#the 1980 October Surprise

[fanboy-feminist]

I just saw an American tankie on Twitter say that Carter helped lead the way to neoliberalism. And… no, you absolute dipshit, no he did not. He was the victim of the Reagan campaign’s collusion with Iran to steal the 1980 presidential election (1)(2), whose administration ACTUALLY built the neoliberal projects that have wrecked the global south, the labor movement, racial justice movements, criminal justice movements, gender and sexual liberation movements, and the planet.

Use your goddamn heads for once! The Wikipedia for 1980 October Surprise Theory is free! Christ!

[deadpresidents]

Is there any truth to the 1980 October surprise theory?

The New York Times published a story earlier this year where Ben Barnes -- a Republican supporter of Reagan's in 1980 who had once served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, and protege of former Texas Governor John Connally -- confirmed that the Reagan campaign absolutely encouraged Iran not to release the American embassy hostages before the election because Reagan would give the Iranians a better deal if he was elected President. Barnes admitted that he was present as Connally passed that message around while on a trip to the Middle East in order to get word to the Iranians. It's not exactly a smoking gun because virtually everyone seemingly involved in implementing the October Surprise is dead other than Barnes, but it's a weird thing for Barnes to lie about 45 years later, especially considering how close his relationship was with Governor Connally. Plus, we know that there were shady contacts between people in the Reagan Administration and Iran because of the Iran-Contra scandal.

I think there is definitely some truth to the theory, but I also believe that the Iranians were more than happy to spite President Carter by not releasing the hostages until literally the moment Reagan took the oath of office. The Iranians were still furious with the Carter Administration for letting the Shah come to the United States for medical treatment after he was forced to leave Iran as the Iranian Revolution exploded and Ayatollah Khomeini returned to become Supreme Leader. Carter had also helped broker the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, which also infuriated Iran and much of the Islamic world. Plus, Carter had ordered Operation Eagle Claw -- the failed attempt to rescue the hostages by force -- and that was seen as an act of war. So, the Ayatollah and leaders of Revolutionary Iran had no love lost for President Carter and weren't interested in doing him any favors before he left office.

The October Surprise that many people overlook is the one which took place in 1968 shortly before the Nixon vs. Humphrey election. When it looked like there might be some progress made in peace talks to bring the Vietnam War to a close, Nixon and his advisers got word to the South Vietnamese to hold off on working toward peace until Nixon was elected and could give them better terms. It was such an egregious act that LBJ actually told people around him that he felt Nixon had committed treason and that he had the blood of American soldiers on his hands for sabotaging peace talks. We even have the tapes of LBJ's phone calls after finding out about Nixon's actions where President Johnson straight-up says, "This is Treason!"

[countesspetofi]

We just assumed that it happened, But Ben Barnes was in the room where it happened

Reagan was truly a sack of shit

[o-the-mts]

It’s also a reminder that contrary to the fairytale the public is being fed by many of these same sources, US politics and the GOP were far from bastions of decency and righteousness until the dastardly Donald Trump came along and messed everything up. It was Reagan, the Republican president most often cast these days as Trump’s polar opposite, who carried out something close to treason to win an election, before carrying out a host of other crimes and outrages as president. Everything in our scandal-filled times is, sadly, part and parcel of decades of US political tradition.

Once Dismissed as Absurd, Ronald Reagan’s “October Surprise” Is Now Confirmed as True

[read-marx-and-lenin]

It's a good pamphlet and clearly the DDR needed to defend itself. But it doesn't explain why they had to shoot civilians trying to leave the East

I'm not going to say I support the "shoot to kill" orders. I don't. I think they were the wrong move on the part of the GDR and led to unnecessary and tragic deaths. But I also think you have to look at it objectively and in the context of the wall itself.

In 1959, the GDR announced the discovery of classified NATO documents outlining a potential invasion of East Germany using West Berlin as a staging ground, dubbed "Operation DECO II". Neither NATO nor the FRG have ever confirmed or denied the authenticity of these documents, but they align with Western refusal to agree to any plans for reunification that did not involve a NATO-aligned Germany.

In 1960, the Sino-Soviet Split occurs, France becomes a nuclear power, and NATO deploys nuclear missiles in Italy. In June 1961, two months before construction of the Wall, NATO deploys nuclear missiles in Turkey. In October 1961, the USSR detonates the largest nuclear bomb ever created. In 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis occurs. And in 1963, Kennedy makes his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, proclaiming his opposition to communism and the defensive actions of the GDR.

From 1957 to 1961, the head of the West German military was Adolf Heusinger, a former high-ranking Wehrmacht general who helped to plan the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. From 1961 to 1964, Heusinger was Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. After Konrad Adenauer had ended denazification in West Germany early, many such instances of former Nazis and Nazi collaborators coming to power and prominence within West Germany had occurred, which is part of the reason why the GDR dubbed the Wall the "Anti-Fascist Protection Wall".

This period marked the highest point in tensions between East and West during the Cold War. Around the world, revolutionary movements were growing, and the capitalists and imperialists were becoming more belligerent in turn. The GDR was dealing with saboteurs and spies and Western agents bribing skilled workers to encourage defection. It is no surprise then that according to a 2011 study into the 136 deaths attributed by the authors to the Wall (and not all of these deaths were of civilians), more than half occurred from 1961 to 1966. However, over 50,000 arrests were made due to border crossing attempts that did not result in death, and by the 1980s there were millions of legal crossings from East to West Berlin approved by the GDR, the vast majority of which later returned to the GDR.

Every death that happened due to the Wall is a death that should not have happened. But the Wall is not some totalitarian construct the evil communists created to trap people and prevent their escape. It was a means of defense against the aggression of the capitalist world towards a vulnerable socialist state forced to host a capitalist enclave. In a just world, West Berlin would never have existed in the first place. In a just world, NATO would have accepted the Soviet proposal for a neutral and unified Germany and Germany would not have been separated for decades. The Anti-Fascist Protection Wall served its purpose and prevented what could have been a major escalation in the Cold War.

When the Wall fell and capitalism was forced upon East Germany, immediately there were major increases in poverty, unemployment, and homelessness, something that occurred across Eastern Europe during the period of neoliberal "shock therapy" as labor protections and welfare systems were removed and state enterprises were privatized. To this day, East Germany remains poorer than West Germany despite over thirty years of glorious free market capitalism to mend the divide. I do not have any concrete numbers, but I would not be surprised if the total number of deaths relating to post-reunification poverty exceeded the number of deaths attributed to the Wall.

Recommended reading:

What You Should Know About the Wall (1962 GDR pamphlet regarding the Wall) Behind the Berlin Wall - Challenge Magazine A Marxist-Leninist Approach to the Berlin Wall - /r/communism The Triumph of Evil - Austin Murphy Stasi State or Workers’ Paradise - Bruni de la Motte & John Green

[aqualish007]

FNAF 2 FLASHBACKS + VANESSA'S AGE

FNAF 2 MOVIE SPOILERS!

