#there is a happy ending coming i swear

[rebelspykatie]

Part 2

Part 1

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Eddie stands and follows Steve to the door as he’s pulling on his shoes. He wants to stop him, pull the shoe out of his hand and drag Steve back to the couch, but he doesn’t have any right. He’s not entirely sure Steve won’t push him away if he tries to touch him right now, anyways.

“You think I’m straight and I was convinced you were into me,” Steve leans against the door frame to pull his other shoe on. He mutters under his breath, “I should’ve never listened to Robin an-”

“Robin was in on this?” He interrupts that thought. It throws Eddie. They’re such a tight knit group, he doesn’t know how they were so far off track with him.

“We spent hours going through every stupid interaction we had. Thought we had it all figured out.” He huffs and walks back over to the coffee table to pick up his wallet and keys. “I guess we’re both idiots.”

“No, Steve,” he tries to reach out and grab Steve’s arm, but he moves too quickly and Eddie’s left grasping air, “you’re not.”

“It’s fine, I’m used to it, anyways.” Steve scrambles to pull his sweater back on, the cold just starting to seep into the night air outside.

“Can you just slow down for a second?” Eddie stops trying to catch Steve and plants himself in front of the door. “What do you mean, you’re used to it?”

“Are you going to trap me here?”

“Answer the question.”

“This part, Eddie,” he sighs and gestures between them like that means anything to Eddie. “Everyone I’ve ever confessed to or made a move on has had the same reaction.” He looks off to the side, unable to look Eddie in the eye. “I’m pretty sure I’m the problem. Good ole Steve Harrington, too stupid to notice no one is interested in him.”

“Steve, you’re not stupid.”

“Feels like it most of the time.” He pinches his nose again, still not looking at Eddie, more like through him, gaze pinned to somewhere in the middle of Eddie’s chest. “Can you please move? We can pretend like this never happened and I promise I won’t make any weird moves on you ever again. I’m still friends with Nancy and Robin after everything, I can do it with you, too.”

Eddie skips over the whole Robin part of that in his head because he doesn’t have the brain power to analyze anything beyond Steve’s feelings for him. He never saw this coming. No one, boy or girl or anything in between, has ever made a move on Eddie before. He’s the local freak. There’s no way he could have predicted the town’s golden boy hero would make the moves on him.

He takes in how disheveled Steve’s become in the last few minutes. How hastily he’s thrown on his sweater. The mess of Steve’s hair from the hand that’s run through it several times since he got up from the couch. Barely laced up shoes so he could get out the door faster. He’s normally so put together and this, the sight of him so frazzled, frightens Eddie.

They were fast friends after everything happened with Vecna, leaning on each other for support. Becoming inseparable with King Steve wasn’t something Eddie ever imagined, but it was so easy. Neither of them were what each other had built up in their heads from the rumor mill around Hawkins. Eddie’s never had a guy friend as close as Steve. Sure, he had Hellfire and Corroded Coffin, but Eddie’s always been a bit of a loner.

It was impossible to feel alone with Steve as a friend. He had a way of knowing when you needed support, always just there when Eddie felt alone or needed a physical presence when the weight of the upside down was dragging him down. There wasn’t a day in the past six months that Eddie didn’t see Steve, even if it was only in passing or a quick little jaunt down to Family Video, he’s a constant presence in Eddie’s life.

To lose that? Would be like losing a part of himself. Like losing a limb. Losing his home.

And he’s scared. He doesn’t want to let Steve walk out that door, the weight of losing him forever lingering in the air. But he can’t trap him here. That wouldn’t be fair to Steve.

He moves out of the way, taking a step towards Steve, but he sidesteps Eddie and reaches for the door.

“Steve-”

“Don’t worry about me, Eddie,” he doesn’t turn around, but hesitates halfway out the door. “I’ll be fine.”

With the soft click of the door closing, he’s gone.

And that should be the end of it. Closed book. Eddie doesn’t like Steve and Steve needs to move on. There’s not much Eddie can do about that.

But it haunts him.

If you didn’t know Steve, you wouldn’t realize that anything was wrong. He’s acting normal, smile on his face when he jokes with Robin, complaining about the kids being terrors, going to his job.

But there’s something in the set of his shoulders, in the way his smile droops when he thinks no one’s paying attention to him, in the way Robin protectively hovers around him when Eddie is nearby. It’s clearly a facade he’s putting on to get by.

