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riptideripley · 1 year ago

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All Yours

summary:you were Dominik’s 24 year old sister,trying to take things easy. He finally lets you hang out with his friends in the Judgement Day and you get a little too close to..Rhea.

word count:1,904

You were getting out the shower and putting on your undergarments,along with your hygiene products. You heard your phone ring and picked it up,answering. “Yes Dominik I’m almost ready” “Well hurry up,I let myself in and me & rhea are waiting” “Ok ok” you sighed and hung up. Slipping on your black jean shorts and a Judgement day shirt,grabbing your black jacket and spraying on some perfume before running downstairs.

“There she is,Hi darling” Rhea spoke with her accent,smiling. You smiled back and waved,grabbing your bag. “Well are we just gonna sit here or go eat?” you spoke and stared at the both of them,as they got up and walked with you to the car. You sat in the backseat and to your surprise Rhea sat next to you. You had the biggest crush on her and she could tell,but played innocent. She decided to lay her head on your shoulder,making you smile and play with her soft black hair.

You arrived at the restaurant,finding the table were the couple Finn and Priest were waiting. “Hi guys!” you spoke and smiled,giving them both a small hug as you sat down. Rhea decided to sit next to you and snuck her hand under the table,resting it on your thigh and looking at you for any signs of discomfort. Instead,you were smiling like an idiot and trying to not focus on it. You ordered your food and drink,scrolling through your phone silently after. “Well (your name),how’s the new house?” Priest asked,taking his drink as they finally arrived. You smiled at the waitress taking your drink,finally speaking. “Well it’s going great actually. Besides the fact that I let Dominik have a key so he just barges in whenever he wants,but it’s really nice and spacious.” “Maybe we can all visit after dinner” Finn suggested and you nodded,giggling at Dominik’s face as he seemed annoyed at your comment.

Meanwhile Rhea was slowly moving her hand up your thigh,trying to get a reaction out of you. She finally did when she reached close to your pussy,making you squeeze your legs shut as she smiled. You realized no one else noticed and looked at her,whispering to her,”Rhea what the fuck was that” “Nothing sweetheart,I can stop if you want” she whispered back. You thought for a moment and realized how badly you wanted this,ever since you first met her through the phone and backstage. “You can continue but please be careful” you whispered,making her smile. She continued rubbing your thigh throughout the whole dinner,driving you crazy.

You all decided to go back to your place and relax,Rhea planned on spending the night tho and Dominik was a bit suspicious but didn’t say anything. You were currently sitting between Rhea and Priest,watching a horror movie. You hated them but this wasn’t as bad so you watched it all the way through. You then decided to play some board games and your favorite Uno. You had just one for the 3rd time in a row and you could tell everyone was irritated. “God damnnit! you win every time” “She’s too good this is unfair” Finn said pouting,making Priest chuckle. “You guys just gotta get better,but i’m really tired right now” you said yawning,Rhea also yawning. “Welp my wife is calling so that’s my queue to go! I’ll call in the morning” he spoke standing up,leaving a kiss on your forehead. “Night Dom” Rhea said smiling as he gave her a hug,being the first one to leave. Priest and Finn then followed,leaving you and Rhea to yourselves.

Rhea smiled and got up,wrapping her arms around your waist paying close attention for any discomfort. She’s so observant and gentle,it warmed your heart. She lifted you up making you laugh and carried you upstairs to your room,placing you on the floor. “I’m gonna go shower now love,you should too” she said,staring at you while also getting lost in your pretty brown eyes. You smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek,closing the door so you could undress and shower. You could tell that you two had chemistry,ever since y’all had first met. The constant flirting and looks she would give you backstage at shows,always trying to make you nervous or flustered.

You took your clothes off and hopped in the shower,letting the hot water run over your body for a moment before washing your body. You had curly hair compared to Dominik so you decided to wash it while you were in there. Once out the shower and dry,you put leave in conditioner and a bit of oil in your hair. Stepping out of the room in your towel,you began getting dressed. Slipping on some underwear and black laced pajamas,you were comfortable enough with Rhea to not wear a bra. You sat on the bed and heard Rhea entering the room,wearing nothing but a sports bra and shorts. You smiled as she crawled into the bed,laying between your thighs. You played with her hair while she kissed on your stomach,tracing your stomach tattoos.

You two had made eye contact as she was doing this and she slid her way up your body,stopping at your face. You looked at her lips and couldn’t help yourself,leaning in kissing her. She returned the energy holding onto your thighs,not wanting to let go of the kiss she’d been dying for. She pulled you closer to her and looked your shirt,noticing you had your nipples pierced. She smiled and took advantage of that,sliding her free hand up your shirt playing with your nipple and piercing. You gasped and arched slightly at the sudden action,letting out small whimpers as she kissed up and down your neck,finding and biting your sweet spot making you moan. She got up and went to the guest room to grab something,coming back with a strap and a tongue piercing.

You looked at the tongue piercing confused and she smiled,”It vibrates my love” she said as she finished changing her tongue jewelry,placing herself between your thighs,sliding your shorts and underwear off. She pressed the piercing directly on your clit,making you gasp and grip her hair. Your back arched as you moaned and squirmed as she had you sorta pinned at the hips. “F-Fuck Rhea..” you whispered through moans,as she continued while you grind against her face. She was enjoying every bit of this,smiling against your clit as she began sucking on it making you squeal. You pushed yourself up the bed and she pulled you back down,making you whimpered as she smiled against your cunt.

She gave it one last kiss before kneeling on the bed,attaching the strap as she hovered over you. She wrapped her hand around your throat and pulled you into a deep kiss,slowly entering you making you moan into the kiss. She gave you time to adjust and began slowly pushing herself in and out of you,making you throw your head back in pleasure. She noticed you had a mirror in front of your bed and smiled,continuing the actions before lifting you up and making you face the mirror. “Cmon pretty girl,look at yourself for me” she spoke with her accent,sliding herself back in you and pounding the shit out of you. You couldn’t do anything but moan and whimper,avoiding eye contact with her through the mirror. She pressed down on your back making you arch and gripped your thick hair,pulling your hair back. “I said look at yourself doll.” she spoke in a stern tone,as you watched her fuck the absolute shit out of you. Her short black hair moving with each thrust,some pieces sticking to her face from sweat. She was absolutely beautiful no matter what she was doing,which turned you on even more. She let go of your hair and wrapped her hand around your throat,making sure you were still watching her through the mirror.

“R-Rhea please keep going..” “Right here hm?” “Yes please!” you squealed out as she rammed into your g spot,making her giggle. She used her free hand to pin your arms behind your back,still choking you. You finally took time to notice the hickeys left on your skin,knowing your brother would kill you in the morning. “Oh baby you look so pretty for me,tell me who do you belong to hm?” she whispered in your ear,making you weak. You didn’t answer so she moved the hand off your arms/wrists,giving you a slap on your ass. You yelped,”Answer me when i’m talking to you slut. Now who do you belong to?” “Y-You mommy fuck!” you managed to yelp out between moans,squirming due to the fact that you were reaching your climax. She noticed and used her now free hand to massage your clit,”Go ahead and cum for me like the slut you are princess.” she whispered with her accent showing a bit more towards the end,sending you over the edge as you climaxed.

She noticed her fingers were wet and smiled,licking her fingers and grabbing your hair. She drug you gently changing your position sideways,as she kneeled in front of you still in front of the mirror. She removed the strap,”Please your mommy doll,you deserve it” she said giving you a small slap to the side of your face. You immediately slip her shorts off noticing she had no underwear on and began eating her out. She moaned softly and pulled your face closer,almost suffocating you. You didn’t care,if you died you’d be happy right now honestly. You swirled circles around on her clit as she began basically riding your face for more. “God princess you’re doing so good for me..right there doll” when she said this,your legs got weak. You loved being praised and she took note of that. She ran her finger across your cheeks and grabbed your jaw,pulling you towards her. “Open up for me doll” she told you as you opened your mouth,letting her spit it in.

You went back to eating her out,giving her clit the most attention begging to get an orgasm out of her. She began breathing heavy and stuttering with her words,letting you know she was close. “F-Fuck keep going baby..” she whispered out between breaths as she finally came all over your face. You immediately licked everything up and looked up at her,smiling. She leaned down and pulled you into a deep kiss once again.

/After\

She made you a warm bath,even tho it was 2:30 in the morning. She washed your body off along with hers,kissing your forehead and praising you on how good you did for her. Once she got done washing you two off,she let you get dressed in something comfortable while she did as well. She ended up just sleeping in your bed instead of going back to the guest room.

You finally got what you wanted and that was her,you were happy.

#rhea ripley #rhea ripley x reader #rhea ripley x fem reader #rhea ripley imagine #wwe #dominik mysterio #rhea ripley smut #judgement day #damien priest #finn balor

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haydensky01 · 2 years ago

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Obey me! Lucifer loses MC the worst way (Part 1/3)

Attention: not short attention spane friendly, angst, spoilers

##############

Being in an established relationship with the strongest demon of the Devildom after the kings is all fun and wholesome untill you realise how lonely it really is.

Since you and Lucifer started dating almost 3 months ago you went on 2 dates only and spent hardly any time together with the brothers always causing troubles and Diavolo making the most out of the demon's oath.

It is not that you haven't tried. You did. You understood the importance he has in this realm and that being the demanding partner isn't an option. But not seeing him nor hearing from him for the fifth day in a row was going beyound reasonable tolerance.

it is with all these doubts and heartaches that you gathered with Mammon and Belphegor in the planetarium that day.

"Ya lookin' a lil' bit sadder every day ya know?. Havin' debts problems?" Mammon says his face shoved into yours.

"Quit playing." You answer as you push him away. "I am just ... reconsidering stuff."

"It's Lucifer, isn't it?" Belphie says seriously.

"Who else?" You say in a surrender.

"This A'hole causing ya trouble? UUUGH told ya I am better." Mammon tries to make you laugh.

"He is an A'hole. But don't say it like that. He is just too busy to even remember I exist."

"Well, it isn't a surprise to anyone. I mean, you knew all along who he was and what he does. It is unfair to expect otherwise now." Belphie wasn't wrong. But he wasn't right either.

"You think remembering to send me a good morning or a how are you or an I miss you once a day is unfair? Come on."

"Yup, He ain't even eating with us for a few days now. Thinking he is SOOO important. Pleasing his one and only true love, Diavolo." Mammon laughs hysterically before realizing your mortified face expression. "Oie .. MC. Listen, it was just a stupid joke." He suddenly becomes serious. "Those kindda things need to be talked about. Ya can't just expect them to be magically fixed only through patience. Ya guys are a couple after all. Even if I persist that choosing him over me was a SIN" He finishes in a laugh.

"Would you stop that Mammon, you are embarassing yourself." Belphie interrupts. "As much as I hate to admit, but Mammon is right. You guys need to sit and talk."

"Both of you are right" You say as you gather your courage and stand up all motivated. "If it is fixable it needs to be addressed now. If it isn't we at least could break up with dignity and not keep dragging this more than we should. I am going to him now." You turn your back to the boys and leave rapidly.

"Oie ... Can't ya wait untill he comes out of his retreat at least? He is dangerous ya know!" Mammon screams as you run off. "Don't worry! Lucifer would never harm me." You say from afar as you enter the house. Not knowing you couldn't be further from reality.

Lucifer was a dark soul with rays of lights. Sometimes the light shines bright enough to leave only shadows. Some others, any sparkle is hardly found. What was it like to be the eldest of the 7 most powerful and problematic demons? To have lived thousands of years in service only to live even more still serving? To be the connection between two realms where you are a source of fear in one and hatred in the other, ending up in love with someone from the third? Was it hard to be him? No. It wasn't. It was impossible to be him. Simply impossible.

Somewhere between the hundredth cup of coffee and the 3rd bottle of Demonus, Lucifer couldn't make sense of the letters between the authorities of the three realms discussing current and future trades anymore. Those letters written in diffrent languages, diffrent alphabets. Each discussing a diffrent topic and all must fall in the right laws of Devildom and correspond to the budget allocated by Diavolo. You know, easiest thing on Earth ... or hell should I say really. Several days after starting, Lucifer just doesn't seem to see the end of it. *Beep* oh great another fax from Diavolo, only the 4th since this morning. The letter sent from the Castle falls on a pile of other faxes on the floor accumulated for days. *Beep* oh a fifth one. No, this one isn't from Diavolo. With a side eye Lucifer recognizes the redish words on the paper. This is yet another notification from the family bank. "How much debts are you able to generate Mammon?" Lucifer thinks to himself.

It was amid this atmosphere that you knocked on Lucifer's study before letting yourself in the dark room without waiting for an answer from the demon. There you saw him. Tie loose, bags under his eyes as if he took a punsh on the face, messy hair, red eyes. He was sitting at his desk, more like thrown at his desk, between buildings of files. He doesn't even raise his head to the intruder.

"Luce!" You say.

"What brings you?" He says without looking at you.

"I am doing fine, thanks." You respond coldly. "I was hoping we could talk a moment."

"Now is not the time." Yet not looking at you.

You approach and stand in front of his desk.

"No. Now is the perfect time." you say as you reach to his face with your hands lifting it for a forced eye contact. "Hi!" You say smiling.

"You don't understand MC, I said no." He answers as he gently takes your hands off.

"Luce, I .."

"NO!"

The last NO was loud, very loud. What was that you just felt? Fear? Did you just get scared of your loved one? No. Not you. If everyone is scared of him, you know better than anyone that Luce is more than just a pile of power and pride. You shake the feeling away and go straight to the curtains of the huge to the ceiling window and open them wide. An avalanche of light invades the room filling every corner. You turn all smiles to your lover. Lucifer was up looking at you ... in his demon form.

in a brush of wing he sends the papers flying across the room and throws his desk to the wall.

"YOU FOOLISH HUMAN!" He screams at you.