Felt like the need to share this theory I made back in November regarding the casting calls for flashback scenes... specifically Young Mike, Vanessa and William.

You may notice the actors' age required or the role. This is a crucial information to my theory :)

MIKE

Mike is 12 y.o. in 1987, when Garrett was taken. We know this when he talks to Vanessa about Garrett. The first film take place in 2000, so he would be 25 y.o. (13 years between 1987 and 2000, 12 + 13 = 25). Clearly not surprising as it's also mentionned in the beginning of the movie's novelization.

For FNAF 2, they need an 8 y.o. actor for his younger self. Which means his flashback scenes would take place in 1983, when Garrett was born (as we also know he was 4 y.o. in 1987).

Quick note regarding the misuse of "Michael" instead of "Mike": the casting company is to blame XD For the first film, the role was "Young Mike", and Josh Hutcherson is casted as "Mike". They just didn't use the nickname for the casting call ffjdkdkfj otherwise this would be quite a massive spoiler 😬 (iykyk).

WILLIAM

Not much to say about this since it's an age range, but William is known to be in his 50s in 2000, according to the novel. So it makes sense for him to be in his 30s in the 1980s. Well, 1987 to be precise (explanation down below).

VANESSA

It was never explicity stated how old Vanessa was, neither in the movie nor in the novel. But by doing a bit of math you can find out!

Let's start with this photograph of her and her dad in the Spring Bonnie suit:

Now, when was it taken?

Well it seems pretty clear to me this was on the first day of Freddy's. It's the most logical option. 😛 But I can prove it if needed.

Originally, the photo was supposed to be Young Vanessa surrounded by the four animatronics. Scrapped for some reason :|

But it did make it to the novel (as it is based by an earlier/R-Rated version of the script)

While the banner may not be in the BTS, I don't think I need to debate more on that. It's obvious.

One more thing the novel gives out is that Garrett was killed "before Freddy's":

In the movie, Vanessa says that the kids went missing in the 80s. So that means, Freddy's opened between 1987 and 1989! ✨

But still, how old was Vanessa on this picture??

If you think that the FNAF 2 casting call for these flashbacks scene are all for one and same scene, that'd mean that Vanessa was 9 y.o. in 1983 (since she'd be with 8 y.o. Mike). So in that case, on this photograph taken in 1987, she'd be.....

13 years old.

be deadass rn.

This is illogical to me, I know Scott is careful about continuity in FNAF, and there are only two movies so far. So it wouldn't make sense.

Now the part that will set it all: the casting call for Young Vanessa for the first film.

RIGHT HERE SIR!

And how old was her actress?

Currently 11, so 9 when FNAF was filming!

I think it's okay to use an actor's age for the character in this case. But if you don't like it, she's still between 9 and 11 in 1987 (which also lines up with Freddy's opening between 1987 and 1989!!). It's very likely that the MCI happened in late 1987, right before Garrett was kidnapped and as soon as Freddy's opened.

SO HOW OLD IS VANESSA???????

SHE'S 22 YEARS OLD!!!!

Personally this is what I would pick, if she's 9 on this photograph, she would be 22 in 2000, but you could say between 22 and 24...

What does this mean for the flashback scenes?

This means that Young Mike and Young Vanessa cannot share scenes as they are happening in different year.

It's important to note that they have been casted for October 25, and filming began on October 28. Additionally, a casting call was posted to play a mom, in her 30s, with dirty blonde hair....

mmmhh...... Mrs. Afton.......

So what I'd say is, they needed a Young Vanessa and Young William + a mom to take family pictures, which, HOW SURPRISING, can be seen in this recent BTS:

As for Mike, well, he has his own photos/scenes. One with William is still possible. He was also casted for December 2 but idk what it could be 🤔

And that's all I have to say for these flashbacks! 🙌

Now little spoiler in case you weren't aware:

FNAF 2 will have a 3 year timeskip. The film is set in 2003, the Fazfest happens on October 12, 2003.

Here's a breakdown of every characters' age (if we consider that the MCI happened in 1987):

1975: Mike's birth year

1978: Vanessa's birth year

1983: Garrett's birth year

1987: Garrett is kidnapped/Freddy Fazbear's Pizza opens/MCI happens/Freddy Fazbear's Pizza closes.

1990: Abby's birth year

1993: Mike and Abby's mother dies and their dad leaves (info from the novel)

2000: Events of the first film occur/William Afton gets springlocked

2003: Events of the second film occur

thanks for reading, let me know what you think 😎

[porterdavis]

The story of the first "October Surprise" (Ronald Reagan's people arranging to delay Iran releasing the 52 American hostages until after the 1980 election) has gained new life and new credibility.

It would be nice to definitively confirm this while Jimmy Carter is still alive.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Olivia Reingold

On October 7, 2024—one year after Hamas invaded Israel, murdering 1,200 people—The New York Times published an episode of its flagship podcast, The Daily. It featured two men on opposite sides of the conflict: an Israeli man who’s moved from hotel to hotel after Hamas destroyed his community, and a father trying to survive in Gaza. 

But while the Israeli man was described in full—as a “liberal” 44-year-old father named Golan Abitbul, born and raised on Kibbutz Be’eri, the Palestinian man’s identity was shrouded in secrecy. The New York Times simply referred to him as “Hussein, a Palestinian man living in Gaza.” The host, Sabrina Tavernise, did not ask Hussein any follow-up questions when he revealed that, unlike most Gazans right now, he has “a good income” and is able to pay about $1,000 a month for rent. And she let him explain—uninterrupted—about why, a year later, the war ravages on.

“I’m surprised that there is humans doing this force,” Hussein said of Israeli soldiers, in broken English. “How could human became this evil, killing others, imposing collective punishment on over two million people with no reason? What are they going to gain? Why they are doing this?”

But what Tavernise did not say is that “Hussein” is Hussein Owda, whose name is listed in the show notes on audio platforms that host the podcast, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. And what The New York Times does not reveal is that Owda’s background suggests links to Hamas. A simple Google search turns up his LinkedIn page, where he publicly lists an eight-year stretch working for the Municipality of Gaza, which sources told me is controlled by Hamas; a new job at the controversy-riddled United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (also known as UNRWA); and an eight-month stint at Muslim Hands, a nonprofit exposed by the UK’s Telegraph in 2014 for having “close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.” Hamas was originally established in the 1980s as the local Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.Hussein Owda (via LinkedIn)

From September 2015 until August 2023, Owda lists his job as the head of public relations for the Municipality of Gaza. “Every government structure in Gaza was run by Hamas,” Jon Schanzer, a former terrorism analyst at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, told me. “The people that were paying his salary ultimately would’ve gone up the chain to Hamas itself.” Schanzer added that Owda, as the former head of public relations for the Municipality of Gaza, likely was “providing propaganda” to advance the mission of Hamas.

