressing your lips to his. It’s a simple kiss, soft and a bit cautious but still sweet. More than enough to make Steve feel a bit dizzy from it.
You pull away, still keeping your face close to his. “Still alive?”
Steve can feel your breath against his lips as you speak, your voice so warm and soft he thinks he might melt. “Just about.” He whispers, the moment a bit too surreal for him to speak any louder. Like it might all disappear if he does.
You grin at him, and feel a swell in your chest at his sweetness. You don’t normally find yourself taken by any guys, but something about Steve had you feeling like a teenager with her first crush again. Maybe it was because he just seemed so enamored by you for no other reason than the fact you were you. You weren’t going to question it.
You end up writing your number on the back of Steve’s hand, carefully drawn out numbers in red sharpie that you’ve picked up from behind the counter and a little heart next to it. “Don’t do that dumb thing guys do where they wait like a week to call, ‘cause it’ll wash off by then and you’d have to come here and hope I write it down again.”
“Would you write it down again?” Steve asks even though there’s no way he’s not going to call you tomorrow. He’d call you tonight if it wasn’t a crazy person thing to do.
“You could just call me and then you won’t have to worry.”
“I’m obviously going to call you.”
You lean up and press another kiss against his cheek, your lips plush against his skin and he can feel their touch even after you move away. “Good move.”
thank u for reading !! i’m going to write a second part / sequel for this so keep your eyes peeled if h enjoyed this <3
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nickloonie · 14 days ago
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nickloon-centric skating au the universe is expanding (yap under cut)
this is gonna be based off all the skating types i can think of .. basically everyone just. lives in the same town. they all skate. thats the farthest ive gotten
in my head its based in some beach town or a small city - maybe off charleston or something but geography doesnt matter - the roads are flat and all that matters is that they have gas stations and a skating park, a roller rink and an ice rink.
so far - (i know not every character is on the list. thats either because i forgot about them or they just dont skate)
skateboarders:
knife (good at it)
pickle (good at it)
nickel (good at it but doesn't do it often)
trophy (shit at it)
blueberry (good but gave up the first time he failed an ollie)
mic (good at it)
paintbrush (ok at it!! doesnt try to do tricks though)
lightbulb (all she wants to do is learn how to kickflip. shes pretty good at it but she cant kickflip yet)
clover (longboards along the beach,, she doesnt have to be good she's just cruising) 
rollerskaters:
baseball (good at it)
balloon (bad at it)
suitcase (good at it)
bot (learning)
fan (tries to teach bot but hes not very good either)
lightbulb (good at it)
rollerbladers:
nickel (amazing at it)
balloon (not very good but still likes it)
suitcase (good because it's similar to ice skating)
test tube (better than expected)
ice skaters:
suitcase (amazing at it)
balloon (very bad but loves it)
nickel (good because it's similar to rollerblading)
bot (good at it)
marshmallow (good at it)
apple (shit at it)
taco (ok at it)
silver (ok at it)
candle (almost as good as suitcase)
list is not done yet its just a first draft so if i post about this again i'll add the list in case its updated. also will focus on the ice skaters probably
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dismissivedestroyer · 2 months ago
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Finished Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, loved it, so now you get TOTTMNT Mona Lisa, Renet Tilley, Lotus Blossom and Irma Langenstein
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Starting with Mona, she's a Purple Dragon, but doesn't particularly like to follow Angel's orders. She hopes to impress Kitsune and to get to lead the Dragons, one day. She's a delinquent, and one step away from being expelled from her High school. Probably listens to Eminem and rap in general. She likes archeology, and is secretly writing a book of stories she made up. She's aggressive, but never really picks violence to solve her problems, and she's capable and a great problem-solver.
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Renet is Bishop's niece, and lives with her aunt. She's an astrology girl, she collects crystals (she doesn't really believe in them, she thinks they're pretty tho), and reads tarot cards. She's in the school's improv team and is great on her rollerblades. Her favorite song is "Space Girl" (Frances Forever) and is actually a big supporter of mutants. She's a bit ditzy and clumsy, but means well and is always positive.
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Lotus Blossom! She's japanese, obviously, and quite shy. She never really talks a lot, and prefers loneliness to crowded places. She has watched Madoka Magica like 6 times, and listens to Vocaloid a bunch. She's that kind of "weird girl" that prefers to just sit in a corner and draw all day. Though she's very clever, insanely intelligent, and a good strategist. She's had an hyperfixation on ninjas for SO LONG and hopes to see a real one.
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Irma used to be April's best friend, but they drifted apart with time. She's still the cameraman in the school's journalist club, but she prefers robotics. She used to be a big fan of Stockman's work, prior to his death, and now works as intern for Bishop Robotics (she befriended Renet just to get to her aunt).
Probably a twist villain idk.
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kiwipineappleparasol · 2 months ago
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A Collection of my Mario Fan Characters (Info Below) 🍄
Zizzle (she/they) - An easygoing wanderer, who never sticks to one place for long. Secretly a Magickoopa dropout from Bowser's army, although she regrets her past. Plus, they were never good at magic.
Lumini (they/them) - A previous caretaker for young stars in Starborn Valley, they have delusions of grandeur and think that they ought to ascend to Star Haven themselves. Still, they act for the greater good.
Duplio (she/her) - A travelling magician (and con artist) who's name is known by none, but who's face is known by plenty. She's a charming trickster, who's great at weaseling in and out of situations.
Vinny (they/them) - Previously a news anchor, now a ground reporter, they always sensationalize the news regardless. Talks more akin to a salesperson than your average journalist. Their breath is rancid.
Nebble (she/her) - Resident of a place I'll call Rock Candy Caverns, she hates the mining gig destroying her home. Reclusive and slightly eccentric, but ultimately good natured. Her nose glows in the dark!
Robin (she/her) - A bandit who only takes from the well off, and gives it to those in need. She's cocky and brash; quick to get herself in trouble, but clever enough to find a way out of it. ...Probably.
Pail - (she/her) - Clumsy, sweet as sugar, and exceedingly gullible -- she takes people at their word, even when she really shouldn’t. She hopes to become an ice cream salesperson someday, ironically.
Hammie (she/her) - A bubbly, outgoing rollerblader! She's got great balance, and an uplifting attitude. She participates in acrobatics, racing, and even inline hockey -- and always tries to be a good sport!
Johnson (he/him) - Named after the unseen X-Naut in the beginning of TTYD. An elite scientist that only got promoted because he refused to divulge his potion recipes. Has little respect for authority. Rockey (he/him) - A pokey made of rocks. Dude-bro who wants to be best buds with everyone, and cannot recognize when he’s annoying people. Negative words are all water off a duck’s back with this guy.
(The two Shy Guys -- I haven't decided on their names yet, but the first one is an extremely introverted toy maker, who repairs anything brought to their shop, but refuses to show their “face” to anyone. The second is based off Mario Strikers, but instead he plays paintball. He loves bright colors and causing havoc wherever he goes. He’s pretty competitive.)
And that’s about it!
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cerebralisis · 4 months ago
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Has Taylor been drawing connections to Barbie’s journey from Barbieland into the real world?
I rewatched Barbie a few days ago after streaming the Amsterdam N3 show and found some interesting parallels, particularly the scene where Barbie and Ken go through the transportation sequence.
Like Barbie and Ken, Taylor and Travis started their journey by setting off in the getaway car (a rather loud hint at how this whole thing is gonna end). Since then, Taylor has played Getaway Car twice - once in Melbourne mashed up with August and The Other Side of the Door, and again in Edinburgh mashed up with The Bolter - three more songs that reference cars.
