#why do i keep saying merry new year? because i like it and find it funny | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sp0o0kylights · 2 years ago

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Part One: Merry Crisis

It’s also on A03 (this chapter will go up too but not for a bit bc I have stupid adult work to do)

Five days after New Years and Steve Harrington was haunting Eddie’s head.

This time at least, it was consensual.

Mostly.

“I thought you said New Year's resolutions were a total waste of time and a conformist’s mmrrph--” Gareth cuts off as a ringed hand claps (gently) over his mouth, Eddie’s glare burning a hole in the side of his best friend’s head.

“No one asked you to comment.” Eddie informs him darkly.

“He’s got you there, Eds.” Jeff teases, seated on a bin in Gareth’s garage, friends occupying the couch across from him. “It is one of your yearly rants.”

“New Years Resolutions are just a convenient way for normies to understand my quests.” Eddie sniffs, ignoring the fact that he’d been going on about this since he showed up, several hours ago.

He releases Gareth’s mouth, springing up to pace another circuit round the garage. “I refuse to repeat another year in this god-awful high school--and!”

Spinning on his heels, Eddie flings a hand in the air, the exact same way he had when he auditioned for Sherlock Holmes in Hawkin High’s performance of Hounds of Baskerville. “It is my duty as Hellfire’s DM to figure out what the hell those freshmen are wrapped up in with Harrington!”

“Rii-iiight.” Gareth remarks. “I’m sure your obsession with this has nothing to do with those, what did you call them?”

Grant covers a laugh with a cough as Gareth pretends to think before saying: “Harrington’s big ol’ puppy dog eyes?”

Eddie’s face goes red. “I told you, I’m not crushing on Steve!”

“Bro.” Grant says, expression calling out Eddie’s lie better than words ever could.

“The entire planet knows you have a crush on him, Eds.” Gareth adds, leveling his best friend with a knowing look. “Frankly I’m amazed Steve himself hasn’t figured it out.”

“Shut it!” Eddie hissed, face aflame. “This is about everything else! What he’s hiding! Why the kids--”

“--worship him.” Jeff, Grant and Gareth all finish as one, their impromptu chorus deflating Eddie like a sad balloon.

“We know.” Grant says. “You think Harrington and the kids are wrapped up in some kind of crazy conspiracy that's eating them all alive and because you have a compulsive desire to solve every mystery put in front of you, you can’t leave it alone. This is starting to become something you should really like, work on man.”

Eddie turns his glare on Grant.

“You need to drop out of that AP psychology class.” He demands with another sniff. “It’s rotting your brain.”

“Uh huh.” Grant says, voice dripping in sarcasm.

“You;’ll see.” Eddie mutters as he resumes his pacing. “You’ll all see when I finally figure it out. You’ll be all,” Eddie straightens, clutching his hands together and squeezing them against his chest, “Oh-my-gawd, Eddie, holy shit, you were so right, they were hiding a huge secret!”

“Keep dreamin’ bud.” Jeff says flatly, prompting laughs from Gareth and Grant.

Eddie takes off a shoe and throws it at him.

(Jeff swears it was worth it.)

xXx

10 days after New Years and Steve Harrington was right there.

Right.

There.

It would be easy to walk across the parking lot, strike up a conversation. Hell, the kids' presence makes it even easier, Eddie knows all he has to do is talk about them before Steve drives them home.

He just--has to do it.

"You do know the first step is actually talking to him right?" Jeff teases, leaning against the school’s doorway.

Eddie startles, flushing scarlet.

"Shut up!" He snaps, turning around to run his hand over his face.

God why was this so hard!?

He's talked to plenty of people. Hell, he's talked to Harrington before. Talking was the thing Eddie arguably did best and suddenly he just fucking…couldn't!?

"He's waving at you." Jeff observes.

Eddie whips back around to face the parking lot--to find that Harrington wasn't even facing their direction.

Jeff chuckles.

"Oh screw you!" Eddie shoves his shoulder into Jeff’s, glowering.

Jeff playfully nudges him back. "Just go talk to him man. He didn't bite at the party, and he left you that note, so he's clearly open to it."

"I know.” Eddie grumbles, moving so he could lean against the opposite side of the doorway.

“So what’s holding you back?” Jeff turns to look at him now, as Eddie tangles a finger into a few strands of his hair. “It’s not like you hesitate instead of jumping into something head first.”

Eddie hides in his hair for a moment, unsure of how he wanted to handle this question.

Jeff knew he was gay. All the Corroded Coffin guy’s knew he was gay, after the first (and last) time he tried to buy product from a supplier that wasn’t Rick.

(Eddie was smart, but he’d been young back then. Hadn’t caught on to the fact the weed he’d been sold was laced with who-knew-what.

What he did know was that when he and the boys tried it out; Grant had given a very emotional speech about love and acceptance, Jeff wouldn’t stop hugging people, Gareth ended up crying over gender issues and Eddie had admitted he was flamingly gay.

He never bought from another supplier again, even if he did technically owe the guy who’d brought him and his best friends closer together.)

Being gay wasn’t exactly the issue.

It was being gay, and having a blatant crush on Steve--the guy who the Hellfire kids loved. The guy who had surprised Eddie by being decent and downright fun.

The guy who kept insisting he and Buckley were “Platonic with a Capital P”and even with Robin climbing all over him like a lemur, he had in fact kept his hands and eyes to perfectly respectable places.

Who was practically built to appeal to Eddie, between his stupid sexy smile and the weird mystery he was wrapped up in, the same one that caused his smiles to drop the second he knew no one was paying attention.

Add in the fact he’d played D&D once before and it was like God had made Eddie’s perfect match.

Of course because Eddie’s relationship with a deity of any kind was agonistic at best, they’d made Steve not only the straightest man to ever rule a high school, but also dangled him in front of Eddie constantly.

Like a treat he could never, ever have, but will always crave.

“Oh he’s actually waving at you this time.” Jeff says, and despite the high chance of this being another joke, Eddie looks anyway.

Sure enough there was Harrington, dumb little grin on his face, waving his hand.

Eddie managed to get his brain to function long enough to wave back.

“Wow Eds, you actually waved at him. That’s a lot of progress for you.” Gareth chimes in, appearing in between his friends with a smirk.

“We’re proud of you buddy.” Grant adds, standing behind Gareth.

Eddie groans aloud. “I hate you all.” He mutters, trying to keep a smile on his face for Steve until the guy turns back to herald the children into the car.

“No you don’t.” Gareth sing-songs, to the snickers of Jeff and Grant.

And no, he doesn't--but fuck if Eddie didn’t want to wring all their necks.

xXx

January 13th, Eddie finally gets his first resolution breakthrough.

It came in the form of Sinclair’s girlfriend, oddly enough, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“I’m not Lucas’s girlfriend.” The redhead spat, which Eddie thought was a hell of a lot of anger for someone who he had not been formally introduced to but had flung herself into his passenger seat anyway, with a declaration that he would drive her home.

(He, of course, had been about to protest until Max reminded him with a glare that they were neighbors--which had the effect of making Steve look relieved, like Eddie was doing him some kind of massive favor.

A favor Eddie wanted.

“For totally normal non crush related reasons Gareth, god!”)

Currently Max is staring out the window as Eddie drives home, arms crossed and in a full sulk.

Eddie recognizes it in her the same way he recognizes it in himself, and knows intimately that he has a chance to be to her, what Wayne was to him.

Someone who didn’t just see the problems he had, but acted on them.

That began with a conversation.

“So not that sitting in awkward silence isn’t totally fun, but uh, why am I driving you home instead of Harrington?” Eddie asks, watching Max out of the corners of his eyes.

She doesn’t even flinch. “What, and miss the chance to ride in the drug mobile?”

He expects the snappish response but has to give Max credit--she is absolutely the most vicious of Steve’s kids.

“Ok fair,” He says, because getting angry back was what she wanted. Or at least, what Eddie wanted, back when he was in Max’s shoes. “But don’t all you kids like, worship King Steve? Thought you’d want your beloved babysitting to drive you home..”

Max’s shoulders hunch immediately, her jaw clenching. “Don’t call him that.”

“Babysitter?” Eddie questions.

“King Steve, you ass.” She bites back. “If you like him like Lucas and Dustin swear you do, then you wouldn’t be an dick.”

Quieter, she mutters, “He hates that nickname.”

“Hate to break it to you, but Steve gave himself that nickname.” Eddie says, if only to buy time while he swallows the fact that the kids have decided he and Steve aren't just cool with each other, but like each other.

Obviously not like-like, as in romantic like, because they weren't psychic, but--

'Focus, idiot! Max is still talking!'

Max rolls her eyes, huffing angrily as she finally tears her gaze away from the window. “You don’t get it.”

“I sure as shit don’t and won’t.” Eddie agrees easily, and has to look away to keep the laughter off his face at the confused look it nets him. “Not unless you want to clue me in.”

She chews over that for a moment, before apparently coming to a decision. “You’re annoying.”

“Oh come on Red, if you’re gonna insult me at least do it right. Annoying is boring.” Eddie fakes a yawn, and this time does laugh at Max’s outright offended face.

Thankfully, the antics get him exactly what he wants.

An answer.

"Steve saw the real world and decided he wanted to be a better person. To grow up and leave all the stupid high school petty shit behind." Max says, and for a moment it's almost like she's speaking to someone else.

Likely the person she really is mad at, Eddie assumes.

"Calling him King Steve just takes all that progress away, and for what? Cause you're jealous?"

She's on a roll now. Eddie remains silent, knowing Max needs to get this out.

That this rant isn't aimed at him.

"You're mad that things were easy for him? Because newsflash, they weren't. He put in the effort to be a good guy, could even," Max fakes a dramatic gasp, "--apologize!"

An idea takes shape, both of the unsurprising source of the younger teens' hurt and frustration, and why she at least defends Harrington so hard.

Eddie may not know how exactly Max fits into "The Party" (or even who all is included within it) but it's clear she's just as close to Steve as the rest.

Maybe even a touch moreso, in a way that's eclipsed by Henderson alone.

Max is still going. "Steve's a genuinely good person and he's earned the right to be acknowledged as one!"

Her eyes are wet when she finishes and Max angrily swipes at them with her sleeve.

Eddie knows better than to comment on it, but does take a moment to think her words over.

"Have you seen it too?" He decides to ask. It's the part that sticks out to him, so it becomes the thread he decides to pull.

Max blinks. "What?"

"The real world. Have you seen it too?"

"Yeah." Max admits, after a long moment of silence, chewing on her lower lip. "I did. And I wish I hadn't."

"Sucks huh?"

"You don't know half of it."

"I might not know the exact parts you saw," Eddie agrees, as he pulls up in front of his trailer. "But I have seen plenty of other nasty bits and bobs."

He puts his van in park. "Just because the monster changes shape doesn't make it any less of a danger, you know?"

Max sits with that for a moment. Eddie sits with her, his music on even if he has the volume turned down low.

Waits to see if she'll say more, or if this is all he's getting.

There’s a slight hesitation--as if for a moment, Max considers opening up--but something in her balks and she opens the door instead.

“Thanks for the ride.” She grumbles, quiet enough that he almost doesn’t hear, before slamming the door and walking fast to her trailer.

The lights are off, and the car he knows belongs to her mother isn’t in the driveway.

It’s not unusual to be home alone at this hour. Not for Hawkins kids, and especially not for trailer park kids like them, but for the first time, Eddie finds himself wondering how often she’s alone.

“Hey, Red!” He calls, as he makes his way out of the van.

She turns to look at him, and Eddie realizes he must be getting a glimpse of what every adult used to see in him. Fury and discontent, all rolling over a sadness that’s bone deep and afraid to face daylight.

“You ever wanna explain it to me, you’re welcome to come over.” He says, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at his own trailer.

“Whatever.” Max says with an eye roll, before storming to her front door.

Eddie waits for the lights to go on, before retreating back to his own house, feeling like he at least established something.

Even if it was just proof that he wasn’t going to blow up or brush her off like everyone else.

xXx

January 13th's luck didn't end there.

A few hours after Eddie made sure Steve's attack chihuahua child made it home safe, a car pulls up in front of her trailer.

Curious (and nosey as fuck) Eddie peers out the window to spot Harrington’s Beemer flick its lights off, owner crawling out and up to Max's front door with an arm full of takeout.

Steve stands there for a while, alternating between knocking and not-quite yelling, before finally putting the food down.

Eddie knows now that Steve's some kind of pseudo parent to these kids, that the intent he has towards them is a combination of brotherly and maternal.

Can't help himself from the opportunity that arises when Harrington moves to peek into one of Max's trailer windows, though.

"Damn Harrington," Eddie calls out, after quietly slipping onto his front porch. "Didn't know you were the kinda creep to stare into teenage girl's windows."

Steve spins, startled, and nearly goes down on the gravel while doing so.

Eddie laughs--it's like watching Bambi on ice--but regrets it immediately when the younger man trots over to him.

Puts his hands up and is about to defend himself out of sheer habit.

"Is she okay?" Steve asks, trotting up the two steps so he can lower his voice.

Eddie wiggles his raised hands in a “maybe” sort of gesture before lowering them.

“She’s fine right now, but she’s definitely upset.”

Steve hums, peering worriedly at the opposing trailer, takeout food sitting innocently by Max’s door. “

“She’s been upset for a while. I just…” He trails off, running his hand through his hair. “I don’t know what to do for her, you know? She’s not as easy to figure out as the others.”