Meanwhile, three on-the-ground sources in Gaza—two of whom were provided through The Center for Peace Communications, which has a network of sources in the region—all confirmed to The Free Press that Owda has links to Hamas. One Gazan man who has met Owda said that “Employment at the municipality requires approval from the internal security, the local mosque’s emir, and Qassam Brigades intelligence,” referring to Al-Qassam Brigades, the militant wing of Hamas behind the group’s October 7 attack. Another Palestinian source in Gaza told The Free Press, “It’s impossible to get a job in the municipality unless you’re with Hamas.” (All sources in Gaza asked to withhold their names to protect them from possible retaliation by the terrorist group.)

[bnuuyclub]

Let's Talk About Playboy Rabbits!

Yes, they really did exist. Back in the 1980s, when Playboy Clubs were starting to lose business, Christie Hefner had the bright idea to introduce what would come to be known as the male equivalent of Playboy Bunnies—Playboy Rabbits—in order to attract female keyholders. They made their debut at the Empire Club, and they fit right in with the rest of the themed character costumes designed by Bunny June De Young.

Top: Rabbit photo taken by Andy Warhol on the Empire Club's opening night. Bottom: photo clipping from a Newsweek Article.

In October 1985, The New York Times published a story to drum up interest a few weeks before the club had its grand opening. The following was said about Playboy's shiny new Rabbits:

"Rabbit Uniforms are still under wraps, but Richard Melman, who as acting director of the club division of Playboy Enterprises is opening the new club, said that the seats of the uniforms would be padded (for some reason), that Rabbits would almost certainly not wear ears and that the uniforms would be all-American, but sexy, don't worry."

Clearly, Melman had changed his mind by the time the club opened, opting to include one Rabbit costume with ears and a tail. He later described the uniform as "cute" when interviewed by the Chicago Tribune. "I mean, when you get the right guy, it works."

Otherwise, the standard costume for Rabbits consisted of a shirtless tuxedo and white cuffs with Playboy cufflinks to match the Bunny uniforms.

Left: a Statue of Liberty Bunny, two Rabbits, and an Olympian Bodybuilder Bunny surrounding Richard Melman at the center. Right: photo clipping from a New York Post article.

But what did the Rabbits think of it all? To start off, a few of them were interviewed by the same news outlets for their thoughts on this new job opportunity. Their impressions were mostly positive:

"I always wanted to be first. I came to realize that I would not be the first astronaut or the first to hit 62 home runs. This is an honor." - Louis Affenito (first Rabbit hired) for The New York Times.

"A Rabbit projects an image of someone you would like your daughter to date. We don't want hardcore sex appeal but something more subtle. Like when you walk in, you look again." - Benjamin Lucas for Chicago Tribune.

"I wouldn't really classify myself as a sex object. Well, the more I think about it, I guess I would." - Greg Gunsch for United Press International.

I was surprised I was able to find some of the Rabbits' names. Not very many, considering there were roughly 35 of them working at this club, but eventually I came across more information after finding this image in my search:

Hugh Hefner with Bunnies and Rabbits at the Empire Club. Note the variety in uniforms!

You see those guys on the far right in the first picture wearing vests? That would be Jeff Rector and his twin brother, Jerry. If they sound familiar, it's because they both made guest appearances on Star Trek. If they don't sound familiar, it's because they were buried under a bunch of chunky sci-fi prosthetics.

Jeff and Jerry Rector as Tennis Rabbits. It was easier to find work if they played up the twin act. Also, probably the clearest photo of Playboy Rabbits available on the free web...

According to Jeff's autobiography that is currently available on Audible, numerous dancers from the nearby male strip club Chippendales applied for the job, but none were accepted. Playboy was looking for classy, attractive, "boy-next-door" types — about the same as the Bunny standard. He considered it an honor to be working as a Playboy Rabbit.

Jeff Rector's headshot on the cover of his autobiography.

Because the club was waning in popularity and themed nights at other bars were trendy at the time, Jeff was allowed to suggest a handful of new ideas to renew interest. This included a "historical explorer" theme in which he wore an Indiana Jones costume and the Bunnies dressed up as jungle girls! Unfortunately, despite his efforts to liven up the scene, novelty clubs didn't have very long lifespans to begin with. Boys at the Empire Club were only able to enjoy their cottontailed fame for a little over a year before it ended.

During this time, the Bunnies and Rabbits ended up growing very close with one another. In Jeff's own words:

"We had become a family and the family was about to be split up. Where would we go? What would we do? How do you follow up a gig with Playboy?"

After a week of crazy goodbye parties, the Rector twins moved back to LA to resume acting work.

This marked the beginning of the end for Playboy Clubs. The Empire Club officially shut down in 1986, and other locations remained open for a few years, but the last U.S. Playboy Club in Lansing closed its doors by 1988. What a shame!

[violetparakeetchuggerofkerosene]

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late Tuesday, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against an opposition that controls the country’s parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea.

Hours later, parliament voted to lift the declaration, with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik declaring that the martial law was “invalid” and that lawmakers “will protect democracy with the people.”

Police and military personnel were seen leaving the Assembly’s grounds after Woo called for their withdrawal. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the liberal Democratic Party, which holds the majority in the 300-seat parliament, said the party’s lawmakers will remain in the Assembly’s main hall until Yoon formally lifts his order.

---

The president’s surprising move harkened back to an era of authoritarian leaders that the country has not seen since the 1980s, and it was immediately denounced by the opposition and the leader of Yoon’s own conservative party.

Following Yoon’s announcement, South Korea’s military proclaimed that parliament and other political gatherings that could cause “social confusion” would be suspended, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

The military also said that the country’s striking doctors should return to work within 48 hours, Yonhap said. Thousands of doctors have been striking for months over government plans to expand the number of students at medical schools. The military said anyone who violates the decree could be arrested without a warrant.

Under South Korean law, martial law can be lifted with a majority vote in the parliament.

Soon after the declaration, the parliament speaker called on his YouTube channel for all lawmakers to gather at the National Assembly. He urged military and law enforcement personnel to “remain calm and hold their positions.

All 190 lawmakers who participated in the vote supported the lifting of martial law. Television footage showed soldiers who had been stationed at parliament leaving the site after the vote.

---

Yoon — whose approval rating has dipped in recent months — has struggled to push his agenda against an opposition-controlled parliament since taking office in 2022.

Yoon’s party has been locked in an impasse with the liberal opposition over next year’s budget bill. The opposition has also attempted to pass motions to impeach three top prosecutors, including the chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, in what the conservatives have called a vendetta against their criminal investigations of Lee, who has been seen as the favorite for the next presidential election in 2027 in opinion polls.

---

Yoon’s move was the first declaration of martial law since the country’s democratization in 1987. The country’s last previous martial law was in October 1979, following the assassination of former military dictator Park Chung-hee.