The feeling came back stronger than ever. Heart pounding, body shaking, eyes filled with tears, you were freightened. You were terrified. No, no you refuse. Remember. This is Lucifer, the one who saved you so many times, the one caring for a bunch of ungrateful brothers, the one who sold himself to save Lilith. The one who just wants to be useful. You refuse to let the fear win.

"I refuse, I refuse to be scared of you. I love you!" You yell as you run towards him and hug him tight.

##############

Barbatos goes out of your room with bloddy pieces of cotton.

"She will be alright Lucifer." He says to a mortified Lucifer leaning on the wall across the corridor. "She didn't lose much blood, the stitches won't leave any scar."

"I want to see her."

"It probably won't be a good idea." Barbatos responds as he looks at the 6 demons garding your door all fists tight, throwing threatening looks to their brother on the other side. "Besides, she is asleep now. You should get some rest yourself. You look terrible."

"Yes, go away murderer." Levi says between two sobs.

"How could you?" Asmo throws in-between his teeth.

"She loves you. You unworthy!" Belphie adds.

"You just had to, didn't you?" Satan joins the rest.

Beel growls as he steps towards his brother eyes on fire.

"Enough!" Mammon says. To his voice everyone of the brothers stops and Beel gets back. "This isn't time to make a mess. MC just slept after tremendous pain. Disturbing her won't do any good. Lucifer, go to your room. No need to feed the tension here. I will let you know when MC wakes up."

"But he tried to ..." Satan objects.

"I KNOW. not now Satan." Mammon interrupts Satan. "Lucifer, go!"

Lucifer looks at his younger brother whom caused him troubles for centeries and whom he punished more than he can remember. He was sending him to his room. Mammon was sending Lucifer to his room. He looks another time to his brothers surrounding Mammon, following his orders. To Barbatos avoiding to be too much involved in something he certainly qualifies as private matters. A final look to your door with a pain in the chest. Then goes away in the most painful, ashamed and miserable walk out.

##############

"How is she doing?" Diavolo asks Barbatos as soon as this one enters the young Prince's office.

"She is stable. Hurt but not dying."

"How is Lucifer?"

"Dying but not hurt."

"Hm ..." Diavolo puts his hand under his chin. "What happened exacly? You left me with no further details earlier after Mammon called you."

"My apologies my Lord, the situation needed urgent assistance. Lucifer apparently threw MC very violently against a wall and was transperced by one of the items on it."

"So there is an element of accident to this all."

"It would have been if Lucifer didn't try to throw her again against the same wall with the decorative horns on. I chose not to reveal, but without my ancestral knowledge of healing magic, she would have been long gone by now."

"This changes everything, doesn't it?"

"Well, fortunately Mammon wasn't at ease the moment MC went to the study and stayed nearby. He could rescue her before the second attack which would have certainly been fatal. He even overpowered Lucifer."

"Mammon overpowered Lucifer?"

"It appears so, yes. Lucifer was in a mess. He allegedly haven't slept nor eaten for nearly a week. This helped weaken him enough for Mammon to force him out of his rage mode. He is the second born after all."

"We could bet the sight of MC's injuries contributed shocking him out of it as well."

"Perhaps. Nonetheless, Mammon was able to control him without damaging him too much or himself. He even had the rest of the brothers stay away from any revenge attack and managed everything so well I arrived to a very tense yet somehow peaceful atmosphere in the house with MC already well assisted."

"Well well well, won't you look at that? It appears that our little Mammon matured and became the reliable brother Lucifer always wanted him to be."

"He has always been so. You know very well that he chooses to be the way he is. Not because he cannot be something else. It is just that he has a lifestyle that he chose and likes. On contrary to Lucifer." The Buttler says while serving to his master a cup of tea hinting to the only one who could comprehend those words.

"Well, future events won't be easy. We need to make sure to be of great support to the whole family. And especially to MC."

"At your orders my Lord."

Part 2/3 here

#obey me #obey me x mc #obey me x reader #obey me imagines #obey me lucifer #obey me angst #diavolo obey me #lucifer obey me #obey me brothers #obey me fanfic #obey me diavolo #obey me mammon #obey me shall we date #obey me belphegor #obey me asmodeus #obey me headcanon #lucifer x reader #lucifer morningstar #mammon x mc

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gifsbysimplysonia · 4 months ago

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Steph Curry solidifying Team USA's 🏅 medal status at the 2024 Olympics in Paris while his teammates marvel

Men's Basketball Gold Medal game - USA vs France

August 10, 2024

Personal waffling behind the cut

So, once upon a time, my Ma was a fanatic. My alleged origin story is that while heavily pregnant with me, she was at a pro wrestling event with her big brother in the front row, and she stood up and started jaw jacking at Bruiser freaking Brody. And this was back in the day there were NO GUARDRAILS JUST A ROPE separating talent from fans!

She also apparently was super into basketball, which should not surprise me because in 3rd grade i was obsessed with the Chicago Bulls; I could have given you the jersey number and average points shots, rebounds made and assists per game of every player on the roster. Horace Grant was my dude.

My Ma has been Olympics obsessed this year, but through that, I was reminded of her ability to be fanatical. During the Men's Basketball Gold Medal game, I was in the room. And lo and behold, this woman was SCREAMING at the TV, YESSSSSing when USA scored, berating players, literally WOO HOOing ... like, it was truly incredible to behold.

And I was like ... who are you? And she was like...don't you remember? Meaning her watching games and getting SO INTO THEM that she had to STOP cuz she was too emotional. And I have Swiss cheese for a brain so I was like no but ... it makes all the sense. I know what she is like in life and it's always full throttle. But her having removed herself from the game, I haven't gotten to see that side of her in many years.

She really likes Steph Curry and I bet she'd start watching games to follow him wherever he plays. She had all the praise for him, as did my dad who had to watch games by default cuz they share a room lol. My dad telling me during the gold medal game, "That little guy? He's REAL good!" Was absolute chef's kiss. I don't know Steph Curry outside of the fact he has a SITCOM with Max from Happy Endings coming out soon, but my brother who knows more about ball than me assured me, yes, "the little guy is very good."

All this to say, please don't ever forget who you are and what brings you joy. I mean, if you're like us and gonna give yourself a literal heart attack cuz you don't know how to scale the emotes back? Maybe add meditation into the mix so you don't hurt yourself physically.

But just...try not to let time, expectations or life steal your joy. Indulge as often as you can because if something lights you up, it's good for you and you deserve that slice of happy. And don't ever be ashamed of being who you are, loving what you love, and being as loudly over passionate as you can!

You're never too anything to be a fan and be loud about it.

#steph curry #animations #AND mine #basketball #jason tatum #joel embiid #anthony edwards #tyrese haliburton #jrue holiday #lolz #olympics 2024 #personal #lebron james

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mccoys-killer-queen · 4 months ago

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Seeing Styx for the 3rth time (plus John Waite and Foreigner for the 1st times)

I drove 2.5 hours to Holmdel, New Jersey for this show bc Styx hates Pennsylvania this year ig and this is the highest amount of money i have ever paid for a concert ticket and it was FUCKING. WORTH EVERY PENNY.

I need to listen to more of The Babys

JOHN SOUNDS SO GOOD WHAT IN THE FUCKKKK

I'm seeing him again in October and I can't wait now

the official L*ve N*tion press portal said that Styx was the headliner for this show and they FUCKING LIED

After John went offstage they UNVEILED LARRY'S PIANO AND I GENUINELY WASNT EXPECTING THEM TO BE NEXT SO I SCREAMED SFNGOESIRNGER IT WAS A LARRY JUMPSCARE

I should also mention there IS NO PIT at this place and the stage is LOW to the ground like 4-5 feet off the ground and the stage is SMALL too ?????? So i was like AAAAAAAAAA??? I'M GONNA BE SO CLOSE TO THEM (I was 3rd row) like I was literally 10 feet from the stage maybe a little less even

I did text Larry earlier in the day, saying like "see you tonight! I'll be the one in the Gowan shirt!" like I did last year in Allentown, but I checked really close to them coming on and he hadn't seen it

HOWEVER

WHEN THEY CAME OUT ONSTAGE

LARRY CAME RIGHT TO THE FOOT OF THE STAGE

AND POINTED AT ME

and just seemed to genuinely happy to see me and was motioning at me and nodding like he FUCKING REMEMBERED ME, GUYS

immediately after that I got Terry's attention and pointed at my shirt and his face went from joy to surprise and he mouthed "oh, wow !"

sometime before the first song was over, Tommy was standing behind JY and we made eye contact and he gave me a :O ! face he's so precious

tommy's so fucking beautiful i got to see him up close for the first time and gawwwwdddddddd pleaseeee i could see every fucking curl and detail of his face and his tattoo and hhhghghghrhhghhhhh i wanted to cry he's just so breathtaking

he's also sO TINY LIKE I KNOW WE SAY IT ALL THE TIME BUT SEEING HIM UP CLOSE I WAS LIKE HOLY FUCK HE'S SKIN AND BONES AND COMPACT AND TONED AND PETITE AS ALL HELL ANYWAY-

Too Much Time On My Hands- Tommy does his "is it any wonder I'm not a criminal?" then points at Larry and goes "A CRIMINAL MIND!!!!!!!!!!" and i guarantee you i'm the only one in the crowd who knew what he meant so he acted all bashful like "who, me?" and then POINTED AT ME AND HELD IT AND WAS BOPPIN WHILE POINTING RIGHT AT ME BC OF THE THE GOWAN MENTION

When Larry went into Lady, Terry fucking pointed at me and mouthed "LADAYYY" he wants me so fucking bad you guys

Larry did not sing Lady to me this time but Terry did so that's an even bigger win

during Lady when Larry does his "take me gently into your arms" and hugs JY, when Larry was coming over to him to do that, JY kept scooching away and i fucking died nfgonsfoginsg but JY leaned into the hug they're so cute i love these old men

god seeing JY up close was ethereal as well he's just such a softie

I don't remember what point he did this but JY also made eye contact with me and gave me the same :O !! face tommy gave me pls i love him sm I'm so elated I got his attention

Larry didn't play Khedive and I'm SO SALTY ABOUT IT GUH WHEN DID THEY DECIDE TO CUT THAT

Tommy and JY doing their twiddly fingers at the end of the one song

saw the Tommy tiddies with my own two eyes and at one point he realized he was showing too much of his chest and tugged at his shirt so there wasn't that big of a gap whehehehh

Chuck wasn't there :(

AND THEY CUT LOST AT SEA TOO GUH

WHY COULDN'T THEY HAVE BEEN HEADLINING LIKE L*VE N*TION SAID THEY WERE

anyway anyway it just felt so intimate this time and i had a blast and they're so funny and i would die for them

when Larry introduced the band he did Tommy first and said "this man right here gave you some of the best songs of the 20th century :')" and Tommy just looked at the crowd and mouthed "sorry" and i can't stop laughing at that fgndsofignregnae

just random moments of Larry pointing at me and dancing at each other

god hearing The Best Of Times live for the first time ever was ethereal as well they had tommy doin his little distorted "with you toniiiiight, with you toniiiiiiight" and seeing his solo from that it was just ughhhhh i'm so glad i got to see it

tommy also moved around a LOT more than he did last august thank god I got to be 10 feet away from him

Larry's crazy eyes during Mr. Roboto PLEEEEEASE

went nuts when he stood up on the piano IT'S HIS THAAAAANG

I'm still so salty they weren't headlining but i can say this was absolutely my favorite styx show I've been to

I did hold up my print of Tommy's portrait at the end again and Larry definitely saw me and bid me farewell pretty much when I blew him a kiss but Tommy didn't see the print tho he was SO CLOSE TO MEEEEEEE GRAHHHHH

Tommy being like "a lot of people in the crowd look our age and that's so nice to see you guys still comin out and supporting us"

THEY'RE ALL JUMPIN TOMMY'S KICKIN HIS LEGGY AND JY DID A JUMP AND LARRY AND TOMMY SHUFFLIN AND AAAAAAAA

anyway after Styx i chugged a boozy slushie and water and scarfed down a pretzel in the grass and then it was time for Foreigner

I went down after their first 2 songs and in the middle of their 3rd song (Dirty White Boy) I opened up my phone and saw Larry had texted me 3 minutes prior

I saw the notification and I literally started screaming at the top of my lungs and jumping up and down because HE GOT OFFSTAGE LIKE 40 MINUTES AGO AND HE'S TEXTING ME ALREADY ????????

he said "it was so nice to see you (and that shirt) right from the start of the show!" and when I tell you I started crying I was SOBBING bc the last thing he said to me in Ottawa before we parted ways was "we'll see you somewhere on the road!"

He makes me feel so special and I felt like I was back in Ottawa that night again because I just felt so elated and appreciated by one of my favorite people ever like here i was 3rd row at a foreigner concert sobbing to myself because I was getting texts from the frontman for Styx not long after their set

Larry knows who I am it's official and I love him so much you guys

Anyway after that I was getting super into Foreigner and Kelly is a slut

he literally let a lady spank him from the crowd like he WANTED HER TO IT WAS ALL HIS IDEA he bent over and patted his butt, urging her to smack him and she did a few times and fucking died fgbndfkjgnsfogs

he also put his ass right over where fog was coming out of the floor so it looked like it was shooting into his ass like Kelly stoppppp

I also love Bruce i never knew who he was until last night but he's my fav

I KNEW KELLY WENT ON A PLATFORM FOR JUKEBOX HERO BUT I DIDNT KNOW IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CROWD ??????? that was a religious experience

so was I Want To Know What Love Is, and they had a high school choir singing with them

it was impossible to find the busses afterwards bc the way this place was set up had the busses on a dead end street behind the venue that was blocked off with No Trespassing signs and a security guard so- and it was impossible to get around the OTHER side bc it was just a hill

anyway Larry even texted me again before I got back to the parking lot and I screamed again but he just shared my story and sent me his memoji as always lol (plus he liked my message where I told him to say hi to Terry for me)

I need them again already

#concert log #styx #styxposting

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diejager · 2 years ago

Note

Jamil with a fem! Musician s/o that performs a song at VDC that is entirely dedicated to him

Super fluffy please! Thank you!

