#yeah! but I haven’t been proven wrong yet.

[theetwinkleboy]

izuku: ok so you know how I flung all my quirks at you at mach speed

tomura: kind of hard to forget

izuku: and you know how one for all merges with the quirks of its current user and made those quirks transferable too

izuku: but throwing the quirk at you destroyed the attached vestige on impact

tomura:

izuku:

izuku: hit me with all for one

izuku: and toss over some super regeneration while you’re at it

[thegreatstoryteller]

The Great Shift: Awkward Tales - Vignette 3: The Perfect Girlfriend

Vignette 1: The Nervous Flirt

Vignette 2: Athletics Run in the Family

“FUCK YEAH! That’s a 10 player Kill Streak! LET’S GOOOOOO!” Came the deep manly voice next to Salvatore.

“Hey uh… Samantha? Samantha….? Sam!? Can you keep it down a bit. Game is still going. I’m trying to focus..” Salvatore murmured as he tried to get his girlfriend to settle down. 

“Sorry bro. I was too busy being locked in and carrying this match!” Sam joked back punching his arm.

Sal moaned in pain. He really wasn’t expecting this. Before the great shift he and his girlfriend had never seen eye to eye. Though their friends knew them as Sal and Samantha the iconic couple, behind closed doors they were always fighting. No matter how others idolized their seemingly perfect relationship, Sam never understood why Sal would spend so much time working out with his former frat bros or gaming online so much. She complained about him burping at meals and clogging the shower drain with his body hair! Sal even said that it was a guy thing and that she’d never understand!

But he could not have been more wrong.

Salvatore was one of the few people unaffected by the great shift. Internally he was happy about that. As a 6’1 Latino stud, he wouldn’t want to be in any other body but his own. Samantha on the other hand was part of the majority who had swapped.

Sam had found herself inside a fitness influencer known for being quite huge and hairy! When she’d texted Sal that she was a man and that they could still be together, he was a bit skeptical. He’d only ever told Sam about his bisexuality in confidence. He wasn’t even out to their friends! She even assured Sal that nothing between them had to change. However, that was proven wrong on the day she finally made it back to their apartment. She knocked so hard the door fell off its hinges. That’s when Sal came face to pecs with his new 6’7 gorilla of a boyfriend. She kicked off her size 17 shoes as she went to embrace her man! Needless to say Sal’s size 11s didn’t look very manly beside them. 

From there lots of things began to change. Sam’s normally demure and organized attitude began to fade as soon as she was in this body. She was more laid back, more casual, and more open minded to Sal’s activities. Turns out her body was a natural at working out as she began to lift far more weights at the gym than Sal had ever dreamed! Sam also got into gaming, as she started to game with Sal and his friends, all of who loved the newest bro addition to their group! She even started to get into more drinking any alcohol she could get her hands on. Before long their shared fridge was filled with beers and protein shakes!

Sal also began to change, despite not having a new body. He began to realize his girlfriend was outdoing him in all his old activities! All of his bros even mentioned how awesome Sam was! They even started hanging out with Sam without Sal on the weekends! It was now Sal that was reminding Sam to clear out the shower drain, with his much hairier body! Now Sal was the one complaining about the late night’s Sam came back. This became a new normal. 

Overtime Sal knew he had to do something to salvage his relationship with Sam before everything changed. That’s when he decided there was one part of their life as a couple they haven’t explored yet. Eventually Sal became more comfortable with his sexuality and began to experiment with Sam. Neither really knew what to do at first, with their limited experience, but it quickly became apparent that Sam would be taking control. Before Sam was a much more passive and supportive sexual partner… and now… she took charge! Every night after that Sal awoke with a sore ass and a tired body. Sal would never admit it, but he loved it! The only problem was… he couldn’t keep up with Sam. She was insatiable and could blow load after load into Sal, while Sal took hours to recover.

This awoke something in Sam though. Her new body loved to dominate! In the gym. In any game played. Even in the bedroom! And this wasn’t just reserved to Sal. Sam had suggested a few months in, that the two of them go to a bar and pick up women!

“I know you miss it Sal! Think about it. You and I. Find a hot ass woman! Take her home and then we take turns fucking her. I mean. You did say you always wanted a threesome.” Sam offered one night after gaming.

Sal was surprised! But the offer seemed nice. He had missed Sam’s more feminine form. And perhaps this was a way he could be a stud and sleep with multiple women while his girlfriend joined in! 

That was sort of how the idea went. It turns out flirting with women was another thing that Sam was better at than Sal. Her ample experience and attention to emotion she’d had as a women, never faded. This made her the most thoughtful and handsome man when it came to talking to women anywhere they went. Every night Sam came home with dozens of numbers, while women always asked Sal if they could talk to his bigger “friend”.

When the two of them finally settled on a woman they both liked, that night turned out to be very different from how Sal imagined his first threesome. It was clear that the hot redhead they’d brought home was far more interested in Sam than Sal. All of her kisses, strokes, and sexual advances were received by an over eager Sam! Not that Sam minded. There was enough of him to go around! It didn’t take long for Sam and the redhead to be fucking like rabbits, while Sal was in the corner jerking off to the hot sight of his girlfriend with another woman!

Which brings us to the present!

“Fuck yeah! MVP! I rule at this game. Hey Sal! Grab me another beer.” Sam ordered as Sal nodded and retrieved the drink. “I got a few lucky ladies coming over tonight Sal. Hope you’re ready to see my fuck their brains out. Can you try not to make too much noise when you blow your load one minute in? Last set of girls had to pause after laughing so much.  I know it’s fucking hot seeing me plow these babes, but try to hold on a little longer man.” 

Sal blushed as Sam gave him a hefty pat on the back. He never had that issue with the old Samantha, but he couldn’t deny it. Seeing Sam dominate a new girl every night was the hottest thing he’d ever seen. He could only hope that he lasted a little longer this time.

[jamespotterismydaddy]

Show Him Up

Michael gavey x reader

A/N: had a request for Michael x clever reader so here it is!!

WARNINGS: smut!

WORD COUNT: 1,185 words

The most humiliating thing that he can imagine has happened. He raised his hand to answer a question and was proven wrong. The professor didn’t even find fault with what he said, but you did, sticking your hand straight up in the air and saying, “I see what Michael is trying to explain but I think it would be more accurate to say…” and then completely destroying his whole argument. He wants you dead. He wants you out of his class. He wants you to stop batting those pretty eyelashes. He wants you to stop biting your plush lips… he wants to bite those plush lips.

“Michael? Michael, are you ignoring me?” You ask, waving a hand in front of his face.

Oh yeah, he forgot to mention that you’re also his best friend - his only friend.

“No, ‘course not.” He grumbles.

“Why are you pouting so much? You’ve been like that since we finished class.” You tease playfully before licking the yogurt from your spoon.

“I’m not pouting.”

“Yes you are.” You say matter of factly.

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“Stop being such a brat about it.” He snaps at you.

You squint your eyes and tilt your head as you look at him. He hates when you do that. It feels like you’re looking into his soul.

“Are you upset because I corrected you in class today?”

“No.” He states firmly.

“You are!” You accuse and he rolls his eyes, getting up from the lunch table. “Don’t walk away from me!” You call out, starting to chase after him as he makes his way to his dorm.

“You’re being irritating.”

“And you’re a sore loser.”

“Stop following me!” He says but does nothing to stop you when you walk right into his room behind him.

“No. It’s not my fault i’m cleverer than you. There’s no need to be all pissy about it.” You reply with a gloating smile.

“Don’t boast about something we both know isn’t true.” Michael scoffs.

“Somebody clearly can’t handle the truth.” You giggle and in his anger, embarrassment, and lust, he jolts forward and pushes you against the wall.

“I can’t handle you being so insufferable about getting a single question right.” You glance down at his lips, feeling flushed about being pressed against the wall but also enjoying it.

“I’ve proven you wrong more than once.” You press your knee between his legs. “And you’re hard so I don’t think you really mind the competition.”

“I-It’s a natural bodily function!” He stammers as he steps back.

“Do you always get hard when I show you up?”

“What? I don’t know why’d you even say something like that!” His face is redder than a tomato at this point.

“Because i’m not blind, Gavey.” You lilt. “I just don’t understand why you haven’t done anything about it yet.”

“You want me to do something about it?” He asks in a disbelieving tone.

“Well you’re clearly not going to so I might as well just go.” You turn towards the door but barely make it two steps before you feel the hand on your wrist. Michael pulls you back to him and before you can make a snarky remark about how you knew he wanted you, his lips are on yours, kissing you hungrily.

“Where’d you learn to kiss like that?” You ask as he pushes you over to his bed.

“It all comes naturally with you.”

He pulls off his sweater and now that you’ve realized you’re actually doing this, you pull off your top.

He gulps when he looks back at you. “Oh, god.” He murmurs, sitting beside you, giving you a hopeful look as his hands graze your waist. “This is really okay?”

“I think you should take my bra off, Gavey.” You say in confirmation and he looks giddy.

His fingers trail up your back before he starts to fumble with the clasp. Michael’s brows furrow as he struggles to get the garment off.

You giggle and he somehow gets even redder. “Let me help.” You say sweetly before reaching back to unclasp your bra. He wants to make a comment about how unnecessarily complicated it is to unclasp a bra but when your bare tits are revealed, he ceases the ability to form a coherent thought.

“They’re so… oh my god.” He just groans and wills himself to focus.

“I think we need to get your pants off.” You grab his belt and begin to unbuckle it, knowing he won’t last much longer without some attention.

“I-I can do it.” He mumbles, wanting your hands free so you can get your sweats off as quickly as possible.

You giggle and pull off your remaining clothes, teasing him as you pull your panties off slowly and he watches, inch by inch, as they go down.

“Can I?” He asks in a hesitant voice as his hand inches up your thigh.

“Mhm.” You nod.

His fingers trail all the way up until he feels your soaked folds. He rubs your wetness around, curious and enamoured by it before slipping two fingers in. He groans at how warm you are inside and his other hand moves to tug at his aching cock.

“You gonna fuck me, Gavey?” Your voice breathes out sensually.

“Yes please.” He replies quickly, giving you big puppy dog eyes before he remembers something.

He reaches down to his trousers and pulls a rubber out of his pocket.

“Had that waiting, did you?”

“Maybe.” He mumbles bashfully before tearing it open and sliding in down his length.

“Thought so.” You giggle. “Be slow with it, yeah?” You advise as you lay back, legs spread.

“Of course. I’d never hurt you.” Michael says so seriously that it tugs on your heartstrings.

“I know.”

He hovers over you, pressing a swift kiss to your lips before beginning to push himself in. He goes slowly, just as you asked and when he bottoms out, you feel perfectly full.

“You can move.” You whisper after a moment.

He nods, the action more to hype himself up rather than as confirmation. He moans as he starts to push in and out of you. The way your walls squeeze around him is a feeling impossible to replicate.

“You feel so good.” He whines, starting to buck his hips faster now. “Do you like it?”

You nod, running fingers through his hair before you pull him into another kiss. You can tell he won’t last long but it’s okay. You rub your clit fast enough that you rise to your peak of pleasure with him.

“Can - can I cum?” He asks, not even knowing if he’s supposed to.

“Yes.” You breathe out, reaching your high with him and squeezing around his cock as he fucks you through the orgasm with stuttering thrusts.

“God, that was so good.” He says into your skin after collapsing on top of you.

“It was very good.” You muse, continuing to play with his hair as he uses your soft tits as a pillow.

“Can we do that everyday?”

You giggle. “Yeah, we can do it everyday.”

Comment to be added to taglist

[idontknowreallywhy]

Resurface 25 - Regroup

Story so far (let’s be honest, all this resolution stuff will seem pretty random if you haven’t got the backstory but it does involve a puppy pile and who needs justification for that)

A bit more of the aftermath. It doesn’t go anywhere fast but as I keep telling myself These Things Take Time To Work Through.

I mean nobody actually expected any plot furtherance to have occurred in the past fortnight did they?! You should know me better than that by now 😏

(Side note - I am going to put it out there and say I think I’m going to have this wrapped up in 30 chapters, plus an epilogue that is already written… so the plane is on the approach, as it were ;) )

💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚

Scott woke in a nest.

He was fairly sure he hadn’t gone to sleep in one.

However, given he was not alone and that the sounds of slumber surrounding him were so familiar and beloved, he decided to go with it for now. There was time for for a subtle situation assessment at least.

It was warm and his situation was objectively comfy, despite being on the floor. A department store’s worth of pillows had been deployed around him at some stage, there were many blankets and numerous other, as yet unidentified, fluffy objects. The comfort-level was actually almost aggressively high.

Subjectively though… everything ached like it would with an intense bout of flu. All his bones felt wrong, as if his skeleton had been taken out, thrown down the stairs, and shoved back in at random. There was a constant background throb inside his skull. His throat, his eyes, his nostrils… all felt swollen like they’d been attacked by angry bees. Had he been sick? His heart dropped a little, if he was sick he shouldn’t be sharing his nest - he’d be infectious!

He thought about moving and sneaking away but every muscle point blank refused. His family were in the nest and he really needed them right now. He always did, but the need to be physically close felt suddenly emotionally overwhelming, like trapping a cold finger under something heavy or walking on a block of Lego… for a few seconds his brain couldn’t process any other information.

When the bunch of mush inside his head did reboot, it noted the soles of his feet were stinging sharply. That was both new and distinctly unusual for flu…

OH! The glass. Of course.

That.

All that. Oh.

Oh Virgil.

He tightened his arms around his biggest little brother who rumbled some sleepy nonsense in response. The two of them appeared to be covered in Scott’s old bathrobe. And what Scott had initially interpreted as Virgil’s arm slung over the both of them from behind him in fact ended in one of John’s elegant hands… a John who happened to be wearing one of Virgil’s flannel shirts. No, wait… Scott squinted at the cuff in the half light… Two. John was sporting double plaid.

You know what, fair enough.

The squid was squidding on Virgil’s other side, limbs locked on and only a shock of dark blonde hair visible as his face was buried between Virgil’s shoulder blades. A long time ago Scott would have worried at his ability to breathe in that position but although their little fish had not yet developed the ability to respire underwater (much to his obvious frustration), he had long proven himself perfectly able to obtain sufficient oxygen through apparently impermeable brotherly surfaces.

Scott reached out with all available senses to locate the final piece of the brother puzzle and it didn’t take long. Allie’s pointy chin dug into his thigh and… yeah he’d been drooling in his sleep the same way he had ever since he was a toddler. The soggy patch on his jeans was going to be hard to ignore now he’d noticed it but, aww, Allie.

A lithe dark shape reclined in the bedside chair, constantly on guard even in slumber. A smaller stockier one was tucked into the bed, snoring ever so gently.

As Scott’s eyes adjusted to the gloom he noticed a mysterious green glow in the armchair in the far corner - lifting his head ever so slightly he could identify MAX’s standby light glinting off a pair of glasses.