Which isn’t the least bit surprising. At least, it isn’t to Eddie.

While he can’t speak for their missing fourth member, the remaining three freshmen are the kind to wear their emotions on their sleeves, in their own ways. Mike and Dustin compete for loudest but even Lucas, the most likely to let things go, eventually explodes.

All Harrington has to do to handle any of their issues is simply see that something is wrong, and then ask about it.

The drive from the high school to the trailer park took less than fifteen minutes but in them, Eddie knew immediately that Max was far more like himself at heart. Angry at everything and everyone, using insults or humor to distract from her real problems.

Eddie now was better than he was, the eleven year old kid who’d been dumped on his Uncle, extremely wary of adults and furious at the world at large.

Like recognizes like though, even if he’s made progress.

“I think the best thing you can do is keep being there for her.” Eddie admits quietly, because this is an area he can actually provide some insight for. “That all that anger isn’t going to push you away. Just don’t be surprised if it takes her a while to understand you won’t abandon her like everybody else did.”

“Huh.” Steve says, and Eddie shouldn’t be surprised that Steve is taking him seriously. Not after the not-Christmas party, but he is.

That’s part of the mystery of Steve Harrington, after all.

The way Steve never quite reacts the way Eddie thinks he’s going to.

“If she doesn’t take the food can you let me know?” Steve asks, and he sounds so sad about it that Eddie couldn’t possibly refuse, even if he’d wanted to.

“Sure thing man.” He agrees.

Harrington watches Max’s door for a moment longer before heaving himself off the porch with a sigh

“Oh,” He says, turning around partway to his car. “ We’re gonna have a movie night next Friday night. You should come.”

‘Bing-fucking-go.’

“Well how could I say no to the King himself? Tell me the time and I’ll be there.” Eddie says, and then watches Steve’s face as he winces.

Apparently, Red was right.

Steve doesn’t rip his head off for the nickname though. Plows right on ahead, as if Eddie hadn’t called him it at all.

"We were planning on making it just the adults--or at least, not the freshmen.” He nods towards Max’s trailer.

Eddie raises an eyebrow. “Oh I’m sure they’re just delighted to be left out.”

"You’d be surprised.” Steve says with a long-suffering look. “I've been informed I need more adult friends."

Eddie can’t help but tease, though he softens his voice and grins to take the teeth out of it. "Band geek and a bunch of fourteen years olds not good enough for you?"

"You’re forgetting my ex girlfriend." Steve adds, with his own self deprecating tone.

“Well damn Harrington, guess the town freak might actually be a step up for you!” Eddie says, loving that this version of Steve is willing to banter like this.

“I dunno man, I think that nickname might be overhyped.” Steve says, and there’s that grin back on his face, the one he wore when he was stealing meaningless corporate trophies out of his father’s office. “I don’t think you’re that freaky at all.”

He dips down in a movement that takes Eddie a moment to realize is him mimicking the curtsey he had given Eddie at the Christmas party, before getting in the Beemer.

Then he’s gone, leaving Eddie trying to recover on the porch, wondering if the last part of that conversation actually happened or if he just wanted it so badly he dreamed the whole thing.

(When he looks back over to Max’s trailer, the takeout by the door is gone.)

xXx

20 days after New Years and Eddie didn’t know what he expected from a movie night at Steve’s-- but it wasn’t getting his ass kicked at beer pong.

Of course, this may have been his fault.

It started when Steve, three beers into a home recording of Animal House, made an off comment about Nancy Wheeler once putting all of Hawkin’s to shame at a party.

(“Her aim has always been insane.” He'd added, as Nancy rolled her eyes and tried to hide her pleased grin behind a hand.

Eddie had been a little surprised to see Steve hadn’t been kidding about Nancy coming--but also realized that Steve might have been serious when he’d joked about not really having a lot of friends.

In Eddie's head, a miniature bat version of himself donned a detective's hat and cape, whipping out a notepad to dutifully write down; ‘Clue one: Steve has very few friends.’

“You, Nancy Wheeler, beat out four teams of dumb jocks…at beer pong?” Eddie asked, in total disbelief.

“I did.” Nancy told him smugly. “And I could do it again.”

“Really?” Eddie had said and it hadn’t been intended as a challenge, but it was taken as one.)

Three games in, the beer having a long run out (they were actually playing “Vodka Shot Ball") and Eddie has to concur.

Nancy Wheeler was in fact, god’s gift to throwing small orange balls into cups.

“How are you doing this!?” Eddie yells, throwing his hands in the air as Nancy sinks her last shot, Robin shrieking in victory behind her.

Hand on her hip, Nancy gives him a lazy, smug smile. “I suppose,” She says, tilting her head, sounding for all the world like a cat who’s caught a canary, “--it would be my incredibly good aim.”

Robin, who previously had been paired with Steve before insisting they switch (and who is more than a little drunk), shouts; “Take that Munson!” before grabbing Nancy’s wrists, pulling her into a dance.

Laughing, Nancy goes with her, their celebration a stark contrast to the other half of the table where Steve is leaning heavily on his elbows.

"Alright. Maybe, you do have some ungodly skills." Eddie admits, putting his hands on his head. “Forgive me for doubting you, oh Queen of beer pong.”

"Oh, now you admit it?" Steve mutters playfully, head hanging low. "Couldn't have done it before I ran out of beer?"

"Hush Harrington, you enjoyed it." Eddie grins knocking a hip into his teammates

He too, is more than a touch drunk, despite having been on Nancy’s team for the prior two rounds.

Vodka-Shot Ball, as it turns out, is enough to really mess a person up if you miss enough.

"Did I?” Steve moans, before hiccupping.

(“Harrington you’re a jock, are you missing on purpose!?” Eddie had asked early in this game, when Steve’s shots had gone from fairly decent to fucking abysmal.

“He’s two shots in, Eddie.” Robin had spoken for her soulmate, as she aimed a ball at a cup. “All those concussions don’t play nice with hard alcohol. Why do you think I switched sides?”

“I’ll remember this betrayal, Rob.” Steve grumbled in response. “See if I ever do your hair for you again.”

Batective Eddie promptly scribbled; ‘Clue Two, Steve has had a lot of concussions and can no longer handle a lot of hard liquor’ down on his notepad, puffing on his little old-timey pipe. ‘Also he does hair.’)

“Now that Stubbornson over here has finally admitted defeat,” Steve says, “Can we please go lay down? We're way too drunk for another round.”

“Speak for yourself, Lightweight. I’m fine.” Eddie tells him, walking towards the door to the kitchen.

Of course life cannot tolerate him being smooth and so Eddie walks dead-on into the closed glass door rather than the open one next to it.

He staggers back and loses his balance, falling hard on his ass.

“Shit!” Someone curses.

“You okay Eddie?” Someone else asks.

“Yeah.” He moans, rubbing at his head.

Wheeler appears next to him, shooing his hands away from his face so she could examine him.

“You’re an idiot.” Nancy informs him calmly, hands expertly checking his head. Her touch is professional, but Eddie's surprised by it anyway, “But I think you’ll live.”

Eddie squints up at her. “How come you’re not drunk?” He asks, and okay, yeah, he definitely hears the slur in his voice this time.

"I only had three drinks across all three games." Nancy informs him sweetly. "None of them were vodka."

"I hate you." Eddie moans dramatically, before opting to lay down on the porch.

“No you don’t.” Nancy says confidently, and then pats his head, before getting up from her crouch. “How are you doing Steve?”

“Kill me.” Comes Harrington's voice from across the patio, sounding very pathetic.

Eddie wishes he could pet his head.

“Denied!” Robin calls out. “Don’t even joke about that dingus, you got too close last summer as it was.”

(Batective Eddie, swaying a little with a beer bottle in his paw, tries to write that down.

He somewhat succeeds.)

Nancy disappears for a moment and Eddie wills himself to sit up--or at the very least roll to where Harrington and Buckley are.

"I'm going to drive myself and Robin home.” Nancy announces as she reappears, alongside a hovering bottled water.

Gratefully, he takes it.

With a tone that’s only this side of too-sweet, she asks; “Eddie? Would you like a ride?”

He considers it.

On one hand, that means he leaves his van here. So someone else has drive him to get it back in the morning (unless Harrington drives it to him and while Eddie finds himself weirdly unopposed to that idea, he doesn’t want to impose.

…Or inflict the current sad state of his van’s interior on Steve before he knows the guy better.)

On the other hand, he’s clearly too drunk to drive, which means more time with a drunk Steve Harrington.

That’s gotta be good for figuring out clues, right?

(In his head, Batective Eddie shoots him a thumbs up from where he lays, facedown on the floor.)

"If I get into a car I’m going to hurl." He announces. “So I’m gonna pass.”

Nancy makes a very unlady like noise, and Eddie grins, finally managing to lurch up to his elbows. “Nancy Wheeler was that a snort!?” He teases gleefully, as she rolls her eyes.

“Maybe.” She says, then holds out a hand.

Eddie slaps his in it, but does his best not to pull on her. Instead he mostly uses her for balance as he works his way to his feet.

“You guys get home safe okay?” Steve says, voice uncharacteristically serious as Robin helps him up from the pool chair he'd collapsed in. “Check in when you do.”

That’s weird--Eddie half expects it to be some sort of inside joke or macho, alpha man type comment but instead both Robin and Nancy nod seriously.

“We will.” Nancy promises. “Thank you for inviting me, Steve. Nice meeting you properly, Eddie.”

She gifts him with a smile, an honest one, before guiding Robin out the door.

Who screams; “Bye losers, love you!” as she exits.

(Eddie thinks this might be another moment for Batective Eddie except he’s sort of getting a headache and kinda just wants to sleep rathe than envision his Sherlock Holmes styled bat-self.)

They follow the ladies in, Eddie beelining for the first cough he sees.

“You can sleep it off here.” Steve tells him, zombie-walking to his fridge. He pulls out a soda and chugs it as Eddie falls face first into couch cushions, taking a moment to let his stomach settle before adjusting to a better position.

"Nah I'm just gonna close my eyes for a second." Eddie mumbles. “Be fine in a ‘lil bit, promise.”

Does so, and enjoys the sweet, sweet darkness that envelops him.

He jerks awake a moment later, blinking hard in the dark. A blanket has been draped over him, and his shoes kicked off, though judging from where they landed Eddie thinks he’s done that part himself.

A glance at his wristwatch reveals it's 1 AM, and Eddie goes to scrub his eyes with his hands.

Shit, he hadn't intended to stay this long.

Harrington’s creepy Christmas shit’s all gone, replaced by walls so blank they look almost sterile.

It creates a different, quieter vibe that's almost more spooky than the Santa-themed tomb Eddie had previous seen. The large windows throw shadows across the open space, like elongated fingers. It covers parts of the room in thick darkness, giving the appearance than anything could be hiding within them.

There's blankets on the couch catty-corner to Eddie’s. They're rucked up, and the sound of running water abruptly clues Eddie in to where Steve might be.

A golden glow erupts from the kitchen, then off again, before repeating the pattern.

( Batective Eddie returns with a squeak, frantically waving a sign.

It reads ‘Steve is afraid of flickering lights, remember!?’)

The noise in the kitchen has gone eerily quiet. The bad kind, that makes the hairs on his neck stand up, and Eddie rolls off the couch and to his feet, making his way to the kitchen.

Comes around the corner to see Steve frozen halfway to the stove, his head craned upward at the ceiling lights.

Eddie knew that whatever had happened, a clear trigger for all those involved (the kids, Harrington, hell even Nancy Wheeler that one time in the library--) was electrical issues in lights.

He clears his throat, the sound coming out like more of a growl. He coughs to clear it, then sidles closer.

Steve has a stillness to his body that Eddie doesn’t clock until it’s too late, his hand already reaching out to tap the taller man’s shoulder.

"Hey, uh Steve?"

Gets the shock of his life when Steve yanks his shoulder away, spinning back and around like he's been burned.

Eddie gets a flash of wide brown eyes, glassy and wild, before a frying pan is swung at his head.

"What the hell Harrington!" Eddie yelps, falling down on his ass and scrambling backwards, pan missing his head by inches.

(Envisions in his head his Batective self throwing his notes in the air, taking flight with a startled “Fleeeee!”)

Harrington stands over him. Looks just like Wayne did that one time a car battery caught fire and exploded near the trailer.

Like he was somewhere else, and prepared to do what he had to in order to get back.

Chest heaving, Eddie put aside all thoughts of stupid bats and did what he did best.

Talked.

xXx

20 days after New Years, Steve almost takes Eddie's head off with a frying pan.

Doesn't realize he's swung it like a weapon until he hears the surprised shout, his brain too steeped in adrenaline and old fears.

Freezes, because the shout sounds like one of the kids but he doesn’t remember them being here...

"--eve?"

"What?" He asks, the ringing slowly easing as his tunnel vision does.

He'd heard the growl, saw the lights flicker…

A gentle hand presses into his bicep, and he finds himself staring into Eddie Munson’s eyes.

The guy has a sort of look on his face that says he's trying his best not to freak out, but then Steve blinks and it's gone.

Replaced with something gentle, if cautious.

"You wouldn't mind if I just," Eddie trails off as his ringed fingers slowly stroke down Steve's arm, before carefully taking hold of the pan’s handle. "--took this, aye love?"

It's the nickname that brings Steve back fully, and he loosens his grip on the pan, surrendering it to Munson.