For You

Paring : Jamil Viper x fem!reader

Cw: fluff Wc: 733 Note: I kinda lost my account for the 3rd time and well, I don’t know much about the VDC event except of the small videos or snips from the fandom and YouTube I’ve seen.

Jamil hadn’t expected much from VDC, he could already in vision the same boring songs people hyped up for their biased thoughts - either for a friend or for their dorm - he simply attended the event because it was such an important part of the school year and being the vice-prefect of Scarabia made it almost impossible to let his prefect - Kalim Al-Asim - alone for the prince’s image.

He gazed down from the perched seats on the front row, bored out of his mind while Kalim brimmed with excitement whenever someone new was announced and walked on stage, microphone in hand and moving to the beat of the song they chose. At least in such events, Jamil didn’t need to prepare for any sudden tea parties or big feats that Kalim would have the urge to hold on a whim.

A few stars came and sang, pouring their hearts out to the public. Although Jamil wasn’t as interested as the rest nor was he touched by any, he congratulated them for the courage of taking up the microphone and risk the chance of embarrassment in front of most - every - students in NRC and the teachers and Crowley. He applauded them for their bravery.

With students taking to the stage, he awaited for the last one of the bash of brave singers in NRC, ready to jump from the seat and leave the moment Crowley announced the end of VDC.

“(Name)!”

Your name wasn’t what he expected at all, and your surprise decision to participate in VDC wasn’t something you shared with him. Shocked with the sight, he gawked at you, trying to ignore the loud screams of encouragement from the crowd. He felt Kalim call him, motioning him to listen, because you’d apparently practiced it many times.

When the first words left your lips - the one he had kisses this morning until they were red and swollen, laughing at how adorable you looked in his arms - he felt his skin flush, burning hotly at the beautiful tune you sang. Your voice mesmerized him, stuck him to place with your soft tune and the strumming of your guitar, one you’d showed him many times with the promise of lullabies you’d play for him; you did at one point, playing until his nerves and muscled smoothed over, until he fell asleep in the bed you shared.

“Your stormy eyes and midnight locks; skin so golden, akin to the rising sun.“

He knew them, you were describing him in your song, with rich words that made him so much more beautiful and magical, something to love and worship with your whole heart. Jamil’s never felt more blissed out, eyes locking with yours as you sang so beautifully. He saw the look in your eyes, as if he hung the moon and stars in Twisted Wonderland and it made his heart skip beats.

“I worship your hands that draw out the stars; the words you sign with your dulcet voice; the love you paint in the sky.”

It was akin to a poem, more so than a song, but Jamil felt over the moon, high with love; for you and you alone. He tuned out everyone but you, drawn to you like a moth to light, completely fallen and ready to pull you into his waiting arms.

“For you, I would; for you, I will; for you, I build my world, my universe, my dreams.”

He wanted to return your words, to scream them over the cheering crowd that knew of your relationship, he wanted to yell his heart out to you as you were doing: “You hang the stars in my eyes, you’re the light in my world, the little peace and heaven I would give the world to,” they burned on the tip of his tongue.

He would do more than scream to the world that his heart belonged to you, but he liked the privacy you had, small kisses in dark corners, straying hands under the table or the way you gazed at him when he pulled you into his arms. He would do so much more than tell you how he feels about you, He’d hold your hands and dance to the songs he recorded on his phone, dance until midnight and beyond with nothing but each other with the moon and stars as your witnesses.

#jamil viper #twisted wonderland #twst jamil #jamil x reader #jamil #kalim #disney twst #twst x reader #twst #disney twisted wonderland #twst wonderland #kalim al asim #twst x you #twst x y/n #jamil fluff #twst fluff

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nakanotamu · 10 months ago

Text

ShuPro Awards 2023!

Normally I would post this on Twitter but I don't use twitter any more so now you guys get to deal with me instead! ShuPro dropped their awards for 2023 today so here they are in english. Right off the top, note that these are fan voted awards, so yes they're absolutely biased towards larger companies & popularity. To be clear I am not publishing this to be an unbiased news source I am posting this to be a bitch and tell you everything they got wrong bc I am right all of the time and have incredible taste. The numbers are how many votes they got. Anyway here we go.

Pro Wrestling Grand Prize

Hiromu Takahashi - 1748

Tetsuya Naito - 1516

Kenoh - 1269

Sanada - 915

Tam Nakano - 838

Will Ospreay - 301

Jake Lee - 266

Unagi Sayaka - 233

Yuma Aoyagi - 219

Natsupoi - 182

[Three women all being in the top 10 for the overall GP feels really big to me, especially Tam in the top 5. Also Kenoh in 3rd is very cool. I don't remember for sure but I think women have made top 10 before, but I don't think this many. Also all of them being Cosmic Angels? Oh my heart 🥲]

Best Match

Shinsuke Nakamura vs Great Muta - Noah 1.1 - 1258 [😒]

Tam Nakano vs Giulia - Stardom 4.23 - 1046 [should have won]

Tetsuya Naito vs Keiji Muto - Noah 2.21 - 725

Tetsuya Naito vs Will Ospreay - New Japan 8.12 - 566

Hiromu Takahashi vs Hayato "Jr." Fujita - Michinoku Pro 10.15 - 437

Tetsuya Naito vs Kazuchika Okada - New Japan 8.13 - 411

Kenny Omega vs Will Ospreay - New Japan 1.4 - 355

Katsuhiko Nakajima vs Kento Miyahara - Noah 7.15 - 336

Kentoh Miyahara vs Kenoh - Noah 1.1 - 235

Will Ospreay vs Shota Umino - New Japan 11.4 - 204

[Best Match is always kind of a side eye category that is sometimes kind of just the "which match was the G1 Finals" award and once again it proves Japanese fans are also capable of having bad taste but at least Tam & Giulia got 2nd place.]

Joshi Wrestling Grand Prize

Tam Nakano - 2092 [Holy shit that's a lot of votes. They're right but wow]

Giulia - 1192 [Like seriously stunned Tam swept it by that much. Just wow.]

Suzu Suzuki - 823

Unagi Sayaka - 737

Saori Anou - 563

Mizuki - 548

Iyo Sky - 502

Maika - 323

Rina Yamashita - 279

Sareee - 210

[Tam getting it by such a huge margin is crazy but I'm so happy. Also Tam, Una, & Saori all getting in the top 5 is incredible, Cosmic Angels are unstoppable. I'm really surprised Poi didn't get on the list though, especially after getting 10th in the overall category. Anyway clearly this is the most important category and god willing one day soon this and the overall category will both be all women.]

Best Unit

Cosmic Angels - 1973 [So true bestie. This is the 3rd year in a row Cosmic Angels have won this award which is insane, especially given the 2023 they actually had. They are fucking unstoppable. Girlfriend power is unbeatable.]

Los Ingobernables de Japon - 1361

Good Looking Guys - 1149 [I have a few friends who like GLG and mostly I just like seeing anything other than New Japan on these lists so I'm glad.]

House of Torture - 940 [lmao seriously?? did 940 people just not know who else to vote for or like are you guys really huge Sho fans or what]

United Empire - 418 [If you like UE I'd ask you consider growing better taste thanks]

Pheromones - 404 [Should have been way higher smh]

Just 5 Guys - 386

Free WiFi - 385 [SHOULD HAVE BEEN WAY HIGHER SMH]

Queen's Quest - 262 [SHOULD HAVE BEEN WAY HIGHER SMH]

Donna del Mondo - 209 [Hey good for them!]

Okay honestly 4 of these being women's units AND Free WiFi getting on this list owns.

Best Foreign Wrestler

Will Ospreay - 3487 [God really. Are you guys serious. Always with this shit]

Megan Bayne - 1045 [r u kidding me.]

Max The Impaler - 963

Zack Saber Jr. - 627

Chris Brookes - 599 [Should be way higher]

Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. - 548

Mariah May - 420(nice) [SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRST PLACE]

El Phantasmo - 222

Luis Mante - 106

Jack Morris - 105

Best Rookie

Hanako - 1842 [WOW!! It's not ToSpo's rookie of the year award but still very big for her.]

Oleg Boltin - 1673

Wakana Uehara - 1523

Kizuna Tanaka - 944

Zones - 417

Dark Unagi - 316 [LMAOOOOO]

Ryoya Tanaka - 233

Chi Chi - 218

Yu Owada - 198

Mifu Ashida - 181

[7 women on this list & the win going to Hanako is AWESOME but also LMFAO DARK UNAGI GOT 6TH PLACE ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME Una's power is limitless. Kayfabe is alive and well.]

Favourite Pro Wrestler [I always love they do favourite separate from best]

Tam Nakano - 1542 [HELL YEAH WRESTLING FANS GET ONE RIGHT]

Tetsuya Naito - 1384

Natsupoi - 892 [Poi in 3rd overall as well is HUGE]

Saori Anou - 887 [COSMIC ANGELS SWEEP]

Kenoh - 683

Hiromu Takahashi - 597

Hiroshi Tanahashi - 593 [I remember a lot of times this feeling like the Hiroshi Tanahashi award so Tana down in 7th is surprising]

Wakana Uehara - 577 [Honestly Wakana seems crazy popular and they're pairing her with Yuki Arai now right? God that's like a print money combo]

Kazuchika Okada - 533

Mina Shirakawa - 514

Unagi Sayaka - 461

Starlight Kid - 375 [Wow crazy she got 12th place with how out of shape and lazy she is 🙄 THIS IS SARCASM if you don't know what I'm referring to I envy you. Hope 2024 is the year a certain someone finally gets fired Stardom would be better with no subtitles]

Yuki Arai - 364

Mayu Iwatani - 361

El Desperado - 359

Will Ospreay - 343

Giulia - 341

Kento Miyahara - 316

Maika - 290

Sareee - 283

Minoru Suzuki - 273

Taichi - 248

Sanada - 236

Saya Kamitani - 231

AZM - 198

Katsuhiko Nakajima - 183

Jake Lee - 179

Utami Hayashishita - 172 [Not enough lesbians voting obviously]

Jun Kasai - 170

Yota Tsuji - 164

Naomichi Marufuji - 163

Yuma Aoyagi - 154

Rei Saitou - 148

Hayato "Jr." Fujita - 147

Suzu Suzuki - 145

Arisu Endo - 141

Yuki Kamifuku - 137

Mizuki - 131

Hazuki - 130

EVIL - 128

Saki Kashima - 126 [SAKI SWEEP. TOP 10 NEXT YEAR]

Iyo Sky - 125

Shingo Takagi - 122

Great O-Khan - 121

Kairi Sane - 120

Miyu Yamashita - 119

Shinsuke Nakamura - 118

Kaito Kiyomiya - 115

Syuri - 113

Go Shiozaki - 111

Overall these awards are just popularity contests but I still liked a lot of what I saw. The Favourite Wrestler top 50 actually being half women is great and soon enough it'll be all women and we can finally admit we just don't need men's wrestling any more. I can't believe how insanely popular Cosmic Angels are, especially with the let's say rocky 2023 they had, but I guess some things are just so undeniably great people can't miss it.

#long post #my writing

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theflyingfeeling · 2 years ago

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Ending the year with Blind Channel + a bunch of some lovely people, aka not-a-concert-report from the Helsinki ice hall show (29.12.) and Tampere Pakkahuone (30.12.)

(let me know if any of you want your (@)mention removed from this post 🖤)

Not a concert report because y'all know pretty much what happened; this is just my own diary entry about the events 😌

So, Thursday was a bit of a struggle for me personally: there were some surprise changes regarding my train trip to Helsinki that gave me a good ol' spook the first thing I woke up, plus I had a killer headache for most of the day...