[inaissante]

the 90's it couple ✨️

Some articles about Ayrton Senna x teammate!reader. <33

warnings: none

requested: yes/no

my masterlist

--------------------------------------------

THE NEWEST AUDITION TO THE MCLAREN-HONDA F1 TEAM

After the not-so-surprising transfer of the French pilot Alain Prost to the Scuderia, all eyes are on the 25-year-old Y/n Y/l/n even before the start of her debut season.

Y/n Y/l/n will be the only woman on the grid, the first one to race in Formula 1 since Desiré Wilson in 1980.

The 1989 British F3 champion has expressed hope that she can rewrite the history of the sport by becoming the first woman to score points in a race.

Her future teammate, the Brazilian pilot Ayrton Senna, also seemed happy with the new addition to the team.

Fans hope that the new teammates will not repeat the controversial history of Alain and Ayrton.

The young driver of McLaren will make her debut on May 11 this year at the opening US Grand Prix.

Posted on February 13th, 1990

NEW PHOTOS OF THE MCLAREN DRIVERS

Four months after the beginning of the 1990 F1 season, photos of the two McLaren pilots continue to be taken as rumors flood the media.

Posted on June 6th, 1990

FRIENDS OR MORE?

It's been over an year since Y/l/n's transfer to McLaren, and we're happy to say that she really rewrote Formula 1 history - first passed qualification, first scored point, and first podium for a woman in Formula 1.

Despite her success, fans do not fail to notice the development in the relationship between the female pilot and her Brazilian teammate.

Their relationship appears to be unusually close for colleagues, as they claim to be.

So friends or more?

Posted on May 12th, 1991

MCLAREN DENIES A ROMANTIC RELATION BETWEEN HIS DRIVERS

"Afraid to disappoint millions of fans around the globe, I declare that Senna and Y/l/n are not a couple" - Ron Dennis, the current McLaren F1 team principal.

Do we believe him?

Posted on September 26th, 1991

SENNA AND Y/L/N OFFICIALLY DATING

The McLaren drivers holding hands tonight in Monaco, confirming that they're indeed dating one month after their team principals statement.

Dream come true for the fans?

Posted on October 15th, 1991

[neverenoughmarauders]

Prophecy / Potters' in hiding / Snape & Peter spy timeline 

I've wanted to share my current headcanons on this for a while. I'll go through what pieces of evidence I believe support this. There might be a slight rant in here about the fact that there's no way to get all the pieces we hear in canon to align - as far as I am aware.

Timeline (mostly headcanon supported by canon, some of it is canon):

1. Late 1979/early 1980: James and Lily step back from "active/fighting" Order duty due to Lily's pregnancy. As they are not working, and Lily is muggle-born, they are essentially in light hiding/keeping a low profile

2. Spring 1980: Dumbledore hears the prophecy and Snape, overhearing parts of it, relates it to Voldemort. 

3. Early/mid November 1980: Snape learns from Voldemort that he thinks the prophecy is about Lily Potter's son. Although getting a reassurance that Lily will be spared, Snape decides to inform Dumbledore. 

4. Late November 1980: The Potters are warned by Dumbledore and go into hiding. Peter starts passing information to Voldemort about the Potters. 

5. Early-ish July 1981: The Order photo is taken

6. Early/Mid August 1981: Lily writes her letter to Sirius 

7. Mid-October: Snape warns Dumbledore that Voldemort is planning to make his move. Dumbledore advise James and Lily to go under the Fidelius Charm

8. Late October: the Fidelius Charm is cast with Peter as secret keeper

9. October 31, 1981: James and Lily are killed 

Okay, let's get into it below!

1. James and Lily step back from "active/fighting" Order duty

Honestly, this is merely based on the interview with JKR from 2007:

So that’s what they did, they left school. James has gold, enough to support Sirius and Lily. So I suppose they lived off a private income. But they were full-time fighters, that’s what they did, until Lily fell pregnant with Harry. So then they went into hiding.

I'd be surprised if Lily had continued with active Order stuff after becoming pregnant, but I could see a case of James continuing if it hadn't been for this interview. Still, the reason I have that time range is because I don't think they would have immediately pulled out. They'd make up some excuses for Lily, and James would continue until they were confident enough that the baby would survive. Then they would announce it to close and trusteed friends and Order members. (Sirius would immediately learn about it, of course)

The reasons why I believe this fits into the category of hiding (in addition to JKR's words) are (1) they didn't have jobs so effectively, they are now pretty confined and (2) Lily is muggle-born. Lily's choice is basically to fight or hide, and thus, that's also James' choice.

2. Dumbledore hears the prophecy

It feels overwhelmingly probable that Sybill Trelawney’s first prophecy was made in early 1980. Dumbledore tells Harry: 

”On a cold, wet night sixteen years ago, in a room above a bar at the Hog’s Head Inn…"

Working backwards from 1996, it’s 1980. Cold and wet implies early spring or fall in my head. As we know Dumbledore is interviewing her for a job, spring feels more probably, as the job would presumably start the following term. Finally, the prophecy tells us that the baby "approaches", so Lily is pregnant when the prophecy is made - Harry is not yet born.

“The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches … born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives … the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies …”

At this stage, I don't think Dumbledore does much (or he probably does a lot of thinking and investigation and so on, but he doesn't alert anyone). He knows (or quickly learns) that Alice/Frank and Lily/James might fit the bill given both couples are pregnant in ways that mean they might plausibly (or likely) be due end of July. However, Dumbledore is not a sharer of such vital information by nature and he sees no reason to share his suspicions yet. Forcing either couple into (further) hiding could signal things to Voldemort or his followers. No, I think Dumbledore will absolutely have deemed it for the greater good to keep quiet.

3. Snape learns from Voldemort that he thinks the prophecy is about Lily Potter's son. Snape decides to inform Dumbledore.

We see Snape defecting in DH during a time where it's cold and trees are leafless:

[U]ntil his surroundings solidified again and he stood on a hilltop, forlorn and cold in the darkness, the wind whistling through the branches of a few leafless trees. The adult Snape was panting, turning on the spot, his wand gripped tightly in his hand, waiting for something or for someone.

Unless we branch out (haha), we can assume these trees are natural, mixed woodland, in which case this scene is set no earlier than mid-November (and that's assuming they're in Scotland). Although it could be later, I am going to stick with mid-November as I feel that neatly fits in with 4.

Could this have happened in fall 1981, given what Fudge says in POA? I believe it is virtually impossible for this scene to take place in fall of 1981 (it can however, be early 1981). The leafless trees do not add up to Snape warning Dumbledore a week or so in advance of the Fideluis Charm, which in turn happened less than a week before the Potters were killed. Plus as we know Snape becomes a teacher at Hogwarts in 1981, and September seems the most likely time for him to start work (and the trees are certainly not leafless then) 

“Now ... how long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?” [Umbridge] asked, her quill poised over her clipboard. “Fourteen years,” Snape replied.