And Eddie aches. There’s a pit in his stomach that opened up that day and it hasn’t closed. Steve avoids his touch and the chasm grows larger, dragging Eddie further into the darkness. Casual hangouts halted. No more divulging of nightmares or fears late at night. A piece of Eddie is with Steve and he’s bereft of comfort. Unsettled.

He lies awake replaying that kiss over and over in his head. Thinking about what Steve said after. There’s no comfort in the way he handled the situation. It feels like he miscalculated, like pushing Steve away was the wrong move and now his life will never be the same again.

Maybe it won’t. Maybe there’s no way for them to move forward and for him to not break Steve’s heart every day. Steve said he was an idiot, but Eddie’s positive he’s got it all backwards. Eddie’s the idiot.

And he can’t stop thinking about kissing Steve.

[shield-and-saber]

ep. 8 is just this, but it's sol in osha's arms and one of mae's daggers sticking out of his chest

[th3-c0ll3ct3r]

My Tumblr followers. If and when you see this. Just don't look at twitter man

This year is cooked

Sorry for the vent but omg this year man THIS YEAR UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (read tags for context)

[katierosefun]

my cancelled-able trait from the queer community would be that i really apparently love messy endings. i love u happy endings and i also love u such sad, messy, ambiguous endings . . . i love u endings where u have this weird pit in the bottom of your stomach because you know that there's love here but u have no idea what to do with it and u just have to deal with the fact that someone is profoundly affecting your life and you're not gonna get closure from it anytime soon . . . i love u queer love stories where it's really just "u don't always get to see the sunshine and rainbows at the end of it . . . sometimes all that's left is just one big question mark and the quiet hope that they get their shit together" . . .

[teamleo1029]

I feel like the Calypso and Leo ship deserves more attention. Just reread those four chapters, it's ADORABLE.

She immediatly hates him, so the raft doesn't come. As they warm up, he says he'll come back for her, no matter the cost. The raft comes to shore because no one's ever tried to come back for her in all her life. I mean COME ON that's just beautiful.

[delta-piscium]

part 2 | this is part two to this from Steve's perspective leading up to and including part one | cw unresolved angst [unfinished/for now not being worked on]

31 days until moving day.

Steve burst through the door to Family Video, swinging it open with way too much force. 

Robin jumps and opens her mouth, probably to tell him off for scaring her but he speaks before she gets the chance. 

“Eddie asked me to move to Chicago with him,” he blurts out, “Robin, he asked me to go with him.” 

Her eyes widen, “what did you say?” 

“That I’d go, of course,” he huffs. Like it’s even a question? like not going was ever an option?

Robin jumps over the counter squealing and hugs him so tight breathing becomes a little bit hard. 

“I’m moving away with Eddie,” he whispers into her hair, awed as he hugs her back. She somehow squeezes him even tighter and they stay like that for a minute until they have to actually do their jobs. 

An hour passes and Robin keeps shooting him contemplative looks.

“What?” He finally snaps after getting tired of waiting for her to say what she wants to say herself. 

She jumps again like she didn’t realize how obvious she was being, which honestly, she probably didn’t.

“Nothing, nothing.” 

“Robin,” he whines.

“Okay, just,” she scrunches her face up a bit and Steve knows that face, she’s trying to figure out how to say something to him she thinks he’ll react badly to. 

He narrows his eyes at her, bracing himself, “yes?” 

“I think you and Eddie are great together, and like I love you both and I am excited for you guys. You know that right?”

Steve nods, doesn’t say anything though, wants her to get to the point.

“I’m just also, maybe, a little bit worried.”

Steve’s eyebrows draw together, “what do you mean?” 

Robin is looking around nervously. Something heavy starts to form in Steve’s stomach. 

“You haven’t been together for very long and this is a big step. I just don’t wanna see either of you get hurt you know? I guess I’m just wondering if you’ve talked it all through? Because both of you have a tendency to jump into things without thought.”

They haven’t talked it through, not really. Eddie asked Steve to move, he said yes and that was pretty much it. It didn’t feel like they needed to talk it through though? Did they? Usually, they just dealt with things as they became relevant, that had worked for them so far. 

Robin must see something on his face because she quickly talks again, backtracking and interrupting his thoughts. 

“Not that I don’t think it will be great, you know I just worry about things a lot. This is my anxiety talking. You know what, ignore everything I just said. You two know what you’re doing.” 

He doesn’t want her to know she’s already put doubts in his head so even though he’s starting to freak out a little he smiles and shakes his head. 

“It’s fine Rob, I’m sure we will talk more with time.” 

22 days until moving day.