...and on top of that I fell! 🙈 We were already inside the venue and on our way to take our spots on the floor. Naturally there were all sorts of electric chords going across the floor, but thankfully they were covered so that people walking normally and minding their step wouldn't stumble all over them 🙏👍👌

Needless to say I wasn't one of them, however 🙃 I wasn't running, I was just walking quite fast, and I totally wasn't watching where I was going, and so I tripped and ended up on the floor and had super minor injuries on my hand and knee (thanks @matelas for the pink bandaid 💗)

My fall wasn't quite as dramatic as Porko's though, gosh what a show-off, can't even fall on his pretty little ass without pyros blowing off 🙄🔥

We weren't super close to the stage, but close enough to see what was happening with our bare eyes, and definitely closer than I dared to imagine in advance! 🤩

The surprise Robin was one of the highlights of the gig, that was truly something straight ouf of fanfiction 😆 I mean, imagine being such good friends with your ex that you ask them to be a special guest in your special show with your new bf's band :')

And the money shooting in the air was a m a z i n g 😂💞💸 sadly I didn't catch one, but @thisisntaparty was terribly kind and gave me one afterwards as a keepsake 🥰 I've put it on the Place of High Honour™ (the fridge door)

(let's not talk about how the setlist was a teeeeeeeeeny tiny disappointment (to me personally at least; I was totally excpecting to hear SLB and many other songs they KNOW are fan favourites 😔), and I feel like the show itself wasn't as special I was expecting it to be 🤔 I mean, of course having Robin fucking Packalén there took us all by surprise etc. but somehow I expected more, especially because the setlist was exactly the same the next day in Tampere (and maybe the cruise show setlist was similar as well?). For example, Dark Side being the ONLY encore song wasn't how I had imagined them to end their biggest headline gig to date)

But, speaking of Tampere, HOLY FUCKING SHIT 😭😭😭😭😭 It was incredible, and not least because we were on 3rd row with a direct view to Olli 😵 @matelas and I competely lost it when he first appeared in front of us, in all his sinful beauty ✨

I had never been this close to Olli's side before, so it was amazing to see his happy face during the songs 😭 You can really see from his whole presence how much he enjoys playing shows, I wanted to ruffle his hair too like Niko did during Glory For The Greedy 🥺

And Aleksi was really enjoying himself as well, it was cool to see him up close too when he came to stand on Olli's platform a few times 🥰 I feel like our eyes met very briefly near the end 💖

Niko did the eeeeeeeeyo thingie, as he always does, and we did the longest eeeeeeeeeeeyo known to mankind back at him, in fact I think you can still hear it echoing inside Pakkahuone! 😌

In both shows (and also in general) my favourite songs to hear live are Don't Fix Me, We Are No Saints, and Balboa; I had so much fun boundcing and partying to those songs 💃 I had made a conscious decision to not film too many videos during either gig, because I truly wanted to take it all in and enjoy the shows to the fullest, but at the same time I wish I had taken just a few more, because watching the videos and sort of getting to re-live the whole thing all over again is so much fun 🖤

Great fun was also had at the very informal, extremely small-scale, and otherwise perfectly wonderful BC tumblr gathering we had after the ice hall show in a bar downton Helsinki, and in the Gathering 2.0 after the Tampere show!! 🥰 You guyyyyyyssssss, both hangouts were filled with laughter and kindness and soft feelings and I was so happy 🥺😭💕

(I DIDN'T CRY, but if I did, it was because @himmelno44 made me!! 😭)

Thanks to BC and their superb energy and songs I probably would have had a great time even if I had gone to the shows all alone, but I gotta tell ya, spending time with such lovely people made it so much better and I had the most fun I've had in a long time 🥺

Special thank yous go to my queuing buddies @ladysorbus and @matelas without whom I would've frozen my ass off and died of boredom while waiting for showtime both days (I'll have you know Envy and I acted so incredibly mature the entire time and totally did not annoy the heck out of @ladysorbus and each other 🥰💞)

Thank you to my BC tumblr meet organizer buddy @sinking-into-mist (the meet was succesful and no one passed out due to anxiety, look at us!! 🎉) and my darling dearest sweetest most loveliest @himmelno44 I miss you so terribly much already and I'm counting the days until we see again, no matter how many there'll be 😭

Thank you to @thisisntaparty (keeping the door open for Stockholm shall we 👀) @mil-peri @madeofbrokenstuff @gingervivilou and @into-the-hell for hanging out, it was so nice meeting you and I'm up for getting together with any of you sweet people any time! <3

And thank you to everyone else I met a little more briefly (but not too briefly to get a hug 🥰), it was great to see you all, mwah mwah mwah 💋

And now the emotional part:

This year's been a bit rough for me personally for various reasons, as there has been a couple of changes that I'm still trying to get used to (+ the always-present feelings of loneliness and inadequacy), but Blind Channel has been this one consistent element in my life this year, something I have been able to escape to when things in my personal life have started hurting too much. Their music and all the content on the side (from the guys themselves as well as fan-made) are one thing, but equally important to me are all the amazing people I have met (in person and online!) and the incredible memories we have made together that have given me endless joy throughout the year 🥺 There have been many, many days when I have felt so incredibly sad and lonely and desperate and the thought of being happy has seemed downright impossible, but during the last two days I have laughed so much and felt such joy that I don't really know how to put it into words 😭 I just want to thank everyone who was part of it, and of course I hope to one day be able to meet Blind Channel in person again too and thank them, for giving me so much more than just the music 🖤

To anyone reading this, thinking I'm crying my eyes out all alone in my apartment, having to continue living my sad, boring life not knowing when I'll see Blind Channel and some of the lovely peeps mentioned above again: I am crying my eyes out, but I want you to know I'm also crying happy tears because of how grateful I am for all these memories, and also that I'm happy to sleep in my own bed tonight and to be eating cauliflower soup and having some fun snacks while watching hockey later, so life's not all bad I guess, even if I have a small wound on my right hand and a bruise the size of Niko's balls on my left knee :')

(last night I was actually so happy that I had forgotten all about the falling as well as the hassle with the train 🥰)

#blind channel #tw flashing #ok to reblog if you don't mind having my emotional rambling on your blog 🙈#not me singing on the video btw #(...i think? 🤣)#happy new year everybody! may there be many BC concerts to attend and fun times to be had in 2023 for all of us <3 #my next live gig will be lost society next month 🤘🖤#btw i may have a new year's themed shitpost coming up later tonight (if I get around to making it) 😏🎆#my concert #gig reports by theflyingfeeling

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teriri-sayes · 2 years ago

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HI3 Artbook is Finally Here!

(Not an MTL-related post)

After almost 5 months of waiting, my free copy of the HI3 Artbook finally arrived this morning~! 🥳

Book was quite thick and came nicely wrapped inside the box. I got the art book as a prize at a certain in-game event.

One thing that surprised me was the courier charging me Php 112.00 for the delivery. I've received free stuff from the game before, like the calendar and snack box, but I never got charged from that. Perhaps it was because of the weight? It did weigh a kilo, after all.

Now for the book's content itself... It was pretty. I liked the fact that they included the design concept of some of the battlesuits.

First off, my girl, Ely~! Only the Miss Pink Elf battlesuit was included, but I liked the design concepts on the bottom row.

As expected, my Ely is really pretty~! 🥰 I'm definitely not an Elysia simp...

Another girl I love in HI3 - Rita! Only the Argent Knight and Spina Astera battlesuits were included. Too bad the wedding dress was not included. 😞 That time they released the wedding dress outfit was the first and only time I bought the game's Battle Pass.

Next up was the first girl in HI3 that I was a fan of... Theresa! Heck, my tumblr name, Teriri Sayes, was inspired her iconic line, "Teri teri daishouri!" (The Sayes came from "Simon Says", but I added an "e" to make it sound like a name.)

Personally, I liked the first two better than the one they chose in the end (the third one).

And lastly was the Herrscher of Sentience! Yatta!

Her other designs were super pretty, but it was her giddy expression that captivated me. All hail the Herrscher of Sentience!

Oh yeah, this art book was actually biased towards Fu Hua. I mean, Fu Hua had 7 battlesuits, and this art book included 5 of it plus art of her other outfits. The first pages were even all about Fu Hua. Then again, it was not surprising because Fu Hua is canonically from China, and miHoYo is a Chinese game company.

The only thing that disappointed me was the lack of my Queen, HoV. There was only her original outfit, and none of her 3 other outfits. HoV is the woman in my tumblr profile pic.

And that concludes my fangirling. Yes, I'm a big fan of HI3 (Honkai Impact 3rd). I've been playing the game for almost 5 years. In fact, I'll be celebrating 1800 days on HI3 in five days!

Part 1 has ended, but i'll still continue to play it for the many years to come. Come to think of it, Honkai: Star Rail is coming in 2 days... Guess I'll be stuck in the Honkai franchise for a long time.

I will end this post with a verse from Da Capo, the theme song of Part 1's final animated short:

May you, the beauty of this world, always shine.

#honkai impact 3rd #hi3

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jimmyflemion · 5 months ago

Text

Well Done

Well, 4 everyone paying attention,

we’ve served up :

Rare

Medium-Rare

Medium

Medium-Well

& 2day

07/07/2024

Well-Done

U learn. U practice. U rehearse.

U get dressed up. U take the stage.

U play your best. U give it your all.

U bow. U thank . U reflect. U put your best heart forward. The new album “Well-Done” has been released from its cage 2day. Its sounds can be relished on Sunshiny Spotify, Tittilating I Tunes, Angelic Amazon Music, Dynamite Deezer & all the other pleasing, pleasant, dignified, digitalized world leaders in sonic excellence. & as always my heartfelt thanx & love goes out 2 my brother Dennis 2day.

Love,

Jimmy

Hell Patrol - 2000-12-08 North Star Bar, Philadelphia PA

Dennis & I drove down 2 The Smashing Pumpkins rehearsal space in June of 1999 where they were either rehearsing or recording. In their work area on a desk were 2 sheets of paper. They were projected song titles 4 songs being pitched 2 b in 2 different motion pictures for Billy Corgan 2 write. When Billy was asked about these ideas, he stated wasn’t interested in the idea or projects. Dennis said 2 Billy, Jimmy will write those songs. The next day after coming home on June 15, 1999, I wrote “Eat Me Alive” & “Hell Patrol”. The demo version on “Damaged Goods/Sinned In Reverse” is myself on acoustic guitar with distortion & this 1 live features the whole band IC (in control) & Double OC (out of control).

Written by Jimmy Flemion 06/15/1999

Negro On Fire - 2001-01-20 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis MN

3rd time attempted was a charm playing & scoring 2 a warm 7th Street crowd basking in a wonderful winter wonderland weather wind chill of minus 7.

Written by Dennis Flemion 11/06/2000

Enter I - 2001-03-30 The Five Spot, Philadelphia PA

This show was moved 2 a different venue at the last minute. It was a nightclub with velvet-lined booths & beaded curtains on the top floor of a building. There was an R&B dance party after the show & every one needed 2 exit quickly. The building burned down a few years later. The white van broke down 4 good on the way 2 this show. As the van was being towed away, I said 2 the van in Bob Uecker’s words, “Goodbye old friend”. Original demo was written as a slow ballad. Thinking of songs 4 inclusion on “Hopscotch Lollipop Sunday Surprise”, Dennis liked the song but knew we could use another rocker & suggested we sped it up uptempo. Speed it up we did & 2 & a half weeks before the album’s release we debuted the sped up stylized version at 7th Street Entry. 3 days prior 2 this show on 03/27/2001 we played The Skinny in Portland, Maine. We met Bebe Buelle who attended the show & I believe that is what influenced Dennis introduction at this show 2, “Send this out 2 Liv Tyler’s lips”.

Written by Jimmy Flemion 06/26/1990

Going To California - 2001-04-05 40 Watt Club, Athens GA

Closing time at the club, we had been given the 2 minute warning by the club, 2 minutes more 2 play as it was curfew. I dropped my Univox 2 D tuning, Brian “Beezer” Hill, followed suit & we did a 1 time, 1 night only version of “Going To California”. Growing up, I’m gonna put it out there but I did worship Led Zeppelin. To the point where I bought $40 bootleg albums recorded in the back row where I had to crank the stereo to 10 to hear anything & Dennis would awaken in the morning 2 1 of these & tell me 2 turn it off. Loved Jimmy Page’s guitar playing, thought it was just so advanced, couldn’t figure out how the hell does he play like that. Dennis would try & help me by recording & playing back “Heartbreaker” at half speed 4 me to decipher. When I lived in Austin, Texas I was at HEB, the local grocery store & I was walking in & I said 2 myself is that him, & I could tell 1 guy outside had the same thought & I didn’t say hi, I guess I was awestruck but it was, u guess ed it or u didn’t, Robert Plant. I remember Kevn Kinney ( a Milwaukee native) from The Prosecutors & Drivin’ & Cryin’ was at this show & afterwards went on about how great “Going To California” was. Was nice of him 2 say.

Written by Jimmy Page & Robert Plant

Enjoy - 2001-09-28 The Knitting Factory, New York NY

Brian “Beezer” Hill was 2 play bass 4 this show but his flight was cancelled post 9/11. Ben Lee filled in on bass as we ran over some songs at his apartment before the show. This is the last song of the evening I play solo on acoustic. Unbeknownst to the audience Dennis was chatting with Ben Lee offstage, backstage behind the curtain during the song & then stops talking 2 Ben long enough with his microphone 2 add his backing harmonies.

Written by Jimmy Flemion 09/05/1995

La, Da, Da, Da, La, Da, Da, Dee, La, Da, Da, Dum, Dum - 2001-09-29 Middle East, Cambridge.

Josh Silverman was recruited on bass 4 this show at Johnny Busher’s urging & ended up adding a 2nd acoustic guitar on this song, a rare occurrence. Josh had thought he had failed the audition but was asked to join on bass 4 future shows. An enthusiastic crowd member Britany, requested this song, the only time performed live & was given a close up seat smack dab right next 2 me on stage.

Written by Jimmy Flemion 04/04/1987

She Loves You - 2001-11-09 Khyber Pass, Philadelphia PA

The sound man shut off the sound system & ended the show early because he had better things 2 do. He had thought Dennis had insulted him earlier in the show, when he was really talking 2 me. A girl yells out, “I love u”, a guy then responds, “She loves u”, prompting Dennis 2 get the, “She Loves You” train rolling.

Written by John Winston Ono Lennon & James Paul McCartney

Copyright Capitol Cmg Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Songtrust Ave, Sony / ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tunecore Inc.

Whisper - 2001-11-29 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis MN

Just so happens Britney Spears was just a whisper away, performing down the street this night. I begin playing the opening riff before throwing in some funk flavored rhythms & mention 2 Dennis, it’s like he’s playing with Ike Turner which prompts later in the set a cover of “Proud Mary”, which in turn prompts a drunk Billie Jean King doppelgänger 2 take off her top & take the Tina Turner vocal, which prompted me 2 take the Ike Turner backing vocal.

Written by Jimmy Flemion 12/30/1996

New York Shitty - 2002-01-12 Bowery Ballroom, New York NY

Headlining gig with The Moldy Peaches opening & The Strokes in attendance in the balcony. 2nd show after 9/11 so Dennis sings his rewritten, reworked lyrics & poetry 2 suit the song, the city & the aftermath.

Written by Dennis Flemion 06/06/1999

Come With Me - 2002-01-24 Southgate House, Newport KY

Only show ever in Newport KY, an 1866 church turned over 2 rock music, good lord. Part of the ending, u will recognize as “Come W/ Me ll”from “Damaged Goods / Sinned In Reverse” where Dennis moves over from drums 2 keyboards.

Written by Jimmy Flemion 09/02/1999

(ASCAP)

I’ve Got Drugs - 2002-01-31 Echo Lounge, Atlanta GA

4 the live version we added the exciting instrumental passage walk down chord progression that resurfaces on “Love Me Anymore ll” off of “Damaged Goods/ Sinned In Reverse”.