Thus, we can assume Snape tipped off Dumbledore before September 1981, and given the leafless trees, that means somewhere between late fall 1980 and early spring 1981.

4. The Potters go into hiding. Peter starts passing information to Voldemort about the Potters. 

a) The Potters go into hiding

We know that the Potters go into more "proper" hiding some time after Harry was born. Basically, now it's no longer about keeping a low profile because they're having a child and Lily is muggle-born. Now, they know Voldemort is after their family (thanks to Snape - and I mean that both ways).

I am making the assumption they don't go into this stage of hiding until Snape is begging Dumbledore to "hide them all", I am assuming Dumbledore is forced with this new information to tell Lily and James to hide, and this I suspect happens pretty quickly after Dumbledore and Snape have spoken. This also seems to happen around the time Harry's christening which was hurried. 

When Harry was born, it was at the very height of Voldemort fever last time so his christening was a very hurried, quiet affair with just Sirius, just the best friend. At that point it looked as if the Potters would have to go into hiding so obviously they could not do the big christening thing and invite lots of people.

This doesn't tell us much - I'd expect Harry's christening to happen between a few weeks to a few months after his birth - and hurried could just be that James and Lily had been pretty relaxed about getting around to it, and now they suddenly need to hurry. Having said that, Harry being born end of July, I think it's fair to say end of November can, at least, work with what we know (assuming that the earliest Snape could have been defecting was mid-Nov - see 3.)

b) Peter starts passing on information about the Potters

I flip-flop between whether Peter has already become a spy for Voldemort by this time, passing on general bits about the Order and Peter not becoming a spy before Voldemort starts looking for people close to the Potters. I think I am slightly more on the former: once James started going into hiding when Lily falls pregnant, Peter starts losing confidence. He might even be a bit jealous of James who is safe at home with his family. Peter is scared, feels powerless in the Order now one of his protectors are gone, and is an easy prey for Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Also, if Peter is already the spy, I can see a case for Peter's information being, in part, responsible for giving Voldemort what he needs to make the Potters the target. But it really doesn't matter. 

I've kept this timeline to what we have some basis in canon for, and thus left this at the time Peter starts passing information to Voldemort about the Potters. Why? Because at some point, Snape likely informs Dumbledore there is a leak close to the Potters - though Snape clearly does not know who. 

“[Dumbledore] was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements,” said Professor McGonagall darkly. “Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who.”

There might be other ways Dumbledore got this information, but my guess is Snape. As we don't see Snape give this information to Dumbledore when they meet on that hilltop, it's likely Snape informed him later because Snape only learn about it later.

Also, side note but I am 100% sure that Snape did not know who the spy was. Firstly, this should be obvious. If he had known, he would have warned Dumbledore. Secondly, the way Snape acts in POA in the shrieking shak is entirely consisten with a man who believes Sirius (and James by extention) is responsible for Lily's death - and now Harry, always like his father - have the nerve to believe Sirius to be innocent.

“Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he’d killed you! You’d have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black — now get out of the way, or I will make you. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!”

Back to the main point. Whichever way, Peter was likely passing information about the Potters for about a year. Sirius accuses him of such and Peter does not deny it.

“DON’T LIE!” bellowed Black. “YOU’D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"  "You don’t understand!” whined Pettigrew. “He would have killed me, Sirius!”

5. The Order photo is taken + 6. Lily writes her letter

Omg the Order photo. There is a case in canon to argue this is taken in 1980, as well as July 1981 as well as late September/early October 1981.

1980? In GOF, Karkaroff offers Crouch evidence against Travers who "helped murder the McKinnons", meaning Karkaroff was captured after the death of the McKinnons, right? However, Sirius tells Harry and Co that Rosier was "killed by Aurors the year before Voldemort fell", and Rosier was killed after Karkaroffs arrest, meaning the McKinnons were killed in 1980, Karkaroff was arrested in 1980 after this event, and shortly after that again Rosier was killed.

“Yes!” said Karkaroff. “There was Travers — he helped murder the McKinnons!"

“Any others?” said Crouch coldly. “Why, yes ... there was Rosier,” said Karkaroff hurriedly. “Evan Rosier.” “Rosier is dead,” said Crouch. “He was caught shortly after you were too. He preferred to fight rather than come quietly and was killed in the struggle.”

“Rosier and Wilkes — they were both killed by Aurors the year before Voldemort fell."

Quotes not in order of the book

Now, I am just going to ignore Sirius' statement that they died a year before, because that's only one of many things Sirius says in the cave that is inconsistent with other things in canon. Also personally, I read Karkaroff's trial as something that happened after the war - everything he talks about is in past tense. In which case we can disguard 1980 as the year. I just needed to rant. 

Similarly, the reason why September/October 1981 is an option is because Lily writes in her letter that Dumbledore has taken James’ cloak. As we learn later in Deathly Hallows Dumbledore only took the cloak just before James was killed.

You have guessed, I know, why the Cloak was in my possession on the night your parents died. James had showed it to me just a few days previously. It explained much of his undetected wrong-doing at school! I could hardly believe what I was seeing. I asked to borrow it, to examine it. I had long since given up my dream of uniting the Hallows, but I could not resist, could not help taking a closer look

And again, we can assume the McKinnons’ deaths are recent, hence the Order photo will needed the be taken late Sep/early October.

But just as with 1980, it doesn't add up otherwise. Firstly, the letter read as something to have happened shortly after Harry's birthday. Secondly, if the Order photo was taken in September/October, then all the Order members that were killed in that photo were likely killed in the space of a few weeks. That feels unlikely in itself, but if that was the case it would be especially weird for Moody to single out the McKinnons as being killed two weeks after the photo was taken AND Lily equally attributing Peter being down due to the McKinnons death.

So that leaves July 1981 as the most viable option. I still don't love it to be honest. I don't love the idea of James and Lily going to an Order meeting when they know Voldemort is after their son. I don't see them leaving Harry with a baby sitter, nor taking him to the meeting. (But someone on Reddit felt I was an idiot for not just accepting that they left Harry with Bathilda when a massmurderer is after him, so...) Also, Lily's letter reads as if James is going spare from not having seen anyone other than Peter for a while when it's not that long (especially for a parent of a toddler) since he has seen the entire Order. But never mind.

Lily writing her letter a few weeks after the picture is taken, between a few days and a couple of weeks after Harry's birthday, fits the timeline of the picture being taken early July, and as much of canon as we can manage.

7. Snape warns Dumbledore, who in turn warns Lily and James + 8. The Fidelius Charm is cast

For reasons I've hopefully explained, I think it's likely Fudge is talking about Snape alerting Dumbledore specifically to Voldemort having decided to make a move against the Potters in POA. I.e. he is not referring to the time Snape warns Dumbledore Voldemort thinks it's Lily Evans' son, but the moment Voldemort has set his sight at eliminating this unexpected threat.

“Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You- Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know- Who wasn’t an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm.” (...) “But James Potter insisted on using Black?” “He did,” said Fudge heavily. “And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed — ” “Black betrayed them?” breathed Madam Rosmerta.

Working backwards from their death on Oct 31, 1981, it feels likely Snape alerted Dumbledore early/mid October. I think we can expect that they moved pretty quickly from warning to putting up the Fidelius Charm - after all you don't move slowly if you know Voldemort is preparing to kill your son.

9. James and Lily are killed 

Hopefully no need to explain this one as it's plain canon! RIP Lily and James.

[ninja-muse]

So yeah, that happened… (Not as bad as it looks, though. The top half is books I own and read this month, not books I've acquired.)

November has been a month of highs and lows for me. Mostly lows, if I'm being honest. The US election kicked my brain back to 2020 for a couple days and I don't think I've really reset yet. (It's taken me three years and counting to reset from 2020 itself so I'm not surprised.) For any American reading this, I'm still very saddened for you and I wish there was something I could do beyond listening and sympathizing. I wish the world was a better place to live in.

And speaking of 2020 mode, I haven't been writing. I was at a crossroads at the end of October with a difficult scene, and even though I've fixed it so it's better, I still haven't continued. It's hard for me to write cheery, upbeat things when I'm scared and angry, and work's getting busier for the holidays, and both Bake Offs I follow were airing and that just seemed more important. At least this time, it's definitely writer's block rather than a terror of traumatizing people by writing diversely. (2020 was fun, y'all.)

And I also didn't write for five days because my mom and sister and I went to Disneyland. This was, of course, the high of the month! It was good to spend that time together, and do the rides and the whole experience, and see Disneyland as an adult. I'm especially glad we went when we did because I don't think I'm ever going to visit the States again.

It was also a fairly lukewarm reading month for me, which I don't think it helping the mental stuff. The best book I read was intense and heavy, a few of the others also dealt with dark stuff, and pretty much everything was "fine". No new favourites, though I've added the rest of Claudia Gray's Austenian mysteries to my TBR and I'm still thoroughly enjoying the Lady Trent novels. A couple of the other books (the Clarke, the Stearns) were ones I was hyped for but which didn't live up to expectations.

That said, for all that it's my lowest ranked book, The Price of the Stars was surprisingly fun. It's completely mindless, cliched space opera that reads like an off-brand Star Wars novel and I'm sure I'll have just as much fun with the sequel (also on my physical TBR). But I also recognize that the writing's on par with mediocre fanfiction or cult 1980s B-movies.

Books and otherwise, here's hoping for a better December.

And now, as always, here’s my list of everything I read this month, in the rough order of how glad I was to have read them.

Submerged - Hillel Levin

A journalist dives into a 1990s murder case—the disappearance, the first suspect, the second investigation, the innocent man in jail, the family secrets…

8.5/10

warning: grooming, molestation, rape, victim blaming, failures of the justice system

reading copy

The Murder of Mr. Wickham - Claudia Gray

The Darcys, the Tilneys, and sundry other friends and relations are attending the Knightleys’ house party when Mr. Wickham (uninvited) is killed. The murderer’s still in the house but everyone had motive.

7/10

major autistic character

warning: homophobia

off my TBR

The Empress Letters - Linda Rogers

A mother in the 1920s writes her life story in a series of letters to the daughter she’s searching for in China.

7/10

🏳️‍🌈 protagonist (bisexual), Jewish protagonist, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (sapphic, gay), Jewish secondary characters, Chinese secondary characters, 🇨🇦,

warning: death of parent, sexual exposure, adult-teen relationship, anti-Chinese racism, fetal remains, homophobia

off my TBR

The Voyage of the Basilisk - Marie Brennan

To create a taxonomy of dragons, Isabella Camherst takes a voyage around the world—but as always, she runs afoul of politics, social mores, and other perils.

7/10

Middle Eastern-coded secondary character, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (third gender), Polynesian secondary characters

library book

The Secret History of Audrey James - Heather Marshall

In 1938 Berlin, piano student Audrey steps into danger when her Jewish hosts are arrested and she must turn housekeeper to Nazis to protect her best friend. In 2010, Kate takes a job at a hotel to restart her life after tragedy—and must convince Audrey, the owner, to let her stay.

7/10

🏳️‍🌈 protagonist (sapphic), major Jewish secondary characters, secondary character with partial leg paralysis and a cane, 🇨🇦

warning: antisemitism, murder, police brutality, misogyny and sexism

library book

The Wood at Midwinter - Susanna Clarke

A young woman enters a midwinter wood alone and encounters a fox, a crow, and a bargain.

6.5/10

library ebook

Under a New and Brilliant Sky - R.E. Stearns

Elys, on the run from Republic authorities, is brought to Alyansa to fix a failure in their city’s AI. But the Republic knows where to find her, and she can’t quite trust that the Alyansans will keep her safe.

6/10

🏳️‍🌈 protagonist (sapphic), protagonist with auditory processing disorder, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary character (trans woman), brown-skinned secondary characters

warning: xenophobia, colonialism

digital reading copy/won

Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble - Alexis Hall

Paris isn’t really sure why he’s on Bake Expectations and he definitely isn’t sure how he feels about the contestant he keeps flirting with, if you can call it flirting, oh god, how do you relationship when anxiety?

7/10

🏳️‍🌈 protagonist (gay), protagonist with anxiety disorder, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (gay, sapphic), major Bangladeshi Muslim character, fat secondary character, Bangladeshi Muslim secondary characters, Chinese-British secondary character

warning: realistically depicts anxiety disorder and panic attacks

library ebook

Rivers of London Vol. 12: Stray Cat Blues - Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel with José María Beroy (Illustrator)

Abigail and the foxes are “hired” by a cat-woman to break her fellow hybrids out of a brothel. Easy, right? Out in December.

7/10

wajor Black British characters, disabled secondary character

warning: sex trafficking

purchased/off my TBR

The Price of the Stars - Debra Doyle and James D. MacDonald

When Beka’s politician mother is assassinated, her father gives her his warship in exchange for her tracking the assassins down. Cue a pan-galactic adventure!

6/10

warning: sexual assault, gun violence

off my TBR

Currently reading

The Stardust Grail - Yume Kitasei

Maya’s put her thieving past aside to pursue academia, but when a chance to find the legendary stardust grail (and save her friend’s species) falls into her lap, she can’t help but be tempted—even if Earth wants to use it to save itself.

protagonist with Japanese heritage, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (achillean, nonbinary, alternate gender system)

library book

Music from the Earliest Notations to the Sixteenth Century - Richard Taruskin

A history of early written European music, in its social and political contexts.