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Next, Barbie and Ken ride in the boat. I’m sure by now that most of us have seen the Taylor-Travis pap-walk on their way to a boat ride - with the chessboard sweater and the not-so-subtle AO3 shot in the background making everyone question if this is just a fanfic. Taylor also played the “murder mashup” which includes a song referencing a boating license and another song used in a movie where they boat through the marshes of North Carolina.
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From the boat, Barbie and Ken move onto the rocket ship. This is substantially more challenging for them to recreate, but I did notice that there were a hefty amount of spaceship/rocket references throughout June. Most notably: a new merch drop featuring the Down Bad spaceship and lyrics; a TikTok from Ice Spice where she’s reading the WSJ issue featuring Karlie Kloss as a “Rocket Woman” that’s “suiting up at Spacex;” Kam yelling out “bolt ya rocket” during WANEGBT; and a timely insta post from Travis promoting the Accelerator Rocket Pop energy drink (while wearing a Ken wig?)
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After that, Barbie and Ken ride bikes through a scene set with windmills in the background, which heavily implies the Netherlands. This is what caught my attention because - while Taylor was in the Netherlands for Amsterdam N3 - she sang imgonnagetyouback, which of course has the line about smashing up your bike. She then sits down at the piano and says “I mentioned bikes, and man do you love bikes in Amsterdam! You just see a bike rack with 3,000 bikes on it.” Then, Travis was papped riding a bike out in Amsterdam. All of this happened only a week after Travis told us on his podcast that he suggested riding out on stage on one of the Blank Space bikes (before Taylor came up with the idea to make him a circus handler instead).
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Next in the sequence are a camper, snowmobile, and rollerblades, so we will have to keep an eye out and see if there are any related hints.
It wouldn’t be the first Barbie reference that Taylor has made. In addition to all her Ken lyrics, I’m convinced that Peter references the Barbie movie with the line: “I hoped you’d return with your feet on the ground, tell me all that you’ve learned.” To me this feels a lot like Barbie choosing the Birkenstock over the high heel so she can go to the real world and learn the secrets of the universe. Especially when contrasted with “in stilettos for miles” when Taylor is lamenting her misery during I Can Do It With a Broken Heart, as if she’s stuck in Barbieland.
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What do you think? Am I just cherry-picking or does the transportation sequence seem like an intentional countdown? Given the themes of the Barbie movie, the connections are hard to miss.
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dr-spencer-reids-queen · 1 year ago
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Leap of Faith
Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader
Word Count: ~1k
Warnings: fluff
Summary: You use Halloween as an excuse to tell Spencer how you feel.
Square Filled: costume party (2022) for @cmbingo
Author’s Note: any and all comments are appreciated <3
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You tighten your pigtails so that they sit high on your head. You turn to look at how good your ass looks in the short shorts you bought on Amazon. The fishnet stockings are itchy on your skin but you’re going to be too drunk to care in about an hour. Usually, you make sure your makeup is perfect before leaving the house but this time, you make sure it’s messy and smudges at the corners of your lips.
You’ve been invited to a Halloween party at Rossi’s place where everyone else is going to be. Your costume is a sexy Harley Quinn. She is one of your favorite superheroes and Margot Robbie does an amazing job at playing her. It’s cliche and cheesy to add “sexy” in front of a costume but this time, you wanted it to be like that. You have someone to impress and it’s not gonna happen if your costume isn’t sexy.
You even dyed your hair blonde so you can dye the ends pink and blue. It’s a decision you made knowing you were gonna love it even after Halloween was over. Your shirt says “Daddy’s Lil Monster” which ends right below your breasts. If you raise your arms, you’ll definitely show some underboob. Your entire midsection is showing since your shorts hang low on your hips. You don’t care who sees you like this since you’re pretty confident in your own skin whether you’re one hundred pounds or three hundred.
You blow yourself a kiss and leave the bedroom, making sure to grab your metal bat on the way to the living room where your best friend is. JJ and Will decided to dress up as Barbie and Ken from the new Barbie movie. You haven’t seen it yet but you know the scene where Barbie and Ken are rollerblading through the town in bright neon outfits.
“Ready?”
Will and JJ turn you when they hear you come in. Will immediately looks away from you while JJ whistles.
“Spencer is going to go feral when he sees you.”
“You think?” you grin.
“For sure.”
“I call shotgun!” you shout as you run toward the car.
“No, you had it last time!” Will runs after you.
JJ smiles at the dynamic between you and her husband. You two became fast friends which makes her happy. You’re her best friend and he’s her husband. It all works out in the end. She walks to the car to see you in the front seat with a smug smile while Will is pouting playfully in the back. The drive to Rossi’s house isn’t long since she lives close to him, and when you get there, you see Derek’s car. If he’s here, that means Spencer is. They do everything together. The only car you don’t see here is Hotch’s. It’s normal for him to be fashionably late for these kinds of events.
Penelope and Spencer must have volunteered to decorate Rossi’s place because this looks amazing. Rossi is not the one to go out and decorate to this degree. You three walk up to the door and knock, and Rossi opens it slowly. He’s a modern Dracula without the fangs. He hates the feeling of things on his teeth. The years he wore braces were the worst.
“Welcome. Nice costumes.”
You step inside and see Derek texting someone by the front door. He’s dressed as a cop because he waited until the last minute to put something together. He still had his old uniform from when he was a beat cop and decided to use that. When he hears people enter, he puts the phone away to mingle. He whistles when he sees you, and he brings you in for a friendly hug.
“Damn, Y/N. Who are you trying to impress?”
“You know who. Where is he?”
“In the kitchen. He booked it in there as soon as he heard there were cupcakes.”
You pat his shoulder as you walk away from them, dragging your bat behind you. Spencer is by the kitchen island eating a cupcake when you enter. Halloween is his favorite holiday because he loves decorating and dressing up. He’s dressed in a puffy white clown costume. His face is painted ghostly white to match the color of the costume with dramatic eyebrows drawn on and a painted red smile. Even he can make something so creepy look cute.
“You gonna save some for the rest of us?” you ask. Spencer looks up and starts choking as soon as he sees you in your costume. He grabs a water bottle and chugs half of it to get the food out of his throat. Once he’s calmed down, he rakes his eyes down your entire costume. “I’ll take that as a good sign.”
“Wow, you look great,” he stutters.
“Thank you. I love your costume.”
“I made this,” he smiles proudly.
“I know. This is all you’ve been talking about for the past couple of weeks.” Spencer grabs another cupcake and tears off the paper before taking a bite. Some of the frosting gets on his upper lip which he licks away, but there is still some left behind. This is it. This is your chance. You walk up to him and reach up to his face. “You got a little something.” You wipe his top lip with your thumb and place the pad of your thumb in your mouth. “Delicious.”
Spencer is staring at your mouth and thinking he’d love it if your lips were on his instead. You can see the lust in his eyes so you take the leap of faith.
“You got some more. Come here.”
You pull Spencer close and kiss him to take the frosting off that isn’t there. Spencer grips your hips and pulls you closer as he kisses you back.
“Wait,” you pull away from him, “is this okay?”
“More than.”
You two meet halfway and kiss some more, not caring if you have an audience by the entrance into the kitchen.
“She made the first move. All of you owe me ten bucks,” JJ grins.