Truly, everyone was here.

As if knowing she’d been left off his mental checklist a hologram popped up from the bedside comm at 10% brightness, still a surprise that made him blink his eyes rapidly to compensate. The familiar ring of lights flickering then shifting into a single question mark.

He wasn’t sure when his feelings had shifted from being creeped out to being comforted by her constant watch over them all but, his heart warmed by the enquiry, he raised a hand, ever so gradually, to form a thumbs up.

The lights shifted and spun in a rainbow of colours before mimicking the thumbs up symbol, shifting quickly to a heart shape and then a series of Zs before blinking out.

He couldn’t decide whether he was more amused that EOS was now communicating via teenage emoji-speak or that she was now also nagging him to sleep. Virgil had started snoring slightly and that always had a soporific effect and so a large part of Scott’s brain was inclined to take her advice. He screwed up his face trying to suppress a huge yawn. After all… given he knew someone was keeping an eye on things…

perhaps it would be ok to let himself… drift… just a little…

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Virgil woke in a symphony of family.

It was not, he would acknowledge, what most people would understand as music. Sure, he could hear them, could pick out their individual ways of breathing and all their other little sleep noises as easily as if they spoke their names in a roll call. But it wasn’t entirely an auditory thing. Nor was it entirely a visual, olfactory or tactile thing either… not entirely, although they all played a part.

He felt them all, their presence surrounded him in full technicolour. And he could hear the colours and see the inaudible sounds of the music they made merely by existing.

He knew each brother’s melody, and those of Kayo, Grandma and Hiram too… they wove around and through him and harmonised with his own motif, supporting it, lifting it, enhancing it into something more beautiful. He made sense. He knew he was home precisely where he belonged. He was safe. Everyone accounted for.

And yet…

There was another here too.

Hollow. Barely tangible. No life force of his own, he… it… was fuelled by desperation and denial… memory mutated. Virgil knew he was there and yet his presence was only a shadow.

He opened one eye with a sense of trepidation and, suspicion confirmed, closed it again, curling his body back into the embrace of the real and the solid.

Gordon clung to his left, Scott surrounded his right, the scent of both flooded over him, he could feel their breath. But he could feel Him too.

Virgil knew what was happening - he’d been here before, after all. And now he knew, he knew it would pass soon and in a significant way that made it less horrifying, albeit still deeply deeply uncomfortable. But… perhaps… he could approach this with a degree of scientific detachment? Virgil slowly opened his eyes, allowed the light of dawn to enter his pupils and wondered how much of what he would see was actually entering his brain that way.

Standing, head bowed, by the end of the bed was Scott.

His Scotty. His best, most faithful friend, familiar as his own soul.

Broken.

Bearded, battered, bruised… he raised his face to meet Virgil’s gaze from within darkened, swollen eye sockets, blue only just managing to penetrate the mess of yellow, purple and red.

Cheekbones like knives, skeletal hands peeking out from sleeves of that cursed blue, the wrong blue. Not Scott’s bright astral blue. Too dark, too formal. It smothered him.

He looked so tired and so faded he was almost grey.

Virgil’s heart stuttered - how could he have let this happen? He was supposed to look after him! He was supposed to prevent…

The big brother Scott that was his conscience frowned, the haggard wraith Scott that was his sickness shook his head, the sleepy but solid Scott who held him close tightened his grip as if to stop him launching himself down that mental rabbit hole. Virgil allowed himself a tiny amused smile as he briefly closed his eyes to savour the hug - no version of Scott, real or illusory, would ever stand by and let him take the blame.

He looked up again, intending to whisper an apology anyway…

But he was gone.

And he was here.

He was right here.

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[justallihere]

Question, I’ve been wondering about this, but feel free not to answer (or answer publicly) if it would spoil anything for SITQ. I’ve been reading on vibes enjoying the slow burn and haven’t put any thought into Violet’s second signet there—I know if I went back and did a re-read I could probably find the hints you said you’ve dropped but I’m just cruising for now, so I won’t 😂

But I was wondering what your thoughts were on *that* scene in IF, Ch52 I think it is, where Vi goes to bed while Xaden’s away for the week and then wakes the next night apparently cuddled up next to him, but then he ‘returns’ six days later?

Editing mistake, or signet foreshadowing? Because I’m 90% that it’s an editing mistake 👀 Open to being proven wrong of course, haha, but I was just curious as to your thoughts?

Just reading on vibes is so ME. I feel that so hard

I think it’s just an editing mistake. The whole book is kind of a mess in terms of pacing and editing anyway. I’ll be honest with you, I’ve only read IF all the way through once, and I read quickly, so I didn’t even clock that one until people started pointing it out and coming up with all these insane theories. In the most respectful way possible, people are giving RY too much credit 💀 I love these books but she hasn’t done anything yet to make me think that she’s putting the same amount of thought into powers and signets and such that all the fans are. I have a whole post sitting in my drafts about Violet’s second signet that I’m gonna post after this next chapter and yeah. . . Maybe I’m just a hater but I think we all should tone down our expectations lmao

The main thing ✨I✨ got from IF is that Violet needs information to be grounded and feel like herself. I think her signet will be related to that

[eddiernunson]

Trapped | Eddie Munson | Part 11

Prev Part | Master List | Epilogue

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 11.6k

Next and final chapter will be an Epilogue.

Warnings: It's the last two episodes of ST4...so you get the gist. A large talk of grief at the end with a slight tw for EDs (food restriction due to depression). I don't put all three story lines from Hawkins in. This one has 90% of only what the reader experiences. At the end there's a gap filler for what happens for her over the two days later bullshit that we all had to just...sit through.

Authors Note: Fun fact, as I make this draft it was a year ago that I published the first Part. Man I didn't think I would follow through for the full thing at times but I'm happy to have proven myself wrong.

Chapter Eight: Papa

Stagnant relief made a startling switch into action as the stakes reached into space. A fire is lit under your ass into Eddie’s bedroom, attempting the hopeless task to find any sense of music both Nancy and Eddie would own.

As someone who resided and listened to his music with him, the task was daunting to see if he had any of that Madonna he was once accused of singing in the shower after you had just gotten together. Your eyes switch to Max’s trailer next door, wondering if you could just snatch a tape from her collection. However, it was clear from the yelling and the chaos that there wasn’t enough time for that.

Erica bursts into the room after being on Upside Down watch claiming, “Steve says you need to hurry!”

“Yeah? No shit!” Dustin yelled, on the verge of a rampage.

“We’re trying. We can’t find anything.” Max yells, having gone through half of Eddie’s music yet finding nothing she could use.

“What is all this shit?” Robin yells out, clutching a handful of tapes of artists she’s never even heard of.

“What are you even looking for?” Eddie barks out, this point annoyed his tape collection has been made a mess of.

“Madonna, Blondie, Bowie, Beatles? Music! We need music!”

Eddie grabs a tape from her, pissed off. “This is music!”

“Okay.” You interject, attempting to de-escalate the already high tense situation. “Okay, Max lives right down the road, why don’t two of us go and grab one that would—”

“Guys!” A loud bark from down the hall comes from Steve, calling out. The collective group makes their way over to see what he was yelling about, met with the sight of Nancy scared yet still alive.  

As Steve and Nancy both climbed the rope to make their way back, Dustin peers at you with a particular look on his face. “You know, that’s not a bad idea.”

“What?”

“Max’s house, when they get back, we’ll go meet over there so Vecna can’t eavesdrop as much.”

“That wasn’t—” You started, but realized there wasn’t much of a point. “Alright.”

Once Steve lands on the landing pad with a stupid amount of grace Dustin lets him know the plans. Steve rolls his eyes, implying they weren’t going to be able to stay with the gate being so close, anyway.

The plan is shared, and you make yourself comfortable at Max’s, while Nancy tells the story of what she had seen.

As it turns out, Vecna was Henry Creel, son of Victor Creel. He was the one who tormented and murdered his family and Chrissy, Fred, and Patrick. Apparently as an Orderly he murdered dozens more in the Labs when there were more numbers than Eleven. In fact, he was One.

Nancy explains everything she saw, and she starts to stammer when she reaches towards the end. Throughout her discussion, she is withdrawn and factual, an armour for her fear.

“He showed me things that haven’t happened yet. The most awful things.” She whispered, continuing her explanation. “I saw a dark cloud spreading over Hawkins. Downtown on fire. Dead soldiers. And this…giant creature with… a gaping mouth. And this creature wasn’t alone.” Her words rung out in a dead silence, no one even daring to breathe. It was truly a higher stake than any of you have ever faced, and it was terrifying. “There were so many monsters. An army. And they were coming into Hawkins. Into our neighborhoods. Our homes. And then… he showed me my mom,” Nancy chokes out, a tear running down her face. “And Holly. Mike. And they…they were all…” She can’t even finish her sentence, and she didn’t have to.

Steve, sitting to your right on the couch as you sat on the floor attempts to defuse the tension risen in the air. “Okay, but… he’s just trying to scare you, Nance.” He says, looking at his lap. You barely believed him and wondered if he believed himself. “Right? I mean…I mean it’s not real.”

“Not yet.” Nancy answers, not accepting his attempt. “But there… there was something else. He showed me gates. Four gates. Spreading across Hawkins. And these gates, they looked like the one outside of Eddie’s trailer, but…they didn’t stop growing. And this wasn’t the Upside Down Hawkins. This was our Hawkins. Our home.”

“Four chimes.” Max speaks up. Your eyes all flutter to her, as she stands leant up against the doorway. “Vecna’s clock. It always chimes four times. Four exactly.”

Nancy gulps. “I heard them too.” You switch your glance back to Nancy, and to say you were a fan of this connection would be a lie.

The air hangs heavy in Max’s house, your pulse racing despite you sitting completely still.

“He’s been telling us his plan this whole time.” Max says.

“Four kills.” Lucas adds, doing the math. “Four gates. End of the world.”

“If that’s true…” Dustin chimes in, hands on his hips and at a loss for words, “he’s only one kill away.”

Eddie speaks up for the first time in a while, and you love him even more for what he says. “Oh Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ.” He grumbles into his hands, his hair dishevelled and his body tensing up.

“Try ‘em again. Try ‘em again.” Steve urges Max, referring to the many calls attempted to get a hold of the Buyers before Nancy started explaining what she had saw.

Max does so, running to her phone to give it another ring. She barely holds it before she hangs it up again.

“Anything?” Dustin asks her.

“No. Rang a few times, then went to a busy signal.”

“Maybe you punched it wrong. Try again.” Steve tells her, momentarily taking his hands off his face for it.

“I didn’t punch it in wrong.”

“Well, I don’t know.”

“I think she knows how to use a phone” Dustin interjects, sticking up for Max.

“I’m just saying, she could’ve typed it in wrong.” Steve argues.

Max punches in the phone again, hanging it up even louder after a few seconds. “Same shit.”

“How is that possible?” Lucas asks, his hands on his hips.

“Joyce has this telemarketer job. She’s always on the phone.” Dustin answers. “Mike won’t stop whining about it.”

“Yeah but his phone’s been busy for, what, three days now? That’s not Joyce. No way. Something’s wrong.” Max argues, and despite the telemarketing job being logical, she has a point.

“She’s right.” Nancy agrees. “It can’t be just coincidence. It can’t be.” She gets up, staring out the window. “Whatever’s happening in Lenora is connected to all of this. I’m sure of it. But Vecna can’t hurt them. Not if he’s dead. We have to back in there. Back to the Upside Down.” Nancy announces, and she’s almost an entirely different person after these last five minutes. There’s a conviction in her voice that didn’t feel earned.

The following response is simultaneous.

“Whoa, no, no, no. What?” Steve asks in his most incredulous voice. (And as you know, there are levels)

“Nope. Nope.” Eddie dismisses out of hand, waving his hands to demonstrate his exact disdain for her plan.

“The place we just spent 12 hours trying to escape?” You ask her, hoping she wasn’t serious. Because surely she’s not.

“Let’s think this through.” Steve argues, getting up off the couch to get to Nance.

“What is there to think through?” Nancy interrupts him, confronting him.

“We barely made it out of there in once piece.” Steve argues back.

“That’s what I’m saying.” You mutter, agreeing with him. You look up at your boyfriend as he continues to rub his face in pure stress. You sit up on the couch next to him, rubbing his hand in comfort. He indulges, placing his head into your neck.

“Yeah, because we weren’t prepared.  But this time, we will be. We’ll get weapons and protection. We’ll go through the gate, we’ll find his lair, and we’ll kill him.” Nancy answers him, listing it off as if it were so simple.

“Or he’ll kill us.” Steve bites back. “The only reason you survived is because he wanted you to. He’s not scared of us.”

“And for good reason.” Robin pipes up for the first time in a while. “We were wrong about Vecna. Henry. One.” She stammers, losing her point. “Sorry. What are we calling him now?”

“One.”

“Vecna.”

“One.”

“Henry.”

“Right. We’ve learned something new about Vecna slash Henry slash One. He’s a number like Eleven, only a sick, evil, male, child-murdering version of her with really bad skin. But my…my point is, he’s super powerful. He could turn us inside out with a snap of his fingers. It’s not a fair fight.”

“Then why fight fair?” Dustin asks, his mind reeling. “You’re right. He’s like Eleven. But that gives us an upper hand. We know Eleven’s strengths. And weaknesses.”

“Weaknesses?” Erica asks pointedly.

“When El remote-travels, she goes into this sort of trance-like state. I bet the same is true of Vecna.” Dustin explains.

“That would explain what he was doing in that attic.” Lucas understands.

“Exactly. When he attacks his next victim, I’ll bet you he’s back in that attic, physical body defenseless.”

“Defenseless?” Steve bites out. “What about the army of bats?” He says, pointing to his neck to where he was strangled.

“Right. We’ll have to find a way past them. Distract them somehow.” Dustin admits to a flaw in his ever-growing plan.

“And, uh, how do we do that, exactly?” Eddie bites out, standing up.

“No idea.” Dustin admits, and Eddie sits right back down. What was brewing in that mind of his? “But once they’re gone, he doesn’t stand a chance. It’ll be like slaying sleeping Dracula in his coffin.”

“That all sounds great,” you say, standing up from the couch, “in theory.” You finish. “We don’t know when or who he’s going even attack next.”

“Yeah, we do.” Max whispers out. “I can still feel him. I’m still marked. Cursed. I ditch Kate Bush; I draw his focus back to me.”

“Max.” Lucas whispers. “You can’t. He’ll kill you.”

“I survived before.” She gulps, nodding her head. “I can survive again. I just need to keep him busy long enough so that you guys can get into that attic. Then you can chop his head off. Stab him in the heart. Blow him up with some explosive Dustin cooks up. I honestly really don’t care how you put this asshole into his grave. Just…whatever it is…whatever you do…try not to miss.”

The air hangs heavy, again.

But something about how a 15-year-old girl basically offers herself up for a potential sacrifice in the name of destroying the villain does that.

