#so in love with her freckles that i gave all her family members freckles!

[willowbeesims]

Caroline Rhode Downing 🤎

Caroline Downing (26) grew up in the suburbs of Charleston, South Carolina with her older brother, Eric, and younger sister, Kaia. She was quite reserved as a child, preferring to bury herself in books and daydreaming rather than rambunctious play like her siblings. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in English language and literature, she has been working as an editor at a local publishing house for several years.

Her parents, Richard and Maria, are owners of an award winning winery in Charleston and a renowned equestrian center in the Scottish Highlands. Her brother, Eric, was positioned to oversee the building of the family’s equestrian center in town when he tragically passed away in a fatal car accident last summer.

Life for the Downings haven’t been the same since. Though a semblance of normalcy and routine have returned, each member has been on their own journey with grief and healing. This experience of loss has brought them closer than ever and as the season changes, they hope to commemorate Eric’s memory by completing his passion project and finding gratitude in simple things.

Caroline’s outfit inspired by @classicpixels new lookbook!

[hellodaydream1111111111111111]

More HxH headcanons!

Leorio has had a mullet.

Hisoka shows up at illumi's window frequently.

Mike sheds his summer coat all at once but he still loses a lot of fluff, Illumi uses so many lint rollers it's insane.

Killua and the gang buy random phone numbers on Craigslist to bully Illumi and whenever he gets these texts, he kicks his feet like a little girl.

Silva told all the other Zoldycks not to buy Killua a birthday present so he could seem like the best dad ever and comfort his son when the rest of the family “forgot”

Kikyo is a flat earther.

Hisoka finds Illumi’s hair everywhere in his apartment.

Hisoka is actually a natural ginger but he covers up his freckles with texture surprise and dyes his hair.

Milluki hates Killua because in his eyes his brother took everything from Illumi (he did but it wasn't his fault) and he knows Illumi won't hate him so he feels like he has to do it for him.

Milluki is always worried about Illumi because well... He's Illumi.

Milluki and Illumi flip each other off if they pass by each other in the hallway.

Chrollo spams Illumi with texts equivalent to “Quit your job, join my emo band”

Whenever Illumi returns from an especially long mission, Kikyo picks him up when she hugs him.

Zeno gave up his role as head to Silva on the condition he got a say in what happened to Killua, he doesn't care about any of the other kids and won't do anything about Silva being a terrible human being as long as it doesn't affect Killua.

Illumi talks about his siblings so much (Especially Killua but that was implied) that sometimes Hisoka feels like he’s dating a single mom.

Illumi loves his mother but secretly feels that he would be a better fit as Killua’s mother despite being a man.

Zeno constantly makes fun of Silva for letting Kikyo dress their sons up as little girls and “Giving in to his woman”

Since the Zoldycks are immune to poisons, Kikyo wears dresses in authentic scheele’s green and to build up tolerance the Zoldycks would give their children toys painted with it.

When Killua was little, Illumi used to just sit on his bed and watch sleep all night; gently stroking his hair every now and then.

Kikyo is manic, she hurts her children and then cries about them being hurt while bandaging them up.

Kikyo’s mood changes rapidly, with Illumi she is jealous of him and berates him half the time and is the most supportive mother the other half.

Not really a headcanon but if Illumi can sharpen his nails like Killua, which I assume he can, I feel bad for Hisoka though he probably enjoys it.

Illumi can crack all his joints and it freaks Milluki out.

The Zoldyck siblings are mad creative with insults.

Kalluto has 3 dads and none of them are Silva (Chrollo, Phinks and Illumi)

Illumi is very nitpicky once he comes out of his shell.

Hisoka and Illumi have specialty weapons that are a lot higher quality for when they eventually fight each other.

One time Illumi was in a really good mood and got way too excited to see Mike, the giant beast had lipstick stains all over him.

Illumi tried to summon a demon because Hisoka told him he needed a hobby and he wasn’t sure what to do, Chrollo happily volunteered as the sacrifice.

Illumi enjoys embarrassing his siblings.

The phantom troupe members always ruffle Kalluto’s hair when they walk by him.

Hisoka blasts music while getting ready and Illumi smashes dishes to drown out the sound because he thinks Hisoka’s music is trashy.

Illumi has all of his siblings baby teeth in a jar on his nightstand.

One time Gon tried to make his own orange juice but he added salt instead of sugar to it and cried.

Kalluto knows fan language and uses it on Zushi who is absolutely oblivious.

Illumi organizes when he’s stressed but eventually he runs out of things to organize som he goes into Milluki’s room and cleans. Milluki used to get pissed but now he’s found out that he can pretend he did it an only gets slightly annoyed.

Kalluto and Illumi have a long standing game where Kalluto will try to land a hit on Illumi as he goes about his day to day, he’s only be successful four times and usually ends up getting held upside down by his feet.

Hisoka actually has a lot more aura than it seems, he just uses a lot of it on bungee gum to keep his ridiculous outfits in the right places.

Illumi throws pins around his room when he’s bored but it drives Milluki nuts because they share a wall.

[loganofthenorth]

Ight Folks. Know what time it is?

Catra in my Shera Swap AU, that’s what time it is.

(For those that don’t know I’m making a Shera Swap AU where Catra joined the Princess Alliance and became Shera instead of Adora. I’m designing the characters in Hero Forge since I can’t draw.)

Anywho here’s Catra

(Full body versions and more info under the cut. Warning for spoilers in case I write this as a story.)

So in this AU, Catra discovers the sword and is chosen by it. Basically Light Hope was originally looking for Adora, but determined that she wouldn’t be able to activate the weapon when the time came. So instead she chose Catra.

At first Catra, like Adora, looks a lot like she did in cannon:

(Forgot to give her freckles in the full body pictures but you can see them in the zoomed in face one. Also gave her more accurate hair in that one..)

But as time goes on, Catra is taking better care of herself. She learns proper hair care for her hair type, wears better quality clothing, eats better quality food, etc. This, along with a healthier personality due to healing from trauma, changes her appearance as years go by.

Still has ripped jeans though cause she’s very physically active.

Probably would have scrapes on her knees and elbows honestly.

After joining the Princess Alliance, Catra is basically adopted by Castapella and lives in Bright Moon.

Scorpia is the Princess of a nearby Kingdom and visits regularly since she was the one to bring Catra to Bright Moon (and she has no other friends)

Catra is personally offended that Scorpia has no friends so they go visit the other members of the Princess Alliance under the guise of Catra needing to meet everyone. (Really Catra’s mission is to make them respect Scorpia because she doesn’t expect to be accepted by the Princesses herself.)

Catra is very confused when the Princesses (and Prince in Sea Hawk’s case. More on that later.) accept her and respect her as Shera. She develops an understanding that she’s only accepted because she’s Shera, meaning that whenever Scorpia accepts her regardless of if she can use her powers or not Catra is incredibly confused.

I’m probably going to have a lot of fun writing Catra as a good guy because ‘tsundere Girl Boss that heals and becomes a good person’ is way more fun to write than ‘tsundere girlboss that gets worse and becomes a horrible person but don’t worry she’ll get better later’.

That’s just my opinion.

Also Entrapta becomes her sister when she switches sides and is also adopted into Brightmoon by Castapella. Which is great because I think Catra is the only one that’s actually genuinely nice to Entrapta in the Horde. Entrapta makes sense. She’ll be your friend if you help her with her science stuff. Catra finds Entrapta’s unique mindset refreshing. They also sass each other off a lot due to being very intelligent but in different fields. (Catra is emotionally intelligent but scientifically she has difficulties. Entrapta is the other way around.)

Castapella and Catra bond over their mutual hatred of (and secret desire for approval from) Shadow Weaver

Catra will cry a lot in this AU because she isn’t used to receiving love and acceptance

Every fight with Adora will consist of her trying to convince Adora to switch sides. Whether that be through reason, force, threats, or flirting.

Catra is a gay disaster and will complain about it constantly to anyone that will listen.

Bright Moon’s guards are often turned into her personal sound boards.

Castapella spoils Catra rotten and is very desperate for Catra’s approval. Catra is extremely confused by this until she realizes that Castapella had lost all of her family and friends to the Horde. They form a very strong bond from this and Catra vows to figure out what happened to Bright Moon’s former rulers.

Catra becomes extremely loyal as time goes on. Anyone she deems a friend she refuses to leave behind regardless of the cost. Because of this she will get extremely frustrated whenever she has to choose between two friends.

She’ll start accidentally calling Castapella Shadow Weaver sometimes but Entrapta assures Castapella that it basically means Catra is accidentally calling her Mom.

Catra will proceed to try and murder Entrapta.

Glimmer is the only person on Adora’s team that Catra will actually try to kill. The others she’ll hold hostage but she’s too conflicted to actually kill them. She refuses to hurt Adora but will lash out at her in self defence. When she leaves lasting injuries on her former friends she proceeds to shut down in her room for days and have guilt induced nightmares.

Catra has nightmares very often. Perfuma and Castapella will probably make dream catchers for her to try and prevent them.

Catra and Mermista become great friends. I think she’ll also get along well with Frosta.

Catra will see Sea Hawk as very annoying and complain with him alongside Mermista. However he grows on her and if anyone hurts him she’ll hurt them back. Also she becomes his wingman when she realizes Mermista has a crush on him.

Perfuma and Catra won’t get along at first. It will take a long time, even after she and Scorpia get together, for them to get along. Perfuma will help Catra a lot with healing once they are on good terms, but her attempts to help Catra only aggravate her before then.

Also here’s full body pics of Catra’s Shera Form since I forgot to add that

No I did not have the ��Mommy, sorry. Mommy? Sorry…” sound playing in my head while making this and I’m offended you would ask. 😤 /j

I’m also thinking that at some point near the end of the story, Catra turns into some monstrous version of Shera due to a mental breakdown and some fuckery going on with Etheria’s magic. This will probably be what prompts Adora to get her own Shera form so she can help Catra out of that state.

The new Shera form she gets after the weapon is destroyed will be a bit more true to her like Adora’s was, but I haven’t designed it yet. I saved my progress with each of these designs so I’ll probably make more designs for this AU in the future.

I think her outfit in the new Shera Form will have something to represent Scorpia, Entrapta, Castapella, and of course Adora. Maybe she’ll have some red scales in her armour that represent Scorpia, gears and some technical features to represent Entrapta, stars for Castapella, and maybe Adora’s iconic jacket.

I think that’s all the info I have for now. Next up will be Scorpia!

[aevyk-ing]

Watching the making of Wish

-Patting their backs for reusing animation as an homage. Like yeah, it’s nice, there’s work behind that, but it’s the way they say it, like: “We’ve worked hard! Trust us!” We know animation is hard and the problem with Wish was never the animation.

-I didn’t know Sabino was based on Roger from The Aristocats. I love Roger, he’s delightful. Poor Sabino just looks bland in comparison.

-They say Asha has her good and bad traits (which isn’t true) and is so brave to go against what she has believed her whole life. I've seen that done way better and with actually compelling characters.

-“She has to balance being a good friend and family member to speaking the truth and I think we can all relate to that” Well… nope. All those things can be different things. And both your friends and family should help you or at least listen to you.

-Saying that the “I want” song explains how the character is, like… duh.

-Well, yes, Ariana DeBose did great with what she was given.

-So Asha has freckles because some people of North Africa and Southern Spain have freckles… what? Any skin color can have freckles. And I can’t talk about North African people but Andalusian aren’t quite freckled (yes, that’s the name of Southern Spain). Also, I never saw her as mixed. She totally follows more of her mother’s culture. That’s why I don’t like her calling her father’s father saba. Her mother’s father would be her saba and her father’s father her abuelo.

-I love Bill Schwab’s designs, he’s a great artist. But he was only told Asha’s age, race and height. Which yeah, it’s important, but for designing a character you should think about their personality too, because that also translates into their features, hairstyle, clothes and mannerisms. We still don’t know anything about Asha. Is she shy? Likes comfy clothes? No, wait, she’s adorkable.

-They talk about Disney Princess gowns using elements from the current period where they were made (something quite interesting) but they just put the Modern twist in Asha’s hairstyle. Like, what were you afraid of?

-Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but Schwab’s just did his job with a model sheet and that was the ONLY reference they had for animating Asha for a while. Then one of them used his daughter as inspiration and then Ariana came with lots of ideas. They didn’t know how Asha moved for the longest time! Their lead character!

-They say Asha is pure energy, which is… somehow correct? Like she’s just awkward and making those weird moves and trying to be cute and funny. The movie is done and nobody knows yet who the heck is Asha as a character.

-Apparently, Asha has details of pumpkin seeds all over her clothes and she’s wearing periwinkle because of the idea of making her THE Fairy Godmother. I still think she looks better in orange.

-Seeing the voice acting outtakes was good. But now I wish the Bland Dwarfs looked more like the actors. All of them have interesting features that could have been implemented in the designs instead of making them clones of the Encanto family and the mother from Strange World.

-The first deleted scene is after Sabino retrieves his wish and he sings a song. I would have put it in the end as a farewell song with everyone joining it.

-"The Wish equation" is to have a true wish, be responsible of it and… finding support? Fight for it? Exclude fear? Accept change? What are we even talking about? A dream career?

-They say the FG gave Cinderella the dress but couldn’t make the Prince fall in love with her, so she was supporting her! Like… Cinderella just wanted to go to the ball. BAM, there you go, a new dress, WISH GRANTED. Cinderella’s wish wasn’t to make the Prince fall in love with her, she didn’t even know him yet!

-“Music happens when you’re too overwhelmed with emotion.” This clip plays AFTER a snippet of "Welcome to Rosas". I guess Asha was too overwhelmed with being late. That shouldn’t have been a song, she should have told us about Rosas in the book opening.

-They wanted it to be like a fairytale and then hired a pop composer. Like the director says she grew up with the Disney Renaissance Era. Which used Broadway music!

-They talked about this earlier but “This wish” was the song that helped them write the movie, just like "Let it go" made them rewrite Frozen. So you can tell they didn’t have much to work on, maybe an idea: “Hey, just do a fairytale about wishes for our anniversary.”

-The songwriter was so overwhelmed with the commission she had to reach a friend to help her.  Maybe because nobody actually knew what the movie was about? But hey, she’s the youngest to ever write a Disney OST.

-You know? The more I hear “This wish” the more I’m sure it’s the best song of the entire soundtrack.

-Hey, I know that guy in the archive! I’ve seen this clip before!

-I’m just hearing they didn’t know what the heck to do and dived into the archive for inspiration. I like the idea that they studied the greatest artists for some scenes, but sadly, all that is lost in the movie. They scenes are too short to appreciate the animation, but A+ for effort.

-They thought doing a fairytale illustration style was difficult to do… in 3D. Just don’t do it in 3D! Also, I don’t think it’s that difficult, Blue Eyed Samurai did something great.

-The composition is interesting and the backgrounds too, but the characters look quite bad.

-The illustration style led to the backgrounds (and everything) being in focus, which I think it also makes the movie look weird. Look at any old painting: the background is less detailed than the main focus (less brush strokes). They could have gone that direction. The backgrounds of Wish are too detailed a lot of the times and always in focus, so it’s distracting.

-BTW, most of this is: “We did this like in this movie, that like in that movie…” but, what’s original? What makes Wish its own movie?

-They talk about lines like lineart in animation, which we’ve seen it masterfully in Spiderman. But here is so subdued it doesn’t add anything.

-“Wouldn’t it be great to have a warmer climate than the one we’re used in fairytales?” Yeah, because there’s snow in Encanto and Hercules. Also, nothing tells us that’s a warmer climate. Google “Andalusia”, please. There’s flowers in bright colors everywhere, white houses, narrow streets and people, just a lot of loud and happy people. That’s Southern Spain for you all.