Steve meant it when he said he and Eddie would talk. Meant to ask about the logistics, meant to make sure they were on the same page, he really did. But every time the move comes up Eddie just seems so sure about it already. Steve doesn’t want to make him think he’s having second thoughts. Thinks maybe it’s better to not say anything, to wait and let it come up naturally. 

He thinks maybe they’ll talk about it tonight. The kids had joked about them all evening, about how fast they were moving.

Mike had made some snarky comment about them moving to a city where they knew no one and how awkward it would be if they crashed and burned and they’d have to share a bedroom. 

Eddie had laughed, said it was good they weren’t gonna crash and burn then. But, he’d also added that his band was also going so actually he would know people. 

It was just jokes, Steve knew that. That didn’t make it any less true though. Steve wouldn’t have anyone except Eddie, sure he liked the guys in his band but they weren’t his friends. Steve would have Eddie and Eddie would have his band. It suddenly seemed like a big deal.

He expects Eddie to also feel it, to get worried and bring it up but he doesn’t. If he is worried he isn’t saying anything, just like Steve isn’t.

8 days until moving day.

There’s a knock on Steve's door and when he opens Gareth is standing there. Steve is a lot confused about it but lets him in. 

“Uh,” he starts a little unsure, “do you want anything to drink or?” He offers, mostly because he doesn’t know what else to say or do. 

Gareth shakes his head, looking about as uncomfortable as Steve feels. Shuffling around where he’s standing and fiddling with the sleeve of his shirt. “No, I’m gonna leave again soon. I just came here to say something.” 

Steve gestures for him to speak, “I’m listening.” 

Gareth doesn’t immediately say anything, he shuffles some more and looks around the room before his eyes land on Steve again, a determined look in them. 

“Look, I like you. I know Eddie loves you.”

Steve can’t help but smile a little at that, even though he’s starting to suspect he’s in for a shovel talk. 

“And like, I probably wouldn’t do this if it weren’t for the fact that you haven’t dated for very long at all and are about to move in together in a city four hours away.”Gareth pauses and waits to speak again until Steve nods, showing he’s listening. 

“Eddie does things without thinking. He doesn’t think about the consequences, not anything, just does. I love that about him, it’s the reason our band has gotten anywhere at all, but it also means that he gets hurt a lot, disappointed a lot. He can handle it with most things, he won’t be able to handle it with you.”

“What are you saying?” Steve asks even though he’s pretty sure he already knows. 

Gareth looks pained but continues, “I’m saying that if you aren’t one hundred percent sure about moving with him, if you have any doubts at all, you can’t go.”

Steve can’t suppress his flinch. He expected Gareth to say he needed to be sure, that if he wasn’t he needed to tell Eddie. He wasn’t expecting him to say he shouldn’t, no, couldn’t go. 

Gareth catches it and narrows his eyes, “I mean it Steve, it will break him more if you go, let him think it’s gonna work and then leave, then if you don’t go at all.” He steps closer to Steve, getting into his space. “So, if you’re not absolutely sure,” he pauses, steps even closer, “Do. Not. Go.” He punctuates every word and then he turns on his heel and leaves.

6 days until moving day.

Steve needs to talk with Eddie about it now, can’t ignore it anymore. He isn’t gonna just not go like Gareth told him to do. No, he’ll talk to Eddie and it will be fine. 

They’re in his bed together, laying next to each other. Skin touching skin and a comfortable silence between them. Now is as good a time as any. 

“Hey, Eddie?” 

“Mhh?” He hums, shifting slightly next to him. 

“What happens if something goes wrong when we move?” 

Eddie snorts, “what? Like if we get a flat wheel? I know how to change a wheel, sweetheart.” 

Steve smiles despite his nerves, tries to not imagine what Eddie would look like changing a wheel. 

“Good to know, but no, not quite what I meant.” 

Next to him, Eddie props himself up on his elbow so he can properly look at Steve. 

“What did you mean?” He reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind Steve’s ear as he speaks. Steve has to focus harder than he’d like to admit to not get lost in it. Even the smallest touches have an effect on him when it’s Eddie. 

“What if something happens with us?” His voice is small and he can’t look at Eddie, afraid of what his reaction might be. “Remember that thing Mike said about us not really knowing anyone there? Just, what would happen?” 

“Baby,” Eddie gently grabs Steve’s chin with his thumb and forefinger, tilting his face towards him. Steve easily follows but closes his eyes. 

“Baby, please look at me,” Eddie’s voice is even softer than before, and Steve has always been weak when it comes to Eddie asking him to do things so he slowly blinks his eyes open.