-

 “Check this out. The War Zone.” Eddie says as he taps the ad with his index finger. You stand in-between him and Robin, staring down at the open phone book. “I’ve been there once. It’s huge. They’ve got everything you need for uh…well…” He pauses, catching your eye. “Killing things, basically.”

“You think fake Rambo has enough guns there?” Robin asks, commenting on the ad. “Is that a grenade? I mean, how is any of this legal?”

“Well, lucky for us, it is, so… This… This place is just far enough outside of Hawkins. As long as we steer clear of main roads, we oughta be able to avoid cops and uh, angry hicks.”

“If we’re trying to avoid angry hicks, maybe we shouldn’t go to some store called the War Zone.” Erica points out.

“Normally, I’d agree but we need the weapons. So I think it’s worth the risk.” Nancy states, crossing her arms.

“Me too.” Lucas agrees.

“But is it worth the time?” Dustin asks. “It’ll take all day to bike there and back.”

“Who said anything about bikes?” Eddie asks him, and his voice sounded…cocky?

“You uh, got some car I don’t know about?” You ask, your voice a bit flirtier than you had intended it to.

“It’s…not exactly a car, there sweetheart.” He says, flirting right back. Oh, how you missed this. “And it’s not exactly mine, but uh…it’ll do.” Before you have a minute to revel in how normal your boyfriend seemed, he turns around towards Max. “Hey, Red, uh, you got a ski mask or a bandana, something like that?”

Max smirks, an old favourite making its way to the forefront of her mind.

-

Eddie’s gleeful smile when she hands over the Michael Meyers mask brings out a certain twinkle in his eyes you missed more than words could say.

He leads the entire group across the grassy fields that maintained a permanent home in the park up against one of his neighbour’s homes. He clutches onto a small grey bag you’ve noticed in a messy corner of his room once or twice, grinning at you maniacally when you have an unsaid question on your face. He scopes around the corner, giving a go a head when it’s all clear. The whole group follows him, all looking over your shoulders as Eddie flies across the grass to a specific trailer his fingers have itched for.

He leads across their front yard, the trailer’s inhabitants distracted by something on the radio. He sneaks around the back to a window he very specifically scoped out and opens and climbs in without a second to spare.

If your heart wasn’t racing so much from trying not to get caught you it would’ve been racing by how surprisingly turned on you were.

As soon as Eddie lands on the couch the Michael Meyers mask is unceremoniously ripped off, “That was suffocating.”

With help from Steve, you climb in, internally swearing at Eddie for making it look way easier than it was. As you get to the front, you sit in passenger seat, drawing the window curtain closed. Steve was right behind you, watching curiously as you were as Eddie made rewiring a vehicle look like idle work for idle hands.

“Where’d you learn how do this?” Steve asks him, paying more attention to the actual rewiring process than Eddie was.

“Well, when the other dads were teaching their kids how to fish or play ball, my dad was teaching me how to hot wire. Now, I swore to myself I wouldn’t wind up like he did, but now I’m wanted for murder, and soon, grand theft auto. So, uh, I’m really living up to that Munson name.” He jokes, giving you a saucy wink as he does.

“Eddie, I’m not sure I love the idea of you driving.” Robin admits timidly.

Eddie smirks, a glint in his eye. “Oh, I’m just startin’ this sucker. Harrington’s got her.” Eddie leans into him, teasing. “Don’t ya, big boy?” Eddie turns and starts the engine, causing a backfire.

The inhabitants of the trailer scramble to their feet upon the backfire. “Hey!”

The door right behind you shakes. “They looked the door!”

Eddie smirks to you, a wild look in his eye. He looks back to Steve, moving to his feet.

For the last two days it felt as if you haven’t seen Eddie experience anything but stress. But here, now, the sounds of the trailer’s true owners yelling after them while they make a quick getaway, he was goddamn thriving.

Steve swears loudly, and before he could even tell Eddie to leave his spot he was already bumping into Steve to the back of the bus. You go right behind him, letting Nancy take the passenger seat.

“It’s just a car.” Steve mutters mostly to himself. “Everybody, hang on to something!”

“Oh my God! Let’s go! Let’s go!” Lucas practically panics.

“Drive, Steve! Drive!” Dustin urges him, mostly everyone having found a spot by now.

Steve drives, and the amount of pure chaos that surrounds both the outside and the inside of the van is at the very least, entertaining.

The radio turned on one of Eddie’s favourite joyride songs, a perfect fit. While the rest of the crowd is on edge and anxious, you are thriving in watching him headbang during one of the most inconvenient times.

The motor home turns the corners of the trailer park hard, yanking your body every which way as everyone seems to simultaneously be yelling at once. The inhabitants’ voices eventually fade, and Steve turns onto the main road.

Mission: Grand Theft Auto was officially successful.

-

Along for the ride into the War Zone, you found yourself sandwiched next to Eddie near the back of the motor home. The two of you sat in comfortable silence, his hand tracing yours absentmindedly. There was an aura of a calm before the storm in the motor home. As soon as the weapons were in your arsenal it was about making them and preparing for the final battle.

The blueprint to which you are still not the happiest about, but you weren’t given much choice in the matter.

“You don’t talk much about him.” You started, allowing your eyes to look up at your boyfriend.

He glances down to you, his face unreadable. “Not much to say. He taught me how to steal cars and how to be freakishly good at pickpocketing.” He looks off, scratching at the stubble starting to form. “He’s not my dad, though.” He says, leaning into you.

You don’t say anything, just silently encourage him to keep talking.

“My dad is Wayne. I’ve never called him that, and only when he’s truly worried or upset does he ever call me son, but I know. He’s my dad. Sure, the man on my birth certificate is currently serving 25 years in prison for a multitude of things, but thanks to Wayne I have a head on my shoulders and I’m not out stealing cars for money. If my old man wasn’t caught, I don’t think he would’ve let me go passed freshman year.” He gulps, shaking his head. Something was clearly on his mind.

“What?” You ask him.

“Say we get through this. We defeat Vecna, the Upside Down is done, whatever.” You nod your head, listening. “How are we still going to prove my innocence? No offence but if I walk in with the same group of people who ran away from the police, I don’t think my case would be helped much.”

“Can I tell you a secret?” You ask him leaning in.

Eddie nods, eager for the distraction.

“Do you think we covered our own tracks the whole time?” You ask him, your voice border lining on skeptical. Eddie’s brow furrows curiously. “God no. The FBI is scary good at covering these tracks. Every time in the aftermath I get guided away by people in FBI jackets who take over the jurisdiction and make sure no wrongly accused get thrown away for the crimes of people in lab coats ten years ago.”

“So, you think the FBI will clear me?” He asks, and there’s just this sliver of hope.

“I will fight someone if they don’t.” You say in all seriousness, and he laughs at your willingness to protect him.

Eddie kisses your head, leaning his chin onto it. Lucas passes you, going to talk to Max one on one, and you turn away out of respect.

“So, how much of your history with this secret dimension do I not know about?” He asks you, an eyebrow quirked.

“Considering this is my fourth encounter, a bit.” You reply, unfazed.

“Can you tell me about it?” He asks, leaning onto one of his biceps to get comfortable.

“Ok.” You answer, and honestly you thought it might take more than that to get it out of you. “But promise me one thing.” Eddie nods rapidly. “When I get to the Russians, try not to get emotional. If I think too hard about it, I can’t even tell the story.”

Eddie gulps, wondering what possibly could’ve happened to require such a disclaimer. “Rule number 3.” He says, and you roll your eyes and start telling him anyway.

From the very beginning.

-

As Steve pulls up to the War Zone, it is immediately known that your rag-tag band of misfits weren’t the only ones who wanted weapons. He stands up from his seat, stretching his arms out before looking to the crowd in the motor home. “Alright. We go in. We get what we need, we get out. Make it quick, we have a wanted fugitive who we cannot risk being seen in this crowd.”

Everyone nods their heads in agreement, and all but you, Lucas, Dustin, and of course, Eddie make their way to the front of the motor home.

“Hey, Harrington!” Eddie calls to him, and Steve lifts his brows to acknowledge him. “Could you, uh, get me some spare uh…” he drifts off, aware of an audience.

Steve nods in understanding and gives Nancy the go ahead to open the door.

As the motor home became less crowded you sat next to Eddie under his arm, watching as they disappear around the corner to the main entrance. Eddie is tracing your hand slowly, and it’s so soothing you nearly let your head fall onto his shoulder. You hear him inhale and look to him with a questioning look on your face. He shakes his head, mouthing the words It’s nothing.

You don’t accept his answer, wordlessly caressing his cheek. He melts into it, and you want to freeze time in this moment and never leave. “Tell me.”

“When this is over, we’re going far from this town as we can get. I’m taking you on a road trip, we’re going to go the beach.” He says, looking off wistfully.

“The beach?” You ask, a smile on your face.

“Hell yeah. I need to see you in a bikini and know that everyone wants you but you’re all mine.” He says casually, his thumb rubbing your shoulder as he talks softly to you. “I would pack us a picnic for the ride, and mindlessly drool while you eat some watermelon. I would purposefully forget napkins but its ok, because I can help lick the juice off.”

“You…you put a lot of thought into this.” You whisper to him, dreaming of hot days on the beach a few thousand miles away from Hawkins.

“Well, I had a lot of time.” Eddie admits.

“I just want to lie down with you.” You admitted, knowing you weren’t even hopeful enough to want the beach you had just wanted to be with him. “I want to fall asleep, with you, and wake up with college being my biggest stressor.”

He gulps, the smile on his face slightly faded. “God, I would’ve followed—”

You interrupt him, shaking your head. “No. Don’t. We’re planning. What are you going to do?”

Eddie smiles softly, biting back laughter. “Sweetheart it don’t matter, you already know.”

You nodded shakily, beaming at him. He grabs your face into a fierce kiss, and there’s a part of you wondering of the salt water you tasted were his tears or your own. You separate, brushing your hands against his cheeks. He pulls you in for a hug, and you giggle involuntarily as he squeezes you so tightly.

Behind you, a cough. It was loud and firm.

“Hmm?”

“You’re cute n’ all but—” Dustin gags, pretending to throw up. “Too much.”

“I expected less of this when we were partnered up, you know? Just a moment of peace?”

Dustin shoots a toothy grin, shaking his head. “Nah.”

Eddie shrugs, knowing better than to expect such from him.

Lucas’ attention seems far from this conversation. “They should’ve been back by now.”

“When did they go in?” Eddie asks, his face growing serious again.

“Ten minutes ago.” Lucas answers, suspicion thick in his voice.

“Shit.” Dustin swears, getting up to pace.

Dustin and Lucas go back and forth on reasons they could be taking longer as the time continues to pass. Dustin checks his watch for the umpteenth time asking, “What the hell is taking so long?”

On cue, Steve bursts through the door, tossing a bag to Eddie promptly.

“What happened?” Lucas asks.

“Gotta go.” Steve answers, sitting directly into his seat.

Erica bursts through, holding a big brown bag. “Your old friends are here.” She answers, staring directly to Lucas.

“Shit!” Lucas swears.

Robin, Nancy, and Max run into the motor home, and before everyone was sat down Steve was being urged by several people to start driving. He shouts back, “I’m going, I’m going! Sit down!”

Eddie puffs his cheeks out in a big breath of “Oh, shit.”

On your way out Jason Carver stares off in frustration, ignoring the large motor home that near misses them on the way out of the parking lot.

-

Somewhere down the road between the War Zone and Hawkins Steve took a turn off to stay out of sight but have the open space required to make the weapons. Hammers, gasoline, a shot gun with a saw, sticks to tie to dazzlingly sharp knives all emptied out of the brown paper grocery bags.

Not to mention several axes and two stolen garbage can lids.

As all the crap was scattered about, jobs were naturally delegated two at a time, having teams partner up to create each specific firearm. Lucas and Erica sat to make the spears for Eddie and Dustin. Eddie and Dustin make armed shields out of nails and metal garbage lids. Nancy with the help of Max, set up a place to saw off the long end of a shot gun. Lastly, Robin, you, and Steve sit in front of the motor home to create the literal fire on demand.

Any possible ‘seats’ you could’ve used were in the form of crates the motor home’s cluster of random junk they assorted. It wasn’t the most comfortable, but it still beat the itchiness of the tall grass in front of you.

As you sat down with Robin and Steve, both working on dowsing the gasoline cloths together, and you find yourself all too distracted. You watch absentmindedly as Eddie rough houses into Dustin, enjoying the smile you’ve seen back on his face. As much as Dustin tries to get Eddie on the ground, Eddie’s strength proves mighty in comparison.

You finally glance away from them, starting to prepare the other gasoline cans for battle. As you sit there, Robin and Steve finally tell you a piece of gossip they’ve been looking for a moment to share with you.

Steve didn’t seem to wrap his mind around Vickie being in a relationship with a boy, he was so convinced that her pause on Fast Times was evidence that she was also into girls.

You thought it was the way she dressed that gave it away, but Steve was unconvinced.

“It just doesn’t make sense.” Steve continues his train of thought from earlier, having picked up different conversations since then.

“What doesn’t make sense?” Robin asks, not caught up with him.

“That was Dan Shelter. He graduated, like, two years ago.”

“So?” Robin prompts him.

“So, he’s in college. Which means he was visiting on spring break. Fast Times was returned, like, I don’t know, a week ago? Right? Unless she’s got some horndog brother we don’t know about. Which is possible.” As Steve continues to ramble on to himself Robin keeps to herself, and Robin letting Steve ramble is not a common occurrence. “Or she’s just really into Judge Reinhold?”

“Steve.” Robin interrupts him, having enough.

“Nah…” he drifts off, then realizes Robin called out for him.

“I don’t care. I don’t understand why do either with everything that’s going on. Honestly, this feels like a perfect time for that little pull of the rug because…”

As Robin continues talking, a gut feeling that’s been sitting in the pit of your stomach comes to the forefront.

“…in the face of the world ending, the stakes of my love life feels spectacularly low.”

“Yeah, I mean, I get you there, but… I still have hope.” Steve responds, somewhat optimistic, it seems.

“Not everything has a happy ending.” Robin tells him, adding a new bottle to the growing collection. You hand over a bottle to Steve as he grabs for it, him acknowledging you as he does.

“Yeah, yeah, believe me, I know.” He says, somewhat bitter about his own.

With everything prepared for them, you sit cross legged by Steve’s legs, the only one out of the bunch who opted to sit in the tall grass.

“Y/N?” Robin asks, seeing the pinch between your brows.

You sigh, lifting your legs so they’re held up by your elbows with your hands clasped in front of you. “Robin?”

“Care to help me out?”

“She’s not talking about failed romance, Steve.” You answer, and Robin knows you’re on the same wavelength. You turn your head to look back at Eddie and Dustin play fighting in the field. “I can’t speak for anyone else, here, but I’ve been having this, terrible, mind numbing feeling that…” you gulp, you can’t even say it out loud.