-At least with Frozen we CAN TELL it’s Norway. Here, there’s nothing that says SPAIN. Give us people eating serrano ham or tortillas, maybe put a bull around there, have them drink wine from botijos and play guitars!

-Again with the “this was based on this”. Rosas was inspired by The Sleeping Beauty: Germany and France. That’s a whole different architectural design! There’s no verticality as main focus in Mozarab architecture, is all about curves.

-“So it’s your fault.” Yeah, that doesn’t sound fun. I have the feeling you’re not telling a lot of things.

-You know, another Fantasia would have been great. Maybe one with all the Disney characters.

-This is now about the story of Disney, so yeah, padding. Also, way to use “At all costs” in the background. We don’t want to remember what you’ve done in the past, we just want you to tell a good story again.

-This should have been the beginning, the “wish upon a star” that put Wish in motion.

-It was going to be about the origin of the wishing star?

-“Return of Disney villain” Hahahahahahah…

-They didn’t know how bad Magnífico could be and made him do mean stuff like smashing Sabino’s guitar (they called it a guitar here).

-Also, apparently he was going to be shirtless in a scene. Like, you know, a Disney villain.

-We don’t watch him BECOME a villain, we watch a magic book CONTROL him!

-“With "This is the thanks I get" I was like, oh, yeah, we have a narcissist.”, so they didn’t know anything about Magnífico until the song was written! That’s why he doesn’t act like a narcissist much until that song and why the mirror ending felt rushed.

-“When Chris Pine came in I was like: that’s it, that’s the character.” Because they didn’t even had designed it? Like, that’s literally him!

-He did give it all to that song.

-Magnífico was an alchemist?

-“We didn’t want people to know he was evil right away.” Every poster and article: “Disney’s new villain, everybody!”.

-“Makes him more dangerous the quieter he is.” Magnífico in the end battle: eyes fully open, screaming, laughing.

-Oh, Star, here we go. He was going to be pure energy as well… just like Asha! Yeah, we were robbed. BTW, he’s not like Genie or Maui. Maui and Genie aren’t even the same!

-He could have been a fantastic creature as well. And all those designs look crazily fun. But also that’s the kind of exploration you do at the beginning of the production, not in the middle. Unless someone meddles…

-Someone went out to design different sparkles for Star but I could only see it being adorkable. Focused on the face so the sparkles weren’t even noticeable.

-“…they put their personality on it (Star)” Yeah, because none of these characters had any personality… nor have it now that the movie is done.

-People being made of stardust is one of the most beautiful scientific facts. “You are a star” is the worst song in the movie. No wonder it took so long to write.

-Nope, Doc was a leader. Dalia is just there… talking. Of course she’s a way to get the medal of  “we put a disabled character” but at least she has more personality than Asha.

-BTW, just saw the Story Artist wearing a pin with a Pride flag in the shape of a Mickey.

-“She’s just a young woman, going with her life.” “And succeeding.” Yeah, representation is good, but it’s better if you’re not talking about how good you are for doing it.

-Also, we have mixed-race representation, older people with dreams representation, etc. but hey, that girl has a crutch, we’re cool.

-“Animals in Disney have to be smarter than people.” Why? Just why? And also, Valentino is no way smarter than any of the other characters. So why say that?

-“(Alan Tudyk) He pretty much made the whole character.” Yeah, because it looks like nobody had any idea of how these characters were.

-“Inspiration can came from anywhere.” You just COPY-PASTED the ideas of others.

-“Everybody has seen me crying in the studio.” For a good or bad reason?

-Ending with a Walt quote proclaiming they always do their best job… huh…

-“It served the story better to have Amaya as a good person.” Yeah, nope. It made no sense for her to switch sides so easily.

-Sabino dying would have been such a strong way to start the story. Him stealing Asha’s diary… yep, not good.

-Reinforcing my theory that Disney wanted to move away from shapeshifters after the Nimona fiasco.

-Looks like they gave the chaotic energy Star was going to have to Valentino.

-Making any other animal talking surely was a mistake. What’s with the sassiness?

-Dalia wasn’t called like that?! BTW, the writers were so proud of her clutch not being mentioned but, in the deleted scene, it’s the first thing they do. Twice.

-“When you’re underestimated, they don’t see your power coming until it changes the world.” Whoa, just whoa. Disney writers, everybody.

-LOL, the deleted scene with the animals is so bad. But Magnífico was going to transform into a Beast, so… kinda interesting?

Here's the link, BTW.

And congratulations if you read this all. If you're interested, here are my own Wish rewrites: 1, 2.

[ladykailitha]

All My Roads Lead Back to You Part 3

The part you’ve all been waiting for. Steve and Eddie! We also get the explanation of Edith’s names. True story: A friend of mine got his girlfriend  pregnant and she called their daughter Josephine, but he HATED it, so when they broke up, he started calling her Jo to piss the mom off because she hated the nickname.

Part 1 Part 2

***

Eddie Munson got out of his car and was impressed by the members of Harri’s band. It was four member group with a guitarist, a bassist, a drummer and a keyboardist. Not quite like his boys, but they seemed like they knew what they were doing.

He opened his mouth to say hello when he stopped dead in his tracks. Standing up from the drum kit was the female version Steve Harrington. Down to the honey colored hair, the hazel eyes, and the freckles. Her hair was shorter than Steve ever kept it, one side half-shaved and the half over her left eye, but it was the same wild locks that made Steve famous in school. He quickly took a couple of pictures with his phone before his son spotted him.

“Dad!” Harri cried, practically throwing himself at his dad.

Eddie gave him a big hug. 

“Sweet place you’re friend’s got here,” he said, looking around the garage, slipping his phone into his back pocket. The house couldn’t have been further from the Harrington place in Loch Nora. It was warm browns and cool blues. And that was just what he could see of the garage.

“Come meet her,” Harri said bouncing on the balls of his feet excitedly. “She kicks ass.”

Eddie laughed and allowed his son to drag him over to the drum kit. “You know Mandy, and this Kenny Grant. And this is the queen of the castle, Miss Thing.”  

Edith laughed and shoved her sticks back into the bucket she kept close by. “Hi, Mr Munson.” She stuck out her hand for him to shake and he took it.

“What’s with the moniker?” Eddie asked, shoving his hands into his pockets with a grin.

“Most of my friends call me Miss Thing because when I was little I was mute and I loved the Addams Family movies, so because I could sign Uncle Dusty called me Miss Thing,” Edith explained. “But everyone else calls me Edie.”

Eddie’s grin grew bigger. “Edie, huh?”

“My full name is Edith Barbara Harrington,” Edie explained. “My dad wanted to name me Lilian, but my mother overruled him. So when she fucked off, Dad started calling me Edie to piss her off.” She pursed her lips and looked at the ground. Eddie was struck by how much she looked like Steve. “At least he got to chose the middle name.”

Eddie’s smile grew fond. “Barbara’s good name.”

Edie just shrugged her shoulders, “Aunt Nancy was pissed Dad got to it first. But as Dad pointed out she told everyone who would sit down for longer than five minutes that she wasn’t going to have kids so...”

“So your dad won that argument,” Eddie finished. “Losing once and while is good for her.”

Edie laughed. “That’s what Dad said. So when her and Uncle Jon had a little girl while doing some expose in Europe somewhere, she stole Lilian from him.”

Eddie chuckled. “Sounds about right.” He looked around. “I want to let you kids get back to practicing so where’s your dad?”

Edie jerked her thumb at the house. “If it’s as bad as it looked, just follow the sounds of retching, you’ll find him.”

Eddie nodded and made his way to the house but as he turned she could have sworn Mr Munson said, “Still getting migraines, the poor bastard.”

Once he was gone Edie turned to Harri. “Does your dad already know my dad?”

Harri frowned. “I’ve never heard my dad mention a Steve or even the last name Harrington in my life.”

Edie looked at the door that led to the house in confusion. “And I’ve never heard of the name Munson before either.” She turned to him. “What did you say your dad’s first name was?”

“I didn’t,” Harri said with grim expression. “It’s Edmond, but everyone calls him Ed or Eddie.”

Edie’s eyes went wide. “Holy shit. No wonder I’ve never heard the name before.”

Harri just nodded.

Mandy spoke up. “Hey, guys can we get back to practice?”

Harri and Edie looked at each other and then nodded.

*

Eddie heard the retching and his heart ached. He hadn’t thought about Steve Harrington for years. Not since Jay’s funeral. They had fallen out long before then, but Steve had been on his mind that rainy day in Hampshire. Mostly cursing him, but a thought nonetheless.

But now he was so far from that man that knelt there sobbing in the rain begging for Jay to come back, maybe this was the universe’s sign that it was time to mend bridges.

He found Steve right where Edie said he’d be, curled in front of a toilet retching his very empty guts out. He crouched down to the side of him and tapped his shoulder.

“Harri?” Steve murmured.

Eddie huffed out a laugh and signed. “Flatterer.”

Steve rolled over to prop himself against the side of the tub and looked at him more closely. “Eddie?”

Again he signed, “Where’s your hearing aid, rock star?”

“On the sink,” Steve muttered. “And I can hear just fine out of my right ear. It’s just the left one that’s a bitch.”

Eddie laughed and reaching behind him grabbed the aid off the vanity top and put in his pocket. “I don’t think you want this to fall into the toilet or the sink for that matter.”

“Dustin would kill me,” Steve agreed warily.

Eddie flushed the toilet and got a washcloth wet. He handed it to Steve.

Steve flushed a bright pink and used it wipe off his face and some of his shirt where he hadn’t made it to the bathroom in time. He washed his hands and threw it in the laundry basket.

“You know I used to make jokes about basketball being nothing more than shooting balls into laundry baskets,” Eddie teased. “Way to prove me right, Harrington.”

Steve gave a half smile. “Don’t make me laugh, I’ll throw up again.”

“And we definitely don’t want that,” Eddie agreed. “Do you think you’re done with your porcelain throne, your majesty?”

Steve rubbed his face and looked down awkwardly. “If you mean to ask if I’m done throwing up, I should be.”

It came out harsher than he meant to, but he didn’t need Eddie bringing up King Steve, not now.

Because he was looking down he missed the flicker of emotion skitter across Eddie’s face.

“Can you stand?” Eddie asked softly.

Steve tried but ended up lurching his direction instead. Eddie scrambled to catch him.

“Whoa there, Harrington,” Eddie murmured. “I’m going to help you up and then get you to your bed. Please tell me it’s not upstairs.”

“It’s not,” Steve murmured. “It’s just down the hall, third door on the left.”

Eddie got his arms under Steve and lifted him to his feet. He propped him against the wall and then lifted him bridal style. Steve merely moaned and buried his aching head into Eddie’s neck to block out the light that would hit his face once they exited the bathroom.

“All right, sweetheart,” Eddie whispered. “Let’s get you to bed.”

Steve nodded.

Eddie slipped out of the bathroom and followed Steve’s directions to the bedroom. The door was open so Eddie was able to walk right in without disturbing Steve.

The room was a far cry from the soulless monstrosity that was Steve’s teenaged bedroom. It was blues and greys and soft downy covers. He had pictures of Edie on his night stand and a large white wardrobe.

“Can you make it to the bed if I set you in front of it?” Eddie murmured.

“I should be able to,” Steve said, strained. “I just had a hard time getting up because I’d been on the floor for so long.”

Eddie pursed his lips. Yep. Yep, that was more likely than Steve not being able to walk. Yep.

“But thanks for the assist,” Steve continued, oblivious of Eddie’s internal panic.

Eddie gently let him down and waited until Steve was able to stand on his own before letting go. Eddie turned down the covers and Steve slid in with a sigh of relief. Eddie draped the blankets over him and tucked him in. He pulled out the hearing aid and placed on the nightstand next to Edie’s picture.

“I’ll send Edie to check on you when they’re done with their practice,” Eddie said softly.

Steve nodded and Eddie turned to leave.

“I didn’t name her after you, you know,” Steve whispered.

Eddie’s shoulders sagged and turned back to face him. “So she said.”

“The nickname though...” Steve said with a chuckle.

Eddie’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”

Steve snuggled further into the pillow. “Mhmm. Did it to piss Addison off.”

There was a story there, Eddie could tell but he didn’t want to press Steve while he was in pain.

“Go to sleep, rock star,” Eddie said instead.

And as he closed the door, Eddie swore he heard Steve murmur, “I missed you.”

*

Eddie pulled out his cell phone and pressed and held down the number two.

“Eddie!” Dustin greeted. “How are you on this fine spring evening?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Eddie said in that tone that immediately set Dustin’s teeth on edge. It was the tone that said something had gone horribly wrong and it was up to Dustin to fix it.

“What’s up?” he asked, his voice cracking a bit.

“Well, Uncle Dusty,” Eddie said with a malicious grin on his face. “You’ll never guess where I am.” He turned his phone around and sent the two pictures to him.

“Hold on I got a couple pictures here...” Dustin said trailing off. “Holy fucking shit! Is that Harri with Edie Harrington? At Steve’s house?!”

“It most certainly is,” Eddie continued. “Would you care to tell me why I wasn’t informed OUR KIDS WENT TO THE SAME SCHOOL!” he whisper-screamed, knowing that Steve was just down the hall and his kid was in the garage.

Dustin pulled the phone away from his ear and rubbed his ear with his finger. “Sheesh, dude. You’re loud. Even when you’re trying to be quiet.”

Eddie pushed his fingers into his eye as he fought to tamp down on his temper. “Dustin...” he said, slow, dark and sharp.

“Look, man,” Dustin said. “I don’t know what you want me to tell you. I warned you that if you moved back to Indy there was a chance you’d see Steve. And as for your guys’s kids going to the same school, you had to know that was possibility. You moved into the richest neighborhood. Which is where Steve has lived for the last five years.”

Eddie ground his teeth and seethed. Because Dustin was right, the little butthead. He had been warned. A lot of people had warned him.

“Fuck!” Eddie hissed into his phone. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t uproot Harri again. It’d kill him.”

“So don’t,” Dustin said. “You don’t have to interact with Steve outside your kids being in the same band and going to the same school. I don’t think my Mom and Joyce ever spent more than five minutes in each others’ company at time and they liked each other.”

“I don’t think I can do it,” Eddie whispered. “When I came over he was in the throes of one of his migraines and from the look of it, it was one of the bad ones. You know what a bleeding heart I am...”

Dustin sighed. “So you helped with a migraine. You remembered how to do it. Congrats. I still don’t see how you can’t just avoid him in the future. You know,” he said bitterly, “like you have for the last twenty years.”

“Hey,” Eddie bit out. “You know why. You fucking know why.”

Dustin scoffed. “And I still think it’s bullshit. So go on then, why can’t you ignore him now?”

Eddie took a deep breath and let out in a shuddering sigh. “As I was leaving after helping him get back to bed, he said...”

“Wait, wait, hold up,” Dustin said. “You helped him to bed?”

“Fuck, Dustin,” Eddie snapped. “Not like that. I just made sure he didn’t fall down.” Which was a lie. But that’s what Dustin got when he insinuated there was more to it than that. “Anyways, he said that he missed me and that though Edith wasn’t his choice, calling her Edie was definitely in honor of me. How the hell am I supposed to walk away from that?”

There was silence on the line for a moment or two and Eddie thought he’d lost the connection.

“No,” Dustin agreed, soft and solemn. “I don’t think I would’ve been able to walk away either.”

“What do I do?” Eddie whined.

“I think you know what to do,” Dustin said. “Stop running away.”

Eddie let out another shuddering breath. “Yeah. It’s time.” 