"Thank you Steve." He says, leaning to put the pan back on the stove, far out of Steve's current reach.

Then his hands return to Steve's wrists, and he finds himself staring at them in confusion.

Not because he doesn't know what happened--he does.

It's more that he's shocked Eddie is still willing to touch him after he nearly brained him.

"There's egg on the floor." Steve says, because it's the easiest thought to have at the moment.

Easier than apologizing.

Definitely easier than explaining.

"We'll clean the egg up later." Eddie says firmly, and Steve's never heard him use that tone of voice before. Firm and unyielding, like he has all the answers.

It's the kind of voice Steve can surrender his anxiety to and he finds himself almost sinking into it.

If Munson asked him to walk over a cliff just then, he would be more than a little tempted.

"Let's go sit down, just for a few minutes." Eddie tells him, a gentle tug on his wrists and Steve finds himself breathing out, his body shivering with the release of stress.

He nods, unable to speak, and allows himself to be maneuvered out into his living room, then down on one of the loveseats.

Eddie sits next to him, his thigh a line of grounding heat pressed against Steve's leg and he focuses on it to keep himself in the present.

"You back with me?"

Steve works his throat, hyper aware of how dry it is. "Yeah." He says.

Then adds, "sorry."

"Don't apologize, man. I've done plenty of trip sitting in my day. I know a panic attack when I see one."

Steve vaguely wants to ask what the hell trip sitting is, but finds himself unconsciously leaning towards Eddie instead.

Somehow he doesn't mind, even though Steve's practically squished up against him. Not that Eddie's ever been one to care about personal space, but Steve knows there's a difference between a teasing joke and whatever this is.

Eddie's thumb begins to rub gentle, grounding circles into the meat of Steve's wrist.

It gives his eyes something to track and gratefully Steve does, so he doesn't have to look Eddie in the face.

Isn't sure he can clear the tears trying to wet his eyes in time to brush this off.

Claim it's nothing serious.

"You wanna talk about it?" Eddie asks and somehow Steve didn't account for how direct the metalhead could be.

The tears strengthen and for a moment his vision blurs with them, before he sucks in a shuddering breath and forces himself back under control.

'God Steven, toughen up.' His father's voice rings out in his head, the memory branded into Steve's very being. 'It's ridiculous how much you cry. Do you think anyone wants to put up with that?'

Steve had answered no then, tone wobbling.

"I--" He starts, "--signed an NDA."

Which is not, at all, what he meant to say, but too late now.

"The cops and I aren't exactly on speaking terms, your secrets are safe with me." Eddie says, entirely unphased.

Which ghosts a smile over Steve’s face at least, even as he finds himself totally lost.

How exactly is he supposed to explain this?

The Upside Down, the Russians, hell even the way he's become hyper vigilant?

That certain words or references act like bullets, sending him to the floor in a spiral of burning panic?

Nevermind his finely honed instinct to use anything as a weapon when startled.

Sensing his discomfort, Eddie hums quietly before making a suggestion. "How about you tell me a totally fake, very unreal story?"

Steve croaks a laugh.

"I'm a really bad story teller." He warns.

"Practice makes perfect." Eddie tells him, leaning his shoulder into the taller man's.

Grateful--and feeling more than a little pathetic--Steve finds himself seeking out the touch.

"Okay." He agrees quietly, with a jerky nod of his head. "A--completely untrue, over exaggerated story. I can do that."

So he does.

xXx

The story Steve tells in halting, fumbling bursts of words involves monsters, the supernatural, government secrets and coverups.

The latter half of which doesn't even surprise Eddie--anyone with half a brain could see the sheer number of incidents that happened one after another was a cover up for something big-- but he can't help himself from trying to detangle reality from fiction.

Monsters he gets. It's easier to pretend the bad guy is an evil creature than a real person, to distance yourself from it in such a way it feels fake.

The supernaturally gifted girl is a little harder, but if you replace superpowers with some poor kid involved in some kind of shitty, abusive government program, then he can buy it.

What Steve never explains, is what set him off.

Eddie tells him so.

"I told you I was a bad storyteller." Steve says in response, which isn’t an explanation but then, Eddie realizes he is pushing awful hard for a guy who he barely knows to bare his soul--and who, in turn, barely knows him.

Not really anyway.

Not outside of rumors and old wounds.

"Is there anything that ever helps you feel safer?"

"People." Steve says immediately. "People always help but ah, well." His smile is pained, self deprecating. "I can't exactly ask for sleepovers every night, can I?”

He shrugs. “So I just keep a few things close.'

"A few things?"

"My nailbat."

"Is the nailbat a bat…with nails in it?" Eddie hedges, desperately attempting to keep a calm, straight face because what the fuck?

But this was a no judging zone, and it wasn’t as if a bat with nails in it was the weirdest thing Eddie had ever encountered. Not since Uncle Wayne’s friends informed him they had at minimum, seventeen guns hidden in their own trailer across town.

‘Things are happening at night, kid. Bad things. Don’t go too far into the woods looking for trouble.’

"Maybe." Steve admits.

"How about instead of hugging a nail bat to sleep, if things get bad you come over. Wayne works the night shift and I have insomnia anyways."

"Really?"

Eddie can’t blame him for sounding surprised.

"Yeah man. No skin off my nose, though you will be stuck hearing my beautiful sweetheart. She's a guitar sent from heaven. "

"I can handle that." He says, a smile ghosting across his face.

Then; "Thanks Eddie."

Eddie presses his shoulder against Steve’s. "Anytime, big boy."

(Crisis over, Batective Eddie returns, swooning.

Eddie mentally squashes him under his own notes.)

#I wasnt gonna write more of this but ya'llk talked me into it #Eddie doodles batective eddie everywhere #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #steve x eddie #steve needs a hug #steddie fluff #0o0 fanfics #I guess this would be the new years special #god does that mean I should finish it with valentines day #nancy and eddie friendship supremacy

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typicalopposite · 4 months ago

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Is it too early to talk about Christmas?? As a mother I’d say YES! Keep that money hungry stress filled holiday away! As a fic writer 😏 hehehe welllll imagine with me… if you will…

Tommy, who has never cared much for the holidays… He didn’t have the best home life, his adult life was filled with hiding and lying about himself and sadness… and loneliness… until Evan, of course.

Evan who loves the holidays! Evan, who convinced him to do a couples costume for Halloween. Evan, who convinced Tommy to host thanksgiving at his house, so he could get to make the bird this year. He’s never had a big enough place to host… and yeah they aren’t living together, but like Tommy could say no to that face (we know that face).

Evan who has been Holly jolly mistletoe and reindeer since Black Friday (honestly since the Christmas decor hit the shelves it just came out in full force after thanksgiving)

And Tommy tried to keep up. Truly… he did. He tried to slap on the best smile and be cheery and merry and have the holiday spirit. It’s not like he’s the grinch… or Scrooge… he just… He doesn’t get it.

And Evan picks up on it so quick… Tommy feels terrible! He stops requesting holiday movies, or activities... but the kicker is when Tommy finds out about the 118 toy drive through Lucy who is helping out at the sister station.

“Baby, why didn’t you tell me about this?” He asks.

Evan’s face goes red and he bites his lip. “Well— I know it’s not really your thing… Christmas, I mean… and I get that, I swear I do. I just didn’t— I knew you would come if I asked… and I didn’t want to pressure you…”

Tommy melts. Absolutely melts. He pulls Evan into his arms and kisses him. “What time should I be there?”

And when he arrives and they come to him in need of a Santa — Evan was the original choice but he is currently occupied with activities. Apparently the Christmas spirit finds (and possesses) him because he agrees. Which is where Evan finds him shortly after. Jee clinging giddily to his hand. His eyes light up when he meets Tommy’s — who is doing his best to make the impression believable. The kids are buying it— well most of them.

“Hey Tommy!” Jee says as she climbs up onto his knee.

“Uh— oh no, little girl, I’m not Tommy,” he says, and has to bite his jaws to stop from joining in Evan’s laughter.

Jee tilts her head, confused. “But you look like Tommy,” she says.

“You know what… come to think of it, I actually have got that a lot…” he says and adds in a, “Hohoho…” laugh that has Evan covering his mouth with his hand to muffle a snort.

Jee goes on to tell him what she wants for Christmas and he spends about an hour talking with other children; all the while he keeps catching Evan staring at him with this awestruck look. He actually has a really good time that day… catches Evan under the mistletoe every chance he gets… and it doesn’t automatically make Tommy love Christmas. But he is 100% sure he loves Evan… and if that means dipping his toes in new things he didn’t care for before he’s willing to do so.

#911 abc #bucktommy #tommy kinard #evan buckley #christmas in july #because of course I am thinking of Christmas in July #random thought while I’m roasting in my car for work #but also just can’t not think about these two in every scenario every season every secondddd of ever day! 😂

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charlidos · 3 months ago

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Fanfiction fantasies

An illustrated summary

During this deep dive back into the Viggorli ocean, I've been reading more fanfiction than I have for years. In older fandoms, I used to read so much, but these last years it's been quite scarce.

Reading this much makes me think in terms of fanfiction; while I don't write it myself, I still have a million plot bunnies in my head.

My favourite fantasy/ plot bunny is inspired by chaosmanor's beautiful reunion/reconciliation stories. It goes something like this:

~~~

V & O had some kind of relationship while filming but it ended long ago. It probably ended on a not good note, leaving a lingering feeling of melancholy over a great love lost. But in the present, with children and partners intact, they haven't been in contact for years.

However, since the birth of O's son, V has sent F a Christmas gift every year. A handmade toy of some sort (elaborate, beautiful and from a fairytale or a Nordic saga - because V is ridiculously brilliant like that), different each year. And as F gets older, it's his most beloved gift. The package always only says "Merry Xmas from Uncle Viggo" and O never explains anything to F and O never talks to V about it. (Possibly, the daughter also gets gifts...) Until F starts to wonder, starts to want to know more about the figurines and what the stories behind them are.

Somehow, F gets hold of V's telephone number (because O made sure to keep it all these years, somewhere safe and hidden) and calls V up. O finds out, is shocked and feels the need to call V to make excuses, since they had an unspoken deal about not being in contact with each other. The call leads to renewed contact, eventually renewed feelings and a trip to Spain for O and F. And it somehow ends happily for everyone. (My plots never has a more defined ending, I love pining and angst too much to know how to get to the happy part. But I still want that happy ending. Somehow.)

~~~

This story would need, in my head, a companion piece in a getting together/ first time story from NZ. It would possibly be about their first time being during or in conjunction with getting lost in the rain forest (because I really, really want a long, detailed story about what happened there). It would go something like this.

V wants to show O this amazingly beautiful rainforest, but why does he ask O, why does he want to show O this wondrous place, and not someone else? There is a strong attraction between them, but V keeps resisting it, maybe even denying it. V has decided that O is too young, too beautiful, too much for poor old V. Still, V keeps acting the opposite and can't help wanting to show O the beautiful, magical forest he's discovered. Knowing O would be the only one who would truly appreciate it the same way. Nature seems to quiet O down, make him calm - and even more beautiful to V.

Getting lost, and a little scared in the infinite darkness and unfamiliar sounds of the forest, make them huddle up together for comfort and warmth. A particular kind of closeness that finally brings them both over that hurdle which has restrained them. How from then on, they venture into a relationship which lasts for the rest of the shoot. However, being male, they never really talk about it, just have intense nocturnal rendezvous whenever time allows during the hectic shoot.

Towards the end of their time in NZ, they are both too exhausted to meet in private very often, but when they do it's very intense but also all very unspoken. When they return to their own lives, they don't know how to transport what they had to fit with "real life". O is carried off in the whirlwind of his new-found fame and V goes, at first, back to where he was before LotR took him away: to art, to Henry. They still meet occasionally, trying to hold on to the feeling from NZ. But gradually, their meetings becomes few and far between, until, eventually, they stop. Maybe just fading out. Or maybe they have a final argument, putting an end it to it all. Maybe they decide it's better, for their own sanity, to break it off completely.