“It might work out for us this time.” Robin finished your sentence, brave enough to admit what you couldn’t even find it in yourself to think.

“You guys think we shouldn’t be doing this?” Steve asks, his voice hosting a level of doubt you don’t often hear.

“We’re absolutely bonkers.” You add, and it felt like Robin admitting what you were afraid to outloud had created a tight anxiety in your chest.

“We’re mad. The lot of us.” Robin agrees, also looking out. “But…if we don’t stop them, who will?” She asks, and unfortunately that is the caveat. If you, the only crowd of misfits that has any idea what is behind all of this are the only ones who can stop him, how could you not? “We have to try, right?”

“Yeah.” You turn around to face them. “To killing Vecna,” Steve toasts.

“Slash Henry.” Robin adds, also holding a bottle.

“Hey.” You nudge, reaching for one across them. Robin hands you one, and you insert a bottle in. “Slash One.”

-

By the time Eddie finishes roughing it with Dustin, he’s a damn mess, covered in sweat. It might’ve been hot if he had showered in the last few days. Who’s kidding, it was hot regardless.

This brought up a question you had. “Uh, are we going into battle wearing the same thing we have been wearing for the last two days?” You ask out loud.

“Funny you should mention that.” Steve answers, and he runs into the Motor home to grab a last bag he had, something he asked Erica to help him with, Battlefield clothes.

It felt odd getting dressed because it meant you were really going into another battle. It sucked, because none of those times did you know it was the final battle, but this felt…final.

An air was just different in the motor home. Any jokes, any attempts to fuse the tension have long gone home. The weight of how much was riding on you to win and beat him is a stupidly large dark cloud over looming everyone.

Never necessarily felt like the end of the world before, just Hawkins.

This is world ending.

High stakes, higher risks.

No one says a damn word.

You pull up to the Creel House so Erica, Lucas, and Max can jump out. Max doesn’t even say a word as she turns to shut the door, and there’s a part of you that wished you didn’t see the worry on her face as you pulled away.

Your throat felt tight as you started the drive to Eddie’s trailer, and you look over your shoulder to catch his eye.

He glances at you, his eyes torn from Dustin’s face of utter worry. I love you, you mouth to him, Eddie blinks slowly at you, tilting his head. I love you, he mouths back.

You turn around, facing forward to see that they had arrived right behind Eddie’s trailer park.

Great.

Chapter Nine: The Piggyback

As the Motor home is placed into park, Nancy gets up by the door to go over the plan once more. There’s a small temptation to roll your eyes at it, but anything to procrastinate leaving the false safety net that is the trailer.  

“Okay. I wanna run through it one more time.” Nancy starts to pace through the trailer. “Phase one.”

“We meet Erica at the playground.” Robin answers her. “She’ll signal Max and Lucas when we’re ready.”

“Phase two.”

“Max baits Vecna. He’ll go after her, which’ll put him in his trance.” Steve answers.

“Phase three?”

“Me and Eddie draw the bats away.” Dustin answers, and Eddie clutches onto Dustin’s shoulder fondly.

“Phase four.”

“We head into Vecna’s bat-free lair, and…we light him up.” You answer, your breath hitching. “Though I still don’t see why I—”

“You’re going with them.” Eddies interrupts you, jolting your attention to his soft eyes. “You’ve already argued this to death. Sorry, I know. But it makes most sense for you to go with them...two shields n’ all.”

You sigh, defeated.

“Nobody moves on to the next phase until we’ve all copied.” She continues like you hadn’t even spoken. “Nobody deviates from the plan, no matter what. Got it?”

“Got it.” You all answer, moving your way out the door one by one.

Your footsteps running to Eddie’s trailer were all light and fast, the last thing you needed was to be seen by one of his neighbours. As you walk into Eddie’s trailer, the rope still hanging, Steve is already getting ready to pull off somewhat of an acrobatic move.

“Be careful.” Dustin pleads, no ounce of sarcasm in his voice.

“Thanks buddy.” Steve says, patting him lightly. He hops to the rope, starting a climb. “Here goes nothing.” He sighs, mentally preparing himself.

As Steve reaches the threshold to the Upside Down, he pauses, taking a few deep breaths and using the gravity his body was in to lurch into a summersault. He lands gracefully, looking up to say ta da.

You stood by Nancy and Robin, all watching his pose. Robin leans into you both, asking “Wow, what does he want us to do, applaud?”

Steve pulls the mattress over in record time for a landing pad, no time to waste. “All right.” He calls out. “Let’s go.”

Yay. You get to go back in again. On purpose.

Nancy starts, taking her backpack off and Robin allows her to use her knee as a stepping stool. Nancy doesn’t waste much time, the climb fast and the drop sudden. You take off your bag, and Robin puts it to the side. “What, no stepping stool?” You ask her, and Robin rolls her eyes.

“Here.” Eddie offers, and you gladly take the offer.

Your climb is much faster this time, and the lurch onto the landing pad isn’t as new, but it still felt fucking weird.

Steve offers a hand up, and you’re only standing for a half a second when yours, Nancy’s, Steve’s, and Robin’s bags make their way across as well.

Eddie comes next, lurching himself into the Upside Down with as much force as he did last time, the wind visibly knocked out of him. He’s barely given a chance to recollect himself Steve offers a hand.

Eddie’s shield is sent, Robin decidedly coming next. As she lands after a quick climb, you and Eddie extend your hands to her, and she accepts.

Dustin is left to send one bag and the two makeshift spears before he makes the trip for the first time. As someone who’s greatest strengths aren’t exactly in athleticism it took him a minute to climb and get across, but as soon as he does, he sits up quickly to catch his breath.

No one gives him that moment, yanking him by the grey sweater to get off his ass.

All the gear is moved around appropriately, Nancy putting the gun on her back, Eddie taking some wires out of your bag, etc. As soon as everyone goes through a quick check list Nancy opens the door back into the red lightning, determined as ever. You follow behind Steve, a pit in your stomach as you know the moment is seconds away.

Eddie and Dustin follow behind, the door slamming behind them.

“Hey, guys, listen.” Steve starts, nearly stumbling into you as he turns around. You accept his apology and drift off to side to let him do his thing. “If things here start to go south, I mean, at all, you abort.” You nod next to him, your face serious. Eddie’s eyes drift to yours for a moment, his expression unreadable. “Okay? Draw the attention of the bats. Keep ‘em busy for a minute or two. We’ll take care of Vecna.” Dustin rolls his eyes at the dramatics, used to it by now.

“Don’t try to be cute or be a hero or something. Okay? You guys are just—”

“Decoys.” Dustin finishes the sentence with him, exasperated. “Don’t worry. You can be the hero, Steve.”

“Absolutely.” Eddie agrees, humour in his voice. “I mean, look at us. We are not heroes.” Eddie says, glancing next to him.

Steve accepts it, but you didn’t.

“Hey.” You say, pulling focus and ignoring your audience for a moment. “Listen. Don’t be a hero.” You emphasize to Eddie, swallowing the emotions that threaten to pour out to him.

Eddie nods like he already understood what you meant.

“No. I know you, Munson. You come back to me.”

Eddie gulps, his face losing any sense of humour it just had. You gulp as well, following as Nancy and Robin are starting to lead the group the other way.

You start to when Eddie calls, “Hey Steve?”

Steve turns around, and you can’t find it in yourself to face him again and still follow them.

“Make him pay.” Eddie says, and Steve doesn’t respond, but you could feel the tension from the nuance of what he had just said.

Their pace picks up and you’re right behind them when your body can’t seem to take another step with out doing one last thing. Nancy notices you’ve stopped walking, and when she’s about to ask you’ve already dropped the bag and the flashlight in your hand to sprint to him.

Eddie already knew what you were doing, as soon as you turned around he dropped his shield, preparing himself to catch you.

He does, effortlessly. You breathe him in as his arms engulf you, and this just made it ten times worse but all worth the while. “I love you.” You tell him, just loud enough that you’re not even sure he heard you.

“I love you.” He says it like a promise.

You couldn’t help yourself despite the inappropriateness of it. You kissed him. Just one taste. Just something. He kissed you just as fiercely.

As you separate, he opens his mouth to say something, but you don’t even let him.

No goodbyes.

You walk away from him, starting into a half jog when Steve is ushering you to hurry up. You fling your bag back on and pick up the flashlight, now matching the pace next to Steve as you make your way to the Creel House.

-

As you wonder through the forest towards the Creel House things are eerily quiet until Robin finally speaks up.

“Uh…I don’t mean to freak anyone out, but I swear we’ve seen this tree before.” She claims, pointing to specifically curvy little tree.

“That’s impossible.” Nancy answers her.

“That would suck, right?” Robin asks, rhetorical. “If Vecna destroyed the world because…’cause we got lost in the woods?”

“We’re not lost, Robin.” You tell her, and she bites out a sarcastic laugh. She starts running ahead, and you follow behind her.

“Robin, hey.” Nancy starts. “Watch out for the vines, guys! Hive mind! Remember?”

“Thank you!” Robin answers, and you follow just behind her to make sure she doesn’t lose her mind.

You end up following her, your lungs giving you shit for it. “Robin, slow down!” You call out to her. “Aren’t you supposed to be the clutzy one? How are you running this fast?”

“Fear.” She responds without missing a beat. “Mostly just the fear of being lost in the woods before we can save the world that keeps eating my brain.” She sounds out of breath, but she keeps trekking.

“Ugh!” You grunt in frustration but follow her anyway, despite a part of you begging to give your lungs a break.

Robin lets out a shout of accomplishment, and you see her coming back just as fast. “Found it!” She declares and passes right by you to run to Steve and Nancy.

You stop, finally, catching your breath. What the hell did you wind yourself before you got to the battle for? Hopefully Vecna wasn’t gunning for a on-foot chase.

“Hey guys!” You hear her voice echo. “You guys! Awesome news! Looks like we weren’t going the wrong way after all.”

You don’t a hear a response, and there’s a beat before Robin ushers them to follow her.

“Okay, jeez!” Robin starts running back towards you, and how is she not out of breath? “Ro…Show down! Ro…Robin!” Steve calls out to her as she starts to pass you.

As soon as she reaches you, you start walking again, having spent the last three minutes trying to catch your breath with your hands on your knees. Before long you’re navigating through some low and very prickly branches to view the Creel House in all it’s Upside Down glory. Damn, did those bats give you the chills.

Steve and Robin scanned the scene, looking for a specific orange glow. They spot it on the rocket on the outdoor playground. “Erica.”

-

Signal you give Erica is immediately met with a flashing signal. Feels like forever when Lucas finally signals back the message is copied.

“Okay, the lovebirds have copied, Max is Moving into phase two: Distracting Vecna.” Erica’s voice echoes.

“So far, so smooth.” Robin comments.

“Yeah, we’re not even at the hard part yet.” Steve adds on.

Nancy is busy like she has for the last ten minutes, dead focused on the Creel House. “Take the bait, you son of a bitch.” She urges quietly. “Take. The bait.”

It’s not like Vecna could particularly hear her, but it felt necessary.

It’s a waiting game. Max barely survived her last encounter with Vecna and this time she’s going in full throttle.

This is the worst thing to wait for.

“Okay, she’s in. Initiate phase three.” Erica’s voice echoes out of nowhere.

“She’s in. Move on to phase three.” Robin walkies not one second after Erica copies.

“Copy that. Initiating phase three.” Dustin’s voice answers on the walkie.  

Less than a minute later you can vaguely hear a guitar rocking out in the distance.

You remain crouched down right by the play set, waiting for a hint of the idea that phase 3 is working.

“Damn, is….is that Master of Puppets?” Steve asks you, his brow furrowed.

You had a bit of a knowledge of Heavy Metal bands by now, but you could barely tell just from the guitar riff alone. “If it is, that’s definitely his sense of humour.” You mutter, listening with a half smile. “He plays a lot to himself, but I haven’t had a chance to see him at the Hideout yet.”

“Haven’t had a chance?” Steve asks, incredulous.

You shrug, not having an excuse. “We didn’t get out much.” You admit, and it suddenly makes sense why Eddie insisted you go to the beach.

A shrill sound suddenly catches your attention, no less than a few hundred demo-bats flying over you to protect against the source of the sound.

“Okay, it’s working.” Nancy mutters. “Let’s go.”

Nancy leads the march into the Creel House, your heart beating out of your chest in sheer anticipation. Whatever Eddie and Dustin were continuing to do after the sounds of the guitar faded seemed to work, not a demo-bat in sight as you open the door to a house riddled in Vecna’s vines. When you thought Eddie’s trailer looked bad, this seemed like nothing in comparison.

You, Robin, Nancy, and Steve go one by one up the stairs to Vecna, a sense of purpose in each step as you aim for the wood between the vines. Steve offers his hand as each one of you make the top of the stairs after him over a particularly wide vine. At long last, the weapons are coming out to play. Robin hands you a bottle and her lighter, Steve grabs his axe, and Nancy holds her incomplete shotgun.

As you attempt to move forward an earthquake rumbles, this one bigger than ever, causing all four of you to huddle up, clutching on to one another so none of you end up falling over, and God forbid, onto one of the vines.

There’s a moment of relief, looking at one another as it passed.

The moment is too short, Robin looking down to a vine slowly making its way around her foot. She barely gets any time to respond, the vine tripping her. She lands onto it, yelping and it pulls her up against the wall. She was up there, too.

The vines continue moving around her, pinning her extremities down and around her neck. Robin calls out, voice full of panic. “Nancy!”

Your attempt at running to her aide is cut short, despite her not necessarily calling out to you. Nancy leans in, beating the vines with the butt of her gun, and before you could even attack it one by your foot gets a hold of you, dragging you on the front of your stomach and legs across the hall and strapping you up against the wall directly facing Robin.

“Oh shi—” you call out, the breath stolen from your lungs. You couldn’t even finish, a vine wrapping itself around your mouth to prevent any yelling…or breathing.

Steve turns quickly to your aide, attempting to use his axe against the vine that attacked you. A vine retaliates by grabbing at it, causing a tug of war between Steve and the vine. The axe is yanked out of his grasp, and three of the vines forcefully tug Steve five feet off the ground by the neck and waist.

Nancy hears Steve’s struggle, turning up in horror as Steve is dragged up to the wall. The floor is stolen right from under Nancy, the vine yanking her by one foot, as she barely manages to escape another one slithers down and across her stomach, yanking her up by the wall at an angle.

Each one of you is now pinned hopelessly against the wall, the vines wrapping themselves to immobilize the four of you. As the vine wrapped around your mouth slowly suffocates you, you can only hear Robin, Nancy, and Steve audibly choking.

Is…is this it?

-

It only takes a few seconds.

From going up the stairs deliberately, to pinned against the wall with no oxygen to speak of, it only takes a few seconds.

It only takes a few seconds.