***

Part 4 Part 5  Part 6 Part 7  Part 8  Part 9  Part 10 Part 11  Part 12  Part 13 Part 14  Part 15  Part 16 Part 17  Part 18  Epilogue

Tag List: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @artiststarme @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 @pyrohonk​ @trashpocket @goodolefashionedloverboi @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence @plyerice27 @mightbeasleep @thedragonsaunt @chaoticlovingdreamer @trashpocket @sapphirecobalt-1 @a-little-unsteddie @i-must-potato @danili666  @carlyv @rozzieroos @wonderland-girl143-blog @itsall-taken @steddie-as-they-go @lillemilly @callas-shitshow @bisexualdisastersworld @renaissan-vvitch @immortal-iratze @bookbinderbitch

[escapingrealtiylovinginsanity]

Rewind, Remix & Replay Jay & Kim (Bonus) Fire 6x14

You can find the rest of the series here

My favorite part of One Chicago is all the crossovers! So, there will be some chapters that go into fire and med. Not a ton, but a few that can add some backstory and some more cushion to the plot and relationship. This chapter is kind of random- but I loved the idea. I hope you enjoy it!

Jay was trying not to hover. The workload had been light in intelligence and everyone was using the slow time to catch up on overdue paperwork. Kim had been asked to help on another case and had been gone most of the day. She had just returned about an hour before the shift was over. The members of intelligence had been slowly trickling out.

They decided to go to a new Mexican place that had opened up after work when they realized they might leave on time. Jay was just going to wait for her, but the shift ended twenty minutes ago and Jay had finished the last of his paperwork. Kim was still sitting and staring at her computer. Jay knew something was wrong, but he didn’t want to ask her about it while Al was sitting across from her.

After another ten minutes, Al grabbed his coat, calling out a goodbye as he left. He was barely at the stairs when Jay was on his feet and heading to Kim’s desk. Jay noted that the computer screen was black from disuse. Kim was miles away in her own world. He set his hand lightly on her shoulder and she jolted. “Hey,” He soothes as Kim’s brown eyes dart to him, her hand shooting up reflexively to catch his. She squeezes it when she processes that it is him. “Talk to me.” His voice is low and no-nonsense. Kim could hear his worry. Her pause was too long. “Is it Zoey?”

“No, no, she okay. It’s not that.” Kim gave Jay a halfhearted smile as she watched some of the tension release from his stance. Kim didn’t know how it had happened but in a blink of an eye, the two had become close. She suspected it was because Jay treated her like a normal kid. He didn’t press her about the issues with her parents, school, or lack of interest in the things she used to like. Or maybe it had to do with the fact that he watched her shows and movies with no complaints no matter how girly they were, indulging her in sweets and introducing her to her new favorite movie snack- bacon popcorn.

“Then what is it?”

“It’s just… the case I helped with today. It just hit me in a way I didn’t expect. Brought up some memories.” Jay waits but she doesn’t continue. He reaches for the papers on her desk. When she doesn’t object, he takes the stack and starts flipping through the call report.

“A DV?” His eyes flashed to hers. “Kim,” His tone betrays his internal thoughts. She knows exactly where his mind has gone. She isn’t sure how to start, but the emotions and thoughts in her head bubble up to the surface. Jay's presence is warm and strong. A shelter for the storm brewing in her chest.

“I think I’ve told you, that Nicole practically raised me since I was ten.” Jay inclined his head, his blue eyes sharp. “My mom and dad’s divorce- it was ugly. He just… made a life with a new family. My mom started working more- traveling a lot for work- and drinking more. A lot more. I was practically alone searching for someone to care about me. I was almost a perfect target.” Kim sucked in a breath trying to settle her emotions as tears burned at the back of her eyes. “But my friend Shannon- she was a better one. Neither of us had parents really, but I had Nicole and she didn’t have anyone. She was bouncing between relatives' houses. When I met her, she was sleeping on a blowup mattress on her Great Aunt's living room floor.”

Kim swallowed hard as her voice broke. “She had nothing- and her life was hard but she was the sweetest girl you would ever meet. Do anything for anyone, give you her last dollar with a smile. Everyone called her Sugar.” Kim closed her eyes trying to push back the tears seeing the curly-haired blonde in her mind, all smiles', freckles covering her cheeks. “Josh was older than us. He was cute and charming. That's how it always starts though isn’t it? He flirted with me and made me feel like a hundred bucks. I thought he would ask me out but Nicole was always hovering. It used to make me so mad.” Kim shook her head playing with the blue pen on her desk, watching absently as ink smeared on her fingertips.

“It didn’t take long for him and Sugar to start dating. The two were thick as thieves. When he graduated the next year, he moved her in with him to an off-campus dorm room. Josh’s parents had money. She ended up transferring to a closer school. But I knew she would be better off because he was so good to her- gave her everything without her even asking. She was so lucky- I thought. I was fifteen- I didn’t realize how strange and- inappropriate it was for a girl that young to be living with an eighteen-year-old by themselves. I didn’t see the signs when she started to get more and more distant. We went from seeing each other every day to maybe three or four times a year. Then I turned eighteen and started working for the airport. I became a flight attendant maybe six months after.”

“Kim,” Jay tried to soothe but Kim can’t stop. Her emotions are pushing up through her throat in the form of an overflow of words she can’t stop.

“You know I was so busy with work- about to do a flight to Germany- that I made the first conversation I had with her in over a year less than two minutes. One minute and forty-seven seconds to be exact. Sugar wanted to meet up- I could tell she was upset but I was late and about to get on my plane. I told her I would call her back… She was dead before I even made it to Germany.” Tears rolled down her cheeks and she stood up as Jay tried to reach for her. “She was trying to leave him after almost eight years. Eight years of hell and abuse. Abuse that I had no idea about. Did you know that is when you are in the most danger of being killed? Not in an abusive relationship but when you try to leave it. Ironic right?” Kim breathed bitterly.

“Kim, this isn’t your fault.” He reached for her again. She put her hands up keeping space between them. She didn’t feel like she deserved the comfort. Jay’s hand wrapped around the nape of her neck and pulled her forward. Her hands get trapped between their bodies as he embraces her tightly. He tucks her head under his chin, kissing her forehead.

Her fingers curl around the soft material of his shirt, scrunching it into a fist. Her body melts into him, hungry for the comfort he is offering. “I could have helped her.” The anguish in her voice ripped through his heart.

“Baby, you didn’t know. This isn’t on you.” He rocked her, hot tears wetting his shirt. He didn’t rush her. The empty bullpen was the only other witness to her grief. She calmed down slowly, her grip on him loosening. He pressed another lingering kiss to her forehead. He pulled back far enough to see her face and brush away the tears that hadn’t been soaked up by his shirt. Then reached for her jacket. “Come on, let’s get you back to my apartment.”

Kim sniffed running a finger through her hair. “I’m sorry, I’m not really feeling up for sex tonight.” Kim tensed at her own blunt words; her filter appeared to be gone for the night. Jay’s lips twitch repressing a smile.

“Well as sexy as you look right now,” His thumb rubbed away some of her smeared mascara from beneath her eye, “I was thinking more along the lines of rocky road and you curled up in a blanket watching the sea hawk's game. But if you really push- I'll let you pick what we watch and might even let you wear the sweatshirt you stole and I just got back last week.” Kim laughed despite herself resting her forehead against Jay's chest, the tension successfully broken.

It ended up comprising. Kim had turned the hockey game and Jay had given her his-and her- favorite sweatshirt to wear. Kim sat on the couch bare except for the warm, soft cotton of the sweatshirt. Jay came over to her in his jersey and sweatpants holding a tub of rocky road and two spoons. Kim knew he wouldn’t eat much of it- Jay didn’t have a sweet tooth and preferred salty snacks. He was just indulging so she wouldn’t have to eat it alone. He sat down and they naturally slid together. Kim lifted the blanket for him to slip under, his arm wrapping around her.

Kim finished off the carton and fell asleep with her face buried in Jay’s chest before halftime. Jay noticed how much younger she looked when she slept. He hated to see how hard she was on herself. Always so strong for everyone else. There was a persistent tug in his chest to make sure she knew she could lean on him. To take the comfort she was so willing to give but not ask for.

He felt bad for waking her, but they had both spent enough days sore after sleeping on the couch. She practically slept walked to the bedroom with him leading her by the shoulder. By the time he used the bathroom and stripped down to his boxers, she was already fast asleep cocooned in the blankets cuddling his pillow.

[sunthyme]

BABE, WAKE UP! PART FOUR'S OUT! Anyways, thank y'all so much for the support!! Every time I read y'all's tags and comments, I tear up istg y'all are so sweet. Have some photos of my kitten as a treat.

Onto...

🏵️Scarabia🏵️

So I believe they have the least amount of members out of all my headcanoned dorms so if y'all can think of some more villains for me to twst, I'd be more than happy to toss them in here lmao.

🦦Kalim Al-Asim🦦

omg they have an otter emoji cute!!

(he/him) Transmasc - Panromantic Asexual

My baby boy is so precious omggg

- I really didn't change a lot from the og design tbh, I love him. I did give him rounder and bigger eye for that cute puppy-eyed look.

- Stuck some freckles on him and gave him a tooth gap for max cutie patootie status. Oh, and some scars from previous assassination attempts.

- I'm really partial to Kalim and Ruggie or Kalim and Silver personally (or both, Kaiplim does have two hands for a reason) but I see them as a little friend group regardless and he LOVES spoiling them.

- Ruggie at first befriended him for the money aspect but eventually grew to like being around Kalim anyways. Silver just likes to listen to Kalim talk. Was also his first friend outside of Diasomnia.

- Kalim has ADHD and dyslexia, making it super hard for him to concentrate in class so Ruggie helps him study for tests (Kalim always bring food along with so it's mutually beneficial lmao). Because of this, people end up thinking he's dumb but he's super intelligent, he just can't concentrate easily. Crewel lets him have different fidgets in class as long as he doesn't accidentally disrupt his potion-making with them.

- Kalim's also highly empathetic and view himself as a support to all (maybe I am a Kalim kin too, fuck). He loves to listen to other and help out. God, he's such a cutie omg. Also has really good memory in specific about remembering who tells him what.

God I love Kalim so much, the cutie patootie. Still on Book 4 so I don't know ALL of the shit that happens yet but y'know it's gonna make me cry.

Next is

🐍Jamil Viper🐍

(he/it) Agender - Gay Demi-romantic Asexual

If I didn't think I changed a lot about Kalim, I changed practically nothing about Jamil lol.

- Biggest change was giving him a much redder skin tone. Not only is it closer to Jafar's, I felt it would look really nice with his general colour palette.

- Made his face a bit more angular and 'snake-like', plus some fangs but you can't see them lmao. Dimples because every time this man actually smiles, a new angel is born istg.

- I love him and Azul as a dynamic because it's two really emotionally constipated people dancing around each with a fun amount of delulu on Azul's part, let's be honest. Lowkey could be toxic or healing, who knows?

- He purposefully cooks too much some times as an excuse to give some away. I see him slides over an extra thing of food to Azul at some point as a sort of 'repayment' for like give him the homework or something. (Azul loves his cooking but wouldn't say that to his face for a hundred dollars lol).

- He and Trey cook together and Trey is like the only other person Jamil trusts in the kitchen with him. Trey teaches Jamil his family's baking recipes and in turn, Jamil share his cultural recipes. Trey 🤝 Jamil solidarity.

- Hella competitive streak which means Azul and Floyd find it incredibly easy to push his buttons.

- I know this is a lot of AshenViper but I love them lol. Azul tries to flirt with Jamil subtly like in the mer fashion of penguin-pebbling but Jamil is obviously unaware of the custom so he doesn't get it. (He does keep all the little shiny things, though over his dead body would he tell Azul that.)

Enough about my two favourite dumbasses... now for my ocs!

🌅Dareen Irfan🌅

Third Year - (she/her) Nonbinary - Sapphic Asexual

God, this is just the dorm for asexuals, huh?

- Dareen is twisted from the Cave of Wonders! I could not for the life of me tell what kind of cat it was so she's kinds ambiguous, especially since there's already another tiger.

- She is a very knowledgeable person and knows pretty much everyone. If you need information about someone you wanna ask out, she's your girl. She love playing matchmaker but respects when someone is not reciprocating and helps the rejected party move on.

- She and Oki are friends and like to do tarot readings together. (She may or may not have a massive crush on her but refuses to say anything lol). Both are very interested in cultural practices and hang out a ton to talk about them. (God I love sapphics)

- She's actually also on the basketball team and she and Jamil get along pretty well. She's very fast on the courts and Oki attends all of her games.

Next is one of my favourite designs...

🌼Chunying Liu🌼

Third Year - (they/it/she) Genderfluid - Aromantic Bisexual

- Twisted from Shan Yu, from Mulan! I kept the greyer undertones in her skin which really makes her standout among the warmer ones lol.

- Kept the gold eyes, I love how piercing they look, and darker makeup. Turned the furs into little earring tassel things, idk just for fun.

- Definitely outdoorsy type, she loves to hike around a ton, bring some other classmen out with her. She comes from a hella cold climate so she's wearing shorts until it hits the negatives. Loves horseback riding too and her family has their own stables.

- Natural leader, I can see it being the captain of a sports team, maybe like cross-country or something. She and Leona are probably pretty similar in demeanour as captains, make of that what you will.

- Her and Rook do archery practise together and she actually gets along great with Epel, they bond over winter sports and whatnot.

Time for probably one of my favourites out of my ocs!

🐯Chanda Singh🐯

Second Year - (she/her) - Bisexual

God I love her sm.

- Twisted from Shere Khan from the Jungle Book, which I looked up and it takes place in India so she's Indian.

- I didn't want to give her solid orange hair so I settled for some streaks and I love how they look. Gave her a bindi, some thicker brows based on a Pinterest reference that I though was GORGEOUS, and some beautiful hazel eyes.

- She's also likes to be outside but more in the lazy cat way. She love to sunbathe and tends to be spotted around the greenhouse too. Chanda and Leona having cat solidarity lmaoooo. Though her behavior is solely because she's a cat and not depression lol.

- I dunno why but I think she's a totally history nerd, specifically fashion history. Ask her anything about the origins of corsets or sarees and she's go on a long rant about it. She loving drawing, namely fashion sketches and she and Vil work together whenever she makes some prototypes.

Finally!

🦜Nasira Haqq🦜

First Year (she/they) Unlabelled Gender - Bicurious?

- Twisted from Iago! She's so cute lol. I gave her dyed hair (and pronouns) and she's a freshman.

- Kinda takes after Jamil and enjoys cooking, one of the primary people that makes food for the parties. She and Kalim get along really well since they're both really social extraverts.

- She's loves flowers and tends to decorate the dorm with them, changing them out when there's an event coming up.

That's most of everything for Scarabia, I hope you enjoyed! Tyty once again and I love seeing y'all's tags omg!🩷🩷🩷

[spacesapphi]

"Moving Forward, Spiraling Downward Chapter 14- In a New Light"

Wanted to give a warning that this is the last chapter before things get bad /srs. The more heavy topics of Shane's heart events and story are going to be occurring over the next few chapters, so just know that before delving in. We're getting to the homestretch of this story, thank you all for sticking with me through it

CWs include emetophobia and brief mentions of body dysmorphia later in the chapter

Summary: Summer is drawing to an end, and the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies is here! Shane expected it to be just like every other year, nothing too special about it. However, it seems a dear friend, and fate, may have other plans for this event…

AO3 Version Here

Tumblr Version Below the Cut

The last day of Summer had quickly approached, and with it came the event many in town were so fond of. Each year, as if it was clockwork, the moonlight jellies would swim their way past the docks on the beach, bidding ‘goodbye’ to the Summer season and ushering in the Fall. Shane used to love it as a child, begging to stay up just a bit later and attend every year to see the miraculous event of nature. Now that he was older the festival had lost its luster, but it seemed that absolute unbridled excitement had been passed on to another member of the household. 