Written by Dennis Flemion & Jimmy Flemion 08/16/1986

Devil Blues - 2002-04-13 Cactus Club, Milwaukee WI

Previously, the night before we opened 4 zany Zwan in chic Chicago. This night the crowd was denied an encore unknowingly courtesy of a noise complaint.

This is the version that would have possibly been the version on “Damaged Goods / Sinned In Reverse” unless we could have matched the electricity by giving it a shot recording in Dennis’ home basement.

Written by Dennis Flemion 01/01/2001

The Rubble & The Priest - 2002-12-20 Knitting Factory, New York NY

Festive NYC Christmas show & as luck would have it I was sporting a rare full beard, full on. Enthusiastic clapping from start to finish inspiring an inspired performance.

Written by Jimmy Flemion 11/03/1991

Fuck Off - 2003-05-14 Launchpad, Albuquerque NM

The only show in old or New Mexico. The finger picking version.

Written in a state of confusion, sadness & loneliness, opting 2 take the low road in song 2 heal the heart.

Written by Jimmy Flemion 02/04/1986

Homos - 2003-05-16 Knitting Factory, Los Angeles CA

A rare welcoming rendering with Dennis providing keyboard theatrics 4 punctuation & exclamation!

Written by Jimmy Flemion 08/16/1986

Where’s Jerry Lewis? -2003-11-13 Village Tavern, Mount Pleasant SC

Unexpectedly successful & heavily attended show in a Charleston suburb. A non-descriptive sports bar ill-fitted 4 a rock show with no stage. A moving keyboard deluxe rendition guaranteed 4 u & friends alike 2 get the search party out 4 Jerry Lewis.

Written by Jimmy Flemion 08/16/1986

A Holy Story - 2004-01-29 Blind Pig, Ann Arbor MI

Good but sparsely attended show because of a snowstorm that blew in. A drunken fan in the room provided much amusement & banter with Dennis. Some confused college students walked out in disgust at the start of this track. Legendary club where Nirvana & Pearl Jam cut their teeth in their early days. Autobiographical tale composed under composure by yours truly, evoking feelings of love, guilt, shame & regret with the sincere vocal melody continuously attempting 2 climb out of the quicksand all the time captured with a look of a Milwaukee buck in headlights.

Written by Jimmy Flemion 02/20/1989

Follow The Yellow Brick Road - 2004-03-06 Gabe's Oasis, Iowa City IA

Ginormous gathering. Johnny Busher’s last show on bass.

Instrumental “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” follows “Follow The Yellow Brick Road”.

Written by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg

Magical - 2004-05-22 Lime Spider, Akron OH

C Major/ A minor / F Major/ G Major, the majestic, magnetic, 50’s chord progression that will send u through the roof catapulting u into another world. A magical song slated 4, “Damaged Goods / Sinned In Reverse” that only Dennis could conceive, create, imagine, prescribe, deliver & gift. As a former megalomaniac, my favorite line from the audience during the breakdown is, “Best band ever”.

Written by Dennis Flemion 03/05/2004

Stargirl - 2006-04-22 Cactus Club, Milwaukee WI

The buildup, the strumming, the drumming, the dynamics, drama fills the air, & here it is the final Milwaukee, Wisconsin hometown song ever performed by The Frogs.

Written by Jimmy Flemion 09/27/1994

Bass Players :

Brian “Beezer” Hill

Tracks : (01-04)

Josh Silverman

Tracks (07-15)

Additional Acoustic Guitar

Track (06)

Johnny Busher

Tracks (16, 19)

Jay Tiller

Track (20)

Remixed by Johnny Busher with assistance from Kelly Kerr

#jimmyflemion #dennisflemion #thefrogs #welldone #spotify

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loveforlandonorris · 1 year ago

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🎤 Lando's F1 interview after Qualifying in Austin:

Interviewer: Lando, hi, nice to see you. Smiles coming into this. Your 3rd starting row of the year. That's gotta feel good to, kind of, get the ball rolling with all the momentum McLaren has had here coming into COTA.

Lando: Yeah, yeah. No, I'm pretty happy with today. Probably wasn't expecting to be as quick as we were, so it's a pleasant surprise for the whole team, I think. Still tricky, just difficult circuit, you know, bumpy and low grip in certain areas, easy to make a lot of mistakes. Yeah, I think Pole was in it today though, so I could be that little bit happier, but I'm taking P2 for now (smiles).

Interviewer: Yeah, that's, kind of, one of those dissatisfying, satisying situations where you know you had a little bit more, but someone else had a little bit more on you. What do you have?

Lando: Just some silly little things, you know? I mean, it's difficult to put a lap altogether, and I'm sure no-one probably did. But it's... yeah, you always just want a perfect lap, and those little things – in turn 11, I clipped the inside curb and probably lost a tenth, and a tenth was enough to at least get me close enough to be close to pole, you know?

So, still a good day for us, I'm happy (smiles), it's a good position for Sunday. So we're in a – yeah, a nice way at the minute, a nice rhythm, and if we can do the same tomorrow and Sunday, then it'll be perfect.

Interviewer: For tomorrow's racing, is there anything different that you get to do now to prepare, or something that the car has to do a little bit different for you to be comfortable? You mentioned you weren't sure you guys were gonna be quick at a track like this.

Lando: No, there's nothing you can do now, just pray (smiles). Yeah, I mean, you do your prep, you know? You have to look after the tyres, it's not gonna be easy from a tyre management point of view. So we'll do our homework, I'll prepare as best I can.

It's not gonna be an easy one, I think, you know, Ferrari are very quick, Mercedes are very quick, and especially on long runs, they're always very quick. And then Max is, you know, pretty much guaranteed to come through and probably win again. But yeah, we'll do our best until that happens.

#lando norris #landonorris #ln4 #mclaren #austin gp 2023 #us gp 2023 #formula one #formula 1 #f1

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evita-shelby · 1 year ago

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Tie your heart to mine

Ch.10

Gif by @violaobanion

Warnings: brief mention of the holocaust (contrary to popular belief the Allied governments amd some people did know about what the Nazis were doing)

The couch at the back of the pub doesn’t compare to his old bed nor Diane’s.

He’s fought the urge to climb up the drain pipe knowing she’s left the balcony doors unlocked for him.

Does that even when she’s not there, so he can have a place to hide in.

Tom hates to admit it, but he missed her.

Missed how easy it was to just go up there, snuggle into bed with her and know nothing can touch them there.

She’s always warm, always waiting for him because she, just like him, has gotten too used it that sleeping alone feels wrong.

But she lied to him.

Everything built on a lie from the beginning, its no wonder it came to this.

“You’re still not talking to her?” Lois asks the moment he lays down in the bed that feels too small since he had his last growth spurt a year ago.

He was taller than his dad now, about three or four inches to be specific.

He took after his mum who came from tall and lanky blond people.

Lois took after dad even if she was a little one the tall side.

“She’s in Birmingham, her dad’s gonna answer the fucking telephone again.” Tom lies and hopes she doesn’t pry.

But she will, only because he does the same when she’s the one having troubles.

Lois doesn’t know what the row was about.

As far as she and his dad know, Diane’s taking care of business and he’s trying to keep his word to Mrs. Johnson who’s gotten the police asking questions after one of them caught him leaving Diane’s balcony.

The pig had the fucking nerve to call him Romeo.

Only reason he didn’t do shit about it was because its the last thing they need.

“You want to talk about it, Tom?” she asks quietly knowing he’ll say no.

They’re each other’s best friend.

No one else can come close, not his nor hers.

But he doesn’t want them worrying for him more than they already do. Tom already makes them worry about him as it is, no need to add to the burden.

His job is to be a bloody nuisance so they forget they have actual real problems going on.

“Royal Navy, 3rd class air gunner.” Tom says the words, partly to get it out of the way and have someone else know it.

“At least you’ll get out in the world.” I’m sorry she means.

Diane’s too much a pessimist to understand what looking at the bright side means for them.

They don’t have the privilege of admitting defeat and cry about.

You either sink or swim.

“She didn’t want to tell me because she didn’t think I could handle it.” He says flicking the ash off his cigarette into the ashbowl he’d brought up here with him.

It was Diane who couldn’t handle it, the one thinking the worst and already thinking he will die.

“What did you tell her?” Lois asks hoping to fix things between him and Diane because it will stop him from moping about it.

“Said, mum did always like putting me in sailor suits.” The blonde answered and not being surprised by her quiet chuckle.

The only photographs of them as kids had been them in matching sailor suits the only time they could ever afford to see the beach.

“Diane didn’t think a fucking joke was an appropriate response to that.” He adds as he takes a drag of his cigarette.

It’s nearly gone, and still won’t do the trick.

“Maybe she’s just scared for you, and her brother. You heard her, they are putting people who aren’t Aryan in camps and killing them in Germany. Might be she didn’t want to tell you, because she is the one who can’t handle it.”

Didn’t think Lois would be taking her side, if she’s sticking up for Di, next time she talks about Harry, Tom’s going to have to stick up for him to even things out.

“If you say so, Loo.” She might be right, just doesn’t excuse the lying and Diane thinking him a bloody fool.

But he’d rather talk this out with her, in person preferably.

“So you’re going to give her a call tomorrow ?” she asked knowing he’s not putting the ashtray away because he’s going to sleep.

Tom knows he’s got enough saved up for a train ticket to Birmingham, and sure he has no fucking clue where the mysterious Arrow House is nor how far is from Small Heath, but he does know where Diane keeps her shit.

“Nah, gonna surprise her. I’ll be right back.” He said carefully opening the old window.

“Where you going, Romeo?” she asked teasing him about it all. “I thought you said she wasn’t home.”

“She isn’t, can’t go to her house if I don’t know where it bloody is, can I?”

The moment he starts asking people if they know someone heading to Arrow House is when the fun starts.

Small Heath reminds him of Longsight, endless rows of brick houses, people going about there day and that.

The only difference is that for every ten men, one of them wears a flat cap.

And then there’s the Shelby Company Limited signs on cars, boats and even some places.

Tom doesn’t go to the Digbeth office, no because he’ll be there.

He goes to the pub instead.

Garrison Tavern, a Shelby Family Distillery.

Needs a drink anyways.

“So what brings you here, manc?” the barman asks looking at him with suspicion.

He was as old as his dad, had that same don’t fuck with me look all these blokes have here.

“A girl.” He answers knowing its going to get good. “Do you know where Arrow House is, heard she lived there.”

Tom keeps it vague, one wrong word and they’ll send him home in pieces.

The man shares a look with two others, peaky blinders like him who Tom knows he can’t win against.

“Many girls up there in the big house, maybe I know her.” The man keeps on going as if Tom isn’t almost shaking with excitement.

He likes stirring trouble, something his dad and Lois know and hate.

He can’t help it, every time someone wants to make him feel small and afraid his fuse burns up and he explodes on the poor fucker who gets in his way.

This time, it might save him the fare to the country house.

“You might, her name’s Diane.” Tom tries not to smile when he says it, but he can’t help it.

Tom is laughing like a madman when the men throw a burlap sack over his head and drag him out the Garrison and into the back of a truck.

He’s still running his mouth knowing they won’t touch him when the sack is taken off and he is kneeling before the Devil of Small Heath.

“You got balls, I’ll give you that.” The man said, rubbing his cigarette on his upper lip before lighting it up.

#diane shelby x tom bennett #tom bennett x ofc #tom bennett #world on fire #world on fire peaky blinders crossover #ewan mitchell #diane shelby #thomas shelby #tommy shelby #peaky blinders fanfic #tommy shelby x oc #eva smith shelby

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sweetest-honeybee · 2 years ago

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Who's your version of Hels!Scar if you have one? What does he do often? I'm very curious /pos :D

That would be Lesion! (or Sever, by technicality)

Lesion was an old ruler of the Dead Islands district, a close competitor to Vespa and Bach/Clap for a bit until Vespa eventually killed him for Sever’s sake because of the whole Boogey’s Curse event (why he did, nobody and not even Vespa knows, he just did)

He’s classy and charming and it got him into power quickly, turning a strange part of their realm into something that served him. That doesn’t mean he’s not intimidating though. He’s a liar and twists people’s words, a businessman by heart and gets away with so much with so little. He’s also skilled in blades as Sever is (sword, scythe, daggers, axe, that kinda stuff), and similarly quick on his feet

Lesion is a great fighter, and with a couple rows of pearly white and very sharp teeth, it’s not surprising that he has a taste for flesh and organs and to tear people apart that way when he can

Unfortunately, because Sever ended up replacing him, coming back from the dead later (combined hels lore with Ecto and I) was…something else. And he ended up hating Vespa and anyone who worked with him, especially Sever. Lesion wasn’t around for, if I remember correctly, not even 90 years or so before being killed and that’s very short for a Hels/Player in their timeline compared to others who were around for a few centuries. So he missed a LOT til he was brought back and didn’t like that much

Several times he attempted to kill off Vespa and Sever, but he only ended up killing off Xels and that’s where Ecto’s fuckin. 3rd Gen Hels Xisuma, Ambyx, came from 😂 He got pretty close though

At the moment he stays in the Islands, a close ally with Bach who is the only one running the Ridge now directly. (Formed a partnership over their shared hatred for Vespa) Lesion comes to visit to help or see Mal (another Ecto Hels) who now lives in the Ridge

I will say for such an asshole of a man, I do feel sorry for him half the time 😅 Didn’t really deserve anything that happened to him, to be honest

#evil hermits

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hawthorneonarainyday · 1 year ago

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Somewhere Only We Know.