The whole time, they have never talked about how they feel about each other and perhaps it's not until they've lost touch that O really realises what he lost. Maybe V has long accepted his feelings for O, but doesn't want to say anything, too scared of being hurt, and becoming a burden to O in his career and life. And so it goes, until they haven't met for years. But with V keeping up with O's life all this time. And thus feeling inclined to send gifts to O's son... (There would be a lot of angst and pining, if I wrote this.)

~~~

I wish I could write it for real... But if someone else feels inspired, please do! 🙏

#viggo mortensen #orlando bloom #viggorli #fanfiction

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doctorhelena · 10 months ago

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I can't believe it's canon that Steve becomes an obsessive workaholic with no self-preservation instinct in every universe where he's separated from Peggy or loses her. Scratch that, I CAN believe it's canon, I'm just deeply concerned for Steve and his 'my wiwwwfie wife is running an espionage agency/saving the world/went through a wormhole and i miss her' work ethic

Good news, I don't think you have to be worried! I'm pretty sure your first instinct, not to believe it's canon, was in fact correct.

Let's examine the Steves we've seen thus far. We have:

1) MCU Steve. Who yes, lost Peggy (twice, once when he was frozen, and once when she died of old age). But, I don't think we can say that his self-sacrificing streak and his not feeling like he can stop working comes from not having Peggy.

a) His self-sacrificing streak showed up well before he even met Peggy in CA:TFA. He was always picking fights he couldn't win, risking serious injury for people he didn't even know (eg. the fight he got into in the alley after telling that guy to shut up at the movies during the newsreel), and he risked jail time by applying to the army using false information, multiple times (after being previously rejected for being medically unfit) because, despite having a ridiculous number of medical reasons why he shouldn't, he wanted to go do his part to fight in Europe against the Nazis.

b) He hadn't only lost Peggy when he woke up nearly 70 years in the future. He'd lost everybody. Almost everybody he'd ever known and loved, every friend, every casual acquaintance, everyone he looked up to, everyone he disliked, EVERYONE. And the very few who were still there (including Peggy) were very old, and maybe, like Peggy, not completely there. The world was very, very different. He'd lost his cultural touchstones. He'd lost his sense of how he fit into the world. He was, quite literally, a man out of time. (And yeah, maybe he could have adjusted better to his new circumstances, but Steve is a very stoic guy, who is the type of person to tell himself that he's not doing so bad, that others have it worse, that he doesn't need help. That he can figure this out on his own, and if he can't, then he might as well keep helping others. And how many other WWII veterans were never quite the same again after the war? Were haunted by their experiences and who found that the world they came back to, their family and friends, had changed too, over the time they were away?) When Steve went back to 1949 at the end of Endgame, he wasn't only going back to Peggy (although of course, yes, he was going back to her), he was going back to an entire world that he'd lost.

2) Hydra Stomper Steve. Yeah, this Steve dealt with the loss of Peggy by teaming up with Bucky to try to wipe out the rest of Hydra. But - so did Bucky. Bucky was with him the whole time, they both put their lives on hold to fight Hydra. And after eliminating the last known Hydra base (the mission on which they believed Steve had died), Bucky moved on, got married, had kids, became Secretary of State (all of which we know happened after Steve was captured, because Steve didn't know that Bucky had settled down until Peggy told him in the What If S2 Winter Soldier episode). But, despite what Steve told Peggy in that episode (that he didn't see much point in "a wife, kids, the whole white picket fence life" if it wasn't with her), we don't know what he would have ended up doing after wiping out Hydra. We, and he, never had the chance to find out.

3) Rogers Hood. Yeah, this Steve was drawn to Captain Carter, another universe's version of his lost Lady Margaret, and she was drawn to him. But I wouldn't say that, before Peggy showed up, he was "an obsessive workaholic with no self-preservation instinct" in this universe. He actually seemed to be having a pretty good time stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, living in a cool treehouse village with his buddies/band of merry men. I guess you can say he lived on the job, but - would you call Robin Hood an "obsessive workaholic"? I wouldn't.

4) Zombie Steve. No real data here. We have no idea what his personality was like before he was zombified (we only know that he was a member of the Avengers).

5) Steve Dressed as Christmas Elf. This guy was a very cheerful version of Steve. Yeah, he looked a little concerned about the soccer moms cornering him, and unknown to him he was about to get socks for Christmas from Tony, but he was really excited that he'd correctly identified Happy Hogan in purple monster form! I don't think there's any real evidence that this particular universe's Steve is "an obsessive workaholic with no self-preservation instinct".

6) President Steve! No real data here either. Okay, I guess leaders of countries are usually workaholics to some degree (well, they are if they take the job seriously, anyway), but we don't know whether this particular Steve has Peggy or not, nor anything about him, really.

7) Steve who was unfrozen by Fury after Hank Pym killed most of the other Avengers (and then who Natasha from the Ultron universe ended up fighting alongside after the Watcher didn't send her back to her own universe at the end of S1). No real data here either: we don't know much about this Steve except that he was fighting on a helicarrier at one point in his life.

In conclusion, I don't see evidence that it's canon in any universe we've seen so far that it's Peggy's absence alone that makes Steve into "an obsessive workaholic with no self-preservation instinct".

And I also don't see evidence that it's canon that Steve is "an obsessive workaholic with no self-preservation instinct" in every universe where he's not with Peggy, either.

It turns out that Steve Rogers is an independent, complicated, three dimensional character whose sense of self-preservation and ability to enjoy life are not, in fact, solely based on whether or not he's with Peggy.

Steve chooses Peggy in many of the universes we've seen him in. But it's a big multiverse. If you would rather see him be happy with someone else, I'm sure it happens! And if you do like him with Peggy, then that happens a lot too, over and over again.

Peggy and Steve love each other. They miss each other when they're apart. But they don't need each other in order to be whole people. (That said, they do choose each other, it seems, whenever they possibly can.)

#asks #answered #what if spoilers #what if season 2 #steve rogers #peggy carter #steggy #what if

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smackthedevilwrites · 11 months ago

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As the year comes to a close, almost, I just wanted to take some time out to say thank you to everyone who reblogged, bookmarked, shared, liked, read, left kudos and comments on my fics. I’m very lucky to have found myself as a writer within a community of really nice, genuine people from all over the world.

I love writing. I really should be spending time on my novel, which is unrelated to J2 but here I am, publishing a fic a month about these two yahoos who have really gotten under my skin. What can I say, I love them. There is just something unending about J2, no matter what other people say or do, J2 are eternal. As ships go, the aesthetics are heavenly and the chemistry of an almost 20 year friendship are the gifts that keep on giving. And with that, my brain will not stop until every trope, every occupation, every situation has been explored with J2 at the helm.

This year, Jared has been a lighthouse keeper, a multi-media management employee, a ghost, a Christmas tree-topper, a vampire, a hooker and a porn star in training amongst other things. Jensen has been a vampire too, a Greek soldier, a book-store owner, an ice seller from the 1920’s and a virtual reality coder. I keep them busy, is all I can say.

There is just something magical about creating worlds centered around the two most beautiful men on earth. I have a new fic lined up for the new year but I am going be (reluctantly) taking a break which is good because Christmas is fun but bad because I write literally every day of my life. I’m sure I’ll survive it.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Here below is the complete list of every J2 fic of 2023 – 666,130 words – make of that word count what you will. 😦

Very long list under the cut -

THE LOVE LOCKER

Jensen Ackles buys storage units for a living, it's a lucrative business which has made him a comfortable amount of money. One thing he learned on the job is that one man's junk is another man's treasure. People leave all manner of things in abandoned lockers; money, comics, designer clothes, sports equipment, antiques, books and sometimes (maybe just the once), people.

THE PURPLE IRIS

In 1926 Louisiana, twenty year old Jared Padalecki has been forever searching for something to fulfil him. The youngest of four sons born into a rich and privileged family, Jared is ignored by his mother, father and brothers who think him wild and believe him to be of no use to them. In a desperate bid to inject excitement into his life, Jared spends his formative years seeking thrills but finds nothing that suits his character, until he comes of age. Jared is a late bloomer, lonely and questioning his sexuality. Through self-discovery, Jared opens himself up to the world in the most intimate way possible, attracting the attention of the mysterious 'iceman' and a rich older friend of his father's who takes advantage of Jared's vulnerability and loneliness.

FOREVER SEVENTEEN

Jared Padalecki was well-traveled for a sixteen year old and had lived in many different countries around the world. His passion was history and joining his parents on archaeological digs, standing on the sidelines and watching as the past was slowly revealed. When Mr. and Mrs. Padalecki decided to take on regular jobs and settle down in Santa Cruz, it gave Jared his first taste of high school in the US. With only two weeks until summer break, he had little time to settle in and even less time to make friends to keep him busy during the summer. However, on his very first day, Jared was taken under the wing of the very mysterious but shockingly handsome Jensen Ackles. At seventeen, Jensen had a worldy air about him and an intelligence to match Jared's. Soon, they became insperable and during that crazy hot summer, they became eternal together too.

GLOW IN THE DARK STARS

Have you ever met a terrible person and wondered why they did the things they did? What happened to them that turned them into a bad person? Were they born like it? What kind of trauma led them to become such an a-hole? None of those questions are answered here. Instead, what you will find is what happens to terrible people when they realize that they’re terrible. Jared Padalecki is young, not particularly dumb (actually pretty smart, eventually) and definitely full of come. He’s also full of himself too. When his car-crash of a mother announces her marriage to Jensen Ackles (lol), Jared actually couldn’t care less but Jensen is harboring a secret. Mmm, I wonder what it could be?

BERRY PIE

1969 - the summer of love for young people all over the world, the moon landings and the last year of the swinging sixties. In Jared Padalecki's small world, none of that figured as he battles to make sense of himself and a girl called 'Juliet' in an unloving home. The Padalecki farmstead had always given the impression of a happy home; it was beautiful, the heart of the community and the family were well-respected. Jared had always felt a little different to what was expected of him and most of the time, his life and future felt hopeless and carved out for him. But there was something about him that said determination as he quietly and privately tried to bring 'Juliet' to life, the other part of him, the girl he so very often needed to be.

EROTAS

When Jensen was fifteen, he was selected by the Gods and the elders of the Sacred Army temple in Thebes to one day fight alongside a same sex lover as part of the three-hundred strong company of the most beautiful men in all of Ancient Greece. His looks, strength and sexuality was noticed by Zeus but the Theban council elders were hesitant to enlist him, worried that his peasant upbringing would not be the right fit for the army. At twenty-two, Jensen finally left his modest home to join the army, four years later than he should have. His beauty was much admired by his superiors who urged him to form a union of love and strength with the rich and equally beautiful Jared, who was plagued by prejudices of status encouraged by his biased mother. Jensen was loathe to chase after a man who did not want him despite Jared’s obvious beauty and soon Jensen’s eyes were eventually drawn elsewhere; love came swiftly to him in the arms another, leaving Jared seething with jealousy and the council left with no other choice but to take the matter into their own hands.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE

Jared Padalecki is the most popular of all the boys at The Cactus Club, an all-male brothel in the state of Nevada. He’s good at his job because he needs the money and has big plans for his future, just like all the other young men in the club. At twenty-two, Jared is a veteran of sorts, the ‘mother hen’ of the brothel. Independent and quite strong-willed, Jared’s life is turned upside down after a tragedy rocks The Cactus Club but he soon learns that there is a much nicer world outside of Jared’s sex oriented existence and Detective Jensen Ackles is the reluctant cop who teaches him the ways of kinder way of life.

PRET A AIMER (READY TO LOVE)

Jensen Ackles is the most powerful man in the fashion industry, editor-in-chief of ‘Sync’ magazine and an all round uncompromising hard-ass. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Jensen notices a leggy young man propping up the ‘Power House’ building where the ‘Sync’ headquarters are housed. Eventually, curiosity gets the better of him and after finding himself displeased with the models whom had been sent his way, he sends his assistant to drag the young man off the streets, a young man who turns Jensen’s world and the world of fashion upside down.

THIRTY YEARS IN AUGUST

After finding himself alone in a city he had always hated, amateur photographer and almost college student, Jared Padalecki takes himself off to Coney Island for the day in search of much needed adventure which he finds in the shape of one of America’s finest.

MIAMI & YOU

Miami based Jensen Ackles is a veteran porn star with a new venture on his mind and no plans to quit his career. After finding the perfect young man for his dubious project with the help of his manager Matt, Jensen’s unprepared body and mind are sent into turmoil.

WHOA, WE’RE GOING TO IBIZA

Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles had been together for four years but life decided to throw one pile of crap after another at them which led to a sad and bitter break-up. A few months previously, Jared had booked a vacation for himself, Jensen and eight of their best friends to Ibiza. Not wanting to let the side down, Jared and Jensen agreed to allow the trip to continue despite their messy relationship. It turned out to be just as awkward as everyone had expected and fraught with drama none of the friends saw coming.

A TOWN CALLED KISMET