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Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)
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listofwhyyouloveher · 1 month ago
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I BEG, the gang with a crush in roller derby? Like crush carries skates around all the time, crush always has bruises on their legs, crush wins almost every match and goes bummed out when they don't. Just some derby stuff!!
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Summary: The Outsiders x Roller Derby! Reader Warnings: none Authors Note: Is this my sign to get into roller derby PONYBOY has no clue what roller derby is. He didn't even know you did a sport until a few months into knowing you. He'd always notice the bruises and bandages on your legs and once he asked he was even more confused. You have to explain to him what roller derby is, basically step by step. He's always a little worried for you, asking you to wear kneepads and other sorts of protective gear when you go to play a match. He'll always treat you to ice cream after you win too! JOHNNY knows what roller derby is because every night a couple of girls skate past his house and when he was young he used to watch them go by. He think's its an admirable sport to get into, considering how bruised and battered you can get. He doesn't really like going to your matches because something about floor burns and seeing you get hurt just twists his stomach. Nevertheless, he'll wait outside for you, hugging you even if you didn't win. He will probably never try rollerblading with you, but maybe skateboarding if you ask nicely. SODAPOP actually used to watch rollerderby. It was always when he was surfing channels and drunk off of a couple of beers, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. He loves watching your games and get really rowdy at them. He's got so much spirit you'd think it was a superbowl game. Soda wants to try skates but he's not sure how he would fair, so he's fine just walking with you. He's definetly telling all the gang members that his girlfriend can solo all of their girlfriends because you're so incredibly strong to him. STEVE thinks rollerderby is the tuffest thing a girl can do. He's so into it and he thinks the bruises and bandages just make you look like a really cool greaser. He actually skateboards, so everytime you go out to skate he's coming with you. He thinks your games are the most entertaining things to watch and he's thinking about getting a rollerskate tattoo on his other arm. He knows your whole team by both their game name and by their real name and he fits in perfectly with them. TWO BIT thinks what you're doing is incredibly dangerous. He'll remind you every once and a while but he'll never act on it because he loves watching you skate and be happy just as much are you like skating. He wants you to teach his sister how to skate so she can get to school easier and he bought her and you a pair of matching hot pink ones after saving up enough money. He's actually a little intimidated by you because he thinks that you're actually stronger than him. DARRY hates you doing rollerderby. Not because he doesn't want you to be happy or anything, but he sees how much pain it can cause you and he gets frustrated that you're so carefree. He'll never try to pull you from the game though, and when you lose he'll list everything you did well even though it sort of hurt him to watch. He's always attending to your wounds and making sure you're not in more pain that you need to be. DALLAS thinks you're probably the tuffest chick in Tulsa. He watches you practice when he walks by and tries to stop in on some of your games. He's always there when you win, or he tries to get a recap of what happened. The rest of the gang just think he's being weird about a new sport but they're starting to get a clue that he likes you because all he talks about when he gets tipsy is how you massacred your competition in a game once. He'll NEVER pick up skating though. He thinks rollerskates are for girls, (he's fallen down when he was a kid and never got back on them).
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punkeropercyjackson · 3 months ago
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Lore of Lex de los Santos,my Pjo s/i
As asked by @comfortabletogether !!
Lex's full name is Alexandria and their chinese name is Xiá,they're blasian because i implemented so many asian aspects into their character it felt right
Specifically they're black-greek because Demeter is one of the many black gods and their godly parent and their mortal parent is Emil 'Xiaoyu' de los Santos,a chinese-dominican man who works at a boba shop chain called 'Bubble Buds'
Lex was born and raised in San Francisco but moved to El Barrio,New York in the beginning of Botl due to Emil's job transfering him and grew up taking guitar lessons
Lex is the same age as Percy,with a December 27th birthday,and got to Camp Half-Blood at 12 too.This is one of the many things they have in common:Lex and Percy also have the same sense of humor,poor social skills,merciless tendencies,emotional regulation issues,self-eestem problems,boundless kindness and uncorruptability.The difference is their attitudes-Lex is soft and shy with a hardcore inside,Percy is tough and mean with a soft inside.Their nicknames for eachother are 'Blue' and 'Bubbles'
Lex's powers are ultra chlorokinesis,geokinesis,built-in botany expertesee and eventual terraportation and they're the strongest mortal Demeter kid.They're as strong as Persephone herself
Lex's special interests are boba,dogs,video games,pastel things,kidcore,swords,the sea,nature and anarchy and they love fucking around with their friends and they're also a mom friend,a rollerblader and a guitarist because they took lessons and their colors are pink and green
Lex got to Camp Half-Blood a month before Percy,during The Gym Incident at Marigold Middle School when earlier that day Zach Matthews got rumors to spread about them by provoking them into punching him hard enough for him to bleed and a basilisk attacked at gym class later so Lex's powers activated to kill it on instinct,their eyes closed tightly as they did.They finally realized they have plant powers and Nona Peters,another bully of their's,started shrieking about how it's proof they were a freak all along so blinded by rage,they choked her with their vines until Coach Wilson snapped them out it and she sobbed in apology as they commanded for her to be released but didn't mean it.Teary eyed,Lex dashed to Principal Gonzalez's office to call Emil to pick them up and ask about their powers since they knew he'd know
Emil drove them to Camp Half-Blood as he exposition dumped about the greek mythos world and his past relathionship with Demeter,who did divine intervetion to get them there in just two hours instead of two days,and the first camper Lex met was Katie as they approached her asking for help.Katie guided them to Chiron then to Cabin 4 to meet their siblings:Konrad 'Kon' Henders,Luke's best friend,Billie Ng,a nonbinary grunge kid and Miranda Gardiner,who came in a bit late due to her hatred of demigodhood.Kon did a little joke about his and Lex's names which flashed them back to the gym and he profusely apologized but they refused to touch upon it again.Lex's things were brought to them in a box the next day in the morning by Hermes as Emil had been in such a rush he forgot to pack for them and Lex learned the daily routine of CHB
With an extra for them:Isolation.Lex was ignored by almost everyone at Camp Half-Blood due to their quiet nature and 'off' looks(read:blasian)so they settled into hanging out by themselves in the forest.It hurt them a lot but it wasn't like there was anything they could do and at least they had their siblings.Percy finally arrived once the month passed and they met at the strawberry fields,just the two of them,where he jokingly asked if the strawberries came in blue and Lex responded they could make them blue if he wanted and he was taken back and asked if they really could so they placed their hand on a large bunch and they slowy changed color.He asked what the difference was and they said they weren't sure as they hadn't eaten one before so they eat their first bluestrawberries together,them being mostly the same as regular strawberries except sweeter and juicier,and Percy asked Lex to hang out and spar with him later and they enthutiastically agreed and once he was out of line of sight as they waved goodbye,they squealed and jumped happily as they reached for their hair to stim,only to feel yellow roses in it that had bloomed-Another Demeter kid trait,symbolic flowers that meaned their strongest emotions.Yellow roses mean 'friendship'