The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle

Victorian detective stories

disabled POV character (limb injury), occasional Indian secondary characters

warning: racism, colonialism

Monthly total: 10 Yearly total: 116 Queer books: 4 Authors of colour: 0 Books by women: 6.5 Authors outside the binary: 0 Canadian authors: 2 Classics: 0 Off the TBR shelves: 4 Books hauled: 5 ARCs acquired: 2 ARCs unhauled: 2 DNFs: 0

January February March April May June July August September October

[mai-komagata]

Remember 1968 and 1980

if you wonder why politically involved progressives and leftists are so up in arms about the Harris/Walz campaign needing a stronger stance on israel pragmatically, it is easy to understand if you study the presidential campaigns of 1968 and 1980 (where the Democrats lost, once after changing an unpopular 1 term president, and another time after another 1 term president). Even if you are completely cynical on palestinian lives, or if you just prioritize domestic policies more, please read on. Keep this in mind: Elections aren't won on hype and good feelings alone. it is a huge political liability the situation we are in now. It is irrelevant whether Trump is worse for Gaza. That isn't the political calculation. Trump, like Nixon and Reagan before him, doesn't care about the United States of America. He wants to win. And he will use every tool at his disposal including phoning his good friend Benjamin Netanyahu. And right now Trump's campaign is on the backfoot, and like a wounded animal it will lash out.

You don't win an election by making every leftist a Harris cheerleader or making them promise to vote in Novemeber. You need to neutralize political threats. I know a lot of people think October Surprise refers to Hillary Clinton's emails, but it refers to the Iran-Contra hostages of 1980. US hostages were held in Iran for 444 days. And here is the tl:dr; Members of the Reagan campaign extracted concessions from Iran to delay the hostage transfer, and the hostages were released MINUTES after Reagan was sworn in as president. Let me spell this out. Netanyahu met with Trump recently. They are friends. You don't think they struck a deal to wrap up the Gaza war on jan 21, 2025, in exchange for his protection when he leaves office? Or alternatively, to escalate the devastation to the entire region a week before the election?

The other election I want to highlight is 1968. This election was a referendum on the Vietnam war. Robert F Kennedy was shot before the convention, and there was a contested convention as a result. (keep in mind Harris won't have a divided campaign, so this part isn't analogous). The candidate who narrowly eked out victory, Humphrey, was only "moderately" (i.e. status quo) anti-war. They refused to compromise with the candidate with a more stringent antiwar position and riots broke out. This is not what caused them to lose, mind you, but it was a SIGN of what the electorate wanted. But as the general campaign picked up, this became a liability. From wikipedia: "Nixon led in most polls throughout the campaign, and successfully criticized Humphrey's role in the Vietnam War, connecting him to the unpopular president and the general disorder in the nation. Humphrey experienced a surge in the polls in the days prior to the election, largely due to incremental progress in the peace process in Vietnam and a break with the Johnson war policy. " Neither situation is directly analogous to Israel-gaza. But if israel declares war on iran, and us troops need to be involved in october? You better believe the american electorate will care and it will be a perfect storm. And *that* is the pragmatic case for a much stronger stance on the ceasefire, not just waiting for it to happen. Even if you don't care about palestinian lives, this is why this is important. Let's not leave this to the last minute and the status quo. This is what you should be scared of, not if "messaging will harsh the vibes". History doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes.

[cacoetheswriting]

pearl: october 1980

pairing: eddie munson x fem!reader word count: 2.2k summary: eddie has a conversation with the girl of his dreams.

content warnings: best friends to lovers, part of a slow burn, a lil mutual pining, adult language, use of pet names, oblivious idiots, self-doubt / insecurities - if i missed anything, pls let me know!

pearl masterlist <- part of this lil series, but can definitely be read as a standalone.

When it came to starting a conversation with people, Eddie sure as hell was not the confident type.

Middle School didn’t allow for a lot of practice, especially since as a person with interests that differed from the norm, he was shunned quite early on into a category he couldn’t, and often still can’t get out of no matter how hard he tries: freak.

People weren’t lining up to spend time with him even in a platonic capacity, and they sure as hell didn’t want to get to know him in a romantic way.

But with time, Eddie learned to be okay with that.

Especially since, as it turns out, most girls in Hawkins had some sort of ‘bad boy’ fantasy they liked to keep a dirty little secret and he was happy to oblige.

Plus it’s not like he badly needed anyone to actually call his own. High School was apparently a time of self-discovery and what he discovered in the last month was that honestly, he really didn’t mind being the almost invisible freak.

That all changed when you came around.

Your entrance into his life was rather unexpected and Eddie quickly realised that he needed to up his game. Yeah, perhaps he still wanted to be left alone, but that thought took a back burner whenever you laughed.

Honey, the sound of your laughter. Every time he heard it, his heart would skip a beat and his palms would start to feel clammy, sweaty, as he gravitated towards the sound instantly. As he gravitated towards you.

Unfortunately for Eddie, so did everyone else in this godforsaken town. 

Who could blame them? Your arrival right at the start of the school year was perhaps the most exciting thing to happen in Hawkins since that maniac Creel murdered his entire family in the late 50s.

You had quickly become the new it girl and in the blink of an eye, you two were running in different circles. Your reality had become so far removed from his own, any hopes or dreams he had of getting to know you on a deeper level had become just that: dreams.

God knows he still thought about you often.

“Care to share with the rest of the group, Mr. Saltzman?” the teacher calls out, causing all heads to turn simultaneously in the general direction of the distraction. 

This includes Eddie's and he's glancing up from the scribbles in his notepad to focus instead on a few rows ahead where you, the girl everyone wanted to be friends with, sat.

The boy sitting next to you shifts uncomfortably in his seat, shaking his head. 

“We were just discussing the history of Halloween,” you chime sweetly. The teacher doesn’t seem to believe you for a second, but with such a likeable personality like yours, there’s not much else to say.

“Blake here doesn't believe Halloween dates back to the Celts, and the ancient festival of Samhain,” you continue with the quite convincing lie and Eddie's surprised you know these obscure facts, “He thinks I’m bluffing when I say the day marked the end of summer for the Celts, who believed on the night of October 31st the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred, thus what we now know and celebrate as Halloween.”

Your confidence certainly is admirable, although why you choose to protect the douche you called a ‘friend’ was beyond the young metalhead.

“I guess the conversation probably could have waited till after class so, won’t happen again. We’re sorry,” you add with a soft smile.

When the teacher returns to the blackboard, resuming the lesson no one was really paying attention to anyway, Eddie observes as you mumble something to Blake before turning your head ever so slightly in his direction. 

The air hitches in his throat as he awaits the standard "What are you looking at, freak.", but it never comes.

Instead, you smile at him and Eddie can feel his face turn a gleaming shade of red — pathetic. He quickly ducks his head down, but can still feel your eyes on him. It takes everything he has to stop himself from looking up again, afraid of somehow making a fool of himself.

Luckily, he manages to keep distracted till the bell rings, but he's not completely in the clear 'cause as everyone disperses in a hurry, you approach him.

“What you doodlin’?”

When he doesn't immediately answer, or meet your gaze for that matter, your hand appears in his field of vision. Your moves are hesitant at first, but since Eddie doesn't protest, you twirl the notebook around on the desk.