It was 1994 and Jensen Ackles was doing his best impersonation of someone who didn’t constantly have thoughts about other men on the brain. It had never sat right with him, being gay. He had never said it out loud, even to himself and then spent the rest of his time, burying it all under a false life which he hated with a passion. At thirty-two Jensen was seen by the people of Kismet, Iowa as successful. He had a good job, his own home, his own car and kept himself in favor within the community by lying about being a good little Christian too. His ‘friends’ and neighbors had taken to the version of Jensen he had created to hide himself away from the world and for seven long years, he had just about managed to keep it all neatly tucked away. But then, life has a funny way of throwing boys off buses in the middle of ‘Bumfuck Nowhere’ and into the path of closeted gay men.

THE BOYS WHO USED TO BE US

Jensen Ackles had moved on and so had his very private high school crush, Jared Padalecki. Jensen hadn’t gone quite as far as the star student he quietly wanted and for years, Jensen had always wondered what had become of the boy he once adored. We all leave echoes behind us wherever we go; discarded family and friends, legacies of achievements and memories left behind in the minds of everyone important who peopled our youth.

Jared Padalecki may have gone but for Jensen, there was something of a whisper of that boy wherever he went, a blanket of memories wrapped around him for all of his adult life. Little did he know, that soon, he would be making new memories with the boy who finally came home.

GOOD MORNING LOVELY

Jared Padalecki is a writer of ‘smut’. He gets paid for it but it’s not all that fulfilling. After being given a new project from his demanding publisher, Jared decides to go and research what it was really like, living in a small picture perfect town during Fall. He soon finds out that it’s much more meta than he was expecting.

IT’S ONLY A PAPER MOON

Jensen Ackles doesn’t believe in ghosts but then who does in the real world? When he returns home after a disastrous night out dressed as the ‘Leather Man’ from The Village People, Jensen discovers that he’s not alone in his apartment and hasn’t been, for a very long time.

PUMPKIN WARS

Jensen and Jared are newbies in a neighborhood they had no business being a part of but after a Hallowe’en themed run-in with the bossy leader of the Home Owners Association, they soon bring the community together by scaring everyone’s kids shitless.

THE LIGHTHOUSE

Jared Padalecki had shifted his life from city chaos to small town comfort because even at twenty-six he decided he needed a quiet life. Rockfort, Maine was precisely what he needed. The place came with views, beauty, endless seas, an unlikely friend and the peace and quiet Jared had been craving for a long time. The towns most prominent feature, the old but majestic 1800’s lighthouse which had been guiding and keeping people safe for almost two centuries became one of Jared’s many places of work and his favourite thing about Rockfort and he didn’t realize at the time, just how significant the lighthouse would become in shaping his future.

JARED WITH A HEART

Jensen Ackles had never been a lover of social media. He just couldn’t see the appeal of posting every detail about his life online for a bunch of strangers to see. Didn’t care what that bunch of strangers were doing either. Jensen lived in the real world and he liked it there. However, during his nephews birthday party, Jensen found himself in possession of his sisters phone, a self-proclaimed social media addict herself. Leanne had only meant to show him something but that small gesture led to Jensen finding love exactly how he always hoped he would.

VIRTUAL INSANITY

The year is 2073 and Cherry Computers have taken over that other fruit-based tech giant. A largely ethical company, Cherry know how to look after the employees who work in ‘Earth X’, the world’s first virtual reality world. The perks are great and endless and working inside a beta VR means that employees can be whoever they want and create their own worlds. However, living in a fantasy-land can lose its shine when human beings forget to live in the real world.

ANGEL FACE

Jared Padalecki had a problem but it only appeared to a problem for everyone else. Jared was a professional sugar baby and cam boy and he embraced it. After breaking up with his long-term sugar daddy, Jared is ‘head-hunted’ and offered a dubious job by a mysterious yet gorgeous man who had been watching him from the shadows.

NUTS ABOUT YOU

The town of Chestnut Hollow famously held a Christmas Carol Contest every year to coincide with their wholesome Christmas Market. Bookstore owner, Jensen Ackles who loved his hometown to pieces wasn’t always that enthralled by the influx of visitors to the sleepy, picturesque town he called home but after a frosty encounter with enthusiastic choir conductor, Jared Padalecki, Jensen is forced to find himself thoroughly and festively enthralled!

THE BOX OF DELIGHTS

Recently single and not by choice, Jensen Ackles also found himself stranded alone in New York after a bitter break-up. Being alone and away from family was the worst at any time of the year but the holiday season hit harder. After a talk with his mother, Jensen is encouraged to inject a little Christmas spirit into his life and so finds himself one Sunday morning at a flea market with Christmas decorations on his mind. Everything is old and tatty but an intriguing box takes his fancy which turns out to contain more ‘delights’ than he could have ever dreamed of.

HOT SANTA

Jared Padalecki was used to having everything fall into his lap. But he had never been lazy and had proved that by excelling at the life he had been handed. No one was ever truly one hundred percent happy though, even the privileged. Money could solve a lot of problems but not all of them. With only his therapist and endless hook-ups aware of his secret, Jared lived his life around his family firmly in the closet and money really couldn’t fix that problem. At the annual Padalecki Christmas party, Jared had always been in charge of supplying the visiting Santa Claus to keep his nieces and nephews happy and festive. With work being crazy that year, Jared forgot and found himself on page two of Google, desperately trying to find a last-minute Santa. As luck would have it, he found one and he wasn’t ideal, at least not as far as the kids were concerned.

LET’S FALL IN LOVE AND DO NOTHING

Self-proclaimed ‘North America’s Laziest Man’, Jensen Ackles has just quit his latest job. At the age of thirty-six, he suddenly realizes that it’s about time he made some changes to his life. After applying for a new position suggested by a friend, Jensen gets a job working as a house boy in Aspen over the Christmas holidays. All he has to do is cook the family meals, serve at the dinner table and not, under any circumstances, diddle the boss’s son.

STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT

It was Christmas Eve and trucker Jensen Ackles had found himself at his familiar truck stop in snowy Minnesota. Not wanting to spend the holidays alone, he expects to find the boy he often paid for sex to keep him company on Christmas Day but when he arrives the boy is nowhere to be found. To console himself, Jensen sits down to eat at the truck stop diner but is interrupted in his solitude by a disarming French fry thief who winds up changing the course of both of their lives.

BATTLE OF THE BALLS

After the chaos of Hallowe’en, new ‘gaybors’ Jensen and Jared have sunk perfectly into their blossoming relationship and successfully ousted evil Wendy as their HOA ‘dictator-in-chief’, almost. With the holiday season on the horizon, Jared is determined to take their festive decorations to another insane level. During that time they clash with Wendy once again and wind up as reluctant therapists after another neighbor seeks their advice.

FROM LONDON WITH LOVE

After moving to London, England for work and on the cusp of regretting his decision, Jared Padalecki finds himself alone at Christmas in a city with no friends. With work colleagues occupied for the duration of the holiday season and his family overseas, Jared can do little else but keep himself busy by exploring the city. On a rainy evening a few days before Christmas, Jared stumbles across a market and decides to try some warm spiced to cheer (and warm) himself up. While taking in the view of the River Thames, Jared is approached by a devastatingly handsome man who has a familiar cadence to his voice and within only minutes of meeting him, offers Jared a very festive but decent proposal.

#j2 #j2 fan fiction #j2 fanfic #j2 alternative universe #j2 au #j2 fic rec #j2 fan fic #j2 au fan fiction #jared x jensen #jared padalecki #jensen ackles #smack the devil #smackthedevil

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theliterarywolf · 8 months ago

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Oh my God it happened! I had my first ever Karen parent encounter today. Wolfy! *kicks door open* Holy FUCK!

Story Time.

It's spring break so we're doing room by room detailing (Custodian Guard!), not quite the deep scrub of Summer where it all smells new at the end but more like doing a solid once over with a vacuum and a pleather touch-up

I have the fire doors at the end of the hall closed since the school technically is open but they're not supposed to go beyond the office without a chaperone. I hear this ungodly banging. Like someone is trying to actually break through a union rated fire door. I was shown the mess of where one of the SpecEd kids had a sensory over load and wigged. Ended up running body first into the door and then puking all over it from the pain of...something or other. I heard collar bone and also dislocation and also head trauma. I DIGRESS! Bang, bang, bang. At the door Wolfy! I go see WTF and poke my head out. This 5 foot something of a pants suit wearing business woman with a fucked up hawk cut (looked kind of like that ugly fug from the Lorax) rips the door from my hand and barges past. THIS FUCKING BITCH ignores me as I keep pace demanding to know what in the world she thinks she's doing. She stops at a locker, points, and tells me to open it. I said No. And oh NO, uh oh, round the fucking merry go round we go! This bitch explodes! "This is my child's locker and if it's my child's locker its my locker now open it!" Or some such. Honestly she was pitching into my tinnitus and I just started tuning her out. Shrills of property rights, and police, and I let her wear her self out when the door opens again and there's my HoF, El Jefe. It's spring break, the HBIC up behind the big desk put him in charge. He already looks like he's ready to take his crock off and knock her block off LA CHANKLA style.

No, he's a true working class gentlemen. Friendly, but authoritative; assertive, but even handed. Asks her how she got in, what she was doing, why she was doing it. Would not let her talk over him. She accused me of cursing. I said check the cameras. We go and see the display in the security office and since our cams capture sound as well everyone got to see an awesome rendition of Cotton Candy complete with booty dance (I'm doing my job I don't give a fuck), before we find out she had tried the office, they denied her entry, so she just went looking for an unlocked door and barged her way past a delivery that was in progress, made her way to my hall, and began knocking, pounding, then attempting to break her way through the fire door and her entire tirade is caught on persistent media device. Nobody clapped because this bitch is throwing insults at everyone. Then I found out WHY she was so upset. I said I was going to explain that I couldn't open anything without my bosses approval, but she launched into a fit and that's when El Jefe showed up. So we call the HBIC and she's pissed because she's using actual vacation hours to ensure a spring break for her kids and tells us to take security and open the locker. Kid was vaping. Cart box fell out soon as I opened the locker. Peaches n Cream cool hit single cart. 10 year old kid. Fuck. I know I did nothing wrong but I told her I understand her shock and empathized any ways. Knowing that your kid is doing nicotine and god knows what else from these prepackaged crap packets. Security takes pictures, emails are sent, CC'd, forwarded, in duplicate, witness statements, police were called but no charges pressed she was just walked off the premises with little coaxing. I think she was just processing at that point. Found out later through the break-room telephone that the kid ended up in a local Psych hospital...I honestly feel worse for the kid knowing that. The places we have in this town are just...fucking scams.

See, you got the 'fun' unhinged Karen, I always got the 'how dare that teacher say something not perfectly squeaky clean to my precious baby! I demand to be let on campus so I can beat her ass at ONCE!' Karens.

Even though the 'not perfectly squeaky clean' comments were:

High School - *in response to a kid shouting 'I like my bitches silent' across the classroom several times during class'* "You probably shouldn't call someone else a bitch when you're acting like a bitch yourself, now get out.'

Middle School - *in response to a kid being disrespectful and saying that they don't even want to be in school* "You know, back when I taught high school, sometimes the best advice I could give to people with your point of view was 'maybe you should just drop out'."

*in response to the class refusing to settle down after utilizing literally all of the school's call-to-actions and calls-for-silence* "Okay, I want it as silent as a corpse in here, thank you..."

But, I have to say, I was laughing at your Cotton Candy booty-shaking antics... Then I got sad near the end.

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icedragonlizard · 1 year ago

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Magolor headcanons

Another post for my "series" of tumblr posts going over general headcanons for singular characters of the Kirby series!

Magolor is another Kirby character that I have a lot of headcanons for. Allow me to get started on going over them!

He's also fun to make a lot of headcanons for! I'll put a 'Keep reading' tag because it'll be another long one. As always, everything that is underneath the keep reading tag is purely my headcanons.

When Magolor first excavated and repaired the Lor Starcutter in Halcandra, he then used it to take a fun cruise around outer space. That was his first time piloting the Lor after he fixed it.

During his cruise around outer space, he found a certain jester helplessly floating around as a result of getting blasted into a clockwork star. This is, of course, Marx. Upon encountering him, Magolor felt bad, so he decided to take Marx in and recover him, and become his friend in the process.

Marx then shared vital information to Magolor that eventually led to RTDL's events taking place. He disclosed about his incident with Kirby that almost got him killed. This gave Magolor the grand idea to plot a betrayal against Kirby, like Marx before him. He planned in having this betrayal give him the opportunity to finally get his hands on the Master Crown and attempt universal conquest.

He's wanted the Master Crown for a long time, but he was previously incapable of acquiring it, since he couldn't defeat Landia in a fight. But ever since he took the Lor on a cosmic cruise and found Marx, and learned about Kirby's existence thanks to Marx, this had given Magolor high hopes of finally getting the Master Crown by using Kirby and co to defeat Landia as his way of obtaining it.

Now that I'm done going over my pre-RTDL headcanons for Magolor, let's get into all the headcanons that take place after the game!

Magolor got his act together after spending five miserable months in Another Dimension. As he finally left that horrible, twisted dimension, he spent a couple of years in the Dream Kingdom to obtain enough capital to start his dream of building an amusement park in Planet Popstar. This would be his apology to Kirby and co, as he wanted to reconcile and sincerely become their friend after what happened.

Although he interacted nicely with some residents in the Dream Kingdom, he didn't really care enough to make any actual friends during his time there. He didn't intend to stay there for too long. He did, however, say his goodbyes to them as he left.

After leaving the Dream Kingdom, he did a few things before making his grand return to Planet Popstar:

First, he temporarily returned to Halcandra to apologize and reconcile with Landia, and then fix the broken Lor Starcutter.