From running to safety to chopping his only way out, it only takes a few seconds.

Eddie ignored every call for him to stop from Dustin. He ignored the echoes of your voice telling him not to be a hero. He ignored the gnawing feeling at the back of his mind…

He looks up to Dustin’s distressed face, picking up the shield and his weapon. “I’m buying more time.” He says, and runs head first into the swarm.

He picks up the bike he once dropped and starts on it, peddling as fast as his legs would let him. He gets a good minute of biking in, looking back and letting out his war cry.

Dustin uses all his strength to come after Eddie, severely injuring his left leg in the process.

His bike loses its footing. Eddie scrambles to his feet, one hundred percent bent on making his way back.

Back to you.

Then…

I didn’t know what to do, so I… I… I ran away.

I just ran, and I left her there.

I mean, look at us. We are not heroes.

He couldn’t run away. Not again. Not when for once in his life he could confront it, head on.

He breathes, mentally preparing himself. It…only takes a second.

His shield is pounded by his spear rhythmically, egging the bats on.

They charge after him. It’s not long before they surround him in a tornado, and he watched in awe, his heart painfully and eerily still. A few dive in after him, and he successfully thwarts them.

It only takes a second before one gets its tail around his neck. Others follow suit, grabbing arms…and legs.

Others dive in for his torso.

Dustin yells out after him, watching the scene unfold.

As his flesh tears, Eddie can only yell in pain.

It only took a second.

-

As your vision started to blur the vines around your neck suddenly loosen, letting the four of you fall to your knees. You blink as oxygen returns to you, the other three coughing from the vines being wrapped around their necks. You watch in awe as the vines retreat.

“I don’t believe in a higher power or divine intervention. But that was a miracle.” Robin breathes out, her breathing wheezy from the constant choking.

“Then we better not waste it.” Nancy declares, determined as ever now that you somehow escaped the clutches of Vecna’s vines. She cocks her shotgun.

“Phase four.” Steve manages out, still catching his breath.

“We light him up.” You finish, grabbing one of the bottles from Robin.

You approach Vecna’s room, seeing him held up by his vines and in a trance, completely vulnerable. You hold up the bottle to Steve, he grabs it from you and you ignite it with the lighter you grabbed earlier. Steve throws the bottle to Vecna, it lands perfectly on his chest as his whole-body catches fire. Vecna screams aloud, and he falls directly to the floor amid these new flames.

Vecna only writhes for a fraction of a second before standing up and facing you head on, somehow intimidating while simultaneously burning alive. You passed the lighter to Robin, allowing her to light up a new bottle and thrust another one to his chest. He falters back, and while you watch him charge forward, Nancy takes the moment to step forward herself, gun aimed.

She shoots, the barrel hitting his shoulder.

She cocks it and she shoots again without hesitation, hitting his lower stomach and causing him to fall back. Nancy shoots again, and again.

Vecna attempts to come at her, but he falters back as the weight of the fire, Hop’s sword wielding, and Nancy’s shots all in one. He lets out a howl, something from the depths of hell.

Nancy lets nothing about it falter her. She snarls her upper lip, letting Vecna know he can go where to back he came from.

Her finger pulls the trigger a final time and it causes Vecna to fall backwards through the wooden panels up against the window to the attic. She lowers the gun, turning back to face all three as you attempt to catch your breath.

You all run to where he supposedly fell, seeing nothing but ash and an empty space where Vecna should’ve been.

What now?

-

I think it’s my hear, Henderson.

I think it’s finally my year.

I love you, man.

-

It’s silent. None of you know any of what’s happening…neither Dustin, Eddie, nor Erica are copying back on the walkie.

The clock chimes from in the Creel House, and you catch up to it on it’s last and fourth chime. “Four chimes.” Nancy breathes, and the air is sucked right out of your lungs when you understand. “Max.”

You, Robin, and Steve stare at one another with bug eyes, wondering if its real life when the ground shakes under your feet violently. It’s not just the Upside Down, this time.

Eddie’s trailer, the roadside, the lake, and Vecna’s house are all ripped apart, the earth falling into it from several feet away. The only thing you can do is hang on to the bottom of the stair well, shaking around like beads in a damn maraca.

After God knows how long the ground finally ceases.

You get grab a hold of the banister and start running as fast as your legs could carry you through the forest.

Vecna had disappeared, but had apparently succeeded in his mission to kill four people, to kill Max. These were important details, but none compared to the most important.

The mission failed, time to regroup, assess damages and go from there.

Namely, time to regroup.

They all called after you, following behind by a few feet as you ignored them. They finally realized where you were headed, the path clear to them.

As you reached the park, you head straight for the trailer but someone calling your name stops you.

It wasn’t Robin, Nancy, or Steve from behind you.

It wasn’t Eddie either.

You look to the source, facing Dustin hobbling slowly towards you, with what appears to be an injured leg. Your concern for the injury fades into the back of your mind when you see his face. The glossy eyes, the runny nose.

Panic is already invaded your chest.

“I’m sorry.” Dustin chokes out, his voice thick with tears.

“Where is he?” You ask, needing the proof yourself.

“There was nothing I could do.” He continues, attempting to keep you from taking a step further.

Your teeth clench like your life depends on it. You stride to where Dustin was hobbling from and the glimpse of what you see when you go around the corner unmistakably shatters you.

Steve runs up to you, now catching wind to the situation as soon as the broken sob escapes your throat. You attempt to run to him, but Steve holds you back, and the pain is so sharp you can’t even tell what he’s saying to you.

You fight him off, tears flowing down your cheeks like a water fall and you’re crying so hard you can’t breathe.

You find yourself on your knees, bent over, clutching your chest as someone, you don’t know who, attempted to give you comfort despite this being one of the worst times to break down like this.

You don’t recall actually saying much, but the word No seemed to run through your head like a damn mantra. You had half a mind to push Dustin and demand what happened and why did he let him do something so stupid, but the only thing that escapes you is more full throttle chest sobs.

He can’t be gone.

He was just here.

He was just here.

-

Your friends wished they could’ve said they let you calm down when they finally managed to escort you from the Upside Down.

Given they didn’t exactly have the privilege, nor was time theirs to give for the moment, Steve tugs you up and lets you sob into his shoulder as he walks you over to what is less of a snack-size gate. You crawl your way through the gaping hole of what used to be his trailer. It was all too much, seeing his home ripped to shreds.

As your blinders go down, you saw the entire town engulfed in flames. Your sobs became hiccups, the pain still unbearable but there was no room for your grief when so much of your down is absolutely ruined.

Steve uses the motor home to drive you and the rest of the team to their respective houses, the only thing to do was to go home, get changed and figure out what came next.

On the way to your house, Steve keeps looking at you in the rear view, and you barely notice as you watch the outside in shock. He pulls up to your house first, despite passing Robin’s on the way.

Steve gets up and walks to you, and takes a deep breath in. “He died a hero. He saved most of the town. That’s what you tell her.” He states, knowing whether he was gentle wouldn’t make a difference to your mood.

Not that you particularly cared for his tone for the moment. You look up at him, your eyes shrouded over in grief. “This town hat—” you manage out, your words barely leaving your mouth through the thickness of your voice. You just nod, tears leaving the pair of eyes that already hurt from crying so hard.

You get up from your seat, mindlessly walking to the door and down the steps.

You make your way up the path, refusing to let any memories of him bubble to the surface, despite him the only thing on your mind. Steve asked if you were gonna be ok, but you barely registered it.

Before your hand reaches the door knob your mom opens the door. And before she could even ask what was wrong, another broken sob leaves your chest as lurch into her arms.

You cried for an hour before she could even get a word in, edgewise.

-

The police eventually reach your door, stopping by for rounds to make sure your family was ok for supplies and then told its not mandated but it is suggested to leave town. As you walk around the corner from grabbing a piece of toast just to stop your stomach from begging for more food, the officer at the door takes note of your presence.

“Oh, Miss. L/N! We’ve been attempting to get a hold of you to ask whether whereabouts of your current boyfriend, but we have not been able to get a hold of you.” He asks casually, like he wasn’t going to go arrest him.

You gulp, looking him dead in the eyes and say, “He died. In the earthquake.”

“Oh, sorry to hear that.”

“Mmhm.” You mutter, and your body somehow carries itself upstairs.

Your body spends time either in full pain mode or none. You refused to sleep in your own room, it was filled to the brim of memories of him that you didn’t need a reminding of. You had even attempted to spend all your time watching whatever your father had chosen to watch, but the words ‘Munson Murders’ on the news sent you seeing red as you stomped up the stairs.

After lying in the spare bed for a good portion of the day your doorbell rings.

Your mom calls your name after answering. You didn’t even bother responding.

There’s a knock on the door the door opened after the third one, Steve and Robin walking right in with Dustin on their tail.

Dustin couldn’t even come through the door, and there’s a shred of empathy that understands how guilty he must’ve felt.

“Hey. We’re going to the school to drop off and help with donations. Come with us.” Steve says, walking over to bend to your level.

You squint at him through your watery eyes. You sniffed. “I don’t think I’m the best person to be volunteering for the affected, Steve.”

Robin comes up to the side as well. “We know you lost him. And that- there’s no words to describe how much it sucks. But there are a lot of people in Hawkins who lost everything.”

“Are you telling me that people have it worse, so I should just get over it?”

“That’s the opposite of what we’re saying.” Steve claims. “we’re saying they’ll understand loss. There are other people who died in this earthquake you won’t be the only one mourning.”

“It wasn’t an earthquake.” You whisper, going underneath your blanket. You almost don’t make it under your covers to hide the violet sob that threatened to leave your lips.

They let you breathe for a moment.

The blanket is ripped off you, Robin yanking you out of bed.

She places some clothes on the bed. “Put these on, meet us outside.”

If you could’ve, you would’ve laughed. As they leave, you request they send in Dustin.

Dustin walks in with the help of a cane. He doesn’t look you in the eye, only the floorboards.

“I don’t blame you.” You whisper, shaking your head. “At first, maybe. I don’t even remember you telling me what happened, but I do know. He chopped it and ran, yeah?” Dustin nods shakily. “That was his choice. His stupid, fucking choice that he made about his own life. Not yours. I don’t blame you.” Dustin shoots you smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “You don’t blame yourself either, right?” You ask him. “Cause it’s not your fault.”

A tear falls down Dustin’s face and he wipes it away hastily.

“Dustin. It’s not your fault.”

Dustin gulps awkwardly and tells you he’ll meet you outside. Somehow, the interaction with Dustin convinced you to go with them. You nodded, implying you’ll be right there. Before he leaves, he turns around awkwardly. “Uh, thank you. I needed that.”

You nod in response, slowly shutting the door.

 You turn to face the clothes Robin has picked out for you, a pair of jeans with one of his shirts. You appreciated the sentiment but threw his shirt holding your breath to refuse the smell as you walk into your room to grab a different one.

You weren’t quite there yet.

As you run down the stairs you tell your mom you’re going to help at the High School. Steve and Robin promised you were only going to the gym and would be avoiding the real building for you at any cost.

On the way Dustin mentioned that El, Mike, Will, Johnathan and some buy named Argyle were in town, having made a long two-day trip from the middle of the desert. You gulped, watching outside as Steve drove to the school. You ask how Max was, having received the news from your mom after you had finally calmed down enough to talk.

You still hadn’t seen her, the guilt cutting through you like a knife. Not that you didn’t care about her, you just wanted to be able to stand for five minutes without the mere thought of him eating you from the outside.

She wasn’t any better or worse…which is good, you guessed.

You finally pull in and open the trunk to three boxes. Dustin attempts to carry one, but you take it from him instead, refusing his protests.

As shitty as you felt, seeing the gym filled to the brim with cots and people seeking necessities actually did put things into perspective for you. As long as you grieved, at least you grieved him in the privacy of your home. You see the missing persons reports posted, your throat tightening when you catch a glimpse of the graffiti on his.

You didn’t have it in you to take it down. Didn’t want to make a scene.

There were people in a med bay on oxygen, for Christ’ sake.

Robin greeted the volunteer kindly, pointing out each box and its respective belongings.

When the volunteer offers a tax receipt, Robin politely declines and in turn, offers the four of you for volunteer work. You’re ushered away into giving water with Dustin, Steve to the clothes, and Robin is making sandwiches.

As Dustin is making his rounds, he notices someone pull up to his poster and switch out the graffitied one for a new one. You’re talking with one of the affected about something when he calls out to you, nodding to him.

A pang hits your chest as you see Wayne holding a whole file of missing posters for him.

“I’m sorry, I just see someone I know.” You tell her, and she gracefully lets you go, seeing the gloss appear in your eyes as you do. As much as you didn’t tell her, she could tell you had lost something as well.

Dustin hesitates in approaching him, but you help cross the threshold for him. “W-Wayne?” You stumble out.

He recognises your voice, turning to face you as soon as your voice hits his ears. “Oh, bless the Lord.” He mutters as he pulled you into a hug.

You grit your teeth to stop a sob from leaving, a tear falling down each cheek as you involuntarily breathe in his cologne.

You are breathing heavy when he lets go, and he notices your disposition. “What’s wrong?” He asks you apprehensively.

You gulp, the words can’t even escape your lips. “Where is he?” He asks you, and the tears falling down your face is an answer in itself. He pulls you in again, this time you hear sniffles coming from him as well, the heat of his tears hitting your shoulders. This was someone who raised the person you have loved for five months. His pain must’ve been…unimaginable. “What-what happened?” He asks, pulling a way from you..

“He…” you gulp, “he died in the earthquake. I wasn’t with him.”

“I was.” Dustin chokes out, holding out the chain for him. “I’m…I’m so sorry.”

Oh. That’s why Dustin refused.

Of course, you fucking narcissist.

Wayne sits down on one of the cots, clutching onto the chain like his life depended on it, attempting to hide his grief in a sea of people that believed his nephew was responsible for the problem to begin with.

Dustin manages to hobble right beside Wayne on the cot. “I…I wish everyone had gotten to know him. Really know him. Because they would’ve loved him, Mr. Munson. They would’ve loved him. Even in the end… he never stopped being Eddie.” That was the first time you heard his name in over 48 hours. You wouldn’t even allow yourself to think it. “Despite everything. I never even saw him get mad.” Your brow admittedly quirked at this, because could name five times you’ve seen him get mad in his last two days off by heart. The memories seem to cut through like a knife.

“He could’ve run. He could’ve saved himself. But he fought. He fought and died to protect this town. This town that… hated him.” A detail that still gets your anger phase of your grief revved up until you start crying in anger again, but you had to let it slide because this wasn’t technically about your grief. “He isn’t just innocent… Mr. Munson he’s… he’s a hero.”

A choked-out sob leaves your lips, same as Wayne. Your hand slaps across your mouth to mute it, trying not to draw any attention to yourself. Dustin leaves Wayne alone, letting him sit in his own grief.