“Well shit, Eddie. These are really fucking cool.”

He snaps his head up, possibly a little too quickly, a little too eagerly, but he couldn’t help the act of surprise 'cause he didn’t realise…

“You know my name?”

Your pretty eyes latch onto his momentarily and a smile circles your lips. “Of course I do. As the new kid in town, I had to make it my business to know who’s who since y’all ogled me and my family from day one as if we were from outer space.”

He let out a semi-nervous chuckle as you pause, glancing back down at the notebook. 

“Plus, you’re pretty much the only person in this entire school who’s got a good taste in music,” you state casually, as if it’s no big deal. And to you it’s not. Though for Eddie, your admission causes his heart to flutter inside his chest since no one's ever admitted out loud to liking the same shit as him.

“Anyway, are you going to this Halloween party tonight? I’m thinking of dressing up as Janis Joplin and I could really use someone to be Peter Albin…”

“I’d love to!”

You giggle at his excitement and Eddie's thanking some lucky stars that his rather abrupt reaction doesn’t scare you off.

“I-I mean, I love Peter Albin. Janis too. Dressing up as them with you would be cool," he rambles.

“Cool,” you say and flick through some pages of his notebook and bend over slightly to scribble something down. “This is my address. Come by around six if you wanna make it for dinner, my mom’s making lasagna. Also, if you wanna stay over after the party, we have a spare room so bring a change of clothes or somethin’.”

Stay over at your house... Eddie swallows and does his best not to show how his insides are literally shaking at the thought of: a) going to a party with you, and b) this casual invite to what one could only call a sleepover.

The bell rings, signalling it’s time for next period.

A small part of the metalhead is angry since it means the two of you have to part ways, at least for now, but as he stands to gather his things, to his pleasant surprise, you wait. 

A certain envious feeling spreads through Eddie because he was never good at making friends, yet it seemed to come so naturally to you. Then something crosses his mind. What if this is some elaborate joke? After all, you are friends with some of the worst people this school has to offer, however, he does his best to shake the thought away for now and follows you out into the crowded hallway.

“So, are you a big Joplin fan?” Eddie asks, his best attempt to continue the conversation.

“Pearl is my favourite album,” you reply, “I know that could be a little tame to someone who wears a Judas Priest t-shirt, but I promise I also take devil worship super seriously.”

He snorts at your joke and when your eyes meet his once again, his priorities shift and he swear he's willing to do quite possibly anything to become your friend.

To say you checked your appearance at least forty times wouldn’t be a gross over exaggeration.

You had the outfit planned long before you were even invited to this Halloween party, you knew it was perfect and something Janis Joplin herself would likely wear, yet ever since you asked Eddie Munson to not only join you, but also compliment the costume with his own, you were suddenly feeling nervous.

The curly-haired teen was by far the coolest person in this stingy town — although it didn’t seem like he knew that or like anyone else shared your belief.

His metalhead vibe reminded you a lot of the kids you grew up around, which is exactly the initial reason why you were so drawn to him. Though it took you weeks to finally approach him. Partially because you were scared he’d brush you off, but mainly because ever since you moved to Hawkins with your parents at the brink of August and September, the more popular kids latched onto you like leeches.

“Don’t waste your time with Munson,” Blake would say repeatedly, “He’s a freak.”

Unfortunately for your new group of friends, you didn’t care about social status and it also helped to know Eddie was just as fascinated with you as you were with him. His secret glances and soft smiles when no one else was looking only affirmed that belief.

So you bit the bullet and invited him out.

Bold move on your part. One you were almost starting to regret as you nervously flattened the crinkles of your loose shirt, glancing at the clock on the wall in anticipation.

Eddie doesn’t show up for dinner.

You try to hide the disappointment in front of your parents and eat the meal while actively listening to your dad retelling the events from his day at work.

“Kid, I tell ya, moving here was the best idea your mother’s ever had. Aside from marrying me and havin' you, of course. Wanna know the most exciting thing that’s happened? There was a mixup with our lunch order. Can you believe it?”

You help mom clean up after before going to quickly freshen up, brush your teeth, and grab your set of house keys. After saying a quick goodbye, still thinking about the boy that never showed, you walk outside and are about to begin your journey to the party you no longer wanted to go to when a figure emerges from the shadows.

“Shit,” you exhale and place a hand over your heart, “You scared me.”

“Sorry,” Eddie says sheepishly, running a hand through his brown locks. “I-I wasn’t sure if you were still home so…”

Your brows string together as you take a step towards him.

“How long have you been out here, Eddie?”

“Uhm, at least the last half hour,” he answers, “I noticed the light was on upstairs, but I wasn’t sure if that was your room or not. Figured I’d hang around and you’d either show up or I’d head home embarrassed.” He pauses. “Sorry I didn’t come for dinner.”

“It’s okay,” a white-lie. “Still wanna go to the party?”

“If you want to.”

Eddie slides his hands into the back pockets of his jeans and you notice then how good he looks under the dim street lamps. Peter Albin, eat your heart out.

“I like your outfit,” you compliment him with a genuine smile and you swear you can see him blush.

“Thanks,” he says with a little more confidence than he’s displayed thus far, “but you arguably look a hundred percent better than me.”

Heat rushes to your cheeks. “Thank you, Eddie. That’s very sweet.”

“You’re welcome.”

The two of you never make it to the party.

Instead, Eddie offers to show me Skull Rock and that’s how you end up laying down on the cold ground, arm-to-arm, somewhere in the middle of the forest. 

Truth be told, if you were with anyone else, you wouldn’t have agreed to this in the first place. An eerily quiet night and the deep dark woods are like a recipe for disaster in most horror movies.

Things felt different with Eddie.

Despite only having three conversations in the span of one day, the doe-eyed boy made you feel safe.

The few hours hiding from the world under this rock also made you realise how much you actually have in common. The conversation flow was incredibly natural. You drifted from topic to topic as if you had known each other a lifetime and in the space of two hours, you went from sitting across from one another to being in the formerly named position — pinkies gently grazing.

His presence next to yours is soothing. It’s also exciting, thrilling even. You hadn’t experienced this sensation before, with anyone, and you quickly find yourself thinking perhaps this could be more than just a friendship.

Until Eddie says, “Friends are hard to come by in Hawkins. I’m glad we’re here and I hope we can hang out more.”

Darkness hides your disappointment.

Short lived, the idea of dating the boy next to you so it’s easy to extinguish the flame inside and convince yourself that perhaps this was for the best.

Relationships end. Sometimes they do so quite badly.

Friendships however, well, they have a tendency to last forever.

“From now on, Eddie, we’ll never not be hanging out.”

pearl masterlist

thank you for reading <3

& tagging some cool people that expressed interest in this lil series: @cactusangie , @spenciesprincess , @capitanostella , @ashlynnkennedy , @ms1oftheboys