Percy and Lex became official sparring partners and after a week of best friendship,Percy asked about everybody's treatment of them to try to help them show everybody how great they are and Lex melted down and a huge wall of flowers appeared inbetween them to seperate them.Percy managed to talk them down after they revealed the Gym Incident and comparing it to his own problems with bullies did the trick and their feelings turned romantic after that convo.During the week,Lex was also sent a celestial bronze heart shaped hairclip transforming sword called Rhodon and they always wear it or as they got older,have it cuffed to their battle jacket,and they got Miranda to chill out by talking things out with her and it's revealed she's just upset at being away from her stepmom and dad and dosen't want to be a half-blood so they help her get along with their siblings and Miranda in thanks shares an Erika and Annalise from Barbie Princess and The Pauper dolls set with them
Post-Tlt Som Lex is a lot happier than the Lex before and Emil notices it and chalks it up to their demigod experiences,which is very true in a way but not entierly.Kon however is the reverse and is majorly depressed because of Luke's betrayal and private reveal of what he was actually like the whole time i.e His grooming of Silena and brewing plans to destroy everything out of his own selfishness.He refuses to say what happened but turns out he didn't need to as Luke puts Percy on blast and Kon blacks out in emotional distress,Lex screaming out his name in terror for him.Earlier that summer,they'd been helping Percy care for Tyson as the only people at camp who liked him(wtf was Rick thinking with having Percy not like Tyson,it makes zero sense??????)and later,they become Thalia's best friend,giving her a tour around camp with Clarisse's help and approaching her at the Zeus Cabin specifically to befriend her out of hating seeing her so dehumanized by the campers into a paragon instead of a teenage girl
Thalia had instantly assumed Lex was a perfect prissy popular girl because of their aesthetic,Lex always dressing in pinks and greens with feminine hairstyles and tween makeup,but after actually talking to them,knew they were just a weird black girly girl so as a weird black trans tomboy,she decided to open up her time to them and they nicknamed eachother 'Thunder' and 'Petal'.Campers were afraid to be mean to Lex now with her and Percy constantly at their side but did ask them invasive questions about her they informed her about and so they stopped.Lex's egg was cracked by Thalia and they'd been going by they/them for years but never thought to research their gender and as it turns out,they're transmasc genderfluid and bigender and they came out to her and Percy as they hung out by the creek and once to him,Emil hit up Demeter to ask Aphrodite to give Lex their ideal voice for the one thing they wanted for a physical transition with the rest staying intact(Lex's original voice was Stephanie Sheh but now it's Nika Futterman for that rocker girl vibe)
Lex stayed over for winter break in TTC and stayed in touch with Percy and Thalia over the phone,the former also true for inbetween Tlt and Som,but all of them were flip phones because 2000s LMAO(Lex's was a Barbie one,Percy's was blue and seathemed and Thalia's was black and all convered in edgy stickers).Kon wasn't able to properly lead Cabin 4 so Katie took over and this summer is when Drew had arrived so the heads of Cabin 4 and Cabin 10 had a flirtatious pretend hate rivalry going on that flew over the heads of most campers but not Lex,who instantly clocked them upon witnessing extended interactions between them pretty easily.Drew latched onto Lex after finding out they're trans like her and Lex offered to be Nico's new big sister after briefly meeting him and growing some lavenders for him and handing them to him as they sweetly asked him to be nice to Percy and he happily agreed to and finding him sobbing his heart out at the kitchen to comfort him.They also made him strawberry milk tea and they chugged several cups together
Him running away and Thalia joining the Hunters broke their heart and they felt like a failure and unloved and had a hard time enjoying their birthday party but did manage to,it being helped by Thalia sneaking in that night to leave them a gift:A bag of stolen junk they'd said they wanted but couldn't afford and a sticky note that says 'I still love you,Lex.Always will but right now,i need to be away from what could give me power.Please understand and i didn't say it to your face because it hurt too much to - Your girl best friend forever,Thalia'.We finally get to the moving to NY part and Lex arrives a month early to the core plot once again,reuniting with Percy and the de los Santos and Jacksons become close as a whole and Lex helps Percy fight and later save the empousi and befriends Rachel instantly and there's a running gag of Lex and Percy talking on their Barbie flip phone and sea flip phone throught the Labyrinth quest and Lex actually lends a hand on it twice as they also and the rest of the camp help Kon put himself back together.Nico asks 'Is that...blue birthday cake?A-And.....Is Lex here?' in the last Botl chapter so Percy tells him to come in and says it looks like the three of them have a lot to talk about and Lex bolts into a now taller than them Nico's arms the second they saw him again and Nico hugs them back just as fiercely,laughing as they pepper his face all over in big sisterly/motherly kisses
Percy,Lex and Rachel attend Goode High together and it's widely know how close they are so they get dubbed 'The Loser Trio' and they reclaim it for themselves as a friendship name.They do charity events,go to riots/protests,on beach trips both for fun and cleaning,to the skatepark,to Bubble Buds,to the arcade,to thrift stores,to underground parties and shows,on petty crime sprees,on platonic study dates,on aquarium visits,have cartoon/movie marathons and do meme challenges.There's always a romantic edge to Perlex's moments together that dosen't exist with Rachel and she's more than happy with that because she's out there having lesbian adventures and ironically enough Annabeth makes the same mistake she did in canon only Lex is the object of Percy's affections and she's oblivious to Perlex out of her own cisheteronormativity and internalized lesbophobia hence why she dosen't bully Lex ever.Rachel is also how they found out about solarpunk although Thalia was Percy and Lex's introduction to punk culture as a whole but Rachel is who got them to GO punk and The Loser Trio is an afrosolarpunk friends trio too
They have a shared instagram account they use both for personal posts and activism and The Loser Summer™️ included Percy posting him piggybacking Lex and them grinning and Lex doing a peace sign and a plain pink heart emoji in the caption,them at Dairy Queen sharing food captioned 'at Dairy Queen with my Dairy King' and even a slideshow of them swapping clothes and hugging.There's even more of all three of them together and Nico gueststars sometimes as him,Percy and Lex spent the year between Botl and Tlo reconnecting and some of their fans even think he's their kid because they didn't reveal their ages for online safety and Rachel posts her girlsaga and girlbossing and girlfailures all around.Zach and Nona reappear,now a couple,at a Goode High and their school Lex refuses to remember the name of vs basketball game and apologize to them and they respond they'll never forgive them but can let them go.Tlo had Lex,Katie,Miranda,Billie,Kon,Drew and a-just-quit-the-Hunters-Thalia working as a team against the Titans Army in Manhattan with Lex as the leader and earning the reputation across Camp Half-Blood as Percy's righthand and equal in strength as they worked together too and they near biblically unleashed their Demeter powers,getting to meet their mom face to face at the end too and were given a gift in the form of Demeter blessing Rhodon as they kissed Lex's forehead,calling them 'The Heroine of Olympus' and Luke had been slayed by Percy briefly beforehand as Percy was the actual hero of the prophecy
Lex is bubbling with happiness until they see Percy and Annabeth are together now and it shatters them for a long while as their insecurities spill over.They pretend to be okay for Percy's and their other loved ones sake but they really aren't and are kinda worse than ever in fact and wilted flowers bloom where they step.They try to appreciate what they do have though and that includes Percy himself,still best friends til the end with him.Post-Tlo but pre-Percy dissaperance,Lex and Kon are sent on a quest by Demeter for Persephone's sake and it's to travel to Greece to retrive their Roots i.e Unlock their powers to their full potential and calm their agitated and hurt minds.The quest is succesful and includes all your usual Percyverse quest beats,the humor,the mythos shout outs,the aesthetics,etc and Persephone starts visiting CHB in the summer thanks to developing real siblinghood with the other eldest child of Demeter and the daughter of Demeter most similar to her and this is it's own solo book titled 'Lex de los Santos and the Persephone Times'.Once Percy is kidnapped by Hera,Lex resorts to an Animal Crossing addiction to distract themself at the same time them and Annabeth take over camp as co-leaders