“There you are,” he smiles, face open and tendrils of hair falling around it. He looks angelic and Steve almost forgets what they are talking about, too overwhelmed by the man next to him. 

Eddie keeps them on track though. 

“Like I told Mike, nothing will happen. We will be fine. But,” he continued before Steve can protest, “if something does, we both have jobs already, we’ve done this right. We will be able to save eventually. Quicker because we’re two people, paying rent and all that stuff on two salaries. If something happens we will have that security.” 

Steve relaxes then and Eddie must see it because he grins and continues, “now if you didn’t have a job then I’d be worried. I’m not cut out for all the responsibility of being the breadwinner, princess.”

Steve groans and shoves Eddie away. Mostly to hide the blush he can feel creeping up his face just from Eddie calling him princess. Judging by the way Eddie cackles he doesn’t have to see Steve blush to know the effect it has on him. 

He reaches out and pulls Steve in against his chest. “Worst case scenario we have to move back. Wayne will probably pretend to be unhappy about it but he’ll let me take over his trailer again. And, I know you have complicated feelings about this house, that your parents are the worst, but you’ll be able to come back if you need to.” 

“Okay,” Steve says, his worries mostly calmed. 

1 day until moving day. 

Steve and Eddie are spending the night apart. Eddie wanting to spend his last night with Wayne and both of them needing to do some last minute packing. 

Just as he finishes closing one of the last boxes the phone rings, he’s a bit confused about who would call him right now. His friends all having seen him earlier in the day to say goodbye. Maybe Eddie needs to double-check what time they decided to leave. 

He picks up but it’s not Eddie, or even one of the kids, who speaks.

“Steven,” his mother's shrill voice crackles on the other end of the line. 

“Hi mom,” he tries to hide his sigh as he speaks, doesn’t have the energy to get into anything with her right now, doesn’t want her to ruin his excitement. 

“I thought you were moving to Chicago alone?” 

His freezes, when he told his parents he was gonna move he didn’t say he was going alone but he also didn’t mention Eddie. He knew they wouldn’t like it, knew it would be easier to let them assume he was going by himself. 

“But I just got off a call with Mrs. Hagan and she told me that Tommy had said you were moving there with- with that cult boy? The one who’s wanted for murder?” 

Steve closes his eyes and this time he doesn’t bother hiding his sigh. Fucking Tommy, he’s always had a big mouth but Steve suspects that this hadn’t been him blabbering without thinking. No, Steve thinks Tommy knew exactly what he was doing telling his mom this piece of information. 

“His name is Eddie, and he was cleared of all charges. The ‘cult’ was literally just a school club.”

“So it’s true? You’re moving with him?” Her voice is sharp and even just hearing it over the phone makes him flinch.

“Yeah, we’re friends and it’s cheaper that way. We got a better apartment because we’re two people with a job each.” It’s such a simplification of the truth it’s almost a lie but Steve doesn’t think this is the time to come out to her. He hopes the ‘better apartment’ comment will calm her, it’s the sort of thing she cares about after all. Not for his safety and comfort though but for how it will reflect on her.

He’s not sure she actually hears him though because she hisses a vicious, “If you move with him you will not be welcome back Steven, this will be the last time we speak.” Before she hangs up on him. 

Steve carefully places the phone back in its cradle, then he’s left standing alone in the living room, both too shocked to move and not really shocked at all. 

He’s not close to his parents. Has slowly been understanding just how much they’ve neglected him. He’s been relieved about moving away, about being in another city where he won’t have to see them when they waltz back into town. But to never speak to them again? That’s a whole different thing. He still hoped that they’d be able to fix their relationship. That him not being dependent on them anymore would allow him to stand up for himself. That everything would get better. Now instead, the thing he thought would allow their relationship to get better is gonna destroy it forever. 

He debates calling Eddie, wants to tell him what his mom just said, wants to hear his voice, wants to let him make it better. He decides against it, he doesn’t wanna ruin Eddie’s last night with Wayne and he’ll see him tomorrow anyway. He can tell him in the car. 

He doesn’t call Robin either, she’ll insist on coming over and he knows she’s on a date with Nancy right now. He doesn’t wanna ruin that either, even though both of them will tell him he’s not, he knows he will be. He goes to bed instead, sleep seems like the best option right now, at least he won’t have to think if he’s asleep.

Moving day.

He ended up not really sleeping at all. Tossing and turning for hours and after finally falling asleep sometime in the early morning he wakes up just hours later from a nightmare. He doesn’t remember what it was about but can feel the lingering panic. He gives up on getting any more sleep, doesn’t wanna risk more nightmares when he’s alone.