The dragon was rather skeptical at first, but forgives as it eventually realized that Magolor was sorry. The two don't actually become true friends, but they've been at peaceful terms with each other since. That being said, Landia did make the decision to show up at Popstar one time to check out Magolor's amusement park when it heard about the park's opening! This headcanon is to help explain why Landia makes an appearance in Merry Magoland.

Magolor then worked in getting the Lor Starcutter back together in Halcandra. Thankfully, all the energy spheres were in the planet, and he was able to achieve them all, with Landia's help on some of them.

When he got the Lor back up and running, and bid a farewell to Landia as he left Halcandra, he did one more thing before returning to Popstar: find Marx and break the news to him.

Magolor met Marx again after a long time, and broke the news on everything that happened since they last saw each other. After breaking the news, Magolor then let Marx know about his plan to go back to Popstar to reconcile with Kirby and co, and attempted to encourage the jester to do the same. However, Marx stubbornly refused to do so at first, very much to Magolor's disappointment.

But nevertheless, Magolor still stuck to his decision to make up with Kirby and the others, as he still really wanted to do so. And to his joy, Marx eventually went ahead to also make his reconciliation with Kirby some time after Magolor did his, but not before the two tricksters had strife with each other over this when Marx hadn't relented yet.

When Magolor finally returned to Popstar and made his grand apology, he was very quickly forgiven by Kirby and King Dedede. Meta Knight was quite skeptical at first, but eventually also forgave Magolor, although he definitely needed some time before he did so. That's 3/4 of the dream team that forgave him.

However... the fourth member of the dream team hasn't, and to this day, still doesn't forgive Magolor. Bandana Waddle Dee still holds a grudge against him. This is elaborated more on my post talking about how Bandee is a big hater and still has very angry feelings about most of Kirby's friends that used to be villains.

But despite not getting forgiveness from Bandee, that didn't stop Magolor from being allowed to make Popstar his new home planet. That's exactly what he did as he made his grand return, as he got himself situated at somewhere out in Dream Land as his home area. Where he lives is on an outer edge of Dream Land that can see Orange Ocean from a distance. It's also where the Lor Starcutter will be sitting around for the majority of the time from here on out.

Even though Magolor announced that he'll build an amusement park after making his apology to the dream team, he didn't immediately start doing it. He lives in Popstar for several years until he finally gets around to start building his park. During that time frame, he gets to know Kirby's other friends, including ones that are also ex-villains. Over the years, he makes many friends.

His four closest friends are Kirby, Marx, Taranza and Susie. I've made earlier tumblr posts on how he interacts with Marx as well as how he interacts with his Taranza and Susie. So go check those out if you'd like, as I won't repeat his entire dynamics with them in here.

Post-RTDL, Magolor can be considered a 'big brother' friend to Kirby. In fact, as soon as he made his apology, Kirby gave him a hug as he was glad to see that he was alright, and that hug turned out to be well-deserved considering Magolor's efforts in getting to that point.

It delights Magolor every time Kirby comes to visit him at his home. One of his favorite things to do with Kirby is make him laugh. Overall, though, he wants to keep making the little guy proud. As he considers Kirby to be very special, he's highly honored to now be friends with him, and doesn't want to ruin that again.

Now going past Magolor's four closest friends, he has many other friends that he's also often silly with.

King Dedede has taken a large liking to Magolor while warming up to him post-RTDL. These two often engage in funny talk, and sometimes even impersonate each other's voices just to mess with each other. Every so often, Magolor may also come around Dedede's castle to pull a prank or two. When Merry Magoland became open, Dedede found lots of amusement with the dress-up masks, as he and Magolor often impersonate others' voices when wearing masks.

It took Meta Knight some time to forgive Magolor. Initially, he was quite pissed off for a while, since that betrayal hit pretty hard for him. But as Meta Knight experiences Magolor more and more post-RTDL, knowing that a betrayal won't happen again, he does genuinely warm up to him. At one point, he fully accepts him as a friend.

There was one time where Magolor was even invited to the Halberd, and he was more than capable of making Meta Knight's crew laugh. The Halberd crew really likes him! Meta Knight is also very much amused by him sometimes as well. There may be occasions where he finds Magolor a bit annoying, but he's pretty good with him now. Magolor really likes Meta Knight and thinks he's a total badass.

Magolor is good friends with the mage sisters. He loves messing around with them, as well as talking about ancient technology with them. Of the three, Flamberge is the one he's closest friends with, as he likes how bombastic she is compared to the others.

He lovably has nicknames for all three of them. His nickname for Zan Partizanne is 'Zan Parmesan Cheese', he calls Flamberge 'Flamburger' and he calls Francisca 'Friendcisca'. When referring to the trio as a whole, he calls them the 'traffic-light trio girls'.

Daroach is another one that Magolor is pretty good friends with. These two have a particular thing going on where they love to steal from each other. There's definitely some irritation during this, but they both think it's really fun and enriching to commit robbery on each other. They'll often be like "DAMN! How'd he get me this time?"

Magolor and Daroach admire each other's slyness as they steal from each other. Even when they aren't stealing from each other, they sometimes hang out as well. They've got a similar sense of humor and will often tell each other jokes. They can also sometimes form a trio with Marx, where all three of them commit tomfoolery together.

Gooey really likes Magolor, and vice versa. Magolor enjoys making Gooey laugh, and like with Kirby, he's also delighted whenever the little dark matter defect comes to visit him. He'll often pat Gooey on the head like the good boy he is. There are times Magolor will trick Gooey into doing funny things in the light-hearted sense, and of course the blue blob doesn't mind it when that happens!

Adeleine, Ribbon and the animal friends are all on decent terms with Magolor as well. Rick and Kine in particular quite like him, as they'll often engage in funny talk with him when he encounters them. Magolor may sometimes hype Kine up as some wholesome fish that can kick some major ass, which of course makes Kine laugh.

Dark Meta Knight is... someone that doesn't get along with Magolor. Magolor tried to be his friend at first, but it didn't exactly work out as DMK wasn't really interested in being his friend. DMK thinks that he's just some obnoxious attention-seeking weirdo he'd rather not have anything to do with. Whoops...

Magolor and Elfilin are... sort of on neutral terms with each other. At first, Elfilin thought he was really weird and obnoxious until eventually warming up to him, but not really close enough to consider a friend. Magolor likes Elfilin, although he feels bad about weirding him out many times.

That more or less wraps up on how Magolor interacts with other notable members of the Kirby cast in my headcanons. He's been forgiven by the dream team except for Bandana Waddle Dee, and he's got rather silly dynamics with most of the other ex-villains that have also become Kirby's friends.

I think it's worth noting that Magolor has a bunch of 'partners-in-crime' relationships with many of the other ex-villains. He's got a 'partners-in-crime' with Marx, one with Taranza, one with Susie, one with Daroach, and ones with the mage sisters. Sometimes, he'll be joined by one of them in doing tomfoolery, because they all know how much he enjoys it. Can't deny that mischief is fun, huh?

Magolor's favorite food is apples, although his favorite type of food is fruit in general. Apples weren't always his favorite food, though, as it used to be pineapples until he started doing things with gem apples to inspire him to eat apples more.

Speaking of gem apples, Magolor has pulled pranks involving them. During Star Allies, when the mage sisters were the enemy, Magolor would offer them gem apples 'snacks' after defeating them, and then snapped his fingers to have the gem apples blow up in their faces to further humiliate them. Also looks at Daroach, who stole gem apples from Magolor before, but found out that it was pretty dumb to have done so.

While he has a fascination with ancient technology, he's gradually learning more about modern technology thanks to Susie. He has a phone that she made for him. Sometimes, he prank-calls people on the phone... he has Susie, Taranza and the mage sisters as contacts, so that's who he occasionally prank-calls, lol.

As Magolor's home area in an outer edge of Dream Land is where the Lor Starcutter will normally sit around at when he's not piloting it, he's been implementing upgrades onto it over time. He's given the Lor the capability of playing music, as well as the ability to play videos on its screens, meaning he can pretty much use the Lor's screens like a television. He'll sometimes play music or watch videos inside the Lor late at night, right before he goes to sleep.

Speaking of going to sleep, the Lor is where Magolor sleeps inside of. He doesn't have a normal house or anything, as he basically uses the Lor as his 'house'. Every time right before he goes to sleep, he turns off most of the Lor's functions so it doesn't make some really dumb malfunction as he sleeps. That wouldn't be good, lol.

He'll sometimes take the Lor out onto rides. He'll also use it for whenever he goes to vacation on other planets, or even to visit friends that live outside of Popstar (such as Susie and the mage sisters). He's more than glad to take friends onto rides in the Lor as he pilots it to places, either so they get to experience it in while it's in full operation or they may be going on the same vacation with him.

When the Lor isn't at Magolor's home in Dream Land, that means he's outside of Popstar for the time being, doing something on some other planet. Whether the Lor is at his home or not is an indicator if he's in Popstar or not. He occasionally does things out of the planet.

He's taken a vacation on Halcandra post-Star Allies one time, just to see what the place was up to and to see how Landia has been doing. While Halcandra is a messy place, it appears that Landia is the closest thing that the planet has to a 'ruler'. Magolor took some of his friends with him during this rare vacation to Halcandra.

The Lor Starcutter is Magolor's method of getting to the Forgotten Land, since he doesn't care enough to ask Elfilin to open up portals for him to get there, so instead he gets there himself. He's also brought many others to the Forgotten Land by using the Lor.

His first vacation in the Forgotten Land was with Taranza and Susie, who he took with him by using the Lor. The three of them checked out the place together for the first time. Then at some point later, Magolor made a second vacation in the Forgotten Land, as that time he brought Marx with him as he showed him around the place.

Magolor has been really enjoying his time in the Forgotten Land. He experienced everything that Waddle Dee Town had to offer, but what he liked the most was checking out the weapons shop where he liked seeing all of the ability 'costumes' that Kirby has worn.

After Forgotten Land's events is when Merry Magoland finally finishes production and becomes open to the public. That it opens up this recently explains how there are dress-up masks for Forgotten Land characters, as Magolor visited the place before finishing up his amusement park. Production began several months before Forgotten Land's events, and finished up some time after.

A large group of waddle dees helped Magolor build the park. They helped build the structures and the attractions. They assured to keep building the park as they gave Magolor the opportunity to take a vacation in the Forgotten Land, as he was way too intrigued to not visit there at his soonest opportunity to do so.

NOTE: While I'm aware that Merry Magoland might actually be taking place in a different reality, I'm making it exist in my headcanon universe. I mean, to be fair, you can see it in the background in some parts of the main story in RTDLDX, so I'd think it should be okay to have it exist in my headcanon universe.

Magolor himself created the dress-up masks. He created them using his magic, as over the years he's been improving on his magic and has developed the capability of creating things such as plushies.

The other notable members of the Kirby cast have had... wildly varying reactions to the masks. Many loved it, others kind of had a bone to pick with him about it. He didn't exactly get a whole lot of brownie points from Taranza and Susie when he made masks of their dead loved ones, despite them being his friends. Whoops. He did apologize, though... they eventually got over it as they're still his friends, but ooooh were they NOT happy about it at first.

Overall, aside from the controversy over the masks, the general reception of Merry Magoland is rather well. Many however have pointed out how hilarious it is for the main castle structure to resemble Magolor, as well as all the Magolor symbols floating around the place. That more than proves his pridefulness.

Magolor doesn't want trouble happening in his park. If someone tries to kickstart chaos, they'll be kicked out. They don't get banned from the park, as they can come back later, but they'll be asked to leave for the time being if they cause trouble. May need to look at Marx for this one, considering he has a bigger tendency for chaos than most others do.

The park has hours of when it's open and closed. It's open for most of the day, but it's closed during early morning and late night. There are times where Magolor might decide to close the park for a few days if he wants to go on a vacation or something, or he might close it for one day if he's wanting to go to some big event. Of course, he still has things he'd like to do outside of the park, and thus there are occasional days where he may have the park close for the time being.

Magolor may host particular events in Merry Magoland, such as holiday-related events, or when a close friend's birthday is coming.

Speaking of birthdays, he's made his own birthdays events in the park before! But before Merry Magoland opened, Magolor did have his birthdays celebrated in Dream Land ever since he moved in. Kirby would kickstart a birthday party for him every time. He really appreciates it! His non-Popstar friends will also show up for him.

There were some birthdays where he invited a bunch of people over to inside the Lor to have some party, and they either dance to music playing or they watch videos together. Either way, it's a lot of fun!

Back then in earlier parts of his life, his birthdays went uncelebrated as he didn't really have anybody. That changed post-RTDL when he started actually having people in his life to celebrate his birthdays with. He always gets super duper excited when his birthday hits.

Kirby always gives Magolor a big hug on his birthday. Awwwww........ that in of itself can be considered a present. It makes Magolor rather emotional every time that happens!

I think that about wraps up the headcanons that I have for Magolor! He's quite a fun character, isn't he? If you've taken the time to read all this, I thank you very much.

I made an earlier post going over my general headcanons for Susie, and if you decide to also check out that post if you haven't already, then I'd appreciate it!

Well, since now I've made these posts for both Susie and Magolor, that means Taranza will be the next Kirby character to make a massive headcanon post about to get this done for all of Wave 3! So you'll have that to look forward to.

I suppose that after Taranza, I may do either Marx or Gooey next after him. But for now, you get Magolor, and you also have Susie that I wrote general headcanons for earlier.

I look forward to seeing you for more later!