Jas loved anything that seemed magical, and luminous jellies parading past the shore seemed like it was ripped straight from a fairytale. That paired with the approval to stay up far past her bedtime for the celebration made her ecstatic. This was going to be great! The entire family entered the beachfront together, finding the entire town had already set up and taken their positions for the festival, flocking to the docks in anticipation of the main event. Marnie insisted on staying towards the beach, much too nervous about just how many people were on the old docks. She was a nervous and superstitious woman at heart, and truly didn’t trust the structural integrity. Thus she split off from the group, finding her own enjoyment standing on the shore.

“When are we gonna see them? Are there baby jellies? Do they really glow?” Jas rambled off question after question, not giving Shane even a moment to respond. Wasn’t like he really had the answers to most of the questions anyways. Chances were he’d just be chanting “we’ll see” over and over again. Jas continued to ramble as they walked on, the young girl practically dragging him onto the pier looking intently at the water below for any sign of the creatures.

“There they are!” 

A cheery voice came from Shane’s side, Möhle approaching the pair with a grin on their face, and with someone in tow as well. That hermit from the beach that Shane saw on rare occasions at festivals, the one who spoke like he was in a period drama and acted like a fool after one drink at the saloon. Möhle motioned a hand towards him, “You know Elliott, right?”

“Not really, no,”

“Well, let’s fix that!” Elliott held out a hand for Shane to shake, “Elliott Lillis, aspiring author! My cousin here has told me about you…. A lot,”

Shane furrowed his brow, “Cousin…?” He looked back and forth between the two of them, realizing they indeed looked quite similar. Voluminous red hair, freckles on every inch of their body, the same nose shape, and both were incredibly tall. He wondered how he’d never made the connection before. He slowly held out a hand to return the shake, “Shane… I guess you already knew that though, huh?”

“I know many things… More than I’ve asked to know,” Elliott gave Möhle a side eye, “Honestly if I didn’t know any better I’d think the two of you were to-”

“And that’s enough, Ell!” Möhle laughed and slapped a firm hand to his shoulder with gusto, playing it off as a playful gesture, but using it as a way to tell him to knock it off. Elliott caught the hint and cleared his throat, forging a smile, “Quite right! I’ll take my leave,”

He waved off Möhle, who turned right back to Shane with an unconvincing smile, obviously quite flushed, “So!... You excited?”

Shane shrugged, looking out to the water, “Just jellies… they were here last year, all the years before, and they’ll be back again the next…” he looked back down to Jas, smiling softly, “Jas is excited though. It’s her first time seeing it,”

Möhle kneeled down to her level, “Oh, that must be so exciting! Make sure you keep an eye out for the rare green one, heard that one brings good luck!”

“There’s green ones?!” Jas asked, “What about baby ones? Vinny said he saw a million last year!”

“Dunno about a million, but sure, you’ll see some!” 

“And they actually glow?”

“Mm-hm!” Möhle pulled out the little biology notebook they always kept in their side-bag, finding the page they had dog-eared especially for tonight, showing it to Jas, “They’re called Aequorea Victoria’s, and they have special proteins that make them glow,”

“That’s..” Jas frowned as she tried to think of the word, “Bio..luminescent?”

“That’s right! There’s even more to it too-”

Jas listened intently to the explanation, staring at all the pretty pictures in Möhle’s journal as they rambled over all the answers Jas desired about the event. Seeing her look so enthralled and happy just put a smile on Shane’s face. He couldn’t help it. And then seeing Möhle act so kindly towards her, seeing how the two of them got along so well, how supportive Möhle seemed of her interests, it kindled something inside him. The three of them standing here together made Shane feel like they looked like a little family, parents and a child. He stopped that thought the moment it came to his mind, feeling his face grow flushed. What the hell was he thinking?

The thought of someone like them with someone like him… it was laughable in his mind. Why couldn’t he get the thought to go away? He was angry at it even appearing, wanting to hit himself upside the head for even letting it happen. Maybe it was because of what Elliott was saying, what he was implying. He had to have been kidding… right? Perhaps just joking and teasing his cousin. He tried to convince himself it was only that, it had to be that. 

Shane didn’t believe there was much for him in that regard in this world… He didn’t even believe there were many chances for friendship either if he was honest. This was the first time this festival had made him feel so lonely. He leaned up against the side of that old fisherman's shack, panning his vision out towards the crowd in front of him. Möhle and Jas were still practically hanging off the dock, pointing out the more interesting jellies to each other, discussing the science of the phenomenon passionately. Marnie was still too nervous to enter the dock with the others, standing on the beach alongside her ladies group, chatting the night away. Emily was at the far end of the docks with her girlfriend Sandy, linking their arms together as they watched the event. And then there was Sam, standing with his bandmates just yards away. He didn’t seem to catch Shane looking at him, but Sebastian obviously did, scrunching his face in disapproval when he saw Shane. He must’ve heard what happened between the two of them already, and he didn’t look happy about it.

WIth everyone off in their own little worlds, Shane was left to his lonesome, and he knew well that it was his fault. That fact didn’t make it hurt any less, though. He wanted to be able to jump into a conversation without fear, to connect with the villagers around him. But his mouth felt wired shut, and his head pounded. Oh how Shane was beginning to regret that promise he made to Jas. Going cold turkey was not a smart idea, he knew it well, but he just kept thinking about how much she pleaded for him to stop, how much she desired for her wish to come true. He had let her down so many times already, he didn’t want to add anything to the tally. But this was just… torture. Shane felt sick, grumpy, and so standoffish, much more than normal. He could hardly focus on the event at hand, not even noticing as the glow of the jellies slowly faded from view, the festival drawing to an end. Summer had officially ended now. Slowly, villagers began leaving the docks, chatting excitedly as they returned to their homes, the twilight hours of morning approaching. 

Jas ran over, chattering away about all the cool jellyfish facts Möhle had taught her, her eyes sparkling with joy as she rambled. 

“Guess what! There were baby jellies! And a green one too!” she squealed. Shane smiled softly, “Guess that means you’re gonna have good luck then, huh?”

“Yeah!” Jas nodded, quickly pulling away so she could tell Marnie what she’d seen too. It left him and Möhle on their lonesome, the farmer smiling at him, a glint in their eye, “You wanna come see something with me? I promise it’s worth it,”

Shane looked back to his family, a reluctant expression on his face. Marnie just smiled and motioned for him to go, obviously relieved to see him talking to someone. Shrugging, Shane decided to turn back and follow them, unable to deny his curiosity was piqued. If it was Möhle who was involved, there was likely something interesting around the bend. 

When they brought him to a little cavern near the tide pools, Shane couldn’t deny he was skeptical. He’d seen this cavern before, it wasn’t anything special as far as he knew. But Möhle ushered him inside, taking his hand gently, “Close your eyes, you’re gonna love this,’

Shane shrugged and listened to what he’d been told, ducking down to enter the cavern alongside them. He could hear the trickling of water, almost like a stream. What the hell was Möhle trying to show him? The two eventually came to a stop, Möhle’s giddy voice ringing out, “You can open them now!”

Slowly Shane fluttered his eyes open, full expecting to be met with a deep, dark cavern. But to his surprise, the walls inside were brightly illuminated, each and every crevice shimmering and shining. Looking down he saw there was indeed some sort of stream rushing through the cavern, and the jellies that had disappeared from the beach were making their way through, following each twist and turn of the flowing water. It was breathtaking, absolutely leaving him in awe. 

“I’ve been talking to Demetrius about this for the past month, we’ve been trying to figure out the patterns the jellies follow, see where they headed once they passed the docks,” they explained, “He couldn’t stay to observe, but I still wanted someone here with me when I documented it!” they grinned, holding up a small disposable camera. 

“And you picked me?” Shane asked, looking at them in utter confusion. Möhle had their sights set through the lens of the camera and shrugged nonchalantly, “Of course! Why wouldn’t I?”

To Shane, the question was more like why would they? Möhle could’ve picked anyone else to see this sight with them tonight, anyone in town and they chose him. Was he really that special? Was he reading too much into it? He had no clue, but maybe he could try to stop analyzing these things. Maybe he could just allow himself to enjoy this, no questions asked.

The swirling blues and greens of the jellies were almost heavenly. Their glow lit up the cavern the pair sat in, illuminating the plant life around them, setting a glow upon their faces. Shane felt… peaceful; happy even. Sitting here with Möhle, enjoying this festival, enjoying them… it made him feel like a younger, happier version of himself. Suddenly all the frustration he’d felt over the past 2 months was pushed to the back of his mind, at least for just a moment. A small smile found its way on his face, warm and genuine, as he looked at them. He hadn’t noticed how beautiful they looked, not until now. 

Those long lashes hooded over hazel eyes, a round face and broad body absolutely covered in freckles, tight red curls cascading down their shoulders… It was absolutely breathtaking. And they were sweet, oh so sweet. Not just to him, but to those he held dear. They treated Marnie and Jas like family, were kind to his friends and treated animals with kindness, they were forgiving even when he felt he didn’t deserve it. Shane wondered what he did to deserve the honor of sitting with them right now. He had been so awful to them when they had first come back, and did little to reconcile it, after all.

Möhle caught him staring, raising a brow at his absolutely flushed and yearning expression. They had never seen that look on his face before, had no idea what it meant. They leaned in just a bit closer, tilting their head in confusion, “Shane… are you-”

Before they got to finish their sentence, Shane began to lean in, and Möhle couldn’t help but feel drawn in, reciprocating the motion. The pair closed their eyes, finding their lips meet the others, soft and gentle. Shane’s stubble and Möhle’s peach-fuzz mustache pricked at the other's cheeks, a sensation that sent a warm shiver through Shane’s body. The two pulled away almost as soon as the kiss began, looking at each other in complete shock and surprise for just a moment, faces flushed a deep, deep red. Shane shook his head slowly, sputtering out a quick apology, “I-I am… so sorry! I don’t know what- I don’t know why I just did tha-”

Before he could finish the sentence, Möhle laughed softly, smiling with such genuine adoration, “I didn’t mind it, really…”

Oh Shane was certain his heart would stop. Was this real? Was he actually sitting here, just having kissed Möhle? He felt like he could die from embarrassment in this cavern, passing away on the spot. Here lies Shane, cause of death kissing his childhood friend like a goddamned idiot. His mind spun fast, a queasy feeling building in his stomach. Möhle’s expression of adoration slowly shifted to one of concern and self-consciousness as they began to see how flushed he was getting. 

“A-are you okay? Was it too much?”

“Say somethin’ you dumbass!” he thought, “Just tell them what you’re thinking!” 

Shane opened his mouth to speak, intending on telling Möhle that it was good, that he enjoyed it, loved it, even. But the moment his lips parted, his anxiety got the best of him. His stomach clenched, and the poor man vomited over the front of Möhle’s shirt, earning a haggard gasp from them. They looked absolutely horrified, staring at Shane in utter confusion and concern. Shane felt like he could just die. Thoroughly ashamed and gravely embarrassed, Shane scrambled to his feet, avoiding getting too close to Möhle, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I-”

He looked to the entrance of the cave, and back to his friend who sat looking concerned as ever.He gave them an apologetic look, grimacing deeply. 

“Bye,”

And with that, Shane ran. He ran far and fast, not stopping until he was certain Möhle was far, far behind him. Running back to the ranch was a mistake, though. His throat was ragged and sore from vomiting, his bad knee screaming at him for the audacity to try and run like this. His mind was racing with so many thoughts. He couldn’t believe he just did that. How could he have done that?! And how could he have just left them there, running off with barely a word? Stupid, stupid, stupid. That’s all he felt about himself now. 

Finally making it back to his bed, Shane flopped back and tried his damn best to process the incident in the cavern. He still wasn’t entirely sure he wasn’t dreaming. He tried to convince himself he was, but everything told him the opposite. He had just kissed Möhle, vomited on them, and he ran away. 

Shane didn’t even know he felt that way about them… did he? He enjoyed it at least. There had never been a romantic conversation between the two of them, barely an expression of admiration to that level that was spoken. They were a friend to him, that’s all they would ever be… right? He just wanted them to be a friend, that’s what he tried to convince himself. So why was there this creeping thought in the back of his mind, some voice in his head saying that maybe, just maybe, he felt something more?

The only person Shane had ever loved that way was Emily, a long long time ago. The two had been together briefly when he was in college, and had done everything a young couple was expected of. They looked perfect for each other on the outside.. But as much as they enjoyed their time together, there had been many reasons the pair hadn’t worked out; religion, personality, and general connection to name a few. Shane somehow just wasn’t able to be as into it as Emily was, though he genuinely did care for her. He did love her… just not as much as Emily loved him. He knew it wasn’t fair to her, and she agreed. The two worked better as friends, that was clear. In the end the breakup was amicable, even though it still stung deeply for the both of them. Since then, Shane hadn’t fallen in love with another person.

But now? Shane thought he might be in love with Möhle. And it terrified him. He was in no spot to be in a relationship, no place to even be thinking about these things. How was he supposed to navigate a relationship when he was barely able to navigate their friendship? Would they even want one with him? Möhle was nice, but that didn’t mean they wanted him that way. It was entirely possible they didn’t, and he didn’t want to take the chance by going any further. But he couldn’t help but imagine the two of them doing all the things he and Emily used to do, imagining what the two of them could be like together. He felt so silly doing so.

Besides, what did they even see in him? As much as he tried to push back the thought, he kept wondering just what it was. Shane didn’t think he was anything special, after all. He was short, much shorter than them. Not to mention his looks. Shane was incredibly insecure about… well, about pretty much everything. His weight, the way stress had been aging him, graying his hair and adding bags beneath his eyes. He was scruffy and unkempt, his clothes always had stains and tears and never seemed to fit just right. He felt like a walking mess, an absolute horrible excuse of a person, and it had only gotten worse over the years. He was anxious, dysmorphia worked to make him feel like he wasn’t enough of anything. Not handsome enough, not good enough, just not enough. Shane couldn’t understand why Möhle looked at him that way tonight, like they wanted him, like they enjoyed him and his presence. If only he could see himself the way they saw him.

If this had been just a few years ago, maybe he’d feel differently. He used to have confidence about him, a love for himself. Today though, after everything, it was gone. Shane felt like every good quality about him had weathered away over the years, the waves of life chipping away at his being and soul until there was nothing left but a vulnerable, pathetic man. There was no way someone could love him like this… at least, that’s what he thought. 

As he fell asleep, he just couldn’t help but think about the way their lips felt on his, the way their eyes sparkled as they looked at him, the softness in their voice as they assured him it was okay. It captivated him until the very moment he drifted off, Möhle’s face front and center in his mind. What an odd feeling it was. 

[skatingbi]

While taking a mandatory study break I give you all my One Piece headcanons that may change bc im still on the fishman island arc

Luffy is autistic (as a fellow autistic person i just feel it in my bones)

Sanji with heterochromia and freckles :)

I love and appreciate trans zoro and sanji. Transfem sanji has my heart but so does transmasc sanji. Zoro being transmasc is also great!