He picks at his breakfast, still thrown off from the conversation with his mom the night before and not feeling like eating, so he gives up on that too. He spends the rest of the morning wandering around, touching the walls and the furniture in the house he grew up in. The house he’s been left alone in since he was nine. The house he both hates and loves. The house he will never be allowed to return to after today. 

Then the phone rings again, it’s probably his mom calling to ask if he’s decided to stay he thinks. It’s not, it turns out.

“Hi I’m Patricia, I’m looking for Steve Harrington?” A chipper voice says.

“This is him.”

“Okay well, good. I’m calling about a barista job you’re supposed to start with us next week.” 

“Yeah?” Steve chews on his cheek. 

“I’m so sorry but due to our rent being raised we’re having to do cutbacks. Since you haven’t signed your contract with us yet, it’s the first one to go.” 

“You’re firing me?” Steve asks, it’s not entirely right since he hasn’t started yet but it’s all he can think to say. 

“Essentially,” Patricia responds, “I’m sorry for the short notice.” 

“Okay,” he says, his voice void of emotion, “thank you for calling.” 

He hangs up without waiting for a response, he doesn’t have the energy to be polite. 

He barely has time to let the information sink in before his doorbell rings. Eddie on the other side of the door with a wide grin on his face. 

“Did you oversleep?” He jokes. 

Steve’s confused for a second but then he realizes he’s still in his pajamas, that he’s spent the whole morning wandering around like a ghost in his house not getting any of the things he needed to do done. 

He hasn’t packed the bag of all his essentials. He hasn’t gotten dressed. He hasn’t even brushed his teeth. What he has done is get fired from a job he never even started.

He sees Eddie’s teasing smile, the combination of it and his sudden joblessness tugs at something in his brain, brings back the conversation they had last week.

“Now, if you didn’t have a job then I’d be worried. I’m not cut out for all the responsibility of being the breadwinner princess.”

He doesn’t have a job. He’ll have to live off Eddie and what little savings he has left. Become a responsibility Eddie doesn’t want, a burden probably.

“Worst case scenario we move back”, “you’ll be able to come back if you need to.”

If he leaves now he won’t be able to come back. 

Gareths words play back in his mind too.

“if you have any doubts at all, you can’t go.”, “it will break him more if you go, let him think it’s gonna work and then leave, then if you don’t go at all.”

“I’m not going,” Steve hears himself say as he steps back from the hand Eddie reaches out to him. 

“You’re not-“ Eddie looks so confused. “Like today? Do you need extra time? We can postpone by a couple of days but-“

He’s not getting it. Steve interrupts him, needs to make him understand because he can’t listen to him try to come up with solutions. 

“No, Eddie. I’m not going it all.” 

The words feel wrong in his mouth but he forces them out anyways. 

“What do you mean?” Eddie asks and it fucking ruins him. He feels his carefully blank expression break, despair showing through. 

“I can’t leave Hawkins, the kids,” he has to look away from Eddie as he says this. Knows it’s the only thing Eddie won’t question, knows Eddie thinks he doesn’t mean as much to Steve as the kids do. “They need me.”

“When did you decide you weren’t going?” Eddie asks and Steve didn’t know it was possible but he breaks even more from that, from Eddie not fighting him. 

I didn’t, he thinks, I don’t know why I’m saying this now. If you ask me to stop and just go with you I will. 

“A couple of days ago,” he lies. 

It’s silent then, just their breathing and the distant sound of cars down the street being heard. Eventually, Eddie breaks it.

“Steve?”

His voice cracks in the middle. Steve can hear the plea for him to take it all back and he nearly does, has to swallow the words creeping up his throat before they get out. 

“I’m sorry,” he says instead. He turns around, closing the door behind him. Destroying their future and breaking the last bit of his heart in the process.

He doesn’t get more than two steps into the house before his legs give out beneath him. He stays there, sitting on the floor for what feels like forever. 

After some time he hears a car drive away and he knows Eddie has left. He feels silent tears start streaming down his face that soon turns into sobs. Making him curl in on himself and gasp for air. 

He doesn’t know how long he stays there, crying until he can’t anymore and then just sitting there. But after a while, he’s interrupted by a loud ringing. For the third time in less than twenty-four hours he picks up the god-forsaken phone. 

“Hello?” He rasps, his voice dull and raw from crying.

“Steven. You made the right decision and stayed I take it?” His mother asks.

“Yes.” He says and hangs up on her. 