Art by the amazing Rakunaito ! This is a little something I found on my laptop today. It's been a while since I wrote it and it's not anything grand, but maybe some of you will enjoy it anyway! I whipped it up while I was in my depressive episode, which may explain it's tone but hey. At least I wrote something, right? Summary ~ An old picnic table, hidden somewhere in the forest and three people who unexpectedly stumble upon each other. What will they find out there, hidden behind rows and rows of trees and silence? Is it friendship? Love? Or is it all doomed to crash and burn? Attention! - This little thing is rather sad and depressing, so please read it only if you're in the right headspace! If you're not, don't force yourself. It will wait here until you're ready! Information you might need ♥ ~ Word Count: 8764 3rd Person (She/Her) It's an OC this time! In this One-Shot you will find: A lot of weather-talk, angst, canon typical violence, spoilers for season 2, 3, 4 and tons of cursing. There will be mentions of hospitals, injuries, grief, loss, death, funerals, smoking, trauma and unrequited love. Enjoy ♥

Thursday, the 13th of December 1984

The day was cold and dark. Sharp winds rushed through the small town of Hawkins, ushering people along the sidewalks much quicker than usual. Noses were turning red and runny, eyes stinging from the unceasing winter winds as goosebumps rose where cold touched unhidden skin. It was a typical winter day in Indiana, merely missing some rain or sleet to be absolutely standard. Knowing this good for nothing town, it wouldn’t be too long before it came. Its inhabitants knew, of course, and thus preferred to huddle together inside, far away from the cold and the wet that Indiana became during this time of year.

Well, all but one that was.

One girl, clearly not one of the town natives, was outside, braving the cold with little to no regard to the strange glances people cast her way. It didn’t happen too often anyway, not where she sat; elbows perched on a lone picknick table surrounded by trees and effectively hidden from view. There were a couple odd stragglers every now and again, mostly kids looking to strike a deal with Hawkins Highs famed freak. It was few and far between, most of them stopping and turning the moment they saw the weird blonde sitting where they expected to find Eddie Munson.

Her eyes were closed, pale skin tinted pink by prolonged exposure to the biting cold. Wind would mess up her shaggy hair, whipping the bleached strands about without mercy. Despite the freezing temperatures her jacket was left open; her Ramones shirt exposed as cold gales tickled her skin and left goosebumps in their wake.

It was strange view for most, the weird girl sitting outside all pale and washed out in her dark ‘scary’ clothes; sitting there like she was enjoying every freezing gale. Like she was born from ice itself. And it was true too. To her, it was pure bliss. She’d spent weeks cooped up inside, unable to move about as she pleased and desperate to feel anything but the stuffy, dry air of her hospital room. Sitting there in the freezing cold made her feel alive, like she’d finally got a piece of her life back. Like she finally got her freedom back.

Leaves were rustling under someone’s steps, heavy and confident a few metres away. They were quickly coming closer, clearly knowing where they were headed, but she didn’t bother opening her eyes. She knew who it was, used to the stomping by now.

“You’ll end up frostbitten if you sit here like that.” Her lips curled up at the sound of his voice, gruff and sharp like the wind and becoming more familiar by the day.

“That’d just make me look even more badarse, and you know that’s all I long for.” The boy snorted, dropping down onto the bench across from her. The old bench groaned under his ruthless plummeting and she wouldn’t have been surprised to see it break one of these days. She’d be laughing the moment it did. The image of Billy Hargrove sitting on his arse with surprise and annoyance on his face was just pure gold.

“What are you grinning for?” Snorting, she opened her eyes and turned. Blue met blue when the two made eye contact, both raising a mocking brow at each other.

“There’s something called emotions, Hargrove.” The way she said his name was always foreign to his ears, her accent thick on the ‘a’ and ‘o’. “Odd concept, I know, but maybe summit worth looking into.” A pack of cigarettes was flung his way with little care and he barely managed to stop them from smacking his face. It made her grin widen, his scowl as he fingered one of the smokes out of its papery prison. She held out her hand for his lighter, hers no good in the wind, and he passed it to her with rolling eyes.

“Bite me, Bessie.”

Bessie.

Back home, no one ever called her that. She was always just Liz or Lizzy, sometimes Elizabeth or Lizbeth, but never Bessie. The Americans in this small town, however, seemed drawn to that one, drawn to Bess or Bessie. It was like she was someone else here, as if crossing the ocean killed Lizzy and turned her into ‘Bess’. The odd girl from England that came to stay in little old Hawkins after her parents passed away, too scared to spend her life all alone in a town like Doncaster.

First, people had been excited about the town’s newest addition, the mysterious niece of Claudia Henderson. Many knew of her; few remembered her from when she was little. They remembered freckly girl with dark blonde hair and huge blue eyes that loved to drag the Harrington boy out of his room and into all sorts of shenanigans during summer time visits.

That had been lifetimes ago, though.

The woman that got out of the car, clad in all black and ramped up on attitude, was not the same she’d been all those years ago. She’d always been rebellious, certainly, but never like this. Never in ways that counted as ‘too much’ for little Hawkins. Never enough to be considered a troublemaker from the moment she’d arrived. It wasn’t a label she deserved, not by far. Elizabeth was many things, but she didn’t bother anyone. Not until they bothered her. A concept, that seemed foreign to the small-town folk, it seemed.

She didn’t care, though; wasn’t too worried about the tiny town’s population as a whole. In the end, she was here for one thing and one thing only – family. She’d come here for the only family she had left, her cocky cousin and her cat crazed aunt, and the rest of Hawkins could never change that. For her family, she could live with the disapproving glances and snarky comments she received. They rolled off her like water off a ducks back.

“Not today, Hargrove, I’m knackered.” Could a frown make noises? Because she was quite sure she could hear his from where she sat, her back turned to him. “Tired. I meant I’m tired.”

“How long have you been sitting here?”

“Couple hours.” He scoffed, but kept quiet. Billy knew he couldn’t really say anything, seeing as he himself had spent hours on end out here; hiding away from everyone and everything. It was the beauty of this place, how secluded it was. Nobody knew they came here, so nobody would come looking for them. If someone wandered by in search for Munson, they usually didn’t pay attention to who else was sitting there. No one wanted to be seen while ‘making a deal with the devil’, so they took off and ran the moment they noticed they weren’t alone.

Speak of the devil.

“No way.” A voice called over the clearing, the blonde² turning towards the new arrival. “Henderson is that you!?” There he stood, a grinning Eddie Munson in all his glory with bright eyes and blood dripping down his face. Bess and Billy sat up, shared frowns pulling at their features and Eddie had half a mind to mention how similar they looked right then, their brows furrowed deep over their blue eyes, but he didn’t. No, he kept quiet and skipped over to them, flinging blood left and right with every hop.

“What the fuck happened to your face?” Billys voice was harsh, harsh enough to have Eddie choose the seat next to Bess. The girl all the while was scrambling for her bandana, untying it with rough fingers.

“Another round of ‘Torment the Freak!’, every jock’s game of choice.” The black and white fabric fell away from her wrist and she pressed it against Eddies nose. Wincing, he nodded towards Billy. “No offence, man.” Eddies voice was nasally and muddled by her fingers and the fabric, his face scrunching up more with every bit of pressure she applied.

“I’m no jock.”

“Right. You just happen to play basketball.” It was what he always said, and honestly? They believed him. It was clear that Billy didn’t care about the sport and all the things that came attached with it. He liked winning, he liked attention. That was it. But that didn’t mean they let him off easily, not when teasing him was so much more fun. “And of course you’re just popular because of your radiant personality.” Bess chuckled and Billy rolled his eyes. “Radiant personality and those jeans. Am I right, Henderson?”

“Don’t start.” That had both Billy and Eddie grin, the boys eyeing her with unhidden amusement. It wasn’t a secret that she’d been looking every now and again, but what was a girl to do? His jeans were basically moulded to his arse, it would be a shame to let that go to waste. Especially when no one was around to see. It was a sitting duck for Eddie and Billy, obviously.

“Aw, come on. It’s basically flatt-aigh!” She’d jabbed the bandana against his nose, a warning, and Eddie’s eyes watered. “Damn, Henderson, be gentle with me. I’m a wounded man, alright?” She rolled her eyes, softly kicking his shin.

“It’s Fraser-Henderson, you muppet. I’ve told you a million times by now.”

“Nah, Henderson. That’s too long.” Scowling, Bess stubbed his nose once more, earning another hiss.

“Jesus Christ, woman.”

“You should go see a doctor, chap.”

“Uh, you mean I should smoke some weed and hope that I don’t end up with a crooked nose? Because that’s definitely what I’m planning on doing.” Eddie chuckled, grinning despite the blood still trickling into the bandana. “A doctor, right. Good joke.” She sighed.

“Who did that to you? Hagan again?”

“No, actually, this time it was Carver!” He wiggled his fingers happily. “Another young knight has tried and failed to defeat the evil spawn of Satan!”

“Grant, just what this bullshit town needs.” It was already shock full of short-sighted morons and apparently, there were more to come. “More wankers roaming the streets.” The metalhead cooed, hands clasping over his chest as he blinked at her.

“Look at you, your majesty, sounding like one of us already. Hargrove, man, you gotta take her as an example. A mere year and she’s already one of Hawkins finest!” Billy just grunted something, stubbing the cigarette on the wooden table with no regard for the damage it did. The wood was already starting to turn black, scarred by the constant abuse it was faced with.

“Munson, I swear to all things holy - I’ll eat your dumb face for breakfast if you don’t stop with that bloody ‘your majesty’ rubbish.” The boy cackled, unphased by her threats. He knew she hated it, which is particularly why he used it.

“And that is why the queen of demons in my campaign is based on you, Henderson.”

“God, I hate you.” The bleeding stopped, his blood finally clotting enough. She tossed the bandana onto the table before wiping her hand on his shirt. “You and that stupid game.”

“Don’t knock it ‘til you tried it!” Billy tossed her cigarettes over, after helping himself to another one of course. With little regard for his sore skin, Bess shoved a fag between Eddies lips and flicked Billys lighter right after. Once it was burning, Eddie took over the lighter duty, lighting up her and Billys cigarettes one after the other.

“Munson. I’m working class, alright? Don’t make me out to be a tory. No one likes those.” Whatever any of that meant. Both Billy and Eddie weren’t really up to par with England and whatever was happening around there and neither of them cared all too much. They weren’t ever going to go there anyway.

“Yeah, no clue what you’re saying.” It was unnecessary to say it, because Bess knew. The fact that Americans were rarely interested in any country that wasn’t theirs was well known. Actually, that had always been something her mum had nagged about, how disinterested her sister and the rest of their family were about her own life in England. “Anyway! How’s it going, Henderson? Didn’t think we’d see you here today, as delighted as I am.”

Nobody had, to be honest. Early November, word of her scuffle with a ‘mystery animal’ spread around town like lightning. It was rare around these parts, for someone to get attacked. Bess had been the talk of the town, even people who’d never heard of her now knowing her name and face. Obviously no one knew exactly what had happened or how bad it had been, they just knew that it had been bad. It was pretty obvious with how jittery Harrington had been, his time split between school and the hospital for nearly all of November.

It must have been looked similar for little Dustin Henderson and his mother, both just doing the necessary thing before joining Bess in her recovery. In the end, the Henderson niece had to spend a couple of weeks in the hospital to recuperate and her released hat been postponed again and again. An infection here, a ripped stitch there and bang. Another week added to her sentence. She’d been released only yesterday, a fact she doubted anyone knew. Most had been much too focussed on the whole ‘mauled by something’ part.

“I’m all stitched up and will sport some killer scars not too far in the future, if that is what you mean.”

“Nice. You’re gonna look super badass.” She grinned, eyes flickering with something neither of the boys could properly identify just yet. It looked odd, like fear or maybe resignation? Nothing they knew from the girl, that was for sure.

“I’d better. I earned that.” Shaking her head, she used the cigarette to point at both of the boys, ash flinging around with every move. “Have you ever been cooped up in a hospital room for a month while everybody treats you like you like a delicate flower? Like you’re one of those fucking expensive china sets? You know, one of those that break when your tea is too hot?”

“That sounds fucking useless.” Billy shook his head. “Rich people.”

“I agree, man. We’ve got three mugs in the trailer, two of which are chipped. But none of which because the coffee was too hot.”

“Focus, lads.” Bess groaned, pushing the bleached blonde hair out of her face with fluttery fingers. “What I mean is: They didn’t even allow me to crank a fucking window, jabbering something about ‘infection’ and ‘cold’ and shit.” She scoffed. “It’s not like I lost my spleen or anything, I’m fine. And you don’t get a cold from sitting in the cold anyway.” That was not how viruses and bacteria worked, but neither her aunt nor Dustin nor Steve had listened to reason. “They act like I’m going to drop dead because of a spirited sneeze. You know what’s actually going to have me drop dead?” She didn’t give them time to answer. “It’s the stupid amount of debt I raked up in this country because apparently you guys hate universal health care.” The thought of the bill had her feel extremely nauseous. It was high, to high for this moment in her life. Honestly, to high for something she couldn’t control. “I mean, have you seen what these people charge you for? At this point I wouldn’t be surprised to be charged for breathing their air. Maybe I am and I just haven’t seen it, because I damn near fainted when they handed me the bill.” Her knees had given in just a tiny bit and she’d had to use to wall to keep standing. Stupid, because it looked really wrong from the outside. “Which, of course, had my aunt and Steve freak out. I had to run straight out of the hospital before they could drag me back for another round of check ups that I can’t afford.” The brunette patted her shoulder with a sympathetic sigh and she rubbed her forehead. “Next time, make sure they just leave me to die in a ditch somewhere.”

“Sure, I’ll make sure Harrington gets the message. He was the one to drag you back, right?” Bess nodded, eyes falling to the table at the memory.

Mystery animal.

The term nearly had her scoff the first time she’d heard it. But sure, how else would they explain? What else was Dustin supposed to tell his mum? That his cousin and her childhood summer-friend had taken him and his little friends to hunt down some venus flytrap-dog mutant monsters and one of them had managed to jump her and drag her away when she tried to protect him? Yeah, no, that would get him a nice bed at Penhurst.