This is when Lex learns the full details of her and Percy's relathionship and realizes she's abusive to him and is shocked to say the least.They don't tell anyone because Percy should be the first to know and make sure to keep their guard up around her and Tlh comes along so Lex forms friendships with The Lost Trio:Piper(onsight click and Lex helps her embrace butchness and Piper admires Lex's self-confidence),Leo(silly4silly weird4weird latino4latino but platonically and Lex is Leo's hypemanwoman while Leo is super appriciative of Lex)and Jason(had a crush on them that was extremely awkward for everyone involved and Lex didn't have to reject him outright because he got over them as he saw how much they love Percy and moved onto Leo).The Second Great Prophecy said 'Eight Half-Bloods Shall Awnser The Call' and those eight half-bloods are Percy,Lex,Annabeth,Jason,Piper,Leo,Frank and Hazel and Lex hops onto the Argo || without anybody knowing who The Eight are officially.Drew got her redemption-healing arc completed in Tlh and the quest for Buford has Buford running into her and Katie on their first date and Clarisse and Thalia lead CHB while Lex and Annabeth are gonna but follow the praetor route iykwim(they end up together at last since they'd been flirting since TTC)
Percy didn't remember anything except Sally at the beginning of Son but Lex slowly came back to them,once they bit into a strawberry at Camp Jupiter and it didn't taste quiet the same,a sadness she didn't yet understand washing over her.Hazel instantly went to talk to Lex when she spotted them in Moa due to Percy's talks of them and brought her over to Camp Jupiter's cat cafe for coffee and kitty playing and chatting.Once the whole gang borded the Argo || was when Percy and Lex reuinited,at night as Percy took care of the stables and Lex went out looking for her because not getting to talk to her all day and she ran up to them,squeezing them up into a hug and they yelped but hugged back in surprise.'Hey Bubbles!!' 'H-Hey Blue!*Laughs*Together again!' 'And not apart again.Wassup?'so they flopped down onto the hay and caught up.Nobody caught them because they woke up before anybody else and Annabeth got mad at Percy and scolded him for not staying the night with her and almost everyone found it funny except Lex,cringing to themself the whole time in silent panic at what she'd do after.Percy is jealous of Jason's attraction to Lex as a turned tables moment for the Lex and Annabeth situation and his insecurities come how he's darkskin and Jason is lightskin and how Percy's always branded a troublemaker to the point of convincement while Jason's a lifelong golden boy
No Hazel love triangles and Sammy and her didn't know eachother so Lex accompanies them on their Echo quest and thinks 'Super Sized Mcshizzle' is peak comedy and actually gave themself a stomach cramp from holding back their laughter.Percy is determinated to save Nico as there were no useless retcons between them and Lex and Hazel feel the same so the three of them sneak off to save him and they succeed and the four of them are an official certified quartet by the end of Boo with how close they are,them being 'The Outcast Godlings'.Lex gets the chance to tell Percy what's going on between her and Annabeth in the pre-climax of Moa and Percy's first reaction is denial until Lex points out in explicit detail how abusive she is to her and he can't deny any of their questions to any of the non-existent improvement in how she treats her and this also leads to Lex confessing their own feelings on pure accident('You don't have to choose someone you DON'T want to!I'm happy you chose me as your best friend though.......That you chose me,even if it's not how i wanted you too')and Percy is shocked beyond words as her brain switches and connects the dots on her own Lex feelings.Hazel and Lex fall into Tartarus right after though so they don't have time to resolve things just yet
Lex does their best to protect and take care of themself and more importantly Hazel in Tartarus and Hazel is able to unlock her powers to the fullest as The Princess of The Underworld and The Unknown down there.Back on earth,Percy got the Hecate Mist storyline and is stressing out over Lex,over Hazel,over Annabeth,but does her best to lead and the Percabeth breakup comes when Annabeth insults Lex out of jealousy over how important they are to Percy as she realizes they're an actual threat the whole time to their relathionship and Percy is so infuriated she breaks up with her on the spot and stomps away(black and blue demonias gifted to her by Beckendorf pre-death btw).'I'm not letting anybody else tell me what path i should take anymore.I get to choose my own present and my owm future even if it'll never change the past.I was never meant to be restrained and now i know what really means'-Percy Jackson,House of Hades
Hazel and Lex get out of Tartarus and are instantly fussed over by Nico and Percy but also all the other Eight and Reyna except Annabeth,who keeps her distance.Percy and Lex spend Boo as a battle couple who flirt nonstop,subconciously on Lex's end and very intentionally on Percy's end,and after the final fight with Gaea,Lex dyes their bangs forest green as symbolism for their completed self-love arc and it's topped off by Percy asking them out right before lunch time as they sit at a unique table-The Poseidon table but with them,Nico,Hazel,Tyson,Grover,Rachel,Katie,Jason,Leo,Frank,Piper and Clarisse.Everyone can tell his intentions except Lex as they sideeye eachother as they follow him to the forest and they flop down on the grass together to eat the picnic he made and once they finish it all,Percy confesses to Lex and they're too stunned to interrupt him as he turns into a rambling mess of all he loves about them until they snap out of it and flop down on top of him,craddling his face and confessing back just as tenderly so they both grin and he initiates their first as they kiss back.Pink and blue roses bloombed around them
Sally adopted Nico and Hazel and Percy,Lex and Rachel went back to Goode High for their senior year together.A year passes and they manage to graduate but Percy and Lex also decide college isn't for them and Lex and Emil move into La Residencia Jackson due to Sally's eldest son dating Emil's only child and what good friends Emil and Sally already are.Instead of T.oa,we get Tales of Dead Seas aka Tods,a one year later Hoo sequel that's four books and takes place over four years for that og Pjo feel including the return of the chapter titles and has the Outcast Godlings as the mcs and the books are in order called:Elysium on Earth,Petallic,Arcane Rot and Unmythologizable.Nico and Hazel attend a Special ED school,Sally opens up a family bussiness called 'Familia Jackson Beach Shack',Rachel attends college but appears pretty often,Emil is the same as ever but in regular contact with Demeter and Persephone and Lex accidentally cracked Percy's egg as a transfem bigender he/she/they/neos femme and helps her transition.Eoe has it's plot with Percy killing Zeus in a fit of rage and kickstarting a greco-roman mythos world revolution,Petallic focuses on Lex's earthy bringings and self and heritage on both ends,Arcane Rot is central on the Underworld Siblings and exploring them even further,Hazel-Blood is a side bonus book that's a Hazel character study and full on kids horror with an ancient roman coating and Unmythologizable is the grand Percyverse finale and we're told in the future Percy and Lex have a daughter they name after Sally who goes by Sal.The Outcast Godlings' titles are 'Hero and Destroyer of Olympus','Prophecy Breaker','The Ghost King' and 'Princess of The Underworld and The Unknown'
Lex in the official Pjo art!!
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Lex in the Pjo picrew!
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An outfit Lex has canonically worn /srs
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And Lexcore images!!
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katrotica · 10 months ago
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Gabbie Carter doesn't look like this these days as she recently had a baby so her body has undergone some changes. Excellent changes, don't get me wrong! I also suspect she's going to retire from porn. Maybe not—she has posted some magnificent boobie videos involving lactation that are stupid hot, and even tho they could be classified as porn, they're not to me. She's in her home, I think her husband is filming them, and while they're hot af, there's also this incredible wholesomeness to it all. And she just seems so blissfully happy. Which I love. So, I'd be happy for her if she retired. Because apparently photos of her will continue to pop up anyways! I'd never seen this one before, and woah, I mean I have a thing for girls in rollerblades in general, but when it's Gabbie, and ONLY rollerblades? Unf.