After about five minutes Wayne wraps you in a tighter hug than before, and he whispers, “Thank you. You gave my boy life.”

By extension, by bringing him to Upside Down…did it mean…you took it away, as well?

You didn’t let out that part, let the tears fall as he continually embraced you. “Can I help with anything? You have a place to stay?”

Wayne shakes his head, refusing your help. You had a feeling he would, but knew he appreciated the offer regardless. “Sunshine?”

You turn around from where you were walking back for another volunteer position.

“Please call me every now and then, yeah? I need to know that you’re okay.” He asks, and you nod shakily.

Maybe you’ll break out an old t-shirt of his.  

-

Funny how losing someone as close as he was does the end of the world compare.

However, the phone call you had received that night was enough to get you to drive a half a mile out of town and to phone call’s origin.

The cabin opens with El standing in the doorway, her hair all buzzed off and a smile sitting on her face. You walk in, the cabin crowded. Suddenly you felt foolish as you realized how much you were missing.

Hop was…there. Living, breathing. Thinner.

He looks like he went through hell to get back, but he was grinning on the couch, arm around Joyce.

When Joyce sees you, her face lights up. She gets up immediately, throwing her arms around you. Felt warm.

“Oh my sweet girl. I’m so sorry about him.” Her eyes full of sincerity as she looks into yours.

Tears come back, and you breathe through them. “I missed you.” You admit, and Joyce lets out a chuckle as she hugs you again.

“So is anyone gonna tell me how—” you point to Hopper.

“Long story.” About four or five people chirp out. Well, you’ll find out one day.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t come sooner.” You tell Joyce, noting everyone has already made their way back to sit down and enjoy the company of the Byers and the extras that came with them.

“Oh, sweetheart.” You gulp at the nickname. “It’s so okay. It’s only been two days. As far as I see it you’re so strong.”

God it was nice to have her back.

“Family Video is caput.” Robin says as you walk up to them.

“We seriously need to find new jobs?” You ask her, your eyebrow raised.

“I don’t know about that.”

“Are you going to be okay?” Steve asks as you scooch in-between them.

“If you asked me yesterday, I would’ve said no.” You admit, watching the grainy tv set in front of you. You look around at the people who all risked their lives to get to the point where Vecna was burning right in front of you.

“And now?”

“Still no. But it’s nice to have some company.”

-

Thanks for reading! Remember reblogging and commenting really means the world to me I read every single one <3

taglist: @emturtles @yourthebrokengirl @steeldaisies @skrzydlak @thirddeadlysin @sammararaven @bebe07011 @prettylovley

[louvay]

Since we are talking about braids! Fee, braiding Arthur 3 lines~

“Almost finished up here Artie,” the pegasus knight proclaimed, excited to show off the braids she entwined within her partner’s ever so long hair. Arthur grumbled at the nickname she gave him yet had to keep himself seated still otherwise his initial worries would be proven correct. “You sure know how to tend to hair despite yours being short,” he stated to her sincerely, hoping she wouldn’t take it the wrong way. “Do you give braids to Annand as well?”

“Oh nah. Pegasi have sensitive manes so you’d be bothering them if you try to pull it in anyway. And besides… I actually used to have mine long too,” Fee responded rather awkwardly and could’ve swore Arthur chocked up from shock after she revealed that fact. “Really?” he asked as Fee hummed. “It was a long time ago, back when I was a page. See, me and the other trainees used to spar with each other as part of our training routine and I’d always trip up when my hair used to swing sideways, getting me off balance when holding a lance. Used to even cry too when I hit the ground,” she sighed, remembering the rougher parts of her adolescence. “So one day, I decided to shorten it down to where I’d look no different than Cedsy and boy did it work! Sure my mother got the jitters when she saw me like that at practice but I managed to graduate into becoming a cadet in no time. Never regretted it ever since,” she spoke with an aura of pride in her words and Arthur was impressed hearing such an act of resolve from her. “Huh, I guess you were quite the different person back then, eh Fee?”

“You can say that much but what about you? Did you always have hair that long or is it just a fashion statement you picked up?” Fee asked in return. “Oh… well…” Arthur cleared his throat before explaining himself. “I used to have short hair, it kinda looked a bit like Scathach’s now that think about it. But I didn’t know anything about maintaining it since well, someone else would do it for me…” Fee was about to assure to him that he shouldn’t continue speaking if it would bother him but Arthur tried to lighten up the mood in his own way. “Heh… it’s funny. You’d think having loose hair that covers most of your shoulders would make for some poor camouflage in the snow but it seemed to work fine for me back then. Might’ve been because of the color of it…” he stated that much as he laughed faintly. “Yeah… maybe it would. But hey, at least you’ve come a long way from that, right?” Fee remarked to him with a gentle yet peppy smile. The pat on the back from her was this time appreciated by Arthur. “I guess so. We’ve both come quite far from where we were haven’t we?” Arthur responded, this time more livelier now, as he pointed towards the rack where Fee had hung her Falcon knight armor on. Her aunt and mother would no doubt be proud of her. “Yup, we sure have!”

[genesic-archives]

Nunnally's Halloween Ch 3-3: Trick or Treat!

This is the third section of the third chapter of 'Nunnally's Halloween'. This chapter shows the group peeling apart the reasoning of the pumpkin monster holding them all within this magical place.

Previous Section - Next Section - All Story Sections

We continue the story right where we left off, with the Jack O' Lantern growling in rage as Nunnally gasps in shock.

Lelouch: Okay, all conditions have been cleared. Our strategy moves the final phase. 

Al: It looks like it's about to start getting wild…! 

Hong Yu: As expected. That’s exactly what Lelouch predicted! 

We then fade to black into a flashback to the meeting they had regarding their Halloween party.

Lelouch: Since it was Jack O’ Lantern that summoned us, I suppose the simplest way for us to return to our original world is to satisfy its desires. And in order to satisfy that desire, as I see it… We need to do all the mischief that he wants. 

Gigi: Okay? What does that mean? 

Lelouch: The party is just the means to an end. The Jack O’ Lantern just wants a playmate for Halloween. That’s probably because… It’s not that they want sweets, it's that they want to play a prank. 

Hong Yu: What makes you say that? 

Lelouch: With the way the ghosts exist in this space, their behavior can be explained if they’re all fragments that reflect the Jack O’ Lantern’s mental state. 

Liu Ki: Oh. Well, that explains why they’re so mischievous… 

Lelouch: That’s not all. Their intentions are too uniform. Even though there’s so many of them, their nature is too unified. 

Al: I see. When we were gathering party members, we were trying to see if the spirits of the ghosts and Jack O’ Lantern were connected. 

Lelouch: Exactly. As a result, it was proven that the ghosts are not individuals, but merely fragments of the Jack O’ Lantern themselves. 

Liu Ki: When it’s proven, what will this tell us? 

Lelouch: Think about it. How did we deal with the ghost’s pranks? 

Liu Ki: Well, we prevented pumpkins from flying away… 

Hong Yu: We also prevented people from scribbling all over the place. I get it, so we got in the way of a prank? 

Al: If we stop the ghost fragments from doing pranks, then that means we stop Jack O’ Lantern from doing pranks. 

Gigi: In other words, we need to frustrate them? 

Nunnally sighs in contempt as we fade back into the argument with the massive floating pumpkin.

Al: We put up with the pranks by getting the ghosts on the terminal to play pranks on me. 

Gigi: But Lelouch’s instructions got in the way of that, so they became more and more dissatisfied. 

Liu Ki: This party kept getting more and more exciting, but I guess the desire to play pranks has reached its limit. 

Hong Yu: In that case, if we let the ghost pumpkin do all the mischief it can, we can get out of here too! 

The Jack O' Lantern reels back in shock.

Lelouch: However, we haven’t reached the point of outburst yet. We just need one more push… 

Al: Lelouch! When it comes to this, you can use your geass..! 

Lelouch: No, I’m not going to use geass on them. I never even planned on using geass on this thing. 

Al: Then how do we do it? 

Lelouch: Did you forget? This is a Halloween party. There must be another suitable word for it. Hey, what’s wrong, Jack O’ Lantern? If you’re a ghost too, you’ve got a bit to explain. 

The Jack O' Lantern looks back in confusion.  

Nunnally: Brother, could it be that… 

Jack O’ Lantern: -Trick or Treat. 

Hong Yu: What the-? The speech of the ghost pumpkin… 

Liu Ki: Yeah, I heard it too. 

Al: Why are we able to hear the voice too…

Gigi: It said more than that! 

Nunnally: Yeah, ‘Trick or Treat’. 

Lelouch: That’s right, you could say that. I was waiting for your words however, even with this… That’s too bad. I used up all the ingredients from Hong Yu’s cooking earlier. Unfortunately I don’t have any sweets for you. So, what will you do, Jack O’ Lantern? 

The Jack O' Lantern is left speechless for a moment.

Al: Seems like we got ‘em! 

Jack O’ Lantern: -IF YOU DONT GIVE ME SWEETS, I'LL PLAY A PRANK ON YOU!!

Right after the jack O Lantern screamed out his last statement, the sight of it vanishes from the room as it destroys everything within the banquet at lighting speed and loud clashes filling the air.

Lelouch: Yes, that’s it. 

Al: CAREFUL! EVERYONE, LOOK OUT! 

Gigi: Nunna-chan, if you’ll excuse me~! 

Nunnally: Wa…!? 

Gigi quickly whisked Nunnally away as the Jack O' Lantern finally came back into view, presumably crashing down from the ceiling.

Hong Yu: Don’t tell me, is this just the prank…!? 

Lelouch: His pranks destroy those around him. That’s why they weren’t able to enjoy it from the bottom of their heart. 

Al: The party was a restraint, which you took away with your words. 

Lelouch: That’s how it has been. The rest is simple. Can you accomplish it? 

Hong Yu: Yeah! Thanks Lelouch! Now I will finally show you all my true potential. 

Liu Ki: Mr. Jack O’ Lantern’s ultimate prank… I will do my best to support you all as well! 

Al: Everyone, let’s start! 

[jacquelinemerritt]

Dragon Ball Z: Abridged Episode 37 Review

Originally posted January 24th, 2016

Without Goku, Team Four Star focuses on their interesting characters.

Last week I spent a paragraph (justifiably) complaining about Toriyama’s decision to take Goku out of the fight with a bullshit plot contrivance, yet I praised Team Four Star for doing their best to tie the contrivance to character driven humor. I still stand by what I said, of course, but “Catch Me If You Can-droid” has shown me that my complaints may only need to be applied to the plot of the source material, as even without Goku, Team Four Star1 is more comfortable telling their story than ever.

Now, perhaps you could chalk this up to “Can-droid” finally providing the payoff for the androids being ridiculously underpowered, and while that’s certainly a part of it, as all of the tension in the episode comes from whether or not Gero can get away from our protagonists or not, with it immediately fizzling when he is discovered by Gohan, I’d argue that it’s also the result of Team Four Star being relieved at not having to deal with their most uninteresting character and all his associated plot contrivances.

That’s an odd thing to say in an episode that intentionally destroys all of its tension for its other characters, but that lack of tension is earned, as it’s been slowly established over the past few episodes that the androids they’ve been fighting haven’t been nearly the threat Trunks made them out to be.

Goku’s presence, on the other hand, automatically removes any semblance of tension, as the show has now proven twice that he’s guaranteed victory, even in circumstances where by all account he should be dead (see: Muffin Button).2 Not having Goku around means that they’re free to focus on the characters who have to work to achieve the power they do; they’re free to focus on humans instead of a demigod.

And since they’re focusing on humans, Trunks’ arrival and declaration that they’ve been fighting the wrong androids is a gut punch, as the last two episodes have let our protagonists (and us by extension) feel deservedly overpowered only to discover that they didn’t “over train for this,” as they’ve yet to encounter the enemies that are an actual threat. The stakes are immediately reestablished, and it’s at this perfect moment that Gero shows his power is due to his cleverness, as he takes this perfect opportunity to escape and potentially kill Bulma, Yajirobe, and Baby Trunks. Now that Goku is out of the way, shit can finally get real.

Rating: 4.5/5

If you enjoyed this review, consider supporting me on Patreon.

Stray Observations

1It’s feels odd to call Team Four Star a singular entity, especially as we get further into the series, as I know that Scott “KaiserNeko” Frerichs is responsible for more of the writing, recording, and editing workload than anyone else (I feel decently comfortable saying he’s their equivalent to a showrunner from season 3 onward), but there aren’t any particular credits listed on the episodes, so I can’t really give credit where it’s specifically due.

2Again, not criticizing Team Four Star here, especially since as I mentioned before, they managed to actually imbue tension in Goku’s fight with Freeza. I’m criticizing Toriyama for writing a completely unbeatable character whose victories come by ancient prophecy and plot contrivance, rather than actual developed effort. I am also aware of the end of the Cell Saga, and yes, Toriyama deserves credit for ending it the way he did.

Vegeta: “When a goddamn Super Saiyan asks you for a Senzu you say ‘How many?’”

Vegeta: “Energy sensing is bullshit.”

Vegeta: “Get out here and fight me blindly like a man!”

Piccolo: “Call me the can opener, because I’m about to bust open your metal ass.” Vegeta: “Yeah, how about we leave the one liners to me?”

Domo Arigato is the song playing over the radio in Bulma’s car. I am pleased.

Bulma: “Did you know I never even saw Freeza? Not even once?” Yajirobe: “I’m pretty sure no one ever complained about not meeting Hitler.”

Yajirobe: “Have you ever seen what an all Senzu bean diet does to a man?” Bulma: “What?” Yajirobe: “Korin likes it.”

Piccolo: “That’s the android.” Trunks: “No, it’s not.” Gero: “Yes, I am.”

[wench-and-jezebel]

Dark Angel Reaction: Art Attack

Jezebel (@typicalopposite) reacts [with occasional asides by Wench (@scripted-downfall)

We had spare time before this episode, so have fun with our bonus content! Link available here!

– – –

["Must be a guy thing" Ah, yes, women don't exercise]  Or a decent person thing, ya know

[OH YEAH THERE'S APPARENTLY A FAMILIAR FACE IN THIS!  @witchy-writer-lady told me abt it]

The circles that have been talked in this scene  [Ma'am calling him out on circular sentences like she doesn't do that constantly]

There is plenty more romantic.  Weddings are so overrated and expensive ☠️☠️🤣

“Why not?”  OC!

🤣🤣🤣 This woman deserves to have her dress stolen if she didn’t notice it gone from two feet away [asdfkjalfdkj you're not wrong]  She’s blind as hell with both eyes intact ☠️☠️☠️

Oh Sketch noooooo

Get ‘em OC  [No "Get 'em Normal"?]  HES SO MEANNNN ☠️☠️☠️☠️  [You do realize NoBody there does Any work right alkdsjf]  That’s true 🤣🤣  [Not even Alec, love him as I do alskdfj]  Oooooof  [He legit just sits there chatting with Normal about boxing the whole time.  Or delivering single packages]

Oh! Hello Logan!