[schmweed]

Succession | S02E02

[softquietsteadylove]

You think you can make another marriage contract AU and show us how Gil is careful around her and such? It was such a sweet interaction from the last one I do wish to see it another time in another situation. Pretty please? 💚

"You're doing pretty good," Gilgamesh chuckled, leaving Thena to her chopping now that she seemed to be getting the hang of it. Very slowly, but still.

"You don't have to patronise me," she muttered as she sliced through the onion carefully. He had already done the cross chopping for her, all she had to do now was slice down straight.

"I'm not, I'm not, I really think you're doing great." He looked over his shoulder again but Thena was almost leaned down to be eye level with her task at hand. She really was terrible in the kitchen, but it was nothing short of charming.

Gil opened up the higher cabinets to retrieve some wine glasses for them. Thena didn't have a habit of drinking, but he had seen her enjoy a glass of wine with dinner here or there. And he'd brought home some nice champagne that he'd gotten out of a business deal. After he'd wiped the blood off the label, of course. "Y'know, I think-"

The glass slipped from his fingers on its way down, its large and crystal figure shattering on the kitchen floor. It was sharp against the serenity of the smooth music he'd selected for the quiet evening.

"Ay shi-" he cursed, stepping back in his house slippers. He looked over, the yelp that had hit the air registering in his mind. He frowned, "Thena?"

She had let out the sound of panic and ducked down. She was crouched on her knees, arms curled over her head. It was a reflex, based on pure instinct. And he hated to see it.

He left the glass on the floor. He could tend to it in a minute. He walked carefully, trying to approach her as gently as possible. "I'm sorry, Thena."

She was shaking. But she peeked out at him, shame written all over her face. "S-Sorry, I didn't-"

"Don't be sorry," he soothed, placing his hands on her shoulders. He helped her stand and lean on the counter. "It scared me, too. Are you okay?"

She nodded, but he could see the trembling in her fingers.

He took her hand in his, "come on, let's sit down."

She didn't argue with him, which was as good a sign as any that she wasn't feeling her best. She let him lead her to the couch, "I'm fine, Gil, really."

He liked it when she called him Gil. "You don't have to be. I'm sorry I startled you."

She shook her head, but a familiar look of annoyance came over her. "No, I...I would like nothing more than to say it's nothing."

He continued to hold her hand. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

She sighed. She really didn't, but she was going to anyway. She curled her legs up on the couch. He helped her sort out the blanket of his she liked to lay over them. "Would you be surprised if I brought up my father?"

He tried to keep his answers passive and neutral. This was her story, and it wouldn't do any good for him to start cursing about what a rat bastard piece of shit that guy was.

"He became more violent the older I became," Thena recited as if it were blase and not something horrifying. "By the time I was an adult, he realised that I was no longer so easy to intimidate. But throwing things was still effective."

Gil balled his fist up under the blanket. Her father would throw his drink glasses at her? Maybe letting him live wasn't the solution, no matter how much the drunk gambling addict owed him.

"It wasn't every night, but if he really needed something, he would throw anything we had on hand," she concluded. The way she met his eye was a sign that she was done telling the story, and moreover she was done with the vulnerability it took to tell it.

Gil pulled his hand out from the blanket and moved it slowly, making sure it was in her direct line of vision. It was one of those things he had learned was good for her when she had moved in. When she couldn't see all of him was when she was most on edge. So he moved slowly, talked gently.

And not just because of his vow to take care of her as his wife. They didn't have to be married for him to believe that she deserved to be cared for, especially after all she had endured on her own already.

Thena watched as he reached for her hand again. She gave it, and it seemed she was becoming more and more willing to share in those little kinds of affections.

He raised her hand to his lips equally slowly, and she allowed it. For all he had done already to acclimate her to her life being married to him, he was not a barbarian, and he wouldn't force her to accept anything she didn't want. That included the simplest, smallest of things, like a kiss on the hand.

She tilted her head.

"I'm sorry, Thena, I should have been more careful," he resolved, already thinking about having all the glassware moved to lower down, open shelves so there was less chance of a surprise like this.

"It was an accident, Gil, these things are bound to happen," she excused for him, and he thought perhaps too eagerly. She leaned forward in her seat on the couch, towards him. "If anything I wish my reaction could be different."

Why had he spared her father's life? Oh, because he worked for the police department and it always paid to have someone in there under his thumb. But he was seriously reconsidering it now.

"There was a time when I would have said he would never do such a thing."

It was a quiet confession, and she was even smiling. But he knew those words well; he had thought them plenty of times when he was young. But learning the business really beat that mentality away. And Thena didn't deserve to know that firsthand.