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southeastasianists · 1 month ago
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When my helper of 27 years left to go back home to Jakarta, we often spoke over the phone about seeing each other again. I had no idea it would end this way—me standing over her grave, looking down at the ground of what remained of her, my face streaming with tears. 
The grave is uncared for. Trashed and forgotten. And this was after I had sent over money to her family to make it “good,” as Indonesians would say. But nothing here looks good. 
As I dug my hands into the ground, yanking out weeds and picking up plastic bottles and trash, I never felt lonelier in my grief.
To the world, she’s my maid. But to me, she’s a mother.
In many countries in Southeast Asia like Singapore, Indonesia or the Philippines, we often hire helpers—or a maid as some would deign to call them—to care for our children. 
The term ‘maid’ holds cultural connotations of colonialism. We hope that using the more palatable term ‘helper’ offers a clinical removal of such unsavoury overtones. We think changing the vocabulary may help us feel better about the exploitation of labour.
In truth, the word ‘helper’ wears a cloak of progressiveness without changing anything. They ‘help’ us. We pay them.
It’s all smoke and mirrors for a transaction that hasn’t changed in centuries.
I personally never thought of the word ‘maid’ as derogatory. To me, a maid is someone who worked alongside my mom to raise me.
Someone I loved, who, when I was a kid, fed me and took care of me when I fell off my rollerblades and told me it was all going to be okay when I had my first teenage heartbreak. She taught me how to be resilient and strong and did all the dirty work my parents were unwilling to do when caring for me.
I sat and sobbed over the barren ground where she was buried. All I could think of was how this force of a woman was now dust in this cracked, dry, orange land.
How could I have left her like that for two years? 
Loving the Help Wholeheartedly
It’s funny if you think about it—these women are essentially hired to be family members, participating in the act of raising other people’s children. Kids grow attached to them. At times, they see their helpers more often than they do their own parents.
Yet, at the same time, there is a transactionality to this relationship (surprising or not). They are paid to care for your kid. Your kid, being a kid, loves them blindly in return.
It’s a relationship fraught with both exploitation and intimacy. As a fully-grown woman raised by my helper, I still find this relationship difficult to digest and decipher. 
Thinking back, I remember giving her hugs and affection and saying, “Sorry Endang. Maaf ya. Tadi saya marah…” after losing my temper at her for ironing my clothes wrong or messing something trivial up.
I remember when she cooked a fantastic nasi tumpeng for my birthday party. As my friends dug in, she sat at the back of the kitchen, doing her duties instead of joining in.
I used to pray to God that she would never have to leave. My biggest fear back then was that she would have to go back to her real family.
Even in navigating this unbalanced mother-daughter/employer-helper relationship, there was inexplicable authentic, unconditional love for each other.
Still, for our parents, this transaction is viewed differently. I’ve seen how my friend’s parents reacted to my friend wanting to give her helper a heartfelt gift—a framed picture of the two of them—when she was retiring and going back to the Philippines.
“Why? We already gave her a lot (of money). We don’t need to give more,” they intoned, incredulous that their daughter felt she needed to give the helper anything else. For them, it was all a mere business transaction.
Helpers Seen and Lost
The revolving door of helpers and drivers coming and going from my family is ever-turning. I remember a company driver I spent time road-tripping with in Batam, only to find out he died a couple of years later in a car crash.
I’ve also seen my cousins grow up with the same helper for decades. The years have been unkind as we watch her wither away in age, to the point she could no longer work and was sent back. Their helper has since passed away as well.
I have always wondered what this relationship meant to the different parties involved. Is it just helper-employer? Is it a friendship?
For me, it was a familial love and bond. And it can go both ways. 
When my grandfather died, I remember having to shake hands with countless funeral attendees. Everyone who was family wore a pinned rose. So did I. Looking around, I saw the helpers who took care of him, rose-less, eyes red from grieving for the 99-year-old man they spent every waking day taking care of.
Standing surrounded by hundreds of flower bouquets, I watched as the helpers mourned my late grandfather. But at least there was a ritual and a space for me to express my grief.
But when my helper died, all I got was a picture sent over WhatsApp of her lifeless body wrapped in a kain kafan (the white shroud used in Muslim funeral rituals) and a phone call revealing that she had passed away.
I sat in my room alone in deafening silence, with no one to mourn with. No hands to shake, nothing.
I longed to be there for her funeral, but it was 2020—the height of the pandemic. Still, that didn’t stop me from clicking furiously on my phone, searching for flights despite knowing there were none.
So in the middle of this helpless night, with a giant void in my heart and a rock in my throat, I did the only thing I could do—the superficial act of arranging for flowers at 2 AM.
If I couldn’t be there, a stand of flowers would have to be my stand-in.
The next day, I was sent a picture of the flowers at the funeral site. The image was strange. One floral arrangement on a barren field, plastic chairs in the background, no other bouquets around in sight. Mine was the only arrangement she received. 
I loved the woman like my mother, and all I had for her was some flowers in an empty field. To me, she deserved the world—she deserved thousands of flowers and an ocean of love surrounding her. She deserved to know how much I valued her.
All this love I had for her had no place to go.
The Career of Care
It made me wonder how different my life would have been without her—how she forms an integral part of who I am today. Like my helper, many domestic workers stay with their families for years in regions like Singapore, India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.
I grew up observing maids enter the lives of affluent families and observed this relationship until their employment ended. The person they cared for either didn’t need them anymore or died. Either that or the helpers themselves fell ill or grew too old to work.
In the case of my helper, it was age that led her to spend her golden years back in Jakarta with her family.
In Singapore, helpers’ contracts are typically renewable for two-year terms. Worker retention is encouraged to prevent excessive turnover. Workers must be 23 to 50 years old during the age of application; they can renew their contracts and stay for an unlimited amount of years until they reach the age of 60.
However, I know things are different from personal experience after helping my mom send in appeals to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to enable our helper to stay longer. You can retain a helper beyond that age in Singapore. My helper stayed with us well into her 60s.
Hong Kong bears a resemblance to Singapore, with similar renewable two-year contract terms and an age range of 18 to 59, with one considerable difference. Hong Kong implements a long service payment for domestic workers who have been with their employees for more than five years and are retiring due to health issues or old age.
There, helpers who have had their contract terminated due to redundancy—such as a move or the fact that the children your worker is taking care of have grown up—still get a service payment.
In other regions like Indonesia, the household is considered almost always off-limits with regard to state intervention, meaning laws regulating helpers have been left largely unregulated. The role of domestic workers is seen as a maternal one, and they are often referred to simply as helpers (the soft term in Malay: pembantu) rather than perceived as actual workers.  
After two decades of pressure, Indonesia is still working on passing a domestic workers’ bill. Their exclusion from labour law gives them little to no control over the terms of their employment and little structure to implement a pension plan.
Similarly, in the Philippines, being a domestic worker (‘kasambahay’ or ‘yaya’) is considered neither a formal nor an informal occupation. Paid domestic work is an essential source of employment, with numbers increasing yearly. However, many people regard it as unskilled work that can be exploited.