So ‘weird animal’ was what they went with. They gave weird descriptions about height and appearance – huge claws and a ton of teeth! – and the people responsible left more confused than they came. In the end, the official reports settled for a stray cougar. If only.

Bess herself didn’t remember much about the whole night, barely enough to remember the thing jumping her after she’d pushed Dustin aside. Then there was a whole lot of pain, the feeling of being dragged away from the rest of them and then there was nothing. First, she’d thought that she’d fainted. But apparently, she’d been up and running the minute Steve had batted the demobitch away, ushering the kids out of the tunnels as if she wasn’t hurt at all. Only after they were all out and halfway at Steve’s car had she finally dropped down into nothingness, leaving the kids and Steve to drag her towards the car and into the hospital.

“You okay, Henderson?” Bess closed her eyes and sighed, shoving the memory back down as far as she could.

“Peachy.” She offered the two of them a smile. “Can’t afford therapy anyway.” Billy snorted and Eddie chuckled, leaning onto the table.

“Surprised they let you leave if they were bein’ all overprotective.” Her face scrunched up guiltily at Billy’s words, a minute reaction she couldn’t control and Eddie gasped.

“No way. You totally ran off, didn’t you?” The metalhead whistled, a sharp sound that got lost in the wind and she just shrugged.

“I had no other choice. They wouldn’t have let me leave alone.” Stubbing her cigarettes, she shrugged. “I just needed a moment of peace, that’s all.” And a moment away from Steve and Dustin, playing cards and pretending that they weren’t watching her while totally watching her.

All of them understood. Of course they did.

It was what this place was about.

An escape, a way to catch a breath away from prying eyes. Here, at the old, gruffy table just outside of school bounds, they could settle back and be who they were. No one was there to see Billy shed his machismo, see the version of him that was more likable than the one he usually presented. They couldn’t see Eddie drop his continuous smile the minute he wandered out into the forest. Couldn’t see Bess, quiet and tired.

The three of them were so used to pretending, so used to hiding themselves and everything that made them vulnerable, that their skin felt like a prison some days. Holding in, Holding back, Holding up – always pretending. Pretending to not be hurt, to not be tired and afraid, desperately acting like they were all okay when they simply weren’t.

Out here, they could simply be. They’d shed their skins, left their armour by the entrance of the forest without looking back. They would crawl into the forest, battered, and bruised, to lick their wounds in silence.

The first time they’d ran into each other had been difficult. They hadn’t been snarling at each other, not like they would have been if they’d met anywhere else. No, they were much too tired for that. But it had been difficult to relax, to let go and tune into the silence they so desperately craved while the other was right there, next to them. But they’d gotten used to it, used to the fragile peace they’d made in here.

Fragile peace that had turned to fragile friendship at some point. Neither said it, but they knew they cared about each other. Each and everyone of them was looking forward to this, this meeting with unlikely friends. Friends, that only lasted as far as the trees did. The second they stepped out of here; they stopped existing in the same bubble. Those people from the forest were no more, hardened strangers taking their place.

Their unspoken agreement.

Outside of the forest, there would be nothing between them. No friendly nods, no rescuing each other from whatever danger – nothing. One could place the three of them right next to each other and nobody would be able to tell that they knew each other. Not a hint of recognition, of acknowledgement would be shared. Like they were nothing at all.

“What about that guy?” Bess’ eyes closed as she allowed the wind to brush by her face. She was smiling, a soft tilt to her lips that said nothing and everything. It was a question Billy asked every time they met, never ceasing. His way of showing interest.

“Back to being desperately in love with someone else.” Billy sighed. Eddie sighed. The entire forest sighed. But she just smiled on, opening her eyes to take the boys in. “What about you lads? What did I miss?” They stayed quiet and she snorted. “Come on, you can’t tell me that nothing happened all month.” Eddie looked around the forest, focusing on nothing in particular and behind her, Billy was tapping against the table in some off cut rhythm. “Hmmh, by all means, please keep it to yourself.”

“I might not graduate again.” They turned towards Eddie; brows pinched together.

“What?”

“Wait, you guys graduate in May, right?” Billy nodded and she focused on Eddie. “Then how do you know? There’s still so much time left.”

“Yeah, I dunno, Henderson. Higgins wasn’t really in a sunny ‘explaining’ mood. The bastard basically laughed in my face when I told him I was trying to graduate this year.”

“Don’t you think he was just trying to piss you off?”

“Nah, I don’t think so, man.” Eddie shrugged. “It felt less like that and more like he knew something I didn’t. You know the type of laugh I mean?” Who didn’t? Everyone had heard that cocky ‘if-you-only-knew’ laugh before.

A shared sigh ran through the forest.

“Fuck.” Bess bumped his shoulder comfortingly. “I’m sorry, Eddie.”

“This fucking town really has me in a chokehold, doesn’t it? I thought they wanted me gone as soon as possible, but it feels like they’re doing everything to keep me here.” He sighed. “If I’m not careful, I’ll end up dying here. And that would majorly suck. Who wants to die in fucking Hawkins, of all places?”

“I nearly did and you’re right. I’m not keen on trying again.” That had him gasp and turn, wincing.

“Shit, sorry. I didn’t-“

“It’s fine. It’s true. Imagine dying here. No. God no.” She scoffed. “I mean, I’m counting my fucking days until I can leave this bloody place. I don’t want to be buried here, no way in hell.”

“Me neither.” Billy was playing with his earring, looking lost in thought. “That’s like eternal life sentencing. No, if I have to, I at least want to die far away from this cow ridden shit stain.” Blonde curls ruffled about as he shook his head. His eyes were lowered, stuck to the scrawly letters Eddie had carved into the table with his pen knife. “I’m goin’ back home. If it’s the last thing I do - I’m goin’ home.”

“Home? To California?” He nodded, wind tousling his hair. “That your plan for the months to come?”

“Yeah. I’m goin’ to graduate, work a summer job to save up some cash, and then I’m outta here. Fuck this town, fuck everything about it.” Short silence passed between them. None of them had anything to add, each lost in thought.

Not thought. Daydreams.

Dreams of a future anywhere but here. A future where they had left Hawkins behind; a faint memory by then.

They dreamed of a musician, couped up in a small studio apartment in New York. He wasn’t famous, not the next Van Halen, but he was doing well for himself. Some people knew him, knew his songs and that was more than enough. He was happy, because it was all his. He’d gotten there by himself and he got to make music.

They dreamed of a mechanic, living in a house by the beach. This one wasn’t on his own, no. He had a wife, a radiant woman with a kind smile, and kids. Even a god damn dog. It was something he rarely thought about, but he desperately wanted it. He wanted a family, a good family. And right then, he had it. He had a good, healthy family that was nothing like his own. And he was happy. He was happy, because he build something he’d never had, build a life that was filled with love and sunshine.

And they dreamed of a nurse, living anywhere but here. She didn’t care, didn’t know too many places around the US just yet. Anything would be better than this town, the town that was so hostile towards her. A certain guy was with her, all floppy brown hair and honeyed eyes. He was smiling. They both were. The place they shared wasn’t big, wasn’t much, but it was theirs. It was somewhere to feel at home, to feel like they belonged exactly the way they were. It was a place to heal.

It was all they ever wanted.

All of their dreams were different. Different places, different people, different lifetimes apart. In all of them, however, the main character would think back, just every once in a while. They’d think back to this place, to the old picnic table out in the forest and they’d remember. Remember the faces of the two people that didn’t force them to pretend. The two people that made life just that tiny bit more bearable.

“Well. Amen to that, Hargrove.”

It held finality, that one. It was the last statement for the day, the last thing they said before they got up and left wordlessly. Each got up and left the same way they came, without a greeting or a word goodbye. No questions as to when or if they’d meet again.

First Billy.

Then Eddie.

And finally, Bess.

Once again, the three of them left a part of themselves behind, hiding it away in the dark, lonely forest until they’d find their way back. Their armour was back on, well-worn and bloodied, until another day dawned; until another escape was deemed necessary to stop them from combusting.

Until then, only the forest remembered what had once been.

Wednesday, the 24th of July 1985

The day was bright and shimmering; unfiltered sun glaring down onto the fine people of Hawkins without mercy. Air was visibly curling above everything, the entire town heating up like father’s favourite grill. Asphalt burned beneath naked feet, the few silly enough to walk around without any shoes at all squealing with every hop-step they took. People were sticky and sweaty, half of them gloriously tanned by the continuous sun and others halfway through their sunburns; skin peeling away in dry, white flakes.

It was unbearably hot.

And yet people braved the outsides like it was nothing, squeezing themselves into the community pool and around the lakes. Mothers were yelling after their kids, waving bottles and tubes of SPF50 with the promise of ice cream or juice packs if they held still for just five minutes. Ice cream was dripping down sticky fingers, leaving a trail about for ants to find and enjoy. Bored lifeguards were yelling out orders every now and again, eyes on glued to the same old people every day.

Backyards were filled with teens lounging about in their friend’s pool, chatting, and splashing each other with water. If they were lucky, they managed to get their hands on a bottle of their parents Aperol and had the time of their lives, happily mixing it with cheap carbonated water for some unfiltered fun.

Most people were happy. They were having fun, laughing, and enjoying the last bits of sun they could get because summer wouldn’t last forever.

She, however, wasn’t like them.

To her, the whole day felt far away. Like she wasn’t part of what she saw, not part of the happiness and excitement that rattled the rest of the town. The emotion was there, vibrating around her all day, but she couldn’t touch it. It seemed to slip past her every day, no matter how often people tried to drag her into it.

And they did try, they truly did. Steve and the children would usher her around, drag her out into the world of the living every day like nothing had ever happened. They were desperate, she knew, desperate to move on and heal and they wanted to do it with her. Nobody wanted to leave her behind, not Robin, not Max, not Dustin.

For their sake, she pretended it worked.

She’d go along with them and be the life of the party. A bit of witty sarcasm here, some jokes there. She was the one who laughed the loudest out of all of them. At every chance she got, she would smile at them – all teeth and amusement. She clung to every little bit of serotonin she could find, act normal and happy and alive like the rest of them.

It didn’t last. It never did.

The minute everyone turned their backs, the smile fell off her face as if it had never been there. Maybe it truly hadn’t been. She wasn’t sure, the lines between real and fake slowly whirring together the longer she pretended to be okay. Honestly, she didn’t know how the rest of them did it, how the rest of them kept smiling after everything they’d seen. There were still traces of this year’s fallout left; bruises that had yet to vanish completely and scars that had yet to turn silver, and still everyone moved on like nothing ever happened.

Only she was left behind, the skeletons in her closet hanging onto her ankles with surprising vigour.

And that day, it had finally been enough. Too much.

She’d fled from society the minute no one was watching, making her escape in nothing but shorts, her ‘the clash’ shirt and flipflops. Her hair was wild and unkempt, fluttering in tandem with all the leaves with every rare gust of wind. The forest around her was quiet, no one coming here during this time of year. So, there was no one to see her, slumped at the old picnic table with her face hidden in the safety of her own arms when she wasn’t busy smoking away.

Good. She didn’t want to deal with them.

“No way.” A voice called over the clearing. “It’s Bessie Fraser-Henderson, is that you? I can’t believe it.” Eddie Munson was idling towards her, dressed all too warmly for the weather in long ripped jeans and a cut-up Iron Maiden shirt. The usual perm he sported was weak, the curls nearly falling flat against his head wherever they escaped the ponytail he’d collected the rest of them into. His nose was pinked, a mild sun burn making him look flushed and warm.

“Don’t you look all summery.” It earned her a smile as the boy flopped down next to her, his usual seat, and she rolled a cigarette over to him. “Didn’t think I’d see you here today, Eddie.”

“Likewise, Bessie, likewise. You haven’t been here in weeks.” She chuckled, leaning onto the table to watch him.

“Have you?”

“Nope.”

“Thought so.”

“But it’s good to see you all up and running again. What’s going on with you-shit.” His lighter clonked down onto the cool forest floor and he scrambled after it, belt rattling all too loudly in the forests silence.

“Oh, you know. Got tortured, drugged, and watched our friend die.” It was spoken quickly, barely audible behind the noise Eddie was making, and earned her a confused glance.

“What?” She chuckled.

“Clean your ears, Eddie. I think they’re clogged.” Sighing, she watched him light his cigarette before offering the lighter to her. “I said: Lost all three jobs, raked up more medical bills and am still stuck in this town. The usual.” The boy winced, leaning back against the table.

“Some new job on the horizon, then?”

“Nope, null. At this point, I’ll either have to become a prostitute or flee the country to escape this debt.” Eddie grinned, looking her up and down before nodding approvingly.

“You’d make a killer prostitute.”

“Of course that’s the thing you’d choose.”

“Hey, I’m nothing if not self-serving, Fraser. What am I ‘sposed to do? Smoke on my own? Nah nah, young lady, you’re better staying where I can see you. I still have a year to go.”

“So, you’re trying again?”

“Are you kidding? Of course I am. I hate this fucking place, but I need a degree. And I won’t let Higgins take that away from me, never.”

“Third time’s the Charme.”

“Totally! I’m gonna make ’86 my bitch.” She chuckled.

“Are you now?”

“Yeah! It’s gonna be my year. No, you know what? It’s gonna be our year, Fraser. I’ll give you half of mine.” This had her crack a smile, a real one at that.

“I’ll take it. Sounds nice.”

“Right? It’s gonna be awesome. I’ll get my degree and whoosh. Bye bye Hawkins. And you?”

“Not sure. I’m still waiting for Dustin to graduate, I think. That will be a couple of years. But who knows, maybe I’ll leave first. At this point, even just another day seems far too long.” Eddie nodded, accepting her answer wordlessly. Neither of them said anything, both waiting for input that didn’t come. The usual question that would have been grumbled across from them, always tossed her way without fail.

That day, Silence was their only answer.