"Why don't you sit?" he suggested gently, giving both her hands a squeeze, "I'll finish dinner."

She pouted at him, and it was way (way) too cute. "But the onion isn't done. And I was doing quite well, all things considered."

He had to smile. She was proud of her progress, and it wasn't just the onion to be considered in that. He chuckled; he admired this part of Thena. This was the same woman who had been offered two options: marry him as a form of insurance, mutual destruction to keep her father in line and in business with them, or to let him kill her father, although it would leave her destitute with her father's bad name looming over her. And she had chosen the option that was arguably more daunting, and tougher.

And how could he not fall in love with a woman like that?

Thena stood, throwing her blanket off her legs herself, putting her hands on her hips. "And you told me you would show me what 'julienne' meant once I finished."

It was just slicing things lengthwise, on an angle to get technical. But he smiled up at his beautiful wife - reminded himself that she considered them married in name only - and stood with her. "Anything you want, sweetheart."

She pursed her lips at the familiar words. He knew she thought they were hollow and placating, but he really did mean them. If she ever wanted for anything while she was with him, all she had to do was ask.

"Hey."

She half turned, already partway down the three wide and curved stairs that separated the foyer and kitchen from the sitting area. Maybe this fancy architecture, artsy mansion was too much (like Thena said). "Hm?"

He walked to her, hands in his pockets. He leaned over slowly, and she didn't lean back and out of his reach. Eventually, his lips collided with her forehead, as intended.

When he looked at her again, her eyes fluttered a little bit, and he was pretty sure she was blushing. She really made it hard not to develop feelings for his own wife.

He retrieved the broom from the pantry and started sweeping up the glass.

Thena frowned, "Gil, I can-"

"Don't even think about it, hot stuff," he winked at her, just for the fun of it. She bristled. "Focus on getting that onion done by the time I'm finished. Then maybe I'll show you how to mandolin."

"The musical instrument?"

She really was terrible in the kitchen, and he couldn't have adored her more for it.

[the-skin-inthe-bath-is-mine]

Crochet cardigan based on the Crazy:B uniform.

Incoherent rambling below

This damn thing is a unholy amalgamation of different techniques just so I didn't get bored while making it. Tbh I didn't care of it looked decent, I just wanted to play around with different stitches. Projects like this feel like a puzzle so it was more fun than frustrating. This did turn out extremely clean though so yippee~~ Didn't include any gold or yellow because with the red on this specifically it reminded me of Ronald McDonald. Also. The hexagons look clearer from the inside but that's just because the wondering yarn helps define the shape.

The hardest part was getting the sizing correct. I accidentally used a smaller hook than I'd usually use for clothing so I had to dick around some to get the correct size. Figuring out how to taper the sleeves was low key evil too. The only thing I'm not happy with is I couldn't figure out how to do the upper back panel with the houndstooth stitch without it warping or it looking weird so I just went with plain black. Other than that I'm very proud of my monstrosity :]

[shadowthestoryteller]

So

That episode, huh?

[elavoyyy]

Every time they talked about forgiveness, seems to me that Aziraphale is essentially begging for Crowley to forgive himself, to accept that there is still good in him. Every time he says ‘I forgive you’ it’s right after when Crowley proposed that they run away, that they should be isolated from heaven or hell because they are not accepted by either. But Aziraphale simply doesn’t think that they should be running. The difference between A/C and Gabriel/Beelzebub is, Gabriel in the show doesn’t really have any morals to begin with. And Beelzebub has no problem with being a demon except for a never present boss and idiotic subordinates. But Aziraphale is naturally compassionate, and compulsively wants to be good. In season 2 he is more sure of himself, he no longer associates obedience with ‘the right thing to do’. He believes that he is good even though he was cast out by Heaven, therefore Crowley, who is his soulmate, is also good, fallen or not. But then at the end of season 2, Aziraphale gets an opportunity to make Heaven as good as he thinks it should be, a heaven that represents inclusiveness and love, a heaven that accepts someone like Crowley who asks questions. It makes sense that he would want this above all else. Because it means that his ideology and the reality can finally be aligned. It means what he recognises as good (Crowley and himself), will be good to everyone, and eventually Crowley himself. To Aziraphale, if Crowley accepted his offer to go to heaven, he can make Crowley see that there is nothing to forgive, Crowley can be who he is without any guilt or shame or feeling of abandonment. If they had communicated properly even just once in the last 6 thousand years this wouldn’t have been so difficult. Then in the end, they ran out of time.