The implementation of Kasambahay Law in 2013 offers more protection for Filipino domestic workers—but it has opened the door to unethical practices by unscrupulous employment agencies charging illegal fees and offering little stability. Many workers are afraid to voice any complaints and remain vulnerable to the hands they are dealt.
Helpers work well into and beyond their retirement years, dedicating their lives to other families as an occupation, partly because of the lack of security that their job offers them. Informal work arrangements mean little political protection and practically zero financial cushioning after retirement.
With many countries not offering any pension, there is little security for what comes after. And for those without children or families to take care of them, what sort of life are they returning to?
Then there is the emotional impact of living a large portion of their life embedded in someone else’s home.
One party watches the other grow up. The other watches the other age into their autumn years.
Grief With Nowhere to Go
Finding a place for the love I had for my helper after she passed on was like navigating in the dark in an empty room. Especially since she wasn’t technically my family or my friend. I had no one to share this grief with—and hardly any place to visit to bear witness to it. 
When I confided to my mother about my grief, she retorted with hurt. “It feels like you loved Endang more than me,” she remarked.
This is not the first occurrence of a parent feeling slighted by a child’s love for the helper. Nor will it be the last.
As people from an invisible faction of society, helpers are often kept in the background or sidelines of our lives. They are the ones in the corner pew of a grandfather’s funeral. They are the ones cooking in the back of the kitchen on our birthdays. They are the ones holding the camera and snapping our family pictures on holidays and occasions—rarely a part of the photo.
Most of the time, they are unseen and unacknowledged. And so I found my loss and love similarly unseen and unacknowledged by society.
A Fitting Goodbye
After leaving Jakarta, I offered money to ensure my helper got her final resting place. I only received a picture of the completed work while in the throes of writing this piece.
And yes, I know ceremonies and tombstones are more for the living than the dead. But it’s finally a worthy space where she can be honoured in the way I feel she deserves.
More selfishly, it’s a way to hold on to the little I have left of her.
The groundskeeper is also working on getting a tree planted next to the tombstone. During my visit, I noticed that the other side of the graveyard was sprawling with beautiful trees, and I knew I wanted the same for her. 
They offered frangipani, which I gladly agreed to. I didn’t even know that frangipani is both a fitting symbol of the immense love and lasting bond between two people—and also a symbol of connecting with spirits and ghosts.
That’s all I ever wanted. An expression of love for Endang and a way to connect to her again.
So often, helpers bear the burden of domestic labour and mothering. But they are ironically never really considered truly part of the domicile. They spend years mothering children but are never considered part of the family. They spend years in our personal space but are never really at home.
But Endang was my family. And I hope that now, she has finally found the home she truly deserves.
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gh0st-t0wn3 · 1 year ago
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Lmk ss edits + Headcanons, Part 3 (Chang'e, Nezha, Pif, DBK)
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- She/Her
- Bisexual w/ male pref (eternally devoted to her husband, Hou Yi, in Chinese mythology though, so I don't ship her with anyone)
- Constellation shaped freckles
- Even though her robot bunnies don't need to eat she still sets out extra plates otherwise she feels bad
- Ambivert
- Used to have a short hair phase
- Aside from cooking she's also good at coloring/painting and makes jewelry for fun
- Can talk for hours on end
- Would absolutely loose her mind if she found out about rollerblading, change my mind
- BIG sweet tooth
- Exchanged a few recipes with Pigsy before they left
- Uses Kaomojis
- Stress eats
- Chang'e and Macaque are besties (I saw other people talking about this and thought it was cute)
- Chang’e is one of the very few people Macaque allows hugs from because she gives the best comforting hugs ever
- She tried to teach MK how to cook once and he failed miserably, she has banned him from the kitchen permanently
- Everytime Macaque complains about something to her it ALWAYS has something to do with Wukong and Chang’e is honestly done with them at this point
- She is always energetic, like seriously, she can run around and cook and exercise for hours and never break a sweat
- She can play the flute
- She does Nezha's hair sometimes when he visits
- Her, Nezha and Macaque will all get together sometimes and just gossip for hours
- Hates it when her kitchen is messy, even when she's in a rush to make something or there's a lot going on she'll be sure to put everything in a neat order
- Smells like cakes, pies and other pastries
- Love language is quality time
- Her skin is always really cold (because of , y'know.. living on the moon) but she's lived there for so long now that she hardly notices anymore
- Doesn't really have a skin care routine and doesn't use a lot of products but her skin is always so soft and clear anyways
- Makes up her own constellations when she stargazes
- She has a small shrine in her house in respect to Hou Yi
- Has two group chats, one with Macaque and Nezha for gossiping, and the other with Pigsy and DBK for cooking
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- He/Him
- AroAce
- Put his hair up in a messy bun the ONE time Wukong decided to drop in unannounced, still gets bullied for it to this day
- Would probably die if you ever gave him any kind of soda
- Has a scar on his neck and can even pop his head off like the headless horseman because of... iykyk.. sometimes pulls it off to scare people
- Like Pigsy, he's a huge environmentalist; got super pissed when he heard about climate change and pollution, like he was DEVESTATED
- Really likes chocolate milk, but only drinks it when he's alone because Wukong caught him once and still teases him about it
- Use to babysit Redson when he was little, especially when Princess Iron Fan was too distressed to look after him herself for long periods at a time after her husband was sealed away
- Taught Redson how to harness his powers while he babysat
- Perfect handwriting, it should be a font
- Has difficulty breathing, especially when he gets overwhelmed, due to... yk.. committing..