Nami is lesbian <3 (Her and vivi are so cute man i miss them together)

Bisexual Sanji also has my heart in a vice grip

all the strawhats should have had PTSD symptoms after literally everything but for the sake of simplicity I believe Luffy, Nami and Sanji have PTSD

I see a lot of images of zoro with grey, black, or silver eyes. I even saw a drawing oda made where he has like pinkish eyes but i like the thought of zoro with gold/yellow eyes :)

Zoro, Mihawk, and perona are like an adoptive family

Chopper and Zoro are also like siblings and chopper looks up to him

Usopp having a sketchbook full of plants he sees throughout their travels, with their names n everything :)

Robin and Zoro are friends and they sometimes hang out with robin reading while zoro takes a nap

Brook has made at least one song for each crew member to match their general vibes

Robin makes shadow puppets for chopper and luffy during calm nights out at sea and theyre both super into it and give out elaborate prompts and stories to act out

The strawhats being super chill with platonic affection in some form bc luffy is clingy but in an anxious kinda way

Sometimes I wonder if zoro and luffy learned how to read, maybe zoro did at his home town, but robin would teach luffy how to read if he didnt know how to very well

franky egging usopp on when hes telling his elaborate stories and making them even more ridiciulous but everyone is too entertained to really stop them

zoro's scarred eye is only partially blind but he prefers to keep it closed anyways

The scar nami gave herself is still visible under her tattoo, but it doesnt bother her since she thinks its now kinda badass

[helix-enterprises117]

Red VS Blue Reloaded: First Day

Grif stood awkwardly before the weather-beaten, rust-streaked sign of the Red Team barracks, his newly issued orange armor glistening like a particularly conspicuous target under the unforgiving sun. It was his first day, and the blend of excitement and absolute terror churned in his stomach like cheap diner coffee. Military life, Grif had reasoned, would offer a clean break from his past—his very colorful, circus-filled past where his mom was the star attraction as the bearded lady. It wasn't that he didn't love the circus or his family, but Grif was gunning for a life where the word "normal" might at least semi-apply.

As he hesitated, debating whether to bolt or brave it, the barracks door flew open with a dramatic clang. Out strode a man whose armor was so intensely scarlet it could start a fight on its own. This had to be Sergeant Major Buck Daggerknife—better known as Sarge—a man whose reputation for both enthusiasm and a slight detachment from reality preceded him.

"Private Grif! Welcome to your new home, son! You’re just in time for the morning debrief. Hustle up now! We don’t mosey in Red Team, we move with purpose!" Sarge bellowed, a wide grin splitting his chiseled, square-jawed face.

"Yes, sir!" Grif replied, mustering every ounce of military gusto he didn’t feel. He lumbered in behind Sarge, his boots thudding ominously against the metal floor.Inside, the common room was a stark contrast to the bright outside—cool and shadowy, with a few haphazardly placed LED lights flickering like the last survivors at a bad disco. Clustered near an old, scarred table were a few team members, including one particularly flamboyant figure in cherry pink armor. This, Grif recalled, was Corporal Donut, whose reputation for both fierceness and fabulousness was legendary.

Sarge clapped his hands, drawing all eyes to him. "Listen up, team! We've got fresh meat—Private Grif here has joined our circus. Figuratively speaking, that is. Let’s make sure he knows what real teamwork looks like."

"Don’t worry, I left the real circus back home," Grif quipped, his attempt at humor falling flat as he scanned the room, catching a few smirks.

Donut stepped forward, his demeanor all business despite the playful sparkle in his eye. "Private Grif, we operate as a unit here. And as the best looking and most strategically minded member of Red Team, I'll be keeping an eye on you."

Simmons, sporting violet-red armor and a serious expression that contrasted with her youthful, freckled face, piped up from the corner. "Don’t mind Donut. Welcome to the team, Grif. Just remember, rule number one: always follow protocol. And rule number two: don’t annoy Sarge."

"Thanks, Simmons. Noted," Grif responded, his voice dry. He was quickly realizing that each member of Red Team was a character study in how to be uniquely bizarre.Sarge, seemingly pleased with the introductions, launched into a rundown of their upcoming training exercises. "We'll start with a light five-mile run in full gear, then move on to weapons training. If you survive that, lunch is at 1300 hours—where the real challenge begins. Donut's cooking."

The mention of lunch made Grif's stomach both growl and churn in dread. He wasn't sure which was more terrifying: the prospect of physical exertion or surviving whatever concoction Donut might whip up.

As the briefing wound down, Grif felt the initial nerves begin to settle. Sure, this place was different from the circus, but maybe that wasn’t so bad. After all, where else could you get shot at, potentially poisoned, and still find camaraderie? Only in the military, Grif supposed.

...

In the semi-darkness of their shared bunk room, Grif sprawled out like a starfish across his bed, while Simmons, perched on her own, was engaged in her nightly ritual of boot polishing. The meticulous care she gave her boots made Grif wonder if there was some kind of boot-shining badge of honor he wasn't aware of.

"Hey, Grif," Simmons began, setting her brush down with a precise thunk, her tone casual but clearly curious. "Everyone's got a story about how they ended up here. Spill it—what's yours?"

Grif propped himself up on his elbows, giving Simmons a grin. "Ah, you know, the usual tale of woe and regret—just kidding. I actually ran away from the circus. Yes, literally. My mom’s the bearded lady, famous across several star systems. Growing up, it was all high-wire acts and clown cars for me."

Simmons' eyes widened slightly, the corners of her mouth twitching. "A circus, really? Did you juggle fire or something equally reckless?"

Grif laughed, shaking his head. "Nah, I was the Gravball champ of our traveling troupe. Played in the mud and dust of whatever planet we were on. But eventually, I washed out, lost my mojo, and decided running off to the military was the next logical step."

"From circus star to army private. That's quite a transition," Simmons remarked, her tone mixing amusement with a hint of respect.

"Yep, figured I'd trade in the big top for the big guns. Wanted something a bit more... grounded, I guess," Grif said, stretching his arms behind his head.

"And how's that working out for you?" Simmons asked, a sly grin spreading across her face.

"It's definitely less... flamboyant," Grif conceded with a mock solemn nod. "Your turn, Simmons. What's the dramatic backstory that led you to the glamorous life of military discipline?"

Simmons resumed her boot polishing, the brush strokes rhythmic and soothing. "Oh, it's the textbook military brat story. Both parents served, grandparents too. I was practically born with a regulation handbook in my crib. For me, the army isn’t just about following orders—it’s about knowing exactly where you stand. Order, structure, predictability—all the things a circus isn't."

"Sounds like you were born for this," Grif mused, genuinely intrigued. "Ever wish for something... less predictable?"

"Sometimes," she admitted, pausing her brushing. "But then I remember I hate surprises. Here, I know what to expect. There’s comfort in that, even if it’s a comfort lined with live-fire drills."

"Fair enough," Grif said, nodding thoughtfully. "I suppose we're both running from something. Me, from chaos. You, from the fear of it."

Simmons chuckled, her earlier formality melting into a more relaxed demeanor. "Well, having a former circus performer as a bunkmate is certainly not in the handbook. Just promise me no clowning around during ops, okay?"

Grif gave a dramatic gasp. "Me? Clown around? Perish the thought! But if you ever need someone to juggle smoke grenades, I’m your guy."

"Deal. Just keep the juggling to non-explosives, at least while you’re in the bunk," Simmons replied, her voice light with laughter.

"Deal," Grif echoed, a warm sense of camaraderie weaving through their light-hearted banter, grounding him more firmly than he’d expected. In this unlikely place, perhaps he could find a new kind of family—one less adorned with sequins and sawdust, but no less vibrant.

[bunnyramen]

Tw/Death/Talk of Self Sacrifice

Despite all he’d done, fighting himself, fighting the spot, jumping from dimension to dimension, they still couldn’t save his dad in time.

The kicker was that an hour before him, Rio had come in contact with a patient that had a venom symbiote. While police were shooting to kill the alien that was destroying the hospital, a bullet ricocheted and hit his mother.

It severed an artery in her arm, and she bled out before anyone could get to her.

When he came back, he was met with family members and police telling him the news.

He was never ok with losing his Dad and he never will be ok with it. But losing his mom on the same day, it was too much for him.

So, as Miles watched both of his parents lowered into the earth, no tears could come out.

Flowers upon flowers were laid on both of their graves by Rio’s side of the family, candles, and favors peppered the recently laid dirt.

Everybody was waiting for the other shoe to drop as they watched Miles watch his parents be laid to rest.

Miguel couldn’t say anything to him, and if Miles could think, he’d tell him to never show his face to him ever again.

He doesn’t know why he bothered to show up.

His friends set their versions of objects on their graves, which Miles half appreciated.

Peter B brought a Puerto Rican flag for Rio and a pair of sunglasses for Jefferson.

Peni laid out a mechanical piece shaped like a heart.

Spider Noir had a bouquet of gray roses while SpiderHam brought goofy gag glasses.

(His universe didn’t have much that wasn’t hilarious since people don’t die traditionally)

Hobie, who had worn different color shoelaces out of respect for Miles, put down a candle with one of his lucky guitar strings wrapped around.

Pav brought a small statue that sat between their graves.

Gwen gave them one of her favorite drumsticks and a picture of Miles she had taken.

Margo couldn’t bring anything since she wasn’t there, but she did give him a side hug.

Ganke bowed twice to his mother and father, and once to him.

People tried talking to him, sobbing family and friends from all over the city and even further comforting him, his comrades trying to give their best condolences, but he really couldn’t care less about all that right now.

He tore off the tie he had hastily knotted and failed at doing so because he couldn’t quite remember the way Dad showed him because he was.. numb.

His fingers were numb as threw his tie on the ground.

His head was numb to thoughts that weren’t his parents.

Maybe a glitch will come and undo all this as if it had never happened.

But the multiverse was fixed for the most part.

The probability of things like that happening...

..Zero to none.

He wanted to scream.

What hurt most than being an orphan in just one hour, was that he never got the chance to say he loved them one last time.

He touches his freckled cheeks, the ones his mother gave him, as he breathed a heavy sigh through the lips he got from his father.

Miles plopped down between their two graves, being careful of the stuff people had laid down.

“I never got to tell you guys the biggest secret of them all.” He whispered, “I’m Spider-Man.”

At first, something bubbled in his gut. A warm feeling of.. laughter.

It started as a scoff that led to a chuckle, then a full-bodied laugh came over as he fell backward in tears.

“The biggest fucking thing I was worried about was you abandoning me because of that, and I guess it came true!” Hot globs of anguish flowed down his cheeks, as his laugh grew manic and loud.

He didn’t stop until someone stood over him.

“Miles, you’re hysterical. You need to take a deep breath.” Miguel reached a hand out to try and pick him up, but Miles grabbed his wrist.

With all his Spider-Man strength, he squeezed it and as he looked up into the eyes devoid of much emotion, he had a single thought as his mouth abruptly clamped shut to end his howls.

“It should’ve been you.” He didn’t dare voice it even if at that moment, he wish it would happen just for a second.

He didn’t voice that very real expression of anger, but he did say something a little less harsh.

“I’m allowed to be whatever the fuck I want to be right now.” He lets go of Miguel’s wrist, letting his hand fall limp on the grass.

He didn’t even feel like laughing anymore, just laying there lax, his eyes taking in the oddly clear blue day. If he thought hard enough, this is what it would feel like to be dead.

But there’s no light in a deadman’s eyes, only darkness.

So he closed his own.

He briefly wondered what his Uncle saw right before he died.

If anyone tried to save his mom as she felt her organs shut down from the lack of blood.

What his dad thought about right before that fatal shot to the head.

After a few moments, someone picked him up as they sat on the grass near his body, putting his head in their lap.

He could smell who it was before he opened his eyes, Tía Daniela always smelled like fresh-cut roses.

It didn’t help that she looked so similar to her big sister, just a little more soft and huggable. Even with that, he could still see his mom.

“Let it out, mi amol.” She put a warm hand on his chest, his heart thudding against his sternum, trying to get out from whatever he was keeping in.

He took a sharp, stuttering breath as he sobbed loudly into her skirt, gripping the fabric between his sticky hands. She cradled him against her as if shielding him away from everything.

He didn’t care if all of Brooklyn heard him, he didn’t give a single, solitary shit.

He hoped he was loud enough to wake the dead.

Miles cried until his chest felt it would cave in, something sitting heavy in his chest that wouldn’t get up no matter how much he begged.

“I want.. I want them back. I’d give up my own life just for that to be.”

Daniela cupped his cheek with one manicured hand, “Don’t you dare say that, boy. You know your parents would say the same if you took their place.”

Even in the face of her grief, losing one of her big sisters, here she was comforting Miles.

She appreciated her so much, more than he could voice at the moment.

“We’re gonna take care of you, I promise you that. You’re one of our babies.” She smiled down at him with tears in her eyes, “Oh, I wish I could take this pain away from you.”

Somewhere in between her saying that, and some other family members coming over, he must’ve fallen asleep.

That must’ve been what happened or else he wouldn’t have woken up.. wherever he is.

He’s sure as hell not home or with family, no matter how cozy the bed feels or how comforting the decor is, he doesn’t know where he’s been taken.

His wrists were empty of his webs.

And he wasn’t wearing the suit from the funeral.

Shit.

Hearing voices downstairs, he decided to start there. Miles turned on his invisible, planning to get the jump on whoever it was that kidnapped him.

Who the hell kidnaps a kid at their parent's funeral anyways?

They’ve gotta be sick.

His shoeless feet allowed him to walk on the wall of the stairs, stepping over what looked like family photos.

The voices became clearer as he was in clear view of the living room next to the stairs.

“Don’t you think someone should’ve stayed with him so he doesn’t freak out?”

That was Hobie’s voice.

“Why would he freak out?”

Miguel. (He was still feeling conflicted about talking to him.)

“Oh I don’t know, imagine waking up in a house you’ve never been in, undressed by unknown people plus finding that his webs are stolen.”

“I should go check on him.”

Tía Daniela is here too? But.. that would mean...

He stood on the stairs, looking over the railing, everyone sitting on homey-looking couches. He looked back at the photos he stepped over, they were mostly of Mayday.

Must be Peter and MJ’s house.

Speaking of which, the little girl seemingly looked up at him and pointed. Everybody brought their gaze to where she was giggling and staring, and Miles decided there was no point in hiding.

He uncloaked himself, everybody gained that same pitied look people gave him when his Uncle Aaron had passed.

Except for Hobie, but he didn’t mind. He just had a natural resting bitch face.

“Miles, hey buddy..” Peter was beckoning him to come down with a few swings of his hand.

“Are you feeling hungry?” Mj asked as she made a space on the couch between Daniela and herself for him.

Miles shook his head, “How’d I even get here? What did you tell my Tía?”

“I carried you here through a portal.” Daniela explained, “Peter told me.. everything. He trusted me with such a secret and I’m very grateful. I’m able to better understand what’s going on, even if I don’t quite get what it means to be Spider-Man or ‘canon events’.”

“We brought you here because bringing you to your actual apartment would’ve been too much. Were we wrong about that?” Peni asked, Miles nodded wordlessly.

“Sorry that your folks answered the last roll call, kid. “ Spider-Noir’s wording for their death nearly made him chuckle.

Miles shrugged, not having a clue what to say.

“I know you must not know what to do now, man.” Ganke adjusted his glasses, “My parents would be happy to have you as their kid.”

Miles half smiled, “Thanks, dude.”

“You could come live with one of us. You know any of your family members would be more than happy to take you, Papi.” Daniela wrapped an arm around his shoulder, kissing his forehead.

He was filled with gratitude that everyone was opening their homes up to him, however.. he wished so badly that he could go home to his parents.

Make his dad stand still for a sketch or help Mami with cooking.

But that wasn’t possible now, not in this lifetime at least.

“Actually, and smack me if this crazy-“ Peter felt a tiny smack from Mayday, who he playfully pouted at, “-you could always stay here with us. This is just a suggestion. You’d be able to still go to school, and of course, visit family and friends in Brooklyn anytime. I know you’re in a tough position, and I’d never ask you to make a choice now but-“

“I’ll have to think about it. I’m still pretty.. tired and it just feels.. so strange.”