It was heavy silence, weighed down by things no one could voice. Uncomfortable, stifling, if only to the two people left.

“What about that guy?” Eddie’s voice was brittle when he asked, his attempt at nonchalance failing magnificently. Her eyes squeezed shut, the question hitting to close to the thing that lay unspoken between them. They weren’t looking at each other; eyes glued to the burnt spot on the old table.

She liked her lips, suddenly all parched, before retching up the answer.

“Desperately looking for love, but never turning towards me.”

Silence.

“Shit.” He leaned forwards, ruffling his hair as he talked around the cigarette. “Never thought I’d miss the guy.”

There was no need to mention a name. They both knew who he was talking about. Bessie’s eyes watered as they focussed on the seat across; the one seat that was still waiting for its owner. Waiting, as if it wasn’t aware just yet.

Twenty-five days.

It had only been twenty-five days since he’d last sat there, on the 29th of June, talking about his summer job and the place he was headed for in just a month. The place he was supposed to leave for in just four days. Four days. The date he’d wanted to pack up and run, the 28th of July was so close. It would be easy; just get into that Camaro of his and drive. Drive past the pool, the farms, the town limit and out of Indiana. He’d had a route mapped out, a possible job lined up and enough money to keep himself afloat for a good while. Nobody would ever know where he’d gone, nobody but the two of them.

Just twenty-five days ago, Billy Hargrove still had a whole life to live.

It had been right there, close enough to touch. He didn’t say, but he’d been excited. It was easy to tell, the boy shimmering more than usual. His entire atmosphere had changed, turning light and happy – sparkly, like someone who’d finally seen the end of a long, dark tunnel. He’d radiated happiness and ease that had been missing before, looking much younger than they’d ever seen him. Sure, he was still the Billy they got to know, still the same golden boy and his gruff attitude that had entered Hawkins just a short while ago, but he was different all the same. The reckless, unspoken anger seemed to ebb down with every passing day and on that day twenty-five days ago, they’d actually heard him laugh.

Not snort. Not huff. Laugh.

He’d actually laughed at one of Eddie’s stupid jokes, nearly shocking the two of them into complete silence. Billy Hargrove didn’t laugh. He joked, he snorted or grumbled or rolled his eyes. If it was a bad day, he might’ve sneered. All his ways of being playful, of joking along with them. But he didn’t ever laugh, not one of those honest to god laughs that made your shoulders shake and your tummy hurt.

On Saturday, the 29th of June, he had. He’d laughed and they all felt it. They felt Billys future in the way he’d giggled away, in the relaxed way he’d carried himself. On the 29th of June, he didn’t leave without a word for the first time. He said his goodbyes, grinning at them as he ambled away into the forest.

On the 30th, he didn’t show.

On Wednesday, the 10th of July, Elizabeth and Eddie found themselves staring at a cold grey headstone with his name on it.

The cemetery had mostly been empty, only a few people showing up to say their goodbyes to the Hargrove boy and even less of them actually caring. Most of them were there for those surviving, for Max or her mother. Either that or they were there for show. But no one had truly come for Billy, no one bothering enough to actually get to know the boy before his name had become a mere casualty.

No one, but the two of them.

Eddie had been standing there, almost hidden behind the rest of them, in an ill-fitting tuxedo jacket and his usual ripped jeans. There was nothing on his face, no emotion for anyone to read. Nothing, but a fine watery line in his eyes, visible to only those who cared to pay attention to the famed freak. It was a mirror of Bessie’s own face, schooled into a carefully constructed mask of nothing. Her arched brows and empty eyes almost seemed haughty, her title as one of Hawkins bitchiest proven right once again. It was what she wanted.

Tears, however, acted on their own. They couldn’t be controlled or shoved down when they truly didn’t want to. And they didn’t, they absolutely didn’t. No, they wanted to drip down her chin and into the dirt that had become her friends resting place, so they kept blurring her sight no matter how hard she bit her cheek.

Eddie Munson had known, of course, the moment he’d caught her eyes over the grave. Bessie was standing there, one arm looped around Dustin and the other around Max, and for the first time, they’d acknowledged each other outside of this place. Outside the bubble they’d all so carefully guarded, the boy had smiled and nodded at her with watery eyes, just once. And she’d smiled back, just once. An empty, meaningless smile. A smile that wasn’t a smile at all.

Then they’d both had left, left the grave of their shared friend who so desperately didn’t want to be buried here, in this god forsaken town. Bessie had taken Dustin home, only to shove the confused kid out of her car and drive off into the evening. It wasn’t something she would have done any other day, her gentle demeanour towards the boy usually contradicting everything people thought of her, but right then she needed to be alone, needed to peel of her skin and just breathe. She’d driven down to the Highschool without stopping, parked in the most improper way and kicked her ugly shoes off at the car park. On bare feet, she’d run across the path to the picnic table, breathing laboured, only to find it deserted and dark.

On the 10th of July, she’d broken down crying. There was nobody around to hear her, nobody around to care. She didn’t have to hide behind a mask of nothing anymore, she could just be sad and angry and devastated all on her own. She could mourn her friend, the guy who’d been so happy mere days ago, who’d been so alive before he died right there in front of her. She could mourn him surrounded by nothing but trees and memories.

“Yeah.” She sighed, leaning back against Eddie’s shoulder. “Me neither.”

Saturday, the 22nd of March 1986

Early spring-sunshine was gazing down upon the tiny town of Hawkins. It was nothing special, weather that left nothing to complain about for most people, so it passed by unbeknownst to anyone. Sure, there was the occasional flock of pollen wafting through the air, but that was pretty much about it.

There was nothing to complain about, nothing to praise, nothing to mention in aimless Smalltalk. It was a day that seriously deserved the word ‘pleasant’ as its title.

Well.

Regarding the weather, that is.

There was plenty to chat about apart from that, though. The amazing championship game, for example; a victory Hawkins hadn’t seen for a good long while, apparently. It was either that or the death of one Chrissy Cunningham, killed by none other than one Eddie Munson, that people were talking about.

People were yapping along spitefully, even those who’d never met Eddie throwing his name around as if they knew him. The bad egg. The weed dealer. A satanist and a certified town freak. Did you know his dad was no good, too? And his mother had been insane, poor thing. It was just a matter of when, with that one. Things like that always ran in the family. And wasn’t it such a shame that it had been poor Chrissy? That nice, naïve girl. She was probably lured into his trailer, or maybe he’d dragged her along. A terrible tragedy. Prayers to their poor parents, shame on the wretched Munson clan. heh

It all just made her want to laugh.

Eddie Munson. A killer.

Right.

Bess had seen the boy mourn a god damn bee, slapped around a little too hard by their blue-eyed friend. He’d made a coffin out of a match box and buried the insect close by, in the shade of a nice, lush tree because everyone deserved to be buried somewhere nice. He hadn’t cried, but both Billy and Bess had known that he wanted to.

That was the guy that had brutally murdered a girl.

Sure. What else is new.

How ridiculous people could be. They’d gobble up lies like starving goblins as long as it fit their own wretched narrative. The odd one out, the one too loud, too different, too outlandish for this ugly arse small town had to be guilty. He had to be, because he fit the bill well enough. he was

He fit the bill and he was on the run. If that wasn’t a confession, what was?

Words like these had followed her everywhere that day, the topic unavoidable and uttered in every nook and cranny. The spite and hate aimed at Eddie had made her blood boil. Her skin was crawling each time his name was thrown her way and she had wandered out into the forest before she could do something stupid, like beat some stupid Jock to a pulp.

Part of her had wanted to run out and find the boy immediately. Eddie was her friend, her very best friend. But no one knew that. Their friendship never left the forest, was hidden from anyone and everything, so could she really go and find him? Find him anywhere other than here? Should she?

Those things were plaguing her mind that day, the blonde girl torn between running around to convince people that Eddie was good and waiting for the boy to find her first.

Out here, far away from prying eyes, everything was silent and peaceful. But unlike usual, the place didn’t make her feel any better. No, in fact, it made her feel even worse. Her mind was unbearingly loud out there, silence and solitude only amping up the volume of her own desperate mind.

Eddie’s absence was painfully obvious, the words she’d prepared for him a dead weight in her throat. She’d wanted to tell him something, something that would have made him howl and clap in joy. She could see it clearly in her mind; hear his voice as he asked the question he’d one day adopted after its original owner had died.

‘What about that guy?’

‘He kissed me and told me he loved me. Out of the blue and just like that. Sweaty and out of breath from running out of the gym hall, he grabbed me and kissed me and... He loves me, Eddie.’

This time, nobody would have sighed. Eddie would have applauded, congratulating Harrington on finally gaining a brain before bumping her shoulder with one of his smug grins. Shit, the leaves would probably have rustled along, joining the happy atmosphere in their own unique way.

She scoffed at her own imagination.

Eddie wasn’t here. He was alone and probably terrified, hunted by an entire town that wanted to see him fall.

That day, as she sat out in the forest all on her own, Bess felt sick. Something was curling around in her, a dark premonition. Maybe it was her intuition trying to tell her something she failed to understand. She didn’t know why, but dread was curling around her heart. It was like a snake, winding itself around her tighter and tighter with every passing minute. She felt something like that before, the dread that told her something terrible was about to happen.

The 30th of July 1985.

The moment Billy hadn’t stepped into the forest, she’d known something was wrong. She’d known, but she’d accepted her limitations. Accepted the boundaries they’d set for each other, accepted that their friendship was only meant to stay here. She accepted it and he’d suffered all on his own.

Died all on his own.

“You know what? Fuck this stupid agreement.” She pushed herself up with more vigour than necessary, jumping off the bench to rush out into the forest and back into town, into her own personal nightmare. Her cigarettes were left behind, forgotten the minute she turned her back. She didn’t care, couldn’t care. There was but one thought in her mind - loud, angry, and desperate.

Not again.

She wouldn’t lose another friend while idly standing by because of some stupid rule that had never been uttered aloud. She wouldn’t. No, she would go out there and find Eddie. She’d crawl into the depth of hell if necessary. She would find Eddie Munson and drag him back here, even if it was the last thing she ever did.

He wouldn’t die, not as long as she was around. Not on her watch, never again.

Friday, the 28th of March 1986

Rain was softly dousing the streets of Hawkins, but hardly anyone noticed.

They couldn’t notice, the tiny town much too busy for the first time in forever. Nurses and doctors were rushing about, the understaffed hospital overwhelmed by the sheer number of patients coming in. Volunteers were crawling through the sterile halls; first responders, medical students that had come home for a visit as well as long retired folk squeezing themselves in to help lighten the load.

Those who couldn’t offer any medical knowledge were outside, scouring the streets to help gather those in need. Some, the braver ones, were climbing into the dilapidated homes of their neighbours, calling out names to check if anyone was buried under the rubble or stuck somewhere. Rescue teams were rushing to and fro, trying to be everywhere at once as the everything slowly but surely sank into chaos.

Everything but one place.

Somewhere, hidden behind rows and rows of trees, sat a lonely picnic table. To most, it meant nothing. Just a slab of weathered wood out in the lush green. But to a select few, the tiny clearing held special meaning.

It was a place to hide. A place to escape reality, a place to rest and a place to just be. It was a place surrounded by nothing but peace, where no armour was needed. Secrets would never leave, the trees never judging what they saw. Right there, no one could be wrong. No one was too loud or too quiet, too wise, too foolish, too gruff, or too soft. The forest didn’t care about status or popularity, about looks or interests. It didn’t care at all.

It would just let them breathe.

It would let them be, let them exist in a space hat felt timeless and sheltered in exchange for a part of them. The vulnerable, tiny part that couldn’t survive out in the world. In exchange for peace of mind, the trees would keep it to themselves; would shelter the tiny thing like a precious jewel. They would help them grow and outgrow themselves by keeping everything weak and vulnerable of save until they returned.

It was waiting now, while the rest of Hawkins drowned in chaos. It was waiting for the three people it had welcomed so often over the last few years, the people who’d come here battered and broken and bruised. The people that had found camaraderie and friendship right here. Who’d found peace beyond the rustling leaves.

It was waiting for people who were long gone.

It didn’t know yet. No one was there to break the news. Nobody would’ve known to go there. Even if they had, they’d be much too busy right now. Because just outside of the forest, people were crying. The loudest, most desperate sobs were rippling through a gaggle of kids and teens; kids who shouldered far too many responsibilities at their young age. The heroes of Hawkins.

Those heroes were mourning.

They were mourning the kind-hearted freak and the gentle bitch. They were mourning the young people that had sacrificed their lives for a lost cause, for a plan that was deemed to fail. Mourning the god damn sacrifice they’d made to save the world.

A world, that didn’t want to be saved, it seems.

They were left with nothing but tears and pain, with trying to keep each other together while falling apart themselves. Guilt and regret were making it heart to breathe, cutting off their oxygen more and more with each passing second. Enough to have them wish they were dead.

Her floppy haired boy did. He wanted to be dead every time his eyes fell upon the empty gaze of the curly-headed kid. The boy who’d never stopped talking back in that haughty tone of his had gone completely silent.

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t. They’d paid the price, more than that, and yet everything was still broken. Their hearts were shattered to pieces and it was all for nothing.

The plight of all heroes.

A soggy pack of cigarettes, forgotten and ruined, on top of an old wooden picnic table. It was right there, the one thing she’d left for no one to find, nestled between the burned mark and messily carved letters.

It was all they’d left behind.

Every other trace was lost to the havoc wreaked upon the good-for-nothing town, everything other than memories destroyed by disaster. No one would ever know. They wouldn’t know where and how to find it, wouldn’t even know where to look. The hopes and dreams those three had would never be felt by anyone who cared. The heroes wouldn’t wander out into the forest to feel their presence in the serenity of the trees, they wouldn’t come to bask in whatever tiny things the ones lost had left behind.

Only the forest remembered what once had been. It would keep those moments; those conversations; those memories safe as it waited patiently.

Waited for something that would never happen.

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