#kirby #magolor #kirby's return to dreamland #kirby's return to dreamland deluxe #merry magoland #halcandra #landia #kirby star allies #taranza #susie haltmann #marx kirby

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whumpiary · 8 months ago

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mate tucker is such a bastard. wtf is wrong with him. i love him so ❤️

Sooooo many things anon 🥰

Have a little thingo from five million years ago I never finished where something New and Different is wrong with him

The hotel room they were put up in last night is actually two rooms with a conjoining door. Cass had hardly believed it when Tucker had come back from check in and handed him his own key card for once.

“Yeah, yeah, Merry Christmas,” Tucker had murmured, rolling his eyes at Cass’ momentary surprise. “Still expect you ready to go at 7.30. I’m just not in the mood to listen to you sleep-talk all night.”

So Cass knows better than to test his luck by being late. The second his alarm sounds he’s up and getting dressed, putting on the suit that Tucker had packed for him, pulling his hair back the way Tucker prefers it when they’re on business. He’s mostly successful in ignoring the fact that it’s Christopher’s fingers he’s echoing as he tries to tie his tie. He ends up giving up on it. Tucker usually re-does it for him anyway.

Tucker is always punctual to the point of frustration. Early for being early, unless he’s intentionally aiming for a power play by being a perfect ten minutes late.

So, when Cass knocks on the conjoining door and pushes it open, he’s expecting to see Tucker already ready to go, leaning impatiently on the bench of the little kitchenette, scrolling through his phone and already annoyed that Cass didn’t predict that when he said 7.30 he actually meant 7:15.

Instead he finds Tucker sitting at the table, halfway through a bowl of the granola he packs himself, staring into space. He’s not even fully dressed yet, tie loosely draped around his neck, vest and jacket laid out on the bed. His hair doesn’t even look moussed.

Cass frowns, taking him in with a cursory glance over, “Shit, you look rough. Big night or something?”

Tucker blinks, looking up, seeming to register Cass’ presence for the first time. “What?”

“Big night?”

Tucker blinks at him again, giving no indication that he’s processing what’s being said to him.

Cass deliberately slows his words down, to the point of being annoying. “Did you go out last night?”

“Go where?”

Cass shrugs, “I dunno. Like to a club or something.”

Tucker blinks again, heavy lidded, before pulling a face.

“We’re on business,” is all he says and that more or less seems to be the close of the conversation.

He shakes his head as though to clear it, eats the last couple bites of his granola and then, in a beautifully un-Tucker-like way, lifts the rims of the bowl to his lips to finish the milk.

Cass stands stupidly in the doorway between their rooms, watching. He’s not entirely sure what he’s meant to do here.

“Did I get the wrong time or something?”

“Tucker?”

“I’m fine,” Tucker says, almost automated. Then he blinks, looking up, seeming to register Cass’ presence for the first time. “What did you say?”

Cass jerks a thumb over his shoulder, “It’s 7.30. Don’t we have to go soon?”

“Go where?”

Cass frowns for a moment, blinking a little, “The conference thing?”

Tucker looks over Cass’ shoulder to where he’s pointing, like he’s trying to see through the wall. He sways in his seat. Seems to forget to answer.

“Tuck? You good?”

“What?” he says, an irritated blink as he focuses back on Cass’ face. He waves a hand dismissively. “Yeah, you look fine. I said you look fine.”

Cass frowns, on tilt. It’s not usually him who’s the one keeping track of the conversation. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Why do you keep asking me that?”

“Because you’re like three different shades of green and I feel like I’m in Freaky fuckin’ Frida-”

“I’m fine.”

“Yeah so you keep saying, but you don’t look-“

“I’m fine, Ace. Shut up,” Tucker snaps as he stands. And then, as if to directly counter what he’s just said, sways for a second. He presses thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose. Sniffs. “Let’s jus’…” He takes a step forward and his foot seems to go straight through the carpet. “Oh fuck.“

His head hits the table on his way down to the floor.

#tucker #cassius #fainting cw

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leogichidaa · 11 months ago

Text

Psychoanalysis Sunday: Christmas Eve Interlude

Non-magical AU where Regulus is put in therapy with a psychoanalyst

Part 1 | Previous

Regulus fiddles anxiously with the sleeves of his freshly starched shirt as he examines his appearance in his bedroom mirror. Despite the amount of time and effort he has put into getting his hair just so, a tiny strand keeps falling out of place and creeping across his forehead in infuriating defiance. He carefully smooths it back into place.

It is the first Christmas Eve he has spent without Sirius, who has stubbornly insisted upon staying at Hogwarts for the entire Christmas holiday. What’s more, their parents hardly tried to persuade him otherwise. Inexplicably, they had all but given him their blessing to abandon the family – to abandon Regulus – for the wretched children of degenerates whose company he clearly prefers. And in his absence, the pressure on Regulus to entertain and appease the entire extended family that is gathering at Grimmauld presently is magnified.

Not that Sirius ever does much in the way of appeasing anyone in the family. He claims that he does an excellent job at entertaining, but Regulus has never found his holiday hijinks entertaining in the least. If anything, it should be easier for Regulus to not have Sirius here, to not have to wonder what new ridiculous thing Sirius will do, to not have to worry himself sick about how everyone will react. He does not understand how Sirius can manage it – the way the family all stares at him, the weight of their disapproval. It is enough to drive Regulus to despair, even when it is not aimed at him, which it hardly ever is.

Of course, in Sirius’ absence, it might be.

Regulus marches over to his bedside table and grabs the comb off of it with perhaps an excessive amount of exuberance. The table shakes slightly, knocked off balance by the force of his discontent. He ignores it, marching back over to the mirror to attack his hair into submission.

After several minutes of painstaking care, he finally manages to coerce it into complying with his wishes. Satisfied, he moves on to his wardrobe to finish getting ready.

“It will be better this year without him,” he insists to himself. “We will all have a much nicer time without his antics. Mother and father probably did not fight for him to come home because they knew it was better this way. They will be happier. We shall all have a merry time.”

He heaves a sigh and tugs his shoes on his feet, focusing intently on tying the laces with absolute precision so that they are exactly symmetrical. It takes him twenty minutes. Twenty blessed minutes when he has no thoughts of anything other than perfecting his shoelaces.

When he is finished, he gets up and grins at his reflection, quite pleased with himself.

The pleasure is quite short-lived, however. His face falls in an instant and he walks closer to the mirror. That ridiculous, awful, uncooperative, rebellious strand of hair is out of place again!

Regulus slams his fist against the mirror at the exact moment that his father opens the door to tell him to come downstairs. The timing is awfully unfortunate. His father walks in to find Regulus in tears, staring at the broken mirror, with blood dripping down his hand and seeping into his freshly starched shirt.

"What on Earth - "

Regulus swallows a sob and straightens his shoulder. "I am terribly sorry, father," he manages to force out. "I am going to need a bit longer to get ready."

"But why have you done this?" his father asks.

Regulus keeps his eyes on the shattered glass, unable to turn to look at his father. "I will clean it and change and be down momentarily," he says stiffly. "Please give my apologies to mother. And everyone."

His father stands in the doorway for what feels like an eternity before eventually shutting the door and leaving Regulus to tend to his wounds and try once more to make himself presentable.

#psychoanalysis sunday #regulus black #sirius black #orion black #house of black #my writing

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anarchycox · 11 months ago

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Hey!! Merry Christmas!! 🥰 Gimme some of that sweet sanlu/lusan. Tradition (or whatever word you’d like!)

Luffy woke up and his brain decided to tell him today was super important, but it didn't provide why it was important. He wasn't mad, just meant his brain wanted it to be a fun surprise. That was nice of his brain.

He leapt out of bed and steadied himself. Didn't need to steady himself a lot though. Looked around, and right, this ship was bigger than the Sunny. Every morning, he assumed he was on the Sunny, but this wasn't that morning.

Luffy smiled, because it would be tomorrow. He didn't need his brain to remind him, he remembered why today was important. Luffy ran downstairs and out the door and to their berth. "Sunny!" he waved at his ship. "Today's the day!" He swore he heard the Sunny laugh. But if today was the day, that meant everyone was going to be here.

Luffy ran around the whole of the Baratie and sure enough all the ships were there. He tore into the kitchen even though he wasn't really supposed to go in there. Some people got grumpy. He landed on Sanji's back. "They're here!"

"Of course they are, think they'd be late? It's tradition. Also, fuck, Luffy, you are getting too heavy to keep doing that. My back isn't what it was."

Luffy laughed. "Sanji is still strong and fast and good and the best. It doesn't matter that he's ancient now."

"Ancient?"

Okay that was the wrong word, because Luffy got dumped onto a chair that was miles away from the food. There was a glare. "Forty is coming for you next year, Luffy."

"Nah, has to catch me first! I'm faster than Sanji so maybe it won't catch me."

"I will hold you in place to make sure it catches you." There was a scowl but also a kiss to his nose. "Go sit at our table, everyone is waiting."

"Not without Sanji." Luffy beamed at him. "I can wait."

"No you can't, and I love that about you. I'll be there in a sec."

"Right!" Luffy hurried out of the kitchen and to the table where his crew were all waiting. He landed on Zoro who grunted but held him easily. Stretch and hug Nami and Usopp. And then more stretching so he could hug everyone else. "It's today!" Today was the best day of every year.

"Yup," Zoro agreed. "It's today." Everyone cheered to today, which Luffy thought they should have waited for Sanji. Who was taking a long time. Where was food.

"Oi, you'll miss the tide," Zeff shouted.

Luffy realized that today today, Sanji would only have food in one place. Luffy ran to the Sunny and sure enough Sanji was there cooking in his kitchen. Luffy sat at the counter, and soon enough the crew had the Sunny out of berth and onto her next adventure. Their next adventure.

Ten years now, and every new year, they all made their way to the Baratie, left spouses and children behind for two months of sailing the seas and being the Straw Hats. Of being them. Sanji handed him a plate. "Go on," Sanji said with a smile. "Sunny's been missing you."

Luffy smiled. "Later, now with you." Tradition to eat the first meal his husband cooked on the Sunny with his husband. "You cook better on the Sunny than the Baratie."

"You say that every year."

"Mean it every year." Luffy ate and it was better. "What do you think we'll find this time?"

"Don't know, but it will be fun to see."

"Hey, Luffy, there's a sea king in our way, wanna have some fun?" Zoro's voice echoed. Luffy looked down at his plate and quickly licked it clean.

"Love you!" Luffy shoved the plate at Sanji and ran. His brain had been wrong, it wasn't just an important day, it was the best day. It was they were home day.

#one piece #sanlu #holiday prompts #future straw hats

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theresa-of-liechtenstein · 1 month ago

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of course basically a year to the day of becoming tita conductor's principal second violin i come to the realization that if tita conductor and i have anything, it's the music department copy room

i am making my merry way to shoot the breeze with the concertmaster when i hear a very familiar voice calling my name from behind me

i have DEFINITELY mis-imagined tita conductor’s voice in the ivovanhovedongiovannicore arts building before so i keep walking towards the rehearsal room. but i hear my name again so i turn around and there’s tita conductor outside the copy room

she says “i am doing things in here” awkwardly and points at the copy room. and then she adds, as if as an afterthought, “come help”

predictably, i assent and step inside to help—only to find that twenty minutes before rehearsal is scheduled to begin, tita conductor has not yet finished labeling folders for seat placement and adding parts to them 😭

she asks me to verify my schedule and lets me know that the new first year i met the week prior will be my co-principal and take over when i have to leave for class which i agree with wholeheartedly

i put my things down and am like “okay what next” and she says “hold on don’t talk to me real quick i need to think”

this isn’t an unfamiliar move to me so i’m like okay cool and stand there until she’s finished having her think

she has me start on the first violin folders and those aren’t hard, i make sure all the right numbered parts go with the right numbered folders and then stack them on the table and await marching orders

to set the scene, we are both working furiously and quietly. i am putting numbered parts into the proper folders as fast as she can label them with numbers. at times i am literally on my hands and knees dealing with folders spread out on the floor 💀

i notice that i’m short two copies of a piece in the second violins (THERE ARE 12 OF US.)

i ask tita conductor for two more copies but take the paper out from the wrong side of the machine

i say “um tita why is there a viola copy in this stack of seconds that just came out of the machine” and she takes a look at it and replies “because i am a human disaster” THE SCREAM I ALMOST SCRUMPT

FINALLY sort out the damn issue get back on the floor and finish putting the folders together. i straighten up, put them on the table, and start laying out the viola folders.

quoth tita conductor from above me, “welcome to my world” girl, i have been living in it for almost exactly one year to the day 😭

we finish that almost at the start of rehearsal and then i bring my stuff to the rehearsal room before returning to the copy room to relocate the whole damn stack of string parts. must have been something like 38 folders total if i remember correctly

i manage to forget my hat in the copy room in my haste but am able to get it back because tita conductor ended rehearsal, opened a room for my quartet, then shut herself in her office to watch the vice presidential debate. but all’s well that ends well

anyway the moral of the story is that if you’re weird enough about a specific person who is a bit further up the authority gradient than you to the point that you’ll willingly help them, they will remember that and even if you’re mediocre in terms of skill you can still get far in terms of being their favorite person to ask for help. and scene.

#em jumped up busker

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journeytothewest-daily · 10 months ago

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Hi! Some thoughts and questions about chapter 14;

Hurray! More Monkey! I was so happy when Sun Wu-k'ung showed up, because he felt like he was from a different genre with his explosive violence and wild boasts.

When Wu-k'ung jumped around and did flips and cartwheels in pain he reminded me a lot of a Looney Toons character, and I could imagine his whole body going red and steam shooting out of his ears

But was it not cruel of Tripitaka and Kuan-yin to lie to him and torture him? I thought Tripitaka's admonition of honesty would be a ruse, but those two seemed a little too willing to torture poor Monkey.