“Of course, Miles. You got all the time in the world.” Daniela hugged him close.

—-

I only wrote this much but I’m conflicted on who he should stay with. Any ideas?

[mythrae]

Ain't No Sunshine (When She's Gone)

Chapter 1: Prelude

Summary: When the Fairest Bard in Baldur’s Gate is forced into giving her hand in marriage to a member of the Baldurian Elite, Anastasia Goldenrod told herself she would do just about anything to get herself out of it.

Word Count: 3.9k

Warnings: 18+ (minors do not interact), minor character death

Author’s Notes:

this fic is half the reason why I’ve been absent from writing this past month so if u wanna blame someone blame Stassie

big shoutout to @swanfey and @have-a-treato for beta reading :)

fic is set immediately before Act 1 of

click here to read on aO3 :)

“Mama? Papa? I’m home!”

Anastasia Goldenrod opened the door of her parent’s home in Rivington, her violin case in one hand and a bag full of coins in the other. She had just finished performing in front of Sorcerous Sundries on the western side of the Lower City of Baldur’s Gate, a spot she would frequent often as the days were slowly getting warmer.

Ever since Anastasia was a young girl, she had always dreamed of becoming a bard. She was born with a gift for music, so learning how to sing and play her violin came as naturally to her as a babe learning to crawl. Once she began playing her instrument in the streets outside of her home, always drawing in an adoring crowd of fans wanting to get a glimpse of her golden hair and freckled cheeks in the sunlight as she played and sang her heart out.

As she got older, she began to perform almost daily, her talents requested by people of higher ranking. She was even asked to perform at Grand Duke Ravengard’s coronation, an offer she would be a fool to refuse. With her high-profile appearances, she began to build quite the reputation throughout the city.

The Fairest Bard in Baldur’s Gate , they called her. 

Or, as she was known by those who watched her perform nightly at the Elfsong Tavern, the Silver Tongued Bard, for her quick jabs at the men who pined after her.

She didn’t really care for titles, no, that wasn’t what was important to her. She was more than happy making a living doing what she loved.

And she always wanted to make her parents proud. That’s why, even after she had finished her schooling, she stayed at home to help support her family. Nearly every single piece of gold she made went back to them. She helped her mother in the kitchen, aided her father with tailoring the garments sent to the family’s shop, even repairing some of the pieces herself. They had given their life to her for so long, she wanted to pay them back in any way she could.

Her parents were very happy to have their only child still helping them around the home and with the family business. They were proud to see how far their daughter had come in such a short amount of time.

And even so, they still had different plans for her.

“Ah, perfect timing! Hurry, come in, dear!” She heard her father shouting for her from the parlor.

She made haste, her feet moving quickly at her father’s call. But as she entered the room, setting down her violin case, she found herself taking a step back.

Three people stood up from their place on the sofas, all looking to her expectantly.

Her parents, of course, were no shock to her whatsoever. But the tall, dark haired man towering over them was an unexpected guest.

“Anastasia,” her mother said, grinning from ear to ear, “there’s someone we would like you to meet.”

The man gave her a smile, extending his hand to her as a greeting. 

“Ah, if it isn’t the Fairest Bard in all of Baldur’s Gate! I have been looking forward to making your acquaintance, dear.”

She caught a glimpse of the golden steel gauntlet adorning his fingers, a purple stone that almost seemed to glow set right in the middle of the ornate item. The metal matched the accents of his belt and cloak, resembling the face of some sort of devil-like figure. Her eyes flickered to his face, and while he was quite the sight for sore eyes, there was something a bit… off , about him. As if there was another side of him he didn’t want anyone else to see.

When she reached out her hand to shake his, he grabbed hold of her tightly, almost unforgivingly, the metal of the gauntlet cold against her delicate skin. Unable to break from his clutch, she watched as he pulled the back of her hand to his lips for a soft, uncomfortably tender kiss. She felt her face flush, feeling his surprisingly soft lips pressed against her. But as his darkened eyes stared into hers, she felt the warmth leave her body entirely.

She took her hand back, shaking off his unwelcome gesture. “A bit forward for a stranger to greet me like this in my home, hmm?”

“ Ana !” Her mother raised her voice, “That’s no way to treat your future husband!”

“Future… what ?” 

Anastasia spun her head to look at her mother, then back at the man standing in front of her.

She was going to marry him?

“Ah, my apologies, darling.” The man finally spoke. “I have yet to introduce myself.” 

He placed his hand over his chest and bowed to her deeply, refusing to break his gaze. Her whole body felt like it was under a spell, as if she was frozen and couldn’t move.

“I am Lord Enver Gortash. A pleasure to meet you, my dear.”

Hells, not a politician…

Usually, she’d be able to come up with a witty one-liner that would lower his ego. Make a comment on how he looks as if he hasn’t bathed in a tenday, or how he could use a haircut to look more like a member of the elite and not a lowly pauper. After all, she couldn’t become as well known amongst the city as she was without a little bit of vicious mockery.

But despite her strong distaste for him, and how her parents had introduced him as her future husband, she found herself stunned into silence.

“I see that this must be a lot to take in, hm?” He stood upright, his shadow looming over her once more.

All she could do was nod.

“You see, Anastasia, I have heard of your renown throughout the city,” Lord Gortash continued, “There are only so many ladies who can be given your title, after all. So I’ve taken it upon myself to visit the Elfsong every now and again. And you, my dear, are a true work of art.”

Something clicked in the back of her mind.

Yes , she thought, I’ve seen him there before…

The vision comes back briefly, her playing one of the tunes she wrote for Duke Ulder Ravengard on the tavern stage. He was sitting in the back of the room, drinking whatever ale they had that evening, glaring at her from across the way.

She remembered how frightening he looked. It made her feel unsafe that night. 

And here he was, giving her that same devious glare, making her feel vulnerable all over again. Almost like he was staring right through her clothes, taking in her naked form.

She wanted to run. She wanted to get away. She wanted to scream and claw at the smug look at his face and hit him over the head with her violin case.

But, she stayed frozen, unable to move.

“And what a coincidence, he continued, “your father just so happens to be my tailor! When I had knocked on his door earlier today, he thought I had personally come by to drop off my cloaks!

“What can I say?” Her father chuckled, “It’s not every day that the Military Advisor for the Baldurian Elite comes to our humble shop!”

“Well, you will most certainly need to get used to it, Mister Goldenrod.”

Lord Gortash reached into his cloak pocket, pulling out a small box while he knelt down on one knee. He opened the box, revealing a golden ring, an impressively large diamond set perfectly in the middle.

“Anastasia Goldenrod, I would be remiss to not make you my bride. Will you accept?”

Oh, so they’re being serious.

She didn’t want to do this, not yet. Her life had barely begun, and she didn’t want to get tied down just yet. She wanted to perform, travel alongside the Sword Coast, meet all sorts of friends and foes. She wanted a chance to live her life, fall in love on her own terms, before settling down and starting a family.

This would take it all away from her.

She was going to say no, until she turned her focus away from Gortast to look at her parents.

She knew they had gone through hardship, long before she was even born. Her father was once a renown tailor in the Lower City of Baldur’s Gate, servicing any and all who stopped at his doorstep. But an accident unknown to her had ruined his reputation, forcing his family to move to the outskirts of the city he loved. Since then, they have struggled, barely making enough money for the three of them. It wasn’t until she started getting paid for playing that they were finally able to live comfortably. And even then, it wasn’t always enough.

She knew that if she were to get married to a Baldurian Elite like Lord Gortash, her father’s business would be up and running again. She could see the hope and excitement in their eyes as they envisioned their future. 

She couldn’t find it in herself to crush their dreams.

With her eyes squeezed shut and her face turned away, she begrudgingly gave him her answer:

“Yes.”

She heard her parents gasp, elated that their daughter had accepted his proposal. When she opened her eyes, she saw Lord Gortash beaming, a twinkle in his eye as he plucked the ring from its box and slid it onto Anastasia’s ring finger.

“Excellent.”

“Oh, isn’t this so exciting, Ana?” Her father said, nearly shaking in excitement, “he wants to marry you! YOU!”

No, it was not exciting whatsoever , she thought.

Lord Gortash stood up, giving Anastasia’s hand one final squeeze before he left. “It was a delight to make your acquaintance, dearest Anastasia.” 

She gave him a curt nod in his direction, discreetly wiping her hand on her trousers.

He gave a shallow bow to her parents. “I must go make the arrangements for our upcoming nuptials. We will be married in a tenday! Get your guest list to me as soon as you can!”

As he opened the door to their home, he turned his head to say one last remark:

“It will surely be an unforgettable night!

Anastasia felt her stomach drop.

She did not like the way he said that.

-----

Unable to face her parents with her concerns for her upcoming nuptials, Anastasia spent the next hour quietly sobbing into the pile of pillows resting on her bed. 

Usually, when she thought her parents were making a poor decision, she would be able to dissuade them into making a choice that was more reasonable. Things like if they wanted to irresponsibly use their money, or if they wanted to use a different thread supplier because the one they have become loyal to was getting pricier.

But this? If she said anything at all, it could ruin everything. There was no way she could express how she was feeling to them right now. 

In fact, how was she feeling?

Blindsided, confused, hurt, betrayed. As if she was being sold off like a pig in a market, destined for a grim death it would never see coming.

All of these and more came to mind.

But instead of seeking out the comfort she once had from her parents, she let the pillowcases absorb her tears, her eye makeup staining them black.

She was so distraught by what they had allowed to happen to her, she didn’t even notice the graying-haired stranger relaxing in the chair in the corner of her bedroom.

As she lifted her head from her pillow to take a shaky breath, the overwhelming smell of sulfur filled her nostrils. And was that a hint of… 

Cherry ?

Turning her head over her shoulder, she locked eyes with a man dressed rather regally watching her intently, one leg crossed over the other as he held a chalice delicately in his fingers.

“My, my, my.” The man tutted, shaking his head. “I was worried I’d be here until sunrise, little mouse.”

Anastasia sat up in her bed, silently conjuring one of her cantrips in between her fingers. The heat started to build up in the palm of her hand as she narrowed her eyes, zeroing in the most unwelcome guest.

“How the hells did you get in here?”

The strange man chuckled, twirling his chalice, “Seems your door has a faulty lock, hm?”

Her eyes flickered over to the door, which was left slightly ajar.

“Fair point.” She replied, palms glowing a bright orange as she hopped from her bed as she held out her hands in his direction, “ Why are you here?”

“Oh, where are my manners?” He smiled to himself, standing to his feet while placing the chalice on the desk next to him.

Anastasia fought the urge to roll her eyes to the back of her head. She’d already met one odd man in her home, and now here she was, dealing with another one.

“I am Raphael, at your humble service.”

Another shallow bow, much like the one Gortash gave her parents mere hours ago, down to resting his hand on top of his chest.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Anastasia spat, the magic practically burning at her skin, “Tell me why you’re here, or I’ll incincerate you where you stand.”

“Well, aren’t you feisty?” He nearly purred, “I assure you, I am here to help you. With your… upcoming arrangement.”

Anastasia felt her eyes go wide. How does he know?

She dismissed her cantrip away, allowing her hands to slowly fall to her sides.

“Explain yourself.”

“You see,” Raphael began, “I know of this man who wants to have your hand in marriage. This ‘Lord Gortash,’ he calls himself. We have… a bit of history, to say the least. And I would stop at nothing to ruin his pathetic self over and over again.”

She watched him tightly squeeze his fist together, as if he was squishing the life out of Lord Gortash in his bare hands.

“I would very much like to help you get out of this arrangement…”

“Oh, you would?!” Anastasia blurted,

“... for a price, that is.”

This didn’t bother her in the slightest.

“At this point, I’d do anything.” She pleaded.

Well, almost anything.

“Calm down, little mouse.” Raphael waved his hand in the air, “Let’s discuss this matter in a less… intimate setting. Besides, the town of Rivington always felt too ‘middle-of-nowhere’ for my tastes.”

Before she could even process what he said, Raphael snapped his fingers, and Anastasia felt the room spinning away from her.

Even when she closed her eyes, the vertigo still took hold, feeling as if her body had been caught up in a twister she could not escape. All she could do was squeeze her eyes shut and pray that it would be over.

But as the thought crossed her mind, she felt the air around her still.

When she opened her eyes, she was no longer in her bedroom. Quite the opposite, in fact.

The stranger had teleported her into a grand dining hall, lavished with the highest quality food and the strongest smelling alcohol her senses had ever experienced. Plush chairs surrounded the large table, a rather creepy skeleton placed in each seat, paired with its own plate and goblet at their table setting. The walls were decorated rather luxuriously, paintings hung carefully alongside many emblems of a golden devilish face, each one with its tongue sticking out.

Wait a minute, she thought, those are the same devil’s on Gortash’s cloak…

“There,” Raphael said, interrupting Anastasia’s thoughts, “‘middle-of-somewhere.’ Welcome to my House of Hope, dear.”

He stood in front of the fireplace, the warm glow of the flickering flames making him look as if he was a sort of hero, or a savior of sorts.

But the way he stood in front of her was nearly identical to the portrait of the devil that hung behind him.

“Who… who are you, really?” Anastasia questioned him, taking a small step back.

He tutted, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Oh, dear. It took you this long to figure it out? Not very insightful, are you?”

Raphael was surrounded by a blazing inferno, seeming as if they were rising up from the Hells themselves. As the flames dimmed, his true form was revealed: deep red skin, glowing eyes, strong horns, and bat-like wings.

A devil .

“What’s better than a devil you don’t know?”

“A devil you… do?” She replied, nearly trembling in fear.

“Precisely.”

She watched as the devil snapped his fingers once more.

Anastasia felt herself being pushed back into a chair, her wrists being restrained by a metal claw on the arms as soon as she had taken a seat. 

“Can’t let you run off during negotiations, dearest.” He explained, “I do hope you understand.”

It took everything in herself not to thrash about, to scream at him to let her go, that she wanted no part in this any longer.

Instead, she took a breath, in through her nose, out through her mouth.

Stay calm, she told herself, he wants to help you. He’s going to help you, whether he truly wants to or not.

“Pray tell, Anastasia,” he said, “have you ever heard of a warlock?”

She had heard their praises sung by other bards a few times before. Fierce, strong spellcasters, bound by contract to an all-powerful patron who gives the warlock power in exchange for their loyalty and completing various duties assigned to them. Though she didn’t know any warlocks personally, she could definitely see the appeal in becoming one.

“I have,” She nodded. 

“So this next part won’t come as a surprise, then.”

The devil snapped his fingers. Fearing the worst, Anastasia braced for impact.

Instead of her body being moved against her will once more, a scroll unfurled in front of her, magically floating in midair. The infernal inscription of the scroll glowed crimson. This was definitely unlike any sort of contract she had seen before.

Well, of course it isn’t, she thought to herself, this is a deal with a devil .

“The moment I have your signature,” he gestured as a quill appeared next to the scroll, “you will become my loyal warlock. Serving me for all your mortal days, and perhaps into the afterlife… if you’re lucky.” 

“If I’m lucky?” Anastasia arched her brow.

“If I like you enough, that is,” he replied with a sickening grin. “Then, not only will I help you escape this marriage…”

He leaned in close, their noses nearly touching as she saw his eyes burning with the hellish infernal flame.

“Your power will be greater than you could ever imagine.”

Was she flushing from the proposal or from his proximity?

Regardless, Anastasia knew what she had to do.

“It’s a deal,” She answered.

The restraint from her wrists were lifted, allowing her to quickly pick up the quill. With her grip holding it tightly, she signed her name at the bottom of the parchment, her name glowing red once she lifted the quill from the scroll.