NORMAL 🤣🤣🤣

His little “hm she’s aight” look

[This was me earlier today!!!  I understand his aversion to public speaking  aslkdfj]  ☠️☠️☠️ Moood

Oh Buddy

[His look at her alskdfj]  Their little exchange was cute tho  ['sigh' This is true]

Poor Normal  [I knowwww!  Will the hostage situations never stop?]  Right?!?

[An actual coherent monologue alkdsjfa]

Loooool I thought the brother was Palmer (Ducky’s Assistant you haven’t met yet)  [idk for sure but that's not the pertinent one… Watch for Daphne]

Poor Max done got put in her feelings

Le gasp  [Oh, last name drop!  I forgot Max's last name was on screen.  I don't think Alec's is]

Ooop! We get more jam pony

He said ten bucks  [tbf, they are in an economic depression]  True 🤣🤣

[Normal be lying abt the bip-bip-bip-ing]  ☠️☠️☠️☠️

Poor buddy can’t have a good family!  Oooof

Was that SPN Mary?  [Yup!]  Le gasp

Oooooof jealousy

[That was a painfully fake smile, Max]

[Also this be the plot to your Nomral fic.  But more guns.  And less love life.  And Normal's in a leather jacket and not a bathrobe]  ☠️☠️☠️☠️

Oh boy: Logan done put his foot in his mouth

[I'm cringing in preparation for this ep btw.  Heads-up]  Oh noooo

– – –

Jezebel: Midpoint!

Wench: Bravo!  Ma'am remembered better than I… do go on!

Jezebel: Ok so first off it’s a Jam Pony ep which has proven to be some of my favorites!  And I swear I love a “I don’t like this person but I don’t hate this person so I’ll help” storyline

Wench: Poor Normal alskdjf

Jezebel: Yusss.  Alsoooo POOOR LOGANNNNNN!  BUT MAX TAKING UP FOR HIM WAS ADORABLE, IM SORRYYYY!!  But then here comes Mary-

Wench: Daphne

Jezebel: I know 🤣

Wench: Hmph

Jezebel: -and just threw a wrench right in it

Wench: And finally the jump I paused it on  ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️  In that dress… Just…. Wot ☠️🤣🤣☠️☠️

Wench: Apparently we have lots of photos to give y’all this time alskdfj On we go!

– – –

I swear ☠️ The dress makes the jumps look so bad ☠️☠️☠️☠️

Oooof

Mood max

[Okay but he lost his job because of the messenger service so-]  ☠️☠️☠️☠️

Buddy she’s no angel

Bruh CAN NO ONE KEEP UP WITH SHIT  [I mean.  Technically she just.  Decided to leave with it]  FAIR

[Remember when I said I was.  preemptively cringing.]  ☠️☠️☠️☠️oh shit the second hand embarrassment

[Poor Normal expecting to get killed tho]  Ooop Normal reality check on being a good person lol  [Let it be known, btw, that Normal in s2 has very good moments and very BAD moments.  I recognize this.  But for now I'm enjoying his minorly-asshole-ish-but-no-worse bits.]

This man and his bitch slaps

I love "defenstration"... it's one of my favorite words

Poooor Normal

[Have fun.  I'm.  Not watching btw.  Tell me when the speech is over plz.  I'm.  I have it muted.]  I have it turned down☠️  I’m still cringing at the faces

This.  Is Tony coming out of Logan

Max coming through again  [Okay, now you're uber-whacked; technically she only came through because she caused the problem in the first place by not handing the paper back]  Fair  [This is the one non-anti-Max comment you've made that I don't agree with]  🤣🤣🤣

[This.  Is an NCIS episode.]  ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️  ["I've got a military vessel heading out to-"]

A ghostttt  [Max disappearing: Cas-coded]

Oooooop-  [Plz let DaphMary be a lesbian]  SBC… If not OC GON make her one

[This whole dress thing is so ridiculously unrealistic.  It's pulling me out of the story.  She definitely smells like trash and yet no one seems to notice; she's bound to have it all dirty, stained, and ripped, and yet she's acting like she's gonna return it... just wot]

OOOOF  THAT WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TODAY

[Showing off her powers again 'sigh']

☠️☠️☠️☠️  [She (Max) annoys me]  Fair

Oh boy

OC 🤣🤣  [Um.  DaphMary looking like she was heading over to OC as soon as she caught the bouquet.]  RIGHT

[Um.  UM.  THEY ACTUALLY DID THAT!!!  DAPHMARY I FREAKING LOVE YOU]  Oooooop!  Dean’s getting a new momma.  [Well, he always seems to lose one, so he needs two]  Oooof  ☠️☠️☠️☠️

Ooop-  Somethings missing on miss presses neck 🙂

“You first”  Heart eyes

[I.  I think we found out why she dumped him… Lickity-chicks]  ☠️☠️☠️☠️  Logan’s not clueless I love it  [This is true!]

Dawwwww!  Genuine smile!  [I will give you that Max/Logan are good in this scene]  

Another dawwwww

Le gasp

Buddy HOW BOUT YOU NOT  [HE WAS TESTING IT]  “My feet work again… Lemme break em”

– – –

Jezebel: Ok! End point! 🙃 Jam pony still are my all time favorites! Like you said it’s the Normal fic but make the girl a painting ☠️☠️ and the depression is his, you know, will to live.

Wench: lkjlkj;lkj oof

Jezebel: Also Logan was adorable in this one.  Very Tony-esque.  And his family sucks.

Wench: All true

Jezebel: But DAPHNE(MARY) 😮‍💨💕 love herrrr!

Wench: I KNOW!  I FORGOT THEY DID THAT AND JUST.  GOLD

Jezebel: OC really just be coming in and swooping up all the ladies.  Also, Max was annoying but her taking the necklace made me happy. So *sigh* 😤  I’m conflicted

Wench: This is fair!  To be honest, she’s not as bad in s1 as she is in s2.  It’s her dynamic there that causes the issue.

Jezebel: Ending note. Catlike jumping in leather = meh, goofy but believable / catlike jumping in fancy schmancy dress = the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen

[kariachi]

Some fic I started last night! Kevin, Ben hanging out shortly into Kevin’s retirement.

~~

The last thing Kevin remembered was forcing his way through a book, then the next thing he knew he was waking up to Ben sat on his legs and one of the fucking Sumo Slammers tv shows on his television.

“The fuck, man?”

“Oh, so you are alive.”

“Unfortunately, get that shit off my screen.”

“And you call yourself a Sumo Slammers fan.”

“The games are good, the movies are good, the shows suck ass.”

“And you’ve eaten enough of it to recognize the signs?”

“Damn right, shut it off.” Blowing a raspberry his way, Ben did as asked, tossing the remote onto the coffeetable.

“Enjoy your nap?”

“It was sleep,” Kevin said, sitting up with a stretch and beginning the search for his book. It was quickly located, sat on the coffeetable with a bookmark in place. “Thanks, Benji.” If he’d been tired enough to conk out he sure as fuck hadn’t done that himself.

“No problem, man.” Stretching as well, with a yawn, Ben flopped back against the couch. “Figured I’d stop by, see if the quiet had driven you completely batshit yet.”

“Not yet.” Snorting a laugh, Kevin draped an arm over the back of the couch and relaxed against it. “Pretty nice, actually. Don’t have the looming worry I’ll have to drop whatever I’m doing at a critical moment for an emergency, have only reopened a wound once, and there’ve been no ‘falling asleep behind the wheel’ incidents.”

“It was only the two times,” Ben teased, and got his arm swatted for the trouble.

“Having to pull over so you fuckers could drive once would’ve been more than enough, thanks.”

“I am glad to hear you aren’t driving that tired anymore though,” Ben continued. “We were all a lot more worried about that than having to drive ourselves.” Huffing, Kevin rolled his eyes.

“There’s easier ways to die,” he said, ignoring the look Ben gave him. “Besides, I only did it in the first place because we kept having shit that needed doing. Somebody calls and says a town’s gonna get wiped off the map if you can’t handle shit within two hours, the fact you haven’t slept in two days doesn’t really enter into things.” With a small cringe, Ben nodded.

“Yeah, sorry about that. If we’d known just how bad your shit can be-”

“Nothing woulda changed. I’d have gotten the same million solutions I’d already tried before shoved at me, and the same nagging about ‘did you sleep last night’ after being called out to give you fuckers a ride.” Kevin knew that for a fact, after dealing with them so long. It’d taken them ages to work past the idea that they had all the answers, even after being repeatedly proven wrong, and they still tended to forget to consider other people’s ends of things in their plans. “Coming to terms with it, like you bastards anyway.”

Properly coming to terms with it too, not just forgiving them out of hand because he was a busted mess whose brain had been fucked with one too many times. His relationships with the Tennysons were a whole subsection of his therapy, and included a whole mini-file titled ‘Good People Can Still Be Assholes’. It referenced back to a larger file titled ‘People Mistreating Me is Not My Fault’, and both referenced to a book on setting boundaries his shrink had gotten him. Both also included papers he’d repeatedly written these and surrounding concepts on, in an attempt to lodge them into his broken brain.

“Thank fuck, I’d hate to see if you decided you didn’t like us anymore.” He flashed Ben a grin that was easily returned.

“Yeah, you guys’d never see my ass again.”

“Not even at Argit’s?”

“Most of that bastard’s murders were for me, you think he won’t abandon a business and political career if I ask?” He wouldn’t even have to ask, he’d just have to say he was skipping out and Argit’d immediately be whining about having to pack on no notice. Ben chuckled, shaking his head with a soft fondness to his expression.

“Glad to hear you’re doing good,” he said. “We’ve been half expecting you to go stir crazy and have no idea what it would do to you.”

“Benji,” Kevin snorted, “I’m not used to getting to just chill enough to go stir crazy yet. Even if I was, trust me I’ve got enough projects that have been building in my head to keep myself plenty busy.”

“If you say so.”

“Worst comes to worst, I’ll think of something to keep myself out of trouble.” Chuckling, Ben nodded.

“Hey,” he said, “did you have any plans for this afternoon? Because I’ve got nothing.”

“Not really-” Kevin had wanted to get through that book, but well. And he didn’t have shit to read that Ben would be into. “-make it a gaming day?” Generally a good option, and true to form Ben lit up at the idea.

“Sounds good to me,” he said, lifting himself up enough Kevin could pull his legs free without sending him toppling. “Host’s choice first.” The smile Kevin flashed him as he stood was full of teeth.

“Gran Turismo it is then.” Ben’s responding groan was half-hearted at best.

“Okay, but it’s Sumo World League after or I’m going the fuck home-”

[softceleste]

i don’t know how to deal with the fact that one of my favorite actors is completely ignoring the ongoing genocide. the implication of their silence and them not even deigning to share a call for a ceasefire is something I genuinely can’t get past. they haven’t even cleared the bar of doing the bare minimum and i’m finding it hard to imagine engaging with any media they’re a part of at this point.

i’m sorry to bother you with this message but the person i’m talking about is someone you also like and i didn’t know who else i could talk to about this. i deliberately left out any identifying information so as not to invite any weirdos to your blog should you choose to answer this. i can send their name in a separate ask if you wish. once again, sorry to bother you

Hey love! So from the get go, I just want to say you are absolutely not bothering me whatsoever, okay? I’m glad that you feel safe / comfortable enough to come talk to me about how you’re feeling, and honestly like... if people are weird in my anons, I’ll block them. You’re good!

I’ll also be honest that I’m still trying to navigate my feelings with this specific thing happening with a couple of my favorites too. Like on the one hand, I obviously prefer that they’re not actively calling for the deaths of Palestinians given how many horrible posts I've seen from celebs doing that, but on the other hand, being silent is frankly just enabling genocide at this point and I fail to see how anyone doesn’t see that. It’s part of why I’m frustrated with people who were posting daily at the beginning and hasn’t posted the entirety of 2024 about it as well currently, because like... right now it’s extremely important to keep posting.  So I’m taking this case by case currently, and keeping an eye on the letters and stuff (because a lot of celebs are not posting zionist on IG to avoid being canceled rn and signing shit like the Biden letter, but on the flip side there’s been celebs I personally haven’t seen post yet, but I’ve seen photos of in the streets protesting for a ceasefire) right now, and in a lot of cases I’m leaning towards drop so you may see me drop more and more people as time goes on, but I’m gonna keep my eyes on stuff and see how it continues to go.

That being said, I got your anon about who we’re discussing and... yeah, so I kinda already have dropped her and decided to only post her when my friends tag me in stuff of hers for a variety of reasons (including realizing the sheer amount of vocal transphobes she follows and engages with, and not being able to think of a single time she has positively discussed the trans community) until I 100% decide how I feel about her - it may even end up being a 100% no reblog situation, we'll see after I sort out my feelings. But she did post in October, and I’ll put that post that IG story under the read more. I’ll be completely honest though, I wouldn’t expect any future posts from her, and between her closest friends politics / posts on the matter and what I know about the area she grew up in (because I have family who lives in the same town), I’m not sure we’d like any posts she’d make if she did decide to post about Palestine. Like it sucked dropping someone I was following/loved like a decade, but I'm trusting my gut on this one you know? Would rather listen to it and get proven wrong, than not and be proven right in this situation, personally 💕

Image Link (because I can't readmore it ??? yikes tumblr)

[thatoneluckybee]

Wanna point out that for Nao, she arguably had it pretty good! But she definitely does have her struggles.

I haven’t studied her character too much but one thing is certain: Nao is (affectionately) a leech. She craves security, support, and validation. This isn’t a bad thing, necessarily, but it’s taken to an extreme, leading her to be a highly desperate and dependent person with little to no confidence in her own abilities.

Even prior to the death game, we see her and Mishima’s interactions—she NEEDS him to agree with and encourage her or she is unable to take the leap to college herself. This isn’t bad, but it’s reflective of a larger problem. When Mishima dies, Nao has absolutely no idea what to do with herself. She’s become entirely attached to one singular person and she is effectively unable to function without him as her rock. Their bond is adorable and good, but it is unhealthy, at least from Nao’s side. This could also reflect severe self-esteem issues. She requires praise and unyielding support to thrive, at least at first, and has no confidence in herself and what she can do. Even art, what she’s best at, she isn’t sure she can succeed in!

We see this attachment even later to Sara! By now, Nao has gone through a lot of development. She’s, for lack of better words, grown her own backbone, is developing her own rock, and she’s learning how to thrive as Nao Egokoro. Not Mishima’s teacher, not an art student, as Nao. But she’s not done with this growth just yet. If she has lived it would probably have taken years for her to fully heal from this unhealthy attachment style, if at all. (Not including Massacre ending with that interpretation since…. yeah, no, Nao’s never recovering from that. Her unhealthy attachment has been 100% proven to be the way to survive in her eyes there.)