- Always has a least a small taste of metal in his mouth
- Redson would somehow manage to disappear if Nezha looked away for even a second so he wound up having to get a ring sling to carry him in, no one took him seriously with it on
- Sees PIF as an older sister
- Favourite food is strawberry cake
- Not necessarily a vegetarian but doesn't eat meat often
- Meditates to save and absorb energy instead of sleeping, that way if something happens or someone attacks, he's always awake and ready to handle the situation
- When meditating, stray lotus petals will float around and surround him that act as a shield while also emitting a peaceful aura that keeps both himself and the people around him in a calm state of mind
- Him and Wukong have a sibling rivalry
- Felt incredibly guilty when Redson got trapped in a scroll because he was the one Redson came to when his parents were gone and thought he failed to protect him
- DBK and him have an awkward relationship given the whole "Attack on heaven" thing, but have been trying to find something to bond over for PIF
- Erlang and PIF are basically his older siblings, like they'd be the kind of siblings who'll pretend to give him an important task so he'll leave them alone and then immediately shut and lock the door as soon as he leaves the room, y'know?? He still hasn't forgiven them for that
- Smells like Lotus flowers and strawberries
- Love language is acts of service and words of affirmation
- Likes the idea of hiking and stargazing but never has the time to do it since he's always working
- Isn't afraid to call out someone's bs (*cough* Monkey King *cough*) but can't handle someone calling him out for the literal life of him
- He loves flowers and their symbolism, use to study it before he was tasked with guarding the map to the samadhi rings
- He's actually a really good swimmer but people don't believe him because of his relation to fire
- Has absolutley licked himself to see what he tastes like
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- She/Her
- Bisexual
- Has a beautiful singing voice and use to sing lullabies to Redson all the time when he was a kid. Although it's a rare occurrence, she'll sing lullabies to him even now if he gets particularly stressed out or anxious
- Feels guilty about being too mentally unwell to take care of Redson properly after DBK was sealed away when he was little but never knew how to make up for it so she just closed herself off instead which is why she's so cold with him
- Would sleep in a guest bedroom or on the couch for the first few years of DBK being sealed away because she couldn't handle being alone in such a big bed without him
- Follow up on the last HC, after she started sleeping in her and DBK's bed again Redson would sometimes come in in the middle of the night and sleep in bed with her so she felt less lonely but stopped after he turned 11-12 (or at least the Demon equivalent to that age cause he's like 500+)
- Does Redson's hair for him in the morning since he's always too tired to do it himself
- Use to style his hair like hers, with the little horns made of hair, at least until his real horns started growing in
- Her and Macaque are sworn siblings (I have no idea where this HC came from but I saw other people talking about it and thought it was cute)
- Sees Nezha as a younger brother
- Was outcast from her family after DBK started courting her, she was upset for a while but it was worth it
- Super long hair, like it reaches her thighs when it's fully down
- Master calligrapher, seriously her writing is so beautiful and neat
- When DBK was first freed, the first two or so weeks she would stay up as long as possibly and hold onto him so tight whenever she finally did fall asleep because she was scared she'd wake up and he'd be gone again
- Felt like she failed as a mother when she realized she missed Redson's first words, first steps, everything, because Nezha had to look after him while she mourned her husband
- Favourite flowers are Dhalia's
- Because her hair is long it's also very heavy, sometimes if her scalp is particularly sore from keeping it styled up in horns all day DBK will sit with her and brush her hair while she relaxes and watches TV or reads
- Cooks sometimes but isn't as good as DBK
- Has a terrible habit of hiding her emotions from her family (actually the entire Demon Bull Family struggles with this habit)
- Hates the feeling of ink on her skin, someone knocked over a bottle of writing ink in her hand once and she washed it for almost an hour straight to get rid of the feeling of it on her skin
- Smells like Stargazer Lilies
- Love language is quality time and words of affirmation
- Surprisingly big fan of horror movies (conjuring, exorcist, Shining, etc)
- Listens to true crime shows/podcasts while working
- Had servants home-school Redson and then took over home-schooling him herself when he was older
- All her clothes are custom made, and had to get them re-made with fire resistant materials after Redson was born, as well as everything else in the Demon Bull Palace (Clothes, rugs, sheets, blankets, curtains etc)
- Has separate makeup and jewelry boxes, one for everyday wear, and one for special events (anniversaries,  royal gatherings, etc)
- Ambivert
- If she runs out of patience for you, you will literally die
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- He/Him
- Bisexual
- Hardly recognized Redson when he was freed from the mountain, which is why he didn't address him as quickly as he did Iron Fan
- Has a hard time trying to Remember Redson isn't little anymore, was devestated that he didn't get to watch him grow up
- Tries to connect with Redson and learn about his interests but it just comes off as really awkward for both of them
- Throws all of MK's (and other suitors) Courting gifts to Redson away if he sees them before Redson does (I am a firm believer of overprotective dad DBK)
- Learned how to cook for Iron Fan after they started courting eachother to impress her and it grew into an actual hobby of his, now he likes to cook and bake when he's stressed instead of yelling and breaking things (especially after the Lady Bone Demon incident)
- All his old cook books are pretty much dust after not being used and taken care of for several centuries and although he was upset, he still remembers a few of the recipes, majority of the food he makes now is what he learned from watching Chang'e's cooking show
- Exchanges recipes with Pigsy after getting to know eachother a bit at the beach, but they don't talk much outside of food related topics
- Once walked in on Redson and MK making out in Redsons room and promptly threw MK out the window (he was fine)
- Use to allow Wukong to take naps on his chest while they were still in the Brotherhood, mostly because Wukong would never stop and DBK eventually gave up on trying to get him to stop
- Got really emotional when he found out Redson got a nose ring to match with him (pretended not to care but started crying when he was alone)
- Keeps a photo of PiF and Redson with him at all times, it's not in great condition anymore because he was buried under the mountain with it, but it's too sentimental for him to replace it
- Knows Redsons date of birth down to the exact hour by heart (Canon in JTTW)
- Touch starved, being locked away for 500 years definitely took a toll on him
- Still hasn't entirely forgiven Wukong for calling Redson a "half-baked son"
- Much like how PIF will sing to Redson when he's particularly stressed or anxious, DBK will cook Redson his favorite childhood meal; he was worried the first time it happened because he wasn't sure how to handle Redsons emotional state and also wasn't sure if he still liked the dish he loved as a child, but Redson was visibly happier (or at least calmer) afterwards so he'll keep making it for him
- Has a sepertate pen and writing ink that he uses exclusively for writing to PIF
- He's a sucker for romance movies
- Will pick Redson up by the back of his shirt like a cat and drag him to bed if he's overworking himself
- Invited the Brotherhood to see Redson when he was first born; was disappointed when Azure, Peng and Yellowtusk never showed up
- Goes all out on him and PiF's anniversary to make up for the 500 anniversaries he missed (same with PIF and Redson's birthdays)
- Smells like dirt and regretful life choices (fr though he's been under a mountain for 500 years, that smell doesn't wash away easy after that long, Iron Fan surprisingly doesn't mind, but maybe she's just too happy that he's back to care enough about it)
- Love language is physical touch and quality time
- Cried watching the Titanic, don't even try to tell me otherwise
- Hopeless romantic
- Loves spicy food but doesn't have as high a tolerance as Redson (still very high though, but I mean c'mon, Redson is literally a fire demon)
- Cannot understand or use technology for the life of him, he's calling in Redson left and right asking how to download something or how to get onto another website
- Still feels guilty whenever he sees Redson flinch at him (because of the whole almost killing Redson when he was possessed by the Lady Bone Demon)
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nickloonie · 14 days ago
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moreee skating and more yap under cut
idk if anyone else's roller rinks are like this but the bathrooms are vape CENTRAL people will literally sit there for hours. just outside the bathrooms. vaping. no skates on. PISSES ME OFFFFF GET ON THE RINK GO PLAY
all ive done today is draw doodles for this im so productive!!! anyways ROLES
skateboard:
knife (good at it)
pickle (good at it)
nickel (good at it but doesn't do it often)
trophy (shit at it)
blueberry (good but gave up the first time he failed an ollie)
mic (good at it)
paintbrush (ok at it!! doesnt try to do tricks though)
lightbulb (all she wants to do is learn how to kickflip. shes pretty good at it but she cant kickflip yet)
clover (longboards along the beach,, she doesnt have to be good she's just cruising) 
rollerskate:
baseball (good at it)
balloon (bad at it)
suitcase (good at it)
bot (learning)
fan (tries to teach bot but hes not very good either)
lightbulb (good at it)
OJ (uses them for exercise and to get around; its more like a bike for him. but also will use them if his friends invite him skating)
rollerblade:
nickel (amazing at it)
balloon (not very good but still likes it)
mic (pretty good at it)
suitcase (good because it's similar to ice skating)
test tube (better than expected)
ice skate:
suitcase (amazing at it)
balloon (very bad but loves it)
nickel (good because it's similar to rollerblading)
bot (good at it)
marshmallow (good at it)
apple (shit at it)
taco (ok at it)
silver (ok at it)
candle (almost as good as suitcase)
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drill-teeth-art · 3 months ago
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YOUR ARCEE IS SO CUUUUUTE
Also jubilee.... I love them.... we are besties.... I stealing them.....
THANK YOU!!! She's da rollerblading queen.
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And thank you times two! I'm so glad you like Jubilee! Their totally normal not evil carnival is always hiring. Don't ask about the high job turnover it's fine.
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