“Good girl.” He smiles as the contract rolled itself up, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

As soon as the scroll vanished, Anastasia felt a new magic coursing through her veins. This was nothing like the cantrips she had learned to harness, most definitely not. This magic was more powerful, darker in nature, as it traveled to the crown of her head to the ends of her fingers and toes. 

For the first time in her life, she felt strong. She felt powerful.

She felt like she could do anything.

“Well? How does it feel?”

“It feels… amazing.” She replied, looking down at the deep green aura surrounding her hands. “It’s unlike anything I’ve felt before.”

“Excellent,” Raphael smiled. "But you're not done, yet."

She looked up from her hands to find him towering over her, moving his hands to rest them on her shoulders, his claws nearly breaking the fabric of her clothing.

“Now, listen to me carefully, dear.” He said, “If you mess this plan up, it could ruin everything.”

-----

“Oh, gods! My baby!”

As the sun crept over the town of Rivington, she could hear her mother’s agonizing screams ripping through the morning air.

Anastasia saw a replica of her body, beaten and bruised, limply laying in front of the steps of her home. She looked on as her mother’s arms wrapped around the body, weeping uncontrollably as she mourned the loss of her daughter. 

“My baby… they took my baby…” she repeated again and again, her body rocking back and forth as she cradled her child.

To her pleasant surprise, Raphael had kept his end of the deal. Before she had left the House of Hope, he had instructed her to tell her parents the night before that she was going to play at the Elfsong Tavern, like she normally did. This time, she was not to come home.

Her father, who usually stayed up late for her on these nights, stood over the two of them. Even as the sun shone on his face, his features were dark.

She swore he never cried once in his life. But as she watched from the trees behind their house, she almost swore she saw him shed a tear.

Anastasia never wanted to hurt her parents, not like this. It hurt her even more, seeing how heartbroken they were to have lost their only child, their sunshine in the darkness of their lives.

But deep down, she knew this was the best decision she could make for herself.

She took a deep breath before taking a step back, holding her hands in prayer.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered to herself. She hoped that through some strange miracle, her parents could hear her.

She quickly turned on her heel to make her way to the forest, replaying Raphael’s message in her head:

“When you know that they found your body, head to the middle of the forest. There will be a clearing with a boulder in the middle. That is where you will find me, and I will give you your first mission as my warlock.”

How he was able to replicate her body perfectly and have it look as if it was beaten to death, she would never fully know. But she did know one thing:

She could never go back home.

Anastasia Goldenrod was no more. The Fairest Bard in Baldur’s Gate had been brutally murdered. And to this life, she could never return. 

She was going to start anew. She had to find a new purpose. Change her name.

Oh hells, what would she call herself…

Various names rotated through her head as she trudged forward, her violin case strapped to her back, next to her newly gifted sword.

There will be people who will recognize me if I am called Ana , she thought to herself, but I don’t want to make up something completely different and brand new. I always thought my name suited me, after all.

Finally, after walking for what felt like forever, there was a name that popped in her head that was so perfect, it stopped her right in her tracks.

Stassie.

The nickname her grandmother used to call her.

She said it aloud, under her breath, one that she hadn’t heard in many years. Then again, a bit louder this time.

It was perfect.

Though she didn’t have much time to think about anything else as she felt a foreign shadow looming over her. 

As she looked over her shoulder, she spotted a mysterious alien ship with flailing tentacles flying through the sky. 

[jessicasland]

Here is my take on Marvel’s Power Pack.

For my take, I decided to make Alex and Katie adopted children while Julie and Jack are biological siblings and I gave them each different eye colors instead of them all having the same eye color.

-

Created with Adobe Illustrator.

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Name: Alexander "Alex" Timothy Powers

Age: 11

DOB: August 11th, 2012

Gotcha Day: August 24th, 2014

Skin: Light Medium Golden

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Blonde

Main Color: White

Power(s): Gravity Manipulation

Occupation: Sixth Grader, Leader of the Power Pack

Facts

-He was adopted by the Powers Family when he was two years old

-He’s three years older than Julie

-Has a fear of failure

-Made himself the leader of the Power Pack simply because he’s the oldest

-He and Katie have a close brother/sister relationship

-Captain of the schools boys soccer team

-He’s the peacemaker of the family

-Will do anything to protect his siblings

-Plays the keyboard piano

-Known to be an active artist and seen sketching and doodling from time to time

-He has a crush on Caitlin Johns

Name: Julia "Julie" Meredith Powers

Age: 8

DOB: December 18th, 2015

Skin: Light Golden

Eye Color: Blue

Hair Color: Strawberry Blonde

Main Color: Red

Power(s): Flight, Rainbow Trail, Super Speed

Occupation: Third Grader, Member of Power Pack

Facts

-She was born the Friday before Christmas that year

-She’s known to be the brains of the family

-She’s well advanced academically for her age and has a higher IQ than anyone else in her class

-Never once got detention or sent to the principals office

-Leader of the schools mathleetes team

-Made the honor roll four times

-She’s a second leader of the Power Pack

-Known to be an active reader

-Sometimes she’s so smart that it’s scary for the others

-She and Jack don’t often get along as any typical brother and sister would

-Had a fear of snakes

-Plays the violin

-She has a channel where she does all kinds of science experiments

-Her best friend and lab partner is Gregory "Greg" Thompson

Name: Jackson "Jack" Andrew Powers

Age: 7

DOB: March 2nd, 2016

Skin: Light Golden

Eye Color: Blue

Hair Color: Brown

Main Color: Blue

Power(s): Manipulation of Molecular Density

Occupation: Second Grader, Member of Power Pack

Facts

-A year younger than Julie

-The only one in the family with freckles

-Has a massive crush on Jean Grey

-Doesn’t take school seriously

-Known to be the class clown and jokester of the family

-A fan of the “Ninja Master” TV show

-He has a channel where he makes videos of him practicing his skate tricks, playing pranks, and video game commentary

-LOVES to ride his skateboard

-Plays an electric guitar

-He wants to be a rockstar when he grows up

-The messiest of his siblings

-Always doing something to try and impress the ladies

-He’s on the school basketball team

-He is terrified of spiders

-One of the members of his “gaming gang” is a girl named Chrissy Fletcher who is obsessed with him

Name: Katelyn “Katie” Marie Powers

Age: 5

DOB: June 9th, 2018

Gotcha Day: September 15th, 2018

Skin: Very Light Almond

Eye Color: Green

Hair Color: Light Blonde

Main Color: Yellow

Power(s): Power Balls

Occupation: Kindergartner, Member of Power Pack

Facts

-Adopted by the Powers when she was three months old

-A big fan of cartoons (especially Spongebob, Wild Kratts, and Bluey)

-Has a special crochet plush turtle that was a gift to her from the court on her adoption hearing day

-Loves stuffed animals

-Her favorite animals are ponies and penguins

-Has a fear of clowns and the dark

-Often gets picked on because she’s the smallest of her siblings

-She can’t sleep unless the light in the bathroom is on

-Her favorite thing in the world is chocolate milk

-She can’t read very well yet so the others have to help her

-Plays the tambourine

-She takes ballet classes three days out of the week

-Her very best friend is Franklin “Frankie” Richards

[loveforpreserumsteve]

A Whole New Ballfield: "ALN" Story (Pre-serum Omega!Steve and Alpha!Bucky Modern Domestic AU) [REUPLOAD]

Eighteen:

Removing the pizza stuffed challah bread from the oven, Steve noticed Ian. The alpha was dressed sharply in a pair of gray pin-stripe slacks and a mauve turtleneck, and Steve couldn't help but compliment, "Don't you look handsome."

That gained Bucky's attention as he looked up from the novel he was reading to look at the dapper man. Placing the bookmark in his third day of Hanukkah present, Bucky let out a low whistle. "Where're you goin'?"

"I have a date," Ian's tawny, golden-brown cheeks reddened.

"Yeah?" Bucky asked, intrigued as he watched the younger alpha tie his spiffy black dress shoes. "With who?"

"A woman I met," Ian answered, busying himself with getting ready to leave.

Pleasantly surprised, Steve correctly assumed, "The one from the flight?"

Still blushing, Ian nodded, but didn't look up to make eye-contact with either of his adoptive fathers. Bucky's brows furrowed, "You met a woman on a flight?"

"Yeah," Ian confirmed, patting his back slack pocket to make sure that he had his wallet.

"Are we talking about the flight here? The one from California to here? That flight?" Bucky questioned.

Playfully, Steve rolled his eyes and teased, "Haven't you ever heard of compatibility?"

Ian's cheeks flamed even brighter while Bucky jokingly narrowed his eyes, causing the crows feet to crinkle at the corners. Steve loved those wrinkles, but now wasn't the time as he noticed how much Ian was fidgeting.

"Everything alright, sweetie?" Steve asked, brows creasing.

"Yeah," Ian worried his plump lower lip with his perfectly straight teeth.

However, Ian wasn't very convincing. Steve liked to think that he got that from him, just like the rest of their kids.

"I just –" Ian huffed out a breath as he sat on one of the stools at the breakfast bar "– I really want this to go well."

Across the rooms, Steve and Bucky exchanged a look that had the older man stand from his seat on the sofa. Promptly, the alpha crossed the room for the kitchen. As he joined the other two family members, Bucky soothingly marked over Ian's broad shoulder.

"Do you think...? I mean, uh..." Bucky paused, trying to formulate the question as delicately as he could. After all, he didn't want to make the younger man more skittish than he was already appearing. "Could... you be... compatible...?"

"I don't know," Ian admitted. Vulnerable, he looked from one man to the other and then back again. Gaze back on the omega, he asked him, "How did you know?"

Steve held his hands up, "Don't look at me, I was just along for the ride."

Crumpling up a napkin, Bucky threw it as his mate, earning a small smile from Ian. "Anyway," Bucky gave his spouse A Look. Before he could continue answering though, Nevie spoke, announcing her presence.

"'It was a magical moment,'" the eighteen year old quoted her alpha father's words from the many times that he had told each of them the origin of their family. Steve muffled his laughter while Bucky preened, clearly proud that his kids knew their start so well. Even if she purposely kept her voice of emotion.

"'My eyes landed on your pops and my heart shifted to be closer to him. As soon as he spoke, I started falling in love,'" Bitsy finished, fake gagging.

Steve kissed her freckled cheek when the younger omega was in reach. And when Nevie poured herself some juice, Steve smoothed his hand over her wavy brown hair. Teasing his husband, "See, they listen."

Bucky winked at his omega before redirecting his attention back to the younger man. "What have you felt?"

"It wasn't a shift or anything like that," Ian admitted. "But when our eyes locked, it felt like I was coming home. Like, she knew me before we even smiled at each other. And I've never felt that kind of connection before."

The two older men shared a knowing look. It wasn't necessarily rare for a compatible couple to find each other, per se. But it definitely wasn't entirely common either. Steve didn't know if he had met anyone else who was lucky enough to be with a true soulma–

"That is so romantic," Cori gushed, taking a seat at the breakfast bar beside the two alphas.

Ian's blush flared once more, but a smile stayed on his face. Steve could only hope that his kids could have the type of relationship that he had with Bucky. And if the alpha really was compatible with this, "Capital W," Wylie, Steve knew that they could actually have a chance. No, it wouldn't be easy, but it could be absolutely amazing.

"Oh, shit," Ian exclaimed, hopping off the stool as he noticed the time. Grabbing the keys to his rental car, he apologized to the men, "Sorry." Reiterating, "Shoot. Oh, shoot, I gotta go."

Kissing Bucky's stubbly cheek and then Steve's, Ian shrugged into his peacoat. Flashing the five Barneses a large, shy grin, Ian requested, "Wish me luck."

"Good luck!" The three non-drama club members wished while Cori called out, "Break a leg!"

"Hell, break two!" Bitsy joked, earning a playful scowl from the man.

Leaving the house, Ian nearly ran into Kit. The two alphas chuckling and giving each other a hug before going in their opposite ways. Gesturing towards their brother, Kit asked, "Where's he going?"

"Date," Cori, Bitsy, and Nevie answered in unison.

"Really?" Kit grinned, further entering into the house. "That's great!"

"Definitely," Bucky and Steve agreed simultaneously.

Quirking a brow at their fathers, Kit joked, "Okay, you've all been spending way too much time together. It's getting freaky."

Playfully, Steve rolled his eyes and Cori said, "If you give us some money, we'll get out of your hair."

"Funny," Bucky deadpanned. Pulling the eighteen year old close, he blew a raspberry on her cheek. "You're stuck with us, sweet pea."

Theatrically, Cori pushed her alpha father away and wiped at her face. Making her way for the basement, she called over her shoulder, "Happy Hanukkah, I'll be in my room until graduation!"

"More pizza for me," Kit shrugged, wafting the aroma of the cheesy challah towards themselves.

Shaking his head, Steve elbowed the twenty-one year old. Instructing, "Get the plates, you goof."

"Aye, aye, Captain," the alpha teased, turning, and grabbing the dinner plates.

"Oh, holy fuck, does it smell good in here!" Ollie groaned, entering the house.

"Hello to you too," Steve greeted with an amused smile tugging at his cheeks.

Meanwhile, Bucky mocked, "You kiss your pops with that mouth?"

Flashing a shit-eating grin, Oliver deliberately smacked a kiss to Steve's cheek. Claiming, "All the fucking time."

Once the pregnant omega was in his reach, Bucky pulled him close, accepting the kiss given to his cheek, "That's my boy."

As Ollie rested more of his weight on his dad, Steve couldn't help but feel emotional. Especially when his husband gave their son some more comfort and marked over the twenty-eight week bump. And while babies couldn't scent in utero, Steve hoped that little Rory Roo knew just how loved he was already.

[harringtonisms]

in the name of practice

pairing: amanda driscoll (OC)/louise-jane brooks (OC) summary: Amanda and Lj decide that practicing kissing on each other is a totally normal, totally straight thing to do. warnings: none, just fluff! word count: 2.6k a/n: This is a ficlet starring all original characters from "People Like Us". This takes place in the same universe as that fic but does not contain any characters from Stranger Things. i just could not get enough of amanda and lj and wanted to give them a little more love. this is for those of you who also love them like i do. this is also to hold you over until i finish the last part of this little series which is very heavily steddie centric LOL.

Read it on AO3

June 28th, 1998

“So,” Lj started. “How does sixteen feel?” It was late the night of Amanda’s birthday and the two girls were hiding away from the rest of the party in their spot in the woods behind her home. It’s not that Amanda wasn’t having fun with her fellow classmates and family members but when Lj came up to her and asked if they could go hang out in their spot, she simply grabbed a blanket out the hall closet and followed her out the back door. There was very little that Amanda would rather do than lay on the gingham blanket and count all the new freckles that appeared on Lj between each visit.  Their spot was close enough to Amanda’s house that they could still see it and hear the music, but far enough away that they could enjoy the privacy the dense forest and nighttime darkness offered. They could see the edge of Lover’s Lake from their spot and it was marked by a tree with two sets of initials carved into it. The stereo, currently playing  “I Want You Back” by NSYNC, was muffled by the distance and the two girls were lying on their sides, facing each other.

“Feels the same as fifteen.” Amanda said. Lj twirled the ends of Amanda’s straightened hair, and the redhead drew little patterns into the few inches of space between them with her finger. Her sister suggested trying out straightened hair for her birthday. She hesitated at first but since Jennifer was leaving for school in August she let her older sister do her hair. And, subconsciously, she knew Lj loved when her hair was down and she wanted to hear her tell Amanda how beautiful she was. 