So when Sara, a confident girl whom she befriends, a girl who is able to lead everyone, protect those she can, unwavering and never giving up, at least in Nao’s eyes? Sara is her miracle. Sara. Can. Be. A. Rock.

Nao is desperate. Who all can you argue that Nao is close with? Gin and Kanna are kids, they can’t support her. Shin has been helping her, but he’s struggling, he doesn’t HAVE a rock, how can he be hers? Reko? Well, Reko is dead. Or, if she is alive, Nao has effectively chosen group survival over Reko by pushing the fake Reko doll to her death before they could 100% know she WAS a fake. How can she go back?

But Sara? Oh, Sara is a steelmind. Sara is a woman of stone. Sara is a rock.

Of course, this doesn’t work out for Nao in the end (even if Sara and her escape, arguably it would go back to being unhealthy. Don’t get me wrong—it’s a super cute ship! But in the Massacre Ending, their future is probably not very healthy or fun.)

Nao Egokoro is deeply flawed as a character in this sense, which is what makes her so fun and dynamic to me. Maybe if she hadn’t received the sacrifice she would have grown further and managed to find her own footing completely. She’s a good example of loyalty and devotion taken too far, a girl who can’t function without a host. She is (still affectionately) a leech. She is a good person, and she has the capacity for change and growth, we see it! She is so much stronger by the time she dies than she was when we first meet her, and her identity is “former student of the Professor!”

She has had a good life, yes, arguably. But she isn’t perfect, and she has issues and problems that only cause her pain. She has struggles. A lot of them.

When you think about it, almost everybody had some more or less severe problems even before death game:

Sara was stalked (yes, Kai is good, but Sara didn't know that), she knew something was wrong with her family and didn't make many friends because of it;

Joe thought he was class clown, more tragically, he lost his dad (and if we believe manga, he was quite poor);

Keiji was the one to kill Joe's dad (presumably but likely) and even if not, Mr. Policeman was truly important figure, childhood hero, inspiration, so trauma was serious to the point of drinking too much alcohol and not sleeping;

Kanna was adopted and wasn't accepted well at first by her sister;

Gin's father is a drunkard, plus Gin's autism could influence his relationships and self-esteem (he did ask Midori if mother considered him a burden);

Shin's friend (likely the only one) was a madman that creeped him out, and when Midori left Shin tried to find him and wore his scarf despite all abusiveness of their relationships as he was that lonely;

Reko was pushed to do something she didn't like by her father in school, then she lost her brother as he murdered someone, so she left previous band and couldn't sing old songs (then she learned charges were false and singed the Asunaro vow but she forgot all about it);

Alice was convicted of murder, hated by own familly, later got to know Midori was alive and well but couldn't do anything except sing the contract;

Q-Taro had major health issues to the point of thinking about death, not being able to play (also he was adopted as well, through hopefully he at least wasn't bullied for this);

We know so little about Mishima, but he failed his entrance exam and he was hoodlum in general. I'd argue he had it quite well after he became a nearly model teacher, but still we don't know much. Plus he was suspicous which made some students afraid of him;

And Kai was like a tool for organisation from the moment of coming to this world. Raised to kill, witnessing Sei's death, growing numb, becoming loyal to Chidoins, not being able to be true brother figure for Sara whom he stalked... And he was likely betrayed by Mr. Chidoin. He had it rough. It's easier to count positive moments of his life than negative ones;

I think Nao was the only one without something tragic: ordinary family, friends, great teacher... Maybe she was a bit scared of him (as mentioned in YTTS), but overall she had a good life...

Why can't they be happy...

[drcooldog]

[thecameronchronicles]

5 Minutes Or Less

TW: Public Sex. Smut. Degrading Language. 

Kook!Reader x JJ Maybank.

Enemies x Lovers.

SUMMARY: JJ’s eavesdropping ends in your pleasure…

WORD COUNT: 1700

*ORIGINAL CONCEPT*

5 Minutes or Less

You couldn’t even fathom why he would even be here. It wasn’t as if he was the life of the party as he may have been on his side of the island, on The Cut. Yet, he was shameless to indulge in what was offered to you and your fellow friends by the lead Kook who arranged this weekly gathering of drinking and drugs to quell his own vices. But as others were too focused on the imminent high or approaching intoxication, he just kept his eyes narrowed to you. Even if you shouldn’t have been surprised as this seemed to be his go-to interaction you shared as tensions from across any room in which you were together, for some reason tonight it had put you further on edge than normal. Perhaps it was because he was without his other pogues. Or perhaps it was even the way his eyes didn’t waver from you for even a second. Not as he took a sip. Not as he was bullied by your friends. And not as you could no longer take the heat of his iced focus. 

“Maybe something is just broken in me…” You confessed to Sarah as she bent over the vanity of the bathroom, applying another line of gloss over her lips. 

“You just haven’t had the right guy. I’m telling you, high school guys have no idea what the hell they’re doing…” She confessed. “Which is why I don’t waste my time anymore.” You slowly nodded, the details of the conversation rather vulgar despite the fact they echoed well into the hallway. 

“Sorry to hear about your predicament, princess…” JJ’s voice stilled you in place as Sarah continued down the steps and you turned to find him leaning against the wall of the bathroom, dimples on exposure as he was quite proud of himself. 

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re not above eavesdropping…” You shot in his direction before attempting to slip away back in the trail of your friend. But once again, his words were a means to stay. But not because they were welcomed by your heart, but because they were a further fan to the hatred that burned for him beneath your otherwise soft exterior. 

“I know what your problem is…”

“Oh really?” You asked with a roll of your eyes before he now blocked the path you could have made to escape these tensions. 

“You just haven’t had the right person is all…I mean…it shouldn’t take too long-”

“And what would YOU know about it?” You spat as he scoffed. 

“Only that I could do it faster than even yourself.” Your brow raised, the need to prove him wrong having caused any lines of morality and reason to blur. 

“Like I’d ever let you touch me to find out…”

“I always knew you were entitled and materialistic…but I never took you as a coward.” Your jaw clenched, “I’d even give you the benefit here…Let’s say…Five minutes or less…”

“You think you can make me come in less than five minutes with nothing else but your fingers?”

“It would be even shorter with my tongue, but yeah…definitely…” You clenched your jaw at the thought, having now been at rest at the wall between the steps and the bathroom as he had set you this way throughout the conversation. 

“Fine then…” He smirked, drawing his fingers to his smirk and sucking them into a drip, before moving closer to your shorts. 

“I hope you taste sweeter than you are because you can be such a brat-”

“You aren’t any-” Your words were silenced by his fingers making contact directly at your sex. The way he was able to keep you almost in a trance just by his own gaze had proven itself once again as you had been moved in such a way without learning of his fingers as they moved stealthily to you. 

“Is that all it took to shut you up after all this time?” Your eyes narrowed as you were stubborn, not allowing even a second of satisfaction to read across your face, even if his touch was enough to want to ride to your release. You’d had other fingers between those lower lips, but none that felt like his and you couldn't understand why. He wasn’t even allowing pleasure in longevity or depth as he was strictly teasing you, but perhaps this was what made you force those tremors into reserve. Because he was teetering around that satisfaction,well aware if he were to move a hairline over to your clit or a degree lower, he would have you belting out his name and renouncing your Kook citizenship, simply to come. And you loathed how he had this effect over you. The same effect that made you need to prove him wrong to such a degree that left any remaining virtues at your feet as he grinned widely at your reactions.

“Oh look at that face…you’re not going to come already are you? More desperate than I thought…” He berated as your grip tightened around his wrist as you rode further into his ringed fingers, a second now in attendance as his thumb made broad circles over your clit. 

“Oh you want to, I can feel it…" But as you could no longer fight him, the expiration of time still well out of reach, he would lengthen your torment. 

"Just how desperate are you, sweetheart?"

"JJ-" You spoke through clenched teeth, your tone aggressive, as your eyes pleaded with him. 

"Bet you'd let me fuck you right now…"

"Yes! Please!" His face suddenly read in pure bewilderment that quickly shifted to amusement until your hand wrapped around the back of his neck. Maybe it was the fact it was forbidden as far as social standards were concerned. Or maybe even the fact you had always been curious for his touch. Either way, you were desperate to know it. But that grip wrapped at his soin would drive his lips to yours, a single collision that left you willing to do whatever was necessary to keep the connection. 

His kiss was sweet, a contrast to his vulgar words and even more aggressive touch. But you craved it. You wanted to know all the ways your body would respond to him alkaot ad much as he wanted. Almost. But all he needed was the confirmation of your submission before he turned you towards the wall, fingers remaining to pleasure you, as his second hand pulled you back at an angle to kiss him. 

"You ARE desperate for me…wanting me to fuck you like this…where anyone can see you.. " You were too lost in the pleasure to care. You didn't care how it would appear. Nobody had ever made you feel like this and you were certain nobody ever could again. Nobody but him at least. 

"You wanna come?" 

"Please JJ!"

"Then beg like a good little slut begging for this pogue cock…"

"I want it…" You mewled as he continuously edged you. 

"Why don't we beg a bit more? Sounds so pretty, princess. So desperate for me-"

"Please…JJ…."

"Hasn't even been three minutes…" He scoffed, taunting you for your inability to exercise even a moment's patience. 

"I'd bet you'd also suck me dry just to keep my fingers like this…"

"Please, JJ! Please!" You pulled him back into a kiss as he was left in consideration. But the way you pressed against him and moaned before him was too much to bear. And so, in seconds, you were exposed from the waist down as the sound of his belt and joint buckle would be enough to inform you he joined in the vulnerability. 

"Yes!" You cursed aloud as he pounded into you, his dominant hand kept at your sex as the other was stationed at the wall for support. Your body was taken into an angle and then thrust into the wall in repetition as you moaned for him. 

"Has anybody else even ever been inside you, you're squeezing me like a fucking virgin!" He nearly growled into your ear as you validated you were experienced, but not enough to know how to make yourself come as he threatened to make you. Your eyes rolled at the thought. 

"Just never been fucked right, is that it? They're probably soft with you, telling you all those pretty words…but you need the dirty ones to make you come…"

"J-"

"Like how you're a whore dressing where I can tell you like to wear thongs? Or how about how I know you've made yourself come thinking about me…but it doest feel like this does it, sweetheart?"

"No…." You confessed. 

"You're gonna let me come inside you, right? Enough to drip down your thighs as you try to walk back to your little friends? I bet you won't make it another hour before needing me again…just needing my tongue because you'll be too sore for my cock again…"

"Please!"

"Tell me what you want. I don't think I've made you any stupider than you are…But if it is making it hard to say it.." His hand moved from your clit and to your neck. "Then scream it." 

"Fuck me!"

Your body was suddenly unleashed. Never before this moment had an orgasm charged through you to this degree. Only pleasure surged as conduits beyond each nerve as you felt him find his own release behind you. But even if he would have caused pain by how stuffed he left you, nothing could counter the effect he left behind. Your skin almost buzzed and your eyes were unable to see anything but remnants of the stars he forced to form behind compressed eyes.

You would never admit it. But you didn't have to. He knew he was the best you'd had. And just as you wouldn't offer that confession, neither would he. 

"Guess I won…" He smirked into your ear as you savored your tremors. Like sparks from a live wire, the desire remained. But just like the safety of such danger, it faded as he descended the steps, leaving you unsure of what would transpire if you were to see each other again. But you hoped you would.

Taglist: @hopebaker @iovdrew @penny4yourthoughts @magnificantmermaid @pickingviolets @lovedetlost @trikigirl271 @maybankslover @slut4starkey @slvtherinseeker @obxiskewl @bluesongbird @slut-era @ailee-celeste @camilynn @sweetestdesire @onmykneesforrafe @drews1love @pankhoeforlife @pankowperfection

[juniperhillpatient]

To expand on this because I got bored & fell asleep at the end of this movie (not a great sign…) I think the first 30 or so minutes of this movie felt like a typical Blumhouse movie. Nothing spectacular or noteworthy but fun! I feel like I’m constantly coming off a bit disdainful toward the Conjuring movies & Blumhouse overall but to clarify my feelings -

1. It’s a whole studio of course it spits out some masterpieces (I really liked the Blackphone, that was actually an original & interesting movie & I’n not surprised given it was based on a story by Joe King) thanks to the diversity of creatives involved I just think a lot of this studios movies are very basic unchallenging ghost stories & other studios like A24 are often producing more interesting content.

2. I do like the Conjuring movies as fun popcorn flicks. There’s nothing wrong with a little lighthearted spooky fun, but that’s all they are. There’s nothing challenging or special or subversive about the series. Every one of them is like the template for a basic ghost story. And I’m sorry but while some of the stories surrounded by the Warrens are interesting (I do find the real case behind the Devil Made Me Do it fascinating for many reasons) many of their stories have been all but proven to be exaggerated at best & hoaxes at worst. So like…. The franchise is fine? I’ve seen most of them in theatres & had a good time! But they aren’t particularly special as horror movies in my opinion.

Back to the Exorcist: Believer - this movie started off okay, like I said! It should’ve leaned into the plot about the two girls coming back from going missing Not Quite Right (& maybe not over explained the already obvious stuff so much? The Christian moms grating explanation that the girls were gone for 3 days just like Jesus & that it seems like they were in Hell - things that were already made abundantly clear through basic inferences & paying attention to the film even a little - was especially grating.)

The film really went downhill for me when it became your typical Hollywood reboot - leaning obnoxiously far into how hyped they were to get Ellen Burstyn & to play into nostalgia. So many shots in this movie were just the original but Worse. The second half of this movie is disappointing on every level. It’s not confident enough about the source material - the “feminist” parts like Chris’ rejection of the patriarchy (out of nowhere?) or speech about how Christianity & the church isn’t just about specific beliefs but about community (where did this speech come from?) & then a lady giving the exorcist (at least this one was sort of explained by the priest leaving after the church rejected his request & bordered on touching an interesting idea) —- these elements were such bland moments of hollow Hollywood feminism that actually detracted from the overall vibe of the movie.

And yet despite its lack of confidence in the source material, this movie was also not confident in itself enough to do anything original or subversive or remotely interesting. It’s the same old bed shaking scenes & creepy voices that made the original famous but it’s TWO girls now.

I haven’t actually seen the other Exorcist sequels but I LOVED the Fox television series which I think is painfully underrated & is genuinely really smart & scary horror tv as well as a much more compelling continuation of the original then…. This movie.

I’d be curious if anyone thinks the other sequels are worth watching or if anyone else has a different opinion to share about the 2023 movie but yeah - I thought it was pretty disappointing on every level LOL

I’m only about 30 minutes in & of course my review could change but so far this movie isn’t bad by any means like I’m very entertained & hooked but it is a very typical Blumhouse ghost movie. I think it would have faired better if it didn’t attach itself to the Exorcist name & allowed itself to exist on its own. maybe I’ll change my mind but it’s very typical Conjuring series spoopy vibes so far, none of the bark or bite of The Exorcist