[riikaa-chan]

Chapters: 26/? Fandom: 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī (Cartoon) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji/Nie Mingjue Characters: Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Nie Mingjue, Lan Huan | Lan Xichen, Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Nie Huaisang, Xue Yang | Xue Chengmei, Meng Yao | Jin Guangyao, Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian Additional Tags: Angst, Slow Burn, Feelings Realization, Misunderstandings, Pining Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Hurt/Comfort, Retelling, Protective Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Eventual Smut, Protective Nie Mingjue, Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian is a Little Shit, Ghost General Wen Ning | Wen Qionglin, Good Uncle Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin, Supportive Lan Huan | Lan Xichen, Scheming Nie Huaisang, Heavy Angst Summary:

In the aftermath of the Sunshot Campaign, Lan Wangji faces a three-year exile in Qinghe as punishment. Meanwhile, Nie Mingjue grapples with the specter of a looming Qi deviation.

Amidst the harsh winds of fate, their paths intertwine, unspoken emotions simmer beneath the surface, hidden by duty and tradition. But when a long-forgotten threat resurfaces, both men must confront their deepest secrets and desires, they must navigate the treacherous waters of love, risking everything for a chance at redemption and salvation.

[fluffs-n-stuffs]

"Do you not realize it? Do you... truly not see what this means?"

The next Destiny Bond update is in progress! ❄️✨ –> Check out the latest part here 🔷 –> New to the series? Follow from the start! 💜

[novelconcepts]

i don't make resolutions, but if i did

it would be to finish this fic

(and to be kind to myself for however long it takes to actually do so)

[freyadragonlord]

Took me almost 2 months, but I finished rereading Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint..........

Fuck this novel is so good.

[reservoirreputation]

Dimples, Chapter Eight

Epilogue

One Year Later

Freddy repeats his daily ritual.

It’s a beautiful, mild day. A little cloud cover, sun regularly peaking out to say hi. Warm breeze. He cycles to the usual, sleepy convenience store. His stomping grounds are quiet, local, away from the highly touristy areas. These parts of the islands aren’t as well-cared for, as anyone who lives in a travel-destination or big city or coastal town etc. will attest to. The local government only cares about the pretty parts. It’s hard to believe that that is the case here, too, because all of Hawaii is gorgeous. Areas like this are where most of the locals live, as well.

Freddy and Larry initially kept their heads down. Found an inexpensive rental, made payments on time, didn’t wreck the property. It was a low bar to meet, but in keeping their noses clean, they make it. They buy local groceries, eat better and healthier than ever, even left smoking for once a week. Drinking is cut down, only one beverage a night. There’s so little stress in their lives, they don’t need such distractions.

Freddy’s daily trips to the store are two-fold; grab something they’ve run out of, which is occasional, to grabbing that morning’s paper, somewhat for himself, mostly to leave with having purchased something. The more the locals see them, and associate them with good, frequent business, and a smile or two, the better.

He smiles at the clerk, whose name he doesn’t know, and the clerk doesn’t know Freddy’s, which is same-old, same-old. He says a bright and cheery hello to an older woman, whose car Larry fixed up, last week. She asks what kind of cookies the man likes, intentions clear. Freddy says oatmeal, and she’s beaming.

He grabs the paper, money ready. “Keep the change.” On his bike, heading home.

Larry’s making breakfast burritos when Freddy walks in. The tortillas are warming over the griddle, veggies cooked and set aside, scrambled eggs nearly done. “Anything new?” he asks.

Freddy gives him a quick peck on the cheek. “About to look, myself.”

Larry turns his head for a proper kiss. Freddy grins, obliging.

Freddy sits down at their little kitchen table, opens the paper, goes right for the classifieds. He scans the page carefully. It’s been months since the last message, which was not unusual. There was no set schedule, so he just needed to keep a close eye on things. He spots it, towards the bottom right of the paper.

“Got ‘im.” he reads, “‘Violet sends regards to Creamsicle. All is well. Be in touch, soon.’”

Larry chuckles, setting the pan aside, “Where the hell does he come up with stuff like that?”

“No clue, Mr. Banner.”

Larry is leaning over, looking at the message for himself, “You think he’s coming to visit?”

“Who knows. It’s not like we have to do much to tidy up, around here.” Freddy says, referring to their distinct lack of personal belongings. It wasn’t unusual for people to move from the mainland with so little; it was lighter, cheaper, and you normally made a good chunk of change selling off your stuff, all going towards the move. Freddy looks up, “Don’t you want him to come over?”

Larry considers, “I’ll tolerate him.” he smirks, leans over and kisses Freddy’s forehead.

THE END

{Previous chapter}

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