“At least now you can get your license. I hate having to ride around in Todd’s car.”  Todd was Mary’s current boyfriend who gave them rides wherever they wanted. Lj let Amanda’s hair slip from her fingers and looked at her. 

“True.” Amanda agreed. “His car always smells like cigarettes and…” 

“Mary’s shampoo, weirdly” Lj finished for her, both girls giggling. 

“And also, he stops to kiss her at every red light and every stop sign and maybe I’m just jealous but kissing cannot possibly be that addicting.” Amanda complained. At that admission, Lj sat up properly and Amanda pushed herself up on her elbows and shot Lj a confused glance. 

“Amy…you haven’t you had your first kiss yet?” Lj asked. Amanda’s face burned in embarrassment. She fell back on the plush blanket and pulled her arms over her face, and let it muffle the sound of her ‘No’. Her, Mary, and Lj were a rather close knit group since sharing a table in their 8th grade history class and she was the only one of the three of them still waiting on her first kiss. Not that you could really blame her. It’s not like she knew of any other queer girls in Hawkins, and none of the other queer girls in Hawkins knew she was a lesbian. Mary was rather popular and had started dating Todd not too long after they entered high school so she had her first kiss before the other two. Lj went on one date with a boy for what felt like the longest night of Amanda’s life their freshman year. They kissed and mutually decided they’d be better off as friends and nothing more. So that left Amanda, as the only one to not have been kissed. 

“Hey,” Lj brushed Amanda’s arms off her face and smiled at her. “I’m not teasing you Amy, I would never. I thought Kevin asked you out? Didn’t you go?” Amanda groaned as she recalled that day in her mind. She was standing at Mary’s locker with Lj, waiting for her to finish grabbing her things so they could head out for the day. They were chatting amongst themselves when Kevin approached. Kevin was blond and ‘’attractive enough’’ as Mary had put it. He invited her out to the new bowling alley that opened up downtown and she froze. Mary, who’d misunderstood Amanda’s shocked expression for excitement,  jumped in with a “She’d love too!” and offered Amanda’s home phone number. 

“I told him I was sick. I’ve been avoiding him in the hallway since then. I got Jennifer to tell him to stop calling and he hasn’t tried since then.” She admitted. Lj bit her lip to suppress her laugh. Amanda groaned again and hid her face in her hands. Lj peeled Amanda’s fingers from her face and laughed quietly, holding firmly onto her hands.

“Don’t be embarrassed, Amy.” Lj said, rubbing her thumbs gently on the other girl’s palms.

“I’m not!” Lj raised her eyebrows. “Well maybe a bit. It feels like everyone else has already had their first kiss and I'm lagging behind. What if I kiss someone and I suck?” Amanda admitted. 

“If only there was a way you could practice before your actual first kiss,” Lj said. 

Amanda looked up at Lj and found that she was already looking at her. Amanda hadn’t ever been in any situations quite like this one before. She looked at Lj and in her mind indulged in thoughts of her as more than a friend. It’s not the first time she thought about what it would be like to kiss her. It’s just that this time, she was almost certain Lj was thinking the same thing. Lj was thinking about kissing her and she felt on fire. Both girls repositioned themselves until they were both sitting up properly on the blanket. 

“We could…kiss each other, right? In the name of practice?” Amanda swallowed and nodded hesitantly. 

“Yea, in the name of practice.” She forced out. It felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. Lj shifted so that they faced each other perfectly, knees touching and their faces about a foot apart. 

“And we wouldn’t tell anyone.” Lj whispered. Amanda nodded, unable to find the words. Her fingers tapped her bedspread anxiously. They brought their faces closer together until there was a mere few inches between them. At this distance, Amanda could see the way Lj’s eyelashes framed her eyes and she could count each individual golden fleck of glitter on the other girl’s eyelids.  Amanda let her gaze travel lazily over the entirety of Lj’s face, from her hairline, past her eyes, down her nose, over her lips, memorizing each little detail she could only see when she was this close. She stared at Lj’s lips and contemplated what was about to happen. Could she give up her first kiss like this? Sure, Lj wanted her right now but only in this very specific instance. Shouldn’t her first kiss go to someone who wanted her just as badly as she wanted them? Amanda looked up into Lj’s eyes, then back at her lips, and pulled back a second before Lj stood up and started pacing. Amanda leaned up against their tree and let out a shaky breath as her blush spread from her cheeks to her ears and down her neck. 

“Can I tell you something, Amy? Something you can’t tell anyone, not even Mary.” Amanda had barely been given a moment to process what had nearly happened but still. She took in a deep breath and shifted to look at Lj. She only nodded, not trusting her voice much. 

“So you remember that boy I went out with right. I like boys.” Amanda knew this but it still felt like a punch to the gut hearing it. Instead of looking at Lj, she just stared at the grass. “I like boys. I like that they’re bigger than me and when they hug me it’s like they fully envelope me in their arms. I like that they have that masculine smell to them, like pine trees and sweat, but they don’t smell bad.” Lj stopped her pacing for a moment. “Well most of the time. I like watching them workout in gym class and I like having the door opened for me and their smirks and how they all get all cocky when they’re trying to impress me. I like that.” This, Amanda thought, was probably what heartbreak felt like. 

“But,” The music in the background faded out completely and Amanda zeroed in on Lj. Against her better judgment, hope bloomed in her chest again. She had never been so invested in the end of a sentence like she was this one. “God Amy, you can’t hate me if I tell you this.” Amanda stood and reached for Lj’s hands and squeezed. 

“Lj, there’s nothing you could tell me that would make me hate you. I promise, I super promise.” It felt a lot like that day in Mr. Harrington’s classroom, except now she was in his shoes. Waiting for someone else to tell her their secret so she could tell them that there’s nothing wrong with how they feel. Lj held on for a second longer before letting go and resuming her pacing.

“Have you ever looked at a girl, Amy? Like really looked at a girl. Like you’re hanging out together and you’re both laughing so hard, and when you look over at her you realize you want to make her laugh like that constantly. When you tell her she’s pretty and she goes all red and it’s like…I don’t even have the words for how perfect she looks like that. And you wear the friendship bracelets you made together until they fall apart and you hold her hand every second that you possibly can and you drag her away from her own birthday party just so you can have her to yourself for a minute. Do you get what I’m saying, Amy?” And she did, she really did. The way Lj smiled at her everytime she blushed after a compliment played in her mind. She thought about the frayed friendship bracelet on her dresser and how naturally Lj’s hand slotted into her own like they were supposed to be fitted together. How surreal was this? To hear that the girl who completely changed how Amanda thought about herself, thought about her that way. 

“I like boys but I also like girls and I don’t know what it’s called but,” Amanda watched as she stopped pacing and looked at her. “But kissing you means something to me, Amanda. And I don’t want to kiss you and have you think it’s just for practice. I want to kiss you for real and I want you to kiss me for real too.” Amanda’s mouth hung open slightly. She imagined this moment, the one where the girl she’s pined over for years admits that she wants her too, in her head quite often. She imagined them in her room with the door locked or in a secluded corner of the library. She pictured what it would feel like to have Lj lean down and whisper in Amanda’s ear what she really thought of her. Of course, she assumed they would always be just fantasies and in her daydreams she always said the right thing. But now? She was at a loss for words. Amanda tried to find something to say in response, something that captured the complexity of all that she felt, but all she could land on was “Finally.”

Amanda leaned back against their tree, and Lj took a tentative step closer.

“Finally?” She repeated.

“Lj, I…I’m a lesbian. I’ve had a crush on you forever, I’ve been dreaming about the day that you’d say that to me since like, eighth grade.” That hope in Amanda’s chest turned to full, unbridled joy when Lj smiled her trademark smile. Small, sweet, and just for her. Amanda couldn’t help but replicate it. Lj stepped forward again and stood between spread knees. 

“So I can kiss you? For real?” She asked. Amanda nodded profusely. 

“Yes. Please.” She confirmed. 

The song playing from her house, the chorus of “All My Life” by K-Ci and JoJo, came back into the background. Lj pulled Amanda up off the tree until they were face to face. She snaked one hand into the hair at the nape of Amanda’s neck and the other found its place on her jawline, and tilted Amanda’s head up slightly. Amanda’s hands found purchase on Lj’s waist and slowly they both leaned in until their lips finally connected. 

It was a shy kiss at first. Two girls having what could only be described as a life-altering kiss, hidden by trees from everyone who could never find out. Lj tasted like the strawberry frosting on her cake and bubblegum lip gloss and Amanda decided right then and there that yeah. Kissing is addicting. Amanda's fingers traveled up Lj’s spine and she pushed up against her until there was no telling where Lj began and where Amanda ended. Lj’s nails scratched at Amanda’s scalp lightly and the redhead shuddered. Lj pulled back and Amanda chased her lips until they met again, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. Lj’s hands fell to Amanda’s waist. They separated again, sharing one quick, final kiss, no less important than the other two. 

Foreheads touching, Amanda looked up at Lj and Lj looked down at her. The prettiest girl in the whole world likes Amanda. Isn’t that just so lovely? 

“Does this mean you’re like my…girlfriend?” Amanda asked quietly. 

“I don’t know,” Lj teased. “Are you asking me?” She smiled that same delicate smile she always does. Amanda rolled her eyes but leaned up to kiss her again. God, she could get used to that.

“Lj, would you please be-”

“Your girlfriend? Absolutely.” She kissed Amanda again and they both smiled into it. 

From the woods they heard footsteps approaching on the grass. The two girls jumped apart, Lj dropping to sit on the blanket and Amanda just falling back against the tree. Mary appeared a few trees away and approached them.

“What were you two doing out here?” She inquired. 

“Nothing,” Amanda said at the same time that Lj said “Just talking.” Amanda spit out the hair that had attached itself to her freshly glossed lips. Mary looked between the two and raised an eyebrow before shrugging. 

“What’s written on that tree? Scooch over a bit, Amanda.” She obliged the blonde’s request and shifted to reveal the letters carved in hearts on the tree’s trunk. In one heart was an S + E. In the second, was an R + a second letter they couldn’t quite decipher.

“It’s lovers,” Lj said. “You can put an M + T, for you and Todd.”

“No need, we just broke up.” Both girls' heads snapped to their friend.

“Oh my god, are you okay? What happened, you came here together?” Amanda rubbed Mary’s arm comfortingly.

“It doesn’t matter really.” She said, “ And it’s really for the best. He sucks and I hated driving around in his car, it smells like-”

“Cigarettes.” All three girls said together. The three girls laughed and Amanda felt Lj’s eyes on her. She looks over at her and smiles when they make eye contact. Mary spins and hooks one arm into Amanda and Lj’s respectively, and begins to drag them back to the house. 

“Amanda, your mom sent me out here to get you to come inside to open gifts, and I think your aunt and cousins are about to leave and they want pictures. Oh, the blanket! Hold on a sec!”

Mary spins, and runs back to the tree. In the few moments they have to themselves, Lj reaches out and brushes her hand quickly against Amanda’s. She blushes when their skin makes contact. Every glance, every touch, every smile, feels charged with all the words they can’t say with company only a few feet away. Amanda only purses her lips to tamp down her smile, and saves everything she wishes to tell Lj for the next time she can get her alone.

[gunslinginnhogtyin]

The demon blooded cowboy allows him to take his hand in order to take his drink, his spaded tail coming to curl around himself and over his legs, swaying languidly near the tip. He watches his face as he does so, noting how his freckles stand out against the moonlight.

“It’s strong, ain’t it?” Butch laughs at Jonas’s reaction, an arm of his moving around the back of the red heads frame and around his side where it rests on his hip as he squirms closer to him.

Talking about this area of his life in such a serious setting has him surprised with himself for feeling a pang of emotion. It had been so long ago… if his folks hadn’t left such an impression on him, he might have done forgotten their faces.

Those fingers brushing against his back in that circular motion and manages to sooth him some, enough to press forward with a response. He didn’t want Jonas apologizing for something out of his control, especially when it had nothing to do with him. “I-It’s fine… heh. I hardly ‘member it.” He shrugs his shoulders some, trying to shake away his own feelings. He wanted to make Jonas feel better… he was the one actively experiencing something, afterall.

Then, Jonas asks about his mother, and Butch pauses, looking up to the sky. It takes him a moment to respond, lost in memories from long ago… most of the details were fuzzy but the important things he sure remembered. His hand brushes against Jonas’s hip and he manages to speak, slowly and careful at first as he does so. He had so many thoughts, feelings… it was hard to put into words how much he admired her.

“Yeah, uh… she was…amazin. I didnt know ‘er fer long. Died a few weeks after I turned eight, but back then I’d known ‘er my whole life, so…” A lazy shrug follows suit but once he’s opened up, he can’t help but fondly recall more about her. “Man, she was sweet an’ kind an’ always put everyone b’fore herself. She was th’ last one t’eat dinner every night even though she was th’ one who made it—heh, an’ she’d even let me help. An’ boy did she make th’ best jambalaya ya’d ever taste.” A soft smile crosses his features as his gaze focuses on the stars.

“She was… real tough. Could grab a bull by the horns an’ send it packin’ with its tail b’tween its legs f’it gave ‘er any funny business, heheh… she was ‘bout my size too. Maybe even yer size.” He chuckles, giving the others hip an affectionate squeeze. “I r’member wantin’ t’be jus’ like ‘er when I grew up, an’… well.” ….He’s not sure if she would be proud of him now. Probably. She was always supportive and loving of all of his endeavors and interests; that thought makes him feel warm inside.

“…Wish she was still ‘round t’see me now, y’know?” A quiet sigh escapes him and he glances to the ground again, swishing his flask in his hand. “Ah… but, ya know… not everyone’s Ma’s are so perfect. Or their Pa’s.” He decides to add, not wanting to add to the guilt he can only assume Jonas feels for skipping a family holiday gathering.

“Mine was a real piece’f work. F’he was still ‘round, I sure as hell wouldn’t visit his ass.” He raises his flask and takes himself a big ol’ gulp, some of the liquid trickling down the edges of his lips. He wipes it away with the back of his glove. “So f’yer Ma’s anythin’ like him, I can’t blame ya fer not wantin’ t’ visit. An’… an’ y’know, maybe it’s better that way. Y’don’t need someone bringin’ ya down in th’ first place, let ‘lone someone who’s s’posed t’…. t’ make ya feel good ‘bout yerself a-an’ safe.” He may be projecting a little now, unintentionally.

Jonas's hand closed over Butch's holding the flask and merely brought it over to his mouth rather than take it from his hand entirely. He took a swallow, made a little "tchkkk!" noise with a considerable wince and passed it back towards Butch.

" I believe it...whouff..." he said, grinning at Butch and then proceeded to snuggle right up against him because he felt nice, warm and safe. He wiggled his arm behind Butch's back, running his fingers idly back and forth over it, giving him little scritches while he meditated on Butch's other remarks, turning them over in his head.

" Yeah. She'll...probably understand, " he mumbled. He mused over almost breezy way Butch mentioned his folks being dead and then how he almost immediately started backpedaling about it. Probably worried about being a downer about things. Still though he felt his heart break on Butch's account and he couldn't let it go by without comment.

He broke off the scritches long enough to encircle Butch with both arms and squeeze him tightly. " I've uh...I've not had to deal with the death of anyone close to me, much less my parents. I'm...I'm so sorry you had to experience it. I couldn’t imagine what it's like," he said quietly. " Of course, something like that matters, Butch. Even if it was a long time ago. And I'm always ok with listening if it's something you ever want to talk about. "

He'd already made up his mind at this point that he was inviting Butch over to stay during the holidays, no fucking way he was going to let him be by himself especially knowing now that he was alone in the world.

" If uhm you're ok with me asking...what was your mom like, Butch? " he asked after a long silence " Were you old enough to remember her? "