It was, however, very funny when he was asked not to kill people at the drop of a hat, and then journeyed a thousand miles to moan to the Dragon King that his teacher was doing his hole in. I work at a middle school, and that is exactly how any bold 13 year-old will react at being asked to follow basic rules for behavior! Ha ha ha!

I knew plums came in winter (at least, they flower in February and March in Japan), but what is the wild tea that supplants the dying lillies? Is it different from the mountain tea the woodcutter's illiterate wife made him?

I was going to ask why Tripitaka let the hunter and Wu-k'ung kill the tigers, but said that the bandits were off-limits even though all life is equal, but then I remembered that Monkey had sworn to be a Buddhist monk, and it's only fair to admonish him and not the hunter in that case...

Thank you for the encouragement to keep reading! I read 59 books last year and had some very slow periods, so it was very comforting to have a weird (or rather, unusual) book that I didn't have to finish before NYE. At a speed of one chapter per three days, we'll have plenty of time to finish this book this year, and I think I'll start Romance of the Three Kingdoms afterwards, since I've had it on my shelf since 2016! Belated merry Christmas and a happy new year to you!

But was it not cruel of Tripitaka and Kuan-yin to lie to him and torture him?

Yes, I agree with you, imho it was a bit unnecessary since he became convinced by the Dragon to work for him and not to abandon him.

but what is the wild tea that supplants the dying lillies?

I don't know :( My research wasn't fruitful on that.

Thank you for keeping up with the reading, I'm very grateful for your comments. We'll probably finish the book before 2025, as you say (I think, I am bad at maths hehe). I find it "relaxing" as well not to have a deadline to finish a book, and that's why I don't have a reading goal myself.

Happy new year :)

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amazingmsme · 2 years ago

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As You Were Saying?

AN: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! I think this is the most fun I’ve had with a Squealing Santa fic! @wordstrings this one’s for you! Fjord & Jester are a kilLER tag team (see what I did there?) A huge thanks to @hypahticklish for hosting this year! I hope you all enjoy Kingsley getting wrecked, I know I do. @squealing-santa

Fjord would never say it out loud, but Kingsley was getting on his last damn nerve. Ever since setting out to sea, their new friend formerly known as Mollymauk was practically glued to his side any given minute of the day. At first Fjord welcomed the company, was even flattered by it. But it seemed every time he tried to have an important conversation with someone other than the purple tiefling, he would interrupt or insert himself into the discussion. Fjord knew he was just trying to be helpful, but he needed to realize not every problem concerned him.

He had been discussing the trajectory of their current course with Orly when Kingsley walked up, absorbing every word exchanged. Fjord was already self conscious about his knowledge on the open seas, so he really didn't need an extra pair of ears listening to his stutter through and second guess himself. It eventually got so distracting, Fjord interrupted himself in the middle of a sentence.

"I'm sorry, but is there anything in particular you need?" he asked, cocking his head. He made sure to keep his tone light so Kingsley wouldn't think he was upset with him.

He hummed as he thought to himself for a moment, shaking his head. "No, but you looked like you could use the company," he quipped. Fjord had to chuckle at that, shaking his head out of fond annoyance.

"I appreciate the concern, but Orly and I can handle this." When Kingsley still lingered, Fjord took it as a sign that he needed a more direct hint. "Why don't you help Marius clan the canons? I'm sure he'd appreciate the company," he offered.

Kingsley let out an annoyed sigh and turned to leave. "Sure thing captain."

Fjord took a deep breath, rubbing at his temple. Orly watched the tiefling walk down the stair before looking back at Fjord.

"Don't worry Cap'n. Once he settles in he won't be this clingy," he spoke in his gruff, slow manner of speech that Fjord was accustomed to. His gaze was locked on Kingsley as he slipped through the door that lead below deck.

"I hope so."

Either Orly had been wrong, or Kingsley still wasn't fully settled. The thought upset Fjord; he tried to do everything he could to make him feel accepted and comfortable on the ship. He knew the other man appreciated his efforts, but he could tell something was missing. He couldn't imagine how he must feel, so he extended as much of his patience as possible.

Kingsley must have caught on, because he'd been testing said patience at any given opportunity. He especially loved interrupting any intimate moment between Fjord and Jester. Ever time, it seems, that the two of them were able to whisk themselves away, Kingsley would find them minutes later and wedge himself into the conversation. Jester was more than welcoming, but Fjord just wanted some alone time with his girlfriend.

They were in his quarters, laying on his bed facing each other. Even though they were alone, they spoke in hushed voices, all whispers and giggles like lovesick teens. They were huddled close to one another, Fjord's arm draped over her shoulder as she rested her head on his expansive chest.

She was in the middle of recounting her trip to shore, describing the mural she saw in vivid detail. "Oh, you should have seen it Fjord! Someone painted the cover of Tusk Love on the back of the book store, and it was stunning! Guinevere's dress was all ripped and flowing in the wind, and Oskar's muscles were huge! The attention to detail was, like, super good, I could literally see the sweat on his chest and everything," she gushed, appreciating both the artistry and her beloved characters.

Fjord smiled at her endearing enthusiasm, rubbing a hand up and down her arm comfortingly. "In that case I'm glad I stayed on the ship. But I'm glad you got to see it," he said softly. She grinned up at him, snuggling closer.

"Who know who Oskar really looks like?" she asked in a teasy voice. Fjord hummed in thought, scratching the stubble on his chin.

"I'm not really sure. Is it Veth?" he asked in mock ignorance. She giggled and shook her head.

"What? No!"

"Hm. Caleb then?"

She tossed her head back with a laugh, smacking his shoulder playfully. "Nooo, guess for real!"

"I'm just joking, I know it's me," he relented, pulling her close and burying his face in the crook of her neck. She squealed and laughed as he growled and planted sloppy kisses, slowly working his way up to her lips.

Neither of them really heard the quick knock on the door before it creaked open.

"Hey Captain, you care if I- oh. Am I interrupting something?" Kingsley asked from the doorway, a sly smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. Fjord was about to say that yes he was interrupting something very important, but Jester beat him to the punch.

"No not at all! Come in," she invited, waving him over. Fjord managed to contain his annoyed groan as Kingsley waltzed in like he owned the joint. He hopped up on the bed, wedging himself right between the two of them.

"Sooo what're we talking about?" he drawled, fangs peaking out from behind his grin.

"I thought you came in here to ask me something," Fjord interjected. Kingsley waved his hand in dismissal.

"Forgot what I was gonna say. Honestly, I just want the company."

"Aw Kingsley, that's so sweet of you!" Jester cooed, scooting over to make room for him on the bed. Kingsley wedged himself between the two of them, wiggling around until he was comfortable.

"I know, I'm just the sweetest," he agreed with a smirk. "So, how was town?" he asked, resting his hands behind his head to cushion his neck.

"It was so much fun, you really need to come with me next time!"

"Oh yeah? Tell me about it," he said and Jester launched into her rambling from the top. Fjord had heard this already, so he focused more on Jester's excitement and wild gestures rather than what she was actually saying. As endearing as the sight was, Fjord really had been looking forward to some alone time with Jester, and their friend needed to learn a thing or two about boundaries.

Fjord remembered what he used to do when Molly wouldn't stop pestering him when they had to room together, and he had a hunch the same method of punishment would work now.

His hand inched closer and closer until he reached the soft curve of Kingsley's waist, scratching blunt nails against the fabric of his shirt. He jerked under the touch and sucked in a breath through clenched teeth. He cast a nervous look at Fjord, and the sly smirk on his face proved his eminent doom.

"Are you okay?" Jester asked, brows furrowed in concern.

"He's fine, just getting comfortable. Go on," Fjord answered on Kingsley's behalf. Jester eyed them both skeptically before continuing. Fjord applied more pressure, wiggling his fingers just under his ribcage. Kingsley snorted and twisted away from his hand with a stifled laugh.

"Jester's trying to tell you about her day and you're not even listening," he teased, pinching up and down his ribcage. "Pretty rude, don't you think?" he asked in a teasing tone.

"Ihi'm listening," Kingsley insisted, scooting closer to Jester in an attempt to get away. She seemed to catch on to what was happening, her mischievous grin only growing.

"Okay good, 'cause I'll quiz you afterwards," she said, poking his stomach before jumping back into her story.

"So like I was saying, there was this really rude lady at the market who was chewing out this little kid for stepping on her skirt-"

As she was busy talking, Fjord resumed his slow torture. He slipped his hand beneath Kingsley's shirt to get at bare skin and he immediately burst into giggles. Fjord gave a mock gasp at the outburst.

"Kingsley, I can't believe you! You think yelling at poor innocent children is funny?" he asked, pinching up and down his ribs. The tiefling curled in on himself, hiding his face in Jester's pillow as he shook his head. She couldn't help but chuckle at the sight and play along.

"That's not very nice you know," she teased, leaning down to speak directly in his ear.

"And here I thought he was good with kids," Fjord said, his hand climbing higher and higher until he reached his armpit. Kingsley let out a giggly yelp and clamped his arms against his sides.

"I know, right? He's so good with Luke, but maybe it's all an act," she taunted, slipping a hand underneath his arm and copying Fjord.

"Nohoho it's nohot!" Kingsley managed to insist through his laughter. His tail wagged about as he thrashed on the bed, trapped between the devious couple.

"Anyway, I followed her around the market until she went inside of this shady store. She like, looked around to make sure no one was watching but she didn't see me, don't worry," she waved a hand flippantly, ignoring his growing hysterics. "But you guys aren't going to be-lieve what kind of store it was."

"What kind?" Fjord asked as he traced circles on the delicate skin.

"I want Kingsley to guess," she chirped, raking her manicured nails all the way down his ribs. His entire body spasmed from the conflicting touches and his laughter rose in pitch.

"W-whahahat?"

Jester's tongue peaked out from behind her teeth as she grinned, shaking her head. "Nu uh, I want a real guess," she said, using her tail to swipe along the soles of his feet.

"Ohoho fuck mehehe," he whined, though he didn't sound too upset about his predicament. "Ihihi dohohon't knohohow!"

"It was a sex shop you guys! I was so shocked, I couldn't stop laughing! But I grabbed this huge wooden dick and slipped it into her pocket to make it look like she was trying to steal it. He caught her with it and she was so embarrassed!"

Fjord used the comedic moment in her story as en excuse to double his efforts, drilling his thumbs in the divots of his hips. Kingsley bucked like a bull, cackling loud and free.

"Kingsley would you mind keeping it down? I'm trying to listen," Fjord said, as if he wasn't the very cause of his hysterics. He folded in on himself, latching onto his wrists, but not bothering to push them away.

"Nohoho you aharen't! You're tohohorturing mehe!" he cried.

"Me? Torturing you? Pft, as if," Fjord teased, forming a claw with his hand and hovering it above his stomach. Kingsley yelped and sucked in his stomach, nervous giggles bubbling up his throat.

"He would never do such a thing," Jester insisted, scribbling her fingers against his neck. He squealed in surprise, scrunching his neck for protection. "I think you're just trying to get out of listening to my story," she fake pouted.

"Then act like it," she teased, grabbing his tail and scratching just under the spaded tip. Kingsley was sent into a new wave of hysteria, writhing on the bed as bright laughter flowed freely from his mouth. Fjord decided that would be the perfect time to launch his own attack, vibrating his hand into the soft muscle of his belly.

Jester carried on the conversation as if it were entirely normal to tear him apart by the seams. And there was something about it that seemed so normal, so natural for the three of them. Kingsley liked to think it was a part of Molly shining through.

"After that I stopped by to see Mama, and Nugget is huge now! He's literally half my size! He comes up to my waist, right here," she demonstrated by squeezing Kingsley's sides. He threw his head back as his laughter rang throughout the small cabin.

"Wow, he's already that tall? I remember when I could hold him in one arm. Not that he'd stay there for very long," Fjord said casually, reaching down to squeeze his knee. He jerked his leg away, kicking in a futile attempt at warding his friends off.

The fact that they were shredding the last pieces of his sanity so casually drove him insane. How could they be tickling him half to death and ignoring him at the same time? It made his nerves short circuit even more than they already were.

"Plehehease!" he pleaded, gripping Fjord's shirt tightly. He smirked and patted the back of his hand.

"Please continue? I agree, do go on Jester," he said, a smug smirk plastered on his face.

"Nohoho!" Kingsley whined through an endless stream of giggles. "Hahave mehehercy!"

"Oh but this is what you wanted though, isn't it? Both of our undivided attention, including you in our conversations, is it more than you bargained for?" he asked in a taunting voice.

"Yehehes, Ihihi'm sohohorry!"

"Oh Kingsley, there's no need to apologize. We're actually having a lot of fun right now, aren't we Fjord?"

"I for one at having a blast! Aren't you?" he asked, tweaking his hips.

"Ohohokahahay I get ihihit!" he cried out, and they finally took pity on him. He laid there, chest heaving as he regained his breath. "You guys are fuckin' ruthless." They answered in unison.

"Thanks!"

"And don't you forget it."

Kingsley chuckled, rubbing a hand over his blushing face. "Guess I have been kinda clingy these past few days..."

Fjord made a strangled squeaking noise, shifting his hand back and forth in an "eh" sort of motion. "Just a little. We really do enjoy your company, but we also enjoy our privacy."

"And the rest of the crew is really nice, even if they aren't as fun and cool as us," Jester added.

"I know, but I guess I just have my favorites. But I think it's safe to say I learned my lesson," Kingsley said, nodding slightly. Fjord snorted.

"I bet that in 2 weeks you'll need a refresher course," he teased, shooting him a wink. Despite his growing blush, he was quick to shoot back with a smart retort.

"I won't be such an easy catch next time."

"Ah, so there will be a next time."

Kingsley opened his mouth to argue, but promptly shut his mouth upon seeing the matching set of evil grins.

"Shut up," he snapped, shoving Fjord away from him playfully. He crawled off the bed, walking to the door. He turned to them with a bow, "Your privacy," he announced before slipping out of the room. Fjord and Jester stared at each other before a fit of giggles overtook them.

#squealing santa #squealing santa 2022 #squealing santa 2k22 #fjord stone #jester lavorre #kingsley tealeaf #the mighty nein #critical role #critical role fic #critickle role #critickle role fic #ticklish!kingsley

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